Persuasion X First Move

On the desolate battlefield.

The Ant King looked at Kevin, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Kevin's appearance was like a clear signal.

He seemed to understand that Kevin's arrival itself silently foreshadowed the complete failure, or even death, of one of his guards.

But it was what he himself felt.

That red figure— Youpi's fate was already sealed.

But these are not the most crucial issues in his current thinking.

The lives of the guards are far less important than the choice made by the powerful human beings before them.

He turned his attention back to Netero and continued the conversation that had been interrupted.

That fundamental question about why we fight.

Looking at Netero, he spoke in a calm voice.

"Standing here against me, you should already be prepared for defeat, shouldn't you?"

His tone was not provocative, but rather an affirmation that was almost like stating a fact.

Netero remained silent, his gaze sharpening, but he did not answer.

Silence itself is the most powerful answer.

Seemingly moved by Netero's resolute silence, or perhaps finding a rare audience who could empathize with his ideas, the Ant King opened up completely.

"I really can't understand how what you're doing can be considered protecting the human race?"

His voice carried a confusion that was both naive and unusually sincere.

"My existence, my rule, should be a huge help to humanity, right? After all, you humans have so many things that I find absurd, contradictory, inefficient, irrational, and incomprehensible."

He reiterated that it was as if the chronic ills of human society were the cornerstone of his legitimacy to rule.

As he spoke, he began to list some more items as if they were his own treasures.

Like an idealist.

For example, the artificial divisions and endless hatred along national borders; the clearly defined, invisible Boundary between cities; and the shocking wealth gap in some countries.

Just a line apart, a wall apart, one side is a world of dazzling lights and extravagant pleasures, the other is littered with garbage, strewn with corpses, and filled with starving people.

The stark, jarring contrast is like a sore on the world.

To the Ant King, these were all glaring and utterly illogical entities.

It is a gross desecration of resources and life.

He felt that this was a chaotic world mired in a quagmire that needed to be ended.

It takes a strong hand to end it.

"Under my rule, I will end this chaos. I cannot say that I will grant absolute equality to mankind, but at least I will establish an efficient and orderly system based on ability and contribution, free from this absurd and disgusting inequality."

His voice, unusually, swelled with emotion, resounding as he proclaimed his blueprint for an ideal world.

As he spoke, he seemed to get carried away and began to talk in more detail about his ruling strategies and actions.

"Initially, I will inevitably use [power] and [fear] to accelerate my rule and sphere of influence, but this is only a temporary and necessary means to maintain order as quickly as possible and reduce the unnecessary losses caused by overall chaos."

"This process is no different from human warfare. In fact, due to my absolute power and efficient decision-making mechanism, the casualties will definitely be less compared to the protracted, inefficient, and unpredictable wars between humans."

He asserted with certainty, "Rational calculation."

In wars between humans, especially large-scale wars, the death rate is often calculated as a percentage.

History has proven its cruelty countless times with blood and fire.

Given his individual strength and the absolute obedience of the Chimeric Ant, he certainly wouldn't have caused such a horrific and out-of-control massacre.

Efficiency is kindness.

Netero and Kevin stood there silently, like two stone statues, listening quietly.

Netero seemed lost in thought, while Kevin appeared more like a detached and calm observer.

However, Kevin didn't pay much attention to the specific details of the Ant King's rule or Ant King words.

He, on the contrary, observed with great interest the clash between the Ant King and Netero —a battle concerning the survival of their race—as if watching a play.

He felt that such a scene was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A direct clash between two powerful wills, a dialogue about the future of the race.

It would be a real shame not to observe and experience it properly.

This is a historic moment.

Kevin knows better than anyone how big the problems in this world are.

He was a soul from another world, initially a pure observer, instinctively facing his own death.

We gain a broader, more historical perspective to understand the world.

And this world.

It can be seen as an amplified version of some dark side of his past world, a magnified version of the bad aspects.

Human weaknesses are exposed more nakedly and thoroughly on a larger stage in this world where willpower determines power.

The reason Netero is patiently listening to what the other party has to say is that the Chimera Ant King is indeed an opponent of unfathomable strength who must be taken seriously.

Based on their seasoned and insightful understanding of people, the Ant King's words were absolutely heartfelt and sincere.

In other words, at least at this moment, when the Ant King says these words, he means it from the bottom of his heart; he truly believes it and is very likely to do so in the future.

A powerful and rational idealist?

"The reason I obediently followed you here is because it seems that only here can you truly calm down and communicate with me in a peaceful manner."

The Ant King looked at Netero as if he had already seen through Netero's intention in choosing this place.

Netero's eyes flickered slightly, and he instantly understood the other person's meaning.

Able to persuade.

The other side believed that if they could persuade Netero and gain Netero approval, they could reduce much of the resistance to their future rule and greatly accelerate it.

Moreover, he believed this was good for Netero.

So he did it.

The Ant King never underestimates humans.

From the very beginning, he did not consider humans to be any kind of inferior race, like pigs or dogs.

Because he was born at the very moment when the guards were escorting the Queen as she fled from being hunted by humans.

Therefore, he has never looked down on humans since birth.

However, once he actually started hunting and understanding humans, he lost that initial sense of approval.

But the more you understand, the more you realize the complexity and contradictions of human nature.

Especially after seeing Netero and then Kevin who had arrived.

This reinforced his desire to talk.

This is a large enough number of people, even though most of them are, in his eyes, muddle-headed and like pigs and dogs, but among them will emerge brilliant stars like Netero and Kevin.

In that case, the human race has potential and is worthwhile.

He is willing to spend his time and energy governing this community in a more rational and compassionate way.

Netero's brow was deeply furrowed, and deep lines were etched on his forehead.

Kevin observed silently from the side, quietly creating some distance and standing atop a severely weathered stone pillar not far away.

The viewing spot here is excellent, with a wide and unobstructed view, making it a very suitable location.

The two of them seemed oblivious to his actions.

Kevin, of course, disagreed with the Ant King's words.

It's very simple, just because the Ant King isn't human.

This alone is enough to create an insurmountable gap and solve a large part of the problem.

Not to mention that the Ant King inevitably has human blood flowing through his veins; having benefited from humans, he has naturally also been tainted by their shortcomings.

Looking back at history, there are countless kings who started as wise rulers but eventually became corrupt and decadent.

The world was like that before, and so is this world.

Those who are not of our kind are bound to have different hearts, let alone the supreme ruler who reigns over billions of living beings.

He might think humanity is worthwhile today, but with his self-centered and unquestionable personality, he could instantly feel that humanity is not worthwhile if something were to violently affect him.

After all, humans are a race with rebellious blood flowing in their veins, and they will never be willing to be ruled like this. Even under the shadow of fear, countless people will still rise up to resist.

Especially in this world, where willpower is prone to extremes, whether for good or bad.

The future of a race rests on the shoulders of an Alien Race ruler, or an Alien Race ruler who prioritizes power over emotion.

A tragic future was thus predetermined.

Therefore, in Kevin's view, what the other person said was nothing but meaningless nonsense based on flawed premises.

Moreover, it's impossible for him to succeed.

An "infant" unaware of human malice.

This is a life-or-death war between two races.

But if you ask whether Kevin wavered even slightly after hearing what he just said, the answer is definitely yes.

However, his wavering was a hypothetical exclamation:

If the Ant King were a purely human being, and rational enough, he might actually have become a decent ruler.

Because his ideas sound like those of a pure idealist.

Humans are naturally drawn to idealists, but harsh realities often lead them to dismiss most idealists as worthless.

So Kevin looked at Netero with a hint of inquiry and curiosity.

Has Netero wavered?

Judging from appearance and presence, no, at least not from what Kevin has seen so far.

But Kevin keenly sensed that even the slightest wavering might be imminent.

It seems Netero is about to launch an attack.

Kevin was very aware of the differences between himself and Netero.

He can waver in his thoughts at will, and sigh as he pleases; what a pity.

Thoughts that change depending on the other person's words and actions.

Because his fighting style isn't based solely on his own will; simply put, he doesn't fight purely based on his Nen ability.

After all, his Nen ability is primarily supportive.

His ability to attack is not necessarily related to his will.

But Netero is different.

Netero is a pure martial artist; his Nen ability, Hundred-Type Guanyin, is closely linked to his martial will and is strongly correlated with it.

Therefore, Netero cannot waver in his resolve in the slightest.

You can't have thoughts like, "If only the other person were human."

Similarly, we cannot say things like, "What a pity," "If only there were humans like that," or "If only there were rulers like that."

These are perfectly normal thoughts, yet they can be deadly.

Even with this thought, there was a slight wavering.

It can also affect the purity and effectiveness of his Nen Aura, like a tiny crack.

Netero no longer hesitated.

"It seems we've all been having a tough time."

He muttered something under his breath, seemingly with a touch of self-mockery, as if he were thinking something strange.

He immediately frowned deeply and clasped his hands together in front of his chest with lightning speed.

Seeing this, the Ant King standing opposite him silently shut his mouth, as if understanding the situation. It seemed that the old man in front of him was not so easily swayed by words.

Although he had anticipated this.

As he clasped his hands together, a huge, golden, shimmering phantom of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin Statue appeared behind Netero.

This is not a simple construct of Nen Aura, nor is it something that actually exists.

This is a manifestation of Netero martial will and immense Nen Aura.

It is something that he has created by seamlessly blending his life's beliefs, spirit, and Nen Aura.

Only Kevin and the Ant King were present.

Both were top-tier experts, so they were naturally able to clearly "see" this spiritual Conjuration formed by a mixture of wills through their keen perception.

Kevin had seen this coming, so he wasn't surprised.

The Ant King, however, watched with great interest and curiosity.

Even at this moment, he remained calm and relaxed.

This seemed to further enrage Netero.

With hands clasped together, raise them and chop downwards.

"Bang!"

Within the will-layered mask, the illusory image of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin raised one of its enormous arms, slashing down in sync with Netero's movements.

A hand, as real as if it were solid, came down.

At this moment, Netero held nothing back; this attack was the culmination of his full power.

A surge of powerful Nen Aura poured down instantly.

It struck the Ant King with speed beyond what the eye could perceive, and the Ant King seemed to have no time to react, simply standing there and taking the hit.

Wrong.

Kevin could see clearly that the Ant King wasn't unwilling to dodge, but rather that he was too fast for Kevin to avoid.

As expected, Netero's Nen ability attack, with its extreme speed, was indeed terrifying.

Even the Ant King couldn't escape it.

Seeing this, Kevin felt inexplicably at ease, after all, he couldn't escape it either.

A fissure was cleaved open in the barren ground, and from the pit within that fissure, the Ant King emerged unharmed from the pile of rubble.

His body was only covered in mud and dirt, but he was clearly not injured at all.

Netero looked at him with a serious expression.

He was certain he had hit his target, and hit him squarely.

He couldn't possibly hold back under these circumstances; his aim was to take the other person's life.

However, a perfect hit did not result in any effective damage gain.

This inexplicably reminded him of Kevin was also ridiculously hard.

They're truly two monsters that can't be beaten up.

I encountered the same type of "turtle" within a short period of one month, something I would never have encountered even once in my entire life before.

"His pure physical abilities are incredibly strong," Kevin thought to himself, sitting on a stone pillar watching the fight, which was his most crucial source of intelligence.

Netero also tacitly intended to do so.

After all, the two of them had already tacitly and unceremoniously adopted the basic strategy of a war of attrition.

Keep in mind that Kevin still has a crucial dose of medicine that he hasn't used on Netero.

That potion was a lifesaver that could restore Netero to his peak condition, even if Netero was on the verge of death.

Therefore, Netero decided to confront the Ant King in his current aged state.

Kevin naturally didn't say much about this decision. He was confident in his ability to adapt, and even in the aftermath of a fierce battle between two powerful individuals, he was confident that he could inject Netero if necessary.

An old age form, a peak form.

Based on Kevin's understanding of Netero's peak performance.

Even if Netero's peak condition isn't enough to completely achieve his goal, it should at least force the Ant King to reveal more of his trump cards and gain something from him.

This peak performance of half an hour will definitely reveal all the information about the Ant King's fighting style, abilities, and characteristics.

As the second challenger to take the stage.

Kevin was able to gather all this information completely without missing a single detail, thus gaining a significant advantage in the battle against the Ant King.

Looking at it now...

The Ant King is a pure, utterly hopeless numerical monster.

A body of unbelievable strength, and a breath as vast and vibrant as the sea.

The combination of these two factors makes the Ant King's every move incredibly fast and powerful, far exceeding that of ordinary people.

Even Netero.

If Netero hadn't used his incredible speed-enhancing Nen ability, the Ant King might have been able to gain an overwhelming advantage with sheer physical strength in the blink of an eye, and perhaps even defeat Netero with sheer brute force within a few rounds.

However, after only the first round of their exchange, Kevin had already reached a preliminary conclusion in his mind, a conclusion that made him feel somewhat at ease.

His defensive capabilities are fundamentally different from his opponent's.

The Chimera Ant King seemed to rely on his exceptional physical Nen ability to withstand the attack, while he relied on a dual mechanism of Nen-based barriers and the transformation of his body into Snake Scale to endure it.

The combination of barriers and Snake Scale is far more effective than the pure physical defense currently demonstrated by the Ant King.

If it drags on into a protracted war of attrition.

It is also entirely due to their own advantage in terms of the system.

The first tactical advantage has already emerged.