Kate used [Zetsu] to conceal his presence, quietly trailing behind Roy.
His mentor, Ging, once told him: "A good hunter is naturally liked by animals."
Later, after learning "Nen," he realized it was a talent that blends into nature, with a professional term called — [Zetsu].
Top-class hunters, like Ging, can completely hide their presence if they choose to.
Kate hasn't practiced "Nen" for long, and though he can't achieve that level yet, he's not bad. He thinks he can maintain a certain distance and use the surrounding environment as cover to follow the two from afar without any problems.
Sometimes he would hide behind a tree, or a utility pole, or a road sign, or a scenic stone. Watching the two heading deeper into the forest, he stopped. Just as he was about to leave, the other person, leaning on a staff, suddenly stopped, and then—
A forceful [Power of Oppression] suddenly descended, catching him off guard, almost forcing him to his knees.
[Magnetic Force·Oppression]
Roy turned around, leaning on his staff blade, pressed one hand towards Kate, who felt as if a giant stone pressed down on him from above, his knees crackling, forced to release his [Nenryoku].
"A roulette spins in his mouth, numbers from 1 to 9, and depending on the number, it transforms into a weapon."
"That's me, the Mad Joker, spinning out some good luck~"
A Joker wearing a pointed green hat, with a red nose and white-gloved hands on his cheeks, opened his mouth in a square shape, holding a "number" jumped out with a "Puhh~" and immediately complained, "Ugh... so heavy!"
"Kid, who did you provoke this time?"
"What's with this monstrous force that could flatten a person?"
"Less talk!" Kate opened his Acupoints, summoned [Ten], bracing against the magnetic force to keep from falling, preparing to draw a weapon at any moment, and looked at Roy with a steady gaze, explaining: "I mean no harm."
The young man took a deep breath: "I just want to ensure safety as I see you off."
"This isn't seeing off." Roy looked expressionless at Kate, with an unsmiling Wutong beside him.
Having been followed, needing the young master to point it out... The young butler, embarrassed and angry, took a coin from his pocket, gripping it in his hand and aiming at Kate.
"Don't make tracking sound so nice. At the tavern, I already noticed your weird look!"
Peeking occasionally might have been fine, but daring to follow them out, Wutong tilted his head, looking at Roy, and asked, "Young master, should we just kill him?"
Threads of Nen wrapped around the coin, needing only a flick to shoot out like electricity...
The air was vaguely stagnant....
Roy raised a palm, gesturing Wutong not to overreact, then suddenly increased the output of telekinesis, and Kate only felt another boulder descending on him, his spine bending as he hastily went to draw.
Unexpectedly, another "suction" force swept in, and the Joker vanished without a trace, only to be caught in Roy's hand as he impaled the staff blade before him, standing firm....
Without his support,
Kate's mind faltered and finally, couldn't hold on, collapsing... "Crack... crack...."
The ground cracked into a spider-web pattern with him as the "center," revealing a shallow pit... followed by the sound of slow, even footsteps reaching his ears.
Kate lay in the pit, struggling to lift his head, his cap rolling to the side, a picture of dishevelment....
"I don't want to be your enemy, it's just that you're too dangerous!" he repeated in explanation.
"So?"
Roy walked up to him, picked up his cap, placing it on his head, using Nen to lock the Joker in place, carefully sensing its texture — it was indeed a tool with physical form...
He quietly watched Kate, saying: "You have your thoughts, I have my ways,"
"Since you chose to track, be prepared to be discovered. As for me teaching you a lesson, even if your mentor Ging were here, he wouldn't find much fault."
Kate suddenly lifted his head, surprised, and blurted out: "You know Mr. Ging?"
Heavens, Kate had never spoken to anyone about his connection to Ging, how did this guy in front of him know?
And his "Nen" ability, what on earth is it?
"Oppression" was one thing, but what's with "suction"?
His mind filled with countless thoughts at once, with "Ging" echoing, Kate was overwhelmed by emotions....
Roy didn't respond, releasing the Joker, letting it urge Kate to draw quickly, lifting his right hand, he canceled the oppression, stood up, and walked away without looking back...
"There's nothing new under the sun. At least be grateful you're a decent person..."
"Let's go." The staff blade was grabbed by the young man, Roy swiftly left, never looking back.
Wutong gave Kate a cold glance, "Count yourself lucky."
Turning to follow,
A moment later, a mountain breeze blew, Kate struggled to climb out of the pit, gazing blankly in the direction where Roy left, lost and unable to gather his thoughts...
The mysterious young man, with such formidable power....
"Mr. Ging was right, this world is small but also vast."
"I need to grow even further!"
After a while, Kate pressed his cap tighter, canceled the Joker, and turned away.....
...January 4th, only three days left until the Hunter Exam begins.
Leaving Mite's tavern, Roy dove into the forest, casually breaking off a branch to use as a fishing rod, finding a lake to start fishing.
He sat cross-legged on a large bluish stone, with his grandfather Jager's notebook on his lap,
Flipping to the "Hookless Fishing" page, pressing a small stone on the page's edge, and besides it, Wutong was gathering firewood and setting up a fire to prepare roasted fish.
"Young master, do you know that guy?"
Mentor... Ging... Kate's intense reaction was keenly observed by Wutong,
The young butler sneaked a glance at Roy's back, a strange feeling emerged in his heart, it seemed the young master could know everything about the world without leaving home.
He kind of resembled some "God" or "Prophet" revered in certain tribal communities.
"Not that I know him, just know some things about him..." Roy didn't say much, seeing Kate here was a bit surprising yet made sense upon thinking. After all, as Ging's nominally only registered disciple, it would be odd if Kate, coming for the Hunter Exam, could resist visiting Ging's former residence.
At the end of the fishing rod, a "Nen" drip formed, slightly hidden by gravity, showing signs of condensing into a line, Roy continued to refine the "Nen" line, enhancing the texture of the "Nen."
One or two days passed, and Whale Island gradually became lively again....
Faintly visible were several familiar figures appearing in various corners of the town.
A bald man, a Snakekeeper, a Bandage Man, the Sakamato Days, a Kurta Race girl in traditional ethnic attire, a blond youth in an impeccable suit with two bodyguards slurping noodles at a small stall, and...
A strange person with a face full of large-headed nails, creaking with every step, a stiff-looking face.