Deep within the hinterlands of NGL, an ant mound was being constructed—the final fortress where the Queen would birth her King.
In the most secure, innermost chamber, the Queen continued to feed with single-minded devotion. Her heart and belly were filled daily by the quality of the prey brought to her.
(These humans possess incredible nutritional value. Not only will they allow me to birth powerful soldiers, but the intelligence they provide is exquisite. I never imagined I would be able to establish a nest in such a perfect environment so quickly.)
The humans she had encountered immediately after birthing her first soldiers were her top priority. They were numerous, weak, and highly nutritious. While some rare, stronger individuals had caused casualties among her ranks, her soldiers—now significantly more powerful than the initial brood—were having no trouble harvesting them.
(And then there are these "rare" specimens with that staggering internal energy... My instincts scream that they are the ultimate nourishment for birthing a mighty King!)
As the generations progressed, the number and strength of the soldiers reached a level where the weak Nen users and rookie Hunters periodically sent by Pariston stood no chance. From the weaponless citizens of NGL to those carrying arms or wielding Nen, all were equally harvested and returned to the Queen as sustenance.
The Queen was currently basking in a golden age of prosperity.
(Still, it was a waste. To think the very first human I consumed was a rare specimen. If I hadn't used that energy to strengthen my own body, the King's birth would have been even sooner.)
When the Queen first tasted human flesh, she had used that surge of energy to reinforce her own physical form. For a Queen whose supreme mission was to birth the King, it was technically a failure—but from a strategic standpoint, it was the best choice. Having integrated even a weak Nen user, her body was elevated, becoming an even more potent vessel for producing stronger soldiers and an eventually peerless King.
(The food supply and the quality of the soldiers are now stable. Next, I will birth the Royal Guard—and then, the ultimate King!)
There was no malice or greed in her actions; there was only the pure instinct of a species striving to win the struggle for survival. But that pure desire was being manipulated by a much darker, distorted will.
In any world, only humanity is capable of bottomless malice.
***
"This belongs to an old guy who came by a while ago. He told me to give it to the next person who came along..."
A young boy held out a Hunter License to Kite. Though it was grimy, there was no mistaking what it was.
The boy had spotted Kite's group as they entered a village near the coast. Stealing away from the suspicious eyes of the local adults, he explained the situation.
"I was going to go fishing with Reina when a big crab monster showed up. It almost attacked us, but that man saved us. I ran to get the adults, but by the time we got back, he was gone."
All that remained were signs of a struggle and a few bloodstains. The village adults had concluded that a wild beast had attacked an outsider and called off the search. The boy, Kurt, spoke sadly about how the adults refused to believe his story about the "crab monster."
"He saved me and Reina, but I couldn't do anything for him. Do you believe me?"
"(Old guy...?) Don't worry, we believe you," Kite said gently. "Tell us more about where you were attacked and what that monster looked like."
Kite sent Pokkle with him to investigate the site while instructing Ponzu to gather more details on the monster and check for other rumors. Upon arriving at the scene, Kite found the faint remains of a struggle. Following the "crab monster" lead toward the coastline, he discovered a cleverly hidden cave.
Inside were the meager remains of a nest. Though it had only been occupied briefly, there was undeniable evidence that a Chimera Ant had been there.
"Bingo, Master. There's definitely a human-sized Chimera Ant out there!" Pokkle exclaimed.
"Yeah. And if it's eating humans—especially Nen users—there's no telling how it's evolving. Since that village is still intact, it's likely moved on."
Kite picked up a scrap of clothing that likely belonged to the "old guy" Kurt had mentioned. He offered a silent moment of respect to the nameless Hunter. The man was almost certainly dead, but he had fulfilled his duty: protecting the children and leaving behind vital information. This data would be sent to the Association immediately and would prove invaluable in resolving this crisis.
(The danger level is about to skyrocket. One wrong move and we're wiped out... I can't let that happen.)
Reminded of his responsibility by the legacy of that nameless Hunter, Kite sharpened his focus.
"Master, it looks like it birthed nearly twenty soldiers before moving. The timing matches Kurt's story from a month ago."
"Right. Let's regroup with Ponzu and report to the Association. Then, we're heading deeper into NGL."
Pokkle, whom Kite had taken on as a disciple after Gon's recommendation, and Ponzu, who had joined them after hitting it off with Pokkle, were both showing great potential as Phantom Beast Hunters. Kite was certain they would become capable Hunters if they continued to grow.
(I'm a Phantom Beast Hunter. If things get violent, I'll call Gon.)
Despite his pride as a strong warrior, Kite never lost sight of his professional duty. He had no interest in the title of "World's Strongest"—a title that usually seduced men. He had seen the gap between himself and the nine-year-old Gon years ago and had long since stepped off the path of the "Shura."
(We talk occasionally, but I wonder what kind of monster he's become now. I'm almost afraid to see it, but as the one who taught him the basics, I can't help but be curious.)
Kite didn't know it yet, but the "monster" he anticipated was growing at several times his expected speed. Nor did he know that he was nearly being held responsible for contributing to the creation of a "Behemoth of Muscle."
However, Kite did know one thing: out of all the creatures he had discovered, the most dangerous and rare was that boy. And if an incident became too much to handle, he knew exactly who to throw it to. The first victim to recognize the threat of the "Muscle Behemoth" was more than happy to rely on his allies.
***
In the Vice Chairman's office at the Hunter Association, Pariston Hill was enjoying his shadow-work. While funneling weak Nen users into NGL through various backchannels, he contemplated the report that had just arrived.
(Kite, the Phantom Beast Hunter. Ging's disciple and a top-tier talent. It's a race against time now.)
Pariston stamped the report as "processed," buried it among a mountain of other documents, and continued his work as if nothing had happened.
(He's still a standard Hunter because he lacks a massive track record, but in terms of pure ability, he's easily Single-Star level or higher. It'll be a coin toss whether the King is born before the ants are exterminated.)
Pariston's mind was terrifyingly efficient; even without seeing the ants, he had accurately estimated their scale and strength. However, even his calculations had a blind spot. He hadn't predicted the "unfortunate miracle" of the Queen's very first meal being a Nen user. Because that specific Hunter had been in NGL on unrelated business, even Pariston had underestimated the Queen's initial power boost.
(I've fed them a considerable amount. I look forward to seeing the performance of the Royal Guard.)
The Guards were guaranteed to be powerful, but the Squadron Leaders beneath them were also significantly enhanced. The combat-oriented Leaders were born already shrouded in aura, while the non-combatants gained unique abilities through their Hatsu. Because the ants retained memories of the humans they consumed, their understanding of the fundamentals of Nen was dangerously accurate. With their ranks bolstered in both quality and quantity, they were already moving to forcibly awaken their subordinates' Nen.
The ants were growing at a rate that far exceeded even the "Rat's" expectations, preparing to challenge the world.
***
At the Shingen-ryu outdoor training grounds, the usual sparring match was underway, but every onlooker was wide-eyed with shock.
"Are you kidding me, Old Man?! You made this just since yesterday?!"
Killua, caught in the middle of their spar, released a full-output electrical discharge to break free from a clinch. However, his opponent—a muscular, middle-aged man with a striking resemblance to a younger Netero—stood there unfazed.
"I call it 100-Type Guanyin: Prayer Form — The True Statue. Simply put, it's me in my prime."
Behind the manifestation that Killua was fighting sat the actual Netero, positioned like the Maitreya Buddha in a state of prayer. He was expressionless, his mind seemingly elsewhere. Remarkably, it was the Guanyin manifestation itself that spoke.
"As long as my physical body remains defenseless and continues to pray, this form remains manifest. Its range is anywhere I can see."
Netero—or rather, the manifestation—moved as if testing out his prime body. Sensing Killua's intent to attack his actual body, he didn't just block it; he grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck.
"Don't look for the easy way out. You don't have the luxury of worrying about my body at this distance. Just sit tight and help me break this form in."
"I get it, just let go, dammit! I'm gonna make you regret this!"
"Ho ho ho!"
Killua threw everything he had into the fight, but found he could no longer use the "gaps" or patterns he had relied on against the standard 100-Type Guanyin. Unlike the previous version, which was limited to set patterns—albeit lightning-fast ones—this prime-self manifestation was adaptive. It moved with a veteran's cunning, using feints, shifts in speed, and unpredictable strikes. In a one-on-one fight, it far surpassed the traditional Guanyin.
"Hmm, I'm starting to get the hang of it. Next, I'd like to try Hisoka. What do you say?"
After Killua was beaten down, his Godspeed and lightning failing to make an impact, Netero turned his sights not on Gon, but on Hisoka. Knowing that while his physical prime had returned, Gon's raw power was still superior, Netero chose Hisoka to help refine his precision and technique. Besides, Netero wasn't mature enough to let someone potentially stronger than him act smug forever.
"This is more than I expected... ♠ I wasn't that interested during the Hunter Exam, but you're looking very delicious right now, Chairman... ♥"
A heavy, dark aura swirled as the "Netero-Construct" and Hisoka squared off. Every observer focused their Gyo to its absolute limit, unwilling to miss a single second of a battle between two men who were easily among the top five in the world.
"You still need to get used to it, right? I'll play along until you're fully ripe... ♥"
"Tch, talk about looking down on your elders. I'll take you up on that offer!"
The clash that followed was a masterpiece of martial perfection. It was a trade of techniques involving only the fundamentals of aura and physical combat—a sequence so pure that anyone dedicated to the martial arts would have given anything to witness it. The older observers were moved to tears, while the younger ones stared until their eyes were bloodshot, desperate to burn the image into their memories.
"Ka-ka! You still have room to breathe against me like this?!"
"Your movements are still a bit disjointed... ♠ If your main body gets weaker as a result, isn't that counterproductive? Can you maintain both? ♥"
"None of your concern!"
The battle accelerated; the exchange grew more refined. Netero's onslaught—at the peak of his physical prowess—was being parried and dodged by Hisoka. Unless an attack was physically impossible to avoid due to its size, Hisoka could react to it, even at speeds exceeding sound. The feints and rhythmic traps that had neutralized Killua were useless against Hisoka's brilliant mind and supernatural intuition. It was a fight lacking in flashy Nen tricks, yet even a child could see it was a duel between peaks.
"It's frustrating... I don't think I'll ever reach that level," Gon muttered.
"If you reached that level, it would be a total nightmare," Killua replied. "We have to reach the top with our own kind of strength."
"Yeah!"
Gon and Killua didn't waver. Having witnessed these two peaks, they understood that their own destination was different. Just as all mountains are connected at the base but have different summits, they had their own paths to mastery. Even after seeing the heights of Netero, Bisky, and Hisoka, Gon and Killua didn't doubt for a second that they could go even higher.
The "Muscle Behemoth" and the "Lightning Boy" swore their own rebellion against the status quo, their fighting spirits burning to reach a summit no one had ever seen.
***
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