'Zoldyck?'
Botobai's two thick eyebrows, hidden under the Peking opera mask, twitched slightly. He snorted, and two long dragons of air shot from his nostrils. "A pity it's not Silva Zoldyck."
He had long heard of this man's name and had seen him on several occasions, but unfortunately, he'd never had a chance to fight him, which he regretted.
'Even so...' Beanman saw his straightforward look and, remembering that a certain person was still in the Chairman's office drinking tea, couldn't help but stand on tiptoe and whisper a reminder: "Although the Chairman said not to hold back, he didn't mean for you to actually kill him."
"After all, this is a test. The assessment should be the priority."
"I'm clear on this." Botobai was unwilling to say more, clearly having his own plans.
Beanman had delivered the message and given the reminder. If something really happened... the Chairman would cover for it anyway. He waved goodbye to the two and left the underground passage.
The elevator doors closed.
Geru tossed a test tube at Botobai. "Help me collect some of that Zoldyck's blood when the time comes."
'I've heard that family is immune to all poisons. I want to see if they're really that amazing.'
"Smash!" The test tube was shattered mid-air by a "Supersonic Fist." Botobai said in his booming voice: "Do it yourself."
Geru: "..."
She was furious.
She inwardly cursed herself for being partnered with this straight-laced, blockheaded oaf.
The woman turned her face away and went back to reading her pharmacology book.
Soon after, the night gradually deepened.
After flying for more than two hours, the Kiriko father and his group finally arrived at the official exam site, Zaban City, before eleven o'clock at night... What came into view was a magnificent and grand palace.
A flock of white doves flapped their wings, flying over the palace....
Kurajing, who had lived in the remote Kurta village all her life, had never seen such a sight. Her heart yearned, and she sighed internally: 'As expected of the Hunter Association, to make such a grand scene for just a test.'
Who would have thought, the Kiriko father pointed to a corner, next to the palace... to a slightly shabby-looking barbecue restaurant. He fumbled in his pocket, took out three number plates, and handed them over respectfully: "Your Excellency, this barbecue restaurant next to it is the official entrance to the exam site."
"Enter the door, turn left, take the elevator down to the basement, and you will arrive at the exam hall. This is your examinee number and those of your two companions."
Finally, he wanted to add: "Your Excellency, I would be happy to be your guide again next year."
'But on second thought, with Roy's level and that of the one on his head, how could he not pass this year's test?' He promptly shut his mouth, swallowing the words back down to avoid making a fool of himself.
'O...' Kurajing was a bit dumbfounded. She blankly took the number plate from Gotoh. She couldn't believe she had mistaken Zaban City's city hall for the official Hunter Exam site. When she came to her senses, she awkwardly tucked her hair behind her crystal-clear earlobe. She flipped over the number plate to look: it was number 407. She put it inside her clothes for safekeeping.
According to the official schedule, the exam would formally begin tomorrow at two in the afternoon.
They definitely had to find a place to stay tonight. It wouldn't be too late to take it out and wear it tomorrow.
"Then I won't disturb your late-night snack." Roy patted the Kiriko father's shoulder, nodded at the Kiriko son, and instructed Gotoh to put away the number plates. He went to a nearby hotel to check in, escorted by the dazed gazes of the father and son—
He led Kurajing unhurriedly towards the hotel.
In a flash, the three pushed open the revolving door and disappeared.
The Kiriko son turned his head to look at his father. "Father, how did he know that we go to the barbecue restaurant for steak every time we come to Zaban City?"
The Kiriko father was silent for a moment, then said faintly: "That's why he is a god."
'A god loves all people, so how could he not know what people like?'
The Kiriko father turned, pushed open the barbecue restaurant's door, and shouted inside: "Boss, one steak set,
...slow-cooked, medium-rare..."
"Ah? Father, what about my share?"
"Who cares about you!"
"No... I don't have any money..."
The noisy bustle was Zaban City tonight.
Gotoh checked them in. As usual, he inspected the room. Just then, Kurajing pushed the door open and poked her head in. "Young Master, call me if you need anything."
As a result, before Roy could even respond, Gotoh slammed the door "Bang," shutting her out.
'Wishful thinking.' This was Gotoh's evaluation of Kurajing.
Roy came out of the washroom, holding Xiao Jin, who had thrashed around in the bathtub for a few laps and was now pecking his head in dissatisfaction. He turned to Gotoh: "You go and rest too."
The young man patted Xiao Jin, letting it nibble on one of his fingers, and explained with a smile: "Xiao Jin and I are connected."
"It will alert me if anything happens. You, on the other hand... you've been drifting at sea with me for over ten days without a full night's sleep.
Take this chance to get a good night's sleep tonight."
"Young Master, I'm not tired," Gotoh said, yawning.
"Out."
"Yes."
The door opened, then closed again.
Gotoh stood dejectedly outside the door. He turned his head and saw the girl leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He glared at her huffily. "What are you looking at?"
Kurajing, smiling, didn't speak. After a long moment, she turned to leave. "I just wanted to remind you, the Young Master doesn't belong only to you. That's all."
"Bang." Her door shut.
Only Gotoh was left in the empty hallway, standing silently in a daze....
After a moment, he pushed up the glasses on his nose and snorted coldly: "In any case, he's not yours either."
He went downstairs, got another room right next to Roy's, opened the door, and went in.
At eleven at night, the lights of Zaban City gradually went out. Aside from a few night markets, the entire city seemed to have had its mute button pressed, gradually falling silent.
Roy turned on the table lamp. By its light, he lay half-reclined on the bed, letting the Golden Crow tumble back and forth on the soft, large bed. He opened his grandfather Zigg's notebook, turned to the page about [Shu] training, and began to read carefully.
After the battle with Giyu Tomioka, Roy knew it was time for him to leave.
'Rush to Fujikasane Mountain, kill the Hand Demon, avenge all my senior brothers and sisters, and fulfill their wish...' This was the first battle Roy had set for himself after completing his apprenticeship.
Perhaps he had sensed something, but Roy had actually noticed early on that Makomo's mood was a bit off. From time to time, she would stare at him in a daze. Other times, she would stare at Master Urokodaki Sakonji's back, watching for a whole day. 'She must know... the moment the Hand Demon dies, these lingering souls, whether willingly or unwillingly, will lose the support of their "resentment"...'
'They will dissipate soon.'
'That's why she was gloomy.'
'Perhaps someone as open-minded as Senior Brother Sabito, or as nonchalant as Senior Brothers Shinsuke and Fukuda, doesn't care much about disappearing.'
'But for sensitive senior sisters like Makomo and Yagiku, it must be hard on them. This has nothing to do with anything else, it's just... they can't bear to leave.'
'Can't bear to leave Mount Sagiri, can't bear to leave their fellow disciples, can't bear to leave Master Urokodaki Sakonji, and perhaps... can't bear to leave a junior brother like him.'
Therefore, Roy planned to give his senior brothers and sisters a surprise, and also... a possibility.
'Learn [Shu], coat a jar with [Ten], and make it a new vessel for his senior brothers and sisters to inhabit, replacing the Hand Demon.'
["Will Scissors Method": By imagining a pair of "Will Scissors" and cutting the "Nen" bond between the body and the object, one can achieve [Shu] where "Nen remains" even when "separated from the body".]
'"Will Scissors"... it's a training method that fits a "Conjurer" quite well.' Roy thought of his grandfather Zigg's Nen ability, [The Game of the Dead], which also seemed related to the "Conjuration type"...
He settled his mind and continued reading... Gradually, drowsiness crept in. His head tilted, and he unknowingly fell into a deep sleep....
"Caw!" The Golden Crow hopped up, climbed onto his neck, flapped its wings, and with great effort, scrambled to the top of his head to nest.
Only its two golden eyes peeked out...
Soon, light snores could be heard...
Roy groggily passed through the colorful dream passage, arrived at the familiar sea of cognition, and this time, he sprawled out on the soft sand and lay there for a good while, making up for the mental energy drained by conjuring Xiao Jin. Only then did he reach out and push open the door to Demon Slayer.
He had arrived in the Demon Slayer world.
At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), a few sparrows chirped on the eaves...—
The fresh air of early spring blew in through a corner of the open paper window.
When Roy opened his eyes again, what he saw... was a circle of "dark circles" surrounding him!
"Eiichiro, you're finally awake, you brat!"
"Did you know your sword grew legs and flew away last night?"