Chapter 3

Memory of a Witch is the third chapter of Claymore by Norihiro Yagi, first published in the May 2001 issue of Shonen Jump.

Short Synopsis
Raki is found unconscious in the wilderness by a Claymore. The Claymore brings him to a nearby village, paying for his food and room. When Raki wakes up, he searches for her, thinking her to be Clare. An unfamiliar Claymore appears, saying that she was the one who did because she took a liking to him. However, in conversation, she refers to herself as a 'Claymore' and Raki immediately realizes she is not who she seems. He is correct: she is in fact a Yoma, who takes him hostage to draw out Clare. On command, Clare throws aside her sword, resulting in the Yoma piercing her stomach. However, she manages to regain her sword and slay the Yoma. Clare guesses that Raki has been thrown out of his village and allows him to come with her as her cook.

Detailed Synopsis
The chapter opens with a figure whose face is hidden by a veil wandering in the wilderness. He soon reaches the end of his limit and falls. A shadowed figure appears behind him.

Saved By A Silver-Eyed Witch
Raki awakes in an inn room, with no idea of how he got there. Soon after he wakes, the innkeeper comes in with food, saying that he was nearly dead when he arrived. He tells Raki that he is at the Egon Village Inn and he had been sleeping for a day. When Raki tells him he does not have any money to pay for the room and food, the innkeeper simply replies that a 'silver-eyed witch' paid for them. She also was the one who carried Raki there, shocking the villagers. Raki quickly asks for her name but the innkeeper does not know it. In a rush, Raki makes to leave. Only hunger delays him. He wolfs down the food given to him and hurries out.

He believes the Claymore to have been Clare. Then, a man approaches him saying that a Claymore is looking for him and she is in the woods outside town. Thanking him, Raki hurtles out of the village.

The Deception
When he reaches the outskirts of town, he meets a Claymore but, to his dismay, it is not Clare. It is a long-haired Claymore, wearing no symbol and no sword. She identifies herself as the one who helped him, though he was a complete stranger. She says that Claymores are kind at heart, referring to them with that name. She also adds that she had taken a liking to him, wanting to make him hers. Nevertheless, Raki is not fooled. He shoves her away, saying she is not a Claymore because they never refer to themselves with that name. It is soon clear why: the Claymore is actually a Yoma.

The Yoma grabs Raki and takes him hostage. She calls to someone to come out, saying that they have been sticking to it like a shadow, never giving up. Another Claymore steps out: Clare. As she advances, the Yoma warns her that, should she make a false move, Raki is dead. Clare is commanded to throw away her sword. She coldly replies that a hostage would not stop her. The Yoma professes to have thought that too until it saw Clare carrying Raki to the village. It theorizes that, even though they are ruthless monsters, Claymores still hold the memories of their past. It thinks that perhaps Clare had a little brother and Raki reminds her of him.

Wounded
At this, Clare throws her claymore, which falls down a deep slope and completely out of reach. The Yoma howls with laughter, scorning her for being a fool. It charges at her and manages to pierce her stomach with its arm. Just as it looks as though the Yoma has won, Clare grips the arm that pierced her and hurls herself with the Yoma over the slope. Though the Yoma is not injured, Clare can now reach her sword. She pins down the Yoma, severs the arm that pierced her and sliced its head, killing it.

Once the Yoma is dead, Clare pulls out the severed arm. It is clear that it is a severe injury. She clasps it and her face distorts again, along with the area around the wound. When she lets go of it, it seems to have closed. Raki slides down the slope in tears, saying it was his fault that Clare got hurt. She coldly rebuffs this notion, saying that the Yoma would have got away if she had gone through Raki. Then, she asks him why he is so far from the village and guesses that they threw him out. Though he tries to deny it, his tears give him away. Clare is reminded of how her parents were killed by a Yoma who posed as her older brother. Though she was an orphan, no one would take her in; in their minds, she could be a Yoma too. Raki tearfully says he is not a Yoma, confirming that he is the same as Clare.

Clare then offers the chance to come with her as her cook until he finds a town he likes. He eagerly accepts this proposition.

Characters Introduced

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