In ‘Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari’ or ‘The Rising of the Shield Hero’ season 3 episode 8 titled ‘Dragon’s Den,’ Naofumi and his allies prepare to rescue Gaelion. But, just as they are about to leave the village and proceed to the mountains, Filo-chan falls gravely ill, necessitating a visit from the Shield Hero. With the rescue mission jeopardised, Naofumi discovers that Filo’s life is also in jeopardy as Gaelion, who is now under someone else’s control, draws her power to get stronger. While Atla-san utilises her special ability to slow down the transfer, the Shield Hero realises they don’t have much power as rogue Gaelion becomes more deadly. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Naofumi Plans to Rescue Gaelion And Save Filo
After Gaelion flies away, the Shield Hero and his companions are left perplexed for a while. They assume that the Emperor Dragon has taken over Gaelion’s mind and is now commanding him. Surprisingly, all dragons have an organ called the core that houses their mind. Whoever gains access to it automatically gains control of the dragon. This appears to be the case with Gaelion as well, as no other option appears logical.
Naofumi begins devising a plan to save the now undead dragon. He wants to make sure the community is protected while he is away, but he also needs exceptionally skilled fighters because they will be facing the Emperor Dragon. Just as he is about to leave with his friends, Eclair stops him and asks him to follow her. Filo-chan has apparently become extremely ill and is in excruciating pain for unknown reasons. Wyndia, who has become close friends with her and others, asks Naofumi to take them to see their friend.
The Shield Hero meets Filo-chan in a distressing situation and feels sorry for her. The healers tried their hardest but were unable to aid her much. After carefully examining her symptoms, Naofumi discovers that the zombie dragon is drawing her powers, and she is gradually deteriorating. Atla-san realises that something must be done immediately, so she utilises her magic to slow down the transfer of abilities in order to buy some time. Even so, Naofumi calculates that they have no more than two days to act or else Filo-chan will perish.
The Shield Hero Fights the Emperor Dragon
Filo-chan awakens after receiving assistance and wishes to accompany the Shield Hero. Naofumi agrees to let her and several of her friends visit as long as they don’t cause any disturbance. They eventually leave the settlement in search of Gaelion, who has turned into a zombie dragon. They eventually arrive at a village where he has been sighted and discover from the locals that he has gone to the Dragon’s den in the mountains. The villagers are concerned for their safety, but Naofumi assures them that everything will be OK.
The Shield Hero and his allies eventually find Gaelion in his zombified state in the cave. Filo-chan, meantime, is behaving oddly elsewhere and manages to flee despite everyone’s best efforts. It turns out that she has also become possessed and ends herself in the Dragon’s den, despite the fact that Naofumi had asked her to stay out of the conflict. She attempts to battle the dragon but is absorbed by it. Soon after, Naofumi and his companions discover that their idea is correct and that the Emperor Dragon has taken over Galieon’s body. He wishes to eliminate all people from the world and reign as he sees fit.
Naturally, the Shield Hero gets enraged and attacks right away. But it turns out that the Emperor Dragon has kidnapped Filo-chan and is using Naofumi’s shield powers against him. Because this puts everyone in danger, the Shield Hero intends to use his ability against him by purposefully sabotaging a shield powerup. But when he attempts, the Emperor Dragon seizes control of the situation and grows even more strong. After a blast, Naofumi opens his eyes to find all of his colleagues on the ground attempting to get up.
