On the way to the right-wing annex, Law spotted Pakunoda, which surprised him somewhat.
It had been a long time since they last met. Pakunoda had grown significantly taller, and her figure had undergone a qualitative transformation. Still, Law recognized her at first glance.
'Is she here on her own, or is this a Phantom Troupe gathering?'
Law narrowed his eyes and instinctively reached for his pocket, intending to call or text Machi to ask for details. However, his hand came up empty.
Before entering the Ohara Museum, his phone had been confiscated. According to the host's rules, recording and communication devices were not allowed inside.
Even the few journalists who had been granted access had to rely on handwritten notes and live sketches for their reports.
The main reason was that he had rushed from the Hunter Association to the Ohara Museum in too much of a hurry. Additionally, Salin hadn't briefed him on these precautions, otherwise, he would have stored his phone in Kuro's spatial ability beforehand, avoiding detection by the museum's staff.
Without his phone, Law silently withdrew his hand. At that moment, Pakunoda seemed to notice his unabashed gaze and turned to look at him.
Law was wearing a mask, so he wasn't worried about being recognized. Seeing Pakunoda glance over, he flashed a lecherous grin, his eyes shamelessly fixed on her impressive bust.
There were still many things he didn't fully understand, so he had no intention of actively engaging with Pakunoda. Moreover, among all the people he knew, Pakunoda's Nen Ability was the one he feared the most.
Pakunoda coldly stared at the burly, bearded man, her brow furrowing slightly before she turned away, ignoring him. If not for the mission at hand, she would have gouged out his eyes.
Once Pakunoda looked away, Law also averted his gaze and began scanning the other guests.
The bald man accompanying Pakunoda wasn't a member of the Troupe. Since Pakunoda was usually by Chrollo's side, her presence at the Appreciation Conference likely meant Chrollo was here as well.
After a thorough sweep of the room, Law found that aside from Pakunoda, no other Troupe members were present.
'The Troupe hasn't gathered in over a year. Is Pakunoda acting alone? No, wherever Chrollo is, she's bound to be nearby.'
Law stroked his chin, lost in thought.
During a recent call with Machi, he'd learned that the Troupe hadn't gathered for over a year.
Logically, Pakunoda acting alone was a possibility, but precisely because it was Pakunoda, Law leaned toward the idea that the Troupe had already assembled.
'Chrollo...'
Before the group reached the right-wing annex, Law carefully scanned the attendees once more but still only spotted Pakunoda.
'Could he be among the bodyguards?'
The thought suddenly occurred to him. However, security for the event had been entirely taken over by Ohara Museum's personnel, and the guests' bodyguards had been relegated to the periphery. It was too late now to check the bodyguard contingent.
The Phantom Troupe rarely gathered for joint operations, but whenever they did, it was for large-scale crimes. In terms of museum heists alone, Law knew of at least two instances.
Thus, it wasn't surprising that the Troupe might have set their sights on the Ohara Museum this time.
Regarding their criminal activities, Law had spoken to Machi and the others about it several times. However, having been raised in Meteor City, their ideologies were deeply ingrained. Moreover, the Troupe was a thirteen-member team, and the minority inevitably conformed to the majority.
If he couldn't influence their will or change their methods, then the Phantom Troupe would remain the Phantom Troupe.
Over the past few years, Law had stayed close to Salin, and his interactions with the Troupe had dwindled. He hadn't even met some of the newer members.
On a day-to-day basis, he maintained relatively frequent contact with Machi, Uvogin, and Nobunaga.
Occasionally, if they were nearby, they'd meet up. As for Chrollo and the others, they rarely crossed paths or communicated.
Furthermore, Feitan had always held a strong dislike for Law… the kind that would lead him to swing his sword without hesitation given the chance.
To put it bluntly, Law's connection with the Troupe now likely extended only to Machi, Uvogin, and Nobunaga.
'If the Troupe's target really was the Ohara Museum...'
Law glanced at Clover, who was surrounded by admirers. This man was a crucial future partner for him.
'Given the Troupe's modus operandi, if they had indeed targeted the Ohara Museum, after looting it, they would undoubtedly kill Clover.'
At this thought, Law sighed softly, his mind drifting to the Kurta Clan incident that would occur two years later. These were all factors that could bring him into conflict with the Troupe.
'At any rate, Clover is someone I absolutely must protect.'
"Why did you sigh just now?"
Salin suddenly asked in a low voice.
"Nothing." Law shook off his thoughts and smiled at her.
'Thankfully, I had made it here by chance… otherwise, Salin would have been in danger.'
Salin found it odd, but she knew that once Law said 'nothing', further questions would yield no answers.
The doors to the right-wing annex opened, and the guests began filing in.
Law quietly gathered his Aura in his eyes and turned his gaze toward the bald man.
'Zetsu?'
In his line of sight, the bald man's body showed neither lingering nor leaking Aura. At first glance, he seemed like a Nen User using Zetsu.
If this were a Nen User unfamiliar with the Phantom Troupe, their conclusion after a single observation would likely be that the bald man was a Nen User.
But Law's conclusion was different. His speculation leaned more toward the possibility that the bald man was being controlled by Shalnark.
'What should I do? Reveal my identity and try to persuade the Troupe to back off? That's probably unrealistic. The only ones who might listen would be Machi and the other two.' Law rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on over this matter.
Everyone had entered the right-wing annex. Under Clover's guidance, the group ascended floor by floor, observing precious ancient antiques displayed in glass cases, once again witnessing the depth of Clover's collection.
After touring most of the exhibit, Law's thoughts remained tangled around the sudden appearance of the Troupe. Just as they neared the top floor, a faintly familiar black Post-Mortem Nen drifted down from above, snapping him out of his contemplation.
"Law."
Salin, whose skills were no less formidable and whose sensitivity was sharp, also noticed the unsettling Aura and immediately nudged him.
"I noticed." Law responded, his eyes gleaming with a hint of anticipation.
At this moment, among the nearly two hundred people in the right-wing annex, only Law, Salin, and Pakunoda were Nen Users. The others were completely unaware of the ominous presence.
The group reached the top floor, where the platform was lined with empty glass display cases. Only one case contained three sheet-like objects, yellowed with age, each distinct in appearance.
The black Post-Mortem Nen didn't actively attack the ordinary people present. Instead, it writhed ominously above the display case like a mass of serpents.
"This is the newly established exhibition zone. Currently, it only holds three ancient musical scores."
Clover stood beside the display case, addressing the guests, completely oblivious to the black Post-Mortem Nen coiling around him like countless tiny snakes.
'Could this be the second piece of the Sonata of Darkness...?'
Staring at one of the scores, which resembled parchment, Law's heart was filled with emotion.
'After exhausting all efforts to search for it, had I stumbled upon it purely by chance?'