Ost Horai (episode)


 * This article is about the anime episode titled "Ost Horai". You may be looking for the character or manga chapter.

Ost Horai (オスト＝ホウライ) is the fifth episode of Season 2 and the thirty of overall episode The Rising of the Shield Hero anime.

Synopsis
Naofumi is met by L’Arc, Glass, and Therese. They’re after the person who broke the Spirit Tortoise’s seal and is                        controlling it. L’Arc proposes teaming up again…

Plot
Ost Horai, the familiar of the Spirit Tortoise, walks along a foggy pathway, stating her duty of collecting souls in order to protect the world from the perilous Waves of Calamity but at the same time questioning its morality and the lack of emotions involved whenever she sees the smiles of others. She suddenly hears a sinister laughter as she sees herself in front of someone. Story returns to present, where the Heroes from the other world - L'Arc, Therese and Glass (the latter has a different haircut and wears adventurer clothes instead of her traditional black mourning kimono) - inside the Tortoise's massive intestines. Naofumi recalls them as Heroes from other world sent to kill the Four Cardinal Heroes, but L'Arc explains that this time they didn't come to fight him - the Scythe Hero changes his usual jovial smile into a serious expression when he reveals they came after the guy who broke the Tortoise's seal.

Naofumi questions why did they come to this world, but Ost, feeling her headache, explains that their target is probably from another world just like themselves. Therese confirms that, and Glass explains the enemy intends to drain for himself the power of Guardian Beasts from several worlds, and that goes against the laws of the world. Since they're all fighting the same enemy, L'Arc suggests a truce and they join forces for the time being, which Naofumi refuses, stating that he won't ally with them just to have to kill them later. The three Vassal Heroes then depart and leave Naofumi's party to keep going. Outside, the Spirit Tortoise shows signs of slowly becoming active again, much to the country leaders's displeasure. Queen Mirellia and Eclair explain that the Shield Hero's party is going to search for and destroy the Tortoise, while the troops will stop the beast's advance, having the Queen herself leading the charge in order to boost morale. Back into the Tortoise's body, Naofumi ponders why someone from Glass's world would be controlling the Guardian Beasts, and also wonders why Glass changed her clothes and hairstyle. Ost starts to remember more things about the mission, and Filo asks where Glass's party went to. Meanwhile, the three Vassal Heroes are heading another way, given how they're under attack of countless Demon Bat and Demon Yeti familiars, hinting that their target is quite close.

Naofumi's party finds a blue Dragon Hourglass, and Ost, now remembering everything, explains the number 7 shown in the Shield's interface shows the number of souls gathered and converted into power by the Spirit Tortoise, and when there are enough souls gathered, the creature will produce a barrier to protect the world against the Waves. L'Arc's party arrives at other point which they believe to be the Tortoise's heart and prepare to destroy it. Back with Naofumi's side, Ost keeps questioning her burden of taking the souls of those who fought alongside her in order to protect the world, but Rishia, Filo and Raphtalia reassure her worth in this fight as legitimate "comrades". Naofumi finds an exit to the outside, but Ost reveals a secret pathway leading to the Tortoise's heart. As they arrive, they hear the sinister laughter of a young man who looks like a stereotypical mad scientist, whom Ost recognises immediately. He introduces himself as Kyo Ethnina, wielder of the Book Vassal Weapon.

Kyo shows himself immune to Ost's gravity magic, implying this is not his real body but rather a mere hologram. Besides mocking Naofumi's "provoke resistance", he also mocks the three Vassal Heroes, who keep destroying fake hearts who regenerate and multiply as they are destroyed. Naofumi demands Kyo to release his control over the Spirit Tortoise and return the stolen souls, and go do that in his own world. Kyo says his job is much easier to do in this world than back in his own world, much to Raphtalia's and Filo's utter disgust. Ost reinforces Naofumi's demand as being what the stolen souls and the Spirit Tortoise itself all expect, but Kyo merely scoffs it and vanishes. The fake heart in front of them conjures a malevolent eye which fires a deadly laser, which is rapidly countered by Naofumi's Meteor Shield - Ost tells that the heart's biological self-defense system has activated. The eye fires another laser, which is again countered by Meteor Shield. Filo launches her own Spiral Strike against the fake heart, and as her attack impacts the target, Ost feels a horrible chest pain but despite Rishia's worries she urges the others to keep attacking. Raphtalia, mourning a lot for Ost, tearfully strikes and destroys the heart. Ost passes out and has a dream in which she finally reunites back with the Tortoise's being and the stolen souls are all restored. Ost wakes up, much to the party's happiness, and explains that the Spirit Tortoise is still alive despite its severed head and destroyed "heart", and is about to completely resurrect, but she conjures a spell opening a hole which leads into the deepest of the beast's organism, and Naofumi's party jump in. Elrasla sees as The Tortoise regenerates its head and roars, restarting the entire war.

Naofumi's party arrives at a brilliant blue room, where Kyo mockingly "greets" them. He then explains this place is the very core of the Spirit Tortoise's being, and Ost is intimately linked to the entire beast herself.

Light Novel & Manga Differences

 * TBA

Trivia

 * The episode title is the same as the epilogue of Volume 7 and Ost Horai Character name.