Hunter × Hunter Chapter 309: A Challenge

Killua, sweat-dropping, asks "WOULD YOU..." and receives the reply "YES." from an off-panel voice. The Pouf clone stands in the distance near a wall, a small insect-like creature nearby, with an empty speech bubble above him. Killua leans forward with a determined grin and asks "LIKE TO CHALLENGE US?" The Pouf clone reacts with wide eyes as the word "LIGH..." and impact symbols appear. A panel shows the ant saying "A CHALL- ENGE...?" Killua is then shown mid-air, body twisting with motion lines, declaring "A CHALLENGE..." The Pouf clone responds from below: "YOUPI AND I WILL SEARCH FOR PITOU. AND YOU WILL SEARCH FOR THE OTHER TWO NEN USERS." Another bubble repeats "A CHALLENGE..."

A small girl with pigtails stands before a helmeted figure in a ruined interior. "EXACTLY," she declares. The helmeted one replies, "But I thought you were going to shower the crowd with your scales?" She answers simply, "Yes." A thought bubble continues the plan: "And whoever gets there first... wins?" In a wide panel showing a massive crowd, the girl continues, "Until I hypnotize the rest of the crowd...!!!" The helmeted figure responds, "So, Meryem-sama, if you could please wait here." Close-up on the girl's intense face, she warns, "Catching them in a few seconds will be no fun!! It's clear that there is a world of difference between you and the masses." A dramatic close-up of an eye with motion lines and symbols emphasizes the tension. In the lower section, a tall armored figure stands over a fallen body as the small girl floats nearby. "One more...?" the armored one asks. The girl pleads, "Give us time... and one more handicap." She adds, "So to make up for that..." The armored figure concludes, "So who knows where he is. And we will be searching for Pitou, who is fighting someone with teleportation-like abilities."

In darkness, the pigtail girl and helmeted figure stand apart. The girl warns, "You can only use 'En' one more time!" The helmeted one replies, "Interesting." She asks, "How does that sound?" A starry sky panel shows the helmeted figure saying, "Thank you." The girl responds, "I accept your challenge." The helmeted figure offers, "I have a suggestion too." The girl states, "Since we're playing a game, to put an end to her for good...!!!" Close-ups show her determined face and the words, "I did it...!!! I can use this time." A large hand makes a gesture against black background. The voice declares, "I will grant you one wish. If you win,"

A voice offers thanks for generous words, met with a quiet affirmative. The helmeted figure presses forward in the dark, asking what happens if he wins and what the other should win in return. The King leans in close, eyes sharp beneath his ornate headpiece, demanding to know whatever is being hidden from him and insisting it be told. Two smaller figures react with wide, startled eyes and a burst of shock. From the shadows comes a firm command to be quiet, followed by a reverent address to the King.

Meruem stands tall and powerful, declaring that he and the other are already as one. He recalls having said this before while radiating dark emotions. The smaller armored figure and the girl react with surprise. Meruem continues that without that bond he would have already wrung their necks, yet at the same time he can feel their loyalty shifting toward him. Close-ups show the armored character's wide eyes and the girl's concerned gaze. Meruem concludes he will not ask, acknowledging they must have their reasons, as his clawed feet stand over cracked ground.

Against a pitch-black background a small figure in a rounded helmet and glasses stands with one hand raised, declaring, "BUT ONLY IF I LOSE." In the next tier of panels the helmeted figure faces a blond character and states, "YOU CAN KEEP YOUR SECRET." The blond replies, "IF YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT." Close-ups show the blond's intense eye and clenched fists as the helmeted speaker continues, "IF YOU WIN. BUT ONLY I HAVE NO OTHER CONDITIONS." At the bottom of the page the blond kneels in a dramatic pose, head bowed, and calls out "MERYEM-SAMA." Beside him stands a tall chimera-ant-like figure with a striped tail, its body outlined against a burst of light and motion lines. Scattered sound effects punctuate the tense exchange.

The helmeted negotiator continues, "THIS SEEMS LIKE MORE THAN JUST A WAY TO PASS THE TIME, POUF. HE-HE-HE-HE." The blond character answers with a fierce expression, "AND IF WE LOSE, I PROMISE I WILL SPREAD MY SCALES AS FAST AS I CAN. I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING." A small figure replies, "YES, SIR!" and another voice confirms, "I WILL MAKE MY MOVE WHEN YOU RETURN FROM DISSEMINATING YOUR SCALES." In a wide panel the blond outlines the plan: "I WILL EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO HIM AND TELL HIM TO HIDE FROM YOU. IF PITOU SHOULD RETURN HERE BEFORE THEN, WHOEVER BRINGS THEIR TARGET BACK HERE FIRST WINS..." The helmeted figure adds, "THE ONES I SENSED WITH 'EN' WERE AN OCTOPUS AND A PERSON CARRYING SOMETHING. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW..." A final close-up shows the blond's determined eyes as the thought reads, "THE QUESTION IS HOW TO DEAL WITH PITOU AND THE GIRL... NO, I WILL WIN!!!"

With a massive impact SFX marking the start, a spiky-haired boy hurtles through the air amid radiating speed lines. A small Pouf clone floats nearby while a tailed figure stands in a bright flash below. In the lower panels a wide-eyed character with a headband shouts urgently about the west tower. "YOU STAKE OUT THE WEST TOWER AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HIM!! AND MAKE SURE THE KING STAYS AWAY!!" another voice answers "DON'T WORRY!! HE SHOULD BE BACK SOON!!" A third demands "WHERE DO YOU THINK PITOU WENT !?" Panting sounds echo as a winged figure appears in shadow. "TRUST ME!! I'M COUNTING ON YOU!!" the headband character insists while an unseen speaker adds "I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THE HANDICAP. BUT YOU CAN'T USE YOUR COPIES WHEN YOU SPREAD YOUR SCALES, CAN YOU?"

A massive close-up reveals a fearsome aura emanating from an eye. "WHAT A FEARSOME AURA!!" someone exclaims. "WHAT ON EARTH...!?" another reacts. Further panels show a character with long spotted hair running desperately amid heavy motion lines and panting sounds. "THEY MUST STILL BE ALIVE!! THEY'RE JUST UNCONSCIOUS!!" a voice declares while another wonders "DID THEY... DIE... NO!!" A silhouetted figure with wild hair stands in darkness. Multiple overlapping bubbles convey panic: "ANYWAY, PLEASE DON'T COME BACK HERE!! PLEASE!!" "AND WHAT HAPPENED WHILE I WASN'T WATCHING !?" "NO!! THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES IN THE CRYSTAL!! THAT IS GON!!" "WHAT ABOUT GON...!? KILLUA IS CARRYING HIM!!! BUT HIS HAIR IS LONG. IS IT SOMEONE ELSE!?" Additional thoughts race about Pouf spreading scales, poison, and the need to get far away from the king.

The fugitive's thoughts race as motion lines streak across the ceiling. "BEFORE HE USES 'EN' AGAIN...!! I HAVE TO HURRY!! I HAVE TO GET AS FAR AWAY AS I CAN!!" More doubts follow in overlapping bubbles: "SHOULD I TAKE THE CHANCE THAT HE WON'T MAKE ANOTHER MOVE SO SOON AND ESCAPE THE PALACE!? WITHOUT ANY PROOF!? IT MIGHT NOT REACH DEEP DOWN IN HERE!! BUT I WILL BE A CORNERED RAT...!! IF HE USES 'EN' WHILE I'M OUT IN THE FIELD, THERE'S NO WAY I'LL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE!! THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE!!" In a vast, empty chamber with two small "FANT" signs on the far wall, the dark-haired woman stands frozen, arms out, repeatedly thinking "WHAT SHOULD I DO!?" A sudden close-up shows the Pouf clone with glasses and flowing hair lunging forward in shock, exclamation marks bursting beside its face amid heavy speed lines.

Ikalgo bursts through the ceiling in a massive explosion of debris and impact lines, shouting "LET'S GET INSIDE! HURRY!!" while gripping a weapon. A small octopus-like creature clings to the wall yelling "SO YOU CAME HERE, TOO!" and "IKALGO...!!!" The dark-haired woman stares upward in surprise. Ikalgo continues, "THAT'S WHY YOU CAME HERE, RIGHT!? HURRY!!" as the woman questions "IF HE USES 'EN' AGAIN, IT'S ALL OVER!!" In a dark corridor below, the woman walks forward with the small creature floating beside her. She states "HE'S WITH GON NOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO PITOU, THOUGH." while wondering "WHERE'S KILLUA!?" Large vertical sound effects mark the chaotic entry.

A large truck barrels forward amid clouds of dust and debris, its side marked with bold black characters. In the panels below, several figures discuss the situation. One voice wonders aloud that the captives are probably still alive but admits it is only a hope. Another questions why the enemy would allow them to live, while a third notes that the captives are in an entirely different league and concludes that Meleoron and Knuckle must have been taken. Close-up eyes glare as someone declares that the enemy probably wants to trade and confirms that the others agree. A determined speaker insists they will not let matters end this way and announces the plan to set a trap—an exchange of hostages exactly as Killua suggested. The final panel states that the next step takes place inside Bizeff’s room: first they hide the girl.

The same truck now sits parked on a quiet street lined with houses while rain falls. Inside a building, a door slams with loud SFX. A young girl with long hair lies unconscious on a bed, covered by a blanket. In the next room a woman with glasses and dark hair questions why the others were brought along. Another voice answers that tape will be used to bind their wrists and cover their eyes. Someone asks whether the last four girls have already run away, and the reply confirms they have not. A figure outside states that explaining everything will take too long and decides to go see the group personally. The truck remains visible in the background of the street scene.

In a cluttered storage room, a wolf-headed man sits upright among scattered boxes and debris while a heavily bandaged girl lies motionless on the floor beside him. He speaks with surprise: "A MESSE-NGER?" Smaller panels show close-ups of the wolf's face as he receives instructions. A voice tells him, "AFTER THAT, YOU'RE FREE TO GO." Another adds, "TELL THEM WE WANT TO NEGOTIATE." A third warns, "JUST TELL THE KING OR HIS GUARDS THAT THE GIRL IS IN THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE AREA." The wolf questions the plan internally: "WHY WOULD I DO THAT? ...WAIT A MINUTE, BUT EVEN ACTING AS THE ENEMY'S MESSENGER BOY MIGHT INCUR HIS WRATH....!!" A small spiky-haired figure and a round creature react nearby, with the wolf replying "YEAH." He worries aloud, "IT'S A TRAP, ISN'T IT? WHAT IF I TELL THE KING? IF I DON'T, HE MIGHT BE SUSPICIOUS OF ME....!" In the final exchange the round creature asks, "CAN YOU DRIVE?" The wolf answers, "I'LL DO IT..." and the creature retorts, "BETTER THAN YOU." The wolf concludes, "ALL RIGHT."

Palm appears in close-up with a concerned expression, calling out "PALM!" She touches her face while thinking, "MAYBE I SHOULD WATCH HIM, EVEN IF IT MEANS ERASING POUF..." and questions, "WILL HE REALLY FOLLOW THROUGH...!?" A small round creature and another figure react with surprise. The wolf-headed man stands beside Palm, who now wears a patterned dress. In a wide panel a truck labeled "WELFIN." is parked in an alley; the wolf runs toward it while a small round figure and another creature follow. Palm stands watching from the side. Close-ups show the wolf's eye and a damaged circular object. The round creature shouts, "GO SEE GYRO." The wolf replies, "AFTER THIS, YOU'RE FREE."

A furious close-up shows a spiky-haired boy with wide, bloodshot eyes and bared teeth shouting in rage. "I'LL KILL YOU!!" he yells as impact lines burst around him. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE...!?" he continues. In the next panels a boy with spiky hair glares intensely while another figure questions, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT ANYWAY!? YOU'RE NOT FIT TO SAY HIS NAME!" The spiky-haired boy stares forward with intense eyes. A small, furry creature with wide eyes appears and says "ZAICAHAL." followed by "I UNDER-STAND." Below, a boy stands alone looking shocked as close-up panels reveal trembling eyes and fragmented speech: "DID YOU... MY OLD... TOLD ANYONE !!" "HOW... I'VE NEVER" and "WHA... T...?"

Two figures stand in a ruined, dusty landscape. One says "BEFORE." A large round-headed character with angry eyes and sweat drops declares, "BUT WE WERE COMRADES. I DON'T THINK I CAN REMEMBER MY OLD NAME," while another panel shows a scaly creature's head. In a wide scene of chaos, figures lie on the ground amid rubble as a voice states "THE ENEMY OF NGL." Another balloon adds "THEY WERE OUR ENEMY, WEREN'T THEY?" Close-up panels show trembling eyes, sweat, and motion lines with the question "AM I WRONG ?" Large bold sound effects "ゴチゴチゴチ" dominate the bottom of the page.

A large delivery truck barrels forward at high speed, motion lines streaking behind it as massive bold SFX explode across the panel. Below, a furious chimera ant with feline features snarls in close-up, sweat flying, shouting in two separate balloons: "DAMN IT!!!" and "DAMN IT...!!!". A narrow black panel shows a small silhouetted figure plummeting downward with motion lines and debris. At the bottom, a close-up reveals a young man wearing a wide-brimmed hat pulled low, his eyes narrowed and mouth set in a grim line as he declares "A CHALLENGE ...". A small text box in the upper left reads "WHAT IS IKALGO'S SECRET PLAN...!?" while the bottom left corner displays the Hunter × Hunter logo and "No.309 END".