* Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translation *
* Volume 12: Kyoto inferno *
* Chapter hundred and one: Kyoto inferno middle editorial *

Shishio: Humph, didn't think you could even find this place! Remarkable!

(he peers through a telescope)

Shishio: Himura Battousai... Saitou Hajime... ? And one more fellow I can't
recognize.

(he passes the telescope to Soujirou)

Soujirou: Huh? Oh! Himura's friend! I remember his name is...

Hoji: His name is Sagara Sanosuke, a first grade hooligan in the Tokyo
undergrounds, but compared to the other two, his abilities are very much far
away.

Shishio: Ummm... that means he's just peanuts.

(Sano sneezes)

Sano: The enemy fears my approach. (rubs his nose)

Saitou: Stupid.

Sano: But the real show is yet to descend...

Soujirou: Then what does Shishio-sama intend to do now? Shall we resolve
what was left unresolved in the New Moon Village?

Shishio: I only wished, but I can't waste too much time here. Still, if I
go off now, they'll think I'm scared of them... Hoji, get everybody inside
the ship and get ready to remove the shell of the ship.

Hoji: !

Shishio: I'll let them know how insignificant they are, then blast them all
to the skies!

Saitou: So, any great ideas now?

Kenshin: We try to get near the ship hull from the waters first, then...

Sano: Wait. You want to leak the boat isn't it? I have something useful
here.

(he takes out the explosives)

Sano: Katsu gave them to me before I left for Kyoto. Now that we have these
explosives that doesn't require lighting up...

Saitou: Stupid.

Sano: What the heck have I done wrong to you? Why must you always go against
me!

Kenshin: Cool it!

Saitou: Stupid stupid stupid, still haven't realized it till now? *your
expression here is quite interesting*

Kenshin: Sano, whether these explosives need lighting up or not, once it's
in water the fire-powder will surely be affected. Once it's affected, the
fire power is no better than useless metal.

Saitou: Got that? Since you've got no sword with you, wait here for the
harbour police to come!

(a bright light)

Saitou, Sano and Kenshin: !

(the ship explodes)

Saitou, Sano and Kenshin: !!!

Sano: Wh- What's this?

Kenshin: Shishio's boat exploded?

Saitou: Explosion...

Kenshin: No wait...

(a big, black ship greets their eyes)

Saitou, Sano and Kenshin: (a very big) !

Shishio: Three of you looked very shocked. But this steel-constructed
Rengoku cost me two-thirds of my fortune, so how can the ship be satisfied
if I don't give you one more shock?

(turns)

Shishio: Hoji, load the main cannon. Send them up the skies with a blast!

Hoji: Aye aye!

Shishio: ... Hohoh!

Saitou: An ordinary guy managed to get a steel-constructed ship... the Meiji
government needs to do some self-searching. Battousai, can you 'defeat
steel'?

Kenshin: Yes... but if it's in water... now's the time to switch strategies.
Sanosuke, I'll go with Saitou to draw away the cannon, find a small boat in
the meantime, and explode the engine-room after you reach the side!

Shishio: SHOOT!

(the land explodes)

Kenshin: Let's begin!

Sano: ... ~sweatdrop~ Hey, come back! *Find a small boat and reach the side
indeed! So much time wasted!* You can't hang tough for so long! ... Oh gosh!

(snaps and realizes wood planks from the previous explosion floating on the
waters)

Men: Direct hit!

Hoji: Shall we load another?

Shishio: No, rest the main cannon temporarily. But prepare the automatic
machine-gun quickly.

Men: Huh?

(Kenshin flies up)

Men: WAH!

(they move back and bump into a wet-looking Saitou)

Fat man: ... WAAAAAAH!

Shishio: Welcome abroad, my two brave kamikazes. But your little tricks
cannot fool my eyes. Since you are able to see through my plans, then why
can't I see through yours and break it!

(Kenshin snaps, turns at direction Shishio is staring at)

Kenshin: SANOSUKE!

Shishio: I knew you were just the screen in front! Automatic machine gun
ready! Fire!

(it shoots)

(Sano bends down on one knee)

Sano: HEEE AAAH!

(the waters he hits flies up)

Shishio: !

(the bullets are reduced to nothing by the impact of the water)

Hoji: That is... Anji's Futai no Kiwamii!

Shishio: *Good fellow... ! He's not an ordinary guy!

Sano: (raises his explosives) Wuuu uaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAH!

END TRANSLATION

(c) Nobuhiro Watsuki		Translation: ruroken@geocities.com

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