Hunter x Hunter 404: Halkenburg's Death

This article contains spoilers for the Hunter x Hunter manga.

Key things

• Halkenburg's Nen ability involves a forced mind exchange that can potentially affect others.
• Halkenburg's death leads to a plan to take over his brother's body that lasts 10 hours after his own death.
• The members of the Phantom Troupe return, setting the stage for potential conflicts with mob families.

Hunter x Hunter's the story has been quite intense in this current part of the Legacy War arc. Even though this arc has been unfolding for quite a few years now, the last few chapters have been some of the most intense, with huge and shocking revelations.

IN HxH 404, Halkenburg's unwavering determination is placed in the spotlight, while fans will also see the mafia storyline heat up again, making things more exciting than ever.

Zhang Lei's Nen Spirit Beast Ability Revealed

He has a pseudo-coercive manipulation ability

IN HxH 403, the third prince of the Kakin Empire, Zhang Lei, decided that he wanted to visit Kurapika in hopes of understanding the power of his Spirit Nen Beast. Zhang Lei had his own theories about the coins his beast had dropped, but he believed that someone with nen experience like Kurapika would be able to figure out what they were doing.

HxH 404 started with Kurapika and Zhang Lei, observing coins. Kurapika theorized that whenever a coin changes hands, something is likely to change. It turned out that the coins Zhang Lei gave out and the ones he kept each had a different pattern on the back.

Zhang Lei then proceeded to give Kurapice ten coins – something that could be dangerous if the effects of these coins were instantaneous. However, due to Zhang Lei's position, it would be unacceptable for Kurapika to refuse, and it would jeopardize their alliance. Either way, the ten coins changed the moment Kurapika held it.

This led Kurapiko to deduce what he believed the power of this Nen Beast to be. Kurapika describes this ability as a cumulative incantation. For 6 months the coins will be worth 10^64 and until then the owner of the coin will be able to unlock nen without any training.

The problem is how to cut the role! A role that has held this balance for so long may seem fragile, but it's actually strong… — Kurapika

However, there is one more thing about this ability that Kurapika doesn't disclose. He realizes that this ability also has a pseudo-coercive manipulation power. Whoever has it will somehow be forced to become loyal to Zhang Lei, though it's not yet clear how that would work.

Kurapika realizes that Coventoba, one of Benjamin's bodyguards, stole one of these coins a while ago. If this Nen Beast's pseudo-coercive manipulation is triggered, Coventoba will be one of the first to feel its effects. And now that Kurapika had received one of these coins, he could be in danger as well, potentially falling under Zhang Lei's influence.

Beyond that though, it's clear that Zhang Lei looks down on Kurapika and will only stay on their side as long as it benefits them. In the current situation, Kurapika has the option of keeping Prince Woble in Zhang Lei's room to protect her, though Kurapika isn't sure that would be a good thing since Zhang Lei is a mob benefactor – someone she believes Benjamin might come across . be able to use martial law. Then again, room 1014 isn't the safest, especially with the Silent Majority looming over it.

It's also important to note that Prince Camilla, Kakinu's second-eldest prince, plans to send one of her bodyguards to Kurapika's next Nen Workshop, which could mean quite a bit of trouble. Kurapika believes that she wants to hide or cover up some dirty secret of hers that she thinks Kurapika owns.

Prince Benjamin's death is on the cards

Halkenburg's body has died, but his consciousness lives on in Might

After a long time, fans of Fr HxH they were able to see the beloved main character who has not been seen for some time – Leorio. Although only for one panel, he was seen taking Prince Halkenburg to the emergency room due to his deteriorating condition.

Halkenburg's ability is further explained in this HxH chapter, giving fans a better idea of ​​how The Boy Who Shoots The Arrow: Grimmel The Dissonance works.

While experimenting with Sumidori and Shikaku, Halkenburg was able to get a better idea of ​​how this ability works. It turns out that this Nen ability is basically a forced mind switch where only one mind can be awake at a time. Specifically, when Halkenburg shoots a target with his ability, a random person from his party, including himself, is chosen to switch bodies. It's also completely random, and the fact that Halkenburg could cross with Might is pure luck.

Halkenburg reveals that if the body the target was switched to dies, then the consciousness will return to its original body and co-exist with the other consciousness.

Halkenburg's body dies rather gruesomely in this chapter, of cardiac arrest. This will accomplish his plan where he will be able to take control of Balsamilco's body for about 10 hours before Balsamilco takes over again. In those 10 hours, he will have to remove or take over the body of his older brother Benjamin.

The time I will have before Balsamilc's mind reawakens can only be softened loosely, but after the death of my own body I will be able to control this body for about ten more hours. I have to finish it in that time! — Halkenburg

It is also important to note that Halkenburg reveals that the succession war needs both body and soul to be dead in order to count someone out.

Either way, Benjamin fully believes that Halkenburg is dead and that Balsamilco's mission has been accomplished. It is revealed that Halkenburg's body will be transported from level 3 all the way to the morgue on level 1, and that Balsamilco, who is actually Halkenburg, will accompany him there.

Return of The Phantom Troupe in Hunter X Hunter Chapter 404

Nobunaga, Phinks and Feitan are back in the story

The Phantom Troupe was finally seen again after some time. Specifically, in the last panel, Nobunaga, Phinks, and Feitan were finally back in the story. Technically there are only a few chapters missing from the story, but that chapter came out over 2 years ago.

The last panel is a flashback to their last appearance, showing that all the events so far have happened during or before the failed raid on Heil-Ly's hideout with Hinrigh, where they hid the transmitter. From the looks of it, Nobunaga might call the other members of the Phantom Troupe first before attacking Heil-Ly. These few members of the Phantom Troupe could meet up with two more mob families, making things even more exciting going forward.

Hunter x Hunter is available to read through Viz Media. Fans can officially read the series for free on Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next Hunter x Hunter chapter, Hunter x Hunter Chapter 405, is set for November 3, 2024.