Hunter: I became stronger even after I died.

Chapter 377 The Key to Victory (6k)

Given the existing fighting strength of the ant nest, the expedition team clarified their respective responsibilities after detailed discussions.

Neferpitou, who nearly killed Kate, has an unparalleled advantage in speed, and only Chairman Netero in the team can deal with her.

If other members encounter Neferpitou in a direct confrontation, they will almost certainly die.

Therefore, Netero must completely suppress Neferbitt in this crucial battle, until he is killed.

Mo Laowu and Xiutuo were responsible for keeping another of their direct guards, Xiao Yapufu, in check.

Although the team deliberately captured Chimera Ants alive to continue gathering intelligence before the final assault, most of the information obtained was superficial and had limited practical value.

However, this will not affect the allocation and execution of tasks.

Kate, Jack, Pence, Kurt, and others are responsible for eliminating any soldier ants in sight, preventing them from interfering in the battles of their direct guards.

Killua was not assigned to the group; his mission was to assassinate the Chimera Ant Queen.

This arrangement was initially questioned by Nob and Mo Laowu, and Nakuru and Shuto also found it difficult to understand.

Faced with their doubts, Killua, who had already removed the needle, demonstrated his strength in just one second, enough to convince them.

On the other hand, Nob did not directly participate in the frontal combat.

He was responsible for mobile operations, setting up entrances to the 4D Apartment at various points on the battlefield to ensure the rapid transfer of the wounded to safety.

At the same time, he will also provide support to the disadvantaged teams based on his own judgment and the changing situation of the battle.

After sensing Yupi's terrifying aura, Nob had already concluded that Moro's side urgently needed support.

But when he arrived at the scene, he witnessed firsthand Moro's impressive performance and Nakoroo's ability to make calm judgments about the situation.

This made him abandon his original judgment and rush to another battlefield.

But in his mind, the image of Moro, who remained unwavering even when facing life and death, was etched into his mind.

The awareness to face death
This not only completely changed Nob's opinion of Moro, but also involuntarily stirred a sense of respect within his slightly tense chest.

"Moro, Nakuru, you have to hold on, no... you have to win!"

Nob muttered to himself, then rushed to another battlefield at top speed.

Soon, he noticed that wisps of white smoke were slowly escaping from the many broken gaps in the ant nest.

That's Mo Laowu's ability.

This indicates that he and Xiutuo had already infiltrated the ant nest.

Killua, who was tasked with assassinating the queen ant, should now infiltrate in a more covert manner.

"The other legion commander that Mo Laowu is trying to keep in check is called Xiao Yapufu, right? It seems that he is in charge of the queen's personal guard."

Nob quickly scanned his surroundings, but had not yet detected any movement from other soldier ants.

Almost five minutes have passed since the bombardment of the ant nest by the flying stars.

However, the soldier ants inside the nest did not act rashly; instead, two of their direct guards chose to take the initiative.

"Is it Xiaoyapf directing the soldier ants in the anthill?"

Norb speculated in his mind.

"In that case, it will probably not be easy for Mo Laowu to restrain Xiao Yapuf, not to mention that there are at least five or six division commander teams in the ant nest... It will be no easy task to carry out an assassination by bypassing these forces."

Nob withdrew his gaze from surveying the area around the ant nest and took out the paper doll with a microphone specially made by Kurt.

Through the sounds transmitted by these paper figures, he could obtain some real-time information to help him make judgments.

The two paper figures currently making the most intense recordings are from the battlefields of Moro and Chairman Netero, respectively.

The paper figure belonging to Mo Laowu, however, remained relatively quiet.

Combined with the wisps of white smoke constantly emanating from the damaged part of the ant nest, Nobu roughly guessed that Mo Laowu was probably now penetrating the ant nest by mixing in the smoke.

After all, Neferpitou, who was most skilled at "circles", had already been sent flying far away by Chairman Netero's palm strike.

Therefore, for Mo Laowu, now is the best time to execute this tactic.

"Given Mo Laowu's style, while penetrating deep into the smoke, he should also help his teammates divide the battlefield."

Norbu knew Mo Laowu's abilities and style well, and he was even more aware that Mo Laowu was extremely good at adapting to situations and could always provide support or cover for his companions with his equally flexible and versatile "Purple Smoke Fist".

"It seems that the final battlefield will be concentrated inside the ant nest, and Kate and the others have probably already attacked from another direction."

Nobu quickly gathered his thoughts and then decisively moved towards the battlefield where Netero was located.

In his view, Mo Laowu's smoke tactics not only gave the expeditionary force a head start in the invasion, but also created a more favorable combat environment.

In other words, the battle on the anthill side is unlikely to be decided in the short term.

Based on this assessment, Nobu decided to first go to Chairman Netero to confirm the battle situation.

The key to this all-out offensive ultimately lies in how long it will take Chairman Netero to defeat Neferpitou.

The shorter the time, the higher the chance of success.

Conversely, if Netero fails to defeat Neferpitou for an extended period, the variables in the entire battle will increase, and the operation will face greater risks.

After all, if the division commanders' teams out hunting noticed something was wrong, or received news, they would rush back to reinforce the anthill...

This would significantly increase the pre-battle pressure faced by the expeditionary force.

It could very well be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

"The president will definitely win."

Nobu unconditionally trusted Netero's abilities.

About a minute later.

Nobu arrived at the battlefield where Netero was.

The first thing that caught his eye was a golden trail that was impossible to detect with the naked eye.

That was the palm strike of the Hundred Forms Guanyin.

Like fleeting golden streaks of light, they crisscrossed in mid-air, drawing brief but sharp streaks of light.

At the end of these lights was Neferpitou, the bodyguard who exuded an evil aura.

Between the two,
In a high-speed, intense collision.

"Completely, I can't see it..."

Upon witnessing this fierce battle scene, Norb almost forgot to breathe.

His eyes gradually widened, and a suffocating feeling came from his chest.

too frightening.

His chest heaved violently, his face turned slightly pale, and his entire face was instantly covered by an almost trembling disbelief.

Even just standing on the edge of the battlefield, the overwhelming sense of terrifying presence was enough to make him deeply aware of his own insignificance.

The direct guards are all monsters through and through.

This was already a settled fact.

But unlike Yupi, who relies on pure strength and lacks strategy, Neferpitou, who has the advantage of speed, is undoubtedly a nightmare for the other members of the expedition team.

Even Mo Laowu, with his superior adaptability and ability to contain, would have no chance of dealing with this type of enemy.

Of all the people, only Chairman Netero can rival him.

Only at this moment, when Norb was completely stunned by the scene before him, did he become absolutely certain of this.

and,

Neferpitou's current strength is clearly superior to the information provided by Kate.

Is this because the other side only wanted to capture Kate alive, so they didn't go all out?

Or is it because the other person has grown during this period?
Norb didn't know.

Within the current battle zone.

Netero clasped his hands in prayer, and the Hundred-Style Guanyin appeared in response, blocking all possible attack routes of Neferpitou with a fierce palm strike.

Every palm strike hit its mark precisely.

however--

The enemy's ability to resist was truly extraordinary.

Since the start of the battle, even though he has been on the defensive, Neferpitou's offensive stance and momentum have not diminished at all; on the contrary, they have become even stronger.

"That's really tough."

Netero sighed inwardly, while also feeling a long-lost surge of excitement.

When was the last time we were evenly matched and able to counter each other's moves like this?

He couldn't remember clearly.

The only thing that's certain is that he hasn't encountered a monster like this, someone he can continuously fight against, for a very, very long time.

This made him genuinely happy.

But he also knew that
When this duel ends will greatly influence the course of the entire operation.

Therefore, every blow he struck at Neferpitou was delivered without reservation, with the sole purpose of killing his opponent.

But the fact is, this duel cannot end quickly.

Netero was able to maintain control over Neferpitou until he finally killed him.

However, this result is clearly not something that can be achieved in a short period of time.

This was because the opponent's displayed level of energy and physical strength far exceeded expectations.

Perhaps only by using the trump card "Hundred Styles of Guanyin - Zero Style" can the battle be ended quickly.

However, that move would deplete one's potential energy and is not suitable for the current situation.

Things have gotten complicated.

Netero could clearly feel that as the Hundred Styles of Kannon continued to unleash its attacks, his own condition was rapidly improving.

This is an effect that could not be achieved by using soldier ants for warm-up.

However, it seems that something is still missing.

If time weren't so tight, taking some time to meditate and conserve strength might have brought this duel to a quicker end.

Now,

Even he himself was unsure how long it would take to truly defeat the opponent completely.

Because in this intense clash, not only was his performance improving, but his opponent was also constantly growing as he took the hits.

That's right.

They grow through being beaten.

"I think I've already pushed my speed and strength to the limit... but why can't I break through, meow?"

Neferpitou's red cat eyes reflected the ceaseless golden palm shadows.

The light wasn't dazzling, but it was like an insurmountable wall, ruthlessly blocking all her offensive intentions.

Unable to break through after a long period of effort, she also considered using the "puppet master's" abilities to create an opportunity.

But faced with the terrifying offensive of this human, she dared not easily disperse her "manifested power".

"Or not."

"No matter how you change your tactics, no matter how tricky your approach..."

"They will all be cut off midway."

"So humans... can be this powerful."

"But I must find a way to defeat him here and eradicate this threat completely!"

Neferpitou could feel the injuries accumulating on his body, but he had no time to pay attention to them.

Her burning desire to clash with the strong is being fully unleashed in her fierce confrontation with Netero.

Fulfilling one's duty as a direct bodyguard aligns perfectly with this strong emotion.

This made her actions and will highly unified, which made her genuinely excited.

And so, driven by this surging emotion...

The Nen, far more powerful than that of humans, once again responded to Neferpitou's will.

"We need faster speed and greater power."

Neferpitou's eyes were completely stained with crimson Nen, flashing with a sharp, cold light.

"Kuroko's Dance"

An ability that only manifests when she is eager to fight with all her might was born during this fierce battle.

Crimson Nen condensed into a demonic phantom behind her, countless strands of Nen connecting to her joints like strings. "Oh?"

Seeing that Neferpitou had awakened a new Nen ability during the battle, Netero raised an eyebrow slightly, looking somewhat surprised.

next moment,
His slightly constricted pupils reflected Neferpitou's figure, which had already broken through his limits.

It turned out to be the case.

It involves manipulating oneself by controlling dolls, thereby unleashing power and speed beyond limits.

When masters clash, they can often see through each other's true intentions at a glance.

Niteró is undoubtedly one of the best.

Then,

Although this former world's strongest player has not yet returned to his prime.
Yet he still struck Neferpitou with merciless blows, striking him indiscriminately.

"Meow!?"

Neferpitou hadn't even had time to experience the powerful boost and excitement brought by his new ability before he was once again blasted away by the Hundred-Style Guanyin.

Even if the limits have already been broken...

But has the result remained unchanged?

What a monster.

In the brief moment when he was sent flying backward, Neferpitou felt an indescribable sense of dread towards the human before him.

If there really are humans in this world who can threaten the life of the Ant King.

Therefore, it must be the one right in front of us.

This realization naturally arose in her mind.

Therefore, she felt no discouragement whatsoever.

Only an ever-increasing and surging fighting spirit.

Nitero's expression turned slightly serious.

He wasn't intimidated by Neferpitou's terrifying learning ability, but rather by the awareness that her calling had given her.

This means that Neferbitt's resilience will once again exceed his expectations.

This also means that he was indeed unable to end the battle as expected.

Norb, who was watching from the sidelines, was also deeply troubled.

His feelings were extremely complicated at that moment.

On the one hand, he was shocked by the terrifying potential of the chimeric ants, which was constantly shattering his understanding of the world.

On the other hand, he couldn't help but marvel at the existence of Chairman Netero, an even more illogical monster, within his own camp.

But right now, the most important thing is to make the most of every second.

However, the current duel is clearly not going to be decided in a short time.

"We can't put all our hopes on the chairman... and we must be prepared for sacrifices to be made."

After assessing the situation, Nob felt heavy-hearted.

He left an entrance to the four-dimensional apartment here, then rushed back to the anthill at full speed.

If we cannot eliminate all the chimeric ants in one fell swoop in this arduous battle...

At the very least, we must ensure that the queen ant is killed to prevent the birth of the king ant.

Then, depending on the situation, the teammates will be taken to the four-dimensional apartment to achieve a safe and successful escape from the battle.

This is a strategy to minimize sacrifices.

Although doing so may cause the direct guards and soldier ants to migrate outwards, thereby threatening the safety of people in neighboring countries.

But by then, the reinforcements sent by the association should have arrived as well.

With their participation in the crackdown, the risks can at least be kept to a minimum.

Therefore, the most important thing right now is to kill the queen ant.

Nob has witnessed firsthand the extreme monstrous attributes of Yupi and Neferpitou.

He couldn't even imagine the king who hadn't yet been born...

How terrible will it get?

........................

Inside the ant nest.

Under Xiao Yapf's efficient command, the soldier ants quickly assembled and stood ready.

at the same time.

Kate and her team have already stormed into the lair.

However, under the command of Shayapuf, the soldier ants displayed astonishing discipline.

This was something Kate and the others had not anticipated.

This means that the initial attack by the meteor shower did not cause chaos in the ant colony as expected.

If Kate and her team launch a direct assault at this moment, they will be unable to adopt a strategy of defeating the ants one by one, and will instead have to face the numerical advantage of the ant swarm.

But the experienced Mo Laowu, with his keen battlefield instincts, once again provided crucial support to his teammates.

He had infiltrated the anthill before Kate and the others.

Therefore, we can deduce from the soldier ants' reactions that there must be a commander in the ant colony who can quickly integrate combat power.

Therefore, Mo Laowu did not hesitate to expend a large amount of his spiritual energy and decisively released a large area of ​​smoke.

The dense smoke instantly divided the entire anthill battlefield.

On the one hand, it would allow him and Xiutuo to penetrate deeper into the ant nest more quickly, and on the other hand, it would effectively relieve the pressure on Kate and others in the face of direct combat.

Owlapf, who had integrated the soldier ants, naturally noticed Morel's presence immediately.

More precisely, in his eyes, the human releasing the smoke posed a clear threat.

However, the large amount of smoke pouring into the ant nest, along with the multi-faceted invasion by humans, is essentially sending a crucial message to Xiaoyapf.

"Although Her Majesty's whereabouts and safety have not yet been ascertained, at least we can feel a little more at ease now."

Xiao Yapuf spread his beautiful butterfly wings and hovered low in the air, pressing his right hand lightly against his chest, trying to calm the intense unease in his heart.

After Her Majesty the Queen vanished without a trace, concerns about her whereabouts and safety became the most pressing issue.

The fact that humans launched such a powerful invasion at this moment precisely illustrates one point: they clearly haven't realized that the queen isn't even in the anthill.

in other words,

Her Majesty the Queen's sudden disappearance was not the work of these humans.

Rather, it comes from the ability of someone within the anthill.

The most likely candidate is soldier ants.

Just as Xiao Yapufu raised his hand to his chin, lost in thought, Mo Laowu and Xiutuo suddenly appeared in front of him.

"This is the guy."

With just one glance, Mo Laowu was certain that the person in front of him was the last direct guard, and also the commander who efficiently deployed soldier ants within the anthill.

Xiao Yapu slowly raised his eyes, not surprised by the arrival of the two.

To be precise, he deliberately waited there and had already moved his "main body" to another location.

"Damn humans... Don't even think about harming Her Majesty the Queen!"

Xiao Yapuf suddenly erupted with a strong malice, seemingly anxious and impatient, triggering a surging and pervasive aura.

However, he did not attack directly. Instead, he suddenly spread his butterfly wings, turned around, and flew swiftly towards the passage behind him.

That posture clearly indicated that he was heading to the queen ant's side.

"Prison Lockdown"

The thick smoke that had been laid out beforehand rose silently, instantly blocking Xiao Yapuf's path.

Bang!
He crashed into the wall of smoke, but was bounced back.

"This cigarette...something's not right."

The moment he touched it, Xiao Yapuf sensed that the smoke was unusual.

Mo Laowu held a large pipe in one hand and smiled slightly, "What a coincidence, I just surrounded this place."

As he spoke, his mind raced: Although this guy quickly integrated the ant colony's forces, it also gave me the opportunity to isolate him from the queen. In this way, Moro's preemptive attack was not in vain, and Killua, after noticing the form of the prison's blockade, could also deduce that the queen was nearby.

With his back to the two, Xiao Yapufu's thick malice continued to spread silently.

He gathered a considerable amount of life energy and then struck the smoke heavily.

Bang.

As the sound rang out, a surge of air rushed out.

The smoke remained completely undisturbed.

Xiao Yapf immediately understood that this must be a kind of capability enhancement under the so-called oath and constraint system.

Otherwise, given the intensity of the smoke, it would be impossible to withstand his attack.

He finally turned around slowly and looked at Mo Laowu and Xiutuo.

What Mo Laowu and Xiu Tuo saw, however, was Xiao Yapufu's face, which was gradually becoming ferocious.

"What Xiutuo and I need to do next is to hold out as long as possible..."

Mo Laowu confidently held his large pipe horizontally in front of him, thinking to himself.

With the strategy currently successful

This experienced and capable individual had no idea that a seemingly insignificant third party would interfere...

This greatly influenced the judgments of both sides and the differences in the information they gathered.

So much so that Mo Laowu was completely unaware that he had fallen into Xiao Yapufu's trap.

This result is not due to a lack of ability, but rather to an information gap stemming from a different perspective.

The vicinity of this area is the queen ant's brooding palace.

"The queen ant has been moved?"

Killua, with his superb assassin skills, tracked his way here but found no target.

What appeared before him was an empty mattress.

There were still many bits of flesh and bloodstains around.

That must be food scraps that the queen ant accidentally spilled while feeding.

"We need to find it quickly..."

Killua frowned, recalling the routes he had investigated.

His reaction was observed by Oyapuv, who was hiding in the shadows.

really.

These humans were indeed unaware of Her Majesty the Queen's situation.

Shayapouf doesn't need to use his abilities to get a definite answer based on Killua's reactions.

But the question of Her Majesty's whereabouts is also one he needs to answer as soon as possible.

………………

A room with alternating black and white panels, emitting a hazy white light.

Melena sat in the chair, her hands folded on her lap, calmly looking at the queen ant in front of her.

It took about seven or eight minutes.

This was enough for Melena to explain the situation and to calm the Queen Ant down completely.

"You did a great job."

The queen ant glanced at the large number of fleshy balls that had been prepared beside her and praised Melena's actions in the emergency via radio waves.

Then, it carefully stroked the ant queen's high-bulging abdomen, whose figure was vaguely visible.

Having escaped danger, the queen ant seemed to have no interest in paying attention to Melena's posture as she sat upright in the chair.

It was a condescending look.

(End of this chapter)