Soul Eater 54

1
Soul Eater
Chapter 54: Operation: Seize Baba Yaga Castle (Part 9)
[insert text: This battle of souls... is still going on.]

2a
[just advertising tankobon release]

2b
[box: Shibusen, Death Room]
DeathScythe: Shinigami-sama... // Shinigami-sama... // .........
Shinigami: Don't worry... // It's... all right... Spirit-kun...

3a
Shinigami: Whe~~~~w...
DeathScythe: Could it be... // Has Kid...?
Shinigami: Uh-huh!♪ // It's a happy event! It looks like one of The Lines Of Sanzu has actually connected! // .........
DeathScythe: ......... // I see...
Shinigami: Oh, don't look like that. / What parent wouldn't be happy to see his own kid growing up?

3b
DeathScythe: Yes... you're right.
[Text: Eighth Tower... / People present: Kid, Liz, Patty, Free...]
Kid: (That power... // Thanks to Brew, the dormant Shinigami power within me was released... // Is that why Father gave Brew to me...?) // I must live up to Father's expectations.)

4a
Liz: Kid... // There are still two lock artifacts left, right? / Shouldn't we be prioritising them?
Kid: Medusa's team are working well together. / And Eruka and Mizune should be able to take care of the gap left by Free. // Thus, our objective is to head to the centre of the castle and stir things up there! // That way, we help the others destroy the remaining locks... // And that vampire headed towards the centre of the castle, as well. // Let's move!

4b
[box: Near the First Tower / Eruka, Mizune]
Eruka: Honestly, Free is such a klutz... // He was supposed to be heading for the First Tower, right?! How on Earth he ended up heading for the Second Tower and ending up at the Eighth... / It's ridiculous... // If we trust the Shibusen students to deal with the Second Tower, this place will be the only one left. // ...Ugh, the Second and Eighth Towers are in completely opposite directions...! // Hmmmphhh...
Mice: Chichichi!
Eruka: Yes, we've got three of you, Mizune, so I'd say we're set to go and deal with the First Tower's destruction.

5a
[box: Second Tower / Kilik, Fire, Thunder]
ArtifactSoldiers: Hmmm? // That's a weird Artifact Soldier... // Is it a new type?
Kilik: Fire, Thunder!!

5b
Kilik: Let's do this. // (I have one usage of Medusa's magic "Vector Boost" for each of my hands.) // One shot. // Vector Boost!
ArtifactSoldiers: !! // !!

6a
ArtifactSoldiers: Aaaghhhhhhhhh! // What's with this guy?! Does he have some kind of bug?!
Kilik: And once more!! // Double T!

6b
CombatSoldier: ...... // This is terrible... he's taken out almost all of us.
InsightSoldier: Let me handle this. // I'll use my Artifact Insight to find out just who this guy really is.

7a
InsightSoldier: I see it... I see it all!! There's nothing that can hide from these eyes of mine... All your data is just flooding in! / I'll strip you butt naked!
Kilik: What's this...?!
InsightSoldier: Got it.
CombatSoldier: You know who he is?!
InsightSoldier: Yeah. // Skin age: 13. Waist size: 65 cm. Body fat percentage: 10%.
CombatSolder: Again with the weird data...
InsightSoldier: .................. // He's a Shibusen student.
CombatSoldier: What?!! // Well, that's all I'd say we need to know. You can leave the rest to me.

7b
CombatSoldier: I am an Artifact Soldier programmed with all the world's different forms of unarmed combat. / Boxing, Sumo, Karate, Judo, Muay Thai, Sumo, Muay Thai, Sambo, Kickboxing, Sumo, etc. etc.
Kilik: Very nice. // Looks like we've found a guy with some fight in him.
CombatSoldier: From boxing footwork...
Kilik: He's fast...!!

8a
CombatSoldier: ...to the Sumo "Nekodamashi"!
[TN: The Sumo technique of clapping your hands in front of your opponent's face to confuse him]
CombatSoldier: From Muay Thai... // ...a powerful middle kick... // ...to Nekodamashi! // From a Karate fore-fist strike...

8b
CombatSoldier: ...to Nekodama -
Kilik: I think that Sumo data is kind of screwing you over... / [aside]that crazy martial art with great big lardasses slapping each other in the nude...[/aside]
[Label: * A foreigner's opinion]
CombatSoldier: This guy's tough...
InsightSoldier: That's what happens when you rush in before I'm finished collecting data. // Heheheh... // Did you think all I was good for was gathering the kind of data office ladies would be interested in...?

9a
InsightSoldier: I can read an opponent's movements up to twenty steps ahead. // I see it... I see it all... All your next twenty movements!
Kilik: What...?! // (He can read everything I'm going to do...?! So does that mean he knows I'm about to leap in and try for a straight hit on the right...? If so, I should switch strategies and go for a long-range attack with Thunder... // No... would he have read that too...?! Shit... This is pretty irritating...)
InsightSoldier: I... / ...concede.
Kilik: What...?!

9b
InsightSoldier: I can read your next twenty moves, but still I see no way that I can defeat you... // ...I saw it...... I knew it was coming... that straight left punch of yours... // And yet... I still could not avoid it...
ArtifactSoldiers: Da~~~mn... This guy's strong! // We're just no match for him... // No...!! What about... the new Artifact Soldier created personally by the great mage Eibon-sama himself...?! // !!
Morubi: Talking about me?!

10a
[box: Artifact Soldier / Morubi]
ArtifactSoldier: ......... / You...?!
Morubi: Yeah. I'm the Toy Artifact Soldier, Morubi.
Kilik: ........................ // Oi!!

10b
Morubi: (How do you like that?!! My Artifact Fun!!)
Kilik: Oi... Fire, Thunder... // Get back here... // Ahh... // Crap...

11a
Kilik: Aaaaaaghhhhhhhhh!
[Text: First Tower]
Mizune: Chichichi...
Eruka: Gekogeko... It looks like we've reached the "lock" room.

11b
Eruka: Now, you go distract the enemies while I set up my bombs.
Mizune: Chichichi! // Chichichi ×3! // Chichichi ×3!

12a
Arachnophobes: .........!! Wh... Who's that...?
Mizune: Chichichi... I'll play with you guys for a while.
Arachnophobes: Is it you, then...?! The one going around the castle destroying all the locks...?!

12b
Mizune: Beam Whiskers!
Arachnophobes: Aaaaghhhhhh!
Eruka: Geko!♪ Nicely done! // Now, I'd better put my Tadpole Bombs on the lock while the coast is clear...

13a
Arachnophobe: You're... a witch...?!! // [aside]why is a witch interfering with Arachnophobia...?![/aside]
Mizune: Chichichi... too easy.
Eruka: Mizune~~~!! I'm done over here!! Let's hurry up and get out!!
Mizune: That was nice and quick, Eru-Eru!♪

13b
Arachnophobes: Wait!!
Eruka: Go, go, go!! // Bye~~~~!

14a
Kilik: Fire! Thunder! Get a hold of yourselves! // Forget about that stupid toy!!
Morubi: (Don't be so silly... the fun I possess is Artifact Fun! // They won't get bored of me that easily!)
ArtifactSoldier: DIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!

14b
Ox: RAIOUSEN!!
[TN: "Thunder King Drill"]
ArtifactSoldier: !!
Kim: WolLantern!
[TN: Yay Kim~! <3<3<3]

15a
Kilik: Ox... // Kim! Jackie!
Ox: I must apologise for my lateness.

15b
Harvar: ...And I think that's all of 'em. // Time to head for the Artifact.
Kim: ............
Ox: Y... / Yeah...

16a
[Text: Artifact: / "Lock"]
Kilik: Right - here goes!! Everybody ready? // AFX-T!
Ox: Raiousen!!
Kim: Haaah~!!

16b
[Text: Artifact "Lock", Numbers 1 through 8... // All targets... // ...OBLITERATED.]

17a
Arachnophobes: All locks have gone silent... // The barrier around the Queen Spider's Lair is no more.
Eibon: Arachne-sama's magic is all ready now. // No need to worry.
[Text: Queen Spider's Lair: // UNLOCKED]

17b
Medusa: It seems the barrier has been removed.
Soul: So in here... is Arachne.
Maka: Chrona... // (Now that the barrier is gone, I should be able to sense Chrona's wavelength.)

18a
Medusa: No...!! / A magical attack?!

18b
Soul: ?!

19
Soul: What?!
[insert text: Arachne's magical attack assaults Maka and the others...!!]
[bottom text: To be continued in the December issue (on sale Wednesday 12th November)]