In Area D underground, Palm lays out her reading for Ikalgo: Killua thinks Komugi matters to the King, but the Royal Guards may not agree — Pitou protected her, while Pouf tried to kill her. Ikalgo rejects the theory outright; Palm reminds him that both of them, at some point, sided with humans. In the palace, Meruem studies the poison gas's decomposing death chain — while Pouf coughs blood behind him.