Ronnel did the math. If his timing was correct, the Chimera Ant crisis was about to begin.
The ant that Gon and Killua encountered should be Neferpitou. Kite must have almost managed to roll [Crazy Slots]'s number 1 ability, and survived the battle in another form.
Which meant that Netero's reason for calling him was...
"I've put together an expedition team to deal with the Chimera Ants, but the Hunter Association and V5 have been blocking my efforts. I'm short on manpower. What do you say, Ronnel? Want to join us?"
Netero's voice came through the receiver as if this was all just casual conversation.
"Of course~" Ronnel grinned. "How could I refuse your invitation? Naturally, I have no problem tagging along~"
Besides, he was eager to see what he could gain from facing the Ant King—the creature that old Togashi himself had recognized as the single most powerful being in the Hunter world!
After getting the time and place for their meeting from Netero, Ronnel ended the call.
Throwing on some clothes, he briefly greeted Bisky and the others—who were still lost in their gaming session, even dragging Shizuku into it—before setting off. With that, he left Heavens Arena, a place filled with memories.
Next time he returned, it would likely be to watch Chrollo settle his business with Hisoka.
He had originally thought that after taking down Jed, he would have the power to crush the entire Phantom Troupe. The time seemed ripe, the harvest season had come.
But since Netero had called, there was no harm in waiting until after the Chimera Ant incident to reap his rewards.
After all, things would be much easier for him.
And wasn't it autumn? The perfect season for harvest, indeed~
The NGL Autonomous Nation was located on an archipelago south of the Yorbian continent.
The island housed not only NGL but also four other nations, including the impoverished East Gorteau Republic, which was under a dictatorship. The remaining three had formed an alliance, establishing the island federation.
This federation controlled the only two airports on the island, and the meeting point Netero had set was at the entrance of one of them.
Fortunately, Heavens Arena, as one of the most renowned landmarks in the world, had direct air routes to almost every region. Without delay, Ronnel boarded an airship to the big island as soon as he had finalized his travel plans with Netero.
By the early morning of the designated day, Ronnel had arrived at the meeting place, where his soon-to-be teammates were waiting.
The first thing he saw was Netero, looking just as lively as ever, now sporting a regrown beard.
Then his gaze shifted to the two figures standing behind the old man.
One was Morel, a towering man with silver-white hair, small black sunglasses, and a giant pipe slung over his shoulder. The other was Knov, sharply dressed in a well-fitted suit, his expression severe, giving off the air of a composed and distinguished gentleman.
This was the original Chimera Ant extermination team.
"Ho ho ho, the last member has arrived. Time to move out."
Netero was the first to notice Ronnel approaching. Stroking his beard, he chuckled.
"Long time no see, Chairman Netero~" Ronnel greeted with a casual wave.
"It's only been a little over a month." Netero laughed heartily. Behind him, Morel and Knov scrutinized Ronnel with quiet curiosity.
Young.
That was their first impression of him.
Compared to themselves, the guy looked ridiculously young.
But they were seasoned Hunters—far too experienced to judge a person's strength by age alone. After all, the Zodiacs had plenty of young members.
The Rabbit and the Dog weren't that old.
After noting Ronnel's youth, their second impression was an odd sense of familiarity.
They had definitely seen this face before.
The longer they looked at him, the more certain they became. When Ronnel stepped closer, his full appearance and outfit fell into view, and suddenly, everything clicked.
A spark of recognition flashed in their minds.
"It's Ronnel! That legendary man!!"
The realization hit like a bolt of lightning. Morel and Knov stiffened slightly, standing unconsciously straighter.
They had already heard about Ronnel's feats during the Heavens Arena attack just a month prior.
A two-time consecutive Battle Olympia champion. The strongest fighter in the world. A man who had single-handedly defeated enemies even Chairman Netero had struggled against. A legend whose abilities were considered among the most formidable in existence.
Within both the Hunter Association and the martial arts world, Ronnel had become a living legend. His fame was now comparable to even the Hunter Chairman, Isaac Netero.
Seeing him on TV had been one thing. But standing face to face with him now, they realized he looked even younger than they had imagined.
If his appearance matched his real age, he had to be only around twenty, right?
Most assumed Ronnel just aged well—that he looked like a man in his twenties but was actually forty or fifty.
But Morel and Knov, standing before him, could tell that wasn't the case at all. There was no deception. No hidden wrinkles beneath the surface.
This guy really was that young.
Which begged the question—if he was this powerful now, how strong would he become in his thirties or forties?
The thought alone was terrifying.
"Now that our final member has arrived, we can head out," Netero announced, his eyes glinting with amusement as he noted Morel and Knov's reactions.
"But first, let's introduce ourselves properly."
"Morel, One-Star Sea Hunter," Morel said first, his tone calm and composed.
"Knov, One-Star Hunter." Knov adjusted his glasses, pushing aside his lingering surprise to introduce himself in his usual measured manner.
At the same time, he continued studying Ronnel with intrigue.
As a Hunter, he was well aware of just how many incredible feats this man had accomplished.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)