Cutlass Chapter 4 Translated by Tae-chan Chapter 4: Shuraudo Page 115 The two men who kidnapped Tsubasa take him to a small boat. One of them is saying, “Alright, bring the boat in as close as you can to the beach. We’ll ride over the shallow currents.” The other carries Tsubasa into the boat. “If he wakes up then he’ll be a nuisance, so put him in gently.” “Even if I do that, making this guy into a man is too good to waste.” “Even if you didn’t have that sort of meaning, if you say it like that it’s probably okay.” They chortle. Page 116 One says, “Don’t sit there gabbing, just get out and push the boat off.” “Sure sure.” Tsubasa suddenly wakes up. When the others turn around, he slams an oar into their faces and knocks them back. Page 117 Tsubasa keeps the oar and runs to the shore, his dark-haired captor yelling, “You brat – how dare you ! Tsubasa just does the sticking-out-tongue, pulling-down-eyelid thing. The two captors stand back to back, searching for him. “Nimble bastard. Where the fuck did he go!” Tsubasa peers at them from the bushes he’s hiding behind while they walk past saying “Let’s go look for him further in.” Page 118 Tsubasa puts a hand to his heart as they walk away, then thinks, “---- they’ve gone for now.” He breathes out in relief while he thinks, “Getting out of breath from something as little as this is really pathetic. I’m envious of Tokimaru.” (There’s a cute SD pic of a monkey-Tokimaru but I can’t quite work out what it says). Tsubasa startles as he sees a shadow from behind him, and looks behind his shoulder to see one of his kidnappers behind him. He smiles nervously. Page 119 The kidnapper cracks his knuckles with a smirk. “You’ve lived too long, so I think I’ll hurt you a little.” Tsubasa does a weird SD thing where he turns half into a fish and starts singing some song that has something to do with cooking shrimps and whatever ^^;;;; The kidnapper gets pissed and yells, “Don’t run away!” Tsubasa flinches as the guy grabs him, then struggles. “Let go! I said, let go!” The kidnapper replies in exasperation, “Just be good.” The little flying fish Frau is watching. He hides behind a bush thinking, “Wh... what should I do? Never thought I’d be in this sort of scene....” Page 120 Frau remembers Akashia’s words. “Listen, Frau. You absolutely must find Tsubasa. And it is your duty to protect him!” Frau then thinks, “--- that’s what Akashia-sama said to me.” He stands up, determined. “Alright! I will go to save him, for the honour of the flying fish!!” He races forward. “Tsubasa-sama, I am coming for you now.” But at the last minute, in fish form, he turns back saying, “But it’s too scary.” Crying, he thinks, “Aah, Tsubasa-sama, please forgive this worthless Frau.” Page 121 Suddenly a stone hits the kidnapper on the back of his head, Tsubasa gasps and moves back. Out from the bushes appears Tokimaru, pissed. He yells, “Run, Tsubasa!” Tsubasa stares at him. “Tokimaru!” The kidnapper reaches out a hand. “Aah, wait the fuck up you bastard.” Page 122 But Tokimaru makes a flying jump onto his back . “Gotcha!” with a sign “10 points” behind him. ? Tokimaru smirks down at the guy. “Your opponent is me, old man.” The guy gets up. “You bastard, you’re underestimating me.” Tokimaru makes an alarmed noise while Tsubasa says, “That’s unfair. Who’s underestimating you?” Page 123 Tokimaru’s legs suddenly start to go unsteady. He leans against a tree with a confident smirk on his face, but under his breath he’s muttering, “Oops, this isn’t good.” Tsubasa stares at him thinking, “Tokimaru...? What’s wrong... his legs are sorta trembling.” He hears a voice below him. “Tsubasa-sama” Frau leans in close to Tsubasa, whispering, “Take this opportunity and please quickly get away.” Tsubasa sweatdrops a little. “Who are you?” Tokimaru looks serious as a hand reaches for him. Page 124 He chokes as a hand reaches round his neck and lifts him off the ground. Tsubasa yells, “TOKIMARU” Frau is behind him, “You musn’t, Tsubasa-sama” Page 125 Tokimaru manages to gasp out, “Hurry up and go! I’ll be okay. Your purpose is to go and save your mother after all.” Frau grabs Tsubasa’s arm trying to make him stop. “Tsubasa-sama, let’s do what he says.” While Tsubasa yells back to Tokimaru, “I can’t just go and leave you here!” He shakes Frau away with a “Let go” and runs towards Tokimaru, calling his name. Frau just sits there “Tsubasa-samaaaaaaa.” Page 126 Unfortunately, the other kidnapper appears behind Tsubasa with a rope, and binds him. He grins as he says, “It’s such a beautiful friendship it makes me cry. But it was a bad mistake for you.” Tokimaru glances over as he hears Tsubasa yelling, “Stop! Let me go!” Page 127 And he sees Tsubasa being carried away in the small boat by two men. He calls Tsubasa’s name, and Tsubasa calls his, but it’s no use. The guy restraining Tokimaru smirks. “Now, the final blow.” He squeezes Tokimaru’s neck. Page 128 Another guy comes up. “Stop doing that. Anego likes him.” He makes a disgusted noise, but throws him to the ground. “Annoying brat. He delayed us.” They walk off. Tokimaru lies on the ground, panting. “This is really... bad. My body won’t listen to what I tell it.” He thinks of Ledania. “Feels like the mixed poison that woman gave me is starting to work.” Page 129 It starts to rain down on him as he lies there thinking, “Tsubasa --- Even though I said that I’d protect you, look what’s happened. Shit, now my promise is broken...” A parrot flies overhead... then goes to rest on the forearm of the pirate captain. He murmurs to it, “How far do you mean to fly to, Ann Bonney. Looks like the rain has become pretty bad. Don’t wander too far.” The pirate captain comes into the clearing and sees Tokimaru lying there unconscious. Page 130 He smiles. “Hmmm. This guy gets into trouble a lot. You wanted to let me know about this, Ann Bonney? You’re a good woman.” He hefts Tokimaru into his arms. Page 131 Frau peers at them from behind a bush. “That’s... Shuraudo...! He’s here...!” Then Frau gasps. “This isn’t the time to be leisurely hiding! I have to follow after Tsubasa-sama.” He turns back into fish form and dives into the river. “I’m worried about Tokimaru-san, but Akashia-sama is frightening, huge. Someone knocks at Ledania’s door. She hurries over. “Yeah yeah, I’ll open the door right now. Geez you’re impatient. She gasps when she sees the pirate captain with Tokimaru in his arms. “Shuraudo! And why on earth do you have Tokimaru with you!?” Page 132 Ledania mixes up a potion and feeds it into Tokimaru’s unconscious mouth. She smiles and winks impishly. “A few hours and it would have been too late. Geez, that boy is reckless. Even though I told him he’d die, he just flew out of here.” A fire crackles in the fireplace as Shuraudo says, “I picked him up by chance, but when I saw that he was being attacked by Petora poison --- I knew that the culprit was you, Leda.” Ledania smiles. “What’s with “culprit” You’ll give me a bad reputation. Page 133 Ledania smooths down her hair. “I wanted to obtain the man I liked, I just didn’t choose the means. Mostly.” She leans in close to Shuraudo. “But you, no matter what you did, you didn’t fall in love, right Shuraudo.” Shuraudo just smiles. “Unfortunately, my only femme fatale is Ann Bonney.” Ledania rests her hand on his shoulder, smirking. “Ann Bonney? Ha, very clear. What is it that you’re pursuing after? Or don’t you know yourself?” Shuraudo replies, “”The Holy Key” I have been sucked in by “the Holy Key”. I want to know this world’s secret, whatever it is.” Page 134 Ledania smiles down at him. “Your aspirations are in good health. I’m praying your not putting the cart before the horse.” Shuraudo “As a medicine expert I know your talents, so won’t you decide to lend me your help again Leda?” Leda looks surprised. “You’re saying to go over the sea once more again with you? What happened to Babette?” Shuraudo takes a sip of his drink. “Last year Babette was attacked and died.” Ledania’s hand covers her mouth. “I see. Babette was a talented man...” She continues, “I’ve stopped doing that sort of work anymore....” She looks over her shoulder as she hears Tokimaru sit up and groan. Page 135 He stares up at her groggily. “Le...dania!?” He tries to get up, but falls out of bed. Ledania hurries forward saying, “Aa, the poison hasn’t gotten out of your system yet, so you musn’t move so suddenly.” Tokimaru grabs his cutlass and holds it up against her. Page 136 He says weakly but with determination, “Where did you sell Tsubasa to? If you don’t answer I’ll kill you.” Ledania smiles very nervously. “You’re frightening me. Please do something, Shuraudo. Don’t you know him?” Shuraudo sighs. “You sold his friend, Leda? You’re impossible.” She replies weakly, “But I didn’t know that you knew hi~m....” Shuraudo pours his drink onto Tokimaru’s face. Tokimaru wipes his face, growling, “Shit, what the hell are you doing.” Page 137 Shuraudo leans in to Tokimaru with a smile. “Don’t be so fiery. Let’s celebrate our reunion and have a drink. What do you say, boy?” Tokimaru stares. “You’re that guy from before...!” He smiles. “My name is Shuraudo. Looks like you took that cutlass with you after all. Good attitude. Suddenly he looks behind him. Page 138 Shuraudo looks over towards the window. “Is something happening? I don’t know...” Tokimaru looks at him in puzzlement. Shuraudo looks out the window. “We’re surrounded.” Ledania grabs a sword and sits under the window. “Yes, looks like it.” Shuraudo “Do you remember someone gunning for you?” Ledania winks ruefully. “I dunno. There’s too many for me to know.” Shuraudo laughs. “Ha, no mistake.” He then startles at the smoke coming in. Page 139 He covers his nose and mouth. “This is dangerous. An intrigue that is beginning to seep in! The masked men stand outside. One says, “Strange isn’t it. It should be about time they came out from there...” Another says, “Go and investigate inside.” They open the doorway. “I can’t see anything in this smoke.” The look around. “? There isn’t even a sign of them.” The other asks, “Where did they go?” Page 140 Shuraudo is above them, gripping onto the ceiling with a sword in his mouth. The masked men look up with a gasp, and Ledania jumps in front of the door, slamming it shut. Shuraudo jumps down and confronts their attackers. Page 141 Shuraudo brandishes his sword with a grin. “You’re pretty suspicious looking characters. What the hell is your business here?” The men remain silent at Shuraudo makes a mock-impressed sound. “Unregretting your lives is bravery.” Tokimaru coughs through the smoke, thinking, “Somehow feels like being trampled on. What the hell are... these guys!?” The rest of the masked men are waiting outside, and see the ones that went in standing at the door. The ones outside ask, “So what’s happening inside!?” The one at the door replies, “It seems as though there’s no one here. It seems like they escaped through the window.” The ones outside say, “Window!? But that was guarded...” Page 142 The one outside notices the sword prodding his accomplice in the back and startles. “So that’s it?” The two masked men are pushed outside and Shuraudo steps out. “Heh, so we were discovered, huh? Can’t be helped.” Page 143 Shuraudo begins to fight, yelling, “Leda, Boy, go for it!” Tokimaru eeks. “What’s with that development” He gasps as he sees one of the masked men aim a gun at Shuraudo’s back. Page 144 He picks up a rock, yelling, “Shuraudo, get down!” While Shuraudo ducks with a “Oops”, he throws the rock, which hits the masked man’s hand, causing him to drop the gun with a yell. Shuraudo points his sword at the guy’s throat while saying, “That was great control. You saved me, boy.” Tokimaru stares at Shuraudo in concern, until Shuraudo kicks the guy unconscious with a big sigh of exasperation and says, “Okay, okay. I won’t kill him. (You baby!).” Tokimaru heaves a sigh of relief. Page 145 Ledania screams as she’s slashed at by one of the masked men. Shuraudo and Tokimaru yell her name, and her breastplate goes crashing to the ground. Tokimaru boggles as Ledania is now bare-chested and flat-chested before them – a guy. Ledania complains, “How mean to do that to my beloved clothes!” As the guy is skewered by Ledania, he gurgles out, “O... kama... (gay/cross-dresser).” Page 146 Tokimaru completely facefaults as he remembers being kissed by Ledania. “I... was kissed by a man!? (And it was my first kiss too).” He just sits there while Ledania calls after him, “What are you doing, let’s go.” She grabs him by the hand and drags him behind her as they run Super-Deformed from the house, the masked men thinking, “Gay” with Ledania replying loudly, “And what’s wrong with being gay?” and Shuraudo muffling his laughter. Deeper in the forest, they watch Ledania’s house burn. “But... what was it all about. What the hell was their objective...” page 147 Ledania continues, “I’ve lost... my house. I really liked it, too.” Shuraudo meanwhile is looking further into the forest. “However it looks like it’s not just your house.” Ledania looks over her shoulder. “Huh?” A couple of dead bodies lie in the clearing. Ledania gasps as Shuraudo asks, “These guys were your mates, weren’t they?” Tokimaru stares in shock. “Those faces... These guys are the bastards who kidnapped Tsubasa...!” Page 148 Shuraudo says, “Going by their way of doing things, there isn’t any doubt that they were killed by those masked men.” Ledania clenches his fist, upset. “Why... I don’t understand it.” He looks over his shoulder at Tokimaru, who’s looking elsewhere, thinking, “---- Tsubasa... what happened to Tsubasa...!” “ It can’t be that Tsubasa also with them....!” Ledania takes one of the dead guy’s hand. “There wasn’t any time for that after they died. Don’t worry. The guys returning here means that their business was completed. Tsubasa must have already been taken away by boat.” Page 149 Tokimaru looks at her. “----! Where...!” Ledania answers, “Kipros. Perhaps Tsubasa was riding that boat!” Tokimaru says, “Kipros...?” Shuraudo explains, “South ocean former district. The greatest commerce city. The king of Kipros Falken’s reigning country. A nation where all the wealth is gathered, and the king has absolute rule.” Page 150 Shuraudo taps a gun against his forehead. “People call it a pleasure garden, but that’s just ignorance.” Ledania mumbles, (“Bringing that is conspicuous). Shuraudo continues, “Look at the guns those masked men were carrying! They had the crest of the royal house. Those masked men were hired by Falken. I heard that Falken was also still searching for “The Holy Key.” We need to investigate whether his movements are in connection with that matter.” Tokimaru asks, “How are we going to get to that Kipros!? Is it far from here?” Shuraudo smiles calmly. “Yes. But it’s not too bad if we go by boat.” “By boat...!” Ledania smiles a bit. “Such phrasing. You really like this kid, don’t you. Usually he does things by himself, but when he’s doing the serious and pious act, it’s discretion. Tokimaru sweatles. “Pious act?” Page 151 Shuraudo faces Tokimaru. “Why don’t you come on my ship, boy? It needs tenacity, but you look like you could do it. We’re navigating a path to Kipros too! You want to help your friend, don’t you?” Tokimaru replies with determination, “ ----- please...! I’ll do anything! Please take me with you.” Tokimaru startles as Shuraudo raises the edge of his sword. Page 152 He holds it to Tokimaru’s neck. “Don’t speak so flippantly. You need to learn technique that makes you a higher selling point.” Tokimaru flinches as Shuraudo cuts off the neck collar that he was wearing. It falls to the ground. Tokimaru leans in closer. “--- then it’s okay if I speak. My name is ---- Tokimaru. I have a great name, Tokimaru Sendou. I’m not ‘boy’.” Page 153 Shuraudo looks a little astonished for a second, then he starts to chuckle. He slaps Tokimaru jovially on the back and laughs. “Oh yeah, sorry boy. You really are an interesting guy!” Tokimaru goes red and exasperated. “So then ~~~~~” Ledania looks determined. “I will go too. If I don’t, those bastards won’t pay for what they’ve done. I’ll go and take revenge against them.” Tokimaru “That means all the paths are pointing to one direction. This too is probably some sort of connection. Kipros...!” Page 154 They get to the harbor, and Tokimaru is impressed, (“Amazing---“). Ledania smiles. “Aah, it’s come into sight. Ah, it’s so nostalgic, how long has it been I wonder.” Kipros...! Page 155 Akashia is still held captive. “Wh... where was this place I wonder. I ---- aah, that’s right... my name is Akashia. I... was captured... My consciousness becoming blurred at times is surely the fault of this machine...” page 156 “If I can’t preserve my consciousness, it’s all over. I have to be ready---- before the secret is spoken----“ [1]