Self-Hypnosis Cultivation Method X Illumi's Bottom Line

He followed up with a single sentence: "Nice earrings."

He exited the long corridor and headed straight for the second floor.

An assassin's powers of observation are exceptionally keen, and top-tier assassins are even more clear-sighted regarding everything in their surroundings... Silva is like this, and Grandfather Zeno is the same. As long as he wishes, no movement within a three-hundred-meter radius can escape his senses.

After all, the radius of his En exceeds three hundred meters.

Therefore, Roy never once thought he could hide the matter of the earrings from Silva.

He simply wore them openly, without bothering to take them off.

"Young Master, it is time to eat."

At 4:30 in the morning, Gotoh pushed the dining cart over.

"The kitchen followed your instructions and remade the minced meat with eggplant. We hope it is to your satisfaction this time."

Having learned from the previous lesson, the kitchen had made improvements.

"Send it directly to Great-Grandfather."

At his age, he shouldn't be made to run back and forth to a junior like himself so often.

Besides, having lived two lifetimes, Roy had no habit of eating stir-fried dishes in the morning, so he returned to the dining table and opted for a bacon sandwich instead.

Gotoh returned a moment later, carrying an empty plate...

"The Great Master said it was better than last time, but still not as good as yours."

He appreciated the old man's kindness... Roy knew in his heart that this was merely the "first-time effect" at work.

Life is full of firsts—the first exam, the first love, the first marriage, the first time experiencing the loss of a loved one... these are often the most unforgettable.

Roy ate his sandwich without comment, listening silently as Gotoh reported the day's training schedule, his mind still preoccupied with the question of how one becomes a tree.

"Merging with nature"—this was the purpose he understood behind Urokodaki Sakonji telling him to hug trees.

In this regard, it shared a similar principle to practicing Zetsu.

"Last time, the Master mentioned he wanted to test you... so after returning, I compiled some of my own insights from when I practiced Zetsu back in the day..."

"I hope it provides some reference for you, Young Master."

Gotoh was a diligent man; he took out the notes he had prepared in advance and presented them to Roy.

Roy took a sip of milk, flipping through the pages as he asked, "How long did it take you to master Zetsu?"

"One year and two months." Gotoh adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Tsubone said I lacked talent. Learning Ten took me three months, Ren took nine, and as for high-level techniques like En, Ken, Ko, and Ryu, I have only mastered Gyo to this day..."

Gyo was the technique of focusing "aura" onto an object, which, in Gotoh's case, manifested through his "weapon"—coins.

"Do not belittle yourself."

Nen ability is not some common, dime-a-dozen skill. Looking at the entire Hunter world, there are only six or seven hundred Nen users endorsed by the Hunter Association, and even... someone as noble as the Fourth Prince of the Kakin Empire, Tserriednich, didn't even know what "Nen" was before he met Theta.

Therefore, Gotoh was talented; it was just that his talent was diluted by the "Zoldyck monster house."

Roy flipped through Gotoh's notes, and it could be summarized in two words:

Brute force!

There were no techniques, relying entirely on piling up time. The only highlight was that during "meditation," there were occasional signs of "enlightenment," though Roy highly suspected whether this was truly "enlightenment" or just the feeling of letting his mind wander while drifting in and out of sleep.

"Right, I almost forgot the booklet from Great-Grandfather."

After finishing Gotoh's insights, Roy washed down the last bite of his sandwich with milk, pulled open a drawer, and fished out Jager's notes.

Searching carefully, it was even more abstract...

Throughout the entire section on practicing Zetsu, only one term was mentioned: "self-hypnosis."

By using "hypnosis" to deepen "imagination," one could quickly substitute oneself into a "natural" state, allowing energy to gather and merge with nature.

As expected, is this the world of geniuses?

Roy could even imagine the mindset Jager had when writing these words—

What is Zetsu? Isn't that something you can learn just by having hands?

It truly made it impossible for one to feel any jealousy...

Roy remained silent for a moment, then quietly tucked the notes back away.

Ding~ The time reached five o'clock in the morning.

It was time to head to the training room again.

However, this time, Roy did not bring Snow Walk.

He was an obedient person; since Urokodaki Sakonji had specifically instructed him not to hold a sword, he would only hug trees!

"Young Master, you forgot Snow Walk." Gotoh cleared the table and kindly reminded him.

Roy waved a hand, stepped out of the room, and walked toward the training room with his back turned.

A one-million-volt electric shock remained the training plan for today; with his physique enhanced, he was eager to see how long he could hold out.

"One minute and thirty-five seconds..." This was the answer Illumi delivered.

Striving to be ahead of him in everything, even as his older brother, seemed to be the only reason the boy could force himself not to collapse.

When Roy pushed open the doors to the training room and saw that afro, which clashed so horribly with his pale, small face, appear before his eyes, Illumi was just then convulsing from the electricity. He mustered his final breath to turn his head and glare at him, and then...

He fell straight over, stiff as a board.

Roy understood what he meant...

This time, I will definitely wake up before you...

He took off his vest, clean and swift.

"My apologies, Young Master." Luke bowed to Roy.

Since he had just finished with Illumi, there was no need to switch hands; he jammed the rod directly into Roy's chest.

"Crackle~" Arcs of electricity flickered, and one could even see the current coursing through his body beneath the skin.

This time seemed slightly better than the last; at the very least, Roy didn't let out a muffled groan, forcing his body to remain steady instead of shaking back and forth.

"Huh?" Luke was somewhat surprised.

He subconsciously assumed he had grabbed the wrong electric rod, so he looked down... the bold number 100 stared back at him, proving...

It wasn't his mistake, but rather...

Young Master Roy himself seemed to be holding out longer than before!

However... this was too exaggerated. Could a person really grow this much in just one day?

Luke looked at Roy in disbelief and advised him directly: "Young Master, don't push yourself. The Master said that lasting two minutes is considered passing."

Two minutes?

Roy refused to be a "quick man."

Clenching his teeth, he said calmly: "Continue."

Soon, a minute passed, then a minute and a half... Finally, when the stopwatch Luke was holding stopped at two minutes and thirty-five seconds, Roy opened his mouth and exhaled a puff of black smoke before Luke caught him in his arms.

Sunlight scorched the earth through the clouds, inducing sweat...

The pit in the garden was dug yesterday, and Illumi was woken up by the heat today.

When he groggily opened his hollow, dead-fish eyes and saw Roy shoveling dirt onto his body, the boy closed his eyes again, unwilling to accept defeat, and called for Luke to come over and give him another drink of water.

"It doesn't matter if you wake up late; I'll always drink more water than you."

Young Master Illumi's bottom line had always been flexible... Roy noticed he was awake, but he didn't stop the movement of his hands, continuing to rely on the swinging of the shovel to slowly regain control of his body.

Until...

The numbness in his body had completely faded.

Only then did he plunge the shovel into the ground, turn his back to find a nearby cypress tree, and spread his arms to hug it.

Illumi: "?"