At the same time, from within the swirling smoke, a crackling bolt of lightning surged forward alongside a fist radiating intense aura—both attacks aimed directly at Shaiapouf.
Simultaneously, Shoot's three concealed flying hands shot toward Shaiapouf's head, converging on him from multiple angles.
The coordinated assault left no room for escape. From any vantage point, it seemed inevitable that at least one of the attacks would strike him.
However—
Just before impact—
"Beelzebub!"
A low, menacing voice escaped Shaiapouf's lips.
In an instant, his entire form—shattered wings, fragmented body, and all—dissolved into a swarm of minuscule clones that scattered in every direction.
"What?!"
Morel and the others, caught off guard by the sudden transformation, quickly adjusted their attacks, redirecting their strikes toward the dispersing clones.
But there were too many. Though a handful were destroyed, the majority evaded pursuit.
[Beelzebub]—Shaiapouf's ability to split into countless microscopic clones.
This technique allowed him to break down his body into near-microscopic fragments, granting him physical immunity against direct attacks, the ability to spy on enemies, and even manipulate them. However, a core mass, no smaller than a bee, had to remain intact to retain control.
Having used his clones to avoid the attacks, Shaiapouf swiftly began reassembling.
As Morel and the others looked on grimly, his body took shape once more.
His wings were whole again. His torso was unscathed.
"Impossible!" Shoot blurted. "I have his wings and body stored in my Hotel Rafflesia!"
But as he studied Shaiapouf more closely, he noticed the Chimera Ant had shrunk significantly.
Another of Shaiapouf's Nen abilities—[Body Reconstruction].
An advanced evolution of [Beelzebub], this technique allowed him to manipulate his own cells, restructuring his form to mimic other people—appearance, voice, and all.
In essence, it was a superior version of Ronnel's [Face Changing].
Likewise, Shaiapouf could use this ability to reassemble himself, though his diminished size was the price for the missing portions of his body.
Even so, his combat readiness remained unaffected.
"You humans..."
Shaiapouf's gaze swept over his adversaries—the fierce-looking man with the flattened nose, the shadowy figure lurking in wait.
Their persistence irritated him to no end.
Still, unlike his usual temperament around the Chimera Ant King, his demeanor remained eerily composed.
The priority right now is to escape and find His Majesty.
That was his single most important objective.
However, the suffocating smog enclosing him made his situation increasingly troublesome.
His two major abilities—[Cocoon] and [Beelzebub]—were not built for direct combat.
Moreover, the confined, smoke-filled battlefield severely limited his options.
With multiple enemies keeping him under watch, his predicament was anything but ideal.
And then—
Morel conjured dozens of purple-smoke soldiers.
Shaiapouf's expression tightened.
And that wasn't even the worst of it.
A small, numbered doll suddenly materialized on his shoulder, triggering an alarm in his mind.
"What the hell is this?!"
"Hey, you're not the only one who gets to have fun," the doll grinned before swiftly retreating to Morel's side, shielding himself behind the smoke soldiers.
Even though his earlier punch had only struck one of Shaiapouf's clones, it had still originated from Shaiapouf's body. That was all he needed to activate his Nen ability.
"Hmph, even if he's not as formidable as Youpi, we can't take him lightly," Killua murmured as he observed the ongoing battle.
...
Meanwhile, outside the smoke-encased battlefield, Ronnel and Gon stood by.
"Think the four of them can handle this?" Killua asked, resting his hands behind his head after releasing a bolt of electricity.
"Shaiapouf is mainly a support-type fighter," Ronnel replied. "He's got plenty of tricks, but no real offensive power. Morel's got the experience and ability to deal with him."
His tone was calm—assured.
Then, without hesitation, he turned and began walking.
"Come on. That leaves one more Royal Guard—and the King."
At those words, Gon's expression hardened.
The thought of Kite flashed through his mind, and his fists clenched.
"Yeah!" He nodded firmly.
Killua glanced at Gon, noting that, at the very least, his friend was keeping his emotions in check.
Unlike before, he wasn't spiraling into blind rage.
That was a relief.
The three of them moved toward the west tower's second-floor reception hall.
As they walked, the conversation continued.
"Ronnel, why'd you ask Morel and the others to bring Shaiapouf's body?"
"Because their corpses are useful to me," Ronnel answered plainly.
"...I see."
Gon accepted the explanation without question, but Killua wasn't as easily satisfied.
Something about it made him think.
Speaking of which... we still don't know what Ronnel's Nen is.
The curiosity gnawed at him.
A powerhouse like Ronnel—who had taken down Youpi and all three Royal Guards—what kind of ability did he possess?
It was a mystery Killua wanted to solve.
But he also knew better than to pry.
Nen abilities were personal—deeply tied to one's very being.
Even among comrades, some secrets remained unspoken.
And so, despite his curiosity, Killua remained silent.
For now.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)