Welcome to Hell! - Chapter 274: Mountain God

“Gaha?! Th-This is…?”

After being completely restrained by the white roots, I was pulled into the huge tree. As soon as I was pulled in, I was violently swung in all directions at a tremendous speed only for the restraints to suddenly release me.

The restraints were undone at a precise height, leaving me no time to control my posture in mid-air before I fell to the ground on my back. Even though I hardened my exoskeleton, I failed to brace myself properly and the air was knocked out of my lungs, leaving me gasping for breath. It was a pitiful state to be in.

When I got to my feet, I used all of my compound eyes to survey the surroundings. It seemed that I was in a space created by the thick roots of trees. The roots were thicker than my arms and they intertwined deeply to form a spherical shape.

I found myself inside this sphere. The space was fairly large, perhaps as big as the grounds of Aiwass’s mansion. I tried kicking the roots lightly out of curiosity, but since I didn’t put my full strength into it, they didn’t budge. This sphere of roots would not be easily broken by ordinary means.

Moreover, I was almost certainly underground. Not a single ray of light penetrated through the gaps in the roots, and the smell of damp earth wafted through the air.

Even if I managed to destroy the sphere of roots, depending on the depth, returning to the surface would be a tremendous challenge. The thought of endlessly climbing while transforming everything into sand was daunting.

“So… what is that?”

Despite the complete lack of light in this space, many demons, including myself, have night vision that allows us to see what is around us. The inside of the sphere was barren, except for a strange object in the center.

It was a bud that was actually bigger than me. Not only its size but also the fact that the bud was directly attached to the root was odd. The closed petals were white, and the surrounding roots gathered in a spiral to form a hemisphere, as if to protect it.

As if reacting to my focus on the bud, the roots encircling it began to creak and unfold. The bud too slowly began to open its petals.

“This…what can I say? It’s a strangely calming scent.”

When the white petals bloomed, a fragrance filled the room. It was unlike any flower I had ever smelled before, yet it carried a familiar nostalgia.

Although I was bewildered, I heightened my fighting spirit and spiritual power, striving to maintain a strong consciousness. After all, I had just been bested by Button and was rendered immobile by the scent of alcohol and an illusion.

As I remained on guard, the bud continued to unfold. Surprisingly, the fragrance did not intensify with each opening, but something else astonished me: the petals themselves were emitting a faint light.

The spherical space that was once shrouded in darkness began to light up with the glow of the petals. My figure must have become visible in this light. I was mesmerized by the sight of the white flower with its many overlapping petals shimmering.

“……?!”

Just as the flower reached full bloom, something extended from its center. At first, I thought it might be the stamen or some other part of the flower. However, I soon realized it was something entirely different. It turned out to be a human right arm.

The moment I became aware of the arm’s presence, I was overwhelmed by an intense sense of intimidation like nothing I had ever experienced before. Standing became a struggle, and speaking was impossible. I could barely manage to control the trembling in my knees.

I instinctively understood that I wasn’t being influenced in any specific way like what happened with Button. It was simply the presence of a being of a different caliber that seemed to make my body want to submit.

The skin of the arm was an olive green, glistening with a thin layer of yellowish liquid. Following the right arm, a shoulder and what seemed to be a head appeared. The face was obscured by what looked like long hair… but was actually numerous vines. These vines seemed to come from different plants; some bristled with thorns, while others bloomed with beautiful flowers. There was no doubt that the leaves were different in shape.

From the chest to the abdomen, the entity’s physique resembled that of a healthy, well-built adult male, except for the olive-green skin tone. Vein-like structures were visible on the skin, but they were more reminiscent of the veins on a leaf than those in human flesh.

The lower half that emerged last was a stark contrast to the upper body since it was a dark brown color. More precisely, it was made up of entwined dark brown fibers which formed the lower half. It was almost as if it was crafted from the roots of plants, similar to the spherical space I found myself in.

Indeed, it might have been exactly the same material. The texture of the fibers creating the lower half and the roots around me were identical.

“……This is bad. I must have been unconsciously unleashing my divine power.”

“Puha?! Haah… Haah… Haah…”

The oppressive aura emanating from the being that appeared from the flower abruptly vanished. From its tone, it seemed to have noticed me and adjusted its presence accordingly. However, I was too drained to express my gratitude. The only reason I remained standing was a stubborn refusal to show any sign of weakness.

As I caught my breath, the entity that had emerged from the flower brushed aside its vine-like hair to reveal its face. Under the tangle of vines was a beautiful man with an androgynous and intelligent demeanor.

To me, the epitome of handsome men were Zald and King Carl of the Harlasia kingdom. Yet, what set this being apart was its expression or the lack thereof. It was as if a mask had been affixed to its face… or perhaps, it was a mask, given that it spoke without any movement of the lips or throat.

“First, I must apologize for having unleashed my divine power upon you. At the same time, let me praise you for being able to endure in the face of my divine power. This is proof that you are deviating from what is normal.”

“I am honored by your praise… O ‘Mountain God ‘.”

In an effort not to offend the transcendent being before me, the “Mountain God”, I attempted to kneel as a sign of respect. However, before I could do so, roots swiftly extended from the ground and supported my knees from below.

“There is no need for you to kneel. Originally, I had intended to assess you further. However, that is no longer necessary. You and your companions are now under my protection.”

“Unnecessary…?”

“Here.”

Without a change in expression, the “Mountain God” welcomed us as guests and opened his left palm. On it rested a single seed. I recognized the seed and frantically searched my own pockets only to find that the item that should have been there was missing.

Unless I was mistaken, that seed was from the final fruit left by the curse of the Divine Tree of the Spiritual Mountain. I knew that it was something important so I had made it a point to carry it with me. However, it seemed to have been taken from me during my journey here.

I couldn’t bring myself to reproach a being as divine as this for actions akin to thievery. It wasn’t because I dared not oppose a transcendent being. This is because the “Mountain God” held the seed close to his chest as if it were very important.

“This seed is a part of my mother. I would ask you to entrust it to me if possible. In return, not only will I help you safely cross the mountain, but I will also provide you with something of value in exchange.”

“Your mother, you say?”

“Indeed. I was abandoned as an unwanted child in a land different from this one, and was picked up by the Great Mother.”

The “Mountain God” recounted his origins in an archaic tone. It seemed he was born into the Kkan race deity lineage on the same continent where Asumi and the others hailed from. He claimed to be a descendant of the gods like the one I and Master had defeated and that he hailed from an ancient line.

However, he was abandoned on the mountain due to his frailty at birth. Even for a god, a newborn with a weak constitution would have likely perished. But it was the Divine Tree that was yet to be harmed by the Khan race’s gods that saved him.

It was said that he was given some of the divine tree’s power and survived and lived peacefully as the son of the divine tree. However, when the Khan race challenged the Divine Tree, he too fought valiantly… but the outcome is already known to us.

“We fled while abandoning our mother who was unable to move in disgrace. Even though it was her command, I cannot help but curse my past weakness to this day.”

“So, such events happened. If I may be so bold, allow me to share all I know about what happened after that.”

Though I had heard about the Divine Tree and its associated myths from Asumi, it appears that the “Mountain God” before me was the one who had escaped during those events. Facing a deity spoken of in legends does stir a profound sense of awe.

This wasn’t with the intention of currying favor with the “Mountain God” but I was aware of what had happened after he had left. I shared what I heard about the events that followed his departure and how I had come to possess the seed he held so dearly.

“I see. I see. The desecrators of my mother were destroyed by her curse. it’s karmic retribution.”

The voice of the “Mountain God” had no inflection from beginning to end, and his lips, let alone his expression, did not move. However, when he heard about the fate that befell the gods of the Khan race, I could tell he was pleased. At the same time, intense killing intent emanated from him, which was quite terrifying even though I knew it wasn’t directed at me.

“So, what will you do? Will you give me the seed of my mother?”

“This seed is the legacy left by your mother’s curse. Are you sure you want it?”

“My mother is no more. But this seed can be seen as her daughter, my sister, if you will. It is my duty to nurture and cherish it.”

The “Mountain God” seemed to be making his request with a firm resolve. I guess this was the nature of the “Mountain God” to respond to me with sincerity, even though I couldn’t refuse even if he approached the matter forcefully. Just as Woodsorrel had said, he was scary when angered but a kind god nonetheless.

And so, I believed the seed should be passed on to him. Even if I were asked to give it to someone else, I would have probably refused, but the “Mountain God” was far more worthy of being the owner of the seed than I am. In fact, finding a reason not to give it to him proved more difficult.

“Of course, I will hand it over. It must have come into my possession so that it could be delivered here to you.”

“…Are you saying this knowingly?”

“Huh?”

“It seems you do not know. Then, I shall not elaborate.”

I thought my remark was quite clever, but the reaction from the “Mountain God” was indescribable. I thought he would either accept the compliment or tell me to stop the flattery, but the “Mountain God” asked me a question in a probing manner.

However, my evident confusion seemed to serve as the clearest answer to the “Mountain God”. He asked nothing more as if he had understood everything. What was that about?

“I will talk to Button and the others on your behalf. If there is any mountain bounty you need, feel free to take as much as you like. Now, let me send you back to where you came from.”

“What! Wait a…!”

“We shall meet again. I look forward to that time.”

It seemed my audience with the “Mountain God” had concluded. At the same time, white roots began to wrap around me once more. He might have said something at the end, but in my flustered state, I couldn’t catch it. Despite my protests, I was once again tossed about in every direction, eventually finding myself returning to the original flower garden.