Chapter 126: The Will Shears x Conceptualizing Shu
"Zoldyck?"
Botobai, his face hidden beneath the Beijing Opera mask, frowned slightly. He snorted, two jets of air streaming from his nostrils. "A pity it's not Silva Zoldyck." He had long heard of the man's name and had even seen him at certain events, but had regrettably never had the chance to cross hands with him.
However... Bean, seeing his straightforward attitude and remembering a certain someone still sipping tea in the Chairman's office, couldn't help but tiptoe closer. "Although the Chairman said not to hold back," he whispered, "he didn't really mean for you to kill him. This is still a test. Please conduct the assessment as planned."
"I know what I'm doing," Botobai replied curtly, clearly having his own plans.
Bean had delivered the message and given the warning. If something went wrong... the Chairman would cover for it anyway. He waved goodbye to the two and left the underground tunnel.
The elevator doors closed.
Geru tossed a test tube to Botobai. "Get me a sample of the Zoldyck's blood while you're at it." She had heard that family was immune to all poisons; she wanted to see just how formidable they really were.
Smash! The test tube was instantly obliterated by a "Supersonic Punch." Botobai's muffled voice replied, "Get it yourself."
Geru: "..." Furious. She cursed herself for being partnered with this dense, straightforward blockhead. The woman turned her face away and went back to her pharmacology book.
Soon, the night deepened. After a two-hour flight, the Kiriko father and his passengers finally arrived at the official exam site, Zaban City, just before 11 PM. Before them stood a magnificent, grand palace. A flock of white doves took flight, soaring over its roof.
Kurapika, who had spent her entire life in the remote Kurta village, had never seen such a spectacle. "As expected of the Hunter Association," she sighed in awe. "To put on such a grand display just for an exam."
Who knew, the Kiriko father pointed to the side... to a somewhat shabby-looking barbecue restaurant tucked in a corner. He reached into his pocket and respectfully handed over three number plates. "My Lord, that barbecue restaurant next door is the official entrance to the exam site."
"Enter, turn left, take the elevator down to the basement, and you'll arrive. Here are your candidate numbers."
He wanted to add, "My Lord, I would be happy to guide you again next year." But then he thought, With Roy's and his companion's abilities, how could they not pass this year's test? He wisely swallowed the words, saving himself the embarrassment.
Oh... Kurapika was dumbfounded. She blankly took the number plate from Gotoh. She couldn't believe she had mistaken Zaban City's city hall for the Hunter Exam site. She snapped back to reality, awkwardly tucking her hair behind her ear. She looked at her number: 407. She tucked it securely into her robes.
According to the official schedule, the exam wouldn't formally begin until 2 PM tomorrow. They would need to find lodging for the night; it wasn't too late to put the badges on tomorrow.
"Well, I won't keep you from your late-night snack." Roy clapped the Kiriko father on the shoulder and nodded to his son. He instructed Gotoh to put the number plates away, and then headed to a nearby hotel to check in, all under the awestruck gaze of the two foxes.
In a flash, the three of them pushed through the revolving door and disappeared.
The Kiriko son turned to his father. "Father, how did he know we always go to that barbecue place for steak whenever we're in Zaban?"
The Kiriko father was silent for a moment. "That, son, is why he is a god," he said softly. How could a god who loves all people not know their preferences?
The Kiriko father turned, pushed open the restaurant door, and bellowed, "Proprietor! One steak combo, slow-cooked, medium-rare."
"Hey! Father, what about me?"
"Who cares about you!"
"Nooo! I don't have any money!"
The sounds of bickering filled the Zaban night.
Gotoh checked them in and, as always, inspected the room. Just then, Kurapika pushed the door open and poked her head in. "Young Master, if you need anything, just call me."
Before Roy could reply, Gotoh slammed the door in her face. 'How presumptuous,' was Gotoh's evaluation of Kurapika.
Roy came out of the shower, held Goldie down as it flapped around in the bathtub, and endured a few dissatisfied pecks to his head. He turned to Gotoh. "You go rest too." The boy patted Goldie, letting it nibble his finger. "Goldie and I are connected," he explained with a smile. "It will alert me if anything happens. You, on the other hand, have been on a ship with me for over ten days without a full night's sleep. Take tonight to rest properly."
"Young Master, I'm not tired," Gotoh said, yawning.
"Out."
"Yes, sir."
The door opened and closed.
Gotoh stood sullenly in the hall, turning to see the girl leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He shot her an irritated look. "What are you looking at?"
Kurapika smiled, saying nothing. After a moment, she turned to leave. "I just wanted to remind you: the Young Master doesn't belong to you alone. That's all."
Slam! Her door closed.
Gotoh was left standing alone in the empty hallway, silently fuming. After a moment, he pushed up his glasses and snorted, "Well, he doesn't belong to you, either." He went downstairs, got the room next to Roy's, and went inside.
At 11 PM, the lights of Zaban City began to extinguish. Aside from a few night markets, the city fell quiet.
Roy, lying half-reclined on his bed, turned on the lamp. He let Goldie roll around on the soft mattress while he spread open Grandpa Zzigg's notebook, turning to the page on Shu training and began to read.
After the fight with Giyu Tomioka, Roy knew it was time to leave. His first self-appointed mission after graduating would be to head to Mount Fujikasane, kill the Hand Demon, and avenge his senior brothers and sisters, fulfilling their lingering wish.
He had sensed it already—Makomo's mood had been off. She would often stare at him blankly, or gaze at Master Sakonji's back for an entire day. She knew... the moment the Hand Demon died, their resentful spirits, whether willingly or not, would lose their anchor and soon fade away. That's why she was so melancholic.
Perhaps the pragmatic Sabito, or the irreverent Shinsuke and Fukuda, weren't bothered by the idea of disappearing. But for the sensitive Makomo and Yagiku, it was surely painful. It wasn't about anything else but... reluctance. Reluctance to leave Sagiri Mountain, to leave their fellow disciples, to leave Master Sakonji Urokodaki... and perhaps, to leave their new junior brother.
So, Roy planned to give them a surprise. A possibility.
He would learn Shu. He would imbue a jar with his Ten, turning it into a new vessel, a replacement for the Hand Demon, where his senior brothers and sisters could continue to exist.
[The "Will Shears" Method: By visualizing a pair of "Will Shears," one can sever the Nen tie between the body and an object, allowing Shu to remain on the object even after it leaves the hand.]
'Will Shears'... It sounded like a Conjurer's training method. Roy thought about Grandpa Zzigg's [Re: Game of the Dead] ability, which also seemed related to Conjuration.
He settled his mind and continued reading. Gradually, drowsiness crept in. His head tilted, and he drifted off to sleep.
Caw! Goldie hopped onto his neck, flapped its wings, and clumsily scrambled up to nest in his hair, leaving only its two golden eyes peeking out. Soon, soft snores were heard.
Roy drifted through the multicolored dream tunnel, arriving at the familiar Sea of Cognition. This time, he lay splayed out on the soft sand for a while, restoring the mental energy he'd spent conjuring Goldie. Only then did he push open the Demon Slayer gate and step inside.
Clack clack clack... Sparrows chirped on the eaves. Fresh, early spring air blew in through a crack in the paper window.
Roy opened his eyes... and found himself surrounded by "dark circles"!
"Eiichiro! You're finally awake!"
"Your sword grew legs and flew away last night! Did you know?!"
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