Kinnikuman 340

The final round at Osaka Castle may be over before it begins for Suguru's side thanks to having two-less fighters (and no thanks to Mammothman!) Is there a way for them to get to the first match...with just four fighters!?

Chapter 340: Scramble for the Kinniku Throne (67): The Ring Where Devils Dwell!

87.
Suguru: Th…this is evidently Warsman’s mask--!!

88.
Caption: IN FRONT OF OSAKA CASTLE HALL—
(TN: I never really got the chance to explain it so now would be a good time: Osaka Castle Hall, or “Osaka-jou Hall”, is a multipurpose indoor arena located in a park near Osaka Castle, opened in 1983 and has since considered one of the premiere concert halls in Japan. [though it is also used for some indoor sports like wrestling or judo])
Robin: At any rate, why would Warsman’s mask be with Mammothman of Team Phoenix…
Ramen: Further, the mask is this crushed…
Mammoth: Fufufu…
Caption: NARA—
“Shadow”: It’s good I’m in Japan after a long time.

89.
“Shadow”: N…!?
“Shadow”: Wa…Warsman!!
Wars: I…don’t know who you are, but I have to…ask for a favor……
Wars: It’s…you!?
Wars: I’ve met you at a good place: switch place with me as a member of Team Kinnikuman and join…join us in defeating Team Intelligence!!
(TN: Yeah, for once there aren’t any katakana stating them as “Team Phoenix” and Warsman calls them “Team Intelligence”…then again it’s sort of hard to imagine if this is a typo by Yude or if Warsman knew about the Evil Gods or the “Five attributes” they made up)
Caption: OSAKA CASTLE HALL—

90.
Suguru: I’ve…got it: why Mammothman possessed Warsman’s mask!!
Robin, Ramen & Meat: Eh…
Suguru: I’m certain that Warsman, who had finished his special-training in Nara and was headed towards Osaka, was attacked by Team Phoenix!!
Mammoth: Thus why I said that earlier: Warsman will never step on the grounds of Osaka…
Suguru: Hold on—what exactly did all of you do to Warsman---!!

91.
Suguru: Hey, if it’s come to that, then we’ll open this door by force—everyone, lend me your power!!
Robin: Bu…but…
Ramen: Until you attach the hands of five Choujin on the five handprints on that Miracle Door, it’s impossible to open even if you have Friendship Power.
Suguru: Quiet—nothing is impossible with Friendship Power---!!
Ramen: Alright, let’s do this.
Suguru: S**t—if we had Terryman at this time…but he seriously wounded his body by being a lab experiment for my Perfect Muscle Spark…
Suguru: There--!!

92.
“Voice”: I’ll lend my power!!
Suguru: A 5th hand!?
Geronimo: It’s been a long time, my senpai!!
Suguru: Ge…Geronimo!!

93.
Robin: Geronimo, you actually took away the Hawaiian Choujin Heavyweight-class title from Jessie Malvia in Hawaii and should be continuing your defense battles against those local Choujin!! When did you come to Japan!?
Geronimo: I’ll talk about my travels in Hawaii later…however, Warsman had been attacked by Mammothman while on the way towards Osaka, and is bearing serious injury; he won’t be participating in this decisive match.
Suguru: What---!?
Geronimo: Thus, I hurried in coming to help my senpai, becoming a pinch hitter for Warsman.
Suguru: And Warsman!?
Geronimo: I immediately carried him to a nearby Choujin hospital; having quickly gotten the medical treatment of a doctor, somehow he’ll survive.

94.-95.
Suguru: Al—right, we’re relieved hearing that Warsman is safe. With the addition of our new team mate Geronimo, Team Kinnikuman can now go to the place of the finals!!
Announcer: Team Kinnikuman has somehow arranged a fifth member, rescuing them from being eliminated in participating in the Finals---!!
Phoenix: This…can’t be…Team Kinnikuman has quickly been restored……
Suguru: You were aiming to disqualify our participation in the Finals with a shortage of members, but unfortunately the Idol Choujin Corp is filled with secret weapons!!
Mammoth: What can I say: I did that, but I didn’t think about secret weapons---!!
Phoenix: Right, but don’t regret this Mammothman: we’ll show them in the ring the difference in our true power.

96.
Announcer: So then, we’ll precede the Scramble for the Kinniku Throne Survival Match Finals by holding the exchange of the member lists of both teams!!
Suguru: …………
Phoenix: Ge, these members are!?
Harabote: So then, will only the Choujin who is fighting as Advance-Guard remain in the ring; the other members will descend from the ring.
Announcer: So, it seems the Advance Guard for Team Phoenix will be Satan Cross!!
Announcer: And Kinnikuman, who should somehow be sitting in the General seat for Team Kinnikuman, is standing as Advance Guard!!

97.
Announcer: And thus for Team Phoenix, Second-Guard: Prisman, Main Body: Mysterious Partner, Second-in-Command: Mammothman and General: Kinnikuman Super Phoenix.
Announcer: And for Team Kinnikuman: Second-Guard: Ramenman, Main Body: Alexandria Meat, Second-in-Command: Geronimo and General: Robin Mask!!
Announcer: Even though they’ve done this, this is such a daring team order with the General of Team Kinnikuman being presented to Robin Mask!!
Sign:
TEAM KINNIKUMAN VS. TEAM PHOENIX
ADVANCE-GUARD: KINNIKUMAN – SATAN CROSS: ADVANCE-GUARD
SECOND-GUARD: RAMENMAN – PRISMAN: SECOND-GUARD
MAIN BODY: ALEXANDRIA MEAT – MYSTERIOUS PARTNER: MAIN BODY
SECOND-IN-COMMAND: GERONIMO – MAMMOTHMAN: SECOND-IN-COMMAND
GENERAL: ROBIN MASK – KINNIKUMAN SUPER PHOENIX: GENERAL

Phoenix: Umumu…that Kinnikuman, he’s avoiding a battle with me~~
Suguru: I’m not avoiding you out of fear; I’m appearing as the Advance-Guard because my Muscle Spark special-training was assuming it for Satan Cross---!!

98.
Suguru: Well then, Phoenix, I think that Robin is plenty as fitting an opponent for you, hu~~h.
Phoenix: That guy; if he can say that---!!
S. Teacher: Even though it’s like that, Kinnikuman, now you’re with me.
S. Teacher: You want me to be the prey for the Muscle Spark, but before you can, you’re the one who will be defeated while spewing bloody vomit on this magic-square ring.
Suguru: Ma…Magic-square!?
Suguru: Ge!!

99.
Announcer: What the—the canvas is starting to be undone, and beneath it is…
Announcer: A new canvas!! Wh…what is—this ring---!?
Suguru: What the—the alphabet is sprinkled on the canvas, demarcating it fully---!!

100.
Suguru: Right, if I thought I had seen this somewhere, it was when a spell was chanted with this sort of thing drawn on the ground in order to summon a devil from hell.
S. Teacher: Correct: this figure for devil-summoning is called the “Magic-Square”.
S. Teacher: And there are devils sleeping within this canvas, which is demarcated with the 26 letters of the alphabet.
S. Teacher: The devils that sleep in this canvas should surely become strong allies for me and you.
Suguru: Devils as allies…?
S. Teacher: There is a certain method we must undertake to summon these devils sleeping in the canvas.
S. Teacher: And we also need the cooperation of the teammates that are ringside.

101.
Geronimo: Uwa--!!
Geronimo: Wh…what are these!?
Geronimo: What on earth is the reason are we using these!?

102.
Announcer: Suddenly a mysterious controller has appeared in front of the members of Team Kinnikuman and Team Phoenix by ringside---!!
Suguru: I don’t understand anymore what you’re starting.
S. Teacher: Proof from this idea! First we’ll attack!!
Suguru: Ge! A Body Attack!!
Suguru: Can I get hit by that poor attack---!!
Announcer: It’s Kinnikuman’s magnificent Drop Kick, said to be in the top 10 within the Choujin Fighting world!!

103.
Announcer: Satan Cross has fallen on top of the letter “S” on the Magic-Square ring---!!
Suguru: Ge! That light!!
Phoenix: Alright, first is the S of the alphabet!!
Announcer: The window for the S section of the Magic-Square ring has opened and a chest plate has flown out from within and equipped onto Satan Cross’ body!!

104.
Suguru: That novice magic trick will be smashed by my Drop Kick--!!
Suguru: Wa!!
Suguru: Th…that’s!?
S. Teacher: Hahahahaha: Kinnikuman, I’m sorry but you can’t use your Drop Kick on me anymore.
Geronimo: I’ve got it, Kinnikuman: within that Magic-Square ring are hidden defensive items that can protect the body from various techniques!
Geronimo: The arrangement for taking them out is to have the defensive item within fly out by presenting a shock to the window written with a letter of the alphabet and then pressing a button on the controller---!!

105.
S. Teacher: Kekeke…it’s as Geronimo explained: within this Magic-Square ring are hidden defensive items for the 26 letters of the alphabet. The fellow competitors have to equip exactly 13 defensive items to their own body faster than their opponent; what becomes the point of winning or losing this death match is how to perfectly forbid your opponent’s techniques.
Suguru: A Magic-Square Ring Equipping Death Match…he’s burdened us with terrible devils!

106.
(SCRAMBLE FOR THE KINNIKU THRONE ARC)
SPECIAL VTR LVII (XXXXXVII)
SATAN CROSS VS. KINNIKUMAN

TN: I know I keep making way too many asides instead of talking about the chapter as of late, but I think it's time to discuss the "coincidences" regarding the "special matches" as of late, particularly since I think I finally figured it out regarding the Throne. Since even as early as the first Choujin Olympics, we've had special "novelty-style" fights and fights where a certain fighter feels more at home than another in the way it is set up. Originally we had them essentially be certain styles you'd expect in wrestling, such as cage matches, ice-top matches and such. Of course, when we reached the Seven Devils and the Gold Mask arcs, there obviously were going to be changes regarding the style of matches due to the Devil Choujin essentially making the rules. Why else would we have Springman fight in a desert where he can turn sand into more suitable glass...or Sneagator surround the ring with junk so he can turn them into reptiles. (and that's not really counting the penalty fight with the "final boss", which had been going up in escalation from "the loser leaves their home country" in the first Choujin Olympics to Akuma Shogun attempting to crush all non-Idol Justice Choujin in the Gold Mask arc) When we reached the Tag arc, it was supposed to really be more under the controls of an official like Harabote again keeping these crazy matches under control and coming up with gimmicks to end up befuddling all competitors. But of course, it started to seem ironic that the type of matches that would be used in this arc would ultimately seem to benefit the enemy, in particular the Hell Missionaries in the later stages. Isn't it just ironic that they fight Ramenman/Mongolman...in a cage surrounded by metal that both seemed to weaken his resolve...and help out the later revelation of the Perfect Choujin Magnet Power? (and that's not getting into the finals: NEVER PUT SWORD BOARDS AROUND A RING WHEN YOU KNOW HALF THE COMPETITION CAN MANIPULATE MAGNETISM!)

And now we reach the Throne arc...and it's impossible to say whose controlling what. It seems rather easy that nearly every enemy team (not counting Team Kinnikuman) has been able to sneak in one gimmick or another into these matches that supposedly should be controlled by Harabote with the entire Throne of a planet on the line. I'm still trying to figure out the WTF moment of King the 100 Ton planting his see-saw in Kudamoto knowing that he was going to fight there from the start...but of course he's not the only one: see Phoenix's cube ring, Bikeman's Thunderdome, and now Satan Cross' Magic-Square ring...heck, you could even throw in The Ninja's "mattress ring"...well if you want to believe that we weren't supposed to suspect Soldier being Ataru...and thus they were "bad guys" at that point...even if they weren't really with 3/5ths of them known allies. Though I think somehow I've been able to figure it out: the enemy Choujin must have found a way to speak with Harabote in the time between matches and set things up for them "just in case" or "to make it work for them". And of course, Harabote being the grumpy guy who still has a grudge against his idiot rival Mayumi and his idiot son (well he did way back so it still sort of exists) always falls for it hook-line-and sinker...thus leading to all these novelty matches in this tournament. (it still doesn't really explain how King the 100 Ton exactly got his see-saw in Kudamoto when there was no real tournament set up until then...and that he didn't know that he would be starting in Kudamoto considering Suguru screwed up Mariposa's throw which sort of lead to both of them drawing each other...but sometimes you have to suspend your sanity)

Speaking of suspending sanity...yeah, Geronimo. (or as we should call him now, "The Leno-chinned Indian Choujin" thanks to his first appearance in forever screwing his appearance) It seems obvious now seeing what exactly happened that Terry and Warsman getting knocked down one way or another (though it's still sort of Suguru's fault for Terry) that it would be an excuse to bring him back for one more fight. (seeing he's the only real notable Justice Choujin that wouldn't have a reason to fight otherwise...well there are others but they never had the notoriety or popularity to be included now...and of course there's the whole Neptuneman factor) I don't mind Geronimo returning even if it's under the stupidest of circumstances...but the way it was done was just dumb! For one thing: how in the world could he just wander around on the back of a horse at the exact moment in time where Warsman is laying around that bamboo thicket thanks to Mammothman? Considering he didn't even mention he was going to be there...or that he wanted to fight...or that he was going to take time off from Hawaii (that sort of is covered in that newspaper article back a few volumes ago: yes Geronimo did defeat Jessie Malvia and take the Hawaiian title) how could he not only be there...but be there at the very moment he had to be there? There is also the matter of how he could suddenly reach Warsman while Suguru's group was at the door to Osaka Castle Hall, then ride instantly to Osaka to be there...but for once I'm giving it a shadow of a doubt: horses do ride faster than Choujin (particularly since Choujin are so intent on "running" these days) and it probably was a bit of a flashback between Warsman prone and Geronimo reaching the door. But lets say this: if he wasn't there, then that brat Super Phoenix (yeah, he's a brat now...not even a douche) would be king about now.

My last word of comment now (well there is...the Defend Suits...but we'll get to those next chapter): when do the teams facing each other fill out their set-ups for the matches? It's obvious that certain members of Suguru's group was training for a certain opponent (Suguru -> Satan Cross; Ramenman -> Prisman), but what if they screwed up? What if the Second-Guard was Mammothman for Phoenix instead of Prisman like it was planned in the semi-finals? Would Ramenman realize he was screwed facing Mammothman instead of whomever he trained for? And what if Suguru drew...that last mystery guy? Who knows what HE'S like...yeah, I know we should give a shadow of a doubt, but it does seem rather coincidental.

And now I leave you with a thought for next time...or should I say, a Youtube video hinting at what I'll be talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPSn0gU2EEI