"Get out of my way!"
Pouf's wings beat furiously, whipping up a violent gale that blasted outward. But the smoke did not scatter. Morel's haze remained, thick and impenetrable. Pouf wanted nothing more than to kill him outright, but whenever the thought arose, Morel simply melted back into the smoke, concealed from sight. With Shoot and Gon also in play, Pouf could never focus all his attention on a single opponent.
Both Pouf and Youpi held absolute superiority in raw strength. Yet the nature of Nen—and the numerical advantage of the Hunters—kept them trapped. For the moment, neither could break free of their opponents restraint. That much was fact.
Now both Royal Guards were growing restless. Their only hope lay with the King. If the King could defeat Netero, all would be resolved.
The King had not been confronted with anything beyond his capacity to endure.
"With the King's strength, there will be no problem. Humans cannot surpass him."
Pouf repeated this silently, comforting himself.
The mindset of the other Chimera Ants was different. They were not bound by unwavering loyalty; each harbored personal ambition. The Leopard Chimera Ant sought Pouf's help to refine its ability. The Lion Chimera Ant plotted to use its own power as a gift to the King, angling to secure some share of the King's strength in return. Its ambition burned hotter than that of most squadron leaders, and its strength was among the highest of their rank. Others, like the Wolf Chimera Ant, harbored their own motives as well.
"The situation is complicated. Judging from what these humans intend, they may actually be trying to kill the King. The King must not die. Not now."
The Lion Chimera Ant's eyes flickered as it turned toward the battlefield of the King and Netero. But as it reached the edge of the palace, a figure blocked its path.
"You're a Chimera Ant, aren't you?"
Hisoka's eyes narrowed as he examined the beast. Missing the chance to battle Chrollo had left him unsatisfied. When he heard of the Chimera Ants, he decided to vent his pent-up excitement on them instead, hoping they could give him the thrill he craved. The aura radiating from the Lion Chimera Ant was not bad.
"Eighty points," Hisoka muttered.
The Lion Chimera Ant frowned. "Another human come to destroy us?"
"Destroy you? No," Hisoka said, shaking his head. "I only came for fun."
The Lion Chimera Ant's gaze flickered. "Another time, perhaps. I have important business now."
"Once, maybe. But not today. I can't hold back anymore." Hisoka raised an arm. "See? My body is trembling with excitement."
The Lion Chimera Ant's expression darkened, wariness rising. This kind of human, it had never met before. Hisoka's presence was not weak.
The beast gave a subtle signal. At once, another figure appeared above—its squadron leader subordinate, the Dragonfly Chimera Ant.
A card appeared between Hisoka's fingers. With a flick of his wrist—
Whoosh!
Dozens of cards sliced through the air toward the Lion Chimera Ant, each tethered with a strand of Bungee Gum.
............
...
.
Meanwhile, Neferpitou gasped for breath. Sasuke Uchiha and Natsu, Ron's Nen beasts, were already battered with wounds. Even after Ron had restored them several times, their condition was dire. It was proof of the terrifying strength Neferpitou commanded.
But what truly unsettled Neferpitou was this: the beasts had suffered heavily, yet Ron himself had barely changed. His aura remained steady, his breathing calm, as if the battle hardly touched him.
"How… how does a single human wield such overwhelming aura? Is he truly human?"
The sight defied reason.
If the one who had taken the King away was of the same caliber—or stronger—then would the King be in danger? Could Ron's level of power pose a real threat to the King?
The thought spurred Neferpitou into desperation. Aura erupted violently, forcing Sasuke and Natsu to stagger back.
"Die!"
The battle state shifted. Neferpitou stopped focusing on Ron directly. Every opening, every target in range was struck relentlessly. Sasuke and Natsu could not withstand the storm of attacks. Even with Ron pouring aura into them, their recovery lagged behind the damage inflicted.
That opening was all Neferpitou needed.
"Kill!"
A sharp whistle split the air. In the next instant, the Royal Guard was upon Ron, fist clenched, aura flooding into the strike.
"Ken."
Ron crossed his arms in front of him.
Bang!
The punch landed. Tremendous force and aura slammed into him, driving his body back. His legs carved deep furrows in the earth.
"So this… is the power of a Royal Guard. The power of an S-class Nen user. Truly strong."
He rubbed his arms, grimacing. Even with Ken, the pain was intense.
"This is far beyond Uvogin's Big Bang Impact, beyond Gon's Jajanken. My defenses are already stronger than Oster's, yet Neferpitou's power surpasses even Rosgell, the human-shaped Nen construct. But what I wield now is only an incomplete Rosgell… still missing several parts."
Neferpitou's eyes lit up. The attack seemed to have worked. To Neferpitou, Ron looked at his limit. One more blow, and he would fall.
What they did not realize was that Ron had taken the strike on purpose.