Benteke

Benteke is Poseidon's Apostle and the brutal leader of Triton, a battle-seeking high ranker whose rebellion against Lana and rivalry with Yeon-woo arise from his refusal to live in another person's shadow.

Biography

The first mate overthrows Lana

Benteke serves as Lana's right hand and lover while helping Blue Rose rule the River of Souls, but her fixation on avenging Jeong-woo exhausts him and their followers. Convinced that strength grants the right to take command, he leads a coup, kills former comrades, and leaves Lana to die in the flooded Quartz Palace. He then rebuilds the surviving power as Triton, gaining the rule he wanted while carrying the memory of both Lana and Jeong-woo as unresolved resentment. (Chapters 273–275)

A Ruler recognizes another beast

Ordered by Poseidon to punish Yeon-woo, Benteke brings Triton onto the River of Souls and meets an opponent whose violence resembles his own. Their first duel becomes exhilaration rather than simple duty: Benteke ignores terrible wounds, loses Triaina and an arm, and still looks forward to the return match. The failure weakens his authority inside Triton, but he refuses caution because leadership, to him, is proved through decisive combat rather than preservation or obedience. (Chapters 276–291)

Choosing a memorable death

In the final battle, Benteke concentrates Triton's remaining holy power and drives his body beyond fatal injury, determined not to repeat what he sees as Lana's defeated end. He suspects Yeon-woo's connection to Jeong-woo but keeps it private, preferring death by a worthy opponent so that he will remain in others' memories without regret. Poseidon then sacrifices his Apostle as a vessel for forced descent; the god's absorption destroys Benteke's soul, leaving no spirit for Yeon-woo to summon. (Chapters 292–300)

Appearance and personality

Benteke is a large, hairy man with wild hair like a lion's mane, bestial eyes, and an imposing presence. He first appears feasting amid Triton's revelry, often caring little for ordinary dress beyond a cape. Loud laughter, appetite, and apparent indiscipline conceal a practiced commander who can turn celebrating crews into organized fighters immediately. He is brutal, proud, hedonistic, and contemptuous of restraint, but recognizes courage and keeps his final suspicions to himself.

Abilities and powers

Benteke combines high-ranker spear technique and a formidable body with the water-aligned holy power Poseidon supplies through their Channel. His independence from Poseidon is personal and rhetorical, not freedom from the Channel's risks.

Spear arts, Vortex, and water control

Even before becoming an Apostle, Benteke's signature Vortex wrapped Aura around spear thrusts for both close and ranged attacks. With Poseidon's power and the River of Souls, he raises storms, lightning, towering waves, blades of water, and water spears while using the three-pronged Triaina as a focus. Environmental advantage strengthens these attacks, but sustained combat consumes enormous magic and holy power, and losing the trident removes an important amplifier. (Chapters 278–281)

Sea God Descent and holy-power body

Sea God Descent gathers the Factors distributed among Triton's followers into Benteke, sharply increasing his level, natural control, recovery, and capacity to survive a pierced heart. Concentrating so much holiness gradually turns his body into a vessel of pure holy power. That state remains vulnerable to energy drain: Yeon-woo's stolen information prevents his arm from regenerating, and Bathory's Vampiric Sword can consume the concentrated Factors. Poseidon's final forced descent destroys the already overextended vessel and its soul. (Chapters 279–281 and 287–300)

Relationships

• Yeon-woo: Benteke recognizes a fellow battle-seeking beast in Yeon-woo and chooses him as the opponent who can give his life a memorable end.
• Jeong-woo: Benteke once drank with Jeong-woo, but later blames his memory for Lana's ruin; recognition of the brothers' connection complicates his final silence.
• Poseidon: Benteke openly defies and insults his patron while using his power. Poseidon tolerates that independence until sacrificing Benteke as a disposable vessel.
• Athena: Athena supports Yeon-woo against Benteke and contributes the divine power that helps contest Poseidon's Apostle.

Items

None. No item in the finalized notable-item roster is assigned to Benteke.