Hunter X Hunter 409: Borksen’s Final Decision 

This article contains spoilers for the Hunter x Hunter manga.

Key Takeaways

• Togashi reveals Nen abilities rarity.
• Morena’s Nen ability conditions explained.
• Borksen joins Morena’s Heil-Ly Hideout.

Hunter X Hunter has been getting back-to-back incredible chapters, and fans are surprised to see not even a single chapter being below par in this batch. Hunter x Hunter Chapter 409 was quite intense, as Borksen and Morena finished their card game, garnering some unexpected results.

Morena’s role only grows in the Succession Contest arc, and these last chapters make it clear why she is one of the most interesting characters in this arc and HxH in general. Morena’s current plan is only one of the multiple intense events happening in this arc currently, with Martial Law being declared and the Phantom Troupe being in action.

Morena’s Nen Ability Is Elaborated Upon

The Conditions for Contagion are Revealed

In the previous chapter, HxH chapter 408, the very last panel revealed that Martial Law had been declared on the Black Whale. In this chapter, it’s revealed where exactly this Martial Law will take effect. Tiers 5 and 4 remain unaffected, and the only thing happening in Tier 4 is the closure of the passageway to Tier 3. This means that the Martial Law is taking effect in tiers 1, 2, and 3. With this Martial Law in effect, soldiers can kill anyone who disobeys their orders, or even anyone they deem suspicious. Why this Martial Law has been declared is still unclear, but it could have happened for a multitude of reasons. This could be a huge catastrophe for the princes as Prince Benjamin is in full control now of the upper tiers, but readers will have to wait and see what unravels with them as they are not in this chapter.

Meanwhile, Morena looked a bit tense at the reveal of this declaration, but the game continued, indicating the hideout was probably safe, at least for the time being.

Special Martial Law!! The maximum alert level in response to a national threat!! With this announcement, all royal army soldiers are granted the right to shoot anybody suspicious without warning. It will be their duty to remove any armed citizens – and eliminate subversives!! — Borksen

Borksen wants the “Deal” card from Morena. This card allows Borksen to take back a card from the graveyard in exchange for doing a favor for Morena. The favor Morena wants is a kiss from Borksen.

As fans know, Morena’s ability contagion works by giving people Nen abilities by kissing them, but she reveals here that this won’t affect Borksen as there are other conditions to activate her Nen ability.

To activate Contagion, Morena’s target must play the negotiation game with her, and the result must end in a yes. This shows that this entire card game is part of Morena’s ability. Besides that, Morena also has to kiss the person to infect them. And finally, the target must witness Morena or someone on her team kill someone. The order of these does not matter; they simply need to happen. Borksen does oblige and kisses Morena. Borksen suspects that Morena might be cheating for a second, and asks to see the cards, which Morena agrees to. As it turns out, Morena is truthful and has shown that she will not cheat. With that, she takes back the X card from the graveyard, only to lose it again right after. This means she is, once again, left with the R card and the No card.

Borksen Figures out the Heil-Ly Hideout’s Location

The Hideout is Between Tier 2 and 3

After losing her X card yet again, Borksen chooses the QA card again, to ask Morena more questions. Borksen has, since the start of chapter, tried to figure out where this hideout is located. She deducted at first that this hideout could not be on the lower Tiers 4 or 5. She also doesn’t think they’re on Tier 3, and believes they must be on Tier 1. However, the answer to where the hideout is unfolds later on in the chapter. With her picking the QA card, she can ask anything she wants and Morena will reply with Yes, No, or Yes and No. She asks her if the hideout is on tier 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, and for each one of these questions, the answer is a No.

This confuses Borksen at first, but Morena does say that this place is indeed on the Black Whale, and that it is “Yes and No” made using a Nen ability.

I’ll use those vows and limitations to my advantage… so you won’t be able to get any of us after I leave. — Borksen

It’s revealed from further questions that this hideout is between Tiers 3 and 2. Borksen also gets more information out of Morena, such as there being multiple entrances, specifically five.

Borksen also discovers that, including Morena, her team is made up of 21 people, and if she is left with the No card, Morena will indeed kill her. Among the Heil-Ly, only Morena is a specialist, as discovered by Borksen. Overall, Borksen and the readers alike get to learn much about this interesting character known as Morena, and who will be a major player here.

Borksen Joins Morena In The End

Borksen Picks the Yes Card

Borksen continues by asking Morena if she could perhaps change her mind, or find a different path to fix Kakin. However, Morena’s goal will not be changed. Borksen can not influence Morena’s opinion, even though she probably does empathize with her.

Borksen’s fate is soon decided in this chapter, as she only has two cards left, the R Card, and the No card. If she is left with the R card, she can choose any card as her final answer, and if she chooses the No card, she will die. To Borksen’s relief, she is left with the R card, making it possible for her to choose any card and determine her own fate. Most expected Borksen to go with the X card and nullify the game; however, Borksen shocked everyone, including Morena, and instead chose the Yes card. The Yes card means Borksen will now join Morena and the Heil-Ly. It seems Borksen’s conversation with Morena convinced her, and she wants to take action herself.

No. I won’t. I will not change my goal. — Morena Prudo

Now that she has finished the game with a Yes, and also kissed Morena, it means that Borksen only has one more condition to fulfill before Contagion takes effect, and that is to see a murder by a Heil-Ly member. Borksen will be a major character, and seeing what Nen ability she gets will be very interesting.

Hunter x Hunter is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of Hunter x Hunter, Hunter x Hunter chapter 410, is set to be Dec 8, 2024.