"Welcome back, Young Master Allen. Did the Hunter Exam go smoothly?"
The sixty-something-year-old butler bent over in a deep bow, a look of happiness replacing his usually serious expression. It was clear he was fond of the youngest child in the family.
"Not very smoothly. I was defeated and failed the exam," Allen replied, mimicking the tone from the boy's memories.
It was obvious that this large, lavishly decorated villa was the home of the body's original owner. Although he hadn't particularly wanted to return, he had received a call from his "father" two months after wandering around post-hospital, forcing him to take an airship a hundred kilometers from Yorknew City to attend a family gathering.
"Is that so? That is regrettable. However, I believe that with your talent and effort, Young Master, you will surely pass next year," the old butler encouraged with a smile.
Allen nodded slightly. "Yes, I think so too. Also, please have some fresh, delicious raw meat prepared. My partner, Lupos, is hungry."
"Awoo!"
Hearing that food was imminent, the silver giant wolf happily tilted its head back and let out a piercing howl. Though it wasn't using Nen, the sheer intensity and wildness of the sound made many of the maids and servants in the house clutch their chests, some even dropping the trays they were holding and trembling uncontrollably.
"Understood! Please rest assured, I will ensure the kitchen prepares a large amount of the finest cuts of meat for him," the old butler said, glancing at Lupos and bravely suppressing his fear. Initially, he thought the silver wolf was merely a pretty animal, like those fierce-looking but harmless ornamental pets. But that howl instantly made him realize this was an immensely powerful and dangerous Magical Beast, capable of easily tearing apart every armed bodyguard inside and outside the villa.
"Thank you. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to my room now. Please don't disturb me until the dinner begins."
With that, Allen gave Lupos the command to go eat via the Spirit Bond. He then went up the stairs to the second floor, entering the room that belonged to "him."
The moment he pushed the door open, he was greeted by a familiar floral scent. Looking around, the room was densely packed with hundreds of tiny, pale purple flowers, covering almost every corner. Near the window were a bed, a desk, and two chairs, with one of the world's computers on the desk, but nothing else particularly unique.
Yet, this simple arrangement, combined with the floral fragrance, caused his body to involuntarily relax, as if a wild animal had returned to its secure den. Clearly, this was a conditioned reflex formed over a long period of time; for the body's original owner, this room was the safest place in the world, a place called "home."
"So that's it. This is your final obsession?" Allen muttered, closing the door. "Family. Kin. Don't worry. Since I inherited your body and name, I will naturally fulfill your wish."
Just as Franklin of the Phantom Troupe once said, Nen does not necessarily disappear upon death. On the contrary, some Nen abilities become exponentially stronger upon the user's demise.
This was one of the reasons Allen was here!
If he failed to fulfill the original owner's final wish, that obsession would endlessly cling to him. It might even grow stronger as his own Aura reserves increased, potentially transforming into a curse or a hex-like ability. Conversely, if he succeeded, those obsessions and wishes would merge into a powerful force, granting him a unique Nen ability.
Furthermore, because he had taken over someone else's body and inherited most of the original owner's memories, with the awakening of Nen, he essentially possessed two sets of lives and memories.
No.
That was incorrect.
Three sets!
There was also the life of the Night Elf Hunter!
Realizing this, Allen couldn't help but sigh with a smile, "Nen is truly a complex and profound power. I'm quite looking forward to seeing what kind of special quality my Nen will exhibit during the Water Divination test."
The moment he finished speaking, the sound of a car engine suddenly drifted in from outside the window.
Several black sedans slowly drove through the garden and parked in front of the main entrance. Following them, three men and two women stepped out. The oldest middle-aged man was naturally the head of the household, Agostino, the original owner's father. The other four younger individuals were the elder brother, second brother, third sister, and fourth sister.
As for the original owner's mother, she had died of illness several years ago. That stimulus was exactly why the young original owner had begun dreaming of becoming a Hunter — he wanted to find a panacea capable of curing all diseases and preventing a similar tragedy from happening again.
"They all showed up, not a single one missing? Could there be a problem with the family business?" Allen stroked his chin, trying to analyze the situation using the limited fragments in his memory.
Due to his young age, the original owner clearly didn't know exactly what his family business entailed. He only knew that since the age of six, he had consistently received a total of 100 million Jenny in "pocket money" annually from his father and siblings until the day he died.
If the business was normal and legal, that would be fine. But if it involved the Mafia in Yorknew City, the trouble could be immense.
Just as he closed his eyes, attempting to find clues within the scattered memory fragments, Agostino entered the living room with his sons and daughters and immediately asked the butler, "Has Allen returned?"
"Yes, Young Master just returned a few minutes ago. He is currently in his room. Should I call him down?" the old butler offered.
"Yes. Go call him down. We may not have much time left."
Agostino confirmed, continually touching the diamond ring on his right ring finger.
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
The old butler keenly noticed this gesture, and his face instantly became serious. He had served this family his entire life and knew that Agostino only repeatedly touched his ring when he was extremely tense and anxious. Combined with the tense postures and slightly panicked eyes of the four adult children, it was likely something extremely serious had happened.
So, he ran up to the second floor as fast as he could and knocked on the door of the innermost bedroom.
"What, is dinner early?" Allen asked, feigning confusion as he opened the door.
"No. Not dinner. Your father requested you come down to the first-floor hall immediately. If I'm not mistaken, he may have run into serious trouble this time," the old butler answered directly.
"I understand. Please give me a few minutes. I need to change clothes and prepare," an almost imperceptible gleam flashed in Allen's eyes.
"Please be quick. Your father is scared, very anxious. I've never seen him that tense before," the old butler urged loudly just before the door closed, his voice filled with urgency.