How many are there?
Around five thousand.
And that's a fifth of what they were expecting.
The King must be angry about that.
No...
Apparently, he's been playing games in his room.
He's so obsessed with Gungi, he's been skipping meals.
Then what about all this food?
Should we take it for ourselves?
You want to take on the King and his Royal Guard?
Don't make me laugh.
Yeah...
Sometimes, you can't see how strong someone is until you have enough strength yourself.
They're monsters. I'll do as they say.
When Shaia-dono gave us our powers,
he'd probably anticipated that things would turn out this way.
Hagya's the only one who doesn't get it!
If you call him by his old name, he gets mad.
Doubt x And x Hesitation
The suit with the glasses is keeping a careful watch on his surroundings
while heading toward the palace.
The puppets are useless against him.
He's strong.
What about his abilities?
Like the others, he has used only physical attacks thus far.
Okay, let me know if he shows his power.
Once Welfin and Brovada arrive, we'll take care of those figures in white.
I can also check out the powers those two have.
Damn, I lost sight of him!
Leol-sama, it appears that the suit with glasses is able to teleport.
Knov's ability is called Hide and Seek.
Four-Dimensional Apartment Complex Hide and Seek
It allows him to teleport.
By placing a hand against a wall or the ground, he can open a portal to access Nen space.
He is able to transport people and objects through that portal.
Hide and Seek creates a Nen space of twenty-one rooms, on four floors.
Each room is isolated.
The entrance shuts when anyone enters,
so to return to the real world, one must exit by a different door.
It is possible to create multiple entrances.
The number of possible entrances differs depending on the size of the room.
The exit leads back to the portal used for entry.
So, as a general rule, one can only enter and exit via the location of the entry portal.
However, using Knov's master key,
an exit can be linked to any portal.
Nothing out of place.
Still quiet on the battlefront.
Morel's Deep Purple is used for primarily defensive purposes.
If a puppet encounters someone who isn't an ally, it will keep its distance.
If it comes under attack, it will retreat, while fighting back.
The puppets fight back by throwing nearby objects at the enemy.
They avoid direct contact,
so the enemy won't realize they are Nen puppets.
That's a Chimera...
What is it doing?
We're pretty far from the battlefield.
Is it scouting the area?
There were strange dragonflies around town.
I thought they were a local species, but might they be created from his Nen?
It's very likely...
If it's a Chimera Ant that specializes in gathering intel, I must neutralize it quickly!
The battle is on.
Hey... Hey!
Aren't you gonna touch me?
Look how close I am...
I know you're awake.
Whoa, there!
I knew you were faking it.
You can't trick me!
With you being so noisy, I can't fall asleep!
Give me some peace and quiet!
No way!
I won't let you get any sleep!
I'll keep making noise until you chase me!
Idiot...
If that's what you wanted, you should have set a rule
to force people to keep chasing you.
Looks like he's still getting used to his new power...
Have it your way.
I won't be getting up for the next five hours.
He's really focused on making this a contest of speed.
Coupled with his constant need for attention,
it's unlikely that he'll settle for any other type of contest.
I'm not gonna let you sleep!
Hey! Over here!
I'm within reach...
Get up!
Look how close I am.
It's just a waiting game.
If he gives up and moves away...
I win.
9-9-1, marshal.
1-5-1, marshal.
7-9-1, pawn.
2-3-1, pawn.
8-1-1, spy.
2-3-1, cannon.
9-1-1, fortress.
2-7-2, musketeer.
The marshal has been isolated...
I'll call this "remote concealment."
7-1-2, fortress.
1-6-2, general.
9-1-3, archer.
3-2-2, major general.
I'm done.
Her initial placement was exactly as expected.
She's shifting toward my marshal without breaking her crane formation.
Let us begin, then.
Her first move will be to position her archer on her right flank.
She'll probably try a three-pronged attack to end it quickly.
But shifting her pieces to the right exposes her left flank to attack.
It's time to disrupt your rhythm.
1-9-3, new archer.
There it is.
9-7-1, new spy.
2-9-1, knight.
Her three-pronged attack and left flank movement
will cost me two pieces.
But that created an opening in her left flank.
She'll probably expect me to go all-in from that side.
But I won't!
Here it is!
5-5-1, lieutenant general.
Each of her moves has followed a set rhythm until just now,
when she froze.
Given the current placement,
I can attack through the center in unlimited ways.
There is no best move.
With every turn, I have the ability to extend the match.
Now, let me hear you
squeal!
9-2-1, new lieutenant general.
That's checkmate.
You knew my strategy was a dead end.
Dead End
Yes.
Why did you need to think before making your move?
You could have made that move at once.
The King has moved this match off the board.
A wrong answer could mean
her death.
Your "remote concealment" strategy
is actually named "kokoriko."
I came up with that strategy...
ten years ago.
Placing the lieutenant general in the center
to counter a three-pronged attack is also a move I devised, called "general in the middle."
At the time, both drew a lot of attention.
Moving from kokoriko to general in the middle was a popular transition that tested
both players' ability to read their opponents.
I was pretty happy
that a fool like me could figure out a smart strategy...
But then, I saw how to defeat it.
A year after I came up with kokoriko,
an opponent used it against me in the national tournament,
and I figured out how to counter it.
I won the match,
but the strategy disappeared from official matches and textbooks.
That the Supreme Leader thought of the same strategy as I had...
I was so honored, and touched... My heart trembled.
It felt like...
Like seeing my child brought back to life.
That was how it felt.
So it was difficult for me to take that life again.
That was why
I hesitated.
Foolishness.
I've had enough.
Get some rest.
Once we begin again,
you won't get any more breaks.
Be prepared!
Y-Yes...
I believe this is
the first time the King has ever listened to anyone speak for such a long time.
Well,
it should have no significance...
Four hours have passed?
He got bored and started reading...
That guy's too easy to understand.
Oh, you're ready to start?
Has it already been five hours?
Wait, it's only half full.
Are you getting worried?
You just noticed?
We aren't starting now.
It's already over.
Look at your ankle.
A rope of smoke?
That took a lot of effort...
I had to go all the way around so you wouldn't notice,
so it turned into quite a long rope.
In any case, all that's left is to wind up the rope.
Now it's only a matter of time.
Your turn to try whatever you can.
But it won't work.
You should take the smoke seriously.
Essentially, it's a rope that can't be severed.
You can struggle all you want.
I knew it...
He won't attack me because this is a game of tag.
If I touch his body, it will break his ability.
He has no patience, but he chose for the game to last eight hours.
I'm not the one you're putting pressure on.
The pressure's on you.
Cheetu's power was still a work in progress.
With his back against the wall, desperate for a way out...
He created a new ability.
A crossbow and claws.
He can fight at any range.
Thanks!
You helped me gain an awesome new power!
Hey, do you know what this is?
It's a bow. A bow!
You sure you want to come closer?!
There!
I'm quite sure.
Why would you want a power that's slower than you are?
Ah.
Why don't you try those claws?
Then I won't have to walk over.
I'll tell you why you lost.
It's because
you're an idiot.
Die!
Then you can never touch me!
This sensation...
It can't be...
Smoke?
No way!
Caught you.
Wh-When did you...
While you were reading manga and laughing like a fool,
I created a copy of myself from smoke.
And I covered myself with smoke that looked like grass.
My copy went one way, and I went the other.
The fight continues, even while one sleeps.
You shouldn't have looked away.
Looks like we're back...
Well, do you still want to fight?
No, I've had enough.
That's a wise decision...
Then why not tell me
what would have happened if I hadn't caught you?
There's no point in asking.
Once I've been caught, I can't use that power anymore.
That was the condition I set.
Really? I feel bad...
It's no big deal.
I'll ask Shaia-sama for a new power!
Next time, I won't lose.
You'd better be ready!
His superior
is most likely a Royal Guard named Shaia,
who has the power to release Nen skills.
So if the selection is carried out, winning will become very difficult.
Gon and Killua made the right choice.
We need to meet.
Let's talk inside.
Reinforcements have arrived.
It's a crayfish and a wolf.
Are they strong?
If I knew, my job would be easier...
Right now, they're trying to gauge our strength.
So it's currently a stalemate.
Our goal is to buy time, so it all works out.
I suspect it's because I took out this one.
Those dragonflies were acting as security cameras.
Come in, Flutter!
Doesn't seem he's going to show.
Change in plans!
Without Flutter, we have no way to know the enemy's location.
Damn.
When it really counts, he lets me down!
Should I call it off?
No, I can't do that.
I cannot lose face in front of Pitou again!
We're heading back, then.
Ah, hold on...
It's okay. I'll find a way to handle it.
Rental Pod IOU Dispenser
Is that your power?
Yeah, I can use it to scout around.
Don't tell anyone else...
I'm showing you because I trust you.
Idiots, I wouldn't tell you the truth.
Leol's Rental Pod allows him to temporarily
borrow an ability in exchange for granting the target a favor.
However, two conditions must be met.
First,
he must have seen the ability or know its name.
Satellite Dragonflies
Second, he must grant a favor.
After confirming that his favor is not free and is expected to be repaid,
this skill will activate, assuming the target agrees to his conditions.
Got it!
Once all conditions are met, Leol's dispenser automatically stores data,
which can be checked at any time.
However, if the target dies, the data will be deleted.
Flutter's fine.
I believe there's been no communication
because he's unconscious or far away.
A rental can be used for one hour.
During the rental period, the target cannot use the borrowed power.
Anyway, Flutter is still alive...
Looks like we'll be able to stay in touch.
Once Flutter's Satellite Dragonflies
verify the location of the suit with the glasses, we'll start.
So we keep the small fry at a distance while you take on the suit with the glasses.
You gonna be okay on your own?
Just trust me. I wouldn't give you a job you can't handle.
And I don't want you to see my power.
I'll do whatever it takes to complete this mission.
Okay...
I can't afford to wait around here.
Not until the King is in my debt!
When Leol takes the dispensed IOU and tears it up, the effect activates.
They're here.
Time to start scouting.
I don't understand.
This is upsetting.
During our matches, I am the only one who's getting flustered.
I would have expected this to be humiliating on a new level.
But...
At the same time, I am enjoying our matches.
But I don't understand why...
Next time: Resolve x And x Awakening.
Morel-san, what's in your pipe?
It holds...
Gulp.
...tonkotsu.