* Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translation House *
* Volume 15: Giant versus Superman *
* Chapter one hundred and twenty-eight: Soujirou's entrance *
(Hoji bangs a fist on the table)
Shishio: What is it, Hoji?
Hoji: Information from Kyoto has arrived by telegram... our attack on Aoiya
has completely failed... Iwanbou escaped, Hennya, Kamatari, Fuji and company
have all been captured!
Shishio: You mean to say, that the entire Juppongatana has been dissolved
into nothingness don't you?
Hoji: Why? Even Fuji was on our side, why were we defeated? It's not
possible!
Soujirou: It simply shows that there will always exist a stronger than the
'strongest'. Anyway, "this is a world that the weak becomes food for the
strong, the strong survive and the weak perish". But don't you worry!
(holds onto his sword)
Soujirou: I belong to the strong side. I shall face the battle myself now, to
finish the work representing all of the Juppongatana, would that do?
(pushes open the door)
Soujirou: I shall take my leave now, please excuse me.
Shishio: "The strong survive and the weak perish", this is what I have taught
him, and it has become his motivation for action as well as -
(picture of Soujirou)
Shishio: (voice over) his only true dependence. In the four aspects of
feelings, he only knows how to feel 'joy', and nothing else, therefore able
to naturally wield the sword into unpredictable stances.
(flashback to the shingetsu village broken sakabatou episode)
Shishio: (voice over) That with his natural inborn talent, he seamlessly
copied Battousai's famous stance Battoujutsu.
(smiles)
Shishio: And in the battle in the Shingetsu village he let Battousai realize
another 'ingredient' about the man who successfully assasinated Okubo
Toshimichi.
(back of Soujirou)
Shishio: And that is the greatest shura (devil) in history ever, that I have
personally created out of the boy Seta Soujirou. I would like to see if you
have the patience to win the boy - that one Battousai.
(Yumi slaps the hand of Sano away)
Yumi: Ah - aren't you frustrating! Stop carrying me!
Sano: What's with that anger? To think you're still complaining after I was
kind enough to carry you all the way here. Woman with too many words.
Yumi: Do you think anybody will be happy being carried like they some kind of
refugees?!
Sano: (carrying a strawman) So will this style be acceptable?
Yumi: Over my dead body!
Sano: Over mine too! I'm not going to carry you, you bad woman.
Yumi: WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Kenshin: Yumi-dono, is that room the room for our next opponent?
(the sign on top of the door reads "Space within no space")
Yumi: That's right, that's the room of the Jupongatana Ten Ken Soujirou. This
time you're definitely going to lose your life to him.
Sano: Oei, I've long before time heard about that name. Is he really that
powerful?
Kenshin: Yes.
Yumi: *snaps* You're not listening to me.
Kenshin: In our previous battle, that young man had most certainly broke my
sakabatou into two.
Sano: WHAT?
Kenshin: Though we parted on par, if the battle was to prolong, the results
of it, by looking at the swords on hand, was very obvious...
But no, with the sakabatou . shin uchi on my hands, and Ougi Ama Kakeru Ryuu
no Hirameki...
(picture of Okubo)
Kenshin: (voice over) And...
This time, I must win, I must not fail.
(the door opens, they step in)
Soujirou: It's been long, Himura-san. I'm glad you could make it all the way
here safe and sound.
Sano: Ah, that's him... *And I thought which powerful swordsman was that, so
it's just a little frail looking boy like Kenshin...*
Kenshin: Thank you for your kind greetings, this one is sincerely grateful.
But now I have no time for all these kind words, to battle, or to retreat,
give me the answer now. Quick.
Soujirou: Time... ah, you're worried about Aoiya's safety aren't you? Don't
you worry, because we've just received news about my side's loss.
Sano and Yumi and Kenshin: !!
Soujirou: Hoji had a big shock, but that's not to be helped. The truth is the
truth! On the other hand, I'm truly the one without time here. Because as of
now, I have to finish what ten Juppongatana has left behind as one person! I
can't spend too much time on one person, do you get it, Himura-san?
(raises a hand on his sword)
Soujirou: So...
(Kenshin raises a hand on his sword)
(they leap towards each other)
(pull their swords)
(and meet with a deafening clash)
(the force repels them as they both come to a sliding stop)
(a closer examination of their swords)
(showed that there was a slight crack on Soujirou's sword)
Sano: Gu-reat!
Yumi: It's just a litte crack, why are you so happy? The winner is not yet
known!
Soujirou: Oh... looks like the same sword on the surface but who would've
thought you've actually acquired an extremely good sword! Looks like my
sword isn't a good match against yours...
Yumi: Wait a minute... isn't Soujirou's sword one of those that is highly
acclaimed by all? A crack on *that* sword... ?
Sano: Both swords and wielders are of first class... the battle of now, even
if it's just a small crack on the sword, it shows the difference between the
performance of both. No matter what the previous result was, Himura Kenshin -
the Battoujutsu he has on hand is faster than yours. Now, he is someone who
isn't easily put off...
Soujirou: Your skills have improved another level, Himura-san. Even though
you were originally very strong, but to be able to train yourself to raise
another level up, that would be something great on your part.
(smiles)
Soujirou: But I do have a point I want to bring out... why is it that a
person like you can get so strong? To tell you the truth, I really don't
understand.
Kenshin: - ...
Soujirou: But never mind, no matter how strong you get you can never get
stronger than Shishio-san... that besides...
(leaps)
Soujirou: Once I show you my true abilities, you might not be able to win
even me. Isn't that so?
(Soujirou speds towards Kenshin at an unbelievable speed)
(Kenshin shifts out of Soujirou's sword range at the nick of the time)
Kenshin: *Such terrifying leg power... so... to be able to catch up with the
horse carriage and successfully assasinate Okubo Toshimichi... this is the
true facet of the young man who did it!
Soujirou: Ah... did I miss?
END TRANSLATION
(c) Watsuki Nobuhiro ruroken@geocities.com
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