Spear Flower's ability has three types, using the eyeball plants as a medium to produce different effects.
The green eyeball plant can be used to monitor targets.
The red eyeball plant can teleport up to five targets, including herself, over long distances.
The blue eyeball plant can transmit telepathic messages.
Although Spear Flower's voice seemed to come from the blue eyeball plant, if someone else were present, they would not be able to hear it.
This voice could only be heard by Blue Shadow... conversely, Blue Shadow's voice could only be heard by Spear Flower.
"The operation failed again."
"Oh?"
Blue Shadow's eyelids lowered slightly.
He certainly knew what operation she was referring to.
"Red... the Clan Leader brought out Coo, but even Coo..."
"Even Coo?"
Blue Shadow could not help but frown.
That was the strongest member of the clan, a monster that had lived for who knows how many years.
Even such an existence was defeated by a human?
"Yes, Coo was defeated by that human."
Spear Flower's tone was filled with apprehension. If she had not seen it with her own eyes, she would never have dared to believe that a mere human could actually defeat Coo.
"What about Coo?"
"We thought Coo had died at that human's hands, but the Book of Truth shows Coo is still alive. So Coo may have been captured."
"What, she did not end her own life?"
Blue Shadow was somewhat surprised. In that kind of situation, any clan member, let alone the most senior Coo, would choose suicide.
If Coo had not killed herself, assuming she was truly captured, then it was possible she was under the kind of forceful control that prevented even suicide. This also indicated that the human who defeated Coo was far from ordinary.
This was also the truth.
From the moment he learned that this human could deal with the Wither, Blue Shadow had believed this human was truly extraordinary.
However, he was very surprised that this human had actually defeated Coo.
Spear Flower did not reply, but Blue Shadow could almost see her shaking her head.
"This shows that if Coo was really captured, she was under that kind of forceful control that prevents suicide. It seems that human..."
At this point, Blue Shadow changed his tone and said calmly, "You used your ability just to tell me this?"
Spear Flower was silent for a moment, then said, "No, it is the Clan Leader..."
Blue Shadow interrupted, "He wants me to go back?"
"Yes."
"I am not going back."
"But the clan needs you."
Blue Shadow was silent for a moment, then said, "I am needed here too."
"Blue..."
"Do not try to persuade me anymore. That is it."
Blue Shadow's tone was very calm.
But Spear Flower understood his attitude and knew she could not persuade him to return.
"Take care of yourself."
Spear Flower was disappointed but did not persist.
Leaving those words, she withdrew her ability.
The blue eyeball plant on the wooden table then disappeared.
Blue Shadow silently watched the now-empty wooden table. After a long time, he returned to his old seat, quietly watching clouds form and scatter.
"Human..."
Blue Shadow murmured to himself.
Law's face appeared in his mind.
If he had the chance, he would truly like to personally meet that human.
Unfortunately, that human did not need a guide at all, so he would not need to come here seeking his assistance.
As for the clan now...
Blue Shadow shook his head slightly.
Sometimes, maintaining the status quo was not a bad thing.
If one insisted on change, they had to be mentally prepared to face the consequences.
Matters on the Dark Continent were not decided by the clan alone... even that group of Menders could not control the entire ecosystem.
…
Within the Gatekeeper Clan's settlement.
Spear Flower ended the communication, having expended a great deal of stamina. A puddle of sweat had already pooled beneath her feet.
This communication, including the matter of persuading Blue Shadow to return, had not been instigated by Red Shadow.
Spear Flower exhaled deeply, simply cleaned herself, then left the room and headed to the room containing the Stone Book.
Soon, she arrived and saw Red Shadow standing before the Stone Book.
Flames burned on the roots spreading across the walls, their gentle light casting a long, slowly swaying shadow behind Red Shadow.
Spear Flower walked behind him, deliberately softening her footsteps so as not to disturb his thoughts.
Sensing her movements, Red Shadow did not turn around, instead quietly gazing at the Stone Book before him.
The Gatekeeper Clan called the Stone Book the Book of Truth.
In reality, the Stone Book was the manifestation of a Mender. To be precise, a dead Mender.
Even in true death, the mere corpse left behind could exert powerful strength, not inferior to various relics left by ancient humans.
"Clan Leader, are you really going to activate the Ginhanabi?"
Spear Flower looked at Red Shadow's tall back and asked softly.
"I am still considering it."
Red Shadow's gaze remained fixed on the Stone Book, not moving an inch.
Indecision appeared on Spear Flower's face. The clan had suffered many losses at that human's hands, and even Coo had been defeated, so she felt it was unnecessary to stubbornly fixate on that group of humans.
But in the end, she still did not voice these thoughts.
Thus, the two Magical Beasts stood one behind the other in the room, silent, neither speaking.
After a long while, a sharp gleam flashed in Red Shadow's eyes.
He had considered for a long time, considered many things.
In the end, he still decided to activate the large-scale apparatus left by ancient humans: Ginhanabi.
Thinking this, he took out the key, a rough stone pen.
Originally, the Stone Book left behind after a Mender's death, its corpse, was not the control hub for Ginhanabi. But by a strange twist of fate, the Mender's corpse and Ginhanabi had fused into one.
Since then, the Stone Book had, among other things, become a steering wheel.
Seeing Red Shadow take out the key, Spear Flower's expression changed, then she sighed inwardly.
On the Dark Continent, there was no truly safe place, but there were many very safe places. The Gatekeeper Clan's settlement was one such place.
Now, by deciding to activate Ginhanabi, Red Shadow would lead the settlement away from this safe place, towards the embrace of danger.
...
West of the Dark Continent, a vast stagnant lake.
Don Freecss stood by the shore, closely observing the thick, foul-smelling stagnant water in the lake.
For a hundred kilometers around the shore, no plants grew.
The pungent, highly toxic scent cleared the skies above the lake... no flying creatures could be seen passing through.
If any did, they would fall into the black water.
Don Freecss looked up, gazing into the distance, and could faintly see wooden planks placed on the lake's surface, each holding simple houses.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, took out a fingernail-sized green stone chip, and placed it under his tongue.
Having done this, he strode into the lake.
While it's called lake, the content's viscosity was more like a swamp.
In such a place, one would think no creatures could survive in the lake. But this was the Dark Continent...