"It's this thing."
Shaiapouf looked at the demon cat, its smug grin filled with disdain. That mocking expression was unbearable.
As a skilled Nen user with a keen intellect, he immediately realized—this kitten-like creature was a Nen ability, one designed to drive him into a corner!
At the same time, a chilling realization struck him: if his aura were sealed at such a critical moment, he would be helpless against his enemies!
Shaiapouf understood this. So did Knuckle, the creator of this ability. And of course, his master, Morel, knew it as well. They wouldn't let such an opportunity slip away.
While Knov relentlessly attacked Shaiapouf's clones, Morel and the others were already making their move.
The moment Shaiapouf was pushed to the brink, they struck at the perfect instant.
...
Shaiapouf, no longer able to fight back, was taken down by Knuckle and the others with ease.
Was it really that simple? Was it over just like that?!
The four of them stared at Shaiapouf's lifeless body in disbelief.
They had kept him intact—because they had promised Ronnel they would.
Even now, they struggled to process it. One of the Royal Guards, one of the strongest under the Chimera Ant King, had fallen by their hands so easily?
The truth was, though Shaiapouf specialized in support and strategy, he was still immensely powerful. However, Morel, Knuckle, Meleoron, and Shoot had formed an exceptional Nen combination.
Morel's Deep Purple restricted movement. Shoot's Hotel Rafflesia hindered Shaiapouf's wings and scale dust.
On top of all this, Shaiapouf was already mentally rattled. The Dragon Dive attack had left him terrified for the King's safety. Then, upon realizing the King had gone to Komugi, he became consumed with denial, forcing himself to stay away.
Self-blame, shame, and the crushing weight of unworthiness as a Royal Guard overwhelmed him.
His desperate emotions clouded his thoughts. His frantic concern for the King left him unfocused, unable to strategize properly.
And then—he made a crucial miscalculation.
In an attempt to turn the tide, he released Beelzebub. That was the opening Knuckle needed.
The numbers on Hakoware 's head surged beyond expectations.
(T/N: Hakoware involves Knuckle conjuring an indestructible Nen Beast onto the opponent after being dealt a blow from Knuckle, emitting his aura into his opponent. A.P.R. constantly lends Knuckle's aura to whomever it is attached to, displayed by a rising counter on its forehead.)
By the time Shaiapouf finally regained his composure, by the time his strategic mind kicked back in—it was already too late.
Morel and Knuckle delivered the final blow. Their victory had come not only from catching Shaiapouf in a vulnerable state but also from perfectly leveraging their Nen abilities to capitalize on that moment of weakness.
In the end, they had been incredibly lucky.
"Alright, let's wrap this up and bring him to Ronnel."
With Shaiapouf's death confirmed, Morel let out a relieved sigh and turned to the others.
As he dispersed his smoke blockade, Meleoron and Shoot revealed themselves, both breathing heavily.
But before they could fully relax—
Something went terribly wrong.
...
Dark threads of energy suddenly emerged from Shaiapouf's corpse.
A malicious aura.
Resentment.
The same phenomenon that had occurred with Neferpitou.
[To die so meaninglessly... I am unworthy of being a Royal Guard. I have failed my duty.]
[No matter what, I must serve my King. At the very least... I must take down one human!]
[Even if I cannot see the King rule the world, I must still play my part!]
Fueled by his guilt, his failure, and his unwavering devotion, Shaiapouf's lingering resentment flared, surpassing even Neferpitou's.
The intensity of his emotions sent a shiver down the spines of Morel and the others.
"This obsession... it's unreal! Was Shaiapouf truly this fanatical?!"
Beads of sweat dripped down their faces as a terrible feeling washed over them.
...
Shaiapouf had always been a neurotic, fanatical follower of the King. That kind of personality bred the deepest, most unshakable obsessions.
In the original course of events, the King had lost his memory and forgotten Komugi. It was Welfin's desperate outburst that triggered the King's recollection.
That moment rendered all of Shaiapouf's efforts meaningless. His scheming, his devotion, his fears—they had all been in vain.
And when he realized just how much the King cared for Komugi—more than anything else in the world—he was crushed.
Poisoned by the Miniature Rose, his life rapidly fading, he spiraled into despair, drained of all will to live.
Because of this, he did not generate the same lingering resentment as Neferpitou. He did not rise again to attack the enraged Gon.
Yupi, on the other hand, had been far simpler. Even as he rapidly adapted and evolved, he lacked the depth of obsession that defined Shaiapouf.
When Yupi succumbed to the poison, he simply died—no hatred, no lingering will, no aftereffects.
But Shaiapouf?
...
This was different.
This time, his obsession had festered beyond control.
"What kind of monsters are these Royal Guards?!"
As Knuckle and Meleoron sprinted away, their minds raced with dread.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)