Chapter 229 - 229

Words : 1136 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

"Old friend? Chairman, are you referring to Zeno Zoldyck?" "No." Netero shook his head. "Zeno isn't an old friend. He was just a brat back then. But, speaking of which, time really flies. That tiny kid from those days is already an old man now." Gel's eyes widened. The Zoldyck family, Netero's old friend. If it's not Zeno, then there's only one possibility. A legendary assassin. The world's number one assassin. One of the five greatest Nen users in the world. Someone who once fought Netero and earned his approval. Maha Zoldyck. To be personally trained by Maha Zoldyck. In the Hunter Association, that would be like receiving personal guidance from Netero himself. "No wonder!" Gel exclaimed again. Previously, Gel felt that Wendy and Ron would surpass her in the future. Now Gel was certain that Wendy and Ron would inevitably surpass her someday. She was merely one of the Twelve Zodiac seats of the Hunter Association. "But Ron isn't the heir of the Zoldyck family, right?" Netero was close with the Zoldyck family. Naturally, the Hunter Association also had plenty of contact with them. Gel knew that the heir was supposed to have white hair. Yet Ron had black hair. "Heir or not, it doesn't matter." "Besides, the tradition of having an heir in the Zoldyck family isn't that long-standing." "Zeno, Silva—it's not easy for them to reach Maha's level." "Since Maha chose Ron, there must be a reason." "That's all, Gel. You can leave now and get back to your own work." Gel nodded. "Yes, Chairman." She then left Netero's office. --- "We've arrived!" The bus stopped, and Ron and Wendy got off. "So that's Kukuroo Mountain?" At first glance, Wendy saw the towering peak not far away. From a distance, it was shrouded in mist, making its exact features unclear—only its general outline could be discerned. "Ron, is your home at the top of that mountain?" "Mm, that's right." Ron nodded and said, "Let's see if there's a bus going up the mountain from town today. If not, we'll have to walk." Ron led Wendy to the station. No vehicles were present. "Looks like our luck isn't great." The buses that go up aren't available every day. After all, the town's tourist count is limited; it's just a small place. Even though Kukuroo Mountain is a scenic spot, the Zoldyck Estate isn't open to the public. Visitors can only glimpse it from outside. So many people don't find it appealing. Plus, there are challengers. As long as visitors behave, the Zoldyck family won't harm them. But the challengers are another matter. "No problem, let's walk up. We can enjoy the scenery along the way." Wendy was interested in everything outside the Fiore Kingdom. It was the same when she went to the Taris Kingdom. Even living in the slums didn't bother her; instead, she found it quite interesting. The two followed the main road toward the mountain. Initially, there were still several people around. But upon entering the Kukuroo Mountain area, the situation changed. In an instant, the surroundings quieted down, leaving only Ron and Wendy. A small hut stood nearby. After Ron and Wendy passed, an old man stepped out. "Someone went up the mountain just now?" The old man frowned. "Going up at this time?" "Could they be challengers?" The old man recalled when he attempted to challenge them. He had heard the Zoldyck family was the world's number one assassin family, but he didn't believe it. He thought they weren't that great and that he wasn't weak himself. After years of training, he had reached what he considered the pinnacle of assassination skills. So he went to challenge them, hoping to defeat the Zoldyck family and make a name for himself. But upon arriving at the Zoldyck Estate, he discovered— He had been a frog at the bottom of a well. The Zoldyck family's strength far surpassed his imagination. He couldn't even match a gate guard. "Until they truly face someone from the Zoldyck family, people have no idea just how formidable they are." The old man shook his head and returned indoors. --- "Ron, did you often take this path before?" Wendy asked curiously, scanning their surroundings. "No." Ron replied, "I rarely took this route. Before, whenever I went up or down the mountain, I usually took the bus." He paused for a moment. "In fact, before I turned nine, I had never even left the mountain." Wendy glanced at Ron with sympathy in her eyes. "Then you're a lot like me. When I was young, I was also confined to a single place and couldn't leave. This assignment in the Taris Kingdom was my first time leaving the Fiore Kingdom." "No, to be precise, it was my first time leaving the Fiore capital." "Before that, I'd never even stepped outside the capital." Wendy's words made Ron feel they shared a similar fate. Ron wasn't surprised. When training Nen users, every major faction has its own methods. Building a solid foundation is crucial and time-consuming. In such cases, they wouldn't let people wander freely. Focusing on training is what matters. Furthermore, a young Nen user who hasn't matured is still very weak. Stepping outside often leads to dangerous situations. Not necessarily involving Nen users—even ordinary people could be a threat. For instance, even after Ron became a Nen user and gained his own Nen beast, the Zoldyck family still secretly protected him. Similarly, when Silva threw Killua into Heaven's Arena, he provided secret protection. Without it, Killua might have lost his life long ago. A six or seven-year-old boy displaying such remarkable talent would certainly draw attention. Of course he would. Many people were interested in Killua. Even with Nina and Sally secretly protecting Killua, they encountered numerous incidents. They also helped Killua handle hidden threats. Zeno secretly protected Ron until he reached the level of a C-class Nen user. By that time, Ron had gained a certain degree of self-defense ability. Ron held no grudge against these arrangements. On the contrary, he considered them beneficial. Wendy might feel a bit resentful now, which was normal. But once she grew older, she would surely understand. The mountain road was long and steep, but not rugged. After all, a bus could travel here. Typically, no one would choose to walk up. It would be too exhausting for ordinary people. But Ron and Wendy were Nen users, moving swiftly. After about an hour, they reached a point halfway up the mountain. A towering wall appeared before them.

Chapter 229 - 229

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