Chapter 29 : Reunion with Machi!!

Two names caught Germain's attention: "Rat" Pariston Hill and "Boar" Ging Freecss.

Both are members of the Hunter Association's "Twelve Zodiacs," holding significant influence and connections with the Dark Continent.

Pariston, placed in the Hunter Association by Netero's son, Beyond, has been consolidating power, preparing for an expedition to the Dark Continent. Netero was aware but didn't interfere.

Ging is a descendant of Don Freecss, the author of "Journey to the New World." Influenced by the book, Ging has been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to explore the Dark Continent.

Based on Netero's stance towards Pariston and Ging, it's clear that he isn't entirely against human exploration of the Dark Continent but feels that the time isn't right. 

Beyond, however, is ambitious and eager for quick results. He's been to the Dark Continent once and is eager to return, disregarding the potential "disasters" that might follow.

Germain disliked the name "Beyond," finding it ominous, but he didn't let that affect his judgment. He knew that to understand people's motives, you had to meet them firsthand.

Having acquired his Hunter License and explored the Hunter website, Germain felt ready to proceed to the next step. He took out his phone and texted someone saved as "Bad Girl" in his contacts.

"I might need your help in the next few days. Are you free?" he asked.

The message was met with silence. No response from Machi.

Unbothered, Germain left the internet café and took a stroll along the riverbank. He found a bench, sat down, and took in the view. A black cat approached, curious about the newcomer.

The black cat sat on Germain's lap for a moment, then curled up into a tight ball, closing its eyes as if settling in for a nap. Germain didn't seem to mind; he started to gently stroke its fur.

Just as Germain and the cat were about to drift off, his phone buzzed. It was Machi replying to his message.

"Okay, where should we meet?"

Germain glanced at the screen and typed back, "KSW City."

"I can't make it until the morning of the 13th. Is that okay?"

"That's fine." 

"Alright. The fee will depend on the severity of your injuries."

"Got it."

The conversation was quick and to the point, and then it was over. Germain slipped his phone back into his pocket and looked up at the sky. The clouds were white and fluffy against the blue, with birds occasionally flying by.

It was the 11th today. Machi would arrive on the 13th, which gave him a couple of days to prepare. He needed to buy supplies, then plan his trip to the Dark Continent. He was leaving in the early hours of the 14th with Machi's help.

This time, he wasn't just hunting in the dry river valley; he planned to explore beyond it, pushing deeper into the unknown. The goal was to get as far as possible and set up a new base in a safe location.

Germain wasn't sure what dangers he might face on this journey, so he made sure to contact Machi ahead of time. If something went wrong, her "Nen Stitches" ability might be his only hope of recovery.

On the afternoon of January 13th, there was a knock at the door of Germain's room at the Opera Hotel. He opened it to find Machi standing there with her signature ponytail and her usual icy demeanor.

"Sorry, I'm late." There wasn't the slightest hint of remorse in her voice—it was as cold as ice. She looked Germain over from head to toe, then added, "You don't look hurt to me."

"I'm not injured now," Germain replied, matter-of-factly.

"'Not injured now'?" Machi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Does that mean you're planning to get hurt later?"

Germain didn't bother answering. Instead, he handed her a card—a room key.

"This is for the room next door. I've prepaid it until the morning of the 15th. If I need you to tend to my injuries, I'll let you know. Otherwise, just stay put."

Machi accepted the key, took a moment to examine it, then tucked it away without saying a word.

"Alright. I'll be in the next room until noon on the 15th. If you need to extend, let me know in advance."

"Got it," Germain replied.

With that, Machi picked up her small, off-white cloth bag, swiped her key card, and left without another word. Although they were both part of the Phantom Troupe, they had little to no reason for chit-chat or small talk.

Later that night, around 1 a.m. on the 14th, Germain sat alone in his room at the Opera Hotel. 

He placed his "Hunter's Badge" on the floor, and a radiant lantern materialized, casting its purple light across the room. 

Germain turned off the crystal chandelier, plunging the room into near-total darkness, save for the glowing lantern.

Four small ghostly figures hovered near the lantern, their shadowy forms swirling in the light, their eyes fixed on Germain, as if eagerly waiting for something. 

Germain stretched out his hand toward one of the little imps. He heard their whispers, a mix of excitement and disappointment.

The lantern displayed two lines of text:

"Lantern Location: Dark Continent - Dry Valley"

"Cooldown Time: 8 minutes (cooled)"

In a split second, the lantern flared brightly, and Germain, along with the ghostly figures, vanished in a flash of purple light. They were gone without a trace.

The teleportation whisked Germain away, turning night into day. He was back in the dry valley, bathed in sunlight once more.

As soon as he landed, the howling wind filled the air, scattering dust and debris. Once it settled, he could see the riverbed with stacks of rocks lining both sides.

He checked the lantern and noticed the cooldown time had doubled to 16 minutes, which was pretty much what he expected.

With a heavy backpack on my shoulders, he took out a compass, glanced around to get my bearings, then headed toward the mouth of the valley.

Along the way, he encountered those pesky flesh-sucking bugs (Tentroids) again—the most common creatures in this river valley. They came at him in waves, like a never-ending rush of carriages and horses.

He took down a few and scared off the rest, finding a "color-changing stone" in one of their bodies, which he tossed into his backpack. This would give Bisky something to work on.

He ignored the Poison Mist Centipede and the Storm Ripple Moth unless they came at him first. Thanks to his flamethrower, he had a good defense against these oversized insects. But he preferred to avoid fighting if possible.

First, he didn't want to linger in the valley too long—He had places to explore. Second, these bugs had lost their value, especially the centipede poison, since the underground market had developed an antidote fairly quickly.

He reached the mouth of the valley, stepped onto a gravel road, and finally left the dry riverbed behind. He walked into a more open wilderness.

He kept his breath concealed with "In" and expanded his awareness with "En" to detect any threats. The further he walked, the more lush the vegetation became, and the more bizarre creatures he encountered.

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