This was the most straightforward attack method of the Chimera Ants.
Facing Ronnel's fist, radiating with overwhelming aura, Meruem felt an unmistakable sense of danger—the same threat he had once sensed from Netero's Zero Hand.
"Is this the extent of your power? Good. Let's see whose attack is stronger."
Resolute, Meruem did not falter. His right claw remained on course, neither dodging nor attempting to block Ronnel's strike. He aimed directly for Ronnel's chest and abdomen, deliberately leaving an opening in his own stance for Ronnel's fist to land.
Their exchange of blows made one thing clear—when it came to raw strength and aura, they were evenly matched.
If this battle were to be decided by endurance, it would require a methodical, drawn-out confrontation. Only when both their aura reserves were depleted, and their bodies pushed to their limits, would a true victor emerge.
But such a prolonged battle would be tedious.
Moreover, from those two exchanged punches alone, Meruem had gained valuable insight into Ronnel.
"Endless abilities? Do you plan to use a variety of strange techniques to wear me down in a battle of attrition?" Meruem mused.
He was acutely aware of his own limitations—his abilities were few, and his attacks were purely physical. Against any other opponent, this would not be a weakness, rather, it was his greatest strength.
The principle of overwhelming force held true across all battles. But when two combatants were equal in strength and aura, the advantage shifted to the one with greater versatility.
Refined techniques, powerful abilities, strategic weaponry—these were the factors that could change the tide of battle.
Yet Meruem felt no fear.
"I need nothing else. My body alone is enough to crush my enemies. While battles in this world may not be simple, they aren't as complicated as people imagine."
The primal instincts of the Chimera Ants surged within him, fueling his violent resolve.
Injury for injury!
Let's see whose body can endure until the final moment!
Meruem had absolute faith in his body's superiority. His confidence translated into an even more devastating claw strike.
Across from him, Ronnel recognized Meruem's intent the instant before impact.
"A battle of endurance? That suits me just fine."
His solemn eyes flickered with determination. Rather than deflecting the attack, he met it head-on. His radiant fist struck the very opening Meruem had deliberately left.
The moment his fist connected, the glow intensified, and beneath the blinding light, traces of gray-black energy—like a creeping death—began to spread.
CRACK!
Fist and claw struck simultaneously, their impact reverberating like a massive gong.
Both fighters were hurled backward.
Scarlet blood and deep purple-black ichor splattered into the air, marking the violent clash.
BOOM!
Ronnel braced against a rock cliff, stopping his momentum.
"Cough!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.
"That was... heavier than I expected."
Lowering his arm, he examined his injuries. Sticky blood coated his fingers, and five puncture wounds marred his abdomen.
"The Ant King's strength is no joke. Even at my peak, I still took damage."
With a mere thought, his ability—[Body Reconstruction]—activated. The bleeding stopped instantly as the holes closed, and his internal injuries began to mend at a rapid pace.
Freed from concern, Ronnel raised his head to assess Meruem.
Unlike a mere flesh wound, Ronnel's punch had carried something far more insidious.
"Hah—!"
Meruem spat out a thick glob of blood, his complexion visibly paling.
"At the last moment... there was more than just that glowing fist. There was an additional force layered on top."
Covering his side, Meruem's eyes grew colder.
"In addition to those two overlapping attacks... there was another kind of violent damage."
He could feel it. Something foreign was rapidly eroding his body from within. Countless cells were dying off in droves.
Immediately, he activated his body's natural regeneration, replacing dead cells and compressing the strange energy into a single location before—
"Hahh—!"
He spat out a dark gray-black fluid. The liquid splattered onto the rocky ground, turning the earthy-yellow stone into a dead, ashen color.
"Poison?"
Meruem narrowed his gaze at Ronnel, his expression unreadable.
"I'll admit, the effect was impressive... but ultimately, ineffective."
Ronnel smirked slightly.
"Not entirely ineffective, though. That means it still works."
During their previous exchange, Ronnel had layered his attack. Beyond raw impact, he had infused his strike with a concentrated burst of death energy and corpse poison.
Over the years, his second ability—[Energy of the Undead]—had accumulated an enormous reserve of these lethal energies. This battle provided the perfect opportunity to unleash them.
Ronnel carefully observed Meruem's reaction.
Although the Ant King had expelled the invading poison and rapidly repaired his wounds, the initial damage was telling.
Even with his overwhelming physical resilience, he had been unable to completely resist the corrosive effects of death energy and corpse poison.
Unlike the toxins of the Poor Man's Rose, which had a slow-acting nature, death energy and corpse poison worked instantaneously. They were relentless, attacking the body the moment they made contact.
The Rose's poison devoured slowly, its destruction gradual and inevitable.
The death energy and corpse poison, however, struck violently and immediately.
If a higher concentration—an even greater dose—were introduced all at once...
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)