Summary
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The Beginning After the End’s debut episode throwsthe powerful King Greyinto a mysterious world far different from his past world. Naturally, King Grey’s reaction is a mix of confusion and curiosity about his present world. While fans are still divided about the adaptation of the webcomic, particularly its underwhelming animation, here’s the difference between Arthur’s past and present world.
For some reason, King Grey dies inThe Beginning After the Endand finds himself waking up in a new world as a toddler. Now known as Arthur Leywin, he struggles to navigate his new life surrounded by strangers looking out for him.They raise Arthur with love and care, doing their best to guide him in a world where magic exists and technology isn’t as advanced as his old world.
Exploring Arthur Leywin’s New World
Arthur Leywin Is Reborn In Dicathen
Arthur Leywin opens his eyes in Dicathen, a strange place where technology isn’t rampant and society is still in the process of developing. It is one of the three continents in the New World, divided into three kingdoms: Sapin, Elenoir, and Darv. The Kingdom of Elenoir is a nation of elves deep within a forest, while the Kingdom of Darv is a subterranean nation of dwarves.
Meanwhile, Arthur wakes up in the Kingdom of Sapin, a populated nation of humans like him. His parents are Alice and Reynolds Leywin, and they live in a simple home like any ordinary family. While Arthur was an orphan in his past world, he finally learns about familial love in the new world thanks to Alice and Reynold. With that, the world has become a better place for Arthur despite his personal struggles.
“It seemed that I’d been transported to the past in a much more archaic period."—King Grey (Arthur Leywin)
But unlike his past world, the Kingdom of Sapin is underdeveloped, with airships or advanced fighting jets no longer seen flying in the sky. The only modes of transportation are horse-driven carriages, traditional and, most often, dangerous.
Monarchy Still Exists
Arthur learns that monarchy exists as a political system in the Kingdom of Sapin, which means royals are still the governing body. However, in Arthur’s past world, anyone can ascend to the throne by seizing it through war and force, contrary to the new world where the throne is inherited, passed down through bloodlines. Of course, that could change should Arthur pursue his former path ashe grows stronger and obtains more power, becoming an individual capable of claiming the throne for himself.
Weapons Are Not Regulated
Interestingly, Arthur’s new world doesn’t have issues when it comes to the usage of weapons. Everyone is allowed to carry andutilize a weapon as they please, except in situations where they are close to the most important people in the kingdom. Because of this, bandits and evildoers pose a huge threat to ordinary citizens, as they can freely use weapons to their advantage.
On the flip side, weapons were regulated in Arthur’s past world, permitting only guards and soldiers to carry them, and even then, the purpose was more about deterrence than violence. Naturally, King Grey still carried a weapon for self-defense, as assassins constantly targeted him, even in his sleep.King Grey was no stranger to wielding a swordand was well-accustomed to donning full-body armor, whether on the battlefield or in one-on-one duels.
“Did people usually carry around weapons in the past?"—King Grey (Arthur Leywin)
The Source of Power in Arthur’s New World
Ki vs. Mana Core
Perhaps the most significant difference between Arthur’s past and the present world lies in the source of power. Formerly, Arthur relied ona life force called “Ki”to strengthen his body and weapons through intense physical and mental training. To wield Ki, an individual should become deeply aware of their internal power, learn to control it, and ultimately unleash it. It’s crucial to have a functioning Ki center to use this power, which is why children learn to meditate and sense scattered Ki fragments within their bodies and gradually draw them into a single, focused point.
Meanwhile, mana serves as the primary source of power in the new world, and unlike Ki, which can only be found within an individual’s body, mana is present all around him. Interestingly, mana appears to be largely hereditary and manifests in only one out of a hundred people. Just as a Ki center is essential for harnessing Ki, a mana core is crucial to controlling and manipulating mana. Despite the differences, theconcepts behind Ki and Manashare similarities, making it easy for Arthur to adapt. Thanks to Arthur’s experience, he successfully manifested a mana core at such a young age.
“Looking at Arthur grow up so quickly, I wonder how he will be when he’s older”—Alice Leywin
There are also two well-known applications of mana in Arthur’s new world: augmenters and conjurers. Augmenters can use mana to enhance their bodies, while Conjurers can project mana and manipulate it as they please.A special kind of magecalled Emitters also exists and one of them is Arthur’s mother, who possesses the rare power of healing. Her powers are so uncommon that she and her husband must live in hiding to avoid unwanted attention or danger.
All in all, Arthur Leywin’s journey in the new world has only just begun. The path ahead would not be easy given the drastic differences between this world and the one he left behind. But knowing Arthur’s remarkable potential to use mana, he is clearly destined for greatness inThe Beginning After the End. Who knows, he may once again ascend to the throne and become a powerful king who seeks light over darkness.
