Gon is upset that Killua was forced to kill. Gon is mad at Illumi and proclaims that he will go to Kukuroo Mountain to rescue Killua. As Gon and his friends depart, Satotz mentions that the Hunter Exam isn't over yet...

After breaking his arm in the fight against Hanzo, Gon wakes up in a bed and is immediately congratulated by Satotz for passing the Hunter Exam. He then informs Gon that Killua has failed. Gon is incredulous as Satotz tells him what happened when Killua faced off against his brother Illumi.

Gon and his friends have advanced to the final phase of the Hunter Exam. The final phase is a tournament where the winners are out and the losers advance. The rule is that if you kill your opponent, you'll be disqualified. The first mach is Gon versus Hanzo. Gon can't do anything against Hanzo, but he refuses to give up. Hanzo is losing his patience and threatens to break Gon's arm.

Gon and his friends have been trapped inside a cave by poisonous snakes. Bourbon, the person responsible for the trap, is already dead, and nobody knows how to disarm the trap. Meanwhile, Leorio, who was bitten by the snakes, is growing weak. Gon manages to get them out of the sticky situation and through to the final phase of the exam. But first, Netero wants an interview with each of the remaining applicants...

Killua grows tired of having Imori shadowing him so he challenges Imori to a fight and quickly dispatches him. Meanwhile, Gon has joined up with Leorio and Kurapika. The three of them devise a plan for taking Ponzu's tag and track her down to a suspicious-looking cave. That is when Leorio insists on heading in alone.

Kurapika and Leorio are being stalked by Hisoka, but they managed to negotiate their way out of a fight. However, the encounter leaves Hisoka aroused, so he leaves in search of a new target. Gon is able to use his fishing rod to snatch Hisoka's tag right when Hisoka attacks his target. However, as Gon tries to escape, he is attacked by another applicant and loses his tag...

Gon is relying on Bloodcrazy Butterflies to find his target, Hisoka, before waiting for the perfect time to use his skill with the fishing rod to snatch Hisoka's tag. Meanwhile, Leorio is tricked by Tonpa and loses his own tag, but Kurapika helps him recover it. Now that Kurapika and Leorio know that neither is the other's target, they decided to form an alliance.

The applicants head to Zevil Island for the fourth phase of the exam. Each person draws a number which corresponds to the ID number of their target. The ID tag of their target is worth 3 points, their own ID tag is worth 3 points, and all other ID tags are worth 1 point. Each applicants must collect 6 points in order to pass this phase of the exam. Gon's target turns out to be...

Gon writes a letter to Mito-san and Grandma detailing his journey from home to the latest challenge at Trick Tower.

The five group members take different approaches to their fifty hour penalty. Once they're allowed to return to the test, they must overcome many more obstacles. Eventually, they arrive before two doors with one hour left. One door leads to a long and difficult path that allows five people to pass. The other door leads to a short and easy path that only allows three people to pass. How will the five members vote on this decision...?

Leorio is in a gambling showdown with their remaining time limit on the line. Soon enough, Leorio only has 10 hours remaining. With no room for error, Leorio turns to a bet involving rock, paper, scissors. Leorio was confident going in, but he falls to his opponent's mind games. Two wins, two losses. The group is in a tight spot and their fate rests upon Killua.

Gon and Kurapika have won their matches, giving the group a 2-1 lead, but their opponents claim that Majitani is only unconscious, so Kurapika's match hasn't been settled. Leorio grows impatient with Kurapika, who refuses to finish the job. The five members begin to bicker as time ticks away...

Gon and his friends must win three out of the next four rounds. The second round is a game to see whose candle is extinguished first. However, Gon's candle was tampered with. Next, Kurapika finds himself in a deathmatch against the serial killer Majitani. However, Majitani soon reveals a spider tattoo on his back, the symbol of the Phantom Troupe...

The airship arrives at the top of Trick Tower, the site for the third phase of the exam. The applicants must reach the bottom within 72 hours to pass. Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio finally discover a way into the tower. However, they need five members before they can progress any further. Who will be the fifth person...?

After Gon and his friends successfully passed the second phase of the exam, they boarded the airship which would take them to the third phase. Gon and Killua are exploring the airship when they run into Netero, who proposes a very simple game. All they have to do is take a ball away from Netero and they can become hunters.

After a scuffle with Hisoka, Gon and his friends are able to safely make it to the site for the second phase of the exam. The examiners for the second phase are Menchi and Buhara. Their task is a cooking test. The applicants struggle to create a dish that satisfies the Gourmet Hunter Menchi. Will anyone be able to make something that satisfies Menchi...?