It didn't take long for people to notice that the death aura in the Harimu Ruins had mysteriously vanished. As soon as this news spread, it attracted a flood of ruin hunters. Without the hindrance of death aura, they were able to move freely into the inner chambers of the ruins.
Inside, apart from the murals in the passageway and a solitary altar, there was nothing else to be found. However, traces of a fierce battle could be seen. As for Pete and the two bodyguards, they had long turned to ashes, unnoticed by others, and were presumed missing during the expedition.
The remaining murals, however, became the greatest treasure for countless ruin hunters. They could help them understand the origins of the Harimu Ruins and the reasons for its downfall.
One ruins hunter, who knew certain secrets, discovered through investigation that this place was connected to the Dark Continent.
After reporting to the higher-ups of the association, the interior of the Harimu Ruins continued to be sealed off, prohibiting entry by unauthorized personnel.
The ruins hunter who made the report was named "Ging"!
...
While people were still discussing the changes related to the Harimu Ruins, akira had already arrived in the eastern part of the Yorbian Continent via airship.
It is said that this region is home to the world's largest desert—the Samok Desert. The Samok Desert also belongs to the United States of Saherta and is relatively close to the location of the Harimu Ruins, which was one of the reasons akira chose to come here.
Another reason was that he wanted to verify whether his previous guesses about the rules of Pokémon breeding were correct. The Samok Desert, which occupies about one-third of the Saherta, was the testing ground he chose!
As akira had expected, the moment he stepped into the Samok Desert, the progress bar symbolizing Pokémon breeding appeared in his mind once again.
Aside from anticipation, akira felt no surprise.
Given that this place bore the title of the "largest desert," it was only natural that it could breed Pokémon. What he wanted to know was, which Pokémon would it be?
Most of the Samok Desert region was covered in sand, but there were still quite a few humans living here. The locals had even developed a massive tourism industry based on the area's unique characteristics.
What appeared before Akira eyes was the largest city on the edge of the Samok Desert, also the first stop for most tourists visiting the area: Tucker City!
The endless, thick black-brown city walls kept most of the sand and dust at bay. Only a few grains of sand drifting in from high above settled in the uninhabited corners of the city, reminding those who stayed here that this was indeed a city in the desert.
Upon entering the city, one would notice that the people inside, whether locals or outsiders, were mostly dressed in similar attire. Their clothing was predominantly white, both top and bottom, to reduce heat absorption.
A significant number of people also wrapped their heads with bandage-like items, somewhat resembling the Middle Eastern people on Earth. Their skin tones were also quite similar, with most people having a dark-brown complexion due to long-term exposure to the scorching heat.
Akira couldn't help but think that if a hip-hop guy were here, he could probably blend in perfectly with the locals.
Given the vastness of the desert, the people here had cultivated a variety of creatures suitable as mounts through long-term excavation and development. The Three-Humped Camel was one of the most common mounts!
Overall, it resembled the camels on Earth, except that the Three-Humped Camel had an extra hump. The humps are where camels store energy and water, so an extra hump means greater endurance. Moreover, camels are native to the desert, possessing exceptional stamina, drought resistance, and heat tolerance, while also being inexpensive to raise.
They are the most cost-effective mounts in the desert tourism industry, providing significant support to the local development. However, the Three-Humped Camel had one major flaw—its speed.
The camel walked as leisurely as an old man strolling, making it suitable for sightseeing but utterly useless if you were in a hurry.
Watching the progress bar slowly inch forward, Akira decided not to worry about speed. After all, he was here for a vacation.
Tucker City was large, most structures were earth-yellow in color, standing like small bungalows on the ground, typically only one or two stories high. The external earthen walls were thick, but there were numerous small pits and windows, part of the locals' measures to mitigate the heat.
These simple houses weren't much to look at, as akira's main focus was the market area near the city center. Since the local economy was primarily driven by tourism, the city was filled with services catering to visitors.
For instance, there were guesthouses and hotels everywhere, rental stations for mounts every couple of streets, and of course, the bustling market area!
Riding leisurely on a three-humped camel, akira arrived at the market area. From the moment he entered this district, he could clearly feel the increase in foot traffic. This was the busiest part of the entire city.
The streets were lined with stalls and shops selling local specialties. The shops were fine, but the street vendors had to make do with large white cloths stretched over their stalls for shade.
"Don't miss out! Freshly baked crispy sand lizard jerky, only 500 Jenny each!"
"Juicy and tender multi-ball cactus, a favorite of three-humped camels. Get them while they're hot!"
"Famous Samok sandworms, stewed to a sweet and savory perfection, with added benefits for vitality!"
Akira's first impression of the lively market was the sheer variety of food available. Although most of it consisted of things like lizards and insects, it didn't dampen akira appetite for these unique delicacies.
So, akira wandered around, eating as he went, holding lizard jerky in his left hand and sandworm meat in his right. Especially after hearing about the benefits of sandworm meat, akira bought extra and secretly stored it in Gengar's belly.
In the past, he would never have dared to eat such things, but now, as a Nen user with enhanced physical abilities, and with Gardevoir always ready to act as a healer, akira felt free to indulge without worry.
After acquiring the treasures from the Harimu ruins, akira wealth had reached a considerable level. With money to spare, he bought almost everything he saw. He even bought a few multi-ball cacti for the three-humped camel accompanying him.
Biting into the lizard jerky, a crunchy sound echoed from his mouth. Beneath the crispy exterior was tender, juicy meat, tasting somewhat like beef but even more succulent.
Back on Earth, Akira dream had been to travel everywhere, see interesting things, and taste delicious food. It wasn't until he arrived in this world that he truly realized his dream.
The market wasn't just about food, though. There were golden stones that shimmered like gold, as well as clothing and tools necessary for desert exploration. What intrigued akira the most was a unique product of the Samok Desert—the Yellow Pincer Ant Compass.
Yellow Pincer Ants, a species of ant found exclusively in the Samok Desert, were much larger than ordinary ants, about the size of a finger joint. Their most striking feature was a slender antenna on their heads, used to secrete and sense pheromones.
Yellow Pincer Ants determined their location relative to their nest through these pheromones, which were incredibly potent. Experiments had shown that even thousands of miles apart, Yellow Pincer Ants could still sense the direction of their nest.
Because each group of yellow pincer ants is uniquely tied to the anthill that birthed them, the people of the Samok desert have ingeniously utilized them as a navigation tool in the desert. The design is rather rudimentary: five smaller yellow pincer ants are placed on a circular stone slab, covered with a glass dome.
On the side of the compass, the cities where these ants' anthills are located are inscribed. For example, the compass akira is holding points to the city of Boganla, hundreds of miles away. It somewhat resembles the Log Pose from the world of One Piece.
For most people, getting lost in this vast desert is akin to being lost at sea—it almost certainly means death! Thus, the yellow ant compass plays a crucial role.
Essentially, it's a must-have tool for anyone living or traveling in the desert. Driven by curiosity, akira bought one of these compasses, thinking he might test its accuracy in the days to come.
The Samok Desert is the third place akira has visited since arriving in the world of Hunter x Hunter. The first was a small town, where he got a glimpse of the world through Pierce little casino.
The second was Harimu City and its ruins, which, while a tourist attraction, didn't offer much in terms of unique experiences, though the history of the Harimu Ruins left Akira deeply impressed.
This third location—the Samok Desert—has been the most to his liking so far, both in terms of exploration and cuisine.
After wandering around for a while, a satisfied akira turned his camel toward the city center, where most of the hotels catering to travelers were located.
Seeing that the progress bar was moving slowly, akira realized he'd likely be staying in the Samok Desert for quite some time. So, he decided to settle down here first and thoroughly explore the city. If the progress bar still wasn't full after that, he'd move on to the next desert city.
Free from financial or strength-related worries, akira could do as he pleased. While others toiled to cultivate their Nen abilities and sought out battles to gain combat experience, akira only needed to keep traveling to grow stronger.
No one could force him to do anything he didn't want to do—no one!