Ban VS Greed/Ling is a What-If? episode of Death Battle featuring Ban from the anime/manga series Nanatsu no Taizai and Greed/Ling from the anime/manga series Fullmetal Alchemist.
Description[]
These two embodiments of the Deadly Sin Greed now fight to the death. Which one will prove to be the most avaricious?
Interlude[]
Wiz: The Seven Deadly Sins are among the most notorious things in Christianity.
Boomstick: You know, along with the Holy Grail, the Spear of Destiny and the Ten Commandments!
Wiz: However, these two embody the Deadly Sin: Greed.
Boomstick: Ban, the Fox Sin of Greed and member of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Wiz: And Greed/Ling, the defiant human/homunculus hybrid.
Boomstick: He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.
Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor and skills to find out who would win a Death Battle.
Ban[]
Wiz: During the age of the Holy Knights, there was peace throughout the land.
Boomstick: That is, until the passing of the Great Holy Knight Zaratras, which was believed to be the doing of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Wiz: After this event, the group disbanded and went their separate ways.
Boomstick: If you call going to prison and being tortured going a separate route, then count me out.
Wiz: Yes, the Fox Sin of Greed, otherwise known as Ban, deliberately made himself get captured five years after this event, all because he couldn't battle anyone and have pain inflicted upon him.
Boomstick: But before this, he was infamous under his other title: Bandit Ban. He was a poor child who had to steal in order to make ends meet.
Wiz: Despite his bad childhood, Ban became used to stealing and fighting, eventually taking a shot at immortality.
Boomstick: He scaled such a big tree, which would probably unnerve even the strong willed. Hell, I would've just cut the damn thing down!
Wiz: The guardian of the tree kept on propelling the thief off the summit, trying to make him fall to his death and prevent him from drinking the Holy Grail.
Boomstick: His tenacity pulled through and once he was told the grail gave life to the forest, instead of being a selfish jerk, he immediately gave up on his quest, but stayed to occupy Elaine. Who knew this tall, odd-lookin' guy with a creepy grin was a lolicon!
Wiz: But this didn't last long. After a few weeks, a demon from the devil clan attacked the forest and set it alight.
Boomstick: Ban tried to fight it off, but both were in a dying state. Selflessly refusing the grail to save Elaine, Ban died...Or so you'd think!
Wiz: Not wanting him to die, Elaine passed the grail's liquid to Ban via mouth to mouth, thus giving him immortality.
Boomstick: And he got dubbed by another name: Undead Ban...Seriously, what's with all these nicknames?
Wiz: I have no idea, but with this, he was imprisoned and executed a total of 33 times, all of which failed. However, once Meliodas gave him a visit and tested his strength, not only was Ban recruited, but he received a permanent scar on the right side of his neck.
Boomstick: And once he was imprisoned again, he managed to get out with ease once he heard about Meliodas in the local area.
Wiz: Being one of the great Deadly Sins, Ban possesses unnatural strength, speed and stamina.
Boomstick: He also carries with him a three-sectioned-staff, which he uses with deadly efficiency.
Wiz: It's capable of ripping through a demon with ease, but like a fair few members of the group, he no longer possesses his Sacred Treasure, which could turn the tide of battle.
Boomstick: Though his true prowess lies in his two abilities.
Wiz: His first ability is called Snatch. It essentially robs physical objects, which he can use in unison with his staff, making it seem as though his staff streches.
Boomstick: But it's not just restricted to that. He is also capable of robbing an enemy's strength, weakening them while increasing his physical capabilities.
Wiz: However, if he wasn't accompanied by his second ability, he probably wouldn't be part of the Seven Deadly Sins. After drinking the grail's contents, he became immortal.
Boomstick: So, he's like an elf now?
Wiz: What?
Boomstick: You know, from Lord of the Rings? He has the ears and he can still die in battle.
Wiz: No...Now then, continuing with the immortality, Ban has a wicked healing factor, being able to regenerate many damaged areas, including having the top half of his body being destroyed.
Boomstick: Well shit. Luckily, he's not like a certain comic relief character who can do the same thing.
Wiz: You mean-
Boomstick: Shhh! If you say their name, who knows what they'll do to the show.
Wiz: Oh, right. In addition to this factor, his body can no longer age beyond 23. It's also known that he's not even comparable in age to other older members like King and Meliodas.
Boomstick: The only real problem is that he can never die, despite any person wanting to kill themself after all of their loved ones pass away.
Wiz: Well, there are some faults which Ban has which aren't based on speculation, such as a win-loss record that is somewhat shady, with: four losses, four inconclusive matches and seven wins.
Boomstick: It should be noted that he also tends to intentionally get imprisoned and tortured whenever he becomes depressed or bored, though when it comes to battling a strong foe, this is no problem.
Wiz: Finally, he usually fools around in battles that aren't serious, which, in his case, is the majority of them. He only goes all out against targets who are strong or if there would be a severe consequence if he lost.
Boomstick: But despite that, he destroyed a prison only by having an arm wrestle with Meliodas, survives from many scenarios that would kill a fair few regenerators such as being left with his legs intact and when an apprentice Holy Knight tried to kill him, he moved in specific directions so that the blade didn't hit him and gave him a shave. Talk about overpowered.
Wiz: Ban's fighting style also consists of more hand-to-hand techniques than relying on his staff, making him a capable warrior on the battlefield.
Boomstick: If there's anyone who's greedy enough to steal just about anything, Ban's already one step ahead.
Greed/Ling[]
Wiz: In a world of alchemy, those who are able to have this profession tend to become used by the government.
Boomstick: These aren't just your average douchebags either. They actually have authority and power, making them much worse.
Wiz: Yet through the crafty corruption of the higher ups, a darker and more sinister plot is being brewed by Father, the first as well as the oldest of the Homunculi. With the assistance of his creations, which were made from his own desires and causing to feel no emotion as a result, he would set out to attain godhood.
Boomstick: Unfortunately for him, there was one of his creations that he wouldn't ever be able to control: Greed.
Wiz: After discovering that Father's plan wouldn't allow him to satisfy his greed, he disbanded from the group and became the leader of a gang, hoping his tendencies could be quenched.
Boomstick: About 100 years later, he would be caught by King Bradley, otherwise known as Wrath. Although beaten and having his Philosipher's Stone nearly depleted, he still wouldn't join Father and died as a result. Say, Wiz?
Wiz: Yeah?
Boomstick: That stone's totally a reference to Harry Potter, isn't it?
Wiz: Actually, no. The stone has existed in many texts and is capable of bestowing immortality. Also, to get one of these stones requires many human sacrifices to make.
Boomstick: On second thoughts, forget that I said that.
Wiz: Erm, alright? Moving on, despite dying, Greed's Philosipher's Stone was extracted and was put into a new host. This just so happened to be a prince called Ling Yao.
Boomstick: He became Ling's second consciousness and made a pairing, putting their names together in order to create Greedling.
Wiz: However, Greed was the main person wielding Ling's body. Even though this is true, Ling is able to give advice to Greed in terms of creating a battle strategy, and if things don't seem in Greed's favor, they're able to switch their consciousnesses and Ling can take over.
Boomstick: Ling is a master of the Xingese martial arts and is efficient is sword play, being on par with the Homunculus Wrath. He's also capable of reading the Qi of all living things as well as detect spiritual anomalies.
Wiz: Not only that, but he's an expert tactician, even capable of using the environment to his advantage and thinking moves ahead of the battle.
Boomstick: But once Greed takes over, it's more brawn than brains. However, he's a much deadlier force.
Wiz: As Greed, Ling's body has his strength and speed increased as well as some new abilities. The only downside is that he loses some of Ling's traits, such as Qi sensing, being an expert with swords and his state of mind.
Boomstick: While Ling is a strategist and calm, Greed is more offensive, somewhat prideful and can agitate his opponents with his big mouth.
Wiz: But what he loses is redeemed with his new abilities. First of all, he has a rapid healing factor and near immortality, which makes him much more durable.
Boomstick: But his signature ability is the manipulation of his carbon atoms, which allows him to increase the strength of the enhanced area.
Wiz: His main mineral he transforms his skin into is Graphene, which is nearly indestructible and is described to be like diamond. He mainly uses this ability on his arms or legs to block strong attacks, increasing his striking force and creating makeshift weapons like his claws.
Boomstick: If that wasn't enough, he can use his Ultimate Shield form to overpower his enemies and covers his whole body in Graphene.
Wiz: True to its name, the Ultimate Shield is a tough armor that is nearly impenetrable, serving as a great defensive mechanism.
Boomstick: It's just unfortunate that Greed and Ling don't have any shared abilities, meaning that they have to attempt to cover each others weaknesses. They do a good job of it though.
Wiz: Plus, while he doesn't underestimate his opponents, he can be arrogant at times. Finally, despite his rapid regeneration, each time he must regenerate, it takes some power away from his Philosipher's Stone, decreasing his stamina and increasing his regeneration times. Eventually, when the stone has been exhausted, Greed will be no more and Ling will be left to fight.
Boomstick: However, this combination is one that isn't to be messed with.
Pre Fight[]
Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set, let's finish the debate once and for all.
Boomstick: It's time for a Death Battle!
Fight[]
Ling is seen venturing in a town near Xing, hoping to find the Elric brothers to inform them on an important matter. Suddenly, a person runs through the street towards him while a woman shouts out to the man, claiming him to be a thief. Reacting on instinct, the prince knocks his arm into the man's face, causing the lower part of his body to rise above his upper body before slamming into the ground. With that, Ling retrieved the stolen goods. However, the thief got back up and tapped Ling on the shoulder. Turning around, he gets punched in the face and is sent flying away. As he gets up, the man's already closed the distance.
Ban: Could you tell me why you took my things?
Ling: You were stealing! That's low enough for me to take action.
Ban: I see. Well, you at least show promise in combat, so I propose we settle this situation by fighting.
In Ling's consciousness, Greed appears and trades their control of Ling's body, getting ready to fight.
Greed: Alright then, but I warn you: my defense has no equal!
Once Ling speaks, Ban notices the change in voice, intrigued by the switch in personality. Then, they get into their fighting positions, with Ban using his fists and Greed hardening his arms, creating claws in the process.
FIGHT!
Greed begins firing stalactites at Ban, who proceeds to dodge them and get in close. As the distance is closed, they engage in a fist fight that Greed wins. With several punches on Ban's body, Greed impales him and sends him flying into a building.
Greed: Ha! That was a piece of cake.
However, just as he said that, the rubble moved and Ban shot out from it, appearing unharmed.
Ban: Wohoo! I've not seen strength like that in a while. Maybe battling you will satisfy my urge.
Ling: Greed, this opponent seems stronger than anyone we've faced thus far.
Inside Greed's mind, Ling talks and tries to form a strategy with him. However, the battlefield is seen once again and Ban charges at Greed. Despite the fighters brawling for victory, Greed is able to concentrate on the fight as well as the strategy Ling is explaining. Ban then creates an opening, in which he grabs Greed's arm and slams him down onto the floor. In that instant, Greed then dug his claws into Ban before snapping his arm. In retaliation, Ban brings his fist up and punches at Greed's chest, causing him to hurl in pain.
Jumping back, Ban's arm recovers as he allows Greed to stand back up. Then, seeing this as an opportunity, Greed rushes towards his opponent, ducking as Ban punches and uppercutting him. Then, while Ban falls to the ground, Greed jumps and slashes through his chest, going straight through him and clinging to a nearby wall. He then creates a sword before descending, attempting to slice off Ban's head, but the latter rolls away, once again appearing to be unhurt.
Greed: How many times must we try and take him down?
Ling: He must have a Philosipher's Stone, so if we chip away long enough, it should take him longer to regenerate.
The combatants then circle each other before Ban charges at Greed once again, this time drawing out his staff and impacting Greed's stomach, causing him to get knocked back. However, despite the blow, Greed regenerates from the attack and fires more stalactites at Ban, who, instead of avoiding them, destroys them with his staff. Then, Greed launches himself into the air with a sword made of carbon in each hand before trying to slam down onto Ban. The latter withdraws his staff and manages to dodge the onslaught of attacks from Greed before kicking him in the chest, getting behind him and grabbing his waist before slamming him into the ground.
Even though it caused some damage, Greed was able to regenerate. As soon as he stood back up, Ling suddenly took over and ran at Ban with two swords. Slashing away at him, Ling then retreats to see if he inflicted enough damage, in which Greed then takes over.
Ling: Did I get him?
Greed: I doubt it. Besides, what have I told you about taking over without asking?
Ling: I'm sorry, but I needed to confirm something.
As they're talking, Ban recovers from the wounds before getting into his stance again.
Greed: This is ridiculous!
Ling: Look! Not only aren't there red sparks, but his regeneration isn't letting up either.
Greed: So what are you saying?
Ling: I'm saying that this isn't an ordinary homunculus...We'll need to have the Ultimate Shield form in order to win this.
With that, Ban walks towards his foe, then enters a sprint and as Greed braces himself, does a flying kick, which Greed can barely keep at bay. Then, knocking Ban away, Greed enters his fully armored form and rushes towards Ban with a malicious intent. However, no matter how many times Greed clawed at Ban, his wounds would keep healing. Then, he noticed something during the next fist fight: his strength was wittling away, little by little. Seeing that he now has the advantage, Ban begins to unleash his new strength on Greed, the latter having a hard time keeping up.
Ban then grabs Greed's arms before his knee impacted his chest, causing his armor to crack a bit. Recoiling, Greed grips onto Ban's arms and headbutts him, making him stagger backwards, then Greed let go and punched Ban several times and sliced off Ban's head.
Greed: Now you shouldn't be able to regenerate. Now, to find your-
Suddenly, Ban's body punched Greed in the face before using his other hand to put his head back in place, standing after it gets reattached.
Greed: I-Impossible! How can you still live after all that!?
Ban: Because there's one thing you'll never understand: I'm Ban, the Undead!
After saying that, Ban charges at Greed, who tries to block his face. However, rather than striking Greed's face, Ban struck Greed's chest with both his own energy and the energy stolen from Greed, destroying the armor that was blocking his chest and impaling Greed with his own arm. Before Greed can claw at Ban, he grabbed Greed's neck with his spare arm, withdrew the fist he stuck inside Greed and slammed him against the floor. Nearly out of energy, Greed tries to regenerate, but fails and switches with Ling due to his exhaustion. Finishing off his opponent, Ban sits on Ling's legs before lifting up Ling's hands and streching his feet out on his back. The cry of pain from Ling was quickly silenced and his chest snapped, detaching the upper part of his body. Then, with his work done, Ban walks away.
Ban: You may have been strong, but you're not much compared to Captain...
K.O!
Ban then begins stealing from the village once again, while Lan Fan finds and mourns over Ling's corpse.
Post-Fight Analysis[]
Boomstick: That was just brutal...Play it again!
Wiz: While both fighters may have held distinct advantages over one another, it all came down as to how durable both fighters were and the strength of their regeneration. Even though Greed may have had a calm and calculated consciousness with him to make strategies, there wasn't much that they could use against Ban.
Boomstick: Not to mention that Ban has survived way worse and his regeneration always saves his ass, even if he's in a fight for a long time or tortured constantly. All because the Grail runs through his veins.
Wiz: And don't forget Ban has had more experience in battle as well as with his capabilities, since Greed hasn't fought often in his life and left his underlings to do his dirty work most of the time.
Boomstick: Even if we go by Ling's experiences, it wouldn't equate to the amount of things Ban has been through.
Wiz: The Ultimate Shield was the only thing that could keep up with Ban's onslaught of attacks, but even then, it could only last so long against him. Plus, once Ban used his ability, Greed wasn't able to turn the tides and instead of holding off Ban, got overwhealmed.
Boomstick: Not even Ling's strategic mind was able to comprehend and find a way to beat Ban, going to such length as to call him a homunculus.
Wiz: Though this is because they are the only thing in FullMetal Alchemist that are able to regenerate due to their Philosipher's Stone. However, while this stone can have its energy exhausted because of this, Ban's regeneration has no clear limit.
Boomstick: Looks like Ban completely 'Snatched' this victory.
Wiz: The winner is Ban.
