The ship's captain recommends they go towards a tree on the top of a mountain instead of directly at their goal. Leorio takes the bus and the rest head towards the tree. The bus is a trap, so Leorio abandons it and catches up with Gon and Kurapika. Matthew, an examinee they meet, travels with them and then betrays them. They successfully answer a riddle asked by an examiner and move on to the next test.

While one of the examinees, wrestler Todo, criticizes Menchi and all Gourmet Hunters, Netero, the head examiner and Hunter Association's president, arrives and asks Menchi to give everyone another chance. The test takers collect spider eagle eggs, and Todo learns to respect Gourmet Hunters, vowing to return and take the test again.

Gon faces the next prisoner, Sedokan, in a match to see who's candle can burn the longest. Gon is given a candle that burns quickly, but because of this it isn't susceptible to the wind, and Gon drops it on the floor and runs to blow out Sedokan candle. Kurapika engages in a death match with the next opponent, Majitani, but refuses to kill him after seeing red (literally) and knocking the criminal unconscious.

The last test to get out of the tower has two paths: one is too long and the other will only allow three of the five to enter. Leorio and Tonpa start fighting to see who will stay, when Gon thinks outside the box. They choose the longer path, destroy the wall between the paths with axes provided so they could fight, and all five make it.

The next fight is between Hanzo and Gon. Although Gon tries his hardest to combat Hanzo, it is obvious he is no match for the ninja. Hanzo severely injures Gon and breaks his arm, but Gon will not admit defeat. Gon feels that if he is ever to find his father, he must pass the Hunter Exam now.

Gon is determined that Killua has left against his will and Gon is going to find him. He fights Illumi for information and Illumi is about to kill him when Hisoka shows up. Illumi instead tells Gon that Killua is at the Zoldyck family home. Leorio is about to go to medical school and Kurapika is about to leave on his first job when both change their minds and decide to follow Gon as he looks for Killua.

Killua's mother Kikyo and brother Kalluto knock Canary out. They tell Gon that Killua doesn't have time to see them and they should leave. When Canary wakes up, she and Gon's group head to the house of security guards. Meanwhile, Killua has a talk with his father Silva, who makes Killua promise to never betray his friends. He then lets Killua leave to find Gon. Later, Silva tells Kikyo that Killua will be back because he's his father's son.

Kurapika explains his abilities to Gon, Killua and Leorio. Then they set out to find the Phantom Troupe. The Troupe decides to stay and find the chain-user after sensing the location of the nen-copied scarlet eyes.

Killua swaps with Kurapika just in time - he and Gon are captured by the Phantom Troupe. The Spiders kill Squala and take his memories of Kurapika. Meanwhile, Gon's group ends up at the hotel where Leorio and Senritsu have set up a plan.