On the widest floor of the ant mound, the Squadron Leaders and their high-ranking Captains had assembled.
These dozens of Chimera Ant elites knelt, keeping their gazes firmly on the ground under the crushing intimidation of the Royal Guard, Shaiapouf. Though the summons had been sudden and unexplained, Peggy—the former Queen's caretaker—had spread the word of the King's birth, answering their immediate questions.
Still, none of them understood why they had been gathered like this. Driven by their biological instincts to obey the absolute strong, they waited in fearful silence.
"Everyone, King Meruem has arrived. Feel his glory and consider it the greatest honor of your lives to stand in his presence."
Though the kneeling Squadron Leaders couldn't see it, Pouf himself knelt as Meruem entered, flanked by Neferpitou and Menthuthuyoupi. Meruem ascended a hastily prepared dais, swept his gaze across the assembly, and spoke.
"I acknowledge your service in guarding the Queen until my birth. Therefore, I shall grant you a reward. You may choose: follow me to a new land, remain here, or strike out on your own. I grant you the same authority over your respective subordinates. Make your decision by dawn."
With those brief words, the King descended the dais and returned to the inner sanctum with Youpi. Pitou departed for her perimeter patrol, and Pouf remained behind to explain the King's decree to the stunned leaders.
"Those who follow Lord Meruem will be treated as they have been until now. Those who stay or leave will not be interfered with, provided they do not become enemies. Give thanks for the King's mercy and decide your path."
With a final warning not to cause trouble, Pouf exited. The Squadron Leaders began to murmur among themselves, still trembling. In the end, about a third—mostly the calmer, non-combat types—decided to stay in the mound. a few others took their personal units and left NGL to seek their own "kingdoms."
More than half, however, pledged their absolute loyalty to Meruem. The mound became a hive of activity as subordinates were reorganized and resources gathered. By the next morning, a massive exodus began. Led by Pouf and the King himself—who rode atop Youpi's transformed, bird-like back—the swarm departed the mound.
A force capable of toppling a nation with ease was now moving to devour a country that had already, effectively, fallen.
***
At the base camp near the NGL border, Gon and his friends were reuniting with Pokkle for the first time in eighteen months.
Though Gon and Kite had stayed in occasional contact, and the surprisingly diligent Leorio had sent regular updates, seeing each other in person brought many revelations.
"...Wait, Kurapika? You and Leorio are... married? A kid?! And you're all1-Star Hunters?! What the hell happened to you guys?!"
Pokkle's jaw hit the floor. He was first stunned by the drastic change in Kurapika's demeanor and the nature of his relationship with Leorio, then he practically screamed when he learned that the group (including Killua) had been promoted to 1-Star status for their role in taking down the Phantom Troupe.
"Um, you might not remember me, but I'm Ponzu. We were in the same Hunter Exam," Ponzu added, looking at the group with wide eyes. "If you don't mind... could you tell me the secret to how you all changed so much?"
"A combination of specialized massage techniques taught by my master, proper nutrition, and exercise," Kurapika replied with a serene smile. "And love. There is no medicine more potent."
As the group split into men's and women's circles to catch up, Pokkle's expression eventually shifted to one of mournful resolve. He looked up at the sky, then bowed deeply to Gon and the others.
"Please... don't let my Master die. He lost an arm because of me and Ponzu, yet he didn't say a word of blame and kept us as his disciples. He's my benefactor. I'll repay this debt one day, I swear... just please, keep him safe!"
"Of course, Pokkle. Kite is like an older brother to me too," Gon said, his voice warm. "But Kite isn't as weak as you think. If he heard you say he needed 'protecting,' he'd probably give you a good knock on the head."
Pokkle looked relieved, though Kite himself would likely have disagreed with Gon's assessment of his own strength relative to the current group. With a final bow, Pokkle and Ponzu departed to join the Second Wave under Biscuit.
Initially, Pokkle had wanted to join the Vanguard to atone for Kite's injury, but upon realizing the staggering, "non-human" gap between himself and the current team, he had wisely stepped back.
"I'm fine with it, but are you really okay with this, Pokkle?" Ponzu asked as they walked. "You were so insistent on following them."
"I wasn't thinking clearly," Pokkle admitted, looking somewhat refreshed. "The Master always told me to do what I cando, not what I want to do. I was being pathetic."
Ponzu smiled as she followed him, noticing that his roiling aura had finally settled. Pokkle felt a mix of respect and an inferiority complex toward Kite—though he seemed oblivious to the fact that his real "rivalry" was for Ponzu's attention. Ponzu, fully aware that Pokkle was focused on her and that Kite viewed her only as a child, said nothing. Whether out of tactical silence or simple mischief, she followed her partner toward their own battlefield.
***
On the day the Vanguard was set to enter NGL, an urgent report arrived from Bisky's Second Wave.
"It seems the takeover was handled with terrifying silence. We missed it," the messenger reported. "By the time we established our surveillance net, it was already too late."
The East Gorteau Republic, neighboring NGL, had had its government decapitated. The Chimera Ants had seized control of the nation's core in the blink of an eye.
There had been no reports of massacres or battles; the capital appeared unchanged to the naked eye. The only anomaly was the extreme lack of movement in and out of the palace. Strangely, the supreme leader, Masador Diego, was still "active," and his recent policies had been remarkably progressive, causing his approval ratings to soar.
The anomaly was discovered by Pokkle, who had used Gyo to inspect the palace from a distance. Despite it being hidden by In, he had detected a roiling, amoeba-like En spreading out from the palace center—roughly half the size of the one Kite had felt at the mound. This high-level camouflage had delayed the discovery, but now the King and his Guards had a location.
"The King's presence is almost certain, but the Vanguard will proceed into NGL as planned," Netero decided. "If any ants remain in the mound, we might find more data on the King and his Guard."
"East Gorteau being the new nest is a headache," Knov muttered. "It's a hermit state, not part of the Mitene Union. It'll be difficult for the Association to operate there openly."
"One thing at a time," Morel added. "If the King and Guards are gone, we can move at high speed. Let's clear the mound and move on."
As Netero thought about the political landscape, he let out a long sigh.
(No reported casualties and the leadership is intact... if they did this by design, they're more than just insects. We have to treat them as a genuine sub-human civilization,) Netero mused.
Because NGL and East Gorteau were sovereign states outside the Union's direct authority, the Association had to follow strict protocols to avoid an international incident. The "final trump card" Netero carried—a weapon that should never be used—was dangerous for exactly that reason.
(I'll need to coordinate with the Mitene Union while we're in NGL. If the paperwork clears, we strike East Gorteau immediately... Man, Beans is going to have a heart attack. I'll have to give him a massive bonus and a long vacation after this.)
Netero sent a silent apology to his secretary, knowing Bisky was likely also piling work onto the poor man. Somewhere in the Association headquarters, a small, green bean-shaped man was currently trembling as his complexion turned a paler shade of green.
***
Back on the day Meruem's group had arrived in East Gorteau, a meeting was held in the highest floor of the palace. Meruem and his Guards sat before Masador Diego and the man who handled the nation's logistics, Bizeff.
The normally arrogant Diego and Bizeff were currently prostrated on the floor. Meruem looked down at them with eyes of absolute zero, as if looking at trash.
"You tell me this filth—who makes a pig look refined—is the 'King' of this land?" Meruem's aura simmered with cold fury. "From what I saw from the sky, the management of this country is below a failing grade. Pouf, do you truly believe this place is worthy of me?"
Pouf bowed his head. "This is a closed, dictatorial state, my King. It is the perfect soil for us to take root without outside interference. By using these 'livestock,' we can manipulate the populace as we wish. I have kept the one on the left 'sober'—relatively speaking—because he was the only one holding the machinery of this country together."
Diego's face was a mask of hollow emptiness, his spirit broken. Bizeff was deathly pale, shaking in a pool of his own cold sweat. Pouf continued, arguing that despite the country's state, it was the best starting point.
"I have surveyed the surrounding nations; their level of civilization is roughly identical. This location offers the best ease of development and strategic mobility once your kingdom is established. I believe it serves as a passable foundation for your glory."
Meruem considered this. It was logical. Inheriting a country of "pigs" was infuriating, but if the rest of the world was much the same, it was an acceptable starting point. He ignored Diego and turned his gaze to Bizeff, exerting a pressure that made dissent impossible.
"Prepare all data on this nation's current state—finances, foreign relations, and logistics—by tomorrow. Pouf, have you identified the peaks of power and intellect in this land?"
"The palace captain is a 'rare specimen,' currently undergoing 'maturation' through life-shortening training," Pouf replied. "As for intellect, I am gathering the national champions of various board games. They should provide some minor amusement."
"Moving forward, gather all those with power, not just the rare ones. I shall consume a rare specimen today; have the others wait until tomorrow."
"As you command."
Pouf exited to retrieve the captain, while Meruem turned to his other Guards.
"Pitou, begin surveillance of the palace perimeter. Respect Pouf's desire for secrecy and keep your methods discreet."
"Understood. Please forgive the slight reduction in my En's range for the sake of stealth."
"Granted. Youpi, take the center of the palace. Deal with any threats immediately. You have my permission to level the structure if necessary."
"Understood."
Left alone for the first time since his birth, Meruem sat by a large window, looking at the setting sun. He began to circulate his aura.
"I am a King... but currently, I am merely the King of a small well. Until we Chimera Ants hold true hegemony, I am far from being the King of the World."
Meruem was too intelligent to be blinded by his own power. He understood his potential, but an empty vessel, no matter how grand, held no value.
"I must hone my strength, my intellect, and my majesty. I... I will carry the weight of everything."
For a brief moment, Meruem allowed himself a human "I" (Ore)—the first and last time he would show such vulnerability. He was born perfect, with no equals to stand beside him.
"I am Meruem. The Sun King."
The King, knowing both his absolute power and his current isolation, looked only upward.
"The sun has risen. All that remains is to shine at the zenith!"
But as the sun's brilliance cast deeper shadows, a force of unyielding muscle was reaching out, ready to grasp that sun and crush it.