Hunter × Hunter Chapter 392: Intel

A bruised young man with short hair explains the scuffle to nearby figures. "WE BUMPED INTO EACH OTHER, AND THINGS GOT A BIT OUT OF HAND. BUT WE'VE ALREADY WORKED OUT OUR DIFFERENCES. AHH... IT'S ALL GOOD." Armed guards in uniform stand in a long tiled corridor and question two people below. "CAN YOU PROVIDE A STATEMENT? WE GOT SEVERAL REPORTS OF AN ALTERCATION HERE. ARE EITHER OF YOU INJURED?" The curly-haired woman insists, "I THINK THEY WERE GUNNING FOR ME." A man in a hat identifies the young man: "...YOU'RE THE UNDERBOSS OF THE XI-YU FAMILY, RIGHT?" The young man is released with a warning. "HMM... YOU'RE FREE TO GO THEN. IF YOU KEEP DRAWING ATTENTION AND ROUGHHOUSING CIVILIANS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER FOR YOU..." In a crowded terminal a tall, thin figure stands among bystanders. The curly-haired woman leans close to the mustached man in the hat and asks, "...FOR THE LOCATION OF THE HEI-LY BOSS? HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO FORK OVER..."

The mustached man opens the negotiation. "SO, WHERE IS SHE? THAT'S RIGHT. GENEROSITY IS MY FAVORITE VIRTUE. I HEAR YOU'RE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS? FIRST THINGS FIRST. THE MONEY." The curly-haired woman replies, "I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM... I NEED TO CONFIRM THE INTEL FIRST. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN." He counters, "ASSUMING IT'S RELIABLE INFO. ABOUT 50 MIL..." She refuses to proceed without safeguards. "I CAN'T RISK BEING DOUBLE CROSSED OVER THIS. BUT I'M PUTTING MY NECK ON THE LINE HERE." Lower panels show the man explaining wiring details and a hidden room. "BUT APPARENTLY, THEY SET UP A LOT OF WIRING THAT DOESN'T SHOW UP ON THE SHIP'S PLANS. SO UNLESS IT'S YOU GUYS WHO HAVE A SECRET HIDEOUT... I FIGURE IT HAS TO BE THEM." He reveals the source was eliminated. "I KNOW THE GUY WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SHIP'S WIRING. HE TOLD ME THE MORE LOOSE-LIPPED WORKERS WERE DISPOSED OF... BEFORE WE EVEN BOARDED." The curly-haired woman presses, "WHAT'S YOUR SOURCE? THE INFO BETTER BE WORTH IT." The mustached man demands, "30 MIL UP-FRONT! NON-NEGOTIABLE!"

The curly-haired figure in a dark coat faces the mustached man in uniform and declares, "IN RETURN, YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAD ME TO HER YOURSELF." The man replies, "BUT..." and the figure continues, "I'LL FETCH THE MONEY. WAIT HERE." The uniformed man agrees, "I'LL TAKE YOU RIGHT TO THEIR DOORSTEP," and the figure accepts with "FINE BY ME." In a crowded hallway the same curly-haired person, now wearing a pinstripe suit, holds up a large sign reading "PLEASE RELAX AND CONTINUE ON YOUR WAY" while another sign announces "WE'LL BE KEEPING WATCH HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER!" A guard shouts, "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! YOU'RE FREE TO PASS!" People begin moving past the checkpoint. Below, an injured blond boy covered in cuts and bruises stares upward with a dazed expression as nearby onlookers react with startled sweat drops and murmurs.

Close-ups reveal the injured blond boy's shocked face and the wide-eyed stare of a short-haired girl with a bullet wound in her forehead. Large SFX "ズズズ" emphasize the impact. The boy is shown carrying the girl on his back through the hallway as bystanders watch in surprise. A caption identifies the girl as "MISHA HAO (DECEASED) EX-MEMBER OF THE XI-YU FAMILY POST-MORTEM NEN ABILITY." Narration explains that she appears to inconspicuously dispose of the body and vanishes once accomplished. Another caption reads "ZOMBIE GIRL" - MISHA, THE XI-YU'S UNDERTAKER. HER ABILITY MANIFESTED AFTER SHE DIED. WHENEVER A FAMILY MEMBER IS INVOLVED IN A KILLING... A footnote notes the Japanese title is a play on an old French pop song, "LA VIE EN ROSE." The final panel shows a distant domed building under a cloudy sky with a single sheet of paper drifting in the wind.

High above the ceiling, a tiny black orb with wide white eyes peeks out and emits a soft 'PEEP'. The sound echoes through the vast, multi-level atrium of a brightly lit facility where dozens of people move about on walkways and near storefronts. More 'PEEP' bubbles drift down from above as the orb continues its surveillance. On a lower level, two boys stand side by side; the light-haired boy in a coat glances upward with mild surprise while the dark-skinned boy with a short afro stares intently in the same direction. The afro-haired boy’s eyes widen in shock as a voice addresses him directly. In a nearby panel a uniformed girl with short hair points firmly toward the distance, declaring she has found another one and asking which way to go this time. A younger girl with pigtails stands beside her, also looking in the indicated direction. The afro-haired boy, now shown in close-up with a stunned expression, blurts out the question that has been directed at him.

A blonde girl with a high ponytail confronts the afro-haired boy in the middle of the hallway, asking if he is Hisoka. The boy reacts violently, shouting that she has the wrong guy while large impact graphics explode around him. He grabs her arm in the struggle. In the next panel the boy appears calm again, smiling slightly and apologizing, saying he thinks she has the wrong guy. The blonde girl pulls back and warns that if there is a problem they should come to the Xi-Yu base on Tier 4, where they will compensate for any inconvenience. Nearby, a small girl with pigtails watches the exchange. In the background, several men in protective gear are seen subduing a person on the floor while one shouts that Hanarui is okay and that the next target is not him. Another figure yells that they will call the authorities as the restrained person is dragged away amid motion lines and exclamation marks.

In a crowded public hall, several people scan the crowd while debating their search. One voice insists they cannot ignore anyone who looks weak, since Hisoka could be disguised. Another admits they are only spitballing but suggests the plan might be pointless if Hisoka can change his height. A third person suddenly spots a target and calls out that they have found another one. The group reacts with surprise and urgency. Wide shots reveal the multi-level atrium filled with civilians moving on escalators and walkways around a central pillar. Two women in uniform-like outfits exchange glances near a monitor stand, one voicing doubt about the target's powers while the other has no retort. At the bottom of the frame a line of silhouettes watches the scene. The final panel shows a close-up of Hisoka's face staring forward with intense focus as tension symbols pulse around him.

Hisoka stands with his back to the viewer, a heart symbol visible on his outfit, when a woman with wavy hair approaches and directly asks if he is Hisoka. Another voice calls out hey from off-panel. In close-up the woman stares at him and says Lynch followed by you are. Hisoka turns slightly. The scene erupts into sudden violence as the woman lunges forward and strikes Hisoka with a powerful blow that produces a large impact effect and the sound POW. Hisoka reacts with a quiet oh. Subsequent panels show the woman's wide-eyed shock, Hisoka standing calmly, the woman gripping a monitor stand, and Hisoka looking back at her with an unchanged expression.

In a dimly lit hallway, the short-haired figure in black stands calmly as the wavy-haired attacker stumbles back from a counter blow. The attacker blurts out an apology while debris scatters across the floor. A close-up reveals the attacker's wide-eyed realization: the oppressive aura matches only one person. 'Hisoka, right?' the attacker asks, sweat beading on their face. The short-haired figure leans in, eyes sharp, declaring they are the one asking questions now. In the next panels the short-haired figure, jacket bearing a spider emblem, questions the attacker about their motives. The attacker, still shaken, explains that their family is searching for the target and invites the figure to follow for more information. A sudden reaction shot shows the attacker’s horrified expression as a body hangs limply nearby, legs dangling above the floor.

The short-haired figure’s face fills the frame, a sly smile forming amid bold motion lines as tension peaks. Below, the wavy-haired attacker stares upward in shock, eyes wide and mouth agape, sweat flying from their face. The bottom wide panel reveals a bustling multi-level building interior where the two figures stand together on an upper walkway, surrounded by distant civilians going about their day.

Inside a brightly lit store, an elderly man with long hair speaks on the phone while a young man with slicked-back hair and freckles listens nearby. The elderly man reports, "From what I understand, two soldiers shot each other and a Xi-Yu man roughed up a civilian." He adds, "But I doubt this was really just a random brawl." The young man asks about military sources. The elderly man continues, "Unfortunately, they've probably been given gag orders. It's really becoming a full-on war, huh?" while noting pleasure doing business. The young man questions the topic shift and offers autograph paper. The elderly man replies that grunts will talk for the right price and that niche goods aren't found in Tier 3 malls. A shopkeeper in the background mentions ordering booze, tobacco, and gambling tickets. The young man insists on using proper autograph paper for his clothes and states he wants to do it properly.

The elderly man explains that upper-class services require contacts and that requested items are usually delivered to the ship. He notes a store exists up there. A diagram illustrates goods lists sent to the old world via drone, with deliveries handled by blimp or large drones. The elderly man states the requested delivery must be by air after the 14th day. In a large panel, a stern man in a suit and glasses stands with a bald bearded man in a patterned coat. The young man with slicked-back hair drinks from a glass and apologizes for the Xi-Yu trouble while vowing to watch a suspicious 190cm tall man. The young man declares four days until the deadline and suggests heading to Area E to get Hinrich's signatures on autograph paper as reward. Someone crossed the Xi-Yu in Area E's public hall.

In a multi-level office interior, a suited man stands with arms crossed and addresses several subordinates. "AFTER THAT, RETURN TO HQ AND REPORT THE FINDINGS TO THE TROUPE," he orders. "YOU GUYS SNIFF AROUND A LITTLE MORE FOR INTEL. CHECK UP TO AREA C IF YOU HAVE TO." Nearby, a man with glasses speaks into a phone while watching the group. "BUT THEY'RE STAYING IN THE OFFICE, SO WE'VE GOTTA BE CAUTIOUS," he says. "I FIGURED IF I GAVE THE TROUPE FREE REIGN TO SEARCH TIER 4 THEY'D SPLIT UP." A subordinate replies, "Yes, sir!" In a closer panel, two men confer intensely. The mustached man states, "MAKING SURE THE SPIDERS STAY IN LINE IS WAY TOO TRICKY!!! MAYBE WE SHOULD LET HEIL-LY DEAL WITH THE TROUPE AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON SECURING HISOKA." His companion replies, "THEY'VE NAVIGATED THE STANDOFF BETWEEN THE THREE FAMILIES EXPERTLY, AND THEY'RE FULLY AWARE THAT IT'S KEY FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH THE HITMAN BEFORE TRACKING DOWN HISOKA. WHAT A PACK OF COLD-BLOODED WOLVES! THAT HEIL-LY HITMAN PLACED HIS ACTIVATION MARK ON THE OFFICE... BUT THE TROUPE ARE CLEARLY CUNNING ENOUGH TO WAIT FOR HIM TO COME!" At the bottom, an elderly woman and a suited man continue the discussion. "WE'LL PRESERVE THE BALANCE AND USE HISOKA TO CRUSH HEIL-LY AND THE TROUPE," the suited man says. The woman adds, "ASSUMING HE'S THE 'CIVILIAN' THAT SKIRMISHED WITH THE XI-YU, THAT'D MEAN THEY'RE A STEP AHEAD OF US. BUT IT WOULD CONFIRM HINRICH'S TAKING A SIMILAR APPROACH. BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST. ONCE THEY'VE MANAGED TO KILL HISOKA, THEY'LL PROBABLY TRY LOOTING TIER 1 FOR ALL IT'S WORTH. HARD TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE REALLY AFTER, THOUGH, TOO MANY VARIABLES." The suited man concludes, "LET'S FIND HISOKA."

A tall suited man stands before a gathered group of men and women in a spacious room. He states, "SECURING HIM IS OUR TOP PRIORITY! THEN WE'VE GOT THE HEIL-LY FAMILY..." Another speaker notes, "THEY COULD BE NEN USERS, TOO. AVOID TRAVELING ALONE." The tall man continues, "OUTSIDE OF THEIR BOSS, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR MEMBERS, NOT EVEN HOW MANY THERE ARE." A voice adds, "HISOKA IS PIVOTAL. HE'S A FLOOR MASTER AT THE HEAVEN'S ARENA..." The tall man replies, "IF YOU FIND HIM, DO NOT APPROACH UNTIL I ARRIVE. WE'LL MOVE ONTO THE NEXT STAGE TO HINRICH OR I SUCCEED IN NEGOTIATING WITH HIM... THEN WE'LL JUST SIT BACK AND WATCH AS THE TROUPE AND HEIL-LY WHITTLE AWAY AT EACH OTHER." Smaller panels show figures in motion and a spiky-haired man looking surprised. Narration reads, "BUT GOING OFF THE FOOTAGE OF HIS FIGHTS AT HEAVEN'S ARENA, HE SEEMS TO ENJOY STACKING THE DECK AGAINST HIMSELF... EVERYONE INVOLVED HERE IS UNPREDICTABLE. ...REALLY HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO EXTERMINATE THE SPIDERS, THEN IT'D BE MUCH EASIER TO JUST LET THEM GO AT IT. IF HISOKA..." The final panels depict a long empty hallway with debris and a ruined street filled with scattered bodies and damaged structures.

In a quiet room two figures sit near a low table covered in puzzle pieces. One kneels to examine the scattered pieces while the other watches from the bench. Nearby, a long-haired person stares wide-eyed at a screen, mouth covered by a striped mask, uttering soft sounds of distress. In the main office several men lounge on couches and chairs beneath a large emblem on the wall. One man leans over a desk to write while others rest or watch monitors. A sudden view shows a dark circular hole torn in a metal ceiling. A short-haired man at the monitors remarks that nothing seems out of the ordinary. In the next room a blond man and a scarred man discuss the search team. The blond notes their leader hates cramped places and would turn them down. The scarred man suggests searching outside in shifts. Another voice proposes fetching Franklin and splitting into teams of two. A knock sounds at the door. Someone asks if the search team is back. A figure rises to answer while others remain seated. The group debates whether the enemy might attack while they wait, urging patience.

At the monitor station the short-haired operator suddenly shouts in alarm at the screen. A bald man approaches a door from behind, announcing he is coming. The door bursts open with force. A bloodied man staggers inside shouting for Troupe members to come quickly. Nearby a stern-faced man watches with narrowed eyes. In a narrow corridor an arm reaches through a floor hatch, fist clenched, as loud knocking echoes. Someone mutters that the attacker could have taken them by surprise. On the monitors the same ceiling breach is visible again. The operator stares in shock. The blond man and scarred man stand together with others, noting that the search team has returned. They conclude the enemy would rather toy with them than strike immediately. Tension fills the room as the group processes the sudden intrusion.

In a dimly lit hallway, several figures stand near an open doorway as others linger in the background. The blond man in a high-collared uniform turns sharply and calls out "HEY..." Inside the spacious room with a large window and potted plants, the same blond man clutches his head in frustration and shouts "DID THEY JUST VANISH?" A masked figure with wild hair remarks "...IF THEY CAN'T USE NEN..." while the topknotted man in robes replies "DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY GRUNTS ARE AROUND..." Near the wooden door, the blond man appears again on the left as the topknotted man orders "BOLT THE DOOR!" A bearded man in robes warns "DON'T COME OUT." while a short-haired man asks "HUH...? WHERE'RE MY BROS?" The blond man stares at the door marked with impact lines "ズズズ" as someone slams it shut with a loud "ガバッ ドン SLAM" and a voice commands "KEEP AN EYE ON THE SEARCH TEAM, AND LET US KNOW THE SECOND ANYTHING HAPPENS!" A figure with long dark hair watches from below.

A close-up shows hands gripping and breaking through a wooden surface as voices exclaim "IT ISN'T LIKE YOU AT ALL...!!!" and "THIS ISN'T LIKE YOU..." The damaged door reveals a figure peering through the hole while the topknotted man accuses "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BETRAY THE CHAR-R, HEAD TO THE UPPER DECKS, AND MURDER ALL THOSE FILTHY RICH BASTARDS!" and another voice adds "DON'T YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING A LITTLE TOO NICE WITH THEM?" The blond man appears in close-up, hand on his head, sarcastically asking "SHOULD I EDIT IT FOR YA?" and questioning the accuracy of a wiki entry about being a "BAND OF BRUTAL THIEVES." He then stands with arms crossed stating "ANYWAY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT US?" and "WE SHOULD JUST KILL EVERYONE? YOU JUST A GLUTTON FOR MURDER OR SOMETHING?" In a dramatic black panel, the topknotted man draws a glowing sword with a bright flash and says "GO RIGHT AHEAD." while a caption reads "WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, ADD A LINE ABOUT HOW WE 'SHOW NO MERCY TO FOOLS THAT PISS US OFF.'" The page ends with the Hunter x Hunter logo and "CH. 392 /END".