Hunter X Hunter has been introducing many new and interesting abilities in the Succession War Arc, but Prince Halkenburg's Nen ability is possibly the most dangerous and complex one so far. With the battle for the throne now becoming even more intense, the candidate most likely to win has finally been seen in action once again, and his ability did not disappoint.
In chapter #403 of Hunter X Hunter, Balsamilco, the head guard of Benjamin's faction, tried to poison Halkenburg with poisonous gas, but the Prince shot him with a Nen arrow before that happened. The series didn't show what transpired exactly, but it did reveal that Halkenburg was now possessing Balsamilco's body and his original body fell victim to the gas and was rushed to the hospital by Leorio, Bisky, and other paramedics. Halkenburg (who is now inside Balsamilco) then called Benjamin and let him know that Halkenburg was dead, and his mission was completed, which allowed him to come back to room 1001.
Halkenburg Is The Favorite To Win Because Of His Power
The Strongest Hatsu In The Succession War
Called The Boy Who Shoots the Arrow: Grimmel the Dissonance, Halkenburg's ability relies on the aura of those who have been marked by his Nen Beast and are loyal to him. People who bear this mark have their aura nodes opened, and while they can't use it, their aura is combined to give Halkenburg an unstoppable attack. Halkenburg uses his aura to conjure a bow and an arrow using his followers' aura, and anyone who is hit with the attack has their body possessed by a random person from his group, including him. Essentially, their souls are swapped. The amount of aura generated is so big that all Nen users on the Black Whale notice when the ability is activated.
A member of Halkenburg's group, takes over a target's body, as it happened between Sumidori and Shikaku. The minds are swapped, but only the mind of the member of Halkenburg's faction will be awake, while the target's mind will remain asleep in the new body until it dies. If that happens, the target's mind goes back to his original body, and the mind of the member of Halkenburg's group is forced into permanent sleep since his soul doesn't have a body to return to. As Halkenburg demonstrated, there are some ways to buy time before one's mind is forced into slumber when their original body dies and the target comes back to their body.
Halkenburg's Ability Is Made For Assassination
This Is Crucial In A War That Emphasized Discretion
This technique is ideal for assassination and infiltration. Only individuals loyal to Halkenburg can switch souls with others, ensuring that there are no traitors among them. It appears that a person can also access the memories of the target they swap bodies with, as both Halkenburg and Sumidori have demonstrated knowledge of information they shouldn't normally possess. This allows Halkenburg's group to infiltrate a faction without raising alarms or attracting attention discreetly. Furthermore, the fact that this ability is unstoppable, even against the strongest defensive capabilities, suggests that Halkenburg's ability may be the strongest in the series.
While there is still much unknown about Halkenburg's ability, such as its Nen category, it is an intriguing power that perfectly suits him as someone who trusts and relies on his comrades. Although it may seem like his power is overpowered and lacks weaknesses, there are counters to it, and ways to discern if someone from Halkenburg's group has been swapped, similar to what Benjamin did. It also relies on a group of people who are faithful to him, so the conditions are steep. Hunter x Hunter has many other interesting abilities to explore, such as Woble and Tsseriednich's Nen Beasts, but Halkenburg's ability stands out as the most engaging one so far in this arc.
Hunter X Hunter
Hunter × Hunter is a Japanese manga and anime franchise created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows Gon Freecss, a boy who discovers his father is a legendary Hunter, and embarks on a journey to become one himself. Along the way, he encounters friends and foes in a world filled with martial arts, adventure, and paranormal elements. The franchise spans manga, multiple anime adaptations, films, OVAs, and video games.
Created by Yoshihiro Togashi
Video Game(s) Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
English (US) ·