Parker lowered his head.
"I never wanted to come. I hate fighting and killing. I just wanted to live quietly, the way I did when I was little.
"I don't understand why they insisted on dragging me here. I never planned to go against you—I only did what they told me to.
"I don't like them, and I don't like Oster."
Ron was caught off guard by Parker's attitude. He hadn't even started an actual interrogation—only threatened him a bit. Most of the interrogation methods from the Zoldyck family hadn't even been used, yet Parker spilled everything on his own. Judging by his demeanor, it seemed genuine.
"Ponzu, can the Hive Queen confirm whether he's telling the truth?"
Ron nodded, then looked back at Parker.
"What information did you give Oster about me?"
Parker answered without hesitation.
"You have a flame-type Nen Beast.
"You have one that uses lightning.
"You can swap positions through spatial manipulation.
"And you set up a hidden space trap with smog.
Ron wasn't surprised by that list. Oster knowing about those abilities was still within acceptable limits. The powers Ron truly wanted to hide—Killer Queen's bomb detonation, Akame's lethal strike, and Lampent's pain-sharing—hadn't been exposed.
"So how did Oster react?"
"He ordered the Herd to head over. They're much stronger than the Four Beasts, and they have powerful Nen tools," Parker said, then paused. "They're way deadlier than the Three Hounds or us. If you're asking me, they kill without mercy."
"You're warning me about them? Aren't you Oster's son?"
Parker fell silent for a moment.
"I hate Oster. My mother died because of him—her life was miserable. I'd rather be the child of an ordinary man. I don't consider him my father.
"I don't want the life he set up for me. I just want somewhere calm, with no fighting or chaos.
"I want to grow flowers, read books…"
As Parker spoke, his eyes shone with longing, and Ron could only stare.
So much for fatherly warmth—Oster had treated Parker like a lab specimen, and Parker would be relieved to see him dead. Though they were father and son in name, it was more like a grudge than any familial bond.
"It's possible all those experiments tie back to Ponzu's village," Ron thought. The likelihood seemed high.
Having the Hive Queen to verify Parker's honesty meant Ron no longer felt like killing him. In fact, Ron was intrigued.
What kind of experiments had taken place? How had Parker, having only just learned Nen, already reached a C-Class aura level? What would his ultimate potential be? And what side effects might come from that research?
"When will the Herd arrive?"
"How much do you know about them?"
"Not much," Parker admitted. "Only that they're the subordinates Oster trusts most. They're way stronger than the Four Beasts and the Three Hounds, and they've killed a lot of people."
Ron nodded, then signaled Natsu.
Natsu stepped forward.
He struck Parker at the back of the neck. Parker's eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness. Ron dropped him into Sumas's space, specifically into the pyramid zone, where he'd remain knocked out for a good while.
Elsewhere, Oster had already received news of the Four Beast's defeat. His expression was dangerously dark, his usual composed manner nowhere to be found. The air in his study was tense enough to cut with a knife.
"Even the Four Beasts failed? That whelp is really so strong? And he has spatial abilities…so that survivor must be hidden away somewhere.
"Well then, I have all the more reason to kill you.
"The Herd can't possibly lose. They outnumber you and outmatch you, and they already know the basics of your abilities. Even I'm no match if all of them team up.
"You're much younger than I am—you don't stand a chance."
He was thoroughly irked. It had taken years to train three elite teams: the Three Hounds, the Four Beasts, and now the Herd. They'd given Oster tremendous support—assassinations, security, gathering classified information. Their strength had helped him thrive as a government minister. And they were vital to his future plans.
But now two of those teams had been wiped out by Ron alone, and Oster's hatred ran deep.
Meanwhile, the Herd were approaching the city at high speed. Their group comprised six individuals:
A lean young man with white hair and powerful muscles under his skin.
A dark-haired youth with a sword at his hip and an aura as sharp as a blade.
A petite girl with a tiny frame and a cheeky grin, showing off pointed canine teeth more like a cat's fangs than a human's.
A "bunny girl" singer, looking more like a flashy emcee than a fighter—akin to the hosts of Heaven's Arena events.
A narrow-eyed young man with a gloomy presence.
And a plump middle-aged figure in a clown mask, giving off a chilling vibe instead of anything comedic—more like a horror-movie clown than a circus performer.
However, unknown to Oster, eight figures were already lying in wait outside his estate.
"The Herd have gone far enough that Oster's manor is now thinly guarded. This is our best chance. We must seize this opportunity and take Oster's life. Our revolution, our nation's future, depends on it.
"We must succeed, even if it costs us everything," a woman said, rallying her comrades. "On my signal, we strike all at once."
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