In a flashback, Guts remembers when as a mercenary he killed the knight Bazuso. Later he encounters the group who would change his destiny: the Band of the Hawk. Corkus attempts to rob Guts and Griffith sends Casca to help him, but Guts defeats her. Guts then challenges Griffith, who grievously wounds him. Griffith orders Casca to lie with Guts during his convalescence. When Guts recovers days later, Griffith asks the swordsman to join his group but again he challenges Griffith to a sword fight.

Three years pass as Guts and the Falcons gain in skill. In a flashback, Guts is shown being raised by his adoptive father Gambino. He teaches him to be a warrior, but one night he tries to kill Guts because he blames him for his lover's death. Guts did not mean to intentionally harm his angered father; however, Guts kills him.