After descending from Gru Mountain, Law returned directly to the lakeside cabin. Inside, Sanbica was browsing the internet, constantly monitoring outbreaks of infectious diseases, as if it were her life's calling.
Upon entering the cabin, Law set down Shin, grabbed a bottle of spring water, and gulped it down.
In no time, he emptied the bottle and casually tossed it into the trash can. Without disturbing Sanbica, Law sat outside on a chair facing the lake, with a contemplative look on his face.
At this time, Law didn't know about the series of actions that the strange trio had taken against him after he left, nor could he have anticipated that their failure had led them to take him more seriously.
There was something else he was unaware of, that is Netero's attention to him and Biscuit's arrival.
If Biscuit hadn't shown a lack of interest in him, she would have approached Law a long time ago.
Anyway, with the Hunter Association's intelligence network, keeping track of Law's whereabouts wasn't difficult.
But with Netero giving her only a single sentence of instruction, Biscuit felt no urgency. Instead, she had been having fun in Babu Town, eventually forgetting about Law altogether, something quite understandable.
That was how Biscuit saw it. Ultimately, it was because she had ranked Law as her lowest priority.
Law, who was unaware of this, stared at the lake's mirror-like surface and thought about the three people he encountered earlier.
They appeared out of nowhere, suddenly claiming to know the entrance to Stargie's tomb and inviting him to join their team.
'Why would they want to approach me?'
The most likely reason Law could think of was the connection between Stargie's Tomb and Mount Gru, along with the fact that he was a Nen User, which is a crucial factor. Otherwise, why would they invite a mere kid to explore a tomb?
Law has been wandering around Gru Mountain for some time and has seen several people who, like him, only wander around Gru Mountain. Uncle Bill and Aya were among them.
'They must have acquired intelligence about the tomb's location from some unknown source and successfully found the entrance. However, the fact that they were still looking for partners suggested they lacked confidence in tackling the tomb alone.'
'But if that's the case, it makes sense.'
'Since I also spent a lot of time in Gru Mountain, the other party must have thought that I am after the same lead.'
It must be known that there is a lot of information about the whereabouts of Stargie's tomb, all of which are unreliable information. Many people, unwilling to miss a potential opportunity, have searched through the entire forest area.
The sheer number of scattered leads made it unlikely that anyone would focus on just one area, so it is normal to achieve nothing.
'Let's just... cooperate with them for now.'
Law carefully weighed the pros and cons. His goal was to increase his strength, not to chase after wealth. In his opinion, as long as he became stronger, there's no need to be afraid of having no money. After all, he could always locate a high-level ingredient and sell it to the wealthiest clients for a hefty sum.
A collaborator who wasn't in it for money would likely be welcomed by treasure hunters eager to conquer Stargie's tomb. Of course, the prerequisite is that someone will believe in his claim.
Having made his decision, Law stood up and walked into the cabin, where Sanbica was still browsing the internet.
Law walked to Sanbica's side and glanced at the page on the screen. There were a lot of professional terms that he couldn't understand.
After a few glances, he lost interest and tapped on the table, pulling Sanbica out of her focused state.
Sanbica tilted her head and looked at him without saying a word, but her eyes seemed to express the questions for her mouth.
After spending a long time with Sanbica, two impressions will be deeply engraved in Law's mind. One is her tightly wrapped attire, and the other is her beautiful big black eyes.
There were many times when Sanbica didn't speak, and the only thing Law could see was Sanbica's eyes that seemed to speak for her.
"I met three people today. They seemed to know the entrance to Stargie's tomb and wanted to recruit me. After thinking about it, I decided to cooperate with them. If what they said is true, maybe I can enter the tomb soon."
Law looked into Sanbica's eyes and asked, "I know you're not interested in this kind of thing, but... I still have to ask, do you want to come along?"
"I don't want to go."
Sanbica replied without hesitation. She could ignore the killing and death among humans, she could work hard to solve the harm caused by infectious viruses, and she could also be disgusted with things like grave-robbing.
Law wasn't surprised at all by her answer and simply nodded.
Sanbica gazed at him and suddenly said, "But if you need my help, I'll go."
Law was taken aback when he heard this, then he rubbed his temple habitually and said helplessly: "But you just said you don't want to go..."
'It's just a tomb, could it be more dangerous than the Dark Continent?' Based on this thought, Law really can't find any reason to need Sambika's help.
Sanbica pursed her lips and said nothing. What she said was her true thoughts.
She really didn't want to go, but if Law needed her help, she would be willing to accompany Law to the tomb even if she was disgusted.
However, Sanbica never hid her true thoughts, and Law was the type of person who wouldn't force his companions to do things they disliked. Since Sanbica had expressed her feelings, even if Law needed her help, he wouldn't ask her to join him.
This principle of his had been one of the reasons his team in his previous life fell apart. If he ever intended to form another team in the future, this was something that needed improvement, but only if he realized it.
In life, there are many times when people have to do things they dislike, not because they are forced, but because they must.
…
The next day at noon.
Law went to Gru Mountain alone and easily climbed to the summit. He was the only one on the entire mountaintop.
Although he hadn't set a specific meeting time the previous day, Law knew that as long as he showed up, the trio would quickly notice him. So, there was no need for him to actively seek them out.
Sure enough, about thirty minutes later, the trio once again climbed to the mountaintop with their bare hands.
'Here they come.'
Sitting atop a large protruding rock, Law gazed at the three calmly.
When facing Law again this time, the attitudes of the three people had subtly changed, though they didn't show it openly, and Law hadn't noticed.
Uncle Bill, who was carrying a laptop, took a few steps forward and looked at Law. A faint, unreadable glint flashed in his eyes. He smiled and said, "So, Law, what's your answer?"
Luby and Aya stood on either side of Uncle Bill, looking up at Law on the rock. They were not as lively as yesterday, which made the atmosphere in the area more solemn.
"Since you claim to know the entrance to Stargie's tomb, why would I refuse?" Law said calmly.
Uncle Bill's eyes behind his glasses lit up and he smiled, "Welcome aboard."
When Hunters set their sights on a target but lack the ability to capture it, seeking partners is a common choice. Though it may reduce individual gains, it significantly increases the success rate and minimizes risks.
After agreeing to cooperate, Law looked at him and asked directly: "How much do you know about the Stargie's tomb?"
"Not much." Uncle Bill said.
Law frowned slightly and asked, "Not much?"
Uncle Bill nodded, his smile unwavering: "We only know where the entrance is."
He was telling the truth.
"Oh?" A hint of surprise flickered in Law's eyes. Raising his index finger, he said, "There's something I'd really like to know."
"Go ahead." Uncle Bill looked at him.
Law asked, "Since you already know where the entrance is, why haven't you gone in to explore? What if the treasures inside are easy to take? In that case, you wouldn't need to find partners."
"It's not that we don't want to, it's that we can't."
Uncle Bill adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "The entrance is protected by Post-Mortem Nen. Without a Nen Exorcist, we can't get in. We've tried various tricks, but none worked."
At this point, without waiting for Law to answer, Uncle Bill continued, "Since the tomb's entrance is protected by Post-Mortem Nen, it's clear that what lies inside is no trivial matter. The more people, the better. Including you, our team now has twenty-four members. It's still not enough, as our original plan was thirty people."
"Before we find a Nen Exorcist, all we can do is keep looking for people worth collaborating with to expand our team."
"Post-Mortem Nen..."
Law raised his eyebrows. This was truly a pleasant surprise for him, even overshadowing the surprise caused by the fact that Uncle Bill's team already had more than 20 people.
After a pause, Law said calmly, "In other words, the reason why you haven't taken action yet is because you haven't found a Nen Exorcist?"
Uncle Bill nodded and said, "Before we find a Nen Exorcist, we won't tell you where the entrance is. Consider our agreement tentative for now."
What this means is... finding a Nen Exorcist was the key to formally starting their collaboration and also the key to opening the entrance to the tomb.
"That's perfect. I'm a Nen Exorcist." Law looked at the three of them.
"Huh?"
The three of them were instantly stunned.