When giant sea monsters tumbled down the esophagus, their massive size often worked against them. Upon landing, they were either dead or severely injured, while smaller sea creatures might luckily escape unscathed.
However, even if they landed safely, they still had to face an endless onslaught of parasites.
The slaughter in the darkness was intense from the very beginning. Standing at the vantage point, Law and the others soon caught the heavy scent of blood.
En.
Law silently activated his En. The movements of countless creatures transmitted through the delicate sensations of his skin into his mind.
It was simply… a one-sided massacre.
The Rock Island Crab swallowed an immeasurable number of creatures in one gulp, treating them like livestock and releasing them into this seawater-free slaughterhouse.
From the ocean to solid ground, the marine creatures were disoriented. They could only bare their necks and wait for the parasites to slaughter them.
The slaughter and devouring resembled a war.
"Extremely brutal."
Biscuit murmured as she also activated her En, perceiving the massacre in the darkness.
Human slaughterhouses killed many animals daily, but this was more extreme and terrifying.
Dozens of parasites pounced on a sea monster, like a group of piranhas, and devoured the sea monster in just a dozen seconds, leaving no bones behind.
It was unclear what their selection criteria were. All Law and Biscuit could perceive was the tearing, swallowing, and utter lack of mercy… a cold, ruthless atmosphere of merciless killing.
To put it another way, it was like countless low-level Nen Users jointly releasing their Aura filled with killing intent. Though not threatening, it was deeply unsettling.
Bruna's soft body contracted, shrinking from human size to that of a three-year-old child. She clung to Law's shoulder, trembling.
Tonpa's Nen Ability were even sharper than En. His face turned slightly pale, intimidated by the stark scene in the darkness. Having participated in dozens of Hunter Exams, he at least didn't lose his composure.
On the flat ground, a true river of blood had already formed. During the feeding frenzy, the parasites paid no attention to the splattering blood, allowing it to flow freely across the ground.
The group waited silently until the sounds in the darkness finally subsided. Then, they descended the slope and returned to the flat ground.
Earlier, the light from the luminous algae had illuminated the slope, revealing a rushing river of blood. Now, that blood seemed to have vanished, as if absorbed into the earth.
It was truly a ferocious feast, whether for the Rock Island Crab or the parasites...
Back on flat ground, the group continued their journey.
From the darkness beyond the reach of their light, cold, needle-like gazes frequently pierced through. Law, however, was not worried in the slightest.
Even if the Aura conversion rate of the luminous algae was high, as long as Biscuit's Cookie was around, they could rotate shifts around the clock, ensuring the algae glowed every second of the day.
In terms of endurance, Cookie's ability was almost otherworldly. Inviting Biscuit to join them had undoubtedly been a wise decision.
The Buru Tribe's racial talent seemed to be unique perception and memory. Every time the Rock Island Crab fed, Bruna was the first to warn Law and the others, and she could always find suitable hiding spots in the vast dark area.
This ability to evade danger shared some similarities with Tonpa's Nen Ability, though there were still many differences.
After two days of uninterrupted travel, they encountered the Rock Island Crab feeding no less than ten times. Each time, it swallowed an enormous number of marine creatures.
Upon reflection, with the Rock Island Crab's exaggerated appetite, could the ocean's species truly sustain it?
Perhaps existence itself justified its reason. The Dark Waters could not be measured by conventional logic… maybe the growth cycles here far exceeded those of the Six Continents.
…
On this day, the journey's tranquility was shattered.
The parasites, which feared strong light, no longer kept their distance from the glow transformed by the luminous algae. Though they did not step into the range of the light, they began to encircle Law's group.
Sensing this, the group immediately halted, their gazes piercing deep into the darkness, where countless pairs of crimson eyes filled their vision.
Tonpa and Bruna could not hide their fear, pressing closely against Law and Biscuit.
"Likely, a command higher than instinct is suppressing their disgust and fear." Biscuit said calmly.
Law glanced at Biscuit and replied, "It seems the mastermind has appeared. This saves us the trouble of searching for it."
Biscuit's expression suddenly shifted. She sharply turned toward a specific direction and whispered, "Do you feel it?"
Almost as soon as she spoke, Law's face also changed slightly. He looked in the same direction as Biscuit and said gravely, "An Aura overflowing with malice, undoubtedly condensed from Nen."
"What do you think?" Biscuit asked solemnly.
"Could the ruler of the parasites use Nen?" Law speculated.
"Very likely," Biscuit frowned. Magical beast races inherently possessed physical abilities far surpassing humans. If they also knew how to use Nen, it wouldn't be a simple one-plus-one scenario.
It was worth noting that the magical beast races living under human recognition on the Six Continents, without exception, did not know how to use Nen. If they did, humans might lose their dominance.
In a way, the combination of a magical beast's physical prowess and Nen could be even more terrifying than the multiplicative boost of Vows and Limitations.
Law's expression grew more solemn. He had witnessed Nen-using magical beasts on Demon Island, but those were products of the Surprise Box, with many flaws. This ruler of the parasites, however, was likely a true magical beast Nen User.
At that moment, an Aura of pure, extreme malice surged from the darkness. Tonpa and Bruna were directly affected, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Law and Biscuit faced the Aura head-on, completely unaffected.
This Aura from the unknown creature in the darkness might be comparable to that of the Three Royal Guards of the Chimera Ant King.
"Roar!"
A roar shattered the silence of the darkness.
Somehow, this clearly fish-like creature produced a roar that felt like a tiger's growl.
The crimson eyes in the darkness resembled arranged constellations. Then, a pair of crimson eyes, at least ten times larger, forced its way into view, pushing aside the relatively smaller ones as it moved toward Law's position.
Slowly, carrying a chilling, tangible Aura, a parasite ten times larger than the usual stood at the edge of the light range, its gaze cold as it stared at Law and the others.
"Humans."
The ruler emitted a deep voice, saying a few bizarre syllables. However, Law and the others did not understand a word. Even if they had, they wouldn't have known how to react.
Clack, clack.
The sound of teeth chattering came from beside them.
Law glanced at Tonpa, feeling speechless.
'The Aura was indeed terrifying, but Tonpa at least knew how to use Nen. Was his reaction really necessary?'
Law shook his head slightly, calmly watching the ruler just outside the light range. Suddenly, he took out a flashlight and directed a straight beam of light at the ruler.
Just as the beam landed on the ruler's forehead, it let out an angry roar. The resulting shockwave shattered Law's flashlight and sent Tonpa tumbling to the ground.
A magical beast race that knew how to use Nen was simply a Natural Enhancer.