Hell Teacher Nube 24

Sometimes, the worst threats to children aren't from the youkai...but from things much more real and terrible. When an urban legend comes to Doumori, three of Nube's students are about to discover the truth about his terror...

Vol. 4: The Terrible Kuchisake-Onna
#24: “A” Has Come!

7.
Narrator: If you happen to encounter “A”, he will ask you as such: Do you like red? Do you like white? Do you like blue? If you answer “blue”, he will kill you by dropping you in water. If you answer “white”, he will kill you by drawing out the blood within your body. And if you answer “red”, he will kill you bloodily…

8.
Narrator: It is said that when “A” comes, the adults become unusually cold.
SFX: KI—N KO—N KA—N KO—N
Hiroshi: Hey, I’m writing this too.
Kyouko: No—way: you’re constantly making mistakes with kanji. Oh, Miki, don’t write something too strange.
Page: GRADE NEWSPAPER
SFX: WAI WAI
Nube: Hey, are you remaining here forever; we’re passed the end of school time.
SFX: GARATSU

9.
Kyouko: Ah, Nube: hold on a moment, we’re ending this now. So, Hiroshi, write “Youkai Corner” and don’t mistake the characters—OK?
Hiroshi: Understood!
SFX: KYUTSU
Page: HIROSHI’S YOUKEI CORNER
(TN: This joke sort of works in either language due to the weird nature of it. Kyouko instructs Hiroshi to write “youkai” in kanji (as she advised against earlier due to him “mistaking them”), and Hiroshi screws up the second kanji, using the incorrect radical on the left side. Instead of using the radical for “heart”, he uses the radical for “loiter”, thus mutating what should be “youkai” (the typical term we use for many of the supernatural beings in this series) to “youkei” (which doesn’t really exist as a word but can be literally translated into “bewitching path”). However, considering that there is only one real difference in letters in English between “youkai” and “youkei”, the joke can work in either language at the discretion of the reader and the scanslator)
Kyouko: IDIOT----!!
SFX: GOKI~~N
Kyouko: ?
SFX: KYU KYU
Page: MIKI’S GOSSIP CORNER: EXTREME!! AN S&M GRADE SCHOOLER WHO HITS HER LOVER WITH A BLUNT WEAPON! (CALL ME QUEEN!)
(TN: Yeah…it’s that sort of S&M…)
Kyouko: Just a moment, Miki, who is this about—
Miki: What~~I have my way in whatever I write in my corner—That hurts, what are you doing, you—
SFX: DOTA DOTA BATA BATA

10.
Nube: Get home quickly! We’re shutting the school gate!!
Nube: Get home without stopping anywhere.
(TN: “Without stopping anywhere” is literally “yorimichisezu ni” which is literally “without dropping in on the way”)
SFX: GASHA—N
Hiroshi: What’s that? Aren’t—you frightfully cold--? Your appearance is different from usual. Nube!
Kyouko: That was strange of Nube.
Hiroshi: Has he been rejected by Ritsuko-sensei again?
Crosswalk: All of you please go home quickly.
Hiroshi: Now that you mention it, something is flurried within the town.
Miki: Really: there have been many patrol cars since earlier.

11.
Hiroshi: All of the adults have handbills with that “A” written on it.
Kyouko: Is this the reason they’ve been shaken in this town? They have been grave to the children…
Miki: Can’t be.
Hiroshi: Hey sir, let me look at that paper.
SFX: SA!
Man: Ch…children should go home quickly!
Kyouko: Hmph, there’s a reason you’re not showing it to children.
Hiroshi: They’re not pleased with children—huh?
Miki: Really!
Policeman: Hey, all of you, what time do you think it is now?
Kyouko: Hm—ph
Miki: Ignoring you.
Kyouko: There’s some bad mood in town!
Hiroshi: Heh, he’s strayed, that guy!

12.
A: Do you like red? Do you like white? Or do you like blue?
Hiroshi: Bu…what is this guy…he’s wearing a deep-red cape and a weird mask…
Kyouko: Isn’t this some campaign for lipstick?
Hiroshi: I’m burning-fighting-spirit red!
Kyouko: I’m pure-party white!
Miki: I’m blueberry jam blue!
Miki: So! What will you give us for answering?
Hiroshi: Hey hey.

13.
SFX: BATSU!
Miki: !?
SFX: BUWA
Miki: Kyaaa
Hiroshi & Kyouko: Miki!
Hiroshi: He flew!? It can’t be: he’s a youkai…?
Kyouko: This is terrible: we must tell Nube.
Nube: What!? A red-caped mystery man!?

14.
Nube: It’s A. A has emerged.
Ishikawa: I’ll call the police immediately!
Kyouko: Nube! What exactly is “A”!?
Nube: It’s better for children to not know!
Hiroshi: What are you hiding!?
Nube: Fine! You’ll understand when you look at this paper.
SFX; GASA GASA
Hiroshi: Eh…just this…?
Page:

A HAS APPEARED
TERRITORY FOR EMERGENCY WATCH
-DOUMORI TOWN
-EAST DOUMORI TOWN
-WEST DOUMORI TOWN

Nube: It is known by all the adults in Japan. They understand that much. About A.
Nube: It isn’t a youkai, but a full-fledged human; a murderous demon that hasn’t been captured yet in over 30 years. He’s a phantom killer who aims just for children coming home from school and has slaughtered over a hundred of them. If we impose martial law on the town, it would be too terrifying: he would consecutively appear to students that are absent from school. Thus the adults decided to hide the truth from the children. “A” is simply a rumor…leading them to believe it is a myth. That gives peace to everyone and they can send them to school.

15.
Nube: And so, it’s been decided that if he appears, then the children would be sent home quickly and he would be confronted by just adults. This is the secret for just the adults that can’t be known by children.
Nube: Fine then: lock the door and don’t let anyone in. I’ll save Miki!
Nube: But…my opponent is a human…my spiritual power won’t be of use…
A: You like blue.
A: The children who say they like blue will be killed by being dropped in water.
SFX: HYUU—
Nube: A!! He’s on the roof!!
SFX: BA
Nube: Did he run away. What does he want with some water tank…
Nube: ! CAN’T BE!!

16.
Nube: MIKI~~~
SFX: GOGOGOGOGOGOGO
Nube: Th…th…that guy: he fastened stones to her and threw her into the water tank…Miki—don’t die—
Nube: There’s still time! I shouldn’t let her pass like this due to her breathing stopping. Miki!
Miki: GEHO!
Miki: Ah…ah…

17.
Miki: WAA~~
Nube: There there, you’re fine already! (to himself) If he had done it like that…Miki would have been in the water tank without being discovered for many months…
Nube: HE’S AIMING FOR CHILDREN WHO ANSWER HIS QUESTION! NEXT WILL BE HIROSHI AND KYOUKO!!
Voice: We did ask this to teacher and the others but…the origin of “A” was he was an ordinary barber. Thus his shop caught fire with a cause of a child’s prank and he bore major burns to his entire body…that’s why he extremely hates children.
Kyouko: So then why kill unconnected children? That’s strange!
Hiroshi: (Uh~~cold!) I know! Because there’s a story that I’ve heard…
Kyouko: Can Nube win against him…
SFX: GARA
Hiroshi: Hey, don’t open that. It’s cold…
A: You like white.
Kyouko: !

18.
SFX: ZAZAZAZA
Kyouko: Hi
Kyouko: NOOOOO!
Hiroshi: Kyouko~~!
SFX: BURA~~N BURA~~N
Kyouko: Kya—kya—
A: Children who like white…
SFX: Hyuuu
Kyouko: Hi…
A: Will be killed by drawing out their blood!
SFX: GUSA!
Kyouko: !!

19.
Kyouko: KYAAA
SFX: BUSHUU~~|BOTO BOTO BOTO
A: You like red.
SFX: GA
A: Children who like red…
SFX: ZA ZA ZA
Hiroshi: Do…don’t come—
SFX: SURU…

20.
A: Will be killed by becoming bloodstained.
SFX: GAKU
SFX; GASHAA
A: Gu
Hiroshi: Nube--!!
Nube: You’ve pushed it too far, murderous demon…
(TN: Actually Nube uses the term “Zu ni noriyagate”, which is “to push a good thing too far”, but considering the only really pleased one is A at this point, I really didn’t want to have Nube infer it was “good”)
Nube: You can’t run anymore! You stick out to the police…
SFX: MUKU…

21.
A: Do you like red? Do you like white? Do you like blue?
SFX: GOKI | GURI GURI
Nube: HUH…
Nube: He’s…still doing that? You won’t lay a finger on my students any further.
SFX: ZUSU BAKI
A: Children who say they like red
A: Will be killed by becoming bloodstained!
SFX: GURIN! | ZUGA
Nube: GUWA
Hiroshi: Hi~~he isn’t a youkai after all—Nube
SFX: ZA ZA ZA
Nube: You~~if it’s come to this, then I can’t have mercy even if you are human. Namu Daiji Daijhi Kyuugu Kyuunan: Oni no Te, show

22.
Nube: Your power—
SFX: DODODODO
Hiroshi: Eh!? The Oni no Te on a human opponent…what is he!?
Nube: ERETHRAL BODY PULLOUT!!
(TN: “Yuutai Tekishutsu” = “Erethral Body Pullout”)
SFX: BERI BERI BERI BERI
Hiroshi: GIEEE

23.
Nube: This is a technique I didn’t want to use on a human, but you’re unforgivable! I’m dragging out your erethral body and sending it to hell!!
SFX: NIBUNBUNBUN
A: GUAA UOOO GYAA
Hiroshi: Erethral Body Pullout…
Nube: Yes: the Oni no Te can be used even on a human who possesses a soul…
A: GUu!
SFX: ZUDA~~N
Nube: Ku!
Hiroshi: Teacher!
Nube: Wh…what superhuman strength…
A: GUOOO
SFX: GAN | JIJI…
SFX: BOU

24.
A: GYAAAA
SFX: DOSA
Caption: DOUMORI HOSPITAL
Kyouko: Uh…
Kyouko: ha!
Nube: You’ve regained consciousness? He’s dead: it’s fine now.
Hiroshi: Nube, was he really human…? Perhaps…
Nube: I don’t know…but even humans may transform into youkai when their hearts have become too ugly.

25.
SFX: PIKU PIKU
SFX: BUWASA
Narrator: It may not be human anymore. No: if you’re an adult, he’s a surrealistic terror to the extent of wanting to hide it from the world. That may be what people call a youkai.

26.
SEE YOU AGAIN…
It goes without saying that the model for “A” is the mystery man “Aka Manto” (The Red Cape) What is this murderous demon, who once made children violently shudder throughout Japan, doing these days…(Further, the design of “A”’s mask was given reference in a work by author Amano Katan, a doll writer who died in a bike accident)
(TN: A couple notes:
1. Aka Manto (The Red Cloak/Cape) is a notable Japanese urban legend throughout their cities, notable for many creepy incidents including stalking out girls bathrooms. One of it's most infamous urban legends is similar to this tale, where the being asks which you prefer: a red or a blue cloak. If you choose red, he slits your throat for bloodflow; if blue, he chokes you blue; and if white...he summons a white hand to drag you into hell!
2. Katan Amano is an actual creator/author for dolls, notable for his extremely eerie works with them.)

TN: (cue Vincent Prince laugh at the end of "Thriller" for the "SEE YOU AGAIN" page)

Yeah...this...was a freaky chapter. Even by Nube standards, this chapter was just scary, freaky and all in all one of the weirdest in this series. It's just hard to pin it down why, but somehow "A", being a "Red Manto"/Red Cloak homage, just brings why it is one of the most infamous urban legends to people in a way that just is entertaining...but downright terrifying. Just the mood, the build-up, even the slight usage of comedy at the start (see Hiroshi and Miki's terrible attempts at news) builds it up to the climax where Nube finally faces and seems to defeat "A"...but not. I know that a lot of times shonen tries to force emotions that seem more or less involving awe or excitement or humorous...but this is probably one of the few times that I have ever felt real fear in a shonen manga...which means it did it's job rather well. In the back of all of our minds, we should all hope we never encounter "A" ever again...for our own sanity and safety.