The distant sky erupted in such a violent explosion that it dazzled everyone's eyes.
Anyone inside the palace who witnessed the scene instinctively had the same thought: "This explosion is definitely targeted at the Ant King!"
Without a doubt, after Netero had taken the Ant King far away from the palace, there was nowhere they could go that was truly far.
The three royal guards had also stayed inside the palace, so what else could cause such an explosion?
Besides Netero and the Ant King, who else could provoke such a violent explosion?
"Your majesty!!!"
Shaiapouf's eyes, which always appeared calm, wise, and mad, suddenly widened. The light in his eyes was replaced by terror.
His antennae trembled uncontrollably, and his body swayed slightly as if unable to bear the sudden impact of the explosion and the immense blow it delivered to his mind!
His hands instinctively gripped his body as if trying to suppress the ominous premonition rising within him.
"Your majesty!!!"
After his heart-wrenching cry, his body didn't pause for even a moment.
He immediately spread his wings and, at his fastest speed, rushed toward the source of the explosion.
Unfortunately…
"I told you before, you can't leave."
A calm voice echoed through the space.
Bang!!
It was as if he encountered immense resistance, and Shaiapouf's body, which had been speeding through the air, was suddenly intercepted.
Then, his entire body was sent flying backward, tumbling several times across the ground before finally coming to a halt.
"You bastard..."
Shaiapouf's head snapped up violently.
At that moment, half of his human face had been destroyed, revealing the remaining half of his ant-like face.
Gritting his teeth, he seemed filled with deep hatred, his voice dripping with disgust, like an angry roar from the depths of hell.
"You filthy humans, how dare you harm our king! You all deserve to die!!"
Shaiapouf had completely gone mad.
His body emanated a fierce and reckless bloodlust, one that was willing to sacrifice everything, even his life.
The bloodlust he unleashed at that moment was so overwhelming it was hard to face head-on.
If anyone from the Chimera Ant Extermination Team, aside from Lan, encountered him, they'd have to avoid his sharp power.
Unfortunately, Shaiapouf ran into Ging.
Having dealt with countless such outbursts, even handling such opponents personally, Ging was extremely experienced.
"Again, this attempt to unleash everything without care, to exchange it for a brief burst of power..."
Ging couldn't help but shake his head as he witnessed this scene.
"I've seen this scenario too many times."
"Such a mindset is incredibly naive. Do you really think this will easily defeat me?"
"My specialty is helping others clearly see reality, and..."
Boom!!
An endless aura surged from Ging's body.
"Let them see themselves clearly."
While Shaiapouf burned through everything, gaining a massive increase in aura, for Ging, it seemed effortless as he manipulated his aura at will!
Not only in terms of quantity but also quality, everything seemed to bend to his will.
What had originally been a battle of wits and strategies seemed to be heading in an odd direction.
The overall battle vibe was shifting, becoming increasingly peculiar.
Meanwhile, on the other side, in the hall at the central staircase…
Menthuthuyoupi, too, saw the explosive scene through the shattered walls.
His massive body, once brimming with anger, now seemed to shrink slightly, with all his muscles tense.
His eyes widened in disbelief, filled with deep fear.
"I..."
Menthuthuyoupi could only feel an overwhelming emptiness in front of him while a chilling sensation spread from his heart to his limbs.
His enormous mouth slightly opened, his throat rumbling, and a hoarse scream emerged.
Even with his lack of intelligence, he could sense what was happening.
Their king, the one who was supposed to lead them to conquer the world, was now in grave danger!
"Shaiapouf! Neferpitou!! What are you two doing?!!"
Menthuthuyoupi screamed in a frantic rage, filled with worry, anger, and dissatisfaction.
He had followed orders to guard the central staircase, blocking all intruders.
On the other hand, the enemies that invaded from outside and the sky were guarded by Shaiapouf and Neferpitou.
And now, they had placed their king in such a perilous situation?!!
This was unforgivable! They had no right to be the Royal Guards!
Menthuthuyoupi's powerful limbs, once full of strength, now felt as if they had lost all power.
He struggled to move his feet forward while trembling with fear, wondering what kind of fate their king was facing right now.
"King?!!"
On the second floor, in the guest room, Neferpitou had almost the same thoughts as Menthuthuyoupi.
Neferpitou's cat-like pupils trembled uncontrollably as she gazed at the explosion in the distance.
Her tail, connected to Doctor Blythe, began to twitch wildly, betraying her inner panic.
Neferpitou's eyes were wide, filled with anxiety and unease while staring fixedly at the explosion.