Scyan's voice dripped with malice as she spat out her words, along with a few drops of black-blue liquid that sizzled against the ground, corroding it instantly. Her body underwent a grotesque transformation—her once lithe figure swelled unnaturally, her smooth skin darkened into a sickly blue, and her arms expanded, her fingers merging together. Her thumbs grew disproportionately large, morphing into a massive pair of pincers.
"So this is your true form? An ant spliced with scorpion genes?"
Ronnel observed the transformation with mild amusement before adding with a smirk,
"Gotta say, it's really ugly."
Scyan had become a monstrous fusion of ant and scorpion. Half of her face retained a semblance of her original form, while the other half had mutated into a grotesque ant-like visage, giving her an eerie, nightmarish appearance.
"Chacha~!"
Her massive pincers snapped shut, producing a sharp, grating sound that sent shivers down spines. In a voice layered with a distorted resonance, she hissed,
"Human, enjoy your arrogance while you can. Soon, you'll be nothing but meatballs for me!"
"So your physical strength has improved?" Ronnel ignored her threats and instead analyzed her transformation calmly. "I see... that explains your sudden surge in confidence. But honestly? This is still nothing special."
He spread his hands in a casual shrug.
"If this is all you've got, I'm not interested in playing with you any longer."
Before Scyan could react, a gun appeared in Ronnel's hand.
"Let's wrap this up."
Boom!
The gunshot echoed through the cavernous chamber, rattling the stone walls and kicking up dust. Leol and the others felt the impact reverberate through their chests, their eardrums still ringing when they saw Scyan's body freeze in place. A trail of black-blue blood oozed from the hole in her head.
"Huh~ My aim's not bad."
Ronnel casually blew the smoke from his gun barrel. "That saves me a lot of trouble. The elders of the streets of Meteor City and Feitan should thank me for this. Consider it my little contribution to Meteor City."
[Unlimited Firepower]—Kay Taylor's Nen Ability.
As long as there's air, the gun never runs out of bullets. The strength of the bullets is directly proportional to the user's aura.
And with Ronnel's current aura... forget ordinary opponents—even the King's Royal Guards would have a hard time surviving a direct headshot.
"Heh..."
Scyan let out a gurgled sound, her pupils dilating before her body finally collapsed with a loud thud. The massive scorpion-ant hybrid lay motionless, its fall sending tremors through the ground and shaking the hearts of every Chimera Ant present.
"She's dead?!"
The other Ants reeled in disbelief. One of the Squadron Leaders, ranked among the top five in strength, had been slain in an instant by a mere human?!
"What's with the screaming? Relax—you'll be joining her soon enough."
Ronnel's words sent chills through their spines. Before they could even react, an overwhelming pressure descended upon them, forcing them to their knees.
"T-This aura...!"
The Squadron Leaders fought to stay upright, sweat pouring down their faces as they exchanged fearful glances. Even the strongest among them struggled to breathe under the sheer weight of Ronnel's presence.
Those who lacked the strength to resist found themselves utterly paralyzed. Some of the weaker soldier Ants collapsed entirely, unable to withstand the suffocating force.
"How... How can a human possess an aura like this?!"
Leol, positioned at the front, gritted his teeth in defiance, but his trembling body betrayed his fear. His mind raced, his instincts screaming at him—
This pressure... It's as strong as the Ant King's aura.
Stronger than the Ant King's aura? How is that even possible?!
"Tch..."
In the background, two Squadron Leaders—Yak and Groundhog—exchanged knowing glances. Unlike the others, they weren't affected by Ronnel's aura. Neither was the old squid-like Ant, who remained by the Queen's side, desperately attempting to heal her.
Without a word, the two quietly stepped back, distancing themselves from the battlefield.
They had no desire to throw their lives away for a lost cause. The Chimera Ants who had once plotted to abandon the Queen and form their own faction had long since discarded any sense of loyalty.
"Well, I guess that settles things."
Noting their retreat, Ronnel lost interest in them and shifted his gaze back to Leol's group.
Leol was a Chimera Ant with the blood of a lion coursing through his veins. His ambitions had always been grand—he saw himself as a king even when the Queen was still alive. He frequently disobeyed orders, hunting Hunters at will.
Deep down, though, he was a coward. He loved preying on the weak, tormenting and slaughtering humans. But the moment he encountered someone stronger—like Kite—he would back down in fear.
After the Queen's death, he had declared himself king, establishing his own nation and even broadcasting his ambitions on live television. However, his arrogance was his downfall. During one interview, he grew irritated and devoured the female reporter on-air, sealing his fate.
In response, V5 and the Hunter Association dispatched an elite squad of professional Hunters to eliminate him.
Desperate, Leol fled to the Republic of Padokea to seek the Ant King's protection, eventually receiving Shaiapouf's blessing—
The gift of Nen.
But what made Ronnel remember him so clearly was something else—
Leol was a Specialist.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)