The following contains spoilers for Episode 15 of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon? Season 4, "Ignis (Flame)" now streaming on HIDIVE.
After last week’s tremulous turn of events, the Hestia Familia’s plight was expected to simmer down and give way to a glimmer of hope, yet the unrelenting Babel has turned over all expectations. With the latest episode of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon? finally airing, the fate of the despair-stricken party further unravels, revealing their crippling resolve and hopeless state of affairs.
While Bell and Ryu’s circumstances may not have experienced any changes, the party’s descent into the dungeon’s Deep Floors has surely become a debacle. As they face wave after wave of Irregulars and deep floor monsters, it's become quite obvious that Babel itself wishes to permanently quell this party’s descent. Finding Bors and witnessing his tale of the battle with the unknown monster further struck fear and gloom into the Familia's heart, especially with his revelation of Bell’s demise, yet two iron-willed members of the party shifted the narrative entirely on their own.
Aisha’s Level-Headed Resolve
Without Bell around, the party initially seemed to have lost its direction, as their dependency on Hestia Familia’s Captain left little room for the rest to take control. However, with Bell missing, Aisha Belka has taken over as the de facto captain heading the party, albeit unofficially. With her level-headed resolve and an unbreakable will, Aisha was able to keep the party on the same page under some of the most treacherous of conditions.
Her level-headed demeanor was clearly evident by how she controlled the situation after Bors revealed his account of Bell’s fight with the unknown monster. Upon concluding that Bell must have died after that encounter, gloom and despair took over, with Liliruca spiraling into darkness. Under such chaotic circumstances, Aisha took control of the room, asserting that Bors never saw Bell’s corpse, meaning his survival is highly likely. With this glimmer of hope, the party regained its will to fight, continuing on to search for their lost comrades – a feat that can only be attributed to Aisha’s own pragmatic demeanor.
Welf’s Inner Flame
While Aisha had done her best to dissipate any speck of despair clouding the party, it still wasn’t enough to keep them going, especially with the dungeon’s encroaching wave of monsters. After several unending fights with the Irregulars, the party was forced into a corner, with the possibility of monsters blocking off the only way out entirely. Under such a daunting situation, Welf remembers his previous goddess, Hephaestus, who mentored him to become one of the strongest blacksmiths in all of Orario. He remembers her words, that for a blacksmith to forge a sword, he only needs an ore, a flame, and most importantly – the flame burning within.
Honoring her words, Welf lays out the plan for the party’s survival, urging everyone to put their trust in him. The plan was simple – Welf would forge magic swords for the entire party while the rest protect him at all costs. With the deep floor ore that Welf had previously found, forging swords with immense magic power was a simple task, yet time was the only variable out of his control. With such a daring plan, opposition was bound to surface, yet Aisha’s dominating voice repressed any differing opinions as she put her trust in Welf’s plan. With this being the party’s last hope of survival, the determined blacksmith began forging, all while putting his trust in his comrades to buy him some time.
Ryu’s Mysterious Past
While the episode centered more around the rest of the party’s plight within the dungeon’s deep floors, Ryu and Bell’s unfortunate circumstances were given their due screentime. The episode began with a flashback from Ryu’s past, specifically her time with the Astrea Familia. The flashback hinted towards a horrid event that took place in the dungeon 5 years ago, possibly the same event that wiped out Ryu’s entire familia, leaving her as the sole survivor.
While Ryu slept, Bell was shown facing another Skull Sheep, although this time, the monster retreated instead of attacking the wounded adventurer. Until the party reaches the duo, they have no other choice but to hold out on their own, yet the dungeon’s irregularities have made their survival all the more difficult. It seems that the current state of affairs may trickle down to the next few episodes, leaving Bell and Ryu entrapped within the dungeon’s depths. A few revelations are expected as well, especially in relation to the Astrea Familia’s sudden disappearance 5 years ago. Keeping in mind the episode’s concluding note, fans can surely expect a few surprises in next week’s episode.