KATANAGATARI 2
Azekura must have known what was about to happen, but hoisted up into the air, he could offer little resistance. Out of options, he cursed out Shichika in every way imaginable.
It blocked armor-piercing blows─and blocked out water and extreme heat.
It could even block Zanto the Razor.
Unparalleled in armor class, Zokuto the Armor was devised to block a wide range of attacks, but being picked up by another person was not one of them!
Which left Azekura─with no recourse but to curse and curse some more.
“How are you a swordsman, or a sword?! This strongman show of strength─what kind of sword behaves this way?”
“…I owe you my deepest thanks, Kanara Azekura.”
While the battle was not over yet, a look of ease had crept across Shichika’s face.
“You’ve helped me realize something. I may be the Seventh Master of the Kyotoryu, and sure, I’m a katana─but at the same time, I’m a human being.”
“…nkk!”
“But Azekura, there’s one more thing I’d like to say.”
Summoning his full force, Shichika─dropped down Kanara Azekura’s giant form.
“Keep your hands off my woman.”
The Armor landed with a great metallic clang─and while the Mutant Blade, this masterwork of Kiki Shikizaki, crashed into the ground without suffering a single scratch, the same could not be said about the man inside.
Kanara Azekura was down for the count.
The referee was speechless, unable to believe what he had seen with his own eyes. Since he could not carry out his duty to the Basket, Togame made the call instead.
“Match.”
1 だまし DAMASHI cheating
2 業腹 GŌHARA “active belly” aggravate
3 全身鎧 ZENSHIN YOROI “whole body armor”
4 詮無き SEN’NAKI futile
5 降参 KŌSAN surrender; cry uncle
6 砂かぶり SUNA KABURI “covered in sand” the sought-after seats edging a sumo ring
7 体裁 TEISAI public image
8 愛着 AICHAKU “loving attachment”
9 様子見 YŌSUMI seeing how things will go
10 おもり OMORI (dead) weight; sinker (in fishing)
11 螺旋 RASEN spiral
12 後如 GOSHIKU not a word, plays on ゴシック GOSHIKKU Gothic (a common font)
13 申し訳程度 MŌSHIWAKE TEIDO “almost apologetically”
14 琉球国 RYŪKYŪ KOKU modern-day Okinawa
15 かなら KANARA in hiragana here, rather than the character 必 KANARA “unfailing”
16 こころ KOKORO in hiragana too, rather than the character 心 KOKORO heart
17 旧態依然 KYŪTAI IZEN archaic and persistent
18 鉄槌 TETTSUI “iron hammer” draconian penalty
19 旗印 HATA JIRUSHI “flag mark” emblem
20 情 JŌ sympathy
21 丸後如 MARU GOSHIKU vs. 丸ゴシック MARU GOSHIKKU Gothic Round (font)
22 回処帯 KAISHOTAI (not a word) 回る MAWARU to turn 処 SHO place, spot 帯 TAI/OBI band vs. 楷書体 KAISHOTAI block style of writing/printing
23 眠調 MINCHŌ (not a word) 眠り NEMURI sleep 調べ SHIRABE tune, melody vs. 明朝 MINCHŌ a very standard typeface, often the default
24 前任者 ZEN’NIN SHA someone previously entrusted (with a task)
25 手も足も出ない TE MO ASHI MO DENAI “unable to stick out (use) hands or feet”
26 身を任せる MI WO MAKASERU “entrust one’s body/person”
27 自殺行為 JISATSU KŌI “suicidal act”
28 応援客 Ō’EN KYAKU cheering customers
29 知恵と[…]血を絞る CHI’E TO […]CHI WO SHIBORU squeeze (out) both wits and blood
30 ふられ FURARE spurned (by a lover), used here as a noun
31 刀賊鷗 TŌZOKU KAMOME “Sword Bandit Seagull” pun on トウゾクカモメ TŌZOKU KAMOME “thief gull” pomarine jaeger, a skua species
32 鎧の肩と腹 YOROI NO KATA TO HARA the armor’s shoulder and belly
33 固唾を呑む KATAZU WO NOMU “swallow a wad of spit”