Beelzebub adventures chapter 4
Without mercy, Oga mind would not rest along the rest of his body. Scenes of a turbulent past tortured him in his sleep. The moans of Beel trying to call him "daddy'' before he left him with his biological mother in the US, finding his family and neighborhood dead turned into stone, Fuji mercilessly sending him flying through buildings, finding Tojo turned into a stone corpse in front of the bodies of enemies who tried to attack the school…and finally, life being sucked out of Aoi while her body got petrified while she spoke him about feelings he could barely understand. While holding her in his arms, he realized in horror Beel wouldn't answer to his calls, Hilda and Alaindelon being nowhere to be found.
Before Fuji could deliver him a final blow, he realized it was a dream and woke up. Oga could still feel the warm stone body of Aoi in his arms and chest.
"What is this feeling?" Oga thinks to himself, grasping his hands. "I need to get myself some fresh air."
Oga stretches his arms and quietly get out of the tent while trying to not wake up Beel and stepping on Furuichi and Kanzaki's stomach with out caring.
"What the hell, Oga?" Kanzaki angrily whispers.
"I need some fresh air." Oga whispers, getting out of the tent.
The day before had been incredibly long besides the fights. After taking a very needed nap to recover from the beat down, the gang had decided to leave Elise's town as soon as possible, knowing that every extra minute could result on losing their friends forever. After walking for six hours, they decided to set their camp in a small forest a quarter mile away from the road, to avoid curious (and potentially dangerous) onlookers who might have been attracted by their human scent had they camped close to the road. As a disadvantage, a pack of dire wolves harassed them for an hour before Oga got enough and sent them flying to the dark side of the moon.
After long and tenuous negotiations, Kanzaki allowed them to taste a pinch more of yoghurt after dinner. After being surprised later serving himself a very generous amount, a tense moment followed in which the recipient, in a tug, fell over Beel's head. The ensuing electric shock, besides almost killing the boys, set several bushes and dead trees on fire. After controlling the situation, the gang at least found they would not need to worry about setting a campfire.
Furuichi had the last watch that night, being the one who needed the most rest after fighting the most that day. He was chopping sticks and throwing them to the fire when Oga arrived on his side.
"I could hear you from the outside. Bad dreams, wasn't it?'' Furuichi asks.
"I hate statues.'' Oga admits.
"Dreaming about 'that day' again?'' Furuichi asks.
Oga didn't reply. He didn't want anyone to know he was afraid. There was no need to make them worry, he was no longer the fool he had been two years ago. No one was going to take away the first group of friends he ever had. He had the power. He had the allies. He was not going to succumb to fear.
Understanding that his friend just needed some silent company to get over what made him uneasy, Furuichi didn't press it and just enjoyed the sight of the beautiful night sky at it's darkest point before dawn.
…..
"Hope there's at least a functioning cistern pump over somewhere around. This place looks dead.'' Furuichi grew increasingly worried as they moved deeper inside the last town they had found.
The gang explored the last village they had found. Since the night before a burning tree had fallen and crushed half of their water supply, and they didn't know the next town they were going to find was abandoned. They cursed themselves for not rationing the little water they had until that point.
"Why wouldn't those damn villagers didn't say jack about this?'' Kanzaki complained.
"Something really bad must have happened here very recently. Maybe even just yesterday.'' Furuichi remarked. "Look at the buildings, they're in very good condition. Ghost towns don't look like this.''
The weeds were still cropped short, the roads surprisingly clean, the glass on the windows still intact. A sudden noise attracted their attention to the ceiling of a nearby house, where a winged cat stretched fled at their sight.
"Cats are pussies, but not even they would flee just like that if they're used to people.'' Oga remarked in one of his rare moments of intelligence.
The three men decided to split up and look around for people or at least some water to drink.
After around twenty minutes, all Furuichi could find was more scared winged cats fleeing just at seeing him. Furuichi found some water pumps to use, but they don't drop a single drop.
"It's almost like this place was cursed. And considering we're literally in Hell, this is beyond ironic…'' Furuichi says.
His thinking was suddenly interrupted when someone in a robe run got out from a corner 60 feet away and ran toward him. Getting a tissue and placing it on his nose, Furuichi was about to throw his backpack away to lighten himself before the robed figure screamed with a feminine voice.
"Sir please! Help me!'' She took down her hood to reveal a young, beautiful black haired woman. Frozen at the sight at first, Furuichi hesitated before stepping backwards slowly.
''Sir please, I live here! Help me, they're coming for me!''
"Whom?!'' Furuichi asks.
"Hey you! Stay where you are!''
Three robed demons went out of the same corner and headed to them. The young lady ran behind Furuichi.
"Ok, foreigner, you have no business here! Hand the girl to us and you won't get hurt!''
"Sir please don't, they're going to kill me!''
After weighting down the options, Furuichi's lust prevailed and made him decide that if the girl was a bait to distract him, she could have killed him already. After relaxing, he smiled and put his hand onto his face, adopting a gimmicky pose that made the demons cringe.
"If you want to get to this lovely lady, then you have to beat me." Furuichi says, acting cool.
"Huh, I knew this fucker's smell was weird enough.''
"You came to the wrong place to mess around, human.''
The three Demons charged at Furuichi. Taking the girl in his arm, he threw her with the most care he could apply to the flat ceiling of a nearby house.
"Go and hide! I can handle this!" Furuichi orders.
The robed girl slowly got away from the border of the ceiling.
Furuichi jumped away right before the first demon could strike him with his Sword. Landing on the top of an electric post, always keeping his pose, he prepared to do a second entrance.
"Let's do this, Hecadoth." Furuichi says.
"Don't tell me what to do, kid." His allied demon answered.
Furuichi jumps back down and landed a strong Punch on the first demon, crushing him down to the ground. The second attacks behind with a horizontal slash from behind. Furuichi back flips behind the demon and lands a strong Kick, sending the second demon flying up and landing hard on the ground. The third demon lost his courage to fight and starts running. Furuichi runs in inhuman speed and lands a strong Elbow strike on his head, sending the demon flying into a house.
"These weaklings aren't good enough for my entertainment. Don't call me to fight weakling turds again, kid." Hecadoth says.
"Sorry to waste your time, thanks anyways.'' Furuichi thanked.
Hecadoth returns back into his real body.
"So, what's new?" Agiel asked with a smirk before taking a sip on her Margarita.
"That damn kid was trying to impress another girl and I ended up dispatching the three stooges without breaking a sweat. I swear it, if he makes me waste my time again…''
"Whoa take it easy, we girls love that. Think it this way, you're impressing me every time you sacrifice part of your time to honor your pacts'' Agiel pointed out.
"I could not care less about what you think. You're not my type you know?'' Hecadoth admits.
"Stop being such a prude!'' Agiel cried, slapping his shoulder.
…
"You can come out now!" Furuichi called.
The robed girl came out from hiding and jumped down to the street. Without tension, Furuichi was able to appreciate her beauty even more. Her black hair fell past her shoulders in waves surrounding her angelic face, adorned by pitch black yet beautiful eyes.
"Thank you for saving me, sir, my name is Areta."
"Ehem, my name's Takayuki Furuichi, from Japan. It's a pleasure.'' Furuichi greets the beautiful demon formally.
"How exotic. You're one of the first humans I've ever met.'' Areta says.
"One of the first? You mean that…''
"Yeah, I saw another one three days ago, when all my people were kidnapped.'' Areta says.
Before Furuichi could ask any other question, his sight came across two figures coming slightly away from his peripheral vision. He was relieved to when seeing it was Oga and Kanzaki.
"What trouble did you get into again?'' Furuichi wonders.
"Who's that?'' Kanzaki asks, looking at Areta.
"Relax guys, she's good. I helped her out while she was being chased by some demons that are trying to capture her." Furuichi says.
Looking at the three raiders, stuck head first into the stonewalls of nearby houses, Oga looked increasingly annoyed.
"This day couldn't get more boring.'' Oga says.
"Dah!" Beel cried.
"Well good news for us, this beautiful lady knows where our friends are.'' Furuichi says.
"So the man with the strange duck tail haircut was your friend?'' Areta asks.
"Not mine at least.'' Kanzaki looked constantly from side to side looking for whoever might appear. "But yeah, we're looking for that bastard too.''
"Well, he was the only human I saw then. But please, can we go to a safer place? I promise I'll tell you everything I know. I'll take you to my home.'' Areta offers.
The guys agreed and followed Areta to her house, a tall but narrow house of typical medieval European construction that, except for Oga, they had only seen in movies and videogames before. Inside, they helped Areta to close every window and secure every door. One of them stayed close to a window to watch anything that might happen on the streets. Getting the few foodstuffs and canned foods the raiders spared, she complemented the food the guys were able to share with her.
"So this guy, Goldo, kidnapped everyone in the village, keeping them as slaves and has our friend Himekawa with him?'' Furuichi asks, taking a bite out of his bread.
"Yeah, he had him on a special cage over a cart pulled by horses, separated from everyone else. He was badly bruised. I heard the ones who guarded him said he was very important, but I don't know what they wanted to do with him. Maybe they'll ask a ransom to his family? Is he rich?'' Areta says, taking a bite of her bread.
"As filthy rich you can imagine, girl.'' Kanzaki remarked while he kept an eye on the window.
"I doubt a ransom is what they're looking for. Where was their convoy heading when you left this village, Areta?'' Furuichi asks.
"They took us by the road heading to the northwest. But are you sure you want to handle them? You're just three humans. Why don't you ask help to the Demon Lord if his son is going with you?'' Areta wonders, while Beel cooed at the mention of his name.
"Each of us is worth a million of those worthless ants who messed with you. We'll be fine.'' Oga says while taking pieces of food out of his teeth.
"We promise we'll bring everyone back, Areta. Just stay safe.'' Furuichi says.
"I'll thank you forever. Sir…what was your name again?'' Areta asks kindly.
"Furuichi, Takayuki Furuichi." Furuichi introduces himself and plant a kiss on Areta's hand, causing her to smile.
Oga looked amused. "Since when did this jerk off become a ladies man?''
"He has changed a lot since you left. He might be a virgin jerk off, but hell, he hits more than you and me combined. I still doubt you like women at all.'' Kanzaki remarked with an amused look.
"You better shut that mouth if you don't want me to make you swallow that chain along with the rest of your teeth.'' Oga replies, while suddenly feeling Aoi's petrified body in his arms again, not understanding why.