Meruem was confident that he could withstand Ronnel's physical attacks.
But this invisible, colorless, and odorless toxin—what if his opponent had released it during their game of Gungi? What then?
He could endure it, but the sheer potency had already caused him significant damage. What about an ordinary girl like Komugi? What would happen to her?
He wasn't even sure whether the [Doctor Blythe] ability he obtained from Neferpitou could counteract this poison.
"Looks like I need to find a human with special healing abilities~" Meruem mused as he descended.
The moment his feet touched the ground, his wings retracted, and he lowered his arms from their crossed position, shifting into a battle stance.
His landing spot was chosen carefully—neither too close nor too far. Even if Ronnel used [100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva] again, Meruem could close the distance quickly and seize the advantage.
"If you have any other abilities, any other moves—use them all together~" he said calmly.
"Together?"
Ronnel touched his cheek with his fingers, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Then, as you wish~"
In the next instant, to the slight surprise of the Chimera Ant King, Ronnel's figure suddenly split into two.
"A cloning ability?"
Before Meruem could analyze further, one of the figures planted its foot firmly into the ground and lunged forward, charging at him with full force.
"If this is a clone, then his attack pattern will involve two different approaches—huh?"
Within his En, Meruem detected the second figure remaining in place, gradually moving backward instead of attacking.
"Retreating? Not attacking? Strange~"
While he processed this, the advancing figure had already closed in.
On reflex, Meruem swung his fist.
Puff!
To everyone's shock, Meruem's strike met no resistance—it passed straight through Ronnel's chest!
Moreover, he hadn't been struck in return, which made him hesitate for just a fraction of a second before realization dawned.
"It's a trap!"
Meruem had previously fought by trading blows, so it wasn't unusual for him that Ronnel didn't block. But the moment his fist pierced through without obstruction, he knew something was wrong.
Still, he didn't overreact—he had already been caught off guard multiple times in their battle. His mind quickly adjusted to this new development.
But this time, he had miscalculated the distance between them.
Snap!
Before Meruem could withdraw, the seemingly injured Ronnel grabbed his arm tightly.
He lifted his head, locking eyes with Meruem—calm, calculating, a hint of amusement in his gaze. Then he grinned, white teeth gleaming, tinged red with blood that dribbled from the corner of his mouth.
"You lose."
He spoke in a language that wasn't the common Hunter tongue spoken across the Six Continents.
Meruem didn't understand the words, but as soon as Ronnel uttered them, a familiar, long-forgotten sensation surged through his chest.
The same dread he felt when the old man—Netero—launched his final attack.
But unlike that moment, where Meruem had time to react, this time—
BOOM!!
The sky fractured, engulfed in a cloud of smoke and dust.
...
Inside the Palace of the East Gorteau Kingdom
"Why are you here?" Morel and Knov exchanged glances before turning toward the figure that had appeared without warning, their expressions complicated.
"Ah, it's nothing~" the man drawled.
A scruffy beard, disheveled clothes, an arabesque-patterned headscarf, and a face reminiscent of Gon's.
It was none other than Gon's father—Ging Freecss.
"I just happened to be in the neighborhood and heard you guys talking about Ronnel's name, so I figured I'd drop in and take a look."
Morel and Knov stared at him, utterly speechless.
This kind of response... truly fitting for the infamous prodigal of the Hunter Association.
"You still haven't answered me. What's going on with Ronnel?"
As he spoke casually, Ging moved forward. Morel didn't bother stopping him, silently stepping aside to reveal the healing chamber where Netero rested, his body frail and withered.
Despite his reputation for being unreliable, Ging was still one of the Twelve Zodiacs personally appointed by Netero. At the very least, he was trusted to a certain extent.
"We received a mission to eliminate an evolved mutant Chimera Ant. Ronnel is currently fighting the Ant King."
Knov kept the explanation concise.
"Chimera Ants? Those creatures actually evolved?"
"Yeah. They devoured humans and started producing humanoid Chimera Ants—ones that even use Nen. They're dangerous."
"I see..."
Ging stood before the healing chamber, his gaze fixed on Netero's frail form, his expression unreadable.
He didn't need anyone to explain the situation. From Netero's condition and the overwhelming aura he had sensed earlier, Ging had already deduced most of it.
That aura was the reason he had immediately left the ruins he was exploring, contacted Beans and Beans at the Hunter Association, and learned that the crisis was unfolding in East Gorteau.
Using one of Beans' experimental long-range transport methods, he had transmitted himself directly to the nearest available terminal.
Unfortunately, that terminal belonged to a government official who had been collaborating with the Chimera Ants.
A man with an... extensive collection of photos and files on beautiful women stored on his computer.
Not that it mattered anymore. The guy was dead.
------------
Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)