Hunter × Hunter chapter 398: Search — what is in it
Meteor City arc · 19 pages · 21 characters
Key facts in this chapter
The page is titled "INVESTIGATING TIER 3'S HIDDEN ROOM." A floor plan labels the old man at the center with radius X M. The door is confirmed locked from the inside. Characters discuss conjurer abilities versus specialist abilities. A key is visibly turned in the lock.
The room contains a toilet and a bed. The door can be locked from both sides. A hidden passage exists behind the wall. Characters suspect a trap was set in advance.
The group enters the room through the wall. No trap activates when entering via the hidden route. The old man tests exiting and re-entering the room. Other characters remain in the hallway observing.
The curly-haired man is being pursued by the spiky-haired swordsman. The topknotted man and light-haired man remain in the side room. A small dark-haired girl with knives appears in the hallway. The curly-haired man returns through the same doorway with the girl.
The trap is analyzed as boundary type rather than landmine type. Boundary traps can cover wide areas with multiple triggers. Landmine traps are limited to two or three spots. The bandaged-face man decides to advance with Nobunaga. The Cha-r family is mentioned as a potential threat.
Hinrigh is identified as Xi-Yu underboss who provided the lead. Cha-r men are deployed to tail suspected Heil-ly members. The long-haired man offers cooperation against Heil-ly in exchange for help. Balance is described as most important to the Kakin mafia.
The transmitter is intended to reveal the enemy base location. Civilians sent in are immediately killed and searched. The long-haired man's ability transforms objects into living creatures. The group rejects the offer and plans to charge in directly.
In a dimly lit corridor, a tall man in a long white coat holding a sheathed sword stands before a door and says, "ONCE I OPEN THIS..." Behind him, another man replies, "CAN I GO BACK TO MY ROOM?" A third voice answers firmly, "NOPE." The first man continues, "OPEN IT, AND GO INSIDE." Two small children stand nearby watching. The scene shifts to a labeled diagram of the hidden room showing a bed, old man at the center, radius X M, and trap radius. A spiky-haired man with a stern expression thinks, "I'M THINKING THE OLD FART'S A CONJURER'S CLONE, SERVING AS BOTH A LOOK-OUT AND THE CENTER POINT FOR THE TRAP RADIUS." Nearby, a man with an earring says, "THE MAFIA GUYS SAID HE HAD A TELEPORTATION ABILITY, RIGHT?" Another adds, "IF I'M RIGHT, THAT OLD MAN WILL BE IN THERE. IF HE ISN'T, WE'RE SAFE." In the next panels, the group reaches the door. One man exclaims, "HUH?" as another says, "COME AGAIN?!" A voice from the group warns, "STALL AGAIN, AND YOU GET TORN A NEW ASSHOLE." Someone replies, "UNLOCK IT." A curly-haired figure mutters, "UHH... THE DOOR'S LOCKED FROM THIS SIDE..." while another gripes, "YOU HEARD? DAMN IT CAN'T." The discussion continues with analysis: "IT'D BE ANOTHER STORY IF THE OLD MAN'S THE NEN USER HIMSELF, NOT JUST A CLONE." "WHILE CONJURERS CAN CREATE SPECIAL AREAS WITH SPECIFIC RULES, TELEPORTATION LEANS TOO HEAVY ON EMISSION." "QUIT YAPPING, HE COULD JUST BE A SPECIALIST." "HE COULD JUST BE A LOOKOUT, AND THE TRAP IS SOMEONE ELSE'S POWER." "THAT'S A REACH, MORON." A hand turns a key with a loud "KRRKHK" sound. The final panel shows a close-up of the old man's wrinkled face as he whispers, "ANYONE IN THERE...?"
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A colorful beach illustration shows Gon Freecss in green swim trunks shading his eyes with one hand while holding goggles, standing on rocks with water splashing at his feet. Behind him, Killua with blue hair holds a popsicle, and Leorio in red trunks sits on the rocks pointing. Flying fish and birds fill the bright blue sky. Text at the top reads "PLEASE SUPPORT THE OFFICIAL RELEASE WHEN AVAILABLE IN YOUR REGION." The right side displays TCB SCANS credits listing translators, proofreaders, cleaners, redrawers, typesetters, and editor. A notes box contains a small dog-like drawing and states: "IT'S TANEHANA FROM THE STAFF. THE RECENT BATCH AS WELL AS THE NEXT 30 CHAPTERS WERE ALL DRAWN 4 YEARS AGO. I WANNA QUICKLY DRAW - (TOGASHI YOSHIHIRO)" Links to Discord and social media are shown at the bottom.
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The curly-haired old man examines the locked door and declares, "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, I'M OPENING IT." He points forward while noting, "THIS ONE'S LOCKED FROM THIS SIDE TOO..." Nearby, the long-haired man wonders if the old guy is a clone who could escape a locked room. The group realizes this is the only entrance to the hidden room, so someone must have locked it from inside. A top-down view shows the old man peering into the empty toilet room, thinking, "THERE'S NO ONE HERE..." In the next panel the spiky-haired man reacts with shock as the group debates the trap. The old man explains they knew about the trap ahead of time and burst in from the hidden chamber. The topknotted man and others consider that the culprit would disappear after locking both doors. The spiky-haired man exclaims, "IT'S FOR THE WALL," while the old man insists the front-door approach would have made them cautious. The long-haired man asks, "SO YOU'RE AGAINST ME TOO?!" The spiky-haired man points at a diagram of the room and says, "OKAY, YOU CONVINCED ME," adding, "MEANING IF YOU REVERSE THE LOGIC..." The bearded man concludes it is to buy time in case someone figures out the door is a trap.
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The curly-haired old man stands in the doorway and says, "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT..." The topknotted man replies, "SURE..." while gesturing inside, explaining that entering through the wall means the trap won't activate. The spiky-haired man grins and adds, "SAME GOES FOR THIS BATHROOM DOOR!" Inside the room the old man spreads his arms and announces, "NOTHING'S HAPPENING..." The spiky-haired man and the long-haired man watch from the side. The old man continues, "WELL... IF NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN EXIT, THEN COME BACK." He suggests going back to his room. The group agrees to try leaving through the front door. The spiky-haired man says, "COOL, NOW TRY LEAVING THROUGH THAT DOOR." In the final panels the old man sweats nervously, says "OKAY," and walks out while the others follow. He turns and calls, "NOW COME BACK IN," as the group watches him from the hallway.
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A curly-haired man sprints down a narrow corridor as a blinding flash erupts behind him. The spiky-haired swordsman lunges forward with a weapon drawn, motion lines streaking the panel. Close-ups capture the curly-haired man's startled face and the swordsman's intense glare. In a side room, the topknotted man in a robe and the light-haired man in a suit stand together. The topknotted man warns, "Once he gets going, he never stops at the ears. Get back here before you lose both ears!" The curly-haired man reappears in the hallway facing a small dark-haired girl holding two knives. He panics, asking which way to go. The girl points and says, "Right or left... pick one." Later, the curly-haired man returns through the doorway with the girl, arms raised triumphantly as he declares, "I'm back, baby!" The topknotted man and light-haired man watch from the room.
The group discusses the trap mechanism. The topknotted man notes that the trap must be at the same place they are being teleported to. The light-haired man observes that it seems to trigger even without the old man and concludes it is more of a boundary type than a landmine type. Informational boxes explain boundary type traps using Nen-infused tools and landmine type traps limited to two or three spots. The light-haired man suggests waiting if the trap can be triggered multiple times. The bandaged-face man with a sword agrees to go ahead with Nobunaga. In the hallway, the small dark-haired girl stands near the spiky-haired man while the curly-haired man gestures wildly, shouting about the Cha-r family. The spiky-haired man moves down the corridor as SFX indicate rapid movement.
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In a dimly lit hallway, the long-haired man with wavy locks addresses the group. "We can put off your suicide mission until after you've heard me out, right?" he says. "This might help us find their hideout." A voice replies, "The Xi-Yu underboss, Hinrigh, has a suggestion for you." "Wait a sec!" someone calls out. Hinrigh, the bespectacled man with slicked-back hair, explains, "Hinrigh is the one who put us onto that lead. He's also the one who found this room, so you can trust him." He continues, "My Cha-r men are heading out to tail two suspected Heil-ly members." The long-haired man adds, "...That we have no issue with the troupe. First and foremost, I'd like to say..." The long-haired man then states firmly, "The Heil-ly have betrayed the balance, so if you help us crush them I'll gladly cooperate. 'Balance' is what's most important to the Kakin mafia." In the background, the topknotted man, the bandana woman, and others stand listening as figures move down the corridor.
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A hand holds up a small black device. "Worth a shot, don't you think?" someone asks. "A stooge will take this into the trap, and it'll transmit the base's location." Hinrigh warns, "If you send a civilian in, they'll immediately kill and search him. The device will be found in 5 mins top." The long-haired man replies, "They've got a massacre going on the other side of the trap, right?" The topknotted man asks, "How you find enemy base?" while the bandana woman holds a transmitter. "With this transmitter," she answers. Hinrigh says, "Speak for yourself." The long-haired man responds, "Appreciate the offer, but we're set on just charging in." In a dramatic close-up, the long-haired man activates his power, his hands glowing with energy and crackling lightning as an oyster-like form emerges. "I can turn tools or devices into living things," he declares. "A raw oyster... If I turn this into... That's where my ability comes in."
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The spiky-haired man explains that the bigger the object, the faster it runs out, noting something this size should last about two hours once Nen is depleted. Hinrigh, the long-haired man, holds a small transmitter between his fingers and states that even if they stripped the stooge and did a cavity search it would not turn up, adding that the stooge just needs to swallow it. The spiky-haired man asks which one of them is going to swallow it. Hinrigh replies that it is a solid compromise since he does not want to go directly and these guys want to charge right in. In the next panel Hinrigh and the spiky-haired man turn toward the background where Nobunaga stands with arms crossed and a small figure lingers nearby; the spiky-haired man reacts with a surprised "Huh?". The bandana woman declares she does not eat anything someone else has touched and definitely nothing someone else has spoken over. Nobunaga, sweating, admits he cannot eat shellfish because he had a bad one once and the taste of them makes him want to throw up. At the doorway Hinrigh tells the group he already has a stooge. Nobunaga laughs and says he did not expect them to trust him right away.
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Hinrigh declares "ME." and places the transmitter into his own mouth. A small "GULP" sound effect appears as he swallows it. Three reaction panels show the spiky-haired man, the bandana woman, and two other men staring in shock. Hinrigh then holds a radar-like receiver and explains that the maximum radius is one kilometer but altitude is not taken into account, so they must be mindful of that. He adds that the closer they are the more frequent and high-pitched the noise will be, with the bar turning red at zero distance. Hinrigh demonstrates the receiver, noting it is not very precise but will give a vague indication of the transmitter's distance and direction. A separate panel shows a "TWHIP" sound effect with a spiky visual burst. Hinrigh tells the group he will be counting on them. In the final wide shot the party stands in a hallway with an open doorway; Hinrigh warns that it would be a massive failure if he is unlucky enough to be killed and dissected, so he will do his best to hide the transmitter somewhere beforehand.
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A handheld device displays a grid and range scale as someone notes the color suggests the target is 500-1000 meters away and seems far off. Nearby, a spiky-haired man in a light robe holding a sheathed sword stands with a light-haired man in dark clothing and a braided-haired girl. The spiky-haired man remarks that he likes the bare guy who says the bare minimum and gets straight to it. The light-haired man observes that something is happening. A wide shot reveals a massive ship silhouette on the water, estimated at 1500 meters long with equal boom width and height. The group debates the ship's size and the hideout's location. In a long tiled corridor lined with doors and distant figures, they conclude that if the hideout is on this tier the color bar would redden, so they decide to head to the center of tier 3. The braided-haired girl turns and states that one of them needs to go. The two men react sharply with surprise and irritation.
From a high angle, a curly-haired person plummets through the air and slams violently into a gridded tiled wall, body twisting on impact with motion lines and debris scattering. In the next moment the same figure is shown mid-crash, limbs flailing as cracks spread across the tiles. The scene shifts to a wide view of a ruined room with a large central door; the curly-haired person lies crumpled on the checkered floor amid scattered debris and broken furniture, the wall above heavily damaged.
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In a wrecked hallway lined with damaged doors and blood-smeared walls, the curly-haired man stands with legs spread wide, knife in hand, scanning the empty corridor. 'THERE'S NOBODY HERE?!' he exclaims, eyes wide with alarm. His face tightens as he considers the situation: 'MAYBE THEY INTERROGATED THE OTHER VICTIMS AND FOUND OUT ABOUT US?' and 'THE BLOOD ON THE FLOOR IS FRESH. I MUST REMAIN VIGILANT.' Suddenly a dark blur and sharp motion lines erupt from the side as an unseen attacker lunges forward with a blade, the impact sending debris flying. The curly-haired man's eyes snap wide in shock at the ambush.
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Nobunaga bursts into the hallway, sword drawn, confronting the curly-haired man. 'WHY ARE YOU HERE?' the curly-haired man demands. Nobunaga replies, 'NOBUNAGA-SA...' and notes 'NOT WHAT I EXPECTED.' In the background a bandana-wearing figure sits on a stool while another crouches. The curly-haired man retorts about a possible trap and co-op play. Nobunaga states they planned to greet him with a trap and cut him down. The curly-haired man warns that the other two have doubts and that his survival chances are low alone. Nobunaga asks his name again; the curly-haired man admits he forgot it. Nobunaga suggests observing or acting, then proposes they do something about the trap.
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In a dimly lit, damaged hallway, the curly-haired man identified as Hinrigh stands beside the topknotted man. A large speech bubble declares, "WE WON'T KNOW WHICH IS BEST UNTIL WE TRY, SO WHAT'LL IT BE?" while another states, "IT'S HINRIGH." The topknotted man turns slightly and says, "THAT WAS MY PICK." Hinrigh replies, "GOOD. ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT AN INFORMED DECISION. ACTION." The two walk down the corridor away from the viewer, swords at their sides. A close-up shows the topknotted man's focused, narrowed eyes and a hand reaching toward a door marked with Japanese characters. Impact lines and debris mark the tense atmosphere.
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The topknotted man points forward dramatically and declares, "IT'S THEIR HIDEOUT. NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT." Hinrigh stands nearby as the topknotted man assumes a combat stance. He draws two swords and unleashes a powerful slash, creating massive impact lines and shattering effects with SFX "Zzz" and "V!! K!!" Hinrigh watches with wide eyes, asking, "WHY'S THAT?" while the topknotted man responds, "JUST WAIT AND SEE." The attack strikes an unseen barrier or door, producing dramatic motion lines and debris.
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A curly-haired figure and the topknotted swordsman stand before a concrete wall marked by spreading cracks. The curly-haired one notes the wall aloud while the swordsman leaps up, katana at his side, confirming it is guarded by Nen. They examine the damage closely. A close-up reveals a long-haired man with heavy facial stitches and a calm expression as cracks continue to form around him. The swordsman and curly-haired figure conclude the Nen user must be nearby and strong, possibly a conjurer or specialist. They decide their main base is here and resolve to head straight for the ringleader.
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In a dark, tiled corridor the topknotted man and curly-haired figure approach a row of doors marked with symbols. The topknotted man suggests starting by opening the doors while the curly-haired one agrees to keep watch. They begin checking the rooms one by one. A hand pushes open a door labeled with a symbol, revealing a large bathroom area containing multiple toilets and a shower. The curly-haired figure remarks that it is a large family facility.
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Nobunaga stands in the hallway as the curly-haired man opens the door ahead of him. "IT'S NOBU-NAGA," the curly-haired man reports. Inside the next panel the curly-haired man continues, "I'M SURE NOBUNAGA-SAN CAN PROTECT THE TRANSMITTER IF I DIE." Nobunaga, hand on his chin, replies, "I PICKED 'ACTION'." He adds, "IF WE WAIT HERE, WON'T THEY EVENTUALLY COME DO THEIR BUSINESS?" The curly-haired man points a small device and says "NOTED." Nobunaga answers, "YOU CAN DITCH THE HONORIFIC." The door slides open with loud mechanical groans and heavy thuds. From the side, Nobunaga watches the curly-haired man step into the dim, cluttered room filled with hanging laundry and stacked boxes. "WHAT KIND OF DEMONS ARE AWAITING THEM?" the curly-haired man wonders aloud as the chapter ends.
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End of chapter19 pages
Discussion
The transmitter must be swallowed to avoid detection. Nen depletion affects how long the device remains active. Nobunaga dislikes shellfish after a previous bad experience. The bandana woman refuses food touched by others. Hinrigh volunteers a stooge to carry the transmitter.
Hinrigh swallows the transmitter himself. The receiver has a one-kilometer maximum radius. Altitude is not accounted for by the device. The receiver uses audio pitch and a red bar to show distance. Hinrigh plans to hide the transmitter if he is captured.
The group is tracking a target by color on a device. They estimate the ship dimensions as 1500m. They conclude the hideout is on the current tier. They plan to move to the center of tier 3. One character is instructed to go alone.
A curly-haired person crashes into a tiled wall. The impact leaves visible cracks and debris. The person ends up on the floor of a damaged room.
The hallway shows signs of recent violence with blood and damage. The curly-haired man is armed with a knife and on guard.
Nobunaga directly confronts the curly-haired man. Background figures are present in the hallway.
Hinrigh is the curly-haired man in striped clothing. The topknotted man carries a sword. The pair stands in a rundown interior hallway. A door with Japanese writing is the focus of the final panel.
The topknotted man wields two swords simultaneously. An attack produces visible shattering effects. Hinrigh reacts with visible surprise to the action.
The wall shows multiple impact cracks protected by Nen. The topknotted man carries a katana and wears traditional clothing. The stitched-face man appears in a large panel with cracks forming around him. The pair conclude the target location is the main base.
Doors bear distinct symbols including an arrow and a circle with cross. The hallway contains at least four doors leading to bathroom facilities. The pair coordinate to avoid disappearing while checking rooms.
The page marks the end of chapter 398. A transmitter is mentioned as an object that needs protection. The curly-haired man carries a small handheld device. The scene takes place inside a building with sliding doors. Nobunaga and the curly-haired man are working together.
What is said, page by page
sword-wielding man proposes opening the door another man requests to return to his room firm refusal given to the request spiky-haired man theorizes about a conjurer clone and trap earring man references mafia intel on teleportation group debates whether the old man is the real nen user or a clone warning issued about stalling during unlocking old man calls out asking if anyone is inside
curly-haired old man states he is opening the locked door long-haired man questions if the old guy is a clone spiky-haired man identifies the wall as the real exit bearded man explains the trap buys time
curly-haired old man admits he does not understand the conversation topknotted man confirms the wall route is safe spiky-haired man notes the bathroom door is also safe curly-haired old man declares nothing happened
Curly-haired man reacts with shock to the sudden attack. Topknotted man issues a warning about not stopping once started. Curly-haired man frantically asks which direction to choose. Small dark-haired girl instructs him to pick left or right. Curly-haired man announces his return triumphantly.
Topknotted man explains the trap's likely location. Light-haired man identifies it as a boundary type trap. Light-haired man proposes waiting for the enemy to trigger it. Bandaged-face man volunteers to go ahead with Nobunaga. Curly-haired man warns about the Cha-r family catching wind of the situation.
long-haired man proposes delaying the mission and offers help finding the hideout unseen speaker mentions Hinrigh's suggestion from Xi-Yu Hinrigh confirms his role in the lead and finding the room Hinrigh states Cha-r men are tailing two Heil-ly suspects long-haired man declares no issue with the troupe and prioritizes crushing Heil-ly to restore balance
unseen speaker suggests using the device as a trap transmitter Hinrigh warns about civilians being searched and killed long-haired man confirms the massacre on the other side topknotted man questions how to find the enemy base bandana woman explains using the transmitter long-haired man activates his ability to turn the device into a living thing
Spiky-haired man discusses Nen depletion time for the swallowed object. Hinrigh explains why the stooge must swallow the device. Spiky-haired man asks who will swallow the transmitter. Hinrigh accepts the compromise and refuses to go in directly. Bandana woman refuses to eat anything touched or spoken over by others. Nobunaga refuses shellfish due to past bad experience. Hinrigh states he already has a stooge ready. Nobunaga laughs about not being trusted immediately.
Hinrigh volunteers himself as the one who will swallow the transmitter. Hinrigh explains the one-kilometer radius limit of the receiver. Hinrigh describes how the noise pitch and red bar indicate proximity. Hinrigh notes the receiver gives only a vague direction reading. Hinrigh says he will count on the others. Hinrigh warns about the risk of being dissected and the need to hide the transmitter.
device narration about color and 500-1000m range spiky-haired man: likes the bare guy who says the bare minimum light-haired man: something is happening discussion of ship size 1500m long and boom dimensions debate on hideout color change if on opposite side decision to head to center of tier 3 braided-haired girl: one of you needs to go okay spiky-haired man: HUH light-haired man: GRR
curly-haired man shouts in surprise that the hallway is empty curly-haired man wonders if victims were interrogated curly-haired man notes fresh blood and stays alert
curly-haired man asks why Nobunaga is here Nobunaga greets the curly-haired man curly-haired man mentions possible trap and co-op Nobunaga explains the planned trap curly-haired man notes the other two's doubts Nobunaga asks the curly-haired man's name curly-haired man says he forgot his name Nobunaga suggests observing or acting
Large bubble from off-panel or group: decision to test options by trying them Identification bubble: names the curly-haired man as Hinrigh Topknotted man claims responsibility for selecting Hinrigh Hinrigh approves the choice while noting lack of full information and calls for action
Topknotted man asserts the location is the enemy's hideout with certainty Hinrigh questions the reason behind the claim Topknotted man instructs to wait and observe the outcome
curly-haired man: "THE WALL..." topknotted man: "YEP." curly-haired man: "IT'S GUARDED BY NEN?" topknotted man: "IT'S PROBABLY: THE CLOSER THE USER IS, THE STRONGER THE STAGE." topknotted man: "EVEN MY KATANA COULDN'T CUT IT. SO THERE MUST BE A STRONG LIMITATION." topknotted man: "IT'S NEVER EASY TO DESTROY A NEN USER'S STAGE, BUT..." stitched-face man: "A CONJURER... TRANSMITTER MAYBE... COULD EVEN BE A SPECIALIST." topknotted man: "WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT FOR THE RINGLEADER." topknotted man: "YEAH." curly-haired man: "WHICH MEANS THE SECURITY IS PROBABLY TIGHT." curly-haired man: "SO IT'D MAKE SENSE IF THEIR MAIN BASE WAS HERE."
topknotted man: "LET'S START BY OPENING THE DOORS." curly-haired man: "WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH YET." topknotted man: "WELL THEN, I'LL START FROM OVER HERE." topknotted man: "ROGER THAT." curly-haired man: "I WANT TO AVOID ONE OF US VANISHING WITHOUT THE OTHER SEEING. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRAP'S CONDITIONS IF WE SEE IT HAPPEN." curly-haired man: "NAH, I'LL OPEN 'EM, YOU KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED." curly-haired man: "SURE IS A LARGE FAMILY." curly-haired man: "AND 3 TOILETS... BATHROOM. SHOWER."
Nobunaga identifies himself when the curly-haired man announces his arrival. Curly-haired man expresses confidence that Nobunaga can safeguard the transmitter even if he dies. Nobunaga states he selected the 'ACTION' option on the device. Nobunaga suggests waiting because the targets may eventually appear. Curly-haired man acknowledges the plan with a single word. Nobunaga tells the curly-haired man to stop using honorifics.