Vagabond 224

Alright, I'm guessing that Zindryr is still working on reformatting and fixing computers so I will offer a quick little translation of the chapter. I'm sure Zindryr will post a translation soon though (complete with Japanese text and all that good stuff). Be sure to say thanks to the people who translate and scanlate this series for you on a weekly basis (because it is no doubt a pain in the ass to translate and clean this series every week).

Page 01:

The ground that calls for blood…

Vagabond 224

“The drooping pine of Ichijouji (Ichijou temple)”

Page 02:

Musashi: It’s better than having to fight 70 of you.

Musashi: That and…

Musashi: …it looks like we have all the main tough guys here already.

Guy 1: What are we going to do, Ueda?

Page 03:

Ueda: We’re going to retreat of course.

Guy 1: …!?

Ueda: The fight is still set for tomorrow. We won’t change that.

Page 04 & 05:

Musashi: Are we going to fight here and now or not!!

Ueda: We will fight now.

Page 06:

Ueda: Draw your sword, Musashi. Let’s fight here and now.

Page 07:

Guy 1: Which is it!! Ueda!!

Ueda: Did something happen, Musashi?

Ueda: Something that might have shaken your spirit?

Ueda: What happened to the man who wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow at calmly cutting another man down?
Ueda: Your breathing is quite shallow.

Page 08:

(Musashi then takes in a deep breath)

Page 09:

No dialogue (just fighting)

Page 10:

Guy 1 (thinking): He got his strike in.

Other Guys: !

Ueda: …!!

Page 11:

No dialogue (just heavy breathing)

Page 12:

Takuan: AAH, so this is the drooping pine of Ichijouji!!

Page 13:

Takuan: I heard that I should use a drooping pine tree as my landmark in order to find my way to Konpukuji (Konpuku temple), but…

Takuan: Hmm?

Takuan: Oh, were you all by chance in the middle of a match?

Page 14:

Ueda: Until tomorrow then.

Ueda (mental): Regrettable…

Page 15:

Ueda: …but no need to dwell on it.

Ueda: (There’s still) tomorrow.
Takuan: ….did I interrupt?

Takuan: My how you’ve grown though

(**literally he uses the phrase “danshi mikka awazareba…katsumoku wo shitemiyou” which means that if you haven’t seen a man you know in three days that you should watch him carefully because he has likely grown a lot)

Takuan: I hardly recognized you. But looking at you today did remind me a bit of the old Takezou.

Takuan: You’re bleeding, you know.

Musashi: Huh!!?

Page 16:

Takuan: That man’s quite a guy. Are you going fight him too?

Takuan: In celebration of our reunion, let’s have a little drink.

Musashi: What kind of monk drinks!!? (You’re the) same as ever…

Takuan: Oh who cares, it’s just a little bit.

Page 17:

Takuan: So tomorrow is your final battle with the Yoshioka then?

Musashi: …..

Musashi: I ain’t going.

Musashi: No way in hell would anyone go someplace where 70 guys are lying in wait for him.

Musashi: I’m getting out of Kyoto.

Takuan: They’ll call you a coward who turned his back on the enemy and ran and everything else they’ve wanted to say about you.

Musashi: Don’t really care about what people might think…

Takuan: Hmmph….I see…

Musashi: I’ll leave without waiting for daybreak. So I’ll say my goodbyes now. Take care, Takuan (*literally Monk Takuan)
Page 18:

Takuan: Musashi…you’ve grown kind.

Takuan: You’ve gotten strong.

Takuan: The strong ones are always kind.

Takuan: In our travels…I hope we might meet again like this someday…

Page 19:

Musashi: Brr…alright then…

Musashi: Path over the mountains it is….time to go.

Musashi: ….

Page 20:

Musashi: …

Musashi: ….no way

Musashi: ...70 guys!?

Musashi: ...by myself!?

Musashi: ...am I that big of an idiot!!