Chapter 6: One Minute on the Dark Continent
Why?
It had been half a minute since Germain had teleported using the lantern.
By now, the nearby creatures should have sensed his presence.
Yet they neither attacked nor fled.
They remained still silent as if… watching.
Indeed, humans rarely set foot upon the Dark Continent.
To its inhabitants, this new being was utterly alien.
They used Germain's scent, his appearance, and his movements to determine what he was and where he stood in their food chain.
This was an instinct essential to survival on the Dark Continent.
But this moment of eerie calm wouldn't last.
The surest way to understand what something was… was to take a bite.
Puff, puff, puff
A cloud of dust erupted.
Several creatures that had perfectly blended into the landscape suddenly revealed their gleaming crimson carapaces and rushed toward Germain, six slender legs propelling their massive bodies.
They looked like stink bugs but each was the size of a car. Clearly, not ordinary insects.
The tremor of their straw-like mouthparts signaled that Germain's brief stay was over.
He glanced down.
The lantern's countdown displayed: 0:03.
Almost ready for another jump.
This time, he decided to call it a day.
The real danger wasn't the red insects charging at him
but what else might be waiting for him to act.
Everything here was watching.
And it was likely that these predators followed the rule of the mantis stalking the cicada, while the oriole waited behind.
The scarlet giants had already surrounded him
but Germain had already extended his pinky finger toward one of the Messenger Imps.
With a faint buzz, like bubbles bursting in sunlight, Germain and the lantern vanished leaving only footprints behind.
Decades later, humanity would once again step onto the Dark Continent and leave its trace.
Bang!
The massive insects slammed into one another, unable to stop their momentum.
Their small heads knocked against their heavy shells, producing a dull, rhythmic thud.
Failing to catch their prey, they extended their long antennae frantically, trying to track the vanished target through the thick air.
With another flash, Germain reappeared in the dark forest.
He crouched down to retrieve the lantern.
Four Messenger Imps crouched quietly by his feet.
The cooldown timer now read: 1:59.
Germain checked the stats projected from his Hunter's Emblem
his Spiritual Vision Pressure had increased from 2 to 12,
and he had also acquired a new trait: Kleptomania.
So that was the price of teleportation.
Each time he used the lantern, the cooldown period doubled
first instant, then one minute, now two.
And each return from the Dark Continent granted him +10 points to Spiritual Vision Pressure,
but also bestowed a random negative trait.
His current one Kleptomania was a curse, driving him toward reckless theft and temptation.
That meant every use of the lantern required absolute caution and preparation.
Otherwise, the drawbacks would quickly outweigh the gains,
and the side effects would intensify with each jump.
Even so, using the lantern to travel to and from the Dark Continent
was far safer and far more convenient
than crossing the actual Gate and unleashing disaster upon the world.
With a flick of his finger, Germain named the fixed lantern stationed on the Dark Continent:
Dark Continent Dry Valley.
He grasped the Hunter's Emblem hanging from his neck,
then summoned the butcher's saw, the musket, and the lantern back into storage.
The violet glow in the dense forest faded instantly, replaced by moonlight streaming through the branches.
Finally, he rubbed the Hunter's Emblem
and the manifested fragment vanished.
This experiment proved that Germain could exploit and refine the Emblem's functions,
gradually enhancing his combat ability.
That meant that sooner or later,
he would no longer need to fear the members of the Phantom Troupe.
It was only a matter of time.
By then, neither his origins in Meteor City nor his past as a Troupe member would bind him any longer.
Germain would be truly free
free to pursue what he truly desired:
To explore the Dark Continent,
to surpass Don Freecss,
the man who wrote Journey to the New World based on his own adventures,
and to achieve a feat no one ever had before.
That faint, ambitious spark took root in Germain's mind after confirming the lantern's teleportation ability.
But after just one short minute on the Dark Continent,
he realized how far he still had to go
that he needed far greater strength, better survival strategies,
and a capable team.
Otherwise, he would die the moment he arrived.
He gathered his thoughts quietly, then began preparing anew.
Later that night, Germain returned to the old bell tower.
He tore down a large curtain, shook off the dust, and wrapped it around himself, curling up in a corner to sleep.
Crude but at least it shielded him from the wind and rain.
When dawn came, the dim light filtered through the cracked glass, stinging his eyes.
He stirred, rubbing them instinctively
then remembered he was no longer in a clean room, but in a dusty bell tower.
Covered in grime, Germain pulled off the curtain, stretched, brushed himself off,
picked up his fallen hat, set it on his head, and ran out into the morning.
He found a clear mountain lake, stripped off his clothes, and plunged in naked.
He washed himself, scrubbed the remaining blood from his clothes,
used his Nen to remove stubborn stains,
and then to dry the wet fabric.
A quarter of an hour later, Germain was fully dressed,
descending the mountain trail, pushing aside the thick weeds blocking his path.
His stomach growled loudly.
Gorgo!
He pouted, quickening his pace.
An hour later, he reached the foot of the mountain
a small town called Cross.
He found a humble noodle shop, ordered a bowl, and sat down to wait.
The owner herself brought him the steaming noodles.
Eat slowly, she said with a gentle smile,
placing the bowl and chopsticks before him
her hand brushing his lightly.
Surprised, Germain looked up
just in time to see her wink playfully before swaying her hips back toward the kitchen.
He froze for a moment, then realized
he was, in fact, fairly handsome.
And he had just been… flirted with.
If you're interested, follow my lead…
He shook his head, smirking, and began to eat quietly.
Then a strange feeling.
Someone was staring at him.
He turned.
Not the flirtatious hostess
but a blonde girl with twin tails, seated at another table.
She was nibbling her noodles shyly, sneaking glances at him.
When she realized he was looking, she blushed and lowered her head.
Germain turned back to his food but then froze.
A blonde girl.
Twin tails.
A burgundy lolita dress.
Could it be ?
(End of Chapter 6)