HunterxHunter: I Became Stronger After Death

Nen can only be countered with Nen.

This is a fundamental truth.

When facing an opponent who might possess counter-offensive (retaliation-based) Nen abilities, the optimal choice is to respond with manipulation-based abilities.

However, both Kanzai and Talia were enhancement-type users.

Still, the inherent high tolerance of the enhancement type made it possible to minimize the risks associated with probing.

What truly gave Kanzai a headache wasn't the potential hidden intent behind the enemy's posturing or the possibility of a counter-offensive Nen ability already primed. No, the real issue was…

The constraint of ensuring the client's safety and the fact that their current situation left them with no room to retreat. Combined, these factors felt like shackles, leaving Kanzai restrained and frustrated.

Hearing Saph's calm statement, Kanzai didn't feel as though the problem had been solved. If anything, he wanted to roll his eyes but managed to hold back.

Saying "don't worry about my life" sounded easy enough...

But if the mission failed, his reputation as a professional Hunter would be in ruins.

Kanzai said nothing, pretending not to hear Saph's remark, as he continued to focus intently on the door, his gaze as sharp as if it could pierce through to the source of the aura outside.

"I've already submitted a report to the Hunter Association confirming the successful completion of this mission," Saph suddenly said from behind.

Kanzai paused and turned slightly.

"What?"

He looked at Saph, who held up her phone and lightly waved it.

Her expression remained as calm as ever, her tone as steady as still water. "You should be receiving confirmation of the completed mission soon."

"…"

Kanzai was momentarily stunned, and then his phone buzzed softly in his pocket.

When he took it out, he indeed found a confirmation from the Hunter Association that the mission was completed, along with a notification of the substantial reward being deposited into his account.

"You're not worried I'll run off now?" Kanzai asked, his tone laced with incredulity as he looked at Saph as though seeing her in a new light.

Saph lowered her phone, ignoring the worried look from Talia beside her. A faint smile graced her otherwise stoic face.

"The assassin gave you two choices. Now I'm giving you two choices. Even if you decide to run, I'll accept that outcome calmly."

Her choice of words deliberately avoided using terms like "flee." There was no need for reverse psychology—this was her honest decision.

"Tch."

Kanzai pocketed his phone. If someone as noble as the princess dared to gamble her life, then he saw no need to tiptoe around the situation.

As for running away? What a joke.

Such an act would sully his reputation as a professional Hunter. He'd rather force himself to write a ten-thousand-word essay on integrity than resort to such disgraceful behavior.

"Talia, stay here and protect her," he said, striding toward the door.

With that, Kanzai exited the room.

The hallway outside was only three meters long, leading to a spacious lounge furnished with sofas.

As soon as Kanzai stepped out, his eyes fell on a man standing in the lounge—the source of the powerful aura.

"Well, you finally came out," the man said with a sly grin.

It was Mule.

Taking two steps forward, Kanzai's nen aura surged visibly around him. "You look pretty relaxed for someone who's about to get beaten."

"Oh, so scary," Mule said, his grin unwavering. But internally, his sense of danger was at its peak.

Despite having counter-offensive spatial Nen abilities and the amplification effects of the divine sigil he had prepared in advance, Mule didn't feel entirely confident.

This was not only due to Kanzai's status as one of the Twelve Zodiacs but also because the sheer intensity of his nen aura up close was overwhelming.

Seeing it firsthand was far more convincing than hearing about it.

"If one of your attacks hits me, I'll probably die instantly, right?" Mule quipped, his grin not faltering even as he pushed his nen to its maximum output.

His nen aura visibly surrounded him, though a portion was allocated to maintaining the divine sigil. As a result, his overall aura output was less than 50% of Kanzai's.

This stark difference was immediately apparent.

However, in a battle between Nen users, such disparities didn't necessarily decide the outcome. The sheer variety of Nen abilities added countless layers of unpredictability.

Kanzai remained expressionless, taking another step forward. Judging by the visible gap in their aura levels, he could easily knock Mule out with one punch.

But the possibility that Mule had counter-offensive Nen abilities meant Kanzai couldn't afford to go all-in immediately.

Engaging a counter-offensive ability recklessly could easily result in mutual destruction, even if Kanzai managed to defeat the enemy.

Better to test the waters first. Even if Mule didn't have such an ability, it would only cost Kanzai an extra step to verify it…

Kanzai calculated his moves carefully.

Battles between Nen users often began with probing attacks, like navigating cautiously through a fog.

If Kanzai had more information upfront, he wouldn't need to tread so cautiously.

As tensions rose and the battle seemed on the verge of erupting—

BOOM!

A loud crash suddenly reverberated throughout the airship.

Kanzai's pupils contracted. The sound had come from behind him, from the room where his client was.

He immediately realized that someone had forcibly broken through the ceiling to enter the room.

In the brief moment that Kanzai was distracted by the crash, Mule capitalized on the opening.

In a flash, he moved to Kanzai's side, producing a long, sharp fruit knife from his pocket and aiming it at Kanzai's carotid artery.

It was clearly a premeditated plan to create this opportunity, filled with a cold, murderous intent.

Kanzai reacted instinctively, countering defensively and reflexively throwing a punch.

But as soon as his fist connected, Kanzai realized something was wrong.

BANG!

Unable to control the force of his punch, Kanzai struck Mule's extended elbow with devastating power.

CRACK.

A gruesome sound echoed as Mule was sent flying backward, his arm shattered into pieces due to the lack of sufficient defensive nen.

Yet, Mule smiled.

"Damn it… A double-layered trap!"

Kanzai's eyes narrowed as he noticed ripples of distortion spreading through their surroundings.

The walls, ceiling, and furniture of the lounge remained intact, but everything seemed tinged with a dull, yellowish hue.

Simultaneously, Kanzai felt searing pain in his arm. It went limp, hanging uselessly at his side.

A quick glance at his right arm told him everything he needed to know.

"Counter-offensive, spatial-based ability. The damage was shared…"

His expression darkened.

BOOM!

Another loud crash rang out.

Moro walked down the hallway, the floor faintly vibrating beneath his feet.

"A blatant attack, huh," he muttered, glancing in the direction of the noise—clearly coming from Kanzai's location.

"Good thing I wasn't too close, or I'd be caught up in that mess."

Moro redirected his focus, walking toward the corridor outside the cockpit before coming to a stop.

"En."

The nen aura surrounding Moro expanded outward like shimmering waves, extending in a sphere that passed through the floor, walls, and ceiling, reaching into the cockpit.

"Oh?"

Moro's En swept over the captain's cabin, and he immediately noticed something off.

Despite the commotion and the unmistakable disturbance his En detected, there was no sign of panic or reaction from the individuals inside.

"They've been manipulated?" Moro speculated silently.

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