The solo piece consisted of three movements.
In the original work, Melody's friend had only played the first movement of the flute version and paid the price with their life, However, the harp version of the solo piece was relatively gentler, and it didn't require sacrificing one's life to perform.
Even so, no one, not even Stargie, who had repeatedly played the piece at great cost, had ever completed all three movements. At most, she had played two movements, and only a handful of times at that. Most often, she stopped after the first.
In other words, even Stargie herself didn't know what would happen if the entire piece was played, or whether it might still cost a life.
With Stargie's experience as a foundation, Law decided to take this opportunity to test the effects of the Sonata of Darkness. However, he would only attempt the first movement.
Among the four versions of Sonata of Darkness, Law already knew the effects of the flute version and the harp version. They shared a subtle commonality, which was Limitations and Vows.
"Master, cover your ears."
Law set down Shin, and picked up the small black harp, which Black Cat had transformed into. He then stood before the sealed carved stone gates.
The way he held the harp looked quite uncoordinated, and clearly not the proper way to hold it. Anyone with a keen eye could tell he was a novice.
"What are you planning to do?" Biscuit asked solemnly. Earlier, when Law had Black Cat transform into a harp, she hadn't known his intentions. However, the moment he told her to cover her ears, Biscuit had a hunch.
Law turned his head, smiled at Biscuit, and said, "Testing the effects of the piece."
"You're crazy!" Biscuit strode forward, came in front of Law, and spoke in a very serious tone.
Law shook his head. He was not crazy. On the contrary, because he understood the risks, he dared to proceed. Compared to the flute version, the harp version was far gentler. If used correctly, it could become a valuable asset.
Biscuit placed a firm hand on the harp, stopping him: "The consequences could be disastrous. You can't play it."
"I know my limits, trust me." Law replied seriously.
Facing Law's unwavering and determined gaze, Biscuit furrowed her brows. She knew that she could not persuade Law anymore. That was a look that showed that he had made a decision and there was no way to change his mind.
Biscuit has seen similar eyes in many people. Those with such eyes would move forward resolutely, whether the path ahead was filled with thorns or treacherous obstacles.
No one had the right to become an obstacle.
Biscuit sighed softly and quietly stepped aside. She put her hands on her ears, and focused her eyes while maintaining Ken state. If anything went wrong, she was ready to intervene immediately.
'Can he understand how to play after just looking at the music score?'
Biscuit found it hard to believe Law had any skill in this area.
Not far away, Atomu silently raised his hands and covered his ears.
Law knew that the harp version of the piece targeted specific objects, and his intended target was the stone gate. However, to be safe, he had insisted on Biscuit covering her ears.
He placed his right hand on the strings. It was his first time playing a harp, but as he prepared to play, an eerie sense of familiarity guided his fingers. This piece was the only one he could play.
Tling...
A crisp and clear note resonated through the air.
Law's plucking movements were extremely clumsy, but they followed the correct sequence, which created a sense of disharmony and contradiction.
The first movement's melody was slow, carrying a gentle yet piercing chill within its delicate tune.
Bios and Atomu could not hear the sound of the harp, but they both saw silk-like Nen Threads coming out from Law's body and heading towards the stone gate.
The Nen Threads were very thin, but there were many of them. As they drifted toward the stone gate, they gradually darkened, eventually adhering to the surface.
'Given Law's current condition, he shouldn't have been able to produce such a large amount of Aura.'
Rather than focusing on the door, Biscuit kept a close watch on Law. Only after confirming that he showed no abnormalities did her tense nerves relax slightly.
The harp's melody continued for a while before reaching its conclusion. When Law stopped playing, the place fell silent.
'The cost is indeed lifespan. While playing, it feels like something is being stripped away from my body bit by bit.' Law thought to himself. After observing the stone gate and confirming the results, he gained a deeper understanding of the Sonata of Darkness.
The effect of this music, which is based on the power of Limitations and Vows, is indeed unique.
By playing the first movement, Law designated the stone gate as his target and issued a command: only he could open it.
This acted as a binding restriction, and since the Sonata of Darkness was no ordinary tune, after the contract is concluded, ordinary Nen Users will not be able to open the stone gate. Only Nen Exorcists can do so.
The price Law had to pay was two years of his lifespan, but the white smoke font gave him 70% resistance, so he only had to bear 30% of the cost, which was something he wasn't even aware of.
After he finished playing, he did not feel any pain. It simply felt like he'd lost a tiny portion of himself, similar to the sensation of expending Aura when firing a Nen Bullet.
If used wisely, this music piece can produce more benefits than disadvantages. The only downside was that it couldn't be practiced, and it required sight-reading, which is playing it correctly after just one glance at the sheet music.
Without sufficient musical skill, one will fail before they have even mastered this piece.
Having confirmed that what he wanted to do was done, casually tossed the harp aside, and the latter turned back into Black Cat.
Biscuit approached, and scrutinized him closely from head to toe.
"I'm fine." Law spread his hands and said.
"Could the rumors be false?" Biscuit murmured in doubt. She turned to look at the many black Nen Threads on the stone gate, and felt that it was not that simple.
"It's not fake. This piece really isn't something to be taken lightly."
"But you look unharmed."
"There was a cost, but it was minor." Law replied.
Biscuit's eyes narrowed, but refrained from asking about the exact price. Instead, she offered another piece of advice: "Best to stay away from it."
"Yeah."
Law nodded. The harp version of Sonata of Darkness was more like a Manipulation-Type Nen Ability. It cost one's lifespan to manipulate the target, and the best target for manipulation was human.
Theoretically, if an ordinary person is controlled, they can be transformed into a Nen User immediately, but at the cost of their life.
The effect was rarely useful in ordinary situations, but it will be very effective when needed.
Afterwards, Law asked Biscuit to help push the boulder back to block the entrance of the stone gate. Ignoring Atomu, they began their descent.
With his injuries and nearly depleted aura, climbing out of the tomb had been difficult enough to Law, and descending the mountain was simply impossible.
So, he asked Biscuit to take him down the mountain, and Black Cat followed behind him with the crab claw meat in its mouth.
The two people and one Nen Beast headed towards the lake residential area in Babu Forest.
Despite the hardships, this trip had proven fruitful. Law obtained the sheet music and discovered the murals.
On the way back, Law chatted with Biscuit for a while, and only then did he learned that Biscuit's motivation for contacting him was because of Netero's request.
According to Biscuit's original words, their meeting was purely by chance, and observing him had simply been a side task, something she hadn't initially taken too seriously.