Monsters called Nemesis bring disaster.
The only ones who can fight these dangerous foes are the sorcerers.
However, the sorcerers are considered tainted beings and feared by most.
Well, come on!
Aren't you gonna fight back, boy?!
Things will only get worse if all you do is run away!
This kind of training is just insane!
Cauldron Crash!
Good grief.
This is gonna take a long time.
The Beast of the Underground Water System -Monster-
"The Beast of the Underground Water System."
My name is Doc.
I'm a researcher here in the town of Artemis.
An elegant afternoon for me
always starts with a cup of coffee at this café.
Glance...
Oh, my beloved Miss Melba!
Your hair is darker than squid-ink pasta,
your lips redder than marinated octopus!
For me, these are irreplaceable moments of peace—
I'm starving!
I'm hungry, too!
Melba, bring me lots of bread and some milk!
I'd like an iced coffee!
Sure!
Seth, have you been training with Yaga again?
That old guy's training is insane.
You work hard every day, don't you?
Well, yeah. I've gotta get strong as fast as I can!
M-My peaceful life...
As your friend, I'm rooting for you!
Here you go.
All right! Doc, wanna join us?
I bet it'll taste even better if we all share it!
Let me be! I'd rather be alone!
Shoo, shoo!
Aw, come on. You shouldn't be like that with your buddies.
Who are you calling your buddy?!
I'll have you know I've never once thought of you two that way!
Oh, you won't be eating anything, then?
Then would you like to try my latest coffee instead?
Y-Your latest?
It's gonna taste as weird as her others!
B-But if it means Miss Melba will like me,
there's no escaping it!
O-Of course I'll have some!
Glance...
Smile!
Glance...
Smile, smile, smile!
It...
It's... good.
This is delicious!
What?!
Miss Melba's new recipe is actually good?!
Ah, this mysterious flavor... familiar, yet it feels like a new experience!
It's novel, but not at all bad!
This one's a winner!
I'm glad to hear it!
My life was flipped upside-down when Seth came along,
but I've finally found a tiny bit of happiness!
Yes! This must be a portent that everything's gonna go my way!
And my relationship with Miss Melba will...
Doc, your feet...
Wh-What the heck is this?!
Doc!
What the heck was that?
It looked... sort of squirmy and slimy!
You think it was a Nemesis?!
It's no Nemesis.
Yaga! Don't show up out of nowhere like that!
Y-You scared me!
Amateurs. You can't even tell that from a Nemesis?
Huh?
To tell you the truth,
I know what that creature was.
Ah, here it is.
A creature thought to be near extinction,
combining the features of a squid and an octopus.
They call it the Devil Fish Kraken!
Devil Fish...
Kraken?
A thing like that lives down there?
Indeed.
The underground water system beneath us is where Artemis's sorcerers
dump all the animals used in their experiments and research.
There could be all manner of freakish creatures lurking down there.
But why did that Devil... thing... take Doc?
I-It's not going to eat him, is it?!
Don't worry. It doesn't eat people.
It has a peculiar trait, you see.
It absolutely loves coffee.
Oh, how nice!
So that's why it showed up under our café.
So it was only after the coffee Doc was holding?
Oh, that's all? We don't need to worry, then.
But Doc drinks lots of coffee here every day.
The guy's entire body reeks of coffee all the time.
Exactly, Papa. So it's possible....
That thing might eat him.
Wha—
S-Surely that squid wouldn't...
R-Right! An octopus would never...
It might.
Doc!
A m-monster!
Help!
Wh-Why is this happening to me?!
It's gonna eat me! It's gonna eat me!
Huh?
What now?!
This should definitely lure that thing out!
Yes! A Kettle Coffee special, completed with the help of Miss Melba...
The hyper grande size!
Operation: Save Doc begins!
Honestly, though, I would feel better if Yaga had come with us.
What? You're not going to help us?
No matter how big it is, it's still just an animal.
If you can't handle that, you'll never be able to fight a Nemesis.
Think of this as part of your training, boy.
That's fine by me!
I'll blow that squid-octopus away with my Titan Punch!
And I'll back you up, Seth!
Right!
Here it comes.
I-It was underwater?!
It's bigger than I thought!
Doc!
Are you okay?!
Do I look okay to you?!
Thank goodness! It hasn't eaten him yet!
Yeah! He's still okay for now!
What the heck are you two doing?!
Hurry up and save me before I'm not okay anymore!
We've got this, Doc!
Titan Punch!
Seth!
What kind of wimpy punch was that?!
The monster didn't even feel it!
Its body is too soft and squishy.
Seth...
Our coffee lure!
Hold it!
Meteor—
Would you guys save me already?!
Save me, damn it!
Come on! Save me!
Please!
[Underground Water System at Artemis] Well-maintained waterworks. It has turned into a dungeon where horrible monsters hang around.
Really, there's no need to be so on edge.
But, Captain, there's no telling when the horned boy could show up again!
Yes, but nothing good will come of keeping watch all day and night.
Taking breaks as needed is part of the job.
Y-Yes, sir...
A horned sorcerer, eh?
He certainly didn't look as dangerous as General Torque seems to think.
Does that little boy really have that much power?
That darned squid-octopus!
My favorite outfit...
I can't believe my Titan Punch didn't work.
I underestimated that thing just because it's not a Nemesis.
You're right.
That beast is no less troublesome than a Nemesis.
I've gotta learn how to use stronger magic, and fast.
Yes, but if you strike from far away, your magic could hit Doc.
Oh, I know!
Why don't we set a trap to stop it from moving around first?
That could work!
As an Ambush Hunter, I have a great idea!
These are traps I use to catch Nemesis!
Wow! With all these, we should be able to get somewhere!
We'll get Doc out of there this time!
Yeah!
Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! What are all these for?!
D-Doc!
Why did they only trap Doc?!
That's amazing, Doc! You have such talent!
This is no time for compliments!
In that case, we'll have to catch that thing along with Doc!
You're gonna net them, huh?
It's basically seafood, after all!
Good point!
I'm dizzy!
My head is spinning!
Doc!
I've been saving this one for last!
An arrow with sleeping potion at the tip!
Once it's asleep, we can take it out easily!
It's just like any other wild animal!
Why?
Why are you the one getting caught in all the traps, damn it?!
Seems that you didn't have any luck.
Quit showing up out of nowhere.
You scared me.
Well? Want to keep trying?
What are you talking about?
I'm asking if you want to just give up now.
How can you say that?! You expect me to leave Doc to die?!
Seth...
It's not easy to fight a wild animal on its home turf.
An Ambush Hunter like you should know that well.
Well...
Besides, I told you that the underground water system is full of many dangers.
Who knows what will happen to you if you get in too deep?
There's nothing to think about.
I'm still going in there to save Doc.
Oh? So you think you can beat that thing?
That doesn't matter.
Doc is a friend.
I don't need a reason to help a friend.
Seth...
You're right!
No matter how driven you are, if you use brute force,
it'll just be a repeat of the same thing.
Still...
Now, now. If you don't have any ideas,
why don't you try refreshing with my special blend?
Uh, right now isn't really...
Thanks, but no thanks...
Oh, really?
Yaga...
It may be sink or swim, but I've got an idea!
Seth, here it comes!
Doc!
After all you've put me through, you're back again?
Just leave me alone already!
Hey! How can you say that, Doc?
Even if I go back to town, Miss Melba won't give me the time of day.
I'll never have peace. My life is one disaster after another.
So I might as well stay here and live out my life with this thing!
What?!
B-But it might eat you!
This guy wouldn't do that!
Since we both love coffee,
it thinks of me as an equal!
Right, Devi?
He named it?!
I can't believe it! Doc actually made a friend?!
On the other hand, Seth,
being around you never means anything good for me!
I don't want your help anymore!
If that's how you feel, fine!
You can cut ties with me after I save you, if you want!
Melie! Boobrie!
Wha—
What the heck are you doing?!
If you do that, he really will eat you!
D-Don't, Devi!
S-Seth...
It's all right.
This was Seth's plan.
What are you saying?! Seth just got eaten!
What? What's wrong, Devi?
Tabasco, black pepper, red pepper...
That coffee was made with all the hardest-hitting ingredients!
It's Miss Melba's extra special blend!
Wh-What?! Just thinking about that makes me...
Seth! Are you okay?
Yeah... I thought I was a goner, though.
That's Miss Melba's special blend for you.
It's coffee!
All right! Do it, Melie!
Leave it to me!
Wha—
Now!
Gravem Carserem!
It's a gravity-based trap that can catch Nemesis!
You won't get away now!
Titan Punch!
It still wants to fight?
W-Wait!
D-Don't...
Don't hurt Devi!
We haven't known each other long, but we've shared our love for coffee!
We're friends!
Devi!
Okay!
In that case...
That makes him my friend, too.
S-Seth...
Or do you want to cut ties with me?
H-Honestly... I can't believe you.
Could you be any more reckless?
My name is Doc.
Once again, my elegant afternoon
starts with a cup of coffee at this café.
A moment's peace...
This bread is so good!
is far from me!
It is!
What's wrong, Doc? Want some?
Nah, I'm fine.
But I suppose this isn't so bad every once in a while.
You really did an amazing job yesterday, Seth.
But without your help, my Titan Punch couldn't have done a thing.
I have to get stronger.
Good grief.
Yaga!
You scared me!
Have you realized just how weak you are, boy?
Yaga, give me more training!
I intended to anyway.
Don't throw in the towel yet.
Yeah! You got it!
It looks as though you're all having fun.
Miss Melba!
I-I didn't get a chance to say it yesterday,
but this coffee is the best I've ever had!
Oh! Really?
W-Well...
I'd be so happy if I could, um...
l-live with someone who made coffee like this.
N-Nothing could be better.
You really like it that much?
Hear that, Papa?
Huh?
What... did you just...
Oh, we didn't tell you?
I made that coffee.
I see, I see!
In that case, instead of my daughter, I'll be making all your coffee from now on!
Seems that you two are friends now!
It's a pleasure.
Why did this happen?!
To Be Continued
Next Time
Seth rapidly gains more magic power, soon excelling at it.
Yaga admonishes him by prohibiting the use of magic.
Meanwhile, the Bravery Quartet approaches Artemis.
Can Seth stop them and save the city without access to his magic?
Next time on Radiant, "Proof of Strength."
Proof of Strength -Progress-
End