Chapter 148: Morel the Sixth
Witnessing the ideal King in his heart vanish like foam before his eyes.
The King that existed in Shaiapouf's mind had never been real.
This realization shattered Pouf's sense of self in an instant. Though the final battle between humans and ants had just begun, Pouf's spirit had already nearly perished.
In despair, he danced alone in the throne room, a solitary, mournful performance.
It was as if he were commemorating the humanity that had just begun to sprout within him, only to be immediately extinguished.
"From now on, I am but a mere insect. I can no longer harbor any expectations for myself, nor any extravagant hopes for the King. I must devote myself entirely to serving the King."
As he danced, Pouf wept, covering his face with his hands.
Just then, a thunderous roar echoed through the empty throne room.
"Lightning Fang, Thrust!"
A golden flash of lightning illuminated the entire hall.
The bolt instantly traversed most of the room, piercing straight through Pouf's body as he danced. The impact sent him flying backward, crashing through a stone wall over ten meters away without stopping.
He was hurled directly out of the third-floor throne room.
Shaiapouf coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with shock. As the light faded, he saw that the source of the lightning was a blade.
His gaze traveled upward, landing on a familiar face.
This was the man who, back at the Chimera Ant Nest, had slaughtered all the Chimera Ants, nearly preventing the King of Ants from being born into this world.
This was a face he would never forget.
Down in the main hall on the first floor, Kite and the others, locked in fierce combat with Youpi, noticed the commotion above.
"It's Mord!" Gon shouted.
"Don't lose focus," Kite warned, swinging his three-section staff to block an attack aimed at Gon. He adjusted his hat with one hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Someone like you would never sit out a battle for humanity's survival."
To think he could single-handedly grievously wound one of the King's Royal Guards!
Morel and his disciples had never met Mord before. Stunned by the scene before them, they could only stare in disbelief.
After all, Knuckle had been so terrified by Shaiapouf's aura that his spirit completely broke, leaving him unable to even consider fighting.
And it wasn't just Knuckle—even with their combined strength, they were barely managing to hold Youpi at bay.
How could they not be shocked?
In contrast, Gon and Killua, who had grown under Mord's harsh training, found this entirely expected.
In their eyes, there was nothing Mord couldn't do.
Even if they were told right now that Mord had slain the King of Ants with his own hands, they wouldn't have found it the least bit surprising.
"Pouf!" Youpi shouted loudly upon seeing his companion injured.
"I'm fine." Shaiapouf stared intently at Mord, then his entire body suddenly burst apart.
Seeing this situation, Mord immediately yelled at Morel: "That old man over there, immediately use your smoke to surround the entire throne palace!"
Hearing Mord's words, Morel subconsciously activated his Nen Ability Smoky Jail to envelop the palace, without dwelling on how Mord knew about his ability.
Beelzebub.
This was Shaiapouf's Nen Ability, which decomposed his body into countless tiny clones. Although they could be as small as nanoscale, the main body controlling all the small Poufs needed to be at least the size of a bee.
Therefore, to confuse Mord, Pouf made all his clones the size of bees, so that his main body wouldn't be discovered.
Although he had just told Youpi he was fine, that was far from the truth.
That previous sword strike, with its terrifying blade energy and overwhelmingly fierce lightning, had directly destroyed Shaiapouf's vitality, completely annihilating his physical form.
At this moment, he was already severely wounded.
What a dereliction of duty!
To think he hadn't even activated his En.
An overwhelming sense of remorse surged within Shaiapouf. It wasn't death he feared, but the thought that his negligence might endanger the King—for that, no amount of deaths could atone.
...
Meanwhile, with Cheadle and the King of Ants.
"Neferpitou, heal Komugi. I'm counting on you," the King spoke, gazing at the Cat Girl standing by the window.
The King had finally regained his composure.
To Neferpitou, this moment felt like watching the King emerge from the brink of death.
Unable to restrain her emotions, she shed tears.
She didn't know where the droplets tracing her cheeks came from.
A Chimera Ant... crying?
From afar, Netero and Zeno observed this scene, their expressions shifting subtly.
Just moments earlier, the two intruders who had stormed the palace to assassinate the King had instinctively held their breath and halted.
The reason lay in the blood-soaked girl and the King's strangely tender act of holding her—clearly, his gestures overflowed with affection.
Throughout this, the two seasoned fighters stood motionless, studying their enemy's actions. Though it seemed foolish...
It was a gesture of respect.
Respect for an act of profound compassion toward life.
To disrupt such a moment would be to forsake morality and humanity.
"This is far from what we were told," Zeno remarked.
Netero couldn't respond, for his thoughts mirrored Zeno's.
After safely entrusting Komugi to Neferpitou, the King rose to his feet.
"This place won't do. Let's move elsewhere," the King said calmly, addressing the two human assassins. "That should be more convenient for you, no?"
The King intended to act alone.
Netero had invested heavily to secure Zeno's aid precisely for this outcome, so he naturally had no objection to the King's proposal.
Yet, being preempted by the enemy left Netero deeply unsettled.
"Indeed," Netero replied.
"Doctor Blythe!"
Neferpitou activated her Nen Ability to treat Komugi.
In the instant Pitou unleashed her power, neither Netero nor Zeno could react as the King effortlessly and leisurely strode between them!
In a battle between masters, such carelessness was fatal.
The King hadn't merely passed between them—he had crossed their very lifelines.
Had the King harbored even a flicker of killing intent, Netero and Zeno's fate tonight would have been uncertain.
This deepened Netero's realization that he faced an impossibly powerful monster.
Exchanging a glance, Netero and Zeno followed the King out of the palace onto the balcony.
"Let's go," the King said serenely, gazing up at the boundless starry sky.