Chapter 131: Seeing His Younger Self
The main gate of the Zoldyck Family was formally known as the Testing Gate.
It served as a trial for visitors, meaning that those who couldn't even push the gate open were unworthy of entering the Zoldyck estate.
Once the gate opened, it would automatically close.
Just like now, the figure was slowly disappearing from the gatekeeper's sight until the entire gate shut completely.
The moment the gate closed.
The old gatekeeper still hadn't recovered from his shock.
The minimum requirement to become a servant of the Zoldyck Family was being able to push open the Testing Gate.
As he grew older, especially in the past two years, the old gatekeeper had found it increasingly difficult to open the gate. But if he couldn't open the main gate, he would be dismissed from the Zoldyck Family, so he desperately maintained his condition.
Yet even at his peak, he had never been able to push open the second door.
It was important to know that the first door weighed 4 tons, with each additional door doubling in weight. The more force applied, the more the gate would respond to that force and open.
When Killua returned to the Zoldyck Family after the Hunter Exam, he could already push open the third door, which weighed 16 tons.
Later came Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio. Among the three of them at that time, Leorio actually performed the best—after some training, he could push open the second door weighing 8 tons.
As for the seven doors, their weight reached a staggering 256 tons!
No one could remember how many years it had been since such a situation last occurred.
The old gatekeeper collapsed onto the ground.
"Truly an extraordinary person has arrived."
"I must get up immediately and report to the butler."
...
The guard dog Mike had been given orders not to attack anyone who entered through the Testing Gate.
Mord looked at the enormous canine creature not far away, observing its completely emotionless eyes, and felt a flicker of interest.
This Mike was different from any beast Mord had encountered before.
In some ways, it was even more special than the Chimera Ants. While Chimera Ants, with their mixed genes, still possessed emotions.
But this massive canine creature before him was nothing but a killing machine—one that only knew how to execute its master's commands without any emotions whatsoever.
Including the Zoldyck Family's wyverns that would appear later.
Mord couldn't help but suspect that these magical beasts were brought back from the Dark Continent.
After all, someone from the Zoldyck Family had once accompanied Netero to the Dark Continent.
Mike simply watched Mord from a distance.
Mord knew that it was recording the appearance and scent of the person it was seeing for the first time.
After a brief glance, Mord withdrew his gaze and continued forward.
At the foot of the mountain, Mord saw a house.
It was likely the servants' quarters where the gatekeeper and others lived.
Sure enough, a figure flashed out from inside, blocking Mord's path.
Mord looked up and saw a weathered, unshaven man—this was probably Seaquant, the other servant responsible for taking care of Mike.
This guy was once a "Bounty Hunter" who led 150 subordinates to storm the Zoldyck Family, only to be brutally defeated by Canary, a trainee butler who was merely ten years old at the time.
Not only were all his subordinates killed, but he himself was utterly terrified and broken, never to recover. From then on, he remained with the Zoldyck Family as a servant.
"Are you trying to stop me?" Mord looked at Seaquant and asked with a laugh.
Seaquant shook his head and said, "Since you've already pushed open the Testing Gate, you're free to go wherever you wish. But young man, regardless of why you've come here, as someone who's been through it, I advise you to turn back now."
In Seaquant's eyes, Mord was young and already capable of pushing open the Testing Gate—a promising future lay ahead. He didn't want to see such a talented youth end up like him.
"Why?" Mord asked.
"Three years ago, a bounty hunter brought over a hundred subordinates..." Seaquant began to tell Mord his own story. "It was then that I truly understood what it means to overestimate oneself. Once you cross that line, you'll realize..."
"The employers and servants here are all monsters."
Mord understood what Seaquant meant.
This guy was afraid that he would be crushed and never recover.
He seemed like a decent fellow.
Mord waved his hand and continued up the mountain path.
"If you ever decide you don't want to work for the Zoldyck Family, you can come find me."
...
Meanwhile.
In the courtyard of the Zoldyck Family.
Gotoh answered the phone, and as he listened to the voice on the other end, he could no longer maintain his composure.
He hurriedly hung up and headed straight for the main house where the family head resided.
Mord strolled leisurely up the mountain and saw a villa courtyard in the distance—likely the residence of the Zoldyck Family.
He hadn't encountered any obstacles along the way, probably because the gatekeeper had called ahead.
Moreover, Mord's En had long detected a crowd gathered in front of the villa courtyard.
They were the butlers, here to welcome Mord.
This was a ceremony reserved only for important guests of the Zoldyck Family.
Among the butlers, Mord didn't see the dark-skinned girl Canary. The middle-aged man standing at the forefront, wearing glasses and looking refined, was likely the head butler, Gotoh—also the strongest in Nen Ability among the Zoldyck Family's servants.
Unfortunately, he later died at the hands of Hisoka while covering his comrades' escape.
"Welcome, honored guest."
Led by Gotoh, the five butlers bowed in unison to Mord.
Mord stopped and looked at Gotoh. "Is Illumi home?"
A flicker of surprise passed through Gotoh's eyes.
So he's someone the young master knows—no wonder he possesses such strength.
"The young master is currently not at home," Gotoh said, his expression unchanged.
"I see," Mord nodded. In the Zoldyck Family, he only knew Illumi and Killua.
"Might I ask the purpose of your visit?" Gotoh inquired.
Mord waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing urgent. I'm just waiting for someone here. I'm not sure when they'll arrive, so I'll likely need to stay for a short while."
"Is that acceptable?"
"Of course," Gotoh bowed again respectfully. "The family head has instructed us to treat you as our most honored guest. Please come this way—we've prepared our finest room for you."
"Aside from the family head, is anyone else currently in the Zoldyck residence?" Mord asked casually as they walked.
Gotoh answered without hesitation: "The family head, his wife, and the second young master are all present."
"What about old man Zeno?" Mord asked.
If he wasn't here, Mord's trip would have been for nothing.