A deep, gloomy feeling permeated the Zoldyck family estate.
Although the corridors were wide, they were still lit by candlelight.
The flames on the walls were spaced far apart, their dim yellow halos barely able to dispel the nearby darkness.
Where the light could not reach, shadows were split into fragments, like tentacles lurking in the dark, silently coiled in the corners.
The deeper one went into the estate, the more oppressive this atmosphere became.
And Maha's residence was in the deepest part of this compound.
He lived in seclusion year-round, even taking his meals alone.
The Zoldyck family members all knew that Maha preferred solitude, so unless absolutely necessary, they would not disturb his peace.
Even for the major decision concerning Alluka a few months ago, one that could affect the family's future, neither Silva nor Zeno had disturbed Maha.
Among all the family members, only Kalluto would occasionally accompany Maha to watch cartoons.
This was at Maha's personal request.
Leaning against the darkness untouched by the candlelight, Illumi's deep, pitch-black eyes stared silently at the tightly shut door. He was well aware of his great-grandfather's favoritism toward Kalluto.
He paused briefly, ultimately restraining the urge to pry further.
His great-grandfather had already given a warning.
If he acted recklessly again, he would inevitably be taught a lesson.
Although the current Illumi didn't believe his great-grandfather could defeat him, he always maintained the proper respect for his elders.
He would not let his confidence in his strength make him forget his status as a junior.
Family is the most important thing.
This was a belief that every Zoldyck upheld to the end.
Illumi stood still for a moment before finally turning to leave.
The flickering candlelight cast his shadow on the wall, stretching it into a twisted and obscure silhouette.
He raised his right hand, casually twirling a beadhead needle wrapped in pitch-black aura between his fingertips.
Upon closer inspection, one could see the death aura seeping from his fingertips, slowly permeating the needle's body, silently nourishing this medium of Manipulation.
This was a common technique for Manipulators, allowing them to nurture their mediums with their own aura during normal times to unleash greater power in battle.
And Illumi, having returned from the underworld with a special status, had coincidentally mastered the power to grow stronger through death. Therefore, he could maximize the effect of nurturing his Manipulation mediums.
Simply put, he could charge his beadhead needles with death aura. When used, the power of each needle would be amplified manifold, as if a powerful Vow effect had been applied.
This was also the source of his confidence that he could defeat Maha.
His current strength could no longer be measured by human standards.
The only flaw was that this power had been in a "constant" state since his return, unable to grow stronger, much like most Post-Mortem Will.
But Illumi was not in a hurry.
Because the family possessed a tool, a wishing machine, that could satisfy his desires.
As long as he controlled Killua and ordered him to make a "demand" wish to Nanika to "increase his strength," he could break his current constant state.
It was just that after Nanika resurrected him last time, she seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep due to excessive consumption and had yet to wake up.
Compared to wishes like repairing a severed arm, the price of bringing the dead back to life was clearly much heavier.
While it was baffling, it did indeed cause Nanika to fall into a longer slumber.
So, in terms of "frequency of use," this was a limitation that could not be ignored.
Illumi had been waiting.
Waiting for Nanika to wake up.
And the next demand wish could be to continue resurrecting deceased family members, or it could be to break through his current constant state to ensure he could control Killua without fail.
It could even be to kill Morrow.
Illumi believed that the price for killing Morrow should be the lightest, and it probably wouldn't cause Nanika to sleep for too long.
Similarly, breaking through his current constant state shouldn't require too heavy a price either.
So, after seeing Kalluto return today, the choice that had been dormant in Illumi's mind for some time resurfaced once more.
Should he break his constant state and gain the power to kill Morrow with ease?
Or should he have Nanika directly erase Morrow?
If only Nanika would wake up sooner, he might not have to consider so much.
In fact, in the human world, resurrecting the dead was undoubtedly an earth-shattering event.
But on the scale of the Dark Continent, it was not incomprehensible.
The power residing within Alluka originated from a calamity of the Dark Continent.
For it, although the energy consumed to resurrect Illumi required some time to recover, it shouldn't have slept for so long.
The real reason Nanika had not yet awakened was the accidental interference of the Entropy Bird's "Power of Luck."
As fantasy-type abilities both born from the Pillar of the Entropy Fire, the unreasonableness of the Power of Luck was, in fact, no less than that of the wishing machine.
The Kakin Empire could rely on the Power of Luck from the regalia "Sword of Good Omens" to ensure the nation's long-lasting prosperity, and Beyond could convert tens of thousands of sacrifices into the odds of victory to defeat Netero.
These were all manifestations of the Power of Luck interfering with reality.
After taming the Entropy Bird, Morrow had been constantly activating the Power of Luck to minimize risks along the way.
He hadn't stopped even on the journey back from the Dark Continent's coastline to the six continents.
Although this practice greatly consumed his Tree Rings energy, it also yielded corresponding results, allowing the team to return to the human world safe and sound.
During this period, because the thought of using the wishing machine to threaten Morrow grew stronger in Illumi's heart, it inadvertently triggered the Power of Luck entwined around Morrow.
It was precisely this intangible interference from the level of Luck that caused Nanika's delayed awakening.
By the same token, now that Morrow had returned to the human world, without the interference on the level of Luck, Nanika would naturally wake up soon.
—--
Inside Maha's room.
Seeing his great-grandfather wave his hand to close the door, Kalluto didn't think much of it and took out the Nitro Rice wrapped in withered leaves from his backpack.
Wisps of aura seeped out from the gaps in the leaves. Even this faint dissipation caused a slight flicker in Maha's eyes.
Kalluto carefully unwrapped the withered leaves layer by layer, softly reminding, "Great-Grandfather, this thing looks like a leaf, but it's actually a biological calamity from the Dark Continent. Be careful not to let it touch water, or it will revive. It eats very fast. It can devour a creature even larger than the magical beast at home in an instant, leaving not even a bone behind."
"Heh heh..."
Maha let out a low chuckle.
As the last layer of withered leaves was unwrapped, the Nitro Rice was fully revealed, emitting a rich and gentle aura.
Maha gazed at the fungus-like Nitro Rice, his expression as calm as ever, as if he knew exactly what it was even without Kalluto's explanation.
Kalluto gently held the Nitro Rice in his palm, a smile on his face. "This is the gift. It's one of the objects of hope called 'Nitro Rice.' Eating it can extend your life by about a hundred years."
"Little Kalluto, you're going to give something so precious to me?" Maha asked softly.
"Mhm."
Kalluto looked up, but saw that Maha's expression was placid, not showing the surprise he had expected from someone about to gain extra lifespan. He couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Great-Grandfather, you already have one foot in the grave. Shouldn't you be more excited to see Nitro Rice?"
"You're right," Maha nodded and said calmly, "I'm very excited right now."
"I can't tell at all."
Kalluto pouted, then a possibility suddenly occurred to him, and he quickly explained, "I brought back more than one Nitro Rice. Everyone in the family will get a share."
"..."
Maha fell silent for a moment.
A distant memory quietly surfaced.
He thought of his son, Zigg, who had once traveled to the Dark Continent with Netero.
Back then, Zigg was full of vigor, firmly believing he could conquer that unknown continent.
Even after returning from his initial setback, he had not been the least bit discouraged.
Just you wait, old man. I will definitely leave my mark on that new continent. I'll bring back lots and lots of good things. Before that, I'll find Nitro Rice for you first, so you can keep breathing for a few more years and watch me succeed with your own eyes.
In the slightly hazy memory, Zigg's resounding words from that year still seemed to echo.
But he never came back.
Maha often felt that perhaps stopping Zigg back then had been a mistake.
That obstruction had instead provoked a deeper rebellion in his son.
It also led to Netero's logical and forceful intervention, which ultimately caused him to lose the means to restrain Zigg.
A few years ago.
In Kalluto and Morrow, he vaguely saw the shadows of Zigg and Netero from back then.
Perhaps it was the regret of the past that made him, who had long been unwilling to meddle in family affairs, make a different choice.
He took on the role of a supporter, giving Kalluto absolute freedom.
Now, it seemed that this choice was the right one.
"Thank you, little Kalluto."
Maha slowly raised his hand, marked by the traces of time, and gently ruffled Kalluto's hair.
Kalluto, however, pulled Maha's right hand down and gently placed the Nitro Rice in his palm.
In the entire family, probably only Kalluto dared to be so unreservedly hands-on with Maha.
Maha, naturally, wasn't angry. Instead, a cheerful grin spread across his face.
"Eat it quickly," Kalluto urged, then quickly added, "You have to leave the root, though. Morrow has a use for it. But Great-Grandfather, don't ask me why. Even if you do, I won't tell you."
"What if I really want to know the reason?" Maha brought the Nitro Rice to his lips and asked deliberately.
Kalluto shook his head. "That's not allowed either. This concerns Morrow's secret. Unless he agrees, I won't tell anyone."
"Sigh." Maha feigned a heavy sigh. "It seems that in little Kalluto's heart, I, your great-grandfather, am not as important as Morrow."
"That's right," Kalluto said with a matter-of-fact look.
"..."
Maha's hand holding the Nitro Rice paused for a moment. Little Kalluto, you could have at least pretended to be polite, he thought.
He shook his head slightly and put the Nitro Rice into his mouth.
In an instant, a rich aura filled his mouth. Before he even swallowed, he could feel a warm vitality flowing freely.
So this is an "object of hope from the Dark Continent," it truly lives up to its reputation, Maha thought silently as he swallowed the Nitro Rice.
A surging aura galloped like a wild horse, rushing to his limbs and bones in a flash.
His withered body, like parched land meeting rain, began to radiate a long-lost vitality.
"Great-Grandfather, how do you feel?" Kalluto looked at Maha's face expectantly.
The lingering weariness that had previously clouded his brow was now quietly dispelled by a clear and solid Ten.
Maha slowly opened his eyes and said with a chuckle, "Thanks to you, this old fellow has crawled out of his coffin."
Kalluto smiled, a little embarrassed.
Maha then reminded him, "You came to see me as soon as you got back. I appreciate the thought, but don't neglect your parents too much."
"Mhm, I'll go find them now."
Kalluto got up from the sofa, his mind set on quickly distributing the Nitro Rice to his family members so he could leave as soon as possible to find Morrow and Kurapika.
Maha smiled. "Go on."
"I'm leaving then, Great-Grandfather."
Kalluto bid farewell to Maha, turned, and left the room, returning to the dimly lit corridor outside.
Although he had concealed his presence to avoid the butlers' notice upon returning home, he had entered through the main gate, so his parents must have been informed immediately.
But Kalluto didn't care.
Coming to see his great-grandfather first was perfectly justifiable, both emotionally and logically.
This was also why his parents hadn't come over here.
In the room.
Maha gazed at the door.
He's changed so much...
Thinking of Kalluto's independent and determined demeanor just now, he couldn't help but smile silently.
"Very good. This is how a Manipulator should be," Maha muttered to himself. Then, the image of Illumi flashed through his mind, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
"Hmm..."
He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching his chin.
He was not entirely unaware of the change in Illumi's strength after his resurrection.
That power was undoubtedly the Post-Mortem Will he had witnessed before, and it contained a familiar aura that displeased him.
He had to admit that this form of power was indeed formidable, so much so that even he had to temporarily avoid its edge.
But now...
Maha looked at the aura flowing from his palm.
After personally experiencing the effects of the object of hope from the Dark Continent, he finally began to understand the people who had flocked to the new continent back then.
"Since I've already crawled out of the coffin, I should probably stretch my old bones a bit."
Maha slowly stood up. At this moment, there was not a trace of his former decrepitude.
The candlelight flickered, casting elongated, swaying shadows on the corridor wall.
—--
Kalluto's footsteps faltered slightly.
Death aura...?
Sensing a wisp of aura suddenly seeping out from the corner of the corridor, Kalluto's fine brows furrowed slightly. He then saw a slender shadow slowly extend from the darkness.
It was Illumi.
Kalluto, his expression unchanged, summoned familiar spirit Youpi and familiar spirit Ant King.
The latter's body had been severely damaged in a previous battle, but thanks to Sanbica's stitches, it was mostly restored.
"You've gotten stronger, Kalluto."
Illumi's voice emerged along with his shadow.
He walked out from the corner, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes as he saw the intensity of the aura Kalluto was emitting with Ren, which was no less than Silva's.
Kalluto didn't speak, merely staring at the pitch-black aura rising from Illumi's body, his brow gradually tightening.