On top of that, Larry had encountered something new related to souls, deepening his understanding, and even obtained a mysterious soul crystal whose purpose was still unknown. Plus, if he wanted to add a little more, the items he bought at Yoshi City's market could also be counted among the gains.
There were various medicinal herbs with different effects, but the most valuable were the blood fruit and blood rhizome, the former a magical medicine that quickly replenishes large amounts of blood, and the latter a farming tool that speeds up plant growth and boosts survival rates. These alone were worth mentioning.
After double-checking that he hadn't missed anything, Larry rejoined Pyon and the others. "Looks like we've cleared everything here," he said, surveying the cave.
Using his "En" detection ability, he could tell the area was completely empty except for some scattered smoke and broken bones. While Larry studied the spoils, Satotz gathered some of the scattered bones to take along.
The death aura lingering on the bones had been absorbed by Gengar, allowing him to collect them without any concern. Now, they had a rough understanding of why the bones had changed.
It seemed the death aura was Linked to the harp chapter attached to them, possibly connected to the soul. Because of this connection and their unique appearance, these bones held significant value for collectors.
"As expected from the strongest in the world," Satotz muttered, hiding his surprise and letting out a deep sigh.
Across all six continents, no one could handle the Dark Sonata like Larry. Most people couldn't even get past the music level, let alone deal with the soul army behind it, the stitched monster souls, or the final sneak attack.
Any one of these challenges would stop most people in their tracks. But to fully pass the level? Only one person could do it, the strongest in the world, Larry.
Where others feared and avoided the Dark Sonata, Larry boldly sought it out. That confidence in his own abilities had already won him countless admirers.
"Since we're done, let's head back," he said.
In an instant, a flash of pink light appeared and several people vanished from the cave, leaving it in complete silence. Maybe someday someone would dig here and be shocked by the strange bones scattered about, but that had nothing to do with Larry and his friends.
Though their mission was accomplished, Larry planned to stay on Yoshi Island a bit longer with Pyon. Their relationship had just been solidified, and they needed more time together.
Yoshi Island was a great place to visit, and with Satotz's goal shifting away from digging, he could focus on studying fossils and even act as a tour guide for Larry and his group.
While Larry enjoyed the island's sights, a major change was unfolding far away in the Neo‑Green Life (NGL) Autonomous Region. The Chimera Ants, having drifted from the Dark Continent, were rapidly gaining power and influence.
Their group was growing stronger every day, with even Chimera Ants mastering advanced thought abilities appearing. The Hunter Association was beginning to take notice...
In the top office, President Netero stared down at the report on the table, a rare seriousness replacing his usual playful demeanor. "Chimera ants…" he muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Something like this…"
As he carefully read through the introduction on the Chimera Ants, a faint sigh escaped him, mixed with a hint of relief. Chimera ants, as explained, are creatures capable of combining the traits of whatever they eat to produce new ants. If the queen ant consumes a diverse range of food, the offspring continue to evolve.
While similar creatures exist in the Six Continents, they're typically no larger than ordinary ants, not anywhere near human size, as these ants had become. More importantly, ordinary chimera ants can't integrate human characteristics; they only improve their exoskeletons by eating smaller bugs. But this new breed was different.
Not only were they huge, reaching human size, but many even took on human forms. Some chimera ants had absorbed human genes, raising the terrifying possibility that they could acquire human abilities, like reading, or the intelligence humans pride themselves on.
These ants had clearly surpassed any ordinary chimera ant known. There was only one place Netero could think of where such a dangerous creature might come from: the Dark Continent.
Based on this alone, he was certain these ants originated there. Chimera ants from the Dark Continent were infamous as one of the "disasters," carrying a hazard level of B.
Netero's voice lowered as he remembered something else while thinking about the Dark Continent. He muttered, "Have you finally made up your mind, Beyond…" His emotions were mixed, part pride that his son was finally taking action, part disappointment that Beyond hadn't come to face him directly and instead resorted to such extreme measures.
Though it felt strange, this was the agreement Netero had set in place: Beyond was forbidden from returning to the Dark Continent as long as Netero lived. To ensure this, he had declared before the world that any attempt to set out would be treated as a crime against humanity itself.
The challenge was twofold: one was a test of resolve, the other a test of leadership. For Beyond, strength wasn't an issue. As Netero's son, his power and charisma were undeniable, but it was the weight of his father's shadow and the Hunter Association's authority that held him back.
It was unclear who would ultimately triumph if Beyond chose to challenge Netero openly, but Beyond's real obstacle was the alliance he had forged. What Netero didn't realize was that this entire operation was not simply Beyond's ambition, it was the ambition of countless others willing to risk everything to reach the Dark Continent.
Netero tapped his fingertips on the table, making sharp, rhythmic sounds. He finally spoke to the man beside him, whose face was as plain as a bean. "Beans, call Morel and Knov. Tell them to come to the NGL with me."
With the chimera ants now fully matured, there were countless small and large ants scattered everywhere. Cleaning them up alone would be too exhausting.
Morel's purple smoke machine army was perfect for reconnaissance and clearing out stray soldiers, while Knov's rare spatial telekinesis and his "fourth-dimensional apartment" could serve as a hidden resting spot.
"Understood, President," Beans nodded and left to make the calls.
With troops and a safe place to rest secured, Netero pondered what else he needed. Suddenly, a thought struck him, it was Larry.
Larry was the most capable among them. Having him was like having an entire team.