Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 266

After snaking their way past the first barrier, Otokojuku continues forth down the path to the Royal Palace...but if they think their next challenge is going to be any easier, they're just getting batty!

Chp. 266: Shocking! Daikyoukoku-tou!!

145.
Tougou: Damn it: haven’t we arrived yet at the 2nd battleground!? I’m already tired of walking and utterly exhausted.
Momotarou: It’s because you’re bringing with that bike, Tougou.
Crown-bird: Pii---!!

146.
(Title page: yeah, obvious whose turn it is now…huh?)

147.
Wildcat: Gyau!!
Hien: Those are parents and children of the African Crown-birds.
(TN: This really is a term I really couldn’t quite figure out. The word “kanmurichou” literally translates into “crown bird”, but it isn’t a specific name for a specific bird, usually referring to birds who seem to have specific “crown” markings on their head, which can include broadbills and even cardinals. Due to their appearance, I decided to just TL them here for the moment as just “crown-birds”)
Momotarou: Fu, that was close.
Momotarou: Well, let’s hurry ahead.

148.
Momotarou: !!
Pharaoh: Wh…what is th...that steep valley………!?
Momotarou: It seems this is the 2nd battleground……………!!

149.
Pharaoh: Are…are we fighting on top of that small, strange-shaped table? Beneath is a large ravine where we can’t even see the bottom……!! What generally are we going to do to go over there!?
Hien: Fu, in that case let’s leave this to me.
Hien: To Hien, one of Otokojuku’s Sanmenken!!

150.
Hien: Ha!!
Pharaoh: A…amazing, one…one leap over that distance…………!!
Tougou: I really don’t know about him, but is he alright!? With that delicate upstart………!!
Momotarou: Fufu, you should watch. You’ll understand well that’s a great error in judgment by just his outward appearance!!

151.
Hien: !!
Pharaoh: Wh…what~~~!! Th…that’s~~!

152.
“Bat-man”: I’ve been waiting impatiently!!
Hien: Uh!!
Devares: You’ve come well to this Daikyoukoku-tou!! My name is Devares, one of the five of the “Road to the Royal Palace”!!
(TN: “Daikyoukoku-tou” = “Great Ravine-Fight”)

153.
Devares: You’re going to take on and die against my Higi: Mashou Ryuukihou!! They take these nimble attacks freom the air as I please and there isn’t anyone who lives through it!!
(TN: “Mashou Ryuukihou” = “Demon-Flight Current-Air Method”; while “ki” usually stands for “spirit”, the “Ryuuki” is the reverse of “Kiryuu”, which is Japanese for “Air-current” and thus why I translated as such)
Hien: …………!!
Pharaoh: St…stupid!! Wh…what can I say about that---! He…he’s flying!! A human has put on wings and is flying in the air like a bird!
Momotarou: Ascending air currents!! He’s skillfully using air currents that blowing up from the valley and fluttering in mid-air……!!

154.
Commentary:
Majou Ryuukihou…Flying in the sky has been an unfinished dream to mankind since ancient times. It had been that the Wright Brothers realized it first, but in actuality it was accomplished by the hands of the Battou Clan, who lived in the mountain region of ancient China.

They utilized powerful ascending air currents that always blew up from ravines and flew in the sky, using it for communication and military affairs. Of course, there isn’t a reason that anyone could accomplish aviation; there is a technique where elected humans could start to do it by piling on rigorous training.

Incidentally, it was said that one out of 10,000 people could understand and do this technique and the achievers were called “Battouman” and praised.
-From “The Hidden Story of Batman”, Minmei Publishing
(TN: Before you ask, the “Battou” that is the name of the famed clan translates into “Slipping Grace”, and “Battouman” is “The Slipping-Grace Ten-Thousand”)

Devares: With this, I’ll split up your limbs!!
Hien: Ku!!

155.
Devares: You too should know if you use kenpou!! An attack from the upper region of an opponent is an advantageous thing of quite an extent!!
Hien: Understood, it’s a terrible attack.
Hien: But can these be avoided by you!! CHOUJINKEN: KAKUSHI SENBON!!!
Devares: Fufufu, you can’t use those things!!
Hien: Huh!!

156.
Hien: Guha!!
Pharaoh: Hi…Hien---!! Wh…what can we say on this!? Th…the senbon thrown by Hien were all attracted to his helmet~~~!!
Devares: I’ll tell you!! The helmet I’m wearing on my head is made out of Kyokuji Steel, which is entrusted with super-magnetism!!
(TN: “Kyokuji Steel” or “Kyokujikou” = “Pole-Magnet Steel” or “Ultimate-Magnet Steel”; somehow either works since the kanji is used either for a magnetic pole or for “ultimate”)

157.
Devares: Therefore, no matter how you release those senbon that you made out of metal, they’ll all reasonably end up being drawn to this!! I’m fine because I use stone-bladed axes as such!!
(TN: “Stone-bladed axes” actually has a Japanese word that could be “Sekijinfu” or “Sekijin Axe”, but it was a rather obvious translation so I went with it)
Devares: Already your legs aren’t suited for moving satisfactory!! I can gradually throw the finisher!!
Pharaoh: Th…this is bad: with this, Hien will---!!

158.
Devares: UO!?
Hien: !?
Devares: Wh…what is this bird---!!
Devares: Guku!!
Hien: It…it can’t be!!
Pharaoh: Th…that bird is the parent of the chicks that Hien saved on the way to coming to this battleground!?

159.
Devares: It isn’t thorough on it---!!
Bird: Gyapi!!
Hien: Ri…right…………!! You were returning the favor that was taken by me……! Y…you’re a being with a strong sense of duty………!!

160.
Devares: Wahhahaha: What are you grumbling about to your bird partner---!!
Hien: Gufu!!
Devares: Your back is fully open---!!
Momotarou: Hi…Hien---!!
Hien: …………!!
Hien: Ho…hold on, now I’ll take your enemy…………!! As well, I have an appropriate way to win that will reward your honor!!

161.
Devares: Fu, you’re using those things again!? I should have said this!! This magnet will draw forth any and all metal!!
Devares: Die---!! Now will be your end---!
Hien: HA---!!

162.
Devares: Foolish man, I told you it was useless!!
Hien: The fool is you!! You should look at your breast!!
Devares: WHA!?
Devares: Wh…what is this…………!! Th…these feathers are……!?
Hien: Those feathers, which aren’t of metal, won’t be attracted to your magnet!! Over there are your ganglia that will put out of order the motion facility of both your arms!!

163.
Devares: Uo!! M…my arms are flapping on their own---!!
Devares: I…I can’t stop them---!! I…I’ll crash into the cliff---!!
Hien: Fu, it was thanks to you……..!! Thank you………!!

TN: First of all...it really didn't feel like the abilities of "Batman"...honestly that ability felt more like that old cartoon where Wile E. Coyote puts on a silly green "Bat-Man" suit and even hit a cliff the same way...yeah, that thing is more like that than the DC hero. Secondly...honestly this fight just felt way too convenient, in particular the way that the bird just helped out Hien like that. I like how it took the bird feathers being used along with Hien's own medical abilities to defeat Devares but the way the bird showed up after he saved it felt too much. I mean, if it was just Hien using a bird's feathers randomly, that would even feel like it makes more sense, since it would be Hien using his brain to think outside the box (and it would feel a bit more like a good fight that used a similar concept: Senkuu/Achilles...that was just an epic fight) I get what they wanted to get at but...heh, I guess it would be too cruel to have Hien randomly plucking bird feathers but it's hard to think of a way to make it work without it feeling forced like it does here.