Episode 141 (Manga)

Template:Manga Episode Infobox Spirit Road (1) (怪道(1), Kaidō (1)^?) is the 141st numbered episode of the Berserk manga series, written and illustrated by Kentarou Miura.

Summary

Isidro humorously has trouble lifting the heavy Dragon Slayer.

Guts rests on a tree stump, having run for a day and a half straight. At sunset, Isidro is able to find the sleeping warrior, having needed to hitch a ride with some refugees on their way to Albion to keep up. Spotting the Dragon Slayer lying next to Guts, Isidro decides to sneak over and try to lift it by its hilt. Using all the strength he can muster while still remaining quiet, Isidro does not manage to even move the enormous weapon.

Puck's voice rings out from the stump on which Guts is leaning. The elf instructs Isidro on proper sword-lifting techniques. They introduce themselves before Isidro follows Puck's advice, lifting with his back, legs and arms all together. As Isidro positions himself under the now-lifted Dragon Slayer to better support it, Puck jumps on its hilt, and the weight is enough to send the sword crashing back to the ground, trapping Isidro beneath its massive weight.

The noise rouses Guts, who easily lifts the Dragon Slayer off the boy and sheathes it on his back. He asks Isidro why he's been following him, but the boy is too starstruck to answer. Puck suspects Isidro wants to ask Guts to be his apprentice. This prompts the boy to yell that he isn't about to place himself in a position inferior to anybody, a statement which makes Guts smirk.

Guts notices that Isidro has a sword of his own, and asks the boy how many men he's killed. Isidro sheepishly admits that his body count consists of only a couple of people. Guts advises the inexperienced boy not to follow him, but Isidro says that he's free to do what he wants.

Guts and Puck's attention is drawn to the horizon, where dust is being unsettled and is flowing up into the air. As the figures approach, Guts smiles, having never seen anything like it: the usual nightly spirits have taken the bodies of men tied to wooden wheels, and they are spinning on their own towards the Black Swordsman. The sight terrifies Isidro but merely intrigues Guts and Puck, who are now used to the odd forms the spirits may take.

One of the wheel-corpses decides Isidro should be killed along with Guts and rolls towards the frightened boy. Guts effortlessly cuts the both the body and the wheel it's attached to.

Hateful of anything that gets between him and Albion, Guts lets his anger creep in, using it as fuel to swiftly kill the attacking spirits. Puck and Isidro run close behind him.

Guts is much faster than the small boy. He turns his head and sees Isidro being chased by the wheels, and advises the boy get to rocky ground where the wheels can't spin, but Isidro is dead set on following the Black Swordsman on his travels.

Puck reminds the Isidro that he has a sword, which the boy draws. As he runs, he turns towards the nearest spirit and swings with all his might. The blow does nothing to slow the wheel down, and the blade of the sword is broken in half.

Guts pitches the annoying boy off the cliff.

Guts runs back to the now-defenseless boy and saves him from the spirits, which he quickly disposes of.

Briefly safe, Guts picks up Isidro by the back of his shirt and tosses him off a cliff, sending him harmlessly rolling down a hill. Guts looks at the boy one last time before running away, the spirits chasing after him.

Characters in Order of Appearance

• Guts
• Puck
• Isidro