"We're almost out of the forest," Germain turned around and cautioned, "I also smell something foul. Do any of you recognize this scent?"
Shizuku instinctively lowered her head and sniffed her black turtleneck sweater, while the others tried to discern the odor in the air.
"It does have a strong smell," Wing's expression turned serious. He always had a tendency to anticipate the worst. "Should we wear gas masks?"
"You fool," Bisky cursed, "Take a good sniff. It's the smell of sulfur. Even if you need a mask, assess the situation first. Don't panic."
"Yes!" After being scolded by Teacher Bisky, Wing straightened up and carefully sniffed again. "Indeed... it smells like sulfur."
Only then did Shizuku realize they weren't referring to her. She had been wondering why there was a smell after she had just showered.
Given her frequent dealings with corpses and residues, it was natural she might carry a distinct odor. That's why she initially thought Germain was talking about the scent on her body.
But why sulfur here?
Soon, as the four-member team emerged from the dense forest onto a flat wasteland, they looked up and discovered the reason, leaving them stunned in place.
At the edge of the barren expanse lay a steep slope leading to mountains capped with distinct gray-white conical layers of soil.
Thick smoke billowed ceaselessly from deep within the plateau, rising towards the sky and darkening a large swath of the landscape.
Yet, what truly astounded them wasn't the active volcanoes scattered throughout, but the unbelievably towering trees behind them, their roots embedded in magma and cracked earth.
These trees displayed trunks as thick as several craters, extending high into vast clouds above, devoid of any visible branches or leaves at all.
"If it's a volcano, I can understand the smell of sulfur," Wing remarked, his eyes filled with disbelief. "But a tree this tall is unheard of. It surpasses the World Tree of the Six Continents."
"In comparison, the World Tree seems like a mere infant." Bisky frowned. "I dare say, this must be the true World Tree."
Wing and Shizuku exchanged puzzled glances, while Bisky was quick to react after her explanation.
Bisky clarified, "Gign often shares his theories during discussions within the Hunter Association. He believes that the World Tree of the Six Continents is malnourished, and the real World Tree lies in the Dark Continent. Only there could support such a towering, straight tree that reaches the sky."
Everyone was taken aback. The sight before them confirmed Ging's vision—it was real, witnessed with their own eyes.
Seizing the moment, Bisky held her phone horizontally and began capturing images of the real World Tree and the nearby volcanic formations.
The spectacle was rare and mesmerizing, though the sulfur in the air detracted somewhat from the experience.
"Germain," Bisky said after taking another photo, turning to him. "I'm starting to agree with your 'Dark Continent Border Theory'. If there's a border, these World Trees mark it perfectly."
Shizuku asked curiously, "So, if we cross these volcanoes and bypass the World Tree, are we entering a more dangerous area?"
"Exactly," Bisky snapped his fingers and pointed at Shizuku. "I think I understand now why Chairman Netero warned us about casually venturing into the Dark Continent. Their expedition was just an 'introduction'. That must be the reason."
Germain had another concern, "Should we go straight through the volcanoes or circumvent them?"
"Going around would take too long with endless mountains," Bisky mused, rubbing her chin. "Should we go through them?"
"Yeah," Germain nodded.
With Germain and Bisky in agreement, the others raised no objections, and thus, the four set out across the volcanic belt.
As they decided to proceed, everyone donned gas masks. Before nearing the volcano, they felt a surge of heat. After walking for a while, they sweated profusely with dry mouths.
"Let's pick up the pace," Germain urged, pointing ahead. "First, we'll swiftly pass these volcanoes, reach the first World Tree, and rest there."
Everyone nodded.
Thus, the four leaped forward like dragonflies skimming water, stepping on dry crust, and appearing meters away in the blink of an eye.
Soon, they found themselves surrounded by volcanoes. Even with "Ken," they only felt slightly relieved. Their clothes clung wetly to their bodies in the scorching, burning air, and no one spoke as they hurried on.
As the World Tree loomed closer, most of the volcanoes were forgotten.
At that moment, Wing noticed something unusual in the sky.
Through his dull gas mask, he shouted, "Everyone, something's approaching from our right!"
The others, while not stopping, turned to look.
Sure enough, dark creatures appeared above the volcanoes, hovering like black dots. At a glance, they could be mistaken for a dark cloud.
"They can fly..." Germain turned back to the group. "An aerial battle would put us at a disadvantage. We lack long-range attacks."
"Let's keep moving," Bisky said. "Germain, watch the front. Wing and I will handle those things. Shizuku, watch our rear."
Everyone agreed and swiftly took their positions.
However, as they were about to leave the volcanic terrain, they were overtaken by the flying creatures.
What surprised everyone was the sight of a group of flying creatures that initially resembled fireballs. Upon closer inspection, however, their forms revealed themselves as birds, their wings entirely composed of flames with long trails of black smoke trailing behind their tails.
"This is..." Wing frowned, recalling descriptions from myths and legends, "'Phoenix'?"
"All mythical creatures have origins," Bisky remarked. "It appears we've encountered the real deal this time. They're approaching us, so let's prepare to defend ourselves."
During their journey to the Dark Continent, not all encountered creatures posed a threat. Yet once provoked, their motivations ranged from hunting to driving away intruders.
Once they initiated hostilities, there would be no turning back.
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer