The Death God controlled the power of death and was itself an immortal being.
Everything he had told Morrow was not a lie.
He just hadn't expected that a higher level of Tree Rings energy existed in the human world.
And the Death God had bestowed this kind of "Immortality" ability upon Morena.
Or rather, this was the effect of the ability after the two had formed a contract.
By virtue of this contract, Morena was able to be excluded from the "Death Influence."
Of course.
This immortality effect was only targeted against the death threat brought about by the Death God's own abilities.
But following the successive deaths of the Death God and Morena, and the Nen enhanced through death...
This Immortality ability residing within Morena's body was strengthened, thereby breaking free from its limitations.
It was no longer an ability that could only be used to resist the Death God's attacks, but had instead transformed into an immortal characteristic similar to that of the Death God itself.
Now, because Morrow had killed Nasubi Hui Guo Rou and taken the Kakin Empire's sacred treasure, Morena had voluntarily left this ability material behind before sinking into the endless black tide.
However, even with such ability material, it was impossible for humans to develop a Nen ability that could grant "Immortality."
Yet Morena still gave this ability material to Morrow as a gift.
She certainly knew that humans couldn't realize the proper value of this "Special Product."
But she also knew that Morrow was different.
The ability of Immortality, huh...
After receiving the gift Morena left behind, Morrow quickly realized that Tree Rings could inscribe this ability.
In other words, once this ability was successfully embedded into Tree Rings, it was equivalent to him directly possessing an immortal characteristic similar to the Death God's.
However, to truly use this power, he had to rely on the energy stored in the Tree Rings.
In terms of function and value, it was actually similar to the Tree Rings' rewind.
This also meant that if Morrow were to fall into a fatal crisis in the future, he could choose whether to consume Tree Rings energy to resist death or to directly use up a ring of Tree Rings to activate the rewind ability.
However, once rewind was used, the Tree Rings' energy bar would be permanently reduced by one ring...
So the best choice was still to avoid triggering the rewind as much as possible.
Only by doing so could he preserve more of the energy bar to store more ample Tree Rings energy.
This immortal characteristic can resist the outcome of death caused by external forces, rather than granting eternal life.
Morrow looked down at the back of his hand, where a new ripple-like pattern had appeared on the edge of the Tree Rings.
This unexpected gain had brought him halfway to his goal of being undying and indestructible.
Now, as long as he had sufficient Tree Rings energy, he was equivalent to an immortal being.
But to achieve the other half of his goal, he still needed objects of hope like Nitro Rice that could continuously extend his lifespan.
If he could free up his hands now, he could start trying to use the Alchemy Plant, the Entropy Bird's Luck, and the specially preserved Nitro Rice root to see if he could directly alchemize a mature Nitro Rice.
If he succeeded, there would be no need to specifically search for the Herb for All-illnesses in the Dark Continent in the future, nor would he need to wait for Nitro Rice to mature naturally.
Unless one day, no more convertible Tree Rings energy could be found on the six continents, only then would he consider heading to the Dark Continent to find a new substitute.
Now is not the time to consider these things. The Death God's backup plan that Morena mentioned... if it really destroyed the Wall, then we'll be in big trouble.
Although Morrow had dealt with the Death God, the other four calamities were still raging across the six continents.
Even if their combined threat was less than one ten-thousandth of the Death God's, to the various nations, they were still unsolvable calamities, bringing chaos and death wherever they went.
In this situation, if a continuous stream of new calamities were to invade the six continents...
Then humanity would not be far from annihilation.
Even if I can't verify the truth of this information, I should let the Hunter Association and the V5 know. At least they can be mentally prepared.
Thinking of this, Morrow's consciousness returned from the black water space to reality.
He wanted to disclose the information Morena had left, but he had no intention of contacting the V5 or the International Permit Agencies here.
He could relay this news to them entirely through the Hunter Association.
Without the slightest hesitation, Morrow summoned the Wolf Spirit, placed Morena's body into the Nen space, and then shot a Shooting Star into the sky.
A moment later, the sound of flapping wings came from the distant sky.
Chimera flew over from high above.
Its huge, fleshy wings blotted out the sky and sun, descending with a suffocating sense of pressure. It landed with a boom in front of Morrow, kicking up a cloud of dust and smoke.
"Roar..."
It let out a low call.
Morrow gave it a slight smile and leaped onto its back.
Whoosh!
Chimera spread its wings and, under the gazes of numerous onlookers, soared into the sky, soon disappearing over the horizon.
He just left like that?!
The people from the V5 and the International Permit Agencies had intended to make contact with Morrow, but they hadn't expected him to leave so decisively.
Helpless, they could only turn to the Hunter Association.
After all, Morrow had carried out this operation against the Death God as a member of the Association.
Therefore, they could contact Morrow through the Hunter Association.
Cheadle was equally surprised that Morrow would turn and leave without a second thought after resolving the world's greatest threat.
Although I've long known he has no interest in 'fame and fortune'... the weight of this matter is far beyond what the title of Heavens Arena's victor can compare to. What on earth is he thinking?
Cheadle thought to herself.
Regardless, at this very moment, the Hunter Association, the V5, and indeed all of humanity, should extend their deepest gratitude to Morrow.
—--
The boundary of the sea.
This was where the maritime territory of the human world's map was about to meet the Dark Sea.
From here on out, uninhabited islands of all sizes dotted the outer edge of the world map's maritime territory.
It was also from this area that some small creatures from the Dark Sea often slipped through like fish escaping a net, entering human waters.
Overall, their presence did not pose a substantial threat to human waters.
But they were like a silent boundary marker.
As long as they were spotted in these waters, it meant a ship was about to truly sail into the Dark Sea.
The Black Whale, which carried the future of the Kakin Empire, had not made the decision to turn back after being attacked by Morrow.
After the deaths of Nasubi Hui Guo Rou and the fourth prince, Tserriednich, the first prince, Benjamin, had seized the fruits of the Succession Contest and ascended to the throne.
However, the sacred treasure that should have been passed down to the King of Kakin, as well as the Sword of Good Omens, which had a profound impact on the nation's Luck, had both been converted into Tree Rings energy by Morrow.
Having lost these regalia, the throne of Kakin did not seem so easy to secure.
But in the eyes of the new King, Benjamin, these problems were not worth worrying about.
The Nen ability he possessed, "Those Who Inherit the Stars," allowed him to inherit the abilities of his loyal subordinates after they sacrificed themselves.
This was also a power closely linked to death.
In other words, the ability he commanded would only grow stronger over time.
With his official ascension to the throne, countless soldiers who had completed their training would pledge their loyalty to him in the future.
These soldiers were not only the cornerstone of Kakin's national power but also the fundamental source for him to acquire a multitude of abilities as numerous as the stars.
For this very reason, Benjamin couldn't care less about those sacred treasures passed down through generations.
He would use the stars in his hands to lead Kakin to an even more prosperous and glorious future.
On the day his great work was accomplished, he would also personally carry out Kakin's philosophy of sacrifice and create a brand-new regalia for the country's future.
Based on this conviction, how could Benjamin, who had just inherited the throne, possibly order the Black Whale to turn back and return home like a beaten dog?
Father, your death was not meaningless.
Benjamin stood on the top deck of the Black Whale, facing the salty sea breeze, and gazed at the seemingly endless horizon in the distance.
The new King's imposing aura was already beginning to show.
At least in terms of confidence and boldness, he was far beyond ordinary people.
He would lead the two hundred thousand people on the Black Whale to conquer a completely unfamiliar continent, taking the first step in conquering the world there.
I will surely surpass you.
Benjamin raised his right hand high.
Under the sunlight, the Star Marks on the back of his fingers shone brilliantly.
Each Star Mark represented the passing of a loyal subordinate, and also a Nen ability he had inherited.
The one who holds the stars in his hand possesses infinite possibilities.
Benjamin stared at the Star Marks, firmly believing this.
Suddenly the sunlight vanished.
A vast shadow fell without warning, enveloping the entire Black Whale.
The Star Marks, which had been shining brightly in the sun, seemed to have been robbed of their light by the shadow, dimming abruptly.
Benjamin's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up at the deep shadow.
The sight that met his eyes was one he would never forget for the rest of his life.
A creature so colossal it seemed boundless was slowly emerging from the clouds, flying in the direction of the six continents.
Its size was so astonishing that as far as Benjamin's eyes could see, it was completely obscured by its body, with not a single ray of sunlight visible.
At this moment, Benjamin's soul suffered an indescribable shock.
For the first time, he felt his own insignificance so clearly.
As insignificant as a speck of dust.
At least in front of this creature, whose full form he couldn't even see, he, as a human, was indeed no different from a mote of dust.
So much so that his past boldness and absolute confidence vanished without a trace in this instant.
He was completely stunned, unable to utter a single word.
In this world, how could such a creature exist?
A mixture of horror and absurdity engulfed all of Benjamin's emotions.
One second ago, he was full of confidence, about to conquer a new continent.
Now, a second later, his thoughts had completely stalled.
The behemoth in the sky obviously wouldn't notice an existence as tiny as a human.
But the Black Whale, carrying two hundred thousand people, was ultimately a huge object.
Therefore, it noticed the Black Whale.
However, it seemed to have no intention of hunting the Black Whale, continuing to move slowly towards the six continents.
As it slowly moved away, the shadow covering the entire sea area shifted with it, and sunlight gradually reappeared on the distant sea surface.
Benjamin watched it slowly pass over the Black Whale, almost forgetting to breathe, not daring to make the slightest move.
It wasn't until the sunlight finally fell on the bow of the Black Whale again.
He realized that the behemoth hadn't noticed the Black Whale's presence, and a faint sense of security finally returned to his chest.
But the next moment, a much denser shadow suddenly plummeted towards the Black Whale.
Benjamin's whole body tensed, and he was the first to smell an indescribably foul stench.
Then, he watched with his own eyes as the dark mass rapidly approached in his field of vision.
What is that?!
Questions, terror, and despair exploded in his mind all at once.
And that intense stench quickly made Benjamin understand the true nature of the dark mass.
That's...
Excrement?
He stood frozen in astonishment.
He had guessed correctly.
The massive object hurtling towards the Black Whale like a meteor was precisely the excretion of the unknown creature in the sky.
Its volume alone was more than twice that of the Black Whale.
Such a mass falling from the sky was absolutely not something human power could withstand.
BOOM!!!
The excrement slammed heavily onto the Black Whale, kicking up a towering tsunami.
Under this single blow, the Black Whale was instantly pulverized.
Pulverized along with it were Benjamin's ambitions and the future of the Kakin Empire.
This ship of the century, carrying the hopes of two hundred thousand people, ultimately failed to reach its dream's shore.
All prospects for a new world were utterly crushed by a mass of excrement that fell from the sky.
So absurd.
Yet so real.
—--
The six continents, within the Wolf Spirit's Nen space.
The Alchemy Plant: Metallion slowly spat out a fully mature Nitro Rice, and a rich aura of life instantly filled the room.
It worked.
Watching this scene, a bright light flashed in Morrow's eyes.
He had only used a section of Nitro Rice root and 20% of his Tree Rings energy to drive the Power of Luck, and Metallion had successfully alchemized the root into a mature plant.
This meant that as long as he had a stable channel for converting Tree Rings energy, he could produce large quantities of Nitro Rice.
As for the problem of preserving Metallion and Nitro Rice, with Toothed Leaf, there was no need to worry at all.
The most important thing, as expected, is still Tree Rings energy.
As he came into contact with more and more things, Morrow increasingly recognized the value of Tree Rings energy.
Perhaps the so-called Pillars of Creation really did exist in this world.
And Tree Rings was very likely one of its products, and one of the best at that.
While Morrow was focused on the alchemization of Nitro Rice, the real world outside the Nen space had long been in an uproar.
The cause was the battle between Morrow and the Death God.
Not long ago, some related video footage, suspected to have been leaked by Hacker Hunters, suddenly began to circulate on the internet. It was quickly seen by countless netizens, subsequently setting off a monstrous wave of discussion.
Although the world was already aware of the Dark Continent's existence due to the rampaging calamities, the Death God's power to reduce everything within several kilometers to nothingness inevitably refreshed people's understanding of the Dark Continent.
"Humanity is doomed sooner or later."
This kind of despairing sentiment began to spread amidst the current chaotic situation.
At the same time.
Many people, after witnessing Morrow's power, began to worship him as a savior.
What was certain was that in the predicament where governments were gradually losing the trust of their people, Morrow's appearance was like an irreplaceable dawn.
However, this dawn was quickly extinguished.
A behemoth that was difficult to describe with words intruded without warning into the human world, which should have remained peaceful.
Its arrival brought complete despair, and also signified that the backup plan left by the Death God had indeed caused an immeasurable impact on the Gatekeeper and the Wall.