Necessary Killing ｢
Synopsis[]
The first-class mage exam intensifies as fighting breaks out between the participants - and what's at stake might even be worth killing for.[1]
Plot[]
Übel and Wirbel face off against each other.
During the first stage of the First-Class Mage Exam in the Grobe Basin, Übel faces off against Wirbel and cuts clean through falling trees with magic. As Wirbel defends against her attacks, he deduces that she is using a form of cleaving magic, though he struggles to follow its trajectory and is unable to block all of her attacks, which allows Übel to accrue cuts on his skin. However, Wirbel brings up the weakness of Übel's magic, which is that her range is limited to approximately five meters. Übel confirms Wirbel's deduction and wonders if they will continue fighting with such basic magic, but Wirbel tells her that there is no need.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Fern and Ehre continue to face off, and Ehre internally repeats her remark that Wirbel's magic is devoid of character, underhanded, and focuses on winning, and Übel will likely be killed. As Ehre flies in the sky, Fern begins to cast a saturation attack consisting of a swarm of offensive magic, which forces Ehre to block each individual blast with defensive magic. However, Fern intensifies the speed of her casts, which begins to overwhelm Ehre. Ehre dubs Fern's attack as an absurd feat that she cannot handle, and her defensive magic is pressured inwards as she struggles to keep up with the relentless barrage. Ehre's defense ultimately collapses, and a large blast of mana lights up the forest.
Fern increases the speed of her casts, overwhelming Ehre.
Wirbel casts Sorganeil, which binds Übel with two rings of magic and forces her to fall to her knees. Übel notes that she cannot move, nor can she control her mana, and she concludes that with such a powerful binding spell at his disposal, Wirbel's party could easily catch a Stille, but the spell is useless if his party does not encounter a Stille to begin with. Wirbel explains to her that his magic binds anyone he keeps in his line of sight, and the requirement for his magic to work is that he cannot take his eyes off the target. However, as long as his magic is active, his target will not be able to move, and he can easily kill her now. Übel realizes that despite Wirbel stating that could kill her, Wirbel had actually taken it easy on her party during their earlier ambush, as he could have easily sealed their movements before striking them with offensive magic.
Übel cuts the bridge of Wirbel's nose.
Wirbel dissipates the spell's binding and tells Übel to leave the Stille behind and escape. Übel finds the outcome boring, as she thought she finally had an opponent to fight to the death, but Wirbel's goal was just to extort her for the Stille. However, as she unclips the Stille's cage from her belt, Übel realizes that Wirbel should have easily been able to take the Stille from her while she was immobilized. She subsequently throws the caged Stille into the air, diverting Wirbel's attention, and she closes the distance between them, managing to cut the bridge of Wirbel's nose as he leaps back.
Wirbel immediately recasts Sorganeil, restricting Übel's movement. Unfazed, Übel deduces that Wirbel needs to keep her entire body in view to use Sorganeil, meaning he is unable to use his magic on multiple individuals. Wirbel responds that Übel aimed for his eyes, and Übel points out that it is rational to try to take away the vision of someone who requires sight to cast their magic. Wirbel counters that to settle the fight, Übel could have simply cut off his head. He references other opponents he met on the battlefield who acted similarly to Übel, and with disdain, he indicates that they were all degenerates who enjoyed killing. He then aims his staff at Übel's head, stating that he should kill her on the spot.
Wirbel recounts his experience in the Northern Magic Corps.
Übel bluntly asks if Wirbel has ever even killed women or children before, and Wirbel questions if she thinks he has not. Übel ponders what kind of hell Wirbel has gone through, and Wirbel calls Übel out on trying to buy time, but he decides to respond nonetheless. He tells Übel that the Northern Magic Corps consists of mercenaries that specialize in fighting demons, but in times of need, they are mobilized for wars between nations. As Wirbel recalls child soldiers approaching his line on a battlefield, he adds that sending women and children to war was not uncommon and such is the reality of the north. Übel states that she has heard enough, and for a moment, Wirbel stands motionless while towering over her, prompting Übel to ask if he is going to kill her or not.
Wirbel prepares to kill Übel.
Wirbel continues to hesitate, and Übel tells him that she believes the type of magic a person specializes in speaks greatly of their life and their character. Übel points out that Wirbel's magic, which restrains rather than kills, seems like it was designed to delay death rather than cause it. Wirbel grimaces, and Übel realizes that in answering her questions and joining her in buying time, Wirbel is fulfilling the same purpose of delaying death. She expresses surprise that despite his hands being stained with blood for so long, Wirbel still wishes to be human. Hearing this, Wirbel grins. He confirms Übel's analysis and tells her that his magic gives him time to build the resolve to kill, but also reveals that despite faltering and hesitating, he has never avoided an inevitable kill. With that being said, Wirbel begins to charge offensive magic point blank and tells Übel goodbye.
Fern appears next to Wirbel, aiming her staff at him.
However, before Wirbel can kill Übel, he is interrupted by Fern demanding him to cease while aiming her staff at him. Wirbel pauses, expressing his surprise that Ehre was defeated and inwardly shocked that he did not sense Fern's approach at all. He voices that Fern's aptitude at mana concealment means that she must have been the one who captured her party's Stille. Fern does not respond, and Übel answers that they were just lucky to come across a Stille's nest, and Fern's master had taught her a spell that captures a bird. Übel then tells Wirbel that even though he has a spell that can capture anything, the odds were not in his favor, to which he agrees.
Wirbel asks Fern about what happened to Ehre, and Fern states that she killed her. Wirbel recites the conditions to pass, and he concludes that with a member gone, the eighth party has lost. He lifts his binding spell from Übel, and as he begins walking away, Übel asks why he has not killed her, given that was his original intention. He tells her that killing her would be unnecessary now that he has failed the exam, and he bids farewell. Übel directs her staff at Wirbel, which causes him to pause and tell her that if Übel were to attack him, an unnecessary kill would turn into a necessary kill. Übel lowers her staff, and when Wirbel is out of range, Übel tells Fern that she is a good liar. Fern does not respond, and she instead expresses to Übel that they should go and assist Land. Übel tells her that there is no need, as Land is quite the pretender.
Scharf attacks Land with a swarm of steel petals.
Meanwhile, Land and Scharf fight in a meadow with blooming flowers. Scharf uses his spell, Jubelade, to turn the flower petals into blades of steel, which form an arrow-like swarm that cuts through Land's defensive spell, severely injuring his shoulder. Scharf declares that they have reached a verdict, and Land responds by observing Scharf's magic and deducing he is self-taught, which typically suggests that he is lacking in the fundamentals. Land then describes his own method of fighting, where he always makes sure to wait and see how an opponent fights. He tells Scharf that he has figured out his weakness, so he will be the likely victor.
Land's injured clone vanishes.
Scharf asks how Land intends to beat him, given his injuries, and he declares that if Land does not surrender, he will cut off his head next. Land recognizes that Scharf is not particularly good at detecting mana, and another Land suddenly appears from behind Scharf, catching him off-guard, and grabs his neck with one hand while the original Land fades. A surprised Scharf realizes Land was using illusion magic, but Land corrects him that his magic would be better classified as clone magic. Land proceeds to knock Scharf out with a spell that produces a small electric shock. After Scharf collapses, Land states that he has been using a clone since the beginning of the exam, as he does not trust other people.
Wirbel surveys the aftermath of the battle between Fern and Ehre.
In the forest, Wirbel discovers an unconscious Ehre. Wirbel recalls how Fern claimed she killed Ehre, and he voices his disbelief that Fern lied to him. He wakes up Ehre and scolds her for losing, as she was the top of her class at the Academy of Magic. Ehre tells him that Fern overwhelmed her with the sheer force of ordinary offensive magic, and she says that Wirbel probably does not believe her. Wirbel looks at the destruction of the environment around them, and he states that he does understand. Wirbel wonders why Ehre fought Fern head-on as he knew that it was a match she could have won, however, he recalls Fern's ambush on him as he was facing Übel, and he thinks to himself that she must be quite a monster for defeating Ehre with ordinary offensive magic.
Wirbel tells Ehre that they should regroup with Scharf, but Ehre says that she is unable to walk. In response, he casts a floating spell to levitate her, but Ehre protests and tells him to carry her instead, and an annoyed Wirbel relents. Wirbel and Ehre make their way to Scharf's location, where they find him collapsed and unable to move. Wirbel uses the levitation magic to carry Scharf as he and his party make their way through the forest. Wirbel laments their situation, as with only a few hours until sunset and with two members out of commission, their party has no way to take another party's Stille.
A young Wirbel tries to console his crush.
Ehre tells Wirbel that despite their situation, he still chose to help them. She also questions Wirbel if this kindness is why he fights demons, and she recalls a memory of herself as a young child, where Wirbel arrived to save her and her village from demons. Wirbel tells Ehre that people fight to satisfy their desires, and that in his case, he did it for a girl he liked in his hometown. He recalls how twenty-nine years ago, when he was four or five years old, the rise of demon activity in the Northern Lands led to the girl and her family to flee to the Central Lands. Right before they left, Wirbel declared that he would kill all the demons and that she should return after he is done. Wirbel reflects that he wanted to look cool in front of her and that he does not remember his crush's face or name anymore.
Ehre points out the Stille in the tree.
After hearing Wirbel's story, Ehre gently pokes fun at him, and Wirbel agrees that he was being a fool. Wirbel adds that he will have to return home by boat and laments the fact that he gets seasick. Ehre asks if she should introduce him to her grandfather, who is a first-class mage and could take Wirbel by land, but she abruptly cuts herself off and brings Wirbel's attention to a Stille perched on a tree. Wirbel proceeds to capture the bird with Sorganeil, making it fall to the ground. Wirbel approaches the bird and wonders what the point of all their previous efforts was, and he adds that it took way too long for them to get lucky.
Laufen confronts the second party.
Meanwhile, as Laufen confronts the second party, Denken observes from afar and judges that Frieren is a skilled mage. He also notes that Laufen's magic will not work again after Frieren has already witnessed it once. Laufen proceeds to vanish, surprising Kanne, and Lawine points out that their Stille is suddenly gone, which Frieren confirms. Laufen hides behind a tree while holding the second party's Stille, and she uses her spell once again to escape. Frieren picks up on this action and expresses that Laufen is using an interesting spell.
On a cliff in the Grobe Basin, first-class mage and exam proctor Genau observes the examinees. First-class mage Sense suddenly appears besides him, and she remarks that it is comfortable inside the barrier even during the rain. Genau recalls that Sense is the proctor for the second exam, and Sense responds that Genau has once again become responsible for the deaths of many promising candidates. Genau disregards her concern and points out that promising examinees would not die during the exam, which makes first-class mages all the more valuable.
Sense criticizes Genau for his examination methods.
As a Stille lands on Sense, she criticizes Genau for selecting a target immune to mana detection, as catching one would come down to luck and teams would be forced to battle. Genau tells Sense that luck is a skill in itself, and some examinees managed to catch a Stille without relying on luck. Genau then shares with Sense that sunset is in three hours, meaning that the battles will get more intense. Sense asks him on his thoughts on how many examinees will pass, and Genau estimates that a third will remain. He adds that he believes that Denken will be among those who pass, since he is almost as capable as a first-class mage. Sense claims that Denken is only interested in money and power and concludes that if someone like him is participating now, he must be after the privilege. Genau also voices his uncertainty behind Denken's motivation but decides that he likely has his reasons.
Denken and Richter confront the second party.
In the meantime, Denken and Richter confront the second party. Frieren asks them if Laufen was using Jilwer, which she describes as folk magic originating from a mountain tribe in the Southern Lands, and Denken confirms her guess. Kanne asks about Jilwer, and Lawine explains that it is a high-speed movement spell. Frieren tells the men of the other party that they should have stayed hidden, as Laufen could have simply stolen the Stille and escaped. Denken points out that Laufen is still a novice and has left too many traces of her mana, and he believes that the elf could have tracked her down easily, calling Frieren by her name.
Frieren expresses surprise that he knows who she is, and Denken tells her that her name is famous among his generation and that even though this was his first time seeing her in person, he was sure of her identity the moment he saw her. Kanne wonders about Frieren's reputation to Lawine, and Lawine confirms that Frieren is a legendary mage, but she was unsure until now. Frieren asks why Denken's team chose to confront her directly, even with the knowledge of her identity, as she expected more underhanded tactics.
Denken recalls his time as an Imperial Mage.
Richter comes forward and disagrees, revealing that while Frieren fights Denken, he will kill either Kanne or Lawine. Frieren notes that their strategy makes sense, as the cannot pass if they lose a party member. The two parties prepare to fight, but Denken interrupts and tells Richter that they just need to hold the other party off. Richter states that he expected Denken to be more ruthless as an Imperial Mage who likely eliminated many of his political opponents. Denken thinks back to his time as an Imperial Mage, and he says that he does not think becoming a first-class mage is worth someone's life, which Frieren agrees with, stating that "first-class mage" is simply a title.
Richter describes Serie as a living grimoire.
Richter is astonished at Frieren's claim and questions why she decided to take the exam without knowing about the privilege. He brings up that over half a century ago, Great Mage Serie, the founder of the Continental Magic Association, established the first-class mage rank to seek out the accomplished mages from the war against the Demon King. He adds that as an incentive, Serie began offering a special privilege to those who achieved the rank: she would bestow upon them any single spell that they desired. Richter continues that Serie is a living grimoire who knows nearly every spell known to humanity, and she is the mage that is most closely comparable to the omniscient and omnipotent Goddess. He compares the privilege to granting one's dream, and as a result, first-class mages seem like inhuman monsters. Denken calls this mindset ridiculous, and Richter retorts that Denken is part of the minority that does not care about the privilege.
Richter casts Bargland, separating the two battles.
Richter then signals Denken for them to begin fighting. Richter asks Denken to keep Frieren occupied while he kills the other two members of her party. Denken reminds Richter that he does not need to kill them as they are just kids, and he simply needs to keep them occupied while he defeats Frieren. Richter relents and casts a earth control spell, Bargland, which separates and raises the ground with him, Kanne, and Lawine from Frieren and Denken. Now alone, Frieren and Denken prepare to face off against each other.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Locations in Order of Appearance[]
- Grobe Basin
- Wirbel's hometown in the Northern Frontier (flashback)
- Serie's ancient throne hall
Episode Notes[]
- In the manga, when Wirbel states that he met others that acted similarly to Übel, he recounts a battle against demons. This was not adapted by the anime.
- When Wirbel recalls his time in the Northern Magic Corps while describing to Übel how underhanded tactics are used in wars, the anime includes an extra scene of him putting on a mask.
- The last panel of Chapter 41 in the manga has Wirbel proposing a deal after Fern sneaks up on him as he prepares to kill Übel. This is omitted in the anime adaptation.
- At the end of the fight between Land and Scharf, the anime shows the latter being knocked out with a spell that produces a small electric shock. However, in the manga, Land physically hits Scharf to knock him out.
- In the manga, when Richter describes the privilege granted to first-class mages by Serie, Serie is shown on her throne in a large hall with an individual resembling Genau kneeling before her. The individual kneeling before Serie is not present in the anime.
- When Richter describes the various wishes that could be fulfilled with the privilege granted by Serie, the manga includes visuals related to each desire: gaining wealth, healing illness, and obtaining power.
References[]
- ↑ Crunchyroll: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode 20.
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| Music | The Brave • Sunny • Anytime Anywhere • bliss • Original Soundtrack | |
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