Just like Larry, Pyon hadn't expected to run into Satotz here. "I really didn't expect to see you two here," Satotz said with a sigh, clearly relieved to have found them.
It had been a while since Satotz last saw Larry and Pyon. Back then, Satotz was a hunter chasing fame, but his perspective changed after meeting Ging.
Now, he was no longer that kind of hunter but a more experienced member of the Hunter Association. He wasn't eligible to attend the recent New Top Five meeting, which was reserved for top representatives from various forces and star hunters within the Association.
Aside from seeing Larry on TV, the last time Satotz saw him was during the Hunter Exam last year. As for Pyon, it had been even longer since their last meeting.
The last time we met was during our trip to the Solvren ruins. Without any prior arrangement, the only reason we could cross paths in such a remote place had to be fate.
"Long time no see, Satotz," Larry said.
Like Pyon, Larry was just as surprised, he never expected to run into an old friend in a spot like this. Since coming to the world of full-time hunters, Larry hasn't made many close friends, but Pyon and Satotz were among the first he got to know. They've become some of his most genuine and caring companions.
Even though it's been over a year since they last met, the bond between them hasn't faded. Noticing that Satotz wasn't dressed in his usual attire and seemed a bit uneasy, Larry immediately asked, "Satotz, are you planning to go into the mine?"
At that moment, Satotz wore a dark blue miner's uniform with one or two white stripes, and a yellow miner's helmet that covered his curly purple hair. He carried a large brown mountaineering bag, and judging by the pickaxe head peeking out, it was filled with mining tools. His outfit was a typical miner's uniform, nothing unusual or out of place.
"Yeah, I've actually been at Kashi Mine Valley for about a month now," he said, nodding. He usually lived in nearby Yoshi City and had been here since Larry and the others arrived.
Suddenly, Pyon, standing nearby, chimed in, "Oh, I remember now, Satotz's classification among relic hunters mainly focuses on fossil research!"
It turned out that relic hunters were a broad group that could be broken down into smaller specialties, and studying fossils was one of those fields. As a relic hunter, Satotz specialized in fossil research and relic restoration.
"That's right," Satotz confirmed. "Studying fossils is one of my hobbies. I spend a lot of time on Yoshi Island every year."
He explained that he came to Kashi Mine Valley this time after hearing about some strange white bone fossils that had been found.
Yoshi Island was known for its abundance of fossils across the six continents, making it a place Satotz visited often. In fact, he owned three or four properties across the island to make it easier to travel to different mine valleys.
For the past month, he had been staying in a house he bought in Yoshi City, going out during the day and coming back at night. Occasionally, he would spend the night in the mine valley but didn't do so every day.
"So that's why," Larry said, finally understanding. "No wonder I ran into you here, Satotz."
They were both here for similar reasons, though Satotz didn't yet know the full story. The white bone fossils Satotz was interested in were the same as the claw bones Larry's group had uncovered the day before, both were results of the mysterious influence of the Dark Sonata. In a way, it was the Dark Sonata that had brought them all together.
At the entrance of the mining valley, there were a few shops selling easy-to-carry food and mining tools. Just then, Satotz stepped out of one of the shops and noticed two people admiring the view of the valley.
"Seeing this really brings back memories, three people gathered together like this," Pyon said with a sigh, clearly touched by the familiar scene.
"Yeah, the last time it was like this was at the Solvren Ruins. That's when we first met Mr. Larry," Satotz added, stroking his curly moustache thoughtfully as his eyes drifted off. He was recalling their experiences at the Solvren Ruins, where he and Pyon had met Larry and were stunned by his ability to erase thoughts.
They had also encountered Water Glaze, one of the Seven Beauties, and even faced the wrath and jealousy of the S-level criminal group known as the Seven Deadly Sins. Luckily, with Mr. Larry there, they all made it through safely.
In fact, Satotz still considered Larry their savior, which is why he always used honorifics when speaking to him. Etiquette was very important to Satotz, especially when addressing people like Netero or Larry.
"Yes, the last time the three of us were together like this was when we first met at the Solvren Ruins," Larry said slowly, looking at Pyon and Satotz. None of them had expected to meet here again.
After a moment, Satotz's curiosity got the better of him and he asked, "By the way, what brings you here? Is it because of the strange fossils that have been showing up recently?"
Larry and Pyon's casual clothes stood out sharply compared to the others nearby, who were either dressed in miner's gear or archaeologist outfits, fully prepared for a dig. Larry and Pyon looked more like tourists than people on a mission.
"Well, yes and no," they replied, exchanging a glance that left Satotz puzzled.
"We actually came here looking for the origin of those strange bone fossils," Larry explained, surprising Satotz.
"Satotz, have you dug up any fossils like that recently?" Larry asked, ready to reveal the truth behind their visit.
"Yes, it's in my backpack," Satotz nodded, setting the bag down behind him before pulling out a wooden box. Inside, there was a long bone, surprisingly white, much like the claw bone they had seen earlier.
"You might find this hard to believe, but there's a very faint layer of death aura on it," Larry said, using his Gyo ability to examine the bone. Sure enough, the death aura was definitely there.
"There's death aura?" Satotz's eyes widened in surprise, and even his two curly mustaches twitched slightly.
Though his own strength was somewhat limited and his Gyo wasn't strong enough to detect such faint death auras, he trusted Larry's words completely. After all, Larry was known as the World's Strongest Exorcist, so if he said there was death aura on it, there had to be.
At that moment, Satotz began to understand that the unusual nature of this bone fossil was likely connected to the death aura it carried.
"Satotz, do you know how this strange bone fossil was formed?" Larry asked.
Satotz shook his head.
"From what Pyon and I have explored, these special changes in the skeleton are probably Linked to Dark Sonata," Larry said solemnly, staring at the fossil in the box.