[HxH] Ch 1: Roy Zoldyck

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Kukuroo Mountain

Summer in the Republic of Padokea was hotter than usual this year.

Not even five in the morning, and the first light was already crawling up from the horizon.

Roy had gotten into the habit of waking early. Dressed in a vest and shorts, he took advantage of the brief cool air before the heat settled in, jogging laps around Kukuroo Mountain.

He ran from the family's castle in the mountains, down past the butlers' quarters, all the way to the guard post at the foot of the slope—and then back again. Nearly ten kilometers. When he finally returned, he looked like he'd just crawled out of a river, dripping with sweat but still brimming with energy.

Science says running triggers the release of endorphins, giving people a rush of pleasure. But when Roy caught his breath, there was no euphoric high—only a faint frown and a hint of frustration.

The reason?

Because he, the eldest son of the infamous Zoldyck family—the world's number one assassins whose very name made people tremble—was also a transmigrator from Earth. And lately, he'd noticed something troubling: his growth rate had started slowing down.

Sure, everyone reaches the limit of their talent eventually. Early on, muscle gains or fat loss always come quick, then plateau. That's normal for adults.

But Roy was only eight years old—still in the middle of rapid growth. And Zoldycks weren't normal. They were born with physical talents leagues above the average human.

Well, except him. With his black hair, Roy hadn't fully inherited the Zoldyck bloodline's trademark "silver-haired potential."

Even so, Roy wasn't the type to panic. He lived by the principle of "slow is smooth, smooth is fast." After his run, he headed back to his room, took a quick shower, and came out dressed in a clean training uniform.

By six o'clock, the antique wooden clock in the corner chimed, right on cue. The butler Gotoh entered, pushing a cart and laying out breakfast in front of him.

Creamy mushroom soup. Bacon sandwiches. A salad of wild greens freshly picked from Kukuroo Mountain, mixed with eggs and drizzled in rice vinegar. And a glass of milk. Perfectly balanced nutrition… if a little bland.

Roy grabbed a sandwich, dipped it in the soup, and took a bite. While Gotoh reported today's training plan, Roy quietly pulled up his "panel," scanning the details.

)—[System Panel]—(

↳ Name: Roy Zoldyck

↳ Age: 7 years, 11 months

↳ Physique: 10 → 10.001 

(Note: Average human = 1)

↳ Nen Ability: Nodes unopened, awaiting activation

↳ Combat Experience: Lv. 2 (15/100)

↳ Techniques :  •Silent Gaits  •Joint Control  •The Snake Awakens

[Title: Inexperienced rookie. Young, but destined to wither fast]

Seeing his title, Roy chomped down hard on his sandwich, venting his irritation.

Gotoh cleared his throat gently. "Roy-sama, Madam hasn't been in the best mood lately. Please be careful."

Madam, of course, was Kikyo—Roy's biological mother. After three straight black-haired sons and not a single silver-haired heir, she treated it like a crime, the same way ancient families might despair at having three daughters in a row with no son.

Her anxiety and temper made sense. Luckily, her next child—Killua—would finally meet her expectations.

"Milluki's not a bad kid. Sure, he's fat, ugly, squinty, and farts too much, but other than that, nothing wrong with him. Mother doesn't like him, but I don't see why."

Roy washed down the last of his sandwich with a sip of milk, speaking casually.

Gotoh fell silent. He couldn't tell if Roy was praising Milluki or roasting him alive. Then again, Roy had never cared for Illumi either, always saying his brother's cold, hollow eyes made him look like a ghost. Best to just pretend he didn't hear.

Instead, Gotoh shifted the subject. "Roy-sama, the Master has decided to open your Nen."

He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, face solemn. "The time is set for tonight at eight o'clock. He'll be waiting for you in the training hall."

Roy froze for a second before masking his reaction. He dabbed his lips with a napkin, expression calm, though his mind was racing.

The bad news? After years of observation, Silva and Zeno had realized the truth—he was just a "normal" genius. With Nen, maybe he'd become a qualified assassin. But the idea of inheriting the Zoldyck family? That was only ever his own wishful thinking.

The good news? If he awakened as an Enhancer, it could compensate for his weaker physique and open a real path forward.

Either way, the decision was made.

Tonight at eight, whether he wanted to or not, Roy would step into the world of Nen.

The very step he'd been waiting for all eight years since his rebirth.

Deep in his eyes, a spark of determination flared. He quickly finished breakfast.

At Silva's order, he skipped training for once, spending the day meditating and adjusting his state of mind until night fell and the moon rose high.

He stood, lit by the flicker of wall lamps, and walked down the long, silent corridor to the training hall.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Enter."

A powerful voice echoed from within.

The door creaked open, revealing a tall man facing away, silver hair cascading like a waterfall as he held a perfect horse stance with his legs balanced on two massive stone pillars. The aura he gave off, even without intent, pressed down on Roy like a mountain.

Silva Zoldyck. A top-tier assassin. The man who once killed Phantom Troupe's Number 8 alone and walked away unharmed. The man who, during the Chimera Ant invasion, descended from the sky and obliterated a division leader with a single punch.

Every time Roy stood before him, he felt it. That suffocating weight. That instinctive terror.

This wasn't the gap between father and son. It was the crushing difference between power.

He steadied his breathing. "Father."

The door slammed shut behind him.

Silva turned, eyes sharp as blades. "Come."

Roy stepped forward.

And in the next instant, a massive palm blurred and slammed against his chest, faster than lightning.

Crack!

The shockwave of concentrated Ren tore through his body, then blasted into the wall behind him.

The solid stone split into a spiderweb of cracks.

And deep inside Roy, a long-locked node finally shattered.

.

.

.