Both the Evil Enclave and the Unexplored Land are unique existences in this world.
An Evil Enclave is a restricted area rarely ventured by humans, inhabited by powerful mythical beasts possessing intelligence and special abilities.
Unlike the elusive mythical creatures, these beasts are relatively common within the Evil Enclave.
However, most Evil Enclaves are under human control, including the mythical beasts that reside within them.
An Unexplored Land, on the other hand, is an even more enigmatic existence.
Each Unexplored Land is akin to a Nen space conjured by a Nen user, typically possessing at least one unique trait or ability.
Their existence is scarcely known, and they are extremely difficult to enter... synonymous with the unknown and danger.
Kanzai is a professional Treasure Hunter, spending his years traversing primeval forests, towering mountains, deep valleys, caves, and Ruins.
This very method of exploration is the fundamental reason he is able to discover Unexplored Lands.
Though Kanzai habitually refers to them as "secret bases," given their mystery and uniqueness, such a term falls far short of capturing their true value.
Imagine...
A territory rich in ecology, with an entrance known only to him. The worth it holds is beyond words.
Thus, when Kanzai shared such a place with Morrow, it could be considered a priceless gift.
A week later, Kanzai led Morrow and Kalluto to the bottom of a sinkhole.
This sinkhole was located in a Evil Enclave in the southern part of the Yorbian continent, known as the Petrus' Eye of Death.
The name originated from the presence of a plant called "Petrus Vine" that densely populated the sinkhole.
The fruit of this plant resembles grapes, hence it is also called grapevine.
They are highly aggressive, using their vines to ensnare prey and slowly devour them through the serrated suction-cup mouths lining their tendrils.
The prey they consume eventually transforms into clusters of grape-like fruits, hanging beneath the vines.
These fruits are the favorite of a bird species known as the sharp-billed black-spotted bird.
They flock in large numbers to steal these fruits, dispersing the grapevine seeds to new locations... such as canyons or sinkholes... through their droppings.
Typically, these terrains serve as habitats for the sharp-billed black-spotted birds. However, as the grapevines rapidly expand, the birds are often forced to migrate.
Though they adore the grapevine fruits, they cannot reproduce in areas where the vines grow, as the vines pose a threat to their young.
Similarly, humans are also among the grapevine's targets.
Upon reaching the bottom of the sinkhole, Kanzai pulled out a smoke stick made from the droppings of sharp-billed black-spotted birds.
He lit the stick, and as the smoke slowly rose, the surrounding grapevines... which had already revealed their predatory nature... seemed to react to some stimulus, abruptly retracting and dispersing to expose a hidden opening in the rock wall.
"Sharp-billed black-spotted bird droppings, when weathered into powder and burned, are highly effective at repelling grapevines. Interesting, isn't it?"
Kanzai held up the smoke stick, glancing sideways at the retreating vines.
Though they could easily defend against the grapevines' attacks using aura protection, the sheer number of vines at the sinkhole's bottom made the smoke stick a far more practical solution.
Most of the time, when Nen users face the vast unknowns of nature, the presence of Nen can only raise their baseline survival odds. Only professional knowledge can efficiently counter the harsh realities of nature.
"Keep up."
Kanzai, holding his smoking pipe, was the first to step into the cave entrance.
Morrow and Kalluto followed closely behind.
The group navigated through the narrow passage, which gradually widened until it opened into a spacious cavern.
Inside the cave, faint traces of human habitation could be seen...
Scattered fragments of porcelain, tables and chairs carved from rock, and vivid murals adorned the walls.
Standing in the cavern, one could even hear the faint sound of flowing water from deeper within, suggesting the presence of an underground river.
Kanzai walked straight to one of the murals.
The mural depicted an island shaped like a spinning top, floating in the air.
The edges of the island were outlined with intricate white lines resembling flowing water, cascading down from the sides but abruptly cut off mid-air, only to continue flowing from the top of the island.
At the center of the island, simple sketches depicted a forest and animals, while a towering, pointed rock mountain stood prominently in the middle.
"This is the entrance to the Unexplored Land."
Kanzai looked at the mural.
Hearing this, Kalluto's large eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.
Morrow, however, instinctively activated Gyo, his eyes suddenly blazing like torches.
He quickly scanned the mural and soon noticed that the spinning top-shaped island was covered in fine, intricate Nen threads.
These threads spiraled like whirls, converging at the pointed rock mountain in the center.
Kanzai glanced back at Morrow, seeing the aura concentrated in his eyes, and explained:
"You can think of this Nen as a spatial-transportation-type Emission ability. You don't need to actively channel Nen... just touch the central point of these Nen threads to enter the Unexplored Land directly."
"So, even ordinary people can enter the Unexplored Land?"
Morrow stared at the spiral-shaped Nen threads on the rock mountain, his heart filled with awe.
The Evil Enclave had been described in some detail in the original texts.
But regarding the Unexplored Land, only its name was mentioned.
Now, seeing this so-called Unexplored Land with his own eyes, though it wasn't as breathtaking as he'd imagined, he could intuitively sense its mystical connection to the Nen System.
"Exactly."
Kanzai nodded. "Unexplored Lands are inherently rare and defy conventional explanation. In fact, there have been cases of ordinary people accidentally stumbling into them, though the outcomes usually weren't favorable."
"Is the Unexplored Land dangerous?"
Morrow asked.
Kanzai thought for a moment before replying, "From a survival perspective, it's undoubtedly an A-rank difficulty for ordinary people. But for Nen users, it's probably only D-rank. Of course, the actual difficulty depends on the type of Unexplored Land."
At this, Kanzai grinned and added:
"But the Unexplored Land I've discovered is a bit special. It's practically risk-free. Even if an ordinary person accidentally enters, as long as they have some basic wilderness survival skills, they'll be fine. You could even think of it as a paradise."
"That's good."
Morrow murmured softly.
All he needed was a quiet place to train. If he had to worry about survival, it would defeat the purpose.
Kanzai looked at the two of them and said, "I'll go in first. Follow after me."
With that, he decisively pressed his hand against the spiral of Nen threads at the center of the mural. The moment he touched it, a surge of Nen seeped from the mural, swiftly enveloping his body.
The next instant...
This Nen carried his body, rapidly merging into the mural.
Seeing this, Morrow imitated Kanzai's actions and placed his hand over the spiral of Nen threads.
Immediately, he felt the absorption ability of the Tree Rings.
This meant that, if he wished, he could absorb all the Nen threads from the mural into his Tree Rings tattoo.
Of course, Morrow had no intention of doing so.
Just as he marveled at this, his vision was suddenly filled with a soft white light.
He felt no unusual sensations in his body, and once the light faded, he found himself standing atop a mountain peak.
Looking into the distance, below lay a lush forest, with rivers crisscrossing like a spider's web, winding through the trees and extending all the way to the forest's edge.
Above the sky, streams of water cascaded down, forming waterfalls that plunged straight into the rivers weaving through the forest.
This was exactly the scene depicted in the mural...
Or rather, this was the world within the mural.
Noticing Morrow's fascination with the Unexplored Land's landscape, Kanzai didn't disturb him. Instead, he walked over to a stone hut he had built himself nearby, picked up a simple cleaning tool, and began tidying up.
This Unexplored Land was known only to him, but he had rarely visited it in recent years.
As a result, the humble stone hut, both inside and out, was covered in thick dust.
Fortunately, there were no flying creatures in the Unexplored Land, or else the hut's location would have left it in ruins long ago.
Kalluto soon entered the Unexplored Land as well, and the surreal scenery before him left him awestruck.
Though he had seen this landscape on the mural before entering, it had been nothing more than a simple composition... far less breathtaking than witnessing it firsthand.
"I only brought a limited amount of food and water. If you want to stay here longer, you'll have to be self-sufficient."
"The resources here are abundant. Any fruits or game you find are safe to eat."
"Also, aside from this mountain, all other areas are affected by Silence... no sound can be made."
"While the creatures here aren't particularly aggressive, in an environment where sound is blocked, it's best not to let your guard down."
Soon, the stone hut was cleaned. Before leaving, Kanzai gave a few brief instructions.
Morrow walked to the edge of the mountaintop, gazing up at the waterfalls pouring from the sky, and suddenly spoke. "Kanzai, if you ever want a vacation, isn't this place perfect?"
"Hah?"
Kanzai shook his head in disagreement. "What's so great about this place? Aside from the natural scenery, it's boring as hell."
He had once stayed here for months.
At first, it felt novel and exciting, but eventually, he grew tired of it.
After all, the Unexplored Land wasn't large... its boundaries could be seen at a glance.
After that, he rarely returned, treating it only as his own private hideout.
Once Morrow and Kalluto were settled, Kanzai left swiftly.
After Kanzai's departure, Morrow didn't immediately begin training. Instead, he had Kalluto leave the Unexplored Land to test his tracking ability and locate his position.
A short while later, a flash of white light appeared atop the mountain.
When the light faded, Kalluto's figure reappeared. I can't locate your position.
Kalluto murmured softly.
"It seems this Unexplored Land is similar to a Nen space, capable of isolating Nen abilities to some extent."
Morrow pondered thoughtfully.
When the Tree Rings indicated they could absorb the aura from the murals, he realized the essence of this Unexplored Land... it was a Nen space left behind by the Nen System.
However, judging by the aura on the murals, it wasn't Post-Mortem Will carried by intense emotions, but rather resembled the pure artisan Nen found on Nen-imbued objects.
Morrow didn't dwell on this issue. After verifying that the Unexplored Land could block tracking abilities, he quickly began his training.
His training method wasn't particularly special... he simply expended aura in his normal state while repeatedly practicing various Nen techniques.
He would only stop to rest once his potential aura was depleted and his body utterly exhausted.
Once recovered, he would resume the cycle.
Though this training method offered no shortcuts, Morrow's efficiency far surpassed Kalluto's... by several times, even over tenfold... thanks to the vast experience he had previously accumulated.
Moreover, the Unexplored Land proved exceptionally suitable for focused cultivation, allowing him to train with undivided attention.
Time passed quietly.
During this period, Morrow and Kalluto spent most of their time practicing and consolidating advanced Nen techniques, occasionally engaging in combat drills.
Initially, when testing purely advanced Nen techniques, Kalluto even outperformed Morrow in proficiency.
Especially in the application of Shu...
This was Kalluto's forte, clearly honed through prolonged systematic training.
Likely to align with his tactical system, among all advanced Nen techniques, Kalluto had devoted significantly more time and effort to mastering Shu.
While not enough to overwhelm Morrow, his proficiency in this area was notably superior.
Yet Morrow quickly closed this gap.
Within just a month, his mastery of Shu surpassed Kalluto's, who had trained for at least a year.
This marked the first time since arriving at the Unexplored Land that Kalluto questioned his life choices.
By the forty-fifth day,
Morrow's proficiency in all advanced Nen techniques had completely eclipsed Kalluto's.
This was Kalluto's second existential crisis.
Bolstered by his accumulated experience, Morrow's training speed was astonishingly fast.
Unaware of these experiences, Kalluto could only witness Morrow's rapid progress...
He knew Morrow was exceptionally skilled, but this rate of improvement was absurd... inhuman, even.
By the seventieth day,
After relentless, all-consuming training, Morrow had finally fully digested all the experience accumulated in his consciousness space.
Swish...
The crystalline red blade sliced through the air, leaving a fleeting arc of light.
Morrow looked down at the Poultry Scarlet Knife in his hand, its blade wrapped in dense, fluid aura.
"The flow of aura finally keeps pace with my thoughts."
After over two months of training, Morrow could clearly perceive the changes in his control over Nen techniques.
Whether it was Shu or Ryu, his application had become more effortless. The movement of his aura now synchronized seamlessly with his will, without the slightest delay.
Though Kalluto had also dedicated himself to rigorous training alongside Morrow for over two months, his progress paled in comparison to Morrow's meteoric rise. Yet, the significant progress Morrow had made ultimately came down to thanking that madwoman.
Countless battles within the realm of consciousness...
Such an experience was rare and invaluable.
But more importantly, he needed a highly cooperative human-shaped training dummy.
Fortunately, that madwoman was resilient enough, allowing him to accumulate ample experience.
Feels about time to tackle the Death Threshold...
Morrow sheathed the Poultry Scarlet Knife and glanced at the level indicator on the back of his hand:
Lv.50.
Over seventy days, he had tirelessly repeated the cycle of exhausting his potential aura, recovering, and immediately using his aura output... yet he had only leveled up once.
Considering the mechanism where higher levels made progression increasingly difficult, continuing this methodical training would likely take two or three years just to reach Lv.60.
I thought Lv.50 would be a turning point, but after breaking through, there wasn't any special feeling. Maybe the real change comes at Lv.51...?
Morrow pondered silently.