The following days were nothing short of hell for our protagonist, Ryker.
It began with breakfast—poisonous delicacies served with a smile.
Ryker couldn't fathom where his family managed to procure such a diverse array of toxins. For thirty days a month, not only did each day bring a different taste, but the reactions to the poisons varied wildly as well.
Imagine eating a different meal every day, only to find yourself writhing in agony shortly after.
The worst part? While enduring the turmoil in his stomach and the fiery pain that followed each visit to the restroom, Ryker was also assaulted by an ever-changing array of unpleasant odors.
It was a uniquely dreadful experience—one you can only imagine.
Next came the daily training, which began with basic physical conditioning.
"Your body is the vessel for Nen," Silva explained. "Even with countless abilities, without a strong foundation of aura, everything is just a castle in the sky."
To strengthen the body, all physical training had to be conducted under the condition of 'Zetsu'—the complete suppression of aura.
According to Silva's rules, Ryker endured relentless electrical shocks during training, leaving him weak and screaming in pain.
At first, Ryker questioned the logic behind such a method. "Wouldn't prolonged exposure to electrical stimulation dull the nervous system's responsiveness?" he thought.
"How the hell did Killua end up with enhanced reflexes? This makes no sense!"
Yet, after a period of torment, Ryker began to see progress. After all, with enough suffering, improvement was inevitable.
One day, Silva announced a new aspect of their training: Ryker and Illumi were to be on constant alert for potential assassination attempts.
At first, Ryker dismissed it. "No way he'd actually try to kill his own kids," he thought. "Even if he did, he wouldn't go all out."
That naive belief was shattered when, at 3 a.m. one night, Silva attacked Ryker in his sleep.
It was a one-sided massacre. The sheer bloodlust Silva unleashed made Ryker genuinely believe he was about to die.
Though Silva didn't kill him, he seemingly sensed Ryker's earlier thoughts and punished him by forcibly channeling his aura into Ryker's body.
The entire process happened in an instant—so fast that Ryker couldn't even activate Ten.
The result was excruciating: his entire body, except his brain, felt like it was being stabbed repeatedly with countless needles. It was as if he were trapped in a whirlwind of agony.
"Ryker, remember this," Silva said before leaving. "Nen may grant you power far beyond an ordinary person, but it doesn't come from your body—it comes from your aura."
"Without Nen, you're no different from anyone else. At best, your trained body will give you slightly better strength and reflexes.
Nen isn't a passive ability. It's an active one. The simplest way to kill a Nen user is to take them out before they have time to react."
After that torturous night, Ryker made a silent vow:
"Once I've killed enough people and earned enough points, the first ability I'll exchange for is Kamui. With that, I'll be untouchable. Even the Zoldyck family won't be able to stop me."
From then on, Ryker remained on high alert.
But it was futile. His current strength was no match for Silva's stealth. And Silva seemed to escalate the intensity of his punishments with each successful ambush.
"Pain is the body's natural defense mechanism," Silva explained after one session.
"It helps the brain judge external stimuli and react accordingly. But as an assassin, you must overcome this instinct to a certain extent. A moment's hesitation due to pain can mean the difference between life and death.
Starting now, you need to train your body to endure pain and maintain control in extreme conditions."
Thus, Ryker's days were consumed by hellish training.
One day, Silva called Ryker over.
"The reason I've summoned you is because there's a mission I think you're ready to undertake. As an assassin, you'll have to take this step sooner or later.
The details are in this envelope. Prepare yourself. You'll complete this mission alone. Given your current abilities, it should be a piece of cake."
After leaving the room with the envelope, Ryker was intercepted by Kikyo.
"Dear, are you really letting Ryker go out alone? At least let Zebro accompany him. Or better yet, let him train at Heaven's Arena before taking on a mission!"
"Don't worry," Silva replied. "I'll be watching him from the shadows the entire time. He'll be fine."
.........
Back in his room, Ryker quickly reviewed the mission details.
[ Target: Pawa Gandhi
Age: Adult Male
Affiliation: Mafia
Position: Leader of the Gandhi Family, one of three major mafia groups in the area ]
The file indicated that the target was likely not a Nen user, and his bodyguards were ordinary thugs—negligible threats.
"Why is Silva assigning me a kill mission right away? Shouldn't I train at Heaven's Arena first? Or is that only for heirs like Killua?"
Shrugging, Ryker packed his gear and approached the 'Testing Gate'.
"This is my first time leaving the family estate in six years," he mused, standing before the gate that had left an indelible impression on 'Hunter x Hunter' fans.
In the original series, Killua, at twelve years old, could open three doors without using Nen. Ryker, now almost six, decided to test his limits.
Channeling his aura from Ten to Ren, he placed his palms on the gate and pushed with all his might.
"BOOM!"
Aura surged around him as the first four doors creaked open. The fifth door trembled but remained shut.
"Four doors… That's my limit for now," Ryker muttered, stepping back.
"This mission will be watched. I'll play it safe and complete the task. Once I understand how this system's points work, I'll plan my next move."
"But who's watching me? It's unlikely to be Maha or Zeno. If it's a butler, it'd have to be someone like Zebro or Tsubone. Or perhaps it's Silva or Kikyo personally.
Then again, the family might have surveillance methods I'm unaware of. For now, I'll stay cautious. There will be plenty of chances to explore in the future."
With that resolve, Ryker set off to complete his first mission.