These giant mosquitoes weren't just enormous—their hides were exceptionally thick, with some even bulletproof.
Despite this, the upgraded firearms left the mosquitoes with little resistance.
Piles of corpses, mixed with sickly green blood, fell relentlessly, forming a grotesque path.
Yet, through sheer numbers, the giant mosquitoes continued to inch closer to the group.
They paid for it with countless lives.
For them, hunger overrode all other thoughts, easily dictating their actions.
In comparison, the Blackthorn Gorillas were generally more intelligent than the giant mosquitoes, which had only two main advantages.
First, their numbers far surpassed those of the Blackthorn Gorillas—so much so that even the gorillas avoided provoking them.
Second, once they latched onto prey, escape was nearly impossible.
They would pursue relentlessly.
Jonah raised his brow again and signaled.
Several soldiers quickly moved to his side.
From their backpacks, they swiftly retrieved multiple devices.
With a few quick assemblies, they formed what resembled rocket launchers—like building with Lego bricks.
But these weren't rocket launchers.
They were specialized flamethrowers capable of shooting flames up to ten meters with intense heat.
In truth, Porygon-Z had been following Akira all along, cataloging information on every monster encountered.
Eventually, Porygon-Z gave Meowth a suggestion: to create weapons with fire-based damage.
The Dark Continent was rife with dangers, but aside from the bizarre "Calamities," many creatures could be dealt with using technology.
Among the most effective methods were poison and fire.
Poison was self-explanatory—potent toxins could dissolve creatures into puddles of blood.
Even the Chimera Ant King had fallen to "Poor Man's Rose."
Fire was equally straightforward.
On the Dark Continent, most "Calamities" took biological forms—at least in the hypothetical continent and its fringes.
And most creatures had a notable weakness to fire.If the targets were plant-type or insect-type [Disasters], the lethality would be even greater.
Therefore, Meowth not only upgraded the original equipment for the elite soldiers but also added two additional weapons.
The first was the modular flamethrowers currently in use by the team.
They could operate using fuel, but if the fuel ran out, they could also be replenished with Aura.
So, strictly speaking, these flamethrowers could also be considered Nen tools.
The second was the poison gas grenades strapped to the soldiers' waists.
Once wrapped in Aura and the safety pin was pulled, they would explode into a cloud of toxic mist.
This toxic mist was the result of Meowth's collection of [Poor Man's Rose], [Purple Forest Leaves], [Poison Barb], and other deadly poisons.
Its potency was absolutely guaranteed, which was why the soldiers were warned not to use it unless absolutely necessary.
As several of them pressed the triggers simultaneously, fierce "fire dragons" suddenly surged forth, as if they had been trapped for too long.
The aggressive flames snaked through the air, causing the temperature on the battlefield to skyrocket instantly, even distorting the surrounding space.
The effect was immediate.
The advance of the giant mosquitoes slowed drastically, and countless mosquitoes at the front were instantly reduced to ashes.
First, they turned into charred husks, then, under further roasting, crumbled into carbon dust, covering the already chaotic ground with a thick layer of black soot.
Then, the team stepped forward in unison.
With each step, more giant mosquitoes were obliterated.
On this isolated island, the giant mosquitoes had almost never encountered fire before, and their innate insect fear of flames was triggered.
Thus, for the first time in history, these giant mosquitoes showed signs of retreat, actively turning around to flee.
Jonah said in a deep voice, "Pursue them."
"Eliminate them all."
The purpose of their mission was to eliminate all potential threats—any creature deemed hazardous had to be eradicated.
Since the enemy had delivered themselves to their doorstep, there was no reason to let them go, saving them the trouble of hunting them down later.
...
Jonah's team was progressing smoothly, having encountered the vulnerable giant mosquitoes.
Meanwhile, the Hunter Association's team was moving a bit slower.
The Blackthorn Gorillas had no obvious weaknesses—they were thick-skinned, had high endurance, and were proficient in both close and ranged combat.
Though their numbers weren't as vast as the giant mosquitoes, they still outnumbered the hunters, leading to a stalemate.
"Boom!"
Golem raised his arms high, launching a Nen cannonball straight into the horde of Blackthorn Gorillas, creating an ear-splitting explosion.
Even the grass and soil beneath were blasted away, filling the air with the strange scent of gunpowder and upturned earth.
Because Golem and his team were using Nen weapons, which made it difficult to distinguish friend from foe, both sides mostly fought separately to avoid interference.
The clearly divided battlefield made Golem's group seem more like Jonah's team—both relied on firearms and ammunition, albeit Nen-enhanced ones.
In contrast, the Hunter Association team fought more like traditional Nen users.
Cheadle wielded a conjured book in her hands.
Her Aura surged as she leaped into the air, delivering a heavy punch to a Blackthorn Gorilla's head.
She had discovered that the Blackthorn Gorillas weren't entirely without weaknesses.
Their fur was covered in black thorns, which would shoot out like needles when an enemy got too close.
But this had two flaws.
First, the areas where the thorns had been fired couldn't regrow new ones immediately.
Two, the hair on their heads was normal, not the black spikes, and the reason for this remains unknown.
Perhaps it's related to the structure of the black spikes, but the exact cause can only be determined after dissection.
Though Cheadle is more of an intellectual type, that doesn't mean her combat prowess is lacking.
To hold a position among the Twelve Zodiacs, one must at least be a pillar among Nen users.
Some of their Nen Abilities might not be suited for combat, but their personal combat skills are by no means inferior.
At the very least, dealing with ordinary black-spiked gorillas is well within her capabilities.
With a dull groan, the struck black-spiked gorilla's head caved in, instantly losing consciousness before swaying and collapsing to the ground.
...
Somewhere on the slopes of a volcano in the Dark Continent,
Akira watched as Steelix effortlessly devoured the entire [Faux Rockfire] in a matter of moments.
As expected, the [Faux Rockfire] only provided experience points—though something was better than nothing.
Compared to the ores, the experience points from the [Faux Rockfire] were even more substantial.
The only downside was the lack of a special ability.
But for Steelix at this stage, special abilities weren't exactly in short supply.
Currently, Steelix possessed a total of six abilities.
The first was the counter-shock ability granted by [Blackquake Rock].
The second was the diamond ability bestowed by [Gemstone Power], allowing it to crystallize into diamond form and unleash beams akin to those of a stone drill.
The third was the stealth ability provided by [Shadowstone], enabling it to move freely through shadows.
The fourth and fifth were explosive flame and deadly venom abilities, respectively.
The sixth was the gaseous transformation ability granted by [Aerolite], allowing it to shift into various gases at will, much like gaseous rock.
It was worth noting that since [Aerolite] was a symbiotic mineral of [Gemstone Power],
Akira had no shortage of [Aerolite] after taming the Diamond Spirits.
These were handed over to Porygon-Z and Meowth for research, rumored to be capable of producing an exceptionally potent fuel.
Once developed, this fuel could accelerate human societal progress at an unprecedented rate.
Beyond that, Meowth had discovered another ingenious application.
Since [Aerolite] was similar to [Tri-Water], one of the Hopes, in its ability to transform into corresponding substances,
Meowth theorized whether [Aerolite] could be converted into [Aura] or even life energy.
Compared to conventional gases like oxygen, Aura was more abstract in nature.
Thus, Meowth wasn't entirely confident.
After a series of experiments, the final answer was yes—
though the conversion efficiency was relatively low.
The same weight of [Aerolite] yielded far less life energy than [Nitro Rice] or other [Hopes].
Still, this opened up new avenues for Meowth.
If Aura could be converted, what about other abstract gases?
For instance, could the eerie black mist surrounding the Snake Lord also be replicated using [Aerolite]?
After repeated experiments, Meowth arrived at another theorem: [Aerolite] had an upper limit to its conversion efficiency.
The more energy-dense the gas, the less of it could be converted from the same weight of [Aerolite].
If transformed into oxygen, a piece the size of a fingertip could supply an adult's daily needs.
But if converted into the Snake Lord's dark gas, even a chunk as large as a house would yield only a minuscule amount.
From this, it can be seen that grasping the right balance and finding the most suitable gas for conversion is crucial.
Lost in thought, Akira mounted his Arcanine and prepared to leave, heading upward toward the volcanic crater.
Although Don had mentioned that the Kurta Clan resided at the foot of the mountain, Akira wasn't in a hurry.
Instead, he was more curious about what might be waiting at the crater.
Generally speaking, the further one climbed from the base to the summit, the stronger the creatures encountered would be.
The chances of finding something valuable also increased.
After all, in the Dark Continent, danger and reward often went hand in hand.
After moving just a few steps, Akira noticed a figure on the path near the mountain's base.
'A person?'
'Could it be…?'
Akira's gaze sharpened.
He immediately recalled the Pokémon by his side and flashed forward, appearing right in front of the figure.
The young man before him appeared somewhat youthful, around twenty years old, dressed in distinctive clothing.
It resembled a robe, primarily blue in color, adorned with intricate patterns.
Akira had seen similar attire before—more than once.
He had seen it on Kurapika.
Clearly, this person was a member of the Kurta Clan.
Startled by Akira's sudden appearance, Bruh was terrified, his first instinct being to turn and flee.
He didn't have time to ponder the mystery of Akira's origins.
Years of experience had taught him that running was the best option.
When faced with the unknown and the inexplicable, flee immediately!
This was a warning passed down by their elders, etched deeply into the memory of every clan member.
Those who failed to remember it rarely survived the wilderness.
Seeing Bruh bolt without hesitation, Akira was momentarily taken aback before a look of admiration crossed his face.
In a place like the Dark Continent, such vigilance was essential for survival.
Unfortunately, he had no ill intentions—he merely wanted to ask a few questions.
The next moment, Bruh's body froze, stiffening completely. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move.
'Damn it! I'm done for!'
Despair washed over Bruh's face.
If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have volunteered to explore alone.
In his mind, being immobilized like this could only mean death awaited him.
Akira realized he couldn't understand Bruh's murmurs—likely spoken in the Kurta Clan's native tongue.
When he had visited the ruins of the Kurta Clan on the Six Continents with Kurapika,
he had seen stone tablets and books inscribed in their language.
This was where the [Translation Device] came into play.
Akira took out the [Translation Device] and spoke slowly to Bruh.
"Hello, I mean no harm."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the stiffness in Bruh's body vanished.
Yet, instead of seizing the chance to flee, he stood frozen in shock.
Because he had just heard his own language.
Could this person before him also be a clansman?
But… why was his clothing so strange?
To Bruh, whose wardrobe consisted solely of monotonous robes with specific patterns,
Akira's casual attire was nothing short of bizarre.
At the very least, he had never seen anything like it.
After a long silence, Bruh slowly turned around and asked in a trembling voice.
"Are you… also one of us?" Bruh also spoke in the Kurta clan's language.
Akira shook his head and said softly, "I'm not from your clan, but I know your people."
Akira wasn't lying.
Knowing Kurapika naturally meant he knew his clansmen.
Hmm...
Though this clansman seemed rather distant from them.
They had never even met.
Bruh looked skeptical, but considering Akira could speak their language, it made some sense.
"You... what do you want with me?" Bruh finally blurted out after a long pause.
"I need to visit your clan's territory and introduce you to a long-lost clansman."
Bruh couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
He'd rather fight monsters than deal with such complicated matters.
"Alright, I'll take you to see my captain first. Whether I can bring you back isn't my call."
In the end, Bruh chose to trust Akira.
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