The cave, like the holes in a lotus root, was interconnected. As the mountain wind blew through, it let out a low, eerie wail.
When Germain and Morel effortlessly jumped from the last foothold on the cliffside to the cave entrance, they were greeted by Ging.
"I was just wondering how long it would take for you two to show up, and here you are. That saves me a lot of trouble."
As always, Ging had his hands casually stuffed into the pockets of his tattered pants while his eyes scanned the surroundings.
"Just the two of you? What about the others?"
"They're all safe and gathered in a secure place. You're the only ones left—just you and Knuckle."
Morel spoke while glancing deeper into the cave.
"Knuckle is here?"
As a responsible teacher, he was naturally concerned about Knuckle's safety.
"Yeah, he's here."
Ging's words made Morel sigh in relief. Ging raised his right hand and pointed toward the depths of the cave.
"He's undergoing a trial of will. And for now, I'm acting as his 'knight protector.'"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't worry. He's already made it through… Let's talk while we walk."
Ging lifted his leg and led Germain and Morel further into the cave.
"First, let me ask—did you two run into the Human-Keeping Beast, Pap?"
Morel frowned, shook his head, then pointed at Germain.
"I didn't, but Germain did… Wait, does that mean you ran into one too?"
"Yeah. I was hiding inside a tree hollow, trying to endure the torment of the Dark Crown, when one of them appeared."
"It thought I was weak and tried to crack open my skull with its tongue…"
Ahead, the path sloped downward. Ging slid down effortlessly.
Germain and Morel followed closely behind.
Soon, they arrived at a spacious stone chamber.
"I ended up killing it. After the tormenting effect wore off, I followed its tracks back to their source and eventually found the nest of the Human-Keeping Beast, Pap."
"You found the nest?"
Germain's eyes lit up.
"Then, did you see the 'Unmanned Stone'?"
Ging shook his head.
"No. The Steep Mountain Range likely has multiple nest entrances, and the 'Unmanned Stone' is probably deep inside."
"There are too many Human-Keeping Beasts, Pap, along with other monsters that come by for 'fun.' I only observed them from a distance for a while—I didn't go in."
"But thanks to this observation, I got a rough understanding of their habits and the meaning of 'the equivalent exchange of joy and life'..."
"Ah, Germain, judging by your expression, you guys must have figured it out too..."
Ging shared his deductions with Germain and Morel. Their thoughts were almost identical to the theories Germain, Bisky, and the others had come up with—it was like top students comparing answers.
"I was just about to leave the Human-Keeping Beast' nest when I unexpectedly saw several of them dragging Knuckle back into the lair."
As Morel listened to Ging's words, he suddenly noticed something ahead—on a cold stone slab not far away, his disciple, Knuckle, was lying spread-eagle.
Knuckle was gasping for breath. His usual sharp, slicked-back hair was slightly messy. His upper clothes had been removed and tossed aside, revealing his body, still radiating heat.
Not far from him, the stone wall had a dent—clearly unnatural—like it had been rammed repeatedly by an armored tank.
"I found him yesterday afternoon and rescued him from the Human-Keeping Beast, but by then, he was already semi-conscious."
"From his fragmented descriptions, I pieced together what happened to him."
"In order to escape the torment of the Dark Crown, Knuckle was forced to use 'Archangel's Breath.' After that, he wandered the Steep Mountain Range alone."
"The Steep Mountain Range has a force that constantly erodes our minds—and that includes Knuckle."
"He had to fend off monster attacks while also resisting the mental corruption."
"Eventually, after endlessly fighting, hiding, and running, he collapsed from exhaustion and became Pap, the Beast of Nurture's 'living battery.'"
"I saved him, but soon realized he was craving the 'deadly pleasure' Pap provided."
"After that, I injected him with the 'Cure-All Herbal Serum.' It helped to some extent, but he still longed for Pap."
"So, last night, I explained everything to him—the principle behind Pap's 'life-for-pleasure exchange' and the origins of the 'Unmanned Rock.'"
"I made him choose—either become a miserable addict, drained until nothing remains, or force himself to quit, overcoming it both mentally and physically."
Ging pointed at Knuckle, who was lying on the stone slab, and the dents in the ground—marks of his struggle, punched into the earth during his most agonizing moments.
It was only then that Morel noticed Knuckle's hands were carefully bandaged, though hints of red still seeped through.
So this was what Ging meant when he said, "He made it through."
With this, Knuckle became the second person, after Germain, to forcefully break free from Pap's grasp.
"Thank you, Ging."
Morel never doubted Ging's words or Knuckle's resilience. He knew Ging must have provided immense support along the way.
In a way, Ging was a jack-of-all-trades—he knew a little bit of everything.
Even the most basic healing and Nen techniques to soothe the mind—he had learned some of those too, aiding Knuckle in his battle to break free.
"No need to thank me," Ging said. "He endured the entire night on his own. That's why he's standing here now."
Morel nodded, then set down his large pipe and walked over to help Knuckle up.
Half-conscious, Knuckle slowly opened his eyes. When he saw his teacher, he couldn't contain his emotions.
"Teacher, I..."
"I've heard everything from Ging. You did well. Now, rest."
Morel patted Knuckle's shoulder with satisfaction.
Germain and Ging stepped away a little, giving the mentor and student some time alone.
"We need to finish the mission as soon as possible," Germain said. "The dangers of these mountains will only keep wearing us down."
"As long as we stay here, it's only a matter of time before we all become captives of the Human-Keeping Beast, Pap."
"I agree," Ging said. "I've already marked the location of one of their nest entrances. My plan was to wait until I reunited with you all before going in to investigate."
With that, the two of them temporarily settled on a plan.
That night, Germain, Ging, Morel, and a still-weak Knuckle returned to the cave base where Bisky, Shizuku, and the others were staying.
Knuckle, now the second injured member of the team, was placed under Sanbica's care, just like Menchi.
He had survived the ordeal but still needed time to recover—unlike Germain, he didn't have such an absurdly strong physique.
Sanbica was the best person to monitor his condition.
At the same time, she had spent the entire day refining a new blend of medicinal herbs from the Moose Centaur tribe, creating an improved version of the "Herbal Medicine for All Illnesses."
She also prepared a few poisons, hoping they would prove useful in the battles ahead.
With all that done, the team was finally fully prepared to explore the underground tunnels of Pap's nest.
That night, as Menchi stirred the pot of soup and meat with a spoon, Germain's gaze swept across everyone in the group.
Sanbica had used up a "Breath of the Archangel" to save her life, and Menchi had a fractured femur, making movement difficult.
Knuckle had also used a "Breath of the Archangel" to survive. He had just escaped from Pap's "Fatal Ecstasy."
His face was pale. Resisting the addictive effects of "Fatal Ecstasy" had drained both his willpower and physical strength.
At least he hadn't suffered any fatal injuries. His aura and stamina would likely recover within a day or two.
Even so, a thought crept into Germain's mind.
Maybe... I shouldn't have brought so many people here at once.
Whether it was the dark space or the Steep Mountain Range, this group had endured too much.
I need to change my overall strategy... But now isn't the time to think about that.
Of course, there are some things I can do right away...
********
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