You don't have any magic to use.
That is what you told me, right?
THE FOUR KNIGHTS OF THE APOCALYPSE
If what you said is true, then what the hell is flowing out of you?
Answer me!
Huh?
What... Whoa!
Hey, what's up with my hands?
This weird stuff coming out of them. It's so gross and creepy!
No matter how much I run, it keeps following me everywhere!
Get it off! Get it off!
- Get it off? Listen, that's your magic-- - Yes, mister, you've gotta try to help me!
Hey, Percival!
Think about it, man!
That must be your magic!
Use it and tear this knight a new one!
Huh?
Was that attack of the "destroyer" magic variety?
Or is he an "enchanter" that imbues magic to his own two fists?
Hey, uh, I know I just told you I can't use magic,
but is it okay if I use this to fight?
How honest of you!
Of course you can!
All righty! Thanks!
You don't have to thank your enemy for every little thing, you know.
Okay, with the help of this stuff,
I'm gonna make you tell me where my dad is!
In that case, I won't go easy on you either.
A moving fireball?
This is my magic, "Pyre"!
PYRE
It's a far cry from the boss' flames.
A direct hit will kill you!
What's wrong?
If all you do is dodge, you won't be able to strike back!
Yeah, good point!
So what will you do?
Some of this!
He knocked the blast away like it was nothing!
Too bad.
Unless you dispel my magic,
this flame won't go out until it consumes you entirely!
- Now, surrender! - Never!
Come on, Percival! Just give up!
It'll all be pointless if you die!
No way.
I won't let myself...
lose!
He spread the magic to both his arms
and enveloped his entire body with it.
He adapts astonishingly fast.
Regardless, you've already been dealt a fatal wound.
Admit defeat.
If you get treatment now,
you can still survive.
Huh?
Huh? What in the world are these?
Some sort of magic golems?
I'll win. I'll win.
Hold on, they look like...
Is this kid unconsciously creating them?
To think he could transform his magic to such a degree...
Is this "shifter" magic?
Get off me! Get!
Despite their incredibly adorable appearance,
they're ridiculously strong!
Is it possible he knew binding my arms would end the spell?
Damn it...
However, even if he did manage to dispel it...
Hm?
His wounds... they're beginning to heal.
Percival, what the hell are you?
There you go, Percival! That's the way!
Impossible!
What exactly is his magic type?
"Destroyer," "enchanter," "shifter," "healer,"
his magic doesn't fit into any of them.
Maybe his is one of those said to be possessed
by only one in a million.
The "hero" type!
If that's the case...
Sooner or later, my comrades will catch on and take action to eliminate him.
I must avoid that at all costs.
He's far too valuable to kill.
Hm?
Our duel here isn't over just yet!
That boy is amazing!
He's not giving an inch against that black knight!
If he keeps this up, he might actually win.
For real? Do you seriously believe that?
Huh?
Now I want you more than ever!
I'm impressed, Percival.
Your magic was only awakened a little while ago,
yet you're already beginning to grasp how to control it.
I congratulate you.
You are strong.
Aw, stop it, you're making me blush here.
But, yeah, I supposed that means I'm the winner of our duel, huh?
If you could just tell me where my dad is--
That bastard probably hasn't been using even half of his strength!
In the end, you're just a novice with little experience!
You don't have what it takes to defeat me now.
Here I come!
Bring it on then!
I won't let you!
D-- Donny!
Hurry and move!
You don't stand a chance against this guy!
- Huh? I don't stand a chance? - Put me down!
So, uh, are we talking 50% or--
No, you idiot! I'm talking zero!
Aw, man, but I really need him to tell me where my dad is!
For now, just run!
He's stronger than you!
What a dirty rotten trick!
He'll burn us all!
Donny! No!
He got what he deserved!
That's the consequence for interfering in a duel between men!
What-- What is this?
A red fox?
Hold on, you are at the foot of the Finger of God.
Oh, hey. Isn't that my stuff?
So, even beast are interfering now?
Shoo, shoo!
Hm? Could... Could that be a...
Wait!
An incantation orb.
I'll wring that damn fox's neck!
What was that thing?
What happened?
Where in the world are we?
Wait, is this the Dragon's Backbone?
You know this place?
I've only looked up at it from below,
but I'm sure this is it.
It's an oddly shaped rock that's 30 miles away from Paysan,
the village we were in.
Thirty miles?
I'm worried about everyone! Let's hurry back!
You moron.
- Huh? - Huh?
I went out of my way to help you.
So don't do anything unnecessary.
That bastard's after you, kid.
And him, your long-haired friend who meddled in your duel.
He doesn't care about the village.
That fox just said words!
A fox?
Are you telling me there's actual talking animals in Britannia?
No, there aren't!
Listen carefully, kid.
I'm gonna need you to come along with me.
Why should I do that?
Because I can't risk letting that scumbag run off with you.
Hmm, I don't really get it.
I'll explain things to you later.
This concerns your father as well.
No way? Are you kidding?
Hold on. This fox seems shady.
How come you know so much?
Shady?
I'm totally innocent.
Isn't that obvious?
No, it's really not!
Anyway, kid, listen.
The real problem here is that the Black Knight has taken notice of you.
You mean Pellegarde, right?
Who is that guy?
He's a knight who serves a wicked king,
and he's part of the group hunting down the heads
of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.
The Four Knights of the Apocalypse, huh?
Are they Holy Knights?
Can't say I heard of that order before.
It doesn't exist yet.
Of course you haven't.
Huh? Okay, Fox.
Are you pulling a fast one on us?
After all, it's an order of knights prophesized
to arise in the not-so-distant future.
So it said they're gonna rise up
before too long?
I've been given orders from a group that opposes him and his allies,
and I've finally located one of the Four Knights.
Oh, wow! I can't believe it!
Hey, can you tell me what they're like?
Famine, Pestilence, War, and Death.
They're four Holy Knights who will destroy the world with four calamities.
Nah, I totally didn't hear you, right?
Hang on!
If the Black Knight took notice of him that means...
Huh?
Yup, you guessed it.
Kid, you're one of the four.
An important prophecy has been added.
Improving the effectiveness of the search for the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.
How interesting. Hm?
Yo! How's it going, guys?
Have you been doing okay?
I see you're as bold as ever, Pel.
Yes.
Well, I've been a little busy!
The next time I see that boy,
I'll make sure to capture him and bring him home.
One thing has become clear about the four.
The Four Knights of the Apocalypse are young men.
And are likely to be Holy Knights in training
rather than actual Holy Knights.
But he wasn't even in training yet.
Although abstract,
we have information about how they look as well.
One possesses magic with a golden glow.
One has holiness and wickedness in his eyes.
One is mysterious with an undefined appearance.
And one has verdant hair that flash out like the wings of a bird.
Hmm?
Impossible.
Naturally, our enemies will be on the hunt for these boys as well.
In the name of our king, we must locate them first
and eliminate them with the utmost swiftness.
If that child truly is one of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse,
I failed.
I should have confirmed that he was completely devoid of life.
I was convinced you actually felt some affection for your son,
but it turns out that Ironside the Assassin
failed to eliminate his target!
Pellegarde,
from the way you're speaking, is the child alive?
He is.
I had a bout with him.
As I thought, he turned out to be one of the Holy Knights from the prophecy.
Surely you put an end to him, yes?
Don't be ridiculous. How wasteful!
He has both courage and potential!
So, you chose not to kill him because you recognized his potential?
Better to train him and make him our ally than end his life.
Do you seriously think Percival
will become a threat to King Arthur?
You should fulfill your duty as a knight of the King!
But don't you have responsibilities as a father to fulfill?
You aren't understanding the problem.
He won't just become a threat to His Majesty.
That child will destroy the world.
Am I really gonna destroy the world?
That's right, kid.
In the future, you and the other three will bring about the end.
That won't happen!
It will, though.
Prophecies are a hundred percent accurate.
But I'm not a Holy Knight.
And after I'm done kicking my dad's butt,
I'm gonna go on an adventure to see all the strange places in Britannia
that Grandpa told me about.
Trust me,
there's no way I'll become a knight who will destroy the world!
Who cares?
Well, anyway, I was told to find you and bring you back with me.
So be good and follow.
But wait just a minute.
If I go with you, Fox, will I meet my dad?
Eventually.
'Cause I know where your father and his comrades gather.
Are you sure about that?
Where then?
Camelot.
Cammy... mott, huh?
Yeah. Nice one, pal.
Just because he's a country bumpkin, you can't just...
Do you know it?
This, um, Cammy...
I'm familiar with Camelot.
It's a kingdom that was destroyed in a Holy War
against the demon race 16 years ago.
The Demon King wiped it out with his attack.
And they say the King, along with a handful
of surviving Holy Knights and others, vanished from the face of the earth.
Huh?
If they vanished what happened to Cammymott?
It doesn't exist anymore.
How dare you try to trick me!
I'm never gonna go anywhere with you!
Don't listen to that fool.
Camelot does still exist, I assure you.
However, you can't get there by using regular methods.
In order to make it there, first, you must go to the Kingdom of Liones.
It's a place you can't reach by using regular methods?
Kingdom of... Liones?
Come on. You expect us to buy into this shady ass story?
Yeah, like hell we're going with you!
I'll go with you! I'll go! I'll go!
Seriously?!
Isn't the fact that you can't get there normally kind of exciting?
Maybe to you?
And plus, a kingdom is a whole lot bigger than a village or town.
Right, Fox?
Try not to pee your pants.
Oh, yeah, one more thing, my name isn't Fox.
It's Sin.
Well then, Sin!
It looks like the three of us are heading off for Liones!
Huh? Now I'm going with you too?
Yeah, come on, Donny, let's go together!
Oh, but what about Katz and Elva?
Hmm. They're fine.
They'll probably be better off without me anyway.
So you're gonna come with us after all?
So, how far is it to the Kingdom?
Roughly 200 miles.
That far?!
Whoo-hoo!
Oh, that's too bad.
This is where the Dragon's Backbone ends.
I, for one, missed the feel of the ground.
No time to rest.
It's a long way to Liones--
GROWL
So how about we get some food in us first?
Oh! I think I know what we can do!
If we're gonna be looking for food anyway,
then we might as well see who can hunt down the biggest catch!
This is the knight who will destroy the world, huh?
Send your complaints to the prophecy.
Whoever ends up being the losers
will have to follow one order from the winner.
Okay, let's start!
Wait a second!
Huh?
He took my bow and arrow.
Not that I ever caught anything with them anyway.
Wow, do these come from a rockslide?
A gorge!
Nice echo!
This place seems like a fun hunting ground!
Whoo-hoo!
My word! A human?
So close!
Boy, you suck.
Don't give me that crap.
I'm way better than Percival, okay?
Here's my big chance!
Someone was hiding up there?
Quit spacing out, you dumbass.
You sure have a foul mouth!
Hey, you doing all right?
Are... Are you a Giant nun?
A human?
Uh, forgive me.
I was aiming at a deer and my arrow went wild.
I'm really sorry for hitting you.
Oh. This doesn't hurt at all so don't worry yourself.
Are you sure?
I was in the middle of saying a prayer
so the surprise of being hit made me raise my voice.
I'm sorry.
You're quite the anomaly,
a Giant who places faith in the goddess race
instead of the Great Earth.
Dolores!
We've got some big, big trouble!
Bob, Nob.
We just saw a random human with this weird helmet
waltz his way into Echo Gorge!
Huh? But how can that be?
I made sure to block the entrance off.
- He hopped right over the walls... - Hey, the guy
with the weird helmet they're talking about is Percival, right?
That guy is with us!
- Huh? - Is there a problem?
Haven't you ever heard of Echo Gorge?
Until a little while ago, it was a fertile place full of beautiful flora,
but now, the grounds look like hell itself.
The prey keeps coming right to me on their own!
This place is like heaven!
I'm definitely gonna be the winner!
Donny and Sin are in for a big surprise.
Huh?
Help me...
Please... Let me out...
I don't recall seeing you before.
Where are you from?
What purpose do you serve?
Forgive me. Yeah, I'm lost...
In this gorge, no one gets close to these days?
While I get you to tell me everything,
I suppose I'll have you cooperate with a few experiments.
After all, you shall be my new guinea pig now.
Please no!
Someone help me!
Excuse me, mister!
I've come to rescue you!
How dare you barge into my home like this!
Who do you think you are?
This guy is really bad!
Please get me out of here!
Just leave it to me!
Owie! Ow, ow!
Hurry up and help me!
Oh. Mm.
Huh?
What on earth is that kid's problem?
- Is he some kind of a moron or what? - Amazing!
A fairy.
I've never seen one before.
They do exist.
Man, I wish Grandpa could've--
This gorge has a demon living in it?
Yeah, you heard right.
He's a madman who uses weird potions
to turn the creatures into vicious monsters!
Thanks to you,
my rare precious guinea pig managed to get away.
Naturally, I'll have to substitute you to take its place.
He's a sick and demented herbalist known by everyone in the gorge.
They all call him,
the Mad Herbalist, Nasiens.
THE DEMON OF ECHO GORGE