Hunter × Hunter Chapter 369: Limit

A stark black page opens with the Hunter x Hunter logo and chapter information. The scene depicts a vast, dark seascape at night under a cloudy sky, with two distant points of light visible on the water's surface. A bright horizontal streak cuts across the upper portion of the image. Text boxes indicate the passage of time: "DAY 2" appears in the upper right, while "18 HOURS SINCE DEPARTURE" sits in the lower left. On the right side, a vertical block of text reads "WILL THERE BE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE VOYAGE.."

A figure lies unconscious in bed, head turned to the side with hair spread across the pillow. In the next panel the same figure remains still. Bill stands beside the bed, hand to his chin, explaining that he debated calling a doctor. Relief crosses his face as he says “THANK GOD…” and “OH!”. Kurapika, seated nearby, reports that roughly nine hours have passed. He asks how long the others have been out. A sudden motion erupts as someone in black leaps toward the bed, shouting “WHAT TIME IS IT?!” while another figure hisses “SHH!”. Kurapika’s eyes widen in shock at the realization that nine hours have elapsed. In the lower panels the group gathers around the bed; Bill notes that the queen passed out around the same time, and Kurapika stares in disbelief.

Queen Oito lies in bed with eyes closed while a large ornate fish-shaped object hovers above her, emitting sharp sound effects. A young girl with light hair stands beside the bed, sweat drops visible on her face. In the background three figures stand near the bed; one calls out that the person is over here and asks where Woble is. Close-ups show Kurapika’s eye and the fish’s eye reacting with impact lines. Text states that Emperor Time has been active for the past twelve hours. A suited man warns that the person sharing the ability will suffer the same strain. Kurapika, in profile, realizes that Emperor Time has a three-hour continuous limit and that overuse causes blackout for three times that duration.

Kurapika speaks into the phone, confirming the ongoing surveillance. "YES, I KNOW... I SHALL CONTINUE THE SURVEILLANCE." Oito replies from off-panel, "YOUR HIGHNESS..." A flashback panel shows Kurapika clutching their chest in pain with narration: "BEFORE I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS... I COULD HEAR MY PULSE ALMOST EXPLODING IN MY EARS. THAT WAS LIKELY A SIGNAL OF THE IMPENDING LIMIT..." Another panel depicts the ability still active on a monitor with the note "AND IT'S STILL ACTIVATED NOW... THE NEXT LIMIT MIGHT EVEN COME SOONER THAN 3 HOURS..." Oito, shown in profile, states, "I'LL CONTINUE WITH THE 12TH PRINCE." Kurapika turns to her and explains the strain: "BECAUSE OF THAT, I WANT TO CHANGE THE ORDER OF THE SURVEILLANCE! PLEASE START OFF WITH THE 4TH PRINCE'S BODYGUARDS AND THEIR POSITIONING." Oito looks worried. In a later panel she asks, "SO I NEED YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME." Kurapika admits, "TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT SURE MYSELF." Oito presses, "YOU DON'T LOOK VERY GOOD... ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE ALRIGHT...?" Kurapika responds, "IF I GIVE THE SIGNAL, THEN NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IMMEDIATELY GIVE THE ORDER TO RELEASE THE ABILITY." The final panel shows Oito looking concerned as Kurapika concludes, "SO THEN WE'LL START WITH 4TH PRINCE TSERRIEDNICH."

Kurapika appears in close-up profile, asking, "IS THIS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR SELF-PRESERVING TACTICS?" Narration continues: "ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE'S NO TIME RESTRAINT TO TESTING OUT THEIR SECURITY, SO I DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO SAVE INFILTRATING THEM FOR LAST." Further narration states, "ALL OF THE 1ST PRINCE'S PRIVATE GUARDS ARE LIKELY NEN USERS. NOT EVEN THE SMALLEST BUG WOULD BE ABLE TO SNEAK INTO THAT ROOM." Another panel notes, "NO... THAT WOULD CARRY THE BIGGEST STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE FOR US." Kurapika observes, "THE FACT THAT THE SECOND PRINCE DID RESPOND TO OUR CALL IS ALSO LIKELY BECAUSE THERE IS A NEN MASTER AMONG HER PRIVATE TROOPS." Small panels show various guards and figures. Kurapika reasons, "EITHER THAT OR SHE'S THE ONE CALLING ALL THE SHOTS OVER THERE." Additional narration explains, "AND THE ONLY REASON SHE'D GIVE UP A CHANCE TO KEEP TABS ON US WOULD BE IF SHE ALREADY HAS SOMEONE AMONG HER NEN USERS THAT CAN HANDLE IT BETTER... WHICH MEANS SHE THINKS THAT SENDING SLACKER FROM QUEEN OITO'S TROOPS HERE WAS GOOD ENOUGH..." Oito and Kurapika discuss priorities: "THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FALLS TO THE 4TH PRINCE WHOM WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A COMPLETE VOID OF INFORMATION ON." "THEREFORE..." "WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A GOOD CONNECTION WITH THE 3RD PRINCE." A guard-like figure adds, "LADY CAMILLA DOES NOT TAKE AUDIENCE WITH ANYONE BUT THE KING HIMSELF..." Another concludes, "I THINK THAT DEDUCTION IS MOST LIKELY CORRECT."

In a dimly lit room, Kurapika kneels before Queen Oito, hands clasped, and speaks with quiet intensity. 'SO I WILL SAY IT AS MANY TIMES AS NECESSARY...' he begins, followed by 'YOUR HIGHNESS... I TRULY UNDERSTAND YOUR LINEAGE...' A close-up shows Kurapika's earnest face as he pleads, 'PLEASE, TRUST ME.' Beside him, another voice adds, 'WE ARE HERE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF YOUR HIGHNESS AND THE PRINCE.' Queen Oito, with long dark hair, watches warily from the side. A female bodyguard reacts with shock, exclaiming 'LADY OITO ...!' Prince Woble, the infant prince, reaches out from his bassinet toward the adults. Queen Oito leans close and softly calls, 'WOBLE...' Kurapika stands nearby, still composed, while the baby looks around curiously.

Kurapika extends a small object toward Prince Woble while asking, 'PRINCE WOBLE? HOW ABOUT YOU?' The baby responds with excited sounds: 'AAA AH...' and later 'BA!' and 'AH!' as he grabs at the item. Queen Oito watches closely. Prince Woble, now on a table, continues babbling 'DA!' 'DA!' while clutching the object. Queen Oito's expression turns serious. The scene shifts abruptly to a massive dark, whale-like vessel emerging from turbulent waters under a cloudy sky. Below, a long tunnel or rail system stretches into darkness with motion lines suggesting rapid movement or impact.

In a quiet room, a woman with long dark hair sits at a low table, brush in hand as she writes with focused urgency. Her thoughts fill the panel: "BUT IF I DON'T HURRY, THEN THE BURDEN ON KURAPIKA WILL GROW EVEN GREATER...." and "I MUST BE CAREFUL... AND TAKE CARE TO NOT GET LOST...!" A hand enters the next panel, index finger tracing a detailed floor plan of the building's many corridors and rooms. Below, a large cockroach scuttles across a surface amid heavy motion lines and impact symbols. The view shifts to a long, narrow duct or hallway stretching into darkness. Two speech bubbles appear: "SHOULD BE 4TH PRINCE TSERRIEDNICH'S LIVING QUARTERS.....!!" on the left and "JUST PAST THE TURN IN THE DUCT AHEAD..." on the right. The final panel shows a close-up of wide, startled eyes, one with a visible tear at the corner.

From a low angle looking up, a woman's face fills the frame in extreme close-up, eyes wide with terror and mouth open in a scream. Her long hair frames the sides as she stares downward. Below her, a small cockroach sits on the floor directly in her line of sight, its presence triggering the horrified reaction. Pipes and structural elements of the duct or room ceiling are visible above.

A distorted face bursts from the ceiling vent with a piercing scream, mouth wide and eyes bulging as the sound "HYA AAA AAA AAA AHH H!!!" explodes outward. Below, legs dangle and scramble in panic. In the long hallway, suited men and a uniformed guard turn sharply toward the noise. Inside the royal chamber, attendants crowd around the bed where Queen Oito lies; one shouts "WHAT'S HAPPENED ?!" while another cries "QUEEN OITO!!". A guard in a padded jacket raises a hand and calmly states "IT'S ALRIGHT ...she was just having a night-mare. Please return to your stations." In the foreground, a braided-haired woman sweats and clutches her chest, whispering "...I THINK... SHE MUST HAVE EATEN THE BUG...". Beside her, Kurapika stares with wide eyes while a light-haired girl asks "A WOMAN'S FACE SUDDENLY APPEARED IN THE VENTILATION SHAFT..." and "YOUR HIGHNESS... WHAT HAP-PENED...?".

Kurapika confirms "YES." while the conjured dolphin reports "...VERY WELL. PLEASE GIVE THE DOLPHIN THE RELEASE ORDER. THE DOL-PHIN BY MY SIDE... SAYS THAT IT WAS FORCEFULLY ABORTED." and "LITTLE EYE HAS BEEN FORCEFULLY ABORTED." A small creature symbol appears beside the dolphin. The braided-haired woman sweats heavily as the dolphin vanishes with a "シュゥゥ" sound. Kurapika, seen from behind, mutters "THAT'S 9 HOURS WASTED WITHOUT ANY RESULTS...!!" and notes "THERE ARE NEW SECURITY MEASURES SET UP IN THE VENTILATION DUCTS TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE CAN PASS THROUGH THEM." and "ALTOGETHER... IT ENDED UP NEARLY 9 HOURS...". The light-haired girl reflects "THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE PHYSICAL BURDEN ON MY BODY IS GOING TO BE ANY LESS..." and "...I GUESS EVEN WITH A RESTRICTION LIKE THIS...". A jagged SFX "ガッ" and "...!" marks sudden tension. In darkness, a ornate poisonous sword is displayed with the warning "EVEN THE SMALLEST MISTAKE COULD COST ME MY LIFE... A POISONOUS DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD! IF I DON'T USE THIS ABILITY WITH THE UTMOST CAUTION...". Kurapika leans against a wall, breathing heavily.

In an ornate bedroom, Queen Oito stands facing Kurapika and apologizes profusely for the sudden request and the chaos that followed. Kurapika replies that it is not a problem. Oito then asks if Kurapika can teach her Nen as well. Kurapika turns away in thought. Oito presses further, noting that Kurapika had said knowing it raises survival chances. Kurapika agrees to do everything possible for Prince Woble. Oito questions whether this is because it will do more harm than good, then immediately apologizes again for seeking approval after the fact. Kurapika responds with a bright, forgiving expression.

Kurapika explains that forcing Nen awakens latent abilities in non-users and carries a side-effect. Oito reacts with shock. Kurapika states that Oito is already capable of using Nen. A wide landscape of mountains and an endless sea is shown. The scene shifts to a grand hall labeled 1014 at 9 AM on Day 2, where many people stand in formation.

A man with slicked-back hair and a goatee listens intently, thinking, "LISTEN IN ON EVERYTHING HE SAYS, DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY! FIND OUT IF HE'S TEACHING NEN CORRECTLY AND REPORT BACK TO ME!!" Nearby, another suited figure mutters, "'NITTY GRITTY'... THAT WAS PRETTY CUTE..." and "UFU..." A flashback shows a determined man vowing, "SHE ORDERED ME! NOT WERGET, BUT ME...! I'LL SEIZE THIS CHANCE FOR SURE!" and "LEARN NEN WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT!! THAT'S A ROYAL ORDER!" Two maids from the 10th Prince, Yuhri and Loveley, cheer, "LUCKY US!!" and "WE'LL GET TO GET AWAY FROM THAT ROOM FOR A FEW HOURS!" Two worried maids from the 11th Prince wonder, "WH... WHY ARE WE HERE ...INSTEAD OF BODYGUARDS...?" In a close-up of clasped hands, one voice admits, "I'M NOT SURE MYSELF." while another asks, "WHAT ARE THESE...?" Two bodyguards from the 9th Prince discuss, "THIS MUST BE THE MARK OF RESOLVE THAT THE PRINCE WAS TALKING ABOUT." and "ME TOO. I THINK THIS WAS PROBABLY DONE BY OUR PRINCE'S NEN BEAST." One suggests, "GO AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS THING IS. YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO DIVULGE ANY INFORMATION WE HAVE." while the other concludes, "I THINK IT PROBABLY HAS TO DO WITH THAT 'NEN BEAST' THING THAT PRINCE WOBLE'S BODYGUARD BROADCAST ABOUT."

Bodyguard Satobi of the 7th Prince states, "THIS IS AN IDEAL CHANCE TO INVESTIGATE TO ACTIONS OF THE OTHER BODYGUARDS AND EVEN OPEN NEGOTIATIONS...!!!" while noting the danger of one lone bodyguard. Bodyguard Mucija of the 8th Prince adds, "THIS IS A MISSION OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE! I CANNOT LEAVE IT FOR ANYONE ELSE TO DO!" and "ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THE PRINCE IS GLAD TO BE RID OF ME..." Longi and Maor of the 5th Prince discuss using codes and a letter for safe communication, with one declaring, "I WANT HIS BRAINS! I MUST HAVE HIM AS OUR ALLY, EVEN IF IT MEANS BRINGING THE PRINCE ALONG WITH HIM." and "USE THESE TWO WEEKS TO PERSUADE HIM STEALTHILY!" Danjin of the 4th Prince warns, "YOU'D BETTER NOT LEARN IT ON PURPOSE, GOT THAT?!" while Muhan laughs, "DIDN'T YOU? HEHEHEHEE HEHEHEHEE!" and threatens, "IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO LEARN NEN IN THE PROMISED 2 WEEKS, YOU CAN KILL THEM ALL." Bodyguard Yurikov of the 1st Prince explains, "FROM THE WAY HE TEACHES, HIS ACTIONS, AND HIS SPEAKING MANNERISMS, I'LL BE ABLE TO GLEAN HINTS AS TO HIS NEN-TYPE AND HIS ABILITY...!" while Tenftori stresses keeping tabs on contact with the Queen and Kurapika, calling him "THE KEY TO EVERYTHING FROM HERE ON IN."

A close-up reveals the intense face of a spiky-haired man whose eyes widen as he declares, "I NEVER REVEAL THIS MOST SECRET OF MY TECHNIQUES TO ANYONE...!!!" He continues, "AS IT IS MY VERY LIFELINE..." and explains that the shaking around the circumference of the eye is visible when looking from the side, the easiest way to differentiate Nen users from those that aren't. The man adds that this is a skill gained from experience and that there are four others pretending they can't use it as well. He notes that the pro hunters from the association can all use Nen but apart from them, "WHAT'S THIS...?" In a dramatic full-body panel the same man stands with arms crossed inside a jagged aura, shouting "I WILL INVOKE MY RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE!!" He warns that the moment the listener activates their abilities, he will do the same. He concludes that if their reason is the same as the hunters—to investigate undercover—then it poses no problem.

In a grand hall lined with wooden floors and stone walls, dozens of men in dark suits stand facing a smaller group. Two men in white protective suits stand at the front; one with arms crossed shouts "COME AND GET IT...!!" while the other says "I'M READY WHENEVER YOU ARE." A tall man with slicked-back hair addresses the suited group. In a close-up the white-suited man thinks that if the opponent wants him to act first he is happy to oblige, noting the opponent is probably thinking the same with a smug look. At the bottom of the page a figure with a black bob haircut and a mask-like face covering activates an ability, exclaiming "SILENT MAJORITY ...!!!" and "I'LL ACTIVATE..." while a wolf silhouette labeled "A WOLF AMONG THE HERO!!" appears beside them. The chapter ends with the Hunter × Hunter logo.