* Yuu Yuu Hakusho Manga Translation * * Volume 3: The demonic forest * * Chapter eight (25): Forward for the test! * Yuusuke: Darn! A rare school vacation and I have to come to this deathly isolated mountain area! According to the map, if I reach this stone step... Eh? Is this the place? [DON] [Master Genkai's disciple making tournament] Yuusuke: Tournament? This isn't the Olympics! I hope there're toilets and bathrooms here! !! So many people! They're all here in hope of being disciples? (looks at some of them) Yuusuke: *Hm... they're all weirdos! I wonder what kind of character is this Genkai!* Person: Once Genkai mentioned she wanted to take a disciple, so many people have gathered! Person: Because she's got the abilities to be a good master! Person: But I suppose the training will be excrutiatingly tough before the inheritance of the skill! Yuusuke: ... *Perhaps I have to go through some tough test or tedious tournament just to be shortlisted! Ah! I shouldn't have come. All because of Botan's honeyed words...* [few days ago] Yuusuke: I'm supposed to do undercover investigation this time round? So, where am I supposed to go? Surely I'm not going to the Demon world (Makai)? Botan: Relax! It's in the Ningenkai. Koenma-sama has a friend, Genkai. This Genkai is currently accepting disciples, and you're supposed to go as someone interested. Yuusuke: Just who is this Genkai? Botan: A great figure! Of all the people Koenma-sama knows, she's the creme of the crop in rei abilities. She's never wanted to take in a disciple, but her time seems to be running out, so she expressed the desire to pass on her self-cultivated abilities to a later generation. "Koenma: Many demons yearn to know the source behind Genkai's secret skills, and many demons have suppressed their activities because of Genkai's frightening ability to vanquish them, but if they are able to acquire this terrifying skill for themselves, it would become an invincible weapon to them. *My butt still hurts*." Botan: That's what's going on. Yuusuke: So I'm supposed to observe from within and stop them from getting this secret skill? Botan: That's right! It's your job as a Reikai Tantei. "Koenma: You can treat it as a training, too... I know you'll never be able to make it if you don't have a go at this..." Botan: *Woah! That is a secret!* Actually, what you're supposed to watch out for is a demon called Randou in the underworld. His profession is to unveil secrets. As of now, he has acquired the secrets of 99 highly skilled rei exponents. Word has it that he intends to make Master Genkai's his hundredth. [Everytime he takes a secret away, he converts it into his own secret move, using humans to experiment with his newfound skills. Of so many people who are reported missing every year, much have become Randou's guinea pigs in these experiments.] Botan: If Master Genkai's skills lands in his hands, this amount of people will increase by folds. Yuusuke: Hm... This is indeed something catastrophic for the human family. Botan: Isn't that so? Yuusuke: But for me to use the incoming holidays to play my life away is very important as well. Botan: You're not supposed to compare them! Yuusuke: This is the biggest problem to me now! Botan: ... Ah yes, once that mission is accomplished, the reward would be due. Yuusuke: Reward? Botan: Front row tickets to the World Wrestling Federation, Tokyo Royal Rumble if you do it! Yuusuke: I accept the job! As a human, I must prevent that guy from getting the secret! WAHAHAH! Botan: Right! Yuusuke: *Now that I think about it, I've been completely used! But when did Botan know I was a wrestling fan? Oh well, as long as I'm not chosen, I can go out and play.* Kuwabara: Hm? Hey! Urameshi! Yuusuke: Hm? KUWABARA!? Kuwabara: What're you doing here? Yuusuke: And what're YOU doing here? Kuwabara: My rei abilities have sharpened recently, and I'm always seeing weird things and hearing weird stuff. My sis encouraged me to come down here for a look, and all I see is this! Yuusuke: Oh yeh! Just what kind of a person is this Genkai? Kuwabara: Honestly, just what are you here for? From what my sis said, Genkai's someone who utilizes the Reikohadou (Movement of the spirit force) with high expertise. [The spirit waves enshrouding a human is termed as 'Reikohadou', and if one is able to use it at will, all kinds of things would be possible. Concentrating the spirit waves on the fists to shatter hard materials, or mixing it with the life force to help in healing. A person like Genkai is able to, without moving, defeat the opponent facing her.] Voice: Silence! Master Genkai is appearing to greet everybody! (the door slides open) [JAN] Yuusuke: That old granny's Master Genkai? *Unbelievable... is she really that strong?* Genkai: Oh boy! So many are gathered here? Then we'll begin our test immediately! Person: I'm sure the Master's test is very strict. Person: Whatever obstacle comes, we'll overleap it! Yuusuke: Woah... Genkai: For the first test, we'll... DRAW LOTS! Yuusuke: What? Draw lots? Persons: Just what is she trying to do? Genkai: Everybody come up to draw a lot from this vase. Yuusuke: *This is obviously a senile old lady! This was indeed a wild-goose chase! Fine! Even if I don't get it, no one can blame me! A great excuse to return to civilization right away.* Kuwabara: *I was here to discuss about my problem...* Genkai: Everybody open their lots and see. If you've got a red paper, it means you've been chosen, and you've passed the first round. People: Ah! I didn't get it! Wah! Neither did I! Darn! Not me! Yuusuke: Not me! Not me! Ah! Kuwabara and Yuusuke: I've got it. You've got it too? Genkai: *This paper has been specially made. Only those with a certain level of rei ability is able to evoke a red reaction from that paper.* Those who has been chosen follow me, and those who hasn't can return right now. Goofs: WAIT! We're the rei experts from the nine regions. We came specially here and you let us draw lots? What is the meaning of this? People: Ah! Some goon ten times the size of Master Genkai's got an opinion! I can understand their feelings! To have been kicked out drawing lots... what's the meaning of this? Goofs: Tell us a reason! If we're not satisfied with the reason, we won't spare you even if you're a master! Genkai: You frustrating pieces of garbage! I let you go home in one piece and you want to try it the hard way now? As rei experts you couldn't even pick the lots? Go home and sleep! Goofs: Uu... how dare you poke fun of us! Stupid old hag! Unforgivable! Yuusuke: Ah! The two giants are angry! I don't know what powress that old granny has, but she's in a disadvantage on pure raw power alone! Genkai: HAH!! Yuusuke: ... !? People: She... didn't even touch them! The two giants just flew back like that! Yuusuke: *This is Master Genkai's Reikohadou... ?" Genkai: Wow! I'm getting along in my years... if it has been before, I would have gotten rid of those fellows by just staring. My reikohadou had deproved, too. But at least you understand that real strength doesn't come from body size, and at least I know that those who passed were better than the two of them. Don't stand there dumbfounded! Follow me. People: She lives up to her reputation... frightening! Yuusuke: *A skill that makes even demons fear... if learnt, it would become an invincible weapon... I see! Now I'm really interested in learning. Oh yeh, I need to check if that demon Randou is amongst the few here. Maybe I can do it with the youki detector...* (the detector explodes) Yuusuke: Eh? It broke down? Kuwabara: Hey! What're you doing? Yuusuke: *"If a powerful demon like Randou is just around, the detector might be destroyed," Botan said that before! Randou... is indeed amongst the remaining few!* END TRANSLATION 1/2/99 (c) Togashi Yoshihiro Translation: fwah@geocities.com