As soon as the words fell, Nit stabbed fiercely toward his left chest with two dry fingers.
Just as Netero moved, the Ant King instinctively recoiled, feeling an overwhelming wave of malice crash over him.
Time seemed to freeze.
The air grew thick, as if congealing around them, suffocating and stagnant. It was the kind of stillness that came before something catastrophic.
However—
"Old man, you should live long enough to find the answer to this."
A chuckle accompanied the words, and in the next instant, a figure materialized as if out of nowhere, suddenly standing beside Netero. A hand, light yet firm, reached out and gently grasped Netero's withered wrist.
The movement stopped his fatal strike—not harming him, but preventing him from piercing his own heart. The control was precise, just enough force to halt the motion without causing damage.
As the hand stayed his movements, the suffocating malice pressing against the Ant King disappeared completely.
And yet, the unease remained.
He had already placed significant distance between himself and Netero, but now his gaze shifted to the new arrival. This human... had appeared without a trace, unnoticed even by the Ant King's sharpened instincts.
Clad in a black windbreaker, his face youthful and unassuming, he looked no different from an ordinary human. But the Ant King could feel it—the subtle, yet undeniable pressure radiating from him.
Perhaps, this one was even stronger than the old man.
A powerful human...
The thought made the Ant King's tail flick involuntarily.
If such humans kept appearing, then his vision of ruling over humanity, of reaping them as livestock, would not be so easily realized.
His earlier words—
No matter what kind of special human appears, I will defeat them.
—now felt a touch overconfident.
Yet, his golden eyes remained calm.
Because no matter what happened, nothing could change his conviction that he was the strongest.
If strong humans kept appearing, then the answer was simple—he would simply kill them all.
It was a crude but effective approach. Eradicate all resistance, break the will of humanity, and establish his rule. Just as conquerors of old had crushed the spirits of entire civilizations, he would do the same.
...
Netero, feeling the restraint on his wrist, recognized the voice instantly.
"You're here after all."
His voice carried a sigh, both knowing and weary.
"Yeah," the young man replied with a smirk. "Since it's a problem you can't solve, old man, why not let us, the younger generation, handle it?"
Netero lifted his gaze, meeting the familiar face of Ronnel.
A moment passed before he closed his eyes, exhaling softly. "Is that so?"
Then, in the next instant, his eyes snapped open, sharp and serious. "Are you sure about this?"
"Don't worry, old man." Ronnel's expression remained unwavering. "I never fight without a plan."
Netero held his gaze for a moment longer before nodding.
"Then it's up to you."
"Yeah. I'll handle it."
With that, the burden was passed. Netero's shoulders, once rigid with determination, slumped slightly as exhaustion settled over him. The weight of humanity's fate, the duty he had carried, was now entrusted to another.
"I really have grown old," he murmured.
To trust another with something of this magnitude—it was both a relief and a sorrow.
...
"I've prepared the same thing as you, Chairman," Ronnel said, his voice carrying a quiet certainty.
Netero's body tensed for a moment before he let out a long breath.
"This shouldn't be your burden. It's not worth it."
"Don't die."
Leaving those final words, Meleoron gently picked up Netero's frail body, moving with an unexpected gentleness. He took the healing medicine Ronnel had retrieved from Emuksu, ensuring Netero survived. Then, without another word, he turned to leave.
Before departing, he cast a long glance at Ronnel. Their eyes met, and Ronnel gave him a small, reassuring nod.
That was enough.
With a quiet resolve, Meleoron carried Netero away.
...
As their figures faded into the distance, Ronnel turned his attention back to the Ant King, who had remained silent throughout.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
His tone was polite—almost casual—as if addressing a guest rather than an opponent.
"It's nothing," the Ant King replied evenly. "The outcome won't change."
Yet, this time, he did not sit cross-legged as he had with Netero. Confidence still radiated from him, but there was an undeniable shift. His wounds, the damage from Netero's relentless attacks, the accumulated pain—he was far from his peak condition.
Ronnel smiled. "You're as confident as ever. But your current state isn't looking too great."
"It doesn't matter," the Ant King said after a pause.
"No, it does matter."
Ronnel shook his head, his voice soft but firm.
"I don't want to fight you when you're weakened. If I win that way, it won't feel like a real victory—it'll just feel like I took advantage of your condition."
The Ant King glanced at him but said nothing.
"So, you should recover first."
As he spoke, Ronnel raised his hand slightly.
Three bodies appeared before them.
The Ant King's gaze fell on them—
Neferpitou.
Shaiapouf.
Menthuthuyoupi.
His Royal Guards. The ones who had sworn their lives to him.
There they lay, motionless.
"You killed them all?" the Ant King asked, his voice unreadable.
He studied their still forms, silent for a long moment.
And then...
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)