Vueko

"Vueko"

- "The Golden City, home to creatures greater than man." It wasn't something we couldn't handle. It was a trap for vapid humans, made out of useless gold.

Vueko, whose full name is Vuelo Elukoundefined, is a mysterious woman who was chained by her neck in a deep pit of sludge beneath Ilblu before Riko set her free.

Appearance
Vueko, due to her long imprisonment, has very long hair that seems to have taken a slightly slimy consistency. After being freed, Riko gave her a vast amount of clothing bought from Ilblu's market to hide her identity.

Personality
Vueko has a rather meek and shy behavior. Her banishment only heightened these traits of her personality; going as far as getting flustered at the mere sight of Regundefined. She also appears to be bisexualundefined.

Early Life
Having no known relatives, Vueko was brought up by a cruel man who constantly abused her physically and verbally. He had illusions of grandeur, believing he was "playing the leading part" and that he had been "entrusted" with the Golden City, which he constantly boasted to Vueko.

The story her abuser told was that, one day while he was at sea, he came across a smoldering ship. Inside it he found the ship's crew; their corpses mutilated, except for one last man who was cowering in the back, barely alive. In the wreckage, Vueko's abuser found and picked up a Star Compass.

The frightened man immediately began to babble wildly about the place where the compass points straight up, a monstrous, man-eating hole, and about the Golden City that lies in the bottom of it. The frightened man then succumbed to his injuries and diedundefined.

Ganja Arc
As she grew older, Vueko inherited the compass, and trained to be a Delver, so that she could find the city herself. As an adult she joined the Ganja suicide corps, led by Wazukyan, whose goal was the same as hers. At one point she became one of the Three Sages of Ganja. Following the compass, the crew arrived at the Abyss and started making their way down with the help of a native guide, Irumyuui, of the islandundefined.

During Ganja's advance to the 6th layer they met some Interference Units and learned of the curse. Accepting that they wouldn't be able to return to the surface, Ganja set up a permanent camp on the 6th layer. During their time in the camp, Vueko and Irumyuui grew very close to each other and Vueko developed a mother-like bond with her.

After some time many of members of the Ganja got ill and Belaf found out that the cause of the sickness was the water they had been drinking, due to it being infected or to be some unknown creature of the Abyss. Irumyuui also fell ill.

After Wazukyan had questioned the Interference Units on an Artifact, which was recovered by the scavenging team, they revealed it to be the Cradle of Greed; an item being able to fulfill the user's deepest wish, but only if their mind wasn't too "messy or complex". Upon hearing that, Vueko requested it to be given to Irumyuui in hope to save her. After Irumyuui had received the Artifact she did wake up after some time and was not in pain anymore. However the Cradle of Greed had fused with her body, becoming a sphere on her chest and the malformation caused by the water also kept up.

Due to her wish Irumyuui kept giving birth to Neritantan- like offspring, but they died soon after birth due to being born without organs to digest food. This caused Irumyuui great grief and Vueko comforted her. Later on, Vueko fell ill as well and was not able to comfort Irumyuui anymore. During the time of her illness Wazukyan fed her something she described to taste delicious with a scent of fat. Upon awaking, Vueko was healed. Seemingly, she has a bad feeling about what Wazukyan gave her to eat and upon questioning him he revealed the others had been healed as well, saying "That kid saved us all." The food Wazukyan had fed Vueko, Belaf and other Ganja members, who gotten infected by the "Mockwater", was broth made from Irumyuui’s children and to his surprise it not only gave nourishment to the infected, but also alleviated the symptoms of their infection.

Vueko, flustered and worried, was asked by Wazukyan if she wanted to see Irumyuui. Upon arrival Vueko was horrified to see that Irumyuui had transformed even more, barely even recognizable but still able to recognize Vueko.

Irumyuui had given birth to another child and was caressing it, but Wazukyan took it from her in order to butcher it. Irumyuui pleadingly cried out because she didn’t want to give up her child and seeing this, Vueko requested to let Irumyuui at least stay with her child until it had died. Wazukyan, apologetically, declined that request, due to having discovered the meat works better the fresher it is and killed Irumyuui’s child with a knife. Shaken by that sight, Vueko apologized to Irumyuui in tears and contemplated her own weakness of being unable to help her. Irumyuui comforted her by giving her a hug and telling her she is fine as long Vueko stayed with her and Vueko quietly sobbed unsure of what kind of hell will awaited them.

The following days, Irumyuui’s children continued to be used as nourishment for the Ganja members. Belaf, who had tried to rather starve than eating them, was seen being so weak that Vueko had to force feed him. While he still pleaded to her to stop, Vueko thought to herself that this must be what hell is like.

Then one day, Vueko, while being with Irumyuui, discovered the Cradle of Greed in a scar that had opened up in Irumyuui’s chest and was perplexed since she was sure it had broken. Wazukyan arrived at the scene and told Vueko he had the Interference Units search for another one, because Irumyuui had been growing weaker and he feared she might not survive much longer without a second Cradle to fulfill her another wish. Suddenly, Irumyuui started getting restless and began moving. Vueko tried asking her what’s wrong, but got no response and Wazukyan, ominously, told her that it was almost "time to see Irumyuui’s true wish being fulfilled".

Irumyuui continued moving and Wazukyan instructed the other members to stay close to Irumyuui and follow her, while he carried Belaf. Suddenly Irumyuui stopped moving and started consuming flying predators with tentacles growing out of her. Belaf still pained by guilt requested to also be eaten by her and offered himself up to Irumyuui. A giant hole opened up in Irumyuui, allowing Belaf to walk right inside her. As Belaf’s flesh was consumed he was simultaneously reconstructed and transformed into a Narehate. The other Ganja members, struck by the "beauty" of Belaf’s new form, concluded that they would be forgiven for eating Irumyuui’s children if they offer themselves up to her in the same way and Wazukyan proclaimed that this is the home they had been looking for.

Only Vueko hesitated. Wazukyan noticed that and asked her what was wrong. Vueko told him she doesn’t think this is what Irumyuui truly wished for and upon being asked by Wazukyan what she intends to do, she proceeded moving backwards to fall down a near cliff. As she jumped off she told Wazukyan she won’t let anybody else have it and he realized she is holding a Cradle of Greed in her hand, which she had previously taken from Irumyuui. Wazukyan managed to grab on to her leg before she falls off, but Vueko hit her head on the stonewall and passed out, but before doing so noticed that Wazukyan had also used a Cradle of Greed on himself. When she woke up she found herself bound and in the dark pit Riko would later find her in. Wazukyan, now also turned into a Narehate, told her she is currently inside what used to be Irumyuui’s head as it’s the closest point Vueko could be to her. Vueko asked Wazukyan why he used a Cradle on himself, even though the Units warned them that adults would suffer from using one,and Wazukyan told her he did it in order to give the others faith in Irumyuui. He also told her, while being in the dark pit, she will be able to feel Irumyuui’s emotions and can watch over her from now on and leaves her.

In the darkness Vueko is left in she is able to receive signals from various places. Vueko also received signals from the now mindless Irumyuui and is able to tell because Irumyuui still had the second Cradle her last true final wish is granted: The birth of her last child, Faputa, who one day will take revenge for all her dead brethren. As Vueko senses Faputa’s birth she was relieved that Irumyuui didn’t forgive them after all and it can be seen, as the Interference Units quickly approach Faputa, she destroys them quickly before fleeing. Vueko still in the darkness started to sense the signals of Irumyuui’s dead children, named them and stayed in the darkness until Riko found her.

Ilblu Arc
Riko discovers Vueko in the dark pit while she is searching for Nanachi and Reg. Riko was surprised to find someone being bound in such a cave and asks Vueko who she is and why she is imprisoned. Vueko timidly introduces herself to Riko and tells her that she was banished because she opposed the founding of Ilblu.

But as she watched the village develop her opinion changed; she didn't believe it to be so bad anymore because everyone was a narehate. She hopes to be freed one day, but thinks Riko probably won't free a potential dangerous person she just met. However, Riko sets her free without hesitation, believing her to be nonthreatening.

Afterward, both of them climb out of the small pit and Riko disguises Vueko with various items to make sure she isn't recognized in the village. After they get back Vueko points Riko to Belafu's house, thinking Nanachi must be there. She remains outside because she is afraid of Belaf recognizing her.

After Riko gets back, Vueko is asks what happened inside to make Riko so dejected. The scene is interrupted by a Fuzosheppu attacking the village. While the village is under attack by it, Vueko watches Juroimoh fight the Fuzosheppu and is disappointed that he loses. After the battle, Vueko accidentally makes a relieved comment that makes Moogie suspicious and asks Vueko who she is. Vueko thinks she can't keep it a secret any longer and begins to tell her backstory.

After Vueko has finished telling her story all of the listeners look truly surprised. Vueko tells them what Faputa has inherited the three Cradles from Irumyuui and thus Irumyuui lost the power to maintain the village, but is kept alive by the new value brought in by visitors of the village. Faputa is trying to free her mother, Irumyuui, which would mean the destruction of the village. She also tells them it is not easy to leave the village after having entered it once. Riko asks her if it’s possible to convince Faputa from abandoning her wish to destroy the village, but Vueko tells her she most likely wouldn’t listen. Riko also ask what Vueko is going to do now and Vueko responds that all she wants to do for now is not forget Irumyuui.

After Reg returns with parts of Faputa, the village itself reacts to them. Reg panics and contemplates to bring the parts to Belaf right away, but is stopped by Vueko because she assumes seeing them could drive Belaf insane. When Vueko asks Reg how he acquired the parts, Reg tells her Faputa gave them to him so that he would fulfill his promise.

Wazukyan, who had eavesdropped the conversation, concludes Reg must have been "The Prince" and is surprised Reg managed to secure parts of "The Princess". He also casually greets Vueko, expresses his joy of her finally being able to leave her pit, and asks her if she already told them about "The Princess". Vueko reluctantly confirms she has, but notes she told the story from her point of view.

After the conversation between Wazukyan, Riko and the villagers, Juroimoh shows up and starts attacking. Wazukyan quickly grabs Vueko and moves to a higher position to avoid Juroimoh. Reg manages to draw Juroimoh's attention and a fight erupts between them, which leads to Juroimoh transforming into a gooey, even more monstrous, form. While observing, Vueko asks Wazukyan why Juroimoh has the same name as her adoptive father who used to abuse her. Wazukyan explains that Irumyuui created Juroimoh from the signals she received from Vueko and Juroimoh is the very will of the village itself.

Specific Knowledge
As a former Sage of Ganja, Vueko possesses knowledge about the history of Ilblu's creation and the 6th layer.