Roy moved...
He merely stood up, and countless eyes turned toward him.
Gotoh's, Biscuit's, "God Spear" Guy's, "Ninja" Kikuta Tadashi's, and... the boy hiding in a shadowy corner, as well as another boy.
Kastro stared blankly at Roy's back. Ten meters away, Illumi stood with his arms crossed over his chest, saying nothing.
His foolish little brother leaned against the wall. Noticing Kastro's gaze, his brows furrowed ever so slightly...
Last night, Kastro had returned to the dojo in a daze and gone to see his master, who had lost a hand.
His master had told him, "You lost your hand because you knew 'fist'; you lost your foot because you knew 'kick.' My boy... There will always be someone better than you at the things you're proud of. So why be so dejected?"
His master had been through it himself and understood how Kastro felt, but Kastro was still standing on the shore... He didn't understand his master. He wanted to see for himself, and he had... seen the thing he'd never been able to figure out, called "Nen."
"I'm not satisfied, Master. I know everything you said is right, but I just can't accept it!" Kastro knelt at his master's feet, weeping bitterly.
His master fell silent. After a moment, he patted Kastro's head and asked, "What are you going to do?"
"Become his student!"
"Whoever defeated me, I'll become his student!" Kastro knocked his forehead against the ground three times. "Please expel me from the school, Master."
His master smiled. "How are you more old-fashioned than your master? Who still needs to be expelled these days... If you want to learn, then go ahead. When you've mastered it, have your master come and witness it. I believe my disciple won't be inferior to anyone!"
"Master..."
"Get lost.