Let's dive into Volume 15 of *Mushoku Tensei*, specifically the much-discussed Turning Point 4. But before we get into that, I'd like to touch on how this volume ties back to the theme of nostalgia, which was established in Volume 14. This theme is explored throughout the story as Rudeus frequently reminisces about past experiences and reconnects with old friends and familiar places. This nostalgic theme reaches its peak with the arrival of an older Rudeus from the future. Like his younger self, he feels a deep sense of nostalgia, but in his case, it's overshadowed by melancholy due to the tragedies he's endured. His timeline was so full of suffering that he can no longer see the past as something beautiful, but rather as the starting point of all his misery. This drives him to protect his present at all costs. It's only towards the end that he manages to break this cycle, finding peace by seeing Roxy and Sylphie one last time, allowing him to finally look back on the past with happiness. At this moment, the story mirrors the old and young Rudeus. The younger Rudeus had just recently learned that Paul might have survived if he hadn’t gone to the Demon Continent, and yet, his experiences with his older self prompted him to transform his regret into an appreciation for what he still has.
The introduction of time travel in this world is handled brilliantly, particularly through the journal that the older Rudeus brings back with him. Typically, stories have two approaches: either they show the bad timeline upfront, so the significance of the character's arrival is immediately understood, or they reveal it later to recontextualize the character’s actions. However, this story takes a more nuanced approach. The journal describes how events would have unfolded after the point of divergence, even though we already know the future has been altered. But because these events logically fit into the current narrative, and they’re presented through the older Rudeus’s narration, we can form an emotional connection to them. This is crucial because these plot threads could very well have emerged naturally from the story itself: Cliff defies his faith to save Roxy and is killed for it; Sylphie leaves Rudeus because he’s consumed by grief over Roxy and is eventually killed alongside Princess Ariel; Zanoba defends Rudeus to the end but is burned alive during an attack; Rudeus can’t forgive Eris, and she spends her days following him around until she finally dies protecting him. All of this leads to Rudeus becoming bitter, drowning his sorrow in alcohol and women, and becoming a powerful yet hollow figure driven by vengeance.
Experiencing these events as readers is incredibly important because it highlights the deep bleakness of what could have been. However, due to his knowdledge of said future, Rudeus is able to forgive Eris and reconcile with her, first through letters and then in person; Roxy’s illness is prevented, keeping both Cliff and Zanoba safe; and Rudeus is able to avoid losing himself as his older self did. Still, the constant fear that things could take a turn for the worse lingers. The story does an impressive job of transferring Rudeus’s anxiety onto the reader, making his desperate decision to confront inflicted on him.
Much of this volume is dedicated to Rudeus’s preparations for his battle with Orsted, with the help of characters who, in the alternate timeline, would have died—Cliff and Zanoba build his armor; Roxy and Sylphie provide emotional support and later heal him on the battlefield; Nanahoshi makes the difficult choice to betray Orsted, understanding that Rudeus’s actions are necessary; and Eris, who has been training to support Rudeus against Orsted, arrives just in time to help him. All these connections and relationships that Rudeus formed, lost, and now preserved culminate in this spectacular fight where Rudeus puts everything on the line—and yet, he loses miserably. The weight of this moment, built up so grandly, makes his despair hit even harder—making Orsted’s decision to lift him up and not only spare his life but also offer protection from the Man God all the more significant.
I do have to say, though, that I wasn’t thrilled about Rudeus getting his old arm back. I’m more of a fan of the GRRM-style approach where visual consequences are lasting, but narratively it makes sense, showing how much the Orsted alliance has altered the course of events. The story feels like a drama where, thanks to Orsted’s intervention, the catastrophe after the climax is avoided, allowing the story to linger in a state of suspense.
Because the entire narrative was so sharply focused on this single moment, the longer denouement afterward feels calming by contrast. Unlike with Roxy, where I had mixed feelings, I think Eris’s integration into the family was handled beautifully: Rudeus has already realized by Volume 13 how much she means to him, and Sylphie even acknowledges it; his older self motivates him to reach out to her, highlighting that their rift was a misunderstanding; Eris is initially overwhelmed by his letter but immediately feels a renewed connection to Rudeus upon learning he’s fighting Orsted; she struggles at first because her personality is so different from Roxy and Sylphie, but they eventually reconnect through swordplay, symbolizing their shared past with Ruijerd.
The massive lore dump from Orsted was also well executed, in my opinion. Usually, I’m not a fan of large info dumps, but because it contrasted so sharply with the narrative's intense build-up, the calmer phase was not only welcome but also managed to make the dialogue between Rudeus and Orsted engaging. It’s here that one thing becomes clear: unlike other works that often have a broader scope, this story has one major theme—fear of loss—and everything in the narrative is tied to it. This becomes especially evident when we learn about Orsted’s backstory and see that he is driven by the same fear of loss as Rudeus, as the Man God killed his father. Meanwhile, the Man God also fears losing his life and thus manipulates Rudeus and fears Orsted. However, unlike the Man God, who exploits Rudeus’s fear, Orsted sees it as a strength and is willing to forgive and trust him because of it. Considering how Orsted was introduced, I’m pleased with how his character has developed, especially since Nanahoshi already hinted that he wasn’t truly evil. This also provides a fitting transition into the next phase of the story, after the fight between them serves as the climax and turning point of the entire narrative arc that has been building since Volume 6, where they first encountered Orsted.
I know I’ve gone on for a while, but I have to say that this section of the story fully deserves the praise it gets. While individual moments might not stand out as much as those in Volumes 7 or 12, the overall dynamic with which this narrative builds to its peak and the way it weaves together so many plot threads while spinning almost as many new ones is truly unique in this series. It was an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to see it animated someday.