Chapter 22: Leveling up

Humans—

Are creatures driven most strongly by their twisted desires.

On the foundation of "pleasure," they devise countless methods to satisfy these dark urges.

Society labels such behavior as depravity.

Torture, cannibalism...

In the shadowy corners of Hunter x Hunter's world, untouched by sunlight, these practices thrive.

The difference lies only in those who conceal their acts, and those compelled by an overwhelming urge to share them openly.

With the advent of the information revolution, comprehensive global communication infrastructure emerged, refining mobile and computer technologies.

Through the internet, real-time communication became possible across vast distances.

Yet, beneath its surface, hidden zones of darkness flourished, offering twisted individuals a platform to exhibit and exchange their grisly deeds.

The video Argo had discovered belonged to one such sinister site dedicated explicitly to acts of torture.

This footage confirmed Morrow's worst suspicions.

Had he not encountered Morena after his transmigration...

Without the strength to fight back, his fate could have been even more gruesome than the victim in the video.

But what truly ignited his anger was the knowledge that the mastermind behind this "Menu" was actively plotting their deaths.

Fury surged in Morrow's chest.

Had it not been for the Limitation mechanic built into Deceptive Shooting Star—

With his current Nen mastery, could he have taken out a sniper from a kilometer away?

And had he not strategically employed Shooting Star's unique traits, could he have overcome an opponent whose Nen directly countered his own?

Had fate shifted slightly, he might never have been alive to answer Argo's call.

This realization reinforced his gratitude toward choosing manipulation over pure reinforcement for his Emitter-type Nen.

Had he prioritized raw Emission-type power alone, he would lack tactical adaptability in crucial early battles.

Such one-dimensional focus on power would have prevented him from circumventing enemy counters and emerging victorious through strategy.

After this battle, with another formidable enemy eliminated, Morrow became even more convinced of his chosen path—balancing Emission with manipulation.

Pure Emission reinforcement, while brutally effective at later stages, sacrificed the critical flexibility he valued highly in early encounters.

Moreover, once Shooting Star's ability system matured, Morrow envisioned deriving additional mobility-related abilities—something beyond the reach of pure Emission Type users.

Any loss in raw power could be compensated by the double-damage mechanism embedded in Deceptive Shooting Star.

Morrow exhaled slowly.

The road must be traveled step by step; each grain of rice consumed bite by bite.

Nen demanded patience and precision—like carefully stacking blocks—gradually refined, deliberately chosen.

Only under these principles could he maximize the leveling potential of his Tree Rings tattoo.

Morrow's wandering thoughts gradually settled. He glanced at the back of his hand—

Lv.5

By eliminating two enemies, his level had surged from Lv.2 to Lv.5.

The leap in level significantly enhanced both his aura output and potential.

Clearly, leveling efficiency correlated directly with an opponent's strength.

This revelation clarified his previous failed attempt at forced Nen awakening.

The Nen user he defeated today had vastly superior aura and skill compared to the earlier knife-wielding enemy, explaining his accelerated progress.

Morrow gently touched the Tree Rings tattoo.

This was his advantage—his path forward, disregarding innate talent, guided only by unwavering determination.

Suppressing his emotions, Morrow took out his phone again. After brief hesitation, he decided not to delete the unsettling video. Instead, he dialed Argo's number once more.

By the time the call connected, Morrow stood, feeling the evening breeze across the plains.

"Argo, I need to handle some trash. Compile the intel on that Clyde guy into text and send it to me, alright?"

"Understood," Argo replied, her voice unusually subdued.

Researching this matter had forced her to view numerous horrific videos.

After a pause, she continued carefully, "There's also progress on the Phantom Troupe bounty. I'll compile everything and send it to you. But listen carefully—"

"Go ahead."

"When dealing with the Phantom Troupe, intel gathering isn't as risky. They don't care if someone buys intel specifically to hunt them down. But the mafia…"

She hesitated briefly, her tone increasingly cautious.

"They hold grudges over minor issues. They don't just eliminate enemies—they slaughter friends and family and broadcast their mutilation. Call me cautious, but I'm drawing the line here."

Morrow remained silent momentarily before responding calmly, "Fair enough. Do what you can."

He ended the call and pocketed his phone, bending down to retrieve the corpse at his feet.

Leaving behind bodies risked revealing sensitive information.

An experienced Nen user might deduce details like Nen type or specific abilities from a corpse.

Although unlikely that Nolan's subordinates matched seasoned veterans like Biscuit, destroying evidence was always prudent.

As he carried the corpse towards the blazing car, a sudden realization stopped him.

What if the corpse was wearing a live camera or listening device...

"Careless..."

Frowning, he thoroughly inspected the body.

Relief washed over him upon confirming the absence of surveillance devices.

Still, he chastised himself for the lapse in vigilance. If his conversation with Argo had been intercepted...

At the very least, Argo could've been endangered.

Determined to maintain greater caution moving forward, Morrow tossed the corpse into the flames, then turned to dispose of the sniper's body in the same manner.