Royal Guards

The Elite Royal Guards ( 王(おう)直(ちょく)属</rb>(</rp>ぞく</rt>)</rp>護</rb>(</rp>ご</rt>)</rp>衛</rb>(</rp>えい</rt>)</rp>軍</rb>(</rp>ぐん</rt>)</rp>, Ō Chokuzoku Goei-gun—lit. meaning "King Immediate Guard Force"; formerly <rb>女</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>じょ</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>王</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>おう</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>直</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>ちょく</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>属</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>ぞく</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>護</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>ご</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>衛</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>えい</rt><rp>)</rp><rb>軍</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>ぐん</rt><rp>)</rp> , Joō Chokuzoku Goei-gun—lit. meaning "Queen Immediate Guard Force") are three Chimera Ants entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the Ant King Meruem from enemies and any harm. Furthermore, they offer their assistance and counsel to help him fulfill the biological project laid out for him by his mother. In the case of the Royal Guards serving Meruem, however, the latter's imperative began to threaten the integrity of the trio when the King's wishes began to change.

Background
Like other Chimera Ants, the Royal Guards are born through phagogenesis, but are genetically stronger than any other soldier ant and hatch with the ability to use Nen. Other Chimera Ants refer to as 'special beings' because of the power they possess. The guards assigned to Meruem are:
 * Neferpitou
 * Shaiapouf
 * Menthuthuyoupi

They are supposed to fight the Ant King's enemies. Despite their loyalty to the biological project of domination laid out by the Chimera Ant Queen, they have no use for her person or interest in her well-being whatsoever after the birth of the King, leaving her to die despite having the power to save her.

Chimera Ant arc


Sometime during the Chimera Ant Queen's founding of her NGL nest, she conceives the three Royal Guards. One day, she summons all her Squadron Leaders and demand from them to deliver her 50 humans a day. Turtle asks the Queen if they might have names and explains their meaning to the Queen. After giving her consent, the Queen goes to where the eggs of the Royal Guards and amusedly decides to name the Guards herself.



The eldest of the Guards, Neferpitou, awakens during Pokkle's confinement within the nest. Their sinister aura is immediately recognized by their fellow Ants, such as Rammot and Peggy. Neferpitou asks Rammot about "gifts", to which Rammot is happy to explain to them. However, Neferpitou senses Pokkle's presence and has him killed. They start rummaging through Pokkle's brain in search for answers about the "gifts", which they consequently learn as "Nen". Under Pitou's supervision, Rammot takes the Water Divination test. Pitou also participates, revealing them to be a Specialist. During the initiation of the Squadron Leaders, Pitou senses Kite's aura and leaves the nest to battle him. The next morning, Pitou orders for the Ants to create a freezer to preserve Kite's corpse, while Kite's head is resting on their lap. Once back in the nest, Pitou's desire to battle once again with Kite manifests in their Nen ability, Doctor Blythe.



Chairman Netero's team arrives near the nest, but they cannot go further due to Neferpitou's vast, irregular En. Morel uses his smoke to create bunnies that can determine how many Ants are present in the nest. While Pitou contemplates their actions about them, a second Royal Guard suggests that they wait and see. He introduces himself as Shaiapouf, and tells Pitou that Menthuthuyoupi will also awaken soon. In the next few days, more and more Squadrons mysteriously disappear. Colt and Peggy ask Pitou for advice, but Pitou allows them to handle everything outside the nest. Moreover, they say that the Royal Guard will defend the nest. Sometime in between, the youngest of the Guards, Menthuthuyoupi, is already born.



Suddenly, the Queen feels intense pain. Shaiapouf and Neferpitou immediately identify it as the birth of the King. After the newly born King Meruem kills some of his subordinates, the three Guards appear and introduce themselves to him. They have also prepared his food. The King follows his Guards, leaving the Queen writhing in pain. Colt runs after the Guards and begs for Pitou to heal the Queen with the same ability they used to heal Kite. However, Pitou refuses, since they needed Kite and the Queen means nothing to the Royal Guards, now that the King is born. Ignoring Colt, Pitou explains that the King's meal is outside. Meruem punches a hole in the wall and climbs to the top. His Guards follow suit, Shaiapouf flying and Menthuthuyoupi copying Pouf's wings. The King, finding the food bland, demands to eat the same delicious food the Queen ate. Pitou identifies them as the "rares" and grants the King's demand.



The King and his Royal Guards fly over the fields and come upon a small farm. Meruem feeds on the humans, but remains unsatisfied. Neferpitou offers some more advice, to which the King hits them with his tail for Pitou's mockery. The King explains how he knows, and also commends Pitou for surviving his attack. Back in the nest, Colt has successfully enlisted Morel and Knov's help to give the Queen medical assistance. However, her injuries are too severe. In her last moments, the Queen states that her son's name is Meruem, and that it means "light that illuminates all". As the Queen lies lifeless, Colt discovers that there is a small baby left inside the Queen's womb. He vows to protect the child, with Morel also promising to protect the both of them as long as they do not eat humans anymore.



Crossing over countries, the King and his entourage reach the Republic of East Gorteau. Soldiers arrive to confront the Ants, but the King kills them effortlessly and feeds on one of the rare human soldiers. They later find Ming Jol-ik hosting an entertainments in a room. After the dictator's series of threats, the King kills him and Neferpitou suggests they can use the corpse to control the humans. Meruem finds a courtyard behind the palace, and, liking the view, decides it will be a meat orchard wherein to process humans to Chimera Ant soldiers. Shortly afterwards, Pitou starts using the corpse to manipulate the East Gorteau citizens into rallying in the palace within ten days. Morel informs the others that Colt thinks it might be some kind of ploy. With a time limit of ten days, the Chimera Ant Extermination team splits into four groups: Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck versus Neferpitou; Knuckle Bine and Shoot McMahon against Menthuthuyoupi; Morel Mackernasey and Knov against Shaiapouf; and Chairman Netero against Meruem.



Nine days before the selection, Pitou senses someone disabling their puppets. They decide whether it is an assassin and a decoy, but after getting frustrated at being unable to fight, they go and ask for Pouf's advice. Shaiapouf suggests that Pitou should not go, thinking it only as a ploy of their enemies to lure them. Instead of fighting the enemies themselves, Pouf suggests to let others take care of it, while the Royal Guards focus on protecting the King. Leol's Squad comes forward and receives order from Pitou to get rid of the assassin. Once they leave, Youpi asks Pitou if it is okay to trust Leol, but Pitou knows they want to earn their trust first, before finding the opportunity to stab them in the back. Two days later, the King begins challenging champions of various board games. Shaiapouf accompanies him and introduces the champions, while Menthuthuyoupi drags the them one after the other. The King keeps playing games, until the Gungi world champion Komugi enters and defeats him in every single match. At length, Shaiapouf becomes concerned with the King's continuous losses and his listening to Komugi, but he decides to ignore it for now.

Trivia

 * As noted by Neferpitou, all three Royal Guards have been smacked by Meruem once.
 * Each Royal Guard embodies a different type of loyalty, and each of them has a different attitude towards Komugi:
 * Despite one momentary hesitation when the King's safety was not immediately at risk, Menthuthuyoupi's devotion is absolute and unquestioning, which is partly due to his lack of human genes. He was indifferent to Komugi prior to the explosion, but eventually accepted to keep her existence a secret when Meruem lost his memory in order to maintain the special bond that he had formed with the King after the latter fed on him, exhibiting signs of selfishness.
 * Shaiapouf is more loyal to his idea of how the Chimera Ant King should be and the biological project laid out for him than the person of the King himself, to the point he acts behind Meruem's back and tries to manipulate him, attempts to harm Komugi repeatedly,  and ultimately breaks down in tears when the King implies a human life is a blessing.
 * Despite occasionally showing concern over Komugi's influence on Meruem, Neferpitou obeyed his orders to protect and heal her, even putting their own life at risk and offering to help the extermination team in order to prevent her from being harmed. Neferpitou acknowledged and accepted the changes Komugi caused in Meruem, stating that if she died, the King would stop being himself, and showing they remained completely loyal to Meruem despite noticing how he was diverging from what was expected of him.