Knov did consider it.
But whenever he looked at Palm in his arms — her face half human, half Chimera Ant — Knov was reminded of everything that happened in the Republic of East Gorteau.
At that time, even though he knew Palm was inside the palace, he was too afraid of the Ant King and the Three Royal Guards to go back and rescue her.
Though Palm, now transformed into a Chimera Ant, never blamed Knov for it, could he ever forgive himself?
Did he really have the right to still be called "Teacher" by his disciple after abandoning her like that?
If it had been Germain or Morel, they would never have been so cowardly.
No matter what, they would have risked their lives to save their disciple.
Knov couldn't just forgive himself so lightly.
Afterward, the faces of Killua and Gon appeared in his memory.
Being with these two talented boys somewhat eased the pain in his heart.
But… could he really accept their admiration openly?
How disappointed would they be when they found out his true self?
Knov didn't dare imagine that scene.
He began to hate and despise his own cowardice.
I am a professional Hunter. How can I hide like a turtle inside the "four-dimensional apartment"?
To protect myself and Palm, I just let the survivors outside die miserably at the hands of monsters, wailing and desperate.
What's the difference between this and those times in the Republic of East Gorteau?
What… what exactly did I set out on this journey for?
Was it just to gain some experience from this great event so I could become a "Two-Star Hunter"?
If that's all, how am I any different from those specialized Hunters I used to mock?
How many times must I disappoint others' expectations before I finally wake up?
So, Knov made up his mind.
He forced himself to leave the "four-dimensional apartment" and started rescuing every survivor he came across.
The survivors who entered the "four-dimensional apartment" were deeply thankful to Knov, because they met him at their most desperate moments.
Later, Knov saved several elderly women and asked them to take care of Palm.
Though the old women sensed Palm was not human and felt afraid, out of trust for Knov, their lifesaver, they agreed and even helped hide Palm.
During the ongoing rescue of survivors, Knov inevitably encountered many monsters that fed on the grudges of the dead.
Most of the time, he chose to avoid fighting, aiming to save as many people as possible.
After that, more and more survivors entered the "Four-Dimensional Apartment," each scattered in different rooms.
They were all groups of survivors Knov had saved under tremendous pressure, right under the monsters' noses.
Several times, he barely managed to rescue people, almost getting caught by monsters and dying on the spot.
If he still had hair, it would have all fallen out again from the stress.
However, this was only the beginning of his nightmare.
Because he soon met the familiar Chimera Ants.
Their organization, their habits, their style—Knov would never forget them, even in his dreams.
The man-eating Chimera Ants were actually no stronger than the monsters feeding on grudges.
But they were the source of fear buried deep inside Knov's heart, something entirely different.
Every time he left the "Four-Dimensional Apartment," he had to prepare himself mentally. Each time was a test of his own belief.
Knov had lost count of how many times he had entered and left the "Four-Dimensional Apartment," how many people he had saved, and how many times he had barely escaped death at the hands of those terrifying monsters.
He only knew that when he finally came back to his senses, everyone in the "Four-Dimensional Apartment" was thanking him.
Many came forward to shake his hand, pat his shoulder, and praise what he had done.
Knov heard someone say to him, "You've done enough. You don't need to go out anymore. If you go out again, you'll die."
It took him a while to realize that it was real—there were actually a few people advising him not to go out anymore. It wasn't just his own cowardly imagination.
At that time, Knov always returned drenched in sweat, his face pale as death. He looked almost like he was about to die, yet after hesitating for a moment, he would leave again.
If he didn't leave the "Four-Dimensional Apartment," he couldn't find any survivors, nor could he open the safe door for them.
Others' advice and comfort made him waver for a while, but he still left the "Four-Dimensional Apartment."
Knov had already done enough.
If he stayed inside the "Four-Dimensional Apartment" from then on and didn't go out, he would probably still earn the reputation of a "hero."
But Knov went out again. He chose to be even more ambitious and save more people.
From beginning to end, he never overcame his fear. He was just constantly running a race against it, doing his best not to let it catch up to him.
Finally, at dawn, exhausted, he returned once more to the "Four-Dimensional Apartment."
As if a gift of courage, Palm woke up.
After learning what her teacher had done in the middle of the night, Palm stared blankly for a long moment before seriously advising him to rest.
Her reason was solid: "I can see Cheadle's situation. She's now in a safe place, surrounded by survivors."
"Gel, Cluck, and others appeared in the observation footage, which means Cheadle's team found a place that can shelter many survivors."
"That place is probably nearby. Such a large group can't have gone far in just a few hours. As long as we find that place, everyone here will be safe."
Knov agreed to rest and allowed her to go out and search for clues.
After that, Palm left the "Four-Dimensional Apartment."
The sky outside had already brightened, and as expected, she found the "Hunter Association double X mark" left by Cheadle and the others.
This mark was deliberately left by Cheadle and her group to guide other Hunter Association members to follow their path.
Palm, who had returned to the "Four-Dimensional Apartment," told Knov this news, and Knov finally felt a huge relief.
The two of them left the "Four-Dimensional Apartment" together, spending some time before they finally found the coastal fortress and entered it.
What happened next, Germain already knew.
*******
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