I actually think that was my favorite volume so far. After the eclipse I remember thinking in awe, "And the adventure is only really starting now?" With the festival acting as the eclipse's shadow the setup was prolonged and made even more complex, and so, after the run-in with Griffith, I found myself thinking once again in just as much awe, "The adventure is only really starting now??" For a moment I was actually worried it was really "the old Griffith" by the elf cave though, and that he would join Guts and Cassa, which would completely ruin Griffith as the sort of distant, inhumane, God-like symbol he has become, but the way it was played out was just perfect. I loved Griffith checking whether he had any regrets, and it was great watching Guts's desperation versus Griffith's ruthless integrity.
If all that wasn't enough, I loved the last two chapters like I love few things. I know not everyone's into anything like that, but Farnese's and Serpico's backstory is like the most romantic thing ever. They are almost sort of grown together, and their love is above and beyond any kind of social regulation or sense, as deep as it is sick and twisted. Very Wuthering Heights. I'm probably going to have to suffer Farnese being in love with Guts for a while now though, at least as soon as they catch up, but I have faith in my otp.
