It had been three days since arriving in this world, and in these three days Meruem's body recovered very quickly. Although he couldn't say he was completely healed, movement and such were no longer problematic.
In these three days, Meruem learned about the world he was now in through that little girl - the world of Naruto.
Whether because they both belonged to the 2D realm or for some other reason, the languages of the two worlds were surprisingly consistent. Of course, due to Yoma's relationship, they might need to add the world of "Saint Seiya" as well - meaning the languages of all three worlds were completely identical. Of course, this was only language - the writing systems were completely different.
The Hunter world's text was like oracle bone script with inexplicable holes and circles, while the Naruto world's text leaned toward Japanese writing. Of course, for Meruem with LVMAX learning ability, this wasn't a problem - he learned it completely in less than a day, which amazed the little loli.
Unfortunately, when transmigrating directly from the Hunter world, Meruem had already overexerted himself and was seriously injured. Combined with his body shrinking, although he had recovered somewhat now, his current strength was probably only about one-tenth of his peak period.
That wasn't even the worst part. What made Meruem most frustrated was that his loyal subordinates were all sealed within the system's companion space. Certainly, this transmigrator system could bring people along, with no limit on numbers.
But this damn thing actually required the host's strength to reach a certain level before people could be released. If it were the previous Meruem, there would naturally be no problem, but the current Meruem...
According to the system's hints, Meruem's strength needed to recover to thirty percent of his peak period before it could be opened.
Thirty percent, my ass! If I recover to thirty percent strength, do I still need them for protection? The so-called protection was because Meruem's current strength had hit rock bottom. With only about one-tenth of his strength, this would be very frustrating anywhere. If the three Royal Guards Pouf and Youpi were by his side, it would be relatively safe.
Thinking of the three Royal Guards made him think of the cat girl Pitou. Her egg was also in that space now.
Someday I will make you appear by my side again.
Although the Naruto world and Hunter world were two different worlds, the basic combat power assessments were about the same. People from the Hunter world were roughly equivalent to taijutsu ninjas with some special abilities in the Naruto world.
Since he hadn't compared them, Meruem couldn't assess the specific combat index comparison between the two sides.
However, based on Meruem's personal feeling from the manga in his previous life, the combat power of Squadron Leader-level Chimera Ants was basically on the same level as jonin. You have to know that from the manga, most Squadron Leader-level Chimera Ants were no longer afraid of modern artillery - what kind of concept was that? You know about explosive tags in the Naruto world, right? Their power was about the same as rocket launchers. This stuff could injure jonin when it exploded, but Chimera Ants weren't afraid. However, comparing various ninjutsu and genjutsu from the Naruto world, you could only say the combat power of both sides was similar. Squadron Leaders were more like those taijutsu ninjas with physical enhancement, naturally those with special abilities.
As for soldier ants and other cannon fodder, they were probably at the level of genin and chunin.
And to say something weakly, Squadron Leader-level Chimera Ants weren't weak in the Hunter world either - they were considered decent experts.
Those who thought they were weak should look at what they faced: Phantom Troupe, the Chairman, the Zoldyck family. It would be strange if they could win. Try having jonin fight against Madara or Hashirama-level people and see if it's an instant kill.
Honestly, although the Phantom Troupe's overall strength didn't seem as good as the Akatsuki organization, they weren't weak either. If the two sides fought, it really would be hard to say. The assessment of Squadron Leaders being roughly equal to jonin was also fair.
Squadron Leaders were somewhere between elite jonin and Kage level. Squadron Leaders enhanced by Meruem were definitely Kage level, while those not enhanced were about elite jonin level.
Of course, the above data was just Meruem's rough estimation. As for whether it was accurate, wait until Meruem recovered his strength first.
"Ah, Meru! You're up again! Didn't I tell you? You're still a patient and need rest!" At this time, the little loli returning from outside started nagging after seeing Meruem. Then she took out some bread, dried noodles, and milk from the basket beside her - this was the little loli's food for a week. The little loli's parents were from the Uchiha clan's branch family. Both died on missions. Although the Uchiha clan's branch and main families weren't as clearly hierarchical as the Hyuga, they still treated awakened and unawakened clan members very differently. Unfortunately, the little loli's parents both belonged to the unawakened clan members, and the little loli herself hadn't awakened her eyes. So her treatment in the clan was only barely better than Konoha's war orphans.
"Got it, Saten-chan!"
"Don't call me Saten! I told you to call me Ruiko! Ruiko! Uchiha Ruiko! Uchiha Ruiko! Important things must be said twice! I'm not called Saten Ruiko!" The little loli said with her hands on her hips in an imposing manner.
"Okay, Saten-chan!"
Yes, you heard correctly - Saten Ruiko. The little loli's appearance was almost identical to the popular supporting character Saten Ruiko from "A Certain Scientific Railgun" that Meruem knew in his previous life. Why "almost"? Of course because the little loli was only 9 years old, just like a miniature version of Saten Ruiko. So Meruem, out of some psychological reason, just called her Saten! Of course, he had very good feelings toward this little benefactor who had saved him and brought him home.
Although the little loli didn't say it, Meruem knew that bringing a stranger picked up from the roadside back to the family was a major taboo in any village or family, even suspected of betraying the clan. Especially for someone of unknown origin like Meruem. But Ruiko not only brought Meruem back home but also hid Meruem's existence from the family and village. She even shared her limited food with him.
This debt of gratitude was huge. How should he repay it? Although Meruem didn't consider himself a good person, he at least knew what it meant to repay a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude.
"Here, Meru, eat." Little Ruiko handed a piece of bread and milk to Meruem. The current Meruem could already eat by himself - before this, Ruiko had always fed him.
You should know that aside from his body shrinking, Meruem wasn't really injured - just massively exhausted physically and mentally. Now he had recovered about seventy to eighty percent. It was just that his strength could only display one-tenth of his previous power due to his smaller size.
Fortunately, because the laws of the different worlds were different, plus Yoma wasn't in this world, his time laws couldn't constrain Meruem. In a few years, Meruem would grow up. Anyway, he hadn't experienced childhood in this life, so he might as well experience it once.
"You haven't eaten yet, right? So you eat it." Meruem glanced at Ruiko and didn't take the food from her hands. Honestly, Meruem didn't want to eat Ruiko's limited food. Even with only one-tenth of his strength, if Meruem wanted to find food in the Uchiha clan that had no Kage-level strength except for Itachi, it would still be very easy.
Incidentally, Meruem had roughly understood which time period of Naruto he had arrived in during these days. Itachi existed, Sasuke had already been born and was already 8-9 years old. Combined with Uchiha Shisui's death, Meruem could basically confirm that the Uchiha had reached the eve of their massacre. The massacre might be staged in a few more days. Of course, in the future, the Uchiha clan's survivors might not be two people but three.
Meruem would at least protect Ruiko. Don't think that Meruem with only one-tenth of his strength was easy to bully. What he lost was only Nen amount and physical strength - his speed didn't drop by nine-tenths that dramatically, and his body's defensive ability wasn't bad either. His experience, martial arts, and that terrifying talent and Nen abilities were still there. At least in the current Konoha, few people could do anything to him. Even with only one-tenth of his strength, he was still above Squadron Leader level.
Knuckle had once said that Youpi's Nen amount was dozens or even scores of times greater than Morel's, and Meruem had even more Nen than Youpi. So don't think Meruem was easy to bully! Even if it dropped by nine-tenths, it wasn't something you mortals could lightly insult! Let's see who dares touch the person I want to protect!
"I ate when I came back, I'm not hungry." Ruiko shook her head and still insisted on giving the food in her hands to Meruem. But a strange sound put Ruiko in an embarrassing position - yes, Ruiko's stomach growled.
"Then let's eat together." Meruem sighed and helped Ruiko out of her embarrassment. He knew that if he didn't eat, Ruiko wouldn't eat either. He might as well owe her some more favors. He already owed so much anyway.
"Mm." Ruiko's voice at this time was as small as a mosquito's, her head lowered and her cheeks bright red.
Watching Ruiko eat the bread bit by bit as if it were a precious treasure, Meruem suddenly felt very warm. It had been a long time since anyone cared for him like this. Of course, many other members of the Chimera Ant race also cared about Meruem, like the three Royal Guards, but this feeling was different.
Meruem had contacted the system in these days, but they only talked for a few sentences before the system continued its so-called update work. Because Meruem's previous purpose in coming to this world was to become stronger, the system told Meruem that what could make him stronger in the Naruto world was the chakra fruit of the Divine Tree. That is, the target of Kaguya, the final boss of the Naruto world.
"Looks like I'll have to be humanity's enemy once again. But the life and death of humans in this world has nothing to do with me. As long as the people I care about don't die, everything else doesn't matter. I'll have to become the villain boss again, but this time I'll hide in the deepest shadows and appear last. I'll definitely give the world a surprise."
But to be this final boss, he had to start planning from now.
First, it would be too wasteful to let the Uchiha clan, descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' son, be wiped out like this. He could do something about it.
(End of Chapter)
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