Though this was rocky terrain, there was plenty of sand.
Strong winds swept through, sometimes kicking up enough sand to obscure vision.
Hundreds of meters apart, the three Chimera Ants had halted.
Animal instinct made them sense danger.
Otherwise, following their usual behavior, they would have attacked the two humans without hesitation. After all, they could tell those two were Nen Users, and their taste must be excellent.
Staring at the two humans strolling towards them, the three Chimera Ants, for some reason, dismissed the thought of turning and fleeing.
In that moment, the same thought surfaced in their minds: if they turned and ran, they might lose their heads instantly.
This baseless thought made them fix their gaze on the approaching humans.
The two humans: one tall and slender, wearing a blue baseball cap with long hair and a sharp chin… Kite, the Biologist Hunter and disciple of Ging.
The other, head wrapped in a white cloth with strands of hair peeking out, an untidy beard around his mouth, ragged hemline on his robe, dressed extremely casually, walking alongside Kite… who else could it be but Ging?
"Giant Chimera Ants devouring humans... truly unbelievable."
Kite pressed down on his baseball cap, watching the three Chimera Ants standing motionless amidst the wind and sand.
As a Biologist Hunter, he was well-versed in information about Chimera Ants. So even with mental preparation, seeing them firsthand still evoked surprise.
Those three Chimera Ants had distinct human characteristics, and each emitted an evil, not-weak Aura.
Just analyzing this point, as a Biologist Hunter, Kite's heart couldn't remain calm.
It was simply... an unprecedented biological disaster.
Ging looked at the three Chimera Ants blocking their path, scratching his head seriously. "We're late, so let's resolve this quickly. Otherwise, even if I make you take the blame, it probably won't hold up."
"..." Kite looked helplessly at his master.
Ging ignored Kite's look, observing the three Chimera Ants.
'Hmm, two have weaker Aura, probably also know how to use Nen Abilities. The lion-man in the middle is the strongest.'
"Let's work. I'll handle the one in the middle."
Ging put his hands in his pockets, saying calmly.
Kite nodded upon hearing this.
A gust of wind and sand blew past them. The two moved simultaneously.
The moment Ging and Kite moved, the three Chimera Ants' nerves instantly tightened. Without verbal communication, they scattered simultaneously.
Just as Ging judged, the lion-man with many small metal rings on his face was the strongest because he was a Squadron Leader. The two weaker Chimera Ants were Officers, the lion-man's subordinates.
The frontal sense of crisis stimulated the two Officer Chimera Ants to move left and right, while the lion-man retreated.
Suddenly, overlapping strong winds brought up a sandstorm, obscuring vision.
A gunshot echoed, piercing through the sandstorm in a straight trajectory, followed by a dull thud.
When the dust settled, the lion-man had been sent flying back a hundred meters, landing steadily, unharmed.
The lush yellow fur on his neck and head had expanded and surged, enveloping his body, revealing only a pair of beastly eyes gleaming with cold light.
When the sandstorm rose, he took a direct punch from Ging. The reason he remained unharmed was his Aura-enhanced fur forming a seamless defense.
The lion-man was fine. Of the other two Chimera Ants, one had a bloody hole in its head, lying lifeless on the ground. The other Chimera Ants, like the lion-man, were unharmed.
Kite held a black long gun. On the gun's handle was a jester's head, its open mouth revealing the number 4.
This was his ability… [Crazy Slots].
When activated, it conjures a jester Nen Beast. The wheel in the jester's mouth rolls numbers 1 to 9, each corresponding to a different materialized weapon.
Generally, materializing a weapon with unique abilities is difficult. Yet Kite's Crazy Slots could conjure nine weapons with different abilities.
Therefore, this ability had stringent conditions:
The weapon appears randomly, it cannot be chosen.
If the weapon that appears isn't used properly, it won't disappear.
During the attack, the randomly selected weapon was the long gun. Then, using the dust as cover, he predicted and eliminated the weaker Officer Chimera Ant with one shot.
The lion-man coldly glanced at his subordinate's corpse, then looked at the calm-faced Ging, thinking silently: 'First impression was extreme danger, but after taking a direct punch, it's not much.'
Ging looked at the lion-man's fur and commented, "Enhancer, huh? Using Aura to strengthen fur, then covering the body. As long as the Manifested Aura capacity is sufficient, it can form powerful defense, essentially offense and defense combined."
This ability, plus the Chimera Ant's physique, made it absurdly tough.
Saying this, Ging's eyes showed contemplation, then he smiled. "Rule game: Fur disabled."
The lion-man suddenly felt a palpitation. Immediately, his expanded, growing fur retracted to its original state.
His life energy was still there, the intent to control was there, yet the fur remained motionless.
"What did you do?!"
This abnormal phenomenon shook the lion-man's heart wildly.
"Nothing much, just set a rule."
Ging kept his hands in his pockets, looking at the white text imprinted on the lion-man's chest.
ID: Jones.
The lion-man also noticed the text on his chest… it was his own name.
Before he could think further, an Aura-drawn Circle suddenly appeared on the ground around him, about twenty meters in diameter.
Jones only had time for a hasty glance at the circle before seeing Ging, over fifty meters away, suddenly disappear. Almost like teleportation, Ging appeared within the circle, as if directly transported.
They stood at the circle's edge like two boxers ready to fight on a ring's edge.
Simultaneously, several sentences suddenly appeared in Jones's mind… or rather, rules imprinted deep into his soul.
'As long as I force him out of the circle, he'll be disqualified?'
Jones's eyes flickered. So-called disqualification meant Game Over.
Ging glanced at the circle's range, thinking: 'This time's mechanism is like sumo? But a twenty-meter range is unchallenging. Whatever, it's for quick resolution anyway.'
Just then, Jones moved, pouncing at Ging with great speed.
Ging sidestepped, avoiding Jones, then swiftly followed up, his palm thrusting straight at Jones's nape.
An intense sense of danger, like ten thousand needles, pricked Jones's back. Almost reflexively, Nen surged wildly in Jones's hair. Subconsciously, as usual, he tried to control his hair to cover his back for defense.
The next moment, Ging suddenly withdrew his hand, putting it back in his pocket, like a game player who'd successfully cleared a stage. He turned calmly, heading towards East Gorteau.
Jones, however, froze in place. The white ID on his chest suddenly darkened. Immediately after, the circle on the ground vanished. His fur expanded and lengthened, tightly entangling himself.
"One rule was disabling fur!"
Realizing belatedly, Jones was horrified, instantly engulfed by his own hair.
Ging didn't look back, muttering to himself, "Pity you weren't strong enough to even qualify for a coin revive."
After Ging instantly eliminated the astonishingly defensive Jones, Kite was still pursuing the other Officer Chimera Ant.
"I'll wait for you ahead."
Ging waved at Kite.