This article contains spoilers for the Hunter x Hunter manga.
Key recommendations
- Halkenburg's Nen ability involves a forced change of mind that can influence others.
- Halkenburg's death leads to a plan to take over his brother's body that lasts 10 hours after his own death.
- The Phantom Troupe members return, setting the stage for potential conflicts with mob families.
Hunter x Hunter's the story has been pretty intense in this current section of the Succession War arc. While this arc has been going on for several years, the last few chapters have been some of the most intense with huge and shocking reveals.
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Hunter x Hunter: The Next Prince to Die in the War of Succession Explained
With the succession war heating up, the death of one of the Kakin princes is almost inevitable in HxH.
In HxH 404, Halkenburg's unwavering determination is put under the spotlight, while fans can also see the mob plot heat up again, making things more interesting than ever.
Zhang Lei Nen's Spirit Beast ability has been revealed
Has a pseudo-coercive manipulation ability
In HxH 403, the third Prince of the Kakin Empire, Zhang Lei, had decided that he wanted to pay Kurapika a visit in hopes of understanding the power of his Nen Beast Spirit. Zhang Lei had his own theories about the coins his beast was throwing, 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 the coins. Kurapika theorized that whenever the coin changed hands, something probably changed. It was revealed that the coins Zhang Lei had given and the ones he kept each had different designs on the back.
Zhang Lei then proceeded to give Kurapika a ten coin – something that could have been dangerous to do if the effects of those coins were immediate. However, due to Zhang Lei's status, it would have been unacceptable for Kurapika to refuse and would have put their alliance at risk. However, the ten coin changed the moment Kurapika held it.
This led Kurapika to deduce what he believed to be the power of this Nen beast. Kurapika describes this ability as Cumulative Conjuration. Over a period of 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 reduce the role! The role that has maintained this balance for so long may seem fragile, but it is actually strong… — Kurapika
However, there is one more thing about this ability that Kurapika does not make public. He realizes that this ability also has pseudo-coercive manipulation power. Whoever has it will somehow be forced to become loyal to Zhang Lei, though it's not clear how that would work so far.
Kurapika realizes that Coventoba, one of Benjamin's bodyguards, had stolen one of those coins a while ago. If the pseudo-coercive manipulation of this Nen Beast begins, Coventoba will be one of the first to feel the effects. And now that Kurapika has received one of those 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 him. 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 if that would be a good thing, since Zhang Lei is a mobster benefactor—someone he thinks Benjamin would could come after. to be able to use martial law. On the other hand, though, room 1014 isn't the safest, especially with the Silent Majority looming.
It's also important to note that Prince Camilla, Kakin's second-eldest prince, plans to send one of her bodyguards to Kurapika's next Nen workshop, which could mean quite a bit many problems. Kurapika thinks that she wants to hide or conceal a dirty secret of hers that she believes is in Kurapika's possession.
Prince Benjamin's death is on the cards
Halkenburg's body is dead, but his consciousness lives on in Might
After a long time, fans HxH we got to see a beloved main character that hasn't been seen in a while – Leorio. Although only for one panel, he was seen taking Prince Halkenburg to the emergency room due to his worsening condition.
In this chapter of HxH, Halkenburg's ability is further explained, giving fans a better idea of how The Boy Who Shoots The Arrow: Grimmel The Dissonance works.
Indeed, while experimenting with Sumidori and Shikaku, Halkenburg was able to get a better idea of how this ability works. It was revealed 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 was able to trade 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 coexist with the other consciousness.
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Hunter x Hunter 405: What to expect from the chapter
Succession War tensions will heat up in HxH 405. Halkenburg will be a central character.
Halkenburg's body dies in this rather gruesome chapter with his heart stopped. This puts her plan into action, where she will be able to take control of Balsamilco's body for about 10 hours before the latter takes over again. In those 10 hours, he will have to dispose of or take over the body of his older brother Benjamin.
The time I will have until Balsamilco's mind awakens can only be vague, but I will be able to control this body about ten hours after the death of my own body. I have to finish this in this time! — Halkenburg
It's also important to note that Halkenburg reveals that the War of Succession needs both the body and the soul to be dead in order to count someone.
Either way, Benjamin fully believes that Halkenburg is dead and that Balsamilco's mission has been accomplished. It is revealed that Halkenburg's corpse will be transferred from level 3 to the morgue on level 1, and that Balsamilco, who is actually Halkenburg, will accompany him there.
The return of the ghost troop in Hunter X Hunter Chapter 404
Nobunaga, Phinks and Feitan return to the story
The Phantom Band was finally seen again after some time. Specifically, in the last panel, Nobunaga, Phinks and Feitan are finally back in the story. Technically they were only missing a few chapters from the story, but that chapter came out over 2 years ago.
The final panel is a flashback to their last appearance, showing that all the events thus far have taken place during or before the failed raid on the Heil-Ly hideout with Hinrigh, where they hid a transmitter. From the looks of it, Nobunaga might summon the other members of the Phantom Troop first before attacking Heil-Ly. These few members of the Ghost Squad might meet up with the other two mob families, making things even more interesting for the future.
Hunter x Hunter can be read through Viz Media. The series can be read by fans officially and 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.
