Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Liger and Cougar returned out of breath.

'We…we're back. They started bickering on the way back…'

"Hey, where are we? You never told us where you're taking us! And this is in the opposite direction that Temi's fortunes said."

"Sh-shut up! In the end both directions lined up. But your attitude is just causing problems for everyone! This is important for Lord Zew! Everyone, gag Lepe!!"

"Hey, let me go! Ghghghhhhhhh?!"

Hobah picked up Lepe and carried him over his shoulder like a bag of rice, while the Ten Heroic Beasts rushed in to tie a rope around Lepe's fox snout.

"B-brother…"

"Shea…"

While everyone worked on Lepe, Shea and Zew saw each other.

Shea had been searching for Gushara in the Gyariat Continent while Zew and Allen were in the S Rank Dungeon. And then when Allen fought the Evil God's servants with Shea, Zew went to Rosenheim to fight the Demon King's Army.

After that Shea joined Allen's party, and she saw Zew multiple times, but they never got to talk.

'So you're the descendant of Albahar, Zew. Welcome. What do you desire from me?'

"I want Princess Rena to become Beast Queen."

Zew said what he wanted. The Beast God Garm had brought Zew to his Shrine.

And when Shea heard that, her eyes moved around nervously, but her expression remained still.

'Are you joking? What's that supposed to mean?'

"I'm not joking."

Zew remained composed, even though the highest deity of all beastmen looked baffled.

He loved Princess Rena, who came from the Beast Kingdom of Brysen.

That was the reason why he spent many years in the dangerous S Rank Dungeon, all for her.

'So one lives for an empire, the other for love. What should I do?'

Garm tilted his head in an exaggerated manner and asked the two behind everyone.

'This would go against the rules of this world. Lord Garm can only give the trial to one.'

'I believe you'll have to choose one of them, Lord Garm.'

Liger and Cougar, who were a head taller than Zew, replied to Garm.

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'That settles it then. You heard them, I'll help one of you, Shea and Zew.'

Garm said he would give a trial to either Shea or Zew.

"Lord Garm, I was never told that…"

'What? So you came here without any resolve then?!'

"That's not what I meant."

Zew had only gotten there with the help of Shea, so he could not understand what was happening. Cougar had told him something else before he got there.

But Garm's reaction was so overwhelming that he recoiled.

"Lord Zew, we'll always follow you!! Please, accept Lord Garm's trial!! We'll give our lives if that's what it takes!!"

Hobah had given everything to serve Zew, and he reaffirmed his decision.

"Mghhhhh! Mghhhhhhhhh?!"

"Lepe! Damn you, this is important for Lord Zew! Shut up!!"

Lepe started wriggling around again, so Hobah started hitting him with his elbow.

"Calm down, Hobah, I'll…"

'What? Changing your mind already?'

"Not at all. I also want to gain power to create a world where beastmen can live peacefully, that's my honest desire."

Even though Zew had mentioned Rena first, he added that, and Garm nodded in acceptance.

'Well, Zew and Shea, I can only give a trial to one of you. The one who completes it will gain my Divine Technique, Divine Artifact, and Blessing.'

"But which one of us will it be?"

Zew was fearing that the two would have to fight over the trial.

'Well, it doesn't really matter how, but you see those two staircases behind me? I'll be waiting on the top floor, and the one who gets there first will get the trial. You'll get a reward on each floor too, but the best reward will be my trial on the top floor.'

"So we just have to run up the Shrine?"

Shea asked to make sure she understood and would get the best reward.

'Alright then. Someone went through the Earth Labyrinth not too long ago too, so this is just perfect. You can obtain Divine Techniques and other rewards as you climb up, but the one who receives my trial will get my Divine Artifact.'

Behind Garm, there were 2 staircases in two corners of the hall.

That reminded Shea of the Earth Labyrinth, where she had been earlier, and she could tell that Garm had been watching through his Blessing too.

There would be various rewards in each floor, but there was only 1 Divine Artifact at the top.

"A time attack… Then, if someone arrives later but the first one fails the trial, would they be able to give it a try?"

Shea looked attentively at Garm.

'It won't be that easy. If the first one fails, then that's it. Also, no matter who gets there first, the trial will be just as difficult.'

Shea was a bit worried about what could happen, but it was not too complicated.

"Could I go out before it's over? I might need to prepare some stuff beforehand."

There was a chance that she would need something else once she knew what the trial was.

Or rather, Shea had something more in mind.

'No, you're disqualified if you leave the building. You can't bring anyone else, and you can't ask for advice.'

"No advice…"

Shea and Zew could not understand what that meant, but then Garm pointed his fist at Zew's shoulder and flicked his finger, sending a shockwave.

There had been a Bird A summon on Zew's shoulder, which would place a Nest for Allen to retrieve the Fragment of the Moon. But Garm would not allow that, so he killed the summon.

'You too, I won't allow external influences. This is something involving the future of beastmen. Luvanka, you'll stay out of responsibility, but without aid.'

Garm's thin body seemed to emit a shockwave of divine power.

"What just happened…"

'Hm…I can no longer see what Allen sees.'

Allen's Skill [Sharing] stopped being active on Luvanka.

Garm had severed that connection with his divine power.

'Luvanka, it was me who turned you into a Sacred Beast, and who allowed you to become a summon. You may go together with Shea.'

'I will…'

Luvanka could help Shea with her trial.

'Let's begin then. Liger, Cougar, you two get ready too.'

'Yes!'

'Yes!'

"Wait, why should I go along with such unfair terms?"

'What?!!'

'What did you just say about Lord Garm?!!'

Shea complained to Garm, one of the Higher Gods and the deity of all beastmen.

The two gatekeepers seemed offended hearing that, and bared their fangs at her.

'Ohhhh, now that's a good one. That earned you 1 Garm Point.'

"Garm Point…"

For some reason Garm praised her and gave her some Point.

But Shea did not feel like she had received anything, and her stats remained the same.

In the end, it only seemed to be one of Garm's jokes.

'Anyway, what is this unfairness you've found? Lupto and Elmea will come after me if I don't clarify everything after all.'

There were only about ten Higher Gods like Garm, and he was well aware of how severe Lupto's inquisitions were.

"I only have 1 companion, but I'm up against 10. That feels like an unfair advantage."

Zew had 9 of the Ten Heroic Beasts with him, since Temi was somewhere else.

"What are you saying, Lady Shea?! You're accompanied by one of Allen's summons, and he's the guardian of beastmen Luvanka!!"

One of Zew's men was enraged by Shea's attempt to negotiate.

Hobah was convinced that both groups were equal.

The strongest warriors of Albahar were known as the Ten Heroic Beasts, picked during their yearly tournament, and Allen had met them in the S Rank Dungeon.

That tournament had been delayed after that thanks to the Demon King's Army's attacks, so the members were still the same since then.

"Hobah, are you really in a position to say that when you used the Talent Change Points Allen gained, and are currently wearing the weapons and armor he procured?!"

"Hnrgh!"

Hobah grunted hearing Shea's response. All of the Ten Heroic Beasts had undergone Talent Changes to 5 Star Talents, and were wearing weapons and armor made of Isiris' orichalcum.

It was possible for anyone to gain a 4 Star Talent on their own, but they needed Talent Change Points to gain 5 Star Talents.

Talent Change Points could only be gained by defeating Demon General and Demigod Rank enemies, and the Talent Points used by the Ten Heroic Beasts had all come from Allen.

'Enough, I'm the one who made that decision. So what are you suggesting, Shea? Do you want to complete this challenge with you and Zew alone?'

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound that way. But I want a suitable reward in case I manage to complete the trial under these conditions."

'Oh? And what would that be?'

"Apart from your promised rewards, I want a Fragment of the Moon and your tail, Lord Garm."

'My…My precious tail? Nyoo?!'

Garm embraced his tail and twisted his body like an embarrassed schoolgirl.