Chapter 208: Trails

Mike kneeled down and lowered his head as Beel approached and laid her hand on the top of his head before she began speaking

"Can you see him, my comrades?"

Silence followed, but changes appeared around Beel, heavy pressure descended around her in the form of black fog, then she spoke

"This child has become my kin, my vessel"

The black fog stirred slightly as Beel continued speaking

"He has earned my approval, so now I would like to ask for yours…"

The black fog rolled down and enveloped Mike as Beel continued speaking

"They might be a little rough, but I know you can endure it, Mike…"

Then she stepped back and looked at Mike with care and affection, Julie stood next to her and looked at Mike that was still kneeled down, and asked

"What's happening with him?"

"He's undergoing the tirl of the demon generals… They each have their own tirl so it's going to take a few minutes before we know if he passed or failed"

"...What will happen if he fails?"

"Nothing, he is fighting for their approval… If he doesn't get it then the upcoming fight will be harder"

"...Then what will happen if gets their approval?"

"Then he'll get their help in the upcoming fight"

Julie nodded before she gritted her fists as she looked at Mike with slightly nervous eyes, Beel showed a smile before she spoke

"Don't worry dear, you'll get to try it for yourself in a bit"

"Eh?"

"What do you mean 'eh?' you're going to be a demon general too"

Julie blinked once or twice before she nodded while she showed a happy smile

"Thank you, Beel…"

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Eh?"

Beel looked straight at Julie and spoke

"You are my kin too, so of course I am giving you the same changes as Mike"

Julie nodded, even though she didn't look like it she was greatly moved by Beel's words, she looked over at Mike and stelled her resolve…

Mike found himself in a dark space, suddenly a 'doll' appeared in front of him, it looked like it was made of wood and it wielded a dagger in one hand, it spun the dagger around a few times before it rushed at Mike, Mike scoffed before he drew the knife and kicked off the ground to meet the doll head-on when it interred his range he slashed out twice, one slash cut the doll's dagger-wielding arm off and the other served its head, then the doll disappeared, Mike heaved a sigh before he looked at the 2 dagger wielding dolls that had appeared in front of him, they quickly charged at him with their daggers Mike kicked off the ground and once they entered his range he dodged the first dagger slash  and grabbed the outstretched arm before he pulled the doll into the knife, stabbing it where the heart would normally sit before he kicked its side and sent it flying into the other doll, then he disappeared from view and repapered behind the doll that was still flying through the air and used its momentum to stab the knife into the back of its head

"That's 3…"

Mike looked at the dolls that soon disappeared before another 4 appeared in front of him, they all still wielded daggers, Mike cracked his neck before he kicked off the ground…

A few hours later Mike had just finished beating down the seemingly last wave of dolls, there had been 128 of them so he was a little worn out now, thankfully the scenery changed as he seemingly cleared the first trail, what appeared in front of him next was a doll which he had control over and in front of it was a… stack of cards, he then he received a mental message and understood that he should make the doll shuffle the cards, once he controlled the doll to shuffle the cards another doll appeared then he received a mental message that he should make doll number 2 shoot a bow at a target, once he did that continuously another doll appeared which he understood he should make juggle 4 balls clockwise, it continued in such a way for quite some time once he made a new doll do something another would appear, this might seem like an easy trail but Mike felt it was harder than the first, after all by the end of the 2nd tril he had 128 dolls doing 128 different tasks, that was equal to him consentrating on doing 128 different things at once, nevertheless it was easy for Mike

"What's next..?"

As if responding to Mike's mutter the scenery changed again, there in front of him was a long narrow path, he received a simple message, to 'follow the path' Mike nodded and took his first step onto the path, then he frowned his brows and looked down, a sword had appeared and impaled his right thigh, from the pain it felt quite real

"No this is real…"

Mike reached out and pulled out the sword before he used his magic to stop the bleeding, then he took another step, and before he noticed two swords were impaling him, one went through his arm and the other passed through his stomach, Mike sighed before he pulled out the swords and stopped his bleeding, then he took another step...4 swords… 8 swords… 16 swords... 32 swords… 64 swords… 128 swords… When Mike removed the last of the 128 swords and took the next step he felt the path in front of him clear up, in front of him were 3 demons, the looked a little like Beel

"Elders"

Mike kneeled down as he spoke the 3 demons walked over to him and wordlessly helped him onto his feet, then they walked around him and looked him over with approving looks on their faces before one of them laid its hand onto Mike's head and ruffled his hair with a smile on its face, then a mental message appeared in his mind

[Take care of Beel]

Mike nodded, then he spoke resolutely

"Yes!"

Out in the real space, Mike stood up again, he looked over at Beel and Julie before he spoke

"I have gained their approval"

Beel showed a gentle smile and nodded before she looked over at Julie and spoke

"It's your turn now Julie"

"Yes, Beel"

With Mike and Beel watching over her Julie quickly entered the trials, Mike asked Beel that stood beside him

"...You were siblings right?"

Beel nodded and showed a slightly nostalgic expression on her face

"Yes, I am the youngest of four… they always looked out for me… Did they tell you anything?"

"Yeah, to take care of you"

Beel shuddered slightly before a single tear appeared in her eye, she quickly rubbed it away before she spoke

"Look at me… I guess sentiment really does come with old age…"

Mike grabbed Beel's hand and pulled her into his embrace and hugged her for a few moments before she patted him on the back and spoke

"I am alright now… Anymore and Julie will get jealous"

Mike showed a smile

"Guess that's true…"

In the trails Julie swiftly passed the first combat trial, then the scenery changed and she appeared at the sight of the second trail there she quickly got the hang of it and quickly passed the second trial as well, after all, she was only a little behind Mike in terms of controlling servants, on the third trial she didn't walk along the path, no once she found out what was happening she showed a smile and muttered

"Pain is an old friend"

Then she kicked off the ground and quickly sprinted down the path, numerous swords impaled her body by the end, when she realized she had passed the trail she simply and emotionlessly pulled out the swords before she showed a happy smile and muttered

"I wonder how close I am to the end now?"

She got her answer at once as the 3 demons appeared in front of her, Julie looked at them in a daze for a few seconds before she spoke respectfully as she kneeled down

"Elders"

The 3 demon elders looked at Julie for a few moments before they helped her on her feet, then they looked her over, and then they seemed to come to a conclusion and nodded approvingly before one of them reached out and stroked Julie's cheek, Julie closed her eyes and nestled into the hand, then she opened her eyes and the elder had disappeared again, she felt slightly sorrowful until a message appeared in her mind

[Take care of Beel, we leave her in you and Mike's hands]

Julie nodded, then she returned to real space where she stood up then she looked over at Mike and Beel before she walked over and hugged Beel tightly and asked

"After we beat the snot out of the guardians of the wheel, you have to send a mortal body to Earth and be with us, is that understood?"

Beel showed a smile before she nodded, then Julie broke the hug and looked into Beel's eyes before she spoke

"You deserve to enjoy the peace that the 4 of you have fought for so long"

Beel's eyes moistened before she nodded again and spoke

"Yes, definitely"

Hey y'all it's zad1333 again, just a heads up, the next chapter (209) will be the last, I've decided to do a long-ish chapter to round it up nicely, if I make it by Wednesday(The 2nd) then great, else it will be out Friday(The 4th), I'll take all the time I need to finish this up nicely