The Hunter Association's mission was to arrest Beyond or execute him on the spot.
They arrived at the Dark Continent first, choosing to camp in a forest not far from the coastline, then rested and waited for Beyond's team to arrive.
Because of the Zodiac member Rooster Cluck's ability [Path of Letter's Return], once Beyond's team entered a specific range, the [Location Ability] effect could be triggered.
If lucky, they might encounter Beyond's team landing in the camp area.
In that case, the Hunter Association would have control of timing, terrain, and human advantage, greatly increasing the chance of resolving Beyond's team.
Unfortunately, the Dark Continent was simply too vast. The possibility of intercepting Beyond's team by chance along the coastline wasn't high to begin with.
As expected, the two teams missed each other.
But the good news was, according to the feedback from Cluck's ability, it showed Beyond's team's landing point wasn't too far away, at least not to the ends of the earth.
Thus, the Hunter Association packed up and set off, passing through the forest at the fastest speed, attempting to intercept Beyond's team by a detour.
This would be an unprecedented, fierce battle.
Every member of the Hunter Association was clear about this.
Then, the Hunter Association's team passed through various dangerous areas and arrived at a massive underground ruin site.
The ruins were located at the center of a Sea of Trees, covering an enormous area. Only a sparse layer of buildings was visible above ground, with broken walls everywhere. Strangely, within the ruined area above ground, no plants could be seen at all.
However, the buildings constructed underground were overgrown with various plants.
Moreover, the structure of the ruin buildings seemed comparable to an ant nest, extending downward to an unknown number of layers, with complex, labyrinthine terrain.
When the Hunter Association arrived at these ruins, Cluck's [Letter] flew into the underground part of the ruins, indicating Beyond's team was currently underground.
Although Cluck's [Letter] could guide the team to Beyond's team's location, the drawback was also evident: it would let Beyond's team know of their arrival.
Consequently, both sides were prepared for battle even before making formal contact.
However, both sides had been maneuvering within the massive ruins for over a month.
The only large-scale frontal team fight didn't actually happen in the end.
Because the [Copper Mechanical Lifeforms] living in the ruins attacked both sides in conflict.
Not only that, the equally uninvited [Void Lifeform] intervened in this conflict.
Once these two entities, essentially akin to Calamities, intervened, the Hunter Association and Beyond's team decisively broke off, quickly withdrawing from the battle area and hiding inside the massive underground ruins.
Beyond's team acted faster than the Hunter Association, entering the underground ruins first. They didn't choose to stay on the first underground level but continued deeper down.
Considering Beyond's team's familiarity with the ruins, the Hunter Association chose to operate only on the B1 level, not rashly pursuing Beyond's team deeper.
There were many reasons for this choice. The number of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the ruins was terrifying. They formed a thick defensive perimeter on the ground, trapping both Beyond's team and the Hunter team inside the underground ruins.
Moreover, besides the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, there was also the Void Lifeform pursuing the Hunter Association's team.
It was a lifeform without a concrete form, similar to the Void on Demon Island. However, the Void would wrap itself in white bandages, whereas the Void Lifeform coming to the ruins used 'tattered cloth' and 'dry grass stems' to patch several parts of its body.
Compared to the Void, which had many gaps in its body, the Void Lifeform coming to the ruins was more complete in form, its appearance resembling a scarecrow commonly seen in fields.
Therefore, the Hunter Association used the name [Scarecrow] to refer to the Void Lifeform that came to the ruins.
Not just because the Void Lifeform's appearance resembled a scarecrow, but also because of information the Hunter Association obtained from the [Dwarf] a month ago.
In summary, the Hunter Association and Beyond's team only sparked occasional conflicts. Before a full-blown fire could ignite, they were interrupted by the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the ruins and the pursuing Scarecrow.
Although both sides entered the underground ruins, it became difficult to engage further because there were many wandering Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the underground ruins, acting like guards, constantly performing the task of eliminating intruders.
This was also the reason the Gatekeeper Clan hadn't taken action against Beyond's team and the Hunter Association.
And the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms guarding the underground ruins were different from those Law and the others had encountered before.
The Copper Mechanical Lifeforms Law's group encountered in a certain ruin were highly sensitive to electricity, appearing suddenly and attacking the mobile phone Law carried.
That time was quite perilous, as the entire phone almost completely rusted.
The Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in these ruins weren't interested in electrical energy but were sensitive to invading lifeforms.
Perhaps because the Scarecrow was special, the ruin's Copper Mechanical Lifeforms didn't attack it, and the Scarecrow didn't actively provoke the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the ruins.
Therefore, the Scarecrow only roamed the above-ground ruin area. Even though Beyond's team and the Hunter Association entered the underground ruins, it didn't pursue them inside.
The Hunter Association's main activity range was the B1 level of the underground ruins.
This was a game of patience. Whose strategy showed more patience would have a greater chance of winning.
In over a month, the Hunter Association only explored a little over half of the B1 level area.
And today, they were suddenly attacked by a significant number of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, scattering the Hunter Association's formation.
Gel was forced to become separated. Due to the pursuit by Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, she could only temporarily avoid confrontation.
The B1 level space was the only area in the entire underground ruins with light sources and the lowest danger level.
Using the light filtering through the cracks in the dilapidated buildings from above, Gel, choosing to avoid confrontation for now, constantly dodged the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms active around her.
Although she didn't have to actively engage in this battle, her biggest problem was how to reunite with the team.
Clack, clack.
From the darkness devoid of light sources, the sound of gears turning became increasingly distinct.
Gel focused intently, staring at the Copper Mechanical Lifeform revealing itself from the darkness.
It was an entity assembled in a spiral shape from about a dozen gears, each the size of a face. It looked extremely messy, yet the gears fit together seamlessly, giving a bizarre impression.
Inside the gear-assembled body, there was an unknown crystal emitting a faint glow, seemingly the power source.
Moreover, the Copper Mechanical Lifeform moved by floating. Strands of Aura, like wind, spiraled out from the crystal, swirling around it, lifting the seemingly heavy body.
After stepping out of the dark area, the Copper Mechanical Lifeform lost sight of Gel and stopped in place, as if thinking.
'Another different piece of junk!'
After clearly seeing the nearby Copper Mechanical Lifeform, Gel's expression turned grave.