The room where Knov and the others were was the largest in the Hide-and-Seek Dimension and the one where everyone usually gathered.
The room where Law and Coo were was the third smallest in the apartment.
As a spare room, it was most suitable for imprisoning Coo.
While Law and Coo were talking in that room, the rest of the team could see what was happening through the little fox Nen Beast Nique had attached to Kuro.
Yet, Knov had suddenly rushed over in fear.
An ability originates from its user's essence. Being in the absolutely safe Hide-and-Seek Dimension, it was very strange for Knov to act this way.
Without dwelling on his confusion, Law strode towards Knov.
Perhaps seeing Law helped... Knov's fearful expression eased somewhat.
Law walked through the door into the largest room.
Knov hurried after him, but being flustered and scared, he forgot to close the door.
Arriving in the other room, Law took in the situation at a glance, and his expression changed.
In the center of the room stood a book about the size of two doors. More precisely, it was standing, not just placed upright.
Because two thin, stick-figure-like black legs extended from the book's bottom, supporting it upright.
Besides the two black legs, there were also two black, long arms.
The book's cover, in terms of material, resembled the bark of a dead tree. Its surface was covered with root-like veins, radiating an aged Aura.
It looked as if the peculiar book had been bound using tree bark.
All the other team members were on alert, their bodies radiating strong Nen, surrounding the suddenly appearing bark-covered book.
The skeleton, who had always stayed on the periphery, was not involved. He stood at the very edge, his body trembling, the red light in his eye sockets very unstable.
He was afraid.
Law quickly scanned the room, then looked at the bark book, frowning deeply. He immediately opened his Aura Nodes and covered his body with Nen.
'Could this be what Coo called a Mender?'
'Regardless of how the book got into this space, wasn't the timing too coincidental?'
'Moreover, the book itself didn't have a single trace of Nen. Standing there, it seemed like a dead object.'
Compared to the powerful description Coo had given, the book before them emanated an Aura of weakness.
Thus, while the team was on alert, they weren't actually panicked. Even Nique, the most timid, didn't show fear at that moment.
As for Knov's terror, it was entirely related to his ability, the Hide-and-Seek Dimension.
After all, having his supposedly safest place breached by something, even if it didn't look powerful, was a huge shock to Knov.
Besides Knov, one other person acted strangely: the skeleton.
In his quick glance, Law saw the skeleton trembling. Connecting this to Coo's description of Menders, Law became highly vigilant, a vague unease rising in his heart.
"Law, it... it just appeared. No warning at all."
Standing beside Law, Knov spoke, his tone still laced with fear.
The others quickly glanced at Law, then focused their attention on the book-like entity.
Although it gave them a weak impression, the very fact that it could intrude into the Hide-and-Seek Dimension made it worthy of attention.
"Everyone, step back."
Watching the book, Law cautiously ordered the others to keep their distance.
Hearing Law, everyone immediately complied without hesitation, stepping back to increase the distance.
As his teammates stepped back, Law moved forward, joining them.
Tonpa came to Law's side and stared calmly at the book.
Law glanced at Tonpa's reaction. Tonpa, usually most sensitive to risk, was now unusually calm.
What did that mean?
Generally, it meant the book wasn't dangerous.
But if this book really was a Mender, then it couldn't be judged by common sense.
"Law, should we attack proactively?" Tonpa asked.
"No, let's wait and see for now."
Law was very cautious. If this book really was a Mender, they might not even have the right to attack first.
Most importantly...
Law glanced at Knov from the corner of his eye.
The book's intrusion also meant that the Hide-and-Seek Dimension was no longer an absolutely safe place.
This reality would create psychological pressure on the team.
Furthermore, the book didn't feel dangerous and had been standing there motionless.
Since the bark had no facial features, they couldn't gather information from its expression. Nor had the book initiated conversation.
Most significantly, they couldn't feel any gaze from the book.
If they weren't looking directly at it, sensing wouldn't tell them it was there.
'What was this thing?'
The group was wary, but also very puzzled.
'Regardless, it was an intruder.'
Thinking this, the more belligerent ones, like Uvogin, were ready to attack. They just awaited Law's command to charge.
The scene fell silent, a stalemate forming.
The book, having intruded into the room, had not moved since, like a statue.
Time passed in this standoff.
A full five minutes passed, both sides demonstrating the principle of 'if you don't move, I won't move'.
Just then, everyone suddenly felt a gaze land on them.
That gaze came from the book.
It was as if the book had just opened its eyes.
The sudden gaze made everyone's nerves even more tense.
Then, the book finally moved. It stretched out its long, thin black hands and touched the raised veins on its bark cover, pulling out a stick-like object that resembled a pen, holding it in hand.
Next, the center of the book's cover split open with a thin line, slowly revealing an eyeball that looked like it was drawn with a black ballpoint pen.
When that eyeball was fully revealed, an Aura like a soul storm passed through everyone's bodies in an instant.
Everyone shuddered, as if hearing wailing and eerie cries in their ears, seeing the ghostly, twisted faces of vengeful spirits before their eyes.
Of everyone present, only Stargie was completely unaffected.
At this moment, the book-like entity finally displayed a sign of power.
After opening its eye and releasing its Aura, the book now looked towards the skeleton hiding at the edge.
Feeling the book's gaze, the skeleton's legs gave way, and he knelt, the frantic fluctuations of the red light in his eyes showing his state.
Fortunately, the book's gaze only lingered on him briefly before shifting to Stargie.
The edges of the book's graffiti-like black eyeball trembled slightly. Then, the branch-pen in its hand pointed at Stargie. At the same time, the book began to flip pages automatically.
Without any visible sign, Stargie's body jolted, and the light in her eyes instantly extinguished.
A mass of black-and-white Nen, vaguely resembling Stargie's features, shot out from her chest and, with lightning speed, disappeared into the book's flipping pages.
By the time everyone reacted, Stargie's stone harp had slipped from her hand and crashed to the ground with a loud noise. Stargie stood motionless, her eyes dim, the Nen covering her body rapidly fading.
"Stargie?!"