Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 161

You'd think fighting on a tightrope that's burning on both ends and being surrounded by acidic bubbles would be enough to finally make Date sweat...but the spear master may have a few more tricks he's about to wave about!

Chp. 161: Karyuu Tenrouran!!

27.
Seti: GUWAA---!!

28.
(Title page…doubt he’s escaping the bubbles so easily)

29.
Toramaru: That…a**hole---!! That escaping Seti is stubborn!
Togashi: He held on to the rop while receiving Date’s blow to the top of his head--!!
Seti: Fu, that was dangerous; but luckily I was saved by my hair ornament in the place hit by the spear. Your prided spear missed its aim with those surrounding bubbles in the way.
Date: Luckily…………!? If you really think that, then a man like you is a completely happy guy………………!!
Seti: Wh…what……………!!

30.
Date: HAKYOKU-RYUU OUGI: CHIHOUJIN!!
(TN: Reminder: “Chihoujin” = “Thousand-Peak Dust”)
Seti: Huh!!

31.
Date: HA!!
Seti: Wh…what!!
Seti: ………!!
Date: Understand this: any time it seems you can escape a thing of this standard, it’ll be escaped.

32.
Toramaru: A…amazing, Date---!! Wh…what a clever feat---!
Togashi: He…instantly popped all of the bubble and escaped from the downpouring liquid by flying in the air with his spear---!!
Date: Even if I didn’t take you down aiming for your hair ornament, that was for understanding the difference in power with me…if I can, I don’t want to see useless blood. If you’re going to reconsider, now’s the time.
Seti: Wh…what are yo…you…………!! D…difference in power……………!!
Date: I wasn’t escaping with Chihoujin; it was so I could show my skill while releasing my tremendous blood thirst for your ally, who will be my next competition opponent. It’s natural to fight without showing the scope of your power……!!
Date: It seems he’ll be my true match.
Seti: Nu!?

33.
Anubis: Fufu: he’s quick to notice. And even without finishing his battle with Seti yet.
“Right Hand”: No, this match is already done. He can’t win to this man Date……!!

34.
Seti: ………………!!
Seti: Fu, I’ve been treating you lighting until now. But now I’ll crush your conceit.
Toramaru: Wh…what’s that: that guy is making another sulfuric acid soap bubble---!!
Togashi: That idiot, doesn’t he understand yet that he can’t use those things on Date~~~~!!
Seti: HAA---!!

35.
Date: !!

36.
Toramaru: WH…WHAT~~~!!
Togashi: Th…those countless bubbles have collided together becoming one giant bubble and Da…Date is locked inside it---!!

37.
Seti: Fufu, this is the ultimate certain-kill form of the Bubbles of Karnak. Now you can’t run away: popping this giant bubble will be the end, since sulfuric acid will pour onto you inside all at once from all directions.
Seti: With this, it’ll be fun even if you die of suffocation in the bubble…but it seems we can’t do that. The flames are already drawing close to here.
Date: You’re only going to die, Seti.
Seti: Still striking with stubborn talk? I say a blow of this stone will be the end.

38.
Seti: Die you big braggart---!!
Togashi: Aah, Da…Date---!!
Toramaru: The…big bubble exploded and the sulfuric acid is pouring over his whole body---!!

39.
Date: Let me show you.
Date: HAKYOKU-RYUU SOUJUTSU OUGI: KARYUU TENROURAN!!
(TN: First, the “soujutsu” part is, obviously, “spearmanship”, thus it’s “Hakyoku-ryuu Spearmanship Secret”; “Karyuu Tenrouran” = “Dragon-Vortex Heavenly-Tower Storm”)
Seti: Huh!!

40.
Seti: Th…this is………!?
Toramaru: L…look, th…that’s---!!
Togashi: D…Date has r…raised a wind like a whirlpool with tremendous rotation of his spear, repelling away all of the sulfuric acid liquid---!!

41.
Seti: Nuu!!

42.
Seti: Guku!! The…bubbles are being blown to…my direction----!
Seti: Kuu!!

43.
Raiden: As expected, Date-dono…………that’s Karyuu Tenrouran, which I’ve heard of in this world…
Commentary:
Karyuu Tenrouran…an illusionary secret art said to have been created by Roshukon, who was worshiped as “The Spear Sage” at the highest peak of Chinese Spearmanship. From rotating a spear with tremendous force, it causes an air turbulence phenomenon that should be called a small whirlpool, disturbing the opponent with this wind pressure. It is said that it its force can bring down a bird flying in the sky and that they can use this in place of an umbrella if they rotate it over their heads on a rainy day.
By the way: there is a memory even in the present of an old man who was frequently seen picking up a stick and rotating it over his head, which was a charm for calming rain whenever it suddenly rained.
-From “Martial-Arts Masters Anecdote Collection”, Minmei Publishing

Seti: Y…you, wh…what exactly was that now…………!!
Seti: If it’s further come to this, I can only conclude this with taijutsu.
Date: I’ll ask you once more: don’t you have regrets in life…………!?
Seti: You’re…babbling---!!

44.
Seti: UH!!
Seti: Huh……th…this is………!!

45.
Date: You ultimately weren’t my match. You didn’t realize you yourself were locked within when the bubble blew back to you………………!!
Seti: UGYAA~~~!!
Seti: Uooo----!!
Date: That’s just desserts…!! I’m not a sucker who goes to save a life twice.

TN: It's really hard sometimes trying to figure out Date and the conflicts between both of his aspects. On one hand, we know he hates killing and tries not to do so against any of his opponents due to his "kind heart". On the other hand, he is so powerful that he gets bored easily and ends up driving an opponent nuts. We sort of see that in this chapter...in some ways I nearly thought that Date ignoring Seti in preparation for the other Sphinx nearly reminded me of his situation where he ignored Dino in preparation for Rasetsu. But luckily the tactics of the chapter made up for the familiarity, particularly with the insane spinning technique and the brilliant end that essentially has Seti defeat himself. Though once again Miyashita screws with our mind: how the heck could we know Seti is in the acid bubble until Date says he is? I get it's a turnaround as typical for this series but sometimes they get so skewed like the last couple chapters that you could think that it's just getting a bit too far. I mean I like when it's done right (see the end of Hien/Neskhons for one thing), but I guess the way that perspective and that the ways certain "things" aren't known until they're too late are in some ways starting to get ridiculous. (it doesn't hurt the battles, just the feeling that not even the reader knows anymore when the opponent is caught in their own trap, particularly when you don't even see it until the Otokojuku student points it out)