A faint red glow flickered within the storm, inexplicably setting a flicker of flames across the tree man's body, which quickly spread, he was burning alive.
Ging's fiery fist might only scorch a branch, but this scorching sandstorm could easily consume the tree man in flames. The difference was clear.
The tree man fought with all his might, but his form vanished rapidly. Either shredded by the storm's brutal force or reduced to ashes by the relentless fire, he was swept away by the wind.
Then, as if from nowhere, a haunting, sorrowful wail echoed, a sound full of pain and regret. After a brief struggle, the tree man's life force faded until it was gone.
With a massive crash, his huge body collapsed, kicking up clouds of dust that swept through the area. What remained of him was endlessly consumed by the unforgiving flames until nothing was left.
His massive form, once as solid as a hill, turned into countless ashes scattered across the land, nourishing the flowers and plants that grew there. In this way, the legend was fulfilled: wherever the landorus passed, the soil would bring forth a bountiful harvest.
Two days had passed since they first stepped onto the vast grassland, encountering all sorts of creatures along the way. Despite facing countless dangers, nothing could stop them from moving forward.
Today, they finally left the grassland behind and reached a new terrain. Larry stood proudly on top of a jutting rock, gazing into the distance.
They now stood at the boundary between two landscapes. Ahead lay a rocky land, marked by sparse vegetation and exposed stones.
Compared to the lush, vibrant grassland, this rocky terrain looked incredibly barren, with barely any greenery in sight. It was a world of black, gray, and white rocks, uneven and rugged, unlike the flat grassland they had just crossed.
The area seemed battered by countless battles, with deep pits scattered throughout. Though smaller than the grassland, this rocky stretch could be crossed in two or three days.
According to their map, beyond this rocky land was the swamp where Nitro Rice lived, the very reason for their journey. Larry also noticed a chain of volcanoes rising behind the swamp.
"It was definitely the right call to bring the map from the start," he muttered softly, the breeze catching his words.
"These professionals really know the terrain inside out, saving us so much trouble."
The gatekeeper's map was impressively detailed, especially around the edges of the dark continent. Their own abilities were limited, so they could only explore the outskirts and dared not venture deeper.
Still, this map was far more detailed than the one held by the V5 Ferry Office. That office had only sent out five expeditions, and none had gone very deep.
The swamp where Nitro Rice lived was the longest of the five known routes, but their team didn't follow the exact path taken by those expeditions. Had they done so, they probably would have never gotten beyond the grassland area.
According to records, the Ferry Office had conducted 149 explorations, sending out a total of 7,500 people, an average of about 50 per expedition. However, team sizes varied.
The Ferry Office itself was a joint organization established by the V5, the five superpowers spread across the six continents. With no single leader and power balanced evenly among the five nations, coordination was complex but necessary for managing such dangerous expeditions.
The process of organizing an expedition to the Dark Continent usually starts with a country proposing a plan to explore the area. Once the top five leaders reach a resolution, they negotiate with the gatekeeper, if permission is granted.
The troops sent out typically come from the country that proposed the expedition, while other nations mostly contribute some resources and a small number of personnel to assist. As a result, these exploration missions are generally led by a single country, with limited support from others.
This means the size and strength of the team largely depend on the national power of the leading country. Historical records show that the largest expedition sent about a thousand people, which was a significant portion of the total 7,500 explorers who have ventured to the Dark Continent.
This group headed to the northeastern coast of Lake Mobius, where they faced "Pap, The "Human-Keeping Beast"," one of the five major disasters of the area. Tragically, only seven of the thousand explorers made it back alive.
This clearly shows that sending a large number of people doesn't guarantee success; the team size needs to be kept within a manageable and reasonable range. Since then, few major powers have risked sending huge forces at once, as losing so many people at once can severely weaken a country's strength.
Most of those who go to the Dark Continent aren't strong or capable enough to survive its dangers, they're more likely to die there. Because of this, later expeditions have focused on smaller, more streamlined teams, usually consisting of just a few dozen people.
For example, a team that reached the swamp came ashore from the opposite side of the coastline. The route they took seemed less dangerous than others, but when they finally reached the swamp, many collapsed and sank into the quicksand.
In the end, only a few peoples managed to escape. According to the Ferry Office report, 99% of the people on that expedition died.
However, by a stroke of luck, they brought back a small sample of Nitolomia. Research revealed that this plant has properties that can extend lifespan.
Unfortunately, there was only a tiny amount, and over time, the aura it contains weakens after being harvested, eventually turning into ordinary grains that just taste good but have no special effects. To benefit from Nitolomia, it must be consumed quickly after picking to avoid wasting its power.
Larry had already started planning how to make the most of the Nitolomia they brought back. First, they needed to find a piece of land for planting.
They had the option to transport Nitro Rice's original land into cyberspace and carry it with them, or simply use regular soil. Then, Shaymin and Landorus would take over the care, one responsible for nurturing life, the other for enriching the soil with nutrients.
No matter how challenging it was to nourish the plants, with the combined efforts of the grass hedgehog and the harvest god, the crops would grow obediently. At that point, the Nitro Rice plant, known for its life-extending properties, would be completely transformed in their hands.
What was once a rare and precious resource would become an endless, inexhaustible supply. But the real power wasn't just in the plant itself.
This method meant they could make all hopes tied to plants truly limitless. Putting those thoughts aside, Larry suddenly appeared on the lawn beside a rock.
The weeds here were sparse, and the grass was short enough to be considered a proper lawn. A few steps ahead lay another area.
As Larry moved forward, the rest of the team followed closely behind.