Hunter × Hunter Chapter 384: Conflict

In a dimly lit room, Taha o, the Cha-R family vice boss and 7th prince's private army advisor, sits at a table with a glass and ashtray. A man with his back turned listens as Taha o responds, 'I SEE.' The conversation reveals that over the past few days eight people have gone missing from the Xi-Yi family ranks, and the hitman from the Heil-ly family possesses super powers described as Nen. Taha o questions if this is a Nen user. Nearby, a stern man with glasses states that the manpower lost exceeds three hundred and believes no single actor is responsible. He adds that through cunning methods the Heil-ly family continues their manhunt. A large panel shows the glasses-wearing man explaining that the hitman who caused problems on deck 3 and his allies have descended to the lower decks. In the lower section, a blond man in a striped high-collared outfit offers to communicate with the Cha-R family on deck 4 to eliminate the hitman, while another man insists they must search the upper decks for a man named Hisoka who was not on deck 5. A voice replies 'YES.' and calls for immediate countermeasures.

The blond man in the striped outfit points toward a door and states that the hitman's objective lies on the other side. Taha o replies 'I SEE.' A panel shows a spacious room with several standing figures where a speech bubble notes there is a place the hitman is bound to come and that place is here, while another bubble suggests the hitman may be an elusive phantom with teleportation ability. A close-up reveals a tall man with spiky hair declaring that the hitman seeks the direct passageway that leads there and accusing the listener of coming from the upper decks. In the next scene the glasses-wearing advisor asks for confirmation whether Morena of the Heil-ly is on deck one. A woman with light hair questions who is after their boss's life. Another speaker wonders why the Heil-ly would go out of their way. The tall spiky-haired man seated in a chair explains that if Morena is not on an upper deck then pulling out is no longer an option, and depending on her location the situation will change greatly. A topknotted man and others stand nearby as the advisor says 'UNDERSTOOD.'

A stern man with a scar glares forward as he declares there will be no mercy. "NO QUARTER, NO PEACE TREATIES, NONE OF THAT. A WAR THAT GOES UNTIL ONLY ONE REMAINS." Beside him, a mustached man with slicked-back hair adds, "IT'S GOING TO BE AN ALL-OUT CONFLICT." Below, a man with glasses in a dark suit addresses the group. A short-haired man asks, "ARE YOU FOR REAL?" while another with a topknot listens. The suited man explains, "ANY INDEPENDENT ATTACKS INITIATED BY THE FAMILY MEMBERS OR IF GUNS ARE GOING TO BE USED MUST ALL FIRST BE DISCUSSED WITH THEIR BOSS, AND THEN THE BOSSES OF THE FAMILIES WILL HAVE A MEETING." He continues, "KAKIN'S MAFIA HAS LAWS IN PLACE FOR ITS FIGHTS." A short-haired man retorts, "NONE OF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE." In smaller panels, A-Family's Boss holds up a sign and says, "SORRY. MY YOUNG MEMBER ACTED ON HIS OWN ACCORD WITHOUT CONSULTING ME." B-Family's Boss replies on the phone, "WE'LL SETTLE IT WITH XX." Another panel shows a B-Family member being shot as the boss notes, "AH, THEY'RE YOUNG AND HOT-BLOODED. IT CAN'T BE HELPED." A-Family's Boss concludes, "...VERY WELL. IF YOU'RE THAT ADAMANT ABOUT IT, THEN GO AHEAD. I'LL SEND WORD TO THE OTHER FAMILY."

A man with an earring speaks in profile, suggesting the victim might be "SOMEWHERE AWAY FROM HOME TURF" such as Deck 1 or 2. The mustached man listens as another voice notes, "IF WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS SHIP, THAT IS..." The suited man explains settlement options could be money, a life or two, or even part of a body. He adds that the boss on the victim's side considers the balance when proposing something and that this is the place for a boss to display tolerance. He states the ironclad law: after an incident the most vital condition is that the boss was somewhere away from home turf. The mustached man confirms, "EXACTLY." The suited man continues that if the boss was on Deck 3 and still did not send word it would mean war. In the background, the short-haired man and topknotted man stand with a child. The suited man warns that these terrible business practices are having awful influence. The earring man replies that whatever happens, he does not really care.

A man with slicked-back hair and a mustache speaks to another with spiky hair. "I can let you speak to the Xi-Yu on deck 4, but you're gonna have to look for that Hisoka guy all on your own," he says. The spiky-haired man replies, "Which means you would no longer be able to use the gangsters here on deck 5 to collect information for you anymore." The mustached man continues, "Which means..." In a wide panel under a cloudy sky, a bird flies as narration states, "If it comes to war, all of the lower level thugs and punks would not provide any help whatsoever. They're bound by Kakin mafia law to not cooperate with any family in the midst of war." Two men stand close; one with long hair and a jacket, the other in robes. The robed man says, "Killing her would be our fastest road to our goal." The long-haired man adds, "That is, if the boss of the Hei-ly family were, in fact, on the lower decks..." A man with glasses and slicked hair speaks, "Meanwhile, we'll get in touch with the other members and hunt down that hitman." Another voice urges, "Hurry up and confirm Morena's location." The glasses man continues, "And if the 4th prince and this current new boss aren't on good terms, then he might even be grateful to us." A bearded man smiles, "If this new boss of the Hei-ly family ends up being a trouble-maker anyways, they can just appoint a new one." In close-up, the long-haired man with a mustache thinks, "Indeed..." while Mizai, wearing glasses, looks forward and says, "Hey, this is quite risky, isn't it?"

In a luxurious dining room, a large bald man with facial markings sits at a table covered with food including a roasted bird, pasta, and wine. A neatly dressed servant stands beside him holding a tray. The large man eats with a spoon while the servant waits attentively. In the next scene, a man with an afro and patterned robe stands in a room filled with animals and aquariums. He holds a small dark-furred animal while a large bird perches on a stand nearby; a cat sits on a shelf and a dog stands on the floor. The room features large windows showing underwater scenes and various decorative items. The final panel shows an empty elegant sitting room with two high-backed chairs, a round table with a flower vase, a fireplace, and ornate furniture. A small side table holds a bottle and glass. No one is present in the room.

In an opulent royal suite lined with ornate furniture, chandeliers, and framed paintings, narration explains that the residential areas of the second-liners match those of the upper-ranked queens, with luggage capacity second only to the King. Another box notes that second-liners who avoid the political spotlight still receive proper treatment and service from the underworld. The scene shifts to a shattered decorative urn lying in pieces on the floor, with the text stating they are bound to absolute obedience to royal authority. A final panel shows a chaotic, debris-filled corridor outside room 1004. Several characters discuss the situation: one remarks that the servants have likely been hiding on the lower decks since boarding, another admits they were too busy to notice, and a third confirms the group is not in the V(VIP) area.

A long-haired man with a facial scar speaks on a telephone against a dark, smoky background, saying he will act when free. He is told to do as he pleases. The scene cuts to a wide, tiled hallway littered with overturned furniture and debris where several soldiers stand at attention. Multiple voices respond 'Yes, sir!' to orders. One soldier is instructed to have the private soldiers on the lower decks find Morena's hideout. A woman with short hair apologizes for the wait and suggests they continue. Close-up panels show a young man with an eyepatch, the long-haired man in profile, a woman with short hair, and the long-haired man turning with a serious expression.

Two men stand on a narrow ledge before a vast, churning cloud of aura that fills the upper half of the scene. The suited man on the left remains motionless with a stern expression while the long-haired man in a dark jumpsuit on the right shifts his weight and raises one hand slightly, uttering "HRM MM?". Heavy vibration lines shake the ground beneath them. In the panel below, a dark skull-shaped mass emerges from the swirling energy with the sound "Grrk... Grrrk...". Three close-up panels show wide, sweat-dropped eyes reacting in shock. Narration reads "I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF ABILITY IT MIGHT HAVE...!", followed by "HE'S CONJURED A SPECIALIST NEN BEAST THAT HE HIMSELF HAS NO AWARENESS OF...". A final pair of eyes exclaims "WHAT A TERRIFYING AURA...!!!" and "INCREDIBLE...".

A massive guardian spirit beast looms across the top of the page, its muscular body covered in swirling patterns with a feminine face, long flowing hair, and a single horn. Text labels it "A GUARDIAN SPIRIT BEAST... BIRTHED FROM THE CEREMONY...". Below, a chaotic mass of tendrils and energy shows additional text: "BORN FROM HIS OWN ABILITIES...!!!" and "AND A NEN BEAST SPLIT FROM HIMSELF...". At the bottom, two close-up eyes convey urgency alongside the lines "I WOULDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME...!!!" and "IF I WERE TO ASK ABOUT THE CEREMONY...", accompanied by vibration effects.

Two figures stand side by side before enormous, grotesque Nen manifestations that dominate the entire space. On the left, a long-haired man in a dark tracksuit with a diagonal stripe faces forward, hands slightly raised and expression neutral. To his right, a silhouetted figure in a formal suit stands with hands clasped behind the back, back turned to the viewer. Behind them towers a massive, muscular beast with a dark, horn-like protrusion and multiple dangling limbs. To the right looms a second colossal entity with a feminine face, flowing curly hair, spiraling horns, and a segmented, serpentine body covered in swirling patterns. The background is filled with chaotic, swirling lines suggesting immense power and otherworldly presence.

A series of panels shows the continuation of the exchange. In the top left, the long-haired man stares forward with a neutral expression. Nearby, hands clap three times with the onomatopoeia "CLAP CLAP CLAP". The bobbed-hair person in a suit speaks: "The sensation that you have noticed just now... is the sign for us to continue to the next stage." Another voice replies "Very impressive." The bobbed-hair speaker continues with wide eyes: "Let's move onto complex techniques combining multiple of the four major principles. We will now begin application of the basics." In lower panels, the suited figure stands on a striped floor and says "You are truly incredible... to be honest." The long-haired man responds with "At la-... At last. Oh." The bobbed-hair person adds "Gain a comprehension of Nen so fast. This is the first time I've ever seen anyone..."

Theta stands with an intense expression, hand raised as radiating lines burst behind her. She declares her commitment: "TO RACING TO UNLOCK AND PUSH YOUR POTENTIAL TO ITS UPMOST LIMITS. STARTING NOW, I TOO HAVE DECIDED TO COMMIT MYSELF..." In a flashback panel she continues, "THAT I HAD FELT COMPELLED TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THINGS DOWN. IN FACT, IT WAS SO FAR OUT OF WHAT I HAD PLANNED FOR..." The long-haired man replies appreciatively, "THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT I DO VALUE AND APPRECIATE YOU, THETA. YES. WELL, I SUPPOSE EVERYONE'S LIKE THAT IN THE FACE OF TRUE GENIUS." Theta explains the path forward: "BUT THERE'S ONE OTHER PATH THAT HOLDS THE KEY TO MASTERING COMPLEX TECHNIQUES. BOTH OF THESE NEED TO BE TRAINED ON A DAILY BASIS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE POWER OF HATSU. YOUR HIGHNESS, YOU'RE ALREADY TRAINING YOUR TEN AND REN AT A HIGH LEVEL. THE FOUR MAJOR PRINCIPLES ARE TEN, ZETSU, REN, AND HATSU." In close-up she concludes, "AND THAT IS ZETSU." The long-haired man asks, "THAT'S THE ONE THAT CLOSES OFF YOUR AURA, RIGHT?" Theta confirms, "THAT TO MASTER ZETSU IS TO MASTER NEN ABILITIES. IT WOULD BE NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY... YES."

The long-haired man considers the instruction: "THEN LET'S START ...PICTURE IT... I SEE." Theta elaborates on the exercise: "ULTIMATELY, YOU WILL SHUT OFF YOUR AURA FROM YOUR ENTIRE BODY AND MAINTAIN THAT FOR OVER AN HOUR. FIRST, WE'LL START WITH SHUTTING OFF PARTS AT A TIME. ONCE YOU CAN DO THAT, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS TO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE." A small panel shows a distant figure with SFX "ゴゴルルル..." Extreme close-ups of eyes display aura particles and the effect "ゴゴルルル..." Theta states, "THIS TRAINING REALLY IS NECESSARY TO LEARN NEN. DON'T GET IN THE WAY." Suddenly a woman with long wavy hair bursts in from the left, shouting, "NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY...!!" Theta turns and retorts sharply, "I'M NOT LYING ABOUT ANYTHING...!"

A man with long hair and a dark jacket stands with palms raised, white energy glowing around his hands as he declares, "I'LL START WITH MY HANDS." The energy intensifies while a massive, multi-legged Nen beast with flowing hair charges forward in the background. Two figures in dark suits stand ready as the beast looms over them. The man continues focusing, sweat visible, as the creature rears up with motion lines and SFX "グイッ" and "グルル". A short-haired woman watches and says, "YOU'RE DOING GREAT." Another voice adds, "INCREDIBLE." The man maintains his stance amid swirling particles and motion lines. In close-up, the woman's intense eyes and the man's focused face appear as she thinks, "NOW KEEP IT UP, JUST LIKE THAT. I WANT THIS MAN TO GROW AND DEVELOP." She continues internally, "AS OF NOW... FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF MY HEART..." The page ends with a large splash panel on black: "LIKE THIS, I CAN STILL DO IT... TOMORROW...!!!"