The sea, seen for the first time. The knowledge was there, but seeing it in person made the scale incomparable. This sea seems to be called Lake Mobius, a giant saltwater lake surrounded by the Dark Continent. In the center of that lake, protected, lies the habitat of humanity.
It was an unbelievable concept. The continent where billions of people live is merely a small island, and the vast ocean surrounding that world is nothing more than a lake. Perhaps this Dark Continent itself is a small, insignificant world when viewed from the 'outside.' It felt like being in an expanse as vast as space.
But humanity definitely exists. Based on the tracks of the Sahelta Federation Expedition Team, it's safe to conclude this is Lake Mobius. Beyond this lake is the world of humans.
My goal, which had no outlook whatsoever, now seemed to take on a faint air of reality.
I began exploring the coastline. The first thing to check was the presence of dangerous creatures. Given the incident with the crab earlier, I couldn't let my guard down. I walked along the quiet beach, where only the sound of waves echoed.
Seaweed had washed up on the shore. It looked similar to kombu. Kombu is a type of seaweed rich in umami components, used to make broth. I wondered if it tasted good.
However, this kombu was a product of the Dark Sea Zone. It inspired a different kind of resistance than land plants. Just in case, I poked it with a cactus thorn created using 'Carbuncle (Cactus Armor)'.
Poke... poke...
Squish...
"Ugh..."
A slimy, transparent mucus oozed out. The viscous liquid, drawing threads as it flowed, gradually started to turn white and solidify into a jelly-like mass. It was a good thing I hadn't touched it with my bare hands.
Leaving the Slime Kelp aside, I composed myself and began to formulate a plan of action.
What was absolutely essential was a means of ocean travel. Not only a ship but also the necessary equipment for navigation: compasses, charts and maps, sailing skills, and securing a crew. The list was endless.
I knew most of these were currently unobtainable, but the sea I was about to cross was the Dark Sea Zone. Even if I prepared perfectly, there would be no guarantee of a safe voyage.
The sea near the human habitat is called the Human Territory Waters, and the area outside that is known as the Unexplored Waters—an unknown ocean that humanity has not yet conquered. Beyond that, past the Borderline Sea Zone, is the Dark Sea Zone. It goes without saying that the further out you go, the greater the danger.
Nevertheless, humans have succeeded in forming expedition teams and dispatching them to the Dark Continent. They must have found a relatively safe route for sailing. Not only do I need to acquire a ship, but navigation will be difficult without a guide who knows such a route.
I don't know where the Expedition Team landed, but it was probably a long time ago. No ship would be left behind now. I would search for one anyway, but I didn't hold out much hope. It seemed unlikely I would find any more clues.
Even if I were to build a ship myself, I have no shipbuilding knowledge. The best I could do is build a raft. Loading a little water and food onto a raft and heading out to sea would only result in drifting. How many days would the raft remain intact?
I concluded that self-rescue was impossible. Finding the Expedition Team's ship and hitching a ride on it was the only way to escape.
But what were the odds of meeting the Expedition Team's ship by chance in this vast ocean? It was merely an option that had more potential than drifting and being lost at sea.
With that in mind, I did have a plan. Instead of searching for a ship, I would search for a place where a ship could dock.
Due to the nature of the survey, a place to moor the ship for an extended period would be essential. Moreover, it would need to be a safe place, hidden from dangerous creatures, where the crew could rest. To complete a long voyage and transport a large number of personnel, the ship's equipment and size would have to be substantial. The conditions for a place large enough to dock such a ship would be quite limited.
Even if a civilian from the human continent wished to travel to the Dark Continent, it would require an enormous amount of funding and time to realize. Furthermore, even if their wish were granted and they managed to land, they would only be able to move under supervision within a very small area where safety was secured.
However, conversely, this meant that a safe zone was established on the Dark Continent. Such a place must exist somewhere. And there must be a port nearby where a ship can be moored.
If I investigate along the coastline, I will eventually reach it. I don't know how many years it will take, but if there is a goal, I can move forward without giving up. It wouldn't make much difference whether I stayed in one place waiting for a ship or walked while searching for one.
The choice I had to make was the direction to go. Left or right? This choice would drastically change the time it takes to reach the port. In some cases, it might result in an incredibly long detour.
That said, I had no way of knowing which was the correct answer, so I had to decide for myself. I seem to recall that in such a situation, Kurapika's Theory was applicable. When in doubt between right and left, I think it was better to choose right. I forgot the reason, though.
A single step to define the starting point for myself. That action would lead to a major discovery.
A small white object lay on the ground at my feet. It wouldn't have been surprising if I had overlooked it and walked past. I probably wouldn't have paid any attention, thinking it was a fragment of a seashell or something.
I picked up the small, round object, more than half buried in the sand. It was small enough to roll in the palm of my hand. I had knowledge of this exact thing from my past life.
This was a plastic bottle cap.
Had it drifted here from the Human Territory Waters? That seemed unlikely, and even if it had, it should have been worn down by the journey. There were no signs of that on this cap. It was pristine; the printed letters were still clearly legible.
Someone brought a plastic bottle to this vicinity and threw away the cap. Who was that someone?
A piece of trash washed up on the beach—the small white cap in my hand—looked like a priceless treasure.
I found the ship.
I scoured the nearby beach and arrived at a rocky area. A large ship was docked, hidden as if concealed in a hollow carved out by the waves.
I couldn't move from the spot.
A jumble of emotions tangled in my head, making it impossible to form a coherent thought. This was a problem that could not be solved even by using 'Thought Calculation'.
I knew that an Expedition Team had landed near this beach in the past. Therefore, there was a possibility that a safe travel route, even within the Dark Sea Zone, existed nearby. Of course, I had intended to search the surrounding area with that in mind.
However, in my heart, I had thought it was impossible to find anything. I was dominated by the preconception that 'I won't find anything like that.' I hadn't even harbored the self-protective feeling of 'If I expect a hopeful outcome, the disappointment will be great when it's not there,' because I simply didn't believe it.
But what did I find when I finally looked? Not only was a mooring spot found, but a ship was there, too. I still couldn't accept the reality of it.
In short, I hadn't prepared for this situation in the slightest. While I had set the goal of finding the Expedition Team's ship, what would I actually do after I found it? I had thought I would have plenty of time to consider it during the long journey.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A stroke of luck so great that if I missed it, there wouldn't be another. I might be able to escape from here. An opportunity I had thought was a distant dream was now right in front of me, close enough to reach out and touch.
I couldn't stand still. I wanted to rush out immediately and beg for rescue. I somehow managed to suppress that urge.
To humans, I am Chimera Ant, a threat with a danger rating of B. While that designation is limited to humanoid Chimera Ants, to them, I would likely look like a similar entity.
Even if my identity as a Chimera Ant wasn't discovered, simply being on the Dark Continent would make me suspicious. It would raise the question of 'Who are you?' I had no hostile intentions, but I couldn't know how they would perceive me. Even if I used every word to desperately appeal that I was harmless, would they believe me?
Or, should I secretly sneak onto the ship? The Expedition Team members are likely skilled Nen users, so it would be difficult to infiltrate while perfectly concealing my presence. Even if I succeeded in infiltrating, there's a high probability I'd be discovered during the voyage. If that happened, they would never trust me, even if I feigned friendship. It would undoubtedly lead to a fight.
In that case, what about just overpowering them? If the opponents are humans and Nen users, my power will have maximum effect. I would likely win with a high probability. I could use force to threaten and hijack the ship.
"I... can't."
However, I could not wholeheartedly affirm that feeling. Another 'me,' mixed deep within my psyche, was denying it.
That was the memory held by Luan. By inheriting his memory (data), I was able to learn how to operate the Suppression Program. Ninety-nine percent of that data was knowledge about the program, and his existence was not truly alive within me.
However, a small amount of extraneous information was attached to that data. While trapped in the Spring of Soul Water, his fervent wish had been to create a countermeasure against the virus. His driving principles stemmed from a hatred of the enemy, a selfish curiosity as a researcher, and a sense of mission to protect humanity from this virus and save his comrades.
The Suppression Program was information analyzed for the purpose of saving humanity. His will has taken root in me, the one who inherited that data. Standing before human beings, his dying wish, which remains within me, was once again highlighted.
However, this is not a strong enough constraint to force my will. It is merely a compulsion that I can overcome with my own resolve. If I find myself in a dangerous situation, or if I am forced to use the virus's power, I can still use it, even against humans. That should be true.
But is it permissible to unilaterally attack them at a stage where we haven't even attempted communication? If I resorted to such a forceful method, I would also need to kill all the crew members to destroy the evidence after arriving at the human continent. And after killing them, would I then blend into human society with an innocent face?
Is that the 'right' thing to do as a 'human'? From the perspective of the human species, I am clearly nothing but a Calamity (Risk). The reason I wanted to leave the Dark Continent was not just to escape to a safe place. It was to learn what kind of beings humans are and to live as a human.
The gap between the rational action deemed best for escape and the image of a human that has yet to be established within me. How could I bridge this gap? I ran 'Thought Calculation' at full capacity to find a conclusion.
Even with an unprecedented acceleration of thought, an answer did not emerge. If this were logical thinking in combat, I had done it countless times before. I could always derive an answer, even against a foe I seemingly couldn't beat. That is why I am alive here now.
I didn't know what to do. I was so close to leaving this continent. Yet, it felt as though the goal was receding. Quinn frantically scratched his head. His hair tore out and his scalp bled from the force, but he didn't care.
Let me calm down and think about this from a different perspective.
First, is the premise that I can easily overpower that ship correct? No matter how superior my ability is in a fight against Nen users, there is no absolute guarantee of victory. The diversity of Nen is so deep and its power so unfathomable.
Furthermore, I cannot operate the ship by myself. I would need to keep the minimum crew required for navigation alive and allow them to act without restraining them. That, too, is a significant risk.
From the human perspective, I am nothing but a Calamity, and they would surely think I must not be brought back to the human sphere of activity. They might scuttle the ship, even self-destructing, rather than allow me to bring about the extinction of their species. It cannot be said that they wouldn't resort to such means.
In addition, there is the possibility of them countering me not with Nen abilities but with weapons. The power of humans is not limited to Nen. Even humanoid Chimera Ants with the power to dominate humanity can be casually killed by the poison of chemical weapons. That scientific power is the greatest threat.
Dialogue is necessary after all. I must somehow convey that I seek a friendly relationship. To do that, simply talking won't be enough.
I looked at my item bag. Inside it was a Soulstone.
The reason the Expedition Team risked such great danger to visit the Dark Continent must be to acquire a Return (Hope). If so, wouldn't offering a Soulstone as compensation for passage smooth things over?
...No, even that isn't certain. In the end, their greatest concern is whether or not I am a dangerous entity. They will want the Return, but letting me on the ship is a separate issue. At the very least, handing it over won't earn me unconditional trust.
Winning their trust. That is the mission required of me. Success would be ideal. But if I fail...
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