The battle situation changed in an instant.
Netero, who was retreating from the battlefield, and Knov, who was waiting in the distance to provide an escape route, both witnessed this unexpected scene.
They were well aware of the Chimera Ants' ecosystem, so they knew that for the Royal Guards, the King was everything, not to mention their unwavering loyalty.
Under these circumstances, Pitou had actually betrayed and attacked the King...
Unbelievable!
But it had indeed happened!
Therefore, the possibility that Knov and others thought of in an instant was that Pitou had fallen under Moses's Manipulation-Type Nen Ability.
Only then could such seamless coordination be possible.
Although Netero was shocked, he had some understanding of Moses's capabilities and quickly accepted this extraordinary turn of events.
But Knov felt as if he were in a dream.
'Nen Clones, teleportation, conjured black swords, offensive methods that appear to be Emission-Type, a Nen Space similar to my Four-Dimensional Apartment...'
'And now, a confirmed Manipulation-Type Ability?!'
'What kind of monster was this?!'
…
On the battlefield.
Moses and the King looked at each other.
Then, Moses's peripheral vision quickly glanced at the bloodstain left by the black sword on the King's body.
In the brief gap between offense and defense, there was no time for a detailed observation...
Before the King's counterattack could land, Moses dismissed the black sword without hesitation and retracted the remaining Aura into his body.
Then, without a second thought, he used up the last of his Aura to activate the teleportation Divine Script.
Whoosh!
Moses's figure vanished into thin air.
The King's palm strike followed, but it could only stab the air helplessly.
In the next moment,
Moses reappeared beside Netero.
The teleportation Divine Script, which is pre-etched onto the coat, had become the key to this assault.
If his Potential Aura hadn't been nearly depleted, Moses might have stayed at the scene to kite the King for a while to probe for further opportunities.
"Old man, let's observe for now..."
After retreating to a safe area, Moses first glanced at where Knov and the others, and then looked at the King in the distance.
Should they retreat now, or should they wait for an opportunity...
It all depended on what happened next.
Under Moses's watchful gaze, he saw the King actually used his injured tail to brutally sever Pitou's arm.
As blood sprayed into the air, Youpi, who had been standing nearby, finally stepped up to fulfill his duty as a Royal Guard. He rushed forward and punched Pitou in the face.
Boom!
The powerful force instantly deformed Pitou's face, sending her flying sideways.
"King, are you alright?"
Pouf also came to the King's side and looked at the bloody wound on the King's back anxiously.
If the King hadn't used his tail to block Pitou's attack at the last moment, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
The King did not respond to Pouf's concern, but glanced at Pitou, who had been sent flying.
The earlier confusion about why she had turned against him vanished in an instant.
That's right.
There was no need for an explanation.
Any existence that posed a threat to him simply needed to be devoured!
The King's expression became extremely cold, and the Aura surrounding him radiated an extremely brutal ferocity.
Boom!
The King ignored the injury on his back and stepped on the ground with one foot. In an instant, the force he exerted shattered the ground, sending a shockwave of white air rippling outward.
As the shockwave spread, the King's figure vanished, leaving only a spray of shattered rocks in his wake.
In the next moment,
The King appeared at the spot where Pitou had landed.
Without any unnecessary movements, he simply stomped down, pinning Pitou beneath his foot.
Boom!
The immense force transmitted through Pitou's back, cracking the ground beneath her.
"Ugh-"
Pitou, who is struck by this devastating blow, vomited a mouthful of blood.
The King had a cold expression as he looked down at the severely injured Pitou.
In the distance.
When Moses saw this scene, his heart sank.
He was originally thinking about whether he could use Pitou to do something else.
Even if that wasn't possible, he wanted to have her retreat, at least preserving a significant combat asset.
As for the severed arm and the like, with the ability of Doctor Blythe, or even the black soil which could regenerate limbs, it wouldn't be a problem.
But Moses hadn't expected the King and Youpi to act so decisively and ruthlessly. There was no step of 'investigating the cause', and they simply unleashed a series of attacks, cutting off any chance for Pitou to retreat.
Seeing that Pitou had lost her value,
Then-
No matter what, she couldn't be allowed to live.
Just as Moses had this thought, he saw the Ant King use his tail to wrap around Pitou's neck, and then mercilessly exerted force.
A spray of blood erupted as Pitou's neck was crushed by the Ant King's tail.
The severed head fell, only to be caught by the King's tail.
The King manipulated his tail and lifted Pitou's head to his mouth.
Then, under the watchful eyes of Moses and Netero, the King opened his mouth and began devouring Pitou's head.
Perhaps due to being on the verge of death, or perhaps because of the separation of head and body...
The Nen on Pitou's head dissipated, thus removing Kyoka Suigetsu's ability.
Also, because Chimera Ants possessed extraordinary vitality, even if they are beheaded, they will not die on the spot, but will retain their consciousness for a period of time.
So, at this moment, Pitou wasn't completely dead yet.
"King…!?"
After breaking free from Kyoka Suigetsu's influence, Pitou looked at the King's bloodstained maw with a look of bewilderment.
From between the teeth so close to her, she could even see her own brain matter...
'What-'
'What was happening?'
Pitou, who had just returned to normal, couldn't comprehend what was going on.
Her partially missing brain was filled with unsolvable confusion.
'King-'
'Why are you eating me?!'
Crunch-
Suddenly, a strange sound reached her ears.
It should be the sound of another chunk of her head being bitten off.
Munch, munch-
'Was that the sound of chewing?'
The confusion in Pitou's eyes was gradually replaced by numbness.
Crunch-
Another strange sound rang.
A large portion of Pitou's right-side vision suddenly vanished.
'Ah…'
'Was it my right eye that was eaten?'
For some reason, Pitou felt a trace of despair.
'Being eaten by the King should have been an honor...'
'But why did I feel despair?'
The complexity of human nature made Pitou develop new doubts in her final moments.
But before she could ponder further, endless darkness swallowed her already fragmented consciousness.
Munch, munch...
Even as her consciousness faded into darkness, Pitou could still clearly hear the sound of the King chewing.