Those gathered in the passage were all division commanders and their combat soldier subordinates.
"Cute? Do you even understand the meaning of that word? Or do ants just have a bizarre sense of aesthetics?"
"Shut up! Stop acting so smug, you worthless bug! You're nothing more than food!!"
The moment Scyan, enraged by Ronnel's words, finished speaking, he lunged from within the swarm, thrusting her scorpion-like tail needle straight at him.
The other division commanders, including Leol, instinctively pulled back.
"He managed to wipe out an entire squad of commanders and soldiers in such a small space, and we didn't even notice until it was over..."
"There's something off about this human!"
With that realization, Leol and the others quickly distanced themselves, giving the battlefield ample space.
As for whether this human was bluffing? That thought never crossed their minds.
If he'd made it all the way here, deep inside the palace, without setting off a single patrol, that was proof enough.
Better to let Scyan, the short-tempered brute, test his limits first.
Boom!
The scorpion-like tail lashed out with immense force, striking down mercilessly. A dull impact echoed through the corridor.
"Did he die?"
Dust and debris filled the air, and for a brief moment, many of the ants entertained the thought. But that hope was short-lived.
The attacker's face—expecting relief, triumph—twisted in frustration. No smile, no victory.
"Not bad strength."
A familiar voice rang out, sending a shudder through the Chimera Ants.
As the dust settled, Ronnel stood exactly where he had been, unmoved. His hand was gripping Scyan's tail—firmly, effortlessly.
The tail needle twitched violently, struggling, but Ronnel's fingers held fast like an iron vice. No matter how much it jerked, it couldn't break free.
"But that's all."
His voice was calm, as though evaluating something insignificant.
"This guy..."
The other ants stiffened, immediately elevating the threat level of this human in their minds. Their bodies tensed, instincts screaming at them to be on high alert.
"Don't look down on me, you bastard!!"
Ronnel's relaxed stance and indifferent words were fuel to Scyan's raging fire.
"You're just a human! How dare you act so arrogant?!"
Despite her furious outburst, no matter how hard he struggled, Scyan couldn't reclaim her tail.
Realizing this was futile, a flash of resolve flickered in her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she raised her clawed hand—then slashed downward.
Schlick!
Blood sprayed.
She had severed her own tail.
"Oh~ You're quite decisive."
Ronnel stepped back, dodging the spatter, and looked down at the severed tail still twitching in his grip. With a casual flick, he tossed it aside and turned his gaze back to Scyan.
"Well, now that you've lost your tail, what happened to that poison you were so proud of? Got any other tricks left?"
The moment he saw the tail and recognized the ant, Ronnel pieced it together.
Wasn't this the same group that invaded the streets of Meteor City, only to be slaughtered by Feitan, Phinks, and the others?
Her Nen ability, Aesthetic Reincarnation Injection. It worked by injecting her tail needle into a target, mutating their body into a grotesque creature. If they were strong enough to endure the transformation, they would become mindless killers under her command. If not, they would simply perish.
Once transformed, they would only regain control after being killed, but their appearance would never return to normal.
The key to her ability? Her tail.
Without it, she couldn't activate her power. Worse, once severed, she herself would mutate into a monstrous, dinosaur-like form until it regrew.
However, that transformation only occurred after she had fully developed her Nen ability. Right now, she had merely awakened her aura and hadn't yet refined her technique. The only consequence of her tail being severed was blood loss—and a rapidly rising fury.
"How dare you take my beautiful tail away, you disgusting human!!"
Scyan clutched the bleeding stump, her face contorted in pain and rage.
Yet beneath her frenzied wrath, a rare glimmer of clarity surfaced.
The force that had gripped her tail… it was beyond her.
For the first time, she felt fear.
"This human… he's nothing like the ones I've hunted before. He must be an elite—a master sent to exterminate us."
Then, another realization struck her.
"Those bastards… They sent me in first on purpose! That damn Leol just wanted to use me to gauge this human's strength!"
Her expression darkened. She wasn't an idiot—she had been thrown into the fire as a test subject.
"But it doesn't matter. I'll kill him regardless!!"
A dangerous light flashed in her eyes. In the next moment, her body began to swell.
"Is she serious?"
Leol and the others exchanged glances, unease creeping into their expressions.
They had seen everything. They had witnessed how easily Scyan's tail had been restrained and severed. They had known this human was strong—but not this strong.
For the first time, genuine fear crept into their hearts.
"You forced me to do this, human!!"
A deafening roar filled the chamber as Scyan's body grotesquely transformed.
Ronnel smirked. "Oh? Let's see what you've got."
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)