Standing before the massive gate, Linck half-jokingly said,
"To be honest, I'm a Conjuration-type. My Nen ability lets me create a humanoid Nen beast."
"The beast itself can't really fight, but it can produce a barrier that completely isolates Death Nen from the outside."
"So I named my Nen ability… 'Safety Wrap'!"
Linck declared this with no small amount of pride.
The others, hearing that, all wore the same oddly unified expression, corners of their mouths twitching, not sure what to say.
That you're a Conjuration-type? No problem—after all, the Nen beast is right there beside you.
While it's true that Manipulation-types tend to use Nen beasts more often, Conjurers using them isn't unusual either. Everyone could understand that much.
That your Nen beast has no offensive ability? Still fine—most abilities tend to focus on one specific aspect anyway. Judging by what they'd seen, this one leaned toward pure defense. No attack power was perfectly normal.
Noticing their restrained urge to make sarcastic remarks, Linck didn't say more—just chuckled inwardly, then signaled to Gardevoir to activate Misty Guard on them.
"Alright, everyone—brace yourselves and just let the Wrap cover you."
Six translucent bubbles floated toward them, wrapping each person inside with a protective layer.
The Death Nen lingering nearby began to recede the moment the Misty Guard approached.
They all felt as if their bodies had been submerged in a soothing hot spring—the cold, gnawing erosion that had plagued them for so long vanished in an instant. Even the fatigue weighing them down seemed to lift away.
Linck, watching discreetly, made a mental note: Misty Guard can also relieve fatigue to some extent.
Under their eager gazes, Linck had Gardevoir first try using Misty Guard on the gate itself. If it didn't work, then they'd resort to Heal Bell.
After all, prevention consumed far less energy than removing the Death Nen outright—and he had no obligation to play the benevolent hero.
A large bubble of Nen clung to the gate's surface. While not as effective against the miasma-like Death Nen, they could still clearly see it retreating bit by bit.
It works!
Immediately, everyone looked at Linck with newfound respect, everyone except for young master Pete, whose sunglasses hid an unreadable, shadowed gaze.
Several minutes later, the last trace of Death Nen had dissipated, revealing the gate's original form.
Unlike the intricate carvings outside, the patterns here were crude—perhaps a result of the Death Nen's corruption? The style had shifted drastically, depicting bizarre, twisted creatures.
They were reminiscent of mythical beasts from the Shan Hai Jing back on Blue Star, abstract and surreal.
Linck stepped aside and gestured for the others to proceed. That was their agreement, he would handle the Death Nen, and the rest was their job.
Of course, removing the miasma didn't make the gate easy to open. The thick slab of stone lacked any visible mechanism, it would have to be forced open.
Someone with strong offensive skills would be needed.
Pete and his two bodyguards stayed silent. Seeing this, the youngest of the three siblings, the laid-back, joker type, volunteered himself.
Setting his climbing pack aside, he closed his eyes, lowered his stance, shifted his weight, and clenched his sandbag-sized fists.
A faint yellow aura wrapped around his hands, giving off a sharp, cutting sensation.
The next moment, he snapped his eyes open—gleaming with a flash of light, and drove his Nen-hardened fists forward like steel bullets, each blow tearing the air with a sharp whistle.
Every strike left a deep dent in the stone, rubble piling at his feet.
Before long, a gaping hole large enough for a person to walk through freely appeared, revealing a pitch-black passage beyond.
His chest rose and fell, showing that even for him, the effort had been considerable.
From within the darkness came a stench so foul it defied description.
Everyone except Linck instinctively pulled out gas masks and strapped them on.
Experienced in their field, they knew better than to enter a sealed cavern unprepared—this was the most basic precaution.
Seeing that Linck had nothing on him, the bespectacled man handed over an extra mask.
After what Linck had just shown them, he had earned their respect—especially from seasoned treasure hunters, who understood the value of his ability.
To them, befriending Linck meant unlocking endless possibilities.
Hearts pounding with excitement, they stepped into the cave, visions of untold riches dancing in their minds.
Inside, the air was still thick with Death Nen. For convenience, Linck and Gardevoir took the middle position in the formation, Pete's group to the left, the three siblings to the right.
The cavern wasn't completely dark—glowing orbs embedded in the stone walls at intervals bathed the tunnel in a faint light.
Are these… "night pearls"?