"Is he an eyewitness to this incident?"
After stepping inside, Knov took a look around. His entire demeanor was subdued. Killua, standing against the dark background, his expression heavy, moved his lips as if about to say something sarcastic, but in the end, he remained silent.
If he hadn't met Ronnel, he might have dismissed the situation entirely. But with Ronnel involved, things were different now.
It was understandable that Killua was acting this way.
"What, they're still just kids~"
Knov stayed quiet, but Morel, ever bold and carefree, couldn't help but comment.
Yet, the moment the words left his mouth, his expression changed slightly.
Clearly, now that they were dealing with the Chimera Ants, Morel was approaching everything with extreme caution.
And naturally, he had noticed that Killua was no ordinary kid.
Even though Killua's aura wasn't particularly strong at the moment, his physique alone told another story.
"To have this level of physical conditioning at his age… His potential is immense. He's not like normal children at all. Could he be another genius?"
"Hohohoho, you look a little down~" Netero chuckled as Morel examined Killua.
But after the brief laugh, his expression turned serious.
"Is the enemy really that tough?"
"Stronger than anyone I've ever faced."
Killua gritted his teeth as he spoke, his eyes clouded with frustration.
"Even more terrifying than Jed."
"Jed?!"
The moment that name was uttered, Morel and Knov's expressions shifted.
As elites within the Hunter Association, personally recognized by Netero, they were more than familiar with that name—the primary instigator behind the attack on Heavens Arena.
Originally, they had assumed the silver-haired kid was simply overreacting, exaggerating the threat.
But hearing him mention Jed?
Suddenly, it all made sense. This silver-haired boy and the spiky-haired kid lying nearby had been caught in the chaos at the top of Heavens Arena. They weren't just bystanders—they had experienced Jed's power firsthand. And now, after facing a Chimera Ant, Killua was drawing a comparison.
A Nen user comparable to Jed?
Morel and Knov exchanged glances, reading the same grave realization in each other's eyes.
"After learning Nen and encountering various masters, I can gauge someone's strength more clearly now," Killua continued. "You're both strong, but I don't think you can win."
He directed this statement at Netero, Morel, and Knov before turning slightly. His gaze settled on Ronnel, who had been standing silently nearby. A faint light flickered in his eyes.
"But if it's Ronnel… Maybe he has a real chance. Maybe he can defeat it."
"Oh? So I only have a chance? Victory isn't guaranteed?"
Hearing Killua's evaluation, Ronnel chuckled.
It seemed that Neferpitou had left a deep impression on him.
"By the way, you and Gon… Have you found his father, Ging?"
"Ging? You mean that wild boar from the Twelve Zodiacs?"
Knov and Morel were stunned for a moment. Their eyes flickered toward the spiky-haired boy lying nearby, peacefully asleep.
So he was Ging's son? That explained why he looked vaguely familiar.
"No, we were using [Accompany] to track down Ging's apprentice, Kite."
At the mention of Kite's name, Killua's voice faltered.
"Kite… He stayed behind to make sure we could escape safely. I don't know what's happened to him now."
Being left behind by such a powerful enemy… Killua didn't need to think too hard to know the likely outcome.
"So, Kite was Ging's apprentice? No wonder you two managed to make it out alive."
Netero nodded, then Knov added:
"Then why haven't you told Ging about this? His apprentice is in danger. Shouldn't we—"
"No point in telling him." Ronnel shook his head.
"Knowing him, even if he found out, he wouldn't do anything about it. He'd just say something like, 'Everyone has their own adventure. I don't have time to look after everyone.'"
Besides, Kite's Nen ability, [Crazy Slots], was something Ging had helped train. He knew its potential.
After hearing this, Knov and Morel fell silent, then nodded in agreement.
"Still, the fact that Chimera Ants are developing Nen and consuming humans is beyond belief. Judging from their human-like traits, it seems that consuming people has allowed them to integrate human DNA."
"Their psychic abilities probably stem from absorbing life energy after eating Nen users, allowing them to unlock their Aura Nodes."
"But now that this has happened, our only choice is to do everything in our power to prevent further harm."
Netero looked into Killua's conflicted eyes and spoke in a steady tone.
"Sending in unprepared fighters will only result in them being absorbed by the enemy. You understand that, don't you?"
So, in the end, it's just the four of them. The elite few.
And we… don't even factor in.
After a long silence, Killua finally unclenched the hand that had been gripping his pants tightly. He slowly let go.
He wanted to save Kite.
He wanted to prove that he wasn't the kind of person who abandoned his friends.
But Netero was right—their power simply wasn't enough.
They were still too weak.
"You can either take our ride back or stay a few kilometers away, like the rest of Kite's group."
With that, Netero turned toward the massive tree marking the entrance to NGL.
Morel and Knov cast one final glance at Gon before following him.
Ronnel smiled at Killua. "Keep working hard~"
------------
Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)