THE LAST PROBLEM

In the top panel several examinees stand together. A large scarred man in a button-up shirt labeled 403 grunts Mpff Mpff while a short-haired man labeled 16 glares with Pff. Gon looks up between them. Killua in a 404 badge stands calmly beside a spiky-haired boy who also emits Pff. The middle panel reveals a vast dark arena with a massive gridded platform suspended by cables. A small figure lies on the grid as dramatic speed lines and large SFX FUUUUUU and vertical Japanese characters emphasize the scale. The caption N°022 THE LAST PROBLEM appears below. In the bottom panels the examinees argue heatedly. The man with the headband shouts SHUT UP! I REMIND YOU THAT YOU WERE SATISFIED WITH THE CHOICE WE MADE!! Gon looks up at him while another applicant insists YES. WE SHOULD HAVE GONE DOWNSTAIRS. A third adds WE SHOULD HAVE GONE DOWNSTAIRS. The spiky-haired boy concludes RUNNING 30 MINUTES TO COME BACK HERE. with Pff Pff effects around the group.

The group races forward through a massive tunnel as speed lines and impact bursts streak past them. Gon charges ahead in the center with a determined expression, his number 405 clearly visible. Killua runs just behind him to the right, glancing sideways. Kurapika sprints on the left with number 404, while Leorio looms in the middle background with number 16, mouth open in a shout. Another applicant with number 99 trails slightly behind. A large narration box explains the previous trials: "NEXT, THEY HAD TO USE THE MAJORITY'S CHOICE SEVERAL TIMES... ELECTRIC QUIZ, MULTIPLE CHOICE LABYRINTH, MINE CAMPS, 'GO', ETC." A second box at bottom left adds: "SO THAT ACTUALLY, NO ONE KNEW HOW MANY STAIRS THEY WENT DOWN NOR THAT THEY HAD LESS THAN 50 MINUTES LEFT..." At the bottom center, a sign reads "N°001" beside the bold title "THE LAST PROBLEM".

The four main applicants stand together in a tense line. Leorio, Kurapika, Gon, and Killua face forward as a large SFX "ジィィィィン ん!!" and smaller effects hover above them. Leorio's speech bubble reads "LET'S HURRY!" The scene cuts to a close-up of a brick wall with a metal door panel. A sign states "DOOR: O - OPEN X - DO NOT OPEN." Leorio's face appears in profile, sweat visible, thinking "WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT." A digital display shows "Tic 04X1". In the next panel the door is shown again as someone off-panel shouts "WELL!! OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO OPEN THAT DOOR!!" A small inset shows a shocked face yelling "AAAH." The group is seen from behind approaching the door in the final panel.

Leorio struggles angrily as he is restrained by another examinee. 'STOP LYING!' he shouts. 'DON'T GET SO MAD. I PUSHED ON O.' The other man yells back, 'I'M REALLY FED UP WITH YOU!!' 'YOU'RE GONNA STOP!!' A close-up shows Leorio's furious face as a small figure behind him says 'SORRY LEORIO!' In the center of the page, Gon stands holding a long rod, pointing at himself and declaring, 'I'M THE ONE WHO ACCIDENTALLY PUSHED THE BUTTON.' Leorio turns to face a spiky-haired examinee and growls, 'I WON'T LET THIS PASS.' The spiky-haired man replies, 'GIVE ME YOUR APOLOGY FOR THAT IN THE RIGHT WAY.' Leorio retorts, 'WAIT A MINUTE, LEORIO.' 'AH, WELL, YOU WERE THE ONE?' Leorio finishes firmly, 'SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION TO APOLOGIZE. IF I SAID THAT, IT'S BECAUSE SINCE THE BEGINNING, YOU VOLUNTARILY DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.'

A blond examinee shouts 'ENOUGH!' while another with a badge yells 'WHO'S FAULT IS IT THAT WE WERE IMMOBILIZED FOR 50 HOURS.' 'YOU'RE THE ONE THAT MADE A BIG MISTAKE NOT ME!' A large man with a scarred face tells the blond, 'YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THIS KIND OF THING TO ME.' The blond reacts with shock: 'WHAT?' The large man continues speaking as the blond stares in disbelief. Nearby, Killua stands between the large man and the 403-badge examinee, who looks surprised. 'HEY!' 'HUH?' The 403-badge man remains silent with a neutral expression. The large man draws a knife with a 'SCHLAC' sound, glaring intensely. In the next panel the blond and the 403-badge man are sent flying backward across the floor with impact effects. The large man clenches his fist as 'ZAT' appears near the fallen figures. Gon stands in the background holding his rod, watching the sudden violence.

Gon stands in the doorway with a surprised expression, an exclamation mark hovering above his head. He turns and walks into the tiled room, declaring, "WELL, I'LL GO ON MY OWN." Inside, two other examinees argue while a third figure crouches on the floor; someone shouts, "CALM DOWN YOU TWO!" Gon points ahead and says, "THE EXIT IS NOT FAR AWAY," then excitedly calls out, "HEY! LOOK AT THIS!" Footsteps echo with "TAP TAP" as the group approaches a bright light source. A sudden flash illuminates the scene with the large sound effect "DAN!!" Leorio, Killua, and Kurapika react with shock and surprise to the intense light.

The group reaches a massive ornate door featuring a carved face with spiky hair and a flowing beard. A narration box reads, "LAST JUNCTION. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOUR LAST CHOICE. ARE YOU READY TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED OF IT?" The four examinees stand before the door. A digital display shows "04X1". Leorio asks, "READY? WELL, DOES THE QUESTION REALLY MATTER?!" Kurapika interrupts sharply, "STOP IT! YOU THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF??" Close-ups reveal a mouth saying, "THERE'S TWO ROADS..." and Leorio replying, "WELL CHOOSE ONE OF THE TWO ROADS."

In a vast stone hall lined with heavy doors and barred windows, Leorio strides forward while explaining the two routes ahead. 'THE OTHER ONE ONLY ALLOWS 3 PEOPLE, BUT IS SHORT AND EASY.' Gon, Killua, and Kurapika follow close behind as another voice adds, 'THE FIRST ALLOWS 5 PEOPLE TO GO BUT IS LONG AND DIFFICULT.' Leorio's face fills the next panel, sweat visible, as he calculates the times. 'TAKING THE SECOND ONE, YOU REACH THE END IN LESS THAN 3 MINUTES.' A final caption warns, 'CONCRETELY, ITS IMPOSSIBLE, EVEN HURRYING, TO EXIT THE FIRST ROAD IN LESS THAN 45 HOURS.' At the bottom, close-up reactions show Leorio grimacing, Gon looking thoughtful, Killua glancing sideways, Kurapika with a neutral stare, and Gon again with wide surprised eyes.

Leorio's face dominates the page with spiky hair flaring outward as he declares the controls: 'PUSH ON X FOR THE SHORT AND EASY WAY.' and 'PUSH ON O FOR THE LONG AND DIFFICULT WAY.' Below, the group stands before two chained doors. Leorio warns, 'THEY'LL HAVE TO STAY HERE UNTIL TIME'S OVER.' while another panel explains, 'IF YOU PUSH ON X, THE DOOR WILL OPEN AS SOON AS TWO OF YOU GIVE UP AND MAKE THEMSELVES PRISONERS. THEY'LL USE THE CHAINS ON THE WALL.' The others watch silently. Leorio then decides, 'I'LL PUSH ON X.' and adds, 'IT'S BETTER TO TELL YOU THIS NOW.' Kurapika replies, 'WELL...' as the group lingers in the corridor.

In the stone corridor, Gon declares he will be one of the three to continue onward. Leorio replies that no matter the way, he has no intention of staying here. A close-up shows Leorio’s determined face as he finishes the thought. Below, Killua, Kurapika, Gon, and Leorio stand together. Leorio, wearing the number 16 badge, warns that the judges have prepared weapons from every era and have planned everything. He questions whether this means the examinees are expected to fight. The group stares at the visible traps: iron maidens, guillotines, axes, and spiked walls lining the narrow passage ahead.

Leorio insists the group came together and should exit together. Gon declares he will push on O. The others react with concern. Killua argues the short way is too risky and impossible within the time limit. Kurapika agrees the choice will be the same either way. Gon leans in close to Killua and whispers something. Leorio points at his watch, noting that only one of them needs to pass for the whole group to advance. The final panel displays the two buttons: X for the short and easy way, O for the long and difficult way, with a single pillar between them.

From a high vantage, the vast circular arena of the third round stretches out below, its floor a chaotic grid of floating platforms and stone blocks suspended over a deep abyss. Torches flicker along the curved walls as tiny figures of remaining participants scramble across the precarious surfaces. A text box states: THIRD ROUND : NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE REACHED THE GOAL SO FAR: 18. A massive digital timer dominates the foreground, displaying 00:03:45. In the lower right, Hisoka lounges casually on a ledge, legs crossed, wearing a sleeveless outfit marked with club symbols and the number 44, his spiky hair and cross-marked face relaxed as he watches the chaos. Below, a row of close-up panels shows other examinees: a jester-hatted figure, a stern mustached man, a bald man in 24, and a dark-haired man. Two voices shout encouragement from the stands: GO GO.

A massive BAM impact shakes the rocky cliffside as debris explodes outward. In a dark panel, a fur-coated man with wild hair stands triumphant, exclaiming AH AH and JUST IN TIME.... Nearby, a group of examinees reacts in shock, one declaring HE'S DEAD while another mutters ~. A stern man with a headband comments that the fallen examinee would have done better to fail and return next year, calling him an IDIOT. A digital display counts down 1 MINUTE. In the distance, the fur-coated man runs toward a doorway where Gon stands waiting. The final panels show heavy boots stepping forward, Hisoka's face with star and teardrop marks looking on intently, and Gon turning as voices urge GO GON.

The group reaches the bottom of the tower at last. Killua, Gon, Kurapika and the others stand together after sliding down the unexpected toboggan path. Killua remarks that he would never have thought the short way was a toboggan. A close-up shows a surprised face with a star-shaped eye asking “3…?” A digital timer counts down from 30 seconds. In the final panels, Killua rubs his hands together and says he can’t feel his hands while Gon smiles and replies that they made it just on time.

A dramatic panel shows examinee 403 with a fierce grin as a large “ZAPUN” impact effect appears beside him. Another candidate with slicked-back hair looks shocked. In a smaller panel, Kurapika stands with hands together saying nothing else to say, it was risky. The group gathers in a tiled hallway; Gon thanks everyone and states that all five of them were able to exit. Killua notes that the opponent was pretty astute this time. Gon smiles in the foreground as the scene closes.

In the dimly lit stone corridor, a massive hole has been smashed through the brick wall on the left. On the right, a heavy metal door labeled 05 stands battered and dented, with a figure’s legs visible mid-kick as debris flies. Large impact SFX “DON” and “HX X” mark the destruction. Killua stands in the foreground, eyes wide with realization as he recalls the strategy: “PROCEEDING THIS WAY, IT WAS SURE THAT WE COULD ALL REACH THE GOAL.” His thought bubble continues, “ENTERING IN ‘THE LONG AND DIFFICULT ROAD’ AND USING THE 50 MINUTES LEFT TO CHIP THROUGH THE WALL AND JOIN THE ‘THE SHORT AND EASY WAY’…” In the lower panels, Gon grins and points upward while explaining, “IT’S IN THAT THAT YOU ARE REALLY STRONG.” Leorio and another examinee listen as Gon adds, “IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE ALL GOING TO BREAK DOWN, YOU WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT THE ONLY 2 SOLUTIONS WE WERE GIVEN.” Killua replies, “SO I THOUGHT THAT WITH TOOLS, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A HOLE WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE TIME LIMIT.” Gon concludes with a smile, “IN FACT, IT’S BECAUSE I REMEMBERED THAT THE JUDGES WE FOUGHT AGAINST WERE ABLE TO BREAK THE GROUND AND THE WALL WITH ONLY THEIR HANDS.”

A massive “BANG!!” SFX and Japanese onomatopoeia explode across the top of the page as a large timer-like device flashes. Bold text declares “END OF THE ROUND TIME!” Below, a dramatic low-angle spread shows dozens of examinees standing on a long corridor with radiating speed lines. A giant starburst announces: “THIRD ROUND. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO REACHED THE GOAL: 25 (INCLUDING ONE DEAD.)” Among the crowd, Gon, Killua, and other familiar examinees are visible in various poses, some looking forward, others exhausted or alert. The round has concluded and the third round is about to begin.

A vast, empty landscape stretches under dramatic sound effects as a long shadow falls across the ground. In a bright, radiant panel, the announcement "2 ROUNDS LEFT!!" blares across the scene. The spiky-haired man with glasses stands before the remaining examinees and declares, "YOU HAVE ONLY TWO MORE TRIALS: THE 4TH ROUND AND THE FINAL." He adds with a smile, "CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU FOR EXITING THE TOWER." The same man continues speaking, "THE FOURTH ROUND WILL TAKE PLACE ON ZEVIL'S ISLAND." With a confident gesture and a finger snap, he concludes, "WELL! LET'S HURRY..."

A close-up shows the spiky-haired man with glasses opening a small black-and-white box with a sharp "CLAC CLAC" sound. The box is placed on a stand in the rocky clearing. Several examinees, including a long-haired man, a mustached man, and others, stand watching. One examinee exclaims "WHAT FOR?" while another mutters "A LOTTERY...?" The spiky-haired man explains with a slight smile, "TO DETERMINE THE HUNTERS AND THE PREY."