The summer in the Republic of Padokea was hotter than usual.
Just before five in the morning, a glimmer of light could be seen creeping up from the intersection of heaven and earth.
Taking advantage of the time when the heat hadn't fully risen, Roy woke up early, put on a vest and shorts, and started his morning run around Kukuroo Mountain.
From the family's ancient castle deep in the mountains, to the butler's villa halfway up, to the guard post at the foot of the mountain, and finally back the same way, the nearly ten-kilometer route... By the time he returned, he was completely drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water, yet he felt indescribably refreshed.
Science proves that running stimulates the body to secrete endorphins, providing a certain amount of excitement and pleasure... But after a brief gasp for air, Roy didn't feel the expected happiness. Instead, he furrowed his brow, feeling a little gloomy.
The reason was simple—he, the eldest son of the world's number one assassin family, the Zoldyck Family, whose very name was enough to strike fear into hearts, and also a transmigrator whose previous life was on Earth, had recently discovered that his physical growth rate was slowing down.
While it is true that exercise has plateaus, the initial stages are when the effects, whether muscle gain or fat loss, are most pronounced, and then the rate steadily declines, stabilizing at a fixed value.
But this only applies to adults, not to children like Roy, who is currently eight years old and still in a rapid growth and development phase.
Moreover, his last name is Zoldyck, and his physical constitution is inherently superior to others.
The only drawback is his black hair, which means he didn't perfectly inherit the Zoldyck family's innate talent...
However, adhering to the principle of "slow is fast, fast is slow," Roy had a well-adjusted mindset; he wasn't anxious or discouraged. Returning to his bedroom, he quickly took a shower.
When he came out, he had changed into a clean training uniform and sat down at the dining table.
The time was six in the morning. As an antique wooden grandfather clock in the corner struck the hour, the butler Gotoh wheeled in the dining cart on time, setting a rich breakfast before him.
Cream of mushroom soup... bacon sandwiches... fresh salad made from wild vegetables dug from Kukuroo Mountain mixed with eggs and drizzled with a layer of vinegar... all paired with a glass of milk... absolutely balanced nutrition, except for the lack of flavor...
Roy casually picked up a sandwich, dipped it into the mushroom soup, and took a bite. While listening to Gotoh report the day's training schedule, he quietly opened his status panel and looked closely.
Name: Roy Zoldyck
Bone Age: Seven years and eleven months
Constitution: 10→10.001
(Note: The average person is 1)
Nen Ability: Ten is closed, pending development
Combat Experience: lv2 (15/100)
Application Techniques: Light Feet
Proficient (78/100);
Snake's Awaken: Proficient (64/100);
Rhythm Echo: Novice (83/100)
(Note: Techniques are graded by mastery: Novice, Proficient, Mastered, Perfect)
Title: Rookie Not Yet Initiated, "Tender Grass"
Highly Prone to Premature Death
Tender Grass?
This evaluation really leaves no room for courtesy... Roy took a hard bite of the sandwich to vent his frustration.
Gotoh cleared his throat in a timely manner and quietly reminded him, "Young Master, the Mistress has not been in a good mood recently. You should be careful."
The Mistress referred to Kikyo, Roy's birth mother... Having three consecutive children with black hair, none of them silver-haired, was, in the eyes of an ordinary family hoping for a son, like giving birth to three daughters without a single male heir—a "serious offense."
Thus, her anxiety, even her occasional temper, was completely understandable.
Fortunately, the next child, Killua, would not disappoint her.
"Kalluto is a good kid, aside from being a little chubby, plain, having small eyes, and farting a lot, there's nothing wrong with him... I don't mind that Mother doesn't like him," Roy said casually after finishing his sandwich and taking a sip of milk.
Gotoh: "..."
He fell into a brief silence, unsure if his eldest young master was praising Kalluto or intentionally insulting him. Considering the young master's consistent dislike for Illumi, often calling him cold and ghost-like with his empty eyes... Gotoh chose to pretend he hadn't heard.
Instead, he brought up another matter: "Young Master, the Master has decided to open your Nen."
The young butler, who hadn't yet grown his beard, pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose and stated solemnly, "The time is set for eight o'clock tonight... He will be waiting for you in the training room then."
Roy's expression momentarily froze, then quickly returned to normal. He pulled out a napkin to casually wipe his mouth. Beneath his calm exterior, his emotions couldn't help but stir.
The bad news was... through observation over the past few years, everyone in the Zoldyck household, from Silva to Zeno, had realized that he was just an ordinary talent. Opening his Nen early might allow him to be trained into a qualified assassin, but inheriting the Zoldyck family was clearly him overthinking things.
The good news was that if he opened his Nen and successfully awakened an "Enhancement" type Nen ability... this might become an opportunity to compensate for his "frail" physique.
In any case, the decision had been made.
Tonight at eight, whether Roy was willing or not, he had to prematurely step into the world of "Nen Ability"!
And this step was the one he had anticipated the most in the nearly eight years since his rebirth into the Zoldyck family.
A subtle flicker of ambition flashed deep in the boy's eyes. He quickly finished his breakfast.
Afterward, under Silva's instruction, he unusually spent the entire day not training, but meditating and adjusting his state to its best, waiting for nightfall and the rise of a bright moon.
He rose to his feet and, by the light of the flickering wall lamp, walked out of the bedroom. Following the long, deep, and quiet corridor, he arrived at the training room.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The door was knocked.
"Enter."
A very strong voice transmitted through the door.
The door opened, revealing a corner of the room...
A tall figure stood with his back to the door, legs split into a wide stance resting on two heavy stone weights. His silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, and the aura he inadvertently emitted was so powerful it was suffocating.
Silva Zoldyck, a world-class assassin, who once single-handedly killed member number 8 of the A-rank criminal organization, the Phantom Troupe, and made a clean escape. In the Chimera Ant Arc, he descended from the sky and instantly killed the Squadron Leader-level Leopard with one punch... Every time they met, Roy could directly feel the overwhelming pressure and sense of suffocating danger emanating from his father.
This was unrelated to the bond between father and son, more like the natural dimensional crush of a higher-dimensional being upon a lower-dimensional one.
He composed himself, took a deep breath, and said, "Father."
"Bang" The door closed heavily.
Silva turned his head, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Come here."
Roy silently stepped forward.
He was instantly met with a hand the size of a cattail leaf fan, which slapped him on the chest, light as a feather yet fast as lightning!
"Crack!"
The highly condensed [Ren] generated a gust of wind that passed directly through Roy's body without stopping, slamming heavily into the wall behind him...
Visibly, the thick wall instantly cracked into a spiderweb pattern...
Simultaneously, a certain shackle within Roy's body shattered!