What Is Next?

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Chapter 114: What Is Next?

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His vision has already engulfed most of the known world and its working its way to engulf the whole world and much more.

To a certain extent, everything is but a chessboard so... So one can only wonder... how many chess matches is he playing? and how many is he manipulating from the shadows? one can only wonder.

Yasuo took a sip enjoying the hot coffee, a delicacy he can never say no to. He stroked his earring with his eyes glittering as he looked at what his eyes can see.

He was sitting in his lab in the Kakin empire near the capital, a lab that only became more and more secure the more time passes.

But with that, the things inside also continued to increase and become richer with new strange things appearing from time to time.

And now, he is looking at his newest collection placed in an isolated large room with the genetic elixir machine.

The collection is quite simple really consisting of a special kind of animal or as hunters call them, magical beasts but these are not just normal magical beasts, these ones are special.

A type of magical beasts whose creation is unknown, beasts whose source is a mother beast which drifted through the sea from an unknown location, drifted into that particular large Island where it created its nest... Chimera Ants.

And tens of such Ants could be seen in the lab in all kinds of shapes and colors, only ones that picked his interest are the ones in the lab.

Chimera ants with natural abilities that are useful or could be useful in the future or simply ones that interest him.

Yasuo of course didn't waste time since the incident between Kite and Pitou, he made use of that time to study Chimera ants thoroughly especially the special bunch of them.

He thoroughly studied their DNA memorizing every sequence of it as well as doing several experiments on each of the specimens he has.

And he made sure to get the best specimens he can since he can't go after royal guards as of yet for a very specific reason.

Those specimens consist of a few squadron leaders and other lower rank ants though he has other targets in mind, those are ones he can't take for now.

So with that as a goal, he 'Kidnapped' a few ants here and there leaving the ones that are useless to him or the ones that will be more useful when they awaken Nen and create their abilities.

His experiments were quite simple, DNA-focused experiments as this are what his future is gonna be for quite a while.

DNA is the program that forms what we are and what we will be, how far we can go. It's the basis of life, something that passes down to the following generations, and if the process happens a certain amount of times, it leads to a phenomenon called evolution, a state of DNA changes that happens over a long time.

The changes lead to a significant change in the entity giving it new functions or making already existing ones stronger or... or in some cases, weaker or losing functions.

The small changes in DNA sequences are a fascinating process that leads to some astonishing changes.

And that's something he is planning to exploit fully beyond what anyone can imagine and it took him a while to here and it's not long before he collects the rewards, the rewards of his hard work.

So Yasuo waited... waited for that predicted call or meeting he will have with Netero, the hunter association's chairman and the one who can really see the threat of Chimera ants.

He will also see their obvious weaknesses as they're... well, quite apparent.

The old man appeared within the Zoldyck's property not long after that, just a few days after the king, Meruem's birth.

He set up a meeting with Zeno, Silva and Yasuo beforehand, after all, this is an important matter, one that can endanger humanity as a whole if not taken seriously.

The four sat down surrounding the round table with cups of tea and coffee placed on it, each with their own thing.

Netero let out a small laugh while stroking his small beard in contrast to his previously long beard but he had to prepare for the incoming exciting battle and everything little thing counts in his books.

"It's been a while since we sat down like this huh, old friend?"

"It really has, we've grown old yet we never seem to sit down... But well, things like this aren't for people like us, are they?" Zeno responded in his usual casual tone with a hint of reminiscences apparent in it.

Netero widely smiled nodding, a behavior showing his current state of mind looking forward to the next challenge. After all, Yasuo was a challenge... for the first few days until fighting him became like an ant trying to fight a dragon.

Not a dragon for size but for the infinite ways he defeated him. Netero found himself being read like an open book, the small almost non-existent patterns were found instantly. His future actions were predicted to their smallest details.

And at one point, the fight became unenjoyable, Netero saw no chance of winning at all and his trump card is useless against such a person.

A person with so many abilities making anything he does useless and from those abilities is a portals ability.

If Yasuo just created a portal in the ability's way with the latter being Netero's Zero hand ability which summons The bodhisattva that appears behind his enemy and tenderly clasps them within its palms.

Then, it focuses every last ounce of Netero's aura in its mouth before mercilessly firing it as an enormous flare of unparalleled destructive power.

That flare will simply go through the portal appearing from within the destination portal which if so Yasuo wished can appear in front of the defenseless Netero simply using his attack against him and this is only a way of the numerous ways in which he can lose but never win as while he learns a lot facing Yasuo.

It's never more than what Yasuo learns nor will what he learns ever be enough... And he has come to accept that.

So once a new challenge showed up, a challenge that could potentially be stronger than his previous one albeit there is a huge weakness that even the new challenge seems to have as well as most of the ants.

All of them are newborns and their experience and wisdom are lacking no matter how intelligent they are.

Once that challenge appeared he decided to test himself against something or someone that isn't Yasuo and if he failed, he'll just have to use some extreme measures.

"You're right, such things just aren't for us."

Then Netero turned his head looking at Yasuo who was casually taking sips of coffee then asked, "So is everything going well, or do you need my help? It may not be that much but every bit counts."

Zeno and Silva didn't quite get what he means, after all, Yasuo just won't tell them the information unless he has to and Zigg just can't tell them anything.

"Nah, I'm good, it's not really a problem." Simply answered the young Zoldyck in the room to which Netero nodded understanding a bit of Yasuo's personality then he had a casual talk with Zeno for a few minutes catching up.

Silva just waited until they finish knowing the Hunter's Chairman wouldn't come here unless necessary which means he has an important mission for the Zoldycks and he was right as Zeno wondered.

"So... what are you really here for? It's not just for catching up, is it?"

Netero slightly smiled shaking his head, "Of course not... I have a mission for all the three of you and it's quite an important one.

I'm sure you already know of what's happening but there is a species called Chimera ants and well, they're a highly dangerous threat."

Netero continued once they nodded confirming what he said, "The main targets are the Royal guards and the king with the latter being my target so I want to hire the three of you.

Zeno, I want you to exterminate as many of them as possible but your main target is to make sure I have some time alone with the King."

Netero then looked at Silva adding, "Your target is just to exterminate as many of them as possible and none of you should worry, if you deemed an opponent deadly even for you then you can retreat."

Then he looked at the last person in the room, the dark-haired man that seems to be in a daze as if he has no interest in the subject but Netero knows.

He knows what kind of person this man is, he definitely already knows of the Chimera ants and must've taken quite a few to 'Research', such strange creatures definitely won't escape his tight grasp.

Netero's eyes gleamed for a split second before saying, "As for you... All I want you to do is to make sure the King is dead as well as the other smaller ants... Without spoiling my fun of course.

I'm sure you understand my request clearly and I presume you accept?"