Hunter: I became stronger even after I died.

Chapter 206 Kuroro's Arrival
Blood gushed from the headless body's neck like a fountain, only to be washed away by the torrential rain in the blink of an eye.

The swordsman's head rolled into a puddle, his wide eyes frozen with resentment, and the astonishment he had felt in his gray pupils still lingered.

pat, pat.

Moro walked through the puddles, splashing up bursts of muddy water.

He looked down at the mud-covered head.

"Lv.52→Lv.54"

Then, his gaze shifted from the swordsman's unseeing face to the level characters on the back of his hand.

This member, who was in charge of intelligence analysis within the Phantom Troupe, ultimately contributed two levels of experience to him.

Moro could sense the change in the amount of manifested gas, which was still steadily increasing.

It seems that after breaking through the level 51 bottleneck, the subsequent growth curve is not much different from that before level 51.

For the vast majority of Nen users, the initial increase in Nen level is usually effortless.

This may be because potential power had already accumulated within the body before the awakening of Nen abilities.

Therefore, once awakened, a period of explosive growth will follow.

However, as the level of manifested energy increases, the progress rate in the mid-to-late stages will gradually slow down, or even stagnate.

Talent, potential, training methods...

Too many factors can become shackles that restrict growth.

Therefore, the increase in manifest energy that Moro gains with each level is actually quite substantial.

"It's a pity... that I had no thoughts about what happens after death."

Moro looked down at the swordsman's frozen, unwilling face.

"Carrying the fate of others"

The automatic mode of this ability can directly push the user's own limits.

If the relevant ability materials can be extracted through the thoughts after death, it might be possible to develop a similar explosive ability, thereby giving a qualitative leap to the power of released Nen bullets.

Then, combined with the "star" lock-on effect, it becomes a one-hit kill tactical style for the operation system.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

The conditions for the birth of post-mortem thoughts are too stringent.

Even Nen users like Feitan, who developed their abilities through extreme emotions, failed to leave behind any lingering echoes of their obsessions after death, let alone someone like Shalnark, who excels in calmness and rationality.

Moro bent down and picked up the swordsman's head, then suddenly thought of something—

If the probability of post-mortem thoughts arising depends on the intensity of the living's emotions, then...

If one masters the semi-coercive or suggestive manipulation abilities that can control emotions, could one artificially increase the probability of the birth of thoughts about death?

Once this idea took root, it spread like wildfire in Moro's mind.

After all, the value of his thoughts after death is irreplaceable.

"It might work, but it's not that easy."

Moro carried the head and walked toward the headless corpse in the distance.

The thoughts of the deceased are something that other exorcists would respect and keep at a distance.

If there is no conflict of interest, no exorcist would actively seek out thoughts after death.

But in the eyes of Moro, the chosen exorcist, the thoughts of the dead are a rather scarce resource.

Based on the current annual ring energy-charging mechanism, it can be basically concluded that the difficulty of charging the annual rings in the third cycle will further increase.

By the fourth lap, the fifth lap...

Not to mention.

So if he can realize this idea, at least the energy efficiency of the tree rings can be guaranteed.

However, to test the feasibility of this idea, one must first acquire the ability to manipulate emotions.

That matter is still somewhat distant.

The second growth ring is about to be completed, and the death point has been resolved...

Moro shook his head slightly. Although he had such thoughts, he wasn't that eager to pursue them.

Holding the swordsman's head, Moro approached the headless corpse, intending to destroy the evidence.

The very existence of a corpse is a carrier of information.

Combat style, ability characteristics, and even the posture at the moment of death can all become clues for investigation.

Therefore, once it was confirmed that the group members were on their way, destroying the evidence became the top priority.

After all, Shalnark's abilities aren't as convenient as Feitan's, which allows him to simply self-immolate.

However, even if the hero's body is destroyed, if the Phantom Troupe eventually traces it back to him, then these cleanup measures will be essentially meaningless.

Moreover, he used the Deceptive Flying Star ability when chasing the swordsman. Anyone with a sound mind can deduce the attribute of his released spirit based on the battlefield traces.

Whether it makes sense or not doesn't affect Moro's decision to do it.

"The fighting is too loud; we need to deal with it as soon as possible."

Moro held the swordsman's head in one hand and his body in the other, preparing to blast him to smithereens with his flying star.

Beep, beep, beep...

Just then, the swordsman's cell phone rang.

Moro merely glanced at the pockets of the headless corpse's clothing, ignoring the ringing of his phone, and focused his Nen energy on his palm.

boom!
Moro turned and left.

The shockwave from the explosion hurled chunks of flesh and blood onto the rain, which then scattered and fell behind him like dirty fireworks.

After smashing the swordsman's corpse to pieces, Morrow left Fengde Town as quickly as possible and headed to where Kurt and the others were.

The knights are the intelligence hub of the troupe.

For the troupe, the abilities of the knights-errant are irreplaceable in gathering information and formulating plans.

Without the presence of the heroes, the troupe's intelligence network will be thrown into chaos, at least in the short term.

Although, given the group's style, they will eventually find a replacement, this period of inactivity is sufficient.

Moro glanced back at Fengde Town shrouded in rain, his fingertips wet with rainwater as he rubbed away the last trace of blood, as if he could still feel the weight of the swordsman's head.

While disposing of the swordsman's body, he had considered waiting for the next member of the troupe to arrive.

But this tempting idea was quickly suppressed by reason.

The information was too uncertain; he only knew that Finks would come, but he couldn't predict whether other members would accompany him.

"enough."

Moro murmured to himself, then turned and disappeared into the rain.

The death node has been removed, and the Phantom Troupe's intelligence network has been weakened. He understands better than anyone the principle of not trying to do too much at once.

at the same time.

A car was driving in the heavy rain.

The swordsman didn't answer.

In the driver's seat, Finks held the steering wheel with one hand and his phone in the other.

He has a pair of slanted eyes that give him a fierce look, and the absence of eyebrows makes his brow bones stand out, making him appear even more menacing.

Feitan's death and the fact that Shalnark hadn't answered his phone left him in a terrible mood, to the point that his face looked menacing, as if he were about to kill someone at any moment.

In the passenger seat, Nobunaga, with a topknot and a sparse mustache, rested his black-sheathed sword on his lap and glanced sideways at Phinks, who exuded a fierce aura.

"Turn off your murderous aura, Phinks... The people sitting in the car right now are me and Uvogin, not the people you want to kill."

"Stop talking nonsense." Finks slammed on the gas, the speedometer needles swirling violently towards the red zone. "If deep breathing could solve everything, then this world wouldn't exist..."

"as you like."

Nobunaga abruptly interrupted Phinks's grumbling, closed his eyes, gently stroked the scabbard, and ran his fingertips along the hilt of the sword, saying, "I was reminding you to calm down as a comrade. It seems I was meddling."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Finks remained silent and stared ahead.

The sound of tires exploding over puddles filled the silence of the car, and the windshield wipers swished back and forth on the windshield, just like the throbbing veins on his temples.

In the back seat, Uvogin occupied the entire space like a giant bear.

He crossed his arms and remained silent the entire time.

But Nobunaga, standing in the front row, knew that Uvogin and Phinks shared the same feelings at that moment—

Like a volcano about to erupt, Uvogin will not unleash his fury unless he confronts the culprit directly.

Nobunaga looked out the car window at the scene blurred by the rain.

Although he and Uvogin often clashed with Feitan and Phinks, they were, after all, childhood friends...

How could we remain indifferent?

His eyes grew increasingly cold.

Like Uvogin, he only lets his emotions be released when facing the real killer, along with the drawn blade.

But his mindset was soon overturned.

Fengde Town.

The dead were not only the swordsman, but also the town mayor who was controlled by the power.

So when Finks and his two companions arrived in Fengde Town, the town was in a state of relative chaos.

The mayor's death was undoubtedly bad news for the three of them.

They knew that the mayor had been controlled by the knight's abilities and had now died, which suggested that the knight had most likely been involved in a battle.

The chaos in the town also led them to a place that was cordoned off by a police tape.

The scattered pieces of flesh and blood inside were those of the second victim besides the town mayor.

Finks kicked open the warning line post, and the rubber rope bounced weakly in the rain.

The three stepped across the police cordon and headed straight for the area with the most blood and gore.

With each step they took, their shoes crushed not only the rainwater, but also the scattered, unrecognizable fragments of human tissue.

"Hey, stop right there..."

The law enforcement officers inside the scene seemed surprised that someone would barge into the crime scene like that, causing them to react a beat too late.

But the moment they made a move, Nobunaga's longsword chopped off their heads.

The only reason for drawing the knife was when these law enforcement officers pulled out their guns.

As the law enforcement officer's head fell to the ground, many residents who had been watching with umbrellas suddenly screamed in terror and fled after a moment of stunned silence.

Nobunaga and his two companions ignored the reactions of those people.

Finks crouched down and used his fingers to pry open a piece of meat covered in bits of clothing.

After being washed by the rain, some tattoo patterns could be seen on the flesh. They were only a small section of thin, black arthropod tattoos, which could be vaguely identified as spider limbs.

Finks' pupils contracted to pinpoints, and he clenched his other hand so tightly that it made a popping sound.

Uvogin and Nobunaga also saw the chunk of meat in Phinks's hand, and then involuntarily looked around.

Aside from the still-warm bodies of law enforcement officers, red human tissue could be seen everywhere within the cordoned-off area.

Shattered to pieces.

This definitely did not happen during a battle.

The person who attacked the swordsman did so by violently dismembering the swordsman's body after killing him.

"Oh!"

Uvogin angrily slammed his fist on the ground.

With a deafening sound, a small crater appeared where the fist struck.

Seemingly remembering that the ground around him was littered with the remains of many heroes, he withdrew his power at the last moment.

Nobunaga gripped the hilt of his sword, silently watching Uvogin slowly retract his fist.

I thought that only when I saw the perpetrator would I release the murderous intent within my chest, along with the drawn blade.

He was wrong.

He was now no different from Phinks, angrily and unreservedly releasing the chilling killing intent mixed with rage in his heart.

"No matter who you are—"

Nobunaga's gaze shifted to the carnage on the ground. His right hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his eyes revealing a chilling killing intent. "We will find you and tear you to pieces!"

Just then, the sharp sound of police sirens grew louder as they approached.

Finks, who was in a terrible mood, found the approaching sirens extremely jarring.

"It's noisy."

Finks had a fierce look on his face.

As expected—

The law enforcement officers who rushed to the scene were all consumed by the fury of Finks and his gang.

A day later, three more members of the tour group arrived in Fengde Town.

Leading the group was Chrollo, followed by Pakunoda and Kubi.

"Corpses can become carriers of intelligence."

Inside a building, Kuroro looked at the pile of flesh and blood that was barely put away on the steel bed. "This is the motive behind the other party deliberately destroying the hero's corpse."

On another steel bed next to it lay Feitan's charred remains, scorched by the high temperature, dry and shrunken, almost unrecognizable as human.

"But judging from the signs of battle at the scene, the opponent was clearly an Emission-type Devil Fruit user."

Kuroro's voice remained calm, but a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, "So, the actual significance of destroying the corpse... is actually not that great."

His tone was like that of a precise machine, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

However, Phinks and the others standing to the side knew very well that Kuroro's heart was far from as calm as it appeared.

Uvogin's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his voice was deep and thunderous: "Since it's not very meaningful, is that guy trying to deliberately provoke us?"

"Do not."

Kuroro shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Feitan's charred remains.

"This seemingly superfluous behavior only shows that the other party is very cautious. Yet, such a cautious person dares to take the risk of turning around and using Feitan's ability in the ever-changing battle."

"Commander, you mean..."

Nobunaga frowned. They all knew what Feitan's abilities were, and he immediately said in a deep voice, "That guy already had information about Feitan's abilities before he attacked Feitan?"

"This possibility cannot be ruled out."

Kuroro lightly touched his chin with his index finger, his voice remaining calm:
“But even if the other side does have the intelligence, I don’t think there’s a problem within our ranks. However… just in case, I think it’s necessary to have Paknoda use her ability to confirm it. Everyone, please.”

"I have no opinion."

Nobunaga then made a statement.

For a team, trust —

Very important.

(End of this chapter)