Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 65

With the sacrifices of Matsuo and Tazawa still on their minds, the First-Years have reached a massive statue along the long castle...but what is it's key to the second Paaren Seiha fight...and how will Togashi react now that it's his turn?

Chp. 65: Ryuubon Teimou Fight

162.
Wan Taaren: TENKAI KOURYUU TOUSHINZOU! He was a battle god who descended from the heavens as the incarnation of a dragon, raising fear in kenpou fighters in China since ancient times.
(TN: “Tenkai Kouryuu Toushinzou” = “Heavenly Realm Descending Dragon Battle God Statue”)
Toramaru: Wh…what an eerie, stupidly huge god statue………!!

163.
Wan Taaren: It is unforgivable to enter into the statue except for the six warriors remaining in the Paaren Seiha. It is best for the others to wait outside.
Wan Taaren: I have sympathy. I’ll give you time. This may be your dying farewell. It’s best if you hold on to the memory of your friends.
Togashi: Heh, that’s big help. If you give us leisure to be slow, then you should quickly take us inside.
First-Years: To…Togashi………
Togashi: Don’t worry. We won’t lose. Because Matsuo and Tazawa’s deaths won’t be futile for putting their lives out to build the Banjin Bridge so we could cross to this battlefield…………!!

164.
First-Years: Uh!!
Wan Taaren: We’re going ahead. Climb these stairs and enter into the dragon’s mouth.
Toramaru: See ya………we’re going.
Hidemaro: You can do it, Togashi, Hien---!!
First-Year: Show those 3rds right in their eyes----!!

165.
Toramaru: Wh…where are these steps going far…………!? Even so, this is a huge statue. We really get it’s largeness from inside.
Momotarou: Be careful: if you lose your footing, you’ll tumble to the bottom at once.
Toramaru: Right!!

166.
Wan Taaren: …………………..
Togashi: Haa haa
Togashi: What’s with you since earlier…is my face that unusual?
Wan Taaren: Destiny is an ironic thing. The younger brother is climbing now three years later just like his older brother climbed the steps to the second battlefield of the Daiishin Paaren Seiha………!!
Togashi: Huh……!!
Momotarou: …………………!!
Togashi: Do…do you know---! A…About my big brother---!!

167.
Wan Taaren: Your big brother represented the Otokojuku First-Years in the Daiishin Paaren Seiha three years ago like you are, fought and was defeated on the 2nd battleground. And his competition opponents were the exact same opponents being fought by you here.
Togashi: Wh…what………!? Wasn’t my big brother’s battle opponent Jaki………!?
Date: ……………………
Wan Taaren: We’ve arrived. Here is the top floor within the head of the giant statue. Beyond this door, the second battleground is awaiting.
Momotarou: To…Togashi………!
Togashi: ……………………
Wan Taaren: Well, you should enter!!

168.-169.
Wan Taaren: THIS IS THE DAIISHIN PAAREN SEIHA’S RYUUBON TEIMOU FIGHT!!
(TN: “Ryuubon Teimou” = “Dragon Basin Ladder Net”)
Date: !!
Toramaru: Ryuubon Teimou Battle…………!?


170.
Commentary:
Ryuubon Teimou Battle…It occurred energetically in the closing years of the Ming Dynasty, called the perfect era of Chinese Kenpo. A kind of “solidarity pair” (what’s called today as a “tag match”) fought as two vs. two. With a large container 30 meters in diameter, you fill it with ordinary concentrated sulfur-nitric acid and put a 25-meter long ladder above it. This ladder is made from an unusually light and fragile “Raorou Cedar” which was cut down from Mt. Hakushin in Shandong, with its strength calculated to break and fall when three or more people are on it simultaneously. In short: it is a trick set up where only one from both sides can fight on top of the ladders; and in situation where players switch, the fighter who had been fighting until now must completely leave the ladder for the next to go in.

This could be a further digression, but even today, there is a strict supervision by law in building houses using Raorou Cedar due to its lack of strength, thus the reason why cheap, poor structures are called “Raorou”.
-From “Narrative of Fists”, Minmei Publishing
(TN: “Raorou Cedar” or “Raorousugi” = “Old Weak Cedar”)

171.
Wan Taaren: Understand: there can never be three or more on this ladder. The two of you fighting here: you will have to calculate from the weight of your two opponents, since the strength of this ladder is already regulated.
Rabbit: Pi--!!
Toramaru: Huh…!?

172.
Togashi & Toramaru: !!
Wan Taaren: As you can see…………beneath is a container of concentrated sulfur-nitric acid……if you fall in, you’ll instantly turn to bone.
Wan Taaren: Will those aside from the participating fighting duo step back.

173.
Toramaru: !?
Toramaru: Uo!!
Toramaru: Hey, what are you thinking with this---!!
Wan Taaren: This is so none of you will help in case they fall into any dilemma.
Momotarou: Fuffufu, you’re extremely cautious.
Momotarou: Watch out, Togashi--!!
Togashi: Hm--!?

174.
Togashi: Uo!!

175.
Dokugantetsu: Dokugantetsu! Senkuu of the Shitennou! The ones you’ll be fighting in this Ryuubon Teimou Fight will be us.

176.
Dokugantetsu: Fuffufu, both you brothers are extremely misfortunate.
Dokugantetsu: I met with your dear brother three years ago…………but then, that’s a tale from hell.
Togashi: Yo…you two…
Togashi: Y…you killed my brother………
Dokugantetsu: Of course!!

177.
Wan Taaren: Well, which will go ahead to fight? Decide which will go first.
Togashi: I’ll go ahead. Don’t complain at this, Hien.
Togashi: Nuuu………watch me, big brother. I truly will settle what happened to you.
Dokugantetsu: Fuffufu, I can remember this three years ago.
Momotarou: This is bad! That Togashi’s gotten so agitated……!!

178.
Togashi: Uh!!
Togashi: Hi…Hien, yo…you---!!
Hien: Well please watch out. Don’t forget that this ladder will fall apart at once if more than two are on it.
Togashi: Chii!!
Hien: With the blood rushing to your head, you won’t win this match. Please calm your anger for a while………

179.
Dokugantetsu: Fuffufu, for a while it seemed he would come out, but do you think that this effeminate guy can win against me?
Hien: You shouldn’t judge a person by their looks……you’ll die from it!!

TN: It's weird to see Hien steal Togashi's turn, but consider this: even though Togashi just wants to fight with the anger of what Jaki did to his brother, the matchup of Dokugantetsu and Hien just seems more opportune: the giant heavy monster vs. the slender, light bishonen. Though Hien also made a vital point as well: if Togashi went onto the ladder, regardless of who he fought, with his anger seething over what Dokugantetsu and Senkuu did to his older brother, he'd lose in an instant. Togashi will hopefully get his turn, even though it is weird that the Sanmenken all seem to go ahead of the classic First-Year. Oh...and where do they keep getting rabbits to kill for these "testing scenes"? I just sort of wonder when the rabbits are going to get their revenge for both this and what happened in the first fight of the Kyoura Daiyon Kyousatsu...but it's for demonstration sake and...well, it's not like PETA reads this manga.