HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

Level 35.

That was Moro's initial assessment.

However, after the opponent used his body to block the bullets, the aura surrounding him increased in intensity, leveling up by approximately 2 to 3 points.

Is it a counter-type ability…?

Uncertain, Moro decisively pulled out another handgun and emptied another clip.

The result was the same. The opponent blocked the bullets without harm, and his aura's strength increased again, now nearing Level 40.

But Moro noticed that with the final dozen bullets, the aura's strength stabilized and no longer increased. It seemed to have reached its limit.

Based on this observation, Moro concluded that the opponent was indeed a counter-type ability user. However, the magnitude of the aura boost wasn't particularly impressive.

This likely meant that the boosted state wasn't constrained by time and could last until the opponent's aura was fully depleted.

Most importantly, from the opponent's aura output, the gap between their power levels wasn't insurmountable—just six or seven levels at most. The disadvantage in direct combat wouldn't be overwhelming.

In the short time it took to empty two magazines, Moro had gathered plenty of information and prepared to engage directly.

The man in the suit, Retona, glanced at the flattened bullets scattered on the ground. His gaze shifted to Moro, wearing his gas mask, and then to Hisoka, who stood silently smiling. His voice was cold:

"I don't care why you're here."

He stepped forward, removing his tactical harness.

"Once you set foot here, the only thing left for me to consider is killing you."

Retona's killing intent was unmistakable.

Faced with the overwhelming aura of hostility, the three reacted differently.

Sambika's expression grew solemn as her initial confusion faded.

Though her fundamentals were solid, she wasn't suited for combat. Confronting someone like Retona, exuding confidence and skill, was a headache for someone like her.

Hisoka, on the other hand, seemed to regard Retona as a potential plaything, his interest visibly piqued.

As for Moro, he calmly dropped his backpack and discarded his pistols. Taking two steps forward, he stood firm, unshaken by Retona's oppressive aura.

Seeing this, Hisoka quipped playfully, "Moro, how forward of you... Are you trying to let me understand you even better?"

His words hinted at his intention to observe Moro's Nen ability more thoroughly.

Hearing this, Sambika, who had been tense and ready to act, discreetly backed away, though her gaze lingered on Moro.

She could tell that Moro and Retona weren't far apart in terms of aura strength.

Actually, no—that wasn't accurate. From an external perspective, Retona clearly had the upper hand in aura strength.

She could feel the innate confidence emanating from Retona. Coupled with his considerable aura, the pressure he exerted was undeniable.

Moro ignored Hisoka's comment entirely. His gaze remained fixed on Retona as he calmly said, "It's fine. This will be over quickly."

"Oh?"

Hisoka opened his eyes slightly, golden irises glinting with intrigue.

Sambika, however, was visibly stunned. She couldn't comprehend where Moro's confidence stemmed from. She hesitantly glanced at Hisoka.

In her mind, Hisoka was undoubtedly the strongest one present. If Moro and Hisoka worked together, that would be the safest course of action, right?

So why did Moro seem determined to face Retona alone?

Retona, meanwhile, didn't react to Moro's words.

He had fought his way to where he was, defeating countless braggarts along the way. And in the end, he was always the one left standing.

Moro observed Retona's lack of reaction, silently acknowledging that his earlier two clips of gunfire had served their purpose—they had revealed Retona's ability type, and just as importantly, his personality and fighting style.

If Retona had been a typical Emission-Type Nen user, this might have been a tough fight.

But Moro's Deceptive Shooting Star—which could amplify power by 200%—was practically tailor-made for this situation.

Moro thought this through, raising a calm hand to gather aura in his palm.

In an instant, the concentrated aura formed into a sharp, spear-like point before solidifying into a glowing green star.

"Deceptive Shooting Star."

Moro threw the star backward without hesitation.

The star zipped through the air, passing between Hisoka and Sambika as it flew into the distance.

Retona, watching Moro's actions, immediately deduced that he was an Emission-Type user. Without hesitation, Retona charged forward, his aura flaring as he closed the distance with Moro.

Seeing Retona's rapid approach, Moro didn't budge.

The star he had thrown was set with a delay of just one second. It would return any moment now.

Whoosh—

The glowing green star sliced through the air, returning at a much faster speed and hurtling toward Moro's back.

Moro, already well-practiced, casually sidestepped, allowing the star to shoot past him and head straight for the incoming Retona.

Retona noticed the returning star and hesitated slightly but stuck to his plan.

Confident in his enhanced aura, he decided to block the star with brute force. Once he neutralized the attack, he could seize the opening to crush Moro.

"At this range, as long as I block this Nen projectile... It's over. That's my line to say!"

Retona didn't attempt to dodge. Instead, he trusted his reinforced aura to withstand the impact.

But the moment the star made contact with his body, Retona's confidence shattered.

The power of the star exceeded his expectations.

No—that wasn't right.

My aura is stronger. Why is this happening?!

The thought barely had time to form before the star detonated.

The explosion tore through Retona's aura defenses, blasting a bloody hole in his chest. His body was flung backward, slamming into the ground with a heavy thud.

Moro glanced at Retona's fallen figure, then casually checked the levels on the back of his hand.

"Lv. 31 → Lv. 33."

He's dead.

Moro picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

At that moment, Sambika stared at Moro in shock.

Even though Moro's aura wasn't as strong as Retona's, he had managed to end the fight in a single exchange.

Is his projectile enhanced by a restriction? Sambika wondered, recalling her knowledge of Nen's Vows and Limitations.

While she was still processing the implications, Hisoka's low, amused laughter echoed through the courtyard.

Hearing it, Sambika felt a chill down her spine. She glanced at Hisoka's profile and instinctively took a step back.

Hisoka's eyes were locked onto Moro, his tongue flicking over his lips as his aura grew increasingly unsettling.

"Ha… Haha…"

What Hisoka saw went far beyond Sambika's understanding.

He could tell that the power of Moro's attack came from the star's returning amplification, but what truly fascinated him was Moro's insight and confidence.

Hisoka knew—

From the moment Moro fired those initial two clips, he had already analyzed Retona's abilities and personality.

From that moment, Moro had seen the outcome.

That was why he could say with such certainty:

"It's fine. This will be over quickly."

"Ah, you're amazing…"

Hisoka's eyes curved into crescents, his excitement and fascination reaching a fever pitch.

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