"The Ant King is dead. I'm fine, but the environment here isn't great. Stay where you are and don't move around—I'll come to you."
Click.
Without hesitation, Ronnel ended the call, leaving Ging listening to the dead tone, speechless.
"That bastard... still as irritating as ever."
Scratching his head, Ging sighed.
"So he's alive and kicking. The Ant King is dead, and that guy really does have a few tricks up his sleeve... But telling me to stay put? Why does that feel like I'm getting scammed?"
His thoughts drifted back to the explosion earlier.
"That must have been Nen-based detonation... And that guy has a clone. Could he have used it to finish off the Ant King?"
As he pondered, Ging looked up at the night sky, where countless stars shimmered against the darkness. Then, glancing around at the desolate wasteland, he felt a sudden wave of loneliness.
The desert was brutally cold at night. A gust of wind sent a chill down his spine, making him instinctively rub his arms.
"So… what was I rushing for? What was I so worried about?"
A strange emptiness settled over him.
...
At the battlefield
After hanging up on Ging, Ronnel raised his hand, activating Gravekeeper's Grasp to seize the Ant King's remains. His aura materialized into a spectral hand, extracting several glowing energy orbs from Meruem's body.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he stored the body in his spatial backpack—along with a handful of Rose bombs. He had prepared them as a backup plan, just in case Meruem survived.
But that no longer seemed necessary.
A hundred Rose bombs now rested quietly in his inventory. Who knew if they'd ever be used? Maybe they'd remain dormant forever.
Either way, Meruem wasn't coming back.
Waving his arm again, Ronnel gathered the lingering death energy and poison in the air—like a vacuum pulling in smoke. Though most of it had been expended in the explosion, traces still floated around. He carefully absorbed and sealed them away.
With everything secured, Ronnel took one last glance at the devastated battlefield before his body shimmered, dissolving into specks of light.
The land, once shaken by the battle between Netero, Meruem, and himself, finally fell silent.
Of course, that peace wouldn't last long. Once the Hunter Association reported the incident, the V5 would send their inspectors.
Trouble was inevitable.
...
Inside the Absolute Silver Bracelet
Ronnel's vacant eyes regained focus the moment his clone dispersed. His consciousness snapped back. After storing the chair, bracelet, and puppet, he materialized in the desert once more.
"Time to go."
He cast a final look at the barren landscape before setting off toward Ging.
...
Ging, who was squatting on the ground, gnawing on an apple, suddenly looked up.
A figure approached.
Far away at first, then unnervingly close in the blink of an eye.
As the figure landed lightly in front of him, Ronnel raised a hand in greeting. "Yo."
"Mm." Ging studied him carefully. Despite everything, Ronnel seemed completely unharmed. With a nod, Ging muttered,
"I sensed something strange earlier, so I came to check it out."
"That so?" Ronnel chuckled, but didn't elaborate.
They had both passed through Braga Canyon together, sharing a near-death experience. Their similar temperaments had naturally led to friendship, so Ging's concern wasn't surprising.
"All cleaned up?"
"Yeah."
"The Ant King's aura was insane, but he just… blew himself up?"
"There were some other tricks involved, but nothing major."
"Tricks, huh?" Ging smirked. "And if they hadn't worked?"
"Then I had this."
Ronnel casually spun a bomb between his fingers. Ging's eyes twitched.
"You got Roses?"
"Yeah, through an old connection."
"Tch. You and your connections. If V5 finds out, they'll be breathing down your neck for the rest of your life."
Ging shook his head, exasperated. Then, after a pause, he asked, "You okay?"
"Fine for now. Not for long."
"...Huh?"
Before Ging could process the answer, Ronnel started counting down. "Three… two… one—"
Blech!
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. At the same time, the aura surrounding him shattered.
The stimulant pills had run their course. His body, forcibly pushed beyond its limits, was now demanding payment.
Krrk!
Fine cracks spread across his skin, blood seeping through in thin rivulets. His bones groaned under the strain, sending out sharp creaks.
"Hah." Ronnel wiped his mouth, then grinned. "Much better than I expected."
The pain, the injuries—none of it was as severe as he had feared. Given how much the stimulant pills had boosted him, the aftereffects were surprisingly mild.
Then again, his physical endurance far surpassed that of ordinary Hunters.
Ging exhaled, eyeing him skeptically. "Yeah, well, that's you. Anyone else would be in critical condition right now."
He narrowed his eyes. "How many of those pills did you take?"
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)