As the aftershocks of the massive explosion gradually dissipated, the central area of the palace had been transformed into a bottomless pit. Whether it was the Firelord, Ragnaros, or Youpi in his red giant form, all had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only vast stretches of scorched ruins.
"Is he dead?" Allen stood at the edge of the crater, peering down into the depths.
"No. Still breathing. He's right down there. But he's only one step away from death's door. Are you going to plunder his ability?"
Vaelstrasz had materialized into her physical form at some point. Saliva was ungracefully dripping from the corner of her mouth; she looked less like a Great Aspect Dragon of Azeroth and more like a dog having a pavlovian response to the sight of food. It couldn't be helped, the cocoons of the Royal Guards were simply too delicious. Had it not been for the requirement to plunder an ability, she would have already dived down to start her feast.
"Enhancing Nen through rage? Forget it. That's not what I'm looking for." Allen hesitated for a moment before shaking his head in refusal. While Youpi's power was undeniably potent and convenient, he had no desire to lose his sanity in the heat of battle.
"Then he's mine!"
With that, the Red Dragon unfurled her powerful wings and dove. She exhaled a blast of searing Flames of Life, slowly refining the dying Youpi into a cocoon before swallowing him whole.
Simultaneously, several cards manifested in the air before Allen. He casually flipped one; it instantly released a golden light, and the image of Youpi in his centaur form appeared on the surface.
"What's this? The more I don't want it, the more you give it to me?" Allen let out a wry laugh as the golden card faded into his hand. As a self-proclaimed tactical fighter, his greatest aversion was losing control of his emotions during combat. To him, an ability that relied on rage to strengthen Nen was essentially useless.
Just as Allen prepared to hunt down the final Royal Guard, Neferpitou, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted in the sky several kilometers away. A pillar of white light pierced through the heavens and the earth. It was so brilliant that even the sun seemed to pale in comparison.
"What happened?" Bodoro asked tensely, having just caught up.
"If I recall correctly, that direction is the battlefield of Chairman Netero and the King," Knov noted, his expression grim.
"Damn it! Did that old man use his final trump card? You guys stay here and help Gon and Killua deal with Pitou. I'm going to check on the Chairman."
Without waiting for their agreement, Allen activated Aura Burst. He streaked across the sky like a bolt of lightning, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.
…
Meanwhile, on a desolate plain several kilometers away, Netero, having unleashed Zero Hand, sat on the ground gasping for air. His body was rapidly aging, reverting from his prime state. Realizing his life was reaching its end, he didn't sigh or lament like an ordinary man; instead, he burst into a hearty laugh.
"Hahahaha! To think that before I die, I'd get to enjoy the final, and most intense, duel of my life. King of the Ants, you're still alive, aren't you?"
"Ah... I am indeed alive. But that last strike of yours was truly unexpected. Releasing all of your Nen in a single breath? If your Aura capacity had been even a seventh or eighth of mine, I might truly be dead right now."
Accompanied by a low voice, the King pushed aside the rocks and soil covering him and slowly stepped out. His entire body was riddled with wounds of varying sizes. His hardened exoskeleton had been torn apart by the horrifying volume of Aura surged from the Zero Hand, and a large amount of unidentified fluid was leaking from his injuries.
In the world of Nen, while total capacity is a vital metric, another crucial factor is the amount of Aura one can mobilize for attack or defense in an instant. Most users are considered powerful if they can channel a tenth of their total Aura into a single strike. Gon's Jajanken being a prime example.
But Chairman Netero? His Zero Hand poured every drop of his remaining Aura into a single attack. 100% of his power. This meant that even if an opponent had ten times his total capacity, they couldn't fully defend against it with Ten or Ken. Thus, despite the King's staggering total Aura and innate durability, he was significantly injured. While far from fatal, it was much more severe than the slight scratches depicted in the original timeline.
"My apologies. That was my limit," Netero admitted his defeat with total equanimity. The potion had allowed him a brief return to his peak in both body and spirit; he felt no regrets regardless of the outcome. Besides, he was about to die anyway.
"Tell me! Who planned all of this? And who created us?" The King wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes flashing with fury.
"Does it matter?" Netero looked at him with eyes full of pity.
"Yes!" the King replied without hesitation. "I will find these people and kill them one by one! No one shall manipulate or toy with my destiny!"
"To break free from a predetermined fate? Too late. You no longer have that chance. Because the Grim Reaper has arrived..." Netero looked up at a black speck in the distance that was rapidly growing larger.
The next second...
BOOM!
Allen slammed into the ground like a projectile, creating a massive crater. Seeing the Chairman's withered, aged appearance, he realized immediately what had happened. He sighed softly. "You really went and did it."
"Heh, this is the proper end for one who seeks the pinnacle of martial arts. Well? Is everything handled on your end?" Netero asked with a smile.
"Two Guards are down. I was about to deal with the third, but I saw you use that move, so I hurried over." Allen turned and glanced at the Ant King a dozen meters away. He curled his lip and mocked the King using the very same tone the King had used when they first met: "Such staggering Aura capacity! No wonder you survived the strongest move of the 100-Type Guanyin. As food, you must be of the rarest, highest grade."
"Food?!"
Hearing that word, the King was instantly consumed by rage. A terrifying murderous intent erupted from him. It had always been he who treated others as nothing; this was the first time he had been regarded as a mere meal.
"What? Angry? I'm simply returning the words you once said to me, without changing a single syllable. It's time to end this man-made disaster. You, a tool who has fulfilled his purpose, no longer have any utility. It is time for you to exit the stage. Come. Let us stake all of our Nen to put a period on your brief, pathetic life."
As the final word left his lips, Allen manifested his Giantstalker Armor set. Holding his bow, he prepared to go all-out to kill the opponent. Without a doubt, the King was the most powerful foe he had encountered since arriving in this world, and the only enemy whose Aura capacity was a match for his own.