Beyond spoke coolly, "Nothing much, just wanted to let you know that the Chimera Ants now have some that can use Nen." Despite his indifferent tone, there was a hint of surprise in his eyes when he mentioned Nen.
Truly, these creatures from the Dark Continent are remarkable, they can actually use Nen by devouring humans and inheriting their genes.
"The creatures from the Dark Continent really have terrifying talents."
From the seriously injured Queen Ant to the Six Continents, and now Chimera Ants using Nen, it's only been a few months! But none of this concerns him. In fact, he hoped the Chimera Ants would grow stronger, increasing the chances of Netero dying in battle.
"You're not still worried about Isaac Netero, are you?" Hui Guo Rou finally turned to face Beyond directly. His deep, dark eyes seemed to see right through him.
Beyond trembled slightly but stayed silent.
You know you're my ally. Because of your agreement with Isaac Netero, I've been patient for a long time," Hui Guo Rou continued.
"But now that the deadline is approaching, and you still won't take matters into your own hands with your father, I had to reach out to V5 and pay a heavy price to arrange for the Chimera Ants to come here. You don't need to take any action, just watch quietly, and everything will sort itself out," Hui Guo Rou said firmly.
"We're only one step away from wrapping this up. Don't tell me you can't accept that!"
Hui Guo Rou had a partnership with Beyond: Hui Guo Rou controlled the resources of an entire empire, handling logistics and funding, in other words, acting as the sponsor. Beyond was in charge of assembling the team and recruiting experts. Many people had already joined this group focused on the Dark Continent expedition.
Beyond sighed deeply, then softened his expression. "Alright... I'll accept it. After all, I still want to go to the Dark Continent." Seeing Beyond finally face reality, a slow smile spread across Hui Guo Rou's round, cheerful face.
Beyond was a valuable partner, strong, emotionally intelligent, and skilled at building a well-organized team. The only thing that bothered Hui Guo Rou was that Beyond could never face his own father.
This meant spending extra money and effort bringing the Chimera Ant. Still, it was a worthwhile investment.
If their estimate was right, Netero would likely die soon. Once that happened, Beyond's agreement would expire, and he could head to the Dark Continent without obstacles.
"By the way," Hui Guo Rou added, "there's someone else I want to add to our personnel list. I just don't know if we can recruit him. His name is Larry."
***
On Yoshi Island, outside a fossil museum, Larry stood chatting on the phone with President Netero.
"Ha ha ha ha, that's it. See you then!" Netero's hearty laughter came through the speaker.
"Alright, just let me know when the time comes," Larry replied with a smile and a hint of anticipation in his voice.
After hanging up, he slipped his phone into his pocket and gazed up at the blue sky. "Chimera Ant..." he muttered to himself.
Netero had just called to invite him to join the Chimera Ant Subjugation Team. The timing made sense, it was almost time for Netero to bring him on board. After all, Larry was a team of powerhouse.
In this situation, the Chimera Ant Subjugation Team has no choice but to include him. Fighting against the Chimera Ants is a crucial part of the story. Even if Netero hadn't invited him, he would have gone on his own initiative.
Forget about what kind of Pokémon might be born from the battle; just facing the three Chimera Ant guards and the powerful Ant King alone would give him a wealth of experience. The other "minions" are mediocre by comparison and don't come close to the Ant King's level. Although their abilities are strange and bizarre in different ways, their strength doesn't impress him at all.
At the same time, Larry has a plan brewing in his mind, one that would sound crazy if he shared it with others. He intends to give the bodies of the three guards to the Ant King after defeating them.
The Ant King has an incredible devouring ability: the stronger the creature he eats, the more he improves. If the King consumes the bodies of his three elite guards, his power will skyrocket to an unimaginable level.
Before the martial arts competition, Larry wasn't sure if he wanted to take this risk. After all, an ultra-powered Ant King force netero to use the "Poor Rose" bomb to handle the situation.
But after acquiring Marshadow, those worries faded. Larry understands the gap between SS-level and S-level fighters well enough to be confident: even if the Ant King devours the three guards, he still wouldn't stand a chance against Marshadow.
When the Ant King eats the guards, it won't just recover, it will gain massive experience that benefits Larry's Pokémon. Even if Marshadow can't defeat the Ant King outright, he can use the "Poor Rose" bomb.
At that point, Gardevoir or Porygon-Z can toss the bomb and escape, still managing to take down the Ant King. The "Poor Rose," also known as the "Poor Man's Rose," is a highly toxic bomb developed by a major country.
Though it's only the size of a small box, its explosion carries the destructive power of a nuclear bomb. Even more terrifying is its intense toxicity, which contaminates countless miles with poison after detonation. In the original story, the Ant King nearly died but recovered after consuming two of his three guards, showing just how powerful this devouring ability truly is.
In the end, he died, poisoned by the toxic residue lingering in the air. This clearly shows just how deadly Poor Rose is. Even a powerful Ant King couldn't survive its effects.
While humans have the advantage of intelligence, technology remains an unmatched force, one that shouldn't be underestimated. Tools like Poor Rose may be controversial and seldom used, but having them isn't necessarily wrong because of their immense destructive power and terrifying toxicity.
That's why the V5 countries have banned the production and trade of Poor Rose, and have even recalled most of the existing stock. Still, these substances continue to be produced secretly, though at a steep price that's out of reach for ordinary people. Naturally, someone like Larry, with unlimited wealth, has no trouble affording them.
Time passed slowly, and soon night fell. In the NGL Autonomous Region, deep within a dense forest, stood a strange building made from mud, clay, and other materials. Its shape was odd, almost as if it had been thrown together randomly.