"Living fruit?"
Oboro picked up the fruit he had just plucked and took a look.
He saw a row of fuzzy, wriggling small tentacles growing beneath the fruit.
It resembled some kind of animal, not a plant.
The fruit's tentacles constantly attempted to pierce his skin and burrow into his flesh, but due to Oboro's exceptionally tough skin, they failed.
"Should... should we eat this?"
Anthony swallowed hard.
Oboro relaxed his skin, allowing the fruit's tentacles to burrow in and draw blood.
Menchi and the other two remained silent upon seeing this.
Oboro was indeed more suited for such a dangerous undertaking than they were.
The fruit seemed to cling to Oboro's arm, greedily drawing blood.
It looked like an external heart, beginning to beat rhythmically.
"Hmm... as expected..."
Oboro sensed it for a moment and said softly, "This fruit isn't meant to be eaten. It can absorb nutrients from the blood to survive, and it can also secrete and convert nutrients to nourish the body."
"Nutrients?"
"Yes, the nutrients the body needs. Simply put, with this, one wouldn't need to eat... It's equivalent to a portable supply pack. The problem is, I don't know how long it can 'survive.' For now, it seems harmless... it's a parasitic fruit." With that, Oboro handed the other fruits to the three.
The three quickly placed the fruits on parts of their bodies where they wouldn't impede movement, allowing them to parasitize.
"How amazing..."
Menchi exclaimed.
The value of this undoubtedly reached the level of 'hope.'
But unfortunately, it was still not what they were looking for.
However, it did solve their immediate pressing need; at least for the next period, they wouldn't have to eat raw meat anymore.
"There should be some kind of life form nearby, a rather special one," Oboro reminded them again.
"Is it that scarecrow?"
Menchi replied.
"Mhm... According to the data, the Dark Continent does have highly intelligent life forms. This was once the territory where humans and magical beasts coexisted. The human ancestors who fled to the Island in the Lake might have only been a portion. There should be some remaining... The so-called gatekeepers are also demi-humans, capable of interacting with humans. Without their permission, humans cannot truly enter the Dark Continent," Oboro explained while scanning their surroundings.
"But our route is different. Does that mean... if we enter from here, we'll still encounter gatekeepers?"
Anthony frowned.
"Most likely..."
Oboro actually had a thought in his mind, but he didn't voice it.
Menchi and the other two exchanged glances.
If the captain's guess was correct, wouldn't that mean there was an unimaginable wall encircling the continent? Furthermore, if humans harbored certain greed or other desires, it seemed... they wouldn't be qualified to pass the gatekeepers' scrutiny and would be deemed unworthy of entry.
"Huh?"
After a while, Oboro stopped walking.
Another 'hope' appeared before them.
It was a series of water bodies, each the size of a swimming pool. What was different was that the water was dark red and erupted from the ground, boiling like lava but less viscous. And in the center of each water source grew pure white flowers.
However, scarecrows were still planted all around. This time, there were a great many of them.
"This is an oasis though..."
Menchi's voice became serious. The Dark Continent not only had strange life forms but also bizarre environments.
Could it be that they were standing on a hidden volcano?
But that was impossible...
"It seems the further we go, the fewer monsters we encounter," Anthony added.
"A single instance doesn't prove anything, but so many... indicates that there must be some kind of gregarious creature in this area, and in considerable numbers. We've stepped into their territory," Menchi said nervously.
Oboro, on the other hand, felt relieved.
The appearance of more scarecrows suggested this wasn't rule-based energy... but merely a warning.
At least within the oasis area, the creatures in the food chain had reached a consensus.
Seeing the scarecrow was like seeing the real entity; they had no choice but to avoid it.
It was similar to cats and dogs marking their territory by urinating, leaving their scent.
The fact that it held such deterrent power indicated that this gregarious species must be one of the overlords of the oasis.
"It seems... the traces and influence humans left on the Dark Continent in the past were indeed significant. Even after so much time, some things are still ingrained in their genes. Even after long periods of reproduction and succession, they cannot forget." Oboro said, then stepped forward.
Reaching the water's edge, under the tense gazes of Menchi and the other two, he plunged his hand into the seemingly boiling water.
Then, as he raised his arm, the viscous water dripped and flowed down his arm.
It emitted a unique aroma.
"Honey?"
Oboro stuck out his tongue and tasted it.
The texture and taste were very similar to honey...
The next second, Oboro suddenly stood up, a smile on his face.
He turned to Menchi and the other two, "Found it!"
A 'hope' with effects similar to Longevity Rice!
After ingesting this liquid, it was easily absorbed. Oboro felt a slight change in his flesh and blood even with just a small taste.
His vital energy had increased slightly, not significantly, but it was a tangible increase, and his spirit also seemed to become more invigorated.
"Increases stamina, eliminates fatigue, and restores condition... If taken for a long time, it can also improve physical strength!"
Oboro analyzed.
This effect was undoubtedly a form of extending lifespan!
Clap clap clap clap...
Suddenly, the nearby scarecrows, one after another, toppled over without warning.
Menchi and the other two looked at Oboro, their faces pale, their pupils wide with shock.
It was as if something terrifying had appeared behind him.
Oboro instantly became highly alert and entered combat mode.
His perception on this continent couldn't fully detect danger... after all, its range was limited.
And many species could appear suddenly from extreme distances.
Like the three-headed monstrous bird in the desert, covered in rotting flesh...
Behind Oboro, something broke through the ground: a root.
Initially, it was just one, but it rapidly multiplied, becoming a tangled mass like a ball of yarn, growing out of nowhere.
In just a few seconds, it grew into a towering tree, over a hundred meters tall, its massive canopy casting a sky-obscuring shadow.
What was peculiar was that this tree had human-like arms. It had no branches, only a hat-like canopy at the top.
Furthermore, in the center of the trunk, the folds of the bark formed facial features resembling a human.
A sky-piercing treant!
Around the ground, earth waves churned, and one treant after another emerged from the soil, transforming the previously relatively flat terrain into a forest in an instant.
All the 'eyes' of the treants were looking down at Oboro, who had just consumed the 'forbidden fruit.'
This tiny life form.
"So that's how it is... they're all deep underground, no wonder I couldn't sense them..."
Oboro muttered.
Ghost fog erupted from within him, his expression turning cold.
The surging black mist did not dissipate but instead released spiritual bodies from within.
There was the Ant King Meruem, the cat-like Neferpitou, and Netero, Beyond, and others – all souls he had previously absorbed. Each spiritual body led a large number of ghosts, like several armies.
A great crisis!
There were dozens of these treants, and each one possessed terrifying life energy...
In the desert, they hunted monsters one by one, never fighting a group of creatures.
Let alone a group, even a single one was beyond Menchi and the other three's ability to handle.
Oboro had to act...
He needed to get serious.
"Spiritual Vision."
Oboro spoke, his gaze sharpening.
The world in his vision suddenly changed. In his eyes, all physical objects disappeared.
What remained was only soul matter.
At the same time, a spectral green flame ignited on his face, revealing a mask.
It was Thresh's appearance.
As soon as he finished this, giant tree roots, obscuring the sky, swept down towards him from above.
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