Chapter 91

From above the rubble field, the long-haired man remains standing on the left while Gon continues running and the short-haired woman walks in the distance. A large speech bubble states, "I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT. WE’RE TRACKING YOU OF OUR OWN FREE WILL." In a closer panel the short-haired woman says "YES." while the long-haired woman replies "SO?" Gon thinks to himself that a fraction of a second is enough. The long-haired woman adds that they give her some space and she is spinning. In a dramatic close-up the short-haired woman stands with hands on hips, one holding a small object, and asks "SHOULD I CHECK?" while warning "IF HE LIES TO US, HE’S A VERY GOOD LIAR."

Leorio stands tall on the left side of a narrow alley, one hand on his hip and the other in his pocket, his jacket open over a dark shirt and his legs wrapped in bandages. In the center, Gon faces forward with a calm expression, hands in his pockets and a scarf around his neck. To the right, Killua stands with a neutral gaze, his spiky white hair catching the light and his patterned shirt and dark pants visible. The three are positioned against the backdrop of old buildings and hanging signs under an overcast sky, with the chapter number displayed prominently above them.

In a ruined building filled with debris, a long-haired woman stands with her back to the viewer, facing Gon and a suited man. She asks, "WHY ARE YOU TRACKING US?" and labels it "QUESTION 1." Gon replies, "IN SHORT." A close-up shows Gon stating, "IF I LIE, I'M TAKING A HUGE RISK." The suited man and long-haired man listen intently. In the lower panel, the long-haired woman continues, "THE MAFIA'S GIVING A GENEROUS REWARD ON YOUR HEAD." Gon stands alone amid the rubble as she adds, "THERE ARE A LOT OF SITES THAT GIVE A LOT OF MONEY JUST TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE."

Gon and Killua stand before the long-haired man as he continues his interrogation. Gon explains, "I KNOW IT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL HUNTER." The man asks about their training, "BETTER THAN SHADOWING, IT'S A TECHNIQUE THAT ALLOWS US TO HIDE OUR PRESENCE, ZETSU. WHO TAUGHT YOU THE SHADOWING?" He labels it "QUESTION 2." A flashback panel shows a suited man identified as "A MASTER OF KUNG-FU SHINGEN" while the man presses, "WHO TAUGHT IT TO YOU?" Gon reacts with surprise at the mention of "A CHAIN?" The long-haired man leans in for "QUESTION 3," asking, "DO YOU KNOW A NEN USER WHO OWNS A CHAIN?" He notes, "YOUR MASTER DIDN'T HAVE A CHAIN AT THE RIGHT WRIST? HE'S FROM THE MANIPULATION OR TRANSFORMATION NEN TYPE." Pointing directly at Gon he adds, "UNLESS IT'S YOU?" Gon replies firmly, "AND ALL HE TAUGHT ME ARE THE FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES!" while Killua sweats nearby. Gon concludes, "I DON'T KNOW. MY MASTER IS FROM THE REINFORCEMENT."

The long-haired man raises two fingers and says, "THINK CALMLY. TWO CHOICES." He continues, "OK. LAST QUESTION. REALLY? TOO BAD..." while adjusting his hair. A dramatic close-up of his eyes asks, "OR LATER? YOU WANNA DIE NOW?" In the final panel the long-haired man stands with hands in pockets while a suited figure grabs Gon by the collar. The man declares, "YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS." Gon stands tense in the center with a bright impact burst behind him as the threat hangs in the air.

A heavy boot slams down on a small round object, crushing it with a burst of impact lines. An eye widens in alarm. The long-haired woman stands holding a cell phone that flashes BEEP BEEP. In the next instant Killua appears behind Gon, one arm locked around the smaller boy's chest while his other hand grips Gon's wrist. Large black silhouettes streak past them as the word DAN erupts across the panel. Killua's foot taps the ground with a sharp TAP. The long-haired woman leans in close, her expression cold, and speaks directly to the boys: "DON'T MAKE USELESS MOVES." Gon and Killua stare up at her with wide, startled eyes.

Gon reacts with shock, an exclamation mark bursting beside his head. The long-haired woman speaks into her phone while holding it to her ear: "YOUR FRIEND WISELY LET HIMSELF GET CAPTURED." She continues, addressing someone as "BOY..." before receiving a reply. On the other end of the line she confirms, "UNDERSTOOD, WE'RE COMING." and "YES, OK." The scene shifts to a sleek car driving across cracked pavement with a sharp Criit sound from its tires. The final panel reveals a devastated cityscape of ruined high-rise buildings reduced to skeletal frames amid piles of rubble under an overcast sky.

Gon and Killua stand before a dilapidated multi-story building with broken windows and overgrown vines. They exchange wary glances. A short-haired woman in a dark suit leads them forward across an open, dusty lot toward a parked car where a suited man waits. The group approaches the structure as the woman gestures ahead. Inside a dim corridor, the woman opens a metal door with a sharp clac and turns back with a smile. 'Welcome to our hideout,' she says. Gon and Killua stare ahead in surprise, sweat drops visible on their faces.

The ruined interior of the hideout is filled with rubble and broken walls. Several Phantom Troupe members are scattered throughout the space: Hisoka crouches on debris, a small girl sits reading, a masked figure perches above, a long-haired woman stands with hands on hips, and a large bandaged man sits bound in the center. The short-haired woman stands facing the bandaged man with her back to the viewer. Gon, Killua, and a spiky-haired man watch from the foreground. Close-up panels show the Troupe members' faces. Gon speaks with concern: 'We don't know each other. Hisoka... he likes Gon, he might do something for us.' Killua adds that they do not know each other either.

In the ruined auction hall filled with scattered debris, Hisoka stands in the foreground with a star marking on his cheek, hand near his face as he watches the group. Gon, Killua, and the long-haired woman stand amid the wreckage while a suited man approaches from the side. Someone shouts 'AH!' as Hisoka mutters 'IDIOT...'. In a close panel, the long-haired woman glances sideways with 'DAMN' overhead while Gon sweats and says 'AH...'. The scene shifts to the group reacting to the arm-wrestling event. Gon points and exclaims 'THE GIRL WHO WAS IN THE ARM WRESTLING !!' as the spiky-haired man scratches his head and says 'ER... NO, ACTUALLY...'. Hisoka questions 'WHAT? THERE'S SOMEONE YOU KNOW?' while the long-haired woman looks on. Someone calls out 'HEY! THAT GIRL...' from off-panel.

The long-haired woman sits on debris as the group discusses the previous day's arm wrestling. A voice recalls 'THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, YOU LOST TO THIS KID AT ARM WRESTLING.' Another asks 'WHEN WAS THIS?' and 'NO, NOT AT ALL.' The long-haired woman questions 'YOU KNOW THEM, SHIZUKU?' while Shizuku, now shown with a skull-emblazoned mask, says 'HE'S THE KID WHO WAS ARM WRESTLING. AH... I REMEMBER.' The spiky-haired man admits 'NEVERMIND, MY MISTAKE.' and questions his own memory of using his right arm. Shizuku confirms 'YES.' and states 'SO, YOU WON AGAINST SHIZUKU?' The suited man with a phone declares 'IF I HAD KNOWN SHE WAS IN THE RYODAN...' before the long-haired woman agrees to 'PLAY AGAINST ME.' and ends with 'FINE.'

In the ruined hall, onlookers watch as the arm-wrestling contest restarts. A voice calls out, 'ONE MORE TIME.' The long-haired man and Gon lock hands across the table. The man declares, 'READY...' With a thunderous 'VLAM,' the match erupts as their arms slam down amid motion lines and impact bursts. Close-up panels capture the strain: the man's focused eyes and Gon's intense stare. The table shakes under the pressure. Bottom panels show sweat flying as repeated 'DOM DOM' sound effects mark each surge of force. Gon grits his teeth, eyes wide with effort, while the long-haired man maintains a calm, steady gaze. Background figures remain still, observing the duel in silence.

The arm-wrestling continues with another heavy 'VLAM' impact. Hisoka stands in the background, watching with a slight smile beside Killua, whose eyes are wide with surprise. The long-haired man and Gon remain locked in struggle. A panel shows the man's hand gripping tightly. Nearby, a bandaged figure and others discuss rankings. The long-haired man states, '7TH OR 8TH, I THINK.' Another asks, 'WHAT'S MY RANKING IN THE RYODAN FOR ARM WRESTLING?' The man replies, 'NOT WEAK, BUT NOT STRONG...' In the final panel the long-haired man reflects, 'IT SEEMS HE'S BEEN KILLED BY THAT GUY WITH A CHAIN. THE STRONGEST OF US WAS A GUY NAMED LIBOIGIN.' Someone mutters, 'PFFF...'

A tense standoff erupts as a headband-wearing man slams his hand down with a loud VLAM and snarls, "NEXT TIME YOU OPEN THAT MOUTH WITHOUT PERMISSION, I KILL YOU." Gon stares forward with wide, startled eyes. The long-haired man leans in and says, "BOY..." while another voice adds, "WE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT WE DON'T KNOW HIM, DIDN'T WE?" A close-up of a sweating face demands, "ONE MORE TIME." The discussion turns to the fallen comrade. "I'M THE ONE WHO KNEW HIM THE BEST," states a voice. "WE KNEW EACH OTHER BEFORE JOINING THE RYODAN," recalls another. "WE HIT EACH OTHER LIKE KIDS, AND I ALWAYS LOST." The long-haired man seated at the table continues, "HE WAS QUITE DEMANDING ABOUT PUNCTUALITY. HE OFTEN ARGUED WITH FRANKLIN AND I BECAUSE OF OUR TARDINESS." He adds, "HE USED REINFORCEMENT. WE WERE LIKE TWO FINGERS OF ONE HAND." A clenched fist tightens with a CRIC sound.

A scarred, intense man with spiky hair leans forward, eyes wide with fury, declaring, "IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT HE LOST WHILE FIGHTING LOYALLY. HE MUST HAVE FALLEN INTO SOME KIND OF COWARD'S TRAP!! I'M POSITIVE!" His fist clenches tightly with CRIC SFX. Nearby, Killua sweats and states, "EVEN IF I HAVE TO KILL TENS OF PEOPLE, I'LL FIND HIM... I WON'T EVER FORGIVE HIM!" A voice explains, "HE WAS HIRED BY NOSTRADE CLAN." Another adds, "THE CHAIN GUY MUST HAVE A STRONG FEELING OF HATE AGAINST US." The scarred man growls, "IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA SAY IT WITHOUT HESITATION. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW HIM DIRECTLY, BUT YOU COULD HAVE HEARD RUMORS ABOUT HIM. TRY TO REMEMBER." Gon and Killua react with shock as Gon exclaims, "NO..." and thinks, "HATRED AGAINST THE RYODAN... HIRED RECENTLY..."

Gon stares with wide, sweating eyes, visibly shaken. The long-haired man with a facial scar responds coldly, 'WHAT?' followed by 'EVEN IF I KNEW, I WOULDN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING.' and 'I DON'T KNOW.' Killua and a masked long-haired woman watch from the side. A hand grips tightly with the SFX 'GRIC ガリ…'. In a large close-up, Gon declares, 'I WAS THINKING YOU COULDN'T CRY, NOR DID YOU HAVE A HEART.' and 'BEING ABLE TO CRY FOR HIS COMPANION.' The scene shifts to Gon and the long-haired man locked in a fierce fist-clench, both grunting 'GRIC' 'GRIC' as the man asks, 'EVEN A LITTLE... DON'T YOU SHARE THAT FEELING...' and 'BUT IN THAT CASE, WHY...' with a shocked '!?'.

Gon lunges forward with a furious expression, shouting '...WITH ALL THE PEOPLE YOU KILL !!!' The massive impact 'VLAM' strikes the long-haired man directly, sending shockwaves and debris flying outward from the point of contact.

Killua sits on the floor in a relaxed yet alert posture, leaning back on his left hand for support. His right arm extends forward with fingers loosely curled as if reacting to something off-panel. He wears a black tank top, torn shorts, and his signature black-and-white boots with circular soles. His spiky hair stands on end, and his eyes are directed to the right with a neutral, slightly wary expression on his face. The vast empty space around him emphasizes the isolated moment.