"How could they possibly destroy the king's residence just to deal with us?!"
"Besides, this kind of large-scale attack clearly isn't aimed at just us."
"This attack includes the Ant King within its range; it's bound to affect him, too."
"The royal guards would never use a method that might harm the Ant King just to set a trap for us!"
"So, if we're talking about someone capable of launching such a wide-scale attack and with such a powerful method, then there's only one possibility..."
Many thoughts flashed through their minds in an instant, but reality only took a moment to catch up.
Almost simultaneously, the same figure appeared in everyone's minds, Chairman Netero!
"It must be Chairman Netero, and..."
"I can feel it, Chairman Netero's aura, and Lan's too!"
Gon and Killua exchanged a glance at the same time, immediately understanding what the other was thinking.
Both were trained in aura detection techniques from the Turtle School Martial Arts, making them highly sensitive to external aura.
The moment the sudden attack began, they sensed it clearly.
"That's Chairman Netero's aura...?"
"So powerful... So strong. It's my first time feeling something like this..."
They could both feel the overwhelming presence of Chairman Netero, like that of a martial arts master.
Deep as an abyss, towering like a mountain, just his presence was enough to instill a sense of insurmountable fear.
Especially at the moment when he swatted Neferpitou away, the aura he emitted was unforgettable to Gon and Killua!
Aside from Chairman Netero, Lan's familiar presence was also undeniable.
At the same time, aside from these two strong auras…
"There's another strange aura..."
Gon and Killua both sensed a third presence, neither belonging to Chairman Netero nor Lan.
Just as strong, just as intense, but far more mysterious and hard to grasp.
"Mysterious, huh? For an aura to have that kind of trait, and for it to be with Lan..."
Killua instantly figured out whose aura it belonged to.
Gon didn't need to be told either…
"It's Ging! It has to be him!!"
Gon's eyes lit up with excitement: "He really did come here!!"
In this Chimera Ant Extermination Team, he finally, for the first time, got concrete information on Ging!
"So that's Ging's aura..."
Gon silently engraved the feeling and traits of that aura deep into his memory.
"If Ging is here, then..."
His already determined steps grew even more resolute. "Then I absolutely can't disappoint him!! I'm going to show him just how far I've come!!"
… … …
Meanwhile, high in the sky, someone observed calmly, unaware that Gon had sensed his presence.
"Shinra Tensei? Not bad... And the name is pretty good, too."
Ging Freecss, floating in midair through unknown means, scratched his chin as he observed the scene below.
This catastrophic move, like a natural disaster, didn't impress Ging as much as the name did.
"Hohoho looks like he approves it."
Chairman Netero, having achieved his goal, floated beside him in good spirits.
"That repelling force not only deals massive damage to enemies but also allows us to hover in the air, which is very handy for movement."
"But there's a risk to it too."
Ging added, his mischievous nature emerging.
"If that guy loses focus or runs out of aura, he won't be able to maintain this technique."
"We could end up plummeting straight from the sky."
"If that happens..."
Lan replied sharply without hesitation: "I'll be the first to chuck you out in a parabolic arc."
"Hohoho, I believe that." Chairman Netero chuckled, enjoying the banter.
But he quickly turned serious again: "Time to go. The royal guards are already in disarray, and I've sent that little kitty flying."
"This is our best chance to face the Ant King directly!!"
Chairman Netero laid down the final verdict.
This time, he didn't call upon his old friend Zeno Zoldyck because he had faith in Lan.
Lan could help him create the opportunity and isolated space needed to confront the king one-on-one.
And with Ging Freecss tagging along, Chairman Netero couldn't feel more at ease.
Ging might be known for being a jerk throughout the Hunter Association, but at the same time, his reliability was equally legendary.
"The Ant King... He should be in the throne room now, right?"
Ging was about to release his En but paused.
He hadn't forgotten that Gon and the rest, according to the original plan, should be initiating their own assault soon.
Better to stay discreet for now.
"The Ant King? His current state..."
Lan had already locked onto everything happening within the palace through his Observation Haki.
Including the Ant King himself and everyone else inside, he was acutely aware of every movement.
"It's... Quite beyond our expectations."
Lan smiled with interest.
Not only the Ant King but he also detected the movements of Gon and others, the status of Menthuthuyoupi, who was at guard in the staircase, and all of their reactions to Shinra Tensei.
Among them, Menthuthuyoupi had the most direct reaction.
Menthuthuyoupi, who stood in the way of the extermination team, was utterly confused about what had just happened.
And rather than ponder it further, he simply entered rage mode.
"No matter what just happened, it has to be the work of these invaders!! If I kill all of them, I can protect his majesty!! I swear, I'll slaughter every last one of them!!"