Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 105

Otokojuku has finally won it's second Tenchou Gorin fight, but not without the loss of Dokugantetsu. But how is this tragedy going to be taken with Edajima at the school? And...has the wheels begun to turn towards the tourney's true danger!?

Vol. 12: Break Through Destiny!
Chp. 105: Otokojuku’s Houtakushou Room!!

7.
(Title Page…and here comes Senkuu…)

8.
Edajima: So then………Dokugantetsu has died………
Onihige: He died in battle at the end of his fierce fight with the enemy leader in the battle vs. Rouroukan, in the 2nd Round of the Tenchou Gorin Daibukai Preliminary League!! We have information that his death truly was a daring, resolute and heroic end!!
Edajima: Give me the key to the Houtakushou Room!! From here, the principal of Otokojuku, Edajima Heihachi, will enter the Houtakushou line.
(TN: “Houtakushou Room” or “Houtakushou Bou”/”Houtaku Shoubou” [can’t quite figure how to set this up correctly but it’s similar in room setup as the room that Toramaru was in; made it “Houtakushou Room” since the setup feels right that way]. It translates into “Abandon Entrusted with Life Room”)
Onihige: Wh…what are you saying, principal!!
Hikouboshi: The Houtakushou Line~~~!?

9.
Hikouboushi: Pl…please stop, principal. Reconsider it once now!!
Onihige: H…how!! How could you do this!!
Edajima: Fu, Dokugantetsu………he was a man who was shy with a kind heart, which doesn’t match his large build and stern face.
Edajima: Otokojuku’s Houtakushou Room.
Edajima: The door to this room hasn’t been opened since the folding of World War II 43 years ago and the 18th principal of Otokojuku sent his students to the front.
(TN: Since this chapter of Otokojuku was released in 1987 and assuming it is talking about that very moment, it can be inferred that the principal sent his students to the front in 1944. However, considering that the war ended in 1945, a year after that, there is also a possible inference that this chapter could be taking place in 1988, which would make some sense since the “Olympics” are usually held every 4 years…and likewise 1988 was an Olympic year)

10.
Edajima: Fu, just right: there are correctly 16 ropes propping the ceiling.

11.
Hikouboshi: Pr…principal~~~!
Helmet: If there’s a chance that it happens, what will happen to Otokojuku~~~!!
Edajima: Enough!!
Onihige: Gua!!
Onihige: Pr…principal~~~! P…please open up~~~!!
Edajima: It’s…no use. When I lower the lock from the inside of the door, then it can never be opened!!
Edajima: If we’re to get to the bottom of this matter, then we can’t get directly involved with Momo and the sixteen, who are participating in this Daibukai so we can somehow attack Toudou Hyoue, the scoundrel of Showa. Yet in this, I can’t just be an opinionated sightseer.

12.
Edajima: Only one of these sixteen ropes that are propping this spiked ceiling: by cutting a chosen one for the one who died, I too will wager life and death on those sixteen!!
Edajima: The first one…for Dokugantetsu.
Teachers: PRINCIPAL~~~!!
Onihige: Pr…Principal……!!

13.
Edajima: As principal of Otokojuku, Edajima Heihachi, I will share your fate!! Win!! You must win so I can take the life of that beast-man Toudou!!
Commentary:
The Houtakushou Line…it had started when it occurred with Mouri Motonari, said to be one of the best great commanders in the Sengoku period, shared the peril and pain of the three sons of Takamoto Motoharu Takakage, whom he had sent out to the battlefield during the enfolding fateful Battle of Sekigahara: in order to pray for their victory, he conformed a tradition of the general Kanshin of China’s Qin Dynasty.
It’s asceticism that it can’t be done without a deep love towards those on the battlefield. Incidentally, “To Hold Down Three Ropes of Affection”, which is used even today to illustrate a parent who has strong feelings when thinking of their child, came forth from this.
-From “A Talk of the Humanity of Sengoku Military Commanders”, Minmei Publishing
(TN: I don’t think there really is an expression like “to hold down three ropes of affection” aside the Otokojuku-verse, but basically in Japanese it was “Mouri Sankou no Jou” in Japanese and I translated it as best as I could”)
Sign: TOUDOU

14.
Toudou: Fufufu, the Tenchou Gorin Daibukai’s Preliminary League is in their 2nd rounds, and yet these matches are becoming heated.
Toudou: Currently in the 1st Battleground, there was a user of Shoukyuu Soudan, said to be an illusionary secret technique. Where is he from?
Reader: Well…!! Otokojuku. They’re a newcomer team with their first participation in this Daibukai.
Toudou: Never heard of them. They’re quite such to move their piece to the 3rd round in their first appearance.
Toudou: Fuffuffu, do your best as much as you can. But here’s where you’ll come to know the thick walls and the true terror of the Daibukai.
(TN: Yeah, Toudou does refer to it as “thick walls”, essentially standing for something like “the real depths” in English)

15.
Sou Reigen: Ugugu………!!
Toramaru: He…won, Momo won. And by backhanding his opponent’s special technique, the Shoukyuu Soudan…………
Togashi: H…however, where and when did Momo come to grasp that sort of technique!?
Date: I don’t know. That Momo really is a man of many mysteries…!!

16.
Momotarou: Take him away. If you quickly get him surgery, you’ll save his life.
Rouroukan Fighters: !!
Rouroukan Fighters: Ma…Manager---!!
Sou Reigen: Wh…why? Y…you could have swung your blade and taken out my vitals. Don’t you hate me for teasingly killing your ally……………!?
Momotarou: Even if I killed you, Dokugantetsu wouldn’t be pleased. He was that sort of man……
Momotarou: That’s merely all……………
Sou Reigen: …………

17.
Momotarou: ……!!
Sou Reigen: Fo…forgive me, Dokugantetsu……I was mistaken for saying that Otokojuku was a collective of cowards.
Sou Reigen: I…will be praying for your victory………
Toramaru: Do…Dokugantetsu~~~! Mo…Momo~~~!!

18.
Momotarou: ……………………
Students: !!
Hassam: Victory for Otokojuku in the match of Otokojuku vs. Rouroukan!! After all of you have had rest again, you will be fighting in the semifinals of the 1st Battleground of the Preliminary League.
Hassam: You should look: your opponent will be the winning team that is currently competing over there now.
Hassam: But then, it’s natural that the battle is already decided.
Toramaru: Hu~~h, what’s that!?
Togashi: There are several pillars in the ground……
Toramaru: Huh!!

19.
Toramaru: WH...WHAT~~~!!
Togashi: Th...they're human pillars!! Their heads have sunk into the ground~~~!!
(TN: There's a bit of a funny pun here: when Togashi refers to the defeated warriors, he calls them "hitobashira", which can either be translated as "human sacrifices" or "human pillars")

20.
Staff Fighter: Nuuu!!

21.
Toramaru: Wh...what, th...that guy is riding a unicycle. You...don't say that the 15 teammates of the spear-holding man had their heads planted into the ground by the unicycle man~~~!?
Date: But how did those human pillars come about............!!

22.
Spear Fighter: Y...you monster~~~!!
Toramaru: A...amazing, he surrounded him with speed!!
Togashi: Wh...what movement!! Those seem to be afterimages~~~!!

23.
Spear Fighter: Ku!!
Spear Fighter: Hi!!
Spear Fighter: Guo!!
Togashi & Toramaru: !!

24.
Unicycle Figther: OLYMPUS: SPIN HEAD BURIAL!!
(TN: Though completely in katakana and obvious on what it is, the full name of the "style" for the unicycle fighter, which while it seems to read "Orinposu", is obviously in reference to the mountain of the gods in Greco-Roman myth, therefore why I keep it "Olympus"; the kanji in the name translates to "Obstructing Cold Wild-Grape Satin"...yeah, a bit weird but that's what I got)
Spear Fighter: Gugyaa~~~!!
Toramaru: Wh...what~~~!! The gear that was inserted around the opponent's body has started to rotate with tremendous force when engaged with the wheel of the unicycle---!!

25.
Toramaru: L...look~~~!! H...his head is being buried into the ground~~~~!!
Unicycle Fighter: You're no match for the Olympus 16-Battle Gods, the strongest in history!!
(TN: The full name of the unicycle-man's team is "Olympus 16-Toushin"; "Toushin" translates into "Battle God")

TN: Alright, I think it's time for a bit of a reality check. As of this point in Otokojuku, we've seen all sorts of abilities, both cool and bizarre. We've seen sword fighters, spear fighters, dosu fighters, staff fighters and even a few axes, maces, whips, boomerangs, wires and a deadly yo-yo thing. We've seen boxers with super punches and kenpoists who become unstoppable by using deadly poison. We've seen acrobatic warriors and warriors who use gymnastics. We've seen pressure-point manipulators, muscle knot manipulators and a guy who fights by sticking out fingers in weird ways. We've even seen a guy who made a pinwheel for a hand and recently a guy using his own hair strengthened as a weapon. So far, we've seen all sorts of weird and bizarre battle skills and abilities from all sorts of fighters. But...now we're reaching the point of no return. In this chapter, we've just seen a guy destroy an entire team of skilled martial artists...with a unicycle. Yes, that's what I said, a unicycle. Why am I making such a big deal about this accomplishment? Because this is the point where the series begins to get really insane with it's martial art abilities and where people probably would start questioning themselves on whether what they're reading are genius, stupid or insane! Personally, I think it's genius myself (mostly because Bo-bobo sort of took the concepts that are starting to emerge to strange new places) considering that from here we get to see Miyashita get really creative. Sure it's one thing to fight with a sword like a ton of series...but when you start killing people with unicycles, then you know you're in for a good time! Oh, and the crazy stuff isn't just going to be with the enemies teams, let me warn you now...sure you've seen weird stuff from Otokojuku fighters before, but now we've reached this "point of no return", be prepared...be very prepared...

Aside from the bizarre battle revelation hinting at the warrior from Olympus, the chapter sort of continues the connection between Edajima and Toudou regarding this tournament. Toudou probably is undervaluing Otokojuku just a bit considering that they're new...but considering they're seeded at a place where they only had to win four times to get to the Champion League...well it probably was just luck. And Edajima...well, this is do-or-die to get Toudou so of course he wants to do drastic measures to make sure his students win! He's the principal of Otokojuku, he does whatever he wants, whenever he wants!