Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Three-A Reason to Act
Part 21--A Wind of Rage
Kenshin: So, this is Kanryuu's mansion?
Sanosuke: Yeah. No matter how many times I see it, this huge place still gives me the creeps.
So, how bout we get these guys?
(the guards are already taken out.)
Kenshin: Speed is the thing in a sneak attack with a small force. We destroy the gate and
rush through the entrance with our full strength.
Sanosuke: So, a frontal assault. All right.
Yahiko: Sanosuke. Make sure you keep up.
(a brief scuffle)
Kenshin: Let’s go!!
(Inside. Kanryuu greets Megumi from an armchair in a rich Western-style room)
Kanryuu: Welcome back, Megumi. I thought you’d return. Since this is the only place you
have to come back to. By the way, our stock of the Spider’s Web has run out. You’ll make
us some more.
(Megumi says nothing.)
Kanryuu: This is troublesome. You always were difficult. (moving towards her, tilting her
chin up) I always thought you were pretty, but . . .
Megumi: What you think is pretty is the profits from the opium I make.
Kanryuu: Yes, and it makes you all the prettier.
Megumi: Perhaps . . . but unfortunately, I didn’t come here to make opium.
Kanryuu: What?
Megumi (pulling a short sword out of her sleeve): Takeda Kanryuu, I came here to kill you.
(He leaps back, taking a cut to the elbow.)
Megumi: Don’t worry. You and I share the same fate. I told you returning here would mean
death. I have no will to live as I am, bearing my sins. We’ll fall into hell togethe, as penace for
the suffering we’ve brought with our opium.
(Kanryuu screams.)
Megumi: The sword--
Aoshi (behind her): It’s here. (holding it up.)
Kanryuu (breathing hard): That . . . that bitch! (beating her)
Just because I failed in torturing your doctor, and treated you so kindly, you think you can
get away with this! How dare you make a fool of the great
Kanryuu!
(Megumi falls to the ground.)
Kanryuu (to Aoshi): Call my guards. Have them torture her until she gives us the refining
process.
Aoshi: The men are all outside. Listen.
Kanryuu: That’s the emergency whistle . . .
Aoshi: He’s here!
(Kanryuu’s men are massed in front of the house. Kenshin sends them flying one after another.)
Fighters: That speed! Is he human?!
Sanosuke: Hey hey hey hey! If you let yourself get distracted--
(they sail through the air as well)
Sanosuke: You’re gonna get hurt!
Yahiko (running after them): Sanosuke! I said keep up!
Sanosuke: Is he still saying that? Stubborn brat.
Fighters (unable to withstand the double onslaught): Strong . . . these two are too strong!!!
Yahiko: These THREE, you bastards!!
Sanosuke (thinking): We’ve about settled the swordsmen and the yakuza . . . the infantry!
(a neat formation of ten uniformed soldiers carrying pistols stand before them.)
Commander: Ready, take aim--
(Kenshin scatters them before they can shoot.)
Commander: He didn’t even flinch before the barrel of a gun . . . Now! He’s stopped moving!
Fire!!
Kenshin: Sano! Yahiko!
Sanosuke: Jump, Yahiko!
(Yahiko does so without thinking. Sanosuke seizes him by the collar of his shirt.)
Sanosuke (throwing him at the soldiers): Your turn! Let’s see some action!
(He flies forward, hitting several with his bokitou.)
Commander (hitting him): That brat! (he aims, but his hand is empty.)
Yahiko (holding the gun): Looking for something? Guess those pickpocket skills I hated so much
are coming in handy. You never know what life brings. BAM!!
(The commander about dies of shock.)
Yahiko (tossing it away): Idiot. Did you think I’d really fire? I’m a swordsman! I don’t
need to rely on guns!
Infantry (taking aim): You brat! Don’t be so confident!
(Kenshin and Sanosuke take out the remaining soldiers.)
Kenshin: Are you all right, Yahiko? From here on it’s serious.
Yahiko (even though he’s breathing hard): I’m gonna be fine. I’m not leaving until you leave.
Kenshin: All right. That’s the spirit.
Sanosuke: Just make sure you keep up.
Yahiko: I’m not the one standing behind and throwing people!
Sanosuke: Hey, I just let you have a turn. You should be thanking me.
Kanryuu (watching from a balcony above): I don’t understand. Why? For what reason would
Himura Battousai . . . How does he stand to gain by coming so far for this woman . . . !?
Aoshi: If Hitokiri Battousai cared for profit and loss he’d be an officer in the military by
now. A businessman like you couldn’t understand, but we and the Ishin Shishi were the kind of
people who would die for their beliefs. In this world where even the shadows of most of the
Ishin Shishi have rotted away, it’s good to know that such a man still lives. After ten years,
we have bait to draw out a great Ishin Shishi opponent! He’ll be our prey!