After making their decision, Kevin and Gawain quickly packed their belongings and left the place without hesitation. Kevin carried a small birdcage and embarked on the journey back.
"Come, come here~" The voice sounded again. Kevin felt somewhat helpless. Although he was gradually getting used to it, the voice sounding in his ear precisely once every hour was simply too 'dedicated'.
As they continued to walk back, the [Come Here Voice] in their ears grew stronger, and its frequency increased, no longer once every hour but shortening to once every five minutes. After the two passed through a forest, the [Come Here Voice] was echoing in their ears non-stop, severely interfering with Kevin's perception of his surroundings. He frowned, standing at the edge of the forest. The change in this voice was clearly wrong; something was approaching.
"What's wrong?" Gawain remained vigilant and asked.
"The [Come Here Voice] is getting more frequent." The intelligence they had obtained about the Secret Realm only mentioned the existence of this voice, but did not explain what the change in voice meant. Therefore, when the voice in his ear became continuous, Kevin had a premonition that trouble was imminent.
"Run!" A sense of crisis surged in his heart, and Kevin shouted without hesitation. The two immediately dashed out, fleeing desperately outward. A chilling aura surged behind them, spreading like the tendrils of a shadow.
"Resentment." Kevin muttered to himself. "This is truly baffling. Why would Post-mortem Nen cling to me?" Though he wouldn't claim to have a deep understanding of Post-mortem Nen, he knew the basic knowledge. Typically, Post-mortem Nen usually has target criteria and is closely related to the deceased's unwillingness and thoughts during their life. This [Come Here Voice] had existed in this Secret Realm for who knows how many years. It probably appeared ever since the villagers were sealed here and could no longer leave. Over the years, many Hunters had come and gone, so why did it specifically target him? Moreover, it suddenly changed at this moment. Kevin really couldn't understand.
"Wait." Kevin suddenly sensed something, stopped running, and turned his head to look behind him. Invisible tendrils of resentment instantly wrapped around his body, but Kevin didn't care about it. Gawain also stopped, but he didn't feel any resentment. After all, he had never had this experience, and training didn't cover this aspect.
The two looked together toward the edge of the forest they had just left, but saw nothing. However, after being entangled by the resentment, Kevin could vaguely see a pitch-black figure. The voice in his ear grew louder.
"He's calling me over. Do you think I should go?" Kevin suddenly turned to ask Gawain beside him. Hearing this strange question, Gawain's knightly politeness was almost impossible to maintain. He looked at Kevin as if he were an idiot. Did he even need to ask?
"Alright, it seems you also think I shouldn't go over." Kevin complained helplessly. A perfectly good Secret Realm exploration and material gathering trip had been forcibly turned into a horror story. How did it become like this? He really couldn't figure out why he was the one encountering this. Of course, he also had to admit that he was indeed a little different.
However, looking at the pitch-black figure formed by resentment, it vaguely seemed not to intend to chase after him, but just stood quietly at the edge of the forest, as if staring intently at him.
"Forget it, let's go back first," Kevin said. Gawain nodded.
The two turned around and walked back. The moment Kevin turned his head, the tendrils of resentment that had been wrapped around him disappeared, which made Kevin feel very strange. Because this behavior gave the illusion that the other party was showing goodwill, as if saying that if he didn't want to go over, then so be it. It was quite human-like, and quite respectful.
"This damned place has so many secrets." Kevin muttered a couple of sentences in a low voice, and then the two quickened their pace.
At night, they finally saw the signpost marking the village boundary. Stepping over the signpost and entering the village, the familiar slightly chilly sensation in the air made Kevin feel at ease. In this place where resentment permeated everywhere, he actually felt a sense of returning home at this moment.
The old man shaped like a drawn bow was sitting inside his camp, sipping his wine slightly. Perhaps because he was drunk, when he saw Kevin and Gawain, he wasn't as irritable as before. Under the moonlight, his slightly flushed face and drunken smile could be seen. The old man raised his wine flask and gestured toward them, as if to toast them.
It was already late, and there were few villagers on the street. The two went straight back to the inn. Hearing someone enter, Bian Locke, who was dozing at the counter, raised his head.
"It's you two. I thought you weren't coming back." Including the day they set off, the two had been out for a full six days this time. This Secret Realm wasn't actually as large as imagined. Generally speaking, three or four days of exploration outside was the limit.
"We ran into something and were delayed." Kevin waved his hand casually and said. Bian Locke nodded. "You two don't smell very good."
"Indeed, it's impolite." Gawain looked at himself, nodded silently, and then stepped toward the stairs to go upstairs. Kevin also waved his hand and followed him upstairs. After spending so many days outside, they were indeed a bit disheveled. It was time to get cleaned up properly. Though they could have cleaned up by the river, how should I put it—the environment in the Secret Realm was quite dangerous. No matter how lazy they were, they wouldn't be that lazy.
"Kevin?" Menchi's voice came from outside the door.
"It's me."
"You're finally back. I thought you'd die out there."
"Don't say such inauspicious things."
"Are you injured?"
"No, don't you know my potions?"
"Alright then." The voice at the door gradually faded away.
By the time Kevin and Gawain finished their showers and came out, Buhara and Menchi had already been waiting in the living room for a while. There was also a late-night snack on the table. That was great.
Kevin walked over with a smile, picked up the late-night snack, and started eating, saying, "It's really delicious. Without you guys around, eating feels like something is missing." However, neither of them paid attention to him. Their eyes were fixed on the small cage hanging on the nearby coat rack. The captured Red Finch was currently sleeping soundly, finally quiet after a day of commotion.
"This thing... it's a Red Finch, right?" Menchi had seen relevant information and recognized the Red Finch. Kevin nodded.
"This little guy gave us a lot of trouble. It took a great effort to catch this one." Gawain, who was eating the late-night snack beside him, also nodded in agreement. It really was a great effort.
"I didn't expect it to be so cute."
"What a pity, this thing doesn't taste good." Buhara muttered to himself. And even if it tasted good, it was too small, not even enough to fill a gap between his teeth.
Though Red Finches were once bred, they were not used for consumption. In fact, Red Finches and [Blaze Fruit] have a symbiotic relationship. The Red Finch's droppings and its unique habits help the [Blaze Fruit] grow vigorously and produce fruits of better quality. When Red Finches eat this fruit, they can increase their body temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster their speed and the stronger the impact force during attacks, thereby protecting the entire ecological environment of the Red Maple Forest. In the past, Traveling Chefs simulated such an environment.
From the literature Kevin had previously consulted, it was known that they could harvest a batch of high-quality fruits every year through this method and use superb processing techniques to make them into top-grade seasonings. At that time, they would catch all the Red Finches during a specific season each year, pick the fruits, keep a certain number, and then release the Red Finches back. After two or three years of such cycles, the speed and impact force of the Red Finches would significantly decrease. This way, except for the first few troublesome years, catching Red Finches and picking fruits would no longer be difficult afterward. Of course, this definitely affected the growth of the Red Finches, but what they wanted was the fruit, not the Red Finches, so they naturally didn't care about this.
But for Kevin, the Red Finch was the priority. However, no one had used this method of processing for hundreds of years, so naturally, the Red Finches had returned to their optimal state.
"So this little bird is the material you need?" Kevin nodded.
"The fruit is also a material I need." He specifically emphasized. Menchi pursed her lips.
"When the potion formulation is right later, I'll definitely go catch a few more. Let's go together then," Kevin said. He had already gained some experience in determining which potions were likely to be learned by him after being made, and which materials were compatible, allowing him to make deductions.
"Is this bird difficult to catch?" Buhara asked curiously. After all, they had been out for so long, clearly encountering considerable trouble. Moreover, they had some understanding of Kevin's strength, and for Kevin to find it troublesome, the Red Finch must not be simple.
Kevin nodded. "It's indeed very difficult. You'll know when the time comes; it will definitely bring you a surprise."
"It seems it's not that simple." Buhara patted his head. Hearing this, Menchi couldn't help but feel a surge of competitiveness.
"Alright, tell me, how have you been in the village these past few days?" Kevin asked. It had been several days since they left the village, after all. Surely they weren't the only ones who had gained something.
Hearing this question, Menchi just shrugged. "Quite ordinary. Every day we just follow the teachers we've chosen and learn their skills. Honestly, they've held almost nothing back, teaching us all their techniques."
Hearing this, Buhara added, "Because they are trapped here and cannot leave, and fewer and fewer people in the village are willing to be chefs. Isn't Uncle Robur's son always arguing with his father? Looking at that stance, he doesn't want to inherit his father's skills at all."
"You mean that annoying brat—he is indeed irritating." Menchi slightly agreed.
Listening to their conversation, Kevin roughly understood the reason. Simply put, this village was not only the home of chefs but also a gathering place for Nen users. However, they were cursed and could not leave the village.
These chefs upheld the philosophy of passing down skills from generation to generation. Like the former Traveling Chefs, they welcomed anyone who wanted to learn skills, were happy to exchange, discuss, and share, hoping to progress together. It was precisely because of this that the village attracted people of various races from all corners of the world. Chefs who returned here after learning skills would leave behind their deeper understanding and insights. Therefore, they held an open attitude toward skill inheritance.
But after the village was sealed off, the chefs who held these philosophies began to feel anxious. Therefore, they taught their skills to visiting Hunters without reservation, not wanting their techniques to be forever sealed here with the village's closure. Though some Hunters later brought in external techniques and ideas, due to the village being too isolated, the techniques here gradually stagnated and stopped developing.
"Is there no way to lift the curse on them?" Gawain couldn't help asking from the side. He didn't know much about this aspect, so he wanted to hear their opinions on the matter. After all, he had been learning Nen ability for less than a year and hadn't truly mastered the six types and more advanced applications. Moreover, he felt that since it was called a [Curse], there should be a way to lift it, right?
Menchi tilted her head. "Generally speaking, these so-called curses are just restrictions imposed by Nen ability. You can see it as a form of restriction and pledge, just with an expanded scope and limited by bloodline."
Buhara sat aside and said with frustration, "Though that's the theory, in reality, I've never heard of such a curse targeting an entire group. The target is not a single individual, but the entire group. The scope is so vast, it's hard to imagine how such conditions were met in the first place, and what price was paid." Though Nen ability was not strictly equal exchange, to gain something, one must inevitably pay a price.
"Under normal circumstances, if an individual is cursed, usually finding a Nen Remover can solve the problem," Menchi said.
"Nen Remover?" Gawain looked curious. It was the first time he had heard this term.
Menchi nodded and briefly explained, "Some Nen users' Nen abilities are very troublesome and will remain attached to the target after certain conditions are met. In this situation, the affected target needs to find a way to remove this Nen ability. But if the Nen ability was imposed by an enemy, the other party certainly won't help lift it, so you need a Nen Remover to assist in removing the attached Nen ability. To some extent, various problems caused by Nen ability, such as curses and prices, are within the scope of a Nen Remover's work."
Gawain nodded slightly, roughly understanding the meaning.
"But Nen Removers are also people, and their abilities have limits." Buhara said, spreading his hands helplessly. The implication was clear: this was a curse targeting an entire ethnic group, and it was obviously not something any random Nen Remover could easily solve.
"So, if you just want to free a specific person from the curse's restrictions here, it's actually feasible," Kevin suddenly said with a smile. As soon as the words left his mouth, Kevin realized. He thought of Bian Locke. If he had enough wealth, could he commission the Hunter Association to remove the curse for someone? It should be possible. This was essentially an ordinary transaction, just requiring a huge sum of money. And the people in the village had limited ways to earn money, and not everyone necessarily knew this method.
In Kevin's opinion, if everyone in the village knew about this, it likely wouldn't lead to anything good. But there must be some people who knew about such channels and were working toward it. Bian Locke was likely one of them. Of course, this was just Kevin's speculation, and he had no interest in inquiring, as it was neither polite nor meaningful.
Clearly, it wasn't just Kevin who thought of this point; Menchi and Buhara also did.
"Based on my understanding of Nen ability, there should actually be other ways to lift the curse," Kevin suddenly said with a smile. The others all turned to look at him.
"First, we need to determine how this curse was formed. Was it a curse imposed on a group by a specific individual, or a curse triggered by some Post-mortem Nen?" Kevin said, holding up two fingers. "If it's the former, then this curse must have corresponding conditions, and perhaps it can be lifted directly by fulfilling these conditions."
Gawain frowned slightly and said, "That possibility should be very low, right? After all, hundreds of years have passed."
"I didn't say this individual was necessarily a person," Kevin responded with a smile.
"What did you find when you went out this time?" Menchi pressed.
Kevin shook his head. "I'm just discussing possibilities. Everything needs to be considered thoroughly. It doesn't mean I found anything." Hearing this, Menchi couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
"The second situation is Post-mortem Nen. I'm relatively familiar with this aspect and have some understanding. If the resentment is strong enough, or the deceased's strength was strong enough before death, and appropriate restrictions and pledges were made, it is possible to impose a curse on an ethnic group."
Hearing this, Buhara nodded slightly and said, "In this situation, we only need to find the carrier of the Post-mortem Nen, and perform Nen removal on it to solve the problem, right?" Kevin nodded in agreement. This was indeed a method that went straight to the core of the problem. Though it was equally difficult to implement and might not successfully remove the curse, compared to performing Nen removal on each individual of the entire ethnic group, this method was clearly a bit easier.
"It sounds full of difficulties. No wonder no one has been able to solve the village's problem for hundreds of years." Menchi sighed. Though they didn't immediately have a solution, a little thought made it clear how difficult this task was.
At this moment, Buhara said with a smile, "Haven't you always wanted to achieve a great feat? If you can solve this problem, you will definitely become a Hunter." Such a feat would indeed be enough for Menchi to earn the title of a Hunter.
Who knew Menchi rolled her eyes. "That doesn't appeal to me at all." After speaking, she no longer paid attention to the topic.
Menchi looked at Kevin and asked, "You just came back. You won't be leaving immediately in the next few days, will you?"
Kevin nodded. "Not that fast. We'll definitely stay in the village for a few days." His main goal was to try refining potions. The [Red Finch] and [Blaze Fruit] were undoubtedly excellent companion materials. Now he needed to find a suitable emulsifier, and also wanted to consult some literature.