01x24 - Towards a Hopeful Future

[bunniefuu]

[narrator]

Helck and company continue

to the nearest demonkin

army base.

But when they arrive,

it has already been attacked

by the human forces.

There, Raphaed makes an

attempt on Vermilio's life,

all to break Helck's spirit,

but then, a single winged

knight steps forth

to confront Helck.

[opening theme]

[TOWARDS A HOPEFUL FUTURE]

[dramatic fanfare]

[threatening music]

One of his friends?

[intense music]

[sword clangs]

They're coming at me

with everything they've got

because they think I'm

keeping Helck together.

Fine by me.

Anne!

[Helck gasps]

[anticipatory music]

[Helck grunts]

[fire booming]

[Vermilio] Helck!

I have this under control!

Don't worry about me!

Just do your thing!

[Helck] Yeah.

[dramatic music]

[fire booming]

It's all right.

Helck is going to be just fine.

I know he will.

[heart beats]

[Vermilio gasps]

[sword slicing]

[expl*si*n booming]

You're the only one unaware

how Helck reacts

to emotional trauma,

demon witch.

He has never been the type

to enjoy fighting for no reason.

Despite all the power he holds,

he doesn't use it for himself.

Whenever he fights, it's

always for someone else.

[fire crackling]

Helck is sentimental, with

a soft spot for his friends.

Sure, he puts on a brave face.

But the truth is that he's

been suffering a long time.

He is far from being just fine.

[heart beating]

[Vermilio gasping]

[wind whipping]

[arrow clattering]

[tense music]

Is he

[bow clanging]

[sword rings]

[power rumbling]

[thrumming music]

[wind whipping]

[Vermilio grunting]

[gasping]

Can you feel that?

I know you can.

That is Helck's relentless

pain and sorrow.

All humans are

desperately weak creatures

and bearing such pain

is impossible,

even for a man as

powerful as Helck.

He must k*ll the ones he

loves with his own hands.

Who could bear such

a torment as that?

[Helck] Alicia,

do you remember who I am?

[heart beats]

[sentimental music]

We did it.

We found each other again.

I see. So that's Alicia.

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have

been so selfish before

because it only

hurt you more.

[heart beating]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

The end is coming.

I promise you I'll

put a stop to all this.

[heart beating]

[Vermilio] Friends

[heart beating]

[ethereal music]

Loved ones

[heartbeat accelerating]

[Vermilio breathing shakily]

[Asta & Ista] Lady Vermilio.

[Vermilio] Having to k*ll

everyone precious to you

with your own two hands.

[music building]

[heartbeat pounding]

Helck, that is awful.

I now understand the nagging

feeling I've been having.

I can't even imagine

going through something

so dreadful and agonizing.

Damn it!

It wasn't my concern over Helck

that was making me feel

so on edge!

As one of the human breed,

I am obligated to put

an end to this.

[Vermilio]

I'm so fricking stupid!

We're talking about Helck here!

He never puts himself first.

He's always looking

out for others.

Friendly, strong, considerate,

and the most stubbornly,

persistent lunkhead ever.

But he was hesitating!

He felt uneasy about it.

I never once tried to

put myself in his shoes!

I should have seen it sooner!

[Vermilio gasps]

[fire crackling]

[wind whipping]

[Raphaed]

That's far enough, demon.

[Vermilio] Giving Hero Slayer to

Azudra wasn't the real reason

you came to participate in the

Demon Lord Tournament, was it?

You never wanted to

destroy all the humans.

No.

The truth is that deep down,

I know that you wanted

something else.

[dramatic music]

[fire howling]

Why not just leave him be?

[expl*si*n booming]

If you truly consider

yourself to be his friend,

let him rest in peace!

Helck will soon cease

to be himself.

He'll become something else

entirely and begin to rampage,

and yet, it'll also finally

free him from all his suffering.

It's the real salvation

left for him anymore.

I already told you, as*h*le!

Helck is not going

to go on a rampage!

He's focused and will not fail!

There's nothing you

can do to him anymore!

[Raphaed gasps]

[sword ringing]

[dramatic music]

[Raphead grunting]

[flesh squelching]

This pain, it can only

be from Hero Slayer.

Yes, damn you, Helck.

He left it in the

care of that demonkin.

[Raphaed grunting]

His rage is starting to fade.

I don't believe it,

is he truly able

to overcome his despair?

[triumphantly dramatic music]

And when it's all over,

you have a home with us

in the empire.

You will always

be welcome there.

[Vermilio]

No, that wasn't right!

[gasp]

Helck, don't do it!

[expl*si*n booming]

[Helck gasps]

[Vermilio]

There was only one thing

he needed to hear from me.

[fire crackling]

Anne?

We all need to hear it.

Let's save the humans.

[Helck gasping]

I'm talking about your friends,

the ones you care for most.

The irreplaceable

people you love!

[hopeful music]

So giving up isn't an option!

I know it may seem pretty

hopeless right now,

but look what happened.

You were able to hold a

conversation with Edil, right?

And you just shared

a hug with Alicia!

They're not gone yet!

Your friends are still

in there somewhere!

There is still hope!

If we've learned anything

from this journey together,

it's that the world is vast

and full of miraculous things!

It is a place with

endless possibilities!

So listen, there must

be a way to save them!

Never give up!

Don't abandon hope!

We're going to stand up, and

fight back, and save the humans!

All the people who

are precious to you!

[Helck] Anne, I

[Vermilio] It's okay.

[Helck gasps]

You are not alone.

[Helck whimpers]

Not anymore.

You've got me now!

[fire crackling]

[Vermilio cackling]

[triumphant music]

This is more like it!

Brace yourselves,

foolish humans!

I'm about to save

the sh*t out of you!

My mind, it's clear.

Nobody controls my actions.

I thought it over,

had a revelation,

then chose this path,

and there isn't a soul alive

who can make me walk it back.

All my hesitation

has disappeared.

That's right, human dummies.

Do you hear me?

I'm about to save

all your asses!

[Vermilio cackling]

The world looks brighter now.

I've been seeing

the world with anger

and hostility and mistrust,

but now I know what to do.

[Great Witch]

Make the right choice.

[heroic music]

[Vermilio] Actually, as a

member of the Elite Lords,

this is probably a big no-no,

but Helck is one of my

dearest friends now.

I won't desert him.

He has carried such

unbearable pain and agony.

Even if we welcomed Helck to

the empire with open arms,

it wouldn't do much

to ease his suffering.

Those wounds are too deep.

Inside, it would always

be the same darkness,

which is why I've

made my decision

to save the humans

and save Helck!

I don't believe

their hopeless future.

They can take that crap

and shove it up their a*s!

Helck may be

convinced otherwise,

but I'm sure as hell not!

I won't stand for it!

I have no way of knowing

if this will work or not.

I only know one thing:

That it's the

right thing to do.

Their mutated bodies,

their shattered psyches can

never be returned to normal.

You offer false hope

with all of your foolish

and thoughtless comments.

You speak poison.

Oh, shut up!

You have no idea

what you have managed

to unleash on the world.

The fact is you don't know

if they can't be

returned to normal.

But guess what?

I've been seeing a lot

of impossible sh*t

happening lately.

So I think I'll come

to my own conclusions,

thank you very much.

The demon lord castle fell

to us in the last battle.

Furthermore, Azudra of

the Four Elite Lords

was defeated and perished.

[Helck grunts]

We have an army

of immortal soldiers.

Our advance on the

empire will never cease.

The longer that you prolong

the w*r by resisting,

the more death and

destruction it brings.

Can you bear the

weight of it all?

You have the nerve to say

that you are going

to save human kind-

Man, this guy does not

know when to shut up.

[Raphaed growls]

[Vermilio] You defeated Azudra?

Look, that would be

impressive if true.

And for the record, he's the

most stubborn b*stard I know.

[Helck gasps]

I've heard it so many

times over and over.

You have no clue how

often somebody tells me

that Azudra is dead.

The first time

I heard he was k*lled

was back when I was

just a little kid.

They told me that he had

somehow overexerted himself

and suddenly passed on.

[sweeping music]

I was just a girl.

It made me very sad.

But no, he wasn't actually dead.

The dummy was alive,

and he's been pulling

the same crap ever since!

One time he popped back to life

immediately after his heart

stopped.

Another time he just showed up

after falling into

a giant ravine.

[Vermilio screaming]

It's not as if his body

is super tough like Helck,

nor does he have any

regenerative powers.

No. That jerk just always

finds a way to return

from the brink

every g*dd*mn time.

You can tell me you

gouged out his heart

and ate it, or chopped

off his big dumb head,

because until I actually

see it with my own two eyes,

I will never believe

Azudra is dead!

I've said it before

and I'll say it again,

he's a stubborn b*stard!

[Azudra groaning]

[spine cracking]

[Azudra screaming]

Ah, he's awake.

Oh, you're alive, My Lord!

Hey, I've got an idea.

We should go and

talk to Azudra.

[Helck] Huh?

[Vermilio] He's been around

a lot longer than I have.

I bet he knows something

that can help save the humans.

[demons cheering]

Thanks, guys. Sorry to

be such a pill. [chuckles]

[Vermilio] He has a big

soft spot for you guys,

so he'll happily share

some goodies with us.

[demon]

Azudra, so glad you're okay!

[Hyura] Could you not

stand so close to me?

[Vermilio]

Don't give me that look.

Azudra's definitely

still alive, trust me.

I mean, he's like

a g*dd*mn c*ck!

[demons weeping]

[Azudra laughing]

[Azudra grunting]

[Ista] Oh no! Lord Azudra!

[Kenros] Whoa!

He just blacked out!

[Hon] Call the medic squad!

[demon] Look at him!

He's spitting up blood

with a smile on his face!

[Hon]

Save his Lordship, please!

[dramatic music]

[Raphaed] Ah, thanks

to her loose tongue,

we now know who

we're dealing with.

[Vermilio] I'm going

to save the humans.

Even if Helck were

to beg me to stop,

I've already set my mind to it.

Oh yes? Fine, then.

[power shimmering]

[fire cracking]

[heavy footsteps]

[powerful music]

[Helck grunts]

[pensive music]

Come now,

you don't really believe

you could save them, do you?

[power crackling]

[ominous music]

Keep this up all you want.

Eventually you'll come to

realize how pointless it is.

[footsteps]

Sorry about that, Helck.

I didn't mean to pull the rug

out from under you like that.

Your words always find

a special way to touch me.

Remember when you told

me I should come live

in the Empire after

this is all over?

That saved me

from a dark place.

It shored up my resolve

to destroy the humans.

I had never felt stronger

about it until that moment,

and yet I felt so hopeless.

What you said to me

changed everything.

All the feelings I had

managed to bury deep down

suddenly came flooding back.

Now I want to save them.

I want to save all my friends.

[Vermilio] Yeah, I know.

We'll save them. No doubt.

[peaceful music]

Okay, today we fight for real.

I'll k*ll you fast and

spare you the suffering.

[Azudra chuckling]

[Helck] Castle Shin?

[Vermilio] Yes, it's

a Demon Lord castle.

even further south

than Castle Thor,

we might be able to meet

up with Azudra there.

Kushiki, go relay

the plan to everyone

who fled when the

base was attacked.

Yes, ma'am. I do have one

question for you, though.

[Vermilio] What is it?

Will that bird friend

of yours be able

to handle the toxin

of the demon realm?

Uh, just so you know,

I'm not actually a bird!

Oh yeah, right. I had totally

forgotten all about Piwi.

What, what?!

Don't worry, I'll go to

Castle Shin ahead of you all

and have them prep carriages

that are equipped

with quasi-barriers.

Harpey will come with you.

I have experience.

[Vermilio] Sounds good.

Let's get to it, everyone!

- [Roufe] Yes, ma'am.

- [Harpey] Okie dokies!

[Piwi] Cheep!

The Search and Rescue leader

Thundabar has returned, my Lord.

He's back?

Did he find anything?

Ah, per his report, Lord

[triumphant music]

Lady Vermilio has

been safely found!

That's just wonderful!

[gurgling]

It's true. As you expected,

she was still with Helck.

She apparently had no

special wounds or fatigue

and was making her way

to the human castle.

So now she's at

the base camp?

[Ista] No, she's

headed for Castle Shin.

Hmm?

Both Roufe and Harpey

have also returned

and brought along

some new information for us.

Our southern base was apparently

discovered by the humans

and then promptly wiped out.

For more details,

you'll have to read this

letter from Lady Vermilio.

[peaceful music]

Hm.

Well, shucks.

[both] Hm?

So that's it, Vermi

Saving the humans?

[Helck] I had no idea there was

another demon castle

to the south.

If you go in a straight line,

it's actually closer

to the human realm

than Castle Thor,

but the terrain there

is pretty rugged

and there's a greater

number of monster spawns.

What's that?

[rumbling]

Hello, Ms. Anne and Mr. Helck!

Hello!

[Vermilio] Ah, so they

attacked Castle Shin too.

Yes, ma'am. Which is why I

also took part in the campaign.

Lord Azudra's strategy

worked absolutely perfectly

and led us to a

major victory!

And what about Azudra?

I heard rumors

he died in battle.

[Rococo] He's covered

in bandages as usual,

but seems to be

doing just fine.

[joyful music]

[Vermilio] See, I told you!

That's always how it

goes with that idiot.

Worrying about him is

just a waste of time.

[Piwi clears throat]

- Hey.

- Hello, there!

Nice to meet you! I'm Rococo!

[Piwi squealing]

[Vermilio] Great, now that we

know for sure, let's get moving!

Salutations! My name's Piwi!

Onward to Castle Shin.

Groovy.

[joyful music]

[ending theme]

[melancholy heroic music]