Anime Episode 02

"A First Job, a Girl's Wish, and an Approaching Shadow" (初仕事、少女の願いと忍び寄る影) is the 2nd episode of the "Skeleton Knight in Another World" Anime adaptation.

''Arc begins his days an adventurer-for-hire, but in spite of his fearsome strength, he still needs to keep a low profile. Luckily, he finds the perfect inaugural quest for his inconspicuous new life... or does he?''

Summary


A single mother named Seona works hard for her two children, Marca and Helina, she heads to the field every morning as the sun rises. Wanting to help their mother, Marca writes a job request asking for help. Eventually, Arc accepts the job which entails protecting someone as they collect herbs. He arrives at the job destination called Rata Village and the village's gatekeeper directs him to Seona's home. Arriving at the location, both Marca and her sister Helina were eating breakfast when Arc knocks on the door and Marca answers it. Immediately bewildered by the large presence of Arc, who informs her that he accepted their job posting from the Mercenary Guild. A brief flashback shows an interaction between the guild receptionist and Arc about the job and the receptionist suggests Arc be gentle with the client. Back in the present, Arc is served tea and Marca politely asks if they can start immediately, to which, Arc accepts and thus Marca prepares herself for the work ahead.

En route to their destination, Arc mentions that the job details mentioned Fanged Boars have appeared around the village necessitating protection. Hence, Arc asks why Marca is trying to complete this mission so quickly and Marca confesses that her mother would be coming home soon and disapprove of what they're doing. She also asks that Arc keep this information from her mother and goes on to reveal that her father passed away the previous year and that her mother had been raising them by herself. Her mother took it upon herself to take up her father's job to collect herbs and Marca wants to make her mom happy. The confession impresses and moves Arc's heart and is resolved to help Marca with her task to collect herbs.



In the fields where some herbs called Cocora are located, Marca gives Arc a lesson about the plant which impresses Arc with how knowledgeable she is. Marca then suggests they head to the nearby Kobumi Tree, but some shaking in the bushes alerts him and upon investigating it finds a wounded green multi-tailed monster. It bites Arc's finger when he extends a hand and so Arc then uses Healing Magic on it to allow it to heal from its wound. Elated the monster gleefully scurries around Arc and decides to follow him. Marca suggests that Arc name the creature and after a bit of a naming session, Arc decides the name of Ponta.

Back in the village, a hunter is distraught by something he saw in the forest that wasn't the usual Fanged Boar that would be normally encountered in the forest. As it so happens, Seona arrives back in the village and hears from the gatekeeper that Marca left for the forest earlier that morning with a knight. Returning to Arc's group, they find the Kobumi tree in full bloom, and the moment Marca approaches the tree a Giant Basilisk appears from behind it. Noticing Ponta's upset behavior toward the beast, Arc deduces that the one responsible for injuring her was the monster. Before the Basilisk could stomp on Marca, Arc briskly pulls her out of the way and then avoids its poison fog breath attacks. Analyzing the Basilisk's attacks, while defending against its paralyzing claws and whip-like tongue, Arc then uses his Holy Shield of Teutates to defend against a petrification attack. After this, Arc uses his Judgement attack that slices the monster in half thereby defeating it. Happy that the monster was defeated, Marca notes that the villagers will celebrate the monster's death, but Arc requests that it be kept a secret, and Marca understands. Arc then notices a ring around the monster's right ankle that disappears moments after it was spotted. It's deduced by Arc that the Fanged Boars that appeared close by the village were drawn there by the Basilisk. As it so happens, one appears before them and Arc slays it and presents it as a gift to the village, but notes he'd take the boar's fangs and Rune Stone as payment. He also intends that the hide be tanned and given to Marca and the meat would be divided among the villagers. Marca then reunites with her mother Seona who embraces her daughter and Arc formally apologizes to Seona for recklessly allowing her daughter to go into the forest. The village gatekeeper and hunter then approach Arc and ask him if he ran into the monster that was wreaking havoc in the forest, but he denies it as does Marca.



By dusk, Arc and Ponta get ready to leave and Arc is given a circlet of flowers by Helina. Later that night within the forest, a large group of soldiers slay a Giant Basilisk of their own. The leader is given a status report of the total number of deceased and injured soldiers by his subordinate and about how a single person managed to slay a Giant Basilisk by themself. Amazed by this feat, the leader surmises that the one who slew it must be either a god or devil. Meanwhile, Arc enjoys himself in his room with Ponta and considers taking on a more challenging quest the next day.

Characters in Order of Appearance
Characters in italics debuted here.
 * Seona
 * Marca
 * Helina
 * Arc
 * Ponta

Trivia

 * In both Light Novel & Manga, Arc rescues Ponta from a bandit hideout, unlike the Anime were it was injured by the Giant Basilisk and came across Arc & Marca.