Hunter x Hunter : Germain Joins The Hunt

The mist gradually faded.

Germain pushed aside the tall, tangled grass in front of him, his threaded cane cautiously tapping the ground. It felt solid—no sign of looseness or instability. Only then did he step forward.

The slope was steep. He had to be careful with each step, or he might stumble, fall embarrassingly, or even roll down the hill.

He had just descended from a high peak, only to start climbing another. And all this time, he hadn't managed to escape the endless sea of trees.

The lush, multicolored leaves wove together like a vast canopy, blocking out the sky.

After walking for a while, Germain confirmed that he was still within the Steep Mountain Range. He just had no idea where the others were.

The Sacred Moonlight Sword was too cumbersome for these narrow mountain paths, so he swapped it for the threaded cane, which suited him better.

It functioned much like a hiking staff, making his movements smoother and more efficient.

However, there was one thing he couldn't swap, no matter what—his Contempt Armor.

From past experience, he knew that the longer he fought while wearing it, the longer it would take to remove.

At this point, he would need to stay out of combat for over an hour to deactivate it.

But in a place as dangerous as this mountain range, going an entire hour without fighting was nearly impossible.

Sure enough, after just a few steps, a cluster of devil vines wrapped around his legs. He had no choice but to slash them apart with his threaded cane.

That, of course, triggered the Contempt Armor again.

As long as he engaged in any real attack or defense, he was considered to be in combat. The one-hour countdown had to restart from the beginning.

The Dark Crown tormented his body and mind through the thorns piercing into him.

If not for his strong physique and the numerous runes and positive traits enhancing him, he might not have been able to stand—he might have already collapsed and died from exhaustion.

The thought of dying from sheer mental and physical fatigue made Germain instinctively worry about his companions.

They had all suffered from the torment of the Dark Crown.

Unlike Germain, this was an extremely unpleasant first experience for them.

Of course, Bisky and Menchi had ways to reduce their stress, allowing them to weaken the effects of the tormenting Nen ability.

Sanbica might be able to achieve something similar through medicine.

As long as those affected by the torment didn't act alone and stayed close to them, they wouldn't fall into exhaustion so easily.

The real concern now was whether any of their comrades were wandering the Steep Mountain Range alone, just like he had.

If so, they could end up consumed entirely—by the torment of the Dark Crown and by the creatures lurking here.

Germain had to regroup with the others as soon as possible, gather more information, and decide what to do next.

Every so often, he would unleash an ultra-long-range "En," sweeping in all directions.

This wasn't just to map out the terrain, search for his comrades, or stay alert for enemies.

It was also a way to make both his allies and foes aware of his presence—so they could react accordingly.

The results were obvious.

Most of the beasts living in these dangerous mountains wanted nothing to do with a presence as overwhelming as his.

They fled long before Germain even got close.

However, so far, none of his comrades had responded.

This likely meant they weren't anywhere nearby.

The Steep Mountain Range was vast—far larger than the Ancient Labyrinth and the Gray-White Wasteland combined.

Even now, Germain had yet to see its borders with his own eyes or sense them with "En."

That said, not all of the beasts here were intimidated by his "Champion's Aura."

There were always some starving or dim-witted beasts that willingly threw themselves at him.

Along the way, Germain had encountered a few of them, and as expected, he wiped them out with ease.

As he climbed the mountain step by step, using his threaded cane for support, he once again expanded his "En."

Soon, he detected a massive creature blocking the path ahead.

Without any change in expression, Germain continued his ascent.

It wasn't long before the tremors in the narrow path and the sound of falling rocks confirmed that the beast was approaching.

Moments later, it emerged from around the bend.

It was a mid-sized wild beast, its aura revealing it to be roughly at the "Master" level.

Its entire body was covered in rust-colored fur, as if corroded by time.

Yet, its frame was so gaunt that it looked like a sickly dog or a drenched, malnourished cat.

This was expected—any beast below "Elite" rank would have already fled from his overwhelming "Champion's Presence."

Only a "Master" level beast would dare to challenge him head-on.

The rust-furred creature, its limbs thin as dried twigs, let out a series of hysterical roars.

It was a warning—a threat, telling Germain to back off.

But this was the path he had chosen.

At this point, turning back to take a detour would be a waste of time.

Germain swapped his threaded cane for the Sacred Moonlight Sword, a weapon far more suited for dealing with foes of this size.

Without hesitation, he strode forward.

Even without words, the beast could sense the pressure in Germain's movements.

It responded instinctively.

Digging its three-hooked claws into the steep rock face, it tore out a massive boulder and hurled it toward Germain.

The beast wanted to see the boulder crush him, or at the very least, send him tumbling off the nearby cliff.

But before the rock could reach him, a pillar of brilliant blue energy shot into the sky, shattering the boulder into countless fragments.

The debris scattered across the rocky path, some pieces tumbling into the abyss below.

Germain emerged from the swirling dust, unharmed.

The Dark Crown on his head shifted, forming a radiant silver-white halo.

His Contempt Armor clung tightly to his body, almost as if fusing with his very flesh.

Only battle could ease the pain brought by the Armor of Contempt.

But fighting would also prolong the time it took to remove it.

At least for now, Germain didn't have to make that bitter, contradictory choice. What needed to be done was clear— even if it was like drinking poison to quench thirst.

The rust-red, long-haired beast swung its hook-like claws toward Germain, who had broken through and was now within reach.

But with a swift mid-air twist, Germain easily evaded the attack.

In the next moment, wielding the Sacred Moonlight Sword, Germain cleanly severed the beast's right arm at the elbow.

With a splatter, the severed limb fell to the ground, and dark red blood gushed out.

The beast let out a pained shriek, becoming even more frenzied, leaping and bounding along the narrow path like a crazed monkey.

Seeing that the rocky walls and the path were about to be destroyed by the beast's rampage, Germain dashed forward, stepping on the trembling cliffside.

Raising the Sacred Moonlight Sword, he maneuvered to the side of the beast's head.

Sensing Germain's intent, the beast's hair-like tendrils wriggled like serpents and shot toward him like spears.

With a swift arc, the Sacred Moonlight Sword unleashed a blue crescent of Nen, slicing through most of the rust-red tendrils in an instant.

Germain skillfully dodged the remaining few strands.

The tendrils that missed struck deep into the rock wall with dull thuds.

For a moment, the beast couldn't retrieve them.

It was forced to raise its long-neglected left arm, whipping it toward Germain in an attempt to strike him mid-air.

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