After arriving at the head of No Man's Valley, Giō revealed a plan that could potentially save the starving villagers of Nepa.
Apparently, a man had been residing at the bottom of the valley for over two years.
Curious as to how he had managed to survive in such a desolate place without leaving, the group decided to investigate for themselves.
Present moment...
At the base of No Man's Valley...
As the group approached the valley floor, Kutcher couldn't shake the feeling that they were making a terrible mistake.
"I gotta say... this idea seems very... risky."
Giō turned toward him.
"Indeed! It's a bit hasty."
"And reckless!" Prīōra added.
"But..." Giō continued. "If this person really lives down here, then he definitely knows how to get food!"
"It's at least worth investigating," Tuziku said, walking beside Giō.
"That reminds me, Giō!"
"What is it?" Giō asked curiously.
"Why are you trying so hard to make things right with your village? What did you do to them?"
Suddenly, Giō's expression hardened.
"That's a story for another time!"
The trio fell silent, gazing at him.
"More importantly... look up ahead!" Giō pointed toward the path before them.
"We've finally arrived!" he announced, his hardened expression unchanged.
"The floor of No Man's Valley!" Kutcher placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I don't like the aura of this place."
Tuziku stepped forward, gazing into the gloomy passage that led deeper into the valley's trenches.
Then he turned to face the others.
"Well... are we doing this or not?"
"Actually..." Prīōra raised a hand hesitantly. "Now that you mention it, I'm having second thoughts about all of this..."
Her voice trembled.
"This place feels totally off!"
"Come on... don't be like that!" Giō patted her on the back. "We're already here! Might as well go for it!"
"Giō's right!" Tuziku shouted. "We're already here. It's too late for complaints now!"
"Tuziku... surely you feel that ominous aura coming from deeper within this place!" Kutcher insisted, his expression still troubled.
Tuziku turned toward the haunting pathway that stretched into the depths of the valley.
"Yeah! I feel it, Kutcher!" He clenched his fist, a nervous grin spreading across his face. "And that's exactly why I want to go deeper into the trenches!"
Kutcher and Prīōra stared at him, dumbfounded.
"And that's not all..." Tuziku added. "I can also feel... someone with an Abyssal Ability nearby!"
"What?!" Giō blurted out in shock.
"You can sense an Abyssal User?!" His mouth hung open in disbelief.
"Then does that mean there's an enemy nearby?!" Kutcher tightened his grip on his sword, immediately going on guard.
"An enemy?!" Panic began to consume Prīōra.
Tuziku's expression grew serious.
"I can't say for sure whether it's an enemy or not, but there's definitely someone dangerous up ahead!" He clenched his fists. "It's the same ominous feeling I got from those Fuyu Generals!"
"Hold on just a moment!" Giō interrupted. "Fuyu Generals? The same feeling?"
He turned toward Tuziku, bewildered.
"Wait... how are you able to sense an Abyssal User in the first place?"
"Hmm?" Tuziku tilted his head in confusion. "Because I also have an Abyssal Ability."
"WHAT?!" Giō shouted.
"You're an Abyssal User too?!"
"But... but you're a user of the Hakashi Technique!"
"So?" Tuziku replied.
"Due to certain circumstances, I decided to refrain from using my ability. Nevertheless... I still have it!" he explained.
"I see..." Giō scratched his chin. "But wait... I thought Hakashi members didn't have Abyssal Abilities?"
"That's the other thing... I'm not a member of the Hakashi clan," Tuziku responded.
"But I am!" Prīōra interjected.
"You are...?" Giō mumbled.
Then, understanding dawned on him.
"I see now... so that's it!"
He let out a grin.
"It seems there's a lot I don't know about you guys, either!"
"In any case..." Kutcher interrupted. "If you guys are done catching up, can we get moving?"
"Alright, guys! Let's get going!" Tuziku declared before heading deeper into the valley's trenches.
Giō followed close behind.
"Are we seriously doing this?!" Prīōra complained.
Kutcher let out a heavy sigh before following the others.
"Hey—"
"Wait for me!" Prīōra hurried after them.
Very soon after...
"Ugh! This place smells awful!" Prīōra covered her mouth, gagging at the sight and stench of the barren wasteland.
"There really are bones everywhere!" Kutcher observed carefully, scanning his surroundings.
"At least we know your story earlier was true!" Tuziku turned toward Giō with a grin.
"Hmph! Of course I was telling the truth!" Giō shrugged.
Suddenly—
Crack! Crack!
"HAH—!"
Tuziku recoiled in alarm as his foot crunched down on a pile of bones.
"Hey, watch your step! You could be stepping on one of my late relatives!" Giō teased with a smirk.
"Hahaha!" He burst into laughter.
Kutcher chuckled briefly.
"Hey, you shouldn't joke about something like that!" Tuziku protested, still startled.
"Stop it already, you guys!" Prīōra exclaimed, her expression troubled. "This place seriously creeps me out!"
"It'll be fine, Prīōra!" Tuziku reassured her.
"Let's go."
He continued forward, with Giō and Kutcher following behind.
Prīōra hesitated for a moment before reluctantly trailing after them.
As the group continued their approach, Kutcher turned toward Tuziku.
"Tuziku, can you still sense that Abyssal User nearby?"
"No..." Tuziku paused, his expression growing concerned. "For some reason, I can't feel their presence anymore!"
"That's strange..." Giō muttered, carefully observing their surroundings.
Crack! Crack!
Crack!
As they traversed the valley floor, the group eventually reached an area where the human remains were so densely scattered that avoiding them became impossible.
"This is the worst!" Prīōra complained.
"This place sure has a haunting aura," Giō remarked.
"I already said that!" Kutcher replied irritably.
Suddenly—
"THAT'S AS FAR AS YOU GO!"
A mysterious voice rang out from somewhere ahead.
"Huh? It's just a bunch of brats!" the stranger added with a chuckle.
"What's going on here?" Tuziku asked, wearing a confused expression.
"Who's talking?" Kutcher demanded.
"I don't see anyone!" Prīōra glanced from side to side.
"It must be him!" Giō declared with a grin. "The person living down here!"
"Where are you hiding?!" Tuziku shouted, cautiously advancing in the direction of the voice.
Suddenly—
Crack! Crack!
A figure appeared before them as though he had emerged from thin air.
He was tall and slender, with a unique pattern of short green and black hair, and appeared to be in his late twenties. He wore a long, dark-brown leather coat that reached all the way to the ground, with no shirt underneath.
"WHAT ARE YOU KIDS DOING DOWN HERE?!"
An ominous grin spread across his face.
As he slowly approached the group, the human remains beneath his feet shattered with every step.
CRACK! CRACK!
"What the—?!"
"Where did he come from?!" Kutcher grabbed the hilt of his sword.
"Guys, be careful!" Tuziku immediately assumed a fighting stance.
Prīōra gulped before taking up her own stance.
SHLING!
Kutcher drew his blade.
"Tuziku! This guy is bad news..." he warned, his expression troubled.
Kchk!
Giō immediately drew his rifle and aimed it at the stranger.
"Whoa, whoa!" The man raised his arms in surrender.
"You kids are Underdogs, aren't you...?"
He wore an eerie grin.
"I don't know why you guys came to No Man's Valley, but since you're here..."
He paused, his grin widening.
"Let's play a game!"
He spoke softly, his unsettling smile stretching across his face.
!!!
CHAPTER 78 END!!