Inside the Zoldyck family estate.
A tall figure stepped from the shadows into the light.
It was Kikyo, Kurt's mother. She wore a lavish, Victorian-style dress, decorated with intricate lace and ribbons. The fitted waistline and bell-shaped skirt created a striking silhouette.
Covering most of her face was a device resembling VR goggles. In the center of its screen was a glowing red electronic eye.
Right now, the eye's edges rippled like water as she stared at Kurt, who had abruptly ended his call. She was waiting for an answer.
Kurt lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with Kikyo, but since he had already hung up, he had no burden in giving a reply.
"It was a client."
Kikyo fell silent for a moment.
She said nothing as she walked to a clothing rack and carefully hung up a deep purple Gothic-style dress she had been holding.
She had originally come to give this custom-made dress to her "daughter" to try on.
But instead, she had caught Kurt on the phone with "a client."
And for the first time, she had seen a smile on Kurt's face that should not have existed.
That's right.
It wasn't that he shouldn't smile.
It was that it was illogical for him to do so.
Her children could smile when playing at home, feel joy when receiving new toys, or enjoy delicious meals.
But they should not be smiling while talking to a client.
More precisely, it wasn't that they weren't allowed—it was simply unnatural.
After hanging up the dress, Kikyo slowly turned around. The ripples in her electronic eye faded, returning to a calm, unchanging stare.
"Kurt, I'll say it one more time."
She walked toward him, taking deliberate, measured steps.
"Explain yourself properly."
"It really was just—"
Kurt lowered his head. Suddenly, he noticed a shadow slowly creeping toward him from her feet. His words trailed off.
He could not lie to his mother.
Following the rules of their household, he replied in a quiet voice, "Moro. I was on the phone with Moro."
The shadow creeping toward him covered his feet, his knees, then climbed up his body and onto his face.
Kikyo stood before him.
The weight of her presence alone, coupled with the shadow, was suffocating.
But in the next moment, that oppressive aura vanished.
It was replaced by overwhelming affection.
"Ohhh~~ My sweet little Kurt~~"
Kikyo crouched down, pulling Kurt into a tight embrace. Resting her chin against his head, she cooed, "So you must never lie to Mother, understand?"
"Mm."
Kurt remained still, enduring his mother's suffocating love.
"Mother, that dress…"
Kurt extended his arm past Kikyo's embrace and pointed to the Gothic dress on the clothing rack.
Kikyo beamed. "Do you like it?"
"Yes. If it's from Mother, I'll love it no matter what. Can I wear it now?"
Kurt looked up at her, his expression calm but his eyes hopeful.
Kikyo smiled warmly. "Of course you can, but…"
She glanced at the open door and added, "Not right now."
"Mother."
Kurt clenched his fists inside his sleeves, concealing his growing anxiety.
"But I really want to wear it now. I—"
Kikyo gently placed a hand on his head, cutting him off.
"Kurt, you should have sensed my presence the moment I arrived. But you didn't."
Her gaze locked onto his eyes, noticing the faint flicker of unease within them.
A killer must always remain calm and never be swayed by emotions.
This was not just a principle to increase an assassin's success rate—it was a rule meant to protect their lives.
So how could he allow himself to feel anxiety over something as trivial as this?
A flicker of rage ignited within Kikyo's heart.
Not toward Kurt.
She didn't show her anger, instead continuing to gently smooth his hair.
"It's okay. You were simply distracted by some unnecessary emotions."
"No, Mother, it's because your Zetsu was too strong."
Kurt tensed even more.
Kikyo said nothing, quietly straightening his hair.
"Moro, is it?" she finally said. "I remember Zibenian mentioning him before. Come, let's go meet your client."
"..."
Kurt gripped his sleeves tightly.
Anxiety surged within him—not just because of the situation but because he realized something.
Before hanging up, he hadn't been able to give Moro a warning.
Even if it had been something cryptic, anything would have been better than nothing.
But he hadn't done it.
He was so flustered he had forgotten.
As frustration filled him, Kurt failed to consider one thing—
Even without a warning, Moro would already understand the situation perfectly.
Outside the Zoldyck estate.
"Maybe I should just leave," Moro muttered, slipping his phone into his pocket.
Before the call was cut off, he had already guessed what was happening on Kurt's side.
Originally, his plan had been simple—use a "business request" to help Kurt gain permission to leave the estate. Maybe take him down to the nearby town, hang out a bit, and then casually ask to borrow some of those weighted training tools the Zoldycks used.
But then Kikyo had shown up.
Well, plans change.
Moro sighed and turned back toward the mountain path.
But just as he was about to leave, he stopped.
He thought about Kurt's hesitation before answering his mother's question.
Instead of immediately saying "a client," he had paused.
He had wanted to say something else.
Probably something more honest.
Something like… "a friend."
But in that place, at that moment, it was the last thing he could say.
And so, faced with a choice he couldn't make, Kurt had chosen silence instead.
"Forget it."
Moro shook his head and turned back toward the estate.
Inside the security booth.
Gaito, the estate's gatekeeper, watched the young man change directions yet again, his expression still filled with doubt.
Then, the massive Testing Gate began to open.
With a deep, rumbling sound, the lowest section of the stone doors was pushed apart.
Two men in black uniforms—Zoldyck butlers—stood at either side, having opened the gate.
One of them was someone Moro recognized from the original timeline.
Gotoh.
A butler who, in the future, would be brutally killed by Hisoka.
At the center of the open gate stood Kurt and Kikyo.
Moro looked at them and said casually:
"You know, just now, the weather forecast mentioned it might rain. I suddenly remembered I had laundry hanging outside, and for a second, I thought about 'running' back home to take it down."
"But then I figured—since I came all this way, I might as well stay."
His gaze landed on Kurt. He smiled.
"So, Zoldyck assassins—does the request we discussed earlier still stand?"
"..."
Silence.
All eyes turned to Moro.
Kurt clenched his hands tighter, trying to mask his worry.
Moro remained perfectly calm, as if nothing was wrong.
He had made his stance clear—
I'm just a business client.
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50 Powerstones? (5 Bonus Chapters)
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