The aftermath of what had just happened left the bus in stunned silence.
Nobody quite knew what to say.
That… wasn't what we expected at all.
Passengers were still frozen in their seats, whispering to themselves, stealing wary glances at Hiro as he calmly strolled back down the aisle.
He paused by Milluki's side, muttering just loud enough for his little brother to hear:
"Bit over the top, huh? All that just for an apology…"
His tone was casual but his words sent a shiver through the nearby passengers.
Then he looked at the middle-aged man sitting in the seat next to Milluki and smiled politely.
"Uncle, are you still sitting here?"
The uncle practically jumped up, his hands raised.
"Ah no, no, go ahead, young man. I'll stand. The station's coming up soon anyway…"
It was clear the man was still shaken by the scene he'd just witnessed.
Hiro gave him a grateful nod.
"Thanks, Uncle."
He slid into the seat next to Milluki.
Milluki immediately leaned over, his eyes wide and gleaming with curiosity.
"Big Brother…" he whispered conspiratorially, "…you're showing off again, huh?"
Smack.
Hiro reached over and lightly flicked his little brother's forehead.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I was terrified back there."
Milluki let out a sheepish laugh but didn't let it drop.
"Hehe… come on, just tell me was that a Manipulator ability? It kinda looked like it. Can you explain it? You know, in detail?"
As a fellow Manipulator, Milluki's eyes practically sparkled with nerdy enthusiasm.
Hiro gave him a sidelong glance.
"What's there to explain? I just used emitted Nen to take control of his body and make him move according to my commands. Isn't that, like… basic operation for Manipulators like you?"
Milluki frowned, rubbing his chin.
"Sure, it looks similar to Illumi's ability… but I didn't see you use anything like his Nen needles. You didn't pierce him with anything. So how'd you ?"
"Why so many questions?" Hiro cut him off, feigning irritation. Then his smile turned thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin.
"…Actually, this might be a good way to help you lose weight."
Milluki blinked.
"…Huh?"
"Yeah," Hiro continued matter-of-factly. "I can't always be around to keep you in line. But if I give your body an automatic weight-loss command you know, scheduled exercise, controlled appetite the results would be fantastic. Don't you think?"
Milluki's face twitched, his chubby cheeks turning pink.
"Uh… oh! Big Brother, look! Today's sunset is gorgeous! So big and round… just like… like…"
He flailed for words, pointing awkwardly out the window.
Hiro's smile faded into a deadpan stare.
"You stinky little brother…"
His eyes narrowed, his tone turning ice-cold.
"…Do you think I'm joking?"
Milluki flinched, shrinking into his seat as Hiro's sharp gaze pinned him in place.
"Hmph. If you don't start taking this seriously… I will."
The air between them went tense for a moment then Hiro leaned back, closing his eyes, the warm smile returning to his face as if nothing had happened.
Milluki let out a shaky sigh of relief.
A moment later, a familiar voice piped up from the front of the bus.
"Big brother! Big brother assassin!"
It was Xiao Ming, pushing through the crowd with his plastic sword held high.
Hiro's smile softened as he raised a hand and waved back at the boy.
Good… seems like the kid didn't really see what just happened.
From the way Xiao Ming's innocent grin beamed up at him, he probably really believed the bald man had simply apologized and gotten off the bus.
And really… that was just fine.
The bus grew quiet after the bald man's dramatic exit.
The bloody smear on the floor hadn't even dried yet, and none of the passengers in the back dared to return to their seats.
Milluki, too, sat stiffly beside Hiro, lips pressed together, too shaken to speak.
Hiro, however, seemed unbothered. He leaned back in his seat, arms crossed lightly, his eyes thoughtful as he replayed the details of his move in his head.
Hmm… Not bad. But there's room for improvement.
What he'd just used on the bald man wasn't actually a Manipulator technique at all.
Hiro had only said that to scare Milluki into taking his weight-loss "training" more seriously.
The truth was, what he'd used was simply ill will.
But not ordinary ill will this was a more advanced, refined application of malice that Hiro had developed himself over countless assassinations.
Thanks to his mastery of Nen, Hiro was able to infuse his malice into his aura, releasing it in a way that carried subtle, precise psychological suggestions to the target.
No need to give specific, clunky commands. Just seed the right suggestions, and let their own habits and instincts fill in the blanks.
That's why the bald man had reacted the way he did injuring himself, begging for forgiveness, cleaning up the mess all while truly believing it was his own capricious impulse.
He wouldn't even realize he'd been manipulated.
Hiro didn't know if anyone in his old world had developed this technique, but he knew it worked.
Against ordinary people, it was devastating. Even against Nen users with shaky foundations, it could work.
But against someone with solid Nen training, they'd detect the suggestion easily and shake it off.
Still it was an incredibly practical skill.
Hiro thought for a moment, then gave it a name:
[Capriciousness].
It fit.
The bus finally arrived at its destination the terminal at the foot of Kukuru Mountain.
And there it was: the Zoldyck family's famous Testing Gate.
Even if you'd never watched the anime, the massive, imposing structure was unforgettable in person.
Seven colossal double doors, each heavier than the last.
The first door weighed two tons per side, the second four tons, and so on all the way to the seventh, which weighed a staggering 128 tons per side.
There were no keys, no locks.
If you couldn't muster the strength to push a door open… you simply weren't allowed in.
Among the Zoldycks, only Silva, Zeno, and Hiro himself could open all seven.
Even the household staff were required to prove their strength just to keep their jobs training daily with absurd weights, like twenty-kilogram teacups.
But for most of the bus passengers, all this was nothing more than a tourist attraction.
They weren't here to open any doors just to take selfies with the towering gates and the lifelike twin dragon sculptures looming above them.
Everyone filed off the bus, wide-eyed and murmuring in awe.
Only Hiro and Milluki had no interest in gawking.
Home is home, Hiro thought. Tourist attraction or not.
Milluki was already grumbling.
"Big brother, hurry up! I'm starving already!"
The little fatty trudged ahead, still laden with bags, clearly eager to get home and start eating.
Because his hands were full, he didn't bother with the massive Testing Gate. Instead, he veered off toward the small personnel gate tucked in the corner the same one they used to trap would-be intruders.
The tour guide noticed and immediately panicked.
"Hey! You two! Stop right there! Beyond this gate is private Zoldyck property trespassers could lose their lives!"
Her face was pale. Clearly, she knew enough of the family's reputation to mean what she said.
But Milluki ignored her completely.
"Jie Bu Rong! Open the gate!"
An elderly security guard in uniform emerged from the guardhouse, took one look at the two brothers, and immediately straightened, bowing low.
"Good day, Da Shao Ye! Good day, Third Young Master!"
Da Shao Ye the eldest young master.
Third Young Master the title Milluki was used to.
Jie Bu Rong hustled to open the small gate, his movements quick and deferential.
Milluki didn't even acknowledge him as he darted inside, still clutching his grocery bags.
Hiro followed at a more leisurely pace, shaking his head.
That little fatty's probably running off to find Mike so he can ride him instead of walking. Always looking for a way to slack off…
"Hello, Uncle Jie Bu Rong."
Hiro greeted the elderly guard politely as he passed through the small gate.
Jie Bu Rong straightened immediately, bowing low in return.
"Welcome home, Da Shao Ye."
From behind him came a hushed murmur.
The tourists who had disembarked with them stood frozen in place, staring in shock.
Those two young men… they're… they're actually…
Little Xiao Ming's bright voice cut through the silence.
"Handsome big brother! You really are a killer, aren't you? Are you going home now?!"
The boy's little legs tried to carry him toward Hiro, but his mother snatched him back, clutching him tightly.
By now, everyone had heard Jie Bu Rong's deferential greeting Da Shao Ye, Third Young Master.
The realization struck like lightning:
They're Zoldycks.
The passengers' eyes darted nervously between the brothers.
These are the sons of the Zoldyck family the world's most feared assassins. No wonder that bald thug earlier was so terrified… he must've realized who they were.
If he hadn't apologized… he'd probably be dead by now.
A chill ran through the group. Someone at the back remembered hearing a rumor:
Even a single photograph of a Zoldyck family member can fetch a hundred million jenny.
And yet… here they all were, having seen their faces up close.
Would they… silence everyone now?
One man quickly tucked away his camera, his hands trembling.
But Hiro seemed blissfully unaware of their growing dread or perhaps he simply didn't care.
To him, being an assassin was just another job. No better or worse than being a doctor or a chef.
You get paid. You do the work. That's it. No need to make it personal.
He didn't think of himself as some bloodthirsty monster just someone doing his role.
With his usual sunny smile, Hiro turned to Xiao Ming and crouched slightly.
"You guessed right back on the bus," he said warmly. "I told you you were smart, didn't I?"
He reached out to pat the boy's head but his mother yanked him back again, her eyes wide and conflicted.
Hiro didn't mind.
Instead, an idea popped into his head.
"Hey, little man," he called to Xiao Ming. "Do you remember what I told you on the bus? That if you want to be a killer, you need a strong body?"
"I remember!" the boy shouted, his eyes shining.
"Good." Hiro stood and walked to the massive Testing Gate.
"Then watch carefully. This… is what strength looks like."
He planted his hands on the gate.
And without even breaking a sweat
creeeeeak
The first door four tons in total swung open.
Gasps rippled through the group.
Hiro glanced back at Xiao Ming, his smile gentle.
"If you can open this door like me one day, then it means your body is strong enough. And if you still want to be a killer then, I'll teach you everything I know."
He straightened and added:
"But if you can't… then listen to your mom. Study hard, take care of your family, and grow up to be a good man. Got it?"
Xiao Ming's little mouth fell open, completely starstruck.
Then he grinned ear to ear and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Okay! Killer Big Brother you better not break your promise! I'll open this door one day and come find you!"
Before his mother could stop him, the boy broke free of her arms, darted to Hiro's side, and held up his pinky finger.
"Killer Big Brother! Pinky promise!"
Hiro chuckled softly and hooked his much larger pinky around the boy's.
Together they recited, in perfect unison:
"Pinky promise, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye never change for a hundred years!"
"Pinky promise, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye never change for a hundred years!"
The boy beamed, holding onto Hiro's pinky as long as he could.
Finally, Hiro gently unhooked his finger and stood.
"Good. I'll be waiting for you."
And with that, he stepped through the gate.
The heavy doors swung shut behind him.
For a long moment, the tourists stood in silence.
Then, one by one, their gazes shifted to Xiao Ming, who was already straining against the enormous gate with all his tiny might, grunting and pushing with everything he had.
Several passengers blinked back tears.
Others quietly tucked their cameras away, ashamed of their earlier thoughts.
Maybe… assassins aren't what we thought they were.
After all… someone who gives a little boy hope, teaches him lessons about strength and family…
…how could he really be a bad guy?
It must be so.
It must.