Hell Mode: Volume 11, page 16
The enemies thrust their halberds at Beku, who smacked the weapons’ spikes down into the stone hallway. In moments, he used his hands and legs to destroy the three demons’ heads. One head flew to either side and slammed into the hallway walls, crushing them both. Meanwhile, Beku used Iron Claw and swung upward to rip the middle demon’s head off their body.
Once the three demons fell to the ground, Beku tossed the third head away and walked ahead—the battle had ended in a flash. Pelomas gingerly walked around the bodies as he followed the lionkin. Beku was first to turn the corner, and before Pelomas could follow, the cries of demons filled the area, causing the merchant to freeze.
“There he is!” a demon shouted.
“He’s escaping! Seize him!” another yelled.
“Stop him here! But don’t kill him!” a third bellowed.
The clanging of weapons rang out, followed by the sound of fists beating against flesh and the screams of demons. Pelomas, who was overcome with fear, readied his Ancient Wood Abacus just in time for a demon to jump out from around the corner.
“Eek!” Pelomas shrieked.
“What the?!” the demon shouted. “There’s another one here!”
Beku had likely dodged the demon’s attacks, causing the enemy to rush down the hallway, where he spotted Pelomas. He unsheathed a large, curved sword and headed the merchant’s way, causing the boy to instinctively inch back. The demon was quicker, however, and pounced. Wary of his opponent’s blade, Pelomas thrust his weapon out and tried to leap away, but the demon grabbed his arms. He flailed around in an attempt to get away when something hard knocked against his head.
Pelomas almost lost consciousness for a moment, and his knees buckled under him. The demon restrained him from behind and brandished his blade in front of the merchant. Pelomas still had the Ancient Wood Abacus in his hands, but if he tried to attack, that sword would likely slice clean through his face. The thought alone left him frozen in terror. Fortunately, however, Beku turned the corner and returned to the hallway, removing the point of a broken spear from his stomach as he approached the boy.
“S-Step back!” the demon cried in a quavering voice from behind the merchant. “Or else your friend gets it!”
The blade was pointed at Pelomas’s throat, and the merchant stiffened.
“What are you doing, Peloniki?” Beku asked. “Hurry up and kill him.”
“Huh?!” Pelomas gasped.
“As long as you’re alive, you can use your items and heal yourself. Hurry up and take care of that eyesore. Slam your weapon against that dope’s head.”
“What did you say?” the demon asked as he tried to peer into Pelomas’s hands.
Just then, Beku threw the tip of the spear at the demon’s face. The demon swiftly used his blade to protect his face, and Pelomas used that opportunity to shake himself free from the enemy’s grip. There was a loud metallic clang, signaling that the demon had parried the spearhead, and Pelomas practically stumbled forward to escape from the terror behind him.
Beku rushed past Pelomas and crushed the demon’s chest, ending his life in one blow. When Beku turned back, he locked eyes with Pelomas, who had managed to stand up, his breathing haggard as he leaned against the wall.
“Thank you, Prince Beku,” Pelomas said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Beku replied. “Can you take care of this wound for me?”
“Yeah, of course.”
Once Pelomas had healed Beku’s wound, the lionkin strode forward once more and turned the corner, this time protecting Pelomas, who walked behind him. Another long hall awaited them, and at its end was a flight of stairs that headed to the floor above. Two doors stood on each side, and Pelomas carefully analyzed the four entry points. The two doors in the back were already open, implying that the demons who had attacked the pair had passed through them.
“The teleportation device should be above here,” Pelomas said. He had arrived here just the other day and recalled the route well.
“We should inspect the rooms before we leave,” Beku replied.
“Right. We need the Symbol of the Beast King.”
The lionkin opened the front right door and stepped inside, while Pelomas remained vigilant, cautious of demons popping out from within. But no monster nor demon appeared, and Beku swiftly stepped out to open the door on the left. Pelomas followed him into a simple room with a large, stone operating table standing in the middle. The merchant was shocked to see a demon’s corpse atop the table. There was a deep incision from their clavicle to their stomach, and they were locked in place by some items.
Pelomas cautiously approached the corpse and saw that it only had the right half of its head, which was stuffed with various tools from the clean opening. He felt sick, disgusted that a demon could perform such a cruel and grotesque act on a comrade. When he turned away, he noticed Beku crouching down in a corner of the room.
“Did you find it?” he asked.
“Yes,” Beku replied. “I didn’t think it would have simply been tossed on the floor, though.”
The lionkin stood up, the orichalcum knuckles and the bracelet with the Holy Orb in his hands.
“Do you think the demons here just didn’t understand the value of the treasures of your nation?”
The moment he finished speaking, Pelomas spotted an orichalcum breastplate that had been split in two, its front portion ripped from its back. He was sure that it was the final piece of the Symbol of the Beast King.
“I don’t know. But I must bring these back.”
Beku gazed at the knuckles and bracelet, frozen in place.
“What’s wrong?” Pelomas asked.
“I want you to hold on to these,” the lionkin responded. “Toss them into your magic bag.”
The merchant was surprised. He had wrongly assumed that Beku would wear the Symbol.
“What are you saying? Surely you should wear that gear.”
He was almost certain that there would be more guards before the duo could reach the teleportation device, and there was a possibility that some sort of unknown monster would appear out of nowhere. Beku needed to protect himself with the armor and use the bracelet with the Holy Orb to buff himself while he fought with a weapon he was used to.
“These...are not made for me,” Beku said solemnly, looking down. “Peloniki, I have no right to wear these items.”
Pelomas felt his chest tighten from the grief that was apparent in Beku’s voice. Shia’s pained expression flashed across his mind.
“Even so, you must protect them,” the merchant said, unable to stop himself from speaking. “I think that you should wear them and keep them safe until the one who deserves the Symbol of the Beast King shows themself.”
“Me? You think I should protect these?” Beku asked.
“I do. I will deliver the Symbol of the Beast King to the suitable person, but until then, we have to ensure that no one else can steal it. And Prince Beku, only you are capable of protecting those items.”
Beku raised his head, his eyes filled with uncertainty, and Pelomas made sure to sound firm.
“Please lend me your power, Your Highness,” he pleaded. “If not for you, who has no right to wear the Symbol as you claim, then for the one who is suited to inherit those precious items.”
Beku was silent for a few moments before he nodded. “I understand. I’ll protect the Symbol of the Beast King.”
He slid the Holy Orb bracelet onto his left arm and clutched the knuckles as Pelomas swiftly went and picked up the breastplate. Beku could surely put it on himself, but the merchant thought it best if he offered his support. He had sold this sort of armor before, so he knew how to handle it. He could have placed the breastplate on the lionkin, who was sitting on the floor, right then and there, but he first stabilized the front and back parts. The belts on the shoulders and arms that tied the armor together were surprisingly elastic, and he was able to perfectly fit the breastplate onto Beku.
“Peloniki, I see that you’re a rather skilled merchant,” Beku remarked as he donned the armor.
“Oh, that’s very nice of you,” Pelomas replied humbly. “I’m terribly honored.”
“I’m not giving you empty praise. Your quick wit has helped me to change my mindset, and coupled with that glare of yours that I saw earlier, I’m sure that you’ve been able to touch the hearts of many.”
“No, I’m afraid that I’m not as great as you make me seem. The person I wish to change the most...won’t change for me.” Pelomas quickly shook his head. “I’m sorry. Please forget what I just said. I’m still in the process of trying to change that person’s mind, you see.”
“Is that so? I guarantee that you’ll be able to do it.”
“I’m happy to hear such kind words.”
Once Pelomas had fastened the clasps on Beku’s shoulders, the lionkin stood up and made his final adjustments to the breastplate. In contrast to his self-deprecating remarks, it suited him very well. It was as though the gold armor and bracelet had been made specifically for a lionkin. Pelomas looked around, hoping to be of any further help, when he spotted a translucent, sky blue bracelet.
“That bracelet...” he muttered.
“I’m sure it looks familiar to you,” Beku said. “It’s the blessing from your goddess, Aqua. They forced me to wear it when I was brought here.”
Recalling that he was in the form of a merfolk, Pelomas hastily handed the gear over to the lionkin.
“Of course. If you don’t wear it, you’ll drown in Prostia even if you manage to make it out of here.”
“That I will.”
While watching the lionkin equip the bracelet, Pelomas turned pale, realizing that the effects of Mimic would wear off on him rather soon.
* * *
Beku’s Equipment
Orichalcum Knuckles: +12,000 Attack
Orichalcum Armor: +10,000 Endurance
Bracelet 1: +5,000 HP, +5,000 Agility, halves Cooldown Time, +20% Evasion
Bracelet 2: +2,000 HP, +2,000 MP, grants Water Breathing
Ring 1: +5,000 Attack
Ring 2: +5,000 Attack
Necklace: +3,000 Attack
Earring 1: -7% Physical Damage Taken
Earring 2: -7% Physical Damage Taken
* * *
The duo left the room and inspected the other two rooms, but there were no traces of demons. However, when they climbed the staircase and stared down the long hallway before them, they spotted dozens of demons crawling about. This hall was wider than the one on the floor below, with five demons standing side by side instead of three, all of whom pointed their spears menacingly at the escaping pair. One of the demons, presumably the commander of the floor, gazed down at Beku and Pelomas while blocking the staircase that led to the room above.
“Oh? What a surprise to see that you’ve regrown your limbs,” the commander remarked. “But I am Greater Demonic Deity Redragok. I can easily tear them from your body once more. If you wish to escape that grisly fate, return to your cell at once.”
“We’ve got no other choice,” Beku said. “Let’s burst through.”
A second later, the lionkin rushed forth like a burst of golden wind, straight into the group of demons. He punched and kicked every enemy in his way as he cleared a path forward. Redragok had lined the hall with demons who were skilled with the spear, and they assaulted Beku in three directions. Spears came from above, in front, and below as a wall of deadly weapons threatened the lionkin and the merchant, trying to prevent them from reaching the upper floor.
Unfortunately, even Redragok, in all his delusions of grandeur, could not predict that Beku had enhanced Agility thanks to the Holy Orb of Quatro. The Beast Crown Prince weaved between the openings before the demons could thrust their spears, and with the demons so tightly packed despite the large hallway, they could not utilize their weapons as they would have liked. One by one, they went down. Redragok jumped into the fight and activated his skill, but a single powerful blow from Beku’s orichalcum knuckles was enough to defeat the Greater Demon Deity. Silence settled over the hallway, the walls soaked with the blood of demons, as Pelomas healed his friend. The lionkin and the merchant elected to explore this floor before heading to the next one.
“We’re searching for the Holy Beast Stone, correct?” Beku asked.
“Yes,” Pelomas replied. “I only hope that it’s here somewhere...”
“If not, we simply need to push forward until we find it.”
The double doors that lined the spacious hall were wide enough for large items to be carried through. As the duo opened each set to reveal the massive magic tools or water tanks hidden inside, they spotted abnormally shaped demons and massive monster babies floating within the tanks, but the stone was nowhere to be found. However, when they entered the fourth room on the floor, they spotted a stone with a pale blue shimmer. It was as large as a human head and closely resembled a crystal seed, floating about in a tank filled with translucent liquid in the middle of the room.
“Eek?!” a horned demon in a white lab coat cried.
The frail-looking demon, likely a researcher, was greatly intimidated by Beku, who was covered in blood. Pelomas was also secretly terrified, but he pressed his weapon against the demon nonetheless.
“Is this the Holy Beast Stone?” he asked.
The demon’s mouth gaped like that of a stunned fish. They could not utter a word. And predictably, Pelomas’s Analyze could not uncover the stone’s identity.
“Fine...” he muttered as he activated Libra, his Extra Skill. His eyes widened with astonishment. “What?! What an extraordinary price! I don’t believe it! Is it immeasurable or something?!”
“What’s wrong?” Beku asked.
But Pelomas could hardly provide an answer. His Libra had approximated the price of the stone at 999,999,999,999 gold. Despite his young age, Pelomas was a seasoned merchant who had conducted countless successful trades and mastered his Extra Skill. He knew right away that the absurd price point only went to show how invaluable the stone was to the world.
“I’m almost certain this is the Holy Beast Stone...” he murmured. “What is this used for?”
“Y-You think I’m gonna answer that?!” the demon shouted.
A flash of gold shot out from behind Pelomas, and a burly arm grabbed the feeble researcher by the head and lifted them into the air. The demon helplessly flailed about and cried out in pain.
“Gaaah! Okay! O-Okay! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” they screamed.
Beku released his grip, and the demon fell to the ground on their butt.
“This stone...will apparently be used after the Daemon God is unsealed from Prostia’s ocean floor with the blood of the sacrifice, but before it can reclaim its lost power,” the demon reluctantly explained. “The Daemon God can regain power by devouring the souls of people, but we predict that once it’s strong enough, it’ll refuse to listen to our orders. If we use this stone before that happens, we’d be able to harness the full power of the Daemon God and control it as we wish. Or so Lord Shinorom told me.”
“Is it even possible to control the Daemon God?” Pelomas asked.
“I don’t know. But the Holy Beast Stone can seal the souls of deities’ kin and wield that power. If we can seal the soul of Holy Fish Macris, the power he used to mend the seal on the Daemon God will be ours to use. Theoretically, it should be possible.”
“That’s...horrible.”
“It’s all still theoretical. And Lord Shinorom was the one who planned to kill your deity and her kin. I haven’t done anything at all. So please, spare my life!”
When Pelomas tried to pull his weapon back, the demon pounced and tried to steal it from his hand. Their efforts were in vain, however, because a moment later, their head flew off thanks to a single kick from Beku. Pelomas quivered as blood spraying from the corpse covered his body, and the lionkin offered his hand to help the merchant back to his feet.
“Now then, what shall we do, Peloniki?” Beku asked.
“We have to stop them,” Pelomas answered. “I know that much for sure.”
He picked up his Ancient Wood Abacus, and after a moment of thought, he slammed it against the tank. CRACK! While he was unsure of what the glass-like walls of the tank were made of, the one he hit shattered, and the liquid inside began pouring out. Once most of it had been drained, Pelomas proceeded to widen the hole, shove his hand in, and remove the Holy Beast Stone. Just as he placed the stone in his magic bag, Beku whirled around.
“What are you doing?!” an elderly voice screeched.
“Romu... No, Shinorom!” Beku growled.
Pelomas also turned around, and in doing so, he saw a massive monster open the doors and enter the room.
“Aaahhh!” he screamed.
A towering eyeball with countless tentacles greeted the jailbreaking pair. Several tentacles banded together to form an arm so thick that it could open doors, and the tentacles below its body stretched out vertically, touching the floor to create its legs. The lower appendages began to move, propelling the eyeball monster forward.
“You didn’t just flee, but you even stole the Holy Beast Stone from me!” a small, elderly demon in front of the monster shouted. “Little Ghii, catch them at once!”
The monster charged, its eyeball so low that it almost touched the ground. Countless tentacles slapped the floor at extreme speeds to push the monster toward the merchant and the lionkin. Beku stepped forward to fight, but he did not attack of his own accord, instead merely dodging or parrying the attacks, using his arms and legs to change the trajectory of the tentacles that assaulted him.
“Prince Beku!” Pelomas shouted as the monster’s tentacles split into several smaller appendages.
“Ghiiii!” the eyeball screeched.
The monster, having quintupled its number of tentacles, tried to swallow Beku whole and even restrain Pelomas, who stood in the back, trembling with fear.
“Is that all you’ve got? Beast Mode!” Beku roared.
A golden lion appeared before everyone’s eyes. He shredded the tentacles and pounced onto the eyeball monster.
