Chapter Summaries

Netero challenged Kaya, Gon, and Killua to steal a ball from him, offering Hunter Licenses to anyone who succeeded. Killua and Gon both failed to get the ball, leaving Netero still undefeated after their attempts.

• Netero brought Kaya, Gon, and Killua to an empty sports court and offered them Hunter Licenses if they could take the ball from him.
• Killua agreed to try and twice failed to steal the ball, first missing with a fast grab and then hurting his shin on Netero’s leg.
• Killua used Rhythm Echo to create afterimages, but Netero dodged him and pressed him to the floor.
• Gon charged Netero, changed direction in midair, and slammed into the ceiling while trying to attack from above.
• Gon spent the next forty minutes trying to reach Netero but eventually grew exhausted without stealing the ball.

Kaya used clever tricks against Netero but eventually gave up, then left with Killua to find food. When two examinees harassed them in the corridor, Killua threatened them, and Kaya made them kowtow as an apology.

• Kaya used a diversion and a kick to force Netero to use his left foot and right hand, but failed to take the ball.
• After an hour of chasing Netero, Kaya quit, and Killua also stopped because his bloodlust was rising; Gon continued alone.
• Kaya showed Killua his 500,000 Jenny, and the two headed out to buy food while joking together.
• Two examinees deliberately bumped Kaya and then grabbed his shoulder, despite Kaya urging Killua to ignore them.
• Killua subdued the examinees and demanded an apology to Kaya, who told them to kowtow, and they complied.

Kaya took Killua to the airship’s rear platform for a spar, where they traded blows and Killua used Rhythm Echo. Kaya adapted to the noisy surroundings and countered, but their fight ended in a stalemate before they turned on Leorio when he teased them.

• Killua complained that Kaya had stopped him from killing two applicants, and Kaya invited him to the rear platform to blow off steam.
• Killua and Kaya fought without their weapons, and Killua forced Kaya back with a rapid assault.
• Kaya asked Killua to use Rhythm Echo, then closed his eyes and learned to sense Killua through the wind and vibrations.
• Kaya dodged Killua’s attack and kicked him, but Killua pinned Kaya to the floor, and they locked each other in a stalemate.
• Kurapika and Leorio came upon the boys, and Killua and Kaya charged at Leorio after he teased them.

The applicants began the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam at Trick Tower, where they had to reach the ground within seventy-two hours. Kaya found a one-use trapdoor and fell through alone, while Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio landed together and worried about what Kaya would do.

• Beans announced that the applicants had to reach the ground from Trick Tower within seventy-two hours, starting the Third Phase of the 287th Hunter Exam.
• Applicant number 86 tried to climb down the tower and was swallowed by a Human-Faced Monster Bird.
• Kaya discovered a hollow tile and fell through a trapdoor before his friends could reach him.
• Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio each jumped through nearby trapdoors and landed together at the same place.
• Gon wondered what Kaya would do as the group realized he was still alone.

Kaya and Hisoka teamed up in Trick Tower, clearing early obstacles before reaching a laser corridor that required one of them to give up so the other could pass. With neither willing to vote the other through yet, Kaya kept Hisoka occupied with a card game while he considered a way forward.

• Kaya reluctantly partnered with Hisoka, who said he would spare him for now and asked about his relationship with Killua.
• Kaya and Hisoka cleared the early obstacles easily, with Hisoka leading and Kaya following.
• Lippo announced that the examinees had entered Trick Tower and explained that different routes held different challenges.
• Kaya and Hisoka found themselves trapped before a laser corridor that allowed only one person through and required unanimous wristband votes.
• Hisoka sat down to build a house of cards, and Kaya suggested they play cards while he thought of a loophole.

Kurapika struggled with the hatred triggered by a fake Spider tattoo, while Kaya and Hisoka crossed a trap passage and encountered a scarred man seeking revenge on Hisoka. The scarred man began attacking Hisoka with his Infinite Four-Blade Style as Kaya watched and studied the technique.

• Kurapika admitted that seeing a spider made him lose his reason, and Leorio tried to comfort him.
• Kaya beat Hisoka at Fight the Landlord, then persuaded him to carry Kaya across a passage whose tiles detected footsteps rather than weight.
• Kaya and Hisoka entered another room, where a scarred man confronted Hisoka over the injuries he had suffered the previous year.
• The scarred man threw pairs of crescent blades at Hisoka, who dodged them easily and dismissed his attack.
• The scarred man announced his Infinite Four-Blade Style, while Kaya observed the technique and considered how he might defend against it.

Kaya fought the scarred man and awakened a huge amount of aura when he faced death. Hisoka sealed Kaya’s Aura Nodes, killed the scarred man, and left with Kaya, while Lippo reported Kaya’s power to the Hunter Association.

• Hisoka challenged the scarred man to defeat Kaya before he would fight, and the man turned his throwing knives on Kaya.
• Kaya dodged the knives and attacked, but the scarred man’s Nen weakened his strikes and forced him to keep evading.
• After half an hour, the scarred man grabbed Kaya as the knives closed in, and Kaya’s despair triggered an immense eruption of aura that deflected the knives and hurled the man into a wall.
• Kaya lost consciousness as his aura continued to pour out, so Hisoka used Gyo to break through the aura around him and seal his Aura Nodes.
• Hisoka killed the scarred man with a card, picked up Kaya, and left the room.
• Lippo copied the surveillance footage and reported Kaya’s aura to the Hunter Association.

Kaya passed the Third Phase after Hisoka carried him through the final door, then remained unconscious in the hall for a day before waking. As other candidates arrived, Hisoka and Lippo watched Kaya’s rapid recovery while Pokkle stayed by his side.

• Hisoka carried Kaya through the final door, earning Kaya second place, and warned Illumi not to touch his chosen prey.
• Hanzo arrived fourth, while Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika worried about Kaya in the fifty-hour break room and Kurapika reassured them that Hisoka would protect him.
• Pokkle and Goz arrived together, and Pokkle brought food to the unconscious Kaya before staying beside him.
• Pokkle fell asleep beside Kaya, then woke when Kaya used foul-smelling Choking Grass to rouse him.
• Kaya said he remembered passing through the laser chamber with Hisoka but did not know why he had been unconscious or how he had gotten out.
• Hisoka and Lippo observed Kaya after he regained his energy, noting his remarkable recovery and immense aura.

Netero struggled to decide how the Hunter Association should handle Kaya, then left the question to someone else. At Trick Tower, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio emerged just before time ran out, and Lippo began the Fourth Phase preparations.

• Netero learned that Kite had asked the Hunter Association to give Kaya proper guidance and debated whether to guide or eliminate him.
• Beans reminded Netero that someone knowledgeable about plants might help, and Netero decided to leave Kaya's case to him.
• Kaya waited anxiously as the final countdown began, then welcomed Gon, Killua, and Kurapika when they emerged from the tower with Leorio.
• Kaya learned how Gon and the others had cleared their challenges and punched Tonpa for wasting time.
• Lippo announced that twenty-six candidates had passed and instructed them to draw cards in the order they had left the tower.

The candidates learned that the Fourth Phase required them to hunt assigned targets for badges on Despair Island. As the group shared their targets and prepared for the exam, Gon decided to face Hisoka on his own.

• Lippo explained that candidates needed six points from badges to pass the Fourth Phase, then sent them toward Despair Island.
• Gon revealed that his target was Hisoka, number 44, and admitted he feared losing but thought he could steal Hisoka's badge.
• The group agreed to share their targets: Kurapika drew Tonpa, Killua drew an unknown candidate numbered 199, Leorio drew Ponzu, and Kaya drew an unknown candidate numbered 80.
• Kaya warned Leorio about Ponzu's poisonous bees and gave him herbs to counter the toxins.
• Kaya offered to help Gon steal Hisoka's badge, but Gon insisted on doing it himself, and Kaya and Killua urged him not to get eliminated or die.