DECISION

High above jagged rock formations, a massive butterfly-like creature with patterned wings hovers while holding a tiny figure. Nearby, a small winged silhouette floats in the air. Below, a grid-like structure with plants is shown in an overhead view. The Chimera Ant King, wearing his segmented helmet, glances sideways and thinks Hmm. In a sudden burst of motion, the King lunges forward with arms outstretched, speed lines and impact shapes radiating from a blinding light source. To the side, the butterfly creature flaps its wings while a small figure stands on the rocky ground below.

In a vast cultivated field lined with palm trees, a young girl carrying a basket of produce walks away from a distant explosion that sends smoke and debris into the air. Two adults stand further ahead in the rows of plants. Small winged insects flutter near two distant figures. The man in the ornate hat pauses, a syringe-like weapon visible at his side, and murmurs "HMM?" Close-ups show fingers pinching a small dark object while the man in the hat declares "I PICKED WRONG." and "DISGUSTING." An armored chimera ant creature stands amid scattered leaves and laughs "HAHAHA. WHAT ARE THESE GUYS?" while noting "THEY DIDN'T REACT AT ALL." At the bottom, the man in the hat bows deeply before a small child and says "FORGIVE ME FOR DISTURBING YOUR MAJESTY..."

The man in the ornate hat questions "IS THAT SO?" while a young girl clutches her face in horror and cries "NO... D... DADDY... MOMMY..." Neferpitou leans forward with a predatory smile, explaining that the most delicious part of a human is the brain and suggesting it may be better to kill without damaging the head. A child screams "NOOOOOOO" with tears streaming down their face. The Chimera Ant King stands with Neferpitou nearby; the man in the hat praises "EXCELLENT, YOUR MAJESTY." while Neferpitou demonstrates "LIKE THIS?" The man in the hat concludes "NOT BAD." and "I SEE." as the child lies collapsed on the ground.

Neferpitou appears in close-up, cat ears and glasses visible. Menthuthuyoupi's face fills the next panel with a sharp "N!" sound effect. Menthuthuyoupi speaks while looking aside: "Compared to the rare prey. But it's still not worth eating..." Neferpitou replies from the side: "If your majesty were to use it... There's a method for distinguishing the rare prey." In a distant panel the Chimera Ant King stands on a stone path among palm trees as Menthuthuyoupi kneels and says, "Your majesty, allow me to speak. Let's go." The bottom half of the page erupts into a violent strike: Menthuthuyoupi swings a long weapon into Neferpitou, sending the smaller figure hurtling backward amid heavy motion lines and impact bursts.

Neferpitou, bruised on the cheek, looks up and says, "I know that you can see the energy surrounding their bodies by concentrating with your eyes. Do you take me for a fool?" The cat-like Chimera Ant continues with head lowered: "My most sincere apologies, your majesty. They're distinguished by the amount of energy they have, isn't that so?" The Chimera Ant King looms in the background with wings spread while Menthuthuyoupi remains kneeling. The King replies, "What interests me is not knowing whether it's a rare prey until I actually try it. There's no art in simply finding and eating it." In the final panels the King speaks again: "I am not worthy of such overwhelming praise... I struck you with the intent of killing you. I commend you for your strength. But Pitou, I must say, you're pretty strong. I'm somewhat full now anyway."

From a high vantage, the ruined rocky landscape stretches out with scattered bodies and debris. A massive dark silhouette looms in the foreground as smaller creatures lie motionless on the ground. In the next panels, a bearded winged Chimera Ant and a small round creature react with shock. 'IT'S USE-LESS.' 'HE ATE HIS OWN FOLLOW-ERS... HIS OWN KIND.' 'THIS IS COM-PLETELY ABSURD.' A bear-like Chimera Ant with a headband and eyepatch stares forward seriously. 'IT PROBABLY CONSIDERS EVERY CREATURE ASIDE FROM ITSELF AS PREY.' 'IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CREATURE FROM US.' Nearby, a cat-like girl with long hair looks on with wide eyes while a spiky-haired muscular figure stands beside her. 'Ku ku ku...' 'IT'LL BE MEANING-LESS FOR US TO STAY HERE IF HER MAJESTY JUST DIES LIKE THIS...' 'THEN WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?'

The cat-like girl glances aside and murmurs 'I guess that's true.' A tall woman with curly hair and a star emblem stands confidently. 'THE QUEEN HAS LOST HER ABILITY TO REPRODUCE, RIGHT?' A lion-like Chimera Ant with a skull necklace replies 'HASN'T IT ALREADY BECOME MEANINGLESS?' A horned bearded figure reacts with wide eyes. Close-up on intense eyes as narration continues. 'IN SUCH A CASE, WE CAN ALL INDIVIDUALLY STRIVE TO BECOME KING, RIGHT?' 'IT'S BECOME IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE QUEEN TO CREATE A KINGDOM NOW...' In the wide lower panel inside a rocky cavern with multiple tunnels, the group stands together. The lion-like Ant points forward. 'WE'RE GONNA DO AS WE LIKE.' A spider-like creature with a rider appears on the left while other Ants including a winged figure and a small one in a dress stand in the background.

A striped hand with a ring gestures emphatically as voices debate escape. "THAT WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE," one declares while another adds, "I DON'T THINK WE'RE THE ONLY ONES..." In the rocky cavern, a cloaked figure confronts a hulking beast. "YOU! DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SAYING!?" the cloaked one shouts. "DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE LEFT TO DO AS YOU WISH?" the beast retorts. Close-ups reveal tense animalistic faces: a wide-eyed goat-like creature sweating, a sharp-eyed fox, a spotted bird, a long-haired figure with a pipe, a reptilian beast, a stern cat-eared girl, a horned muscular man, and a wide-eyed hooded figure. Below, a bear-like character in goggles and headband stands near a small tunnel marked with dots. A massive lion-like face looms at the bottom. "IT'S QUITE EVIDENT WHOSE SIDE IS OUTNUMBERED," the bear states. The lion replies calmly, "CAN YOU GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD?"

In a stone chamber, a winged figure drags a bound captive while shouting, "IF THE QUEEN DIES, THE LEASHES ON THE DIVISION COMMANDERS WILL BE CUT LOOSE AND THEY'LL RUN RAMPANT!" A desperate voice cries, "PLEASE...!!! THERE'S NO TIME!" A man with glasses asks, "WHAT EXACTLY WILL HAPPEN?" while another figure explains the chain of command breaking and more emerging from squad captains. The man with glasses and a blonde woman discuss reproduction: "DO CHIMERA SOLDIER ANTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPRODUCE?" "YES," comes the answer. The man notes soldier ants do not reproduce normally around a queen, but if the queen dies they leave the nest and manifest that ability. A spiky-haired man in sunglasses listens nearby.

Koruto stands in the rocky cavern, sweat on his face as he speaks. A voice asks, "GOT A NAME? YOU." Koruto replies. The winged figure beside him says, "I DON'T KNOW IF HE'LL BELIEVE YOU OR NOT. HOWEVER... TELL HIM EXACTLY WHAT YOU TOLD US IN YOUR OWN WORDS. WE'RE NOW GOING TO TAKE YOU TO OUR BOSS, KORUTO." The long-haired man with sunglasses responds, "ARE YOU STILL WILLING TO COME? HE MAY IN FACT BELIEVE WHAT YOU TELL HIM, BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT HE'LL LET YOU LIVE." The winged figure urges, "PLEASE HURRY, WE CAN'T WASTE ANY MORE TIME!!" The long-haired man answers, "OF COURSE!" Later, the long-haired man kneels on the cracked ground, exhausted, declaring, "I BET A HUNDRED THOUSAND ON JUST KNUCKLE AND SHOOT COMING." Another figure replies, "—HEH, I TO-TALLY FORGOT." Narration states, "TODAY'S THE DAY THE RESULT OF THE APPRENTICES IS DECIDED. THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE COINCIDING WITH EACH OTHER." SFX show impact and motion around the kneeling man.

Feet step forward as narration continues, "AND YOU..." A large truck is parked nearby. Two tall men stand with Gon and Killua: one with a long ponytail and serious expression, the other with a tall spiky hairstyle and stern face. The spiky-haired man declares, "BET A MILLION ON 'ALL FIVE OF THEM COMING.'" Close-ups show Gon's worried expression shifting to surprise, then Killua's focused gaze. From behind, someone calls out, "KNUCKLE." Gon turns toward the voice with a surprised look.

Gon stares forward with intense determination, sweat on his face as he shouts at Knuckle. "THAT.. THAT YOU'LL RESCUE KAITO NO MATTER WHAT!!" A small fox-like creature clings to his shoulder. He finishes with a firm "PROMISE!!" Knuckle responds seriously while holding up a small plate marked with Japanese characters. "I SWEAR ON THIS PLATE!!" he declares. In the next panel Knuckle continues, "I'LL DEFINITELY BRING HIM BACK. LEAVE IT UP TO ME." A wide landscape shows several figures standing beneath massive tree roots near a sign labeled "KITE." Killua appears in profile holding the fox-like creature, with a truck visible in the background. Gon and Killua stand together facing the trees. At the bottom of the page Gon looks down and says quietly, "WEAK, HUH?" followed by "I'M..."

Gon stands with a blank expression while two silhouettes of himself appear behind him. Speech bubbles read "NEVER IMAGINED" and "I". The scene shifts to a chaotic, high-contrast panel showing a distorted screaming face with motion lines and debris. The figure yells "I NEVER IMAGINED....!!!" and "THAT BEING WEAK WAS SO PAINFUL." The panel fades back to Gon in the present, tears streaming down his face as he stares forward with a pained look.

Inside a wooden room, Gon sits on the floor with his back against the wall while Killua kneels facing him. Outside on a barren rocky plain, a truck drives away into the distance. A black panel displays the words 'I WILL PROTECT YOU.' followed by 'GON... FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS YOU CAN'T USE NEN...'. Killua bows his head low, his body trembling slightly. Gon looks up with a serious expression. The rocky ground cracks and splits under heavy impact lines as text reads 'AT ANY COST.' and 'NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.'. Large lettering at the bottom states 'IT'S GOODBYE.' and 'BUT AFTER THAT...'.