The airships came braving the wind and rain, then transported away all the ant cocoons from the Meat Orchard at the fastest possible speed.
The entire process, from start to finish, was clean and efficient, as if rehearsed countless times.
A short while later, the airships departed into the distance.
Hunter Association, Vice-Chairman's Office.
Pariston slowly hung up the receiver, crossed his hands, and rested his chin on them, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Regarding the current situation of the Chimera Ant incident, he had grasped roughly seventy percent of the information. As for Netero being severely injured and transferred, he also obtained first-hand news very quickly.
"The result is... he survived, huh."
Pariston murmured softly to himself, not feeling any regret or disappointment.
"Given the current circumstances, dying might actually be better."
This statement had a double meaning. Lingering on in such a state was a kind of suffering. Moreover, only if Netero died would the conditions binding Beyond be lifted.
Pariston suddenly stood up and walked out of the office.
Whether Netero lived or died, with the advantage he held in the current situation, Pariston only needed to maneuver a little to force Netero to step down.
As for those ant cocoons transported from the palace, they could serve as a trump card or as toys. What determined this was the subsequent course of events.
The scattered Chimera Ant Squadron Leaders, the unknown Hunters fighting fires everywhere, the three Chimera Ant Royal Guards, the Ant King, the Rose within Netero's body...
Everything, everything, was in Pariston's sight.
…
The flames gradually died down in the rain, and the lingering smoke was soon shattered by the downpour.
Meruem's corpse had turned into a pile of ashes just like that.
Law looked up at the sky and said, "I'm heading back to the palace. How about you?"
Ging stood beside Law, also looking at the sky. "I'll go find my friend first. The Chairman's matter can't be delayed too long."
"Alright, then I'm off to the palace."
Law walked towards the direction of the palace, waving a hand behind his back at Ging.
Ging nodded, watching Law walk away, then headed in the opposite direction.
After this incident concluded, Law didn't thank Ging, because some things simply needed to be kept in one's heart.
His walking pace gradually accelerated, like shifting gears. Starting as a walk, he transformed into a figure sprinting swiftly through the rain.
After a while, he returned to the empty, desolate palace, immediately noticing the conspicuous absence of the ant eggs in the Meat Orchard.
Regarding this, he merely took an extra glance before heading directly to the guest building where Komugi was.
In his view, completely digesting the obsession Meruem left behind was more important.
The vast palace showed no signs of anyone. If not for the accompanying sounds of wind and rain, this place would probably be quiet enough to chill one's heart.
Law walked down the corridor and soon arrived at the large door, then pushed it open.
Before entering, he had used his ability to extract all the rainwater from his body, so now he wasn't being impolite.
Hearing the door open, Komugi jolted out of her contemplation. Without asking out loud if the Supreme Commander had returned, she adjusted her sitting posture and immediately entered her Gungi-playing state.
Law stepped up to the Gungi board, then sat down cross-legged, looking closely at the girl who could make Meruem leave behind an obsession.
Sensing someone sitting down before the board, Komugi thought it must be the Supreme Commander. Wondering why he wasn't speaking, she gathered her courage and proactively said, "You've returned."
'He won't be coming back.'
Law thought silently to himself. He didn't respond to Komugi's words. Instead, he adjusted his throat muscles, trying to change his voice as much as possible, then said, "Let's finish this game."
"Huh?"
Even though the voice was altered, it couldn't perfectly replicate Meruem's, so Komugi immediately noticed something was off.
After all, people who lose their sight tend to have keen hearing.
Law didn't want to spend effort explaining. He directly picked up a piece and placed it on the board. "6-2-4, Cavalry."
This was a game already in its mid-stage, only a few moves away from a checkmate. As long as Komugi didn't make a mistake, it was a loss no matter how one played.
To be honest, having received Meruem's obsession and Gungi skills, and now sitting here looking at this game so close to checkmate, it was hard to believe Meruem would leave behind such a pure Nen over this unfinished game.
But regardless, what Law had to do was finish this game and digest Meruem's obsession.
The game resumed. Komugi, though filled with doubts, could only suppress them for now and move a piece.
"5-4-1, Duke."
Click.
The sound of the piece hitting the board was crisp and pleasant.
Law didn't think for too long, moving a piece immediately.
Every possible move in this game from this point onward had already been considered within Meruem's thoughts.
These were thoughts Meruem had contemplated while the Nen Dragon was carrying him away, allowing him to glimpse a sliver of survival, albeit extremely slim.
Soon, both sides had made about fifteen moves each.
The doubts Komugi had melted away like spring snow. The person sitting before her was undoubtedly the Supreme Commander.
Although she wasn't sure why his voice sounded a bit different, the conclusion could be drawn from the game they had contested over a dozen moves.
This was indeed the genuine Supreme Commander.
After about ten more moves, Komugi placed a piece that forced Law into checkmate.
"It's over."
Looking at the checkmated position, Law felt a twinge of regret for some reason.
Facing the iron-clad, high-walled defense Komugi had built, Meruem had truly given his all, considered every possible route.
First, he found a thread of survival, then aimed for a chance at victory.
Unfortunately, his opponent was Komugi, with completely flawless, seamless Gungi skills.
Against such an opponent, even though Meruem made an extremely stunning move to escape checkmate, he still couldn't turn the tide.
Just like facing Law in that desolate mountain, no matter how he struggled and resisted, he could only be defeated by superior skill.
"Ah, the Supreme Commander's move on the 82nd turn was truly amazing. It almost broke through my left flank. If I had made even one wrong move then, the situation would have reversed immediately."
Komugi spoke happily while organizing the pieces on the board, naturally preparing to separate all the pieces and continue with the next game.
Meticulously placing the pieces back on her own stand, she then waited for the Supreme Commander to start setting up the board.
A minute passed, with no movement from the other side of the board.
Komugi felt puzzled, thinking the Supreme Commander might be contemplating the previous game, so she patiently waited without speaking, afraid of disturbing his thoughts.
On the other side of the board, Law's brows furrowed.
The game was over, yet Meruem's obsession remained.
'What's going on?'
Law was confused, wondering if he needed to keep playing?
If he had to play a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand games until he could beat Komugi, Law would be utterly drained.
"Sigh."
Law exhaled, raised his index and middle fingers, where fine, thread-like black lines coiled around his fingernails.
"Then let's try some more."
With this thought, Law picked up a piece and began setting up the board.
A new game soon started, and unsurprisingly, Komugi won again.
They played ten consecutive games, all won by Komugi.
As Komugi's opponent, even though Law was sitting here having received Meruem's Gungi skills, his subjective consciousness was still Law's. Therefore, Law deeply experienced Komugi's formidable strength.
'The gap is too wide.'
Looking at Komugi, who seemed to glow, Law thought that if the condition for digesting the obsession was to defeat Komugi, then he probably didn't need to think about it in this lifetime.
But if time allowed, Law didn't want to give up easily.
"Again."
Saying this, Law began setting up the board.
At that moment, he heard Komugi's slightly puzzled words.
"Supreme Commander, I... I think I can see you."
"Huh? Can your eyes see now?"
"No, it's just... very strange..."