Netero would never pass up the chance to fight such an exciting opponent, even if it meant betting his life.
Otherwise, Morel could have simply ordered his Purple Haze Soldiers to attach Poor Man's Rose bombs to their bodies and charge into the nest before the Ant King was born, detonating while it was still vulnerable and in need of nutrients.
That would have made things much easier.
And even if the Poor Man's Rose was contraband, weren't there other bombs they could use?
They might not be as powerful, but a few well-placed blasts could achieve nearly the same effect.
Yet, instead of taking the simple route, Netero had chosen a more complicated path. He was unpredictable like that.
Still, for all his impulsiveness, he wasn't reckless. He had decided to keep the Poor Man's Rose as a last resort.
V5 likely anticipated this move and chose to turn a blind eye. After all, they, too, wanted to use the Chimera Ants from the Dark Continent to gauge whether humanity was ready to set foot there.
In the end, the world's strongest Nen user perished, leaving them speechless.
If the Kakin Empire hadn't suddenly announced the existence of the Dark Continent, catching them off guard, the entire matter would have been buried for years.
Shaking off those thoughts, Ronnel watched Netero walk away and called out:
"Hey, old man, where are you going?"
"I'm heading to… Oh, right! Our base is in Knov's Fourth-Dimensional Mansion."
Morel and Knov: …
Chairman, you really are getting old. Not just physically, but mentally too…
Hearing his sudden realization, both Morel and Knov were left speechless.
Leaning down, Knov extended a hand, conjuring a circular portal infused with Nen.
"Let's go."
Without hesitation, Knov was the first to step inside, followed by Morel, who had just finished checking his purple smoke scouts.
"Nen of the Emission category, Fourth-Dimensional Mansion?"
Ronnel eyed the dark portal with curiosity.
It was a perfect ability for the treacherous environment of the Dark Continent.
He jumped in alongside Netero. Since the old man was so determined to fight the Ant King, Ronnel didn't bring up the bomb plan again.
Besides, once the Ant King was born, there would be plenty of valuable things to obtain.
Netero's strategy happened to align with Ronnel's next move.
But how soon would the Ant King hatch?
Experts estimated two months, but from what Ronnel could tell…
Well, it would likely emerge at least a month earlier.
Predictions from those so-called experts were never entirely accurate.
While Ronnel and his group were making preparations and eliminating Chimera Ants, in the city of Doli…
"Honestly, you two are nothing but trouble!"
BANG! BANG!
Two hard smacks landed, making both Gon and Killua clutch their heads and yelp in pain.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
"Now you realize it hurts? Where was this awareness when you ran off on your own? You two aren't strong enough yet, but you still insisted on rushing ahead! It's a miracle you're even alive!"
Having rushed over upon hearing the news, Bisky was furious as she scolded them.
Her usual twin ponytails were gone, replaced by a simple braid that somehow made her look even more adorable.
"We didn't know we'd run into an enemy like that… If we had, do you think we'd have been dumb enough to charge in?" Killua muttered under his breath.
"You still dare to talk back?!"
Another sharp CRACK rang out.
"So… that's why we came here—to train."
"Yes, we've realized we're still too weak. We want to get stronger!"
With their cheeks now swollen like apples, Gon and Killua mumbled their determination.
By the window, Shizuku stood quietly, gazing into the distance.
"Are you worried about someone's safety too?"
A low voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see Palm fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, head down as she murmured.
"I can tell by the look in your eyes. There's someone important to you, isn't there? Someone traveling far away?"
"People who take risks often find themselves in danger… It's nerve-wracking."
"Just like how I wish I could be on a team with my master, Knov…"
Shizuku blinked, listening to Palm's quiet rambling, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned back to the sky.
She wasn't worried about Ronnel's safety.
She had complete confidence in his strength.
She was simply watching the clouds—one of them happened to remind her of him, that's all.
Time passed, and a month flew by.
Thanks to Bisky's rigorous training and the assistance of her Nen ability, Piano Massage, both Gon and Killua had made significant progress.
They then challenged Knuckle and Shoot.
Unfortunately, the result was another crushing defeat.
Gon, just like before, ended up falling into a month-long state of "Zetsu" after being struck by Knuckle's Hakoware.
With that, Knuckle and Shoot—Morel's two apprentices—entered NGL as part of the second wave of the Chimera Ant Extermination Squad.
Meanwhile, the last of the Ant King's Royal Guards, Menthuthuyoupi, finally emerged from his cocoon.
The Chimera Ants had grown even stronger, prompting Morel and Knov to reconsider using a bomb to wipe them out.
However, when they saw Netero's unwavering determination, they had no choice but to shelve the idea once again.
Over the past month, Netero and Ronnel had prevented the Chimera Ants from spreading unchecked.
With Morel's Purple Haze Soldiers and Knov's Fourth-Dimensional Mansion, they systematically isolated and eradicated large portions of the enemy forces.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)