#presages of incarnation

-“When you’re feeling shy it’s time to act domineering.” And thus we have the explanation for Mephy and Naga. I will say that people who are on one extreme of the spectrum can gravitate towards the other before learning how to navigate the middle. If they ever find out how.

-What’s with Gourry asking Lina if she has to go potty? Unless he is so observant he notices her facial expressions when she’s gotta go and when she thought about Dynast it gave her an “oh shit!” moment that he misread? I mean I think realizing they would have to face Dynast would cause most people to shit their pants, so…

-Gourry doesn’t even need to state he’ll follow Lina, it’s just assumed, but he says it anyway.

-Demons are the ultimate put your mind to it beings. That said, Gourry really isn’t interested in the complicated details but the practical bottom line.

-Milgazia panics!

-And we learn that Lina asks questions to distract herself from her terror

-Dynast sees Sherra as a tool and shows that demons feed off each other’s emotions as well, draws a parallel to how he and Greater Beast named their minions which implies that Greater Beast also sees Xellos as a tool. I find it fascinating to think of how demons structure their relationships and it does seem very pragmatic ownership with no affection from the top down and overwhelming loyalty from the bottom up.

-It is interesting that Lina has empathy for Sherra, even as she clarifies it’s not pity for Sherra but anger over what a jerk Dynast is. I wonder if having a name so similar to her sister’s is aggravating to her and she feels for Sherra as a result. And I also think it says a lot about how much Lina cares. Even when she knows that the person in question would kill her without a thought.

-Dynast called Mileena pathetic. This is unforgivable.

-Lina describes Gourry as “defiance born out of sheer foolishness.” They both use his idiocy as a cover for his effectiveness. And there is a nice throwback to her fight to win speech.

-Lina’s comment about buying Gourry’s meals indicates they still have their finances separate.

-And a lovely Gourrina moment at the end!

-This chapter has a slasher movie feel with the demons attacking Lina, Gourry, Luke, Mileena and a group of soldiers in an enclosed area and there being lots of guts and gore. Though the human cost is emphasized a bit more, and the group has to grapple with their desire to help the wounded while also needing to stop the demons at the heart of the plot. Sometimes triage can be a brutal process. Then there’s the horror of having to confront Jade at the end.

-And they do answer the question of what happens if a human attacks a demon with a sword.

-Gourry takes command!

-And Lina sums up her tricks for demon slaying, keep the battle short, strike em unawares, aim for one-hit kills.

-Gourry makes hard things look easy and Luke is jealous.

-And whatever the truth about Gourry’s demon sensing ability is, he picks up on the truth about Sardian when he’s in a different room.

-Magic Sucker. In fan translations I believe it was Sword of Amplification but Magic Sucker def sounds like something Lina would come up with.

-And we see Lina and Gourry get distracted in battle when the other is in danger, with Gourry turning his back on an enemy and Lina stopping her spell casting.

-There are definitely a lot of parallels coming up, with the group having to face Jade echoing what will happen later with Luke. 

-It is worth noting as well that Luke feels a sense of obligation and responsibility for Jade.

-OMG! I loved this chapter so much and had so much fun reading it! For the first time you see Lina team up with good guys who are much stronger than her and the conflicts that results, particularly in the dynamic with her relationship with Mephy. There is also a lot of good world building in this chapter, from information about dragons and elves, to how the first Incarnation War started, to Zanafa armor and chaos words.

-I’m not sure if this has been clarified before, but just in case, it does specify that Milgazia is the leader of the dragons at Dragon’s Peak. We can also deduce that he is at least 1000 years old, likely older, as he provides first hand testimony about the first Incarnation War.

-Also of note, dragon’s lose the need to eat as they get older and absorb ambient energy.

-Elves have good night vision apparently and can see well even on a moonless night.

-Mephy’s full name is given as Memphys Rhinesword. Her nickname is Mephy and she refuses to let Lina call her by her nickname in this chapter. And while not explicitly stated, I do have to wonder if the inferiority complex Lina has with her sister replays in her relationship with Mephy.

-Milgazia gives an overview of what he knows about the history of the Incarnation War, and it is good fanfic fodder as well as things to think about with Dynast and Gaav’s minions currently infiltrating Dils. You also get more of a feel for the Mazoku’s strategy of dividing humanity and diverting their attention from important matters. Finally, it looks like Aqualord Ragradia was specifically targeted.

-Specifies that Hellmaster’s priest had already been destroyed when the war broke out. Xellos then decimated the dragons and weakened the people fighting for the gods. Then Shabby was revived. Gaav fell, then Hellmaster’s general, and then the Aqualord sealed Shabby in ice as he died.

-Talks about the existence of dwarves but Milgazia says their numbers have dwindled and they are unlikely to be much help.

-Specifies that Lina slew Shabby the for the first time two years ago.

-Gourry casually drops the information that they took down Shabby together, causing much surprise with Milgazia, Memphys, Luke and Mileena. Luke is disbelieving and Mileena is all, “I don’t think he’s the type to lie though…” I just loved this scene to pieces.

-So, legit, when I was reading the part when Mephy was freaking out when she learned how Lina had taken down Shabby with a Giga Slave combined with Gorun Nova, “Always a Woman” just happened to be playing, and I could not think of a more perfect song for the moment.

-It’s worth noting that Milgazia is stunned speechless when he learns that Lina had taken down Shabby and how she’d done it, and despite the danger of her methods he still asks her and Gourry for help with the current situation. Perhaps Milgazia, being older than Mephy, is aware that desperate situations calls for desperate measures or perhaps he thinks that since she has been so successful he might as well take the risk. Whatever his reasons, it does say a lot that despite the danger of her methods he still asks her for help.

-Milgazia offers weapons developed by dragons and elves in exchange for their assistance.

-Luke is the one who grumbles about working for free. Mileena glares him into it.

-Lina knows she has to help, but doesn’t want to, which is really indicative of her attitude to trouble after the Hellmaster mess. “I gotta do it. But I don’t wanna…”

-We get some interesting thoughts from Milgazia about the differences between living creatures and demons. He suggests that “living creatures” are more adaptable than demons, as in living creatures grow and mature and develop while demons do not.

-Given how Lina is portrayed in the anime, there is something amusing about Lina being aghast at Mephy’s casual destruction of the inn.

-Gourry mentions he signed the inn logbook, along with Lina, Luke and Mileena (once again this is evidence that Gourry can write, granted, in some societies a person’s name was the only thing they could write). I guess Lina never noticed Luke and Mileena’s last names while perusing a logbook though.

-The first time the demons specifically seem to be looking for Lina.

-Milgazia says that it is unlikely for demons to be motivated by sentimental emotions like a desire for revenge after Gourry suggests they may want revenge for Lina killing Sherra, and Lina agrees.