The boy's friend couldn't bear it any longer, and tried to mediate, but ended up being punched by the man, who cursed furiously: "What nonsense about being the strongest human, if you dare take my son again, I'll take down your Hunter Association!"
Fortunately, the boy's friend was also quite clever, dodged swiftly, and fled in desperation, leaving him behind...
Several more years passed, and the boy matured into adulthood, while the man visibly aged... He led the boy's child by the hand, teaching him how to water willow trees just as he had taught the boy before, only this time...
Upon hearing the butler's frantic report that the boy had defected to the Dark Continent while on a mission,
the man fell silent for a while, letting out a heavy sigh...
He had understood all along, when someone grows beyond what the world can contain, they inevitably leap out into that forbidden land.
Just as he had done back then, confident before departure, yet returning completely battered...
"Father, I don't regret it." The boy's injuries were worse than imagined... He left his life on the Dark Continent, bringing back dragons, forbidden things, curses to the family...
Many more years passed, so long that the man almost forgot... He couldn't remember when his hair had thinned, often watching the boy's grandson with his son watering the willow trees at dusk, lost in thought...
"Pop~" The scene shattered like glass, breaking into countless pieces,
Roy abruptly awakened, and, reaching up, twirled a willow twig hanging before his eyes, feeling a sense of loss...
"Are you telling me that you're family too?"
The willow twig swayed, shading him from a ray of blazing sun... Roy faintly grasped a sensation, muttering to himself:
"Indeed, witnesses to history may not only be people, but a tree, a stubborn stone, a great river, a vast ocean..."
"Humans themselves are part of nature, a product of its evolution, so why speak of merging with nature?"
"It's only empathy..."
"Buzz..." The sense naturally extending from the surface suddenly seemed to receive a command, being forced back into Roy's body by nature.
The young man closed all his acupoints, examining his body, and with the aid of "Sense," all five senses were significantly enhanced...
He perked his ears, hearing crickets hidden in the grass...
His nostrils moved, detecting a faint coffee scent on his clothes...
He could see further, feel deeper, and at that moment, instinct triggered, he looked toward the second floor—
A tall man stood by the bedroom's large floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, looking down upon him...
"Father." Roy smiled while silent, remembering the scene in his mind of Zeno watching a young Silva relieving himself by the willow tree, dissipating the pressure in his heart...
'In just ten days, mastered [Zetsu]... The young master surpassed the lord's expectations.'
Tsubone, serving by Silva's side, was reporting on the target's information... She noticed Roy in the garden, seemingly "invisible" right in front of her, without a trace of "Sense," indicating he had achieved a state of "merging with nature."
"Congratulations, Lord." Tsubone bowed to offer her felicitations.
The Zoldyck Family's "ordinary" eldest son, since opening his acupoints, finally displayed the talent he was always meant to show.
It was imaginable, when the lady bears a silver-haired offspring in the future, how extraordinary his talent would be by then.
Thinking of this... Tsubone respectfully reminded Silva: "The lady asks me to inform the lord that her period has passed..."
"No time." Silva abruptly interrupted Tsubone with a strong voice.
This assassination target was on the Azian Continent, and flying over would take at least ten days round trip. Whether Roy could catch up was uncertain.
He simply waved for Tsubone to retreat.
'Too frequent... must have a pattern... otherwise the quality diminishes... and difficult to conceive...'
Tsubone silently organized comforting words for Killua in her mind... but thinking about her frantic state gave her a headache, so she could only comfort herself, taking things step by step.
After all, with the lord aboard the airship, she couldn't chase after him?
The old butler closed the bedroom door, standing silently in the corridor for a while, watching as Roy dusted himself off and rising from the ground, called Wutong to bring him Yubashiri, and headed to the castle's back garden with heavy steps...
There Killua was leisurely enjoying afternoon tea, with special supplements added, making it unbearably hot...
...
"Young Master, your sword." At five in the evening, Wutong retrieved Yubashiri and presented it to Roy.
Roy pondered over that previous sensation, maintaining the state of [Zetsu], and before Wutong approached the training room, had already located him through the "Sense" diffused around his body.
Now, reaching out with a swift grab, he took Yubashiri in hand.
He unsheathed the sword directly,
"Clang..."
The blade, thin as a cicada wing, reflected the sunlight forming a dazzling ray, causing Wutong to instinctively shield his eyes.
"When I'm wielding a sword, don't stand in front."
"Yes."
Wutong retreated sensibly to the corner.
Roy held the sword with both hands, body slightly leaning forward, striding in a bow stance, closed his eyes, meditated for five seconds, then opened his eyes, taking a deep breath—
Swung Yubashiri from a diagonal angle for a slash...
"Sun Breathing: First Form: Dance!"
"Concentration!"
Sure enough, it was different... As the sharp sword glimmered, Roy's eyes flickered, maintaining the sword's momentum and followed up with an upward sweep...
"Sun Breathing: Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"
"Not Concentrated!"
His brows furrowed, right foot stamped the ground, and he drew a circle with his opposite hand...
"Sun Breathing: Third Form: Raging Sun!"
"Concentration!"
Then...
"Fourth Form: Fire Wheel"..."Fifth Form: Burning Bones, Summer Sun"..."Sixth Form: Sunflower Thrust"...
Until the final stroke... "Sun Breathing: Twelfth Form: Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance" grazed the wall leaving a charred mark...
Roy sheathed his sword, standing calm, let out a long breath.
Gazed again at the panel... a notification, [Constitution+0.1]...
Compared to previous aimless practice, each time gaining only +0.05, he finally occasionally grasped the opportunity to enter the [Full Concentration·Constant] state.
[Full Concentration·Constant]: Continuously practicing Breathing Technique in everyday activities, even while asleep, the body remains uninhibited by consciousness, maintaining the "Breathing Technique" at all times.
'This is the benefit of having guidance versus none.' Roy suddenly remembered Haseki Dorou, this young man inheriting from the Inner Family Sect, relying on his extraordinary combat talent, created the Tiger Bite Fist, recently seemed to be probing for his news.
"That's right, news from Heavens Arena, Haseki Dorou has initiated a second challenge against you, Young Master," Wutong said, adjusting the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose.