Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 141

After dealing with another "little" problem with the Kokurenju, Akashi has proven his strength in the face of his opposition. But unfortunately, everything he's done to the assassins may not just go unpunished...

Chp. 141: The Skillful Problem Solver: Akashi!

169.
Toramaru: Gahhahahaha, that’s a masterpiece---!! L…look, at the bumps on his head---!
Togashi: He’s great, that oldie Koushuushi! Hasn’t he become way taller~~~~!!
Koushuushi: Y…you………!! Are….are you making a fool of me here……………!!

170.-171.
Koushuushi: K…kill him---!! Fan Fei! Skewer that guy with your beak---!!

172.
Koushuushi: Uwahhahaha: where were you aiming!! No matter how many times you swing that monster sword, you still don’t understand that you can’t use it on this speed---!!
Koushuushi: Uh!!
Koushuushi: WH…WHAT~~~!!

173.
Koushuushi: UOOO----!!
Koushuushi: F…fly, fly Fan Fei---!!
Koushuushi: Gyaaa---!!
Akashi: You’ll entertain the devils by making yakitori in the fires of Hell.
(TN: Akashi actually mentions “fire” as “Gouka” or “Hellfire”, but it really didn’t make sense to say “hell” twice. As for yakitori, for those who don’t know of it, it’s a snack of cut up chicken cooked up, usually with a sauce, and then skewered for the ease of carrying for the customer)

174.
Toramaru: He…did it---!! You’re amazing, Akashi-senpai, that’s the second-straight bamboo you’ve broken----!
(TN: The “broken bamboo” part is probably referring to the earlier comment referring to the Kokurenju fighters as “Myouchikurin”, which as I mentioned is in the shape of a shoot of bamboo)
Togashi: But, senpai, please say that this much is enough----!! You’re holding up the rest!
Toramaru: Now it’s our turn~~~!!
Akashi: I’m disappointed that our first opponents in the Finals League are of this level. How about I leave you the rest? It was still early in my turn.
Akashi: !!

175.
“Assassin”: It won’t be as such.
“Assassin”: The law of our Kokurenju is if you defeat our allies, then we will chase you down and atone for them with blood, even to the depths of Hell. You don’t have a reason to go back with what you’ve done.
Fu Chin: My name is Fu Chin. I myself won’t be together with those two that were defeated by you.
Toramaru: Wh…what the: th…that guy before we knew it---!!

176.
Fu Chin: Now let me explain about the needle that I’ve shot into your neck muscle.
Fu Chin: That needle is painted with a deadly, slow-acting poison. The life that’s left for you is just ten minutes…………!!
Toramaru: Wh…what~~~!! Akashi has ten minutes left to live~~~!
Togashi: E…even so, he was attacked by a poisoned needle suddenly from behind by so…some dirty guy---!!
Fu Chin: But you shouldn’t worry. Here is the antidote that will oppose the poison.

177.
Fu Chin: this is the only path left for you. Defeat me and immediately drink the antidote in this glass.
Akashi: …………………
Toramaru: Wh…what~~!! Wh…what’s he doing with that!! He put the antidote out of the way on top of his head~~~!
Togashi: This…can’t be: how can he fight in that situation---!! Wouldn’t it be that if that glass f…falls to the ground and breaks apart then it’ll come to there not being a way to save Akashi at all---!!
Fu Chin: Fufu: it’s best that you freely relish the terror of death in these ten minutes. THIS IS SHOUTAOBEI: THE HIGH BAD NAME WITHOUT REWARD!!
(TN: I really don’t want to try and explain this but basically the expression by which Fu Chin has called this [without even getting to the “commentary”] is rather tough in itself: first of all, the “without reward” part has the reading of “mukuwarezuno”, which is exactly how it sounds, but has the reading through kanji as “receiving no reward”. This is modified before that part with “akumei takaki”: “akumei” is “bad name”, but the “takaki” is “high”, yet it seems Fu Chin makes the phenomenon has a “high bad name”. Thus why I used the expression “the high bad name without reward”. And finally the actual technique itself: “Shoutaobei” = “Head-Cup of Death”)
Commentary:
Shoutaobei…a punishment method which occurred at Kounan Temple, which is known for strict laws in world of Ancient Chinese kenpou. Originally, it was a training method involving fighting while holding on top of your head a cup filled with sulfuric acid, maintaining a sense of balance while at the same time conquering your fear. This transformed into a variety of torture by serving poison to an opponent and fighting so they can take the antidote on top of their head.

Taking this punishment is restricted into a situation where the honor of a kenpou school is considerably hurt, where they will die while using hopeless endeavor that can never be rewarded. Incidentally, calling people who use useless endeavor “Sakazuki Men” got it’s origin from this.
-From “History of the World’s Cruel Punishments”, Taikoubou Books
(TN: A slight note: “sakazuki” is Japanese for “wine cup”, just like the cup that Fu Chin has on his head)

178.
Fu Chin: KOKURENJU OUGI: HEISHI JIZAISEN!!
(TN: “Heishi Jizaisen” = “Defeated-Gift At-Will Harpoon”)
Akashi: !!
Toramaru: A…Akashi---!!
Togashi: Wh…what is…that!! It’s changing as if it’s a living thing---!!

179.
Fu Chin: Fu: you’re anxious about the glass on my head. But you shouldn’t be worried: with the sense of balance I’ve obtained with my training, it won’t fall that easily.

180.
Fu Chin: Hoo, that’s a great thing. You can completely see the movements of this Jizaisen.
Fu Chin: But you still don’t seem to understand your situation. Are you fine with that action?
Fu Chin: Pull it stronger like this………………O—totto!

181.
Toramaru: Aah~~~!! It’s…falling~~~!
Togashi: The glass on his head fi…filled with the antidote---!!
Fu Chin: Fuffuffu: Right, that’s fine. Do you finally understand the meaning of Shoutaobei?
Date: What is this: that’s only doing what that guy says.
Momotarou: Trash……!!
Fu Chin: Incidentally, you also have that monster sword. That’s because you can’t surpass the caution that you show as such with your superhumanly strength.
Fu Chin: Well, what’s wrong, can’t you take it quickly? Aah, it’s falling!! Are you fine even with it falling~~~!?
Akashi: …………………!!

182.
Fu Chin: Fufufu: with that, your death is quickly becoming certain. It seems considerablt that the poison has started to circulate as well. Your breathing is disturbed.
Fu Chin: But for a man of your extent! I'll end this by chopping you up with this Jizaisen----!!

183.
Fu Chin: !!
Fu Chin: Wahhahaha: your eyes are getting hazy and even movement is beyond your control due to the poison----!!
Toramaru: N...No!! Akashi's getting killed----! Mo...Momo, c...can't we do something---!!
Momotarou: ...............Akashi-senpai won't lose.
Toramaru: Wh...what---!!

184.
Momotarou: He's a proud man. He himself would choose to die if he came to not win as said by that trash. He's lively in a fatal situation! I'm sure he certainly has some secret plan!!
Fu Chin: Fufufu: what's wrong? Are you giving up even avoiding this already? That's not unreasonable: with your wounds and the poison circulating your entire body, even standing takes all your might.
Akashi: The crime of disgracing a duel of men is heavy..........!! It's atonement will be fully done.
Fu Chin: Huh!!
Toramaru: Wh...what~~~!! What is he intending: he set up his scabbard without his sword blade~~~~!
Fu Chin: Fu: what's action. Do you think that thing is a weapon you can use on me?
Akashi: NUUUU----!!

186.
Fu Chin: HUH!?

187.
Fu Chin: Y...you............Th...that's......!!
Akashi: Cheers: to your certain death!!
(End of vol. 15)

TN: After several fights which were pretty much all muscle, we finally get our first truly "brain-teaser" fight in a while...and it turned out to be a really good one. While I really don't get why Fu Chin essentially admits to be "going to his death" and the whole implications of the desperation and inevitable death the opposition holds since it was pretty much Akashi fighting on his own for his own life...but considering he kept a wine glass his whole fight and threatened to spill Akashi's only means to save himself, but he's just a sick man in himself. Though one real highlight of the chapter (aside Akashi finally getting the wine glass from Fu Chin's head) was probably just him using the scabbard of his sword in a means for fighting: considering in some ways it reminded me a bit of Ikkaku from Bleach, I always like swordsmen who seem to use everything they have to prove they are well-rounded in their fighting means. But heck, with Togashi essentially wrapping up his third-straight win, hopefully next time someone else will fight...in particular...a couple of idiots who have been waiting forever for their turn!