Chapter 248: The Elephant Tapir Delivers a Gift x The Mysterious Skeleton Reappears
A golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as one's own grass nest; a godfather or stepfather is not as good as one's own biological father.
People all need a sense of belonging. This human continent surrounded by Lake Mobius was not Vivian's home. The end of the sea, that unknown land watched over by the Gatekeeper, was.
Ging knew this, he had always known.
But when this day truly arrived, the sorrow of parting felt like a knife twisting in his heart, making it incredibly hard for him to let go.
"Wah..." Gon-kun wailed in his arms. Perhaps having a premonition of something, he flailed his small hands and kicked his little legs, grabbing at the air. However... his mother had already turned into a reef rock, facing the depths of the sea in a posture of "gazing homeward," devoid of breath...
Hunter Association.
At the very top of the headquarters building, inside the office bearing the plaque "A Martial Artist".
A certain old man, who constantly reminded himself "never forget your original intention" and hadn't dared to forget his identity as a "martial artist" for nearly ninety years, was wearing a sports tank top. He took a horse stance, looking straight ahead. At a certain moment, his eyes narrowed, his right fist thrust forward, and with a "Smack~", a straight punch was suddenly thrown, whipping the air in front of him like a whip. It seemed like he was repeating his daily training, or perhaps searching for his past passionate youth. In short... Netero recently felt more and more that his energy was not as abundant as when he was young.
While his advancing age was certainly a reason for this, it was equally due to the [Truth Cult] indirectly "truthing" those V5 higher-ups, who kept coming to him continuously.
"Believe in [Truth], attain eternal life. Hearing it makes even this old man's heart flutter a little."
Retracting his fist, Netero turned his head and glanced at Beans. "Beans, if only the people from that continent were as law-abiding as you are."
Beans was burying his head in front of the desk, organizing the intelligence gathered from all around. Seeing one of the reports regarding the Zoldycks, which stated that someone had commissioned Zeno Zoldyck to assassinate Guzman, the [Archbishop of Truth], he tactfully kept quiet.
What the Dark Continent looked like was something Beans rarely mentioned since following Netero. Because... as the "Majin" race, they were neither [Humans] nor [Beasts], despised and unaccepted by both sides. Naturally... life wouldn't be easy... Being law-abiding now was just a good habit retained from "surviving cautiously in the cracks" back then...
Having finished reading the intelligence, Beans rolled his small eyes, which weren't much bigger than mung beans, looked at Netero, and said, "Chairman, that person from the Zoldyck family has made a move."
"I know." One fist retracted, and with a "Smack", another fist was thrown out.
With his back to Beans, Netero said without even turning his head, "Zeno mentioned it. The result... it wasn't the main target."
The old man's movements were unhurried. They appeared slow on the surface, but were actually fast. The slow punches somehow gave a visual sensation of being impossible to dodge or evade. He said faintly, "None of the people from your hometown are easy to deal with... Truth Cult... Whose divine servant is this one?"
Beasts are divided into "Magical", "Illusionary", and "Rare". Humans are also invisibly classified into various grades based on differences in "profession", "gender", "faith", and "upbringing".
Upon receiving the first-hand information on the "Truth" Cult, Netero immediately determined that the other party was not one of their own from the "same continent". Combined with the fact that Zeno actually took the contract... The old man recalled the past, that sunny morning when he had a hearty riverside race with a certain boy... His old eyes narrowed, secretly forming a guess.
The other party came for Zzigg and... that boy Roy!
Frantically preaching now was merely secretly accumulating power, or perhaps breaking through... some kind of restriction. While his thoughts fluttered and Netero was pondering... he was suddenly interrupted by a ringtone from Beans' pocket.
"Beep..." The call connected.
Beans froze for a second. Holding the phone, he said to Netero, "Chairman, the Zoldycks have given birth... It's a boy, and it seems to be... silver-haired!"
Silver-haired?
Netero's eyes flashed. He retracted his fist, stood straight, and chuckled, "Born well... This time when I go, if I say it's to offer congratulations, I surely won't be chased out in public by a certain stubborn old bag of bones again..."
Through the long years of following Netero, people he would call "old bag of bones" were rare... Beans first ruled out himself, then ruled out Linne, and finally only one remained... that person from the Zoldyck family... the legendary "Ultimate Assassin King"—Maha Zoldyck!
A dry and shriveled figure automatically surfaced in his mind... Beans suddenly shivered. He remembered clearly that the last time he accompanied Netero to visit the Zoldycks was not a very pleasant experience. Not to mention... he always felt like he had seen the other party somewhere before. Racking his brains to search his memories for a moment yielded no results, so he had to let it go...
Changing the subject, he said, "Chairman, the list you asked me to compile has roughly taken shape."
"Besides Gigante holding the fixed position of 'Dragon'... 'Snake'... and 'Horse' all have candidates. Oh right, there's also 'Boar'..."
"I also contacted Ging as you asked... He said,"
"Said what?" Netero noticed Beans' hesitating tone and glanced back at him.
Beans had a rather strange expression and said cautiously, "He said he has no time because he has to take care of his child. Unless... Roy goes, only then will he go."
Netero was startled... Good kid, when did he get to know that kid Roy... Raising a long eyebrow and stroking his beard, he laughed, "That's fine too. We'll talk after this old man personally asks Roy."
"I wonder to what extent that kid has grown,"
"Can he withstand a punch from this old man..."
My hands are itching.
Netero suddenly threw another punch. This time, the punch directly crushed the air, forming a terrifying vacuum cavity!
Kakin Empire.
Capital, Spanto.
Adjacent to the center of power controlled by the Hoikoro family—at the southern end of Tulip Avenue where the Royal Palace is located, stood that luxurious manor registered under Beyond's name.
Having just come out of the royal palace after a two-day secret rendezvous with the Queen, Beyond returned to his study and couldn't help but exhale lightly... His burly physique, even more muscular than Netero's, was noticeably slightly deflated. It was unknown if he was drained or overworked, to the point that...
When he looked out the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows at the construction progress of the Black Whale at the shipyard harbor as usual, he didn't even hear Pariston come over to greet him. He remained in a daze for quite a while before reacting.
"Leaving so soon?"
"You know, I really can't hold back anymore..." The blond youth wore an exquisite suit and pointed leather shoes. His posture was upright, noticeably taller than two years ago. In his hand, he held a pocket watch. The dial was open, and a photo was embedded inside. The photo had turned yellow with a patina from being handled so much, yet it clearly reflected Roy's tough but handsome face...
Seeing this, the corner of Beyond's mouth twitched, and he said casually, "Go if you want to. I happen to have a mission for you."
"What?"
"Join the Zodiac Twelve." Beyond tilted his head and looked deeply at the youth, opening his mouth to reveal two rows of white teeth.
The man laughed gruffly, "Nyahahaha, aren't you going to retake the Hunter Exam? You might as well join the Zodiac Twelve while you're at it. You know... I need someone like you by the old man's side to keep an eye on him for me."
Just like he needed his people by Hoikoro's side to keep an eye on Hoikoro, whether it was the Queen, the Princes, or the guards beside the Princes... which were his seeds. In short...
Beyond thought of the [Truth Cult] spreading madly in the royal capital recently. That heart of his, desperately eager to go to the Dark Continent, grew even more restless!
Pariston said nothing. With a Snap, he closed his pocket watch, looked up at Beyond, and said, "Are you doing drugs?"
Legend has it that the [Truth Cult] circulated a drug that could not only greatly improve human physical fitness but also help delay aging and increase "Nen Aura"... Under intentional stimulation, it could also enhance male and female reproductive desires and functions...
Beyond laughed a Nyahahaha, casting a meaningful glance at Pariston, and said, "I can only tell you, don't touch women, especially women who do drugs..."
A look of disgust and aversion immediately surfaced on Pariston's handsome face. He turned and left, not staying a moment longer...
Creak~ The door was heavily closed.
Beyond shouted at the youth's retreating back, "You better not forget the mission."
Pariston said without turning his head, "You better hope I don't die."
As he spoke, he gripped the pocket watch in his hand tightly, exited the manor, and in a flash, merged into the bustling street and vanished...
"My dear... Roy Zoldyck. Pariston Hill, who loves you the most... is coming!"
"Achoo~"
Republic of Padokea, Kukuroo Mountain, Zoldyck family estate.
Milluki suddenly felt a gust of wind hit the back of his neck and sneezed unexpectedly. He leaned forward, trying to stand on his tiptoes and squeeze into Maha and Zeno's formation to catch a glimpse of Killua's little face.
Silver hair, what it meant to the Zoldyck family, the currently not-even-five-year-old Milluki could already comprehend. At this moment... needless to say Maha and Zeno, just looking at the faces of Tsubone, Luca, and the rest of the Zoldyck butlers and servants, one could tell... the arrival of little Killua was very unusual for the Zoldycks.
"Aren't you going to take a look?" Illumi leaned against the wall, pulling out a square handkerchief from his pocket to carefully wipe the [Shinso Wooden Nail]... If Roy didn't go, he didn't go. If Roy didn't move, he didn't move. One, two, three, the boy seemed to be playing 'Statues'... His heart wasn't focused on the newborn Killua, but completely hung on him. Should it be said that the younger brother respected him, or was it the glory and pride of being an older brother?
Roy slowly looked at Killua surrounded by everyone. Through the gaps, he could only vaguely see a corner of the swaddling clothes but couldn't see his face at all. He said softly, "Whether I look or not, he's there. What does it matter?"
Illumi's hand wiping the [Shinso Wooden Nail] paused. Glaring with those hollow dead-fish eyes, he looked over: "Are there hidden meanings in your words?"
"No hidden meaning, just thought of a poem I read before..."
"A poem?" Illumi was visibly stunned. His suspicious gaze locked straight onto Roy. He was just short of having the words "You actually read books?" carved onto his forehead, and immediately received a sharp glare from Roy.
"An assassin who doesn't use his brain can only be an assassin his whole life."
"I am one to begin with." Illumi really wanted to blurt this sentence out to retort, but he forcefully suppressed himself and asked instead, "What poem? Read it and let me hear."
"Read it to let this old man hear too..." Maha walked over holding Killua, looking burningly at Roy. Along with Zeno, looking at him was no different from seeing a ghost, perfectly fulfilling that saying...
"Enhancers" are all a bunch of coarse brutes... Maha is like this, Uvogin is like this, Nobunaga is like this... As long as they can use force, they won't think of using their brains, which is exasperating...
Roy spread his hands. "I saw it before, I don't know who wrote it."
Facing a circle of curious gazes, the boy collected his thoughts and said, "Whether you meet me or not,"
"I am right there, without sorrow or joy"
"Whether you miss me or not"
"The feeling is right there, neither coming nor going"
"Whether you love me or not"
"Love is right there, neither increasing nor decreasing"
"Whether you follow me or not"
"My hand is right in yours, neither forsaking nor abandoning"
"Come into my arms, or"
"Let me live in your heart"
"Loving each other silently, rejoicing quietly"
"Illumi asked me why I didn't look at Killua. I figured, whether I look or not, he's right there. He's my little brother, the person I love. There's no rush in this moment..."
Maha, Zeno, Illumi, Tsubone, and even the bewildered Milluki all looked at Roy, stunned and frozen, instantly falling into an eerie silence...
No way, you actually know poetry?
"Maha, this poem... is so beautiful..." A faint, incredibly familiar sleep-talk suddenly surfaced in Maha's mind. It was... Betty...
"Indeed, very beautiful... and also very moving..." Just as everyone was dazed, in the Zoldyck family castle, the corridor outside the second-floor bedroom filled with the aura of time suddenly opened a rift... Then, a vast elephant's trumpet rang out from the rift...
In an instant, it pulled Roy back to that afternoon exploring the underwater ruins with Ging. In that magnificent grand cathedral, the elephant and the person he saw... The elephant was an Elephant Tapir, a dead Elephant Tapir. The person was a skeleton... a living skeleton... the skeleton that called out his identity in a single sentence!
"Who?!" Zeno was startled!
His figure flashed, pouncing straight at the rift. Closely following was Silva, who smashed through the main door of the bedroom... Illumi, who instantly raised the [Shinso Wooden Nail], and... Maha, who narrowed his old eyes, instantly straightened his spine, and handed Killua over to Tsubone!
"Spatial Authority?!" The old man's expression turned stern. He raised his voice to stop the Zoldyck crowd and said, "Friend, since you're already here, why not show yourself?"
"I mean no harm." A weathered voice drifted out from the rift leisurely... Hearing him speak, Roy's body trembled, once again experiencing that sense of familiarity. It was indeed that skeleton!
The boy swallowed his saliva, lifted his foot, walked slowly forward, stepped out from the crowd, and said, "Great-Grandfather, Grandpa, Father... he seems to be here... looking for me."
Maha, Zeno, and Silva all looked over. The rift instantly widened a fraction, and a thick elephant trunk emerged from within, curling around a wooden box. It literally swung right in front of Roy and shoved it to him.
"Young man, congratulations."
After delivering the gift, the elephant trunk retracted, and along with the rift, vanished into thin air instantly...
Leaving only Roy holding the box on the spot, and the Zoldyck family crowd looking over. Stunned in place, they looked at each other in dismay...
"You guys stay here, don't move."
"This old man is going to meet him!"
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