I am, now, BTW, over halfway through (technically 2/3) with this volume now. But, this now makes me think of how much more there is to go… six volumes, no, seven. Well, minus two chapters, but I know I really need to revise those.

#21 Gyro Zeppelli’s Destiny 2

Narrator: One there was a criminal who was missing a neck vertebra. Normally, there are seven, so the positions of his vital points were different from an ordinary person’s.

Fortunately, since Gyro’s father studied medicine, he was able to  execute him painlessly, in a single blow.

However, this time no one took note of this criminal.

This man was able to reverse the joints of his limbs, and because of this special physique,

He slipped clean out of his restraints and took a prison guard hostage.

Prisoner:  Look, bastards!!!!

P:  Stay back!!!!

P:  If I’m gonna be executed anyway, I’m gonna take down some of ya with me!
Get the key!
The key to this prison!!!

P:  If you go over that line, I’m gonna kill him!
I’ll kill him in a second! Aaaagyaahahahaah!

You! Are you nuts!!!???

P:  The clothes?!

?:  Well done, Gyro! As expected of the son of Zeppelli!

Guard:  Gyaah! All twisted up!

N:  Gyro Zeppelli, the eldest son of the Zeppelli house, had grown into a man.

His father opposed his objection to the death penalty verdict in the Marco case.

He expressed an attitude of truly deep anger and disappointment.

His father had reached old age, and had decided to then retire from his responsibility-filled duty.

Now as in the past, his father did not raise his voice, nor did he do anything like call him names.

However, Gyro truly shuddered at his decisive tone, with its quiet anger.

F:  Don’t say useless things, Gyro.
What you have done will only cause disorder in this country.
The duty of our family is not to decide guilt or innocence!

G:  Father
I just want to be able to carry out my duties with conviction.

F:  There is no such thing as “conviction,” Gyro!

F:  Maybe in the case of some atrocious criminal. [This is a guess?]

F:  The duty of our family is to precisely execute the orders of the king.

That and only that!
The law is the law!

Do not concern yourself with the deliberation of the law!
It transcends things like “conviction.”
This is all the will of God!

G:  The boy will be executed.
At my next birthday, I will be twenty-five. I shall succeed you… Will the execution by my duty?

F:  This conversation is over, Gyro!
I won’t say this a second time!

Narrator:  Of all the crimes, rebellion against the king is the most serious of felonies!

Narrator:  Even though he only overheard the barely prevented plot to assassinate the king while shining shoes,

Knowing and keeping silent is a crime; woman or child

Such was, at that time, the law of the kingdom!

Messenger (?):  How old are you now, Gyro?

G:  Keh! You always ask that, even though you know the answer.

Why did you call me to this place?

M:  Don’t you feel bad about that boy, Gyro?

G:  The boy…

G:  I am proud of my family, the successor of my father! [this doesn't sound too good]
This work is my destiny!
This doesn’t change anything. Long ago or in the future.
But I just want to have conviction!

Father told me not to say anything.
I am ordered by the king, and I want this duty to be the pride of my heart!
Innocent or guilty! Conviction is necessary! For conviction is pride!

M:  Would you risk your life for pride?

G:  You! Isn’t there some method? [not sure here]
Wrong, it’s the law!
Because of that, an uninvolved boy was found guilty and sentenced to death; I can’t believe in that!

G:  I want to feel total conviction!

M:  You would risk your life for the boy? Right now.. . did you say that? I want to confirm.

G:  What?

M:  I want to confirm again.
You would risk your life to get the boy declared innocent?

G:  What are you saying? You bastard!

M:  Would you?

G:  Yeah, I want to help him.

He was only shining shoes. Is it stupid for a man of the Zeppelli house to think this?

M:  There is one way to overturn the judgment of the court.
For example, in the case of a war beginning and the country winning,
The king must issue a pardon as a celebration recognized by all of the people! [doubtful]
A pardon is an exception which lightens the punishment of criminals!

G:  The King’s pardon?

M:  Yes, he will undoubtedly issue it.

G:  No, what’re you saying?
Are you saying a war started somewhere?

M:  You have the Steel Ball technique!  Gyro Zeppelli

If it’s you, it’s possible! That’s why I’m saying this!

Victory in this race will be seen by the world’s nations as a victory for the prestige of the country.  If the winner comes from our country…

The hearts of the people shall gather as one for the sake of our land!

Narrator:  But, up to the start of the second stage, neither Gyro nor anyone else has noticed…
The more Gyro Zeppelli advances in the race, the more the those rebelling against the king will involve themselves…
For if this race is equivalent to a war…

Clerk:  Welcome, you have arrived very quickly.
This town was constructed specially as a relay station for the Steel Ball Run race.

C:  We had thought that the second stage front runners would arrive tomorrow, but…

C2:  The news of over a day ago is that Sandman and “Dio” Diego Brando, who took an alternate route. [I am unsure about this.] May we confirm your racing number and horse…

Oye Como Va:  I am… not first?

C:  You are in fourth place now.
Mr. Oye Como Va
The first to arrive was Mr. Mountain Tim.
But Mr. Gyro Zeppelli claims that “I was a neck ahead!!” and Mr. Johnny Joestar also argues that “I was first.”

C:  However, as this is a relay point, this has no bearing on points or records, so please relax.

C2:  Yes.

O: Is there a phone here?

C:  There’s telegram service. And the post.
And the lodging facility isn’t a tent, but a hotel with showers.
There’s a restaurant, a bar, and a barbershop and a blacksmith…

MT:  Do I know you?
Hey, not at all.
But why have you gone into someone’s room and gone through their things?

O:  I’m looking for Gyro Zeppelli. Where is he?

MT:  Aha, an idiot who can’t converse has entered the stage…

Do you know you don’t get any points on a test if you answer a question with a question?

O:  Gyro… He received a letter at this station.

Because there was this dropped wax seal at the office.

Mm, got it. Looks like this is the letter.

MT:  Hey! Stop screwing around, ya…

O: Yes.. Gyro Zeppelli
Received a message from the king’s servant.

Message: 50 km north in the Red Canyon
The Zombie horse has been prepared.
Take it.

The Zombie horse has the power to heal the wounds and fatigue of the race. It’ll be useful.

O: What? Zombie Horse…..

O: Oho.
Some advice. Don’t let go of my skin yet.

Now I shall get some distance from here. [unsure]

It’s dangerous to release your fingers.

O: After you touched my body…
That did it. I told you not to let go.

O: I won’t forgive those who run around for the sake of the king.
I shall kill you, Officer Gyro Zeppelli.