Kanaria trembled. She turned her head slowly and found herself caught in Roy's pale, unblinking gaze. Though his eyes could not see, the weight behind them made her feel as if her soul had been laid bare.
Her lips moved, attempting to refute his words, to say something — anything.
But Roy casually waved his hand.
"No need to rush your denial," he said with a light smile. "Me~? It's getting late. I need to cook dinner. Goodbye."
With that, Roy turned away, walking slowly into the depths of the inner courtyard, supported by his crutch. His figure, though limping and blind, carried an air of steady confidence that silenced Canaria, who could only stare at his back in deep thought.
"My sister's taking pictures~"
"What kind of dead-end look is this, huh?"
Roy chuckled inwardly, mocking himself as he strolled farther away. His thoughts wandered to a certain white-haired brat who liked to act arrogant and cocky — his younger brother.
Grinning, Roy made his way toward the small courtyard tucked quietly on the western side of Kukulu Mountain, just beyond the main Zoldyck residence. A slender, flowing stream cut between the courtyard and the towering estate like a natural boundary.
Compared to the magnificent, heavily-guarded Zoldyck estate — an assassin's fortress filled with mystery and danger — this courtyard was small, plain, and rustic. Yet it was peaceful, surrounded by aged stone lanterns and bonsai trees, and decorated with Roy's own handmade touches. This place wasn't just a shelter.
It was his home.
Zoldyck family members were forbidden from being idle. Whether it was Illumi, cold and terrifying in his precision, or Milluki with his bizarre genius in tech, or Kalluto and Alluka with their strange and frightening powers — every one of them had inherited something terrifying. Even Killua, the youngest and most promising, had been groomed since birth to be the heir of their bloody legacy.
But Roy? The second son, born blind?
He was a statistical anomaly in the Zoldyck bloodline.
Not strong like Illumi. Not inventive like Milluki. Not dangerous like Kalluto. Not mysterious like Alluka.
No Nen talent. No killer instinct.
A complete "normal" person.
Were it not for his family name, Roy would've been discarded or forgotten.
But fate had its own designs.
Ever since he awakened the Character Panel System, his path had changed. Through simulations and random draws, he could obtain strength from other worlds. His first draw?
The power of Admiral Fujitora from the world of pirates.
Gravity… Swordsmanship… Observation beyond vision… All of it, hidden quietly beneath his blind gaze.
To ensure secrecy, Roy had applied for this separate courtyard last year. It gave him the privacy to "grind" quietly without alerting his monstrous family. But it came at a cost — he forfeited financial support and had to become self-reliant.
And so, the second son of the Zoldyck family now carried plastic bags of groceries from the foot of the mountain.
"Wanzi! I'm back!"
The wooden door creaked open as Roy stepped in.
A blur of fur darted from the side — a tri-colored cat leaped up, tail curled, standing upright and meowing for attention.
Roy bent down with practiced ease and scooped her up.
"Missed me, huh?" he smiled, slapping the cat's head gently, fingers tracing her lower ribs. She purred contentedly in his arms, rubbing against him affectionately.
But someone wasn't pleased.
"Tch. Why are you so late?" came a snide voice from the entrance.
A white-haired boy leaned against the frame, arms crossed. His lake-blue eyes, typically cool and mischievous, narrowed with irritation.
Roy rolled his sightless eyes in mock exasperation.
"Ice cream sale." He shrugged. "Too many people. Had to wait in line. What, you got a problem?"
"Ice cream?" Killua blinked. His ears practically perked. A twitch of his nose. He tried to act disinterested, but his fingers clenched subconsciously.
Roy noticed — and smirked.
He reached into the bag, unwrapped a stick of chocolate ice cream, and held it out.
"Chocolate. Want it?"
Killua gulped. The sweet, cold scent teased his senses.
He reached out swiftly — only to grab thin air.
Roy raised the ice cream lazily just beyond reach.
"…Huh?" Killua froze, confused. His instincts had calculated the angle and speed perfectly — so how did he miss?
His assassin-trained body never made that kind of mistake. And Roy… Roy couldn't even see.
His brain screamed one conclusion:
He dodged me?!
"…Tch. Don't believe it."
Killua's eyes narrowed. He activated Dark Step, the Zoldyck clan's instant-kill movement technique. With a flicker of movement that defied physics, he appeared right in front of Roy and reached again.
Only for Roy to casually sidestep and land a swift hand chop to his forehead.
Whack!
"Call me 'brother' if you want to eat!" Roy snapped, voice laced with mock superiority.
That's it! This little brat needed a reminder — you can't just waltz into your older brother's place uninvited!
Time to dish out some love Zoldyck-style.
For the first time, Roy infused his palm with a faint layer of Armament Haki — a secret he'd never revealed to anyone yet.
"Brother's Hand Knife of Love!" he declared solemnly in his mind.
WHACK!
"Owwww! P-Pain! Pain! PAIN!!!" Killua collapsed on the floor, hugging his head, tears brimming in his proud blue eyes.
His Zoldyck-trained pride screamed in protest — but the pain was real.
A huge bump formed on his forehead, practically pushing his hand away as it ballooned out.
"What the hell? How does his chop hurt so much?!" he wailed inside, gritting his teeth.
Whips, electrocution, even poison — he had endured it all in his training. But Roy's hand knife? It felt like the wrath of a god condensed into a single palm strike.
He looked up, stunned.
Roy… Roy wasn't weak.
He wasn't helpless.
He wasn't normal.
He was dangerously strong — and he had been hiding it all along.