"What do you think we should do?"
The moment the discussion turned to business, Netero's playful expression faded, his eyes sharpening with focus.
"First, may I ask—what exactly is our primary objective?" Ronnel turned to Netero.
"Naturally, our goal is to eliminate the Chimera Ants, specifically the Queen, to prevent the birth of an Ant King."
Morel took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled. "That's our main priority."
"I see." Ronnel nodded. "So, our current plan is to take out the Queen before she can give birth to a powerful leader."
"At the moment, the two Royal Guards suspected to be the strongest are blocking our path. If we eliminate them, the rest of the ants—soldiers and all—will be much easier to deal with. That will clear the way to the Queen."
Ronnel laid out the strategy carefully, and both Knov and Netero listened attentively.
"If it's just the two Royal Guards, we can estimate their total aura output. I can take one down on my own. As for the other, the three of you together should be able to handle it without much trouble."
Having said that, Ronnel paused. Morel and Knov exchanged glances, their expressions relaxing slightly as a playful smile crept onto their faces. Then, both turned toward Netero, who remained unreadable.
"What do you think, old man? This should let us wrap things up quickly."
"Hmm… sounds feasible enough." Netero stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming slightly as he spoke in a vague tone.
"However, while we're occupied with the Royal Guards, the other ants won't just sit back and watch. They'll swarm us, making things considerably more dangerous. The chances of failure would be high. We should consider our options a bit more."
"???"
Morel and Knov exchanged confused looks.
Sure, the other ants were strong, but compared to the Royal Guards, they were on an entirely different level. Once the Guards were engaged, most of the lesser ants wouldn't even be able to approach them, let alone pose a threat.
Why was Netero hesitating?
As the strongest Nen user alive, he had to be aware of these facts. So why refuse outright?
"Oh? You're worried about them swarming us?" Ronnel smirked at Netero. "In that case, I have something that can take care of that problem instantly. A weapon capable of mass destruction."
"It can clear the entire battlefield in seconds, wiping out every last ant. So swarming wouldn't be an issue."
"In addition, I have portable high-powered explosives on me. The blast is strong enough to completely obliterate their nest."
"On top of that, the explosion releases a lethal toxin, ensuring that any surviving ants are finished off."
"Wait…" Morel and Knov's expressions shifted. They recognized what Ronnel was describing.
"You don't mean..." Morel hesitated.
"That's right." Ronnel grinned. "Poor Man's Rose."
"I have several Rose bombs on me—enough to reduce the nest to rubble."
"Perfect. In that case, I can send my Deep Purple Soldiers in with the bombs. They'll infiltrate the nest and maximize the damage." Morel's confidence surged at the idea.
Knov also nodded. It was, by far, the most efficient solution.
"So, what do you say, sir?" Ronnel turned back to Netero, who had remained silent, stroking his beard in thought.
From a tactical standpoint, the plan was flawless. There was no significant risk, and they could complete their mission smoothly.
The only real issue was the Poor Man's Rose being contraband, but beyond that, the approach was nearly perfect.
However, from what Ronnel knew of Netero…
"Hmm… Roses are quite toxic. If we're not careful, we might end up poisoning the nearby residents~"
Netero shook his head lightly and turned, beginning to walk away.
"Let's reconsider. We need a long-term plan."
...
Poisoning nearby residents? A long-term plan?!!
Morel and Knov blinked in disbelief.
Nearby residents? What residents? There wasn't a single human settlement anywhere near the nest.
If there had been, they would have been devoured by the Chimera Ants long ago. There was no chance that anyone still lived within several kilometers of the area.
So where was this concern coming from?!
Morel and Knov, both seasoned Hunters, quickly picked up on something unusual. Their brows furrowed as they watched Netero's retreating back.
So that's how it is.
Ronnel glanced at Netero and smirked.
Eliminating the Ant King before he was born was the logical choice. Any Hunter with common sense would make that call.
Yet, Netero, the leader of the extermination team, hadn't made any real moves.
Instead, he relied on Morel's Purple Haze Soldiers to gather intelligence and take out a few low-ranking ants at the perimeter.
None of the major division leaders or powerful subordinates had been targeted.
That fact alone was suspicious.
From the moment Netero first sensed Neferpitou's aura, he would have been able to estimate the Ant King's potential strength. There was no way he didn't recognize the threat.
And yet, he had chosen to wait, allowing the King to be born—even earlier than specialists had predicted.
From this, Ronnel could piece together Netero's true intentions:
He wanted to fight.
A real, all-out battle—something he hadn't had in years.
And what better opponent than an inhuman monster of overwhelming power?
The Ant King was the perfect challenge.
After sensing Neferpitou's aura, after running the calculations in his head, Netero had likely already made up his mind.
He was waiting for the King to be born.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)