The whip sliced through the air toward Gon's face, the Nen at its tip glowing a ghostly blue. If it struck him, it would not only tear his skin open but also deliver a deadly poison, instantly paralyzing his entire body and leaving him at his attacker's mercy. Gon was ready. He immediately circulated the aura of Ten, covering his whole body, and instinctively twisted aside. His movement was a little clumsy, but he narrowly avoided the lethal strike. The whip hit the ground with a bang, kicking up dust and leaving a deep furrow. Canary's gaze turned cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she flicked her wrist and lashed the whip toward Gon's ankle, intending to wrap it around his leg, throw him off balance, and then deliver the killing blow. "Gon, jump!" Lin Ye barked. He activated Flash Shave, appeared beside Gon in an instant, grabbed his arm, and pulled him behind him. At the same time, he clenched his left fist, covered it with that special defensive aura-Armament Haki-and punched Canary's whip. With a dull thud, the whip shuddered violently. The impact numbed Canary's wrist and sent her stumbling several steps backward, disbelief filling her eyes. "How can your aura be so unusual?" Canary looked at Lin Ye, shock creeping into her voice. "You're only a rookie who just got his Hunter License. How could you have such powerful Nen and defenses? And your aura... it's unlike any Nen Ability we know. It's both overpowering and concentrated, with a strange sense of pressure." Lin Ye offered no explanation. He merely stared at her coldly, his gaze carrying an unquestionable authority. "Move aside. We want to see Killua. This is his choice to make, not yours to control, and not something the Zoldyck Family can bind him to." He did not want to explain his abilities. They were the secret he had brought with him when he crossed into this world, and exposing them would inevitably invite more trouble. Besides, the Zoldyck Family was already steeped in deadly danger. Explaining too much would only introduce more uncertainty. Just then, a steady voice came from behind the gate, breaking the deadlock. "Canary, let them in." The voice was quiet, yet carried an irresistible authority. Canary immediately stiffened when she heard it, put away her whip, and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Gotoh." A man in a black suit stepped out from behind the gate. His hair was graying and his face aged, but he remained vigorous, his eyes as deep as pools whose depths concealed every emotion. His aura was frighteningly steady, far stronger than Canary's. He was clearly a top-tier Nen user, with the authority of someone long accustomed to command. This was Gotoh, the Zoldyck Family's head butler. He approached Lin Ye and Gon and slowly swept his gaze over them. There was no hostility in his eyes, only a trace of barely perceptible appreciation. "You've come a long way, gentlemen. Thank you for making the journey. Young Master Killua is in the training room in the main residence. Follow me. However, the master and mistress are both there. Once you see Young Master Killua, you would do well to say as little as possible. Otherwise, even I won't be able to protect you." Lin Ye nodded, his voice calm. "Thank you, Mr. Gotoh. We're only here to take Killua away. We won't cause you any trouble." He could sense that Gotoh's aura, though steady, held no malice. The butler also seemed to harbor a faint, carefully concealed concern for Killua. This might be their only chance to reach him without incident. "Come along." Gotoh turned and headed deeper into the estate, his footsteps steady and utterly silent, as though he were walking on a smooth carpet rather than a gravel path. Lin Ye and Gon exchanged a glance and hurried after him. Canary remained where she was, watching their retreating backs with a complicated look in her eyes-worry, reluctance, and a hint of helplessness. At last, she sighed softly and turned away. She knew Killua's heart had never belonged to the family. Perhaps he could find the life he truly wanted with these two boys. But as a butler of the Zoldyck Family, she could only remain faithful to her duties. They passed through the Testing Gate and followed the gravel path. On either side, twisted branches stretched toward the sky like ghostly claws. The fog grew thicker until they could see less than five meters ahead, and the smell of blood in the air intensified. Now and then, screams and the clash of weapons sounded in the distance. Clearly, brutal assassin training was underway in the Zoldyck Family's trial grounds. Those agonized screams sounded especially piercing across the open estate, chilling them to the bone and strengthening Gon's resolve to take Killua away. Lin Ye extended his perception-Observation Haki-to its fullest, sensing the fluctuations of Nen around them. He detected dozens scattered throughout the estate, several of them so terrifying that his heart trembled. They clearly belonged to core members of the Zoldyck Family, whose strength far exceeded his expectations. He tightened his grip on the revolver at the back of his waist, his vigilance rising to its utmost. He took every step cautiously, afraid of triggering a hidden trap. The Zoldyck Family was a top-tier assassin family; its estate was certain to be riddled with lethal traps. A single careless move could doom them. Gon followed close behind Lin Ye, clutching the hem of his coat, his eyes alert. He barely dared to breathe. He could clearly feel the shadow of death lurking in every corner of this place. It was even more dangerous than the forest in the Hunter Exam. He had never seen anywhere so sinister and terrifying, nor felt such concentrated killing intent. Yet whenever he thought of Killua still suffering here, he found his courage again, and his gaze grew firmer. "Mr. Gotoh, is Killua... doing all right here?" Gon could not help asking, his voice trembling with concern. He truly could not imagine how Killua endured each day in a place so cold and full of murderous intent. Gotoh paused briefly without turning around, his tone flat. "Young Master Killua is the heir to the Zoldyck Family. The master and mistress have high expectations for him and arrange intensive training every day to make him the finest assassin. As for whether he is doing well, that depends on how Young Master Killua himself feels." His voice betrayed no emotion, as though he were discussing something that had nothing to do with him, but Lin Ye caught a barely perceptible hint of helplessness in it. Gon said nothing more. He merely clenched his fists as his worry deepened. He could imagine how miserable Killua must be here, how the family must be pressuring him until he could hardly breathe, and how he must secretly miss his friends. After walking for about an hour, the three finally reached the entrance to the main residence. It was an enormous black castle with a sinister, frightening design. Its walls were covered in reliefs depicting assassins fighting to the death, radiating a chilling murderous intent. The castle doors were black, inlaid with golden patterns. Two guards in black uniforms stood outside, their eyes icy. When they saw Gotoh, they immediately bowed. "Mr. Gotoh." "Yes. Open the doors." Gotoh nodded. The guards immediately opened them. As the doors slowly swung inward with a creak, a heavy scent of sandalwood mixed with blood drifted out of the castle, turning their stomachs. Just then, a fat man in a loose robe blocked their way. His body was bloated, his face piled with fat, and his eyes narrowed to slits. He held a strange mechanical device covered in tiny needles, and his gaze brimmed with mockery and contempt. This was Killua's second-oldest brother, Milluki Zoldyck. Milluki was the Zoldyck Family's second son. He lacked both his eldest brother Illumi's ruthlessness and Killua's talent, but possessed an immense greed and a knack for tinkering with all kinds of machines and poisons. Cowardly yet arrogant, he enjoyed nothing more than bullying people weaker than himself. He had already heard that Gon was coming to take Killua away and had been eager for a chance to teach this presumptuous boy a lesson. Seeing Lin Ye enter with Gon only heightened his interest. He intended to make things thoroughly difficult for them. "Well, if it isn't Gon. And some little brat I've never seen before. Have you come here to die?" Milluki sneered, toying with the device in his hands. Its needles gleamed a ghostly blue, clearly coated in deadly poison. "Killua is the family's heir, the finest assassin of the future. How could we let him run off with a pair of uncouth brats like you? Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson on Father's behalf. You'll learn that not just anyone can barge into Zoldyck territory, and not just anyone can take a Zoldyck away." "Milluki, move aside." Gotoh's voice hardened, displeasure entering his eyes. "The master has allowed them to see Young Master Killua. Stop making trouble." "The master?" Milluki sneered, the fat on his face quivering, his tone full of disdain. "I haven't received any orders from him. Gotoh, you're just a butler. You dare interfere in my affairs? Killua must stay with the family and become the finest assassin. That's his destiny, and no one can change it-not you, and not these two uncouth brats." He paid Gotoh no heed at all. As far as he was concerned, no one could touch him as long as his father and eldest brother Illumi were around. Before he had finished speaking, Milluki pressed a button on the device. With a series of sharp whistles, dozens of poisoned needles as fine as hairs shot out, slicing through the air in a fan toward Lin Ye and Gon. The needles were coated in the Zoldyck Family's specially made bone-eroding poison. The slightest contact would allow it to seep through the skin instantly and paralyze the nerves. Within ten minutes, the victim's entire body would rot, killing them. Even Nen users would find it difficult to neutralize. "Gon, duck!" Lin Ye barked, instantly stepping in front of him. Without hesitation, he activated Iron Body. His aura gathered over the surface of his body, forming a hard suit of armor with a faint black sheen. This was a combination of his special aura and Iron Body, a defense strong enough to stop the poisoned needles. Clang, clang, clang! A string of crisp metallic sounds rang out as the poisoned needles struck Lin Ye, bounced off, and clattered to the ground. Not one penetrated his defenses. The poison splashed onto his coat and instantly corroded small holes in it, revealing just how potent it was. Milluki's expression abruptly changed. His mockery and contempt vanished, replaced by shock. He stared at Lin Ye in disbelief, his mouth hanging open and his fat trembling. "Impossible! My bone-eroding poison needles can drop an elephant instantly! Even an experienced Nen user would struggle to block them all. How are you unharmed? How can your defenses be so strong? And your aura... why is it so strange?" He had never seen such unusual aura, both overpowering and resilient, capable of blocking his poisoned needles with ease. This was not strength a rookie should possess. "Your tricks are pathetic." Lin Ye's voice was cold and utterly calm, his eyes full of disdain. He slowly raised his right hand, gathering that special aura once more. Dense Nen enveloped his fist as he swung it at the device in Milluki's hands. He did not want to waste any more time here. He only wanted to see Killua as soon as possible and take him out of this cold prison. "No!" Milluki was terrified. He hurriedly tried to dodge, but his body was too bulky and he was too slow. He had no chance. With a dull bang, Lin Ye's fist smashed the device to pieces. Parts scattered across the floor, and the poisoned needles fell with them, rendered useless. Milluki's legs went weak with fear. He turned to flee, hoping to find Illumi or his father for help. But he had barely taken two steps when Lin Ye seized him by the back of the neck and lifted him like a chick. Lin Ye tightened his fingers slightly, and Milluki immediately felt himself choking. His face turned deathly pale. He struggled desperately with both hands but could not break free. The invisible pressure radiating from Lin Ye left his whole body stiff, stripping him even of the courage to resist. "Take me to Killua." Lin Ye's voice remained level, but it carried a suffocating pressure as his fingers tightened further. "Otherwise, I'll crush your neck and make you disappear from this place forever." Milluki froze. He could clearly feel Lin Ye's aura like an icy blade against his throat. With just a little more pressure, Lin Ye could crush his neck in an instant. He trembled all over, his earlier arrogance gone. Shaking, he pointed toward the main residence, his voice thick with tears. "In... in the training room on the third floor. I'll take you there. Don't kill me. I won't do it again. Please don't kill me!" Lin Ye released him. Milluki collapsed like a heap of mud, gasping for breath, his face covered in terror and cold sweat. He did not even have the strength to stand. He struggled to his feet, not daring to look at Lin Ye again, and hurried ahead with his head lowered, trembling as he led Lin Ye and Gon into the main residence. A thick black carpet covered the hallway, swallowing every footstep. Portraits of successive generations of the Zoldyck Family hung on the walls. Every person depicted had eyes as cold as ice, carrying a chilling murderous intent, as though they were staring fixedly at every intruder. The hallway was dim, lit only by the faint glow of wall lamps, which made the portraits look even more sinister and frightening. Gon's grip tightened, and his body trembled slightly. He could feel death lurking in every corner. This place was more dangerous than anywhere he had encountered before. Sensing his tension, Lin Ye gently patted his shoulder and signaled with his eyes that he should not be afraid. At the same time, he extended his perception-Observation Haki-to its fullest, staying alert to every movement around them for fear of an ambush. When they reached the training room on the third floor, Milluki stopped and pointed at the closed door, his voice still shaking. "Killua's inside. I... I won't go in. You can go in yourselves." Then he turned and fled as though escaping a plague, stumbling away and quickly disappearing at the end of the hallway without daring to look back. Lin Ye and Gon exchanged a glance and gently pushed open the training room door. Beyond it lay a spacious training area. Bloodstains and blade marks covered the floor, evidence of countless brutal training sessions, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat. Killua stood in the middle, gripping a short blade. His black training clothes were soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his slender but sturdy frame. Several fresh wounds on his face were still bleeding. His eyes were as cold as ice, devoid of warmth, as he slashed at the air. His movements were sharp and vicious, every strike aimed straight at a vital point, each technique precise. He was clearly undergoing brutal assassin training. At the sound of the door opening, Killua paused and slowly turned. When he saw Lin Ye and Gon, the cold hardness in his eyes instantly crumbled, revealing a fleeting hint of wavering and delight. Then a thick layer of ice covered it again, as though that moment of weakness had been an illusion. "Why did you come?" His voice was soft but deliberately cold, his tone full of distance. "This isn't a place you should be. Leave now, or don't blame me for what happens."
Before you continue