Another point Larson is very concerned about is whether someone who dies on the third level here will be transformed by the island.
Is it a resurrection? Or do they just skip the intermediate steps and become these black shadows?
Larson doesn't know the outcome, but he knows one thing: if he can reach this point, he likely won't be killed by these creatures.
...
"Marco, dig a hole and bury these shadows. The research is done, and leaving the corpses here isn't an option. The stench could spread for miles, and ignoring it will damage the environment."
Normally, Marco wouldn't want to do such a tiring job, but his hatred for these shadows hadn't subsided. After hearing Larson's words, he agreed without hesitation.
"Marco, when you dig the hole, remember to dig it deep."
Watching Marco from a distance, Larson called out loudly.
He was worried that if the pit wasn't deep enough, the smell could still seep through. It might sound odd, since buried corpses don't usually emit odors when you walk by, but the smell was just that strong.
"Ahem, don't worry, I'll bury these guys so deep they won't come back even if they dig hundred feet up!"
Marco responded enthusiastically.
Not far away, Whitebeard looked surprised by Marco's behavior. "What did you say to him? Why does he seem different?"
Larson grinned. "I didn't say much—just that these things might come back to life."
Whitebeard was speechless. No wonder Marco was digging a hole nearly 20 meters deep. Anyone watching might think he was digging a well.
At that depth, even if the shadows resurrected, they wouldn't climb out before collapsing again.
Larson smirked. Although his words to Marco had a hint of deception, they weren't entirely lies. Who knows what could happen in this forest? The dead could come back. While technically this resurrection involves moving one consciousness into another body, the power is still significant—beyond what most people understand.
With such strange occurrences, it wouldn't be surprising if these things revived, or if they were even fake corpses.
Just then, several screams echoed from a few hundred meters away.
"Hm, what's going on?"
Rayleigh and the others immediately stood up, looking towards the direction of the screams.
"Sounds like someone was killed," Larson squinted.
"Should we check it out?" Rayleigh asked.
"We can't rule out that it's a trap to lure us in."
Larson rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This forest was strange; even with their strength, sometimes strength alone isn't enough.
Take Whitebeard, for example. As powerful as he is, with the ability to destroy worlds, his vulnerability to seawater remains.
Larson stood up. "Let's go and see. The others stay here."
Rayleigh and the others nodded in agreement.
Gaban said, "I'll stay."
He wasn't afraid; he just knew someone needed to stay behind to handle any emergencies.
"Good idea."
After exchanging looks, they quickly formed a plan.
Gaban stayed, while Whitebeard, Roger, Larson, and Rayleigh moved towards the screams. The others remained behind.
As they walked through the forest, all four activated their Observation Haki. In the darkness, it was crucial to rely on their senses.
Larson glanced at Whitebeard and Roger ahead of him.
With them, he felt completely safe.
In fact, with these two, he barely needed to do anything—just follow along.
There was no threat they couldn't handle.
Rayleigh shared the sentiment, walking leisurely beside him.
Larson and Rayleigh exchanged a glance and looked away in silent agreement.
Yep, with the big guys around, everything felt secure.
A hundred meters wasn't far; they reached the location in just a few steps.
"It looks like the fight here is over."
Whitebeard, leading the way, scanned the corpses scattered on the ground, narrowing his eyes slightly.
It seemed they arrived just a moment too late; the battle was already over. Corpses lay scattered everywhere, making it impossible to distinguish allies from enemies.
"Something's not right."
Larson approached one of the bodies, crouched down, and examined it. He carefully collected some of the blood on his hand and brought it to his nose. A familiar, foul stench filled his senses, and his expression shifted as he turned away, spitting immediately.
"What's wrong?"
Roger and the others noticed Larson's reaction and quickly gathered around him.
Larson's face had turned pale. The stench had triggered a reaction.
"The smell of these bodies... it's the same as the scent of those shadows."
"This..."
"What does that mean?"
"Could they be the shadows?"
"I'm not sure, but they must be connected somehow," Larson replied.
"There's something here!" Rayleigh called out from a distance, gesturing for them to come over.
Larson and the others walked over to find Rayleigh squatting beside a body. "Come quick, this one's still breathing."
Larson's eyes brightened—if this person was still alive, they might know who the attackers were or if they were tied to the black shadows.
"I'll check."
Larson knelt beside the man, confirming his shallow breaths. He was alive, but barely. His breathing was weak, and it was clear he could die at any moment.
However, they encountered a problem: the man's condition was critical, and he seemed to have fallen into a deep coma. In this state, they had no way to wake him.
Unsure how to treat him, they could only wait and hope he regained consciousness.
Suddenly, the man coughed, and against all odds, he woke up.
As he opened his eyes, he seemed oblivious to Larson and the others. His eyes were filled with sheer terror.
"B-Black shadow... save me!"