In a remarkably short time, the new heart was carefully and meticulously reconstructed.
Such an extreme method of treatment—if it were anyone else, even Ging or Emuksu—they wouldn't have been able to complete the process without the aid of specialized tools or abilities.
But for Meruem, it was effortless.
The Chimera Ant King's extraordinary vitality and unparalleled strength were his greatest assets.
As for controlling his own body, Neferpitou's Doctor Blythe was a Nen ability specialized in healing.
After acquiring this ability, his understanding of the human body had reached an unimaginable level.
By consuming Neferpitou and mastering their Nen, Meruem gained immense vitality, enhanced physical strength, and access to both Doctor Blythe and Body Structure Reorganization.
These three factors combined to create an endless cycle of regeneration within his body!
With this, almost no one in the world could kill him through internal damage alone.
"So, do you understand now? Your so-called 'mutual destruction' ability may be deadly, but against me, it's completely ineffective."
Meruem's voice was calm as he spoke. Across from him, Ronnel simply shrugged.
He had already suspected that the Ant King could regenerate instantly. After all, during the incident with Killua, when he was targeted by the darts assassination game of the Ortho Siblings, he had managed to save himself in the final moment through sheer reaction speed.
There was no reason to believe Meruem wouldn't possess a similar, if not superior, ability. So, while not entirely unexpected, hearing Meruem confirm it still made Ronnel feel a sense of awe.
"I knew killing you wouldn't be simple, but I didn't think it would be this difficult."
Clicking his tongue, he continued:
"Beheading and piercing the heart won't work…
"In other words, unless I can destroy your entire body in an instant, or kill you so quickly that you don't even have time to react—so quickly that your body doesn't have the time to regenerate—you'll keep coming back."
Ronnel concluded that Meruem had become exponentially harder to kill than before.
Even the V5 would likely have to make significant sacrifices just to stand a chance against him now.
If it came down to it, they might even resort to unleashing the Five Great Calamities from the Dark Continent.
The strongest Chimera Ant versus the worst biological disasters known to humanity… Now that would be a battle worth watching.
...
The lifeless puppet collapsed weakly to the ground. Ronnel picked it up absentmindedly, glanced at Meruem for a moment, and sighed.
"Well, I guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way."
As he spoke, he reached up and removed the black windbreaker draped over his shoulders, revealing a fitted black shirt and well-defined muscles beneath.
"In all these years, after fighting so many opponents, this is the first time I've taken off my outer clothes for a fight."
Ronnel chuckled. "But against someone like you, even the smallest advantage matters."
As he spoke, intricate puppets materialized in his hands—each crafted with meticulous detail.
"Hand-to-hand combat may not be the most sophisticated method, but it is the most satisfying."
Chrollo, Feitan, Phinks, and other members of the Phantom Troupe…
Illumi, Killua, Milluki, and other members of the Zoldyck family…
Razor, and other figures from Greed Island…
Mizaistom, Saccho, Gel, and other members of the Zodiacs…
Even puppets of Gon and Kurapika appeared in Ronnel's hands.
The moment they were summoned, powerful Nen surged around them. Then, in an instant, they transformed into shadows and merged into Ronnel's back.
This was the power of Soul Doll—the ability to craft puppets and imbue them with the Nen of those they were based on.
As long as the puppet was created by the ability's user, they could take on the abilities of those represented.
For years, Ronnel had simulated countless battles against Meruem in his mind.
He had trained relentlessly to ensure he would be at his peak when the time came.
And with Soul Doll in hand, he had made full use of its potential.
...
Over the years, everyone Ronnel had deemed worthy—everyone he had encountered who possessed remarkable strength—had been meticulously recreated as a puppet, their abilities stored for this moment.
He was going to use every single one of them in this battle.
"These are all my trump cards. When facing someone like you, I can't afford to hold back."
Ronnel smiled, summoning two more puppets—one in each hand.
Ging. Jed. Beyond. Netero.
These four were the strongest puppets he had left.
Yes—alongside Ging and Jed, both Beyond and Netero had also crossed paths with him, allowing him to create their puppets as well.
This was the true depth of his arsenal.
For Ronnel, this battle was nothing less than his ultimate test.
"Besides… If a puppet gets damaged, I can always make another one. But this fight? This fight is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
One by one, the final four puppets transformed into shadows and merged into Ronnel's back.
Meruem stood there, watching silently, unmoved by the spectacle before him.
He had no intention of stopping Ronnel from preparing his forces.
No—he wanted Ronnel to throw everything he had at him.
Because through this battle, Meruem sought to glimpse humanity's greatest possible resistance.
He wanted to understand exactly what kind of extermination strategy they would deploy against him… and whether it would be enough to stop him at all.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)