Hunter X Hunter: I Got Stronger After I Died

Why—

Why is Bonolenov from the Phantom Troupe here?

And why did he transform into Saixin? This was clearly a targeted operation.

Looking at Bonolenov, who had undone his transformation ability, Moro's pupils contracted in shock.

In a split second, countless thoughts raced through Moro's mind.

He was certain that Bonolenov had come specifically to cause him trouble.

He also realized Saixin was likely in danger and considered the possibility that other Phantom Troupe members were nearby.

The worst-case scenario was that the entire Phantom Troupe was on the move—and they had chosen him as their prey.

But—

What was the motive? What was the reason?

Moro had never had any contact with the Troupe, not even indirectly.

Could it have been on a whim? Or did they take a liking to his antique shop?

Unlikely.

The shop wasn't valuable enough to be of interest to the Phantom Troupe, especially considering they had the audacity to steal all the items from the Yorknew auction. They wouldn't bother with his humble store.

A random attack?

Even less likely.

If it were a spur-of-the-moment attack, they wouldn't have gone to the trouble of targeting Saixin first or using a transformation ability to ensure the plan's success.

This was clearly a meticulously planned operation meant to guarantee the outcome.

And among the Phantom Troupe, the one obsessed with such strategies was—

Chrollo Lucilfer.

The worst possible scenario.

This alone was enough to confirm that the Troupe members targeting him included not only Bonolenov but also Chrollo and Pakunoda, who was always by Chrollo's side.

This is bad...

But this was precisely the moment when he needed to stay calm.

Why was the Phantom Troupe targeting him?

There was no point in dwelling on the "why"—what mattered now was how to escape this crisis.

Moro suddenly took a step back. As he passed the front desk, he grabbed a nearby ashtray.

In the pouring rain...

Bonolenov watched Moro's actions with mild indifference. Even after his disguise was revealed, he didn't rush to attack.

Although he had failed to complete Chrollo's setup perfectly, the outcome wouldn't change much.

"Hmm?"

Bonolenov's eyes flicked upward.

There was a dull sound from inside the antique shop, followed by the complete blackout of the store's lights.

Bonolenov finally realized that Moro had grabbed the ashtray to smash the electrical breaker and plunge the store into darkness.

But what's the point?

Bonolenov remained motionless, standing in the rain.

Inside the pitch-black antique shop, Moro glanced toward the back door, where he could feel an overwhelming, unrestrained killing intent.

He was surrounded.

Moro exhaled slowly.

Based on Bonolenov's actions, it was highly likely that Chrollo and Pakunoda were nearby—but there were probably more than just the three of them.

Moro had no intention of confronting the killing intent near the back door. He forced himself to stay calm and walked out of the antique shop.

By the time he stepped outside, three figures had appeared on the street.

The one at the front had short black hair and a purple cross tattoo on his forehead. His deep black eyes radiated a calm yet cruel indifference.

To the left stood a tall, curvaceous blonde woman with sharp, cold eyes. However, her overall beauty was marred by a hooked nose.

To the right was a young man with a baby face and golden hair, his green eyes gleaming with amusement.

Chrollo Lucilfer, Pakunoda, and Shalnark.

Recognizing their distinct appearances, Moro's heart sank.

Chrollo stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at Moro as though observing a lifeless object devoid of meaning.

To his side, Shalnark placed one hand on his hip and smiled.

"Quick-thinking and decisive—it seems he already knows who we are..."

"We should restrain him first."

Pakunoda folded her arms, enhancing her already prominent chest.

Chrollo silently raised his right hand, channeling his Nen into his palm.

Watching Chrollo's movements, Moro's eyes grew darker, and his voice was calm and devoid of emotion:

"The Phantom Troupe... You've really taken an interest in me. But I've never had any direct or indirect dealings with you, have I?"

Chrollo's eyes remained as calm as stagnant water. He stayed silent.

The other Troupe members also showed no intention of answering Moro's question.

No response, huh...

Moro took a deep breath, his mind racing as he searched for a way out.

At that moment, Chrollo activated his Nen ability.

"Skill Hunter."

With a surge of Nen, a book with a red handprint on its cover materialized in Chrollo's right hand.

Rustle...

The pages of the book turned by themselves in the pouring rain.

Once the pages stopped turning, Chrollo's left hand conjured a monocle attached to a golden chain.

Seeing the monocle, Moro's expression shifted—it was unclear whether he felt relief or anger.

That monocle... was Saixin's conjured ability.

The fact that Chrollo had acquired it meant that Saixin was still alive.

But knowing the Phantom Troupe's brutal methods, even if Saixin was alive, his condition was undoubtedly dire.

Chrollo held the monocle but didn't put it on.

"No rush."

He spoke softly, stopping Bonolenov, who had been about to attack.

Originally, Chrollo had intended to use the conjured monocle to unsettle Moro and create an opening to capture him.

What puzzled Chrollo, however, was Moro's lack of expected reactions—there was no shock, confusion, or panic.

When confronted with a comrade's ability wielded by an enemy, even the most composed person would show some level of disbelief or anger.

Yet Moro's expression didn't show any of that. Instead...

He looked relieved?

What is he relieved about?

The only plausible explanation Chrollo could come up with was that Moro had realized Saixin was still alive the moment he saw the monocle.

However, such an accurate deduction required a detailed understanding of Chrollo's Specialist-type ability, "Skill Hunter."

Interesting.

"Moro, is it... As you said, we've never had direct or indirect contact."

Chrollo's voice was calm and certain as he drew a conclusion, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"But your reaction tells me one thing—you know how my Nen ability works."

It wasn't a question or a guess—it was a declaration.

Hearing Chrollo's words, Shalnark, Pakunoda, and Bonolenov all looked surprised.

"..."

Moro remained silent, though he was inwardly astonished.

Just from Moro's brief emotional shift upon seeing the monocle, Chrollo had noticed something and reached such a confident conclusion.

This is Chrollo Lucilfer.

Moro suppressed his rising unease and resisted the urge to glance at Pakunoda.

If there was any chance of escape, it lay in—

Information.

Moro was almost certain that Pakunoda had used her memory-reading ability on Saixin to extract information about him.

And among that information was one key inaccuracy—

According to Saixin's understanding, Moro was a Reinforcement-type.

But in reality, Moro was a Emission-type.

The opportunity lay in that detail.