Belly of the Beast. (Part 1)

"Come to think of it, shouldn't you be out of the Peninsula right about now?"

"Huh?"

The princess who's a little girl much younger than me looks shooked by my question. Her guards glares and takes a stance shouting:

"Tch! Get her out of here! I'll hold her back!"

"We obey!"

"Perish, Heaven's Pawn!"

Seeing the group leave towards the nearest entrance, one elder leap forward brandishing his sabre, I remembered something and swing my halberd forward.

*Cleave*

Cutting through the elder's sword, armour, and body in twine I point my finger saying:

"Sorry, it seems I got the times mixed up. Sis is gonna bring you away when Silla invades you. It seems cramming all those spells in multiple nights make me misremember things."

"Gramps! Nooo!"

"Song-Chisun, we must leave!"

The princess turn her head in pain but I aim my finger at the princess I say:

"[Larie Nahxis]"

"Kyaah!"

Astral chains emerge from below the princess and restrains her from her feet, torso, hands, and wrapping around her head, twisting and yanking her long black hair.

"Princess nim!"

"Cut those chains!"

"Be careful not to hurt the princess!"

"My blade won't cut! What is this thing made from!?"

Seeing their futile struggle, I point my finger down,

"Kyaak!"

The chains binding her drags the princess down, slamming her face to the fleshy ground below.

(I really feel like some evil person doing this but...)

Slowly I walk towards them but one of the guards slams the wall and the entrance clench tight.

*Boom*

"Eeek!"

Destroying the wall of flesh to ash once more, her guards face reality and confronts me when the princess shouts:

"No! Not all of you too!"

"Sorry, Chisun but this is where we met our end."

"All the times we spent at the gutters are the best."

(Stop it!)

"You're making me sound bad when you're the one who attacked first."

I ready my halberd once more as her guards line up and raise their weapons when,

*Shake* *Shake*

Maybe it's because of the mucus covering some of my vision, but only now I notice the princess' heterochromia eyes. Bursting with red and blue eyes similar to Ptelophy, my chains starts to crack when she forcefully pull herself up shouting:

"Don't hurt my friends!"

*Shatter*

My chains broke apart into thousand pieces scattering everywhere like popcorns. Her black hair starts to float and soon enough her feet lift off the ground, surprising everyone.

"Die!"

I sense great pressure coming from both side as she claps her hand and I place my halberd vertically stopping what seems to be an invisible wall.

(Is this why Sis wants to bring her to that underground hospital?)

The princess nerve becomes visible when I sense something invisible flinging towards me and twist my body. Dodging by a hair breathe, black cracks starts to appear on the princess' black finger nails and around her mouth as she shouts:

"Se... [Sepicca]."

The entire walls of flesh twist and turns, warping into what seems to be a window reflecting back a bright sparkling reflections. The guards that surround the princess gawk in awe as they move back to look at the whole new world of countless brilliance. The princess grasp her hands and claps, rubbing her palm shouting:

"Disappear! Man... [Manurirom]!"

In the sudden flash, my stomach churn as if it's being twisted when I notice my abdomen starts to warp and I felt my whole body being sucked through some sort of tiny whole.

"Aaargh! Ahack!"

Coughing out blood as if my organs are being squeezed, the pain is simply indiscribable. My feet lift off the ground before my body twist and the invisible walls drags closer as I can't keep holding my halberd. Between the sparkling stars, they start to disperse as I see the princess exert more of her power. Soon enough,

*Ping* *Pang*

Darkness...

Time seems to freeze for us while red and blue embers flicker from the distance in the mirrors. Not knowing what is up and down, or left and right, a white praying figure that walks on 18 elongated fingers rears its head(?) above the princess and her guards as they doesn't seem to notice. Seeing one of the nails split and open for a insect to crawl out with its wings, I had enough and try to strugle but to no avail as I feel my waist being pull upwards while my lings is drag down.

"Kggk! Ack!"

(Is this what kind of battle I'm going to be fighting in the future?)

My vision darkens as I await what will happen next when,

*Shatter* *Shatter* *Shatter* *Shatter* *Shatter* *Shatter*

"Uugh! Glugh!"

Before I passed out, the entire space of window and mirror shatter and the walls of flesh return as the princess seem to suffer a recoil. Black goo and blood spurt from every hole in her head while the black cracks spread across her body.

Fallen from grace, one of the guards catched her and runs away and the others charge at me before I could cast another spell.

"Don't get in my way!"

*Cleave* *Slash*

My strikes easily cut down my adversary alongside the walls of flesh. Blood pours out as it pours at my face, and I try to clear my vision. Getting out of the soaked tunnel I notice the last guard aiming her gun at a familiar pillar.

"Oh no..."

*Bang* *Grrr* *Slurp*

I leap forward from whence I came and barely escaped from the clench of death...

"So close and now I'm even more soaked."

I look at my abdomen which was twisted and notice the cloth there has disappear while my stomach is slowly twisting itself back from its wrinkly form.

"Seem I have to knock her unconscious when I meet her."

I look back at the carnage I left and see some of the soldiers being pushed by my barriers are slowly getting up. I walk over to them and crouch at one of the officers or someone high rank from his clothes. He shakes his head in daze and seem to grab his hat saying:

"Wuh? I-I'm alive?"

He turns to look at me while his eyes aren't even focused yet and I grabs his cheeks with one hand squishing his face asking:

"Hey, you can lead me throughout this ship right?"

"Whu?"

I slowly stand, picking him up slowly as he grabs my arms and resist but it's futile as his feet soon lift the ground.

"You, you should know where the princess should go right?"

"I vuv nwehr hell yuz!"

Maybe because I'm holding him in a peculiar way but I continue on replying:

"I'll be honest uh... Captain? I could easily terrorize the whole inside of this war beast till it's nothing but ash or you could just easily bring me to where she is and spare all those in this ship. Worry not, I have no interest in continuing this conflict."

"Lik zas srue!?"

"Sigh... You're the one who keep throwing yourself at me. I mean what do you expect me to do? Just let your blade plunge into me?"

"Captain!"

One of the soldiers charge behind me and I simply smack his chin with my pummel knocking him unconscious again.

"So?"

"..."

The captain weakens his resistance and nod as if he agrees to it. I let him go and he fell to his knees moving his jaw.

"You're saying you'll spare the crew if we lead you to that fake?"

(Fake?)

"Yea, sure."

He raise his hands which cause the soldiers to back away before saying:

"Prove it, tell those at the bottom to stop their fighting."

I tilt my head in confusion when I remembered,

"Oh, Admiral Hwang-So. Right..."

(And how am I suppose to do that!? Wait...)

"Do you have any speakers or something that even Owlians can use?"

"..."

"... I should've expected much. You have no-"

"No wait, I'm serious! I need an Owlian Tech to broadcast my voice! And besides, thank to all that commotion, I have none of my commutation tools! Look at me, do I look like I carry anything?"

The captain looks at me with mock skepticism before he then hands me a box with many pores.

(Oh!? He have it!? I guess he does since they're part of Silla. Even Iseon pulled out those large machines so I can call back home).

*Pzzz* *swwwr*

He push it towards me and push a button as I start hearing voices and battle from the box.

"Those on the lower rib, amplify your sound. Now speak."

I nod saying:

"Elder Hwang-So please stop attacking the people here. I somehow got them to cooperate!"

*Pszzzz*

"Sova Ssi?"

"Yea! I manage to get to their control place or something. It seems they'll help us capture the princess so stop fighting and cooperate."

"..."

It was silent for a while before Hwang-So says:

"You really are quite speaker to convince these people for a ceasefire."

"Not really, I'm just lucky."

"Alright, it seems we reach a ceasefire. Do what you have to do, Sova Ssi."

Hwang-So orders as I look at the captain saying:

"Now captain, please lead the way."

He tucks the device in his coat replying:

"Very well, the princess should-"

*Boom*

"ROOOAAAR... Whimper..."

*Shake* *Shake*

The entire bridge shakes violently, everything gets thrown around as if the whole room is being played.

"The hell!? Where is that coming from!?"

The captain shouts and one of the soldiers hanging to a sack of flesh shouts:

"It's from the outside! Something just blast open the canteen! It's... It's the Archduke! He came with the remaining Ingeo Armada!"

"What!?"

"Huh?"

(Archduke? Wait... If he's the leader of everyone, does that mean I can make everyone in the west to pull back if I can convince him?)

The captain clutch his head in panic as if he's racking his brain before shouting:

"Dammit, what will we say to him? We're forced to partake this stupid assault!"

"Captain, change of plans, let me meet with the Archduke."

"What!? I mean, are you crazy!?"

"Don't worry, you could say, I can help you out."

The captain looks at me flabbergasted and calms down a bit replying:

"I have no idea what or who you are but alright. If you truly can help spare us all, I'll be eternally in your debt."

"Right, oh and one more thing captain, there's one other person I cane with above. Just tell him we have agree to a ceasefire and tell him my name, Sova Anmao."

*************************************

I wipe off the mixed moisture off my face thinking,

(I'll do my best... And I think I swallowed some of those stuff).

I compose myself before thinking,

(No, don't let this distract you, there's something much more important! I do hope it's not poisonous or anything).

Escorted by a small group alongside the captain, they lead me inside the war beast. Traversing the moving interior and humid conditions with minimal lighting, I could finally hear sounds of conflict ahead.

"You stupid daughter! How many times must I tell you that Iseon boy is a bad influence! He is never good for you, and he will never be!"

"Shut up, dad! You think I'm just gonna listen to your washed up reasons! Who do you think engage me with that "bad influence" huh?!"

"You overgrown brat! You're already past marriageable age and you still act like a rebel teen. I should've been more harsh with your mother and servants!"

"Don't you bring mom to this, Dad!"

"I say whatever I want, you shame of a daughter!"

Hearing a heated banter between a parent and their child. The sound of steel clashing and flesh tearing apart can be heard before we even arrive.

"Ryong Unnie! Please stop hurting Bungongi! Any more and he's going to suffer permanent damage! Especially after that scary slime monster did to his mouth and throat!"

*Pang*

"Easier said than done, Chisun. Dad isn't the type I can hold back with."

From the conversation, the princess seems to be cornered and as we arrived, I'm right with my assumption. Arriving at the level above them, the scene below is simply carnage, blood are splattered everywhere as the vessel of the beast keep spilling while a giant hole is being forcefully torn open with a massive ship outside. The princess and Song-Ryong is being surrounded by marines closing down on them while a thin circle is form to protect the princess.

The duke's daughter wielding her special axe with her left arm is having a hard time stopping the assault from the Archduke. He is a man in his late 60's with white lush hair extending to his knees, making him look a bit like a rooster. Wielding a magnificent axe like Song-Ryong, he doesn't show any mercy to his own daughter, launching a flurry of blows towards the weakened foe he slowly chips away at her strength. Blow after blow, after blow, after blow, again, and again, Song-Ryong ended up bending her knees, clutching her weapons just to stay standing.

"Unnie!"

"Stay back, Chisun! If you go with him, who knows what kind of torture awaits you."

"Why!? Why can't I use that power again? Work! Please work!"

The princess shouts trying to reproduce the same thing she did before but to no avail. The Archduke who's slowly encroaching is so boiling with rage that his entire face is red with anger. He cracks a smile replying:

"Hoh? I didn't know where you heard that but it's too late, you stupid daughter."

The soldiers surrounding her have either been killed or subdued by the marines the duke sent. Unlike the thinly and under equipped soldiers here, the marines accompanying the Archduke are heavily arm to the teeth, literally. Making the crimson guards look pale in comparison.

*Smack*

"Ugh!"

"Unnie- aaaaH!!!"

He slaps Song-Ryong right across her face with the side of his axe, slamming her to the ground before he yanks the princess by her hair, lifting her off the ground easily with his massive arms.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Let me go, you big-"

*Smack*

"Uweegh! Egeck! Weeeeh eheck!"

The princess who's also wounded and hurt from the black cracks on her body ended up in tears and choking from her own mucus and tears bawling after being slapped with the Archduke's backhand.

"This is the end of you, whore spawn!"

"You can stop right there, Duke or Archduke."

*Crash*

I had no choice but to jump since descending the fleshy stairs takes a while. Destroying the thin tile beneath, I look up at the Archduke and try to glare.

(This is it! Time to put all you know to good use!)

"Uwaaah! Slimy monster! Nooo! Cough! Ahack! Hic!"

"Shit, it's her! And with dad, now this is hope-"

*Smash*

Song-Ryong slowly gets up but the Archduke slams his axe to her face again, burying her deeper to the fleshy ground below before shouting:

"Who the hell are you supposed to be, Little girl?!"

His loud booming voice startled me a bit but...

(Remember, just like Hwang-So! Act tough!)

"W-Who am I? You're asking my name? You dOnT know who I am!?"

My voice crack a bit as I shout back and try to compose myself before trying again.

"I'm Sova Anmao! The Silencer under the direct command of the Empress, Yuwei Zhihuang! Which means, you listen to me or I'll..."

*Grip*

"I'll turn your entire country to ash!"

I unleash my powers to show my might as I pretend to be mad which honestly speaking, I'm more than irritated by this point.

*Pang* *Poof*

I smash his axe with my halberd and turn it all to ash trying to prove my point. The Archduke eyes widened in surprised by my declaration. He hastily lets go of his axe before the ash reach his hands. The anger in his face turns to a look of surprise and then panic, before becoming fear and despair, he takes a step back as the aides beside him panics as well. I roll with the situation shouting:

"Didn't Sis said that we need her! I mean, you have made a deal with the Empress right!? What do you mean this is the end of her, huh? Are you trying to break our deal!?"

I slam my halberd to the ground turning the tile below to ash. The Archduke backs away furthermore replying:

"N-No, wait a moment Oh Great Overlord! It's simply a heat of the moment. We'll fix her up and present to you as we promised! We have not betray you! This is all simply a huge misunderstanding, everything is the rogue actions of my daughter!"

The Archduke bend to his knees and carry the princess proper, he looks down and present the princess saying:

"Please, forgive us! We're going to make this right! Give us another chance! I'll punish the traitors in our family properly or we'll hand her and her brother to you if you wish!"

The aides who isn't wearing a soldier unform behind him follows by an example and kneels down clasping their hands shouting:

" "Please, forgive us!" "

Even the captain and marines around who definitely doesn't know what's happening follow suit shouting:

" "Please, give us a chance!" "

The princess who is still crying looks up at me in terror with her heterochromia eyes. I hold her swollen cheek and she starts to quiet down, shutting her eyes as if she knows her fate. Whimpering, sniffling and trying to hold back her tears and snot, I absorb the black cracks in her mouth and arms.

(Aaah! Whatever! Let's roll with it! How would Sis act in these situation?)

I rub my chin as if I'm pondering before I smile replying:

"I'm... Feeling generous enough, treat her well and fully heal her wounds. But most importantly, pull your entire force out of this siege! Do you get me?"

" "YES, WE OBEY!!!" "

They all yell in unison and when her black cracks fully disappear I let her go. The Duke gives her to his aide while someone drag the unconscious Song-Ryong by her legs. The Duke gesture his people shouting:

"You heard her, pull back! Those who disobey will be executed on the spot!"

"Yes, we obey!"

(Wohoo! I did it! That actually works! So is this what they say you need to act the part?)

I look back as I remember something and say,

"And captain..."

"Y-Yes! How may I help?"

The captain who now views me with absolute fear and reverence after seeing how the Archduke acts kneels down again.

"Escort the Silla infiltrators out of this war beast, we... May still need their... Assistance?"

I try to sound like using them for some grand plot or talk like Sis Yuwei but it doesn't seem to matter if it succeed or not as the captain shouts:

"Y-Yes, we obey!"

The captain bows and then leave shouting:

"You and you! Go down and escort the ones down there, find the one she said near the mouth as well!"

(By the sunny sides up with the sides of a baloney, did I... Did I actually influence something significant?)

Seeing the Archduke command his soldiers to evacuate the war beast and burn the corpses, everyone rush to the ship outside before the Archduke walks and kneels down again beside me saying:

"With the princess unconscious, I'll be the one to steer this war beast. Please, let me escort you to wherever you please."

(It's kinda weird to feel so... Revered. But... Oh!)

"Since we're already atop of the capital, it'll be best if you could lower the war beast so we can land."

"Of course, as you wish! Please do follow me to the brain, and I'll prove my actions."

(B-Brain?)

"L-Lead the way."

*************************************

"Hmph!"

The Archduke rubs a certain part of the brain surface which cause the entire place to shake.

*Roaaar*

"W-Whoa!"

Ascending what seems to be a spine bridge below a massive chasm of flesh, we have somehow arrive beneath this war beast's skull. The brain of this mighty beast compared to the proportion of the body is unbelievably tiny, but it doesn't change that it's still the size of a me. The entire journey here is filled with nothing but interconnected nerves, vessels, and unknown juices that we have to traverse and crawl. And what we're doing now is no different than what he calls,

"So this is Hijacking?"

"Yes, Great Overlord. Just like how you can forcefully mind control a person with forbidden magic this is something similar. But unlike magic, you're directly influencing the brain."

"I-I see..."

Drenched waist deep on unknown juices, the Archduke nods when the whale stops shaking and kneels down till the juices reach his neck saying:

"We have landed, I will be the one to steer the Golae back. Thank you for giving us this chance."

"You're um... Count your lucky stars then."

"Thank you, and it would be a very large favour if I could avoid meeting those 4 Dukes."

A bit confused by what he meant but I understand the message... I think.

"Don't worry, Um... I'll deal with them."

"Much appreciated, Great Overlord."

(Alright! Point up for me!)

I head away when,

*Shiiing*

I push the Archduke away,

"Dodge!"

*Pam*

A giant force cuts open a path through the thick flesh walls, revealing the snowing bright world outside blinding my sight a bit.

"I leave these all to you Archduke!"

*Whimper*

I can tell that the war beast at this point is beyond battered and bruised as it's on its last leg. As the water pours outside, I got flushed out and see the familiar statue of the Golae split in half. Behind me is the dying war beast sprawled across the city and infront of me is none other than the imperial palace... Or whatever is left of it.

*Crash*

Landing at the absolute top of the imperial palace, I carefully watch my step upon each tile before I shout:

"Get out of here!"

*Cling* *Clang*

From the endless depths below that looks wobbly from above, flashes of light sparks everytime steel clashes. Each strike cuts open a new mark while the sound and light keeps descending.

(Is that the Colonel? Who's he fighting?)

The War Beast ever so weak slowly drag itself before lifting up. A thin green gel and bright light envelopes the war beast and I see the wounds recover...

(Now that I think about it, I never get to compare which is bigger? The ship Sis Yuwei built or that War Beast?)

"Alright, I guess I'm going down?"

I look around and notice the terrace to descend.

*Shiing*

"Eh?"

*Clang* *Boom*

The entire roof has been cut by the stray qi blast,

"Not again!"

It hasn't been a day and I already found myself falling over tall heights multiple times already.

"Aaaah! Why is this happening to me!"

Hearing a familiar voice I turn around the falling debris and see someone familiar.

"Ye-Ri!?"

"Huh? S-Sova!? When did you return? And why do you look and smell so disgusting!? Wait, no! This is the end for us!"

(Rrgh! Someone is definitely playing with me!)

Not even going to bother think why Ye-Ri is falling beside me, I gather up my courage and change my centre of balance. Aiming my feet at one giant debris, I kick myself away and catch Ye-Ri as we safely land on ground.

"Waah! H-Huh? I'm... I'm safe? You saved me, my hero!"

Ye-Ri gave me a big hug despite the disgusting state that I'm in. Seeing the smile on her face relieved me as well but...

"How did you ended up falling, Ye-Ri?"

She hugs me tighter as I see the anger on her eyes shouting:

"That's right! We were given orders to evacuate when we spotted the Colonel's troops marching over the Hangui canyon. All of us scramble to leave from every possible exit from the underground drainage to the landing zone at the castle roof."

She lets me go and stomp her feet shouting:

"I was going to finally escape but then the Western Duke came from the West and South to lay siege ! They shot my escort ship before I could even leave and I'm stuck stranded! I was cowering all day wondering what will happen and try to leave the roof but then the entire castle got cut in half! Then when it couldn't get any worse, that Golae War Beast appear and made my heart sunk, making me think I was living a nightmare."

(Right, she doesn't have any servants or Guards).

I wipe off the remaining moisture from my face saying,

"Well, that's not entirely true. I did appear to save you. And... You really don't mind me being that dirty?"

Ye-Ri realizing her state removes her expensive robes leaving her with only the thin white robe saying:

"It's yucky but it's better than being dead. So I won't complain! Besides, since you're the only one who gives me any care, I shall now officially declare you my best friend!"

Maybe she's trying to regain her composure by acting tough and act her part. I ready and examine myself to check my condition if I can still fight before saying:

"Hmm... I really don't want to leave you alone but, I have to travel down there and stop the Colonel."

"T-The Colonel is down there!? Nowhere is safe anymore- wait, it's... It's fine! If you wish to go down there, take me with you! I'm going to die if I stay alone anyway."

As she says that, I remembered that Hwang-So and Cheo is probably near as well and say:

"You know, let me take you to Admiral Hwang-So. He should be outside or close. Or maybe is there anyone left at the castle?"

"Huh? Oh yeah! Soo-Nari Unnie stayed behind alongside Supreme Commander Won-Yok and the Royal Advisor Yoo-Sui!"

(Hmm? Yoo-Sui and Soo-Nari stayed? I don't know what they're planning but...)

"Alright, let's go find Soo-Nari and Yoo-Sui. Problem is... How do we get down there? Or know where they are?"

I try to not look behind me where the entire corridor is cut opened leading straight down. Ye-Ri grabs my hand saying:

"Don't worry, follow me. This time, we could resume the Castle tour but from the top! Since the stairs are located at each end of the building, we just need to keep going forward! And let's get that smell off you as well, there should be a restroom near as well."

(She's more reliable than I thought).