Association reinforcements stood dumbfounded as the remnants fled east, setting the stage

Dust slowly settled on the breeze drifting through the woods, and the smell of earth mingled with the scent of vegetation. Kite stood at the edge of the enormous crater, still gripping half a broken sword. Fragments of sunset gleamed on its blade, dazzling the eyes. Behind him, three investigation team members stood rigid, mouths open as they stared at the rubble and ant remains below. They looked as though they had been frozen by a spell, unable to utter a word.

Before setting out, they had spent a full two weeks preparing contingency plans. Infiltration routes, retreat signals, emergency treatment, mutual destruction in the worst-case scenario—they had rehearsed every step over and over. None of them had imagined that this investigation, which they barely expected to survive, would end with "someone collapsing the entire main nest with one punch."

"That was amazing!" Gon was the first to recover. He bounded over to the crater and leaned over the dirt slope to peer down, his eyes shining like stars. "Mr. Saitama flattened the ant nest with one punch! I thought something was going to happen to Mr. Kite back there. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest!"

Killua walked over beside him with a strawberry lollipop in his mouth and rolled his eyes, though his tone carried a respect even he failed to notice. "You're way too easily impressed. Spend enough time around him, and you'll realize nothing's too ridiculous when he's involved." Despite his words, the sight of Neferpitou's claws stopping just short of Kite's forehead had left his back drenched in cold sweat. Only when Saitama firmly caught the claw tips between two fingers had his heart finally settled.

Kite slowly loosened his grip on the broken sword, his knuckles white from the force he had used.