Body water levels were critically low, threatening life.
The five magical beasts lying on the ground looked at Don's retreating back with unwillingness and despair.
Light in their eyes gradually dimmed, threads of darkness swirling.
They were near death.
Though time resided within them, it didn't grant immunity to death.
"Damn..."
Hearts cried out… life faded.
Final glimmer of light vanished, and the five magical beasts died silently, soundlessly.
Don continued forward slowly, not confirming the magical beasts' deaths nor paying attention to where the eye previously appeared.
This was the Ink Plain, capable of invisibly extracting living beings' water.
Using this unique terrain advantage, he simply and easily eliminated the five hostile magical beasts.
Seemingly so, actually another reason existed.
Everything on-site was transmitted by the hidden True Sight Eye to the Gatekeeper Clan's base.
In a cave with bright blooming silver flowers, a green plant stood before numerous magical beasts.
Atop the plant's stem was a huge eyeball, about five times the True Sight Eye's size.
Clear images appeared within the eyeball, which is the real-time scenes from the Ink Plain.
"He hid his strength and already knew about the True Sight Eye's presence," Red Shadow watched real-time transmitted images in the eyeball, tone cold.
Beside Red Shadow stood a slender magical beast, entirely snow-white, furless and armorless.
It resembled a rabbit, with smooth red hair and crimson eyes.
This magical beast was Spear Flower, using the True Sight Eye's ability.
Now, sweat continuously seeped from Spear Flower's furless snow-white body.
At her feet, a puddle of sweat already accumulated… fatigue lingered on her face.
"True Sight Eye only manifests during teleportation, and this is our first time using teleportation on him," Spear Flower said with some difficulty.
Hearing this, Red Shadow fell silent. As Spear Flower said, True Sight Eye manifested before Don for the first time, but Don indeed detected its presence.
The five dispatched comrades were selected considering the Ink Plain's environment and long-term observation of Don's strength.
They specialized in ranged attacks, while Don rarely showed ranged attacks, including the shadow blades with control effects.
Due to erroneous and missing intel, the five comrades were easily killed by Don.
"Retract the ability."
Red Shadow's expression slightly darkened, glancing at Spear Flower, whose stamina was severely depleted.
One of the magical beast race's innate advantages was stamina. Phenomenon like Spear Flower sweating profusely was rare, indicating this ability's side effects.
Hearing Red Shadow, Spear Flower silently retracted the ability. Images from the eyeball instantly vanished… then, the scouting eye transformed into Nen, retracting into her body.
After retracting the ability, Spear Flower breathed lightly… the feeling of bearing immense weight vanished.
Red Shadow looked at the relieved Spear Flower, saying, "Rest first. I'll need your ability later."
"Okay."
Spear Flower nodded lightly, retreating.
Currently, humans on the Dark Continent were in several groups, and her ability couldn't teleport twice in short intervals.
After clan transformation, Red Shadow's first target was Don, who stayed longest on the Dark Continent, not expecting such decisive failure.
Thinking of Don's last words before her True Sight Eye, Spear Flower felt lingering unease.
'Humans coming to the Dark Continent... weren't as easy to deal with as imagined.'
Don's displayed strength should temporarily quell the clan's intentions.
Spear Flower reached the room door, glanced back at Red Shadow surrounded by numerous comrades.
'Blue Shadow...'
Spear Flower's mind recalled Blue Shadow's appearance… she sighed softly, pushed the door open, left.
She needed to quickly recover stamina for the next teleportation.
Inside the stone room, numerous magical beasts looked at the silent Red Shadow.
Images of Don instantly killing five comrades lingered in their minds.
They once thought humans were fragile beings.
Perhaps due to race, or identity.
Their perception of humans held a natural contempt.
But what Don briefly displayed shattered their superiority complex based on racial differences.
Were human physiques stronger than theirs?
No.
Was human vitality stronger than theirs?
No.
Were human senses stronger than theirs?
No.
Then why?
Perhaps that human staying on the Dark Continent for years was an exception.
Besides him, other humans shouldn't be so troublesome.
Thus, the sequence for eliminating threats needed adjustment.
Red Shadow's thoughts weren't as complex as surrounding comrades'. Even if five dispatched comrades were crushed, he wouldn't abandon eliminating Don.
However, clan experts skilled in ranged attacks had failed. If still targeting Don, they'd need to wait for Don to leave that damn Ink Plain death zone.
The stone room remained silent for a while. Gorilla-faced Ancient Claw couldn't hold back, looking at Red Shadow, asking, "Just let it go?"
Red Shadow looked at Ancient Claw, calmly saying, "No. But we'll act after he leaves the Ink Plain."
"That'll be a long wait."
"Right."
"Tch, the toughest bone still left for last? Fine, eliminating other humans first works too," Ancient Claw looked displeased.
"That's my plan."
Red Shadow's gaze shifted from Ancient Claw to comrades in the room, saying, "Spear Flower needs at least three hours' rest. Teleportation limit is five. Before she rests, decide who goes next."
"Next target is humans at the Ancient Labyrinth City, right?" Ancient Claw's large eyes flashed with ferocity.
"Right."
"Then I won't miss this chance..."
…
Ancient Labyrinth. Suddenly appearing over a thousand parasitic wandering Brion filled the entire passage.
Not only on ground… aberrant Brion climbed walls too.
Among all parasitic Brion, most were human.
Perhaps Brion's favorite hosts were humans.
Seeing the massive formation from the other passage end, International Permit Agencies' team members' faces twisted slightly.
Their first thought wasn't how to eliminate these Brion but whether more would come after.
Giles's gaze cold… he swiftly eliminated nearby transformed Brion, then said gravely, "Target changed. Use NX-Flame Rounds."
"Yes!"
Soldiers sheathed blades, taking firearms, loading ammunition.
'No matter how many come, it can't stop me getting the herb!' Giles inwardly roared.
This time, he couldn't fail again.
...
Giles's team was at the Ancient Labyrinth's three o'clock direction. Law's group detoured, entering the labyrinth from twelve o'clock.
They seemingly lacked the International Permit Agencies' team's good luck, perhaps due to other reasons.
Stepping into the labyrinth, they immediately encountered a hundred-strong Brion human hosts.
"Due to scent?"
Looking at the Brion team actively seeking enemies, Law was somewhat surprised.