Hunter x Hunter: The Strongest Zoldyck

As the sun rose, the first warm rays of sunlight shone through the curtains that were mostly drawn, illuminating the clear silhouettes of several people in the room.

The red-haired boy, slumped on the edge of the bed, had his head resting on his folded arms. He was breathing heavily and loudly, and there was a trace of drool at the corner of his mouth. It seemed he had a good dream.

The girl with the knife in the shadows leaned against the wall, the short sword held to her chest, her brown pupils half-open, like a cat dozing in the sunlight... Even while resting, her ears were still picking up every sound in the room.

Her gaze swept over Fica, over Loy, and through the gap in the curtains, making sure everything was alright before she relaxed her shoulders slightly.

The sunlight warmed Roy's face, instantly dispelling some of his drowsiness, and he slowly opened his eyes...

His vision blurred at first, then cleared, and he first saw the current appearance of the girl and the red-haired boy.

"Thanks for your hard work......"

Tap tap...!

Gently patting the shoulder of the boy clinging to her, and glancing gratefully at the Kurta girl, Roy slowly got out of bed and walked to the window.

His bare feet sank into the soft carpet without making a sound.

Until he reached the window, he grabbed the edge of the curtain with his right hand and gently pulled it...

despair!......

The curtains were rolled up and closed, revealing a large space, and sunlight immediately filled the entire room, making everything bright and cheerful.

A new day has begun...

A soft murmur slipped from Roy's lips, her voice so light it sounded like she was talking to the wind or to the city that was slowly awakening.

His gaze drifted out the window.

Blue sky and white clouds float in mid-air, while skyscrapers in the red dust stretch downwards. The buildings are arranged in a staggered manner from near to far, like a piece of music with ups and downs.

The streets were bustling with traffic and people, a scene of vibrant activity...

The vendors' cries, car horns, and children's laughter blended together, rising from below, but were mostly attenuated by the soundproof glass, leaving only a muffled buzzing sound.

Everything outside the arena appeared harmonious, stable, and orderly, completely different from the intense and restless atmosphere inside.

The arena stage was filled with the visceral impact of punches, the hissing of blades cutting through the air, and the deafening screams of the audience.

Outside, there was only the rising steam from breakfast stalls, mothers holding their children's hands on the zebra crossing, and the postman ringing his bicycle bell.

Two worlds, separated by a window, by a height of more than ten floors, yet like an insurmountable river.

This may be the difference between a martial artist and an ordinary person.

They are always trying to determine everything with force... to decide victory or defeat with fists, to distinguish superiority or inferiority with telekinesis, and to settle right and wrong with life and death...

"You haven't had breakfast yet..."

Withdrawing his gaze from the distance, Roy turned to look at Fika, who had regained consciousness, and the girl who had closed her eyes to rest. Roy calmly asked:

"It's said that the breakfast here is also exceptional."

Glug...!

Fica's stomach growled at just the right moment, sounding particularly loud in the quiet room.

His face flushed red, and he gave a flustered laugh.

Serapika's lips curved slightly, and the sharp dagger was sheathed again.

"Today marks the first get-together for our Wind Hunter team."

Having taken in the actions of the two, Roy walked to the door first, placed his right hand on the doorknob, his palm against the cold metal, and clenched his fingers.

Click...!

The two-story gate, taller than two people, slowly opened, revealing a wide passageway made of marble and wood.

The off-white marble floor was polished until it reflected a person's image, and every few steps, a copper wall lamp was embedded in the dark brown wooden wainscoting, the light as soft as filtered moonlight.

At the end of the corridor is a floor-to-ceiling window, outside which is the sky of Tramia, as blue as a washed canvas.

clatter!.......

Roy stepped lightly out the door, his feet landing on the marble floor. The solid, heavy feel under his feet made him straighten his back involuntarily.

The white hair gleamed silvery-white under the corridor lights.

He paused, didn't turn around, and simply added without looking back, "It's my treat today."

After saying that, Roy did not stand still to wait for the red-haired boy and the Kurta girl; he simply walked forward on his own.

The sound of walking was very soft, the steps were light and rhythmic, as if measuring the length of this corridor, or as if measuring the distance from the 99th floor to the 200th floor.

The girl and boy behind him exchanged a glance.

Fica blinked, Serapika nodded, and the two of them started walking in unison, following closely behind.

Fica jogged a couple of steps, stopping half a step behind Roy, turned her head, and whispered:

"Boss, what does 'Hunter Wind Squad' mean? Why isn't it called...?"

His voice grew softer and softer until the last few words were almost inaudible.

"...Why not call them the Zoldyck Squad?"

Roy paused, looked straight ahead, and turned back to look at him.

"Because 'hunting the wind' means chasing the wind. The wind has no shape, no weight, no fixed direction. It just blows, never stops, and never turns back. I want to be that kind of wind."

"The wind of freedom..."

His voice drifted from ahead, not loud, but very clear.

Fica paused for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.

That expression—a mix of understanding and not understanding, feeling something makes sense but not being able to articulate why—is undeniably endearing.

"Hunter of the Wind..." Fika rolled the two words on the tip of his tongue, repeated them, and then gave a soft compliment:

"...It sounds nice."

Serapika followed at the back. She didn't say anything; she simply lowered her right hand, which had been resting on the short sword at her waist, exuding a sense of ease and relaxation.

The three of them entered the elevator.

The elevator doors slowly closed, shutting out the wall lamps and carpet in the corridor.

"Which floor?" Fica asked.

"It's on the first floor, but the restaurant is on the second floor. However, I'd like to go for a walk first."

Upon hearing this, Fica didn't ask why; he simply pressed the "1" button.

A white light illuminated around the button, the elevator gave a slight jolt, and began to descend slowly.

The numbers jump from 99 to 98, from 98 to 97, one by one, at a steady pace, like a heartbeat, as natural as breathing.

The elevator was quiet; no one spoke, no one looked at their phones, and no one looked around.

In the middle of the three, Roy would glance at his own reflection in the metal door, then at Fica, then at Serapika, and then at the dried-out piece of chewing gum left behind in the corner of the elevator.

"bite!......"

The elevator doors opened, and a fresh, dewy scent of air rushed in.

The corridor began to fill with the scent of sunshine and fresh grass.

Taking a deep breath, Roy forced the air into his lungs, into his dantian, and into the depths of his still throbbing muscles, before slowly exhaling.