Emilia:"Guts! What's going on?!"
Guts:"Hard to explain. Hey, pipsqueak — deal with that psycho."
Puck:"Got it! Lia, let's trust Guts!"
Emilia:"I… okay."
Puck launched a flurry of ice projectiles. They flew in a wide arc, but Elsa charged straight through, eyes locked on Guts.
Elsa:"I don't know what you're planning, but Guts... I will catch you."
Guts:"Tch… this girl's seriously messed up."
He took a sharp step back and turned to Rom and Felt.
Guts:"Hey, brat. You and the old man — get out of here. I'll handle her."
Felt:"I'm not a brat! I'm fifteen, okay?! Hmph! And I'm not running away!"
A faint smile tugged at Guts' lips. He laid a heavy but gentle hand on her head.
Guts:"I know you're strong. But trust me on this."
Felt (blushing):"I-I…"
She looked away, cheeks burning.
Felt:"Hmph… fine."
Rom:"Let's go. Now!"
He grabbed Felt and made for the exit. But Elsa's gaze snapped toward them.
Elsa:"Not on my watch, little thief."
She leapt — Guts reacted instantly. Three bolts shot from his prosthetic arm. Elsa's blades intercepted them mid-air, forcing her back toward him.
Elsa:"Huh? You can do that too? I'm getting excited!"
Puck:"Hey, I'm still here, you know!"
With a flap of his wings, he released a freezing wave. The mist thickened, condensed — and trapped Elsa in a block of translucent ice.
Emilia:"Did we… get her?"
Puck:"I think we…"
But the ice cracked. A sick light shimmered in the dark. Elsa burst out, blade first, smiling wide, eyes blazing.
She charged.
Guts didn't retreat. He pivoted, blocked her attack, and his short sword sliced deep into Elsa's arm.
Guts (low):"I tried not to go there. But you left me no choice."
Puck (thought):His speed… I couldn't even see it…
But Elsa laughed. A guttural, unhinged laugh. Blood poured from her arm — thick, hot… and she didn't care.
Elsa:"You weren't even going all out? Hahahah! A human this strong… unbelievable!"
Before their eyes, the wound began to close. Slowly. Inhumanly.
Guts (grim):"So... you're not human."
Elsa:"Oh? Not even a little surprised?"
Guts:"I've seen worse."
And it was true.Torturers, starving monsters, possessed children, walking corpses —Guts had seen horror in every form.This woman was just another obstacle.
He had walked through rooms filled with butchered bodies.Seen kids twisted by magic and hate.Been betrayed, sold, violated.And survived.
Emilia:"We can't kill her? Then how…?"
Guts:"Look at her cheek."
Emilia:"The cut… it's still open?"
Guts:"Exactly. My sword cuts deeper than flesh."
Puck:"What?"
He didn't answer.Dragonslayer wasn't a magic weapon.It was just metal — soaked in death.A blade too big, too heavy, too brutal to be graceful.But in his hands, it brought down beasts, men, walls, illusions.
Guts (thought):Her eyes… they're empty. No fear. Just a twisted thrill. Like… she wants to die.
Elsa:"So your sword can kill me? Hmm… Let's find out."
She threw her daggers.
Guts deflected them with a swift motion, but she was already at his flank.Her hands gripped the massive sword's hilt.
Elsa:"Let's see if it's as heavy as it looks…"
Silence.
She clenched her jaw. Nothing moved.
Elsa:"Tch… impossible…"
Guts:"You think you can wield that?"
He placed one hand on the hilt — and with a single motion, hurled her across the room.
She crashed into a shelf and tumbled to the floor.
Elsa:"How can you lift something like that…?"
Guts walked toward her, eyes locked.
Guts:"You can still leave."
Elsa (twisted smile):"Getting soft on me, darling? But I'm not done playing yet."
She sprang again, blade aimed at his throat—
A flash of steel burst forth. Wood exploded on impact. Elsa's blade had struck the flipped table. She stepped back, then chuckled.
Reinhard:
"I believe I arrived just in time."
Guts:
"Huh? You again?"
Reinhard:
"Of course. I remember you."
Guts:
"You followed me?"
Reinhard(smiling):
"We're friends, aren't we?"
Guts:
"You're weird. We talked once."
Reinhard:
"Let's call it… fate."
Guts:
"Delusional."
Reinhard:
"Jokes aside, these two led me here."
He pointed at Felt and Rom, who had just reappeared through the half-broken door.
Felt:
"Guts! Are you okay?"
She ran to him, worried, eyes wide. Guts shrugged.
Guts:
"Tch… Brat. You did well."
Felt(pouting, blushing):
"I'm not a brat!"
Emilia:
"You know Reinhard?"
Guts:
"In a way."
Reinhard:
"Well then… Looks like you had quite the encounter."
He finally looked at Elsa. She wasn't moving. Standing tall, a crooked smile frozen on her face. No threat in her posture anymore, just a strange, cold tension—almost amused.
Reinhard:
"Miss… you are utterly vile. Many have died because of you. I'm placing you under arrest."
Elsa(sweetly):
"Ara~ Is that so? I suppose I should flee then. Especially if it's you… Reinhard Van Astrea."
Guts(thinking):
She didn't insist against me. She knew the risk... She's dangerous. I respect that.
Elsa laughed softly, dropped her daggers at her feet...
...and leapt through the window in a burst of shattered glass.
Elsa(from afar):
"Guts-chaan~! I'll be back for you~!"
Guts(grumbling):
"Twisted to the core."
Reinhard(sighing):
"What a waste."
Puck(yawning, zigzagging in the air):
"Yaaawn… Lia… bedtime now…"
Emilia(embarrassed):
"Ah, sorry Puck. I kept you up too long."
Reinhard(mildly amused, turning to Guts):
"Quite the fight, huh, Guts?"
Guts(dryly):
"You didn't do anything."
Reinhard(laughing openly):
"Fair enough. Touché."
(He continues more seriously.)
Reinhard:
"So? What will you do now?"
Guts:
"Haven't thought about it. Maybe find a way back home."
Reinhard(tilting his head):
"Your homeland?"
Guts(detached):
"Doesn't matter."
Reinhard:
"You could join the Royal Knights. With your abilities, you could climb high. General… maybe even Grand Marshal."
Guts:
"I refuse."
Reinhard(taken aback):
"What?"
Guts(colder):
"I served a king once. That's enough."
His tone was sharp, final. Reinhard asked no questions. He didn't need to. Guts's voice said more than a thousand tales.
Reinhard(calmly, almost sadly):
"You were young?"
Guts(after a pause):
"Seventeen… eighteen. Don't remember. You forget what isn't worth it."
Emilia(thinking, disturbed):
At that age? Serving a king? But… why?
Reinhard(with a faint smile):
"That's a shame."
(He bows slightly.)
Reinhard:
"You would've made a valuable ally."
Guts:
"Not interested. I'm out."
He turned to leave.
Emilia(hastily calling out):
"Wait! Guts… do you… do you want to come with me? To my home?"
Guts(stopping abruptly):
"Huh?"
Emilia:
"You helped me. Twice. I… I want to thank you."
He stared at her. A second of suspended silence. He didn't like this. Debts, invitations, those insistent smiles. But in her eyes, there was that flame. No pity—just clumsy pride.
Guts(sighing, resigned):
"Alright."
Emilia(blushing hard):
"O-Okay! I mean… great!"
At that moment, Felt walked over quietly and held out the dragon insignia.
Felt(awkwardly):
"Uhh… Sorry. I stole it."
Emilia(surprised):
"Thank you…"
But the insignia suddenly turned a glowing crimson red.
Reinhard(serious, alarmed):
"Wait…"
He dashed to Felt and gently grabbed her wrist.
Reinhard:
"I'm sorry… but I have to take her with me."
Felt(struggling):
"H-Hey! Let go of me!"
Reinhard(sincerely regretful):
"My apologies, Miss Felt."
He pressed two fingers to her forehead. She fainted instantly.
Guts(low, tense):
"That's knighthood?"
He stepped forward, but Reinhard raised a hand.
Reinhard(calm but firm):
"I know. It's not ideal. But this concerns my family."
Guts(growling):
"Nobles… always the same."
(He watches him leave.)
Guts:
"Don't hurt her."
Reinhard nodded, then vanished into the shadows, Felt in his arms.
Silence returned.
Only the two of them remained.
Emilia turned to Guts, a soft, genuine smile on her lips.
Emilia(gently):
"Umm… Guts…"
Guts:
"Hm?"
Emilia(gratefully):
"Thank you."
He didn't answer. Just a glance, a nod.
Maybe the start of another nightmare.
Or maybe… a place to sleep, just for a while.
Author's Note :As for my thoughts on Arc 1 — I intentionally kept it simple, even minimalistic, both in dialogue and description. It was a deliberate choice. Personally, I don't think it's the most compelling arc for a character like Guts. For him, it's more like a minor side quest than anything truly significant.
Also, let's not forget: these are Guts' very first hours in this world. That's why things are still stripped down, almost raw. He doesn't know the rules, the stakes, or the people. The tone reflects that. The simplicity isn't a flaw — it's part of the immersion.
But don't worry — starting from the end of Arc 2 and especially throughout Arc 3, you'll start to see real change in the Black Swordsman. If you're unsure about continuing because Arc 1 felt too basic, that's completely understandable. Just know it's meant to serve as an introduction. The story gradually evolves and reaches a different level as it moves forward.
That's all I wanted to say. Thanks for reading!