HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

The iron bars of the cage were rusted, their hardness compromised and brittle.

Under the augmentation of nen energy, Moro forcibly bent the vertical bars apart, creating an opening large enough for him to exit the cage.

Ignoring the terrified gazes around him, Moro bent down and stepped out. Hearing movement from outside the compartment door, he immediately shifted to the side and reached out to grip one of the iron bars.

He tried to snap it in two but lacked the strength to do so.

Pressed for time, Moro noticed that the top and bottom ends of the bar weren't welded in place. Using force, he yanked the bent bar out of the cage frame.

Just then, the compartment door was pulled open, sunlight flooding in to reveal a tall silhouette—and—

A handgun!

Moro's expression instantly changed.

Given his current state, having only recently activated his nen, even a small-caliber handgun could cause him substantial harm.

Furthermore, for a nen user, the ability to control nen energy comes primarily from consistent practice, a process that trains the body to adapt instinctively.

Thus, even though Moro had successfully activated his nen, he still needed time to adjust, allowing his body to become familiar with the flow of nen energy.

In this situation, the threat posed by a firearm was undeniable.

The moment Moro spotted the handgun, he didn't waste time thinking. He immediately hurled the bent iron bar in his hand.

Thanks to his skill in the Emission category, the direction and accuracy of his throw were flawless.

The spinning bar cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound, striking the person opening the door dead-on.

A scream erupted as the individual was hit, their body flying backward from the force of impact.

But at the same moment, with a faint swish, a dagger surrounded by nen energy flew through the air, aiming directly for Moro's leg.

It was an attack from another person—

And they were also a nen user!

Caught off guard, Moro barely managed to shift his body.

Shhhk.

The dagger grazed his knee, drawing a spray of blood.

Moro's expression tightened. Gritting his teeth against the pain radiating from the wound, he quickly retreated deeper into the compartment, putting distance between himself and the metal door.

He knew there were two people responsible for transporting the cargo, so he had mentally prepared himself from the start.

However, the sudden stop of the transport vehicle and the fact that one of the transporters was a nen user were unexpected developments.

More critically—

From the timing of the dagger's attack, it was clear that the assailant had some understanding of the situation inside the compartment before stopping the vehicle. This was likely why their armed companion was instructed to open the door.

Judging from the lack of extreme caution when the door was opened, the nen user clearly hadn't revealed much critical information to their armed partner.

In other words, the nen user deliberately let their armed companion open the door, both to heighten the sense of threat and to use them as bait.

This opponent…

Was incredibly cold-blooded.

Moro pressed his back against the side of the compartment, his expression grim.

He glanced at the dimly lit corner of the ceiling and spotted a faint red dot.

A surveillance camera.

Moro shifted his gaze away and frowned.

He hadn't accounted for such variables—it was an oversight on his part, a failure to consider all angles.

Especially the possibility that one of the transporters might be a nen user…

However, Moro never dwelled on regret. Instead, he chose to learn from mistakes and failures—a principle he had always adhered to.

This approach was precisely why, in less than half a year, he had managed to build up an antique shop and establish a steady income.

In the world of antiques and handcrafted artwork, fraud, setups, and counterfeits were rampant.

Moro had, of course, been deceived more than once. He had even fallen victim to elaborate schemes.

But those experiences had shaped the expertise Moro now relied on to navigate complex situations.

His gaze shifted back to the compartment door.

The assailant, despite attacking earlier, still hadn't revealed themselves.

One thing, however, stood out to Moro.

He was certain that the timing of the nen user's attack had presented them with a clear opportunity to severely injure or kill him.

Yet they hadn't taken it, choosing instead to target his leg.

A person who could ruthlessly sacrifice their companion as bait had held back in this critical moment.

"Do they value the 'cargo' more than the risk of their companion dying as bait…?"

Moro grasped this point.

The so-called "cargo" obviously referred to him and the others being transported.

From this, Moro deduced that the assailant had a responsibility to ensure the cargo remained intact. This also led him to consider the consequences of an attack on the transport vehicle that resulted in the majority of the "cargo" being lost.

Was there some hidden reason behind this?

Could this indirectly confirm the importance and value of their batch of "cargo"?

Unfortunately, Moro had no memory of the events prior to his capture. While he had survived by sheer luck, he'd lost consciousness soon after.

When he woke up, he was already aboard a ship heading to the Kakin Kingdom.

At the time, he had no knowledge of this world. Complicating matters further, he couldn't speak the language, making it impossible to investigate the details right away.

Later, he had simply chosen not to dwell on it.

Had he delved into the matter back then, he might have uncovered more information by now.

What was clear at present was that the nen user prioritized the cargo's condition even over their companion's life.

Perhaps this could be exploited…

Moro quickly examined his wound. It wasn't deep, but without treatment, it could become a liability.

Time wasn't on his side.

"Huh?"

As this thought crossed his mind, Moro's pupils contracted. He focused on the motionless compartment door, then glanced swiftly at the dagger embedded in the wall.

Time…

The opponent clearly held the upper hand, yet they showed no signs of capitalizing on their advantage. They hadn't even revealed themselves.

Were they being overly cautious, or waiting for something?

Moro stared at the dagger but saw no indication of what might happen next. He had no intention of recklessly pulling it out as a weapon, either.

Still, he had a nagging sense that he couldn't let the stalemate drag on. He needed to act.

It was time to take a gamble.

Moro suddenly dashed toward the compartment door.

Outside his field of vision, Zazan heard the commotion and instinctively raised his left hand. As nen energy surged, a dagger materialized out of thin air, poised to strike.

The entire process, from reaction to execution, was guided by his combat instincts.

Yet a split-second of reason caused him to hesitate, stopping him from throwing the dagger.

The blind spot in his line of sight made him worry about accidentally killing one of the "cargo."

This hesitation allowed Moro to leap out of the compartment, landing more than ten meters away. From there, he finally caught sight of Zazan standing beside the transport vehicle.

He had gambled correctly.

Seeing that Zazan hadn't attacked, Moro steadied himself, discreetly glancing at the dagger lodged in the back of the compartment. He then braced himself for any sudden developments.

Zazan tightened his grip on the dagger, his gaze filled with surprise as he looked at Moro.

This kid… was peculiar.

"Are you always this bold?" Zazan asked coldly, twirling the dagger in his hand.

Moro remained silent, using the moment to let his body adjust further to the flow of nen energy.

Seeing Moro's silence, Zazan frowned and said icily, "If I'd struck earlier, you'd be dead or crippled by now."

"You could have done that from the start, couldn't you?" Moro replied calmly.

"…"

Zazan's expression darkened.

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