Searching for Allen Walker Arc

The Searching for Allen Walker Arc is the seventeenth story arc of the D.Gray-man manga series which is written and illustrated by Katsura Hoshino. It unfolds as Allen Walker having run away from the Black Order tries to escape his pursuers whether they are outside or inside him. It starts at Chapter 208 and is currently on-going.

A turbulent departure
Johnny Gill reiterates his demand to leave the Order and go after Allen to Reever Wenhamm. Reever finally admits to understand Johnny's feeling and accepts his demission. On his side Allen is hiding from Apocryphos who is implacably tracking him. Johnny is on departure but to leave the order he has to ingest a liquid that will erase his memories of both Allen and the Black Order. He tries to escape but is caught up by the CROW. Suddenly Yuu Kanda bursts into the train and saves him from the CROWs.

Kanda then explains that he will accompagny him and help him to find Allen. Meanwhile in the Order, Lenalee and Marie try to cover up Kanda's disparition to their superior Komui who doesn't seem to buy their stories.

The Search
Johnny and Kanda track Allen by exploring a lot of places (mostly brothels and other dubious locations) in which Allen has debts. During the research, Johnny is attacked by an akuma who taunts Kanda about how they will surely fail before being defeated. Kanda reveals that he escorts Johnny because he wants to repay his debt to Allen and blames himself for his awakening. They finally find him dressed up and working as a wandering clown. They don't recognize him at first but when an akuma attacks, Allen is forced to use his Innocence and reveals himself. Allen tries to run away but he is caught back by Kanda. Kanda questions him about Link and Allen acknowledges his death. At this moment they are attacked again by akumas and Allen takes advantage of it to escape. The Noahs Wisely and Tyki Mikk show up in the crowd, Wisely talks through telepathy to Allen and explains that the akumas are attracted to his Noah aura. Johnny and Kanda go after Allen by using a tracking device Johnny put in Allen's hair earlier. Allen, put under stress, strain and Nea inside him finally falls unconscious. Kanda and Johnny save him from an akuma and carry Allen to an inn.

A stressful night
Allen is fighting off the memory of the 14th with Johnny and Kanda on his bedside. Johnny encourages Allen while Kanda feels something outside so he goes out. There he meets Howard Link in a street revealing the latter to be alive. Link remembers how he survived his fight with Apocryphos. Zu-Mei-Chang used a spell that would cost his own life to save Link's life and give him the golem Atuuda. Then Link woke up months later in a manor. There Lvellie gave him new weapons and a new mission: to go after Allen Walker. Kanda threatens Link if he plans to assassinate Allen. link replies that he only wants to witness Allen's fate with his own eyes. Meanwhile in the inn, The 14th awakes and knocks out Johnny. Nea stands up but has some trouble walking. He watches his face in the mirror much to his surprise before asking Timcanpy to show him records of Allen. Kanda returns and seeing Johnny unconscious, he immediately puts his blade under Nea's throat. However, at this point, Allen was back in his body. . Johnny is drawn back to consciousness thanks to Kanda 's healing blood. Allen realizes with horror what happened and yells to his friend not to get near him as he is dangerous. Johnny explains that he left the order to be by Allen's side which appears to soften Allen who believes they were after him as Order's agents.

Ambushed on two sides!
On the morrow, after putting special handcuffs to Allen and Johnn they all open a repair service on the street to earn some money. Johnny and Allen have to go in anotherstreet as Kanda wait here with Timcanpy. At this moment, Allen's innocence reacts to something approaching.

An unwanted client
Under his cardinal disguise, Apocryphos approaches Kanda. Timcanpy recognizes him and attacks him. Apocryphos is unhurt by the assault and quickly stands up. Kanda joins the fight but he is easily overwhelmed by the sentient innocence who erases the memory of him in his brain. Timcanpy shrinks in front of Apocryphos, ready to protect his master. Apocryphos decides to spare Allen for the day if Timcanpy doesn't fly away and accept his demise. He grows a wooden chip from his hand and prepares to stab Timcanpy but at this moment Kanda returns and deals one last blow. Apocryphos stands again and stabs Tim with the chip. The Golem is covered by a black substance and begins to crack. On his side Allen is ambushed by The Earl of Millennium himself. Apocryphos leaves but not before erasing the memories of all the witness except Howard Link who ran away after seing the cardinal who left him for dead 3 months earlier. Link is under the impression that the Vatican is corrupted. At this moment, Apocryphos is attacked by Jasdero and David. He engages the battle gainst them. On his side, Kanda is found by general Froi Tiedoll. Kanda thinks he has said goodbye to Allen and Johnny because Apocryphos put fake memories in his brain. However his healing seals gives him back his true memories and Kanda refuses to leave with Tiedoll. Tiedoll explains him that he nearly lost all credibility with Central and offers him to become a General. Kanda accepts.

The mad clown
The Earl appears to be in a very unstable state of mind as he attacks Allen. He keeps calling Allen "Nea" and repeating that this is all "Mana"s fault. The Earl hits Allen and the latter's consciousness is submerged by memories that aren't his. Allen's conciousness is fading away and leaves room for Nea's. On his side Wisely uses his demon eye and finds Road Kamelot in between dimensions in a fragile form. He talks with her about Nea and she reveals that Nea is "special" and that the Earl is their Achilles's heel. Tyki snaps Wisely out of his conversation and tells him that the Earl has disappear, they need to go after him.

Awakening
Nea is now perfectly awake. He walks in the direction of the Earl and takes stock of the situation. He greets his brother after 35 years and the Earl leaves his costume to fall in Nea's embrace. They hug for a while with the Earl questioning about his own feeling. Nea realizes that the earl's face has changed and his memories have disappeared so he proceeds to reveal the truth that the Earl is actually "Mana". The reason he wants to be by his side is because Mana and Nea were originally the same person: The Earl of Millennium. One day he disappeared and became two infants who were raised as twin brothers by Katerina Eve Campbell.

A flashback shows a younger earl in front of a mirror. He is deeply conflicted and asks forgiveness to Nea for having devoured him. His reflection on the glass replies that this is all "Mana"'s fault. The reflextion then justifies that this was his duty as the earl of Millennium and decides to get rid of any memory of Mana and Nea. Unable to fathom to look at his Mana features, the earl blows up his own face with a blast of Dark Matter. Back on the present Howard Link is seen assaulting the Finders who are after Allen. He still feels the wound inflicted by Apocryphos and is still conflicted. Nea breaks his embrace with the earl as the earl is surprised to be called "Mana". He denies being Mana but Nea insists and claims that all he wants is destroy Mana. The earl is shaken by this reveal and at this moment Nea is captured by the talismans of two finders. The earl is shoved aside by one of the finders which causes Nea to yell to them to run away. The earl pierces the head of the finder with appendages from his hand and sucks up his soul, causing his body to dissolve into tiny balls. The earl does not want to be seen with his human face so he does the exact same thing to the other finder. He then attacks Nea who continues to taunt him about being Mana. However Nea is rescued by Howard Link and his spells. Link manages to restrain the earl and takes Nea away. Nea attempts to impersonate Allen Walker in front of him but Link states that he can sense his lust for blood. Link heals Nea's wounds with Atuuda but as he is exposed Nea reveals his true nature and threatens Link. Link reveals that Malcolm C. Lvellie and Cross Marian made a deal and that he has come to protect the fourteenth.

Lost in another world
While Nea is walking with his body, Allen finds himself trapped in a wheat field. He realizes that he is alone, and this is not reality. He recalls Cross Marian's words and concludes This is a world made from the memories of the fourteenth, he has been swalled by the conciousness of Nea. Allen reverts to his child appearance and Cross Marian appears before him and tells him this is his final destination. Cross explains that Allen will soon fade away in this world and Allen replies that he wants to know more about Nea, and he might be able to change something. Cross confesses that he is gratefulto Allen for becoming the host and he doesn't want him to suffer so he advises him to accept his fate and not to resist.

Suddenly an image of Lenalee shows up, showing to Allen his separation with her. Encouraged by these memories, Allen refuses Cross advice and claims that even if he loses himself, he won't break his oath to Mana. He will keep walking forward. With that, Allen resumes his current appearance. Upon these words, Cross smiles and gives one last advice to Allen: To go to the Campbell Residence and to search for Katerina Eve Campbell. Cross disappears and Allen wonders if he was an illusion or if he was real. Road Kamelot in her dream worlds says that what she did was a mistake. She warns Nea that Allen is dangerous and adds to Cross to stay asleep.

The Campbell Mansion
In the present, a little girl named Lucia runs to a woman named Joe in the Campbell residence. A golem named Ur-Canpy is preceding her. Lucia, breathless, informs the woman that Bookman has woken up. Lucia asks if Bookman were to die, what would happen to the records of the Bookman Clan. Joe answers that even so, she feels that a man will come to them, and Bookman will give him his secrets.

After a flashback, Link shows up to restrain the Earl and he claims to be an ally of the 14th. Feedler attacks him and force him to release the earl. The Earl and the Noahs (after delivering the Earl) decide to return to the Ark, declaring that the 14th has returned. They are called by Nea himself who announces his upcoming visit to kill the earl. Tyki Mikk stays behind as Wisely and the earl disappear. He talks with Nea who is annoyed by the spoilsport and decides to activate his innocence. Meanwhile, Link prepares to stop him because of the risks but at this moment Johnny arrives. Allen hears his voice and resumes control of his body.

Escaping the town
Tyki Mikk checks Allen and after some talking, Tyki decides to return home with Allen. He prepares to fight but he is interrupted by a fake Kanda created by Froi Tiedoll. The creation blows up and allows Tiedoll to take Allen and Johnny in a coach he creates with his innocence. Howard Link disappears as well. After a ride, the coach Johnny and Allen are in stops and Kanda opens the curtains.

Story Impact

 * Johnny Gill resigns from the Black Order and goes after Allen. Kanda, who had just returned, decides to escort Johnny. The two find Allen during their journey.
 * Allen doesn't want to be found.
 * The Noah are after Allen as well. Tyki and Wisely show up and Akuma attack Allen.
 * After three months of running while fighting the fourteenth within, Allen breaks and collapses.
 * Howard Link is revealed to be alive, having been saved by the sacrifice of Zuu Mei Chang. He also receives the golem Atuuda from the old man.
 * Link confronts Kanda but the exorcists let him leave alive.
 * The fourteenth awakens completely for the first time in Allen's body. He knocks down Johnny and asks Timcanpy for information about Allen and the world. Allen takes back control, but panics when he realizes that he had just hurt Johnny.
 * Kanda uses his blood to heal Johnny but he notes that his abilities are not as efficient as they used to be and that he may not have that much time left.
 * Apocryphos attacks Kanda and instils fake memories in his brain. Kanda believes he has said everything he wanted to Allen. However, his tattoo later allows him to recover his true memories.
 * Timcanpy is seemingly destroyed when Apocryphos stabs him with a wooden chip.
 * Though the memories of the passers-by are erased by Apocryphos, Howard Link witnesses the whole scene. This make him wonder what happened to "the Central they believed in".
 * Kanda is found by General Tiedoll, who proposes he become a general in order to regain Central's trust.
 * Wisely talks with Road about the fourteenth. She reveals that he is "special", and that the Earl is his weakness.
 * The Earl of Millennium snaps and attack Allen.
 * Nea awakens once again and confronts the Earl after 35 years.
 * The truth about Nea and Mana is revealed: They were once one being, the Earl of Millennium.
 * The Earl of Millennium's abilities are shown for the first time. He can devour souls.
 * Allen finds himself in another world, reminiscent of Nea's birthplace: the Campbell residence. He sees what looks like Cross Marian, who advises him to just accept his fate and to disappear without pain. Remembering his friends and promises, Allen resolves not to and to keep walking. Cross advises him to look for the Campbell mansion.
 * Road Kamelot who had realized that that was a mistake.
 * In the real world, Joe, Lucia and Ur-campy are introduced.
 * Howard Link rescues the fourteenth from the Earl and reveals that Malcolm C. Lvellie and Cross Marian had made a secret deal. Link is here as an ally of the fourteenth.
 * The fourteenth declares to the Noah his intention to return and kill the Earl.
 * Tyki Mikk chats with the fourteenth and invites him for dinner. Nea refuses and mocks him before attempting to attack him.
 * Johnny's Gill's call reaches Allen and he resumes control of his body.
 * Tiedoll and Kanda capture Allen and Johnny.

Trivia

 * All the chapter names begin with "Searching for Allen Walker" except night 224 and 225 ("Visiting Allen Walker").
 * This is the longest arc in the manga in terms of real life duration. This is mostly due to the hiatus and the slowing of the release schedule.
 * Only the first chapter of this arc was adapted in the anime adaptation: D.Gray-man Hallow.