"Is this what peak strength and speed feel like?"
Ronnel spread his hands in front of his face, palms open.
After acquiring multiple abilities from the Chimera Ants, his perception had heightened far beyond what it was before. The changes in his body were clearer than ever.
"Perfect strength and speed, paired with perfect talent..."
Clenching his fists tightly, Ronnel's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"In terms of life force and innate ability, I'm confident—I won't be inferior to the Chimera Ant King!"
Originally, Ronnel surpassed the King in stamina and aura reserves. But after this mission at the ant nest and the awakening of his newly acquired abilities, he was convinced he had reached perfection in all aspects.
The King had devoured all three of his Royal Guards to gain power, yet Ronnel believed he could still stand above him.
"That is... once I fully adjust to these changes."
Closing his eyes again, he steadied his surging emotions.
His body needed time to integrate the vast number of new abilities, the expansion of his skillset, and the overwhelming surge of two perfect talents. Combined with Chrollo's powerful aura, the delicate balance within him had been disrupted, leaving even his strong body feeling the strain.
He needed time to digest and adapt.
But once he fully stabilized—
There would be no more shortcomings!
Meanwhile, as Ronnel worked to harmonize his body, Morel and Knov had joined the others, making their way toward the ant nest.
Since Leol and his subordinates had been eliminated, no one remained to lure the ants away. With Ronnel's overwhelming aura still lingering, Morel's group encountered soldier ants the moment they entered the tunnels.
"What's going on?"
Initially, they had been on high alert, expecting resistance. Yet, upon entering the unknown environment, they found a group of Chimera Ants huddled together, shivering. None of them even looked their way, behaving as if the hunters didn't exist.
This puzzled Knuckle.
As a Beast Hunter, he was fascinated by these bizarre creatures. Although Chimera Ants weren't strictly animals, they still fell into the category of rare organisms.
"Did Ronnel do this?"
Morel and Knov exchanged glances, both arriving at the same conclusion.
For a swarm of bloodthirsty soldier ants to remain this passive, the only possible explanation was that Ronnel's presence had left them terrified.
Still, some ants dared to glance at the intruders. However, upon seeing that their Squadron Leaders, Welfin, was leading the humans, they hesitated. Being nominally ranked just below the Royal Guards, Welfin's presence carried weight among the lower-ranked soldiers.
Only a handful of rebellious ants—those who served under disobedient Squadron Leaders—seemed unwilling to bow. But even they soon lowered their heads in silent submission.
No one knew what had happened to the Squadron Leaders who had gone to the palace.
Thus, in this eerie atmosphere, Morel and his team remained silent as they followed Welfin straight to the Queen's chamber.
"They've arrived."
Ronnel had sensed them approaching long before they reached the nest. But it wasn't until they entered the palace's passageways that Xi Hong and Brovada finally noticed.
"Alright, the rescue team is here. Let's see if your Queen's luck holds."
Ronnel slowly rose to his feet, speaking in a calm tone.
"They're finally here?!"
The ants perked up, their eyes filled with anticipation as they turned toward the entrance.
"This is a relief."
Having completed his task, the old squid-like medic wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed. The arrival of the professional rescue team meant he could finally rest.
The process had drained him completely.
"The rescue team..."
Meanwhile, the three Meleorons, who had been keeping a low profile, fell into deep thought.
They weren't particularly concerned about the Queen's fate. Instead, the arrival of the rescue team meant the human army wasn't far behind.
Soon, they would have to face judgment.
Would they be spared?
Would they be executed?
Now that survival was within reach, they couldn't help but worry about the future.
While everyone wrestled with their own thoughts, Welfin, Morel, and the others finally emerged from the passage.
Yak and Groundhog turned around expectantly—only to see that none of the newcomers looked like doctors. Their initial hope quickly faded, replaced with anger.
Welfin had surrendered to these humans, and this was the so-called "rescue team" they sent?
A dark brown portal appeared on the ground.
With Morel's assistance, several humans in pink-and-white medical coats, masks, and surgical caps emerged from the portal.
"Where's the patient?"
The lead doctor—a woman radiating authority—asked sharply, her presence immediately silencing Yak and Groundhog.
"There! She's over there!"
Welfin, recalling the Queen's location, quickly led the group toward her.
Morel and the others followed close behind, carrying advanced medical equipment.
The old squid-like medic, deeply fascinated by medical techniques, hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow.
Soon, the team arrived at the Queen's chamber. Upon seeing the Queen's dire condition, the lead doctor paused momentarily. Then, without hesitation, she signaled to her team.
The medical staff sprang into action, conducting a full examination before beginning treatment.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)