Chapter 43: Unexpected Guests
Raymond had arrived in a small town beneath the towering Kukuroo Mountain earlier this morning.
Seated comfortably in the passenger seat, he observed the passing scenery through the car window while Sakujiro navigated the vehicle along the road toward the Zoldyck Estate.
"Hmm?"
Raymond furrowed his brows in thought, exhaling softly as he shook his head.
"..."
Noticing Raymond's reaction, Sakujiro felt a bead of sweat forming on his brow, realizing that Raymond had swiftly noticed something unusual.
Meanwhile...
Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio had finished their training and stood in front of the testing gate of the Zoldyck Estate.
Leorio removed his heavy vest, letting it drop to the ground with a thud. Determined to see Killua, Gon declared their mission.
"Let's go meet Killua!"
The trio approached the testing gate, ready to open it.
Kurapika had healed his arm during their training and was prepared to assist in the effort.
However, the noise of a car approaching disrupted their action.
Everyone turned their heads towards the road, where they saw a car slowly pulling up beside the guard post.
"Hmm?"
The gatekeeper, Zebro, blinked in surprise. He hadn't been informed of any visitors arriving today.
With a puzzled expression, he began to walk towards the car.
"Raymond?"
Just as Gon was about to refocus on the testing gate, his eyes widened, along with everyone else's, as they saw the person stepping out of the vehicle.
"Raymond!"
They called out and immediately made their way toward him, curious about his unexpected presence in such a place.
Zebro was puzzled by their reaction to the man's arrival as he scratched his head and wondered, "Is he also a friend of the Young Master?"
Despite his uncertainty, Zebro sensed Raymond's imposing presence and cautiously approached him.
Raymond raised an eyebrow as Gon and the others approached.
"Oh, are you kids here to see Killua?" Raymond asked casually, with Sakujiro by his side like a faithful companion.
"Yep! We're here to bring him back!"
Gon declared, his eyes shining with resolve.
Kurapika chimed in with a smile, curious about why Raymond was here. "And what brings you here, Raymond?"
"..."
Leorio eyed Raymond warily, remembering the tension between him and Killua's brother, and pondered the same question.
"Good afternoon, welcome to the Zoldyck Family Estate," Zebro greeted with a professional smile, capturing everyone's attention.
"Please forgive my ignorance, but may I inquire as to the nature of your visit today?"
Raymond chuckled, noting the curious gazes directed at him.
His face crept up with a smirk as he calmly declared, "I'm here to collect Illumi's left hand..."
"Pardon?" Zebro blinked in confusion, his expression mirroring the disbelief felt by the others who fell into silence.
"...As I expected, this guy still has a problem with Killua's brother," Leorio muttered, feeling sweat rolling down his back after hearing Raymond's intention.
And the fact that Raymond had come directly to their estate was also something else as Leorio felt slightly amazed and speechless.
"..."
Gon and Kurapika exchanged wry smiles, sensing a storm was brewing.
Ignoring their reactions, Raymond chuckled and made his way toward the testing gate.
The others were unable to resist and decided to follow.
"So, you gotta open it up to get in, right?"
"...You seem to be quite familiar with us. Yes, you should be coming in through this gate," Zebro answered.
Sakujiro stepped up, bowing, "Allow me to open it up for you, Master."
"Alright, I'll leave it up to you, Sakujiro..."
Raymond nodded as Gon and the rest immediately examined Sakujiro's frame, which was not particularly muscular.
"Raymond, Grandpa Zebro mentioned that the first gate weighs 2 tons, and it gets heavier up to 256 tons at the seventh gate," Gon shared with him.
Kurapika nodded in agreement, adding, "We've been training here for two weeks, and today was the day we planned to open it. Do you think your subordinate is strong enough for it?"
"Will he be able to open it, though?"
Leorio was also skeptical that whoever this guy was beside Raymond would be able to open the gate.
"Well, let's see..."
Raymond simply smiled in response to their doubts, a confident glint in his eye.
He watched as Sakujiro leisurely approached the gate, not even bothering to remove his blazer.
With a calm demeanor, Sakujiro placed his hand on the testing gate.
As he made contact, he could feel the weight pressing against his palm.
His eyes sharpened, his body tensed, and his muscles slowly tightened, veins nearly bulging from every corner of his body.
"His frame might not be muscular..."
Raymond slowly thought as he looked at Sakujiro's back.
"...but his raw strength is above mine."
Raymond chuckled to himself as he watched Sakujiro, who let out a determined hiss as he gathered his strength and pushed against the gate.
Gon and the others were initially surprised as Sakujiro managed to open the first gate.
"Whoa! He actually opened it up!"
"Wait, it's not over yet!"
Their surprise turned to amazement as each subsequent gate also swung open.
However...
"...!"
Their amazement turned to horror as the gates continued to part one after another until even the seventh and final gate gave way with a resounding boom reverberating throughout the mountain.
Leorio could only look on with his mouth agape.
In a dimly lit room on the other side of the mountain, the walls were adorned with human skulls and bones.
A man with long white hair sat on a soft cushion on the floor, accompanied by a large hound by his side.
Facing him was a short, elderly man with a long mustache.
"Alright, I'm heading to see my grandson. Anything you want to add, Silva?"
"Please let him know I'd like to see him, Father..."
"Alr—"
But before Zeno could finish, a sudden boom echoed through the estate, causing them to snap their attention toward the source of the disturbance.
Hurried steps echoed through the corridor, and the room's door swung open hastily.
A sweating servant rushed in, exclaiming, "Patriarch!"
"Someone went wild and opened all the testing gates!"
Breathing heavily, the servant moved to the side and pressed a few buttons.
The ceiling slowly opened, and a camera descended, revealing multiple screens displaying multiple angles throughout the Kukuroo Mountain, including the testing gate, which was now wide open!
Silva's expression shifted to a frown as he rose from his seat, his gaze fixed on the faces displayed on the screen.
"Do you recognize them?" Zeno inquired.
Silva nodded, his tone serious, "I've met the gray-haired man in the black suit before. He's formidable, none of our servants can match him..."
"Hmm? You think they're here to cause trouble?"
"I'm not sure, but the man behind the gray-haired one. He's the one who injured Illumi..." Silva explained.
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