Netero left. Meruem watched him go until he could no longer feel his Nen at all.
"Nobu's space-type ability? How convenient. Tsk tsk, if only someone among the ants had that kind of ability—perfect for escape and assassination." Meruem muttered with a hint of envy. "All right, the nuisances are gone. Time to deal with what's left—the squadron leaders and division captains. Ah, what a headache."
One glance at the Royal Guard still kneeling with guilty faces made Meruem's head ache again. These three might be loyal, but each had quite the personality.
"I do not intend to blame you. What I did just now was merely for outsiders to see. So you three, rise. I have an announcement." Meruem spoke in a low voice. The meaning was obvious—he was only displeased that Pouf had interrupted earlier. "I know you three. You are my most loyal subordinates, my Royal Guard: NeferpitouPitou, ShaiapoufPouf, and Bunny-Mengmeng*Youpi."
"Oh, my King, you actually remember my name—oh, this subordinate deserves death, I didn't mean to offend you. I knew it, my King, you truly are wonderful." The butterfly man Pouf instantly revived at full HP the moment he heard Meruem wasn't blaming him, immediately switching on chatterbox mode. Shaiapouf, one of the three Royal Guards, was undoubtedly top-tier among Chimera Ants, but lacked powerful offensive skills. His Nen—Fly King and Scale Powder: Fountain of Love—leaned toward support. Compared to the agile-type cat-girl Pitou and the power-type Youpi, he seemed slightly inferior, though that didn't mean he was weaker than the other two. Of course, he was also a bit neurotic, and any matter concerning the King triggered his loquacious trait. There were even long-standing rumors—unknown if true—about a certain… orientation.
"Meow!" The cat-girl let out an adorable cry to signal her presence.
"Uh… Bunny-Mengmeng." The red-skinned muscleman was infinitely conflicted.
"Ahem, moshi moshi." Ignoring Pouf lost in his own world, Meruem turned toward the ant nest—now a field of ruins—and spoke. His voice wasn't loud, yet it reached every surviving ant's ears. "All squadron leaders, division captains, and other warriors of the Chimera Ant race, I am your King. Upon hearing my words, come to me within thirty minutes. I have an announcement. I repeat."
"King, are you planning to gather the other ants, meow?" Pitou found a clean rock, sat cross-legged, and asked with wide, curious eyes. Her tail swayed with her tone—just like a kitty fascinated by something new.
"Yes. I want to assemble the remaining subordinates. I have something to announce." Meruem was happy to answer the adorable cat-girl's question.
"With respect, we three are enough for subordinates. Those weak ones aren't qualified, meow." Her words brimmed with confidence—and carried a side helping of disdain for the other ants. In the hearts of the Royal Guard, not to mention division captains, even squadron leaders were beneath notice.
"How dare you, Pitou—you question the King's judgment?" One line and the butterfly man soared to high gear again. As soon as it touched the King, he became a complete two. Still, he added, "But Pitou isn't entirely wrong." The Royal Guard had their own pride. Haughty as they were, they would not acknowledge other ants.
"Sigh." Meruem sighed inwardly. This world was perilous. Though Chimera Ants were innately strong, compared to the world's top experts, they were still too weak. And internally, they were far from harmonious. Meruem had no desire to walk the original road. He'd only just been reborn—he hadn't lived enough yet, right? His first task now was to unite the remaining ants. In the original, the ants scattered—surrendered, went solo—then were defeated piecemeal by humans. Chimera Ants are ants, after all. What's the greatest advantage of ants? Unity and numbers. As individuals, no matter how strong, an ant is still an ant—many ants can bite an elephant to death. Meruem understood this. He wasn't that philosophical guy from the original; no need to play deep. As a reborn transmigrator, his values were already formed; even combined with the Chimera Ant race, that wouldn't change much. He wanted to live—and to live better.
"I have my decision." That was Meruem's answer to the cat-girl. This mindset of the Royal Guard was innate; Meruem didn't want to tangle with it. He didn't have much time. He had to integrate his current strength quickly to set the next stage. He didn't need much, but at minimum, they had to be able to protect themselves in the Hunter world. Time—just give the Chimera Ant race a bit more time to mature fully. Then they would have a foothold in this world.
By now, the remaining ants had gathered around Meruem. Excluding the faceless soldier ants, there were only a few dozen squadron leaders and division captains left. In fighting power—so long as they didn't oppose all humanity—they counted as a top-tier force in Hunter x Hunter. Unfortunately, in the original, their opponent was all of humanity; against that, the Chimera Ant race was somewhat weak. Numbers were not in their favor—ants require a massive swarm strategy. Though there was a later cyborg plan to make up for the lack of numbers, their earlier actions were far too high-profile—brazenly occupying a country (counting NGL, two), frightening human leadership and drawing the chairman's suicide tactic. Internally, they were extraordinarily divided—each doing their own thing. Ants once loyal to the Queen surrendered outright after seeing Meruem brutally kill companions. Some who recalled their past human lives even openly rebelled to follow their former bosses (at the end of the Ant arc, Welfin searching for Zaiyroad). You could say the original Meruem's conduct after birth directly led to the swarm's fragmentation. Even if they had regrouped, they couldn't have matched humanity—but at least there would have been a sliver of life.
When the last ant arrived, Meruem stood and swept his gaze over them all, spotting many familiar faces from the Hunter series in his previous life. The squadron leaders and division captains still alive were basically all seen in that manga. By those prior numbers, there were thirty squadron leaders. But before the King's birth, Netero alone killed sixteen squads of squadron leaders. Sixteen died in total, leaving fourteen: the ones shown in the anime—Hagya (the lion who died of hypoxia), Colt (Leizhenzi look-alike), Cheetu (the goofy cheetah flattened by Killua's dad's one-hit Rulai Palm), Zazan (the scorpion killed by Feitan), Welfin (the wolf who later recalled human memories and openly rebelled, but was scared witless by Youpi), Meleoron (the chameleon whose adoptive father was killed by the King—godlike skill, weakling body), Peggy (the chameleon's adoptive father, very learned, sadly one-shotted by the King), Bloputa (little presence—later done in by the octopus division captain), the octopus old man (defected to humans, apparently a doctor), the turtle old man (a butler-like mediator—talked too much while mediating and was killed by the King), and the briefly shown mantis, panda, crocodile, and Bihorn (the bull, said to have the greatest raw strength). At present, these fourteen seemed all alive—Meruem had seen them, at least. Beyond the squadron leaders were many division captains—but since they were generally weaker, Meruem didn't look closely, noting only a few with standout Nen.
While Meruem sized up the squadron leaders and division captains, every ant present watched him nervously. Some because of his identity—their King. Call these the loyalists. Although in the original many had restless ambitions or disloyal hearts, it was more the Queen's death and the King's brutality that drove them to humans. Others watched out of fear or ulterior motives. Netero's display had already scared them witless—what of the King, who was clearly beyond him? Even running away took courage. Call these the schemers—and among them, some were rebels who had recalled their human memories. Whatever the type, they all stared at Meruem in extreme tension.
"The Queen is dead." Meruem's first words to the assembly. He watched their expressions. Some remained blank; some even seemed delighted; most were sad. He noted them all. In the original, though a portion had already become unsettled or disloyal, many squadron leaders defected to humans due to the Queen's death and the King's brutality.
"Her death is inseparable from that human before. I will avenge her in three months." His second sentence. Meruem's feelings for the Queen were complicated. As a reborn transmigrator, he felt little personally. But he remembered the gentle voice he heard before birth—and how, when Netero tried to destroy the nest, the Queen used her last strength to protect the unborn Meruem at the most critical moment of his evolution. That was a mother's love for her child. Even if she wasn't human, maternal love transcends species. In sentiment, this body was given by the Queen. In reason, he owed her a debt. So this debt would be collected from Netero, no matter what.
"Those willing to be loyal to me may stay. Those unwilling may leave on your own—I will not stop you. I'll give you one hour to consider." His third sentence. After speaking, Meruem ignored the now-boiling ranks of squadron leaders and division captains and closed his eyes to rest. Truth be told, while Meruem intended to unite the Chimera Ant race, forcibly binding them together would do more harm than good. Better to let some with other ideas head into human society and draw off attention. He needed only those loyal to him—and to strengthen them.
PS: There will be at least one chapter a day. If there are more recommendation votes, I'll add extra chapters!
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