Four Teams X Tactics
The atmosphere was heavy as everyone carefully examined the details of the intelligence.
The focus inevitably fell on the Royal Guards once again.
Melusina listened attentively to the crucial information about Neferpitou, nodding involuntarily and letting out a deep sigh of helplessness, "Not only that, she also has that troublesome ability to Clone. Based on previous encounters and intelligence, her Clone can not only swap her own position like teleportation, but now it seems they can also forcibly swap others with specific Clone."
A clear look of worry flashed in her eyes, and her voice lowered. "Although this forced exchange may have some strict conditions and restrictions—such as needing to touch the target, or only being able to be carried out within a specific range."
"But I think that, given her almost religious, deep-seated Loyalty to the Ant King, in a critical moment, she would absolutely spare no effort and use this ability without hesitation to instantly transfer the Ant King to a safe area, avoiding a deadly threat."
This is a will she absolutely possesses, so there's no doubt about it.
Therefore, Neferpitou is truly the most crucial and priority target among the guards.
Her existence, like a poisonous thorn, directly threatens the core logic of the entire Decapitation Operation.
To create an environment for Chairman Netero to fight the Ant King one-on-one.
What if, when the time comes, she replaces the Ant King just like she replaced the Ant Queen? Wouldn't that mean total defeat?
If the Ant King truly fails, he will realize his shortcomings and then go into hiding.
That would mean complete ruin.
"But the problem is," Melusina shrugged, a deep sense of helplessness in her voice, "We still don't know exactly how many Clone she has—that information remains a blank."
Upon hearing this, the room fell into a suffocating silence, the atmosphere becoming even heavier and more oppressive, as if even the air itself had frozen.
This is precisely the biggest dilemma currently facing everyone.
The inability to determine the exact number of the opponent's Clone means that all plans to quickly kill Neferpitou are fraught with huge variables and uncertainties.
The only seemingly feasible solution remains:
With all their might and disregarding the cost, they utterly crushed its main body in a very short time with overwhelming force.
In this heavy silence.
"Could there be nine?"
Gon, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up. His thoughts seemed very direct, without much beating around the bush.
His tone carried the intuition and straightforwardness unique to young people.
"Isn't it said that cats have nine lives? Could her ability also correspond to nine Clones?"
These words stunned everyone present; the air seemed to freeze in place, as if a pause button had been pressed.
Immediately, everyone subconsciously looked up, exchanging surprised glances that also seemed to say "there's some truth to it."
"You know what— Gon's idea, although it sounds a bit far-fetched, actually seems quite possible when you think about it!"
Men Qi stroked her chin, her eyes shining, and thoughtfully agreed.
"Indeed," Kite murmured, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. "The symbolic meaning of cats—while this speculation is bold and lacks empirical evidence, it's not entirely without merit, considering that Nen ability are often closely related to the user's Specialization, subconscious, and even cultural symbols."
Most people agreed with this idea to some extent, and nodded slightly.
Because the formation of Nen ability will inevitably carry this characteristic to some extent.
It is rooted in individual experiences, beliefs, and even the collective unconscious that is prevalent in society, such as the legend that "cats have nine lives".
Social consensus and shared ideas—these intangible forces can all become potential sources of support and shaping of Nen ability.
"But unfortunately, we have no substantial evidence to support this," Nobu adjusted his glasses, calmly pouring cold water on reality, his voice as flat as ever, "This kind of speculation, which borders on folklore, lacks direct, verifiable evidence and is difficult to use as a reliable basis for tactical planning; the risk is too great. What if we're wrong?"
"We can only consider it as a potential possibility for now."
Morel summarized, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness, but he also accepted this direction of thinking.
"We cannot rely on it completely, nor can we completely ignore it."
He then changed the subject, his voice becoming serious again. "But ultimately, we still have to face that core problem head-on: how to quickly and effectively eliminate Neferpitou with lightning speed."
"Otherwise, she alone could become the most deadly and uncertain factor in this decisive battle, like a bomb that could explode at any moment, enough to completely reverse the course of our carefully laid plans."
At this point, everyone's gaze seemed to be drawn by an invisible magnet, shifting in unison and focusing on Kevin in the corner of the room.
They knew perfectly well that Kevin's strength was undoubtedly the pinnacle of the team present, a top-tier existence comparable to, and perhaps even surpassing, the legendary Chairman Netero in some aspects.
If we were to say who has the best chance of eliminating Neferpitou, this major threat, in a short period of time, despite the pressure of an unknown number of Clone, then the answer would undoubtedly be him.
He is currently the only combatant with this "possibility".
Facing the expectant yet unspoken pressure of the crowd, Kevin frowned, lost in thought for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the crook of his arm.
After a moment, he slowly shook his head, his voice steady and carrying an unquestionable weight of consideration.
"I might not be able to find the time."
He also needs to remain as intact as possible because he bears another crucial responsibility, one that could even be said to be related to the survival of humanity.
That is, as the successor to Chairman Netero.
If the Chairman is unfortunately defeated or exhausted in battle, then he will become the last and only line of defense against that terrifying Ant King.
However, when facing an opponent of Neferpitou's caliber, it is impossible to avoid paying a considerable price.
The depletion of Nen Aura, loss of physical strength, and even potential injury are all possible consequences.
He wasn't so arrogant as to believe he could easily crush his opponent without taking any damage.
Neferpitou's speed and unpredictable abilities were enough to cause him considerable trouble.
"Of the three guards," Kevin's gaze sharpened as he scanned the three markers representing the Royal Guards on the map, finally making his judgment, "I think the only one I'm confident I can handle relatively quickly and at a relatively low cost is Youpi."
He paused, his tone carrying a clear hint of regret. "But the problem is, Youpi himself might be the easiest of the Royal Guards to deal with."
"His strength lies in Clone and providing support, while his ability to engage in direct combat is relatively weak. Devoting my main combat force to fighting him would undoubtedly be a huge waste of resources and a losing proposition."
Melusina's abilities can, to some extent, counter Youpi's Clone tactics.
If Kite and Morel team up, they too can rely on their experience and teamwork to deal with Youpi.
Therefore, sending such a top-tier Youpi is a waste and would prevent him from maximizing his value.
Therefore, he had already chosen his goal in his heart— Menthuthuyoupi.
My chosen target is Youpi.
Kevin spoke with a resolute tone, his voice radiating a strong sense of confidence.
"I've fought him before and am familiar with his ferocious fighting style, astonishing strength growth characteristics, and emotionally driven patterns. I've accumulated some practical experience."
"I believe that, with this experience and my abilities, I have a good chance of quickly and decisively eliminating him this time."
Youpi is a huge problem.
Among those present, it was practically impossible to find anyone who could defeat the opponent single-handedly; even a multi-person attack could result in serious casualties.
Youpi may not be the strongest of the Royal Guards overall, but he is definitely the most destructive and the most ferocious in direct combat.
His power, which grows infinitely with his anger, is extremely dangerous in the melee, and could easily cause unnecessary casualties to his own side.
Now that their commando team has enough personnel to avoid such unnecessary Sacrifice through proper personnel arrangements and tactical coordination, they should do so.
Moreover, Kevin had a deeper consideration.
His strengths and trump cards are, to some extent, "open secrets" within the Chimera Ant Group team.
Neferpitou had witnessed some of his abilities and knew how threatening he was.
Neferpitou is incredibly fast, and coupled with her uncanny ability to Clone, what if she's certain that her strength poses a fatal threat to the Ant King?
Therefore, in the battle, Neferpitou would definitely try everything to hold him back, using his Clone and speed to entangle and wear him down, rather than trying to "kill" him in a short time.
The nature of the battle will then shift from "quick victory" to "protracted attrition".
Without Kevin's absolute strength to suppress Neferpitou and instantly kill him, he will definitely be successfully held back by his opponent, and then lose a considerable amount of Nen Aura and physical strength, causing his condition to decline.
This is extremely disadvantageous for any potential subsequent task of fighting the Ant King.
In conclusion, we chose Youpi as our target because of his straightforward and mindless fighting style, his preference for head-on confrontations, and his lack of fancy tricks.
The best option at present is to quickly resolve a major threat while minimizing damage to one's status.
After listening to Kevin's clear and logical analysis and decision.
Those present exchanged glances and fell silent, a heavy atmosphere filling the air.
They were all battle-hardened, experienced elite Hunter x Hunter, and certainly not fools.
Upon hearing the information revealed in Kevin's words, I immediately understood the deeper meaning.
It's obvious.
Kevin and Chairman Netero are preparing to fight the Ant King together, and have even made arrangements to take turns.
Based on their understanding of Chairman Netero's near-invincible knowledge and personality, this possibility points to only one scenario:
Even Chairman Netero himself didn't have the confidence to defeat the Ant King.
This----
Morel frowned deeply, his forehead etched with several deep lines, and then said in a deep voice, "Then, how about we rearrange our tactics? The rest of us will be responsible for dividing and restraining the Royal Guards, trying to prevent them from interfering with the Chairman and you? That way, you can maintain your peak condition to deal with the Ant King?"
Since even Chairman Netero wasn't entirely confident, they had to make even more extreme arrangements, completely "removing" Kevin from their lives to ensure he was in peak condition, as a final insurance policy.
"No need," Kevin's voice was calm yet carried a strong sense of confidence. He waved his hand. "Dealing with Youpi won't take much time. I'm confident I can take him out quickly without it affecting my subsequent performance too much."
Hearing the undeniable confidence in Kevin's tone, the others naturally put aside their doubts and accepted the arrangement.
Kevin is a steady person; he must have something to back up his words.
After a tense but efficient discussion and adjustment, everyone received a clear division of tasks.
"First, once the operation begins, we will all be divided into four separate action teams to deal with the enemy." Morel, as the tactical commander, announced the deployment.
He first pressed his hand heavily on the map to mark Neferpitou's name.
"Neferpitou, Operations Team Number One, members: Melusina, Kite, and Qi."
These Lanrens were members who had directly clashed with Neferpitou in the initial encounter, and they had firsthand experience with her speed and abilities.
Core mission: To achieve victory and hold them off with all our might!
It's not necessarily true that they can defeat Neferpitou in a short time, but given the Lann people's lack of special abilities and their ability to coordinate, it's quite feasible to keep Neferpitou occupied and buy time for other battles.
"Youpi, Action Team Two, member: Kevin."
Kevin alone is enough to deal with this berserk warrior.
Both of them have a fighting style that leans towards brute force rather than speed; once they get going, their battles will be earth-shattering and extremely chaotic.
To avoid affecting friendly forces and causing unnecessary disruption, having Kevin handle the situation alone and luring or suppressing Youpi in a specific area is the best option.
"Finally, there's Youpi, the Action Team Lan. The members are: me, Gon, Meruem, Men Qi. It's a team of four."
Their goal was not merely to hold off the enemy, but to kill them.
Of the Royal Guards, the one with the weakest sensory abilities is actually Youpi.
Tactical core: Rei-Ran Meruem's near-perfect "invisibility" ability, combined with Gon's pure and extremely powerful "Rock Paper Scissors after charging up, allows for a decisive and fatal blow at crucial moments.
On the surface, Men Qi's Nen Beast scout and engage in combat, while Morel's Purple Smoke Machine Soldier control and Smoke Blockade.
To deal with the opponent's Clone and harassment, creating an opportunity for Gon to deliver a fatal blow. Both of them possess excellent reconnaissance skills and the ability to summon Burning Nen Beast or create area-of-effect effects, effectively dealing with the smaller individuals that emerge after Youpi splits.
"Finally, there are the modified Soldier Ant patrolling throughout the Royal Palace," Morel's gaze swept over Buhara and the other surrendered Chimeric Ant warriors, "These will be handled by Xiahara as the main force, with the assistance of all the Chimeric Ant brothers present."
The Chimeric Ant warriors nodded in unwavering agreement.
They were well aware of their role. They could hardly intervene in battles involving Lan Guards, but dealing with these modified Soldier Ant, whose strength was relatively equal to that of the General Alliance, was no problem at all, given their power and combat experience. It was a perfect opportunity for them to play to their strengths.
Moreover, this is a time for them to demonstrate their own value, an action they must take after their defection, and fortunately, they have no choice but to comply.
With Buhaci, a member of considerable strength and outstanding defensive capabilities, serving as the core support, the task of clearing out Soldier Ant and ensuring safety should be handled with ease.
That's the basic tactical arrangement.
As for more specific details of the action plan?
Therefore, there is no need to over-formulate public policies at this time.
The plan is to always keep up with change, especially when facing opponents with bizarre abilities or ferocious strength like Neferpitou and Youpi.
Not to mention that they themselves did not have sufficient intelligence on the specific defense details inside the Royal Palace, the enemy's real-time reactions, and other information.
The strategic objectives are clear—who will deal with whom—and that's fair enough.
The specific execution of tactics requires adapting to the rapidly changing situation on the battlefield.