Maybe because of the distance and the fact that the connection wasn't through the internet, the picture was surprisingly unclear.
Still, he could make out three figures standing across from him.
They all had human-like bodies.
On the left was a muscular man with a bare upper body, his bulging muscles looking normal at first glance.
But his head was that of a sheep, with thick, long horns curling on both sides.
Larry couldn't clearly see his eyes, but the first impression was that this guy seemed sinister, like the demons from myth, with sheep heads and human bodies.
On the right stood a man wearing a large black robe, his physical features hidden completely, even his head covered by a big hat.
If it was just the body covered, Larry might have understood, but the entire head?
That was unsettling.
The mysterious figure was even more unsettling because it covered its entire head, making Larry suspect it couldn't see anything outside.
What made it truly strange, though, was the black robe it wore, adorned with weird patterns.
Despite the blurry image, Larry could make out that these patterns were eyes, eyes of all different sizes, painted realistically and glowing a bright scarlet.
The robe was densely covered with these eerie eyeballs, almost like eyes suddenly appearing all around you in the dead of night, triggering some of humanity's deepest fears.
The most noticeable eye was right in the center, which, judging by its position, marked the wearer as the leader among the three figures.
The other two stood slightly behind him, while he was in the middle and stepped a bit forward, showing how much they cared about rank and hierarchy.
Larry's mind flickered with the memory that these beings despised rudeness and highly valued etiquette.
Since they had traveled across the six continents and had lived through times when kingdoms were the norm, their sense of superiority and rank was much stricter than it is now.
'Maybe some of these customs were influenced by humans?'
The central figure stood out not just because of his place but also because of his appearance.
Unlike the others, he looked like a dragon.
His body was humanoid, which meant he was some kind of sub-human monster, but his arms, chest, and face were covered in dense black scales, and his head was a full dragon's head.
He resembled some of the dragon-like monsters found in the six continents, particularly those that looked like Western dragons, suggesting he belonged to a dragon-human species.
It seemed they weren't authorized to communicate directly with the [Gatekeeper] and instead followed his orders as [Guidelines].
The black dragon in the middle finally spoke, his voice slow and dripping with pride, like a superior talking down to insignificant ants.
His tone was low and rough, almost as if his throat had been worn out by years of smoking.
"Human, what is the matter this time? You just contacted us not long ago," he said.
Before Larry could respond, the black dragon made a confused noise, his expression shifting noticeably.
"Wait... you have six people with you!"
This situation was different from before, and the black dragon wasn't having it.
"You better have a good explanation for this!" he snapped.
"It's totally unreasonable to bring outsiders into our talks without asking!"
Suddenly, he exhaled sharply, and two plumes of white mist puffed out from his nostrils.
An icy aura radiated from him, making the atmosphere feel like you were trapped in a freezing cellar.
Even the two guides standing beside him instinctively stepped back, not daring to get too close.
Larry wasn't surprised that they could speak the common language of the six continents.
After all, if both sides can communicate, one has to use the other's language.
What really caught Larry's attention was the content of their exchange.
Although he hadn't said a word yet, the others clearly noticed there was an extra presence.
Larry wondered if they detected the number of people by the sound of breathing, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
That's because a faint breath was seeping out from the round stone ball nearby, and it was no ordinary breath.
It felt like a demon crawling out of hell, with countless scarlet, obscure, and strange fluctuations swirling around it.
Larry had seen something similar before, the intense, malevolent aura President Netero gave off when facing the ant king, moments before his self-destruction.
The breath from the black dragon now carried the same kind of dark, sinister aura.
So maybe they
Were they sizing up how many people were present just by sensing breaths?
Feeling the black dragon's powerful aura stirred something inside Larry.
As a guide, this guy was clearly strong.
Judging by his breath, he was on par with the ant king after devouring three guards!
This meant the black dragon was probably the strongest among the guides, and the two beside him were much weaker.
The even more powerful gatekeepers might have reached SS-level strength.
No wonder gatekeepers and guides manage to survive for so long in the Dark Continent, it's a place full of dangers, and only the strong can last.
But they can't be too strong either.
If gatekeepers were truly powerful, they wouldn't choose to hang around this marginal area, trading with humans.
They're better than the average but not the strongest.
They can't roam freely across the Dark Continent, but they also can't retreat back to the six continents like ordinary humans.
They decided to rest in the outskirts and do some trading with humans during normal times.
As the powerful aura surged toward them like a crashing wave, the five people's faces changed, and their bodies trembled involuntarily.
Still, it was nothing compared to the overwhelming presence Chairman Netero released before his self-destruction against the Ant King.
"What about five people? What about six?"
Larry stood his ground, rooted to the spot like a wooden stake on the shore.
Despite the tidal wave of aura approaching, he remained completely still.
The black dragon first froze in shock, then veins popped wildly on his forehead as his claws clenched into fists without him realizing it.
His impatient expression darkened suddenly, like a summer storm rolling in with heavy clouds.
His dragon-like pupils flashed a fierce scarlet light, and the anger etched across his face was impossible to put into words.
"Do you know what will happen if you talk to me like that?!" the black dragon said slowly, each word sharp and deliberate.
Suddenly, a massive black and red aura exploded into the sky, filling the air with an intimidating presence.
Black as ink and scarlet as blood, two terrifying forces intertwined to create countless crimson thoughts.
In that moment, the Black Dragon appeared like a heart-stopping beast.
Against the backdrop of overwhelming thought aura that made hearts race, he resembled a murderous maniac emerging from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.