Claymore 81

Humans kicking Youma butt? Hell yeah!

00 (summary page)
(RIGHT SIDE)
upper right: "Fate brings them together"
paragraph left: Seven years ago, Clare came to Raki's village to slay a Youma. While all of the townspeople feared her, only Raki came to adore her.

Next set, big text: "Resolute determination"
paragraph right: Driven out of town, Raki joins Clare and prepares meals on her journey. A time comes when he bravely risks his life to stop her from Awakening.
(panel) right bubble: ...because... / (left) if you die, Clare, then I'll go with you!!

next panel below that has a vertical sentence left:
While being pursued by Ophelia, Raki tells Clare he'd rather live his last moments with her, and she tenderly kisses him...

next panel: (large bold top) - "A promise to meet again"
bubble right: Don't throw your life away!
left: I'll find you no matter what. We both have to survive until then!
sentence underneath - Once calmed down, Raki swears to Clare he'll survive against the odds. Exchanging this vow, they go their separate ways...

final panel: (large bold) - "A miraculous encounter"
right paragraph: After splitting up with Clare, Raki is kidnapped and thrown into confinement up North. But a resulting battle allows him to escape, and he ends up traveling together with Clare's mortal enemy, Priscilla.

arrow: The chapter begins on the next page!!

Largest vertical text in the middle and left side (separated by /):
Seven years have taken one young boy / And turned him into a valiant warrior...!

upper left, below title:
(in the top right corner: The Story so far...)
Experiments to create a controllable Awakened soldier...Miria relates the startling truth about the organization to Clare and the others. The party seeks cooperation from the Holy City Labona, because their main goal is to crush the Organization completely. While conversing with Gark and Cid, Clare learns of Raki's travels. They tell her that he has been searching for her, and also that he's traveling with a small girl...
Around the same time, Raki returns to his hometown. Equipped with a broadsword and possessing the power to slay Youma on his own, this young man has truly become a gallant warrior...

01
left bold vert: A lone soldier senses Youki in the distance, but it quickly vanishes. She is now unsure of where it came from...

-...it's gone?
-I'm positive that was Youki just now, but...

-I can't sense any others
-Nor does this seem like an area where they'd have access to the medicine that conceals their presence...

-But something's not right...
-Guess I'll have a look

02-03
-SCENE 81- A Promise of Long Ago

bold left: With the passing of time, one young man / returns to the town that was once his home. / The very same place where everything began...

04
-My old home...
-Is a pile of rubble

-Well, who would want to go near
-the place where Youma were slaughtered...

-Raki...
-Is that you, Raki?

05
-I don't believe my eyes
-You've been alive all this time
-haven't you?

-Impossible!
-How could anyone survive in the wilderness alone?!
-And you can even slay Youma...!?

-That's right!! He has to be one of them!!
-That's why he came back!!

-W-what's your problem?!
-Do you plan on making us suffer again!?

-Wha--!?

06
-VWAAAH!!

-huh!?

-Did that bring you to your senses?
-Look, I know how nerve-wrecking it is to be attacked by Youma time and time again
-but calm down for a bit, would ya?

07
-Think about it--if I were a Youma, why'd I bother to kill another one?
-And would there really be any reason for me to show myself in front of you all?

-Don't you think that the minute my identity was discovered,
-I'd have just started to attack everyone indiscriminately?

-Uh...

-Well, you all threw me out of town so it's not like I was expecting a warm welcome
-But treating me like a Youma? Now that's mean

-Seven years ago I lost my family to Youma, but...
-it seems to me that all of you have lost something deep down too

08
-This Youma
-Are you the one who slayed it?

09
-The mark left on it showed no hesitation
-Almost as if it was severed in an instant by a blade of immense size and weight

-Kind of like what you've got on your back...
-That broadsword would fit the bill

-A Claymore!?
-A real one this time!
-But why?
-Did someone already call for her?

-For a human to possess the abilities and strength to slay Youma isn't out of the ordinary
-However...the problem here is that you could tell who it was...
-That's the biggest reason that we are in charge of hunting down Youma

10
-Explain it to me
-How did you know?

-Just a hunch, y'know?
-There was this guy acting strange, and I kinda provoked him a little...

-Don't fool with me!!
-You really expect me to believe such rubbish?

-Mind putting me down?
-I thought it was forbidden for you guys to lay a hand on humans?

11
-Why you little...

-Are you...
-picking on Raki?

-Get back
-Unless you want to get hurt!

12
-Wha--

-Are you...
-picking on Raki...?

sfx bubble - zoku (like a pulsation)

13
-Unbelievable....!!
-How could I
-Have failed to notice until now?!

-A-are you...
-insane?!

14
-Just what...
-Is that thing you've taken along with you!?

15
-Relax, it's fine

-She's not an enemy
-You don't have to kill her

-What's he saying??
-Kill...??
-Who's going to kill who?

16
-By the way, there's something I'd like to ask you

-Number 47
-Do you know that soldier, who also goes by the name of Clare?

-I've asked every one of you I've come across on my travels,
-But nobody's ever said a thing...

-Obviously! Everything about us soldiers is kept secret by the Organization...
-We can't go around telling commoners about us

17
-Really? That's a shame
-Guess I've got no choice but to roam city to city until I find her...

-Fine...
-I'll tell you just one piece of information
-Since I can't bear the thought of you dragging that thing around any farther

-Number 47, the lowest ranked soldier...
-I'm positive that the current soldier of that rank doesn't have the name you spoke of...

-If any of the low ranking soldiers were to have gone up in rank, I'm sure they would be widely spoken about, but not in this case
-Therefore, all I can think of is that she must not belong to the Organization any more

18
-Or to put it simply, she can't possibly be alive any more
-I don't know what connection you have to her but give it up. It's useless

-Why do you smile?!
-I'm being perfectly honest here!
-Soldiers are replaced all the time! Especially the lower ranks--hardly any of them survive!

-I know you're telling me the truth
-If there's a different number 47 right now, then that makes sense

-But I know what Clare told me back then
-"I promise not to die"
-"I'll live, and we will meet again"...

19
-That's why I believe
-That Clare isn't dead
-And that she's out there, searching for me as we speak!

-You're out of your mind
-Words just can't cut it

20
-Hey
-Would you at least tell me your name?
-Mine is Raki

-René
-And I'm Number 6

-If by some chance you happen to meet the former number 47, Clare, would you relay the message for me?
-Tell her I'm still alive
-And that we'll meet again soon

-Hmph

-Hate to break it to you
-But the chances of that are slim to none

-Now that I know, it's not that there's anything I can do about it, but...
-But let me ask you this one last question...

21
-Does that thing of yours...
-Eat...you know...?

-I started traveling with this little girl many years ago
-She hasn't eaten a single thing since then

-I think that's why she's shrunken so much
-But I'm also pretty sure she's at her limit

22
-If that time comes, I'll give it everything I've got to stop her, but I'll probably lose
-And then she'll probably be feeding on my...you know...

-Wha...

-Are you insane?!
-Why the hell would you--?
-Heh, I know I'm a stupid idiot
-But I don't know any other way to live

23
-When I was thrown away by this town, and Clare took me up for better or worse, she gavie me a reason to live
-Because she let me be with her all the time, I too wanted to become a bit like Clare

-This is ridiculous. You're wasting my time
-Make sure to enjoy the remaining time you've got to the full

-In return, I'll be sure to pass on your message
-To this "Clare" person...

-The chances are like one in a million, but
-I'll do it if I have the chance

24
-Thanks...
-I'm in your debt

-Well now...

-I think it's time for us to get going
-to the next town

25
-Right...
-Pricilla?

(this is not a text bubble, its a sfx) - grin

-We'd better
-Find her as soon as we can...

26
-Youma...??
-No, an Awakened...!

-It's observing my movements...?
-What is it after?

-It isn't an enemy I can face on my own...
-Today just isn't my day

27
-Too bad for you
-I'm one of the fastest around!

28
-fuu....

-Gave up on the way, hm?
-Wise choice

-I'm sure I can get away from any ordinary Awakened...
-But I've never heard of an Awakened that chases after soldiers...

-Either way,
-I've got to report these things to the Organization...

29
-Shit!!
-This was a trap!?

30-31
-GAH!!

-You were able to sense Dauf's Youki from long distance... (t/n - thank you to everyone who contributed, fixed. or is it Duph? substitute which ever name is right)
-And although not directly, you were able to sense my hidden Youki, too...

-You...
-pass the test!

bold - René is cornered! / What does Riful hold in store for her!?

CLAYMORE---TO BE CONTINUED IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

-END-