"Young master."
"Young master."
"Young master."
The security door slid open; Scarface, One-Eye, and Tsubone bowed and stepped aside to clear Roy's path.
They bent so low even Tsubone's pink twin-tails nearly brushed her toes.
Roy pushed the cart forward. "I left the chrysanthemums inside. I don't want to see them wither."
"I'll pot them and water them often," Tsubone said quickly.
"I'll take them out for sun every day," said Scarface.
"I'll weed and fertilize," said One-Eye.
Roy hummed acknowledgment. "Thank you."
He handed off the cart, swept the area with a glance, and walked away with his hands behind his back.
Tap… tap… His steps faded. Only after a long while did the three straighten—the boy was out of sight.
By then the moon hung high; sunset long since swallowed by night.
He left the basement and strolled the mottled corridor. Lamps burned along both walls. By the dim little room, Roy lifted his eyes and saw Maha again at the window. For a moment he felt he was looking at Zigg in old age… so alike. He stopped and called softly, "Great-Grandfather."
Maha stared at the garden willow as if he hadn't heard, and spoke on his own: "'re: Game of the Dead' is your Grandpa Zigg's Hatsu. With a touch, he drags a person's consciousness into a game woven from his memories."
Roy listened—matching his earlier guess.
"The year he died he laid a Vow and Condition with 'bloodline' as the key. Any Zoldyck descendant can enter and leave his mind. The price—exclude the root of the bloodline, namely me. I was furious—ready to kill him. But before I could lift a hand, he closed his eyes."
So, that eye is his brain, warped after death? Roy kept quiet and let him talk.
Maha's voice sharpened. "He kept saying 'the Zoldycks can do without anyone but you.' Afraid I'd plow through his memories, retrace the Dark Continent, and go kill someone for him. Fool. Does he take me for a hothead?"
Yes. Absolutely yes.
Roy took the cue and joked, "Maybe Grandpa Zigg figured you'd kill them too quickly—and he wouldn't get to take revenge himself."
In any case—he wasn't one to let an enemy roam free while he did nothing. That wouldn't fit an Enhancer's frame.
Maha cut him a side-eye; the boy grinned and switched topics. "So, Great-Grandfather—was Grandpa Zigg really dead or not?"
A mutated brain still needs fuel. If he's truly dead—what feeds it?
Roy thought of Scarface and One-Eye. His eyelid twitched.
"Looks like you've guessed it." Maha, long seasoned, caught the boy's expression and said low, "He's living-dead. The joke is… even if he didn't want to—he turned into what he hated most: a demon eye that feeds on Nen."
A curse? Roy thought of Nanika. The shadow hanging over the Zoldycks hadn't fallen yet—but it wouldn't vanish.
"So you had me go 'pay respects' to set me walking Zigg's road—to find who killed him?"
"You?" Maha's smile turned sly. He patted Roy's shoulder. "Don't get ideas. What your grandpa and your father couldn't do won't land on your plate."
Ouch. He had only held 15 seconds—hadn't even managed a word with Zigg's echo…
Maha looked at him meaningfully. "Just a reminder—to know what you're up against. If one day you do feel like it—then…"
The old man's eyes crinkled. "The old man will break your legs. Without guilt."
"…" Roy thought of his dream—Zigg dragged under the willow and beaten senseless—fresh as yesterday.
"You overestimate me, Great-Grandfather." He touched his black hair and smiled awkwardly. "My talent is limited."
Fifteen seconds isn't "limited," kid… Maha rolled his eyes. "Get out of here."
Roy took the pardon. "Good night, Great-Grandfather."
He brushed past and was gone in a hurry.
By eight, Gotoh would have dinner ready—time to eat and refill.
Behind him, Maha watched him go, then called, "Visit Zigg more."
Roy agreed easily—not just to ease Zigg's loneliness.
At least… not until I can stand under that monster's Ren and not break.
Night deepened.
Roy turned the corner and vanished.
Maha stood alone, lost in thought…
The breeze licked his hem. Quick steps approached: Tsubone.
"Patriarch, we have a time."
"I know. Fifteen seconds." Maha flicked a hand and went inside. Bang—door shut.
She bowed, unsurprised—she'd only come to tick the box. She glanced toward Roy's room and hurried off.
…
Roy's room.
Dinner was Western—he'd hoped to taste his offerings when he got back. Reality taught otherwise. Aside from a few leaves, all the meat had gone into Zigg's belly.
Resigned, Roy gnawed a sandwich and sighed—Zoldyck waters run deep.
Without the strength you don't even get in the door. Even in the future—if he truly set out for the Dark Continent—by the old man's tone, he'd first have to clear that hurdle.
Otherwise—
look how badly Zigg got beaten in the dream.
"Young master, Zebro called—Kastro pushed open the first gate this evening." Gotoh handed him milk. "I've scheduled him to report to the butlers."
Roy drained it in one pull and passed the cup back. "He's not untalented. Train him up—put him on mountain guard."
Anyone who can go toe-to-toe with Hisoka in the original isn't a dud.
He let Gotoh clear the table, showered, and went to bed.
Thoughts hummed…
He was itching to see whether, now that the link to Zigg's consciousness had ended, that Dark Continent door on his sea still stood.
If it did… he narrowed his eyes… once he was strong enough—even without the old man breaking his legs—he could slip around this world's limits and be first through—to glimpse the Dark Continent's face.
In and out at will—whenever he liked.
~~~
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