[TIP: You are being watched by an unknown existence. Your life is entering a countdown!]
9 years, 9 months, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 9 seconds..
9 years, 9 months, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 8 seconds...
9 years, 9 months, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 7 seconds...
The disc-shaped mark on the back of his hand was like a stopwatch, beginning its countdown.
Roy frowned. The pores on the back of his hand opened, and he enveloped it with [Scorching True Intent], trying to burn it away.
The mark didn't budge, continuing to count down... 6 seconds... 5 seconds... 4 seconds...
Next, he tried cutting it with a knife... then transforming Magnetism to interfere... The mark seemed fixed on Roy, on this "person," silently calculating the remainder of his life.
After trying various methods, Roy forced himself to calm down.
Drip, drip...
He let the shower water pour down over his head.
He steadied his breathing and carefully traced back his memories... From leaving home, to boarding the ship, to participating in the test at the venue, everything had been fine. It wasn't until he had just absorbed the "life energy" from Sajin, Gordian, Dasuo, and the others that the mark suddenly appeared. It was clearly connected to the "Pig-headed Men"... to Grandpa Zigg, and even to the Dark Continent.
'The panel reminded me I was being watched by an unknown existence... Perhaps it's because I "ate" Sajin and the others, leaving a trace in the Dark Continent, that I attracted its gaze. This also proves from the side that Grandpa Zigg's memories aren't illusory; on the contrary, they possess a certain degree of reality.'
His thoughts flew. Roy suddenly recalled the words Grandpa Zeno had just spoken to him: "If you want the answer, you must search for it in Zigg's memories."
A guess began to form...
One: That "unknown existence" is of too high a status, the kind that would make you explode on the spot just by looking at it. Across a memory that is "neither real nor false, neither illusion nor truth," it can cast its gaze from the Dark Continent, watch me, and successfully place a curse on me. In terms of "disaster level," it's likely no lower than the "Five Great Calamities" currently known to the human world.
The gaseous lifeform Ai... the weapon Gold-Silver Ingots... the twin-tailed snake Hell Bell... the herd-rearing beast Pap... and the immortal disease, Zobae Disease.
Two: For some reason, it cannot cross time and space to descend in its "true form." It can only use a "marking" method, utilizing a [Mechanism], to curse me.
Three: An Exorcist!
Fire can't burn it, a knife can't cut it, so I must find an Exorcist!
If an Exorcist can't solve it... then the only option left is to search for a solution in Grandpa Zigg's memories, or even... the Dark Continent.
Nine years and nine months. It's not long, but it's not short. Before then...
"I must search for an Exorcist while also striving to grow stronger. At the very least..."
"Before time runs out, I must possess the capital to establish myself in the Dark Continent!"
Screech— The shower turned off. Roy quickly bandaged his wound with a towel. When he came out, he had dried his body and changed into loose pajamas.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and spread open Grandpa Zigg's notebook, reading it carefully, trying to find any clues about the "mark." Unfortunately... the notebook was filled entirely with Grandpa Zigg's training insights, and it was only the first volume. At that time, he hadn't yet gone to the Dark Continent. It would be strange to find anything.
"Gotoh, come in!"
Creaak...
The door was pushed open. "Young Master, what is it?"
"Call the Master."
"Which one?"
"My grandfather."
"Yes."
The call connected... Gotoh pushed up the glasses on his nose and carefully handed the phone over.
Roy took it and said directly, "Grandpa, save me! I've been cursed!"
Boom! The sound of a volleyball being punched and exploding came from the other end of the line!
Boom! White hair flared. A pale [Ren] suddenly erupted centered on Zeno. The airship, marked with the giant Hunter Association logo, trembled. Netero's old eyes narrowed. He keenly sensed a trace of worry, hesitation, and helplessness in Zeno's Nen and promptly withdrew his "playful" hand.
"You stay put! I'm coming right now!"
He had tried to prevent this in thousands of ways, but in the end, he still couldn't stop it.
Zeno hung up the phone, his face grim. He opened the cabin door and stepped out, jumping from the high altitude!
Amidst the surprised screams of Beanman and the rest of the flight crew, he landed swiftly... However, before they could recover, Netero followed right behind him, leaping down and leaving the stunned crowd behind, exchanging bewildered glances in the wind.
Whirrr... The propellers shredded the air, creating gusts of wind.
Zeno and Netero landed one after the other, then vanished in a flash... About ten minutes later.
In the hotel room facing the street, with its back to the river, they saw the "curse."
Tick... tock...
The "mark" was like a "death summons," moving along with time.
Forty minutes had passed since Roy discovered it. The numbers on the "dial" had also shrunk from the initial "9 years, 9 months, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 9 seconds" to "9 years, 9 months, 8 hours, 21 minutes, 9 seconds"...
The young man omitted the part about the "panel" and reported truthfully, "Not long after I came out of the illusion, this situation appeared."
Zeno and Netero each grabbed the back of his hand to look closely, and both fell silent.
It couldn't be burned by fire or cut by a knife. It was similar to "Nen," yet it contained something more, something indescribable. It was indeed a curse, without a doubt!
Tick... tock... A few more seconds passed...
Gotoh returned, having gone out to buy some ointment and bandages. He knelt to re-bandage Roy's wound. The young man broke the silence, looking directly at Netero and getting straight to the point: "I know the Association has an Exorcist. I was wondering if I could ask him to come and perform an exorcism for me?"
In the original story, after Gon went dark, the Hunter Association brought an Exorcist to see him. Although they couldn't help in the end, and only appeared for five seconds... since it was an Exorcist recognized by the Hunter Association, they must have had some skill.
When he called his grandfather earlier, Roy had this idea in mind and suddenly remembered this person.
"Useless." Zeno rejected Roy directly, before Netero could even speak.
The old man spoke with a heavy expression, "Exorcists must also abide by the 'equivalent exchange' principle."
"'High reward' means 'high risk'..."
"No one would be willing to risk 'shortening their lifespan' to perform an exorcism for you."
It's just like... in the Greed Island arc, the "Forest Exorcist" Abengane, who uses an "incantation" to summon a "Forest Spirit" to devour "Nen vapor." He must stay with the ugly and dangerous "Forest Spirit" until the opponent's Nen ability is removed...
Or like... that young female Exorcist from the Chimera Ants. After performing an exorcism, her stomach inevitably swells, and there's a certain probability it will never shrink. The "stronger" the "curse," the higher the risk of removal, and the greater the price... especially for a curse like this "mark," which acts directly on "lifespan"!
Roy fell silent...
Seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Gotoh's eyes, and he blurted out, "If they're unwilling, then kill them!"
"No matter how precious or rare an Exorcist is, they are not more valuable than the Young Master!"
"True," Zeno actually nodded in agreement.
The two of them completely ignored the fact that the Chairman of the Hunter Association was still present. Roy smiled apologetically at Netero.
The old man stroked his beard, pretending not to have heard. He pondered for a good while, then suddenly said, "Exorcists are few, for one. Secondly, most cannot eradicate a curse, only transfer it. Therefore, in my opinion, there is only one way..."
What way?
Zeno and Gotoh looked over in unison.
Netero looked up at Roy and said in a heavy voice, "You go kill the bastard who cursed you."
"It dies, you live. Or..."
"You die, it lives. It's that simple."
Simple? You're telling me to take out a calamity comparable to Nanika within ten years?