The old caretaker stood up, his eyes moist and ultimately unable to control it, with a faint sparkle... She straightened her back and turned to Wutong, saying, "I've prepared chrysanthemums for the young master, they are in the warehouse, go and get them."
Having said that, she looked deeply at Roy once more, respectfully picked up Illumi, and retreated...
A gentle breeze rose, causing the old caretaker's pink pigtails to sway slightly... "Tap... tap..." The sound of footsteps gradually faded away...
Wutong watched Tsubone leave, respectfully saying to Roy, "Young master, I'll go get the flowers."
Today is the day he awakened, and also the day another member of the Zoldyck Family 'died,' that is—Grandpa Jager's memorial day...
Roy gently stroked the back of his left hand, listening to the [Curse] counting down the seconds of his life, responding with a noncommittal hum, as he buried himself in the list of items on the white paper, writing down two words—[Recall] and [Remove]!
[Recall] refers to [Time Machine], [Time Satchel], [The Moshimo Box], etc., which can make time flow backwards, allowing him to return to before he was planted with the [Curse] during the Hunter Exam...
[Remove] refers to [Forgetful Stick], [Universal Remover], [Restoration Ray], etc., which can remove negative emotions, directly or indirectly obliterating the [Curse]. Whether or not this can truly be achieved, compared to the [Divine Power] accumulated by the extraction of the [Natural] authority by the [Gods], remains to be seen...
But considering the [Materials] required to exchange for the tools, as well as his own [Basic Strength], and the [Price] that must be paid... Roy considered everything and finally found, to his dismay, that with his current strength, he could only barely strive for two tools... [Universal Remover] and [Restoration Ray]...
Of which, the [Universal Remover]: after use, it can erase graffiti, stains on books or paper, indirectly clear the negative emotions caused by the destruction of items, by comparing objects to people, perhaps it could attempt to erase the [Curse].
The second, [Restoration Ray] is even simpler, similar to [Inner Sun] it can illuminate and dispel negative emotions... [Restoration Ray] focuses more on [Restoration], and after use, it can repair damaged items, eliminating the frustration caused by damage, maybe it can also have some effect on the [Curse].
However,
Roy frowned, delving into [Fourth Dimensional Treasures], trying to look at the specific [Materials] needed to exchange for these two tools, one required the mucus of a [Phantom Slug], the other needed the spores of [Luminous Seaweed]... There's no alternative option...
To this, Roy, who knew nothing, was at his wit's end!
"I think you need the help of a Phantom Beast Hunter..."
"Knock knock knock..." At this moment, there was a knock on the bedroom door, and a smiling Buddha face appeared leaning against the door frame with a chubby bean in hand, coming into Roy's view...
Netero glanced at the desk with just one look, seeing the young man deep in thought, writing "slug"... "seaweed" and other words... Although the old man didn't know what [Restoration Ray], [Universal Remover] were, having traveled twice to the Dark Continent and managing such a large organization as the Hunter Association, he was certainly not lacking in vision and experience.
"The door is open, I wasn't stopping you." With a thought, Roy sparked a flame at his fingertips, instantly burning the paper to ashes,
The young man leaned back into his chair, gesturing for the old man to sit... Netero chuckled, saying, "You didn't stop me, but your bird might have."
As they spoke, a "caw" was heard, the Three-legged Golden Crow, already close to falling asleep by Roy's pillow, stirred, either well-rested or affected by the blood cocoon Illumi had newly formed, it tilted its head, glaring at Netero with annoyance, flapping its meaty wings up to perch on Roy's head, settling down to rest.
The Mamen Bean stood next to Netero, half a step behind, cautiously glancing at Jinx through the door, feeling a tremor in its soul, as if seeing "that one" who once enslaved their kind, upon realizing again, it instinctively shrank back, moving closer to Netero...
Netero raised an eyebrow, glancing at the Mamen Bean, quietly using nenryoku to ask, "What's wrong, Bean?"
"That bird is dangerous!"
Netero squinted his old eyes, shook his large sleeve, and strode inside... The last time he saw this bird, he sensed something odd, too spiritual; now bringing the Mamen Bean along further confirmed his suspicion—
Everything related to this child, Roy, seemed extraordinary and should not be underestimated, for example... the blood cocoon that just enveloped Illumi!
"Caw~ nasty old man!" Jinx glared at Netero, remembering his past uninvited intrusion into Roy's bedroom...
It was better without opening its beak; once it did, Netero and the Mamen Bean were stunned, almost thinking they'd seen or heard wrong, it took them a long time to realize who the "one speaking" was?!
"Your scruffy bird is quite magical!" Netero regained his senses, looking at Jinx in surprise... With his knowledge and experience, he had encountered countless "Nen Beasts," but one wise enough to speak human language was truly unique!
Of course, Biscuit's little girl Quqi, who could massage, interact, and was caring, was also excellent, but she couldn't speak, only using nen ability to interact with Biscuit alone, undoubtedly falling short... As for,
Other people's nen beasts, such as Razor's "Fourteen Demon," Squala's "Dog," each had their strengths, but in terms of "wisdom," even Miss Quqi surpassed them.
"Who are you calling a scruffy bird, you stinky old man!" Jinx was enraged, the golden tuft of hair on its head perked up with a "ding!"...
In its juvenile stage, the Three-legged Golden Crow's feathers were uneven, indeed less majestic than its adult form, just like how youths go through phases of losing teeth and voice changes, slight awkwardness aside... the young Golden Crow got angry, opened its mouth and spewed, "whir," a tongue of flame shot towards Netero,
nearly scorching the old man's braid!
"Ho... what a temper..."
"Would an apology from this old man suffice?"
Netero waved his sleeve, wrapping nen around to form a [Sleeve Shroud] dispersing the flame...
He straightforwardly apologized to Jinx... Roy saw this, patted Jinx's head for comfort, before lifting his eyes to Netero and saying, "President, do you have some business?"
"Can't I just have a chat with you?" Netero posed as though he cared for his hunters, standing with his hands behind his back as he approached the window, looking out as the blazing sun cast countless rays into the forest, forming patches of light, commenting with a slight loneliness while turning away from Roy, "Roy, I must leave."
"After a while, once I've paid my respects to Jager, I'll be on my way..."
Roy nodded, waved his hand, and said, "Take care, no need for me to see you off."
Netero: "....."
Glancing sideways at the young man, he couldn't help but say, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Say what?"
"Say...." Netero was speechless,
The old man fell silent, opening his mouth, then closing it... the twilight aura surrounding him growing thicker...
He turned his back, chuckling self-deprecatingly, "That's right, young people don't need to waste words with some old relics, the same goes for this old man, your Grandpa Jager, we're just a couple of old antiques discarded by the times, perhaps one day we were to fall asleep and not wake—that would be a blessing..."
"You won't die in your sleep, you'll die in battle." Roy pushed back his chair, stood up, and joined the old man by the window, standing shoulder to shoulder, looking out at the clear sky, bright sun, baking the earth, recalling Netero's life story in the original work, it had its embarrassments, darkness, focus, hypocrisy, glory, defeat, and finally a death where his heart was planted with a bomb, falling on the battlefield...
Each was him, and none were him, intertwining into a contradictory, legendary... strongest human!
"So, are you asking me to [resurrect] you when the time comes?"