Ronnel had already prepared himself mentally.
Meruem wasn't afraid of what was coming—but he was worried about Komugi.
He didn't want her to suffer because of him.
She had already been severely injured once when those two old invaders attacked from above.
To make sure nothing like that happened again—to ensure Komugi remained safe—he needed to fully understand human techniques.
And once he did, he would annihilate humanity's ruling class in a single, decisive strike!
Meruem made no move to stop him, so Ronnel continued his preparations.
As the countless puppets he had created returned to him, his body began to emit faint wisps of steam, and his skin gradually turned red.
"Second Gear."
Ronnel spoke the words slowly, his hands and feet moving like pistons, pumping his blood at an incredible rate.
It was the same technique used by Luffy in One Piece.
Because of the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, Luffy's body could withstand the extreme blood pressure generated by Second Gear. The enhanced circulation gave him inhuman speed and strength, allowing him to blitz his opponents before they even realized they were under attack.
A normal human attempting the same thing would suffer catastrophic vascular failure and die instantly.
But Ronnel was no normal human.
Thanks to the ability he obtained from Shaiapouf—[Body Restructuring]—he had reinforced his blood vessels, strengthening them at a cellular level to endure the tremendous pressure.
With that, Second Gear became a natural ability for him. It felt like an intoxicating rush, like a stimulant surging through his body. His strength skyrocketed several times over.
...
Three small crimson pills suddenly appeared in Ronnel's palm.
"These are Excitement Pills. The name says it all—you can probably guess what they do. Swallow one, and your mental and physical energy will double."
He smirked.
"Of course, how much of a boost you get depends on your luck. Since the effects stack, you can take up to three at a time, but that's the limit. Any more, and you'll be bedridden."
"After taking three, the power boost lasts for three hours. But once it wears off, you'll suffer three months of pure agony—crippling exhaustion, constant muscle aches, unbearable bone pain."
"Of course, if you find a way to bypass the side effects—or if you have a master willing to fix you up—then forget I said anything."
That was Emuksu's warning when he passed the pills along via Ickshonpe's network.
The Excitement Pills were one of the trump cards Ronnel had borrowed from Emuksu to fight Meruem—the only enhancement item Emuksu had ever managed to create.
Ronnel already knew the risks. He had memorized every detail of their effects and limitations.
Without hesitation, he threw all three red pills into his mouth.
Boom!
A terrifying surge of aura exploded from his body.
Even with his overwhelming strength, Meruem's expression finally changed.
His brow furrowed slightly.
"With this much energy and aura… looks like my luck isn't bad. The boost is even stronger than I expected."
Ronnel took a deep breath, trying to steady himself against the rush of power.
He had already activated Second Gear, and his strength had skyrocketed. But now, with the Excitement Pills further amplifying his abilities…
The effect of the pills was based on his already-enhanced state. And since his luck was good, the multiplier was even higher than usual.
The result? A power-up beyond all reason.
And yet—this was still only the beginning.
...
"Terpsichora."
As soon as the words left his lips, a shadowy figure appeared behind Ronnel.
[Terpsichora]—the ability he had taken from Neferpitou.
By activating Terpsichora, the monstrous ballerina latched onto his body, controlling him through its spectral strings, pushing his physical limits far beyond what should have been possible.
It was an ability that allowed a Nen user to exceed their natural constraints—to unleash power beyond their absolute limit.
Ronnel activated it immediately.
With Second Gear, the Excitement Pills, and now Terpsichora stacked together, his strength soared to unimaginable heights.
For the first time, Meruem's expression turned serious.
He could finally sense a real threat from Ronnel.
Seeing this, Ronnel couldn't help but smile.
Meruem… Did you think this was the end?
Not even close!
...
Between the fingers of both hands, small vials and capsules materialized.
Without hesitation, Ronnel injected a total of eight vials directly into his arms, flooding his bloodstream with the potent formula!
After testing the Grudge Infection Potion on Rammot and confirming its effectiveness, Ronnel had conducted his own experiments.
He needed to verify something.
Nen and resentment… If the two energies could be blended in the perfect ratio, the resulting power would far exceed what either could achieve alone.
It was a case where 1 + 1 became far greater than 2.
Ronnel had taken this concept—the official explanation behind Jed's strength—and put it into practice himself.
The Grudge Infection Potion forced the injected subject to obey the will of the one who administered it.
And Ronnel had tested it on himself.
...
Meruem's gaze sharpened.
The energy pouring off Ronnel was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Ronnel grinned.
"Now then… let's get started."
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)