Then he dropped a line: "Nice earrings."
He left the corridor and went straight up to the second floor.
An assassin's observation skills are extremely sharp, and a top-notch assassin can perceive everything in their surroundings with great clarity... Silva was like this, and his grandfather Zeno was the same. If he wanted to... there was no movement within a radius of three hundred meters that could escape his notice.
After all, the radius of his "En" was more than just three hundred meters.
So, Roy never thought he could hide the affair of the earrings from Silva.
He simply wore them openly, without taking them off.
"Young master, it's meal time."
At four thirty in the morning, Wutong arrived pushing a dining cart.
"The kitchen followed the young master's instructions and prepared minced meat eggplant again, hoping this time it will satisfy you."
Learning from previous lessons, the kitchen made improvements.
"Just send it straight to great-grandfather."
As one grows older, one shouldn't frequently have an elder come to the younger's place.
Moreover, having lived two lives, Roy never had the habit of eating stir-fried dishes in the morning, returning to the dining table he simply ate bacon sandwiches.
Wutong returned shortly after, holding an empty plate...
"Great-grandfather said the dish was slightly better than last time, but still not as good as the young master."
Thanking the old man for his kindness... Roy understood clearly, it was merely the "first time effect" at work.
Life has many firsts, such as the first time you enter school, first love, first marriage, first experience of a relative's passing... often the most unforgettable.
Roy ate his sandwich without any comment, silently listening to Wutong report the day's training plan, pondering in his mind — how to become a tree.
"Blend into nature," this he could understand as Urokodaki Sakonji calling him to embrace the tree's purpose.
This is indeed somewhat akin to training in "Zetsu."
"Last time the master proposed to test the young master... after returning, I compiled some insights and experiences from training "Zetsu" back then..."
"I hope it can offer the young master some reference."
Wutong is diligent, he presented the prepared notes to Roy.
Roy took a sip of milk, flipping through the notes, asking: "How long did it take you to train in "Zetsu" back then?"
"A year and two months." Wutong pushed the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose: "Tsubone said I had no talent, took three months to learn "Ten," nine months to learn "Ren," among high-tier Applied Techniques like "En," "Ken," "Ko," "Ryu," I've only mastered "Shu" now...."
"Shu" is the technique of wrapping "Sense" around objects, corresponding to Wutong's case, is his "weapon" —
the coin.
"Do not belittle yourself."
Nen is not a common ability, looking at the entire Hunter World, with the Hunter Association's endorsement, there are only six to seven hundred Nen users, even... even someone of exalted status like the Kakin Empire's Fourth Prince, Tserriednich, before meeting Theta, didn't know what "Nen" was.
So, Wutong is talented, but his talent was diluted by the "Zoldyck Monster Room."
Roy flipping through Wutong's notes, summed it up in two words —
Force it!
No technique whatsoever, purely stacking time, the only bright spot is occasionally showing signs of Enlightenment during meditation, but Roy also strongly suspects, whether this is Enlightenment or the feeling one gets when half asleep during meditation.
'Oh right, nearly forgot the booklet given by great-grandfather.'
After finishing Wutong's insights, Roy washed the last bite of the sandwich down with milk, opened the drawer, and found Jager's notes.
Carefully searching, even more abstract...
The entire text on the training of "Zetsu," mentions only one word — "self-hypnosis."
Through "Hypnosis" to deepen "imagination," allowing oneself to quickly assume a "natural" state, naturally blending into nature.
Indeed, is this the world of geniuses?
Roy even imagined Jager's mindset when writing these words —
What is "Zetsu," isn't it something one can learn just by having hands?
Really leaves one without any seeds of envy...
Roy silently paused for a moment, and silently put the notes back.
"Clang~" time reached five in the morning.
It's time to head to the training room for practice again,
Though this time, Roy didn't bring Yubashiri.
He's an obedient person, since Urokodaki Sakonji specifically instructed not to wield the sword, he only embraced the tree!
"Young master, you forgot Yubashiri." Wutong tidied up the dining table, kindly reminding him.
Roy waved it off, walked out the room, heading towards the training room with his back.
A million volts electric shock remained today's training plan, after enhancing his constitution, he also wanted to see how long he could endure.
"One minute thirty-five seconds..." this was Illumi's report.
Everything is about competing with this elder brother, seemingly the only reason he managed to endure without collapsing.
When Roy pushed open the training room's door, he saw Illumi's explosive hair, which clashed with his pale face, appearing before his eyes just as he was being shocked into convulsions, managing to endure the last bit to turn his head and take a hard look at Roy before...
Collapsing outright.
Roy understood his meaning...
"This time I must wake up earlier than you..."
Smoothly taking off his vest.
"Sorry, young master." Luke bowed to Roy.
Finished electrocuting Illumi, saving him from having to fiddle with his hands, immediately placing the stick on Roy's chest.
"Zzzzz~" Electric arcs flickered, even through the skin, one could see the current traveling through the body.
This time seemed slightly better than the last, at least Roy didn't groan, persevering not to shake around in place.
"Huh?" Luke was a bit surprised.
He instinctively thought he took the wrong Electric Stick, looked down... a big 100 was inscribed, proving....
It wasn't his mistake, but...
Young Master Roy himself seemed to endure longer than before!
However... wasn't it too exaggerated, only passed a day, could one really grow so much?
Luke couldn't believe it as he looked at Roy, directly advising: "Young master don't force it, the master said enduring for two minutes would be considered passable."
Two minutes?
Roy refused to be a quick guy.
Gritting his teeth, he calmly said: "Continue."
Soon, a minute passed, a minute and a half passed... finally, when Luke's stopwatch stopped at two minutes thirty-five seconds, Roy exhaled a plume of black smoke, and was caught by Luke.
....
Sunshine roasted the earth through clouds, urging sweat...
The pit in the garden was dug yesterday, Illumi was awoken by the heat today.
When he groggily opened those empty dead fish eyes, seeing Roy shoveling dirt onto him shovel by shovel, the youth closed his eyes in discontentment, asking Luke to come feed him water again.
'Doesn't matter waking up late, I'll always drink one more than you.'
Young Master Illumi's threshold has always been flexible... Roy noticed he was awake, yet did not stop his movements, continued relying on swinging the iron shovel to slowly regain control over his body.
Until...
The numbness within him completely dissipated,
He only then stuck the shovel into the ground, turned his back towards a nearby cypress tree, opened his arms and hugged it.
Illumi: "?"