Desert Punk 7

Desert Punk, Volume 2, Chapter 7 (pp. 3~34)


<3>
FLASH

That day, I wanted to test out my brand new equipment,
BOO—M
BAA—NG
So I headed over to my private shooting range located in the nearby skeleton city to have some fun.

=HI-YAH—!

B-BWUP


<4>
=WEE-HEE—!

B-B-BWUP


<5>
WHAP
=Rocket winch!
SHUNK

WHIP

GU
GRICK

WHIRRR
[margin]Shoulder: Wire winch


<6>
GWHOOSH

TIING
WHUP

TAP
WHIRR
KASHUCK

*turns*
GASHUNK

BLAM
BA-
BA—NG


<7>
GWHOO~SH
=Heh.
CLA—NK
CLANK
CLANK

=Heh-heh-heh-heh

=HAH—
=HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH—!

=New-model personal rocket winch!
[arrow right]Pulls up to 500kg
[arrow left]Air cooler. Personal air conditioner. It cools the air, and converts waste fluids (sweat, among other things) into drinkable water.
=Compact, lightweight, new-model desert air cooler!

=New Zero-Type helmet!
=Anti-heat & projectile aramid umbrella!

=Aramid cloak!
BWHUP

=Aramid pants!
[arrow right]Gaiters
[arrow left]Pants
=Aramid gaiters!

=And back from the repair shop—
SPARKLE
=My Winchester—!!
[arrow]Magazine size increased. Only by one, but still.


<8>
=Desert Punk is back!!
CHA-CHING
=With brand new equipment!

=TEE-HEE

=And...

=TEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE
GACHUK


<9>
=*sigh...*
M40A1 Sniper Rifle
Caliber: 7.62mm NATO
Length: 1,120mm
Barrel length: 620mm
Weight (including scope): 6.35kg
Action: Bolt action//5-round internal magazine
Maximum range: 1,000 yards (approx. 915 meters)

Sight: Unertl 10x scope
Stock: Fiber resin by Gale McMillan

=Ahh.
Trigger: Remington trigger set
Trigger Pull: 1.8kg

Barrel: Stainless steel Atkinson heavy barrel
=Whoa—

=It-//It's beautiful...
[x2]GONK
[x3]RUB
=*pant* *pant*
=And now you're finally mine...


<10>
UCK

*peers—*

BLAM


<11>
GRICK

GACHUNK

BLEH

WHUP

EE—K
BWHIP

=HMPH
[arrow]Around here
[x2]THUMP


<12>
BZZ—

[x2]*turn*

=Hmm!?

=You think you got lucky, Desert Punk?//BZZT
=Uh-uh-uhh—I was aiming for the rifle.
[margin]DP Scope, 20x magnification

=That M40 is too good for you. What a waste.
=RRR...!

=You bastard—!
=Who the hell are you!?


<13>
=The handyman who defeated Kong to become the strongest in the Kanto Great Desert...
=I wanted to see how good you really are.

=I'm an assassin. Name's Jiro Onuma.
=I challenge you to a duel, Desert Punk.
[margin]Dragunov ^ So awesome

=Bastard—


<14>
PONK

GUCK

=I finally had it...
=Finally. After all that hard work...
=I kept on going... Through all that crap...//I tried and I tried and I finally made it mine. And now—
[x2]SOB

=...Heh.
=Heh-heh-heh-heh. A call-out, huh? Interesting.
=He challenged me knowing I'm the super-duper-best-top-notch badass in Kanto...
=Very well, I accept your challenge—!
GU-GU-GU-GU-GU


<15>
No matter where you run, I'll find you. I'll corner you into the buildings—
[x2]GRIT
And kill you slowly and painfully...!


<16>
CLACK
BZZ—

[margin]Sound capture device

=He's going straight...
[x2]ZUP
=Not stopping for anything.
=I thought this was supposed to be a challenge.

BOMB

WHIRRRRR


<17>
GWUSH

TAP

=CLACK

BZZ—

=...Huh?


<18>
=WHOA!!

[x3]BAP

=*tsk...*

=Hey—He's supposed to be down there.
=How'd he get up here before me?//Not bad—
[x2]BWHOOP


<19>
=His equipment looked similar to mine, so I'm guessing he's got the same kind of scouting range.
[margin]Naked eye

=He's not as skilled as I am, but he's got skills. And he's not as smart as I am, but he's got smarts.

=I'd like to think we're on even ground. Whoever finds the other first wins, but...
[margin]The previous frame in night-vision

=Hmm—If only he hadn't broken the M40—
Quick glance at my hand
=This might take awhile—

=...Huh!?
[margin]Right: Telescope, scouting Left: Night-vision

NBZZ—


<20>
[x2]=ZUP

=These footsteps—!

=ZUP

B-BWUP
=AHH—

WHAP
THUD
=WHOA—


<21>
GU

GACHUNK
=Freeze—!

=...Huh!?
=AHHH—

=EE—K! Please spare me—!
=What the hell, it's just a little brat! Don't scare me like that,//Stupid idiot—!

=I-I'm sorry.
=I kinda lost my way...
=Oh okay, bye.
[x2]TAP

=W-Wait—Umm, please help me.
=I'm lost...


<22>
=You saved me—!
=I haven't eaten for 2 days.
[margin]White Ball. ^ Portable desert meals. Just one will provide enough nutrition to last an entire day.

=Oh no, my pleasure.
=It's 50 yen per White Ball and I just sold one to her for 1000 yen. Huge profit for me.
=Phew—I'm glad I finally ran into a nice person.
[x2]MUNCH

=That last person I met was such a jerk! He totally ignored me even though he saw I was dying!
=He was acting all high and mighty holding this hu—ge rifle.
=What!? You met him!? Where was he!?

=Where!?
NUDGE

=What was he doing!?
WHOOSH
BWHAP


<23>
BWHAP
=WHOA!
*scramble scramble*
=AHH—!

BWHAP
=Damn it—!

=*tsk*
GACHUK
PLOP

[x2]EE—K

=*tsk...?* Uh, hey... Wait—
TAP

=HEY!
BWHAP
EEK

=So that brat was in cahoots with Jiro Onuma—!?//Dammit—They took all my food and water—!
DOO—M


<24>
=Hot...

=Need water...


<25>
=Uhh—My spare battery was also in that bag, so I've got to save power, but...//Turning the cooler off and keeping the helmet on to scout—
BLEH
=T-This is a living hell...

=If I keep this up, I'm gonna die before the fight starts...
=What should I do—?
[x3]PANT—

=He hasn't moved, huh? Master.
=You did well, Taiko. Stealing his supplies like that.
=Tee-hee, thought I might as well go for it.

=If you kill Desert Punk, you'll get famous and the job offers will come flying in.
=You've got the skills, Master. But it's a shame you're too nice to run a business—
=Hah-hah-hah, no need to remind me.

=Wow—There's lots of stuff in here.
=Looks like this bag is his little treasure chest.
[x2]SHUFF

=...Hmm?
=What's this thing?


<26>
I-I can't stand this any longer... I'm gonna die...
Shit... I hate to admit it, but that guy's a real pro. He doesn't waste any energy. He's cool. He's dry.
[margin]DP

KACHINK
NWHIRR
PSHH—
=Phew... So cool—
[margin]Air cooler ON!

=Huh!?

=He's making his move!
[x3]BAM
BOMP

=Now what, Desert Punk?

=If I could only figure out where he's hiding—


<27>
=URRGH...

=I was hoping...
=I was hoping—

=I wouldn't have to use this—!

=We can't see anything with the smoke screen!
=Hmph, he must've gotten tired of waiting. He's coming!

=TICK...
[margin]DP bag

BOMP
WHAP
WHA—P
=Over there!


<28>
=What the hell just happened—!?
[x3]PUFF
=*cough* *cough*//Desert Punk's bag blew up—!
=All the smoke screens and stuff he had inside got caught in the explosion, and...

=W-//WHOAA—
=What's wrong!?

=There's lots of Desert Punks!
=WHA—!?


<29>
=Impossible—!
[x2]BANG
WHAP

=Huh!?
=OHH!

=Ya—y, it's a balloon—!
PHEW
=Just balloons, huh...
PLO—P
PLOP

=Ahhh... 1 balloon—
UCK

=*sob sob...* 2 balloons—

=Those balloons are really hard to deflate once they're like that, you know...
=And that 7-pack rainbow smoke screen I finally convinced myself into buying...//Ahh, they're so pretty—


<30>
=I knew they could get stolen anytime—
[x2]SOB
=In a lawless desert like this...
=So I put that bomb on thinking,//I'd rather see them blow up than have someone else use them...
WHOO—SH
[x4]SHIVER

=I put that bomb on thinking, I'd never be stupid enough to actually let someone steal it—
=So I never thought I'd actually have to use the bomb—!

B-
=Huck—!
BLAM


<31>
=Wha—!? Again!?
PSHH—
BLEH

=You see—
UCK—!

=I've been to hell and back using every single situation to my advantage.
=You really think a whiny-ass amateur sniper like you could stand up to a smart and super-skilled dude like me?

[keep typo]=Hmph, it's probably just another balloo...


<32>
THUCK
WHACK
BASH

It's the real one~
=Hmph.

=You were aiming for the rifle—? Serves you right for trying to look good. That's why you're a whiny-ass amateur.
=I would've gone straight for the kill instead of saying Hi like that.


<33>
=M-Master...
=The master lost...!

STARE
UCK..

=AHH—You're going to rape me, aren't you—!
=*...sigh...*

=All my brand new equips are all busted up now.
=It's all this guy's fault! I'm taking everything he owns!

=Shit, he doesn't have anything good. This won't even cover the repair costs for the M40.
U-Uhh~
=I don't feel like a winner at all.

[margin]Space

=You can follow me for as long as you want, but no means no, alright?


<34>
=I won't take no for an answer!
=...I don't want to see your face.
=It brings back painful memories.

=Please take me in as your student! I want to become stronger!
GRIP
=I'm never going to leave your side until you take me in as your student!//After too, I mean.

=I'll do anything you say, Master!
=Even perverted stuff!
You have no integrity, do you.
=I'm not interested in bony flat-chested chicks.
[x2]GACHUK
[x2]WOBBLE

=I'll grow big boobs!
=What!?
GACHUK
As you just observed, Desert Punk is now being chased around by guys trying to make a name for themselves. Oh dear. What next.