A few days later.
The three of them arrived in a tourist city located in the Kakin Empire. This city sat on the outskirts of a vast natural area, having vigorously developed its tourism industry by capitalizing on the beautiful surrounding natural environment.
At the airport, Kevin, Menchi, and Buhara stepped off the airship. They took a car and soon reached the edge of the forest wilderness. Beyond this point lay an uninhabited area, accessible only on foot.
After preparing the necessary supplies, the three headed into the jungle.
They were no strangers to wilderness environments like this, so they made relatively good time. To be honest, Kevin found himself missing the Ground Birds at this moment; he now understood why the Kurutas raised these rideable birds. In such terrain, having that kind of transportation would be perfect—far easier than walking.
They trekked until dusk.
Menchi suddenly slowed, then stopped entirely, her senses picking up something.
"What's wrong?" Kevin asked. Although he had lived in the jungle and was familiar with it, compared to Menchi and the others who frequently hunted for ingredients in the wilderness, his experience was still slightly lacking. He would occasionally release his Ren to scan the surroundings, but unless his intuition raised a subtle alarm, he didn't use it frequently.
"Traces of people passing through," Menchi said, having found some signs. "But it looks like it was a while ago."
Since the traces weren't recent, there was nothing to be wary of. They followed the signs for a while and soon discovered a temporary camp set up beneath a small hillside. However, the camp appeared long abandoned—dilapidated, covered in dust and fallen leaves.
"Someone stayed here," Kevin observed after examining it. "Looks like quite a few people."
Buhara inspected more carefully. "This isn't an ordinary hiking group or hunting party. It resembles a military squad, or maybe a poaching group or something similar."
As Gourmet Hunters, both he and Menchi had traversed many protected zones where poachers operated. They'd often found abandoned camps left behind by such groups. But this one looked relatively more intact, suggesting the group had been better prepared.
Menchi shook her head, offering a different perspective. "I doubt it. There's no nature reserve around here—just ordinary mountains and hills. If they wanted to poach, why go to such lengths to come here?" In areas without protected status, even if some protected animals existed, they were easier to sell after hunting, and there was no need to hide so carefully. Moreover, Menchi knew this region well and understood the surrounding situation.
Kevin nodded, agreeing with Menchi. After all, this had once been the Kurutas' secluded dwelling place. If there were a nature reserve nearby, forest rangers would likely have discovered it, making it impossible for the Kurutas to settle here.
"Never mind," Menchi said indifferently. "It looks like a long time has passed. Let's just clear a small area and rest here tonight."
Indeed, considerable time had passed since whatever happened here. Even if it was a poaching group, they'd probably achieved their goal and moved on.
Kevin unfolded the map, checking their progress against the time taken and the marked destination. "We should reach our goal tomorrow morning. If we move quickly, we can start our return around noon and be back in the city by evening."
Menchi and Buhara nodded in agreement.
"Since there's a decent camp already set up," Menchi suggested, "why don't we go hunt some animals? I don't want to eat canned food."
The canned food they'd prepared themselves tasted good—comparable to dishes from some high-end restaurants—but as Gourmet Hunters, they preferred fresh, freshly prepared ingredients. With these conditions, they naturally didn't want to miss the opportunity.
Kevin raised both hands in agreement. Following Gourmet Hunters meant never worrying about food; whatever they made, you ate it, and it was guaranteed to be delicious.
Soon, they divided the tasks. Menchi and Buhara set off separately, leaving Kevin behind to clean up the surrounding area and wait for their return.
The sun was just beginning to set, nightfall approaching, when the two hurried back.
Menchi carried wild vegetables and small, flavorful berries she'd gathered.
Buhara's harvest, however, seemed less than ideal. Given his large appetite, he'd intended to hunt more prey to fill his stomach.
But now, he held only two wild birds and two rabbits in his hands. For a professional Hunter with his appetite, this harvest could only be described as meager.
"Why so little?" Menchi asked, confused. She knew her partner's capabilities well.
Buhara scratched his head, equally perplexed. "The prey around here is astonishingly scarce. It's as if something came through that completely destroyed the food chain—wiped out the local ecosystem."
He set down his meager catch and recounted what he'd found. "Based on the traces, a magical beast was here not long ago, preying heavily on the local wildlife. Its appetite was enormous. I found a large number of animal skeletons in its abandoned lair—including human remains. However, judging from the tracks and the environment, it's already left. But the ecological damage..." He gestured vaguely at the surrounding forest. "It'll take a long time for this area to recover. This creature was terrifying—it practically hunted everything in the vicinity. The animals that survived sensed the predator's threat and fled."
Menchi and Kevin exchanged glances, then both looked toward the abandoned camp.
Kevin spoke thoughtfully. "This isn't a coincidence. I was wondering why this camp was so large. Now it makes sense—that team came specifically for that magical beast."
"If that's the case, everything fits," Menchi agreed. The timing and the remaining traces corroborated each other.
But ultimately, it didn't matter. The events had clearly happened some time ago, and none of it concerned them. No need to dwell on it.
They processed the prey near the camp, and Menchi began roasting the meat using the spices she carried. After a simple but satisfying barbecue feast, Kevin sighed contentedly and leaned back against a log.
Hanging out with Gourmet Hunters is truly amazing, he thought once again.
"Let's take turns keeping watch tonight," Menchi said.
They arranged the watch order and settled in for the night. It passed peacefully until morning.
After tidying up quickly, they left the camp.
A few hours after their departure, a special squad wearing Kakin Empire military uniforms arrived at the same location. They followed the traces and tracked them directly to the abandoned camp.
The leading officer frowned and made a hand gesture. Two soldiers quietly infiltrated the camp to check. After confirming it was safe, they signaled the all-clear.
The squad entered.
"Someone rested here last night. Three people—they ate quite a bit," a soldier reported, examining the remains of the campfire and food scraps.
"Captain, this camp is the one left by that group."
"Did they come back?"
The captain shook his head. "No. Likely a coincidence. In the wilderness, travelers or Hunters passing through will choose reasonably well-established camps to rest for the night. Experienced wilderness travelers generally select similar areas; if existing camp remnants are available, they naturally reuse them."
He paused, surveying the area. "Still, we can't relax our vigilance. If they did come back to check on something, we might have stumbled onto important targets."
After collecting relevant information, the squad immediately continued advancing along the traces.
Meanwhile, Kevin and the others had already reached their destination.
"It should be up ahead," Kevin said, consulting the information he'd recorded. "There's a small valley passage leading inside from that side. This place is really hidden."
He found the entrance and led them through a narrow gap in the rock face, emerging into a small valley.
Menchi gasped. "Oh—this place is beautiful."
Kevin could only nod in agreement. This place truly deserved to be called beautiful—hidden among mountains and forests like a secluded paradise isolated from the world.
The valley wasn't large; they could see end to end at a glance. The ground was carpeted with colorful plants, as if painted by a dream. A small waterfall cascaded down the nearby cliff face, forming a clear pool. A winding stream flowed from it, passing through the valley before disappearing into an underground river nearby.
The valley's unique natural structure allowed sunlight to pour in perfectly. No large trees blocked the sky, and a small hillside rose in the valley's center. Pink flowers clustered at its peak, absorbing the most brilliant rays of sunlight.
At night, Kevin thought, this must be where moonlight gathers.
"This is the place you were looking for?" Menchi asked, genuinely amazed. "Finding information about a location this hidden is impressive. Just coming here makes this whole trip worthwhile."
She even started to regret not bringing a camera or something similar—places like this deserved to be photographed and preserved.
The three crossed the valley floor and climbed to the top of the hillside, looking down at the patch of pink flowers growing in the center.
Kevin knelt and gently touched the flowers with his hand.
Perfect. Every flower made him feel a strong craving.
Every petal met the standard requirements. Only the outermost patch had petals that weren't fully compliant, but even those contained at least some usable portions.
And in the very center, surrounded by the others, over a dozen flowers clustered together. Their golden color—which originally existed only deep inside the petals—had now spread to the surface. Golden patterns adorned the pink petals like special decorations, making these dozen flowers uniquely striking.
"They're really beautiful," Menchi observed. "If they could be transplanted, they'd sell for an extremely high price outside."
"Obviously not very likely," Buhara replied. "The environmental requirements here are strict—you can tell just from looking at the surrounding plants."
"Even as specimens, their value wouldn't be low."
They continued discussing as Kevin focused intently on the flowers. The fact that he'd made a special trip here underscored the material's preciousness, and its distinctive beauty only added to its worth. For people who appreciated flora, this would be a perfect collectible.
Kevin ignored their conversation, reaching out to gently touch the dozen obviously different flowers at the center.
Craving—an even stronger craving surged through him.
Seeing his focused expression, Menchi and Buhara silently retreated down the hillside, leaving him undisturbed.
At this moment, Kevin was indeed fully absorbed.
He could feel that the petals of these central flowers had material grades infinitely close to the C-rank limit. Moreover, careful observation revealed something interesting: although golden patterns appeared on the petals, they seemed relatively scattered, not yet fully formed. This indicated these petals hadn't reached their most perfect state—they still had room for improvement.
From this, he inferred that if these flowers could grow in a completely suitable environment with careful nurturing, their material grade would definitely have a chance to reach B-rank.
What a pity. Truly a pity.
In Kevin's estimation, even this valley's environment was relatively harsh—yet these flowers only grew at the hilltop, the best location. Even under such superior conditions, only the dozen or so central flowers, absorbing the most nutrients and sunlight, had grown into higher-quality material.
Obtaining perfect materials was truly as difficult as ascending to heaven.
He sighed helplessly.
Growing flowers wasn't his strength. He wondered if any relevant professional Hunters existed he could consult. If not, he'd have Kate come examine the ecological environment later and provide detailed standards.
Already, Kevin was thinking about how to cultivate these flowers.
The reason he valued them so highly was simple: these petals were extremely ideal [Fusion Agents].
Refining potions required three components: [Main Ingredient], [Secondary Ingredient], and [Fusion Agent].
Among these, high-quality [Fusion Agents] were the most difficult to obtain. They needed to be compatible with the main and secondary ingredients' characteristics while also enhancing the medicinal effect.
Every time Kevin searched for suitable [Fusion Agent] materials, it consumed significant time and effort. But he'd previously discovered that these pink petals could be used for almost most potions—not a panacea, but versatile enough to be outstanding.
And now, these petals showed growth potential. The materials he'd obtained before were merely underdeveloped substandard goods. Their ultimate grade could reach B-rank. These flowers had seeds, could be planted, and could achieve sustainable acquisition.
How could such a discovery not excite him?
Kevin first collected some seeds, then selected ordinary qualified petal materials.
After much deliberation, he chose one flower from the dozen in the center—one with relatively better appearance and only three golden-patterned petals—and carefully plucked it.
The rest of the flowers remained untouched.
After all, what he pursued was sustainable development.
This harvest could be called perfect. Having confirmed this location, the next step was figuring out how to secure control over the area. The best approach would be to purchase this plot of land along with the surrounding territory, then implement protective measures here. This precious material was entirely worth Kevin investing significant money and effort to manage.
However, that matter would have to wait for now.
"All done?" Menchi called up from the base of the hillside.
Kevin nodded, descending to join them. "Yes. Confirming these flowers are actually here was my main objective."
"Are they important materials for your Nen abilities?" Menchi asked curiously.
"Sort of. Using this material can save a lot of trouble and reduce many complications."
Menchi nodded in understanding, then offered a reminder. "You should find a way to acquire this area soon. With a Hunter license, some procedural issues become relatively easy to resolve."
"I intend to," Kevin acknowledged. "But the timing needs to be right."
The three quickly departed, retracing their path through the valley and back into the forest.
As they walked, their movements subtly shifted. They adjusted positions with tacit understanding, falling into a formation that allowed mutual coverage.
"That bird above us," Menchi murmured without looking up. "It's watching us."
They'd realized they were being followed.
Kevin kept his voice low. "Wait for my command. I'm going to scan the surroundings with Nen."
He released his Ren abruptly, conducting a rapid sweep of the area.
The response was immediate.
"There's a Nen user!" Kevin called out in warning.
The three scattered, each finding cover behind pre-selected positions—trees, rock formations, natural depressions in the terrain.
Simultaneously, the Nen user who'd been tracking them sensed the scan and knew they'd been exposed.
A voice called out from the forest ahead, accompanied by raised hands in a gesture of peace. "Wait! We have no ill intentions. I am the captain of the Kakin Empire Special Operations Unit."