Chimera Ants not only occupied territory but also reproduced rapidly. On top of that, the Ant King's apparent concern for the girl had led Morel to certain assumptions.
"It seems the Ant King still has some humanity left in him. Maybe there's a chance..."
Morel's apprentice, Beast Hunter Knuckle, mused as he considered the implications.
Just then, Shoot patted Knuckle on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You know me—I won't hesitate when the time comes."
Knuckle let out a relieved sigh, then nodded firmly. As a Hunter, he couldn't afford to be indecisive.
Given all the uncertainties, eliminating the Ant King remained their top priority.
"Since the Chairman has already made his decision, that settles our course of action."
Morel tapped his pipe against the ground, his expression serious.
"Chairman Netero will handle the Ant King. Our task is to deal with the three Royal Guards."
He turned to his team. "Knuckle, Shoot, and Meleoron—you three will take on Youpi. Your abilities complement each other well, making you the best choice to handle a brute like him."
"Gon, Killua, and I will focus on Neferpitou. I'll use my ability to assist Gon—creating a smoke clone of him will buy him time to charge his Jajanken."
Morel's strategy was sound. Meleoron's Perfect Plan combined with Knuckle's all-or-nothing approach made them a perfect match against Youpi, a powerhouse who relied more on brute force than tactics.
Meanwhile, Morel's Smoky Jail could serve as a major disruption against an assassin-type fighter like Neferpitou.
"That leaves Shaiapouf to me," Ronnel declared without hesitation, stepping forward to take on the last Royal Guard alone.
With the division of labor clear, all that remained was to finalize the details of their attack.
More than half an hour of intense discussion passed. As the meeting drew to a close, Killua voiced the last concern.
"So, when exactly do we strike? If Netero doesn't move at the same time as us, we'll end up fighting the Royal Guards and the Ant King together. And even if he does act in sync with us, how do we ensure the Ant King engages him and doesn't target us first?"
Knuckle and the others shared his concern, their expressions tense.
Just as Morel was about to suggest contacting Netero again, Ronnel's phone rang—perfect timing.
Not only did this apartment allow them to make calls, but apparently, they could receive them as well. Must be Morel's doing.
Ronnel read the message and smirked. "The old man's already thought of everything."
He turned to the others. "He's got backup. When we make our move, someone will help separate the Ant King from the Royal Guards, ensuring he faces Netero alone."
"If Netero's able to send a message, it means he's finished recovering his aura and is about to act. The signal to begin our operation will be..."
He held up his phone, showing the final message:
When the fireworks bloom over the palace!
...
Two days remained until the Ant King's selection ceremony.
Time flew by, and soon, the eve of the selection arrived.
That night, a winged dragon soared across the skies of the East Gorteau Republic.
"Ahh, what a pain. This job isn't going to be easy... Let me be clear one last time—I'm only here to set up the battlefield. Don't expect me to fight."
"Hohoho, of course! Just getting us this far is more than enough."
"Then I'll leave the rest to you. Seriously, though, why go through all this trouble? You're old enough to retire. Why not take it easy?"
"Sitting around in a rocking chair all day watching cartoons would be boring. Life's about the struggle!"
The two old men's playful banter drifted through the night sky as they descended.
Then, suddenly—a golden glow lit up the heavens.
"Dragon Dive!"
...
Atop a high balcony in the palace, Neferpitou lounged lazily.
At the Ant King's request, he had retracted his En, leaving him unaware of what was happening outside the palace walls.
Shaiapouf, unwilling to lay eyes on the blind girl again for fear of being consumed by guilt, sat beside Pitou, playing a sorrowful melody on his violin.
Down below, Youpi stood guard at the grand staircase leading to the throne room. As long as he was there, they had nothing to worry about.
Then, just as the violin's notes reached their peak, Pitou's ears twitched. His eyes snapped open.
"Hmm?" A grin spread across his face, his tail flicking eagerly. "Intruders? Finally, some fun! Nya~"
Shaiapouf's bow froze against the strings. He glanced at Pitou, his expression darkening.
The next second, a massive burst of En exploded from Pitou's body, extending across the sky.
"An enemy?" Shaiapouf was about to ask when his face suddenly stiffened.
He and Pitou both turned sharply to look toward the heavens.
A golden streak of light tore through the clouds.
"?!"
Their pupils constricted as the golden aura coiled and twisted, taking the shape of a five-clawed dragon descending upon the palace.
At that very moment, in the Fourth-Dimensional Apartment—
The Fireworks Dragon is coming.
Ronnel read the six-word message flashing across his screen.
Far away from the palace, a lone figure stood on a hillside, acting as a lookout. He was no longer capable of fighting, but this was the last contribution he could make—relaying information received from Novu, who was monitoring everything from his mysterious hideout.
As Ronnel's phone vibrated with the message, everyone instinctively looked up.
"Let's go!"
Without hesitation, Ronnel strode toward the door, leading the charge into battle.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)