Wither paused, her expression flickering as if she understood something, yet at the same time did not. She did not ask further questions, but instead turned and walked back through the gate. With a thought, Ron closed it, and the door vanished.
By this time, Youpi's body had shrunk to the size of a fly. The King had regained some strength, but it was not much, nowhere near enough. In the original events, it was through the sacrifice of both Youpi and Pouf that the King's body had been restored. Now, only Youpi remained.
Ron hesitated. Another door appeared, and from it stepped a low-ranked Chimera Ant soldier. Then Yuzuru Yamai appeared.
"Solo Performance."
The sound of her performance resonated, and the soldier immediately fell under her control. Guided by her ability, it walked to the King, bent down, and lifted him onto its back before beginning to carry him away from the ruined battlefield.
Youpi turned his gaze on Ron. There was a trace of confusion in his eyes, as if he could not comprehend why Ron would help them. The soldier bore the King step by step until it stopped not far from Ron.
Youpi moved to shield the King. In his current condition, he was nearly powerless. If Ron chose to act, he could not stop him; he would die instantly.
"The war is over," Ron said evenly. "Before true death comes, do you have any final wish?"
Youpi's eyes sharpened, filled with wary vigilance, fixed tightly on Ron.
Suddenly—
Pfft!
The poison within the King's body erupted. Blue-violet blood sprayed from his mouth.
"King, what's happening?" Youpi exclaimed in alarm.
The King himself did not understand. Ron explained.
"That explosion carried a lethal poison. The King's body is already filled with it. It cannot be purged. Even if you sacrifice your own life force to hold it off, it will not last. The King does not have long."
"That is why I said—the war has ended."
Youpi's eyes widened. "No… that's impossible."
"It isn't only the King," Ron continued. "You too. You stayed in that place too long. The toxin has entered your body as well. You will die before long."
For both Royal Guards, the worst outcome had come.
The King's expression, however, remained calm.
"Where are Neferpitou and Pouf?"
"They never made it here," Ron said. "You already know what that means."
A bitter smile crossed the King's lips. "So this is the end. I thought I was born to rule the world, yet this is what it comes to. Pitou, Pouf, Youpi—this was my failure."
Youpi shook his head desperately. "No, my King, you did nothing wrong. It was the humans. Too cunning, too vile. Their strength was beneath yours, yet they relied on such base tricks."
"Defeat is defeat," the King replied. "I was too arrogant. Among humans, there are indeed those of true strength. Komugi… and that old man."
He raised his head toward Ron. "Human, what is your name?"
"Ron Zoldyck."
"Was it you who defeated Pitou and Pouf?"
"In a way."
"Your aura is far stronger now than when I first saw you. How many humans like you exist?"
"The exact number, I don't know," Ron said. "But there are dozens at least. Netero. Ging Freecss. Maha Zoldyck. The V5's S-rank Hunters, fifteen of them at minimum. And Beyond Netero, the Chairman's son. Do not be fooled by the word 'son'—he is older than most grandfathers, and if he can ally with the Kakin royal family, then his strength is no mere A-rank.
The King of Kakin as well, who raised his nation's power in just decades, and holds the Ritual of the Pot—he too is formidable."
(Note: I know earlier Ron said that "there are fewer than what I could count on my hand" But this is for the known S-ranked the V5 show (not even publicly, only people in power know them), here we assume there are more.)
"Yet only two came to fight me. And you… you even stepped into that realm in the middle of battle. To humans, I am worth no more than this?"
Ron gave a small nod.
"I see."
The King exhaled long and slow, as if at peace with his own impending end.
"A wish before death? If I must name one… I would like to play another game of Gungi. Komugi still lives, does she not?"
"She does," Ron answered. "But it would not be right for her to play with you."
"Why?"
The King froze, then understood. The poison. Ron would not risk Komugi's life. The toxin within him would spread. With Komugi's frail body, prolonged contact meant certain death.
"But I can find you another opponent," Ron said.
"Who?"
"Me."
"You play well?" The King's eyes flickered with surprise.
Ron allowed a faint smile. "If you doubt it, test me yourself."
The King fell silent, then gave a quiet assent. "…Very well."
The controlled soldier lowered him carefully to the ground. Ron drew a Gungi set from Sumas's space, flicked his wrist, and sent the box forward.
The King caught it, opened it, and unfolded the board.
Yuzuru Yamai's music continued, and under her control, the soldier moved the pieces on the King's behalf. Soon, the King was lost in the world of the game.
Piece after piece fell, and he sank deeper, forgetting everything beyond the board. The poison of the Poor Man's Rose corroded his body, but he paid no heed—or perhaps, he sought escape within the game itself.
Ever since his loss to Komugi, a sliver of humanity had taken root in him.
Youpi drifted silently in the air, watching without a word.
"My King…"
The age of humankind had progressed, yet its new age had not fully arrived. For the Chimera Ants, however, their era had already ended. Beings like the King and the Royal Guards would not appear again.
In the next experiments, only squadron leaders and those beneath them would be preserved.
A piece was placed. A move made. Each like the step of a life.
The human world was already beyond the King's reach. To die within the game—that was the best ending left to him.