Chapter 314

Now, the five current Great Calamities are the Beasts of Fostering, Papu; the Hell's Chime Twin-Tailed Snake; the Armament Gold and Silver Ingots; the Gaseous Life-form Ai; and the Zobae Disease, known as "the disease of Not." 

"In some ways, the Scarlet Eyes are somewhat similar to the Zobae Disease." 

"From my state, you can clearly see that." 

"These Scarlet Eyes on my body weren't transplanted from other Kurta Clan members. They grew naturally once I reached a certain threshold." 

"Indeed, these Scarlet Eyes granted me greater abilities." 

"But at the same time, they greatly depleted my life force." 

"My lifespan has been drastically shortened." 

"I know I look like this, but I'm not even forty years old." 

Ron and Sheila, both looked startled at that revelation and exchanged glances. 

By appearance, the old man looked at least seventy or eighty.

"The Dark Continent is terribly dangerous—those named calamities are only the tip of the iceberg." 

"There are plenty of threats on par with those disasters." 

"The only reason those five are singled out is that humans want something from the area around each of them. Anyone wanting those resources must defeat the calamities." 

"For example, near the Beast Papu lies the Endless Stone(Unmanned rock), which harbors immense energy. 

"Near the Armament Gold and Silver Ingots grows a rare herb that can cure any illness, Brion. 

"At the site of the Zobae Disease, there's a special alchemical plant, Metallon. 

"By the Hellbell Twin-Tailed Snake, you can find ' Nitro rice,' said to prolong life. 

"And around the Gaseous Life-form Ai exists 'Trinity Elixer,' a universal liquid reagent." 

"We humans have discovered these things but haven't obtained them. Once we do, they'd surely get 'fancy' names—just like the Seven Most Beautiful Colors." 

"Any sufferers of the Zobae Disease could well become a tribe of their own, the same way we Kurta did." 

Ron quickly processed the old man's words. 

In the original story, nothing like this was ever revealed.

"If this is true, it means humanity has been venturing into the Dark Continent far longer than I realized. 

"Why, then, did Netero stop the masses from further exploration? 

"If the human world could bring back such resources—didn't they once bring back the Seven Most Beautiful Colors?—wouldn't it be beneficial? 

"But the moment Netero passed, they immediately began preparing for an expedition to the Dark Continent. 

"So what was Netero's real reason for keeping humanity away? Just because it's too difficult? 

That sounds too simple."

Ron couldn't see the answer yet. With a thought, he turned toward the old man and asked a different question: 

"Elder, using up so much of your life force is one thing—but what if you came down with the Zobae Disease? Could it somehow balance out? Would it offset the strain of the Scarlet Eyes?" 

The old man shook his head. 

"I've wondered the same, but the Zobae Disease merely keeps you alive. 

"It doesn't grant you endless vitality. If I never caught it, I remain a monster; but if I did contract it, I'd be a feeble monster, basically a cripple. 

"Struggling on in that condition would be worse than death." 

He sighed again.

"And so, the Kurta Clan has ended. Let it end," he murmured. 

"The day the Kurta Clan came into existence, this ending was inevitable. 

"Let the Kurta Clan vanish from history."

He turned his gaze on Sheila. 

"And now, you still haven't changed your mind?"

Sheila merely shook her head. 

"No. I don't care, and I don't want to care."

The old man's anger flared behind his eyes, but he was powerless to do anything to Sheila.

"Cough! Cough!" 

A sudden fit of coughing rocked him. His body shook violently. 

His aura of life withered almost at once.

"I'll never understand what kind of freaks you people from Meteor City are!"

"To come from such a place and turn everywhere else into your decrepit homeland …Haha, maybe your fate is well-deserved!"

At that remark, Sheila's expression finally shifted a fraction. 

Before she could act, the old man's body slumped sideways. 

Both arms went limp.

Thud!

He had been half-sitting against the wall; now he toppled to the ground entirely.

The old man was dead.

Sheila stood and looked around the chamber, attempting to find an exit. 

Ron watched her silently, still in the process of claiming authority over Sumas.

Everything the old man had said astounded Ron. 

On one hand, it was hard to believe. 

On the other hand, it made perfect sense when he thought about how formidable the Kurta Clan was and that even in seclusion, they must have had various sources of information.

Sheila searched every corner, finding nothing. It truly was an enclosed space with no door whatsoever.

So the old man had told the truth.

Sheila returned to her original spot. 

"Wanna talk?" Ron spoke up.

Sheila frowned. "Talk?"

Ron shrugged. "The old man was right; we're stuck in here with no way out, we'll die here. Might as well pass the time."

"I've been to Meteor City, you know."

"When I went there, it was in rough shape—especially the old district. The people there were more like cold machines than humans."

His words stirred something in Sheila. 

"In the past, Meteor City wasn't like that," she said softly, as though recalling another time.

"It was a good place, once. But after outsiders started targeting Meteor City's population, everything changed.

"The Elders…they're disgusting.

"Already cast aside by the world, yet they still had to torment us. 

What did we ever do wrong? 

Why treat us that way?

"And Sarasa's death—I can't accept it.

"That was the moment we all made up our minds. Chrollo and I chose different paths, though.

"Now, it looks like their route was better. Back then, I didn't believe they could do it—but they did. 

With their own hands, they changed Meteor City. They're gradually avenging Sarasa.

"Perhaps joining them would've been the better choice."

A reminiscent look flickered across Sheila's face.

Ron calmly offered his own remark, "I know a bit about the Phantom Troupe myself. They're all strong, and their powers sync well together—they excel at team combat.

"While I was heading into the Kurta Clan's refuge, I briefly worked alongside one Troupe member."

Sheila instinctively asked, "Who?"

"A purple-haired girl."

"Machi, then."

Sheila's lips lifted in a nearly imperceptible smile. 

"They'd actually saved a spot for me back then," she murmured.

"There were originally twelve of us. 

Chrollo wanted Uvogin to be the Troupe leader, because at the time, Uvogin was the strongest among us.

"But Uvogin refused and proposed that Chrollo become leader. The rest of us agreed.

"And now, it's clear Chrollo was the right choice. He not only manages them well—his own power has become the greatest.

"Our 'Number 0' is Chrollo. 

'Number 1' is Nobunaga. 

'Number 2' is Feitan."

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