Chapter Text
0.
"Gon! Killua! Leave me alone! Run!"
A bloody arm sliced off in response, falling into the grass in a paracurve that mimics the arc of the full moon in the background. The sky started to pour with rain.
Neferpitou landed crouched on the ground, ready to sprint forward and attack again. Her red pupils reflected the lengthy figure opposite of her. He was tall and thin, wearing white clothes and a blue hat, with his face emotionless. A weird smile appeared on the corner of Neferpitou’s mouth.
"Very interesting, meow ~"
-
The battle lasted a long time. Long enough that the heavy rain stopped suddenly while the sky began to dawn.
There were several scratches on Pitou’s face. She licked the blue blood off of it. She felt even more excited.
Her minor injuries were nothing, especially compared with the horrifying appearance of her opponent. Pitou thought joyfully.
She leaned lazily against the trunk of a big tree. Her cat's paw gripped another torn human arm, casually shaking it around.
The blonde man across from her finally fainted because of his injuries. The clown staff conjured by Kite’s nen ability disappeared at the same time. His sweater had been torn to pieces, revealing countless wounds on his chest. As he fell down, the blood flowed out slowly, dying the green grass around him red. Although his leg was not completely cut off, it was terrible enough that the fractured bones could not support him to stand up again.
Pitou could not help but stick out her tongue to lick the bloody wound on his broken arm.
To be honest, she didn't have much interest in human flesh. She understood that rare humans with extraordinary strength should be presented to the queen as delicacies.
Nevertheless, this heartfelt and beautiful battle felt like a dream. It stirred up her curiosity for the human even more.
Why was this human always so calm and collected during the fight? Even with his arms torn off, even if he was always at a disadvantage, Pitou could never capture even a slight bit of fear in his eyes. Why?
This question lingered, and aroused a certain reaction that spread rapidly across her mind - she suddenly felt an impulse of tearing this human apart. She did not understand the cause of it.
But it didn’t matter now. Pitou put her hands together and pointed her sharp nails at the back of the blonde man's neck, ready to take his head off.
In two seconds, the world would have one less rare human being, one more intact head, and a lot more torn up body parts.
One. two.
-
Something suddenly hit her head, harshly, something hard with thorns. She stopped her attack and scratched her cat ears. Several fluffy, round, ball-shaped green thingies fell in response - it turned out to be some fruits from the nearest tree.
The green shell was covered with protective bristles, and the real fruit seemed to be hidden inside. With everything Pitou learned through reading, she now understood a lot about human-related knowledge, but she had no idea what that fruit was. So she picked up a few at random and put them in her pocket.
In terms of mind and ability, Pitou was far beyond any ordinary adult human. However, only one day had passed since her birth. Like a newborn baby, she was curious about everything around her.
-
Animal impulses start in a flash and disappear in a flash.
-
Ah, yes. Pitou, who had calmed down, began to think. If I cut off his head now, will he never recovu-ur?
Almost did something I might regret later. I’m glad that my head was hit, meow. It doesn't hurt anyway.
Her battle with this human had been dreamlike and wonderful. Pitou wanted to experience it again.
But even if I don't tear him up, he will soon die of excessive blood loss. What should I do next? Pitou thought hard, with the powerful aura radiated by her life energy swirling around her body.
"Oh, this will do!" Pitou seemed to have an idea. She quickly turned the blonde human in front of her over and spread him on the grass. Then she placed his severed arms in their proper positions. A huge shadow rose behind her.
1.
Kite felt that he had a dream.
In the dream, he was soaring on the vast green land of NGL. He looked up and seemed to see a small-billed swan holding the collar of his sweater in its mouth.
Adult, female, about two years old... Doesn’t it belong to a subspecies that inhabits some mining area? Why is it in NGL? Kite looked semi-consciously at its short beak and white feathers, trying to get as much information as he could.
Did you come to save me? He thought. Or did you come to give me a ride?
As a biologist, Kite didn't believe in the existence of heaven. But it was clear to him that he’ll die soon. He lost to that powerful monster. The monster tore off his arms, broke the bones in his legs, and left countless wounds on his body. He would soon be chopped into meat and presented to the queen.
Seeing the swan was probably his last dying wish. After all, there is nothing left after death.
He tried to lift his arm to pat the bird, but suddenly felt a tearing pain.
I'm dead. Why do I still feel pain? Isn't this arm long gone?
Trying to confirm his doubts, Kite raised his hand again. This time, the pain was even stronger. He could not help but cry out, when he opened his eyes all of a sudden.
-
Instantly after he got out of the coma, his senses were thousands times more sensitive. He felt like there were thousands of needles dancing in different rhythms all over his body, causing intolerable itch in some parts and piercing pain in others. But the most distinct feeling was undoubtedly fatigue. Kite didn't even have the strength to moan and complain.
He found himself in a dark cave, wearing an oxygen mask, his reattached arms connected to an infusion bag. There were stitch marks all over his repaired shirts and sweaters. The surface he lay on felt cold and moist. A large inflatable doll with a scary face floated above him.
Is this the monster's nen ability?
Kite realized that he was not dead.
This was worse than death - he was brought back alive by the monster to the nest of Chimera Ants.