Episode 9

**Barbarians of the Tothman Tribe** (蛮族トースマン, *Banzoku Tōsuman*) is the ninth episode of the Helck Anime series.

## Summary

Standing atop the ship's roof, Helck faces the giant octopus as the nearby whirlpool tries to pull the boat into it. Without hesitation, Helck punches the octopus; however, it does no damage against it, and Vermilio assumes it's immune to physical attacks. When Vermilio tries to use her magic against it, Helck stops and assures her that he can handle it and she should escape. Although Vermilio argues contrarily, she puts her faith in Helck and escapes to a safe distance as he relentlessly attacks the octopus. Soon, the octopus wraps its tentacles around Helck, leaving him constrained, and sinks back into the water. Despite Vermilio calling out Helck's name, he unwillingly follows the octopus into the water.

Eventually, the storm passes, and Vermilio stares at where Helck disappeared as Piwi stands beside her. Vermilio laments what had happened to Helck because the continent they tried to reach was close by. Reaching the continent, Vermilio falls on her knees, pounds the sand, and demands to know why Helck is already there, holding up a wood-carved sign that reads, "GOAL". While Piwi greets Helck, Vermilio wallows in disgust that she had believed Helck was in any trouble in the first place.

Demanding answers from Helck, he explained to Vermilio that he escaped from the octopus's clutches after it was sucked into a whirlpool. Upon emerging from the water, he saw that he was closeby to the continent and immediately swam toward it. Furthermore, Helck claims he still has a mission to fulfill and won't die until he accomplishes it. Still, Vermilio lectures Helck for his reckless and selfish behavior. She also mentions that he should have more consideration for the feelings of his companions, citing the concern on Piwi's face. To those points, Helck apologizes, and Vermilio warns Helck not to go on solo endeavors. Just as Vermilio was going to release the Corstag, Piwi informs Vermilio that she's yet to reach the goal. Hence, Vermilio does and, after that, with Helck's help, releases the Corstag.

Once the Corstag was released, the group heads into the forest area, but the moment they do, Vermilio senses hidden presences and believes it to be another ruse by Helck. However, a fire spell is shot at them, and Helck claims he's not at fault that time. A small group of timid barbarians then approach them, demanding that they surrender and follow them. They comply and have wooden shackles around their arms, and Helck instantly breaks out of his. To make the matter more awkward, Piwi was disappointed he didn't get any shackles.

Following the barbarians back to their base, a dilapidated ruins with its impoverished residents staring at them. Vermilio notes the state of the area, and the lead barbarian details that, thanks to the Tothman Tribe's fifty soldiers, the Erille kingdom fell into a severe decline. Though the Tothman's Tribe's number was small, their power was potent, and the Tothman King's was the absolute greatest. To make matters worse, the Tothman tribe laid a terrible curse on the people of Erille, transforming them into their current monstrous bodies. Not to mention the forced manual labor slave work they've been conscripted into doing.

Closing in on the Erille castle, they meet with the princess of Erille, who reprimands the lead barbarian for shackling Vermilio and the others. After they're released, the princess formally apologizes to them for her subjects' actions. Then, from a noisy cloud of dust in the distance, the Tothman King with his army arrives, and the princess implores Vermilio's group to flee. However, they stand by and watch as the princess greets the king and is sequentially beaten down by his soldiers, claiming he's bored of trying to tame her and her subjects. The Tothman King sought the same thrill when he conquered their kingdom and planned to conquer more kingdoms. Henceforth, the people of the Erille Kingdom would become conscripted soldiers to the Tothman army. Though the princess argues that's not the deal that they originally struck with the Tothman Tribe, their king claims that it's since changed.

Right when the Tothman Tribe was becoming apprehensive about the princess, Helck steps in and slaps aside one of the soldiers, claiming they better knock it off. Vermilio also steps in, casting some of her fire magic, and proclaims that it's in their best interest to keep the Erillian people safe. Impressed by their gall, the Tothman King sends his soldiers after Vermilio and Helck; however, they easily deal with them, respectively, using fire magic and slaps.

Upset that his men were easily beaten, the Tothman King leaps into action, throws a magically empowered punch at Helck, and supposedly obliterates him. The Tothman King then threatened to spare Vermilio if she told him the direction where her kingdom was at; however, Vermilio claimed that she'd fight him if Helck was really did. Perplexed by the comment, Vermilio tells the Tothman King wouldn't die by the likes of him. Laughing off the comment by Vermilio, the Tothman King claims that Helck is long dead, only to learn he was standing behind him and state his learning Humans aren't the only race with scum like the king.

The Tothman King was astonished that Helck survived his Killer Punch and launched a flurry of them at max power toward Helck, who took every single one of them unfazed. After the smoke clears from the attack, Helck appears from the smoke and, with one punch, defeats the Tothman King. However, the Tothman king refuses to surrender and gets back on his feet while an ominous aura surrounds him, chanting, "I am the strongest". The Tothman King punches Helck with a now-enlarged arm as his entire body grows larger and bulk out.

## Characters

* Helck
* Piwi
* Vermilio
* Tothman King
* Erille Princess