天下制覇

Had to fit in some incest somewhere.

Impressions:

This episode probably should've come about two months ago. In theory, it could've provided some direction and purpose to affairs, but they flubbed even that by only making a personal connection between the antagonist and protagonists at the very last second as the cliffhanger. At least that means there's something actually at stake and an actual boss battle going into the final next week, and I guess they kind of lost to it once, although after beating it fairly effortlessly once too, so that's probably a wash overall. Compared to how most obstacles in this show have been overcome simply by showing up, it's a vast improvement when the story, such that it is, needed it.

However, it was still painfully dragged out, especially the second half and basically everything having to do with his mother. The final boss possessed her to get close to him. Leaving aside that this plan already makes no goddamned sense, was extra convoluted, and did nothing but put the final boss in more danger than she needed to be in, I can't imagine any further point or use for his mother as far as the story is concerned, which makes the ten goddamned minutes it spent on Captain Dull hemming and hawwing over not-her an inexplicable squandering of time. At least any intelligent one, so I can only imagine there will be a particularly imbecilic one, like it's her who he needs cheering him on to regain his powers next week. Oh, also, shockingly for a light novel protagonist, his seemingly weakest powers are, surprise, actually the strongest ever. Supposedly. The ending of this episode was like a desperate bumrush to hit the few light novel cliches it's missed so far.