Overlord III Episode 08

"A Handful of Hope" (一握りの希望 Hitonigiri no Kibō ) is the eighth episode of the Overlord III adaptation. It was first broadcasted on August 28, 2018.

Summary
In the Sixth Floor Amphitheater, Aura announces Team Foresight, and grandiosely introduces Ainz Ooal Gown, wearing his signature God Level Rings; but he is dressed in a simple robe and trousers while wearing an EXP boosting shackle collar. Albedo follow behind him as his "cornerman" and the two stand before Team Foresight.

At the back of the group, Arche apologizes to her friends as she believes her selfishness and greed lead them to this encounter with Ainz; but they affirm this was a team decision, not her fault. Hekkeran looks over at Ainz, and whispers to his friends there may be a way to talk themselves out of this. Hekkeran takes a cordial posture and apologizes for intruding into the tomb without permission, seeking to ask what recompense Ainz would like for their departure. Ainz, however, compares their presence to that of maggots in food "unwanted and you don't simply let them go" but you can blame the fly for its instinct. As they chose to invade his tomb out of greed. As Hekkeran tries to elaborate their full intent, Ainz stops him there as he doesn't want anymore displeasure from their lies.

Hekkeran asks what if the had permission, and triggers Ainz. Aura looks in concern while Albedo looks in unassuming anger, but Ainz indulges Hekkeran and asks "who" could have given them permission. Hekkeran stalls with minor details of a monster description, looking for some way to escape, but when Ainz plays along then asks what did his "friend" say, promising their safety if they were indeed granted permission to enter. Hekkeran said the "comrade" told him to give 'Ainz' his regards. Ainz immediately knows this to be false as he and his NPCs only know he changed his name upon arriving in the New World. Laughing it off, he tells them the story doesn't hold up. He goes full trigger, raging at them for trampling into the home he and his comrades worked so hard to create, and how Hekkeran tried to lie in the name of his friends right to his face.

The Calming Effect kicks in and Ainz returns to a rational mindset, elaborating that is his feeling, but doesn't blame them for trying as it was to try to survive; and that the anger in him is a selfish reaction to their lie. But, in the role of Overlord, Ainz orders all who can hear him, Aura and Albedo present, to cover their ears. Unheard, Ainz sayshe didn't want to bring them into Nazarick, but it was all a plan by Demiurge. Done complaining, Ainz removes his top robe, ready to fight. Shalltear in the audience stands fangirls over his look, with a hidden Cocytus pulling her down; with Hekkeran momentarily wonder what the sound was. Ainz orders them to uncover their ears, as he holds a High Tier sword & shield combo.

Attacking first, Ainz goes at Hekkeran while Arche & Roberdyck provide Support Magics. Ainz's Passive Skill nullifies their attacks, and he easily counters Hekkeran's attacks around his shield. Arche uses [Flash] to blind Ainz as Rober uses a strength boost on Hekkeran's attack. The assault fails and Ainz still stands ready; he acknowledges that a skilled party with great teamwork has high chances, but decides to "play a different game" with them. Ainz unequips his weapons to be a magic caster; surprising the Workers, as he fought evenly with Hekkeran's Warrior classes. Arche uses her talent to gauge Ainz, finding no magical power within him. Ainz notes this and apologizes as he was wearing a concealing ring to hide his magical output. Upin seeing his true magical potential, Arche vomits from shock. Ainz sees it as her puking by looking at him, but Arche pleads with her friends to run as Ainz is a monster; seeing his magical power as insane. Roberdyck uses [Lion's Heart] to quell her fear, and Arche states that Ainz is something no human can hope to win against.

As they won't attack him, Ainz decides to make a move with [Touch of Undeath], a spell Arche has never heard of. Ainz calmly walks over to them, easily deflecting Imina's arrows; he instantly appears behind Imina to use his Touch, but Hekkeran pushes her out of the way to use a heavy combo of Martial Arts to strike Ainz. Thinking he got him, he stands bemused at Ainz with no damage, who grabs him by the face. Hekkeran then warns Imina he has immunity to slash and strike attacks, which Ainz corrects as any weaker level attacks don't leave damage on him; with Imina calling that a cheat. As the others debate this claim, they think he may have some weakness. Ainz then uses [Paralysis] on Hekkeran, and he thinks his [Touch of Undeath] may be overkill for them. Imina then directs her insults to Hekkeran who should have just abandoned her, but he didn't as he loves her; Ainz calls her out as distasteful for her insults. It is then Imina remembers and tries to bluff Ainz that if they don't return by a certain hour, Momon "The Strongest Man" will come for them. Ainz rebuffs this as he cannot save them from him.

It is then that Roberdyck hands his coin pouch to Arche to flee, to get back to her sisters as the others fight Ainz to buy at least ten seconds for her to run away. Seeing this, Ainz states he thought they would have a more disgraceful exit, but Imina & Rober did so as they are comrades, asking Ainz if his old friends were not the same; he confirms they were. Ainz then recites the saying his friends would say (John 15:13), believing it from the Gospel of Mark but is uncertain. Imina implores Ainz to let Arche go. Ainz lets her go, but orders Shalltear to follow her and when despair consumes her to give Arche a merciful death. Roberdyck then attacks questioning how is that a mercy. Ainz elaborates to him that in Nazarick, death is a mercy of freedom from suffering in life, stunning the Battle Cleric. Imina and Roberdyck then engage Ainz to buy Arche time to escape.

As Arche flies over the forest, her magic runs out and she sits by a tree wishing she had done something to have helped. Looking up, she sees bats flying overhead, and closing her eyes for a second finds Shalltear gazing menacingly over head, asking if they finished their game of tag. She continues to flee with [Fly] only to hit an invisible wall, which Shalltear explains is the border of the Sixth Floor, still underground. Arche asks if their is still a chance at escape, with Shalltear confirming there is none, leading the young mage to fight the vampire in desperation. Shalltear easily disarms her, and in hold Arche close in a lover's embrace, tells her she should be thankful Ainz granted her a merciful painless death. Arche then in her horror sees Shalltear become her True Vampire self to taste her.

Back in the Amphitheater, Imina falls paralyzed while Roberdyck is barely able to move. Ainz commends them, and orders Aura to take Hekkeran & Imina to the Large Hole for Gashokukochuuou to have more nesting room. Aura desperately, but calmly, asks if Mare can do the task instead; Ainz approves it and the Dark Elf goes to compel her brother in her place. Roberdyck, barely able to continue, asks what Ainz plans for him. As he is a Faith Magic Caster, Ainz wants to run experiments on him; including memory alterations to see what would happen if his God is replaced by another, if it will affect his magics. Roberdyck asks why Ainz would do this, and his response is simple: he does not believe he is the only 'chosen one' in the world, and wants to be stronger in the event of battle with another.

In the Throne Room, Ainz commends Albedo for her diligence during the Invasion. Entoma arrives, using a new lip bug having taken Arche's voice, to inform her of Aura and Mare's ready to depart. Albedo asks if Ainz is comfortable with the voice; he is as it was his order Entoma have it. Ainz asks if Entoma made efficient use of the body, which she divided appropriately: Arche's head was given to one of the Silk Hat Demons, the arms divided among the Deadman Struggle, Demiurge took all of her skin, and the rest was given to Grant's children to eat. Ainz is pleased, as the hunter must use all of the capture prey without waste, that is how best to respect the dead. Meanwhile, late at Arche's home, her little sisters Ureirika and Kuuderika are gazing out the window wondering when their big sister will return. With both talking about what they'll do when they move into a new home with their big sister. They continue looking out the window, waiting for Arche's return.

Come morning in the Imperial Palace, Jircniv has a council meeting and learns the Workers were all wiped out; compelling the Emperor to order proper countermeasures should they come into conflict. All while Fluder looks at him, and internally monologues how after six generations of service, he views Jircniv as the most extraordinary of the Emperors he has served in the past, even viewing him as a son. Jircniv calls him out of his blank stare, as he was lost in thought, as he depends on the mystical elder for wisdom in his reign. He asks Fluder if their scapegoat of a noble is ready for his part to begin; Fluder affirms this, as the people immediately in the room know the full truth. Glad to hear this, suddenly everyone is taken by surprise by the landing by a golden dragon with two Dark Elves on its back. When asked, Fluder admits he has never seen that breed of Dragon before. As the Dark Elves get off, Aura makes a proper announcement that the Emperor has sent intruders into Ainz's home, and as Ainz is incensed by this, if nobody takes responsibility then they have orders to destroy the whole Baharuth Empire, starting with the humans in the courtyard. Mare opens a hole in the ground swallowing everyone therein, shocking the Emperor and his guards on the balcony who witnessed the display of power.

Major Events

 * Ainz Ooal Gown defeats Hekkeran, Imina and Roberdyck.
 * Arche tries to escape, but got caught and killed by Shalltear.
 * Entoma Vasilissa Zeta receives her new voice which belonged to Arche.
 * The Invasion of the Great Tomb ends.
 * Aura and Mare riding a dragon arrive at the Imperial Palace.
 * Mare shattered the earth, killing Nazami Enec and Imperial Guards.

In Order of Appearance

 * Hekkeran Termite
 * Roberdyck Goltron
 * Imina
 * Arche Eeb Rile Furt
 * Aura Bella Fiora
 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Albedo
 * Shalltear Bloodfallen
 * Cocytus
 * Entoma Vasilissa Zeta
 * Ureirika
 * Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix
 * Fluder Paradyne
 * Baziwood Peshmel
 * Loune Vermillion
 * Mare Bello Fiore
 * Nazami Enec

New Characters

 * Kuuderika

Skill/Tier Spells

 * Magic Arrow
 * Lesser Dexterity
 * Flash
 * Lesser Strength
 * Lion's Heart
 * Touch of Undeath
 * Paralysis
 * Fly

Martial Arts

 * Twin Blade Strike
 * Limit Breaker
 * Dull Pain
 * Physical Boost
 * Iron Fist

Known Locations

 * Great Tomb of Nazarick
 * Baharuth Empire

Anime Notes

 * There was no discussion between Ainz and Albedo about forming a secret unit to look for the Supreme Beings.