"The life force has stopped draining? What does this an?" Gon asked curiously.
The two youngsters hadn’t been present at the scene earlier, so they didn’t imdiately understand why Morel and the others looked so relieved.
"Hahaha, you two were still preparing for your battle with Knuckle and the others back then. We..." Morel first burst into hearty laughter, then calmly lit his pipe while briefly explaining the situation to them.
"So that’s what happened. The Ant King is dead then" the two youngsters finally understood why Morel’s group had suddenly shown signs of relief—it must have been related to that massive explosion.
But then Killua raised another question.
"What about Akira and Chairman Netero?"
Killua’s words seed to carry so kind of magic, causing Morel and the others to freeze, their smiles stiffening on their faces.
Indeed, if an entity as terrifying as the Ant King had been eliminated, the cost must have been significant.
Perhaps even the ultimate sacrifice!
Then what about Akira and Chairman Netero...?
Morel, who had just been laughing heartily, fell back into silence, puffing heavily on his pipe without another word.
Knov also stopped speaking, his expression colder and more stern than usual, his brows tightly furrowed.
If eliminating the Ant King ca at the cost of losing two of the five strongest nen users...
Wouldn’t that price be too steep?
"Crack, crack..."
Just as the group sank into silence, the air around them suddenly erupted with a series of loud shattering sounds.
"This is..."
Hearing this familiar sound, Morel’s pupils contracted sharply as he and the others turned their heads simultaneously.
A newly ford spatial rift was emitting a pure white glow.
This light carried no warmth, yet it inexplicably filled their hearts with a sense of comfort—like seeing hope itself.
As if confirming their thoughts, three figures erged one after another from the spatial passage.
"Akira, I have to say, that was absolutely terrifying! Just one shot caused that kind of destruction!" Ging exclaid in awe as he stepped out of the white light, fully appearing before their eyes.
Even now, the astonishnt in his eyes hadn’t faded much.
That scene would forever be etched in his mory.
Much like Netero that day when he used En to investigate Marshadow, this mont would be engraved in his mind for life.
He’d been a hunter for many years, seeking out novel and unknown phenona—he’d encountered terrifying creatures before.
But today’s events had completely rewritten his understanding of terror.
First was the enhanced Ant King, then "Tyranitar" whose transford state radiated even more horrifying aura.
Then there were those two Nen beasts Akira revealed—one large, one small.
Sohow, he had a premonition that those two might be the most terrifying entities he’d ever witnessed!
Even if he ventured to the Dark Continent in the future, he might never encounter anything more powerful than that!
At this thought, Ging suddenly felt like he’d forgotten sothing important, his body involuntarily shuddering.
This wasn’t a good sign!
Just what had he forgotten?
"Hohohoho, as I said earlier, there was no need to worry about Akira. The strength he’s hiding far exceeds our imagination."
"And who knows—he might have even more powerful Nen beasts up his sleeve?"
Netero glanced at Ging’s solemn expression, understanding his inner shock, as he himself was equally astonished.
After all, he had thought Akira would summon that small Nen beast—who could have imagined there was another, much larger one!
"You’re overreacting, aren’t you? There’s no need to be this shocked" Akira said, scratching the tip of his nose awkwardly.
The mushroom cloud in the distance still lingered in the sky, refusing to dissipate.
To anyone watching, it was undeniably a grand spectacle.
It really was a bit excessive.
"Akira! Chairman Netero! And... Ging?"
"You all made it back safely!"
Seeing them alive and well before him, Morel’s expression finally brightened again, his relief genuine.
"So... was that Mr. Akira’s doing?"
After the initial joy, Knov was startled by their casual conversation and quickly pointed at the lingering mushroom cloud in the distance.
His usual composed deanor was replaced by sheer disbelief.
That was caused by a single attack from Akira?
If you told that was the result of detonating an entire crate of high-yield bombs at once, I’d believe it.
"Yes, truly unimaginable. Just how much power is he hiding?"
"Casually summoning a Nen beast capable of overwhelming the enhanced Ant King."
Ging murmured as he stared at the eerie smoke cloud.
While the group was still imrsed in joy and astonishnt, Gon suddenly spoke up softly from the side.
"You... are Ging?"
His tone carried a hint of disbelief, as if he never imagined their first eting would happen under such circumstances.
Only then did Ging notice Gon beside him, abruptly rembering that Gon was part of the extermination team!
Instantly, Ging’s hair stood on end, his body stiffening as if he were the protagonist in a horror movie encountering a ghost.
’This is bad!’
Ging scread internally, though outwardly he remained calm.
Inside, however, he was as frantic as a lizard on a hot pan.
’I was so rattled by the aura of Akira’s Nen beast that my brain temporarily lacked oxygen—how could I forget this?!’
He lanted silently, overwheld by the sheer shock of everything he had witnessed tonight.
So much so that he had completely blanked on this crucial detail and followed Akira here without a second thought.
He wasn’t ntally prepared for this at all!
Gon was like a machine jolting Ging’s mory back to life.
Now, Ging finally rembered what he had forgotten.
He had forgotten Gon was right here!
At this mont, Ging’s mind raced at lightning speed, desperately searching for an escape plan.
Countless thoughts tangled together, mories flashing by—all in pursuit of a way out!
Akira and the others watched Ging’s ntal turmoil with amused expressions, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Except for Akira, Netero and Killua, who were already well aware of "Gon Dad Hunt."
Morel and the other two had also learned during this ti about Gon relentless search for Ging.
It had given them a deeper understanding of Ging’s character.
In their eyes now, Ging was nothing more than an irresponsible father.
They had assud that given Ging’s abilities, Gon wouldn’t find him so easily.
Who could have predicted this sudden twist—Ging’s montary lapse had led him straight to the son he had been avoiding all along?
Could this an "Gon Dad Hunt" was finally reaching its conclusion?
’So this is... Gon’s father!’
Killua stared intently at Ging, but after a mont, his focused expression collapsed into disappointnt.
’He looks nothing like i imagined’
At this mont, Ging was still wearing his robe, with his hair wrapped in a long cloth strip, a few stray strands occasionally sticking out.
Though he appeared relatively tidy without any visible dirt, he sohow still looking like a hobo.
This was not just different from what Killua had imagined—it was the complete opposite.
Yet when Killua saw Ging face—an exact replica of Gon—he had no choice but to admit.
This man was undoubtedly Gon father.
If not for the unkempt appearance, he’d look exactly like an adult version of Gon.
Facing the group’s stares and Gon utterly earnest expression, Ging made his choice!
"No, you’ve got the wrong person. My na is ’Nigg.’"
Ging pulled the scarf around his neck up higher, desperately trying to cover his face.
At the sa ti, he scratched the back of his head and deliberately lowered his voice.
Never before had he been so grateful for his habit of always wearing a scarf.
"Oh, I see."
"Sorry for mistaking you for soone else."
Gon gave an awkward laugh, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Cough cough cough!"
The father-son exchange left the onlookers dumbfounded.
Morel, who had been smoking, was so startled by the conversation that he choked violently, tears nearly welling up in his eyes.
Even Netero, a man who’d weathered countless storms, couldn’t take it—his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
At that mont, everyone present shared the sa thought: These two were definitely father and son!
Whack!
"Idiot! That is Ging!"
Killua smacked Gon head, torn between frustration and laughter at the pair.
One actually ca up with such a flimsy excuse.
The truly bizarre part? The other actually believed it!
"Huh?"
"But he said he’s not..."
Gon rubbed his head, sounding aggrieved.
"Did you forget? The first na you saw in Greed Island was ’Nigg,’ wasn’t it?!"
Killua facepald, exasperated.
Gon’s obliviousness was driving him up the wall.
"Oh right! That one was also called Nigg.’"
Gon had an epiphany, imdiately enlightened by Killua’s words and turned back to stare at Ging.
Ging now using the scarf to shield his face, he stubbornly maintained the illusion of "not having seen Gon."
From this mont onward, he was Nigg!
"Ahem"
"Could just be soone with the sa na."
Ging cleared his throat, attempting further denial, absolutely refusing to admit he was Ging.
This shaless act gave Morel and the others deeper insight into Ging’s character—evolving from "irresponsible father" to "bizarrely irresponsible father."
Witnessing this, Akira completely lost interest.
If Ging refused to acknowledge the truth, there was nothing to be done.
This man was truly one of a kind—so socially awkward that seeing his own son terrified him like encountering a ghost.
No.
Given the choice between the two, Ging would undoubtedly pick facing a ghost over facing his son.
A father who could reach this level was truly in a league of his own.
Akira shook his head, shifting his gaze away from the father and son pair to look at the palace beside them.
After the battle involving Dragon Dive and the Pokemon, the once lavishly decorated palace now lay in ruins.
Collapsed walls and shattered ceilings could be seen everywhere.
Under the dim moonlight of the night, the ruined palace took on an oddly beautiful appearance.
But none of this was Akira’s focus.
In the tower at the center of the palace, there was a faint, weak presence.
That was his target this ti.
To draw the final scene on this relationship.
****
Inside the tower’s chamber—
This was the highest room in the entire East Gorteau palace and also the place where the Ant King usually spent most of his ti...
Like everywhere else, the ceiling was riddled with holes from the Dragon Dive strikes.
Soft beams of light stread through the gaps, casting a dim glow across the room.
"What... what happened?"
"Why were there explosions in the palace?"
"Leader... where are you?"
The blind girl Komugi sat with her knees hugged to her chest, her back against the wall, burying her face in her arms.
Fear and unease filled her heart.
She didn’t know what was happening—she was blind after all, unable to see anything.
All she knew was that tonight, sudden explosions had erupted one after another and then...
Then she had stopped hearing the Commander’s voice.
Had the palace been attacked?
Was the Supre Leader alright?
Sniff...
"Leader... sniff... please be safe..."
Tears stread down Komugi’s youthful face as she sobbed quietly, praying in her heart for her "Leader."
Tap... tap...
Suddenly, steady footsteps echoed from beyond the door.
Komugi imdiately perked up, listening intently.
An ordinary person might not have been able to discern much, but as a blind girl, Komugi relied heavily on her hearing.
She was acutely sensitive to the sounds around her.
So she easily recognized who those footsteps belonged to.
The Supre Leader had returned!
"A-re are you... the leader?"
Summoning her courage, Komugi called out toward the source of the footsteps, opening her eyes at the sa ti.
They were beautiful eyes, though their pupils were clouded with a grayish-white film, marring their natural beauty.
It was a pity to see.
Komugi herself wasn’t particularly unattractive, but her unkempt hairstyle and the occasional runny nose gave her a disheveled impression.
"It’s ."
A deep, steady voice responded as a figure in dark green stepped into the room.
’ruem’ looked at Komugi, whose expression shifted from unease to joy and sighed inwardly.
"There was an attack on the palace earlier, but it’s been dealt with. Let’s continue our ga."
With that, ’ruem’ gathered the scattered pieces of Gungi from the corner and set them up before Komugi.
This was Akira’s way of drawing the final line on this relationship—
Having Ditto transform into the Ant King and play one last, unfinished ga with Komugi.
It was also a way to fulfill the Ant King’s final wish.
"I see... As long as the leader is safe, that’s all that matters."
Komugi nodded obediently, overjoyed that she could continue playing with the Supre leader.
In the ti they had spent together, both the Ant King and Komugi had co to deeply cherish one another.
Even the sensitive Komugi didn’t realize that the Ant King before her was actually a Ditto transford.
The real Ant King was already dead.
This could be considered a white lie.
Glancing at Komugi’s delighted expression, ’ruem’ said nothing more and made the first move in their ga.
"7-2-3."
Because Komugi was blind, the Ant King always announced his moves aloud during their matches.
Logically, playing board gas as a blind person would be incredibly difficult.
Yet Komugi not only managed it but also beca a world champion, even defeating the Ant King multiple tis.
This spoke volus about her talent in Gungi.
As ti passed, the room was filled only with the sounds of moving pieces and ’ruem’ voice calling out moves.
Completely absorbed in the ga, Komugi didn’t notice the faint footsteps approaching the doorway.
Akira and the others watched silently as the two remained engrossed in their match, their expressions a mix of emotions—so awed, others sympathetic...
***
"8-5-6, checkmate!"
After so ti, ’ruem’ placed the final piece, bringing their ga to an end.
This also marked the conclusion of the Ant King and Komugi journey in Gungi.
The Ant King, who had never managed to defeat her in life, was finally granted victory by Ditto after death.
This was Komugi first-ever loss in Gungi.
"I... lost."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
Komugi murmured in disbelief before breaking into a radiant smile.
Even though she had lost, she felt happier than if she had won.
Because the Supre leader had finally defeated her!
"Mhm."
"There’s sothing I need to tell you. With state affairs becoming increasingly busy, I may not have much ti to play with you in the future."
’ruem’ spoke solemnly.
Ditto couldn’t keep pretending to be the Ant King forever—using official duties as an excuse was the only way.
"From now on, you can focus solely on mastering Gungi without worrying about anything else."
"I’ll visit when I have ti."
This was Akira arrangent for Komugi—the best he could offer this unfortunate girl.
"...Understood."
"I’ll dedicate myself to Gungi and prepare for our next match, Your Majesty!"
Komugi expression faltered briefly before she rallied with determination.
They would still get to play together again soday...
Right?
------------------------------
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