Hunter × Hunter Chapter 72: N°072 September 1ST

A dramatic landscape opens the page under a cloudy sky, showing a lone mountain peak rising above the clouds with the text N°072 SEPTEMBER 1ST overlaid. The scene cuts to a frantic indoor setting where a man with glasses kneels amid scattered computer equipment and cables. Large sound effects read ガシャン !! VLAM as he reacts in shock. Speech bubbles convey his panic: DAMN IT!! WHY?!, NO, IMPOSSIBLE., DID KILLUA DECEIVE ME?, HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE FAKE GAMES, AND HE WOULDN'T BE DECEIVED IN A TRADE., CHARACTERS GO THROUGH WALLS!, WHY DID NOTHING HAPPEN?!, I TRACED THE PROGRAM PERFECTLY!, I DID THIS PERFECTLY!, and I WILL SOLVE THE SECRET BEHIND THIS !!. He sweats heavily while clutching his head, continuing: IF IRUMI WAS HERE, I COULD ASK HIM., SHOULD I HACK INTO THE HUNTER SITES? NO, TOO RISKY., DAMN IT! DAMN IT!!, BECAUSE IT'S A HUNTERS ONLY GAME., WHICH ONE? IF IT'S REAL, WHY DOESN'T IT WORK?!, IT'S ONE OF TWO THINGS, HE WAS DECEIVED AND GOT THE ROM CARD, OR THIS IS INDEED REAL., and I WANT TO KNOW !!. The man remains on the floor surrounded by monitors and wires, visibly distressed.

In a dimly lit rocky tunnel lined with wooden doors and lanterns, a large overweight man with short dark hair stumbles forward aggressively. His shirt hangs open over his bare chest as he grips a bottle in one hand. Impact sounds "DOM DOM" and "ドスドス" shake the scene while he shouts "ARGGH!". A large speech bubble declares his determination: "I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT COSTS ME." The page is dated "SEPTEMBER 1ST - (1)" with the chapter marker "N°072" visible at the bottom left.

A young person with dark hair checks a mobile phone displaying "CURRENT BALANCE, 12.7 BILLION..." while thinking "TO BUY IT, I'LL DEFINITELY NEED TWICE AS MUCH." The scene shifts to a mountainous landscape where the same person stands before a helicopter, saying "DAD, LET'S MAKE A DEAL." and "I'LL KILL IS, SO LEND ME 15 BILLION." A flashback panel shows a small child figure with the line "WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE LAST TIME, I WAS ABOUT 10..." accompanied by motion lines "ビュルルル". The final panel shows hands operating a laptop with the message "AUTO-PILOT TO RINGON AIRPORT."

A man with spiky black hair holds a phone to his ear while standing before a tall building at night. He reviews the fortune-telling results that came back identical for four clients. The verse warns: "UNDERGROUND WHERE PRICE OF EVERYTHING RISES. THIS WILL BECOME YOUR BED. DON'T GO DOWN THE STAIRS THAT'S NOT GOING UP. DO NOT COMPETE IN NUMBERS WITH OTHERS." He notes that the same result appeared for all four customers and that three more share the same verse. The man realizes this concerns the underground auction this year. He recalls that anything about "sleep" usually foretells death or disease. A final warning states: "YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER IF YOU ATTEND THE AUCTION." In the past, he decides to forward the results immediately and reminds the clients not to forget the warning. One more thing is mentioned as the scene shifts to a chaotic memory of people fleeing.

Neon smiles brightly while her fortune is discussed. Someone wonders if it would be wise to let her attend the auction tonight, noting she does not know the contents of her own telling and cannot predict her future either. A spiky-haired man insists they cannot allow Neon to go to the auction no matter the cost. Another voice says they probably will not be able to convince her. A third warns they cannot handle her if she angers. Neon has been looking forward to attending this year's auction. The group stands in a large hall with several suited men and a woman present. One man comments "NICE WORK." as the meeting concludes.

A small panel displays a microwave-like device labeled with text about an actor's son and Mareech's used tissue paper with DNA verification, accompanied by the SFX 'SLAT'. Nearby narration identifies the 'FULL BODY MUMMY OF THE QUEEN OF COLCO' and 'AKA, SCARLET EYES, AND EYES OF THE KURATA CLAN'. In the adjacent panel, a man with glasses stands beside a projector and declares, 'TO PURCHASE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS AT THE UNDERGROUND AUCTION. I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT COSTS, YOU GUYS ATTEND THE AUCTION. OUR NEXT JOB IS...' A profile view shows the blond man with a neutral expression. Below, the blond man stands in shadow while a bald figure and silhouetted audience watch a stage with two large circular doors. In the foreground, a man with spiky black hair and facial scars gestures emphatically, stating, 'WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS, PRIORITIZE "OBTAINING THE ITEM," AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.' He continues, 'ALSO!! THERE'S INFORMATION THAT SOMEONE WILL ATTACK THE UNDERGROUND AUCTION.'

Close-up panels introduce three men with name labels: Iwanclef, Tochino, and Veze. A nighttime cityscape with glowing windows appears beside them. A man with glasses stands on a balcony holding a small object, announcing, 'THE MUMMY WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF IN CEMETERY BUILDING. TONIGHT AT 9.' Another man with a topknot hairstyle questions, 'ONLY THREE?' The man with glasses replies, 'I'LL LEAVE THE AUCTION TO YOU.' In a large close-up, the spiky-haired scarred man explains, 'THE AUCTION HALL SECURITY IS CONDUCTED BY THE MAFIA COMMUNITY. THE BUYERS CAN ONLY SEND THREE PEOPLE PER GROUP, NO WEAPONS OR OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS ALLOWED.' He concludes, 'BECAUSE GETTING SOMEONE IN A HIGH POSITION MAD WOULD RESULT IN EVERYONE BEING AFTER US. AS A RESULT, USUALLY NOTHING HAPPENS.'

A speaker emphasizes that words spoken under oath in court carry more weight than casual statements. If anything happens, the words of individuals inside will be taken into account. The mafia community lacks security cameras, so everything inside the hall operates on trust. The group must also set aside personal animosity toward others present. A hand is raised in warning: do not get into any kind of trouble and speak only to partners, because impressions formed inside the hall are vital. The team assembles in formation under dramatic speed lines. Basho is assigned back-entrance watch, Rinsen back-entrance watch, Tochino in charge of the auction, Mancolef in charge of the auction, Veze in charge of the auction. Kurapika takes main-entrance watch, Senritsu main-entrance watch, Scumala guards Neon, and Daltzorne guards Neon. With roles confirmed, the mission begins.

At night, the large multi-story Sazan Piece Auction House stands illuminated against the starry sky. Inside a lounge, Leorio sits on a couch and tells Gon and Killua that with their current budget they cannot afford the entrance fee. He adds that the Sazan Piece Auction House is the most prestigious of all auction houses and that the minimal expected price is 8.9 billion, yet they only obtained 5 million. Leorio holds up a small card and notes it is impossible to get in with that amount. He reminds them that the only thing needed to search for Gon's father in the game is money. Gon sits on the building steps and asks if the Hunter site obtaining level is easy.

Gon sits barefoot on a ledge, knees drawn up, as he speaks with Killua. "Then you're truly a real hunter, right?" he says. "Get these kinds of things with ease." Killua replies from off-panel. Gon continues, "But things that can be bought can't be called a true treasure, right?" Below, Leorio stands beside Killua, both looking toward Gon. Gon turns away, thinking, "Leorio is probably a protection-type too. Simple minded fools." He suggests, "Let's take a look at some postings. There must be tons of stories about dreams coming true in Yorkshin. There must be something we can do." The boys examine a computer screen. A text box explains the Exchanger system: one-way auction where the buyer displays items and the seller chooses one in exchange, with bidding and binding also mentioned. Gon stares at the screen and asks, "What's 'Exchanger'?"

A text box defines Binding as another name for conditional auctioning where the seller sets a non-monetary condition and the first to fulfill it wins the item. Leorio explains that bidding works like a regular auction with different methods available. Gon wonders aloud what binding means while Killua comments that the term sounds a little erotic. Leorio questions the meaning of the condition. The group discusses how they can use the system. In a dramatic night scene outside a large building marked with auction symbols, a large starburst panel shows Leorio declaring, "I figured out a way to do an auction and make money for sure!!" Gon and Killua run ahead shouting, "Let's go, Gon, Killua!!" as someone off-panel replies, "What?"

Gon stands alone on a raised wooden platform under a bright spotlight, fists clenched and eyes wide with focus as dramatic speed lines radiate outward. Large onomatopoeia "TADAN!!" and bold Japanese lettering explode above him. From the right, an unseen auctioneer shouts "STEP RIGHT UP! STEP RIGHT UP!!" Below, a series of panels explain the rules: the diamond will be sold to the first person who wins against this young man in arm wrestling, the starting price is 10,000 Jenis, and the condition is arm wrestling. Gon peers out from a window-like opening with a surprised expression while a suited man gestures toward him. The scene shifts to a crowded auction hall where a banner announces the conditional auction is about to begin. Killua stands calmly on the right side holding a tray with a small cake, watching the proceedings with a neutral expression as the crowd gathers below.

The auction erupts into chaos as the crowd surges forward with raised hands and excited faces, shouting bids and demands. A large close-up shows a man with a headband yelling "LET THE AUCTION BEGIN!!!" while others cry "MINE TOO!", "HERE'S MINE!", and "ONE AT A TIME!!". In the next row of panels, the arm-wrestling match begins between Gon and an older opponent. The opponent smirks and says "Hehehe" while thinking about adjusting power for each opponent and sometimes acting like trouble. Spectators cheer "SORRY, YOU LOSE!", "CAN HE DO IT!?", and "READY? GO!!" as impact lines and motion effects fill the panel. Killua watches from below with a thoughtful expression, noting "I SEE, THIS IS A CONDITIONAL AUCTION" and calculating that 88,999 victories are needed until 8.9 billion Jenis. At the bottom, a dark panel with star-like shapes shows the next challenger stepping up amid the repeated cries of "NEXT!!" and "YOU LOSE!".

The crowd watches intently as Gon continues his arm-wrestling streak. Spectators mutter that the boy must be reaching his limit, sweating heavily, yet he shows no sign of losing. Gon grins to himself, thinking how easy it is to make money this way even as fatigue sets in. He has already defeated 150 opponents. A voice from the crowd wonders aloud if he is really just a kid. Suddenly a suited man with glasses steps forward, raising his hand and declaring the next challenger while shouting that the current fighter will lose. The man holds up prize money as a serious-looking girl with glasses and a cross necklace watches from the foreground.

The suited man with glasses approaches the table where Gon and Killua wait. He greets them politely while the crowd erupts in excitement over the first female challenger. The suited man tells the girl to leave her left hand on the table. Close-up panels show the two competitors locking hands with intense focus. The suited man suddenly shouts 'GO!' and 'READY?!' as the match begins, both fighters straining with visible effort and concentration.

Gon and the girl with glasses lock hands across the table in a fierce arm-wrestling contest. A sharp CRACK rings out as their grip strains under the pressure. Sweat beads on Gon's face while he grimaces in concentration. The girl leans in with a confident smirk and lets out a sharp "HAA !". Their fingers twist and press harder, producing a rapid series of "CRI" and "ギ" sounds. The table jolts with a loud "DOM" as the match reaches its peak. Killua watches silently from the side with wide eyes.

A man with glasses raises his arm triumphantly while holding a microphone as the crowd cheers wildly. Speech bubbles declare "KID, YOU'RE A GREAT ACTOR!", "WELL DONE, GIRL!", and "SORRY, YOU LOSE!". Gon stands nearby looking surprised while the girl with glasses sits defeated at the table. Killua asks Gon if he was using full power. Gon replies that he was. In a thought panel the girl wonders if she could be the world champion of women's arm wrestling. Later the girl, now identified as Shizuku, walks away while a man in a hoodie complains about losing ten thousand Jenny and asks where they went.

A large scarred man grips the head of a girl with glasses while a masked figure watches from the side. The scarred man says, "YOU SHOULD HAVE USED YOUR LEFT HAND." The girl replies, "I WANTED THAT DIAMOND." The masked figure asks, "WHY DIDN'T YOU?" The scarred man answers, "TRUE." In a close-up the girl explains, "'CAUSE HE OFFERED ME HIS RIGHT HAND, SO..." Someone responds, "OH, YEAH." The group continues their exchange: "ALSO, IT'S NOT LIKE US TO BUY OR COMPETE FOR THINGS." "YEAH." "WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO." "NO, IT'S TIME." "I WANT TO CHALLENGE HER AGAIN." In tight close-ups the masked figure declares, "WE STEAL," and the scarred man finishes, "WE'RE THIEVES."

A small inset shows a building exterior. Suddenly a massive close-up erupts as a spiky-haired boy screams with rage, hair flying outward, "NO!!!!!!" and "I'M GOING!!!" Sound effects burst around the panel. Below, a small creature floats amid debris while a scarred man on a phone says, "I CAN'T HANDLE HER." He asks, "CAN YOU HEAR HER?" The boy's furious outburst continues with motion lines and impact effects filling the frame.