N°059 QUALIFICATION

Spectators gather outside a large building with round windows. One man in a wheelchair watches while a spiky-haired boy stands nearby. Speech bubbles read: "WHAT KIND OF FIGHT WILL WE SEE" and "NOW, THIS IS THE MAIN EVENT OF THE DAY..." In a close-up, Killua faces forward with a slight smile, declaring, "SO I WON'T LET YOU WIN." and "YOU DIDN'T RESPECT YOUR PROMISE." Below, gloved hands hold a stack of papers as narration wonders if the brat is a pro and an inhabitant of the dark side. A final close-up shows a fighter wearing a headband and earmuffs, sweat on his face, vowing, "I'M GONNA SHOW HIM THAT IN THE RING, I'M THE STRONGEST!!" while thinking, "IN THE CELESTIAL TOWER, I'M AT HOME!"

Killua sits alone on a thick tree branch high above the ground, one leg bent and the other dangling. He raises his right hand and points upward with his index finger while his left hand rests on his knee. His expression is thoughtful as he gazes forward. A small thought bubble appears beside his head containing the words "THEY'VE GROWN ...". Leaves hang from branches above him against a backdrop of scattered clouds and open sky. At the bottom of the page the large stylized title reads "N°059 QUALIFICATION".

In the top panel Gon stands with his back to the viewer facing a stone wall covered in dense foliage. To his left a small boy sits on a wheeled cart. To his right a boy in a dark uniform raises both arms and shouts. Large sound effects "OUAïS" and "OUAïS" burst around them. The middle panel shows the same setting with the boy on the cart now leaning forward as massive impact lines and the word "BEGIN !!!" explode across the scene. The bottom panel reveals a close-up of a person wearing a light-colored cap with a shocked open-mouthed expression. A jagged panel border shows Gon mid-air having vanished from his previous spot. A speech bubble reads "HE DISAPPEARED ?!".

The helmeted man in the wheelchair suddenly ejects a burst of propulsion aura from his back, rocketing the chair forward with explosive force. A voice cries out 'PROPULSION AURA !!!' as the aura propels him. From the right, the spiky-haired boy shouts 'BEHIND!!!' in alarm. The wheelchair fighter twists and delivers a powerful slap, sending the spiky-haired boy flying with a loud 'SLAP' and impact lines. The boy tumbles through the air, eyes wide, while debris and motion lines emphasize the sudden strike. The wheelchair fighter remains seated, hands gripping the controls, expression hidden behind visor and helmet.

The spiky-haired boy realizes he jumped too high as the wheelchair fighter propels forward again. A narrator box explains he uses accumulated aura to move the wheelchair, the force coming from sudden ejection of his aura. The boy grimaces 'ERGH, THIS IS BAD!' while the fighter dodges danger. With a cry of 'TWIN SNAKE !!!' the boy launches a double attack with his hands extended like snakes. The wheelchair fighter raises both arms to catch the incoming strikes with a 'CATCH' effect. A large 'CLANG' rings out as metal clashes, and the wheelchair spins from the impact. Motion lines and impact shapes fill the panel.

A spiky-haired fighter erupts into a frenzy of motion, his body twisting violently amid a storm of radiating lines and impact shapes. "Flit" echoes repeatedly as the technique activates. "TWIN SNAKE'S SONG OF DEFENSE !!!" A narrator box details the power: "THANKS TO HIS ULTRA FAST MOTIONS, HE HAS A PERFECT SHIELD COMBINED WITH AN UNBEATABLE ATTACK TOOL!" The fighter coils tightly in a defensive spiral. In the lower right, Killua stands watching intently. "SO?! WHAT WILL KILLUA DO?!"

The visor-wearing fighter grins widely from above, declaring "AS LONG AS I'M IN THIS POSITION, YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF WINNING!! IT'S A SPECIAL ATTACK!! SORRY!!" He adds "LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF THE RING, YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN AND HIDE!!" Smaller panels show close-ups of his eye and rapid slashing motions with "SLA! SLA!" and "Flit" effects. "IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR A NORMAL PERSON TO DISTINGUISH THE MOTIONS I'M MAKING!! YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND JUST BY SEEING IT! WHY?" Killua suddenly lunges forward in a powerful stance, hands extended, surrounded by heavy motion lines and the large SFX "SHIIILT".

The helmeted fighter stares in shock, sweat beading on his face. "WHAT?!" he blurts. Gon leaps high into the air, staff in hand, and replies calmly, "SORRY. BUT I'M NOT A NORMAL PERSON." Below, the opponent fumbles with a switch on his device, muttering "BUT..." as Gon lands a powerful strike. "ATCH!!" The impact triggers a massive electrical discharge. "FLASH" erupts across the arena as the fighter screams "THUNDER SNAKE!!!" Gon is caught in the crackling blast, his body jolting from the sudden surge while the opponent watches in disbelief.

The helmeted fighter grins widely and explains his technique. "ANYONE WHO TOUCHES THEM, NO MATTER HOW STRONG THEY STAY, STAY PARALYZED AND LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS!! THE ONES THAT DISOBEY ME ARE BITTEN BY THE THUNDER SNAKE!" He continues, "FOR THAT KIND OF PEOPLE, I PLANNED THIS. A PRESENT OF 1,000,000 VOLTS IN THOSE TWO WHIPS." A close panel shows him boasting, "YOU'VE SURPRISED ME! THAT'S THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU JUST DID." He adds that a previous disobedient person escaped the whips but suffered severe forearm wounds. Suddenly Gon dodges the incoming electrified whips at high speed. "WHOA?!" he yells as motion lines streak past and "ZOOOM" fills the panel, the whips slashing through the air with "SLAT" sounds.

Killua stands amid crackling electricity, his body tense as sparks dance around him. 'NEVER-THELESS, I FEEL THE PAIN,' he admits with a strained expression. 'WHEN I SAY IT DOESN'T HURT ME, THAT MEANS I CAN BEAR IT. THAT'S WHY I'M A BIT ANNOYED.' In another panel he continues, 'ELECTRICITY DOESN'T HURT ME. IT WAS A PART OF MY TRAINING AGAINST TORTURE.' A sudden jolt makes him cry 'AH...' as his body reacts. The scene shifts to a high vantage where Killua plummets through the air, motion lines streaking wildly. 'WHAT SHOULD I DO?' he wonders in panic. 'IF YOU HIT THE GROUND FROM THIS HEIGHT, YOU'LL DIE.' His face fills with terror as he screams, 'PLEASE! SAVE ME!!'

A powerful impact erupts with jagged sound effects 'ZIIII ZIIII ZIIII' as debris flies. Killua is caught mid-air by a figure holding a staff, who reassures him, 'DON'T WORRY, I'M HERE.' The rescuer and Killua tumble together amid swirling dust and motion lines. A massive crash follows with 'OAAOAOH' and 'ZIIII ZIIII ZIIII' as they hit the ground. The rescuer raises both arms in triumph while Killua stands beside him. Nearby, an older man with a headband reacts in shock, eyes bulging and mouth open wide.

In the arena, Killua stands victorious with his fist raised high as the announcement rings out: WINNER: KILLUA! RILLUBERTO HAS PASSED OUT! VICTORY BY K.O.! Below the stands, Zushi claps enthusiastically. In the ring, Killua looms over the unconscious Rilluberto, who lies sprawled with electric sparks still crackling around him, and taunts, SO? YOU SEE HOW IT HURTS, IDIOT? Later in the hallway, Gon faces Killua with a thumbs-up and says, CONGRATS, KILLUA! Killua replies with a peace sign, THANKS. NEXT IS YOUR TURN. Gon smiles confidently, I'VE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT IT. Killua answers, NO PROBLEM. Gon continues, YOU TOO ARE FROM THE SCHOOL OF REAL FIGHTS. YOU OBSERVED WELL. Killua explains, ONLY ONE DISCHARGE OF HIS ELECTRIC WHIPS IS ENOUGH TO MAKE EVERYONE EAT THE DUST ON THE FLOOR, EVEN YOU. THE MATCH I FOUGHT, ANYONE WOULD HAVE LOST. Turning away, Killua asks, WHAT'LL YOU DO?

Guido is shown with a crowd behind him as the announcement declares GUIDO DECLARED WITHDRAWAL. A tall silhouette of a fighter stands alone in the arena. The masked opponent in a helmet grips a staff and questions whether his opponent is afraid of his strength today, having taken out his whips from the very beginning. The announcer states the match will be decided by points and K.O. with no time limit. From the stands, Killua explains that Rilluberto was beaten by Killua a few days ago, totaling five victories and three defeats with no chances left. Gon watches intently from beside him. The referee raises a hand and shouts BEGIN!!! The announcer notes that Gon came with nothing.

Riluberto activates his defensive technique as swirling whip lines and repeated "Fil" sound effects fill the panel. "OH! HE DIDN'T WAIT TO USE THE 'TWIN SNAKE'S SONG OF DEFENSE'!!" a voice exclaims. "IT SEEMS RILUBERTO WANTS A FAST VICTORY!!" Gon suddenly crouches low on the arena floor. "HOP !!!" "OH! GON HAS CROUCHED." Gon lands in a ready stance with a sharp "TAC" sound, prompting a loud crowd reaction of "OOH !!!".

Gon hoists an enormous flagstone overhead using only his bare hands. "WHAT?! THIS TIME, HE'S LIFTED THE FLAGSTONE WITH ONLY HIS BARE HANDS!!" someone shouts as "SLAT" marks the stone's movement. Gon hurls the massive slab forward with tremendous force, creating "ZUUUM" impact lines. "TAKE THAT !!!" "HE THREW IT!" Riluberto's eyes widen in shock beneath his helmet. "HE WON'T BE ABLE TO DODGE THAT WITH HIS WHIPS!!" "!!!"

The helmeted fighter rockets forward on his wheelchair with a massive burst of propulsion aura, the impact shaking the arena as he swings his long staff. Gon dodges the initial strike and sprints ahead. The fighter thinks he has created an opening on purpose, but Gon has already anticipated the move and outruns him. Gon lands a sharp strike with his fist, sending a shock through the air. In close-up, Killua watches with wide eyes while the fighter's face shows surprise. The narration explains that in his emergency propulsion state the fighter could only move straight ahead and lost his balance, forcing him to halt the whipping motions of his weapons.

Gon leaps onto the fighter and grabs him from behind, shouting that this is the moment to catch him. The helmeted fighter reacts with shock as Gon’s hands clamp down. The wheelchair spins wildly with TAC and GR GR sound effects. A close-up shows the fighter’s gritted teeth and intense eyes. In the next instant the fighter’s hands tear into the seat of the wheelchair, ripping it apart with a loud CRAC while shouting SEAT as he attempts to break free.

Gon flips a massive switch on a dangerous-looking machine marked with a skull and crossbones. The device activates with a loud ON!!!!! as Gon stares in shock, sweat flying. He grips two long rods connected to the machine and declares he has put the power to maximum. The rods spark and clack violently. Gon turns away with a calm OKAY. In the arena below, a spiky-haired boy in a light outfit stands holding a long cord while a man in a black outfit with a star emblem gestures toward him. Gon raises his hand in victory. The referee, face bloodied and arm raised high, shouts the result: WINNER : GON!! RILUBERTO HAS PASSED OUT, VICTORY BY K.O.!!

Applause echoes through the arena as Gon walks away from the match area. A voice congratulates him, noting that with this win added to his previous match he has easily qualified. Gon continues down a hallway. Hisoka appears with his signature star and teardrop makeup, calmly stating he will be Gon's next opponent and that Gon can decide the place, day, and hour. Another fighter with heart and diamond symbols on his shirt stands nearby. Gon stops in surprise, a bead of sweat on his face, and mutters OUPS.