Finally!
In this episode, Shunpei realizes how useless he is and the owner of the sweets shop plans to close the shop for good. Even if that is the case, he is not falling into despair. This is when Medusa concluded that there is something else that can cause him to fall into despair but what is it?
Aside that Shunpei finally admits how useless he is in this series, I just love that Rinko comforts the guy since she is doing what she can do to be useful for Haruto. This is when he gets pumped up to try and save the sweets shop by doing what he can do best, to try and convince one shop to once again buy sweets from his senior's sweet shop. Though it failed, his determination to try his best to become the best wizard's assistant that he can be inspired his senior to do his best as a sweets maker's apprentice.
Back to his master, he decides to give his apprentice a job in some different shop because he wants to see him improve with his craft and for someone to carry on his legacy. This is something admirable since he wants his apprentice to have a job even though he will not have one at the end. Guess this is just a dedication of a master to foresee his student improve and become a master himself.
While they are busy talking about the master's apprentice, Medusa heard their conversation and plans to send Valkyrie to kill the apprentice. Haruto then fights Medusa and as expected, he is having a hard time fighting a strong Phantom even though he has two Dragon forms in his arsenal. The fight between the two is really amazing, the sword fight between the two is the highlight of the fight and I enjoy every bit of it.
Back to the apprentice, he is doing his best to make the best manju he can make just to show his master that he can carry on his legacy even though the shop will be closed soon. This scene reminded Haruto about how he carries on Shunpei's dream in becoming a wizard. For once, we are reminded why Shunpei is in this series, he wants to be a wizard but he can't become one thanks to Haruto destroying the Phantom inside him when he lose all hope during his story arc.
But this is all interrupted thanks to Valkyrie attacking them. This is where the fun part in this episode begins. During the time the apprentice is holding the manju and Valkyrie wants to destroy the manju then kill the apprentice, we see Wizard try to save the manju the best way possible! I mean, we see him throw some of them and try to catch it while trying his best to evade Valkyrie's attacks! But he failed to catch one manju! Luckily, Shunpei is on the scene and catches the last manju! Finally, he is useful in this series just for once!
Now that the manju is safe, it is time for them to head on the shop that the apprentice's master asked him to go. As for Wizard, he'll fight Valkyrie in Hurricane Dragon. This is when we saw Hurricane Dragon's special, Wizard gains Dragon Wings that grants him the ability to fly! The fight in midair is really fantastic and saw more of Wizard's Ring swapping skills as he used the Small Ring to trap Valkyrie in some railing!
To make matters worse for Valkyrie, Wizard used a combination of his Dragon Wings and the Thunder Ring to create a concentrated lighting storm that defeated Valkyrie! The episode ends with the shop now closed and Haruto finally recognizing Shunpei as his assistant. Hopefully after this, Shunpei becomes more useful in the series and not just that comic relief side character. Lastly, for 13 episodes the Phantoms didn't gain new allies, making them a boring bunch of villains. Hopefully with Wiseman finally making his appearance will kick the series into high gear and make the show interesting again.
