The first time he met Zeno, the latter immediately recognized his identity.
As for Ronnel, he was on edge.
You can't trust a single word from an assassin—especially one from the Zoldyck family.
Even Silva once said, "Father, at least half of what you say can't be believed."
Whether it was when Ronnel was assigned to assassinate the Phantom Troupe or when he dominated the martial arts tournament, winning two championships in a row and defeating Jed, the Zoldyck family had taken notice of him.
So when Zeno spoke about meeting him, it was nothing more than the cunning words of an old fox.
"Grandpa, this is Ronnel. I already told Dad about him, and Illumi must have mentioned him to you too."
Killua blinked up at Zeno, his expression earnest.
"Ronnel? Illumi did say something. Thanks to him, Illumi only just recovered and is finally able to work again. He missed a lot of good deals while he was in recovery."
Zeno placed his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Ronnel.
"Really? I thought he'd be out of commission for a while longer. Looks like the Zoldyck family's medical treatments are quite advanced."
Ronnel grinned as he spoke.
Zeno's eyelids twitched, but he said nothing—just smiled faintly.
Killua's eyes flickered. Judging by their exchange, something bad must have happened to Illumi. But he knew now wasn't the time to ask. He pushed his curiosity aside.
After a brief conversation with Zeno, the three of them made their way toward the room where Gon was waiting impatiently.
Zeno watched them go, his gaze lingering on Ronnel's back. He shook his head and muttered to himself, "The younger generation is truly something..."
Whether it was admiration or something else, he didn't elaborate. After a brief pause, he turned and leaped off the palace, heading toward the distant desert.
His work was done. It was time to go home, have some tea, and get some well-earned rest.
...
In the welcome hall, Pitou was using Doctor Blythe to heal Komugi's injuries. His cat-like ears twitched, and he turned toward the door.
Healing someone with Doctor Blythe required immense amounts of aura and stamina—even his En wasn't strong enough to remain active while he worked. He could only rely on his instincts to detect approaching figures.
His narrowed eyes caught sight of three human silhouettes.
"Them?"
Gon and Killua—the two peculiar humans he had fought before. They had left a deep impression on him, and he recognized them instantly.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't hesitate to attack.
But now...
All he could do was take a protective stance, like a feral cat guarding its young.
Gon had told himself he was prepared for this moment, but the instant he saw Neferpitou again, his emotions surged. He stepped forward, his body tense, ready to demand answers.
Before he could speak, Ronnel grabbed his arm.
"He's healing Komugi."
Back at the fourth-dimensional apartment, Ronnel had explained Komugi's situation to Gon and Killua. They understood how much she meant to the Chimera Ant King.
But that only made Gon angrier.
"They have people they care about. They worry about them, cry for them... So why couldn't they spare even a shred of that care for Kite—for the people they killed?!"
These were the words he never had the chance to say at the Phantom Troupe's hideout. Now, they burst forth with raw emotion.
"It's simple," Ronnel said, watching as Pitou continued treating Komugi. "To them, we humans are nothing more than livestock—cattle to be slaughtered at will."
His voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was undeniable.
"As for the human they care about, to the Royal Guards, she's just a pet—a distraction to entertain the King in his spare time. Like those women who treat their little lapdogs as if they were their own children."
"Maybe the King truly sees Komugi as someone precious," he continued, "but the Royal Guards don't think that way. To them, she's just an extension of his will. They protect her because it's what the King wants. That's all."
"So rather than saying Pitou cares about someone, it's more accurate to say he only cares about the King. If Komugi dies, it would devastate the King—that's why he's protecting her so desperately."
As Gon listened, his anger didn't vanish, but it settled into something more controlled. The injustice still burned in his eyes, but he held himself back.
"I'm taking him to Kite," Gon declared, his voice sharp. "He's going to fix him. Now."
"No!"
Before Ronnel could respond, Neferpitou cut in immediately.
"Not until Komugi is healed. I'm not going anywhere until she's safe."
Perhaps realizing that his words might provoke Gon further, Pitou knelt, pressing his palms to the ground in a show of surrender.
Sweat dripped down his face, his voice trembling slightly.
"Just a few more hours. Once she's healed, I'll go with you immediately."
"It won't take that long."
This time, before Gon could react, Ronnel stepped forward.
With a casual wave of his hand, a strange machine materialized beside him—a futuristic-looking capsule with a design reminiscent of the healing chambers from "Dragon Ball."
It was the same device Ronnel had seen in Emuksu—the one used to heal Ging's eyes.
Before coming to East Gorteau, he had made sure to retrieve it.
This machine was a more basic version—capable of healing internal and external wounds but nothing beyond that.
"This should do the trick."
Pitou's pupils shrank as he processed the sight before him.
Gon and Killua stood frozen as well.
The atmosphere in the room shifted as all eyes locked onto the strange machine that could change everything.
...
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)