The overwhelming fury radiating from the Ant King was, to him, no more than the mild irritation a parent might feel toward a child acting spoiled and demanding attention.
But for Netero, the sheer menace contained within that aura was enough to force him to fight at a distance far greater than usual.
This realization struck Netero with the same weight as the Ant King's unshakable resolve—the absolute refusal to acknowledge him as an opponent worthy of retreat.
"Admit it~"
The Ant King, having freed himself from Netero's grasp, calmly relocated and took a seat once more.
"The only means by which you can engage with me... is through language."
"You brat~"
The words made a vein twitch on Netero's forehead.
If words alone could solve this, why would he go to such lengths...? Wait. Language?
A sudden thought struck him, sharpening his focus.
"Ant King~"
His gaze locked onto the Ant King, who remained motionless, a knowing smile forming on Netero's lips.
"Would you like to know your name?"
If you refuse to fight me willingly, then I'll force you to fight me!
...
Several kilometers away, Ronnel was closing in on the battlefield when his eyes widened at the sight of an enormous golden statue of Avalokiteshvara. Its arms, moving like a relentless barrage from a machine gun, rained down upon the Ant King, who was pinned to the ground, unable to evade or defend himself against the onslaught.
"Is this the Ninety-Nine Hand of the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva?!"
EEE...!
In Ronnel's eyes, the sheer force of the attack was undeniable—rocks shattered, the ground ruptured as if magma had erupted, and an unstoppable storm of debris was hurled into the sky.
In mere moments, the golden hands carved a massive crater into the battlefield, swallowing the Ant King's figure entirely within their shadows.
The resulting dust cloud surged outward, engulfing the valley in thick, choking smoke.
"That level of destruction... That kind of power... The old man really does live up to his title as the world's strongest Nen user."
Ronnel exhaled in admiration, while Meleoron, clinging to him, could barely make sense of what was unfolding.
Yet, even without clear sight, the sheer golden radiance of Netero's technique, the earth-shaking impact of his strikes, and the immense aura emanating from the battlefield sent shivers down Meleoron's spine.
"This... This is the power of an Enhancer at their peak. But..."
Even amidst the chaos, Ronnel's sharp eyes noticed something crucial.
"Grandpa... your attacks don't seem to be working."
Despite the relentless barrage, the Ant King's aura remained undiminished. His breathing was steady, unfazed by the devastating onslaught.
In other words—while Netero's attacks might have injured the Ant King, they weren't causing any lasting damage.
So when Netero finally ceased his barrage, stepping back to observe his opponent, his expression remained solemn as the Ant King slowly rose from the rubble.
"Is he... unscathed?"
After unleashing ninety-nine consecutive hands without giving his opponent a moment's respite, Netero had failed to inflict any significant damage.
Well, it wasn't unexpected.
From the very first strike, Netero had already gauged the Ant King's defenses. Now, after completing the full set of Ninety-Nine Hand, his understanding was even clearer.
There was no doubt—this would be the most grueling battle of his life.
Netero watched as the Ant King, more eager than ever to hear his own name, radiated an even stronger fighting spirit.
Taking a deep breath, the old warrior's lips curved into a genuine smile.
Yes. This is exactly what I wanted.
He lifted his gaze to the swirling dark clouds above, then, with a long-lost sense of excitement, allowed a pure and unrestrained grin to spread across his face.
Facing the Ant King's piercing gaze, Netero brought his hands together in front of his chest.
"I am very grateful... for everything I've experienced before meeting you."
His clasped hands slowly shifted over his heart, forming...
"Everything I've ever been through!"
A heart shape.
The image was reminiscent of a famous picture from Ronnel's past life—a widely shared depiction of Netero's iconic gratitude gesture.
President Netero had spent his entire life in pursuit of martial arts mastery.
At the age of forty-six, he had reached what he believed to be his physical and mental peak. Overwhelmed with gratitude for the martial journey he had undertaken, he retreated to the mountains to train—ten thousand strikes a day.
At first, it took him eighteen hours to complete the set. By the time he reached fifty, he could do it in just one hour, leaving him with ample time to pray.
When he finally descended from the mountains, Netero's speed had surpassed the speed of sound. The moment he stepped into a dojo to challenge a master, he needed only one punch to make his opponent yield—so moved by Netero's skill and dedication that he adopted the same signature pose.
Thus, a legend was born.
Now, this battle against the Ant King was the most arduous challenge of his life.
Age had a way of granting insight into certain things.
A thought flickered through Netero's mind—perhaps, this would be his final battle.
...
At this crucial moment, standing at the precipice of fate, he made one last offering of gratitude.
Just as he finished expressing his thanks, his body vanished in an instant.
?!!
The Ant King's pupils constricted.
Even with his heightened perception of time, it was nearly impossible to track Netero's movement.
But despite sensing danger, he didn't react.
Because, in that moment, he felt something else—an unreserved acknowledgment of his opponent's strength.
The Ant King had accepted Netero's prowess after witnessing the Ninety-Nine Hand.
But Netero had no intention of stopping there.
His hands came together once more!
A golden statue of Guanyin materialized behind the Ant King, its luminous radiance engulfing his back.
Without giving the Ant King even a fraction of a second to respond, and without caring whether his opponent recognized it or not—
Guanyin bent forward, spreading its hands wide to envelop the Ant King's entire body.
At that moment, deep lines creased across Netero's face as he summoned every last ounce of his power.
His essence, his energy, and his very soul—everything he had ever cultivated—was now condensed into this one, final technique.
With nothing left to hold back, he poured it all into the open mouth of Guanyin, shaping it into a luminous sphere of raw energy.
A radiant, comet-like explosion of power!
"100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva: Zero Hand!"
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)