Chapter 42 What Remains After Death

The curtain, like an inverted sky, covering the mountain and forest, and suppressed the black Post-Mortem Nen rising from the temple.

No matter how the Post-Mortem Nen rammed and collided against it, it can never get past the curtain reflecting the bright stars.

After several attempts, the Post-Mortem Nen retreated in silent resistance and fell to the ground.

In the forests.

Ken and Sivir were nothing like their previous confident selves in the face of the current situation.

They were very sure that the terrifying Post-Mortem Nen that descending from the sky must be the power attached to the "King's Libra".

'But that intensity—'

'It is far different from that the intelligence had indicated.'

'Could it be that it had grown stronger?'

'And what is that curtain reflecting the bright stars?'

Having no time to think about these questions, Ken and Sivir exchanged a quick glance.

"Let's get out of here!"

A consensus was reached in an instant.

At this moment, the importance of seizing the "King's Libra" and taking down the interfering one of the Zodiacs paled in comparison to leaving this place.

Ken and Sivir decisively abandoned their mission and ran towards the foot of the mountain.

However-

The speed of the curtain of stars falling from the sky and the Post-Mortem Nen descending into the forest were both much faster than them.

"What a pointless struggle."

Hawk looked at Ken and Sivir who were running away, his mouth twitching as he echoed Ken's earlier words.

Then…

He raised his head with difficulty and looked at the beautiful and captivating curtain of stars.

"Elena…the Nen you left behind has become stronger…"

There is no wind in the forests, and the chirping of insects ceased. It is so quiet that the faint whispers can be heard far away.

Under Hawk's gaze, the curtain of stars fell straight down.

From this moment on, that indestructible boundary not only separated the entire area, but also isolated Ken and Sivir's will to survive.

The Seirin Group is a legendary hunter group who worshipped strength.

After breaking away from the Hunter Association, they had been operating quietly for decades, accumulating strength in secret.

The Ten Heavenly Stems, the core members of this group, can be said to be the counterparts of the Hunter Association's Zodiac Twelve.

Thirteen years ago, in order to obtain the "King's Libra", the Seirin Group did not hesitate to send two of their Heavenly Stems, but they did not expect...

The operation would fail miserably, and these two Heavenly Stems died.

Today…

As the curtain of stars shrouded the entire area, the ending of thirteen years ago was repeated.

This time, the Seirin Group suffered heavy losses again.

The giant bowl-shaped black curtain stood quietly, and the flowing brilliant stars on it seemed to suddenly freeze in time.

Below the mountain.

Moses and Cheadle, who had fallen out of arrow, stared blankly at the black curtain that covered the entire mountain.

The stars fixed on it make it look like a night sky dotted with stars.

"Hawk…"

Moses gritted his teeth, his emotions entangled like a ball of thread, and he suddenly stretched out his hand to push the curtain with force.

Ztt ztt—

At the point of contact between the palm and the curtain, a sudden surge of black electricity erupted, generating a tremendous rebound force, sending Moses flying away.

Having already used up all his Nen Exorcism count, Moses no longer has the absolute power to suppress Post-Mortem Nen.

And the Post-Mortem Nen standing before him, in terms of intensity, was no less than the power trapped inside the "King's Libra".

Seeing Moses being blown away, Cheadle flashed and promptly caught him, helping him stop the impact.

"It's useless, Moses…"

Cheadle held Moses tightly and whispered:

"That's Elena's 'Nen Space', and it is the type that can only be freely entered and exited under certain conditions. Now that it has become stronger due to the Post-Mortem Nen, the original rules no longer apply. I'm afraid... only a Nen Exorcist can open it."

After saying that, Cheadle silently looked at the stars that were frozen on the curtain.

Seeing her dear friend's Nen after more than a decade made her emotions complex, and it also reminded her of Hawk's final heroic act.

Given the circumstances at that time, it was indeed the only choice to protect Moses.

"I was wrong."

Cheadle muttered to herself.

She muttered to herself, reflecting on how unfair her judgments of Hawk based on preconceived notions.

At the same time, she's also reflecting on whether it was really a good thing to recklessly waste her memory capacity and talent just to achieve results in the professional field.

"…"

After listening to Cheadle's explanation, Moses remained silent, then he broke away from Cheadle's embrace, and once again stood in front of the Nen Space constructed with the galaxy curtain.

"Chirp…"

Suddenly, Rat Jewel's feeble cry sounded from behind.

Moses and Cheadle were shocked, and turned around abruptly to look.

They saw the round Rat Jewel lying on the ground, and the Nen power swirling on its body appeared extremely unstable, as if it would disperse at any moment.

"Rat Jewel!"

Moses's eyes lit up. He rushed over quickly and gently picked up Rat Jewel.

Cheadle also came to the side and looked at Rat Jewel treasure that is still in existence in pleasant surprise.

'This means…'

'Hawk's Aura is still there!'

"Chirp, chirp…"

Rat Jewel looked up at the curtain of stars, and its big eyes seemed to conceal some indescribable emotions. However, it had lost the strength to condense Aura expressions on its tail tip.

Its cry was obviously becoming weaker.

Moses deliberately ignored this point, and just hugged Rat Jewel a bit tighter and muttering to himself: "You're still here, which means Hawk is still alive..."

"Chirp…"

Rat Jewel withdrew its gaze from the curtain of stars and looked into Moses's eyes, as if he was looking at something familiar.

It slowly raised its small paw and gently pressed it on Moses's chest.

Then-

Like a bubble bursting, Rat Jewel's round body dispersed into scattered light dots.

Moses's outstretched arms suddenly embraced emptiness.

Seeing the dispersing light dots, Cheadle opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. She could only look at Moses silently.

Ding, ding ding—

A blue crystal bead dropped to the ground, making a pleasant sound.

Moses stared at the blue bead in a daze, subconsciously clenching his fist.

What remained at this moment.

He was well aware of this fact.

Cheadle also looked at the blue bead and realized that it was what was left after Rat Jewel's body dispersed. Naturally, she associated it with the conditions for forming Post-Mortem Nen, and couldn't help but show a worried expression as she looked at Moses.

Moses remained silent as he picked up the blue bead. The moment he touched the bead, he seemed to sense something.

Lowering his head, he stared at the bead in his hand. To him, it appeared more beautiful than any gem.

"Cheadle."

Gently cupping the bead in his palm, Moses suddenly looked at Cheadle and said in a tone so calm that no ripples could be heard: "Tell me more about Elena and Seirin Group."

"Moses, you..."

Cheadle frowned slightly and hesitated.

Then,

She noticed Moses's eyes and was momentarily taken aback.

It was a kind of unquestionable look, one that expressed an unwavering determination to destroy something without allowing anyone to intervene.

"…"

Cheadle didn't know what to say for a moment.

If she could read minds, she would hear Moses's inner voice at this moment—

'The bead left behind by Rat Jewel is not a Post-Mortem item!'