"Why do you ask that?"
Zeno's gaze was faint as he turned his head to look at the young man. "What did you see in the illusion?"
'An illusory reality, or a real illusion?'
'The "Life Energy" from Sajin, Gordian, and Dasuo is sitting right there on the panel.' Roy was silent for a moment, then answered truthfully:
"Pig-headed Men."
"And?"
"Undead." Roy didn't know how to explain "Life Energy" to Zeno, so he could only use "undead" as a pretext. He gripped the railing, gazing at the sparkling lake. "I just feel like those creatures are real. Not as simple as a memory."
'When false is taken for true, true becomes false. Where non-existence is taken for existence, existence becomes non-existence.'
'The world is material, but also ethereal. Just like "dark matter"—it has no "electromagnetic body," doesn't participate in interactions, is intangible and unobservable, yet it possesses mass and gravitational effects that prove it truly exists. It has already surpassed humanity's basic cognitive understanding of "matter."'
"Your great-grandfather said he's 'living dead,' but I always feel he isn't dead. He's still alive."
Zeno didn't mention the "curse."
He stood with his hands behind his back, watching a small boat leisurely carry a father and son sightseeing. The son, guided by his father's hands, was trying to scoop fish with a small net. A trace of reminiscence flashed deep in his eyes. "You've seen the 'Magic Eye' at home. Although its structure is simple,
...and not as active as a human brain... but,"
"It carries your grandfather Zigg's memories. At the very least, it's a living thing."
"It's not wrong to say he's alive."
Roy frowned. "With Great-grandfather and you around, you couldn't stop great-grandfather's mutation back then?"
"He never came back. How could we stop it?"
"?!"
'That's not right! According to the original story, when Netero first explored the Dark Continent, he was hired by the Mingbo Republic to search for the legendary "source of liquid"—[Triaqua]—south of Lake Mobius. On the way, he strayed into the territory of the [Gaseous Lifeform Ai].
His entire team was nearly wiped out.
In the end, they only survived because his grandfather Zigg made a wish to one of the mysterious [Ai], and they were teleported out.'
'As the price for the wish, "Nanika" appeared later... Now, since Zeno said he never came back, it means that without his grandfather Zigg as a vessel, [Ai] couldn't possibly leave its territory and inhabit the Zoldyck bloodline as Nanika. And, of course, Alluka would never have been born.'
"It's a 'Nen Beast'," Zeno said faintly, as if seeing Roy's doubt. "'Biscuit Soldiers' was a game card your grandfather Zigg collected back then, which he later cultivated into a 'Nen Beast'."
"Back then, it was the one that brought the Magic Eye and your grandfather Zigg's last words back home."
Zeno paused, looking seriously at the young man. "When you go home, go and see your grandfather Zigg more often. You'll find everything you want to know there."
Roy was silent. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Zeno, enjoying the breeze and the view, watching the sun set and the evening clouds fill the sky, "burning" it a magnificent red. After a long time, he nodded. "You've played the game too, haven't you, Grandfather?"
"Mm."
"Did you clear it?"
"No."
"How far did you get?"
"The Giant King's City, Doragon." Zeno said with regret: "I once had the honor of following your grandfather Zigg and witnessing the greatness of the giants. Unfortunately... I wasn't paying attention for a moment and was kicked to death by a passing dog..."
"Uh..."
Zeno: "Go ahead and laugh if you want."
Roy pressed his lips together. "I'm not. I just find it a bit... exaggerated."
The Golden Crow tilted its head, "Pfft," and flapped its wings to cover its beak.
Zeno: "..."
He pointed at the young man, feigning anger. "You brat, sitting in a well, looking at the sky. You don't know how big the world is. On that continent, forget a dog, even an ant could take your life."
Roy believed that. The Chimera Ants forcing a certain "strongest human" to self-destruct and trigger a nuke was proof enough.
Roy patted the Golden Crow's little head, signaling it to show his grandfather some respect. He said in deep agreement: "Your lesson is right, Grandfather. I'll listen to Great-grandfather. From now on, I'll never go to that kind of place, even if it kills me."
Zeno stared at Roy with a blank expression, not speaking. The words "Do you think I believe you?" were practically written on his face....
The young man rubbed his nose, embarrassed. He used the excuse that it was getting late and he had to prepare for tomorrow's test, then turned tail and fled....
The setting sun chased the young man's back, draping him in a robe of evening clouds.
After watching him go, Netero, his wide sleeves flapping, came to Zeno's side. He said quietly, "Stop looking. I know you really want to go.
What a pity... there's no ship for us old-timers to board in this new era."
"In the end, it still has to be handed over to these young people."
"Am I very old?" Zeno glared at Netero. "Did you forget? I'm thirty years younger than you."
"What, want to spar?" Netero narrowed his eyes. He lowered his sleeves and took out his volleyball.
A gust of wind blew, ruffling the eight large characters on Zeno's chest: "One Kill A Day, Active For Life"... 'I haven't had my kill for the day. How about I use you, old man, to test my blade!'
The hands behind his back immediately dropped.
"A spar it is!"
"Bang!"
The hotel room door slammed shut.
Roy bid farewell to his grandfather Zeno... returned to his room, dismissed Kurajing to her own room, and ordered Gotoh to stand guard at the door.
He immediately opened his panel and began to absorb the 40 points of "Life Energy" provided by Sajin and Gordian.
After his "Constitution" had increased, his body's tolerance had also greatly improved. In terms of "pain tolerance,"... Roy could endure it much better than when he was absorbing "Life Energy" little by little at "Heaven's Arena."
He took off his jacket as usual and went into the bathroom.
The Golden Crow on his head, seemingly terrified from the last time he forced it into the bath, flapped its wings, refusing to enter. Helpless, he had to leave it on the bed.
Alone, he began to add the points.
Following the panel's prompts... the 40 points of "Life Energy" dropped to zero.
The familiar pain surged up. Roy braced his hands against the wall, biting his lip to keep from passing out.
He felt... as if he had been thrown into a furnace and reforged!
He could clearly "see" the changes in all parts of his body.
First the heart, then the liver, gallbladder, spleen, lungs, then the skeleton... blood vessels... muscles... skin... until his hair fell out and regrew.
The young man opened his mouth and let out a heavy, turbid breath. He looked up at himself in the mirror. His body shape hadn't changed much, but his height had shot up another two centimeters.
[Tip: "Constitution": 131.8 → 171.8 (Note: Average person is 1)]
[Manifested Aura: D (270/10000) → +D+ (3600/10000)
(Note: Rating is based on Ants. Normal Ant is E, Elite Squad Captain is D, Squadron Leader is C, Royal Guard is B-, Ant King is B+)]
[Potential Aura: D (430/10000) → C (120/100000)]
[Evaluation: A small, thriving apple tree, urgently waiting to bear fruit]
"Phew" The turbid breath fogged the mirror... Power surged in his body like a fountain. His depleted mental energy was instantly replenished.
Roy straightened up, satisfied. He moved his body. "Crackle," his new joints popped like roasted beans, as if cheering and celebrating their master's rebirth.
In that instant, Roy had a feeling. If he encountered the [Pig-headed General] again, even if he couldn't win, he reckoned he could last a few more moves, and not be smashed into pulp by a mace blow after just a few rounds.
"Splash..."
The shower turned on. There was still some grime and hair on his body that needed to be washed off. Roy casually tossed his hair back and took the opportunity to shower.
His gaze fell on the back of his hand, and he suddenly froze....
He saw that on the back of his smooth hand, a mark had appeared at some point.
The mark was disc-shaped, and clearly branded on it was a line of numbers...
...counting down!