Instead, a smooth silver-white sphere had replaced each one, with delicate green vines wrapping around the metallic surface. The spheres shimmered faintly in the dim cave light, giving off a cold, eerie glow that sent chills down their spines.
Despite their weak aura, the sight alone sent a shockwave through the group. "...No way..." Ging muttered.
Pyon's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's... an Gildrosia!" Her voice trembled as she shouted, "A parasitic plant that matures into a miraculous elixir, one of the potential calamaties from dark dark continent!"
Not all journeys to the Dark Continent have been recorded by the V5. Long before its formation, various kingdoms and explorers launched their own expeditions into the unknown.
Many of these ventures ended in disaster, with survivors bringing back horrors that were later passed down as myth and legend. One such case was the lost expedition of the Dautl Kingdom, whose surviving crew returned infested with a parasitic plant that bloomed gold and silver.
Though the plant reportedly produced a miraculous elixir upon maturation, it consumed its host entirely to do so. No specimen was ever recovered, and all records were either lost or destroyed.
Incidents like this were eventually compiled into a list of potential calamities: unconfirmed threats of catastrophic power. Though never officially verified, their existence is feared enough to warrant extreme caution.
Larry froze. His eyes locked onto the strange creatures stumbling toward them. He had read about them before, seen drawings and descriptions. These things matched exactly. They looked just like the Gildrosia mentioned in the original records.
Somewhere in the Dark Continent, there was a legendary herb said to cure any illness. But that city was uninhabited and fiercely guarded by a terrifying creature: the Gildrosia. That was the lore.
So how was it possible that one had appeared here?
Larry's mind raced. Maybe they'd find the answer if they pressed deeper into the cave. Just to be sure, he quickly activated his identification ability.
***
Name: Gildrosia (Silver Type)
Strength: B (Recently transformed)
Origin: A creature potentially from the Dark Continent.
***
The data came fast.
The Gildrosia was created when a rare mineral plant parasitized a human host, merging with their body and taking full control. The plant was aggressive by nature and could detect any living creature nearby. Once something approached, it would use the host to attack without hesitation.
The strength of the plant depended both on the original strength of the host and the development of the plant. Before reaching maturity, the plant actively sought out hosts, destroying the host's brain and taking command of the body. Once mature, however, it would lose its aggressiveness, and instead transform into the mythical herb that could heal any disease.
These monsters came in two forms: gold and silver. The gold type specialized in long-range attacks, while the silver type focused on close combat.
Ging clenched his fists, excitement bubbling under his skin. Larry's heart was pounding. Pyon was still trying to process the situation.
The deeper they went, the more it felt like they were standing at the edge of something vast and dangerous, something only the Dark Continent could produce.
The information displayed through Larry's illustration ability confirmed most of what they already suspected about the Gildrosia, and yet, it still managed to surprise him.
That these creatures were formed by parasitic plants taking over human hosts wasn't too shocking. One look at their appearance was enough to guess that much. But what truly caught Larry off guard was what came after.
The parasitic plant that created these monsters… turned out to be the same one said to cure all diseases once it matured. Before reaching maturity, it acted as a terrifying parasitic lifeform, invading the human body, destroying the brain, and taking full control. But after it matured, it no longer attacked or spread. Instead, it became the mythical herb with miraculous healing properties.
Larry let out a soft breath. "Only something from the Dark Continent could be this bizarre."
It was wild. Terrifying and miraculous at the same time. While Larry was still processing the data, Ging had already launched himself forward to face the incoming threats.
There were three Gildrosia in total, all in silver form. From the way they moved, it was clear they'd only recently been parasitized. Their strength barely reached B-rank, far from a real threat to someone like Ging. Against an S-rank powerhouse, they didn't stand a chance.
Without hesitation, Ging closed the distance. His fist crashed down like a hammer, and with a sharp crack, the head of the first plant exploded into glittering shards. The silver-white sphere shattered instantly, fragments clattering across the cave floor.
Without pausing, Ging vanished and reappeared in front of the remaining two, his movements almost ghostlike. His aura barely flickered; he wasn't using anywhere near his full power. Ging didn't need to. These creatures weren't worth it.
Every ounce of his Nen was precisely controlled. Not a drop wasted. Two more punches. Sharp and clean.
Each landed squarely on the forehead of the silver spheres, and in that exact moment, a fine crack opened in the center of each one, like something inside had been triggered. The fractures spread instantly, crisscrossing like a spiderweb, until both spheres burst apart with crisp crack sounds.
Bang!
Both bodies collapsed at once, hitting the stone floor with a lifeless thud. A puff of old dust burst up around them, as though their spines had been pulled straight out.
With the metal shells broken, what was left inside became visible. Tangled, lifeless branches. The parasitic plants had been completely destroyed by Ging's blows. He hadn't just smashed the shells, he'd aimed through them, targeting whatever was within.
From the moment he saw them, he understood the heads were key. It was no different from animals, hard shells usually meant something important was being protected inside. And Ging was nothing if not experienced. He knew exactly where to strike.
Standing over the remains, he wiped the white towel on his head and studied the scattered twigs thoughtfully. "So, it really is some kind of parasitic plant," he muttered.
He glanced at the explorers' ruined clothing. "Looks like they were part of the group that came in recently. Probably didn't last long after being infected."
"Their strength was average at best," he added, crouching down beside one of the corpses. "Seems like the plant didn't fully merge with them yet. The real Gildrosia must be a lot stronger than this."
He stood up slowly, expression growing more serious.
"But I really didn't expect to run into them here… one of the disasters, hiding in a cave like this."
Even as his tone turned grim, the fire in Ging's eyes said something else entirely.