Chapter 798
Neferpitou could not help but doubt that Ron's words might be true. The thought alone startled her. If the Chimera Ants really were nothing more than human experiments, then what meaning did her existence have?
What meaning did the King's existence have?
Could a King born as an experiment truly conquer all of humanity?
Impossible.
If so, then what was the point of her devotion to him? Her conviction began to fracture.
"No. Impossible!"
She did not want to believe it. But if one day she awakened human memories, what then? Was she human, or Chimera Ant? Could she still treat humans as food?
Ron spoke again. "And Neferpitou, you aren't as loyal to the King as you think."
"What do you mean?"
"During our fight before, you gave in to selfish thoughts, didn't you? Don't deny it. I could feel it. Deceiving yourself is pointless. In the heat of battle, your hatred and anger toward me outweighed your drive to protect the King. Am I wrong?"
Her face darkened. It was a truth she did not want to admit, but she could not refute it either. Lying to herself had no meaning.
Ron drew out a photograph. It was Killua. "Do you remember this boy?"
"I do. Why?"
"This boy and two others came near your nest. You spotted them. He and one other escaped. The last one stayed behind, fought you, and bought them time. You killed him, didn't you?"
Neferpitou's eyes flickered. "And what of it?"
"Where is his body?"
"Was he your friend?"
"No."
"Then why care about his corpse?"
"That's not your concern. Just answer."
"I hid it. I turned him into a puppet. Back at the nest, he was used for training soldiers. When we left, I brought him to the palace."
Ron recalled how, in the original story, Shoot and Knuckle had found Kite's body in the nest. But in this world, he had not seen it. Now the truth was revealed.
"One more question. Did you ever offer his body to the King as food?"
This had always puzzled him. Before the King's birth, the Royal Guard had prepared a great meatball of many materials, but the King scorned it. What he wanted was the flesh of Nen users. So why hadn't Neferpitou presented Kite? Why leave him in the nest?
Neferpitou hesitated, and at that reaction Ron understood. The answer was not that Kite had been unfit as food. It was that she had been unwilling. Subconsciously, she had not wanted to give up her toy. That selfishness had been born long ago, even before she realized it.
The realization struck her like a blow. More doubts arose, her worldview on the verge of collapse.
Ron said calmly, "Since you answered me, I'll keep my word. You get another chance. Fight me. If you defeat me, I'll let you go."
Neferpitou raised her head. A ruthless glint flashed in her eyes. For a moment she cast aside all doubts, gathered her aura into her fist, and struck at Ron.
Bang!
The punch landed, but on contact it felt weightless. Ron brushed her hand aside.
"Well then, Neferpitou, will you submit now? Refuse, and you die."
"I refuse!" she cried. "Even if everything you said is true, I refuse! Even if Chimera Ants are human experiments, so what? Even if I'm not fully loyal to the King, even if I have selfish desires, so what? Why must I submit to you? If it's not the King, then I won't submit to anyone. I want to live as myself. To kneel to you—I'd rather die!"
Ron raised a brow. "What you say has some merit. But let me tell you this: only successful test subjects can awaken human memory. You, Pouf, Youpi, even the King—you're failures."
Her pupils shrank. "A failure?"
"Exactly. That's why we came to erase you. The squadron leaders, if they awaken their memories or surrender, we won't kill them. The experiments exist for them. But you are different. You were born only to be destroyed."
Neferpitou clenched her brow. "I don't believe it. If that's true, why didn't you strike earlier? Why wait until the King was born? Aren't you humans? Why watch NGL die? Why let East Gorteau be slaughtered?"
"Because it was necessary," Ron answered. "Nations suffer sickness too. The Chimera Ants were used as the cure. Once the sickness is gone, the cure is no longer needed. As for the King, there was one man who, at the end of his life, wanted a final battle. For that, the Association let the King be born."