Chapter 203 · Chapter 203

00AI-written

A massive impact shakes the ground as a towering figure looms over two small fighters. The creature's distorted head and enormous limbs radiate overwhelming pressure. Gon and Killua stand their ground, backs to the viewer, staring up at the beast. Speech bubbles erupt from the top of the page: "HAS MY POWER BEEN UNDERESTIMATED THIS MUCH?!" and "TO THINK THAT I'VE BEEN COMPARED TO THESE LITTLE KIDS..." In the lower panels the tall man with glasses, identified as Knuckle, bends forward and unleashes a torrent of angry dialogue: "SO WHAT DO I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME? YOU ARE ABOUT TO PASS OUT FROM EXHAUSTION! ON YOUR WAY HOME FROM SWIMMING PRACTICE? HUH?" "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? OR ARE YOU PUNKS REALLY JUST MESSING WITH ME?!" He continues, "WHEN YOU FIGHT, IT IS BEST TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP THEN START FIVE HOURS LATER, OKAY!?" and "A DUEL ISN'T A LITTLE-TITLE GAME! IT'S A SCRAMBLE OVER WHO TAKES WHO'S LIFE, YOU PUNKS!" Killua's face fills the final panel, eyes wide with sweat drops, thinking "EVEN IF I WANT TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE, I CAN'T MOVE...! WHAT INTIMIDATING PRESSURE...!"

GonKilluaKnuckle

In a stark close-up, Knuckle leans in with a fierce glare behind his round glasses, his mouth open as he asks, "When will it be our turn?" Beside him stands a girl with long straight hair and a school uniform, her large dark eyes fixed forward in a calm yet serious expression, lips pressed into a thin line.

KnucklePalm

Killua and Knuckle glare at each other in close confrontation, faces inches apart under dramatic lighting. Knuckle, with his distinctive curled pompadour, speaks with intensity: "YOU CAN NEVER DEFEAT ME. NOT IN THIS LIFETIME." Killua, sweat dripping, maintains a tense stare. Below, four small reaction panels show Killua's shifting expressions: eyes downcast and neutral, then a surprised exclamation mark, followed by a worried glance, and finally a determined glare. In the bottom panel, a tight close-up reveals Knuckle's furious face with bulging veins and narrowed eyes as he demands, "ARE YOU... CRYING?"

KilluaKnuckle Bine

Knuckle stands with arms crossed, back turned, as Killua and Gon watch from behind. He yells "THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE!! YOU KNOW, THAT THING...LIKE WHEN YOU LAUGH TOO HARD WHEN YOU CRY, THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!" and "SHU... SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT! I WOULD NEVER CRY BECAUSE I'M FEELING MORTIFIED, NO WAY!" A close-up shows Knuckle's enraged face shouting "HIT ME!!" and "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS OR I'M GOING TO KILL YOU PUNKS!!" Killua and Gon react with surprise. Knuckle continues, "IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR PUNCH IS SO WEAK I HAVE NO REASON TO DODGE." and "I'LL SHOW YOU THAT WE ARE NOT EVEN IN THE SAME CLASS." He threatens, "SUCH RUNTS LIKE YOU ARE 100 YEARS TOO EARLY TO EVEN DARE TO CHALLENGE ME!!" and "THIS DEAL IS MORE THAN YOU COULD ASK FOR, YOU PUNKS!" while warning "IF I DON'T MOVE ONE STEP FROM THIS SPOT, LEAVE YOUR PLATES AND SCRAM!!" and "SO I WILL LET YOU HIT ME UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED... BUT IN EXCHANGE..." Gon and Killua look shocked as Knuckle stands firm with crossed arms.

Knuckle BineKilluaGon

Gon leans forward with a furious glare, mouth wide open as he yells at the top of his lungs. "DON'T TREAT US LIKE IDIOTS!!" In the next panels his thoughts race: "I DON'T HAVE ANY GROUNDS TO SPEAK UP AGAINST HIM!!" and "BUT IT'S TRUE... RIGHT NOW WE ARE BELOW THE LEVEL OF KNUCKLE...." A small thought bubble shows his doubt: "IS WHAT I WANT RIGHT NOW....!!" while sweat drops fly. A flashback panel depicts a long-haired figure sprawled on the ground with the caption "THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN'T BE OVERCOME WITH DETERMINATION ALONE... IN REALITY...!" Gon stands with his back to the viewer, fists clenched. The scene shifts to Knuckle standing with arms crossed, facing Gon. Sharp impact lines and motion effects fill the panel as Gon stares up at him, thinking "I CAN'T MAKE A RETORT!!"

GonKnuckle

Gon lunges forward with a powerful punch, shouting "I DO NOT AGREE!!" as bold impact effects and the word "BLIT" explode around him. Knuckle's stern face appears in close-up, sweat visible, saying "HURRY UP AND DO IT ALREADY" and "I DON'T NEED TO HEAR YOUR BIG TALK." In the next panel Knuckle restrains Gon from behind, declaring "UNTIL YOU MOVE... I WILL NOT STOP PUNCHING..." A small box reads "FIRST IS..." The bottom spread shows Knuckle with arms crossed as Gon is sent flying backward by a heavy strike marked "ROCK!!" with large impact lines and the sound effect "TATATA."

GonKnuckle

Gon launches a sudden high kick toward the towering opponent, his body twisted with explosive force. The large man with the pompadour hairstyle recoils in shock, sweat flying as he yells, "HEY HEY HEY" and "WHAT IS THIS UNREAL AURA ALL OF A SUDDEN!?" Gon shouts back, "THIS IS CHEATING YOU PUNK!!" The muscular fighter's torso fills the next panel as he thinks, "BUT WHERE!? IF I GUESS WRONG, THEN I MIGHT REALLY DIE." He resolves, ""GYOU".. NO, IF I DON'T USE "KOU" TO GUARD, THIS WILL BE DANGEROUS." In the bottom panel a limp body lies on the ground while a voice declares, "I BELIEVE IN YOU, PUNK!!" Nearby narration warns, "NORMALLY YOU AIM FOR THE GUT, RIGHT? I MEAN IT CAN ONLY BE THE GUT RIGHT!? OK BUDDY, AIM FOR THE GUT! THE GUT THE GUT THE GUT!"

GonKnuckle Bine

Gon's face fills the frame in extreme close-up, eyes fierce as he shouts "KEN!!" and "JAN!!" The scene shifts to a starry night sky with a flock of birds flying across the moonlit darkness. Killua stands in a grassy field under the stars, looking surprised, while Gon crouches nearby with a focused, alert expression. At the bottom of the page a large body bag or wrapped figure rests on the ground in the dark field, its shape clearly outlined against the night.

GonKillua

A man wearing a patterned headband lies back with a satisfied expression, thinking to himself, "YOU DIDN'T LET ME DOWN..." "I BE-LIEVED IN YOU..." Nearby, a fierce, snarling creature-like form appears with jagged motion lines and the sound effect "7u..." Under a starry night sky on a dirt path, Gon and Killua hurry toward a fallen figure. Gon calls out, "ARE YOU OKAY?" while Killua shouts, "KNUCKLE... SAN!?" The prone man weakly responds, "ugh..." In a close panel, Gon stares with half-lidded eyes and remarks, "MUST BE A TOTAL IDIOT." Killua, looking puzzled, replies, "WHAT IS WITH THIS GUY?" The headband-wearing man appears again with a bright glow near his face. The final wide panel shows a large half-timbered building at night with multiple gables and chimneys; several figures stand near the entrance steps.

KnuckleGonKillua

Knuckle sits up in bed wearing a robe, holding a small rectangular plate between his fingers. He tells Gon and Killua, "I MAY HAVE UNDER-ESTIMATED YOU A LITTLE..." and "HEY, YOU'RE NOT AS WEAK AS I THOUGHT..." Gon, standing near the bed, reacts with surprise, "HUH?" and asks, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE IT?" Knuckle continues, "YOU COULD HAVE JUST TAKEN IT FROM ME AND LEFT YOU KNOW," while displaying the plate and declaring, "THE PLATE." In profile, Knuckle states, "WE WANT TO BECOME CAPABLE OF BEATING YOU IN A STRAIGHT-ON BATTLE, KNUCKLE-SAN." He adds, "RETRIEVING THE PLATES IS NOT OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE." Gon asks, "MIND IF I ASK YOU ONE THING?" and Knuckle replies, "GO AHEAD, ASK ME ANYTHING, PUNK."

KnuckleGonKillua

Gon and Knuckle sit facing each other in a quiet room. Knuckle looks away with a serious expression. "ONE THAT I'D RATHER NOT REMEMBER," he says. "THAT'S A LONG STORY." Gon turns toward him and asks, "WHY DID YOU BECOME A BEAST HUNTER?" Knuckle meets Gon's gaze and replies, "THEN WHY DID YOU ENLIST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUPPRESSION TEAM?" Gon answers, "ALTHOUGH MY TEACHER TELLS ME I'M BEING TOO OPTIMISTIC. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF DESTROYING THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND YET..." Knuckle closes his eyes, arms crossed, and explains, "BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO 'SUPPRESS.' SIMPLY PUT..." Gon leans in with determination. A close-up shows Knuckle's clenched fist as he declares, "FIRST, I GOTTA EXPERIENCE THEM FIRST HAND WITH MY OWN FISTS." Another voice adds, "BUT YOU CAN'T TRULY JUDGE SOMEONE YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN WITH YOUR OWN EYES, RIGHT?"

GonKnuckle

Knuckle continues speaking to Gon from the bed. "WHEN YOU FIGHT SOMEONE, YOU LEARN ABOUT THEIR CHARACTER," he says. "YOU'RE A GOOD KID." Gon smiles slightly. Knuckle warns, "YOU WILL ALREADY BE DEAD BY THEN." A small dog with a tag labeled "KNUCKLE" lies on the bed. Knuckle pets it while saying, "YOU'RE A GOOD PERSON TOO, KNUCKLE-SAN." The dog wags its tail. Narration states, "THEY SAY GOOD HUNTERS ARE LOVED BY ANIMALS." "HE NEVER LEFT YOUR SIDE THE ENTIRE TIME." The scene shifts to a starry night sky. Knuckle's voice declares, "DON'T DARE TELL ANYONE. I'LL KILL YOU, STUPID PUNKS!" Gon replies, "DON'T BE STUPID, I'M NOT CRYING!"

GonKnuckleKnuckle's dog

In a bustling restaurant, a man with a stern face leans forward and tells the two boys, "YOU CAN COME WHENEVER YOU LIKE." Gon and Killua sit across from him, chopsticks in hand, watching intently. The man, still chewing a piece of food, continues with fierce determination, "SINCE THERE IS NO WAY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BEAT ME IN LESS THAN 20 DAYS. I WILL FIGHT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU NEED ME TO." Gon and Killua exchange small smiles, their expressions softening. The scene shifts to the street outside the restaurant labeled "BODENAM T," where pedestrians move about their day under the city lights.

Knuckle BineGonKillua

Narration explains that only one possessed power and determination so great that the Queen's commands had no impact upon him. Out of countless soldiers born, he alone acted on his own will. The shadow don of NGL, whose name as a human was Jairo, walks through the crowded streets. When he was human his name was Jairo. Jairo was in the same town as Gon and company. Filled with countless malicious schemes and evil goals, the hooded figure moves among the townspeople unnoticed.

Jairo

The page opens with the bold NEXGEAR PRESENTS header above the large stylized HUNTER x HUNTER logo featuring the Japanese text ハンター×ハンター. Website and IRC details appear directly beneath the logo. Staff credits are listed in the center-left: TRANSLATOR THEHYPERION, EDITOR JOOS, PROOFREADER THEHYPERION and HIROSHI HYDE, followed by SPECIAL THANKS to KENNETH, FULLISH, ALBERT, MUSASHI (NG), SHEBES, AND ALL OF OUR HOSTS. On the right side of the page, a full-body illustration shows a tall man with long hair, wearing sunglasses and a loose shirt, carrying an oversized smoking pipe over his shoulder while walking forward with one hand in his pocket.

Morel

End of chapter15 pages

Discussion

00AI-written

GonKilluaKnuckle

KnucklePalm

KilluaKnuckle Bine

Knuckle BineKilluaGon

GonKnuckle

GonKnuckle Bine

GonKillua

KnuckleGonKillua

GonKnuckle

GonKnuckleKnuckle's dog

Knuckle BineGonKillua

Jairo

Morel

End of chapter15 pages