Killua

Killua Zoldyck (キルア゠ゾルディック, Kirua Zorudikku) is the third child of Silva and Kikyo Zoldyck and the heir of the Zoldyck Family, until he runs away from home and becomes a Rookie Hunter. He is the best friend of Gon Freecss, and is currently traveling with Alluka Zoldyck. He is also Barto's boyfriend.

Appearance
Killua has spiky silver hair, very pale skin, and blue eyes. His eyes change shape depending on the mood that he's in, narrowing and sharpening when he goes into assassination mode. Killua is fairly lean at the start of the series, due to constant physical conditioning and torture training he received when he was young. As time passes, he becomes more muscular and toned. In the Nippon Animation anime adaptation, Killua's eye color is changed to green during the OVAs. He is also often seen holding a green skateboard (turned yellow in the 2011 series).

Killua typically wears baggy clothing, with his usual attire consisting of long-sleeved and dark-colored shirts. Most of his clothes have a turtleneck. Killua wears long, baggy shorts in the manga and Madhouse animated adaptation, but Nippon Animation's character design shortened them to reach above his knees. Killua also wears purple boots, recolored brown and black in the Nippon Animation adaptation.

As a child, Killua's hair is longer, almost cascading to his shoulders. He wore a hoodie with his trademark blue coloring, grey pants, and shoes.

Personality


Initially, Killua is introduced as a character who appears similar to Gon: cheeky, cheerful, and full of mischievous ideas. However, contrasting Gon's politeness, Killua can be quite rude to others, mostly strangers and older people. He is most commonly known for having a sweet tooth; he loves everything sweet and spent almost 200 million on snacks when he was at the Heavens Arena. His favorite snack is chocolate, specifically Chocolate Balls.

He is also one of the quickest-thinking characters and often analyzes a situation with great ease and accuracy. In spite of his young age, his way of thinking, knowledge, and pragmatism give him the attitude of an adult. He is initially very confident about his own abilities, going as far as questioning Gon's capability during the Hunter Exam, and compares his strength with other people. As time passed, Killua became humble about it and no longer touts his own abilities. Despite his advanced knowledge and level-headed nature, he is not very open in general and will become very embarrassed when Gon openly calls him his best friend or compliments him about their bond.

Despite his horrendous upbringings and the torturous training his family has put him under, Killua has managed to remain generally positive and does not seem too psychologically affected by the pain he's endured, demonstrating a noble, pure side of him. When showcasing his abilities and turning his Nen into electricity, both Netero and Biscuit have noted how truly tragic his childhood must have been, with the former stating that it's a miracle Killua is even able to smile at all.



However, his ruthlessness and aptitude in killing show the other side of him—deadly, violent, and bloodthirsty. This side fades as he spends more time with Gon, although he is still unafraid to threaten or kill anyone who attacks him or Gon. Conflicting with Killua's predisposal to kill is his unyielding loyalty to his friends and natural kindness. He claims Gon was his first friend, and he grows progressively more attached to him as time passes. Killua often suffers immensely in his attempts to help his friends without a single complaint. He puts others before himself without being concerned about his own health or even his life.



Until recently, Killua's greatest flaw was his fear of those seemingly more powerful than him (one of whom being his elder brother, Illumi). Killua had been trained as an assassin by his brother to be extremely cautious and to only engages in combat provided that victory is absolutely certain. This impeded him as a Hunter, as Biscuit stated more than once that victory is never certain, and that depending on the circumstances, a person has the potential to defeat a stronger opponent.

Killua especially struggles with these dueling ideologies during the latter half of the series, as he begins to encounter stronger opponents. His brother's teachings remained firmly entrenched in his mind, to a point at which Biscuit prophesied that he would one day abandon Gon because of this. Finally, he had to face Biscuit's prophecy when he encountered a Chimera Ant while Gon (who could not use Nen at the time) was not far off and had no way to defend himself. At the last moment, Killua realized that Illumi had implanted a needle in his brain way back in the first Hunter Exam. This needle was responsible for forcing Killua to retreat and jailing himself in his comfort zone whenever any situation would potentially endanger his life. Upon extracting the needle, Killua was freed from this restraint and gained full control of his subconscious to make his own decision whether or not to flee whenever there is a need to fight stronger opponents.



During the events of Greed Island, Killua has shown to be highly susceptible to gambling. Going as far as to be willing to gamble with his life to get a big reward in the slot machine and seem to show heavy gambling rush in his eyes causing Biscuit to neck chop him to make him stop.

A stark contrast to his best friend Gon, Killua is highly mature in both thinking and emotion in which he can keep his anger in check and maintain rationality better than Gon even when facing a terrifying experience like the death of Kite, while Gon gives in to his rage and loses his logical thinking.

Background


Killua was born as the middle child of a family of known assassins, the Zoldycks. Showing great promise from birth, Killua followed the traditional Zoldyck training, which was imparted to him by Silva and Illumi. He had already mastered many killing techniques at a tender age and was set to be one of the best assassins the family had ever produced. At the age of three, he started training in tailing that routinely put his life at risk.

At a young age, he fulfilled three of Alluka's requests, causing Nanika to take over. He asked her how to revert the change, and it explained its powers to him. He decided to keep it a secret from their parents, who were however informed by Mitsuba after she witnessed one episode. Silva and Kikyo questioned him about it, and he relayed what Nanika told him, adding that refusing four demands resulted in death only after Mitsuba is killed. At the age of six, he was forced by Silva to battle in the martial arts tournament at the Heavens Arena until he reached the 200th floor, after which he was allowed to return home. It took him two months to reach the 150th floor, and a total of two years to get to the 200th.

When he was six or seven, he mastered the game of darts as part of basic training. Around the age of nine, he met and attempted to befriend the newly hired Canary. She thanked him for the thought, but, due to their different status, she declined his offer to be friends.

At an unknown point in his life, his family determined he lacked the mindset of a real assassin and had Illumi implant a special needle in his head to subliminally remodel his character through fear, as well as to prevent him from freeing Alluka from her playroom.

Sick of killing, at the age of 11 he rebelled against his family, injuring his mother and older brother, and ran away from home to take the Hunter Exam for fun. By that time, he had already assassinated more people than the Bomber(s) combined.

First Phase


Killua is one of the few rookies who make it to Zaban Tunnel. He meets Tonpa, and accepts the drink offered to him, despite suspecting the drink contained some chemicals. He later asks for four more cans, baffling Tonpa, but Killua reveals to him that he has built a resistance against poisons and would not be killed by them. Satotz then arrives to announce the start of the 287th Hunter Exam, in which the applicants would have to follow him to the next examination site. Killua uses his skateboard and passes by Gon Freecss, Kurapika, and Leorio Paradinight. Leorio berates him for using a skateboard in an endurance test, but Gon points out that Satotz only told them to follow him. Killua asks Gon's age and finds out both of them are almost 12 years old. He decides to run alongside the group and asks for Leorio's age, calling him "pops". Insulted, Leorio reveals he is not even 20 yet, to the two boys' shock.



60 kilometers later, Leorio becomes extremely exhausted. Killua is convinced that he is dropping out and tells Gon to leave him behind. Leorio finds the motivation to continue running and Gon picks up Leorio's suitcase with his fishing pole. An impressed Killua wants to try it, while Gon wants to try his skateboard. Halfway up the stairs, Gon and Killua reach the front of the group, with Killua claiming the reason is the slow pace. Gon enquires why Killua wants to be a Hunter. Killua answers that he doesn't, only that he is interested in taking the exam because it has been described as really tough, although for the time being, he finds it tedious and boring. He returns the question to Gon, who explains that his father is a Hunter and that he wants to follow in his footsteps. Laughing, Killua comments he is weird for not knowing how he is. Moments later, the applicants emerge in the wetlands.



After the failed attempt of two Man-faced Apes to trick them, Satotz leads the applicants across the Milsy Wetlands and warns them not to fall to the numerous wild animals living in the swamp. Killua invites Gon to get in the front of the group, as he thinks it would get them away from Hisoka Morow, who would use the fog as cover to kill someone. He explains that he could feel it because he is like him. When the applicants behind them start falling prey to the endemic flora and fauna, Killua warns Gon to remain focused on the runners in front of him, as it would be easy to fall into the animals' traps if they are separated. When he hears Leorio scream, however, Gon rushes to him against Killua's advice, leaving him to continue the run alone.

Second Phase


Killua makes it to the Visca Forest Preserve, the site of the second trial, which the applicants reach five minutes before noon. He is pleasantly surprised to see that Gon got there, and stumped by his declaration that he followed his friend's cologne. The rumbling sounds come from inside the building cause Killua to assume there is some kind of beast inside, but, when the doors open, it turns out to be Buhara's stomach. The examinees meet Gourmet Hunters and proctors Menchi and Buhara, who reveal the Second Phase entails cooking. Buhara requests a whole roast pig from each applicant, but the only one in the preserve is the world's most dangerous pig. Nonetheless, Killua and Gon's friends easily complete the task along with 66 other applicants. However, Menchi baffles the examinees when she requests they make sushi, as none of them knows what it is. He almost fails the trial, but passes the amended phase when Chairman Netero intervenes. The test is taken to Split Mountain where examinees hunt for Spider Eagle eggs. At the end of this stage, there are 42 applicants left, among whom is Killua.

A Game At Midnight


The 42 remaining applicants board the Selection Committee's airship, where Netero announces the next phase of the exam will begin at 8:00 a.m. the following day. Killua and Gon excitedly explore the airship before admiring the view from a window. Gon enquires about Killua's parents, who states they are both assassins before passing it off as a joke, but Gon believes it to be true. He states he refuses to take over the family business and would like to turn them in and reveals he escaped from home. While the two chat, Netero shoots his bloodlust at them and dashes past them, pretending to have just arrived from the opposite direction. Killua concedes he is fast, and his nonchalance irritates him. Killua hopes the exam will become more challenging, so Netero challenges them to a ball game, promising to issue their licenses on the spot if they win. Killua goes first, approaching him with Rhythm Echo, but dodges all his offenses. Killua attempts to cripple him, only to be the one hurt from the kick. He switches with Gon, criticizing him when he bumps his head on the ceiling while jumping too high. Time passes and when it seems Killua and Gon have tried every possible tactic, Netero suggests the two boys attack together. Gon manages to distract Netero long enough for Killua to kick him in the back of the head, but Netero kicks the ball away before he can grab it. Gon redirects it and they almost succeed in catching it, but the Chairman rockets between them and takes it. Killua calls it quits, having realized that Netero did not resort to his right hand or left leg at all. He leaves without Gon, who is determined to force him to use his right hand. In the hallway, he bumps into two other applicants, and, frustrated, tears them to shreds.

Third Phase


In a sullen mood, he does not sleep all night. At 9:30 a.m., the airship lands on the top of Trick Tower. The forty applicants are informed that the objective of their trial is to get down from the tower alive within 72 hours. An examinee with experience in rock climbing begins his descent from the side, but is devoured by a flock of flying beasts under gon's and Killua's eyes. The two catch sight of another applicant entering the tower through a trap door, but are unable to open it. They find five more close together, which they point to Kurapika and Leorio. Unexpectedly, they end up in the same room, where they discover their test requires one more applicant to start. After 50 more minutes, Tonpa drops into the room. They are forced to vote before opening every door on their path until they come to an arena. Bendot informs them they must win three out of five matches against his group of five prisoners to advance. Tonpa goes first, and, to everyone's astonishment, surrenders immediately. After learning the prisoners want to stall them, Killua comments that Tonpa actually made the right choice, since Bendot would have probably crushed his larynx to prevent him from surrendering and then tortured him until time ran out.

Gon excitedly volunteers to go next, his eagerness baffling Killua, who sizes Sedokan up and declares him not to be a threat. He challenges Gon to a match to see whose candle can burn the longest, allowing the group to choose between a long and a short one. Kurapika tells Gon to pick and that they will vote accordingly. He selects the long one, on the basis that it will last the longest. Though flabbergasted by his rationale, his teammates accept his pick. After Gon won his match, Kurapika engages in a death match with Majtani. Leorio judges him to be dangerous, but to Killua it is obvious that he has never killed anyone. He smiles when Gon has the same impression. He is favorably impressed when Kurapika one-shots his opponent. Leroute however points out that the match is not over since neither contestant surrendered or died. When Kurapika refuses to finish off the unconscious Majtani, Killua offers to do so, but Kurapika declines. Killua accuses him of being selfish, but Kurapika does not budge, causing Killua to withdraw his support of Leorio's proposition. A few hours later, he remarks that it seems likely Majtani will not get up. By making a ten-hour bet, Leorio gets the chance to verify his condition. He certifies Majtani is alive, which prompts Killua to suspect he may be only pretending to be unconscious. His bluff is discovered, but Leorio loses a total of 50 hours in a bet and in a rock-papers-scissors game with Leroute.



Seeing Killua is their last chance, Leorio despairs, to the boy's irritation. Leorio's attitude changes when he recognizes his adversary as the serial killer Johness the Dissector. His criminal record piques Killua's interest, who steps forward. As soon as Johness consents to a deathmatch, Killua plucks out his heart in an instant, smiling and him and crushing it in front of his eyes. The five applicants are declared victorious, and Killua invites Bendot to fight to pass the time, an offer the convict fearfully declines. The examinees are forced to spend the next 50 hours inside a locked room, where Kurapika questions Killua about his feat. Killua responds he modified his hand to make it easier, and that he used to be a pro, whereas Johness was an amateur.



When the door opens, the five face more trials and choices. The last test consists of one big decision: choosing between a long path, which the whole group can take but requires 45 hours to clear, and a short one, which requires only three but which can be walked by only three out of the five examinees. With less than one hour left, Killua declares that, like Leorio, he intends to continue, and is willing to fight for that right. Gon comes up with the idea of selecting the longest path and breaking down the wall separating it from the short one with the weapons provided by the examiners. The short path turns out to be a slide that takes all five of them to the goal mere moments before the deadline.

Fourth Phase


The Fourth Phase is a manhunt on Zevil Island, wherein the 25 remaining competitors are required to target and acquire their prey's tag. After a few moments of hesitation, Gon and Killua disclose the numbers of their respective targets to each other. Killua comments Gon has a stroke of terrible luck for ending up with Hisoka. After Gon declares he feels both scared and excited, Killua wishes him good luck. Killua is the 21st to disembark. On the third day, he invites his pursuer to come out. When he doesn't, Killua walks to him, but Imori jumps out of the bushes when his brothers Amori and Umori arrive. He kicks Killua in the gut, who is unaffected by the blow and pickpockets his tag. Since it is only one number off from his target, he asks the two other brothers if either of them has it. The Amori brothers get into formation, but Killua runs up a tree and reappears behind Amori, pointing his nails to his throat. When it turns out Umori is his target, he takes his tag and throws the other two away, switching them before the throw to trick Hanzo. One hour before the deadline, he leaves his hiding spot and reaches the landing site.

Final Phase


Netero summons all the nine remaining examinees, asking them what fellow applicants have their most attention and who they would be opposed to fighting. Killua replies Gon to the former question, and Pokkle to the latter, as it would make for a boring confrontation. Three days later, the last trial begins at a committee-run hotel. It is revealed to be a tournament in which a single win results in clearing the exam. Netero explains that the number of matches at one's disposal reflects their scores, which befuddles Killua, who demands to know more about the scoring system. Netero refuses to disclose the specifics, but from what he says Killua gleans that despite his physical superiority, the examiners see more potential in Gon than in him. Hanzo and Gon are scheduled to duel first. Gon is immediately outmatched by Hanzo, who, after beating him up for three hours, breaks his arm. Gon refuses to give up, so Hanzo threatens to slice his leg off. Gon's unwillingness to have his limb cut off as well as to surrender causes the other examinees to start laughing, with Killua being left astonished by the sudden shift. Hanzo throws the match and knocks a protesting Gon unconscious.



Killua asks him why he did that, confident that Hanzo could torture him into submission if he had wanted to, to which Hanzo replies that Gon's lack of hatred caused him to like the boy, furthering Killua's envy. In the fifth match, Killua faces Pokkle and immediately concedes, believing his opponent not to be worth his time. This ends up putting him up against Gittarackur, who removes his needles and reveals himself to be Killua's older brother Illumi. Killua becomes afraid as Illumi proceeds to question his motives, with Killua admitting he does not want to become a Hunter, but only challenge himself with the trials. Illumi expresses relief, stating Killua would not make a good one, as he has been molded from birth to be an assassin. Killua objects there are other things he wants, above all being friends with Gon and living like a normal kid, without killing.



Killua is paralyzed by fear when Illumi threatens to kill Gon after Leorio states he already thinks of Killua as his friend. The older brother states that if Killua can defeat him, he will allow Gon to live, but he claims he already knows what Killua will choose since he trained him to never fight a stronger opponent. He orders Killua not to move as he extends his hand towards him, declaring their fight will begin the moment his fingers touch him or he moves. Distraught but unable to defy his brother, Killua surrenders. Illumi then declares he did not seriously intend to harm Gon and that he was just testing Killua, which allowed him to ascertain he is not fit for making friends. He tells Killua to go back home, and the boy becomes unresponsive to what Leorio and Kurapika tell him. The following match is intended to be Leorio vs. Bodoro, but Killua impales Bodoro from behind, thereby failing the Hunter Exam for his murder. Killua leaves the hotel and heads home to Kukuroo Mountain.

Zoldyck Family arc


When he arrives in front of the Testing Gate, he opens it up to the third door, weighing 16 tons. He lets himself be tortured by his brother Milluki for three weeks, until he tells him Gon, Kurapika and Leorio are awaiting him at the butlers' quarters and threatens to have them kill the three. Killua snaps one of his handcuffs and threatens Milluki back. Zeno arrives and tells Killua that he is free to go and that his father would like to speak with him.



Killua is initially intimidated by Silva but slowly opens up. He then asks his son about the Hunter Exam, the people he met, how he felt, and more. Killua recounts his adventures, after which Silva enquires if he would like to see his friends. Killua hesitates, but after Silva acknowledges that he is his own person and not a mere extension of him, Killua responds affirmatively. Silva has him promise that he will never betray his friends and lets him go. Kikyo attempts to stop him, but his glare causes her to desist. He reunites with Gon, Kurapika and Leorio at the butlers' quarters, where he laughs at Gon's beaten-up appearance. He orders Gotoh not to follow him and leaves the Zoldyck estate behind.



He confirms Kurapika has guessed the butler's coin trick correctly and criticizes Gon for requesting a tourist visa instead of relying on his Hunter License, who states he will not use it until he punches Hisoka in the face, although he does not know where he is. Kurapika reveals to the three what Hisoka told him during the Hunter Exam. They agree to meet again in six months, on September 1st, in Yorknew City. Kurapika and Leorio depart that same day, while Gon and Killua stay together.

Heavens Arena arc


Killua confronts Gon about his future plans and makes him understand he needs to train if he wants to stand a chance at landing a blow on Hisoka. They fly to the Heavens Arena, where they can train and earn money at the same time. Gon is called to fight right after registering, and Killua tells him to simply push his opponent, since he has opened the first door of the Testing Gate, which allows him to launch his opponent out of bounds. Killua makes quick work of his own adversary. Instead of heading directly to the 180th floor, he contents himself with the 50th, as he wants to advance with Gon. They meet a fellow fighter, a young boy named Zushi, and his teacher, Wing. The three collect their prize: 152 each, the prize of a drink. Killua blows Gon's and Zushi's minds by listing the rewards for clearing upper floors, and by revealing he squandered the money he had made in sweets. The three wait for the announcement of their next matches in the locker room. Killua and Zushi are pitted against each other. To Killua's irritation, Zushi is made out to be the front runner. Killua determines him not to be a threat and leisurely walks to him. He swiftly dodges Zushi's punch and strikes him in the neck from behind, earning two points. Surprisingly, Zushi gets up, unscathed. Killua repeats the attack with more power, but Zushi recovers immediately, awarding him only one point. While Killua is bewildered by his resilience, Zushi takes a fighting stance that terrifies him, reminding him of Illumi. Wing yells at his pupil, causing Zushi to rescind the technique.



The match continues as before, with Killua scoring point after pointing without managing to KO his opponent. Frustrated, Killua hits Zushi with his real power, throwing him out of the ring. His fear of causing lasting damage is however replaced by amazement when Zushi staggers back up, only lightly affected. Killua is declared the winner. As he leaves the arena, he eavesdrops on Zushi apologizing to Wing, who scolds him for using Ren before the 200th floor. To Gon, Killua confesses that he felt from Zushi vibes similar to those his brother gave off in their confrontation. Wanting to find out more about it, he proclaims he and Gon are shooting for the top. They soon reach the 100th floor, getting their own rooms. Killua warns Gon they might meet real contenders, but the boy defeats his opponents without difficulty. They easily advance to the 150th floor, where a discussion about Zushi renews Killua's interest in Ren. He comes up with a contrived plan to find out more, but Gon points out they could simply ask Zushi. His explanation, however, is incomprehensible to them. Wing warns them against acquiring incomplete knowledge, to which Killua responds his brother is probably a student of Nen too. Killua requests a lecture, so Wing takes him and Gon to his hotel room. There, he proceeds to demonstrate the Nen of the Flame. He asks Killua if he can kill him, who responds he lacks the power to do so. After going through the first two steps, Wing states he will kill Killua and unleashes his Ren, causing a frightened Killua to jump back.

After Wing finishes his explanation, Gon and Killua leave. Killua is certain that Wing lied, as both his power and Zushi's impossible resistance to injury were real. Not much later, the two qualify for the 200th floor. At around 8:10 p.m. they exit the elevator, but a wall of bloodlust prevents them from walking down the hallway to the registration desk. When Killua yells at the perpetrator to come out, a clerk turns the corner and informs them their eligibility expires at midnight. Hisoka then shows himself and pushes them further back with another wave of bloodlust, declaring they are not ready to fight on that floor yet. Despite his protests, Killua is unable to advance and cannot figure out why. Wing appears behind the two boys and offers to teach them the real Nen. The clerk informs Killua that if he does not register by midnight, due to having failed to do so once before he will be barred from all further combat. Killua asks Wing if they can be back by midnight, to which the teacher replies it is up to them.



In Wing's room, he demonstrates the real Nen and tells them they must master Ten lest their bodies are destroyed by malicious Nen attacks. He states there are two methods to awaken Nen, an orthodox one that would require six months, and an improper one that would jolt their Aura Nodes open on the spot, forcing them to learn Ten in minutes lest they pass out. Killua wonders why Wing suddenly decided to teach them, to which he replies that everyone on the 200th floor can use Nen and will forcefully "initiate" anyone who does not know it. He opens their Aura Nodes and, after a few seconds of panic, Gon and Killua manage to contain the leaking aura. Wing activates his Ren and directs it at them until they manage to cross the barrier of bloodlust, after which they return to the Heavens Arena and pass through Hisoka's. Right afterward, they are confronted by three fighters: Gido, Sadaso, and Riehlvelt. Gon and Killua rush to the registration desk, where they do not respond to the clerk's enthusiasm about the prizes. Killua realizes that Gido, Sadaso, and Riehlvelt want to pick a fight on the same day as Gon to get an easy win, and Gon gives them the liberty to choose. They receive new rooms and discover Gon's match is scheduled for the following day, March 11th, against Gido.

Killua spectates at the match in person and yells at Gon to wait for Gido to get dizzy when he uses Tornado Top. He becomes deeply concerned about his friend when he cancels Ten. Gon is eventually defeated, suffering multiple bone fractures. The following day, he chastises Gon for his recklessness. Wing arrives moments later to rebuke him as well, and Killua lies about how long it will take for Gon's injuries to heal. Wing thus forbids Gon from training in Nen for two months. He speaks to Killua in private, enquiring about their goals. Killua claims not to have any interest in Battle Olympia but claims he cannot speak for Gon since he was clearly enjoying his match. He admits he is like him at times, only that he knows how to pick his battles. He assures the teacher Gon is not going to break his promise a second time. Sensing his regret, Killua asserts they would have learned Nen anyway and refuses to resume his training until Gon can too. He returns to Gon's room to inform him that Wing has authorized him to practice the Ten of the Flame, but finds him already performing it and joins him.



One month later he books tickets for Hisoka's match against Kastro. When he goes to Gon's room, he is shocked to see his friend has already made a full recovery. He updates him on the magician's track record, noticing that despite claiming to be scared, Gon looks eager to fight him. Wing, however, forbids Gon from seeing the match. Killua sees part of Kastro's interview and decides to check if he has a reason to be as self-assured as he sounds. He activates Zetsu and easily gets past security. He glimpses Kastro sitting in a chair, then a voice causes him to turn around, and he sees Kastro standing behind him. He pretends he is a fan who wants an autograph, but Kastro recognizes him and enquires about his impression of him. Killua concedes he seems indeed powerful. Kastro returns the compliment, warning him to activate Zetsu when he is further away. Killua asks him how he managed to be in two places at once, to which Kastro responds that he cannot tell a potential opponent, seeing through Killua's lie that he no longer intends to fight at the Heavens Arena, then specifies the match will give him the answer. As soon as the match begins, Killua notices an irregularity with Kastro's attacks. He recognizes his Tiger Bite Fist and, when Hisoka figures out the nature of his double ability, Killua thinks that his initial impression that for a moment two Kastro had appeared was correct. Like the rest of the audience, he is confused and appalled by Hisoka's grisly show, which allows him to kill his opponent.

One month later, Killua and Gon reprise their training under Wing. The two are mesmerized by the promise string, after which Killua asks Wing what Hisoka's ability is. He plays the tape for them and states the magician used strands of aura, but his students are unable to see them. He tells them Hisoka is concealing them with In, and tasks Gon and Killua with practicing Ren until they can see them through Gyo. He authorizes them to fight on their last available day, which for Killua is June 9th. After Gon, Killua, and Zushi leave Wing's room, they decide to head to Killua's to revise what they learned. On the elevator, they sense Gido, Riehlvelt, and Sadaso awaiting them. Killua is annoyed by their persistence and leads his friends away from them. Having sensed Sadaso's intentions, after they are finished with practice, Killua shadows Zushi, who is knocked unconscious by the Newbie Hunter. He steps out, offering to take Gon's place and give a win to each of the three. After registering, he warns them not to play dirty again but trails off before threatening them. As he carries Zushi away, he thinks to himself that it is difficult to live without killing.

That night he learns Gyo and the following day, he discovers that Gon was blackmailed too. He pretends to have found Zushi asleep on the steps and has Wing play the tape for him, managing to see all 15 strands of aura and correctly guessing their properties. Since both Gon and Killua have achieved a good working command of the technique, their teacher allows them to fight earlier than agreed, so Killua picks May 29th, the date of his scheduled fight against Sadaso, pretending it is his birthday. Later, he and Gon discuss the treachery of their three opponents, and Killua asserts they will never do anything of the sort again. On the day of his match, ten minutes before the start, he appears in Sadaso's dressing room and threatens to kill him if he ever shows up before him or Gon again. Killua is thus declared winner by withdrawal. After Sadaso, who has left the Heavens Arena for good, informs Gido and Riehlvelt, the latter speculates Killua did not come to them because he does not know their abilities. Killua makes his presence manifest, maintaining that he simply knew he could warn them at any time. He recommends they respect the rules.

He and Gon keep training and on June 4th, Killua observes Gon's match against Gido, taking note of his friend's fury, and later confronts Riehlvelt. As soon as the signal is given, Killua leaps up, attempting a sneak attack, but jumps too high and Riehlvelt escapes with Aura Burst. The latter pulls out his whips and tries to push Killua out of the ring with "Song of Defense", but Killua easily catches them, which result in his electrocution. Unfazed, Killua flings his opponent high in the air, revealing that he can withstand electric shocks, and asks a plunging Riehlvelt if he wants him to catch him. Riehlvelt begs him to, so Killua complies while holding onto his electric whips, knocking him out. After the match, he cautions Gon about the electricity, to which the boy responds he has already come up with a plan. Killua gets another win after Gido forfeits and watches Gon's fight with Riehlvelt.



The following day Wing introduces his students to Hatsu. Through Water Divination, Killua is revealed to be a Transmuter. After one month, Killua and Gon hone their Hatsu to the point that Wing announces they have mastered the basics. He tells Killua that he will pass the Hunter Exam without problems should he attempt it again. The following day, he spectates Gon's fight against Hisoka, thinking that Hisoka's awareness of his superiority cause shi to be careless. When Hisoka shares the character traits associated with Enhancers and Transmuters, Killua reflects that he is correct. He is shocked when Hisoka gives Gon a sample of his real power, and realizes he has attached Bungee Gum, although only after the fact, as well as the difficulty of avoiding the ability. After the match, Killua and Gon pack up and set off to Whale Island.

Yorknew City arc
As soon as they arrive at Gon's house, Mito brings them into line. After a hearty lunch, the two boys explore the forest. Gon takes Killua to the place where he met Kite and comes upon a welcome back gift left by Kon. When night falls, as they stargaze Killua reflects that, unlike Gon, he does not have a goal, only things he does not want to do. Gon embarrasses him by exclaiming Killua is his first friend his age, but after a moment he reciprocates. He agrees to travel around with Gon until he finds something he wants to do. He then enquires about Gon's birth mother, to which the boy replies Mito is his only mother. They head back and Killua falls asleep while Gon and Mito talk about Ging downstairs. In the morning, he tries unsuccessfully to twist the iron box left by Ging open. He suggests Gon try using Nen, and the metal casing breaks, revealing an inscription like the one on Wing's promise string on its components. Gon opens the next box with his Hunter's license. They find three items inside: a cassette tape, a ring, and a memory card. Before they listen to the tape, Killua recommends setting the stereo to record.

The recorded voice turns out to be Ging's, who challenges Gon to find him. He stops the tape before learning anything about his biological mother. After that, the tape begins rewinding itself and the stereo records over it. Killua tries to stop it by breaking it, but Ging's aura prevents him from doing any damage. In the end, both tapes are erased, which Killua understands to be a way for Ging to cover his tracks, particularly against tracking Nen abilities. They focus on the memory card next, which Killua identifies as belonging to a JoyStation. He orders one for same-day shipping. All 30 slots of the memory card turn out to be used up by a game called "Greed Island". Killua copies the save files before looking into the game, which is out of production. He discovers it is for Hunters only and it is sold at exorbitant prices. When they cannot find any used copies and, after posting an ad, only receive a series of scam offers, Killua phones Milluki for information on the game, trading him for a copy of the memory card. Milluki advises him to look it up on the Hunters' website and tells him copies of the game will be auctioned off at the Southernpiece Auction. He prevents Gon from using his Hunter license on his home computer.



When they receive the Hunter Website's URL, they log in from an internet café. After paying a fee they learn that Greed Island was created by Nen users, that players are transported into it, and that seven copies will be auctioned off in Yorknew City. They try to find valuable loot to sell so they can participate to the auction until their differences of opinions turn their money-raising attempts into a competition. Killua manages to raise 286 million before a gamble leaves him penniless, causing him to lose the competition. As they roam a market, Killua talks Gon into buying himself a phone. They are assisted by Leorio, who brings down the price of a better model. In their hotel room they discuss how to proceed regarding the Southernpiece Auction. Killua observes that something that can be bought is not real treasure, which Leorio and Gon oppose. Leorio comes up with the idea of creating a conditional auction based on arm-wrestling, where contenders pay a fee to challenge Gon and win a diamond. Killua has misgivings about the method, due to the low profit. He notices that Gon struggles for real against a young woman.

By the following day, the number of challengers has already decreased as rumors began to spread. Leorio, however, is not worried, as that was his plan all along. As he predicted, they are contacted by people from the underground, who give them an invitation to a conditional auction, where the Mafia offers 200 million for each of the seven people on a list they capture. Killua surmises that the seven targets are Spiders and that they stole from the Mafia, which is the reason why the selection and payment methods of the conditional auction were changed. This prompts them to call Kurapika, who does not pick up the phone. Against Leorio's hope that Kurapika has already captured a few members of the Troupe, Killua reveals that his father killed one three years before, and warned his children to stay away from the Spiders. Nonetheless, they agree to go for it. They split up and begin searching, but, as Killua expected, they are unable to find anything. Killua suspects that even if Kurapika had any information on the Spiders, he would not share it. They check their home codes, but they have received no useful tips. They agree to offer a 15 million reward, with Gon pawning his Hunter license for 100 million. His gamble leaves Killua and Leorio speechless.

On September 3rd they purchase the Southernpiece Catalog, where they learn more about the days when Greed Island will be auctioned. After that, they post the ad with the reward. As they walk next to a stand participating in a silent auction, Gon picks up a knife, which Killua recognizes as a Ben's knife. He has Leorio get it for them and asks Gon how he knew it was a valuable object. Gon replies he sensed aura around it, which causes Killua to determine they can use Gyo to spot objects made by master craftsmen. The two participate in the silent auction, They find four objects shrouded in aura, and on all of them someone named Zepile has already made a bid. Killua proposes making a bid at the last minute, which allows them to win three items. They take them to the Southernpiece Auction House, but they are told their catalog has long since been completed, and suggest they try auctioning the items off at a dealers' market. Killua has an antique dealer appraise their items, which he passes off as property he found in his parents' storehouse. The specialist they turn to is sincere in his appraisal of the lithograph and the handmade doll but lies about the worth of the wooden statue. Zepile prevents Gon and Killua from being swindled, claiming the statue is likely a vault for treasure.

In return for his help, they treat him to lunch. They start to exchange information by asking one question each, with Gon and Killua explaining they only picked objects that had aura around them, and that Gon wants to get a copy of Greed Island because it might contain clues as to where he can find his father. Zepile reveals he made the vase they two boys were bidding on when he was working as a counterfeiter and, impressed with them and smitten with Gon complimenting his craftsmanship skills, offers them his services. He opens the wooden vault and the three take the treasure to an auction preview, where, in order to lower the price, some interested parties list ways in which the contents of the vault may have been forged. Despite Zepile's intervention, customers hesitate. Curious, Gon asks him what doctoring methods exist, and he explains cauterization, autopsy, and ostomy. They are contacted by Leorio, who has received a real tip on the Spiders. Gon and Killua run off, leaving Zepile in charge of the auction.



They meet up with Leorio and the three head to the bar where Nobunaga and Machi were spotted. Killua determines they are too powerful for them to take on and realizes they want to lure someone out. The increase in tension between the Spiders causes Gon, Killua, and Leorio to tense up. When the two prepare to leave, Gon insists on carrying on with the plan. Killua agrees to track them with Zetsu on the condition they fall back at the first sign of danger. He asks Gon if he has any shadowing experience, and he replies he followed Hisoka during the Hunter Exam, which earns him a punch from Killua. Although the two Spiders can sense them, they cannot determine their position. When the two stop in the middle of a courtyard, Gon and Killua hide in the adjoining abandoned building. When Nobunaga glances in Killua's direction, the two attempt to escape, but find two other Spiders blocking their way. Killua runs into Phinks and tries to confuse him with his speed, but the Spider grabs him by the ankle and dodges the rocks he throws at him, as well as blocking his kick. By tearing the skin off his ankles, Killua manages to free himself. However, Nobunaga cuts his retreat, having entered the room through the window. They begin to interrogate Killua, who answers their questions sincerely. After asking him if he knows a Nen user who wears chains, Nobunaga demands to know if he prefers to die immediately or later. Killua accepts to be taken to their hideout.

Killua spots Hisoka as soon as they enter, and they pretend not to know each other. Gon, however, reacts to his presence, but Killua manages to pass off his surprised reaction as being aimed at Shizuku, who arm-wrestled him for the diamond. Impressed that Gon defeated her, Nobunaga challenges him at the same game. He beats him several times without effort, while talking about Uvogin and the "Chain Dude". Killua repeats they have never heard of him, so Nobunaga threatens to kill him if he speaks out of place again. As he continues talking about him, Killua realizes the "Chain Dude" is Kurapika. When Gon, in a fit of rage, defeats Nobunaga and is restrained by Feitan, Killua moves to help him, but Hisoka points a card at his throat. From the Spiders' interactions, Killua understands that Pakunoda has the power to read memories through physical contact and that she has checked them while they were in the car. Nobunaga decides to keep them around until Chrollo's return to nominate Gon as Uvogin's replacement. Gon and Killua are locked in a room, with Nobunaga guarding the only entrance. Killua agonizes over whether he would have been able to intervene had the Spiders wanted to kill Gon, sensing he would have left him to die. As Illumi's voice echoes ominously in his mind, he rejects that conclusion and stands up, ready to fight. However, he quickly desists and punches the wall in frustration. After a while, while Gon tries to remember the three doctoring methods explained to them by Zepile, Killua prepares to lay down his life to let Gon escape, despite being aware their chances are extremely slim. Gon stops him by punching him, which causes them to bicker until Gon remembers the third doctoring trick, ostomy. They prepare for combat, but, instead of engaging Nobunaga, they each kick a hole in a lateral wall.

Being closest to the stairs, Killua immediately runs down but returns to pick up Gon when he asks for his help to confront Nobunaga. They escape while in a state of Zetsu, with Killua chastising Gon for his naiveté, as they would have never managed to defeat the swordsman. To get stronger so they can continue chasing the Troupe, Killua proposes asking Kurapika for help, as he believes he is the "Chain Guy". They finally get through to Kurapika. Killua asks him for help in improving his Nen, but Kurapika refuses to help them against the Troupe even when Killua offers information in exchange. Killua eventually snaps, swearing he will do anything to get Kurapika to cooperate, before handing the phone back to Gon. Kurapika promises to call them back. They return to the hotel, where they find Zepile and Leorio drinking themselves silly. After they recount what they have gone through, Killua states that for Kurapika to have managed to kill a Spider, there must be some secret to Nen. Shortly afterward, Kurapika calls Gon to let him know several Phantom Troupe members are dead.

Killua and Gon reunite with Kurapika the following day, while the two boys have an ice cream eating contest in Dayroad Park. After Leorio joins the group, Kurapika tells them about Limitations and Vows, adding that he will die if he uses his abilities on anyone outside of the Troupe. Troubled by the importance of the information, Killua protests against Kurapika's decision to share it with them and warns him that one of the surviving members has the ability to read memories. Unable to predict what Hisoka will do after the death of his target, Killua incites Kurapika to go after the Spiders as soon as possible, with the additional objective of earning the reward offered by the Mafia. Kurapika refuses, but moments later he receives a text from Hisoka telling him the Spiders' corpses were fake. Melody also tells him the Ten Dons have canceled the reward, causing Killua to change his mind about pursuing the Troupe. Gon insists on going through with it, adding he has a plan on how to access Greed Island, of which he does not want to disclose the details yet. Finding the estimated and then corrected chance of success to be satisfactory, Killua agrees to leave the game to him and chase the Spiders, provided Kurapika assists them. He silently wishes Kurapika will turn them down, but he ends up accepting their help. Killua volunteers to monitor their hideout. He protests when Kurapika gives Gon the job of distracting the Troupe so he can abduct Pakunoda.

Killua and Leorio leave the table after Gon asks Kurapika to point a Nen blade at his heart, but return clandestinely and eavesdrop on his explanation, making themselves manifest when Kurapika seems to be about to go along with Gon's request, and demand he does the same to them. Kurapika retorts he had no intention of stabbing anyone with Judgment Chain, and that he shared his secrets to reward his friends for their loyalty. Feeling more motivated than before, Killua stakes out the Troupe's hideout, but finds out that dozens of identical buildings have sprung out in the surrounding area, he explores the area and updates Kurapika, who tells him to go back to his post and wait for Melody to reach him. Sometime later, she calls him from the top of a building nearby, telling him to hang up the phone and whisper her a command so she can prove her identity to him. Thanks to her hearing, they manage to follow the group of Spiders who leave the hideout from a safe distance, even as they mingle with the crowd. Melody asks Killua if he is an assassin, which he confirms. He awkwardly states he is not helping Kurapika because he wants to, prompting her to smile knowingly. Killua verifies if Pakunoda is in the group, which also comprises of Nobunaga and Chrollo. The two follow them on the subway, which allows Kurapika to determine they are headed to the Hotel Beitacle.



Kurapika and Gon launch themselves in pursuit, with Killua unable to stop them. When Chrollo, Machi, and Shizuku stop to confront them, Killua arrives just in time to take Kurapika's place, and he and Gon hand themselves over to the Spiders. Machi binds them up with her Nen threads, taking them to the lobby of the Hotel Beitacle. The three Spiders phone their companions to let them know where they are, which Killua deduces will allow Kurapika to know as well, through Melody. He comes up with a plan, but requires the others to synchronize with him, so he continuously whispers to Melody to give them a signal if she can hear them. Leorio suddenly makes a scene in the lobby, communicating to the two captives the planned time through a coded message. Three minutes before the execution, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, and Kortopi arrive at the hotel. Pretending not to want to look at them, Killua closes his eyes and tries to stall Pakunoda, who manages to read their memories one instant before the lights go off. Killua instantly frees himself and breaks her arm. He tries to set Gon free by killing Machi, but she blocks his claws with her chest muscles and restrains him. When the lights return, the Spiders find out that Chrollo is missing. Kurapika leaves them a message warning Pakunoda not to share what she discovered. When he phones the Spiders again, Kurapika uses Killua to verify if all the members are present.

Gon and Killua are then taken to the Phantom Troupe's hideout and chained. After a heated debate Pakunoda is allowed to take Gon and Killua to Lingon Airport. On the way there, Pakunoda asks them why they don't run away from her, since she is injured, but Gon replies that they do not want Kurapika to become a murderer. When they are about to board a blimp, Hisoka appears and threatens to kill Gon and Killua if he does not get to fight Chrollo. Kurapika allows him to get on board as well, and the hostage exchange is carried out smoothly. Kurapika apologizes to Gon and Killua for putting them in danger, but states his quest against the Phantom Troupe is not over.

Greed Island arc
On September 6th, Gon hopes Kurapika's fever won't go down for a while, so he will not go after the remaining Spiders. Unlike Killua, he is convinced that revenge is no longer Kurapika's objective. After Killua verifies that the Spiders have put no bounties on their heads, Gon tells him his plan to be hired by Battera as players instead of trying to purchase the game, which Killua estimates to be likely to succeed. They head to the Southernpiece Auction House, where they meet Phinks and Feitan. Phinks cuts their retreat and announces they are not pursuing Kurapika, since his Nen may become stronger after his death and become too much for Chrollo to bear. Gon enquires about Pakunoda, learning that she has died. Phinks tells the two of them she was thankful to them. Gon and Killua approach Battera after the auction, claiming to be Hunters and offering to play the game for him. They are initially not believed, but Battera agrees to have Tsezguerra assess them informally when Gon reveals he owns a save file of the game and the ring. At Tsezguerra's request, the boys perform Ren; however, their prowess is deemed insufficient.



Offended, they vow to pass the tryouts on September 10th. Killua concedes that to get stronger they need to start working on their Nen abilities instead of just the usual Ten and Ren, although he finds Limitations as strict as Kurapika's unsuitable. He tries to help Gon come up with an idea, then, when it is time for him to work on his idea, taunts him to keep him focused. After electrocuting himself with a taser, he attempts to replicate the properties of electricity, generating a small spark between his fingers. He makes rapid progress while Gon is stumped. When he hears Gon exult, Killua is relieved, and at the same time determined to stay ahead. They keep training until the 10th, when they show up for the tryouts. Killua is surprised by the limited amount of information they are given and wonders whether he made the right call staying in his seat or he should line up. Puhat's remark causes him to understand that the tryouts are not conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. With renewed resolve, he goes in before Gon and, instead of his Ren, shows Tsezguerra his Nen ability. He makes the cut, telling a baffled Tsezguerra that he has been exposed to electricity since he was a baby.

Intrigued by the loud crash that precedes Gon's admittance, he asks him what his special ability is, choking him when the boy refuses to answer. Tsezguerra gives them a contract, which they give to Leorio for a quick check. From it, Killua guesses that Battera wants some items from inside the game. At 5 p.m., they ride a train to Battera's castle. They decide the order of entrance into the game through rock-paper-scissors, with Gon placing 1st and Killua 17th. Killua encourages his friend to use the saving file left to him by Ging and tells him to wait for him at the Starting Point. As soon as he enters the game, he feels eyes on himself from two directions, which he reckons to be where they can find two towns. He and Gon have a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide where to go, which is won by Gon. After learning that Ging left Gon only a recorded message, Killua suggests they find out more about the game in a town. Shortly afterward, they are targeted by Latarza, who casts "Trace" on Killua, who fails to outrun the spell. Releasing his bloodlust, Killua demands to know what Latarza did to him, who flees to Masadora. They head to the closest city, Antokiba, while wondering about the spell cast on Killua, which the latter determines to be magic from the game. They familiarize themselves with the monthly contests held in the city, the card conversion system, and the currency used in the game, the latter piece of knowledge being acquired at the cost of working in a restaurant for a few hours after eating a meal without knowing Jenny are not an accepted method of payment. Hearing a commotion, they run towards it and find Jeet dead, his midsection having blown up from the inside. The two boys become fearful that the spell cast on Killua might have a similar effect, but Nickes assures them there are no such spells on the island and that the culprit is another player. He invites them to join his alliance, claiming to have a surefire, non-violent method to clear the game.

Gon and Killua are suspicious at first, but accept to follow him when he gives them information about spells and teaches them to summon their binders when another players targets them. Other recruits are present at the meeting, such as Biscuit, Abengane, and Puhat. Genthru explains there are no spells that can harm players in the game, and that the ones cast on the recruits are meant to gather information. He claims Jeet was killed by a ruthless player knows as "The Bomber". Gon, Abengane, and Killua then guess the three different methods to gather cards. Nickes incites them to join him so they can end put an end to the violence of the game. Gon apologizes to Killua and refuses the offer. Killua declines as well, later enquiring about the reason behind Gon's decision. Gon confesses he was bothered by the way Nickes talks about Ging's creation, and that players would go to such lengths to acquire cards. Killua helps him enlarge his horizons, suggesting that consensual violence and spell-casting are not inherently negative. Gon thanks him and tells him how happy he is they are there together, with an embarrassed Killua looking away while thinking he is the lucky one. Unbeknownst to them, Biscuit is spying on them, keen on ruining their friendship. Gon then teaches Killua his trick to win at rock-paper-scissors, which was taught to him by a fisherman and consists in carefully looking at the opponent's fist right before the throw.



Four days later, on the 15th, Gon and Killua participate in the rock-paper-scissors tournament. They compete against each other in the finals, where Killua defeats Gon by switching hands at the last second. He is awarded the Sword of Truth, which he "converts into a card". They come up with a few methods to defend their prize without spells. They notice they are being followed, but their tactics manage to thwart the attempts of the first two players who try to take their "Sword of Truth", with Gon taking the spell card from a third player's hand before he can cast it. In the end, however, they are surrounded by a group of competent players and lose the card. They decide to go to Masadora to get spells. They exchange their cards for money and buy a sketch map of the island. They are excited to learn that monsters and bandits lurk on the way to Masadora. Before they leave, Biscuit begs them to let her join them. Killua refuses, but she follows them anyway.

Despite their speed, Biscuit manages to keep up with them. At one point they seem to be ambushed by bandits, who however implore them to give them money to purchase medicine to fight off a deadly epidemy. Gon and Killua give them almost everything they have but surprisingly get nothing in return. As soon as they leave the forest and head into the badlands, they are attacked by Cyclops. Gon's punch has no effect on them, but they manage to easily defeat the whole group when Killua discovers their eye is their weakness. They are forced to flee when spotted by a Melanin Lizard. They waste ten minutes trying unsuccessfully to catch a Hyper Puffball and later a Bubble Horse. They repeatedly fail to beat different Greed Island monsters until they see a suit of armor walking towards them. Biscuit impatiently tells them to use Gyo, which allows them to find the Radio Rat controlling it and turn it into a card. Biscuit proclaims herself as their new Nen instructor. Killua's reluctance causes her to hit him. Despite his continued protests, after introducing herself, she reveals she used to be Wing's teacher and shows the two boys she has defeated the monsters they struggled against, claiming there is plenty of players who could kill them. She then senses Binolt's bloodlust and pretends to fight with them to make him target her when she goes off by herself. Killua is amazed by her sensorial abilities and speed. After taking a detour, Gon and Killua reach her in time to see her effortlessly defeat her opponent.

As their first training exercise, she has Gon and Killua fight Binolt for two weeks inside a rocky arena. Killua nearly loses an eye while attempting to approach him, so he suggests throwing rocks at him. Taking the cue from Killua, Gon strikes the wall with Ko and uses a boulder as a shield. Half a day later, they have him surrounded with rocks, blocking his field of vision. Gon creates a diversion, allowing Killua to pin him to the ground. Gon however stops him, insisting on training for the whole two weeks, until they can take him one on one. They allow Binolt to rest, awakening when he tries to use Zetsu. By the tenth day, both he and Killua become strong enough to defeat him. He acknowledges it, but Gon thanks him for his help. As he hoped, Binolt promises to leave the island and turn himself in. Grinding the progress of their game to a screeching halt, Biscuit Krueger focuses on training the two boys physically and in Nen. She starts by having them run to Masadora in three hours and back in two and a half, both trips leaving Gon winded. Instead of buying spells, she acquires two shovels and a wheelbarrow, ordering her students to dig their way to Masadora. The training is exhausting, and, to top it off, Biscuit has them sleep while keeping a part of their brain vigilant, which, luckily for Killua, he learned as part of his assassin training. After a couple of days, Gon comes up with the idea of enfolding the shovel with his aura, discovering Shu. This allows them to progress much more rapidly, but also to tire out more quickly.

They steadily improve and finally make it to Masadora, only to return to the badlands once again. Biscuit has them face off against all the monsters in the region, with Killua catching the Bubble Horse two weeks before Gon. Biscuit then introduces them to Ko and the best technique to defend against it, Ken. She nudges Gon with her Ko-covered fist, knocking him back and causing him to bleed, leading them to realize the power of the technique. She tries again, this time waiting for Gon to exhaust his aura, which, to Killua's marvel, occurs in about two minutes. After one month of Shu and Ken training, she teaches them Ryu, the instantaneous redistribution of aura through Gyo for combat purposes, and has them hone it by sparring together. They start off slowly, but become capable of performing Ryu at combat speed in only two weeks. She thus introduces them to training by Nen type. They begin with an Enhancement exercise, in which both show remarkable skill, especially Killua. He and Biscuit watch Gon smash a boulder with Rock. After Gon communicates his decision to base his Nen abilities on rock-paper-scissors, Killua showcases his own ability. When they discover it is almost New Year's Eve, Gon reminds Killua of the approaching deadline for the Hunter Exam. They head to Masadora to learn how to leave the island, and, after defeating a Wolf Pack and the Harbormaster, Killua leaves the island. Gon recommends him to ask the Kiriko to take him to the exam site. After using the "Transport Ticket" card, Killua is taken to a room similar to the game's entrance, but he can tell Elena is different from Eta, assuming them to be NPCs. He selects Dolle Harbor as his destination and is teleported there. To his surprise, he does not feel any different outside of the game. He completes his registration, learning the exam will be held in Beeskafmarro, and, after taking a shower, heads to where the Kiriko live.



He reaches them by night and fills them in on his adventures with Gon. He stays at their place for a few days before they transport him to Beeskafmarro. He then follows the Kiriko's directions and arrives at the exam site, where he fails to recognize the Amori Brothers and others who took the previous Hunter Exam with him. The examiner of the First Phase demands all 1489 applicants battle for two hours and bring him five badges. As soon as he closes the door, Killua proceeds to knock out all the examinees, including Zepile; after one hour and a half, he brings all their badges to the stunned proctor. He phones Netero, who declares Killua the only applicant to have passed the 288th Hunter Exam without other trials. Killua then contacts his brother Milluki to acquire two specially-made yo-yos, after which he returns to Greed Island. He declines Eta's offer to explain the rules to him again and looks at the cards Gon and Biscuit obtained during his absence. To get practice with spells, he has Gon cast "Contact". He looks at the list of players Gon has met and is horrified to find a "Chrollo Lucilfer" among them. When they bring Biscuit into the loop she tells them about Exorcism, Killua briefly leaves the game to inform Kurapika, who however is confident the person they met is not Chrollo. When he returns, Biscuit has Gon demonstrate the prototypes of his Nen abilities.

Killua enters a heated debate with Gon over his resolution to yell the whole chant, but Biscuit convinces him that how one feels is important to Nen. Killua shows her the yo-yos, which he intends to use in conjunction with his ability. The three finally start playing the game for real. After Gon uses Rock to obtain three King White Stag Beetles, Killua suggests monopolizing the card, but they are unable to convert any more. Killua explores the mansion where the Gold Dust Girl is held prisoner, after which he tells Gon and Biscuit where they can find her and defeats the guard. They acquire one "Gold Dust Girl" each and one "Paladin's Necklace" from the monthly tournament in Antokiba, which they duplicate before converting it so Gon can wear it. On the way to Dorias, they collect "Witch's Love Potion", "Risky Dice", and "Memory Helmet".

Kazsule, who took "Sword of Truth" from them, contacts them for a trade. They exchange one "Witch's Love Potion" for one "Book of V.I.P. Passes". Killua wins a "Rainbow Diamond" and a "Fledgling Gambler" with the help of the Risky Dice, until Biscuit is forced to knock him out to halt his budding gambling addiction. By facing all manners of trials, over the course of one month they gather 50 specified slot cards in total, among which are "Fledgling CEO", "Doyen's Growth Pills", and "Staff of Judgment". Gon is surprised they have managed to convert so many rare items into cards, which leads Killua to conclude there aren't many competitive teams. Gon's words inspire Killua into getting into the business of trading "Leave" cards to weak players in return for rare cards, raising their total number to 57 and later to 61 (51 without duplicates). They resolve to keep looking for cards on their own while also trading players they encounter for them and information. Gon wonders if the Paladin's Necklace can cancel the curse on the villagers they donated their belongings to. Killua recommends trying. Their past charity causes the villagers to trust them, and the necklace heals them. In return, the villagers give them a "Wild Luck Alexandrite".

Kazsule contacts them again, offering to form an alliance since Genthru is close to completing the game. Killua repeatedly butts heads with Asta, but eventually, they are accepted into the alliance and begin to exchange information. By sharing Genthru's ability, they obtain two rare cards. Seeing that multiple members have already fulfilled Countdown's conditions, Killua plans to extort more cards from them, but Gon tells them how to cancel the ability for free. His willingness to cooperate also earns them a lot of crucial information. The alliance decides to monopolize one of the four cards Genthru's team lacks, and settle on No. 2, which no player has yet, which they discover to be in Soufrabi. Killua expects that finding an NPC with information on the cards might even take weeks, but they find several who know about it, although they offer no useful details. Kazsule eventually finds an NPC who is willing to point them to "Plot of Beach" if they drive Razor and his 14 Devils out of the town. Goreinu comments that the condition to trigger the event is cruel, which perplexes Killua. The alliance members head to a bar where they find four pirates. When they ask them to leave, Bopobo challenges them to push him out of a flaming ring.

Zeho volunteers, but from his, Ren Killua can tell he is too weak. Realizing that Gon wants to use his special move, Killua stops him and competes in his stead. He pours liquor on Bopobo's face and sets it ablaze with an electric spark, winning the match when his opponent rolls out of the ring. The alliance members are taken to the lighthouse-turned-gym where Razor and the other pirates each challenge an opponent to a sport. Bopobo swears to take revenge on Killua. The first discipline is boxing, and the pirate in charge of it defeats Montreux with only Gon, Killua, and Biscuit comprehending how he did it. Realizing their allies are too weak to be of use, Killua recommends the three of them to throw their matches while gathering as much information on the contests as possible. The alliance eventually loses and disbands, surmising the Bomber(s) will not be able to form the necessary group of 15 to win the card. Gon, Killua, Biscuit, and Goreinu however decide to try again after finding more powerful allies, with Killua finally understanding what Goreinu meant by "cruel". The four brainstorm to find potential teammates in their contacts, with Gon considering Binolt, who however is either dead or has left the game. He then proposes finding out who "Chrollo" is since an alias would not make sense if it were simply a Spider seeking to clear the game, which they determine not to be the case. Despite Killua's objections, Gon insists on finding out who it is. They teleport to him and find out "Chrollo" is Hisoka, who tells them he is looking for Chrollo inside the game. Biscuit invites him to join their alliance to defeat Razor while discreetly informing the others he is lying.

He takes them to Aiai, his constant leering disquieting Gon and Killua. Killua begins to feel uneasy but is unable to pinpoint the source of his suspicions. Hisoka's declaration that he is bored triggers an epiphany and Killua becomes certain that he has already made contact with the Spiders and that there is an Exorcist on Greed Island. He refrains from sharing his inferences with Gon, who conveniently asks Hisoka to check his contacts to see if he has met Tsezguerra. To Killua's surprise, Hisoka lets them read the names of the players he has encountered, among which there are no members of the Phantom Troupe. Killua surmises he was wrong, unaware that Hisoka doctored the list with Texture Surprise. Goreinu negotiates for them and Tsezguerra accepts. Killua wants to test him first. He and Gon are impressed with his jumping ability and copy it, shattering his record on the first try. Killua is challenged by Gon multiple times, winning every contest, and approves of Tsezguerra. Their alliance now counting nine members, they each choose a sport that fits their abilities, with Killua calling dibs on sumo. After a week of training, they head to the lighthouse, having recruited six more players to reach the required number. Barry, Kess, and Rodriot best their opponents, after which Razor plans to enter the game himself. Bopobo, however, refuses to throw his match and urges Killua to fight him outside of the gym. He incites a revolt, which causes him to be killed by Razor.

Killua pretends they had not chosen who would play sumo yet, assigning the win to a fodder player. Razor then challenges them to a game of dodgeball with the aid of his seven Nen beasts. Killua is shocked to learn that he was a death row convict and that Greed Island takes place in the real world. Goreinu uses his own ability so they have eight players and, after the rules are explained, the match begins. Killua jumps to catch the ball for his team together with Devil No. 6, which lets him have it. Goreinu takes out No. 4 and No. 5 before Razor catches his third throw and strikes back. Gon and Killua manage to follow his lightning-fast passages and warn Tsezguerra, who reacts to the throw-in time to survive, although he is forced to leave the court. Catching the ball, Killua is unsettled by the momentum it retained even after bouncing off Tsezguerra and the floor. He reflects on how to keep the ball even after throwing and, following Gon's suggestion, gives it to Hisoka, who tethers it to his hand with Bungee Gum. After Hisoka eliminates No. 3, Killua asks the referee for clarifications regarding the "Back" freebie, determining they must take Razor out last. However, they lose the ball when No. 6 and No. 7 merge into No. 13. Bracing for Razor's throw, Killua, Gon and Biscuit activate Ken. Gon is blasted off the court by the throw, but mostly unscathed. Killua realizes he will not budge from his decision to call "Back". He and Goreinu repeatedly pass the ball to each other to allow Gon to get first aid until Goreinu throws it at Razor to redeem himself.

Razor is however saved by his Devils and knocks Goreinu out, also dispelling Black Goreinu. Killua avoids his next throw, which curves towards his two remaining. In the aftermath, Biscuit is forced to leave the curve and Hisoka breaks two fingers, although he manages to secure the ball. Killua realizes that if he had dodged left instead of right, he would have died. When Gon reenters play, Killua points out they will not get hurt if they are hit by anyone but Razor, but Gon declares that it will not be a true victory if they do not catch the Game Master's throw. Killua argues with him, only to be won over when Gon reminds him that he would be dead if he had dodged to the other side. To get back at Razor, he has Killua hold the ball for him while he charges Rock. Killua's hands are mangled by the first two throws, which allow their team to take out No. 13 as well as to force Razor to use up his freebie. Tsezguerra divines the state he is in and offers to take his place. Killua refuses and claims he is fine, but Biscuit forces him to pull his hand out of his pocket, exposing the grievous injuries he suffered. Killua requests that Gon let him continue, and his friend reveals he was aware of Killua's injury, but adjoins Killua is the only one who can hold the ball for him. The latter reminds Gon that before he can do so again, they must get the ball back from Razor. Gon comes up with a formation in which Killua serves as both cushion and brakes, redistributing his aura with impeccable precision. The three manage to block Razor's spike, then Killua holds up the ball for Gon, promising that if he holds back, he will hear it from him. Gon fires the most powerful throw yet, which Razor bumps back at him, only for Hisoka to redirect it once again. With Bungee Gum, he sticks the ball to Razor's arms, pushing him out of bounds.

After their victory, Biscuit tends to Killua's hands and chastises him, while Killua glances at Gon as he and Razor talk about Ging. The NPC who started the quest takes the team to the top of the lighthouse and, at dawn, transforms into "Plot of Beach". Goreinu and Tsezguerra gladly let Gon's team take the original. Hisoka's parting words to them lead Killua to realize that he was indeed hiding something and that he lied to them about not knowing about spell cards. Biscuit pacifies him by saying that certain people lie without reason. Right as Tsezguerra and Goreinu propose forming an alliance to defeat the Bomber(s), Genthru contacts the Jackpot Hunter. Believing him to have the original "Plot of Beach", he threatens to kill him if he does not hand over the card within one hour. Tsezguerra volunteers to ward-off the Bomber(s) off for up to one week, a deadline by which Killua doubts they can come up with a proper strategy, and for three in return for "Wild Luck Alexandrite". The deal is accepted and Killua is put in charge of planning. The three relocate to the badlands, where Killua watches Gon train and enquires about Biscuit's ability, fighting with her over its usefulness.

Ten days later, Killua notes that Gon has made no progress in Emission training, and begins to wonder the trade they made with Tsezguerra was unwise since his team would be two cards away from completion after they give them the card. Biscuit suggests taking Genthru's cards, but Killua knows Gon would not agree to it. He examines the boulder dug by Biscuit, declaring it to be big enough for his plan. After five more days, he and Biscuit tell Gon to stop his Emission training since he has made no progress. They convert the boulder into a card and share their strategy with Gon, for which they have him hone his sense of timing. To their surprise, Tsezguerra holds out for five more days after the deadline. Even by that time, however, Killua's hands have not healed. The three are contacted by Goreinu, who tells them that the Jackpot Hunter's team is not coming back and that he is in possession of all their real cards. He warns them the Bomber(s) are flying towards Masadora to restock on transport spells, after which they will probably come for them. Soon after the Bomber(s) teleport to Gon's team, who pretend to be taken by surprise. They refuse to hand over their cards and flee to make the Bomber(s) use up their movement spells until they manage to lead them in the desired location. The three split up, with Sub targeting Killua. The latter kicks the Bomber, who blocks his attack and retaliates, although Killua manages to deflect his punch with his feet. The exchange allows him to figure out that his hands will not hinder him in combat, even though he cannot use them.



After leading Sub away from Gon and Biscuit, he opens his binder and reverts a card to an "Accompany" with the Paladin's Necklace hidden under his clothes, teleporting himself and his opponent away. He engages Sub in close quarters combat, gauging their respective advantages, and proceeds to test his abilities and equipment. He uses Rhythm Echo to get close to Sub and shock him with Lightning Palm, which only stuns the Bomber for a few moments. Killua thus pulls out one of his yo-yos. After a few swings, he allows himself to be disarmed by Sub, who falls his fake-out and is hit by Killua second yo-yo. After revealing that all of his moves had been traps, Killua knocks Sub out. He restrains him and meets up with Biscuit. They are contacted by Gon after he defeats Genthru, but cannot understand what the boy is saying due to his crushed throat. When Genthru comes to, they have him get his binder out by stating they had already planned to use "Angel's Breath" on every one of them.

Biscuit heals Gon and Bara, but when it is Killua's turn, she finds herself unable to "clone" the card. Killua deduces it is because Goreinu's "Vouchers" have transformed into "Angel's Breath". The Hunter reaches them but is unwilling to use "Angel's Breath" on the Bomber(s). Killua enquires whether he would use it on him, and when Goreinu replies he would do so for free, Killua reveals he killed more people than the Bomber(s). Gon decides to respect their deal and activate the original "Angel's Breath" on Genthru, apologizing to Killua. This prompts Goreinu to hand them his own, as well as all his and Team Tsezguerra's cards. Killua's hands are healed and he, Gon and Biscuit receive 1 billion each as a result of Battera rescinding the contract. When Gon places all 99 specified slot cards in his binder, an announcement goes off that alerts every player of a quiz test, the prize being the elusive "Ruler's Blessing". Killua reckons it is a measure that penalizes players who stole most of the cards and that, since the Bomber(s) are out of commission and Tsezguerra's team has left the game, they stand a good chance to win the card. Multiple players teleport to the group's location, but only to offer them a deal. Gon gives the most exact responses and receives "Ruler's Invitation". Gashta and Zetsk Bellam attack him to get the card, but Gon's team easily defeats them. Killua then "drifts" to Limeiro so Gon and Biscuit can fly there too.

After a majestic party, Gon, Killua, and Biscuit pick the three cards to take outside of the game. The next morning they leave Greed Island with "Blue Planet", "Paladin's Necklace", and "Plot of Beach". Gon converts "Paladin's Necklace" to revert "Plot of Beach" into "Accompany", which he had previously transformed with "Clone", after finding out that the first contact on his list was not Goreinu, the person to enter the game after him, but an anagram of "Ging". He proclaims the first thing he will do after meeting his father is introduce Killua as his best friend, to the latter's embarrassment, and moving Biscuit to tears. They greet her before casting "Accompany", which takes Gon and Killua to Kite in Kakin.

Chimera Ant arc


Kite explains to Gon he has been on Greed Island on Ging's request, and that Gon's use of "Accompany" instead of "Magnetic Force" caused him to meet Kite and not Ging, who wanted to make sure Gon and him would be alone if they were to meet. They have dinner together around a campfire. The next day Kite introduces Gon and Killua to his his group of fellow researchers. Monta and Banana recognize Killua's surname, although he explains he quit his profession as an assassin. Alongside Kite's team, Gon and Killua work as biological researchers for one month, finding a great number of new species thanks to their affinity with nature. When they turn in the results to Wong, they are told about a giant insect limb. They fly to the Southernpiece Auction House to investigate. The field research is unsuccessful, but Podungo discovers the limb came from a man-sized Chimera Ant Queen — an insect that devours other animals, and then gives birth to progeny that inherit the characteristics of the different species it has eaten. Killua states that a Chimera Ant Queen of that size could prey on humans.



After researching the currents, Kite bets that the Chimera Ant Queen might have washed onto an anarcho-primitivist, autonomous nation called Neo-Green Life. Following his hunch, they head to NGL. Only Gon, Killua, Kite, Stick, and Podungo are able to cross the NGL Border Stop due to the country's strict rules. They rent horses and plan to search along the coastline, although Killua is suspicious of the information their translator guides feed them. After receiving an SOS message from Ponzu containing the location of the nest, Kite, Gon, and Killua rush to help. They cross a deserted village. Gon finds animal carcasses impaled by Rammot, who beats him and Killua back. Kite tests them by making them fight the Chimera Ant. Gon and Killua tag-team to beat him and, after Killua paralyzes him, Gon lands a near-fatal blow, but Rammot is saved by his Squadron Leader, Colt. Kite warns the two boys they will see much carnage, but they're willing to continue nonetheless.

The trio discovers the hidden side of NGL: a narcotics factory once commandeered by the former kingpin of the country, Gyro. Once inside Kite senses five presences approaching, causing Killua to realize he is using En. Yunju, Centipede and Mosquito attack them. Killua faces off against the latter, severing her arm when she comes within range. She retorts by ejecting a stinger from her mouth, which Killua dodges, only to fall prey to her real poisonous stinger, located at the tip of her tail. He pretends to be affected by the toxin and, as soon as she looks away, breaks her neck and slashes off her head. The trio discuss their Nen abilities and advance further in Chimera Ant territory. They find themselves surrounded by the Officers of Hagya's squad. Killua loses to Gon at rock-paper-scissors, so he goes second. He is initially concerned by Baro's attacks but smiles when Gon reveals his true power. He then steps in himself, fighting Rhino and killing him easily. Kite then activates his Crazy Slots, summoning a scythe. Gon and Killua sense its power and jump up as he decimates the Officers with Silent Waltz. When he complains about the unreliability of his Nen ability, Killua wonders again why he made it so. That night, the trio spots Hirin, Flutter, and Hagya, who however withdraw without a fight.

When they are within sight of the nest, they are located by Neferpitou, who is upon them in an instant and cuts off Kite's arm. The two boys are momentarily overwhelmed by their ominous aura, but when Gon prepares to fight the Royal Guard, Killua knocks him unconscious and runs away with him, regretting their arrogance and weakness. He stops only when he returns to the checkpoint between NGL and the Republic of Rokario, where he updates Spinner and encounters the official Extermination Team formed by Chairman Netero, Morel, and Knov. The Sea Hunter berates him, while Knov dismisses his assessment that Neferpitou was stronger than even the three of them. Killua understands he is not even in their playing field and is surprised when Netero hands him two halves of two tokens, stating that if he and Gon want to join them and continue living as Hunters, they must hold onto them for one month. Killua takes Gon to a hotel and waits for him to wake up, guilt eating away at him for deserting Kite. When Gon comes to, however, he thanks him, believing he would have been a hindrance to Kite had he fought, and claiming that the Hunter is still alive and needs them to rescue him. Killua is awed by Gon's capacity for hope. They resolve to get stronger and write on the city's bulletin board that they accept the challenge.

They encounter Knov's eerie student, Palm Siberia, who tells them they have one month to defeat Morel's two disciples Knuckle Bine and Shoot McMahon in battle. Each pair has two halves of a token and to pass the challenge, the pair must acquire the opponents' two halves. Killua scouts Knuckle as he proclaims he is ready to fight with a megaphone, determining he is strong. He plans to improve their basics and find out their opponents' abilities. Gon disagrees with the latter proposition, since they will have no such knowledge in NGL. They go back to their hotel, where they find Biscuit waiting for them. She trains them to maintain a state of Ren for three hours, which will increase their stamina within battle. Less than one hour later, Gon collapses a few seconds before Killua, and they instantly fall asleep. Biscuit uses her ability to reduce their fatigue.

After about ten days, Gon and Killua succeed in the task. Despite their exhaustion, Biscuit sends them to confront Knuckle without their tokens, so they will be able to fight him again if they lose. The Beast Hunter's superiority is clear to all three of them even before they clash. He orders them to punch him as much as they want and, if they fail to make him budge from his spot, they will have to leave their tokens behind. When he thanks Gon moments before fainting from his Rock, Killua judges him to be an idiot. They take him to their hotel room and, when he comes to, enquire about his motives for joining the Extermination Team. His statement that he wants to know who they are up against before killing them causes Killua to think he would die before finding out. The next morning, the three share breakfast and Knuckle allows Gon and Killua to challenge him as many times as they want in the remaining 20 days.



The boys spend the rest of the month training themselves by maintaining Ren for three hours and subsequently heading off to challenge Knuckle, but they cannot draw out so much as half of his might. Ten days before the deadline, Gon wonders why Knuckle is not allowed to go to NGL despite his power, with Killua speculating it is because of his personality. Palm realizes they are not progressing fast enough and recommends they run away so her anger will not be as terrible, but Gon promises they will win and manages to calm her down. Two nights before the deadline, Biscuit allows Gon and Killua to challenge Knuckle after resting. Gon takes Knuckle on by himself while Killua watches from the sidelines. He is impressed with the speed with which Gon improves in combat, turning Jajanken's long wind-up to his advantage and minimizing the damage suffered by expanding his aura's area of defense. However, he notes that his friend is approaching the limit of his stamina. He is shocked to see Gon charge a Jajanken attack from a distance. Gon fires Paper at Knuckle and, through Round 2, he swiftly prepares Rock while moving behind him for a pincer attack. However, he exhausts his aura before being able to land a decisive blow. Instead of fighting Knuckle himself, Killua takes Gon back to the hotel, warning Knuckle that he will never forgive him if the following day he will lose for not using his full power.

As soon as he returns, Biscuit immediately tells him to spar with her. She exposes his habit of fighting to run away if he reckons his opponent is stronger than him, always assuming the worst-case scenario. She orders him to leave Gon's side if he cannot defeat Shoot. At midnight, the two boys meet up with their opponents. Gon takes on Knuckle while Killua and Shoot relocate elsewhere. Killua musters up his courage by thinking that Shoot does not know his ability either. His opponent reveals a birdcage and three floating hands, He checks for traps with Gyo and concludes that Shoot is a Manipulator. He repels the hands with his yo-yos when Shoot suddenly appears next to him. Instead of dodging, he tries to electrocute him, but Illumi's conditioning causes his body to freeze, allowing Shoot to land a blow on him. He begins to doubt himself and, after a few instants, his left eye disappears due to the effect of Hotel Rafflesia. He manages to avoid Shoot's next two attacks while chiding himself for only running away. Screaming, he discards his yo-yos and charges at Shoot, batting away his floating hands. Shoot sees electricity crackling around one of them and jumps back, remarking that he does not care for it. Unable to understand how his opponents know about his ability, Killua finds himself unable to keep fighting and gives up.

In the morning, Killua and a defeated Gon accompany Knuckle and Shoot to the border with NGL. After they are gone, Gon breaks down in tears, lamenting his weakness. Killua tears up by his side, vowing to watch over him for the 30 days in which he will be unable to use Nen due to Knuckle's Hakoware, after which he wants to part ways with him. On the way back to Doli City, Spinner tells them about the Small-billed Swans from her hometown. As they prepare to enter the hotel, Killua realizes that the first person he will have to protect Gon from is Palm. He is outraged by Palm's demand that Gon do whatever she says to make up for breaking his promise of taking her to NGL, and even more by her request to be his girlfriend. After Gon manages to pacify her, the two head to the gym to train, and Killua compliments his ability to deal with her. Gon reveals he has experience with women, shocking his friend. Just as Killua catches himself losing his determination to leave Gon's side, Knuckle calls Gon to tell him they found Kite and will be back in three days. Relieved, Killua thinks that all that is left is for him to guard Gon for one month.



He accompanies Gon to the woods next to the city as he makes preparations for his date with Palm. Back at the hotel, he learns from the news of a Chimera Ant attack in Pata City, deeming the threat to be sufficiently far from them. He lies to Gon, claiming the following day he will work out at the gym all day, whereas in reality he disguises himself and follows him and Palm around. When they head into the woods, Killua senses the aura of a Chimera Ant. Fearing that Gon will attack it in a rage or that Palm will start screaming at him, he decides to confront it himself. He leads the Ant, who turns out to be Rammot, upwind and away from the two. When he prepares for combat, however, he finds himself paralyzed by Illumi's conditioning. Unable to react properly but unwilling to flee, Killua suffers a beatdown at Rammot's hands, while trying to resist his brother's influence. When his resolve reaches its apex, right before Rammot is about to land a lethal blow, Killua senses a needle in his skull and pulls it out, dodging the attack with surprising speed. He realizes that the needle was the source of Illumi's influence on him. He orders Rammot to tell the other Chimera Ants that they will be killed if they get near him or Gon. When Rammot begins to utter a protest, Killua tears off his head and crushes it.

He rushes back to where he last saw Gon and Palm, and, when he cannot find them, runs to the hotel. There he finds Palm make Gon write apologies over and over. Killua and Palm begin to fight. She tries to stab him in the head with a kitchen knife, but he easily dodges it. He takes Gon and runs away, followed by a murderous Palm. He is astonished that even after that exchange, Gon believes he can reason with her. Gon and Killua hang together for the next two days, during which, unbeknownst to them, they are monitored by Shoot. The Extermination Team members then come together and Shoot frees Kite from his birdcage, returning him to his normal size. Killua watches silently as Gon allows himself to be beaten by the manipulated Hunter. When the second level of Neferpitou's control is activated, Gon swears to Killua he will take the Royal Guard on himself. Knuckle asks Killua what caused the two of them to change that much in such a short span of time, to which Killua replies it is the Chimera Ants that changed them.

Under the guise of the former King of the Republic of East Gorteau, Meruem initiates the process of forcibly awakening Nen in the civilians of East Gorteau — resulting in the deaths of millions — in order to form his own personal army to conquer the world. Through Colt, the Extermination Team learns that the "Selection" will take place in ten days. Killua is concerned about Netero's silence, and just then he texts them the plan. When, after midnight, Gon reacquires the ability to use Nen, Morel demands that he strike him with Rock. Gon's fury manifests in the form of tremendous aura output, and Killua calmly stops him before he can carry through with the attack. As per their request, they two of them are assigned to taking care of Neferpitou. Due to East Gorteau's spy system, Gon and Killua are forced to infiltrate the country while keeping out of the sight of civilians. Upon crossing the border, they find out a massacre has taken place in an abandoned village near the border, which prompts Killua to deduce the "Selection" has already begun. Gon decides to attempt to stop it, even if it means being discovered. Killua tells him he will do it by himself and that Gon should save his strength for Neferpitou. He orders him to remain hidden no matter how many people he sees being murdered. He apologizes for lashing out, confessing that he is on edge. He feels Meleoron's gaze upon himself, but he and Gon split up anyway.



Killua proceeds to take out Neferpitou's puppets and warn the people of East Gorteau that Mig Jol-ik has fallen. To make his moves unpredictable, he continues inciting riots while moving to the south-east, until an ominous feeling makes him change direction. Because of his actions, the Ants put the country under martial law, but Killua is undeterred. Ming's reappearance on television forces Killua to abandon his plan to incite riots and limit himself to taking out Neferpitou's puppets. After dispatching a platoon in Luonton, he heads north, where he runs into an ambush prepared by Leol. He dives into the nearby jungle to lure in Flutter, who is flying too high for him to reach, but is attacked by the unit captained by a bombardier/dung beetle Chimera Ant. He manages to kill most of his underlings, but the Captain blasts him off with explosive chemicals, which causes Killua to realize Flutter is still observing him. Suddenly, he is shot with several fleas secreting an anticoagulant. With Ken, he manages to figure out the location of the sniper, whom he tails to the entrance to a cave. As soon as the man jumps in, Killua leaps after him and jams his finger into his head. Tentacles emerge from the man's body to restrain him, but he cuts them off and uses the suckers to adhere to the stalactites, preventing himself from falling into the Ant-infested lake underneath.



Ikalgo, the Chimera Ant Captain who was controlling the man's body, attempts to escape, but Killua easily catches him and interrogates him about Flutter's ability, offering to spare him. Ikalgo attempts to commit suicide by letting himself fall in the lake underneath, but Killua, moved by his loyalty to his comrades, saves him with a yo-yo and flings him to safety. At that moment, a shark-like Chimera Ant jumps out of the water in an attempt to crush him, only to be swiftly torn to pieces by the boy. Without him noticing, Remora manages to affix a pin to his clothes that was conjured by the Ortho Siblings. Once ashore, Killua is stabbed by multiple fish darts that seem to come out of nowhere. As the Ortho Siblings taunt him telepathically, Killua realizes their ability is connected to darts, which do not exist until the moment they pierce his skin, making them unavoidable. Killua gets severely injured from the darts as they pierce him through every part of his body, and suffers from extreme blood loss as he counts down the points. When the final throw, which should pierce his forehead, comes, Killua converts his aura into electricity to enhance his reactions and manages to block it. He then breaks off the tip and sticks it to his forehead with a suction cup. He fakes death by lying still on the ground and waits for the siblings to come out, beheading them when they emerge from underwater.



As he tries to leave the cave, however, he collapses from the blood loss. On the verge of losing consciousness, he apologizes to Gon, but Ikalgo saves him by taking him to an Underground Clinic. He wakes up in the underground clinic two days later, where the Nurse annoys him to pay his expensive hospital bill. He phones home to pay the hospital bill and be discharged. He invites Ikalgo to join the Extermination Team, who is touched by Killua's actions as he considers an octopus-like him as a friend, and decides to go with him. Killua and Ikalgo meet up with Gon, Knuckle, Shoot and Meleoron and revise their strategies for the infiltration. Killua dismisses Gon's concern about Palm. Despite the plan being laid out on paper, he continues to feel anxious. 19 hours before the attack, he does a run-through with Gon and Ikalgo, during which he suggests working on measures to deal with any unforeseen contingencies, no matter how unlikely. To figure out why Neferpitou deactivated their En, they phone Colt, who tells them the Royal Guard must have been healing someone. Their conclusion is that the King hurt himself, which they relay to Morel.



At 6 p.m., the three slip into one of the batteries marching from Peijin to the Royal Palace, and from there into Knov's dimension. As the Extermination Team members prepare themselves for the attack, Killua glances at Gon, vowing to make sure that no one will interfere with his battle thanks to his new ability, Godspeed. Five and a half hours later, the Extermination Team leaves the room to move to one closer to the palace. They all convene to charge in from the exit connected to the central stairway. Seven minutes before midnight, Killua begins to argue with Ikalgo again about unexpected scenarios, one of which leads the group to consider the possibility that Palm has become the King's concubine. Although he tells Gon to focus only on his battle, he cannot assuage his unease and brings up the topic of the King's self-inflicted injury again. Morel's conclusion leaves him unconvinced, but, with the raid starting in a minute, he is forced to brush his misgivings aside. Six seconds before go-time, he senses Gon's cold single-mindedness. At midnight sharp, Killua is the fifth to storm the palace, appearing next to the stairway and Menthuthuyoupi.



As Killua anticipated, the Royal Guards have different positions than expected. The Extermination Team freezes momentarily when Zeno's Dragon Dive pierces the palace, with the exception of Gon, who charges at Menthuthuyoupi. Killua quickly deduces his friend is acting on a scenario in which Meleoron and Knuckle were killed by Zeno's ability while undetectable; to the team's relief, they see the Royal Guard being pushed aside by an invisible force, signaling that their comrades survived. Gon and Killua attempt to rush past him on the stairs, but, in the instant of hesitation caused by the reappearance of Neferpitou's En, Menthuthuyoupi destroys them. Surviving the strike unscathed, the two change direction and decide to leap from the second to the third floor from outside. They run past Ikalgo and Killua glimpses two soldier Ants. Subconsciously realizing they might pose a threat to the approaching Ikalgo, he dispatches them before even understanding what he is doing. Ikalgo's declaration that he is in his debt manages to calm his swirling emotions and the boy reaches Gon just as Zeno is about to relocate Netero and Meruem. Gon tells him where Neferpitou is, and his words leave Killua wondering whether he was speaking only for himself or for both of them; fearing the answer, he does not ask.

They jump to the roof of the third floor, where they encounter Zeno, who cryptically tells them to judge for themselves what is going on inside. Killua follows Gon into the room where Neferpitou crouches over Komugi, Doctor Blythe hovering above them. As Gon rages, Killua notes that Neferpitou is not preparing for battle, which leads him to conclude that he is protecting and healing the girl, the contingency neither the Extermination Team nor Zeno was prepared for, and the reason the King injured himself. He is reticent to tell Gon, but Neferpitou themselves states they are healing her. They offer to do anything if they let them finish, but before Killua can formulate his request, Gon cuts him off. Killua stops his friend when he is about to attack the Royal Guard. His cold remark hurts him, but he manages to talk him into restraining himself. Gon decides to wait for one hour, after which he will take Neferpitou to restore Kite. He is pulled into Meleoron's God's Accomplice and the two move elsewhere so the former Squadron Leader can update him. Killua agrees to assist Knuckle against Menthuthuyoupi.



Exploiting Meleoron's invisibility, he manages to paralyze Youpi with Thunderbolt right when he is about to kill Knuckle, allowing the Beast Hunter to survive and strike his opponent several times before running away. He then appears in front of Menthuthuyoupi and vents his frustration by beating him up with Whirlwind. When he runs out of electric aura, he backs away to recharge. Menthuthuyoupi pursues him, but Killua escapes thanks to Meleoron's ability. Killua finds a plug and starts recharging his electric supply. He states he will go back to where Gon is once he is done, and instructs Meleoron to discuss what to do next with Knuckle.



Once he is finished, he starts heading back but senses someone watching him. He discovers it's Palm, who has been mutated into a Chimera Ant. Reflecting that seeing her like that could lead Gon to a mental breakdown, he steps out of hiding to intercept her. Pondering that perhaps she came to him thanks to her clairvoyance, and thus remembers him, he starts to believe she might still be the same. The two exchange a few words, but when Palm asks him where Gon is, he becomes wary of her, ultimately calling her an enemy and preparing to fight her. She activates Black Widow and immediately smashes one of his yo-yos. Killua is forced on the defensive by her sheer power. As he defends himself, he asks Palm why she wants to meet Gon, stating that depending on her answer, he might tell her, as Gon's mind risks to shatter. Although at first, he had no intention of letting the two meet, he ends up bursting in tears, lamenting his inability to help his friend. Palm manages to recover her senses and destroys Pouf's clone, who was ordering her to kill Killua. She relieves his emotional pain, telling him it is thanks to his words she freed herself from the Ant's control and that he is the only one who can really help Gon.



Palm and Killua reunite with Ikalgo, announcing their intention to stay by Gon's side without interfering with him. Ikalgo accepts and the three go find Meleoron and Knuckle. Killua and Knuckle go to the room where Gon and Komugi are, and the boy entrusts them with Komugi until he and the Royal Guard return. After they leave, Knuckle enquires whether Killua would not like to go with him, to which the boy responds that Neferpitou might take him hostage. Thanks to Palm's clairvoyance, the Extermination Team discovers that the King has survived his fight with Netero. Killua takes Komugi while Palm opens the underground hanger, in an attempt to figure out if Shaiapouf's target is Komugi or Meleoron. The Royal Guard's clone goes after Killua, who however doges him with Godspeed. Shaiapouf splits up his clone in smaller segments, who promise Killua the King will forgive him if he surrenders. Killua does not believe him and continues running farther away from the palace until Komugi begins to struggle to get free. Killua barely manages to save both of them when the segments reunite again and attempt to kill the girl. He knocks her out and draws a circle around himself with his aura. When the clone attempts to cross it, Killua burns its cells with electricity. Shortly afterward, the segments fly back towards the palace.



Minutes later, Palm finds Killua and tells him that Gon and Pitou have reached Peijin. At his request, she explains her ability to him. He thanks her without telling her why, to her confusion. Suddenly, Palm is shocked to see that Neferpitou is healing themselves while Gon is unresponsive. A segment of Shaiapouf informs them that Neferpitou believes that Komugi has been rescued, and offers to stop the Royal Guard from killing Gon if they give him Komugi. Without hesitation, Killua torches the segment and entrusts Komugi to Palm. Activating Speed of Lightning, he rushes to Gon's side. As he approaches the hideout, he feels an incredible aura. It takes him a few moments to recognize Gon in his adult form. As his friend stands next to a decapitated Neferpitou, Killua is horrified fathoming the price Gon will have to pay for that power-up. When Terpsichora manipulates the Royal Guard's corpse, Killua intervenes just in time to prevent Gon from being killed, although his friend still loses his right arm. Gon tells Killua that he is not in pain, but happy for looking like Kite did before his death, saddening his friend. Despite his protests, Gon musters even more aura to deliver the final blow to the Chimera Ant. Palm later sees Killua carrying an unconscious Gon.

Gon is taken to the hospital in Swardani City where Morel and Shoot are also recovering. While his friend is in a deep coma and his condition deteriorates each passing minute, Killua sits outside of the room, looking at him through a window. He thinks back to how Gon cut him out during the raid and swears to make him apologize. Knov arrives and tells him he is preparing a team of doctors, to which Killua responds he will save Gon himself and leaves the hospital, making a phone call.

13th Hunter Chairman Election arc


Killua returns home to seek help from his younger sibling Alluka, whose ability would save Gon from death. Silva is initially reticent to let him meet with her and tells him not to think of her as family, which ticks him off. He declares that letting his friend die is the same as betraying him, reminding his father of the promise they made. Silva takes him to the room where Alluka is confined, updating him on recent wishes and demanding that he repeat the rules to her power. Killua's temper flares, but he eventually complies and is allowed to meet with his sister. Alluka rejoices at seeing him, while Killua apologizes for going away. They begin to play, with Alluka making the request instead of her other half and the source of her powers, Nanika. After he fulfills three of her requests, Killua picks her up and, hiding her face from the camera, demands to leave. Silva's refusal confirms that his family is unaware of the special rules, one of which is that Nanika must be in contact with someone to heal them. Killua calls out Nanika and requests that if they're not able to leave the mountain together within thirty minutes Nanika should kill their mother. Silva opens the gate and allows them to depart.



He calls Knuckle, whose phone is snatched by Morel. He is updated on Gon's state, after which he confidently states he can heal Gon, but that he may need help to return to the hospital. The conversation is cut off by Gotoh, who warns Killua he must not divulge family secrets and informing that his Outing Precaution Level is already 4, forbidding him from speaking to outsiders without clearance. Gotoh is assigned to be his escort, to which he adds Canary so she can take delicate care of Alluka. Silva orders that Tsubone and Amane accompany him as well, leading Killua to realize the seriousness of his situation. Nanika makes a request of Tsubone, who, after giving it her pinky fingernail, goes into hiding, preventing it from asking favors of anyone else and thus, potentially, from healing Gon, although Killua can still issue a command.



On their way to the hospital, Killua is called by Leorio. Gotoh answers the phone, which triggers a heated argument between the two. Killua offers to talk to him briefly to simplify the conversation, which Gotoh authorizes. Leorio deems the conditions set by Gotoh to be impossible, but Morel promises to take care of it, planning to build a hospital wing in the parking lot just for Gon where Killua can drive in and heal Gon without being seen. As he follows the fourth round of the election for the 13th Hunter Chairman, he is surprised to see Leorio punch Ging with his ability in front of the whole audience, and also by his placing third in the same round. His phone rings again and, when Gotoh picks it up, he greets Illumi, calling him by name, which allows Killua to see Amane tensing up. He thus realizes how each family member feels towards Alluka and determines that Illumi's agenda goes against his father's, meaning that he wants to kill their sister. He concludes theirs is an intra-family mission, where each Zoldyck tries to accomplish their goal provided they do not kill each other; and that Alluka, whom Silva defined as not being family, is instead a viable target for assassination. Killua announces he removed Illumi's needle and challenges him. Right then, a car and a truck driven by people controlled by Illumi push Killua's car off the mountainside, but all the occupants escape uninjured.



Killua discovers his brother's position thanks to Hisoka purposefully triggering his bloodlust. He carries Alluka as the three butlers and he runs in the thick of the forest to escape him. Killua is suspicious of Amane, who assures him that she and her grandmother Tsubone are not his enemies, and neither are his father and grandfather, who tasked the two of them with keeping him safe. Stopping in his tracks, Killua counters that as long as Alluka's safety is not one of their priorities too, they will remain his enemies. He activates Godspeed to run away with Alluka. When he is sufficiently far from them, he rescinds the ability. Alluka asks him if she is just a hindrance to him, and a cause of attrition between him and the rest of the family. Killua asks her back whether she would be sad if he were the only person who loved her, which makes her elated. He reassures her and promises that they will always be together. Feeling someone's gaze on him, he resumes running.

40 km away from Parasta, Killua and Alluka come across a paved road. Killua reactivates Speed of Lightning. Minutes later, he sees Amane and Canary gaining on him from behind as they ride a transformed Tsubone. He leaps into the underlying woods, planning to reach Parasta's airport to contact Morel from aboard a blimp, but finds Amane and Canary awaiting him there. At Killua's suggestion, the two butlers set up eight blimps. While Canary distracts Amane, he boards one with Alluka, from which he contacts Morel, giving him more details about his situation and Nanika's powers. Reckoning Illumi will use Needle People to counter his decoys, he proposes setting Teradein Neutral, Bushidora Ambitious, and Loupe Highland, the three representatives of the anti-Netero faction in the Hunter Association, against his brother due to him violating the fourth article of the Hunter Bylaws. Morel is confident they will go along with it to garner more votes, although he recommends they only go after the Needle People. The anti-Netero faction thus targets Illumi.



Disappearing above the clouds, Killua advances towards Swardani City. When they clear, he tries to contact Gotoh, to no avail, so he phones Canary, asking her to tell Hishita to send out cars to three locations as well as one near the hospital where Gon is, confident that they have shaken Illumi off. Killua and Alluka land where Hishita is waiting with a car. Killua tells Hishita to drive them to the hospital but suddenly Needle People appear and surround the car. Befuddled, Killua orders Hishita to continue driving even if he should run them down, but the butler replies that he cannot do so unless Illumi tells him, revealing two needles embedded in his forehead. Illumi then emerges from the dark woods.



Killua is unable to understand how Illumi found them, so the latter proposes to tell him if he hands Alluka over, which Killua refuses to do. As he ponders how to escape without using Godspeed, which might hurt Alluka, Tsubone reveals herself. She guesses that Milluki must be transmitting information to Illumi through the video feed from her monocle, which she was unable to remove due to Kikyo's orders. Alluka makes two more requests of Tsubone which are promptly fulfilled, with Tsubone offering to let Killua make a wish and to pay the price with Amane. Illumi states that if Killua can let the two butlers die, he should have no problem letting countless strangers suffer the same fate after he heals Gon, and adds that since Nanika is not a member of the family, it can be used to kill another Zoldyck. Killua uses the wish to heal Tsubone's hand instead, asserting that there are no malicious demands after a healing wish. He warns Illumi that if he keeps referring Alluka as an object, he will disown him as his brother. Satisfied, Illumi retreats, albeit still convinced that Killua is hiding some rules, since he supposedly made two wishes in a row. Killua thinks that if he told him the truth, the whole family would be happy to manipulate him again. Killua puts a sleeping Alluka in the car and Amane drives them to the hospital.



When they reach Gon's room, Killua waits for Alluka to wake up, under the careful watch of Tsubone and Amane. After she awakens, Killua tells her that his friend is sick and wants to make him feel better. Alluka responds by expressing disappointment towards having to turn into Nanika again and complains that she never gets to spend time with him, to which Killua responds they will always be together afterwards, while thinking that once the wish is granted, he will ask Nanika to never come out again. Alluka goes into her wish-granting mode to heal Gon and Killua asks Nanika to restore Gon back to normal. Releasing a tremendous amount of power, she complies. Gon is successfully healed, although Killua does not tell him he was the one to save him. While their other friends take him to see Leorio, Killua waits for Illumi in the hospital while Alluka sleeps.



Illumi deduces that on top of making wishes, Killua is able to give orders to Nanika without fulfilling any requests. Declaring himself the person most capable to handle that power, Illumi lets him choose between keeping Alluka locked away forever, or allowing him to manipulate the two of them. Killua uses Nanika to teleport him home, and asks Tsubone and Amane to leave him alone with Nanika lest he issues another command. Nanika asks Killua for a pat on the head, but he tells it not to come out anymore. Nanika seems not to understand, repeating that it likes Killua. When he demands it again more forcefully, Nanika, crying, retreats into Aluka. When her sister wakes up, however, she becomes furious with Killua and makes him understand that Nanika is a part of her. Killua apologizes to Nanika, admitting that he was still afraid of Illumi and swearing to protect both Alluka and it. The three make up, after which Tsubone informs him that he has been released from his precautionary level.



Killua and Alluka accompany Gon to the World Tree, where he is due to meet with his father. Killua makes a jab at Gon for his coldness during the palace invasion, but declares himself satisfied with his apology. He informs Gon that Nanika was the one who healed him. When asked why he wasn't told sooner Killua responds that it is complicated and that because of its powers Alluka was kept locked up. He declines the offer to climb the World Tree with Gon, as he will travel the world with his sister. She assures Gon that once she has had Killua to herself for a while, she will let Killua play with Gon again. Killua retorts he is the one doing the favor, light-heartedly adjoining that she is what Gon is coming second to. Promising to keep in touch and to stay friends no matter what, Killua tells Gon to send his regards to Ging for him, and the two part ways. Not long afterwards, Killua and Alluka watch a video sent to them by Gon of a flock of Small-billed Swans taking flights.

Succession Contest arc
Killua has a phone conversation with Kurapika in which, after being told about Kurapika's project of having trusted Hunters get close to the princes as bodyguards, he recommends Biscuit. He also warns Kurapika that if they get into a fight, as it is likely, the best way to calm and manipulate Biscuit is to flatter her, although he found it so disgusting he never could bring himself to do it.

Equipment
Skateboard: The first time he faced the Hunter Exam, Killua brought a skateboard with him. It was able to bear the weight of five people and a wooden shelf without breaking, although it was damaged in the process. The skateboard is yellow with red wheels and a red arrow painted in the middle, reaching almost to the curved end of the deck (dark blue-green with a yellow arrow in the 1999 anime). The skateboard is also briefly seen at the beginning of Hunter × Hunter: The Last Mission.



Yo-Yos: After passing the Hunter Exam, Killua was given by Milluki two yo-yos made of a special metal alloy that he began using as a secret weapon. The yo-yos are extremely durable and heavy, each weighing 50 kilograms. Their reflective surface allows them to be used as mirrors to stealthily look behind a corner. Biscuit noted that they work well with Killua's ability to turn his aura into electricity.

Abilities & Powers
Killua has all the benefits granted by his status as a Hunter. Furthermore, as a member of the Zoldyck Family, he has vast wealth at his disposal, although he needs his father's or his grandfather's permission to use them. His family name alone is enough to scare the ones that know what it is associated to. Killua has been trained since birth to become a human weapon and is recognized by his family to be the most talented assassin in the entire history of the Zoldycks. When he took the Hunter Exam the first time, he was the fourth most powerful applicant (after Gittarackur, and, by his own admission, Hisoka and Hanzo, although the latter was without entering his "assassin mode"), and the one that Satotz believed would pass. Up until the Hunter Exam, he did not hesitate a second to kill, but after meeting Gon, this tendency subsided; still, he is not afraid to resort to extreme means when circumstances demand it. Like his friend Gon, Killua has an astounding natural talent that enables him to learn at a fast rate and allegedly ad infinitum, a characteristic that piqued Hisoka's interest. His potential extends to Nen as well, as noted by Wing and Bisky. Although he primarily fights with his bare hands, Killua is able to use any kind of weapons, but the only one he employs consistently are his custom-made yo-yos. When he tried to prevent the Selection, he was so confident in his strength that he claimed that tanks and fighter jets would be useless against him, and in fact, he was able to effortlessly subdue a military unit comprised of at least four tanks.



His training endowed him with near immunity to poison, high tolerance to electricity, great agility and physical strength, advanced armed and unarmed combat and stealth techniques, which he acquired at a very young age. He can also drive cars and airships. His intellect and exceptional analytical skills are equally remarkable, and it is often through a strategy that he can defeat opponents who are stronger or more experienced than him. He is also able to walk without making a sound and sleep with a larger part of his brain awake than normal, so he can avoid attacks even in his sleep, even if they come from an armed, albeit weaker, fellow Hunter. After leaving Greed Island, due to his prowess in Nen, Killua became able to blend with nature more easily, which allowed him to find multiple new species of animals at a rate that astounded Kite's companions.

Killua's main weakness used to be an inferiority complex that paralyzed him with fear and prevented him from fighting opponents that could pose a threat to him, even if their overall strength was lower than his own. Although it was originally believed to be a product of his training, it is later revealed that it was actually due to a Nen-imbued needle that Illumi had implanted in his brain. Its removal caused Killua to snap free of his brother's conditioning, thus regaining the full control of his mental capabilities in battle. This also had the effect of making his overall movements better, increasing his speed.

Preternatural Perception: Killua has proven multiple times to be extremely perceptive, whether by gauging a person's approximate power or by detecting their aura or gaze. He first demonstrated this by sensing Hisoka's bloodlust when it was still subtle. He could tell at a glance that Majtani was not as strong as he pretended to be, and offered Gon an estimation of how he stacked up against Hisoka, Hanzo and himself in terms of combat ability. He could also tell at a glance that Machi and Nobunaga were way out of his and Gon's league, unlike Leorio and Gon himself. His corollary that the stronger the opponent, the better they are at hiding their power turned out to be true, occasionally causing Killua to severely underestimate his adversary. However, as he honed his Nen abilities, his guesses became more accurate, and he notably sensed Netero's power, whereas he had downplayed it in the past. He is extremely aware of his surroundings, as he managed to detect Meleoron's presence in spite of the latter specializing in erasing it. He is also able to sense the gaze of others even if their aura is hidden.

Enhanced Strength: Killua has displayed his strength on several occasions. Before he learned Nen, he was able to open a 16-ton gate and after he learned Nen, he opened the 64-ton gate. He can easily lift boulders several times his own weight and bisect massive trees with a single strike. He was able to rip off Rammot's head with one swift motion and crush it in his hand, as well as to pierce the exoskeletons of two Chimera Ants with his bare hands and minimum aura expenditure.

Immense Speed and Reflexes: Killua is extremely quick on his feet. He was able to pluck out Johness' heart without the serial killer noticing until he saw his own heart. However, his speed was no match for Phinks, who could follow and anticipate his every movement. At the beginning of his training with Biscuit, he cold run 70 km in about 3 hours without breaking a sweat, unlike Gon. He was subsequently able to outrun Biscuit in her younger form once, although that might have been partly due to a difference in motivation. When he retried the Hunter Exam, he knocked out a maximum of 1488 applicants in less than 45 minutes, his speed being such that the few who managed to catch a glimpse of him only saw a shadow. Upon removing the needle, possibly due to becoming capable of devolving his full abilities to offense, Killua's speed increased to the point he was able to cover the distance between himself and Rammot and sever the upset Chimera Ant's head without him being able to react, whereas previously Rammot managed to hold his own against both Killua and Gon at the same time. He was able to cut a massive tree in two and twist off the arms and head of another soldier Ant in the blink of an eye, as well as to dispatch two more by inflicting two lethal wounds to each within a ridiculously short time frame. As impressive as Killua's attack and movement speed, if not even more so, are his reactions: he can dodge a bullet moving at extreme velocity even if it is fired within 57 cm of his body.

Immense Agility: Killua's mobility allows him to attack from every position, move in the enemy's blind spot, and fight on any kind of terrain. In terms of defense, Killua takes full advantage of his agility to jump out of reach or dodge the enemy's attacks without losing his foothold. He has an excellent sense of balance, as seen when he was shown standing with nonchalance on the back of a horse, and exceptional coordination. He managed to dispatch a small squadron of Chimera Ants that had drawn him in the treetops and surrounded him in a few seconds, not only avoiding their attacks, but also turning them against his assailants.

Enhanced Stamina: Killua was able to complete a long-distance run more than 80 kilometers long, and taking place on uneven terrains such as ascending stairs and a swamp, and was the only non-user among the applicants not to exhibit the slightest sign of fatigue. He fought Binolt for 10 days straight while keeping his guard up even as he slept. Not even thirty hours of continuous traveling NGL by foot and battling the armed forces could wear him down significantly.

Advanced Durability: Killua was unscathed after being kicked in the belly by Imori. He also stated that a blow to the neck that Hanzo used to knock out Gon would only leave him stunned. Even being electrocuted with 1,000,000 volts of electricity only causes him to feel pain, but no physical damage. Far more remarkably, he held the ball for Gon three times when the latter punched it with Rock, and, despite the feat being compared to forming the barrel of a cannon with one's naked hands, he used no aura to protect them,  although he suffered grievous injuries which he was unable to recover from in nearly a month.

Enhanced Endurance: Killua can bear very intense physical pain without his physical or mental abilities being impaired.An excellent example is provided by his confrontation with the Ortho Siblings, in which he had his body punctured by several darts and still managed to make calculations and prepare a strategy, even coming up with an idea for a new ability. He fell asleep (or pretended to) while his brother Milluki was whipping him, and did not react when the latter burned him with a cigar. He can instantaneously dislodge his joints without seeming to suffer any drawback.




 * Resistance to Electricity: Killua has been trained to endure large amounts of electricity since he was a baby. As a result, he is able to withstand high-voltage electrical currents while retaining his full mental and physical faculties, although he still feels the pain. He is unfazed by shocks capable of stunning Sub, a superior Nen user at the time, as well as by those capable of paralyzing and causing tremendous pain to the powerful Menthuthuyoupi. This form of training also allowed him to develop electricity-oriented Nen techniques.

Immense Poison Resistance: Due to his assassin training, Killua became resistant to a great number of poisons, toxins and chemicals. He first displayed this ability when he drank five cans of Tonpa's juice during the Hunter Exam without experiencing any side effects, despite the beverage containing a laxative that, in that dose, should have completely dehydrated him. When he was stung by Mosquito, he revealed that her toxin had absolutely no effect on his body.

Muscle and Joint Control: Killua can dislodge his joints at will in less than a second. He demonstrated this ability by dislocating his shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers to free himself from Machi's strings.




 * Claws: One of the several assassination arts passed down to Killua through his family consists in adjusting the anatomy of his hand; his fingernails turn into claws that are sharper than knives, with which Killua can tear humans apart as well as rip out a heart with frightening ease. He is capable of altering both hands at the same time.

Healing Factor: Killua can recover from injury faster than normal, as demonstrated when the multiple wounds inflicted to him by the Ortho siblings healed completely in only two days. However, he was unable to recover from the extensive damage to his hands caused by Gon's Rock even after 26 days.

Genius-Level Intellect: Killua's intelligence far exceeds that of any boy his age and is exceptional also for adults. He is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics and is endowed with prodigious intuition and analytical skills. His deductive abilities have allowed him to make accurate predictions on multiple occasions. He can also bear severe mental strain and still think clearly. To match all of these impressive intellectual capacities, Killua is also an extremely quick thinker who can adapt to completely unforeseen developments. Although he normally relies on logic, sometimes to a fault, he is capable of creative thought, which allowed him to devise the basics of Godspeed in the heat of combat. He is also tremendously observant, and he believed he could notice the slightest change in the expression of two Spiders. His terrific intellect allows him to pick up on details that would ordinarily go unnoticed on a subconscious level, which results in him feeling a sense of unease towards a certain course of action before realizing why.

Master Strategist: Killua is capable of devising complex tactics as well as run accurate simulations and evaluate the success rate of each of them, even in the middle of a fight. His skills in evaluating the assets at his disposal and making the most of them are such that Gon and Biscuit were completely dependent on him to organize their Greed Island cards. Despite Knuckle being his senior, Killua also presided the strategic meeting before the invasion of the palace.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: In spite of his young age, Killua is an exceptional melee fighter and master of innumerable unarmed combat techniques. The difference in experience between assassination and a proper fight initially prevented him from making the most of them, but he soon improved to an astounding degree. He countered Sub's assault despite the latter having a superior output and his own hands being unusable. During their duel, he goaded Sub into striking him in a certain way by pretending to have an imperfect guard. His fighting style, which is extremely versatile, aims at dealing the maximum amount of damage in the shortest time possible, striking critical points and making ample use of lightning-fast submission holds to incapacitate or kill the opponent. He can knock out a person by striking a sensitive spot on their neck while moving at high speed, a feat which requires superhuman levels of precision. Killua is particularly skilled at finding patterns in the fighting style of his adversary and at figuring out their weak spots, and at using them to exploit or create openings. He rarely resorts to combos, preferring to land single, critical strikes or to maintain a safe distance from more powerful opponents. After the removal of Illumi's needle, he became more assertive and prone to deadly blitzes, making the most of an opponent's distraction of vulnerability even if it means chasing them. Due to the Zoldyck philosophy of never putting their lives at risk while fighting, he was also taught a wide array of defensive and escape tactics. He seems to prefer to dodge attacks rather than block them, sometimes using the foe's charge to reposition himself in their blind spot, but he also has a solid guard.




 * Assassin Mode: Killua can enter a state of heightened concentration in which he focuses fully on killing the enemy, preventing himself from hesitating. According to him, there is a sensible difference between his power in this state and with his normal mindset.


 * The Snake Awakens (蛇活, Dakatsu): Killua whips his arms with incredible fluidity and speed, cleaving anything that comes in contact with them.

Master Weapon Specialist: Killua is capable of wielding a great number of weapons proficiently as well as of turning any object into a lethal one. He won Bopobo’s challenge by drenching him in liquor and setting it ablaze, and killed multiple soldier Chimera Ants with the arms they wielded. Killua is also adept at using projectile-type weapons, although he has never employed any in combat. His weapon of choice are two yo-yos weighing 50 kilograms each, which he can wield with great dexterity, amazing pro-Hunter Shoot McMahon. He can use them as lightning-fast long-ranged weapons, as a grapple, or swing them around himself to counter incoming attacks. He can also use the environment to alter their trajectory, causing them to hit the target from their blind spots. His electric aura can also be channeled through them to shock a target from a distance. Killua is reluctant to use them in battle if he is unable to prevent the information from being leaked to other enemies, preferring to resort to his raw physical abilities and combat skills in order for his opponent to know as little about him as possible.

Master of Stealth: Killua is very proficient in hiding, spying, and infiltration. Melody, a Hunter renowned for her hearing, commented that she could hardly hear Killua's footsteps even when he was running alongside her.


 * Silent Gaits ( Dark Step): Thanks to his training, Killua has learned how to walk and run without making a sound.




 * Rhythm Echo (, Shikyoku): An assassination art and an advanced application of the Silent Gaits technique, Rhythm Echo is a motion that creates multiple afterimages of the practitioner's body through a varying cadence of steps to confuse the opponent or create decoys.


 * Expert in Tailing: Killua tailed Nobunaga and Machi around a town with the two of them failing to spot him (although they clearly sensed his presence).

Masterful Skater: Killua is extremely dexterous with his skateboard, performing acrobatic tricks with ease.

Masterful Darts Player: Killua mastered the game when he was six or seven, with a count of 1440 points. This skill came in handy against the Ortho siblings, when he recognized the rules the brother was playing with.

Nen


As a Transmuter, Killua's most efficient in changing the properties and shape of his aura. Just like Gon's, Killua's talent is said to be absolutely astounding, found only in one out of ten million people. Thanks to Biscuit's training he has honed his skills in at least two Nen types other than his own, namely Enhancement and Conjuration. He has also mastered the four basic techniques and at least five of the advanced ones (the exceptions being possibly In and En, although he is able to extend his Ren to a radius of 57 cm to sense incoming attacks). He performed Ten successfully on the first try with next to no instructions, a feat which Wing described as both "amazing" and "terrifying", and learned Ren and Gyo in only one night. He was also capable of performing Zetsu with great skill and without guidance after seeing Gon use it against Gido. It also earned him the praise of the Phantom Troupe, although they were able to sense him. He is able to maintain Ren for three hours outside of combat without the slightest difficulty, and Ten at all times. He can form Ko in an instant, as shown when he used it to knock Gon out while the latter was going to fight Neferpitou. While Gon can release a bigger amount of aura, Killua is generally hailed as the one with the best control, to the point that by the time he confronted Razor he was already capable of distributing his aura with a margin of error lower than 1%, which caused Biscuit to comment that she reached his degree of mastery only in her late twenties. In spite of his lack of experience, he can measure with accuracy how much aura he should employ and in which area in a split second, relying solely on the instinctive knowledge granted by his fearsome potential. He easily got ahead of Gon during their training on Greed Island, overcoming his inexperience with sheer insight.



Killua developed a series of Nen abilities in which he alters the properties of his aura to make it similar to electricity. This was inspired and made possible by the years of electric shocks he received as a child, both as training against torture and as punishment. Biscuit was very impressed that he could create such a complex Nen ability at his age. He can shock the opponent either through physical contact or while keeping his distance, channeling his aura through his yo-yos or throwing it in the form of a lightning strike. Although most Nen users receive no damage from the electricity itself, they are still hurt and paralyzed for a few instants. The peak of Killua's Nen skills are two Nen abilities collectively referred to as , both of which use Killua's electric aura to vastly enhance his speed by allowing him to transcend the limits of his physical potential: Whirlwind makes his movements automatic, while Speed of Lightning allows him to remain in control his body. Regardless of which core function he employs, he can regulate the discharge of electricity outside of his body, making it so an ally touching him will only feel a mild stinging sensation, whereas an enemy being struck by one of his blows will be painfully electrocuted and even suffer burns if unprotected. Both applications can also be used to carry others, both to displace them and to protect them from enemy attacks.

In order to generate electric aura, Killua needs to "charge" himself by letting electricity run through his body, such as by tasering himself or holding onto a plug. By his own admission, however, his electric aura is not very potent and he runs out of it rather quickly. Another inconvenience is that Killua is not aware of exactly how much electric aura he produces, which can result in him depleting his reserves unexpectedly.

In the second film and the 2011 anime respectively, Killua was able to use the electric aura to activate simple machines or burn sturdy objects, such as Rhino's exoskeleton, to make them frailer and subsequently break them.

Quotes



 * (To Gon) "Assassination—It's the family trade. We all take it up. My folks see me as an exceptional prospect. But I don't see that I should have to live up to their expectations."
 * (To Sadaso) "Move, and you die. Use Nen, or utter one word, and you die. Now close you eyes... You see what happens when you break promises? Open your eyes again and look at me in the mirror. Listen. Don't you ever show your scummy face to us ever again. This is a promise you will keep."
 * "Gon, I'm the one. I'm the one. I'm glad to have you as a friend."
 * "We were complacent. Too confident of our powers. Both of us combined were worth less than a one-armed Kite. That was his assessment... That's the reality. If Kite was by himself, this wouldn't have happened. We were fools."
 * "Gon... you are light itself. Sometimes you're too bright and I can't look at you... But can I still stay by your side...?"
 * (To Palm) "Gon's suffering right now!!! Someone who meant a lot to him was ruthlessly altered!! Even his mind was changed. As we speak, Gon's facing against the person responsible!! If you up without warning, looking like that, he won't be able to hold it together. So you have to promise to call him by his name first!! That's my one condition! Let him know you're okay. He was so worried about you, up to the minute we came in here. Give him some peace of mind. Please. Put his mind at ease. Only you, Palm, can do that right now. Nobody else can reach him. Not me... I can't help him anymore!!"
 * (To Gon) "In the end you took care of it all by yourself. I know the deal... Kite saved your life. It wasn't my fight. But... still... I wish you'd said, 'Let's get him together.' Was that as a team? For the mission? Or... as friends? I know... I'm just sulking. It's the same every time!! You keep running ahead and I clean up your mess!! Same as ever... And I'll do it again!! But I won't let you off the hook this time. You'd better make it up to me, Gon. That's why I've got to make you better. I swear!!! I'll make you apologize!!!!"
 * (To Illumi) "The one who's cursed is the one making wishes!!"

Other quotes:
 * (To Tonpa) "I'm doing fine, really. I've built up my resistance... No poison will kill me."
 * (To Gon) "I'm just interested in the exam. I heard it was really tough. So far it ain't."
 * (To Gon) "He's killed, and wants to kill again. You're wondering how I know. Fact is, I'm like him. I can smell it in him."
 * (To Gon) "My 'cute kid' routine is about never letting on if I'm serious or not."
 * "If I 'd kept going, I would've wanted that ball enough to kill for it."
 * (To Kurapika) "If that's how you feel, I'll kill him for you. It's no big deal, y'know."
 * (To Amori) "Keep still. My nails are razor sharp."
 * "Making an honest living is tough. It's harder than I thought to get things done without killing."
 * (To Gido and Riehlvelt) "Be sure to play by the rules. Once no holds are barred, we're the ones who'll benefit the most."
 * (To Riehlvelt) "Electricity won't work on me. But that only means I can tolerate it. It still hurts. And sure it doesn't make me happy."
 * (To Gon) "You're cool for having all these goals. I don't have a plan... I don't know what to do with my life. There's a list of things I don't want to do. Like taking over the family business."
 * (To Gon) "I'll go along with you until I find something to do!"
 * "I've had to play life-or-death games of "shadow" since I was three. I would feel their heart skip a beat!! I would never be dumb enough to miss it!!"
 * (To Gon, about Nobunaga)"I'll stop his first strike, even if it kills me. I'm telling you to make a run for it!"
 * (To Kurapika)"If you won't think of us as friends or equals, we'll do whatever it takes to make you help us!!"
 * "Get it together, Gon. If you take too long, I'll leave you in my wake!!"
 * "I dwelled too much on making the 'right move'. That's where I was wrong. We're trying to do the impossible already. I can't advance without taking chances!! That's what this is!!"
 * "It's foolish to show your hand when the odds are against you. That's my dad's logic... I'm not an assassin anymore...!! I'm a Hunter!!"
 * (To Tsezguerra) "Electric shocks? I've been exposed to them since I was a baby. Family circumstances, you see."
 * (To Zepile) "You were trying out, too? That's too bad. I'll be the only one to pass this year."
 * (To Sub) "Only three? You kidding? All of it was a trap."
 * (To Goreinu) "Everyone comes here more or less prepared to risk lives... Not that that makes killing them okay. But the people I've killed never got to make that choice."
 * (To the Officers of Leol'd Squad) "Is there anyone ten times stronger than him?"
 * (To Netero, Morel, and Knov) "One of them could use Nen. His aura was creepy, more than anyone I've ever met. More than my brother... or Hisoka. Now that I've learned Nen, I can tell. You guys are powerful, too. And still... I don't think you can take him."
 * (To Gon) "There are no absolutes in Nen combat, like the H.A. guy said. He also said I'm off base being so concerned over odds of victory. But I disagree. You gotta increase your odds or you just won't last. And comparing aptitudes between you and your opponent is an important strategy. Succeeding only once or twice out of 100 tries isn't worth the effort."
 * (To Knuckle) "If you win, it won't matter if you don't use your full strength. But if you lose without ever giving it your all, I won't forgive you. I'll never forgive you."
 * "I'm only running away. I've never truly fought any of my battles!"
 * "Gon... for the 30 days that you can't use Nen, I'll protect you. No matter what... I'll do anything. And after that, we'll go our separate ways."
 * "I... must... protect him. Because he's my friend. He's the best friend I've ever had. I don't ever... want to lose him! Gon... He's my... friend! My best friend!"  
 * (To Gon) "Promise me!! Stay hidden!! No matter how many people you see being killed!! Give me your word!!"
 * "Tanks, fighter jets-- Send whatever you got. I'll take 'em all down."
 * (To Ikalgo) "Because I thought you were cool. If we'd met another way, maybe we could've even been friends."
 * (To a Chimera Ant) "I'd rather fight scum like you. They're so much easier to kill."
 * "Gon... I'm sorry... I couldn't... be of... any use..."
 * (To Ikalgo) "The next time stuff like this happens I won't thank you for it. So if I save your life some time in the future don't thank me either. It goes without saying for friends to save each other. So it's lame to say thanks each time for something that goes without saying."
 * (To Ikalgo) "Risking your life and throwing away your life seem alike, but are two totally different things. People who live at the brink of death never think of throwing their lives away."
 * (To Menthuthuyoupi) "Sorry, but I'm a little ticked off right now. So I'm just gonna take it out on you."
 * (To Shaiapouf) "Want her? I'm up for tag. I can play all night."
 * (To Shaiapouf) "I don't know what you're deal is, but I do know that you piss me off."
 * (To Palm) "Don't worry. I won't say it again. After all, we're friends. I don't need to thank my pals every time."
 * "Gon!! Hang on until I get there!!!"
 * (To Silva) "If I leave my friend to die, isn't that the same thing as betraying him?"
 * (To Illumi) "Bring it on. I'll show you what I can do!!"
 * (To Morel) "I won't forgive anyone who tries to hurt Alluka. Whether it's my brother or anyone else. I'll crush them by any means."
 * (To Illumi) "If you ever treat Nanika as subhuman again, you're no longer my brother!!"

Trivia

 * In the official databook, his name is also spelled as "Killua Zaoldyeck".
 * In one of Hunter × Hunter's card collections, the character is also alternatively named as "Kilua".
 * Killua's name is probably derived from the English verb "to kill".
 * He is nicknamed "Kil" or "Killu" by his family. However, neither the Zoldyck's employees nor Gon and his friends use this name.
 * Out of the four main protagonists, Killua is the youngest; during the First Phase of the Hunter Exam, he confirms that his age is almost 12, just like Gon. Gon's birthday is May 5, while Killua's birthday is July 7, making Killua younger than Gon.
 * Out of the main characters, Killua is the only one with siblings.
 * Killua is the 3rd Transmuter in the Zoldyck Family, after Zeno and Silva. All have silver hair as well, a trait found in all known Transmuters in the Zoldyck Family.
 * Of the four main protagonists, Killua is the only one to have failed a Hunter Exam.
 * Killua is reported to be four centimeters (about one inch) taller than Gon, but the two are often seen being the same height.
 * His favorite food is ChocoRobo-kun chocolate balls.
 * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix), Killua's stats are:

Anime and Manga Differences

 * Killua's eye color shifted in the 1999 series; though initially dark blue, his irises became green in the OVA series. In 2011 series, his eyes are back to dark blue.
 * In the 1999 series, Killua:
 * enjoys exploring cockpits and drinking tea.
 * hates red peppers. At Gon's house, Mito forced Killua to eat them, but he spat them out.
 * was slapped two times by two different women: Mito Freecss and Biscuit Krueger.
 * once stated that he does not know how to write letters, but he had written a "death notice, Zoldyck style" before.
 * watched a porn movie in a hotel in Yorknew City.
 * The 2011 series added some scenes where Killua and Canary first met as children. He also tried to make friends with Canary, but he never tried to offer her an animal skull.

Intertextuality and References



 * Killua is occasionally drawn with cat-like features (paws, ears, mouth) in humorous situations, much like Botan of YuYu Hakusho (a previous work by the same mangaka) was.
 * Hiei, one of the main characters from YuYu Hakusho, bears some similarities to Killua:
 * both of them have gone through a tragic childhood, killing people at a young age and being submitted to torture;
 * just as Hiei can conjure up fire and manipulate it, so does Killua replicate the characteristics of electricity with his aura. This ability was based on the immunity Killua had developed during a long childhood of electrical torture;
 * both are extremely fast;
 * both tend to kill their opponents in the most brutal ways and lack remorse when doing so;
 * Hiei was ranked on first place for most popular character in the YuYu Hakusho manga, Killua had also won first place in the Hunter × Hunter popularity votes;
 * just like how Hiei is the last person Yusuke meets out of the main team, Killua is the last person on the main team that Gon meets;
 * both can use sharp objects as weapons, Hiei his sword and Killua his fingernails, but are also exceptional hand-to-hand combatants;
 * both have sisters that they are protective over;
 * just like Hiei has black spiky hair and same colored clothing, Killua has white spiky hair and same colored clothing;
 * one of the differences between Killua and Hiei is that he actually smiles in contrast to his YuYu Hakusho counterpart who is never seen smiling;
 * and another difference is that Killua quickly befriends with Gon on their first meeting, unlike Hiei and Yusuke who start off as enemies.
 * Killua's yo-yo's may have been derived from Rinku, a secondary character of Togashi's other series YuYu Hakusho.
 * The Japanese name of Killua's Thunderbolt ability, Narukami, comes from the famous kabuki play Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura, in which the character Narukami transforms into a thunder god at the end of the fourth act.
 * Godspeed closely resembles the real-life martial art concept of Mushin (無心, "Empty Mind"), a mental state that highly-trained martial artists are said to be capable of entering during combat. It is essentially a moment where their body reacts without the need of having any specific intentions or plans in mind, having refined their instincts and intuition to a level where they can respond to any threat without the need for thought.
 * There is a castle in Ireland named Killua Castle.

Miscellaneous

 * Killua's name in Japanese is written as "Kirua" in katakana. It combines the Japanese transliterations of the English words "kill" (kiru) and "killer" (kira).
 * Killua ranked first in all of the three character popularity polls that have been conducted so far by Weekly Shonen Jump.
 * In Volume 7, where the results of the first poll were published, it was revealed that voters loved the character's sharp edges, that he seemed the strongest, and that they wanted him as their little brother.
 * In the French version of Hunter × Hunter, Killua is nicknamed "Lukia" by Leorio.
 * Killua's birthday falls on Tanabata, a Japanese festival holiday centering around a folklore tale of star-crossed lovers. Killua and the character of Orihime share some similarities, and the beginning of the Tanabata myth also shares some themes with the beginning of Killua's character arc:
 * both are employed by their fathers;
 * both are unhappy in their lives and wish for connections with others that their work prevents;
 * both eventually abandon their work entirely after meeting another person, which displeases their fathers;
 * both their fathers (Silva and Orihime's father) allow their children to pursue their important bond, but expect that their children will return to their roles in time;
 * and additionally, the number of the month and day of Killua's birthday are the same: he shares this characteristic with the other three protagonists and Hisoka.
 * Killua is also known to constantly change outfits within the 2011 anime, a notable characteristic contrast compared to Gon's singular outfit.

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