With his hands behind his back, Jeno said goodnight to Maha and strolled off quietly.
In the stone corridors of the ancient castle, he paused at a window. Leaning against the cold frame, his gaze pierced the darkness, watching the distant sea glimmer under the moonlight.
On the waters en route to Dolly Island, the test ship Poseidon cruised smoothly, unaffected by the earlier storm.
And with the retreat of the storm, Fujitora's figure—like a fading mirage—vanished into the light once more.
Then came the pain.
A familiar, searing surge of energy burst forth from Roy's celestial crown, flowing down his limbs and into his bones like molten iron.
"Crackling~"
The sharp, teeth-gritting sound echoed through his body. Bones creaked. Muscles tensed.
Roy took a swig from his wine gourd. The fiery liquid slid down his throat, numbing the agony with a bite of sweetness.
Yet amidst the pain, a clear sensation settled into his consciousness.
His bones had grown denser. His muscles thicker. Even without a mirror, he could tell—he'd grown another ten centimeters taller, and his chest had widened. His entire frame now radiated a sense of oppressive power.
"Panel, show me my current attributes."
"Yes."
[Name]: Roy Zoldyck
[Bone Age]: Seventeen
[Physique]: 110 → 130 (Normal: 10)
[Speed]: 120 → 160 (Normal: 10)
[Strength]: 190 → 199 (Normal: 10)
[Air Volume]: 201 → 215 (Normal: 10)
[Template Character]: Fujitora (Progress: 40% → 50%)
[EXP]: 10 → 0
[Title]: "King's Foundation" – Overlord's Haki Awakened
"Hmph…"
Roy's blind eyes shimmered faintly. So… 'Strength' has finally hit the critical point, like 'Qi' once did?
Sure enough, a message flashed across the panel.
[Reminder]: To break the current limit of Strength, you need 10 EXP + corresponding battle experience and enlightenment.
Just like the last time he broke through "Qi" into the realm of ghosts and gods.
Roy's lips curled into a slight smirk. Looks like the opportunity to evolve my strength lies ahead… during the Hunter Exam.
Ten EXP? He could earn that. But the real threshold was experience and perception—both of which would overflow in the storm of Saba City.
The difference this time? It wasn't just a library full of Phantom Troupe data…
This time, Saba City was filled with true monsters.
Veteran examiners. A fruit farmer with a shady background. A "good brother" named Illumi. And most importantly—the strongest active Hunter in the world…
Isaac Netero.
The Hundred-Type Guanyin… will I get a chance to glimpse his stats?
Understanding the gap was the first step to surpassing it. And Roy was eager to know—just how far away was he from the mountain that was Netero?
But for now…
He took a deep breath and turned his attention inward, toward the knowledge and experience left behind by Fujitora.
Moments passed.
Aside from deeper mastery over gravity and further integration of Haki with his Devil Fruit powers, Fujitora had left Roy a full package of refined techniques.
The most eye-catching gift—
Navy Six Styles.
"Soru,"
"Geppo,"
"Rankyaku,"
"Shigan,"
"Tekkai,"
"Kami-e."
They didn't look like much at first glance. But ignoring the user's physical strength would be idiotic.
In the One Piece world, an average soldier's "Tekkai" might stop a knife, but Garp's Tekkai could probably deflect a battleship.
In other words, these moves scaled directly with physical stats.
And Roy?
He had no bottleneck. No plateau. No ceiling.
Six Styles in his hands wouldn't just be strong—they'd become monstrous. A pure physical brawler with no upper limit!
"Good stuff."
In a world like Hunter x Hunter, where Nen could shape reality, the advantage of overwhelming, raw, adaptable power couldn't be overstated.
Silently, Roy absorbed all the Six Styles data and exhaled deeply. His mind was sharp, alert, and calm.
Looking out to the deck…
The storm had passed. Quiet murmurs returned. Candidates began emerging.
Yet no one dared come close—not after his earlier display.
Except…
"Uncle, you're so cool!"
A hedgehog-headed kid charged over and slammed into Roy's stomach.
Gon.
Hanging off his waist like an overexcited puppy, he looked up and blinked.
"Eh? Why do you feel taller again, Uncle?"
Roy's brows twitched. Dog-nosed brat. Of course you'd notice.
He didn't respond. His "gaze" passed over Gon's head and locked onto someone else.
A blond figure approached steadily, eyes filled with apprehension and tension.
Kurapika.
"Can we talk… alone?"
Roy's face remained unreadable. His body had grown stronger, but his patience hadn't.
"Sorry. No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't owe you anything."
"I'll pay."
Roy's eyes narrowed.
"Do I look like someone who bends for a few coins?"
Pause.
"Ahhh—so, what did you want to talk about?"
Kurapika: "…"