Hunter × Hunter This is a legendary series by manga artist Yoshihiro Togashi. Since its debut in 1998, it has established itself as an iconic series despite its long and seemingly endless hiatus. Hunter × Hunter After a two-year hiatus, it finally returned in 2026 with episode 411 published in the 31st issue of Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump. Since then, we've been releasing comics every week with each chapter making significant progress. in Hunter × Hunter In Chapter 413, which covers the Succession Contest arc, fans got to see some of the biggest developments, specifically focusing on Benjamin, the first prince of the Kakin Empire.
Benjamin was already strong, but Togashi made him his new god. Hunter × Hunter Rule the world with massive power-ups through his Nen Beast. Benjamin may fail to ascend, but whoever becomes King Kakin will gain tremendous strength and power to conquer the entire world. That's why even a character like Meruem can be overpowered in the ongoing arc.
Hunter x Hunter, sets Prince Benjamin as a new god
Hunter × Hunter It first began in 1998 but is still ongoing as of 2026, although hiatuses have slowed the pace of serialization. Since 2014, we have been running the HxH Succession Contest, which started with Episode 349 of Volume 37-38 of Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump. Right now, Hunter x Hunters Episode 413 was released in Weekly Shonen Jump's 33rd issue on July 12, 2026.
The chapter shocked many with some of its revelations, especially as it threw the spotlight on Benjamin Hui Guo Rou, the first prince of the Kakin Empire. Previously we knew Benjamin was dying, and in this chapter we get confirmation that it's from TSK-17 poison. This poison was administered to him by one of his allies, Furykov, but not because of disloyalty, but because of a larger plan to protect the prince from the curse of Beyond Netero.
According to the information revealed in this chapter, if Benjamin had not been poisoned, he would have activated the curse, killing him while also eliminating the Nen beast. They can't let that happen, as Benjamin's Nen beast is the key to his next power-up that he claims will make him a god in the HxH universe. Benjamin specifically claims that he can become a god and protector of the entire world, a being that surpasses even King Kakin. Using Furykov's Nen ability Combo Master, Benjamin's Nen beast ability finally becomes decipherable, and also creates a special weapon to power it up. We don't yet know what this Nen beast is capable of, but it's set to be a powerful ability that could help Benjamin win the Succession Tournament.
Benjamin is still dying, but believes that thanks to Nen he will become immortal. The details of how this happens are still unclear, but we've seen the Beast survive even after the user's death, such as in the case of Kocho, who still lives and helps her sister. Benjamin's Nen beast could live longer, even absorb him when he dies, and guide his lineage as the unbreakable successor to the Kakin Empire. To achieve this level of power, he must win a succession contest, and to achieve this, he plans to eradicate all other princes, with Tserriednich and Camilla as his next targets.
“The power of my guardian beast, deciphered by Purikoff, will combine with Benjamin's baton to make me the spiritual core of the Kakin tree, replacing the seed jar ceremony! I will become the guardian spirit of that leader!! It will make me the highest power of Kakin, the highest authority that surpasses even the king!! The battle of succession was not a battle of survival to choose the next king!! Kakin will soon rule the world as a nation, and the path of revolution will be guided by an unbroken line forever! This will make it a sure thing! “It is a temple to choose God, our glorious guardian and protector, who will guide us through it!” — Prince Benjamin in Hunter x Hunter episode 413.
Benjamin is powerful, but may be stopped before his ascension
To become the god of the new world, Benjamin must win a succession contest. But this is easier said than done. Benjamin is powerful as the first prince, and his influence is so great that he even declares martial law. That said, our first choice when it comes to who will win the contest isn't Benjamin, and that's very evident in Togashi's set-up. Benjamin may be able to kill some of the princes, especially Camilla, whose abilities he discovered, but he will not be able to kill them all in time. Benjamin only has a few hours left until the poison takes full effect, which is certainly not enough time to achieve his goal.
Halkenburg is also still on the move and using his Nen ability, Possession Arrow, so it's hard to predict what his next move will be. As things stand, this could lead to Benjamin's downfall. At the same time, this downfall could also come through his brother Tserriednich, whom he planned to be his next target. Tserriednich's Nen abilities and Nen beasts make him very difficult to kill and attempting to kill him could be the end for Benjamin. Nonetheless, Benjamin's ascension may fail, but whoever wins the succession contest is promised a massive power-up that will allow them to become a new god.
The next King Kakin will have unprecedented levels of power and become a god
When we think of powerful Hunter x Hunter characters, we often think of Meruem, the Ant King, and Nanika, the being trapped in the body of Alluka Zoldyck. Each demonstrated tremendous ability in his or her own way. Meruem's growth rate was incomparably higher than others, and his aura synthesis ability allowed him to acquire various abilities. Meanwhile, Nanika can grant any wish for a price, and her Nen reserves are basically infinite. Through the Succession Contest arc, new, more powerful characters will appear, allowing them to become gods of this world. To understand why the Succession Contest arc can grant such a large power-up to a character, you need to understand the concept of posthumous Nen, the strict conditions that come with great sacrifice, and the impact it has on Nen.
It is revealed that there are 14 princes participating in the succession contest, and that each time one of them dies, the body is taken to the tomb to use Nen. For the competition to be successful, only one prince must survive, and the remaining princes must be used to strengthen him. The amount of sacrifice used in this ritual makes it so impactful. The Seed Jar Ritual allows the victor to keep the empire prospering.
The base power level of so many princes is already high. The deaths of characters like Halkenburg and Benjamin, for example, only amplify their siblings. It's unknown how strong the current King of Kakin, King Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, is, but he is certainly one of the most powerful people in HxH, and whoever succeeds him will become even stronger and a character capable of ruling the entire world. Of course, Kurapika reveals that there is a way to avoid the deaths of the remaining princes, but this would lead to the downfall of the Hoegukro family and the failure of the ritual. If that happens, no new god will be born, but the Kakin Empire itself will collapse.
Hunter × Hunter
- release date
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2011 – 2014
- move
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Kojina Hiroshi
- author
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Atsushi Maekawa, Tsutomu Kamishiro
