Hunter × Hunter Chapter 149: Encounter

Gon runs forward with arms outstretched toward a large, tiered building as a starburst speech bubble shouts, "Welcome back, Killua!!" Killua stands on a balcony of the building waving one arm. In the following panels Gon excitedly asks, "SO, HOW WAS IT?!" while a blond man beside him says, "NO PROBLEM, I PASSED THE EXAM." Gon continues, "ACTUALLY, IT WAS THE JOURNEY BACK THAT TOOK THE MOST TIME." The blond man replies, "SORRY TO DISTURB YOU, BUT..." Killua points toward two distant structures and asks, "WHICH ONES?" The blond man inquires, "KILLUA, COULD YOU HAVE A LOOK AT OUR CARDS?" Gon and Killua both raise their fists in celebration as someone yells, "YAY—!!"

Gon stares wide-eyed from behind a large G.I. box, exclaiming in surprise at the haul of cards. Killua, with his spiky black hair, questions the value of keeping everything while Biscuit suggests they could sell items in a store. The group debates their next move amid rocky terrain. Biscuit pushes a cart loaded with cards as Killua and Gon discuss risks. Gon wonders aloud how much they can get for a high-level card. Killua insists they should use the cards themselves rather than sell them. Biscuit agrees, noting the defensive cards they possess reduce theft risk. Gon points out they must get used to the cards now to avoid trouble later. Killua mentions the "Blackout Curtain" card they just used and asks if Gon has tried any defensive cards yet.

Killua holds up the Contact card numbered 1040 and declares they will test it to find out how many players they have met. Gon activates the card with a bright flash, shouting "CONTACT" ON!! The card description explains it allows communication with up to three previously met players for a limited time. Killua counts one, two, three people visible through the binders. Gon reacts with shock as exclamation marks appear. A hand manipulates triangular and circular cards on a binder page. Gon looks surprised and says "HUH?" Killua turns to him saying they have already met this guy and calls out "HEY... GON..." while Biscuit stands nearby near the G.I. box.

A close-up reveals wide, startled eyes. Gon and Killua lean over a small device, their faces tense and focused. A large black panel displays the name KUROO LUCIFER. The small girl with pigtails asks, "WHO'S KURORO?" Killua and Gon react sharply, Gon shouting "KURORO ?!!" The girl exclaims "KURA-PIKA? WHAT'S THAT?!" while Killua wonders if Kurapika still holds Kuroro under his Nen. Gon questions the meaning as Killua states they have not seen him in the game. Gon yells that he wants to join the conversation too, his face twisted in frustration with motion lines and impact effects. Killua suggests there is another hypothesis, asking how Kuroro could be in the game without Nen to enter.

Biscuit stands against a forest backdrop and explains that a technique exists to erase Nen imposed by an opponent. She confirms it is called "Erasing" and notes few people possess it. Biscuit adds that there is nothing surprising about the skill since a way to impose Nen also implies a way to erase it. Gon asks what Kuroro would do in that case. Biscuit realizes that would mean Kuroro had erased Kurapika's Nen and then entered the game. Killua suggests they should inform Kurapika. Biscuit replies she does not know but offers to use a spell card if they want. She decides it is not worth it and says she will go out and return soon, within four hours.

A boy with light hair stands holding a book, hand to his chin as realization hits. 'I UNDERSTAND, NOW! SO, THAT WAS IT!!' he exclaims. Off to the side, laughter rings out: 'KUKUKU! AHAHAHA!' Nearby, a girl with dark hair and two boys react with surprise. 'SORRY SORRY,' one says. 'IT PROBABLY WASN'T DANCHOU.' 'EXPLAIN, INSTEAD OF JUST LAUGHING LIKE THAT!! HEY, SHAL!!' another demands. The boy continues, 'AND, BY CHANCE, WE WERE ONLY TWENTY METERS FROM EACH OTHER, AND DIDN'T NOTICE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE HAD HIS NEN ERASED, AND THEN ENTERED THE GAME...' In a close-up, the boy notes, 'FIRST, DANCHOU HASN'T BEEN FREED YET. IN OTHER WORDS...' The light-haired boy turns to another character, still laughing 'KUKUKU! I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF IT EARLIER.' A voice asks '?'. A hand gestures as someone explains, 'HE CAME TO THIS ISLAND, WITHOUT KNOWING IT WAS GREED ISLAND. AND...'

A map of islands appears with a bright sunburst. The light-haired boy in a robe points upward, declaring 'IS GREED ISLAND. TO THE EAST OF YORK SHIN...' In a panel, a scarred man with stitched face stands behind bars as someone says 'RIGHT! HE CAME HERE BECAUSE HE WAS SEARCHING FOR AN "ERASER"!! DAN-CHOU'S PREDICTION...' A character with glasses reacts with '!!'. Another panel shows the light-haired boy explaining, 'THAT'S WHEN HE LEARNED HE WAS ON GREED ISLAND. HE MAY HAVE REACHED THE ISLAND THE SAME WAY WE DID, AND WAS SENT BACK BY LASER.' Hands gesture as the explanation continues: 'SO THAT WE COULD UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE!! HE GAVE HIM HIS NAME... HE USED SOMEONE, AND HAD THEM ENTER GREED ISLAND. BUT, SINCE HE CAN'T USE HIS NEN, HE COULDN'T HAVE COME BACK THE NORMAL WAY.'

A massive radial burst fills the top of the page as several figures react in shock. A light-haired man in a sleeveless top gestures emphatically on the left while a tall, broad-shouldered man with a stitched face stands center and a white-haired man in a jacket looks on from the right; a small hooded figure lingers in the background. Bold lettering declares THERE'S AN ERASER IN GREED ISLAND!!! Close-up panels follow: a spiky-haired man with narrowed eyes states WELL... THERE'S NO BETTER CHANGE THAN THIS ONE. Beside him another voice adds OUR OBJECTIVE HAS CHANGED, ONCE AGAIN. A gloved fist clenches as someone chuckles HEHE-HE. Against a backdrop of dark tree silhouettes, two large speech bubbles announce WE CAN ALL LOOK FOR THE ERASER TOGETHER! and LET'S CALL THE OTHERS IMMEDIATELY! Lower panels show the group continuing the discussion. A man with an X-shaped scar on his face exclaims IT CAN'T BE...!!! A forest path scene reveals distant figures walking away. A profile view notes THERE'S A SMALL CORRECTION TO THAT. The scarred man concludes WE JUST NEED TO FIND THE ONE THE BOSS SENT HERE and IF WE MANAGE TO FIND THAT ERASER...

In a dense forest, Hisoka stands prominently in the right foreground, spade tattoo visible on his outfit, one hand raised to his face while the other rests on his hip. Distant figures walk along a rocky path among tall trees; one wears a triangle symbol on their back. Large lettering reads HISOKA !!! Hisoka recalls entering the game and realizing they could use any name. A close-up shows a single tear falling from an eye. He admits I HAD THE IDEA OF USING KURORO'S NAME... Further panels depict the group: CONTENT YOURSELF WITH DOING WHAT WE ASK OF YOU FROM NOW ON! WE NEVER ASKED YOU TO DO ANYTHING...! YOU BASTARD !! YOU SHOULD CONGRATULATE ME, THANKS TO THAT, YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT I MEANT. At the bottom, Hisoka faces another man and says I'D LIKE TO KILL YOU, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TASK TO DANCHOU. The other retorts PLUS, WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU WANT...!!! A small bubble reads KU KU KU.

In the forest, Hisoka leans against a tree with a sly smile and raises one finger. "WELL... IF YOU DO LEARN ANYTHING, CALL ME BY USING 'CONTACT.'" A small panel shows him waving. "SEE YA." with a heart. Nearby, Kurapika stands with Killua, both looking tense. Kurapika explains, "ALL HE'S LOOKING FOR IS A CONFRONTATION... AFTER THE NEN IS ERASED. DANCHOU CALLED HISOKA... WE CAN'T DO A THING ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S AMBIGUOUS." Killua stares forward with wide eyes in a close-up panel. "IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME ...!!!" He adds, "MAYBE, BUT DANCHOU'S RETURN..." The final wide panel shows a lone figure in a dark suit crouched on the ground beside a box labeled "GREED ISLAND," silent and still.

A close-up reveals Chrollo with a cross-shaped tattoo on his forehead, calmly stating, "NO, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE." Gon, holding a phone to his ear, asks, "YOU MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'D CONSIDERED WHEN YOU USED THE TECHNIQUE?" In the next panel he continues, "OF COURSE." A large speech bubble declares, "IF KURORO, OR ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE RYODAN WHO HAD NEN IMPOSED ON THEM, HAD IT REMOVED... I WOULD KNOW IT." Killua's spiky-haired head appears with the line, "STILL AS COOL AS EVER..." Gon insists, "YOU HAVE TO BE STUPID IF YOU THINK THERE'S NO TECHNIQUE TO ERASE NEN IMPOSED BY AN ENEMY." The final scene shows Gon standing in a stone courtyard. "THANKS ANYWAYS. I APPRECIATE IT." A voice replies, "FROM NOW ON, IT'S UP TO YOU." Gon answers, "WELL, YOU'RE INFORMED NOW."

Kurapika stares intently while holding a small rectangular object in one hand. A voice informs him, "THE BOSS IS ASKING FOR YOU." Another speaker addresses him directly: "KURA-PIKA." Kurapika replies that it cannot be a coincidence, adding "IT'S NOT KURORO..." In a long hallway, several figures stand in the distance. Kurapika, now wearing a long dark dress with white trim, kneels amid scattered papers, books, and broken objects on the floor. With a distressed expression, Kurapika clutches at their head and says, "WHY CAN'T I DO IT ANYMORE..." A voice answers, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND..."

A disheveled man sits on a couch surrounded by debris and asks, "YOU ASKED FOR ME?" In a dark panel the same man clutches his head. A close-up reveals his wide-eyed, sweating face as he pleads, "TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO!" and "THIS MONTH... WHAT... WHAT SHOULD I DO?" Multiple overlapping voices shout about Neon needing to regain her skills quickly, question what is really going to happen, and demand to know what he knows. The man insists everything will be fine and that he will take care of it. In the final panel the man, now facing away, exclaims "SHIT! SHIT!" while Kurapika stands silently opposite him; the man mutters "WHY..."

Against a dark treeline silhouette, a large speech bubble asks 'SO?'. In the next tier, Gon stands in the forest clearing and recalls, 'WHEN I SAID THE NAME "KUROORO" HE DIDN'T BAT AN EYELID.' Killua, hand raised to his head, replies that the man is not the real Kuroro. Biscuit, seated on the ground with sweat drops, exclaims 'REALLY...'. Killua lowers his arm and stands with one hand on his hip. Biscuit smiles and says 'YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR TRAINING AGAIN!' Killua answers 'WELL... IF THIS WORRY IS GONE, THAT'S A GOOD THING.' Gon, partially shadowed, admits 'I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO HEAR HIM REMAIN THAT CALM.' Killua looks aside and mutters 'I DON'T KNOW, IT'S WEIRD...' with a small 'HM...'. Biscuit leans in and urges 'YOUR SECRET TECHNIQUE. GON! SHOW HIM...'. The final panel shows a close-up of Killua and Gon facing each other in dramatic lighting; Killua says 'oh.' while Gon stares forward with a serious expression.