Zeno curled his toes into the ground, pretending not to hear the old man's sarcastic remarks.
Just as usual, he went behind Maha and started kneading the old man's shoulders. "Grandfather, Father is still alive, right?"
"What are you trying to say? Spit it out or get lost." Maha didn't even lift his eyelids, continuing to sway in his rocking chair.
"It was that child, Roy, who reminded me." Zeno didn't look annoyed despite being scolded. He smoothly transitioned from Maha's shoulders down his spine and back. "I didn't tell you everything over the phone. The timing of the 'curse' appearing on the back of his hand is a bit delicate..."
With his white hair swaying, the "One Kill Per Day" sign on his chest swayed in the wind. The former head of the Zoldyck family frowned deeply, paused, and said in a heavy tone, "You know this, Silva and I both delved deep into Father's memories, and as a result... nothing happened."
"But Roy, that child, was targeted the moment he entered the [Game]. I've been thinking these past few days... perhaps Father... favors that child..."
Maha closed his eyes, saying nothing.
Zeno continued up the old man's neck, massaging his head, choosing his words carefully. "You saw it too. That 'curse' is highly unusual. Besides 'Nen', it has some other 'things' added to it..."
Maha interrupted him impatiently. "Cut the crap. Just say 'Faith'!"
The old man grunted irritably. "This is the Zoldyck estate, not the Dark Continent. No matter how long those 'guys'' arms are, they can't reach here!"
"Grandfather's lesson is correct." Zeno immediately knelt, presented his forehead, and assumed a posture of accepting punishment.
Maha raised his hand, then lowered it again. After a moment, he sighed listlessly. "Alright, I understand... The [Book] is in the right-hand drawer. Take it to him..."
"Yes."
At that time, the night faded, and a faint light tore through the darkness, announcing to the world that dawn was about to break.
The dim little room fell into a long silence...
Leaving the old castle, Roy headed down, passed through the dense forest, went by the butler's villa, and happened to meet a "pig-head" at the mountain path entrance. That "pig-head" heard the movement, bowed deeply, and said, "Good morning, Young Master."
The corner of his mouth twitched, pulling at the injuries on his face, making him grimace in pain. Clearly, he had been beaten badly yesterday!
"Mm." Roy glanced at Kastro, brushed past his shoulder, and ran down, then returned the same way to his own bedroom. He took a quick shower. Gotoh, as always, was dutifully fulfilling his responsibilities on the first day home, arriving punctually with the food trolley to deliver the meal.
"What happened to your face?"
The young butler's face was scattered with bruises, and the corner of his eye was split open. Although he had tried hard to cover these marks with makeup, Roy saw through it at a glance.
"I just taught a monkey a lesson. It's nothing." Gotoh didn't mention yesterday's fight with Kastro.
Since he was unwilling to say more, Roy didn't ask further. He sat quietly at the table eating breakfast, listening to the report on Kurajing's arrangements.
"As per your instructions, Young Master, I have already arranged for people to take her for 'physical' training. Once she adapts to the rhythm, we will proceed with opening her Nen."
"No rush." Roy took a bite of his bacon sandwich, thinking of Kurapika. 'The Kurta Clan, with the 'Scarlet Eyes' enhancement, has a high upper limit. We can try to focus on training her.' He said, "Wait until she can open two gates of the Testing Gate, then open it for her."
"Yes."
Gotoh skillfully handed over a napkin. Roy took it and looked up at him. "And you?"
The young butler pushed up the glasses on his nose. "The sword is ready, just waiting for you, Young Master."
A "secret breathing art" that could strengthen the body and explosively increase combat power. Gotoh had heard Roy mention it briefly back on the airship. He figured that after learning it... he would definitely not be in such a sorry state as he was yesterday, even if...
He had been the final victor.
"Five in the evening. Wait for me by the water pool."
After deliberately wiping his mouth, the young man pushed back his chair and stood up. He gestured with his hand, and with a swoosh... swoosh...
"Yubashiri" and the "Staff Sword" flew over one after the other, and he snatched them firmly in his hands.
At this moment, the red sun leaped out, pouring down the morning glow, shining on the young man through the bright glass window and draping him in a robe of rosy clouds.
Gotoh bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Young Master... good luck..."
Without looking back, Roy said, "I'll take those good wishes."
A swamp immediately appeared at his feet, and he sank into the ground under the butler's astonished gaze. When he reappeared, he was already outside the door.
Whoosh A mountain breeze blew past. Gotoh's gaze was a little dull. He subconsciously glanced outside again. Roy disappeared and reappeared, like a phantom, completely unpredictable. There was no telling which corner he would emerge from next.
'Indeed, one can only say... That's the Young Master for you!'
Having witnessed too many "strange things" happening around Roy, the young butler quickly adjusted his mentality. He cleared the dishes, pushed the trolley out the door, and headed towards the storage room. Since the Young Master said he would be waiting by the water pool deep in the mountain forest in the evening, he wouldn't go back on his word. He would definitely... return safely.
Before that, all he needed to do... was prepare the sword and wait quietly.
Tap... tap... The master and servant parted ways.
From the corner of a wall, Roy emerged again, having arrived outside the dim little room. He immediately saw the two old men, who had finished breakfast and were leaning against the window sill with their hands behind their backs, basking in the sun. He approached unhurriedly and called out, "Grandfather... Great-Grandfather..."
Zeno was accompanying Maha. The former nodded slightly at him. The latter watched the red sun turn white as it fully rose and said lazily, "Go."
7:54 in the morning.
The door to the training room opened, revealing a tall man.
His left and right feet were resting on two stone piers respectively, and he was stretching in a split position with his back to the open doorway.
In silence, Roy brushed past Zeno and Maha. On the way, his form flickered... his height shrank, his skin wrinkled, his back bent slightly, and his black hair was frosted white. He had transformed into the appearance of Zigg. He looked at Silva from afar, as if to say: 'Your grandfather is here! Aren't you going to get over here?'
Maha, Zeno: "..."
They looked at each other, and the former cursed with a laugh, "That brat, trying to bluff his own father!"
His old eyes were fixed on the young man, filled with longing and reminiscence in his daze.
'Grandfather misses Father... Roy, this kid, really knows how to play people...' Zeno noticed Maha's unusual reaction. He quietly watched Roy, in Zigg's form, walk unhurriedly toward the training room, and instantly understood Roy's intention...
Building momentum!
An ancient saying goes: 'The first drum beat rouses the spirit, the second causes it to wane, and the third exhausts it.' To know there is a gap in strength but still advance without fear, that is courage!
The young man was "a fox borrowing the tiger's might," borrowing Zigg's appearance to bolster his own spirit!
The distance of a hundred paces gradually shrank to fifty... thirty... twenty... ten... as he walked forward slowly. Until—
He stopped in front of the door and looked up, meeting a pair of sharp eyes that held a trace of surprise amidst their indifference. Then...
An explosive burst of killing intent!
It suddenly pressed down on him!
Silva turned his head abruptly. Originally, this was just a test... but looking at it now, it seemed there was no need to hold back!
Crackle!
Father and son faced each other, and arcs of electricity seemed to explode in the air.
In the garden adjacent to the training room, a small butler was chasing Milluki, trying to stop him from urinating wherever he pleased. The fat kid refused, straightened his back, aimed at Illumi who was hanging upside down from a tree, and let loose...
The result was him turning into a shooting star in the sky, tumbling out of Illumi's line of sight. The young man (Illumi) flipped down, retracted his foot, and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned against the thick willow tree, sensibly keeping his distance. His vacant, emotionless eyes reflected the two figures, one large and one small, as he watched quietly. At a certain moment, a bright blade-light split the sky... Clang!
"Yubashiri" and the "Staff Sword" were unsheathed simultaneously!
The young man's silver hair flew wildly, his aura built to its peak. His slightly bent back, at this moment, straightened up.
Sssst! Killing intent and aura collided... distorted ripples appeared in the air.
Silva watched Roy silently. "Your grandfather Zigg doesn't use swords."
Roy, with two swords in hand, turned them red and ignited them. Two plumes of flame surged forth. He flourished the blades, spreading waves of heat. "Does he know how to play with fire?"
Crack!
A loud explosion cracked the floor!
Silva twisted "threads" into "strands," and then into a "whip." With the "Nen whip" in hand, he looked down on Roy, the corner of his mouth pulling up in a smile.
"Him, I don't know. But... you..."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Are playing with fire!"
Roy nodded in deep agreement. When he looked up again, two forty-meter-long flame sword-auras suddenly crossed and slashed towards Silva.
Ssshh! Gullies appeared, heatwaves erupted... the sharp edge was fully revealed.
Before it even reached Silva, it forced his waist-length silver hair to fly back in an emergency evasion!
[Ken]?
The flame was condensed as if it were solid, orange-red on the surface, and a terrifying white in the center. Silva had killed countless people; his whole life was spent either on a mission or on the way to one. Even without using [Gyo], he could tell with his naked eyes... his eldest son had learned, he had mastered [Ken]!
Bang... Bang... Two explosions threatened to rupture eardrums!
[Ken] against [Ken]. Silva flipped his wrist, and the "Nen whip" armored up, instantly doubling in thickness!
Like a nimble serpent flicking its tongue, it coiled towards the flame sword-aura... With a Boom!, the "Nen" exploded.
It grazed past Roy and Silva, venting wildly... tearing through walls, penetrating windows, as if someone had riddled the place with a heavy machine gun. The area was devastated, with not a single spot left intact.
"Take it outside." At this moment, a quiet "command" was heard. Maha's eye twitched in pain. He backhanded Zeno on the head. "The brat learned [Ken], why didn't you say so earlier?"
'That wasteful brat! Plastering, repainting, and retiling the floor don't cost money, huh...'
Zeno silently endured the blow, unable to voice his grievance. 'You were already angry with me, old man. Who would dare say anything more?'
Inside the training room.
Silva said nothing, dodging and rushing out through the shattered window.
Roy followed closely. A swamp appeared beneath his feet, and he shuttled under the surface, unleashing [En] to capture Silva's position. The "Nen" spread out silently from his center... passing over Illumi in a mist-like state, over Silva, and drifting until it enveloped both Maha and Zeno... The range reached over a hundred meters.
"It's here again!" Illumi, who had been hiding to the side to watch the show, suddenly felt his "mind" being touched. He immediately recalled that night in Zaban City... the same "Nen," the same familiarity, the same "prying"... "So it was you, my dear older brother..."
The foolish little brother finally understood. He didn't jump or get angry about his "inner thoughts" being exposed. Instead, he watched with surprising calmness as Roy suddenly burst out from the ground, circled behind Silva, and launched a lightning-fast thrust aimed at his heart.
He thought: 'Now you know how much I care about you.'
Screech! The sword tip pierced the air, emitting a harsh sound!
Zeno, hands behind his back, glanced at Maha and said, "Just to be clear, I also don't know when that child Roy learned [En]."
Maha carefully savored the "mist-like" "Nen." His old eyes reflected the sword light. His body shook, instantly dispersing the "mist," and he chuckled, "It's not just [En]. That brat is cunning. He even wants to eavesdrop on an old man's 'inner thoughts.' He needs a beating!"
Crack! The "Nen whip" seemed to have eyes. Though Silva was holding it, it abruptly bent backward. Just before the fiery blade-tip could reach Silva's back, it suddenly struck the sword.
Roy felt his palm sink, and he was immediately diverted, flying past Silva's shoulder!
'[En] combined with a suspected swamp-type spatial Nen ability...' The man (Silva) whipped his hand again, sending another lash, turning from passive to active. Seizing the gap as Roy's thrust missed, he lashed out at his back. He had to admit... the boy had indeed grown stronger during his time away from home!
At the very least... that bizarre "swamp spatial Nen ability" had impressed him!
"Three lashes... Father, this must be your third lash..."
A whoosh came from behind, setting off alarms in his mind. Facing away from the "Nen whip," which was as solid and thick as a forearm, the young man's expression showed no panic. He threw backward!
"Yubashiri" and the "Staff Sword" flew from his hands!
Imbued with Nen, they slashed toward the Nen whip. Silva cast an unexpected glance, recognizing it as [Shu]!
[Shu], [Ken], [En]... the young man had learned three of the five major advanced techniques. Silva flicked his hand, driving the "Nen whip" to sweep the two swords away. He looked at Roy with a burning gaze. "You've progressed faster than I thought."
Despite him saying that... Roy raised his hand in a gesture. [Magnetism · Attract]. He instantly pulled "Yubashiri" and the "Staff Sword" back into his grasp. Only then did he look at Silva and say calmly, "Even so, you're going to continue, aren't you, Father?"
Silva neither confirmed nor denied. He lashed out again, striking at Roy through the air, his actions providing the answer.
"That was just a warm-up. The test starts now..."
As Silva spoke, the "Nen whip" wrapped in [Ken] was fiercer than a steel whip. Not only was its power immense, but its flexibility also far surpassed that of steel... highlighting the characteristic of an Emitter-type Nen user: "large aura," "flying bricks."
"Silva is serious now." In the corridor, Zeno squinted, seeing clearly. "He's angry that three lashes couldn't knock Roy down."
"What if another three lashes fail to knock him down?" Maha suddenly said.
Zeno froze. Before he had time to think about that question, he saw...
Swish—
Facing the violent Nen whip from his father, the young man neither dodged nor evaded. Two "wings" sprouted from his ribs. Below his two arms, two more arms extended. One hand condensed a magnetic field, raising a [Magnetic Shield], while the other materialized a "Short-hilt." Suddenly...
He went from "two swords" to "three swords"!