Chapter 69: Let Me See Your Limit x Zzigg-jii-chan
"As you requested, Young Master, this is two million volts. The passing standard is still two minutes. Please, bear with it."
Inside the training room.
Roy swiftly removed his shirt, revealing a physique of defined muscle.
Luke, holding the electric baton, reported the details while sneaking cautious glances. He was struck by a strange illusion... Has the Young Master gotten taller and broader after just a few days away?
It was as if he were a bamboo shoot after a spring rain, suddenly shooting up a whole section. He was growing incredibly fast.
Luke was perceptive. Compared to a few days ago, Roy's 'Physique' had indeed doubled. Even though he was controlling the rate at which he absorbed "Life Energy," the physical changes were still noticeable.
"Let's go." The boy stood perfectly straight, hands on his hips, his feet planted on the floor.
Luke said, "My apologies, Young Master."
He thrust the baton forward. Empowered by the "Divine Script," the electricity exploded in a flash so bright it was hard to look at.
Creeak~ Illumi pushed the door open. Noticing the scene, he began to count silently... Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty... one minute, two minutes... Wait, why hasn't he passed out?
Roy stood there as if he felt nothing, perfectly still, allowing the current to flow through him. He was immovable, not even letting out a muffled groan.
It was absolutely unreal.
"Young Master, you've passed," Luke said, his hands beginning to tremble as the two-minute mark was reached.
"Continue. Don't stop until I tell you to."
This... Luke steeled himself and increased the 'Nen' output. The number on the baton jumped to "2,100,000 Volts."
"Haven't you eaten? Continue."
The number jumped again, to "2,200,000 Volts."
"More! Let me see your limit!"
"Young Master, you're the one asking for this!"
"Young Master Illumi, you're here too! You can be my witness!"
Cranking his Nen to its absolute maximum, Luke let out a low roar and unleashed his Ren. In an instant, the number leaped to "Three Million Volts!"
The young butler had thrown all caution to the wind. It was like a thunderclap had gone off in the room!
The electricity condensed into a sphere and exploded. Roy finally staggered back two steps... and collapsed.
Luke, still amped up, turned his red eyes to Illumi. "Young Master, how many volts for you?"
Illumi was silent.
After a long moment:
"I'll stick with the usual. One million volts... I guess."
BZZZZT!
The baton struck. Everything went black.
Two hours later, two heads in the garden groggily woke up. They glanced at each other, and simultaneously turned away.
A Milluki-pig was lying on the grass between them... Luke had taken care of him as an afterthought, following Roy and Illumi.
"Three million volts doesn't prove your strength. It just proves you're resistant to electricity."
A breeze rustled the willow branches. Illumi's dry, raspy voice broke the silence. "If I used Ten to defend, I could withstand it too."
Roy said nothing.
Illumi turned his head back, staring straight at Roy. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Roy simply closed his eyes.
"Was I wrong?"
"Shut up!"
"Okay."
The world fell silent.
It wasn't until evening, as the setting sun cast its final glow, that Roy finally regained full sensation. He was the first to climb out of the pit, shaking the dirt from his body.
Hearing the noise, Milluki grunted, opened his eyes, and looked at Roy, then at Illumi. With a hngh, he pushed himself up and trotted over to Illumi, pulled his pants down to his ankles, and squatted.
"You wanna die!"
BOOM! Dirt exploded as Illumi launched himself from the pit, grabbed Milluki, and began dragging him toward the training room.
"The voltage was too light!"
Roy could faintly hear his brother's infuriated thoughts. He stood under the willow tree, quietly watching the dusk being swallowed by darkness, before turning and walking back toward his bedroom.
The lamps in the old castle's corridor were already lit, casting the boy's shadow long and thin. At one point, he paused, bowing respectfully.
Maha was standing by the window, admiring the night view. He turned and smiled, beckoning him over.
Roy quickened his pace. The old man squeezed his arm and nodded in satisfaction. "You were gone a few days, but you didn't miss any meals. Now that you're back, remember to cook more. Look how skinny this old man has gotten... I can't even get hard in the morning anymore..."
Hmm... Could... not getting hard be due to other reasons?
Roy pretended he hadn't heard Maha's crude joke and nodded. "Okay."
"Mm... and remember to slice some sausages into the food. Your Zzigg-jii-chan likes them."
"Okay...! Who?" Roy snapped his head toward Maha.
The old man leaned against the window frame, gazing out at Kukuroo Mountain. "Your Zzigg-jii-chan," he repeated. Then, his tone grew distant, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Go and prepare. Someone will come for you tomorrow."
Roy: "..."
He gave him a deep look. "Yes, sir."
He brushed past his great-great-grandfather, turned the corner, and disappeared.
After he left, a shadow in a dark corner stirred, revealing white hair and a white beard. Zeno, hands behind his back, walked to the window and stood where Roy had just been, joining Maha in admiring the view. "Grandfather, isn't this a bit too soon?" he asked softly.
"The family has its rules. There are many ways to learn Ren. There's no need to have Father step in right from the start."
This is a privilege reserved for the family heir, the former Zoldyck head left unsaid, but he was confident his grandfather understood his meaning.
A nation has its laws, a family has its rules. Only by strictly adhering to them, from top to bottom, can a great house avoid chaos. The prerequisite being...
"I AM the rules!" Maha glared at Zeno. "I can't reach. Squat."
Zeno's body stiffened. "Grandfather, I have grandchildren of my own, please..."
"I don't care if you have grandchildren! Squat!"
"...Yes, sir." Zeno covered his head and squatted. Maha raised his hand and rapped him on the head, making his skull ring.
The old man spoke, annoyed. "Rules are dead, people are alive. Back in the day, the family only had you and Silva as single heirs. Your father had no choice. Now... what, just because he wasn't born with white hair, you're going to disown him?"
"Silva is... trying."
"Get lost!" Maha kicked Zeno over. "This is settled. If anyone has a problem with it, tell them to come find me. This old man wants to see if any of you have grown a spine over the years!"
BANG! The door to the small room slammed shut. Maha vanished.
Zeno brushed himself off, got up from the floor, and stood silently by the door for a long moment. He glanced in the direction of Roy's bedroom, shook his head, and walked off toward his own.
The night grew deeper. The sound of cartoons resumed from the small room. Roy returned to his bedroom, took out the notebook Maha had given him, and placed it on the desk, staring into space.
Behind him, Gotoh was silently setting out his dinner.
"Tell the kitchen to prepare some ingredients for tomorrow," Roy said suddenly. "I'll be cooking."
Gotoh expertly pulled a notepad and pen from his pocket and began to take notes.
"I need a pig's head... actually, no, I don't know how to braise it. Just chicken, fish, fresh seafood, vegetables... and sausages. Remember, extra sausages."
"Anything else, Young Master?"
"Yes..." Roy looked up, watching through the glass window as the bright moon climbed to its zenith. He narrowed his eyes. "A bouquet of chrysanthemums."
"Yellow ones."
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