"My God! What are those massive black shadows beneath the water? Tentacles? Fins? Or something else entirely?"
A woman in her early forties held her binoculars aloft, staring down from the airship at a scene of absolute horror.
As the observer dispatched by the V5 to this team, her responsibility was to ensure that every nuclear weapon was utilized in the correct location and to record the performance of the leader, Allen, during this mission, eventually submitting an evaluation report.
It was an important role. Though dangerous, it was also a prime opportunity for advancement.
However, now that she was seeing the target of this crisis with her own eyes, her face turned deathly pale, and even the hand holding the binoculars trembled uncontrollably.
Through the clear ocean water, she could see thick, pulsating objects, wider than ten-thousand-ton container ships, swaying back and forth deep beneath the massive island. It was the movement of these unidentified organs that allowed this behemoth to travel so swiftly with the aid of the sea's buoyancy.
Whether one suffered from thalassophobia or megalophobia, the sight was enough to make one's scalp tingle with dread.
"I think we should leave those questions to the biologists and Sea Hunters," Allen said, turning to glance at the temporary team members who were equally stunned into silence.
This group included scholars, experts, and a small squad of Hunters sent by the Association. The only pity was that Morel Mackernasey, the ace who had delivered an MVP performance during the Chimera Ant arc, was not among them.
"Unbelievable! Is this... is this truly a single organism?"
"Do you think it could be a colony formed by countless similar organisms clustered together? Like a sea anemone?"
"It's possible. I believe we should deploy diving equipment first to observe the conditions at the base of the island up close."
"Agreed. Bob! I'm diving down first. Are you coming?"
"Of course, partner! We're the best team there is!"
After a brief discussion, two Sea Hunters quickly donned their wetsuits, goggles, and oxygen tanks. Once the airship descended to a safe altitude, they leaped into the ocean, creating two large splashes.
In terms of courage, curiosity, and the spirit of adventure, they were certainly qualified for the job.
But a moment later, something terrifying happened.
As the two Sea Hunters dove beneath the belly of the behemoth to begin filming, a startling image appeared on the airship's electronic monitors.
Those thick, massive "tentacles" were actually super-giant, brownish-black worms. Their tips ended in maws lined with jagged, needle-like fangs, which were relentlessly tearing and devouring everything in the surrounding waters.
The Hunters didn't even have time to react, let alone activate their Nen abilities, before a colossal mouth swallowed them whole. All contact was severed.
Staring at the white noise on the screen, the observer instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes flickering with deep-seated fear.
Several minutes passed before she found her voice. "What was that? And what exactly is this island?"
"Well... I think this thing looks quite similar to that giant skeleton at the center of the island. Don't you agree?" Bodoro asked, his tone laced with uncertainty.
Allen nodded without hesitation. "Extremely similar. Its location is particularly suspicious. I used to think that beast was a creature from the Dark Continent, but it seems I was wrong, dead wrong. It's likely a part of this island."
"You mean..." Baise realized the implication, her expression turning incredibly solemn.
"Yes. The parts we see now, whether it's the giant worms underwater or the island itself, are not the true main body of this behemoth. Prepare to land. I think we need to visit that place one more time."
Allen gave his judgment decisively. As for the two Sea Hunters who had met their grim end, rescue was out of the question. There were thousands of those super-giant worms beneath the island; no one knew which one had swallowed them.
"Do we need to bring the weapons?" the observer asked seriously.
"Yes. I'll likely need at least a few violent explosions to uncover the identity of the organism controlling this island, and to find out why it's suddenly moving toward the human world, or if it's being manipulated by some external force."
With that, Allen manifested the ability he had stolen from Owl—Fun Fun Cloth. He motioned for the nearby weapons experts to place all the nuclear warheads from the airship into it.
Within minutes, the massive nukes were shrunk down to the size of fingertips, weighing next to nothing.
Carrying the world's most dangerous bombs, Allen summoned Vaelstrasz into physical form. He led the investigation team onto the red dragon's back and flew toward the giant skeleton at the center of the island.
Shortly after, the group arrived safely.
Upon landing, one of the biologists rushed forward, stroking the massive white ribcage with a cry of wonder. "Incredible! Simply incredible! These bones are so well-preserved, in such a humid environment, there isn't a single sign of decay!"
"Professor, now is not the time for sentiment. Get ready. We're going to follow the winding skeletal structure of this beast down into the deepest depths of the island. Trust me, the sight will leave you breathless."
As Allen spoke, he tied a rope around his waist and handed the other end to the fifty-year-old biological expert. Once everyone was tethered, he took the lead.
His goal was to ensure the safety of the physically frail scholars in the team. Once they reached the gut-like organs in the depths, these experts would be vital.
While on the airship, Allen had tried several times to use his Beast Lore skill to gather information on this living island. Unfortunately, each time, the skill prompted him with: Invalid Target.
This meant that in the system's judgment, the parts currently visible could not be categorized as a "Beast," or perhaps its true essence was still hidden even deeper.
As they descended, the light grew dim, and most members switched on the lamps mounted on their helmets and chests.
Silence reigned.
They had been warned beforehand that the giant red worms relied on sensing vibrations to perceive their environment and attack. Sound is a form of vibration; in such an absolute silence, even the slightest noise could be clearly detected.
The closer they got to the subterranean depths, the more the team's tension mounted. For them, this was a completely unknown realm. Only Allen had been down here before; even Baise and Bodoro didn't know the full extent of the truth.
One small mistake, and with the exception of the few Nen masters, everyone would be dead and buried without a grave.