Chapter 084

The Threat Known as Emperor (エンペラーの脅威, Enperā no Kyōi, "Emperor's Threat") is the eighty-fourth chapter of Initial D.

Plot
Kyoichi scouts out Akina in his Evo III.

At the gas station the next day, Iketani tells Itsuki and Takumi about the events on Myogi. Itsuki thinks that the Takahashi's will be able to stop them, but Iketani reminds him that Emperor will eventually come to face the SpeedStars. Iketani intends to face Emperor himself, but tells Takumi that they'll really be after him. He says that he doesn't have to race if he doesn't want to, as he isn't a member of the SpeedStars. Takumi tells him that he wants to face them in order to defend Akina, which shocks everyone. Overhearing this, Yuichi decides to talk to Bunta.

That evening, Yuichi explain the situation to Bunta, but he refuses to budge on upgrading the car. Yuichi asks him what the last thing Takumi has to do before he'll go through with it, and Bunta tells him that Takumi needs to lose.

Elsewhere, Emperor celebrate another victory. Seiji wishes to face a skilled racer, and asks Kyoichi if he knows where they'll find one. Kyoichi tells him that they'll attack Akina tomorrow, and that he'll be the one to race. Seiji argues that they don't need to waste his Evo III on an Eight-Six.

Bunta explains that Takumi has reached a limit with his learning, and that without losing he wouldn't appreciate the increase in horsepower that the new engine would give. He says Takumi needs to push the Eight-Six to its limits and still lose before he'll upgrade it.

Japan

 * April 21st 1997 (Weekly Young Magazine, 1997 Volume 18)
 * September 5th 1997 (Tankōbon, Volume 08)

Chinese

 * August 1st 1998 (Tankōbon, Volume 08, Sharp Point Press)

English

 * October 7th 2003 (Tankōbon, Volume 08, Tokyopop)
 * April 17th 2019 (Digital re-release, Volume 07, Kodansha USA)

French

 * April 22nd 2010 (Tankōbon, Volume 08, Kazé)

Italian

 * August 29th 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 04, J-Pop)

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Kyoichi Sudo
 * Koichiro Iketani
 * Itsuki Takeuchi
 * Takumi Fujiwara
 * Yuichi Tachibana
 * Bunta Fujiwara
 * Seiji Iwaki

Cars (in order of appearance)

 * Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A)
 * Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A)
 * Toyota Sprinter Trueno 3door GT-APEX (AE86)