Thanks to that raid on the ant nest, the forces of Meteor City had learned about the Nen ability of the "Ant King," Zaiiro.
Zaiiro was most likely a Specialist Nen user. He could conjure a special drug, and once a Demon took it, its life was effectively in his hands.
At first, the Demons suffered terribly. More than half exploded and died from the drug, but those who survived the agony emerged stronger.
Ordinary "soldiers" became "Army Leaders," "Army Leaders" became "Division Leaders," and "Division Leaders" became "Royal Guards."
A few even skipped two ranks, but they were extremely rare.
Those without Nen abilities gained them, while those who already had them received an Amplification. At least one aspect of their power, speed, defense, or regeneration improved.
The opponents Shalnark now faced were three monsters who had taken Zaiiro's drug and risen to become "Three Royal Guards."
He still stood a chance one-on-one, but facing all three at once was simply too much.
As he fought, he glanced once more at the antenna in his hand. In the end, he stuck it into himself and switched it to "Autopilot Mode."
Using "Autopilot Mode" meant Shalnark had resorted to his last resort.
"Autopilot Mode" was, in a way, a combination of Zaiiro's and Zazan's Nen abilities.
Shalnark would enter an unconscious state, and his Nen ability would be enhanced in every way. The mode would end automatically only after he had killed every enemy before him.
Otherwise, he would remain in that state until he ran out of Nen Energy.
He was effectively abandoning the brain he trusted most and making one final desperate attempt to fight with his body, leaving the outcome entirely to fate.
Shalnark would never use "Autopilot Mode" unless he had no other choice. Now, that