"Vanessa Siren... Keller Spencer...."
Roy lay on his bed, reminiscing about his dream, silently noting these two names. In his mind, the image of a dog and a snake, neither human yet possessing human traits, sprang forth, involuntarily recalling the ants...
Besides the Ant Queen, including the Royal Guards Meruem, Youpi, Nephelpito, and Shaiapouf, along with numerous Master Generals, all like Vanessa and Keller, had humanoid characteristics, known as... the Wise Ones!
The same potential to develop into followers!
Unfortunately... the "Broad Domain Gate" is limited by his own Sense, unable to open frequently, and even the number of people he can bring in is currently restricted to two... Therefore, to hold a formal investiture ceremony for Vanessa and Old Keller, at least... he has to wait a week, for the stiffness to pass.
Roy glanced at the panel without a word... ["Broad Domain Gate" cooling down, cooldown time: 1/7 (days)]
He exhaled a sigh,
shaking off that ethereal feeling, then turned over to get out of bed, but as soon as his feet touched the floor, he suddenly sat back down, his whole being visibly shaken to his core!
From deep within his heart emerged an inexplicable gloom... despondency... negativity... depression, like a twisting shadowy snake climbing his chest, strangling his heart, making it difficult to breathe!
"What's going on?" Roy held onto the bedpost, biting his tongue to use the pain to force himself to calm down, sinking into his mind, and immediately activating the Eye of Truth... observing those "dark and depressive" negative emotions... "Puff~" two suns ignited within his ink-black eyes...
Clearing away the confusion... dispelling the illusion... then, scenes unfolded, slowly appearing before Roy's eyes...
The images chronicled Vanessa and Old Keller's struggles for survival to support their families, their accumulated negative emotions erupting within his heart!
Roy immediately realized... this is Nature's backlash!
Grandfather Jager once mentioned in "West Continent Diaries"... [Using Faith as a medium to gain others' Nenryoku will inevitably face Nature's backlash.]
Since he developed Vanessa and Old Keller as followers and received their devotion, as a trade-off... these negative emotions are Nature's counterattack!
"So miserable... I don't want to do anything... why am I still living... might as well just die...."
"Whoosh~" a gust of wind blew, lifting a corner of the curtain... through the hazy moonlight,
Roy visibly transformed from a vibrant, youthful lad into a lifeless, wilted figure leaning against the headboard, much like a frostbitten eggplant, instantly withering!
No wonder... that Benjamin Federick, once a security knight praised by his father, fell to a desolate archbishop toying with young girls... Nature's backlash is enough to erase a person's identity, annihilate one's sanity!
In an instant, countless suicidal thoughts emerged... watching his hand uncontrollably reaching for "Yubashiri", attempting to cut his throat...
Roy took a deep breath, willingly opening his heart, letting all the negative emotions rush towards his chest... where his visualized object, his Nen's core — the Sun, resides!
"Sizzle~"
So hot!
So warm!
So blinding!
It's... the Sun!
The negative emotions shifted from ecstasy, believing they were about to triumph, to instant melting, in less than a second.
When the "shadows" faded away... depression dispersed... Roy regained his sanity, immediately pulling his hand back, leaning against the bedpost, panting heavily, cold sweat sticking to his back...
"What a close call!"
"Did I just self-dispel the backlash?"
The young man lifted his head, sitting for a moment as the clock in the corner chimed "dong"...
It's five in the morning, a sliver of dawn peeks through the dense night, a sign of the coming light dispelling the darkness!
[Heart's Sun: Utilizing the trait of "the sun can dispel darkness," as long as the host's Nenryoku is strong enough, and the Sense ample, all "impurities" and "curses," including Nature's backlash, can be cleared away....]
The panel's prompt echoed....
Roy snapped back to clarity, rubbing the "curse" on his hand, realizing the truth——
There's no need to seek any Thought Erasure Master in the future, as he himself is one. Every "Nen" he regards as "Evil Thought" marked with the "Evil Thought" label will be eradicated using the Heart's Sun trait!
If it can't be destroyed... it simply proves... "My Sense isn't abundant enough, at least, currently... falling far short of reaching the divine status...."
The gloom cleared, dawn emerged... This time, Roy stood up firmly, planting both feet on the ground, freshened up a bit, then sat at the dining table, flipping open "West Continent Diaries"... Not long after, Wutong pushed a cart, laying out a sumptuous breakfast one by one,
Roy took a small sip of the cream of mushroom soup, opened to page 7 — [Further Speculation on "Faith"], when his ear twitched, the chair in front of him was pulled out, and a frail old man sat down.
"I thought I was going to collect your body today." Maha took a bite of bacon sandwich, speaking nonchalantly.
"Indeed... Grandfather, believe it or not, I was genuinely distressed for a few seconds just now." A head of white hair swayed as a shadowy figure walking with arms crossed approached, with the words "One Kill a Day, In Service Life" boldly printed on the chest. Without a word, the figure pulled a chair beside Maha, scooping a spoonful of egg pudding into their mouth.
"Old ancestor... Great Elder..." Wutong bowed respectfully upon their arrival, then caught sight of another person approaching, and greeted respectfully: "Master."
Silva pocketed his hands, sitting down next to Roy expressionlessly, snatching the spoon from Roy's hand along with his plate of cream of mushroom soup, consuming it all, coldly remarked: "Reckless!"
"No food for you today as punishment!"
"Great-grandfather... Grandfather... Father..." Roy's heart warmed, taking a deep breath he said: "You all... knew about it?"
"No idea, just came over to collect your body, it's a pity you survived..."
"Shall I just kill him now?" Zeno suggested.
Maha's eyes widened: "Shut up!"
"Yes."
The sound of sipping soup, munching meat, nibbling bread... the four generations of Zoldyck, old and young, gathered in Roy's bedroom....
Silva remained silent, gesturing for Wutong to bring more food, then finished his soup, placed down the spoon, turned his head to scrutinize Roy and said: "So, what happened?"
Zeno leisurely pulled a napkin to wipe his mouth... Maha forced the last bite of sandwich down with a swig of milk, sighing: "Getting old, teeth aren't what they used to be...."
Roy shrank into a corner of the table, organizing his thoughts, scratching his head and truthfully said: "Accidentally became a 'Thought Erasure Master'... just like that....."