Hunter × Hunter Chapter 52: Kastro

Gon stands confidently in the foreground with both fists raised and a determined smile, wearing his standard outfit of a jacket, shorts, and tall laced boots. Behind him stretches a dark city skyline at dusk with a tall tower visible against the clouds. Large text at the bottom reads 'N°052 KASTRO'.

Killua stands at the doorway as Gon flips upside down in the air above him, calling out, "AH, KILLUA ... I WAS ABOUT TO VISIT YOU..." Gon lands and hops closer with repeated "HOP" sounds while Killua stares in surprise and asks, "AND YOUR INJURIES...?" Gon replies with a bright smile, "I THINK I'M TOTALLY HEALED," declaring "PERFECT !" as he flexes and begins a rapid series of acrobatic hops and tags around the room. Killua watches in shock, muttering "HIM..." while Gon continues his energetic movements with "Tic" and "CRK" sounds. A large narration box states: "HE RECOVERED IN ONE MONTH WHILE HIS INJURIES SHOULD HAVE NEEDED FOUR MONTHS TO HEAL."

In a dark setting, Killua asks Gon why he came while Gon retorts, "SPEAK FOR YOURSELF." Gon then questions, "WHAT MATTER ARE YOU MADE OF? REALLY WEIRD." Gon notices the tickets in Killua’s hand and asks, "TICKETS?" Killua holds up the tickets and explains they are "TICKETS FOR THE MATCH OF HISOKA," adding "NOT SIMPLE TICKETS..." In the final panel Killua complains, "I’M DISGUSTED! I HAD TO PAY A LOT FOR THESE!" while Gon notes, "I WAS ABLE TO GET RESERVED SEATS BECAUSE WE’RE FIGHTERS OF THE 200TH FLOOR."

Gon stares ahead with wide eyes, hand raised as he speaks. "It's obvious he's not a mere guy." He continues, "More importantly, they told me a lot of things about him." In the next panel, a bustling crowd lines up while Gon stands among them. "You can't imagine the queues for the tickets, there're also sellers from the black market," someone remarks. Gon reacts with surprise, "Oh?" A dramatic panel shows a defeated fighter sprawled amid ink splatters. "With him, a K.O. means 'death.'" The record appears: "8 victories, 6 of which are K.O., and three defeats." Gon explains further, "When the preparation was over, he registered, but didn't come the day of the match." Killua stands beside him. "Yeah..." Gon adds, "Concerning the 3 defeats, those are matches he didn't do." In close-up, Gon concludes, "In other words, if he comes to fight, he never loses."

A bearded man with curly hair speaks to the group. "People say he might have the strength of a Floor Master." Killua reacts, "Oohh," while Gon looks down. "I down and only 3 clean hits," the man adds. Gon questions, "Yes?" and leans forward with a grin, "There's more." Rain-like drops fall as the man continues, "Over 11 matches, he's only lost 4 points." Gon stares intensely in close-up. The man identifies the opponent: "His opponent is called Kastro." Gon sweats, "Pff...," as the man warns, "Put more conviction into your words... your face betrays you." In the final panel, Gon and Killua stand together. "Of the 4 points he's lost, 3 were because of this Kastro," the man states. Gon realizes, "He's the only guy who got a down on Hisoka."

Gon and Killua walk side by side down a long corridor. Gon explains that they will finally see the fighter in action for real, allowing them to analyze his techniques directly. Killua adds that the combatants may have already agreed on the date of their fatal confrontation. Gon confirms he was told the same. Killua replies with a simple "Yeah." Wing appears in profile, his spiky hair visible, and sternly tells them they will only watch the match. Gon turns with wide eyes and asks what about the promise they made to Wing. In a dramatic close-up, Wing's face fills the frame with motion lines as he flatly refuses: "No way."

Gon accepts with "Okay" and "Yes" while small impact sounds "BOM BOM" appear near him. Wing continues explaining that watching a match is also a way to learn about Nen. He reminds them they have only one month of convalescence left and must not waste it. A sweating Zushi watches from the background, wondering if Wing is angry. Wing states that the two only exercise ten times every day and seem to respect his instructions. A panel shows the silhouette of aura leaking slowly like a silent river. Gon sits on the floor wondering if he is more disturbed than the others, while Wing looks down and mutters "Damn!"

Killua reacts with shock and frustration to a conversation about a wealthy spectator. "AND HE'S A MILLIONAIRE...LISTEN TO HIM..." someone exclaims. Another voice adds, "I COULD'VE BOUGHT 1000 BOXES OF CHOCOLATE!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" and "IT'S NOT TRUE! AND I SPENT 150,000 JENIS!!" Killua then states firmly, "WELL, I'M GOING ALONE." A reply comes, "YOU DIDN'T KNOW! YOU CAN RECORD THE MATCH!" The scene shifts to the towering Heaven's Arena building under a cloudy sky. Inside, a television screen displays "BIP BIP" sounds as someone off-panel yells "ARGH!!" A dramatic "CLASH" sound effect erupts with a bright impact flash. In a quiet room, Gon stands in the foreground with his hand extended, gazing intently at a smaller boy sitting cross-legged and meditating calmly on a bed.

Close-up panels show a pair of hands methodically cracking knuckles, one wearing a ring. The next panel reveals Gon's intense face with wide eyes and a single sweat drop against a black background. The view widens to the packed arena stands one hour before the combat. A female announcer with a microphone gestures toward the crowd and declares, "STILL ONE HOUR BEFORE THE COMBAT, AND THE ROOM IS ALREADY FULL!! LOOK AT THIS CROWD!!" The excited audience fills every seat while various onomatopoeia like BROUHA, ガヤ, and OUA! capture the noisy atmosphere.

A profile of Hisoka fills the upper right panel, his star-marked cheek visible as narration details his record: 8 victories, 3 defeats, but only for non-presentation to the fight. The god of death that likes resting, the magician Hisoka. Another panel recounts his past: 9 victories, 1 defeat after his defeat to Hisoka, he won 9 times consecutively and has defeated a floor master, Kastro, the warrior. He declared 'I'm gonna make Hisoka pay.' The match of revenge?! Below, Gon, Killua, and Zushi watch a television screen showing an interview. Gon suggests, 'Let's watch the interview he had at time of his previous match.' Killua mutters 'He must be stocky.' Zushi adds 'Hmm...' The screen shows Hisoka saying 'I'm gonna show that in two years, I became another man.' Gon reacts 'Not really modest...' while Killua says 'Oh...' A long-haired woman seated nearby speaks: 'Only 55 minutes left before the beginning of the match between the ones whose strength must be closest to the floor masters!! If I didn't think I had a chance of winning, I wouldn't fight. But is he really self-confident, or...?'

Gon stands up abruptly and announces 'I'm gonna check.' He moves through a doorway into a hallway, the door closing with a CLAC sound effect. A man with a star emblem on his sweater stands further down the corridor. Gon peeks around a corner, spots the distant figure walking away, and continues following. In a separate room, the long-haired woman sits on a couch, her hands clasped, as she thinks 'He's here...' with a small SFX of 55... visible nearby. Gon is seen from behind approaching another door while the figure recedes down the hall.

A long-haired man stands directly behind Killua in a dim room, his flowing hair framing a calm face as he asks, "CAN I HELP YOU?" Killua stares upward with wide, startled eyes. In the bottom panel, Gon pushes open a door and steps inside while the long-haired man walks away down the corridor. A massive, bold "WHAT?!!!!!" erupts across the scene as Gon reacts in shock.

The long-haired man walks with Killua, declaring "I'M CERTAIN I SAW HIM IN THIS ARMCHAIR !!!" Killua looks around frantically, thinking "WHEN... ?!" Multiple panels show an empty chair and motion lines as the man explains how someone opened the door, passed beside him, and vanished in an instant. Killua admits he wanted an autograph, prompting the man to reply "I'M HONORED, KILLUA." Killua reacts with "HUH?" while sweat drops appear on both their faces.

Gon stands in the hallway, surprised by the sudden appearance of a tall, long-haired man in flowing robes. The man remarks, "Today, it's adversaries inspection?" Gon replies, "No, no. I've been totally found out." The man continues, "It's how you are with this boy, Gon, isn't it? You came to have a look at a potential rival of the 200th floor." Gon responds, "I wanted to see you up close." The man asks, "So what are your impressions?" Gon senses a powerful presence and says, "A presence like yours, that brusquely disappears, no need to have my skills to remark it." The man replies, "But if you want to erase your presence, do it a long time before reaching this floor." Gon thanks him. The man notes, "Quite impressive." Gon asks, "You mean you detected me as soon as I arrived at the floor?" The man confirms, "Your Zetsu isn't bad either."

The long-haired man turns away, saying, "Sorry, but I can't tell you... As we may someday fight against each other." Gon asks, "How did you do what you just did?" The man replies he cannot reveal it. Gon persists, "Anyways, I wanna ask you something..." The man states, "That's not what your aura revealed. Don't worry! I don't have any intentions of fighting to go up." Gon looks shocked. The man laughs, "Ha! Ha! Ha! I'm kidding. Watch the match, and you'll get your answer." Gon walks to a door and says, "I told you I won't fight!" The man responds, "I'll wait for you at the Battle Olympia." A girl appears at the door asking about an autograph. Gon panics, "No, too bad. Plus, I forgot to bring paper and a pen. See ya!"

Kastro stands tall in the arena, arms at his sides, and shouts with excitement, "HERE WE ARE!!" The crowd watches from the stands as the announcer declares the upcoming match. In the distance, Hisoka walks forward in his long robe while Kastro faces him directly. A large caption announces "THE COMBAT BETWEEN HISOKA AND KASTRO!!" In a close-up panel, Hisoka's face is shown in profile as an unseen speaker asks, "WHO'S BECOME STRONGER?" Hisoka replies calmly, "WITHOUT YOUR BAPTISMAL I WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME SO STRONG. I THANK YOU, HISOKA." Below the arena, Gon looks up with wide eyes and reacts with repeated "Qua! Qua!" sounds while clutching something in his hands.

Hisoka's intense close-up shows narrowed eyes as he states, "TO REACH DEFEATING YOU, ALL I DID WAS TRAINING..." In a dark panel, Hisoka stands with his robe flowing and continues, "IN THE 9 MATCHES I FOUGHT AFTER MY DEFEAT TO YOU ... NOT ONCE DID I GO ALL OUT. I WARN YOU." A man in the stands reacts with shock, mouth wide open and shouting "WOO-Z-!!" In a dramatic full-page spread, Hisoka unleashes his aura with radiating lines and declares "LET'S GO!!" while extending one hand forward, the motion lines emphasizing his powerful stance.

A fierce exchange erupts in the arena. The long-haired fighter lunges forward with a powerful strike, the impact marked by a sharp SHAT as the blade-like weapon clashes. The opponent is sent reeling. In a blur of motion the long-haired fighter twists through the air, cloak billowing, delivering a crushing follow-up that lands with a resounding BLAM. Shockwaves and debris explode outward. Below, a spiky-haired boy watches in stunned silence, his eyes wide. Nearby another figure is hurled to the ground, the impact echoing with TOHAAA as the boy reacts with a sharp !!!?

The arena erupts in cheers as the announcer declares a clean hit. Kastro makes his explosive entrance, the crowd roaring OOOOOOOOH. In close-up Hisoka appears with a single bead of sweat, murmuring that he had been certain he avoided the right hand. The long-haired fighter, Kastro, stares directly forward with intense eyes and commands Hisoka to fight for real.