This was the best team fight I've ever seen. RIP Paul

For anyone interested there is a Drama CD on youtube with subtitels where the last few minutes are pretty much Paul's last toughts. If the next episode doesn't show them I am not sure if they ever will, but I think the VA did a fantastic job and it's really heartbreaking. It seem there are also edit's that just show pauls scene at the end for anyone that doesn't want to listen to the whole thing or search for the specific part.

I have to commend the pacing of this show, because it was not just pacing between action to action, but fast pacing between decisions to commands to action to reaction. It made for an extremely dynamic fight without resorting to the protag taking an entire episode to explain a finishing move.

People need to know something. Rudy couldn't keep up, not mentally, but physically. He doesn't have Battle Aura. The ability to manipulate mana throughout the body. (this hasn't been explained in the anime) Its invisible to the eye, but enhances your strength and reflexes. Fighting without it is like playing a game with input lag. His demon eye closes that gap slightly, but he isn't physically capable of dodging the Hydra's attacks. In return though he has an abundant pool of mana. This was by no means Rudy's fault. Even if you can see an attack coming, it doesn't matter if you can't dodge it. The hydra went off script at around 10% HP. It's headless limbs began attacking everyone including Rudy. Which left Elise preoccupied, and Talhand left to defend Roxy. They had to block it because the scales were as sharp as blades. This left the main last head free to attack Rudy. (Remember, he needed to be point blank to hit it with magic.) If you are incapable of doing something, is that your fault? If you, a normal human were in that scenario, (keep in mind rudy only has the muscles he's built and normal reflexes) would you be able to get out of the way? People now are mistakenly referring to Rudy as a glass cannon. This is not true. By definition, a glass cannon is all firepower with little to no defense. Rudy has impeccable defensive earth magic and control magic with quagmire (giggidy). Rudy would most likely win in a 1v1 in a lot of battles. This was different. He was placed in a situation where he was forced to be defenseless and rely on allies to cover him. The hydra was just too fast. Everyone was caught off guard by its intelligence. Did you expect it to rip off its own neck to regrow heads, or to use its dead limbs as sharp blunt weapons? Probably not, but still the situation was simply unlucky. Rudy was in his worst element. Close range. A knife is still more effective against an undrawn firearm within 5 feet.

Man this episode is just... Bruh Like... - Rudeus lost a limb. - Paul died believing he was a bad father - Paul also did all this, pooled so many resources and effort, just to rescue a vegtable - Healing magic heals the body BUT NOT the mind. So they're literally gonna be forced to take care of a constant reminder of their failure - Technically, Rudeus lost both his parents. - Rudeus caused his father's death, both by disobeying the mangod and by slipping mid-battle - Rudeus is already very mentally weak and breaks easily. So imagine this situation man... - Also, when you think about it, he lost 4 parents now. - ALSO, HE NEEDS TO TELL ALL THIS TO HIS SISTERS, ONE OF WHOM RELIED ON HIM TO SAVE THEM

On fathers day too....

imagine how Norm is gonna respond to the news...

Thanks for not spoiling in the thumbnail

How did she get in there? Rudy had to blow the floor open to get in that room.

Light Spoilers on Zenith's condition if they don't explain it well. What happened to Zenith is not unique. Elinalise also had this happen to her, which is why she knew Zenith was still alive. Your experiences and problems being in a dungeon crystal may vary? I would describe Zenith as now being severely autistic. Close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades.

Spoiler. Zenith will never recover. The exposure to massive amounts of mana for so long has destroyed her bodies motor functions. Her mind is stuck in a permanent magic fog crippling her ability to talk or express emotions ever again. She will have to be taken care of for the rest of her life. She can take in new information but can't react to it. This leaves the question. What was lost was greater than what was gained. Was it worth it? She's basically in a magical coma but awake with no escape. The only plus is that eventually one of roxies kids will have the telepathic magic to directly talk to zenith.