Hunter X Hunter: Grounded

Chapter 53




Title: Dark Continent...



….
Nobunaga starts pulling out his sword as Machi's murderous intent descends upon the area. "Heh, I knew it." 



Then he puts his sword back on its sheath and shrugs. "Oh, well, it isn't like our organization requires eternal allegiance when you join us."



Machi's murderous aura also calms down and recedes back into her body.

"As if I would say something like that!" Immediately Nobunaga pulls out his sword. 

Fwish!


Bang!


Machi blocks his slash with her strings and looks at him with cold eyes. But a smirk slowly appears on her face. "You sure you wanna fight me Nobunaga."



"Tch!" He just jumps back in annoyance and puts his sword back in its sheath. "Who thought a woman like you would fall for a kid. You sure have some criminal tastes."


"I think you are misunderstanding something here you sword retard. I don't hold any romantic feelings towards Sub."


"Really now? So you didn't experiment youthfully with the kid when you were both younger?"


*sigh* "Think whatever you like. But, I won't betray the Phantom Troupe."




"Then that is all I needed to hear." Says Nobunaga. 'She made me nervous for a second there.'




…
…
…
Like so, three whole years come to pass. In a remote island, with no civilization in sight. A giant ship, that seems more medieval due to having sails and having most of her components made out of wood. 


The sail and ropes in the ship seemed to almost move by themselves. 


Onboard the ships were dozens of people wearing armor. Only the one standing on the front wasn't wearing anything except a suit. That is Sub, unlike years ago, he is now more buff and his muscles are pronounced even though he is wearing a suit.



From the island a dark figure jumps on board, it is Karla. Her eyes staring at Sub and she smirks. She too has grown up and for a teen girl, she had curves.


"Did you find what you were looking for?" Sub asks with a smirk on his face. 


Karla nods, her eyes shining in excitement. "Are we gonna go now?"


Sub nods, his face returning to its nonchalant look. "Yes… we are going to the Dark Continent." 


They had both been planning for this for as long as Karla could remember. So she was excited. But that is all because she doesn't understand what hell hole they are going into. Sub understood that she can't comprehend it even if he explains all that to her. 


He is nervous as hell at this, they are going in a place that he has no idea how it might be. They are planning to go to the North shore of Lake Mobius. Due to feeling nervous Sub's aura explodes out of his body. The whole ship shakes at this, Karla has an amazing look at this. Though she has seen it countless times, his golden aura flows like water around his body. Countless years of training have pushed Sub to reach a level where the number of Nen users who are better than him can be counted in one hand and even then he would have some fingers left over. 


Karla who now had grown into a beautiful young girl felt as if her body was being pierced by thousands of needles due to Sub's aura. In the end, this feeling only lasts for a split second as he stops it. 


"Let's go." Sub says casually, a small smirk on his face. 'I have done everything I could. Training can only take one so far, I too have my limit. So I must go further.'


"Set sail!" Orders Karla, and immediately some nameless person under her control uses his Hatsu to move the flying giant medieval ship. 



…
…
So in the journey to the Dark Continent began. Nothing happened during the road, as another person used his Hatsu to turn the ship invisible and another one to remove any sound and scent coming from the ship. It was the perfect combination of people that Sub had painstakingly gathered just for this. Fighting anywhere, either in the sky or water, fighting any creatures who have advantages in there would be bad. It could end the journey before it even began. 



Thankfully, everything went according to plan, at least till now as while Sub is meditating on the hull of the ship. He opens his eyes, he sees a bird far away charging at them. 



…
-Sub POV-


Seeing the bird, it looks like some kind of flying ostrich. But once I comprehend its size, a chill runs down my heart. Any plane in the world doesn't compare to it, it has the size of at least three giant mountains over. 


It is not after us, more like it doesn't even see us, so it will destroy us without even meaning to. It is just flying about, though I still can't see land. This is a creature from the Dark Continent, so we must be close. Due to its giant size we aren't fast to dodge it, it is also fast and within twenty seconds will reach us. 


But I swallow my salvia in fear, all the Nen in the world would be useless against it. Meruem? Even he would be seen trash in front of this creature, even Post Nuke, it wouldn't be able to do anything to this monster. Just its pure size is giving it such a thing, just how thick must its skin be? Every feather is like a hill…


"Karla, go transparent!" I yell at her, immediately I feel a suction force suck me and the ship into a black hole. 


Immediately I am transported in a dark liquid hitting against the ship, nothing is around us. This is a Hatsu of one of the seventy people on this ship. <Hide and Seek>... though we will have to return to the same place in the real world eight hours later and won't be able to use the same ability for one month. I had planned for a lot of stuff just in case, but damn, I haven't even seen the Dark Continent, and I am already having to use some of my trump cards. 


Well, I have made the perfect crew to explore this place with. But I would be lying if I said that I am more than 50% confident of returning alive. I had terrifying expectations, but seeing them for myself is different. I have already felt fear without even entering the damn place.


Still, I must prepare myself just in case. These creatures don't need Nen to squash me to paste, like humans would crush a bug. 



….
Eight hours later, Karla and many people are on the deck of the ship. 


*Fwom*


As soon as we are on the outside, I see that we are surrounded by wasps, all as big as skyscrapers, there were hundreds, possibly thousands of them. I couldn't even see the sun, it seemed as if night had come around in the middle of the day.


When we appear, they all turn towards us. We can't win at all… even defeating one of these will be an impossible task.


"Karla!!" I yell out, immediately a translucent barrier surrounds us. 


*Vwom*


The scenery around us changes, this ability is <Exchange> one of the people here sacrifices one month of life span for every kilometer that we teleport away. 

The nameless person had used over one year of lifespan and had collapsed due to exhaustion. 


I can't see the bees any longer, I look around and only see the clear sky with the ocean below the ship. I almost breathed a sigh of relief. When a sweet melodic sound starts playing..


"Hm~ Hm~ Hmmm~" It was a soft and sweet voice, it almost made me want to fall asleep. 


Well, a little sleep wouldn't be bad. After all, everyone will eventually die. Why stress myself so much to live… life is just a stressful endeavor. Everything is just so worrying about... everything… maybe... if I just gave up... I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

Hm? Why do my thoughts feel so sluggish? Well, it doesn't matter. Once I die everything will be gone.


#Yes, why don't you just die Clark#


A chill runs down my spine as I hear that voice call me with a name that no one in this world should know about. My true name… how would someone know that? Well… it doesn't matter, once I die I won't have to worry about this.



….
A/N: Now we will see some of the terrifying creatures of the Dark Continent...