"Failure isn’t so terrible. Acknowledging others’ strength is how you grow stronger. Do you understand?" Silva said to Killua, who understood the principle but struggled to accept that his revered father had been defeated by someone his own age. He’d seen Silva’s claw almost pierce Loki’s neck and didn’t believe Silva had truly lost.
"Loki actually defeated Killua’s father?! This guy’s a monster!" Leorio exclaimed, having missed the crucial details of the fight’s conclusion; he’d only seen them suddenly stop, the battle seemingly ending abruptly.
Loki shook his head at Leorio’s exclamation. Silva’s concession didn’t sit well with him; he considered it a draw at best. He recalled Silva’s final attack, the terrifying power that had nearly broken free from the hair’s restraint and almost killed him. While he had also used full power, launching his hair-spikes at Silva, the outcome felt imperfect. Loki disliked it.
Killua broke free from Silva’s grasp, standing before Loki, fists clenched, his gaze fierce.
Loki, his eyes shifting to Killua, spoke calmly. "What is it?"
"I’ll defeat you. Soon. I lost this time, but I’ll win next time."
Silva wanted to laugh; the outcome was even better than anticipated. He rarely saw Killua in such a determined state. Progress often comes with pressure.
"Killua, I have high expectations for you. Go with your friends and continue to grow stronger."
Killua glared at Loki one last time before turning to Gon and the others. "Let’s go!"
Leaving, Killua said without looking back, "Loki, you’re strong. Having someone like you as an opponent is quite challenging."
Loki was taken aback. He felt a sense of destined rivalry.
After Killua and the others left, Loki turned to Silva. "Mr. Silva, may we now proceed to see Mr. Zeno?"
"You truly wish to engage my father in combat?"
"Of course. It’s Chairman Netero’s mission."
"Is that so? Confident?"
"Until I face him, the outcome remains uncertain," Loki replied, though his words lacked overt confidence, Silva saw the underlying self-assurance in his eyes.
’He seems to be concealing a trump card,’ Silva thought. The fact that Loki had forced him to use his full power, yet seemingly still held back a decisive technique, was truly astonishing. This child was exceptionally gifted. Since Loki was so confident, Silva was eager to see if he truly possessed a hidden technique, one that even he couldn’t force him to reveal.
Killua, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio left the Zoldyck estate. Gon noticed Killua’s relaxed demeanor, a stark contrast to his earlier tension when facing Loki. He’d expected Killua to be upset about his father’s defeat.
Killua, noticing Gon’s observation, put his hands behind his head and whistled. "Gon, what’s wrong?"
Gon smiled. "Nothing! You just seem... yourself. Before, you weren’t like the Killua I know."
Killua narrowed his eyes. "You think I’d be upset that my father was defeated?"
"No! Of course not! Why would I think that?!"
Kurapika and Leorio, walking behind, exchanged smiles. However, the extraordinary experience of witnessing a battle between top-tier Nen users had left a profound impact on them, far deeper than their outward composure suggested. The experience was like a sudden storm at sea; even after the storm passes, the turbulent waves don’t subside quickly.
The desire to learn Nen took root in their minds. Killua and Gon felt it too. This desire intensified their pursuit of power. The consequences remained to be seen.
Leaving the Zoldyck estate, the four decided to separate and pursue their individual journeys, agreeing to meet in Yorknew City on September 1st.
Gon and Killua went to the Heaven Arena; Kurapika and Leorio went their separate ways, following their established paths.
Loki, remaining at the Zoldyck estate, followed Silva through the long, dimly lit corridor. Only their steady footsteps echoed in the oppressive silence. Loki couldn’t help but grip the Zanpakutō strapped to his back.
The mission’s success hinged entirely on it. Loki judged Silva to be nearly as strong as Zeno, perhaps even stronger in close-quarters combat, while Zeno’s Nen abilities gave him an advantage in ranged combat. Dragon Head was indeed a formidable technique. If Zeno maintained a mid-to-long-range engagement, relying on his vast combat experience, Loki’s Rankyaku, even after testing its power against Silva, wouldn’t be enough to secure victory.
Without his Zanpakutō, defeating Zeno, an opponent on par with Silva, would require time to accumulate Nen—a luxury neither Zeno nor Silva would grant. Victory would be challenging. Not having developed his own Nen ability was Loki’s fundamental disadvantage when facing top-tier Nen users. His Nen capacity, nearly equal to Netero’s, should have given him a decisive advantage, but the lack of a developed Hatsu negated this.
"Mr. Loki, you are a professional Hunter, are you not?" Silva suddenly initiated conversation, surprising Loki, who quickly recovered. "Yes!"
"And what prompted you to become a professional Hunter, Mr. Loki?" Silva asked, subtly observing Loki from the corner of his eye.
"Nothing special. I simply found the Hunter Exam intriguing, so I participated," Loki replied.
"Is that so? A rather unexpected answer!" Silva remarked.
"Is there another?" Loki countered.
"Nothing. It seems I had made a wrong assumption," Silva said, stopping abruptly before a massive gate. Two imposing doors, each adorned with intricately carved, lifelike dragons, stood before them. Silva prepared to open the gate.
"In a life-or-death battle, Mr. Silva, who do you believe would emerge victorious?" Loki asked, his tone calm but his eyes sharp.
Silva paused, his hand hovering over the gate.
"Without a doubt, myself. If we were fighting with the intent to kill, you are not yet my match," Silva stated with unwavering confidence.
The two massive gates swung open, revealing a long, dark corridor stretching before them. Silva gestured for Loki to proceed. Loki, after a brief, cursory glance, walked directly into the corridor.
At the far end of the corridor, a flickering candle cast a dim light. Despite the absence of any discernible draft or breeze, a persistent cold wind seemed to sweep through the passage. The rhythmic sound of their footsteps echoed steadily through the corridor.
Behind them, the massive gates slowly closed, and Silva followed Loki into the dimly lit passage.
As they neared the end of the corridor, a sharp turn appeared. Loki followed the turn, revealing a large, dimly lit chamber. Crimson cloths hung around the perimeter of the room, and in the center, a wide, dragon-headed chair was positioned. Zeno Zoldyck sat upon the chair, his presence radiating an aura of chilling stillness. The rightful source is novel·fiɾe·net
One kill a day, lifelong active duty. This was Zeno Zoldyck, Silva’s father, and the epitome of the Zoldyck family’s unwavering dedication to their craft.
A chilling aura permeated the air, causing the temperature to noticeably drop. The closer they got, the more intense the chilling sensation became. While not as terrifying as the aura Loki had sensed emanating from Netero, it was undoubtedly more potent than Silva’s.
While objectively, Silva’s strength might be comparable to Zeno’s, this was merely a superficial assessment. Zeno, with his advanced age and countless kills throughout his lifetime, possessed a Nen imbued with an intensity of will far exceeding Silva’s. This unwavering will significantly influences the strength and potency of one’s Nen.
"You are Netero’s disciple," Zeno stated, his eyes finally lifting to meet Loki’s gaze.
This single glance felt like witnessing a colossal dragon raising its head and opening its eyes to observe him.
Loki responded with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Indeed."
"A remarkable young one! Are all youngsters this formidable these days? You’re not the least bit affected by my presence. Quite impressive," Zeno commented, his tone flat and devoid of any overt emotion, despite the seeming praise.
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