Gungi

The spiky-haired boy stares intensely at the board, sweat visible. A close-up shows the striped-shirted player’s eyes and the board as the move 5-5-1 *CHYUUI-SHOU is announced. Narration states HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR THE FIRST TIME... THE CONSISTENT RHYTHM IN WHICH SHE PLOTTED HER MOVES... Black panels explain THE LENGTH OF THIS MATCH IS STRICTLY DEPENDENT UPON MY COUNTERMEASURES. THERE ARE NO OPTIMAL MOVES FOR HER. The hatted player turns with a sharp profile, declaring WITH THIS FORMATION... THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS I CAN MAKE FROM THE MIDDLE ARE LIMITLESS!! while an off-panel voice cries THE SOUND OF YOU! SUFFOCATING...!! NOW LET ME HEAR IT.

A hand grips a small device against a black background, emitting a sharp "chya." In the next panels, a spiky-haired figure identified as Chyuushouarata, the New Lieutenant General, stands over a grid board covered in circular pieces. His eyes widen in surprise as he reacts to an unseen move. Below, a helmeted figure with a long striped tail leans intently over rows upon rows of identical game boards, each marked with precise patterns of black and white circles. The character studies the grids in silence, a small speech bubble showing only dots as tension builds across the multiple boards.

Meruem leans forward with intense eyes, confronting Komugi across the board. "YOU KNEW THIS TACTIC WAS A DEAD END?" he demands. Komugi replies softly, "...YES." Meruem presses further: "WAS IT NOT A MOVE YOU COULD HAVE MADE WITHOUT PAUSING!?" and "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO PAUSE AND THINK BEFORE MAKING THE MOVE?" A panel shows Komugi with a calm, downcast expression labeled "AN UNFAVORABLE ANSWER..." while Meruem's face fills the frame. The narration notes "A QUESTION FROM THE KING BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE MATCH..." Komugi sits silently as the final panel shows her hair flowing dramatically with the caption "COULD PERHAPS RESULT IN 'CHECKMATE'...?"

Around 10 years ago, the spiky-haired boy recalls inventing a new move. "I came up with it..." he says, sweat on his face. "Actually it goes by the name of 'Ko-Koriko,'" the narration continues. "The 'Hanare Kakushi' tactic the great leader came up with... It involved a new move which I came up with as a counter-measure against the three-spear attack by placing the Chyuuishou in the center, called 'Gyulugyulugyulushou.'" The boy looks intense. "I was actually pretty happy about it..." he admits with a faint smile. "Somehow... I wondered if even that stupid little me was able to give birth to a smart child like him." The tactic "Gyulugyulugyulushou" from "Kokoriko" provided the user with the ability to checkmate and was considered a superior tactic and was very popular. "They made a big deal about this at the time..." the boy continues. "Was also me," he adds quietly. "But the one who killed the child..." A hand clutches fabric in distress. "I won the match, but from that day on, my child vanished from any official matches or guide books," the boy states. "I came up... with this move," he says. "One year after I came up with Kokoriko... during the national championship match, when my opponent used Kokoriko against me..."

The spiky-haired boy continues his story. "Made my heart pound with great honor and pride," he says of the great leader using the same tactic. "To think that the great leader came up with the same tactic as me..." A small figure sits on a throne-like seat. "It was as if..." the boy trails off. A black panel shows the words "So..." The boy remembers: "When I found myself having to kill my child once again... I was upset." His face appears in close-up, eyes half-closed with tears. "So... I hesitated a little," he admits, a tear falling. The final panel shows a dark, heavy scene with fabric and motion lines emphasizing the weight of the moment.

In a dimly lit room, a silhouetted figure stands motionless as a small spiky-haired creature trembles nearby. A voice remarks on the sudden end of enjoyment. "REST FOR A LITTLE," one figure suggests while another declares, "MY ENJOYMENT HAS BEEN KILLED. HOW DULL." The spiky-haired boy stares upward with intense focus as a commanding voice booms, "BE PRE-PARED." The boy clenches his fists while the voice continues, "THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO REST. ...NEXT TIME WE START..." In another panel, a long-haired figure reflects quietly, "HIS MAJESTY SILENTLY LISTENED TO SOMEONE TALK FOR 50 LONG... THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME..." A tailed figure in the distance responds with a startled "Y...YES!!" The scene shifts to a close-up of the spiky-haired boy as an unseen speaker concludes, "THAT IS ALL. WELL..."

Under a clear sky with sparse trees, a cloaked figure sits reading against a tree trunk while Komugi lies resting on the grass nearby. An hourglass stands prominently in the foreground. "HE'S NOT AS STUBBORN AS I THOUGHT, EH?" one observer notes. "KILLUA, HE FINALLY GOT BORED SO HE'S READING," another comments. A panel shows the hourglass with text indicating "RIGHT AT THE HALFWAY MARK... FOUR HOURS HAVE PASSED?" Killua, wearing an eyepatch, watches intently from the side. The spiky-haired boy Gon appears tense, asking "OH, STARTING?" as a tall man with a large weapon steps forward, replying "HAS IT ALREADY BEEN FIVE HOURS?" Komugi remains motionless on the ground as the scene cuts to Killua's surprised expression.

Morel stands in the darkness, pipe extended as a bright burst of smoke erupts from its tip. He laughs loudly while addressing his opponent. "AHAHAHAHA, I GUESS YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE ANXIOUS?" The spiky-haired boy reacts with wide-eyed surprise in successive close-ups. "HMP! IT'S STILL ONLY AROUND HALFWAY." Morel swings the pipe in a wide arc, smoke trailing dramatically. "HAVE YOU NO-TICED?" A small cat-like creature watches from the floor as the spiky-haired boy is yanked off balance. "THIS ISN'T THE START, IT'S THE END." The boy looks down in alarm at his ankle where the smoke has wrapped tightly. "TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR ANKLE." A massive shadowy figure looms in the foreground, partially obscuring the scene.

Morel's face appears in a panel as he explains his technique. "I PUT QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT INTO IT, YOU KNOW?" A massive close-up reveals the smoke has formed a thick rope. "A ROPE... MADE OF SMOKE?" Morel continues, describing how he routed the smoke to avoid detection. "I MADE IT GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TO AVOID DETECTION. SO THE ROPE ENDED UP BEING A BIT LONGER THAN I WOULD'VE LIKED." The spiky-haired boy is shown being pulled along the smoke rope. "SO ALL THAT IS LEFT IS TO HAUL IN THE ROPE." The boy stands ready in a fighting stance. "IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME." Final panels show the boy's intense expression and Morel gripping the pipe as the smoke rope tightens with motion lines.

A massive impact erupts with the sound 'KUOH', sending shockwaves and debris flying. A spiky-haired figure is violently hurled backward through the air, ponytail whipping wildly. A tiny silhouette clings to a massive weapon in the distance, propelled by the force. Speed lines and impact marks fill the panel as the small figure hurtles forward. The long-haired fighter stands tall, gripping a long staff topped with a heavy spiked ball, laughing 'KU KU KU.' He addresses the fallen opponent: 'SEEMS LIKE IT'S YOUR TURN TO TRY THIS AND THAT.' Nearby, the cat-eared fighter lies on the ground, eyes wide with tension, muttering 'AL- THOUGH IT'S FUTILE.' Motion lines and impact effects emphasize the ongoing clash.

The cat-eared fighter lies sprawled on the floor, one arm outstretched, eyes wide in shock as impact lines streak across the panel. A massive weapon rests beside him. In the background, the small figure continues its trajectory through open space, connected by a thin line to the weapon. The long-haired fighter is no longer visible. Heavy motion lines and debris emphasize the force of the previous blow. The cat-eared fighter's expression shows surprise and strain.

The spiky-haired fighter launches forward in a powerful leap, body twisted with momentum as motion lines and impact bursts explode around him. A close-up shows his intense, focused expression with wide eyes and gritted teeth. Below, a tall figure with a pale face and dark hair grips a long weapon, speaking calmly. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE IT BECAUSE IT'S THIN. CONSIDER IT A LEASH THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CUT." Another voice warns, "DON'T MAKE THIS HARDER THAN IT HAS TO BE." The spiky-haired fighter continues his assault, body angled sharply as he descends. A sudden close-up reveals a strained face with wide eyes and clenched jaw amid heavy shading and motion lines. With a massive roar the fighter unleashes a devastating strike, the panel erupting in black impact shapes and speed lines as he shouts "URAAA AAAAA AHH!!!"

A close-up shows the spiky-haired fighter's eyes widening in realization as he utters "UGH." In a grassy area the same fighter crouches low, speaking with focus. "IF I COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH HIS BODY, HIS ABILITY WILL BE DISABLED," followed by "JUST AS I THOUGHT... SINCE ATTACKING ME DIRECTLY CONSTITUTES AS HIM 'TOUCHING' ME...!" A tall figure stands in shadow on the right. Circular panels reveal a dark silhouette and motion lines. The tall fighter, now seen from behind with long hair and a large weapon strapped to his back, declares "THE ONE WHO CORNERED YOU WASN'T ME." and "FOR SOMEONE WHO LACKS FOCUS, SETTING IT FOR EIGHT HOURS WAS A GOOD MOVE..." A bright radial burst illuminates the declaration "IT WAS YOUR-SELF!!" as the spiky-haired fighter lies on the ground in the distance.

Zitoh's face twists in panic, sweat flying as he finds himself being completely cornered. A second close-up shows his wide eyes and strained expression while narration notes that Zitoh's ability is truly in its developmental stages. Below, Morel stands with his eyepatch and long hair, pipe in hand, watching the crisis unfold. In a desperate bid to overcome his predicament, Zitoh gives birth to a new ability. A violent burst of energy erupts from the ground in a star-shaped blast, flinging debris and creating massive impact lines and sound effects. The lower panel reveals the evolving Zitoh sprawled on the cracked earth, his spiky hair wild, clothes torn, one arm outstretched toward a massive, cracked weapon as he reaches forward with a determined yet exhausted posture.