HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

Clap.

In the VIP cabin, Moro closed the promotional brochure for the Great Ancient Gan Jade Kingdom.

The brochure appeared to advertise famous tourist attractions but actually contained numerous notices and precautions for travelers.

For Moro, however, both the regional introductions and the tips for outsiders were highly valuable.

After reading the content, he even developed some interest in the Ancient Gan Jade Kingdom, a monarchy he had never visited before.

This vast kingdom, located on a continent steeped in history, had seen countless nations rise and fall during the era of warlords.

Even now, traces of those historical nations remain—relics, tombs, artifacts, treasures, and ancient documents that tell their stories.

From a historical development perspective, the Ancient Gan Jade Kingdom and the Kakin Kingdom were quite similar.

Both originated in the age of warring states, growing through seemingly endless wars and annexations, and both remained monarchies.

However, the Kakin Kingdom has begun to publicly transition toward a democratic system, while the Ancient Gan Jade Kingdom has shown no intention of doing the same.

Moro had no interest in the histories of these two colossal nations.

Most outsiders would see the promotional brochure for Gan Jade Kingdom as a guide to museums and excavated ruins.

But Moro saw the ancient items displayed in the museums and the yet-to-be-uncovered artifacts buried in the ruins.

More precisely, he was intrigued by the nen aura that might linger on these objects.

Interestingly enough...

In both the Ancient Gan Jade Kingdom and the Kakin Kingdom, the penalties for tomb robbery start at a minimum of a century in prison and go up to the death penalty.

Despite such strict laws, there were still plenty of tomb raiders executed every year.

This speaks volumes about the wealth of relics and tombs in these two nations—enough to make tomb raiders willing to risk everything for a chance.

In truth, even if the two nations went to extreme lengths to prevent such acts, they couldn't stop certain tomb raiders who used nen abilities to carry out their crimes.

Sometimes, nen abilities are simply unreasonable variables.

Upon learning this, Moro had to admit he was tempted.

His interest wasn't because of his profession or the vast profits to be made. It was purely driven by his need to recharge his "Year Ring" ability.

Still, he wondered—if he ever lost control and decided to target a relic, would some guy named Ging drop out of the sky to stop him?

Moro chuckled and shook his head, placing the brochure on the table beside him.

His thoughts on relics and tombs turned to Kanzai's dual professions—Treasure Hunter and Bodyguard Hunter.

Dual professions weren't uncommon among professional Hunters.

This was because the star-ranking system for Hunters required significant achievements in multiple fields to rise from a two-star to the highest rank of three-star.

Based on this rating system, Hunters aiming for three stars often made a conscious effort to specialize in two professional domains.

Moro found Treasure Hunting intriguing, as well as Relic Hunting…

In a sense, these two professions essentially legitimized the acts of tomb raiding and relic excavation.

Though the legitimized professions came with many restrictions, for someone like Moro, who wasn't in it for profit, they aligned perfectly with his needs to recharge his "Year Ring" ability.

"Speaking of which, the commission Kanzai accepted…"

Moro's mind wandered to the image of a heavily disguised woman.

Hiring one of the Twelve Zodiacs as an escort strongly suggested that the client was facing significant danger.

But why not take a land route?

That would seem like the safer choice.

Could it be due to some restriction forcing them to use an airship?

For Moro, the reason didn't matter.

What mattered was that he was now sharing an airship with such an unstable factor…

If the people targeting that woman went so far as to blow up the entire airship, wouldn't he be done for as well?

Even with the airport's thorough security measures, there was no guarantee against the wildcard that is nen.

Even without nen, the assailants could simply target the airship's captain…

Suddenly considering the potential risks posed by such variables, Moro instinctively glanced out the window at the night sky.

Leaving the airship now... wasn't an option.

Elsewhere on the Airship

Scriiitch—

The sound of a pen scratching against a waxed surface rang out, sharp and piercing.

Under the soft glow of the overhead light, a man in overalls crouched on the floor. He was holding a pen, carefully and methodically pressing it to the surface.

Each stroke seemed to take immense effort, with the friction between the pen and the surface producing intermittent noises.

"Done."

The man in overalls lifted the pen, his breath slightly labored.

On the floor before him were lines of strange symbols, arranged in a pattern resembling electronic circuits, forming a black diagram.

Beside him stood a woman in a bartender's uniform with her hair tied back.

"Mule, how many more spots?" the woman asked, glancing at the diagram.

The man, Mule, steadied his breathing and replied, "Two more."

"Can you manage it?"

The woman stared intently at him, waiting for a definitive answer.

Mule's eyelids twitched as he put the pen away. "Drawing divine sigils is always time-consuming and exhausting, especially when applied to nen-space requirements. But for me, it's not impossible."

"So, can you do it?"

The woman frowned slightly, her gaze briefly flicking to Mule's still-heaving chest.

She needed a clear answer.

Mule looked at her with mild exasperation and nodded firmly. "I can do it. But to be safe, I'll need to wait until midnight to finish the last two spots."

"Then I'm heading back. I've been away too long."

The woman pulled out her vibrating phone.

It was peak business hours at the airship bar. Her cover as a bartender allowed her to slip away thanks to the romantic tension she'd cultivated with the bar manager.

She glanced at the caller ID showing the manager's name, casually shoved the phone into her pocket, and turned back toward the bar.

After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked over her shoulder at Mule.

"Mule."

"Hmm?"

Mule glanced at her.

The woman's voice turned cold. "The prince has made it clear—our lives are more important than completing the mission."

"Hmm?"

A flicker of confusion crossed Mule's face.

The woman continued, "But we can't think that way. We must kill the Third Princess here. This is a critical step."

"No need to remind me," Mule replied, shrugging.

The woman's eyes grew sharp.

"Some fools thought poisoning the Third Princess was enough to kill her. But it shows that other princes have begun interfering, which means we've lost our element of surprise. Be prepared to give your life if necessary."

Her gaze pierced Mule.

"This also means... we must act before the airship reaches the refueling station."

Back in Moro's Cabin

"I'll just disembark when the airship lands for refueling…"

Moro stared out into the night sky.

Just in case, he'd rather waste some time than risk getting caught up in unnecessary trouble.

Though, perhaps he was just overthinking things.

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