Chapter 2

Claws in the Sky is the second chapter of Claymore by Norihiro, first published in the May 2001 issue of Shonen Jump.

Short Synopsis
Clare kills another Yoma posing a village chief and, outside town, is given another task by Rubel. She is sent to another village, where it is clear there are more than one Yoma. Clare arrives despite orders to wait for reinforcements and battles the Yoma by herself. There are five Yoma in the town, one a flying type. She manages to fight and kill them without sustaining major injuries. When the job is done, Rubel theorises that she saved the ungrateful village because she is reminiscent of her past and is drawn to help. She coldly rebuffs this comment.

The Next Job
Clare is in another village, meeting with the village chief like with Raki's village. He shows her the money he will pay her, but she simply says she does not want it. Before the chief can do another thing, she has severed part of his head. The witnessing villagers panic, believing it was murder until the chief's nails extend to claws, revealing him to be the Yoma she was sent to hunt. Despite having suppressed his aura, she still managed to detect him. Addressing the frightened villagers, Clare simply tells them that a man in black will collect the money later and leaves.

Outside the village, Clare bathes in a pool with a waterfall. She is interrupted by a man in dark clothes and dark glasses, saying it is pointless to wash the smell of blood off her as he body naturally gives off that smell. The man is Rubel, the 'man in black' Clare mentioned who collects the money from the village after she has slain the Yoma. He gives her a new assignment: the village of Strah has been struck by Yoma. Twenty-seven people had died in the past month. Clare registers that this is too many deaths for one Yoma and rationalizes that it either has an abnormal appetite or there is more than one Yoma. Rubel advises her to wait for reinforcement but Clare rebukes this offer, saying that she did not like waiting and wanted to get the job done as soon as possible.

The Five Yoma
When Clare arrives, the village streets are completely deserted and all the houses are sealed off. Since the Yoma has killed so many, the villagers are too scared to leave their houses. A man steps out in front of her and Clare recognizes him as the Yoma. The man verifies this, saying there is no point hiding it anymore. Three more Yoma emerge from the houses, surrounding her. The first Yoma disdainfully says that humans only exist to feed Yoma and scorns them for thinking they can fight back. He also mentions that there are five Yoma, which startles Clare until a winged Yoma descends from above. Clare just manages to dodge it and the others lunge for her.

She is soon surrounded and, when she tries to leap free of them, the flying type knocks her back down to the ground. One of the Yoma tries to strike, but she blocks it with her sword. Its fingers move around the claymore aiming at her face. She blocks this with her wrist armour and cuts the arm in half. The others move in, but she manages to evade again. Another attacks her; however, she severs its arm and kills it. Enraged, a Yoma attacks her and seemingly knocks her sword from her hand. That Yoma and the one whose arm she sliced move in, but Clare catches her sword with the other hand and kills the two of them.

The first Yoma and the flying type look on in amazement. Clare now realises there are five of them: they are all weaklings trying to gather strength in numbers. The flying Yoma attempts to flee while the other is left at Clare's mercy. He is soon killed. The flying Yoma seems to have escaped and Clare watches it for a while. Then, her face distorts, her veins and muscles bulge and she readies her sword behind her. With almighty strength, she flings the claymore at the Yoma. It strikes true, killing the last Yoma. The corpse descends to the ground and Clare stands victorious, the only damage sustained being a slight rip in her cape.

Meeting with Rubel
Clare retrieves her sword and addresses the village that they should give the fee to the man who came after. As she leaves the village, she meets Rubel, who praises her on her victory. He also adds that no one would thank her and yet she still risks her life for humans. When he theorizes that she was compelled to help because of her past, she coldly denies this, saying she simply likes to get the work done quickly.

Characters Introduced

 * Rubel