Rudeus's brief meeting with his time-travelling future self leaves him struggling to process the terrible suffering that version of him endured. But he might be able to avert those losses in this timeline, if he takes his future self's advice—starting with reaching out to Eris for the first time in years!
Terrific writing, peak fiction. I've never read anything as dark as Rudeus his diary. Just when you think everything will turn out just fine the writer grabs you by the balls before ripping them off clean. Masterpiece!
Spent the entire night reading this Couldn’t put it down Definitely worth the read now that it is all starting to pay off The author’s ability to write action is definitely commendable
The first half was all dread and foreboding. The middle was marvellously action packed. And the last was a fun romp with the cliffhanger hook at the end.
Spoilers ahead *** It truly felt like Rudeus was backed into a corner Also when the hitogami mentioned descendants and fate I felt the resemblance to Ta’veren in the books
The battle was no less awesome then what it was building up to be The resolution even more tremendous for the future direction of the story Although the resolution was a little too neat in a sense. What can I say, lost limbs build character lol. (I’m a horrible person)
My misgivings about Sylhpy’s character growth were further dashed in this book. She definitely now has shown great agency and character. Even more so than the other two. Eris’s entrance was so anime but still so cool.
And that marked the shift towards a more positive outlook The end part was the usual anime-esque harem hijinx But with the resolution that was set in stone from the beginning (Does bring into question Luke and Eris being together in an original timeline sort of sense) And looks like the political machinations are coming to forefront with Ghislaine set to meet with Ariel.
I found Zenith hitting Rudeus to be the most adorable thing in this book
Congratulations, Rifujin... my brain broke. Completely. This story is just... wow! I've been building up certain expectations of where this is going for the last 14 books, I was already plotting who might be our final boss, what was going to happen with all this Man-God business and with Rudeus... and then during the last book a bomb was dropped, one that I wasn't expecting at all. And now this... I honestly don't know what's going to happen now. The story has taken quite a turn. If I could give this book 10 stars I would. This is some seriously good writing, I really can't believe how good of a story this is. And since I need to talk about this, I'm giving fair warning. SPOILERS AHEAD. MAJOR SPOILERS.
All this time Orsted has known far much more than we've been told! Ever since I saw the Man-God I knew he was suspicious as hell, and I've never trusted him one bit, so I'm glad we're all on the same page here, but Orsted was such a surprise. This guy has all the makings of a legendary hero, and if it weren't for his curse, he would be. Can I say how impressed I was with this battle? I mean, Rudeus did get his ass kicked, but he managed to hit Orsted and that was impressive. I was shocked he also ran out of mana because this has never happened before. And then Eris! OMG, this girl is so impressive. I can't believe she forced Orsted into such a tight space. So far this was going great. We had an epic battle, Rudeus was doing it all for his family, he was willing to die. And then Orsted offering a way out, I mean, honest to God I never thought he would do anything other than just go after the kill. But he stopped and decided to talk to them. And he offered a way out! And what does Rudeus do after his old self told him not to? I'm so scared for him now. The Man-God must be pissed. Not that he could hear that particular conversation, but given he can see his own future, I'm sure he knows what's in store and it's not pretty. But the book didn't end there, no. The parts with the family are still cozy moments and I love them, but we had top go and talk to Orsted (who by the way is the most incredible person ever, he's so nice, the poor guy just needs some social interaction) and of course he knows about reincarnation and wasn't even surprised about it... apparently for the whole Dragonfolk this is an everyday ocurrence. This changes so many things.
He escogido este volumen porque es el que más me ha impactado de la serie. Así que en total he tardado [consulta sus notas...] —¿Cómo que me he leído 18 volúmenes de esta novela ligera en una semana!?!??? En fin, que menudo otaco soy, vale, pero hacia años que no me enganchaba de tal manera a algo. Hay mil cosas que me han hecho torcer el morro, pero no he podido parar de leer de la tensión. Me ha gustado muchísimo y me siento sucio, voy a pegarme una ducha a ver si que quito la sensación de weeaboo.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It is a personal preference, but I need to acknowledge that I don't really like time travel as a story telling element and I really don't like over powered villains that can't be beaten by the main character. So, at the start of this book in the series I was somewhat unhappy with the turn the story was taking when the obviously evil bad guy (who the MC saw as untrustworthy since they first met) is shocked to discover that he is indeed evil and manipulative. That said, I did enjoy the big fight the book built up to, and even though the last two chapters were largely exposition, I enjoyed them. Plus the bonus chapter was great. It is nice to see Eris back in the story, and I'm glad Rudy has a new ally he can believe in / work for. I'm looking forward to continuing the series. But, I have to wonder if the author's favorite romance was with Sylphie since her relationship with Rudy received the most attention? Or maybe I am bias because this far that storyline/romance across three of the books has been my favorite.
Peak doesn't even come close to describing this volume. Just... wow! I've read all the way up to volume 19, and yet nothing comes close to this. Fighting, writing, emotion, and just everything about this volume was top tier! A recent fan animation proves my point--reaching millions of views across multiple platforms. If you haven't read it, or are just putting it off, I highly recommend reading it. Although, if you're still in the previous volumes, I can't stress enough how good it gets. The later volumes are amazing as well, especially 17, but it just doesn't come close. Because of that, the later volumes feel lacking or just plain boring, when in reality, a lot happens. For that reason, I recommend getting a break after reading it, going to read another story, or watching something. I immediately jumped to volume 16--granted, it was good--and it felt... okay. That’s not to take away from the later volumes; they're amazing in their own right. It took me a reread to realize that.
An absolute masterpiece! I was completely blown away from the start.
While reading through future Rudeus's diary, i got just as nauseous as him, barely being able to keep reading. I actually just stopped reading at one point for a couple minutes, just to come back and see Rudeus do the same. The diary was intense. Meeting with Hitogami was truly suspenseful these couple of times, which i absolutely loved (although it was hell of a feeling at the time of me reading it). I was sure that the battle with orsted would be a horrible idea, but it actually ended up with the best possible outcome, i would say. I was waiting for the two of them to be on the same side. Also, Fighting God armor unlocked?!? Are they going to build another one, i wonder?
We're sure in for a ride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Masterful storytelling. Hitogami being evil was, I wouldn’t say predictable, more so expected. It was always more of a “when” than an “if”. The way this was all revealed from the end of the previous volume to the beginning of this one was incredible. A story handling time travel elements well is hard, but this book managed that in strides. It turns out, the easy way to pull it off was keeping it simple. Rudeus’ diary was an absolutely revolting read, in the best way possible. The fight against Orsted was wonderfully tense and well written. So far in the story, this felt the most like a “Turning Point”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After events at the end of volume 14 Rudy comes to the conclusion he has only one way to protect his family: kill Orsted. Not that he expects to win, certainly not without a lot of preparations. Things do not go as planned, but that is nothing new. Some great world and character development, especially in regards to Eris, Roxy and Sylhpie. Rudeus has a few eyeroll moments, and some eye openers for himself when he reads the diary. A solid addition to the series.
I think this has surpassed the university arc and has officially taken the spot as the best book in the series so far. Following the great end of book 14 this whole book was just perfect and they finally brought back eris. I couldnt pry my eyes away from this book reading it in 2 days without even noticing the time that passed cause I was so sucked into the story. overall easy 10/10
Good, the alternative timeline is crazy. A seemingly small thing cause another thing to happen which cause another major thing to happen causing Rudeus from the alternative timeline to go down a major down spiral. 10/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
WN - 5.0 on first read. Wow, this volume was insane, I don't think I have ever had such an emotional reaction in my reading journey so far. This is the peak of the series so far, with a rematch for the ages, as well as the return of a beloved character, absolute peak.
I read this book from 7pm until almost 3am could not put it down freaking love this series and can't wait till the next book that's dropping in April. Season 2 of the anime is coming soon too.
I just love d the fight and that Eris was strong enough to keep Rudy alive while in the fight. I just can't wait to see what the man god does to the Greyrat family.
Fue extremadamente interesante la unión de muchos hilos argumentales y la resolución de ciertas preguntas e incógnitas que se habían venido sembrando, tal vez no fue emotivo como otros volúmenes, pero si emocionante.