Let's Roll, Squad Leader

PS: I had to work overtime tomorrow, so I updated early.

He had lost—an overwhelming defeat. Crocodile Squad Leader Gudo had been utterly defeated at the hands of Squad Captain Gaster. Gudo did not even understand how he had lost. He had only felt as if his strength had suddenly been drained away by the other side. Then he had been beaten black and blue.

"What? What kind of terrifying ability was that?" Unlike Gudo, Aureole had witnessed every moment of Gudo's defeat. As the saying went, those involved could not see clearly, while onlookers saw everything. He clearly knew that Gudo had lost to that Squad Captain's Nen ability, but he could not understand how a mere Squad Captain possessed such a powerful ability. Or rather, how had a Squad Captain cultivated such an incredible ability? If I could borrow his ability, my strength would absolutely soar.

"Hmph. With strength like that, you dared say the King needed your power?" After utterly crushing Gudo, Gaster mocked him without restraint. "You think you can eat me? Even the Soldier Ants here are stronger than you."

Gaster continued mocking him, and Gudo's face shifted between red and white, clearly furious. Just imagine it—how enraged did someone have to be to turn a green crocodile face red and white? Still, Gaster had every reason to be angry. What were Soldier Ants? To put it plainly, they were cannon fodder that could not even speak and had no intelligence. Being weaker than Soldier Ants meant what? Worthless trash? Yet after being taught a lesson, Gaster did not dare act rashly again. That sensation of having his power drained away, leaving him weak and helpless, was unforgettable. As for whether Gudo was really weaker than Soldier Ants? That was obviously just Gaster talking nonsense. After all, Gudo was a Squad Leader, someone who could be considered formidable even in the Hunter World. Even after Meruem's Nen ability training, Soldier Ants were limited by their innate qualities and talent. There was absolutely no way they could surpass Squad Leaders who had never received Nen ability training in just one month. Give them another ten or even twenty years, and there might be a slight possibility. Gaster was merely trying to provoke these Squad Leaders.

But Gaster knew that; these Squad Leaders did not. In their previous understanding, Squad Captains could not possibly defeat Squad Leaders, yet now one was beating them down with ease. Thus, a wonderful misunderstanding was born.

"What kind of training did this King undergo? He could actually train even Soldier Ants to this extent?" Zazan felt that her brain was no longer enough to process this. After all, she was the Squad Leader who had encountered the most specially trained ants, so she was also the one who believed Gaster's words the most.

Aureole, meanwhile, regretted leaving back then. If I hadn't left, I would have powerful strength now too. Still, he did not really believe that a Squad Captain could utterly crush a Squad Leader. If you had the ability, then crush one for me to see! But if someone had to be crushed, it should be that crocodile.

As for Gudo, all he could think about now was gaining enough power to kill the damned Squad Captain before him.

"A rooster crows, a hen lays eggs—Hen Crowing at Dawn!" This was Gaster's Nen ability. Hen Crowing at Dawn originated from a Chinese idiom: hen referred to a female chicken, crowing meant managing the morning announcement. A hen crowing like a rooster referred to a hen announcing the dawn. Hen Crowing at Dawn implied overstepping one's role. Overall, Gudo's strength and total Nen exceeded Gaster's. But once Gaster used Hen Crowing at Dawn, at the instant Gudo attacked him, Gaster could seize Gudo's strength and Nen. Simply put, before Gaster used Hen Crowing at Dawn, he maintained a motionless posture while Gudo attacked. Gudo's actions represented a rooster crowing, while Gaster's represented a hen laying eggs. Yet Hen Crowing at Dawn could seize everything Gudo possessed. In other words, Gudo's target was Gaster, but Gaster would never attack himself. Therefore, the instant Gudo attacked Gaster, everything Gudo possessed would be replaced by Gaster. That was why Gudo lost his combat ability in an instant and became weak and powerless.

Although Hen Crowing at Dawn seemed powerful, it had several weaknesses. First, it had a time limit. Half an hour was the limit for Hen Crowing at Dawn to seize an opponent's power. Second, if the opponent did not attack and instead ran away, then even if Hen Crowing at Dawn was used, they would not lose their combat ability. Finally, if the opponent's strength—Nen and physical power—was more than three times Gaster's own, the ability would fail on its own. Three times was its limit. However, Hen Crowing at Dawn could only seize the opponent's power and Nen; it could not seize their Nen ability. That was to say, although Gaster could take Gudo's Nen and strength, Gudo could still use his Nen ability.

However, Hen Crowing at Dawn could be activated repeatedly. In theory, during a group battle, it could infinitely stack upon Gaster's own foundation and make him invincible. In other words, if Gaster fought Gudo, Aureole, and Zazan, he could theoretically seize Gudo's power, then Aureole's power, and finally Zazan's power.

Thus, before Gudo had fully developed his own Nen ability, it was not unfair for him to be completely crushed by Gaster. Gaster's Nen ability happened to counter those who had not developed Nen abilities and fought only with their bodies. If the opponent had been Aureole, there might have been quite a fierce battle.

"Alright, alright. Since this Mr. Gaster came under the King's orders, I assume he was not here merely to teach Gudo a lesson. Let's talk business." Aureole spoke, intending to smooth things over. Continuing this stalemate would not benefit anyone. There was a faint hint of ingratiation in his tone. After witnessing a mere Squad Captain erupt with enough power to defeat a Squad Leader, he longed even more for the King's training.

"I was sent by the King to deliver something to you." Gaster raised the basket in his hand and waved it before the three of them. Earlier, he had simply disliked Gudo's arrogant attitude and disrespect toward the King, so he had given him a warning. But completing the task the King had assigned remained his top priority.

"Oh? Something from the King for us? What is it?" They had not noticed the basket in Gaster's hand before, but now that they did, they could clearly sense powerful Nen emanating from within it. Not only Aureole, but even Zazan and Gudo, who felt deeply humiliated, were curious.

"What the King has given you is a rare beast that can instantly strengthen you and fully develop all your Nen abilities—the Golden Silkworm Gu!" As Gaster spoke, he lifted the lid of the basket in his hand. Golden light shot into the air and filled the entire room. An extremely powerful Nen radiated from the basket. Following the golden light, Aureole and the other two looked inside, only to see three plump, pale silkworms lying in the center of the basket?!

"The King said you would definitely like them." No one noticed the strange smile that appeared on Gaster's face as he said this. Aureole and the others had their attention fixed on the three silkworms, so none of them saw it.

"What are these things?" Zazan could not help speaking first. The three silkworms in the basket held an inexplicable attraction for her, as though a demon were whispering beside her ear, Eat them. Eat them.

"These are extremely precious exotic beasts the King acquired—the Golden Silkworm Gu. The King said there is something he needs you to do, but your current abilities are still too weak, so your strength needs to be enhanced. As long as you eat one, your Nen will increase severalfold, and your Nen abilities will be fully developed." Gaster tempted them.

In truth, he did not need to tempt them at all. Upon hearing that their Nen could increase severalfold and their Nen abilities could be fully developed, the three Squad Leaders' eyes had already turned red, and their breathing gradually grew heavier. Their reason for coming here was merely because humans were too powerful. They had temporarily sided with the Ant King in order to strengthen themselves. For creatures like traitors, once they had betrayed once, a second betrayal was not far off—unless you possessed enough benefits to keep them interested.

So this was why those Squad Captains had become stronger. As long as I eat them, I can become stronger too. If I eat them all, just how powerful will I become? All three Squad Leaders thought this.

"Then I'll leave these three Golden Silkworm Gu to you." Gaster set the basket before the three Squad Leaders. As he walked away, the looks the three Squad Leaders gave one another grew increasingly hostile. Every one of them wanted to keep the Golden Silkworm Gu for themselves. After all, they had never shared any bond of kinship or any other messy feelings.

"Oh, I forgot to mention something. The King said that each person can only eat one Golden Silkworm Gu in their lifetime. If you eat too many, you may explode and die." Just before disappearing from the three Squad Leaders' sight, Gaster added one final remark. Those words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the three Squad Leaders, who had been ready to start fighting at any moment, instantly calming them down. Was what the King said true? None of the three fully believed it, but no one would joke with their own life. What if it was true? After finally killing the other two, what if eating more than one really made them explode and die? Who could they complain to then? Of course, Gaster had not reminded them out of kindness. It was simply because the King had instructed him that the three still had their uses. Otherwise, Gaster would definitely have waited until one or two of them died from fighting each other before speaking.

"King, the task you assigned has been completed." After leaving the three Squad Leaders, Gaster went straight to the Ant King's study. He knelt on one knee before Meruem, who sat upon the throne.

Golden Silkworm Gu? Did the Hunter World truly have such rare beasts? Could eating them fully develop one's Nen abilities and increase one's Nen severalfold? One could only say that they were thinking too much. The three Golden Silkworm Gu given to the Squad Leaders were merely Nen Beasts created by the Ant King Meruem. Their effect really was to fully develop the three Squad Leaders' Nen abilities and strengthen their Nen. But it was not a free gift. The increase in Nen merely developed the potential within their bodies, while fully developing their Nen abilities was only a small part of the Golden Silkworm Gu's power. As for the Golden Silkworm Gu's true ability? Well, who knew? One only needed to know that its name contained the word Gu.