Humans controlled through puppet manipulation lacked shadows, but their strength could be enhanced with Nen.
Before the airship explosion, Rokuhara hid inside the shadow of an ordinary person, using a dozen puppet-controlled humans to encase the individual. Together, they plummeted into a lake.
Despite the cushioning effect of the puppets' Nen-enhanced bodies, several were damaged on impact.
The ordinary person encased within, however, died instantly.
Rokuhara emerged from the shadow space and swam toward the shore.
The puppet-controlled humans, following his command, also moved toward the shore.
Once on land, Rokuhara collapsed against a tree, exhaustion etched on his face.
The complex nature of his ability, Shadow Without Return, allowed for versatile applications but came with a steep price—excessive Nen consumption.
After such an ordeal, Rokuhara was nearly drained of both physical stamina and Nen energy.
"Damn it… only seven left."
He looked at the seven barely functional puppet humans and ground his teeth.
In that chaotic situation, he had so little time to act.
Had he managed to buy just a few extra seconds, he might have been caught in the explosion himself.
Under those dire circumstances, keeping even seven puppets intact was a remarkable outcome.
Still, Rokuhara was furious that these disruptions had affected his mission.
At this point, Moro's whereabouts were entirely unknown, let alone any opportunity to strike again.
Sighing deeply, Rokuhara calmed his frustration and closed his eyes to rest.
He had missed a golden chance to act, but that didn't mean his mission was a failure.
Once recovered, he could always find another opportunity.
Bathed in moonlight, Rokuhara leaned against a tree, the seven motionless puppets surrounding him like lifeless sentinels.
While Rokuhara was deeply fatigued, Moro, on the other hand, was in relatively good condition, both in terms of physical stamina and Nen reserves.
This was thanks to the massive level boost he gained from claiming the head of the Nen user aboard the airship.
Emanating Nen energy, Moro walked along the lakeshore toward the three individuals who had just killed the white-antlered deer.
He hoped to gather information from them and borrow a phone.
"Excuse me, everyone."
To avoid startling them, Moro raised his hand and called out from a distance.
At that moment, the three were enthusiastically cutting the antlers off the deer. Hearing Moro's voice, they froze, their faces darkening.
Without hesitation, they grabbed their hunting rifles, immediately aiming toward the source of the sound.
When they saw that the speaker was a dirty, disheveled-looking teenager, they exchanged glances.
"It's just a kid."
"So what? He saw us."
"Should we kill him?"
"Obviously. What do you think we're doing here?"
The oldest of the three, a bearded man, made a quick decision.
Poaching the white-antlered deer was a serious crime, with penalties determined by the weight of the animal. A single adult deer's coral-like antlers could mean a minimum of 20 years in prison.
Killing someone who stumbled upon their crime was the simplest way to eliminate the risk.
Without even bothering to ask why Moro was there, the bearded man's eyes filled with killing intent. He aimed and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The suppressed gunshot still echoed across the lake.
The bullet sliced through the air, heading straight for Moro.
However, Moro had sensed the killing intent the moment it arose and dodged out of the bullet's path.
The round flew past him and vanished into the darkness.
The bearded man froze in surprise, quickly working the bolt to eject the still-warm cartridge.
"What are you standing around for? Shoot him!"
He barked at his companions while aiming again at Moro.
But Moro didn't give him another chance to fire.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several Nen orbs streaked through the air, closing the distance between life and death, and struck the three poachers square in the head.
Blood sprayed as the three collapsed alongside their hunting rifles, their bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds.
Moro approached the bodies, glancing briefly at the nearby deer carcass.
"Poachers…"
His expression remained indifferent.
Moro didn't recognize the white-antlered deer, but the fact that these men had immediately fired at him suggested they were criminals engaged in illegal poaching.
They likely didn't care why a teenager had appeared in the forest. All they cared about was covering their tracks.
Crouching, Moro searched one of the bodies and retrieved a phone. He dialed Kang's number.
Beep… beep…
After a minute of ringing, there was no answer, and the call automatically disconnected.
Moro tried a few more times but received no response.
"Could his phone have been broken, too? Unlikely… Someone like Kang should be proficient in advanced techniques like 'Shu,' so his phone should've survived."
Setting the phone down, Moro surveyed the faint mist around him.
Surely, Kang hadn't been unlucky enough to fall into a swamp, right?
The humidity in this area suggested the presence of swamps, so it was statistically possible.
The thought of Kang plunging headfirst into a swamp flashed through Moro's mind, making him shiver.
What a miserable sight that would be…
Shaking his head, Moro sent a brief message to Argo and then pocketed the phone without waiting for a reply.
He resumed searching the bodies.
A handgun, cigarettes, a lighter, a compass…
Setting aside the useful items, Moro rummaged through their backpacks and found some rations, water, and poached goods.
Animal claws, multicolored beaks, and even a jar containing emerald-green eyes…
Examining these animal parts confirmed the men's profession.
"No wonder they were so ruthless."
Moro glanced at the nearby corpses.
He had intended to ask for directions, but these men had brought their fate upon themselves.
Pulling a can of meat from one of the backpacks, Moro opened it and began eating.
After a quick meal, he repacked the useful items and food into one of the bags.
The claws, beaks, and severed antlers were left behind.
Using the map he found in the backpack, Moro confirmed he was in a forest within the Republic of Minbo.
Technically, he was an illegal entrant into the country.
Carrying these valuable poached goods would only make him a bigger target.
After tidying up, Moro suddenly sensed something.
He grabbed the handgun and aimed it toward the dimly visible forest ahead, his other hand instinctively gathering Nen.
Ever since killing the poachers, Moro had remained alert. Now, hearing faint noises, he immediately assumed a defensive stance.
Rustle.
A man pushed through the dense undergrowth, striding casually into view.
Ignoring the gun in Moro's hand, the man glanced at the corpses, the half-cut antlers, and the scattered poached goods. His expression shifted slightly before settling into calm indifference.
Finally, his gaze returned to Moro, and he said evenly, "Nice to meet you. My name's Benjamin, and I'm a Gourmet Hunter."
"..."
----------
50 Powerstones? (5 Bonus Chapters)
20 Advance Chapters: patreon.com/milezen