Chapter 338

Up in The Trees is the 338th chapter of the Hunter x Hunter manga, written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi.

Plot
Gon, Killua and Alluka go in the town that's closest to the World Tree. Gon reads off some facts about the tree and the three of them get a picture taken.

Afterwards, Gon and Killua say their farewells with Killua saying he was pretty bummed out when Gon said "I'll do it myself" and "This doesn't involve you". Killua also says that Alluka's the one who healed Gon and Gon asks why he didn't say so sooner. Killua explains Alluka's ability and tells Gon that he has "complicated family issues". He says that he's willing to risk his life to protect Alluka/Nanika. Killua says he's going to travel many places with Alluka and he'll contact him if anything should happen, to notify him and Gon promises to do the same. Gon says that they'll always be friends wherever they are. Killua says to give Ging his greetings and then, they part ways.

Gon then goes to the office place, where people go if they want to climb the tree,vwhere the guy says that the minimum age to climb the tree is 18. Gon shows his Hunter's License and the guy lets him go after signing a waver. He tells Gon not to follow any tracks left by other people and to use his bare hands. That's what the guy that's already up there did. On his way up, he feels a connection with the tree and comes across an injured climber. After getting some help for him, Gon continues on his way.

At the top, Gon meet only a giant baby bird, in fact atop of the tree there is a nest with other giant birds. Gon is looking for Ging when he appears and tells Gon that he got tired of waiting. Ging asks how long it took Gon and he replies about 20 minutes. Ging says he barely passed for a first timer and give him some fruit. Gon asks Ging what it is he wants and Ging says it's "something that he can't see in front of him". He says the reason why he wanted to be a Hunter was because being a Hunter was the only way he could go where he wanted to go.

Ging tells Gon that the first place where he wanted to go was a grave for royalty. It was a small expedition paid out of pocket because nobody wanted to back it up without some kind of award or something. Ging decided if he was a Hunter, money wouldn't be a problem. So, at age 15 he investigated and reformed the grave. He says he went on archaeology websites and blogs and was looking for people who didn't need any money or a reputation and who wanted the truth and "who can keep their mouths shut" and that he can trust. He goes on saying that he's always looking for something he wants even if it's something he doesnt care about. Gon doesn't get it so Ging carries on with his story.

He says that everyone he met online was older than him and were average people. They started researching about it and even donated what little money they had. He says that once he stepped inside he wasn't happy that he able to see the truth he was looking for, but he was happy when he saw the smiles on his comrades faces and shook their hands. He says he still keeps in touch with those people and compared to them, the truth he found was "just a small addition".

Gon asks Ging what he's looking for now and Ging explains. He starts off by asking Gon what the tree they climbed was and Gon's response is "the World Tree". Ging then asks how they're explaining it down there at the town, to which Gon responds saying that the tree is rumored to be the tallest in the world and is 1784 meters. Ging says it "isn't wrong" but the truth was that it was just a young tree that stopped growing because it didn't have enough nutrients. He explains that a "real" World Tree takes root on a mountain, intakes magma, surpases the atmosphere and becomes even bigger at the world's "outside".

Ging explains that the map and the Chimera Ants were both aliens from the "outside" world. That's the truth that "they don't teach you in school". He says that the world that they know is not ridiculously large. That the "chosen ones from a certain era from a certain place" all have records when they went "outside". Then Ging concludes teling Gon that his goal hasn't changed. "Something that he wants that's not in front of him."