When the "Exploration Squad" bathed in sunlight once again, it was already dusk.
The blood-red sunset cast layers upon layers of light on them, as if draping them in glorious robes of victory.
They had gained another "hope," and this time, it came after overcoming an even greater "disaster." Their hearts swelled with satisfaction and joy, reaching their peak.
This kind of joy was something that "Deadly Ecstasy" could never provide.
After another hour of walking, the "Exploration Squad" returned to the "temporary base" beneath the sheer rock wall, where Knuckle, Menchi, and Sanbica had been waiting.
Their safe return was met with warm welcomes from Knuckle, Menchi, and Sanbica.
At the same time, the "Exploration Squad" shared their excitement with the trio.
For that brief moment, the bond between all eight members of the "Stagecoach Group" had never been stronger.
Knuckle, Menchi, and Sanbica each passed around the "Unmanned Rock," observing it for a while before returning it to Shizuku.
Meanwhile, Germain took one of the "Unmanned Rocks" and dropped it into the water for an experiment.
Moments later, the group watched as the stone crackled with blue electric arcs, continuously sparking without any sign of stopping.
If left alone, the "Unmanned Rock" would likely discharge all of its electricity into the water unchecked.
Morel controlled his "Smoke Hand" to retrieve the "Unmanned Rock" from the water, tossing it onto the sandy ground nearby. It rolled a few times before settling, allowing its surface to dry.
After some time, the "Unmanned Rock" finally stopped discharging and stabilized.
After wiping the surface of the "Unmanned Rock" clean, the "Blinky" swallowed it once again.
With this small experiment, everyone confirmed the proper way to store and use the "Unmanned Rock."
As for the finer details, they decided to leave those to the members of "Greed Island."
The next day, the "Stagecoach Group" spent an entire daylight period navigating the vast and treacherous "Steep Mountain Range" in search of the "Special Transfer Lantern" they originally arrived through.
They camped nearby for the night before Germain activated the lantern.
To be honest, they were still a bit uneasy.
After all, last time, this very lantern had dragged them into that eerie "Dark Space."
And within the "Dark Space," they had all experienced the agony of "Torment Status," something none of them wanted to go through again.
They could endure the physical and mental pain of "Torment," but that didn't mean they liked it. The only one truly accustomed to it was Germain.
Fortunately, this time, the "Transfer Lantern" worked smoothly, transporting them back to the tower of the "Ancient Labyrinth" without any unexpected mishaps.
Germain immediately checked to see what new "Negative Traits" or "Diseases" he had acquired this time.
Negative Trait: Fear of Darkness – When the surrounding brightness falls below a certain threshold, the pressure from triggered events significantly increases.
Negative Trait: Obsession with the Supernatural – A compulsive fascination with supernatural phenomena.
As always, these were traits Germain would have Abengane or Hina remove as soon as they returned to "Greed Island."
Disease: Fluid Imbalance – Greatly reduces physical endurance.
Disease: Severe Coughing – Significantly lowers damage dealt to targets.
Disease: Diarrhea – Drastically reduces dodge speed and stamina.
Fortunately, these diseases were easy to deal with—just a periodic injection of the "Cure-All Herbal Serum" would do the trick.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Morel rang the bronze bell at the top of the tower, quickly drawing the attention of Buhara, who was guarding the castle.
Like a rolling ball of flesh, Buhara stomped his way up the tower and immediately greeted Morel with a warm and enthusiastic hug.
Noticing that Menchi had one leg wrapped in a cast, Buhara approached with concern to check on her.
After confirming that it wasn't a serious injury, he finally felt relieved.
That night, the celebration feast was all about their week-long adventure in the Steep Mountain Range.
The main dish was Unmanned Stone, while the delicious meals prepared by Menchi and Buhara ended up as side dishes.
They spent the entire night chatting and laughing.
The next day, Ging sought out Germain.
"I can feel it," Ging said mysteriously before explaining, "I think... I might be close to reaching Champion Level."
It was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense.
After all, Ging was personally acknowledged by Chairman Netero as one of the Top Five Nen Users of the Six Continents, meaning he was already near Champion Level.
He had simply been surpassed by Germain, who had advanced at an unreasonable speed.
Having gone through the Ancient Labyrinth, Wasteland, and Steep Mountain Range, Ging may not have been the protagonist, but his hardcore game strategy had earned him enough "experience points" to level up.
He was just one step away.
"That's what I think, but I still can't break through that barrier," Ging said, sprawling on the couch in front of Germain. "I thought about it for a long time, and in the end, I realized—you might be the key."
"What about me?" Germain asked, sipping his tea.
"From my experience, to reach 'Champion Level,' you need to take down a 'Champion Level' opponent on your own. Chairman Netero likely went through something similar."
Germain nodded. "So, your plan is…"
"Judging by the timing, the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' should be respawning soon." Ging's lips curled into a cruel smile.
Indeed, the last time the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' was defeated was back in December. In the blink of an eye, nearly three months had passed.
Ging pointed at Germain. "I know you need to take part in killing the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' to get the 'Teleport Lantern,' so I won't leave you out of this."
"When the fight starts, you just need to land a single hit. After that, step aside and leave the one-on-one battle to me. That way, we both get what we want."
Germain agreed.
There was no reason to refuse—helping Ging grow stronger would benefit both him and the entire team.
So, on March 24th, when the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' respawned outside the castle, Germain slashed it once before stepping back.
Like everyone else, he stayed on the battlefield.
But unlike Shizuku and the others, he wasn't just there to watch—his main job was to stop the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' from destroying the castle.
Fortunately, thanks to the high tower's presence, the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' completely ignored the surrounding castle structures.
Ging's relentless attacks kept all of its attention focused on him.
He lured the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle' toward the far edge of the 'Fog Wall' before getting serious.
There were two reasons for choosing this location—one, it gave him enough space to fight without worrying about damaging the castle.
And two, it determined the next respawn point.
After killing the 'Bloodthirsty Apostle,' it would respawn exactly where it died—at the 'Fog Wall's Edge.'
This way, next time, they wouldn't need to go through the trouble of luring the "Bloodthirsty Apostle" here before engaging in battle.
From then on, it was just Ging fighting against the "Bloodthirsty Apostle."
To maintain his "participation in the kill" status, Germain would occasionally fire an insignificant shot at the "Bloodthirsty Apostle" with his "Firearm."
Other than that, everything was left to Ging.
And Ging did not disappoint. He managed to take down the "Bloodthirsty Apostle" through sheer force and successfully advanced to the "Champion Rank."
Just from the Nen radiating from Ging, Germain could confirm it.
Germain also obtained the "gift" he had been aiming for—the "Teleport Lantern."
Now, he had four unused "Teleport Lanterns" in his possession.
Ging, rarely so excited, let out a triumphant roar.
Bisky watched the scene, a little envious. "I'm older than both Germain and Ging, yet I've been stuck at 'Master Rank' for so many years... Sigh..."
"Netero must have reached 'Champion Rank' at about my age, right?"
Nearby, Menchi had already removed her cast and was only using a crutch for support.
Even though she wasn't an "Enhancement-type Nen user," her recovery ability was still impressive.
She comforted Bisky, "Bisky, believe in yourself. You can do it too."
Bisky nodded.
"Mm... It's not that I doubt 'Shingen-ryu' or my years of relentless training. I just can't help but look forward to it too much."
"I firmly believe that 'Shingen-ryu' is a demanding martial arts path, but one that will ultimately prevail in the end."
Pressing her palms together, Bisky silently gave thanks to martial arts for shaping her past, present, and future. She knew that her breakthrough would come sooner or later.
She was envious, but she was willing to wait patiently.
********
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