Law temporarily had no time to deal with Coo's issue, so he let Coo lead Kuro off to have a child.
He could see Coo's emphasis on racial continuation and vaguely guess her intentions.
Taking this as an entry point, the conclusion one could draw mostly leaned towards the Gatekeeper Clan being unable to reproduce.
Only this reason could explain Coo's starkly contrasting behavior, her high regard for her unborn child, and even her willingness to cooperate with them.
To the point of even saying something like 'compensate me with a hundred' was somewhat insane.
'But Kuro should be happy about it, right?'
Law curled his lip slightly, thinking he would let Kuro be happy for now. He would be brought back to reality with a spiked club sooner or later anyway.
"You... have been to many places."
Chucu's surprised voice sounded in his ear.
Spatial abilities were something that various intelligent races craved.
However, Chucu viewed this aspect rather indifferently, so she didn't feel much about the Hide-and-Seek Dimension. Instead, the native Dark Continent's products stored around the room surprised her more.
"Not that many."
Law glanced at Chucu, then looked at the almost fully recovered Stargie and gave her a slight nod.
Stargie's cold, frosty face showed a faint smile.
After waking up, the color had gradually returned to her skin, so she no longer looked completely lifeless.
Following Law's gaze, Chucu saw Stargie. Her wide eyes slowly narrowed.
She sensed a kindred spirit Aura from Stargie.
"She didn't come from the Sacred Land, did she?"
Afraid of annoying Law, Chucu had been restraining herself from saying her 'why' catchphrase since arriving at the apartment as a captive.
"Why do you say that?"
The bamboo-like wings spread from Chucu's sides suddenly contracted. She glanced deeply at Law.
'Hmph, you say 'why' too, don't you?'
Law frowned, puzzled by Chucu's inexplicable look.
Seeing Law frown, Chucu shuddered and quickly said, "Because she's the same kind as me, a kindred spirit created from nothing."
"Kindred spirit?"
"Yes, I can feel it."
A thoughtful look flashed in Law's eyes.
He knew very well how Stargie had been resurrected, and framing it as created from nothing wasn't inappropriate.
"That woman I killed, was she also your kindred spirit?"
"Yes, but she was a higher level than me."
"Level? You mean strength?"
"No, I mean the degree of life force materialization. She was a complete form, but I am not. And your companion is also a complete form, a true living being evolved from life force..."
"I see, no wonder I could absor..."
Law stopped himself in time, but Chucu still heard it and couldn't help but shiver.
"How long have you lived?"
Law changed the subject. He couldn't reveal the existence of the White Smoke Font, not even a single clue.
"I didn't keep track, because I spend most of my time sleeping. Only that way can I accelerate my evolution speed."
"You don't remember roughly how long either?"
"Hmm, it should be over a thousand years."
"And the silver-haired woman?"
"I'm not sure. I usually didn't have much interaction with her, but she came to the Forest of Medusa over eight hundred years ago."
"I see..."
Law pondered.
The Mender, the Gatekeeper Clan, the deceased silver-haired woman, and Chucu before him… all these intelligent existences were products materialized from Nen.
They persisted due to Post-Mortem Nen and grew stronger because of it.
However, no matter the group, there were always strong and weak.
The strong materialized products, such as the Mender and the Gatekeeper Clan, were existences that had completed their evolution, ultimately transforming from Nen into true living beings.
The weak materialized products, such as the Misfortune Crow in the Misty Forest and Chucu, were semi-living beings that had yet to fully complete their evolution.
Consequently, the White Smoke Font had different effects on the two categories.
The former had to be killed to be absorbed by the White Smoke Font.
The latter could be absorbed directly by touching them, triggering the White Smoke Font's ability.
Chucu's term 'life force materialization; could also be understood as 'Nen materialization'.
In terms of wording and essence, there was indeed a difference from materialization.
But could the difference between the two define so-called true living beings?
For example, Coo was now a true living being. So, was Kuro not one?
Their appearances and abilities were highly similar. The only difference was that Kuro was materialized by Law's Nen.
If that point was excluded, what difference was there between Kuro and Coo?
Law didn't delve too deeply into this question and soon stopped thinking about it.
Compared to conversing with Chucu, it was more efficient to unlock the memory orbs.
Thinking this, Law struck without warning, using his palm as a blade to chop at Chucu.
"Again?!"
Chucu's eyes immediately showed despair.
Then, she was chopped in half by Law again.
"Ging, Stargie, watch her. If she's unruly, just kill her."
"Okay."
Stargie summoned her black harp and stared expressionlessly at the bisected Chucu.
Compared to Stargie's seriousness and dedication, Ging was quite lackadaisical.
He crouched down, studying the resentful Chucu with interest, then somehow produced three balls, yellow, blue, and purple, and said seriously, "Want to play a game?"
'No, get lost!'
Chucu didn't say this. Instead, she collapsed on the ground and played dead.
She had figured it out. Law was a pervert, a complete and utter pervert.
Who knew if this lackadaisical man before her was another big pervert?
Seeing Chucu ignore him, Ging didn't mind. He smiled and said, "Don't be so cold. I'm not like Law, chopping you up all the time."
Chucu's expression turned very ugly upon hearing this.
"Come, come, let me help you put yourself back together."
Ging volunteered. Under Stargie's helpless gaze, he placed Chucu's upper body onto her lower body, then somehow produced a roll of tape and hastily stuck a few pieces on.
"..."
Chucu simply closed her eyes and ears, letting the world become quiet.
Meanwhile, Law went to the planting area.
Due to the previous battle preparations, the stock of Nitro Rice was running low. The Life Aura in the room wasn't as strong as before, and only five mature Nitro Rice plants remained in the planting area.
As for the other Nitro Rice trees, without a hundred years, they wouldn't even flower, let alone bear fruit.
After informing Nique, Law went straight to the base of a tree bearing Nitro Rice, sat down cross-legged on the marshland, and sank his consciousness into the White Smoke Font space.
Approximately one hundred and fifty black and white memory orbs still circled near the energy gauge. Not far away was Chucu's white, misty memory mass.
With a thought, Law casually opened a white orb.
Instantly, as if a large gap had suddenly cracked open in the pitch-black darkness, blinding light flooded in like a torrent.
Scenes, half-real and half-illusory, materialized within the blinding light.
'Only images...'
Law was somewhat disappointed.
What he wanted was to experience the Mender's memories as an observer, not these rigid images.
The half-real, half-illusory scenes floated in the air, forming a semi-circle.
The blinding backlight shone on the projections, making them even more blurred.
Law looked closely, barely able to make out another Mender in a different form, which made him uncomfortable.
After several attempts, he still couldn't change the situation.
Slightly annoyed, Law casually swiped at the images.
Unexpectedly, those half-real, half-illusory images suddenly transformed into dense rows of text, arranged in the air.
Then, the text rushed towards him like a tidal wave.