Meruem

Meruem (メルエム, Meruemu) was the most powerful offspring of the Chimera Ant Queen. He was known as the King of the Chimera Ants, and serves as the main antagonist of the Chimera Ant arc.

Appearance


Meruem appears to be rather humanoid for an Ant. He was muscular and toned, despite his relatively small frame as compared to his servants. He had two long antennae on his ears, and a large shell-like armor over his head that resembles a helmet. There were dark pigmented areas on his arms, legs, chest, and head. Meruem was always barefoot. He also possessed a powerful tail equipped with a stinger that serves as his weapon. Both his hands and feet had only four digits each.

Personality


Meruem was initially seen as a cruel and violent leader. The Queen's intention to give birth to a perfect offspring was reflected in Meruem's mentality, with the Ant being haughty towards all. He spoke in an eloquent manner and had refined tastes for one of his species. He considered himself superior to all other forms of life and felt no concern for his dying mother after his birth. Meruem is also merciless, killing and cannibalizing any Chimera Ant he deems as disrespectful, although he still holds respect towards the strong, complimenting Neferpitou for surviving an attack that had killed many without much damage at all. He shows no empathy towards humans and views them as nothing other than a food source, killing and devouring a child not long after his birth and subsequent departure from the Chimera Ants' nest, only to spit out their flesh and call them disgusting compared to the sensations he occasionally experienced while in his mother's womb.

As the story progresses, however, Meruem starts to grudgingly respect Komugi, a human girl. He eventually even grows to care for her. From there on, Meruem begins to question the differences between the Ants and mankind. He battles with his identity as a half-human and half-insect, questioning the nature of violence and strength as true power. Meruem initially considers humans as nothing more than livestock to be farmed, however, through his interactions with Komugi, and after his fight against Netero, Meruem begins to see humans as incredible beings with  immense potential through their tenacity for breaking their own limits. As a result of these changes in perspective and opinion, he no longer considers farming humans for food and instead suggests the co-existence of humans and Ants, with humans being selected and controlled for quality.



Most of all, Meruem's defining trait is his pride. From the time of his birth to the moments of his death Meruem exhibited a strong confidence in himself and conviction in his actions. Because of his pride and confidence in his abilities he displays a code of honor as when he tried to defeat Komugi by shaking her resolve. Believing that all humans would succumb to fear or desire he challenged her with the conditions that should she win he would give her anything in his power, but her failure would mean one of her limbs cut off. Contrary to his assumptions she displayed neither fear nor greed, even asking that if she was to fail, instead of losing a limb, to take her head; and as an apology for thinking so low of her, he tears off his own arm and keeps his word when Komugi tells him to allow for his arm to be treated by not killing her outright and instead letting the game decide her fate.

He was quite adept and learnt things at an astonishing rate, being capable of mastering any form seen of board games in just ten matches and defeat world champions with ease. After a brief loss of memory he seems to become much more respectful and closer to his subordinates after being fed a part of them when he was dying, as he can feel things they can feel, and tell easily if they are hiding something or not from him, but at the same time he can sense their loyalty to him, causing him to put their loyalty to the test before considering to punish them, even more so if they answer truthfully despite doing so may inquire admitting to a miscalculation.



Despite his extreme arrogance and superiority complex, he felt fear for the first time when Netero was on the verge of committing suicide with the Miniature Rose. Moments before he succumbed to the poison, he admitted to Palm Siberia that humanity has won and he was willing to accept his defeat. His desire to fulfill his last wish was so strong that he was willing to kneel before Palm.

Background
Meruem was the next to the last Ant born of the Queen and held the title of Chimera Ant King. He was born prematurely, forcibly birthed through rupturing through her abdomen. According to the sociology of Chimera Ants, upon the birth of the King, the Royal Guards will solely follow his commands and he will leave the nest to find various creatures to mate with and impregnate in order to create the next Chimera Ant Queen. Soon after he was born, Meruem left his original nest in NGL with his Royal Guards in search of a place to start his kingdom. His name means "the light that shines on everything".

Chimera Ant arc
Meruem is prematurely born. When his mother feels him trying to come out, she screams it is too soon, only for him to tell her to shut up and forcibly rip himself out of his sack. In so doing, he causes severe internal injuries to the Queen Ant; however, he does not care about her and demands food from the assembled Squadron Leaders.



When Peggy rushes to help her, Meruem decapitates him with a whip of his tail. He repeats his demand and expresses disgust for the filthiness of the room, demanding to be shown a bigger and brighter space. He then orders Colt to wipe off the blood off his tail. Turtle pulls out a handkerchief and volunteers, but Meruem instantly pulverizes his head as well. Annoyed, he admonishes Colt and repeats his command. The Squadron Leader obeys. The Royal Guards arrive and pledge their loyalty to him, then offer to guide him where his meal has been prepared. Unimpressed, Meruem scoffs and follows them. When Neferpitou tells him they are going to the roof, Meruem punches a hole in the wall of the nest and launches himself to the top with his tail. However, the food is not to his liking. Neferpitou states they do not use any seasonings, but Meruem replies that is not the problem. Neferpitou understands he is referring to the rares. The Royal Guards thus escort the King away from the nest, with Meruem being carried by Shaiapouf.



Before leaving, he devours Peggy and Turtle, but finds them distasteful. Spotting a family of three in a field, he drops to the ground and kills the parents, marveling at their lack of resistance. Their taste does not satisfy him, so, when Neferpitou informs him the most delicious part of a human is the brain, he stabs the crying child with his tail. He proceeds to eat her brain, but despite claiming the taste is better than before, he still does not consider it worth eating compared to the rares. Neferpitou tries suggesting using Gyo to spot humans with a large amount of aura around their bodies, but Meruem, interpreting the explanation as an act of disrespect, cuts them off by hitting them with his tail. He claims he enjoys not knowing how delicious his prey is until he tastes it, and adds that his hunger has been appeased. He then commends Neferpitou for their strength as he attacked them with the intent to kill them.



The King then has Menthuthuyoupi fly him. They leave NGL and enter the Republic of East Gorteau. Upon arriving at the Royal Palace, Meruem swiftly eliminates the soldiers stationed there and advances towards the throne room. When the four encounter a Nen-using soldier, Meruem claims he can feels his aura without focusing his eyes and, excited, declares he is a rare. Meruem effortlessly kills the soldier and, ecstatic, eats him, relishing in the aura surging inside of him. This leads Neferpitou to realize the King becomes stronger by consuming rare prey. They enter the throne room, where they encounter the dictator of East Gorteau, Ming Jol-ik, who threatens them. Disappointed and surprised he cannot feel any power from him, Meruem regards the human custom of being ruled by incompetents as a sign of idiocy, and plans to keep them on a short leash. He then easily kills the shouting dictator, mocking his weakness, and lets Neferpitou reassemble his corpse. The dancers that were entertaining Ming plead for their lives, but Meruem laughs mockingly and asks them if they listen to the cries of cattle and swine before slaughtering them. He then goes to the balcony, appreciating the view of the inner courtyard, which he intends to turn into a meat orchard where to store humans.

By having Neferpitou manipulate Ming's corpse, Meruem orders the citizens of East Gorteau to gather in the capital, within ten days for a three-day long national rally. His aim is to carry out the Selection, which consists in brutally awakening the population to Nen so as to turn the survivors in high-quality food and Nen-using soldiers before proceeding with the next step, Unification: world conquest. Contrary to the expectations of the Extermination Team, Neferpitou begins the Selection before all citizens are gathered in Peijin, starting from the country's western border and working their way eastwards. The Royal Guards manage to gather humans and place them into cocoons before someone begins to disrupt the Selection; to shut him down, the Chimera Ants have Ming Jol-ik appear on television again and declare the institution of martial law. However, the remote Sorting comes to a complete stop when two more enemies appear and surround the capital.



The King, however, does not care, engrossed as he is in playing strategy board games to hone his tactical prowess, to the point he forgoes meals. He begins with chess, then, seven days before the rally, he defeats the national shogi champion. He enquires why his opponent did not surrender, since the game had been decided 22 moves before the checkmate. When he does not reply, Meruem tears off his ear and repeats his question, asking if he believed he would make a mistake. The terrorized champion tries to escape, but Meruem kills him. He then begins to read the rules of Go while Menthuthuyoupi orders the screaming and kicking national champion into the room. The King orders him to be silent and to choose between playing and dying right away. After only ten games, Meruem beats the Go champion, who laments he was tired and becoming ill. Meruem gives him eight hours to rest and medicine and dismisses him. Shaiapouf praises his progress, as he mastered Go in less than half the time he did Shogi. Meruem responds it is simply a matter of learning the rules, finding the opponent's rhythm, and disrupting it.



The next game the Royal Guard introduces him to is Gungi. He adds that all the world champions of the game have been from East Gorteau, causing the King to remark that if he wins, he will be the best in the world, a conclusion to the diversion offered by board games he deems fitting. He is surprised to see the Gungi champion is a blind girl. When Komugi clumsily introduces herself, he orders her to be silent so he can learn the rules of the game. She observes his voice is different from Ming's, to which he responds the dictator is dead and he has replaced him. He cuts off her apology, threatening to kill her should she open her mouth again. This causes Komugi to shut it and, since her nose is stuffed, she passes out from being unable to breathe. The King notices she is unconscious after finishing the rule book and asks Shaiapouf for an explanation, later commenting dimwits of her level are rare. She recovers and begins to apologize, but he orders her to play.

As she focuses on the board, she opens her eyes and Meruem notices her vibe changes completely. he asks her if she can see, to which she replies she cannot and needs the moves to be announced out loud. In response to her question, he declares he is not bothered by her keeping her eyes open. They begin their first game. She checkmates him with standard tactics, causing him to deduce he is not good enough for a serious game yet. They keep playing for eight hours, and Komugi wins every time. He dismisses her to have a rematch against the Go champion, much to her displeasure. To Shaiapouf Meruem says that in four or five more games he will be able to make her play for real, then he will find her rhythm and destroy it. Menthuthuyoupi enters the room with a suicide note and declares the Go player has hanged himself, so the King has him call Komugi back. The King keeps losing to Komugi as her moves become sharper and more difficult to read. With one move, Komugi turns the tides once again. Meruem concedes defeat, thinking it is impossible that she anticipated all 72 of his moves, and demands another game.

Confident he has figured out and is about to disrupt her rhythm, Meruem isolates his king in a strategy he calls "Detached Castling". He then takes control of the central position, which, he reckons, would give him total control over the flow of the game. She pauses for the first time, but after a moment, she counters his move. Realizing there are no viable options left to him, Meruem surrenders. Irritated, he claims Komugi knew his strategy was a refuted variation, which she confirms, and asks her why she hesitated. She explains that she both created and destroyed the tactic the King called "Detached Castling", which she named "Kokoriko", and, welling up, reveals she hesitated because it was as though her child had come back to life for a moment and she had snuffed him out again. Her sentimentality bothers the King, who loses interest in playing. He walks away, declaring there will be no more breaks.



Sitting on the throne, Meruem reflects that his rhythm is the one being disrupted, but instead of regarding it as an unbearable indignity, he finds himself both frustrated and amused by it. He is vexed that his skills in self-analysis are not yet refined. He returns to the game room, where, spotting Komugi seated in front of the board, he asks Shaiapouf if she did not rest. The Royal Guard points out to him that she is sleeping while sitting, drool flowing from her mouth. Her vulgar appearance leads Meruem to wonder how her mind can concoct such marvelous games. He wakes her up and makes the first move, then proposes they make a bet.



In order to disrupt her rhythm, Meruem attempts a psychological offensive by using greed and fear: he offers to give her anything she wants if she wins, in return for her left arm if she loses. Her desperate musings cause the King to ask her why she is reacting like that. She enquires if instead of her left arm she can wager what she usually does, which, much to the King's shock, is her own life. Confused by her concern that it might be offensive, Meruem demands that she explain herself. She recounts her family circumstances and her vow to kill herself if she ever lost a game, adding that since her life would be worthless when she loses, it may be considered bad manners to offer it to the King. Impressed, Meruem asks her if there is anything she would like if she wins. Komugi responds she has never thought about anything beside Gungi and resolves to come up with something after the game. The King notices there are no hints of greed or fear in her. He begins to laugh, admitting he was the one not to take their games seriously enough. He rescinds the bet, as she could have asked for his life in return. The notion horrifies Komugi, but he retorts it is a personal matter and tears off his own left arm as an apology.



Shaiapouf rushes to his side to stop the bleeding and insists he stops playing, but Meruem smacks him, stating he was the one to declare there would be no more breaks. Shaiapouf suggests Neferpitou administer treatment while he plays, stating that if the King refuses, he will have to kill him. Adamant, Meruem tells him to come closer so he can finish him off. He orders Komugi to play, but she refuses, even when he threatens to kill her. Faced with her stubbornness, he agrees to summon Neferpitou, who reattaches his arm as he plays. They keep at it for three days, until even Komugi's reaches her mental and physical limit. Claiming he would not enjoy beating her while she is weak, Meruem goes back on his word and allows her to take a break. When they resume, he is willing to accept her advice. Shaiapouf demands to talk to him in private, but the King bids he speak to him as he plays. Uninterested in the Sorting and the Unification, he leaves matters in the Royal Guard's hands and chases him out.



As he improves in Gungi, so does Komugi. He takes note of it and acknowledges her superiority, as she manages to make their games entertaining despite winning. During one of their games, she awakens to Nen, causing Meruem to realize she will grow even more skilled. For the first time, she asks for a break, leading Meruem to ask if anything is wrong. She replies that she wants to memorize the moves that are flooding her mind by arranging the pieces. Impressed that she has never forgotten a game she played, he grants her request. As he watches her leave, he asks her her name. She reciprocates the question, throwing the King into a state of confusion. He leaves without replying and summons his guards. Once they have assembled, he asks them what his name is. Shaiapouf answers he has no need for one, as after the Unification project is complete, he will be the only true King. Meruem objects that "king" is a title, not a name. He turns to Menthuthuyoupi, who deems himself unable to provide a satisfying solution, and then to Neferpitou, who recommends the King chooses a name that suits his tastes. Detecting his pensive mood, Shaiapouf offers the Royal Guards' support. Meruem states he saw Komugi's body bathed in light, and the fact he learned her name shocks Shaiapouf. He adds that she will keep growing stronger, although in Gungi alone, and asks Neferpitou if she would survive the Selection, which the Royal Guard denies. Meruem declares he has learned different kinds of strength exist and reflects on his actions, causing Shaiapouf to fear he is regretting his actions.



However, Meruem grins ominously. He states that all those others strengths can be easily destroyed by his: the ultimate force of violence. He heads off to Komugi's room, determined to kill her. As he barges in, he saw she is being attacked by a bird and, without a moment's hesitation, strikes down the bird. Noticing her injuries, he rebukes her for not calling for help, while remarking her fragility. When Komugi replies she did not want to be an inconvenience, he states she is an important guest. His own words perplex him, and he is even more befuddled when Komugi begins to cry. Unable to straighten out his emotions, he wonders why he did not kill her, and what he wants to do with her.



On the day before the Selection, he summons Neferpitou and asks them if they knew Komugi was being attacked. He then orders them to watch over her as well. Being unable to understand his own emotions towards Komugi leaves Meruem in a contemplative state, in which he ponders on the purpose of his existence in the world. His musings continue well into the night. He admonishes Menthuthuyoupi not to follow him and, when the Royal Guard is about to object, strikes him. He then has him order Neferpitou to rescind their En. Neferpitou goes to him and suggests forming a circle around him. Meruem rejects the proposal, as that would require him to stay in one location or the Royal Guard to monitor his every movement. He allows Neferpitou to use their En around the palace. Neferpitou points out that would prevent them from sensing enemies coming from underground or rebellions inside the palace. Irate, Meruem rules that Neferpitou's En will only go up to the first floor, announcing that he will dispose of any trespassers himself, including the Royal Guards.



At midnight, Zeno's Dragon Dive rains down on the palace. the King immediately rushes to the guest suite on the second floor of the west tower, where Komugi resides. Finding her mortally wounded, he clutches her limp body as his aura and his expression reveal his devastated state of mind to Neferpitou. The Royal Guard, Netero and Zeno, who located him through En, stand motionless, petrified by the sight. After recomposing himself, Meruem gently lays down Komugi and commands Neferpitou to heal her. He then requests the intruders and he fight somewhere else. The moment Neferpitou activates their Hatsu, Netero and Zeno freeze and Meruem disappears from their sight, casually strolling between them. He takes the southern exit, followed by the two assassins. Having realized their intent is to separate him from his Royal Guards with the minimum number of human casualties, he allows himself to be relocated. Zeno shoots his Dragon Head, which Meruem and Netero ride away from the palace.



The dragon vanishes above a testing site for military weapons. He asks Netero why they must fight, sttaing his opponent will die. Netero warns him not to judge him by his appearance, but Meruem replies he is fully aware Netero has a grasp on their power as much as he does. Revealing he no longer sees humans as mere livestock, he states that he is willing to spare Netero if he surrenders. However, the Chairman refuses, on the grounds he cannot accept a deal that entails his survival alone. Meruem remarks that he fights knowing he will lose, and states that if he is doing it for the sake of mankind, he should endorse his project, as he can obliterate inequality and misery. He claims to have learned that power serves to protect the weak who deserve to live and sits down on the ground, resolute to exchange nothing but words with Netero. However, the Chairman activates 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva and strikes Meruem with First Hand.



Spitting blood, the King emerges from the crater, relatively unharmed. He commends the speed of the attack and sits down again, silently admonishing Netero not to make him repeat himself. Netero retorts with Third Hand. Prying the construct's hands open, Meruem's temper flares slightly, but it is enough to make Netero double the distance between them. The King sits down again. To get him to fight, Netero asks him if he knows his name. This elicits Meruem's interest, who accepts to fight until Netero is satisfied without killing him, which he likens to playing chess without a rook and a bishop. Ecstatic, Netero leaps up and activates Ninety-Ninth Hand. Meruem is assaulted by a barrage of palm strikes that burrow deeper and deeper into the ground, until the two fighters break through the ceiling of a massive grave. Netero strikes Meruem again, sending him crashing into a pillar.



Tossed around but undamaged by the attacks, Meruem feels admiration for his opponent surge inside of him. Quickly finding his balance, he jumps at Netero and attempts to sever his arm, but Netero counters his offensive in time. The King realizes Netero must join his hands between attacks and that he turned an ordinarily wasteful movement into a powerful asset faster than he is. He speculates Netero trained it to the point of insanity for a decade. Emerging from the debris unscathed, Meruem praises Netero's ability to exceed his own limits through sheer effort. The sense of superiority implied by his accolade infuriates Netero, who attacks him again. This time, however, Meruem jumps off a pillar right after being struck, and decides to resolve only to that extremely simple tactic until he can figure out all of Netero's possible counters and his rhythm. The challenge causes him to burst into a gleeful laugh.



After receiving thousands of blows, Meruem begins to feel a dull pain; however, he manages to chop off Netero's leg. Pausing his assault, he tells his opponent to staunch his bleeding and reveal his name, claiming he did well for a human. Netero clenches the muscles of his leg so tight that not a single drop of blood escapes, to Meruem's amazement. The King admits he is awed by his resolve, but states that losing his leg was inevitable. He claims playing board games with Komugi has endowed him with a faculty akin to precognition, which allowed him to identify Netero's rhythm. He declares he will take his left arm next. In the following minute, Netero thwarts Meruem's assaults over a thousand times, until Meruem manages to jump off one of the construct's arms and sever Netero's arm as predicted. He sits down again, demanding to know his name. Netero, however, smiles and asks him why he thinks he needs arms to pray. As he activates Zero Hand, the Guanyin statue appears behind Meruem, clasping him between two hands; then, every last ounce of Netero's aura is converted into a beam, which it fires out of its mouth. Meruem walks out of the crater with only superficial injuries. He states that a mere human stands no chance against the endpoint of evolution he represents. Acknowledging Netero's efforts, and determining that the human ego weakens the Chimera Ants' chain of command, he promises to create a special reserve where humans not destined for food will be able to live. He orders Netero to tell him his name. To his shock, the Chairman chortles. Calling him by his name, he warns the King not to underestimate humans.



Meruem is unable to savor the discovery. Overwhelmed by the defiance of an exhausted enemy, Meruem feels fear for the first time. When Netero sticks his finger in his own chest, Meruem comprehends their fight was over before they even started. Before he can escape, the Poor Man's Rose inside Netero's body goes off, engulfing him into a massively powerful blast. As a result, Meruem is horribly injured, his limbs mangles and his entire body being burned to a crisp. Crying in despair, Menthuthuyoupi and Shaiapouf retrieve him from the site of the explosion and notice he is still alive. Shaiapouf donates 6/7ths of his cells to the King, who awakens and praises the taste. Menthuthuyoupi ties liquefies his own cells and offers them to the King to drink. Meruem declares the two guards' offerings are incomparably supreme in flavor. As he begins to recover, he tells them his name.



A few minutes later, he has made a full recovery. The two Royal Guards note with joy that he is even more powerful than before, but, since they are now part of him, are able to sense his confusion. From their words, he understands that he was really being healed, but cannot remember why he is in that place. He reflects that his body is healthy and brimming with energy, whereas his mind is clouded. He asks Shaiapouf why their appearance has changed, and, through the empathic bond he has come to share with the two guards, understands Shaiapouf is lying. Stating that it is a breach of trust even when done out of love, he demands to know if he ate them. The guards protest they offered themselves willingly. Questioned by Shaiapouf, Meruem responds he recognized the two of them as soon as he saw them, but that he has no recollection of the events. The Royal Guard advances that he has temporarily lost his memory due to shell shock after his enemy cowardly deployed a bomb. This triggers a foggy recollection in Meruem's mind of dueling someone (although he is thinking about Gungi rather than his battle with Netero). Menthuthuyoupi recommends they return to the palace to jog his memory. Meruem grows wings and, after a few seconds of practice, is ready to fly. Menthuthuyoupi directs him northward. The two Royal Guards grab onto his tail and he takes off. After only a few seconds, A.P.R. appears next to Shaiapouf.



When Meruem voices his annoyance at being unable to shake it off, Menthuthuyoupi affirms that it will not disappear unless the user himself is hurt. To test his hypothesis, the King fires his rage blast, which pushes A.P.R. into a mountain. The rocky formation crumbles, but A.P.R. returns undamaged. Meruem confronts Menthuthuyoupi about his knowledge of the ability, enquiring if he saw it or it was used on him. He replies it is the latter, and Meruem demands to be told what he did to terminate it. Menthuthuyoupi confesses he made a pact with Knuckle to spare Morel if he disengaged the ability. Asked why he did not kill both afterwards, Menthuthuyoupi admits it did not feel right and declares himself ready to be punished. The King however forgives him, stating there is no retribution for answering him truthfully. He affirms they have become a complex entity that is connected in mind and body, and between which there can be no secrets. He also forgives Menthuthuyoupi for sparing Meleoron, claiming that the fluctuations in their spirit caused by their human components are a step to evolve even further.



A few minutes later the three reach the palace. Meruem senses Shaiapouf's frustration and offers to help him against the rebels, but the guard replies his memory is their priority and shows him the rows of humans gathered in front of the palace. However, he claims that is not what was missing. Ignoring the pain in his head, he enquires about the devastation of the palace. He demands to be taken where he spent most of his time, even if it is in ruins. He pays little attention to Menthuthuyoupi as he guides him through the meat orchard where the cocooned humans are kept. When the guards take him to the second floor of the west tower, the feeling that something is missing intensifies. Unable to recall, he hypothesizes it is only a symptom of his amnesia. The guards fill him in on the Selection. When Menthuthuyoupi mentions Neferpitou, the King immediately remembers them, as well as that he assigned them some task. He demands that Neferpitou be brought to him and plans to hunt down the stragglers while he waits for information and entertainment. Shaiapouf deems it unsafe, so Meruem releases his Ren to showcase his power. He asks if he believes his enemies stand a chance, which Shaiapouf, in awe, denies. He activates his En and in the blink of an eye reaches a fleeing Knuckle, knocking him out. Before Meleoron can disappear, he renders him unconscious as well. As quickly as he disappeared, he returns to the west tower, carrying the two members of the Extermination Team to question them once they regain consciousness.



Before he can pursue the other two whose aura reacted to his En, Shaiapouf suggests turning it into a game: after he spreads his scales to hypnotize the incoming humans, he and Menthuthuyoupi will try to find Neferpitou before the King can capture the remaining two intruders. He also asks that the King use En only once more. Meruem accepts the terms and offers to grant each of them a wish if they win, but if they lose, they will have to reveal what they are hiding from him. The two Royal Guards try to protest, but he states he can perceive their guilt, but has spared them because their loyalty is even stronger. He agrees to stay in the tower until Shaiapouf returns, the word "game" echoing in his mind. As he paces about the room, he finds a chipped Gungi piece (his king) under a rock, which reminds him he was playing a board game against someone and never won. His headache grows worse, and he begins to bleed from one nostril. He draws the board in the dust on the floor. Shaiapouf arrives and reports that Menthuthuyoupi was killed. Meruem simply asks where Neferpitou is. The Royal Guard replies he has not found them yet and insists on terminating the game. The King states that in that case he has won and Shaiapouf must disclose his secret. Upon seeing the Gungi board drawn on the floor, Shaiapouf accepts to continue the game and Meruem heads out to look for the remaining stragglers.



He senses Shaiapouf's panic as he coughs up blood, and admits to be interested in his secret. The Royal Guard swears he will keep his word. Meruem activates his En, noticing small changes from the last time and a new person reacting to it. Cutting through the rows of hypnotized citizens, he finds Welfin and interrogates him about Menthuthuyoupi's demise. Welfin responds he saw the Royal Guard vomit blood and dying, so he went searching for his killer among the citizens. Shaiapouf attempts to barge in, but Meruem declares he can sense Welfin's extraordinary hostility towards him, an ability derived from Shaiapouf's Spiritual Message. Before he can question Welfin about the root of his hatred, Shaiapouf states Welfin is deeply connected to his secret even though he does not realize it himself. Meruem unleashes an anger-infused Ren, growing impatient with the Royal Guard's impertinent manipulation. Shaiapouf replies he has nothing to say, and the sheer insanity of his dedication gives Meruem pause. He retracts his aura, then announces that he is hungry and glances at Welfin.



Desperate to survive, the former Squadron Leader racks his brain and utters a single word: "Komugi". The King remembers her, and the intensity of his feelings reaches Shaiapouf. He confronts the Royal Guard, who declares himself ready for any punishment. Meruem responds that as he already knows, they share one mind and there is no cause for blame. He orders Shaiapouf to keep looking for Neferpitou and interrogate the two captives, then let them go. He then deduces Komugi is hidden in the underground warehouse with the Palm Siberia and Ikalgo and that Welfin had been sent to negotiate with him, and wonders if his hatred is the reason for his failure, which his empathic ability confirms. He demands to know where they are awaiting him, promising to set him free afterwards and thanking him for helping him remember. As he makes for the appointed location, Welfin screams at him his only king is Gyro. Meruem calmly wishes Welfin to meet him and to live a human life, words that cause Shaiapouf to scream in despair.



When he reaches Bizeff's quarters, there is no one to meet him. He understands it is a way to delay him and spreads aura-infused photons, which allow him to find Palm hidden in a wardrobe and to learn about his impending death. He senses her duty and resolve and announces that the battle for humanity is over. He claims to be aware of his fate, and that all he desires is to spend what time he has left with Komugi. In tears, Palm comes out of the wardrobe. She proclaims she cannot believe him, despite knowing he genuinely loves Komugi. Meruem contemplates his metamorphosis and his possible course of action if he had been like that from the start. He asks Palm where Komugi is, aware that she would not talk even under torture. As he prepares to kneel to implore her, Palm, driven by her ant components, stops him. She tells him where Komugi is hidden in return for being able to monitor him through Wink Blue, which Meruem agrees to. He finds Komugi asleep inside a box in the warehouse and wakes her up to play.



The two take a Gungi board into Bizeff's bedroom. As they set up the pieces, Komugi thanks Meruem for saving her, but he replies it was one of his underlings who did it. He offers to thank them for her, adding that he will see them shortly. Sensing Komugi's impatience, he prepares to start the game, then hesitates. He tells her his name, answering the question she posed the night before. Fumbling, Komugi introduces herself again. Meruem responds he already knows who she is, but thinks he never really knew what was important before. He commands her to drop the honorifics, and when she refuses, he makes it his wish if he wins. Komugi then asks if it is possible to die after calling him by name only. Remembering her resolve and their first wager, Meruem states that she will not die and that since he has changed, she should prepare for innumerable defeats. He asks her what she wants if she wins. The predictable response is "Another game". As they begin playing, he notices Komugi is going for "Kokoriko". Feeling mocked, he declares she can die after her loss. However, she uses a move she came up with the night she unlocked Nen to counter his offensive, creating a whole new range of possibilities. He orders her to be silence while he reflects. When he thinks he has come up with a suitable novelty buster, he notices she is crying. He enquires about the reason, and Komugi responds she is unworthy of her happiness. Meruem confesses he has been poisoned and that he will die shortly. He reveals his last wish was to play with her, but warns her that the poison is contagious. However, she simply counters his move and chooses to stay with him, leading Meruem to believe he was born to experience that moment.



Meruem eventually goes blind and keeps asking Komugi if she is still there as they play. He notes that he never managed to beat her. After a while, he declares he feels tired. He asks Komugi to hold his hand while he sleeps, then if she will still be by his side when he wakes up. Komugi swears she'll never leave him, so Meruem thanks her. He asks her to say his name one last time before passing away.

13th Hunter Chairman Election arc
Meruem is seen holding Komugi's hand, even in death.

Abilities & Powers
Despite being a newborn, Meruem is the most powerful Chimera Ant, and the most powerful character to be introduced in the series so far, as well as one of the most intelligent. Born as the ultimate biological weapon, his physical power is only matched by an unparalleled intellect. His overwhelming talent allows him to analyze and learn anything almost instantly, and hone his strategies to perfection. Meruem is also endowed with unwavering and well-placed confidence in himself, which prevents him from hesitating; however, the relationship with Komugi and the fight with Isaac Netero led him to question himself. His power increased even more after absorbing Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi.

Immense Strength: Meruem's physical strength is extremely high, as he was able to use only one powerful strike with his tail to kill several other Chimera Ants. He was able to shatter a massive wall inside the Queen's nest with only one punch. He also was able to rip off Netero's left arm and right leg easily. He can also rip off his own arm easily. He even injured all three of the Royal Guards with his tail strikes, however, they weren't serious injuries,  and he held back on at least one occasion. After absorbing Menthuthuyoupi and Shaiapouf, he could knock out Knuckle and Meleoron with a tap on the shoulder. However, there is a possibility of this being used with Nen.



Unfathomable Speed and Reflexes: Meruem can rip off limbs and obliterate entire bodies before a regular human can even react. He can move at extremely fast speed when fighting Netero, despite Netero landing multiple strikes upon him. Meruem can easily rip of Netero's left arm and right leg in a flash, dodging the attacks of the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva at the same time, meaning he could travel at speeds approaching Mach 3 (the same speed at which the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva is summoned). After absorbing Menthuthuyoupi and Shaiapouf, he gained the ability to fly, allowing him to move at super-sonic speed in mere seconds. He also states that the only time Netero's speed far exceeded his own was during the latter's hand movements when summoning the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Unfathomable Agility: Meruem is able to move from angle to angle deftly, as seen from his fight with Isaac Netero, in which he repeatedly avoided being blown away by strikes faster than sound.



Unfathomable Durability: Meruem is extremely durable. Netero's incredibly powerful super-sonic attacks only inflicted minor injuries on him. He was able to take thousands of such blows without suffering even a single scratch, although it was said that he began to feel dull pain around certain points in his body, hinting that he may have sustained some internal damage before even Zero Hand was used. He was also able to take on Netero's most powerful move, the Zero Hand, which launches Netero's entire aura upon his opponent (aura so strong that simply being in the presence of it can feel like needles on the skin) and he only received cuts and bruises. He was able to survive the ultra-powerful explosion of the Poor Man's Rose that was released after Netero's death and despite his body being nearly destroyed in the process, he was still alive after the fatal attack.

Immense Pain Tolerance: Meruem ripped off his own arm without hesitation, barely flinching afterwards.

Immense Poison Resistance: While he inevitably succumbed to the poisonous Poor Man's Rose, he was the last Chimera Ant to do so despite being at the epicenter of the explosion. While it should be taken into account that Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi (especially the latter) had given a significant amount of their power to the King in order to save his life (and so had less energy themselves), it is still an amazing feat surviving for such a prolonged period of time.

Genius-Level Intellect: Meruem has extraordinary intelligence being able to learn and master nearly anything he comes across of, he also uses his intelligence for Gungi in his battle against Netero and eventually succeeds by doing so. Also, seeing as how he epitomizes the meaning of melting pot, his intelligence is far beyond the likes of even the most intellectual humans.

Master Strategist: He can create quick and effective means to defeat Netero during his intense battle and found a way to elude through Netero's powerful defenses and was able to severely injure Netero in the process. The time that he spent when playing Gungi with Komugi have greatly bolstered his skills in perception and has gave him supernatural foresight as he can disrupt the flow of his opponents efficiently. This enhanced perception is what allowed him to win in his fight with Netero, as he was able to pick up on what was called a pattern so small it couldn't even be called a bias, which caused him to take Netero's left arm and right leg.

Proficient Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Meruem relies entirely on bare-handed combat to kill his opponent. His fighting style seems to be based on a combination of his superhuman physical attributes and unmatched intelligence. He mainly resorts to chops and attacks with his tail, which are so powerful they can easily destroy anything they come in contact with and so quick they are invisible to almost anyone. He usually aims for critical spots right away, ending the fight in an instant. He has also shown to be capable of knocking out significantly less powerful people, such as Knuckle and Meleoron, by applying pressure on their neck, controlling his movements perfectly in spite of moving at arguably supersonic speed.

Nen
Meruem was born with an exceptional amount of aura, which soon surpassed even that of the Royal Guards. By feeding on Nen users, he increased the size of his aura even further. After he consumed part of the bodies of two of his Guards, Knuckle, upon witnessing his Ren, assumed that his power could rival the firepower of an entire nation. He could use Gyo shortly after his birth without receiving instructions. The first time he used En, it covered an area much wider than the palace perimeters and spread at such a speed that it was perceived as a real flash, though the flash may have also been attributed to Meruem transmuting his aura into photons; with the second use, his mastery reached the point that he could even discern fresh footprints. That being said, the exact level of mastery Meruem had in Nen remains mostly unclear, so are whether or not Meruem had actually used Nen in his battle with Netero, but judging by his achievements it can be safely assumed that he was extremely well versed in that regard due to his immense talent. In fact, his talent was so great that he had been shown learning and using exceedingly powerful Nen abilities on the first try without effort.

Quotes

 * (Repeated line) "Don't make me repeat myself."
 * (To Neferpitou) "It takes no skill whatsoever in simply spotting them and then eating them. The pleasure comes from not knowing they're rare until you bite in."
 * (To women begging the King to spare their lives) "Ha ha! They are idiots. Utilize your puny brain and think hard. Did you ever lend an ear to cows or swine that begged for their lives?"
 * (To Shaiapouf) "Chess, Go, shogi... The rules may be different, but every first-rate player has a certain rhythm to his play. Therefore, disrupting their rhythm, and thus their game, is vital! Learn the basic tactics, and their rhythm becomes clear. Then I simply tailor my moves to disrupt this rhythm."
 * "Why? I don't understand, and I don't like it. My rhythm is the one disrupted. It should be an unbearable indignity!! I do not know why... but... I find myself frustrated, yet I enjoy it at the same time...!"
 * (To Komugi) "If you win, I will give you anything you desire. But... if you lose... I will take you left arm."
 * "Greed and fear disrupt human rhythm. Greed will cloud the eyes an dfear will shrink courage."
 * (To the Royal Guards) "I learned from Komugi that different kinds of "strengths" exist. On my way here... I killed a child. She perhaps could have one day been superior to me in some aspect. And I plucked off that bud. For no reason. Just like that."
 * (To the Royal Guards) "I nipped a life in the bud for no reason. Heh. Heh. And what of it? It means... incredible power!! I swoop in, unjustly crushing the countless other fragile "strengths", trampling and destroying them with ease!! That is my power. Violence is the ultimate force in the world!!"
 * "What? What am I saying? Didn't I come here to kill her just now...? Why is she crying?! Why didn't I kill her?! Why?! How?! What... is this creature...?! I do not understand... And me? What... What do I want to do with her?!"
 * "I am king. But... who am I really...? Why am I here? For what reason was I born?"
 * (To Netero) "I was born to rule this world. At first I did not feel anything more toward you humans than I feel toward livestock. But now I believe there are a few humans who deserve to live. That girl is one of them. I think you may be another. If you lay down your arms now I may still spare you."
 * (To Netero) "Your society has "international borders"... partitions dividing the world into little boxes. To the right side of the border, children starve to death. To the left, the idle dregs of mankind feast on excess. It is sheer madness. I will destroy all borders. I can give you, if not perfect equality, a world without unjust want!!"
 * (To Netero) "I have learned what power is for. To protect the weak who deserve to live. Never to oppress the defeated. I will not fight you."
 * "Old soldier, I'm counting on you. Let me finish my game. Don't collapse before then!"
 * (To Netero) "I was born as the King of Ants, the crowning glory of life. All of your kind evolved solely to produce me. I am the culmination of generations of their unhesitating service. You are one of many, and no king. I hold in my hands the future of my species. Of course you could never win!! The ecology of the Chimera Ant is focused on the endpoint of all evolution... on me. Humanity, with its messy diversity... its individuals... never had a chance."
 * "What have you done? Old man... The game was over... before we even started."
 * (To Menthuthuyoupi and Shaiapouf) "Humans are a stepping stone for us to transcend to the next level!! The perfect sacrifice! The remnants of human ego within us are but variables, as long as we consider them a transitional phase to our ultimate form!!"
 * "Yes... I was... playing with someone!! Furthermore... I haven't won even once. I haven't been able to beat that person!! "
 * (To Welfin) "I hope you get to see him. And... if possible, live a human life."
 * (To Palm) "Even knowing what will happen, my greatest desire is still... to spend the time remaining to me with Komugi by my side. Nothing else."
 * (To Palm) "It was... a minor change. Something... somewhere... shifted. If I had been this way from the beginning... While I am no god... what I could do with this world... No. Perhaps only now can I see it this way."
 * (To Komugi) "Komugi, wake up! Let's play!!"
 * (To Komugi, referring to his Royal Guards) "They were too good for me..."
 * "I knew nothing. I had no idea what was truly important."
 * "I see now. This is why I was born. For this moment!!"

Trivia

 * Meruem's name resembles the Arabic name "مريم", which can be romanized as either "Maryam" or "Meryem", and is equivalent to the English name "Mary".
 * The name's origin though uncertain, it's speculated to have been derivative of the Egyptian words "mry" ("beloved") or "mr" ("love"). It carries the undeniable love the Chimera Ant Queen has towards him.
 * In Viz's translation of Volume 21, the Chimera Ant Queen gives his name as "Meryem". This is amended to "Meruem" from their translation of Volume 28 and onwards. Some Japanese Hunter × Hunter goods and the extra book cover of the "Hunter × Hunter - Sôshû-hen - Treasure" Vol. 9 also feature this romanization of his name; other merch stamp an alternative, "Meeleem" (curiously a palindrome).
 * In Hunter × Hunter Battle Collection, Meruem is considered a Specialist.
 * Of all the human he had met, Issac Netero is the only human, Meruem truly fears and respects in term of strength.
 * Meruem shares traits with some of the main villains from the Dragon Ball series. Meruem's body vaguely resembles Frieza's with the purple color scheme (namely, the deltoids and shins). Meruem's appearance is also similar to Cell's (in particular his hands, tail & color scheme of green & purple). His characterization is possibly inspired by the villains of the Dragon Ball series as well. Like Frieza, he began as someone who was very arrogant in his power and had no problem in killing his subordinates along with the way he treats them. Like Cell, he wanted to have purpose in his power and learn his potential, as such he challenged those who were the mightiest in their field similarly to how Cell started the Cell Games. He was also born to be an ultimate being much like how Cell was born from the collection of the mightiest fighters. Meruem's relationship to Komugi is also reminiscent to Majin Buu's relationship to Mr. Satan. Buu's change of character started with a meeting with a blind person too, similar to Meruem's first meeting with Komugi.
 * In Togashi's other work, YuYu Hakusho, Raizen and his decision to not eat humans until death resemble the possible resulting character of Meruem had he continued to live with Komugi. Both Raizen and Meruem ate humans until they met the human female they each fell in love with.
 * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix), Meruem's stats are:

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Meruem ميرويم 梅路艾姆 Меруэм