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

3 days after their departure, Allen's group arrived at the Beast God Giran's territory.

It was a vast forest past the Fish God's Shrine, filled with tall straight trees that looked like cedars or metasequoias.

'Awooooooooooo!'

The chain of howls announcing their arrival kept echoing in the distance as they landed.

(I guess they're the Sacred Beasts of this Shrine. Giran is also a wolf from what I heard.)

Allen used the Bird E summon's Awakened Skill [Clairvoyance] to check one of the howling wolves, which was amongst the trees many kilometers away, and was around 10 meters tall.

"What do you think, Allen?"

Cecile was feeling strangely nervous.

"I don't know, at least they're not attacking us. But they're also not coming to receive us."

After howling, the wolf just stared at them carefully, even though they were kilometers away.

"Let's land nearby, I doubt they'll be as kind as Albahar."

Shea was Albahar's descendant, so she had been rather casual with him, but here she would have to be a bit more careful.

"Okay."

Flying was not against the rules, but beastmen valued a proper hierarchy of power, so it was best to not do anything to defy that.

'Allen, you should go meet the Beast God Giran first, if you intend to see Lord Garm that is.'

Luvanka told Allen to not try taking any shortcuts to meet Garm.

"So I have to go bow at someone again? I'm not good at that though."

(I feel like I'm always having to act all respectful since I got here!)

"What are you saying? That's what you're good at, Allen."

Allen had been a servant when Cecile met him, so she denied what he said.

Allen had worked as an office worker for more than 10 years in his past life, where he had always had to interact with clients and bosses, but he still did not like to say he was good at it.

As a servant, he simply felt like he had to learn proper manners and then replicate them.

"We'll have an audience with the Beast God Giran. Maybe we'll get a Divine Technique after all."

"That's true, Shea. Let's also take his Divine Artifact."

"You're always so greedy."

(Okay, so we'll talk to Giran and then…)

Their objective was to see Giran, and get a way to meet Garm after that.

But as Shea had said, maybe they could also obtain something from Giran as well.

In the Spirit Paradise, Formar had obtained a Divine Artifact and Divine Technique from the Spirit King Elize and the Great Spirit God, so it seemed like one could not obtain both from the same entity.

Also, Allen always said he'd take the God's Divine Artifact, but it was more accurate to say that the Gods were lending them to his party.

Either way, meeting Giran could have a lot of merit, so Allen could not stop grinning.

'Sorry, could you let me out as well?'

"Hm? Ah, sure."

Luvanka had been in a card while they flew, but now he wanted to come out.

'Over here, follow me.'

Luvanka seemed determined as he turned around and led Allen's group into the forest.

They went straight forward until they arrived at a hill that was too small to be called a mountain.

Atop the small hill that was not even 1000 meters tall was a white stone board.

The Beast God Giran seemed to be atop that.

It looked rather plain, even compared to the Great Spirit God Easley's altar within a cave.

Put bluntly, it looked rather shabby.

(So we're finally meeting a god in the Paradise of Primordial Beasts, it feels weird that I'm so used to it already though.)

Allen had met various Gods after entering the divine realm, including a handful of Higher Gods.

There was an elderly wolf with silver fur that looked at them from atop the stone board.

(Somehow I feel like he's about to tell me to go rescue San… It's a really big wolf.)

Seeing a wolf like that reminded Allen of a movie he had seen in his past life.

At closer inspection, he realized the wolf was more than 100 meters long, making the hill look even smaller.

Allen's group stared back at Giran.

(Give us a Divine Technique.)

Allen put on a serious face, even though he was still filled with greed.

'It's been a while since a beastman came to see me. Are you Albahar's descendant?'

"Yes, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Shea."

'Albahar's descendant, huh…'

"Is something the matter?"

Giran looked slightly disappointed, which Shea noticed.

'I always thought Gil would be the one to come here, but then he was killed in such an underhanded and evil way…'

(Oh? Where's the trial? What's he talking about?)

Rather than discussing a trial, Giran began talking about something Shea knew as well.

But as it was a God talking, Allen still thought that there might be something of value in it.

Allen decided to take a step back and let Shea do the talking.

"So you're aware of that as well, Lord Giran… Was there foul play in that match after all then?"

Shea recalled that ferocious fight between Bek and Gil, which ended with Gil's death.

Some time later Bek tried to revolt against the Beast King to take over the throne, but then the Demon King's Army killed him.

Shea always felt like there was something off about that story, and where Bek had strayed off his path.

Bek had always been a promising prince, and the Beast King and the people of Albahar believed Bek would be the next Beast King.

But as Shea grew up, she felt like Bek was slowly changing.

His face became more ferocious, like he was absorbed by fighting.

Giran was the deity of Gil's country, Brysen, while Albahar only revered Garm.

That was why Giran noticed Gil from Brysen, and gave him strength.

But Giran was still serving the Higher God Garm.

'I have no intention of revealing everything, but it was something done behind the scenes by cunning men. I just pray Bek's soul may find rest, just like Gil's.'

"Thank you…all I've been asking for is that Bek's soul be saved. But does this mean there was a reason why the Demon King's Army targeted him?"

Shea was mostly interested in knowing the truth.

'Yes, descendant of Albahar. All beastmen are part of Lord Garm's bloodline, but that presence is especially strong in Albahar.'

"So I also have Lord Garm's blood…"

'Yes, it's an everlasting blood connection to Lord Garm. And that's why they targeted Bek as well.'

"So there was a reason why the Demon King's Army targeted my brother, and manipulated him."

Shea had already assumed as much in the past, but she still wanted to know why he was targeted.

(Albahar already answered that, mentioning that Garm's blood manifested the strongest in Bek.)

Allen recalled Bek's animalistic appearance. He was the king's firstborn, so he was born with the Beast King Mode Skill.

The Demon King's Army was looking for someone with a strong connection to Garm for their plan to revive the Evil God, and had started the plan to manipulate Bek to obtain his blood.

All of that filled Shea with rage, making her clutch her fists so firmly they started bleeding.

"I have to become stronger."

'You aren't just passing by on your way to meet Lord Garm then?'

"While that's our goal as well, I'd appreciate it if you could give Albahar's descendant a trial as well."

Shea stood firmly looking at Giran, who narrowed his eyes and looked back at her.

'You said your name was Shea, correct? I can see you've seen your fair share of fights, I like the look of your eyes. And I can see your ambition. It's my duty as a Beast God to present a trial to a beastman who lived properly. Once you've overcome these two trials, I'll present you with a Divine Artifact and a Divine Technique.'

(Wha-?! He's actually giving us both!! This is the best god so far!!)

Allen barely contained an outburst of joy. Divine Artifacts were the vessels of faith of Gods, which they could materialize as weapons. They were very valuable items, but Giran seemed willing to give his' to Shea if she got through his trials.

Shea gasped while Cecile and Sophie smiled hearing that, but quickly turned serious knowing they still had to know what the trials would be.

Everyone waited with excitement and nervousness to hear what Shea's trials would be.

But Giran would not tell them that right now.

'But before that, there's another beast who strayed from his path. Luvanka, come here.'

'...Yes.'

Giran's eyes became more severe than when he was looking at Shea.

'I haven't seen you in a while, what happened? You've changed quite a lot too, seeing you have an extra set of arms now.'

His words were casual, but his voice was not relaxed at all, and his eyes glared at Luvanka.

'I've become Allen's summon. This appearance is proof of that, Lord Giran.'

(Oh? Somehow this is getting more stressful.)

'So you trampled on the Beast God Garm's favor, all to become a human's summon… Did you lose your mind?'

'I assure you that's not the case. If I may be blunt, I simply was not interested in that.'

'Ohh, that's a funny way of putting it. Hahahah.'

Somehow Giran seemed to find Luvanka's reply incredibly funny and he laughed loudly.

All the seriousness of his voice from earlier seemed to vanish.

"Luvanka, is this why you told me you needed Lord Garm's permission before becoming my summon back then?"

'What are you talking about, Allen?'

"Well, I guess this means there was a reason why you hesitated to become my summon." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

After talking about Bek and the Demon King's Army, Shea was told she could obtain a Divine Technique and Divine Artifact.

But then a different discussion seemed to take priority above that.

"