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"What's in the forest?"
Killua, holding a handful of sand, stared blankly at Illumi.
"Ants, bees, bears, snakes—lots of things."
Illumi fiddled with the toy car in his hand for a moment before tossing it aside onto the sandy ground, clearly bored.
"Did you see them?"
Killua picked up the discarded toy car, filled its cargo compartment with sand, and looked back at Illumi, asking curiously.
"No."
This answer made Killua furrow his brows slightly. "If you didn't encounter anything, how do you know those things are in the forest?"
Illumi didn't respond. Instead, he plopped down onto the sand and turned to face Killua.
"Killua, in three days, we'll start our training."
"Are you ready?"
"Mm, of course." Killua nodded nonchalantly, unperturbed by the question, then asked in return, "What about you?"
Illumi spread his hands, shrugging indifferently. "Me too."
Ever since arriving in this world and learning that he was part of the Zoldyck family, he had mentally prepared himself for what lay ahead.
"We've played enough. Let's go back."
Illumi stood up, brushing the sand off his pants, and glanced at Delica, the curly-haired nanny who always supervised them. "Take us back, Delica."
"Yes, Illumi-sama."
The nanny hurried over, taking Killua's hand while keeping a respectful distance behind Illumi as they walked toward the Zoldyck mansion.
At this age, Killua still required constant care, but Illumi never allowed anyone to hold his hand.
It took about ten minutes to walk from the playground to the Zoldyck estate.
"Illumi-sama, Killua-sama."
"Welcome home."
The door opened to reveal Zebanio, who bowed slightly with a smile and ushered the two boys inside.
Illumi led the way, followed closely by Killua, whose hand remained firmly grasped by the nanny.
"Hmm?"
Upon entering, Illumi noticed a young man standing behind Zebanio. The youth wore glasses, his expression cold and distant. Dressed in a formal tailcoat, he kept his gaze fixed straight ahead.
"This is the new butler," Zebanio explained, noticing Illumi's attention on the figure behind him.
"Greetings, Illumi-sama."
The young man bowed deeply, his movements precise and respectful.
"I am the newly appointed apprentice butler, Wutong."
As Illumi studied the familiar face, he confirmed that this was indeed Wutong—the same one who would later be killed by Hisoka in the future.
Without saying a word, Illumi simply nodded and walked past both men, heading down the corridor toward the main hall. Killua trailed closely behind.
"What do you think of the young masters?" Zebanio asked casually, watching the two small figures disappear into the corridor.
"Illumi-sama is very independent and composed," Wutong replied without hesitation.
"As for Killua-sama… he seems rather expressionless. Beyond that, I don't know much yet."
Zebanio removed one lens of his glasses, polishing it with a handkerchief before replacing it. Smiling faintly, he remarked, "Illumi-sama is exceptionally talented. Everyone adores him."
"If only his bloodline were stronger, I might like him even more."
Wutong remained stoic, offering no comment on Zebanio's personal preferences—it wasn't his place to judge.
"Illumi, what are you going to do next?"
In the corridor, Killua jogged up beside Illumi, walking shoulder to shoulder with him.
"I'm going to meditate in my room. You can find something else to do."
Illumi glanced at him with mild exasperation. At just three years old, Killua was still very much like an ordinary child—playful and easily distracted.
"Oh."
Killua responded absently, continuing to walk alongside him, seemingly unfazed.
At the end of the corridor, Illumi pushed open the door with a soft click, and the two entered their shared room.
Inside, there were two beds—one for Illumi and one for Killua. On Killua's bed lay piles of toys, while Illumi's bed held nothing but a blanket and pillow.
After stepping inside, Illumi slipped off his shoes, climbed onto his bed, and sat cross-legged. He placed his palms upward and began to meditate.
Meanwhile, Killua climbed onto his own bed and started playing with his toys, occasionally dropping them with a soft clatter.
Meditation was something Illumi practiced regularly.
He knew that Nen abilities in the Hunter World were influenced not only by aptitude and lineage but also heavily by one's mental state. Through meditation, Illumi could sense some of the peculiarities of this world.
For instance, he could feel a strange aura emanating from Killua—an energy akin to emotions or perhaps something else entirely.
Illumi understood the methods of awakening Nen abilities and the ways to train them. He was curious about his own potential. The speed at which someone awakened their Nen often indicated their innate talent.
Of course, this alone wasn't enough to determine how far someone might progress in the long run.
From what he remembered from the original story, aside from Chairman Netero, the Twelve Zodiac members, and others who had mastered the technique known as En (Perfect Circle), there was one standout prodigy among Nen users: Prince Chrollo Lucilfer of the Kakin Empire.
From first hearing about the concept of Nen to sensing the presence of Aura, it took Chrollo only five seconds—perhaps even less.
For ordinary people, depending on their aptitude, sensing Aura could take several days.
There was no doubt that Chrollo was a once-in-a-generation genius, his talent rivaling that of Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck—or so it seemed.
Of course, this comparison wasn't perfect. Gon and Killua had their Ten forcibly opened by Wing during their training, bypassing the natural process of awakening through gradual cultivation.
Moreover, Chrollo's rapid awakening might have been influenced by the mysterious ritual involving the egg within the jar—a factor that couldn't be ignored.
Knock, knock, knock...
A knock sounded at the door, interrupting Killua's playtime. He paused and called out, "What is it?"
"It's time for dinner, Killua-sama," came the voice of the butler from outside.
Illumi opened his eyes and glanced toward the window. The sun had already set.
"Time flies without notice..."
Getting off the bed, he headed toward the door, where the butler awaited them.
The two brothers walked side by side, the butler trailing behind, until they reached the dining room. Silava Zoldyck sat in the head seat, with Grandpa Zeno Zoldyck also present.
"Illumi, Killua, hurry up and sit down!" Kikyo Zoldyck called out sternly.
Killua obediently scurried over to sit beside Kikyo, while Illumi approached Grandpa Zeno with an impassive expression.
"Heh."
With a light hop, Illumi landed gracefully in the chair next to Zeno Zoldyck.