"The Demon King? The monster said to have created the Dark Sonata? It actually exists!"
"What is this thing? An apostle?"
Anthony exclaimed in surprise.
Looking at the skeleton lying on the ground, he was incredulous.
Regarding the Dark Continent, most of what they knew before was mere speculation. Now that it was confirmed, their thoughts were in disarray.
"Wow."
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the passage beneath the stone statue's base, Menchi emerged, her face pale, covering her mouth.
After reaching the outside, she couldn't help but bend over and gag.
Oboro had confirmed that there was no danger underground before letting Menchi investigate. As for what was hidden inside, he had already sensed it.
"Not an apostle... at best, he's just a plaything of the Demon King."
Oboro said softly.
"Everyone, sit down," Oboro said with a serious expression.
The three sat down on the ground upon hearing his words.
On one hand, their minds were still unsettled, and on the other, they were still reeling from the 'incomplete sonata' they had just heard.
If not for Oboro protecting them, even after all their training, the three would still have met a swift death.
Despite their seemingly significant growth... they felt utterly powerless at this moment.
"I've seen a part of the truth about the Dark Continent... This place is both Eden and Pandora's Box. To be more precise, it's a large-scale gene cultivation vessel." Oboro recounted the scenes he had witnessed in the skeleton's memories, word by word.
This caused the pupils of Menchi and the other two to widen gradually.
"Not just humans; have you noticed that all the species we've encountered before... are different from the creatures in the human world? Wildebeests with conch shells on their backs... Metal centipedes with hooves for legs. These are all results of genetic evolution. To adapt to the environment, to adapt to the food chain... all species are changing, constantly, including humans. Unconventional mating, reproduction, and the emergence of new life forms... Meruem is a prime example. Humans are typically at the bottom of the food chain, lacking great power but possessing high intelligence. This alone is enough to make humans the best candidates for genetic matching. Chimera Ants are just inconspicuous creatures on the Dark Continent, but by combining with human genes, they can create terrifying individuals like Meruem..."
Oboro explained slowly.
"If the beings we encountered before lacked thought and had weak soul power, then... the Dark Continent's ecosystem is transitioning from 'barbaric' to 'civilized,' meaning intelligent beings. Humans are a crucial link in this process. Those demi-humans, including demi-human magical beasts, all originated this way... Human genes were selected. In ancient times, perhaps at the very beginning of this continent, they participated in the 'reproductive process,' leading to the present day where many advanced life forms on the Dark Continent, including the Demon King... retain some human form. I even suspect that seventy to eighty percent of the intelligent life forms on the Dark Continent are 'descendants' of humans..."
"…"
The three were speechless.
It wasn't that they thought Oboro was wrong, but rather... it exceeded their imagination.
"From what I saw in the memories... besides humans, other creatures are constantly evolving, 'mating' based on instinct. But even so, humans cannot change their weak status and still need to cling to powerful creatures... Most humans are slaves or food for powerful species. Only a few can form partnerships with other races or establish unique tribes and communities. However, in the Dark Continent, there is an iron rule: power... Once a species with human genes gains intelligence and becomes a transcendent life form... strictly speaking, it no longer belongs to the human category. It needs to hunt more powerful prey because it requires more life energy... to find superior genes, follow the instinct of the food chain, evolve, and reproduce, creating its own bloodline. Countless genes on this land, vast as a sea of stars, coupled with the continent's rich and magical energy resources, have thus led to the diverse and bizarre life forms present today..."
"This is also why human civilization once had a profound influence on the Dark Continent..."
"I understand now... that Wheat..."
Anthony swallowed hard. He thought of Meruem and Komugi.
If creatures of the Dark Continent could develop emotions towards humans, then such things would surely happen on the Dark Continent as well.
After all, humans had existed for an incredibly long time.
"Meruem and Komugi are not exceptions."
Oboro nodded, as Alluka's internal condition and Killua were essentially the same.
"The combination and evolution of genes are not limited to the physical body... Currently, the Dark Continent is still undergoing evolution in this regard, or rather, it has never stopped. However, humans still cannot change their weak status. It's as if, for Chimera Ants, humans are just a 'food source' for optimizing their own genes... or they can provide good services and convenience for other intelligent races. That's all. If humans want to survive here, they can only choose a few paths: one is to cling to others, another is to evolve and abandon their self. Or they can flee, flee to a place where they don't have to follow these rules..."
"If that's the case, then our human world on the Island in the Lake is a primitive gene bank?" Gebuwich asked, uncharacteristically speaking, his scalp tingling.
Was this the reason why creatures of the Dark Continent had never attacked the human world?
Was it a form of protection, in a sense, preserving the purest original genes?
"No... although they are original genes, they have already been eliminated. The reason creatures of the Dark Continent don't go to our world is likely, as the Captain said earlier, simply because the resources and energy are too scarce. Since it's about evolution, they would naturally choose good genes. And there are too many superior genes on this land now... Our pure humans, apart from the trait of being 'intelligent beings,' are no longer competitive. However, for some lower-level life forms, they cannot 'combine' with the intelligent species already established on the Dark Continent, making humans still a good choice. It's just a pity that most lower-level life forms lack sound minds and wouldn't think of this layer, let alone go to our world..."
Menchi added.
"Advanced life forms disdain them, and lower-level life forms are brainless," Anthony summarized concisely.
"There's also an element of uncertainty, which is 'emotions.' Human emotions, and Chimera Ants as well. Some powerful species can transcend the instincts of the food chain and develop feelings for the weakest humans... just like the Ant King."
"Once intelligence is involved... it implies communication and interaction. This might be the capital that allows humans still surviving on the continent to eke out an existence... However, as the Captain said, most humans are still 'livestock' being raised... Perhaps some advanced life forms still retain some affection for humans, but I think it's a very small minority. The characteristics of the Dark Continent and its environment will infinitely amplify biological instincts... Most species will still adhere to hunting, submission, the law of the jungle, and the rule of the strong."
"Few probably have emotions..."
"Don Freecss only wrote the Eastern Chapter of the New World Chronicles. For him, not returning has two possibilities... First, he discovered the diversity of life energy on the continent, finding sub-human species or civilizations evolved from different genes, etc. These are far more interesting than the so-called calamities and hopes... because in a sense, they represent human potential. All species on the Dark Continent were given by humans. Second, and most realistically, he couldn't go back."
Oboro sighed lightly. "This is also what I want to tell you..."
Menchi and the other two seemed to realize something.
"Let's go back, while there's still time."
"…"
"Captain!"
Anthony's expression suddenly changed, and just as he was about to speak, Oboro stopped him with a hand gesture.
"This is not difficult to understand... From the moment we set foot on this land, we have been adapting to its ecosystem, but we haven't integrated yet. Integration requires evolution, and this evolution is not a conscious choice; it's quite passive. If you continue to follow me, one day in the future, you might suddenly transform into a new life form... Remember how Chimera Ants could choose humans for breeding? Turning humans into ants... If we hadn't interfered, Pom, Nobu's disciple among the extermination squad, would have also turned into an ant... It's fortunate that some human features were retained. If they had become monstrous hybrids, you would be completely unable to return to the human world. Even if you were technically alive in a sense... humans wouldn't accept you. Consider the V5's attitude towards the Dark Continent, and why Netero explicitly forbade humans from coming to this land... The old man probably sensed this, and his decision now seems very correct."
"Because if the last remaining pure humans also participated in 'evolution,' then... humanity would truly 'disappear,' ceasing to exist. Of course, there might still be pure humans on the Dark Continent; I've indeed seen them in memories... but they struggle to survive. They are like mere ants being toyed with, completely unable to control their own destiny."
"If you were to become like this... let alone outsiders, even your own family and friends would likely be unable to accept it."
Oboro pointed again at the deformed corpses of the 'mutants' nearby.
"The gatekeeper's act of preventing humans from entering the gate was correct... It understands pure humans too well. They need their own kind, their own people, a social group. Humans cannot separate themselves from their original world for the sake of evolution. Back then, humans and some creatures fled, actively giving up on 'evolution.' We don't crave power that much; it's just a certain level of desire. This place is fundamentally unsuitable for us; history has proven everything."
"However... I might be an exception."
Oboro closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he smiled suddenly. "Let's go. Listen to me... Don't try to resist instinct. You can choose not to evolve, but one day, when your survival is threatened, you might actively choose to evolve. This is the true horror of the Dark Continent. Once you choose to evolve, you can never escape from here, nor can you go back. It relies on the environment, on its own rules, and it infects and teaches every creature that sets foot on this land."
"When evolution can provide you with power, transforming you completely, it's hard to refuse for the sake of survival."
"Let alone you, even I... dare not say I have absolute confidence in controlling it."
"It was the wisest decision for human ancestors to leave here..."
"Don Freecss... might also not be able to go back. It's not that he doesn't want to go back... Of course, I haven't seen him either; this is just my speculation."
"While there's still time, go back."
Oboro rarely smiled at them. This smile now instantly brought tears to the three's eyes.
"Let's go together..."
Menchi's lips trembled.
Oboro shook his head. "From the moment I came to this world, I wasn't here for power, nor for friends or family, nor for humanity. I am only here for myself. Therefore... this game on the Dark Continent has no effect on me. I initially thought this first exploration was just a tentative one... and that we could return to prepare. I didn't expect that going too deep would make it so difficult to leave."
"It was indeed my miscalculation..."
"There's no point in me going back now, because I will definitely come back... This is undoubtedly a waste of time."
"I'll leave the human side to you..."
"I want to try, as a pure human, to see if I can succeed without participating in this evolution... I want to conquer this place. I want to overthrow the 'rules' of this continent!"
"Perhaps, Don Freecss... thought the same."
"With the most primitive, weakest genes, to reach the pinnacle of this 'gene develop ground.'"
"After you return, remember to reach a consensus with the V5 and prohibit humans from entering this area."
"Perhaps, one day in the future, I will return... If I haven't changed, I will naturally see you. If I have changed... then forget it."
"This is my final order as your captain, and it's a death order!"
"Go back!"
Maintain your human form and essence, and go back!
____________________
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