Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation III ‒ Episode 14
After 62 episodes and an OVA, we finally understand what's going on. The Man-God can see the future and knows that Rudeus' descendants will eventually team up with Orsted and kill him. Numerous times, he's tried to kill Rudeus and Roxy (and I assume Sylphie and Eris as well).
However, he's faced two issues. One is that Rudeus is a wild card (probably due to his isekai nature) and can't be controlled directly. The other is that those with strong fates important to the world are resistant to the Man-God's meddling. So while he still tried to kill Rudeus and those who would become his family, it was always unlikely to succeed. But there is a loophole to this. When a woman is pregnant—when both her life and the life within her are connected—fate's strength is greatly diminished.
This leads us into the unspoken threat of this episode. For the next 9 months (assuming that's how long it takes for Demons), Roxy can be killed. And while he failed with the rat ploy, there's nothing to stop the Man-God from using any of his agents to attack Rudeus again and again in different ways. The Man-God only needs to succeed once, and he's won.
However, if the Man-God were to go all out and lose, it would almost certainly cause Rudeus to be his lifelong enemy—ensuring that those fated to kill him would be very much on board with that idea. This is why the Man-God suggests another possibility: have Rudeus kill Orsted. If Orsted is dead, then the threat to the Man-God is ended just as if Roxy or her child were dead. Moreover, no matter how the fight turns out, the Man-God wins. Either Orsted dies or Rudeus does.
Rudeus, of course, agrees to this. He doesn't particularly like Orsted and would instantly choose the life of his family over the swordsman's. But beyond that, agreeing to the Man-God's plan grants Rudeus what he needs most: time. Every day he's working on hunting down Orsted is another day that Roxy is safe—another day that they can all use to prepare in case things go pear-shaped. Rudeus is basically running out the clock even as he prepares for a likely suicide mission—which brings us to Eris.
While Rudeus had planned on reaching out to Eris regardless—had even written the first page of his letter—he adds the second page to hedge his bets. Rudeus wants as much protection at home as possible—wants everyone possible to be there in case the Man-God tries at Roxy. However, he needs help in his fight against Orsted, and so he cajoles Eris into coming to help him—trusting in his future self's interpretation of Eris and her desires.
And this scene is actually the best part of the episode. Through both the letter and her friend's reactions to it, Eris can see three things: 1) that she messed up by leaving as she did; 2) that, while not the ideal she had hoped for, there is still a place for her in his life and in his heart; and 3) that he needs her.
This final part truly motivates her. He recognizes her hard work—that all the time she has spent training has been worth it. She has succeeded in what she set out to do—to be strong enough to stand by Rudeus' side. And despite the friends and lovers Rudeus has gained in her absence, the person he has chosen to head into danger with is her. The fact that Orsted, the target of her martial obsession, is the man they're going to fight is just the cherry on top of the whole sundae.
And with that, we end this first half of Mushoku Tensei III with Rudeus and Eris' rematch with Orsted looming on the horizon. Of course, before we get there, we'll no doubt have conversations with a loyalty-torn Nanahoshi, Eris meeting the other wives, and numerous unforeseen issues. But to be frank, this is the most excited I've ever been for Mushoku Tensei—and the next cour can't come soon enough.
Rating:
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation III is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
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