Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 31

J has defeated the first of the Sanmenken, but has done so at the cost of his own life! Yet as Otokojuku continues their journey up Mt. Fuji, Momo is going to make sure that his sacrifice is not forgotten!

Chp. 31: Living Blood-Vow Mark “J”

84.
Togashi & Toramaru: J--!!

85.
Shura Oshou: J’s Lifespan Candle has gone out--!!
Shura Oshou: The Lifespan Candle of Sanmenken Raiden too---!! Si…multaneously---!!
Tazawa: Out of the way—f**king priest---!!
Shura Oshou: Fuohhoho, it’s impossible. A Lifespan Candle once it goes out cannot be relit, no matter how many times you try. Like you can’t bring something back again once it has passed, a dead person can’t come back ever again either.
Matsuo: Don’t be joking, J isn’t dead---!!
Shura Oshou: Uoo!!
Matsuo: How can a strong guy like J die—

86.
Momotarou: ……………………!!
Date: You’re stupid………!! That guy, like Raiden of the Gougakuren Sanmenken, was scornfully defeated by his opponent…!!

87.
Fuukai: Now, advance. You’ve only ended the 1st Evil of Otokojuku’s ultimate-level specialty, the “Kyoura Daiyon Kyousatsu”.
Momotarou: Hold on. I just need a moment.
Date: What’s wrong, are you intimidated………!!
Momotarou: Togashi, loan me your dosu.

88.
Fuukai: ………………!?
Momotarou: How could you actually come to yawn during class while writing them off…………
Gekkou: President, what is that…!?
Date: Fufufu, what he’s tasting is Otokojuku’s famous “Living Blood Vow Mark”……………
(TN: Somehow while I’ve come to keep the actual attacks and some of the tourney stuff in Japanese, a lot of the weird “cultural notes” I’ve been translating due to those being easier to probably understand as such. The actual name of the “Living Blood Vow Mark” is “Kessei Konshou”, which actually is a kanji combination with no real meaning so it has to be translated literally: “Ke” = “Blood”, “Ssei” = “Vow”, “Kon” = “Mark”, “Shou” = “Alive/Living”)

89.
Commentary:
Otokojuku’s Living Blood Vow Mark……its origin runs to the continent of China associated to the tradition of the family of Mongolian Ghengis Khan, whose name runs about with the daring and resolute, where they engrave the names of allies who have died in action on their arm, vowing eternal revenge to certainly take down their enemy. Even in Japan today, the custom remains where scoundrel companies carve on their arms the names of their killed boss vowing revenge.
-From “Strange Stories of Japanese Traditions”, Minmei Publishing
Togashi & Toramaru: ……………………
Momotarou: Let’s go.
Togashi: Wait I’m not done.
Toramaru: I’ll do this too.
Momotarou: J, this will have us together forever. This will certainly be there as a reminder to finish this.
(TN: Momotarou makes a comment of “reminder to finish this” is actually “otoshimae”, which is “money paid to settle a fight”)

90.
Date: Fufufu, their expressions have changed. Now they finally understand the terror of the “Kyoura Daiyon Kyousatsu”.

91.
Togashi: J……!!
Togashi: !!
Togashi: Uo!!
Toramaru: Togashi--!!
Toramaru: Seryaa--!!

92.
Momotarou: Fu—
Momotarou: Are you alright, Togashi!!
Momotarou: If the three of us die, then we’ll be knocked around hell by J.
(TN: This was actually a bit tough to translate since “doyasu” isn’t a traditional word. “Doyasu” appears to be a variation of “Naguru” or “to strike”, but don’t take my word for it)
Togashi: Ah, of course.
Voice: Stop--!!

93.
Fuukai: THIS IS THE 2ND EVIL OF THE KYOURA DAIYON KYOUSATSU: DANGAICHUURAN-KAN!!
(TN: “Dangaichuuran-Kan” = “Barrier of Cliff Aerial Warfare”)
Fuukai: Otokojuku! Kantou Gougakuren!
Rinkai: Let one warrior from both teams come forward!!

94.
Togashi: Now it’s my turn.
Momotarou: Togashi……!
Togashi: Don’t worry about me.
Togashi: Even if all the cockroaches on Earth go extinct, I won’t die.
Hien: SANMENKEN HIEN!!

95.
Voice: L…look--!!
Tazawa: Now the flames of Togashi and that Hien of the Gougakuren are flickering.
Shura Oshou: Hoo, those flames are fierce. Of those flames, the man wearing the hat seems like his entire body will be dyed in blood and will die in an agonizing pain.
Onihige: Y—you f**king priest, you’re spitting out only bad omens.
Shura Oshou: Ugege……!!
Onihige: Do you think that many of my students will die so easily--!!

96.
Togashi: He…hey, this is really high.
Fuukai: Now take this: it’s your lifeline linking you between this world and hell.
Fuukai: Is it fine?
Togashi: Is it fine, how exactly is this fine!?
Togashi: Uh!?

97.
Togashi: UWAAAA----!!
Toramaru: To…Togashi---!!
Togashi: Uuuh, th…this is…………!?

98.
Fuukai: Now, next is your turn.
Hien: Fufufu, understood……
Hien: However, I see impolite behavior such as pushing me off after that as unnecessary.
Hien: HA---!!

99.
Momotarou: ………………!!
Date: As expected, Hien has jumped right in to his proper place to die.
Hien: You have a filthy face.
Togashi: Wh…what~~is this guy---!!
Fuukai: This is Fuji’s 5th Stage: the Kengen Wall!! As you can see, you’ll fall headlong into hell if you let go of your lifeline!!
(TN: “Kengen” = “Suspended Severity”, thus the full name of “Kengen no Heki” is “The Wall of Suspended Severity”)
Rinkai: Now, do what you want and start!!

100.
Togashi: Uh!!
Toramaru: To…Togashi---!!

101.
Hien: Ha---!!
Date: Fufufu, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this…Hien’s Choujinken. Whoever gets put into fighting Hien in the air is an unlucky man.
(TN: “Choujinken” = “Birdman Fist”, which actually works for Hien since his name translates into “a swallow in flight”)
Togashi: Hold on, J, now I’ll go to present you his corpse.

TN: The cliffhanger is...well, really a cliffhanger, particularly considering that it's Togashi fighting against...well, Hien. (more on him next time) But hey, personally any fight with Togashi in it is going to be entertaining, particularly considering his line about "living after cockroaches go extinct". Aside from the awesomeness of Togashi, the chapter really shows how devoted and manly some of the attributes of brotherhood are in this series with the "Living Blood-Vow Mark" started by Momo and taken by the other Otokojuku members. Considering how allies and friendships are treated in "other shonen" (not going to name names), a lot of times things just get way too weepy and cheesy for a manga made for males. This though essentially gets the point across, expressing emotion but showing aspects as shared pain and brotherhood without getting all oversentimental and stupid. When Momo carves J's name on himself, you get that this is a measure of honor and sacrifice without the sap...and somehow it makes it a lot stronger than how other series do it.