Alie reaches into her satchel and pulls out a worn, crumpled map. She hands it to Leonard, who carefully unfolds it and begins inspecting the crude lines and symbols.
The map is hand-drawn, detailing various parts of Black Island—forests, cliffs, and a few marked spots that seem like important locations.
"It seems like the whole island streches 30 km to every side."
"It is a pretty big island, I have to say." he thinks
As he studies the layout, he glances up at Alie. "How many people are in your group?"
"Five, not counting me," she replies. "With you, that makes us seven."
Leonard nods, processing the information. "Are they all Nen users too?"
"Yeah," Alie says, leaning against the shack wall.
"Every single one of them. You can't survive long on Black Island without it. We all have different abilities—some stronger than others, but everyone pulls their weight Not all of us combatants keep that in mind."
Leonard's eyes flick back to the map, his mind racing with questions.
"And what about enemies? You mentioned before that this place is dangerous."
Alie's expression hardens. "It's not just the island itself that's a threat. There are other groups. Prisoners, beasts, creatures twisted by whatever curse hangs over this place."
She pauses, her eyes darkening. "And some of them use Nen too."
Leonard takes a deep breath, understanding the gravity of the situation. "So we're not just trying to survive the environment. We're also fighting other people."
"Exactly," Alie says, her voice grim.
"It's survival of the fittest here. And trust me, we're not the only ones trying to get off this island."
Leonard folds the map and tucks it into his pocket, a sense of urgency building within him. "I'll do my part," he says, locking eyes with her.
"But we'll need more than just survival skills if we're going to make it off Black Island."
Alie nods, a small, approving smile tugging at her lips. "Good. You'll fit in just fine."
Leonard looks at Alie with a curious expression. "Is there really no one with a Nen ability that could help us escape? Like something involving mobilization or teleportation? Seems like someone would've thought of that by now."
Alie's eyes narrow slightly, studying him. "How do you know so much about abilities and their concepts already? You've barely awakened."
Leonard pauses for a moment, his gaze distant as he searches for the right words.
"Ever since my awakening... it's like my mind's starting to clear up.
Things I couldn't understand before are becoming real, and I can remember... concepts, knowledge about how this power works."
He doesn't mention the system panel that's been feeding him information, keeping that piece to himself.
Alie doesn't respond immediately, her eyes lingering on him with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. She finally sighs, crossing her arms.
"Well, whatever's happening to you, I guess it's a good thing. But it doesn't matter. Even if someone had a teleportation ability, there's a condition and a limit placed on Black Island."
Leonard frowns. "A limit?"
Alie nods.
"Yeah. Something... unnatural keeps us here. There's a barrier or seal around the island. No matter what ability anyone's tried, nothing works when it comes to leaving.
I've heard of people who had movement-based powers, but they're still stuck here like the rest of us.
The island itself is cursed, or more likely, someone powerful placed a restriction that blocks any means of escape."
Leonard feels a sinking weight in his chest. "So even with Nen, we're trapped?"
"For now," Alie answers.
"That's why we're gathering people. There has to be a way to break through, but it's going to take more than just brute force or a single power. We'll need strategy, numbers, and, maybe, finding out who or what created the barrier in the first place."
Leonard leans back, absorbing the information.
"So we need to figure out what's keeping us here. And break it."
"Exactly," Alie says, her tone sharp.
"And that's where you come in. We need every edge we can get, and with your awakening, you might just be the key to something new."