The moment the new map was revealed, Joey felt a flicker of embarrassment.
But having come this far, he could only grit his teeth and press on.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"I learned it from an ancient-text hunter," Kite replied calmly, examining the map with care before adding, "Let's move."
Kite's decisiveness eased Joey slightly—but the seemingly casual glance she gave him before turning away stirred unease in his heart.
For a moment, Joey had the strange impression that Kite knew things about him that even he himself didn't.
But… was that even possible?
Because Chimera Ants might still be nearby, the four of them simultaneously entered a state of near Zetsu before advancing.
Joey's slower pace held them back slightly, but not enough to matter. Within minutes, they slipped into the base.
The ground was stained with long trails of blood, as if bodies had been dragged across it. The heavy stench of decay and iron hung thick in the air.
As they moved deeper, equipment and raw materials used to produce anesthetics began to appear.
This filthy nation—hidden beneath the façade of environmental protection—was gradually revealing its true nature.
They slowed at a large hall where three tunnels branched off.
"There's no one here. Looks like they've already been wiped out by the Chimera Ants," Killua said.
"Even armed civilians couldn't hold them off. That means the enemy is capable," Kite added.
"Then we—"
"Shh."
Kite raised a hand, lowering her voice.
"There are several Chimera Ants ahead. They're coming from that tunnel."
Even with the base's dim lighting, the cave ahead looked unnaturally dark and oppressive.
"That's En," Killua immediately recognized. "What's your range?"
En was an advanced technique combining Ten and Ren, spreading aura outward to detect anything within its radius.
Joey glanced at Kite, unable to hide his curiosity. Techniques like this were still far beyond him.
"A little over forty-five meters," Kite replied. "It fluctuates depending on physical and mental condition—about two or three meters."
Hearing that, Joey couldn't help but wonder—
Had she been maintaining En this entire time?
"They're here."
As Kite spoke, a human figure crawling on all fours slowly emerged from the cave.
No—two of them.
Collars were fastened tightly around their necks. Their clothes had long since been stripped away. Calling them "alive" was generous—they were barely clinging to life.
They looked like stray dogs.
The moment they saw the group, one of them broke down, crying hoarsely for help, tears streaming down his face.
But before he could finish—
The Chimera Ant holding his leash stepped out from the darkness and casually brought its hoof down on his head.
Thud.
Like a watermelon bursting open, the man's body twitched briefly before going still.
"Who are you? How dare you—"
"Stop!"
Before the creature could finish speaking, Gon shouted and charged forward.
The sudden action caught the others off guard. Kite frowned slightly.
But in the next instant, her weapon materialized—accompanied by the clown's rambling voice—and transformed into a spear tipped with a jester's head.
At the same time, Killua surged forward, aura flaring, chasing after Gon.
Only Joey, at the rear, remained still—his brows tightly furrowed.
Something felt off.
Had the sequence changed again?
Was it because they were closer to Kite this time, preventing her from stopping Gon immediately?
Joey tightened his grip on his pistol and silently summoned Killer Queen, ordering it to stay alert and guard the surroundings.
At that moment, the centaur-like Chimera Ant that had crushed the man extended its snake-like tongue, a grotesque grin spreading across its face.
From the caves on either side, two Chimera Ants burst out the instant Gon approached.
One had wings and a feminine figure, dressed in what resembled a nurse's uniform. Its torso was that of an arthropod, and it wore a bizarre mask.
The other was a bald, muscular creature with more than a dozen arms.
They lunged at Gon simultaneously.
But Gon, despite his recklessness, moved with precision.
He dodged the multi-armed Ant's strike, blocked the nurse Ant's attack, and immediately countered with a kick to its shin.
The limb snapped cleanly under the force of his Nen-enhanced strike.
But in the next instant, the nurse Ant's head snapped forward—its mouth opening as a sharp stinger shot toward Gon's skull.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
The lower half of the nurse Ant's body vanished instantly—along with the silently thrusting stinger.
Kite had acted.
At the same time, Gon reacted instinctively—leaning back while grabbing hold of the stinger mid-strike.
Wrapped in Nen, it couldn't pierce his skin.
With a shout, Gon yanked it forward and slammed the Ant into the ground, his aura surging as he drove his fist down.
A deafening impact echoed.
When the dust settled, only shattered fragments remained.
Meanwhile, Killua had already slipped behind the multi-armed Ant.
With a swift motion, he twisted its head around to face him.
Even then, the creature wasn't dead—its many arms contorted unnaturally, striking back.
Bang!
Another gunshot rang out—this one different from Kite's.
The bullet tore past the group and into the cave on the left.
A metallic clang followed—it had been blocked.
But the next second—
Boom!
An explosion lit up the darkness, revealing four Chimera Ants hidden inside.
And that was just one tunnel.
The others likely held more.
Behind them, faint, irregular footsteps echoed—more Ants approaching.
Joey lowered his pistol and stepped closer to Kite.
Only then did he notice—
The centaur-like Chimera Ant lay headless on the ground, blood pooling beneath it.
Kite stood nearby, gun still in hand.
Joey ejected his magazine and checked it.
Ordinary bullets alone weren't enough against Chimera Ants.
"A good hunter must stay calm and observe their surroundings," Kite said evenly. "Gon is lacking in that regard—just like before."
As she spoke, she casually fired another shot into the Ant's body.
"And don't assume it's dead just because the head is gone.
They're resilient. Even decapitated, they can survive for a while. You must ensure they can no longer pose a threat."
Killua stepped back with a shrug.
At his feet lay a crushed, bald head.
"If you really want to emphasize that—kill quickly and stay quiet. Hehehe."
The comment didn't come from Kite, but from the clown-faced weapon in her hand.
"…Annoying, but correct," Kite admitted.
"Consider this a warm-up. One tunnel each."
She took the rear path, leaving the three inner tunnels to them.
Killua and Gon cracked their knuckles, eager.
Only Joey froze in place, completely stunned.
"Wait, I—"
Before he could finish—
The three of them had already vanished.
___________________________
You can read +100 advanced chapters in my patreon:
Patreon.com/Kakarot17