Joey didn't run far.
He dove into a patch of underbrush, rifle hugged tight to his chest, eyes locked on the tree he'd touched—now rigged as a bomb—and the distant flash of firelight from Sheer Heart Attack's latest detonation, steadily closing the gap.
The hidden Chimera Ant was following him.
Just as he'd hoped.
Perfect.
Joey's lips curled into a grin.
He didn't fear pursuit—he welcomed it.
The worst thing would've been if the Chimera Ant had chosen to play it safe, staying back to stall the tank.
But so far, this one seemed green. Young. Rash.
That meant predictable.
Earlier, Joey had watched its movements—leaping through the trees, branch to branch, much like the monkey-ant that had ambushed him before.
So he deliberately ran toward sparser trees, telegraphing just enough for the ant to think he'd figured out its pattern.
It was risky, but necessary.
He didn't care if the insect thought he'd spotted its trick.
He needed it to step on that tree—the one he'd touched.
Killer Queen's First Bomb was ready.
Through repeated use, Joey had refined his understanding of its range.
It wasn't the whole tree—no. It created a sphere, fifty centimeters in diameter, centered on the point he touched.
Anyone stepping into that invisible minefield would detonate it instantly.
But the bomb wasn't meant to kill.
Not directly.
Joey had calculated everything—distance, speed, detonation timing. His goal was to shatter the tree, force the Chimera Ant to misstep mid-leap, stall it just long enough for Sheer Heart Attack to catch up and finish the job.
It was a desperate plan.
But it was all he had.
The explosions were draining him. Every detonation from the tank bled away more of his strength.
This battle had to end fast.
Sweat soaked through his shirt. His breathing, no matter how controlled, came in ragged bursts.
His legs trembled from exertion.
He was running on fumes.
One shot.
One chance.
If he missed, the only option left would be to cut off his hand and run.
But Sheer Heart Attack was slow as hell.
Without it buying time, escape was a fantasy.
Cutting off his hand would be agony. The blood scent alone would draw every predator in the forest.
And Killer Queen would lose its left arm—crippling him further.
No.
Not yet.
Joey readied his rifle, sights locked on the trigger tree.
His entire body was coiled like a cornered wolf.
No more running.
Better to gamble everything here than bleed out with no hand in the woods.
Then—
Something went wrong.
Just as Sheer Heart Attack neared the trap…
It veered.
Hard.
Swerved away.
Joey's heart dropped.
"No—"
His mind raced.
Had the enemy figured it out?
But he hadn't shown First Bomb in combat yet. There was no way it could know.
Was it just instinct?
A reaction to the presence of firearms?
Maybe it had sensed the danger after watching its comrades die.
Or maybe…
It was waiting.
Waiting for reinforcements.
Cold sweat ran down his temple. His brow twisted into deep 八-shapes.
He bit down on his left thumb, hard enough to draw blood.
All his variables—distance, speed, detonation timing—they were built for a perfect setup.
But now that the Chimera Ant had diverted course, even if it returned to the tree, the timing would be off.
And it didn't look like it was coming back.
Everything was falling apart.
But one thing gave Joey a sliver of hope:
The tank hadn't exploded again.
That meant the ant was still in range, but Sheer Heart Attack hadn't locked on.
He still had time.
Joey's mind churned, frantically trying to rework the plan.
His options were narrowing.
Each idea that flashed through his brain felt half-baked.
His hand trembled. His bitten thumb oozed a thin trickle of red.
"Do I go after the tank?"
That was risky.
If he intercepted it, he could recall it—but also expose himself.
"If I survive this, I swear I'll master that damn tank."
Just as he clenched his jaw and prepared to make his move—
Flash.
A red blur cut through the darkened trees like a lightning bolt.
Joey froze mid-step.
An arrow?
He wasn't sure.
BOOM.
Three seconds later, Sheer Heart Attack finally detonated.
Joey was ready.
He raised his rifle and peered toward the burst of flame.
And in that sudden firelight—he saw them.
Figures.
Moving through the woods.
Quick, trained.
Two short ones—fast.
Two taller—more cautious.
Joey's breath caught.
The clothing—mismatched, but distinct. Each had flair. Character. Identity.
They weren't Chimera Ants.
They weren't soldiers.
Joey's eyes sharpened. Recognition sparked.
Only one group would be in the deep forest at this hour without using guns.
Hunters.
And more specifically—the doomed team led by Ponzu.
Ponzu. Pokkle. Their fodder-tier teammates.
Joey's brain lit up like lightning. Memory fragments crashed forward—
The scene where they were ambushed.
Where Pokkle was captured, dissected.
Where Ponzu—
"Boom. Headshot."
He shivered.
Why were they here?
The timeline was still fuzzy.
But now he knew.
This was it.
The event that would spiral everything forward.
Kite's investigation.
The Ants gaining Nen.
The birth of the King.
And somehow—Joey had slipped into the narrative, right at the tipping point.