IT BEGINS

Pouf's clone hovers in the air with large patterned wings spread wide, arms outstretched, as motion lines and debris swirl around him. He thinks that his scales are not as effective and that he has lost power. He recalls giving about six sevenths of himself to the king. Pouf states he wants to finish off Komugi as soon as possible but cannot use his copies to disseminate his scales. He questions whether the battle is so tough that the king has no energy to spare for controlling the dolls and notes he does not see Pitou's dolls anywhere. Pouf concludes this is truly his last chance and that he has to act, realizing he did not think the enemy was that powerful.

Under a dark, cloudy night sky, a voice wonders aloud, "IT'S BEEN 10 MINUTES AND STILL NO SIGN OF PITOU." Another voice questions, "WILL POUF REALLY BE OK...?" A tall, damaged tower looms in the background. Below, a small winged figure in a helmet and dark outfit coughs while dashing across a damaged floor near the tower base. The figure sprints past motion lines and a tire as the scene shifts to a parking area with several trucks. A tall, muscular wolf-like humanoid with fur, pointed ears, and a crutch stands before several bound and blindfolded people. He declares, "ONCE YOU'RE OUTSIDE, THE SITUATION WILL BE CLEAR." Pointing forward he adds, "WHEN I UNTIE YOU, USE THE TRUCK TO ESCAPE!" and orders, "GET OUT."

The wolf-like humanoid glares and says, "TAKE HIM WITH YOU." He continues, "BROVIDA HAS FORGOTTEN HIS PREVIOUS LIFE, BUT HE WAS ONE OF US, TOO." A large bound figure lies unconscious on a wooden floor nearby. The wolf character then stands in front of a truck as it accelerates away, kicking up dust and debris with dramatic sound effects. Several bound people remain standing in the background. The wolf sweats and reacts with surprise. A close-up shows him saying, "BUT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT THAT WAY IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW GYRO WAS ALIVE." Another voice replies, "YOU TOLD ME TO GO SEE HIM!" A small question mark appears as the wolf demands, "HOW... DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?"

Two characters sit in quiet conversation. "THAT'S TRUE..." one admits. "...YEAH," the other replies with a tense expression. The wolf-like figure stares ahead, stating, "I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE ANYTHING ELSE. BUT I DON'T 'KNOW'." A large close-up shows the spiky-haired boy with wide eyes, asking, "SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE KILLED HIM, RIGHT? WE'RE STILL ALIVE, RIGHT?" Below, a panel shows a keypad device beeping as a figure presses buttons. "THE ANTS ARE OUR ENEMY!!" declares a caption. "GYRO CAN'T BE DEAD...!!!" another character shouts while standing amid rubble. "DAMN IT... I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT HE'S RIGHT," comes the reluctant reply. The page ends on a dramatic double-page spread with radiating lines: "SO I'LL BE YOUR MESSENGER!!" and "YOU OPENED MY EYES."

A truck drives along a dusty road, leaving tire tracks. Nearby, a damaged storage building stands with an exclamation mark floating above it. A helmeted figure watches from the side. The truck stops as a striped creature with a staff emerges from the cab. A winged figure appears, addressing someone as "YOUPI-DONO." The wolf-like character raises a clawed hand and says, "I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE KING." In the distance, a small figure runs toward them. "YES," replies the distant figure. "PLEASE TELL THE KING IMMEDIATELY," urges the wolf-like character. Another voice asks, "AND THEY WANT TO TRADE THE GIRL FOR THEIR FRIENDS? IN THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE?" The small figure answers, "YES!"

A small winged figure in a helmet hovers while speaking with a spiky-haired companion. "AND WHAT ON EARTH IS PITOU DOING, ANYWAY...?" the figure wonders aloud. Nearby, another voice replies, "ANYWAY, I HAVE TO TELL POUF WHEN HE GETS BACK..." The spiky-haired character agrees, "I SEE... THIS IS A GAME, SO AS LONG AS WE DON'T TELL THE KING, THERE WON'T BE A PROBLEM." "ALL RIGHT. LEAVE IT TO ME," answers the helmeted one. A stern profile adds, "YOU MAY GO NOW," followed by "DID POUF THINK OF ALL THIS? IF HE DID, THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING." A massive close-up reveals the intense eyes and fur of the Pouf clone. "GYRO'S... AND MINE... THE CHIMERAS ARE OUR ENEMY ...!!!" it declares. The clone turns toward Youpi and asks, "WHAT? MAY I ASK YOU SOMETHING ? YOUPI-DONO." The clone presses further: "BEFORE... YOU BECAME A CHIMERA? DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FORMER LIFE?" Youpi's small winged form answers flatly from below, "OF COURSE NOT." The clone reacts with visible shock, "HUH?"

Youpi's silhouette looms against a stormy sky as he snaps, "DON'T ASK SUCH STUPID QUESTIONS. YOUPI-DONO." He declares firmly, "THERE IS NOTHING ELSE!! I AM YOUPI, THE KING'S GUARD." The Pouf clone's face twists in anger while Youpi's associate yells, "GIVE ME A BREAK-- HEY!" Youpi warns, "IF YOU ATTACK ME, I WILL COUNTER-RATTACK." A close-up of the Pouf clone's eyes appears beside a panel showing Youpi's helmet. "ANSWER ME WITHIN 5 SECONDS," Youpi demands. The clone states, "I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU." Youpi's face erupts in rage, eyes bulging and teeth bared, shouting, "YOU PIECE OF SHIT....! DON'T GET ABOVE YOURSELF."

In the ruined, crater-pocked chamber, Pouf clone stands with arms crossed, tail curled, gazing across the devastated floor. Distant figures lie scattered amid rubble. A close-up reveals narrowed eyes, then the clone's bare feet planted on the cracked ground. Text reads 'SOMETHING MISSING...' beside one foot and 'THERE'S' beside the other. The clone's face appears in sharp close-up, eyes wide with sudden realization beneath the brim of its hat. In the final panel the clone turns and sprints away across the debris-strewn floor, a sheet of paper fluttering near its feet.

From above, a circular metallic object bearing the character '王' rests in the center of a grid-patterned floor amid scattered rubble and black scorch marks. A close-up shows the clone's eyes widening further. Narration states '...THAT'S RIGHT.' Two panels focus on the clone's hands: one open and reaching, the other clenched into a fist. The final caption reads 'I...'.

The large segmented creature hunches over the shogi board, its armored head lowered toward the pieces. A single human hand descends from above, fingers touching a piece on the board. The creature's body remains coiled and tense beneath the table. At the bottom of the page a bold narration box declares: "WAS FIGHTING SOMEONE...!!" followed by the unfinished line "AND I..."

A close-up shows a clenched fist gripping several shogi pieces. Dramatic impact lines and scattered pieces fly outward. Large text reads "NEVER WON." and "HAVE". Below the panel division, the shogi board is shown flipped and broken, pieces flying everywhere. Bold lettering declares "BEATEN THEM...!!" and "I HAVE NEVER" with heavy motion effects.

A young man in a large hat stares forward with wide, intense eyes and a tense expression, sweat dripping down his face. A sharp, jagged sound effect erupts beside him, emphasizing sudden shock or pain. His posture is rigid, mouth slightly open as if reacting to an unseen event. Below, a narrow panel shows chaotic black-and-white streaks and debris flying through darkness, suggesting a violent impact or rapid movement just out of frame.

Three onlookers react with shock in small panels, their faces tense and eyes wide. A massive panel reveals Shaiapouf with large patterned butterfly wings spread wide as he lands or hovers dramatically. Pouf speaks while looking forward: 'THIS TOOK LONGER THAN I'D ANTICIPATED.' He continues, 'I JUST HOPE THE KING IS NOT IMPATIENT...' Another bubble adds, 'PITOU SHOULD HAVE LONG SINCE RETURNED...' Large stylized sound effects fill the air around him. A small voice cries 'UGH...!' as he arrives.

Pouf stares forward with wide, intense eyes, his face filling the upper panel in a moment of realization. Below, a barren rocky wasteland stretches out under a cloudy sky. A tiny distant figure lies motionless on the cracked ground. In the next frame the figure appears closer, sprawled amid scattered debris. Pouf, now in his full butterfly-winged form, stands inside a ruined structure and calls out toward the massive, hunched shape of Youpi. "Youpi...?" he says, the single word hanging in the air between them.

Youpi twists his head around, face battered and grim, staring back over his shoulder. The scene cuts to a pitch-black night. A small crumpled body rests on the ground beneath a bright horizontal light. Pouf stands a short distance away, coat tails trailing, and stammers in disbelief. "N, NO... WAY." His voice breaks. Then he screams at the top of his lungs, "MERYEM-SAMA! MY KING!!" the words exploding across the bottom of the panel in jagged lettering.

A figure with light hair stands with their back to the viewer, one arm raised as dramatic speed lines burst outward. A small Pouf clone floats nearby while bold text declares the enemy still has tricks up their sleeve and that Youpi has been killed. In the next panels Killua stares forward with wide eyes, muttering that nothing has happened yet and reacting with confusion. He questions what has become of Pitou. The Pouf clone, wearing a striped helmet, turns with a fierce expression and announces it can finally make its move. Below, Killua's profile appears tense as the clone asks if he wants to call it off. The clone warns that the situation has changed and it is too dangerous here. In the distance Meruem's silhouette looms while the Pouf clone cries out in alarm, pleading with Meruem-sama as the game hangs in the balance.

The Pouf clone leans in close, eyes intense, and demands that Killua tell it everything, declaring itself the victor. Killua's eyes widen in shock at the claim. The scene shifts to the Pouf clone standing on broken ground amid scattered rubble and a metal grate, its armored form posed aggressively. With one hand extended, the clone asks if that is what Killua wants while motion lines and impact shapes emphasize the confrontation.

High above the city, Pitou floats motionless in the air, body tense and expression blank, one leg bent and striped tail curling behind. A small winged insect-like creature hovers nearby. Dramatic speed lines and bold impact shapes radiate outward from the figure. Below, Palm stares upward in shock, sweat flying from her face as she cries out. "WHERE ON EARTH ARE YOU!?" she shouts. "PITOU!! PITOU!!" In a black panel, a calm voice answers "ALL RIGHT...?" while another states "IT'S..." Palm stands in the lower panel, arms at her sides, dress torn and marked with dark patterns, her long hair flowing. A round-headed character beside her asks "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Palm exclaims "PALM !!" At the bottom, the page carries the official notice: "HXH WILL BE ON HIATUS STARTING NEXT ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. ONCE A DATE IS SET FOR ITS RETURN, IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE MAGAZINE." The vertical text along the left edge reads "THE HOSTAGE EXCHANGE FAILED...!? AND WHAT IS THE MEANING OF PALM'S WORDS!?"

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