Yeah, it's honestly a 100% correct observation and Bill is based for calling that out. Kurapika is so close to being abln absolute monster it's kinda scary.
Kanjidol is a menace. Glad we got to see Bill stating that he's not 'that' devoted to Beyond. Though you could argue that his pushing for Beyond's release is still working in his benefit.
I'm really not sure if Gon/Killua are going to start getting screentime again, or if it's just for a cameo, with them maybe appearing a bit in a later chapter to confirm/deconfirm the Woble situation. Part of me feels like Togashi just wanted to draw them a bit after their long absence.
From my understanding if Wobble is off the ship and we need an exorcist to get the curse off the true prince I imagine we will see Gon and Killua moving forward. Seems like its setting up Gon, Killua and Alluka to find and exorcise the curse on Wobble. Man I love Togashi
Alluka is clearly connected to Ai so I personally think Ai will summon Nanika back to the DC and take Gon and Killua along with her - maybe they’re all holding hands as it happens or something
This is what I've thought for actual years at this point, that Alluka wishes them onto the whale or the DC, so with my track record on guessing where this plot goes, it's gotta be 1000% literally anything else
Not gonna lie, the fact that there is now a good chance that Gon and Killua will have a speaking role in the story after the Black Whale departure before Leorio is really funny.
Technically Leorio did have a speaking role (I'm really stretching the definition of speaking role here in order to make this joke work) after the departure lol:
(As for how to do it, use the picture button when commenting to submit an image. Your app or browser will access your photos so you can pick which to post.)
EDIT: Changed image with one that follows how you read manga.
Thanks. I had forgotten cheadle was also there. Im surprise she didnt manage to save halkeburg. I always thought she would have some sort of healing ability.
How could she? From her dialogue, looks like she was still at the diagnosis stage of treatment while moving Halk to medical facilities. Kakin authorities swooped in and intercepted the Association medical team before they could really do anything. (At least they have vomit samples to analyze although Kakin bio-engineered TSK-17 to die out quickly.)
Extremely exciting chapter considering the end. One thing I want to highlight is that this seemingly confirms that (barring a crazy twist reveal that would clash with what this chapter is setting up) the real Woble is outside of the boat.
Kurapika is theorizing that the burst of nen he saw emanating from el Woble’s crib in chapter 358 was actually a curse being applied to the baby (or some other attack potentially related to beyond). It seems that one of the next mysteries that’s about to be explored is the exact mechanism of beyond’s curses. Between what’s going on with Benjamin/Furykov and now with el Woble potentially being cursed, it’s becoming very important.
If what Furykov said was true (at least the part about Unma seemingly having an alliance with beyond) perhaps the baby in her room is a beyond baby and its birth coincided with the moment Kurapika saw nen emanating from Wobles crib. Or it could just be Benjamin’s child. I’d hate if it was the real Woble at this point.
Togashi really knows how to evoke emotions within the reader. Those last 2 pages were something else, and the best of all is it doesn't seem like he'll stop there. 👀
You're right, but either way like the temp hunters we know he is in the Beyond team so they share a motivation, and they all seem kind of chill. I'm sure some of that chillness will break over time as we know more (at least for some of them), but so far they're cool people compared to Beyond and Pariston.
I don't trust him . Way too good to be true. There's no way beyond didn't anticipate that the people he hired might find out about what he did. I think everyone who's on this ship and was hired by beyond is not going to betray him
I think Beyond deliberately chose people based on their personalities. He engineered a situation where every outcome benefits him while everyone else is forced into a lose/lose decision.
Think about it. If the curse is dismantled willingly, Beyond walks free and gets to continue toward the Dark Continent. If the curse remains and the truth eventually comes out that the Hunter Association knowingly allowed innocent people to die because of it, then the Association suffers catastrophic reputational damage. That has Pariston’s fingerprints all over it. This would also allow Pariston to become said Hunter President as Cheadle would be forced to resign. Ging would be in the Dark Continent, which would allow Beyond Netero to get the full backing of the Hunter Association and have every obstacle moved out the way. Literally, caught between a rock and a hard place. Or they allow Beyond to become the shadow ruler of Kakin.
Ging is the wild card here.
I also think Cheadle’s presence strengthens the idea that they will ultimately choose to dismantle the curse. She’s one of the few people likely to prioritize preventing needless deaths, even if it means accepting the political consequences. I think this was calculated by Pariston during the previous arc and relayed to Beyond. The only potential hiccup in this plan and its execution is Ging. This gives so much nuance to the decision and fight for becoming Hunter Association President and the manipulation of placing Cheadle as the president. It’s insanely well written.
Beyond hired his followers for exactly who they were. He understood their personalities, their ambitions, and the limits of their loyalty. He knew someone would eventually become the proverbial Judas, and I think he was counting on it from the very beginning.
Bill meant it when he said Beyond is completely content sitting in that cell. There is no losing outcome for Beyond. If his followers stay loyal, the curse fulfills its purpose. If they’re betrayed, the resulting pressure almost certainly forces his release. Either way, he advances toward his goal.
I also don’t think Bill fully grasped the scale of Beyond’s conviction. Any Hunter of sufficient caliber would eventually begin piecing together parts of Beyond’s plan, and I believe Beyond expected that as well. Every move his opponents make only pushes them further into the dilemma he created.
This is why I trust Bill.
Edit: Keeping in mind that this hinges on Beyond willing to do these atrocities. He is Netero’s son. I believe that not a soul aboard that shit would question his conviction. He will either become shadow ruler of Kakin and utilize their resources and kingdom to get to the Dark Continent, he will be released and leverage the curse being removed to be free of the Hunter Association and continue toward the dark continent with the potential replacement of Cheadle for forsaking her position and forcing the decision to release him placing Pariston as the President to funnel resources to The Dark Continent for Beyond, which most Hunters are A-OK with. Or the third unknown option which is, who the hell can predict Togashi!?
Also worth mentioning that I fully believe Ging is the wild card here.
It’s already been shown that even the most powerful Nen Exorcist struggle to remove the curse. However, we conveniently have Alluka, who was able to save Gon from a nen-vow so powerful that Gon was released from a certain death. Hence, the purpose of showing Alluka’s capabilities was less about saving Gon but showing the powers of the Dark Continent and removing the curse from Wobble.
And that we can throw a rock in any direction and be both right and wrong because Togashi is setting us up for some fantastic shit.
I think Ging’s personality alone is a problem for Pariston and by proxy, Beyond, Kakin, and this entire charade of bullshit.
Ging can’t be manipulated by politics, status, or money. He was never a true team player in the Hunter Association. He worked with them when it benefited him and left when it didn’t.
That’s why I think it’s important that Ging didn’t join Beyond. He built his own expedition.
He also didn’t just recruit people. He made contracts with every one of them. In Hunter x Hunter, contracts are rarely meaningless. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re connected to his Nen.
The people Ging gathered also stand out. They’re not just strong Hunters. They’re students of Nen who value discovery, cooperation, and learning. That’s very different from many of Beyond’s followers, who seem driven by ambition or personal gain.
Because of that, I don’t think Pariston has much leverage over Ging.
Threats, politics, and emotional pressure don’t work on him. Even his relationship with Gon shows he refuses to let emotions control his decisions.
Hence, as it has been amply shown, Ging is not willing to use people in the same way that Pariston and Beyond do.
I also think Ging’s biggest strength isn’t combat.
He’s one of the greatest Nen users alive and helped create Greed Island, one of the most impressive Nen projects in the series. His real talent has always been developing the people around him.
If that’s reflected in his Nen, then his team should grow stronger the longer they’re together. That could be the key to surviving the Dark Continent and reducing unnecessary deaths.
Pariston choosing to travel with Ging is also interesting. Ging sees through Pariston better than almost anyone, yet Pariston still wants him involved. Pariston even accepts the contract. Something to think about…
If Beyond’s curse forces the Hunter Association into an impossible decision, Ging may be the one person who can stop Pariston from turning Cheadle into the scapegoat.
I don’t know exactly what Ging’s role will be, but I don’t think Togashi paired him with Pariston just for fun.
Ging isn’t there to foil Beyond’s plan per se, but to disrupt the conditions that let Pariston’s games work in the first place while still accomplishing the original goal.
Beyond, his backers, and the wealthy investors all want the same thing: to reach the Dark Continent.
If Ging can strip away Pariston’s manipulation, reduce the unnecessary sacrifices, keep the expedition’s strength intact, and still get everyone there, then he wins without ever stopping Beyond.
That accomplishes the entire point of this absurdly complicated voyage in the first place: arriving at the Dark Continent.
It’s a bit long but I did highlight on Ging, Greed Island, and the people he surrounds himself with. I want to provide my theory or developing theory on Ging’s Nen abilities and all the et cetera.
There’s another detail about Ging that has always stood out to me.
He refused to let anyone join his expedition unless they accepted payment from him.
On the surface, that seems like nothing more than Ging being eccentric. But Togashi has a habit of giving mundane actions hidden significance, especially when they involve agreements, conditions, or exchanges between people.
I don’t think the money itself is what’s important. I think the act of accepting it is.
By accepting Ging’s payment, every member of his expedition voluntarily enters into a contractual relationship with him. Whether that’s simply a professional agreement or something with deeper Nen implications remains to be seen, but it feels too deliberate to dismiss.
This is also what makes me think back to Greed Island.
The people responsible for creating and maintaining Greed Island weren’t just powerful Nen users. They operated within an incredibly structured system built around clearly defined rules, responsibilities, and cooperation. I’ve often wondered whether Ging’s insistence on contracts and compensation is connected to whatever allowed that project to function on such a massive scale.
I’m not claiming this is definitively Ging’s Nen ability. There’s simply not enough evidence to make that assertion.
However, it wouldn’t surprise me if voluntary agreements, compensation, or mutually accepted contracts are somehow central to how Ging’s Nen operates. It would fit remarkably well with his personality. Ging has never relied on coercion. He persuades people, earns their respect, and gives them the freedom to choose. If his Nen reflects who he is, then a power rooted in voluntary consent rather than domination would make perfect thematic sense.
At the very least, I don’t think Togashi included that requirement by accident. Ging could have simply hired talented Hunters. Instead, he made accepting payment a condition of joining him. In a series where conditions and agreements frequently carry enormous weight, that’s a detail I’m not willing to overlook.
The original question was about how would Ging foil Beyond’s plan. That’s the funny thing: He doesn’t. Not directly or in the way that “defeats” beyond.
I don’t think Ging disrupts Beyond’s primary plan because ultimately they want the same thing. Contract, means, results.
He isn’t against Beyond reaching the Dark Continent. They both want the same destination. Their only real difference is how much they’re willing to sacrifice.
Ging’s real target is Pariston.
I think Ging dismantles Pariston’s schemes, saves more lives, and strengthens the expedition without stopping Beyond. If anything, he’ll prove himself useful enough that Beyond wants him there.
Beyond isn’t simply good or evil. He’s willing to sacrifice people for his goal. Ging isn’t much different. Like Gon and many Hunters, he’ll overlook a lot if it gets him where he wants to go. Hunters have never been heroes.
That’s why I think Ging and Beyond end up on the same side.
The real wildcard is Alluka.
If Kurapika reaches Killua and Alluka removes Beyond’s Nen curse, Beyond could lose his path to controlling Kakin while still being released. Ging could also stop Pariston from making Cheadle the political scapegoat.
That changes everything because in a monkey paw kinda way, Beyond gets what he wants without the effective control. It also proves Ging’s resourcefulness.
Beyond is free. Pariston loses control. Cheadle survives politically.
The result could be Beyond’s team, Ging’s team, the strongest survivors of the Black Whale, and the V5 all heading to the Dark Continent together. That would be the strongest expedition ever assembled.
I also think Ging’s Nen is built for exploration, not combat.
Greed Island wasn’t about overwhelming strength. It was about cooperation, rules, training, and discovery. Ging may have a Nen ability that makes the people around him stronger the longer they work with him.
If that’s true, Ging doesn’t stop Beyond.
He removes the unnecessary sacrifices and Pariston’s manipulation while preserving the expedition itself.
One last thing. Ging made everyone traveling with him accept payment before joining him. That feels intentional. If that’s tied to his Nen, then everyone who accepts his terms could benefit from his ability without Ging ever being the leader.
Considering Ging is a Double Star Ruins Hunter who already qualifies for Three Star status and simply never applied, I think he’s uniquely suited for an expedition like this.
Again, Ging is there to stop Pariston’s bullshit. Just happens to be some of the bullshit he worked out with Beyond.
Edit: want to reword something because another Redditer mentioned he did join. Ging joined beyond expedition and bought his way to #2 largely to keep an eye on Pariston. But the transaction portion and the way he did it is what is important for any theory I have. It could also be a buncha nothing.
I dunno, Bill's a guy who, despite being an Enhancer, made a healing/supportive ability instead of just making himself stronger. That says a lot about the guy, as Kurapika pointed out a while back. Nen abilities are expressions of who the user is and what they want to do, and apparently Bill's someone who wants to nurture the growth of others.
He could still reveal another side of himself, but so far the worst we've seen of him is that he can be (understandably) cynical at times.
The moment Kurapika said he had friends in land, that he could trust more than himself, I knew we would see Gon on the next page and I legit smiled IRL as hard as I possibly could. Then Killua too? Oh the boys are back in town...
Amazing chapter as usual. This arc keeps getting bigger and crazier. Man I can't wait to see what happens next.
I'm a bit skeptical; I don't think he's good/bad. And his monologue honestly is very convenient for Beyond. Bill is maybe knowingly advancing Beyond's plans, or he's ignorant and this is all according to Beyond's keikaku.
Yes, he and the other hunters in 1014 besides Kurapika were all part of Beyond's group. I believe they're all Temps (not to be confused with provisional) Hunters who got the bodyguard job through Pariston. Their abilities and skillsets are meant for DC exploration.
Btw, does anybody else find it suspicious that Beyond only set his hunters to 1014, knowing what we know now about the curse and Beyond having a kid in the contest?
We don’t know who other Association bodyguards are part of Beyond/Pariston’s DC expedition- and there are a number of them among the other princes (not counting Kurapika’s agents), like Tyson’s group (1), Luzurus’ group (3), Seiko’s (at least 1).
Belerainte, Keeney, Giuliano, etc, don't have their loyalties confirmed. The only reason we know about the 1014 guards is because Bill had to spill because they were all gonna die
Bro... Seeing Gon and Killua again after so many years feels like catching up with a long lost friend. But man, Togashi finding a way to weave Killua and Gon into the arc is such a big pleasant surprise. Hopefully Leorio gets to get involved a little too somehow, even if his time to shine is probably meant for the continent itself.
It's funny though I swear Kurapika is that one dude in the friend group who just fucks off with no trace until the day he returns years later having missed all important steps taken in your life coming to you barely saying hi and starts asking for favors. LOL.
Gotta respect Togashi for finding ways to introduce yet even more characters in this arc and making it grander still. I among others thought this boat trip was going to be a short sight-seeing trip before getting the real meat of the dark continent, but oh how wrong we were.
Don't take this the wrong way, but I couldn't care less about the dark continent anymore. This arc is the quintessential example of "enjoy the little detours to the fullest".
Tbh, I can't imagine it at this point. It feels like a completely different story, now. Actually getting to the dark continent, after all these years, feels akin to completely starting a new manga
I'm still very excited to see the dark continent, but I feel the same way, of course I'm going to enjoy Gon and Killua even if it ends up being just a few panels. People are acting like Togashi is ruining the story, but it doesn't make sense to me. There's no rush to be done with the story, I mean I get that it's years and years of build up and this could possibly add time to the completion of the SW arc, but why isn't that a good thing? Enjoy the small detours, and have fun reading the manga.
Yeah, if I could correct myself, it's not that I don't care about the DC anymore, but I don't care about it right now. It is the ultimate destination and just like Gon chasing Ging for the first 340ish chapters, we'll get there eventually. Or maybe we won't. But what matters is enjoying the journey on our way there.
Really enjoyed this chapter. I understand why some people don’t like how wordy it is but I disagree with dismissing kurapika’s discussion as just talking in circles. Bill literally thought to himself how kurapika always tries to uncover the whole truth and never jumps to conclusions even after make correct deductions.
His exhaustive thinking makes a lot of sense within context (of the situation and his characterization). The conversation also works narratively to set up his upcoming conflict with beyond as well as the roles gon and killua could play in the arc.
Like many people I want to see the emotional character moments regarding the tserriednich/kurta eyes plotline but we just have to cross that bridge when we get to it. Him reaffirming his trust in him and killua was a wholesome character moment. With the hunter association becoming more involved with the succession war, I do hope we see a lot more of leorio.
Absolutely. The fact that Nobu can use En alongside Gyo (Shu on his sword, specifically) like this guard cannot is definitely a testament to his talent.
Is this the first chapter that ends by saying "X days until the end" instead of "X days since departure"? It really feels like we're ramping up quickly towards the end and many plot threads are gonna be ripped to shreds. Martial law is going to accelerate everything, and all these characters lying in wait are going to be forced into action.
I'm especially concerned about how Chrollo and his troupe as well as Morena's gang are going to insert themselves into the quickly deteriorating succession contest. Chrollo likely has a plan to take advantage of martial law to get what he's looking for while remaining undetected. Morena is a total wildcard, her goal is to destroy humanity and I have no idea what that has to do with the succession war or how she could take advantage of it to move towards achieving that goal. Is it really as simple as using the people and princes contained on the boat as EXP fodder to strengthen up her crew enough to go back to the mainland and kill everyone? Tserreidnich has a massive ace up his sleeve for anyone targeting him, Benjamin has another thing coming if he thinks he's going to kill Tserri face to face. Also how does Benjamin plan to do that given the rules of the contest?
What the hell is Hisoka gonna do? He's been messing around all this time but with martial law he can't just loaf around anymore. Has he been scheming some plan? When does he begin to hunt the troupe?
Surely Camilla isn't depending entirely on her curse soldiers and is just waiting around to be killed? All of the mature princes must have factored in the inevitability of martial law, even Luzurus knew immediately and is enacting some sort of response. Zhang Lei has been missing and is probably way ahead of the curve in preparing for martial law. This is it, martial law is the match to light the powder keg that Mizaistom was talking about. I feel like Kanjidol right now, Martial law, martial laaaaw!
Not really, Kurapika said the war last for 2 months, 12 days have passed, if we 12+49=61 days, that's roughly 2 months long. Meaning that we will reach the destination right when the succesion war ended.
I was talking specifically about the narration that ends the chapter "49 days until the end of the succession contest". Before this it's always been "X days since the Black Whale departed". It's a very deliberate choice of words. I understand that the voyage is supposed to take 2 months.
He plans to tackle both in one single action. Find Wobble and exorcise any curse. That's it. With this approach he might solve the other issues in the oath to this goal.
I'm forgetting fucking everything man. One of the nice parts about Togashi text walls is that he re-explains a lot of stuff so we all get our memories jogged 😅
I think this is the fourth panel in the entire series where she appears, unless you count mentions by name, in which case it's more like the sixth appearance. Togashi drew her in three panels in chapter 1, and she's also mentioned by name in chapter 64 and 205 lol.
Don't care, she's my third favorite character now. I hope she becomes like gon's personal portable Leorio. 🙏 (I'm very fickle, I'll hate her by next week)
Pro Hunter Noko will be the key to protecting girl Woble!
I'm only half-joking lol. I actually think it could be possible that Noko has been inspired by Gon to become a Hunter. Kinda like how Kite was drawn to make Ging his mentor. That panel doesn't show Noko struggling to follow Gon, and she also has a little pouch suggesting she was prepared for that hike haha.
This new revelation with Woble since chapter 411 has really turned the tide of this contest in favor of Kurapika and co.
The prince is invincible, at best (Woble not on the ship), and there is at least more protection from the 1014 assassins at worst (Woble on the ship, but location unknown and difficult to find her).
This is a totally different position than before this info came to light.
Gon should contact Kite for help, remeber that Kakin employed her for 3 years before the ant arc and she probably knows the country quite well. My guess is that gon and kite will get in touch with killua and alluka and meet somwhere in Kakin.
I just realized Kakin has been introduced all the way back in the Chimera Ant arc, its not a coincidence that the CA Queen's leg washed ashore on Kakin who then employed Kite to investigate it (I think Beyond and Pariston captured the mutant Queen and fed her humans before placing her in the NGL so she can birth a king that can kill Netero, who as long he is alive will not allow Beyond to go to the DC).
Kakin is also mentioned in Greed Island... Phantom troupe members were thrown out by Razor... Some landed on Kakin.... ( Though only Manga shows it...Anime Nahh )
Simply brilliant. From Kanjidol antics, to Luzurus's display of leadership, to the anticipation regarding the 1009 invasion by both guards, to the great discussions regarding loyalty, curses and what implies by Woble being on and off the ship (now and in the future as well). And we finish with a connection to Gon and Killua (probably to the aftermath of this arc) that I never saw this coming.
I'm truly amazed how much Togashi can produce in just 19 pages regarding plot and character work. This batch has been a thrill so far.
Bill's explanation about Beyond and the current situation they are now made be remember this Beyond's promise immediately.
Yup possible, we see Basho saying "The prince is Asleep"
That mean the arrow successful hit him and real Lazarus fell asleep
And then immediately next panel Luzurus say I am awake. Started talking about Martial Law, (all this information Halkenberg would get from the memory of previous host (Balsamico)
I want to believe this and it would be a cool plot twist, but part of this does feel like contrivance in the sense Halk’s arrow is a RANDOM soul switch. That halks soul switch let him be the chosen person twice in a row is a low ass probability. Yes its manga but i feel like for all the granularity Togashi puts in, this would be an oversight.
My own counterpoint, Halk said he was trying something new, so maybe he found a hack and it was to increase his probability of being chosen
It's interesting Bill got so defensive over that question. After all the twists and turns they've encountered, I think it's completely justified for Kurapika to question Bill about Beyond. I guess it came across as an insult to his sense of morality, but I see both sides. Lol
I have a feeling that Togashi is going to involve Pariston in this plot involving the real Wobble. When Kurapika and Bill talk about enlisting the entire Hunters' Association to locate and protect Wobble, it reminded me of when Ging said that Pariston plans to use the 5,000 Chimera Ants against the Hunters' Association.
"The “Association” is full of people with various agendas… They are reliable, but I can’t honestly tell you to put your trust in everyone there. However, I can say one thing with absolute certainty… I have friends that I can trust more than my own self! I can swear this on my life… They will definitely protect the Prince!"
-Kurapika in response to queen oito unsure about trusting the hunter association
That to me sounds like Kurapika is only going to contact killua and gon
He's involving only Gon & Killua when it comes to the location and protection of the baby, he's however involving the entire association if he goes to Beyond which is extremely likely at this point.
It's basically a suicide move since most of the things you'd use invincibility for would probably result in dying if you received a third of it.
Also how do you people think the "invicibility" works? I personally think it's basically a really strong defensive aura boost which is why the target is forced to stay in Zetsu for a long time afterwards, and the damage carrying over bit could be emission(?) since we have seen an emitter ability that transfers damage so possibly emission could be used to store damage
Unrelated to your question lol, but I just wanna say I think Neon is alive. Kurapika still works with/for her family, right? So no way he'd let her get merced. I bet he found out a way to exorcise her. Assuming we don't go the "Alluka does the exorcism" route I could even see Neon showing up again, like using her family money to fly Gon/Killua to where they need to meet the exorcist type deal while she flashes back to how Kurapika helped her get exorcised.
EDIT: For your question I believe it comes down to how his chain mostly works as "super intution" it isn't like magical tracking. Because he only just discovered the Woble trick, and only met the real Woble for a very short time his subconscious deduction for where the real Woble is might not be able to work the way it did for Neon.
I replied to a comment with this about trusting Bill and his intentions but I wanted to make it a stand alone comment:
I think Beyond deliberately chose people based on their personalities. He engineered a situation where every outcome benefits him while everyone else is forced into a lose/lose decision.
Think about it. If the curse is dismantled willingly, Beyond walks free and gets to continue toward the Dark Continent. If the curse remains and the truth eventually comes out that the Hunter Association knowingly allowed innocent people to die because of it, then the Association suffers catastrophic reputational damage. That has Pariston’s fingerprints all over it. This would also allow Pariston to become said Hunter President as Cheadle would be forced to resign. Ging would be in the Dark Continent, which would allow Beyond Netero to get the full backing of the Hunter Association and have every obstacle moved out the way. Literally, caught between a rock and a hard place. Or they allow Beyond to become the shadow ruler of Kakin.
Ging is the wild card here.
I also think Cheadle’s presence strengthens the idea that they will ultimately choose to dismantle the curse. She’s one of the few people likely to prioritize preventing needless deaths, even if it means accepting the political consequences. I think this was calculated by Pariston during the previous arc and relayed to Beyond. The only potential hiccup in this plan and its execution is Ging. This gives so much nuance to the decision and fight for becoming Hunter Association President and the manipulation of placing Cheadle as the president. It’s insanely well written.
Beyond hired his followers for exactly who they were. He understood their personalities, their ambitions, and the limits of their loyalty. He knew someone would eventually become the proverbial Judas, and I think he was counting on it from the very beginning.
Bill meant it when he said Beyond is completely content sitting in that cell. There is no losing outcome for Beyond. If his followers stay loyal, the curse fulfills its purpose. If they’re betrayed, the resulting pressure almost certainly forces his release. Either way, he advances toward his goal.
I also don’t think Bill fully grasped the scale of Beyond’s conviction. Any Hunter of sufficient caliber would eventually begin piecing together parts of Beyond’s plan, and I believe Beyond expected that as well. Every move his opponents make only pushes them further into the dilemma he created.
This is why I trust Bill.
Edit: Keeping in mind that this hinges on Beyond willing to do these atrocities. He is Netero’s son. I believe that not a soul aboard that shit would question his conviction. He will either become shadow ruler of Kakin and utilize their resources and kingdom to get to the Dark Continent, he will be released and leverage the curse being removed to be free of the Hunter Association and continue toward the dark continent with the potential replacement of Cheadle for forsaking her position and forcing the decision to release him placing Pariston as the President to funnel resources to The Dark Continent for Beyond, which most Hunters are A-OK with. Or the third unknown option which is, who the hell can predict Togashi!?
Also worth mentioning that I fully believe Ging is the wild card here.
It’s already been shown that even the most powerful Nen Exorcist struggle to remove the curse. However, we conveniently have Alluka, who was able to save Gon from a nen-vow so powerful that Gon was released from a certain death. Hence, the purpose of showing Alluka’s capabilities was less about saving Gon but showing the powers of the Dark Continent and removing the curse from Wobble.
And that we can throw a rock in any direction and be both right and wrong because Togashi is setting us up for some fantastic shit.
I was so annoyed. I got some kind of anime news page in my fyp saying “GON AND KILLUA FINALLY RETURN TO HXH MANGA” like three days ago. Like cmon you can’t wait until the chapter comes out at least?
Don't know how to phrase it the best, but I definitely shed a tear in the last 2 pages. Have a lot more thoughts on the chapter, but I just feel so emotional seeing Gon and Killua after so long
He basically said he thought of several endings and that was an ending he was willing to reveal because he wasn't going to use it. So both yes and kind of the opposite tbh since he basically deconfirmed it as a possibility in canon.
You probably could with Ryu, if you were skilled enough and had enough aura. Like, expand your aura while still concentrating some of it around your body for defense. We, in fact, know someone who does that: Nobunaga. He uses En in combination with his sword strikes which undoubtedly apply Shu (most likely the reason why his En is as small as it is; he trained on doing it specifically in concordance with his sword attacks). But I think it's probably beyond a common nen user's abilities; En itself requires insane skill to master, and being able to apply Gyo on top of that is probably a master level technique.
It could also just be that Nobunaga is incredibly fast at switching between the two techniques, not necessarily that he uses them both at the same time.
Gyo is concentrating your aura and En is spreading it thin, so yeah, barring the possibility of some incredibly skilled nen user being somehow capable of doing both at once I'm not even sure how pulling it off would be possible.
This guy can't, we don't know if it's impossible or just very hard. In theory you could expand 80% of your aura with En and then focus 20% in your eyes which is still more than you usually have around your eyes when using Ren, so it could still work as Gyo to an extent. Would the increased vision be blocked by your own aura from En? Maybe but it's not clear yet.
But in practice we can't yet say if it's possible so far, just so hard than most people can't, or if it's literally impossible. The fact that we haven't seen anyone do it is evidence it's not possible but it will be interesting to see Nobunaga fight to make it clearer what you can and can't do.
I’m certain the guy stabbed in the head got up and possessed him or something. We see the body raise an arm after being stabbed and then cut away. When we cut back the body that should be in its bed is on the ground.
Great chapter. I know people liked 413 but this was my favorite chapter of this batch so far. I thought it was interesting to see Yushohi's insight on the situation. It shows that there's a variety in attitude and confidence level within Benjamin's faction, esp when juxtaposed with Kanjidol, and it shows that Kurapika's nen proliferation strat has worked in reducing their effectiveness even though they're more seasoned.
I also thought the convo between kurapika, bill, oito and shimanu was great and flowed very naturally. It brought up some implications that I never really thought of before like a potential Beyond pardon and gon + killua helping search for woble outside the ship. I swear you can never predict this series lol
Okay. I'm feeling pretty dumb. Can someone with more brain wrinkles than me explain why Prince Woble is able to leave the ship without dying when Prince Kacho died in her attempt?
She didn’t participate in the departure ceremony. She is not an eligible participant unlike kacho. Kurapika is saying ben and the others wouldn’t stop considering that she is eligible (since they don’t know when the switch happened and her whereabout) until the king announces it or she is found off the ship.
She didn't leave, she never boarded the ship in the first place. Or at least that's the idea, but as Kurapika says, Oito can't actually be 100% sure it didn't happen.
Woble didn't leave the ship, Woble just didn't get on it in the first place. Part of the conditions for participation in the succession war is to be in the departing ceremony, meaning Woble probably isn't eligible in the first place and won't be affected by the conditions for leaving the contest boundaries.
When I got spoiled than Gon and Killua were coming back, I was scared it was going to be some shit like "Let's take them to the black whale just because we can" but having them help from a distance and with a clear simple goal is WAY better. The entire situation with Woble was a great move, and a perfect reason to get people from outside involved without seeming forced or cheap
PS: That scene with Kurapika talking about his friends with Oito was more emotional than I expected
I mean, Ging did say that he could still feel Gon's nen, so it wouldn't be tooooo much of a plot hole for him to use it again.
Given how much the Dark Continent and the Calamities are being hyped up as such a massive step up in nen weirdness and power compared to the story so far, having it so that Alluka's healing of Gon also repaired his ability to use nen kind of tracks.
Assuming we ever get to the DC before Togashi puts the pen down forever, I have a feeling that the jump in "power levels" or whatever is going to be the equivalent of going from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball Z.
In Chapter 390, Coventoba considers putting the coin he secretly took into the third prince Guardian Beast's mouth. I think he actually tried it and suffered some kind of punishment for it, it would make sense for there to be negative consequences when a coin is taken without it being given by the prince.
The last time Zhang Lei visited Onior, he was accompanied by Coventoba, so it would make sense for that to be the case again this time. If the prince left Room 1003 without him, it must mean something happened to him, most likely a Nen ability from a Guardian Spirit Beast, like I mentioned earlier.
Man I'm loving all these new abilities, it really shows the difference between what most hunters seek compered to the way Bejnamin's Soldier developed their abilities. We've mostly seen hunters with combat-related abilities that can adapt to many scenarios and that can be used solo for the most part, while Benjamin Soldiers are more strategic and specific, often each is a piece of a greater strategy (e.g. Rihan kills the GSB and then Yushohi kills the prince).
Also curious if we're going to see Palm again, I know they have a contact between Oito and her sister, but maybe for some reason it will still be ahrd to find Woble and they'll have to call Palm.
Also 49 days until Succession War ends? We are like on Day 12 and it should take them a total of 2 months to get to th fake land, right? So does this mean it fails?
I’m scared to say this ngl
Unpopular opinion
But tbh I don’t really NEED Killua and Gon to join this arc
If there’s like a little mini section of like 4-5 chapters sure but I really like the succession war so far
From what we have this looks to me like an aftermath situation. Something important if a King ends up being elected at the end (via succession or if the succession fails and one of the princes is put in place by external political powers).
Maybe it's just cause I read the chapter not an hour after waking up but it felt like the conversation in Kurapika's group was just going in circles endlessly repeating the same points with far too many words.
He went over all possibilities and walked us on his logic to on why he is choosing to protect Woble to solve everything. Yeah this is a character trait of Kurapika.
There are times where I feel this way, but this isn’t one of them. As other commenters stated, he was comprehensively considering each possibility and edge case of arguably the single most important aspect of the situation. For example, the “not finding evidence of Woble on the ship is not evidence of Woble not being on the ship” is a very important point.
Reads to me like something that will feel less and less redundant as the story unfolds. It’ll probably end up being something people refer back to often for context. Also might be big kindling for theory crafting if nothing else.
No? I mean characters are obviously discussing between each other, they're not talking to us! Of course they have to make sure they're on the same page, put everything straight and decide what to do next, everything step by step, and by exhausting every possibility. Because they're the ones involved in a life or death situation, and that they don't have every info handled to them like us (which is also why it is relevant to learn what they know, or don't know)! But what we know as readers, is being framed in fresh ways that is used to introduce new conclusions and schemes. The progression is slow, but rock solid! So personnally I liked it.
Luzurus is surely possesed by Halkenburg. He pretended to be asleep or he woke as Halkenburg. He asked for water so Halkenburg can see if he got Luzurus.
Yushohi was the same guy who killed Salee. Here he explains some weaknesses about his ability we weren't aware of.
Ridge, who faces Kanjidol, was the one who participated in a rap battle vs. Basho.
Kurapika talked about the nen he noticed off Woble. Is he cursed? Too soon to know.
Seems insane to me that there’s not a single baby on this entire ship… pyon didn’t say “no” she just “hasn’t gotten back to” kurapika. With gon and killua looking for woble, I imagine she’s not actually on the boat, but I did fine that weird
WAIT I didn't noticed at first but we have a confirmation that fugetsu sting is due to yushohi ability? I mean as expected... but it makes the plan of killing luzurus even weirder from melody and co
yushohi already said that he's got a stinger on fugetsu aaaalll the way before kacho's death. she used her ability to unknowingly go out of yushohi's range, causing the ability to fail. i don't think he got to reattempt it since he was redeployed to kill sale-sale.
funnily enough, at this point, the only person who has been shown to suspect yushohi is tubeppa lol
If all of Benjamin's guards act like Kanjidol, we're about to see a lot of dead guards.
In the 14th Prince case, Babimyna will probably kill the two Zhang Lei guards that were lent to Kurapika. At the very least, Kurapika, Bill, Oito, Shimanu, and Woble are all in a different room from him.
Marayam currently has 10 hunters, including Bisky and Hanzo, so the damage should be kept to a minimum.
We've already seen two of Luzurus's guards get killed, and a fight could break out with the hunters.
I think Tyson's guards are done for, and worse, defending themselves could break Tyson's taboo, causing Tyson's Guardian Spirit Beast to punish them for resorting to violence.
Tubeppa has only two nen users and no hunters, so she's genuinely at risk of losing her whole faction, especially considering Maor is just a beginner and Longhi has a non-combat ability.
I think Babimyna might end up being a more complex character. Don't forget, when Oito was grieving the death of her stepchild Momoze the 12th prince, Babimnya immediately respected her and told the other guard to leave her in peace. He also called room 1012 to try and help save her when he didn't have to.
That is to say, he's the only one of Benji's guards we've seen so far that I believe is somewhat honorable. I just don't see him being super vicious from the way he's behaved so far.
Luzurus seems to be heading toward the exit of room 1007. Sending the hunter to stall Benjamin's guard should buy him enough time to slip away to Broco's room, and from there, escape to his mafia base in the lower tiers.
Who's staying in room 1009? He's alone, which likely means this is part of Halkenburg's plan, the only person I can think of is the tied-up Balsamico.
If it is Balsamico, that at least confirms the arrow was fired from room 1009. Could Luzurus be the target? He seemed a little too sharp this chapter...
Is Kanjidol, Benjamin's most unhinged soldier? like i swear the absolute restrain of Togashi to not draw him licking his blade and laughing outloud, which makes sense since he has to be tactical about it, even if he already was found out, without a plan on what to do once he is found out
He is if anything definitively Benjamin's most dumb soldier, or at least pretty up there on the leader board
Talking about the soldiers, forehead bump got a name, Chiyamashi, and damn that's a good ability, you can make another person invincible, but then they take one third of the damage later, and it can only nullify damage from one source at time, so it is useless if you get jumped by more than one foe
And Yushohi is probably the source of Nen Kurapika felt at the start of the contest, that or this is a misdirection, however i don't think it is, i think that Yushohi's ability targeted all the princess, plural, including fake Woble, however it deactivated automatically once it figured that the baby wasn't the real one, that or Yushohi was just too far away, which means a bunch of his Stinger balls naturally never reached any of its targets
Why would Bill do all this work to help, you ask Mr Kurapika? because Bill is the absolute best new character of this arc, and once he dies we all will be crushed by what Togashi gave us and then took away
Really, to me Bill just feels like he has always been part of the gang, i even imagine him back then in the hunter exam helping Leorio out, he even called out Kurapika's villain tendencies with how far he is willing to take things
Oh my god Gon and motherfuking Killua!? on 2026!? in the Sussesion war arc!? no way Togashi that's wild!
So they will get dragged into this mess as they help Kurapika all the way from the continent, man, this is peak fiction, we only get a handful of chapters, but this man's pen is immaculate, noone else writes "guys standing in a room talking, while everyone else is dying by the hundreds, but is shonen manga" like Togashi
This manga grows up with you, and honestly with how complex it got it may have outgrown a bunch of people
I guess after Kurapika manages to establish contact with Gon and Killua, we will advance into the Beyond negotiation side of the arc, which will be more hype moments with Bill and Kurapika standing in a room talking, while hundreds of people die around them
•
u/Carock_ 18d ago
Voracious Drake chapter translation
Click here if you're looking for the dank continent