Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 80

Breaking through the darkness, Date has finally taken down Rasetsu in his own particular way! Is this finally the end of the third match? And are the First-Years finally prepared for the final battle with Jaki...or merely just getting to him!?

Chp. 80: The Ordeal to the Final Fight

69.
Rasetsu: Ugugu…At…any rate, it’s as you’ve said: I’m being smiled on by a god of death.
Date: You’re late in realizing it, Rasetsu……from the moment our fists met, you were already enchanted by the death god.

70.-71.
Chart: --THE 16 BRAVE WARRIORS OF THE DAIISHIN PAAREN SEIHA—

1st Year Side:
Head of First-Years: TSURUGI MOMOTAROU
-RAIDEN…DEAD
-HIEN…DEAD
-GEKKOU
-DATE OMITO
-TORAMARU RYUUJI…SERIOUSLY INJURED
-J…SERIOUSLY INJURED
-TOGASHI GENJI…SERIOUSLY INJURED

3rd Year Side:
Head of Third-Years: DAIGOUIN JAKI
-MANJIMARU…DEAD
-HENSHOUKI…DEAD
-DOKUGANTETSU…DEAD
-BARON DINO…DEAD
-EIKEI
-RASETSU…SERIOUSLY INJURED
-SENKUU…DEAD

72.
Hidemaro: He did it--!! It’s completely over---!!
First-Year 1: Date alone got a complete victory, defeating Dino and Rasetsu---!!
First-Year 2: he really is an amazing guy---!!
Date: It’s best you don’t move awkwardly. If you’re treated, then we may just save your life.
Rasetsu: HA—HA—
Rasetsu: Fu, even Rasetsu, one of the Shitennou, is being mocked. Wi…with what we’ve reached, you think my life is precious…!!

73.
Rasetsu: Nuaa!!
First-Years: Wh…what--!! That Rasetsu is still at it----!!
Rasetsu: Guaa----!!

74.
First-Years: Ooh!!

75.
Rasetsu: Wh…why did you stop my fist…Wh…why did you stop not killing me? B…by not taking my life, I can take the match.
Date: Even if I killed you now, it’s futile…………
Date: This match is already over. You should know that best. Hold on to your poor face and quickly get treated.
Rasetsu: ……………………
Rasetsu: Fu, I’ve lost…..a complete defeat for me……forgive me for showing unsightly behavior in what I did to your partner.

76.
Date: !!
Rasetsu: I think I’m prided in fighting a man like you, Date Omito…………!!
Date: RASETSU!!
First-Year: Aah, that Rasetsu is throwing himself into the sea of fire----!!
Date: ………………!!

77.
Momotarou: I expected that of one of Otokojuku’s Shitennou……he shows himself a man to the end. He ended his own life when he knew Date couldn’t finish him; Date’s victory is a perfect one……!!
Wan Taaren: The 3rd fight of the Daiishin Paaren Seiha: the Sanshou Rokkyokusei Fight!! Victory for the Otokojuku First-Years, Date-Toramaru team---!!
First-Year: Uooo, we…we did it---!!
Hidemaro: S…send out the boat to pick them up—the fire is already starting to be extinguished--!!
Date: It’s over, Toramaru……!!

78.
Voice: He—y, we’re coming to get you---!!

79.
Jaki: They’re great men………even three among the Shitennou of the Otokojuku Third-Years have been entirely defeated……………they’ve finally come this far.
Eikei: Inexcusable. I will truly handle them in the 4th fight.
Jaki: Fu, you don’t need to apologize. I’ve miscalculated in treating them lightly.
Jaki: We’ll be waiting for them for the 4th fight. Naturally, they won’t arrive there so easily.

80.
First-Year 1: D…date, are…you alright? You’re hurt on your chest---!!
First-Year 2: Hey—do we have any more bandages---!!
Toramaru: …………
First-Year 3: But that was an amazing battle. I was really terrified when you were hit by Rasetsu’s Joubakukan!!
Toramaru: Hey, all of you, wh…what’s with your clamoring of “Date, Date”---!! I’ve been hurt much more serious---!!
First-Year 1: Hey, Toramaru’s regained consciousness.
First-Year 2: Wh…what, he’s still alive---!!
Toramaru: I…I’m alive……!!
First-Year 1: N…no, you were great too.
First-Year 2: Right, didn’t you have dumb guts when you dived into the sea of fire!!
Toramaru: Chi, what are you saying!!

81.
Momotarou: Wan Taaren, I make a request for Toramaru. He’s stubborn on the outside, and is alive, but he’s got seriously strange wounds.
Wan Taaren: Right…we’ll give him our best.
Toramaru: He…hey, wh…what are you doing----!! Le…let go, I…I’m going with you too----!!
Momotarou: Date, what will you do………!!
Date: I’m fine. I’m going to make sure of your victory.
Wan Taaren: Let’s go forth!! From here we’re heading towards the final fight of the Daiishin Paaren Seiha!!

82.
First-Year 1: Th…this is a long distance.
First-Year 2: It is. Even so, this final battle will finish this.
First-Year 1: Finally, boss Jaki of the Third-Year side will appear. There hasn’t been anyone whose fought him and lived until now.
First-Year 2: It’ll be alright, Momo and Gekkou will…………
Hidemaro: Shut up---!!
First-Year: Hi…Hidemaro.
Hidemaro: Yo…you don’t believe in your own boss----!! No matter who his opponent, has Momo lost? Momo will certainly win!!

83.
Date: What is the chance of victory…………This is Daigouin Jaki, the head of the Otokojuku Third-Years…he is the emperor of this contest…he’s said to be an expert in all kenpou and martial arts and there isn’t anyone who can stand up to him in the three-hundred-year history of Otokojuku.
Momotarou: I don’t know…I’ve just…brought all of you into a shameless fight where Raiden and Hien have died.
Date: His strength is extraordinary. I won’t win.
Date: Don’t die, Momo………
Momotarou: Fu, you don’t want anyone to die.
Hidemaro: We’ve stopped---!!
Wan Taaren: We’ve arrived!!

84.
Wan Taaren: This is the final fight of the Daiishin Paaren Seiha: Tengaku Touzan!! At the summit of this tower is the final battleground!!
(TN: “Tengaku Touzan” = “Heaven-Frightening Tower-Mountain”)
First-Years: HUH!?

85.
First-Year 1: Wh…what is th…this tower!?
First-Year 2: We have to climb a spiraling path to reach the summit of the tower.
Wan Taaren: We’ve come this far…up ahead, the summit is waiting. Just those of you who will proceed from here will go.
Wan Taaren: If you can’t endure the ordeal of climbing this tower, then you’re not qualified to go to the final battleground of the Paaren Seiha.
Momotarou: An ordeal……!?
First-Year 1: Heh, what is he saying? We won’t make a sound in climbing this mountain road!!
First-Year 2: Well then, let’s head out towards the summit---!!

86.
First-Year 1: Fu—I’ve gotten quite tired of climbing.
First-Year 2: This is a steep hill road. If our legs slip, we’ll tumble down to the very bottom.
First-Year 1: But why is this path in this weird form?
First-Year 2: It seems to be scooped out on purpose.

87.
First-Year: Wh—at, we’ve already climbed halfway up the tower.
Hidemaro: I can’t hold out anymore…………
First-Year 1: Wh…what is that tremoring sound!?
First-Year 2: Is…the tower exploding----!? It’s quickly getting louder and closer----!!
First-Years: !!

88.-89.
First-Year 1: WH…WHAT----!!
First-Year 2: A…ball; a massive iron ball is rolling down from the summit----!!
First-Year 3: It…it’ll run us all over----!!

TN: Let me just start with this: only in Otokojuku can the trial before reaching the boss of the entire school involve running away...from a steel ball rolling down it's path. It's rather logical and hilarious if you think about it: the ball rolls down from the top along a path specially made for it and they just have to get past it in order to make their way to the final battleground where Jaki and Eikei await! But that's a matter for next time...

On the other hand, with the match finally over...let me just say that this third match ended up showing a major flaw compared to the two that came before it (and probably most of the other matches prior). The flaw can be summed up in one word: Date. I have nothing against the character: he's one of my favorites at this point and really is a formidable force and complex character as former Gougakuren leader and valuable First-Year ally. But...the way he ran over Dino in one chapter and then spent most of the rest of the fight facing Rasetsu in one phase after another, even tricking Toramaru to get rid of him to finish Rasetsu off...that just ruined the good pacing the fights have had prior to this. Most of the fights in the arc prior at least allowed for several chapters of the underling before the Shitennou fought. When Date took out Baron Dino in one chapter, it showed his power off but at the same time seemed to throw the pacing off. It attempted to regain it through Rasetsu...and the early two chapters were probably the best of the fight with the physical and mental games the two played with one another. But when it moved into the air...and that stupid trick where Toramaru came in, saved Date, then got thrown away like "I just did that to get rid of him" felt so...wrong. Yeah, I know Date is powerful, Toramaru is annoying (on purpose for story sake) and this was his way of protecting both of them, but considering how we witnessed someone like Togashi taking down Senkuu with no kenpou and on guts alone (not talking of Manjimaru since J is easily the same skill level as Momo as seen in the earlier arcs), tossing Toramaru aside just to let Date have the fight just didn't go well with me. I mean it fit both Date and Toramaru's characters but I felt...well, betrayed. Another problem with the fight I guess was that Rasetsu was the main fighter for so long compared to the other Shitennou. It was bound to happen with how quickly Baron Dino was eliminated, but it just felt monotonous by the point Date was freed and what happened in that last chapter. I know I still love this series tremendously, but I guess this fight made me see that sometimes even good stuff can have problems and that nothing is really perfect.