Naki no Ryuu Chapter 8 and Complete Volume 1

Yup, we're a full volume into Ryuu now. Only 8 more to go.

Thanks to Penchan for the cleans and typesetting.

Download Chapter 8
Download Volume 1



The chapter names are still names of Buddhist/Hindu deities, but starting with this chapter the names are of a specific set of deities: the 12 Heavenly Generals. The 12 Heavenly Generals are deities that protect the Medicine Buddha and those faithful to his teachings, and fight against sickness and the enemies of Buddhism. They are depicted wearing full armor and helmets or spiked hair, and have angry facial expressions due to their rage towards their enemies. Since they are almost always shown in a protective circle around the Medicine Buddha, and never alone, I can't say much about them individually. They are often associated with the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac though so I will mention that.

Vajra is known as Basara in Japan and is associated with the ox.



Anyways, I can't write a post about this chapter without mentioning all the things that happened. The most important thing is that this chapter is the first one where Ryuu says "Your back is covered in soot." This line is probably the most famous saying in Naki no Ryuu, and even the Japanese readers are somewhat baffled as to what it really means. That's why I decided to just translate it literally, to keep that level of mystique surrounding Ryuu. Otherwise, I probably would've said "Your back is covered in dust," in reference to his explanation of the phrase.

It's really interesting how Ryuu seems to begin to respect Kai by the end of the chapter, almost as if he can hear Kai talking to the president about his actions. I suppose that while his rampant destruction in a struggle for power represented everything Ryuu hates about the yakuza, he was doing it more as a way to express his appreciation for the president and to set a good example for his underlings than any sort of personal advancement.


P.S. Remember when I mentioned that the Japanese word for "Asura" can mean "destruction?" Well, the part where it refers to Ryuu as "following the path of destruction" is an example of that.