Chapter 287

is the 287th chapter of the manga, Nanatsu no Taizai.

Short Summary
Zeldris unleashes his true power and the Assault Squad cannot keep up. Facing an unknown attack and an opponent that seems to be impervious to their attacks, Escanor and Ludociel team up to counter the Prince of Darkness!!

Long Summary
The chapter starts with Zeldris proclaiming to show his original power. Escanor says that he hopes that Zeldris isn't bluffing and Ludociel tells Hendrickson to stay back, saying he won't be able to protect him from now on.

Cusack and Chandler push their arms through the wall behind them, saying that they're no longer needed.

Zeldris remembers what Meliodas said to him, the words that got Zeldris to gather the Commandments for Meliodas. Gelda is alive. Meliodas revealed that 12 years ago, when Gelda awoke from her seal, she drowned in despair after realising her fate with Zeldris and tried to choose death. But Meliodas sealed her again, to wait for the right time.

Ludociel smirks and says that the Goddess Clan will be the victors of the Holy War though Zeldris says he never cared about petty games like that which seemed to have made Cusack frowned.

Zeldris then unleashed his true power: Ominous Nebula. Ludociel, Escanor, Merlin, Gilthunder and Hendrickson are all lifted from the ground and are getting sucked in by Zeldris. The Demon Prince shouts for them to get out of his way and they are all suddenly blasted back by an explosion.

Escanor, Gilthunder, Hendrickson and Ludociel receive quite a lot of damage as they are embedded into a wall. But then, they are starting to be sucked in again. Escanor firmly plants his legs into the ground and begins to look around for Merlin, trying to ask if she was okay.

Ludociel notices that Hendrickson and Gilthunder are near Zeldris, unconscious. Ludociel shouts Hendrickson's name when Hendrickson and Gilthunder are teleported away from Zeldris. Merlin teleports near Ludociel and Escanor along with the two knights, saying they're alright but all of them are in danger.

Merlin is getting pulled towards Zeldris but teleports back. Chandler and Cusack note that Merlin is using her teleportation to stay away from Zeldris, a feat that can only be accomplished by one with infinite magic. Though Cusack says that it's useless in the end.

Ludociel, reassured of Hendrickson's safety, lets himself get pulled towards Zeldris saying that, now that he had seen Zeldris's swordsmanship, he can easily counter it. He smirks but Zeldris smirks as well and Ludociel is blasted back again, this time, his armor shattering and his weapon broken.

He is getting sucked in again when he lands on Escanor's back. Escanor tells him to get off and Ludociel says he never wanted to land on his back. They start arguing which makes Merlin compare them to being old friends.

Ludociel asks Merlin what is the nature behind Zeldris's power. From what Merlin deduce, Ominous Nebula has three properties. First: It generates some kind of forcefield that sucks them in. Second: It can only suck in living things. Third: Physical attacks cannot reach Zeldris and instead they are hit by an unknown attack.

Also, from the fact that Merlin's Double Impact and Ludociel's Gold Shining didn't work before Zeldris unleashed his Ominous Nebula, it proves that magic attacks don't work and that this is due to the Demon King's power. So Zeldris has a high physical resistance and a high magical resistance. An opponent that will be difficult to handle.

Ludociel asks Escanor to lend him his aid and Escanor says no. Ludociel says that his words are the words of the greatest being on earth and that Escanor should obey. Escanor again refuses, saying that giving him an order is a wisecrack at best.

Ludociel keeps trying to get him to obey when he suddenly flung off of Escanor's back and gets pulled towards Zeldris. Merlin tells Escanor to save him and he complies, jumping forward and saves Ludociel. Ludociel is shocked that Escanor listened to Merlin since he thought the Lion Sin didn't answer to anyone.

Escanor calls Merlin's orders different and then threatens to let Ludociel go if he doesn't have a plan in mind to try and defeat Zeldris. Ludociel states he has a plan in mind but it can only work if Escanor agrees to go along with his orders.

Question Corner
Q314. Rīri-san: How many poems Escanor dedicated to Merlin?

Nakaba: A thousand of two thousand would be too few!

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Escanor
 * Gilthunder
 * Hendrickson
 * Ludociel
 * Merlin
 * Zeldris
 * Chandler
 * Cusack
 * Meliodas
 * Ganne
 * Gelda
 * Izraf
 * Mod
 * Orlondi
 * Ren

Trivia

 * The Shonen Magazine editor posted on his Twitter account a discarded version of the cover.