HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

Humans controlled by puppet techniques lost their shadows but gained enhanced strength through Nen.

Before the spaceship explosion, Lukahara hid in an ordinary person's shadow. Using the bodies of over ten puppet-controlled humans, he encased the ordinary person and plummeted from the sky into a lake.

The impact shattered several of the puppet humans, even with Nen reinforcement. The ordinary person trapped inside was killed instantly.

Emerging from the shadow space, Lukahara swam to the shore, followed by the remaining puppets.

Once ashore, Lukahara slumped against a tree, his face weary.

The Shadow Without Return ability was complex, offering versatile applications at a high cost of Nen energy. After a series of ordeals, Lukahara's physical strength and Nen reserves were nearly depleted.

"Damn… only seven left," he muttered through clenched teeth, glaring at the barely intact seven puppet humans.

Given the time constraints during the explosion, he had no choice but to act swiftly. Even a few seconds' delay could have cost his life.

Considering the circumstances, preserving seven puppet humans was already a decent outcome. But his frustration stemmed from how these events disrupted his mission.

Unable to pinpoint Moro's whereabouts or plan his next move, Lukahara took a deep breath to steady his emotions and closed his eyes, feigning rest.

Although he had lost an excellent opportunity, the mission was not yet a failure. He just needed to recover and bide his time for another chance.

Beneath the moonlight, Lukahara leaned against a tree, encircled by his motionless, zombie-like puppets.

Meanwhile, Moro's condition was far better, with his physical stamina and Nen reserves bolstered by the earlier level-up reward on the spaceship.

Radiating faint Nen energy, Moro walked along the lakeshore toward three individuals who had just finished hunting large-horned white deer. He hoped to ask for directions or borrow a phone.

"Excuse me, sorry to bother you," Moro said, raising his hand in greeting from a distance to avoid startling them.

The three hunters, who had been happily cutting into the antlers, froze at the sound of Moro's voice. Without hesitation, they grabbed their hunting rifles and aimed toward the source.

Seeing a scruffy-looking young man, they exchanged glances.

"It's just a kid."

"So what? He saw us."

"Kill him?"

"Obviously. What do you think we're doing here?"

The oldest of the three, a man with a thick beard, made the call without hesitation.

Poaching large-horned white deer was a serious crime, with penalties calculated based on the weight of the haul. A single adult deer's coral-like antlers could easily land someone a 20-year sentence.

Murderous intent flashed in the bearded man's eyes. Their actions were already illicit, and he had no intention of letting witnesses complicate things. Without waiting to clarify Moro's intentions, he pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The suppressed gunshot still echoed across the lake.

The bullet sliced through the air, heading straight for Moro.

Sensing the bearded man's killing intent, Moro dodged the shot just in time. The bullet whizzed past his side and disappeared into the night.

The man froze in surprise for a moment before chambering another round.

"Don't just stand there—shoot him!" he barked at his companions while taking aim again.

But Moro didn't give them another chance.

Whizz, whizz, whizz—

Several Nen bullets flew through the air, crossing the thin line between life and death. Each one hit its mark, blowing apart the heads of all three hunters.

Blood sprayed into the night, and the three collapsed alongside their rifles with a dull thud.

Moro approached the corpses, his gaze briefly lingering on the carcasses of the white deer.

"Poachers, huh…"

His expression remained cold. He didn't recognize the species, but the hunters' ruthless actions spoke volumes about their trade. They likely cared little about why a lone boy was in the forest, only about silencing him to cover their tracks.

Crouching by the bodies, Moro rummaged through their belongings and found a smartphone. He quickly dialed Kanzai's number.

Ring… ring…

After a minute of unanswered ringing, the call disconnected.

Moro frowned and tried several more times, but Kanzai didn't respond.

"Don't tell me his phone got smashed too," Moro muttered. "That's unlikely. He's a Twelve Zodiacs enforcer—he'd know how to shield himself with Shu in combat."

Glancing at the surrounding misty forest, Moro grimaced at the thought of Kanzai falling into a swamp. The damp environment made it likely there were wetlands nearby.

The mental image of Kanzai plunging into a bog like a javelin sent shivers down Moro's spine. "That'd be… tragic."

Shaking off the thought, he texted Argor before pocketing the phone. He then resumed searching the bodies.

A handgun, cigarettes, a lighter, a compass…

Setting aside useful items, Moro checked their backpacks, uncovering some rations, water, and poached animal parts: claws, multicolored beaks, and even a sealed jar containing vivid green beast eyes.

These macabre trophies confirmed the men's poacher status.

"No wonder they were so brutal," Moro muttered, glancing at their bodies.

Initially, he had only wanted directions, but their own actions had sealed their fates.

He stuffed useful items and food into a backpack, leaving behind the grisly trophies and the antlers on the ground.

Based on the map in one of the backpacks, he determined he was in a forest in the Republic of Minbo. Technically, this made him an illegal entrant. Carrying the stolen animal parts would only worsen his situation.

Securing his belongings, Moro suddenly froze, his senses sharpening as faint sounds reached his ears.

Raising the handgun, he aimed toward the dimly lit trees, gathering Nen in his free hand.

Rustle, rustle.

A man emerged from the dense underbrush, walking nonchalantly into view.

Glancing at the corpses, the severed antlers, and the scattered poaching trophies, the man's expression shifted briefly before returning to calm.

He looked Moro up and down, then said casually, "Nice to meet you. Name's Benjamin—professional gourmet hunter."

"…"

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