The two magical beast species had human-like builds but exceptionally developed skeletal structures, somewhat similar to Blue Shadow guarding the Great Wall gate.
However, Blue Shadow's striking feature was its ivory-like teeth, while these two magical beasts' skeletal development was mainly on their limbs, protruding like shark fins, quite numerous.
They wore little clothing, and about 80% of their bodies were covered in fur.
Their heads and faces seemed to incorporate symbols of various creatures fused together, finding no resemblance to humans. The language they used in conversation was also incomprehensible to humans from the Six Continents.
The magical beast with vaguely canine features raised its right hand. Nen surged and transformed into countless minute particles, dispersing around.
These particles formed from Nen could enhance the presence of scents and collect them.
The other magical beast had faintly leonine features, with abundant facial fur leaving little visible, only roughly discernible features.
After the canine magical beast released Nen particles, it looked down at its feet sinking into the swamp and coldly said, "The creature that replaced Hellbell... didn't expect it to be so weak."
The canine magical beast needed concentration to maintain its ability's operation. Hearing its companion, it gave no response.
"Left behind descendants?"
The lion magical beast's tone was slightly irritable, seeming to have discovered the egg nest a hundred meters directly below.
It stared down at the swamp, its gaze seemingly penetrating the hundred-meter mud layer, landing on the pulsating, nearly hatching eggs.
Three months, just about three months, and these eggs below would hatch and grow. Then, deadly threats would spread across the swamp.
By then, would outsiders simply take Nitro Rice so easily?
But it was too late. Before the eggs hatched and grew, the mature Nitro Rice had all been taken by outsiders.
'Those greedy outsiders from Lake Mobius... were warnings no use?'
Thinking this, the lion magical beast gritted its teeth, steam-like white smoke with warmth leaking from between its dense teeth.
'Indeed, change within the clan was necessary!'
'Why should we abide by rules and expend effort for 'stability' around Lake Mobius?
'Why should we maintain balance for humans who knew no better than life and death?'
Pale red Nen slowly flowed over the lion magical beast's body, like a stream creating ripples over its robust frame.
The canine magical beast sensed its companion's emotional fluctuations, just slightly shaking its head.
Several minutes passed. The released Nen particles returned, gathering in the canine magical beast's palm, like numerous tadpoles forming a sphere.
After a brief pause, the sphere merged into the canine magical beast's palm.
"Any results?" The lion magical beast looked at its companion. Having calmed, the pale red Nen ripples on its body slowly retracted.
The canine magical beast absorbed the Nen sphere formed by particles, obtaining the 'scent samples' left by Law's group. Hearing the lion magical beast's question, it looked northward and said, "Yes, they headed north."
"North? The Labyrinth City?"
"Possibly. After all, both here and there are places humans have repeatedly set foot."
"Chase them, then kill them," The lion magical beast immediately expressed a sharp killing intent.
"We lack that authority. Our duty is to relay the information back to the clan immediately," The canine magical beast said calmly.
"Tch."
The lion magical beast clenched its fist.
"The Plant Weapon Brion from the Ancient Labyrinth City is humanity's bane. Going there, they might not survive," The canine magical beast said.
The lion magical beast loosened its fist, nodding slightly.
Long ago, that place was once glorious for humans, one of the few truly worthy of being called human territory.
Until Brion invaded, the glorious city fell overnight.
In their view, that place was humanity's death ground.
The two magical beasts from the Gatekeeper Clan didn't pursue Law's group. Acknowledging their position, they returned to their clan's territory carrying the collected scent samples.
[True Sight Guard] and [Scent Samples] could constitute a 100% accurate locator.
The lion and canine magical beasts departed. The swamp returned to lifeless silence… no sound, no wind, no life fluctuations, except for pulsations a hundred meters below...
Humans knew nothing about the Gatekeeper Clan.
They didn't know the Gatekeeper Clan's purpose, nor how they obtained information on calamities and hopes.
Even more unknown was the Gatekeeper Clan's stance.
Why become humanity's guides? Why offer warnings when humans return?
So far, no human had solved this mystery.
Even Don Freecss, currently wandering the western Dark Continent, avoided the Gatekeeper Clan when possible.
…
Night fell, somewhere in the Dark Continent's Sea of Trees.
"Ah!"
A piercing scream echoed through the Sea of Trees, then fell silent.
Dense footsteps sounded around as figures covered in Nen darted swiftly among the trees.
Observing their numbers, there are at least several dozen.
They were the International Permit Agencies' combat personnel.
"What on earth was that?"
A suppressed, trembling voice came from the fleeing group.
"It's a grass ball! A grass ball that can roll with the wind!"
"Are you kidding? Have you seen a grass ball slice a living person into hundreds of pieces instantly?"
"Who the hell is joking now? I'm damn sure it's a grass ball! And only basketball-sized!"
"..."
"Whatever that thing is, we can't keep running blindly. We're getting further from the main group!"
"Not run? Do we have a choice?"
Just then, another terribly abrupt scream sounded behind the fleeing group.
Followed by the sound of a tree falling.
A Nen User at the group's rear, face full of terror, looked at teammates ahead and hissed, "Wait for me! Wait for me!"
But everyone fleeing had broken down mentally, so who would slow down? They hadn't even considered successfully reuniting with the main group.
Seeing teammates show no signs of slowing or stopping to help, the rearmost Nen User's eyes filled with deep darkness and despair.
That last scream was almost beside his ear.
'Would I... be that grass ball monster's next prey?'
Thinking this, the Nen User abruptly glanced back.
In the dark night, nothing was visible.
But he seemed to smell blood.
"No, I don't want to die like that!"
The Nen User turned forward, mustering all strength to speed up.
Suddenly, he realized the teammates ahead had all vanished.
"Where are they?"
His confusion arose, instantly switching to ultimate despair.
His running feet gradually slowed, then stopped completely, staring blankly at the scene ahead.
Faint moonlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating heads embedded in over a dozen surrounding trees.
The faces were exposed, while the other halves were embedded in the trees. The bodies below the heads were missing, and no bloodstains remained.
"What happened?"
The Nen User knelt despairingly.
'Just one turn of the head… what happened in that brief, silent moment?'
Then, a basketball-sized grass ball rolled swiftly across the ground, then, as if hitting a stone, shot towards the Nen User's back.
Still mid-air, the grass ball bloomed like a flower's stamen or a millipede's writhing limbs, passing directly through the Nen User's body.
A slight impact force instantly turned the Nen User's body into hundreds of fragments scattering.
Brain matter, facial features, flesh, bones, clothing… all scattered on the ground.