He is a formidable enemy.
The experience accumulated from the Meteor City arc, coupled with Zzigg's unreserved pressure, both attested to this fact.
"Run." Every second counted. Illumi released my hand and bolted.
During the Meteor City arc, Illumi and I had established certain rules for survival, to swiftly handle unusual situations, ensure coordinated actions, and avoid unnecessary conflicts. One of these rules was to flee in separate directions when encountering a strong enemy, thereby reducing the probability of total annihilation.
In theory, this rule was sound.
In practice, before opponents of a certain caliber, this rule was a joke; we had been captured entirely more than once.
Rather than futilely repeating the fate of failed escapes, facing a determined outcome, why not go all out? Perhaps it would add some experience points?
The moment Illumi let go, I stared at Zzigg's health bar, my hand morphing into a claw, and attacked.
It was easily dodged, as expected.
I did not target Zzigg's upper body, as movement was less agile in mid-air than on the ground, making one susceptible to openings. Thus, I merely leaped slightly, feigning an attack on Zzigg's heart. Upon reaching Zzigg, I landed, my true target being the artery in her thigh.
Even so, even with my newfound cunning, the power gap was undeniable. The attack's failure was as expected. My next move was pre-planned: after the failed attack on the thigh artery, I would retaliate by severing her tendons.
Failure, as expected.
Next was the lower back.
Failure, as expected.
Combat, much like chess, requires foresight. The more moves you anticipate, the faster your response, and the more you seize the initiative. Cunning individuals also lay numerous traps from the outset, guiding opponents into predicaments step by step to achieve victory.
Unfortunately, my intelligence is average, and my trapping skills are likely laughable. After all, I hadn't even questioned Zzigg's appearance, nor overthought things, unlike a very smart seven-year-old… a foolish adult.
Well, at least this foolish adult, from our brief exchange, realized this Zzigg was likely the genuine article. This foolish adult had undergone specialized training against Zzigg for a period and was familiar with some of Zzigg's movement patterns.
According to the original story, Zzigg was a loyal butler to the Zoldycks for at least two consecutive generations. Barring the low probability event of a butterfly effect causing Zzigg's betrayal, I believed this was likely a test.
What was being tested? Combat prowess?
Wouldn't sending someone neither Illumi nor I knew as an enemy be a more accurate way to test our abilities?
No, our current level wouldn't warrant such a thing. We were merely small cups; Shibah and the others, with their experience, could tell our worth with a slight shake.
"Are you not continuing your attacks?" Zzigg was unharmed, not even having moved a single step.
Killua, the Zoldyck with the greatest talent, found Zzigg to be a formidable opponent at the age of twelve and dared not act rashly. I, with barely over eight years of experience, didn't believe I was more capable than Killua, or else the Zoldycks would be worshipping me. (Laughs)
If the focus wasn't on testing strength, was it on testing choices when facing a formidable enemy?
When facing an insurmountable foe, according to the Zoldyck family motto, one should flee decisively, just like Illumi.
After I made my choice to "stay and fight," would it be too late to add "fleeing due to inferiority"? Or perhaps, would it even be meaningful?
It was meaningless.
Even if I did it correctly, it would still be meaningless.
It was merely a distinction between receiving a reward or accepting punishment.
I had no desired rewards, and I was somewhat accustomed to the Zoldyck family's physical punishments; they couldn't pose a significant threat, as I knew their punishments had limits and would never leave me with unhealable injuries. Therefore... lying down and enduring it was also an option.
Answering based on my mood was also permissible.
The greatest difference between a mature adult and an immature child in making choices is that mature adults are more aware of the cost of their decisions and are prepared for the consequences.
Yes, I wasn't being reckless or impulsive, but prepared.
When playing games, I enjoyed choosing incorrect options first to see the bad endings, then reloading to choose the correct options and proceed with the main quest. However, the current choice shouldn't affect the main storyline, so naturally, I would deliberately choose the incorrect option to observe the NPCs' reactions, which would differ from their usual responses.
Although it was a choice that wouldn't affect the main storyline, in games with multiple endings, some choices would accumulate certain stats and influence the type of ending. I couldn't save in this game, and I knew I wouldn't be able to make all the right choices in one go. Since achieving a perfect ending was impossible, why not experience what kind of ending would occur after making as many wrong choices as possible? It was truly exciting.
Ignoring the killing intent radiating from Zzigg, I chose to continue my ineffective attacks, treating it as regular training.
I recalled the wooden dummies in the Zoldyck training grounds. This was one piece of evidence that the Zoldyck's setting was inspired by my country in the "real world." The traditional training props commonly seen by our people in martial arts films were very practical. Even master-level characters, besides their regular duels, still practiced basic skills on the wooden dummies. I quite enjoyed this part, as it was cool, wasn't it, to kick away the label of "Sick Man of East Asia" with moves like Huo Yuanjia or Wing Chun?
In the "real world," my limb coordination was poor, and I was clumsy; I had to concentrate whenever I went downstairs, or I might misstep on the next step. The body settings in this world, however, were like those in action movies. With some practice, I could use martial arts proficiently, experiencing the thrill of kung fu movies, which was fantastic.
Zzigg easily sent me flying. I adjusted my posture before landing, my feet hitting the ground steadily.
I didn't particularly like these choice-based tests, as they felt like calculating my worth and inclinations to conclude whether I was "useful" or "useless."
Value was very important; it determined the resources and care they were willing to give me.
There was no unconditional love.
The so-called blood is thicker than water was a joke.
Your personal performance could dictate the expressions of relatives and parents.
If I were a complete good-for-nothing, Shibah wouldn't look at me.
If I were an unattractive doll, Kikyo wouldn't look at me.
The amount of "love" I received, the amount of money I received, was equivalent to the value I demonstrated.
During my time under the Fifth Zone administrator, the lack of training opportunities, and watching Illumi undertake the administrator's tasks and hoard all the experience for himself, made me anxious. The opportunity to spar with high-level NPCs was an event I had long yearned for.
I maintained my position with my hands on the ground, staring intently at Zzigg, channeling power to my toes, ready to spring.
"Stop. Mels." It was Shibah's voice.
I turned my head and saw Illumi following behind Shibah.
The encounter with Zzigg and the complex thoughts during this period – it couldn't have been more than three minutes. It was indeed a test; Shibah was watching nearby.
I remembered the last time Shibah stopped me was when I wanted to kill Illumi after he killed my hawk. For some reason, when he stopped me and called my name, my heart tightened, and I felt as if he were calling a dog he owned.
Yes, Mels, that was the name he gave me.
I also felt my resistance was inexplicably illogical, unreasonable, and even abnormal, but as I gazed at Shibah, seeing the Boss-level health bar hovering above his head, the power I had gathered in my feet spread throughout my body, turning into excitement in my mind.
There was no particular reason; I just wanted to attack Shibah.
This was probably one of my "player" bad habits: seeing an NPC with a health bar made me want to try and affect their health bar.
Changing my target, I ignored Zzigg's duty as a Zoldyck butler to "always protect the master." The moment my feet left the ground, Zzigg, faster than me, grabbed my collar from behind, negating my momentum.
The power gap was too great; a complete instant kill, instantly caught in his grasp.
"Sister, this is just a test," Illumi said.
"..." I knew, but couldn't I try to challenge Shibah?!
Zzigg placed me back on the ground. I saw the human shadow on the ground shorten. Zzigg, behind me, bent down, extending a hand in front of me. In his hand lay a pudding. "Miss Mels, don't you want to return to the airship to eat pudding sooner?"
"..." Do you take me for a child?!
Fine, I was already holding the pudding.
Familiar glass packaging. Even if Zzigg, Shibah, and Illumi could be impersonated, no one would think of faking this special pudding from the Zoldyck family's private kitchen, right?
The isolation net of the Fifth Zone was easily crossed by Shibah and Zzigg, with Illumi and me in tow – the physical abilities in this world were unscientific; I needed to get used to it.
The journey that normally took Illumi and me hours was negligible before the two high-level NPCs, who moved as if driving a car.
When it came to carrying people, there was a significant difference between male and female approaches.
Shibah carried Illumi like a briefcase, simply tucking him under his arm.
The treatment from Zzigg, however, was much more comfortable. Held in her arms, I only needed to hold my pudding with all my attention.
By the time we reached the airship, the refrigerated pudding had only been slightly warmed by my hands.
As soon as I stepped onto the airship, I excitedly walked, tilting my head to unscrew the glass lid of the pudding, only then remembering there was no spoon.
"Mels." Shibah was calling me.
"..." I had no choice but to screw the pudding lid back on and hold the pudding as I walked to Shibah, standing next to Illumi.
"Both of you have lost weight," Shibah stated as his first impression.
Yes, it was simply the result of starvation; we were almost skin and bones. I should have written "miserable" in blood on Shibah's leg. If the Meteor City arc were replaced with the Heaven's Arena arc, I guarantee you would have seen at least one plump cat.
Shibah might have sensed my wandering thoughts and asked Zzigg to put the pudding back in the refrigerator.
...Hmph.
"You have both learned what you needed over the past year, and I believe you each have your own takeaways."
This familiar year-end summary opening, no! I hated doing such reports! As a mediocre employee like myself, there were no outstanding achievements worth summarizing, nor a beautiful future worth looking forward to. Writing reports at the end of every year gave me a headache!
"Mels, you became complacent at the end, lacking a bit of vigilance," Shibah said. "However, you have shallow experience, so it's not entirely your fault."
"..." My experience is shallow? How shameful. I have lived xx years more than Illumi, possessing xx years more experience. Well, some things are not entirely determined by age.
"A good assassin must be able to quickly integrate into unfamiliar environments," Shibah continued. "Your performances have been satisfactory."
Yes, not just integrated into unfamiliar environments, but almost excessively so, to the point of smelling of garbage.
[Party Disbanded. Illumi Zoldyck has left the party.]
Ha, the long Meteor City arc was truly over.
Shibah said nothing more, nor did he ask any further questions.
They probably already knew the basic situation in the arc through some channel.
The Zoldyck's educational methods were, on the whole, lenient. They didn't dwell on unimportant details. As long as they didn't point them out, it meant they hadn't reached the crucial points, or they were within their limits.
"Therefore, I will give you corresponding rewards." Shibah first looked at Illumi. "Illu, you can participate in Milluki's future education."
Oh, as Illumi's first younger brother, Milluki would be the first to suffer Illumi's torment. Poor Milluki, he's just a child!
Illumi nodded. Although he maintained a poker face, his actions clearly showed his eagerness.
"Mels, what do you want?" Shibah asked me.
"..." You didn't mention rewards for the arc earlier. Suddenly asking me what I want, how could I think of anything?
"You don't have anything you want?" Shibah said, appearing open-minded. "Then I won't force you."
Hey! How can you cancel the arc rewards! It's better to have it than not! Aren't you going to persuade me, Shibah?!
"..." I immediately shook my head.
What kind of arc reward should I ask for?
Money? How much would be appropriate? Would asking for that be too low-class?
An item? I don't have anything I particularly want, and even if I did, I'd have to consider if the item's value was suitable first.
Requesting a right, like Illumi? In the "real world," I wanted the right to euthanasia, but that was impossible to grant. Other rights didn't come to mind as suitable or desirable.
Illumi impatiently went to the airship's shower room to wash up. Standing alone before Shibah, lost in thought about the arc reward, I still looked like a disheveled survivor of the Meteor City ordeal, like a beggar asking a rich person for money, in a very awkward situation.
If this game had an "experience book" item, that would be great. Currently, what I wanted most was an "experience book"; using it would instantly raise my level, so I wouldn't fear being bullied by Illumi in the future and could defeat the game bosses sooner.
After much thought, was money really my only option? Damn it, money was indeed the best choice in the "real world," but my current family background was set as a wealthy one, and I wasn't short of money. Asking for money now was the least valuable choice.
"...You still haven't decided?" Illumi had finished showering and changed his clothes, his tone filled with confusion. "Is it that difficult to think of, Sister?"
"Then let's keep the reward reserved and consider it slowly," Shibah sighed slightly. "Until tomorrow at this time, okay?"
Shibah's sigh made me feel a bit ashamed. My face flushed, and I nodded, then ran to the shower room to wash.
Showerhead, shampoo, and body wash, oh, my relatives, I haven't seen you in so long!
Adjusting the hot water temperature, the gushing water was like a sweet spring, nourishing my depleted heart and body. After washing off the grime, my mind seemed to have been cleansed as well, my thoughts becoming much clearer.
I thought of a better choice than asking for money! Something I couldn't normally get! And it wasn't excessive.
I've decided!
I want to...
"?" Shibah was startled by my request and slowly formed a question mark. "Are you sure?"
"..." I nodded nervously and expectantly.
"Hearing such a request suddenly, even I feel a bit... hmm, how should I put it?" Shibah rested his right hand on his chin, his posture similar to The Thinker statue, and his tone, like The Thinker statue, was tinged with a hint of distress.
"..." But I felt my request was very simple.
"What is it?" Due to the angle, Illumi couldn't see my lips and didn't know what I had "said."
"Should I say it was completely unexpected? Or does it feel novel?" Shibah's vertical pupils always held a sharp gaze, looking at me like a lion looking at its prey. "Mels, parents often know their children best, but also not at all. Sometimes I can't guess what you're thinking, and this is the unique experience of being a parent."
"..." It would be terrifying if you could always guess, in every sense.
I didn't think it was something shameful, but Shibah might have been concerned about his dignity (?), or rather, his authority as the current head of the Zoldyck family. He dismissed others, creating a clearing.
Shibah placed his hand to the right of his seat. "Stand up here directly."
The height difference was too great; even sitting, he was considerably taller than me. Since he had dismissed others, it meant he was even less likely to adopt the "bowing down to serve the young" doting father route. So, by the time I stood on the seat, he would only need to lower his head slightly.
Yes, my request was... I wanted to pet Shibah, strike that, the original words were, "I want to pat your head, is that okay?"
Unlike many middle-aged men troubled by thinning hair, Shibah's hair volume, even in the main storyline years later, remained as lush as a lion's mane, truly enviable.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
This is a precious record of a young human taming a lion king in its early stages (not).
Could ordinary people achieve this?
Could ordinary people casually pat Shibah's (dog's) head?
Cough, this was the reward I earned from over a year of hardship and peril in the Meteor City arc.
Shibah's silver strands were within reach. My hands trembled slightly, my heart pounding no less than if I were about to receive the Olympic torch.
Oh, this hair, this luster, this fluffiness!
Like touching the soft cotton stuffed inside a pillow, the fluffy silver hair easily indented under my fingers. I dared not use force, only touching the surface. My fingertips did not touch his scalp at all, yet I could still feel the warmth emanating from deep within the strands... the distance was too close.
The request made impulsively in a moment of heat suddenly made me feel a trace of embarrassment.
The current Shibah was only around thirty years old, not yet possessing the seasoned composure he had when the main storyline began. Similar to the brief flashback in the Election arc in the manga, his face bore no traces of time, like another character who retained their main features.
Nen users generally appeared younger than ordinary people. If I combined my ages from both worlds, I was actually older than Shibah, yet much more foolish than him, growing in age but not in intelligence. In terms of intelligence alone, he could truly be my father—this feeling was so subtle.
What should be my character positioning?
A beautiful (?) fool?
Happily patting his head, wasn't that too intimate, or rather, did I seem a bit flippant?
"..." So annoying. I've wasted all these years. I said long ago that mediocrity like me is just a passerby NPC meant to fill space, dying without regret.
My hand was already on his head. I had made the request myself, so I had to see it through. I cautiously patted him twice, then withdrew my hand and jumped off the seat.
"Finished?" The Lion King lowered his head, still high enough to look down at me.
The Lion King's words, when translated, probably meant, "That's it?"
I pursed my lips and nodded vigorously.
"Is that so? It feels as if I'm favoring Illumi," Shibah reached out and patted my head. "You recognized me before but chose to attack. Do you want to challenge me that much, Mels?"
"..." With his palm on my head, I slowly nodded.
"Alright, I'll call you when I have time," Shibah moved his hand away. "The pudding has been chilled. Go eat it."
I nodded as if in a dream and turned towards the refrigerator.
Excellent! The reward for the Meteor City arc directly advanced the game's progress. The final boss had become a daily boss, meaning I could accumulate more experience and get accustomed to the boss's attack patterns, increasing my chances of success in future game walkthroughs!
Shibah, rest assured, I will absolutely not let your good intentions go to waste.