Zatch Bell Volume 25 by Makoto Raiku

Ted is determined to save Cherish from the agony she is experiencing at the hands of her "partner" Gyaron. Can he save her from her torment and defeat Gyaron while not fighting back against the spells she is throwing at him?

Can Ted get her to remember their life together in the Mamudo world, where she saved and protected him? He's determined to do the same for him here and now. But the cost for doing so is high- Ted's life and book. But Cherish takes his place on Zatch's side and they agree to meet in the Mamudo world once again.

In the last chamber before the brain, and before Zatch and his friends can confront Zeno, the Mamudo that looks so very much like Zatch, they must face one last opponent: The Mamudo known as Keith. Keith also wants to get stronger, to be more like a Mamudo he idolized: Bari.

But unbeknownst to Keith, Bari has entered Faudo by making Faudo trip in a hole dug in the ground by Bari and another Mamudo. When Faudo stumbled, it had two effects. For one, it gave Zatch and his friends inside Faudo a little more time to prevail. And second, it allows Bari and the holder of his book, Gustav, to slip on board Faudo through a weak spot in his neck. Zatch thinks Bari has come back to challenge him again, but Bari says no. His defeat at the hands of Zatch changed him, and now he wants to stop Faudo.

So he takes on Keith, and enrages the other Mamudo by saying that Keith shouldn't look up to Bari when he was younger, because back then, he was really just a thug. But now he knows that real strength comes from within. Keith thinks Bari has become weak, but Bari moves through the wall separating Keith from the others and fights Keith on his own. Even though Keith has been strengthened by the Power of Faudo, he falls before the power of Bari.

But he has one last trick up his sleeve. He turns the force wall into a wall of laser beams that will trap and kill everyone before he disappears and returns to the Mamudo world. Zatch moves under the wall and blocks the lasers with his body, telling the others to go, and asking Bari to destroy Zeno.

But Bari comes back and shields Zatch's body with his own and tells him to go, And when Zatch won't swats him out of the way. Assured of certain death, his bookholder, Gustav, asks Kafk to burn Bari's book, since he couldn't do it himself. Gustav tells Bari he may not want to be King anymore, but he's turned into someone who can hit the King- someone who would make a fine advisor to talk the King out of foolish courses of action. Bari takes heart from this, and agrees to meet Zatch and the others back in the Mamudo world.

But as Zatch and the others take off for the last Chamber, and Zeno, two other Mamudo and their book holders, Sauzo and Karudia, Ellie and Arth, must find a way to fend off Faudo's creatures of the immune system, and learn to work together in the process.

This is another title that really pushes the idea of working together and getting along with others, even if they are sometimes annoying or have annoying personalities, because people are stronger as a team than in working on their own, no matter how powerful they may be.

Zatch and his friends might not be as powerful as Zeno and his minions, like Faudo. But while Zeno's followers care only about themselves and advancing their own cause, they are unable to work together, even to save their own lives. They seem unwilling or unable to work together, to sacrifice for each other or even to help each other. If one needs help the other thinks of him or her as weak, and scorns them.

This was an interesting title, and I'm wondering if this fight inside Faudo will be the end of the series. Since they are intent on sending Faudo to the Mamudo world, if they are inside Faudo, will they be sent back with him, or not? If not, they may get hurt when falling to the ground from Faudo's great height. But soon we'll get a showdown with Zeno and discover who he really is, and maybe, if he's related to Zatch and how. Recommended.