Naruto Hiden

Chapter 41

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Pages 44 and 45

RAWEnglish「こいつらを調べればいいんで？」“So should I investigate these guys?”サイの渡したメモを手に、情報屋の男が言った。スキンヘッドで、眉も剃り落としているため、年齢のわかりにくい男だった。実際、何歳なのかサイも知らない。Sai had handed over a memo to the man. The informant spoke with it in his hands. He had a shaved head and had also shaved-off his eyebrows. Because of that, the man’s age was difficult to decipher. Actually, Sai also didn’t know how old the man was.里のはずれにある森のなかだった。木もれ日が、二人の周囲に落ちている。They were inside a forest at the outskirts of the village. Sunlight was filtering through the trees and fell upon their surroundings.「そうだ」と、サイはうなずいた。“That’s right” Sai responded and nodded.「……霧の抜け忍のテンゼン……、魂抜きのゲンバ…… 、犯罪結社『亡』の頭目、バラキ……どいつもこいつも手配凶度上位の大物ばかりじゃないですか」“……Tenzen, a nukenin from Kiri (/The Mist)……..and Genba from the Tamanuki…..and then Baraki, the leader of a crime a.s.sociation called 『Bou』……..it’ll be quite difficult to search every last one of them. They’re not just high-ranked and important people from the Tehaikyoudo, right?”情報屋は言った。近くを川が流れており、その水音のせいで、声は遠くには届かない。The informant had spoken. Nearby, a river was flowing. Because of the sound of the water, his voice would not be carried off too far away.「とりあえず、その三人をあたってほしい。不穏な動きはないか、どんなささいな情報でもいいから拾ってきてほしいんだ」“For now, I want you to get in contact with those three people. What kind of threatening activities are they doing? Any minor information on them will be fine. I want you to go and gather intelligence on them. ”「わかりました」“Understood”「三人の名、覚えたか？」“Do you remember the names of the three people?”情報屋がうなずいたので、サイは片手で簡単な印を結んだ。The informant nodded. Sai made a simple seal with one hand.情報屋の手にしていたメモの文字が、蒸発するように消えた。文字は、サイの持つ特殊な墨で書かれていた。The informant was still holding the memo in his hands. The letters on the memo then seemed to evaporate and vanish. The letters had been written with a special ink that Sai possessed.「しかしまた、なんでこいつらの動向を？」“But again, why (are you investigating) their movements?”「アンタが知る必要はないよ」“It’s unnecessary for you to understand why”「例の、御意見番のホムラ様が襲われた件のからみですか？」“As always, is it linked to the incident when Homura-sama from the Honorable Council was attacked?サイは情報屋の顔を見た。薄く笑っている。Sai observed the face of the informant. He smiled thinly.「よく知っているな」“You don’t need to know much about it”「こちとら、それが飯の種ですからね……で、今言った連中の誰かが怪しいんですか？」“Because it’s the source of our livelihood, right……So about those guys whom we were talking about, is somebody among them suspicious?”「アンタが知る必要はないと言っただろう」“Didn’t I say that it’s unnecessary for you to understand (why I’m investigating them)?”サイが一瞬目つきを鋭くすると、情報屋はぎくりとした顔になった。In an instant, the expression of Sai’s eyes became sharp. The informant’s facial expression then became startled.「おつと失礼。わきまえておきます」“Then excuse the latter. I understand.”相手が相手だから探るのに時間がかかるかもしれない、と言い置いて、情報屋は森をあとにした。サイも森を出て、里に向かう道を歩き出した。Perhaps it will take some time for him to investigate those guys. Sai left a few words with him, and then the man left the forest. Sai then also left the forest and then began walking on the route towards the village.

[T/N]

手配凶度 = Tehaikyoudo, which is a section of the Bingo-Book for highly sought after personnel. It literally means "Arranged by Degree of Evilness"テンゼン (Tenzen) means “peaceful” or “calm”魂抜き (Tamanuki) means ‘Without a soul’and his first name ゲンバ (Genba) can mean “scene of the crime”『亡』// "Bou"= Their group name literally means “The Deceased” or “The Perished”

Pages 46 and 47

RAWEnglish子飼いの情報屋を動かしたが、おそらくは空振りだろうな、という予感がしていた。He mobilized the informant, who was his protégé. However, Sai had a feeling that his efforts would probably be in vain.三人の大物犯罪者について、情報屋はなにがしかのネタを持ち帰ってくるだろうが、それが今回の事件につながる可能性は低いだろう。それでも行かせたのは、万が一を考えてのことだ。Those three people were important criminals. Even if his informant brought back some materials on them, there was probably a low likelihood that his information would be connected to the recent incidents. Yet Sai had made him proceed since he thought about it just in case (there were any potential leads).保養中の大名と、視察中の御意見番が襲われた。The daimyo had been recuperating when they were attacked, while the Honorable Council were attacked during an inspection.カカシは、単なる粗暴犯とは思えないと言っていたが、それはサイも同感だった。Kakas.h.i.+ has said that it wasn’t likely that these were merely typical violent criminals. Sai also agreed with him.カカシから密命を下された日、サイは暗部の資料室に出向き、二つの事件について調べてみた。The day that Sai had been given the secret command from Kakas.h.i.+, Sai had proceeded to the ANBU resource centre. He tried to investigate into the two incidents.大名は駕寵で移動中も、そして温泉場に着いてからも、暗部の強固な警護のもとにあった。その警護のわずかな隣をついて、温泉につかる大名の近くにクナイが一本飛来した。The daimyo had even moved with Kago. After their arrival and during the incident at the onsen, they were under the the firm gaurd of the ANBU escorts. The enemies were merely nearby those escorts as the daimyo were soaking in the onsen. Soon after, a kunai was flung at them.たかがクナイー本と軽視することはできなかった。そのクナイに起爆札でもついていたら、被害は甚大だったはずだ。Sai could not ignore that mere kunai. If that kunai had an exploding tag attached to it, then the damage would have been serious.視察中、暴漢に襲われた御意見番のホムラにも、暗部ではないが二名の忍が警護役としてそばについていた。During the Honorable Council’s inspection, Homura was even attacked by hoodlums. Even though there were no ANBU, there were using two s.h.i.+n.o.bi escorts nearby.暴漢は覆面をした三人の男だった。The hoodlums were three masked men.そのうちの一人に忍刀で斬りつけられ、ホムラは腕に軽い傷を負った。Eventually, one them slashed at Homura with a s.h.i.+n.o.bi sword. He gave Homura a minor wound.暴漢はすぐに逃走し、警護役がこれを追ったが、途中でまかれ、身柄を確保するには至らなかった。逃げた暴漢は、敵紫色のチャクラの衣をまとっていたという。The hoodlums had immediately escaped. The escorts pursued them, but they had scattered en route. They didn’t manage to detain anyone. The enemy who had escaped were clad in a coat of violet chakra.警備の追跡をかわしたこともそうだが、古強者のホムラに浅いとはいえ傷を負わせたことからも、相手が強い忍であることはわかった。敵の狙いや規模ま不明だが、忍としてのスキルだけなら、敵のそれは相当なものと見てよかった。It seemed as though they dodged the tracking of the escorts. Although they had inflicted a minor wound on the veteran Homura, he knew that the enemy s.h.i.+n.o.bi were strong. The enemy’s aims and plans were still unknown, but their skills as s.h.i.+n.o.bi were excellent. It was good that they had been closely observed .強い忍で、犯罪行為に手を染めるとなると、おのずと手配書の手配凶度の高い犯罪者に目がいく。As strong s.h.i.+n.o.bi with a hand in criminal acts, it was natural that they were in the Tehaikyoudou section of the Bingo-Book and were highly sought after criminals (for investigation). Their eyes went towards those criminals.だから、サイは情報屋に接触し、手配書上位者の動向を探らせることにした。無論、上位者すべてをあたらせるわけにはいかないから、明らかに違うと思われる者などは外しておいた。That’s why Sai contacted his informant. They were highly ranked personnel in the Bingo-Book. He had his informant investigate their movements. Of course, it would be impossible to have contact with all of those high-ranked people. Because obviously, these people were to be considered differently, and they could slip away.だが、そのぐらいの調査は、すでに暗部の人間もやっているだろう。そのうえで、カカシがサイに密命を下したということは、もっと得体の知れない何者かの存在を、カカシは事件の背後に感じているに違いない。However, the ANBU personnel had probably already been at their limit of the investigation and cooperation. In addition, Kakas.h.i.+ had given Sai a secret command. It had to be someone even more suspicious. Kakas.h.i.+ had felt that certainly such a mysterious person was behind the incidents.サイは、このあとの行動について考えた。Sai thought about the behavior (that he had been informed about) from before.事件の現場となった温泉場と演習場に行ってみようか、あるいはもう一度手配書を洗い直すか。そのとき、背後に気配を感じ、サイは立ち止まった。There was the incident where the scene of the crime was at the onsen. There was also the incident when (Homura) was trying to go to the training grounds. Should I go (and investigate those locations)? Or should I possibly reconsider the Bingo-Book once again? At that moment, he felt a presence behind him. Sai was standing still.

Pages 48 and 49

RAWEnglish森からは離れ、もう街区のなかに入っていたが、にぎやかなところではなかった。道沿いに、工場の裏手のコンクリート塀が続いている。人通りはない。サイがここに来るのを待って、相手は気配を消すのをやめたのかもしれなかった。He distanced himself from the forest. He had already entered into a plot of land, but it wasn’t a bustling location. En route, there was a concrete wall that continued behind a factory. There weren’t any pedestrians in the way. Sai waited there for their arrival. Perhaps the enemies would stop erasing their presence.戦いが、すぐに起こった。背後から手裏剣が飛んでくる。それを横に跳んでかわし、振り返って敵の人数を確認した。The battling happened immediately. A shuriken came flying from behind him. He leapt sideway to parry (the attack). Looking over his shoulder, he then confirmed the number of enemies.二十メートルほど先に、二人。黒い覆面をつけている。覆面の暴漢―― 御意見番を撃たやつだろうか。二人以外に仲間が潜んでいるかどうかは、わからなかった。Approximately twenty metres away, there were two people. They were wearing black masks. They were masked hoodlums ―― Perhaps they were the guys who had attacked the Honorable Council. With the exception of those two people, he didn’t know if there were any other hidden comrades.追撃が来た。They were coming in pursuit of Sai.一人がクナイを投げた。と同時に、もう一人が動いた。動いたほうは、クナイを逆手に持っている。飛来するクナイをよけさせ、サイの体勢が勝れたところを攻撃するつもりのようだ。連係の呼吸はよかった。One of them flung a kunai at him. At the same time, the other guy mobilized. He was holding a kunai with an underhand grip. The kunai was flying forth, but Sai avoided it. Sai outmatched it with his posture, and then prepared to attack. His breathing was excellently linked (to his readied stance).サイはクナイをかわし、そこへ肉薄してきたもう一人の攻撃も後方へ跳んでかわした。As Sai dodged the kunai, he came closer to the other person. He then leapt behind him to dodge another attack.跳びながら、巻物と筆をかまえる。While leaping, he prepared his scroll and drawing brush.――忍法・超獣偽画！――Ninpou: Choujuu Giga! (/Super-Beast Imitating Drawing)墨の線で描かれた二頭の虎に命が宿り、敵めがけて駆けていく。これで終わりだろう、とサイは思ったが、それは裏切られた。He drew two lines of ink, and then two tigers surged to life. They went running towards the enemy. ‘With this, it’ll be over’ Sai thought. However, he was mistaken.襲いかかった猛虎の一頭は、クナイで観か突かれて墨の飛沫に変わり、もう一頭は、噛みつこうとしたところをかわされて背中に乗られ、やはり首をクナイで刺されて墨に戻った。One of the fierce tigers that was attacking (the enemy) then seemed to be stabbed by a kunai. It changed into a splash of ink. The other tiger was trying to bite at them, but they dodged it. They rode upon it’s back and then stabbed it’s head with a kunai. The tiger reverted back into ink.サイは、はっとした。思いの外、強い。Sai was taken aback. They were unexpectedly strong.虎を倒した敵は、そのまま守勢に回らず、攻めかかってきた。The enemies had defeated the tigers. They didn’t continue to be on the defensive. They then started to attack.一人がクナイや手裏剣を飛ばし、サイがかわしたところへ、もう一人が踏みこんでくる。One person flung a kunai and a shuriken. Sai dodged it. The other person continued stepping.単調なコンビプレーだが、攻撃のキレがいいために、サイも反撃の糸口が掴めない。It was a monotonous combination-play, but it was in order (for a chance to pull off) a good attack. Sai was still unable to grasp the beginning of a counter-attack.サイは煙玉が地面に投げた。Sai hurled a smoke bomb onto the ground.ボンという破裂音とともに、煙幕が広がった。Together with an explosive ‘boom’ sound, the smokescreen then started to spread.サイは素早く煙の外に出、巻物に新たな絵を描いた。Sai nimbly maneuvered outside the fumes. He then drew something new in his scroll.煙が薄くなっていく。敵はクナイをかまえ、サイの攻撃に備えていた。The smoke was becoming thinner. The enemies were preparing their kunai, and readying themselves for Sai’s attack.サイが新たに描いた虎が、敵めがけて走っていった。今度の虎はさっきのよりも小さい。が、六頭に増やしておいた。Sai drew a new tiger, and it ran towards his opponents. It was even smaller than the tigers that he had drawn a while ago. However, there were now six of them.頭を低くして走る虎、高く飛ぶ虎、それぞれがトリッキーな動きで敵を撹乱する。The tigers lowered their heads and ran forth. They then jumped up high. Each of them had tricky movements that perturbed the enemies.虎の数が増えたことで、敵も攻めあぐねているようだ。Because the number of tigers had increased, it seemed as though the enemies were becoming disheartened about how to proceed.――よし！――Alright!

Pages 50 and 51

RAWEnglishサイはクナイを手に、乱戦の渦中に飛びこんだ。Sai flung a maelstrom and melee of kunai from his hands.――まずはこいつから……。“I’ll start from this guy first……”距離的に近かったほうにクナイで迫る。It was a shorter distance, and the kunai were pressing closer to them.が、次の瞬間、敵のチャクラが倍増した。ぼっと燃えるようにチャクラが膨れ上がり、それが衣のように全身を包みこんだのだ。爆発的に増えた敵のチャクラは、その爆発力だけで二頭の虎を墨に戻した。But at the next moment, the enemy’s chakra had doubled. Their chakra seemed to be flaring and burning up as it swelled up. It was like a coat that was bundling up their entire bodies. The enemy’s chakra tremendously increased. With only (experiencing) that explosive power, two of Sai’s tigers had reverted back into ink.「――!」「――!」サイは目を見開いた。Sai opened his eyes widely.なかなかやる、というレベルではなかった。チャクラの量だけは上忍クラスといってもよかった。そして、驚くべきは、チャクラが増えたことよりも、彼らの体を包む、チャクラの衣の様子だった。By no means was he prepared for this sort of level (of chakra). This amount of chakra (was only typically seen) among those in the Jounin cla.s.s. And so, he was astonished that their chakra had increased. Even apart from that, their bodies were in a state where they were wrapped with a coat of chakra.――あれは……尾か？――Are those…..tails?薄紫色のチャクラの衣、その尻の部分に、三十センチほどの長さの尾が生えている。It was a light purple coat of chakra. On their b.u.t.tocks, they were growing a tail that was about a thirty centimeters in length.観察は、しかしそこまでだった。That was all that he could observe.虎の攻撃をかいくぐり、一人がサイとの距離を詰めてきた。瞬く間に体術による接近戦が始まる。They slipped through the attacks of the tigers. One of the enemies then shortened the distance between them and Sai. In the blink of an eye, they had begun close-combat with taijutsu.互いの挙と蹴りとクナイが交錯した。They were entangled in eachother’s fists, kicks, and kunai.敵が不意に身を屈め、足払いをかけてきた。サイはそれを食らって転倒した。His opponent then suddenly stooped his body in order to trip him. Sai took the blow and fell down.相手はすぐさまサイに馬乗りになり、クナイを振り下ろした。かわせず、クナイがサイの胸を突いた――瞬間、サイの体が墨に戻った。墨分身を捨て駒にして、オリジナルのサイが現れ、逆襲に転じた。分身に戸惑う敵の背後から蹴りを見舞う。The enemy immediately sat upon Sai’s back. He swung a kunai downwards at him. Sai wasn’t disturbed as the kunai pierced his chest. In an instant, Sai’s body turned into ink. Sacrificing his ink buns.h.i.+n (/clone), the original Sai appeared. He s.h.i.+fted for a counterattack.ヒットした。敵は吹っ飛び、地面を数メートル転がった。起き上がり、しかし反撃には出なかった。His strike was a success. He opponent was blown away. He tumbled several metres along the ground. However, he did not counterattack as he arose.敵はそのまま後ろ向きに跳び、逃走を図った。チャクラが増したぶん、そのスピードは速かった。The enemy turned his back towards Sai and leapt away. He was attempting to escape. Since his chakra was increasing, he had a brisk speed.――追うか、それとも……――Should I pursue him? Or…….サイは、もう一人の敵に視線を飛ばした。Sai diverted his gaze at the other enemy.四頭の虎を一人で相手にするのはきつかったようだ。二頭は倒したようだが、残る二頭によって完全に地面に組み伏せられている。チャクラの衣は、もう消えていた。It was four tigers against one person. It seemed to be difficult (for the other guy to escape as well). However, it seemed as though he has defeated two of them. There were two of them left, and they were completely pinning him to the ground. His coat of chakra was already vanis.h.i.+ng.サイは、逃げた男を追うのを諦めた。Sai gave up (his idea) to pursue after the man who escaped.組み伏せられた男に近づいた。He then approached the man who was being pinned down.うつ伏せの男は顔を横にして、苦しげな声をもらしていた。He was laying face-down with his face turned to the side. He emitted a pained voice.

Pages 52 and 53

RAWEnglish覆面からのぞく目が、サイを睨んでいる。が、その瞳には怯えの色もあった。The enemy’s eyes were peeking through the mask and glaring at Sai. However, those eyes had a hint of trepidation as well.「何者だ？」“Who are you?”サイは聞いた。男は答えない。Sai asked the man, but he did not answer.「正直に答えるなら、取り調べのあとの処遇にも配慮する」”Honestly, even if you don’t reply, think about your treatment after your investigation. Take that into consideration”言ったが、それはエサだった。取り調べ後、この男をどうするかは、サイの一存で決められることではない。Sai said it in order to bait him. After being investigated, what would happen to the man? Sai did not have that responsibility. It wasn"t something for Sai to decide.「ほ、本当に.....」” Re- really?….”と、男が掠れた声で言った直後だった。The man said it immediately afterwards with a slurred voice.おうっ、と奇妙な声を上げ、男が目を剥いた。すぐに全身の痙攣が始まり、それは、男を押さえこんでいる虎の脚をはねのけんばかりだった。Then he raised his strange voice, and peeled his eyes wide open. Immediately afterwards, his whole body began to convulse. They almost pushed aside the legs of the tigers that were pinning him down.「どうした！」“What’s wrong!”サイは、虎を墨に返し、男の傍らにしゃがみこんだ。Sai reverted his tigers back into ink. He then squatted down next to the man.男の呼吸が浅く、速くなっている。なにかを言おうとしているが、それは声にはならず、喉の奥で軌んだような音になるだけだ。The man’s respirations were shallow and quickening. He was trying to say something. However, his voice seemed to be stuck only within his throat (and he couldn’t speak). He was only producing noises.「おい――」“Oi!――”と、男の体に触れて、サイは危機を察した。男のうなじの辺りに、梵字に似た紋様が浮かんでいた。As Sai was speaking, he was touched by the man’s body. Sai felt that he was in a crisis. Near the nape (of the man’s neck), a pattern surfaced. It resembled Sanskrit characters.――やばい、こいつは――――This is bad. This guy is going to――サイが弾かれたように後方へ跳んだ直後、男の体が爆発した。血と肉と骨を飛散させて、男は死亡した。Sai immediately leapt away and flipped back in order (to avoid the man). Right afterwards, the man’s body detonated. Blood, flesh, and bone were scattered away. The man died.サイは、着地した場所で静かに息を吐いた。Sai landed at his location and was calmly breathing.敵の手に落ちた忍が、自ら命を絶つことは珍しくない。When s.h.i.+n.o.bi fall into the enemy’s hands, It wasn’t unusual for them to take their own lives.拷問や、あるいは瞳術などにより、相手にこちらの情報を盗まれることを避けるためだ。死んだのち、自分の死体を解剖されることを恐れて、爆死を選ぶケースもある。They (commit suicide because of impending) torture and possibly even because of (concealing the secrets of their) doujutsu. They do this in order to avoid any information from being stolen (from the bodies). After dying, they fear that their own corpse will be autopsied. And so, it’s the case that he choose death by explosion.やはり、とサイは思った。‘It’s just as I expected’ Sai thought.――簡単な事件じゃないみたいだな……。――This doesn’t seem to be a simple incident…..

//End Translation.

//Section 1 completed.

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