Of course, even if the gatekeeper Crow were to actually appear before Morin, he wouldn't be afraid. In fact, Morin would eagerly welco him here, making sure Crow experiences the full extent of human hospitality!
The executives of V5 stared blankly at the scene before them. Then, once again, they exchanged glances. A complex, bitter smile appeared on their faces. Perhaps in the entire world, only this toolmaker Morin would dare to be so bold and reckless, right?
No, maybe the forr Netero and the current Ging Freecss also had such courage. However, the forr had grown old and cautious, while the latter was wise enough to avoid conflict with the gatekeepers. So, the only one daring enough to confront a gatekeeper head-on was Morin.
They admired Morin's courage, but his stance was undoubtedly fueling the gatekeeper's anger. "You're courting death!!" As expected, Crow erupted in fury. An astonishing aura of Nen gathered around him instantly. With such formidable power, he would certainly be a top-notch fighter on the Six Continents.
彳,???
"Futile rage, barking mad dog," Morin remarked, unfazed, uttering these five words lightly. Although Crow hadn't heard these words before, the inherent intelligence of the magical beast clan allowed him to instantly grasp the full disdain in Morin's words. Unable to endure it any longer, he raised his Nen-infused claw high!
Just as his claw was about to strike the crystal ball, a deep red claw grasped his arm. "What are you doing?!" The gatekeeper counterpart holding Crow's arm spoke in a deep voice. "This shaless human shows us no respect or courtesy!!" Crow growled in anger, "I told you, there's no need for us to re-establish contact with them!!" "It would be better to shatter the crystal ball and sever all ties with them!!"
He continued to seethe, his Nen surging around him. "I understand your reasoning," the red-haired gatekeeper nodded, "but this crystal ball is mine." Crow: "??????"
"Don't let this human's few words cloud your judgnt and make you lose your rationality." The red-haired gatekeeper remained calm and rational: "Breaking the crystal ball isn't a big deal, but doing so might just play into this human's hands!" He coldly stated, "This human before us is clearly not on the sa side as the humans we've been in contact with before. His words might be an attempt to sever our connection, aligning with his intentions."
"If you act rashly without understanding the situation, you might end up amusing him even more." The red-haired gatekeeper spoke slowly, each word clear and deliberate. "Is that so..." Crow suddenly realized, his eyes blazing as he looked at the crystal ball: "Is that what you're thinking?!"
The anger and disdain on his face deepened, "I have to say, your sches are quite sinister. You truly are a human who only knows how to play petty tricks, with such intentions. But we've seen through you; trying to sever ties by provoking us?! Crow sneered, "Dream on!!"
Morin: "This gatekeeper doesn't seem very bright, does he?" No, rather than being unintelligent, it seems he's overthinking things. Morin was genuinely just mocking them, without any ulterior motives. He hadn't expected them to interpret his words with such deep anings.
"We won't just cut off contact with you; we'll continue to fulfill the previous agreent!!" Crow's unpleasant face twisted into a self-satisfied smile: "Chira Ants, is it? Just you wait!!" With that, he vanished, his destination unknown.
Hmm, an impatient and simple-minded fool. Morin thought expressionlessly, then watched as the red-haired gatekeeper approached. "I can see you're different from those people," he said in a deep voice. "You're very strong, perhaps the strongest human I've ever seen." As he spoke, his eyes showed a hint of apprehension as he stared at Morin.
"What's your na?" Morin didn't respond directly but instead asked a question in return.
---
"You can call Akayan," the red-furred Akayan introduced himself with a peculiar na. "Human, you are also an explorer with aspirations for the Dark Continent, aren't you?" he suddenly asked. "You don't need to deny it; I have the ability to discern such things. Otherwise, I wouldn't be the one liaising with you humans," Akayan said slowly.
"You're right. I have indeed set my sights on the Dark Continent," Morin admitted openly. "It won't be long before I set foot on that land." "From the way you speak, it seems you don't need the help of our gatekeeper clan," Akayan observed, staring at Morin on the screen. "I can tell from your eyes that you aren't soone who becos arrogant and reckless just because of your strength."
"You have the confidence to step onto the Dark Continent without our assistance. Although I don't understand why you have such confidence, it's likely related to your own abilities. However..." Akayan paused before continuing, "The Dark Continent is a thousand tis more terrifying than you can imagine!!"
"What you consider foolproof might appear insignificant and fragile, utterly vulnerable in the face of the Dark Continent!! We've witnessed too many tragic cases of humans, so with even more confident gazes than yours. Yet in the end, they still sleep eternally on that land."
If Morin hadn't confird he heard correctly, he might not have believed it. The gatekeeper, usually so proud and dismissive of humans, was actually offering him words of caution. "You don't need to look at like that," Akayan said calmly, seemingly aware of Morin's gaze. "We and humans have always kept to our own affairs, with no real interaction or friendship."
"At most, according to ancestral teachings, you offer considerable rewards, and we summon guides to lead you to the Dark Continent. That's the extent of our relationship," he explained, revealing information Morin didn't know. "Originally, this was beneficial for both sides. But unfortunately, you humans are too greedy, deceiving us more than once, leading to your poor reputation among our kind."
"And the reason Crow harbors such hostility towards you is because of the deception he faced during your last expedition," Akayan recounted. "From my understanding of humans, greed is endless. Perhaps, even without this incident, severing ties between us was inevitable."
"Because... our people believe that as you humans continue to venture to the Dark Continent, the 'calamities' you bring back increase, and it's becoming unsustainable. One day, without us doing anything, you humans will be overwheld by these 'calamities' brought on by your own greed. Your downfall is only a matter of ti; this is the consensus among our kind," Akayan explained matter-of-factly.
So, is that why your people speak so harshly, believing that humans are accumulating so many 'calamities' that they're nearing collapse? Realizing that humans are teetering on the brink of extinction, they indulge in unrestrained mockery... Morin began to understand why the gatekeepers, who once helped humans summon guides, suddenly harbored such animosity.
It's simply a matter of 'kicking soone when they're down.' Coupled with the past wrongdoings of humans and their frustration with the ancestral obligation to help humans, they've finally found an outlet for their grievances. Almost all the gatekeepers are mocking humans, except...
"You don't seem to hold such a strong bias against humans," Morin noted, looking at Akayan on the screen. "That's why I'm the one liaising with you humans," Akayan shrugged. "Since I gained consciousness, I've been rational. I base everything on logic and rules, not personal preference. That's why I can speak with you calmly, even if I find you quite rude."
"Sorry, but I believe respect is mutual," Morin replied calmly. "You all don't show the most basic respect to humans, treating them condescendingly. Yet, you expect humans to maintain courtesy and respect towards you."
"Isn't that a bit of a double standard, even...?" Morin looked into Akayan's eyes, "A bit shaless, don't you think?"
"This is a matter of differing perspectives," Akayan wasn't angered by Morin's words; he remained composed. "Our differing stances and viewpoints dictate our attitudes towards this matter. You're standing from a human perspective, while I'm standing from my clan's perspective. We're both seeking the best for our respective groups. It's not about right or wrong, as debating this is pointless."
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