(Sorry guys, a thief broke into my house and stole a lot of stuff, please be a little patient until i recover a bit. thank you)
The condition Ging proposed was ultimately for the sake of... Razor...
To use the entire island as a playground and create a 'Card Collection' game involving real-life Nen users, they urgently needed a powerful Emitter capable of continuously supplying 'Nen' to Greed Island.
Among the well-known Emitters Roy knew, including his grandfather Zeno and father Silva, only Razor could achieve this.
With his strength, he could easily rank in the first tier, reaching B-rank, definitely not weaker than an average Chimera Ant Division Commander.
As for how he compared to Youpi, Neferpitou, or Shaiapouf, perhaps he was inferior, but he wouldn't be too far off. At the very least... he was not someone the current, undeveloped little spider Franklin could rival.
"Mm." Roy noncommittally forked a piece of bacon, fried golden on both sides, and put it in his mouth. Raising his hand to summon it, he habitually spread open the "Dark Continent Strategy" guide Silva had given him. Without looking up, he said, "Book the tickets."
"Already booked. The airship is at noon tomorrow, arriving at ten the next morning."
"Is the handgun working out for you?"
"Smoothly. If you asked me to face that Clark right now," Gotoh pushed the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, speaking with confidence, "It wouldn't take more than a few minutes. I could definitely kill him."
Clark... that fat man who followed Pariston during the Hunter Exam...
Roy quietly opened his panel. A single point of Power of Faith lay quietly in his panel bar.
He glanced at Gotoh's panel...
[Prompt: Your believer's strength has increased, Power of Faith +1...]
[Believer: Gotoh (Note: Overflowing Loyalty)]
[Constitution: 217 -> 224]
[Manifested Aura: D+ (9754/10000) -> C- (420/100000)]
[Potential Aura: C- (1745/100000) -> C- (2812/100000)]
[Evaluation: C-]
[Note: Referencing Chimera Ants, your believer "Gotoh" has reached the level of a Lower-tier Ant Division Commander]
Lower-tier Division Commander, like that cheetah who was killed instantly by Father Silva dropping from the sky with one punch?
Gotoh's current level had indeed improved a lot compared to before, but compared to the likes of the "Scorpion" Zazan who invaded Meteor City, or the "Lion" Hagya who fought Morel, Gotoh was still far behind. The root cause was...
His foundation was too poor!
Chimera Ants had genetic inheritance; they replenished what they ate, and relying solely on devouring put them far ahead of humans... As the only head butler of the Zoldyck family besides Tsubone, Gotoh's talent was excellent enough among humans, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was one in ten thousand. But "one in ten thousand" was still just "one in ten thousand." Compared to geniuses who were "one in a hundred thousand, a million, or ten million," he was still far behind.
This was talent; it directly locked his upper limit. Even if he worked hard, he would be a C- for life unless—Roy's eyes flickered as he thought of Muzan. Remaking him with his blood, just like...
What Muzan was to his Twelve Kizuki. The "Sun" might not be unable to catalyze a "Divine Envoy" or perhaps... an "Angel."
Breakfast ended quickly amidst his churning thoughts. Roy slowly pulled out a silk handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and said, "Keep up the good work. Also, we can arrange for our people to move into Meteor City. Purchase ingredients locally in Yorknew City. Chefs going on field duty will have their treatment raised by one level."
"Yes." Gotoh took out a pen and paper to note it down. Finally, he stole a glance at Roy and asked tentatively, "Young Master, how is that child Kastro performing?"
Roy looked at him with a faint smile. "Do you hope he performs well, or not?"
"Good and bad," Gotoh said sincerely. "I hope he performs well so he doesn't delay Young Master's important matters, but I also hope he doesn't perform too dazzlingly."
In short, he must not threaten my position in the Young Master's heart... the young butler quietly added in his heart.
Roy found it amusing and opened "Kastro's" panel to take a look...
[Believer: Kastro (Note: Absolute Loyalty)]
[Constitution: 187]
[Manifested Aura: D+ (4157/10000)]
[Potential Aura: C- (31248/100000)]
[Evaluation: D+]
[Note: Referencing Chimera Ants, your believer "Kastro" has reached the level of an ordinary Ant Squad Leader]
Upper limit... Elite Division Commander. Although inferior to Youpi, Neferpitou, Shaiapouf, and the others, he was at least comparable to the mature Hisoka, Chrollo, Uvogin, Nobunaga, and others. Perhaps inferior to Razor, but compared to Gotoh, his potential was much higher.
"Then you have to work hard."
"I absolutely will not let Young Master down," Gotoh said solemnly.
Roy nodded, allowing the young butler to clean up the mess and push the dining cart away. He checked the strategy guide himself, finalizing the specific coordinates of the "Home of the Frustrated"—a human settlement exclusive to "Abandoned People" in the Uzuki Forest bordering the Principality of Samir on the Dark Continent. He then stood up, taking advantage of the time before the electric shock training, turned, and walked into the shower room to start adding points.
Bolton: LV41... "Life Energy" +120...
Elijah: LV50... "Life Energy" +150...
These two were enough to rival two Upper Moons. They had probably killed more people than Akaza and Hantengu had eaten. Who knew how much filth and darkness were hidden deep in their souls? Presumably, the "backlash" brought by [Nature] using these two as mediums would be more violent than anyone else had brought Roy before!
Roy took off his coat, turned on the shower, and let the water wash over his body. He took a deep breath, ready at any moment to mobilize the "Sun" to wipe out the darkness and expel the "pollution." A moment later, his eyes narrowed, and he directly emptied all "Life Energy"... The panel immediately prompted—[Prompt: "Life Energy" has been cleared, "Constitution" +240...]
The boy frowned. Why was it short by "30" points for no reason?
Then, as a wave of heart-piercing pain surged in—experiencing hair loss, skin shedding, muscle tearing, cell division and recombination... especially—
The mitochondria responsible for regulating "cell metabolism" and "apoptosis," directly participating in and influencing the "organism's" aging process and even "lifespan," strengthened accordingly!
Roy gritted his teeth, a realization rising in his heart... It wasn't that the points were fewer, but that his foundation was sufficiently solid. The "Constitution" strength brought by the same amount of points was harder to improve compared to before... Just like the energy needed for "an elephant to grow one centimeter taller" and "an ant to grow one centimeter taller" could not be mentioned in the same breath. With his current physical quality, the enhancement brought by the same points would become less and less in the future... In other words, if he wanted to become stronger, the Life Energy or Power of Faith needed in the future would become more and more.
"Hoo~"
Thirty seconds... one minute... one and a half minutes... two minutes...
The retreat of the severe pain was far slower than Roy had imagined. It wasn't until two and a half minutes later that a "dark," "twisted," "insane" negative emotion drilled out of his body, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, attempting to erode and occupy the high ground of his consciousness.
In the boy's pitch-black pupils, "Pu-hu~" two suns ignited. He immediately sacrificed the great sun in his heart, illuminating and killing it!
"Wailing" issued from the depths of the soul. Black shadows struggled and melted under the sunlight... returning a clean pure land to his heart...
Roy unclenched his teeth and exhaled a mouthful of foul breath. Looking at himself in the mirror again, he was taller, and his muscles were tighter and fuller. Clenching his fist casually, power exploded directly in his palm, booming like a muffled thunderclap!
He glanced at the panel...
[Name: Roy Zoldyck]
[Constitution: 631.8 -> 871.8 (Note: Ordinary person is 1)]
[Nen Ability: Gate of Cognition]
[Manifested Aura: C- (17854/100000) -> C (40517/100000) (Note: Rating references Chimera Ants)]
[Potential Aura: C (68741/100000) -> C+ (27157/100000)]
[Nen Ability Form Change: LV2 (584/1000)]
[Nen Ability Nature Change: Yang: LV4 (42416/100000)... Yin: LV2 (743/1000)... Fire: LV3 (3451/10000)... Water: LV3 (1450/10000)... Wind: LV1 (94/100)... Earth: LV2 (457/1000)...]
[The Four Major Principles: [Ten]: LV3 (3874/10000)... [Zetsu]: LV3 (6978/10000)... [Ren]: LV3 (2300/10000)... [Hatsu]: LV4 (7451/100000)]
[Taijutsu (Combat Experience): LV3 (1540/10000)]
[Swordsmanship: LV4 (9941/100000)]
[Applied Techniques: Dark Step... Rhythm Echo... Snake Awakens... Deception... Arm Regeneration... Swamp Space... Clone... Dream Seeding... Generalized Dream Gate...]
[Title: An apple tree fruiting in one year, Peak C-rank, chasing B-rank]
Referencing the Chimera Ants, he was already above the Elite Division Commanders Zazan and Hagya...
Probably about the level of a "Peak Hisoka"... if only looking at combat power... not counting other means. Roy silently adapted to his new body, put away the panel, and rubbed the back of his left hand with his right. The "Curse" on the back of his hand moved backward by one minute, showing the remaining time: 8 years, 11 months, 54 days, 37 minutes, 45 seconds. Unknowingly, since the Hunter Exam, close to a year had passed in the blink of an eye. The excitement in the boy's heart brought by the majestic power faded, gradually returning to calm.
He simply turned the shower to the max, washed away the filth, and came out. He had already changed into a brand-new training suit... a set of clothes one size larger that he had asked Gotoh to prepare in advance.
Setting off for the training room, he conveniently brought along Yukibashiri and the Staff-Sword.
"Creak~" The door closed.
At seven in the morning, the red sun leapt out, and the morning glow was in full bloom.
The boy, draped in a coat of rosy clouds, with two swords at his waist, strolled through the mottled corridor filled with the aura of time. At a certain moment, his footsteps paused. He saw an old man with white hair waving, wearing a robe printed with the eight large characters "A Kill A Day, Active For Life" swaying in the wind, standing with his hands behind his back leaning against the window, his gaze cast toward a man and woman walking hand in hand in the garden...
Roy called out respectfully, "Grandpa."
Zeno turned his head to look. This time his chin lifted slightly, and he raised an eyebrow. "You grew taller again?"
Roy took two steps forward, standing side by side with Zeno. He was half a head taller than Zeno. He said calmly, "Just a little bit taller."
Just... a little bit? Zeno looked the boy up and down and suddenly asked, "Will you be taller than your dad?"
"Which aspect are you referring to, Grandpa?"
"Any aspect."
Roy remembered Silva's contrasting appearance in the dream and chuckled lightly. "You don't need to fish for words from me. Father and I are doing well... Father even hugged me the other day..."
In the garden, Silva, who was supporting Kikyo on their walk, twitched his ears. His body stiffened visibly!
"Silva, what's wrong?" Kikyo was leaning on the man, affectionately holding his arm. When he suddenly stopped, she was pulled slightly backward and looked over in surprise...
The corners of Silva's mouth twitched rarely, then quickly returned to that serious look. He said softly, "Let's go down the mountain for a stroll today."
"Wouldn't that be a bit far?"
"Not far, just walking around the mountains."
As long as he could quickly leave this damned watchful gaze... anything would do!
"Al... right." As soon as the woman finished speaking, she immediately exclaimed... She was directly picked up by the man at the waist, fleeing the garden as if flying.
Noticing this scene, Zeno looked at Silva's fleeing back with a strange expression, then looked at the smiling boy beside him who already possessed seventy percent of Silva's charm. He suppressed his voice and laughed low, "It seems some interesting things happened that I don't know about... Roy,"
Zeno looked up at the boy and said, "Your younger brother is about to be born. Why don't you give him a name too?"
Does this fall to me?
"Your Great-Grandfather said everyone has a share. Whoever picks the best name, we'll use that one."
Is it that casual?
"Then let's call him Killua."
"Killua... does it have any meaning?"
"No, I just thought of this name and said it casually."
"You are casual enough." At that moment, Illumi walked over slowly with his hands in his pockets and glanced at the two.
Zeno said, "And you?"
"I'm the same as him." Illumi came to stand beside Roy. "Just call him Killua."
Casual to the point where... it seemed they saved the time to even think...
Zeno: "..."
Repeatedly chewing over this name, he left without saying a word...
In the mottled corridor leading to the training room door, only the Zoldyck brothers remained. One on each side, clearly distinct, walking slowly toward the training room...
A gust of wind whimpered past, rolling up a few withered leaves...
Illumi glanced at Roy, noticing he had brought both swords. He said calmly, "You have a chance to practice with swords?"
With the eight million volts of electricity pouring down enhanced by the "Divine" character... Illumi clearly remembered that even though Roy held on for two minutes and didn't faint in the end, he still lay in the garden for half a day before regaining control of his body. At that time... he hadn't brought swords either.
"I just don't want them to feel like I'm deliberately neglecting them." The Asauchi could achieve Bankai, making Roy realize that every sword that appeared in his life, whether beautiful or ugly, sharp or not, had a bond with him unlike other swords. Just as Urokodaki Sakonji had said, they witnessed his past, rise and fall, and glory and disgrace. In the future, not for Bankai, but just to remember the past, to have one more "anchor point" he could grasp when lost. After passing through Taiyi and experiencing the battle of Meteor City, Roy made this decision immediately.
He even planned that after learning "Anti-conjuration," he would place all three swords in his cognitive space to share his fate.
Yukibashiri and the Staff-Sword were held in the boy's left and right hands...
Listening to his words, seeing his actions... Illumi suddenly stopped walking. Looking at Roy's back, his hollow and godless eyes gradually found focus. He blurted out, "I can also be the sword in your hand. Whoever you tell me to cut, I will cut."
"The condition?"
"As long as you don't give me the cold shoulder, and take me with you in the future."
I knew it!
With a movement of his feet, Roy pulled out afterimages on the spot. "Don't you think about running!" Illumi followed using Dark Step...
He fled, I chased. Just like in the world of Demon Slayer, Rengoku Kyojuro, who chased Gyokko frantically with a sword, and finally, with a strike of flame swordsmanship, cut him down in front of Hantengu...
Prompting Roy...
[Power of Faith +1]