"Also, I found an interesting little guy in the palace... No, with his strength, he's already beyond just being 'little.'"
"If Netero loses to the Ant King, maybe he might... hehe~"
Soft laughter echoed high above the East Gorteau Kingdom. A gust of wind blew past, then silence returned once more.
...
Meanwhile, as Zeno and Silva paused their conversation, far away in their homeland, Kukuroo Mountain...
In a dimly lit room, small yet cozy.
"Hmm?"
Before a television broadcasting a children's cartoon, a thin figure rocked gently in a chair. His half-closed eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of awareness flashing within them.
"This aura... carries a taste of darkness~"
...
At the same time, in a remote and tranquil location—a grand yet aged manor nestled within the heart of the forest.
"Dark, huh?"
Linne Horsdoeuvre, sharpening a kitchen knife with steady hands, paused for a brief moment. Her cloudy eyes glimmered with sudden clarity—only to fade back into their usual dullness just as quickly.
"So what? Even if I were to come across dark ingredients again, with this old body... do I even have the energy to cook them?"
...
In the Kakin Empire, Beyond, casually picking his nose, froze mid-motion. His hand trembled slightly.
"Oh? Looks like things are spiraling out of control again~"
He pulled his finger away, glancing at the blood smeared across it, then grinned.
"A creature drawn from the darkness is, by nature, uncontrollable. How could it ever develop according to some S-class prediction?"
A flicker of excitement and conflict passed through his eyes.
"As expected of the darkness... A real man should set foot on that continent... Well, let's hope the old man makes it through this trial~"
...
At the entrance of an ancient ruin.
Ging, having just emerged and pausing for a brief rest, suddenly stiffened. After a moment of silence, he retrieved his phone and dialed a number.
Something had happened.
The Ant King's aura had flared up—briefly but unmistakably.
Aside from the one who orchestrated it all, Ronnel, only the top Nen users near East Gorteau and a handful of powerful individuals across the world sensed the shift. Most remained oblivious.
...
East Gorteau, a barren and long-abandoned battleground.
After enduring Netero's relentless assault, the once-empty site had become even more desolate, scarred beyond recognition.
Having consumed the corpses of all three Royal Guards, the Ant King now radiated a level of power beyond imagination.
Ronnel, standing closest to him, felt it most intensely.
"This... this is the opponent I've been waiting for. This is the Ant King I want to defeat!"
Satisfaction gleamed in Ronnel's eyes as he watched the Ant King. Though his power had surged uncontrollably for a fleeting moment, he had immediately reined it in, his entire body now exuding an eerie glow.
This Ant King was no longer just strong—he was an entity that could truly be called invincible.
Not only did he surpass the version from the original timeline, but his strength had now pushed beyond even its natural limits.
He had devoured the Royal Guards entirely.
Still adjusting to his newfound might, the Ant King raised his hands before his eyes, observing the strange radiance that flickered across his palms.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Is this true invincibility? The ultimate evolution of my species?"
Clenching his fists, a flash of understanding passed through his expression.
"So this... this was the true purpose of the Royal Guards. To serve as nourishment. To grant me the power to rule the world in my strongest form."
Yet something was different.
The Ant King, once brimming with arrogance and brutality, now bore an unsettling calmness.
"To rule the world is my birthright. This world exists to be ruled by me."
The overwhelming power he now wielded had erased any doubt he might have once held. His conviction was absolute.
"Whether I claim victory or rule the world... it is all inevitable. My kind will ascend as the true masters of this realm."
He no longer even bothered to revel in his own strength.
Absolute power had made such indulgences meaningless.
Neither that old martial artist, nor the malice he sensed from him, nor even this enigmatic young human standing before him—none of them could change the outcome.
Everything had been decided from the moment of his birth.
Raising his gaze, the Ant King looked at Ronnel, his voice calm, measured.
"You said you knew about my abilities. That means you understand how I grow stronger. By consuming exceptional beings."
"Knowing this, you still brought me Neferpitou's corpse as an offering. That means one of two things—either you believe you have the strength or the means to defeat me."
"Neferpitou and the others would have fought to the death for me. Yet their bodies remained perfectly intact. That suggests you had a way to eliminate them with ease."
"And then there's the malice I sensed from that old man. Between those two things, you must think you have a real chance at killing me."
"But you are mistaken. Your understanding of power is superficial. You underestimate us."
As he spoke, the Ant King's aura flared—monstrous, suffocating, yet eerily contained. Unlike before, his power did not spill wildly into the surroundings. Instead, it wrapped around the battlefield like an unbreakable shroud, pressing down solely upon Ronnel.
In this short time, he had already mastered his new strength. Integrated it. Wielded it as effortlessly as breathing.
His talent was undeniable. Even Ronnel had to acknowledge that, in sheer raw ability, the Ant King was superior to any other being in existence.
"No matter what tricks you have... you have no chance of winning."
...
Superficial? Underestimating? No chance of winning?
Hearing those words, Ronnel chuckled softly. Then, meeting the Ant King's gaze head-on, he replied in a slow, deliberate tone.
"I have never underestimated you."
His eyes burned with something deeper than mere confidence.
"Ant King, from the moment I arrived in this world... you've been my goal."
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)