That night, under the bright campfire, everyone held skewers of meat over the flames.
The surface of the meat was already turning golden and crisp as they chatted about what had happened during the day.
"It's really strange. That 'Hellbell The Twin-Tailed Snake' died so easily, and nothing happened afterward?"
"Yeah, it's weird. I had mentally prepared myself for everything. I even worried you guys might suddenly attack me, and I'd have to fight back."
Bisky sounded genuinely confused. She lifted the hem of her princess dress to keep it away from the fire.
Ging took a bite of the grilled meat on his skewer. Some spices stuck to his thick beard as he said:
"I felt the same. The situation was tense. Since we didn't know exactly what 'Hellbell The Twin-Tailed Snake' could do, I just went ahead and got rid of it first."
"But after killing it so easily, I realized it might've been too easy. That's probably the sign of a counter-type Nen ability."
"What's a counter-type Nen ability?"
Shizuku held out a slightly burnt skewer and passed it to Germain as she asked.
Germain took the blackened skewer and explained:
"It's the kind of ability that doesn't activate on its own. It only triggers when certain conditions are met, and then it strikes back — like a trap."
Shizuku blinked her big eyes and asked again:
"But after 'Hellbell The Twin-Tailed Snake' died, we didn't get attacked or anything, right?"
As Ging chewed, his lips shone with oil, and he said:
"That's exactly what's strange... Maybe the condition just hasn't been fulfilled yet... or maybe the trap already triggered, but we haven't noticed it."
"Anyway, after it died, that black aura and the weird bell sound — they all fit the traits of a counter-type Nen ability."
"There are some rare counter abilities that require death to activate. Because the Post-mortem Nen left after death can be the strongest trigger."
"'Hellbell,' huh... maybe it's just a fancy name for a Post-mortem Nen ability. Something mystical-sounding to explain the effect."
Everyone fell into silence, lost in thought.
"Yeah... that might actually be the case."
Someone responded from the shadows.
Everyone looked up, following the direction of the voice.
A moment later, a slim figure stepped into the firelight.
Her chocolate-colored skin and dancer-like graceful steps made her presence hard to notice in the dark — like a beautiful snake gliding silently.
The lower half of her face was covered with a cloth, so her voice sounded muffled when she spoke.
On her back, she carried a long spear and a shield. Her left hand was wrapped in a bloodstained bandage.
She was Sigman, "The Shield Breaker," a member of the outpost exploration team. She had gone scouting earlier and was just now returning.
Bisky froze for a second, then smiled and waved her over.
"It's Sigman! The meat's done — come join us!"
"Thanks, Bisky."
Sigman sat down among the group and pulled down part of her face covering, revealing a surprisingly beautiful face.
She accepted the meat skewer Bisky handed her and took a bite — the aroma instantly filled the air.
Bisky raised an eyebrow proudly and asked,
"How is it? I grilled it myself. Tastes good, right?"
Sigman, usually quiet and reserved, still responded to her comrades when she felt like it:
"It's delicious… The spices remind me of my hometown.
It's a place where trade caravans often passed through — spice trading was always essential."
"Hehe, then eat more! We've got plenty. Consider it a little reward for all your hard work."
Ging glanced around at the surrounding darkness and asked, "Sigman, while you were scouting… did you notice anything unusual?"
Sigman thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"No. Neither I nor my little snake sensed anything strange."
"But this is the Dark Continent. Our experience might not count for much here."
Ging nodded and said:
"You've got a point... maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I can't shake the feeling that killing that 'Twin-Tailed Serpent: Hellbell' might cause trouble later."
Germain handed a perfectly grilled skewer to Shizuku, then asked:
"You're worried we'll end up like those giant rhinos? And all the other beasts around here, turning on each other?"
During their journey in the daylight, the giant rhinos weren't the only ones they saw tearing into their own kind.
There were many more—creatures of all shapes and sizes, acting in ways no one had seen or heard of before.
To avoid getting ambushed by more unknown 'Twin-Tailed Serpent: Hellbell' types, they kept their distance and moved quickly.
Ging replied:
"Exactly. We're almost certain now that those fights and killings were triggered by that creature. We just don't know how it causes it yet."
"And yeah… I am seriously worried that we might start turning on each other too—hating, fighting, trying to kill one another."
Bisky chuckled and said:
"Ging, relax. At the very least, I don't want to kill you yet… A 'malice-spreading monster', huh? If it's contagious… maybe it has an 'incubation period'?"
Germain, hearing that, asked with concern:
"You all still carrying your spare 'Herb for All-illnessesnjector'?"
Everyone nodded. Sigman even rummaged around in her loose robe for a moment and pulled out one of the injectors to show Germain.
"Good. Doesn't matter if it works or not—if anything feels off, don't hesitate. Use it. Bisky, I'm counting on your 'stress relief treatment'."
Bisky stood up, beaming with pride:
"No problem! I'm terrifyingly strong now. 'Cookie' can relieve built-up stress for up to four people at once."
Ging looked at Bisky's smug, sky-high chin and was about to throw out a sarcastic comment.
But after what they'd faced today with the 'Twin-Tailed Serpent: Hellbell', he still wasn't sure what kind of effect it had on them.
So, he held his tongue, not wanting to stir up any conflict just yet.
Just then, a cold, eerie wind swept through, making the campfire flicker and sending smoke and dust into the air.
Since nightfall, the rainforest hadn't brought any more of its scalding, boiling rain, so they finally found a flat, open spot nearby to set up camp.
As the cold wind blew in, their first thought was—maybe the rain was about to start again.
But they quickly realized that this chill wasn't caused by a storm.
In the darkness, a massive, blurry figure started to stir, inching closer.
At the edge of the firelight, sharp claws cast jagged shadows on the ground.
Everyone stood up at once—they'd faced these things before, and quickly recognized it.
Night Stalkers. It was another Night Stalker.
Sigman pulled her scarf back up to cover the lower half of her face.
She frowned, pressing her bandaged left hand and spoke apologetically:
"Sorry. I didn't notice a Night Stalker nearby. That was my mistake."
"Don't beat yourself up at a time like this!"
A sharp, powerful voice rang out—one that lifted everyone's spirits.
Hart, the barbarian warrior, stepped forward boldly, resting her long-handled blade on her shoulder.
Wearing leather armor made from beast hides, she stood proudly at the front.
"What's there to be scared of?!"
There wasn't a trace of fragility in her voice—just raw strength and defiance.
"I'll cover the rear. You guys fall back now. Don't let this beast call over a whole swarm and surround us again!"
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