The iconic image of Uncle Kite resurfaced—a haunting memory of Gon's descent into darkness and the devastating strength he unleashed upon intelligent Chimera Ants. Even if it was just an ant in humanoid form, Neferpitou was undeniably powerful.
There's long been debate surrounding Gon's power during his "blackened" state. Some argue he surpassed Meruem, while others claim he fell short.
Ronnel, however, had his own thoughts as he witnessed Ging's overwhelming aura firsthand. One thing was certain: blackened Gon was vastly stronger than Neferpitou. Gon's brutal execution of Pitou left no room for doubt.
In the manga, Kite—reborn as a Chimera Ant—delivered a furious kick to Pitou that radiated his deep-seated hatred. It was a strike fueled by the desire for vengeance. Meanwhile, Meruem, shortly after his birth, casually swiped his tail at Pitou's head when the latter displeased him. Despite the immense force behind the attack, Pitou only sustained minor injuries—a swollen cheek and a bit of blood at the corner of their mouth.
Meruem even acknowledged Pitou's strength afterward, saying, "Pitou, you're quite resilient. I struck you with the intent to kill."
These scenes—meticulously illustrated and narrated in both the manga and anime—make it clear that blackened Gon's power far exceeded that of the newborn Meruem. Pitou's panicked attempts to drag Gon down, even posthumously, were a testament to their awareness of his strength. They knew Gon, in that moment, was capable of rivaling or even killing the king.
But that was before Meruem's transformation.
After surviving Chairman Netero's Poor Man's Rose, Meruem was reborn, thanks to the loyalty of Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi. By absorbing parts of their bodies and their Nen, Meruem not only regained his full strength but ascended to an entirely new level of power.
(T/N: The Poor Man's Rose is a chemo-explosive weapon of mass destruction and one of the most powerful and dangerous weapons in the world.)
Meruem's evolved abilities were terrifying. His "En" (Aura Sense) now extended across an entire nation, possibly even further. He could discern people's moods and intentions, and his Nen, classified as a Specialist ability, allowed him to absorb both the strength and abilities of those he consumed.
In his transformed state, Meruem became an almost invincible force—a true apex predator in the Hunter x Hunter world.
Strength Rankings:
Reborn Meruem
Blackened Gon
Pre-rebirth Meruem
Netero
In comparison, Ronnel estimated Ging's current strength to fall somewhere between blackened Gon and newborn Meruem. It was more than sufficient to handle the undead bone demons and their leader, Overlod, who loomed atop the high platform.
Overlod's Defiance
Ronnel's gaze locked onto Overlod, the Bone King. The ruler, adorned in his crystalline skeletal armor, exuded an aura of malice. Overlod's mastery of the Sonata of Darkness made it clear he wouldn't stand idly by while Ging annihilated his army.
As if on cue, Overlod raised his jagged bone arm. A torrent of dark threads, thick and writhing like serpents, erupted from his body. The threads streaked through the air toward Ging with incredible speed.
"This guy... How much of the Sonata of Darkness's power has he absorbed?" Ronnel muttered under his breath, a faint shiver running down his spine at the sight of the ominous threads.
It wasn't just Ronnel who was caught off guard. Overlod himself seemed taken aback by the sheer volume of energy unleashed. Despite his skeletal face, his expression visibly twisted into one of disbelief.
"How could this consume so much of my reserves?!" Overlod roared internally.
He hadn't anticipated the cost of activating the Sonata of Darkness against someone as powerful as Ging. The Sonata wasn't without limits—it relied on Overlod's accumulated "blue bar" of energy, which was nearly depleted after this single attack.
------------
+335 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub