Black Swordsman (黒い剣士 Kuroi Kenshi?) is the first story arc of Berserk, serialized in Young Animal between 1990 and 1991. The arc is followed by Golden Age and spans 8 episodes, which is the shortest in the entire series, serving primarily as an introduction into the world and characters of Berserk. The story follows a mysterious and hardened warrior named Guts, who is searching for information on a group of demonic all-powerful beings known as the God Hand. Chronologically, this arc takes place between episodes 94 & 95 of the manga.