"Ouch!" Noah exclaimed, retracting his now crimson fist.
He felt as if he hadn't punched a person, but a solid steel plate.
If not for a month of Nen training, his hand bones would probably have fractured.
"How can a human body be so hard? What a monster."
At this moment, Ash's surprise was no less than Noah's. From the day he learned Nen a month ago, he knew clearly that he had been reborn. Even if he only mastered the most basic 'Ten' of Nen, ordinary people were no match for him.
As long as he thought of killing, the released killing intent could paralyze ordinary people, making them like lambs to the slaughter. Ash had successfully verified this on those five unfortunate individuals.
He had originally thought Noah would be the sixth person to fall to the ground, but he never expected that this guy, younger than himself, would break free from his killing intent's suppression and even repel him with a punch. What surprised Ash even more was that he actually felt pain.
"How is that possible? How could an ordinary person's punch hurt me? I used 'Ten'! His fist should have been crushed!"
With a head full of questions, Ash stared at Noah, and the two stood in the arena, wide-eyed, looking at each other.
"Enough."
Just then, a stern voice entered their ears from the side.
With his usual serious expression, Gotoh's surprise was no less than Ash's. Unlike Ash, Gotoh was not a rookie who had just mastered Nen. His understanding and application of Nen were not only excellent but also very experienced. Gotoh played a significant role in Ash's ability to master Nen within a month.
Although Noah took first place in the second test, Gotoh was not satisfied. Instead, it was Ash, who killed his competitor, who caught Gotoh's attention.
As an assassin family, the Zoldycks, while not bloodthirsty murderers, viewed killing as a routine as common as eating and sleeping. Therefore, to be a Zoldyck butler, one needed skill and loyalty, but also a ruthless heart.
This was also why Zoldyck butlers were basically selected from Meteor City. People from Meteor City inherently possessed a ferocity that ordinary people lacked, making them the best candidates for butlers.
The reason for adding the condition "by any means necessary" to the second test was to see Noah and the others' methods. So, even though Noah got first place, his evaluation was not as good as Ash's, who was covered in injuries and came in second.
Noah, who hadn't satisfied Gotoh, was assigned to train by himself in the wooden house, while Ash, who had gained Gotoh's approval, began learning to use Nen after his injuries healed. Noah, naturally, was unaware of this.
Originally, for the results of today's test, whether it was Gotoh, the other butler who brought Noah, or Ash, they all had a conclusion: everyone except Ash would be eliminated.
Unless there was an accident.
Clearly, the current situation had exceeded their expectations.
Noah's displayed strength greatly changed Gotoh's perception, so he appropriately ended the test.
Hearing Gotoh's words, Ash came back to his senses. He straightened up, gave Noah a deep look, and turned to walk back behind Gotoh.
Noah remained in place, meeting Gotoh's gaze. At this point, even if Noah didn't fully understand the reasons, he could guess the general idea: Ash was already the designated passer, and he himself was supposed to be one of the people lying on the ground.
"Honestly, your performance has greatly exceeded my expectations." Gotoh reached out and adjusted the glasses on his nose.
"Although your performance a month ago didn't satisfy me, now, your performance is enough for me to raise my evaluation of you. If I remember correctly, your name is Noah, right? From today onwards, you and Ash will be Zoldyck family apprentice butlers. Follow me."
With that, Gotoh turned and walked deeper into the forest. Ash and the other butler glanced at Noah before following Gotoh.
Noah hesitated for two seconds, then also stepped forward to follow.
After walking for nearly an hour along winding mountain paths, Noah, following Gotoh and the others, arrived at the Zoldyck family's butler quarters. While called the butler quarters, it was actually a luxurious four-story villa. At the entrance of the villa, two butlers in tailcoats stood guard.
Entering the opulent hall on the first floor of the butler quarters, Ash and Gotoh left directly. The remaining butler turned around, smiled, and said to Noah, "You're Noah, right? I'm Mike. Follow me, I'll take you to your room."
"Mr. Mike, may I ask a question?" Noah asked, following behind Mike.
"From now on, we're companions, just call me Mike. Ask away if you have any questions," Mike said affably.
"Just now, that Ash, he used Nen, didn't he?" Noah thought for a moment, then asked directly.
Mike, who was walking ahead, paused, turned back, and said with surprise, "Oh, so you know about Nen."
"I've heard of it, and today was the first time I saw it. I made a bold guess."
"Then your guess was very accurate."
Mike turned and continued walking forward, adding, "Ordinary people are basically powerless against Nen users, even if Ash has only just mastered Nen recently. So, your performance today was very unexpected."
"But rest assured, I don't intend to pry; everyone has their little secrets. However, since you've become a Zoldyck family butler, there are a few rules you must remember." As he spoke, Mike's tone gradually became serious.
"First, as a butler, you must fulfill your duties. The employer's orders are absolute. Generally, the Zoldyck family's instructions will be passed to the head butler, Gotoh, who will then direct us."
"Second, you are not allowed to develop feelings for the employer."
"These two points are what we butlers must adhere to. Always remember that in the eyes of our employers, we are merely tools. Never overstep your bounds, or you can imagine the consequences."
As Mike spoke, they had already arrived at a room on the third floor.
This was a room comparable to a luxury suite in Noah's previous life. It had to be said that as a Zoldyck family butler, the treatment was quite good.
"Your clothes are in the closet. Starting tomorrow, from 8 PM to 8 AM the next day, you must guard the location where you were tested. This will be your job." After dropping this statement, Mike left directly.