Kinnikuman 224

Thanks to Robin's own arrogance, Neptuneman has finally made his move...by taking down Warsman! But just when you think his mask coming off is just a slight inconvenience, it may end up turning the match into a horrible direction...

Chapter 224: Dream Choujin Tag Arc (16): The Secret of the Mask!!

167.
Wars: ……

168.
Terry: Wh…what!?
Suguru: That technique--!?

169.
Kamehame: He stabbed his opponent with the spikes on his vest and hurls them when they can’t move!!
Wars: Ko—ho—
Announcer: The shock of Neptuneman’s suplex has made Warsman’s mask fall off---!!

170.
Neptune: Hahaha—how’s the power of my Double Leg Suplex---!!
Robin: Warsman!!
Wars: Ko—ho—
Neptune: Kukukuku…you’ve chosen the road of a “Maskman” so you could hide your ugly face, but realize that this can be taken off with power!!
(TN: The katakana here is “Maskman”, but it actually translate via kanji as “Masked Choujin”)
Neptune: So, that’s one to add to my collection.
Neptune: …………!!
Neptune: Ro…Robin Mask, you weren’t tagged!! Rule violation!!

171.
Robin: Well you’re not like that. The mask is life for a Maskman! There should be a rule for fellow Choujin that you can’t harm their mask!
Ashura: Of course. No matter how much we Devil Choujin hate our opponent, the only thing we can’t harm is their mask!!
Suguru: Right…you’re both mongrels lower than even devils!!
Terry & Sunshine: Right, right!!
Neptune: SHUT UP, INFERIOR CHOUJIN--!!
Neptune: What we do with our true power is raised high on a shelf, and you dare you strike it with your mouths!!

172.
Neptune: Fine. Long ago, these things called “masks” were things only for the true powers. In short, they were proof of being a perfect Choujin!!
(TN: He says here “perfect na Choujin”, thus why I wrote “perfect” in lower case instead of upper case)
Neptune: However, this rule has crumbled in recent years…it has simply become a fashion item used for those without power to show their own strength or to mask their ugly faces!!
Neptune: In doing this, the decline in the mask’s value has fallen due to you inferior Choujin--!!
Neptune: I…transformed from Kenkaman to Neptuneman so I could punish the degradations of these inferior Choujin…
Caption: 4 Years Ago: Thames River, London.

173.
Kenka: Why…why should I accept a fight with that showy-looking Robin Mask, who doesn’t take fights that just utilize strength?
Kenka: I…I myself am strong, but I’m bitter that I wanted to be born as a more normal Choujin--!!
Crowd: It’s terrible—he’s drowning. This river is deep; we can’t save him.
Kenka: The…pain!!
Kenka: I…really don’t want to die!!

174.
Budo: There’s only one way to save you!
Budo: Since you too are also too strong, you’re unlucky that you’re not recognized by the people!
Kenka: Wh…what are you!!
Budo: Long long ago, there was a sole Choujin who was ignored by society because he was just too strong like you were and threw himself into the Thames……
Budo: His name was Neptune King!
Kenka: I’m…like him. My life was just like his!!
Budo: However, like Neptune King, you don’t have a reason to die. You will inherit the will of the dead King, become a Perfect Choujin and punish these inferior Choujin!

175.
Kenka: A completely flawless Perfect Choujin…I aim to be the same!
Kenka: Right! I’ll inherit the will of this King!
Budo: No, I can’t hand this over that easily!!
Budo: I will now be testing your true power.
Kenka: Naturally. Shouldn’t you test the true power of Kenkaman!
Budo: Uh...I…I have this feeling of heaviness and oppression on my shoulders!!
Budo: Uuh…it’s been worth it continuing to protect this Neptune Mask underwater for these hundreds of thousands of years!!

176.
Budo: You pass!
Budo: From today, you will wear this mask and be reborn from Kenkaman to Neptuneman!
Neptune: Neptuneman!!
Budo: This Neptune Mask is a symbol of being the strongest Maskman in history!!
Neptune: A symbol of being the strongest in history!
Neptune: Right….I am the strongest. Than these weak Maskmen who’ve spread through society…………………

177.
Neptune: Neptuneman’s golden left-arm will hunt them all down---!!
Boy: Ge, isn’t that the guy who dived in earlier!!
Man: He…he’s been reborn into a god—
Neptune: And so I added to our group Kendaman and Screw Kid, who were abandoned from society for being too strong.
Neptune: With our power as Perfect Choujin, we secluded ourselves into the heavens so we could refine ourselves!
Neptune: And now that’s the reason we emerged for this tournament, which is being participated by a countless number of these puny Maskmen.

178.
Suguru: Who do you say are these puny Maskmen!!
Neptune: Hahahaha…don’t worry Kinnikuman. I’ll be soon taking your mask later! First we have to settle with the Teacher-Student Combo!!
Neptune: Budo! Give me my cloak.
Budo: Yes!!
Audience: What does he plan to do with a cloak?
Neptune: Look carefully!!
Neptune: This is my entire collection!!

179.
Suguru: Ge—those are the masks of Choujin wrestlers…
Neptune: All of those I’ve torn off from those puny Maskmen with my true power. I plan to add your masks to them!
Robin: Ho…hold on!! You’re cruel if you confiscate this from Warsman!!
Neptune: Did you know! It’s natural to tear off the masks from those without power!!
Robin: Uuh…
Robin: Wa…Wars…
Wars: I…I haven’t shown you all of my power yet!!
Robin: Warsman, can you still fight?
Wars: Isn’t it obvious!!
Suguru: Ye—s! Go~~Warsman

180.
Wars: Take this---!!
Wars: Where did you run to, Neptune?
Robin: ………!?
Robin: Wa…Warsman, the shock earlier…you’ve become unable to see……!!
Neptune: Hahahahaha, that’s good news!
Neptune: Let’s go, Budo. It’s a Mask Hunt!
Budo: Ha.

181.
Robin: Oh—no! Warsman, run--!!
Neptune: Now!!
Announcer: Budo lariat’s from behind----!!
Neptune: Hardness 10!
Neptune: Diamond Arm!!

182.
Neptune: CROSS BOMBER

183.
Robin: ………!!
Robin: Warsman!!
Wars: …………Who…is it? Are you laughing at my face?
Robin: No one’s laughing!
Wars: That’s…good…
Robin: ………!!
Robin: I’m the laughable one……!

184.
Neptune: Kukuku…as expected, the mask of the dreaded Computer Choujin Warsman has a different shine!
Neptune: However, what I really want is the furious young noble: your mask, Robin Mask!!
Robin: Yo…you…………I can’t forgive you anymore!!
Neptune: Are those tears……Robin Mask, I’ll teach you how to emerge from being an inferior Choujin to a Perfect Choujin!! That is to throw away your feelings! If you do that, you won’t cry over useless things.
Robin: If…if I can’t cry…
Robin: THEN I DON’T WANT TO BE A PERFECT CHOUJIN--!!
(End of Vol. 18)

185.
Yudetamago: Hope to see you in Vol. 19!!

TN: First of all an apology: the chapter (and my other project) were done since Friday, but I've been running around doing so many other things this weekend that my mind wasn't really ready to put it up until now. Now as for the chapter: there are a couple peculiar twists...and some really disturbing talk going on here. The first of which is the introduction of the "Mask Hunt" and a bit more on how/why Kenkaman became Neptuneman. The whole bit of "Kenkaman inheriting the will of Neptune King" was an interesting idea...but it does seem to screw up a lot of things in the process. For starters, why the heck is a giant who looks like a kendo fighter living in the Thames in the first place? Sure...there is a massive reason why, but you need to think why Big the Budo would be under the Thames...instead of in a sea in Japan or something. Second: the whole matter of the existence of Perfect Choujin has taken a strange turn with this chapter thanks to Kenkaman's talk at the beginning of the flashback. Before when Kendaman and Screw Kid talked, it just seemed like Perfect Choujin were Choujin who trained in the heavens until they "enlightened" to the truth of the world. Now, they've been made out be what seems like mutated regular Choujin too strong for the regular ones who end up going up to the heavens...where they train and become what was said before. It was easier when the first two talked about it. And then there's the whole ordeal of "masks should only be worn by Perfect Choujin for being a badge of honor instead of to hide a face"...yeah, after seeing Warsman's underneath, you sort of know from the start their beliefs are screwed up. Oh, and I don't even want to talk with Robin's sudden machine fetish in this chapter...from how he was talking...no, I won't say it but it's just disturbed to think of what those two do on their off time from how Robin spoke here.