Meriken Releases

Translation: Soil 25

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:38:30 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Soil, Volume 4, Chapter 25 (pp. 7~30)

<7>
[x3]=Rawr rawr!

=Woof woof!
=Woof woof woof!

=Ruff ruff ruff!

=Bark! Bark!

=Grrrr
=What's going on this morning?
=Woof woof
=Ruby! Quite down!
=I can't slee—p.
=It's still this early?
=Ruff ruff!
=This is giving me a headache—

<8>
[x3]=Huff

=Mommy—! Peach got outside—!
[x4]=Huff
=Oh dear,
=I told you to keep him in the cage at night...

[x2]=Peach—?

<9>
[x?]=Huff

<10>
[x6]=Huff

<11>
=Onoda.
=Huh?

=How old are you, again?

=Sir, uhh...
=I-I-
"Anomalies"
=I turned 27 last month.

<12>
=And? When are you gonna quit this job?
=WHIRRR
=No one's gonna marry you when you get old.
=Or did you already give up 'cause you're ugly?

=Th-That qualifies as sexual harassment, Detective Yokoi.
[x3]=RUB
=Hah!

=Why don't you just give up already?
=WHIRRR
=You know you're not cut out to be a detective, don't you?

<13>
=I-I was wrong in suspecting Mr. Tokita, but...
=Th-The real "man with scales" must be hiding somewhere...
=A-A-And there's still so many "mysteries" that need to be solved...

=Hmph... "Alien salt," huh...
=That crap is out of our jurisdiction.
[x2]=RUB

=I-I-I still believe that everything about this case can be explained logically.
[x2]=RUB
=Every "mystery" can be solved...

=A-A-And above all, we need the uncover the whereabouts of the Suzushiro Family and Officer Ichinose as soon as...
=Ahhh—

=How long is this heat wave gonna last!?
[x2]=SNIFF
=Just makes me wanna give up on everything.
=Huh!?

<14>
=WHIRRR
=Huuuh!?

=What the hell? We just passed this place.
=Huh? Huh?
=D-D-Did I make a wrong turn?

=How the fuck do you get lost in a place like this, you idiot.
=This is why women are so...
=WHIRRR
=Huh? Huh? Huh?

<15>
=You're late, Mr. Yokoi and Ms. Onoda.
=This moron kept getting lost.

=Circling around the same place over and over again...
=Took us forever to get here.

<16>
[x3]=Pant
[x3]=GACHUK

[x4]=Pant
[x3]=GACHUK

=Everywhere in town.
[x2]=POKE

=Hundreds of dead pigeons lying around...
[x2]=POKE
=Stop poking around, Mr. Tamura!

<17>
=I'm telling you this town is being attacked by aliens!
=It was a UFO! With electromagnetic radiation! It's killing the pigeons!
=Yeah yeah, go away.
=You're embarrassing me, Seki.

=They probably poisoned the birds,
=And scattered the bodies around town at night.

=You think this has anything to do with the crop circles from before?
=That would make this an organized affair with a good number of people...

[x3]=Pant
[x2]=GACHUK

=I-I-I believe the issue is whether a further connection can be made with the "salt mountain..."
=Wh-Whether we should establish a connection with the disappearance of the Suzushiro family and Officer Ichinose or not...

<18>
[x4]=Pant
[x2]=GACHUK

=So what the fuck do you expect us to do with this!?

=I told you this kinda stuff is out of our jurisdiction!
=Just leave this crap to Katakuri!

=S-S-Speaking of which, where is Officer Katakuri...?
=Ohh,
=I think he got a call from the middle school.

=The middle school?
=GASHUK

<19>
=Owwwwww!!
=RATTLE CRASH

=H-H-H-H-Hello everyone!!
[x2]=SHUK

=Uhh... I have no idea what's going on again!
=I-I-I'd like you to take a look at this...

<21>
=Man—What the hell is going on!?
=Who the hell did this!? Fucking asshole!

=First it was "salt," and now it's holes!?
=When are we gonna actually be able to have class!?
=Not that there's any students anyways!

=S-So what do you make of this...?
=What's the meaning of this...?

=How come all this stuff is happening all of a sudden...?
=I really don't get what heck is going on...
=Calm down, Mr. Katakuri.

<22>
=What's going on here...?
=What's going on...?
=What do you think this means...?

[x2]=What's going on...?

=...Mystery...

<24>
[x7]=CLANK

<25>
[x3]=GACHUK

=GONK

[x3]=GACHUK

<27>
=Looks like this was brought over from the empty lots outside town.
=We've found several traces of dug up earth.

=Geez, I really have no idea what's going on here.
=Have you seen the other stuff?

<28>
=There's shoes hanging from the power lines...

=A tree planted upside down in the park,

=And the public restroom over by the river is all trussed up with yarn...

<29>
=What's going on...?
=What do you think this means...?

=Th-This is bad, Tomiyama!
=The aliens are really starting to take action!
=Oh really?

=What's gonna happen...?
=What's gonna happen to this town...?

=S-S-S-S-Sergeant Yokoi...
=Wh-Wh-What do you think is happening here?
=Wh-Wh-Why would anyone do something like this...?

<30>
=Ahh—
=Fuck.

=How long is this heat wave gonna last...?

Translation: Liar Game 6a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:14:28 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 6 (pp. 175~205)

<175>
When I was little, I read in a book...
That every gendered species is naturally born with the ability to "sense" a partner that is best suited to them.
Supposedly, it's caused by the attraction of the DNA, wanting to create the best possible combination of genes for the next generation.
Humans are no exception. We also have this ability.
And the instant it comes into play is called—
Love... At first sight.

@Lovers

=...And according to that legend, Hisashi's destined to be with his current girlfriend. This lady right here.
Well... Heh-heh
=Wow! {She's cute...}

=That's such an unbelievably poor match.
=This photo totally lowers the credibility of that legend.
=What!? How come—!?

Yep... My instinct told me that she... Miss Haruka was the one.
It truly was love at first sight.
But if you ask me if I think I'm really destined to be with Miss Haruka...

These days, I'm starting to lose confidence.

<176>
@Lovers

<177>
*tension*

=Which wine will you have, sir?
=W-Wine?
=Let's see...

=Oh!! I've heard of this one before!
=How about Calon-Segur?//It's a really nice wine.

=Okay,
SMILE
=Let's have that one.

We're almost a year into our relationship. She's kind, quiet, elegant, and I know she loves me. The problem is...
PHEW—
[bubble]Good thing I read that sommelier manga

I just don't feel at ease when I'm with her.

<178>
The biggest reason for that is the gap in our upbringings... She's the daughter of a wealthy, established family, and I'm your typical hick from the countryside.

I invited her to this expensive restaurant saying it was my favorite restaurant, but this is actually the first time I've ever been in here.
I've never had wine before.
And even though I did go to one of the top colleges in the country, I had to apply twice before I actually got in. And I only took evening classes to boot.

But I can't tell her that! No matter what!!
=The city looks beautiful at night, doesn't it?

=Yeah—!! And the wind feels really nice, too.
This is the MG Convertible I bought to go out on a date with her. I'm paying for it in 80 installments... I quit my hobby, betting on horse races, just for this.

=Well?
=How's work? Are you busy?

=Uhh... Yeah.//Our server went down the other day, and I had to stay up all night trying to recover the data.

=Wow... That high-tech stuff really sounds hard...
=R-Really?
I've told her I work at a computer company.

I do work with computers. But actually...

<179>
=Hikishi—! The blowoff valve isn't opening up—!
[x2]BEE—P
=That's weird...
I'm a factory worker.

=Go take a look at the pipes!
=Yes sir!

=Damn it—!
=It's leaking air again—!
PSS—T

It's not like I feel inferior or anything...
But it's not easy...

*sigh—*
Are Miss Haruka and I...
Really meant to be together?

[sign]No internet browsing in the control room!!

=Huh?

<180>
[banner]Your destined lover IS RIGHT HERE!!

=Destined...
=Lover...?

[bubble]CLICK

@Lovers
Are you happy with your current love life?
Is your current partner really someone who you could spend the rest of your life with?
With expert scientific input from psychologists and geneticists,
And 55 years of experience in the bridal business,
Coupled with a rich network of over 1.5 million members,
We'll be sure to introduce you to your ultimate life partner!

Ohh...
Just another dating website, huh...

So what are you waiting for? Register now!!
Your ultimate match is awaiting you!!

...My ultimate...
...Match...

Strangely enough, those words tickled my interest.
ultimate match

<181>
=What!?
=And you registered!?

=...Yep.
Heh-heh
=Wow
=With a cute girlfriend like that?
=You suck
=Pervert
=Freak

=I-I've got nothing to be ashamed of!!
=I just wanna get to know girls who are a good match for me—//And use that knowledge to improve my relationship with Miss Haruka, okay...!
=Ohhhh

=But I thought you were destined to be with Miss Haruka.
=You've got nothing to worry about, right?

True...
If I was really satisfied with my relationship with Miss Haruka, I probably wouldn't have thought about registering in the first place—

=I've already got a message from @Lovers!!
[bottom email]@Lovers

<182>
Dear Mr. Ta-Ke,
@Lovers has found 11 members with whom you are an 80% match or better.

"Ta-Ke" is my username, of course. This site always uses an alias to prevent leaking private information.
In case you're wondering, "Ta-Ke" was the name of the pet dog I used to have when I was a kid.

[bubble]CLICK

List of Matches
[names from top]Minami//Tomo//Sumire//Himawari//Nana//Ringo//Murasami//Ryon-Ryon//Mira//Kana//Satsuki
BAM

Listed there were the usernames of girls who (apparently) are a good match for me,
Along with their email addresses, and a percentage indicating the level of the match.

But gee...

With all these matches in the 80% range, this 99.9% match is—
Satsuki

Satsuki...
[x3]THUMP
I want to know what she's like...

<183>
=Ahhh—!!
=What in the world am I thinking—!!//I already have a real girlfriend—!!

But...
It wouldn't hurt just to say hi, right?

Hey there,
My name is Ta-Ke.
I'm a 27 year old working at a paper manufacturing factory in the city.
I joined @Lovers because I wanted to know what kind of girl would make a good match for me.
TTYL

[button]Send
[bubble]CLICK

=I sent it...

But is it really okay for me to do this—?

=Oh well.//Who cares, right?//I might not even get a response anyways!
Hah—
Hah Hah

...However...

<184>
=I got a response the very next day.
[button]You have one new message

=F-
=For real?

=I-I'm about to read the writing of my ultimate match...
[x3]THUMP
[bubble]CLICK

Hi nice to meet you!!
This is Satsuki!!
I guess we're the same age.
I'm an office worker.
...But I just do some paperwork for my father. It's nothing fancy.
He's the owner of a small-town factory.
You seem like a really interesting sort of guy, Mr. Ta-Ke.
[bubble]Maybe it was the TTYL

I was born and raised in downtown, so people tell me I'm pretty headstrong.
[x5]THUMP
=Wow
=She's like the exact opposite of Miss Haruka.

=I wonder what she looks like...
The boyish kind of beauty
The bullyish kind of beauty
The athletic kind of beauty

<185>
To be honest... I actually have a boyfriend right now.
=Wh-Whaaaaaat!?

WHIRRRRR
=Dang
=That sucks

But our relationship hasn't been going too well lately.
It's not that I don't like him anymore.
It's just that things are going kind of awkward...
That's why I want to know what kind of guy would make a good match for me.
=Wow—//Kind of the same as me...

I guess I shouldn't really be doing this stuff since I'm not single...?
I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.
See ya

She's really honest...
And she seems like a really nice girl...

<186>
=Alright,
=Guess I'll write up a response!

PWOOO—T

[x2]WHAP
=No no, I'm not doing anything wrong.//I'm just going to tell her that I have a girlfriend too.

Hi Miss Satsuki,
Thank you for responding.
It doesn't bother me at all that you have a boyfriend.
I actually have a girlfriend too.
And our relationship isn't going too well either...
So why don't we take this opportunity to discuss some solutions together?
~Ta-Ke

—The following day

=Hmm...
=Wonder if I got a response from Miss Satsuki...

=Hey!
Satsuki
=I did get a response!

<187>
Hi Mr. Ta-Ke.
So you have a girlfriend too, huh?
I'm kinda glad.
I wonder what she's like?
She must be really cute.
=Yep

My boyfriend is smart, successful, and really fancy.
=...Pretty much the polar opposite of me.

=Hmm...
[banner]Hikishi's imagination:

Our depositors are just worried about the risk surrounding the payoff, you know—
But with the "sweep account," it's
Blah blah...
You're so wonderful

I'm trying really hard to keep up with him, but... It's just really tiring sometimes.
=Yeah—I totally know how that feels.

[screen]I totally get where you're coming from. I've had the same experience and
[x2]CLAT
=Two anonymous people who have never met...

=In some sense, an irresponsible relationship like this actually brings out a person's honesty.
[x4]CLAT

<188>
Even the things I can't talk about with Miss Haruka...
For some reason, I have no problem talking about them with Miss Satsuki.

As we continued to exchange emails,

"Miss Satsuki" became "Satsuki," and "Mr. Ta-Ke" became "Ta-Ke."
Hey
New message

We've only known each other for a few weeks now, but we're so close it feels like we've been friends for years.

So like
According to my friend
Her friend's friend is also doing...

...Hey...
I should be getting an email from Satsuki soon.

=Are you listening, Hikishi?
=Huh? Oh!
=I'm sorry.

<189>
=I've just been a little tired from work lately...
I was hooked.

I felt like a drug addict suffering from withdrawal.
Hey—
New message
I just couldn't wait to turn on my computer.

Email stopped being enough, so we're now talking to each other through IM.
*IM (Instant messaging): A service that allows real-time communication among specific users over the internet.

Anyways, I loved talking to Satsuki.
A lot of the time, we would completely forget about the time, and talk to each other till daybreak.

But our relationship never went beyond the internet.
I mean, we're each in a relationship already, and our relationship is just...
[x2]BOOP
BOO—P

Our relationship...
What is our relationship, anyways?

<190>
=You've fallen for her.
=You've fallen for that Satsuki girl, haven't you.

=N-No way!!
=I'm already with Miss Haruka!//And besides...

=You can't fall in love with someone when you haven't even seen their face...!
=Oh yes yes, you certainly can.

=You have a girlfriend, and you sign up thinking it's just a game. But then you get hooked on the emails from someone you've never even met,
=And that develops into a huge love affair that ends up in marriage...

=It's how my wife and I met.

=Whaaat!?
=We actually met through @Lovers.

<191>
=Not knowing each others' faces actually strengthens the connection.

Not knowing each others' faces actually strengthens the connection... Huh.

Ta-Ke> How've you been, Satsuki?
Satsuki> Pretty good
Ta-Ke> Something crazy happened today
Satsuki> What happened?
Ta-Ke> I found out that one of my coworkers met someone on @Lovers and ended up marrying her.
Satsuki> Yeah the same thing happened to someone I know!
Ta-Ke> Guess it happens pretty often.
Satsuki> The site's run by the X Group and they're the biggest name in the bridal business, so it makes sense
True...

These are just everyday conversations,
But they give me excitement, and put my mind at ease...

tsuki> Hey are you watching TV right now?

tsuki> Hey are you watching TV right now?
ke> Nope...
tsuki> Speak of the devil, the director of X Group is talking about @Lovers on TV.

=Really?
[bubble]PIP

<192>
=Wow//So this is the owner of the site, huh.

=You see, all gendered species are naturally born with the ability to bear an attraction to members of the opposite sex that possess DNA suitable to their own. The objective is to create the best possible combination of genes for the next generation.
[lower right]@Lovers is HOT!!//A word with the site's founder!!
=Humans are no exception to this.

=Hey//That's exactly what we were talking about.
=@Lovers has developed a method for determining how good or how poor a match is from a genetic standpoint.

=@Lovers is now approaching its 7th anniversary, and among the 2000 couples that have exchanged wedding vows with partners they met through the site, the number of couples that has since filed for divorce is zero.//I believe this number speaks to the credibility of our method.
=Z-//Zero!?
=For real!?

=What percentage would constitute a good match?
=A 70% match or better can be considered a good match. But we only introduce matches greater than 80% in order to provide our customers with the best possible service.

=So will a person ever find a 100% match?

=I'm sorry to say that's impossible.//But anything over 90% should be considered a stroke of destiny.

=After all, the likelihood of discovering a 95% match is 1 in 200 million. And that's only in theory.

<193>
=If a 95% match is a 1 in 200 million chance, then a 99.9% match must be...!!

Satsuki> You saw that just now?
[bubble]BOOP

Satsuki> You saw that just now?
Ta-Ke> Yeah
[x2]CLAT

[bubble]BOOP
Satsuki> Do you think we're destined to be together?

Destiny... Wasn't I destined to be with Miss Haruka?

Wasn't my DNA seeking to be with Miss Haruka?

I can't comprehend my own feelings.

<194>
=Hey...

=You haven't said anything at all.

GACHUK
=I'm going home.

Shit...

I can't stop thinking about Satsuki,
Even when I'm with Miss Haruka.

<195>
[x2]=CLAT
> Satsuki

ke> Satsuki
tsuki> What?
[bubble]BOOP

=>I had a fight with my girlfriend today
[bubble]CLAT CLAT CLAT CLAT CLAT
=>Oh...

=>Is it my fault?
=>No... It's not like that...
=>Actually...

Satsuki> I've also been having problems with my boyfriend recently

[bubble]CLAT
Satsuki>
Ta-Ke> Satsuki

>
> Satsuki
> What?
[bubble]BOOP

[bubble]CLAT CLAT
[bubble]CLAT

<196>
Ta-Ke> Wanna meet up sometime?

[x?]THUMP

> Really?

[bubble]CLAT
I think now is the time for us to meet
[bubble]CLAT CLAT

[x4]THUMP

[bubble]GULP
[x4]THUMP

<197>
Satsuki> OK

Finally...
Finally...

I'm finally about to cross the line I never thought I would cross.

We agreed to meet at Minato Mirai in Yokohama on Saturday... Three days from now.

=Hello?
=Hikishi? It's me, Haruka.
=Ohh

=Sorry about last time... Storming off like that...
=Nah, don't worry about it.
=Hey...

=Are you free... This coming Saturday?

=I'm meeting with Satsuki on Saturday...!
=Oh... Umm

<198>
=Sorry,//I'm gonna be working on Saturday.
I lied

=Oh...
=I'm really sorry... Thanks for calling me though...
=It's okay.

—Saturday

Since we would be meeting each other for the first time, we decided to carry something that would make us stand out. I would be holding a bouquet of roses, and she would be holding a white purse. That was the deal.

=7 more minutes until the time we agreed to...

My heart has been heavy these past three days...

<199>
My heart was suffering from the guilty feeling that I was betraying Miss Haruka.
=Miss Haruka...

=Man, I'm such a bastard!!
=I'm always thinking about Satsuki when I'm with Miss Haruka,//But I can't stop thinking about Miss Haruka today!

Today is the day I meet Satsuki.

Just 5 more minutes,
And Satsuki is gonna be here—

PWOOOT

WHAP

PWOOOT

DASH

<200>
I ran.
I ran like I was fleeing from those feelings of insecurity...

Away from the meeting spot!!

[x5]PANT

It's alright...
I did the right thing...

=Huh...?

=Hikishi?

=Miss Haruka!!
=Why... Why...?

<201>
=And at a time like this—!?
=What are you doing here?
=I thought you were going to be working today.
=Oh
=Well//You see

=What's with the flowers?

=Oh... Well—
=This is just...
=Could it be—!

=That you lied to me
=So you could meet with another girl!?

...Sh-
Shit

DOOO—M

=I see.
=I see how it is...

=Were you...

<202>
=Planning to meet a girl holding a purse like this, by any chance?

=...Huh?

=...Which means
=...Satsuki is
=Huh!?

=Man,
=I never would've imagined you were Satsuki, Miss Haruka.

=I didn't realize either.
=I mean, you sounded like a totally different person over the internet.

<203>
=You told me you were the daughter of a corporate CEO!
=I never said "daughter of a corporate CEO." ...Besides,
=The owner of a small-town factory is technically a CEO.

=You lied to me too! You told me you work with computers!
=Modern paper factories use computers too, alright!!

=Anyways, you were clearly trying to cheat on me!
=You secretly agreed to meet with someone else even though you're going out with me!

=Same to you!!//You agreed to meet up too!!
=I...

=I didn't know what to do.
=...I really started to regret saying OK...

<204>
=So I called you and asked if we could meet on Saturday...//I was going to turn down Ta-Ke if you promised to meet me.

=Same here. I started feeling really guilty once I was actually about to meet Satsuki...
=I ended up running away anyways.

=*pfft...*
=*pfft*

=Hah-hah-hah-hah
=Hah-hah-hah-hah

=We've never argued like this before.
=Yeah

=We were so afraid of showing each other who we really are, don't you think?

=Yeah
=Ironic, huh. We could only be our true selves when we were on the internet.

<205>
=Miss Haruka
SWUP

=I... Umm...
=You see...

=Hah-hah... Don't push yourself. Just tell Satsuki if it's too hard.

=No
=I'm gonna say it!
=I'm gonna tell you right here, right now!

I knew we were destined to be together.
@Lovers (END)

Translation: Liar Game 5a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:13:55 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 5 (pp. 171~174)

<171>
The Tale of Shinobu Kaitani's Pet Dog
Vega
Vega
Vega
[note]The original text reads ベガは//ベカでも//ベガ. This is a reference to the phrase coined by Japanese TV announcer Tetsushi Baba when Vega lost to Hokuto Vega in the 1993 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (originally ベガはベガでもホクトベガです). The syntax and spacing makes it tough to come up with a translation that works well, so I've opted to simply repeat the name three times.

A chance happening earlier this year led me to get a pet dog, a female miniature dachshund.
I'm a huge horse-racing fan, so I named her Vega after my favorite racehorse.

[Vega]
Was the double-crown winning racehorse that placed first in the Oka Sho (G1) and the Japanese Oaks (G1) in 1993.
She also became a successful mare after being retired. Her first son, Admire Vega, immediately became a derby racehorse, and she later birthed Admire Boss and Admire Don, making her the proud mother of three prizewinning stallions.
=Huh?//Didn't you say you liked Vega's rival, Hokuto Vega more?
[right arrow]Friend X
=Well yeah, I do like Hokuto Vega more, but...
[left arrow]Kaitani

[Hokuto Vega]
This racehorse dashed Vega's hopes of winning the Japanese Triple Crown by placing first in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in 1993.
She was unsuccessful in later races, but took a turn for the better after becoming a dirt surface specialist. She won 10 consecutive high-regarded dirt surface races, gaining the moniker "Queen of the Sand."
She was invited to the Dubai World Cup to run her retirement race, but fell midway through the race and died.

=The way she died was just so sad... I didn't want that happening to the dog, so I...
=Double-crown racehorse Vega, who was in retirement at Northern Farm in Hayakita...

=Fell at the ranch,
=And died moments ago.

D-DOO—M
May the great mare rest in peace.

<172>
Discipline is of the utmost importance when raising a dog.
As a result of painstaking hard work and training, Vega has learned "Sit," "Bow," and "Wait."

[right text]Sit
[small text]FLAP FLAP
[behind tail]SPLA—T

Bow
FLAP FLAP
SPLA—T

Wait
FLAP FLAP
BLEH—

=She's very unique—//Probably 'cause her legs are so short—
=You didn't train her properly!!

<173>
I heard researchers are trying to develop ways to detect cancer in its early stages of cancer by using the dog's sense of smell.
WOOF
Apparently, when the exhalation of cancer patients and healthy individuals are sealed into separate plastic bags, a trained dog is able to pick out the bags containing the exhalation of the cancer patients.

According to the person who discovered this phenomenon—
=My pet dog just wouldn't stop sniffing the mole on my leg, so I had it checked out.//And it turned out to be skin cancer!

=That's it!!

=Vega!!//Smell me!!
=Are there any cancerous cells on my body!?
HUFF HUFF
FLAP FLAP

SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF
FLAP FLAP
=Here!?

<174>
I thought dogs were supposed to have a keen sense of smell,
But Vega hasn't committed my scent to memory at all.

She seems to be telling me, her owner, apart from other people going by the visuals.
But even her sense of sight is a little iffy.
HUFF HUFF
FLAP FLAP

For instance, if I take off my glasses,
She can't recognize me at all.
RRR
RAWR RAWR RAWR

SWIP
HUFF HUFF
FLAP FLAP

BWUP
RR
RAWR RAWR RAWR
Can't you at least memorize your owner's face?

The Tale of Shinobu Kaitani's Pet Dog (END)

Translation: Liar Game 4a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:13:28 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 4 (pp. 128~170)

<128>
Three Phase
~The Forbidden Divination~ ❷

<129>
The Three Phase Divination,
The most powerful divination known to man.

All other divinations pale in comparison.
Once a person shows their three phases (the face and hands), their past is exposed, and their future revealed.
It extends beyond mere fortune telling, into the realm of "prophecy."

The Three Phase Divination was developed in China during the Han Dynasty, but its enormous power meant it would constantly be manipulated by the rulers of each generation.
Fearing that the divination would throw society into chaos, the seers decided,

That the Three Phase Divination would only be passed down to one individual of outstanding moral character!!

From that day on, the divination became a legend...
But even after disappearing from the front pages of history, the technique was secretly passed down through the ages.

Does the technique still exist?
It does. One man has carried on the tradition.

And that man is here,
In Japan—

<130>
=Well—?
=How's it look? Should I tell him I like him?
PII—NG
=Hmm—

WHAP

=Tails, huh...
=Don't try it.
=Hey—!!

=What a phony fortune teller!! Let's go!!
=Wait, my money...!
=...Hah-hah-hah.

=I've found you at last.
=Mr. Asuka Kiryu, the rightful successor of the Three Phase Divination.

=...Oh...

=I don't know what you're talking about, but can you show me your hands?
=I'm not here for my fortune.

<131>
=I'll get straight to the point.
=Wanna team up with me?

=...Huh?

=Several years ago, you stormed the fortune telling industry with your godly abilities, and developed a huge following.
=The fortunes you told created millionaires.

However—
You suddenly disappeared half a year ago.

=There's still a lot of people out there who want your help.
=And many of them are willing to pay millions to get it.
=I'll be acting as the middleman.

=It's good business.
=You won't need to fret and fuss like you used to.

=Just take the offers that pay the most.
=...Umm

=I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about...
=Hah
=Still playing dumb?

=Don't underestimate me.
CLACK
=I know everything about you.

<132>
=Including the reason why you disappeared.

=Your prophetic abilities turned out to be a double-edged sword.
=You discovered something you didn't want to know—Your own destiny.

=The knowledge,
=That you would die in one year.

=You sunk to the depths of despair.
=Your destiny had a "fate number" of 100, meaning it was impossible to change.

=But there is one way to avoid this destiny.
=...That is,

=By meeting another individual with a "fate number" of 100. A destiny with a reciprocal relationship to your own.

<133>
That's why you abandoned all the fame and fortune you had amassed—
And began traveling in search of that "destined person."

=I know you no longer have any interest in money with that time limit on your life.
=That's why,
=I've prepared the thing you want the most to repay you for your services.

=I'm offering,

=The handprints of 2 million individuals.

=How did you...!?
=Heh-heh... You just have to know where to look.

=A certain country with a draft system requires a handprint to enter the military.
=I've obtained that data from inside sources.

=Well?
=That's 2 million destinies.

=Even if you look at 100 palms each day, you'll only get 30 thousand or so over a year...
=With 2 million samples, your chances of discovering that one destiny will increase exponentially, don't you think?

Hmm—

<134>
=I'll pass.
=Besides, I'm not the person you're looking for.//I'm just your everyday fortune teller.

=...Umm

=How far are you going to follow me?
=Until you agree to my proposal, of course.

=...But I never imagined you would be this stubborn.
=Really...? I think you're way more stubborn than me...

=Why won't you say yes?
=It's the perfect offer!
=I think so too.//I'm sure the real Asuka Kiryu would be happy to take up your offer.

=What was that?
GRIP
=You said the real Asuka Kiryu would take this offer, didn't you.
=...Huh?

<135>
=That means,
=You'll take the job if I can prove you're the real Asuka Kiryu, right?

=...Oh

=I know!!

=Within 48 hours, you'll definitely make a prophecy that only Asuka Kiryu would be able to make.
=If I can witness that moment, I'll know you're the real Asuka Kiryu.
=Which means you'll have no choice but to agree to my offer.

=If I don't see it within 48 hours, I'll never appear in front of you again.
=Umm...

=What counts as a prophecy that only Asuka Kiryu would be able to make?
=Heh-heh

<136>
=When an accident's going to happen,
=How many days someone has left to live,
=Stuff like that.

=...I see.

=...One more question.

=A person who can make perfect predictions can also make predictions that will never come true.
=Are you sure you have a chance of winning?

=Hah
=No problem.

=If I win,
=Will you really promise never to appear in front of me again?

=I promise.

<137>
=Then... I'll give it a shot.
=Yes—!!

=Alright then, exactly 48 hours from now.

=Ready—?
=Go!

=No one's coming.
=2 customers in 5 hours?
=Sorry about being so unpopular. Guess this really cuts into your chances.

=Oh well,
BEEP
=There's still a lot of time left.

=The next day—

=Umm...

=Are you sure you don't need to follow the customers?
=You won't know whether it's going to come true or not.

=Don't worry.
=You'll be making your important prophecy soon.

=Does she really expect to win like this...?

<138>
=Uhh—
=Can you read my fortune?

=Oh...
=Sure.

=May I see your hands, please?

WHUP

=I'm about to do something big.
=Is it gonna go well?

=O-
=One moment, please...

<139>
=Don't worry. You work—
=Will definitely bring about good results.

=Thank you.

WHUP
=Hey.
=Where are you going?

=...Oh, umm.
=I just remembered something important...

SMIRK

<140>
=Hey... What are we doing riding an express bus headed for Kanazawa?
=Uhh...
=I'm going to see a friend who lives there.

=You don't need to hide it. I know exactly what you're thinking.
=Huh!?

=You came here because you're worried about that guy, right?

=...Oh
=...Well
=When you looked into that man's future, you realized what he meant by "something big."
=And you're trying to prevent him from carrying it out.

=You see,
=My sources have also informed me about what he's planning.

=The "big job"//That you're now trying to prevent,
=...It's

<141>
=A bus-jacking.
=...Yep... He's going to try and hijack this bus.

=His name is Takeshi Abe.
=He's a fanatical member of the Galalazala cult, which shocked the country by organizing a large-scale serial killing a few years ago.
=Turns out the cult's been planning this bus-jacking for about a month.//And today is the day.

=I got this info from a high-ranking cult member, so I'm positive.
=Well? Isn't my intel amazing?

=...By the way, remember how he came asking for his fortune?//I planned that whole thing.
=Huh!?

=I used the high-ranking cult member who leaked me the info.
=I got them to send Abe this text message.

<142>
[phone]Before you carry out the operation, go to the spot marked on the map below. You will find an extremely able fortune teller waiting there. He will give you strength.

=As a low-ranking member of the organization, Abe followed orders, and went to the fortune teller marked on the map... Meaning he went to you.
High-ranking member
Sends the text message from his phone
Abe
Goes to see
=And you would learn what exactly his "big plan" was.

=So you see,//I arranged this whole thing.
HEH HEH HEH
=Just to win this little game against you.

=There's no way Asuka Kiryu could sit by knowing that a crime is about to unfold.

=A man with a limited lifespan,
=Can't stand to watch people throw away their lives.

<143>
=As expected, you got on this bus.
VRR
VRRRRR
=...Meaning, you took action to try and prevent him from carrying out the crime.//You predicted his future. There's no doubt about it.

=You've obviously lost!
=...Now just get rid of that maniac for us, okay?

=Th-That guy's seriously going to hijack this bus...?
=I-I... don't know anything about that.

=...Look, just stop joking around and...
=I'm not!!//I really just happened to get on this bus!!
=Anyways, what was that? Is that guy really going to hijack this bus?

=...Look...
=Geez!! Why wouldn't you tell me something that important beforehand!?//I wouldn't have gotten on knowing something this dangerous was about to happen!!

WHAP

<144>
=Hey!! Quit yapping around!!
=Stay where you are!! Don't move from your seats!!

=Oh no... He's starting it.
[x4]RABBLE
=What!? What!?
=What's going on!?

=I told you not to move—!!
BAA—NG
=Ahhh—!!

=It's a bus-jacking...!!
=The express bus is being hijacked—!!

<145>
=EEEEEEK
=W-Wait a second.
=You really didn't know this was going to happen!?

=Of course not!!
=If I had, I would've done something about it already!!

=Oh shit.
=Hey driver!! Change of destinations!!
=Turn around and get back on the Metropolitan Expressway!
=O-//Okay

=Alright!! Everyone on this bus is now a hostage!!
=I'll fucking kill anyone that tries anything funny!!//Got that!!?
=EEEEEK

<146>
=Hey look!!//If you weren't able to predict this situation, that's fine!
=But do something about this!
=You don't need to tell me!! I'm trying!!
=I'm racking my brain for ideas!

=...But you know
=What?

=Even if I were to find a way to get rid of this criminal...
=You're just going to say I was able to do it because I knew the crime was going to happen all along, and use that to drag me into your shady enterprise.

=So I lose either way. That doesn't get me too motivated.

=Fine... Let's forget about the game.
=Just hurry up and think of a way to get us out of here!
=Really?
=Awesome!! Now I'm totally motivated.

<147>
=Alright then, how do we get out of here...
=Oh

=If it isn't Mr. Fortune Teller.
UCK

=Hi
=Yes, what a coincidence.
=Sorry...
=I don't have anything against you.

=Don't worry.
=I'm not gonna do anything if you just sit tight and follow my orders.

=He said he's not gonna do anything to us.
=Let's just sit tight.
=...Idiot

=Good, keep going.
=Keep circling around the inner highway at 60km/h until I tell you to stop.

<148>
=I'll fucking kill you if you start speeding up.
=EEEK

[bubble]PIP PIP

BAA—NG
=Ack!

=Hey!!
=Touch that phone again, and I'm really gonna kill you!!
=EEEEEK I'm sorryyy

<149>
=Whoa.
=I was thinking about trying something with my cellphone, but I guess not.

WHOOOSH

=How long are we gonna keep circling around the highway...?
=Hey

=Why is he hijacking this bus?
=I don't know what cult fanatics are thinking.
=They probably just wanted a way to attract attention to themselves.
=...Really?

<150>
=This cult made headlines with that serial killing a few years back.
=If they just wanted attention, I'm not sure they would do something this roundabout.

=The passengers are being held as hostages, right?//There must be some important meaning to having hostages.
=Does that ring a bell?
=Nope

=All I know is that Takeshi Abe is planning to hijack this bus.
=I was expecting you to handle the rest.
=Ohhh...

=Hey
=The hijacker's been checking the time a lot, hasn't he.

=I remember he was telling the driver to keep going at 60km/h, too.
=I wonder what that means? Maybe he's trying to get to a specific place at a specific time.
=Hey!! Concentrate on stuff that might actually help us get out of here!!

<151>
=Whoa//Now the police are here.
=The bus company called in. They must've noticed we weren't on the route anymore.

=Pull over, express bus!!
=Pull over immediately!!

RATTLE

=Hey!! Don't you dare try to stop this bus!!
=Get in the way, and I'll kill the passengers!!
=EEEEEK

<152>
=Breaking news! An express bus heading from Ikebukuro to Kanazawa has been hijacked by a man with a handgun!
=It is currently running through the inner circle of the Metropolitan Highway at approximately 60km/h.

=There are 41 hostages, including the driver...//No injuries have been reported thus far.
=This is getting pretty serious.
=...You be a bit more serious, will you!

=What does the hijacker want?
=Is it money?
=Or does he have some other ulterior motive?

=Hey
=Head for the North Tokyo Prison.
=O-
=Okay.

<153>
=Hey!!

=This bus is now gonna head for the North Tokyo Prison!!
=Contact the prison and get them to open their front gate!!

=If the gate isn't open by the time we get there, all the passengers are dead!!
=Ahhhhh!!

=The hijacker has finally made a demand!!
=He's demanding that the front gate to the North Tokyo Prison be opened!!
=It appears as though the hijacker is attempting to enter the North Tokyo Prison on the bus with the hostages on board!!

<154>
=North Tokyo Prison?
=Isn't that the place where the Galalazala cult members who got arrested over the serial murder case are being incarcerated?

=Huh?//...Then Abe's objective is to free the cult leader and followers?
=Seems like it.

=A half hour has passed since the hijacker made his demand—!
=The bus is drawing closer to the North Tokyo Prison!

=We've just received an update!! The North Tokyo Prison has opened its front gate!!
=And information about the hijacker is coming in!! The hijacker is Galalazala cult member Takeshi Abe, age 23!!//His aim is most likely—

=To free the leader and other high-ranking members of the Galalazala cult, who are currently being incarcerated in the North Tokyo Prison—!
=Hmm...
=That's weird.

<155>
=If his objective was to free the cult leader, his demand should've been "Free the leader, or the hostages die," right?
=How come he's just asking to get inside the prison gates?

=Well—//The police wouldn't accept a demand like that right off the bat.//They would try and delay things as much as possible.
=But a simple demand like "Let me into the prison" went through pretty easily, didn't it?
=...Which could mean,

=He has some sort of secret plan that would allow him to complete his objective just by getting the bus inside of the prison.

=The bus is now approaching the North Tokyo Prison!
VRRR
=The front gate is open, in accordance with the hijacker's demands!

<156>
=Ohh—! The bus has just now passed through the gate!!
=The bus has entered the prison walls, followed by a pack of police cars—!!

=How far will this bus try to go—!?

=Ahh!!
SCREECH

=It stopped!! The bus has stopped—!!
=It's now parked directly next to the back exit of the North Tokyo Prison 2nd Ward!
=The bus has finally come to a stop—!!

<157>
=This is where the situation becomes difficult!!
=The hijacker's objective must be the release of the cult leaders,
=So additional demands are expected to be made to either the police or the prison staff!!

*silence*

=Hey!!
=The door's opening!!
RATTLE

=Ah-
=Ahhhhh—!!

<158>
=The hostages are being released!!
=One by one, the passengers are filing off the bus!!

[x3]RABBLE
=It appears as though all of them are going to be released!!
=What could this mean!?

=Oh!! The last one out is—
=Th-The hijacker!!

<159>
=He's surrendering!!//What an unexpected outcome!!
=The hijacker has been surrounded and arrested by the police officers—!!

=In the end, not a single demand was made after the bus entered the prison walls—!!
=Are you okay? Do you have any injuries?
=N-No, I don't think any of the passengers have been hurt at all.

=Why did the hijacker suddenly release the hostages!?//Did one of the passengers persuade him to do so!?
=No, nobody did...

=The hijacker was constantly checking his watch, and it seemed like he just released us when the time came.
=What—!?

=...So he was planning on releasing the hostages after a certain period of time had passed!?
=Yes... It seemed that way... We're pretty surprised ourselves.
=What an unexpected conclusion!! It's safe to say that this bus-jacking case has now come to an end!!

=Hey!!
=This isn't over yet!!

<160>
=That bus parked right next to the building—
=It's got a time bomb planted near the fuel tank!!

=It's a pretty powerful one.
=This is a sturdy building, but that bomb should be able take out about a quarter of it.

=Half of the building is gonna be blasted open,
=And all the emergency exits are gonna open up for evacuation.
=—Meaning

<161>
=Every single prisoner in there is gonna have an easy time escaping.

=As you probably know, my objective is to free the leader and my other comrades!!
=The bus-jacking was just a camouflage!!
=I used the hostages to get into the best possible location to destroy the building!!

=...Oh shit.
=Hey!! Your friends could get hurt too if you do something like that!!

=Not to worry.//I've already told them when and where the bomb is gonna explode!!
=My comrades should be working at the factory in the opposite side of the building by now.

=Damn it... You calculated all that...!?
=...You're saying you don't care how many of the prisoners die as long as they aren't your friends!?
=Hey!!//Just get the bomb squad out here immediately!!
=Heh-heh-heh, it's too late.

<162>
=The bomb should be exploding in 30 seconds.

=Whaaaaaaat!?

=There's nothing you can do now.
=You guys better do your best to run away in the next 30 seconds so you don't get caught in the explosion.
=Whoaaaaaa!!

<163>
=Whoa!!
=Run!!//Get away from the bus!!
=Whoaaaaa—!!
=Hah-hah-hah!!

=Bastard!!
=Panic!!
=Quaver in fear!!

=Now there's only 10 seconds left!!
=9...8...7

=6...5
=4...3...

=2...1

=Zero!!

<164>
=...Huh?

=...It didn't explode!?

=Huh!?
=Why!?//What just happened!?

<165>
=Hah-hah-hah,
=That bomb you planted isn't going to explode.

=How come!?
=I timed it so it would explode exactly at 5 o'clock!!

=Ohh—You've made a huge mistake.

<166>
=What time is it right now, officer?

=Uhh—
=It's 4:42.

=Wh-
=What!?
=Hah-hah-hah//No wonder it hasn't exploded.
=It's still 20 minutes before 5 o'clock.

=Why...!?//Why is my watch...!?
=I checked it this morning!!
=Heh-heh... Remember how you came to get your palm read this morning?

=I secretly set your watch 20 minutes early.

<167>
=This time, the situation has really come to a conclusion.
=The bomb has been taken care of,
=And the situation has ended without a single injury—!!

<168>
=...Oh,//Can I ask you one thing before I go?

=Why'd you set my watch early?

=I don't get it.
=It's like you...
=You knew I had a bomb from the start.

=I did know.
=The instant I read your palm.

=Your connection to the Galalazala cult,
=Your plan to bomb the North Tokyo Prison,
=Hijack the bus,//And set the time bomb to explode at 5 o'clock... All of it.

<169>
=That,
=Is the power of the Three Phase Divination.

=Hah
=Hah-hah
=Wow, that's quite something...

=Didn't think I'd meet someone even more amazing than the leader before I got locked up.

I see... So the outcome was decided even before we got on the bus.
All he needed to do was keep watch to make sure that the hijacker's fortunes wouldn't change...

<170>
Asuka Kiryu...
Now I want you even more.

Three Phase ~The Forbidden Divination~ ❷ (END)

Translation: Liar Game 3a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:13:02 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 3 (pp. 82~126)

<82>
Three Phase
~The Forbidden Divination~ ❶

<83>
=A certain street in Yokohama.

=Here, the famous fortunetellers from TV and magazines jostle for space to set up their desks, and many youngsters throng to have their fortunes told.
=The place is also known as "Fortune Street."

=Gee—z, how many hours do we have to wait in line!!
=Can't help it. All of the fortunetellers here are famous.
*impatience*

=Hey hey,
=Look at that.

=No one's standing in line for that shabby-looking fortuneteller over there.
Looks like he's asleep
[x2]SNORE—
*emptiness—*
=Wanna try that one?
=No way—! That one's definitely no good! He won't get anything right!

=Hey!
=Someone wants to give it a shot—!
SWUP

WHAP
[sign]Palm Readings

<84>
=Read my fortune.

=I'll pay 1 million.
=But first,

=I'm going to test you to determine whether you truly have the ability to tell fortunes.
=No money unless you pass the test.

=Test...?
=It's easy.
=Just answer this one question.

=Why do I want my fortune told?

=Alright... Then...
=Both hands, please.

=I got it.
TI—NG

=You want to do something about the relationship with your boss,
=...Right?

<85>
=Absolutely wrong.

=I don't have a boss to begin with.
=I may not look it, but I'm the CEO of a company that handles imported goods.
=Don't group me in with those stupid "office ladies."
=Ah-hah-hah... Is that right.

=Sorry, just pretend this whole thing never happened.
SWIP
=Oh...

=And also,

=If you worked for my company,
=I would fire a worthless man like you in the blink of an eye.

=Don't bothering standing in line for him.
=He won't get anything right.
[x4]CLACK

=See, I told you he's a fraud.
=And he has the nerve to set up a desk here!? How shameless!

<86>
=Say that one more time!!

=A canceled flight!?
=That's your excuse for delaying the shipment!?

=But...
=No buts.
=Your people are to blame for not having a backup plan in case something went wrong.

=Clause 1 of Article 3 in the contract.
WHIP
=Should there be a unilateral delay caused by any of the parties involved, the party that caused the delay shall be charged half of the total shipment cost as a penalty.

<87>
=So we'll only be paying half of the original price for your shipment.
=Whaaa—t!?
=Write up the documents immediately, Kaneko.
=Y-Yes ma'am.

=...Man, that boss is harsh...
=Well,
=There's a reason why they call her the woman of steel.

The woman of steel.
That's what they call me.

Cold... And unyielding. They meant it as a snide remark.

But I've actually taken a liking to this nickname.
After all, I always wanted to be a strong woman.

My parents separated when I was three, and my mother raised me all by herself by working at a nightclub. I love my mother, and I'm deeply grateful for all that she's done for me.
...But, I hated the fact that she had to make a living by fawning upon men.

<88>
To live strong, without having to rely on anyone—
That was always my childhood dream—

*waves*

PHEW—
*waves*

=Huh—?
ZWUP
=Well well, if it isn't the lady from yesterday!!

=...Wh-Wh-Wh-
=Where the hell did you come from!?
=Oh I'm just taking my daily stroll around town.
=I stop by here pretty often.

=...Ohh
=I get it.

<89>
=I exposed your complete lack of ability as a fortuneteller yesterday,
=So you've followed me here to try and get revenge.
=Ahh...!
Yeah—I guess that would be a possibility

=Then this situation must be quite terrifying for you.
=Not at all.
=I'll just call the police with my cellphone.
=Besides, I take karate and self-defense classes. I'm fairly confident I could take care of you by myself.

=Whoaa
=Now I'm getting scared.
=You sound pretty strong—Miss Kaori...
=You're not the type of woman that starts crying for help, huh.
Of course not
=You have to be strong if you want to run a company.

=Do you come here often, Miss Kaori...?
=Huh? Oh... Sort of.
=I'm busy with work every day,//So it's just a little breather. The view here is nice.

=Ohh—
=So yesterday's excursion was also a little breather?

=No.
=I really did want my fortune told yesterday,

=By a certain individual.
=Who?

<90>
=The legendary fortuneteller—
=Asuka Kiryu.

=Legendary fortuneteller...?
=So this person get his fortunes right?
=More than just right.

He can figure out anything about a person's past like a psychic, and everything he says about the future becomes reality.
His abilities were so stunning that people began to refer to him as the center of the universe.

<91>
=The public took interest, of course.
=And powerful people began to seek out his supernatural abilities.

Influential politicians, powerful businessmen
Even the big-wigs of the criminal world.

=But one day, Asuka Kiryu disappeared without a trace.
=No one knows why.
=Wow

=...So where is he now?
=Who knows.
=Everyone's trying to find him.
=Even I have no idea what he looks like. Not even a photograph.

=But recently, I came across a rumor that someone had seen Asuka Kiryu on that street.
=That got my hopes up, and I went there during my free time.

=But to no avail.
=All I found were a bunch of bogus fortunetellers who couldn't even tell what I was there for.
=Oh... So,
=I'm one of those bogus fortunetellers?

=I didn't expect anything from you to begin with.
=Hey!! That's harsh—

<92>
=I was wrong that one time,
=But my fortunes are usually pretty good—!!

=Want me to get something exactly right?
=...Hmph
=I'm not paying you.

=I got it!

=You have a boyfriend, don't you??
=Pfft

=Ah-hah!! So I'm right!?
=Awesome—!!
=Look

=Does it really surprise you that a woman my age has a boyfriend?
=You wouldn't call that a fortunetelling.

<93>
=Start over from square one.
=Bye
=Oh...

=...Huh?

=How did that fortuneteller know my name?

=...So
=He's such a weird fortuneteller.

=He can't get anything right,
=But he's all full of confidence, and what do you think he says?

=He goes, "You have a boyfriend, don't you?"
=Even I could guess something like that.
=Hey!

<94>
=What a coincidence—! We meet again!
TAH
DAA—H

=Wh-Wh-What is up with you!?
=That's no way to talk to somebody.
=Ohh
=So this is the fortuneteller.

=Oh!! Nice to meet you.
=Yes, I am the fortuneteller.
=Please, allow me to introduce myself by doing a fortunetelling on your relationship.
=What are you even talking about.

=Now now, this sort of thing doesn't happen everyday.
=But...
=Hmm—

=Oh!!

<95>
=Wonderful!!
=Great things are in store for the two of you—!!
=...See?
=He's got no idea what he's talking about so just ignore him.

=Oh shoot.
=This late already!

=I have to head over to my next appointment.
=Alright
=Ah—That's too bad. Right when we got to know each other.

=Oh yeah, why don't you take this opportunity to ask him for advice about your work?
=Very funny.//I won't talk business with a weirdo even if hell freezes over.

=Hah-hah-hah...//Right, see you tomorrow.
=Good luck
=Umm—

=Am I the weirdo you were referring to?
=Of course you are.

=Seems like your boyfriend is a pretty busy guy.
=Don't call him my boyfriend.

=He's more like a partner... I guess.
=Sometimes a friend, sometimes a rival.
=He's the only person I can ever open my heart to.

<96>
=His name is Daisuke Hanamura.
=He's also a CEO. He runs a computer software company.

=Wow—
=Two top executive dating each other, huh—
=...Anyways...
=Why don't you go tell some more bogus fortunes instead of fooling around here?

=Gee—z
=So I'm forever branded as the "Fortuneteller who can't tell fortunes?"
=It's true though.

=You people are lucky. You don't need to take any responsibility for what you say.
=In my line of work, you're a loser if you can't pull through with what you say...

=...But you see,
=Fortunetelling is so wonderful because oftentimes, it does turn out wrong.

<97>
=Everyone wants to see their future,
=But we're able to dream because we don't know what's in store for us.

=Don't you agree?

=What is that.
=An excuse for bad fortunetelling?
=That's not really what I meant.

=Actually, I already knew
=About that legendary fortuneteller you were talking about.

=I even know why he disappeared from the fortunetelling industry so suddenly.
=Huh!?

<98>
He uses a technique known as the Three Phase Divination.
Three Phase refers to the physiognomy of the face and the two hands. The belief is that all aspects of an individual's life will be imprinted in those areas in some way shape or form, and reading those signs will reveal everything about that individual.
It's a powerful divination that was developed in China during the Han Dynasty—
And because of that, people have constantly sought its guidance throughout the ages.

=The technique even has the potential to alter the course of history itself.
=Therefore, it was decided that the Three Phase Divination would only be passed on to one individual with an upstanding moral character.

From then on, the Three Phase Divination disappeared from the front pages of history.
But the technique itself continued to be passed on through each generation.
Quietly, but accurately...
The technique was passed on for thousands of years.

=...And Asuka Kiryu is the current successor.
=Exactly.

<99>
=But unfortunately,
=Asuka Kiryu was not a man with moral character worthy of inheriting the technique.

He chose to announce his skills to the world in extravagant fashion, and immediately became the darling of the fortunetelling world.
The rest is history... The powerful and the wealthy flocked to him for advice...

=And before he knew it,
=He was attempting to amass power and wealth to his heart's content by abusing this sacred technique.

=But this didn't continue for long.
=His misuse of the technique
=Came at a tremendous price.

True fortunetellers never attempt to read their own fortune,
But one day, the man took a casual look at his own features and came to a terrible realization.

CRA—SH

=...N-
=No way...

<100>
Remaining lifespan: One year—
The fate was clearly engraved in his own palm.

=Death...!?
=Can't he change his own future!?

=A person's destiny can change quite drastically depending on the individual's effort.//The Three Phase Divination expresses the likelihood of changing a destiny as a "fate number," which can range from one to one hundred.
=For instance, a fate number of three represents a destiny that has a higher likelihood of changing than a destiny with a fate number of ten...

=But in his case, the fate number for his remaining life span—
=Was "One hundred."

=Then...
=His death is unavoidable!?
=That's right.

=So that's why...
=He disappeared so suddenly...

=...And where is he now?

<101>
=Who knows.

I see—
So Kiryu is going to die—

Guess I won't be seeing Asuka Kiryu after all—
I wanted to meet him.
I would give anything to learn this one thing about my future, but—

Guess that wish is never going to be granted...

THUD
=Ouch!

<102>
=Y-//You...!
=Ah-hah-hah-hah! We meet again, Miss Kaori!

=Gosh, this really is an amazing coincidence—!!
=This is the third time we've ran into each other, isn't it?
=Wh-Wh-Wh-

=What in the world is wrong with you...!?
=I told you, I'm just taking my daily stroll around town.

=What about you, Miss Kaori?
=A breather?
=Th-That's right.

=That's odd—It's a new moon today, so there's absolutely no sign of that nice view that you always look forward to...
=Hmm—Don't know if this is gonna be much of a breather—

=Miss Kaori,
=I know
=The exact reason why you're here right now.

<103>
=You came here to die, didn't you?

<104>
=..Wha...

=What are you talking about...?
=Of course not!
=Is it because I'm standing on a cliff? You're such a simpleton.//Don't just say stuff out of impulse.
=Impulse?

=Do you really think I've been saying all this out of impulse?

=I knew you were going to be here.

=Not just today.
=The first time I saw you here,
=And the time we met at the restaurant.

=What...?
=What...?
=That's not all.

<105>
=I know your name...
=That your birthday was July 2nd,
=That you have Type O blood,
=That you're a single child, and your parents divorced when you were three,
=That you won a debate contest when you were in high school.

=And that you have this hidden in your coat pocket.

[envelope]Will
WHAP

=That day—When you showed me your palms at the fortunetelling street in Yokohama,
=I learned your destiny...

<106>
=My name is Asuka Kiryu.
=I'm the practitioner of Three Phase, the forbidden divination.

=Y-
=You!?

=As I said before, I'm destined to die within the next few months.
=Even though I still want to live...

=That's why,
=I can't just sit back and watch you take your own life like this.

=The Three Phase Divination allows me to see an individual's life span.
=But it doesn't allow me to see what's going on inside the heart—

=Can you explain to me,
=What you're feeling right now?

<107>
=I think...
=Humans ought to be stronger.

=When I say strong,
=I mean independent.
=Not causing other people trouble.
=Being able to take responsibility.

=See...?
=Sounds obvious, doesn't it?

=But still,
=Don't you think there's too many weak adults in the world right now, who can't even do the things that sound so obvious?

"Recessions, layoffs, bankruptcy... It's society's fault that my life is difficult! It's the government's fault!
I did nothing wrong. I'm just doing my best. It's someone else's fault, not mine!"

The incompetent ones complain the most.
"What are those politicians doing!! Improve the economy!! Create more jobs!!"

<108>
=Idiots.

=They're busy coming up with excuses while they make others do the work.
=They're babies.
=Weak human beings looking for the easy way out.

=Not me. I never want to live like that.
=I may be a woman, but I will always live strong... That's my policy.

And that's why I've never relied on others.
I've always shouldered the responsibility on my own. I've never made excuses.

<109>
I've never stopped reminding my employees to be strong, either.
They often called me a cruel woman behind my back,
But I would rather be cruel and strong, than gentle and weak.

=At any rate...
=Our company began developing at a tremendous pace.

=The profits kept piling in, even during the recession.
=The company got bigger and bigger,
=And we eventually became the leaders of the industry.

=That's when I got a little ambitious,
=And decided to take a huge gamble.

One monumental project that would determine the very fate of our company.
I was confident, of course.

=But you know—
=Things never work out the way you want them to.

<110>
The project turned out to be an absolute failure—
It put the company into an irreparable amount of debt.

=I tried my best to recover the losses.
=But... It was too late.
=Our funds had gone straight down the drain.//We received a notice from the bank.

=The second notice should be coming in soon—
=Our company... Is going bankrupt.

=But I didn't run.
=I took all the criticism head-on... And I did my best to compensate our business partners and employees.

=But you see,
=There's one person that I haven't been able to repay yet.

That person is,
Daisuke Hanamura.

<111>
He helped me out so much when I was starting up the project,
And he even signed on as a guarantor for the corporate loan.

=But I ended up betraying his trust.
=If I'm forced to declare bankruptcy, the debt on his part is going to be—

=300 million.
=Whoa,
=That's tough.

=However—
=There is one simple solution to this problem.

=My death.

=I have a 300 million yen life insurance policy, with him listed as the beneficiary.
=So... If I die, he won't have to suffer from my debts.

=What...!?//That's insane!!
=You don't need to throw away your own life just for the sake of responsibility...!!

<112>
=There's no other way!!

=This is my life!! My aesthetic!!
=I can't just stand by and watch him suffer because of me!!

=So leave me alone!!
DASH
=Miss Kaori!!

=Wait!!
=Please, think this over!!

[x2]TRRR

=Yes?
=Hello, is this Mr. Daisuke Hanamura? I'm calling on behalf of Sunny Life Insurance...

=Uhh—This is regarding Ms. Kaori Matsumura...
=? What about her?

=Huh? Haven't you heard?
=Oh—You see...

<113>
=Ms. Kaori Matsumura... Passed away last night.

=Huh...!?
=S-She's dead!?
=She committed suicide. We've found her will.
=We believe she threw herself off a desolate cliff near Yokosuka...

=No... I can't believe this...
=...Uhh—

=I understand this isn't the best time to talk about this... I'll contact you with the details on the insurance payment at a later date.

GACHUK

<114>
SMIRK

=Hey!! Get up, Takahashi!!
=I just got a call from the insurance company!!
[arrow]Takahashi the roommate

=We did it!!
=Kaori committed suicide!!

=For real!?
=What about the 300 million?
=It's ours, of course.

=Phew—
=But man, that woman looked smart, but she went down pretty easily, huh.
=Heh-heh-heh, that's 'cause we planned everything out real carefully, unlike last time.

<115>
=I go in pretending to be the CEO of a computer software company, making me the ideal business partner.
=Then I give her a taste of my amazing skills in bed, and get her to fall for me.

=After that, it was easy.
=I make her indebted to me by lying about signing on as a guarantor.//Then I sabotage the project from behind the scenes.

=That woman is headstrong when it comes to responsibility.
=She was bound to commit suicide out of guilt if the project failed.
=—It was the perfect plan!!
=Heh-heh-heh, but I never imagined it would go this well.

=Remember when we faked that car accident to collect some insurance money?
=That kinda stuff ain't gonna work twice.
=We gotta use our heads from now on.

=Either way, that 300 million is gonna be all ours tomorrow!!
=That should last us for quite a while!!

<116>
=Ohh—
=So that's what it was.
BLA—M

=Wh-Wh-Wh-Who the hell are you—!?
=When the hell did you sneak into this room!?
=When...?
=I've been here for quite some time.
=Hey...
=You're...

<117>
=You're that...
=Fortuneteller!!

=Oh, so you remember me?
=I'm honored.
=...And?
=What do you want!?

=Well, you see...
=When I read your palm the other day,
=I came across one very compelling fate line.

="On this day, at this very location, Daisuke Hanamura will be telling someone a very interesting story."
=...Something like that.

=Gee—I really am a good fortune teller, if I may say so myself.
=That was a very interesting story you shared just now.

<118>
=...In fact,
=It was quite a horrifying story.

=Well well, that was truly an incredible story.
=Seducing Miss Kaori and planning out her suicide in order to collect the insurance money.
=This is quite the intellectual crime.

=And... What else...?
=You've also faked a car accident in order to collect insurance money...?
BWHUP
=Shh!

<119>
=What do you want?
=Money?

=...Alright... I'll give you 10 million.
=So forget about everything you heard just now.

=Wow—You're a smart man, Mr. Hanamura.
=10 million!!//Sounds good—I'll forget about this.
Phwee—
=Forget all about the things I heard you discussing today.

=But only if,
=You can really pay me that much money.

=Hey hey, weren't you listening to our conversation?

=I'm the beneficiary for Kaori's life insurance. I'll be getting 300 million tomorrow.//10 million is nothing. Sure you can have it.
=...But there's just one big problem...

<120>
=Miss Kaori isn't really dead.
BLAM

=Wha...
=Wha...
=Wait a sec... Then that call just now—
=Oh, that was me.//Didn't you notice?
=I made a call right here from my cellphone.

=Sorry
=For not being dead.

=...Wha...
=...Wha...
=Thank you, Mr. Fortuneteller. You really do get your fortunes right.

<121>
=You accurately predicted this man's every move.
=And I was able to record every last word of that conversation just now.

=Sorry, but you're not getting that 300 million.
=In fact...

=Once I hand this tape over to the police, you won't even be able to live in the outside world any longer.
=...Uck...
=...Uck...

=You biiiitch—!!
DASH

<122>
GRACK

THUD
=...EEK...!

=...I'll see you,
=In the courtroom.

=...Miss Kaori,
=You were truly strong today.

=...Honestly, I was a bit worried.
=Being betrayed and then having to hear all those horrible things...

<123>
=But you were strong till the very end, Miss Kaori.
=You were great.

=That was nothing.
=Slander... Betrayal...
=That's life in the business world.

=You won't get anything done if you can't take the pain.

=That reminds me... I never gave you my real answer.
=The answer to the question you asked me when we first met.

=Huh?
="Why do I want my fortune told?"//I actually knew the answer to that question.

=The answer was, "Will Daisuke Hanamura be able to live happily even if I die."
=...Isn't that right?

<124>
=You were prepared to end your life, but you just couldn't get that question off your mind.
=I know, Miss Kaori.

=Your strength is brilliant, but what's truly wonderful about you...
=Is your kindness...
[x2]=...Uck

=WAHHHHHHHHHH

<125>
=You're going already?
=Yes.
=I'm quite short on time.

=Why do you have to continue traveling?

=It's written in the hidden scrolls of the Three Phase Divination,
="A fate number of one hundred is an unwavering destiny. However, it may be negated through association with another individual bearing the same fate number."

=...So you see, in order to strike out my own fate number, I need to find a person with an equally strong fate number as myself. If I can accomplish that, I still have some hope left.
=Well, I'm not even sure if there is such a person in all of Japan.

=But I'm not giving up!
=I'm going to find that one person no matter what.

<126>
Ahh—What a refreshing smile this person has.
I can hardly believe he's destined to die in a few months.

=I feel like I've finally met someone who's stronger than me.
=Hmm?
=What was that?

=Ohh, nothing...
=Alright then.

=Bye
=Wait!!

=Promise me, Asuka!!

=One year from now, we'll see each other again at this very spot! And we'll both be smiling!
=No matter what!
=Yes! Of course!!

Three Phase ~The Forbidden Divination~ ❶ (END)

Translation: Liar Game 2a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:12:22 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 2 (pp. 37~81)

<37>
=Why was I born?
=...Have you ever thought about that?

=Me? Of course I have.
=...Actually, I think about it all the time.
Nine Darts

=Why does a guy with no talent like me even exist in this world...?
=Like... If there is a god, why would I even be here in the first place?
[sign]Job Center
=You sure there aren't any jobs? I really need to pay my rent by tomorrow or else I'm gonna get kicked outta my apartment.
=...Not in this kind of economy.

=Never stayed in high school for longer than 2 weeks,
=Can't hold on to a job for more than 3 days,
=But you still fool around more than anyone else. An endless cycle of drink, gamble, buy. Every single day.
=And now you're knee deep in debt.

=Do you really expect someone to hire a man like that?
=Sh-Shut up!//E-Even I've got...

=Ohh—So you actually have a talent that's worth bragging about?
=Yeah,
=That's right.

=Alright,//Watch.

<38>
[x3]TAP

=See!! Isn't that awesome!?
=I'm a terrible gambler, but I was always pretty good at darts!

WHOOOOOOOOSH

=I'm sorry.
=I'll come back later.
=Oh,

=Mister,
[sign]Job Center
=Did you say you're about to be kicked out of your apartment?

=The wages are horrendously low,//But this one comes with housing and 3 meals per day.
=How's that sound?

<39>
Nine Darts

<40>
=...So that's how I started this job.
=What's the job, you ask?

=There's this facility called the Green Mountain Starlight Park.
=And I'm pretty much the live-in lawn mower and janitor.
=I do all the chores.

=But...
=It turns out this facility was one hell of a place.
=...So you collect the trash bins from all 20 locations, and then...
[arrow]Fell asleep 'cause the instructions are so boring.

=Hey,//You listening?
UCK
=Ye-
=Yes!

=Huh?

<41>
=What was up with that kid just now?//He had green eyes and green hair...
=Well, that's enough explaining for now.
GATHUCK

=Show him around the facility.
=Green Mountain Starlight Park, Director//Shigeo Saikawa

=...Alright, those are all the places you're gonna be responsible for.
=You'll be cleaning them every single day.
=Got it?
=Yessir.

=Oh yeah, lemme introduce you to the patients in the workshop.
=Workshop?

=He—y!
=Listen up—!

<42>
=This is Minoru Shiibara, he's going to be working here from today—!
...Wh-What is this!?

Green faces.

Green eyes.

=Wh-What's up with those people?
=What do you mean what? Those are Green Disease patients.
=Oh wait, is this the first time you've ever seen them?

=Yes...
=Besides, I kinda came here not knowing what this place was.
=Hah-hah, is that right.

=As you can see,
=The Green Mountain Starlight Park,
=Is an isolation facility for Green Disease.

<43>
Green Disease... I've heard about it before.
It's an epidemic... Something about turning your eyes and hair green...
Makes your body weaker and your eyesight worse so its impossible for you to live a normal life...

But what shocked me the most were their expressions, not the color of their eyes and hair.
Blank emptiness... Despair... What is up with this defeated atmosphere!?

=Hey!!
=Who's coming in late!!
UCK

=I-
=I-//I'm sorry.

That kid from before...
=You again!!

=Quit being so lazy—!
[x3]TAP

<44>
CRACK

=Wha-
=What are you doing!//He was just a little late!
=It's alright. This is how you're supposed to handle them.

=These guys,
=Are the dregs of society.

=Green Disease patients are weak, and they spread their sick germs all over the place.//They can't fit in with the rest of society.

=The government set up this facility out of pity.
=Always be thankful for that!

<45>
[sign]Staff Room

[x2]CLAT
=Oh...
=Here it is.

Green Disease
Formally known as Fedotov's Disease.
The virus was named after Professor Fedotov, a Russian scientist, who did a
An infectious disease caused by the FFSH Virus.
The virus mutates the pigmentation of the body,
Causing the pupils and hair to turn green.
The disease begins by lowering the patient's concentration,
Resulting in complaints such as lack of endurance and strength.
If left untreated, symptoms will include impaired vision, lowered immunity,
A wonder drug for this disease has already been developed,
And the virus is completely curable,
Though the lowered vision and abnormal pigmentation will remain.
The disease has a very low rate of infection, and there is very little chance,
Of the virus being spread over the course of everyday life.

=What the hell.//Green Disease is hardly even contagious.
[close-up]Completely curable//Very low//Everyday Life//Infection
=It doesn't need to be isolated.

=Then why'd that asshole,
=Say they're the dregs of society!?

BLICK
=Hey!

<46>
=Who gave you permission to use this computer.

=Return to your room.

=...Y-
=Yes sir.

=The patients here were really treated worse than prisoners.

=They call this place a treatment facility, but I've never seen them doing any treatment.
=In fact,
=I don't know whether they do it as discipline, or just to vent their anger, but the employees beat the patients pretty much every single day.

=Either way, the patients are forced to do manual labor from daybreak to nightfall. From welding and dismantling, to assembling some sort of machine,
=The surprising thing was, all this labor was being done in the name of rehabilitation. Meaning, the patients themselves are not paid for their work.

[bubble]Quit being lazy—!
=And the employees would always yell this phrase:

<47>
=Don't get the wrong idea—!
=You're the dregs of society, but we're letting you live out of kindness—!

=No wonder they look so lethargic.
=They were being yelled at like this 24/7.
=What the hell are you doing over there—!!

=You're not supposed to be taking a break!!
[x2]THUD
=Uck...! It's him again!

=I'm sorry.
=I'm sorry.
=U-//Uhh!

=I think the director was calling you!
=He wanted you to come over immediately...!

<48>
=*tsk* Alright.//You do the rest.
=Yes sir.

=Heh-heh.
=What an idiot.

DASH
=Oh,
=Hey!

=I felt so bad for them,
=That one day I went and talked to the director.
=I just don't get it.
=Why don't you just let them leave if they've recovered enough energy to work?

=Idiot.//What if they start contaminating other people!?
=I heard Fedotov's Virus has barely any chance of being contagious.//You won't get infected unless you start sharing needles.

=You little—!!

=There are 3 reasons why we cannot let these patients outside.
=1. They become sick very easily because of their weakened immune systems.

=2. The vision impairment will still remain.//3. They tire easily, and their concentration is lacking compared to healthy individuals.
=Those are the reasons why it is extremely difficult for them to return to society.

<49>
=So you see...
=We are keeping them here out of kindness.

=Kindness?
=My ass you are—!
=These guys are crazy—!
[sign above]Archives
[sign below]No Trespassing

=Something's up.
=Something up with this facility.
=What the—!?

A shipment list with two price columns...
This is it!
This is proof that the machinery being assembled by the patients is being sold illegally!

The cheaper price is the market value.
But they're actually selling them at the higher price!

<50>
I knew it. The patients are doing forced labor under the pretense of a rehab education program,
While the employers embezzle the profits.

I see, so this is their plan!
They're basically running a Fedotov's Disease isolation facility to make easy money.
They get a huge subsidy from the government, and no one will ever find out that they force the patients into doing free labor.
The number of infected people has plunged because of the development of the wonder drug, so they don't want to release a single patient.
If more and more patients leave the facility, naturally, there's gonna be cutbacks and mergers, and the free labor's gonna come to an end.

=It's a robbery—!!
=It's a robbery—!!
FLASH
=Shit!

=So it was you!
=What did you steal!?
=I'm not stealing!
=We're turning you into the police!
=Wait.

=Send this man
=To the Garden of Punishment for a week.

<51>
=The Garden of Punishment.

=It's not really a garden. Just a freakishly small courtyard surrounded by huge walls so there's no way to escape.
=Pretty much a prison cell with a sky-blue ceiling.
=Damn it—I was so close to getting the dirt on those guys!

=*sighhh...*
GROWWWL
=But man, I'm hungry.

=There's some apricots up there...
=If only I could munch on those things...

WHAP

PLO—P

<52>
=Heh-heh-heh
=Hey!//You're...

=Was that you?
=...Heh-heh

=You helped me out before, so...

=What's your name?
=Kyo.
=How long've you been here?
=Ever since I can remember...//I got Green Disease right after I was born.

=So you've never met your parents or anything?
=Met them?
=I don't even know what they look like.

=I've never gotten a single letter,
=Or a phone call from them.

<53>
=You wanna see them, right?
=I used to want to.

=Used to?

=When I was little...
=I asked the director to let me see my parents.

=But the director laughed, and said this:
=Hah-hah
=No way.
=That's impossible.

=You don't get it, do you.
=Why do you think your parents have never tried to contact you after putting you in here.

=They don't want people to know that someone in their family has Green Disease.
=Get it?
=Your very existence is an abomination to this world.

<54>
=Kyo...

=It's frustrating, but it's the sad truth.
=We're not human beings.

=All of the patients here think this way.
=We're useless.
=In fact, we scare people.//The employees are right.
=We have no reason to exist.

=Don't say that!//No reason to exist...!? That's just...
=Don't you dare say something so depressing!

=A reason for existing—!?
=No one actually knows the answer to that!

=I don't...
=Either...

<55>
=...But,

=I'm glad.
SWUP
=I'm glad I met a nice person like you, Mr. Minoru.

WHAP

=...Man,
WHAP
=You're really good at that.

=Yeah,//I'm slow and weak, so I got put in here all the time.
CRICK
=I was pretty much lived in the Garden of Punishment at one point.

=...And when you're in here, you get really hungry, right?
WHAP
=So I started gathering nuts and berries like this so I wouldn't starve to death.

=That's amazing.
=So you developed a skill to survive, huh.
=Heh-heh

=Oh yeah,
=Let me teach you a cool little game.

<56>
=TADAA—H

=What is that?
=It's a dart.

=The rules are simple.
=You're awesome if you can hit the parts of the target with the highest points.

=Seeing is believing.
=Let me demonstrate.

BWHIP

[x3]TAP

<57>
=Yeah—!
=You saw that!? All 20s! Plus one double!//I'm pretty good, aren't I!!
=I'm a terrible gambler, but I was always pretty good at this!

=Try it.
=O-//Okay.

=It's hard to throw from there, and besides, it's your first time.
=First, let's try getting at least 1 of the 3 throws into the 20-point area.
=Umm...

=Does the center of the target award the highest points?
=Huh? Ohh, that's called the "double bull*" and it's worth 50 points, but...
[margin]*The outer circle is called the "bull," and is worth 25 points, while the inner circle is its double, worth 50 points.

=The highest is this part.
=The triple 20 gets you 60 points.

=Then I'll try and throw it there.
=Hey hey, that's impossible. You won't get it on your first try.

[x3]TAP

<58>
=I did it!!
=That was okay, wasn't it!?
=...Okay?//Forget about okay...

=Hey, that reminds me,
=Isn't impaired vision a symptom of your disease?

=Yes... It is.//But it's really no different from being nearsighted.
=But in our case, it's considered a defect because we have Green Disease.

=Being nearsighted isn't a big handicap for normal people. But for us, it's different.

=...I know!

[sign]Director's Office
=Now what do you want.

=Now now, please relax.
=It seems like we had a little misunderstanding,//So I thought we'd play a little game and call it a truce.

=Darts.
=How 'bout it?

<59>
=Oh,
=I may not look it, but I used to be quite an avid player.
=Oh really?
=Then how about a game of 501?

"501"
Is the standard game of darts, practiced by amateurs and professionals alike, where the objective is to decrease your points quicker than your opponent, starting from 501. The characteristic of this set of rules is that the players must reduce their scores to exactly zero by hitting a double on their final throw in order to win.
In competitive matches, the players take turns, making 3 throws at a time. But in this case, each player will not switch out until they finish. The player who takes the least amount of throws to finish will be the winner.

[bubble]TAP

=Phew, finally over.
=Took me 7 throws to finish.
=Yes, this game is difficult because you need to finish by hitting a double.

=Even veterans have a hard time getting it into that tiny little space.
=Yep, totally.

=So what if there was a person who could hit those double regions like crazy!?
=Admirable.
=I would like them to teach me how to play that way.

=Then,

<60>
=What if that person was a Green Disease patient?

=Impossible.

=I agree... If there was someone like that,
=The reasons for not allowing the patients outside...//The vision impairment, the lowered endurance and concentration...//Those things would no longer apply, would they.

BWHUP

=Patient No. 13, Kyo Kisaragi,//Is an expert at darts.
=In other words, he's capable of fitting in with the rest of society.

=Please take a look at his skill.
=Please...

=Play him in a game of darts.

=And...
=If none of the employees are able to defeat him,
=Please allow him to leave the facility.

<61>
=Are you sure?

=Agreeing to a request like that...
=If we can get that noisy fool to shut up with a game of darts, then it's not a bad deal.

=Besides,
=Do you really think we're gonna let them get away with winning?

=2 months later,
=The time has come.

=Hey,//How many of you guys are gonna play 501 today?

=20.
=Think you can beat all of us?

=Don't worry, Kyo.
=There's now way you're gonna lose if you do exactly as we practiced.

=However

<62>
TAP

=Whoaaaa!! The first player on the employee team finishes in only 19 shots—!!
OHHHHH

=No way!
=They couldn't even finish in 50 shots just a couple months ago!

=Anyone can get better if you give them 2 months to practice.

=Kyo—!
=You better not lose on the first one—!
OHHHHHH

<63>
[x2]TAP

=WHOAAAA!!
=Kyo finished in only 13 shots—!!

=I was surprised that they had improved so much,
=But Kyo was simply far too good.

=One by one,

=He destroyed each of his opponents with his incredible control.

=Until finally...
TAP

<64>
=He won—!!
=That's 19 in a row!!

=One more!
=One more!
=So the last one up is...

=The director?
=No.

=He will be the last player.
[x2]MUMBLE

=...I've never seen this employee before.
[x2]MUMBLE
=I hired him just last month.

=It doesn't matter who it is, as long as it's an employee, right?

=This mysterious old man who appeared out of nowhere,
MUMBLE
=Turned out to be...

=One ridiculous old bastard.
BWHAP

<65>
TAP-TAP-TAP

SWISH

TAP

=Whoa—!//Who is this guy!!
=He finished in only 10 shots—!!

=...F-
=For real!?

Heh-heh, he may look like a normal old man,
But actually,

This man is a professional darts player, who even became the U.S. champion at one point during his career.

<66>
=Heh-heh-heh, you've done well,
=But it's all over now.

=I'm sure I don't need to remind you... That in order to beat a 10-darter,

=You need a nine dart finish.

A "nine dart finish" is the lowest possible number of throws needed to finish a game of "501." Even the best players in the world have difficulty achieving this result. This constitutes a perfect game of darts.

=Miracle!!
=We need a miracle!!

SWISH

[x3]TAP
[box]20T(60) × 3= 180//501 − 180=321 pts.
[margin note]*T=Triple

SWISH

<67>
TAP
[box]321 − 20T(60) × 3=141 pts.

=Good!
=This...
=Is gonna be a 9-darter!

TAP
[box]141 − 19T(57)=84 pts.

TAP
[box]84 − 17W(34)=50 pts.

=Yeah—!!
=Just one more!!

=Last throw!!
=Finish it off with a double bull for 50 points—!!

SWISH

<68>
TAP

OHHHHHH
=He did it—!!
=He completed a nine dart finish!!

<69>
=What a comeback—!!
=You did it, Kyo—!!

=Well done.
=To be honest, this is quite a surprise.
[x2]CLAP

=Director
=You were right.//Kyo Kisaragi's vision, endurance, tenacity...
=None of those things should prove to be a handicap if he returns to society.

=Heh-heh...
=As long as you realize that.
=However...

<70>
=This game proved nothing,
=About his concentration.

=!? ...Wha
=...What!?

=What the hell were you just watching!?
=He just threw a freaking 9-darter!!
=Yes, in that last game.

=However, he only managed to do it once.//In other words, he made some sort of mistake in each of the prior games.

=Of course he did.
=It wouldn't be a game if no one made any mistakes.

=You lying son of a bitch—!! You promised you'd let Kyo go if he beat all the employees!!
=That wasn't all of the employees.

<71>
=He hasn't played me yet.

=Don't worry.
=If I lose, I will free him, as promised.

=However, as I said earlier, let's change up the rules for this final match...
=How about a little game that will test Kyo's concentration.

=Give him the blindfold.
=Yes sir.

=Concentration
=Is all about making use of that "one and only" opportunity.

=...So, about this game.
PLICK
=The rules are very simple.

GWHUCK
=Uck...!

<72>
=You'll be hitting the apricot in his mouth using a dart.

=N-
=No way...
=Heh-heh-heh. Clear and simple, and easy to boot.

=After all, this apricot is a far bigger target than the double bull on the dartboard.
=Heh-heh-heh

<73>
=As a tribute to all your hard work,
=I'm giving you this easy bonus game!
=Dirty bastard...!

No way's he gonna do it.
What if he misses it?
Minoru could really get hurt.

That's exactly what the Director is thinking.
Kyo will back out of this match,
And this whole thing is just gonna be declared a no-contest.

How crooked can this guy get...?
=So? Are you gonna do it or not.

=Just to be sure,
=You're gonna let Kyo out if he wins this, right?

=Yes, of course.

<74>
=Then let's do it, Kyo!

=It's your chance to get outta here.//Let's give it a shot.

=But...!
=Don't worry. You won't have any problems hitting a big-ass target like this.

=And besides,//You've got a purpose once you get outta here.
=Purpose...?

=Your purpose...
=Is to show off your talent to the rest of the world.
GRIP

=You keep winning!!
=Make it to the top with those skills!!//And...

<75>
=You show those stupid bastards out there who think Fedotov patients are useless and handicapped!!
=You show 'em what you're really made of!!

=Your talent is gonna save all of these patients. No... That's not all,
=It's gonna save all the people around the world who have their potential blocked up 'cause of stupid shit like prejudice and discrimination!!

=P-
=Potential

=Do I have potential too...?
=Damn right you do!

=Everybody has potential.//They just don't realize it.
=Even Kyo.//Just a couple months ago, he was calling himself a "useless" human being.

=And now you're about to grab a hold of that enormous potential inside of you!!
=So give it a shot!!

<76>
=Hurry up and put a dart through this stupid target!

NOD

[x4]THUMP

<77>
WHOOSH

<78>
BWHAP

=He did it!!
=He won—!!

<79>
=We beat them—!
=This time, we've really...! Really...!

=Won our freedom—!!

=And now,
=Several years have passed.

<80>
=Amazing—! A nine dart finish—!
=Kyo Kisaragi has won the world championships—!!

=He did it.
=People around the world were spellbound by his talent.

=The Green Disease patients were able to return to their peaceful lives,

=The symbols of prejudice that were the isolation facilities,
=And the villains who had profited from them, were annihilated.
=All... Thanks to Kyo.
[headline]Director Arrested

<81>
=Me...?
=I'm still a regular at the job center.
=...Hey,//It's Kyo.

=Mr. Kyo Kisaragi!!//You are said to be the world's foremost contributer to the recognition of Fedotov's Disease patients. What are your thoughts on that?
=Oh... Certainly not... The person who's contributed the most is my benefactor. The one who taught me how to play darts.

=Mr. Minoru Shiibara.
=All the Fedotov's Disease patients in the world are now able to enjoy life, thanks to him.

=Oh! Same name as you, huh?
=Don't you wish you were that other guy.
=I'm still the same...
=But there's one thing that has changed about me.
=You see...

=Now I can really call myself a worthy human being. From the heart.

Nine Darts (END)

Translation: Liar Game 1a

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:11:52 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Liar Game, Roots of A, Chapter 1 (pp. 3~36)

<3>
=Going back to June of 5 years ago,
=The Teito University campus.

=Here,//We see Shinichi Akiyama in his younger days.
=Shinichi Akiyama (age 22)//Teito University 4th-year humanities major

=Teito University... The most selective elite institution in Japan.
=In fact, of the five 4th-year students enrolled in Professor Okabe's criminal psychology seminar in the Department of Behavioral Studies,
=Three, including Akiyama, have already been promised careers in government office after graduating. The other two have also landed employment at top-rate corporations. They are the cream of the crop.

=...Hey guys,
=Why'd you decide to take Professor Okabe's class in the first place?

<4>
=Criminal psychology just perked my interest, I guess.
Natsuki Igarashi (age 21)//Expected to enter a government ministry

=Same here.//The stuff you study in college doesn't count for shit once you go out into the real world.
=So I figured I may as well pick something interesting.
=Hitoshi Komaki (age 22)//Expected to join a banking institution

=I'm taking it 'cause an upperclassman told me Professor Okabe's classes are actually pretty easy.
=There's way fewer papers required compared to some of the other classes.
=Jiro Ono (age 22)//Expected to join a TV network

=True.
=His classes are generally pretty easy.
=The only problem is...
=Masami Matsuo (age 22)//Expected to enter a government ministry

<5>
=He's got that gloomy atmosphere that puts people off.

=That's true!!//That gloominess has gotta be the biggest reason why Okabe classes are so unpopular.
=I've heard about other professors taking their students out for drinks and having debates with them till morning, but...

=Professor Okabe just—Isn't like that at all.
=He's kinda indifferent, and laid-back, and creepy...

=I'm sure all criminal psychology scholars are like that. They spend the whole year thinking about murderers and people with abnormal tendencies.
=That would make anyone gloomy.
=Right, Akiyama?

<6>
=Yeah,
=I guess so.

GARUCK

WHOOSH
=Yukiya Okabe (age 62)//Teito University School of Humanities Department of Behavioral Studies//Professor of Social Psychology//Specialty: Criminal Psychology

=Good morning.
WHAP
=...G-
=Good morning, sir.

<7>
WHUP

=...W-What's with the silence...?
=That's why everyone thinks you're creepy.

=Up until now, this class has been a series of lectures on criminal psychology.
=But today...

=I'm going to give you an assignment.

=The assignment is...

<8>
=A profiling.

=As explained in the lectures, profiling refers to the investigative method of evaluating a criminal's characteristics from a psychological and scientific standpoint.//I've taken the time to explain those techniques during the past lectures.

=So today,
=I'd like to have you profile a certain individual.
=Umm...

=I thought profiling could only be done with a firsthand look at what was left behind at the crime scene.
=Hah-hah-hah
=It's not a criminal that I want you to profile.

=It's the sender of this letter.
WHAP

<9>
=...What is it?
=Do you know
=What a "balloon letter" is?

=I made one in elementary school.
=It's the one where you attach a letter to the end of a balloon and release it into the air, isn't it?
=That's right.

=This letter was found hanging on the tree of a certain house in Setagaya.
=However,

=The address and name have unfortunately been blotted out.

=The rain must have smeared the ink when it got caught on the tree.
=Maybe so.

=Therefore,
=I'd like to have you deduce the characteristics of the person who sent this letter.

=You have 2 weeks. You may deliberate amongst the five of you.//In 2 weeks, you'll be submitting a paper summarizing your findings.

<10>
=However,
=If I don't find the results to be satisfactory, you will be attending extra lectures over the summer break.

=Huh!?
=Well then, I wish you luck.

=Man,
=Who the hell said Okabe classes were easy?

=Now now,
=We've just got to buckle down and work our brains.

=Alright.
=What do you make of this letter?

<11>
Hello, nice to meet you.

Thank you for picking up this letter.
The snow on the mountains have melted away, and the cherry trees have started to blossom, haven't they.
What about the place where you live?
Has spring arrived yet?

Spring is a time of departure, and a time for new beginnings.
A new school year, new classmates, new jobs...
Spring is a time of hope.
No matter what sorts of hardships you may have gone through,
The buds and flowers overflow with life and energy,
And give us the strength and courage to live.
That is the beauty of spring.
Spring is so wonderful, isn't it.

I sincerely wish that the new season will renew your courage and hope.
And if it's not too much trouble,
Please let me know that you have read this letter.

<12>
=First off, we can tell that the person who wrote it is male.
=He's using the masculine form for "us."
[note]"Bokutachi"; Masculine form for "us" in Japanese.

=And he wrote it in spring.
=That's not a profiling.
=You're just repeating what you read.

=Fine, then you do it.
=It says the season is spring...
=But you can narrow it down even further.

=Most likely,
=From March 24th to March 31st.

=Whoa, that's pretty specific.
=From the "Cherry trees have started to blossom," part?
=That too, but mainly...

="Spring is a time of departure, and a time for new beginnings. A new school year, new classmates, new jobs..."
=The letter lists all the things that happen in spring...

=But no mention of "graduation."
=Oh yeah.

<13>
=So this letter was most likely written when "graduation" had already taken place.//They usually have graduations from around March 10th to March 24th, don't they?
=I see.

=On the other hand, the letter does mention the start of the school and work year... Meaning those events are yet to occur.
=...So going from there...

=Yeah, then it would have to be from March 24th to 31st!!
=That's not all we can deduce.

=The letter lists "school year, classmates, and jobs" in that order.//Normally, you list events in the order that you think of them, right?
[letter excerpt]Has spring arrived yet?//Spring is a time of departure, and a time for new beginnings.//A new school year, new classmates, new jobs...//Spring is a time of hope.
=Which means this person thought of "school year" and "classmates" before "jobs" when they had to list spring events.

=...So it's a student?
=Probably.

=What about the "Snow on the mountains have melted away" part at the beginning? You probably won't find any snowcapped mountains south of Tokyo, even during winter.
=Then it's up north.
=North of Northern Kanto, maybe around the Koushin'etsu region?

<14>
=So to summarize, the sender is a male student living in the northern region. He wrote the letter sometime in late March...

=...So, now what?

=...Nothing, huh.

=The professor's gonna fail us if this is all we can come up with.
=Hmm...

=Hey Akiyama, you haven't said anything. What do you think about our deduction so far?

=Yeah, it's not bad.
=But if I can say one basic thing...

<15>
=Is there a right answer to this?

=Huh?
=Oh yeah... Good point...
=This letter was hanging on the tree of a certain house in Setagaya... Right?

=The professor also lives in Setagaya.
=So maybe...

=The professor found it in his own house?

=Y-Yeah!!//That's totally possible!!
=He picked it up, saw how the name and address were erased, and thought "This would be a perfect assignment to give to the students."

<16>
=...So the professor doesn't know the right answer either!!
=Which means he can't demand better work from us when we submit our paper!!

=Man—So that whole thing about giving up summer break was just a threat to make sure we wouldn't half-ass the paper, huh—
=Phew—
=I feel a lot better now.

=We'll be fine if we just make it sound like we know what we're talking about.
=Hah-hah-hah-hah

<17>
BOW
=Oh.

=So?//How's the paper?
=Yes,
=It's coming along.

=Very well.
=I have one question, professor.

=Are you aware of the correct answer to this profiling?

<18>
=Of course.
=I know exactly who the sender is.

=Thank you very much.
BOW

=He knows the right answer—?
=Hah-hah-hah, that's gotta be a bluff.

=He can't just go, "Actually, there is no right answer," can he?
=I don't know...

=Anyways, we're getting along with the profiling, Akiyama. First off, we wrote that the sender is diligent, neat, and cheerful. This is because his handwriting is well-aligned and...

<19>
=Nao—Let's go.
=Wait,
=I found a 100 yen coin.
[margin arrow]Akiyama

=I have to report it to the police.
=Gosh, why do you have to be so honest? Just keep it.

=Could it be...!

=And now... The due-date of the paper.

=From the lines, "Spring is a time of departure, and a time for new beginnings. A new school year, new classmates, new jobs," one can surmise that this letter was written in late March—
=Several occurrences have been listed as spring events, but oddly enough, "graduation," is not among these.

<20>
=This suggests that "graduation" was long past by the time this letter was written... If the school and work year were to begin afterward, the only possible time frame would be late March.

=It is obvious that the sender is male, since he is using the masculine form of "us." Given the ordering of, "School year, classmates, jobs," one can observe that the sender prioritizes "School year and classmates" before "jobs" when listing spring events, lending weight to the notion that he is a student.
=Judging by the level of his writing, he is likely to be a student in junior-high or high school. A college student would be unlikely to prioritize "classmates" over "jobs."

=Given the fact that there are no mistakes in his spelling and punctuation, he is probably an excellent student. Also, the mention of snows melting from the mountains indicates that he lives in Northern Kanto, or perhaps even Yamanashi Prefecture.
=It would be far too early to mention cherry blossoms during late March in the Tohoku region.

=His neatly aligned sentences, coupled with his meticulous handwriting, indicate that the author has a very diligent personality.

=The prevalence of positive words such as "hope," "courage," and "beginnings," show that the sender has a cheerful and positive nature.
=On the other hand, the act of attaching a letter to a balloon so it will float into the air also suggests that he is a romantic, with some childishness still left in his character...

WHAP

=...The analysis in this paper...

<21>
=Is completely incorrect.

=Wh-Which part is incorrect, sir!?
=Besides, you don't know who sent this letter either! Do you, professor!?
GATHUCK
=I do know.
=I know the exact characteristics of the person who sent this letter.

=Did any of you come up with a different answer?

<22>
WHUP

=Very well. Mr. Akiyama.

GATHUCK
=Sir

=The sender was a 19-year old male with a somewhat dark and negative personality.
=He wrote the letter at the beginning of March, and released it from the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula.

=What the hell?
=That's totally impossible.

=...Hmm.

<23>
=That is correct.

=Whaaat!?

=...Wha!?//How did you get that!?
=I'll explain.

=There were several things that I thought were odd when I saw this letter.
=The first was the smeared ink.

=It got rained on when it was stuck to the tree, right?
=Don't be so sure.

=I sent a letter using a balloon when I was in elementary school, but you're supposed to wrap the letter in a plastic bag before you release it so it won't get wet.

=And when you fold this letter by its creases... See, it goes like this, right?
=It must've been folded when it was sent, and...

<24>
=If it got wet looking like this,
=The body of the letter should also be blurred out, not just the name and address.

=Hey!!
=That's true!!
=Which means,
=The words got blurred after the letter was opened.

=So it's no surprise that the professor knew the sender's name and address.
=But the professor phrased it a little differently.

=I know exactly who the sender is.

="I know exactly who it is" ...That suggests he knows more than just a simple name and address.
=Most likely...

=It indicates that the professor had some sort of contact with the sender.

<25>
=And that's not all.
=This letter was sent to a stranger, right?

=If you were to write a letter to someone you've never met before, how would you write it?
=You'd start off a greeting, right?//...And then?

=Wouldn't you introduce yourself?

=However... This letter contains absolutely no introduction.
[letter]First 4 lines
=Oh,
=Right!!

=It just kept bugging me. Why didn't the person who wrote this letter say anything about himself?
=Did he not want to?

=If he didn't want to, the positive expressions like "hope" and "courage..."
=Must've come as a result of wanting to shake off the difficult conditions that surrounded him.

=If all this is true,
=Maybe it has something to do with the professor knowing the sender...

<26>
=And finally... I discovered,

=The author of this letter.

=How did you deduce that!?
=Sorry,
=It's not gonna be a deduction from here on out.

=I asked the professor's wife.
=...In secret.

=Huh!? What do you mean?//That's not a profiling.
=True... But,
=I couldn't help myself.

=I'm sorry about keeping this secret, Professor...
=But your wife told me everything... The sender...

<27>
=Was gravely ill.

=The person's name was Koshiro Takeda. He fell ill at age 16, and had spent the past 3 years on the sickbed.
=And because of that, he had become silent and recluse. A stark contrast from his once cheery persona.

=He listed the words "school year" and "classmates" before "jobs," despite being 19 years old,
=Because he regretted not being able to spend much time in school due to his illness.

=Concerned for her son's welfare, the mother suggests that he write a balloon letter.
=Anything to give him a more positive outlook.
=Fed up with the monotonous life in the hospital, he was delighted by her suggestion.

=His mother prepared 50 balloons, and carefully hand-wrote 50 copies of the letter.
=However, he made absolutely no mention of his own illness. Substituting it instead with words of hope. Not wanting to attract sympathy, he did the best he could to put up a bold front.

=Maybe he didn't include "graduation" because it conjures up the feeling of "departure."
NOD

<28>
=He hadn't seen the outside scenery for a long time because he was bedridden... Having gone to Chiba to get a change of air, he wasn't aware that there is no snow on the mountains of the Boso Peninsula.
=?//Then how do you explain the "snow on the mountains" part?

=The scenery from his hometown in Niigata.
=Those were the memories from when he was healthy.

=And one day during the beginning of March, his mother released 50 balloons off the roof of the hospital on a southerly wind.

=Balloon letters don't make it into people's hands very often.
=But luckily, one balloon did reach a young girl living in Setagaya.

=Her name was Reiko...
=Professor Okabe's only daughter, who was 18 years old at the time.

=Huh!?

=Ms. Reiko was also living a reclusive life. Once an avid basketball player, she was even selected for the national team, but a grave knee injury had forced her to give up the sport.
=Since then, she had spent her days locked up in her room, not knowing what she wanted to do with her life, even with her high school graduation fast approaching.

<29>
=That letter saved her from her condition.

=Spring and hope will always arrive if one bears through the harsh winter...
=The outlook in the letter gave her strength and courage.

=The following day, she finally stepped outside her house to apply for a preparatory school.
=The first step towards turning her life around. She was reborn.

=She immediately wrote a response to the author of the letter.
=Thanking Koshiro for giving her the strength to continue living.

=And before long, her letter was answered.
=But the response was quite unexpected.

=The letter had been written by Koshiro's mother.

<30>
=Koshiro had passed away,
=Shortly after receiving Ms. Reiko's letter.

=Here's what the letter said.

="Koshiro was happy. The letter he wrote had given courage to someone else—
=Thank you, Ms. Reiko. Koshiro read your letter before he left us."

=Realizing for the first time that Koshiro had been gravely ill, Ms. Reiko was unable to grasp the situation at first.

=But when she returned to her room and took another look at Koshiro's letter,
=Her tears began to overflow.

<31>
=The name and address had been blotted out,
=Because of Ms. Reiko's tears.

=Professor

=I apologize for ignoring the assignment and barging into this matter.

=I'm not going to reproach you.
=...In fact,

<32>
=You did the right thing.

=Huh?

=I handed this class a letter, and demanded a profiling of its sender... Normally, one would try to guess the sender's identity from the content of the letter.
=As was done in this paper.

=But not Mr. Akiyama... He approached me.
=Trying to figure out why I had this letter... Why I would give out an assignment like this.

=That was the purpose of this assignment.

<33>
=You are all talented.
=Once you go out into the world, you will stand above others as the leaders of society.

=But because you have such wonderful minds,
=Over time, you may forget to consider other people's feelings.

=Psychology is a study that probes human feelings.//And as students in the psychology department—

=I ask that you always pause to consider people's feelings.

<34>
=Because a sophisticated profiling,
=Can never compare to the importance of making contact with another human being.

=That concludes the lecture.
=Concentrate on your dissertations after the summer break.

=...And also...

=All of you have passed this assignment.

<35>
=Yeah—!
OHHHH

[bubble]Man—//I thought we were screwed//Hah-hah

=Professor

=What is it?
=Do I still have time to apply for the graduate school?

=You do, but haven't you already received a job offer?
=No

<36>
=I've changed my mind.
=I want to learn more about the "human mind" with you, Professor Okabe.

=...I see.

=And so, Akiyama chose to continue his studies at the graduate level.
=5 years prior to his encounter with Nao Kanzaki.

LIAR GAME roots of A (END)

Translation: Soil 24

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:04:51 +0000

Soil, Volume 3, Chapter 24 (pp. 191~214)

<191>
[tape]Police//Do Not Enter

<192>
=You know how the world is about to end, right?

"The Second Utensil"

=We have no future in the first place.
=And since we have no future, we have no sins.

=That's why I don't consider your stupidity to be a sin, Seki.
=Everything's temporary, and off the cuff anyways.
=...Don't eat your boogers.

<193>
=In the Gishiwajiden it's written, "Men of all ages possess imprints on their front and self..."

=Front refers to the face... And self refers to tattoos on the body...
=In ancient times, Japanese people tattooed their entire bodies as an incantation to prevent themselves from getting lost at sea...

=S-S-S-So those are scales!?
=You're admitting that they're scales, aren't you!?

=Look, I told you it's just to understand the spirituality of the Jomon people...
=D-D-Don't move!!

=I-I'm the eighth champion of the Kamikawa Station Sports Swordfighting Tournament!
=I'm even going to be in the regionals soon!

<194>
=Sports... What?
=Doesn't that sounds so pathetic it makes you sad?
=Sh-Sh-Shut up, middle schoolers!

=I'm finally drawing closer to the crux of this case!!
=I'm about to accomplish something as a detective!!

=FLAP
=CHUK

=WHIP
=Th-Th-Th-Then the "salt!?"
=What about the "salt!?"

=You purchased the meteorite containing alien "salt!"//I saw your name on the store records!
=Wh-Wh-Wh-What was your objective!?

<195>
=Wh-Why has a mountain of "salt" that shouldn't even exist on the Earth appeared in this town!?
=E-E-Explain yourself!!
=I mean like, why!? How come!?

=A-Alien?
=Meteorite?

=Inside that drawer...
=Drawer!?
=Open it, middle schoolers!!
=THUD THUD

=RATTLE
=Huh!?

[box right]Dove Cookies
[box left]Persimmon Seeds

<196>
=P-Persimmon seeds and Dove Cookies...!?
=...Look inside.

=The persimmon seeds contain the "Zag Meteorite" I imported,
=And the Dove Cookies contain a stone ornament excavated from an empty lot in "Soil."

=It may look like a normal stone ornament, but it's actually made of O. Chondrite... It's a meteorite.

=Do you see the blueish crystals of rock salt on the sides?

<197>
=Both of them contain Xenon 129 and Argon 40...
=Which existed over 4.5 billion years ago, and are two of the oldest minerals in the solar system...
=They're virtually non-existent on the Earth.

=Which means...
=A similar meteorite landed in this area during the Jomon Period...

=And the ancient people...
=Viewed this "foreign object" from the sky as a religious device, and used it to sculpt the ornament...

<198>
=I was thinking about using that as a theme for my thesis...
=I imported the "Zag Meteorite" in order to run a comparative analysis...

=But...

=But...!?

=Then the "salt mountain" suddenly appeared in the school yard...

<199>
=The blueish tint caught my eye...

=So I ran some tests, and...

=It was exactly the same...
=As the "salt" on the meteorite...?

=I'm the one looking for an explanation...
=Forget about my thesis...
=That thing refutes every single geological and archeological finding ever made...

<200>
="For all the truth, all creation, all secrets of yore. Can be told in an instant,"
="By then they're no more..."

=Quit playing dumb, alien!!
=AH
=You may fool a detective, but you'll never fool the Paranormal Investigation Team!!

=What've you done to the Suzushiros!?
=Tell us what you were doing on the "night of the blackout!!"
[x3]SPLOSH
=Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot!!

<201>
=I was with you two, remember!?

=What!?
=Oh!

=You told me there was an unidentified creature in the underground parking lot of the train station,
=And I was forced to come along as the club supervisor...

=We got trapped inside because of the blackout,
=And we couldn't get out till the next morning, remember!?

<202>
=Yeah! The time with caught that raccoon, right?

=Hey Tomiyama... Wanna come to my house and watch some really perverted videos?
=Oh! Sounds good!

=What genre of pervertedness are we talking about?
=Most of your stuff is a bit too bizarre for my taste.
=J-Just come, alright...!

=RATTLE
=BATHUMP

<203>
=I-I'm so sorry about this...
=Oh no... I'm sorry for causing this whole confusion...

=But still, the real "man with scales" must be somewhere...
=And he must really have something to do with the crux of this case...

=Umm...

=I don't know if an amateur should be saying something like this...
=This is just my personal opinion, but...

=There's a term called the "second utensil" in Jomon study...
=It's used to refer to things like that stone ornament. Relics that seem to have no practical use whatsoever...

<204>
=Most of them are just explained away as items of religious significance,
=But some are just so incomprehensible...

=Trying to reason with those relics doesn't get you anywhere...
=They seem to exist just for the sake of existing...

=I think this world contains "mysteries" that are meant to be solved, and "mysteries" that aren't meant to be solved...
=Pure "mysteries," I guess...
="Mysteries" that exist just for the sake of it...

=Perhaps this case...
=Also falls into that category...

<205>
=...This enigma...
=Has no explanation...

=You may search forever...
=But there will be no answer...

<206&207>
=Because this "mystery..."
=Was never meant to be solved...

<212>
=Nnnn.... Nn...
=Nnnnnn.... Ahh
=Ahhhhhh

<213>
=Nahhhh....

=Nnnnnah...

=Nnnah...

=Nn...

<214>
=Ahhhhhh!!!
=BZZZZZT

=Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Translation: Rico Oneshot

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:16:49 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Rico, Oneshot (Jump Square, August 2009)

<1>
Fragments of a broken memory—//She is the melder of human destinies.
[pink box]SUPREME oneshot series
[red box]65-page color centerpiece

<2>
[x2]=ZUP//ZUP

=Mommy,
=My ear hurts.

=Come here,
=Mio.

=See? If you do this,
=You won't hear the horrible sounds anymore.

=Have you found "Skanda" yet!?
The memories of her mother are filled with sorrow...

<3&4>
WHOOSH

[x4]=FLAP FLAP

=Rico

<5>
=This is your last chance.
=I'll ask one more time.

=Where have you hidden "Skanda?"
=Silence will be taken as treason against the Oris Army.
=SWUP

=GACHUK

=W-Wait!
=I know where it is!!
SWUP...

<6>
=Ladonna! The city in the northwest!//The girl with the strange ears is...
WHUP

[bubble]BANG
GACHUK

[bubble]BANG
[bubble]BANG//BANG

=It's in Ladonna.
=Hang all of the girls in that city who fit the description.
=Yes sir!

<7>
=Glory to the Oris Empire!
[x2]ZUP

=Glory to our country!

=These men have betrayed the Oris Army!//They are rebels who bear connections to the Gondneans!

=A reward will be given to citizens who provide useful information!
=The Oris Army is here!//Hide the child!
=I can't find her anywhere...!

=What...!?
[bubble]BLAM

<8>
[x3]=SWISH

[bubble]FLAP//FLAP

[x2]=FLAP

<9>
[x2]=WHAP//WHAP

=Oww...!

=WHAP//WHAP

SPLAT
THUD
=Ack!

<10>
=BRIP
*rumbling*
=Ouch...!
[x2]SHUFF

=Phew!
UCK

=Huh...?//What is this?
=Grass...?

<11>
=Uhh...

=He—y!!!!!
UCK

[x2]HOO
=A little girl is hugging a little stuffed animal—!! {cu~te}
=Huh? Where'd she go...?

=Wa—it!

<12>
=Wait up—!!!
ZUP

[bubble]WHUP
BOP

=Ow!//Let go!
[x5]RUB
=Hey... She talked. Ohh—So you can talk, huh—!
=Why'd you run away—?//All I wanna do is ask you something—!
=Wh-What!?

=Hey...
[bubble]WHIRRR—

<13>
=Where am I?
THUD

TUG
=Huh?

SPLAT
WHOOSH

=Owwww—
*gets up*

<14>
=Hey!
=That's a beautiful campfire—!
=Whaat!?
WHUP

=The helicopter you were riding on just got shot down!!
WHOOSH
=...Me...?
=Yeah you!

=...Those clothes!
=You're from Gondnea, aren't you!
=Gondnea...

=I don't know why you came here,//But this is Oris!
=You're intruding on enemy territory during wartime! Do you know what that means!?
=Wow, I had no idea...

="No idea...?" Does she not care about herself!?
=Thanks for telling me.//Now I know where I am.
=But there's one more important question I have to ask you...
=What?

<15>
=Who am I?

=Whaat!?

=...Wait,
STARE—

=...Hah-hah-hah-hah!//Hah...!!?
[x2]*climb*
=!!! {It's moving!?}

Hup

[bubble]SHUFFLE//SHUFFLE

<16>
[bubble]SWUP
=A memo...?

[below bear]I am Memo.
[below girl]She is Rico.
[bottom line]Rico has a 3 minute memory.

=It says... You are Memo,
GRIP
=And you are Rico!
WHUP

[x2]*climb*
=Ohh,
=So I'm Rico...!

=And... Huh?
[x2]TAP

<17>
=Waaait!!
UCK
=Stop following me!!

[keep typo]=Your country is that way!//Go home if you don't want to get kille...
WHIRR—

[bubble]WHIRR—
=What's that sound...?
DASH

=Idiot!//Don't stand still!!
THUD
Huh—??

<18>
WHAM

=Wha...
=Wha...

=Wow, that was so fun—!!
WHUP
=My body got lifted up—! {Like all my insides floated up!}

=What's wrong?
=...My ear...

<19>
=...It... Hurts!

[bubble]SWIP
=...What should I do?

=What can I do to make it go away?

[bubble]WHIRR—
=R-

<20>
=Run!!

=Oka—y!!
[x6]TAP

WHAM
[bubble]SWIP

[x2]THUD
[x3]WHUP

=Oh yeah...
CRI—NK

<21>
=I didn't get your name yet.
=This isn't the time for...!

SCREE—CH

=Huh?//...Where am I?
=And... Who am I...?

WIGGLE WIGGLE
=She only has a 3 minute memory...!
=That was for real...!??

[bubble]SWOO...

<22>
=You are Rico! I am Mio!//Keep running at full speed until we get out of this field!!!!

SMILE

=Oka—y!
WHOOSH

WHAAAAM

=...I can't bring you home with me...

<23>
=How come?
=If people find out we're harboring a criminal,//Auntie and the others will get in trouble.

=This way.

=So you live with your aunt?
=Yeah...//I do...

*stops*

Again...?
=...How many times has it been...? *..sighhh..*
=Huh...?

=You are Rico, I am Mio...//What kind of condition do you have?
*sighhh*
=Condition?

<24>
=Am I sick?
[bubble]
=I'm asking you!

=Wow, it's beautiful—!

Geez... I brought her here...
*glance*
But now what am I supposed to do with her...?

SMILE—
I just need to calm down and think carefully...
*sighhh*

<25>
=We're safe here.
=I hope.

CREAK

=Come on in.

FLASH

=Wow!

<26>
House fire kills renowned scientist couple. Missing daughter still not found.
[bubble]CLOT
Oris invades Gondnea
=Watch your step.

=This is my secret hideout.//The ceiling is a little low, so—
WHACK

*splatter*
=...Too late, huh...

=...Please, just sit still...
[x6]WHUP
=Okay.

<27>
=Mio!
=This photo—!
=Yes, that's me.
=And...

=My mommy and daddy, who died last week.
=...Died...?

=It means I can't find them no matter how hard I try.
=They're not here anymore...
=That's why//I'm living at my aunt's place right now.

=Are you sad that you can't see them...?

<28>
=...If I act sad and lonely,//Mommy and Daddy would get worried, right...?

=That's why,//I've decided not to cry.

BLEH?
=...Uhh...

=I am Mio. You are Rico.//I thought you were handicapped at first, but...
=If something sad happens, you get to forget about it in 3 minutes, huh.

=...I kind of envy you...

<29>
=Anyways,//Let's try and think of a way to get you back to Gondnea for now.

=Gondnea...?
=This is Oris.//You're from the neighboring country, Gondnea.
=Oris and Gondnea aren't friends. They're in the midst of a war.

=Oh.
=...The city is full of soldiers...//How can I get you back home without getting caught...

=What's this...?
=I don't remember scribbling something like this...

=..."S"...
="k"...
="a"...
="n"...
="d"...
="a"...
"L3/14"...?

<30>
=What's this symbol?
=A church...?
=...Who could've drawn this...?

=...But this place...
=We might be able to make it over there.

[bubble]RUCK RUCK RUCK RUCK

ZUP

<31>
=..."Skanda"...!
=Find me that brat no matter what!

=That church is close to the border...!

=It's directly opposite the Oris Army's current advance base,//And it's the longest way around to Gondnea...
=But I've heard rumors that the security there isn't as tight.

=Wow—//Hey look, lots of airplanes!

<32>
[bubble]WHIRRR—

WHUP
=...Oww...!

=...Mio?
AH

=...I'm sorry, let's keep going.

[x2]WHOOSH
WHIRR—

<33>
=...You look pale, Mio...!
=...I'm fine...

=My ear just hurts a little...
=...Hey,

=Why do you have these on?

=Don't touch them!!
WHAP

Oh...

<34>
=...You are Rico, I am Mio...//I was born with a condition where I can hear too well...
=Too well...?

=The sound of the grass blowing in the wind, people's voices,
=The sound of cars running...
=It's like a flood of sound.//I hear everything louder than other people.
=...The fighter planes flying through the air...
=The screams and gunshots...//I can hear them even over the headphones...

=...Sometimes, my head starts to hurt.
=...The sound of houses burning...
=I start getting nauseous, and...
=...It clings to my ears and won't go away...
=Have you found "Skanda" yet!?

<35>
[bubble]WOBBLE

[bubble]UCK//SOB
=Mommy,
=My ear hurts.
[bubble]HICK...

=Come here, Mio.

=See? If you do this,
=You won't hear the horrible sounds anymore.
=Mommy...

[bubble]SWISH//SWISH...
=Mio!

<36>
=You've got to run away...!
=Your mother and father have been...!

=Have you found "Skanda!?"
="Skanda?"
=We've searched the entire house, but it doesn't seem to be...

=Mommy!
=Daddy...!
=We know this couple were the ones that had it!
=Hurry up and find it!

<37>
=Mommy!!! Daddy...!!!
=Huh?

WHUP
=Morning!

=...Where am I...?

=This little guy told me to come here.
=The church...

=Have you found "Skanda!?"

<38>
="Skanda!?"
WHUP
=What's wrong?

=This church has 14 rows of seats...!

DASH
=Could this number be...!?

=L is for left...
=So 3/14 must mean... The 3rd row,

=On the left side...!?

SHUFF
=What's it say?

<39>
=...!//...This is...!

[bubble]CLICK.

GONNNNG

GON—G
=...Bells?

WHUP
=Oww!

GON—G
=My headphones are gone...!!
=Where did they...!?

<40>
[x3]GON—G
=The people are gone too...!//But they were just...

[x4]=BLAM

=Huh? Did all the doors get closed?

[bubble]ZUP//Z-ZUP
[bubble]ZUP

<41>
[bubble]ZUP//ZUP
=...Footsteps...?
=...5...10... No, even more than that...!

=They used the sound of the bells to cover their footsteps...!

*rumbling*

=...This sound...
[bubble]GULP

*rumbling*
=It's probably... Even more dangerous than the soldiers...
=What's that sound?

<42>
=I have to get away...!
=I have to take her and get away from this place...!

*rumbling*

=R-/Rico...!

=Oh...
=And who are you?

<43>
THUD

[bubble]WHOOSH
=Oww!

<44>
ZZT

=Memo!
WHUP
=You found them for me...!

=...There's no...
=Sound...?

=No...
My eardrum split...

[bubble]SWUP.

<45>
=...Rico!?
=Even my own voice sounds like it's far away...
=Right when I actually need those crazy ears of mine...!

=Rico!

=Rico—!
=Answer me, Rico!!

[bubble]ZUP
[bubble]ZU-//ZUP

=Rico—!!!

=SWUP...

<46>
=Rico!
=Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!

=Oww...!
RATTLE
CLONK

[bubble]THUD

=Blood...!

<47>
=Rico!!!
[bubble]RATTLE

=No...!
=It won't stop...!

[bubble]SWIP
[bubble]... {FWUP}
=Rico!

=You are Rico! I am Mio!//Look at me, and listen to my voice!!
WHUP
=Don't close your eyes!//No matter what!!

[bubble]SWUP

<48>
=...Mio...?

=...Rico...?
...My ears...

...I can hear again...?

[bubble]GACHUK
=Don't move.

<49>
ZUP

[bubble]CLACK
=You're the daughter of those scientists?

=Stand!
WHUP

[bubble]GACHUK
=Resistance is futile. Answer my question.

<50>
=Where have you hidden "Skanda?"

FLASH

WH-WHUP

[bubble]PIP

[bubble]FLASH
=We've received a signal from Memo.

<51>
[bubble]FLASH//FLASH
[bubble]FLASH

=The northwestern region of the Oris Empire.
=Bearing: XX degrees.

=Rico is in critical condition.
=The other survivor is a young girl, approximately 10 years of age...

=...This child is...
=Skanda...?//I've never heard of something like that...!
=Dear Mio,

<52>
=If you've found this,
=It probably means we're no longer in this world.

=We're entrusting you with something very important.//We want you to give it to Adolf.
=...Hoping that Oris will return to the peaceful country it once was,

=Love, Mommy and Daddy.
=It's something your mother and father stole from us.
GACHUK

=Return it,//Or else that woman who was hiding you is also going to die.
=Auntie...!

=Say it!//Where have you hidden "Skanda!?"

=Oww!

Mommy...Daddy...
Auntie...

<53>
Rico...!!!
THUMP

SWUP

=This woman's still alive...!
WHUP
=Rico...!

=Y-//You are Rico! I am Mio!
=Now run away!

<54>
=...I am...
=Rico...

=...You are...
=Mio...

GRAB

=I will save Mio.

<55>
WHUP
=Kill her!!
=Ow!

WHOOSH

<56>
=ZUP
=Stop right there!

=Come any closer, and the brat dies!
=Ow!

FLASH

SWUP...
*rumbling*

<57&58>
*rumbling*

=The Gondnean Army...!!?

="Don't move."
="You and your men are completely surrounded."

<59>
=How do you like the view of Gondnea?

=I'm sorry about your parents... They were gifted scientists.
=They wanted to free the people from the Oris army, so they supplied me with information.

[bubble]SWUP

<60>
=I am a friend of your parents,//And I am the leader of the Republic of Gondnea.
=My name is Adolf Juzenbeck.

=I've been looking for you...
=...Adolf... So this person is...

=I believe there is something your parents instructed you to give me?

=...Do you promise...?
=...Promise that you'll free the people of Oris from the army...?

=...Yes, I do.
=Mio, we're entrusting you with something very important. We want you to give it to Adolf.//"Skanda" is right above your head...

<61>
[bubble]SWUP

="Skanda"//...Is the codename for the Oris Army's highest classification of military secrets.
=This chip contains all kinds of secret data. The weapons being developed, the blueprints for the army bases...

=I knew your mother had given it to you.//And when I learned of your disappearance, I asked Rico for help,
=And she said she would bring you back herself.

=But Rico's memory only lasts...
Poor thing—
=Yes,//But that may also be the source of her strange powers.

<62>
=Rico is unrestricted by memory and information.//It allows her to make decisions freely and instantaneously.

=That's how she decided where to land,
=And ended up finding you.
=...But...//What in the world is she...?

=Even I don't know.
=She hasn't aged at all. At least not for the 30 years I've known her.//And even if she's injured, the wounds disappear in 3 minutes. Just like her memory.

...Huh...!?
=In Gondnea, Rico is known as the goddess of destiny.
=Wherever she goes, there is victory.

<63>
=...Her blessing,
=Will now shine down upon the Oris people too.

=Mio!

=Auntie!
=I'm so glad you're safe...!

<64>
=Dear,//What happened to your headphones?
=Huh...?

...The sounds...
I don't hear them anymore...!

=...My ears...//Did you close them for me...?

=Rico!//Wait!
=Mio!

<65>
=I am Mio!
=I'll always remember you!!

=20 years later.

I am Mio.
You are Rico.

Their friendship is eternal...

Rico—End

Translation: Desert Punk 12

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:03:27 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Desert Punk, Volume 2, Chapter 12 (pp. 163~194)

<164>
GRACK

=Hey!
[x3]GACHUK
=It jammed!

<165>
=Fuck! It's stuck inside!
[x2]GONK
GASHUCK
[margin note]Sarah Connor's one-handed reload from Terminator 2

PLOP

WHAM
RA-TA-TAT

<166>
THUD

FLASH

B-B-BLAM
=Huh!?

=A radar jammer!? Shit—! I messed up!
=I can't see anything!

=My helmet... RRR, I can't take it off with one hand...
Gahh~
=You fucking klutz.

<167>
[x2]WHAP

SPLAT
[x2]Gahh—
THUD

=Gahh—! I-It hu—rts!
WHUP
=Huh? It wasn't me?

=Heh-heh—! You screwed up, didn't ya.
=Huh!?

=...Oh.

<168>
=Y-You're...
=Taiko Koizumi//Originally the student of the assassin, Jiro Onuma, who is now following around Desert Punk and trying to become his student because Desert Punk defeated Onuma.
=I saved Desert Punk's life!

=You didn't realize I was following you this whole time?
=Geez... You shouldn't be doing work when your body isn't fully healed yet.

=That's why you're being STUPID enough to load the wrong bullet.
GRII—T
=Shut up—!

=After all, you GOT LOST IN THE DESERT, Master.
=Uck...

<169>
=Well, I understand why you're starting to get a little panicked.
=You got lost and had to be rescued by your arch-rivals, the Kawaguchi Brothers.//You need a huge comeback to get back in the mix.

=Shut up—! I'm gonna fucking kill you!
=I told you I'm not gonna teach you anything, so stop following me around.

=I couldn't follow you last time 'cause you went driving off in a truck,
=But I'm gonna follow you wherever I can.

=Even if you don't accept me as your student, I'm going to stick right by your side,
=So I can steal every single one of your techniques and make them my own.//And someday, I'm going to be...

<170>
=The strongest, most skilled, and most beautiful woman—!!
=In the Kanto Great Desert!!
[right text]Super-skilled
[left text]Beauty

=Hey!
=Wait! Ple—ase!

=Desert Punk's hometown.

<171>
=Yo, Kan-chan.
=You alright? Heard you got lost.

=Hey Desert Punk! You better not get lost in the desert again!
=DWA-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!!

<172>
=Seems like the whole town knows about it.
[x2]RABBLE
[x2]*whisper*
DWA-HAH-HAH-HAH
=RRGH—

=Really—!? That Desert Punk got lost in the desert—?
=Huh...?
=Yep, that's right—! And we were the ones who rescued him!

=Haruo!?
=Oops!
UCK
=Hey!

=So you're the one who's blabbing!
DASH—
=Shit!

SPLAT
=ACK!

<173>
=Hah—! Stupid—!

=Lame.
[x4]TREMBLE
=I'm gonna go plant a bomb in their bathroom again.

[x2]KYAHH—

=Hey!

S-SWUP
[x2]What?

=Hmm...
PLICK
WHIRR—
[x2]THUMP
=What is it? What's wrong?

=*sigh—*

<174>
=Who's that pretentious looking guy?
=Man, I'm jealous...
=...Huh?
And why are we hiding here?

=Wataru Mizuta. Age 20, unemployed.//He's got at least 10 girlfriends! They call him the harem prince!!
=The miracle man who gets all the money he needs from his girlfriends!
=UCK//That's so embarrassing.
=What are you talking about!?

<175>
=Being surrounded by beautiful girls and enjoying every single day of your life.
=It's the perfect lifestyle. What more could you ask for?

=Pathetic.

=A real man—!!
=Hmm!?

=Sweats, fights, and works to bring home the daily bread and protect his family from the harsh natural environment and malicious enemies!
=That's what a real man does!!
=There's something seriously wrong with your head.

<176>
=*sigh...*

=My body isn't working like I want it to,
=I'm short on money 'cause I had to buy new equipment,//And everyone's making fun of me.

=That makes me even more jealous of Wataru...
DOO—M
=Ahh... The loneliness of being single.

=You won't be alone if you make me your student.
=I can help out around the house a little bit, too.
=Hah.

=It's one thing to have hot girlfriends like Wataru does...//Why would I want help from a cocky little flat-chested brat like you.

<177>
=Umm—I'm trying to become your student.
=I don't want to be your girlfriend or anything.

=What I want right now is a good woman. A woman who loves me and does exactly what I want them to.
=I don't need a dumb, annoying appendage of a student.

=You are obviously not a good woman!
BIP
=And student or not, your very existence means absolutely positively nothing to me!

HMPH

=Very well...
SHUFF.

=Guess I have no choice but to show you this!
WHIP
=Huh!?

<178>
=Oh!!

=Ohhh—

<179>
=Whoa—Now this is a good woman.
=See—?

=Who is this person?
=She's my mother.
That's a pin-up of her before I was born.

=Introduce me.
=She's married!

Huh...!?

=Hmph...
=I'm the daughter of the incredibly good woman in this photo.//Which means...

<180>
=Yeah. Right now, she's an absolute piece of garbage that doesn't even count as a man or a woman.
=But in 2~3 years...

=They say women really change when they grow up...

So she wasn't just bluffing when she said she was gonna grow big breasts...

=Hmm—!!
=Hmm—?

PLICK
WHIRR—

<181>
=Alright, I'll give you a shot.
=Huh!?

=The handyman is the coolest, hardest profession in the entire desert.
=Let's see if you've got what it takes to become that cool and awesome.
=I'm trying to become stronger, not become a handyman, but oh well.

=I'll decide whether to make you my student or not after that!
=Ya—y! I'm gonna try my best—!

Hee-hee-hee, men go down sooo easily when I show them that picture.
How can they be this easy and simpleminded?

<182>
Guess I'll make her do all the work for the time being so I can live kind of like Wataru.
SHINE
FLASH
And while I wait for her to become a good woman,

=I'll train her mind, body, and spirit—
[box]Brainwashing
=In order to make her my ideal woman...

Come to think of it, all the women who screwed me over in the past,
Were strong, independent individuals.

This could be my biggest chance yet.
I'm gonna create my very own paradise!

=Heh-heh-heh-heh
=...Hee-hee

<183>
=And so, Taiko Koizumi was officially registered as Desert Punk's assistant in the West Oasis Handyman's Guild.

=NGEEEEE—

=Manuring
[x2]SPLOSH
=EE—K

=Delivering
=There's a package for you—

<184>
=Chimney Cleaning
[x2]=*cough*

=Shipping Helper
=EE—K

=It's too hard—!
=And so not cool—!

=What are you talking about?

=Huh...?

=You're a handyman, right?
=Handymen are handymen because they do everything.

<185>
=That's true, but...
=I want to help...
=With your actual work...
=Like defeating bandits and stuff...

=Do you realize,
=Why I was able to defeat Jiro Onuma?

=I won,
=Because I'm a super-skilled handyman.

=He had the upper hand back there,
=But I'm still alive right now, thanks to my experiences as a handyman.

SPLISH
=His sniping skills were top-notch. He must've trained a lot to get that kind of skill.

=But that was all he'd ever trained for.
Oh!

<186>
=On the other hand, I went through all sorts of experiences as a handyman. Just like you are right now.
=I worked really hard. After all, you've got to do the job pretty dang well if you wanna make any money.

=Y-You're right, that guy wasn't very good at getting ahead in life.
Jiro Onuma age 39
Assassin
=He was just a dumb old geezer.

=Fighting is the same as life. You never know which way things are going to swing.
=You quickly assess the situation, and instantly put it to action!//Confidence and a flexible mind!

=Well, I guess it just goes to show I was superior to Onuma in those aspects.

=You just have to pile up the experience in order to train that stuff.//There are no shortcuts.

=The handyman is an amazing job where you can earn money and sharpen those skills.
=Well? Isn't that awesome?
SHINE

<187>
=That is awesome—!!
[x2]SHINE
[x2]TEAR

=I'm going to work really really hard!
=Yup, it's all going to help you in the long run.
=Yes sir—!

HMPH
[sign top]West Oasis 30th Water Supply Center
[sign]Handyman's Guild//Mugenya
=Hey there.

=Hey Kan-chan.
[sign]Clerk
=Yo, I'm here to collect Taiko's paycheck.

<188>
=Ohh.
=...Paycheck, huh.

=Hee-hee-hee, what % should I skim off?
=Here you go.

=What the heck!?

Bill
=I paid it for you, so give me the money back right now.

=NOOO—!!
DASH

Kan-chan,
You sure you wanna keep using that girl?

<189>
She spills the manure, fills the chimney with soot... That girl is good for nothing. I heard she's even stealing on the job.
=That fucking brat—!!
She's working under the Desert Punk name, you know. Your reputation's going straight down the gutter these days.

=U-Uhh... She went dog walking for that rich family over on 3rd street, so...
[x3]HUFF
=She should be right around here...

=...Huh?

=This appetizing smell... Don't tell me it's...

<190>
=I knew it...
BLA~M
=Oh! Master!!

=You idiot—!!
TH-TH-TH-THUD
=Ahh—! I'm sorry—!//I just got really hungry—!

=Dogs are for eating, aren't they!? I mean, no one actually gets to eat one!//It's weird giving food and going on walks with something like that—!
SPLAT
=All rich people are weirdos! But more importantly...!

=No one gets to eat one—!!
GAHHH
=Because no one has the huge loads of cash you need to buy them—!!

<191>
=Ahh—!!
UCK

=Huh!?

*stops*

POO~F
=RRR...
In a few years—

[x5]*mumble*

Be patient, be patient. You don't want to spoil your magnificent plans for the future.

=NEE-HEE-HEE
I'm gonna train you—!
UCK

<192>
=*sigh—* That's one more huge piece of debt on my shoulders.

=Hey Kanta, what are you doing at a place like this?
=...Hey Wataru.

=I was just doing some twilighting.
=Yeah... It's a beautiful sunset.

<193>
=You don't seem too happy, Wataru...
=And what happened to your face?
=...Yeah, something came up with my girlfriends.

=*sigh—*
=I'm getting tired of worrying about girls.

I love all of them equally. I want to get along with all of them.
=Oh well, I have to head over to Naomi's place next.
[x2]PLOD
=Good luck.
But I guess they don't see it the way I do.

=I see...
=So Wataru's got his own problems too, huh—

=I've gotta get back to work too.

A strange duo has been sighted in the Kanto Great Desert.

<194>
DP & Kosuna

Desert Punk and his student, Taiko. But neither trust nor respect are held between this master and disciple.

BAM

The only things uniting them are cheap reckonings, and an ugly greed.

Ahh... May the gods bless this misfortunate duo.

Translation: Desert Punk 11

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:02:20 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Desert Punk, Volume 2, Chapter 11 (pp. 131~162)

<131>
=Ten or so minutes after the skeleton city in the South quieted down from stupendous storm to utter nothingness, the villagers rushed on to the scene.

=AHHHHH—!!

<132>
=O-Ohhh—D-Desert Punk won...
=Th-The village is saved...

<133>
=Damn right I won.
=Get these 4 some medical attention. The officials pay good money if you hand 'em over while they're still alive.
=Oh my...

=Wow...

=Hmph...

=U-Umm the bomb...!
=What about the bomb on the well...!

<134>
=That reminds me,
=You bastards were talking about killing that maniac immediately or something, weren't you.

UCK

=Hmph.

=That was a real nitro container I found in the village, but it's filled with water from the well.
=The cyanide is fake. It's just sand colored with some ink.

=It's a fake...
[x3]RABBLE
=Hah... Hah-hah-hah-hah.

<135>
=O-Ohhh—
=W-Well yeah, of course.
PHEW...
=No matter how crazy he acts, he's still a desert native.
AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH
=You wouldn't destroy the well of your worst enemy!
=That's just how desert natives work!

BLAM
EEK

[x2]RATTLE
CONK

=You bastards are so...
=So poor and dirty and smelly, and...

=Such cheap pussies—!
[x3]RATTLE
[arrow]Place where the bullet hit.

<136>
=You fucking make me sick.

GRONK

=Oh!

WHAP
=Ohhh—

<137>
=...Huh!?

=...Oh.
=Owwww.

=How are you feeling, sir?

=Ohh—!!

<138>
=M-Mari!

=Ohh, Mari... You were taking care of me, huh... Thank you...

=And that outfit...//That simple yet sexy outfit means... Means—

=...We made a promise.

<139>
=Ooohfoooo—
=A-Are you sure...!?
WHOOSH

=Mari.
=Oh.

=You're beautiful.
=Mr. Kanta...

WOBBLE

=...Hmm?

[x2]WOBBLE

=...Huh—!?

<140>
FLASH
=Whoa!!?

=Whoaaaaa—

=Hey, let go.
Nooo—
Ahh—
Blehhh—
=It's hot out here, ya know—

<141>
=Tamehiko—!!!
BWHUP
=That's right, it's me. Who did you think it was?//Dunno what kinda nice dream you were having.

=What is this place!?
HUH
=Why the hell am I here!!?

=You got rid of the Edogawa Gang, and they didn't wanna have anything more to do with you, so they kicked you out.
=Wh-Whaat!?
Huh—!?
=They pretty much hated you.//Look like they did take care of your wounds though.//...Geez.

=I could've been mayor of that village if things worked out!
=...//What the fuck are you doing here?

=Heh. I can't stay in that village anymore either, thanks to you.
=After you fainted, they carried you over here with a truck, and I clung onto the roof for half a day, getting scorched by the sun.

<142>
=Bastard—What the fuck are you planning?
=Huh?
=You could've killed me and grabbed the food and water if you'd wanted to.
GLARE

=Hah. I'm not planning anything. I'm from the city. Don't know anything about the desert.
=I just want you to take me over to a village somewhere.
HMPH
=...Heh.

=I'm not taking the word of a spy.
=It's true—You gotta believe meee.
[x2]SHUFF

=Whaaat!? This is all the food and water we have—!?

=You didn't bring anything?
=A little... But I finished all of it just now.
=Moron.
GACHUK
=One-shot's worth of ammo left, huh.
=Hey—! Hey—! What are we gonna do!? We don't even know where the hell we are—!

<143>
=All the equipment and medical gear is still intact.
=We don't even know which direction we're supposed to go—!
[x2]WAHH—

PLIT
ZZZZT

=Ack!//Hot—!
[x2]EE—K
[x2]SHUFF
=...Huh?

=What's wrong?
=Hey, it's a letter.
[letter]To Mr. Desert Punk

I am really, terribly sorry that things had to turn out this way. To be honest, we were terrified of what you might do to us once you woke up. This is for the sake of my daughter, Mariko, too. We thought long and hard before making this decision. It may be strange to write such a letter after it's all been said and done, but I sincerely hope you will be able to make it back to your hometown. I will make sure to send you the money.//To the savior of our village,//-Mayor.

=HUH... HUH-HUH-HUH//HMPH!!
BOOF
=Fucking pussies...! Shoulda killed me if you were gonna do something like this!//You don't even have the balls to do that!?

<144>
=Hey! Which way is the settlement village!?
=Huh!?//Uhh—That way.

=Hmm—
[x2]MUMBLE
=Hmm—?
=I can't act like I did before if the Oasis officials are there...

=The amount of food and water the villagers gave us should be just enough for us to make it to a village somewhere.
=Which means...

=—And if the settlement village is in that direction...
=If I go about the same distance in the opposite direction, there's gonna be...

=Should be 2.5 days at the most.//Good!
GRIN
=And...

=Tamehiko, huh. Hmmm—
*turns*
STARE—
=What's up—!?//What are mumbling on about?

<145>
=Hey, we're heading back to that settlement village.
=Lead the way.

=Huh!?

=Y-You've gotta be kidding me! It's a half-day drive! Who knows how long it's gonna take to walk back!
=And I'm gonna be hanged if I go back to that village.//That's ridiculous. I'm not going back.

=Alright, then you can die.
=Huh!?

=I want to get back to the village ASAP. That's why I need you to show me the way.
=But if you don't want to, then there's nothing I can do. I'll go by myself. You can go ahead and die a dog's death out here.

=...Huh?

<146&147>
The Kanto Great Desert.
This is a hell
Where nothing moves,
And nothing grows.

A human being will die within a day if they are thrown out into this hell with no equipment.

<148>
=The soft sand offers little traction, and sucks the stamina away like a sponge.
=Moisture is slowly but surely lost from the body through exhalation.

=At 60℃, there is no humidity. So the temperature drops slightly in the shade, and the sweat takes away some of the heat as it evaporates.
=Even still, the body temperature rises to 50℃. It's more than enough to start to lose consciousness.

<149>
=Desert natives cross the land by covering themselves with desert equipment.
=But Desert Punk and Tamehiko have only the bare minimum of equipment with them.//The survival race from hell has begun.

PLOP..

GLUB

[x2]DRIP

GLUB

=Hoo—
PHWEEE
=C-Can I...//Can I have some too...?

<150>
ZZ...
ZZZT
ZZ—
ZZ.

*tsk...*
Normally, I wouldn't give a guy like this a single drop.

=Phew//Phewww—
=S-So good...

=This is the maximum water you can drink at one time.
=Huh...!? I want some more, but...//You're right. We need to save up.

=I'm not really in a position to say this, but... You really are crazy.
=There's barely enough food and water, but you're still sharing with me just to get back to that village?

=Heh-heh-heh. Suicidal, right?
=You're willing to go that far just to bully some weaklings?

<151>
=I hate guys who are weak..
=I'm not gonna sit back and let them get away with this.
=What a horrible person.

=C'mon, break time is over. Let's get going.
=Wha—t? I wanna rest a wee bit longer...
=I told you we need every second of every minute!

=I'm gonna get hanged once I get back to that village...
=That kinda makes me less willing to keep going.

=*...tsk*

=Alright, fine! I'll make sure they don't hang you!
*turns*
=Really!?//Then let's write up a contract so you won't be able to break your promise.
That pose if fucking annoying.
=...You little...

<152>
=Heh-heh-heh, I may be acting like a little bitch,
=But I'm the one holding the reins. I'll keep using this tactic so the going gets easier on me.

=With cheap-ass idiots like this, it's better to keep feeding them little by little so they don't lose hope.
=That way, they'll last longer in circumstances like these.

=Night. -10℃. The sand reflects all of the sunlight that had beamed so mercilessly down during the daytime,
=And the land transforms into a frigid hell which sucks away just as much energy.
=Quite a contrast from the daytime.

[x5]SHUDDER

<153>
=Uhhhhh
[x7]SHUDDER
=I'm sleepy... I'm tired...
=Fool! You're dead if you go to sleep!

=I don't care... Just let me sleep...
[x2]BLEH
=RAHH—! I won't have you die here!

So pathetic... Why am I sleeping with a guy...
[x2]SOB
Especially one this dirty and smelly...!

...Mari—!!

<154>
=Hey—Hold on—You're getting hard down there...
=Oops...
=I'm not into that kinda stuff, okay.

WHACK
=ACK!//What was that for—!?
=You shut the fuck up—!

Desert Punk's intricate plan was gradually beginning to unravel.
His greatest miscalculation was Tamehiko.
Tamehiko was a far more ugly and pathetic man than Desert Punk had ever imagined.

=Gimme water—!
=I can't stand it anymore—!
=You fucking...!

<155>
=I caaan't...
=Nuhhh...

Midway through their journey, they had used up every single object needed to support their livelihood.

<156>
An unfathomable greed and desire for revenge.
Those were the only things supporting Desert Punk now.

=—But ultimately, he collapsed.
=The Kanto Great Desert isn't sweet and sugary like in the manga universe.

=Hey, there he is.

<157>
=Ohh—This unsightly object is definitely Desert Punk.
=Is he still alive?
=WEE-AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!!//He got last! Desert Punk got lost in the desert—!!
=Moron! Moooron! Ah-hah-hah-hah-hah!!

=You're a fucking disgrace...
=Let's kill him.

=2 days ago
=The 21st Settlement Village in the West Oasis District

<158>
=The villagers had struck water after enduring unimaginable hardships,
=And are finally being rewarded for their efforts.

=U-Umm...//Are you the handymen who come from the same village as Desert Punk?
=Oooh, she's hot.

=The Kawaguchi Brothers had been hired as guides for the officials from the West Oasis.

=I heard Desert Punk did all kinds of shit over in this village.
=Can't blame him. If the officials weren't here, we also might've...
HEE-HEE-HEE
=We're childhood enemies with Desert Punk.

<159>
=Well... Actually...

=They threw him out in the desert while he was unconscious...!?
=Y-Your Dad... The mayor took him out of the clinic without telling you guys, and...!
[x2]TREMBLE
=...PFFT!

=WAH—HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!!
=That's good!! That's awesome!!
=AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!! What a loser!!
=HEE—HEE-HEE-HEE! I'm dying!//...Dying...!

=S-So... Have you heard anything!?//Did he make it home safely!?
=I heard they threw him out just about midway from this village to the next.
[x2]HEE—

=Nope, nothing...//Wait, didn't we pass through the midway point? We didn't see anything.
[x3]HUFF
=Nah... Remember how we took a detour around the Great Dunes?
=Ohh—Yeah yeah. That place, huh—
[map from right]Next Village//Great Dunes//21st Settlement Village//Skeleton City

<160>
=...You got some business with Desert Punk, lady?

=Mariko told them everything.
BLUSH—

=Whoa—! What a crazy promise!
[x2]BLUSH
Void—
Void—
You don't need to keep a promise that's not even part of a contract.
=That freaking pervert—!

=But Desert Punk fulfilled his promise to protect the village. He's our savior.
=And we still treated him so horribly...

=Which means that bastard might be thinking about coming back to this village.
=Ohh—That's possible.
=He's that type of guy.
=Huh...!? B-But...
=Desert Punk doesn't know the location of this town.

=That guy is a bigger stalker than a venomous snake. He's really, unbelievably persistent.
=If it's been 3 days, and he still hasn't made it back to the village, that means—

<161>
=DWA-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!! No way!! He's totally dead!!
=HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!! He's so fucking stupid!! HAH-HAH-HEE...!!//BLEH
SPLAT

=L-Listen, please!!

=There's a job!!
=I've got a job for you!!

=And that's how we got the job of rescuing you if we found you on our way home.
=So now Miss Mariko owes you nothing. Serves you right.

=But still... He had his hands full taking care of his own idiot self, but he was also lugging around this piece of extra luggage...!?
=What incredible tenacity...//No... More like a grudge at this point.
UCK—

<162>
I burned...

I'm all burned out.

=Moron.
[x4]SOB
So this job is over, once and for all. And it came with the unbearable humiliation of being rescued by the Kawaguchi Brothers. Well Well.

Translation: Desert Punk 10

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:01:47 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Desert Punk, Volume 3, Chapter 10 (pp. 99~130)

<99>
=Y-You're going to blow up the well and fill it with cyanide...!?
=If the well goes bad then the bandits will leave the town...!?

=You've got to be kidding me!
=Are you crazy!?

<100>
=If you destroy the well!!
=I'm not gonna do it with you!!

<101>
=Whaaa—t!? No way—!!
=I told you! This is so we can live like human beings!

=Even if the bandits go away, it's pointless if the well gets destroyed! You won't get your money either!
=I never promised to do it with you in writing, so I can break that deal if I want.//So there!
RRR...

=Do it?
RABBLE RABBLE
WHISPER WHISPER
RABBLE
=Do what? What are they gonna do?

=M-M-Mariko... What are you...?
=What is all this talk about doing something?

=Well you see Mayor, the night he got here, he *mumble mumble...*

<102>
=WHAAA—T!?
=Doing it means letting him do that thing—!?

=UCK!!

=M-Mayor—!
WAH—
=The Mayor keeled over—!
=Ahh—! Father!
=Hmph.

=Yo. What's it gonna be, Desert Punk? Looks like you can't blow up the well anymore.
=URRR

='Cause you can't give up on Mariko.
=URRRRR

<103>
=Alright, fine. I'll lay out my conditions.
=Conditions?

=You're not gonna go away if I threaten to blow up the well, right?
=Of course not.
=Okay, then...

=How about I threaten to blow up the well unless you fight me one more time for control of the town?
=That nitro I planted on the well is shit quality stuff I found in the village, so it's gonna be a bitch to dismantle, but still.

=Hah.

=Yeah, we're cool with that, but...
=You sure about this? You were the one running for your life last time.
=Uck...

=Alright, it's a deal.

<104>
BLAM
WHIRRRR

=WEE-HEE—!

=Just to be sure,
=I don't know whether he's serious or just bluffing, but you better not touch that cyanide bomb.//We'll get rid of it for you after we kill that guy.

<105>
WHIRR
GWHOOOSH
=*cough*//*cough*

=Wh-What did he mean by serious or bluffing...?//So the cyanide bomb could be a total fake?
=Nah—We're talking about that fucker. He wouldn't think twice.

[x2]WHAP
RA-TA-TA-TAT

WHOOSH

<106>
=Yeehaw—!

SHUCK
=Hook lock released!
WHIRR
CLICK
WHUCK
=Reel in!

=Then shoot again!
WHAP

<107>
WHIP

WHUCK
=Bleh.

=Ya—y.
WHOOSH
=Hey!

<108>
=You little—!

WHAM

BLICK
=Whoa!

=Fucker—!

GRA-TA-TA-

<109>
=EEK!
RRR—

*gunfire*

<110>
=Now it's finally over for that stupid fucking annoying brat.
*gunfire*
=*sigh—* but now this village is gonna belong to those bandits, huh... Damn it.

=But still... You don't get your name out there just by being stupid.
=We might be screwed no matter which one of them wins.

=M-Maybe if they beat each other up, we might be able to go in and finish 'em off.
=Oh...//Ohh—//Yeah, we might have a chance!
=Maybe we should gather all the youngsters and go after them!

<111>
=Don't go.
=Huh!?

=He was busy laying a trap over there.
=You'll get hurt if you go wandering in.
=Whaat!?

=That guy acts like he's insane... But he's still luring the enemy to his advantage like he was originally planning to.

I swear on my reputation as the baddest motherfucker in Kanto,
MU-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH
ICK—
I always get the job done. No matter what.

<112>
WHOOSH

=What do you think!?
=This is bad!

=Looks like we got lured into a trap! What are we gonna do!?
=He might be planning something!

<113>
=Don't worry about it! Even if he is, he won't be able to pull the trigger as long as we stay right on him!//He's doesn't wanna get caught in the trap either!
[x2]TAT
WHOOSH
=Just swat him down before he tries anything funny!

WHIRR—

PING
GRACK
=UCK!

TAP

<114>
*gunfire*
=HI-YAHHH—!

=Hahhh—!
DASH
*turns*
GACHINK

WHAM
=Whoa!

<115>
=Whoa! Shit!

=Fuck!//We lost him!
=That little rat—!

=He couldn't have gone far!
WHIRRR

<116>
=AHHH!!
BANG

=Oooh-hah-hah-hah-hah! Free shots!
[x2]WHAM GACHINK

=Hey—!!
BZZT
BOMP
=Whoaaa! I'm falling—!

<117>
=Fucker—!
WHIP

BAM
=EEK!

BOOOO—M

<118>
=It's the end of the road.

=Man, that was a bitch.

=...Hmm!?

=Hmph.

<119>
=Heh-heh.
TAP
=Can't beat us, so you're gonna blow the well after all? Don't know when to give up, do you.

=We could consider sparing your life if you handed over that trigger.
=Hah.

=I really really didn't want to use this.

=...Bastard—

=Hmph...

CLICK.

<120>
FLASH

<121>
B-BOOM

GRACK

<122>
TH-THUD
=Whoa!?

=Hah-hah-hah-hah-hah!
=This was the trigger for the trap in the skeleton city! Not the bomb on the well!//How's that for a surprise!

=U-Unbelievable! You jumped into the trap yourself in order to lure us in!?

EE—K
=Shut up—! You guys kept following me around so I didn't have a choice, damn it!

<123>
[x3]WHAM
BOOOM

TH-TH-THUD
[x3]RATTLE

<124>
=You're a real fucking maniac—!

=Shut the fuck up and go to hell—!

=Fool! You're the one who's gonna die!

<125>
GRACK
BANG

<126>
*gunfire*
GRACK

=Die—!!

<127>
RATTLE
=Uck!

=HI-YAHHH—!!

=AHHHH—!!

RA-TA-TA-TA-TA-

<128>
WHAP

GRICK

WHIRR

RA-TA-TA-TA-
WHOOSH

<129>
=Gahh—!!//Take this!!
=Ahhhhh—!!

<130>
=DP Kick—!!
WHACK
=EEEEEEE—K!!

Translation: Desert Punk 9

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:01:00 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Desert Punk, Volume 2, Chapter 9 (pp. 67~98)

<67>
=Man—You were right, Nanamagari. That shitty-ass village,//Looks like it's shining now.
=So? What now?
=A village with water is priceless here in the Kanto Great Desert.
=Hmph. And to think the hired gun would be Desert Punk, of all people.

WHIRRRR

<68>
=Let us take. And let us be grateful.
=The priceless village, and the reputation as strongest in the Kanto Desert.
GWHOOSH

<69>
=After spending ten or so years grinding life and limb, the 21st Settlement Village has finally struck water.
=But there's no time for celebrations. The entire village is already on full alert.
=ZZ—ZZT//Z... ZZT

=12 hours after water was discovered, jamming has severed all radio contact.
[x2]=ZZT...
=The village is now completely isolated.

And the enemy is approaching.

[x6]THUD

<70>
[x3]GACHUK
ZZT

[x2]=HUFF
=HEE
=HAH

=A-Are you sure it's okay to gather all the men to the front entrance of the village!?
=The women and children have been evacuated into the Central Supply Center. No one else is left.

=That Edogawa Gang is gonna come in pretending to be travelers or merchants or something.//Apparently, that's what they always do.
=So Desert Punk said they'd be coming in east of the front entrance.
[sign]21st Settlement Village Central Supply Center

<71>
=I-I see. 4 men walking in from the front entrance... No one would really suspect them of being bandits.
=H-He's a pro alright. Never woulda thought of something like that.
=He's still a fucking bastard though.
[sign]West Oasis District//21st Settlement Village

=—And? Where'd the fucking bastard go?
=He said he was gonna go take a look around with Tamehiko.

<72>
=Shouldn't we be over with the others?
=Forget about them.
=...Huh?

=The enemy won't be coming in from the east.
=They'll be coming from the South. From that skeleton city over there.
=Whaaat!?

=Wanna know why?

=Because I've got—
=The best, super-duper, most craziest skills in the Kanto Desert.

<73>
=What are you talking about!?

=How come they aren't going to come in from the east!?
=What was the point of getting everyone over to the front entrance!?
=Mari-chan

=What's wrong—? Did you come looking for me because you're lonely—?
=I came to make sure you weren't slacking off.

=Gosh, you're so feisty—!
Mmmmm—
Mmm—

=Uh—So, about my statement just now.
=Allow me to explain.
[x2]STING

ZUP
GLARE

<74>
=WHOAA—
=This guy's a spy for the Edogawa Gang.
GACHUNK
=...Huh?

=Is this true, Master—!?
=Father...

=I came to tell you that all the preparations are set, but...
=I knew something was up when they knew exactly what was going on in our village.

=But I never would've imagined there was a spy.
Gee—
=You shoulda noticed.//Oh wait, you're too poor for that.

<75>
=Hey wait a sec—! I'm not a spy, dude—!
=This is a total misunderstanding—!

=You're suspicious no matter how you look at it, you pig—!
=Those stupid, broke villagers are the only ones that haven't figured out your bald ass—!
[x3]WHACK

=I'm sorry.
=I'm a spy.

=Sorry 'bout keeping it secret, mayor.
=It would've gotten annoying if he made a big fuss about it.

=Besides, I figured if we're leaking information,
=We might as well use it to our advantage.
CLICK CLICK
KACHUCK

<76>
=Heh-heh-heh, they say to keep your allies close, and your enemies closer...
PSHH~
=Thanks to him, I've managed to get us a pretty big advantage going on.

[title]Desert Punk's Amazing Plan For Today
=Going by the Edogawa Gang's usual tactics, they would've invaded from the desert area to the east, giving them a wide view of the village ahead. This would've put Desert Punk at a significant disadvantage.
=So in order to lure them into the skeleton city, where he would have the advantage in battle, he placed the ambush in the east and had worked strenuously over the last several days to manipulate the spy.
[box top]East
[box right]South
[box bottom]West
[box left]North
[center tax]21st Settlement Village
[top arrow]The assumed invasion route of the Edogawa Gang
[double arrow]The altered invasion route//The real ambush point
[text below right box]Skeleton City
The fake ambush point
The north and west are in plain sight from the watchtower in the east, making an invasion from those directions unlikely.

<77>
=They wouldn't want to get dragged into a war of attrition with only 4 men. So they'll come in trying to end things quickly.//—Which means, they're definitely gonna come in from this angle.
=But... Hee-hee-hee...

=They're in for a huge surprise if they come waltzing in.

=W-Wow—We didn't realize all this was going on behind our backs...
=These city folk sure are different...
=So the battle has already started...
[x2]UCK

I see... I was wondering what he'd been doing back there...
He was laying a trap so that no one would find out...

=A pro, huh...

Oh!

<78>
=U-Umm... Were you doing all those horrible things in the village just to fool the spy and put this plan into action...?
=Huh? Oh... Not really...
Huh?! What horrible things?

=Nya-hah-hah-hah-hah!
=You got me there—!

RIP
=ACK!
THUD
=Hey! The rope broke!

=Don't worry, Mariko. Now we've got a 99% chance of winning this fight.
GRIP
=The village is gonna be safe.
Catch him—Get him—Lynch him—
EE—K

<79>
B-BOOOM

=Huh?
=What's that...?

[x2]WHAP
[x2]WAH—
RA-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT
TAT
TA-TAT
=Hey!!! That's the signal for the attack!!

<80>
=...Huh!?

=H-Hey, wait a sec!
SLAP
=You said they were coming from the south! Not the east!

You're wrong
=Oopsie—

=Whoa—!
=EEE—K
=Help—!
WHAP WHAP WHAP
WHAP
THUD

<81>
=Ohh—Master, please help us—
=Please—
=Where were you, asshole!
=Why didn't you guys tell me earlier!?

=W-We tried to tell you when we saw four shadows on the horizon, but...
=They were unbelievably fast.//They started attacking us before we knew it—!

=Fast...!?

=Damn it—! Guess I'll just have to shoot it out!
=Man—This is annoying!

<82>
UCK

*gunfire*

<83>
=Whoa—!

=EE—K
*gunfire*

=Y-You fucking—!

=Uck!

<84>
WHIRRRR
GAWHOOSH

<85>
=J-Jetpacks!

=DOH—!

=Uhh—
BAM
SHOOOF

<86>
=Just as we suspected.
=Tamehiko pulled a bonehead alright.

=That was a close one.
=We knew there was something wrong with all that useful info coming right in.

=But this is the strongest dude in the Kanto Desert?
=All we had to do was read a couple steps ahead.

=...No.
=Maybe this was his idea of reading three or four steps ahead.

<87>
=Hah—hah-hah-hah-hah!
=Now that's unfortunate!

=Hee—hee-hee-hee-hee!
=Kah-kah-kah
=Hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah!

Da...
Dammiiit—!

GLICK
PING
CLICK
CLUCK

<88>
[x4]BLOP
=Whoa!

=WHOA—!

<89>
B-B-B-BLAM

<90>
=Huh!

=Hey!

GWHOOSH
WHIRRR

<91>
WHACK
BWHIP

GRACK
THUD

=OUCH—!

=Bastard!
RA-TAT-TAT-TAT-
ZWOO—P

=You!
[x3]BLAM
[x2]GACHUK
=Little!
GAH—

<92>
B-B-BLAM
=Whoa!

=It's a radar jammer—!
=Shit! I can't see a thing!

GONK
=Uck.

=Catch him—!

<93>
And Desert Punk disappeared.

=U-Uhh...
=Uhh—

=This is your last day as mayor. Same with the officials.
=We're the representatives of the village from now on.//Let's have you put it in writing.

<94>
=He—y, don't look so glum.
=We'll protect the village from here on out.

=And Mariko is mine now, okay.
=He wants to be adopted.

=Fuck off! Who you calling adopted—!?
=Ah-hah-hah! That's good! Sounds about right!
=I now pronounce you Hiroyuki Marimo, hee-hah-hah-hah-hah!
=You guys better shut the fuck up—!

<95>
=Guys—!

=The well...!
TH-TH-TH-THUD
=The well—!

=What's wrong with the well!?
=D-D-D-
[x2]HUFF
[x2]PANT

=Desert Punk is...!

=...WHA!
=WHAAA—T!?

<96>
=Plastic explosives and nitro, huh. Shit, we can't touch this thing.

=And there's cyanide on the bottom of the bucket to boot.

<97>
=And here is the trigger for the plastic explosives.
=If it explodes, the cyanide splatters into the well and it's game over. Hee-hee-hee.
=D-Desert Punk!! You little—!

=I signed the contract saying I would protect the village, but I didn't say anything about protecting the well. Isn't that right, Mayor?
=Wha...!//Wha!
=Ohh—
=A-Ahh...
=EEEK
=If this well goes away, the Edogawa Gang won't mess with the village anymore. See? It's a good plan, right?

=I'm not letting you guys get away with this.
=Fucking bastards.

=He's crazy.

<98>
=P-Please! Th-The well—!
=We'll do anything you say!//So please...!

=Save our well from that maniac!
=Please kill him immediately!

=Hmph.

Translation: Livingstone 5

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:35:27 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Livingstone, Chapter 5 (Weekly Morning, No. 40, 2009)

<1>
[logo]90% of this world is inevitable.

Chapter 5: Cheat Code
Author: MAEKAWA Tomohiro
Artist: KATAOKA Jinsei

[left text]For better or for worse, the man was still alive. And this fact is about to change her destiny forever...

<2>
=SNO—RE

=SN-
=SNO—RE
=SNORE

=Loud snoring...!

=No way... He wasn't breathing before...!
=Is he asleep?

=No... It's a common symptom of a subarachnoid hemorrhage.//He's in a very dangerous situation.
=We need an ambulance...

<3>
WHAP
=Stop!//Don't get me into any trouble!
=I'd rather die than be arrested!

=Y-You're already in a great deal of trouble...
Wait, gimme back my phone.
=Then what are you going to do about this?

=SNORE

=...What should I do?
=SNORE
=SNO—RE

=—Anyways,//This is an "accident," right?
CLICK
=Shouldn't we check the soul's plan?
It's gonna turn into a stain

<4>
=Oh, good point.
SHUFF

ZZ—T
[bubble]CLICK

=Uhh—Ichiro Sakuma, age 34...
[camera]Ichiro Sakuma//Age 34//Fulfillment Rate

=...//No way...
=Fulfillment rate... 99%...!? Almost no time of life remaining...!?

=Huh?
=Then this person was destined to die here from the start?

ZZT...

<5>
=...I see.
=The sleeping pills, the ashtray—//All of it was "correct" for this person...

=Ms. Kanzaki was dragged into this man's destiny by committing a murder.//But,
=In our industry, we would say—

=She sacrificed herself to this man's soul.

<6>
[x2]UCK
=GAH...
=GLUB.

GUSH

=...He's not breathing anymore.

=And the soul,

<7>
=Is leaving.

=...Is he...//Dead?

=...Wow.
=Death comes pretty quick, huh...//No emotion or anything.

...You're the one who did it.
IRK...
=I guess the situation hasn't improved at all...

<8>
Wait a sec...

=—Do you still wish to die, Ms. Kanzaki?
=...Yep.

=What if you were completely cleared of embezzlement and murder?

=Huh?//What!? You can do something that awesome!?
=Whoa, hold on!//How come you didn't tell me that before—!?

=Then I would consider staying alive...

<9>
=Even if you turn into somebody else?

=Somebody else?

=—Amano, can you do a "Soul Quelling?"

=Huh?//The one where you put the soul back?
=I've never tried it before.

=There's a first time to everything.
=But I guess we're gonna have to apply it right off the bat.

<10>
=Take the soul out of here,
=And put it back in there.

=Huh?//What are you talking about, Sakurai...?
=Listen, I'm going to explain this very quickly. You see...

=We don't wish to harm your soul.//Meaning, we want you to fulfill your plan.
=But in reality, you're guilty of embezzlement and murder...//You don't want to keep living.

=However,
=If we move your soul over to this man's body,

<11>
=You'll be able to continue living as Mr. Sakuma, free of any crimes.

=...No way!!

<12>
=Huh?

=Me!?//This guy!?
=You think I have the nerves to deal with this guy's B.O.!?//Why do I have to do go through like that!!?

=I don't want to do it either.//Soul Quelling, applying...
=It's too much trouble and I can't do it.

=...Wha...
=Huh?
[bubble]BEEP
[flame character]Rage
[box title]Sakurai's Rage Level

=Some things you just can't do.//So there's no point in even trying.
[x2]BEEP
=Yeah.//Why do I have to do something I don't even want to do.

=Oh, I know.//Can't you at least get someone a bit more cute or handsome?
[x2]BEEP
=Then I might consider it.

<13>
[bubble]BEEP
[flame character]Rage
[box title]Sakurai's Rage Level

=...Cut it...

=Out!!//What the hell is up with you two!!?
RATTLE
=You guys only know how to be selfish!!?

<14>
=Embezzlement when you're in trouble!? Murder when you don't want to deal with something!?//Suicide when you're cornered!?
WHIP

=If it wasn't for my job, I'd break your soul into pieces and feed it to the carp in the Tamagawa River!!
=Wha

=This is your job, Amano!//Giving up without even trying—You're like a little kid!
WHIP
=Don't underestimate society just because you don't have a soul!//You're so willing to back off because you've never finished something you can't do!

=You guys seriously need to think about working harder!!
=You guys suck!!//You're the worst of the worst!!

<15>
=I'm the one who can't deal with you two...!

WHACK

=Got it?

=...//Just went with it.

=...What the hell...
=Why do I have to get ripped on by somebody like you...!

<16>
=Fine. Let's do this.

[x2]RATTLE

=—Alright,

<17>
=Let's get on with it while the body's still fresh.
=Are you ready,//Amano?

=...I guess.
=Ready when you are.

=Alright, Ms. Kanzaki.//As requested,//You will now be dead to the rest of society.

*glance*

My soul...? In this guy...?
=...Uck...

=No... Wait.//I still haven't...
BLEH

=Sorry, but I've already gotten your soul's permission.

<18>
ZZ..
=N-

[x2]ZZ..

=...No...!
=I don't want to die!

=You're going to live.
=We're forcing you to.

<19>
BOOF

=It's huge!

=Don't let it harden into a Livingstone, Amano!
=Keep the light shining!

<20>
[x2]BZZT
[bubble]HUFF

[bubble]HUFF//HUFF
BZZT
=...Shit.

=I can't do this. {HUFF}
=I think I'm losing consciousness...

There's no way I can hold on to a soul this big...
=Forget it, I ca...

=You better not run away!

=...UCK

<21>
WHAP

=Alright!//Now place it inside of Mr. Sakuma's body!
=Slowly!//Like you're handling an egg!

[x2]=HUFF

=Sew the soul on to the poles! Accurately!
=HUFF

ZZT..

<22>
SWUP..

=Ohh, it went in!
[bubble]BEE—P

=...Hmph.

=Alright,//Now it all depends on whether we can revive Mr. Sakuma's body or not...

<23>
BLEH—

=...Do I have to do,
=Mouth to mouth resuscitation...?

=You better not run away.
=UCK...

Excuse me
[x2]WIPE

=Oh well,//Just pretend it's Ms. Kanzaki...
SWOO

FWHOOSH

<24>
=Whoaa—!! What the hell are you doing...!?

PHEW
WIPE
=Alright.//This soul really is strong.

...Huh?
My body's not moving!

Body...?

=Now we just have to call the hospital.//Good job, Amano.
[x5]WIPE
=Yeah.
I'm tired

<25>
=...Is that,
=Me...?

=—Several days later

<26>
[labels from top]Ichiro Sakuma//Masayuki Yamamoto
CLICK

CLACK

SHUCK

<27>
=So it wasn't a dream after all.

=...Unfortunately.

=...Yeah,//Otherwise I wouldn't suddenly turn into a crazy body like this, would I.
PLOP
=All those yoga classes and beauty treatments ended up being a waste.

=Living as the person I killed—It's worse than being in a prison.

=...Sorry we did it without your consent.
=...Do you still want to die?

<28>
=What if I said I wanted to?

=We're gonna kill you, of course.

=Hah-hah...//You're pretty direct, huh? I like that.
=Hey, hand me that mirror over there.//I was too scared to look.

=Man, I wanna die—//...Heh-heh.
=Heh...//Ah-hah-hah-hah!

<29>
=Ah-hah-hah...!
=...//Please contact us if you seriously wish to die.

=We'll stop by and kill you anytime.

=Hah-hah,//That's good to know.
=But I'd rather not sit through one of yours lectures again.

=This is a list of Ichiro Sakuma's personal history and acquaintances.

=Mr. Sakuma's soul completed its life, as planned.
=From now on, this is your life.

<30>
=Please be mindful of how you handle money.
=Hah-hah

=May I take one picture before I go?

=Huh? Wait, I don't have any makeup on.

=PFFT
=Don't worry,//I'm just taking a picture of your soul.

=Alright, take care.

=Oh, one last thing.//Make sure you stop sounding like a girl.
=People will think you're weird.

=I know! Geez!

[black box]Newspaper

<31>
[black box top]Newspaper
[right box]TSE 20 points down
[black box lower]Embezzlement suspect commits suicide

[black box]Embezzlement suspect commits suicide

=—Her real destiny might've been to spend the rest of her life in prison.//But ultimately, being in a man's body is the equivalent of being in prison.
=Once she accepts that as her destiny, she'll be set free.

<32>
=The choice to die twice, or to live a new life...
=I've got to write up my case report for now.

=Hmm
=That is an interesting case.
[bubble]PIP

<33>
=What about her "plan?"
[bubble]PIP

=A 72% fulfillment rate.//She can definitely get back on track again.
[bubble]BANG//PIP
[bubble]BANG
=Really!

=Her remaining lifespan hasn't changed that much either.//Oh well.
[bubble]PIP//BA—NG
=Anyways, what's all that beeping and booping going on?
[bubble]PIP

Hey
=Amano!
[bubble]PIP
[bubble]BA//BA—NG

=...This is your fault, Mr. Tokieda.
=Or maybe I said some stuff I shouldn't have...

<34>
=Done.
ZZ—T
=Gimme the next game, Sakurai.

=Again—!? They don't hand those out for free, you know—!
How many is that!?
=Uhh Mr. Tokieda, can I write the receipt out to Livingstone?

=No way.
ZZ—T

=Where's the next one, Sakurai—?
=URR...//No waaay...

[right text]Human life is just a video game for the soul.

Chapter 5 / End
To be continued in a future issue

Translation: Soil 23

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:03:02 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Soil, Volume 3, Chapter 23 (pp. 165~188)

<165>
=Kahhh—

=Phweck.

<166>
=Hey, Mr. Yokoi!
=Please! Give us a break!
=Ahhh—
=Fuck.

=What the hell are we supposed to do with this?

<167>
=Really. These things keep coming up right and left...
=You too, Mr. Tamura!
=Eat someplace else!

=Uhh! Excuse me, sir!

=These boys were the ones who called in...
=The town is being attacked by aliens, Mr. Detective!

=Not again...
=They're really close by!
=And we've finally discovered their true identity!! You see...

=Take a look, Mr. Yokoi.

<168>
=Sneaker prints.
=Multiple ones.

=Katakuri.
=Sir?
=If you see any aliens wearing sneakers, give 'em the death penalty.

=U-Uhh, Mr. Yokoi...?
=Shouldn't we be thinking about whether this has any connection to the Suzushiro Family disappearance or not...?

=Where's Onoda?
=Huh? She was here just a moment ago...
[x2]=SHUFF
=Uhh, Mr. Yokoi!
=You're not planning on turning this into a cold case, are you...!?

<169>
=What's going to happen to "Soil!?"
=What about Officer Ichinose!?
=Mr. Yokoi!?
=Mr. Yokoi!!

"I've Got You Now"

[tape]Police//Do Not Enter

[sign]Closed//Kamikawa Station

<171>
=BOOF

=UCK

<172>
WHOOOOSH

=I had a real close look today.
=That's gotta be a wig, right?

=That's not the issue here!
=The police are trying to hush up this case!!

<173>
=They're trying to cover up the existence of the aliens!!
=Then what about the sneaker prints?

=Aliens can wear shoes too!
=Umm...
=I'm sorta having a class here...

=But how are you gonna catch Tokita?
=He's an alien, right? What are you gonna do if he transforms?

=Geez you're slow, Tomiyama!
=We discovered his weakness yesterday, remember!?

=Weakness?

<174>
=Let's go, Tomiyama!!
=We're going to save the Earth!!
=Stupidity never stops, does it.

=ZWISH

[x7]=ZWISH

<175>
=Ohh, that thing?
=I checked it out for you.

=A-A-A-A-And...
=Th-Th-Th-The result...?

=Where'd you find it?
=This "salt?"

=Th-Th-That's a little...
=I-I-It's confidential...

=Hmm...
=*glance*

<176>
=Are you really a detective?
=Huh?

=You're soooooo cute.

="...Rock salt,"
=Is totally different from the everyday sea salt you can find at the grocery store.

=A lo—ng time ago, land that used to be part of the ocean dried up after rising up from the Earth's crust.
=That salt content crystallized over millions of millions of years to form these minerals...
=So it's basically a type of fossil.

=That's why the composition of the minerals differ depending on where it was excavated.
=And some end up on the kitchen table, while others get sold in stores like mine...

<177>
=S-S-S-So, umm...//Wh-Wh-Wh-What about this "salt...?"

=It's incredibly valuable.
=It's not even from this planet.

=Huh?

<179>
=In 1998, a meteorite landed in Zag, Morocco.
=They called it the Zag meteorite.

=This meteorite contained crystals of "rock salt."

=An analysis revealed that it was the seawater remnants...
=Of a small planet that existed 4.5 billion years ago...

<180>
=...S-S-S-So th-th-th-that m-m-means...
=Th-Th-This i-i-i-is th-th-th-that...

=No doubt about it.
=This thing's got two of the oldest minerals in the solar system, Xenon 129 and Argon 40.

=So... S-S-So, umm...
=C-C-Could large quantities of this ever be found in a residential area somewhere...?
=Ahh?

=You're cute, but you're not very bright, are you!
=How could something that crazy ever happen!?

<181>
=But small bits of that meteorite have been imported for researchers and collectors.
=I got a couple orders and imported some too.
=My customers are pretty unique, you know.

=D-D-Do you keep records of your sales...!?
=Ahh—?
=Fine, alright.

=Here you go.

=But gee, you're soooo cute, you know that?

=If you were a stone, you'd be a lapis lazuli.

[line 1]City, Lake
[line 2]City, Soil New Town
[line 3]Town 3rd street 4th

<182>
=ZWISH

<183>
=WHAP

[x8]=TAP

<184>
=Gr...
=GRIT

=Greeeeee
=GRIT GRIT GRIT

=Owwwwwww!!!
=No way!! No way!! No way!!

=...But tooth extraction was a common custom among the Jomon people...
=With absolutely no form of anesthetic, of course...

=I can only understand their mentality by doing as they did...
=This is a study in action...!
=GRIT

=WHACK
=Gah!

<185>
=Fwahhhhhhhhhh!!!
=Now, Tomiyama!!
=Yeah!

=Take this—!!!
[x2]=SPLOSH SPLOSH
=Hot hot hot hot hot!!
=What!? What!? What!? What!? What!?

=We know your weakness, alien!!
=It's "hot green tea," isn't it!?
[x5]SPLOSH

=A-A-A-Alien!?
=Hot hot hot hot hot hot!!

<186>
=*stops*

[x2]=KNOCK

=This is Onoda from the Kamikawa Station!
=RATTLE
=There's a few questions I'd like to ask you!!

<187>
=Gahhhhhhhh!!!

=Eeeeeeeeek!!!

=Hi-yeeeeeee!!!
=WHACK
=Yah!!

=THUD

<188>
=I've got you now!!
=Fish Alien!!

=...Th-

=The "man with scales...!?"

Translation: Soil 22

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:28:18 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Soil, Volume 3, Chapter 22 (pp. 139~162)

<139>
=Fooooo

=Haaaaa

=Kyehhhhhhh!!!
[sign]Kamikawa Station Sports Swordfighting Tournament
=WHAP
=BLAM
=Hi-yahhhhhh!!

<140>
=Good morning.
=Good morning everyone.
[x3]MEOW—

<141>
=RATTLE RATTLE

=Good morning Mr. Yoshizo.
[x3]MEOW—
=Good morning Miss Hatsu.
=Good morning Mr. Fujiyoshi.

=Good morning Mr. Shinzaburo.

=Miss Yoshie, Taki,
=Good morning.

=Good morning Mr. Daisuke.

<142>
=Mr. Masayoshi,
=Tane,
=Mr. Shinzo,
=Mrs. Tae,
=Mr. Kosaku...

=You've all come back to protect Sayuri, haven't you.

=But there's no need to worry.
=He can't touch me as long as I stay here.

<143>
=Eek...!

[x5]=RUCK RUCK

<144>
=GRACK

=....Ahh...

=Ahhhh...
=RUCK RUCK
=GRACK
=GRACK
=RUCK RUCK
=Ahhhhh...!

=It's over...
=Now it's all over...
=Ahhhhh...

<145>
"The Beginning of the End"

[x4]=RUCK RUCK

<146>
=Finally, huh!?
[x2]=RUCK RUCK
=You government guys sure like to take your sweet time!!

=Phew, finally!
=That "foreign object" is disappearing from our town at last!

=Ms. Kosaka...?
=Huh? Ohh...
=Yes...

=Let's hope this will get the children to come back to school...
[x2]=RUCK RUCK
=Yes, absolutely...

<147>
[x?]=TRRR

<148>
=WOBBLE

=Whoa!!
=GRACK

<149>
=Phweck phweck! Salty!!
=Watch out, you fucking moron!!

=Sor—ry.

=Oww! It got into my eye!!
=Owwwww!!

<150>
=Kyehhhhh!!!

=Ureeeeeeeee!!!
[x4]WHACK
=Eeeek!

=...What a ghastly sight...
=She's sounding like the rightful heir to Bruce Lee.
=Kyoeeeeeeee!!!

=One point!
=WHAP
[x2]=Hee

<151>
=...It's almost been a month since Kento Miyahara escaped from the police hospital...
=Begin!
=Ukyahhhhhhh!!
=EEK
=I wonder if they've been able to track down his whereabouts.

=Who cares.
=That's up to the juvenile unit.

=Well, a middle school boy sending in a prank letter. That's all it was in the end.
=Kyehhhhhhh!!
=They're probably not doing a serious job of looking for him anyways.

=Chaohhhhhh!!!

=...There haven't been any developments with the Suzushiro Family disappearance ever since...
=Greeeeeeeee!!!
[x3]WHACK
=EEK
=And the lab is wrapping things up today...

<152>
=How come the higher-ups won't make this a public investigation?
=It just doesn't seem like a case that needs to be kept under wraps...

=Don't dwell on it.
=CRACK
=It gets annoying.

=Was it like this?
=The case that got you transferred over here...?

=...Pretty thick-skinned, aren't you.
=Try being a bit more sensitive.

=Huh?
=Ohh.

<153>
=Looks like ugly bitch is our new champion or something.
=All of her opponents have been geezers though.

=Let's get outta here.
=I don't wanna see her ugly-ass smile.

=S-S-S-Sergeant Yokoi—!!
=*...tsk!*

=I-I-I-I did it, Sergeant Yokoi!!
=I-I-I've advanced to the regional tournament!!

=Yeah yeah,
=Now the whole "Soil" thing is behind you, right?
=Yes sir!
=Then let's hurry up and get on to the next...

<154>
=I've decided to return to basics!!
=Ahh?

=Y-Y-You see, I did some research on my own concerning the rock salt!
=A-A-And the amazing thing was...!

=Take me to that place from before, Tamura.
=Ohh, that place with the really perverted stuff?
=S-S-Sergeant Yokoi—!!
=Yo, swordmaster!
=C'mon Miss Onoda, time for the award ceremony.
=Thou art brave!

=Gee—z...
=How long is this heat wave gonna last...?

<155>
[x2]=PLICK

[x2]=PLICK PLICK
=...Mystery...

<156>
=Mr. Tokita—!!
=Whoa, you two again...!?
=SWUP
=The police have given up!!
=Ouch!!
=GASHUCK

=Our suspicions were true! This wasn't a normal case after all!!
=We the "Paranormal Investigation Team" finally have a case on our hands...!!
=WHAP

="We...?" I'm not included, am I?
=Just give it up already.
=Listen, listen!
=I was looking through some literature when I found this...!
[book]This is the world of the paranormal!!

=See? Right here!
=I've discovered the identity of the "man with scales!"

="The Fish Aliens..."
[text]This is the Fish Alien UFO
[circle]Top Secret
=A hideous body covered with scales...
=Their secret hideout is said to be located off the coast of Bermuda, and they kidnap sailors who sail through the nearby seas...

<157>
=Umm, listen...
=SPLOSH
=When children your age get hooked on stuff like that,
=It signifies a close connection to sexual curiosity, and...

=Seki's always thinking about sexual stuff.
=He was doing some research on the girls bathroom the other day.
=Wahhhh—!

=That's why he wants to get X-ray vision.
=THUD
=Wahhh—! Wahhh—! Wahhh—!
=SPLASH
=Whoa!

=Hot hot hot!!

<158>
=OH

=B-Be careful, alright...?

=H-H-H-Hey, Tomiyama...
=Wanna come over to my house and watch some alien vivisection videos...?
=Huh? Not really.

=L-L-Let's just go home, alright?
[x3]SCRAMBLE
=I do wanna watch that really perverted video from last time, though.
=Fine! Just come!

=*sigh...*
=SPLOSH
=I'm not cut out to be a teacher...

<159>
[x3]=HUFF
=What? What's wrong?
=Aren't we gonna go watch perverted videos?

=D-Did you see that, Tomiyama!?
=See what?
=Mr. Tokita's arm!

=Ohh, what was that? A tattoo?
=Is Tokita actually a gangster?
=Ahh, geez! Don't you get it!?

=Those were "scales!" There's no doubt about it!

=What? What? So the "man with scales" is actually Tokita?
=Ahhhhh! How could this beeeee!?
=The culprit was here all along...!

<160>
=And a member of our very own "Paranormal Investigation Team...!"
=What am I to do as the team director...!?
=He—y! Where are you going, Seki—?

=SHUFF

=Whoa!!
=THUD

=You sure do fall a lot.
[x2]SHUFF
=That's just how life is for you, huh.

=SHUFF
=Huh?

<161>
=T-T-T-Tomiyama...
=Th-Th-This is bad...!
=Huh?
=What is?

=Ahh, geez! Don't you get it!?
=What?
=What?

=Huh?
=Huuuh?

<162>
=Whoaaaaaaaa!!!

Translation: Jormungand Omake 11.5

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:58:40 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Extras

<00>
This is the second one.
I wish I could go driving.
But I don't have a driver's license.

<5>
[Koko Hekmatyar]A young arms dealer. Daughter of a world-famous shipping magnate. Works for the HCLI Company's Europe & Africa Arms Transportation Division.

[Lehm]Veteran mercenary. A leader figure within the squad.

[Valmet]A knife wielder with a love for Koko.

[Story]Jonah the child soldier has fostered an unending hatred for weapons. After spending his entire life on the battlefield, a strange twist of fate has led him to join the private army of Koko Hekmatyar, the arms dealer...

[Jonah]An expressionless child soldier with a hatred for weapons.

<187>
Eromungand 2

=Take this!! Super windmill kick!!
WHOOSH
SWUP
=What kind of a kick is that!? It's so slow you can't even...

GUSH

<188>
=Hey—!! Who the hell let the Lady drink alcohol!!?
BOO—M
CRASH
CRINK

AHHHH
[x3]FLAP
HELP
=She's gonna keep putting wrestling moves on people until there's nothing left moving!! Don't you know that!?

=Hah-hah-hah, fool. Only the ones who weather this storm will be able to witness the Lady's legendary "Buttnaked Dance!!"
=You did it, R!!? {You're the fool!!}

TAP

<189>
WHOAAAA

THUD

=So ho—t.
[x2]PLICK
=It's about time!!

=Alright.
WHOOSH
=I'll take over from here. I'll be nursing Koko, all night long!

He—y!
That's mean, sis—!
=Oooooh!! Yes!! Yes!!

=This is amazing!!

[arrow]Jonah got the piledriver.

All over.

<190>
Jormungand 2
Keitarou Takahashi

Editor in charge: Koyo Natsume
Thank you so much for all your cooperation.
I'm sorry about all the trouble I've caused you.

Art Collaboration: Ryo Akizuki (Chapter 8)
Thanks dude—!

A big thanks to all my fans.
Please stay tuned for Volume 3!

Translation: Jormungand 11

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:57:49 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Chapter 11 (pp. 157~186)

<157>
Chapter 11 | Vein phase.1

RA-TA-TA-TAT

=Whoa.
ZWIISH
BAP
=I hit it! This thing aims pretty well!!

=This is the first time I've ever shot an XM8!
=Man, this gun is light—!
=...My feelings towards weapons haven't changed at all.

RA-TA-TAT
=Jonah!

<158&159>
Chapter 11 | Vein phase.1

=And neither has the strange feeling that I'm being bewitched whenever I talk to Koko.

=Are you gonna go farming, Koko?

=I'm traveling with an arms dealer.

=Hah-hah-hah, farming in the middle of the Indian Ocean off Somalia?//What do you expect me to harvest?
=I have to be careful of the ocean sunlight so I don't turn red as a lobster!

<160>
=Koko,
=It's the Captain.

=A small cargo ship? Yep. The one I was talking about this morning.//Get the crane ready.
=Someone from headquarters is bringing over the rest of the cargo from Dubai.

[x2]WHIRRR
=Huh?
=Who is this? Hellooo?

<161>
=Huh? Yeah, it's been a while.
=Huh? You're on it?

=Yeah yeah, okay. In 10 minutes?//Alright, see ya.

=Bi-
=What's wrong, Koko?

=Bi-
=Big trouble!!!
[x2]SPLISH—

<162>
=My brother's coming! On that ship!

WHIP

=Wilee!!//Hide Jonah!! Start up a language class and don't let him out of the room!!
=Roger that!

<163>
TH-TH-TH-TH-

=What did she mean by big trouble?
=There's always trouble, huh? Hah-hah-hah.

=Well, it can't be that big a deal if we don't have to get armed, right?
CREAK
=Hah-hah-hah.

=Alright, let's begin class.

<164>
[x3]THOCK

<165>
=Hey Koko.

=A splitting image—And they're not even twins.
=Koko is far more awesome, of course.
=Hi Kasper.

<166>
WHIRRRR...
G-GONK
=VL MICA missiles?//You're gonna be able to sell this many?

=It's been a while, Miss Valmet.
=Sell them? I already got the money. I'm just delivering them.

=Chequi.

=How come you're in Africa?
=Random stuff.
=Okay—!
GO—NK

<167>
=So you got caught in Dubai, huh?

=That CIA agent Scarecrow is pretty crazy, isn't he.//But he's got a knack for getting money, so the States think he's pretty valuable. They keep him on a pretty long leash.
=They call him that 'cause he scares the crows away from the "gold farms."
=He may be a scarecrow, but he'll keep chasing you around forever. He's real stubborn.

=Like I care.

<168>
="The arms dealer is the only occupation where you're allowed to be a hypocrite?"

=I see, that definitely sounds like something Miss Koko would say.

=contradiction.//...d i c...
=Write it out 3 times.

=An inconsistency of elements.//A discrepancy in a given narrative... Incidentally,
[x3]SCRIT

=In Chinese folklore,
=There's a tradition of representing classic tales and parables only using a few characters.

<169>
=contradiction.//矛と盾//pike and shield.
=This is a story about a weapons merchant.

=Once upon a time, a merchant gathered the people around him and said,
="This is an amazing pike. It will pierce through anything."

=Then he took out a shield and said,
="This is an amazing shield. It will repel any attack."

=But one man saw this and said,

="Let's see you pierce the shield with the spear."

<170>
[x2]HUM
=The merchant had no answer.

=Well? Did that perk your interest?

=Sorta. Could be interesting.

RA-TA-TAT

[x2]WHAP
TH-THUD
TH-TH-THUD

<171>
OHH—
[x2]=Hmph.

GRIP

RA-TA-TAT

=Kick-ass, Ugo—!!//Check it out! He's only using one hand!
=GAH-HAH-HAH!!

=The Chinese? In Dubai?

<172>
=You can find Chinese merchants anywhere in the world.
=Which gang are they from? Hakka? Guangdong? Chaozhou, Fujian, Hainan?

=We're not sure where their loyalties lie.
=And when I say "merchants," I'm talking about "bad merchants," Koko.

=I didn't see anything like that in Dubai.

<173>
=You will in Africa.
=Watch out for the Chinese merchants.

=They're called the Daxin Corporation.
=They operate under the guise of a trading firm.
=Hmm...

<174>
=That must be one bad guy if its coming from you, big brother.
=Hmph, hah-hah-hah.
=Alright, we're gonna head home now.

=Oh, can I use the bathroom before I go?
=You don't need my permission for something like that—!! {Geez!}

[x2]SCRIT

<175>
=You take language studies pretty seriously, don't you.
=Tojo was complaining about how quickly you skip out on math class.

=...I'm not good at math.

=Hah-hah-hah!//I hear you. I wasn't too hot at math either.
[x2]WHAP
=Don't worry. Soon, you'll learn enough to be able to read any kind of book.

=I like books. There's never a single correct answer. Every reader gets to discover their very own...
SHUFF
=Bathroom.

=Trying to cut class?
GATHUCK
=I actually have to go!

<177>
=It's been a while, Mr. Wilee.

=Mr. Kasper! I didn't know you were coming.//Yes, it certainly has been a while!

=Shit!! So that's what it was!!
SWUP
=B-But I can't just tell him to stay out of the bathroom!!

<178>
CREAK...

[x2]CLACK

<179>
=Huh-huh-huh.

SCRIT
SPLA—SH
SCRIT
TAP

<180>
WHOOSH

WHAP

<181>
WHAP

GRIT

GR-RIT
=Whoa!!

=Huh!!
=Uck!!

<182>
=Kasperrrr!!

<183>
=Glad to see you're doing so well,
=Jonathan.

=Let go, Chequita!!
=You make me so sad. I feel like I'm with "The Boy and the Knife."
[note]The Boy and The Knife; An article by Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, written as a response to the hysteric media coverage surrounding the stabbing of a female teacher by a young male student.

<184>
=And if he's got the technique to try it in one fell swoop,
=That's three times the sadness. You're the one who should let go of the knife.

=Oh, and you won't kill anyone with a toy like this.
=You're just gonna cut off your own fingers.

GRIT
WHACK
=Get yourself a Fultang knife with a high hilt. Valmet can teach you more about that.

=Now now, Miss Chequita. Either scold him or give him advice. One or the other please.
=Heh-heh.

<185>
=You were just saying hello,//Right Jonah?
=After all, he's now a soldier who can face me on equal terms.

<186>
=...So the plan is, drop off the cargo in East Africa,
=Then sail southwards over to the Republic of South Africa.

=By the way, which room are Wilee and Jonah in?
=ZZ—T
=They're not answering.

Jormungand Volume 2 —END—

Translation: Jormungand 10

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:57:10 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Chapter 10 (pp. 127~156)

<127>
Chapter 10 | Musica Ex Machina phase.5
=You're so kind, Jonah.
=Worrying about me and coming to pick me up like this.

=...I wouldn't be killing people with guns if I were.

=That's not true, Jonah.

<128&129>
=Nowadays, even the saints arm themselves with assault rifles,
=And bust a cap while they preach about god's love.

=Listen.//The important part is,//What you pull the trigger for, and why.

Chapter 10 | Musica Ex Machina phase.5
=This may sound odd, but it feels like cold discipline and kindness,//Coexist within each bullet you fire.
=I've never encountered a warrior quite like you before.

=Strange, isn't it?//Where does all this "kindness" come from, when you've led such a harsh life?
[x2]POKE
=Don't you hate weapons and arms dealers?

<130>
=...You're different,
=Koko.

=Oooh, I get special treatment, huh? I'm honored.
[x2]RUB
=But I'm really no different from all the other merchants.//Your judgement is still far too weak.

=Kindness is weakness.
=And that weakness will lead to a split second of indecision when you pull the trigger.
=You may be kind, but the world is not.

<131>
=The "Millennium Development Goals" were signed by 189 members states of the United Stations as a list of objectives to be completed before the year 2015. Of these, Targets 2 and 4,//Universal primary education, and the eradication of child mortality,
=Are said to require a yearly commitment of 22 billion dollars. However, this amount—

=Has since been surpassed by the average yearly expenditure on weapons in combat zones.

=Shocking, isn't it?
=The people have chosen war over our children's futures.

=...You're an arms dealer, Koko...

=I should be happy that the merchandise is flying off the shelves? Maybe.
=But do I really think so?//You see...

<132>
=Of all the jobs in the world,
=The arms dealer is the one that allows you to be the biggest hypocrite you can possibly be.

=Is the information coming out of my mouth true or not? Does it pertain to you or not?
=Listen and decide for yourself, Jonah.

=Which group of people has the most guns in the world?
[x2]SWUP
=Soldiers.
=Nope, wrong.

<133>
=Civilians.
=Believe it or not, 60% of the world's guns are held by ordinary citizens.//1 in 10 civilians is armed.

=37% is held by the military, the rest by the police...//Those armed rebels that the media fusses over?
=Their guns don't even count for a tenth of a percent.

=Earlier today, you said this: "Even people who have nothing to do with violence will become savages if they have a weapon.

<134>
=Where in the world do you expect to find,
=People who have nothing to do with violence?

KACHINK
JUCK

<135>
=We live in a world where weapons are always an arms distance away.
=Sad, isn't it.

=These things are more reliable than human kindness.

=Listen, Jonah.
=I don't want you to die!//Or any of the other guys.

<136>
=Then please don't jump out in front of hitmen anymore.
=You're mortal, just like everyone else.

=*...pfft*

=So unbelievably true, it makes me laugh.
[x3]RUB
=Sorry Jonah, forgive meee.

=3 days later

<137>
WHIRR

<138>
WHIRRR

FLAP

<139>
SWUP
JUCK
=Don't move.

<140>
=You're dead the instant you point that gun at me.

<142>
=Even better than the one who shot teacher, huh. I can't even tell which direction he's aiming from.

=I lose.
CLINK

=You don't get it, do you.
TAP
=It was never a contest to begin with.

<143>
=It's a gamble. All or nothing.
=Just like a weather forecast. I bet on "Within three days, infiltration from the roof."

=Had it been tomorrow, I would've lacked concentration, and you would've killed me.
=But oh well. There was something I wanted to discuss with you.

=Huh?

=Chinatsu,
=Why don't you have any underwear on?

<144>
=...Fuck-//ing,
=Bitch!!

=It's a serious question. I'm not asking for a free answer, of course.//In exchange for telling me...

=I'll answer that question you asked me when we first met.
=The reason I sell weapons, fully knowing that I'm going to be killed by them someday.

<145>
=The first hit I did with teacher,
=We had to cross a river to get to the target's mansion.

=Being soaked wet from the waist down felt really weird,
=So I secretly took off my underwear.

=Once we started fighting, I started hitting the enemies like crazy.
=Teacher complimented me 'cause I killed more enemies than he did.

=*pfft*
=Your aim improves when you take off your underwear!?//*pfft*
=That's right.

=Ah-hah-hah!//Great story!!

<146>
=What about now?
=I'm wearing underwear!!
WHUP
=Geez, let up already!!

=Heh-heh-heh.
GONK
CLACK CLACK
=Now it's my turn.

GRIT

<147>
=You scare me.

=Really?
=I'm starting to like you.

=I'm willing to take you in.//Think about it.

=Impossible.
=I can't forgive you.//I couldn't even wait 3 days...

<148>
=We are the Orchestra!!//We destroy our targets with the music of death!!
=We are artists!! Don't you dare look down on us, arms dealer!!

<149>
=We don't bow down to anyone!!

<150>
WHACK
THWHUCK
[x2]BLAM

<152>
=It smells like... A summer evening...
WHIRR
=I never knew... I was always looking at the ground...

<153>
[x3]WHAP

=Mon...
=st...er...

<154>
=Lutz, huh.
=So you came. Damn, I didn't want you to see that.

=It's probably tough for you to ask, so I'll say it for you. "How come I was able to shoot?"//It's easy. My war buddies were killed.

=5 men. A cute girl just like that one.

<155>
=You kill, get killed, and get back at them.
=But you don't need to take revenge when I get killed.

SWUP...

=That was quite a vacation,
CHUK
=Thanks to you two.

=...Yes Chief. Yes, sorry for calling so late...
=We've killed the Orchestra.

<156>
=On the roof... Yes, a sniper.

=Please do.
=Alright then.

=Ohh, that reminds me. This has nothing to do with my squad,
=But I can fetch you a sniping instructor for a good price... Yes.

=Yes.
=Thank you for your business.

Translation: Jormungand 9

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:56:09 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Chapter 9 (pp. 97~126)

<97>
=Heartshot, hit.
CHUK JUCK
=Stops. Falls. Takes a knee.

WHIRR...
ZWISH

CLI-CLI-CLINK
=Headshot, aim.

WHOOSH

Chapter 9 | Musica Ex Machina phase.4

<98>
=Fire.
WHAM
CHUK JUCK
CLINK
CLICK CLICK

<99>
=AH!!
=AHH!!

Chapter 9 | Musica Ex Machina phase.4

=Headshot, hit.
CLACK
BAA—NG

<100>
=Hear that delay between the impact and the gunshot?//It was Lutz.
SPLASH...
=A long-range shot with a .338 Lapua Magnum.//From a distance of 500 meters!

=Now let's see if that Chinatsu girl steps into his line of sight,//Heh-heh.

=WAHHH!!
=No!! No!!

<101>
=Teacher, you!! AHH!!//You can't just leave me!!
=Not after you destroyed my life like this—!!

=...Orders to withdraw, Lutz.
=What are you talking about, there's another one left, right?

=Yeah, one that's got insanely sharp senses.//But believe me,
=You won't be able to shoot even if she steps into your line of sight.

<102>
=I'm not gonna forgive you for this!!
=I'm gonna kill you all!!

=For god's sakes, you're a hitman.

<103>
ZRICK

=Right now! In the next few days!!
ZRICK
=No, within the next few months!! ...No!!
=I'll chase you around for years and make you go through hell before I kill you!!

=You serious!?
=She came out!!

=A girl...!? It's... Just a kid...!

<104>
=...!//Unable to fire at Target 2!!
=Destroying target's weapon! Lutz!!

=ACK!!
GRINK

BAA—NG

<105>
WH-WHIP

SHWUCK
SH-SHUCK
B-BANG

BANG BANG
WHACK
CRASH

GONK
TWIING
THUD

<106>
G-GONK GONK
WHOOSH

=Shit!! She's fast!!
[x3]BAP

WH-WHAP

TH-THUCK
B-BANG
BANG
[x3]WHAP

<107>
=Whoa!!
SCREECH
B-BANG

=Bye teacher.

SWUP

=Why isn't she wearing any underwear!?
BWOOP

<108>
ZZT

SCREECH
BLAM
=Yo! Don't try anything funny, alright?

=Koko Hekmatyar.
=I'm placing you under arrest at the scene of the crime.
ZWUP

<109>
=What for?
=Crimes against humanity and stuff. I was watching the whole fucking thing.

=You have the police with you, but you don't look like a police officer. Who are you?
=Cut the bitching.
=I'm an ordinary citizen with the right to arrest in the event of a crime in progress. Didn't know that?

=What now, Koko?

=What now? Is,
TICK

GRACK

=Not the fucking question!!

<110>
=Fucking brat!! What are you gonna do about it!?
SPLASH
=Go take a swim!!

=Withdraw your troops!! You're coming with me to the station!!//Huh?

[x2]SWISH

=What is that? The signal for a tactical retreat? Looks so cool.

<111>
=Why'd you fuckers bust me into a questioning room all of a sudden? Momma never taught you any manners?
=I was cooperating, wasn't I?

=Uhh—At the time of the arrest, you pushed the police officer who had also arrived on the scene. We consider that to be a very serious offense, you see...
=Any police force would, I think.
=But we're willing to overlook it for the time being. You claim to be an intelligence officer, after all.

<112>
=Can you prove it?
BLOP

=Ohh, a yankee.//Your name, please?
=LOL. Nice reaction. Kick ass.

=Jerry Schatzberg.//Just kidiiing.

=You can call me The Scarecrow.
=That's what everyone calls me. You can use that for the files too.
=Nehhh.

=Alright look. Forget about all this clerical crap.
WHIRRR
=Just hurry up and gimme the criminal and the data.

<113>
=Custody of Koko Hekmatyar,//And the data from the security cameras showing the gunfight.
=Gimme everything.

=Gunfight?//I don't know what you're talking about.

=Whaaat!?

<114>
=Thank you so much for the clothes and the shower.
=I was about to catch a cold!

=I've got a headache.

=That's not good!
=Are you sick? Please be mindful of your health!

=No nooo, Miss Hekmatyar.
=Too much havoc.

<115>
=More than enough to call over a tricky crowd.
=Have you heard of a CIA agent called The Scarecrow?

=Ohh, that beanpole from before?

=Whenever they're in non-combat zones, they're broke.//He must be looking to make some money.
=Is he stubborn?

=Yes. Are you used to it?
SHUFF
=I am.

=This coverup is going to be difficult. It's going to take time. Police officers have died.
=I've placed your troops under confinement at the hotel.

=By our public safety officers.

=This is your penalty,
=And my reputation. I hope you understand.

<116>
=That hurts.
CHUK

=Give my regards to your father.

SWUP

=You've got solid footage of a Hollywood movie's worth of gun fighting, don't you—!?//There's high definition cameras all over the fucking city!!
[x2]WAHH—
=Get off the desk, you bastard!! Don't make me shoot!!

<117>
=Stop fucking with me, man...!!
*trembling*
=What is this? You guys trying to make a fool of me? I'm not falling for that shit.

[x2]BBT

=Hey, who've you been texting this whole time?
=I know!!

=Wait!! You're staying in this room!!
[x2]SCRAMBLE
=Shut the fuck up!!

=Wait—!! Ack!!
BLAM
=It's gotta be the back exit! Where's the back exit!?

<118>
SCREECH

=Koko—!!

=Hekmatyar!!

<119>
=Oh, hello there.
[x2]CLACK
=What do you mean "Oh."//So you're trying to leaving from the front entrance, huh. I'm impressed!!

=You've got some nerve,
GRACK
=You little bitch!

=Who is this man!? Restrain him!!
=Bastard—!!
=Heh-heh.

<120>
=I don't have time,
=To deal with small fry.

<121>
=Yeah! Keep acting high and mighty!
=Grow fat with all that money and power!!

=Heh-heh!
=But I'm not gonna stop at arresting you!!

=Listen, arms dealer!! The Scarecrow is gonna suck you dry!!

<122>
[x2]TAP
=That makes two death threats for the day.
*stops*

<123>
=I'll make you go through hell before I kill you!!

=I've placed your troops under confinement at the hotel.
[x2]SHUFF

=I can't move a single step.

UCK
SHUFF

<124>
=Koko.
=What happened to your face?

=Jonah!!

=It looks like you got hit.
=Just that punk from before. No big deal.

<125>
=Didn't the police have a cordon around the hotel?
=Hey, this is damp and perfect.
[x2]WIPE

=I was able to slip through.
=Maybe 'cause I'm new?

=W-Wow, that's a bit careless.
=Oh well.

GRIP
=Heh-heh.
=Let's go home.

<126>
=Recruit Jonah is an excellent soldier!

=But it's harder to protect you if you do that.
=Very true.

Translation: Livingstone 4

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:42:06 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Livingstone, Chapter 4 (Weekly Morning, No. 39, 2009)

<1>
[right text]The soul is parting from the flesh. She has abandoned her life—

=The soul...! This person really was trying to die...!!
=H-Hold on a sec!

<2>
THUD
[ghost logo]90% of this world is inevitable.
Chapter 4: Flowchart
Author: 前川知大
Artist: 片岡人生
[bottom box black part]The story:
[bottom box text]90% of a person's destiny is determined by the soul. Souls that fulfill their destiny in this world are passed on to the next, where they continue their development. However, some souls die unexpectedly, and fall to pieces—unable to fulfill their destinies. Sakurai and Amano have the job of managing the souls, and preventing this from occurring. Whenever a soul is in danger of being destroyed, they will appear.

<3>
=Hey!//What was that for, Sakurai!?
=How come you're sabotaging me!?

I was so sure it was just a fleeting decision...
Is a soul this important really going to destroy itself...!?

[x2]HUFF
RATTLE
=...?//What just happened...?

=...You almost died because your soul was going to leave your body.
=What!?//Really!?

<4>
=Why!?//Why did your soul give permission!? You have 41 more years of life ahead of you!
=You don't need to die!//Don't just throw away your life like this!

=Now you're trying to persuade me...?//You two are the ones who offered to kill me.

=Keep living!

=Huh?//You should die.

AHHH—
=Which one!?

<5>
=What's the big idea all of a sudden?
=Wrong tactic, alright!//Take a look at this data.

=If her soul continues to develop according to plan,//She's gonna change history. Look.
=Whoa, what the heck? Is that for real?

=Maybe I should get an autograph or something...

=But hey,//Her soul gave us permission.
=According to the rules, we're allowed to process her, right?
=...Yeah, but...//I didn't think she would actually give up...

=...Is her situation really that bad...?
=...Guess I'll look into why she's trying to commit suicide...
[x2]CLACK

<6>
[x2]CLACK

=Megumi Kanzaki, age 28.//Accountant for a nonprofit organization called the Roei Foundation.
=Current address...//Oh, I see. So the building across the street is company housing.

=Wha... How'd you get my name...!?//Are you the police!?

=No...

=Just suicide watchers who happened to pass by.

<7>
=Well...//You guys are sketchy,
=But it seems like you really do have supernatural powers of some sort.../How much do you know about me?

=Thank you for believing us.//Makes the job easier.

=This is a website called the "Central Library," which can only be accessed by us. It's an archive of personal histories.//What your choices were,//And what you chose.
=Life is an accumulation of choices, after all.

<8>
=Choices?

=Yes.//Of life.
[x2]CLACK

=Like today... At 8:22am.//Quite early for a Sunday.
[AM 7:55]Wake up
[choice 1]Eat fast food for breakfast//Find something from the fridge
[choice 2]Turn on the TV
[choice 3]Go to sleep again
[choice 4]Can't get back to sleep: Wake up
[choice 5]Make coffee

=You were debating whether to go to the nearby fast food store for breakfast, or use the leftovers from the refrigerator.
[screen]Eat fast food for breakfast//Find something from the fridge

=Wow... It's kind of like a video game.

=Exactly.//There's been a lot of debate in the past about the relationship between video games and real life, and the effect it can have on the brain...

<9>
=But they're actually very similar, as long as you don't consider what's at stake.//Life also comes in stages, and there's important items that you need to find.
=Choices are made. Levels are completed...

=Ohh...//I get it.

Amano doesn't have a soul, so he has no motivation to complete life.
Maybe that's why he gave up on the video game...

=Huh?//You received a phone call from Mr. Ichiro Sakuma at 10:04am...
[AM 10:04]Phone call from Ichiro Sakuma
[box to right]Answer
[below that]Don't answer

=You must've had a hard time making up your mind.//There's a lot of choices listed here.

<10>
[x2]BB—T
[phone]Incoming call//Sakuma

[box title]Kanzaki's Choice
[box content]Meet first, think after

=That's a bit haphazard...

<11>
=—So far,
=I'm the only one who knows about this.

=Shit... Uhh... Guess I should just...

SOB...

<12>
[box title]Kanzaki's Choice
[box content]Try crying
=*sob*//*sob...*
=Oh... Umm... Ms. Kanzaki?
=*sob*

=Whoa, fake crying. That's horrible.
=Leave me alone!

=Oh... This may not be the best place to talk about this. Why don't we go to your house, Ms. Kanzaki.
SOB
=It's close by, isn't it?

=Umm... I should clean up a bit.//I'll be right back.
[bubble]CREAK

<13>
GRACK..

=Please.

=Take your time.

=...?//What does that mean?
=There hasn't been anything decisive so far.

<14>
=Guess we should just keep going.
[bubble]CLICK

=Phew.

=I'm surprised you live in such a cute room.

=...Thank you.
=Damn, this guy is obnoxious.
=...What should I do?

=...Would you like some tea?//I have some beer, too.
=Oh, then I'll have a beer.

<15>
=—But this was quite a surprise.
WHAP
=Over a period of 4 years.//From the union fees and the rental costs for related facilities...

=A grand total of 82 million yen embezzled.
=Really, very impressive.

[PM 1:56]Ichiro Sakuma produces evidence that you have embezzled 82 million yen

=...Very impressive.

<16>
=Thank you.
=It's not a compliment!

=...But still,//That's nothing to die over, is it?
=You could pay it back little by little, and...

=Hah.//I wouldn't have done it in the first place if I had that kind of patience.

=Right...
I... Don't think I can get along with this person...
She's got such an important soul though...

=...Besides,//That wasn't all.

<17>
=—Does it say what happened after that?

=...Wonder if it's gonna work.
ZZT...

<18>
GLUB
[title]Kanzaki's Choice
[content]Spike the beer with sleeping pills

=Phew.//Quite refreshing, this early in the day.
CLACK

=It's not like we have to bring in the company or the police right now.
=I mean...

=You know... You're kinda my type, Ms. Kanzaki.
GREAK
=It was kind of a shock...

<19>
=Do you still have the money?//...We could run away together.

=Just an idea.

=Oh man...//Well, guess I don't have a choice.

WOBBLE
=Huh?

=Am I drunk?//...Shit.
=Oops.

=Dumbass...
[x2]PLICK
=Oh, sorry.
=Wonder if he's willing to take the blame with me if I do him.

<20>
[x2]DRIP
=HUFF//HAH

=Heh-heh...
[x2]HUFF

=Huff...//Hah
WHUP
=Heh

<21>
=I-I'm//Really

=Not gonna tell anyone//Or anything
[x2]CLICK
=So

<22>
ZZT

=Sorry, no way.

=Gimme a break... Run away? With you?//Can't do it. Look...

=Hey.

<22>
[title]Kanzaki's Choices
[top left]Call an ambulance
[bottom left]Finish him off
[top right]Take a shower
[bottom right]Have a smoke

CLICK
[box]Have a smoke

=Wha...!?

<23>
=Wha!?
=What were you thinking!?

=See?
=Too much trouble, right?

=So that was... 2 hours ago, huh.
=...Maybe he's still—

=No way.//He wasn't breathing when I left.

=Yeah, there's nothing you can do when you're stuck.//That's life.

<24>
=Yep. You gotta know when to quit.

PIP
=Hey.

=You're a minor.
Dang
=...How do they give up so easily...!?

=Ms. Kanzaki, your "plan..."//Your powerful, significant soul... Doesn't want to die.
=There's probably something that you still need to accomplish in this lifetime.

<25>
=You're overestimating me.//This isn't my first time embezzling, and I've got tons of loans and stuff I have to pay back.
=And now I've killed someone.//What else do you expect me to do?

=It's just too much trouble.

...What is wrong with this person!?
She's bothered so many people, and she still has the audacity to talk like this...!?

<26>
=Look, Sakurai.//I get that this person's soul is rare and everything,
=But we're supposed to prioritize the next world over this one, right?

=Well yeah...

=Then why not? It's too much trouble.
=Let's hurry up and kill her.

You too, Amano. You're always such a...
=...But a forced retirement slows the development of the soul...//I want to save her.

<27>
—There's gotta be something I can do.
[x2]CLACK
[right side from top]Really go//News channel//Game show//Drama channel
[left side from top]Stay in the room//Watch TV

[upper box]Ichiro Sakuma's//Ashtray on the table//Stops breathing//Confirmed
[lower box title]Kanzaki's Choice
[lower box]Building

=...Hey.

=This database only lists pure "facts," right?
=It doesn't say anywhere that he's "dead."

<28>
=Ms. Kanzaki! Where's the key to your room!?
GATHUCK
=? Huh? I have it, but...

=Come with me!//Let's hurry, Amano!
=Yeah yeah.

=Huh?//What?
=What do you mean?

[x3]CLONK
=You hit Ichiro Sakuma on the back of the head with an ashtray...

<29>
=—But there was no mention of his "death."

[x2]JERK

=He's still alive...!

[right text]A new choice, in the nick of time!

Chapter 4 / End
To be continued in the next issue

Translation: Soil 21

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:53:00 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Soil, Volume 3, Chapter 21 (pp. 111~134)

<111>
=Looks like we'll be getting a lot more than rape and assault out of that trio.

=Juvenile unit's taking it from here on out.//It's not our problem anymore.

=But there was one interesting match...
=Ahh?

<112>
=The council president's rape videos...
=There were tapes for all three of them.

=It's possible that the "seal" imprinted on their subconscious minds,
=Led to a different kind of distortion than it did for Kento Miyahara...

=Hmph.
=That stuff is outta police jurisdiction.

=What are you looking all proud for, you ugly bitch.
=I-I-I-I am not looking proud, sir!
=I-I-I was only doing my duty as a detective...

<113>
=You're fucking ugly when you smile!
=All you did was straddle a ducky!
=...It's "strike it lucky," sir...

"Standstill"

=Huh?

<114>
=The nail's missing.
=On Kento Miyahara's pinky toe.

=It's probably going to match the one that was taped on to the ransom letter.
=Huh?
=Huh?

=We also found several notebooks...
=Inside of Mizuki Suzushiro's school bag.

=Some of the letters were torn out.
=And they match the ones glued on to the ransom letter.

[x3]=Huh?
=S-S-So... What exactly does that...!?

=Go ask the guy who sent it.
=He's right there in front of you.

<115>
=...Hey,

=Did you really...
=Fall asleep...?

<116>
=Go ahead.
=UCK

<117>
=Huh...?

[x2]=CLINK
=I'm tired...

=This world is full of things I can't understand...
[x2]=CLINK
=Everything feels like it's going on in a faraway place...
=But there's nothing I can do to change it...

=I'm tired...
=Of being a child...

<120>
=FWUP

<123>
[x3]=RUB

=Man, kids these days!
=Don't even have pubes yet, but your dicks are up and running, huh!
=Your hands are moving a little differently today, Mr. Yokoi.
[x3]=RUB

=So... S-S-So you're saying... On the "N-N-Night of the blackout..."
=Mizuki Suzushiro... Umm... How would you put it...

=Th... Th-Th-That very instant, she...
=Vanished...?

=I looked around, but I couldn't find her...
=So I thought she got angry at me,
=And went home...

<124>
=But...
=The next morning...

=I found out Mizuki's family had gone missing too...

<125>
=I knew somebody from the town did it...

=The blackout... All of it.

=Th-Then...
=The objective of the ransom letter was...?

=...The guys from the town are all liars...
=Nobody was going to tell the truth...

=So if I could get them to panic with the letter...

=Somebody... Would start talking on their own...

<126>
=I'd be able to find out...
=Who took Mizuki away from me...

[x3]=SNIFF
=Geez, what a freaking waste of time!
=You dragged us around for nothing, huh!

=Umm... Those three guys from the ghost building...
=Are you sure it wasn't them...?

=Ohh, that's totally out.
=Turns out those guys got arrested for robbing a car over in another town that night.

<127>
=I see...

=...I couldn't do anything...
=...I couldn't help Mizuki at all...

=...It's all my fault...
=It's all because I tainted her...

=TUG

=Hey dickface.
=You better not be lying now, are you!?
=You sure you didn't mess around with that family!? Huh!?
=S-S-S-Sergeant Yokoi! V-V-Violence against a teenager is...

=I'm sorry.

<128>
=Please find Mizuki and save her.
=Please...

=...So our only lead... Kento Miyahara...
=Was just another individual searching for Mizuki Suzushiro...

=Now we're starting over from square one.

=It's a total standstill.

=Does this mean we never really knew anything about the case to begin with...?

<129>
=Why did the Suzushiro Family disappear so abruptly...?
=What message does the "salt" convey...?
=Who is the "man with scales...?"
=And what about Officer Ichinose...?

=Now which direction are we supposed to go...?

<130>
=ZRICK

=Stuff we don't get is outta police jurisdiction, alright?
=We just gotta do what we're supposed to do.

=Wha—!? Where are you going!?
=S-S-Sergeant Yokoi!?
=Sergeant Yokoi—!!

=ZZT

=*...tsk*
=Fucking annoying...

<131>
=UCK

<134>
[x3]=WHOAAAAAA!!

Translation: Jormungand 8

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Chapter 8 (pp. 67~96)

<67>
Chapter 8 | Musica Ex Machina phase.3

TICK

[x4]BAP

SWUP
[x2]GONK
TWII—NG

<68>
=Aw, fuck!
=Are you serious!? They blocked it!
SHWUCK
[x2]BAP

GRACK
[x2]GONK
=45-calibers are heavy!

=That was perfect timing on that surprise attack.//They've got pretty good intuition.
[x3]BAP
=Please stop praising the enemy, Lehm!!
CLANK
[x2]CONK

<69>
=NUHHH...

=You hear that sound, Chinatsu...
[bubble]Whoa, scary
=Idiot's got a silencer on that thing!
*trembling*

=What the fuck do you think you're doing mixing that shit in—!!
TH-TH-THUCK
=You trying to destroy my music, you fucking bastard!!

<70>
=Think about where you are, you fucking geezer!!
=Stay the hell outta here, stupid!!

Chapter 8 | Musica Ex Machina phase.3

=Ahh—? Music? Don't make me laugh.
WHOOSH
TWII—NG
RA-TA-TAT

<71>
=You're the one who's stupid. Too much work made you forget? Or are you just plain ignorant?
=Listen, a gunfight...
=Is a farting contest. It's an absolute disgrace that's got nothing to do with music.
JUCK
=You do it with shame saying, "I'm so sorry for being a public disturbance."

<72>
=...Interesting. That dude talks some pretty big shit.
TH-TH-THUD
GACHINK
=Whoops, out of ammo.
=Forget about him! That Koko chick is getting away, teacher!!

=Heh-heh-heh, you better be careful.
=Once you've used up all your farts—You're dead.

=Shut up—!! Go to hell!!
GRACK
WHOOSH
=Just forget about him! Let's go, teacher!

<73>
=Why don't you shoot those exploding bullets at him!
[x2]TAP
CLANG
=There's no more ammo for the 40mm or the AK.

=But we've got the machine gun set, remember?

=That's right!

=Yeah, that's right!//There were gonna be a ton of enemies for this job,
TA-TA-TAP
=So we bought a pimped out instrument!

<74>
=You really are awesome, Chinatsu!
=I'm already in a good mood again!

=Utmost words of praise!

=By the way, that kid who came flying down from the sky wasn't on the list, was he!//Fucking informant! Let's go kill him afterwards!
=Totally!

<75>
=The girl wearing the ten-gallon hat is controlling that maniac!

=You thought so too?//It's like a weapons control system.
=Plus, she's got radar-like senses, so they're well defended.

=Ten-gallon is the bigger threat.

=We've got to find a way to separate them...
Z-ZWUP
SCREECH

<76>
=Alright! Valmet switch with Tojo!
=Map! Gun! Radio!
=They pack a pretty big punch, so watch out!!
GACHUK

[x3]SCRAMBLE
=Frequency 817...!
=Location of the Lady and Jonah-boy!
=Location of Wilee and Lutz!

=Drive along the coast! The coast! I'll call the shots!//Alright go! Go go!
[x2]BAM
WHOOSH

<77>
TA-TA-TAP

HUFF
HOOF

<78>
=Did that child just have a gun...?
=Just a toy.

=They live up to their reputation for crazy shooting, don't they!//The Orchestra.
=They're pretty tough!

=If you sell guns to guys who make a living through murder,
=Of course they're gonna go ahead and use them.

<79>
=If you put a weapon in front of someone, their mind will start to get restless—//Even if they have nothing to do with violence.
=They'll do things they never imagined themselves doing.

=Weapons have that kind of evil, corrupting power.

=That's the nature of the stuff you're selling, Koko.

=Heh-heh.

<80>
=That makes me happy!
=You're beginning to open up to me by telling me your thoughts.

=I have a few rebuttals concerning your argument,//But let's concentrate on getting through this situation for now.
=After all, we're being chased by a pair of evil hitmen.

<81>
WHOOSH...

=There! I've found them!!

=Should we pick them up!?
=No, drive alongside them! Use this car as a shield!

SWUP

<82>
=We got some fresh new troops on our hands, Chinatsu!!
=Let's kick it up a notch!!
VRRR

=Negev!?
=That guy's got a Negev LMG! Is that the Orchestra!?

=Hit the tires, R!!

=I know!! Take this, fucker!!

<84>
S-SCREECH
=Keep running, Miss!!

C-CLINK TWIING
TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-THUD

WHOOSH

<85>
TA-TA-TAP

VRRR...

VRR
S-S-SCREECH

=Get back on the same course again.
=Let's bring on the grand finale!!
=Roger tha—t.

=Fuck.
=Fuck fuck!!

<86>
=It's an M2, Miss Koko!!
=They've got an M2 heavy machine gun attached to the rear seat!!
=Wha-
=What the heck!?

=I'm sorry I have to shoot you, cute little boy—

VRRR
=But you won't be lonely. All your friends are coming with you.

<87>
=Here they come!
=Aim for the engine! The engine!!
DRA-TA-TAT
VROOM
=Th-
=Th-
=They're gonna knock us over!!

TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-
BIP
CONK
=Like our little ensemble!?

PIP
=Blast off!

<88>
*gunfire*

<89>
S-S-SCREECH
VRRR—
=Brace for impact!
=Already bracing!
=Already bracing!

<90>
[x?]BAP
TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-THUD

[x3]BOOF
CRASH

<91>
SPLASH...
[x2]BUBBLE

SPLASH

<92>
CRINK

TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-THUD
[x2]BAP

<93>
=I knew it! He's still alive!
=So the arms dealer is still out there too!?

[x5]BANG

BIP

<94>
=Oh...
ROLL

UCK
=Te-Teacher!!

=D-Don't go any further!!
=Le-Let's retreat and come back later!!
=Ahh—!?
=I've got a bad feeling about this!!
=All you did was get your hat blown away!

<95>
=You gotta fix that dumb habit about sticking to jinxes,//Chinatsu.
ZRICK
=Teacher!!

BOOF
=A sniper!!
BA—NG

Translation: Jormungand 7

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:29:15 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 2, Chapter 7 (pp. 37~66)

<37>
Chapter 7 | Musica Ex Machina phase.2
*running*

<38>
[x3]FLAP

WHAM

<39>
Chapter 7 | Musica Ex Machina phase.2

BLAM

BZZT

<40>
=He—y.
CLINK
C-CLINK

=Hey hey hey,//What the fuck just fell down from the sky?
=Stand back, Chinatsu! Keep shooting at eyepatch.

=WHOA!
=AHHHH!!
=Yes sireee—
WHOA
=WHOA!!
GASHUCK
WHAP

[x5]WHAP
=Lame.
=Lame.
=Eyepatch.
CLINK

<41>
THUD
TWII—NG
=Koko!!

It was too quick to be sure, but it looked like that cutie from before was the one that came falling down.//...So he protected the arms dealer?//But damn that Koko or whatever pisses me off...//I totally hate chicks like that!
[x2]WHAP

=Koko!!
=I know what you're thinking Chinatsu.

=Alright! You can come out now!
[x3]BANG
=Madame Arms Dealer—!!

<42>
=Terribly sorry you have to deal with mere hitmen like us!
=But the delightful concert's already started!!
[x3]BANG

TWII—NG
SMOO—CH
WHIRR

<43>
B-BANG
BIP
=What are you doing, Koko!?

=Great timing, Jonah!!
=As expected!!

BANG
WHACK
=You're smiling even though you're in danger... You did it last time too. There's something wrong with you.

WHAM
=C'mon, keep your head down.
=Heh-heh.

<44>
=There's nothing wrong with me, Jonah.
=It's just the same old shooting. It gives me no excitement whatsoever.

=Listen, no matter how much you pray...
ROLL

SWUP

CHIK

=Sometimes, a hitman's bullets will find their mark.

<45>
*gunfire*
=And other times, they won't hit you even if you want them to.

=Besides, I'm an arms dealer.
=I can't be scared of the merchandise, can I.

<46>
=So it was that boy.
IRK

=There really are evil women like that, huh!
[x2]WHAP
=I kinda wanna blow her away right now!

=With the "Chinatsu Special Cannon!!"

<47>
BWOOP WOOP
VRRR

WHAP
THUD

<48>
BANG
SHUCK
BANG
SHUCK

*explosions*
[x3]RIP

[x2]FLAP
=Keep your head down!

<49>
=Yo Chinatsu! This is shaping up to be a pretty sweet performance, huh!
=Hum hum.

=Look, teacher!
GASHUCK
=It stood up!
BOOF...
=Hey, that's pretty cool! Get the next instrument out, Chinatsu.

=Koko!
=Valmet!
=Do you have any injuries!?

<50>
[x2]WHAP

CLINK
GONK
[x3]WHAM

<51>
[x5]WHAP
BIP
=Oww!
=Fuck!

JUCK

*gunfire*
CLA—NK
WHIP

TH-TH-THUD
CL-CL-CLINK

<52>
*gunfire*
=Valmet!

=Man, that eyepatch is fucking annoying—!
*gunfire*
[x5]CLONK
TH-TH-THUD

DRA-TA-TAT

[x5]WHAM
G-GONK
BWHIP

<53>
=Ouch!
=They're getting through!
=This shield is letting bullets through!

=Valmet!!

<54>
=What the hell is Valmet doing!
=I had a bad feeling about this.
=Can you hear me? She's under attack at the Al-Sharab shopping mall.

*gunfire*
=It's a pair of hitmen called The Orchestra.//Guns won't get us anywhere. Bring me my usual thing. Yeah yeah, that one.

=*sigh—*
[x2]STOMP

=Lutz! Get on top of the belltower. Take Wilee with you.
=Alright everyone, we're commencing operations!
[x2]CRICK

<55>
=I'm sorry, I don't think I can help out this time.
=Are you okay, Valmet!?

[x4]WHAP

ZUP
=Wha!?
=Jonah!! Don't!!

<57>
GASHUCK
TH-TH-TH-THUCK

CL-CLANK
GRINK
=WHOAAA!!

=Bring it on!! Kid!

<58>
=GAHHHHH!!

=AHHHHHH!!

SSST

<59>
SPLAT
SLIP
TH-TH-THUCK
PII—NG

=What the hell, Chinatsu!?

=He's cute. Don't waste him.

[x3]ZZT

ZZZT

<60>
=Caught some Jonah-fish...
WHIP

GRACK

=What was that for, Lehm!!?
=I could've finished him!

=Calm down.
=What's wrong? You're always such a gentleman.
=You're acting like a wild beast right now.

<61>
=Yeah, you could've gotten him.
=But you'd be dead too.
=Don't play along with the hitman's game.

=Pissed 'cause I got in the way?
CRINK
BOOF
=I'm more pissed than that.//Can't stand watching how child soldiers fight!

=Listen, remember this.//Our squad doesn't do "death matches."

<62>
=If we have to fight, we "massacre."
=In situations where you need a suicide attack, you make up for it with all the technique you've built up through training.//Forget about your child soldier days.

=Oh, but I support that whole thing about hating arms dealers though.

=Take in all the skills you can...
=But live your own life.//Without getting sucked in by Koko or the rest of us... Sounds good to me.

<63>
=The police sniping unit, huh... We better change locations.

=We can hit you too if you're that freaking close—!!
TH-TH-THUCK

<64>
=You better start sniping from a kilometer away if you wanna kill us!!
=Ohhh—
TI-TINK
TI-TI-

<65>
=Jonah! Lehm!

=Take Koko and run. Think you can handle that?

=We'll cover you and give you directions with this.

=Don't let go of my hand, Koko.
=Roger that.

Translation: Jormungand 6

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:21:53 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 1, Chapter 6 (pp. 7~36)

<7>
Chapter 6 | Musica Ex Machina phase.1

=What the fuck was that!?//Boring!! Pointless!!
[x2]CREAK

=Didn't think you'd get wiped out by this little performance!
=You're too fancy for them, teacher.
=Damn straight! I'm fancy, 'cause I fucking compare gunfights to music!

<8>
=Why'd you have to run here all the way from Italy!? Can't even tell if we're on Earth or Mars!//Where are we again, Chinatsu?
=Asia. The Omani exclave in the Middle East.

Chapter 6 | Musica Ex Machina phase.1

=Lemme tell you what I was thinking!//"They're fucking stupid but they sure as hell have a shitload of guts."
="That's why,//This is gonna be a master performance! One for the ages!"

<9>
=But man, did I overrate you! Even a fish on a hook puts up a better fight than that!
=...Orchestra...

=Go on, Chinatsu.//Ask this dude.
=Huh?
=About what?
[x2]CLICK

<10>
=Whaddya mean what?//If a high-ranking mafia dude grabs the boss's money and runs, it's obvious he's gonna get hunted down by hitmen like us.//Go on.
GRIT
[x2]CLICK
=Ohhh.

=That's right. You knew this was gonna happen,
=But you still did it anyways.

=Why?
=Tell me.

UCK...
...What the hell is up with this kid's eyes...

<11>
=Heh-heh.
=Dunno, I forgot.
=Anyways, how 'bout a question from me?

=Why don't you have any underwear on?
=You freaking sickos. You hitmen are all fucking maniacs. Go to hell.

<12>
=...//Dodged the question again, huh. That's too bad.
=You're the who's one going to hell.
=And don't think you're gonna be taking the easy way out.

GACHINK
=We're gonna honor the request to kill you "As painfully as possible."
ZIP

=My job... Is to take the half-assed hopes of conscientious criminals like you who think "I can get away with this,"
=And crush them to bits.

<13>
=Hup!
GR-GRIT
=GAHH!!

=Shit! I'm gonna fucking kill you guys!
[x2]RATTLE

=See this thing?

=It basically works like a music box.
=Chinatsu is good with little projects like this.

=Bang.//Bang bang.

<14>
=It's a device that drives all 15 shots straight into the same spot!
=Say bye bye to all the meat on your thighs—!

C-C-CLICK
=Shit!!
=Shit!!

=You fucking shitheads!!

CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-
=Stop fuckers!
=See ya!
=You fucking—!

=Orchestra—!!
=Hold up, orches...!
DIIIING

<15>
[x2]WHAM
GASHUCK CLI—NK
=ACK!

=GAH!

=GAHHHHHHHHHHHH
[x?]WHAP
=Hey, he's got a pretty good voice.
=What now, teacher?
=We came all the way out here. Might as well get another job done.
=Think we can find one?

<16>
[x5]WHAP
=GAH.
=AH.
=AH.
=The end of spring is moneymaking time for hitmen.

=The summer's hot as hell. No one wants to leave a thorn in their side.
=Hum hum.

=How come you don't wear underwear, by the way?
=Secret.

=Want a flash?
[x2]BWHUP
=Fool. Mine's not gonna budge even if you walk around butt naked.//I only get it on for the older ladies.

<17>
=...//Let's just head for a city.
=Good idea.

<18>
=Dubai, United Arab Emirates

=Jonah.

=There are a lot of things about life you need to learn from us seniors.//First, the standard greetings, from good morning to good night.
=Then language, math, science, social studies! General education!//Though I have to admit your English is pretty good.

<19>
=Hey, no yawning during class!
YAWN

=You, are a "former" child soldier. Now that you've joined my squad, you need to upgrade to, "charming human being."
=The other 8 have their own peculiar ways, but they're all excellent individuals.

=A-Alright. Now try the next problem.

=It's about 300.
="About" is not a calculation!

=Th-

<20>
=That was quite a surprise wasn't it...
=At the airport...

WHIRRR
=That's a lot of tires.
=There's 14 on each plane.

=So how many tires are there total,
=On those 3 airplanes?

=Huh?
=He sure is taking his time.

<21>
TH-TH-THUD
=A lot.
HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH

=What's that, Koko?
=Huh? This?

<22>
=A hitman list.

="Headquarters" warns us if there's any dangerous individuals nearby.
=This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course.

=Well, Dubai is a really safe place, so—//There's no point in telling us "Watch out for hitmen!"
=And you guys are here to protect me anyways! Heh-heh-heh!

=A two-piece orchestra!
=That's right.

<23>
=They started off with 8 members, then 7 of them died.//They recently became a duet.
=The orchestra was pretty crazy back in the day.//They got off 20,000 bullets against the French police force!
=You're being targeted by hitmen, Koko?
=Constantly.//Arms dealers are always a source of hatred.

=In fact, I'm so overstocked with hatred I want to sell,
=But I can't find anyone who wants to buy!!
=Dah-hah-hah.
GAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH

=What's going on? I thought it was study time for Jonah-boy.
GACHUK
=Sounds like a party in here!!

<24>
=Speaking of sounding like a party!!

=What are you grownups doing sitting around in a room all day long!!?
=Well... This is a pretty nice hotel.

=Then we should go out on a date, Koko!
=Okay!

<25>
=Jonah...
=I want to show you the city too, but—
=Math is more important! Work hard!!

=Alrighty Tojo. Sorry 'bout this! I'll bring back lots of beer for you!
=Oooh—
=And Jonah, once you're done with class...

=Remember to say "Thank you very much," okay—?

=Bathroom.

<26>
=Huh?
CREAK

=D-Damn, he's good at ditching.
=Looks like everyone's got some trouble on our hands.//We're all divi-ing up the teaching, after all.

<28>
=Hey, Chinatsu.
=Huh?
=Why the sudden Italian!?

=If you call yourself a hitman, you always gotta look up at the sky when you walk!
=Ohhh—I see.

<29>
=Your own body blocks half of the 180 degree 16:9 rectangular human field of vision.
=We're not looking for landmines or anything.//And what's with that dingy-looking hat? Doesn't it get in the way of your vision? Throw it away.

=I'm not throwing away this hat because you gave it to me, teacher.
=And if teacher looks towards the sky, I will look towards the ground.

<30>
=Cute.

<31>
=That boy with the silver hair was such a cutie!
=Hey, teacher!

=Oh, he's gone.

=Don't get distracted.//Here's the info on our target.
[x2]CRACK

[x2]RABBLE

<32>
=Hoooo—Now this is nice...

=This certainly is the Land of the Duty-Free...!!

=I thought a girl Koko's age would go for the clothing and the makeup...
=And that's a mechanicky watch. There's plenty of cute ones that are...

=I'm getting this!
[x2]SHUFF
SHWUCK
=Koko! I will buy it for you!! As a gift!!

<33>
=No way! That's too much, Valmet!
=It's my way of thanking you for this date. A sign of my love, actually.

=Really!?
=You sure!?
=Yesss!! That's the face she makes when she's truly happy!!

GRAB

<34>
=You sell weapons for a living.
=Even though you know you're going to get killed someday.

=Why? Tell me.

<35>
=A mere hitman dares to ask me that!?
GRACK
=I'll answer if you can kill me, Orchestra!!

=What the fuck!
[x2]RABBLE
=Let go!!

BWHUP

<36>
WHOOSH

BLAM

Translation: Soil 20

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:53:10 +0000

Soil, Volume 3, Chapter 20 (pp. 85~108)

<85>
=RATTLE

<86>
=Hey,
=Wait.

=Umm... Sorry about yesterday... I didn't even say thank you...
=I thought you might show up if I waited here...

=You're hurt... Are you okay...?

<87>
=That sort of thing... Happens pretty often, and...
=I'm actually really scared...

"Together"
=Can you walk home with me...?

<88>
=WHAP WHAP

[x?]WHAP

<89>
=Thanks.
=I didn't fall asleep today.

=Alright, I'll be waiting again tomorrow.
=Huh?

<90>
[x5]=TRRR

=...Hello.

=Kento?
=It's me.

<91>
=Did you hear about Mizuki's place?
=I saw it.
=Yeah.

=What was that? Why?
=Who did it?
=Dunno...
=Yeah.

=I feel sorry for her.
=Yeah.
=Poor Mizuki...

<92>
=Umm...

=Just so you know...
=I... Wasn't trying to save you that day...

<93>
=I just... I don't know why, but I feel like that stuff is really disgusting...

=So when I see cats doing dirty things...
=I can't hold myself back, and...
=The same thing happened... That one time...

=Tomorrow...
=Huh?

=I'm going somewhere tomorrow, and I want you to come with me.

=If you can make it,
=I'll be waiting at the train station after school.

<94>
[x?]=PRRR

=BLIT

<95>
=Kento?
=Hey, Kento?

=You're home, aren't you?

[x2]=TAP
=The computer's giving me all these error messages,
=Can you come take a look?

=GACHUK

<96>
=Why haven't ya come over to my place these days?
=Huh?

=Is it 'cause you're with that girl from the Suzushiro place?

=...Why do you know about that...?

<97>
=You don't wanna have nothin' to do with those folks!
=You know what the townspeople are doin' to them, right!?

=Then why don't you stop them?

=This might be a little hard for you to understand, Kento...

=But there's times when a community needs a common enemy to stay workin'...
=Might even be the purpose of a community to weed out the "foreign organisms" and eliminate them...

=And besides... There's nothin' I can do about it anymore...

=I've got to go.
=Wait, Kento!

<98>
=That family's a "foreign organism!"
=Dunno why, but I've felt it! Ever since they first moved here!
=Let me go...

=I knew it was gonna turn out this way!
=I've had this bad feelin' all along!
=Somethin's gonna happen!

GRACK
=Let go!!

=Somethin's gonna happen...

=Somethin's definitely...
=Gonna happen...!

<99>
[x?]=RATTLE

=Hey...
=Where are we going...?

=This is it!

<100>
=RIIIING
=H-
=Hey...!

=What... Is this...?

<101>
=This isn't right...!!

=W-Wait for me!
=What's not right!?

=It's supposed to be here...
=But it's not...!

=This isn't right...!
=I've never seen this town before...!
=This isn't right...!

<102>
=Listen! What isn't right...!?
=Explain it to me!!

=Where's my house!?
=My school!?
=That park where all my friends were!?
=Those stores I went to!?

=Then who...
=Who's memories are these...!?

=Who...
=Am I...!?

<103>
=It's getting late.
=We should go home.

=...I don't want to go home...

=But I don't want to stay here either...

=I want to go someplace where no one can find me...

<104>
=CLINK

=It's the first time,
=I've let somebody in here.

=What's wrong...?

=But this place...//I heard there's ghosts here...

=I haven't seen one before.

<105>
=Maybe I'm the ghost they were talking about.
=I come here a lot when I'm cutting school.

=What do you do here? All the time...
=I don't really do anything.
=I just imagine... Stuff.
=Imagine...?

=Like what if...
=I stopped existing in this world.

=No one knows about this place.
=Which means I disappear from this world whenever I come here, right?

=But the world keeps moving even when I'm gone...

<106>
=So... Sometimes I think...
=Maybe I was never meant to exist in this world in the first place...

=You're too dark.

=Sorry about dragging you around today...
=I'll tell you everything next time...

=I'm just too...
=Ti-

=re...

=THUD

<107>
=Hey...
=Are you asleep...?

[x2]=SS—
=...What should I do...
=Th-This is awkward...

<108>
=Hey...

=Did you really fall asleep...?

Translation: Jormungand Omake 5.5

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:11:31 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 1, Extras

<00>
So my first publication is about an arms dealer.
It may sound like a pretty serious theme,
But I'm having a great deal of fun,
Snickering and smiling while I draw.

<3>
I may devour the five continents,
And swallow the three seas,
But a body with neither wings, nor hands, nor feet,
Is powerless against the sky.

I am the world serpent.
Jormungand is my name.

<187>
Eromungand

=H-How can you stomach such a bitter omelet without making a face, Jonah?
=Bitter?
=Mine is spicy!!//My mouth is burning!
=Mine is sour!

=Unbelievable!! So every plate has a different flavor!? That's amazing!! {GOBBLE GOBBLE}
[arrow]The sound of desperation
=Huh? I think mine's getting tastier... It's tasty, Jonah!!
=I-Is this a hallucination...? I'm beginning to feel... Great...
=Valmet!?
=Valmet!?
=Too sweet.

<188>
Koko complains a lot when she finds herself in stressful situations. Actually, she groans.
=Uhhh—
=Bleh...
That is unacceptable behavior for a group leader. But with Koko, it's okay.

Anything is okay with Koko. She is awesome.
=It's cooold.
=Gosh—
I will kill anyone who has a problem with Koko. I will tear them to pieces.

...Recently, I noticed—
=It's hooo—t
=Uhhh—
=Hot hot
=Hot hot
She was mumbling something under her breath after she finished groaning!

<189>
=Wahhhhh—!!
=*mumble*
=*mumble*

=Wanna go wanna go.
[x3]MUMBLE
=Wanna go to Tokyo Disn*yland.
=Wanna run away to the World of Fantasy.
=it's a sm*ll world.

=Oops, nosebleed.
GUSH
=What!? What!?
=What's wrong, Valmet!?

All done.

<190>
Jormungand - 1
Keitarou Takahashi

Editor in charge: Koyo Natsume
Thank you for everything

Special Thanks:
Jugo Tsukuda (Chapter 4)
Hideaki Oue (Chapters 1, 2, & 3)

I give my sincere thanks to the people
Who support me throughout my daily life,
And took the time to read this work.
Thank you,
And I hope for your continued patronage.

Translation: Jormungand 5

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:10:51 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 1, Chapter 5 (pp. 157~186)

<157>
Chapter 5 | PULSAR phase.3
=The group of ten consists of Koko Hematyar and her subordinates.
=The trio is Currie's CCAT company... I want you to prioritize—

=—The group of ten.//But remember that Olin Ridge and one of the bordering highways remains unguarded because you've been sent out.
=Understood, Major.

=...But, that trio was the one that killed two of our comrades!
GONK
=You don't need to remind me!!
=C'mon, we're joining up with Team Alpha.

WHOOSH

<160>
=We were sent to scout—How did I get dragged into this with you, Myld...
WHIP
=Who cares, who cares!!
=You're awesome!!//But how come!?
ZWUSH

=I can't even graze you!//That eye's supposed to be a huge handicap in a knife fight!!
PLICK
JUCK

=But I still can never beat you, so I called you out at night this time!!
=I've got good night vision! What's going on—!?

<161>
=Valmet!!
WHOOSH
SWISH
WHACK

ZWISH
=HUP!

WHIRR...
GRINK
=UCK.
WHUMP

<162>
=UCK UCK
=UHHHHHH—
[x2]SWISH

=I feel like your movements have gotten—
=More sluggish compared to last time, Myld.

=I understand how you would want to keep a lot of knives with you,
=But there's really no point if they get in the way of your waists and sides, is there?

=Even our new recruit, Jonah, mentioned you were "Covered with knives."

=That thing's name is Jonah, huh.

<163>
=My guess is, you were planning to lure me over to one of the knives you threw, and go...

=Hah!!//I'll pull it out and use it again!
GRIT
="I've got you now Valmet—!" Was that the idea?

WHIP
[bubble]CONK
=Hey!!

=What do you mean "Hey." Once you let go of a weapon,
=Don't count on getting it back. It's common sense!!

=Dammit, she's in lecture mode.

<164>
=...//I think you should reconsider this, Myld.

=Back in the clock factory, you said you were curious about me, but—
=I don't recommend that.

<165>
=Why? You're so awesome.

=You were an elite soldier, but you lost everything after being betrayed.
=Then you got stronger and made a comeback!//That's really cool.

=You're overestimating me.//I don't care about you at all, Myld,
=But I still wouldn't want you to experience the same things I did.

=Well, I never had anything in the first place!!

<166>
=People like us who fight with weapons for a living—//We're hollow.//Empty.
=Ever since we first killed with a weapon.
=Or maybe ever since we first held a weapon.

=All that stuff about protecting your family or your country,
=Those are just the extra reasons they thought up afterwards.//Even I know that.

=If I can become as strong as you... I feel like that hollowness is gonna get filled up.

=...Nonsense.
=...Valmet!

<167>
=I'll let you off easy for today!
[x2]SWISH
=But I'm definitely gonna kill you next time!!

=You've sensed an enemy pursuit? Distance?
=500 meters!!

=Bo—ss!!
TA-TA-TAP

=At least she's got sharp senses for this sort of thing.

<168>
=Prepare for battle!!

[x2]JUCK
WHAM

<169>
=We'll go out first and cut through the enemy lines.
=It depends how many men they have, but we may even be able to destroy them completely.

=You owe me one, alright?

=Ohh.

=How brave of you, Hekmatyar!
=Okay!//Bye—Myld.

WHIRRR

<170>
=There aren't that many of them, but we're surrounded.
=All troops in my unit...

=Lay down your arms!!

<171>
=...What?

=Unload your magazines, and fold your stocks!!

=*swoooo...*

<172>
=Listen, mountain infantry!!
=We are the "Group of ten!!"

=The "Trio" is inside!!

<173>
=That biiitch!!

Z-Z-Z-ZWUP

<174>
JUCK
*approaching footsteps*

=Shit!
=Shit!
[x2]CLICK
ZWUP

*gunfire*

<175>
=Don't think this is gonna work every time.

=...//The border at Olin Ridge is open while we're here.
=Head North, Lucky Girl.

<176>
=Hmph.
=Heh-heh.
[x2]SWISH

=Everyone ru—n!!
=Let's get the fuck outta this killing field—!!
D-D-DASH

<177>
=*giggle*

=*pfft*

<178>
=Ah-hah-hah-hah!

GLANCE
SWUP

<179>
=What's the matter, Jonah?
[x2]THUD
=Nothing.

=But it's kinda weird.

=This is the first time I've left a battlefield without firing a bullet.

<180>
=Alright! Then next time,
=I'll let you shoot to your hearts content, Jonah!!
TA-TA-TA-TAP

HAH
AH-HAH-HAH-HAH

<181>
=Don't you get it, Jonah-boy?
=The Lady isn't one for subtlety.

=She's an arms dealer.

<183>
=...I see, so they got away.

ZZT
=Both of them, huh. So they weren't too shabby either.//Blame?
=I don't blame you.

=I understand the choice you made, and I can support it.//Responsibility is my duty. It's not yours to take.
[x2]ZRICK
=That's right. Return to your posts.

=Hmph.

<184>
WHOOOSH
=Truth be told, the bombings ended as soon as these anti-air missiles arrived.
=So their products have the potential to become violent manifests, or useless hunks of metal, huh...//Koko Hekmatyar, the arms dealer... What an insolent woman...

WHIRRRR...

<185>
=...armed conflict near the Russian border lasting...days...
=...has quieted earlier today...
=According to the Press Secretary this is simply a one-time...
[x2]RABBLE

=So it only lasted a day.
=Ma'am?
=No, nothing.

=Have a nice trip.
=Thanks.

<186>
=W-We made it!
=Bo—ss!! I'm tired—!
[x2]SCRAMBLE
=Ohh—Still kicking, huh.
=Heh-heh-heh.

Jormungand Volume 1 —End—

Translation: Jormungand 4

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:03:24 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Jormungand, Volume 1, Chapter 4 (pp. 127~156)

<127>
=Ahh—Gosh—//I go waltzing into a warzone that's like one humongous booby trap waiting to happen,
[x2]MUMBLE
=Then I get talked into buying a losing ticket from a business rival who's clearly a total slimebag!//Who knew human beings could be so slimy!!

Chapter 4 | PULSAR phase.2

=Hmm—
[x2]SWUP
=I'm so angry I can't sleep!

FLASH

=Whoa—
=Pretty—
=...I've got to escape! But how?

<128>
=Two of my best men shall accompany you!//You'll have no problems crossing the dangerous ridge as long as they're with you.
=A "leash," huh...
=Cellular phones should begin working again once you cross the ridge.

=That rare Iridium cellphone,
=Doesn't work, does it? This is one of the few locations throughout Europe that is out of communication range.

=Oh, so you knew I had one, huh—
=You're right, no signal.

<129>
=Please be careful—!!
*cars starting*

=And please don't run away after pretending to agree to the deal.

=...Hmph! All this for an arms dealer. Who the hell do you think you are!
=O-Only 10 minutes since we left, and he's already calling names!?

<130>
=You're adding oil to fire. And people's lives are burning.//You're the smartass with the fancy college degree and you can't even see that?
[x2]CLICK

=Hmm... I'm just your everyday merchant.//And speaking of college,
=I've never attended any kind of school in my life.

<131>
=However, the time I've spent with my "merchandise,"
=Is far longer than the time you've wielded a gun to become a trusted soldier.

=Seeing my merchandise fall into the hands of a phony soldier like you,//Is like watching veal grow. It's absolutely pathetic.
=I'm not in a good mood. So just keep your mouth shut unless I ask you for directions.

<132>
=Say that again, you little—!
WHOOSH

JUCK
CLICK

=*...tsk!*

=What a fog!

=Jonah Jonah,
=We should be getting a signal soon. Can you try calling Tojo for me?

<133>
=This is Olin ridge.

=It's ringing.

...TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP
=Really? Great!!

WHAP-WHAP-WHAP

<134>
[x3]THUD
=Whoa.

[x4]WHAP
=Mi-24V Hind E!!
=It's a Hind from the Russian Army!!

<135>
=Whoa!!
=Everyone take cover!!
=Get away from the cars!!
*explosions & propeller noises*

=They're attacking.
=Is the mountain infantry nearby?

=Stingers.
WHAP
SWHOOSH
=Hah, they're missing.

=Who are you two!?
[x2]SHUFF
=The arms dealer who met with Major Pollock!

<136>
=Are the Stingers being fired by a different unit?
=I cannot answer questions from civilians!!

=Those men are done for.
[x2]BWHOOOSH
[x2]CRACK
=Send your men away from the Hind!
=That aircraft specializes in killing!!

=Look at the sensor pods!//Those are thermal sensors!!
=The standard LLLTV "Ladoga F" has been modded with a third-party unit from Eastern Europe.
=We're sitting ducks if the pilot comes after us!

<138>
*propeller noises*
*turns*

=Phew.

=That was close, wasn't it!
[x2]FWHOO—SH
[x2]PAT

Did I just see her laughing this whole time...?
...She's fucking insane!

=Just get the hell outta here, lucky girl.
THUD
=Oh, heh-heh. Why yes, of course.

<139>
=Why don't you just sell it to them?
=The weapons.

=Jonah...

=According to my intuition,
=This battle will be over in 2 days.

<140>
=It's not about either side winning or losing.//Russia is unable to concentrate on so many different warfronts, and the Major is ambitious, but has no money.//My guess is that this battle will turn chronic.
=Which means control over the moneymaking pipeline will remain ambiguous.

=Some dealers latch on to these chaotic situations and endlessly pump weapons into the battlefield...
=Actually, that's the standard approach.

=But from a business standpoint,//This battlefield,
=Has lost its appeal.

<141>
=So you're telling us to rely on your intuition, Koko?

=That's right.
=You're all going along,
=With the intuition of a weapons dealer.
=...Any objections?

<142>
WH-WHIP

=Shit!!
GRACK
BA-BA-BANG

<143>
SWIP

WHAP WHAP
B-BANG
WHAP

=Wha!?
=What do you think you're doing, Myld—!!?

=But I just got sooo pissed.
=Don't know whether they're supposed to be elite soldiers or what, but they just kept yapping on and on and on...

=The Major's decision to put us on a "leash,"
=May have been the "permit" we needed to cross the ridge!!

<144>
=The whole plan is ruined!!
=Unbelievable!! You bloodthirsty maniacs!!

=Show me the map.

=Quick recovery!! As expected, boss.
SHUFF...

<145>
=What are you conversing about!?

=Just confirming the drop-off spot with headquarters.

=Valmet!
=Koko! Who are those two?
="Quietly! But keep 'em alive!"

<146>
[x2]PAT

=Tie 'em up!!
=Oh, and cover that guy's lid to.
=He's noisy.
WAHH
[x2]THUD

<147>
=Gosh—Valmet, I was so worried about you!

=Oh!!
=O-Of course, I was too, Koko.
=Oooh—This is such a wonderful feeling!
[x2]PAT

=Alright!!
=Oops... Nosebleed...
=We're all here!! Let's move!!

<148>
KACHINK

=*tsk!*
WHIP

<149>
WH-WHUP

=Hey hey!//What the hell, Lou!?

=He—y!
=It's the guys from CCAT company.
=It's okay to come in!
=No, it's actually not okay...

<150>
[x2]GRIN

=*tsk*
=GRIT

=My my, if it isn't Mr. President!//What a coincidence—
=I thought you'd be back in England by now.//Heh-heh!

<151>
=Been a while.
=Myld.

=I'm real curious about you, ya know.//Always thinking about you.
=I'm curious about your lifestyle, Valmet.

=I just wanna take all that strength you've built up,
=And crush it to pieces.

=I'm,
=Not,
=At all.

<152>
=Bo—ss!!
=Shut up! It's your fault things has turned out this way. Control yourself!
=I caaan't!

=Did you kill the Major's "leash?"
=No.//We left them tied up.
=That idiot woman killed ours!!

=The enemy may eventually come after us!//How about we send those two outside to scout the enemy!?
=Of course they're gonna.

<153>
=Really sorry Valmet,//Please!

=No problem!!

=I can't turn down a request from her.
=I'll indulge you.

<154>
SHINK
=Koko's changed, huh.
=She was totally crazy a while back.
=She's way cooler now.
WHAP
WHOOSH

=Koko has always been wonderful!
ZINK

<155>
=Major, we've found them.

=One woman, one kid, and 6 men.
=Another man and woman joined them here.

=That makes 10.
=Go and untie those fools over there.

=How many are Team Alpha pursuing?
=3, sir.
=Two were found dead over by the eastern ridge.

<156>
=Here we go!!

Translation: Livingstone 3

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:41:58 +0000

All of my translations are RESERVED

Livingstone, Chapter 3 (Weekly Morning, No. 38, 2009)

<1>
[x2]SPLASH

[van]Utility Services//Livingstone
SPLASH

=A lot of earth got washed downstream from that rainstorm last week.

=Thought we might be able to find some interesting stones.

=CONK

[left text]Souls that leave the body turn into stone, becoming a "Livingstone."

<2>
=It's like we're on the bank of the River Styx.
The Livingstone,
Bears the memory of the soul,
For all eternity.
Author: 前川知大
Artist: 片岡人生
Chapter 3: The Game Begins

[left of ghost logo]90% of this world is inevitable.
[below logo]The 3rd installment of the new series that asks, "What is the soul?"

<3>
=Hah-hah,//The River Styx really does exist.
=Hup...//They say all the stones down there are Livingstones.

=Well, that was a long time ago.
WOBBLE
=Whoa...

=Now there's too many people.
GLOT
=There's a serious shortage of Livingstones now.

=Phew...//Is this also a Livingstone, Mr. Tokieda?
=It's huge.

=Wanna look "inside?"

<4>
=...I'll pass.
=Hah-hah-hah,//Pussy.

=How's your partner?
ZRICK
=Ohh—Amano?

=He's a fast worker...
=But he's not like Mr. Suzuki, who I first started working with.//It's like he doesn't have tears and blood.

=...That's why Suzuki is finished.
=You don't need tears and blood.

<5>
=The stones those guys have inside them are special. They're different from humans.
=It's like a magnet.//That's how they attract the Livingstones.

=Maybe it's because of that magnet...//It's annoying how he just goes off on his own sometimes.

=I'm getting stomach pains from having to worry about him so much...
SIGH..
=You'll get used to it.

=But, I thought you might be having some trouble, so...
SHUFF..

<6>
=I shall give you this.

=Take good care of it. They're quite rare these days.//Amano shouldn't get distracted as long as he has this.
SHUFF
=Wow... Thank you sir.

=...A Game Boy...!?
=Rare, isn't it?

<7>
[x3]PIP

=...And now this?
=Right...

=Gosh...//Why did Dad pull out a Game Boy this day and age...

=Your meatloaf is getting cold, Amano.
ZZ—T
[x2]PIP
=I'm eating it.

<8>
=You like Cola?
=Not really.

=This one's easier.
ZZ—T
[bubble]P-PIP//BANG
[bubble]BA—NG

=Easier...!?
Uck...
[bubble]PIP//PIP
[bubble]BA—NG
=Guess he's not that interested in food...

=Well... At least he's being a lot quieter now, right?
=Yeah,//Now I'll have an easier time dealing with him, and...

WHACK!

<9>
=Wha...! Amano!?
AHH—
ZZT
=Don't need it anymore.//I'm not getting anywhere.

=Huh? What are you talking about?//See, you get this item like this,
[x2]PIP
Wow, this brings back memories
=You go here, jump 3 times, then do this.//It's so easy, why can't you...

=Huh? Is he angry?//...Nah, couldn't be.
GATHUCK
=Look,

=I can't do it, alright.
=And it's got nothing to do with work, either.

<10>
=Amano, where are you going!?

URK
=Ahh—Gosh, he's doing it again...!
GATHUCK

=Guess I'm gonna be relying on stomach medication for a while now...
=Sorry, Kae. I'll see you later.

Good luck..
=Maybe this is what raising children is like...

<11>
=WHIRR...

CONK

=Wait up, Amano!//I told you, you can't...!
PANT
HUFF

<12>
The stones those guys have inside them are special.
—It's like a magnet.

=That's how—

<13>
—They attract the Livingstones.

<14>
=*swoo...*
WHOOSH...

=*sigh...*

WHOOSH

<15>
WHAP
=ACK!

=Whoa, what the...!?
[x2]SPIT
=That was close—!

BLAM

=Hey! What are you...!?
[x2]HUFF

=...D-
=Don't come any closer!

<16>
=This has gotta be...

A suicide...
Right...?

Try not to excite her, for now...
=...This shoe,//Is it yours?

=...Yes,//You came to return it to me?
=But I don't need it anymore.

=Because I'm about to turn into a ghost.

<17>
=Hey, this thing isn't moving.
=Well you gotta put some money in.//—I mean, this isn't the time for that!
HEY!

=...Look, what do you people want?

The question is, whether this person is really serious... Or not.
=Stay calm... Be friendly...

=Hey, lady.//Are you in the middle of diving practice?
=It's all concrete down there.

<18>
=I...//I can't believe this...! How could you say something like that...!
[x2]TREMBLE
=It's a joke!
=He's just joking around! He wants you to relax!
*jingle*
VRR—

=You've completely ruined it...!//Talking to people like you in the final moments of my life,
=Completely ruins everything I've done up until now!

=So you're trying to commit suicide even though you've lived such a wonderful life till now?
=That's weird.

<19>
=My stomach... My stomach...
[x4]ICK
=...You're enjoying this, aren't you.//Go away!

=You think it's fun to tease someone who's trying to die!?

=I don't really know what fun means.//So I think it's more like,
=Not caring...?//I guess?

=...You gotta be kidding me...//What do you guys want from me...!?

<20>
=We're here,
=To save you.

WHOOSH...

<21>
=—That's right. That's our job, after all.
=I'm taking a look at your soul's plan.
PIP

=Hey...!
=What do you think you're doing!?//I'm gonna fucking kill you!
RATTLE

=Yeah, good. Come over here.
They say a half-hearted attempt at persuasion can actually strengthen a person's resolve.
=If she can yell at us, it's proof that she still has the desire to live...!

=Hey! Are you guys planning on stopping me or not!?
[x2]CLACK

=Are you gonna die or not?
*jingle*
=I am! I told you already!//Don't ask me that while you're riding a freaking panda—!

<22>
=She's definitely got a lot of energy...
[x2]WAH—

=Her fulfillment rate is 88%—//Soul has 362,000 hours left.
=Nothing abnormal.
[camera]Fulfillment Rate 88%

=It's "unplanned,"//Amano.
=Oh, then it's...//Work after all, huh.

=...Yeah.
=—Our job is,

<23>
=To manage souls.

All human souls have a predetermined "plan."

The "plan" refers to the growth a soul makes as it fulfills its destiny in its present life, and is passed on to the next human being.

However, that "plan" can collapse due to all sorts of reasons.

<24>
Our job is to prevent the number of souls from decreasing.
=...Huh?

=Hey... Wait,//Forget about dying early... She's got a really high-ranking soul.
=Age?

=4000 years.

=Her life must have very high potential,
=Yet she's committing suicide... What a waste.

=Gosh, what are you guys mumbling about...!?//Just leave me alone, alright!?
RATTLE

<25>
=You're free to die, but we can't have you commit suicide.//That would get things messy.
=—So we'll be taking the proper measures to kill you.

=...Huh?
=Meaning,
=If you refuse to put on this shoe,//And are truly serious about ending your life...

=I'll see to it that your "soul" is properly disposed of, and he'll do the same for your "flesh."
=How's that?

<26>
=Soul...?

=Ohh—//I get it.//So in other words, you're going to kill me,
=And Glasses over there is going to get rid of my body, right?

=There won't be any traces left.//You'll vanish from society.

=Hah...//Ah-hah-hah-hah!
=Vanish, huh. That's good too.
=What are you guys anyways? You run a business helping runaways or something?

=So there's something you need to run away from?

=You'll help me run away?

<27>
=...Would that want to make you continue living?

=You can't, you said you were gonna die.
=Oh,//Hah-hah, that's true.

...It's alright. She's starting to calm down.
This person is still searching for a reason to live.
One change of mind, and the soul will never try this again...

=If you've got the will to die, I can kill you. Right here, right now.
=There won't be any pain whatsoever.

=Wow...//Guess that's more than I could ever ask for...

<28>
=It's a simple procedure.//All I need is your soul's permission.
=Permission...?

=Right.//The same way you took off your shoe,

=This is a ceremony taking you from this world to the next.
=You'll forfeit the remainder of your life...

=To take a literal "step up" into the next world...
=—Alright with you?

<29>
=—Yes.

=Thank you.

=—Don't worry. She's all talk...
=The soul can't be extracted unless the person wants to die from the very bottom of their heart...

WHOOSH

<30>
[right text]Her resolve is strong. Why does she choose death above all else!?

=Wha...!
=Impossible...!
Chapter 3 / End
To be continued in the next issue