This Aura, which was formed by the convergence of multiple sources, wasn't premeditated but rather appeared suddenly.
Though the Aura carried no malice, it was more terrifying than if it had. It exuded an almost lifeless emotion, and a more fitting description might be 'indifference'.
The reason Machi reacted so dramatically wasn't because she was overly sensitive, but because she had never experienced such a terrifying Aura before. Her body reacted before her mind could process and analyze the situation.
The first to feel the impact were Machi and Law. Beans, however, seemed immune to the Aura, unaffected in the slightest. He looked at Machi, who had retreated in shock, and Law, whose expression turned grave, with a look of confusion.
In addition, several members of the Zodiacs were in the building, and when they sensed this Aura, they all looked puzzled.
The three elders, who had walked through the old era to the present day, had likely long since reached a profound level of Nen Mastery. Their Aura, which had been tempered by the passage of time, carried an indescribable sense of lifelessness.
Faced with this aura, Law felt as if he was stuck in a quagmire, with an invisible wall of air standing in front of him, making it difficult for him to take even a single step forward.
It was an intangible pressure from the mind, and those with weak wills would find themselves paralyzed.
However, Law knew very well that there was no danger behind this Aura. Since he understood this, he felt no fear.
"Law..." Machi's body was tense to the extreme and she had already entered a state of readiness for battle. She looked at Law's back, having the urge to grab him and flee immediately.
"Can you hold on?"
Law didn't turn around, his gaze fixed on the door at the end of the straight hallway.
"I... don't know." Machi replied, her voice strained and heavy.
Her level was still far below Law's, so facing the Aura of the three elders, she bore a heavier burden than he did.
"What's wrong with you two?" Beans seemed unable to feel the Aura, nor was he affected by it. He turned around and looked at the two of them, asking in confusion.
Law ignored Beans and said to Machi, "If you can't hold on, just step back a bit."
"What about you?" Machi gritted her teeth slightly.
"Me...?" Law sighed and said, "I definitely have to go in."
'I knew Netero's special invitation wouldn't be without its challenges. Even if there was something delicious, there had to be some obstacles.'
With that thought, Law took a step forward, walking through the Aura that filled the surroundings, heading toward the room at the end of the corridor.
Machi looked at Law's back and bit her lip without saying a word.
She couldn't take a step forward, but she also refused to retreat, so she endured the spiritual baptism from the three elders.
Beans, who was not affected, really had no idea what was going on, but judging from Machi and Law's reactions, he knew it must be that Netero was up to his usual antics.
'Chairman really is...' Beans sighed helplessly, 'No wonder he had been so excited when he mentioned inviting Law over.'
Inside the quiet room, the three elders didn't need to use En to sense that Law was approaching the room. Moreover, each of his steps was firm and composed, as if the Aura they were releasing was nothing more than decoration.
In fact, their Aura does not contain any malice, so it is purely mental oppression. As long as one realized that their actions held no ill intent, overcoming this obstacle wasn't difficult.
That being said, achieving this wasn't easy.
Consider two examples: a monk who had cultivated his mind for many years but hadn't learned Nen, and a Nen User who had mastered Nen for years but has a restless mind.
If these two types of people were to face the Aura of Netero and the other two elders at the same time, the former would be able to deal with it calmly, while the latter would be forced to retreat.
Of course, the reason Machi couldn't overcome this aura barrier wasn't because she had a restless mind, but because she couldn't believe that this Aura carried no ill intent. This was related to her upbringing and environment.
"He walked in calmly. Should we stop now?" Maha's eyes narrowed into slits, as if he couldn't be bothered to open them fully. Sensing that the Aura had little effect on Law, he felt it was pointless to continue.
Thus, he suggested retracting their Aura.
Linne didn't say anything. Her cloudy old eyes looked at Netero, who was stroking his beard and smiling, waiting for his response.
"Let's wait until he comes in before stopping." Netero said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Maha didn't press further and continued releasing his Aura, and Linne did the same.
It took Law 27 steps to walk the 30-meter-long corridor. When he reached the Japanese-style wooden door, Beans, who had followed him, stepped forward to open it for him.
"I'll open it."
At this moment, Law suddenly spoke.
Beans was taken aback when he heard this, but seeing that Law was staring at the recessed handle on the edge of the door, he obeyed Law's words and stepped aside.
There was a gleam in Law's eyes, which was the result of Aura gathering in his eyes.
By using Gyo, Law could see a dense cluster of Aura concentrated on the door handle.
'First, there was the Aura pressing on me, and now, someone had tampered with the door.'
'If it weren't for that 'something delicious', I really wouldn't have come here.'
With a soft sigh in his heart, Law extended his bandage-wrapped hand and pressed it against the handle. Then, using God Hand, he peeled away the cluster of Aura gathered there. Then, he slowly pulled the door open.
Inside was a quiet, serene room with minimal furnishings. A large calligraphy of the character, 'Heart', was hung on the wall, and the floor seemed to be covered with tatami mats.
To the right after entering was a raised platform about half a meter high. Netero and two unfamiliar elderly figures sat around a low table, each with a different posture.
Law walked in and silently looked at the two unfamiliar elders, one man and one woman, both of whom looked to be over a hundred years old and extremely old.
The man was short in stature, his face covered in deep, trench-like wrinkles. His sagging eye bags and tightly pursed, oversized mouth gave him an alien-like appearance.
His eyes were narrowed into thin slits, barely revealing his black pupils. His attire was extremely casual, with just a white tank top and a pair of earth-toned boxer shorts, resembling an old man out for a morning jog.
This person is Maha Zoldyck, Zeno's grandfather and the oldest member of the Zoldyck Family.
He is the same age as Netero, and can be described as an old monster who rarely appeared in public.
Having lived to such an advanced age, he mostly kept to himself. If he did venture out, it was usually because he had accepted an assassination request.
In other words, anyone who saw him likely wouldn't live to tell the tale.
The other woman was equally short and aged. She looked just as old as Maha. Her face was deeply wrinkled, with sagging, plump cheeks and a mouth surrounded by vertical fine lines. Her cloudy, unfocused eyes lacked vitality.
However, despite her old appearance, her head of golden-yellow hair remained strikingly youthful, bearing a strong resemblance to Biscuit's untransformed hair.
The contrast between her aged face and her youthful golden hair created a jarring sense of discord.
Though her murky old eyes seemed devoid of focus, like a camera lens out of alignment, Law could still sense her gaze upon him.
Of the two elderly figures, Law recognized one, which is Linne. He had seen her photograph before when he had asked Sabbica to look into the Gourmet Tournament.
His eyes quickly shifted away from the two elders and looked at the low table.
A small dish of pickled radish, a small dish of jade-like bean sprouts, a bowl of white rice, a bowl of clear soup with a few oil droplets floating on the surface, and a small dish of condiment emitting a rich aroma.
That was all.
'This was the so-called something delicious?'
Law's eyes fell on the dishes on the low table and the Aura covering the dishes. He felt that he had been tricked by Netero.
As he looked at the food, Netero and the other two elders were observing him.
These three elders, who had walked through the old era to the present day, were now gathered together. It wasn't something just anyone could witness.