Pouf's worries had never been unfounded. If the Ant King had not encountered Komugi, things might have gone exactly as expected, with the Ant King's development following a predictable path. But in the end, no matter how things played out, death was inevitable.
Long before Netero arrived, he had already received a call from a high-ranking V5 official ordering the complete eradication of this creature. Even without Netero's involvement, humanity would have found other ways to eliminate the Ant King. One such method was called the Miniature Rose.
Ironically, despite the clear directive to wipe out these dangerous creatures, the authorities ended up classifying them as new types of monsters and largely ignored them. The entire Chimera Ant incident was nothing more than a political game between various countries.
Once the game was over and the Ant King was dead, they simply labeled the few remaining Chimera Ants as new monsters and moved on. Just like that, the issue was swept under the rug.
"Alas..." Netero sighed softly. "I really don't want to go against the old man's wishes."
"Everyone feels that way," came a quiet acknowledgment. "King Ant, we've all done our best."
Netero walked slowly toward the Ant King, his hands casually hanging at his sides before they began to move. The Ant King, who had been calm and composed, suddenly fixed his gaze on Netero as he approached.
To the Ant King's eyes, Netero clasped his hands together on his chest in a slow, deliberate motion that created strange afterimages. To anyone else, it would have been impossible to clearly see or react to the movement, like Neferpitou before, but the Ant King was different.
It saw every detail of Netero's motion, and it was precisely this clarity that surprised him. Netero's movements were incredibly precise, without a single wasted gesture. His actions had been refined through a lifetime of hard work and countless repetitions, resulting in an almost unimaginable speed.
The scene looked surreal, both fast and slow at the same time, like a trick of the eye. The afterimages were nothing more than a visual illusion.
In reality, Netero's palms came together in an instant with a barely audible bang, the powerful collision of his old but strong hands marking the moment. In an instant, a circular golden light appeared, centered on Netero, shining brilliantly like a glowing moon.
It slowly rose behind him, expanding rapidly from the size of a person to as large as a nearby hill in just a few breaths. The dim wilderness, once softly illuminated by the natural moonlight, was now bathed in countless warm golden rays.
The Ant King stared blankly at Netero, who wore a solemn expression. The golden light behind him shifted shape, and suddenly, a vague statue of Guanyin radiating dazzling golden light materialized before the Ant King's eyes.
Towering and majestic, the statue boasted hundreds of arms, each moving with distinct gestures, seemingly performing unique actions. Bathed in this golden glow, Netero's body took on a radiant hue, reminiscent of the sunset's afterglow but far more dazzling.
His entire presence transformed instantly, appearing otherworldly, detached from the mundane world around him. This was the [Hundred Styles of Guanyin].
Suddenly, Netero opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them after a long period of silence. He finally revealed his true power.
With a swift motion, he unfolded his right hand, previously folded, and struck the Ant King with a hand knife technique: [Shinraku Kencho]. Though the movement seemed slow, the strike appeared in front of the Ant King in an instant.
This was the first time the Ant King had encountered the [Shinraku Kencho], and he was momentarily stunned, eager to analyze the technique in detail. The enemies the Ant King had faced before were hardly worth mentioning, perhaps the squinty-eyed strong man from the Republic Of East Gorteau, the strongest guard of the East Gorteau Republic.
That opponent had been strong, as evidenced by the intense aura surrounding him, but still, the Ant King had defeated him easily with just a flick of its tail. Born with terrifying strength, the Ant King had never needed to rely on techniques or skills. Pure brute force was enough to crush any foe.
But now, facing Netero, the Ant King realized it was missing something vital, the power of skills that the old man before him possessed. Boom! The Ant King, lost in thought, was suddenly struck squarely by Netero's palm strike, producing a loud, resonant boom that echoed across the wilderness.
The Hyakushiki Kannon's, a heavy blow charged with intense aura, felt as if it carried the force of a thousand pounds. Upon impact, it unleashed a sound like an explosion. The flat ground beneath them was shattered, forming a huge crater, while a thick cloud of smoke and dust billowed up into the air.
Netero's eyes widened as he stared intently through the dense smoke, unwilling to look away for even a moment. Something was stirring within the dust.
With a wave of his hand, the Ant King calmed the restless cloud, which gradually settled back down quietly to the ground. "Impressive moves," the Ant King said, brushing the dust off his body. "Now I believe you're worth sparing."
He continued, "You could be my teacher and show me these techniques, and in return, I can give you whatever you want. Or, you could just teach me that last move."
Even as Netero prepared to attack again, the Ant King remained firm in his offer. "I suppose I really am getting old," he muttered.
Watching the seemingly carefree Ant King, Netero sighed quietly. "I can't teach you the hand knife," he said firmly. "That's a mental ability, and mental abilities can't be taught."
"No, I'm not talking about the hand knife," the Ant King replied, sitting cross-legged once more as if nothing had happened, though the crater beside him told a different story. "I want to learn your ability that seems slow but is actually incredibly fast."
Netero stroked his mustache thoughtfully, a storm of emotions rising inside him. The idea of the Ant King mastering the pinnacle of human techniques was almost unbearable.
"I'm sorry," he said decisively. "I won't teach you." His face was stern, his tone unwavering as he rejected the Ant King's request.
When Netero firmly rejected the idea, the Ant King remained expressionless, sitting quietly as always. Only a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.
It seemed the Ant King wanted to find someone else to teach him, but wasn't sure if anyone else even knew how. Seeing Netero's refusal, the Ant King stayed unmoved.
Netero scratched his head, a bitter look on his face. "I can't even fight, what am I supposed to do?"
He hadn't thought much about it before, but now he realized the problem.
The Ant King didn't want to fight.