"One minute and forty-two seconds, Young Master, you're only eighteen seconds away from qualifying."
As Roy finished his breakfast and pushed open the door to the training room, Illumi had already started the electric therapy ahead of him.
The young man heard the noise, with his hair standing on end, desperately staying on his feet… just to catch a glimpse of him.
Once he saw Roy, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed... stiffly.
From one minute thirty-five seconds to one minute forty-two seconds, it must be admitted that Illumi has made progress.
But compared to Young Master Roy… Luke has truly gained insight over these few days. All he can say is... the qualifying line set by the Patriarch is entirely insulting to the progress speed of this young master; he really is like "flying", constantly shattering his perception.
Roy said nothing, stepping directly over Illumi's "corpse", swiftly and cleanly removing his vest, revealing his finely sculpted muscles.
"My apologies, Young Master." Luke bowed and saluted him, not hesitating with the movement, as a stick shot forth.
Lightning flashed like mercury pouring, penetrating Roy's body. The piercing pain and the tingling sensation shot up from the soles of his feet straight to his head, seemingly trying to electric shock his soul out.
But… 'It seems to be just that.' Roy held his breath, gritting his teeth, fighting hard to keep his consciousness from fading.
Gradually… two minutes… three minutes… three and a half minutes… closing in on four minutes, Luke hurriedly turned off the electric stick.
"Four minutes, Young Master. You must not continue further." Luke was scared… The Zoldyck Family is the sky to all their butlers, he had never predicted such a situation before, not even Silva in his instructions had foreseen this situation occurring, leading to… As soon as Roy held on too long, Luke was momentarily lost without any precedent to handle the next steps.
"Continue." Since he had no answer, Roy provided his own. Seeing Luke hesitates to step forward, Roy promptly grabbed the electric stick and turned it on himself....
Soon... He could feel that it would not be long before his body would adapt to this intensity, and then it would become immune to the current, no longer fainting.
And indeed, things progressed in the direction Roy expected...
The piercing pain through the heart weakened… the tingling wrapping around his body also faded… four minutes… five minutes… six minutes...
Until ten minutes passed and it was certain that his body had adapted to the intensity… Roy swung his hand, tossed the electric stick back to Luke, and sat down on Illumi.
"Humph~"
Illumi let out a muffled grunt, his body twitching once.
Roy acted as if he didn't see it, gesturing Luke to bring over a bottle of water, drank half of it himself, and poured the rest onto the "chair" beneath him.
"Dig a new pit to bury him."
The younger brother may be unkind, but the older brother cannot be unrighteous,
Milluki that pesky brat keeps defecating into the pit, luckily he can still run.
Roy regained control of his body, stood up, and made space for Luke.
Luke respectfully said "Yes."
Carrying Illumi away,
When Illumi eventually woke up, he didn't see Roy "hugging a tree" in the garden, only Luke beside him, fanning him.
The young man swallowed some saliva to moisten his almost smoky throat and asked, "How many seconds for me this time?"
"One minute and forty-three seconds."
'Counting the moment he glanced back at Young Master Roy as one second.'
Luke added a sentence in his heart, answering truthfully.
"And him?"
"Young Master Roy didn't faint this time." Luke cautiously glanced at Illumi,
The young man was visibly stunned, taking a long time to come to his senses before simply closing his eyes, scooping some dirt to bury half his face in the pit, leaving only two nostrils exposed to the air, barely maintaining breathing.
Why have Roy, when already born with Illumi? Clearly, he used to be so ordinary... Illumi felt betrayed.
He forced himself to calm down, recalling what his father had said, that even the strongest have weaknesses, and being killed once means death.
Even relying on some methods for resurrection, it is only to kill once more.
Therefore... one must be patient, must remain calm... since he is younger, he is destined to possess more room and time for improvement.
The earth resonated with Illumi, seeming to console him, as if Killua wasn't the mother, it was instead... summon the breeze, stir the heat wave through the window towards the young man practicing "Sun Breathing" in the training room.
Roy executed a "Setting Sun Transformation" and split the heat wave in half.
[Tip: Constitution +0.2]
Now... as the sun sets over the western hills, the benefits from two rounds of "Ten Thousand Basic Swings" are plainly visible... As "Swordsmanship" improves, Roy let out a breath, ran his fingers along the hilt of Yubashiri towards the blade, and finally the tip, thoughtful....
A swordsman's blade isn't a dead object; it is the swordsman's limb, beloved, everything...
Just as Urokodaki Sakonji warned him before practicing, to temper the blade, cultivate emotion with the blade, unless losing life, never abandon the blade to the wilderness.
Roy decided from today, he would personally apply oil to Yubashiri; after all, there is no reason to let someone else maintain your wife.
At seven in the evening, the sunset curtains drew, and the night made its grand entrance.
He instructed Wutong to prepare dinner, Roy had planned, and took Yubashiri, strolling through the corridors, slowly heading towards the warehouse.
"Gah—oh——" A few crows passed by, leaving a few black feathers, crossing the castle's main gate, Roy halted his steps, narrowed his eyes at the man walking towards him, respectfully calling: "Father."
Silva dressed in sleek black attire, long silver-white hair cascading down his back, appearing like a mane under the moonlight, exuding authority without being angry.
He strode nearer, looking down at Roy, asking: "What day is it?"
"Saturday."
"What day is the test?"
"Sunday."
"You've remembered well."
"I wouldn't dare forget."
"You're about to reach the peak; what isn't there for you to dare?"
"Until I defeat my father, I must act timid."
"Hohoho... Hahaha..." Silva suppressed his laughter, which grew louder, eventually bursting into a roar of laughter, the white hair swaying wildly!
With hands in pockets, he said no more, walking past Roy, as if everything had already been said, caught the woman in front of him with a single swing, holding her in his arms, disappearing instantly.
In the silent hallway, only a few wisps of weak unrest remained, reminding Roy—
To wear earplugs tonight, to fall asleep.
...
That night.
Push open the door adorned with skull ornaments, the Gate of Cognition.
Roy once again stepped into the world of Demon Slayer, equipped with the Shallow Strike that Urokodaki Sakonji provided him, as usual, heading deep into Sagiri yama to practice bladesmanship.
The wind fierce, snow urgent...
Urokodaki Sakonji unafraid of hardship, correcting his posture, steps, swinging angles, etc., daily. Today, however, he found... the disciple that rekindled his passion for mentoring, making far more mistakes than usual.
Simply seized his hands, flipping his wrist to take the Shallow Strike into his own hands.
The Old Water Hashira gazed at Roy: "Something's wrong? If your spirit is unsettled, don't practice."
"Can't hide it from the master's discerning eye; today I intended to ask for a day's leave to recuperate." Roy admitted, followed by a smile.
"Reason."
"I need to save some energy for a battle!"
"With whom?"
The young man inhaled deeply, more serious than ever: "With my arrogant father!"