For a moment, there was silence.
Biological creatures were different from machines; they were rich in diversity...
Roy had to admit that to become a butler for the Zoldyck family, and to stand out among them to become another head butler after the veteran Tsubone, Gotoh's talent was extraordinary. Compared to the general public, calling him one in a million, or at least one in a hundred thousand, was no exaggeration.
But to compare him to the world's universally recognized "strongest human"... Gotoh was to Netero what a firefly was to the sun. The gap in their innate talent was almost immeasurable to the naked eye.
"What, do you think it's impossible?"
Roy remained silent.
The world was materialistic, while Nen was idealistic. But whether "materialistic" or "idealistic," ultimately, objective facts had to do the talking.
"I can't picture a scenario where he defeats Netero," the young man admitted honestly after a moment.
In the original story, even someone as powerful as Meruem ultimately perished. Although Netero had relied on a cheap trick... implanting the Poor Man's Rose in his heart... Meruem was still a B+ class powerhouse, only a hair's breadth away from the A-class or what Maha called a [Demigod]. In other words...
By the time Gotoh could actually defeat Netero, who knew if it would even hold any practical meaning anymore...
"It is precisely because you cannot imagine it that you must dare to think it..." Maha stood with his back to the dim little room, leaning against the window frame. Outside, the garden was blooming with the warmth of spring, vibrant and teeming with life. He spoke in a profound tone, "What is a god?"
"It is a totem."
"It is faith."
"It is the symbol in people's hearts that 'turns the impossible into the possible'."
"Roy," the old man's weather-beaten eyes looked over deeply. As he spoke, he infused his words with Nen. They exploded like roaring thunder in the young man's ears, making his hair stand on end and his scalp tingle. "If I were you, if I said let there be light, the world must have light. If I say Gotoh can win, he will win... My mouth is the ruler, the rule, the ultimate boundary extended by [Imagination]!"
*Boom!* A muffled clap of thunder poured into his mind...
Roy shuddered violently. It was as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. He stared blankly at Maha, his mouth slightly open, letting out heavy, ragged breaths...
*He's right. Great-grandfather is absolutely right... To dare to think what others dare not think, to do what others cannot do, that is what makes one more than human... that is what makes a god...*
*'If I, as his master, believe it's impossible, then... he is destined to never defeat Netero in his lifetime. And when that happens...'*
*'That will be my failure as a master.'*
With his thoughts finally clear, Roy closed his mouth. His nose twitched as he exhaled a long stream of air. The young man bowed deeply and spoke sincerely to Maha, "Great-grandfather, I was too close-minded."
Maha said nothing. He merely looked up toward the east, where the red sun was rising, growing hot, dazzling, and impossible to look at directly. Leaning against the window frame, he said, "You've read your grandfather Zigg's notes. Walking the [Path of Faith] to the very end relies on believers... If you alone are strong, but cannot bring substantial benefits to your followers, how can you expect people to sincerely offer up their Nen for you to harvest?"
"I understand now." Roy straightened his back and took a deep breath. "Since you've said so, Great-grandfather, I'll boldly imagine a bit further. What if one day, Gotoh can even defeat you?"
The young man broke into a wide smile, revealing two rows of white teeth. "When that time comes, my journey to hunt gods and officially step onto the path of a Hunter surely won't be far off."
"..."
A massive question mark seemed to pop up over Maha's bald head. He stared at Roy, his eyes full of bewilderment... He almost thought he had misheard!
*'Have that brat Gotoh defeat me...'*
"You little punk, you've got quite the appetite!" the old man glared.
Roy was completely unfazed. He laughed heartily and brushed past Maha's shoulder, heading straight for his bedroom...
*Step... step...* The sound of his footsteps gradually faded. The young man, draped in his sun-halo cloak woven from the morning light, laughed brightly with his back to the old man. "You flatter me, Great-grandfather. It's all thanks to your teachings."
He turned the corner and disappeared from sight...
A gentle breeze picked up, carrying the summer heat...
The single strand of hair on Maha's bald head swayed in the wind. He stared blankly in the direction the young man had gone. As his thoughts drifted, it was as if he saw Zigg from back in the day. One was a Conjurer, and the other was also a Conjurer. The only difference was... the amount of "neuroticism" in them varied, yet both were equally unconstrained by convention, and both were equally bold and reckless... kids!
White mist steamed upward. At the exact moment the footsteps completely vanished, a hazy woman drilled out from Maha's Nen. She stayed silently by the old man's side, her gaze piercing through the heavy walls to fixate on the departing young man. She murmured absentmindedly, "Maha, I miss Zigg. This child, Roy... he really is just like him..."
Maha remained silent, simply wrapping his arm firmly around his wife's waist. He said gently, "You will see it. I promise you, you will see the day he lives a good, long life."
Betty Zoldyck gave a soft hum of agreement, resting her head on Maha's shoulder, silently enjoying the tranquility of the moment. Her gaze drifted far away with Roy, and in the blink of an eye, arrived at his bedroom.
"Young Master."
*Rumble...* The wheels of a dining cart rolled across the stone floor. Gotoh had prepared a meal and seemed to have been waiting by the door for a while. He looked up and spotted Roy.
The young butler bowed respectfully. When he looked up again and met Roy's blazing, torch-like eyes, he was momentarily taken aback. He unnaturally pushed up the glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and coughed lightly. "Because of the birth of the new Young Master, the kitchen prepared extra nourishing tonics. I brought a bowl for you as well, Young Master. Please eat it while it's hot..."
The dining cart was brought into the room.
Gotoh lifted the cover, revealing a bowl of fragrant, sweet bird's nest soup. It was crystal clear, perfectly blending the aroma of rice and bird's nest. Clearly... the kitchen had put a lot of effort into it...
*'I guess I'm benefiting from Killua's birth...'*
Roy withdrew his gaze and nodded. He pulled out a chair and sat down, casually taking a spoonful of the soup. After a brief appraisal, he spoke calmly, "Gotoh."
"Yes, Young Master?"
"How long have you been with me?"
"Ten years, eight months, and twenty-one days," Gotoh blurted out without hesitation. "When Hall was still here, I was by your side acting as your intern butler."
The young butler smiled. "You probably don't remember things from back then, Young Master, so you might not remember me."
Hall was Tsubone's son, who had now been dispatched by his father to manage the intelligence division... Roy gave an imperceptible hum and placed his spoon on the edge of the table. Then,
he looked at Gotoh with a smiling expression. "It's been so long, and I still haven't assigned you an official mission. You don't blame me, do you?"
How could he dare to say he blamed him?
Gotoh immediately bowed, placing his right hand over his heart, and spoke with utmost sincerity, "I have always known that you were just looking out for me, Young Master."
The young butler straightened his back again, speaking firmly and loudly, "Please rest assured, Young Master. If you have any mission at all, just give the order! It will be a chance for you to witness my growth!"
Armed with the Nen weapon [Infinite Handgun], having learned Water Breathing, mastered [Total Concentration: Constant], and recently made advancements in high-level application techniques—successfully mastering [En] and [Ryu]... Gotoh was brimming with confidence, displaying an extraordinary level of self-assurance as he made his promise to Roy.
Roy gave him an approving look, not holding back his praise. "Good!"
"Go take care of Netero."
"You don't necessarily have to kill him. Just defeating him will do."
##Discount##
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