Hunter × Hunter Chapter 325: Joining the Battle

Leorio lunges forward dramatically, gripping a cell phone with both hands as he shouts into it with all his might. "MY NAME IS LEORIOOOO~!!!" A long-haired man in sunglasses stands behind him, finger raised to his lips in warning. "THIS IS A HOSPITAL!!" A young girl in a hat covers her ears with a pained expression. Below, a large tote bag displays bold text: "COULD I PLEASE HAVE YOU GET KILLUA ON THE LINE-!?" In a separate panel, a suited man with glasses holds a phone while seated beside Gon and a black-haired girl. He remarks, "AH... THAT'S NOSTAL-GIC."

Multiple speech bubbles convey a tense phone conversation. One speaker notes, "THOUGH HE'S HELPING A FRIEND... CONDITIONS, YOU SAY!? ARE YOU DAY-DREAMING!?" Another says, "...OI, COME ON NOW." and "...HOWEVER, THAT COMES WITH STRICT CONDITIONS." A man on the phone reacts with shock: "AHH! I KNEW IT... THE COIN BAS-TARD!!" and "AHH!?" The suited man replies, "IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, LEORIO-SAMA." A close-up shows his intense expression as he states, "KILLUA-SAMA IS INDEED HEADED YOUR WAY, ALONG WITH THE REST OF US." He adds, "KILLUA-SAMA IS RISKING HIS LIFE!!" and later, "EVEN YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE ZOLDYCK FAMILY IS SPECIAL, RIGHT...?" The conversation escalates with, "KILLUA IS HEADED AGAINST THE WISHES OF HIS FAMILY." The suited man demands, "SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU UNDERLING...!!" and "ALRIGHT ALREADY, SHUT UP AND LISTEN, YOU BASTARD!!" He concludes, "I'M GOING TO BE COUNTING ON YOU AS FAR AS THESE CONDITIONS GO."

Illumi sits in shadow, his expression calm and calculating. In the next panel he speaks into the phone with polite menace: "IT'LL BE FASTER THAT WAY. LET ME, GOTOH. ...AH, I'VE BEEN TERRIBLY RUDE." Killua, seated nearby, answers without hesitation, "IT'S BACK HOME RIGHT AWAY IF I BREAK THE RULES, RIGHT? IT'S FINE. I WON'T SAY ANYTHING UNNECESSARY." Outside, a black car speeds along a highway at dusk. From inside, a voice shouts desperately, "KILLUA!! ONCE YOU GET HERE LET ME TALK TO THAT GUY FOR A BIT!! AND YOU...ARE YOU AL-RIGHT!?" Killua replies coolly, "YO. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME." Gotoh's voice instructs, "PLEASE DO AS GOTOH SAYS. TRUST ME." Killua nods, "I CAN'T TELL YOU ANY OF THE DETAILS, BUT... YEAH." In a split panel Illumi listens on the phone, then says, "AHHH...I GET IT. PUT HIM BACK ON." He holds the receiver with a faint, knowing smile.

The long-haired man in a hospital gown stands behind Illumi, who remains seated with the phone to his ear. Illumi says, "I'M USING MY CELL PHONE TO SPEAK WITH MY FRIEND..." The man replies, "I'LL LISTEN TO THE CONDITIONS. HAND IT TO ME." Illumi snaps, "WHY DO I HAVE TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU? SCREW OFF..." The man answers with a slight smile, "NO WAY... EXCELLENT QUESTION." In a smaller panel the man continues, "AT SOME POINT YOU'LL PROBABLY SAY 'THERE'S NO WAY I CAN DO THAT.' BUT, I DO HAVE ONE REQUEST. ... FINE. THE ANSWER IS 'HAND IT OVER THIS INSTANT.'" A dramatic close-up shows the man's intense face as he declares, "BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, I CAN DO IT. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, JUST CALMLY HAND OVER THE CELL PHONE."

A man with glasses holds a phone to his ear and demands, "TELL ME THE CONDITIONS." On the other end, a long-haired man with sunglasses answers calmly, "AHH, NOTHING'S WRONG. HELLO HELLO..." The glasses man presses further, stating he will arrange for Gon-sama to be the only person in the entire hospital building. The long-haired man replies that once they arrive at the location they will handle the rest. In a smaller panel the glasses man bows his head while listening. The long-haired man confirms the other patients and doctors will also be removed. Suddenly the glasses man erupts in panic, shouting that it is a national hospital filled with thousands of people and there is no way he can fulfill such a request. In the final panels the long-haired man is seen on the phone again saying "HELLO HELLO..." while the glasses man stands with a woman whose back is turned; the glasses man looks startled as small symbols indicate surprise near his head.

The long-haired man continues the call, promising to construct a private room so Gon can enter by car unnoticed. He assures that the enormous parking lot will also be cleared and that whatever the glasses man wants will be done. The glasses man responds that from next time he would like to speak with "THE NAME'S MORAU" and adds "AND YOU..." before the long-haired man ends the call. In later panels the woman stands by a window while the glasses man explains that monitors will be placed in a separate outside room with no windows. The long-haired man notes that the situation has changed slightly. A close-up shows the glasses man realizing Killua's words hinted differently, and he concludes that the condition of "not wanting anybody to see" is true, suggesting the involvement of a new remover.

A heavy wooden door looms in the upper panel, marked with the number 2 on either side. Below, a close-up reveals wide, startled eyes belonging to a woman with a headband. In the background, two suited men stand near a curtained area, one masked. The woman, dressed in an ornate floral robe, speaks with visible distress, sweat on her face. She declares that even with her abilities she could not begin to take off all of this burden, that this is hopeless to even think of removing, and that it is hopeless. In the lower panel, Illumi Zoldyck holds a phone to his ear, his expression serious behind dark sunglasses. He recounts that the person said he would definitely bring him back to normal with no risk, notes that even though there are probably guys that aren't saying anything despite having the ability, and adds that even though the Hunter Association's only Nen remover said that Gon is a hopeless case.

Illumi continues the phone conversation in close-up, his face intense. He states that to obey without objection is the rule of the scene and that since a trusted friend has said so he will leave it up to him. In another panel Killua sits on the floor replying No while Illumi stands over him. Killua is labeled in a speech bubble. The scene shifts to a room where a person in white stands near a door as Illumi asks what they plan to do for themselves. Killua responds with a determined Ahh trust me and declares he is going to trust you with communicating with Killua. Illumi addresses Morai and says there are quite a few fellows that he absolutely would like to have a word with, accompanied by a large SFX sound effect.

In a bustling city, multiple phone rings echo across the urban landscape. A man with spiky black hair stands in a phone booth, gripping the receiver tightly with a furious expression. He shouts into the phone, 'WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, AND WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!! WHY HAVEN'T YOU SHOWN UP!!' and continues, 'EVEN THOUGH GON'S LIKE THIS...!!' The panel erupts into a massive radial burst with the name 'KURAPIKA....!!' emblazoned across it.

A tall silhouetted figure in a suit stands with his back to the viewer in a tree-lined park overlooking a dense city skyline filled with skyscrapers. Below, a light-haired man in a sparkling suit leans forward at a podium, speaking passionately with two large speech bubbles. He declares that any vote cast will not be wasted and assures the audience of dedication, then references the Zodiac Twelve's commitment to the previous chairman's wishes and the goal of greater progress for the association.

In the vast Hunter Association assembly hall, rows of seated members fill the chamber as voices rise from the crowd. A speaker declares, "You can make direct negotiations!! Even if you make a speech for us here it's perfectly fine!! What's necessary is simply that you speak up!!" Another adds, "We absolutely will not look down on minority opinions!!" From the opposite side, a voice warns, "There's no doubt that there are people out there who are dissatisfied with the current association and wish for a renewal of the top ranks!!" A measured reply follows: "However, if possible, I would like to have you refrain from expressing this by abstaining from your right to express your will!" At the podium, Leorio grips the microphone, his expression serious. "I'd like to ask something of that Ging guy over there... This is Leorio, from the 287th exam." In smaller panels, a suited figure points toward the stage while a hand is raised. Ging Freecss stands center stage, coat sparkling with stars, arms spread wide as he announces, "This is the last mission that the previous chairman gave to us!!" A rabbit-eared girl tugs at him, pleading, "Alright, thank you vice chairman! Return to your seat please..." Ging continues, "Even he's falling in line as a member of the 'Zodiac Twelve' now." Nearby, two men seated at a table discuss the situation: "The Ging sitting here now...the very Ging whose hands positively overflow with repeated violations of the rules during the year... If you'd go as far as abstaining, why don't you cast your vote for him instead? Ahh...that's a joke, now..." Leorio's voice cuts in again: "And with that, let's move on to the question and answer session!"

Ging Freecss, face bandaged and scarf wrapped tightly, glares sharply as he confronts the man before him. "Why haven't you gone to where Gon is!?" he demands. The other man, stunned, thinks, "That's... Gon's father...!!!" Ging presses on: "You should know what kind of condition he's in, right?!" The audience reacts with shock; wide eyes and tense faces fill the panels as sound effects ripple through the crowd. Leorio stands on the stage steps, back partially turned. A voice from the audience calls, "His friend." Leorio raises his hand and states, "First off, who are you to Gon?" Ging answers from the floor, "Alright then...let's have your answer..." The rabbit-eared girl watches anxiously nearby as the tension in the hall peaks.

Ging Freecss leans forward with a furious glare, finger jabbing as he roars at the bandaged boy. "GET GOING TO WHERE GON IS!" he shouts. "...ANSWER THE QUESTION!! OR BETTER YET, GET GOING!!" The boy with the head wrap and microphone meets his gaze steadily. "THAT'S ALL," he replies. "I'LL BE RELYING ON YOU FROM NOW ON AS WELL." Ging's expression hardens further as the boy continues, "I'M SAYING THAT THAT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT ALREADY. I'VE HEARD THAT HE HAS A NUMBER OF FRIENDS LIKE YOURSELF." In a massive torn panel, Ging explodes with rage, "IF YOU'D ONLY CALL OUT TO HIM! HE MIGHT EVEN GET BETTER!!" He slams his fist down. "DON'T FUCK AROUND WITH ME, YOU BASTARD!! GON...DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA JUST HOW MUCH HE WANTS TO SEE YOU!?" The boy lowers his eyes, sweat beading, and thinks quietly, "'I WANT HIM TO COME'?" A small voice in his mind wonders, "...DID HE HIMSELF EVER SAY..."

Ging Freecss launches into a violent outburst, shattering the surroundings with a massive "X" impact and debris flying everywhere. A crowd of onlookers watches in shock from the upper left. Ging's silhouette appears mid-strike with intense speed lines and a blinding flash as he raises his fist. Killua Zoldyck sits at a table below, writing on paper with the word "ZU..." near his hand. A close-up shows Ging's furious profile with the caption "AS IF HE'S IN ANY CONDITION TO SPEAK..." Killua looks up with a startled expression, sweat drops flying. Another panel captures Ging's intense glare and a heart-shaped impact near Killua. Killua ducks or recoils as more impact SFX appear. The final visible fragment shows Ging's face in a small inset panel with wide eyes and the word "YOU..." echoing from the chaos.

A massive impact erupts as a bandaged figure with a wrapped head and intense glare drives a devastating strike downward, creating a swirling black vortex of force that tears into the ground. Above, a close-up reveals a heavily damaged face with a gaping circular wound and blood splatter. Below, in a chaotic arena, a suited man with spiky black hair leaps forward with arms outstretched, mouth wide open as he shouts. A spiky-haired fighter in the midground recoils violently from an attack, yelling "...TSU!!!" while other figures including a striped-shirt man and a tall spiky-haired observer react with shock. In the foreground, an excited crowd of spectators cheers and gapes upward. A large speech bubble declares "EAT THIS AND DIE!" amid dramatic speed lines and impact effects.

The official results of the 4th election for the 13th Hunter Association Chairman are displayed in a clean list. Pariston leads with 258 votes (39%), followed by Cheadle with 57, Leorio with 55, and others down to Saiyu with 1 vote. Total hunters numbered 661 with 642 valid ballots and a 97.1% voting rate. On the right, a tall modern building is illustrated with dramatic speed lines and large SFX. Speech bubbles read: "WHOA...TODAY'S MEETING WAS PRETTY FLASHY, FROM BEGINNING TO END!!" and "SINCE THE WHOLE THING CAN BE SEEN ON THE HUNTER SITE, PLEASE CONVEY IT TO THOSE NOT IN ATTENDANCE TODAY" along with "OR BETTER YET, LET'S DEFINITELY SHOW THEM!" A footer note exclaims "A SUDDEN RISE!! THE DARK HORSE CANDIDATE... COULD IT BE, LEORIO!?" and the chapter number No.325 appears at the bottom.