"Master, I think I'm ready to begin the next stage of learning."
The red glow faded, and the short blade reverted to its original form. Roy skillfully sheathed it.
[Hint: Swordsmanship +70]
The flames dissipated. The scorched ground and the burning birch tree were right in front of him. Urokodaki Sakonji stared blankly at the boy, his mind replaying that one slash that had pierced the fog and welcomed the light. He estimated he would never forget it, even in death.
"Have you reached your limit?" The master had not forgotten his disciple's words. Roy had said he would learn the Breathing Style only when he reached his limit. Urokodaki Sakonji had respected his wish and had been waiting.
Sabito and Makomo leaped down, landing on either side of the old man. The boy and girl, having regained their senses, stared intently at Roy. Even after being shocked time and time again, their eyes still couldn't hide their astonishment.
A genius cannot be measured by common sense. The bittersweet feeling of having one's perceptions shattered again and again filled their hearts.
Sabito's eyes burned brightly as he said, "Eiichiro, I agree with your idea."
The fox boy looked at the fog as it gathered again, blocking the sunlight from the forest, and said faintly, "Mt. Sagiri can no longer contain you. And you... you deserve a wider world."
"Whether you pick up your sword to kill demons or go down the mountain to travel, in the future, when you go to Mt. Fujikasane and avenge us, please, you must carry our share with you and live a brilliant life..."
"Me too!" Makomo smiled, her beautiful, large eyes curving into two crescents. "That guy... chewing on me... it hurt so much. When the time comes, don't let it go. Slice it up for me, one cut at a time!"
Sabito shot her a look. He'd never seen Makomo be this ruthless. But in his heart, he completely agreed with her.
Demons are demons. They deserve no sympathy.
"Okay." Roy's reply was concise. He silently committed their words to memory. After experiencing the "Red Sun Tempering the Heart,"
the boy looked at Urokodaki Sakonji again, a new layer of charm and freedom in his eyes. "I must let Master know, this disciple was selfish before. I was always thinking about surpassing myself, or at least not being worse than certain people..."
The image of Netero flashed through his mind.
The boy said, "Now, I want to go out. I want to step into this wide world, taking both my body and my heart with me..."
"Do more, see more, save more people. If there are fewer demons in this world, that's always a good thing..."
"Of course," Roy smiled, revealing a row of pearly teeth. "If I get the chance to kill the Demon King, so that demons no longer dare to cause trouble wherever the sun shines... I think, when I come back to pay my respects to my senior disciples, I'll be able to hold my head high and won't be badmouthed..."
"Oh, Eiichiro, you brat! So you've been ratting on us behind our backs, huh..."
"If that day really comes, you won't even have to say it! We'll just have Fukuda perform 'suicide' for everyone to celebrate!"
"That's fine by me. I'll just kill you both at the same time!"
Whoosh! A ghostly wind swept past, shaking the branches... Shinsuke and Fukuda flew over, circling. They landed on either side of the boy, each placing an arm on his shoulder. Behind them were Shimizu, Watanabe, Kujō, and all his other senior disciples...
At that moment, the sun was setting in the west, and a red hue could be faintly seen on the horizon through the thick fog.
Urokodaki Sakonji listened quietly as the boy spoke. Even without "Nen" to help, he knew they were all there...
'It's good that they're all here... It's good...'
The old man gave the boy a deep look. "Wait for me under the waterfall tomorrow morning."
He walked away, hands clasped behind his back, stepping on the snow.
The Tengu mask was left behind in the forest. He had a premonition. Soon, whether it was him, his old retired friends, or the countless ordinary people of the world, they would no longer have to hide, living under the shadow of demons.
Just as his disciple had said,
"The sun will, in the end, disperse the darkness."
Tap... tap... His footsteps faded into the distance.
Night fell, dark as ink.
Three days' journey from Mt. Sagiri,
a young man, hand on the hilt of his sword, rushed through the moonlight, eager to return home.
He had sea-blue eyes, and his long black hair was tied in a low ponytail. His black Demon Slayer uniform was cinched with a simple white belt. A haori, with one side red and the other a yellow-green mix, was draped over his back, billowing in the wind as he ran... Giyu Tomioka was advancing!
Once an order was accepted, it must be carried out to the end. This was a mission.
A new junior disciple had entered his view. This was curiosity.
To test his talent... this was anticipation. Beneath Giyu's silent and cold face, he was hopeful for this trip.
But he was also anxious, afraid of being disappointed, and worried he would be scolded by his master for not returning for the New Year. In short, his heart couldn't calm down.
In contrast, the person he was anticipating was, at that moment, accompanying the person he was worried about, enjoying a sumptuous wild boar feast. Then, with the clear breeze and bright moon, he lay down on the kang in his clothes and sweetly entered dreamland.
The familiar falling sensation returned.
When Roy left the Demon Slayer world, crossed the Sea of Cognition, and passed through the dream passage back to the Hunter world,
the sky outside the airship's porthole was already bright.
Looking down from high above, he could clearly see the red sun leaping up from the horizon.
Roy had uncharacteristically slept until six in the morning, which was a miracle.
He got out of bed, and as usual, washed up and went for a morning run. Toothpaste and a cup of water had already been prepared by Gotoh.
The young butler glanced at the boy. "Young master is in a good mood today."
Usually, even if no one woke him, his 4 AM biological clock would wake him up.
But perhaps because the negative emotions hidden deep in his heart had been expelled, Roy felt an unprecedented sense of comfort and joy, and so, for the first time ever, he slept in a little.
"It's alright." The corners of his mouth quirked up. The boy began to run up and down the airship, finally heading straight for the deck. He spread his arms to embrace the sunlight, closing his eyes to enjoy the rare peace.
A phone call came in, shattering the tranquility.
"It's a call from home. Young Master Illumi ran off without reporting to the family. His destination is the Hunter exam."
Gotoh hung up the phone and looked at Roy cautiously. "The Master's orders are for you to keep an eye on Young Master Illumi, so he doesn't get killed by someone."
"Is it someone killing him, or him killing someone else?" The boy sneered.
Gotoh: "..."
'Thinking about Young Master Illumi's personality... it's really hard to say.'
When he looked up again, the young master was already gone.
He quickly took two steps to follow...
"Ding-dong... Ding-dong..."
"Attention, all passengers, this flight is about to arrive at Narita Airport in the Z Bheel Republic. Please check your personal belongings and prepare to disembark..."
At eight in the morning, the airship arrived in the Z Bheel Republic.
After leaving the airport, they took a ferry. On the deck, the master and servant stood one behind the other. Within an hour, they could see a whale-shaped island in the distance...
It was an "entrance" to the Hunter Exam, and also the place where the entire Hunter x Hunter plot began.
Roy felt the sea breeze, letting his bangs sway. He thought of Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio. A moment later, ten years ahead of time, he stepped onto this land where the dream began.