The Bliss Mushroom is a famous product of the Talma Mountain Range. Every time a thunderstorm passes, these mushrooms sprout like bamboo shoots after rain, growing continuously on the many rocky cliffs of the mountains.
It is worth mentioning that the Doom Toad, which is as famous as the Bliss Mushroom in the Talma Mountain Range, is a creature that only appears during thunderstorms.
Doom Toads spend most of their lives hidden within the rocky mountains. Their claws are incredibly sharp, capable of easily digging through solid rock. They only emerge during thunderstorms to mate, creating a rare spectacle known as 'when thunder meets fire'.
Mushrooms and toads have become symbols of the Talmar Mountains, one being a plant, the other a creature, with both carrying deadly toxins.
No one has ever been able to determine how Bliss Mushrooms continue to grow in endless supply, and no Poison Hunter has been able to uncover their secrets. The same goes for the Doom Toads, and their nature remains largely a mystery.
Each year, thousands of people commit suicide by consuming Bliss Mushrooms. It's because it is said that eating them brings a fleeting moment of happiness just before death.
Ironically, those who wish to die happily often find themselves experiencing such a profound sense of joy that they gain a renewed will to live. However, the poison of the Bliss Mushroom is incurable, and their newfound hope is ultimately crushed by deeper despair.
This is why the Talma Mountain Range has earned the nickname The Place of Return of Souls.
There are a lot of poisons in the world, and there are many poisons that have been discovered but have no antidote. Poison Hunter exist to combat these threats. Basically, every Poison Hunter is a skilled pharmacist.
Bliss Mushrooms and Doom Toads remain one of the greatest unsolved challenges for Poison Hunters.
…
At the foot of the mountain, numerous makeshift stalls with woven baskets display fist-sized mushrooms, which are none other than Bliss Mushrooms.
Those who want to commit suicide can buy Bliss Mushrooms directly from the sellers at the stall. They are sold in batches of four, and each person can only buy four.
Bliss Mushrooms have no fixed price, only a 'sentimental price'.
What the seller wants is all the belongings of the person who committed suicide. Even if all they have left is a single coin, they can still buy the Bliss Mushrooms. In addition, the seller will provide processing services and complimentary burial service.
This grim business chain, which is filled with an air of despair, satisfies both buyers and sellers alike.
In this bustling market at the mountain's base, one can see an abundance of Bliss Mushrooms and many individuals who have lost the will to live, but rarely, if ever, a living or dead Doom Toad.
A slender woman with dark skin, long hair, thin lips, and sharp pupils arrived at the market.
The vendors took one glance at her and instinctively ruled her out as a potential customer. They had seen too many desperate souls, and with just a single look, they could tell who was truly seeking death.
To put it in a mysterious way, they can see the aura of death lingering around those who had given up hope.
This dark-skinned woman, who had a unique charm, was clearly not someone who wanted to commit suicide.
Having assessed her in an instant, the vendors shifted their attention to other passersby, loudly calling out to attract new customers.
'Hmph, how pathetic.'
Standing amidst the crowd, the dark-skinned woman quietly observed the people passing by. Feeling the thick despair in the air, a mocking glint flashed in her sharp eyes.
Among the throng, she stood out like a crane among chickens, impossible to ignore.
Her name was Gel, and she was a professional Hunter with expertise in three different fields: Toxicologist, Coroner, and Pharmacist.
Toxicology was her primary profession, making her a Poison Hunter by trade. Recently, she had also become one of the Zodiacs of the Hunter Association.
In addition to those who want to commit suicide, a small number of people who come here are Poison Hunters, both amateur and professional. The main reason they come to this place that profited from death is to pick up bargains.
Doom Toads are the only known creatures immune to the Bliss Mushroom's toxin. However, due to their rarity and their tendency to appear only during thunderstorms, catching one is incredibly difficult.
However, the native residents who have lived at the foot of Talma Mountain Range for generations never miss an opportunity on stormy days. Using their exclusive hunting techniques, they occasionally manage to capture a Doom Toad and auction it off.
For Poison Hunters, Bliss Mushrooms are readily available, but acquiring a Doom Toad depends entirely on luck. After every thunderstorm, they gather at the foot of the mountains, hoping for a chance.
There were also several Poison Hunters around who noticed the dark-skinned woman. Among these Poison Hunters, there was a middle-aged man wearing animal skin clothes.
If Law was here, he would definitely recognize this middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man was one of the people Law had saved in the Amaromi Forest during the last Hunter Exam.
Back then, the middle-aged man had even asked Law whether the antidote for the Rotting Spider could be made public. As an amateur Poison Hunter, he had failed the last Hunter Exam, however, he was determined to try again this year.
Ignoring the curious glances cast her way, Gel wandered through the market. After failing to see any Doom Toad, she decisively turned and left.
This time, she came to the Talma Mountain Range for the Bliss Mushrooms and the Doom Toads. If she could solve these problems, she would be able to gain considerable merit, which was very important for her as one of the newest members of the Zodiacs.
…
In a nearby valley, muffled thuds echoed intermittently.
"Still too slow!"
Biscuit shouted and delivered a spinning kick that sent Law flying.
When Law hurtled toward the rock wall, he abruptly halted mid-air to avoid harsh impact.
"Too slow? Your standards are way too high! I clearly blocked it."
Law landed, raised his right arm to look at it, and found that there was no injury.
During their close-quarters exchange, he had managed to raise his right arm just in time to block Biscuit's spinning kick.
If offensive and defensive values were rated out of 100, Biscuit's kick had delivered around 70 points of damage. Law's hurried defense had barely managed to concentrate an equal 70 points of Aura into his arm.
As a result, he successfully blocked Biscuit's spinning kick.
"Do you think the spinning kick was my best choice just now?" Biscuit shot him a sharp look.
Law furrowed his brows slightly, thinking about the fight between him and Biscuit just now.
'Indeed, at that time, Biscuit had a better offensive opportunity. Instead of the time-consuming spinning kick that required a wind-up, a quick back elbow would have been slightly weaker but much faster, increasing its chances of landing.'
"You realized it, huh?" Biscuit said calmly.
Law nodded solemnly and said, "If you'd gone for the back elbow, my Ryu wouldn't have been fast enough to block it."
"So, were you prepared to respond to it?" Biscuit asked.
'No…!'
'In that moment, I had no defensive measures in place. I had been entirely focused on attacking, but looking back now, defense should have been my priority, with a counterattack planned afterward.'
Realizing this, Law shook his head and admitted, "No, I wasn't prepared."
Biscuit placed her hands on her hips and said, "Also, while you did block the damage, you didn't fully neutralize it. The fact that you were sent flying proves it. The moment you were airborne, I had another chance to attack."
"However, your Nen Ability can offset that opportunity, which can be considered as increasing your error tolerance rate."
Law pursed his lips, assumed a combat stance, and said in a deep voice: "Again!"
There is no extra time to analyze during a battle. He must reach the most correct conclusion in lightning time. If he takes a wrong step, the price will be being hit.
This is... the importance of instantaneous battle cognition!