Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 124

Eikei's desire to see the true power of Gandhara has come to a tragic conclusion as he has fallen while taking out Taigen Houshi! But was his sacrifice enough to have done damage to the enemy...and how will Otokojuku take his measures?

Volume 14: The Grand Finale!!
Chp. 124: Funeral March for a Brave Man

7.
Toramaru: E…Eikei---!!
Togashi: He…was simultaneously defeated in his match with Taimen Houshi---!!

8.-9.
(Title Page…wait, didn’t Hien already get a fight in this phase?)

10.
Togashi: Wh…what---!! Hi…Hien---!
Toramaru: Wh…what’s going on: Hi…Hien is on the battleground before we were aware of it---!!

11.
Eikei: Is that…Hien…………
Eikei: Te…tell me……………di…did I d…defeat him………?
Hien: You were magnificent……………your risky Retsushishou presented a completely fatal wound to him. Please look at him with your own eyes.
Eikei: …………………!!
Eikei: R…right: so then, I…I can die in peace…I…leave you the…the rest…………
Eikei: Do…don’t say a word on my…utter defeat to Otokojuku……

12.
Otokojuku Side: …………………!!
Toramaru: E…Eikei………
Togashi: E…Eikei has d…died…………!!
Momotarou: However, how was Hien already on the battleground when the match was over…!? Even so, wouldn’t he have to settle this until a match starts…………!?
Toramaru: Wh…what---!! Lo…look—Hi…Hien is turning towards the corpse of Taigen Houshi setting up a stance for a fight---!

13.
Hien: That’s enough of your death appearance. Be grateful…thanks to your regard for him, Eikei was sent off carefree.
Taigen Houshi: You understood………You’re a man with a dreadful fighting spirit.
Taigen Houshi: However, poison fist has no effect on me. I was merely giving gratitude to a brave man who died by rewarding him.

14.
(Yeah, that shows the power of Taigen Houshi’s weapon)

15.
Toramaru: R…right: that Taigen Houshi priest pretended to be simultaneously defeated for the dead Eikei, appearing like he had died……………!!
Togashi: Th…though he’s an enemy, he’s a strange man.
Hien: I give my thanks…but I’m a different person in a match: I give no mercy.
Taigen Houshi: It’s as you’ve seen: facing my fist, there aren’t survivors.

16.
Taigen Houshi: GANDHARA: SOURYUU SOUJUTSU!!
(TN: “Souryuu Soujutsu” = “Twin-Dragon Spearmanship”)

17.
Toramaru: Amazing: what terrifying consecutive spear attacks---!! Souryuusou……!! Just from that name, he sends out without losing breath the blades that are attached at both ends---!!

18.
Hien: As expected, you have splendid spear judgment, which you had to merely defeat Eikei. However, that won’t defeat me!!
Taigen Houshi: !!
Hien: Let me show you: Choujinken Higi: Kakushi Senbon!!

19.
Taigen Houshi: Nu!!
Taigen Houshi: Ku!!
Hien: These Kakushi Senbon are items practically applied as a medical treatment method held within the 3000 years of Chinese Medical history. I’ve gone through the ganglia of both your shoulders; already it’s impossible for you to move both your shoulders.
Toramaru: You’ve…done it---!! Hi…Hien---! With his arms sealed off, this match is already yours--!!
Taigen Houshi: Fu, haven’t you thought about it……!? Why Eikei’s poison fist doesn’t affect me…………!!
Hien: ………………!!

20.
Taigen Houshi: HAN!!
Hien: !!
Togashi: Wh…what---!! The senbon pierced through both of Taigen Houshi’s shoulders were forced out---!
Taigen Houshi: At the end of my long training, my muscles can instantly change it’s hardness to be like steel. With this level of power, even if you break through my skin you won’t reach the ganglia beneath my muscles.

21.
Taigen Houshi: Take this!!
Taigen Houshi: I can already see your loss!!
Taigen Houshi: You can never escape from my Souryuusou!!
Hien: Ku!!
Momotarou: This is bad………His spear attack is increasingly growing in speed and power. It’s as he said: if he can’t use his Kakushi Senbon, Hien can’t win.

22.
Taigen Houshi: Nuaa!!
Hien: Ha!!
Taigen Houshi: !!
Taigen Houshi: Where were you aiming? Don’t you get it yet: you can’t use that thing on me.
Taigen Houshi: Die---!!

23.
Taigen Houshi: MU!?
Taigen Houshi: Huh!!
Hien: My Kakushi Senbon haven’t been defeated yet. Now watch: the essence of Choujinken!!
Taigen Houshi: Gaha!!
Hien: HIOUGI: HICHOU RYOUTSUIRAN!!
(TN: “Hichou Ryoutsuiran” = “Flying Bird Serene Crashing Disturbance”)

24.
Taigen Houshi: UH!!
Taigen Houshi: Fu, I get it: that stance was to throw me to the ground head-first. But it’s useless: you can’t even get a senbon into my body……………!!
Taigen Houshi: !!
Taigen Houshi: Wh…what---!! We…we’re above the senbon he threw earlier………………!!

25.
Taigen Houshi: HA!!
Toramaru: Aah~~!! Even Hien’s secret technique didn’t go through him~~~~!
Togashi: He stopped the senbon with the ring on his head~~~!!
Taigen Houshi: It…would have been dangerous without this. How’s that: I’ve driven the senbon underground.
Hien: ………No. You’ve lost, Taigen Houshi.
Taigen Houshi: Wh…what’s that……!?

26.
Taigen Houshi: Uo!!
Taigen Houshi: Th…that’s……!? This…can’t be: the senbon isn’t underground, it’s…in my head……………!!
Hien: That senbon went through the anesthetic ganglia in your forehead. You will die without any pain or pleasure.
Hien: This is thanks, at least, for the sympathy you showed Eikei.

TN: It's sort of strange but I sort of felt a bit of deja vu with this chapter and Hien's fight with Dokugantetsu. Once again, Hien faced a fighter who can't really fall for the Kakushi Senbon and has to use it in a peculiar place so that he can win. (back then it was on Dokugantetsu's knuckles, here it is on Taigen Houshi's forehead) There were enough to sort of change it up (not just the forehead but similarly some of the moves), but there was a bit too much familiarity with this fight. Pretty much though what made the chapter was less that (though you do wonder why Hien is fighting again considering he already had Shuten Douji back with Rouroukan...aside sudden popularity) and more just how Eikei's death was brilliantly handled, with Hien making him believe Taigen Houshi was killed and the Gandhara fighter playing along until he was gone to show respect. As sick as Taigen Houshi was as a fighter, he did show some unexpected honor that made him a bit admirable, even as a bad guy in battle. But of course, with two Gandhara fighters gone, I doubt the rest will be as merciful...