Chapter 124: The Kiriko Family's Shock x Two Old Men Silenced
Humans are humans, and magical beasts are magical beasts. Each has its own territory. The cities belonged to humans, the jungles and swamps to the beasts. But at some point, humanity began to multiply, encroaching on the beasts' lands, hunting them—for food, for clothing, for trophies—forcing them into smaller and smaller spaces with nowhere to go.
The Kiriko, as humanoid magical beasts who could shapeshift into humans, once fantasized that their "half-human, half-fox" status might allow them to mediate the conflict, to win a little more living space for the beasts—even just a protected preserve. But reality was cruel. In the eyes of humans, "half-breeds" like them were no different from any other magical beast. Their attempts to "mediate" only brought disaster, leading to massive hunts that drove them to the brink of extinction.
Fortunately, "Beast Hunters" stood up and spoke for them. Only under the protection of the Hunter Association were they able to secure a habitat, live in peace, and occasionally do odd jobs for the Association to earn some extra cash.
Under the towering cypress tree that pierced the clouds, the Kiriko family was in their cabin, rehearsing their "script." The annual Hunter Exam had come again. The daughter acted as the vanguard, tracking the candidates. The father played the magical beast, the son played the hijacked human, and the mother lay in ambush in the forest to draw attention, all waiting for the candidates to arrive. They would test their "Observation," "Character," "Adaptability," and "Combat Strength."
"Ever since that guy named Ging saw through us years ago, we haven't had any interesting candidates," the Kiriko son, bandages wrapped around his head, grumbled as he sharpened a knife by the fire. He remembered the boy with the tattered cap, carrying a fishing rod on his shoulder. That one had not only identified them instantly but was also terrifyingly strong. Any attack that hit him once, he'd learn it and use it right back. He was impossible to beat.
"Stop complaining." The Kiriko mother, stirring a pot of curry in the kitchen, told the father to add more wood to the stove. He stood up without a word, feeding the fire. "Ging was the only candidate who passed that year," he said gruffly. "It's not surprising he had that kind of strength. But our daughter... she's been gone a long time. Why isn't she back?"
"Son, go check on her."
"Okay, Mom." The Kiriko son grabbed his knife and opened the door. A mountain wind, thick with the smell of smoke, hit him in the face. The knife clattered to the ground.
"What's wrong?"
"F... Fire..."
"?!"
The Kiriko father poked his head out, followed by the mother. The family stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the forest fire raging in the distance, the blaze so intense it seemed to set half the sky aglow. Forgetting the curry, they all shifted into their true forms and raced into the woods.
Swish... swish...
They bounded through the branches. Soon, their noses twitched. They caught their daughter's scent and relaxed slightly, finding her perched on a treetop. They joined her, and all of them stared into the distance. Their narrow, slender fox eyes widened, mouths agape in shock.
"What... is that thing?"
"It looks like... a bird? But it's huge!"
The great, golden-red bird unfurled its wings, unleashing a gale. It soared into the sky, its wings wreathed in gilded flames. Wherever it passed, the wind was torn apart, the clouds incinerated, until it overlapped with the sun high above. Only then did it dive back down, flying towards the boy in the center of the lake.
"Daughter, what in the world happened?" The Kiriko father watched for a long time, his expression grave, before turning to his daughter. "Don't tell me that boy in the lake is the candidate we're supposed to test today."
"What if... he is?" The Kiriko daughter swallowed, on the verge of tears. "I don't know what happened! That guy sensed I was watching, so he caught me and asked me some questions! I took a chance when he wasn't looking, jumped in the lake, and escaped! But then... he got angry..."
The Kiriko Family: "..."
A sudden, overwhelming sense of impending doom washed over them. The normally level-headed father was already wondering if he should call the Hunter Association and tell them they were packing up and leaving. That giant, flame-wreathed bird... just by spreading its wings, it could blot out the sky. If it was that terrifying, how horrifying must its master be?
The Kiriko family couldn't even imagine.
Zzzt... In the forest, one of the hidden cameras finally succumbed to the heat and shorted out.
On the Hunter Association airship.
Netero and Zeno watched in silence as a corner of their surveillance feed turned to static. For a long, long time... neither said a word. When they finally found their voices, they turned to each other and asked the exact same question:
"Have you ever seen that?"
"What is that species?"
The two old men paused, surprised by their identical reactions. They fell silent again, digging deep into their vast reserves of experience, searching for any scrap of information about that "gilded bird." It was no use. They couldn't find a single feather.
"It can only be a product of the Dark Continent," Netero finally concluded. In his experience, if a corresponding species couldn't be found in the known world, it had to be from the Dark Continent, or some uncharted, unknown ruin.
Zeno frowned. "Impossible. Never mind going... if he even thought about it, the Oldest Master would find out and break his legs." Thanks to his father, Zzigg, the "Dark Continent" had become a forbidden topic in the Zoldyck family.
Unless... A possibility occurred to Zeno, his voice growing faint. "Unless... the 'game' this child is playing isn't the same 'version' that Silva and I played."
Netero's eyebrows shot up. He clearly knew something. "The Oldest Master let him contact Zzigg?" he asked casually.
Zeno didn't answer.
Just as I thought, Netero concluded. The appearance of this unknown "Nen Beast" now made sense. Through the remaining cameras, Netero watched as the giant bird dove into the boy's head, shrinking in an instant to become a fat crow with a single golden tuft of feathers on its head. He narrowed his eyes. "[Game of the Dead] is far more than just a game. The Oldest Master probably doesn't even know if Zzigg is truly dead or not."
"That boy Roy was likely chosen by Zzigg. It's no surprise his 'version' is different from yours and Silva's. After all..." The "Strongest Human" sighed, his voice filled with nostalgia. "He was always that kind of unpredictable, fantastical man."
Zzzt—
The remaining surveillance feeds died, replaced by static. They had lost their view of the boy. The training room once again fell into a long, profound silence.
Beside the sofa, Bean curled his toes, caught in the middle, not daring to speak. He wanted to step out for some air but was afraid of "startling" the two pensive old men. Trapped, he simply pretended to be a piece of furniture and stood perfectly still.
Voom... The propellers churned, pushing the airship closer to the exam site.
At the Kiriko family's post.
In the center of the lake, the gilded bird had shrunk into a dazed-looking crow and perched on Roy's head. With a thought, the boy recalled his Nen. The crimson tide of aura receded, revealing a ten-mile radius of scorched forest and a completely evaporated lakebed.
"Young Master!" Gotoh's concerned voice called from the shore. The young butler, pushing up his glasses, rushed to his side, followed by Kurapika, who was still visibly shaken.
This is Nen... This is a Nen user... If she had this kind of power, even if the Kurta Clan lived openly, no one would dare covet them! The girl's resolve hardened, and she quickened her pace to keep up with Gotoh.
Whoosh! As the last of his external Nen returned to his body, Roy suddenly felt as if he'd been completely hollowed out. His legs went weak, and he grabbed Gotoh's shoulder for support. At the same time, his panel popped up:
[Notification: "Nen" dangerously depleted. Urgent replenishment required.]
[Notification: "Nen Beast" Panel activated.]
[Three-Legged Golden Crow (Awaiting Name)]
[Status: Fledgling (100/100,000)]
[Rank: S+]
[Aura Output: D+ (964/10,000)]
[Potential Aura: ?]
[Racial Talents: Sun Chaser (Awaiting Activation)... Control Solar Flame: lv1(25/1000)... Sun Chariot (Awaiting Activation)]
[Evaluation: A growth-type Nen Beast with infinite potential.]
What is this? Because it's "infinite"... it nearly sucked me dry?
Roy leaned on Gotoh, catching his breath. He reached up and stroked the crow's small head. "From now on, I'll call you 'Goldie'. How about that?"
The fat golden crow pecked his finger, as if in protest.
Roy insisted, "Your name is 'Goldie'."
His head immediately throbbed as the fat crow pecked him again. The sight made Kurapika cover her mouth, stifling a giggle.
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