Chapter 148. Ethan, the Warrior of Benevolence
The Medical Mushroom transformed into an egg.
After assigning monsters to guard the egg,
I took a few of them with me and used the warp device to return to Hell.
[You’re back.]
As soon as we arrived in Hell, we were greeted by Infernos.
It seemed he had been waiting by the warp device the whole time.
“Sorry, did I make you wait long?”
[It’s fine. I didn’t wait too long.]
Reuniting with Infernos,
I continued with the question I had wanted to ask earlier.
What kind of monster was the one managing Hell?
In response, Infernos lifted his head and gazed up at the sky before answering.
[It’s a demon with the strongest power in Hell, with the ability to control souls and death. It loves peace and values order.]
“A demon that loves peace… seems harmless like Solorb, fortunately. But why are you looking up at the sky? Could that demon be up there?”
I also lifted my head and looked up.
There was nothing in the sky.
[My neck was just stiff, so I looked up.]
“…”
【Mir-Stin】─ LOL
【Pururu】─ He’s making it confusing on purpose.
【Mysticism】─😠
【Bubble Bubble】─ I also thought something was up in the sky.
【Yumi】─ I was fooled too…
[Anyway, that demon hates those who disrupt peace the most. Not just hate—he loathes and despises them. So, try not to cause any trouble here in Hell.]
“Don’t worry. Unless we’re attacked first, we have no plans to attack. But what’s the name of that demon you mentioned?”
[Sublime Bone Fiend. That’s the name of the demon who oversees all the monsters in Hell.]
Sublime Bone Fiend.
The name felt strangely familiar.
“Sublime Bone Fiend? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before… Bone Fiend, Bone Fiend…”
I muttered the name Bone Fiend softly.
Then, I recalled the name of a monster I’d heard of in the past.
An SSS-grade monster.
The Giant Bone Fiend.
It was the creature I encountered when I was dragged into the Ancient Labyrinth, and it killed Min Hyeong-seok, the former explorer.
Could it be just a coincidence that its name was similar to the Giant Bone Fiend?
No.
I started to think that this creature might be related to the Giant Bone Fiend.
Considering that Sublime Bone Fiend was likely an SSS-grade monster like the Giant Bone Fiend.
It’s rare for SSS-grade monsters to share names, after all.
Just to be sure, I asked Infernos.
“Infernos, do you know a monster called the Giant Bone Fiend?”
[Hmm? The Giant Bone Fiend? How do you know that name, explorer?]
“I met it once before. Judging by your reaction, you must know it well.”
[Of course. The Giant Bone Fiend is like a clone of Sublime Bone Fiend.]
“A clone?”
[Yes. The Giant Bone Fiend was created and controlled by Sublime Bone Fiend, using his own bones.]
I learned something new.
The Giant Bone Fiend was a clone of the monster that managed Hell.
【Mysticism】─😮
【Rizenova】─ So it’s confirmed that Sublime Bone Fiend is also SSS-grade.
【Luna-chan】─ We should be careful in Hell…
【Pururu】─ It could even be higher than SSS, don’t you think?
【Yumi】─ That’s possible too.
【Mir-Stin】─ What? Does an SSSS grade exist?
【Pururu】─ What kind of absurd grade is SSSS? LOL
【Bubble Bubble】─ Although Gauntlet hasn’t encountered anything higher than SSS-grade, it’s not impossible. The Ancient Labyrinth itself defies common sense.
It seemed likely that Sublime Bone Fiend was an SSS-grade monster.
Based on Infernos’ story, the power of the clone and the original was roughly equal.
In any case, it was clear we had to behave ourselves in Hell.
Any action that disrupted order and angered Bone Fiend could cost us our lives.
We still couldn’t handle an SSS-grade being.
With the explorer’s ability, I could weaken the power of an SSS-grade monster to that of an S-grade, making the threat level equal to my own.
But their true strength, or their sealed power,
was very different from a weakened state.
The fact that Azeras had been utterly defeated by the Giant Bone Fiend when she was an S-grade explorer showed this.
‘Well, as long as we don’t do anything noticeable, we should be fine staying in Hell. As I heard, it doesn’t attack unless provoked. Even if it does, apologizing might let us off.’
Then,
while heading to the Execution Grounds, I asked about the reason Ethan had been dragged here.
I had a rough guess,
but there might be additional crimes.
[Ethan? You mean the prisoner who called out your name earlier, Gauntlet? If I remember correctly, his crime was quite severe. He’s the type Sublime Bone Fiend hates the most. The crimes he committed… well…]
Infernos paused for a moment.
Then, he lightly tapped his head with his fist.
It seemed he was trying to recall his memory.
[Ah. I remember now.]
Infernos turned his gaze to me and began explaining Ethan’s crimes.
Betraying his own kind and attempting to destroy the world.
Disrupting peace and order.
Raping another’s woman.
Committing indiscriminate murder to satisfy his own greed.
Abusing and killing his own blood.
Deceiving others and coveting wealth.
Betraying comrades who trusted him…
Infernos continued to list Ethan’s crimes without stopping.
I shook my head and interrupted him.
“…That’s enough. You can stop now.”
[Hmm? I still have more.]
“I just don’t want to hear any more.”
I didn’t need to hear the rest.
It was already clear that Ethan was worse than I had thought.
【Pururu】─ Holy crap. He’s worse than I imagined.
【Bubble Bubble】─ There’s a lot I didn’t know either.
【Luna-chan】─ He’s a truly revolting man. It makes me sick.
【Mysticism】─😡
【Yumi】─ It’s no wonder he was dragged to Hell.
【Rizenova】─ He seems beyond redemption. Shouldn’t his soul be annihilated after his punishment? His very soul must be corrupted by now.
【Mir-Stin】─ But how did such trash earn the title of “Warrior”?
【Bubble Bubble】─ The kingdom awarded it to him. Despite his character, his skills were exceptional.
【Mir-Stin】─ That kingdom must’ve been out of its mind.
【Pururu】─ Giving him the title of the “Warrior of Benevolence” is ridiculous. They should’ve called him the “Trash Warrior.”
As I continued chatting with Infernos, we eventually arrived at the Execution Grounds.
Wifra and the other wardens were still busy torturing the prisoners.
[Hmm?]
With a blooming smile on her face, Wifra noticed us as she whipped a prisoner.
She quickly approached me, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized my appearance from head to toe.
[Why has our explorer suddenly become so sexy? Did you perhaps smear semen all over yourself? You smell even more provocative than before.]
“…I didn’t smear anything like that.”
【Pururu】─ Is she crazy?
【Mir-Stin】─ I’ve never heard such a form of harassment before…
【Bubble Bubble】─ She’s truly vile.
【Luna-chan】─ Elise isn’t one to talk.
【Mysticism】─😮 Smearing semen increases attractiveness. Noted!
【Yumi】─ Don’t take notes on that.
I glanced at Ethan.
Ethan’s head was currently detached.
But he wasn’t dead.
The body that held the prisoners’ souls resembled their former appearance,
and while it was designed so they couldn’t use their full strength or abilities, its regenerative ability was exceptional.
I heard the body was specifically created for torture, so it wouldn’t die easily.
In a way, the body itself was a prison.
‘That explains why his threat level is F-grade.’
In any case,
before Ethan’s body could regenerate,
I continued my earlier conversation with Wifra.
I told her about Kendra’s situation.
And I explained the relationship between her and the prisoner, Ethan.
***
I heard that soul abduction was difficult.
Even if a creature committed great crimes, if the soul abduction failed, they couldn’t be brought here.
Not all sinners across dimensions are dragged here, only the unlucky ones.
Hence,
Ethan’s comrades and the other fallen warriors were nowhere to be seen.
It seemed Ethan was unlucky enough to be abducted.
“Wait, Gauntlet?! I wasn’t mistaken earlier! It really is Gauntlet…!”
As his body regenerated,
Ethan spotted me and immediately started shouting again.
“Gauntlet! You haven’t forgotten me, right? W-we were comrades once…! So, please, don’t just stand there, save me, please…”
It seemed Ethan wasn’t in his right mind.
His mental collapse had caused him to forget the events between us.
【Pururu】─ What’s wrong with him? If he had any conscience, he wouldn’t ask Gaon for help.
【Bubble Bubble】─ He’s always been shameless.
【Mir-Stin】─ Truly a brazen person.
【Mysticism】─🤬🤬🤬
“I heard you gained a lot of power, Gauntlet… You, you could easily kill everyone here, right? Please, save me… we’re comrades, aren’t we…?”
I completely ignored Ethan’s desperate plea for help.
As I said before,
I didn’t have a deep personal grudge against him, but that didn’t mean I had any intention of saving him.
Why should I save him?
The trash who betrayed humanity and tried to destroy Elemencia deserved to suffer for eternity.
Then,
after hearing about the past between Ethan and me, Wifra exaggerated the story and shared it with the other wardens.
As a result, the other wardens cheered and offered to temporarily grant me the authority to torture prisoners, handing me all sorts of torture devices.
Revenge, they said, was the greatest pleasure.
[Hahaha! What a fortunate day, to have someone who was wronged by the prisoner here in Hell!]
[Revenge is always sweet.]
[Friend! You can torture him to your heart’s content until your anger subsides!]
[Heh heh. I look forward to seeing a thrilling scene where his brain melts.]
I wasn’t particularly harmed by Ethan.
Nor did I have a strong desire for revenge.
However,
I gladly accepted the demons’ offer.
I did it with the intention of exacting revenge on behalf of Elise and Sage Lunaris.
Separate from my personal, small grudge.
After all, Ethan was one of the fallen warriors who had led Elemencia to ruin.
【Bubble Bubble】─ If only Sage and I were there.
【Luna-chan】─ I’m not the type to enjoy torture anyway… Gauntlet, please torture him on our behalf.
I picked up a heated iron and slowly approached Ethan.
He looked at me with a terrified expression, trembling.
“Ga-Gauntlet? What are you doing…?”
“This is your fate, so just accept it.”
【Pururu】─ I can’t watch.
【Mysticism】─😨
【Mir-Stin】─ I can’t handle cruel things either.
【Bubble Bubble】─ Stick the iron in his mouth too.
【Luna-chan】─ After slashing his stomach, burn his guts with the iron! o_O
【Rizenova】─ Didn’t Sage say she couldn’t handle torture…?
While reading the chat from Elise and Sage,
I began to torture Ethan without any personal emotion, just the way they wanted.
“Arghhh!!! Gauntlet, Gauntlet…! You bastard! Betraying me… we were comrades… Arghhh!!!”
“You crazy bastard. We were never comrades, so how could I betray you? You’re distorting the past all by yourself.”
But perhaps the demons weren’t satisfied with the way I was torturing him.
The wardens, who had been excited before the torture began, suddenly lost interest and grew indifferent.
[Hmm. This is more bland than I expected.]
[Do you not know how to torture?]
[It seems you lack the proper feelings of hatred. You didn’t really want revenge.]
[This is no fun…]
The mood, which had cooled off,
soon heated up again.
This time, it was thanks to the monsters that had come with me.
[Son. That’s not how you torture someone. Step aside.]
[Father, let us handle the torture for you. You can relax.]
Nyara Nepenthis and Kinogine Arachne.
And the other monsters who had come with us to Hell surrounded Ethan, anger clearly etched on their faces.
They, too, had heard about what had happened between me and Ethan.
[We’ve heard everything about what you did to my father. Now, accept your punishment for your sins, you human trash.]
[I’ll give you the greatest pain. You’ll never be forgiven for hurting my father.]
[Screeeee! How dare you hurt our daddy!]
[Ugly bastard.]
Nyara, Arachne, Princess, Iris.
And soon, the other monsters joined in the torture.
“W-wait a minute… Gauntlet is my friend… Arghhh!!! S-stop…! Aaaagh!!!”
【Mysticism】─😡 He still insists Gaon is his friend. What a liar!
【Yumi】─ His mind must’ve collapsed so badly that even his memories are distorted. In his current state, Gaon is probably the only person he thinks could help him. Desperate to escape that hopeless situation, he’s denying reality and convincing himself that Gaon was his friend.
Ethan’s body was pierced by the unspeakably cruel tortures.
His agonized screams pierced through the abyss of Hell, endlessly echoing.
[He looks even uglier when he screams. His face is utterly hideous.]
Even amidst all this, Artpega Unibicorn continued her work on the guidebook.
Under the pretense of creating a Prisoner Guidebook.
[Explorer. That man is so ugly that I had to beautify the drawing a lot. I didn’t want to put such a hideous face in the guidebook, so I hope you understand.]
Artpega handed me a piece of paper.
On it was a portrait of Ethan.
Compared to the real Ethan, the drawing was ridiculously beautified.
—
■Ethan
─Actual Threat Level: S-grade.
─Current Threat Level: F-grade.
─Notable Traits: Former Warrior of Benevolence, now Fallen Warrior and prisoner.
—
I folded the paper and tucked it away in my bag.
‘Well, that should be the end of it.’
After the torture, Ethan’s body was barely left intact.
Though that wasn’t the end for him.
Thanks to the regenerative abilities of his prison-like body, he would slowly recover and be tortured over and over again for eternity.
In Hell, he would forever experience this cycle of agony.
Honestly, if there was anything left resembling justice, this was it.
I left the scene without looking back.
Next, it was time to deal with the bigger issues awaiting me in Hell.