Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 217

In a display that almost seemed disturbing, Gekkou's victory against Raja Mahal turned into his own death by the hands of the deceptive Rama Yoga! But with two Sanmenken gone, someone's going to have to save the group's reputation...

Chp. 217: Unseen Bonds!!

67.
Toramaru: He…he’s been killed…………!!
Togashi: Th…the strongest man of Otokojuku’s Sanmenken Gekkou is……!!
Momotarou; GE…GEKKOU---!!

68.
Raja Mahal: What’s wrong, my next opponent!? Are you of Otokojuku emitting a loss of nerve and become hesitant!!
Raja Mahal: Fu, he’s of no use anymore. He’ll just be an intrusion to the battle!!
(TN: Originally I was going to translate it as “this can’t be used anymore by him”…but considering that Raja Mahal is throwing Gekkou into the abyss, I changed it to him being of no use to them…then again treating Gekkou like an object is going to piss someone off…)

69.
Raja Mhaal: Fufufu, with that, it’s done. Now, you should come down.
Togashi: Th…that guy, he…he’s cruel----!!
Toramaru: He…he kicked Gekkou’s corpse and knocked it into the abyss--!! Sc…scum—th…that guy, I’ll be his opponent---!
Toramaru: !!
Toramaru: Wh…why did you stop me, Momo---!! Are…are you saying you’re dissatisfied with me---!!
Momotarou: That isn’t it…………!! But the man who should attack Mahal and clear Gekkou’s regrets has already been decided!!
Toramaru: Wh…what, wh…who is i…it…………!?
“Voice”: Thanks, Momo………!!

70.
Togashi & Toramaru: HI…HIEN~~~!!

71.
Hien: Here’s where you leave it to me!! The last one of Otokojuku’s Sanmenken…………!! This must be done by me!
Hien: …………!!
Hien: So then……!!
Toramaru: Ho…hold on a moment, Hien---!! Y…you haven’t completely healed yet from your wounds you took in the battle against Neskhons earlier---!
Togashi: It’s…absurd---!! Do…do you think yo…you can win against that Mahal with that body---!

72.
Toramaru: Hi…Hien---!!
Momotarou: It’s futile………!! No one can stop Hien now.
Date: The Sanmenken: Raiden, Gekkou and Hien…their bonds are linked by a strength that’s unfathomable to us………!!
Toramaru: Wh…what will happen; if even Hien is killed……………!!
Togashi: Yo…you idiot, don’t give even omens!!

73.
Raja Mahal: You are my next game…………a quite delicate man has come down.
Hien: You should come, Mahal. Gekkou’s enemy will be taken by me!!
Gekkou: Fufu: this is understood by me. It was intended to be hidden, but there is a subtle disorder in your breathing. It seems you bear quite severe wounds.

74.
Raja Mahal: Do you intend to defeat me with that body---!!

75.
Raja Mahal: What sluggish movements. Perhaps you shouldn’t have been used even with a tenth of your original true power!!
Raja Mahal: A semi-invalid like you who must appear as my opponent comes to show even Otokojuku has a bottom.
Hien: ………!!
Toramaru: Hi…Hien---!!
Togashi: N…no---!! Hi…Hien now isn’t normal after all---!

76.
Raja Mahal: You death-escaper---!!
Hien: CHOUJINKEN OUGI: KAKUSHI SENBON!!
Raja Mahal: Nu!!

77.
Toramaru: He…he did it---!! Hi…Hien’s senbon have certainly gone into that Mahal---!
Togashi: A…as expected, Hien!! O…our worries were completely over-anxiety--!
Raja Mahal: Fuffuffu
Raja Mahal: It seems it isn’t understood yet by any of you. The terror of Rama Yoga, which is called the wonder of the body……!!
Hien: !!

78.
Raja Mahal: HAN!!
(TN: The “Han” used here as an expression, like before, uses the kanji for “burn”)
Hien: Uh!!
Toramaru: Wh…what~~~!! Th…those senbon that should have gone through that Mahal guy have flown out aiming for Hien with a flash of a scream~~!
Togashi: Wh…what’s going on he…here---!!

79.
Raja Mahal: Fu, those are the Kakushi Senbon. In truth, those long needle-like things that you threw flew aimed for my fatal points without a bit of deviation.
Hien: ………
Raja Mahal: But I can avoid them altogether with just subtle muscle movement. I can even take them in areas without pain without releasing even a drop of blood.
Raja Mahal: Already I don’t have the leisure to concern myself with you any further.
Raja Mahal: Let me show you: the further secret power of Rama Yoga……………!! You should have it as a travel tale to hell!!
Hien: !!

80.
Raja Mahal: HAA!!
Raja Mahal: RAMA YOGA KYOKUOUGI: NYOI KYOUHATSUSHUU!!
(TN: “Nyoi Kyouhatsushuu” = “Best-Liking Strong-Hair Attack”; “Nyoi” has a literal meaning of “As One Pleases”, thus it could also go as “As-It-Pleases Strong-Hair Attack”)

81.
Hien: Guku!!
Toramaru: HI…HIEN---!!
Togashi: Wh…what is that!! Ma…Mahal’s head hair suddenly became long and we…went through Hien with a force like a storm of needles----!
Raja Mahal: It should have been said: the essence of Rama Yoga gives me will to all of my body, changing it into weapons!! I didn’t just do this freely to the length of my hair, I can change even change it’s hardness to be like steel!!

82.
Raja Mahal: Fu, even so, you’re a great man. You must have an endowment in perception possessed from birth; you barely got away at the moment of the attack now and escaped from instant death!!
Raja Mahal: But you won’t do as such with the next!!
Raja Mahal: Take this! This is the end---!!

83.
Hien: Ku!!
Hien: !!
Raja Mahal: Die---!!
Hien: Guha!!
Toramaru: Hi…Hien---!!

84.
Raja Mahal: The Kipchak I threw has actually gone through your heart, killing you instantly. Fufu, you’re completely a foolish man…!!
Raja Mahal: Isn’t there a person who has much more consistency!!
(TN: “Consistency” here mentioned by Raja Mahal is stated as “hagotae”, which is “the feeling/consistency of food while being chewed”, thus why I used the term “consistency” here)
Raja Mahal: Gu!!

85.
Hien: Wh…why are you in such a hurry…………!!
Raja Mahal: Y…you fo…fool………!!
Hien: Th…this re…rescued me.
Hien: Ra…Raiden and Gekkou are watching………!! I…I hold the name of Sanmenken and I don’t have a reason to lose!!

TN: I have to say this one more time: enough with the stupid pendants already! Look, I don't mind plot devices and it was rather ironic that they would end up saving Hien's life, but it just seems rather ridiculous how they are used in such an obvious, stupid way. I understand when a device is brought into battle, but it is how it plays out that seems to let me have either a good or a bad impression. Jaki's little "gift" to Momo that saved him in the Pharaoh fight was epic as heck. (only an autographed pic of Edajima can save him from certain doom) Akashi borrowing Momo's sword was just a tad easy to telegraph but wasn't really used too badly thinking about it now (it was the only sword not covered in magnetic dust, thus the only one that could break through Soukotsu's field). But those Sanmenken pendants, coming from out of nowhere and being used like this...yeah it allowed Hien another chapter to fight but I think I have had enough with them and their usage. There are good plot devices...and there are bad ones.

Aside from my complaints about the stupid pendants, what I did like about this chapter is literally Hien's desperation in going into the fight even with the odds against him. He literally had his body nearly drained and weakened just to beat Neskhons, and yet he sees no choice but to save the Sanmenken's honor by defeating Raja Mahal. Some could say it would have probably been easier if Date was the one who made the sacrifice with his love and care of the Sanmenken...but with the competition going to be extremely hard in the final phase, he has to be saved on their side for someone much more deadly. Likewise, while it did seem repetitive seeing the "popping needles bit" again, it not only proved to Hien but to us that Rama Yoga is just that deadly and scary an attack means. And the hair bit...well, I doubt it really was an inspiration for anything notable but...it did remind me a bit of Bo-bobo. (yeah, there is a "Fist of Head Hair" in that series, read into the Hair Kingdom arc) Hopefully though the fight isn't that much longer...even without those stupid pendants in the way anymore.