Law revoked the effect of the harp version of Sonata of Darkness, and then, with practiced ease, they leaped down, passing through the spacious burial chamber and heading straight down the corridor.
In the silent darkness of the tomb, the footsteps of Law and Biscuit echoed.
Where the flashlight's beam shone, floating dust particles shimmered faintly.
"I never asked you, but why did you suddenly decide to return to this tomb?" Biscuit asked softly, her voice carrying through the emptiness.
"A friend of mine developed a unique Nen ability that can imbue lifeless objects with souls… or perhaps even recall vanished souls. That's why I wanted to take Stargie with me." Law explained.
Biscuit fell silent for a long moment before replying, "That's hard to believe."
"Yeah, that's the charm of Nen abilities. Like my favorite, Miss Cookie, for example." Law said with a laugh.
Biscuit shot him a glare, "If you want Cookie to give you a massage, you should be praising me, not her."
"Master, you're as beautiful as a goddess, beloved by all, so stunning that words can't do you justice. Everything is understood without saying a word." Law said with utmost sincerity.
Then, his forehead got another punch.
"I'm this young… how am I old?" Biscuit raised her small, delicate fist threateningly.
"Your highness is absolutely right."
Bang, another punch.
"Stop with the strange formality."
"Right, right, right!"
They advanced unimpeded until they reached the platform above the dark water.
On the cavern ceiling, the same glowing vampiric vines stretched endlessly.
Last time, Law had been too exhausted and had to be carried out by Biscuit, nearly getting trapped by the vines.
This time, if these vines dared to cause trouble, he might just uproot every last one of them.
Standing high above, Law looked down at the platform illuminated by the vines' eerie glow, his gaze settling on the ruined palace. Suddenly, he said, "Biscuit, I'm going to the Dark Continent. Are you coming?"
Biscuit turned to him, a questioning look on her face.
At that moment, the countless vines on the ceiling suddenly writhed to life, surging toward them like a swarm of snakes lunging through the air.
Law raised his head, watching the onslaught of vines coldly, "Annoying."
As soon as he spoke, his Domain expanded instantly, enveloping the first wave of vines.
Without a sound, the densely packed vines shattered like scattered petals, falling into the pitch-black abyss of the dark water below.
Perhaps these strange vines still retained some faint instinct. After being utterly devastated by Law and losing most of their numbers, the remaining vines shrank back toward the ceiling, trembling, and made no further moves.
Biscuit watched silently, thinking to herself how much Law had grown over the years.
If she weren't so different from Netero, she might have challenged him to an all-out battle.
"Are you coming?"
Law turned to Biscuit, resuming their earlier conversation.
"You're serious?" Biscuit asked.
"Of course."
"Getting permission is nearly impossible… practically unattainable."
"We don't need permission. We can use the poacher's method… just like Netero and Linne did back in the day." Law said seriously.
Poachers who want to hunt rare animals in prohibited zones must resort to methods akin to smuggling… in other words, unofficial channels.
The same logic applies to reaching the Dark Continent. Instead of obtaining the sailing permit from International Permit Agencies, they just need to bypass the established Territorial Waters. After that, the only thing to consider is how to safely cross the Uncharted Waters and venture into the Dark Waters beyond.
Once there, they'd already be stepping into the domain of colossal creatures. And for a small boat to navigate past the Dark Waters where these behemoths dwell is no easy task.
Gigantic squids, crowned penguins, whales, sea serpent dragons, swarms of insects, as well as sudden tidal waves comparable to the first stage of Tide and merciless whirlpools… these are all obstacles on the way to the Dark Continent.
Biscuit could tell Law was dead serious. She pressed a hand to her forehead, momentarily speechless.
After half a minute, she asked, "Who else have you invited besides me?"
"No one else. Just you. That place isn't for just anyone. Among the people I know, there are only a handful of suitable candidates." Law shook his head.
Strong willpower, solid skills, and the ability to endure the harsh unknowns of such an environment… these are the baseline requirements for going to the Dark Continent.
Neither Buhara and Sanbica meet those conditions.
Back then, Netero and his team also went to the Dark Continent with just three people. In Law's initial plan, he had also envisioned a trio, because a place like the Dark Continent would only become more cumbersome with too many people.
The team shouldn't be too bloated… no more than fifty at most. The optimal number would be somewhere in the middle, around twenty-five.
Law's ideal candidates were Biscuit and Ging. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, Ging couldn't go to the Dark Continent via smuggling, so he was out of the question.
"You're insane," Biscuit said helplessly when she realized Law was planning to go with just the two of them.
Law shrugged and said, "Think about it. I can assure you that there will definitely be a lot of rare raw stones there."
If Biscuit agreed to come along, that would be perfect. Not only was her strength up to par, but her Miss Cookie would be incredibly useful in an environment like the Dark Continent.
Before Biscuit could respond, Law leaped down the stairs, landing on the platform below.
Around them were ruins, and even the intact palace had several gaping holes.
Stargie's body was inside the palace, but instead of heading straight in, Law began rummaging through the surrounding rubble.
He planned to take Stargie's body with him while also stocking up the Lawlin Museum with some new antiques.
Biscuit descended the stairs and watched quietly as Law tirelessly sifted through the ruins.
"The Dark Continent, huh…"
She pondered silently. This wasn't a decision to be made lightly.
The fact that she hadn't refused outright meant she was considering it.
A vast, uncharted land would undoubtedly hold countless gemstones… that much didn't even need Law's assurance.
Biscuit rubbed her temples. No one had ever extended such an invitation to her before, and she had never even entertained the thought of going to the Dark Continent.
Now, Law had asked her. At first, she was resistant, but before long, the scales in her heart began tipping toward the dangerous side.
After considerable effort, Law unearthed all the valuable antiquities he could find, then summoned Kuro and stuffed the loot into his storage space.
Once the plundering was done, Law and Biscuit passed through the statues of beasts and humans, entering the palace and approaching Stargie's coffin.
They took everything, the stone harp and the coffin, and stored them inside Kuro's space.
With their purpose for returning to the tomb fulfilled, Law and Biscuit didn't linger and headed straight back to the mountain peak's entrance.
Then, they immediately noticed the woman hiding behind a rock.