"Hmph!"
Beyond's eyes narrowed. With a flick of his left arm, three snake-like transparent creatures were crushed in his hand, bursting instantly. Transparent, water-like liquid dripped along Beyond's arm onto the ground.
"I remember when we first arrived at the swamp, this woman drank water from the swamp. She must have been infiltrated then."
Beyond threw away the transparent creature in his hand, then stomped down harder, surveying the peculiar creatures grazing around him.
He then looked at the deceased Gina and the three—Tessa, Heracles, and Isaac—who were squatting beside Gina, their faces filled with sorrow.
"You three find a place to dispose of her body. Whether you burn it or bury it, it's up to you."
"The rest of you, start picking Nitro Rice now."
Beyond gave the command, and the hunter team began to busy themselves.
Meanwhile, Illumi and his group in the forest ahead stopped.
"How long can our supplies last?" Illumi asked Pride.
"Four months."
Pride opened his tablet and checked the supply consumption and remaining inventory, replying.
"Four months, that's not enough time. We have to go back."
As Illumi spoke, large black lines erupted from beneath his feet, gradually coalescing into a colossal creature.
With a "boom!", the black giant eagle spread its fifteen-meter long wings. Illumi leaped onto the giant eagle's back, and Ging Freecss and the other four also flickered, appearing on Illumi's left and right sides.
"Get on."
Illumi ordered the Retriever soldiers.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Accompanied by a series of heavy footsteps, thirty Retriever soldiers leaped onto the giant eagle's back, filling the already limited space completely.
Immediately, dense black lines rose from the giant eagle's back, coiling around the Retriever soldiers' bodies, fixing them onto the giant eagle's back to prevent them from falling during rapid flight.
"Boom!"
With a sonic boom, the black giant eagle's wings violently flapped, raising a large air current, turning into a black streaking light that soared above the primeval forest, flying rapidly close to the towering ancient trees.
Originally, they had planned to explore the Dark Continent for at least four months. After half of their supplies were consumed, they would spend another two months returning to the coastal landing point and safely return to the human world.
But now, with the supply terminal oil tanker destroyed, Illumi could only shorten the time to one month.
Not only that, because their way back to the human world relied on their Nen Beast, although its speed was not slower than an oil tanker, in terms of stamina and spiritual power, they had to consume large amounts of resources to replenish energy.
"Should we notify Beyond?"
Ging Freecss asked. After all, he was their temporary ally and Netero's biological son.
Illumi pondered upon hearing this, but in that instant, they had already arrived above the ruins where Beyond and his group were located.
At this moment, Beyond and his group were picking Nitro Rice from the peculiar creatures' heads, but due to their tools, the peculiar creatures were extremely uncooperative, and progress was slow.
Besides picking Nitro Rice, several others were also studying the ancient writings in the ruins, and a hundred meters away, Heracles and the other two were digging a pit for the deceased Gina, to be her grave.
"Hmm!?"
On the grass, Beyond, who was observing the peculiar creatures, suddenly looked up at the sky above. He sensed the undisguised auras of Illumi and Ging Freecss.
"Beyond, our supplies are insufficient. We need to return to the human world."
Illumi controlled the giant eagle to circle above the forest where Beyond and his group were located, communicating through his cybernetic helmet and Beyond's miniature earphone.
"I can take one of your people, but it cannot be you. It must be someone we can control."
"Once the person is decided, have them come to the edge of the swamp."
"We are carrying Hell Bell. We don't want your people to kill each other if they are affected by Hell Bell's killing intent."
As Illumi's words fell, he controlled the black giant eagle to quickly fly in the direction they came from.
"Cervantes."
In the forest below, Beyond instantly decided on the person after ending his call with Illumi.
"What's the matter?"
Cervantes, who had just finished retrieving a portion of Nitro Rice with his companions, came to Beyond's side and asked.
"Illumi and his group are leaving. You go to the edge of the swamp now and meet them. Let them take you out of the Dark Continent."
Beyond lightly stroked his beard, which had become like an iron broom due to long neglect.
"Why aren't you going? Your energy and influence are the greatest. You are the most likely person to bring people back to support us after returning."
Cervantes questioned. After all, as the son of Netero, the Hunter Association Chairman, Beyond himself was a world-class hunter. He had the capital to organize a team to the Dark Continent and bring them all back.
"Illumi and his group are carrying Hell Bell. My power is too strong. If I were to attack due to being affected by Hell Bell's killing intent on the way, it could lead to extremely severe consequences."
"So they won't let you go. They only let you choose one person from among us to leave, because besides you, everyone else is within their control."
Beyond reached out and stroked the peculiar creature in front of him, his fingers gliding over its snow-white fur, and he grinned.
"That's right. And besides me, you're the person in this group most likely to bring people back to support us."
"Tell the Kakin Empire that if they want Nitro Rice, they should send people to the Dark Continent to pick us up."
"I understand."
Cervantes nodded. He wasted no more time, glanced at his companions, his expression hardening.
"Whoosh!"
Cervantes's figure flashed. Without bidding farewell to his companions, he immediately dashed towards the swamp.
"Cervantes?"
Sergiu and Natalie noticed Cervantes's movements and all looked in Cervantes's direction, but they could only see his figure gradually disappearing into the forest.
"Illumi and Ging Freecss are going back. I sent Cervantes. He'll bring people from the Kakin Empire to pick us up."
Beyond lay on his side, his left hand supporting his head, his right hand stroking the snow-white fur of the creature beside him, grinning.
The atmosphere among the other members of the hunter team suddenly turned cold, but no one spoke. After all, Beyond, their leader, wasn't leaving either.
One minute later.
"Where is he!?"
Cervantes's figure appeared at the edge of the swamp. He looked around but saw no one.
"Could they be messing with us?!"
Cervantes stood rooted, breathing slightly.
For some reason, he started to feel anxious, and a nameless anger subtly rose within him.
"Pfft!"
A whooshing sound came from the air. Cervantes's expression hardened. He quickly used "Flow" to cover the part of his body where the bullet was coming from with Nen.
"Pfft pfft pfft..."
But at the same time, more bullets came, accurately hitting Cervantes's arm, neck, and chest. The anesthetic quickly spread throughout his bloodstream, instantly making him dizzy.
"Take him."
Before he fainted, Cervantes heard Illumi's deep voice and saw a Retriever soldier roughly hoisting him onto his shoulder, leaping onto the back of a black giant eagle.
Immediately after, Cervantes completely lost consciousness.
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