However, those deeper sections weren't the main focus.
What really caught their attention was a skeleton embedded within the huge gap inside the rock wall.
A skeleton alone wouldn't normally cause much alarm; they'd seen plenty of terrifying creatures on their journey, including skeleton monsters in the Purple Forest.
These were corpses stripped of flesh but still able to move.
But this skeleton was different, it was a human skeleton!
Meanwhile, deeper inside the cave, the surroundings take on a unique vibe that doesn't match the usual scenes from the Dark Continent.
This larger chamber, or cave, is decorated in a way that feels oddly familiar.
Twining across the ceiling is an unknown plant with dark green leaves and an oval-shaped head.
It looks a bit like lantern grass, but the head glows yellow, casting light over what should be a pitch-black space, almost like a light bulb in a human room.
The rest of the room continues this human-like theme: there are stone tables and chairs carved from black shock rock, and pits made from some unknown mineral filled with about 180 different miscellaneous items.
But the most striking feature is an enormous throne.
Its shape resembles the king's thrones found in various kingdoms, but instead of the usual red, this one is crafted from white ore.
The throne is mostly white, though it seems the owner didn't want it to look too plain, as it's studded with gems of all colors and sizes.
Each gem is incredibly beautiful, making the throne both grand and eye-catching.
After being adorned with sparkling gems, what was once a simple seat had transformed completely into a majestic throne, just as its owner wanted.
This throne set itself apart from all other creatures, a clear symbol of distinction.
Sitting on it was a humanoid figure bathed in golden light, the glow from the gems perfectly complementing the radiance from its body.
Though not towering, standing around three meters tall, this figure displayed astonishingly defined muscles, so detailed and refined that even the finest sculptors would struggle to replicate them.
It was a masterpiece of nature, hiding immense power beneath its dazzling golden exterior.
Draped in clothing made from wild beasts' fur, the figure exuded a wild, primal aura.
This was the leader of the stone giants, the most evolved among them, known as Shijin, or "Stone Gold" in human terms.
After evolving into a golden giant, stone giants gained intelligence comparable to normal humans, and Shijin had even given himself a name.
Leaning back on the throne, Shijin lowered his head slightly, his expression turning somewhat somber.
His golden pupils, a mark of the stone giants' advanced evolution, gave his face a distinct human-like quality.
In his hand, he held a simple yet ancient book, carefully flipping through its pages.
The book was unlike any ordinary one, it seemed crafted from unknown animal fur, and instead of paper, the pages were made from some strange material.
It was odd to find a book in such a place, but what was even more surprising was that Shijin was reading it.
The text within was written in a branch of the divine script, something rare and profound.
After a moment of silence, a chilling smile spread across Shijin's face as he slowly emitted sound waves:
"No matter how many times I see it, I can't help but marvel at this creature. Not only does it wield a power different from ours, but it's clearly smarter too."
He chuckled softly, the sound carrying a mix of admiration and intrigue.
Meanwhile, in a dark corridor, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.
The only sound was the heavy breathing of people on edge.
Though many were gathered there, they all maintained the same tense posture, waiting silently for what was to come.
They stood frozen, staring at the bitten rock wall with panic and shock written all over their faces.
Their expressions were like those of characters in horror comics who have just stumbled upon something strange and terrifying.
The reason? There was a human skeleton embedded in the rock wall!
If this had happened somewhere in the Six Continents, no one would have batted an eye.
But this was different, the location changed everything.
They weren't in a regular mine; they were deep within the Dark Continent.
Finding a human skeleton here sounded like a story from a fairy tale.
After all, the Dark Continent is known as the "Human Forbidden Zone" by those who understand its dangers.
It's a place where humans simply aren't meant to survive.
Yet, here they were, looking at a skeleton buried at some unknown depth underground.
"Am I seeing things?" Bushidora whispered, eyes wide with disbelief and a hint of humor in his expression.
Next to him, the not-so-bright Matthew suddenly pinched Bushidora's waist.
"Ouch!" Bushidora yelped, caught completely off guard, gasping for breath as he glared at his mischievous friend.
Matthew just scratched his head, smiling sheepishly.
Their little exchange snapped the others out of their stunned silence.
No one looked as paralyzed anymore.
Ging, sensing the moment, stepped forward and pulled a magnifying glass from somewhere.
He examined the skeleton more closely while the group quietly watched, not wanting to disturb him.
Ging was a legendary hunter, known for his expertise in many fields, including biology, making him the best person to analyze the find.
He brought the magnifying glass nearly to the rock wall, studying every detail.
Though it was clear the bones were human, they were old and incomplete, with many parts missing or heavily worn.
This made it much harder to figure out the full truth behind the skeleton.
Still, Ging's focus was unwavering as he continued his careful examination.
The skeleton they found was much larger than a typical human's, its frame was circular and estimated to stand over two meters tall.
The bones were thicker and seemed harder than normal human bones.
Yet, despite these differences, the skull and other features clearly showed it was indeed human.
Ging's pupils narrowed as his right hand trembled slightly while holding the magnifying glass.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, not just a guess, but what he believed to be the truth.
After a moment, he turned away, put the magnifying glass away, and said solemnly, "It is definitely a human skeleton."
Ging's statement confirmed the identity beyond doubt.
Beyond's expression remained unchanged, but after a brief pause, he asked, "Any other findings? Or maybe some guesses?"
Everyone looked back at Ging, curious about his thoughts on the skeleton's origin.
Ging glanced once more at the skeleton embedded in the rock wall and said seriously, "If I'm right, this belongs to a human from a long time ago. As most of you know, humans once lived on the Dark Continent before spreading out to the six continents we have today."