Of course, nowadays, there's also Kurajing.
"Tap... tap..." Footsteps echoed through the silent mountain forest,
Upon exiting the mountain path, you could see the tall mountain gate not far away.
However, today the mountain gate seemed somewhat livelier than usual.
Roy slowed his steps gradually, nodding towards Zebro who doffed his hat in greeting, then turned his gaze fully towards the tall man beside him.
"Your mother is about to give birth, I've arranged for the doctor, we'll pick her up today." It was rare for Silva to appear in front of the Gate of Trial, he turned his head slightly and said to Roy.
It's Full-time Calendar 1987, the birth year of Gon and Killua in the original story. Just yesterday, Roy heard Wutong mention that Killua is due in these coming days.
Considering Gon's birth was before Killua's, it's possible that Ging has already held his child.
Roy's gaze flickered as he recalled seeing that cold-faced stranger with Ging, silently nodding, "It's safer for Father to personally bring her along."
Killua was particularly attentive to this child, to an almost obsessive degree. If anything were to happen, Roy couldn't imagine what kind of madness she would fall into.
"Hmm." Silva grunted softly, saying nothing more.
He glanced sideways at the young man, seemingly taller every time they met, facing the tall Gate of Trial, spoke with emotion after a long while, "I've heard you've managed to push open the fifth level."
One gate weighs two tons, two gates four tons, three gates eight tons, four gates sixteen tons, five gates thirty-two tons...
Roy looked up with Silva at this towering mountain gate, which symbolized the Zoldyck Family's significant status in the assassin world, neither admitting nor denying, truthfully replied, "That was in the past."
"I thought Father would know."
"And now?" Silva tilted his head to look at the boy, took a step, reached out a hand to the Gate of Trial, and then they heard a "boom", the sixth level of the Gate of Trial was casually pushed open by his single hand!
A beam of light suddenly expanded into a pillar, flooding from the outside, highlighting Silva's towering and mighty figure.
Holding the Gate of Trial, he looked back at the boy, "Want to try?"
Roy took a deep breath, stepped forward without a word, rolled up his sleeves, took Silva's place, urged his hands firmly against the giant door, and as Silva released his hand, he felt a weight as heavy as Mount Tai, crushing him almost breathless!
So heavy!
Bones were wailing...
Muscles trembling...
Elbows threatening to submit, bending unwillingly...
But, having accepted the challenge... Roy steeled himself, activating "Sun Breathing!"
'Sun Breathing... Full Concentration·Constant!'
A lift of the diaphragm, a flutter of nostrils, aligning with the dawn light pouring in, he took a fierce breath!
"Boom~" A muffled sound echoed... Roy's heart jolted, body temperature rose rapidly, the aura changed in an instant, visibly shaking with a jolt!
With a low shout, "Open!"
"Boom!" The sixth Gate of Trial, which was about to close, was swept by a surge of force, suddenly flung open!
The gap widened... widened... more... until it completely fitted both father and son inside!
Silva enjoyed the warm glow of dawn, looking again at the boy, his gaze mixed with anticipation and a hint of battle intent.
"Well done." The man tucked his hands in his pockets, strolled out the gate.
"Boom!" Without Roy's support, the Gate of Trial fell shut rapidly... nearly closed, as Silva entered the black car.
Roy's head smoked slightly as he asked, "What level must I reach to surpass you?"
"Buzz..." The black car leapt forward with a step on the gas, leaving only exhaust and a phrase lingering in the wind...
"When you can effortlessly open the seventh Gate of Trial with one hand, then talk."
One hand, seven levels, which requires far more than "constitution" doubling... Roy relaxed from "Constant", exhaled lightly, as the Gate of Trial closed tightly, blocking the last ray of light from outside... he turned back and looked....
Somehow, a flowing white hair bobbed, as the silent mountain forest stirred, Zeno emerged,
The old man humped over, descended the mountain path, ghost-like, appeared beside Roy, the "Dark Step" at his feet almost played out elegantly, flickering, flickering, flickering again, with a few breaths nearly crossed hundreds of meters of distance.
"Why did you provoke him back then?"
The chest proclaimed "One Kill a Day, Life on the Ground" in eight bold characters flapped in the wind.... The old man wearing black shoes, stood facing Roy with jest, "Will Grandpa really see you hack your father with a sword next year?"
"A year isn't long at all...."
Evidently, he took in the "year-long promise" between father and son.....
"Who knows?" Roy admitted, "Right now, I'm certainly not able."
"But after a year,"
The boy solemnly looked at Zeno, "If by then I truly injure Father, you'd best not feel upset."
Hmm, huh?! Zeno: ".... "
After two seconds of surprise, looked peculiarly at Roy, chuckled suppressively....
"Hoh hoh... haha ha ha...." White whiskers shaking,
The elder mimicked Silva, lightly slapped the Gate of Trial before him, "Boom~"
Seven gates abruptly flung open,
Then, he slipped through the light like a floating leaf, and vanished....
"If you really have the ability to beat him to death, perhaps... I might stop you, hoh hoh hoh...."
"Boom~" The Gate of Trial closed once more, sealing away the laughter tightly,
Zebro who had always served nearby, bowed to send him off, "Master, take care."
Then straightened up, sneaked a glance at Roy, the boy fixed before the gate, carefully recalling the scene where his grandfather softly patted the mountain gate, pondered for a while, turned... started moving again....
Grandpa has daily kills... he has people he needs to kill too... be it the Hokage Ninja Wars... Demon Slayer Muzan... or even the nearby Dark Continent, it seemed far less serene than imagined, and as Father had recorded.
"Busy... busy is good... better if everyone is busy...." Minutes later, as Roy returned to the mansion through the mountain path, passed that dimly lit small room, Maha lay comfortably in a white tank top, loosely tied shorts, unceremoniously listening to cartoons, rocking in the chair, turned over, blew a bubble from his nose....
Mumbled dreamily, then fell back asleep,
"Wheezy~" Faint snoring accompanied by the sporadic chirps of cicadas...
By five, Roy was back in his bedroom, took a quick shower, then sat at the dining table.
"Ding dong~" Wutong arrived punctually, pushing the meal cart as always, reached out to unveil today's breakfast for him.
Pan-fried bacon... Butter-fried eggs... A large salad, paired with a bowl of tomato egg soup... Neither entirely Western nor Chinese, yet perfectly embodying the Zoldyck Family's unique culinary traits nowadays... Derived from his own culinary style.....
"Master, Ging Freecss called,"
"Said his son, Gon, was born not long ago."
Wutong used the knife and fork to cut Roy's bacon, adding, "He wants to know when you'll visit Greed Island for a gathering, and perhaps share some techniques."
Roy scooped a spoonful of egg into his mouth, beckoned, flipped through the [Game Strategy] given by Silva, opened and scrutinized, head bent without lifting, "Tell him, no time,"
Not to mention, Killua is about to be born, right now... The Third Shinobi World War, Father Tanjuro's medicine required his time and energy to manage, and for the continued exploration of the Dark Continent, without years of effort, the results would be elusive.
"And the Chairman?"
"Who?"
"Netero." Wutong met Roy's surprised eyes, adjusted the glasses on his nose, said, "I heard he's coming."