"That cry... The Queen is in serious trouble!"
Peggy adjusted his small, round glasses, hurriedly stepping forward on his short legs as he rushed toward the Queen's chamber, Korudol close behind him.
At the same time, the other Squadron Leaders who had heard the commotion also made their way toward the Queen's residence.
...
Meanwhile, in a small hidden apartment some distance from the nest—
"What is this smell?!"
Netero's hand, which had been holding a piece of food, suddenly stopped mid-air.
He raised his head, his gaze turning toward the source of the disturbance. A solemn glint flickered in his eyes.
"Oh? So it's finally happening?"
Ronnel put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and allowed a faint, almost imperceptible smirk to appear on his face.
"The strongest being in the world, huh? I can't wait to see it with my own eyes."
"Finally born…?" Morel mused. "Are you talking about the Ant King?"
Sitting at the same table, Morel and Knov remained unaware of the exact situation unfolding in the nest. Their abilities weren't enough to perceive it from such a distance.
Even Netero, with all his power, could only sense it faintly.
But that was more than enough.
...
Inside the Queen's chamber—
A clenched fist, slick with fluids, punched through the Queen's abdomen, reaching skyward before suddenly shifting downward, pressing against her right side. Then, another hand emerged from the gaping wound, mirroring the first.
Both hands pushed outward simultaneously, tearing the Queen's abdomen apart as though removing a constricting garment.
Flesh and blood splattered in all directions, and from the gruesome opening, a towering figure emerged.
The Queen had already lost consciousness from the excruciating pain, her organs spilling onto the floor, her body beyond saving.
When Korudol and the other Squadron Leaders arrived, they found themselves confronted with a being drenched in amniotic fluids.
A black and green crown adorned his head, sharp facial features framing cold, blood-red pupils devoid of emotion.
His massive earlobes hung low against his chest, his physique defined by powerful musculature and an almost sculpted symmetry.
His blue and purple exoskeleton bore intricate, mysterious patterns, and a natural black chest plate covered his torso, resembling a breastplate.
But the most striking feature was his tail—a long, powerful appendage ending in a sharp needle, reminiscent of a medical syringe.
His very presence exuded dominance, his form eerily reminiscent of the perfected Cell from Dragon Ball.
"Is that... the Ant King?"
Korudol's voice trembled as he gazed upon the being before him, its deep purple aura surging outward in waves of pure power. A primal shiver ran down his spine.
It wasn't just him—the other Squadron Leaders, each with their own thoughts and distinct personalities, all felt the same overwhelming sensation.
Fear.
The fear of absolute power.
Despite possessing individual consciousness and memories from their past lives, all of them were struck speechless by the King's immense aura. Their reactions varied based on their personalities, but one thing remained constant—
Shock.
The King's presence exuded an authority so natural, so absolute, it felt like he was born to stand at the apex of the food chain. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.
Then, their eyes fell upon the Queen.
She lay upon her throne, gravely wounded, her life slipping away.
"I'm hungry. Have you prepared something good for me to eat?"
The King's deep, authoritative voice echoed through the chamber as his aura suddenly receded.
His tone carried an eerie, sacred weight—like the solemn echoes of a distant church choir.
The moment he spoke, every Squadron Leader present felt a profound compulsion to obey.
"Hmph... Hmph..."
Just then, Peggy, the penguin-like scholar, finally arrived, panting from the exertion of running on his short legs.
The moment he laid eyes on the Queen—her body slick with black and blue blood—his expression changed drastically.
"Your Majesty! No... this is bad! Her internal organs have been severely damaged!!"
In his past life, Peggy had been a kind-hearted doctor. Instinctively, he rushed toward the Queen.
In his haste, the red notebook he carried slipped from his grasp, landing in front of Meleoron, the chameleon-like Squadron Leader in the white hat.
"...This is…?"
Meleoron's gaze flickered toward the fallen book. An unfamiliar sensation rose within him—a strange, lingering emotion, as though something deep inside was trying to surface.
However, before he could process it, a black blur whipped past his vision.
"Bang!"
A sickening crack echoed through the chamber.
The Squadron Leaders barely registered the motion. A mere blur of movement—
Peggy's head exploded like a crushed fruit, his blood splattering against the rocky walls.
The King barely moved.
His tail was simply returning to its resting position.
The headless body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
A cold silence filled the chamber.
"I don't want to repeat myself."
The King's icy, authoritative gaze swept over the remaining Squadron Leaders, his words carrying an unmistakable finality.
"Bring the food... and clean this up."
His scarlet eyes locked onto Korudol, who remained frozen in shock.
Meleoron's gaze dropped to the blood-spattered notebook at his feet. His pupils dilated as a distant, buried memory stirred deep within his consciousness.
"Oh dear, I happen to have a clean handkerchief right here."
A turtle-like Chimera Ant, an elderly-looking one, stepped forward with a gentle smile, pulling a cloth from within his shell.
"Allow me—"
"Bang!"
Another blur of motion.
Blood sprayed across the chamber walls as another lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
"I said I don't like repeating myself."
The King's gaze fixed back onto Korudol, unwavering.
"You. Wipe it clean."
Korudol's entire body trembled.
He looked down at the fallen turtle's still body. Then at the Queen, barely clinging to life.
Then, slowly, he bent down, picked up the fallen handkerchief, and began to wipe the King's bloodstained tail.
There wasn't much blood. A few careful wipes, and it was clean again.
Korudol stared down at the now-dirty cloth in his hand.
Then, without a word, he lowered his head in silent submission.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)