Hunter × Hunter Chapter 10: A Test Unaccounted For

Gon sits cross-legged on the floor holding a video game controller, smiling slightly as he looks ahead. Beside him stands a tall, bipedal cat-like creature with wide eyes and a flat mouth, connected by a cord to the controller. A speech bubble from the creature reads HO HO !!!. At the top of the page the chapter title is displayed: N°010 A TEST UNACCOUNTED FOR.

In the forest, an older man with a mustache peers through binoculars. Nearby, a bandaged figure hangs limply from a tree as a large creature looms. The scene shifts to Gon and another boy running through the woods while a massive leg in torn pants steps forward in the foreground. Sound effects and motion lines emphasize the chase through dense foliage.

Gon and Kurapika move through the forest. "YUP!" Gon confirms. "YOU SURE?" Kurapika asks. They dash ahead while a close-up shows someone sniffing the air. "THIS WAY!" Gon calls, followed by another loud "SNIFF!" Gon glances back at a flight of stone steps. "I GUESS THEY TRIED ATTACKING HISOKA!" he says. The path ahead is littered with the corpses of beasts. "AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE MANY DEAD ANIMALS ON THIS PATH..." Kurapika notes. "SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!" Gon retorts. "LEORIO'S AFTERSHAVE IS EASY TO RECOGNIZE! SO WE CAN FOLLOW THEM A LONG DISTANCE!" Gon explains. Kurapika turns to him. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?" Gon continues, "HISOKA SAID LEORIO WAS QUALIFIED..." "HEY, KURAPIKA..." An explosion erupts in the background. "BUT HE WAS REALLY TESTING US..." Kurapika recalls. "HE SAID HE WAS PLAYING JUDGE..." Gon looks worried. "DON'T WORRY, I WON'T KILL HIM... BECAUSE YOUR COMPANION QUALIFIED!" Hisoka's voice echoes from the blast.

Gon looks back, startled. "LEORIO DIDN'T. HE EVEN GOT KNOCKED OUT!" he exclaims. "I DID, BUT..." Kurapika replies. In a flashback, Leorio swings his briefcase at Hisoka, who stares him down. "HE JUST LOOKED AT ME... BUT HOW DOES HE DO IT?" Leorio wonders. "MAYBE, BUT YOU DID HIT HIM, DIDN'T YOU?" Gon asks. The two boys continue running through the woods. "BUT EVEN SO, HE SAID HE WAS QUALIFIED..." Kurapika says. Gon leaps forward with his fishing rod. "MAYBE HE SENSED YOU TWO WERE CONNECTED SOMEHOW..." Kurapika suggests. They pause on the steps. "YOU'D HAVE TO BE BLIND NOT TO SEE HIS IMMENSE STRENGTH AND ABILITIES... HIS FIGHTING SKILLS ALONE ARE SUPER-HUMAN," Kurapika states. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HISOKA'S A HUNTER. HE AND I ARE THE SAME, CAN FEEL IT," Killua adds. "KILLUA SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT..." Gon remembers. A black panel with a starburst concludes: "IT WAS PROBABLY HIS EXPERIENCE AND INTUITION THAT ENABLED HIM TO SENSE YOUR POTENTIAL FOR BECOMING A HUNTER... IT'S OFTEN THAT PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL ABILITIES RECOGNISE THOSE WHO ARE THEIR EQUALS..."

Kurapika stands with his back turned. "NO, IT ISN'T..." he says softly. "IT'S A BIT HARSH TO SAY THAT... SORRY..." Gon apologizes. Kurapika clenches his fist. "THAT'S WHAT HE MUST HAVE TOLD HIMSELF..." A close-up shows Kurapika's intense expression. "'KILLING THEM NOW WOULDN'T BRING ME ANY FAME'..." he recalls. Motion lines fill the panel. "THE STRANGE SENSATION I SAW BACK THERE..." Kurapika thinks. "I BELIEVE I'M BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND..." In another flashback, Kurapika faces Hisoka amid dozens of fallen bodies. "EVEN BY DEFENDING MYSELF, I KNEW I COULDN'T WIN! I TOLD MYSELF I MIGHT DIE..." he remembers. "I WAS FEELING TERRIBLE PRESSURE; I WANTED TO RUN AWAY, BUT I COULDN'T TURN MY BACK TO HIM..." "AND THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, WALKING TOWARDS ME..." Hisoka approaches. "KNOWING ALL THIS... ON THE OTHER HAND..." Gon and Kurapika stand together. Gon turns with wide eyes and a sweat drop. "STRANGE, NE?" he says. "I WAS REALLY EXCITED!"

The large white building shakes violently as the ground trembles beneath it. Birds scatter across the sky while the structure groans and tilts. A booming voice announces: "CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE MARSHES ALIVE AND WELL!" The building continues to rumble with loud GROAAA sounds. Another voice declares: "YOU ARE NOW IN THE BISKA WOODS, THE PLACE WHERE THE SECOND ROUND WILL TAKE PLACE." The entire hall sinks partially into the earth amid clouds of dust and debris.

A crowd of examinees stands before the large building, many still wearing their numbered tags. The tall examiner with slicked-back hair and a mustache addresses them with a smile: "I WISH YOU LUCK FOR THE NEXT PART OF YOUR TRIALS. ON THAT NOTE..." He continues, "THIS YEAR'S GROUP SEEMS RATHER GOOD..." and notes, "STILL 150 OF THEM... I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE 2 LEFT AFTER THE FIRST TRIAL ROUND..." In a close-up he muses, "IT WILL DEPEND ON THE PEOPLE, BUT THEY COULD DROP BELOW 10..." Another panel shows him thinking, "THEY'LL PROBABLY DROP TO 50... NO..." A large shadowy figure appears as the examiner says, "WITH MENCHI AND BUHARA AS JUDGES FOR THE SECOND ROUND..." A smaller character asks, "WHY NOT STAY TO HAVE A LOOK?" and another replies, "THIS MIGHT BE INTERESTING..."

Gon and Killua sprint toward the building as Gon shouts, "GREAT! WE MADE IT IN TIME!" In the background Hisoka and Leorio can be seen among the crowd. Gon suddenly stops and tilts his head, exclaiming, "HISOKA AND LEORIO ...?!" The scene shifts to a forest clearing where Leorio stands facing several opponents. Gon runs forward yelling, "LEORIO!!" while Hisoka watches with arms crossed. Leorio appears to be in the middle of a confrontation, with motion lines and impact effects showing the ongoing fight.

Leorio stands with a bandaged face, sweat dripping as he admits, "I MUST ADMIT, I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER WE REACHED THE MARSHES." Gon, Kurapika, and Killua listen nearby. Leorio continues, "THIS STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN THIS THING ON MY FACE..." while Gon asks, "WELL, WHEN DID YOU REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS?" Leorio replies, "WELL, AFTER GETTING HERE, I THINK..." Killua questions, "YOU MOCKING ME?? WHAT ABOUT MY FACE?" Leorio answers, "EXCEPT FOR YOUR ARM, EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE..." Kurapika notes, "YUP..." and Killua adds, "NO USE TELLING HIM." Someone mutters, "OH BOY..." The scene shifts to the group outside a large hangar where a crowd waits. Killua asks Gon, "WE CAN'T GET IN YET!" as the building groans with "GOOOO ROAAAA" and "GROAA." Gon wonders, "WHY IS EVERYONE WAITING OUTSIDE THE HANGER?" Inside the tension builds as Killua exclaims, "YES..." and "THANKS TO HIS AFTER-SHAVE?!" Gon presses, "YOU USE SOME KIND OF SPECIAL ATTACK, OR WHAT?" Killua shouts, "KILLUA!!" Leorio reacts with surprise, "SO WHY CAN'T WE GET IN?" while Killua retorts, "AH? YOU THINK SO? YOU'RE NO ORDINARY GUY..." and "I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!" A dog barks nearby as the group stands together.

Killua stands with Gon as strange noises echo: "RAAAAAAA GRAAAA" and "GOAAAAA GELOOOOO." Killua says, "ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT..." while noting, "ALL WE HEAR ARE SOME WEIRD GROANING NOISES..." The crowd reacts to the sounds coming from the hangar. An examiner-like man checks a device and confirms, "IT WON'T BE LONG." A sign announces, "NEXT TRIAL ROUND WILL START TODAY AT NOON." Leorio, Kurapika, and others discuss the tension: "IT WOULDN'T BE STRANGE IF WE WERE SUDDENLY ATTACKED." Someone suggests, "LET'S STAY PUT..." Leorio adds, "NORMAL, SINCE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN..." and "YOU CAN SENSE THE TENSION BUILDING UP..." The hangar doors shake violently with massive sound effects "GOOOOOO" and "ROAAAAAA" as the crowd gathers outside. Clocks tick with "CRIII" and "CLINNG" marking the time.

A massive muscular figure looms with a wide grin, arms spread as the hangar shakes with roaring sounds "ROAAAAAA GRRRRRRRR GOOOOOO GROAAAA." A young girl with pigtails sits calmly on a couch in the center of the chaos. The creature's presence fills the space with intense vibrations. Below, the hangar doors burst open with "GOOOOOO" and "GRRRRRR" as the giant figure sits inside, the crowd watching from outside. The sounds "FUUUUUU" echo as the scene settles with the massive being revealed.

The large, round-faced man beams and declares, "YOU BET! I'M STARVING!" The girl with pigtails and striped sleeves leans in with a grin, asking, "SO, YOU HUNGRY?" In a dramatic splash, the same man shouts "COOKING!!!" while the girl explains, "THEREFORE, THE THEME OF THE SECOND TRIAL WILL BE..." She continues, "WE ARE BOTH FINE GOURMET COOKS! THUS YOUR MISSION WILL BE TO SATISFY OUR APPETITES BY COOKING US A MEAL!" A text box identifies them as "THE GOURMET HUNTERS" who "HAVE AN EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WORLDWIDE COOKING, OFTEN THEY ARE COOKS THEMSELVES, LOOKING ENDLESSLY FOR NEW FLAVORS." At the bottom, Leorio, Kurapika, Gon, and Killua react in shock as someone yells "COOKING ?!" and other examinees stare in disbelief with a large "!?"

Menchi leans forward with a confident smile and states, "THEN, THOSE WHO QUALIFY WILL HAVE TO SATISFY ME!" Beside her, Buhara adds, "YOU'LL START BY COOKING THE PLATES I ASK YOU FOR..." A full-page spread of leaves shows two speech bubbles: "THE TEST WILL BE OVER WHEN WE'RE NO LONGER HUNGRY." and "YOU WILL QUALIFY FOR THE THIRD ROUND IF YOU HEAR 'IT'S GOOD'..." In the lower panels the examinees react nervously. One says, "FOR ME, IT WILL BE..." Another wonders, "WHAT KIND OF COOKING IS HE GOING TO ASK US FOR...?" A third exclaims, "I NEVER THOUGHT THERE'D BE SUCH AN EXAM..." Others mutter, "THEY CAN'T BE SERIOUS!? I'VE NEVER COOKED!" "EVERYONE WON'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO PREPARE SOMETHING..." "THEY'LL BE SATISFIED BEFORE..." and "HE MUST EAT A LOT, BUT SHE..."

Buhara's eyes sparkle as he excitedly declares, "THAT'S WHAT I LIKE BEST. ROAST PORK!" He points upward with a drooling grin. An examinee asks, "I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF PORK IT IS, AS LONG AS YOU CHASE IT IN BISKA WOODS..." and another replies, "OKAY..." A wide overhead shot shows dozens of examinees sprinting across open ground as a massive voice announces, "LET THE SECOND ROUND BEGIN!!" A box reads, "PHASE 1 OF THE SECOND ROUND. BUHARA'S ORDER. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 148."

Kurapika notes that because of Hisoka's order, the group has become satisfied quickly. Leorio agrees they have to hurry, while Gon insists they must catch and roast the pig, exclaiming how cool it is that the meat is easy to cook. Kurapika tells the large man he is not very nice either. The man replies that it does not matter what kind of pork it is. In the distance, birds fly over Biska Woods as Kurapika realizes there is only one kind of pork. The group begins running through the forest with repeated tapping sounds. Gon dashes ahead with wide eyes and an exclamation mark, while the others follow behind him.

A massive Great Stamp charges through the trees with a loud TADAN sound, its tag reading PORK. Gon, Killua, and Kurapika stand facing the beast. The pig lets out a deep GROOOOOOO roar as more Great Stamps appear, smashing through wooden barriers with powerful DON impacts. Tonpa explains that the Great Stamp is the fiercest type of pork on earth. He laughs and adds that those who cannot run fast enough get eaten by them, noting their huge and powerful snouts used to crush enemies.

The Great Stamp charges forward with a massive BLAM impact, sending Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio flying through the air amid debris and motion lines. Gon cries out WAAAAAH. In the aftermath, Gon lies on the ground thinking he sensed the fear and saw a smile. Hisoka appears with a calm, closed-eye smile marked by a star and teardrop. Gon reflects that the fear was against Hisoka but still different somehow. Hisoka is shown upside down holding a weapon as Gon continues to ponder the moment.

Gon leaps high into the air with a powerful kick, his foot connecting squarely with a large creature's head amid intense speed lines and impact effects. The bold vertical text declares FAR MORE EXCITING!! In the lower panels, Gon lands triumphantly, sword in hand, having defeated several opponents. A mustached man with a checkered shirt stands nearby, explaining, "THEIR WEAK SPOT IS THE HEAD." Another speech bubble adds, "THEY SAY THE REASON GIANTS HAVE HUGE NOSES IS TO PROTECT THEIR SENSIBLE FOREHEADS." Gon grins as he swings his blade, with the words "GOOD JOB GON!!" appearing beside him. The defeated foes lie sprawled on the ground with X marks on their faces. GRIII sound effects rumble in the background.

Leorio stares in wide-eyed shock with a large exclamation mark above his head. In the distance, a figure runs through an open doorway as DOM DOM sounds echo. A massive herd of round, pig-like creatures stampedes forward with repeated DOM DOM and どどどどどど effects, their bodies marked with M patterns. Leorio charges in, shouting "HERE YOU GO!!" as he grabs and hurls several of the creatures, FFF effects bursting around him. In the final panels, a suited man with glasses sits calmly in a tree, remarking, "THIS IS REALLY A NICE GROUP." Leorio, now holding a small girl with pigtails, exclaims "NICE CATCH!" while she protests, "ISN'T THIS A BIT MUCH?!" and he replies "AAAH!"