Gengar's appearance only strengthened Pouf's resolve to eliminate the enemies threatening them. Just as Neferpitou had once decided that a dangerous opponent could never be allowed near the king, Pouf felt the same now.
He was ready to do whatever it took to protect the Ant King, even if it meant facing death head-on. The only problem was the huge gap in power between them, and Pouf lacked any nen ability that could truly turn the tide in his favor.
"Genuine!" Gengar let out a sinister grin as waves of purple-black nen swirled counterclockwise around him. Several clusters of ghostly flames, glowing with mesmerizing colors, surged toward Pouf with a deafening roar.
Pouf was caught off guard, realizing he could not dodge this strange flame attack in time. Quickly, he activated his nen, causing his body to shimmer and split into countless tiny versions of himself right on the spot.
This was [Beelzebub], one of his signature abilities. By breaking down his body into countless small clones, he could dodge attacks, spy on enemies, or even control them from afar.
However, the main body controlling these tiny clones had to remain at least the size of a fly, which was where the ability earned its name. Scattering in every direction, Pouf hoped to at least survive the attack.
The will-o'-the-wisps latched onto the tiny clones like maggots clinging to flesh. In an instant, the flames erupted, engulfing the area in a strange and intense fire that burned without mercy.
Although some clones were destroyed, most managed to slip through thanks to his quick reaction. Pouf pushed his scattered forms toward the edges of the white smoke, hoping to escape before the enemy pressed the attack.
But just as he tried to move, his body froze completely, as if an unseen hand was gripping him in place. The realization struck instantly, this was Gengar's black gaze, the same ability he had used earlier to immobilize him.
From the moment Pouf had stepped into the room, the outcome had already been decided. Gengar now had complete control, keeping Pouf's body intact while still sealing his fate.
A flash of light appeared on the ground, and a spatial portal opened. One by one, Pouf's tiny bodies were drawn inside and vanished from sight.
This arrangement had been set up by Larry, who preferred not to have Gengar consume the corpses directly. Instead, the bodies were sent into the online world to be retrieved later.
"This is..." Morel muttered as he saw Youpi's form vanish. He was confused at first, but quickly realized it must have been Larry's ability.
So it was Larry who had taken away the enemy's corpse. After checking carefully to ensure no clones remained, Morel dispersed the thick white smoke.
'I really fought this battle too easily,' he thought to himself. All he had done was set up a prison blockade, and the rest had resolved without much effort on his part.
What he did not realize was how much everyone else had paid during the expedition. Before Gon and Killua had even reached the battlefield, Neferpitou had already fallen to Gardevoir.
Knov and Meleoron were still observing the fight between Lucario and Youpi, unable to intervene or assist. Shaking his head, Morel stepped outside with his pipe in hand, intending to check on the others.
Just as he was about to move, the ground trembled beneath his feet. The entire palace shook slightly, sending a ripple of unease through him.
'An earthquake?' The thought barely formed before the answer arrived.
At that moment, the destructive death light crashed into the ground, and the impact was powerful enough to make the entire palace quiver.
Have Neferpitou and Pouf been taken care of? Larry murmured as he stood firmly on the stage, unaffected by the slight shaking around him. Now, three of the escorts were down, leaving only the last one, Pouf, to deal with.
Among the three guards, Larry felt that Pouf was the most valuable, mainly because of its nen abilities. Youpi had three powers: first, the ability to sense emotions and hypnotize others, called the Spiritual Message. This was interesting but not very practical.
The second was Beelzebub, which allowed him to split his body into countless small parts. This was more useful than the first ability and ideal for exploration in dangerous or unknown areas. When they eventually reached the Dark Continent, they could transform various monsters into Pouf and use Beelzebub to scout the terrain.
The final and most useful ability, according to Larry, was the Inspiring Ability. Pouf could encase others in cocoons, enabling them to unconsciously develop nen abilities best suited to themselves. This made Pouf an incredibly valuable asset for both combat and exploration purposes.
The ability to read is incredibly important for those who possess it, but not everyone with nen can develop powers that truly fit them. Take Kastro, for example. Hisoka once called him a waste of potential after seeing how poorly his ability matched his fighting style.
Originally, Kastro had created a technique called [Tiger Bite Fist] that matched his abilities well and was quite powerful.
However, two years later, when he faced Hisoka again, Douro had developed a [Double Clone] ability that did not suit him at all. Ultimately, his talent went to waste, and Hisoka killed him without effort.
This highlights just how crucial Pouf's ability is. Unlike other powers, you do not have to struggle to develop the right nen ability. You simply need to lie inside a cocoon for a while, and when you emerge, you will have the ability that best fits you.
Many of the Chimera Ants' nen abilities in the original story were developed this way by Pouf. The only question is whether this stimulation ability works only on Chimera Ants, since in the original story, Pouf used it exclusively on them. There is no guarantee it would work on other beings, so Larry would have to test that another time.
Overall, compared to the other two bodyguards, Pouf's reading ability seemed far more practical and valuable in the long run.
Meanwhile, on the palace's first floor, loud clashes echoed repeatedly.
Bang! Bang!
Knov wiped cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, amazed by the intensity of the fight.
He and Meleoron could only stay in the corner, quietly observing as the two sides battled relentlessly without any chance to intervene. At that moment, Youpi's arms had multiplied and transformed so drastically that they barely resembled arms anymore.
His red tentacles twisted and waved like cooked octopus legs, moving so fast they left afterimages in the air. It was not just tentacles; Youpi could alter his body's shape as well.