Netero's Visit X A Desperate Stroke of Cunning

"Young Master, you're so spoiled."

"Tap... tap..." The footsteps faded away, and Roy stepped into the Butler Villa and disappeared. Only Tsubone, along with Kurajing and a few butlers, remained standing to see him off.

Finally, the old butler straightened his back, his two pink ponytails hanging down his back, and came to Kurajing's side and said.

A sweet smile lingered on Kurajing's beautiful face as she watched Roy's figure gradually disappear into the brightly lit corridor, and she murmured, "Young Master has always been a gentle person."

"Except for when we first met..." The girl, with her blonde hair tied in a single ponytail and draped behind her, recalled the bits and pieces of her "encounter" and "acquaintance" with Roy during the Hunter Exam, and spoke truthfully.

Tsubone's envious yet complicated gaze was instantly cast upon her... What the girl said was true; she was like that, and so was Gotoh. The Young Master was never stingy in treating "his own people" well, provided that they were his/her/it.

"Disperse." The old butler sighed slowly, waved his hand to signal everyone to leave, and then turned to Kurajing, saying, "You'd better let Mike know in advance about your brother's upcoming visit."

"It eats people without any regard for right or wrong."

Mike, the true guardian of the mountain gate, a canine Magic Beast, is responsible for dealing with Zoldyck area through the small gate, but Tsubone's well-intentioned reminder is clearly an overreaction.

Kurajing up her sleeves, revealing her well-developed biceps, and said with a beaming smile, "Don't worry, Steward, I can now open the Testing Gate too."

Tsubone stared at her blankly for a moment, then chuckled silently, raised his palm, and gave the girl a thumbs up... His fist, when clenched, was bigger than Kurajing's head, and his eyes were full of admiration!

The women of the Zoldyck Zoldyck hold up half the sky. The matriarch is like that, and she was like that back then. Now... Kurajing is showing a bit of her former self. With the help of Young Master Roy's tutelage, it's no exaggeration to say that she has a worthy successor.

Kurajing leaned down slightly, glanced at Tsubone again, nodded, grabbed her walking stick, and went off to guard the mountain with great interest.

"Tap... tap..." Her golden ponytail swayed back and forth, and the girl, overjoyed, skipped and hopped lightly down the mountain under Tsubone's gentle gaze.

"That's wonderful~" After a long while, watching Young Master descend Kurajing steps and disappear from sight, the old butler came back to his senses, looking towards the east. Dawn Daybreak, and the morning glow was dazzling. He then thought of the new generation of butlers since the birth of Master Qi, with his own granddaughter, Huyin, and an abandoned baby named "Canary" that he had just brought back from Meteor City...

A scene brimming with vitality...

Tsubone, then pushed up her surveillance glasses and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Roy.

"Whoosh~" A Youyou breeze swept across Kukuroo Mountain and carried it into the distance.

Flight K8741, from Minbo Republic of Niaoqu City, to Dentora City, Republic of Padokea, is currently waiting to board.

"Beep..." In the vast waiting hall, the security gate opened, and a little Sun-Earring Boy, about six or seven years old, walked in. Usually, people his age are accompanied by adults, but the Sun-Earring Boy walked in alone, like a little adult. His brows were serious, and his eyes were subtly scanning his surroundings, showing no lack of vigilance... At such a young age, he already possessed a maturity beyond his years, which showed that he was extraordinary.

"Beep..." The security gate opened and closed. The Sun-Earring Boy, wearing round-toed cloth shoes and a traditional ethnic outfit, with his long, flowing blond hair, hugged his backpack tightly to his chest. He found an empty spot and plopped down...

Then, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, he opened his backpack, took out a sketchbook with the words "Geography of Republic of Padokea Dentora" printed on the title page, and quietly began to read it. He focused on the description page of a tourist attraction, pausing to read it carefully.

[Dentora's famous tourist attraction, Kukuroo Mountain... rumored to be... the home of the Zoldyck Family...]

[The route is fixed, with one bus per day from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM. You can take the mountain bus to the scenic area. [Note: Kukuroo Mountain can only be viewed from a distance, not entered... It is best to observe it from a distance under the guidance of a tour guide... Violators will be held responsible for the consequences...]

[Special Reminder: There is no exit from Kukuroo Mountain; any attempt to trespass is strictly prohibited.]

At the bottom of the page... there is an image of the "Testing Gate"... The image is captioned "Gate of Hades". It is tall, majestic, and mottled with the aura of time. Just one glance at it makes people hold their breath and their heart race.

The Sun-Earring Boy watched quietly, when suddenly an old man's laughter reached his ears.

"Ho ho ho... The world's number one assassin family, they're so ruthless (how terrifying)..."

"Children should not run around without adult supervision."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Sun-Earring Boy visibly tensed up, leaning closer to the chair and glancing warily to his side... Two figures had appeared on the two previously empty chairs...

One of them was dressed in loose-fitting Martial Way clothes, looking almost ethereal. He had long, white eyebrows, white hair and beard, and a peaceful expression as he smiled at him. He looked to be in his eighties or nineties. The other one had a peculiar appearance, or... he didn't look human at all!

Aside from his round, beady green eyes and the rather neat-looking suit he was wearing, the rest of his body, including his entirely green skin, instantly made Kurapika want to get up and run away.

As a member of the Kurta clan who chose to live in seclusion, Kurapika was undoubtedly sensitive. Coupled with his naturally cautious and sensitive nature, a wary "yellow" Nen Qi emanating from the furnace top...

"Grandpa knows about Zoldyck?" The Sun-Earring Boy closed the book and quietly put it into his bag.

The elegant old man, dressed in a Martial Way uniform, smiled without saying a word. He simply reached out and a Nen Thread snaked out, and as if by magic, it snatched the book that Kurapika's widening eyes.

Where are your parents?

"Why are you the only one here?" The old man casually Browse the sketchbook, the pages rustling like a series of alarm bells, suddenly striking Kurapika's heart.

My sister told me that if I encounter strange things or strange people, I should stay away. Is that... strange?

He wanted to leave... he wanted to get out of this seat, but... his stiff body and weak legs told Kurapika that he couldn't escape.

Is it fear? Or curiosity? Perhaps both...

The Sun-Earring Boy's mind raced, and with the utmost malice in his assumptions about Netero, he inexplicably reached for the book, flipping to the page commemorating the Zoldyck Family attractions. Pointing to the page marked "Testing Gate," he exclaimed, "My family is here."

Netero was immediately taken aback, and even the Beans beside him curiously poked his head out to look over, his expression quite strange...

Heh heh heh... That's strange, how come he didn't know Silva had a bastard child outside?!

Judging from Kurapika's age of six or seven, he could only be Silva's offspring. But upon closer inspection, seeing Kurapika's flowing blond hair paired with the traditional clothing unique to the Kurta clan... Netero's old eyes narrowed, a glint of shrewdness flashing deep within them, and he instantly recognized Kurapika's identity...

They are the "Scarlet Eyes" race, one of the "Seven Wonders of the World," who are wildly sought after by some evil human body collectors!

Netero closed the book and smiled impassively... The old man blinked, feigning surprise, and said, "So... you're from the world's number one assassin family."

Kurapika, unaware of Netero's motives, frequently heard about a man Roy Zoldyck in his conversations with his sister. He tried to remain calm, stating, "That's right, my brother is Roy Zoldyck."

"Really?" Netero's eyes held a hidden smile as he subtly exchanged a glance with the Beans. The Beans was clearly surprised as well, scrutinizing Kurapika from head to toe, also wondering... when Silva Zoldyck have another son... could it be that... well, that Killua? He was already so big at birth?

Absurd! This kind of thing, which can only happen to certain "Magic Beast," "Phantom Beast," or "Rare Beast," would absolutely never happen to a human, unless...

That person wasn't human; it was like his own homeland... the group of... gods who ruled the Dark Continent!

"Of course!" Kurapika swallowed quietly, then calmly replied, "My brother will pick me up at Dentora Airport."

The unspoken message indirectly warned Netero against making any rash moves...

Netero's smile deepened as he looked at Kurapika with admiration... What a cunning kid! If he didn't genuinely know Roy and Zoldyck, anyone else here might have been fooled by his "borrowed power" and completely taken in!

Besides, he's only six or seven years old!

To possess such cunning and wariness... comparing oneself to Yang De... they're both children, yet the difference is so vast, it's truly infuriating...

In a flash of thought, Netero reached out and handed the book back, feigning apology, saying, "I'm sorry, I don't know."

Kurapika visibly breathed a sigh of relief, took the book, casually stuffed it into his bag, and snorted coldly, "I'll Forgive you this time."

"Sorry... I'm sorry..." Netero quickly raised his hands, feigning surrender as he apologized, while simultaneously stepping aside to completely block the Beans's twitching mouth from view. For a moment, Kurapika didn't notice anything amiss...

An elderly man and a young boy then waited silently in the vast waiting hall, watching people come and go, listening to the hustle and bustle, until...

A "ding-dong" sounded from the airport announcement: "Attention passengers, check-in is now open for Flight K8741 to the Dentora Region of the Republic of Padokea."

Kurapika stood up, followed by... and then Netero, who stood up with Beans.

"You're on this flight too?" Kurapika was taken aback, looked up, and Netero stroked his white beard, winking mischievously at him, "Yeah~"

Then, the old man, his sleeves billowing, led the Beans past the Sun-Earring Boy's shoulder and headed towards the boarding gate...

"Buzz~" In the waiting area, outside the huge glass windows, the airship was already preparing for takeoff. The propellers churned through the air, emitting a buzzing sound as they performed final safety checks, urging passengers to board as quickly as possible. Seeing this, Kurapika didn't have time to think. He glanced around and saw that besides himself and the strange old man, there were several dozen other passengers, all on the same flight to Dentora. The Sun-Earring Boy hesitated for two seconds, tightened his backpack, and followed them into the boarding queue. "Ding-dong~" The airport announcement sounded, reminding passengers that the gate was closing...

Immediately, the gangway retracted, the airship's propellers accelerated, propelling the entire aircraft into the sky.

Kurapika, clutching his ticket, found his seat, which was right next to Netero and Beans in the aisle. He glanced at the old man and saw him smile slightly, saying, "What a coincidence."

Kurapika immediately lowered his eyes, said nothing, and sat down.

"Buzz~" Another loud buzzing sound came... The airship accelerated and ascended, climbing towards the horizon. Inside, a Sun-Earring Boy, an old man, and a strange, bean-sized Demon Race sat side by side, none of them speaking. Nearly two hours passed, and they were just waiting to land. Kurapika, without even eating his airplane meal, ejected, plopped up, and rushed towards the gangway. He Youyou heard Netero's kind reminder behind him. "Slow down, Young Master."

Kurapika's face flushed red with embarrassment. He lowered his eyes, stepped down from the airport, found the red bus that went directly to Kukuroo Mountain, and boarded it.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the bus door opened, and the Sun-Earring Boy's eyes widened suddenly, revealing Netero's smiling old face.

And then there was the Beans, who followed Netero as he boarded the bus, holding onto the handrail.

"You..

"What a coincidence, Young Master. I'm... just sightseeing..."

... The bus doors closed, followed by the ticket seller's sweet voice...

"Attention travelers, our next stop is... the headquarters of the world's number one assassin family... Kukuroo Mountain..."

"Rumor has it that as long as you can afford it, there's no one in the world they can't kill..."

Netero boarded the train, found an empty seat next to Kurapika, and sat down. He could feel the Sun-Earring Boy's barely concealed unease as he tried to appear calm. Glancing out the window at the lush summer scenery, his memory was instantly pulled back decades... At the peak of his power, he was full of vigor, having ventured deep into the Dark Continent with Jager and Linne in search of the Triple Water. They were driven into a desperate situation, and only managed to escape thanks to Jager's "prayer and wish" to an unknown being...

Old Netero's eyes, etched with the marks of time and hardship, gazed at the familiar mountain scenery as it came into view. Lost in thought, he murmured, "Jager, this old man has come to see you."

A moment later, with a screech, the bus left two shallow ruts on an open platform.

The Zoldyck has arrived!

"Squeak~" The bus door opened.

The tour guide's sweet voice rang out again... "Attention everyone, please do not approach that tall mountain gate!"

"If you want to take a photo, just take the photo in front of the car door."

Netero stood up at the opportune moment, stepping aside to make way for Kurapika, and said with a smile, "Young Master, please... we're home."

Kurapika: "6"