My Researching Journey (HxH)

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Chapter 187: The Dark Ones Within The Dark

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Yasuo and Morena landed on a brown dry ground that went on for as far as the eyes can see. The air was humid and hot and life was rare in the surroundings.

A colossal mountain could be seen far away, possibly hundreds of miles away yet its astonishing size made it quite apparent and one can easily judge that the closer to the mountain the hotter it is.

The mountain is an active volcano ready to liberate itself to the world and a warning that approaching means death, living near it means death.

Yet here is Morena and Yasuo looking at the artifactual structures only a few miles away, one can easily conclude the buildings are made by the hands of intelligent beings.

Those intelligent beings appear to be humans as Yasuo and Morena both can see. Morena blinked as they appeared closer to the buildings only a hundred meters away.

About two dozens of buildings, some relatively small, and some are massive with numerous holes all over them.

That's what makes them look like buildings, in reality, they're just well-structured rocks the humans within modified to become suitable to live in.

Ladders could also be noticed all over the buildings, ladders of ropes. They are connected from the holes to the ground allowing the inhabitants to go in and out.

Just like how several other humans started climbing down the ladder while the rest already stood facing the unknown intruders.

Humans of all ages wearing what looks like a uniform of sorts, the same design but various colors though most are wearing a red one.

A clear design of a red sun was on their every outfit. A red shining sun surrounded by a circle. Aside from their clear scarlet eyes, they look like normal humans.

Yasuo started walking closer holding Morena's hand who also did the same. The clan similar to the Kurta clan didn't seem to be minding.

Instead, an old woman walked to the front of her people with a harmless smile on her face and waited for the strange and unexpected visitor to get near.

Long grey-ish hair falling down her waist, no taller than about 5 feet. Her skin was just a tad bit tanned like every other person her age of the clan while the young ones don't seem to be affected by the scorching sun.

"Welcome welcome visitor, it has been a long time since we meet an outsider so excuse our unenthusiastic welcome." Welcomed the granny with a harmless soft tone.

"Don't worry about it. We also didn't expect to meed anyone in such a dangerous place." Replied Yasuo to the granny who appeared to be the leader of the tribe.

The other people around her were showing obvious signs of their respect for her as they stood a bit behind her not interjecting at all.

The granny opened her narrow eyes a bit observing the surprising visitors before remarking something interesting, "Outsiders?"

"Oh, you meet people like us before?" Wondered Yasuo picking up the hint.

The harmless granny again closed her eyes and responded, "Hoho, It has been a long time but I remember meeting an outsider, just one naughty boy. I didn't expect other outsiders to arrive after so many years. hopefully, you're not as naughty as him."

A small smile surfaced on Yasuo's face and held it back from becoming even wider after noticing a few things.

The slight killing intent released from some of the people behind her so faint it's almost unnoticeable and it was released the moment the word outsider left her mouth.

He also picked up something else as well. The granny could be much older than what one might think if the boy she's talking about is Don Freecss.

Yasuo knows he's alive and also knows that Don set out to the dark continent quite young but not that young.

He was definitely in his twenties yet she's calling him a boy as if she's much older unless she only met him recently and thought he's that young because he looks as such.

"How about inviting us in and finding out? I was taught to be a respecting guest since young but how about seeing it for yourself." His calm and serene expression makes one think none of what comes out of his mouth can be lies. He truly looked like the most sincere person out there, a sincerity only rivaled by the granny before him.

"Hohoh, of course of course, excuse my rudeness. Please follow me, and everyone, go back to what you were doing." With an air of gentleness around her, she invited them in.

Her people hastily obeyed and went back to their own business not worried about the strange visitors at all. The granny led the two to the tallest building in the trib with a well-maintained ladder to the top hole.

She however turned her head to Yasuo and asked, "Would you do this granny a favor and take her up? Perhaps using the trick you used before?"

Yasuo smiled and opened a portal in front of her that lead exactly to the large hole.

The granny praised without much change in her expression, "Splendid indeed. The other outsider also had a few tricks like that."

They entered into the portal finally seeing what's in the hole.

An exquisite wooden door she opened and entered a large hall. Everything within the hall was well-made and had a sense of elegance and everything seems new.

They're not that primitive of people after all, clean and elegant. "Please have a seat."

"Can you do such tricks as well?" Casually asked Yasuo after sitting down on the dark brown chair. Morena on the other hand started strolling around the hall observing the tens of statues placed around.

The old granny shook her head while keeping a close eye ok Morena, "I wish, I could've avoided so many bad things and helped my tribe stay safer if I did."

A trace of sadness appeared on her face reminiscing the past, and a trace of regret that would force even the coldest of hearts to feel sympathy.

"Yet you survived and even built yourselves a home in such a dangerous place, how?" Yasuo however directly asked a question not giving the strange granny time to finish her reminiscing.

The granny let out a sigh as she answered softly with apparent firmness and belief in her tone, "The only reason we're alive and safe to this day is because of our belief. Because of the protection of our caring great god."

Her tanned face shone in bright light or so it appeared as she showed her devotion to her sole God, "Even in darkness, he shines upon us and shines within. He is the light of the day and the fire that warms our heart... The Sun God."

Her eyes were closed muttering in prayer and what looks like pure devotion until she opened her eyes saying, "That's our belief and what protects us from the dark."

Yasuo's expression didn't change but he was thoroughly amused by the perfection of the act before him. 'Does she truly believe what she's saying or was she living in a lie for so long it became truth to her?'

Yasuo didn't entertain her behavior for too long, instead, he asked another question, "Are there more people here? People like you? Other tribes?"

The air turned a bit gloomy after his question as the old granny looked downcast remembering some other memories and answered with a tone of hatred and disappointment.

"There are, there is a tribe like mine. However, it's a tribe of barbarians and vile people who only care about chaos and murder. People that were once one of us but they have gone astray."

Yasuo lightly stroked his earring in contemplation before asking one last question, "The shining scarlet eyes... How did you get them? Is it also a gift from your God?"

The granny narrowed her eyes even more looking into his beautiful silver eyes and strangely avoided answering honestly, "Why would you think they're a gift? It's just something natural of our people."

"I see, it's just because someone outside also has those eyes and he becomes much stronger when they shine though you guys seem to keep them active all the time? Well, it doesn't matter, we'll be on our way."

"Wait!!" Shouted the granny with her eyes wide, the first time she lost her composure since the start of the interaction, in fact, it has been hundreds of years since she lost her composure against the naughty boy.

She continued, "There are other people like us? How? Does a... How many are there?" She bombarded him with questions and almost slipped and said something she can't say.

Yasuo kept that slip up in mind and answered as he created a portal in front of him, "I don't know much about them but they were apparently a clan isolated in a certain region though they were massacred and only one person survived."

Morena took one last look at the obvious statue of a shining sun in the middle of the hall before going with Yasuo into the portal.

"She's so weird and creepy, it was really hard looking at her," Remarked Morena after they walked out of the portal, a hint of contempt was apparent in her eyes.

"Haha yeah she is, quite weird but it's not like you're not as manipulative as her now, is it?" Yasuo let out a small laugh before responding.

Morena just shrugged her shoulders and responded, "It's okay when we do it but not when other people do it, especially so blatantly in front of us, the audacity of some people."

Yasuo was again amused with Morena's spoiled and narcissistic behavior as he held her hand and remarked, "Well, you seem to be planning your revenge so it doesn't matter, right?"

That seemed to light up her mood as a sunny smile surfaced on her face and with a cheerful tone, she said, "Yup, I put my poisonous seed right within her fake god under her nose hehe it's funny isn't it?"

She simply couldn't hold her laugh by the end. Yasuo brought his little devilish wife closer to his chest and said before teleporting away again, "You're certainly entertaining..."