#276: MISSILEMAN

A muscular figure with outstretched arms and wing-like energy lines reacts in shock as a speech bubble exclaims THE NUMBER WENT UP?! A small round creature with a visor displaying 354 bounces forward excitedly, accompanied by bubbles reading INTEREST ADDED! and TIME UP! Large stylized SFX ビィィ and ビュン emphasize rapid motion and impact. The creature dashes across the scene with motion lines. Below, intense close-ups show a character enduring heavy strikes with repeated SFX ギュギュ, followed by a back view of a shirtless man with long hair facing away as another figure flies off in the distance with a small creature nearby.

A small winged creature with a 354 helmet flies through the night sky, trailing motion lines. Below, a stern man with slicked-back hair enters a dark space. In close-up, his intense glare is shown. The muscular, shirtless man with wing-like arms and a topknot stands powerfully, shouting that his attacks have no effect on the creature. The small creature hovers nearby as the man yells 'ANSWER ME!!' A panicked voice cries 'OH NO, YOU DON'T!!' In a massive impact panel, a long-haired fighter is hurled backward amid huge SFX and radiating lines, still demanding 'WHAT IS THIS THING?!'

Inside a damaged multi-level building, two powerful fighters clash on the stairs. The long-haired muscular man leaps forward with a fierce expression, shouting that anyone wanting answers must catch him first. The other fighter, with a more monstrous, elongated arm, is struck and grunts in pain. A framed picture on the wall shows a landscape with a rising sun and two small figures. The long-haired man continues to taunt his opponent, refusing to reveal information while dodging or striking amid flying debris and motion lines.

A massive explosion tears through the upper level of a large building, sending debris, glass shards, and structural fragments flying in all directions. A small figure lies prone amid the wreckage on the tiled floor below the blast. In a lower panel, a man with spiky hair, round glasses, and a beard stares upward with intense focus, thinking about the lethal blades whirling around him. He concludes he cannot reach the target alone. The same man then launches forward at high speed, arms outstretched, his body angled toward the viewer as motion lines streak past. Two large circular text bubbles emphasize his control: making sure to use his air as efficiently as possible, and keeping his pace not too slow, not too fast.

A long-haired figure in a torn dress is hurled through the air, limbs flailing. A large hand reaches down from above toward the falling person. In a close-up, the long-haired figure's face shows strain as they fight to remain conscious. Multiple impact symbols and motion lines surround the tumbling body. The figure resolves to wound their opponent even slightly, stating that if they lose consciousness then Hotel Rafflesia will be deactivated. A reaching hand extends from off-panel. The long-haired figure continues to fall while declaring they can still act, with more impact symbols around their body.

A close-up reveals a distorted face with bulging white eyes, open mouth, and thick drool streaming down, set against a black background. Below, a spiky-haired figure in a torn hoodie kneels on the ground, one hand extended forward in desperation. In front of him lies a heavily damaged body covered in chaotic black scribbles and impact marks, limbs twisted and motionless. The spiky-haired figure's face twists in anguish as two large speech bubbles appear: "I CAN'T DO IT...!!! I CAN'T SAY IT...!!!" and "I CAN'T ASK SHOOT TO DO ANY MORE THAN THIS......!!!" Motion lines and debris scatter across the scene, emphasizing the chaotic aftermath.

Killua leaps forward with intense motion lines radiating outward, his body angled as if charging ahead. Speech bubbles declare: "IT ISN'T SAVING SHOOT....!!" and "WHAT I HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW....!!!" A lower panel shows a close-up of the same distorted face with spiral markings and drool, partially framed by debris. Killua appears again below, fists clenched and shouting upward: "...TO HELP THEM COMPLETE THIS MISSION EVEN A SINGLE SECOND SOONER!!" "I HAVE TO USE MY ABILITY TO HELP THE OTHER MEMBERS..." "DON'T DIE~~~ ~~~~~!!!!" "KEEP IT UP!! SHOOT !!" The background explodes with speed lines and impact effects.

A massive impact shakes the structure as something enormous crashes through the upper area with heavy motion lines and debris. In a close panel, wide eyes glare from the shadows while a voice thinks, "Depending on who I'm trying to fool, they might see straight through me!!!! Even if I do by some horrible accident get found, I can pass as one of them..... but..." The same figure declares, "PERFECT PLAN", RELEASE!! A bright activation effect bursts outward as the command "ACTIVATE!!" is given and answered with "OKAY!!" The curly-haired figure with a tail crouches low in the ruined hall, scanning the empty space and thinking, "NOBODY HERE....!! But I mustn't rush... I have to look around carefully..." The final wide panel reveals the devastated floor littered with scattered debris, impact marks, and a small spiral symbol amid the wreckage.

Smoke and dust fill the shattered dome of the throne room as massive structural damage is visible. Narration boxes state that Morau and Pufu are locked in battle inside the throne room, meaning Morau's prison lock cannot be interfered with. The curly-haired man with a tail peers over the broken railing in alarm. Below, the same man shouts in panic, "WHERE ARE GON AND KILLUA?! WHERE ARE THEY?!" while another panel shows a figure leaping through the air. The narration continues, "...IS GON AND KILLUA. IN WHICH CASE, ALL THAT'S LEFT..." Outside the palace at night, the curly-haired man with a tail bursts from a doorway and yells, "WHICH WAY DID THEY..." as large motion lines and sweat drops emphasize his shock.

A tailed fighter leaps across the rooftop, tail curling as he closes in on the wolf-like Welfin who stands ready in a low stance. Below, the hooded man with glasses panics, sweat flying as he weighs his options. "WELFIN!!" "NOT GOOD!!" he thinks frantically. "IF HE WERE TO MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION......!! WHICH WAY?! I CAN'T HOLD MY BREATH MUCH LONGER... DO I RUN?! OR DO I WAIT FOR HIM TO LEAVE?! WILL MY BREATH HOLD?! IF HE DOUBTS ME IN THE SLIGHTEST, THAT'S IT!! HE'LL SUSPECT ME TO THE END!! OF ALL THE COMMANDERS, HE'S THE BIGGEST SCEPTIC! HE'S DANGEROUS!!"

The hooded man clutches his face, shouting "I'M AT MY LIMIT!!!" "IT'S NO GOOD!!! I CAN'T HOLD IT!!!" as black impact shapes explode around him and Welfin. In the next panels the tailed fighter bursts through a doorway with his tail whipping, while Welfin lies sprawled on the debris-strewn floor. The hooded man continues his desperate internal plan: "...AND SUCK IT BACK IN AS FAST AS I CAN!! I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BREATHE OUT AS HARD AS POSSIBLE..."

The spiky-haired man with glasses crouches low, eyes wide with intensity as he activates his power. "AND SUCK!!!" he yells while a swirling vortex forms. "PERFECT PLAN", "RELEASE!!" he declares, unleashing a burst of energy. The wolf-like beast materializes beside him, snarling. "ACTIV-ATE!!" the man commands with a sharp gesture. The wolf's head turns sharply, ears perked. In the large lower panel the creature stands alert outside a damaged building, scanning the area. "...I SENSED A PRESENCE...?" it thinks, eyes narrowing. "JUST NOW... FOR A MOMENT ..." the wolf continues, its gaze fixed on the empty space ahead as impact marks and debris litter the ground.

A narration box explains Welfin's ability: "WELFIN'S ABILITY WAS A POWERFUL PROJECTION OF HIS CHARACTER..." Silhouetted figures are blasted backward by a massive explosion of energy. "AN ENEMY !!!" the box declares. The scene shifts to a dark background where a skeletal, missile-covered figure rides the flaming wolf projection. "MISSILE-MAN!!!" the text proclaims with a bright flash. The wolf's body is wreathed in flames as it charges forward. A final narration box states: "...GIVING HIM A DEEPLY MISTRUST-ING AND SLY POWER."

Night falls over a long, empty building complex marked with large white numbers. A voice rings out from the shadows: "IF YOU'RE THERE, YOU HAVE UNTIL THREE TO SHOW YOURSELF AND SURRENDER!!" The same speaker continues, "IF YOU DO NOT, I WILL ATTACK IMMEDIATELY!!" Welfin stands in a wide stance, weapon raised and ready. In a sudden burst of motion, Welfin fires, the word "FIRE !!!" exploding across the panel as the projectile streaks forward. Small, round, toothy creatures react in shock amid the impact lines and smoke.

Welfin’s "Missileman" ability has three stages: establish a target, load a "bullet" in the form of a question or order, and if refused the attack commences. The projectile continues until it hits its mark. Meleoron lies on the ground after the strike while Welfin reacts nearby. Narration notes that Meleoron had moved from his original position, causing the attack to misfire despite the scent of an odorless deodorant. Welfin realizes someone else was present.

Welfin did not believe that his own weapon was invincible. Internal voices surge: "Someone other than Fratta...?! It looks like a yes!!" "There's no doubt about it; we have a traitor amongst the enemy!!" "If he's using deodorant like that, he must be watching out for me..." "And nobody has survived taking one of those hits." A figure wonders, "I...?! I... Could he do it at any time, then?!" "Who?!" "That's why she made sure to eliminate his scent...!! And it's somebody I know!!" Welfin questions his path: "Why, even his aim to become a 'shadow king' was merely because becoming the 'true king' would increase the number of people he had to suspect beyond what even he could allow." "Should I really stick with the Chimera?!" A caption notes that Missileman should only ever be one of his tools of negotiation, and even Welfin's own ability was not exempt from his suspicions. At this rate... As Welfin, at the main entrance to the great staircase, began to doubt even that the King truly was the "King"... "...What I should be doing right now...?!" "Is finding Bizef really..." "Yup!?!" "What's with all these damn people?!" "Don't tell me... he's actually being challenged?!"

Gon cries out "MELEORON!!" with a determined expression, sweat flying from his face. Knuckle grips Gon's shoulder tightly, eyes wide and intense. The scene shifts to a large building with a domed roof under a cloudy sky. Meleoron stands in the foreground, tail curled, pointing toward the structure. A caption states that Gon's cry was showing Meleoron the way. Vertical text on the left reads "WHAT SCENE WAS TO MEET MELEORON'S DETERMINED EYES?!" A large digital timer at the bottom displays 0:02:37:97. The footer announces the next issue will feature a change in the relationship between Gon and Pitou, also Knuckle's deadly battle.