Chapter 891
When all the strange, ominous aura had finally entered the Egg of the Sealed Vessel, the surroundings fell completely still. Not silent in the usual sense, but quiet in another way—an oppressive stillness that seemed to hang in the air.
Nasubi stared fixedly at the Egg.
A surge of black mist began to pour out from within it, swirling steadily, then continuously. The next moment, the energy emanating from the Egg began to shift, and its external form followed suit. It compressed, warped, and fragmented—morphing again and again.
Time passed slowly. Eventually, the transformation came to an end.
The impure remnants were all expelled. What remained was a concentrated essence, condensed into a single, small mass. It pulsed and fused, gradually shaping itself into a tiny humanoid form.
It was a bizarre little figure, and on its face, one could faintly discern the features of many people. The dead princes of Kakin. Their fallen private soldiers. Their guards. Even several deceased civilians. It was one face, yet seemed to carry hundreds of expressions—an amalgam of identities and memories.
Nasubi stepped forward and picked the figure up with both hands. The moment it touched his skin, an icy chill crept into his palms. His heart raced with excitement and anticipation.
"So this is the Ascension Relic," he muttered. "This is the power of the Sequence."
In the very next moment, the relic melted into a viscous black fluid and seeped into Nasubi's body.
A transformation began almost immediately.
Behind Nasubi, a Nen beast took form—a massive insect-like creature. Calling it hideous was an understatement. It had countless legs like a spider, and even more protruding mammary glands. At the center of its body was a human face, completely devoid of emotion. It had long hair, oversized ears, and a vertically-opening mouth lined with sharp teeth, much like a dog's. A long tongue slithered out from within.
The beast's height reached three to four times that of Nasubi.
As the relic dissolved into him, the beast also began to melt, breaking down and fusing with Nasubi's body. He gritted his teeth in pain, but his eyes remained filled with expectancy.
Black markings began to spread across his skin, forming a complex pattern that spiraled over his body. After a long while, the pattern finally faded, and his aura settled.
"It's done," Nasubi said, opening his eyes as he examined himself.
He was no longer the man he had been moments ago.
The old Nasubi looked unmistakably middle-aged—bloated, imposing, and powerful in bearing, but never associated with youth or beauty. That version was gone.
Now, he had slimmed down. His body had returned to the shape of his younger years. More importantly, though, Nasubi could feel the surge of power now flowing within him.
"Sequence One—Insect Bearer," he said quietly. "I can hatch countless types of insects now. It's somewhat similar to Nen beasts, but the Sequence makes me far stronger than a normal Nen user. The me of now could easily kill the me of before."
"All the years of planning, all the groundwork—none of it was wasted."
His eyes drifted toward the outer world, and his expression grew subtly conflicted.
There was no true familial affection among royalty. Even so, watching one's own children die off one by one—especially by one's own orchestration—still left a mark. Even a king wasn't completely immune to the weight of consequence.
The Black Whale stopped moving.
The Succession War wasn't technically over yet. For Nasubi, it was. But under the official rules, it wasn't.
Three princes were still alive...Well 4, but Tserriednich was as good as dead—the First Prince, Second Prince, and Ninth Prince. Two upper-tier, one lower-tier.
Camilla's condition, however, was strange. Her Nen beast had vanished, and her state hovered between life and death—likely due to her ability, Million Cat. She no longer posed a threat to either Benjamin or Halkenburg.
Benjamin's full attention was now focused on Halkenburg. The Ninth Prince, who had once been hesitant, had grown more assertive after witnessing the deaths of so many other princes. Even so, compared to Benjamin, he remained cautious—his stance was purely defensive.
If nothing unexpected occurred, this tense balance would continue until only one remained.
But the Black Whale's sudden halt disrupted that equilibrium.
People began looking out of the windows. Their eyes lit up involuntarily.
"I see land!"
"We've arrived!"
"We're at the Dark Continent!"
In an instant, the atmosphere aboard the Black Whale shifted. The oppressive heaviness from the Succession War lifted. All eyes turned outward.
After such a long journey... after everything they had endured... they had finally reached the shore.
Some couldn't hold back their emotions and wept with joy, eyes brimming with tears.
Ron and his team reappeared aboard the Black Whale.
Nasubi emerged as well, but he no longer appeared youthful. He had returned to his older, familiar form.
No one noticed the change—except Ron.
"Disembark," Nasubi commanded.
Hundreds of hatches opened at once.
Small boats were already waiting below. People lined up along the staircases, boarding one after another. As soon as each boat was full, it pushed off toward the shore.
"So that's the Dark Continent?"
"I wonder how much treasure is waiting up there."
"I can't wait to see it."
Excited chatter filled the air.
But among them, a few more informed individuals offered explanations to those around them.
"This isn't the Dark Continent yet. This is the Gatekeeper's Land."
"To reach the real Dark Continent, you need to be led by the Gatekeeper. Without a guide, you'll get lost at sea. Only the Gatekeeper can show the way."
Some people looked disappointed, but others grew even more curious about these Gatekeepers.
Ron was one of them. He hadn't gathered much intel on the Gatekeepers, and now, his interest was piqued.
"We should go too," he said.
"Yes, Captain."
"Yes, Ron-nii."
The four of them boarded one of the small boats. As the horn sounded, it began to move.
A breeze swept past them. Compared to the air Ron had felt while fishing before, this wind felt much cleaner—fresher somehow.
............
......
.
"Father."
Benjamin, Camilla, and Halkenburg had all approached Nasubi.
He gave a slight nod. "Let's go together. From here on, continuing with the Black Whale would be inappropriate."
Halkenburg stared at his father's back, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he simply opened his mouth—and stayed silent.
The boat reached the shore.
Ron stepped onto the soil of the Gatekeeper's Land.
A crystal orb floated in front of him, and faint starlight began to converge around it, drawn in from all directions.
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