We were now driving to the place where we could find the Chimera Ant Queen. I took a look around the dry and rocky land while Kite and the others spoke.

"It's been days. No, it's been months since it last rained here. The weather has been so unstable this year. It's possible that it's even affecting the wildlife in some way, though it's hard to say just yet." Kite explained.

"So the insect with the large leg could be a mutation influenced by these conditions." Spin claimed.

"But why would it have grown that big?" Banana asked.

"In order to survive more easily? It would have a better chance of securing its food if it were bigger." Mon stated.

"That's true, but it would need more. It may be larger, but that doesn't always assist in survival. One thing is environment, but I think this is related to the Chimera Ant's nature." Banana explained.

"I agree. They do reproduce in a unique way that isn't found in any other organism." Spin replied.

"How?" Gon asked.

"They reproduce through a special process called phagogenesis." Kite stated.

"Phago-what?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"What does it mean?" Killua asked.

"A Chimera Ant Queen eats other creatures, and then it can impart characteristics of those ingested creatures on to the next generation. In other words, consuming various species allows her to pass on a mix of all kinds of different genes to her offspring. She can lay up to five eggs with each meal. The first generation of births are completely infertile, so they become worker or soldier ants. They live in service to the Queen, as well as her eventual successors. Those successors become the next king and queen of the next generation. The Queen is always looking to consume genes of strong organisms. This allows her to pass down their traits to her offspring, and she may feed until her preferred fodder species is driven to extinction."

"Extinction? Really?" Gon commented.

"Yes. She has a voracious appetite, and it can drive her to consume her own body weight many times in a single day. That's why Chimera Ants are under a designated quarantine, level one." Spin added.

"So, if she sees you, you're finished. Judging from the size of that claw, she must be at least 2 meters long. That's enough for her to eat a human easily." Killua asserted, and they all groaned with anxiety.

"Yes, you're right about that." Kite replied.

"And if she eats a human, her offspring will be more intelligent than offspring born from the wild animals she eats. By choosing to eat more humans, she can produce ants that have the same knowledge capacity as them, and she will continue devouring them until she has wiped out humanity." Lynn concluded, making me gulp nervously.

This would be one heck of a thrilling adventure.

We had arrived at the coastal city, and we were now standing on a boardwalk with two other people.

"Meet Gon, Killua, Lynn, and Lizzy. I mentioned them on the phone." Kite introduced us to them.

"Hello there. My name is Lin Koshi. Nice to meet you." The short man wearing glasses introduced himself.

"And my name is Podungo Lapoy. I'm happy to have you all on board." The short woman with dark skin and silver hair smiled.

"Glad to be here, Mr. Lin, and you, too, Ms. Podungo." Gon replied.

"It's nice to meet you both." I bowed down and smiled.

"Same here." Lynn added.

"Likewise." Killua said.

"Back to business. So, where was the leg found?" Kite asked them.

"On that beach over there." Podungo pointed to where the beach was.

"According to the locals here, one day, it just washed up on the shore." Lin stated.

We went to the beach to look for any signs that the Chimera Ant was here when it washed up on the shore the other day.

"There is a forest right behind us." Killua pointed out.

"It'll be difficult to find it if it ran in there." Banana stated.

"Well, we can't even be certain if the Chimera Ant is still alive." Spin added.

"Good point. We don't know if it ended up on the same island that its leg drifted to." Stick replied.

"Well, let's find out." Banana gestured for her dog to come out. It yipped and jumped out of her backpack. She took out the vial and held it in front of her dog.

"Remember this scent." She spoke gently, and the dog sniffed the opening of the vial, whimpering.

"I can help, too!" Gon yelled out, raising a hand. He crawled and sniffed the air to try to pick up the scent.

"Gon's sense of smell is almost the same as a dog's." Killua stated.

"Unbelievable, right?" I replied.

Everyone watched him in awe as he and the dog continued sniffing. I smiled at the sight of him acting like a dog to do something helpful. Whatever he did, it made me smile every day.

The dog stopped sniffing and eventually peed on the grass before coming back with Gon.

"No good. He can't find anything." Banana frowned.

"Maybe the scent disappeared? It probably rained a bit since then." Spin guessed.

"I can't find anything either." Gon shook his head.

"Guess that means the Chimera Ant isn't here." Mon shrugged his shoulders.

"We should consider the possibility that it may have washed up somewhere else." Kite suggested. "Which direction do the currents flow here?"

"It's hard to explain. The direction is reversed between day and night." Lin stated.

"And it changes with the seasons, too. On certain days, it can be different." Podungo added, shrugging.

"Identifying the precise location will be super hard." Spin asserted.

"We should not give up now. Let's split up and search." Gon suggested.

"Oh. Great idea." She agreed.

After hours of searching, Lynn and I couldn't find anything. We met back with everyone else when the sun was setting.

"Still nothing." Gon shook his head, and we sighed.

"It's pointless to continue searching blindly like this. Let's go back to Yorknew City. We'll be able to find a clue that can help us begin looking for information." Kite suggested.

After going back to Yorknew City, we went to a hotel room to find some reliable information on the computer.

"A Chimera Ant Queen moves around until she has found a place she likes. She'll build her personal army by producing lots of soldier ants during her search. Once a location has been chosen, she produces a swarm of construction ants to build her nest with incredible speed. She will stay in her nest until her death. If she develops a taste for human flesh, there will be serious danger, especially if she's over two meters tall. Her limitless hunger will be the cause of destruction of thousands of people." Kite explained firmly.

"I can't find anything. I finished checking out the past six months, the largest group of missing people numbered ten." Spin stated.

"Is it possible to look for the missing people individually?" Gon inquired.

"Do you know how many hundreds of thousands of people go missing each year? There are way too many." She replied.

"We could still check which areas have the highest concentration of missing people." Killua told her.

"Hmm...no good. This data is two years old." She shook her head.

"Maybe we can start searching for sightings." Gon suggested.

"Yeah, seeing a two-meter tall insect would be a big deal." Killua replied.

"We tried that already, and we didn't turn up anything." Spin stated, chewing her gum.

"We might be getting worked up over nothing, guys." Banana surmised.

"Maybe so." Spin agreed, blowing a bubble.

"Could you bring up the tidal data from the day the arm was found?" Kite asked her.

"Yes, of course." She started typing on the computer, and then a map was displayed on the screen.

"It was discovered right around here." She stated, pinpointing the location on the map.

"Now, try going back ten days. Locate any currents that could have carried the arm to that location in that time." Kite told her.

"Wait. What do you mean?" She asked.

"I believe the arm was severed after the Chimera Ant washed up somewhere else. We should consider that possibility."

"I see."

We inspected the map after Spin set it back to ten days ago.

"It might come from any of the Balsa Islands." She stated.

"Unfortunately, that includes the Mitene Union." Kite added.

"Seriously?" Stick questioned.

"Oh! That's where the NGL is located!" Banana exclaimed.

"Yes, and also East Gorteau. There's no way of getting information out of those two countries." Kite shook his head.

"Excuse me. What's the NGL?" Lynn asked.

"An acronym standing for Neo-Green Life." Banana replied.

"It's a country founded by people who reject any kind of modern technology, choosing to live naturally." Stick added.

"Here it is. Their primary use of communication was by mail and letters while their primary mode of transportation was by horseback. Anyone bringing technology into the country could be executed. When in '87, a three-man television crew attempted to trespass in order to get a story. One of them was executed and the other two are still in jail. 99% of its 2.17 million population belong to the NGL Party. The rest are volunteers." Spin explained.

"Let's assume that the Chimera Ant washed ashore there for now." Kite spoke up, and we turned to him. "How would people of the NGL react? I doubt they would do anything. When a deadly epidemic spread through the area, they refused to let international doctors into the country because they preferred to let nature run its course. Even if they tried to spread the news, it would be too late by the time before word arrived. So if that arm belonged to a Queen, then it's possible that she started constructing her nest."

"Okay. I bought tickets to the Mitene Union." Spin announced.

"But in order to reach the NGL, we'll have to take an airship to the neighboring Rokario Republic, and then we can travel by land the rest of the way." Banana stated.

"Well, those nasty rumors 'ants' gonna help! Just kidding!" Stick laughed at his own lame joke, which no one found funny.

"Nasty rumors? What nasty rumors?" I asked, growing concerned about what there was in NGL.

Kite averted his head from us. "Have you ever heard of DD?"

"Uh, no." Gon replied.

"What's DD?" Lynn asked.

"It's an infamous drug that's propagating rapidly in urban areas worldwide. It comes from the Bira Tree, which is native to the Mitene Union. Not only are they native to the region, but they claim over 80% of the world's Bira Trees that are located in the NGL." Kite explained.

"So the nasty rumors are that the NGL is manufacturing it?" Killua asked.

"If so, why would they sell it?" I inquired.

"Maybe the NGL has planned something that can cause harm to everyone. Some drugs can be beneficial, but I feel like that drug can do no good for the world." Lynn implied.

"That could be true, but they're still only rumors. No one has been able to disclose the information to the public yet." Kite stated.

"The country is locked down tight." Stick added.

"Anybody who tries to get in and investigate will be instantly executed." Spin concluded.

"E-executed?" I stuttered, unnerved by the word.

We were in the airport with everyone else, waiting for our flight. My body shook from fear as I thought about the huge insect devouring humans one by one. I didn't know if I was even strong enough to kill a single ant.

"It may be too late to ask this, but are you sure you want to come along?" Kite asked us.

"Of course." Gon nodded, and so did Lynn.

"Yeah." I put on a fake smile to try to hide my distress.

"You weren't kidding about the 'late' part, right?" Killua grinned.

"We don't know what lies ahead in the NGL. There may be gigantic Chimera Ants hunting humans down. And if that's the case, then my priority will be saving them. So, be aware that I may not be able to help all of you. If you're going to join us, you must be able to defend yourselves."

"Okay. Got it." Gon nodded again.

"I understand." Lynn replied.

"Fine with me." Killua agreed.

Kite gestured his head to me, making my train of thought stop for a moment. I looked up to face him, and my sister, Killua, and Gon turned to me with concerned looks.

If I wanted to help save humanity, I had to not let my fear get the best of me. I had to fight and help as many people as I could. It didn't matter if the ants were stronger than me.

"Yes, I got it." I asserted.

Kite continued speaking. "If I'm the one in danger, you must leave me and run away."

"Huh?"

"You got it?"

We didn't say anything. He couldn't be joking, right?

We were now riding in an airship to the Rokario Republic. The four of us were staring out the window, thinking about what Kite said earlier.

"Well, what are you gonna do?" Killua asked Gon.

"Remember what Kite said before we left? That we should leave him behind when he's in danger?" He replied.

"Uh-huh. He didn't even give us a choice." I added.

"Right. That's why neither of us felt comfortable saying anything. But there's something I've been thinking about. Do you really think Kite, a guy Ging respects, can ever be in much danger? You said there was a reason why Ging wanted to bring me and Kite together. So do you still think that?"

"Yeah." Killua replied.

"Lately, I've started to think you're right. I don't know why, and maybe I never will, but I can't give up. It doesn't matter what's going on here. I just don't want to disappoint Ging, you know? Or me. I couldn't forgive myself, either." He looked up, his eyes filled with pure determination.

"I won't run away. That's what I'm gonna do!" He asserted.

"Damn it." Killua sighed. "You looked pretty serious. I was expecting something big, but it's the same thing as usual."

"Huh? I thought about it a lot. I even ran a bunch of simulations in my head."

"Think all you want. You're still Gon. If someone said you should abandon them, you'd never do it no matter how many times they had to tell you."

"We know you, Gon. You're too stubborn to think about the consequences, and that you'll go too far without even caring about anything else. It's just what simple-minded people like you are." Lynn pointed out.

Gon sighed. "You guys make it sound like I wasted my time thinking about it. So, what about you Killua, Lynn, Lizzy?"

"Don't know yet. I guess I'd just think about it when the time comes." Killua crossed his arms.

"Me too. Who knows what'll happen?" I shrugged.

"Exactly. It's like we can't predict the future or anything." Lynn rested her head on the palm of her hand.

"Hold on. You're saying that you guys might run away?" Gon asked.

"Depends on the situation. Look, I really don't do these hypotheticals." Killua shook his head.

"Fine, but what if—"

"I already told you. I don't know what I'd do. I never decide until it's time."

"And when that time comes, we either fight or retreat. It's up to us to decide, and we'll stick to whatever is best for all of us. Not just yourself, Gon." Lynn turned to him with a grave look on her face.

The boy slightly frowned from hearing her stern tone. I fixed my eyes on him, pondering about our decision.

What would we do if Kite was in serious danger?

We had arrived in the Mitene Union, and we were currently driving through the Rokario Republic to get to the NGL.

Lynn and I sat in between Mon and Stick, listening as the driver was speaking.

"You're going to the NGL, huh? You know, they believed that the best way to live is as naturally as possible. They're pretty weird living out there, but you all are even weirder for just wanting to visit them." He explained, smoking a cigarette. "I have no idea what's going on there, but I've already driven in about ten groups just like you guys."

"Wait. Did you say ten?" Gon asked.

"That's right." The driver replied.

Kite turned to the window, his expression serious. "So if most of the others are already arriving, then we're among the last ones."

When the truck stopped, I got up from my seat, got off the truck, and stretched. I saw two trees next to each other, and they were very big.

"This is the border of the NGL. Those giant trees serve as both the checkpoint and embassy." The driver stated, and we started walking to the trees.

"Brace yourselves. The Ants are a concern, but the NGL isn't the ecofriendly group it claims to be." Kite warned us.

"Got it." Gon understood.

Two men wearing robes appeared at the entrance. They looked rather serious.

"Can we help you?" The man with a beard asked.

"We're hunting down a biohazard-class insect that might have entered your country." Kite told them.

The man closed his eyes and smiled. "Well, if you are Pro Hunters, I'm certain we cannot deny you entry into our land. Right this way, please."

We followed him inside where other people were doing work on their computers.

"Wait. Do you use technology here?" Killua asked.

"We are not technically within the bounds of the country yet. This area is used for diplomacy and trading information." The man stated.

"I see. Are there other facilities within?" Kite asked.

"No, sir. Not a single one." He answered. "No machines of any kind are allowed in NGL."

"Visitors aren't allowed to bring technology in with them either. We're very strict about that kind of thing, which means you must remove any metals, petroleum products, synthetics, and anything else like that on your person before you enter." The other man explained.

"Like my glasses?" Lin asked, fixing his pair of glasses.

"Yes. If your belts, shoes, or your undergarments contain any plastic, chemicals, or metal, you must remove them."

"Is this a joke? We're supposed to strip naked?" Spin snapped, disagreeing with the ridiculous idea.

"That's not necessary. We have all-natural clothing for sale upstairs." He reassured her.

"And if there are any implants inside your body, for example, dental implants made of gold, silver, or even silicon prosthetics that cannot be removed, you won't be allowed inside. I'm very sorry." The man with the beard informed us, smiling tenderly.

I didn't want to lose my necklace and my bracelet, so I had Spin hold on to them, including my phone and Lynn's phone since we were not allowed to bring any kind of technology into the NGL.

After picking out some all-natural clothes from the shop, I dressed up in the fitting room and came out wearing a white top with short sleeves and a navy blue skirt. Lynn wore a black top with long sleeves and a pair of shorts that are fingertip length, right above her knees.

Me, Lynn, Kite, Killua, Gon, Stick, and Podungo were the only ones remaining to go into the NGL. Everyone else was going to stay behind due to the strict rules of the country.

"I want you all to stand by in the closest town. We'll return here within two weeks and contact you." Kite called out to the others.

"Roger that." Spin replied, and they started walking away, leaving the rest of us to go into the borders of the NGL.

"The inspection area is over there." A woman gestured us to the other tree across from where we were. "There is also a physical exam, as well as an interview. Once those are completed, there will also be X-rays, ultrasound, and metal scans."