Chapter summary
To avoid suspicion with the crowd that has gathered, Hinrigh uses Misha's post-mortem Nen ability. Misha is a deceased ex-member of Xi-Yu's body disposal squad, and her current ability manifested when she died. By attaching herself to a corpse, she can manipulate them to be disposed at a quiet place.
Meanwhile, Hinrigh enters negotiations with one of the soldiers. The soldier has offered to give information on Heil-Ly's hideout in exchange for money. Hinrigh says he can offer up to 50 million, but the soldier demands a down payment of 30 million. Hinrigh considers for a while, and tells the soldier he'll go back to prepare the money.
Zakuro and Lynch keep looking for suspicious men of around 190cm. They stumble upon the actual Hisoka, but when Lynch tries to interrogate him using her ability, Hisoka counters her in a flash. Witnessing this discrepancy in power, Zakuro is convinced that they have found Hisoka. Zakuro asks Hisoka to go with him.
The Cha-R family is also moving to find Hisoka and root out Heil-Ly thugs. The underboss, Wang, is wary of Hisoka's power because he knows Hisoka is a floor master in the Heavens Arena. Wang is also plotting to have Heil-Ly and the Phantom Troupe whittle each other down, but is wary of the Troupe's keen intuition. If that fails, he is hoping that Hisoka will kill the Troupe, but concludes that the bunch are too unpredictable for him.
Nobunaga, Phinks, and Feitan are waiting inside the Cha-R HQ for Luini (the assassin from Heil-Ly) to make another move. Rather than ambush the Cha-R with his portal ability, Luini has decided to make a flashy entrance. Luini mocks the Spiders for being docile, contrary to their reputation. The Spiders get ready to fight.
Chapter 392 Intel
Flavor text: An uproar!! A gunfight in broad daylight!!
p.1
Crowd
"Right here, officer!! Please do something!!"
"The gunmen went that way!!"
There is a lot of commotion among the crowd. Speech balloons with scribbly text are not translated here (not too important)
Soldier A
"Everyone stand back!!"
Soldier B
"Alright everyone, calm down!! Make way please!! Don't worry, civilians are not in danger!!"
Crowd
"I thought you said you've arrested the killer!?"
Soldier A
(talking to a transceiver) "There appears to have been collateral damage due to gunshots and fights in an altercation between gang members."
Crowd
"Do something about that yakuza over there first."
"I can't even walk back to my room like this!"
Soldier B
"Did you see how many fled the scene? One person?"
Crowd
"Two! I think the guy who collapsed over there was their friend."
"I heard there are even more cases of missing people and dead bodies found in the lower tiers!?"
Soldier A
"Fake news. This time it's just a case of mafia squabble. The serial killer from last time has already been apprehended."
Crowd
Someone in the crowd notices Padaille standing right up
"Ah!! Look there..."
"Oh... he is alive."
p.2
Soldier A
"We have received reports [of violence] around here. Hey, you there, any injuries? Want to file a police report?"
Padaille
"... U--hh, I'm good. Bumped shoulders with this guy and it escalated to a scuffle. But now we gucci---"
Soldier A
"We also heard that there were shots fired?"
Padaille
"U--hh, yes there were. But I don't know about that."
Hinrigh
"Those gunshots were aimed at me."
Soldier A
"You're... An admin of the Xi-Yu family, if I'm not mistaken?"
Hinrigh
"Yes. And this one here is a civilian."
Soldier A
(at Padaille) "You can leave now."
Padaille
"U--hh, yes. Well then-- byee."
Padaille walks away to the confused crowd
Soldier A
"You can't lay your hands on the common folks. If they sue, the military won't be able to cover for you."
Hinrigh
"I know."
Soldier A
(whispering) "So how much are you willing to pay in exchange for the Heil-Ly Boss's location?"
p.3
Hinrigh
"Fifty million.note1 That is, if it's not bullshit."
Soldier A
"You're not pinching pennies. I like that. Seems like the rumors are true about an all-out war?"
Hinrigh
"That's right. So where is she?"
Soldier A
"I'll tell you when I got the money."
Hinrigh
"That won't do. We'll hand you the money once we've verified your intel."
Soldier A
"...I get where you are coming from. But I'm risking my neck here for selling out a mafia boss. I won't have it if you make up some excuse after the fact and do me dirty. I'll take a down payment of thirty million! Nothing less."
Hinrigh
"... So what's the basis of your intel that it's worth the deposit?"
Soldier A
"I have connections with the guy in charge of the shipbuilding company's wiring department. I'd heard before we boarded the ship that a blabbermouth worker had been silenced. So when I tried dropping the name [of the blabbermouth] he got really pale and asked me to keep my mouth shut. There were wirings to a room not found in the floor plans. I bet it wasn't your gang's HQ that pulled a trick like that?"
p.4
Hinrigh
"I'll prepare the money... Wait here. But on one condition: you must guide me there yourself."
Soldier A
"Fine by me. I'll be with you until you've searched the room."
Hinrigh walks away. Soldier A calls upon the crowd.
"All right everyone, the problem has been resolved. You can pass now!! We will be stationed around this area for a while!! Feel free to come and go!!"
Crowd watches Padaille walking away uneasily.
p.5
An invisible Nen woman is piggybacking on Padaille's corpse. Her ability is explained here.
Misha Hao (deceased). Former member of the Xi-Yu family. Post-mortem Nen currently activated.
Ability name: Zombie Girl. Subtitle: La vie en rose. An ability that manifested upon death for Misha, who was part of the body disposal squad. When a member of the Xi-Yu family kills someone, this ability is activated. It controls the corpse and moves toward the singular purpose of a peaceful disposal. When the body has been disposed, it disappears.
p.6
Droplet-kun spots someone tall. No racial profiling involved.
Zakuro
"Ah, found another one."
Lynch
"Where next?"
Zakuro
"There."
Not-Hisoka
(chatting with his friends) "See? Told ya."
Lynch
"Are you Hisoka?"
p.7
Not-Hisoka
"Eh?"
Lynch
"Are you the person called Hisoka?"
Not-Hisoka
"Hi...so? No, I'm not."
Lynch punches Not-Hisoka. His soul screams "Not-Hisoka".
Not-Hisoka's friends
"!!? Wha... What are you doing!! We're calling the police!!"
"Hanal are you OK!?"
Lynch
"He's not the guy. Go next."
Zakuro
"Well... I thought so."
Lynch
(to Hanal and friends) "The Xi-Yu family is doing a serious manhunt. If you get in our way we'll kill you. If you've got grievances feel free to come to our HQ on Tier 4. We'll compensate you."
p.8
Zakuro
"Ah, found another one. This time it's over there."
Lynch
"...Hey, serious question. Can we just ignore lanky wimps that are obviously not Hisoka?"
Zakuro
"No, duh. We don't even know what kind of ability he has."
Lynch
"Oh. Well if you're gonna go with that, don't you think this entire operation is pointless if he's got, like, an ability to shrink his own body?"
Zakuro
"Lol why are you refuting basic strategy with a rare case."
The two of them keep searching, and spot another tall guy. It's Hisoka.
Zakuro
"There's one."
p.9
They tail Hisoka for a bit until they are in a quiet corridor.
Lynch
"Hey! Are you Hisoka?"
Hisoka
"...Who are you?"
Lynch
"Name's Lynch. You?"
Lynch moves to punch Hisoka.
Hisoka
"Oh?"
The sound of a hard punch is heard. Lynch collapses.
p.10
Hisoka
"Oops, sorry! I couldn't help but counter. ◇"
"...So? What do you want?"
Zakuro
"(A strength that far surpasses Lynch!! This atmosphere!! And above all, this overwhelming aura...!! It's him!!)"
"...You are Hisoka... aren't you?"
Hisoka
"Oh, didn't you hear me...? I'm the one asking the questions here...?"
Zakuro
"I mean, we weren't told the details, but our gang is going all out trying to find you. If you want to find out, how about you come with us...?"
p.11
Hisoka looks menacing. Zakuro looks intimidated.
p.12
Kiosk Lady
"I heard there was a series of shooting incidents in the plaza of Area E. Like soldiers shooting each other, or Xi-Yu members fighting with civilians, stuff like that. Not that I think the civilians are up to any good, anyway."
Tsudonke
"Have you heard anything from the military people?"
Tsudonke is speaking while buying something from the kiosk.
Kiosk Lady
"Thank you. There's a gag order, most likely. It's gonna be an all-out war, isn't it? Though I bet the grunts in the lower tiers would gladly sing for money. Then again I suppose they won't have any intel worth your penny."
Tsudonke
"Guess you're right... Changing the subject. You've got any shikishi paper?"note2
Kiosk Lady
"Shikishi paper? Don't be silly. There's no space for such nonsense here. I'm only selling stuff that passengers would gladly pay even 10x their market value for. What do you think those are? Booze, cigarette, painkillers, ingredients and tools for making illegal substances, legal gambling vouchers, et cetera. Or to put it simply, addictive stuff. Nobody's selling that kinda fancy stuff on Tier 3. Not the malls, not the black market."
Tsudonke
"(Right now I'd gladly pay 100x the normal price for a shikishi. Well I suppose it's not something one would normally need... What should I do... use some other kind of paper...? No, no way. Since this is such a special occasion I'd like to ask [for the Spiders' autographs] on proper shikishi! Don't want to appear too impromptu...!! It's because of the circumstances that shikishi has special meaning! Like if we'd just run into each other by chance, asking for their autograph on my T-shirt wouldn't be half bad; it would even appear passionate! But now the circumstances have changed. Because now 'I have time to prepare before asking them'...!!)"
"Well, can't blame you."
Kiosk Lady
"I mean if you really want one, you should probably look for contacts in the yorozuyanote3 on Tier 1."
p.13
Tsudonke
"...? Yorozuya? There's something like that? So you think they'll have some?"
Kiosk Lady
"For sure. If they don't have it on this ship, they'll get it delivered from the land anyway. If you send them a list of what you want they'll deliver it to your doorstep. It's a delivery-shopping service for rich clientele. Yeah, you should find contacts."
"For the last shipment by air that can make it before we cross the border beyond air transportation range, I think the deadline for submitting an order was the 14th day since departure. The deadline for shipment by ocean liner is... 3 days before that. For something the size of shikishi you can probably get special delivery using a drone so the deadline might be extended a little... Well, anything is possible with connections and money."
Tsudonke
"I see."
An illustration depicts the flow of using a drone to send back an order sheet to the known world, and getting the stuff delivered by plane or large drones.
Tsudonke
"Thanks for your time."
"(Now where's a suspicious man of 190cm and above... I'll find Hisoka and get my reward with the shikishi. I've got... 4 days until the deadline!!)"
Cha-R Bald Guy
"There was a skirmish in the plaza of Area E between the Xi-Yu family and an unknown party. Apparently it's their Underboss Hinrigh."
Wang
"Alright, let's go to Area E."
p.14
Wang
"You guys go and sniff around some more for intel. Just up to Area C is fine. When you're done, go back to the office and report the situation to the Troupe, too."
Tsudonke
"Yessir!"
Wang
"(...This really is a sticky situation... I'd thought that if the search on Tier 4 was sanctioned, the Troupe would split up and start moving separately... But now that they are staying behind at the office we can't move around carelessly.)"
"(There's the Heil-Ly assassin who has cleared the marking requirement [to activate his ability]...! If the Troupe has concluded that lying in wait for the assassin back at the office is their highest priority, then their battle intuition must be first class!! Even without any prior intelligence, the three of them must have deduced the subtleties of what could set off a conflict among the three mafia families of Kakin, and agreed that the key to reaching Hisoka lies in the assassin...!! They are a pack of wolves that don't run after two hares.)"
"(It would be nigh impossible to manipulate the Spiders into moving the way we want them to...! If that's the case it's better that we leave the Spiders to Heil-Ly, and focus on finding Hisoka.)"
Wang is thinking back to Consigliere Ittoku's words.
Ittoku
"The Troupe's probably looking for Hisoka to kill him... When that's done, they'll go after the treasure they coveted on Tier 1. The situation may change depending on what treasures they are looking for... There are way too many variables. Better eliminate them one by one."
Wang
"(Hisoka first...!)"
Wang addresses the Cha-R associates.
"If the civilian that the Xi-Yu fought with was Hisoka, then they've got a leg up on us, but it's actually the second best outcome. Because Xi-Yu's Hinrigh must be thinking along the same lines we are. That is, to use Hisoka and crush both Heil-Ly and the Troupe, and maintain 'balance'..."
p.15
Wang
"Your utmost priority is securing Hisoka! Next is the Heil-Ly family. Other than information on their Boss, we don't know anything about Heil-Ly, not even their numbers. They likely have Nen users among them too... so don't act alone. As for Hisoka, beware! He is a floor master in the Heavens Arena. If you find him, just contact me and do not approach until I have arrived. If either I or Hinrigh succeed in negotiating with Hisoka, we move on to the next stage. We will be watching Heil-Ly and the Troupe whittle each other down."
The Cha-R bunch leaves.
Wang
"(...If this Hisoka person has the power to annihilate the Troupe, then it'd be easier to just let them duke it out... But from what I can tell from the videos of Heavens Arena fights, Hisoka has a tendency to create a disadvantageous situation for himself and have fun with it...! Damn... we have a circus of unpredictable characters on our hands.)"
p.16
A Cha-R guy is monitoring the monitors.
Cha-R Guy A
"Nothing abnormal... so far."
The Spiders are chilling in the Cha-R hideout.
Nobunaga
"Hey, I still think we should bring Franklin here and form two pairs. Then we can take turns searching outside too."
Phinks
"I bet he'd refuse even if you called him here. You know how much he dislikes cramped spaces."
Nobunaga
"Fine. Then I'll team up with Franklin and look around outside. You two be in charge of here."
Phinks
"Ha?"
Feitan
"True, enemy would be reluctant to infiltrate with three of us standing by. Still, not funny if we lose our patience before enemy."
Cha-R members on standby hear a knock on the front door.
Cha-R Members
"Oh. The search party has returned."
p.17
Cha-R Guy B
"Yeah yeah. I'm comin' I'm comin'."
Cha-R Guy A
"Vic-nii.note4 Don't!! Hey you guys from the Troupe!! Come over!!"
The Troupe and Cha-R Guy A go to the monitor room
Cha-R Guy A
(pointing at an impossible sight on the monitor) "What the hell is this!?"
Camera shows a hand coming out of the wall knocking at the door.
Phinks
"That fucker... He could have ambushed us but he's playing instead."
Cha-R Guy A
"! Look at the monitor here! The search party has returned!"
p.18
Phinks
(looks back to the front room) "Hey."
The Cha-R guys have disappeared from the next room.
Phinks
"...They were kidnapped in an instant, huh."
Nobunaga
"So our enemy doesn't care how many mafia guys are on the lookout for him. Not if they don't know Nen."
Cha-R Guy A
"Eh... where did all my anikinote4 go...?"
Nobunaga
"You, don't come out. Close the door and lock it! Watch over the search party in the hallway! Let us know immediately if you notice anything!"
Cha-R Guy A
"Ye- Yes!!"
We hear the monitor room door slammed and locked. A rift forms on the front door.
Luini
"Hey."
Troupe
"!"
p.19
Luini
"That's unlike you--... That's soo--o out of character for you---. Knowing you guys, you should be able to blitz the Cha-R family, smash through that door over there, and massacre all the rich bastards in the upper tiers, no? Aren't you a little too well-mannered? I'm a bit disappointed..."
Phinks
"A massacre is a moron's idea of cool. What kinda dystopia are you living in?"
Feitan
"What you know about us anyway?"
Luini
"Wikipe says that you bunch are 'extremely evil and immoral bandits'. Well, I say 'citation needed'. Should I edit your page to correct that exaggeration?"
Nobunaga
"Oh, please do. How about 'merciless toward annoying gnats'. That sounds about right."
