The young priest smiled gently. His silver hair cascaded down like a galaxy, shimmering with a crystalline luster under the moonlight.
He reached out a hand to stop Kastro from forcing himself up. Walking slowly, his first step bypassed the scattered rubble, his second cleared the broken stone wall, and with his third, he stood in the courtyard. He approached Hisoka with an unhurried, calm expression. He looked like an ordinary priest, no different from a typical teenager. However, the tranquil and composed aura he invisibly exuded was transmitted through the projection of the champion owl straight into the palace of the Kakin Empire's First Prince. It caused the old brigade commander, Grant, and the rest of Benjamin Hui Guo Rou's private soldiers to involuntarily narrow their eyes. Their fists clenched uncontrollably, as if facing a formidable enemy!
"Is he not using [Ren] because he disdains using [Ren]?"
"Or is it true, as Guzman said, that the moment Roy Zoldyck stands there, everyone's gaze is involuntarily drawn to him?"
Silence filled the palace at this moment.
Grant cast a cold glance at Guzman. The green-haired youth's sinister pupils were hidden by his bangs as he stared intently at Roy on the screen, making his expression unreadable.
In that instant, he seemed to recall the day in Meteor City when Roy had pierced his heart with a single strike. The pain had been so agonizing it nearly twisted him, yet two patches of twisted, flushed red quietly crept onto his cheeks!
*Tap... tap...* The faint sound of fingers drumming against an armrest drifted from the throne.
Behind Benjamin Hui Guo Rou crouched a bizarre Nen beast that resembled a fly with numerous compound eyes. As those eyes darted around, they all locked onto Roy on the screen. It opened its mouth, revealing two rows of terrifyingly sharp fangs, and snapped its jaws shut with a loud clack, smiling eerily.
*Step, step...* Back in Meteor City, at the pale church.
The night was deep, and the moon had climbed to the middle of the sky, recklessly spilling its lunar glow.
The sound of footsteps echoed as if stepping directly on people's heartstrings. Atop the trash heaps, in the dark corners, and behind the rustling shadows of the trees, the many factions peeking under the cover of night felt their Adam's apples bob. As if rehearsed, they all swallowed hard in unison.
"The priest who made a massive name for himself by killing Elijah, Bolton, and Guzman in succession..."
"The priest suspected of worshipping the sun..."
"He finally... came out..."
Gazes converged.
Chrollo, Pakunoda, Uvogin, and Nobunaga waited in eager anticipation.
A street away, [Fake Nobility] Berus adjusted the focal length of his binoculars, turning the dial, unwilling to miss a single detail.
In the courtyard.
One silver, one red. As Roy, draped in moonlight, approached at a leisurely pace, the distance between him and Hisoka visibly closed.
"Hehehe..." The magician laughed, his shoulders trembling. He didn't know if it was excitement or something else, but it was as if he had been yearning for this moment for a long time. With a swift spread of his arms, he revealed a deck of playing cards stretched out like an accordion toward Roy.
The faces of the cards ranged from two to ace, then to the black and red jokers. Smooth as mirrors, they caught the moonlight and reflected Roy's face.
Hisoka stuck out his tongue and let out a soft moan. Then, suddenly looking at Roy, he spoke with an excitement that bordered on trembling, "Father, since we parted ways in Gasland, I finally get to see you again."
Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters... The distance continued to close.
As if oblivious, Hisoka retracted the cards, opened his right hand, and ran his fingers through his hair. He said obsessively, "You probably wouldn't believe it, but for two years, ever since you smashed me into that wall, I've thought about you every waking moment. I dreamed of standing before you again."
"And that day,"
"Is today!"
Five meters... four meters... three meters... one meter. Roy listened silently. At a certain point, he finally stopped, standing exactly where Kastro had stood before, his feet stepping into Kastro's footprints. He looked at Hisoka indifferently and asked, "Are you done talking?"
"Hehehe... What if I say it will never be enough?" Hisoka rested his hands on his hips. Standing at point-blank range, he narrowed his eyes at Roy. "What are you going to do about it?"
Roy did not answer. He simply extended his right hand, curled his fingers into a fist, and opened his Aura Nodes. Letting his Nen surge, he threw an equally unremarkable straight punch at Hisoka!
The punch was imbued with [Scorching True Intent] and utilized the same Flame Breathing. However, the monstrous wave of heat it kicked up and the golden, scorching fire completely wrapping around it caused Hisoka's pupils to shrink uncontrollably within his narrow eyes. Before he could even react, Roy's fist slammed into his shoulder blade.
He was sent flying straight back!
*Pfft!* A mouthful of blood sprayed into the air.
The red-haired youth curled up like a shrimp, bowing his waist as he crashed through five or six trash heaps in a row. He skidded backward for nearly two hundred meters before finally coming to a halt. With a loud crash, he was buried under a pile of garbage, just like Kastro when Hisoka had kicked him away earlier. In an instant, all sound ceased.
Fast... too fast... It was so fast that even though the movement appeared slow enough to react to, it actually blinded the naked eye's ability to track it. The spectating Chrollo, Uvogin, Nobunaga, and the others, along with the spies sent by the elders of Meteor City, all widened their eyes in utter disbelief!
"Hey, hey, are you kidding me? What just happened?"
"How did that guy just go flying?"
"I'm not sure... but I think I saw the priest raise his hand."
*Hiss—* After the initial silence, the sound of sharp intakes of breath erupted as Hisoka remained buried under the trash.
Chrollo and Pakunoda exchanged a glance. They had already witnessed Roy's miracles, but they hadn't expected that today, contrasted against Kastro, his power would be this terrifyingly miraculous!
Returning the enemy's attack with the exact same method in a single punch... Should this be called the blessing of being a believer, or simply pure bliss?
In that moment, Uvogin, Nobunaga, Sarasa, and the others—even the usually erratic Shalnark—looked toward Kastro, who was "playing dead" in the church, and couldn't help but reveal expressions of envy.
*Whoosh.* In the courtyard, the casually thrown punch lingered in the air, showing no signs of being retracted.
With his silver hair cascading like a galaxy, Roy allowed [Scorching True Intent] to radiate light and heat wantonly. Two miniature suns flared to life within his pupils as he tilted his head, casting a faint glance at the phantom of the owl taking flight.
In the Kakin Empire, the First Prince's palace was completely silent, as if someone had pressed the mute button.
*'One punch, just one punch... The exact same breathing rhythm, the exact same [Ten]. He didn't even use advanced Nen applications like [Ken], [Ko], or [Ryu], yet he directly sent the once-arrogant Hisoka flying...'*
The old brigade commander, Grant, tried his hardest to control his emotions so as not to lose his composure in front of His Highness. The other younger private soldiers, however, lacked his depth of character. Their eyes bulged, their mouths hung open, and they were completely dumbfounded in their horror, entirely unable to hold it together.
*Tap.* On the throne, Benjamin's finger suddenly stopped drumming, and he narrowed his eyes.
He was, after all, the First Prince of the Kakin Empire. In the original story's Succession Contest, he was the one most likely to seize the throne. Whether in terms of personal strength or the power of his subordinates, he was more than a cut above the Second Prince Camilla, the Third Prince Zhang Lei, the Fourth Prince Tserriednich, and the rest. Even with Mafia families like the Xi-Yu, Heil-ly, and Cha-R backing them from the shadows, Benjamin was not intimidated in the slightest!
The military-born prince, clad in full uniform, took a deep look at Roy on the screen before sparing a timely glance at Guzman. "How does he compare to your expectations?"
Guzman's face darkened. Watching the dazzling, blinding golden flames burning on Roy's fist, he took a deep, solemn breath and said, "Compared to the last time I fought him, it's like he's a completely different person!"
Guzman's green hair swayed in the wind as he spoke in a low voice, "Hisoka is not weak. He absolutely shouldn't be unable to withstand a single punch from him. Yet right now... he truly couldn't withstand it, Your Highness."
The man looked up seriously at Benjamin and said, "Now, you should finally believe me. If Roy Zoldyck is allowed to continue growing,"
"He might just surpass Netero and reach A-Class!"
A-Class! Benjamin Hui Guo Rou raised an eyebrow and resumed tapping the armrest. The man stared intently at the young priest on the screen, whose silver hair flowed like quicksilver, and suddenly asked Guzman, "Do I have a grudge against him?"
Guzman paused, then answered truthfully, "No."
"Does Kakin have a grudge against him?"
"No."
"Then why should I listen to you and join forces to deal with him?"
Guzman fell silent.
After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "For Your Highness to grow stronger. As long as you devour Roy Zoldyck, I believe the Second Prince and Third Prince will no longer be a concern!"
"I never considered them a threat to begin with!" Benjamin Hui Guo Rou cast a flat glance at Guzman. He straightened his back, and his aura instantly shifted!
Looking straight ahead, he stared deeply at Roy on the screen and said coldly, "I believe what you say, that Roy Zoldyck is extraordinary. But to expect me to follow your orders, Guzman... you overstep your bounds."
*Boom!* Multiple bursts of [Ren] instantly pressed down on Guzman.
Before Benjamin's words even landed, the private soldiers, led by the old brigade commander Grant, simultaneously erupted with their auras, shaking the palace hall until the roof tiles rattled!
A sharp shout suddenly rang out, "Guzman, apologize to His Highness at once!"
Surrounded by the crowd, Guzman's expression shifted. He bowed deeply and solemnly to Benjamin Hui Guo Rou, saying, "I realize my mistake. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
As Benjamin waved his hand dismissively, Guzman let out a soft sigh of relief and silently retreated to the side.
"Just watch. This one you taught indeed has some skill. He hasn't completely lost yet..."
Benjamin's leisurely words prompted everyone to turn their attention back to Meteor City.
Just as Benjamin Hui Guo Rou had said, from beneath a collapsed pile of garbage, a large hand suddenly thrust out. Immediately after, Hisoka emerged, clutching a severed arm, having regained consciousness!
"It hurts... it really hurts... It hurt so much back then, and it still hurts so much now... Hehehe... Roy Zoldyck, I..."
"I really love you to death!"
As his shoulders shook, blood sprayed out alongside his chilling laughter.
Seeing Hisoka stand back up, the expressions of the onlookers, including Chrollo, Pakunoda, Shalnark, and the others, suddenly hardened. Uvogin sighed in admiration, "This guy is tough to kill!"
Everyone deeply agreed; there was no dissenting opinion!
However, whether it was sheer toughness or something else entirely... As the saying goes, experts see the technique, while amateurs just watch the spectacle.
Roy took one look and, through the vibrant green Nen aura wrapping around Hisoka's body, caught a hint of a familiar scent.
It was something with a similar principle to his [Rebirth from a Drop of Blood]. Judging by the "vitality," it was clearly inferior to [Rebirth from a Drop of Blood], but seeing it on Hisoka made Roy instantly understand—
This "skill" that resembled vitality and was continuously repairing Hisoka's severed arm was likely the [Divine Protection] Hisoka had obtained through the god worshipped by the [Church of Truth]. In other words, it was his third newly awakened Nen ability, following [Bungee Gum] and [Texture Surprise]!
*Sizzle.* The severed arm the red-haired youth was holding reattached itself. This time, he didn't need to borrow Machi's [Nen Stitches]!
But cunning as he was, even though his arm was already healed, he still held onto the severed limb. Using [Texture Surprise], he created the gruesome illusion that his arm was still broken. It had to be said, when it came to battle IQ, the "Bathroom God of War" truly lived up to his name!
*Step... step...* The sound of footsteps rang out. The magician, clutching a severed arm, stood up unyieldingly. Without waiting for Roy to come over, he strode toward him, the madness and excitement in his eyes growing ever more intense!
"Come!"
A hundred meters, fifty meters, ten meters... He had finally reached his attack range!
Stepping into the courtyard, Hisoka smiled at Roy and said, "Father, let's go again!"
Roy immediately felt a massive force strike him, attempting to forcefully control him and pull him toward Hisoka. He didn't even need to look to know that, just like Kastro, the back of his hand had been stuck with Hisoka's [Nen Gum]!
However, the application of force is mutual. The same move worked well on Kastro because, firstly, Hisoka's own stats had been artificially boosted by a round of [Divine Protection] from [God], far exceeding Kastro's. Secondly, he took advantage of Kastro's ignorance of his Nen ability, which was why Kastro fell for it.
But against Roy...
Roy possessed two thousand points in Constitution, with over four hundred more points saved up on his status panel untouched.
His feet were planted on the ground like nails, completely immovable. Instead, he gave Hisoka a reverse pull. With a *whoosh*, before Hisoka could even react, he was dragged by the immense force and sent flying rapidly toward Roy!
*'What incredible strength!'* Flying through the air, he was nearly yanked off balance.
Hisoka's eyes suddenly narrowed. Mimicking Kastro, he grabbed his severed arm with his right hand, imbued it with [Ken], and smashed it down toward Roy's head!
Amidst the flashing light of Nen!
A loud *bang* echoed.
The arm missed its target. Roy easily dodged it by stepping to the side. Seizing this opening, Hisoka once again saw that fist burning with golden flames, carrying an unmatched gale and overwhelming might, crashing straight into his eye socket!
*Thud!* The wind stopped, and the clouds stilled.
Accompanied by Roy's slow, drawling voice: "It's over."
The corner of Hisoka's mouth suddenly curled up into a slanted grin, and he laughed in agreement, "Yes, it's finally about to end!"
The left arm that had already been healed, concealed by [Texture Surprise], suddenly moved. Using a playing card as a blade, he stabbed it straight into Roy's heart!
+50