Did you come all the way to this far-off place for a vacation,
Great Holy Knight Howzer?
Finally decided to show yourself, huh?
So the rumors about you falling off the path
and becoming the leader of the bandits were true.
Who is he?
This is my other pupil, Edlin.
ROAR OF DESTRUCTION
I can't recall when,
but I know that I heard a report about a group of bandits
in the Dalflare Range that make it a point to target travelers.
I never imagined they'd be occupying an entire town
and taking people's stuff.
And thanks to that report,
we can rob Holy Knights like yourself,
who show up to suppress us just to get taken out.
Naturally, we took your weapon and horse you left at the inn as well.
You stupid bandits are all the same.
You really thought you could beat the Great Holy Knight Howzer
by simply taking his weapon?
Despite being outnumbered, he's not rattled at all.
They don't call him the Great Holy Knight of Liones for nothing.
He's so intimidating.
Master Howzer, you don't know it yet, but you've already lost this fight.
Uh?
I'm well aware of how much alcohol you're able to handle.
Just how many times do you think I've had to carry you out of a bar?
What do you plan on doing with us?
Moron. Isn't it obvious, kid?
You'd better believe we're gonna sell every one of you brats as slaves.
Is that so?
Well, I refuse.
What is this?
Misty Rain, Belladonna.
MISTY RAIN BELLADONNA
Oh... I feel really great all of a sudden.
What on earth?
I see. So you're a magic wielder!
Excuse me. I'll be taking my leave with my companions now.
Companions?
This boy isn't one, is he? Hmm?
That's impossible! When did you...
I totally made a run for it in front of them again.
This is becoming a pretty bad habit.
I bet my sister's feeling let down on the other side.
You don't think I know that?
It's the same thing I keep telling myself!
There you are, Donny.
Long time no see.
Edlin, is that really you?
I saw you at the bar a little earlier.
Were your fellow traveling performers there with you?
I wouldn't call them that. Anyway...
what about you?
You're still on that journey?
Training with my uncle to become a Holy Knight?
I actually parted ways with the man
and gave up on that dream. It's all in the past now.
Uh, what? No... you're kidding, right? What made you do that?
Thought you were so determined on becoming one.
There's no use talking about it. Now, what do you say we team up?
Huh?
Well, there's a simple cushy gig that we can take on.
Wait, hold on a second.
Who are you, man? "Simple and cushy"? It isn't like you to say things like that.
'Cause a Holy Knight should never be motivated by gain, right?
Like I said, I don't care about that stuff anymore.
Listen, Donny.
All we have to do is pose as the town locals
and rob unsuspecting travelers.
It's easy as can be.
Hah! Is this some kind of joke? That's something bandits do.
We even have a powerful ally who can help us.
You'll join me, right, Donny?
Look... good to see you. I'm glad we got to catch up.
It was overdue.
But sorry,
I have to rejoin my friends now.
That won't be happening because their lives are in my hands.
What do you mean by that?
Donny, the only friend you have who can truly understand you is me.
Uh...
If anything happens to those guys, I'm not gonna let it slide.
You've changed, and not for the better.
I haven't changed at all.
You see, I finally realized...
...what my destiny really is.
Take it easy. That really hurt, you know?
We're taking all this money back,
and there's nothing you can do about it, you brats!
The hell is this? Hmm...
It's just a piece of junk.
Watch it, blockhead!
What do we do now?
It looks like they didn't have any valuables to take, guys.
Seriously, I don't know
why we haven't traded those punks for money already?
We're in trouble.
I hope Donny and the others can sense it too.
There's no way that cowardly bastard's
coming to help you.
'Cause no matter what you're going through,
he's only ever worried about saving himself.
Hey! Are you all right in there?
I'm letting you guys out.
Wait a second. You're the barkeep, aren't you?.
You're one impressive kid.
You've had quite a bit to drink, but you're still sober.
Well, that's because...
a long time ago, I snuck a taste of my grandfather's booze.
And I can neutralize
any poison I've tasted.
So alcohol is poison, huh?
Well, isn't that something?
Come on, pull yourself together, Howzer!
Who are you and how do you know me?
Just take a good look.
You beat me up a while back at a big fighting festival!
Huh?
Oh!
Taizoo, is that you?
Damn, you've gotten old!
This is no time for laughing, you idiot!
'Cause at this rate, the entire town is gonna be destroyed!
You mean by Edlin?
Not by him...
...but by an ancient dragon. He's managed to tame it!
Now do you get it?
As long as we have this dragon, we're invincible.
Oh, don't glare at me.
This is you and me we're talking about.
Hey! Get back here!
Neither one of us has anything, Donny!
We should work together!
Wake up already!
Ah! Thank goodness!
Where are we?
Last I remember, we were all in a bar.
About that, it appears we've gotten entangled
in a complicated situation.
- Complicated? - Huh?
You!
Why in the world are you in here with us?
Does he know that I'm the daughter of Duke Kalden
and tried selling me off when I was passed out?
Or worse,
maybe he wanted to do disgusting things to me!
I've got no interest in a kid who's still wet behind the ears.
My pride as a girl
has been torn to shreds!
Oh, Percival!
Not only did you punch Donny, but you made Anne cry!
I can't forgive people who try and hurt my friends!
- Hmm... - Wait! You don't understand. That man is--
I made her cry? It's not my fault I spoke the truth about her.
And Donny, I only socked him because he...
This is for Donny!
And this one is for...
Stop!
Don't interrupt him
when he was just about to punch the guy for me!
This man's the Great Holy Knight of Liones.
He's also Donny's uncle!
What?
Gross!
A man with red hair is making his way down!
You're to capture him at all costs!
But just make sure not to hurt him!
We don't even know who he is,
and we're supposed to capture him without hurting him?
Yeah, forget what he said.
I say we just kill the guy!
I'll call again if I need you.
Back to your den.
I said go back.
You do care what happens to this, don't you?
Sorry, boss, we looked all over,
but we couldn't find a man with red hair anywhere.
Then search harder!
Don't the three of you have eyes?
Or more importantly, boss,
about those little brats we captured earlier...
Yeah, can't we have just a little taste of them
before you sell them off somewhere?
I won't allow such foolishness.
If you've got time to entertain stupid ideas,
then go find that redhead!
Fine.
About this time last year, I first met Edlin.
And even though he was just a kid, he had this extremely sulky attitude.
He wore the same expression I had when I lost my sense of purpose.
I couldn't help feeling concerned,
so I tried talking to him.
But a few days later...
I want drinks for all these gentlemen.
I know, right?
Are you folks bandits of Dalflare?
Huh?
No, I'm not complaining about it or anything.
Just noticed that you have a young leader. That's all.
Yeah, well, if you judge him by his looks like that
then you'll get your ass kicked, just like the rest of us.
Really? He's that strong, huh?
Right. But that guy's not just strong, he's got the guts to back it up.
I mean, get this, he climbed into an ancient dragon's den all by himself...
and even managed to steal himself a dragon's egg.
Since then, the same dragon's been under the boss's thumb.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
No ordinary person could do that!
And you know how the rest of the story goes, right?
Edlin made himself the king of Cant.
How can a human have a dragon under their thumb with only one egg?
That creature's been around a long time.
It may very well have been her last egg.
I feel sorry for her then.
So, you heard rumors about your pupil
and then you made your way to this town, right?
Sorry, kid. But what I'm doing out here really isn't any of your business.
You understand me?
You mean to tell me
that this lousy drunk is a Great Holy Knight?
The only thing that makes sense here is that he's Donny's uncle.
Grandpa was super strong, but why is this Great Holy Knight so weak?
- It is a bit odd, isn't it? - Huh?
I mean about the dragon.
An egg like that could easily hatch at any moment.
Meaning you wouldn't be able to use it as leverage over the mother forever.
That's right.
The egg in his possession now is nothing but a fake.
- Huh? - But could that really fool
the eyes of a dragon?
Imitation.
It's Edlin's magic ability.
He can create replicas exactly like the original
in both their appearance and texture.
But they're still just illusions.
So, the Percival I saw back there... was just an illusion?
Oh, I get it! He needs a fake
because he ate the real one!
Yeah, well, I don't know if that's exactly what happened.
Anyway, the dragon has slowly started piecing things together.
Soon, she'll have this all figured out.
So please, Howzer...
Stop him before it's too late.
Otherwise, there'll be no time to turn things around.
What do I care? It serves him right if you ask me.
That dragon isn't the only thing Edlin should worry about.
He's hated by every single member of his crew.
After all, he doesn't let them harm women or children.
He doesn't even let them kill the Holy Knights they defeat.
And he eventually ends up releasing each human
that the bandits tried to capture.
He's a kind-hearted kid deep down.
He's only putting on a tough act for the others.
Now that we have this, the dragon will do anything we say!
The world is ours!
Give it back! It's for your own safety!
Ha! We're all fed up with taking orders from the likes of you!
Oh, don't you worry. We'll put this dragon egg to good use!
Oh, no!
What?
What the...? Uh... an illusion?
The hell's going on? I thought the dragon was under control!
Edlin must have messed up!
Run for it!
Master! We're in trouble if we stay!
We're heading underground!
I sense Percy and the others' magic.
Why is it that humans always have to go and stir up some kind of trouble?
That dragon is really upset.
Please, Howzer, he needs your help right now! This is serious!
- What the... Do you hear that? - Huh?
Huh?
- Huh? - A secret room?
Wait! Is this the dragon's baby?
It's so cute!
Ah, the real egg must have already hatched a while ago.
Yeah. But as you can see, it isn't feeling well.
And Edlin said
that he felt bad about returning the baby to its mother in such a state.
I can't tell at all if he wants to be bad or good, talk about confusing.
In a way, he's just like Donny.
The baby is weakened and its breathing is shallow.
It won't last three days like this.
I know. I'll try giving it some medicine.
Sylvan! But how?
Hey, Sin! Did you happen to see Donny out there?
Mm-mm.
I bet you that coward's halfway to the next village by now.
He's already abandoned you guys.
I know Donny, he's not a coward. He might run, but he always comes back.
Mister,
I want you to return that to him personally.
I'll go start looking for him now.
Hang on, it's dangerous to go alone!
Sylvan!
Donny...
I want an answer!
This entire time,
I thought you were dead set on becoming a Holy Knight!
And I was, but I just don't have magic like yours, Uncle.
I'm sorry to disappoint you both.
What are you talking about?
Depending on how you apply your training,
you can come up with countless ways to use your magic!
And besides...
I'm not ready to die.
Uh...
Damn it, Donny...
That's what you told yourself when you ran away, wasn't it?
Oh. I'm gonna die.
Uh?
Huh?
I'm making you float for now,
but you gotta hurry up and grab something!
The guy who gave up on becoming a Holy Knight is helping me?
You're not even gonna say thank you for that?
Nothing I do works out anymore.
Whether I try to be a champion of justice or a villain.
You're way too young to be musing about your life.
What about you? Are things working out?
I quit being a performer.
You did?
I'm gonna give becoming a Holy Knight another shot.
But... you said you didn't want to die.
Of course! I don't want to put my life on the line to save strangers!
At least I didn't... until I met someone I didn't mind risking my life for.
There!
Donny! You've gotta jump!
Right! Edlin, jump after I do! I'll hold you up!
I get why you'd be angry after having your egg stolen.
Huh?
That being said, I also have things I wanna protect!
All my friends!
A REAL HOLY KNIGHT