Chapter 38: The Ancient King of Kakin
The corridor walls began to feature spaced-out scaffolding and barriers, resembling a museum's preservation setup. Along the barriers were repeated logos: "Blanchett Corporation".
Clearly, this company had long since claimed the site as part of its operations, though it had not been made public.
"There's writing on the walls," Shizuku pointed out.
The group looked at the wall through the barriers, shining their flashlights on the scratched, weathered surface.
Menchi squinted. "Doesn't look like writing—more like random slashes left by someone swinging a blade around."
"If they went to the trouble of setting up barriers, it can't be that simple," Haru said, focusing his Nen-enhanced eyes on the wall. "Just as I thought…"
"What is it?" Menchi asked.
"There's lingering Nen in these markings. I've only ever seen similar phenomena on highly valuable antiques…"
Dago and the others gawked. They couldn't believe that what seemed like simple wall scratches could actually hold traces of Nen.
Certain master artisans, even without formal Nen training, sometimes unknowingly infused their works with their life energy. To ordinary connoisseurs, such pieces were priceless, carrying an indescribable aura of uniqueness.
Menchi continued taking photos of the wall.
"Stick to pictures, not videos," Haru suggested.
"Why?" Menchi asked, puzzled.
"In videos, Nen can be seen by those who know how to use Gyo," Haru explained.
This was similar to what happened in Hunter x Hunter during the Heaven's Arena arc when Gon and Killua used Gyo to analyze Hisoka's battle recordings.
"And photos won't show the Nen?" Shizuku asked curiously.
"Probably not," Haru shrugged. "But we need something to take back as proof. Videos might complicate things, so let's just use pictures. Otherwise, that bald guy will try to avoid paying us."
Menchi snickered. "Bald guy? You're so petty!"
The group continued down the corridor, snapping photos.
Beyond the scratches, abstract patterns began to appear on the walls. They looked like drawings but were too abstract to decipher.
The only consistency was that all these markings—be they scratches, carvings, or designs—retained faint traces of Nen.
Eventually, the group reached the main chamber, a larger, more spacious room. As their flashlights illuminated the area, they spotted the walls covered in wild, chaotic writing. The inscriptions were dense and erratic, as if carved in a frenzy.
Haru squinted at the chaotic scrawl. His reading ability in this world's language was decent, but this script was incomprehensible. After a long examination, he could only discern fragments like "world," "why," and "hahaha," leaving him concerned about the writer's mental state at the time.
Like the other markings, the walls here were infused with lingering Nen, an unmistakable testament to their significance.
"It's incredible—who could have left these marks?"
"Could they really be hundreds of years old?"
"Is this truly the work of the ancient King of Kakin?"
Dago and his group murmured among themselves as they snapped more photos.
Suddenly, they screamed in surprise.
"What now?" Haru snapped, turning around.
In the center of the chamber stood a transparent glass enclosure. Inside lay a pile of scattered objects and, most strikingly, a white fox. Dago and his group had accidentally shone their flashlights on it, startling them.
"It's just a bunch of toys," Haru said dismissively.
Menchi and Shizuku approached curiously.
"The white fox is a doll," Shizuku noted.
Before they could examine it further, the chamber lights suddenly flickered on, illuminating the space as bright as day.
"You could've turned on the lights earlier," came a calm voice from across the chamber.
Turning, they saw Allantril Blanchett and Babimyna entering through the opposite side. Allantril had just flicked the switch inside the glass enclosure's doorframe.
Menchi and Dago were startled by the sudden arrival, but Allantril introduced himself again with his usual polite demeanor.
Gesturing to the walls, he explained, "These inscriptions were made by the ancient King of Kakin over 400 years ago."
Babimyna's expression remained stoic as Allantril continued, "Initially, we thought this was the tomb of Prince Naste Hui Guo Rou, but we were wrong. It turns out this was more of a retreat for the First king of kakin himself. Whenever he faced challenges or frustrations, he'd isolate himself here and vent his thoughts on the walls. As centuries passed, the King became a figure of legend, and this site remained as you see it."
Haru snorted. "So, he built a tomb for himself as a venting chamber? What was he so frustrated about?"
Dago chimed in, "The first king of kakin was a legendary ruler. Historical records say he nearly unified the Azian Continent…"
Babimyna studied the walls intently, his Nen-enhanced vision scanning the inscriptions.
Shizuku, meanwhile, seemed engrossed in the chaotic carvings, though Haru doubted she'd remember much of it later.
"The past is best left in the past," Allantril said, loosening his tie. "As you can see, the King's inscriptions occasionally touch on Nen-related topics. This is why the site cannot be opened to the public."
He turned to Babimyna. "Rest assured, the spirit of Prince Naste Hui Guo Rou—what remains of it—will no longer trouble the Hui Guo Rou family. Of course, this is on the condition that your people don't disturb it."
At that moment, a faint, pale figure of the boy's ghost flickered inside the glass enclosure. The white fox doll stirred, walking toward the edge of the glass and pawing at a rubber ball.
Babimyna tensed. "What did you do to it?"
"Only what was necessary," Allantril replied calmly. "The spirit left behind is a fragment—a malformed fusion of a Nen beast and residual hatred. We provided it with this vessel, ensuring it won't cause further harm to the Hui Guo Rou."
The white fox picked up the rubber ball, dropped it, and watched it bounce across the glass floor.
Babimyna stood silently, contemplating Allantril's words, while the others exchanged uneasy glances.
"Uh… how do we leave?" Dago asked, breaking the tension.
Allantril pointed them toward an exit marked by a familiar Nen inscription.
As the group prepared to leave, the white fox tugged at Haru's pant leg, catching his attention.
"Huh?" Haru turned to see the fox staring at him with eerily human-like intelligence. Its form shimmered faintly, revealing the boy's ghostly visage before solidifying again.
Allantril chuckled. "It seems Little White has taken a liking to you. That's rare."
"Of course. I'm lovable," Haru replied, smirking. "Right, Menchi, Shizuku?"
Before leaving, Haru turned back to Allantril. "You keep saying 'we.' The other person who discovered this place with you—was it Ging Freecss?"
Allantril smiled. "That's correct. Ging is my teacher."
(End of Chapter)