Hunter: I Became Stronger After Death

A torrential downpour blanketed the night.

In the heart of Yorknew City, within the labyrinthine alleys of Sewer Street, rain cascaded like beaded curtains, tracing the veins of the city streets. Amid the shifting interplay of shadows and flickering light, a solitary antique shop glowed warmly, its radiance defying the gloom outside.

Above the shop hung a common electronic sign, its scrolling red text displaying a single line:

[Buying antiques, miscellaneous items, and handcrafted artworks—June 22, 1997]

Inside, near the wall, an ornate display window housed an array of antique artworks, their true worth obscured by the amber light enveloping them.

At the back of the shop, a solid wooden table stood pressed against the wall. A lamp perched on one corner, casting a concentrated beam of light. Beneath its glow stood a red wooden doll, roughly fifty centimeters tall, its stillness betraying a strange vitality.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached into the light and clasped the seemingly unremarkable doll. The hands belonged to a young man, dressed in casual wear. His short black hair framed a strikingly handsome face.

Crack.

A light squeeze of his fingers caused cracks to spiderweb across the doll's surface. From these fissures, faint, ethereal white light seeped out, stark against the lamp's yellow glow.

In moments, the wooden shell crumbled away, revealing an exquisite jade figurine, softly illuminated by an aura of Nen. The translucent jade surface was etched with faint green patterns resembling fish scales. Under the light, the figurine shimmered with unmistakable value.

Breaking apart the wood to uncover a hidden treasure—this scene was witnessed by a robust man near the shop's entrance. He wore a dog-shaped mask, his muscled arms crossed over his chest. His expression remained calm, as if this transformation was nothing out of the ordinary.

Fixing his gaze on the youth, the masked man spoke with a steady, commanding tone:

"Moro, why did you refuse the gift that Morena prepared for you?"

"Gift?"

The youth named Moro looked up sharply, meeting the masked man's eyes. A wry smile tugged at his lips.

"Brother Dog, asking me to kill twenty-one strangers—that's a gift?"

"Of course it's a gift. If you kill them, you'll immediately level up to 21. Afterward, you should be able to master a Nen ability tailored to your needs. Even if the result deviates slightly, at the very least, you'll gain a significant boost in aura."

The man's voice remained firm and unwavering. After a pause, he added,

"Moro, Morena needs quick feedback on her Nen ability. Don't let her down. Besides… becoming stronger just by killing a few people is nothing but beneficial for you."

"…"

Moro fell silent.

Killing a few people—just like that?

This was the way of the mafia. Or, perhaps, it was simply the way of the world in Hunter x Hunter. Here, life was cheap, and the sanctity of existence was often trampled upon.

Moro knew this all too well. A year ago, when he first arrived in this world, he had experienced it firsthand.

He studied the masked man in silence. As a transmigrator, Moro was intimately familiar with the plot and characters of Hunter x Hunter. The masked man before him, along with Morena—the woman who had saved him a year ago—were both members of the mafia family introduced in the Succession War arc.

Morena was no ordinary woman. A bastard of the Kakin royal family and the future head of the Ai family mafia, she possessed a Nen ability in the original story that left a deep impression on Moro.

Her ability allowed people to grow stronger through killing.

"Killing to get stronger—it sounds so easy," Moro murmured, suppressing his thoughts. A faint, enigmatic smile crossed his lips, though his eyes remained unreadable.

"Brother Dog, Nen is not such a simplistic thing. With the existence of vows and restrictions… While I don't know how Morena developed this ability, one thing is certain."

He lowered his gaze to the jade figurine on the table and continued, his voice calm:

"There's risk—tremendous, unpredictable risk."

"…"

The masked man fell silent at Moro's words, his lack of a response almost an admission. But he quickly remembered his role and broke the silence.

"So, is your answer a refusal?"

"How could I refuse…? After all, my worthless life belongs to Morena," Moro said, his voice tinged with self-mockery. For a brief moment, Morena's deep, unfathomable eyes flashed through his mind.

He paused before looking back at the masked man. His voice softened.

"Give me one day."

"Alright. I'll let Morena know."

The masked man nodded decisively, then turned to leave. As he reached the door, he hesitated and glanced back.

"Oh, one more thing. Morena hasn't decided on a name for her Nen ability. She'd like you to suggest one."

"…"

Moro froze for a moment, recalling scenes from the original story.

"Love's Etude."

This was the name Morena's ability bore in the original work. Why such a destructive ability carried such a name, Moro had no idea.

Without hesitation, he gave the name:

"Just call it Love's Etude, if Morena doesn't mind."

The masked man was slightly surprised but didn't dwell on it. With a wave, he stepped into the rain and disappeared into the night.

Moro watched him leave, his expression impassive.

Click.

The door closed with a faint creak.

A few minutes later, Moro withdrew his gaze and turned to the jade figurine on the table, now standing amidst the broken shards of its wooden shell.

"Looks like I'll have to run…"

Some things he couldn't bring himself to do, and with no room for negotiation, leaving Morena's circle was his only choice.

It wasn't that Moro was unwilling to kill. It was because among the twenty-one targets Morena had sent, there were infants and children. That crossed a line he couldn't ignore.

Besides, he knew better than anyone what Morena's true intentions were.

Destruction. Destruction of Kakin, of humanity, of the world—everything.

That was Morena's ultimate goal.

Moro had always known he would leave her one day. He just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.

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