Hunter × Hunter Chapter 78: Interrogation

Under a starry night sky, a massive skyscraper towers above the trees. A voice cries out 'OH!' in surprise. Another voice immediately shouts 'WAKE UP!!' with urgency. A small dark panel shows a thin object streaking through blackness. In a sterile hallway, a lone figure sits on the floor near a distant chair. Suddenly the view cuts to a close-up of a fierce, spiky-haired man whose eyes snap open with intense focus, his face twisted in awakening rage.

Uvogin lies strapped to a metal examination table inside a tiled room, his muscular body bound by numerous restraints and tubes. Kurapika stands over him gripping a sword, while Gon, Killua, and Leorio watch from different angles around the table. Leorio steps forward and demands, 'WHERE ARE THE OBJECTS FROM THE AUCTION THAT YOU STOLE?' He continues, 'I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU RIGHT NOW.' Uvogin replies from the table, 'HERE, THE QUESTIONS...' Leorio presses, 'I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND.' Uvogin asks, 'HAVE I SLEPT A LOT?' and then 'WHAT TIME IS IT?'

With a furious shout, the black-haired fighter in the school uniform demands answers while driving his chain weapon forward. "ARE ASKED BY ME!!" he yells as the chain extends with a sharp SHUUUT, striking the massive bearded man. The chain wraps tightly around the captive's body amid heavy CLING and impact sounds. The large man lies bound on the ground, his face showing intense strain and surprise. In a small panel, the blond observer watches closely. "INCREDIBLE MENTAL FORCE!" the blond character exclaims. The black-haired fighter stands ready, chain still in hand, sweat on his face as he maintains control over the captive.

The blond character analyzes the situation in two large speech bubbles, noting the captive's unwavering mind and aura that blocks pain reactions despite the torture. The captive, still chained, reflects on his hunger and calculates his pulse while lying restrained. A small panel shows a hand pressing on his chest as he mutters "BURP!" In a dramatic close-up, the captive glares upward with intense eyes and declares, "I'LL LET YOU LIVE, SO UNTIE ME RIGHT NOW." and warns, "YOU DON'T WANT TO RELEASE ME?"

The bald Injyuu member strains against his bonds and declares, "I'LL SAY IT FOR THE LAST TIME..." Nearby allies react in shock as one shouts, "YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE HOPING TO BE SPARED!!" and another yells, "ARE YOU KIDDING?!" The captive continues, "HE SEEMS SERIOUS..." while a voice questions, "HOW?" and another blurts, "WHAT..." In a dramatic close-up the bound man glares upward and states, "BUT SINCE YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW ANY MORE THAN US, YOU DON'T INTEREST US. THE ONLY THINGS WE WANT ARE THE OBJECTS FROM THE AUCTION." Kurapika leans in close and replies, "IT SEEMS YOU DIDN'T GET THIS INFORMATION. THE ONES CALLED 'INJYUU' OUTRAN US AND TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY." The captive growls, "GRRR... APPARENTLY NOT LYING..." as another figure mutters, "HE..." Kurapika recalls, "LIKE WHEN HE ASKED US TO UNTIE HIM... HE WASN'T BLUFFING," prompting the captive to realize, "SO HE ISN'T LYING?!" Someone exclaims, "WHAT?" as the group notes, "THE CHEST WAS ALREADY EMPTY."

Kurapika continues, "WE HAVEN'T STOLEN ANYTHING YET. SO YOU JUST HAVE TO RELEASE ME, AND IGNORE WHAT HAPPENED. EVERYONE CAN MAKE MISTAKES." He adds, "AND I GUARANTEE WE'LL SPARE YOUR LIVES." The Injyuu member stares intensely. In another panel Kurapika's eye is shown in close-up. Melody and Killua appear; Melody says, "ANSWER. OUR TEAMMATES WERE AMONG THEM." Killua asks, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CLIENTS?" The Injyuu member responds, "IT'S SAD TO SAY, BUT... I SEE..."

Kurapika lunges forward with a powerful kick, his chain-wrapped arm swinging as the impact sends his opponent crashing down amid a massive VLAM impact. A close-up reveals a bespectacled man with a grim expression declaring they killed the targets exactly as planned. Kurapika, his blonde hair framing a furious face, demands to know how many more must die just to honor their plan. The mustached man beside him reacts with shock. In the lower panels the group debates their next move: if the objects remain safe the captive's role ends here, and they will hand him over to the community. Uvogin, spiky hair wild and face intense, tells Kurapika to calm down while another voice questions whether the man is merely a prisoner taken by mistake.

A dark-haired man on the phone urgently asks for details later and tells the recipient to hurry. He explains that even the Injyuu members could not manage the task. On the other end Daltzorne of the Nostrad clan sits at an office desk and reveals they have captured one of the auction criminals for delivery. The listener reacts with disbelief, questioning how the Injyuu could have failed. A close-up shows the same man sweating heavily as he realizes the Injyuu members are already dead. The final panel shows a tall modern building glowing against the night sky.

Kurapika stands alone in darkness, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint. He checks a small electronic device displaying a message: 'MEETING AS PLANNED. AT THE AGREED PLACE. ♥' alongside Japanese characters and a heart symbol. In a long hallway, Kurapika leans against the wall with arms crossed, watching a distant small figure. The scene shifts to an interior where a petite person with light hair speaks to a curly-haired man walking away: 'WE'RE GOING TO GIVE HIM A TRIPLE DOSE OF RELAXING GAS, JUST IN CASE.' Another voice adds, 'I'LL TAKE CARE OF LOOKING AFTER HIM AFTER REST.' A third unseen speaker states, 'THE MEN OF THE COMPANY ARE GOING TO ARRIVE.' Kurapika's intense close-up face fills the panel, eyes wide and focused. The page ends with a nighttime city skyline silhouette dotted with glowing windows.

A dark city rooftop scene shows scattered playing cards on the ground. Close-up reveals intense eyes marked with a black star symbol. In a ruined alleyway, Uvogin sits heavily on a concrete block, muscular frame covered in heart and diamond patterns, holding a device. Kurapika walks away into the shadows of the damaged building. Uvogin speaks with a smirk: 'YOU DID IT QUITE FAST. ♥' More cards lie scattered near his feet as the night wind blows through the debris-filled street.

In a ruined building, a man with slicked-back hair and a star mark on his cheek sits casually on rubble. He remarks that someone seems not to be using his 'In.' The listener, a blonde youth with an earring, stays silent. The man continues, stating he has no intention of fighting now and tells the youth to relax. He explains that the Ryodan has thirteen members, each bearing a spider tattoo, with the number of members changing upon entry or exit from the clan. The youth curtly says he does not want to waste time in useless chatting. The man elaborates that the Ryodan's main activities are robbery and murder, sometimes acting for good, and that if some members are missing the boss can choose to integrate new guys. He adds that members can change at any time and that those who want to enter must fight against a member to replace him. The blonde youth, looking down, concludes that until now he has not learned anything new.

Hisoka sits cross-legged atop rubble, hands clasped, explaining his personal goal. He states his aim is to fight the boss of the Ryodan, but despite his efforts he has not managed it yet. He notes the boss has a straight guard and is always with at least two people. Hisoka reveals he joined the Ryodan about two years ago to replace member number four. He adds that each time work is over, the boss disappears without leaving any traces. Kurapika, shown in close-up, questions whether reaching the boss alone might be difficult. Hisoka replies that it is here they share a common interest.

Hisoka leans forward with a sly smile, star and teardrop marks visible on his face. He rests his chin on his hand and speaks calmly. "EVEN IF I ONLY KNOW 7." A large speech bubble continues, "I CAN'T TELL YOU ALL I KNOW OF THE ABILITIES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE RYODAN." Across from him, the heavily bound Uvogin sits restrained on a bench and asks, "WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING ?" A close-up reveals the light-haired girl's wide, serious eyes and neutral expression as she stares ahead. The page ends on a vast star-filled void where a single speech bubble declares, "LET'S TEAM UP."

At night, a suited man presses a button on a basement wall panel while declaring, "AT THE SECOND BASEMENT." Two other suited men with long hair stand nearby. A tall modern building looms under the stars as a "Ding Dong" sound effect rings out. Inside a corridor, suited figures escort a boy in a school uniform who pushes a medical stretcher carrying the still-bound Hisoka. One man asks, "YOU HAVEN'T KILLED HIM, HAVE YOU?" The boy replies, "IMPOSSIBLE TO STING HIM... SO WE USED ANAESTHETIC GAS." Another voice answers simply, "NO." A close-up shows a spiky-haired man with a scar reacting in surprise, "HUH?" Hisoka's eye appears in the final panel as he remarks, "THE CUTE FEATHER MAKES THE CUTE BIRD..."

A tight close-up fills the top of the page with a pair of wide, bloodshot eyes glaring forward in raw fury, brows deeply furrowed and veins visible. Below, Uvogin stands in the foreground, mouth stretched wide in a furious roar, his right arm thrust straight out with fingers extended as if pointing at an unseen target. His body leans forward aggressively, spiky black hair wild and sweater rumpled. Directly behind him, Kurapika remains composed in a black suit and tie, his curly light hair neat, one hand half-raised with fingers curled as though ready to act, his expression cold and focused.

Kurapika wipes his hands with a cloth while smirking, a small “PFF!” escaping him. To his right, a blond man in sunglasses and a black suit declares, “I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT WHEN I HEARD YOU WERE CAPTURED.” A short blond boy and a tall bearded man with a ponytail stand further back. In the lower panels, the short blond boy reacts with surprise as his hair spikes up, the bearded man slaps his own face with a loud “Slap,” and Kurapika, now shirtless and muscular, lets out a strained “NNG.” The final panel shows the short blond boy on the ground beside a prone figure while a cloaked character releases a massive cloud of poison labeled “ギュオーン Viiiiiiim,” with the caption “INHALE THE POISON IN THE BODY OF LIBO, AND RELEASE HIM!”

A massive, muscular figure with wild spiky hair and a fur-trimmed outfit roars in fury, mouth wide open and fists clenched as he leans forward aggressively. A huge stylized sound effect "AAAAARGH!!!" erupts beside him while motion lines emphasize his rage. To the right, a suited figure with spiky dark hair stands with one hand near his face, observing. In the lower panel the beast-like man snarls with bared teeth, declaring "I'M GONNA GET HIM BACK!!!" and "THE OTHER ONE WITH THE CHAIN...". Below him a small bald character with a shocked expression reacts with "TAK! かっバ!" and "Zzz" sound effects as he flinches.

A lone figure sits cross-legged on the floor in a relaxed yet alert posture, hands clasped together in front of his face with fingers interlocked. He wears a sleeveless top with straps, loose pants, and bandages on his arms and legs. His spiky hair stands upward and he wears a slight smirk, eyes half-lidded as he gazes forward calmly.