Chapter 400 - 400
When Morin managed to pull the limb away, he was already considered quite compassionate towards small animals!
Upon hearing this, Colt instinctively glanced at the Ant Queen. Indeed, the Ant Queen no longer bore those fatal injuries. There was even a faint breath and slight breathing, much better than the previous state of exhaling more than inhaling. However, despite this improvement, the Ant Queen remained unconscious, and Colt could still sense her weakness, as she was still in a severely injured state. Yet, although the injuries were serious, they were not life-threatening. Colt fell into silence.
Being able to snatch the Ant Queen back from the hands of death was already quite a feat, so why ask for more? Besides, with their chimera ant vitality, as long as they weren't on the brink of death, they could easily recover from their deficits given adequate nutrition.
The old man, after regaining his senses, immediately stepped forward again to check on the Ant Queen's condition. Colt assisted from the side, doing his utmost as a chimera ant. As for Morin, he casually found a place to sit down, chuckling as he watched the ants in the passage outside being beaten senseless by Ging, while waiting for the rescue team to arrive.
And so, time slowly passed by. Four hours slipped away quickly. Upon receiving Netero's call, the medical team from Falin University Hospital immediately set out. With high efficiency, it took them less than four hours to prepare and reach the entrance of NGL. There, they met Knov, who had been waiting, as well as Morel's two disciples, Knuckle and Shoot.
Knov then used his ability to transport rows of medical equipment and a large team of people into the apartment. Along with Knuckle and Shoot, they headed to the hillside near the ant nest to meet Morel, who was there talking with the newly arrived Gon and Killua.
After Gon and Killua arrived, Morel sincerely apologized to Killua. Following a heartfelt exchange, they found themselves getting along quite well. Meanwhile, an eager and excited Gon received news about Ging from Morel. Upon learning that Ging and Morin had already entered the ant nest, he was eager to go immediately. Thus, when the two groups met, they quickly advanced towards the ant nest.
Meanwhile, in the passage square outside, "What an unreasonable talent and lineage, indeed?" After taking down another squadron leader, Ging expressed his genuine admiration. This new species of chimera ants, born from the fusion of superior human genes and those of animals, inherently possessed multiple advantages. With the robust physical qualities of animals and ants, and the excellent training talent of humans, their aura capacity, once their nodes were opened, surpassed most seasoned Nen users.
The power these squadron leaders possessed even surprised Ging. From birth until now, it had been less than half a year, about three months, and they had reached a level that most Nen users could only dream of achieving in a lifetime. And they hadn't even unlocked their Nen abilities or undergone formal Nen training.
Even the opening of their nodes was triggered by a severe beating from Gon and Killua, which led Rammot to forcefully push the chimera ants into learning Nen. Rammot, just a minor squad leader, could withstand the full force of hits from Killua and Gon, who had honed their skills under Biscuit's tutelage on Greed Island. Such physical resilience… remarkable!
Moreover, most ants acted on instinct, focusing solely on hunting and completing tasks without any training. As for the royal guards born with astonishing aura and Nen, they were in a league of their own, and the Ant King, a true child of the world, was born with unparalleled individual strength. Such circumstances were even more outrageous than having a cheat code!
Even Ging felt that his talent of perfectly learning an opponent's attack-type Nen ability with just one hit paled in comparison to the chimera ants' monstrous abilities. His talent lay in learning, while the chimera ants' talents were formidable in every aspect.
Given two years, or even just one, for those squadron leaders to dedicate themselves to training like humans, they might catch up, and the world might see a change in leadership.
Not to mention the already born Ant King. If it weren't for his delusions of grandeur, believing himself invincible and trying to prove his supremacy in every field without any training, even Netero might not have been able to last a single move against him, and the rose wouldn't have harmed him in the slightest.
The starting point for chimera ants was extraordinarily high, and their potential seemed limitless. They were the true embodiment of cheats and glitches! This species seemed to represent the advanced evolution of the fusion between humans and nature, possessing life energy far superior to humans. Luckily, despite their deep roots and strong learning abilities, their minds were evidently not as sharp, retaining the typical beast-like thinking and behavior, which ultimately sowed the seeds of their downfall.
Ging mused silently. Suddenly, his eyes moved. "Have they arrived so soon? Chairman Netero, Morel, and the others, and…"
Ging paused slightly, "Gon has come too?"
"Oh dear, I really don't want to meet him so soon, especially not in front of so many people, with tears streaming down our faces…"
Though he knew such a scene was unlikely, just imagining it made Ging shiver and take a deep breath.
---
He could almost feel the goosebumps rising on his skin, and his toes curling so hard from embarrassment that they might just dig a hole in the ground. This was just too mortifying!
"No, I need to get out of here quickly!" Ging, who would usually face challenges head-on, decided to be a shameless deserter when it came to his son. With one last glance at the ants he had knocked down, who were now writhing on the ground, howling in pain and unable to stand, Ging hurriedly made his way out of the cave. He looked rather disheveled in his haste.
"Has he finally left?" Bloster the blue-shelled shrimp and Bihorn the yak, the only two ants who had escaped Ging's attention, let out a sigh of relief from their hiding spot in the corner. They glanced at their fallen comrades and couldn't help but feel grateful. "It's really better to be human!"
Before Ging started his assault, they had quickly declared their identities, which unsurprisingly earned them scorn and insults from the squadron leader ants. However, it also allowed them to avoid Ging's wrath and heavy blows. As a result, they stood there unharmed, feeling fortunate while watching the ants who had lost their mobility wail and roll around.
"What should we do now?" "Should we go find Lord Morin?" As Ging had just left and Bloster and Bihorn were discussing their next move, a commotion suddenly came from outside the nest.
Since Leol and the others had been knocked down and no one was leading the ants away, combined with the oppressive aura of Morin and Ging, Morel and his team chose a passage and found many soldier ants huddled to the side. "What's going on here?"
Initially, Gon and Knuckle, upon entering this unknown environment, were quite cautious, especially Gon and Killua, who still couldn't forget the sting of Neferpitou's aura. But seeing the chimera ants trembling and huddled together, not even sparing them a glance, as if they didn't exist, piqued Knuckle and Gon's curiosity.
As an animal hunter, Knuckle was also intrigued by these peculiar creatures. Although chimera ants had technically transcended the category of animals and could be considered rare beasts.
"Did Morin and Ging do this?" Morel and Knov exchanged glances, simultaneously thinking of the same possibility. Other than Morin and Ging, who had arrived earlier, they couldn't think of anyone else capable of subduing these ferocious ants.
While most ants kept their heads down, a few curious ones raised their heads to observe the newcomers. However, upon seeing the formidable-looking humans and recalling the terror from the nest's inner chambers, they quickly lowered their heads again. They were unaware of the fate of the squadron leaders and captains who had ventured into the inner sanctum.
In this eerie atmosphere, Morel and his team said nothing as they headed straight for the Ant Queen's chamber. "Are they here?"
As Morel's group approached the ant nest, Morin had already sensed their presence. It wasn't until they entered the passage and neared the chamber that Bihorn and Bloster noticed them. "Alright, the rescue team has arrived. The treatment of the Ant Queen is no longer my responsibility," Morin said calmly as he stood up.
"That's a relief," the elderly fishman said, wiping sweat from his brow and breathing a sigh of relief. With the professional rescue team here, he could finally rest easy. The surgeries, which had been quite challenging for him, had left him mentally and physically exhausted.
"The rescue team, huh..." Colt pondered silently. With the rescue team here and the Ant Queen safe, it meant the main human force had also arrived. What judgment and fate awaited them remained uncertain. Although they retained human memories and personalities, whether the outside world could accept them was still unknown.
As Colt stepped out to greet them, he ran into Morel and his team. Knov crouched slightly, and a dark brown circle appeared in the center of the ground. With Morel and Shoot's help, several humans in white lab coats, masks, and medical caps emerged from the circle.
"Where is the patient?" The leading woman, exuding a strong presence and wearing a mask, asked Colt. "Please follow me," Colt replied, leading the way as Morel and the others carried large medical equipment behind them. The elderly fishman, intrigued by medicine, hesitated briefly before shuffling along.
Soon, upon seeing the Ant Queen's condition, which wasn't as dire as expected, the lead female doctor paused. Without further questions, she professionally instructed her medical team to conduct a comprehensive examination and began treating the Ant Queen. They quickly entered a professional mode, each person diligently performing their role.
Morel and Knov joined Morin. "It seems something happened here recently," Knov remarked, pushing up his glasses. "Hmm?" Morel smacked his lips. "Looks like there was a battle that involved quite a few people."