Drifters 17

[1]
Upper note: Comics volume 1 on sale!!

DRIFTERS

Chapter 17 - Bring love back [T.N.: "Ai wo torimodose", opening song for Hokuto no Ken or Fist of the North Star anime.]

Splash: Claim back your family
Claim back your country
Claim back your real self!!

Kohta Hirano


[2]
Side note: The "Conquest of the country" - Nobunaga and his allies start to move...

[at the governor's fortress]

Governor: Where are the soldiers!?
Why haven't they returned yet?!
Why haven't they given any news?!
Looks like that elvish flee was actually
a decoy for something else we didn't foresee!!

Aide: But was it wise to dispatch most of our soldiers
to that elvish village?

Governor: The war scenario for Orte is getting grimmer as we speak.
Now, in all occupied territories, there is no single day without reports of plunders carried out by our army,
and rebellions can burst forth in any moment, not only in elvish territories, but in all demihuman lands!!
This war can drag on forever if we only dispatch small troops to subdue each unrest.
We must send out a large contingent to crush the seeds of insurrection.
Perhaps it is better to crush one or two villages as an example and a warning
before the whole occupied territories rise up.


[3]
Governor: And, if needed,
we must hang some of their women
we hold as captives!

[a soldier enters the room]

Soldier: Governor, the soldiers!!
The soldiers are back!!

Governor: T... that's good news!!
So, they are back!!


[4]
Soldiers: Open the gate!!
Open the gate!!

Soldier (Oda): We are the peacekeeping troops for the elvish territories!
We are stopping by to report to the Governor!!
Open the gate!!

[The gate opens]

Oda [grinning]: All right, everyone smile!!
Smile and enter as quickly as possible!!
But don't run!! Walk as if nothing has happened!!


[5]
Governor: Report to me, soldier.
So, was it an unrest, as expected?!

[Oda and the elves reveal themselves to the governor.]

Governor: !!

Oda: Yes.
Indeed.

Governor: Drifters...!!
Elves...!!

Oda: This place is now ours.


[6]
[The elves step forward.]

Governor: Wh...
Ah...
No...

[Toyohisa removes his armor]

Toyohisa: This is too hot!!
This is too cumbersome!!


[7]
Toyohisa [grabbing the governor]: Where are you holding the women!?
Tell me!!

Governor: I... it's...
in the tower!!
They are in the tower!!

Toyohisa: Good. Let's go.

Governor: A... and what about the soldiers!?
Where are my soldiers!?
What happened to them!?

Oda [grinning]: Well...
I'm sorry to say this, but...


[8]
Oda: Most of them are dead.
And those few who survived are being chased by Yoichi and his elves.
But don't worry.
Eventually, you will join them.
All of you will be properly mixed with shit and soil
and will be really useful as gunpowder.

[at the forest at the outskirts of the elven village]

Soldiers: Damn! We are completely scattered!!
Huff!
Huff!
Huff!
Ah!
Huff!
[Some soldiers step onto something]
!!?

Soldier: !!


[9]
[Some soldiers fall into a hole full of sharp stakes]

Soldiers: Ah...
Uh..
Ah...
GAAAAAH!!
AAAAAGH!!

Soldier: Freaking hell!!
Another trap!?

Soldier2: The stakes are slathered with shit again...
Damn those fucking---

Footstep: Thump


[10]
[Several arrows pierce another soldier]

Soldiers: Gaaah!!
Run!!
Fuck!!

[Yoichi and several elves are watching the soldiers atop the trees]


[11]
[At the governor's fortress, several men are running in a corridor]

Guard: W...
What!?

[Toyohisa beheads him in a blink of an eye]


[12]
Guard: Aah!!
I...
I surrender!!
I surrender!!

Elf: Damn you...!!

[Toyohisa stops him.]

Elf: !!
B... but!!
Why...

Toyohisa: He has given up his weapon.
You mustn't kill him.
It is a shame to kill someone who has already surrendered!!


[13]
Elf: But...
I thought...
we...

Toyohisa: IT IS A SHAME!!

Elf: Uh...
I...

Toyohisa: We must save the women first.
Let's go.

Elves: Let's go.
Yeah.


[14]
[Toyohisa kicks the door open.]

Men: !!
What!?
What the hell!?

Elves: !!


[15]
[The place is a room of debauchery. Several men are raping the elven women. Some of the women are chained to a wall.]


[16]
Toyohisa: No! No! NO! I was wrong!!
The vermins of this castle aren't worth shit!!
We shall slash them into pieces!!
We shall hack them down till they become dust!!
No soldier in this castle is to remain alive!!

Side note: The warrior Toyohisa --- does not forgive the immoral men of this foreign world...


TO BE CONTINUED

Foot note: Drifters 17 end
Continues on the next issue (on sale November 30th).