Chapter 118

A large title splash shows the chapter number against a black background with silhouettes. A tall man in a tracksuit stands with his back to the viewer while a long-haired figure kneels nearby. In the distance, Gon, Killua, and two women stand framed by jagged white outlines. A small spiky-haired child crouches at the man's feet. In the lower panels, a character states, "THEY'VE BEEN MANIPULATED." Kurapika adds, "I THINK THEY WERE TRICKED BY THAT CHAIN BASTARD BEFORE WE ARRIVED." Leorio demands, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" Pakunoda asks, "ARE YOU SERIOUS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU ANYMORE." Gon looks surprised with a question mark appearing. Killua glares intensely. Pakunoda concludes, "I'LL MAKE THEM TALK. WE'RE WASTING OUR TIME."

Gon sits bound in heavy chains, glaring forward as he demands to know why Machi is trying to stop Pakunoda. Pakunoda glances back with a sharp expression while Phinks stands nearby with a stern face. An unseen voice questions whether they believe they are being manipulated. In a large close-up, Gon shouts furiously that wanting to save one's companions is not hard to understand and that the group obviously wants to save their boss. The chains around Gon rattle with visible strain marks. Background figures in matching jackets watch the exchange silently.

Gon lunges forward, shattering his chains with a loud CLING as metal links fly apart. Phinks yells at him to shut up and calls him a noisy brat for wanting to leave. Gon retorts that he never said that. In the background, other Troupe members stand watching. Phinks raises a hand in warning and threatens to slice Gon's head if he moves an inch. Gon glares back defiantly and tells Phinks to take back what he just said. Impact lines and motion effects surround the breaking chains and tense standoff.

Gon stands defiantly on rubble, facing a tall figure with his back turned. He shouts that even if the one facing him is his worst enemy, that person will keep himself in control and stop himself from killing him. Gon adds that Kurapika isn't like the other person and that if the worst enemy thinks Gon is going to move, the same goes for him. From off-panel, a voice insists that Gon can be sure the enemy won't break the pact if he made one. In a closer shot, Gon looks surprised and states that if Pakunoda met him and understood the conditions imposed upon him, he will be freed. The scene shifts to Phinks glaring angrily while Nobunaga stands beside him. Phinks calls out to someone, and Nobunaga tells him they didn't ask anything and that is enough. Gon yells from the background not to start too, while Nobunaga orders Pakunoda to leave and tells someone to stop it.

A character with light hair expresses concern that Danchou, Hisoka, Pakunoda, Nobunaga, and Shizuku could already be dead or manipulated by the chain guy, and that they might not find him. The same character asks what the worst-case scenario is. Nobunaga, shown in profile with a scar, states that the worst case is they are all killed and the Ryodan disappears. He disagrees with the previous assessment. In a dark panel, wires or chains tangle around a structure while a small figure stands below. The light-haired character questions if he is wrong. Nobunaga continues that keeping themselves hard will lead to a fatal blow from the spider, and that would be the worst betrayal toward Danchou. The light-haired character agrees that is true and notes the tendency to rely too much on Danchou.

Killua stands with arms crossed, dismissing concerns. "Anyways, I'm not being manipulated, and I won't let myself be killed that easily. That's fine with me... If it will calm everyone down..." Nobunaga, heavily bandaged across his face and chest, responds calmly. "It's not that complicated. Then we'll kill all those who were manipulated and form a new Ryodan." Phinks, seen in profile with a stern expression, adds, "We should let Pakunoda go with the kids. And if Danchou never comes back..." In a close-up, Phinks stares forward with a sharp glare as a dramatic SFX "トオオオオ" erupts beside him. Below, Gon looks up with wide eyes and says, "Yes. They're here." He asks, "Are you okay? Are they there?" In quick succession, someone shouts "CATCH" as Gon lunges forward, grabbing an object while exclaiming "GIMME ONE OF THE HOSTAGES..." and "HEL-". The action continues with motion lines and "CATCH" SFX as Gon secures the item. In the final panels, a large speech bubble states, "PAKUNODA IS GETTING READY TO MEET YOU WITH THE TWO HOSTAGES." Phinks holds a cell phone to his ear and says, "We're respecting your conditions."

Nobunaga sits on rubble and yells, "SHUT UP!" Phinks, facing him, states, "You know that now the chain guy has no way to follow our movement..." He continues, "So for now, we'll wait and see what happens." In another panel, Phinks adds, "If I were to try to follow them, you would try and stop me." From behind, someone warns, "We'll see. You're dead too. But I'm warning you, if Danchou doesn't come back..." On the right, Gon, Killua, and Kurapika walk away through heavy rain on a debris-strewn path. A large bubble questions, "You're sure you don't want to follow them?" A close-up shows Nobunaga's intense glare. The scene shifts to a rainy exterior with a large building and a dirigible silhouette in the sky. A dramatic speech bubble declares, "GET IN THE DIRIGIBLE. THE DIRECTION IS ALREADY PROGRAMMED."

Under a dark, rainy night sky, Kurapika stands with his back to the viewer, gazing toward distant lights while a small spiky-haired figure crouches nearby. In the next panels, Kurapika turns his head sharply as Leorio appears in profile. The group gathers: Kurapika in his dark uniform with the Nostrade emblem, Leorio with glasses, Melody in a cap, and Senritsu. Melody reports, "Three people, as agreed." Kurapika replies, "Until they've taken off, we can't be sure. Keep an eye on the surroundings." Senritsu adjusts her cap and is told, "Senritsu, keep watch." Kurapika adds, "It may be bait." Suddenly motion lines and sound effects erupt as someone shouts, "Someone's coming!!" and "GO GO GO" fills the panel. Leorio's face twists in alarm while a close-up shows wide eyes and the word "BUT..." as the group reacts to the approaching presence.

Hisoka appears in extreme close-up, smirking with a teardrop mark on his cheek, as a large speech bubble declares "HISOKA!!" In smaller panels, the group reacts from behind: one member questions whether Hisoka split from the group, while another wonders if changing his face without nails will work after four or five hours. Hisoka's voice says, "Don't worry, I entrusted my task to my shadow," accompanied by a small heart. A figure with a star tattoo on the back stands facing away. The bottom half explodes with radiating speed lines as Hisoka's face twists in shock, shouting "HISOKA!! ...!!" while a lone figure in a sleeveless top stands in a bright circular spotlight, hand raised to their head.

Close-up reactions fill the top row as Pakunoda, Gon, Killua, Feitan, and another Troupe member stare with tense expressions. Pakunoda, gripping her phone, asks Hisoka what he has in mind. Hisoka replies that running away to a desert island or mountain peak would make hunting down a hard task, then compliments the nice work on the dirigible. In a large splash panel Hisoka stands on the rain-slicked airship deck with his back to the viewer, phone to his ear, declaring "LET ME ON." Below him the same Hisoka smirks while thinking that if refused he could simply kill Gon and Killua right there. Gon and Killua stand in the background watching warily as rain falls.

Hisoka continues speaking on the phone, stating it is highly unlikely he would do something so wasteful. Pakunoda reacts with visible anger, calling him a bastard. Hisoka declares that fighting is all he is interested in and that his one and only target is Danchou. He adds that when the prisoner is freed he will leave the airship as well. The scene shifts to the interior corridor of the airship where Kurapika stands watching Gon and Killua, who sit on crates. Hisoka appears in profile on the right, holding up a card with a musical note. A long empty panel of rain and a final panel of rubble mark the transition.

High above a desolate rocky expanse, ancient stone pillars and broken platforms stand under a dark, star-filled sky. A massive white blimp rests on the ground ahead, its envelope glowing faintly. Three figures stand with their backs to the viewer: a tall man in a long black coat bearing a large cross emblem, a woman with short light hair wearing a dark dress and boots, and a man in a black suit with spiky hair. In the distance near the blimp, several small silhouetted figures wait, including a woman in a dark outfit, two children, and another person. At the bottom of the page, Gon stares forward with wide eyes, a large "foooof" sound effect rising from him, while Killua appears beside him with a small "fuf" reaction, both boys focused on the scene ahead.

In a series of panels, Gon and Killua stand side by side as a voice instructs Killua to put the cellphone to his chest. Killua holds up a small device labeled "TAG." The short-haired woman turns her head and declares, "ALRIGHT. BEGIN THE EXCHANGE!" while a voice on the phone responds, "EVERYTHING IS FINE. THEY'RE NORMAL." A girl in a helmet holds a phone to her ear with "DON DON" sounds. The view widens to show the vast cracked rocky slope with tiny figures scattered across it. At the bottom, Gon, Killua, the spiky-haired man in a suit, and the short-haired woman stand together; the suited man places a hand on his chest while speaking. Close-ups show the woman and another figure with serious expressions.

Beneath a vast night sky streaked with dark clouds and dotted with stars, a large airship drifts in the distance. Hisoka stands on an elevated platform with his back to the viewer, white hair whipping in the wind, a large heart emblem visible on his outfit. Below him, Chrollo Lucifer stands with arms slightly outstretched, long black coat flowing, while a third figure watches from the shadows. In a smaller panel, a short-haired character peers intently through a window. A threatening voice declares that speaking to or contacting any other member of the Ryodan will result in death and the permanent loss of Nen ability. Hisoka leans in close with a confident smirk, star and teardrop markings clear on his face, and says 'Let's fight.' Chrollo answers simply 'Fine.' Beside him, a dark-haired woman with earrings adds that she has waited for this moment a long time.

A dramatic close-up fills the frame with Machi, her short hair framing an intense glare directed forward. A large spider tattoo is prominently displayed on her left breast. Bold motion lines radiate outward as the word 'ZOOM' and sharp Japanese sound effects emphasize the sudden focus and tension of the moment.