INTRUDERS

Leorio stands on the left side of the page in profile, wearing a dark suit, tie, and round sunglasses, his mouth curved in a slight smile as he looks toward the right. In the upper right, Gon appears in his usual jacket, smiling confidently while facing forward. Below, Killua is shown in a close-up, head tilted downward with a neutral expression, his white hair falling over one eye. Scattered across the dark background are inset panels: one shows a small airship flying over open water toward a distant island, another depicts the same airship over a mountainous forested landscape with buildings below. At the bottom of the page the chapter title "INTRUDERS" is displayed prominently beside the number N°039.

A massive spherical airship with a grinning face and multiple propellers roars through the sky, its engines emitting a thunderous Gwooooooo as it cuts across the clouds. Below, the same craft appears as a silhouette gliding over a sprawling city skyline dotted with towers and spires. In a smaller panel, Gon stares upward with wide eyes while Leorio raises a hand in greeting and Killua stands beside him. A long train snakes along tracks through hilly countryside. In the final panel, a lone boy with a backpack stands on stone steps in a quiet town square lined with shuttered buildings and a tall monument, gazing toward the distance.

From inside a moving vehicle, Gon, Killua, and Leorio peer out a window at a towering mountain rising above misty forests. Leorio leans forward and declares they can see it now. In close conversation, Leorio suggests they first find an inn and make a plan, noting the looks alone set a bad mood. He adds that the mountain is the lair of a family of killers. Gon replies that they have just come to see a friend. Later, standing in a bustling town square with a clock tower and market stalls, Leorio remarks that the boy is nutty while Gon reacts with shock, sweat drops flying as he exclaims in surprise.

At a bustling bus terminal, a cheerful woman with a checkered headband gestures enthusiastically while speaking to a tall man in a suit. "You want to go to their residence? Ha ha ha ha! There are some like you... Whatever, start by taking the bus!" she laughs. She continues, "There's a regular bus that tours around the mountain, one departure a day, with a guide. Kukuru Mountain? Tourist visit to the Zoldick family?" A large tour bus pulls up outside. The scene shifts to the interior of the moving bus where a poised woman in a black uniform with curly blonde hair addresses the passengers. "Ladies and gentlemen, the company 'Terror Buses' thanks you for joining us. Today, we'll present to you the assassin family of Dentora's province." Among the seated passengers, a spiky-haired man with a fur collar mutters, "There are some guys who don't look honest," while another passenger notes, "With mere tourists..." The guide points out the window and says, "Look."

Inside the moving bus the guide gestures leftward and says, "Please look to your left. Ladies and gentlemen..." Gon peers out the window with wide eyes. A wide landscape panel reveals a large volcano. Narration explains, "This is Kukuru Mountain, the sadly famous place where the Zoldycks live. Somewhere on this volcano, culminating at 3722m, surrounded by a mar of vegetation, may stand a residence, but no one has ever seen it." The guide continues, "The Zoldycks number to: great grandfather, grandfather, father, mother, and five children. They're all professional killers. If you agree, we will approach the mountain." The bus drives along a winding road with SFX "Vroom". Outside, Leorio, Gon and Killua react with surprise; Leorio exclaims "Ooh!" as the bus continues forward with SFX "Criii".

A massive stone gate towers at the end of a long path, flanked by snarling dragon statues and carved with the letters ZOL. A small vehicle drives toward the entrance while tiny figures walk along the road. In the next panel the group stands before the gate. Leorio, wearing sunglasses and a dark suit, gestures toward the structure. "THIS IS THE MAIN ENTRANCE. WE ALSO CALL IT 'DOOR OF THE OTHER WORLD.'" A woman with glasses adds, "THE REASON IS SIMPLE: ONCE YOU PASS THROUGH, YOU'LL NEVER RETURN ALIVE." Killua looks up with interest while Gon stares ahead. Someone murmurs, "OOH... IMPRESSIVE." Leorio continues, "FROM THIS POINT, IT'S THE PRIVATE DOMAIN OF THE ZOLDYCKS, SO WE CAN'T VISIT IT. TO ENTER, WE USE THE LITTLE DOOR ON THE SIDE, AND WE SEE THE GUARDIAN." Gon reacts with shock, shouting "WHAT?!" as a loud POW sound effect erupts beside him. In the final panel Gon stares at the side door while Leorio says "OOOH..."

Miss Guide spreads her arms and declares, "ALL THIS IS THE DOMAIN OF THE ZOLDYCK FAMILY. HERE BEGINS THE MAP OF VEGETATION AND KUKURU MOUNTAIN, CONSEQUENTLY..." Killua answers, "YES, I KNOW." Leorio looks puzzled and asks, "BUT THE MOUNTAIN IS STILL FAR AWAY FROM US, ISN'T IT? SO WHY...?" A wide landscape panel shows a towering mountain covered in dramatic speed lines and impact marks. Gon exclaims, "YOU MEAN... ALL THIS IS THEIR PRIVATE GARDEN...?" In the bottom row Miss Guide smiles and touches her chin with a soft "HM." Gon points forward and asks, "HOW DO YOU GET INSIDE?" The guide replies, "YES?" while a small creature peeks from the bushes. Gon finishes, "MISS GUIDE..."

A young boy with light hair sweats nervously as he warns, "IT'S A KILLER'S LAIR." Another voice adds, "IF YOU ENTER, YOU WON'T COME OUT AGAIN ALIVE." The black-haired boy replies, "YES, BUT..." while the light-haired boy presses, "TELL ME, KID, DID YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I JUST EXPLAINED?" In a wider panel a tall bearded man in a heavy fur cloak stands beside a suited man holding a sword and the light-haired boy; the bearded man declares, "THAT'S A BLUFF, ISN'T IT?" A close-up shows the suited man asking, "SERIOUSLY? IF I WAS KNOWN, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN A PICTURE." Nearby narration continues, "I HEARD SOMEWHERE THERE'S A BOUNTY OF 100 MILLION FOR THE ONE WHO TAKES A SIMPLE PICTURE OF THEIR FACE?" and "A PHANTOM MURDERER FAMILY THAT NOBODY'S EVER SEEN." The bearded man concludes, "BUT I'M SURE THERE'S NOTHING DANGEROUS THERE... FROM A RUMOR, IT BECAME A LEGEND..." An elderly butler at a desk scratches his head with a loud "SCRATCH" while two cloaked figures walk away from the building, their steps marked "TAP" "TAP."

Outside the mansion doors burst open with a loud "CRATCH" as butlers in heavy coats are attacked; one screams "AAAAH!" while another yells "GATCH." Several butlers rush forward shouting "DON'T WORRY! WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOUR MASTER." and "I'M GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE WITH MY MASTER." A small figure is hurled through the air with "AIE!" and "BOOM" as another butler commands "OPEN THE DOOR! WHAT A NUISANCE..." One butler leaps with "HOP!" only to be struck. In a close-up the bearded man smiles while holding a small dark object. An old man seated nearby remarks, "HNN, MIKE WILL HAVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN HIS USUAL FOOD ONCE MORE..." as Gon asks, "WHAT?" The old man answers, "YES, YES." A door slams with "CLAC" while distant cries of "AIE! AIE! ARE YOU OK?" echo and a tiny silhouette of Gon appears in the background.

A towering skull-headed monster smashes through the heavy wooden doors with a thunderous "Fuuu", splintering wood and sending debris flying. The man in the dark suit and sunglasses recoils in alarm while Killua stands frozen beside him, eyes wide. The double doors slam shut with a sharp "CLAC...". In the next instant the creature lunges again, growling "GRRR..." as its clawed hand seizes a second skeletal form and begins to tear into it. Below, Gon, Killua and Leorio stare in horror. A panicked voice cries "But... what was that...?" followed by "Aah! Run away!". Leorio shouts desperately, "If you get fat, it won't be because of me!" and "The master has forbidden that you eat between meals!" The monster rampages onward amid screams of "Really...!" "But..." and a final "BANG" that sends silhouettes flying.

Outside under a cloudy sky, Gon insists they are staying. A large speech bubble declares "Aren't we leaving now?" while another voice yells "Hey! That's ok, we understand!!!" and warns "What happens when you want to enter: a cruel silhouette..." and "Ladies and gentlemen, I suppose you've all seen...". Gon calmly replies "We're gonna stay here." The examiner with sunglasses tells the group "That's ok. Just leave." In the distance the double doors stand closed again. A crowd of examinees rushes toward a waiting bus while the driver, an older man, calls out "What are you doing?! Hurry up and get on the bus!". In a quiet interior scene a teapot and cups sit on a table as an unseen speaker asks "You are Killua-kun's friends?" and concludes "I see...". A dramatic mountain landscape fills the final panel.

An elderly butler with a stern face speaks from the shadows of the grand Zoldyck residence. "WHAT A SAD RESIDENCE! NOBODY EVER VISITS HERE," he laments. "AS AN EMPLOYEE, I MAY BE PUNISHED IF I SAY THIS, BUT... I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 20 YEARS, AND YOU'RE THE FIRST ONES TO COME IN PEACE. IT'S A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME! HAVING VISITORS, THIS WAY..." At a low table inside, Killua sits with his back to the viewer while Gon and Leorio face the butler. The butler continues, pointing a finger, "THERE'S AN ENDLESS STREAM OF PEOPLE LIKE THESE WHO COME, BUT..." Leorio waves his hands frantically, "NO, DON'T WORRY!" while the butler adds, "BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY! THAT'S THE WAY THEY PLANNED THINGS." The butler sips from a cup, noting, "WELL, IT'S NOT A COMMON ASSASSIN FAMILY, SO IT'S NORMAL." In a lower panel, Gon stands behind Leorio as the butler declares with a serious expression, "HOWEVER, I CAN'T LET YOU ENTER." A distant shot shows the massive guard dog Mike's paw print on the ground. "YOU SAW IT TOO, DIDN'T YOU? THE PAW OF THAT ENORMOUS ANIMAL... THAT'S MIKE, THE GUARD DOG OF THE ZOLDYCKS," the butler explains as SFX "GRRR" rumbles nearby.

The old butler continues explaining Mike's nature against a dark outdoor backdrop. "FOR TEN YEARS, IT HAS LOYALLY OBEYED THE ORDERS OF ITS MASTER. WHICH CAN BE RESUMED IN KILLING INTRUDERS." Holding up a remote-like device, he adds, "IT OBEYS ONLY THE ORDERS OF THE FAMILY; IT'S UNCONTROLLABLE." Inside the room again, the butler stands firm, "ANYWAYS, I CAN'T LET YOU ENTER." He leans forward with a knowing smile, "MORE THAN LOYAL, IT'S GREEDY." A large window reveals a scenic view as the butler asks, "TELL ME, GUARDIAN-SAN, WHY ARE YOU UNHARMED?" Killua's sister Alluka reacts with shock, "EH?" while another character laughs, "HA HA HA." The butler holds up a small card, remarking, "GOOD REMARK..." Killua leans in close and states, "OTHERWISE, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE THIS KEY? YOU CAN ENTER, CAN'T YOU?" The butler looks surprised at the boy's deduction.

The bald butler holds up a large key and declares, "THIS IS THE SPECIAL KEY FOR INTRUDERS." He explains to Gon and Killua, "TO ENTER, I DON'T USE THIS KEY." The man in sunglasses adds, "BUT YOU ARE HALF RIGHT, HALF WRONG." Gon looks surprised with a question mark above his head. The butler continues, pointing to a smoking ashtray, "WHEN THEY CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR, DISCONCERTED, THEY TRY TO DESTROY THE ENTRANCE. IT'S ANNOYING." He notes, "ALL THESE WEIRD PEOPLE. OUT OF 10 PEOPLE, 8 OR 9 COME PROUDLY UP TO THE FRONT DOOR." Smiling broadly, the butler says, "UNDER MY CHARGE OF SYMPATHETIC GUARDIAN... I'M ONLY IN CHARGE OF CLEANING UP THE MESSES MIKE MAKES." The man in sunglasses holds up the key and states, "A KEY SPECIALLY FOR THIS... THIS WAY, INTRUDERS COME TO STEAL IT FROM ME, AND I DON'T RESIST. THEN THEY'RE KILLED AND EATEN BY MIKE. SO WE BUILT A DOOR ON THE SIDE WITH A LOCK."

The butler with sunglasses reacts with shock, "WHAT?" The bald butler replies simply, "EXACTLY." Killua states, "ON THE REAL DOOR, THERE'S NO LOCK!" The man in sunglasses stands before a pair of large double doors and taps one, producing "TAP". He then slams his hands against the door with "SLAT", exclaiming "OOH !!!" as it fails to budge. Frustrated, he tries again, shouting "I TRY TO LIFT TOO, BUT... I PULL! I PUSH! TO THE LEFT! TO THE RIGHT! IT DOESN'T OPEN!" with impact lines and "AAH!" as the door remains shut. In the background, small figures watch the failed attempts while sound effects like "SLAT" and "WAA" emphasize the struggle.

In the stone corridor before the colossal double doors, a small figure gestures toward the entrance. "THIS DOOR'S NICKNAME IS 'DOOR OF VERIFICATION.'" A voice continues, "THE ONES THAT CAN'T OPEN THIS DOOR..." The same small figure taps the floor twice and says, "LOOK." Nearby, an angry exchange erupts: "IDIOT!!!" "THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE WEAK." "I GAVE IT ALL I HAD!" with two sharp taps. The scene shifts to a powerfully built bald man straining with both hands against the massive door, veins bulging as the sound "FIIUUU" echoes twice. He declares, "DO NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED QUALITIES TO ENTER INTO ZOLDICKS' DOMAIN." At the bottom of the page an intense close-up shows a single eye widening with the exclamation "HA!" while Gon, Killua, and the examiner with sunglasses stand watching the effort unfold.

With a tremendous effort the massive doors swing outward. Enormous onomatopoeia "GROOOOOOO" and bold Japanese characters fill the air as the muscular man pushes the right door open from behind, his back to the viewer. The doors part to reveal darkness beyond. In the lower panels a narrator explains, "ONCE IT'S OPENED, YOU HAVE TO ENTER WITHOUT PAUSING." Another panel adds, "AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DOOR CLOSES AUTOMATICALLY," accompanied by the sounds "CLAK" and "VLAN" as the door begins to shut. The examiner with sunglasses, Gon, and Killua watch the closing door from the foreground, their expressions focused on the automatic mechanism.

Under a dark sky, a voice explains the rule given to Mike: "THAT'S THE ORDER GIVEN TO MIKE. DO NOT ATTACK PEOPLE THAT ENTER THROUGH THE DOOR OF VERIFICATION." Two men stand together; the spiky-haired one says "TWO..." while the bald man adds, "EACH SIDE OF THE FIRST DOOR IS TWO TONS." Nearby, Killua, Gon, and a large servant discuss the gate. The servant notes, "YEAR AFTER YEAR, IT BECOMES HARDER TO OPEN..." and explains, "IF I FAILED TO OPEN IT, I WOULD GET FIRED,... SO I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE." Gon asks, "YES. YOU SAID 'FIRST DOOR'?" The man with glasses replies, "NORMALLY, NOBODY CAN PUSH SUCH..." The group examines the massive gate marked with "LN" and "N" symbols. The servant confirms, "IT DOUBLES? THE WEIGHT DOUBLES EACH TIME THE SIZE CHANGES. LOOK! YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE 7 TOTAL." He continues, "THEY WERE BUILT SO THAT WE OPEN THE ONE CORRESPONDING TO OUR STRENGTH." Gon answers, "YES."

The massive gate begins to open with a loud grinding sound, SFX "ギィィィ Grooooooo". Gon stares in shock as the old man remarks, "WHEN KILLUA ENTERED, HE OPENED THE THIRD DOOR." Gon exclaims, "ERR... 16 TONS, GON... 12 TONS!!!" The old man continues, "I DON'T LIKE THIS... THE WORLD WHERE YOU LIE IS DIFFERENT. YOU UNDERSTAND NOW? TO ENTER THE DOMAIN, YOU MUST HAVE SOME ABILITIES." Gon replies firmly, "SO BEING AN INTRUDER FITS ME BETTER. EVEN IF I ONLY CAME TO SEE A FRIEND, I MUST PASS A TEST." The man with glasses reacts, "WHAT? SIR, LEND ME YOUR KEYS." Killua watches silently in the background.