Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 497 (Patreon)

Chapter 497: Return

Sky Arena’s 200th floor was the pinnacle of Tonpa's life, without exception.

Unfortunately, before he could savor the thrill of this status, he was dragged away by Luo.

After bidding farewell to Killua and Yun Gu, the three of them left Sky Arena in a car heading towards the airport.

The trial at Sky Arena was over, but it would take at least three more months for Elly’s ship to be completed.

To continue honing Tonpa's nen and mastering maritime skills, Luo first borrowed a ship named "Babylon" from Elly in La Xiang City, prepared enough supplies, and set sail from La Xiang City's port towards the Peter Continent across the sea.

The Amarlo Jungle was where Luo first met Tonpa and where they would continue training.

The sky was clear, with white figures swiftly passing by in the sea and sky.

White phosphorescence rippled on the sea surface as the ship broke through the waves, turning into white splashes.

Luo and the black cat steered in the captain's cabin, with a mountain of books piled in a corner of the control panel.

Starting from any point on the six continents, it took at least three weeks to sail out of the world's mapped oceans.

In other words, three weeks of sailing would only reach the boundary between the world's oceans and the Dark Sea, where there was a continental plate called the Imaginary Continent. Currently, humans controlled a part of it, with a refueling base on the continent.

After three weeks to the Imaginary Continent, it would take at least five more weeks to reach the Dark Continent.

If the voyage went smoothly, they could reach the Dark Continent's coastline in eight to ten weeks.

Compared to the sea route, the air route was faster and more efficient.

However, humans could only reach the Dark Continent by sea, as the skies of the Dark Sea were even more terrifying than the ocean.

Storms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms could occur in an instant.

The climatic conditions alone were not enough to deter humans from attempting the air route. The sky’s biggest threat was the competition among various gigantic flying creatures.

Just as land and sea creatures had territorial concepts, so did those in the sky.

In the airspace contested by numerous giant flying creatures, taking the air route meant putting oneself on a cliff's edge with no retreat.

Beyond avoiding potential climate and biological threats, navigation skills were crucial for a journey lasting around ten weeks.

While teaching and honing Tonpa's nen abilities, Luo and the black cat were also learning maritime skills. This voyage from La Xiang City to the Peter Continent was a practice run.

As for fuel and supplies, they were not an issue, with the pioneers' experiences as references and only three people on board. They didn’t even need to refuel at the Imaginary Continent after three weeks of sailing.

A week later, the Babylon docked in an inner bay of the Peter Continent.

The three disembarked, passing through the bamboo house area built on the inner bay’s water, heading straight towards the forest, the Amarlo Jungle.

Tonpa knew they were coming to the Amarlo Jungle before setting sail, so he wasn't surprised. However, once inside, his feelings became complex.

He had first encountered Luo during a hunter test here, initially viewing Luo as a prey, only to be beaten by him.

This wasn’t the end. Nearly every year after, he would meet Luo in the tests.

One thing Tonpa never understood was why Luo participated in the tests every year, saved so many examinees, and why he targeted him each year.

Reflecting on it now, surviving was a blessing, and he didn't know whether to thank or curse Luo for bringing him this far.

Upon entering the Amarlo Jungle, Luo’s first act was to throw Tonpa into the most dangerous area.

Years ago, the hunter test site was just a corner of the Amarlo Jungle; the truly dangerous area was the forest center. Luo considered the most dangerous spot to be the legendary Golden Lake.

The training continued.

Tonpa again plunged into rigorous training, with no assistance from Luo, who explicitly told him he wouldn't save him if he was in mortal danger.

Understanding Luo wasn’t joking, Tonpa utilized his developed nen to preemptively avoid creatures posing fatal threats.

The Amarlo Jungle was full of creatures skilled in ambush, stealth, and patience, often leaving people dead without knowing what happened.

However, these terrifying creatures, with exceptional concealment skills, had no place to hide from Tonpa, who carefully avoided them.

Tonpa's type was Transmuter, and his nen ability was named "Foreseeing the Future." Though it didn't genuinely foresee the future, the name perhaps satisfied his vanity.

He could transform his aura into something akin to ultrasound, surpassing it in functionality, used for detection, providing more comprehensive results than En.

The dispersed aura was omnidirectional, even penetrating the ground, continually sending information to Tonpa.

Tonpa didn't need to process this information consciously; it autonomously formed vague danger signals, helping him avoid dangers before they became clear.

In broader terms, it was akin to a premonition.

In Luo's view, though Tonpa’s combat power was weak, his nen had a miraculous effect in detection, suitable for unknown and extremely dangerous environments.

Placing Tonpa in a dangerous area not only honed his nen but might also help him develop extended functions.

The first day ended quickly, with Tonpa returning unscathed to the temporary camp by the Golden Lake.

There were too many ground beasts, so Luo built three treehouses in tall trees as their future residence.

"Follow me."

At dusk, Luo led Tonpa to the lakeside.

[En]

Approaching the lake, Luo used En, scanning the lake slowly. After confirming it was safe, he stood by the lake.

Tonpa, unsure of Luo's intentions, stood beside him.

"Use your nen to probe the lake," Luo instructed, glancing at Tonpa.

The lake was deep; the black cat had dived once but retreated due to poor lighting without encountering the giant tentacle monster Luo had previously faced, so he wanted to test Tonpa's nen.

Tonpa complied, converting his aura and quickly penetrating the lakebed.

After a while, Luo asked, "Any octopus-like creatures?"

"No," Tonpa replied.

Hearing this, Luo was quite surprised.

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