TV-Series
Description
Bondrewd, known as the Lord of Dawn, is a White Whistle Delver and the primary antagonist of a major story arc. His background is marked by a criminal past, including a bounty placed on his head for unspecified offenses in a foreign country, before he became a delver. To fund his research into the Abyss, he engaged in activities such as selling drugs produced from human experiments and illegally trading Artifacts. His most significant achievements include establishing the Ido Front, a large forward operating base in the deepest part of the fifth layer, and pioneering inviolable routes deeper into the Abyss. To become a White Whistle, he used his own original body as the material to craft his Life-reverberating Stone, effectively becoming his own whistle.
Bondrewd's personality is defined by a singular, overwhelming value: the pursuit of knowledge. He prioritizes unraveling the mysteries of the Abyss above all else, including ethics, law, and the lives of others. He is willing to sacrifice anyone in the name of this pursuit, not out of malice or cruelty, but because he genuinely believes it is a necessary preparation for a coming catastrophe known as the end of the 2,000-year cycle. Despite the horrific nature of his actions, he does not display hostility towards his opponents; instead, he offers praise when they manage to best him, showing a peculiar form of respect for competence. He remembers the names of every individual he has sacrificed, and despite his methods, he is described as a quite capable father figure to his adopted daughter, Prushka.
Within the story, Bondrewd serves as a formidable obstacle for the protagonists, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi, as they seek passage to the sixth layer. His role is that of a scientist and researcher whose horrific experiments are directly tied to the central mysteries of the Abyss. He had previously used Nanachi and another child, Mitty, as test subjects in an experiment that resulted in Mitty losing her humanity and Nanachi gaining a resistance to the Abyss's curse. He continues his work at the Ido Front, using an artifact called Zoaholic to spread his consciousness across a collective of followers known as the Umbra Hands, all of whom serve him willingly.
Key relationships define much of his character. His bond with Nanachi is complex; they are both his former test subject and valued assistant, and despite their hatred for him, they share a deep understanding of his research. His relationship with his daughter, Prushka, is the most tragic and illustrative of his twisted morality. He genuinely raised her with care and affection, and she loves him unconditionally as her father. Yet, when it serves his research, he does not hesitate to sacrifice her, processing her into a cartridge to receive the Blessing of the Abyss for himself. His consciousness is shared among his Umbra Hands, who act as his eyes, ears, and hands, allowing him to survive the destruction of his physical body by simply transferring his mind to another host.
Over the course of his confrontation with Riko's group, Bondrewd undergoes a notable development. After being pushed to his limits in battle, he uses a cartridge made from Prushka to ascend from the lower levels of the Ido Front, successfully receiving the Blessing of the Abyss. This transforms his body, granting him increased physical abilities and an immunity to the curse. Following his eventual defeat, he acknowledges that he has been surpassed and pledges to see the trio continue their journey deeper into the Abyss, even facilitating their passage to the next layer.
Bondrewd possesses numerous notable abilities, most derived from his research and collection of Abyssal Artifacts. He created the Cartridges, specialized containers made from living humans that deflect the curse of the Abyss from the wearer onto the individual inside. His primary artifact is Zoaholic, a Special Grade relic that allows him to implant his consciousness into other beings, controlling them and creating the network of Umbra Hands. He wields several powerful combat Artifacts, including Sparagmos, which generates a blade of light that disintegrates anything it touches; Gangway, a ray of light fired from his mask that seeks out the weak points of a target; and Shaker, which fires needles made of Curse Steel capable of inducing the curse in a victim. Through his prolonged use of Zoaholic and exposure to the Abyss, his consciousness has been altered into something no longer entirely human.
Bondrewd's personality is defined by a singular, overwhelming value: the pursuit of knowledge. He prioritizes unraveling the mysteries of the Abyss above all else, including ethics, law, and the lives of others. He is willing to sacrifice anyone in the name of this pursuit, not out of malice or cruelty, but because he genuinely believes it is a necessary preparation for a coming catastrophe known as the end of the 2,000-year cycle. Despite the horrific nature of his actions, he does not display hostility towards his opponents; instead, he offers praise when they manage to best him, showing a peculiar form of respect for competence. He remembers the names of every individual he has sacrificed, and despite his methods, he is described as a quite capable father figure to his adopted daughter, Prushka.
Within the story, Bondrewd serves as a formidable obstacle for the protagonists, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi, as they seek passage to the sixth layer. His role is that of a scientist and researcher whose horrific experiments are directly tied to the central mysteries of the Abyss. He had previously used Nanachi and another child, Mitty, as test subjects in an experiment that resulted in Mitty losing her humanity and Nanachi gaining a resistance to the Abyss's curse. He continues his work at the Ido Front, using an artifact called Zoaholic to spread his consciousness across a collective of followers known as the Umbra Hands, all of whom serve him willingly.
Key relationships define much of his character. His bond with Nanachi is complex; they are both his former test subject and valued assistant, and despite their hatred for him, they share a deep understanding of his research. His relationship with his daughter, Prushka, is the most tragic and illustrative of his twisted morality. He genuinely raised her with care and affection, and she loves him unconditionally as her father. Yet, when it serves his research, he does not hesitate to sacrifice her, processing her into a cartridge to receive the Blessing of the Abyss for himself. His consciousness is shared among his Umbra Hands, who act as his eyes, ears, and hands, allowing him to survive the destruction of his physical body by simply transferring his mind to another host.
Over the course of his confrontation with Riko's group, Bondrewd undergoes a notable development. After being pushed to his limits in battle, he uses a cartridge made from Prushka to ascend from the lower levels of the Ido Front, successfully receiving the Blessing of the Abyss. This transforms his body, granting him increased physical abilities and an immunity to the curse. Following his eventual defeat, he acknowledges that he has been surpassed and pledges to see the trio continue their journey deeper into the Abyss, even facilitating their passage to the next layer.
Bondrewd possesses numerous notable abilities, most derived from his research and collection of Abyssal Artifacts. He created the Cartridges, specialized containers made from living humans that deflect the curse of the Abyss from the wearer onto the individual inside. His primary artifact is Zoaholic, a Special Grade relic that allows him to implant his consciousness into other beings, controlling them and creating the network of Umbra Hands. He wields several powerful combat Artifacts, including Sparagmos, which generates a blade of light that disintegrates anything it touches; Gangway, a ray of light fired from his mask that seeks out the weak points of a target; and Shaker, which fires needles made of Curse Steel capable of inducing the curse in a victim. Through his prolonged use of Zoaholic and exposure to the Abyss, his consciousness has been altered into something no longer entirely human.