Back in the original series, when Leorio punched him using his teleporting punch, Ging not only broke down the entire structure of the move but also created his own spin on it, developing an alternate version that could strike enemies through solid objects. He even considered it more stealthy than Leorio's original version.
He once joked about being version 1.5 of Leorio's ability, but make no mistake, it was no joke. Ging could accumulate countless offensive Nen techniques this way.
Of course, his copying talent was limited to attack-type abilities, but even that made him a walking arsenal. The "Rubber Man" ability he just used? He learned that from someone else, after taking a hit on purpose. That's how far his obsession with understanding went.
It was terrifying how quickly he could absorb and replicate something that took others years to master.
As Ging and Arcanine, still blazing with power, continued cutting down wave after wave of Gildrosia, the battlefield gradually cleared. The creatures fell one after another, unable to withstand the sheer force of their attacks. And all the while, Arcanine's strength kept rising. With each kill, its experience grew, finally reaching A+ rank.
Mega Sableye, which had been steadily absorbing death aura throughout the battle, also reached A rank, its glow deepening as it processed the energy. Gengar, already at A+, still had some way to go before breaking through to the next tier, but even now, its presence was nothing short of overwhelming.
After clearing out wave after wave of Gildrosia, no more came their way. The number perfectly matched Larry's estimate, it seemed every person who had entered this place had already been parasitized and transformed into those metallic monsters. Dying once was tragic enough, but to be turned into a weapon and killed again? That was a miserable end.
The pattern was clear now: parasitic plants had taken root inside this cave, and unsuspecting explorers were falling victim one after another, triggering a chain reaction. Honestly, it was starting to feel a lot like some kind of zombie outbreak.
Larry had a theory, these parasitic plants weren't just your average flora. Judging by the strength of the enemies they'd fought, the original host must have been powerful. Especially considering that the telepaths sent by V5 weren't exactly weak either.
Now that the onslaught had stopped, Larry, Ging, and Pyon were finally able to move forward. As they went deeper into the cave, both Ging and Pyon began to feel a flicker of anticipation. If there were plant weapons like the Gildrosia here, maybe the rumors were true. Maybe this really was the place that held herbs capable of curing any disease.
Larry stayed quiet. He knew something the others didn't, those miracle herbs? They were actually the final form of these parasitic plants once fully matured.
Further in, there were no more gold or silver Plants. Instead, they began to encounter the withered remains of parasitic plants. The walls of the stone passage were no longer marked with only ancient sacred script. Twisting vine-like growths now snaked across the surface, creating a messy, unnatural pattern.
Even the once-barren ground was now covered in grass, strange, abrupt patches that immediately gave off an unsettling vibe. Worse, that grass was stained black, as if soaked in old, dried blood.
"This must be the spot where it all started," Ging said, eyes narrowing at the dark stains. He looked at the vines crawling along the walls, deep in thought. "This is probably what the Gildrosia looked like before the parasite took over."
Larry knelt down and activated his illustration ability. After a moment, he confirmed it: this was indeed the parasitic plant itself, and it wasn't even fully matured. That meant it was still highly aggressive.
Once these parasitic plants matured, they transformed into those so-called miracle herbs, but in this state, they were nothing but deadly threats.
"Let's see if fire works on them," Larry muttered. They didn't know enough yet, and rushing in blindly would be reckless. So he gave the order to Arcanine to test the plants with a long-range flame attack. But before the creature could even release its flames, the vines suddenly reacted.
They moved. Barbed vines shot out from the walls in a flash, all aiming straight at Arcanine. Their surfaces gleamed faintly with a metallic sheen, adding extra bite to their strikes.
Ging's eyes sharpened. He was already analyzing the behavior.
The vines weren't acting randomly, they twisted and overlapped in the air, weaving together into a tight net, trying to trap Arcanine. At the same time, the grass underfoot began to shift. It released a faint yellow-green powder into the air, invisible at first, but with a paralyzing effect. Anyone who inhaled it would collapse instantly and fall into a deep coma.
The plants had divided roles, ground-based ones spread status effects, while wall-based ones went in for the kill. Just like the Gildrosia, they operated in a two-part system. Faced with the sudden ambush, Arcanine didn't flinch. With a sharp growl, it released a massive burst of flames, cutting through the air with blazing heat.
Just to be safe, Arcanine retreated quickly, darting back to Larry's side in a blur. The moment its jet flames collided with the vines, the aggressive parasitic plant finally took a serious hit. The net of barbed vines, which had tried to trap Arcanine moments ago, burst into a vibrant blaze, the flames wrapping around it in a fiery dance.
At first, Larry thought the fire would keep spreading and eventually consume the entire plant system. But then, something unexpected happened, the vines began snapping off on their own, cutting away only the burning parts. It was like watching a gecko sever its own tail to escape danger.
"They can sever themselves?" Ging murmured, clearly intrigued. His interest in the plant only deepened.
Larry, on the other hand, frowned. At this point, there was no reason to hold back. According to his illustration ability, the plant was still far from maturity, which meant it wasn't particularly valuable to him. At most, he could cut off a piece and keep it for research later.
So, while Ging and Pyon looked on in surprise, Larry gave the signal. Gengar, Gardevoir, and Arcanine moved into position, standing in formation. One by one, they unleashed their attacks.
"Gengar, Will-o'-the-Wisp!"
"Gardevoir, Magic Flame!"
"Arcanine, Jet Flame!"
In an instant, the entire cave was lit up with an explosion of color and fire. Strange flames as dark as ink, fluorescent fire dancing like glowing silk, and a searing jet of blazing heat all spun together in a counter-clockwise spiral, surging forward and colliding with the enemy in a dazzling burst.