"Namsac"
"Episode 5"
Amazing.
Hey, pay attention.
Watch where you're goin'.
Oh, I'm sorry.
C'mere.
U-Um, um...!
Somebody!
I-I'm sorry for bumping into you. But that was beyond my control.
L-Let's be calm about--
Shut up! If you cause trouble for someone, the thing to do is pay up.
M-Money? Well... I don't have much on me.
Then I'll take that camera. And the watch.
N-Not the camera! I need it for my job!
As if I care!
C-Come on! Please!
Leave him alone, Dao.
What're you doing to the tourist?
Nami, huh?
This city's reputation will get worse and worse.
So what if it does?! Get lost!
You just don't listen to reason.
Hey, seriously?
I won't kill you. I'll let you off with some holes in your limbs.
You're gonna stick up for this stranger and shoot me?!
That's not all. I'll tell the Mama-san at Molina about this.
You don't want to get banned from that joint, do you?
There, that's more like it.
You better be ready later!
You mean the match? Bring it on!
That worked out somehow.
Th-Thank you.
But that...
Oh, this gun?
It's broken.
What's the big idea?!
Did I scare you?
Of course you did! I mean, I'm grateful you helped me...
And for that, you owe me $5,000.
--Pay up. --Huh?!
That's cheap, right?
That guy Dao back there is famous for his brutality!
If you had tried anything, you could have wound up dead.
Is that so?
Be grateful for my kindness!
Then while you're being kind, I'd like you to leave me alone.
I can't do that. I felt like I was in danger, too! And so--
And so, $5,000?
In this city, you could live in luxury for a year with that amount.
Of course I don't have that much money.
Then let me have this camera.
Get real! I need this for my job.
For your job? So what is your job, anyway?
I'm a struggling photographer.
A photographer!
Wh-What gives?
Then you must be here to cover that, too.
The winner! Bloody Queen!
Dear me, that's violent.
But it packs a real punch, huh?
I guess.
We take ASes that were decommissioned after conflicts ended,
and people bet on them in pro wrestling matches.
It's become big business in this city.
Those robots... ASes, you said?
I'm surprised the police allow it. Aren't those military weapons?
It all comes down to money in this town.
Makes sense. Looks like business is booming, too.
See? If you get the scoop on this, you're guaranteed a Peanut Prize!
So come on, $5,000.
I told you, no way. Also, it's called a Pulitzer Prize.
It's the only place like this in the world!
There are so many different ASes here.
Savages, Bushnells, and Mistrals, and also Cyclones!
Y-You really know this stuff.
Well, yeah! I'm the owner of one of the competing teams.
I have a first-rate AS and a team.
Good for you.
What's with that reaction? I bet you don't believe me!
You bet right. There's no way a girl who tries to get money
out of a guy like me on a street corner has a robot like that.
I do so have one! I need money for parts!
Also, two hours.
Huh?
Come with me!
Well? High-quality, huh!
This... is high-quality?
Shit!
Riley! What're you doing?!
I can't help it! I'm a heavy machinery mechanic!
Oil pressure is oil pressure, right? Figure something out.
Wonderful...
It's awful.
Sure, it's broken here and there,
but it'll be fine once we buy some parts.
That just leaves money!
Hey, Nami!
What, Asch?
Sure enough, we need two #50 muscle packages
and an intervertebral disk damper. How's the money situation?
It's all right.
Um... Come to think of it, what's your name?
Lemon.
Mr. Lemon here is going to cover it.
Hey!
Cool. Well the sooner the better.
Don't say that! It's not as if I agreed...
Just make it a loan! Please!
If we win tonight's match, I can pay you back $5,000 in no time!
With this heap? Impossible.
S-Sure, the mech's not perfect, but the operator's top-notch!
--Oh? --His name is Rick.
They call him the Jungle Warbird.
He's a former US Marine Corps ace--
a big-time veteran who's crushed more than ten opponents!
--I have my doubts. --You'll see once you meet him.
Wait, where is Rick?
Got me. Not too long ago, he was getting himself dead drunk.
Nami, there's trouble!
Kaew, what's wrong?
It's Rick...
Rick was a horrible guy in lots of ways,
but he didn't deserve to be murdered.
Where are you going?
We've got a match.
But wasn't he your operator?
That's right. I'll do it instead.
Do you have any experience?
I can move it around, at least.
Hey, Nami!
I heard Rick got stabbed to death.
Rough town, this! Scary, scary.
Dao!
I told you, you better be ready.
I never could stand that American.
Always braggin' his head off.
You low-life creep!
Well, wasn't it his everyday behavior that's to blame?
Hey. Don't tell me you're going up against...
That's right. Dao's team. They have a pretty good mech, too.
Let it go. That guy's not right! I bet you'll get killed, too!
I can't do that!
We've got to win and make some money. We have to win!
Otherwise...
Hey!
Sorry to bother you, Mr. Lemon. I don't need the $5,000 anymore.
Hold on now. You must be getting desperate.
--Maybe. --This is crazy.
I'm fully aware of that.
Well?
Lovely...
We're boxed in...
Is Rick here?
What?
Rick.
He's an old acquaintance.
He died. Just now.
He got stabbed from behind.
I see. I would always get on his case about watching his back.
That's too bad.
Um, who are you?
A war buddy of his. We fought together about three years ago.
I came because I heard he'd become a competitor here.
Too bad for you. Like I said, he's dead. Now take a hike.
I hope to be a competitor, too.
Huh?
I want to be a competitor in this arena.
I feel bad for Rick, but the timing works out well.
Would you be willing to hire me?
You? You can operate an AS?
A little.
"A little."
Idiots like you are a dime a dozen.
This here is specialized military equipment.
It's not something some ordinary guy can handle.
You got that? If so, then get lost.
Are you listening?!
Hey, don't touch that!
I'm telling you to stop!
You're going to enter this mech in a match?
Yeah, so what?
It's just that it won't be easy.
Rick would have had trouble, with his skills.
Okay, Mister Expert, what do you know about this mech?
This mech?
This is an early RK-91.
It doesn't use a gas turbine,
so it's inferior both in terms of weight and output to the 92,
which subsequently became the standard.
But that only applies to the extreme limits of combat mobility.
The torque control has some quirks,
but an operator's skill can compensate for those.
In this mech's case, the problem is the cooling system.
From what I can see, you're using the genuine model.
Don't bother.
It's often said easy-to-obtain exported cooler units
aren't very compatible, but there's no problem using one
for just ten minutes, and it's far less expensive.
It'd be better to instead spend that money on new muscle packages.
Don't talk like a know-it-all. This mech is precious to us!
Of course. You've worked hard to maintain it.
It's the first model I ever used.
I'm surprised to find one that's still functional.
That's BS. You're probably some amateur who memorized all that.
I'm not an amateur. I'm a specialist.
Hey, Nami. What do we do?
We're out of time. Maybe we should just let him try it.
Why not?! There's no better option!
If you want to do it, do it!
Fair enough.
What do we do about money, though?
Without parts, this thing can't even stand up.
Oh, about that. I can arrange up to $3,000.
That's my card's credit limit.
I'm kind of interested now.
Thanks, mister!
I figured maybe a longshot bet like this could be fun.
No, the odds are good.
R-Really?
By the way, what's your name?
It's Sousuke Sagara.
I've come to this city in search of something.
We bought them!
Good! Bring 'em over!
I'm done here.
That's an unusual operator suit. Can you really win?
I intend to.
Your opponent's strong.
Not to mention brutal and cruel.
That's good work.
All right, I'll be back.
W-Will he be okay?
Who knows? But maybe he'll be unexpectedly good.
Based on what?
His build. You see it a lot with AS pilots.
And the skin on his elbows and wrists seemed thick.
His knowledge was, well, pro-level.
He might really be an ace.
I figured out the quirk.
Oh, sure. Do your best.
Next bout, category: Bare Hands.
Ogre! Operator, Quang Van Dao!
Versus!
Crossbow! Operator, Sohsky Seagull!
Crossbow? That heap?
That's right. Cool, isn't it?
It's a good name. But it's certainly no Arbalest.
Arba... lest?
That's a siege engine crossbow.
Huh...
Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!
You've got guts, pal! I don't know who you are in there,
but it's too late to beg for your life!
Fight!
Drop dead!
The winner, Crossbow!
Wh-What happened?
Dao passed out.
When an AS rotates that much,
not even its shock absorption system can protect the operator.
You could say it's like being in a nasty car accident.
Ah-ha...
But a regular operator could never do that. In other words, he's...
He's good. Outrageously good.
Anyway, this means we won?
Yeah.
That's right! It's unbelievable!
We won!
That was something else, I tell you!
I knew he'd do it.
You were saying he had no chance.
If nothing else, thanks. You bailed us out.
No problem. But more importantly...
Wh-What?
Can I keep working for you?
If I can secure money for a hotel and three meals a day,
I'm willing to strike a deal.
Of course. By all means.
Man, that was thrilling!
What a relief it was!
Hey, chief! You get any good photos?
I was so engrossed in the match, I forgot.
Hey, I'll have another beer!
Enjoying yourself?
Affirmative.
Me, too!
--Two more beers! --Everyone's cutting loose.
Looks like they've forgotten all about Rick.
That's better than being depressed.
I guess.
On that note, where did you learn to operate an AS?
With a Savage I stole from the enemy in the Helmajistan civil war.
That was six or seven years ago.
You mean you were a guerrilla?
And you're about the same age as me.
Weren't you a child back then?
Sorry. That was too nosy.
No. Can I ask you something, too?
What?
Where did you get that Savage? It's an old mech,
but it's not something a private citizen can buy.
I found it. On the outskirts of my old village.
You know how this country was at war until three years ago?
Yeah.
My village burned down, and my family got split up.
Everybody died.
The Savage belonged to the ones who attacked the village.
It ran out of fuel and they abandoned it.
I had it hidden in the mountains, thinking I'd sell it off someday.
But there's something I want to do. I don't have money, though.
I tried dancing downstairs at a few places around here, but no dice.
And so, we have the arena.
You can earn that much there?
We're talking huge sums. If you advance to Class A and keep winning,
you can live as luxuriously as you want.
Well, not that I have any interest in a luxury condo.
Then what will you do with your earnings?
I want to rebuild the village.
With the money I make here, I'll restore the ruined fields
and fix the roads and bridges. I'll also restart the school.
School?
Right. A small school building where I used to attend.
The teacher wound up dead, but it was a good school.
School, huh...
You two!
What're you making those sour faces for?! Get over here and drink!
Wow, you've totally blended in now.
Well, yeah! I'm, you know, the sponsor! The most important guy!
That's patronizing!
Anyway, let's live it up!
Good work today. You guys get home safe.
Yep!
Is your hotel that way?
--Yeah. --Here's where we part, then.
Ten AM tomorrow, in front of the hangar. Okay?
Understood.
Okay, good night.
It's dangerous to walk down the street alone at night!
Dao!
You really took care of me today. I'm here to thank you!
Right?!
Th-The loser gets his revenge, huh? You're rotten to the core.
Now hear this! Every time you use a crude word,
I'll hit you! Be careful.
You piece of shit!
You don't understand the rules! Well, I'm gonna pound them into you.
Stop it...!
Speaking of which, that little brat you hired?
I took care of him, too.
You mean Sousuke? You monster!
I told you, crude words aren't allowed.
Didn't I?!
He's Sousuke, huh?
Right now, he's probably dead-- kissin' the ground in some neighborhood back alley.
Such a pity!
You're talking about me?
Dao, was it? Your henchman is asleep, kissing the ground.
Let her go. I'd rather avoid trouble.
Ah, hell.
Die!
Don't move! Respiratory tract, nerves, carotid artery.
I missed them all with the stab!
But if my hand moves just a little...
Never lay a finger on her again. Swear it!
I... I-I swear!
And you guys?
Y-Yeah, we swear.
You win!
Let Dao go.
Go.
I'm sorry.
Wh-Why apologize?
It might have been best if I'd killed him after all.
He's probably not the sort to back off, even after that.
I-I'm not so sure. He really was scared, wasn't he?
I hope so. But more importantly...
What?
What do we do now?
They probably know where we're both staying. It's dangerous.
We'd be better off in some high-class hotel that caters to foreigners.
I know just the place!
My head's pounding...
I drank too much...
What's going on?
Did I... With an underage...?
Wait, huh?
I can't eat another bite...
What kind of sleep-talking is that?!
"Episode 6 Rotten Repose"
Next time: "Rotten Repose."