__________ POV Ashton__________
The journey became a lot easier with the 'Wind Strider Boots'. I can move quietly, without using much Aura, and much faster.
I have yet to test the limits of the speed I can achieve. There are still some things I can experiment on. Like, what would happen if I was to put as much Aura as I can into this relic?
Would it burst, or would my speed become much greater for a short burst, until I inevitably run out of oxygen and need to take a deep breath.
Whenever I started camping, I would take out Pitou and spend some time with her before resetting the barrier and resting.
She would usually rest with me, she seems to be pretty happy, but she was a bit unnerved when I first took her out. I guess this place does have a strange feel to it.
She's already intelligent enough, she's also learned some basic words. She can point at things and sometimes tell me their names.
She also always expects to be patted each time she gets something right. I guess I am spoiling her a bit, but that just means she will be more attached to me later.
It's somewhat cathartic, seeing her innocence and happiness after flying over beasts that slaughter each other for no reason whatsoever.
They don't even do it for food like you'd think they would. Most of the corpses are just left to rot, or for the trees to consume.
A day or two ago I remembered about the members of the Expedition team. I wonder if they are still alive... I mean, my appearance might've made things a bit easier for them.
A lot of the beasts are out looking for my blood. Their passage should be unhindered for the most part.
Now that I think about it... I don't really know why their fixation with me is so great.
At first, I was thinking that it was related to the fact that I've travelled this land before for many years. They know my scent and they hate humans.
But that can't be the reason, at least not the only one. Their hate towards me in particular is unnatural.
Well, even the fact that they feel my Nen is a bit odd... most of the beasts can't really use Nen, but me flaring up my Aura will definitely attract them.
It's almost as if they still hold a certain amount of recollection of its existence.
Or maybe some of the more sensitive beasts are leading all of the others? No, they are not intelligent enough for that.
They always become coordinated when attacking me for some reason. Ignoring each other completely and just gunning for me.
The incident with the Roc was a good example of that. I have no doubt that if my presence woke it up it would've just ignored all of the beasts trespassing into its territory.
I think there's something influencing everything, but I just can't find the opportunity to take a step back and observe the entire table clearly.
I simply don't know enough to even make an assumption...
Is this related to the eyes in the Abyss? But how could it be? That place should be completely sealed off from this world.
A completely different pocket of reality where our rules don't even apply.
I don't like this... The strange nagging feeling that I am just a small cog in the machinations of a large conspiracy.
But I can't do anything about it without learning more. This fire was lit under my feet when I remembered the Calamities, but is the answer going to be found in them?
Well, I guess I'll have to find out.
I'll think more about this after I've finished looking into the Calamities. By then, I'll hopefully have more insight.
As for now... I am already approaching a steep mountain range. I can't be sure that it's the same as the one the first expedition ran into... But it should be somewhere around this location.
Pap. A beast that I've never seen before, nobody has seen it. If I am to find it, I'll need bait...
It's obviously got an attraction to humans, but I don't really have any of them handy, so I guess I'll have to act as the bait.
Well... Not personally, as I've said, Cell Splitter can create a perfect copy for me, and Pap would be attracted to it too, as it is also human.
The only problem is that the clone won't really be hidden from the other beasts in the forest. It will attract them all here. But, as long as Pap takes the bait quickly, I can avoid the incoming swarm.
I flew up the mountain, keeping a careful eye towards anything that might pose a danger to me.
The mountain itself is somewhat strange, jagged tips and pointed rocks litter it. It seems difficult to climb. Good thing I can fly.
There's also the fact that it is lacking any other lifeforms. I would expect a few species of flying abominations to at least be present. But it's barren.
Does that mean this particular mountain houses a powerful predator? Is Pap actually considered one?
It is a calamity, and I guess the Hellbell would be considered one too... Going in order of strength, the Hellbell could count as a powerful predator, but only with its mind-altering powers.
Which they can't really use properly in a place where everything is already mad and murderous. So they need to rely on their other strengths.
One of them alone wouldn't be all that dangerous and would also never be able to mark territory for itself in the Dark Continent.
I have no doubt that the den in their territory has quite a few fully grown Hellbells. Like the big one I fought alongside the Zoldycks.
Not much is actually known about the beast. But this should be the mountain, so I guess I should be cautious.
Not all of the powerful predators are at the level of a Roc, but it's still good to pay attention to my surroundings while on this mountain. Especially since this one might not be sleeping...
____________________________________________
Hope you liked the chapter!
If u want to support me look up VeganMaster on Patr_eon.
Discord: