Episode XI: Hero's Will, Overlord's Way

☆ 11-2: Rising Fear
☆ 11-3: Crawling Terror

 VIII

Gordon looks about the Netherworld searching for a way to return to Earth. Upon meeting nothing but failure, he then realizes that the Earth Defense Force (EDF) will come for him when he doesn't show up according to schedule. However, Jennifer seems a bit leery of this… The conversation is suddenly interrupted when Etna comes in telling Laharl he has received a challenge. And it's from none other than the Defender of Earth! Strangely, Gordon didn't remember writing the challenge, so the group heads out to the Forest of the Dead to meet this Defender (with Laharl intent on making the new Defender his vassal, much like Gordon) Along the way, Jennifer and Gordon wonder if the challenge could have possibly been written by Kurtis. It is explained that Kurtis is technically a second defender, as he has saved the Earth a few times (though Gordon is still the true Defender of Earth). Laharl notes that it worked out just fine, since Gordon is now 'Slayer of the Netherworld', to which Gordon objects.

Deeper into the forest, the group encounters an old man, who suddenly attacks Gordon. However, Thursday pushes Gordon out of the way and takes the full force of the attack. Gordon, shocked and angry, asks who the man is. When the man instead asks Gordon why he is in the company of the Overlord, the old man is stunned and ashamed to hear that the Defender of Earth is now the Overlord's vassal. When Gordon asks again who the man is, the old man reveals himself to be Don Joaquin, the original Defender of Earth. It is explained by Jennifer that hundreds of years ago, the original defender of earth came to the Netherworld with the intent of slaying the Overlord, but never returned. Laharl guesses that what the group saw was probably the soul of Don Joaquin, since he couldn't rest in peace until he defeated the Overlord. When the group realizes that an old man's soul probably still couldn't defeat Laharl, Flonne suggests that Laharl lose on purpose. Laharl refuses, even when Flonne tries to reason with him.

As the group goes along to try and find Don, Thursday begins to malfunction. The attack he took from Don heavily damaged his memory circuit, and he could lose all his memory if he overheats. To top it off, Jennifer is unable to fix Thursday without the proper equipment, despite having built him at the age of 5. When Gordon tells Thursday he's going to have to sit it out, Thursday objects, telling them that "to lose his memory would be very sad, but to be useless would be even more sad", and that he must fight. Gordon feels touched by it, and allows Thursday to continue to fight. Laharl gladly accepts the challenge from Don Joaquin, despite Flonne trying to interject and stop him. However, Don also summons some zombies to help aid him in battle, and the fight begins.

After the fight is over, Flonne angrily screams at Laharl, wondering why he didn't lose on purpose. Laharl simply shrugs it off as he's a demon, and he would never show any kindness anyway. As Flonne says "You're the worst…", Don interrupts. He says that even though he didn't win, he finally feels at peace, having been able to fight once again as a Defender of Earth, because Laharl fought him with all his strength. At the same time, Thursday begins to overheat. As Jennifer and Gordon try to tell him to save his energy, Thursday thanks them for the memories… then shuts down. Don notes to Gordon how he has such wonderful friends, and that maybe if Don had had friends like that, maybe things would have been different. As his last act as a Defender of Earth, Don fixes Thursday in a flash of white light, and then ascends to heaven, his soul finally at peace. At the same time, Laharl turns back to Flonne, wondering exactly what Flonne had been about to say when she said "You're the worst…". Gordon, Jennifer, and Etna all wonder the same thing. When Flonne hesitates, Thursday calculates the answer. Right before he says the answer, Flonne smashes into him. While Gordon and Jennifer look at Thursday, Laharl and Etna go about teasing Flonne, calling her a 'wicked little angel', and noting that she's even 'worse than a demon'. Flonne whines in denial.

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