The Ant King had finally come to a realization, it didn't care if it was unique or not.
As long as it could tear this fake apart, it would remain unique in its own way.
Locking eyes with the Ant King's soul-crushing gaze, the impostor remained calm, arms crossed, and said, "No need to feel sad. After all, you're just an ant with the mind of a beast, you can't compare to humans."
Larry mimicked the Ant King's words and sent them back with Ditto.
"You're strong, Chimera Ant, but humans aren't weak either!"
"Well said," Ging said from the sidelines, applauding Ditto's words in full agreement.
But the furious Ant King wasn't paying attention; instead, his anger only grew stronger.
In an instant, both figures vanished and reappeared in the same spot, launching a fierce exchange of punches.
The sound of their fists colliding echoed through the underground chamber, breaking the silence with sharp cracks and thunderous booms.
The space was filled with the relentless noise of their battle.
"Such terrifying power!" Golden's eyes narrowed as he focused intently on the chaotic clash.
Even he couldn't clearly follow their movements, let alone ordinary people, who couldn't see anything but hear the deafening sounds of fists smashing together.
Each punch landed took a toll on both fighters.
Sometimes the Ant King was knocked back, and other times the impostor staggered.
The Ant King's chest heaved as he faced the counterfeit, his expression dark with frustration.
Though the fake hadn't inflicted serious harm, the Ant King was deeply unsettled by its inability to defeat it.
'What is this?' he wondered.
He realized he had seriously underestimated humans, their methods were strange and unpredictable.
After the intense battle between Netero and Ditto, the Ant King had taken some damage and drained part of his spirit, but his body was healing at an astonishing rate, recovering visibly fast.
Watching the panting Ant King regain his strength, Larry sensed the fight was nearly over.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and the Ant King's image in his eyes transformed into a wisp of smoke before dissipating into the air.
A flicker of surprise crossed the Ant King's eyes.
'Why had that feeling vanished so suddenly?'
He turned to Larry, who stood beside him, his expression steady but his voice low and edged with anger.
"What do you mean?"
The Ant King hadn't even managed to break through the fake yet.
"No, no, don't get me wrong," Larry said with a shrug, as if he was just looking out for him.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I saw you struggling against your opponent, so I prepared a way for you to win."
The Ant King's suspicion lingered for only a moment before he caught on.
With a snap of his fingers, a portal opened on the battlefield, glowing with white light.
Three bodies tumbled out, his three guards, lying motionless on the ground.
"I happen to know a bit about your abilities," Larry continued. "You get stronger by consuming others, right? These three are the way to victory I'm offering you."
He nodded knowingly.
"You know them better than I do, Neferpitou, Pouf, and Youpi. Eating them will give you a huge boost in power. It's up to you whether you want to take it or not."
The Ant King stared silently at the fallen guards, his loyal subordinates.
Despite their changed appearances, he recognized them instantly.
For a moment, even his usually cold and indifferent demeanor faltered.
Then, a flicker of acceptance passed through his mind.
'Others can die; there's no reason he can't. This is war. Death is inevitable. Their deaths only prove they weren't strong enough.'
Though he didn't understand how this stranger knew about his abilities or why he was doing this, Larry was right.
The Ant King was consumed by a fierce desire, not just to kill the imposters, but to conquer the world.
He believed the best way to grow stronger was to consume their corpses, using them as nutrients to fuel his power.
In his mind, this was more than just survival; it was a final tribute to the imposters, allowing them to play their last role.
The Ant King trusted that even if these guards were still alive, they would willingly sacrifice themselves for him, because they were born to serve him.
No matter the situation, the Ant King held the highest place in their hearts.
If he ordered them to die, they would follow without hesitation.
With determination burning in his eyes, the Ant King approached the corpses, sat cross-legged, and prepared to begin.
Everything he did was for one goal: conquering the world.
"Hey, Larry, are you sure this is a good idea?" Ging's gaze flicked over the Ant King before settling on Larry, who surprisingly looked eager.
Ging, though not deeply familiar with the Ant King, had a rough idea of his abilities.
But was devouring corpses really the best way to get stronger?
Just to take on tougher opponents?
Ging felt uneasy.
The current Ant King was already troublesome enough, and a stronger one was hard to imagine.
Judging by the lingering auras from those three bodies, Ging could estimate their strength, and after the Ant King consumed them, who knew how terrifying he might become?
"Hohoho, Ging, trust Larry," Netero said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "His strength goes far beyond what you can imagine."
Netero's confidence in Larry was clear.
Ging had never seen Larry's hidden power, so Netero understood his doubts.
Facing the already formidable Ant King, letting him grow stronger seemed risky.
But Netero, having met Marshado, knew this for sure, Larry could definitely crush the Ant King.
Even a fully powered Ant King wouldn't stand a chance against Larry.
Having witnessed it firsthand, Netero felt confident speaking on this.
When the Ant King released his aura, it had already made Netero take a step back.
Just the presence of that mysterious nen beast was enough to freeze him in place.
You could feel the huge gap between the two just by their breathing!
No matter how much the Ant King ate, he simply couldn't defeat Larry.
This was about the limits of talent.
No matter how skilled a chimera ant might be, there was always a ceiling.
That was an unbreakable rule in the world.
So, Netero boldly concluded that there was no way the Ant King could ever beat Larry, no matter what.
"Do you have absolute confidence...?" Ging murmured quietly, his heart sinking slowly.
He figured the old man must know details he didn't, and he was extremely sure Larry could handle the situation.
If that was the case, there was no need for further discussion.
After all, everyone was here, and Larry wasn't the type to risk his life recklessly.
While they talked, the Ant King had already started evolving.
Sitting cross-legged, he grabbed Youpi's body, opened his fierce mouth wide, and bit down hard.
"What is this?!"
"I've never tasted anything this incredible!"