Chapter 152: Beast of Deceit and Rapacity

Swoooosh!

Swooping through the sky, the black-armored Il-Ho swooped landed on the floating island and whale, Eden.

Il-Ho shouted, “Rollie! Are you alright? It’s me, Il-Ho!”

“Il-Ho...”

Surrounded by the Divine Beasts, Rollie staggered toward Il-Ho. A golden apple rolled at her feet—it had traces of cuts and a bite.

“R-Rollie?”

“

Hngg

, Il-Ho... I don’t feel so well...”

Ssss—

Rollie grew transparent as she approached Il-Ho, like a fading mirage in a desert. With tears in her eyes, Rollie reached out to Il-Ho. “Please don’t... forget me... Il-H

—

”

“Rollie!” Il-Ho reached out to grab her in panic, but all he could grasp was air.

Just like that, Rollie was gone, as if she’d never existed in the first place. Memories of her had been wiped out from all of her friends’ minds

—

all except for Il-Ho.

Raging, Il-Ho turned to Zappa the raccoon. “You vile apostle of a wicked god! What have you done to my friend, Rollie?!”

Smirk—

Zappa smiled sinisterly, revealing his yellowed teeth. “

Kihihi!

I merely sent her to a better place.”

“Better... place?”

“An insect like you doesn’t need to know anyway! Now, die!” Zappa’s eyes glowed menacingly. “

Kiki!

I’ll turn you into ashes this time!”

Flash! Ruuuumble!

With a furious thunderclap, a wave of lightning spewed out from the staff, threatening to reduce Il-Ho into a pile of ashes. However, unlike before, Il-Ho was unflinching.

“H-how could the staff of the Thunder God, bestowed by my master, not work on you?”

The emulator from the Soul Mecha Lazenca began showing a series of texts.

[Soul Mecha Lazenca has resistance to lightning attacks.]

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

[The Soul Mecha’s power has increased by 200% due to the influx of powerful external energy!]

Clank! Thud!

Sparks flew all over Il-Ho as he slowly approached the frightened Zappa.

“As if your lightning bolts would work against the armor bestowed by our God Yu Il-Shin!!”

“

Eeek!

M-monster! Don’t come near me!” terrified, Zappa then shouted at the Divine Beasts, “What are you doing! Have you all forgotten how Beast of Deceit and Rapacity saved your lives?! Hurry and stop that monster!”

Tzzz!

The eyes of the Divine Beasts, who stood there in a daze like puppets, suddenly turned red.

“For our god.”

“For the god who saved us...”

Riiip!

Their clothes began ripping apart, and their bodies transformed into combat mode.

“

Grrr!

”

“

Gaaaah!

”

The beast-like traits within the Divine Beasts erupted like an active volcano, pouncing on Il-Ho. Il-Ho didn’t fight back, unwilling to harm the beasts he’d spent the last few days with.

“

Keugh!

” Il-Ho disappeared almost instantly.

“

Krrr!

Die!

Die-woof!

”

“Blood! I want

blood-nya!

”

Zappa cheered as he watched the Divine Beasts come crashing down on Il-Ho like a huge mountain. “That’s right! Destroy his strange armor and tear him to pieces!”

Woooong!

But then, a strange sound could be heard amidst the cries of the beasts.

From beneath the beasts that swarmed Il-Ho, a blinding, golden light emanated.

“

Muuuuuscles!

”

Baaam!

Along with Il-Ho’s cry, the pile of beasts exploded with a golden radiance, flying into the air.

“

Hiiic!

”

“

Baaa!

”

Il-Ho glared at Zappa and roared like a raging dragon.

“Brace yourself, you raccoon bastard!

I’m angryyyy!

”

“W-wait a minute!” Zappa shouted in a panic, but Il-Ho’s fist came for him at the speed of light, slamming into his body.

“

Aaaargh!

” Zappa’s body was shattered into pieces, like an egg smashed on the ground.

“

Gaaah!

It hurts! It hurts!”

Only left with an unharmed head, Zappa’s head rolled on the ground like a ball.

Il-Ho was disgusted by the tenacious raccoon. He frowned as he picked up the raccoon's head. “You! You’re just as tenacious as those filthy imperial bastards!”

Zappa begged, shedding tears of blood. “P-please save me... I was only acting on instructions...”

“Where did you hide Holyn and Rollie! If you don’t tell me right now, I’m going to smash your head into pieces!” Il-Ho growled angrily.

“

Eeek!

They have only paid their price...”

“Pay their price? What do you mean by that!”

“I-I’m scared. P-please don’t scream at me. Beast of Deceit and Rapacity saved them from the God of Destroyer and brought them to this paradise. Isn’t it only right that they repay him?”

“Get to the point!” Il-Ho squeezed Zappa’s head tighter.

Crack!

The pain made Zappa scream even louder.

“S-stop! They are in god's stomach! To be a part of him—what greater joy could there be?!

Aaaah!

It hurts! Stop it!”

Il-Ho gritted his teeth. Didn’t that mean that his friends Holyn and Rollie were being devoured by the evil god? He’d always thought Eden was a paradise, but it turned out to be a lie!

It was merely a feeding ground for god! Moreover, that god had deceived the habitants of Eden, who earnestly offered their absolute devotion to their benefactor. And all they wanted was a chance at restoring their ransacked homelands!

Il-Ho was enraged. That being didn’t deserve to be called a god!

“Tell me, how do I get to him!”

“W-what? You want to go to Beast of Deceit and Rapacity? Y-you’re crazy! I understand that you’re strong, but he’s a great god—a being on an entirely different level than you!”

Il-Ho looked up to the sky, catching a glimpse of the golden apple tree.

Holyn and Rollie had both disappeared after eating those apples. Il-Ho leaped up onto the tree.

“

Muuuscles!

”

Landing on the top of the tree, Il-Ho plucked a golden apple that hung flourishingly. Zappa’s eyes widened in shock.

“W-why did you take the golden apple? Y-you’re crazy! Are you really going to him?

Cough!

” Zappa’s mouth was plugged with the golden apple.

Sss...

“

N-naur...

”

Then, Zappa’s head slowly turned transparent like how Rollie did, disappearing.

“I was right.”

Convinced, Il-Ho pulled back his helmet slightly and took a big bite out of another apple.

Crunch!

Sss—

He, too, began turning transparent and was transported somewhere else.

***

“T-this is?” Il-Ho’s face was painted in horror as he looked at his surroundings.

The place he arrived at was a living, immeasurably huge cave.

The red walls of flesh squirmed grotesquely. Underneath his feet was a river of green acid, bubbling like lava. A pile of bones was seen floating on the acid, seemingly belonging to the Divine Beasts.

This is nothing but hell!

The horrible mixture of acid and foul stench filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. If it weren’t for the mysterious armor given by God Yu Il-Shin, Il-Ho would’ve suffocated to death. He gritted his teeth. Could Holyn and Rollie somehow survive through this hell?

Zappa’s head was still in his hands, screaming in agony due to the acidic air.

“

Cough cough!

You crazy bastard! You really went into the belly of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity! We’re all going to die now!”

“Shut up! You’re the cause of all this!” Il-Ho threw Zappa’s head into the river.

“

Aaaah!

N-no! S-save me...!”

Tsss!

Zappa’s head dissolved instantly in the acid, and a message from the Tower of Warriors appeared.

[The apostle of the evil god has been defeated, and 664 Divine Beasts have been saved!]

[Congratulations! The Forty-Third Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Space and Time—Salvation of Eden has been cleared.]

[Warrior, will you proceed to the next floor?]

Il-Ho shook his head.

Such nonsense! I haven’t saved my friends yet!

Ignoring the message, Il-Ho flew around in the hellish stomach of the malevolent god’s, looking for his friends.

“Holyn! Rollie! Do you hear me? Answer me!”

Il-Ho was getting anxious by the second. Would any of his delicate friends live through this hell?

“Il-...Ho... I’m... here...”

Just then, a faint voice that seemed to disappear at any moment came from one of the floating piles of bones on the river.

“Rollie?” Il-Ho quickly maneuvered his armor, flying toward the voice.

Then, he found Rollie on top of the bone pile. She was rolled up, protecting herself with her thorns.

Il-Ho hugged Rollie tightly.

“Rollie! Are you alri—

Ugh!

”

Rollie was in critical condition. Even without touching the acid and being protected by her thorns, parts of her body were gradually melting. Il-Ho then caught sight of Holyn’s half-melted hide in the middle of the pile.

Rollie coughed up blood, struggling to speak. “Il-Ho... Holyn is...

Hnggg...

”

Il-Ho gritted his teeth. “Don’t say anything! Let’s find a way out of this place first!”

Despite saying that to reassure Rollie, he didn’t have any idea how they could get out of this place.

Oh, right!

Il-Ho recalled the messages from the Tower of Warriors earlier and shouted, “Tower of Warriors! I, Il-Ho, will proceed to the next floor with Rollie!”

[Warrior, only you can proceed to the next floor.]

[Only the chosen ones can climb the Tower of Warriors.]

Such was the Tower’s reply.

Il-Ho’s expression hardened. As if he’d leave Rollie behind and escape on his own!

God Yu Il-Shin...!

Having to ask for assistance each time made him feel ashamed. Still, he couldn’t think of a way to get Rollie out of this place!

“Great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin, please give me your wisdom...”

Just as Il-Ho was about to turn to God Yu Il-SHin for help...

Ruuuumble!

The red walls of flesh began wriggling ferociously. Tidal waves rolled on the acid river, dissolving the piles of bones in an instant.

“

Argh!

” Il-Ho leaped into the air, avoiding the surging acid.

What’s happening!

Then a thunderous voice rang out in Il-Ho’s eardrums.

-Who dares to steal my food!

The voice belonged to the owner of this hellish stomach, Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.