HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

Benjamin emerged from the forest with a calm, composed demeanor, directly facing Moro's handgun as if it were a mere trifle.

This attitude conveyed neither hostility nor fear.

Moro, however, did not lower his weapon. His left hand continued to charge Nen, ready to strike, but he also chose not to disregard Benjamin's attempt at friendly interaction.

"Moro, a treasure hunter," he replied.

Seeing how openly Benjamin introduced himself, Moro quickly adopted a temporary identity.

Benjamin nodded slightly and pointed at the three bodies on the ground.

"I'm not here to interrogate you. This might be an obvious question, but I still need to confirm it—Moro, are you the one who killed these people?"

Moro hesitated briefly, glancing at Benjamin's shadow as though assessing something. Finally, he straightforwardly admitted, "Yes, I killed them."

Given the circumstances, lying would be unnecessary and redundant.

Benjamin nodded again, his tone indifferent. "Poachers. Killing them is a good thing."

He nonchalantly identified the bodies, then shifted his gaze to the nearby white deer. "The antlered giant deer—an Serrata floralia species—is classified as a B-rank protected animal. It's been appearing frequently on the black market lately. That's why I'm here."

"Oh?" Moro picked up on Benjamin's implied motive. He asked calmly, "Isn't dealing with poachers the job of anti-poaching rangers?"

Benjamin offered a faint smile. "True, but as a gourmet hunter, part of my responsibility is to preserve the environment. When I encounter poachers, I won't just stand by and do nothing."

"So… you came here specifically for them?" Moro cast a glance at the bodies on the ground.

To gourmet hunters, who rely on nature for ingredients, safeguarding the natural environment often falls within their purview. It wasn't unreasonable for a team of poachers to be targeted by someone like Benjamin.

However, Benjamin shook his head. "Not entirely."

"Hm?" Moro looked at him quizzically.

Unbothered by Moro's still-raised handgun, Benjamin walked over to the antlers left behind by the poachers.

"These are treasures," Benjamin said, lifting the coral-like antlers in his hands, his eyes gleaming.

Moro raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

Weighing the antlers briefly, Benjamin turned back to Moro. "If it weren't for you, I would've arrived here and killed these poachers myself. Of course… I would report their contraband to the local forestry bureau. But these antlered deer?"

He paused for emphasis, his expression growing serious. "They absolutely cannot go to waste."

"…" Moro gave Benjamin a skeptical look, suspecting he might have been lurking nearby all along.

Given gourmet hunters' tendency to hunt rare delicacies in remote wilderness areas, their mastery of skills like In or Zetsu was likely top-notch.

Benjamin might have deliberately waited for the poachers to kill the deer, providing him with a convenient justification to enjoy its delicacies.

Benjamin seemed to notice Moro's thoughts. He unsheathed a boning knife made from blood-colored minerals at his waist and began deftly removing the deer antlers.

While working, he casually said, "Moro, you're not thinking that I deliberately waited for the poachers to kill the antlered deer before stepping in, are you?"

"I didn't say that," Moro replied quickly, though his gaze lingered on the crimson boning knife.

Under the silvery moonlight, he noticed a smoky layer of Nen enveloping the blade.

The Nen energy didn't come from Benjamin himself but seemed to be infused into the knife.

Clearly, this was no ordinary tool—it was a Nen-imbued artifact. Furthermore, the Nen's density suggested considerable refinement.

Benjamin chuckled at Moro's response but openly admitted, "Still, I did wait intentionally."

Moro looked at him in astonishment.

For all Benjamin's talk about environmental preservation, his true motive was exactly as Moro suspected—purely for the chance to taste a rare B-rank animal.

Moro silently stepped back, increasing the distance between himself and Benjamin.

Noticing the retreat, Benjamin paused his antler carving and said leisurely, "There's no need to be so shocked. I'm a professional hunter. Whether it's through guile or rationalization, I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want."

Holding up an antler, Benjamin pointed out a jelly-like substance inside where the outer layer had been shaved off.

"This stuff is priceless. Even on the black market, it's nearly impossible to find. Believe me, this is the kind of top-tier ingredient that drives gourmet hunters crazy. If you pass up the chance to try it, I guarantee you'll regret it for the rest of your life. So… care to join me?"

"No thanks." Moro rejected the offer outright. He stowed his handgun, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and prepared to leave.

He couldn't determine whether Benjamin was truly a licensed gourmet hunter, but in his mind, Benjamin was firmly categorized as an oddball.

Sticking around to share a meal with such a person? Not a chance.

"Are you sure?" Benjamin asked, his tone calm and even.

Moro shook his head. "You can keep all this for your reports. The poachers and their contraband are yours to claim credit for. Use their corpses as cover for consuming the B-rank deer if you want. Whatever you do, it's not my business."

"Don't mind if I do," Benjamin replied with a faint smile, resuming his work on the antlers.

Moro nodded, then turned and retreated toward the forest, keeping his distance from Benjamin.

Watching Moro back away, Benjamin remained unbothered.

A few moments later, Moro paused at a clearing surrounded by trees, casting one last glance at Benjamin.

"An unscrupulous professional hunter, huh…"

Moro turned his head back and disappeared into the woods.

Benjamin gazed at the trees where Moro vanished. Initially, he had hoped to recruit the boy into sharing the meal, implicating him as an accomplice.

It didn't work.

For a fleeting moment, he considered detaining Moro, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

Benjamin could tell Moro was someone deeply distrustful of others, likely due to constant dealings with deceitful people.

Despite this, Moro maintained a calculated sense of boundaries.

"What a waste," Benjamin muttered, squinting slightly as an odd premonition crossed his mind.

Perhaps this wouldn't be their last encounter.

For 20 advanced chapters: https://www.patreon.com/c/Ely225

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The third princess has been renamed Eve.

It's a bit hard to remember, but I bet in a few days, you'll forget her original name anyway! Haha!