The Opening of Battle (開戦, Kaisen) is the 326th chapter of the Hunter × Hunter manga, written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi.
Summary
The chapter starts with Beans giving a brief introduction of the 16 candidates in the fifth round of the 13th Hunter Chairman Election, including their achievements and goals.
The focus is then switched to Killua, who is going to Gon's hospital in a car. Watching a video of the electoral conference on a tablet computer, he is surprised by Leorio's Nen ability and boldness. Gotoh, who is holding Killua's cell phone, suddenly receives a call from Illumi, which he quickly passes to Killua. It is then revealed through Killua's thoughts that Gotoh has subtly helped him understand the interrelationship between people within the Zoldycks' estate concerning Alluka — Silva and Zeno want to control Alluka's ability, but Illumi intends to kill him.
Illumi then asks Killua about the removal of the needle he planted in his head, which Killua confirms. Hearing that, Illumi says he will go into action. Killua then asks if he wants to kill him, to which Illumi replies that family members are forbidden to kill each other in an "inner mission," implying that he does not view Alluka as family and wants to kill Alluka. Killua immediately issues a challenge to Illumi. As soon as that happens, Illumi manipulates a car and two trucks to drive Killua's car off the cliff.
Watching from a distance as the car comes crashing down into a forest below, Hisoka remarks that Illumi is too extreme. Illumi replies that he has no choice because Killua is hiding some rules of Alluka's ability and asks Hisoka to eliminate the servants. Hisoka then asks if he can kill Killua, making Illumi explode with anger and give off an intense killing aura for a moment. He suspects this is a deliberate provocation to let Killua know where they are, but Hisoka says it is merely a joke.
Knowing where Illumi is thanks to the killing aura, Killua tells Alluka to close her eyes and hold tight to him. Amane says they should get as far away from Illumi as possible. While they are running in the forest, she tells him that Tsubone, she, Silva and Zeno are not his enemies and that protecting Killua is part of her and Tsubone's mission. Realizing that Alluka's name is missing from those words, Killua activates his Godspeed mode and tells the 3 servants that he considers them his enemies.
Characters in Order of Appearance
- Beans
- Pariston Hill
- Cheadle Yorkshire
- Leorio Paradinight
- Botobai Gigante
- Mizaistom Nana
- Ickshonpe Katocha
- Teradein Neutral
- Morel Mackernasey
- Saccho Kobayakawa
- Biscuit Krueger
- Linne Hors-d'oeuvre
- Sanbika Norton
- Loupe Highland
- Bushidora Ambitious
- Cutie Beauty
- Ging Freecss
- Zoldyck Family
- Gotoh
- Amane
- Tsubone
- Canary
- Hisoka
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