Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 77

Just as the third match of the Paaren Seiha seemed completely in Date's hands, a change in the battleground has bound him against a high-flying Rasetsu! Is he completely at the Third-Year's mercy...and will Toramaru finally get his chance!?

Vol. 9: The Persistent Manly Soul
Chp. 77: The Persistent Manly Soul

7.
(Title Page)

8.
First-Years: DA…DATE----!!

9.
Rasetsu: Struggle all you want, but you can’t escape from these Joubakukan. The ropes are wires that can withstand a ton of weight. Further, those steel cuffs are made of white-gold steel, said to be harder than diamond.
(TN: “Steel cuffs” is actually “koukan”, but it’s a rather easy translation so I did so)

10.
Rasetsu: Fu………won’t you move even with what’s happening this time?
Rasetsu: A man like you won’t get killed this easily……with our extra time, I’ll test the extent that you truly are.
Date: …………………!!
Toramaru: Uwahaha, isn’t that Date like that---!! Since that sole idiot got himself into a good position, this sort of thing has happened---!! I won’t worry on what happens next; I’m confident he’s going to get hurt----!!
First-Year: To…Toramaru, wh…what is that guy doing----!!
Hidemaro: Toramaru, do you know what you’re saying---!!
Toramaru: Shut up, do any of you know how I feel---!!

11.
Rasetsu: Ha----!!
Rasetsu: GOSHOU ZUIKEN: GEKISHIN KEIHA!!
(TN: “Gekishin Keiha” = “Violent Quaking Piercing Rip”; “Gekishin” typically is a “severe earthquake” but this works a bit better)
Date: !!

12.
(Ouch, there goes Date’s shoulders)

13.
Date: Guku!!
First-Year 1: Wha…what is that Rasetsu doing to Date!
First-Year 2: The bleeding is severe, but his pain is abnormal!!
Rasetsu: Fu, you don’t speak out even with that much violent pain, but this isn’t useless, since I’ve crushed the central nodes of your nervous system in your arms.
Rasetsu: If you were a person with an average physicality and vitality, you would have died of shock with that much pain. You’ll die from writhing around in this pain.
Date: Stop that……I won’t die easily with my anger.

14.
Rasetsu: Are you still hitting me with your big mouth!!
Rasetsu: Next will be the central node of your nerves in your abdomen!

15.
Date: Gunu!!
First-Years: Da…Date---!!
Rasetsu: Take pain, hold pain. How about it: frankly admit your defeat and I’ll send you to that world instantly.
(TN: Rasetsu makes an expression “itakarou, kurusikarou”, which are both two derivative versions of “pain”, but “itakarou” is tied to mere “pain” whereas “kurushikarou” is based on “difficulty via pain”)

16.
Date: Do you know who you’re talking to…my name is Date Omito. You will not defeat me…!!
Rasetsu: Fu…you still have strength…you’re amazing. Surely you’re a man like an Ashura. You seem to not bend to any sort of agony…………
(TN: An ashura is referring to a deity of the Hindu dharma, also known as devas; they are also considered the lowest deities in Buddhist belief)
Wan Taaren: That’s the kind of man he is……!! I’ve never seen such a dreadful man like this.
Toramaru: ………………!!

17.
Rasetsu: Therefore I can only send you to hell at once!!
First-Year: He’ll…kill him: this is over---!!
Voice: HOLD ON---!!
Rasetsu: !!

18.
First-Year 1: Wh…what is that? That Toramaru suddenly----!!
First-Year 2: What is he doing!! He’s in a loincloth in a “Niou Stance”---!!
(TN: As I mentioned prior in the Dokugantetsu fight, “Niou” is the “two guardian Devas”, with a “Niou stance” as one similar to the gods as they stand usually topless with their bottom covered in a protective position)

19.
Toramaru: Heh, Date……a man like you really is a great man. I was soured in not going out there; that embarrassed me.
Toramaru: However, I’m one of the representatives of the 8 selected for the Daiishin Paaren Seiha of the Otokojuku First-Years. I’m not callous that I’ll watch a partner get killed without lifting a finger.
First-Year 1: Wh…what is that Toramaru, he can’t be!?
Hidemaro: St…stop, do…don’t act so stupidly----!!
Toramaru: I’M GOING NOW, DATE---!!
First-Years: To…Toramaru---!!

20.
Toramaru: IT’S HOT---!!
Toramaru: UOO---!!

21.
Toramaru: Nuoo----!!
Rasetsu: Fu, is your partner sane…from that distance…and further with the temperature of the oil rising, boiling like the oil for tempura, he seems to be planning to save you by swimming across the sea of flames.
Date: …………………!!

22.
Toramaru: Uo!!
First-Year 1: Aah, Toramaru---!!
First-Year 2: I…it’s ultimately hopeless. He…he’s sinking---!!
Toramaru: Kuaa---!!
First-Years: To…Toramaru---!!

23.
First-Years: ……………………
Rasetsu: Fu, you seem to have a stupid partner too. But then, that eliminates the labor of dealing with him.

24.
Rasetsu: My next blow will end this fight.
Date: Fufufu, is that how it is…………that Toramaru is an amazing man, greater than you think.
Rasetsu: …………………!?

25.
Toramaru: HERE COMES TORAMARU RYUUJI!!

TN: I seem to have a slight nitpick as of late regarding this series: as the notable characters seem to leave due to injury (or die), we seem to have more and more scenes with just the "generic Otokojuku First-Years". Yeah, I get they are part of this too, but somehow seeing them have zapped away some of the tension and interest regarding those watching this, making it feel more like a "generic crowd shot" from Kinnikuman than something that everyone is at stake with. I guess I'm more used to how well those moments were done in the "Kyoura Daiyon Kyousatsu" with the fighters on one end and the First-Years on another that I miss the disconnect (or just miss having characters like J, Togashi, or even Matsuo and Tazawa) when they're not there...sure there is still Hidemaro but he sometimes just blends in with the rest of them. With that aside done...the chapter mostly just felt like a means to finally get Toramaru into the fight, considering that Date isn't dead or defeated...just stuck without escape from Rasetsu's binding. Strangely while I didn't mind him earlier, somehow seeing these torturous moments just doesn't seem to really make him painted any better...and doesn't give off the same tension akin to Henshouki torturing J to release that "angry Mach Punch" earlier in the arc. It was a good chapter but it just didn't feel anything too special...well aside from Toramaru burning himself to get to the main island and his consistant comedic reversal of hating and respecting Date!