...
Leorio, Killua, and Gon still had no idea what Ronnel's Nen ability was. Since he had yet to reveal it, they assumed he was an Enhancer.
...
As Netero and Zeno walked down the corridor, they soon arrived at Komugi's room. However, the sight that greeted them made them pause immediately.
The Chimera Ant King was kneeling on the ground, cradling the unconscious Komugi in his arms. His abdomen was soaked in blood, and crimson dripped from the corner of his mouth. An oppressive aura radiated from him, warning strangers to keep their distance.
Zeno, who had his hands clasped behind his back, raised an eyebrow.
"With that kind of aura, no wonder Netero asked me to help~"
Despite the tension, Zeno made no move, wary of overstepping his role. Netero, meanwhile, refrained from taking action—not out of hesitation, but out of respect for life itself.
Silence hung heavy in the air until Neferpitou arrived.
"King?!"
With incredible speed, Pitou leaped into the room, but even they hesitated for a moment at the sight before them.
The Ant King turned his head slightly toward Pitou, then stood up without a word, still carrying Komugi in his arms. He walked over to Pitou and spoke in a low voice.
"Pitou, heal her."
He paused before adding three words:
"Please."
A shudder ran through Pitou. Their eyes widened as emotion surged within them—something they had never expected to hear from the King. Tears welled up in their eyes.
In that instant, Pitou understood why Shaiapouf had been so fixated on the blind girl's influence over the King. It was not paranoia, it was real. The King had, indeed, been affected by a mere human.
For the Royal Guards, whose entire existence revolved around protecting the King, this was an unthinkable failure. He had been swayed. Corrupted.
Pitou wanted to refuse. They wanted to leave the girl to die.
But the King had spoken.
And so, there was only one choice.
Pitou quickly dismissed their personal thoughts and summoned Doctor Blythe, focusing entirely on healing Komugi.
...
The King turned his gaze toward Netero and Zeno.
"Not here," he said. "We need a more open space. I assume you would prefer that as well?"
Neither elder objected. Without another word, they followed the Ant King out of the room.
He never looked back—not at Komugi, not at Pitou.
...
Just as Netero and the Ant King stepped onto the balcony, Gon, Killua, and Ronnel turned a corner and spotted them.
"That's definitely Grandpa," Killua muttered. His gaze landed on the old man with the two familiar tags hanging from his chest.
Gon's eyes widened. "Chairman Netero?!"
The three men on the balcony took notice. Netero alone reacted, flashing a small smile and giving a thumbs-up toward the room behind them. Without saying a word, he signaled what they needed to know: Komugi was inside.
The Ant King and Zeno, however, paid no attention to the newcomers.
Netero met Ronnel's gaze for a brief moment. It was enough.
"Don't die, old man," Ronnel said.
Netero chuckled. "Hohoho, I'll leave the Ant King to you."
There was no need for more words.
...
Ronnel, Killua, and Gon watched as a massive golden dragon soared into the sky, carrying Netero and the Ant King toward the distant desert.
"...Sigh."
Gon couldn't explain why, but a deep unease settled in his chest as he watched the old man disappear into the horizon. Something about the way Netero had looked...
A killer's intuition was rarely wrong.
Killua crossed his arms. "That fight... it's going to be brutal."
Zeno exhaled. "I never thought I'd see a creature like that in my lifetime." The weight of the Ant King's presence was still fresh in his mind.
...
Gon and Killua rushed across the balcony, closing the distance to Zeno.
"Grandpa!" Killua called.
Zeno responded.
That was it. No other words were exchanged. Both grandparent and grandchild understood each other perfectly.
Zeno's sharp eyes scanned Killua.
"Your eyes have changed," he noted.
He immediately recognized what had happened.
"So... the needle Illumi implanted in you has been removed?"
His gaze shifted to the boy standing behind Gon and Killua.
"Hmm... this one looks tense. It's our first time meeting, but for some reason, he feels familiar..."
Ronnel met Zeno's eyes, smirking slightly.
"Yes. I was thinking the same thing, Mr. Zoldyck."
The two shared a moment of unspoken understanding.
...
During the chaos in Yorknew City, Zeno and Silva had been hired by the Ten Dons to eliminate the Phantom Troupe. That night, high above the city, Zeno had encountered a peculiar Nen user while fighting Chrollo—a stranger with an unusual aura, watching and waiting for the right moment to act.
Back then, Zeno had memorized the presence of both combatants.
And now, standing before him, was that same aura.
Looks could be altered. Voices could be masked. But a person's Nen, their very essence, was much harder to disguise.
Zeno smirked. "Hoho... interesting."
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)