Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Light’s Silence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After battling Franklin, Light realizes how dangerous an A-Rank criminal and the Phantom Troupe truly are. Their willingness to operate separately is not arrogance alone—it reflects their overwhelming individual strength.
• Moyu helps Light up after the battle. Although Light is badly wounded and has lost a great deal of blood, he tries to dismiss his injuries.
• Light acknowledges Moyu’s remarkable growth, recognizing that Moyu’s strength comes not only from talent but also from relentless effort.
• The survivors of the Hex Family begin dealing with the aftermath of the attack. Koko, one of the family’s half-leaders, survives and formally thanks Moyu for saving her.
• Koko promises Moyu that the Hex Family owes him a favor. Her gratitude is mixed with intense hatred toward the Phantom Troupe.
• Moyu checks on Fiona, who escaped with comparatively minor injuries. She explains the blond Phantom Troupe member’s Nen ability: he can transform aura into resin and use it to restrain opponents.
• From Fiona’s account, Moyu learns that the blond man fights patiently and methodically, gradually restricting an opponent’s movement rather than attacking recklessly.
• Moyu concludes that understanding this unknown Phantom Troupe member’s ability will help him prepare for a future encounter.
• Once Light’s injuries are treated, Moyu and Light leave. Koko invites Moyu to dinner, but he politely refuses, ignoring Light’s exaggerated hints that he should accept because of Koko’s attractiveness.

Character Developments

• Light gains a more realistic understanding of the Phantom Troupe’s strength and recognizes his own limitations. Though injured, he maintains a confident front and tries to frame the battle as a useful release for his pent-up frustration.
• Moyu continues to display exceptional growth, tactical awareness, and concern for his allies. He deliberately withholds information about the Phantom Troupe’s weaker, non-combat-focused members because he wants Light to abandon any reckless plans to hunt them.
• Koko demonstrates strong mental resilience by recovering quickly from the massacre and taking responsibility for the Hex Family’s aftermath. Her gratitude toward Moyu establishes a possible future alliance.
• Fiona contributes valuable intelligence by recounting her battle in detail, allowing Moyu to analyze the blond enemy’s ability and strategy.
• Light and Moyu’s friendship remains playful and familiar despite the seriousness of the battle. Light teases Moyu about Koko’s invitation, while Moyu responds with dry indifference.

Significant Themes

• Strength and survival: The Phantom Troupe’s reputation is justified by the power of its individual members, making even isolated encounters extremely dangerous.
• Talent versus hard work: Light admires Moyu’s natural ability but recognizes that Moyu’s accomplishments also result from extraordinary discipline and effort.
• The importance of information: Moyu’s analysis of the blond man’s Nen ability shows that understanding an opponent’s technique can be as important as raw power.
• Consequences of violence: The Hex Family suffers devastating casualties, and the survivors must confront both grief and the desire for revenge.
• Caution and protection: Moyu’s decision to conceal certain information from Light reflects his desire to prevent Light from eventually dying through reckless pursuit of the Phantom Troupe.

Character Interactions

• Moyu and Light: Moyu rescues and supports the wounded Light, while Light praises Moyu’s growth. Their serious discussion about the Phantom Troupe later shifts into comedic banter over Koko’s invitation.
• Moyu and Koko: Koko sincerely thanks Moyu and offers him a future favor, creating a bond between him and the Hex Family.
• Moyu and Fiona: Moyu carefully questions Fiona about her battle, treating her experience as an important source of tactical intelligence.
• Light and Koko: Light encourages Moyu to accept Koko’s dinner invitation, apparently more interested in the romantic implications than the meal itself.

Chapter Summary: “Slowing Down”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating Dis Mendico and forcing Franklin to retreat, Moyu reflects on the battle while traveling to the hotel with Light.
• He realizes that repeatedly using Shadow Shift consumed far more Latent Aura than expected. Although the ability greatly improves his frontal combat strength, its heavy cost leaves him vulnerable if forced into a prolonged or unexpected fight.
• Moyu considers taking a three-month break from his rapid travels to train in seclusion. During this time, he could increase his Latent Aura and use the reward Perception: Provisional: Ten Thousand Blade Swings.
• However, isolating himself would delay his plans to obtain another Exorcism opportunity needed to rescue Hawk. He currently has only one opportunity, while he estimates that two are necessary.
• The next morning, Light and Moyu share an enormous breakfast of boiled meat. Light supports Moyu’s idea of slowing down, emphasizing that steady preparation is more valuable than rushing forward.
• Moyu ultimately decides to seek a secluded training location. Light recommends Port Island, an island under Demon Domain management regulations with abundant and powerful wildlife.
• Light departs for Shivadani City, where he is close to earning a One-Star Hunter title. Moyu remains behind to continue toward Port Island.
• Before leaving, Moyu calls Menchi to inform her that he will not return for at least three months. Menchi is shocked, especially because his absence may affect the upcoming Hunter Exam.

Character Development

• Moyu: Becomes more self-aware and cautious after nearly exhausting his Latent Aura in battle. He recognizes that his previous victories and tactical advantages have allowed him to overlook the need for sustained combat ability. His willingness to pause, train, and address weaknesses shows growing maturity and discipline, though his concern for Hawk makes the decision difficult.
• Light: Acts as a supportive mentor and practical adviser. He praises Moyu’s humility and steadiness, reassures him that slowing down is not a sign of weakness, and recommends Port Island as a training destination.
• Menchi: Her enthusiastic reaction to Moyu’s call reveals how much she looks forward to his return. Her sudden disappointment highlights the personal and professional consequences of Moyu’s decision to leave for several months.
• Hawk: Though absent from the chapter, Hawk remains an important motivation. Moyu worries that delaying his rescue could allow something to go wrong inside Nen Space.

Significant Themes

• The importance of restraint and preparation: Strength and rapid progress are not enough if a fighter lacks endurance and reserves.
• Balancing ambition with responsibility: Moyu must choose between improving himself through seclusion and pursuing another Exorcism opportunity for Hawk.
• Maturity through self-evaluation: Moyu’s near exhaustion forces him to recognize limitations rather than relying solely on clever tactics and overwhelming abilities.
• The value of slowing down: Both Moyu and Light acknowledge that deliberate training can be more beneficial than constantly rushing toward the next challenge.

Character Interactions

• Moyu and Light share a quiet journey, followed by a large breakfast where they discuss Moyu’s future plans.
• Light validates Moyu’s concerns and encourages him to train, while also admiring his humility and potential.
• Before separating, Light recommends Port Island and encourages Moyu to stay in contact.
• Moyu calls Menchi to explain his extended absence. Her excitement turns into surprise and concern when she learns he will miss at least three months, ending the chapter on the unresolved issue of the Hunter Exam.

Plot and events

• Moyu learns that the annual Hunter Exam is only a little over two months away. He decides to skip it and train in seclusion, prioritizing the demanding daily goal of ten thousand properly executed sword swings.
• Menchi is disappointed that Moyu will be away for months and asks to join him. Although he doubts he can supervise her during his intensive training, he agrees after hearing how much she wants to come.
• Two days later, Moyu arrives in Ganlin City. Before heading to meet Menchi, he leaves flowers and liquor at a thicket on Gonglan Avenue as a quiet memorial to an old man.
• Moyu visits the scenic area sealed off because of dangerous Post-Mortem Nen. He uses Shadow Shift to bypass security and examines the barrier surrounding the Nen Space. He considers using his last Exorcism, but withdraws rather than risk dealing with Balance, who is trapped inside.
• Hunter Association Nen Exorcist Ella arrives shortly afterward. She saw a figure at the barrier vanish and senses that the stranger is familiar—and inexplicably frightening—but cannot identify him.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu shows his disciplined, all-or-nothing approach to training, while also revealing grief or respect through his private memorial. His caution around the Nen Space suggests he recognizes the danger of acting without understanding the consequences.
• Menchi is eager to stay close to her master and visibly thrilled when he agrees, though she initially expresses disappointment and frustration.
• Ella is alert to the threat posed by the Post-Mortem Nen, but Moyu’s fleeting appearance leaves her unsettled and curious.

Significant themes

• Dedication and sacrifice: Moyu gives up the Hunter Exam to focus completely on his training.
• Mentorship and attachment: Menchi wants to remain with Moyu, even as he believes she may benefit more from independent practice.
• Grief and remembrance: Moyu’s offering at the thicket marks a solemn, personal tribute.
• Uncertainty and restraint: The dangerous barrier—and the unknown consequences of freeing Balance—leads Moyu to hold back, while Ella’s encounter builds suspense around his identity.

Plot points and events

• Moyu travels by airship and bus to Drossa Port, where he plans to meet Menchi before heading to Port Island. On the journey, he studies a map and suspects the island nation is the source of familiar things such as sushi and Hanzo’s Dream Scroll.
• Moyu reflects on how imagination and prior knowledge can help shape Nen creations, then completes his daily training during the trip.
• At Drossa, Menchi greets him eagerly. She has waited two days and brought a packed backpack, including Moyu’s sword and fishing gear.
• They board a sailing ship bound for Port Island. Menchi assembles her fishing rod and hopes to catch fish for dinner; Moyu asks about the expensive deep-sea fish Poseidon she had ordered, but there is still no news.
• An old captain identifies their destination as Jappon, warns that its people are unfriendly—“barbaric,” in his words—and recalls that Linne Market visited a month earlier.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu is thoughtful and curious, connecting Port Island to the eastern island nation he remembers from another world. He trusts Menchi to handle practical needs and considers whether he will have time to teach her Nen.
• Menchi is enthusiastic about joining Moyu and eager to prove useful, even carrying his sword and preparing to fish. She privately remembers that she forgot to tell Killua she was leaving, though she assumes Moyu likely informed him.
• Moyu and Menchi share an easy, warm rapport: he appreciates her preparations, and she happily offers to cook whatever he likes.
• The captain views the pair with suspicion and offers a grim warning about their destination.

Significant themes

• Imagination and Nen: Moyu’s reflections suggest that Nen can turn imagined possibilities into reality, especially when the user has a concrete model to draw on.
• Trust and companionship: Moyu relies on Menchi’s expertise, while Menchi values his permission and wants to contribute.
• Preparation versus uncertainty: Menchi is well-equipped, but their journey to Jappon carries unknown risks, emphasized by the captain’s warning.

• Arrival and setup: After a three-day voyage marked by two pirate attacks, Moyu and Menchi reach Port Island. Moyu has recognized the Aileen’s usually hidden captain as an experienced Nen user, and the captain personally rows them ashore. Before leaving, he reveals his ship passes the island every two weeks, giving them a possible way back. The pair head into the forest and establish a camp near a waterfall for three months of training.
• Moyu’s punishing training: At midnight, Moyu begins the provisional challenge Ten Thousand Blade Swings: every day, he must complete 10,000 swings that meet a precise standard. His first day takes 21 hours, with only a few hours left for rest before he starts again. Over a month, he improves his accuracy and cuts the time to about 15 hours. The grind initially makes him anticipate the challenge’s eventual reward, but persistence changes his outlook: he becomes more interested in how far the practice itself can take him and even worries that the remaining two months will pass too quickly.
• Menchi’s response and growth: Menchi supports Moyu by preparing meals and caring for him, while quietly training herself. His relentless effort makes her fear being left behind, so she resolves to work harder too. She also reflects that becoming a great Gourmet Hunter means more than finding rare ingredients: sharing food and giving others satisfaction matters to her. In conversation, she tells Moyu she wants her Nen ability to give food new beneficial possibilities without changing its taste, though she doubts herself. Moyu encourages her by saying she can do it.
• Character interactions: Their mentor-student bond deepens through practical care, encouragement, and shared discipline. Moyu refuses to waste Menchi’s carefully prepared food even when it has gone cold, which touches her. Menchi, in turn, learns his routine and has a hot meal ready when he finishes.
• Other developments and themes: A mysterious, ancient-seeming watcher observes Moyu and Menchi beneath the moon, hinting at a larger presence without explaining its intentions. Meanwhile, at Heavens Arena, Hisoka has become a celebrated Floor Master known as “Roly-Poly Hisoka.” He endures the public adoration because he is waiting for a particular day, though the chapter does not explain what he expects. The chapter emphasizes discipline, gradual mastery, purpose beyond external rewards, and how care and encouragement can inspire personal growth.

Chapter Summary

Key events

• Hisoka, now a Floor Master known as “The Tumbler,” is celebrated by the public, but cares only about fighting Moyu again. Killua is also anxious for Moyu’s return; his unanswered calls and messages, along with the disappearance of a woman who could change her face, leave him imagining the worst.
• Piyon visits Heavens Arena hoping to see Moyu, but cannot find him and discovers his phone is off. When she calls Cheadle for information, Cheadle refuses to tell her where Moyu is, suggesting he chose not to share it. Cheadle’s colleague Liz suspects she is quietly pleased by the situation.
• Moyu is on Port Island, focused on completing ten thousand sword swings every day. His accuracy has improved, though speeding up remains difficult. He also continues helping Menchi develop her Nen ability, with little concrete progress so far.
• Moyu urges Menchi to take the Hunter Exam before he does, but she wants to wait and go with him. He drops the subject rather than pressuring her.
• Menchi receives a large Poseidon fish she ordered. The delivery is handled by Morel, whom Moyu recognizes, though neither makes an effort to get acquainted. Menchi keeps Morel’s contact details in case they need a ride off the island.
• As Menchi prepares to cut up the fish, an elderly woman appears without either of them sensing her approach. Menchi recognizes her as Linne Horsdoeuvre, a celebrated Two-Star Gourmet Hunter. Linne asks Moyu about his connection to Netero, noting his exact “Ten Thousand Sword Swings” training routine. Moyu admits they are connected, but says the relationship is not as complicated as she suspects.

Character developments and interactions

• Hisoka’s fame has not changed his fixation on Moyu; Killua’s concern likewise shows how much Moyu’s absence affects those around him.
• Piyon’s visit reveals her eagerness to reconnect with Moyu, while Cheadle’s refusal leaves her hurt and confused.
• Menchi remains devoted to Moyu and wants to accompany him, even at the cost of delaying her license. Her enthusiasm for food is also clear in her excitement over the Poseidon.
• Moyu stays disciplined and considerate, encouraging Menchi’s independence without forcing her. He is cautious around Linne, sensing her formidable presence, but answers her question once Menchi identifies her.
• Linne’s unexpected appearance links Moyu’s training to Netero and introduces a potentially important observer from Netero’s circle.

Significant themes

• Absence and attachment: Hisoka, Killua, and Piyon all seek Moyu for different reasons, while he remains unaware of their concern.
• Discipline and patience: Moyu values perfect execution over quick progress, and Menchi’s training likewise requires persistence.
• Mentorship and independence: Moyu supports Menchi while encouraging her to pursue her Hunter License on her own.
• Hidden connections and recognition: Linne’s knowledge of Moyu’s training raises questions about his relationship with Netero and the people who understand its significance.

Plot points and events

• Linne Market notices Moyu’s disciplined sword practice and a stance reminiscent of Netero’s 100-Type Guanyin. After learning his name, she recognizes a possible connection to Shingen-ryu.
• Menchi tries to develop a Nen ability that would enhance food, but her attempt to imbue Poseidon sashimi fails. Linne advises her to build the ability step by step, focusing first on ingredients rather than diners.
• Linne eats the sashimi and wishes she had rice to make sushi. Menchi goes to fetch some; while she is away, Linne uses a Nen Ball to preserve the fish. Menchi returns and prepares sushi, earning Linne’s praise.
• Over the following days, Linne guides Menchi’s Nen development while Moyu continues his daily ten thousand sword swings.
• On the final day of Moyu’s three-month training, he completes the routine in under twelve hours. He receives a boost to Gyo, basic sword knowledge, and a new “true Ten Thousand Sword Swings” training task lasting a year. He considers how to fit it around further Nen practice.
• Linne notices something unusual about Moyu’s aura but keeps her thoughts to herself. She encourages Menchi to take the Hunter Exam that year.
• Moyu prepares to leave the island. Linne does not answer when he asks whether she will come, but her actions make clear she is joining him. The three set out for the Aileen.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu grows more disciplined and efficient through sustained training, and chooses to keep practicing even beyond the initial reward. He adapts to Linne’s taciturn manner and begins to read her silences.
• Menchi is disappointed when her first Nen experiment fails but takes Linne’s advice to heart. She shows skill and promise as a cook, impresses Linne with her sushi, and agrees to pursue her Hunter License.
• Linne Market remains reserved and speaks sparingly, yet mentors Menchi through practical advice and discreetly preserves the fish. She recognizes potential in both young Hunters and decides to travel with them.

Significant themes

• Progress through steady effort: Moyu’s sword practice and Linne’s advice to Menchi both emphasize gradual improvement over shortcuts.
• Mentorship and potential: Linne’s guidance helps Menchi find a sound direction, while her interest in Moyu suggests she sees something unusual in him.
• Practicality and care: Menchi’s cooking and Linne’s preservation ability show how Nen can serve the craft of preparing and protecting ingredients.
• Unspoken communication: Linne’s silences and actions often convey more than direct answers, and Moyu and Menchi learn to interpret them.

Key plot points and events

• Moyu, Menchi, and the elderly Hunter Linne travel aboard the Aileen. The captain treats Linne with deference, and she declines Moyu’s invitation to continue traveling with him and Menchi when they reach port.
• Moyu and Menchi fly to Shivadani City. Menchi heads straight to the Linne Ingredient Market to buy premium ingredients and develop her Nen ability; Moyu gives her a card with a large budget.
• At the Hunter Association, Piyon greets Moyu after his three-month disappearance with mock outrage and teasing. Moyu explains little, and their bickering ends with him agreeing to spend three days playing with her.
• Linne meets Netero and tells him she has encountered two promising young people: Moyu, who trains by swinging a sword ten thousand times daily, and Menchi, whose Nen development reminds her of Linne herself. She says they are “like we used to be.”
• Linne and Netero reflect on their past Dark Continent expedition and worry that the younger generation may someday seek the “world outside.” Both say they would try to stop them, understanding the danger represented by the Gatekeepers.
• Cheadle tells Moyu that thirteen Nen Exorcists have been gathered, but none is willing to risk being first to remove the powerful Post-Mortem Nen affecting the Nen Space. Moyu considers ways to obtain another chance at Exorcism.
• Piyon offers to help Moyu, and Moyu finds a way to keep her busy: he arranges for her to receive a flood of difficult ancient-text translation requests. She postpones their planned time together.
• The chapter ends with Moyu considering whether to seek another Exorcism opportunity or claim the reward that would send him into another year of sword-swing training.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu remains focused on solving the Nen Space problem, but shows warmth toward Menchi by funding her training and food experiments. His dry, evasive humor fuels his playful clashes with Piyon.
• Menchi is increasingly committed to developing her Nen ability through high-grade ingredients and cooking for Moyu.
• Piyon masks concern and affection with teasing, then sincerely offers help. Moyu responds by exploiting her spare time with translation work.
• Linne reveals that she sees Moyu and Menchi as heirs to the spirit of her old expedition team. Her rare praise carries weight with Netero.
• Netero shares Linne’s nostalgia and concern, but recognizes that the urge to explore the unknown may be impossible to suppress.

Significant themes

• Generational legacy: Linne and Netero see echoes of their younger selves in Moyu and Menchi.
• Ambition versus danger: The lure of exploring the unknown is set against the catastrophic risks of the Dark Continent and the Gatekeepers.
• Caution and responsibility: The Exorcists’ reluctance reflects the real danger of confronting powerful Post-Mortem Nen, while Moyu’s determination pushes him to seek alternatives.
• Affection expressed through humor: Piyon’s mock complaints and Moyu’s teasing conceal genuine concern and willingness to help.

Chapter Summary: “October X Black Blade X Exam”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Hunter Association continues searching for a Nen Exorcist willing to take the lead in resolving Elena’s post-mortem Nen ability, Starry Sky Gazing. The ability risks becoming a permanent Secret Realm where time is nearly stopped, trapping anyone who enters.
• Moyu still lacks a second opportunity for Exorcism, so he postpones using True Ten Thousand Sword Swings and spends a week in Shivadani City helping Menchi develop her Nen ability.
• Menchi practices infusing aura into rare fruits and discovers that fruits and vegetables absorb her aura more easily than other ingredients. Her Nen improves their freshness and may eventually give food special properties.
• Moyu spends heavily on rare ingredients—about one billion Jenie in a week—to support Menchi’s training, though he is unconcerned because the money came easily from Heavens Arena.
• After reflecting on his battle with Franklin, Moyu recognizes weaknesses in his Nen fundamentals, especially his lack of experience with Ko, as well as the need to improve Ren and Gyo. He decides to train in seclusion for roughly a year.
• Moyu and Menchi travel to Swindler’s Swamp, where he begins another cycle of Ten Thousand Sword Swings.
• During the training period, Piyon finally finishes translating the difficult text Moyu gave her, only to discover that he has disappeared and switched off his phone. Sambika informs her that Moyu plans to train for a year, provoking Piyon’s anger.
• By October 31, 1994, Moyu has reduced the time needed for ten thousand swings from sixteen or seventeen hours to under six hours. His training also enables him to swing perfectly without a sword.
• On the twelfth day of empty-handed practice, Moyu naturally materializes a pitch-black longsword, creating the outline of his Black Blade. He repeatedly practices summoning and dismissing it until he masters the Conjurer-like ability.
• Moyu’s Latent Aura increases dramatically. His usable applications of Shadow Shift rise from roughly five to eighteen, nearly quadrupling his total aura.
• Since his daily training now takes only about five hours, Moyu decides to participate in the Hunter Exam. He and Menchi register in Lumbis City, receive the clue for the first test, and later travel to Mount Aragas.
• Moyu checks his messages and learns from Light that the Phantom Troupe recently robbed an airship carrying artifacts excavated from an ancient ruin, increasing their bounty. Moyu reminds Light to honor their agreement and avoid provoking the troupe.
• At Mount Aragas, the Hunter Exam applicants gather. Tonpa immediately notices Moyu and Menchi as unfamiliar newcomers.

2. Character Developments

• Moyu: Becomes more disciplined and mature through nearly a year of intense training. He identifies gaps in his Nen knowledge, especially Ko and Gyo, while substantially increasing his aura reserves and developing the Black Blade. His ability to materialize and dismiss the sword becomes natural, though he deliberately withholds giving it a final form until his system is more complete.
• Menchi: Makes steady progress with her food-related Nen ability. She learns to use aura to preserve and enhance ingredients, laying the foundation for potentially imbuing food with unique properties. She remains obedient to Moyu but is increasingly absorbed in her own training.
• Piyon: Finishes her translation work but reacts furiously when she realizes Moyu has left without informing her. Her frustration highlights her dependence on updates from him and her tendency toward dramatic irritation.
• Sambika: Continues interacting cautiously with Piyon and accepts Moyu’s daily lunch invitations, though she seems unsure how much they are helping her health.
• Tonpa: Maintains his habit of scrutinizing unfamiliar Hunter Exam applicants and singles out Moyu and Menchi as potential targets or competitors.
• Light: Keeps Moyu informed about the Phantom Troupe, while Moyu reiterates their agreement that Light must not antagonize them.

3. Significant Themes

• Gradual mastery through repetition: Moyu’s sword training and Menchi’s ingredient experiments both emphasize patient, incremental progress rather than immediate results.
• The danger of uncontrolled power: Elena’s post-mortem Nen threatens to create a permanent time-stopping Secret Realm, demonstrating how Nen abilities can become more dangerous after death.
• Preparation and self-awareness: Moyu does not rush into battle or the Hunter Exam. He honestly assesses his weaknesses and trains to compensate for them.
• Growth through discipline: The passage of nearly a year transforms Moyu’s abilities, physical presence, and confidence, showing the cumulative effect of sustained effort.
• Balancing ambition with restraint: Moyu develops the Black Blade but refuses to use it prematurely, choosing refinement and control over immediate power.
• Food, aura, and creativity: Menchi’s training suggests that Nen can extend beyond combat into preservation, enhancement, and possibly culinary creation.

4. Character Interactions

• Moyu mentors Menchi, guiding her experimentation while encouraging gradual development rather than rushing her ability.
• Moyu invites Sambika to lunch every day to help her maintain regular meals, creating a quiet, supportive relationship.
• Piyon confronts Sambika after failing to contact Moyu. Sambika’s cautious response only heightens Piyon’s frustration.
• Moyu exchanges messages with Light about the Phantom Troupe, reaffirming their agreement that Light must avoid provoking them.
• Moyu and Menchi work closely as partners, traveling together, training, registering for the Hunter Exam, and arriving jointly at Mount Aragas.
• Tonpa’s attention to the unfamiliar pair sets up their first interaction with the wider Hunter Exam cast.

Key plot points and events

• At the 1995 Hunter Exam, nearly 1,800 applicants gather at Mount Aragas—far more than usual.
• Tonpa, a longtime failed applicant who now delights in sabotaging rookies, spots Moyu and Menchi and prepares to approach them.
• Beans distributes numbered badges: Menchi receives 1788, Moyu 1789. Beans recognizes Moyu and is confident he will pass.
• Several notable applicants are present: Shalnark of the Phantom Troupe, and three treasure hunters who accidentally join the exam while following a map.
• The first-phase examiner, Halliman Aiki, arrives by parachute and announces a six-hour deadline to reach the summit of the more-than-6,000-meter Mount Aragas.
• When one applicant boasts about bringing climbing gear, others immediately seize it, revealing how ruthless the crowd is.
• Moyu and Menchi start climbing at once, moving so quickly that they leave the other applicants behind.

Character developments and interactions

• Tonpa remains committed to ruining rookies’ chances. He sizes up Moyu and Menchi but is interrupted before he can approach them.
• Moyu calmly anticipates a timed climbing test and treats the challenge as manageable; he even plans to use the climb’s spare time for training.
• Menchi is curious and unafraid, follows Moyu’s lead, and keeps pace with him.
• Beans admires Moyu and expects him to become a Hunter, reflecting the Association’s confidence in his ability.
• Halliman evaluates Moyu and Menchi’s strong aura and hopes they pass.
• Shalnark intends to take the exam to make future intelligence-gathering easier. The treasure hunters are irritated to find themselves caught up in the exam.

Significant themes

• Competition and ruthlessness: Applicants will exploit one another when survival or success is at stake.
• Preparation versus ability: Planning ahead can help, but conspicuous preparation can also make someone a target.
• Experience and lost idealism: Tonpa’s repeated failures have turned his original ambition into a desire to sabotage newcomers.
• Strength and potential: Moyu and Menchi’s rapid ascent immediately sets them apart, while Halliman’s attention highlights the promise of young applicants.

Key plot points and events

• The first phase of the Hunter Exam begins: candidates must climb Mount Aragas and reach its summit within six hours.
• Moyu and Menchi surge ahead with exceptional speed and control, startling the other candidates. Their performance separates the field into unprepared newcomers, experienced climbers, and Nen users who can rely on aura.
• Shalnark recognizes that the unusually large number of Nen users could make the exam more competitive. Hoping to secure a Hunter License for his team’s operation, he pushes to stay near the front.
• Three members of the Elimo Thieves Group—an impatient bearded man, a calm handsome man, and a scarred man—try to locate a treasure entrance marked on their map, but the crowds prevent them from searching. They worry someone else may find the treasure first.
• Harsh weather and the six-hour limit cause many candidates to quit. Examiner Halliman reaches the summit after forty minutes.
• At the summit, Halliman finds Moyu practicing sword swings while Menchi cooks soup over a Nen-sustained fire. He is impressed by Moyu’s disciplined, dangerous aura and skill.
• Shalnark arrives third, studies Moyu, and decides he is the most serious rival. More candidates reach the summit and notice Moyu’s presence; ordinary candidates sense his pressure even though they cannot see aura.
• Tonpa, already frightened by Moyu and Menchi’s abilities, tries to avoid Moyu. When Moyu looks directly at him, Tonpa panics.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu remains composed and focused, using the climb and his time at the summit to continue intensive sword and Nen training. His aura draws attention from both Halliman and Shalnark.
• Menchi matches Moyu’s extraordinary climbing ability and calmly prepares soup in the freezing conditions, using Nen to keep the fire burning.
• Halliman initially seems lazy and unreliable, but his sharp assessment of Moyu reveals a more perceptive side. He sits by Menchi’s fire and openly admires Moyu’s skill.
• Shalnark shifts from general vigilance to specifically treating Moyu as his greatest threat.
• Tonpa goes from contemplating sabotage to feeling fortunate he never tried it, then becomes increasingly alarmed by Moyu’s attention.
• The Elimo trio bicker over their failed search while sharing growing anxiety that the treasure could be discovered by someone else.

Significant themes

• Preparation and adaptability: Candidates’ advance planning, equipment, experience, or Nen determine how well they handle the climb.
• Competition and hidden threats: The unusually strong field makes success less certain, and candidates quickly identify rivals.
• Power creates unease: Moyu’s skill impresses others but also intimidates them, especially Tonpa.
• Contrasting priorities: While most candidates focus on passing the exam, the Elimo trio uses the event as cover for a treasure hunt, and Moyu treats the summit as a place to keep training.

Chapter Summary: “Method × Deliberation × Post-Mortem Nen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The candidates finish climbing Mount Aragas, drawing Moyu’s attention as they reach the summit.
• Moyu considers how to obtain a reward from Tonpa through his Perception ability. Since Tonpa is weak in combat and Moyu dislikes him, Moyu concludes that forming a relationship with him would be the only viable method, though he rejects the idea of becoming friends, companions, or teacher and student.
• Tonpa becomes terrified by Moyu’s apparent scrutiny, believing Moyu may know about his reputation as the “Rookie Crusher.” He hides from Moyu and even considers abandoning the second test.
• Moyu notices another Nen user among the candidates: a blond, baby-faced youth carrying a red devil-shaped phone. He suspects the man is Shalnark of the Phantom Troupe, who may have obtained his Hunter License during this exam. Moyu avoids investigating him too closely because of Shalnark’s intelligence and analytical ability.
• Moyu completes his daily sword-training quota of 10,000 swings after more than five hours of practice.
• Halliman wakes and observes Menchi’s Nen-enhanced campfire and soup. He realizes that her aura can improve or preserve cooking-related effects, suggesting an inventive use of her Nen type.
• Halliman announces that 231 of nearly 2,000 candidates passed the six-hour climbing test.
• Without allowing meaningful rest, he announces the second test: the candidates must descend the mountain within three hours. He uses a red balloon to indicate the direction of descent, then warns that anyone who objects will be considered to have forfeited.
• While most candidates hurry downhill, Moyu remains briefly at the summit to drink Menchi’s hot Nen-enhanced soup. He and Menchi eventually begin descending at a measured pace.
• Menchi repeatedly stops to collect unusual white fruits and other ingredients growing along the mountain path. Moyu accompanies her, allowing their descent to slow and deviate from the intended route.
• Near a cluster of rocks, Moyu senses a faint trace of Post-Mortem Nen beneath a trapezoidal boulder. The chapter ends as he investigates the source.

Character Developments

• Moyu: Demonstrates strategic thinking by analyzing how his Perception ability produces rewards and by assessing the usefulness of different relationships. He remains wary of Shalnark and continues his extreme sword-training routine. His heightened sensitivity to Post-Mortem Nen also leads him to discover a hidden mystery on the mountain.
• Tonpa: Shows unusual fear and vulnerability. Rather than behaving as the confident manipulator usually associated with him, he panics under Moyu’s gaze and contemplates quitting the exam.
• Menchi: Reveals greater depth as both a skilled Nen user and an intensely passionate Gourmet Hunter. Her aura can sustain the campfire and enhance the soup, while her enthusiasm for rare ingredients overwhelms her concern for completing the test quickly.
• Halliman: Becomes more attentive to Menchi and Moyu, recognizing that both possess unusual discipline and ability. His analysis shows growing respect for Menchi’s unconventional Nen application.
• Shalnark: Though he does not directly interact with Moyu, his suspected presence adds tension. Moyu recognizes him as a highly intelligent potential threat who could uncover secrets if examined too closely.

Significant Themes

• The value of method and deliberation: Moyu’s Perception rewards not only combat victories but also bonds, decisions, and moments of resolve, prompting him to carefully consider how people can be approached and used.
• Hidden ability and unconventional Nen development: Menchi and Halliman demonstrate that Nen types can produce diverse effects beyond stereotypical combat abilities.
• Endurance and efficiency: The exam tests candidates through consecutive physical challenges, while Moyu and Menchi’s condition reflects their year of growth and disciplined training.
• Contrast and perception: Other candidates see Moyu relaxing with soup while they struggle down the mountain, emphasizing the gap between his capabilities and theirs.
• Curiosity and discovery: Menchi’s fascination with ingredients and Moyu’s sensitivity to Post-Mortem Nen both show characters responding to the unknown, though in very different ways.

Character Interactions

• Moyu watches Tonpa with analytical interest, while Tonpa misinterprets the attention as a threat and avoids him.
• Moyu deliberately avoids probing Shalnark, understanding that Shalnark’s intelligence could expose him.
• Halliman observes and analyzes Menchi’s aura-enhanced cooking, gradually taking her more seriously.
• Moyu and Menchi share a relaxed partnership: she provides him soup, he supports her ingredient gathering, and they coordinate their descent without urgency.
• The chapter concludes with Menchi asking why Moyu has stopped, and Moyu informing her that something unusual is hidden among the rocks.

Chapter Summary: “The Ability of Post-Mortem Nen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• While descending Mount Aragas during the second stage of the Hunter Exam, Moyu senses a weak trace of Post-Mortem Nen beneath a pile of rocks.
• Although the exam is more important, Moyu agrees to investigate because there are still roughly two hours left before the test ends. Menchi eagerly helps him excavate.
• Moyu uses Gyo through his blade to cut rapidly through the mountain, turning the excavation into an opportunity to practice Nen control. After digging more than ten meters, they uncover a stone slab engraved with characters resembling God’s Script.
• Black Post-Mortem Nen begins flowing through the inscriptions. When Moyu touches the slab, the aura intensifies and forms a thin, black, paper-like sheet.
• Moyu orders Menchi to retreat, but the black sheet suddenly expands and envelops both of them.
• Elsewhere, Tonpa abandons the official descent route after being frightened by Moyu. He encounters three dangerous examinees from an A-Class Thieves’ Gang. When they decide to kill him, Tonpa flees.
• During the chase, a black circle appears beneath Tonpa, followed by a curtain-like barrier that swallows him. The same phenomenon captures the three thieves.
• Shalnark, leading the other examinees down the mountain, is also suddenly enveloped and disappears.
• At the mountain’s base, examiner Halliman witnesses Shalnark’s disappearance and recognizes the aura as Post-Mortem Nen. He realizes that something serious has occurred and prepares to investigate or report it.
• Tonpa awakens in a vast, cave-like enclosed space with dim green illumination. Confused and frightened, he realizes he may be trapped somewhere far from the mountain.

Character Developments

• Moyu: Demonstrates caution, curiosity, and strong Nen expertise. He balances the importance of completing the Hunter Exam with his desire to investigate the unknown phenomenon. His use of Gyo also shows that he continues refining his combat techniques.
• Menchi: Her characteristic curiosity is highlighted. Although Post-Mortem Nen is unfamiliar to her, she enthusiastically assists Moyu, showing trust in her master and eagerness to explore the unknown.
• Tonpa: His cowardly but survival-focused personality becomes more apparent. He willingly abandons the exam to avoid Moyu, yet he is forced into danger when the thieves target him. Despite his panic, he reacts quickly and attempts to escape.
• Shalnark: His confidence and ambition are emphasized as he assumes that his early lead will guarantee victory in the exam. His sudden disappearance undermines his sense of control.
• Halliman: Initially apathetic and eager to sleep through the remaining test, he becomes alert and concerned after witnessing Shalnark’s disappearance.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the unknown: Even weak and seemingly harmless Nen can trigger unpredictable events when disturbed.
• Post-Mortem Nen’s persistence: The chapter demonstrates that Nen can remain active after death and may possess complex, automatic effects capable of trapping or transporting living people.
• Curiosity versus caution: Menchi’s curiosity encourages investigation, while Moyu’s caution repeatedly reminds them to maintain distance from unknown phenomena.
• Survival instinct: Tonpa’s actions reflect the instinct to flee from danger, while the thieves’ casual attitude toward murder contrasts sharply with his fear.
• Loss of control: Characters who believe they understand their circumstances—Moyu, Shalnark, Tonpa, and the thieves—are abruptly removed from familiar surroundings by the mysterious ability.

Character Interactions

• Moyu and Menchi work cooperatively during the excavation, with Moyu handling the dangerous cutting and Menchi carrying away the stones.
• Moyu protects Menchi by ordering her out of the pit when the black aura begins to react.
• Tonpa’s encounter with the three thieves reveals their violent nature and his immediate willingness to flee rather than fight.
• The thieves’ decision to kill Tonpa is interrupted by the mysterious Post-Mortem Nen, which captures all of them.
• Halliman serves as an observer who witnesses the phenomenon affecting Shalnark and recognizes that the Hunter Exam has been disrupted by a major supernatural event.

Chapter Summary: “Why?!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Moyu and Menchi are suddenly transported into an unknown underground tunnel by the Post-Mortem Nen ability they encountered earlier.
• The teleportation medium—a sealed rock wall engraved with lines—contains no remaining Nen, suggesting the transfer ability was single-use or exhausted after activating.
• With no obvious way back to the Hunter Exam, Moyu decides they must explore the tunnel and search for an exit.
• The tunnel is damp, winding, and illuminated by glowing algae. Moyu and Menchi travel through it for about fifteen minutes before reaching a vast underground chamber.
• The chamber contains hundreds of cave entrances positioned around the walls, suggesting that many separate tunnels or teleportation points lead there.
• Below them lies an enormous, ancient underground city covered in dust. At its center stands a massive root-like pillar containing distorted limbs and human faces, radiating ominous Post-Mortem Nen.
• Moyu and Menchi descend into the ruins and begin searching for a possible way out, suspecting that the ruins may contain another teleportation medium.
• They encounter the Bamboo Pole Man, another Hunter Exam participant who was transported there unexpectedly.
• Tonpa then falls out of one of the cave entrances. He is initially relieved to see other people but becomes horrified upon realizing Moyu is among them.
• More examinees continue appearing from the surrounding entrances, revealing that the teleportation ability affected everyone within a certain area rather than only Moyu and Menchi.
• The bearded man and his companions also arrive. Unlike the others, the bearded man is excited, believing the underground ruins contain the treasure of the Monka Expeditionary Force.

2. Character Developments

• Moyu remains calm and practical despite the danger. He quickly analyzes the teleportation ability, the rock wall, the glowing algae, and the possible oxygen supply. His priority is finding an exit rather than exploring the ruins or seeking treasure.
• Menchi displays courage and composure, showing no fear after being transported underground. She contributes practical supplies, including Snow Fruit, food, and water, and remains attentive to Moyu’s instructions.
• Bamboo Pole Man is revealed to be an ordinary person with no understanding of Nen. His panic and frustration emphasize how dangerous and confusing the situation is for the transported examinees.
• Tonpa suffers another humiliating misfortune by being dragged into the underground ruins despite abandoning the exam and trying to avoid Moyu. His initial relief at finding others quickly turns into despair when he recognizes Moyu.
• The bearded man stands apart from the other examinees because he views the ruins as an opportunity for treasure rather than simply a place of confinement.

3. Significant Themes

• Unintended consequences: Moyu’s decision to interact with the Post-Mortem Nen unexpectedly affects many people, not just himself and Menchi.
• Survival versus ambition: Moyu focuses on escape and survival, while the bearded man is already thinking about treasure and historical spoils.
• The unknown and the supernatural: The living-looking algae, unexplained teleportation, ancient underground city, and pillar filled with apparent bodies create an atmosphere of mystery and horror.
• Courage and composure: Menchi’s calm reaction contrasts with the panic of ordinary examinees, reinforcing the dangerous but necessary mindset of Hunters.
• Buried history: The ruins and the Monka Expeditionary Force hint at a forgotten past and suggest that the underground city may contain important secrets or valuable relics.

4. Character Interactions

• Moyu checks on Menchi after the teleportation and takes responsibility for deciding their next course of action.
• Menchi relies on Moyu’s judgment but remains supportive, providing food and calmly following him into the ruins.
• The Bamboo Pole Man approaches Moyu and Menchi for reassurance, relieved to discover that he is not alone. Moyu withholds the fact that his actions triggered the teleportation.
• Tonpa’s arrival creates an ironic interaction: while he is glad to find fellow survivors, seeing Moyu causes him immediate psychological collapse.
• The arrival of additional examinees transforms the situation from a private ordeal into a large-scale disaster affecting many participants.
• The bearded man’s excitement over the ruins introduces a possible conflict between those seeking escape and those intending to exploit the underground city’s treasures.

Key plot points and events

• Three members of the A-Rank Elimo Thieves Group—Lion Ryan, Viper Baibo, and Mantis—discover they have been teleported into an underground city containing the Monka Expeditionary Force’s lost spoils. They plan to use the Hunter Exam applicants as scouts, then kill anyone who gets in their way.
• Roughly 150 applicants have also been transported there. They gather in groups, confused and unsure how to escape.
• Moyu suggests appointing the most experienced applicant as leader, deliberately drawing attention to Tonpa, a thirty-time exam veteran. Tonpa panics, refuses the role, and insists that his repeated failures prove he is useless. The group eventually chooses Bolton, a strong applicant who has taken the exam four times.
• Bolton organizes applicants into pairs to search the ruins for clues. Moyu and Menchi stay toward the back.
• Menchi notices that many applicants are more interested in the potential treasure than in finding an exit. Moyu agrees, observing that people feel safer in a crowd and therefore prioritize their own desires.
• Moyu senses post-mortem Nen spreading from a huge pillar at the city’s center, its aura reaching through the ruins like tendrils. The applicants, thieves, and other Nen users enter the city unaware of the approaching danger.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu reflects on how his sensitivity to post-mortem Nen led the group to the teleportation tablet. He uses the applicants’ faith in experience to unsettle Tonpa, then accepts that the crowd cannot be relied upon and focuses on the threat in the ruins.
• Menchi is observant and skeptical of the applicants’ motives. She recognizes their greed and questions whether they can be trusted to cooperate.
• Tonpa reacts to Moyu’s attention with fear and assumes he is being targeted for past sabotage. He willingly humiliates himself to avoid becoming leader.
• Bolton takes charge pragmatically, gathering information and assigning search pairs.
• Ryan, Baibo, and Mantis reveal their ruthless intentions: they plan to exploit the applicants and eliminate them if necessary.
• The applicants initially discuss escape, but many quickly turn toward the ruins and its riches.

Significant themes

• Human nature under threat: Crowds can create a false sense of security, encouraging people to pursue personal gain rather than cooperate.
• Greed and survival: The promise of treasure competes with the urgent need to escape.
• Hidden danger: The ruins’ apparent promise conceals a growing threat only Moyu can perceive.
• Schemes and vulnerability: Moyu manipulates Tonpa, while the thieves plan to use the applicants—showing how people exploit others when circumstances permit.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• A gigantic pillar made from twisted human bodies spreads black post-mortem Nen through the Underground City Ruins. Moyu senses it and warns Menchi, though the dispersed aura seems less threatening than the powerful Nen he has encountered before.
• Moyu and Menchi enter the ruins, where they find sharp-edged buildings, scattered armored corpses, and eerie headless statues holding their heads against their chests. Most examinees ignore these unsettling sights and search for treasure.
• Moyu notices thin strands of Nen from the pillar attaching to the armor and statues. The Nen begins controlling them, and the objects rise to attack the examinees.
• The examinees initially knock the animated objects down, but the armor reassembles and the statues rise again. After reviving, the armor moves faster, leaving the candidates frightened and confused.
• Tonpa chooses to flee rather than fight. Near Moyu and Menchi, more than a dozen animated suits of armor approach.
• Menchi uses Gyo to see the Nen strands and attacks with a spear, but her blow misses the strand’s precise weak point. Moyu explains that the targets become stronger after reviving and are best defeated in one strike.
• Moyu draws his sword and severs the Nen strands—not the armor itself—first on one suit, then on eight at once using Rhythm Echo. The suits collapse and remain inert. With Moyu and Menchi holding their position, the candidates’ defenses begin to stabilize.

Character development

• Moyu stays alert and quickly identifies the Nen manipulation behind the attacks. Rather than treating the danger solely as a threat, he uses it to test and refine the swordsmanship he has developed through a year of training.
• Menchi demonstrates disciplined use of Gyo and aura control, skills gained through her training. Her difficulty with the spear shows that seeing a weakness is not enough without the precision to strike it; she admires Moyu’s skill and learns from his advice.
• Tonpa remains pragmatic and self-preserving, immediately looking for an escape route when the danger escalates.
• The examinees shift from confident scavenging and skepticism to fear once the armor reassembles and becomes faster.

Significant themes

• Perception and preparation: Moyu’s habit of using Gyo and his attention to the ruins reveal the danger before most candidates recognize it.
• Skill over brute force: The armor’s physical bodies can be smashed, but only severing the controlling Nen strands stops them.
• Training put to practical use: Moyu’s repeated sword practice and Menchi’s aura training become directly relevant in combat.
• Courage and self-preservation: The examinees take risks for possible treasure, while Tonpa prioritizes escape; both responses reflect different approaches to danger.

Character interactions

• Moyu warns Menchi about the spreading Nen and reinforces the lesson that she should use Gyo regularly.
• Menchi takes initiative to protect them, but Moyu corrects her approach and explains how the enemies’ revival changes the threat.
• Menchi responds to Moyu’s effortless precision with open admiration, while Tonpa watches from hiding in disbelief at Moyu’s ability.

Plot points

• Moyu effortlessly destroys the eight Armor Men pursuing the group, leaving Tonpa terrified of him and convinced he must keep his distance.
• Tonpa tries to use his wits to find a safe escape route. Before he can plan, several Armor Men and a Head-Holding Human Statue crash down nearby and reassemble.
• Tonpa runs toward Moyu, intending to lure the pursuing creatures to him and let him handle them. He doesn’t realize Moyu deliberately launched them in Tonpa’s direction after noticing him hiding.
• Moyu breaks another Armor Man apart with a casual strike, sending its pieces flying into Tonpa. When Tonpa realizes Moyu caused the danger, he flees in the opposite direction.
• A heavily damaged Armor Man reassembles and charges Tonpa, while another Head-Holding Human Statue rolls past him. Trapped and bewildered, Tonpa wonders why Moyu is targeting him.

Character developments and interactions

• Tonpa shifts from confidence in his survival instincts to mounting panic. He tries to redirect danger toward Moyu, then abandons that plan once he understands Moyu is behind the creatures’ arrival.
• Moyu remains calm and teasing, using his strength to manipulate the situation and seemingly punish Tonpa’s attempt to pass his problems along.
• Their interaction is largely one-sided: Tonpa sees Moyu as a terrifying threat, while Moyu watches Tonpa’s desperate schemes with amusement.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Tonpa’s cleverness offers little protection against the overwhelming strength of the creatures—or Moyu.
• Self-preservation and consequences: Tonpa’s instinct to shift danger onto someone else backfires.
• Dark comedy: Tonpa’s escalating terror contrasts with Moyu’s casual “accidents” and understated amusement.

Key plot points and events

• Moyu deliberately keeps sending defeated Armor Men and Head-Holding Human Statues toward Tonpa to test whether overwhelming him psychologically will earn Moyu a reward from Perception. He pauses after sending several, believing the pressure should build gradually.
• Menchi trains on the Dead Nen controlling the creatures, but initially uses a rusty spear. Moyu tells her to discard it and demonstrates a more precise method: firing tiny Nen Balls at the Dead Nen weak points.
• Menchi copies the technique and lands a clean hit, revealing how much her Emitter precision has improved through a year of focused training.
• The creatures become increasingly dangerous as the examinees struggle to defeat them. They revive stronger and faster, and one examinee is badly injured by a rusty weapon.
• Moyu intervenes, weaving through the swarm with Rhythm Echo and cutting down the creatures in a single, coordinated pass. The examinees are stunned and regard him as a hero.
• Moyu discovers that his mental resilience has unexpectedly increased from 100% to 105%, apparently as a result of the examinees’ reaction.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu balances experimentation on Tonpa with helping the exhausted examinees. He recognizes Menchi’s progress and gives her a practical way to train; his effortless rescue also displays his combat skill.
• Menchi proves her talent and discipline through her improved Nen control. She follows Moyu’s advice readily and turns the moving creatures into training targets.
• Tonpa remains the target of Moyu’s psychological experiment, though the chapter does not show his response in detail.
• Bolton and the examinees go from despair and exhaustion to relief and awe after Moyu saves them. Their admiration may be linked to his unexpected resilience increase.

Significant themes

• Talent strengthened by discipline: Menchi’s natural ability is amplified by sustained, focused training.
• Precision over brute force: Moyu and Menchi defeat the creatures by targeting their Dead Nen weak points rather than relying on force.
• Leadership and heroism: Moyu steps in when the group is overwhelmed, becoming the rescuer the examinees desperately need.
• Psychological influence and rewards: Moyu tests whether affecting Tonpa’s mental state—and, indirectly, inspiring the examinees—can produce benefits.

Key plot points and events

• Moyu’s “When the Stars Shine on Humanity” ability gains another increment of mental resilience, raising it to 105%. He recognizes the buff’s potential to defend against Manipulator abilities and other mental effects, but decides not to rush into building it into a new Nen ability.
• After defeating the Armor Men and Head-Holding Human Statues attacking his group, Moyu asks the examinees whether they will leave or stay. They want to escape but do not know how to get out.
• Moyu and Menchi head deeper into the ruins, while Bolton and the others rely on them to find a way forward.
• Elsewhere, the creatures attack other groups of examinees. Many are killed because their attackers grow faster and stronger after each apparent defeat. Nen users, including Shalnark, largely ignore the victims and pursue the ruins’ treasure.
• Shalnark observes the creatures’ Post-Mortem Nen, decides the ruins are too dangerous to explore alone, and heads toward a temple near the enormous central pillar.
• The A-Rank Elimo Thieves Group—Lion Ryan, Mantis Mantis, and Viper Baibo—reaches the temple. Baibo scouts with En, and Ryan opens the doors. Inside, they find a hall filled with weapons, mountains of gold coins, and a crowned, winged statue. Mantis notices Black Nen coiled around the statue.

Character developments and interactions

• Moyu shows disciplined judgment: despite imagining powerful future applications for his mental-resilience buff, he keeps his ability development grounded. He saves the examinees but remains focused on the larger threat.
• Menchi accompanies Moyu into the ruins, while Bolton and the survivors accept Moyu as their best chance of escape.
• Shalnark is revealed as an observant but ruthless opportunist: he studies the creatures by letting other examinees die, then pursues treasure.
• Ryan, Mantis, and Baibo work as a coordinated team, following their established combat formation. Their confidence at finding the treasure shifts to suspicion when Mantis spots Nen on the statue.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: Moyu’s strength offers the nearby survivors hope, while ordinary examinees elsewhere are overwhelmed.
• Self-interest versus compassion: Many Nen users prioritize treasure over saving others, exposing the cruelty behind their pragmatic outlook.
• Caution and discipline: Moyu’s restraint in developing his abilities contrasts with the treasure hunters’ willingness to press deeper into danger.
• Hidden threats: The apparent rewards in the temple are guarded by the Black Nen surrounding the statue, setting up further danger.

Key plot points and events

• Ryan, Baibo, and Mantis discover a serpent-like mass of powerful post-mortem Nen wrapped around a winged statue in the temple. Ryan decides the Pure Gold Crown atop its head is too valuable to leave behind.
• The Nen does not attack when Ryan takes the crown. Despite Baibo and Mantis urging caution, Ryan insists they should search for more treasure, and the three begin collecting gold coins.
• The statue cracks open, revealing a pale, winged creature sealed inside. Ryan leads the group’s retreat, deliberately staying behind to cover his companions.
• Outside, Shalnark and several Nen-using Hunter Exam candidates notice the crown and are overcome by the desire to seize it. The candidates attack Ryan’s group, and Shalnark prepares to join the fight.
• The creature introduces himself as Mamen, an ancient being from the Dark Continent who has revived after a thousand years. He explains that the greed of those drawn to the treasure supplied the final energy for his resurrection. Moyu’s unique nature had made the revival possible.
• As fighting erupts, a blade-wielding man turns his murderous attention toward Moyu.

Character developments and interactions

• Ryan is bold, greedy, and decisive, but also protective: he claims the risk of approaching the statue for himself and lags behind to cover Baibo and Mantis during their escape.
• Baibo and Mantis trust Ryan’s leadership even when they think further looting is unwise. Their caution gives way to excitement at the prospect of an extraordinary haul.
• Mamen awakens from what he had accepted as death, regarding humanity’s enduring greed with weary recognition.
• Shalnark is initially surprised by the disguised Nen users, then covets the crown along with the other onlookers.
• Moyu and Menchi are startled by the sudden battle. The threat facing Moyu appears connected to his saber, though the attacker’s motive is not yet explained.

Significant themes

• Greed as both temptation and force: The desire for treasure provokes violence and, unknowingly, fuels Mamen’s return to life.
• Risk and loyalty: Ryan’s appetite for treasure drives the group forward, while his protective actions show responsibility toward his companions.
• The unknown and survival: The sudden awakening of a creature hidden inside the statue turns a treasure raid into an immediate fight-or-flight crisis.