Onigashima
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Onigashima Chapter 1
Hm? The dojo’s empty. That guy Tetsu didn’t come yet?
(And I’m just gonna… bow in front of altar.)
Alright, I’ll start ahead of him. If I start practicin’, Tetsu’ll be here before I know it.
… Ha! There! Ha! Take that!1
… It’s no good. My thoughts are distracting me from doin’ the proper kata forms…
I thought my head would clear out if I got my body movin’, but I’m still stuck in a rut. I just can’t get into practice like this.
I’m settin’ a bad example doin’ somethin’ this, aren’t I?
(Tellin’ anyone else about it is tough, though… At the end of the day, I gotta do somethin’ about it myself.)
…… But. I keep havin’ second thoughts, or like… I feel at a loss, I guess.
How fuckin’ pathetic, get a grip. There are guys who look up to me ‘n put their hopes on me.
Ahh… It’s not in my nature to worry this much about things……
(Cleanin’ took so long, I’m super late~! Taishou’s2 probably practicing already?)
(Even though just about all the third-years retired from club activities already, Taishou shows up for the sake of passin’ on the club.)
(Thanks to that, I get to work on throwing and grappling3 with Taishou!)
(Don’t get me wrong, it's fun to do that with other club members too, but Taishou’s in a league of his own, so wrestling with him is the most fun!)
(Recently, he’s been having grappling matches with me more than he used to. Guess it means I’m bein’ recognized by Taishou~♪)
(Alright! Let's get fired up and do our best today too! I won't say I’ll get a win, but at the very least I wanna be able to get some points.)
There! Ha!
(Ahh, it sounds like Taishou’s gotten a headstart on practice~ I can feel his fighting spirit eminatin’ from the dojo!)
(Heheh~♪ Am I allowed to play a little prank on Taishou and surprise him~? Like makin’ a loud noise or something?)
(Will he get angry? But I barely ever see Taishou get surprised, so I kinda wanna see it.)
(Lemme juuust take a peek inside and scope it out…)
(Ah, he really is practicing right now. … Hm? Taishou’s movements are kinda slower than usual today……?)
…… Guess it’s like I thought. There’s nothing left to do but dispose of ‘em.
...!?
(Eh? Ehhh…!? Was that seriously Taishou who said that just now!?)
(Dispose? Who will dispose who…!? Erm, it’s Taishou sayin’ it, so that means he’s gonna get rid of someone, right?)
(No, no, no, no…… There's no way Taishou would say something so disturbing! I musta heard it wrong!)
(Ahaha. It’s just like me to jump to the wrong conclusion~ To be a man among men, you gotta take it slow and steady.)
(Just take a deep breath and compose yourself… In… out…)
(Ossu, I calmed down a lot~)
(Let’s check again. Taking another peek insiiiide…)
All I wanted was to just let this go, but if things keep goin’ this way, the people I cherish are gonna get hurt.
There’s nothin’ else I can do about it at this point. Next time I meet up with those guys, it’s time for them to pay up!
...!?
(UwaaAAAAA!! I definitely didn’t mishear him!)
(He clearly said it's time for them to pay up! This time, I listened real carefully with my ears!)
(What does he mean by that!? I-Is it possible that Taishou’s really planning to settle his scores with someone…)
(Ummm, ummm~? Wh-What should I do!? Stop him!? Support him!?)
(No, think rationally, I can’t support him doing that!? Aaah, I'm getting more and more confused, I can't handle this all by myself…!?)
(Ah, that’s it. Hasumi-senpai! If I just consult Hasumi-senpai……!)
(At this time of day, he should be in the student council room. Right, I gotta head there quickly!)
(Taishou! Don’t be too hasty yet~!)
It feels like there’s been some rustlin’ goin’ on outside for a while now…? Maybe Tetsu came?
Oi, Tetsu. Why aren’t you comin’ in… Wait, no one’s here. Was I imagining things?
Hm? Isn’t this Tetsu’s bag? Did he come here after all? Why’d he drop his bag here, then…?
Hasumi-dono4 , how about you take a small break? Haven’t you been working nonstop?
Hm? Ahh, so much time has passed already…? Don’t worry. Thanks to your help, Kanzaki, I’m at a stopping point.
Is that right? I’m glad to hear that!
By the way, may I ask why you were doing student council work, Hasumi-dono?
You were working when I came, so I offered to help in spite of myself, but… Haven’t you already passed on the work to the other members?
The main things have been finished and passed on, but I’m just so used to this work after doing it for so long. I feel uneasy when I have nothing to do.
That's why I thought I'd do an after-action report on Chocolat Fes5 from the other day, but… it seems I just got absorbed in it.
Rather, Kanzaki. Why did you also come here to help me as you always do in the first place?
Me? Erm… Now that you mention it…
I’m also the type to get uneasy when I have nothing to do, so I rushed in to help you as I usually do, Hasumi-dono!
I have issues with moderation, but you’re just as bad, huh? We’ve reached a stopping point, so maybe it’s time for some tea or something.
If that’s the case, I will brew it! I would like Hasumi-dono to take it easy…♪
Sorry to make you do this.
……—npa~i!
Hm? It sounded like someone just called for me? The hallway is noisy, isn’t it?
Ah, now that you mention it… Aren’t those footsteps?
It seems they’re coming towards this room at a tremendous pace!?
Hasumi-senpai! S-Something terrible is happening~!
Onigashima Chapter 2
(Gulping, gulping) …… Whew~! My nerves finally settled down! Thanks for the tea, Kanzaki-senpai!
Mhm, it was my pleasure to serve it. I’m glad I was brewing tea at the right moment.
You’re utterly hopeless! I don’t know what happened, but who in their right mind would just tear down the halls like that!?
The student council routinely cracks down on such an offense, you know! If people heard that someone had run into the student council room, we would be utterly humiliated!
I-I’m so sorry! I was so panicked and got carried away…!
… Well? What business do you have that warrants you coming here so breathless?
Ah! It's the terrible thing I was talking about! I came to ask Hasumi-senpai for advice— and the fact that Kanzaki-senpai’s here too is just my luck!
See, when I went for my club activities, I noticed that Taishou had gotten to the dojo earlier than me. Then I happened to overhear him talkin’ to himself about some real disturbing things…
Stuff like “There’s nothing left to do but dispose of ‘em” and “It’s time for them to pay up”......
That's why I thought maybe Taishou was planning on having them pay a “little visit” to the maker6... What the heck do you think I should do?
Kiryu said that? That’s ridiculous. There's no way that's the case with him.
Really? I don’t think it's out of the question that Kiryu-dono would do something like that, though.
I wonder what kind of wish came true for Kiryu-dono? As expected of a warrior, he never forgets to be grateful to the gods and Buddha!
Huh…? Gods and Buddha…?
… Kanzaki. The “maker” Nagumo’s talking about isn’t what you’re thinking of.
That saying is used to mean that someone intends to “retaliate”.
What!? Retaliate…? Kiryu-dono would never do something like that! Are you trying to make light of Kiryu-dono’s nature, Nagumo!?
N-No, that’s not it! I don't think Taishou would do something like that either!
But I heard what I heard… At first I thought I heard it wrong, but when I checked again, I heard him say something disturbing again…
Calm down, both of you. I don’t think Kiryu would do that either… but I hardly think Nagumo is one to lie either.
That’s… That’s true, but……
I swear I'm not lying! A man among men would never do that. Hasumi-senpai, Kanzaki-senpai, please believe me!
Point is, after I heard all’a that, I freaked out and didn’t know what to do…
That’s when it came to me to ask Hasumi-senpai, so that’s why I hurried to the student council room.
Hm…
(I certainly don't think Kiryu would do something like that...)
(But Nagumo's acting like this. I don’t think it’s a misunderstanding, it's probably true that he heard it…..)
(What on earth could this mean...? Is Kiryu really going to…?)
We will not be able to come to an agreement with our thoughts in distress! This situation calls for an emergency strategy meeting to be held!
… Hah? An emergency strategy meeting…?
This feels like something RYUSEITAI would usually do, but I agree! I want some kinda strategy to get to the bottom of this!
Yes. Well said, Nagumo! With that settled, let’s write the topic of discussion on this “waito-boodo”!7
“Regarding Kiryu-dono’s mysterious behavior… What should we do?”
O-Oi. Don't proceed with the conversation as you please…
I'm not really good at usin’ my head, but I’ll think a whole bunch for Taishou’s sake~
Come now, Hasumi-dono, you too! We want you to guide us as our consultant! I want all of us to come up with a plan together!
………
At any rate, I think we should start by sorting out the situation!
U~myu. What I said earlier was almost all of what happened, but…
Umm. When I went to club activities, Taishou was there practicing first. I wanted to spook him a little, so I quietly scoped it out.
Then Taishou said, “Guess it’s like I thought. There’s nothing left to do but dispose of ‘em.”...
At first I thought I musta heard it wrong, so I peeked in again and he said, “Next time I meet up with those guys, it’s time for them to pay up.”
That's when I came here in such a hurry...
Wait, ahhh—!? I was in such a hurry that I left my bag outside the dojo. Well, it only has my textbooks in it…
Textbooks are the most important thing you could have, for goodness’ sake…. Just what do you think your duty is as a student?
In any case, hmm… No matter how many times I hear it, I still can't connect it to Kiryu. Many things may have happened in the past, but I can’t imagine him doing anything like that in the current day.
But… that's right. At times like this, it's a matter of reversing logic.
Reversing logic… In other words, under what scenario would Kiryu-dono need to take such action?
Under what scenario…? Ah! Now that you mention it! That's what Taishou said! “If things keep goin’ this way, the people I cherish are gonna get hurt.”
Maybe Taishou’s trying to get the jump on them to protect someone...!
Why didn't you lead with that!?
Heheh, sorry. The horror was so strong from all the horrible things Taishou was saying, I totally forgot about it.
Well, then that's the reason. If that's the case, it makes sense that Kiryu would try to make a move. I suppose this is him trying to protect us or someone else at the academy.
But I'm sure he thinks it’ll cause us trouble, so he’s worrying about this all by himself…
Will he ever do something about that side of his? How completely hopeless.
Onigashima Chapter 3
However, trouble is out of the question at a time like this, even if he has a good reason for it, like protecting someone.
I can't let that guy's efforts go to waste in the end. I’ll keep that from happening no matter the cost.
Ossu! Of course!
I’m in agreement too. However, while our aim is to stop it, we won’t be able to do much if we don’t know who he’s trying to attack, no?
To start with, since it seems like Taishou’s friends might get affected too, the enemy has to have a real deep grudge against him, right?
If that’s true, they should just pick a fight with Taishou and nobody else..
It’s possible that the opponent can't beat Kiryu with a direct attack, so they’re trying to use underhanded methods instead.
Well, given the situation and how Kiryu was acting, it certainly seems like they have a strong grudge against him.
Taishou is strong, after all. But they’ve gotta be someone holding a constant resentment for Taishou, right? Is there anyone like that around?
A grudge… Kiryu is a reputable person, though, so I don't think there's anyone who would hold a grudge against him.
A lot happened in this academy in the old days, but most of the people from that time have already left this school.
Now, of the remaining students, there are probably more people who are grateful to Kiryu than not.
Yeah, I bet. That’s how I felt at the time of the Dragon King Competition!8 It made me think like, wow, everybody cherishes Taishou~
Hmph. At the time, I was extremely busy participating in another event, and the academy was empty too. I simply just didn't realize it was going on at the time.
Had I known in advance, I would have definitely put a stop to it.
Mhm. There was suddenly a job to do at the time.
But, hmmm... If that's the case, could it perhaps be an old familiar face? Someone he knew before entering this academy……
Hmm... I’m not saying it isn’t possible, but I've never seen him with someone like that.
I don’t think so either. I see Taishou all the time, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him meet up with anyone like that before.
As I figured. I have no recollection of Kiryu-dono ever being with such a person as well.
No. If we keep speculating like this, we will never reach the truth! Why don’t we ask Kiryu-dono about all of this directly?
Denied. If we do that and make Kiryu suspicious of us, it’s likely he’ll just lie to cover up the truth.
And if Kiryu sneaks around about it, it’ll be even harder to pin down the other party.
Which means... Maybe watching over Taishou would be the best way of goin’ about it? Keepin’ an eye on him if he acts weird and stopping him if it seems like he’s gonna head to the other person?
… I feel ashamed that I’d be monitoring my friend, but I suppose it’s the only way. You can’t solve a problem without making a sacrifice. Let’s go with that plan.
(I've been thinking about it since I heard Nagumo's story yesterday, but there really are still too many things that don’t make sense to me…...)
(I don't think Kiryu’s that good at hiding things in the first place.)
(If he was planning to do something like that, I’d think one of us would have noticed something was off.)
(But, well, it's not like we’re always paying attention to things like that. It's possible that we missed it.)
(At any rate, I won’t be as careless now, so if Kiryu does anything suspicious I’m sure I’ll notice it right away.)
(I figured that I’d check in on Class 3-B every break between classes, but I didn’t see any signs of something being off with Kiryu… Maybe Nagumo's worries were unfounded after all?)
(I do feel like we’ve been worrying about this too much, the more I think about it. I’m sure Kiryu’s just the same as always on this break too…)
(Wh-What!? Kiryu’s not here…!?)
Where’d he go!? Did he really go to see that other person!?
Kh… I was careless! To think I’d lose sight of Kiryu in such a small span of time……!
Didja need somethin’ from me, Hasumi-no-danna?9
K-Kiryu! Wh-Where on earth did you…!?
It’s break time, so I thought it was a good time to go to the bathroom? Was it really that urgent? What’s up?
Eh!? N-No… That’s…
……? What’s the matter? You’re speakin’ unusually stiff and sharp, danna. Is it somethin’ you can’t say here?
No, that’s not really… Erm, you see…
C-... Could you lend me your textbook……? The, erm… mathematics one……
…………
Haha. Sure, gimme a sec.
…………
Here, you can take it with ya.
Hasumi-no-danna makes mistakes like that too, huh? Leavin’ stuff behind? Makes ya look like a real student, doesn’t it? Hahaha.
Gh… If you hadn't caused a fuss in the first place, I wouldn't need to tell such a lie…
Mn? What’d ya say?
Nothing! I’ll be borrowing this, just so you know! I appreciate it!
…? Yeah, don’t worry about it.
Onigashima Chapter 4
Ha! Like that! Ha!
…… (Staring without blinking)
There! Hoo…! Ha!
…… (Staring without blinking)
… Kanzaki. I appreciate yer enthusiasm, but it’s seriously distractin’ that you’re sittin’ in seiza and starin’ at me at the edge of the dojo.
It doesn’t help that you’ve got an intense way about it. Somethin’ about that keeps making my eyes dart to you.
Please don’t mind my presence! Please think of me as a Jizo statue10 or something of the sort!
That’s quite a fierce presence for a Jizo… What is it? What’s with you suddenly wanting to watch my practice? Have you finally awoken to karate too, Kanzaki?
No, I'm a samurai through and through, this sword cannot leave my side.
I certainly think it's good to have a strong body that can fight without a sword, but no matter! It simply means I must never relinquish this sword at any given moment!
It's no exaggeration to say that this sword and I are one and the same!
Then, why’re you watching me practice?
Ugh…! This is a mission of mine……
Mission? What d’ya mean?
Ah, no! As samurai, we have a family rule that requires us to train every day, so today, my training shall be learning through observation of Kiryu-dono's physical handling!
If that’s the case, shouldn’t we do somethin’ like kendo instead of karate? You’re a samurai, aren’t you?
Ughgh……
(If I say anything more, I'm going to let slip what we’re doing… If only Nagumo was here at a time like this...!)
N-now that I think about it, is Nagumo not here? I haven't seen him around today. Will he be coming soon?
Didja have business with Tetsu? Seems like he had a lesson with RYUSEITAI, so I don't think he’s comin’ here? If ya got business with Tetsu, why don’t ya let me pass on a message?
(How could this be…!? I can’t believe he’s confined to unit practice today of all days… I can't call Nagumo for back-up on this.)
Kanzaki? What’s with the gloomy face? Did somethin’ happen with you and Tetsu?
No, it's not that I had any matter to do with Nagumo in particular. I just feel like I’d be saved if Nagumo were here…
What d’ya mean, being saved? Were you guys that close…? Well, it's a good thing you and Tetsu are startin’ to get on good terms, though.
Regardless, I would like to sit aside and watch Kiryu-dono train.
Or is my being here a nuisance to you after all…?
No, you’re not gettin’ in the way or anything... Good grief, when ya get so modest out of nowhere, it makes me lose my bearings.
I got it. No prob. Tetsu’s not comin’, but watch as much as ya like, Kanzaki.
Really!?
It’s hard to do anything when you’re starin’ at me like you were a second ago, but……
Oh, I know. I’ll keep on practicing, so why dontcha practice some swordsmanship too? Do some practice swings or somethin’, the dojo’s nice and spacious. Let’s practice together~♪
What!? Do you really mean it, Kiryu-dono, training with you…!?
Ah, no, but…
(My mission is to watch over Kiryu-dono…)
(Well, since we are together, I suppose I can fulfill my duty while I practice with him….?)
Mrm~…
What’s wrong? You’re not in the mood?
Actually, I wanna know how to use a sword ‘cause of reasons. That's why I thought I'd watch your swordsmanship, Kanzaki. Is it alright if I do or is it no-go?
Oh, wow! If that's the case, do let me be of help to you! Kiryu-dono, please watch to your heart’s content until you’ve had your fill~♪
Let's get started right away, Kiryu-dono!
Onigashima Chapter 5
(U~myu… It's been a few days since our emergency strategy meeting, but Taishou hasn’t been doin’ anything suspicious.)
(Hasumi–senpai and Kanzaki-senpai have been on the lookout for Taishou too, but he just seems the same as usual… Even in club activities, he's the same Taishou as always.)
(I must’ve gotten the wrong idea after all…? That’d be relieving to know if that’s the case.)
(Maybe I should ask Taishou straight up– somethin’ like, “Hey, what were you saying to yourself the other day?”)
(And then he’ll burst out laughing outta nowhere and say somethin’ like “Ah, Tetsu, you misunderstood”...)
(Huh, what’s that? Is that Taishou all the way over there?)
......
(Why’s he in a place like this? That’s behind the school building, right?)
(He's holdin’ something long, but I can’t tell what it is…? And he’s even sneaking around avoidin’ people's attention.)
(...This is way too suspicious~! I gotta catch up and follow him!)
(I’m pretty sure Taishou headed this way… Ah, I found him!)
Err… Kanzaki waved it around like this…
Ha!
(Th-That long thing was a sword!? He’s finally got a weapon for when he–!?)
Ahh~!
Whoa!? You surprised me!
(C-Crap! He looked so prepared for a fight that I couldn't help but cry out!)
Tetsu? What’re you doing here?
Ummm~? Ummm~...? I-I… I’m a little lost… on the… road called life……?
…… Hah? Are you alright? You’re not runnin’ a temperature are ya, Tetsu?
I'm fine, there’s no need to worry about me! What are you doin’ in a place like this, Taishou!?
M-Me? I was just… exercising, really…
Exercising… ? Why so suddenly, Taishou? You even got your hands on a sword!
This is, that… Apparently it's an exercise that’s been passed down in the Kanzaki family for generations.
(I've never heard of such an exercise! Also, you just hid your sword, didn’t you!?)
Well, you don’t have to mind me either. I just wanted to get a lil’ workout goin’ is all.
Workout… Can’t you exercise to your heart’s content during club activities after classes are over?
Huh? Ah… That’d be the actual match, though. What I’m doin’ right now is kinda like warm-up exercises for it.
(Taishou, you've been dodgin’ every question so far! No matter how you slice it, this is as shady as I thought!)
Taishou! Um…!
Hm? What’s up?
(I want to ask Taishou directly, but I made a promise to Hasumi-senpai and Kanzaki-senpai...)
(If I ask here, Taishou will find out that we’re suspicious of him…..)
Tetsu…? Seriously, what’s wrong? You worried about somethin’?
(Taishou… Isn’t Taishou the one with the worries? Why won’t he talk to any of us about it?)
(Uu~uu! I absolutely won’t let you go give that guy payback!)
…… Taishou! From now on, please stay with me!11 I'll do whatever it takes to stop you, Taishou! UUOOOOHH!!
Whoa!? Don’t cling to me outta nowhere, Tetsu. You freaked me out.
So by that, you want me to stay at your place with ya? Is that what you were worried about?
“Stay with me forever”... You want me to stay over with you ‘cuz yer lonely without your parents tonight? Is that it?
Haha, I thought you were growin’ up, but you still say such kiddy things, dontcha?
What happened? Didja watch a scary show on TV or somethin’? My lil’ sister sometimes watches ‘em too, and she sticks to me when she gets scared.
Uuu… I think there’s a huge misunderstandin’ here, but that works too... Just please, Taishou, stay with me!
I’d love to stay by your side and everythin’, but not today, sorry. I’ve got somethin’ to do tomorrow, so maybe another time, Tetsu.
(...! Taishou saying that means... M-Maybe tomorrow is the day he goes through with it…!?)
Onigashima Chapter 6
(Yawning)
What? Did you not get enough sleep, Nagumo?
Sorry. My mind wouldn’t stop racin’ about Taishou carrying out his plan today, so I didn’t get much sleep… (Yawn)
I understand how you feel. I had a hard time falling asleep because my mind was racing over it too.
Oi, the reason we’re here is to stop Kiryu. Don't speak in a way that sounds like we intend to back him up.
I’m aware! But who knows what will happen!
Being well prepared gives you no reason to worry. And today, my sword is in flawless shape far more than usual! I used some of my finer sword oil for the first time too~♪
Oi, Kanzaki. Could you not start being suspicious either? Kiryu’s causing me enough of a headache on his own.
At any rate, Nagumo, will Kiryu really pass through here?
Yesterday, I scoped out Taishou’s movements, so judging from that he should be here already!
Honestly, I wanted to stake out Taishou’s house, but obviously I’d stick out too easily there.
Well, I’d say that was a wise call. The best place to hide a tree is in the forest.
And thankfully, today is a holiday. It’ll be harder for him to sense us shadowing him if there’s this much foot traffic.
But what will we do if Kiryu had actually noticed our plan and given us false information?
I think we’re fine there!
I called Taishou’s house a while back to find out what time he’d leave, and his little sister told me he’d already gone out!
Oh? You came thoroughly prepared. I thought you’d get flustered and not be able to do anything.
Of course I did! This is the one day I can’t fail at any cost!
Before you get distracted by trivial talk, please look over there! Kiryu-dono has arrived!
Ah! Taishou! He’s holding something long today, too. I’m not really sure, but I think it's a sword. He was secretly practicing with a sword behind the school building yesterday, too.
That's certainly a sword bag. Now that I think about it, he said that he wanted to see my swordsmanship too……
Kiryu with a sword? He’s not Kanzaki, so what gives…?
Maybe he’s up against something he can’t beat with only his bare hands? Like, maybe there’s so many people that he has to bring a weapon to stand a chance, or something like that…
Even if that were the case, I think he’d probably fight with his bare hands to the very end.
Ah, both of you! Kiryu-dono is on the move! We have to follow after or we’ll lose sight of him!
Ahh—! Whatever the case might be, let’s go after Kiryu for now! If we follow him, it’ll tell us all we need to know.
Yeah!
…………
Hmm. From what I can see of him, he seems the same as always, doesn’t he?
If he’s really going to fight someone soon, he’d look way more intense… Surely it can’t be a situation where he can simply act as always…?
Oh yeah, hmm…? I don't think I’d be able to do this trick, but Taishou’s powerful so he’s probably a master at erasin’ any signs of hostility before he gets into a fight, I think?
Is that what it is? By all appearances, it just looks like he’s enjoying the shopping district, though…
Oh oh! Kiryu-dono is entering a store! That store’s… a “furawa-shoppu”?
A flower shop…? He’s buying a lovely bouquet…? Oi, what’s going on? Everything about this is utterly strange, no matter how you look at it.
…… Maybe it’s for a hospital visit?
Hah? Hospital visit…?
Well, he’s gonna end up pummelin’ the person he’s about to fight. The least he can do is apologize…?
I see. He puts his all even for the loser of a fight… I admire the depth of Kiryu-dono’s consideration!
That’s idiotic! Logically speaking, it’s clearly too out of place!
Ah! Taishou’s on the move again! Let’s just put this aside, we gotta go after him!
Right you are, let’s move! Swiftly! Secretly! Vanishing into thin air!
Oi, wait you guys!
Hah… Can’t you compose yourselves even just a little?
Huh? Taishou’s going into another store? This one looks like a stationery store, though.
He’s buying something again. This time it’s… origami paper? Seems he’s buyin’ quite a lotta it too.
Origami paper…? Just what does Kiryu plan to do with something like that?
Ha! I’ve got it! If the flowers from earlier were meant for a hospital visit, then this origami paper must be for a thousand-paper-crane chain!12
Isn't that essential for a hospital visit?
Ahh, you’re right! Are there any limits to Taishou’s kindness!? He’s wishing the person he’s fighting a swift recovery!
…… No, calm down, both of you. That can't be right. Something’s definitely off about this.
It doesn’t look like Kiryu’s on his way to beat someone up, and the things he’s buying along the way are completely unrelated to such an unsettling situation.
Besides, at the end of this road…
Ah, I see. So that’s what it is.
Eh!? Hasumi-senpai, did you happen to figure out where Taishou’s goin’? Everythin’ here is basically a residential area...
Yes. I can’t say I know why Kiryu is heading there, but I have an idea of what his destination is.
What!? Really? Hasumi-dono! Where on earth is Kiryu-dono heading?
You don’t recognize this road too, Kanzaki? I think it’s a place you've been to before.
A place I’m familiar with? Oh oh, now that you mention it, I'm sure that at the end of this road is—...
Onigashima Chapter 7
…… What on earth does this mean…?
Kiryu's destination was there after all, huh?
This is the same kindergarten where we had a puppet show before.13
Hmm, judging from appearances, Kiryu-dono is playing with the kindergarteners… Moreover, Anzu-dono’s with him for some reason.
Ummm, where’s he going for the payback visit? There's no way they'd cause a scene in a place like this, so…?
I’m guessing we had some kind of huge misunderstanding, most likely.
Hm? Kiryu’s noticed us.
Hasumi-no-danna…? And that’s Tetsu and Kanzaki too. What're you guys doing in a place like this?
Taishou! Weren't you gonna get payback from someone today? Why are you playing with little kids?
Hah? Get payback? What d’ya mean?
Oh, lil’ miss. Tetsu and these guys came for some reason.
Mm? Ahh, yeah you’re right. There's no point standin’ around ‘n talkin’ in a place like this. You guys should come in. I gotta get ready soon too.
…… Get ready?
It was my fault that we jumped to the wrong conclusion, I'm so sorry!
Mmgh… I didn't realize it until the last second either, I’m so ashamed…
Sigh... I thought something was off half-way, but I never expected this to be the plot twist……
Lift your head, Nagumo. Kiryu was acting confusing from the get-go, so there’s blame to be had there too. I can see how you got the wrong idea.
I never would’ve guessed that Kiryu's monologue was a line from his play about Momotaro.14
Sorry for misleadin’ ya, Tetsu. I didn’t think anyone would hear me sayin’ my lines.
In other words, to summarize what Kiryu told us...
Due to the visit the other day, Nito got a request from the kindergarten for a play event.
And you’re saying that you accepted the request because Nito and the broadcast committee members were too busy to accept it for themselves, Kiryu?
Yeah. I didn't wanna disappoint the kids, and that's not what Nito’d want either.
But unlike other large-scale external projects like DreamFes, somethin’ like this doesn't bring much value to the unit.
It felt awkward thinkin’ about involvin’ AKATSUKI and other units, so I took it on myself.
As long as the request was taken, Nito’s reputation would be fine.
Nito always does a lotta things for me, so I thought I’d repay ‘im a lil’.
But even though I accepted the offer, I’m not that good at actin’ to begin with. For whatever reason, I get kinda embarrassed when I practice out in the open.15
So I was secretly practicin’ the lines for my sword fightin’ scene, and Tetsu misunderstood me ‘cuz of it.
You’re beyond saving! If you had just talked to us about this, none of this would have ever happened.
Good grief... I understand the gist of the situation, but why is Anzu here too?
Ahh. That it? Tetsu wasn’t the only one to see me practice my lines; lil’ miss saw me too. When I told her all about it, she offered to help me out. Right, miss?
Ah, I have no intention of blaming you, so don't apologize, Anzu.
This situation came from a comedy of errors. I don't think it's anyone's fault.
So, today was the day of the event, and what we were tailing was Kiryu-dono buying souvenirs for the children along the way.
Ahh… But I'm glad I was wrong~…
Ah! It’s not like I didn’t believe in you, Taishou! But, given the situation, I started to worry more and more.
To be fair, if someone was going to be harmed, you would be more than likely to take action.
In the first place, you always carry everything by yourself, and that’s how this misunderstanding happened. Reflect on that.
Haha, you’re not wrong. Sorry for worryin’ you guys so much — Hasumi-no-danna, Tetsu, Kanzaki.
Honestly, I’m just relieved that nothing happened.
Oh? It seems like the kindergarten teachers are calling Kiryu-dono for something?
Hm? You’re right. Is somethin’ the matter?
Ah, nah, these guys aren't members of the event. They’re more like my visitors…
Ah, that's right. It doesn’t change the fact I’m doin’ the whole play myself. I'm plannin’ on having lil’ miss work on behind the scenes stuff.
Hm? Are there not enough people to do the play?
It’s just barely enough. I'm Momotaro, and the rest of the roles are gonna be handled by the teachers.
But they gotta look after the kids too, so they don’t feel like they’ve got enough people around unless they do both jobs.
Well, it might be a complete frenzy behind the scenes, but it'll work out somehow.
You’re the cause for this whole mess in the first place, and yet you’re back to acting distant with us and carrying the burden by yourself again!
It feels wrong to just let things stay like this! If that's how things are, we'll take part, too!
Onigashima Chapter 8
Lil’ miss, are ya done cleanin’ yet? Ah, you did? When I was straightenin’ up all the backstage scene stuff you got left with basically everything… Sorry ‘bout that.
The play was a huge success, huh? I didn't think the kids would love it that much.
Didja have fun too, lil’ miss? Yeah, that’s good. Danna ‘n the other two seemed happy to be surrounded by the kids too.
Mm? Ah, yeah you’re right. With how messy this turned out in the end, I shoulda done like you said and asked everyone for advice after all.
There’s not much reward to doing this, and while it wouldn’t be so bad if it were Nito’s Ra*bits, but AKATSUKI’s so far from this kinda audience, it felt hard to bring up.
But as ya said, those guys didn’t care about that kinda thing at all.
I could act like I knew what I was doin’, and relax, while those guys helped me out and supported me.
Haha. For sure. Maybe the kids loved the play so much ‘cuz the atmosphere was so relaxed from the get go.
The teachers really liked it too, so I finally felt good about it all.
I’m real grateful they liked it, but I got real nervous when they said they wanted me to come back next month ‘n do it again.
Eh? Oi, oi. Gimme a break, lil’ miss. Even though things turned out this way, I still had no clue what the hell I was doin’, y’know? Though, of course I wasn’t plannin’ on just throwin’ in the towel midway.
I was worried the kids would be disappointed if I was the one bein’ Momotaro. But, well, it seems they were pleased with it, so that was a relief.
“Don’t say that”...? Haha, Lil’ miss scolded me.
Nah, I didn’t mean to make fun of you, I was just thinkin’ you said it in a way that’s similar to when my lil’ sister gets mad at me for somethin’.
By the way, what happened to the other guys?
Ahh, it’s afternoon nap time for all the kids? They’re helpin’ out with that, then.
Mm? Lil miss is gonna go ‘n help the teachers? I’ll help out too, then. I was under your care today, so lemme do this much for ya.
Danna and the others are probably havin’ a harder time than you are…? Well, I guess so. There are a lot more people where they are.
Gotcha. I'll help Hasumi-no-danna’s group. I'm sure it was the classroom next door, right?
Yo, Monkey-no-danna. Is there anythin’ I can help with?
Don't call me by the name of my role. There's nothing I need your help with in particular. The kids are finally asleep, so please just be as quiet as you can.
They got put to bed already? Guess I came too late to help, huh.
But, how incorrigible. Couldn’t something have been done a bit more with the casting?
Hm? You mean about how Tetsu was the dog, Kanzaki was the ogre, and Danna was the monkey? I thought it fit you guys pretty well, though.
If it were just the monkey, I’d understand, but why did I have to play the pheasant as well?
We didn’t have enough hands, so it couldn’t be helped. Besides, for that role, your job was to do ventriloquism while holdin’ the pheasant doll.
And you did a pretty fine job at that, Danna. Didn’t all the kids hound you for an encore afterwards?
Kh… it’s because I usually see that eccentric oddball’s tricks. It’s aggravating I got the hang of something as pointless as ventriloquism.
Tetsu and Kanzaki couldn’t do ventriloquism to that degree. They were just movin’ their lips like normal.
Hm? Come to think of it, what happened to Tetsu ‘n Kanzaki?
If you’re looking for the two of them, they were romping around with all the kids and making a racket. When the kids got put to bed, they fell asleep with them.
Zzz…… zzz……
…………
Ahh, you’re right. They’re mixed in with all the kids that’re sleepin’, huh?
I thought it was lil’ lonely that they were gettin’ all reliable on us, but seein’ ‘em like this, they’ve still got a bit of a kiddy part to them, huh?
Don’t say that. You made the two of them worry about you so much that they said that they were too nervous to sleep properly. They probably felt relieved enough to relax now.
Well, that was pretty bad on my part.
Absolutely. Reflect on yourself. Well, it was my fault too for not seeing through it….
Even if I believed it was true, I wouldn’t have guessed that you were practicing lines for a kindergarten event.
Yeah, true.
Hey, if I really did go after someone like that ‘n beat them as payback, what would you have done, Hasumi-no-danna?
Hah? Where’d that come from so suddenly? You wouldn’t do something like that in the first place.
I said what if. What if I did? I don’t plan to, but we don’t know the future, right?
I was wonderin’ what you’d do about it if I really went to go ‘n beat someone down?
…… I see. If that were the case, I’d give you a good wallop to stop you, even if it cost me my life.
………… Hasumi-no-danna, doing that...? Like, to win a square-on fight with me?
Didn’t I just say I’d do it even if it cost me my life?
Hahahaha. What, so you’re plannin’ on losin’? Come with a winnin’ attitude. You don’t sound sure of yourself at all.
Shut it. It’s a hypothetical, so it doesn’t matter if I win or lose. I know you wouldn’t do anything like that anyway.
Haha. Hey, Hasumi-no-danna. I’m a lucky guy, aren’t I? I’m surrounded by all these good guys who care about me.
I'd love to show all'a that to the old me. He’d be surprised for sure.
Translation Notes
- ↑ "とりゃ！せいや!" are more exclamations from martial arts like judo. They can be used when throwing something/someone heavy, or intimidating the opponent.
- ↑ Tetora refers to Kuro as 大将 (taishou, lit. large general ), or boss.
- ↑ More about uchikomi and kumite here.
- ↑ -殿 (-dono) is an honorific that roughly means "lord" or "master". It's archaic, which gives Souma an old-timey feel.
- ↑ AKATSUKI's Chocolat Fes story is Decorate. If you're curious about RYUSEITAI's it's Hot and Elegant Chocolat Fes.
- ↑ Onigashima hinges around the phrase『お礼参り』する (lit. pay one's respects at a shrine). Colliqually, this refers to someone who's going to retaliate against someone else (i.e., someone who hasn't paid a loan). Souma thinks Tetora is using its original meaning.
- ↑ In Japanese, words from other languages (such as English) are typically rendered in katakana. However, when Souma uses katakana words, they are all written in hiragana instead, likely to emphasize how he struggles with foreign words. These words are kept as written in hiragana, and put in "quotes".
- ↑ From the story Four Beasts of Fist Fighting. Keito's playing coy here because he was actually the one to divert attention away from the Dragon King Competition.
- ↑ Kuro often refers to Keito as 旦那 (danna, lit. master ), or "boss". He'll also use Hasumi-no-danna.
- ↑ Statues of the Bodhisattva Jizo often dot along trails and sit innocuously, looking over wandering travelers.
- ↑ Tetora is saying 止めて stay with me (stop, don't go) but Kuro thinks he's saying 泊めて stay (at my place) because they're both pronounced とまる.
- ↑ Based on folklore, giving someone one thousand origami cranes is meant to wish them well or wish them long health.
- ↑ This happened in The Wolf and Red Riding Hood with Kuro, Souma, Nazuna and Shinobu.
- ↑ The story of Momotaro follows a boy who goes to Onigashima (lit. Ogre Island) to fight the ogres that live there. On the way, he befriends a talking dog, monkey and pheasant, who agree to help him in his quest.
- ↑ If you wanna see Kuro's acting chops, read Tough Guy where he practices with Chiaki, Tetora and Midori.