I Became a Legend after My 10 Year-Long Last Stand is a simple story about a mage who was thought dead returning to civilization after a decade-long fight against the demon king. Having emerged victorious, he continues fighting evil while also trying to live a more normal life. I didn’t expect to find anything particularly noroushing for my soul in the series for my soul, but episode six presented a scenario that was familiar, simple, and profound. As almost an aside, the conclusion of one storyline reminded me of where I was before I came to know Christ—and where I am called to be now.
Lock, the hero of this tale, is together with Shia fighting a high lord vampire. The duo eventually defeat their foe, but afterwards discover a wolf in a cage; it has been poisoned during the battle, and is unconscious, breathing hard, and unable to control its bodily functions. Luck detoxifies the wolf, and the grateful animal immediately pounces on our hero and licks him over and over!
Not so fast, my friends. The wolf actually attacks Luck, and though our hero appears at first to be overwhelmed, we all know his OP strength. The animal, which Shia tells Lock is a “Divine Beast,” is no threat—not to Lock at least. But the beast’s reaction is perhaps expected, when we think about it; he’s been the subject of experimentation by the high lord, and is on edge. What will this new human do to him?
When I was lost in my sin and didn’t know Christ, I was a bit of a wild animal as well. I was incredibly selfish, prone to fulfilling my individual desires at the cost of, well, whatever it took. I caused harm to those around me and justified it all the time. What I didn’t realize then was that I was submitting to the lordship of the world and its ruler, Satan. I was at his bidding, and like the high lord with the Divine Beast, he was using me for his own purposes. He didn’t care for me like a master cares for his dog; he used me as a plaything. Following him harmed me, and in turn, I harmed others.
My first encounter with the grace of Christ was actually painful. Like the animal in this anime, it was stunning to encounter freedom—to encounter someone who actually loved me and cared for me. Luck is about to take on wounds to set the beast free, but Jesus did even more (Isaiah 53:5):
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
Jesus died for our sins, crucified by an unholy trio—the unjust rulers of the world, a religious authority gone wrong, and us, whose sin nailed him to the cross and whose only hope is his blood.
In I Became a Legend after My 10 Year-Long Last Stand, Shia communicates with the beast and explains to him that Luck has saved him, at which point Luck tells him he is free. And suddenly, the beast, now realizing what fortune he’s been given, is grateful to Luck.
In the Book of Luke, there’s a story of Jesus healing ten men of leprosy. An incurable disease, leprosy also made you “spiritually” unclean; you would be set apart from the community, and because the disease would linger on, you could never be part of community life again. It was a terrible disease to live with. So freeing the ten men is giving them life anew—both physically and emotionally. And yet, only one returned to thank Jesus; that man responded with gratitude and found freedom that day.
When Luck and his party leave the mountains to return home, they discover that the Divine Beast is following them, too, at a distance. Luck tells the animal that he is free to go wherever he wants, but it is apparent: In his freedom, the pup wants to follow Luck.
What a simple and beautiful illustration of salvation and submission to God! In this short story, we see the entire range—from sinner to salvation. Just like the wolf pup, we fight against the very one who gives us life, who offers us freedom. But when we realize the gravity of our sins and the incredible gift of Jesus’ grace, we have the opportunity to turn to Jesus in thankfulness, accept his gift, and be saved rather than destroyed. And in gratitude, we can follow Him and begin the path of sanctification, through which we draw closer and closer in relationship to our master.
But there’s one more thing this story shows us.
The title of the episode, “After Ten Years, I Started a Family,” initially seems to hint at Luck getting married. But later, after the beast is released from prison, we discover what the title is really pointing toward. Luck goes to his new home, given to him by the king, and brings with him a new “family,” an adopted one. It is made up of outcasts: the fiend, Luccira; his unusual rooster, Gerberga; and now, the beast, whom Luck gives a name: Garbh.
I’m not sure why the original author chose the name Garbh, but it’s possible it’s derived from Sanskrit or Hindi, where it can be translated as womb or fetus, or as being in the innermost core of something.
And do you see? Garbh’s new name and new position are the same as ours. We’re no longer prisoners to the devil, held captive in sin, but we are also more than saved from bondage: we are given a new identity, a new name. Like “Garbh,” we are reborn, that new identity reaches down to every part of us. We’re a new creation—and more than that, we are raised from the lowest position and welcomed into the King’s banquet, like the beggars invited to the celebration in Jesus’ parable.
Though we are misfits, broken, ugly, God sees us as precious. He sees us as his very family. We started as mutts and prisoners, and now we are now princes and princesses of the Lord Most High. What a beautiful story. What a remarkable love. And what an honor to be called into it!
I Became a Legend after My 10 Year-Long Last Stand can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
