Helck (2023) s01e07 Episode Script

1
[narrator] Vermilio
confronts Helck about
being able to fight
his old friends.
He opens up about
how he feels obligated
to stop his fellow humans.
Meanwhile, at Castle Urum,
the winged knights launch
another attack.
Azudra arrives during
the fierce battle
and uses his overwhelming power
to fend off the evil hoard
in mere moments.
[opening theme]
[THE HUMAN KING]
[dramatic fanfare]
[tense music]
[all gasp]
[Hyura] He is incredibly strong.
[wind blows]
[Kenros] Those are
all just tree roots!
Has Lord Azudra always
been this powerful?
All thanks to his
special ability.
Lord Azudra has the power
to freely manipulate any
of the empire's trees.
Even those planted here.
It doesn't matter if their
leaves fall off
or their trunks give way, as
long as the roots are left.
Now, Lord Azudra claims
he's the weakest among
the Four Elite Lords.
But I'm of the mind that
he's stronger than
any of the others
as long as he's in a place with
trees or shrubs or topiaries.
One of the Four Elite Lords?
Hardly. We are but
citizens of the empire.
And the two castles that
you've chosen to attack so far,
just a fraction
of the Demon Realm.
So there are even more
powerful demons above this guy?
I guess getting rid
of these assholes
isn't going to be all that easy,
even with our newly-awakened
hero powers.
[groans]
[gasps]
I'd really prefer
not to kill you folks.
So if you could just
go ahead and surrender,
that would be super.
[female knight] Ha! You sound
pretty pathetic
- for a demonkin.
- Huh?
Where's all your vicious
and ruthless cunning?
Perhaps your reputation
has been exaggerated.
[Azudra sighs] I hope
you make the smart choice.
[Ista gasps]
[Hyura] Isty?
I'm sensing another
presence is here.
Huh?
[dramatic music]
Another enemy force.
Where are they?
[gasps] There!
On the castle walls.
[dramatic music continues]
[bowstrings creaking]
[all gasp]
Oh man, that's a lot.
Everyone needs to
protect themselves, okay?
[both] Leave all
the protecting to me.
Wait just a second.
I don't think they're
actually aiming at us.
They're shooting the other
winged knights!
[gasps, sighs]
What's that about?
Are they on our side?
[Hyura] Just like what
- happened last time.
- [Ista gasps]
We had their leader
in Castle Urum,
but he was suddenly killed
by one of their own knights.
[dramatic music continues]
[Ista gasps]
Hold on. Where'd they go?
[groans, sighs]
What exactly is happening?
Since you're too much
of a damn softie
to actually kill us,
we made sure to bring
along a little insurance.
Being captured would
ruin our plans.
Damn it. We couldn't even
kill one of those freaks.
We did manage to make
some progress.
I think it'll be more
than enough for this run.
[Azudra] This run?
[knight] I won't deny
that you demons are strong.
Our powers didn't do much
to keep you from
kicking our asses.
But even the mightiest kingdom
is bound to crack under the
pressure of an endless assault.
By accumulating experience
in the battlefield,
we will only grow stronger.
So there may be a gap in
strength between us for now,
but the day will come when
our powers are
greater than any
of you abominations.
[Azudra] I get the
impression this isn't just
silly smack talk before death.
Easy, fellow.
Let's talk about this.
There's no such thing
as death for us!
[Azudra gasps]
Heroes are reborn over and over!
[all gasp]
[dramatic music]
[Kenros] Look! It's like
they're getting all glowy
and floaty and stuff.
[Hyura] They're vanishing.
[Dorshe] Oh, so the lack
of corpses earlier
was not because they all
got pulled into the gate.
They're gonna get
resurrected again.
Human shitheads. And
they call us monsters.
Hmm.
[drums beat]
[Human King] Ah, my heroes.
How pitiful it is to see
you return to me in defeat.
My sincerest apologies,
your majesty.
[Human King] The demonkin are
a ruthless and evil abomination.
And if we allow them to roam
free, we face devastation.
We must be rid of them.
They must be exterminated.
Now go, my heroes.
Reclaim true peace for
the whole of the world.
[Asta] What the
heck is all this?
I was trying to
find someplace quiet,
but somehow ended up
in a hornet's nest.
Knights keep popping up.
I thought humans went through
some sort of an awakening
process,
but this seems like
they're being summoned.
[gasps]
Oh, interesting.
There are different
kinds of winged knights.
They must be getting
ready for a war council,
which means I should be able
to get some juicy information.
But sneaking in is going
to be very dangerous.
I might have to reconsider.
No, I gotta go.
[gasps]
So that's
the Human King.
[Azudra] Sorry to put you
guys in a tough spot,
but your willingness
to face danger
and prevent the spread of
monsters is most appreciated.
Mm. No, no, no.
Don't do any of that.
You don't have to be
all formal around me.
- [Kenros] Sick, bro!
- Grow up.
[Kenros] Hmm?
[Hon] Does that feel any better?
This is a quasi-barrier stone.
Although it doesn't last long,
it can fend off the toxin
and prevent you from
losing any stamina.
All right, everyone. We're
no longer in any danger.
Take a moment to rest
and enjoy some coffee.
I'm down for that!
Something sweet, please.
Plunk.
So, Isty, I take it
you passed the exam?
Yeah. It's been a while though.
Would it have killed you
to let me know?
How was I supposed to
get in touch with you
when I had no idea
where you were?
Fair point. Well,
congratulations anyway.
Thank you.
[Azudra/Hon]
Aw, isn't that precious?
- [gasps] Asta.
- Uh
Lord Azudra, Asta's
trying to make a report.
Oh really? Then you should
have my cup of coffee.
[Ista] Thank God.
You're still alive.
You haven't done anything
crazy, have you?
[Asta] No. I'm fine.
Nobody's found me yet.
And guess what?
I've got some major intel.
[Ista grunts]
[Kenros] Is that her ability?
That's right.
She can talk with her sister
anywhere over a cup of coffee.
[mystical music]
[Ista gasps, sighs]
Based on what Asta
witnessed in the human realm,
it is all but certain that
the winged knights
have been resurrected.
Right. That seems to be
the case. Kind of neato, huh?
Uh. No, sir.
What are we gonna do?
This is a grave situation here.
Now, now. Just settle down.
We must keep our wits
in times like these.
Right. Yes, but
For starters, let's take
stock of the situation.
Okay then! It's time for an
emergency military discussion.
- Where did she come from?
- Be quiet.
Feel free to have a snack.
[Rococo] First up,
please take a look at this.
This is a list
of all the problems
the eastern region
is dealing with.
They are meticulously organized
in order of importance.
Number one, Miss Anne is MIA.
Two, the human menace.
Three, fending off
monsters to the east.
Four, the absence
of a demon lord.
And five, the hero Helck.
[Kenros] Why'd she put
my boy Helck in there?
[Hyura] Helck seems
awfully low on the list.
For the sake of our military
strength and my mental health,
problem number one is our
utmost priority right now.
But I guess we really
should discuss the humans.
Take a look at this
lovely chart, everyone.
It shows the ranking
of all nearby powers
that threaten the empire.
The northern powers,
their threat rank is SSS.
[CAPITAL]
The western and southern powers,
their ranks are both C.
The eastern powers,
specifically the Human Kingdom,
has been ranked E.
However, this only applies
when they're without a hero.
In regards to monsters,
the rank of New-World
Lifeforms ranges from B to S,
while regular monsters
can be from C to A rank.
[All] The humans
are are way too low.
As you already know,
human beings have
been the weakest
out of all races
existing in the world.
So long as we kept
an eye on their hero,
they were never
really a problem.
That being said,
if every single human soldier
has now awakened as a hero,
then their new threat rank
would most likely be about a C.
Okay, we'll go
with that for now.
Hyura of Ahald, you have
engaged them in battle.
How would you estimate
their combat levels?
Well, let me think.
The most common type that
I saw with the bulky bodies
were somewhere around 30.
And I'd say their leader
was around 35.
Correct. And at that level,
they aren't a huge threat to us.
But unfortunately now they
are being resurrected.
Taking that into account,
their rank becomes A.
Really? That's still lower
than I would've expected.
But think about it.
The fact of the matter is
we already fight monsters
that spawn infinitely
on a daily basis.
[Hon] Oh yes, I suppose.
But that's assuming
humans respawn
without developing
like the beasts.
After awakening as heroes,
they are bound to grow stronger.
And if every single human were
to reach the same peak form
as the heroes of the past,
their threat would be more.
Higher than, say, SSS.
[both gasp]
[Hyura] A bigger threat
than the northern forces.
[Azudra] More than half
of the empire's troops
are currently posted at
the northern defense line,
which means that if
they continue to develop
and strengthen their army until
it's on par with the north,
we won't have enough
troops to hold them off.
Oh!
And that will spell
the end for us all.
[Hyura gasps]
The empire will perish
and a new world born
in its place.
[both sigh]
This is heavy stuff.
I guess I'll have to fight too.
This is a pretty big problem.
How do you stop
an enemy that revives
no matter how many
times you kill them?
And don't forget they mentioned
growing stronger
with each fight.
So we have to think before
engaging them in battle
or it might get worse.
We cannot win by simply
defeating them.
We must find another
way to deal with this.
Otherwise it'll be hopeless.
Yes, that's exactly right.
Which is why I propose
our strategy should be
to thwart their ability
to resurrect.
Huh? You think we can do that?
Hmm. Probably.
Ah!
[Azudra] There is no such
life born into this world
that is disconnected from death.
So this ability must
have come from a spell.
So if we defeat
the spellcaster,
then the spell will be undone.
[Kenros] A spell caster?
Oh my gosh.
[Azudra] Afraid so.
The king of the humans.
[emotional music]
Once we defeat their king,
the humans won't be
able to resurrect again.
But how can you know
that for sure?
[laughs] I haven't lived all
these centuries for nothing.
Now, this was a
very long time ago,
but I did once fight a hero
who was capable of reviving.
[all gasp]
It struck me as odd,
so I did some digging
to find out more.
I ultimately learned that it was
the results of the king's magic.
And based on what Asta reported
seeing in the human realm,
I'm almost positive it must
be the same spell at work.
The king's magic works
roughly the same way
as the Deep Green Contract
I used for the tournament.
By forging a contract
with the king,
heroes can gain the
ability to be resurrected.
But the spell only works
on an awakened hero.
The effects include things like
resurrection at the foot
of the king upon death,
absolute obedience to the king,
and some other stuff.
It's just like
the same magic I use
except a bit more sinister.
But even the king should still
be nothing but
an ordinary human.
How is it possible they can
use such highly advanced magic?
[Azudra] Obviously
it's not achieved
by merely having
the title of king.
So they must be another
type of awakened being
that's like a hero.
[Ista] Another type?
[Azudra] If we call the
usual hero a combat type,
the king is a supporter who
can draw out their strength.
And considering
their heroes were
gifted with abilities
on par with our own,
it's not unthinkable that
a human with magic powers
could be born as well.
Uh, my Lord, do you
think we stand a chance
of beating their king?
Well, we'll just have
to give it our best shot.
Seriously? That's the plan?
But there's something
else we must do first.
Shore up our defenses.
Per the intel from Agent Asta,
the humans will be making yet
another march on Castle Urum
the day after tomorrow.
We are going to fend off
their coming approach.
Then we will retake Castle Thor.
Control of that stronghold is
necessary, whether we're
attacking the humans or
defending against them.
[CASTLE URUM, CASTLE THOR,
LAND OF HUMANS BORDER FORTRESS]
Those two victories are
our first order of business.
We build our defenses,
formulate a strategy,
and make sure everything
is in order.
Then we dispatch an
elite unit of warriors
with the mission of
vanquishing the Human King.
[trumpet playing]
[boss] No slacking!
Get your butts in gear!
Come on, hurry!
Humans are gonna be raining
hell on our doorstep.
[all] Yes, sir!
[boss] No wait, hang on.
I just realized what time it is.
That's lunch, everybody.
Go wash your hands!
- Yes, sir!
- Woo-hoo!
Man, this has become
quite the fiasco.
You can say that again.
You know, I'm not really
into the whole fighting thing.
Really wish I understood
why it had to come to this.
[Dorshe] A question
for the humans.
Maybe we can make it like
the Demon Lord Tournament
and challenge them to
a bunch of fun games.
But if we were to lose,
would that make
death any easier?
Could you just stand by
as your fellow demons
get slaughtered?
[straw slurps]
[Boss] Are those hands
squeaky clean?
[workers cheer]
- Nah, probably not.
- Then you need to buck up.
[Hyura] I take it you
told her not to overdo it?
[Ista] I did, except, uh
[Asta] Okay, I'll
try to control myself.
But if there was ever a moment
to pull out all the stops,
this would be the time.
I think it might have
had the opposite effect.
[Hyura] Sounds about right.
Yeah. I just knew I
should have gone with her.
Then we'd lose the
advantage of having you two.
[Ista] You're not wrong, but
No, it'll be okay.
I am the one who trained Asty,
after all.
I know she won't go down easily.
True. But Asta was
right about one thing.
We can't afford
to spare any effort
until Lady Vermilio is back.
[Hyura]
Yes, you're absolutely right.
[Azudra] So this is
where the gate was.
[Hon] What exactly
are we doing here, sire?
[Azudra]
The pathway created by the gate
should not have completely
disappeared yet.
Which means that if
we can reopen it,
then the destination on the
other side should be the same.
Wait. So you're going
to find Lady Vermilio
by opening the gate?
Unfortunately, it will
be impossible for me
to create a gate
large enough for me
to actually pass through.
Um, so why did we
even come here?
Well, to help my
Vermi-germy, of course.
We must do whatever we can
while we have the chance.
And what would that be?
[Azudra] Oh, you'll find out.
Here. Hold onto these
and stand back.
[Hon] Uh, what's this?
[Azudra] The Deep Green
Pathfinder!
A magic wand that can point her
in the direction of the empire.
The Deep Green Letter.
Actually, it's just
a regular letter
with some words of encouragement
and an explanation of my magic.
A mandarin orange,
Vermsys's favorite food.
It should give her
peace of mind.
Making a gate big enough for
people is out of the question.
But creating one that's just
big enough for a few goodies
shouldn't be a problem for me.
[Hon] Oh, it's a
little bitty gate.
[Azudra] Yes, I'm awesome!
Hon, throw it all in there!
Ah, yes sir!
Hurry! I can't hold it for long.
- Are you done yet?
- It's done. It's done!
[dramatic music]
[Azudra panting]
Are you okay?
Can you stand, my lord?
I was on the verge of
blacking out. [gasps]
I never knew spatial
teleportation magic
would put such a strain on me.
No one should use that spell
unless they can resurrect
themselves. [pants]
Are you going to be okay?
But it looks like
it got through.
Hopefully she's able
to get everything.
Anyway. It's pretty pathetic
that an Elite Lord of the empire
such as myself can't
handle any more than this.
[Hon whimpers]
[Azudra] Right. Now let's get to
repairing the barrier stone.
We don't have time
to dilly dally.
[Hon] Oh gosh. Please, Lord
Azudra. Rest for a moment.
[Azudra]
Ah, I don't feel so good.
[waves crashing]
[playful music]
[Piwi humming]
Huh? Oh! What's that?
Hm [hums]
Yum, yum!
[Vermilio] Gotta say,
it's nice to do things
the hard way sometimes.
[playful music continues]
[slurps]
[gasps] It's gonna be
slop compared to Helck's.
What is it? Does he have
a secret ingredient?
[Helck] Mm, that smells good!
Can I maybe have a
quick little taste?
- Back off! It's not ready yet.
- Just a nibble?
You're just gonna have to
wait until I'm satisfied.
All righty. Well, I'm
really looking forward to it.
Jeez louise.
[gasps] My fire is
about to go out.
- I'm back!
- Took you long enough.
The fire's dying on me!
I found a delicious
fruit lying on the beach!
Don't eat stuff off
the ground! Now hurry up.
I'm trying to cook over here.
I swore to myself
that I wouldn't use any
magic to cook this dish.
You do wanna eat, right?
[Piwi yelps]
[Piwi] Here, here!
Light it on fire!
Hm? Oh, thanks. That
should do the trick.
[Piwi] You're welcome.
[opening theme]
[narrator] Next time:
"Back to the Continent"