Hell Teacher Nube 198

At Doumori Elementary, not even the building itself is immune to the strange spiritual happenings. But this time, Nube may end up getting swallowed within...yet that doesn't mean he (or someone) is not going to taking it down!

#198: The Person Hidden in the Wall

71.
Girl: Miho-cha--n, go home---
Miho: O--K, when I finish with sanitation duty.
(TN: "Sanitation duty", which in Japanese was "hokengakari", usually involves a student working in health and wellness actions, considering that "hokenshitsu" is "school infirmary" in Japanese)
Sign: Wash Your Hands
SFX: Zuryuu
Miho: ?
SFX: Zuryuu zuryuu
Miho: Kyaaa

72.-73.
(Well this is a rarity: a Nube double-page cover page! Strangely enough the last time the series had one of these was way back in the very first chapter! Of course, this time it isn't just Nube, Hiroshi and Kyouko but...Hinokami Akira. Yeah, Nube's Youshin form seems to be returning again, but we'll see why soon enough)

74.
SFX: Zawa zawa
Kyouko: A...a shoe is sinking into the wall......
Noriko: A 4th grade child has gone missing.
Miki: This was the act of Kabeotoko. It's within the wall and drags in a person. Now it's come to be a topic throughout the school. Sca~~ry.
(TN: The literal translation of "Kabeotoko" is literally "Wall Man")
Nube: H~~mm, if it was in some way, then it sunk in like this......
SFX: Merry...
(TN: This is a weird pun Nube is trying to get across: the Japanese word for the verb "to sink in" is "merikomu", but when he hits the wall happily, the sound that comes out is merely "meri", which literally in English is "Merry", thus he thinks she sunk in merrily playing off "merikomu")

75.
Miki: There's a rumor: there was a murder incident twenty years ago and it seems it is a person who was buried in the wall when the school building was reconstructed. That's the reason that this spirit is attacking people without discrimination.
Nube: ............
Nube: A student has vanished and the poice has come too. Please go home immediately today.
Students: Ye--s.
Nube: The police investigated the school's insides during the day and their investigation is being described in town as a potential abduction.
Nube: However, I feel this is certainly the act of a spirit.......It's here.

76.
Nube: Here.
SFX: Ka ka
Nube: It's close. It's aura is becoming stronger.
SFX: Ka ka
Nube: This will be solved quickly...
Nube: ...No! It's getting close to here from beyond. Where is it!?
SFX: Zuzuzu
Nube: !?

77.
Nube: !! Da...damn it!!
SFX: Gashi
Nube: My body...is being sucked into the wall...I can't move!!
SFX: Zububu
Nube: Ku...Namu Daiji Daihi...
SFX: Zubu Zubu
Nube: Youshin Jutsu!
SFX: Bo
Caption: Youshin Jutsu...Nube's secret technique. An art where he kneads ki and produces a clone that is mostly constant from his true self.

78.
Nube: Wait!
(TN: As I mentioned last he became this form, since "Akira Hinokami" is essentially Nube's Youshin form, I will mention him in the script as Nube and not Akira)
SFX: Zazazazazaza
Nube: S**t...it's got my body...if I don't get it back...this is unpleasant. My Youshin clone can't use any one of my spiritual abilities.
Nube: Furthermore, I didn't knead my ki sufficiently and I'm as large as a grade schooler. I'm quite restricted in my activities. This is a major pinch.
SFX: Gata
Voice 1: Just a moment, the teacher will be angry.
"Pigtails": Shh---dont' make a sound.
SFX: Pi---pi---gan
"Pigtails": ...Sorry, it was my Tamagotchi.
"Other Body": You idiot---!

79.
Hiroshi & Kyouko: !
Nube: Hiroshi...Kyouko...
Kyouko: Hinokami-kun!
Hiroshi: Eh...that 6th grader from that time...?
Kyouko: Th...thank you for before.
Caption: Consult #189
Kyouko: We wanted to give thanks and really searched for you afterwards.
Hiroshi: But you weren't anywhere---which 6th grade class were you in?
Nube: U--m...
Nube: Bu....but, why did you two come? An incident happened today and you were told to go home quickly.
Hiroshi: Actually, we have a flute test tomorrow but I forgot my recorder.
(TN: The concept of the "flute" here is based on the "fue", which literally is a "pipe" or "flue" as in the musical instrument. However, "tatebue" or "recorder" is the typical instrument, as Hiroshi states he forgot here)

80.
Nube: That reason is ridiculous...
Hiroshi: I'm sorry if it's ridiculous! With an incident such as this, it will be settled by Nube.
Nube: It's regretful, but Nueno-sensei has now gone missing. Well since it's dangerous, go home quickly.
Hiroshi: What's that!?
Kyouko: What's--going--on with Nube being missing!?
Nube: Damn it.
Voice: Eh---!? Abducted by Kabeotoko!?
Hiroshi: You saw that in silence?
Nube: I had no choice: it was an incident in the blink of an eye.
Kyouko: Somehow let's search for everyone!
Nube: Oh brother... (to himself) But I am a bit thankful for this situation...

81.
Voice: That thing is an evil spirit that moves in the wall. This kite string with empty cans will be stretched out to the wall of the floor.
Nube: The mechanism is simple, but......when it appears and stirs up the walls, it will immediately ring and notify us.
Nube: When it comes out, we'll stab it with a paper knife with an alarm watch fastened to it. it will ring out a sound three minutes later...it should be at the place where that thing returns to. We'll know it's there. There will certainly also be the body of Nueno-sensei.
Kyouko: As expected of you, Hinokami-kun! This is an intellectual play that really wouldn't have been hit on by myself or Hiroshi!

82.
Kyouko: What is this: with Hinokami-kun, I can feel what seems like I've been with him this since wa--y long ago.
Nube: Re...really? (to himself) That seems so. Because I meet with you every day.
Kyouko: Yes...And it's as if...there's a feeling that he's become extremely reliable...always protecting me...
Hiroshi: ......Chi...
Hiroshi: What is this...I'm always feeling jealousy with him.---There's only a difference in a year but...I can feel a thing that's like a power that I'm no match for by a distance...
Hiroshi: It's a feeling of an adult that is extremely reliable......That Kyouko...seems to be charmed by him...

83.
SFX: Kochi...kochi...kochi...
SFX: Karan
SFX: Garan garan garan garan
Hiroshi: It's come!
Nube: The 2nd floor!!
Nube: Hiroshi-kun! You protect Kyouko-chan!
SFX: Da da da
Hiroshi: Shut up, don't order me. I'm fighting Kabeotoko too!
Hiroshi: Can I lose to someone like you!!
Nube: Why did you come to have that spirit?
Nube: ?
Hiroshi: It's not here?
SFX: Zuzu...

84.
Kyouko: Kyaaaaa!!
SFX: Zubu zubu zubu
Hiroshi: Kyouko!
Nube: Damn it, did it pass us outside?
Hiroshi It...it's fast.
SFX: Zazazazazaza | Garan garan garan
SFX: Shi--n...

85.
Hiroshi: Da...damn this, damn this~~~~!!
Hiroshi: I didn't protect Kyouko. If I had Kyouko by my side as you said...I hadn't protected one that I must protect with just putting out my excess spirit...
Hiroshi: What sort of person are you...You're reliable and too cool. That's why I came to have spirit. My rhythm went mad...
Nube: Hiroshi...
SFX: Pi--pi--pi--
Hiroshi: It's a Tamagotchi.
Nube: Is it Kyouko?

86.
Hiroshi: She's here!
SFX: Pi--pi--
Nube: Destroy the wall!
SFX: Gara gara gara
Hiroshi: Kyouko! Nube!!
Nube: The child who was abducted yesterday is here too!

87.
Hiroshi: Kyouko, hold on, Kyouko!
Kyouko: Ye...ye--s.
Nube: There was a cave in this place...
Nube: Originally this was a storage room but when they extended the school building, they closed up the entrance. A mistake in their plan.
Kyouko: Kyaaa!!
SFX: Zuzuzu...

88.
Hiroshi: !!
Kyouko: Gyaaaaa
Nube: Ku, my body is behind it......
Nube: Hiroshi-kun! Firmly protect Kyouko-chan. I will give the extent of 20 seconds until I completely return to my body.
Hiroshi: ?
Nube: The one who will truly protect Kyouko until the end is only you. I have the confidence.
(TN: Nube's "I have the confidence" is originally "Jishin Motte" which is basically "I possess self-confidence" but the way I translated it seemed to sound better in English)
SFX: Da!
Hiroshi: Hinokami!

89.
SFX: Bun bun
Nube: Ku...it's nimbler than I thought...!
Nube: Alright...I'll appear to have been hurt once. In that opening......
SFX: Gotsu

90.
Nube: Gu.
Kabeotoko: Gaaa!
SFX: Doga
Hiroshi: Hinokami~~
Kabeotoko: Guuu~~~
Hiroshi: S**t
SFX: Gashi
Hiroshi: Monster......if it's come to this......!
Hiroshi: If you can come, then come on. You won't lay a finger on Kyouko! I will protect Kyouko!
Kyouko: Hiroshi...!

91.
Hiroshi: Uooo
SFX: Baki
Kyouko: Hiroshi!
Hiroshi: ...No, I've been defeated. (to himself) Uuh...
Nube: Namu!!

92.
Nube: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan: let this being's soul rest in peace.
SFX: Gyaaaaa
SFX: Garan!
Nube: The rumor was true...this man was involved in the murder incident. His corpse was buried in this gap during construction. Pitiful. Let's notify the police.
Kyouko: Nube!!
Nube: I was saved thanks to you. Thank you.

93.
Hiroshi: It was thanks to the persistance of that 6th grader Hinokami. I just had my legs pulled...
Kyouko: That's not it, Hiroshi!
Kyouko: What would have happened to me if I hadn't been protected by Hiroshi...
Nube: Fu, oh brother...Go home since it's already late at night, you two...
Kyouko: At any rate, where did he dissapear to; Hinokami-kun.
Hiroshi: He's a mysterious guy...
Kyouko: The mysterious 6th grader Hinokami Akira. But I'm certain we'll meet him again.

TN: I think Nube better try to save his Hinokami schtick from being too overused...this time around, I think Hiroshi and Kyouko may be starting to catch on whether they realize it or not. I'm not really against Hiroshi and Kyouko from figuring out that obviously this strange 6th grader is just a "younger Nube", but somehow the fact that they sort of are figuring it out whether they realize it or not is something to show a bit of intrigue in development. For the most part, this chapter, while supposed to be about a youkai incident, seems to further along a few other chapters regarding Nube as Hinokami and his connections with both Kyouko and Hiroshi, both as a teacher and in a disguise a tad closer to their age (just like the whole swimming incident in vol. 6) Kyouko's situation is somewhat more complex than one realizes considering she once had a crush on Hinokami (and still sort of does), yet at the same time has had this longtime trust and even crush on Nube himself, thus leading to a lot of Hiroshi's paranoia in trying to be there for Kyouko which distracts him from the youkai at hand. Hiroshi is obviosuly going to be there for Kyouko, but as long as Nube has a means of somehow doing something like this, it's just making it even harder for him to deal with it since Kyouko seems to show loyalty towards Nube even before him! You sort of wish there was a way some of the love mumbo-jumbo could be resolved easier but since it's merely Nube in disguise, it's not like it really affects too much and is more to just add some more tension between characters. As for the whole youkai situation this time...well, somehow it was interesting and really cool to literally see a creature emerge from the wall, but it just felt once Nube became Hinokami like it was taking a backseat to his and Hiroshi fighting over Kyouko...even if it wasn't quite fighting...but was...sometimes you sort of wonder whether giving Kyouko that Nube connection is a good thing when he's young enough to actually date her (but as a ghost being thing)