Chapter 397 · Formation ③

00AI-written

The ornate theater fills with an excited crowd as an unseen announcer calls out, 'EVERYONE, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS!' A dramatic voice-over declares, 'AND NOW, THE DARKNESS DESCENDS...' while another box proclaims, 'THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL SHOWING OF CLEAN-UP RANGERS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!' In the audience, a young boy with dark hair stares forward with wide eyes and a small sweat drop, reacting with a startled '…' A voice wonders, 'BUT NOT SARASA.' Another replies, 'FRANKLIN AND NOBUNAGA ALWAYS TURN UP AT THE LAST MINUTE...' Someone asks, 'THREE ARE STILL MISSING?' In a side corridor, a long-haired girl turns and says, 'WAIT, I'LL COME WITH YOU!' The boy answers, 'I'LL HAVE A LOOK AROUND.' A spiky-haired figure nods, 'YEAH.' Nearby, a muscular man with a sword stands with arms crossed while a child in a helmet practices swings; a comment notes, 'SHE'S ALWAYS HERE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOW.' The girl asks the boy, 'CHROLLO, YOU NEVER MET SARASA'S NANNIES, RIGHT?' The scene shifts to a bustling indoor marketplace lined with stalls, hanging lanterns, and people sitting on mats or standing at counters. In a close-up, a man in a beanie looks surprised while an older man with a topknot states, 'I ASSUMED SHE WAS WITH YOU GUYS.' A woman beside him adds, 'I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE YESTERDAY.'

young Chrollolong-haired girlspiky-haired childsword-wielding manhelmeted childbeanie-wearing mantopknotted older manmarket woman

A colorful beach illustration shows Gon shading his eyes while standing on rocks, with Killua holding a popsicle and Leorio lounging nearby amid flying fish and ocean waves. Text at the top reads, 'PLEASE SUPPORT THE OFFICIAL RELEASE WHEN AVAILABLE IN YOUR REGION.' The right side lists TCB Scans credits: FUUTON & RIAMU & CDR as TRANSLATOR, YASSER & RIAMU & BADGER as PROOFREADER, IRST & DEKAMARA as CLEANER, THEICECOFFE & REDHOOD as REDRAWER, NOCER as TYPESETTER, YASSER & RIAMU & SKETCH as TL QUALITY, and BAILEY as EDITOR. A NOTES section features a Togashi Yoshihiro quote: 'IT'S TANEHANA FROM THE STAFF. WE HAVE NO FIXED WORKING STYLE, BUT THE BOSS IS IN BETTER MOODS THAN EVER BE--' Links to Discord and social media are provided.

GonKilluaLeorio

On a wooden stage before a packed crowd of children, a young girl with short dark hair holds a microphone and addresses the audience. "I KNOW EVERYONE IS EXCITED FOR THE SHOW..." she says, followed by "...BUT PLEASE BE PATIENT A LITTLE WHILE LONGER." The restless audience murmurs with excitement and impatience. In a side panel, several children discuss recent events, noting that based on yesterday's conversation they believe a girl went looking for some tapes. One boy with a striped beanie states she hasn't been back to her hamlet since they split up. Nearby, a boy with wild spiky hair exclaims "CHRO...LLO..." while others react with concern. A crowd member suddenly shouts "HEY!" as tension rises. The scene erupts when the audience spots something alarming: massive impact graphics explode across the bottom of the page with the cries "RED!!" and "HE'S HERE!!" The girl on stage stares forward in shock, a bead of sweat visible on her face.

short-haired girl with microphonespiky-haired boystriped beanie boyhorned-hair girlcrowd of children

The short-haired girl continues her announcement to the restless crowd. "TODAY'S SHOW IS POSTPONED," she states, adding "I'M SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THAT..." and "SO MANY OF YOU SHOWED UP TODAY, BUT..." She explains that Sarasa, who plays the clean-up orange, has been missing since yesterday. "SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO BACK TO HER HAMLET AFTER WE SPLIT UP, BUT NO ONE HAS SEEN HER SINCE." Turning to face the audience in the large hall, she takes responsibility: "I LET HER GO HOME ALONE, WITHOUT CONSIDERING COUNTER-MEASURES." She adds, "AND YET DESPITE KNOWING HOW DIRE THE SITUATION IS..." and "AS YOU KNOW, CHILD ABDUCTIONS HAVE BEEN INCREASING..." Finally she declares, "I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY." Rows of concerned children sit silently in the tiered seats, listening intently.

short-haired girl with microphoneaudience of children in tiered seats

In a packed auditorium, the audience erupts with shouts of "RED!" as a young girl with short dark hair stands on stage looking distressed. A boy with spiky hair bows deeply on the stage and announces they must postpone the show to focus on finding Sarasa. The crowd reacts with concern and volunteers, raising hands and signs. One man with wild hair suggests mentioning Chrollo to get the men's union's help, while others propose enlisting the whole hamlet and the nannies. The young girl on stage thanks them but warns it is dangerous. The crowd rallies, chanting to find her together, calling out "C'MON RED, LET'S FIND HER!" and "LET'S ALL FIND ORANGE!" In a close-up, the short-haired girl holds a microphone with teary eyes and says "YEAH... YOU'RE RIGHT!" Nearby, the spiky-haired boy shouts for everyone to stop crying and that they will find her, while someone yells for Chrollo to go with Uvo and offers a bike. The audience continues chanting "RED! RED!"

young Chrolloshort-haired girl with microphonewild-haired manauditorium crowd

A scooter speeds along a forest road carrying the spiky-haired boy driving and the short-haired girl riding behind him. In the background, a large group of children follows on foot through the trees. Earlier panels show the boy speaking with an adult man while the girl waits nearby, and signs point toward a forest path. The children spread out searching in the rain, calling out and looking worried. One child stares in shock with hands raised. The group reaches a large sinkhole in the forest clearing during heavy rain. The short-haired girl stares into the pit and says it might be the place, while the boy suggests maybe she is there. Close-ups show rain falling, concerned faces, and the girl standing at the edge of the hole. A final wide panel shows heavy vertical rain lines across the scene with a large sound effect at the bottom.

young Chrolloshort-haired girlwild-haired mangroup of searching children

A young boy with short dark hair and a white collar stares ahead with wide, unblinking eyes, sweat pouring down his face in heavy drops. Below him a small black pouch hangs from a thin string against a wooden surface. In a vast misty forest clearing ringed by enormous gnarled trees, a group of children and several older youths walk along a muddy path toward a massive trunk. A white paper is fixed to the tree. One spiky-haired figure sprints in the foreground while others proceed at a steady pace, some glancing toward the posted sheet.

young dark-haired boyspiky-haired youthgroup of children

The black pouch continues to hang against the wooden wall. A handwritten note is shown up close, its top line reading SHEILA. Nearby, a blonde girl with a headband and a spiky-haired boy react with alarm; the boy sweats heavily while covering his mouth. An older scarred man growls that someone has to check it. The dark-haired boy volunteers to look. The spiky-haired man questions what the hell they wrote on that paper. He approaches the note, reads it, and reacts with shock, shouting Chrollo’s name. He demands to know what they wrote while another voice calls for Uvo-san to lower the paper. The dark-haired boy watches from a distance.

spiky-haired mandark-haired boyblonde girlscarred older mangroup of children

In the rainy forest, a hand slices through a rope with a knife. High on a thick tree branch, a figure calls out 'READY?'. Below, a young boy with a bowl cut looks up and answers 'YEAH.' The rope snaps and a large black sack plummets. The boy catches it with a heavy 'THUD', the impact splashing water around him. Nearby, a muscular man with wild spiky hair sprints forward with a fierce expression, gripping a weapon. A group of children watches from the path. On the branch, another child shouts 'CATCH!' as the sack is secured on the ground.

young bowl-cut boyspiky-haired mangroup of childrenchild on branch

The young bowl-cut boy and another child tear open the soaked black sack, revealing a mutilated body inside. Close-up shows the corpse's face and hands. The spiky-haired man stares in shock, eyes wide and mouth open. The boy lifts a piece of cloth from the body's forehead bearing the handwritten message 'It's Sarasa, isn't it?'. In the background, the group of children stands silently in the rain. One child says 'UVO...', another whispers 'CHRO-LLO...', and a long-haired girl states 'IT'S SARASA, ISN'T IT?'.

young bowl-cut boyspiky-haired manlong-haired girlgroup of childrenmutilated body

Rain pours down as a young boy with a bowl cut stands with his back to the viewer, a strange glow emanating from his head. He declares firmly, "I WON'T SAY IT." In the forest clearing, a muscular man with wild spiky hair carries a limp figure while shouting, "WHAT'S ON THIS PAPER?! ANSWER ME, CHROLLO!" Nearby, a curly-haired woman and a small child react with shock: "WHAT'D YOU SAY?" and "HUH?" The spiky-haired man grabs the boy by the collar, his face twisted in rage, yelling, "WHAT DID THOSE MURDEROUS BASTARDS WRITE?!" and "DON'T MESS WITH ME!" The boy, tears streaking his face, repeats, "I WON'T SAY IT." In close-up, his wide eyes fill with determination as he finishes, "...TO MY GRAVE. I'LL TAKE THOSE WORDS..."

Young ChrolloSpiky-haired manCurly-haired womanSmall child

The spiky-haired man growls "GRR..." while the boy, now held by the collar, shouts back, "IF YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW, READ IT YOURSELF!!" In the background, a group of children and adults stand around a body on the ground; one yells, "YOU'RE JUST GONNA LEAVE SARASA, YOU BASTARD?!" Machi runs forward with motion lines, her spiky hair trailing. The group watches in silence as Machi approaches. Later, Machi hugs the boy tightly, saying, "IT MUST'VE HURT SO MUCH... IT WOULD BE SAD TO LEAVE HER... LET'S HURRY UP AND TAKE HER HOME..." The children break into anguished cries: "AAAAA AAAAAA AGGGH!!!", "UWA AAAA AH!!", "UNGh", "SOB", and "I'M SO SORRY. YOU MUST'VE BEEN SO SCARED..."

Young ChrolloSpiky-haired manMachiGroup of children and adultsSarasa (on ground)

Heavy rain pours down with a loud ザアアアアア sound effect. Distant views show a ruined cityscape, misty mountains with birds flying, and leafy branches. Inside a grand hall lined with pillars and flowers, people stand solemnly. Voices exclaim "SO PRETTY." and "WOW." A large panel reveals a young girl lying peacefully in an open coffin, wearing a frilly dress and flower crown, eyes closed as if asleep. Nearby dialogue notes "...LIKE SHE'S STILL ALIVE." and "SHE ALMOST LOOKS..." Lower panels show the silhouette of a tall figure in a wide-brimmed hat and mask, a spiky-haired boy turning to look, and the hatted figure waving from a doorway. An elderly man in ornate robes and a tall hat addresses the gathered crowd of adults and children: "EVERYONE, PLEASE THANK RENKO-SAN FOR HER HARD WORK." "IT'S A TECHNIQUE USED TO RESTORE A CORPSE TO ITS ORIGINAL APPEARANCE." "IT'S CALLED EMBALMING." "GIVEN SARASA'S CONDITION, WHAT SHE ACCOMPLISHED IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE." In the foreground, a hand holds up a VHS tape while children watch with flowers and a small box.

SarasaRenko-sanspiky-haired boyelderly man in robeshatted masked figurecrowd of children and adults

The hatted masked figure, Renko-san, stands in a long hallway and is addressed as "RENKO-SAN." A spiky-haired boy holding a small box smiles and says "WE'VE GOT IT MEMORIZED ANYWAY, RIGHT?" while a heart floats near him; beside him a short-haired girl watches. Another panel shows a curly-haired person holding the box saying "SARASA CAN KEEP THIS." Renko-san, eyes visible above her mask, states "IT'S NOT A SKILL I CAN TEACH, IT'S MY SPECIAL ABILITY." A young girl with pigtails asks "...HOW TO EMBALM LIKE THAT TOO?" and "CAN I LEARN..." Renko-san replies that the girl can see her aura, causing the girl's skin to crawl and her eyes to widen in shock. Renko-san offers: "GET ON THE LAST BUS. SHOW THEM THIS AND ASK FOR MISTY FOREST VALLEY. THEY'LL TAKE YOU FOR FREE." "IF YOU GET PERMISSION FROM YOUR NANNIES, YOU'RE WELCOME TO VISIT." The pigtail girl whispers "AURA..." while clutching her chest. A final small panel shows the hatted figure walking away down a long corridor with a ticket-like object dangling.

Renko-sanspiky-haired boyshort-haired girlpigtail girlcurly-haired person

In a quiet graveyard under a large tree, the Chrollo lookalike stands tall with hands on his hips, facing the short-haired boy. The boy asks, 'By the time I'm 14... Can I ask you to wait 3 years?' The Chrollo lookalike replies firmly, 'Livo-san.' He declares his intent: 'A proper system for the city, as well as my own power. I'll be able to sort everything out.' The short-haired boy watches from the path as the Chrollo lookalike continues, 'And didn't you promise to travel the world with me? Going now is pointless. I'm headin' out today to avenge Sarasa! I ain't waiting.' The short-haired boy responds, 'Once the infrastructure is in place, people around the world will be able to connect at the speed of light. We're on the cusp of a communication revolution. It will!' The Chrollo lookalike grips a tree and shouts, 'Waiting 3 years won't change a thing!' Later, the Chrollo lookalike stands in a forest path with arms outstretched, saying, 'Recorded what they did. I'm sure the killers... What're ya sayin'?' The short-haired boy stands nearby. A panel shows countless photographs scattered across a dark background with the narration, 'And people's information will be available for all the world to see. It'll be a major shift.'

Chrollo lookalikeshort-haired boy

Close-up of the Chrollo lookalike's intense face with wide eyes. The short-haired boy holds a small rectangular object and explains, 'It was just like our play! And those cigarette butts we were standing on... That crime scene was orchestrated to convey a message. Was probably the spot they filmed it from!' He continues, 'There's no way they could resist! If these people heard of a way to showcase their 'art' to the world...' A wide panel shows a dark cityscape with floating text fragments. The short-haired boy adds, 'But we'll create those loopholes! Meteor City will become a safe haven for criminals to pass through!' Another panel reads, 'But even in a world of instantaneous communication, there will be borders and regulations. So those guys will look for loopholes. Evil always lurks in the darkness, and this new environment will be no different...' The short-haired boy says 'Shal...' as the Chrollo lookalike reacts with surprise. A girl with curly hair appears, saying 'We'll help too!' while making a fist. The Chrollo lookalike and short-haired boy look on as the girl and another figure stand in the forest. The short-haired boy concludes, 'He wants to use this new technology to create a hideout for baddies so we can find the ones we're looking for. Actually, I don't.'

Chrollo lookalikeshort-haired boycurly-haired girl

In a sun-dappled forest path, a group of children stand together. A girl in a dark dress and a boy in a striped hat listen as another boy declares, "WE'VE GOT A LOT TO PREPARE..." Nearby, a tall boy in shorts states, "THREE YEARS CAN GO BY QUICKLY," while a girl in overalls walks past. A spiky-haired figure stands with their back to the viewer. In close-up panels, a boy in a fur-collared hat looks determined as a voice continues, "AND THE NECESSARY POWER AND SKILL TO DEAL WITH THEM ONCE WE DO." A dark-haired child stares seriously beside the words, "KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO GET US CLOSE TO THE KILLERS..." A blonde girl with a high collar gazes sadly into the forest where distant figures walk. The scene shifts to a windswept graveyard lined with headstones. A boy with light hair stands among the graves and says, "...THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO SARASA NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN..." Another child replies, "IN ORDER TO ENSURE..." A surprised boy asks, "WHICH IS?" while a close-up shows a dark-haired boy answering, "BUT WE'LL ALSO NEED..." and a final voice confirms, "YES... SOMETHING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT."

young Chrolloyoung Pakuyoung Nobunagayoung Machiyoung Phinksyoung Feitanyoung Shalnark

A large tree stands against a dramatic sky as speech balloons declare, "OFFER UP OUR LIVES!" and "WE'LL NEED TO..." In a series of close-ups, a spiky-haired boy identified as CHRO... stares angrily, a wide-eyed child looks shocked, a boy with a striped hat glares, and a dark-haired boy in a collared shirt states, "I WILL KILL MANY PEOPLE." After these three years... he continues. The boy turns away, vowing, "I WILL BEG FOR FORGIVENESS." A voice adds, "SO IF I EVER SEE SARASA AGAIN SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE..." and another finishes, "DEFINITELY WOULDN'T WANT THAT. SARA-SA..." A ruined cityscape appears with rubble and broken structures. Balloons read, "FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!" "I WILL NOT FORGIVE THOSE KILLERS..." and "IF SUCH A REUNION... ISN'T POSSIBLE... HOWEVER..." The final wide panel shows an array of bladed weapons laid out on cloth, accompanied by the lines, "...ACTUALLY REPENTING FOR WHAT THEY DID." "I CAN'T IMAGINE SEEING CRIMINALS LIKE THAT..." and "GIVEN OUR CURRENT LEGAL SYSTEM..."

young Chrolloyoung Pakuyoung Nobunagayoung Phinksyoung Feitan

In a quiet outdoor area near Meteor City, a young boy with short dark hair stands with his back to the viewer and declares, "...ONCE I'M DONE WITH THIS PLACE. THOSE THUGS WON'T COME NEAR METEOR CITY EVER AGAIN..." A second panel shows the same boy facing forward under dramatic lighting, continuing, "...WHO WILL MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD TREMBLE WITH FEAR. I'LL LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE AS A VILLAIN..." Someone off-panel calls out "UVO-SAN..." A close-up reveals a wild-haired young man with a fierce expression asking, "AS THE LEADER OF OUR TROUPE? WILL YOU JOIN ME..." The boy looks up at him and replies "NAH." He raises one finger and adds, "I'LL FOLLOW YOU UNTIL I DIE... AND WITH YOU AS THE HEAD..." A small panel shows the boy’s intense face as he states, "YOU'RE THE LEADER, CHROLLO." In a wide final panel, the young Chrollo stands at the center of a group of children, all raising their hands in unison as he points upward.

young Chrollowild-haired young mangroup of Meteor City children

Two large close-up panels show the face of young Chrollo, first with a slightly open mouth and sweat drop, then with a neutral, serious expression. Below, a wide scene depicts a ruined, debris-filled area at night. Several figures stand or sit among broken wooden structures: a woman in a dark suit and skirt, a person with curly hair in light robes, a small child sitting on rubble, a man in a white shirt, a muscular man with an afro, and an older man in traditional robes. A silhouetted figure stands in the foreground with his back to the viewer. Text reads, "AND THUS THEY WERE REBORN... ...AS A SPIDER." The Phantom Troupe spider logo appears at the bottom with the series title.

young Chrollowoman in dark suitcurly-haired person in robeschild in light clothingman in white shirtmuscular afro-haired manolder man in traditional robessilhouetted figure

A young boy with short black hair and large dark eyes stares ahead, his face tense with worry and a single sweat drop sliding down his cheek. His expression shifts to a sharp, intense stare against a darker backdrop. In a wrecked, dimly lit space littered with broken beams and rubble, a loose circle of figures gathers. A woman in a dark suit stands with arms crossed on the left. Nearby, a purple-haired person slouches with hands in pockets while a spiky-haired figure in pale clothing watches from the side. A small child sits on a low crate in the foreground. A bald man sits on the debris, and a powerfully built person with a large afro stands with arms folded. Another figure in loose robes sits farther back. At the center, a suited man faces away from the viewer. A speech bubble declares "...AS A SPIDER."

Chrollo lookalikewoman in dark suitpurple-haired personspiky-haired figure in pale clothingsmall child in bluebald seated manmuscular afro-haired personrobed seated personcentral suited figure

End of chapter21 pages

Discussion

00AI-written

young Chrollolong-haired girlspiky-haired childsword-wielding manhelmeted childbeanie-wearing mantopknotted older manmarket woman

GonKilluaLeorio

short-haired girl with microphonespiky-haired boystriped beanie boyhorned-hair girlcrowd of children

short-haired girl with microphoneaudience of children in tiered seats

young Chrolloshort-haired girl with microphonewild-haired manauditorium crowd

young Chrolloshort-haired girlwild-haired mangroup of searching children

young dark-haired boyspiky-haired youthgroup of children

spiky-haired mandark-haired boyblonde girlscarred older mangroup of children

young bowl-cut boyspiky-haired mangroup of childrenchild on branch

young bowl-cut boyspiky-haired manlong-haired girlgroup of childrenmutilated body

Young ChrolloSpiky-haired manCurly-haired womanSmall child

Young ChrolloSpiky-haired manMachiGroup of children and adultsSarasa (on ground)

SarasaRenko-sanspiky-haired boyelderly man in robeshatted masked figurecrowd of children and adults

Renko-sanspiky-haired boyshort-haired girlpigtail girlcurly-haired person

Chrollo lookalikeshort-haired boy

Chrollo lookalikeshort-haired boycurly-haired girl

young Chrolloyoung Pakuyoung Nobunagayoung Machiyoung Phinksyoung Feitanyoung Shalnark

young Chrolloyoung Pakuyoung Nobunagayoung Phinksyoung Feitan

young Chrollowild-haired young mangroup of Meteor City children

young Chrollowoman in dark suitcurly-haired person in robeschild in light clothingman in white shirtmuscular afro-haired manolder man in traditional robessilhouetted figure

Chrollo lookalikewoman in dark suitpurple-haired personspiky-haired figure in pale clothingsmall child in bluebald seated manmuscular afro-haired personrobed seated personcentral suited figure

End of chapter21 pages