HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

The red X—the execution blade of the Death Node.

Only by killing Feitan within the given time would this glaring scarlet mark disappear.

Everything Moro knew about the Death Node had been extracted from this red symbol.

The process of extracting information was simple: focusing attention on the mark would transfer the relevant knowledge into his mind as though downloading data.

However, before the transfer, Moro would first relive an incredibly vivid death replay.

Before contemplating a new ability or drawing inspiration from Killua's Godspeed, Moro hadn't considered using the X in any way.

But now, he realized he could potentially harness the death replay as a source of inspiration for creating new abilities.

Reflecting on the strange sensation he'd experienced when dodging a sniper's bullet—a subtle yet profound sense of impending doom—he thought it might represent a form of death premonition.

His goal now was to replicate that ephemeral sensation and amplify it into something tangible.

If successful, this death premonition could become the foundation of his new ability.

The idea felt ambitious, bordering on absurd, yet Moro believed it was achievable.

Nen, after all, was a system that thrived on limitless possibilities.

Abilities like Fourth Prince Tserriednich's Time Perception and Morena's Love Serenade were perfect examples of Nen's versatility and unpredictability.

With his gaze fixed on the red X, Moro began extracting its essence.

Death Replay

As Moro focused on the scarlet mark, his consciousness was pulled as if into a vortex. For a fleeting moment, his mind quaked with disorientation.

Then, the death replay began.

Feitan appeared before his eyes.

A blurred, distorted figure trailing afterimages; piercing, icy eyes that seemed to freeze everything in their gaze; and the sharp, murderous edge of his thin blade.

The vision didn't last long.

In the next instant, Moro felt the blade slice across his face—a chillingly vivid sensation that conveyed the inevitability of death.

Suffocation. Darkness.

Then it was over. Moro's awareness snapped back to reality.

Unconsciously, his hand rose to cover his face as his pupils trembled.

The death replay, summoned by the X, was a visceral experience akin to reliving death itself.

Fortunately, Feitan's blade was swift, and there wasn't much pain—just the overwhelming, hyper-realistic dread of having his life snuffed out.

This terror, paradoxically, allowed Moro to brush against the very essence of death's aura.

"Again…"

Moro steadied his breathing, suppressing the lingering fear, and concentrated once more on the mark.

The process repeated: the vortex, the blurred figure of Feitan, the flash of a blade, and the crushing darkness.

Moro returned to the cave, only to immediately begin the cycle again.

Immersion

Outside, thunder rumbled as flashes of lightning illuminated the stormy sky. Moments later, torrential rain began to pour, the downpour echoing through the cave.

The chaotic weather seemed distant to Moro, whose focus remained unbroken.

Each death replay drew him closer to the strange, mystical sensation of death's presence, and with it, a growing familiarity with the moment before the killing blow.

He started to recognize patterns and subtleties within the experience, honing his awareness.

At the same time, Feitan's face—filled with cold malice—became increasingly abhorrent.

If not for the current gap in strength, Moro might have been tempted to confront him directly.

By the time the storm passed and the first rays of dawn illuminated the cave, Moro had lost track of how many times he had endured the death replay.

But he could feel the results.

Through repeated exposure, he had touched the essence of death premonition itself.

Even so, premonition alone wasn't enough—it was merely the foundation. To make it a fully realized ability, Moro needed to build on it.

The glowing dandelion made the process of creating abilities much easier. However, Moro wanted more than just a serviceable power—he wanted something perfectly tailored to counter Feitan while aligning with his natural Nen affinity.

"Premonition, evasion, binding, counterattack… and it all has to match my Nen type."

With his hand under his chin, Moro reflected on his life experiences since arriving in this world.

In the ruthless antiques trade, he had learned to observe and expose lies.Through Nen training, he had recognized the importance of resource integration.In the Heaven's Arena, he had relished the thrill of narrowly avoiding attacks.In battle, he had come to appreciate the significance of timing and effective strikes.

"First, I need…"

Moro's thoughts crystallized as he summoned the glowing dandelion and began infusing it with the concept of death premonition.

The dandelion emitted a soft glow as it absorbed the idea.

Framework

With the premonition as a foundation, Moro envisioned a chain of abilities:

Enhanced Evasion through Premonition

Using premonition to heighten his reflexes and avoid attacks.

Binding as a Follow-up

Utilizing evasion as a trigger to activate a binding ability, ensuring that opponents like Feitan wouldn't escape or regain the upper hand.

However, Moro wanted to amplify the effectiveness of these abilities. To do so, he considered adding a vow and restriction—sacrificing defense in exchange for increased evasion.

For instance, he could adopt a mindset akin to "death is always near," reducing his defensive capabilities to maximize the speed and efficiency of his evasion.

This high-risk approach would ensure that binding became a natural continuation of his evasion efforts.

Refinement

When it came to binding, Moro initially considered a Nen space—an ability akin to Kurapika's Judgment Chain or other spatial powers.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

Nen spaces developed from Emission Nen were generally focused on mobility rather than restriction. Unlike Conjuration Nen spaces, they lacked the intricate mechanisms necessary for trapping or containing opponents.

Unless Moro were a Specialist capable of blending Emission, Manipulation, Conjuration, and other traits, creating a powerful, multi-faceted Nen space was out of the question.

For now, Moro discarded the idea of developing a high-speed movement ability or an Emission-based space. Instead, he narrowed his focus to something simpler but just as effective:

Directional Attacks.

Concept Finalized

The new ability's foundation and framework were now clear:

Sacrifice Defense for Premonition: Moro would weaken his defenses to achieve unparalleled evasion, guided by premonitions of death.Mark and Counter: Successful evasions would place markers on attackers, enabling Moro to execute precise, directional counterattacks using his Nen.

This high-risk, high-reward strategy ensured that Moro could not only survive Feitan's speed but also deliver decisive blows.

The dandelion's glow intensified as Moro finalized his input.

The ability, designed to dismantle Feitan's strengths, was finally taking shape.

"This framework should work."

And the best part? Nen abilities developed through the dandelion's system didn't consume Moro's Nen capacity.

Even after dedicating this ability to Feitan's downfall, he would still have room to create additional powers in the future.

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