Hunter × Hunter Chapter 394: Plan

An elderly man with white hair lies writhing on a wooden floor, clutching his side in agony. "AAAHH! IT HURTS SO MUCH!" he screams. A woman with long curly hair stands over him. A stern man with glasses looms close, declaring, "I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT GETTING STABBED FOR REAL FEELS LIKE." The old man gasps, "I'M JUST A DEFENSELESS OLD MAN! OUCH, OUCH! I'M IN SO MUCH PAIN! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?" The attacker retorts, "THERE'S NOT EVEN ANY BLOOD, OLD MAN. WHERE'S YOUR REAL BODY?" The old man continues, "...THE MORE HONEST PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE I WAS INJURED. I USED TO BE A CON MAN... I'D JUMP IN FRONT OF CARS... THE MORE I ROLLED AROUND IN PAIN..." Smoke and debris rise from the floor as the old man’s distorted face appears in close-up. "WHO CARES? WHERE ARE YOUR AND THE CORPORAL'S BODIES?" someone asks. The old man laughs, "HE HE HE!! HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED..."

In a hallway, a man in a cap runs while carrying something. "HE SAID—" A group reacts with surprise. "I'MMA GO PICK UP THAT SHIV." "HEY! DON'T GO IN THERE!" Inside the room, Hinrigh speaks with the curly-haired woman and the glasses man. "YOU'VE ALREADY FOUND HISOKA... ALL THAT'S LEFT IS THE CLEAN UP." "LET'S JUST SEND THE TROUPE OVER TO THE HEIL-LY HIDEOUT. LET THEM RUN WILD." "WHY DON'T WE LEAVE THE HEIL-LY TO THE TROUPE?" "DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GOT THE SAME KINDA POWER AS THE BOSS?!" "HE JUST... VANISHED?!" The glasses man notes, "JUST AS I THOUGHT. TASSHI DISAPPEARED!" The curly-haired woman observes the murderer’s head and torso remain while the group has gone. "IT'S A TRAP... THIS MUST BE SOMEONE ELSE'S ABILITY." "THAT GUY WAS KILLED BY NOBUNAGA, THE SPIDER." She decides, "GUESS I'LL HAVE A LOOK AROUND THIS TRAP MYSELF. I'M SURE THEY'D BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS TRAP, TOO."

A young boy with a checkered hat stands confused in a tiled hallway, realizing he has just entered the room and wondering why he is now in front of a door. He turns and approaches the door with a surprised "HUH?" A close-up shows his startled face as a heavy impact sound "ドスッ SHIV" rings out. A smiling man with spiky hair grabs the boy from behind, holding a sharp object near his neck. The boy struggles angrily in the man's grip. In another area, two men converse: one urges "C'MON EMISSION! C'MON EMISSION!" while the other, holding a cup, replies "HERE. I'M A TRANS-MUTER." Nearby, a girl with short black hair and a boy react in shock with "NOOO" "OHHH" "AWWW MAN!! A CONJURER ?!" and "SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF LEFT-HANDED CONJURERS. MAD JELLY." In the main room, several people stand over two fallen bodies on the tiled floor. One declares "AWW, SWEET! I JUST REACHED LEVEL 21!" Others respond with "GRATS" "CON-GRATS." "GRATS." and "I'LL TAKE CARE OF HIM." as the group celebrates.

A woman with a ponytail says "GOTCHA." as Voconte points forward, noting that Voconte said he has directly connected this room to the disposal plant. Voconte declares "MON! THIS IS THE LAST OF THE TRASH!" while holding a severed head. In the background, the ponytail woman calls "YUP!" and asks Chiff' for a hand. Voconte states it will soon be the ponytail woman's turn to level up. A box labels "TOREBELM (EMITTER) SMUGGLER・ASSASSIN LEVEL 21." Below, in a cluttered disposal room, Montblanc Toto works at a table with a body while a sign reads "MONTBLANC TOTO (CONJURER) CORPSE DISPOSAL・ANIMAL FEED FACTORY WORKER LEVEL 3." Chiffon Toto stands nearby with a sign "CHIFFON TOTO (CONJURER) SEAMSTRESS・ORNAMENT FACTORY WORKER LEVEL 6." Torebelm stands in the foreground raising a hand as someone shouts "ROGER THAT!" A final panel shows a long corridor where a voice notes that the steward left in the VIP area as a liaison with the 4th prince has gone quiet, and another replies "SEEMS LIKE TSERRIEDNICH MIGHT BE ON TO US." "I SEE..."

In a spacious room with a large sofa and table, Matvere smiles and suggests, "If possible, I'd rather do the 'organ' work," while noting that changing clothes seems like a pain. Sodom, with wide eyes, replies, "Then I'll go." The group discusses bringing one of Tserriednich's men over to their side, with one member stating, "Therefore, I'd like to bring one of Tserriednich's men over to our side," and another adding that based on Gyatom's report it looks like time is running out. A woman with long hair and a scar on her face explains her plan: "In order to keep an eye on his whereabouts, I want to infect one of his soldiers with 'contagion'." She continues, "But seeing as the succession war is ongoing, we have no way of telling when he might make his move," knowing Tserriednich will want to kill her for betraying him. Yokotani smiles and says "Nope!" when asked if they can turn the soldiers away on legal grounds. Oraruji, wearing a bandana, grins and offers to lure Tserriednich's bodyguards if they come across any, while also noting he and Yokotani will guard the door in shifts. The group is told to bring any soldiers found on a list to Room 3101's passageway via Door C.

Soufflé and Nôtre receive orders to return to Room 3131 and report on the situation in Room 3101. Nôtre confirms with "Roger that." A man and woman retrace their steps through the clean-up room to the living room, with the woman asking how they ended up back at Room 3101 again. In another area, a woman calls out "Dog," while two figures walk away; background voices complain about the pain and urge not to follow. Dogman, wearing a horned mask, states he needs a few more levels and is given the most important mission of all: to please find a guard. A woman in a black dress sits nearby and tells him to prioritize the new disposal plant at Level 50 at least, to which Dogman replies, "You're right."

In the upper level hallway marked C.31, a fluffy gray cat perches on a railing and stares forward with wide eyes, emitting a long 'STAARE—'. Below, a long-haired person in a dark coat stands with their back to the viewer, gazing toward a decorative fountain in a bustling multi-level atrium. Close panels show a small cat silhouette and a glowing device screen. The long-haired person now faces forward, clutching a cat-shaped object against their chest while other figures move in the background. They lean over a stone railing, examining something off-panel. A tablet device displays a detailed floor map labeled C.31. The same person holds a compact electronic scanner to their face. In the large bottom panel the long-haired person appears in profile on the right, overlooking the crowded C.31 corridor filled with shoppers, vendors, and signs for 'quiche & crepe' and other shops.

A violent smash bursts a door inward as armed officers in caps and uniforms charge forward with guns raised. Inside the room an officer reports 'CAPTAIN, THERE'S A BODY HERE!' while another aims a pistol down the hallway. Multiple officers sweep the corridor, calling 'CLEAR!' repeatedly. A close-up shows a stern officer in a helmet touching his head. In the lower section an officer with a rifle explains that a Heil-Ly member resisted arrest and escaped into the room after shooting at them, justifying the forced entry and request for central police inspection. A body lies face-down on the floor. Further dialogue notes that the room is registered as a gang office and that treating the death as a gang-related offense rather than mafia-based civilian murder prevents the situation from escalating into an 'act of rebellion'. Officers stand guard around the scene.

In a secure corridor, a uniformed officer with a rifle insists they avoid drawing attention from police and royal guards, suggesting they stick to smaller firearms for now. Nearby, another voice notes that with the Xi-Yu and Cha-R families allied, Tier 3 will soon be cleaned up. In the grand lobby beneath a large fountain statue, officers discuss the urgency of arresting Morena Prudo, boss of the Heil-ly family, before the situation worsens for Prince Tserriednich. A sharp-eyed woman in uniform questions whether they should devise a plan to counter the Heil-ly group, especially if they possess more Nen users. Volksen, a member of the Royal Living Quarters Guard Association, is identified as the source of the urgent report. Officers debate the implications, noting Prince Tserriednich has not yet addressed the crisis. One suggests reassigning First-Class Private Volksen to Tier 3 as an adviser while preparing for battles where conventional weapons may fail against a spreading Nen power described as a virus-like threat on Tier 1.

A furious close-up shows a scarred superior officer threatening to rip out the eyes of anyone who abbreviates Prince Tserriednich's name again. In the hallway, the same officer warns a subordinate that he will be sent to the front lines against Nen users for the rest of his life if he slips up. The young woman snaps to attention with a crisp 'Yes, sir!' while another guard affirms the same. Elsewhere, the headband woman reflects that Volksen's reassignment worked out after all. She questions why anyone would provoke a corporal with zero chance of winning a fight. In a larger group scene, guards joke about the upcoming match between the Royal School's 4th class and a famous shouter, while one threatens to shoot a comrade if he does not shut up about jinxing the situation.

In a series of panels, a headband-wearing woman and a curly-haired woman discuss the ongoing investigation. The headband woman asks, "Can you say the same for the Hunter Association?" The curly-haired woman replies about the police understanding the situation and the coroner surmising a time of death consistent with the inspection. They consider if the association caused the incident to distract Kakin and take matters into their own hands, noting the coroner's tampering would be exposed if they turn up for the autopsy. Soldiers with rifles stand guard in the background as the discussion turns to the corpse being a few days old and the army having no reason to suspect mafia during the inspection. The headband woman warns that if hunters realize the blood ties between the royal family and the mafia, they might eliminate the second-track fakers to protect their princes. The curly-haired woman notes the hunters probably only found out after the troublesome seed urn ceremony. A large splash panel shows a dramatic scene of figures in clouds with text about a career-driven central police officer making the wrong decision that could signal the end, and the Heil-Ly bent on destroying the balance.

The scene shifts to a group of soldiers and officers in a building. A stern soldier questions why others are not yelling about the non-stop talking. Another soldier notes that because they are not worthless idiots, they can discuss properly. A panel shows a close-up of the headband woman thinking "He must've found a new toy." Nearby dialogue reveals Prince Tserriednich remained silent despite Morena's rebellion, and Momori asks to kiss someone. Officers discuss that the prince shot a classmate during training after the awards ceremony. The headband woman notes the prince only delays revenge on a traitor because he found a new toy. Soldiers argue about solid arguments with the prince and how the guy would never call it training, just playing. Background shows a large emblem on the building wall.

A stern man with a scarred face glares forward as he speaks. "...IS BECAUSE HE'S LEARNING TO CONTROL THIS SO-CALLED 'NEN' ABILITY?" Beside him another voice replies, "SO, YOU'RE SAYING THE REASON WHY THE PRINCE ISN'T TAKING ACTION AGAINST THE HEIL-LY..." In the lower panels, a curly-haired woman questions the situation while a headband-wearing man and others discuss strategy. "WHY'S THAT?" "YEAH, IN PREPARATION FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO." "ALSO, WITHOUT LOOKING TOO SUSPICIOUS, WE SHOULD PERIODICALLY REQUEST DIFFERENT DEPLOYMENTS." "WE SHOULD WAIT FOR VOLKSEN TO ARRIVE AND CONFIRM THE FACTS FIRST, BUT..." "YEP! AT LEAST, IT'S THE MOST LIKELY HYPOTHESIS." The curly-haired woman continues, "WHEN THE OPERATION BEGINS, PASSAGE BETWEEN TIERS 2 AND 3 WILL BE LIMITED TO OFFICIAL ROYAL TROOPS ONLY." "ANY 'MAFIA CLEAN-UP' PLAN WOULD DEFINITELY BE KEPT UNDER WRAPS, MEANING THAT GUARDS WON'T BE PRIVY TO THE TIMING OR DETAILS." "AT THIS POINT, IT'S PROBABLY SAFE TO HYPOTHESIZE THAT MORENA HAS NEN POWERS, TOO." The headband man mutters, "HOW DAMN SMART YOU GUYS ARE. IT'S ACTUALLY ANNOYING..." A woman in a cap adds, "CONSIDERING OUR STATUS, THE FASTEST WAY TO TELL WHEN THE OPERATION IS COMMENCING IS BY SEEING WHEN OUR DEPLOYMENT TRANSFER REQUEST IS REJECTED OR PUT ON HOLD." In the bottom left, the stern man sits with a weapon while background figures react. "I GUESS I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES ABOUT MOVING UP." "A BUNCH OF SLACKERS, HUH?" Someone shouts, "TOO MUCH EFFORT!" On the right, the cap-wearing woman faces a group of armed guards. "WHY DON'T YOU? IF YOU ACTUALLY APPLIED YOURSELVES, YOU COULD EASILY JOIN THE PRINCE'S BODYGUARDS, OR EVEN THE OFFICIAL ROYAL TROOPS."

Close-up panels show the curly-haired woman with wide eyes asking, "...IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO CHANGE HIMSELF? HOW DO WE CHANGE HIM... WHAT CAN WE DO...?" The headband man stares ahead thinking, "IT CAN'T BE HELPED... IS THERE NOTHING WE CAN DO? WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE BIRTH... IT'S IN HIS NATURE..." The cap-wearing woman wonders, "SLACKERS? IF I WANT TO CALL MYSELF HIS FRIEND... SHOULD I BE BY HIS SIDE, PESTERING HIM TO CHANGE? I WONDER...?" A light-haired man looks aside, "THAT'S WHY WE REMAIN AT THE LOWEST RANKS, THE FURTHEST AWAY, SHOUTING... THE CLOSER YOU GET, THE LESS OF A 'FRIEND' YOU BECOME..." The cap-wearing woman concludes, "WE'RE IN THIS POSITION, SO WE HAVE TO TRY... EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS..." In the final wide panel a standing figure in a suit holds a gun while addressing someone on the ground. "...OKAY WITH THIS?!" "TSERRI... ...ARE YOU REALLY...?"

A vast underwater scene shows a massive black void ringed by swirling debris and strange flying fish-like creatures. Narration states that Prince Tserriednich is currently undergoing Nen training with his bodyguard, Theta. In a cluttered room, Volk stands holding a glass, reacting with surprise as someone calls his name. Nearby characters discuss the ultra top secret nature of the Nen investigation, noting that any gossip would mean instant demotion. One panel shows a long hallway with people seated at tables. Theta appears in close-up, smiling confidently with small creatures floating around her as she says "YOU BETCHA." and adds "...REALLY PISSED OFF, AREN'T YA?" In the lower panels, characters debate Gipper's 5% chance of seeing the big picture and his possible use of a pretext to restrict communications. One speaker warns that they only told the truth as a warning and asks how to repay the debt to Gipper, while another insists they need the particulars and suggested reassignment to keep everyone safe and sound.

A wanted poster of a long-haired man hangs on the wall as a young character with short hair stands in front of it, recalling the emergency broadcast about secret weapons. Theta appears in profile, noting that Gipper will not obtain intel from her anyway. In the background room, characters discuss other stuff that caught Gipper's attention besides Nen. A close-up shows a wide-eyed character saying "I CAN." while another recalls that Theta started acting strange, same as Salkov. In a group scene, several characters stand together; one says they could have gotten to the bottom of things but must make do now. The final wide panel shows Morena Prudo standing with arms crossed among her group, with a speech bubble declaring "MORENA PRUDO IS MOST LIKELY A NEN USER." Another character laughs and states they are on the same wavelength.

The group stands together under dramatic radial lines as they decide their next move. A short-haired man on the left declares, '...let's avoid her with all our might!!' while a spiky-haired young man below grins confidently. On the right, a dark-haired figure adds, 'Therefore, in order to protect ourselves...' In the center, a composed young person with light hair stands with arms crossed inside an ornate circular frame. A curly-haired girl smiles nearby. The scene shifts to a smaller panel where the curly-haired girl asks, 'Do you realize how hard it is to flee while acting as if you're searching?' Another replies, 'I haven't given up on my career aspirations yet!' In the background, a spiky-haired man and others react with surprise as someone cheers, 'Great! It's the Volk we all know and love!' Further discussion reveals details about the prince pulling someone out before Morena's naming ceremony, a tattoo artist marking them as private soldiers, and the assumption that Morena knows about their Nen abilities. One character notes, 'That Nen is comparable to a weapon best kept secret.' The group weighs the risks, with the curly-haired girl looking concerned as they conclude they must proceed carefully.

The discussion continues in a wooden interior. The curly-haired girl wonders if they can use the prince's power. Others debate the weight of the prince's and Yolksen's words versus guns. A spiky-haired man insists self-preservation is top priority. Someone suggests reaching out to Xi-Yu or Cha-R families, met with a loud 'ROGER!' The group sits around a table weighing disadvantages of not knowing Heil-ly members. A close-up shows the light-haired young person asking if they should cut ties if caught by Morena. The dark-haired figure simply says 'Volk.' The page ends with a dramatic full-width panel of a massive explosion or impact on the ground under a cloudy sky, a dark sphere at the center. A voice declares, 'Let's make a plan...' while another replies, 'You're right...' The final caption reads 'THE WAY TO SURVIVE... IS TO THINK!!' marking the end of chapter 394.