Chapter 137 : Netero's Former Team!!

The enormous sheep head was finally taken care of by Buhara, while Menchi was finishing up with the last dish.

"If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't believe there could be such a massive squid on the shore," Menchi said as she skillfully pulled out her machete and cut the still-squirming "black squid" on the chopping board.

She removed everything inside, unsure if it was edible, and discarded it.

The "black squid" stopped moving.

"This doesn't seem like a squid, does it?" Bisky said, crouching nearby. Her small stature made her look like an inquisitive child. "It only resembles one."

"Yeah," Menchi agreed. "Let's give it a try anyway. We've been eating stews all day, so instead of cooking this last dish, we'll grill it."

After slicing the "black squid" a few times, she skewered it with a wooden stick, brushed some oil on it, and roasted it over the campfire.

Germain watched this and felt uncomfortable for some reason.

After roasting for a while, the squid was nearly done. Its skin and flesh turned red, with slightly burnt edges. Menchi sprinkled special seasoning on it and continued roasting.

"I have to admit," Bisky said, standing up and swallowing. "The last two ingredients today, along with the 'grape spider eggs,' are the most like something you'd find in a human recipe."

The aroma of the "grilled squid" filled the air.

"If I weren't so full from biscuits, I'd really want to try it," Bisky thought.

After Menchi finished grilling the squid, Buhara took the first bite.

He tried it with hopeful anticipation but quickly spat it out, shaking his head.

"No, it's too bitter, like a broken gallbladder, and tastes like plastic."

Buhara, with his huge appetite and high food tolerance along with his Nen ability, couldn't handle it, proving that the "grilled squid" was truly unpleasant.

"I had a bad feeling when I was preparing the knife," Menchi said, not surprised. "Just as it didn't deceive your stomach, it didn't deceive my knife. It really isn't edible."

"As for the bitterness, I was careful not to damage the internal organs. I guess it's just the nature of the meat."

"What a shame," Bisky said, pointing at the "squid" and talking to Germain. "I wanted to take this back and let Shizuku, Wing, and the others try it."

Germain shook his head. 

"We've had a good haul this time. We brought back several 'large grape spider eggs' and some 'hammer mushrooms.' These are all local specialties from the Dark Continent."

"That's right," Bisky agreed. "Now let's wait until it's time to head back."

Germain checked the time again, specifically the cooldown for the "Lantern," which had less than 4 hours left.

Menchi felt a bit regretful for missing out on the "grilled squid," but after eating the large sheep's head, she was satisfied and ready to return to the human world.

Buhara tossed the uneaten "grilled squid" into the "inedible area" nearby, where it joined other odd-looking remains.

Everyone gathered around the campfire, without any prior plan, ready to pass the time during the last few hours.

They started telling small stories they had heard from time to time, making the atmosphere feel more like a real campfire gathering.

"Bisky," Germain suddenly asked, "Has Chairman Netero ever told you about his two trips to the Dark Continent?"

"No," Bisky replied curtly. "You know how he is. He doesn't easily share secrets."

"But there are rumors," Bisky continued. "During one of his 'Dark Continent Journeys,' Chairman Netero used a strategy with a small group of elites and only took two people to form a team."

"One of them was 'Two-Star Hunter' and 'Gourmet Hunter' Granny Linne, who is still alive. The other was Zigg Zoldyck from the Zoldyck family, but I'm not sure if he's still alive."

Germain felt it was odd to hear Bisky refer to Chairman Netero as "old man" and Granny Linne as "Granny."

Just as he was thinking about this, Bisky's eyes narrowed and swept over him.

Fortunately, Menchi interrupted, saying, "Ah, I've met Granny Linne a few times. Her skills with 'food' are amazing. It's surprising she's also been to the 'Dark Continent.'"

"Yes," Bisky confirmed. "Chairman Netero and Zigg handled combat, while Granny Linne took care of the food supply. This strategy worked well."

"And the facts show that elite teams like theirs have a higher chance of survival. While other teams faced heavy losses, Chairman Netero managed to escape unharmed twice."

"This is why I'd rather work with you than try to get V5 to fund our trip to the Dark Continent."

"Having too many people can be a problem. Managing them is a hassle. When one person fails, it can cause a chain reaction of problems."

Germain, Menchi, and Buhara listened quietly to their predecessors' stories. They were now doing similar things but in a more skilled and secure way.

The campfire's dim light only illuminated a small area, while most of the "Dry Valley" was shrouded in darkness and silence.

It seemed like a lone star, trying to shine in the vast, dark universe.

After a while, Germain suddenly moved.

He was focused on his job, using the "En" to monitor the surroundings.

Something had just crossed the edge of his thirty-meter radius and was heading towards the campfire.

It was moving quickly.

"A huge beast is approaching," Germain said. "It's on all fours. Despite its size, it's moving very quietly."

Germain's words made everyone tense.

"Did it come because of the smell?" Menchi asked, glancing at the darkness. "Or is it attracted by the campfire? Should we put out the flames?"

"No," Bisky quickly disagreed. "The people who lived in the Dark Continent before relied on fire and tools to survive. We can't just abandon them now."

She stood up and stretched. "I was thinking that something might be missing from this 'Dark Continent Journey.' Now I realize it's probably a battle."

Everyone rose from the dim campfire and looked toward the top of the "Dry Valley." There, a large, pitch-black figure was emerging.

If not for the moonlight reflecting off its dark fur, it would have almost vanished into the night. Its eyes, neither cold nor hungry, stared at them.

The figure slowly revealed its sharp canine teeth, resembling a giant black panther.

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