Episode 163 (Manga)

Template:Manga Episode Infobox Shadows of Idea (1) (イデアの影(1), Idea no kage (1)^?) is the 163rd numbered episode of the Berserk manga series, written and illustrated by Kentarou Miura.

Summary

Pepe, Fouquet and Lucie notice that the black clouds directly above the Tower of Conviction have begun to part, allowing the sun's rays to beam down onto it. Pepe moves towards the Tower, fearing for Luca's safety, but is held back by Fouquet and Lucie. Suddenly, the three of them hear screams coming from the slums outside the outer walls of Albion. They cannot directly see the horrors occurring within it.

Spirits have possessed several of the refugees, taking control of their bodies. Now with fleshly forms, the spirits set about causing havoc in the slum. Children are killed by their parents, the sane are eaten by the insane, tents are set on fire, and people are chased out of their homes. Those few who are alive and unpossessed believe that the chaos is being caused by heretics and flee towards the Tower of Conviction.

The "festival" that the Skull Knight predicted in full swing.

Guts struggles to his feet. He is covered in bricks, and is located in the palm of the hand created by the Tower of Conviction's rubble. He hears faint screams in the distance. It's only after firmly rising to his feet that he comes to the full realization of what is happening: the tents that make up the slums have been set alight in such a pattern that they form a Brand of Sacrifice that stretches across several hundred feet of the slum. He then hears the spirits slowly approaching up from the foot of the Tower, and becomes aware of the eerie similarities between the situation he finds himself in and the Eclipse.

Azan leads the Holy Iron Chain Knights away from the partially-collapsed Tower, helping the injured away from the danger. He is especially worried about Farnese, whose location is still unknown to him. He suddenly sees the refugees running towards the Tower rather than away, but he soon becomes aware of the fact that the refugees are being attack by their own. Azan notices that the conflict in the heretic cave mirrors what is happening now.

Everyone on the ground is taken aback when they see dark shapes rising from the ground like enormous hills, made up of the emaciated bodies of dead refugees. The mass of spirits slithers forward, ready to attack the Holy Iron Chain Knights, but a fireball from the sky engulfs the lead bulbous mass of bodies, deterring the spirits. Another fireball is sent down to deal with the possessed refugees.

Mozgus, the one who projected the fire, swoops down from the sky with Isidro and Casca on his person and the twin disciples at his sides. Hovering several feet off the ground, Mozgus plucks Isidro off his head and throws the boy into the ruins of the Tower before addressing the knights and refugees below. He assures the scared people below that they will be saved. He points to his own wings and declares them a miracle performed by God, and explains that if the refugees are faithful, God will perform another miracle that will save their lives.

Mozgus brandishes Casca high in the air, announcing his intention to burn her at the stake, professing that her death will make the monsters disappear.