Hunter × Hunter Chapter 124: 124

Gon lies on the ground after losing focus, his body going limp as the aura vanishes with a PFFF... and DOM impact. He thinks, “IT DIED!” and “IF I LOSE CONCENTRATION FOR AN INSTANT, THE ENERGY ESCAPES.” He sits up, hair crackling with residual energy marked FLASH, and declares he can use everything at once. A series of numbered diagrams show his fist: using Ten to hold aura around the body, the aura trying to escape with increasing intensity, then concentrating Gyo on one part. The text explains that in stages one and two the aura still escapes in small quantities, but at stage one Gon can stop it with Zetsu, and the aura increases dramatically when Gyo is developed.

Gon clenches his fist near his face, eyes wide with focus. "FINALLY REN....!!!" he declares. Diagrams illustrate his thoughts: concentrating aura amplified by Ren in one point, wondering what would happen if he passed from Ten to Gyo and Gyo to Zetsu. He feels an overwhelming energy that scares him but pushes forward, thinking only of his usual aura amount in one point. "BUT THEN..." he muses. A close-up shows his fist as he questions the quantity of energy that would emerge. "YES..." he affirms. In the final panels Gon snaps his fingers with sharp SFX "TAC!!" and "ZAT!!", a confident smile spreading across his face as he tests the technique.

Gon resolves to master and perfect the passing of aura from one stage to another despite the risks. "I WANT TO TRY IT!!!" he shouts, aura flaring around him with starburst effects. "THAT FORCE!!" he exclaims. Wing appears beside him, finger raised, warning "GON, HASTE IS YOUR WORST ENEMY. THE NORMAL WAY IS THE SHORTEST WAY." In a separate panel a young boy with spiky hair stands in a cluttered room marked with a question mark. Gon stands ready in his sleeveless outfit. The boy, now surrounded by crackling aura, yells "YOU WON'T HAVE THE UPPER HAND!!" while shouting "GON!!!" with dramatic impact lines and SFX "ZIIIM!!" Wing watches from the side, noting that Gon seems to have found it.

Leorio stands tall in the middle of a quiet city street, his long black coat open to reveal a white shirt wrapped in bandages and secured with multiple straps. The coat is covered in various patches featuring skulls and ornate designs. He holds a lit cigarette loosely in his right hand, his body angled slightly as he gazes off to the right with a serious expression. Behind him rise multi-story European-style buildings with balconies and windows, while cars are parked along the curb. At the bottom of the page, a banner displays "N°124 7 SEPTEMBRE 10 SEPTEMBRE 1".

Leorio reads a newspaper with the headline "MR. BATTERA : THE GREED ISLAND SYNDROME?!" while murmuring "HUM...". The paper shows photos of suited men. Nearby panels reveal rumors: at the end of the game a map might reveal a real-life treasure, something behind the fever might be the idea of finishing the game, undisguised yesterday Battera acquired the game for 28 billion jennys, and the money invested now exceeds 200 billion. Leorio notes these crazy rumors circulating on the net or a giant dragon granting a wish. In the lower section, Leorio stands at an airport terminal and declares "I'M GOING NOW." A voice calls "LEO-RIO." Leorio thinks Mr. Battera might be the only person outside the creators who knows what will happen at the end of the game. The terminal bustles with travelers including a girl in a dress with a bow.

At the bustling airport terminal, a light-haired traveler speaks quietly into a phone. "Just tell them we'll see each other again soon," the traveler says. "They're training hard, and each second counts." A calm voice replies, "Yes." Nearby, Leorio stands among travelers and luggage, adjusting his sunglasses. "Are you sure you want to leave without telling them?" someone asks. Leorio turns with a serious expression. In a close-up, he raises his hand in a firm gesture. "Take good care of Kurapika!" he declares. Another traveler with a wide hat stands nearby as Leorio continues, "Among all the people I've met in this town, your melodies are the best. Soft and warm tones, with resonance." The traveler responds thoughtfully, "You know... I'm counting on you to restrain his actions." Leorio adds, "He's bright, but at the same time, he lets down his guard. With you, somehow, he confides easily in you." The traveler nods, "Okay."

Leorio smiles broadly and gives a thumbs-up. "Thanks. I'll think about it!" he says. In the background, the wide-hatted traveler stands beside a spiky-haired figure. The traveler advises, "If you want my opinion, I think you should refrain." Another voice adds, "You would be a nice professor. I think you're meant to be a doctor or teacher." Leorio, now at the large terminal windows overlooking the tarmac, raises his hand in a wave. "I had better start studying. Even if you're dedicated, you need knowledge..." he mutters to himself. The final panel is mostly empty, showing only motion lines and the sound effect "ゴオオオオオ" as an aircraft departs.

Killua clenches his fist tightly near his face while glaring intensely, sweat drops flying as he faces Gon. Gon stares back with a fierce, determined expression, his face covered in sweat and his mouth set in a grim line. In the next moment Killua's hand crackles with visible lightning-like aura as he forms a claw-like gesture, his eyes narrowed in focus. Elsewhere, a suited man with sunglasses holds an open book and speaks into a phone held to his ear, his expression serious. Nearby, a bald man in a robe sits at a table holding a large jar while facing a curly-haired man in a suit. A single hand extends forward, index finger pointing sharply to the right.

The auction hall erupts with cheers as the tuxedoed auctioneer raises his arm and declares the sale. A young girl with pigtails smiles and says 'THANK YOU VERY MUCH!' while raising one finger. Large text announces 'GREED ISLAND GOES TO #33 AT 27.8 BILLION JENIS!' The spiky-haired bidder sweats heavily, thinking 'HE KNOWS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT I CAN BID...!' and 'IMPOSSIBLE...!! THAT BASTARD IS TAKING EVERYTHING!' while another voice yells 'DAMN!' A thought bubble reads 'SHIT! IN THAT CASE...' On the ground, Gon stands over a seated Killua who says 'BUT... HE ASKED ME TO TELL YOU WE'LL MEET AGAIN SOON.' Gon replies 'HE COULD AT LEAST HAVE...' In the background a building is shown with the text 'KURAPIKA LEFT?!' and 'WHAT?!'

Zepile holds up a card and tells Gon, 'As promised, I changed your 80 million into 100 million. Here!' Gon stares in surprise. Zepile continues, 'Yo, Gon!' In the next panel, Zepile explains to Gon and Killua, 'With that, you should be able to get your Hunter license back, right?' Killua exclaims, 'You're right! The balance is 100 million jennies again!' Zepile recounts how he sold everything, saying, 'So I pulled out all the stops. You trusted me, giving me your entire fortune.' Gon asks, 'Hey hey! Did you really do that all in 5 days?' Zepile replies, 'Well, with 80 million already, it's not that hard. You just need to buy some objects cheap, and sell them for high prices.' He adds that he had to be vigilant to avoid counterfeits. Later, Zepile hands over half the profits to a bald man, stating, 'As agreed, I took 50% of the profits.' The bald man responds, 'No need to thank me!' Zepile tells him, 'If it hadn't worked, I was ready to deposit my license too.' The bald man says, 'Thanks so much, Zepairu-san!' Zepile waves a card and warns, 'Don't hesitate to call me again. Don't forget that I'm a professional too.' Gon and Killua react in shock: '40 million in five days?!' Zepile notes, '40 million. Oh? Really? Then... that means you won...'

Zepile waves goodbye to Gon and Killua outside a building as they run off, shouting 'See ya!' and 'It was fun.' Inside, Zepile smokes and reflects, 'Actually, he only managed to win 15 million, and borrowed the remaining 5 million from an underground bank.' He mutters to himself, 'Why am I so stupid?' and 'Argh...' while walking away. A note explains he could not cash the check in time. Zepile later tells someone, 'After I'd said that, I couldn't ask him for extra time. I'd rather die...' He worries about needing 20 million more by the 10th. In a flashback, he sits on a bench thinking, 'To get antiques, I need a starting amount... I should have borrowed 10 million more. I can't brag any more... Pff... How can I pay that back...?' He also considers selling at places he knows for 10 to 20 times the value and notes the Hunter license is valuable, with the pawnbroker offering 100 million in return.

A determined man with slicked-back hair and a striped jacket grins widely while clutching a document. He declares his plan aloud: "AND SELL MY LICENSE!" "I JUST HAVE TO BECOME A HUNTER TOO..." "GOODBYE DEBTS, HELLO GOOD LIFE!" Nearby, a spiky-haired youth reacts with surprise, muttering "AH..." then realizes "THAT'S IT!" In a wide action panel, the same youth sprints at full speed amid motion lines and the large SFX "Uo Fuuut !!" as he thinks, "I HAVE TO FIND OUT INFO ON THAT DAMN HUNTER EXAM!" A speech bubble urges, "ALRIGHT! I'D BETTER HURRY, CHANCES DON'T WAIT!" Close-up panels show the youth sweating heavily, his face tense, and a clenched fist. The final wide panel reveals an urban rooftop and city street view with buildings and a small structure below.

A woman with hair in a bun and wearing a black dress stands triumphantly on stage, one arm raised high as she points upward. Large stylized SFX "ドォォォォ" and "TADAN" burst around her. She announces, "THANK YOU VERY MUCH ......!!!" A prominent bubble reads "#5! THE GAME GREED ISLAND FOR 60.2 BILLION JENIS!" Below, an older man in a tuxedo claps enthusiastically amid onomatopoeic "パチパチパチ" and "CLAP CLAP" effects. Two older men in suits converse in the foreground with "Brouhaha" laughter; one says, "YES, BUT THIS TIME, HE'S LEFT HALF OF HIS FORTUNE HERE." The other remarks, "HE'S INCREDIBLE... HE'S FINALLY BOUGHT EVERY COPY OF THE GAME ON SALE." A crowd of formally dressed people applauds in the background.

A tall modern building stands under dramatic speed lines as voices speculate about the sudden price surge. "WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS?!" "THE SELECTION TEST WILL OCCUR TODAY! WHO CAN SAY..." In the next panel a crowd gathers on wide steps while a female reporter grips a microphone, her eyes wide with excitement. "THIS IS THE CONCLUSION EVERYONE HAS REACHED, AND THE REASON THE PRICE ROSE SO SHARPLY!! BUT WHO COULD HAVE THOUGHT MR. BATTERA WOULD ACQUIRE THE 7 COPIES?" she exclaims. "WE REMIND YOU THAT MR. BATTERA IS CURRENTLY RECRUITING PLAYERS ON THE NET!!" she adds. "THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE GAME!!" she declares. A blank transition panel follows. Below, tables overflow with bowls of ramen, sushi, and side dishes. An overweight man with dotted cheeks leans back, laughing heartily with SFX "Heh heh heh" and "PFFFFF". At the restaurant entrance a man in a light jacket walks away carrying a shoulder bag. A sign on the door reads "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" while he says "I'M GOING HOME."

Against a vast empty white background, Gon stands in the lower right, his spiky hair catching the light. He extends his right hand forward, fingers slightly curled around a small object that emits faint aura-like lines and sparkles. His left hand rests near his waist, body angled as if concentrating. The aura lines form angular, crackling shapes around the held item, suggesting the activation or examination of a special card or tool.