Hunter × Hunter Chapter 329: 5th Election for the 13th Chairman

A man with short curly hair and round glasses stands at a podium gripping a microphone. He declares, "WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS OUR ADVOCACY." Beside him another speaker adds, "NEXT," while a stern man in a flame-patterned hat and high-collared coat shouts into his own microphone, "PLEASE VOTE FOR OUR ALLY TERADAIN!!" and "ALL THOSE WHO AGREE WITH OUR PURPOSES." In a damaged doorway a shadowy figure stands guard as an unseen speaker warns, "THAT HAS ACCUSED MULTIPLE HUNTERS OF VILE ATROCITIES!" and "WE HAVE RECEIVED HIGHLY RELIABLE INTEL FROM A POWERFUL SOURCE." The largest panel shows a suited man with slicked-back hair and a serious expression thrusting his fist forward amid dramatic speed lines. He rallies, "MY WISE COMRADES!! LET US UNITE TOGETHER AND REBUILD THE INTELLIGENT, MORALLY JUST HUNTER ORGANIZATION THAT WE JOINED!!" and "WE ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR THOSE HUNTERS!!"

Four vertical panels run down the left side. The top shows a smiling boy with spiky hair and a patterned collar. Below him a sweating man with light hair stares forward with wide eyes. Next a dog-like character wearing round glasses and a frilly collar looks determined. At the bottom a man with sunglasses and a spiky haircut sweats while exclaiming, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME..." A tall vertical banner reads "THE RE-ELECTION WILL HAPPEN BETWEEN THE TOP 8!!!" The right half of the page displays the official election results: "5TH ELECTION FOR THE 13TH CHAIRMAN TOTAL NUMBER OF HUNTERS: 661" followed by the ranked list from 1st Pariston (274 votes) through 15th Lupe, Bushidora (0 votes). It concludes with "VALID BALLOTS: 633 (28 ABSENT) VOTING RATE: 95.8%"

Cutie Beauty, a flamboyant girl with massive polka-dotted pigtails and frilly dress, addresses her fans from the top panel. "SO, TO ALL MY LITTLE ANGELS WHO VOTED FOR ME - SEND ALL YOUR VOTES OF LOVE TO PARISTON NOW, PLEASE!!" she declares while holding a small object. She adds, "THE 'CUTE AND BEAUTIFUL' HUNTER ORGANIZATION I WAS ADVOCATING FOR IS NOW BEING CREATED BY THAT SWEETIE PARISTON!!" Nearby balloons show her reacting with "UH, DID YOU JUST SAY LOSING SPEECH?" and "LIKE, I TOTALLY DIDN'T LOSE AT ALL." Below, Biscuit Krueger appears in a serious close-up with pigtails and a frilled collar, giving a thumbs-up. "BUT," she begins, then continues, "LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING. BEING A GOOD LITTLE BOY WON'T WORK ALL THE TIME! THE ANT INCIDENT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT. DON'T FORGET!!" She also remarks, "WELL, THAT OLD GUY... AH, I MEAN NETERO, EVERYONE KNOWS HE WAS A TOTAL MANIAC." At the bottom, Ging Freecss is shown as a large panda-like figure with a blank expression and no dialogue.

Saccho Kobayakawa appears in the top panel, a long-faced man with a ponytail holding up a white sign reading "SACCHO KOBAYAKAWA". He states, "I WON'T SAY WHO...BUT I WANT SOMEONE WORTH SUPPORTING TO STAND IN THE TOP SPOT." and adds, "I'LL JUST KEEP SUPPORTING THE ORGANIZATION FROM THE SHADOWS." In the middle panel, Sanbika Norton, wearing a nurse cap with a cross, holds a sign reading "SANBIKA NORTON" and says, "...BUT ENOUGH ALREADY. I'LL DO MY BEST AT MY WORK" while another balloon reads "AH! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOTING FOR ME, EVERYONE." The bottom panel shows Rinne Hors-d'oeuvre, an older man with wrinkles and a large nose, labeled "RINNE HORS-D'OEUVRE". He declares, "I'D RATHER JUST HAVE NETERO COME BACK TO LIFE AND BE THE CHAIRMAN AGAIN." with a small "HM?" and ellipsis nearby.

A winding forest road stretches under a dark sky. Hisoka stands in the foreground holding a phone to his ear and a folded map in his other hand, a wide grin on his face. Scattered across the ground behind him lie several motionless bodies, one still clutching a sword. "AHHH, HELLO?" a voice calls from the phone. Hisoka replies, "GUESS WHAT, I GOT A MAP!" He continues, "MY, MY... IT'S SUCH A HELP THAT THESE 'EXAMPLE-SETTERS' ARE SO FEARLESS." In a close-up, Hisoka's profile appears as he speaks into the phone: "WANT ME TO SEND YOU AN IMAGE? TO EDIT IT A BIT, THAT IS..." He explains, "ONCE I USE DOKKIRI TEXTURE... WHICH MEANS THAT KILLUA MUST BE RIDING ON ONE OF THE OTHER REMAINING TWO. THE FLIGHT PATHS FOR SIX AIR-CRAFTS AND THEIR DESTINATIONS ARE WRITTEN HERE."

A small airship flies through cloudy skies. In a forest clearing a short-haired woman stands holding a phone, saying, "THERE WAS AN IDIOT ON MY END WHO WAS CARRYING ONE TOO. DON'T BOTHER." Hisoka, still on his call, responds, "THAT'S RIGHT, I FORGOT ABOUT THE 'PEEPING TOM'... OH REALLY." A tall silhouette with an elaborate hairstyle stands against the night sky. In the foreground an elderly person with glasses and a large hairstyle reacts with shock, thinking, "I DIDN'T THINK I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO GET TAILED BY TWO PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME..." The elder exclaims aloud, "AM I BEING WATCHED ...?!"

Tsubone strides alone through a dark, rugged mountain landscape under heavy clouds, her coiled hair visible in silhouette. "SOMEONE'S WATCHING ME FROM FAR, FAR AWAY...! YET I CAN'T SHAKE THEM OFF." She continues forward, sensing pursuit. "I'VE FELT EYES HERE AND THERE EVER SINCE THIS MISSION BEGAN..." A close-up reveals her stern, lined face as she concludes, "THEY MUST BE HIGHLY CAPABLE...!! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A THING." In the wide valley below, Amane's small voice answers from the treeline, "YES MA' AM!" Tsubone calls out across the ridges, "WE'RE GONNA FLY!! AMANE!! COME HERE!!" From a lower vantage, Tsubone gazes upward and thinks, "KILLUA WON'T MISS THIS CHANCE. LUCKILY, IT'S NIGHT TIME, AND CLOUDY."

Tsubone appears in close-up with a confident grin, declaring "ATTA BOY...!" Amane stands ready nearby and answers, "YES MA'AM !!" Tsubone announces, "IT'S ABOUT TIME! LET'S GO!!" In a dramatic transformation sequence, Tsubone's body morphs into a large, bat-like vehicle with clawed limbs, a segmented tail, and a masked face at the front. Motion lines and impact shapes surround the shifting form. A text box explains the ability: "RIDER'S HIGH" TSUBONE CAN MATERIALIZE ANY VARIOUS TYPES OF VEHICLES BASED ON HER OWN BODY. THE RIDER'S AURA IS THE PRIME FORCE BEHIND THE ABILITY, SO SHE CAN'T DRIVE HERSELF. Amane leaps aboard as the transformed Tsubone launches forward with speed lines trailing behind.

Under a starry night sky, a small aircraft hovers above a vast, cloud-covered landscape while a lone figure stands on the ground below. Amane receives urgent orders: "AMANE!! FIRE ON ANY SUSPICIOUS AIRCRAFTS YOU SPOT IN THE VICINITY!!" and "NO TYPE OF SCOPE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PIERCE THE CLOUDS FROM GROUND LEVEL!!" She responds affirmatively, "YES MA'AM!" A map of the area is shown with a marked location. In a close-up, a long-haired woman with a neutral expression thinks, "I GUESS I'LL HELP OUT HISOKA A LITTLE MORE..." and "HMM... IT'LL BE A WHILE UNTIL ANY OF THE AIRCRAFTS LAND." The scene shifts to a dense forest at night where a woman stands with her back to the viewer amid scattered bodies on the ground. Nearby, a seated man speaks into a communication device: "NO MOVEMENT YET... THE TARGET STILL HAS YET TO APPEAR..." and another voice replies, "...YES... YES."

At night, a tall building with a diamond emblem stands against the dark sky. Observers note, "NOTHING'S HAPPENED AT POINT A YET. SHOULD WE SEND THEM IN FOR BACK-UP?" and "WE'VE LOST ALL COMMUNICATION FROM POINT C...!" Inside, a group discusses the situation: "IT JUST MEANS THAT THIS IS NO JOB FOR AMATEURS," "NO MATTER HOW MANY WE ROUSE TOGETHER, WE SHOULD SEND OUT A WARNING TO THE PROS WHO ARE GOING AFTER THE NEEDLE MEN," and "ON ALL 20 OF THEM...?! YOU THINK ALL 20 OF THEM COULD GET TAKEN OUT WITHOUT A SINGLE CHANCE TO PRESS THE EMERGENCY BUTTON?!" A man in a cap states, "WE AREN'T SURE THAT POINT A IS COMPLETELY SAFE YET." Another panel shows concern: "THEN HE MAY HAVE ALREADY FINISHED HIS JOB THERE." A close-up reveals Illumi with the question, "ILLUMI CAN CONTROL HUMANS WITH NEEDLES, RIGHT?" In a hallway, a woman reports, "THE AIRCRAFT THEY'RE FOLLOWING, #2, IS NEARBY, PERHAPS..." and "RATOON AND KENZAKI AREN'T COMING IN..." The captain-like man grabs his hat and declares, "THIS IS MY CHANCE TO PROVE I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A CAPTAIN OF THE SEIRIN GROUP!!" and "THAT SETTLES IT! I HAVE TO GO OUT MYSELF!!"

In a tense meeting room, a man in a pinstripe suit gestures emphatically while speaking with colleagues. "EVEN IF WE CAN'T PREDICT THE VOTES WELL, I DO NOT WANT TO CONTROL THE VOTING PERCENTAGE BY FORCING ABSENT VOTES...!" he says. Another voice replies, "BUT WE NEED EVERY VOTE." A uniformed man with a cap stands confidently with arms crossed, declaring, "ALL THOSE WHO CAN GO, SHOULD! EVEN IF NONE OF THOSE OUT ON THE HUNT RIGHT NOW VOTE, WE SHOULD STILL GET INTO THE TOP FOUR!" He questions, "WHAT ABOUT THE VOTES?" The suited man continues, "IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THE 40 VOTES BELOW THE 9TH SPOT, EXCLUDING SACCHO AND CUTIE'S, WOULD ALL GO TO MORAI OR BE ABSENT!" A suggestion arises: "HOW ABOUT HIRING SOME NEW HUNTERS FROM THE TEMP HUNTER POOL?" A large-eyed man in a turtleneck responds, "THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHAVE SOME VOTES OFF FROM PARISTON'S SIDE. IF WE SHOW THEM THAT OUR INTENT IS TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION GOING HOW IT IS NOW..." In a separate panel, a woman with glasses speaks to a hunched figure: "ALTHOUGH... TERADAIN WOULD BE TOTALLY AGAINST THIS IF I EXPLAINED IT TO HIM." The large-eyed man adds, "THIS WAY, IF THINGS GO WELL, THESE VOTERS WILL GET KILLED BY THE ENEMY AND BE 'ABSENT' IN THE NEXT ELECTION..." He affirms, "...TRUE." Close-ups reveal intense expressions as the woman concludes, "TERADAIN IS TOO FOOLISHLY HONEST, AND EUSHIDORA IS TOO BROAD-MINDED...! SINCE WE CAN'T PREDICT HOW THE VOTES WILL GO, WE SHOULD BE PROACTIVELY ENCOURAGING ABSENT VOTES TO NULLIFY IT...!!" The suited man reacts with shock as the turtleneck man orders, "ANNOUNCE THIS AT ONCE! TELL THEM OUR INTENTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE TEMP HUNTER ASSOCIATION!"

A blond man with sunglasses holds a phone to his ear, smiling broadly amid radiating speed lines. "THAT'S WONDERFUL!! YES, ABSOLUTELY!!" he exclaims. On the other end, a voice responds, "YOU GOT A REQUEST FROM MR. TERADAIN WITH THE SAME TERMS AS US...?" The blond man continues enthusiastically, "I'LL MAKE THE CHANGES TO OUR POLICY AT ONCE!!" A small figure with pigtails is visible in the background. Another panel shows a hand gripping the phone receiver tightly as the voice says, "IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NOTICE OR ANY IDEAS THAT COME TO MIND WHILE WORKING THERE, PLEASE, LET ME KNOW AT ONCE!!" and "AS LONG AS THEY DON'T HAVE A LIMIT ON THEIR NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, THEN GO AHEAD AND JOIN THEM AS YOU LIKE!! YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ME!!" The scene shifts to a luxurious office interior with sofas, plants, and a bar. Behind a large desk sits a figure in ornate clothing who lets out a distinctive laugh: "KUKU-KUKU..." A small "PFFT." sound effect appears near the desk.

Killua stares ahead with a slight smile, his hand raised near his chin against a sparkling background. He thinks to himself that everything is so easy to understand. In a large speech bubble he remarks, 'MMMMM, WHAT A FINE TRIO THEY ARE... I REALLY LIKE THEM.' Below, a dark panel shows a figure holding up a small device while another lies on the ground. Next to it, several people stand at a counter, including a tall figure with long hair and others in hats and coats. At the bottom, a bizarre flying creature with a grotesque face and outstretched limbs appears against the night sky. A speech bubble states, 'WHICH MEANS WE WERE BEING FOLLOWED UP UNTIL THEN...' Another bubble adds, 'I HAVEN'T FELT THE EYES SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN THE AIR.'

An airship flies through a cloudy night sky. One speech bubble says, 'WE SHOULD BE ALRIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE THIS FAR AWAY FROM THE HOSPITAL.' Another states, 'THE WEATHER CLEARED UP...' Inside the aircraft, Killua speaks on a small device while looking concerned. Multiple speech bubbles read: 'I GUESS GOTO'S IDEA OF HEADING INTO THE HOSPITAL IN A CAR WITH TINTED WINDOWS IS BEST.', 'IT'LL BE DIFFICULT TO NEAR THE HOSPITAL IN THIS AIRCRAFT...', 'ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE CLEAR OUT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA, WE'LL BE SITTING DUCKS FOR ILLUMI...', and 'IF SOMEONE SEES ALLUKA WHEN WE ENTER THE HOSPITAL, TSUBONE WILL DECIDE THAT I'VE "SUGGESTED ALLUKA'S ABILITY" AND FORCE US TO GO HOME.' Killua continues, 'HAVE HISHITA SEND OUT DIFFERENT CARS AT ONCE TO THE THREE LOCATIONS I LIST.', 'IT'S ME.', 'I CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH GOTO.', and 'CANARY?' A panel shows Killua from behind at the controls saying he should have no problem once in the car. Another panel shows a hand gripping a phone with the words 'I'M ALMOST THERE...!!!' and 'GON...' A final scene shows a curly-haired girl on a phone in a city at night with an airship overhead, replying 'UNDERSTOOD. THERE ARE ALREADY FOUR CARS HEADING THAT WAY, SO I'LL BE SURE TO TELL HIM.'

In a wooden hallway, a figure stands dramatically in a doorway as debris flies and someone shouts in panic, 'WE'VE BEEN ANNIHILATED!!!' and 'TERA-DAIN...!!!'. Below, a man with curly hair and glasses reacts in shock, exclaiming about the Needle Men and surveillance group being wiped out. The election results for the 6th round are displayed on the right, showing Pariston in first with 272 votes, Teradain second, Cheadle third, Leorio fourth, and others, with a note that a re-vote will occur among the top 8. At the bottom, Illumi appears with wide eyes and sweat, declaring that he must have dozens of strong people aiding him, while a woman with braided hair leans in and replies, 'NOPE, JUST ONE!' as another voice questions how needle-controlled humans could be so strong.

High above a forested area, a large airship hovers as a voice calls out, 'ALRIGHT! NICE TIMING, HISHITA.' Inside the cabin, a suited man responds 'YES SIR.' while Killua, with spiky hair, demands 'TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL.' The airship descends toward a landing area near a car. The vehicle speeds along a road with motion lines and SFX, then screeches to a halt. From inside the car, someone notes 'THERE ARE PEOPLE STANDING IN THE WAY...' as Killua reacts with surprise, 'WHAT'S WRONG?!' The car door opens amid tire smoke and impact effects.

Panic erupts inside the moving vehicle as the group realizes they have been followed. "THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD HAVE BEEN TRACKED!! WAS IT THE CAR?! WAS THIS CAR TRACKED?!" a voice cries out while Killua's face appears in close-up, sweat flying. "THOSE ARE... NEEDLE MEN!! BUT IT CAN'T BE!! HOW?!" another shouts in alarm. The suited man beside them reacts with a sharp "!!?". From the driver's seat comes the desperate reply "I CAN'T, MASTER KILLUA!!" as shadowy figures of needlemen are glimpsed outside. "HISHITA!! PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL!! THEY'RE AS GOOD AS DEAD ANYWAY!!" the suited man orders. A tense close-up reveals the driver's face marked with three white circles: "MASTER ILLUMI ORDERS ME TO..." followed by the defiant bubble "NOT UNLESS". The car suddenly flips violently, sending everyone tumbling as screams fill the air: "WHAAA AAAA AAT?!" and "WH...".

The survivors stand in a dark forest road at night, completely surrounded. A short-haired girl on the ground gasps "COM-PLETELY SUR-ROUNDED...!!!" while a hooded figure runs forward shouting "THEY HAVE US...". In the distance a car sits with headlights on and two needlemen approach. A vertical panel shows a lone silhouette among the trees with the text "WHY IS SHE HERE?!" and "IT CAN'T BE!!". Killua's face appears in shock. A dark panel reveals Illumi standing calmly with the large word "ILLUMI" beside him. Killua stares upward in disbelief, eyes wide, as the word "HOW?!" echoes. The page ends with the teaser "KILLUA... FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH!!!" and the next chapter prompt.