The Bull Has Gotten Loose

Gilgamesh's expression was grave. "It has finally arrived... a new Genesis for this planet."

The remaining Eleven Children of Lahmu, now transformed into the strongest form, also let out a piercing laugh. They flew before the group and shouted to Rovey, "Mother loves you, and you are also part of our family. Join us in the great fusion and evolution! You have a place in the new Genesis... We will regard you as our father!"

Not only Lahmu, the Eleven Children transformed into, but also Tiamat, Goetia in the distance, Gilgamesh, Ishtar, and others all looked at Rovey.

Seeing this, watching the ever-expanding vortex and feeling the power of the Nega-Genesis, Rovey knew that anyone else who approached would be transformed. He also understood that the tide had turned, and it was no longer time to fight head-on. Although he desperately wanted to go up and end it all, he could only slowly loosen his grip and say with difficulty, "Retreat."

Although I'm unwilling and don't want to leave like this, this decision is the right one right now.

Tiamat's Anti-Genesis is a conceptual barrier that can overturn existing theories of evolution, prophecies of Earth's creation, and so on. When Tiamat unleashes "Nega-Genesis," a light barrier emanates from her center, turning the world in its path into black and white, directly erasing life, greatly diminishing the power of gods and Servant, severely damaging magical life, and even nullifying existence itself.

This barrier acts like a shield; only those enveloped by it can enter. Otherwise, even the Ea cannot break the power of the goddess of creation. However, as this barrier expands, it has a powerful "degenerative" effect on all things in the world. Humans who enter will also be affected; basically, anyone who enters will be "reverse-ed," regardless of whether they are organic or inorganic matter.

He needs to get close to Tiamat to have a chance to deliver the final blow, but if he gets close under these circumstances, he might not be able to catch Tiamat, but rather be devoured by Tiamat.

If their own divinity, Goetia's Light Wheel, and so many Holy Grail were devoured, the battle would be over immediately, with no means of countermeasures. Therefore, they had to retreat first and then think of a solution.

"Run away? We won't let you get away with it so easily!"

The Eleven Children, transformed into Lahmu, let out a loud shout, and ten figures immediately turned into afterimages and surrounded him from different directions, intending to block him. However, two of them moved even faster than them.

Or rather, they were already prepared for this when the situation reversed.

"This is terrible. I thought I could survive to the end this time, but I didn't expect that I'd still be going to kick the bucket..."

"I'm sorry, darling, it seems we'll have to part ways here for a while."

Merlin and Merry flew out simultaneously. As Lahmu attacked, they raised their staffs without hesitation and prepared their illusions.

Although the existence of this world is ultimately irrelevant to them—after all, even if Tiamat alters the planet and its ecosystem, it cannot reach the Starry Sky, and the destruction of the Throne of Primates has nothing to do with the Nightmare —after experiencing so much, these two beings, who have acted solely according to their inner thoughts without any guidance from anyone, still made the most correct decision at the crucial moment.

"-- Unfold, the eternally isolated ideal land!"

Petals rained down from the sky, and a strange light enveloped the black mist over the ocean, dispelling the gloom. The powerful force distorted even space itself.

"What's this?!"

"The Starry Sky, the legendary Avalon?"

The Eleven Children, Lahmu, was shocked to see Avalon formed by two flower Magecraft, but their movements were indeed blocked.

The legendary Avalon, the eternal other shore, is a power that even they cannot easily cross; it is a power capable of isolating everything.

However, when this flower petal appeared and enveloped the true goddess of creation, she also made her own move.

Tiamat looked back, and the expansion of the Nega-Genesis immediately enveloped the direction of the phantom of Avalon. In an instant, the colorful world was completely destroyed by the black and white Genesis.

"Truly worthy of being called the goddess of creation... Avalon is completely powerless against this."

Faced with this situation, the two who summoned the phantom of Avalon had no choice but to sigh. Relying solely on the phantom of Avalon was far too much of a stretch to resist the Nega-Genesis.

Since that's the case--

They turned to look at Rovey and said in unison, "The rest is up to you."

Upon hearing this, the group's eyes narrowed slightly, as if they understood something, and they exclaimed, "You wouldn't be planning to...?"

"Yes, it's alright. After all, we're just Servants."

This time, neither of them were frivolous or held back. They each unleashed their most powerful techniques, displaying the strongest illusions of Grand Magus and Magus of Flowers.

In an instant, the sky turned into a rainbow, and a gentle breeze and the fragrance of flowers rippled across the ocean, with a sea of flowers falling like rain around everyone.

Merlin and Merry together created this astonishing illusion that would amaze even the gods, with its aim being Tiamat's soul.

At this moment, even the Nega-Genesis could not resist the illusion that struck straight to the heart.

Tiamat, who should have immediately rebelled, paused for a moment. A complex expression appeared in her beastly eyes, showing more humanity than before. The dormant side of her soul seemed to be loosening, and the Nega-Genesis was halted.

However, Merlin and Merry, who had used this technique, also began to dissipate rapidly in the next moment, turning into petals and falling into the ocean. This was the limit of their Spirit Origin, their final dance. After all, forcibly hypnotizing the creator god was no child's play, and such punishment was very reasonable.

"I'm sorry, even with everything we did and the cooperation of the other Miss Tiamat, we could only control her for a little over a day. It's really useless. But this is the best we could do."

"Anyway, good luck, it's up to you guys now."

Merlin and Merry turned back and gave everyone a final smile, maintaining their nonchalant attitude even as they left.

Seeing the Nega-Genesis stop expanding, Rovey shouted, "Let's go!"

Gilgamesh did not hesitate and immediately summoned the Golden Ship from his Noble Phantasm, carrying Merlin and Merry's will, and led everyone away.

When the petals fell, Tiamat actually closed her eyes and fell into a short sleep.

Lahmu had also been under hard control, broke free from the petals. They glanced at the sleeping Tiamat, then at the direction the golden ship had left in, and shouted in exasperation, "Damn it! They got away!"

"When will Mother wake up?!"

They intended to awaken Tiamat, but found Tiamat deeply engrossed in a dream and difficult to wake. The good news is that the two Nightmare' final Noble Phantasm, even after burning everything, could only put their mother into a short sleep. In less than two days, their mother would awaken again, and then Genesis could resume operation.

Chapter 291 The Cow Ran Away

"Is that so... She has indeed awakened, Mother Goddess."

Because the era they lived in was the Age of Gods on the planet, there was no industrial pollution in the world. Therefore Mesopotamia were incredibly pure. For anyone in this era, the world always felt like this: the sky was truly blue and the air was truly fresh.

But that beautiful sky and environment no longer exist. At this moment, the Mesopotamia sky is filled with thick, oppressive dark clouds that keep churning. In the gaps between the clouds, the sky has been completely dyed a chilling blood red, and within the scarlet sky, there are also terrifying, complex, dark, and eerie patterns.

This situation is completely different from the warmth of lying in a mother's arms in the past. This time, the scene no longer has the same cozy feeling, because humans are now regarded as unwanted, and the entire race is judged as an unwanted defective product and is destroyed.

"This has never happened before. Could it be that Tiamat has really begun to cleanse the world!?"

Inside the royal palace.

Siduri, who was brought back by Kingu, was somewhat flustered and wanted to know what was happening, and even the time was completely unclear. After all, when the sun was shrouded in black mist, humans could not even determine the current time.

"--According to our tests in Sheba, this black fog, with its extremely high Ether activity and adaptability, has begun to cover the oceans, skies, and even everything on land in this era; the ecosystem is changing."

In Merlin's live broadcast, Dr. Roman was solemnly reporting on his research findings, which also provided a clear definition of the current environment.

"The era you live in is now returning to the most primitive form of life; this is Genesis, another form no less significant than the evolution of life."

"So... our enemy is Tiamat, the goddess who changed the planet?"

Mash and Ritsuka are also worried about the current situation.

Their feelings were even more complicated after they had just learned from Dr. Roman that the two most cynical yet exceptionally reliable Magus of Flowers in the entire team had left the stage.

"No matter how you look at it, Mother's true form has indeed emerged from the Imaginary Numbers World, but her ability to Independent Manifestation will still need some time to fully recover. And I must admit, those two Nightmare were quite skilled. Although their cooperation played a part, I didn't expect them to actually put Mother back into a deep sleep. However, you guys lost terribly this time. Without my help, you've caused such a mess. You're truly incompetent."

As the group analyzed the situation, a familiar voice came from the entrance behind them. Although it was reproachful, there was a hint of relief in the voice after seeing that the casualties were not as severe as expected.

However, her gaze remained fixed on Rovey, clearly wanting a satisfactory answer from Rovey, since these guys had made solemn promises to her before the operation.

"So it was Kingu... However, we really did lose quite badly this time."

Hearing the voice behind him, Rovey sighed softly. Then he turned to look at Gilgamesh was sitting there sulking.

Beside him, Siduri, whom Kingu had brought back safely, stood by his side. When he saw that she was alright, Gilgamesh's usually unpleasant face relaxed, a rare occurrence. This was the only thing that could make him feel a little better out of all his troubles.

Upon seeing everyone return, Siduri immediately inquired about their condition, whether they were injured, and the situation with Tiamat. After hearing that Merlin and Merry had helped buy time, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, her gaze fell on everyone present, and she asked, "Then... where are Merry and the mage Merlin?"

"Their mission is complete, so they're heading back now, Siduri."

Gilgamesh deep voice.

"Mission...?"

Upon hearing Gilgamesh's account, Kingu's expression gradually turned strange, but he quickly understood.

"I said, how could those two possibly put Mother to a coma? Even with interference from the other side of Mother, her beast form is still the Goddess of Creation. To accomplish something so fantastical, they must have paid a considerable price. That's why they had to leave the stage, am I right?"

"Yes, when Tiamat was newly resurrected and in her weakest state, we used a war of attrition to wear her down. Because she used Nega-Genesis, her condition was extremely poor, which gave us an opportunity, and that's why things didn't get any worse."

Gilgamesh said calmly, "But even if they manage to find a loophole, Tiamat's current scale is definitely not something two Magus of Flowers can control. It won't be long before she strikes again."

"How much time do we have?"

Rovey Wei asked.

"Three days... at most."

Gilgamesh said in a deep voice, "She will definitely wake up within three days."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present fell silent.

This crushing defeat undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to morale.

Furthermore, after this battle, every creature in Mesopotamia, or any Servant with some knowledge of world mythology, is naturally very clear about what kind of being Tiamat they will face.

She was the mother who created the world and ushered in an era, an existence capable of changing the ecology of the entire planet. After being imprisoned by the gods, her love for the world was twisted into hatred, and she eventually transformed into a dragon. Tiamat, the Evils of Humanity one, surpassed the ordinary Star Goddess herself and began to create the ultimate being of the new era.

For her, altering the ecology and reshaping the planet and its environment is merely an instinctual drive and a manifestation of evolution. However, for the original life on this planet, this is a calamity far more terrifying than the Humanity Incineration. Once she awakens again, that ecologically altering black mist will surely once again shroud the entire world.

"That means we must bring Tiamat into the Temple of Time within three days!"

Rovey understood the seriousness of the situation and said in a deep voice.

Whether to save her or defeat her, Tiamat is an obstacle that must be overcome. There is only one way to deal with Tiamat now; fighting her in the real world would be utterly hopeless.

But the question is—what should we do?

The goal is clear: everyone must do everything in their power to defeat Tiamat. But how do they proceed?

Tiamat's power is undeniable. Aside from the countless Lahmu, the star beams she emits, formed from the most primordial True Ether, capable of altering the stellar environment, and the space-tearing gales, easily suppress Gilgamesh's Ea. Her [Nega-Genesis] and [Sea of Life], combined with the powers of the Eleven Children, make her even more unapproachable.

Ten Ishtar comparable to Servant Lahmu, countless ordinary Lahmu, and the immortality granted to these beings by the Sea of Life itself—breaking through them head-on would be extremely difficult. Furthermore, if the intention was to bring Tiamat into the Temple of Time, it would require Rovey, wielding the Ten Commandments, to intervene. However, Tiamat's dragon form would not cooperate so easily; she would inevitably resist. The Eleven Children were manageable, and the other Heroic Spirit were equally powerful, but Tiamat herself was the absolute problem, making it difficult to overcome.

So, during the vacuum of time when Rovey was liberating the Ten Commandments, who would try to buy Tiamat time, or rather, who could mediate with Tiamat?

Even the most confident and arrogant Gilgamesh admitted that he couldn't do this task, since the Ea originated from Tiamat's power, and he wouldn't be so presumptuous as to use derived power to confront the origin.

The situation before us is like a dead end.

The most painful situation is when everyone knows what to do, and the answer is right in front of everyone, but the path to the answer is blocked.

Quetzalcoatl is the most frustrated of them all. Her current state is really too bad. She is just an ordinary Servant. If she were in her mythological form, as the supreme god of Aztec mythology, she would be fully confident in fighting Tiamat. Unfortunately, she can't switch places now.

"Hahaha, I've got it! I've got a plan!"

However, this deathly silence didn't last long, or rather, it had only just appeared when Gilgamesh told everyone to relax, then burst into laughter, patted his chest, and calmed the atmosphere.

"Really? You already have a plan, Gilgamesh!"

"What is it, Your Majesty?!"

This sudden remark caught the attention of everyone else present, and as they looked at Gilgamesh, their eyes were filled with anticipation.

After all, Gilgamesh, though arrogant, was not one to speak carelessly. His loud laughter meant he must have some plan, so everyone waited for him to reveal his scheme.

"Hmph, my plan... is very simple! It's you—"

"Ishtar!"

Faced with everyone's questions, Gilgamesh didn't mince words or keep them in suspense. Instead, he happily went to Ishtar's side, patted her on the shoulder, and prepared to hand over this arduous task to Ishtar.

When she heard that the other party had assigned her such an unreasonable task, Ishtar's eyes widened. Then she turned around and looked at Gilgamesh with a pitying gaze, asking, "Are you out of your mind?"

"Of course I'm not bad, you are my trump card!"

"I?"

Gilgamesh wasn't angry at her performance as usual. Instead, he pointed at her and smiled, teasing her that Ishtar had changed. In the past, she would have jumped out to show off or blackmail him by now, but he didn't expect her to be so cunning. She hadn't used her against Tiamat and had kept it all until now.

Gilgamesh believed that Ishtar was trying to preserve her strength at the time, and even praised her. He then told her not to continue hiding her power, and that the job of holding off Tiamat was now entirely hers. This left Ishtar completely bewildered. How could she not know that she possessed such power? She couldn't even understand what Gilgamesh was saying.

However, Siduri and Kingu clearly understood what Gilgamesh was saying. After all, they were very clear about Ishtar's trump card. Enkidu and Gilgamesh had suffered greatly back then, and even the entire Mesopotamia had been ravaged.

Gilgamesh refers to the Bull of Heaven, Ishtar's strongest divine beast, an ultimate creature with power far exceeding that of Humbaba.

Upon hearing this, the others were also pleasantly surprised. Quetzalcoatl clapped her hands excitedly, praising Ishtar. She had heard of the Bull of Heaven, the highest mythical creature in Sumerian Mythology, similar to the sea monster in her Aztec mythology. It could cause earthquakes with just its movements and drain Taiga with a single drink. Although it couldn't compare to Tiamat, its thick hide and resilience would certainly buy some time.

Artoria was thus impressed by this goddess's lapse in judgment, but also found it strange. Knowing Ishtar as she did, she should have released such a powerful being long ago. Yet, when she occupied Ishtar's temple, Ishtar hadn't released the Bull of Heaven. Was she truly prioritizing the greater good? Was she hiding a trump card?

She always felt something was off.

However, it's enough if Ishtar can actually be of use.

In an instant, the dead silence was restored to a lively atmosphere. As long as the Bull of Heaven creates an opportunity for Rovey to be released, and the other Servant go to resist Lahmu, all the plans will be successfully completed.

At that moment, led by Gilgamesh, everyone looked at Ishtar with surprise and anticipation in their eyes.

The saying "Mountains and rivers block the way, seemingly without a path; then suddenly, a village appears amidst willows and flowers" perfectly describes our current situation.

When fate closes a door, it often opens a window, and Ishtar is undoubtedly that window now.

However, unlike the others who suddenly became lively, Rovey helplessly covered his face. Although, from Gilgamesh's perspective, Ishtar's Bull of Heaven was indeed a huge help, he already knew about the bizarre things this guy had done.

If there were Bull of Heaven, he would have had Ishtar use it long ago on the Arabian Sea. The reason he didn't use it wasn't because he didn't want to; it was simply because there wasn't one!