CHAPTER 185: MEGA TYRANITAR!

The remaining members of the Ant King Extermination Team gathered outside the palace, silently awaiting the outcome of the Ant King’s transformation.

"Honestly... this is way too easy~" Morel exhaled white smoke as he spoke with a relaxed expression.

"I just blew a few puffs of smoke and didn’t do anything else, yet Shaiapouf was already taken down by Akira’s Nen beast."

"You still did better than us—at least you released some smoke. We didn’t even get to make a single move." Knov scratched his head awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed about how easily the fight had ended.

"That monstrously strong Menthuthuyoupi was completely overwhelmed by Akira’s Nen beast. It didn’t take long before he was utterly defeated."

"No, no, you guys had it better. Gon and I didn’t even make it to the battlefield before Neferpitou was already dealt with." Killua spun his yo-yo idly, complaining nonstop.

He and Gon were the least involved pair of all.

Tonight had just been a series of pointless sprints—from the first floor to the second, then out into the wilderness, only to run back here to chat with the others.

Unlike the others who were all relaxed, Gon stood alone to the side, his head slightly lowered, his face shadowed.

He had trained so hard for this revenge...

Of course, Gon wouldn’t say anything like "Akira was too fast."

He only blamed himself for not being strong enough.

If he had been just a little quicker, he might have faced Neferpitou himself.

Killua glanced at the silent Gon, feeling somewhat relieved.

Unlike in the original timeline, Gon knew Kite was still alive, so he wasn’t that extreme.

"Now we just have to wait for the Chairman and Akira to return." Morel’s tone was full of admiration for Akira, certain that with him taking action, nothing could go wrong.

"With Akira handling things, there shouldn’t be any problems."

The others nodded in agreement, finding Morel’s words perfectly reasonable.

Everyone present had witnessed the power of Akira’s Nen beast firsthand—they knew his title of "World’s Strongest" was no empty boast.

With two of the "World’s Strongest" working together, if even they couldn’t defeat the Ant King, there was no point in worrying.

But in the next moment—

A sudden, overwhelming aura erupted from the distance, engulfing the vast regions in an instant.

Invisible to the naked eye, yet the very air grew thick with oppressive weight wherever it passed.

’This—?!’ The relaxed atmosphere shattered.

Their bodies stiffened instantly, frozen in place, unable to move even a muscle.

Their pupils contracted sharply, but they could do nothing but endure the suffocating pressure.

This was an aura of absolute, soul-crushing terror!

Trapped within it, their breathing turned ragged, yet they remained rooted like statues.

In mere seconds, their backs were drenched in sweat, foreheads slick with it.

Though only a brief moment had passed, it felt like an eternity—agonizing and unbearable.

’This presence!!’

’No way?!’

’This is insane!!’

Though paralyzed beyond speech, their panicked eyes conveyed a single, unanimous realization—something had gone horribly wrong.

The aura was terrifying to the extreme, carrying an overwhelming sense of brutality and bloodlust, mixed with the domineering intent to conquer all and force everything into submission.

Most critically, this aura was utterly malevolent!

Unlike Chairman Netero’s warm and pure presence, this felt like a devil crawling straight out of hell!

The only being they could imagine possessing such an aura was the Ant King.

’So the Ant King is actually this strong?!’

The group, who had just been chatting casually moments ago, now wore expressions of sheer horror, their faces paling to the extreme.

The sensation was unbearable—like plummeting from heaven straight into hell.

Their hearts collectively sank to the depths, unable to even imagine what might happen next.

If they had been brimming with confidence earlier, waiting for the two to return safely, that certainty was now gone.

They couldn’t be sure Akira and Netero would win!

If even the two strongest in the world were to fall, what then?

***

"This is... truly horrifying!" Ging stared at the scene before him, as though something were lodged in his throat.

It took him a long moment to force out those words.

His eyes were filled with wariness, his fighting spirit utterly extinguished in the face of such an enemy.

When the gap in power was this vast, even battle-hungry warriors like Ging and Netero lost their will to fight.

It wasn’t that they were a cowards—it was simply that the difference was too great.

Approaching such an opponent meant instant annihilation and a battle like that offered no chance for growth.

"Cough cough, youngsters these days lack experience. You still need more training if you’re this easily shaken" Netero muttered in a low voice, clearing his throat.

"Old man, you’ve got no room to talk. Your legs are trembling like a sieve—don’t think I didn’t notice." Ging glanced at Netero’s legs.

The old man’s words might have been bold, but his limbs betrayed him, quivering uncontrollably.

The Ant King’s current strength had reached a level where even these two felt utterly powerless!

Unlike Morel and the others, who were still at a distance, Ging and Netero were right there on the scene.

Facing such a monstrous aura head-on, even as two of the Five Great Nen in the world, they could barely endure it.

"So, old man... do you still believe Akira can handle this?" Ging dropped the joking tone, his expression turning serious as he addressed Netero.

This question would determine their next move.

If there was no way to defeat the enemy, they needed to use Akira’s spatial abilities to escape immediately.

Every second spent here was an immense risk!

Though Netero had faith in Akira, Ging still struggled to imagine what kind of Nen beast could possibly rival the Ant King in its current state.

Even if Akira possessed numerous powerful Nen beasts, could they really stand against such an absurd foe?

At this point, the Ant King could hardly even be called a Chimera Ant anymore—it had evolved into something else entirely.

"Relax. Even now, Akira can still take care of the Ant King easily." Netero spoke with unwavering confidence, his tone as firm as ever.

This left Ging stunned.

Just what kind of power was Akira hiding?

How could the old man remain so certain of Akira’s victory, even against an enemy this overwhelming?

Ging’s curiosity was thoroughly piqued.

***

While the two were conversing, Akira kept his gaze fixed on the Ant King, whose performance could only be described as passable.

After devouring members of the Royal Guards like Menthuthuyoupi, the Ant King’s appearance hadn’t changed much.

However, the Aura emanating from him had become far more refined and immense!

Even the casually released Aura towered several stories high, his overwhelming presence dominating the surroundings.

Moreover, after consuming Neferpitou, the Ant King’s mastery of En had become even more effortless, complementing his already terrifying strength.

He could now extend his En to cover the entire palace—and even beyond—from where he stood.

In the original timeline, after absorbing most of Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi’s bodies, the Ant King had already become the strongest being across the six continents.

Now, having devoured all three Royal Guards, his power was beyond comparison!

If not for Akira, he would have been truly invincible.

Barring a handful of extraordinary methods, nothing in the six continents could have stopped him.

Name: Meruem (Ant King)

Strength: S+/SS-

Abilities: ...

The enhanced Ant King’s information was fully displayed by the Pokedex Ability.

Akira felt a slight regret that the Ant King still hadn’t quite reached SS- tier, hovering between S+ and SS-.

Clearly, ascending from S to SS required an immense leap in power.

Devouring three Royal Guards wasn’t enough—yet reaching this level was already impressive.

Then... It was time to reap the harvest.

Akira burning gaze locked onto the Ant King, who remained oblivious that his life was now on a countdown.

"Is this my true state?" The Ant King stared blankly at the Aura swirling around him—far denser than before.

The purity and endlessness of his Aura allowed him to expend it without restraint.

Just the sheer volume of Aura radiating from him made it difficult for Netero and Ging to even look directly at him.

What an overwhelming amount of energy!

At this moment, the Ant King finally understood the extent of his innate talent—and how to wield it.

The answer was simple: consume.

The entire world existed solely to be devoured by him.

The Royal Guards’ duty wasn’t just protection.

Becoming his nourishment was another form of devotion.

With power like this, the world rightfully belonged under his rule.

Everything existed to serve him!

With this unparalleled strength, the Ant King’s conviction solidified completely—no hesitation remained.

In his eyes, humans were no longer worth mentioning—not even the three before him.

At his current level, even if the old man repeated his previous attack, he could emerge unscathed.

His power had multiplied exponentially in such a short time.

This convinced the Ant King that nothing in this world could oppose him.

He was born to rule as the world’s sovereign!

Victory was inevitable.

The Chimera Ants would replace humanity as the new dominant species!

After this moment of reflection, the Ant King noticed his emotions had shifted alongside his power.

His mind felt calmer, as if nothing in existence was worthy of his attention.

Nothing deserved to even enter his sight.

"Perhaps... this is what it truly means to be a king." He mused.

"As a king, all of this is only natural."

Slowly gathering his thoughts, the Ant King turned his gaze toward the human who had deliberately brought him the corpses of the Royal Guards.

"Human, though I don’t know what your purpose is in doing this, I am indeed far stronger now." The Ant King spoke calmly, his eyes flashing with a crimson light as he uttered the last sentence.

"In return, I can promise you this—I will make sure the three of you die without suffering. I will end you in an instant, and then... I will devour you."

After consuming the Royal Guards, the Ant King had truly come to understand the meaning of "delicacy," and it had awakened an even greater greed within him!

He was not satisfied—he needed to devour more!

And the quality of Akira and his two companions far surpassed that of the three Royal Guards.

Such supreme "cuisine" was not something he would ever pass up.

The Ant King’s tone was indifferent, as if he were merely announcing an ordinary decree.

In his eyes, being devoured by him and becoming part of his strength was even an honor for Akira and the others.

As the future ruler destined to dominate the world, he was an existence beyond all others!

"You want to devour us?" Akira chuckled dryly before turning to Ging, whose eyelid was twitching violently beside him.

"I’m just worried your appetite isn’t big enough~"

"Well, as I told you earlier, I saved this enemy just for you. Don’t waste this opportunity." Akira continued, a teasing tone in his voice.

"Fighting an opponent like this is an extremely rare chance. Don’t tell me you’re too scared to step up?"

Hearing Akira’s teasing tone, Ging’s forehead instantly sprouted veins of frustration.

He couldn’t help but retort angrily.

"You’ve got some nerve saying that. Sending me up there is no different from declaring my death outright."

"Is that so? If you won’t go, then I will." Ignoring Ging’s frantic urging, Akira turned his gaze back to the Ant King, the corner of his lips curling slightly as a flash of excitement crossed his face.

"Ant King, do you know why I gave you the corpses of the three Royal Guards?"

The Ant King frowned, his patience with the three humans wearing thin. He replied dismissively.

"I do not."

Akira didn’t react, but the smile on his face widened.

"It’s because the you from before was far too weak to fight! And the you now is no different!!"

The moment the words left his mouth, a spatial rift tore open in the air above the battlefield and an enormous figure leaped out from within.

The massive body landed heavily, shaking the ground with a tremendous tremor.

The spot where it landed instantly caved into a deep crater, sending countless shattered rocks flying and kicking up a thick cloud of dust.

The colossal beast stood firmly on the ground, swung its arms, and unleashed an earth-shaking roar at the Ant King.

"ROAR!!!"

A savage roar tore through the sky!

The deafening sound triggered a series of sonic booms and violent gales erupted, rampaging through the entire underground space.

The Ant King’s pupils contracted sharply.

The aura surrounding him receded like a tide as he instinctively took a step back.

This was the second time today he had retreated on his own.

’Impossible!’

The Ant King’s face instantly darkened, his fists clenching involuntarily from tension, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The sudden appearance of this colossal beast before him possessed strength equal to his own!

No!

In fact, the aura emanating from it was even more overwhelming than his, its domineering presence far more intense!

Just what was this thing?!

The monstrous creature that had thrown the Ant King into utter panic was none other than Tyranitar after Mega Evolution!

Mega Tyranitar, like the Ant King, possessed power between S+ and SS-, but the difference was—Mega Tyranitar had ’Dragon Dance’!

This was also one of Akira’s brilliant strategies.

Normally, Mega Evolving mid-battle was troublesome, often requiring the use of ’Protect’ to guard against sneak attacks.

Seizing the opportunity, Akira had Tyranitar undergo Mega Evolution in advance within the digital world while also executing multiple Dragon Dances.

This was why, despite Mega Tyranitar’s strength being on par with the Ant King’s, the Ant King felt his opponent was even stronger.

Because of the successive boosts from multiple Dragon Dances!

"Hey, Ant King, why are you retreating?" Akira’s teasing words echoed across the battlefield, as if flipping a switch—Mega Tyranitar sprang into action.

"Weren’t you going to rule the world? Weren’t you going to devour all of us?"

BOOM!

Mega Tyranitar stomped the ground with tremendous force, causing the already cratered terrain to explode violently.

Countless rocks shattered into dust, shooting skyward!

Then, its figure vanished completely.

’Where did it go?’

The Ant King stared intently at the massive crater ahead, but the colossal beast was nowhere to be seen.

He couldn’t even track his opponent’s speed!

In an instant, Mega Tyranitar’s body suddenly appeared right before the Ant King—along with its right arm, wreathed in immense Aura!

Fighting-type move—Brutal Swing!

BAM!!

The Ant King’s body contorted from the impact, sent flying like a high-speed cannonball!

BAM! BAM! BAM!...

After smashing through countless pillars, the Ant King was finally embedded into one, bloodied and battered!

The difference in power was clear!

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