'Don Freecss?'
'Ging's ancestor, who is over three hundred years old and author of the East Edition in the [Journey to the New World].'
'Much of humanity's knowledge about the Dark Continent, including more detailed information about Calamities and Hopes, largely originated from this book.'
'But if the Don the Chief mentioned is Don Freecss, it would feel both unexpected and reasonable.'
Law couldn't think of any other outsider who could have traveled alone more than 150 years ago except him.
Law instinctively wanted to confirm further and asked, "Don... Freecss?"
This question made the Chief ponder again. He thought carefully and said with uncertainty, "When Don said his name back then, it seemed to sound like that."
His common tongue was taught by Don. When they first met, they introduced themselves, but they couldn't understand each other.
By the time they could communicate, Don had already introduced himself as 'Don'.
"Do you know Don?" The Chief pressed.
"I don't know him, but I know of him." Law replied.
"It seems he's quite famous among your people." The Chief mused, "When I met him, he was already an old man. I thought he was incredibly knowledgeable, as if he knew everything."
Law's understanding of Don Freecss was limited, and explaining would be troublesome. Hearing the Chief's story, he could only remain silent.
Involuntarily, Law looked at the long stone box. If it was related to lifespan and connected to Don, he had a vague idea what might be inside.
The Chief noticed Law's gaze. He raised his aged hand and gently placed it on the stone box, "This is what Dong gave me before we parted. He called it [Hope], saying it could extend lifespan. I didn't believe it at the time, but I accepted it anyway."
"It wasn't until my Heart Fire was about to extinguish that I tried it, half in doubt." At this, the Chief sighed softly, "He didn't lie to me."
Beside them, Biscuit and Tonpa listened to the Chief's somewhat unstandardized ancient common tongue. Though it was hard to follow, they could roughly understand it.
When they heard the Chief say the item in the stone box could extend lifespan, both showed noticeable reactions.
Longevity might be a desire hidden deep in every human heart.
Most people want to live well, live happily, but even more, they want to live long.
Biscuit's reaction was relatively calm, but Tonpa's eyes revealed greed.
Law stared at the stone box and said, "Can I take a look at it?"
The Chief's hand, gently stroking the stone box, paused. He slowly looked up at Law and said, "Not only will I let you see it, I will give it to you."
Law was startled when he heard this and asked, "Why would you give it to me?"
"You have the ability to easily cut through Vein Stone." the Chief didn't elaborate directly but added seriously, "And you saved Slufin and the others."
Law understood. Because he had saved Slufin's group and could expand the Slu Tribe's settlement, the Chief was giving him the contents of the stone box.
Would Law refuse?
Obviously not, and he would accept it gladly.
The Chief handed over the stone box. Law took a deep breath and accepted the somewhat heavy box.
Seeing Law take the box, the Chief simply watched silently. He didn't want to live too long, which was why, after verifying its effects, he hadn't consumed the remaining half in the box.
Those older than him, those his age, those younger than him… none remained now.
He had consumed the Chasefire Stone, consumed Hope, and thus lived alone until now.
If he had any lingering concerns, it was the future of the entire Slu Tribe.
Now, Law's ability was the hope that could bring a better future to the Slu Tribe. Compared to the Hope in the stone box, he valued the hope from Law more.
Perhaps, no matter what kind of Hope with strange effects, its value varied depending on who needed it.
The known hopes contained keywords like infinite electricity, curing all diseases, and inexhaustible liquid energy… all of immense importance to the human world.
Law looked at the stone box in his hand. A fiery gaze came from his side… he knew it was Tonpa's but couldn't be bothered to acknowledge it. He opened the lid of the stone box himself.
Inside the long, narrow stone box, there was no padding. On the cold stone base lay only half of a... rice plant?
The rice plant was about two feet long, covered in golden grains. The upper half had been neatly cut away by a sharp tool.
"Dong only gave me one plant. I ate half of it back then." The Chief explained.
Law nodded to show understanding, then reached out and gently picked up the remaining half of the rice plant. The White Smoke Font immediately provided the name, Nitro Rice.
'This half-plant was indeed the longevity food, Nitro Rice, which is produced in the eastern region of the Dark Continent. Don Freecss's age of over three hundred years must be precisely due to consuming Nitro Rice.'
'Perhaps, even now, Don Freecss still had a considerable stock of Nitro Rice, which was why he could so generously give the Chief a whole plant back then.'
'But where was he now? This place was merely one of the footprints he left over a hundred and fifty years ago.'
Thinking of this, Law even felt an urge to first explore the entire underground world.
Law silently placed the half-plant back into the stone box and looked at the Chief, saying sincerely, "Thank you. This is very precious."
For humans, the effects of Nitro Rice were truly valuable.
Upon touching it, Law thought of many things… Linne, Netero, and also the harp version of Dark Sonata, as using that ability came at the cost of reduced lifespan. (T/N: Changed to Dark Sonata for easier reading.)
Hearing Law's thanks, the Chief shook his head slightly and said earnestly, "In the past, I also thought the Chasefire Stone was precious. But what is truly precious is home."
"Yeah." This was all Law could respond with.
After accepting the Nitro Rice, Law poured out all the questions in his mind.
For example: Was this the eastern or western part of the Dark Continent? Were there other humans in the underground world? Roughly how large was this place? What dangerous beings were worth noting?
For each question Law raised, the Chief answered without holding back. Unfortunately, the information the Chief knew was mostly limited to the underground world.
Even regarding the footprints in the resin, he could only give a vague answer.
Among the humans still struggling to survive, most lived in the underground world, with a small portion remaining above ground.
However, some of the humans living underground had undergone evolution and degeneration in certain physical traits. As for those surviving above ground, it was unclear.
After most of his questions were resolved, the Chief leaned on his cane and left.
…
The night deepened.
Law lay on the stone bed, hands behind his head, staring blankly at the dark cavern ceiling.
Bruna curled up beside Law. She slowly rose and attached her tentacles to Law's temples.
"Law, you're like this right now."
Bruna used her numerous tentacles to twist into a complex tangled ball.
Seeing this, Law couldn't help but chuckled.
In the corner, Tonpa curled up against the wall, sleeping soundly. On another stone bed, Biscuit quietly watched Law and Bruna opposite her.
The next day, Slufin rushed into the dwelling, grief-stricken, "The Chief is dead."