No.086 ◆ 9月3日②

At a bustling outdoor market filled with stalls, boxes, and browsing crowds, Killua stands on the left in a black outfit while Gon stands on the right in a light jacket and shorts. Gon holds up a small round object near his face. A speech bubble from Gon reads, "YEAH." Below, a large narration box states: "WE'VE FOUND FOUR OTHER OBJECTS, OTHER THAN THE BENZ KNIFE, WITH AURAS THIS MORNING, BUT..." The market background shows various vendors, hanging goods, trees, and distant buildings under a bright sky. The chapter header "No.086 ◆ 9月3日②" appears at the top.

A massive impact rocks the auction house as another bizarre, lumpy vase crashes onto the display table amid swirling motion lines and debris. 'HERE'S ANOTHER ONE!' someone shouts. In the next panels, two boys examine the strange artifact closely. 'STILL, THAT VASE SURE IS WEIRD…' one remarks. 'ACCORDING TO THE ALRA RELEASED, THE ONE WHO MADE IT WASN'T AN ORDINARY PERSON,' the other replies. A price tag shows '¥500 JENIS ?' while a hand points to bidding activity: 'AH! THERE'S ALREADY SOMEONE INTERESTED.' The boy holding the vase notes, 'IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A BIZARRE POT, BUT…' In the large bottom panel, Gon points forward with a serious expression and explains the bidding tactic: 'FOR EXAMPLE: IF IT'S AT 100 JENIS, AND YOU PROPOSE 101 JENIS, ETC… AND THE PRICE WILL INCREASE SLOWLY THIS WAY. SO WE'D BETTER DISCOURAGE HIM FROM OUTBIDDING.' Killua crouches nearby, muttering the numbers: '1750… ERG, NO…' and 'EHH, 500 X 2.5…' Gon adds, 'IF SOMEONE'S ALREADY BID, OFFER 2.5 TIMES MORE.'

Gon stands before a wall of framed paintings and photographs, one hand on his hip. 'ONCE MORE, I ONLY SEE A BADLY DRAWN TABLE, BUT…' he thinks. In the adjacent panel he continues, 'WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE.' A thought bubble wonders, 'WHAT ABOUT THE TABLE I SAW A WHILE AGO…?' His eyes widen in surprise at something off-panel. A large note pinned to a dark background displays crossed-out prices: '¥1000 - A. 3000', '¥2500 - H. 9', and '¥10000 - A. 3000'. Gon holds a small electronic device that emits a loud 'TUUUUU' sound. His expression shifts to confusion as he says, 'BUT, THAT'S…'

Killua stands in a cluttered shop filled with masks and goods, phone to his ear. He reports, "Yeah, I found two myself, but... On each of them, there was already a price proposed by a 'Zepairu.' I doubled his price, and... Now I'll see if he's quadrupled mine." Nearby, Gon walks down a street with other boys and speaks into his own phone, asking, "Killua? Actually... So, Gon, how's it going?" Gon reacts with surprise, "What? You too?" A close-up shows Killua's intense expression as he continues planning. In a lower panel, the group of boys gathers on stone steps. One says, "Even if we increase our offer, you can be sure he'll outbid us. It ends at noon, right?" Another asks, "What are we gonna do?" Killua replies firmly, "No... That's no coincidence. Someone's using the same trick as we are."

Leorio appears in a cracked panel, celebrating, "We won 3 to 1! There's only the pot that we didn't get. Congratulations! That's great!" Killua responds on the phone, "Ah, I see... and so? If we proceed like this, the worst we can get is two objects. If we play with him, it'll cost us a lot, so... We'll write our prices right before it ends." Gon smiles and says, "Yup, now we only have to go and register in the auction! OK!" A dark silhouette stands against a brick wall with a small speech bubble showing "..." The scene shifts to a wide view of a busy street where the group of boys stands together. The final panel shows an empty sky with scattered clouds and birds.

In an opulent room lit by crystal chandeliers, an unseen speaker explains the auction society's strict timeline. "THE CATALOGUE CONTAINING THE OBJECTS FOR SALE EDITED BY OUR SOCIETY IS FINALIZED 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE AUCTION. WE'RE ALREADY PREPARING NEXT YEAR'S CATALOGUE." The voice continues, stressing their reasoning: "OUR REASONING IS THAT WE GUARANTEE THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE OBJECTS, AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR GIVING CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY." They add that a minimum response time is required for checks. A suited man with a thick mustache sits across from a spiky-haired boy and replies, "AAH... WE'D LIKE TO SELL THESE OBJECTS DURING THOSE FIVE DAYS." The man on the phone counters that it is strongly possible the same applies to other auction houses and it is too late for this year's auction. The mustached man leans forward, raising a finger, and states, "THERE'S A SYSTEM CONSISTING IN EXPOSING ON THE MERCHANT MARKET." Close-up panels show his serious expression as he continues, "IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ADVISE YOU, BUT..." while an associate adds, "YES... IN THAT CASE..." and "WE HAVE HIGH QUALITY OBJECTS..." The mustached man concludes, "THE MOST SECURE AND QUICKEST WAY IS TO GO AND SEE THE ANTIQUE DEALERS OF THE CITY."

A wide overhead view depicts the bustling merchant market filled with people and stalls. A narrator explains, "IN THAT MARKET, THE BIDS ARE ON OBJECTS PRESENTED THAT DAY. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN FIND IDENTICAL OBJECTS, AND COUNTERFEITS. IT'S UP TO THE BUYER TO SEE IF IT'S REAL OR NOT. BUT, ON THAT MARKET, THE PRICES OF THE FINE QUALITY OBJECTS SOMETIMES DROP DOWN, AND IT'S NOT RARE FOR A COUNTERFEIT TO GET A LOT OF BIDS." Another speaker adds that as the name indicates, the merchant market is where specialists negotiate objects in auctions and a license is needed for authorized access, though in reality anyone can join. The mustached man continues the conversation indoors, noting, "CONSEQUENTLY, EVEN A HIGH QUALITY OBJECT WON'T INEVITABLY BE SOLD AT A PRICE AS HIGH AS IT SHOULD BE. THAT'S THE RISK OF THE MARKET." He adds it is a place to mix with the rats of the job. The associate replies that depending on the object one might change selling price to an antique dealer just met, and of course prices are lower than a classic auction since it is a market for merchants only. The mustached man concludes, "SO, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SKILLED MERCHANT ON YOUR SIDE..." Outside, the spiky-haired boy and a black-haired boy bow and shout, "THANKS, MISTER!" as they run off with a paper, while the mustached man watches from behind.

A group of children walks along a raised walkway beside a tall apartment building. Gon, carrying a large box, speaks with the others about their recent purchases. "I want to know the estimate of the objects we bought," he says. One boy replies, "Yeah, so do I." Another voice adds, "The merchant market... if a lot of professionals join, we have strong chances to sell our stuff at the highest prices." A different speaker notes, "I'd have preferred the classical auction, but oh well..." The scene shifts to a wide view of the multi-story building under a cloudy sky. Below, Gon and Killua stand before a shop counter inside a cluttered antique store filled with vases and framed items. Gon cheerfully calls out, "Hi!" The shopkeeper, a mustached man in a striped robe, stands behind the counter. Killua leans in and asks, "We don't have to sell, right?" while Gon adds with a grin, "What about asking?"

Close-ups show a framed lithograph signed "Jolset 3/50" leaning against a wall, a large dark rock dripping liquid, and a shop window display. Inside the store, the mustached shopkeeper holds up the framed print and explains, "Yes, in our abandoned attic." Killua notes, "You had this at home?" The shopkeeper continues, "My parents told me I can sell depending on the price, so I brought it." Gon and Killua peer excitedly over the counter. The shopkeeper points to the signature and says, "This artist only signed the tables he really liked. And it's one of the first numbers." He adds, "It's a lithography by Muca Tolnni, the series is limited to 50 prints, plus, it's signed." Holding the frame toward them he declares, "That one, for example... those objects are nice!" Gon and Killua react with wide eyes.

In a bustling appraisal room, Gon and Killua watch wide-eyed as calculations are made on a wrapped item. '150,000 - 11,000 = 139,000 Won,' reads the board while the boys exclaim 'Ooooh!' A mustached man in profile offers, 'I would give you 150,000 Jenis for it.' Nearby, another man holding a book declares, 'I think the signature is authentic... Obviously! The aura comes from it.' The mustached man then says 'NEXT...' A large panel reveals a beautifully preserved doll inside an open box. 'It's in good shape, and the fact that the wrapping and contents are entirely intact gives it value,' states one appraiser. 'A wonderful, entirely hand made doll...' adds another. At the bottom, the mustached man examines a dark-haired person's head and apologizes, 'I'm sorry, but this one isn't worth that much.' The striped-shirt man considers another item: 'As for this one...' Calculations show '300,000 - 50,500 = 249,500 Won' as he offers, 'I offer 300,000 Jenis for it.' Gon and Killua react with another excited 'Ooooh!!'

The scene shifts to a large wrapped sculpture. 'The container was made recently,' notes one voice. 'It's obvious that the container and its contents are of two different origins,' continues another. 'The owner of the sculpture certainly thought it was a pity leaving it unwrapped, and so made one for it.' Gon and Killua peer from the side, one saying 'I still can feel a small aura...' while the mustached man replies 'Well...' A new panel shows the mustached man and a dark-haired person discussing: 'It was probably sculpted hundreds of years ago.' 'The sculpture itself is raw in its confection, lack of seals, and, above all, doesn't have a signature.' At the shop counter, the mustached man praises, 'It's good old wood, a real treasure of today...' and 'The wood itself could interest experts.' The striped-shirt man asks about the price as a sculpture. Gon and Killua stand at the counter as the mustached man offers, 'I'm willing to make an effort, and give you 1,500 Jenis.' A small calculation reads '¥1500 - ¥7000 = -5500' while someone says 'Really?' and 'DAWN?'

In the antique shop the mustached dealer leans forward with a serious expression and declares he will buy the wood for 80,000 jennis. He adds that if the boys sell him the other two objects as well he will pay 420,000 jennis total. Gon and Killua react with surprise at the sudden offer. Gon asks if he can look a bit closer at the wood to determine its age. The dealer insists there is no margin left because over 450,000 jennis is already the best price any dealer in town would give. Killua and Gon exchange glances while the dealer continues to press his case. After a short discussion the boys decide to check another store first. Gon says they will come back if they receive the same answer elsewhere. Killua agrees with a simple yeah while noting that if prices are identical they should sell here to avoid market rates. The dealer tells them to take all the time they need.

A tall spiky-haired man suddenly bursts into the shop and shouts for everyone to stop moving. He orders the boys to leave the piece of wood exactly where it is and warns them not to be tricked. The man accuses the dealer of cheating the kids on the wood. Gon and Killua turn toward the newcomer with startled expressions. The dealer’s face appears in a shocked close-up as the intruder continues speaking. The spiky-haired man declares that what interests him is inside the wooden sculpture itself. The boys look up at the tall figure now standing over them while the dealer stares in disbelief.

A man with slicked-back hair examines a large wooden chest wrapped in black cloth. He points out details only a trained eye would notice. "That point indicates the chest has never been opened after its sealing," he states. "There's a detail that only a trained eye can see." He continues, "It's a wooden chest, isn't it? About 300 years ago, this kind of chest was used by the rich to hide their treasure." The man explains further, "If it's an original, it must contain a huge quantity of precious objects. Ironically, the ploy was so subtle that if the owner died, his family got rid of the object without knowing what it contained." In a lower panel, the man leans forward with a sharp expression and asks, "You wanted to pretend to check the age of the wood, and use that chance to empty the chest, right?" Behind him, Gon and Killua watch silently with wide eyes. The man smirks and lets out a sharp laugh, "Heh!"

Gon stands alone against a plain white background. He holds a small round device up to his ear with his right hand, his expression neutral and attentive as he listens.