"You really are a complete and utter pervert!" Allen rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a wave of utter helplessness.
Hisoka, far from being ashamed, nodded with a proud smile. "Thank you for the compliment!"
"That wasn't a compliment, you bastard!" Allen rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Had this been the past, he definitely would have given the guy a piece of his mind. But now... he had grown somewhat accustomed to it, or perhaps he'd just developed an immunity. After all, spending enough time in the circles of Nen users meant inevitably crossing paths with all sorts of colorful characters.
Furthermore, the more powerful a Nen user was, the more likely their thought process was to be skewed, fueled by an inner core of madness and obsession.
Just as the two were preparing to retreat, they suddenly noticed a dark shadow darting through the woods behind them.
"Aha! It seems we have a little mouse here!"
Still in a state of high-strung excitement, Hisoka didn't hesitate for a second. He was the first to lunge forward.
During this period of constant battle against the Chimera Ants, his Nen had been improving at a breakneck pace. While he couldn't quite match the growth of Gon and Killua, the two protagonists who had utilized the ten-to-one time dilation of the Dungeon, he was significantly stronger than his former self. If he weren't, he never would have been able to wound Pouf.
Relying on his keen predator's nose for prey, the deviant quickly caught up to the shadow. Using Bungee Gum, he bound the target tight in just a few moves.
When Allen arrived shortly after, he saw a feminine, dainty, and rather cute Chimera Ant dressed in fluffy yellow clothes and a pink hat. She was curled into a ball, staring at them with eyes full of terror. In her arms, she seemed to be cradling an infant no larger than a palm.
"Don't! Don't kill me! I haven't done anything bad!" the Chimera Ant pleaded piteously.
It was obvious she was genuinely terrified. Moreover, she didn't possess many ant-like features. If not for the short, furry, rabbit-like tail on her backside, she could easily have passed for a human teenage girl.
"Who are you? And what's the deal with that baby in your arms?" Allen questioned, his eyes narrowing.
For some reason, this little ant looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. There were so many characters in the Chimera Ant arc of the anime, especially within the vast ranks of the army, and some appeared for only a second or two. It was impossible to remember them all.
"Hina! My name is Hina! I used to be under Squadron Leader Leol! But later, Pitou-sama transferred me to serve the Queen! As for this baby... she was born alongside the King. She was only the size of a palm at birth, but she's been growing rapidly over the last few days. I don't know why."
The girl ant calling herself Hina was already scared out of her wits by Hisoka's terrifying bloodlust. she blurted out everything she knew in one go.
"Hina? One of Leol the Lion's subordinates?" Allen rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.
After about two or three minutes, he finally remembered who this cute-looking Chimera Ant was. In the original plot, this little thing was the one who performed "Nen Removal" for Cheetu the "Stupid Leopard." Her ability involved literally eating Nen, which would then cause her belly to swell as if she were pregnant.
To put it simply, she was the Exorcist of the Chimera Ant army. As for her threat level and combat capability? Rounded off, they were essentially zero.
"Shall I kill her?" Hisoka pulled out a playing card, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes.
Hina had never seen such a terrifying display. She instantly burst into tears. "Waaaah! Don't... don't kill me! I really haven't done anything bad! I've never killed a human, and I've never eaten one!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Allen leaned down, staring into her eyes.
"It's true! Absolutely true! In fact... I'm a vegetarian!" Hina nodded frantically.
"Then what is your ability?" Allen continued, asking with great interest.
"I can eat other people's Nen!" Hina didn't dare hide a thing, honestly revealing her ability. At this moment, her only goal was to stay alive in front of these two murderous humans.
"Nen Removal?!"
Hisoka's eyes widened instantly, realizing the value of the little ant before him. After all, Exorcists were extremely rare and precious throughout the human world, often enjoying a degree of "immunity" from death due to their utility.
Allen signaled the pervert beside him to stay calm, then pointed to the pink strands of Bungee Gum. "Demonstrate."
Without a word, Hina lowered her head, took a large bite, and began to chew and swallow rapidly. Like an oversized bunny, she ate every bit of the Nen binding her in a matter of seconds. Simultaneously, her belly swelled at a visible rate until she looked like a woman seven or eight months pregnant.
"She really is an Exorcist! Well? Do you want her ability?" Hisoka asked with ill intent.
"No, that won't be necessary. I already have a similar capability; there's no need to overcomplicate things. Besides, if she truly hasn't killed or eaten humans, there's no harm in letting her live. I'm not some unreasonable butcher or demon."
Having said that, Allen carefully picked up the infant that had been set on the ground. If he remembered correctly, this baby was the reincarnation of Kite, brought about by his "absolute desire not to die" ability mentioned by Ging.
When the ants decided to abandon the NGL nest, all the Hunters and Nen users they had captured and controlled were eaten by the Queen. It was likely then that Kite completed his reincarnation...
"Eh? I don't have to die? Thank you! Thank you so much!" Hina stood up with her protruding belly, quickly wiped the snot and tears from her face, and gave a deep bow.
It had to be said, she looked quite ridiculous in her current state.
"Don't be so quick to thank me. I'll be observing you for a while. I'll only let you go once I've confirmed you haven't lied and pose no threat. Here, you take care of this baby for now."
Allen handed the infant, likely the reborn Kite, back to her.
"Understood! I'll do my best! I won't let you down!" Hina pumped a small fist, full of confidence.
"I hope so."
Seeing her high-energy, guileless demeanor, Allen shook his head with a smile. He led the way, retreating along their original path to regroup with the rest of the team at the hotel.
Meanwhile, in a guest room of a magnificent hotel far away, Baise was playing some "thrilling" adult games with over twenty high-ranking officials and generals.
The woman, dressed in black leather and holding a whip, was taking turns lashing those pale, exceptionally flabby men, occasionally dripping hot wax on them. The victims of this abuse didn't cry out in pain; instead, they moaned with excitement. Without hesitation, they used their power to strip the authority from Ming Jol-ik, the supreme leader who had already been compromised by the ants, effectively turning him into a figurehead.
As for Illumi, he was currently holding a camera, filming the entire scene with a deadpan expression.
As a professional assassin, his filming technique was not only exquisite but captured every single detail. It was the kind of footage that could be uploaded directly to certain "specialized" websites to make money without needing any editing. One look was enough to tell he was highly experienced and had clearly undergone professional training...