Chucu, that was the spherical creature's name.
Aside from that, the White Smoke Font provided little information.
Based on past experience, for existences like this that could be absorbed, one generally needed to absorb them first to obtain a large number of memory fragments.
However, Law had no intention of absorbing Chucu.
There were two reasons.
One, Chucu was a sapient being.
Two, communication with her was easy.
Watching Chucu suddenly become frightened, Law roughly understood what was happening.
'It was likely the intimidating effect of the White Smoke Font. Still, this creature was quite perceptive, actually able to sense something.'
'This was good. Making it afraid would hopefully lead to better cooperation.'
"Law, what did you do? Why is she suddenly so scared?"
Tonpa, who had nearly developed high blood pressure from Chucu's endless questions earlier, now looked at Law curiously.
The palpable fear had emerged spontaneously, right when Law pressed his hand on Chucu's head.
But at that time, Law had not released any Aura or made any particularly noticeable move. He simply placed his hand on Chucu's head, and this change occurred.
"It might be because of my Nen."
Law could not explain the existence of the White Smoke Font, so his answer was quite perfunctory.
Tonpa felt something was off, but thought this was the only explanation.
The White Smoke Font made Chucu experience what it meant to have fear that penetrated the soul. At that moment, she dared not act rashly, constantly reminding herself not to habitually ask 'why' anymore.
Otherwise, this terrifying human before her would turn her to ash in an instant.
Although Law explained the reason, most still found it hard to accept.
After all, if Chucu had feared Law's Nen, she would have fled long ago, not followed them persistently, even awakening that group of petrified creatures.
If Chucu had not possessed value worth exploiting, Law would probably have killed her directly the moment she was caught.
Coo came to Chucu's side and looked at her closely with a strange gaze.
Looking up close, she faintly sensed a trace of kinship from Chucu.
On the other side, the Skeleton, who had been marginalized, also focused considerable attention on Chucu, seemingly somewhat concerned.
Chucu ignored Coo and the others' close scrutiny. Her attention was entirely on Law, because Law held the power of life and death over her.
"Why were you following us?"
Law again asked Chucu's motive.
"Wh..."
Chucu habitually started to throw out the beginning of her endless why questions, then barely caught herself in time.
She paused. If she had a heartbeat, it would surely be racing at that moment.
"I, I want to know, what you came here to do."
Having been warned by Law, she dared not even use the word 'why' when speaking.
"Just that?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!"
Chucu wanted to nod frantically, but her body was restrained, so she could only respond with several consecutive affirmations.
Hearing this, Law glanced sideways at Bruna.
She nodded slightly at him, indicating Chucu was not lying.
Law withdrew his gaze and continued staring at Chucu.
Under these circumstances, he had little interest in digging into Chucu's background information. So he went straight to the point and asked without warning, "Do you know where the Mender is?"
"I know... no, I do not know!"
Chucu answered instinctively, then abruptly changed her answer.
She was panicking, having lost the calm, unruffled composure she had when asking 'why' earlier.
"Do you know, or do you not?"
The look Law directed at Chucu suddenly turned cold.
Killing intent, carried by his Nen, clearly transmitted into Chucu's mind.
"...!"
Chucu's pupils shrank to pinprick size.
Standing on the boundary between secrecy and self-preservation, any normal being would choose the latter.
Chucu was no exception. She said with difficulty, "I know."
"Very well."
Law's eyes flickered.
Chucu knew the location of the Mender… this was truly an unexpected delight.
Just as he was about to press further, noticeable sounds came from their surroundings.
Figures emerged one by one from the swirling light specks, entering everyone's field of vision.
The sudden disturbance put everyone on combat alert, but Law remained unmoved, still firmly restraining Chucu's freedom.
They had been in the Forest of Medusa for a few days now.
Apart from Chucu, the only things they had encountered were various creatures whose essence had been petrified.
Those creatures lacked Nen, so even though the team's strength was partially limited by the petrified feathers, they could easily handle the petrified creatures in the Forest of Medusa.
The figures emerging from the swirling light specks were Humanoids over three meters tall.
As they drew closer, everyone got a clear look at their appearance and roughly counted their numbers.
The Humanoid creatures surrounding them were all naked, with grayish-white skin. They, too, were likely petrified beings.
On their grayish-white, bare bodies were painted black symbols like winding dragons, from head to toe.
They had Humanoid bodies but lacked human-like facial features.
On their faces was only a vertically split mouth full of sharp teeth. Their heads had no hair, only a pair of curved, beetle-like horns.
It was worth noting that these unidentified creatures had neither male nor female organs.
"We are surrounded."
Everyone immediately formed a circular formation, alert to the unidentified creatures closing in from all sides.
"They... can use Nen."
Soon, everyone noticed that Nen was flowing through these approaching vertical-mouthed people.
Moreover, the petrified feathers fluttering around did not adhere to these vertical-mouthed people.
The reason was likely that these vertical-mouthed people were petrified beings.
As for their ability to use Nen... it might be because of those dragon-like black symbols.
"Law, those are..."
Ging frowned.
"Hmm, they appear to be Divine Scripts, but the detailed structure is different."
Law calmly examined the black symbols on the vertical-mouthed people's bodies.
Everyone could feel the hostility emanating from the vertical-mouthed people.
"No need for passive defense. Eliminate them directly."
With one hand holding Chucu, Law formed a disc-shaped energy blade with his other hand and then threw it.
The energy blade flew at high speed, spinning, and cleaved the heads off five or six vertical-mouthed people in succession.
The headless bodies slowly fell to the ground, and the severed heads also went still.
'Though they can use Nen, their defense is not great.'
Law silently gave his assessment, then formed a second energy disc.
Seeing Law act, the others also attacked the vertical-mouthed people.
Although these vertical-mouthed people could use Nen, their strength was not as troublesome as imagined.
In less than five minutes, everyone had killed all the vertical-mouthed people.
Chucu, held in Law's grasp, also witnessed the process of him casually killing the vertical-mouthed people.
It did not seem all that scary, but... it was just so frightening.
"Quite useless, really."
As the last vertical-mouthed person fell, a scornful female voice came from behind a large tree.
"Seems like some improvement is needed."
Everyone was slightly startled and looked towards the direction of the voice.
An almost completely naked long-haired woman walked out from behind the tree.
She lightly raised her right hand, and the light specks flowing beneath the tree gathered like clay into her palm, twisting and changing shape.
Soon, it turned into a small Humanoid form with sharp horns.
The silver-haired woman stared at the tiny figure she had molded from petrified feathers, seemingly considering which aspects needed improvement.