Chapter 12 - 12

Zebron quickly fell silent, but while words could be restrained, thoughts couldn't be easily changed. The Zoldyck family treated their subordinates well, whether they were butlers or regular servants. Over time, the butlers and servants developed a strong sense of belonging, considering themselves part of the Zoldyck family rather than simply viewing it as a job. Most of the butlers were even willing to lay down their lives for members of the Zoldyck family. Toward the family's members, they held genuine loyalty and dedication. For Zeno and Silva, this loyalty translated into profound respect and awe. For Illumi, there was once a sense of anticipation, which eventually evolved into respect and awe as well, as Illumi's strength had now become formidable. But Milluki, Silva's second son, was a unique case. In terms of age among Silva's children, Milluki was second, six years younger than Illumi and six years older than Killua. With Killua being five years old, Milluki was now eleven, while Illumi was seventeen and Ron was nine. Considering Milluki's age, he should have long mastered Nen if he were following the path Illumi had taken. But Milluki hadn't; instead, he was deeply interested in the field of science and technology. It seemed Zeno and Silva had no intention of pushing Milluki toward Nen mastery. The Zoldyck family allowed their members considerable freedom, after all. The butlers and servants still respected Milluki, yet some felt that he had diverged from the path a Zoldyck child should follow. Now, with Ron's impressive abilities and talent, Zebron and Zigzagen couldn't help but recall a young Illumi—only Ron was showing signs of even greater strength. The Zoldyck estate was divided into four main areas. The first area was the outer region, consisting of the main gate, outer walls, and forest, guarded by servants, Mika, and other dangerous creatures. This outer layer was usually enough to deter most people who intended to enter the Zoldyck estate. Those who attempted to force their way in without Nen abilities generally ended up as food for Mika. The second area was where the butlers operated, closer to the mountaintop. This was where most butlers trained, lived, and worked. Only a small number of butlers regularly appeared before members of the Zoldyck family. The third area, at the very top of the mountain, was the Zoldyck family's residence. Finally, there was the fourth area: the back mountain. A massive training ground now came into Ron's view. All of the butlers wore matching uniforms: white shirts and black suits. "Gyo!" With a single thought, Ron channeled his aura into his eyes, focusing his Nen to enhance his vision. Since coming here, the crystal orb's absorption rate had sped up again. Ron turned his gaze toward the training grounds. The number of butlers training here was well over a hundred, highlighting just how many butlers worked at the Zoldyck estate. The number of butlers in training suggested there were likely as many or even more currently working. After all, the Zoldyck estate spanned an entire mountain—a massive mountain. Even from thousands of meters away, the mountain could be seen clearly at its base. "Keen, how many butlers are there in total on the estate?" "About a thousand." "And the servants?" "Roughly the same." Keen added, "Most of the servants work in the outer areas, while those stationed at the mountaintop residence are primarily butlers." "Among the butlers, most are apprentices." "The ranks go up from Level 1, Level 2, Level 3..." "As a personal butler, I am not ranked within these levels." "About a tenth of the butlers can use Nen, though due to varying levels of talent, many are not particularly strong." "Very few are stronger than you, Master Ron." Ron nodded thoughtfully. The butler overseeing the training glanced over in their direction but quickly looked away after spotting Keen. As Ron observed the butlers' training, he also glanced at the crystal orb. Suddenly, a new training team entered the training grounds. A group of ten youths stood before Ron. These ten young trainees immediately reminded Ron of something Zeno had previously mentioned to him—about whether he had any specific requirements for a butler. "Did Grandpa Zeno ask me that because he wants to groom a personal butler for me?" Ron thought. "Would it be one of these ten?" He scanned each of the ten youths, one by one. But when he looked at the last boy in line, he paused, his eyes narrowing. "His face... it looks so familiar," Ron thought, feeling a flicker of recognition. Ron squinted, replaying memories in his mind. "If he tied his hair back in a ponytail and wore a samurai outfit, he'd look almost identical to Nobunaga Hazama, the Phantom Troupe member. Could this guy be Nobunaga?" But he shook his head. "No, it doesn't add up. The ages don't match." He recalled that Nobunaga should currently be over twenty. When Killua was twelve, Nobunaga was thirty, which would make Nobunaga around twenty-three now, with Killua being five years old. The young man standing before Ron was clearly only a teenager. "Master Ron, would you like me to have that apprentice butler come over?" Keen, noticing Ron's gaze, asked. "No, that's not necessary," Ron replied, shaking his head. After spending four days in the butlers' area, Ron continued his journey up the mountain, finally arriving at the mountaintop, which housed the Zoldyck family mansion. It was a grand, opulent sight. As the most prominent assassin family and the world's foremost assassin organization, the Zoldycks were tremendously wealthy—almost excessively so. Even Milluki, an outlier in the family, had an exceptional ability to generate income. Through hacking, he gathered information and even created explosive "mosquito bombs." To the Zoldyck family, Milluki's pursuits seemed like a deviation from the family's path. While Zeno and Silva allowed him the freedom to explore his interests, they didn't particularly value his activities. But in the world of ordinary people, Milluki was still a force to be reckoned with—a dominating figure. As Ron approached the main mansion doors, he noticed a figure at the entrance. An older woman stood there. She was large and muscular, almost towering. She wore a single-lens eyeglass and had her pink hair tied up in two pigtails. Her physique was somewhat reminiscent of Bisky when Bisky had unleashed her true, unrestricted form. It was clear that this woman, Tsubone , had developed her Nen abilities along a similar path as Bisky's. The Zoldyck family's history ran deep, and their ancestor, zigg Zoldyck, had been an associate of Netero's. This close history with the Hunter Association meant the two groups maintained close ties, and exchanges between them were common. In the original storyline, Bisky and Wing had taught Killua and Gon the principles of Nen through the Shingen-Ryu technique. Tsubone and Bisky shared auxiliary-type Nen abilities and had trained their bodies to achieve a robust, "tank-like" physique. However, in terms of raw power, Tsubone 's strength was certainly no match for Bisky's. "Master Ron, Lord Silva is waiting for you in the garden," Tsubone said, respectfully. Ron gave a slight nod. He knew Tsubone 's name, of course—but that knowledge came from his memories of the storyline in his previous life. In his current life, he was supposed to be unaware of it, so he acted as if he didn't know. Keen followed Ron as he stepped into the garden. A figure sat there. "You're here, Ron? Take a seat." Silva gestured toward a chair. "It's been a while, Uncle Silva," Ron replied, nodding politely as he took his seat. ------