Bacchus starts narrating things as a flashback starts up of his past over in Mulspelheim. Beyond him lay a vast sky and land, and there he stood in the middle of a hot and dry wind. He had no memories about himself, not a single thing about how he had lived up to this point. He was lost for direction, knowing nothing and having no one to tell him anything. Eventually he decided to take a step, following the wind as his heart told him. It was his own decision, his first memory. That was how his journey began.
Bacchus visited a lot of different towns and met a lot of different people while doing quests for taverns, like Yggdrasia. There were friendly people he had encountered, and then there were not so friendly people that he encountered. One day he heard rumors that the hero had appeared further north, and according to history the hero is the one chosen by the world to defeat the overlord and bring light back to the world. Upon hearing that, Bacchus decided to go to Midgard then.
Bacchus traveled across the ocean he didn't know anything about, and the scent of the sea filled his lungs. As he traveled, he asked himself the same questions he had asked himself countless times. "Why must I be without memories?" Did he lose them all in an accident, or is this punishment for a sin he committed? Perhaps he was like this to begin with? Or was it a fate foisted upon him by someone? But no matter how hard he thought on it, he found no answers. But as he went, he started to believe he wasn't the only one.
Bacchus's old philosophical navel gazing goes further than that. Why are people born as human or not human? Why are people born as male, female, or otherwise? Why are people born loving those like themselves or those unlike themselves? No one truly knows the answer. He is here now, but nothing else is certain. Bacchus reflected on this uncertainty as he made his way to the taverns for adventurers, all to meet the hero who would save the world that anyone would recognize. That was how he met you, the legendary hero who lost their memories like he did. And that was how he joined you in your travels and accomplished many deeds.
Bacchus thought while he held onto the memories and felt each and everything he was sensing in that moment. Maybe even this fateful journey he went on was the machination of some unseen person. But even in this world of uncertainty, there is just one thing that he alone can decide. And that fact in itself is...
Title card pops up, and this chapter is called The World Tree.
Camera tunes back in at the part where Nekros fuses with the overlord's power to become the No Life King as he hammily declares himself. He is the one opposed to the hero, the one set up as the overlord by the world. He is the one who devours life and memories, now behold the enemy of all life!
Narration talks about how Nekros is calling out his speech to the heavens, and that the rock that was knocked out of Horus's eye changed shape to its original host. Bacchus repeats the part Nekros said about eating memories before calling to you, standing in front of you as if to protect you from Nekros's threats. Nekros goes on to command people to respect him as the one lifeless king of the underworld, then commands the dead to rise up as his minions.
Mummies and other undead are summoned, and Sol is shocked by this as he starts to point out the obvious about who Nekros must be. Yuuji finishes his sentence by asking if Nekros is the overlord that's supposed to fight the hero. Yuuji then attempts to deny this since Nekros had earlier said that he wasn't. Nekros acknowledges that he said that, saying it was correct at the time, but now he's returned to being an overlord now. Yuuji is in disbelief as he parrots that part, and Nekros says it's true as he looks at the unconscious Horus's coffin he lugs around.
Nekros explains that the seat of the king of the underworld here in Yggdrasil was taken by Horus. Only one person can have a particular set of a class and power, and if one set is not being held then the original holder has to fill it in. In this case, since Nekros regained his power, he's now bound to fulfill the role of overlord that comes with it.
Yuuji tries to stop things as he asks why they have to fight, so Nekros tells him it's because that's what the world says. Yuuji protests that as the plot of some game and how dumb a reason it is to fight. Orgus speaks up to deny that and is about to explain further when Nekros takes the expositioning over. Being the overlord means that he causes death just by existing, and everyone is going to die if the hero doesn't destroy them. Everything is preestablished, and the battle between hero and overlord is inevitable. Yuuji is unable to come up with anything to say.
Nekros tells the party that to the continent to the south, there's a place known as the Gate of Hel (or just gate of the underworld) over in Mulspelheim. That is where his battle with you all will be, and he says he'll wait for you there. Yuuji begs Nekros to answer one other question, which is whether or not Nekros felt anything about the adventures he shared with everyone earlier.
Nekros says the adventures were truly enjoyable for him, one nigh irreplaceable with anyone else. Yuuji is about to make another appeal based on that, but Nekros cuts across him to say it's precisely because of this that he has to stand against him. He was wished to be this way, and he has to stand against him at the end of his adventure. One more thing he whispers...he can't abide that there's someone else inside Yuuji as he looks past his eyes with a gaze of complicated emotions.
You react in shock at Nekros alluding to you, and Nekros goes on to say that fact is more than enough reason for him to become the overlord again. Yuuji tries to ask for more explanation about this other person inside himself, and Bacchus stays quiet. Nekros declares he's told you guys all he needed to say, so he'll wait for the four of you at the Gate of Hel. If you won't go or if you want war, then he threatens the possibility of despair and disaster striking the whole world. Don't take too long because he might get sick of waiting, got that?
The Sage's Tower suddenly disappears, leaving everyone to fall to the ground. When the party regains their senses, they're left in the desert with no sign the tower was ever there.
Time skips a bit as narration says the surrounding nations and the Church have been informed of the overlord's revival. Nekros has already begun his attack on the world as the dead from graveyards and battlefields have come alive and are surrounding various countries. They haven't made any moves yet, but war could break out at any moment. All the knight corps are on edge glaring out and unable to move, and while that's happening the party is looking for a boat to head south. On the way they hand over their broken things to a smith before going to the port town.
Over at the port town Herbalgri(?), a sailor who was working on maintenance on the bottom of his boat jumps out of the water to talk to the party. This turns out to be Aegir, and he mentions being told about them wanting to go to the south. He's also amused by how gutsy the party is since most everyone else would be on edge from nerves at the state of the world, then introduces himself as a saior who controls the seas of Yggdrasil. He comments on the seas getting rough lately before adding that he's also a treasure hunter.
Time skips a bit later to where the boat is attacked by monsters en route, though Orgus and Sol easily beat them back. Once the monsters run off, Sol comments that the sea monsters seemed to be on a rampage. Orgus agrees, adds that they seem to specifically be targeting the party, and wonders if this is due to the No Life King's revival. Sol doesn't say anything in response.
You and Bacchus walk over, reporting that you've repelled the monsters that showed up at the back of the ship. Sol thanks him and observes that nothing else seems to be around at the moment. Orgus suggests getting some rest, though you can't let your guards down too much at present. Yuuji is quiet, so Sol repeats the suggestion to him that he rest for a bit. He agrees, though somewhat distractedly before walking off.
Bacchus turns to Sol and Orgus, apologizing for the forward question then asking why neither of them told Valinor and the Church about him. Silence passes between them all for a moment, and Bacchus talks about not having any memories or noticing he was carting the overlord around. He can't even provide any proof for his innocence. Sol says he did tell the Church that the overlord can revive and control the dead, and Bacchus says based on that it's possible that means he's not alive himself. He could fall under the overlord's control and attack the party at any time. They have no reason to trust him, so why?
Sol and Orgus look at each other, and Orgus is the one who goes first. He says that Nekros told the four of you to come, so it might be a bad idea to not comply with that. There's no one like Bacchus in terms of skills in Valinor's knights, and he's not foolish enough to waste any bit of potential help in the battle against the overlord. That's his answer first off.
Sol goes next, saying he feels that Yuuji has become majorly shaken by the fact that Nekros has become an enemy, which might be made even worse with his amnesia. Sol guesses that if Bacchus were lost too, Yuuji would be forever scarred by it. He works for That hero, so that's what he decided upon.
Bacchus nods as this, and Orgus adds that if Bacchus can't be trusted for what's inside him, then the same goes for himself, which he admits with a wry smile and some head scratching. Up until he went on this journey he thought he was more resolved, but now he has doubts about that. Due to that, they fit each other as travel companions. Bacchus seems touched by that.
Sol agrees and says that if judged based on the past, he probably can't be trusted either. But then there's the hero who accepts all of that and trusts him, not based on anything in particular. Because of that, Sol now has a goal to work towards that he wants to do while being his worthless self. He feels now that by doing so he can move past his regrets.
Bacchus thanks the two of them, glad that they trust him even if he can't show anything for it. It's the happiest he's ever been, and he wants to repay them somehow. Orgus is uncomfortable at this and tries to change the subject towards you. Sol agrees that you seem down, and Bacchus tells the two he wants to talk to you for a bit. He asks the two to let him handle things alone.
Scene shifts over to focus on you as Yuuji stares out in silence. Bacchus walks over and asks if it's alright to stand next to him. Yuuji snaps out of his preoccupied funk to say okay, and Bacchus comments on how nice the sea breeze is. Another moment of silence passes before Bacchus decides to jump in and ask if Yuuji is thinking about what Nekros said. Yuuji admits to it, saying he's talked a lot about things with him. But then Nekros declared that they were enemies because he's the hero and Nekros is the overlord.
Yuuji goes on to ask if that's really how it is and if the world thinks this is how it should be. Yuuji wanted to argue against it, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. He knows nothing of this world, and nothing about himself for that matter. It felt like lying if he were to say he was more correct than Nekros, who seems to know everything.
Bacchus starts thinking about Nekros, narrating how he called himself the No Life King and how he said there was someone else inside Yuuji. He brings up the possibility that he was manipulated by Nekros. It's not an idea he can deny, and his feet get heavy and shaky. Back to the conversation, Yuuji asks if they really have no other choice than to fight. If so, then Yuuji is against it to the point that he'd prefer to run away from this world. Sol has already told him about the Summoning Gates, which should be able to return Yuuji back. If he wants to go then it'll be possible, but Yuuji doesn't want to abandon the party either. He hallucinates feeling like his body is splitting apart as he says this.
Bacchus quietly calls Yuuji's name as he pats him on the shoulder. He says Yuuji did good in telling him his feelings, trying to comfort him and calling him a good, strong, and kind boy. Yuuji seems ready to cry at this, and Bacchus suggests he close his eyes and rest a little. Yuuji settles for staring out at sea for a while as Bacchus keeps patting him, and eventually he turns to him with a question.
Yuuji figures Bacchus talking about how nice the wind is is a sign that Bacchus has come this way before, which he asks about. He also asks Bacchus about not having any memories like him. Bacchus replies that he went on a journey because he didn't have any memories, and that he got on a boat before he met the party. He was in Mulspelheim once, and his journey was always by himself. But for some reason, things look different now.
Narration briefly goes into Bacchus's thoughts about how he should have seen this before, but now it looks a lot brighter. He starts talking to you about how his perspective changed during his travels. He feels that there's nothing definite that can be shown to other people. But despite that, there's only one thing that they alone can decide. Bacchus talks about how they feel they are where they are right now, and that alone is proof that they live. The ocean is unchanging, yet it can look different. That is just a change in how your will views the world. Nekros may have declared himself your enemy, and any random schmuck in the world would say Nekros is your enemy. But what does Yuuji think? That's something he can freely decide.
Yuuji thinks on the point as he parrots it back. Bacchus asks if the overlord is his enemy, and if he wants to defeat him as the hero. He's about to say more when he gets interrupted as monsters and undead pop up to attack. As they move forward, someone laughs. Aegir then throws out his NP to blast them all down with a wave that blows them away.
Bacchus thanks Aegir after he catches up to what's happening, and Aegir says he was listening in since he thought your conversation was interesting. He says he understand your feelings and decides to give you some words of advice, though he comments it feels like he's preaching to his old self and that's just uncomfortable. He shrugs and says he's not the type to be ashamed of that though.
Anyways Aegir attacks some other monsters as he gets to his point. A treasure is something you take for yourself, not something that you wait to come to you. When it comes to things you want, you should get in, grab it, and run off. That isn't running away, it's quitting while you're ahead! Aegir says he likes treasures like that jump in and out like that, then laughs as he tells you to stop looking so down. He smiles as he sees a familiar light within Yuuji's eyes.
Bacchus turns to you and says you guys should fight too, and he asks for your hand as he readies his magic. Yuuji grabs his hand, squeezing it before Bacchus does so first. Yuuji gets fired up as he pumps his other fist and looks out into the water, as if grabbing something out of the void as the episode battle starts. A little more story happens after that.
After the battle, the monsters go down and Yuuji tells Bacchus he's going to go where Nekros is while thinking about his voice. No matter what anyone else says about him, Yuuji has things he wants to say to him. Bacchus smiles as he says he'll go with him, adding that's how he feels deep down. After some time later, Aegir points out that the continent of Mulspelheim is visible to everyone, and the episode part ends.
Thanks for the translation
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