"Rescue! Rescue! Rescue!"
Listening to the continuous echoing sound, Kevin slowly lowered the syringe he was tightly gripping, his face devoid of expression.
"I went through all that trouble preparing, only for it to be this kind of inexplicable whispering after all that fuss," Kevin muttered helplessly.
He had been full of anticipation, thinking that the resentment, laden with information, would convey something useful. Instead, it just chirped in his ears, saying things that made no sense.
Helpless, Kevin pulled the box in front of him and simply sat cross-legged on the ground.
A thick resentment permeated this small box, and all of it emanated from the record book placed on top. The resentment, as if alive, spread along the inner walls of the box, covering everything except the notebook, making it impossible to see what was inside.
"In this situation... does it want to make a deal with me?" However, the resentment gave no response, only continuing its ceaseless whispering in his ear.
Kevin tried to pull out the notebook but found it wouldn't budge an inch.
"Alright, alright. Then I want to see what's written inside," Kevin thought to himself. He had been led here, yet he hadn't received any useful information so far.
The only thing he could confirm at the moment was that the over here sound and the sacrificed object were not the same thing—in fact, they were completely opposite.
Kevin opened the first page, which read:
"Ann Vipere"
"Travelogue"
The information was very brief, merely stating that this record book was a travelogue by someone named "Ann Vipere."
When Kevin tried to turn the page further, he found that the pages were stuck together as if glued, completely unmovable, as if the entire book had become one solid block.
"What exactly do you mean?" Kevin couldn't help but complain. "You only show me a name?"
Just as Kevin attempted to turn the page again, the resentment stirred, and the whispers in his ear became even clearer.
"Contract... contract... contract."
Kevin frowned, deep in thought.
From the current situation, this resentment seemed to want him to accomplish something. This box might be the other party's reciprocation—at least that's what he inferred from the current situation. And the only thing the other party showed him was the name on the record book and the nature of the book. As Kevin understood it, the resentment, or rather, the original entity of the resentment, believed that merely presenting the name was enough to convey certain information.
"So what's the meaning of this name?" Kevin pondered.
All he knew was that Vipere seemed to be Melusine's middle name.
However, the meaning of middle names varies according to regional customs—it could be to commemorate someone, to express gratitude, or related to family lineage.
Thinking of this, Kevin picked up his phone and started searching for relevant information. At times like these, he needed to seek external help.
Before long, he received a reply.
Ann Vipere was active from 1715 to 1725, one of the most famous chefs in the world at that time, and from historical records, it is even highly probable he was the most skilled chef of that era.
At the same time, he was a famous traveling chef of the Food Village.
After the curse appeared, he quickly vanished without a trace. It is speculated that he might have also been afflicted by the curse and trapped in the Secret Realm, unable to leave.
Looking at the reply in his hand, Kevin couldn't help but frown. He really couldn't see anything special about this name in this information that would warrant the resentment going to such lengths.
The whispers formed by the resentment in his ear continued to murmur.
"Contract... what kind of contract is it?"
"Curse... curse... curse."
"You want me to remove the village's curse, right?" Kevin asked tentatively.
"Contract... contract..."
Kevin understood. This resentment wanted him to make a contract to help the village remove the curse.
Could the origin of this resentment be precisely related to this? Based on the available intelligence, the emergence of the curse might be inextricably linked to this person named Vipere, and he might even be the culprit. Perhaps due to guilt or other emotions, he was fixated on lifting the curse until his dying breath—which is why such a resentment formed.
Of course, this was just Kevin's personal guess.
"If it's to make a contract to help remove the curse, I am willing."
As Kevin spoke these words, his will seemed to generate a certain power, and the resentful whispers in his ear instantly vanished.
Immediately after, these resentments coiled around his arm, gradually forming a dark pattern of a divine character.
The specific content of this contract then emerged in Kevin's mind. The terms were very lenient, merely requiring him to resolve the village's curse, without even mentioning punitive measures.
Kevin extended his arm with the pattern and touched the notebook again.
This time, the notebook loosened, and he smoothly took it out entirely.
Next, he looked into the box, and its contents were now clearly visible before him.
There weren't many items in the box, but each one looked extremely peculiar. Kevin could feel the vibrant aura emanating from within just by getting close. Using his Nen ability to observe, this aura grew even stronger—every item exuded a rich Nen.
A smooth, marble-like object.
A white bone plate with black patterns on it.
A palm-sized, exquisitely decorated golden dagger.
And a gem that seemed to conceal something mysterious within.
Kevin reached into the box and took out the gem.
The moment the gem was taken out, the resentment quickly covered it, and the remaining items in the box became invisible again.
"Huh?" Kevin stared blankly at the gem in his hand.
Soon, he realized.
"So it's a deposit? It's... it's quite honorable in its adherence to the contract." Originally, mentioning resentment and contracts would easily make one think of punishment and cost, but unexpectedly, this contract was so legitimate—even paying a deposit.
Kevin carefully observed the gem in his hand. This gem did not give him that feeling of wanting to be used.
Although Kevin could use minerals as materials for making potions, up until now, in the process of making numerous potions, he had only used one type of mineral—a special protein mineral. This mineral was essentially biological remains formed over a long period, whereas the gem before him was clearly a very pure mineral. Although it exuded a vibrant aura, it did not make Kevin want to use it as a material.
This unpolished gem had an irregular shape, and it felt as if life was flowing within it, giving it a very strange sensation. In the pale red gem, shimmering light flickered, and various free-floating substances moved through it.
Kevin held the gem up to the light from outside the cave, and the gem's beauty became even more pronounced.
"If this thing were to be sold... tsk, tsk, its value would be immeasurable." Even though Kevin was not skilled in gem appraisal, he could see the immense value of this gem—it was certainly more than enough as a deposit.
Kevin carefully put away the gem and shifted his attention to the notebook.
At this moment, his right hand, adorned with black patterns, was able to turn the pages of the notebook.
He casually flipped it open, but instead of turning to the next page as normal, it went directly to the very end of the notebook, while the preceding pages remained tightly stuck together.
"Being so secretive is really annoying," Kevin grumbled, carefully examining what was recorded on the few pages he could turn.
"I regret it. I have never regretted anything as much as I do now. My past arrogance and conceit led me to commit such a grave error.
"Reader, when you turn to this page, you must have already made a contract, which means you possess the ability to solve the problem. Now, please listen to the bitter fruit borne of my arrogance and conceit."
Wait, Kevin thought. Was this specifically written for those who reached this point?
No—the problem was that this content was set by the resentment, also known as post-mortem Nen, which is the result of extreme will and emotions at the moment of death. Could it really be controlled like this?
Perhaps? After all, post-mortem Nen should have existed since ancient times, and it's impossible that no one would want to understand and control it. No matter how you looked at it, this was a powerful force.
Regardless, the facts were before him, so Kevin had no choice but to calm down and read on seriously.
"I possess an insatiable desire for culinary delights, my heart yearning to savor every exquisite dish the world has to offer. For this pursuit, I dedicated immense time and paid countless prices to explore the realm of gastronomy, thereby honing my culinary skills to perfection.
"When I first encountered that book, drawing upon my past experiences, I was convinced it wasn't merely a fantasy novel but a genuine guide to a real place.
"After years of relentless effort, I finally reached the location described in the book. As for my specific experiences there, they have already been documented on the preceding pages. Now, please fulfill our contract—everything I leave behind shall be yours."
Upon reading this passage, the words "Dark Continent" instantly surfaced in Kevin's mind.
He had also read that book—he even owned its first edition.
The more he recalled the book's content, the more he yearned to visit the Dark Continent, yet he was also acutely aware of the unimaginable dangers lurking there.
Kevin calculated the book's publication date and cross-referenced it with the period when this individual was active, discovering both aligned to approximately three hundred years ago. At that time, most people simply regarded the book as a fictional fantasy novel. It wasn't until later, when several major nations began external explorations and confirmed the authenticity of some of its contents, that they hastily banned it.
And this chef, evidently, knew the book's secrets and personally ventured there even before those nations began their explorations.
This implied that the items in the box were very likely "souvenirs" brought back from the Dark Continent.
This Ann Vipere was actually someone who had been to the Dark Continent and returned safely.
"On that mysterious continent, even someone of my considerable strength had to remain constantly vigilant, proceeding with utmost caution.
"During our exploration, my team suffered heavy losses—hardly any of the ten people remained. It was simply too perilous.
"But in the end, I still found one of my objectives. Before setting out, I had ambitiously believed I could achieve all my goals, but now it seems that just this one objective has exhausted all my energy.
"It was a snake egg, rumored to be one of the most delicious things in the world.
"A colossal, incomparably powerful serpentine monster guarded these eggs. Dozens of eggs piled together, emitting an irresistible aroma that I could not resist.
"Ultimately, I paid a heavy price to successfully acquire one snake egg, and then, without daring to linger for a moment, I immediately returned the way I came.
"I joyfully intended to bring this snake egg back and share it with everyone in the Food Village. In my view, one of the charms of food lies in sharing—I yearned to savor this ultimate delicacy with everyone.
"The villagers and I shared this snake egg, and its taste was, without a doubt, the finest delicacy in the world.
"However, the problem erupted at this very moment.
"I was far too proud, too reckless. After all, this snake egg came from a monster that survived on that terrifying continent—even an unhatched egg contained immense danger.
"It cast a curse upon us. Everyone who participated in sharing the food—which means all the villagers—became enveloped by the curse.
"The ingredients we had originally raised also fell under the curse's influence, entering a state of madness, relentlessly attacking all those who were cursed.
"The sheer number of frenzied creatures was overwhelming. In the face of such a sudden turn of events, even I was powerless to stop it, and the Food Village began to suffer widespread casualties.
"Finally, having no other recourse, we had no choice but to use a special Nen ability to protect the Food Village, temporarily isolating it from the curse's effects.
"My remaining companions and I left the Food Village, embarking on a journey to find the root of the curse and a method to lift it.
"But the curse was far more terrifying than we had imagined. Outside, we became prime prey in the eyes of less intelligent creatures—they hunted us just as I once hunted those delicacies.
"Although our strength was not weak, wherever we went, we caused considerable trouble for the local area. If this continued, we would sooner or later become perceived as harbingers of disaster, and the unavoidable killing would severely disrupt the surrounding ecosystem, plunging it into chaos.
"Was this the bitter fruit of my own sowing? Helpless, we eventually returned home, yet still found no solution."
After reading this, Kevin couldn't help but sigh.
The situation with this curse was even worse than he had previously imagined. He truly hadn't anticipated such a scenario. If he were to venture out rashly, even with his own formidable strength, he would inevitably attract various powerful creatures, causing immense destruction along the way. It's important to know that there were countless large creatures in this world, and for ordinary people, the destructive power of these creatures was extremely terrifying.
Kevin continued reading.
"Upon returning to the Food Village, we began to research the curse independently and strengthen the Food Village's protective measures.
"However, something even more despairing occurred: our descendants were not spared. Even if they intermarried with people from outside the Food Village, the children born would still bear the curse.
"Some, in despair, chose to leave the protective barrier, willingly allowing themselves to be devoured by the monsters attracted by the curse. It seemed as though they sought to cleanse themselves of their sins in this way.
"How ridiculous.
"But all of this was a problem I created. I must take responsibility and find a solution.
"After years of research, I finally understood the cause of the curse.
"Resentment is not exclusive to humans or intelligent beings—the creatures we eat and slaughter also possess resentment. The ingredients around our Food Village are of top quality, and the creatures produced are full of vitality. For hundreds of years, our greedy appetite has accumulated a vast amount of resentment in this land.
"And the appearance of that snake egg was like a fuse, completely igniting these resentments.
"I named the species to which the snake egg belonged the [Resentful Devourer Snake] . They are not ordinary creatures at all, but monsters formed from condensed resentment.
"The so-called hatching process was not normal hatching, but rather a birth from resentment. Our greedy appetite, combined with the mixed resentment around us, provided an excellent environment for its growth.
"I don't know what complex reactions occurred during the hatching process, but when we ate the snake egg, the snake hatched and transformed into a snake of resentment. Those of us who ate the snake egg bore the curse it brought—it transformed our inner greedy appetites into pain, making us taste the suffering endured by the creatures we had eaten.
"After finding the root cause, I began to devise a solution.
"I spent a great deal of time collecting information on sacrificial rituals from ancient and some modern nations, meticulously designing a ceremony. I had believed that the invisible snake of resentment would absolutely be unable to resist the allure of this ceremony.
"The design of the ceremony seemed to be successful—the invisible snake of resentment finally revealed its true form. It had just hatched and was very weak, so I easily launched an attack, thinking I could eliminate it in one fell swoop.
"However, my arrogance once again led me to make a grave mistake.
"I never imagined that the snake of resentment could not be eliminated by conventional means.
"Not only did my ceremony fail to destroy it, but it actually accelerated its growth. It recognized the ceremony's process and actively participated, even optimizing it.
"Currently, I can still suppress and eliminate it with my status and strength. But once I die, this ritual will truly begin to operate, and that snake will rapidly grow and strengthen.
"So many years of research have exhausted my life—in the end, I still failed.
"The powerful creatures on that continent exist beyond common sense. This is a profound lesson I learned at a painful cost.
"The following content is the solution I recorded based on conjecture in my final moments of life. I hope my post-mortem Nen can find the right person to complete this mission."
Kevin finished reading these pages of records, his heart filled with emotion.
These few pages alone contained such rich information. The author's mental journey was like a mysterious treasure, worth his slow dissection.
Undoubtedly, this record book would become the key to unlocking many mysteries.
Kevin calmed himself and slowly turned to the last page.