The statement was issued jointly by the V5, the global arbiters, and the Hunter Association, the world's elite specialists.
"Whether the Chimera Ants represent a true threat to humanity shall be determined through a head-on struggle."
Though the V5 and the Mitene Union were dissatisfied, they could not ignore the overwhelming tide of public opinion. No specific date was set, but an email detailing the members entering Memphis was sent directly to Bizeff, who immediately reported it to Meruem.
"...I see. This is moving more conveniently than I anticipated," Meruem mused. "It seems the humans are plagued by far too many redundant factions."
"The Hunter Association's intentions are clearly reflected here," Shaiapouf added. "They are the strongest combat group in both the public and underground sectors. It is less that the humans believe this is a fair contest, and more that they are being forced to accept these terms. They continue to underestimate us. That is all."
"What's the plan, Lord Meruem?" Menthuthuyoupi asked. "Just give the word and I'll go slaughter them all right now."
"Whatever serves your will, Lord Meruem," Neferpitou chimed in.
In a rare moment where no Gungi match was in progress, Meruem sat with his Guards and the three highest-ranking Squadron Leaders. After sharing the contents of the ultimatum, Meruem fell silent to gather his thoughts, while his subordinates waited, each formulating their own response.
"...Squadron Leaders. State your names and your opinions briefly."
The leaders froze for a second, then—feeling the cold pressure from the Royal Guard—began to speak in turn.
"Bloster, overseer of the Ranged Support Division. If they are coming for us, I believe we should entrench ourselves and lead them into traps."
The lobster-like humanoid spoke with a rational, intelligent tone that belied his monstrous appearance.
"Welfin, overseer of the Special Operations Division. I believe we should either ignore them or publicly broadcast our refusal to accept these terms. Global opinion is on our side."
The lean werewolf, driven by his naturally cautious and cunning nature, suggested a victory without bloodshed.
"Leol, overseer of the Vanguard and Melee Division. Whether we fight or not, we must ensure we don't overreact. If we do, we give the radicals the justification they need for an all-out massacre."
The massive lion-man understood that giving the humans an excuse for indiscriminate violence was the greatest risk.
Meruem had already considered these points, of course. He had asked for their input only to see if the Squadron Leaders—unlike the perfectly obedient Royal Guard—were capable of independent thought.
"Hmph. There is a possibility for combat involving the lower ranks. Dedicate yourselves to your training. You are dismissed."
"Yes, Sire!!"
After they exited, Meruem turned back to his Guards.
"Youpi, continue guarding the palace. If there are intruders, crush them. Do not worry about damage to the building."
"Understood! By your leave."
"Pouf, conduct a final audit of the administrative departments. Ensure there is no corruption or information leakage from Bizeff's group."
"As you command. I shall not fail you."
As Youpi and Pouf departed, energized by their orders, Meruem turned to Neferpitou.
"I saw no malice in you, so I overlooked it—but are you likely to achieve the result you desire?"
"No... unfortunately, the host was too weak," Pitou replied, her voice tinged with regret. "Even if they had miraculously awakened to Nen, they wouldn't have survived the procedure."
"I see. ...It is strange. I feel a sense of loss, yet at the same time, I feel this is for the best. Pitou... I suspect I have placed a heavy burden on you."
"Your words are too kind. I am more than fulfilled. Please, Lord Meruem, do as you wish. I will ensure the future of the Chimera Ants."
Pitou's expression was soft, and Meruem could feel her absolute sincerity. Yet, he issued one final command to the subject he knew would never betray him, regardless of the choice he made.
"Pitou. Swear to me now. Forget the Chimera Ants. When the time comes for you to make a true, final decision... you must do exactly what you want to do, regardless of me or the colony."
Pitou was bewildered. She had lived every second of her life exactly as she wanted—which was to serve Meruem. To be told to act "regardless of him" felt like being ordered to betray her own nature.
"...I understand. If that is your command, Lord Meruem."
She etched the order into the deepest part of her heart. Meruem nodded, satisfied, and sent her back to her patrol. Pitou climbed to the palace spires and expanded her En, her thoughts swirling.
(Do what I want, regardless of the King or the colony... I can't think of a single thing, meow.)
Her tail swayed listlessly, reflecting her confusion.
***
In the Vice Chairman's office at the Hunter Association headquarters, Pariston Hill sat buried in work. The constant influx of tasks, including the management of the Remnants in the NGL mound, had begun to wear even him down.
(So many of them turned out to be spineless... integrating human DNA was a double-edged sword,) Pariston thought. (If there's a next time, I'll have to bring in more primal species.)
He had already begun analyzing the "failure" of the Chimera Ant project. While Meruem and the Guards were the threats he expected, the rest had been disappointing, even resorting to using public opinion to protect themselves. Pariston hadn't wanted a political stalemate; he had wanted a raw, instinctive clash for survival.
(Well, I should be happy with the amount of data I've gathered. And I've managed to connect more deeply with 'him'—the one who will move in the near future.)
As he sipped his coffee, he noticed the plate of cookies on his desk was missing a few more pieces. He didn't react. He waited a few moments, then spoke calmly to the empty room.
"Don't you have a report for me? I can't know anything if you stay silent."
"Oh? You noticed? Then you could at least pour a cup for me, too."
"My apologies. I haven't seen you eat or drink before, so it didn't cross my mind. Sugar and milk?"
Pariston poured a fresh cup and set it on the desk. Even though he was watching intently, the coffee level slowly dropped, and more cookies vanished. He was inwardly impressed by such absurdly perfect stealth.
"Just so you know, I'm not here on a message from the boss. I happened to be nearby, so I stopped in to make sure you weren't up to anything too weird."
"No trust at all, I see. Well, I prefer partners like that, so I don't mind. Give your boss my regards."
They spent a few minutes in idle chatter, touching on the Chimera Ant data while testing each other's boundaries. Once the coffee and cookies were gone, a brief goodbye followed, and the voice vanished.
(I wonder if he's actually gone... not that I have anything to hide. Still, this meeting helped narrow things down significantly.)
Pariston returned to his work, his mind focusing on the Observer. Using his partnership with Beyond Freecss—who had introduced the specialist—as a baseline, Pariston had narrowed the Observer's identity down to a handful of people.
(The most likely candidate is that man. This visit made him the frontrunner.)
He began cross-referencing the prime suspect's schedule and recent movements. Based on that, he speculated on what the Observer's boss was planning.
(...I see. The Kakin Empire is the sponsor. They have the funds, and that royal family is... interesting. I don't quite understand why they haven't moved yet, but the logic of that bloodline is beyond even my understanding.)
Behind his usual thin smile, Pariston had essentially unraveled the connection. He felt a silent thanks for the Observer—a traitor hidden among the Zodiacs, a group supposedly loyal to Netero.
(I'll pretend I haven't noticed. I look forward to working with you further, Saiyu.)
Pariston's expression remained unchanged, but his aura rippled with a dark, ominous intent.
***
After leaving NGL, Gon's group moved their base to the Republic of West Gorteau, staying in a city near the Memphis border to await the ant's next move. Although Knov's Hide-and-Seek made travel easy, the camp at the border had become too remote, so they had gathered in a newly constructed facility for a reunion.
"...Wait. Is my common sense broken? Do... do babies usually come out this fast?!" Killua stammered.
"They're so cute! This one looks just like Kurapika! Twins?!" Gon added.
Leaning against Gin the Foxbear, Kurapika held two sleeping infants in his arms. One had blonde hair and the other black, but even as newborns, they bore a striking resemblance to Kurapika.
"Cute, aren't they? ♥ Both girls. The blonde is Claire, and the black-haired one is Karin. Both mother and children are perfectly healthy. I'm the dad, you jerks! ♥"
Leorio had a doting, almost foolishly happy smile on his face, radiating a paternal warmth that was new to him. Kurapika, having become a mother, seemed to have matured as well, his presence possessing a deep, calm aura.
"I was constantly reinforcing myself and the children while in the Scarlet-Violet state," Kurapika explained. "As a result, what should have taken ten months happened in less than six. I was panicked at first, but after several exams confirmed there were no issues, I just leaned into it and focused on the strengthening."
With a gentle smile, Kurapika offered Claire to Killua and Karin to Gon. Both boys, having experience with siblings or island kids, held the infants with practiced ease.
"You're better at this than Leorio. I apologize for the late report, but I used a character from each of your names for them. It's bad luck to say this before you go to war, but thank you. Truly. I was able to become a mother because of the two of you."
"From me too!" Leorio added. "Thanks to Gon and Killua, I have the best wife and kids in the world. I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life, so you'd better win and get your asses back here!!"
Guma!! Gin chirped in encouragement.
The boys felt the tiny lives in their arms—the thirst for life and the raw, growing aura unique to the very young.
"We're gonna win, obviously," Killua said. "Once this is over, I'm going to go get my sister—well, sisters. I want to introduce my best friends to my favorite family."
"I have a feeling," Gon added. "I'm finally stepping into the realm of the 'Strongest Gon' I've been aiming for. You're gonna be surprised the next time we meet."
For a brief moment, they basked in their bond and played with the new lives. The final clash that would decide the fate of species was almost here.
Meanwhile, a certain clown, whose aura remained so sinister he had been strictly banned from the room by the doting father and physician Leorio, sat alone outside, staring up at the night sky.
***
Author's Note:
Observer (Saiyu): I'm jumping the gun a bit since I don't plan to write this in the main story, but the Observer is indeed Saiyu of the Zodiacs.
Ability: Saiyu's ability is the Three Monkeys (See no evil, etc.). If used as a trump card on himself, it creates the "Unseen, Unheard, Unspoken" state—essentially a superior version of Meleoron's ability. He can speak, but his voice cannot be identified; he is invisible; and his actions cannot be pointed out.
The Deduction: Pariston keeps track of all high-level individuals, especially the Zodiacs (except for Ging, who is hard to trace). By analyzing the frequency of the Observer's visits and the timing of his meetings with the boss, Pariston easily deduced it was Saiyu.
***
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