Return Home x Explanation

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The next day, a piece of news spread throughout the entire Republic of Padokea.

Chairman of the Gerald Group, Fitz Gerald.

Was discovered dead at 12:05 AM this morning in his sea-view villa in the St. Loren Bay Villa Area.

As for the cause of death, it was currently being kept confidential.

Time: 10:35 AM.

Location: Airport departure hall in the city where Heavens Arena is located.

"Buzz..."

As Illumi stepped into the departure hall, the phone in his pants pocket vibrated.

"The money has arrived."

Illumi looked at the text message notification from the bank on his phone screen. It showed his balance was 1,200,010,000 Jenny¹.

"Master Illumi is already a qualified assassin."

Tsubone and Gotoh guarded Illumi on his left and right sides, chuckling softly.

"Let's go."

Illumi put his hands in his pockets, navigated through the crowds, and boarded the airship² bound for the Dentora Region³ with Tsubone and Gotoh.

Returning this time, I wonder what kind of punishment Silva will mete out. After all, I disobeyed his words and ascended to the 200th floor without authorization.

Also, the matter of Nen, how should I explain it?

He had briefly considered the idea of simply not going back, but after thinking about it, how could he possibly escape the Zoldyck family's intelligence network?

16:55 PM, Kukuroo Mountain, Testing Gate⁴.

A black sedan with a [Y] logo slowly drove up. Zebro⁵, sitting in the security booth, saw the car and immediately came out to greet them.

"Master Illumi, welcome home."

Zebro stood before the Testing Gate, respectfully greeting Illumi.

"Mm."

Illumi glanced at him and nodded lightly.

The current Zebro wasn't the bald old man from 19 years later⁶. Right now, he was in his prime, strong and robust, though his black hair was already a bit sparse.

"Master Illumi, would you like to try and see how many gates you can open now?"

Tsubone lowered her head to look at Illumi, smiling kindly.

Gotoh also glanced at him with an indifferent expression, somewhat curious internally.

"I think, probably just two, maybe two and a half at most."

Before the Testing Gate, Illumi looked up towards the highest seventh gate. The last gate weighed 256 tons; he wondered how many people in this world could open it.

Standing beside them, Zebro felt a drop of cold sweat form on his head upon hearing Illumi's words.

Truly worthy of being a member of the Zoldyck family. At such a young age, his strength already surpasses mine. No wonder I'm just a gatekeeper.

"Well then, I shall give it a try."

Illumi stepped forward, placing both hands on the cold, heavy Testing Gate, his eyes slightly narrowed. White, transparent gas continuously seeped out from Illumi's body—that was his aura⁷.

"Rumble~"

As Illumi exerted force, the first gate slowly opened amidst a rumbling sound.

"Boom!"

But it wasn't over yet. Another, more intense rumbling sound echoed. Illumi's eyes focused, the aura around his body fluctuating even more violently.

"Rumble rumble rumble~"

Accompanied by a deafening tremor, the second Testing Gate opened.

"Huu~"

After pushing open the second gate, Illumi took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said without looking back.

"Let's go."

"Hoh hoh hoh, Master Illumi won't try opening the third gate?"

Tsubone followed behind Illumi with a smile, asking amiably.

"No need. I can't open the third gate."

Illumi looked up towards the volcanic crater at the very top of Kukuroo Mountain, lowered his eyelids, and said.

"I have a clear understanding of my own strength."

"Currently, I cannot open the third gate. But in half a year, I definitely will be able to."

Tsubone said no more upon hearing this. Since Illumi had his own thoughts and goals, she didn't need to worry about him.

"Hm?"

Illumi frowned, stopping his steps, and looked towards the dark forest beside them.

"Because Master Illumi opened the Testing Gate, the watchdog has come over to record your scent."

Tsubone and Gotoh similarly turned their heads towards the adjacent dark forest.

"Huff~"

First, a heavy breathing sound reached Illumi's ears. Then, amidst heavy "thump thump thump" footsteps, an enormous magical beast⁸ nearly ten meters tall appeared in Illumi's line of sight.

"Huff~"

Exhaling two puffs of white breath from its nostrils, the magical beast seemed to find Illumi's scent very familiar. After observing for a moment, it retreated back into the forest.

The three of them continued straight along the path and soon arrived at an old surrounding wall. At the entrance stood a butler with a ponytail hairstyle, dressed in a tailcoat.

From here onwards was the Zoldyck family's activity area.

"Master Illumi, welcome home."

The butler bowed to Illumi in greeting, stepped aside to the left, allowing Illumi to pass.

"You're back."

Illumi, having just stepped past the entrance, paused his steps and turned sideways to look at Illumi⁹, who was leaning against the back of the wall with his eyes closed.

"Your aura concealment is quite good. Even I almost didn't notice."

Illumi looked at Illumi, who was wearing a blue and white long robe, his expression placid, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity as he asked.

"When did you start wearing clothes like this?"

"I like these kinds of clothes, similar to Grandpa's and Father's."

Illumi opened his eyes, walked up to Illumi, and asked expressionlessly.

"I heard you completed an assassination mission yesterday?"

"Vicious methods, clean and efficient."

Illumi didn't answer, walking past Illumi expressionlessly towards the front.

"Mother¹⁰ and Father are waiting for you at home. Don't keep them waiting too long," Illumi said softly, following behind him.

The group of four slowly walked towards the Zoldyck family mansion.

Inside a bright room in the Zoldyck family mansion, Father Silva and Mother Kikyo¹¹ sat on tatami mats, each positioned slightly behind the other¹², looking at Illumi standing opposite them.

"Regarding the matter of you ascending to the 200th floor without authorization, I won't pursue it."

Silva's tone was placid. In Illumi's eyes¹³, Silva was currently covered in a layer of calm, harmonious deep blue smoke¹⁴.

"However, you must tell me how you learned the method of training [Nen]."

Along with these words, the deep blue smoke around Silva instantly turned black—black smoke representing solemnity and pressure.

"Meditation."

Illumi spoke softly, his expression placid.

"Meditation?"

Silva and Kikyo simultaneously showed surprise. Illumi, standing aside, looked curious. He didn't yet know the concept of [Nen].

"Father should know, I've enjoyed meditating since I was young."

Illumi continued, his voice calm and steady, completely unlike a five-year-old¹⁵ boy.

"Meditation allows my inner heart to become peaceful, my body and mind relaxed, and my spirit elevated."

"And through years of meditation, I suddenly discovered that I could perceive a special kind of energy and aura."

"That energy felt very peculiar to me. Everyone has it, even animals have it."

"After that, I would spend a portion of my time each day sensing that peculiar energy."

"Just two weeks ago, I frequently noticed the energy fluctuations in my body becoming increasingly distinct."

"So distinct that I seemed able to reach out and touch it."

Hearing this, Silva, Kikyo, as well as Tsubone and Gotoh present, all showed surprise. There was actually such a method of awakening Nen?

Although meditation could indeed strengthen the spirit, thereby controlling the aura within the body to open aura nodes, they hadn't expected it could reach this extent.