The bigger the storm, the pricier the fish.
And the reverse was true as well: the pricier the fish, the greater the storm behind it…
Chimera Ants evolved by devouring. They had no upper limit. First fish, then humans, and then Nen users… The higher the grade of the "food" they could catch, the greater the potential of the offspring the Queen could produce, and the stronger those offspring would be.
In other words… compared to gourmet Hunters like Menchi and Buhara from the Hunter Association, the ants were the real—
Gourmet Hunters!
Rumble, rumble…
The dining cart rolled over the stone floor, producing a series of pleasant little sounds.
Noon had already passed. After putting Amane and Canary to sleep, Tsubone went around to the back kitchen and brought lunch over.
Sitting at his desk, Roy took his pen and drew a heavy circle around the words "Chimera Ants." After pondering for a while, he casually summoned a small flame and burned the paper to ash.
"Young Master, the master ordered half a steamed fish to be sent over."
"Set it there."
The firelight faded. The boy pushed back his chair, stood up, walked to the table, and began eating.
The freshly steamed fish was the very one Zeno had caught from the pool.
It had survived the shockwaves from Roy's clash with Silva without being blown to death, only to die on the dinner table instead. Whether that counted as lucky or unlucky, who could say… Roy took the chopsticks Tsubone handed him, peeled off a slice of fish, and tasted it. It was tender and fresh, without the fishy tang typical of seafood. The kitchen had clearly put real care into preparing it. Satisfied, he nodded and said, "Send a reply to that Hunter named Kite. Tell him… I already know."
"And once he makes any progress, he can notify me at once."
Roy quickly finished the fish, leaving only the tail bones lying alone on the plate.
"I wouldn't mind going down the mountain for a little fresh air."
"Yes, Young Master," Tsubone replied respectfully, mentally taking special note of the name "Kite." She thought to herself that the young master seemed extremely concerned about this so-called Biological Survey Team. As she ladled out a bowl of rice and handed it to Roy, she added, "Young Master, aside from Kite, the 'Ging' you mentioned last time also called just now."
"Go on."
Tsubone's expression turned a little strange. "He said that if you've been free lately, he'd like to invite you to test-play a game he's just developed…"
Roy raised a brow.
Doing the math, with Gon and Killua having already been born one after the other, it was hardly surprising for Greed Island to be finished around this time…
That said, he had no spare time to play some son-trapping game with Ging. If there was anything in Greed Island that could attract him, it would only be those bizarre and unusual cards.
For example, [Accompany].
For example, [One-Acre Seashore].
For example, [Breath of Archangel].
For example, [Ruler's Blessing].
Those could all, openly or indirectly, deepen his understanding of Nen, so they still had some value.
Roy picked up a piece of braised pork, shoveled down a bite of rice with it, and rejected the invitation without a second thought…
Tsubone's brows twitched. In the same odd tone, she continued, "Young Master, that Ging said he knew you would refuse, so he asked one more thing—whether you have any travel plans in the near future."
"What for?"
With her twin ponytails hanging down, the old butler answered carefully, "He said that even if you won't play the game, then for the sake of having once broken out of prison together, he'd like to invite you somewhere."
"Where?" Roy's chopsticks paused in his hand. He had already begun to sense something. He casually glanced at her.
Tsubone's expression turned solemn, and she slowly spoke four words.
"The Dark Continent."
"He wants to invite you along… to help him look for his wife."
"You are not going."
The words drifted in leisurely, piercing straight through the thick wall…
For an instant, it was as if that world-covering fist had appeared once more, crashing down toward a person's skull with suffocating force…
Roy spread his hands helplessly. A sliver of his attention drifted toward the dim little room nearby, and he said gently, "You heard him."
Tsubone bowed respectfully toward the east, then straightened up and said in a deep voice, "I'll refuse him right away."
Roy nodded.
Thinking back to the cool, distant face he had once glimpsed in Ging's heart, he found himself unsurprised… In the end, the only woman who could tie down a wanderer's heart really was one who had come from that place.
'Was her name Vivian…?'
The boy picked up his chopsticks again, silently put a piece of braised pork into his mouth, and after a while said quietly, "Also, prepare a pot of chrysanthemums. Grandpa's memorial day is almost here. I don't want him saying I've got no manners."
At the mention of Zigg, Tsubone visibly froze for a moment. Memories of those glorious old days seemed to flash before her eyes.
Lowering her head in silence, she answered, "Yes."
"I'll make a point of telling the gardener to put your name on it, Young Master."
"There's no need." Roy waved a hand. "Grandpa Zigg only needs to know it came from me. Whether it's me, Illumi, Milluki, or Killua… there's no real difference."
"It is different." Tsubone placed a hand over her chest and gave him a solemn bow. "Young Master Roy is Young Master Roy. Young Master Illumi is Young Master Illumi. I'll have them prepare one for each of them as well."
[Notice: "Power of Faith" +7… Detecting that pending follower Tsubone has fully turned her heart toward you and is urgently awaiting formal induction…]
Roy set down his chopsticks and turned to look at the old butler.
Built like a great gorilla, Tsubone's frame was no less imposing than Silva's, and she was hardly inferior even to Bisky in her true form.
The only thing she lacked… was talent.
Roy quietly replaced blade and sword with Nen threads, and without making it obvious, split off a strand of aura. He tapped her left and right shoulders with it, one after the other, then lifted a hand and cast a Whirlwind, gently helping her back up.
"You've been thoughtful," the silver-haired boy said with a warm smile, his bright hair falling behind his back with a flowing glass-gold sheen at its ends. Looking at this legendary figure among the Zoldyck butlers, he added softly, "I think when Grandpa Zigg comes back and sees that you're still healthy and still active around the house, he'll be very happy too."
Tsubone sniffed. A glimmer of tears welled in her old eyes, only to be quickly hidden behind the hand she used to adjust her glasses.
Taking advantage of lowering her head, she pulled out a tissue and handed it to Roy. "Young Master, wipe your mouth."
Roy merely gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment. Unhurried, he took the tissue and quietly watched as she cleaned up the messy table and pushed the cart toward the door.
Then he suddenly called after her.
"Tsubone, you've seen Gotoh's current state too, haven't you?"
The old butler's large frame froze. Still facing away from him, she nodded silently.
Then Roy smiled at her and waved a hand.
"If he can do it, then so can you."
Tsubone trembled and replied in a thick voice, "Young Master, please rest assured. I may be old, but I'm not dead yet. I can still move!"
Leaving seniority aside, purely in terms of strength, the old butler believed she had never been inferior to the former Gotoh… Turning back around, she dropped to one knee and gave Roy another solemn bow, then pushed the cart away, brimming with ambition, until she vanished from Roy's sight…
At that moment, a faint chuckle floated out from the dim little room, almost like sleep-talking.
"Heh… Maha, this child's skill at winning people over may not be any worse than yours back then…"
Amid the hazy steam of Nen, Betty Zoldyck's slender waist was drawn into Maha's embrace with one arm…
The old man rocked lazily in his chair and let out a rough laugh. "Who do you think he takes after?"
That immediately earned him a glare from Betty…
"Heh heh heh…"
Maha paid it no mind and casually gave Betty Zoldyck's backside a pat.
At once, a soft little protest sounded from the small room, and a warm, happy atmosphere spread through the air…
Dong. One o'clock in the afternoon. Dong. Two o'clock.
On that pleasant afternoon, as the wooden clock in the corner kept striking the hour… about half a day passed. After eating both lunch and dinner, Roy's aura, which had been completely drained in his battle with Silva, rapidly replenished itself and returned to full.
He then walked to the window. By moonlight, he watched the willow tree in the garden sway its hanging branches in the wind, rustling softly.
Then he turned, walked back to the window, and summoned the Three-Legged Golden Crow…
"This time, don't sleep so dead," the boy said, grabbing the glowing tuft of hair atop the Golden Crow's head and rubbing it hard…
That earned him a look of disdain from Goldie, who immediately argued back, "I did not. Don't slander me."
Roy froze, then stared at it in surprise. "You can talk now?"
Goldie shook its head, throwing off Roy's hand, then proudly puffed out its chest. "Is that so strange? Talking isn't hard. It's just the kind of thing that comes after one good sleep."
Really? Was it actually that easy?
How come he had never heard of other people's Nen beasts being able to talk?
Whether it was Bisky's Cookie-chan, Razor's Fourteen Devils, or even Ging's Fitcher's Bird, none of them had reached Goldie's level of intelligence, even though Nen beasts themselves were also products manifested through the Nen user's inner reflection…
Roy shot Goldie an amused glare and quietly opened its status panel—
[Nen Beast: Three-Legged Golden Crow]
[Status: Juvenile (10,000/1,000,000) → (20,000/1,000,000)]
[Existence Rank: S+]
[Manifest Aura Quantity: B- (40,000/1,000,000) → B- (70,000/1,000,000)]
[Potential Aura Quantity: ?]
[Racial Talents: Pursue the Sun (inactive)… Control Solar Flame: LV4 (70,000/100,000) → LV4 (78,000/100,000)… Draw the Chariot: LV1 (37/100) → LV1 (88/100) (Note: activated)]
[Language: Continental Language activated (current proficiency: Mastery)]
[Evaluation: Growth-type Nen Beast, limitless potential]
[Four Basic Principles: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu — all mastered alongside the host]
[Advanced Applications: Shu, Ken, Ko, Ryu, En — all at entry level]
[Evaluation: B-]
[Note: Using the ants as reference, your Nen Beast "Three-Legged Golden Crow" has reached the level of an elite Chimera Ant Squadron Leader]
Roy focused on the [Language] section for a while and gradually understood…
It was not that the Three-Legged Golden Crow had been unable to speak. It had been restricted by his own growth.
The boy lifted a hand and gently stroked Goldie's head. "Sorry… I've put you through a lot."
"Gao~" Goldie lifted its beak and rubbed against Roy's palm. "No hardship. Goldie isn't suffering."
"Master, go to sleep. I'll stand watch for you…"
With that, it flapped its wings, flew to Roy's pillow, tucked in its claws, and settled down in an absurdly serious hen-like crouch.
Seeing that, Roy chuckled. "You don't need to be that serious."
With Maha in the house, Roy did not believe anyone could hurt him.
But then—
"What about that old geezer, and that stinky little brother? Don't they need watching too?" Goldie tilted its head and stared at Roy.
With a thought, Roy instantly used the Soul Corridor to project Netero and Illumi's faces…
Roy's expression darkened. "You're right. We absolutely cannot let those two in."
Goldie nodded solemnly, spread its right wing, and gave Roy a crisp salute. "Leave it to me."
Roy nodded, walked into the shower, took a quick rinse, then used [Scorching True Intent] to evaporate the remaining moisture from his skin.
After that, he lay down on the bed, folded his hands over his lower abdomen, and slowly closed his eyes.
Night fell. Mountain winds blew softly, carrying away a trace of midsummer heat.
Very soon, a faint sound of snoring drifted out…
The boy emptied his mind, his awareness sinking as usual. Passing through the Gate of Cognition, he arrived once more in his own cognitive world, and at first glance saw the familiar dream passage again.
The dream passage shimmered with dazzling colors and a faint light. From the light at the far end came the distant sound of tides rising and falling, waves striking the shore. The Sea of Cognition was calling to him…
Roy, silver hair cascading behind his back, did not hurry inside. Instead, he stopped at the entrance to the passage and looked at the two rotating whirlpools on either side.
His gaze pierced through them, and he saw Venisa and old Kohler respectively.
"You've waited long enough. Tomorrow morning, four o'clock sharp, before dawn breaks—we meet."
His will wrapped in Nen, and with a thought from Roy, drifted lightly into the whirlpools.
The whirlpools trembled. Visible to the naked eye, both the snakefolk woman and the dog-headed man stirred, then excitedly placed hands over their chests in salute and chanted, "Praise the Sun."
Two streams of Power of Faith were slowly extracted from them and fell onto Roy.
[Notice: Your followers have received your response. In their excitement, their devout hearts have grown even stronger. "Power of Faith" +3 +3]
"It increased?"
With six points of Power of Faith added to his total, Roy blinked in surprise and looked down.
His gaze settled on the two karmic lines connecting him to Venisa and old Kohler, and in that instant he understood. It was almost the same as with Goldie—
The deeper the bond between himself and a follower became, the more Power of Faith that follower could provide.
Of course… that also meant the invisible responsibilities he had to bear would grow heavier.
Benefit and risk existed side by side. The law of equivalent exchange truly did not deceive…
His thoughts drifting, Roy slowly withdrew his gaze from the whirlpools and stepped forward into the dream passage. Chasing the light, he arrived at the Sea of Cognition. Without hesitation, he passed the Demon Slayer Gate, then stopped for a moment before the Dark Continent Gate, which was covered in intricate patterns.
Then he turned, pushed open the Naruto Gate behind him, and stepped through—
"Nii-san… Nii-san…"
"Wake up, Shisui-nii is here…"
A hazy, half-distant voice echoed in his ears.
The door opened, and the familiar sensation of falling swept over him…
When Roy temporarily left the real world behind and opened his eyes again, he was already in his home in Konoha, with little Itachi cradling his head in his lap.