--MANGA TRANSLATIONS--
--TRIGUN MAXIMUM CHAPTER 37--

Printed in Young King Ours, February 2001
Translation by sumire

Page 135

Zazie: I don't know if they represent evolution or just mutation, but they're Plants.
Their existence goes on and on along with the passing years...
An entirely new type of sentinent life--

Page 136

Meryl wakes up with a start in her chair.

Meryl: This won't do--I'll end up catching cold like this...

The town saloon.

Murdoch: What!? I dare you to say that to my face just once more.

Page 137

Brandon Marlon: I'm not making any guns for you. Give it up.

Murdoch: Don't get too big for your britches, Gunsmith.
All your garbage about 'worthiness'--you'll rue the day you crossed me!

On his way out, Murdoch bumps into Vash.

Murdoch: Watch where you're going!

As Murdoch walks away, voices carry from inside the saloon.

Brandon: Well, look what the cat dragged in! Long time no see, eh, Lightning!

Page 138

A restaurant in town.

Wolfwood: Hey... why the long face?

Meryl is silent.

Wolfwood: You can have some if you want, but the curry here's really nothing to write home about.

Meryl: I'm not hungry. I don't even have much of an appetite, anyway.

Wolfwood: Tongari, huh? I don't blame you... what with those huge wings and all...

Page 139

Wolfwood: I notice you're not asking "What is he!?"

Meryl: Huh?

Wolfwood: Well, even if you asked, I wouldn't be able to answer, but a normal person would ask, right? Where those wings came from.

Meryl: ..... What!? You know!?

Wolfwood: No--I just said I didn't know.

Meryl: Honestly, why am I even talking to this guy?

Wolfwood: But even if I don't have the answers, I do know this.
His right arm contains an incredibly powerful weapon.

Zazie (in Meryl's memory): Those past two calamities spooked even us.

Wolfwood: You know what kind of guy he is.
But he's also the trigger to a power that could end the world.
Your life is at risk just by being involved.
You understand what I'm saying, don't you?

Page 140

Wolfwood: Go back to your office and have them take you off this job.
You got that?
This is no place for your cute little partner.

Page 141

Vash's target practice

Brandon: I see--it's in pretty bad shape.
It's not fit for you to use.

Vash: Can you take care of it, Brandon?

Brandon: Idiot.
You've got some nerve just turning up all of a sudden, you bum.
Don't worry, I'll have it done by tomorrow.

Page 142

Brandon: My father was a lifelong teetotaler, but I'm not.
What kind of life is that--abandoning the "dew of life?"

Vash: Thanks, Marlon.

Brandon: Right, right. I'll stake my name as a legendary gunsmith on it.
I'll give you a replacement later.
Use this while I make the adjustments.

A man has been watching them.

Page 143

Murdoch: I won't stand for this!
Who is it whose force has protected the town all this time?
I can't believe it! He's passing over me, the Sheriff, and giving a gun to a total stranger!
Deputy: Murdoch, would you give it a rest? There's a lady present.
(to Meryl): The post office is that way--turn right and go straight.

Murdoch: Feh.

Murdoch: We put our lives on the line. We have to go up against low-down, dirty outlaws day in and day out.
We need good guns. For the sake of peace, you know?
...To think that he's doing it for that broom-headed fool...

Meryl double-takes.

Deputy: Hm?

Meryl: Uh, nothing--Thank you for your help.

Page 144

Meryl (thinks): Force... Firepower... Sometimes I still remember...

Meryl's father?: Consider guns. It's delicate women most of all who should use them.
Just one shot will make eliminate the difference between you and a big, strong man.
Meryl (thinks): The power I gained, death at my fingertips...
It was too much--nothing but terror.
The first time I ever shot a person, I was unable to speak--I sank down and turned myself inside out without even caring who was watching me.

Page 145

A bluff outside town.

Yangwie: Whaddya think, Yngwie?

Yngwie: Ain't that nice, Yangwie--just what we're looking for.
A little bit rich, a little bit run-down.

Yngwie: Let's get some water. And some food.

Yangwie: But first, we'll need some money.

Yngwie: Well, then, let's go raise some money. Money makes the world go round.

Yangwie: It's a hard world we live in, but that's the way it is.

Page 146

Vash's target practice

Page 147

Brandon: Look at him go--he really puts himself into it.

Murdoch approaches as Vash bandages his bleeding trigger finger.

Page 148

Murdoch: What the hell is this?
You fired that many rounds and that's all you can hit it?

Vash: We met at the saloon, didn't we, Sheriff?

Murdoch: The name's Murdoch. And don't you forget it.
Let's get things straight--I don't like the looks of you.

He punches Vash in the gut.

Vash: So it seems.

Page 149

Murdoch: He's a direct descendant of the legendary gunsmith Frank Marlon.
Brandon may be a drunk, but he's good at his work.
But I've finally figured him out--he's completely crazy.
He's got so many holes up here, you don't even know how many or where they are.

Murdoch puts a few shots through the target.

Page 150

Brandon: Stupid kid. You get your hands on a gun and you get trigger-happy. You're the one who doesn't know what's going on.

Murdoch: What!?

Brandon: I'm saying you're still wet behind the ears, kid.
"Oh, look at me, I fired a bullet! Whoopee!"
You can die and be reborn a thousand times and I still won't have a gun for a retard like you!

Murdoch: That's it! Let's settle this! Draw, damn you!

He is interrupted by a distant explosion.

Page 151

Murdoch: That explosion! That came from the bank!

Page 152

Yngwie and Yangwie walk down the street, scattering sticks of dynamite.

Page 153

Murdoch: This is madness!
Judging from the direction they're coming from, they hit the sheriff's office first--guess I'll have to handle this alone.

Milly: What'll we do? What'll we do?

Meryl and Milly are hiding behind a building.

Milly: Senpai, I can't move!

Meryl: Compared to last time, this is nothing, Milly!

Milly: Nothing? You call that nothing!?

Murdoch (thinks): But wait--there's just one body.
And they're slow...
There're opportunites all over the place.

Murdoch: FREEZE!

Murdoch (thinks): Anyway, when they open up to throw their explosives, I'll hit 'em.
This is really just a staredown.

Page 154

Suddenly, a half-dozen more Yin-Yang underlings emerge from the ground around him.

Page 155

Yangwie: Nya-ha-ha-ha!

Yngwie picks up Murdoch by the head.

Yangwie: How'dya like this, hero!?
If the firepower didn't get through to you, there's just one thing to do.
You guys don't have any backbone to you.
This is so boring!
I think you should make your exit with some pretty fireworks about now.
Don't you think so, Yngwie?

Yngwie: Yup, that's right, Yangwie.

Milly: Senpai! They're going to kill him! What'll we do!?

Meryl gasps.

Page 156

A missile comes flying in and bounces of Yngwie with a clang.

Yangwie: Huh? It's a dud!?

Page 157

Vash, with some funky new glasses, kicks underling butt.

Page 158

Yangwie: Wha... Who are you!? What do you want!?

Vash: I'm a man you don't want to fight!
Why don't you put him down and get out of here?
I'm sure we can settle this without anyone getting hurt.

Page 159

Meryl (thinks): Vash-san... He's still trying to settle things peacefully...

Milly: It's insane! Going up against them unarmed!

Meryl (thinks): That's right... I forgot...
Can he still fire a gun?
That "memory" I saw--it was nothing but pain and blood and loss.
Now that he's recovered his memory, can he still pull the trigger?

Meryl (screams): Vash-san!

Page 160

Yangwie tosses an armload of dynamite.

Yangwie: Heh heh heh... Here's a little present for you. You'll be regretting it as you're blown away.

Vash draws his gun.

Page 161

The sticks of dynamite bounce harmlessly off the ground.

?: He shot the fuses off!?

?: That's impossible!

?: He's a loser who can't even hit a stationary target!

Page 162

Murdoch remembers Vash's target.

Murdoch: It can't be...!

Murdoch (thinks): It was only the vital organs that he missed.
Assuming all his shots passed through the same bullet hole...--It can't be!
He can shoot thousands of rounds and never miss!?

Brandon: Lightning! Catch!

Page 163

As Meryl screams, Vash fires.

Page 164

The aftermath.

Meryl (thinks): When I realized it was all over...
There was another scene that would become part of his legend.
I felt it--
--An existence whose determination is even stronger than the regrets he carries.
...Vash the Stampede...

Vash and Wolfwood afterwards. Wolfwood is hugging his Punisher and holding it away from Vash.

Vash: Sorry! I used it! I took the starter off and shot one.

Wolfwood: You no-good... rotten...

To be continued next issue...

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