THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT

Gon sits barefoot on the massive furry paw of a giant beast, happily reading a thick book with a smile. A small striped cat-like creature perches nearby with its tail curled, while the enormous creature's wide-eyed face looms close, mouth open and tongue visible. The chapter title "N°012 THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT" appears at the top.

Voices argue heatedly across several panels. "OUT OF THE QUESTION! WHAT'S DONE IS DONE, I'M NOT GOING BACK ON MY DECISION!!" declares one speaker against a dark backdrop. Another retorts, "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT?! THAT'S THE WAY IT IS!!" A spiky-haired girl with pigtails shouts in frustration, "I THOUGHT WE AGREED, DIDN'T WE? IF I SAY IT'S TASTY, IT'S A QUALIFICATION, AND IF I DON'T, IT'S A FAILURE, SO WHAT?" while another voice cuts in, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M NOT RESPECTING THE RULES WE ESTABLISHED?!" A large bald man looms in the background. "YOU SHUT UP!!" yells someone off-panel. A round-faced figure laughs "HAHAHA" as the girl continues, "BUT OUR ROLE WAS TO MAKE SURE THEY RESPECTED THE ESSENTIAL POINTS, AND..." In a close-up, the girl growls, "ANYWAYS, I WON'T GO BACK ON MY WORD!" and "GRR..." while another speaker adds, "AND THAT BALD MORON WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO GIVE IT AWAY TO ALL THE OTHERS, EVEN IF HE DIDN'T MEAN TO... ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAD A SMALL INCIDENT, ONE OF THE CONTESTANTS KNEW THE RECIPE..."

In the vast exam hall kitchen, the second phase of the Hunter Exam's second trial—the cooking trial—has concluded with a dramatic announcement. A massive sound effect echoes as the examiner declares the results. 'SECOND PHASE OF THE SECOND TRIAL ROUND, COOKING TRIAL...' The text 'QUALIFIED : 0!!' appears in bold, accompanied by 'TADAN!!' The examinees stand amid scattered ingredients and ruined stations. In the lower panels, shocked candidates react intensely. One yells, 'THEY MUST BE JOKING...!!!' Another exclaims, 'IT CAN'T BE THAT THE TRIALS END THIS WAY...' A voice questions, 'SERIOUSLY?' while others mutter 'BROUHA BROUHA'. Gon and Killua stand among the crowd, their expressions showing surprise at the zero qualifiers. The fat examiner Buhara kneels nearby, and tension fills the room as the failed cooking round leaves everyone stunned.

The scene shifts to a distant city with elegant buildings and a river. Inside an office labeled 1209, a bald man in a bow tie speaks urgently on the phone. 'HELLO? HELLO?' he says, then 'THOSE AREN'T GOOD MANNERS...' He taps 'TAT TAT' and addresses 'MR. PRESIDENT...' In the lower panel, an elderly man with a long beard and pipe sits in a traditional robe, responding with 'HM...' A woman in the background notes, 'SHE REMOVED HER CELLPHONE'S BATTERY.' The president asks, 'WHAT DO WE DO?' The conversation reveals concern over a stubborn participant's actions during the exam.

The discussion continues between the bald man and the bearded president. The bald man states, 'THE GOAL OF THIS TEST WAS TO MAKE THE PARTICIPANTS USE THEIR OBSERVATION AND CONCENTRATION ABILITIES...' but notes the girl acted against the agreement. The president replies, 'WE WON'T MAKE HER CHANGE HER MIND THIS,' calling her 'STUBBORN...' He decides, 'I'M GOING OUT.' The bald man warns, 'IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED...' The president accepts responsibility. Later panels show a large airship labeled with 'VROOOOO' flying over the city as narration explains the commission's alignment with jury decisions and that many stubborn people exist among the Hunters. 'IT MIGHT HAVE GONE A BIT TOO FAR...' the president reflects as the blimp departs.

A massive impact shakes the exam site as Menchi, the examiner with the ponytail and black shirt marked 255, smashes through wooden structures with furious force. Dust and debris fly while smaller examinees watch in shock. In a close panel, Menchi glares with intense eyes and declares, "IT WON'T STOP HERE!" Another thought bubble reveals her inner resolve: "IF SHE THINKS I'M GOING HOME SAYING, 'YES, OF COURSE' ..." Below, Gon sits on a bench looking up as Menchi towers over the scene. In large speech bubbles she shouts, "I CAME HERE NOT TO BECOME A GOURMET, BUT A HUNTER!!" and adds, "A HUNTER FROM THE BLACK, I MAY ADD!!" The enormous onomatopoeia "ドゴォォン!! VLAM!!" dominates the top of the page.

Menchi's face twists in anger as she growls, "WHAT ...?" Nearby, Gon looks surprised while another examinee says, "MAYBE YOU'LL BE LUCKIER NEXT YEAR..." and "TELL YOURSELF THAT YOU WEREN'T LUCKY TO BE TESTED BY US." A voice retorts, "WHAT?!" followed by "TOO BAD..." Menchi's rage peaks as she yells, "ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!!" with motion lines emphasizing her outburst. In the lower panel, Buhara charges forward with a massive swing, his fist and weapon creating a huge "BLAM" impact and dramatic speed lines as he attacks.

The destruction escalates with huge sound effects "ドゴォォン VLAM" and "CLING" as the building shakes violently. Examinees scream "AAAAH~" in panic while fleeing. Buhara looms massively in the foreground, his bald head and fierce expression dominating the panel as he swings again. Gon and Menchi are visible in the lower section amid the chaos, with more cries of "AAAAH~" echoing around the damaged exam hall. The entire structure trembles under the force of the attack.

Menchi sits with her back turned, swords in hand, as a large voice asks, "But if I didn't, you'd have killed him, wouldn't you?" She replies, "I don't recall asking for your help... Buhara..." A small panel shows her reacting with motion lines and the word "MAYBE..." as Buhara's face looms. "FLUT" sound effects punctuate the scene. Menchi stands tall in the next panel, swords crossed behind her, declaring, "The type of Hunter you want to be has nothing to do with this." She continues, "Whatever type of Hunter you are, you need to have a perfect knowledge of the art of fighting." Another voice retorts, "Anyway, it's not by being beaten by a gourmet Hunter that you'll make it..." Menchi answers sharply, "Hunter of the black list? You're kidding, right..." In the lower panels she explains the need to learn combat regardless of Hunter type, warning about facing poachers and violent monsters, while a smaller figure crouches nearby holding multiple swords.

An airship marked with a large X flies past a building as Menchi stands on a platform, looking surprised. A voice exclaims, "That's one explanation!" Another asks, "But does it justify such severity?" Menchi reacts with a small "!" The massive airship descends with dramatic speed lines and the onomatopoeia "ばん!! TADAN!!" A speech bubble reads, "Is it the examination committee?!" Menchi stares in shock as the final caption declares, "The sign of the Hunter's Confederation!!!"

A powerful impact shakes the ground with "DAN!!" and "K!!" effects as an old man with a long beard lands dramatically from above. Examinees scatter in panic. Leorio stares in disbelief, asking, "He didn't hurt himself after such a jump...?" and "Who's the old man?" Menchi identifies him: "The man responsible for the trials. Netero-san, president of the committee." Netero stands tall, wooden sandals clacking with "CLAC CLAC" sounds. In the final wide panel the old man charges forward at high speed, leaving a trail of motion lines as the crowd watches in astonishment.

Menchi stands with her back to the crowd, raising a hand as she declares, "YES!" Buhara leans forward and calls out, "MENCHI." A large bearded man in a striped robe gestures emphatically, saying, "AND I'M HERE TO SOLVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM." He continues, "RESPONSIBLE, YES, BUT I'M ONLY AN EXECUTOR." Nearby examinees react with shock: "SHE'S ALMOST STANDING ON GUARD BEFORE HIM...!" and "INCREDIBLE!" Menchi turns slightly, her expression firm, replying simply, "NO." Buhara presses on, asking, "DO YOU BELIEVE THE ATTITUDE THEY HAD IN FRONT OF THIS TRIAL JUSTIFIED SUCH SEVERITY?" He adds, "CONCERNING THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE ON A CHALLENGE IN A DOMAIN THEY DO NOT KNOW..." while muttering, "HOW I LOOK AT THOSE KNOCKERS..." Menchi apologizes, "I'M SORRY! WHEN IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT COOKING, I TEND TO FORGET MY ROLE." She admits, "I FAILED AS A JURY MEMBER, DIDN'T I?" Buhara questions her, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FAILED THE MISSION, WHICH WAS ORDERED TO YOU?" Menchi explains, "ADD TO THAT THE INCIDENT WHICH PERMITTED THEM TO KNOW THE RECIPE OF THE ORDER..." and "IT GOT MY BLOOD BOILING AND I LOST MY TEMPER..." Many facts troubled me, mainly the lack of respect the participants had for cooking..." In the background, examinees including a girl in a black top and a man in a jacket marked "V" watch the exchange.

Buhara notes, "THE MENU YOU CHOSE WAS RATHER DIFFICULT..." and "YOU COULD EASILY CONTINUE, BUT..." Menchi stands atop a building, arms raised, shouting, "I QUIT MY FUNCTION, I'M ASKING YOU TO DECLARE THIS TEST TO NEVER HAVE HAPPENED." An examinee points upward and yells, "YOU'RE GOING TO GO ON!" while another responds, "ALRIGHT! I KNOW!" A close-up shows Buhara with a sly grin, asking, "HOW ABOUT IT?" He offers, "BUT AS A COMPENSATION, YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST ALSO!" An examinee agrees, "YES, CERTAINLY." Buhara laughs heartily, "WHATEVER HAPPENS NOW, I WON'T FORGET THE FACT THAT I LOST TO YOU..." and "VERY WELL!!!" He explains, "THIS WAY IT'LL BE EASIER FOR THE CONTESTANTS TO ACCEPT YOUR DECISION." Menchi reacts with surprise, "HAA..." as the crowd murmurs around them.

Menchi's face fills the panel with wide eyes and a slight smile as she exclaims, "A BOILED EGG!" Nearby examinees react with surprise, one exclaiming, "!?" An airship marked with the Hunter Association symbol flies through the sky, dropping small objects. Buhara gestures and says, "NO PROBLEM!" while Menchi points toward a distant mountain, asking, "COULD YOU GIVE US A RIDE TO THIS MOUNTAIN?" Buhara replies, "I SEE..." and an unseen voice calls, "PRESIDENT..." The airship descends and lands with a soft "PLOP PLOP" on the cracked ground near a small mound.

A sharp SHUUUU sound cuts through the air as several examinees peer over the cliff edge. In a small inset, the star-haired girl points downward and announces, "HERE IT IS ..." A distant FUUUU sound echoes from below. Suddenly the cliff face erupts in a massive VOoooooo impact, rocks and dust exploding outward. "WHAT'S DOWN THERE?" someone shouts. "BUT..." a voice trails off. At the bottom of the page the star-haired girl leaps into the ravine with a bold "HUH?!" and cries "ALRIGHT! HERE I GO!" while the large woman with the ponytail warns, "THE CURRENT IS VERY STRONG. SO YOU'D BETTER NOT FALL IN, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE WASHED ASHORE A DOZEN MILES FROM HERE." The girl replies confidently, "DON'T WORRY! THERE'S A VERY DEEP RIVER."

The star-haired girl plummets headfirst down the sheer rock wall, arms outstretched, as FUUUUUU and sharp motion lines streak past. "HUH?!" someone gasps from above. In a side panel the spiky-haired boy and another examinee stare in shock. "BUT..." the boy mutters. An elderly man with a mustache explains, "SHE WENT TO GET ONE OF THEIR EGGS. IT'S HERE, ON MOUNT MUTATISU, THAT LIVE THE TARANTULA-EAGLES." The girl continues her descent, grabbing at the cliff face. Tarantula-eagles tighten strong lines between both rock faces and suspend their eggs to protect them from land creatures. The girl reaches toward a cluster of eggs as ICHANG impact lines flare around her.

The star-haired girl climbs the rock face, grabs a line, and swings to snatch an egg with a "CATCH" and "HOP!" She calls out instructions: "TAKE ONE EGG... AND COME BACK CLIMBING THE ROCK FACE..." then leaps back across the ravine with a powerful "GOOOOO" kick. On the cliff top she holds the egg aloft, declaring "YOU HAVE TO BOIL THE EGG!" and "AND FINALLY ..." The crowd reacts with excited "OOOOOH!!" sounds. Leorio grins and says, "THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! IT'S EASIER TO TAKE ACTION THAN TO DO SOME TRADITIONAL COOKING!" Gon and Killua watch nearby; Gon remarks, "YEAH! I WAS EXPECTING SOMETHING MORE LIKE THAT!" and "AH, COOL !!!" The ponytailed woman concludes, "BECAUSE SHE THINKS WE CAN JUST JUMP INTO THIS RAVINE! EASY TO SAY..." as someone adds, "LET'S GO FOR IT!"

With a loud TADAN!! the group leaps forward in excitement, Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio charging ahead as others tumble down the slope. Someone shouts YEAH!! in triumph. In the lower panels an elderly examiner with a topknot explains, "THIS TEST TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR, ANYWAYS...!" Gon asks, "QUITTING ALSO ASKS FOR SOME COURAGE." He wonders aloud, "CALL IT QUITS ?" and "AND THE OTHERS ?" Menchi, the spiky-haired examiner, holds up two eggs and declares, "AND HERE'S A TARANTULA-EAGLE'S EGG. SEE THE DIFFERENCE!" while offering, "HERE'S AN EGG LIKE THE ONES YOU CAN BUY..." A large pot labeled BLUE sits over a fire as examinees gather around.

Menchi and Buhara taste the egg. Menchi exclaims, "THE FLAVOR DEPOSITS ITSELF ON THE TONGUE! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TASTE! IT'S GOT NOTHING IN COMMON WITH A NORMAL EGG!" Buhara agrees, "IT TASTES GREAT!!" Nearby examinees react with CLAC sounds and shock lines. Menchi offers Gon, "I'LL GIVE YOU HALF OF MINE." Gon replies, "I WANT TO TASTE IT TOO!" She continues, "MAYBE I MADE YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE JOY OF DISCOVERING NEW EXQUISITE FOOD? WE RISK OUR LIVES FOR IT." A wide shot shows a mountain with the caption "PHASE TWO OF THE SECOND TRIAL ROUND, MENCHI'S ORDER, QUALIFIED: 42". An applicant mutters, "SO?" while another admits, "BUT I'LL COME BACK NEXT YEAR. I FAILED THIS YEAR."