Ron's thoughts immediately went to Nanika, the being that usually hid within Alluka.
At first, before he had seen it with his own eyes, and only knew of it through the original storyline, he had suspected that the guard dog and Zeno's dragon mount might have come from the Dark Continent. But after witnessing them directly, he dismissed that idea. Neither of those creatures reached that level.
As for Netero's experiences in the Dark Continent, his descriptions were very brief—likely because he did not wish to recall them. But for something to be described as strange even by Netero, it had to be extraordinarily strange. When he journeyed there, Netero was most likely already at the level of an S-Class Nen user, and beyond doubt, both Zigg and Linne would not have been far behind.
...........
.......
.
Days passed, and in the Republic of East Gorteau many people died. The Chimera Ants selection plan was, in truth, quite simple. They forced open the aura nodes of humans. If a person proved capable of becoming a Nen user, they kept that person alive, controlled them, and turned them into soldiers, incorporating them into the Ant army. Pouf had complete confidence that he could control them all. But if someone lacked the talent to become a Nen user, they were killed outright.
It was a mistake to assume, from seeing the newcomers in Heaven's Arena, that most people could survive the opening of aura nodes and become Nen users. In reality, it was extremely difficult. The vast majority had no talent. Almost everyone had imagined at some point that they were special, born gifted, destined to become something great, but once grown they were forced to realize they were nothing more than ordinary.
Such ordinary people could never become Nen users.
And the Ants method of selection was so simple and violent. In the Republic of East Gorteau, out of one hundred ordinary people, if five could become Nen users, that was already remarkable. But the country had a population of five million.
One hundred people would yield five.
One thousand would yield fifty.
Ten thousand would yield five hundred.
A million would yield fifty thousand.
Five million would yield two hundred fifty thousand.
Even if those produced were merely soldiers at the lowest level, Nen-capable soldiers were not the same as ordinary troops. Against humans, their destructive power was immense. And the five million of East Gorteau were only the beginning. The two hundred fifty thousand Nen-using soldiers created from them would be the true engines of catastrophe.
As Ron thought of this, the cruelty and exploitation within human society seemed almost mild by comparison. What the Chimera Ants did showed no concern at all for human life. Humans were nothing but tools to be created and discarded at will. If any human nation had produced soldiers in this way, humanity would already have perished.
"Among humans there are indeed many brutal killers, devoid of compassion," Ron reflected, "but on the larger scale humanity still manages to survive and propagate. If another species were to take our place as rulers, the situation would be entirely different."
Gon, Killua, and Morel each fought their battles, clearing out the Chimera Ants they encountered.
After removing the needle and undergoing Ron's special training, Killua no longer felt much pressure when facing Chimera Ant squad captains. Gon, once he calmed himself, could also bring out his strengths. As for Morel, there was no need to question his capability. Together, they steadily moved closer to the Royal Palace.
At that same moment, within the palace, a human appeared before the King. She was a young girl with short white hair, still very small in age, but with extraordinary talent in Gungi.
The King had searched throughout East Gorteau for humans who could bring him surprises, testing himself against them in every sort of contest, learning in the process. But none were his match—until Komugi appeared.
Her ability in Gungi won the King's recognition. He could not accept that he had lost to a mere human, yet he was forced to acknowledge it. The more he lost, the more he wished to win, and as this went on, his concern for Komugi steadily deepened—even though he himself failed to notice it.
Through his time with her, the King experienced the taste of defeat. That feeling gradually awakened a trace of humanity within him. This was perhaps the difference between the King and the Royal Guards.
For the Guards and the King alike, awakening human memories was impossible, yet the King's potential surpassed that of the Guards. The Guards could be seen as simple tools, but the King had much greater capacity for learning.
Ring ring ring!
A phone began to ring. Netero answered.
"Chairman Netero, it's me."
"Knov, what is it?"
"I've reached the vicinity of the Royal Palace. Next, I intend to use my ability to infiltrate the interior at close range, to examine the situation within."
"Alright."
The call ended.
Ron looked at Netero. "It seems the time for action is almost here."
Netero gazed toward the Royal Palace. At that moment, Knov slipped inside. Making use of his Dimensional Mansion ability, he advanced step by step, unnoticed by any Ant. He moved all the way to beneath the throne itself.
There, the King's aura naturally overflowed.
Knov felt it. It was powerful, strange, ferocious, ominous. The instant his own aura brushed against it, his heart was seized by overwhelming fear. The terror was so great it provoked a physical reaction. His face twisted in horror, and his hair fell in clumps from his head.
His confidence was utterly destroyed. He had no belief at all that the Ants could be defeated. The fear inside him surpassed even the pressure Killua had once faced from the needle in his body combined with his own doubts.
"No chance of victory. No chance at all. Everyone will die."
Only after a long time did Knov dial Netero's number again.
"Chairman Netero."
"Knov, what happened?" Netero instantly noticed the change in his tone.
"Chairman… I'm sorry…"