The Moment

The young man in the hat stares forward with a blank expression. Netero charges forward in a low stance, fist extended, shouting "WHO'S GOING TO DIE?" A massive impact occurs as Netero's strike connects with a dark, textured mass, producing heavy SFX "HMPH! HMPH!" and explosive debris. In a separate panel, a figure in black armor with a skull-like helmet reacts with "OHO ..." while being knocked back amid flying fragments and motion lines.

Netero stares intently at his opponent, noting that it is a miracle the Chimera Ant King's energy levels have not faltered even a little. The King replies that it is quite admirable but warns Netero not to get ahead of himself, claiming the previous strike was merely a lucky punch. Netero counters that the lost leg is the result of the King's own sloppy defense and that losing it was almost inevitable. He declares that the battle is just beginning. A wide view of the Go board reveals that games played with Komugi made it possible for Netero to predict this exact outcome. Netero explains that the King's existence provided a guide to what could have been an infinite number of choices and that certain forms the King disliked were the key. In a ruined chamber, the King stands ready as Netero points forward and announces the next move: he will take the King's arm.

A massive explosion erupts as Meruem's body is torn apart in mid-air, limbs and mechanical fragments scattering violently outward against a black background streaked with white impact lines. The King, still recognizable amid the chaos, begins to speak the words 'THIS IS....' Below the blast, a close-up reveals Netero's intense, focused expression as he completes his technique.

A massive, horned face looms above the shattered ruins as Netero’s small figure hurtles through the air, beads of his rosary trailing behind him. It took less than a minute to ready his offense and defense. Their enhanced senses combined with Netero’s determination. But he was prepared for this to end his life. The old chairman’s body twists mid-fall, one leg extended, while the enormous visage of the Chimera Ant King dominates the upper panel, eyes half-lidded and mouth set in a grim line. Below, Netero’s determined face fills the frame, sweat and strain visible as he commits everything to the coming clash.

The moment arrived. Netero and Meruem collide in a burst of motion against a starry void filled with giant flowers. Giving birth to countless fireworks between them. And his Hyakushiki became over a thousand fists. Netero’s aged body is stretched forward, palms open, while Meruem’s armored form twists beneath him, one massive hand reaching up. Countless blossoms and sparks explode outward from the point of contact. Vertical text on the left reads “THE MOMENT AND THEN ARRIVED.” Netero’s face is locked in fierce concentration, veins standing out on his arms as he unleashes the full force of his technique.

On the Go board a slight deviation appears in the attack pattern. A tremor that could not even be called a habit or trend ripples through the air. The Chimera Ant King sees a faint light shining up ahead. As he continues to defend against Netero’s fists with his body, the old chairman is suddenly there. And then a blinding white flash erupts at the center of the impact.

Netero is hurled backward through the air, body twisted by the force of the blow. Close-ups reveal his narrowed eyes and the King’s fierce glare. A bald man with a topknot and a shirt marked 7 leaps into action, landing in a wide stance. Below, two small figures stand in a ruined hall, one wearing a hat and the other crouched low, watching the distant clash.

Netero kneels on the cracked stone floor, one hand pressed down as he gasps "NOW". The Chimera Ant King looms above him, mechanical arm extended, demanding "SATISFIED NOW? ARE YOU". Netero turns his back to the King and speaks firmly: "SAY MY NAME." The King’s face twists into a grin as he declares "KING OF THE ANTS." and chuckles "HE HE." In extreme close-up, Netero’s sweat-streaked, bloodied face strains with the words "I COULDN’T PRAY? DID YOU THINK THAT WITHOUT MY ARM".

A single hand forms a prayer gesture labeled "PRAYER". A wide-eyed observer watches in shock. Netero, bloodied and shirtless, clasps his hands together as text states "OF THE HEART. IS A GESTURE". Below, a colossal serene Buddha-like figure materializes, its face calm and eyes closed. Vertical text reads "AND DESIRE IS WHAT BEARS FRUIT." and "IF ONE'S HEART KNOWS THE FORM THAT BECOMES DESIRE, WITH HYAKUSHIKI KANNON". Netero’s tiny silhouette stands before the giant’s chest while the ability name appears beside it.

A massive, radiant figure towers behind the seated form of Netero. The entity, Kannon, spreads countless skeletal arms in a vast fan-like halo, its central body clad in flowing robes and adorned with a large hat and beaded necklace. Netero sits cross-legged on the ground below, back to the viewer, his small silhouette dwarfed by the enormous apparition. Bold text declares the arrival: BEHIND THE ENEMY. KANNON APPEARS.

Netero's hands clench tightly on either side of the frame as he declares, GIVE YOU A CHOICE. A close-up of his intense eye and furrowed brow appears between the fists. IT WILL NOT, reads the opposing hand. Below, a glowing, multi-armed Kannon figure hovers in a brilliant aura, its form delicate yet powerful, with the caption IN HANDS OF MERCY. IT WILL WRAP YOU GENTLY. Netero's face strains as he focuses his entire aura, the text reading LIKE A BLINDING STAR AND LET LOOSE WITH A BLAST OF LIGHT. A small inset shows Killua shouting THIS WON'T GOOO. while another panel recalls an earlier moment where the force of his bloodlust was so strong it had made Killua change direction the other day. NOW NETER0, the narration states, FOCUSED HIS ENTIRE AURA.

A massive, armored hand thrusts forward from the right, index finger extended in a sharp, commanding gesture amid swirling motion lines and debris. On the left, a monstrous feathered figure with wild hair and a fierce expression looms, its head tilted back as if recoiling from the impact. Bold black cross-shaped symbols and jagged impact marks explode across the panel, accompanied by the large onomatopoeia 'ROAR.' A voice declares 'WITH A MERCILESS' as the strike lands with overwhelming force.

The monstrous feathered figure is hurled backward through a massive explosion of smoke, dust, and debris. Enormous black SFX characters dominate the upper half, conveying the scale of the blast. Below, two smaller panels show the aftermath: a clawed, scaly hand lying amid swirling smoke and rubble on the ground, followed by an empty panel filled only with lingering dust clouds. The destruction radiates outward from the point of impact.

Netero sits cross-legged in a meditative stance, hands pressed together in prayer, his aged face locked in intense concentration. Massive swirling clouds of smoke and debris erupt violently around him as impact sounds reverberate. A tiny distant silhouette stands amid the chaos on the ruined floor. Netero is then shown forced down onto one knee, body battered, as enormous stylized sound effects "オ" dominate the panel. He looks upward and declares that the attack is surely taking individuality to its extremes.

Meruem stands tall and imposing in the foreground, his armored form dominating the panel as he looks down with a confident expression. In the background, a small Netero remains visible amid the smoke. Meruem speaks with multiple speech bubbles, declaring the attack wonderful, that it is not even zero, and that he is the fruit of the ants' unstinting evolution. He claims to be the dearest wish of his race, born king of the ants to stand at the pinnacle of life. He asserts there is no way humans can stand against the Chimera Ants' evolution and that the fact he is a king entrusted with his entire race marks the boundary between victory and defeat. He concludes that the listener is just one human, while he is a king.

The Chimera Ant King stands tall in the ruined chamber, his tail curling behind him as he addresses the battered Netero. "CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS DISRUPTION IN THE ANTS' LEADERSHIP," a voice explains. "KNOWING THAT HUMANS' STRONG EGO" leads to the conclusion that "THERE IS NO LONGER ANY BENEFIT TO BREEDING HUMANS, HOWEVER." Netero, bloodied and kneeling, recalls his solitary battle. "WAS NOT IN VAIN," he affirms. The King continues, "YOUR SOLITARY FIGHT... I WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THEIR NUMBER AND QUALITY WHEN CHOOSING WHICH TO FEAST ON. SO IN DEFERENCE TO YOU, I WILL ALLOW HUMANS TO PERMANENTLY RESIDE IN A GHETTO." Netero's eyes narrow with fierce determination. "SAY MY NAME...!" he demands, a grin spreading across his face. "HE HE HE!" The King leans in. "I WON'T ASK YOU AGAIN." Netero rises, aura flaring. "I AM NOT ALONE... I..." With a final surge of will, he shouts the name that shakes the chamber: "MERYEM...!!!" The massive skull of the Chimera Ant King looms forward as Netero warns, "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE HUMANS."