All Preparations Complete

PS: It was a new week again, same old rule: if today's recommendations exceeded 100, there would be an extra chapter. ╭(╯ε╰)╮~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The pieces are all in place. All that remains is to wait." Meruem toyed with a small bottle of purple blood in his left hand. It contained Jed's blood. In his right hand, he held a chess piece. Unfortunately, due to his personality, Meruem had no interest whatsoever in defeating humans through board games.

Besides, although he had loved the Ant King and Komugi pairing in his previous life, and the Ant King and Komugi in the original story had ultimately died together—which could be considered a happy ending—if it were himself, Komugi definitely would not have been his type. He could like Komugi's personality, but he would never fall in love with her. Still, Meruem had found Komugi's home in this life and provided her with plenty of help, which counted as a little compensation. Even someone as strong as Meruem could do nothing about matters of the heart.

I'm sorry, Komugi. I can't give you love.

"King, according to the reports from the three Squad Leaders, Jed has arrived at Heaven's Arena. Also, following your orders, we have killed the man called Goreinu." Already Snake, one of the Anbu Twelve Stars, knelt on one knee before Meruem and reported.

"Very good. Well done." Meruem revealed a faint smile. The chess pieces were finally beginning to move. Make a scene. The bigger the mess you make, the easier it will be for me to carry out my plan. As for killing Goreinu? Meruem had already regarded Neferpitou as his possession, and he could not tolerate even the slightest blemish. Even if that plot was not from the original story, even if it was just some, ahem...

"Forgive my bluntness, King, but why did you spend so much effort searching for someone with so little power?" As time passed, the Anbu Twelve Stars, whom Meruem trusted greatly, had gradually become less restrained around him.

Or rather, Meruem himself was not a serious person.

I'm actually quite easygoing, as long as you don't go against my wishes. Meruem had said that in front of others more than once.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that. I have my own reasons." Meruem did not want to dwell on the matter of expending so much manpower to find Goreinu amid the vast sea of people and kill him. He simply disliked Goreinu. Well, it really did have something to do with that Neferpitou-training doujin called Goreinu.

"Yes."

Heaven's Arena was located within the Republic of Padokea. It was a paradise for fighting enthusiasts and the largest combat arena in the Hunter World.

Heaven's Arena had 251 floors and stood 991 meters tall, making it the fourth-tallest building in the world. The tower was filled with fighting arenas. Up to the 200th floor, Heaven's Arena was divided into ranks every ten floors, and only victors could advance to higher levels. More than a billion spectators from around the world came each year, while over four thousand challengers lined up at the registration desk every day.

It was a great place for the strong to earn money, but a nightmare for the weak. In the original story, Gon and Killua had once farmed money here.

From the 1st to the 99th floors, all contestants had to undergo a strength test on the first floor, so the first floor was filled with one fighting ring after another. Within three minutes, the judges decided which floor each contestant would be assigned to based on their performance. Naturally, the stronger one was, the higher the floor one would be assigned. Of course, the prize money here was also the lowest—probably enough to buy a bottle of soda or a piece of candy.

From the 100th to the 199th floors, contestants could obtain private rooms, and this was also the best place to farm cash. From the 200th floor onward, it was basically territory for Nen Users. Though there were not many true experts, they were all quite skilled at using Nen. Most importantly, there was no prize money after the 200th floor. They claimed the fights were for honor.

From the 220th to the 250th floors, each floor had a Floor Master. In theory, they were the strongest fighters in Heaven's Arena. Still, this number 250 always felt like that old thief FJ was insulting the readers. Maybe it was just an illusion.

Back then, the battle between Hisoka and Kastro had only been a conflict on the 200th floor. Although Hisoka possessed strength far beyond that of a Floor Master, if strength was measured according to the Floor Masters in the Movie Version... By the way, judging from the old TV version's plot together with the Movie Version, the strongest person in Heaven's Arena should have been the elevator lady.

Those were all beside the point. In short, Heaven's Arena was famous enough to attract plenty of outside attention, and it contained many powerful Floor Masters as well as many Nen Users.

That was why it made sense for it to become Jed's target, provided he was strong enough.

After parting ways with Meruem, Jed spent several days healing himself and his three subordinates, then spent several more days rescuing the surviving members of Black Shadow who had been imprisoned across various regions. They were no longer as numerous as before, but there were still several hundred of them. Jed used some of his own blood to transform them all. However, because these survivors possessed only the aptitude of ordinary people, the extent to which they became stronger was extremely limited. Besides, Jed had never truly regarded them as his main fighting force.

Unlike the Movie Version, Heaven's Arena was not currently holding its massive biennial martial arts tournament. Nor were there thirty overwhelmingly powerful Floor Masters across the 220th to 250th floors.

"Though I'm not afraid of them, it would still be troublesome to deal with them one by one." Those were Jed's exact words. Unlike the unreasonable situation in the Movie Version, where the Floor Masters were all weaklings, this was reality. Although Jed's strength was certainly above those thirty Floor Masters, they would not be weak either. Cleaning them up would require some effort from Jed, and he might even get injured. That was completely unnecessary. Therefore, choosing a time outside the biennial tournament was essential. After all, not every Floor Master was bored enough to remain in Heaven's Arena twenty-four hours a day. They were all martial arts masters; continuous training was the proper path. Under normal circumstances, only around five—or even fewer—of the thirty Floor Masters permanently stayed in Heaven's Arena. Yet because there were challengers, there would certainly be Floor Masters present.

However, even five Floor Masters were nothing to Jed, who had the help of three Chimera Ant Squad Leaders.

Each Squad Leader would deal with one Floor Master, while Jed himself would deal with two. The fighters on the remaining floors would be left to Purgatory, Asura, and Evil Spirit. After defeating their opponents, they would inject them with Jed's blood and bring them under control. So long as they were not the sort of people who would rather die than submit, they would obediently comply.

In only two hours, Heaven's Arena was purged.

The plot began developing in the direction of the Movie Version.

Now, only Netero was missing.

"What? Heaven's Arena has been taken over by a group of terrorists of unknown identity? They are demanding that Chairman Netero attend alone in exchange for the lives of all the spectators inside?"

News of Heaven's Arena's fall quickly reached the Hunter Association.

No, it had spread throughout the entire local country. The local military had also prepared to attack Jed and the others. However, unless they possessed Nen, ordinary soldiers could not inflict any substantial damage on powerful Nen Users, aside from using weapons of mass destruction.

Thus, the local self-defense forces were completely wiped out.

"Yo, long time no see. Netero, do you remember who I am?" Using Asura's powerful mechanical control abilities to instantly hack into every television, Jed brazenly appeared before the public.

"If you want everyone in this arena to remain safe, then enter the arena alone. I'll be waiting for you on the top floor. I'll repeat myself: I'll give you ten hours to consider it. If you want this—"

"This is... Jed!" With Jed causing such a huge disturbance, it was impossible for Netero not to know. He temporarily set aside his research plan for killing Meruem, then gloomily took out a half-coin from his chest pocket. This was perhaps the only regret of his entire life.

"Netero, it seems you still have some unfinished business." The speaker was a little old man who looked like ET. He was the strongest member of the Hunter World's strongest assassin family, Maha Zoldyck. He was a super expert with strength equal to Netero's.

"Hehe, this guy seems to be the fellow I helped you deal with back then. His name was... Jed, right? That was decades ago. It really brings back memories. Back then, this guy's strength was not much weaker than yours." Maha spoke while holding a teacup.

"How about it? Do you want my help this time?"

"No need, old friend. This time, I want to settle it myself. I owe him this. I never expected him to come back to life, and in such an inhuman state." Netero's expression was somewhat despondent, an expression that had never appeared even when facing Meruem at the height of his power.

"Fine. He has already strayed onto the wrong path. The current him is no match for you, so deal with him quickly." After saying that, Maha vanished from his seat. Maha Zoldyck had an exceptionally accurate eye for people. As one of the world's top assassins, judging a person's strength was a basic ability. Moreover, Maha had fought Jed before.

Maha Zoldyck had once attempted to assassinate Chairman Netero, and Netero was the only person who had fought Maha Zoldyck and survived. In truth, however, the two had always known each other. For certain reasons, their relationship was both hostile and friendly. In the original Chimera Ant Arc, when Netero attacked the Ant King's palace, the helper he invited was Maha Zoldyck's grandson, Zeno Zoldyck.

"Chairman, please allow me to go with you! It's too dangerous for you to go alone, and you still haven't completely adapted to that new arm, have you? Knuckle has already disappeared. I don't want you to—" When Netero, dressed in white, arrived before Heaven's Arena, a man wearing sunglasses and carrying a massive smoking pipe over his shoulder spoke. He was Morel, a one-star Marine Hunter. Netero's right hand, which should have been broken off by Meruem, was once again attached to his right side, though its color and muscles were somewhat mismatched. That was right—it was not Netero's original arm, but another arm. Although Nen abilities were numerous and bizarre, abilities that could regrow Netero's arm did exist. However, it would take a long time for it to become the same as before, and until then it would be of little use in battle. Thus, in order to recover his fighting strength as quickly as possible, Netero could only choose to replace it with another arm. Though this arm was not as powerful as his former one, it at least posed no major problem in battle. It merely felt unfamiliar from time to time.

"Say no more. Jed's target is me, and I have a score to settle with him." Chairman Netero's eyes were no longer as kindly as usual, but like a treasured sword about to leave its sheath. "Your mission is to rescue the hostages with the Zodiac Twelve. As for Jed, you are still no match for that man."

"Sigh... Understood."