I was born from a forbidden spell that turns humans into magic.
Magic in humanoid form, Eleonore.
I see.
Even after Ledriano and the others suffered that blast,
De Ijelia remained intact and their fatal wounds could heal
because you were shouldering their burden?
Yes.
But before we talk any further...
We have to undo the Gabel that Diego put on the students of Zelga Kanon.
I've frozen them with Revide,
but if left alone, they will all suffer essence explosions.
If you let me out of here, I can do something about it.
I'm good with essence magic.
Then allow me to do so.
Thank you.
Gaize isn't in effect anymore.
The barrier is gone too.
Is it over?
They'll be okay now.
Now then, let me tell you
a little about our school.
You've replicated humans?
Yes.
I gave birth to these essence clones.
They were artificially created using Eleonore as a mother essence.
So even if you destroy one essence, there are others ready to replace them.
An idea sprung from madness.
It is, isn't it?
But there was someone who accomplished it 2,000 years ago.
Maybe you knew him? The general who led the armies alongside Kanon.
Zelga?
General Zelga held a great resentment toward demonkind.
Even after the war ended, it remained.
More than anything, he feared that their descendants would forget that resentment.
That's why he founded Hero Academy.
What's more, he bent the laws of magic to bind his own essence into two spells.
The first is Ask.
Kill them.
Kill all demons.
Kill them.
Kill!
People believe that casting Ask lets them hear the voice of Kanon,
but that voice is General Zelga's desire for revenge.
And that desire for revenge is implanted into those affected by Ask?
Yes.
That's why the Hero Kanon opposed him.
A faded memory of that remains in my essence.
Master Zelga, I understand that you detest demons,
but we fought so that the children could be free of those feelings forever.
Kanon...
The Demon King of Atrocity gave his life to bring peace.
Why must we begin preparing to fight them again?
I'm sorry this had to happen.
It is not over. Not until the Demon King is truly slain.
In the end, Kanon was betrayed and killed by those he trusted the most
and he never appeared again.
Maybe he lost faith in humanity.
So he disappeared without reviving or reincarnating.
You said that Zelga's essence was bound into two spells?
Are you the other spell?
Yes,
but I'm a failure.
A failure?
All of his hate was taken by Ask.
I don't have many of General Zelga's memories.
My purpose was only to create cloned essences.
They have no emotions. They can't speak. They live only to fight and disappear.
As things are, no one can be happy.
That's why I had long wished for someone like you to appear, Anos.
Would you mind if I asked you a favor?
What is it?
I want you to destroy me.
You can do that, right, Anos?
Is that what you want?
I've killed scores of my own children for 2,000 years.
If my children could speak, I know they wouldn't forgive me.
It's fine.
Zexia?
Help.
Save Mama.
Help.
But why?
Mama...
But I...
You endured well these past 2,000 years.
Anos?
I will grant you your wish.
You want all of them to be happy, right?
Yes.
Please.
I promise you that.
What business do you have with Eleonore?
So he's an essence clone too?
Yes.
Diego is responsible for spreading Ask.
So long as I exist, he'll come back again.
It can't be!
Intruder alert!
Those are...
Medoin Gasa!
Zorro Angart!
Eldra Zaia!
The Seven Ancients! Call for assistance at once!
So you want Evansmana?
It's futile!
No demon could draw the Holy Sword of Kanon!
Impossible!
Kill them and take it back!
Do it! Damn you, you worthless fools!
If you arrive in the company of the Seven Ancients,
you have no excuse.
State your name.
We are
Avos Dilhevia.
The Demon King of Atrocity who shall destroy all.
What do you intend to do with that fraudulent name,
impostor Demon King?
Pathetic.
We shall recreate this world.
A world enveloped with darkness and demons, as it was meant to be.
The curtains have been drawn.
There is no turning back.
History has repeated itself.
The fathomless darkness has returned.
The fathomless darkness has entered the sanctuary
and stolen the god-protector of Azecion,
the Sword of Spirits, Gods, and Man, Evansmana.
Yes, the legends were true!
The Demon King of Atrocity has returned!
After 2,000 years!
The Ancestor has returned?
He will lead the demons to destroy our kingdom,
but do not be alarmed!
We, the Demon King Slaying Force, shall drop the hammer of justice upon him!
Now is the time to fight!
May the judgment of Heaven fall upon the Demon King!
May we Heroes be victorious!
We, the Seven Ancients, hereby declare that
our King has awakened from his long slumber.
He will now speak on the hour of his revival.
We are Avos Dilhevia.
The day has finally come!
The Demon King has returned!
We once committed a great error.
We divided the world into four, granting mercy to humans,
but they have not changed in these 2,000 years.
They passed down the holy sword meant to destroy us to this day.
Now we shall make right our error of 2,000 years.
Gather before me, those who are strong!
We shall destroy the foolish humans once and for all!
Demon King!
-Demon King! -Demon King!
What's the situation?
Most of the Demon Lords have already gathered under Avos Dilhevia.
They are advancing toward the border.
The Demon King Slaying Force appears to be advancing to meet them.
This is a battle I was meant to fight 2,000 years ago.
You don't need to follow me into it.
How could we leave these lawless fools to sully our liege's name?
We are at your command, my liege.
You're taking me with you too, right?
You were the one who asked me to join your team.
You gave me my life, Anos.
This life will always be with you.
We'll fight too!
We're friends after all.
Good servants.
Good friends. I've been blessed.
We leave at dawn. Rest yourselves well.
Feeling worried?
It's written on your face.
I keep envisioning such terrible things.
If anything happens to the others or to you, Lay...
I'm sorry.
This won't be too bad. At least, compared to 2,000 years ago.
What?
I think I fought back then.
Could that be why?
I'm not anxious at all.
Mind if I take one?
What? But they said that would be like a proposal.
I know.
Lay...
I'll come back for sure,
back to you.
You know what we have to do?
Prevent the Dilhade and Demon King Slaying Force from engaging in combat.
Neutralize both forces.
And find a way to remove the hate from Ask.
This is an order.
Do not die.
Do not kill.
We cannot lose a single life over this stupid squabble.
Azecion's Demon King Slaying Force are in formation to intercept,
but we will take down the Dilhade Forces first.
We don't know what Avos Dilhevia intends to do.
Forward! The main force is directly ahead!
Misha and Sasha,
you prevent the forces in the west from rendezvousing with the main force.
You won't take another step forward.
Here's all you need to know!
Our Demon King
-doesn't want a stupid war! -Doesn't want a stupid war!
Fan Union, you support from the rear lines.
Lay and Misa, you disrupt the forces in the east.
Don't let them cross the border!
Lay.
Thanks.
Reinforcements?
It seems that they're experienced.
Hide somewhere.
But I...
Melhace, you and the others suppress the Seven Ancients.
Avos Dilhevia
is mine to fight.
He is likely in that castle.
We're under attack!
The Demon King Slaying Force? When did they get here?
No, they aren't humans!
The Seven Ancients?
It's Melhace and the others!
Tell this to Avos Dilhevia.
These are the real Demon King's forces.
The Seven Ancients would never oppose the Demon King of Atrocity!
Charge!
If you don't understand, then I will explain.
This is true power!
So they're coming.
Please leave them to us.
You must confront him in his castle.
Of course.
I suppose this is an invitation to enter.
Lord Anos!
Lay is...
Lay is missing!
Lay?
Lord Anos, we have captured Medoin, Zorro, and Eldra.
They should have the essences of Avos's servants fused to theirs.
It appears that the essences have abandoned their host bodies and escaped.
Will you leave Avos Dilhevia for later?
No, he's not in this castle.
I thought I'd find you here.
It's been 2,000 years,
Hero Kanon.
No, that isn't quite right.
You had already arrived to fulfill your end of our promise.
How did you know?
I thought I fooled you into thinking I was Shin.
This.
You weren't supposed to have memories of your past life,
but you called this necklace a "one-shell necklace."
Unless you knew the legend about this necklace in Azecion,
you couldn't have known it and called it a "one-shell."
Which meant that you had memories from your past life
and for some reason, you were hiding that.
Shin would never lie to me.
Then in that case, who were you?
No other demon could use the Wholehearted Sword or holy swords,
but what if the great Hero had reincarnated as a demon?
It wouldn't be strange for him to wield both.
I see.
I couldn't be certain though.
If you were Kanon, you would have no reason to hide your identity.
Normally, anyway.
Perhaps you were afraid of being asked?
You only have one essence. What happened to the other six?
Avos Dilhevia fused essences with the Seven Ancients, apart from Melhace.
Including you, there would be a total of seven.
The same number as the Hero Kanon.
You didn't want me to know that you were pretending to be this false Demon King,
but there were many things you couldn't foresee.
Misha being born through Dino Jixis and the Magic Sword Tournament
could not have been part of your plans.
I don't know why, but I doubt the tears you shed saving your mother were fake.
You're right.
Then even now, as you pretend to be a false Demon King,
there's something you're trying to save.
Kanon, what happened 2,000 years ago?
Exactly what you said would happen.
Humans were too weak, Anos.
Next episode, "To Fill the World with Love."