"Surfacing" is episode 327 of the Berserk manga series.
Synopsis[]
Schierke asks Roderick to maneuver the Seahorse close to the Sea God's corpse, explaining that Guts is both severely weakened and trapped inside it. Serpico points out that since the Sea God spat out copious amounts of blood before it died, then Guts may have also been ejected. Isma's mother, however, informs everyone that Guts is nowhere to be seen in the water.
Then, Isma's mother thanks everyone aboard the Seahorse for helping in the battle against the Sea God, and all of the male humans (and Casca) quickly bow respectfully toward her. Isma's mother then indicates that the Sea God's deflated body is both sinking and oozing blood, which will soon attract sea dragons - Guts must be found soon. Roderick promptly orders a rowboat be lowered onto the water so that the search for the Black Swordsman may begin, and Isma's mother says that the merrow will also help in locating him.
Farnese tells Schierke that she will search for Guts using her luminous body, but the younger witch shoots down the suggestion on the basis that Farnese's bulwark will soon be needed to protect against the coming sea dragons. Schierke attempts to summon her own luminous body instead, but finds she no longer has the strength to do so.
Guts finds himself laying face-up in an unknown, pitch-black location, barely able to feel his own body. He tries to sit up, but his face collides with something fleshy, and he realizes that he is still inside the Sea God's body. He calls out to Schierke using thought transference, but interference from the Sea God blocks the mental connection. Guts simply decides to cut his way through its body until he makes his way out. However, once a single cut is made, a torrent of blood washes over him, and Guts sincerely wonders whether he will die inside the Sea God's corpse.
The flame-child directs Guts out of the Sea God.
Suddenly, a light begins to shine from out of nowhere in front of him. It expands until it completely envelops Guts, and then he sees the flame-child from earlier. It beckons him to move in a certain direction, and Guts obliges.
Roderick, Isidro, Serpico, Puck and Ivalera have entered the Sea God's cavernous mouth in search of Guts, but the light of their lanterns barely manages to illuminate their immediate surroundings. Neither of the elves can even sense Guts' presence. Aboard the Seahorse, Schierke figures out that thought transference will not work in reaching Guts, and Isma reports that the merrow have begun to use their voices to create a sort of ultrasound to locate Guts inside the Sea God's body. So far, they have been unsuccessful.
Serpico yells to Isidro, Roderick and the elves that they must quickly leave the Sea God's mouth. They all pile back into Roderick's rowboat just as the Sea God's body sinks low enough that its mouth is flooded with sea water.
The flame-child leads Guts through the Sea God's corpse. All the while, Guts asks what it is and why it appears whenever he needs its help, but it does not answer. Eventually, it indicates a particular fleshy wall inside the Sea God's body. Guts cuts through it with the Dragon Slayer, and water begins to flood the Sea God's innards. Not strong enough to resist the current, Guts is easily washed away from the hole he made, but several merrow enter it and manage to pull Guts out and bring him to the ocean's surface to safety.
The crew of the Seahorse watch in relief as the merrow ferry Guts back to the ship. The black-haired child also watches intently from beneath Casca's arms.
Appearances[]
- Serpico
- Puck
- Casca
- Isidro
- Farnese
- Schierke
- Ivalera
- Roderick
- Isma
- Magnifico
- Guts
- Isma's mother
- Moonlight boy