"This island is absolutely abnormal! How on earth do these insects, plants, and animals grow so large?"
Baise shattered a giant mosquito, over forty centimeters long, with a fist enveloped in aura, her face a mask of utter disbelief.
She wasn't alone; Bodoro shared the sentiment. He had long since donned his heavy armor and gripped his twin shields, staying vigilant against predators that might burst from the dense foliage at any moment.
To the denizens of this island, humans under two meters tall and weighing less than a hundred kilograms were practically at the bottom of the food chain. Any carnivore that spotted them would launch an attack without hesitation.
Allen, noticing the situation, had already activated Track Beasts while maintaining an offensive-type En. He replied with a hint of helplessness, "Don't ask me; I'm not entirely sure either. Based on the records I obtained from the Association, this place is on the edge of the known human world map. It was only discovered a few years ago by a fishing boat that was blown off course by a storm. A few Hunters have attempted to explore it, but only one ever made it back alive."
"What? You mean... they were all eaten by that worm?" Baise's voice jumped an octave.
"Maybe, maybe not. But I know one thing: there's a reason this island's danger level is ranked 'B.' Those super-giant worms definitely aren't just 'big' on the surface; they likely hide secrets we don't know about. Otherwise, why would someone offer a bounty of tens of billions of Jenny for a single worm carcass?" Allen analyzed, stroking his chin.
If he hadn't been unable to find a suitable candidate, he would have brought a specialist in biology. Unfortunately, the Hunter Association lacked experts in that niche, and most of those who did exist were currently unreachable.
"Dammit! I don't think our team is suited for this kind of mission at all." Baise pulled out a tissue and wiped the mosquito fluids from her knuckles, her face twisted in undisguised disgust.
"It's precisely because we lack experience in this area that we need to shore up our weaknesses. Beyond was right about one thing: the Dark Continent is the ultimate goal for all Hunters. To survive and explore in such a harsh and perilous environment, you can't succeed without a solid foundation in wilderness survival," Allen explained seriously.
To be precise, ever since his meeting with Beyond, he had become even more determined to expand his team. If possible, he wanted to recruit a geologist, a botanist, and an expert in microbiology, bacteria, and viruses.
Bodoro nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Harsh nature is the best teacher. We can learn much on this dangerous island."
"The Dark Continent..." A strange light flickered in Baise's eyes.
As they spent more time together, she had gradually realized Allen's indescribable ambition and his intense thirst for power, desires that could only be sated by reaching the Dark Continent, a place overflowing with both hope and calamity.
The trio, accompanied by the wolf, continued to trek through the peril-laden jungle. Along the way, they collected samples of never-before-seen plants, as well as animal blood, fur, feces, and photographs.
During this process, a skill that 90% of hunters in the game never touched, Beast Lore, finally proved its immense utility. Except, of course, for those players who spam the skill whenever they see a Druid in Bear or Cat Form.
No matter what animal they encountered, a single cast of Beast Lore provided a wealth of useful information instantly.
For five or six days, Allen surveyed over 70% of the island's organisms, establishing a preliminary ecological chain and completing the ecological survey mission commissioned by the Association.
Next, there was only one task left: find that colossal worm and bring back tissue samples, eggs, or live larvae.
As they neared the center of the island, the group witnessed a sight they would never forget.
"My god... that... that is..." Baise stammered, her eyes widening as she lost her composure.
At the island's center stood the skull of an unknown creature, reared high into the air. Its scale defied human imagination. The top of the skull alone sat over two hundred meters above the ground, connected to a gargantuan spinal column.
The bones coiled and spiraled downward like a massive serpent, forming a vertical shaft that led into the deepest depths of the earth.
"Incredible size! Is this the remains of a giant python?" Bodoro asked, his voice filled with awe.
Click! Click! Click!
Allen pulled out a professional camera to capture the scene before responding tentatively. "Based on the shape, it's likely a similar organism. However, it could also be the remains of those worms in their final developmental stage. I suspect this skeleton, and those abnormal worms, are species from the Dark Continent. Let's go. We need to get closer for a better look. According to the Nen threads, our target is inside that tunnel leading underground."
"Get closer? Are you insane?! Even a creature that massive is dead! There might be something even more terrifying down there! I think we should turn back immediately. This survey is enough; let the big shots handle the rest," Baise protested vehemently.
"Since we've come this far, we have to see it through and uncover the truth. Bodoro, stay here with her. I'll take Lupos down to investigate."
With that, Allen leaped from the tree and sped toward the behemoth's skull.
After seven or eight minutes, he slipped through the gaps in the bones and entered the spiral-downward passage. Since most of the bones were encased in earth, only small sections jutted out, forming natural ledges along the walls.
For some reason, the wind blowing up from below carried a heavy, putrid stench so thick it made one want to retch.
"Grrrrr..."
With his keen sense of smell, Lupos sensed something and immediately alerted his master through their Spirit Bond.
"You're saying the scent of the giant worms is even stronger down here?" Allen asked, his eyes gleaming.
Lupos nodded without hesitation, staring warily into the bottomless abyss of the cavern.
"Interesting. Were the worms brought to the island by this behemoth? Or were they merely parasites inside its gut that were released when it died, eventually becoming the island's apex predators? And what about the other giant organisms? Did they mutate from eating the behemoth's flesh, or did a bacteria or virus carried by the beast trigger a genetic mutation?"
Driven by intense curiosity, Allen quickened his pace, venturing deeper into the darkness.
As the light faded and the stench became increasingly pungent and acrid, a place resembling a massive refuse heap finally came into view.
It was a cavern roughly the size of a dozen football fields. The ground was littered with oval solids of various sizes and shapes. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be boluses of bone and fur. Some were still coated in a brownish, viscous fluid, as if they had just been regurgitated from a stomach.