The Ant King didn't respond but simply gazed up at the starry sky.
"Your Majesty, if something is troubling you, please tell us. We exist to solve your problems."
Shaiapouf observed the king's state carefully and spoke in a cautious tone.
"Komugi is surrounded by a faint light."
"Komugi?"
"The blind girl who plays Gungi with me."
Where the Ant King couldn't see, Shaiapouf's fist clenched tightly.
"Unbelievable. He actually mentioned that woman."
"Her potential has been awakened. Her strength will likely improve dramatically in the future—but only in terms of military strategy. Pitou, if we applied the selection process to her, what would the outcome be?"
The Ant King turned his gaze to Neferpitou, who flicked their tail.
"She would have died long ago," Pitou replied calmly.
"This selection is designed for those both physically and mentally strong enough to serve as soldiers. Only those with exceptional combat capabilities can survive."
"So, only the strong survive..."
The Ant King repeated the words in his mind, reinforcing his convictions.
However, Shaiapouf, unaware of the king's internal thoughts, let his imagination run wild once more.
"Your Majesty, that blind girl—"
"After getting to know Komugi, I've realized there are many different kinds of strength," the Ant King interrupted. He turned his back on his Royal Guards and walked a few steps away.
"Your Majesty, please don't say that!" Shaiapouf's heart sank deeper and deeper.
"Perhaps even a child possesses a talent that surpasses mine in a certain field."
"Supreme King, you must not doubt yourself! Please—"
Boom!
Before Shaiapouf could finish, a powerful surge of aura erupted into the sky.
"But so what?! Violence is still the greatest power in this world!"
The Ant King's aura flared wildly, his eyes void of emotion. Without hesitation, he turned and strode off toward a certain direction.
"That's right. My strength is unparalleled in this world—an invincible existence!"
"Weakness in other areas is meaningless to me, no more than dust on the roadside!"
"Komugi is no different. Gungi is just a game. If I exert a little force, she will be reduced to nothing but flesh and blood."
"In the end, everything is under my control. So why do I hesitate? This was merely a way to pass the time before the selection."
"I've had enough. I don't need her anymore! Kill her—immediately!!"
With these thoughts surging in his mind, the Ant King quickly made his way toward Komugi's room.
...
Shaiapouf remained frozen in place, tormented by regret.
"How could I have insulted the king with my foolish thoughts? How could I have doubted him? I'm unworthy of being a Royal Guard!"
"That's because you overthink things every time~" came a voice, more dejected than the commentator Dolk.
...
Tens of kilometers away from the palace—
"Such composure... As expected of the Ant King. He's far superior to Jed and even Chairman Netero!"
Ronnel watched the palace with his extraordinary vision, taking in everything with absolute clarity.
With his enhanced hearing, he could discern every sound, leaving Meleoron beside him visibly startled.
"Are your five senses even human anymore?!" Meleoron asked, half in shock.
Initially, Meleoron hadn't thought much of Ronnel's abilities. He merely assumed the young man had exceptional dynamic vision. But after realizing just how far they were from the palace, he finally understood how absurd Ronnel's perception truly was.
"Even we Chimera Ants don't have sight and hearing this extreme."
"Yeah." Ronnel grinned. "A single Chimera Ant wouldn't reach this level. But if one had accumulated abilities—like sharp eagle eyes, super vision, enhanced perception, motion capture—then together, the effects would be close to clairvoyance."
"Not to mention, by reinforcing eyesight with Nen, vision can be enhanced even further."
"Besides, the Ant King is holding back. He hasn't revealed his full power yet. I wonder what kind of strength he'll show in a real fight~"
Ronnel's voice carried a note of anticipation as he observed the Ant King's transformation.
"Komugi... Is she awakening his humanity?"
Watching as the Ant King pushed open the door to Komugi's room, a knowing smile crept onto Ronnel's face.
"You're not wrong. If he truly kills Komugi, he'll break through his lingering doubts and never waver again. He'll become truly invulnerable."
"At most, he'll occasionally recall her in his cold, emotionless life, considering it nothing more than a fleeting memory."
"Only in death will he realize what he lost."
"Of course, that's assuming he actually kills her. But now..."
Through Ronnel's eyes, the scene unfolded: the moment the Ant King pushed open the door, his gaze wavered.
Inside, the little bird he had previously scared away had somehow returned. It pecked relentlessly at Komugi, leaving cuts all over her fragile body. She was covered in bruises and blood.
Something within the Ant King shifted.
Snap!
With a flick of his wrist, he crushed the bird midair.
Rushing to Komugi's side, he examined her wounds. His expression was unreadable—was it anger? Guilt? Distress?
In a voice filled with something unrecognizable, he scolded her as though venting his own frustration:
"Why didn't you call for help?! Here... and here... wounds everywhere! You're covered in blood!!"
His thoughts had changed.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)