Chapter 257: The Final Farewell

Oboro's serious look and attitude finally convinced Menchi and the other two.

They knew they weren't suited for this place. Without Oboro, they would have died long ago.

More importantly, if not for having to protect the three of them, the captain would have already found the "door" to the heart of the Dark Continent by now.

The captain was protecting them. Their departure would be a disguised way of helping Oboro.

"In truth with our level of skill, let alone making it this far, we wouldn't have survived more than a day even on the edge of the desert," Anthony sneered. He was referring to their first landing on the coast, that night when they were protected by a hazy ghost fog.

The desert temperature drops sharply at night, with life forms of all sizes appearing much more densely than during the scorching day.

The three exchanged glances, then left the city-house together, retracing their route on the flying creature they arrived on, speeding toward the seaside.

Over the past few years, although Oboro had been developing Thresh's abilities, his journey to the Dark Continent made him realize the essence of Aura. Techniques such as teleportation and flash were optimized through the manipulation of Aura's essence. Where teleportation used to be a single-person technique limited to Oboro himself, now he could carry "items" within his Hatsu when teleporting.

These objects could be dead or alive.

He had effectively achieved "group teleportation."

The problem remained that the marks left in advance the eye positions in his technique were time-limited.

Once the time expired, the ward would automatically disappear. The last ward Oboro placed was in their "safe base" in the oasis, their training ground for many months. Oboro could teleport directly and take them away, but there was no way for the three of them to leave the Dark Continent alone. Even if they reached the coastline, giant creatures like pink octopuses lurked near the shore, keeping them in constant danger.

To ensure their safety, Oboro planned to personally escort them to a small island closest to the Dark Continent, away from the offshore dangers.

Although this would cost time, time no longer held much meaning for Oboro

Relying on the strength of his enhanced body alone, his lifespan could extend several hundred years.

The group flew high through the sky, wind whistling past them.

Gabwich used his Hatsu to transmit mental signals for communication.

"Captain those hopes," Menchi said.

"Don't bring any of them back Hide the truth. Though humans recognize their weakness, they haven't grasped its essence. Human desire is endless" Oboro spoke calmly. "Since fleeing to the island in the lake, humanity's best achievement has been developing technological civilization by breaking away from the Dark Continent's rules. But compared to the Dark Continent, human civilization remains fragile Perhaps one day civilization will evolve to something extraordinary, even controlling those rules, but not now."

"Evolution and combination are factors affected by the food chain and ecological system. The human world's food chain is too primitive Evolution cannot match the Dark Continent's pace we'll only fall further behind. But technology is unpredictable The only way to overcome the Dark Continent is through integration into its game via mutated individuals among humans, seeking breakthrough through singular points Don Freecss followed this path, as do I."

"Gabwich's notes can be kept for V5's reference, but much information must be deleted, revealing only the 'limited areas' they can comprehend and explore."

"Yes."

"So what about you"

"Just say you've been wandering the edges and lost contact with me. My fate remains unknown."

Oboro couldn't be declared dead. If V5 and other powers believed him dead, they would grow restless, and the Hunter Association would lose its favorable position.

As long as he lived, existing in any sense, enemies would fear him.

There was little cause for worry. Though Menchi and the others seemed weak in the Dark Continent, after years of growth and adaptation, their strength upon returning to the human world would rank among the top-tier Nen users.

The news of their survival alone would cause sensation and earn historical recognition.

They were fully qualified to stand alongside figures like Netero, Linne, and Beyond.

Their journey from the coastline through desert and oasis had taken three years, not counting training time. The return trip was much shorter only one year. Oboro transported them to a small island which, while still distant from the human world, was at least out of immediate danger.

"That's all"

At noon, outside the jungle on the golden beach, Oboro smiled at the three and bid farewell.

No excess words were needed.

He prepared to activate his Hatsu and teleport directly back to the Dark Continent.

Several flying creatures from the Dark Continent would die here, turning to dry bones as their hosted souls dissipated.

Anthony's eyes reddened.

Menchi hesitated to speak.

They all knew this might well be the last time they would see Oboro in their lifetimes.

Time and vitality seemed cheap on that mysterious land.

During their years of exploration, they'd covered only a small distance on the map. When they returned to civilization, their remaining lifespan might stretch a hundred years, like Netero's. By then, the captain might still be exploring the Dark Continent Like Don Freecss, disappearing for centuries without returning.

Moreover, factors of "evolution" complicated matters further.

All three firmly believed Oboro would succeed, but doubted they would live to witness his return.

"Captain."

Gabwich, silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

He called out.

He handed two items to Oboro.

A pack of cigarettes and a diary.

"I think these will help you. You'll need them." The current Gabwich no longer carried the naive demeanor of a young man. Like Fant, he'd grown a beard and no longer stuttered when speaking.

"Thanks."

Oboro turned slightly and reached out to take them.

Then, his body soared skyward, accompanied by rainbow light breaking through the air.

He disappeared into the horizon.

""

Silence fell first.

Then, Anthony lay on the beach, gazing at the beautiful blue sea, and sneered, "It's over ended so suddenly. Our journey stops here."

After experiencing the Dark Continent and now looking at the environment closer to the human world, he found it beautiful and pleasing, yet felt a strange calm relief mixed with reluctance.

"The scars on the captain's face and his injuries never healed naturally though he clearly could have made them."

Gabwich said in a deep voice.

"He has noticed"

Menchi looked up toward where Oboro vanished and spoke softly.

Hearing this, Gabwich and Anthony fell silent.

Yes evolution.

Though the captain controlled soul power, he achieved it not through external "combination" but through personal evolution but was he still "human"?

At least, not "human" in the conventional sense.

In the human world, even if Oboro retained human appearance, rationality, and thought, he would become a "calamity."

The human world would reject him.

Perhaps a single thought or emotional fluctuation from him could destroy humanity entirely.

Maybe from some turning point for the captain, his true home had become the Dark Continent.

"Let's go back."

Anthony clapped his hands and shouted with forced excitement.

"Though this place isn't as vibrant as the Dark Continent, at least we can sleep peacefully and no longer fear death at any moment What a tranquil world, with pleasant scenery." He looked around and smiled.

"When I return, I'll take over the Hunter Association," Menchi suddenly declared.

She wasn't imitating Netero, but wanted to fulfill Oboro's wishes by blocking hunters' curiosity about the Dark Continent.

"Then I'll join the Fells family and become a gangster."

Anthony twisted his neck.

Though this might seem dismissive of the human world, it was true. With their current abilities, few in the human world could challenge them. Even among Nen users, they ranked at the top.

"I'll do nothing. I'll go to Rita's hometown and settle there."

Gabwich said calmly.

"Well then let's go."

With that, the three dove directly into the cold seawater.

Before leaving the island, Anthony turned back toward the Dark Continent and muttered, "The human world is so boring."