After studying it for a few moments, Larry casually said, "Alright."
Then the Gatekeeper's voice came again, this time asking, "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," Larry replied.
The Gatekeeper's voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Has human strength really reached this level?"
Larry could almost hear him swallowing nervously.
It made sense, humans were known
to be far weaker than them, and that belief was deeply ingrained.
They knew humans were smart and had created 'technology,' but they also thought humans were self-destructive and might soon disappear.
Since the first contact, humans had launched hundreds of expeditions into the Dark Continent, but none had survived, or worse, they returned bringing great disasters.
As time goes on, human activities are happening more and more frequently, and with them, the number of disasters brought back is rising.
The island in the middle of Lake Mobius remains the only safe place left, but even its safety is becoming increasingly threatened.
These recurring disasters are the main cause of this growing danger.
If this trend continues, then after humans reap certain benefits, they will have to pay a steep price, the loss of their own refuge.
Eventually, the island in Lake Mobius will become just another part of the Dark Continent, indistinguishable from it.
In fact, the [Gatekeeper]'s warning isn't wrong at all; this outcome is entirely possible.
Although the V5 council is well aware of this truth, human desires are boundless.
Once people experience something for the first time, they naturally want to try it again and again.
The Dark Continent certainly poses terrifying dangers that drive many to retreat, but it also holds promises of hope that make it hard for people to resist their ambitions.
Take Vanilla, for instance, a miraculous cure-all.
Just a small amount can heal diseases that the medical world considers terminal and incurable.
Then there's the Sahelta, a tiny ore about the size of a bead that, when soaked in water, can generate electricity, up to 20,000 kilowatts in a single day.
And the ultimate food, Nitro Rice, which extends life simply by eating it.
The desire to escape death has always been a powerful motivator, especially for the wealthy and powerful who feel they haven't lived or achieved enough, or who yearn for more, like exploration.
These hopes can blind people, pushing them to face one horrifying disaster after another.
This has been the case since ancient times; where there's danger, there's opportunity.
But it's crucial to measure one's own strength against the risks.
Out of 149 expeditions, only five have returned, and each brought back a disaster.
Such devastating losses haven't been enough to teach the V5 council a lasting lesson; their hunger for exploration remains strong.
That's why the Gatekeeper isn't optimistic about humanity.
Ambition isn't a bad thing, but it has to be tempered with a realistic understanding of the risks.
However, things have changed with the arrival of Larry, whose strength challenges all previous assumptions and marks a huge leap in human capability.
"No, I am the strongest being across the six continents, and I stand at a fault level," Larry declared confidently.
"Even the second strongest doesn't compare to the Black Dragon who just died."
The Black Dragon's power was roughly equivalent to an enhanced Ant King. No one could beat him through sheer strength, except Larry.
This suggests that Larry might be able to harness the power of 'technology' as well.
So he can claim without hesitation that he now holds the top spot among those with a fault level.
"Is that so? We've always known about humanity's strength," someone responded.
"But it's unprecedented for someone of your caliber to emerge."
The Gatekeeper sighed softly, though there was little surprise in his heart.
Until now, the only human he considered truly strong was the one still residing in the Dark Continent.
If Larry claimed there were many as powerful as himself, the Gatekeeper would have been shocked.
But what truly terrified him was just how strong this human was, far beyond what any normal person could achieve.
In that moment, the Gatekeeper realized his previous view of humans had been one-sided.
Yes, many humans were greedy and ignorant, but there were also individuals like this man, powerful and impressive beyond expectation.
From his voice, it seemed this person was quite young, likely in his twenties, meaning he hadn't even reached the peak of his potential yet.
With the strength he already displayed, he could easily obtain numerous items that extend life, suggesting his lifespan might be unusually long.
This man reminded the Gatekeeper of another human who had ventured into the Dark Continent over 300 years ago and was still active today.
Though he didn't know much about that man's life, he was known for his caution, a trait that had allowed him to survive for so long.
The Gatekeeper was thinking of Don Freecss.
Before Larry appeared, Don Freecss was the most powerful human the Gatekeeper had encountered.
Just surviving alone in the Dark Continent for more than three centuries was proof enough of his strength.
The Gatekeeper estimated that Don Freecss's power was roughly comparable to his own.
By consuming numerous life-extending items, Don Freecss had prolonged his life far beyond a normal human's span.
Considering that most humans don't live past a hundred years, surviving that long in such a dangerous place, while continually extending one's life, made Don Freecss the strongest human in the Gatekeeper's eyes.
It seemed unlikely that any human could surpass him.
Yet here was Larry, proving that the Gatekeeper had underestimated humans all along.
No matter how many times he thought he had seen it all, there were always humans ready to surprise him.
Every so often, a truly top-tier powerhouse would emerge among humans, and this time, the strength on display was even more extraordinary than before.
Maybe it was time to rethink how they viewed humans altogether.
When the name Don Freecss came up, Larry immediately knew who the [Gatekeeper] was talking about.
He was just too famous.
Don Freecss was the only human known to freely roam the Dark Continent.
Perhaps once Larry arrived there, he'd get the chance to meet this legendary elder.
If Ging joined the team later, as the original plan suggested, there might even be a reunion between grandparents and grandchildren separated for untold generations.
"Anything else?" Larry asked, glancing at the blank screen with a slow, calm tone.