Episode 160 (Manga)

Template:Chapter Omens (脅えし者, Kizashi^?) is the 160th chapter of the Berserk manga series, written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura.

Summary

As Farnese watches Guts continue to fight the wheel-wielding disciple, she comes to the startling realization that her world, which revolves around her religion and in which she feels safe, is always shattered whenever Guts enters the picture. She comes to the conclusion that her faith is an illusion and that the illusion disappears when Guts is around to influence the people and events around her.

The crow-man grabs hold of Guts' neck.

Meanwhile, Guts has gained the upper hand in the fight against the baby-faced disciple, slicing its left wing off. Isidro is raring to join the fight, hoping to help Guts sothat the Black Swordsman will owe him a favor. He is held back by Jerome, who knows that Isidro has no realistic chance of even hurting the pseudo-Apostles.

Mozgus is also eager to fight, psyching himself up to attack the Black Swordsman personally. Before he can, however, he is held back by his crow-man disciple, who urges him to complete his task of burning the witch Casca. Mozgus decides to leave through a gap in the wall with the twin disciples as protection while the crow-man stays behind to fight Guts. It unfolds its massive wings and flaps them in the Black Swordsman's direction, sending dozens of sharp feathers directly at Guts. Despite the storm of feathers preventing him from widening his stance, Guts notices the crow-man's spear collar being thrust towards him, and moves his head out of the way in the nick of time. It's not until it is too late does he notices its next move: it flies above him and wraps its newly-formed talons around his neck.

The Skull Knight appears to kill the Egg-Shaped Apostle and save Luca.

The Egg-Shaped Apostle continues its conversation with Luca. It admits to having to having somewhat influenced the chain of events that are leading up to an as-of-yet unknown pivotal moment, namely by giving power to the goat-man and Mozgus and his disciples, but also states that fate has ordained that the pivotal moment come to pass - by actively granting power, it is only hastening the moment when said pivotal moment will occur, and nobody's actions can stop it. It uses Luca as an example; she was the one who led Casca to St. Albion, and now Casca is heavily embroiled in the horrific events going on in St. Albion. Luca then asks why the Apostle is revealing all of this information. Before it can answer, the Skull Knight dives down into the cave and slashes at it. He misses, only managing to slice the skin-and-bones statue in half.

The Apostle has jumped up and out of the cave, and reflects on the response it would have given Luca had its conversation with her not been interrupted: it simply wanted someone to know its story.

The Skull Knight and Luca happen upon a huge living mass composed of corpses.

The Skull Knight is surprised to see that the Egg-Shaped Apostle still had enough strength to dodge his attack, but soon realizes that fate has ordained that the Egg-Shaped Apostle cannot yet be killed. Luca turns to the Skull Knight and demands to know who he and the monsters he associates with are, but he simply tells her that it's best if she doesn't involve herself in their affairs.

Suddenly, the ground begins to shake. The Skull Knight takes this as his cue to find the Egg-Shaped Apostle's Behelit and swallow it, then grab Luca by the waist and jump out of the mouth of the cave before it collapses. She thanks him for saving her life, but he tells her that her thanking him is premature; they have come face to face with an enormous black figure that uses the bodies of the emaciated refugees to take form.