HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

The Rose Compass pattern symbolizes direction and is a common element in navigation systems.

However, the mark on Cyr's tongue was distinct from ordinary rose compass designs.

It was encircled by symbols of hurricanes on either side, with triangular eye-like shapes above and below. At the center was the compass itself.

The design appeared more mysterious, even carrying a faint sense of foreboding.

He hadn't expected that his simple wish to adopt a tiger cub would result in another tattoo-like mark on his tongue...

At least it wasn't some mortifyingly dramatic design that would make him avoid showing it in public. If it had been something like a "Green Dragon on the Left, White Tiger on the Right" full-body tattoo, Cyr would've made sure to wear long sleeves, long pants, and a jacket every day to cover himself completely.

Both the curse marks from Sukuna and the tattoo on his tongue were, thankfully, relatively aesthetic.

That said, if he stuck his tongue out, would anyone mistake him for a Cursed Speech user like Toge Inumaki?

Cyr retracted his tongue, pressing his lips together as he turned his gaze to the now-exhausted tigress.

The male tiger nuzzled her head gently, his massive tiger eyes brimming with affection.

"This contract comes from our inherited memory," the tigress explained weakly. "Sora will remain eternally loyal to you, never betraying you. And you won't be able to abandon him."

"This is my only request," she added softly.

Having once abandoned their own child, they didn't want him to be forsaken by a human as well.

Cyr raised a brow, a faint smile curving his lips. "Aren't you worried I might harm him?"

Was that truly all the contract entailed? As long as he didn't abandon Sora, everything would be fine?

The malice of humanity… could be immense, after all.

"You genuinely like Sora and aren't the kind of human who hides his true nature," the tigress replied.

She wasn't wrong.

If Cyr hadn't cared for the cub, he wouldn't have bothered with it in the first place.

Cyr lowered his gaze, locking eyes with the white tiger cub. His cold, pale blue eyes met the cub's clear, light blue animal pupils.

"Grow up quickly," Cyr said, giving the cub a slight shake.

Though its small, fluffy appearance was adorable, Cyr much preferred the imposing build of its parents.

Towering, powerful, the fearsome kings of the forest.

To him, such strength and grandeur were far more beautiful than cuteness. That was his aesthetic.

"Are you really going to raise it? Taking care of such a large magical beast will cost a fortune," the man with the explosive hair commented, scratching his head out of concern.

As soon as he said it, though, he remembered the boy's strength.

Oh, right. With that kind of power, Cyr wouldn't lack money no matter what.

"It doesn't matter," Cyr replied nonchalantly, tucking the cub into the hood of his jacket. The little tiger wobbled as it gripped his clothing, eventually settling on his shoulder.

"By the way, since you've been in the forest for so long, have you seen a bird like this?" Cyr pulled out his phone, opening a picture and showing it to the two tigers.

The tigers leaned their heads together, peering at the image.

"Never seen it," they said in unison, shaking their heads.

Even the forest's long-time residents had never seen such an animal…

"Then forget it, let's go." Cyr waved at Maro to follow him.

The two large tigers remained seated, their thick tails raised high as they watched the group leave.

Even the tiger cubs mimicked their parents, sitting in a neat row with their tails swaying back and forth.

Kite and the others, who had remained mostly silent, occasionally glanced back at the magical beasts behind them, seemingly worried they might suddenly attack.

However, the boy walking in front showed no concern whatsoever and didn't look back even once.

His calm, composed demeanor was almost admirable.

Fortunately, the magical beasts never made a move, even after the group disappeared from sight.

---

"By the way, Maro, you teach it to speak." Cyr suddenly remembered something, shoving the little tiger into Maro's arms with a cheerful tone, as if unloading a burden.

The big tigers could talk, so there was no reason their beloved cub couldn't learn. It was worth a try.

After all, an animal that could communicate was far better than one that couldn't.

"M-Me? Alright, I'll do it!" Maro stammered, holding the tiger cub awkwardly.

Did he like the cub? Of course! After all, it bore some resemblance to the esteemed Cyr.

But teaching a magical beast to speak…

That was tough. He'd need to look up some information.

No matter how difficult the task, if Cyr assigned it to him, Maro would ensure it got done!

---

"Still, that bird is truly mysterious..." Cyr sighed.

Their path continued southwest, and the farther they went, the more poisonous creatures they encountered.

The air grew increasingly humid, the temperature colder and gloomier.

The ground beneath their feet became softer and more unstable, and the faint smell of decay lingered in the wind.

Although the forest appeared peaceful, Cyr's six-eyed vision revealed clusters of life energy scattered all around, bright and impossible to ignore.

He casually stepped over a venomous snake without breaking stride.

Kite, who had been observing for a while, finally spoke, as if he'd made up his mind: "The bird you're looking for… it's already extinct."

Cyr stopped in his tracks.

"What?" His eyes widened in surprise before his brows furrowed, irritation flickering in his voice. "Extinct?"

"Seriously?" He clicked his tongue, pressing for confirmation.

Was this whole trip a waste? Well, not entirely. At least he'd found a tiger cub to raise.

But his primary goal had been the bird!

Kate adjusted the brim of his hat, while the other team members either stared at the sky, counted ants on the ground, or looked around aimlessly.

"You…" Cyr suddenly leaned in close to Kite, his half-narrowed eyes scrutinizing him suspiciously. "You're not lying to me, are you?" His voice dropped, tinged with doubt.

Why mention this now, of all times? It was hard not to suspect that Kite was trying to stop him from reaching his goal.

"This was supposed to be classified information," Kate replied, his expression calm and voice steady. "But since you're a Hunter, there's no reason to hide it anymore."

"That bird went extinct ten years ago."

"It just hasn't been announced to the public," Kate continued.

"The so-called 'remaining two hundred' refers to the number of specimens scattered among different private collectors."

"The Crystal Feather Bone is one of the Seven Great Beauties. When the bird possessing this bone was alive, no one paid much attention to it. Only when it was stripped of all its feathers, hollowed out, and left as a complete skeleton displayed under light did it reveal its true form—the Black Crystal Bird."

"Collectors typically preserve the entire skeleton of the bird."

"As a result, they've long been extinct. For at least the past ten years, no one has seen any trace of them."

"This has only made them more mysterious, and their bones even more valuable," the silver-haired man explained.

"Like the Kurta Clan, huh?" Cyr sneered.

Among the Seven Great Beauties, the Kurta Clan with their scarlet eyes had been wiped out. The number of Scarlet Eyes would never increase again, only decrease, their price climbing higher and higher.

Similarly, the birds with Crystal Feather Bones were driven to extinction by human greed.

Two of the Seven Great Beauties, both destroyed by humans.

"Humans, huh… not surprising, really," Cyr shook his head.

The malice in human nature—greed, envy, possessiveness—was far more terrifying than anything else.

He didn't sympathize with the Kurta Clan or the Crystal Birds. What irked him was how his plans had been disrupted.

"What if I must obtain a Crystal Feather Bone?" the white-haired boy asked, his expression blank, his presence radiating such intense pressure it seemed to take physical form.

"Then you'll have to seek out the well-known collectors," the pink-haired woman replied calmly.

As for whether those collectors would be willing to part with their treasures…

If they were willing, the market wouldn't be barren of such items in the first place.

°°°

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