Sword of the Beast Page #2

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There are clearly some

very dangerous people upriver

after that gold.

So you're hiding me because you need a bodyguard.

If you put it that way -

Just leave it all to me.

Let's sneak away when things quiet down.

If you'll be running for the rest of your life,

you'll need some coin to keep you going.

Running for the rest of my life?

Any luck?

Nah.

Nothing?

But we'll find some soon, right?

There's no gold around here.

Let's go further up.

Quick, hide!

We've got some nasty company.

Those patrols come by once

every three months at most.

We'll be safe once they pass.

Maybe we should keep them in sight.

We don't want to bump into them unexpectedly.

Yeah, you're right.

Okay, let's go.

Whose hut is that?

- That's a logger's rest lodge.

- Is it in use now?

No, logging here ended last year.

- But somebody's there.

- No, that's imposs...

Stumbling already? It's still early.

Wait. Somebody's coming.

What are you doing here?

You're panning for gold, aren't you?

You can be executed for that!

- I know.

- What?

You dare resist?

Officers have been killed. That means trouble.

- Should we hightail it out of here?

- No.

They'll have to come from Kofu.

It'll take them 10 to 15 days.

How much can we pan in two weeks?

Who cares about that?

I want the gold he's got in that hut.

You mean you want to steal it?

He's only human. He'll

let his guard down sometime.

We can't leave this place empty-handed.

You're right.

All right, let's cook up a plan.

Dear, shouldn't we leave soon?

That officer won't make it back alive.

But if he does, they'll come for us.

Won't it arouse suspicion if he doesn't return?

They might send a search party...

but I'll kill them too, if need be.

So we're staying?

Yes, until ordered otherwise.

But if the shogunate

finds out, our clan is finished.

Not if we keep our mouths shut.

You and I will be executed,

and that will be the end of that.

Are you afraid?

No. I'm ready for anything.

The clan will never abandon us.

Cheer up. I'll go take care of the bodies.

Hurry!

Bring him in.

Lay him down gently.

Take off these wet clothes.

That's an officer, isn't it?

He came floating down the river.

He coughed up the water,

so he'll probably survive.

Take off his clothes and take

him in the other room.

Careful!

Boss, there are officers up there after all.

- Was that one wounded?

- No.

He couldn't have just fallen into

the river. There must be a reason.

How can we go up with officials there?

Afraid of the law now? What happened

to your fighting spirit?

Well, I'll be.

You seem to want that gold more than I do!

My future depends on it.

We're leaving early in the morning. Get ready.

I'm going to take a bath.

Now I guess he's in charge.

Set him down carefully.

Will he make it?

He's breathing again. We have to warm him up.

Shall I help?

You're a guest. We couldn't ask that of you.

They say the best thing to warm

a man is a woman's skin.

It must be providence that I happened to be here.

Leave him to me. You all can wait outside.

If you say so, ma'am.

Let's go, everyone.

Where am I?

How odd. He took a sudden turn for the worse.

He's dead.

Why the towel?

His face was dirty. I wiped it clean.

Really?

How kind of you.

You'll pretend you saw nothing, won't you?

Let me show my thanks.

You can thank me by dropping the hairpin first.

It's tough carrying a body downhill.

Bad luck for your men.

They won't be carrying it.

They'll go by raft to Litomi.

By raft? How long will that take?

Only half a day to go down.

But walking back makes the round-trip two days.

Half a day before they

find out. We'll have to hurry.

- What's that?

- Nothing.

We leave early in the morning.

Please prepare lots of rice balls.

You're really going upriver?

I'm telling you the truth.

You'll be killed if you go.

I know.

A deadly warrior will be waiting.

How did you know?

Let me ask you:

What's your connection to him?

I can't tell you that,

even if you kill me.

Then I won't ask.

But I'll tell you this much:

I will have that gold, even

if I have to kill him to get it.

Wait!

Don't go. I can't let you go to your death.

There are already people trying to kill me

as we speak.

Never in my life have I been able

to get what I wanted.

Once I tried, and I was chased out of my clan.

Now there's nowhere under heaven for me to rest.

But this time...

I will get what I want.

I will take it with these hands!

Dear...

the dayflowers are blossoming.

See how beautiful they are?

You were so fond of flowers back home.

As long as we're here, I

have no time for human concerns.

Don't forget our mission.

How could I possibly forget?

That's why I wanted some consolation.

This gold will save our clan.

Isn't that consolation enough?

I understand that.

That's why I came with you.

You've helped me collect

three times as much gold as I would have alone.

The counselor is very pleased.

When this work is finished,

you'll receive a stipend of 200 koku.

For generations, men of my family

have been impoverished squires.

At last I will become a retainer.

That alone is worth it.

How many have you killed so far?

Any who dared approach.

Nobody has returned alive.

What? It's a couple!

We're ready to face punishment if caught.

I protect my gold from wolves

like you... with this.

This wolf has very sharp teeth.

We'll meet again.

Boss, who on earth are they?

Does it matter?

He poaches government gold

and kills anyone who draws near.

That's all you need to know.

I won't steal a man's hard-earned gold.

My original plan was to pan by myself.

Let's make some tools and work together.

I don't have that kind of time.

I'm a cornered and wounded beast.

I can't afford to live by my conscience.

My opponent is a strong warrior, it's true.

But it's up to me whether I

defeat him and take his gold,

or am defeated by him

and left to die a dog's death in the hills.

All right.

If you insist, there's nothing I can say.

I'm risking my life in this battle too.

When I get my share, first I'll build a stable.

Then I'll build a house as big as a palace!

I'll line up my 100 horses and have

my men scrub them like crazy!

Jurota!

Taka!

Don't move or she's dead!

Face it! There's nothing you can do!

If you want to save her, hand over the gold.

Scum!

Don't make us laugh! You're the one poaching gold.

You can always get more gold,

but your wife has just one life.

Hurry up and bring us the gold!

Hurry up.

I won't give it to you!

I won't.

What?

I won't give you the gold.

Jurota!

- What a bastard!

- Very well.

If the gold is that important to you,

we'll just treat ourselves to your wife!

That's okay with you, right?

Hear that, Minokichi?

His gold is more important than his wife!

She's all yours. Do whatever you want!

Jurota, kill me!

Just kill me!

Wait!

What are you doing here?

This is atrocious, no

matter how much money's at stake!

To hell with you! We'll kill

her if you come closer.

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