Made in Abyss Chapter 038

The Challengers is the thirty-eighth chapter of the Made in Abyss manga series.

Synopsis
The lower half of Bondrewd's body is destroyed. Nanachi tries to aid Reg's injuries, but he tells her to take care of Riko, and after sniffing Nanachi's fur, calms down and falls asleep. After seeing Riko is still crying, Nanachi checks on Bondrewd, who is still alive. He is impressed that Riko was able to fire the Incinerator from Reg's detached arm. Nanachi says that he has no more Umbra Hands that can fight or capture them and swears that they will destroy Zoaholic and all of his equipment, so his dream will end here. Bondrewd responds by saying that battling against Nanachi and their friends brought him unparalleled joy, and for them to venture forward is his new dream. He wishes her a journey filled with "curses and blessings". Bondrewd dies while Nanachi is talking to him.

Reg wakes up to find that Nanachi has dressed his wounds. Nanachi says none of the remaining Umbra Hands have the strength to bother them. Riko is weeping and clutching Prushka's Cartridge. Something within the cartridge reacts, and the contents spill out, an odd object among them. Riko picks it up, and the object reacts, releasing a sound that causes a reaction in Reg. Nanachi recalls that Bondrewd said a Life-Reverberating Stone has the power to draw out the true purposes hidden within Artifacts. Nanachi recognizes that Prushka desired to help Riko in her final moments, and has become her White Whistle. She makes a harness so Riko can wear Prushka's stone around her neck.

Nanachi estimates that Reg has around ten shots left with his Incinerator. As they prepare to leave, with Meinya as a new addition to their team, Bondrewd, now with a damaged helmet, and a group of Umbra Hands come to see them off. Reg questions if they should leave things like this, but Nanachi says they are respecting their leader's will. Team Riko prepares to enter the 6th Layer through the Altar.

Adapted To

 * Made in Abyss Movie 3: Dawn of the Deep Soul

Character Appearances

 * Bondrewd
 * Meinya
 * Nanachi
 * Reg
 * Riko
 * Umbra Hands

Bestiary Indexing

 * Meinastilim

Trivia

 * The words from Bondrewd to the challengers is a poem written by White Whistles, these are Bondrewd's interpretation of that poem.