The Slu Tribe's legs were uniquely structured, and their feet could emit heat.
During the earlier battle with the Bone Lizards, they had been able to crush a Bone Lizard with just one step.
Law was certain that Slufin and the others weren't using Nen. As for the principle behind their feet generating heat, Law hadn't had the chance to ask, especially since Bruna couldn't establish a communication channel while they were riding the White Silkworms.
Now, watching Slufin use his heat-emitting feet to carefully work the spine meat, listening to the faint sizzling in the air, and smelling the slight burnt scent in the white smoke, Law hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
He really didn't want to eat this meat.
Biscuit and Tonpa drooped their eyelids, also protesting vehemently against this meat in their hearts.
In the dwelling, only Bruna remained calm, as she lacked some of the value senses that humans possessed.
Slufin was completely unaware that his actions had caused serious discomfort to Law and the others. Using his feet to cook meat was simply the Slu Tribe's way of eating cooked food. After all, they didn't light fires in their dwelling, nor was it necessary.
There was no more cost-effective energy source than self-sufficiency.
His scalding feet meticulously stepped on every corner of the spine meat, showing the care of the preparer, though the heat control seemed somewhat lacking.
After about a minute of stepping, Slufin stepped down, picked up a rough stone bowl from the stone platform, and scooped out a handful of mixed granular substances… likely spices.
With a flourish, he sprinkled the spices onto the slightly charred spine meat. His technique was rather crude, and the distribution was uneven.
After sprinkling the spices, he stepped onto the meat again, moving back and forth, left and right, almost as if dancing a ballroom dance.
The spices released an enticing aroma when heated, but it was soon ruined by the burnt smell.
Law covered his forehead, unable to watch any longer. He stood up and called out to stop Slufin.
"What's wrong?"
Slufin stepped off the stone slab and looked at Law in confusion.
Law hesitated for a moment, then pointed at the ruined spine meat on the slab and said, "Um, how about we handle this ourselves?"
"That won't do! How can we let guests do the work?" Slufin declared righteously, adopting a stance of staunch refusal, as if it were one of their survival principles.
'Hang in there!'
Tonpa and Biscuit cheered Law on silently in their hearts. No matter what, they didn't want to eat spine meat that had been stepped on repeatedly by feet.
Law rubbed his temples and had to use 'different dietary habits' as reasoning, painstakingly persuading Slufin.
Ten minutes later, Slufin was finally convinced but felt something was off. He sat on the ground, eating the spine meat he had stepped on himself, thinking it tasted great and wondering why Law and the others were so averse to it.
After a while, Slufin went to fetch two more pieces of spine meat.
Law asked, "Slufin, do you always cook like this?"
"Yeah." Slusheng nodded, as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
"Just meat?" Law continued.
Slufin shook his head and replied, "Not just that. I've eaten dog eggs and ground grass, but mostly we eat meat. It's hard to find other types of food."
'Dog eggs?'
Law thought about it but decided not to ask. After all, it sounded like some kind of dark cuisine.
He stood up and glanced at the pitch-black stone slab Slufin had used for cooking. After a moment of silence, he decisively walked to a nearby rock wall, summoned Shin, and sliced off a stone slab on the spot.
Clatter.
The spine meat in Slufin's hand fell to the ground. He stared, dumbfounded, at the stone slab Law had cut with his sword.
He blinked several times, rubbed his eyes vigorously, and from blurry to clear vision, he truly saw the smooth stone slab in Law's hand. His mouth slowly dropped open in an exaggerated manner.
Even though he knew Law's sword could cut through the bones of Bone Lizards and dig out the spine meat inside, the hardness difference between bone and Vein Stone was enormous… at least ten times greater.
Yet, Law had actually sliced a stone slab from the rock wall, and most terrifyingly, he had done it with ease.
Law walked back in with the stone slab and saw Slufin's exaggerated expression. He paused, then looked at Biscuit and Tonpa with a questioning gaze.
Biscuit and Tonpa had noticed Slufin's expression and Law's questioning look. They both shook their heads, indicating they didn't know what was happening.
"Law, is it very difficult for you to cut stone?"
Slufin suddenly shouted excitedly, lunging forward to hug Law's leg, asking a rather silly question.
Bruna, nestled on Law's shoulder, had retracted her tentacles when Law walked out, breaking the communication channel.
This meant Law didn't understand Slufin's words and didn't know why he was so excited.
"Is it?"
Slufin widened his eyes and asked again excitedly.
At that moment, Bruna finally reacted, reestablishing the communication channel between the two. Only then did Law understand Slufin's words and indicated that it wasn't difficult.
Slufin slowly released Law's legs and actually began chuckling foolishly, muttering, "Slu Tian is fortunate! Slu Tian is fortunate!"
At this moment, Slufin felt their tribe was incredibly lucky to have encountered Law.
"Law!"
Slufin once again bowed deeply to Law, a gesture that made Law feel somewhat weary.
After Slufin's explanation, Law finally understood why he had reacted that way.
The current state of the Slu Tribe's dwelling could be perfectly described with one word: cramped. Slufin briefly explained the hardness of the Vein Stone and then requested that Law use his sword to expand their cramped living space. This would solve many problems and could even help them make weapons.
Law felt this was a small matter, just requiring some effort, so he agreed.
Seeing Law agree, Slufin was so overjoyed he nearly went mad.
Without a doubt, this was a tremendous boon for the Slu Tribe. But their Chief was still hibernating, so they had to wait for the Chief to wake up, then inform the entire tribe and announce this good news in front of everyone.
With this in mind, Slufin struggled to suppress his surging emotions.
The Chief was very, very old and had lived a long, long time, but much of that time was spent sleeping.
This time, he had been asleep for nearly half a month and was probably about to wake up soon.
"Slufin, I need you to do me a small favor." Law said, fiddling with the stone slab, interrupting Slufin's deep thoughts.
Slufin immediately straightened up, adopting an attitude of being willing to climb mountains of blades and seas of fire, and said loudly, "Just give the order!"
"Lie down." Law said.
Without another word, Slufin lay down.
"Lift your feet level." Law continued.
Slufin obediently lifted his feet, level and upward. Due to his sturdy calves, it seemed somewhat difficult.
Law placed the stone slab on Slufin's feet and asked, "How long can you hold this position?"
Slufin thought for a moment and exaggerated, "As long as needed!"
"Good, then make your feet heat up." Law said with a smile.
Slufin didn't understand but still used his innate ability to make his feet heat up.
After a considerable amount of time, the stone slab became scalding hot and turned red from the heat of Slufin's feet.
Seeing this, Law placed the spine meat on the stone slab. As it heated, the fat seeped out, sizzling softly.
Finally, Slufin understood what Law was doing.
Nearby, Biscuit and Tonpa glanced at Slufin, thinking that the Slu Tribe really didn't need something like a fire source.
The heat transferred, making the stone slab very hot.
Law's hand gently brushed over the spine meat, instantly slicing it into thin pieces spread evenly on the heated stone slab. Then, he took out his own spices, and then, using his Nen Ability, he thoroughly infused them into the meat.
A mouthwatering aroma emerged and spread outward.
Everyone in the Slu tribe's dwelling smelled this fragrance and was irresistibly drawn to it.
In no time, the dwelling was surrounded, packed tightly. A few of the mischievous children even barged right in.