Chapter 2 — The Rule of the Board
The underground chamber trembled faintly.
Not from destruction.
But from pressure.
Nen pressure.
Gon and Killua stood side by side, their eyes locked on the silver-haired man.
The air felt… heavy.
Like every movement carried weight.
Killua narrowed his eyes.
This guy… he's not leaking aura.
That alone was terrifying.
Any strong Nen user released at least a trace of aura under tension.
But this man…
Was perfectly contained.
Like a sealed abyss.
The First Rule
The man gently placed his hand on the chessboard.
"Before we begin…"
His voice was calm.
"…you should understand the rules."
Gon tilted his head.
"Rules?"
Killua's expression darkened.
"Gon. Don't move."
Too late.
The moment Gon shifted his weight—
CLICK.
A faint sound echoed.
And suddenly—
The ground beneath Gon cracked.
A sharp surge of invisible force shot upward.
Gon barely reacted in time, jumping back.
"Whoa!"
The spot where he stood…
Collapsed inward.
As if crushed by something unseen.
Nen Ability Revealed
Killua's eyes widened.
"…What was that?"
The man smiled slightly.
"My ability."
He raised one finger.
"Nen Ability: 'King's Domain'."
The torches flickered violently.
A faint grid pattern appeared across the entire floor.
Like a giant invisible chessboard.
Each tile… perfectly aligned.
The man continued:
"Within this domain…"
"…every movement has a cost."
Gon blinked.
"I don't get it."
Killua whispered:
"It means…"
"…we're inside his rules."
How the Ability Works
The man stepped forward slowly.
"Each square represents a position."
"Each movement is a decision."
"Each decision…"
"…can be punished."
He pointed to the broken tile.
"You stepped without awareness."
"So the board corrected you."
Gon scratched his head.
"So if I move wrong… I get hit?"
The man smiled.
"Not hit."
"Removed."
Killua's Analysis
Killua's brain was already racing.
This isn't a simple trap.
It's conditional Nen.
There are rules.
And rules mean limitations.
He whispered:
"Gon… don't move randomly."
Gon nodded.
"Got it."
Killua looked at the man.
"So what triggers the attack?"
The man's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Good question."
"For that…"
"…you must play."
The First Clash
Killua moved first.
A single step to the side.
Nothing happened.
He stepped forward again.
Still nothing.
Killua's eyes narrowed.
So not every move is punished…
Gon suddenly leaped forward.
"Let's just hit him!"
Killua shouted:
"WAIT—"
CLICK.
Time seemed to freeze.
The air distorted.
And suddenly—
A massive invisible force slammed into Gon mid-air.
BOOM.
Gon crashed into the wall.
Dust exploded across the chamber.
Gon Injured
Killua rushed forward.
"Gon!"
Gon coughed, pushing himself up.
"That… hurt…"
Blood trickled from his mouth.
Killua's expression turned cold.
That wasn't random.
He triggered something.
The True Horror
The man walked calmly across the board.
Unharmed.
Untouched.
"Impulsive movement."
"Predictable."
"Punishable."
He looked down at Gon.
"You are strong."
"But strength without thought…"
"…is just noise."
Nen Pressure Rising
Killua activated Godspeed instinctively.
Electricity flickered around his body.
His speed increased dramatically.
"I'll test the boundaries."
He vanished.
In a flash, Killua moved across multiple tiles—
CLICK.
Killua's instincts screamed.
He twisted mid-air—
BOOM.
A crushing force hit the space he just left.
The ground shattered violently.
Killua landed, breathing slightly heavier.
"…So speed doesn't bypass it."
Ability Explained Deeper
The man raised his hand again.
"Let me make it simple."
"Your movements are analyzed."
"Your intent is predicted."
"And incorrect actions…"
"…are eliminated."
Killua froze.
Predicted?
No…
That's not prediction.
It's something else.
The Secret Mechanic
Killua looked carefully at the chessboard.
Then he noticed it.
The pieces.
They had moved.
Slightly.
Every time they acted.
His eyes widened.
"…You're calculating positions in real time."
The man smiled.
"Exactly."
"This is not a fight."
"It is a game."
Gon's Realization
Gon slowly stood up.
Wiping the blood from his mouth.
"So if we understand the rules…"
"…we can win?"
The man's eyes gleamed.
"For the first time…"
"…you ask the right question."
Final Moment
The man picked up a chess piece.
The Knight.
"In this game…"
"The knight moves unpredictably."
He placed it down.
CLICK.
Suddenly—
The entire board shifted.
The pressure multiplied.
Killua's eyes widened.
"…He changed the rules."
The man smiled calmly.
"Adaptation is part of the game."
He looked directly at them.
"Show me."
"Can the next generation of Hunters…"
"…survive a losing board?"
End Scene
Final panel:
Gon clenches his fist.
Killua sparks with electricity.
The chessboard glows beneath their feet.
And the man stands untouched.
Like a king who already knows the outcome.