Hunter × Hunter Chapter 28: A Huge Debt

Multiple panels depict rapid action. In the top left, an older man with long hair and a prominent nose recoils from an impact marked ZAT, black lines streaking across his face. Beside it, a small panel shows a figure tumbling through the air above treetops. The central splash panel reveals Hisoka charging forward through a forest, muscular torso bare except for a star mark on his chest, motion lines and TAC sound effects radiating outward. Below, the older man stares in shock, sweat flying, shouting HISOKA!!! while another panel shows Hisoka's face up close, eyes half-lidded with a star marking, calmly replying Hi... as the older man exclaims IT'S... NO?! The chapter title N°28- A HUGE DEBT is overlaid on the central panel.

In a thick forest filled with tall trees and dense foliage, Gon stands in the foreground holding his fishing rod with both hands, his expression focused and alert. Scattered among the trees are several small signs reading SLAP, OW!, and OW!. Farther back, a figure dashes through the woods while another character with a sword is visible lower down. A large circular speech bubble bursts into the lower right with the words THERE HE IS!!!

A muscular man with slicked-back hair lunges forward with an outstretched hand while shouting ARGH... as impact lines radiate outward. In the next panel the same man, now revealed as Hisoka with a club symbol on his shirt, glares while holding a playing card. Gon stands between panels looking shocked with sweat drops, reacting to the line HE WANTS TO TAKE HIM HEAD ON. Beside him an elderly woman with glasses and a bow brandishes a sword and yells I’M HERE!!! COME ON!!! Close-up panels show two intense eyes with radiating lines. The final wide panel depicts a small figure with a sword charging toward a large circular target symbol while another character is sent flying amid speed lines.

Gon leaps forward with intense focus, his spiky hair whipping in the wind and eyes locked ahead. He twists his body mid-motion, one arm extended while clutching a large dark circular object that trails heavy motion lines behind him. The object, possibly a shield or projectile, dominates the lower left as Gon maneuvers around it. In the bottom panel the same dark circle hurtles across the page with speed lines streaking outward, showing the force of its movement through empty space.

Hisoka lunges from above with a wide grin, spade mark visible on his chest, swinging a long sword in a powerful arc while holding a playing card in his raised hand. Gon, seen from behind, braces against the incoming strike as radiant speed lines burst outward from the clash. In the lower panel the view widens to a dense forest canopy where two small figures dash across the treetops under dramatic radial speed lines and sunlight rays, emphasizing the high-speed pursuit through the woods.

A powerful strike lands with a sharp FLAT as a fist smashes down. In the next instant Hisoka lunges forward, star-marked cheek twisted in a grin, and drives a brutal SLAT into the back of a ponytail-wearing fighter. The impact sends the smaller combatant sprawling forward, body folding under the blow. Below, Gon stares upward with fierce, narrowed eyes and clenched teeth, sweat flying from his face. Beside him two other examinees react in shock—one with wide eyes and a sweat drop, the other with an open-mouthed gasp—both frozen by the sudden violence.

High above a rocky, tree-dotted landscape, the ponytail fighter and Hisoka clash mid-air, blades and limbs flashing. Hisoka then appears in close-up, smiling calmly with his star tattoo visible, while the ponytail fighter is seen in the background still engaged. In the bottom panel Gon thrusts his bandaged hand forward, gripping Examinee 44's round metal badge, motion lines exploding behind him. A small inset shows the badge marked '44' with the onomatopoeia TAC as it is claimed.

In the dense forest, a determined examinee with spade and club markings on his shirt glares ahead before dropping to one knee, hands planted on the ground as he catches his breath. Nearby, Gon stands frozen with wide eyes and an open mouth, his fishing rod gripped tightly in one hand while his other hand clutches something small. Hisoka leans in close with a sly half-smile, his star-marked face and teardrop visible as he regards Gon. The spade-and-club examinee is shown from behind, standing amid bushes. Gon stares downward in shock at a tag labeled 'TAG' attached to a leg marked 'TAC'. Motion lines and a 'FLUR' effect indicate sudden movement through the undergrowth.

Gon leaps forward with his fishing rod extended, swinging it in a wide arc as multiple 'TAP' and motion lines fill the air. Close-up panels show Gon's face twisted in effort, sweat flying, with repeated 'ME ME ME' sound effects bursting from his mouth. His foot stamps down with additional 'TAP' effects. A bright flash panel reveals the moment of success as two speech bubbles appear: 'I TOOK HIS TAG...' and 'THAT'S IT...'. The page ends with a dramatic full-width panel showing a radiant white burst containing the large text 'FROM HISOKA!!!'.

Gon’s face twists in sudden terror as a piercing scream bursts from his throat. “AAAAH” echoes while his wide eyes lock onto something off-panel, sweat flying from his skin. Below, a violent impact sends a body crashing into the dirt with a heavy “STAM,” limbs flailing. A second panel shows a figure sprawled against broken tree roots. Gon sprints desperately through the grass, a small flag marked “44” clutched in his hand as he cries “AAH.” In the large bottom panel Gon crouches low in tall weeds, heart pounding, staring at Examinee 44 standing with his back turned and a sheathed sword at his side. A dark silhouette lingers between them while the number plate “44” lies discarded in the foreground.

A polished shoe steps firmly on the fallen “44” badge with a crisp “TAC.” A calm voice asks what the number represents. The answer comes: about 7000 times. Close-ups reveal the same shoe pressing the badge while a hand grips a wooden pole. Another panel shows Gon’s wide-eyed face half-hidden in foliage. A smiling man with a stopwatch explains it is also the number of times he trained with the pole and the number of times he could have struck Gon. He notes Gon’s concentration and technique are remarkable yet his focus wavered during training. Examinee 405, holding up his own numbered badge, warns that next time the examinee must be more careful and watch his back, especially during the last attempt.

Gon tumbles down the grassy slope after losing his footing, shouting 'AAAH!' in panic as he rolls. 'DAMN,' he mutters while sprawled on the ground. A bright flash erupts in the distance as someone calls 'BYE!' and vanishes with a 'FUT' sound effect. Gon lies still for a moment before cautiously peeking over the tall grass with wide, alert eyes. In the next panel he crawls forward on hands and knees, scanning the area. At the bottom of the page a lone figure stands in the shadows; two soft 'TAP' sounds mark its footsteps. Gon, still hidden in the grass, stares toward the mysterious silhouette.

Examinee 384 stands tall in the clearing, holding a torn piece of fabric while butterflies flutter around him. He looks down with a calm, knowing expression. In close-up his star-marked face smiles slightly as he says, 'YOU SURPRISED ME.' Gon remains hidden in the grass, eyes narrowed. The examinee continues speaking while standing over Gon’s prone form: 'YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME TO ATTACK SOMEONE?' and 'YOU ERASED ANY TRACE OF YOUR PRESENCE AND WAITED FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO STRIKE.' Gon lies motionless on the ground, listening.

Hisoka holds up the three-lined tag between his fingers and speaks with a smile. "Your timing was perfect, to the energy I had developed. You blended your own." He continues, "That technique you used to disappear, is it your own? It's impressive! A true wild animal." The tag lies on the grass as Gon stares in shock. Hisoka, sweat on his face, explains, "There are only four days left, but I'm certain you'll be able to move again in no time. He told me the poison on the projectile attacks the muscles." Gon lies on the ground clutching the tag while Hisoka looms over him. "You didn't come to give it back, did you?" Hisoka asks. "No, I came to congratulate you," he adds with a heart symbol. "The tag. Wait... You need about ten days to recover."

Hisoka stands with the defeated Examinee 301, whose face is swollen and marked. "Meaning I don't need it anymore. He was my target..." Hisoka says with a smile. He offers the tag to Gon. "You'll return it when you can. I'll lend it to you. Don't say that. I don't want it either." Gon refuses the tag marked 44. Hisoka turns away, spade visible on his back. "Well, see you later," he says with a club symbol as Gon remains on the ground with the tag nearby.

In the forest clearing, Hisoka stands in the foreground with a star marking on his cheek, his expression calm and slightly amused as he watches Gon approach from the trees. Gon, sweating and determined, points forward while declaring he is returning something right now and does not want any debt. Below, a shadowy figure with a heart symbol appears, stating it will let Gon live, but Gon refuses with a small heart icon nearby. Hisoka smirks in close-up panels, his face showing amusement as the shadow remarks 'HE HE HE...' with motion lines and impact sounds like 'HUH' and 'ZAP' marking the tense exchange.

Hisoka walks away from the scene with his back turned, revealing heart and spade symbols on his outfit, while Gon stands watching in the background. A large impact 'BAM' shows debris flying as Hisoka remarks that he will do everything to keep Gon alive as long as Gon proves worthy to be his adversary. In a close-up, the back of Hisoka’s shirt displays the number 404 along with club and spade symbols. The page ends on a dramatic close-up of a clenched fist with motion lines and a 'FLIP' sound effect near Gon’s spiky hair.

A muscular fighter with wild spiky hair lunges forward in a powerful strike, his body twisted and arm extended. Below him, a smaller figure in loose robes dashes across the ground with one arm raised, while another tiny silhouette tumbles through the air. Motion lines streak the earth beneath them. In the next panel a lone figure stands at a distance as two speech bubbles appear: "I'LL LET YOU REPAY YOUR DEBT ONCE YOU'RE ABLE TO HIT ME AT LEAST ONCE IN THE FACE." and "NO SOONER." A sudden impact panel erupts with the word "WHAM" as the smaller combatant is sent flying backward amid radiating speed lines and debris. At the bottom of the page, dark treetops silhouette against white space while the sound effect "FLIT FLIT" marks rapid movement through the foliage.

A dark night sky filled with stars stretches above the silhouette of a large leafy tree. Below, the view shifts to a dense forest interior where thick gnarled roots twist across the ground, vines hang between massive tree trunks, and small plants cover the forest floor. At the bottom of the page a close-up shows a boy with spiky hair and a dark expression, his arms crossed tightly in front of his face as he stares forward with wide eyes. The forest around him is deep and shadowed.