Special Episode 4

Mika Saitō (Assistant Key Animation)

**Immortality and the Three Brothers** is the fourth Special Episode of the Ousama Ranking: Treasure Chest of Courage Special series.

## Summary

A narration regarding Ouken, the former revered Sword King of the Underworld, who became cursed with immortality thanks to his father Satun's research into the subject.

In the past, Satun was delighted to see the birth of his third child, whom he later named Ouken, as his other two children Despa and Desha watched from afar.

Shifting to the future, Ouken spars against his brother Desha who easily defeats him with his magic and is later helped by Despa helps him walk with his shoulder. Ouken laments his lack of power, unlike his older brothers, but Despa consoles him, noting Ouken has his strength.

Time passes, and Satun kills various people while noting it's almost "there". A robed Despa and Ouken would watch a wagon carrying a cage of "criminals" pass by and head into the castle. Furious by the fate of said criminals, Ouken was stopped by Despa, who wanted to try and stop the criminals from being unrightfully executed by their father. Ouken was then scolded by his brother Desha, who called his act short-sighted, yet he was as if not more furious by what their father was committing and vowed to one day change the country.

Eventually, a war erupts against the three brothers and their father, Satun, and his army of Gigantes. Though the tides of battle favor Satun, Ouken and his comrade Fren manage to hold their ground. Besides their efforts, part of Desha's army holds a child Gigantes hostage and uses it to lure a group of Gigantes into a trap that unsettles Desha.

Afterward, Despa rebukes Desha's despicable tactic involving the Gigantes child; however, Ouken notes that he'll become his yes-man anytime.

Confronting their malaised father in the throne room, Ouken plans to slay him, but is stopped by Desha, who does the deed instead. This causes Satun to expel his soul as a dark mist out of his mouth and try and possess Ouken; however, he fails and is ultimately destroyed by Desha's magic.

Sometime after the war, a statue of Desha is shown off, and recalling his brother Despa's words, he smashes its face as Despa watches and leaves to return home. There, he's met by Ouken and Fren, who inform him that they're off to battle again. In light of this, Despa wishes them good luck and sees them off.

Once again battling the Gigantes, Ouken manages to fight and receive not a single scratch from it; however, as he shows Fren, Ouken uncannily has an unnatural magical healing ability. Ouken believed that he now had a superpower, and word of it spread, earning him the title of Sword King. He would also use his new ability to harden his resolve and become cold-hearted and ruthless, hoping to win at all costs despite his peers' worry.

Although he still holds a grudge against Desha, Despa visits his older brother in the throne room to deliver a letter by Ouken's second-in-command Fren to him. The letter concerned Ouken's recent behavior, and the man in question entered the throne room and then displayed his ability to them. From Despa's analysis and the research notes, he found that their father was working on, Ouken had become ageless and immortal. The only cure for Ouken's disease was the head of a demon, but there was no known location of one.

Outside, Ouken saves a young boy from a wagon accident, and because of his unnatural ability, he is displayed to the people who label him a monster by them.

Later, Desha would try and console Ouken over the event; however, he was pleased that he had saved a life. Deciding to retire for the night, Ouken was tormented by a hallucination of his father, which would lead to the castle basement, where a certain armor called out to him.

Wearing the armor, Ouken would kill several Order of the Underworld knights forcing Desha to take action against his possessed brother.

## Staff

Script - Fuka Ishii

Storyboard • Episode Director - Yousuke Hatta

Chief Animation Director - Osamu Murata

Animation Director - Ayaka Ofusa • Hideyuki Arao • Mai Ogawa • Osamu Murata

Assistant Key Animation Director - Mika Saito

## Characters

* Ouken
* Satun
* Desha
* Despa
* Fren