Hunter × Hunter Chapter 45: Ren

Killua appears in a large close-up on the left side of the spread, his silver hair messy, an earring visible, and his right hand raised near his face with fingers curled as if in thought or tension. His eyes look off to the side. Far below in the misty background, Gon stands alone with hands in his pockets, looking upward. On the right side of the spread, Leorio stands in silhouette, one arm extended and pointing forward while the other rests on his hip. Killua is shown from a lower angle in the foreground, head slightly bowed and body turned away, his jacket and shorts visible. Small black particles drift through the air between the figures.

A tall, illuminated Celestial Tower rises dramatically against a starry night sky above a sprawling cityscape. A text box in the upper right reads: CELESTIAL TOWER. A PLACE OF FIGHTS WHERE ONLY WINNERS CAN GO TO THE HIGHER FLOORS. ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE CONFIDENT IN THEIR STRENGTH COME EVERYDAY AND TRY THEIR BEST TO REACH THE HIGHEST LEVELS. At the bottom left, a rectangular panel states N°045 REN. Below the tower illustration, a crowded scene shows many spectators gathered inside the arena building. A narration box explains: THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO ASSIST IN THE MATCHES IN A YEAR EXCEEDS 1000 MILLION. INSIDE THE BUILDING, EVERYTHING IS ADJUSTED AND A LOT OF SERVICES ARE PROPOSED. THE BEST FIGHTERS CAN DISPOSE OF A WHOLE FLOOR.

An attendant in a dark uniform with a sun emblem stands in the hallway of Heaven's Arena and gestures forward. "AS FAR AS THE 200TH FLOOR, THIS BUILDING IS DIVIDED INTO GROUPS OF 10 FLOORS," she explains. "IN OTHER WORDS, ONLY ONE VICTORY IS ENOUGH FOR A FIGHTER OF THE 50TH FLOOR TO GO TO THE 60TH." She adds that losers drop back to the 40th. Gon and Killua listen closely. Gon exclaims "OH?" while Killua remarks, "IF WE PASS THE 100TH FLOOR, WE CAN USE A SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL ROOM." The boys then arrive at the 50th floor, where a small boy in a martial-arts gi stands waiting near the elevator marked "TING 50."

Gon and Killua spot a man in a vest near the elevator and shout "THERE!" They introduce themselves: "AND I'M GON." "I'M KILLUA. YOU?" The small boy answers, "I'M ZUSHI!! YOU?" A tall fighter in a black vest watches from the side. Zushi turns to the group and declares, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU ONLY NEEDED ONE FIGHT TO COME HERE TOO." Another fighter comments, "I HAD THE HONOR TO SEE YOUR MATCHES. YOU'RE GREAT!" Zushi proudly states, "PERSONALLY, I COME FROM THE KUNG-FU SHIN GEN DOJO!" and asks, "TELL ME, FROM WHICH DOJO DO YOU COME?" Gon and Killua look surprised as Zushi continues, "OH, NO! NOT YET, NOT YET..."

Gon and Killua react with shock as they process Zushi's rapid progress. "I still have to work a lot. Yeah, well..." Gon mutters with a sweat drop. "That's a real shock for me. To be able to reach such a level without being guided..." Killua adds. "WHAT?!" Gon shouts. "Hmm... we really don't have one..." Killua replies thoughtfully. Zushi suddenly calls out "MASTER!" as a tall man in glasses and a white shirt enters the scene. "ZUSHI! THAT'S GOOD!" the man praises. Zushi bows deeply. "Ah, sorry! Master, your shirt is..." the man says, adjusting his clothes. "That's an honor. You followed my teaching well," he continues while making a hand gesture. Gon and Killua stand nearby as the man introduces himself: "Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Wing. And these are Killua-san and Gon-san." The boys bow slightly. "And at your sides?" Wing asks. "To become stronger, but..." Gon begins. "Well... why are you here? I never thought I would see other kids like Zushi," Wing inquires.

Wing advises the boys on their next steps. "Then you should take care of yourself and also of your adversaries," he says. "Ah... if you came this far, then you must be strong," he adds. Killua explains their situation: "We're out of money and we wanted to earn some. Killua has already participated." They approach a ticket counter where an attendant hands over earnings. "These are your earnings for the previous fight," the attendant states while sliding an envelope. "Your tickets, please," another voice requests. "Hi! Killua-san, Gon-san, and Zushi-san, right?" someone greets. A large panel shows prize money: 100, 50, and other coins with a "CLING" sound effect. Killua holds up a stack of bills. "But from now on, if we lose, we earn nothing! On the 50th floor the victory gives you 50,000 jennis," he explains. "On the first floor, if you win or if you lose, you still receive the prize of a drink. That's the price of a drink," Zushi notes. "152 jennis..." Killua calculates while looking at the coins.

Gon, Killua, and Zushi sit together reviewing the prize structure of Heaven's Arena. If they reach the 150th floor the reward exceeds ten million Jenny. At the 100th floor the payout is already around one million. Killua remarks that the amount is substantial. Zushi reveals he once reached the 200th floor four years earlier and used the earnings to buy cakes for four years straight. Killua is surprised to learn Zushi has already been that high. The boys calculate that two hundred million Jenny equals four years of cakes and wonder what kind of cakes they were. Killua explains he quit just before the 200th floor after receiving two hundred million Jenny and admits he does not know the true earnings at that level. Gon suggests they hurry to the next match since none of them were injured in the first fight.

In a tiled waiting area, muscular fighters lounge on benches while Killua, Gon, and Zushi sit together. A large man with long hair stands nearby as another fighter bends over. Killua speaks loudly, prompting a bald man in a white shirt to tell him to quiet down. The bald man adds that their opponents on the 55th floor will be easy. A dark silhouette with glowing eyes looms behind them. Killua then stands and declares it is his turn. An official announces that Maita-san and Chipapa-san should proceed to the 55th floor fighting room B.

Killua and Zushi stand facing each other after their match. Killua mutters that it is only a chance of fate and it will be better in the next match. Zushi replies that it is an honor for him. With a sharp KRAK sound, Zushi declares the room assignment: Zushi-san, room A, 57th floor. Killua answers with a casual good luck to you too, and Zushi responds yeah, well see you in a while. The scene shifts to a massive view of the Celestial Tower at night, its lights blazing upward amid a cheering crowd. Wing watches from the stands. In the arena below, Killua and Gon look up as Zushi announces he will wait for them in the hall of the 60th floor. Zushi adds that Killua sure speaks openly. The excited crowd roars as Zushi, now in the ring wearing a robe, declares to the audience that this eclectic combination for a confrontation between two young boys is the moment they were waiting for.

The female announcer with headphones energetically addresses the crowd, urging them to watch the previous matches on the big screen thanks to videos. She warns not to underestimate the fighters who came directly to the 50th floor. She highlights Zushi's kung-fu techniques that knocked out a giant over 200 kg without injury. She praises Killua for triumphing in a fraction of a second with a dazzling shot. The announcer declares it is now their turn and invites the audience to use command boxes for betting. In the stands, Killua looks annoyed while Gon comments that Killua-san is mad and questions if Zushi's kung-fu mastery appears more reliable. The scoreboard lights up showing Killua at 2,075 votes and Zushi at 1,500. Gon suggests three rounds of three minutes with discount on points and KO. The announcer continues hyping the match.

The match begins with a loud announcement as the referee signals the start inside the arena ring. Killua stands ready in his gi, facing the smaller boy in a matching uniform. From the stands, Gon and another observer watch closely. Killua narrows his eyes and thinks, 'I see... a guard that doesn't have a lot of space. That can't be learned in one day.' The boy launches forward with quick steps, tapping the floor twice while declaring, 'I don't have anything against him. But...' The crowd reacts with excitement as Killua closes the distance. Someone shouts, 'OOOH! KILLUA IS HEADING AUDACIOUSLY FOR HIS ADVERSARY!!!' The boy continues his chant, 'BROLIHA BROLIHA,' as impact sounds echo. Killua's intense close-up shows sweat and focus, followed by a panel of Gon looking concerned. The boy ends with a small 'ARRGH...' as the exchange concludes.

Killua unleashes a powerful straight punch with a loud 'HAA!!' and 'FLIT' impact, striking the boy directly. The boy is sent flying backward with a heavy 'TONK' and 'ZUN...' sound, crashing into the ring ropes. His body bounces off violently before he collapses to the floor in a crumpled heap marked by 'BLAM'. Gon stands nearby watching the outcome with wide eyes. In the final panel Killua's face appears with a remorseful expression as he says, 'SORRY...' A narration box states the boy's goal: 'I WANT TO GO TO THE 150TH FLOOR WITH ONLY ONE SHOT.'

The referee raises his arm high and declares a clean hit from Killua, awarding two points for the strike and the down. Oooooooo! OOOH! A TERRIBLE HIT FROM KILLUA!! CLEAN HIT!! A CLEAN HIT AND A DOWN: 2 POINTS! The announcer explains the scoring system in detail: excellent hits count as one point, extraordinary critical hits count as two points, and a down after a hit adds one more point. WAAAAH! WAAAAH! As the rules state, clean hits, critical hits, and downs all factor into the total. Killua stands with arms crossed, staring coldly at his opponent. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WITH SUCH A HIT, IT'S OVER, IDIOT... TAC. If a total of ten points is reached, the fighter is declared the winner. Zushi lies on the arena floor after the impact. Gon leans forward anxiously and asks if Zushi wants to continue. YES, I'LL BE OKAY! The referee confirms that if a fighter is declared unfit to continue, he is declared K.O. Zushi slowly pushes himself up from the ground.

Killua's eyes widen slightly as he watches Zushi stand up again. ZUSHI HAS STOOD UP AGAIN! IT SEEMS HE WANTS TO CONTINUE, WHATEVER THE RISKS. The referee steps back. I MUST HAVE HELD BACK MY SHOT TOO MUCH. Gon and Killua both react with surprise as Zushi raises his arm and shouts GO! OUA! OUA! OUA! The two boys tumble across the floor after a sudden clash. HA!!! HA!!! HA!!! Vlam! Killua is sent flying backward from a powerful strike, his body twisting in midair from the impact. Zushi stands firm with a fierce glare, ready for more.

Killua stands ready after striking Zushi down. The arbiter confirms no points for the knockdown. Zushi immediately rises again. "ZUSHI IS ON THE GROUND!! AGAIN!!" the announcer cries as impact lines and debris fly. Killua glares, hand to chest, muttering "Damn... He's asking for it." A massive close-up shows Killua sweating heavily. "There wouldn't be any surprise in him being KOed after the hit I gave him," he thinks. "Whatever, such endurance!" Zushi plants his feet in a fighting stance. "Don't see any other way...!" Killua's eyes widen in shock. "EXTRAORDINARY! HIS STRENGTH AND HIS SPEED ARE UNCOMPARABLE!! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE OF WINNING IF I CONTINUE LIKE THIS..." he realizes.

Zushi crouches on a raised platform in his gi, fists clenched. Killua's feet are shown retreating backward. Killua's wide eyes stare in disbelief with sweat flying. "KILLUA RETREATED!" the announcer declares. Zushi drops to the floor. "OOH! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" the crowd reacts. A massive close-up reveals Wing shouting with intense fury, mouth wide open. "ZUSHI!!!" he roars, the name exploding across the page in bold letters amid speed lines.

In the stands of Heaven's Arena, a massive crowd surges up the stairs in panic. Zushi stands in the foreground, body tilted, eyes wide with fury as a huge impact SFX erupts beside him. Leorio watches from the side with a serious expression. Killua clutches his head, mouth open in shock as a sharp ringing sound effect appears near him. Gon stares forward with a tense face. Zushi drops into a low stance on the arena floor. A large narration box explains that a spectator's loud encouragement at an unexpected moment has halted the match. The arena tower rises against a starry sky as a voice declares, 'LET'S RECOVER OUR MINDS, AND MAY THE FIGHT RESTART.' Leorio sits with arms crossed, a small 'TAC' sound effect beside him.

Under a starry night sky, Gon counts his earnings aloud, announcing he received 60,000 Jenny and finally took Killua a while. Killua stands nearby with a neutral expression. In the hallway, Gon sits on a bench while Killua stands beside him; other fighters and a 'GOF' sign are visible in the background. Gon reflects that Zushi is still too slow despite his talent. Killua asks if Zushi was strong. Gon admits he could not crush him despite trying. Zushi holds a fighting stance with a serious face. Close-ups show Killua's eye and Gon's sweating face as he says 'PLUS...' and admits he could not crush Zushi.

Killua stands with his back turned, sweat on his cheek as he speaks. "I CAN'T REALLY SAY WHAT, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING BAD. THERE'S A PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE UNDER THIS." Gon stares in shock from the side panel, mouth open with a small "...". In the dark background, Zushi faces away while Killua recalls the sensation: "I GOT THE SAME IMPRESSION AS IF I WERE FIGHTING MY BROTHER. WHEN HE CHANGED HIS GUARD..." A large close-up shows Killua's intense eyes and sweat drop as he thinks, "HIS MASTER TALKED ABOUT 'REN.'" Wing appears sternly and warns, "DON'T USE THE 'REN' YET. I HAD TOLD YOU-NEVER-THE-LESS, ZUSHI..." Zushi collapses to his knees on the arena floor, head bowed and hands on the ground, crying out, "HE WAS SO STRONG, I COULDN'T TELL WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME AND... I'M SO SORRY!! FORGIVE ME, MASTER!" Wing stands over him while distant figures watch from the hallway.

Wing continues speaking while kneeling beside the fallen Zushi. "THE TOP OF THE TOWER... BUT YOUR GOAL IS FAR AWAY FROM THAT, ISN'T IT? WANTING ISN'T A BAD THING. I KNOW." A black panel shows Zushi's simple reply: "YES!" Wing explains, "THE ONE WHO IS OBSESSED BY THE IDEA OF WINNING REDUCES HIS OWN ABILITIES. HERE, YOU MUST BE PREPARED TO LOSE ONE THOUSAND TIMES." Zushi sits alone on the floor replying "YES!" Nearby, Killua tells Gon, "GON... I'M GONNA CHANGE MY PLANS. THE TOP...?" Gon answers with determination, "ACTUALLY, THAT WAS MY GOAL SINCE THE BEGINNING, BUT... YES! I WANT TO REACH THE TOP!" Both boys stand together with serious expressions as other fighters pass in the background.