Knuckle: Your signature technique
currently has exactly two major flaws!
Killua: Huh?
♪
( Singing in Japanese )
♪
Narrator: Gon has finally challenged knuckle
to a serious fight.
However, knuckle claims that gon’s technique has major flaws.
Knuckle: So, gon...
Gon: Huh?
Knuckle: That technique you’re using,
what is it you call it?
Gon: Uh-oh! I forgot to give my attack a name.
What should it be?
It’s ja-jan Ken!
Killua: Wow. Zero effort.
Knuckle: Ah.
Ja-jan Ken, huh?
Okay. I see.
So it’s just like rock, paper, scissors,
but the "ja-jan" adds a little oomph, like a "ta-da."
Gon: Well, not really.
( Thinking )the first "ja" was actually a stutter.
♪
Knuckle: That’s a clever name you’ve got there, kid!
Gon: Uh, yeah. I’m okay with that.
Killua: You are?
Knuckle: Well, gon...
Your jajanken has two giant weaknesses.
First off, the windup’s too long!
( Gon grunts )
Knuckle: Those few precious seconds
you’re taking before the move
is like an eternity in actual combat,
so you ain’t gonna get many chances to use it, will you?
Gon: Yeah, I know that.
Knuckle: And second, it’s too risky!
( Gon gasps )
Knuckle: See, the more aura you focus into your fist,
the less you have at your disposal,
and that’s less that you’ll have to protect your body!
If someone attacks when you’re vulnerable, you’re dead!
Gon: I know what the risks are.
That’s why I spent the last month training,
to make up for them!
♪
Knuckle: Now that I see it again,
his aura’s really something.
He’s got as much volume as a mid-ranking pro.
He’s close.
But there’s one thing he still lacks...
( Gon groans )
Knuckle: Experience!
( Gon yells )
Knuckle: He needs to see more real combat...
A lot more!
He’s got plenty of determination,
he’s faced death many times, and he has natural talent,
but still, he needs work.
His flow of aura’s still unrefined.
I can tell what he’s protecting,
and I know what he’s planning to do...
Just by looking at his aura!
So if I use that information and mix in a few feints...
And stagger my blows a little...
This is the result!
Killua: Damn it.
He’s reading gon’s flow of aura like a book.
Gon: I was right. Knuckle is...
Knuckle: Okay.
Now I think it’s time to throw a real punch.
Gon: He’s so...
Knuckle: Don’t blame me if you die, all right?
Gon: He’s so kind!
Knuckle: Behind you!
( Gon groans )
If he hadn’t warned me, I could have died.
Knuckle: First off, the windup’s too long!
Gon: He doesn’t have to teach me,
but still, he keeps giving me advice.
He’s guiding me, teaching me how to get stronger.
He’s being too nice.
Knuckle: Eh?
Gon: Okay, now show me rock.
( Yells )
( Knuckle groans )
♪
( Gon groaning )
( Coughs )
Knuckle: Didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t let you do that?!
Are you messing with me?
Gon: Was that all you got?
Knuckle: Eh?
Gon: Who’s messing with who?
This is a real fight, isn’t it?
So act like it! Fight to kill!
♪
Show me...
Rock!
( Knuckle gasps )
Gon: Here goes!
Jan...
( Knuckle yells )
Gon: Over here!
All right, now show me rock!
Jan...
( Gasps )
Knuckle: That little bastard,
he faked me out with his jajanken!
Gon: You were focused on stopping my special technique.
Even I could tell exactly how and when
you were about to strike with your right.
♪
Killua: He used jajanken’s weakness,
the long windup, to his advantage.
He’s messing with the enemy’s mind.
From knuckle’s perspective,
gon’s jajanken is an easy pitch.
He can’t help but take a swing.
It’s straight down the middle, and he’s gotta hit it.
That’s the trigger.
As the ball approaches, he exerts too much strength.
He can hit it. He has to,
and thinking that way
makes him use more muscle than necessary.
The same thing goes for aura.
Unless it’s consciously held back,
aura focuses where he tenses up,
and it balloons the moment he tries to strike.
If the nen user is inexperienced or loses his cool,
the aura will either stagnate or, conversely, flow too freely.
The flow of aura tells the opponent
what attack is coming.
Gon: So act like it! Fight to kill!
Killua: Gon pointed out knuckle’s soft side
to upset him, which made the feint successful.
This plan is more effective
on someone who knows jajanken’s strength.
As soon as gon initiates the attack, fear sets in.
The knowledge of what’s coming next
really messes with his opponent’s mind.
It makes the feint more effective.
If they jump back,
then gon can easily use scissors or paper.
I assumed jajanken would be less useful
once the opponent figured out how it works,
that it was flawed.
But, no, he can adapt it to any situation.
Gon: Right. Now let’s start over!
Killua: In the second attempt, gon was too focused
on the technique, and knuckle landed a kick.
But if he learns to control his aura
in response to his opponent’s moves,
it’ll be harder to distinguish
between the feints and the real thing.
So then, did gon know how to overcome this weakness?
No.
He must have figured it out during the fight.
Even in the middle of intense combat,
he’s making incredible progress.
( Gon panting )
It’s already getting a lot harder to maintain Ken,
and it hasn’t even been 20 minutes.
I’m using more energy, because i’m moving at the same time,
and if an hour of training equals ten minutes of combat...
I’ve only got ten minutes of aura left!
If my aura defense goes down,
i’m done for!
I’ve gotta end this...
With my jajanken!
( Yells )
Knuckle: Bring it on!
♪
Killua: Knuckle definitely has superior physical strength,
but little by little, gon’s adapting.
By increasing the area his aura covers,
he reduces the damage from miscalculations.
He’s getting used to knuckle’s speed,
so surprise blows aren’t hitting him anymore,
but he’s running out of time.
He doesn’t have much stamina left to maintain his aura.
Knuckle, on the other hand,
is conserving his strength, only attacking with basic blows.
Unfortunately, jajanken
requires a huge amount of aura just to activate.
Gon’s used up a lot of aura in feints alone.
He’s already used his technique three times.
They started fighting 20 minutes ago.
If he uses jajanken again,
that means he’ll only have a minute or two left
to fight at full strength.
( Gon panting )
Knuckle: Gon, you told me
that I should give it everything i’ve got,
but you’re still no match for me as you are right now.
♪
You’re just--
( killua gasps )
Gon: Now show me...
Rock!
( Killua gasps )
Why?
Wait. What the hell is he thinking?
( Knuckle gasping )
Gon: Now show me...
Rock!
( Knuckle gasps )
Killua: Knuckle doesn’t have a shot
and hasn’t taken damage, so why from that far?
It doesn’t even look like he’s gonna hit him.
Knuckle: This will definitely be gon’s final attack.
It’ll all end right here.
Gon: Jan Ken...
Paper!
( Both gasp )
♪
Knuckle: An emission attack?
I wasn’t expecting that,
and it’s weaker than his rock.
You’re an enhancer, no doubt about it.
Paper’s an emission, so it’s much weaker,
no speed, no punch.
There can’t possibly be a gimmick
in such a low-level attack!
I’ll deflect it, and it’s over!
Yah!
Gon: All right. Round two!
Knuckle: Round two?
He used a decoy to ambush me?
No good. A jajanken combo attack!
Gon: Rock!
( Knuckle screams )
( Gasping )
He’s out cold.
He spent all of his aura before rock.
If he hadn’t, he would have beaten me.
- ( Footsteps ) - Eh?
Where the hell are you going now, you fool?
Killua: I’m heading back.
Knuckle: Aren’t you going to fight me?
I’m ready for more.
Killua: You can fight with gon again tomorrow.
The outcome will probably be different.
Then i’ll defeat shoot.
Knuckle: You tell gon that tomorrow,
i’ll fight him for real!
He’d better be ready to die!
Killua: Sounds like you’re trying to amp yourself up.
Are you sure you can do it?
Knuckle: Hell, yeah, you fool!
- Killua: Tomorrow... - Knuckle: Uh...
Killua: You don’t have to get serious,
as long as you can win,
but if you lose without fighting at full strength,
I won’t forgive you...
Not for as long as I live.
( Footsteps )
Shoot: You are such a softie. Do you know that?
You don’t make any sense at all.
Why are you helping the enemy improve,
and furthermore, why are you allowing them
to criticize you for it?
If you don’t want to go to the ngl,
you could just give them your tile,
though i’m almost certain they would refuse it if you did.
Knuckle: Bastard.
You’re pretty damn cocky
when you’re not shaking in your boots, huh?
In case you forgot, it’s been a whole month,
and all you’ve done is stalk them!
Shoot: I’ll do it.
Tomorrow, I-I will fight them.
( Knuckle groans )
( Gon snoring )
Bisky: Don’t worry. I gave him a massage,
so he’ll be able to fight in top form tomorrow.
Killua’s the real issue.
I mean, I really wasn’t expecting him
to go the entire month without fighting once.
Killua!
Killua: Eh? ( Gasps )
Bisky: Prepare yourself to fight me.
( Muscles shifting )
( Birds chirping )
Gon: Whoa! What happened to your face?!
Killua: I was training with bisky.
Gon: Are you sure she wasn’t torturing you?
Killua: Anyway, what about you? Are you feeling okay?
Gon: Yeah, I feel fantastic!
I used up all my aura, so I expected
that I would be pretty much wiped out right now, but look!
Kite: That gorilla--
I mean the old hag’s massage must have worked.
- ( Sighs ) That was close. - Gon: Huh?
Bisky: Listen up! If you tell anyone what happened yesterday,
i’ll make your face three times worse. You got it?
( Laughs )
Killua: She really meant it, too.
Bisky: Well? Are you able to see your weakness now?
( Killua panting )
Bisky: You give up far too easily,
and you’re much too cautious in combat.
I’d even go so far as to say you underestimate yourself.
Every time you face an opponent
you perceive is stronger than you,
you fight to escape, not to win!
♪
It’s a problem, but I realize it’s not one of your making.
It’s the fault of whoever taught you how to fight.
A habit that’s as deeply ingrained as this one is
will be difficult to break,
but one thing is for sure.
One day, you will leave gon behind to die.
♪
Combat ability can change
depending on internal and external conditions.
For example, "c" on his best day,
can beat "d" on his worst.
"A," "b," and "c" can, under the proper circumstances,
beat "d," in spite of the large power differential.
But that’s them.
You, on the other hand,
assume the enemy is always at their best.
You adopt the worst-case scenario every time.
Even against enemies of equal strength,
you think, "he’s tough,"
or, "it’d be dangerous if he did this."
Then you give up at even the slightest disadvantage.
You would never make the smallest attempt
to pull out a victory.
You would run, because you think like a loser.
You need to overcome this bad habit right away.
Get way out of your comfort zone,
and take a big risk for once
by challenging someone more powerful,
and tomorrow...
If you can’t defeat shoot,
you must stay out of gon’s life.
( Killua sighs )
Gon: Okay! I’m gonna win this time!
♪
( Grunts )
Killua: Let’s go.
Gon: Okay.
Bisky: Killua’s overly cautious style
can only come from one place.
It’s the product of a smothering kind of love...
A love that’s abnormal, obsessive, and distorted.
In the end, it becomes a burden,
smothering him under its own weight.
It’s a curse that will take
an enormous amount of effort to break.
( Door creaks )
( Nen whooshing )
As to who will emerge victorious,
I honestly don’t know.
All right...
Better make a run for it! ( Laughs )
♪
Knuckle: So whoever loses...
Gon: ...Gives up their tile to the winner.
Narrator: Gon and knuckle, killua and shoot,
their long-awaited final battle begins.
♪
( Singing in Japanese )