Last Will

On a pitch-black page, white speech bubbles float in three vertical columns, conveying a tense long-distance exchange. In the rightmost column, a voice announces the decisive move: "4-5-1 CHUUJYOU" followed by a small ellipsis bubble and the triumphant declaration "THAT'S CHECKMATE...". The middle column opens with "KOMUGI..." then "ARE YOU THERE...?" Komugi answers from below, "YES, YES, I'M HERE." The same voice continues, "NOW, ANOTHER GAME. BECAUSE YOU LOST THAT ONE!" The left column repeats the call "KOMUGI...", receives the reply "YES, YES.", and ends with the question "WHAT IS IT?" No figures are drawn; only the floating bubbles and their precise wording remain visible against the void.

Against a pitch-black background, isolated white speech bubbles convey a tense exchange. A voice calls softly, "KOMUGI..." followed by a hesitant query, "ARE YOU THERE...?" The reply comes clearly: "YES, OF COURSE." The same speaker continues, "IT'S YOUR TURN, MERUEM-SAMA." Another line affirms, "YOU'RE RIGHT......" Gungi moves are announced in sequence: "1-5-1 SUI" and later "9-5-1 SUI," with a trailing ellipsis indicating silence or thought. On the right side, a reflective voice admits, "IN THE END... I..." and "COULDN'T WIN AGAINST YOU EVEN ONCE......" An indignant outburst follows: "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!!" The final declaration rings out, "THE BATTLE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN!!"

In the enveloping darkness, a soft voice speaks first. "I'm just a bit..... tired..." Another voice answers gently, "I think I'll sleep... just a little... okay?" Then the first speaker asks quietly, "Do you think you could hold onto my hand...?"

In total darkness a hesitant voice begins, "I'll..." A moment later the same speaker adds softly, "Be awake soon... okay?" From the void another voice answers calmly, "I'm listening." The first speaker continues, "I understand, like this, right?" Silence follows until a worried call breaks it: "Komugi...?" The voice repeats with growing concern, "Komugi...? Are you there?"

In the darkness a voice softly calls out, 'Komugi...' A gentle reply answers, 'Yes, yes, what is it?' Another voice declares with quiet resolve, 'I will not leave.' The response comes firm and heartfelt, 'I'll stay with you... forever!!' The first speaker continues, 'So until then.....' A final question lingers in the black, 'Would you... stay by my side...?'

The entire page is swallowed in deep blackness, broken only by two white oval speech bubbles suspended in the void. In the lower portion, one bubble declares "THE PLEASURE IS MINE." Higher up and slightly to the right, a second bubble answers "THANK YOU..." The stark contrast and empty space emphasize the isolated exchange, with no figures, backgrounds, or additional details visible. The words linger alone against the darkness, marking a quiet, courteous moment between unseen speakers.

The page is swallowed in total darkness. A lone oval speech bubble appears high on the left: "GOOD NIGHT..." Below it, another bubble holds only an ellipsis: "..." On the next vertical strip a bubble reads "WOULD YOU..." and lower down "CALL MY NAME...?" Farther right, near the top, the words "AT THE END...." float alone. Directly beneath them a small bubble answers "YES...?" No figures, no backgrounds, no motion lines—only these floating white ovals and the black void between them. The exchange hangs suspended in emptiness, each phrase separated by vast stretches of darkness, as though the speakers are reaching across an immense distance or through fading consciousness.

Komugi kneels on the grassy ground beside a heavily armored, muscular figure lying on its back. The figure's legs are raised and bent, one fist clenched tightly near its chest, while its body shows signs of damage and wear on the plating. Komugi, with long flowing hair and a calm, gentle expression, holds a large round armored object close to her. Her eyes are lowered and a faint smile rests on her face as she remains close to the fallen form. The scene is quiet, with detailed shading on the grass and the armored body emphasizing the stillness of the moment.

A massive explosion tears through a grand palace perched on a sheer cliffside, sending stone fragments and structural debris flying outward in all directions. Thick smoke and dust billow upward as the building fractures under the blast. On the right side of the page, a close-up reveals a character with long, flowing white hair framing a downturned face marked by dark shading around the eyes. The character’s expression is heavy and resolute, gaze directed downward. A speech bubble reads “SOON, TOO...” while another states “I’LL BE GOING.”

Both the Republic of Gorteau and the country of Neo Green Life were temporarily taken over by international peace preserving organizations to the truly war-torn countries. During the selection process, a total of 478,594 civilians and 12,905 soldiers perished. And after awakening from Pouf's hypnotism, the number of civilians whose conditions deteriorated and died is 46,613. A vast crowd of people stands with their backs to the viewer, gazing across a wide valley toward distant mountains and a winding river under an open sky. Former East Gorteau would be distributed equally to each of them and they would be given joint control of the land. Combined between both countries, the 500,000 "survivors" were treated as refugees. The three remaining countries of the Commonwealth of Mitene accepted the conditions that the assets of... All power of jurisdiction and such over the nature preserve were entrusted to the Hunter Association. On the other hand, so that the now barren land of NGL would not become a new spark, the organizations proposed it be designated as a permanent nature preserve, and it was approved by international parliament.

Netero stands with arms crossed, his expression calm and steady against a stark black backdrop filled with large jagged white shapes. He announces, "I'M NETERO." An off-panel voice stammers in surprise, "AAAAH, UM..." In a tighter close-up, Netero offers a brief farewell, "GOOD LUCK FROM HERE." He then declares without hesitation, "I'M QUITTING AS CHAIRMAN." The final panel focuses on his face as he concludes that the position "WILL BE DECIDED BY ELECTION," adding that "THE NEXT CHAIRMAN" will be chosen that way.

A close-up reveals the intense face of an older man with messy hair and a thick mustache as he speaks with narrowed eyes. "If the voter turnout is less than 95%, the election will be deemed invalid, and a re-election will be held." He adds his condition: "My condition for it voting from all of the hunters." In a tighter shot of his face, he continues, "I live it to everyone in the 'Jyuuni Shin' to decide." "As for the details like the schedule and the method the votes are taken," he states. A panel focuses on his eyes and nose area. "Will be 'D', I think." "The achievement difficulty." The view widens to show the mustached man seated with one hand raised in a gesture, a dark abstract silhouette visible behind him on a black background. "Be in good health--" "Okay, I'm counting on you----" A small TL note at the bottom reads "JYUUNI SHIN = 12 SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC."

A towering modern skyscraper dominates the skyline as a dramatic new stage unfolds. In the foreground, a tall figure in a black-and-white patterned uniform and spiked helmet stands with his back to the viewer, arms crossed, surveying the scene. Scattered across the page in dynamic action poses are several new hunters and strange figures: a masked woman with flowing hair and a large weapon, a small armored warrior with a flaming headpiece, a girl in a frilly dress holding a chain, a flower-like creature, and others tumbling through the air. Massive black sound-effect characters explode across the center of the page. Vertical text reads "A AAAAN" near a fallen figure. At the bottom, the chapter number and end marker appear. A bold narration box declares: "NEW HUNTERS DRAWN TOGETHER, NEW MONSTERS, AND A NEW STAGE... ON TO A NEW BATTLEFIELD!!"