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Highlights

The Hunter x Hunter Dark Continent is inhabited by extremely dangerous creatures, the likes of which have only been teased in the story thus far. Nonetheless, it is also rumored to hold treasures of immeasurable value so in the distant past, humanity attempted to send multiple expeditions to achieve these riches. Of these many, only five had survivors, and all brought back threats capable of leading humanity to extinction.

Due to the dangerous nature of these five threats, it was decided that setting foot on these lands would only lead to great disasters. The V5 signed the Treaty of Non-Aggression and all expeditions to the continent were officially banned for the 200 years that followed. That said, human curiosity and greed often prevailed, and 149 illicit expedition attempts were made. With a survival rate of 0.04%, few people have lived to tell the tales of these lands and very little information is available in the Known World.

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The Five Threats that exist in the Dark Continent are proof that this place is too wild and dangerous for even the strongest people in the Hunter x Hunter world. Not much is known about these threats as they receive no more than an offhanded mention, but what little is known is enough to classify them as far more dangerous than even the chimera ants. The threats that fans have seen are in a classified laboratory, and they are believed to have been inflicted upon humanity as penance for having attempted to enter these lands.

The first of the five threats of the Hunter x Hunter world is known as Pap, a dark and fearsome entity dubbed the "Human-Keeping Beast". Renowned for its unnerving habit of preying on humans and keeping them as pets, this enigmatic creature inhabits a secluded mountain range located on the Dark Continent. Despite its remote dwelling, the terror of Pap does not remain confined to these boundaries, and evidence of its activities has surfaced in the known world, with victims having been found far from its natural lair.

The Hunter x Hunter world knows Brion as The Botanical Weapon, the threat that was brought back from the second successful dark continent expedition. Though it is one of the threats fans know least about, its appearance has been revealed to be an ominous-looking human body with an enormous sphere where the head should be. Alongside Zobae, it is considered one of the weaker threats in the Dark Continent, but nonetheless, only two individuals survived the expedition which met its fate at its hands.

The second biohazardous Dark Continent threat is Zobae, known as the immortality illness. It is a disease that kills almost everyone who contracts it and of those who encountered it, only one survived. This survivor has now turned immortal and entirely self-sustaining, but this immortality likely came at the expense of his mind; he is quarantined in a lab with no remaining sense of self and no cure available, condemned to an eternal hell.

Hellbell and Ai are two of the most dangerous of the five threats from the dark continent. Though little is known about Ai in particular, both creatures seem to be intrinsically tied to the dark side of human nature, and both seem to be able to manipulate human behavior. Hellbell presents as a two-tailed snake capable of infecting its prey with murderous intent, though whether it is a single being or a species is yet uncertain. It is extremely ferocious and of those who encountered it, only 1% has survived.

Even less has been revealed of Ai, a gaseous life-form with limb like appendages known as the codependency of desire, though a popular theory identifies Nanika as a possible exemplary of this species. It is in fact confirmed that Nanika came from the Dark Continent and due to the similarity in the crushed form of their victims and the codependent nature of her relationship with Alluka, this is likely true.

Not much is known on the five threats, but what has been revealed is more than sufficient to demonstrate the unimaginable level of danger in the Dark Continent. Though Togashi has hinted at working on new chapters, there is still no release date, and the Hunter x Hunter community can only hope that the mysteries of this world will one day be resolved.

Hunter x Hunter is available to stream on Prime Video.

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Hunter x Hunter: The Five Threats, Explained - GameRant