The Misfit of Demon King Academy II Episode 4

"So that was your real body—"

- Anos to Misa Iliorogue

The Spirit's Trial (精霊の試練) is the fourth episode of The Misfit of Demon King Academy II anime series.

Synopsis
In order to visit the Spirit King, Anos, and his team continue to go through trials provided by the Great Tree Spirit Enyunien. The subsequent trial, "The staircase of Geunier" is a trial where they must choose the five correct paths out of the 20 paths before them, which appears to be a game entirely dependent on luck. However, thanks to the advice from Lena, Anos, and the team individually made their way to the top. Lay and Misa arrive at the Spirit King’s castle first, and engage in the final trial!

Summary
After passing the written test, the students take the Spirit's Trial. Their first challenge is the Staircase of Geunier, twenty staircases from which each person must choose, but only five will go up. Fearing that the spirit may work against him, Anos changes the appearances of his party to match his. He also splits all of their sources to form composite sources containing parts of each person (his pieces being dominant), giving him all 16 tries to find the right path and reform there. Besides Anos, Lay and Misa also pick the right stairs. Despite choosing wrong, Lena joins Anos by using hidden passages.

The two arrive at a flower field where an old sword is stuck in the ground. The amnesiac Lena feels sad and begins crying, regretting something she didn't tell the Spirit King. Suddenly, Anos detects Jiste's presence, who was waiting for him there, as it was free of surveillance. She explains that her lover Kaihilam was spirited away by the Spirit King's orders, who forced Gerad to do his bidding. When Jiste shows him a picture of the king, Anos recognizes him as the masked individual from the Magic Sword Tournament.

Elsewhere, Lay and Misa manage to group up and meet the Hidden Wolf Gennul. It lets them pass without a trial, and they make it to the Spirit King's palace. Lay asks if he bears a grudge against Anos, but Enyunien explains that they must pass his trial first. Lay has to break the Spirit King's mask in battle, only using his body and the spirits, so he picks up a spirit sword.

Anos and Lena eventually reach Gennul's trial, where they find Eges. Gennul tasks them with catching it, passing the first one to do so. The spirit then disappears and leaves illusions for Anos and Eges to fight. When Lena is spirited away after closing her eyes, Anos deduces that the spirit will only appear before those whose eyes are closed. Anos closes his eyes and catches Gennul, passing while Eges stays behind to find the people Gennul spirited away.

Back in the Spirit King's palace, Lay notices that the king is using the Treasured Sword Ailearrow, a sword that counters Lay by sealing his sources instead of destroying them, and the king knows this. The Spirit King summons the spirit Gigadeas to attack Lay, but he is saved by Misa, who awakens her spirit side and thus is allowed to help him. The two then use magic to convert their love into power and defeat the king. The Spirit King acknowledges their victory, but he suddenly restraints Lay and charges at Misa, impaling her with his sword.

Anos eventually makes it to the palace, but finds Gilysiris instead. The Evil Royal shows Anos the fruits of his 2,000 years of research and attacks him with the ancient spell, Reg Noavs. However, Anos survives and uses Ji Noavs to defeat Gilysiris. He finds Lay's crystal and unseals it. Lay confirms Anos' suspicions that the Spirit King is Shin Reglia, as their swordsmanship is similar.

Afterward, Sasha comes and shows Anos a magic broadcast of Dilhade. Avos Dilhevia is rallying the royal demons to kill the misfit Anos Voldigoad. He notices that it's not the Spirit King and teleports to the Demon Castle Delsgade, where Avos and the Seven Elder Demon Emperors are. He then reveals Avos' true nature, the Great Spirit based on the lore of the Demon King of Tyranny, Misa's spirit side.

Adaptation Notes
Differences from the light novel:
 * Gennul's trial is shortened, and as a result, Eges' role is diminished. In the novel, Gennul also summons wolves from fire and wind. These familiars are stopped by Eges, who uses blood magic to eliminate the elements from which they are created.
 * The part where Anos kills Gilysiris Dello shortly before entering the castle is cut. In the novel, he resurrects and explains that he has seven quasi-sources, similar to the Hero Kanon.