With a long, lazy yawn, Germain woke from a deep sleep, feeling his limbs still sore from the intense battle.
He glanced at his phone, which lit up to show it was 3:20 p.m. on April 1. Only a few hours had passed since the "StageCoach Group" returned.
This time, encountering "Wall and Wallfacer" and "ancient labyrinth cities and Botanical Weapons, Brion" was completely unexpected for Germain.
But he wasn't scared. Instead, he became increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the Dark Continent. Maybe it was his curiosity driving him, like a cat's curiosity?
Of course, Germain couldn't approach the "wall" or the "ancient labyrinth city" at the moment. So, he decided to put these two places on hold for now and avoid them.
After sorting through these thoughts, Germain began to review his "personal gains" from this expedition.
After defeating the "Botanical Weapon Brion" and the "Beheaded Antler Knight" it was controlling, Germain's "Constitution" increased to 47 points, and his "Pressure" went up to 42 points (previously, critical hits had reduced his "Pressure" by 10 points).
He also acquired a new "Gift of Resentment" - the "Greedy Antler Helmet". This item can only activate its power if another "Gift of Resentment" is sacrificed permanently.
Additionally, after using the "Teleportation Lantern" to return from the Dark Continent, Germain's "Pressure" increased to 52 points, and he gained two new "Traits".
The first, "Human Hunter", is like "Beast Hunter", but for humans. It temporarily boosts his abilities when fighting humans.
This is definitely a "positive trait". Along with his previous "Beast Hunter", "Genius", "Warrior of Light", "Toughness", and "Bravery", he now has six "positive traits".
From this perspective, there may be no limit to the number of "traits" one can have. The advantage is that "positive traits" can keep stacking up, but the downside is that "negative traits" can also accumulate.
The other new "trait" Germain gained is the negative "Pressure-induced bulimia".
When his Pressure level exceeds 50 points, he becomes more likely to feel hungry and overeat.
It seems he'll have to visit Abengane again once his injuries heal, Germain thought.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
Germain looked up as he heard Bisky's voice coming from the corridor outside. "Germain, are you awake? I'm coming in."
After speaking, Bisky turned the doorknob as if asking permission before entering, like a mother checking on her children.
However, Germain had a habit of locking his door, so Bisky couldn't get in right away.
Bisky didn't get frustrated. She kept turning the doorknob until Germain slowly got up and opened the door.
"Hey," Bisky said, waving and patting Germain's bare back. "Why did it take you so long to open the door? Are you hiding something embarrassing under the bed?"
She walked into Germain's room and almost lay down to check under the bed. Finding nothing, she shook her head in disappointment and sat down on a chair in the room.
Germain had just closed the door behind her.
"What do you think of 'Wall' and 'Ancient Labyrinth City'?" Bisky asked, studying Germain's expression.
She was aware of Germain's obsession with the Dark Continent and worried he might recklessly pursue these dangerous areas.
But Germain wasn't unreliable.
"I'll temporarily block the two 'teleportation lantern locations' near them," Germain said, sitting on the bed. "Until we're ready to face them."
Bisky sighed in relief and smiled. "That's good."
"Now, let's discuss how to handle the 'Botanical Weapon Brion' and the monster it controlled."
"Although it might disappoint Shizuku, I suggest we leave behind the 'Botanical Weapon Brion' and the monster's corpse it controls for now."
Germain nodded. "I agree. The V5 country has kept the corpses infected by the 'Botanical Weapon Brion.' Selling them on the black market would soon draw their attention."
"Hmm," Bisky said, raising a finger. "That's the first point. The second point is..."
"To return to the 'Ancient Labyrinth City' in the future, we need to learn more about the 'Botanical Weapon Brion.'"
"You're planning to study them?" Germain asked. "We're not experts. Who are you thinking of asking to study them?"
"I just spoke with Sanbica. She's very interested in studying plants that grow on animal corpses," Bisky replied. "We also need a plant expert."
Germain asked, "Who would be the best fit?"
"The best choice is definitely the Rooster(Chicken), one of the Twelve Zodiacs of the Hunter Association. She's a specialist in this field."
At this point, Bisky shook his head.
"Unfortunately, ten of the Twelve Zodiacs admire Chairman Netero, and she's one of them. Telling her about the 'Botanical Weapon Brion' would be like telling Chairman Netero."
"You know, the ten of them didn't always look like this. They purposely made their image fit the 'Twelve Zodiacs' title given to them by Chairman Netero."
"Only Ging and Pariston, who do their own thing, have kept their original appearance and don't dress up like 'Pig(Boar)' or 'Rat'."
The more Bisky spoke, the more it sounded like a complaint. Her teacher, Chairman Netero, had too much influence.
"Then let's put it on hold for now," Germain said, "unless we find a trustworthy plant expert with a star rating."
Bisky crossed her arms and nodded. "That's the only option now. After a while, we'll set up a research institute near the base for Sanbica to use in researching the 'Botanical Weapon Brion.'"
"But she has her own job, so she only visits two or three times a month. Still, she's been a great help. We need to revise the terms of the 'contract.'"
"Agreed," Germain said. "More work deserves more pay, especially in professional fields. I don't know much about this, so I'll leave it to you. Your decision is mine."
Bisky rolled her eyes at Germain and said, "It's the only way. After all, I know Sanbica better than anyone else. By the way, once we've recovered from our injuries, we both have things to take care of."
"What are you going to do?" Germain asked curiously.
"In addition to the 'Botanical Weapon Brion,' there are 'stocks' in Shizuku's 'Blinky.' I'll work with her to deal with these things when the time comes."
"Wing will also help us. However, he has another task: taking the child, Zushi, as his disciple and starting his training. I'm afraid he won't be able to focus on us."
"Remember Menchi and Buhara, whom I mentioned earlier? I plan to get in touch with them and see if we can bring them along."
"Your current 'Teleportation Lantern' has an 8-hour cooldown. The next time you use it to go to the Dark Continent, the cooldown will be 16 hours. In the near future, we will need to stay on the Dark Continent for a longer time."
"In this case, gourmet hunters will be crucial. We need to find a way to be self-sufficient while we're there."
Germain agreed completely.
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer