Soul Eater Vol. 17

Noah has not tested the belt on himself. He presents its promised increase in power to Gopher while privately recognizing the danger of the experiment. Gopher’s gratitude makes the arrangement worse: he treats exposure to an uncertain device as evidence of his master’s generosity. When the belt breaks and the test erupts, the apology travels in the wrong direction. Gopher blames himself, while Noah is relieved that he did not take the risk personally. The opening changes the view of the captors from distant opponents into a household with a working method of exploitation. Noah does not need to disguise every command as kindness if Gopher is prepared to supply that interpretation himself. The preview establishes the failed test and that unequal accounting of blame, not the fate of the village named in Noah’s order. Gopher’s response also makes the experiment harder to evaluate honestly. Failure should raise a question about the gift and the person offering it. His apology redirects that question toward the recipient, leaving Noah free to enjoy having avoided the same test. The unequal relationship survives the device’s failure.