Hunter × Hunter Chapter 345: Signature

Young Gon stands in the foreground with a wide smile, waving enthusiastically with one arm raised high. Behind him on a dirt path, another boy with spiky hair and a backpack marked 'F' walks toward a large wooden house in the distance. To the right, Mito holds a basket filled with a large pie, her hair slightly windblown and her expression surprised as she watches the scene. The background shows a peaceful countryside with trees, grass, and birds flying under a partly cloudy sky. Large text floats above the house: 'TO GO AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING.' and 'AS OF NOW, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU...'.

Multiple panels show domestic scenes. In the top row, Mito sits on the floor while Gon kneels and folds a large cloth. Next to it, a dramatic close-up shows fabric being torn or blown by strong wind. Below, a roasted fish and bowls of food are prepared on a table. Mito and Gon are then shown together, with Gon holding a needle and thread as if sewing. In the large central panel, Gon, Mito, and an elderly woman sit at a dining table eating a meal. Gon speaks animatedly with chopsticks in hand. A later panel shows Mito standing in the kitchen holding a tray while Gon washes dishes at the sink. A speech bubble reads: 'HADN'T YOU BEEN MULLING OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING ON THAT JOURNEY TOGETHER...'. The final panel depicts the house at night under a moonlit sky.

Gon sits holding a cup and reflects quietly. He thinks that if he had been in condition to use Nen when he met Ging, he might have gone with him. Mito, seated nearby with a gentle expression, asks why he says that. Gon continues, noting that finding Ging was his goal but only after actually meeting him did he realize it. He admits he cannot put it into words well, but it was not that he wanted to meet Ging. Mito responds that Gon is always saying that. Gon explains that in the end, rather than a father, he got the feeling that Ging was this amazing relative he had heard rumors and stories about. They talked about lots of things and it was really fun. Gon was glad they met, and while they talked he could feel himself getting happier. Mito smiles and says she knows Gon was not expecting her to defend Ging as a scumbag. Gon laughs and apologizes, admitting he was just trying to make a point. He adds that after all he has not had any of the qualities of being a son either. Gon concludes that in that way he shares many of the same traits with Ging as well.

Gon continues speaking, saying he could have felt Ging's strength and awesomeness with his own skin and would have thought he wanted to go with him. He recalls thinking he never wanted to always be together because Ging is his father. Mito stands with a slight smile and tells Gon he is now here stuck with her. She adds that she had just returned to normal and was not able to feel Ging's aura. Gon looks surprised and asks a question. Mito welcomes him back to reality and notes he has returned safely to the realm of the normal. She then sternly lists requirements for Gon to advance his academic level, demanding an 8000-10000 word report, 30 volumes of personal history as a Hunter, and other documents. Gon reacts with shock. In a large panel under pouring rain, Mito shouts that kids who go to school have to work 100 times harder and asks what a pain in the ass all of these documents are.

Ging stands in the hallway staring at his phone. In the adjacent room a group of people sit and stand under dim lights. A man in a striped beanie addresses Ging directly. "We also have no objection to you being next in line to Beyond," he says. "Seeing as how Pariston has accepted you as number 2... We talked it over while you were out." Another man in a scarf and jacket adds, "We have divided ourselves into two groups..." A second speech bubble finishes, "But... Those of us that won't take your money, and those of us that are okay with taking your money." Ging listens from the side while the group watches him. In the foreground a blond man with an earpiece and a chef-hatted figure also observe the exchange.

The striped beanie man continues firmly. "Not one of us will listen to a single one of your orders." He adds that disorder would be the worst situation until everyone decides to take the money. Ging reacts with a surprised "...And?" and a small "Hrm?" while standing in the corridor. The beanie man then states they were hired by Beyond through Pariston and can be considered mediators. Ging replies that against a Hunter with stars they would be no match even if they ganged up. The beanie man answers that it does not matter how much they look down on them. Ging asks "Mediators, right..." In the final wide panel the entire group faces Ging as he stands with his back to the viewer. The beanie man warns, "Don't try to play me." Ging retorts, "You're all specialists, aren't you?"

A stern man with a scarred face and ponytail addresses the room in a large panel. "BEYOND, AS A LEADER, MOST DEFINITELY PLANNED AT LEAST THIS FAR AHEAD." Additional bubbles continue: "NECESSARY SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO DEAL WITH EVERY CRUEL, UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER...!" "ORIGINALLY, YOU ALL BECAME HUNTERS FOR THE SAKE OF THIS JOURNEY. YOU ARE ALL A COLLECTION OF THE..." In smaller panels, a blond character stares forward with narrowed eyes, thinking "THIS IS TROUBLE-SOME..." Nearby, a white-haired man stands beside a dark-haired man whose mouth hangs open in surprise. The scarred speaker continues, "THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I HATE HIM." "AND DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME, YOU'VE BEEN PRETENDING TO BE WEATHER WATCHING HUNTERS... ALL WHILE SHARPENING YOUR CLAWS." "I SUPPOSE HIS THOUGHT PROCESS REALLY DOES RESEMBLE MINE." "TYING UP NETERRO IN HIS ROLE AS PRESIDENT IS IN ALL PRACTICALITY DONE TO ALLOW PARISTON TO TAKE CONTROL OVER THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES." "THE REASON FOR KEEPING PARISTON IN THE SEAT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MAINTAINING THIS POWER BALANCE IS ALSO ONE OF YOUR DUTIES." In the bottom wide panel, a group of hunters faces the speaker. One declares, "REAL COWARDS WOULD NEVER GO AFTER THE DARK CONTINENT IN ORDER TO SIMPLY GET THEIR HANDS ON SOME MONEY, WOULD THEY?" Another states, "I NEED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR STRONG WILLS...!! IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT, YOU WILL NEED YOUR SKILLS TO BECOME THE SOURCE OF YOUR SELF-CONFIDENCE!!" Scattered at the very bottom are fragmented thoughts: "I'VE EVER HATED SOMEONE." "THE FIRST TIME" "THIS MIGHT BE..." "RUINING EVERY-THING..." "HE'S JUST..."

A close-up of a spiky-haired man with a scar on his cheek grins confidently. "FOR NOW, WHY DON'T YOU TELL 'EVERYONE' ABOUT THE FACT THAT I'M PAYING UP FRONT." "THAT ALSO MEANS... 'EVERYONE' INCLUDES MORE THAN JUST THE TEN OF YOU THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW, DOESN'T IT?" He adds, "I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS..." In a narrow middle strip, a blond character asks, "ISN'T AN ORDER, IS IT?" A chef-hatted figure stands beside another who says "THIS..." while a sleeveless man and a beanie-wearing person look on. The bottom panel returns to a close-up of the blond character, who thinks, "WHAT I WILL WANT TO DO TO THE PERSON THAT I'VE COME TO HATE..." "I WON-DER..." The blond then says aloud, "OKAY..." "I'LL INFORM EVERYONE."

Inside a dimly lit room, Ging stands facing a woman with her hair styled in large buns while another woman with glasses watches nearby. Ging asks the bun-haired woman if she would mind telling him her account information. She replies that if this is going to be passed on to everyone then she accepts as well. Ging presses further, questioning why she is hesitating because of her comrades and suggesting she give the money to Beyond since he will happily blow it all. The bun-haired woman counters that in order to preserve the balance there must be a lot less than all of the approximate 200 members of the organization going to the continent. Ging reminds her he told her earlier that she seriously aren't paying attention at all. She retorts that he is saying she really has an assumption as to how many people everyone consists of. The glasses-wearing woman interjects that he has also promised 200,000,000 to the standby personnel and doubling that, on top of the 1,500,000,000 promised to pay the performance squad. She adds that some of those going as part of the organization are also with him and that Cheadle and Mizai would have done a good job at preventing that. Ging concludes that in all practicality to really go after the Dark Continent it would be at most around 25 people and their unit would become too heavy. The bun-haired woman questions if there is really any point, noting the kind of money they could easily make off with but hoping it will be invested in equipment to make it back in one piece, though each is free to use it however they like. Ging states that though included in the everyone in this plan are people going to remain here in this world, it is too far just to take the title of the position of authority away from Pariston.

A luxurious nighttime city scene unfolds with a grand building adorned with lights and a fountain where people gather. Black luxury vehicles including a large SUV and a sedan are parked in front with attendants standing by. Inside a brightly lit hall filled with a large crowd, two young women stand prominently in the foreground. One wears a striped dress with a large bow and holds the arm of the other woman dressed in a shiny metallic outfit with a short skirt. The woman in the metallic outfit raises her hand to her hair while looking aside. A man in a checkered suit jacket watches from the lower left corner with a slight smile. The hall is decorated with hanging lights and a large screen, and the crowd appears festive with many silhouettes dancing and holding drinks.

In a lively, crowded hall, partygoers dance under sparkling lights as white cracks and musical notes fill the air. A blonde woman smiles warmly while a man with slicked-back hair grins and raises a hand near his mouth. The scene shifts to a close-up of a wallet being opened by a finger, followed by the backs of two heads with light hair. The same man now stands confidently, flashing a peace sign with one hand while holding a small device to his chest. Against a starry night backdrop, the blonde woman leans in to whisper something to her companion. The man poses again with a relaxed yet stylish stance, one hand on his cheek. The view cuts to the grand exterior of a massive modern hotel at night, where several cars are parked out front. Speech bubbles appear: 'IT'S THE PRINCE'S PROPERTY.', 'YEAH...', and 'AMAZING ...EH? THIS ENTIRE HOTEL?'

Inside an opulent hotel lobby filled with chandeliers, fine furniture, and elegant decor, a man in a robe stands with arms outstretched and welcomes guests. A long-haired man with a calm expression speaks about enjoying stories from all kinds of people to stay connected to the real world. Two women react with surprise, one covering her mouth. In another room, the same long-haired man asks what the guests would like to drink. A voice laughs and explains that people gather here because it is never lonely. One of the women asks if the man lives in the entire hotel by himself. The bottom panels show three identical closed double doors in a hallway, emphasizing the vast, empty space.

In a luxurious room, a shirtless muscular man with long hair stands holding a phone to his ear. Speech bubbles fill the air with references to philosophers and soccer leagues: 'PWHSH PWHSH', 'THEY DIDN'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE HIGGS, ES, IPS, SERIE A, LIGA ESPANOLA', 'THE ONLY THINGS THEY HAD IN THEIR HEADS WERE FASHION AND FUCKING.', 'HEY, MARK! WHAT THE HELL WAS UP WITH THOSE GIRLS?!', and footnotes listing 'KANT, HEGEL, STOCKS, FECHNER, GOLDBACH'S CONJECTURE, LEOS JANACEK, CROSS-CULTURE'. The man continues, 'THAT AT LEAST IS THE VERY BOTTOM LINE THAT DEFINES WHETHER THEY'RE HUMAN OR NOT.' and 'AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU COULD FIRST ASK THEM IF THEY KNOW WHAT THE CAPITAL OF KAKIN IS OR THE NAME OF ITS RULING PARTY OR THE KING?'. A woman with long hair reclines in a large circular tub at night overlooking a city, her hand near her neck as she speaks: 'WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS TO BIRTH A NEW COMPLETE FORM OF ART FROM THE FUTURE YOUTH OF THIS NATION THROUGH INDULGING MYSELF IN EXTREMES.' and 'IF THEY'RE MERE PIGS OR FISH THEN IT'S REALLY NOTHING MORE THAN SIMPLY SLAUGHTERING AND BUTCHERING OR FILETING AND FILLETING, IS IT NOT?'. The man replies, 'AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, M'KAY~?' and 'ANYWAYS, GO AHEAD AND PREPARE THE NEXT TWO GIRLS FOR ME~'.

Against a starry night sky with a large modern building, speech bubbles declare: 'TELL HIM THAT HE WILL SPEND THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE ROTTING IN A JAIL CELL.', 'IF HE SO MUCH AS VIOLATES ONE STIPULATION OF THE CONTRACT...', and '...SO IN OTHER WORDS, DRAW UP THE CONTRACT EXACTLY LIKE YOU'D BEEN ASSIGNED TO AND GET BEYOND TO SIGN IT.'. In an office, a man at a desk speaks on the phone while a woman in an ornate dress and glasses stands nearby holding a phone: 'AND HE DISCOVERS SOMETHING ON THE NEW CONTINENT AND, ON TOP OF THAT, GOES AGAINST US RECKLESSLY AND CLAIMS RIGHTS OVER WHATEVER HE SEES FIT...', 'IF IT SO HAPPENS...AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO IMAGINE IT BUT IF SOMEHOW THE SITUATION ARISES WHERE BEYOND MANAGES TO ESCAPE FROM YOU...', 'YES, SIR.', 'I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND.', 'AND IF, JUST LIKE THIS TIME, HE TRIES TO TRANSMIT HIMSELF TO THE ENTIRE WORLD...'. A close-up shows a person with round glasses and a headpiece saying 'I CAN GUARANTEE THAT ALL OF YOU, AS WELL, WILL NO LONGER SEE ANY MORE BRIGHT, SUNLIT DAYS IN YOUR FUTURE.'. The final panels show a dark patterned background with bubbles reading 'OVER AND OUT...!!!' and 'YES, SIR... UNDERSTOOD.'.

A hand in a ruffled sleeve holds out a clipboard bearing dense text and a bold speech bubble commanding 'READ THIS.' In a modest room, a cat-masked figure sits across from a stern man with a topknot and long beard. The cat-masked person confirms, 'YES, YOU WERE RIGHT,' while the bearded man states, 'IT'S JUST LIKE I PREDICTED, ISN'T IT?' and continues, 'BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE BEEN RESTRICTED TO TRAVELLING WITHOUT HAVING YOU RELEASED.' The scene shifts to a larger room where the bearded man, now facing away, listens as an unseen speaker explains the terms: 'ALL YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUTSIDE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE INSPECTED AND MONITORED BY US. YOU WILL ALSO BE WEARING A TRACKING DEVICE RING AT ALL TIMES, THAT WAY THERE WILL BE A DOUBLE-LAYERED SYSTEM OF KEEPING TABS ON YOUR CURRENT WHEREABOUTS. AND EVERY TIME YOU GO OUT, YOU'LL BE ACCOMPANIED BY MULTIPLE SUPERVISORS. YOU WILL LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A ROOM UNDER 24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE.' In close-up the bearded man growls, '...I SEE...' as further conditions are read: 'ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM OR IS DISCOVERED FROM ANY OF MY ACTIONS WILL BECOME PROPERTY OF V6 AND I AM PROHIBITED FROM DISCLOSING ANY INFORMATION REGARDING ANYTHING VIA ANY KIND OF MEDIA. SO ABSOLUTELY NO RESISTANCE OR OPPOSITION TO THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE PERMITTED DURING THE VOYAGE.'

A woman with glasses and a cross pendant asks, 'SO THEN, WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR SIGNATURE?' The bearded man replies in profile, 'WELL, I SUPPOSE THESE ARE ALL VALID DEMANDS ...I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS.' Behind them a group of onlookers watches, including a spiky-haired child and other formally dressed figures. The bearded man signs the document with a pen while a large speech bubble declares, 'YOU ALL NOW HAVE "AUTHORIZATION."' He finishes with a flourish, the pen leaving star-shaped marks on the page. In a dramatic low-angle shot the bearded man slams his fist on the table and shouts, 'ARE THREE THINGS ....!!!' while another bubble states, 'ALL THAT'S LEFT...'

In a dimly lit room, a tall man with wild spiky hair and glasses stands with arms crossed beside a small rabbit-like creature and two children wearing ornate headpieces. Nearby, a woman in a black dress stands next to a seated man with an afro and horned headband. A speech bubble reads 'CAPA-BILITY'. The scene shifts to a woman with long straight hair viewed from behind as she faces a grand doorway where several figures stand waiting; a bubble states 'MEANS'. In a cluttered study filled with open books and scrolls, a woman with long wavy hair kneels on the floor while a man in a robe sits cross-legged holding a phone. A young girl peeks from behind a shelf. A bubble declares 'AND A CONTRACT.' The final panel shows a close-up profile of a man in a dark hat and coat standing beside a person with light hair, both gazing forward intently.

The man in the hat and the light-haired person continue their conversation inside a vehicle. The man says 'AFTER WE TAKE THE EYES BACK.' and 'I'M TALKING ABOUT...' while the other replies about the prince. Outside, a stormy night scene shows lightning over water with bubbles reading 'ABOUT THE PRINCE?' and 'WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO...'. Inside again, the light-haired person questions 'WHAT IF HE RESISTS?' while another figure in uniform stands nearby. The light-haired person states 'I'VE GIVEN IN TO ALL YOUR DEMANDS SO FAR.' and 'ALL I CARE ABOUT IS THAT I GET MY COMRADES BACK.' A close-up reveals the light-haired person's intense expression as they say 'NEITHER OF THEM ARE DEAD AND YET BOTH OF THEM HAVE HAD A CHANGE OF HEART.' and 'I'M SURE THE PRINCE WILL FOLLOW SUIT...' followed by 'THERE HAVE BEEN TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID "EVEN IF I DIE, I WON'T HAND THEM OVER" TO ME.' The final spread shows a dark city skyline at night with a road leading forward. Text reads 'I SURE HOPE SO.' and 'PEOPLES' SHADOWS SUCCUMB TO THE DARKNESS OF THE DARK CONTINENT...' The page ends with 'HUNTER×HUNTER CH. 345 / END'.