A Barrage of Firepower

Ushiwakamaru and Benkei, though inferior to the Eleven Children, were far superior to the average master and servant of Lahmu. They could only serve as vanguards, charging at the forefront, even venturing alone into enemy lines to establish greater advantages. If Ushiwakamaru was a spear, Benkei was the shield protecting that spear, an insurance policy to safeguard Ushiwakamaru.

At this moment, the two had already set up several obstacles at the forefront to stop Lahmu's charge, but because they were too close, they could not enjoy the support of the archers on the city wall, nor could they get much supplies. The surrounding area could be described as a meat grinder.

Human, Lahmu, Heroic Spirit--

These three different beings converge here. Although the vast difference in their strength makes their cooperation and battles somewhat uncoordinated, each of them still tries their best to play their maximum role and sacrifices themselves to achieve final victory.

Merlin and Merry had made preparations before they died, or rather, they had already made arrangements before Lahmu appeared. It was precisely because they had consumed too much magic power here that they realized it was meaningless whether they could escape from Tiamat or not, which is why they calmly performed their final dance.

After all, the creatures capable of fighting here have long surpassed the level of humans. Even the humans of the Age of Gods could not calmly face these Lahmu, nor this brutal battlefield where people were being dismembered every second. Therefore, Merlin and Merry made some minor adjustments to the soldiers of Uruk when the Lahmu appeared.

On one side of the battlefield.

Because the time dragged on for so long, the intelligence and performance of the Lahmu had also evolved. They realized that Ushiwakamaru and Benkei were not easy to deal with, so they turned their attention to the soldiers who were still repairing the defensive buildings.

Although these soldiers had endured so many bloody battles against Demonic Beast, each one of them was already among the best of humanity, heroes worthy of joining the Ionian Hetairoi and the Thermopylae Encirclement, each incredibly powerful. However, this time the enemy was not Demonic Beast or any other enemy, but Lahmu that was so bizarre it was beyond human comprehension. This meant that even elite soldiers found it difficult to withstand more than one Lahmu, and even in one-on-one combat, they could only exchange severe injuries for one Lahmu.

"Forehead...?!"

A few stragglers crawled from the edge into the soldiers near the fortifications. Lahmu used his sharp tentacles to stab at the soldiers. Although he noticed in time, several soldiers were unable to dodge and were pierced through the calves and arms, splattering a lot of blood.

"%@@&%@%%--!!"

Upon witnessing this, Lahmu let out a gleeful, mocking laugh, seemingly rejoicing at the impending screams of agony.

Only--

"Ouch! My arm! And what are you laughing at, you monster?! It really hurts like hell!"

To Lahmu's surprise, these soldiers were different from the weak humans they had captured before. Even with their limbs pierced, they could still spew profanities. Far from losing their fighting spirit due to their injuries, they directly pulled out daggers engraved with runes Rune their waists and fed them to Lahmu, catching them completely off guard. The remaining soldiers transformed into horse hunters, each with a spear, pinning Lahmu to the ground, where he died with his eyes wide open. Afterwards, the soldier with the severed arm easily reattached it and even thoughtfully tied it with several strips of dark linen.

Are you alright?

Their companions kindly inquired about their condition, but the wounded soldiers answered with ease.

"No problem, the amulets that Merry and Merlin sorcerer gave us are so useful. As long as we wear them, we can't feel any pain or fear at all, and we can just fight directly. We feel full of power now!"

As he spoke, he pointed to the pink petal hanging around his neck, which was imbued with Merlin and Merry's illusions to deceive the five senses.

However, his physical defects still affected the subsequent battle, so he took out a piece of dark bread from his bag and stuffed it into his mouth. The next moment, his severed limbs regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye, a medical miracle worthy of being called the God of War!

This initially stunned both Ushiwakamaru and Benkei.

Later, according to Chaldea's analysis, Merlin and Merry couldn't Hero Creation on a large scale for tens of thousands of soldiers, so they could only mass-produce flower petals with illusion magic, and then have the priests sew them into amulets to help the soldiers overcome their fear and become berserkers who could fight without feeling pain.

Then, thanks to Tiamat's help, the black bread she baked with the Water of Life had considerable activity, with effects comparable to Gilgamesh's potions. As long as each soldier carried two pieces, it could be said that their battle survivability was maximized. This led to the extremely absurd scene in the battle between Uruk and Lahmu, where humans traded battle losses with Lahmu.

"This is outrageous! These soldiers seem invincible from any angle, right?"

Noticing that the soldiers around him had actually followed him here, and seeing their fighting style, Ushiwakamaru couldn't help but sigh. Lahmu was indeed a monster, but their side was monsters among monsters.

The humans of the Age of Gods possessed superhuman physical abilities, had lost the sense of pain due to Merlin's illusions, were fearless, were willing to sacrifice themselves, had rapid regeneration, and weapons enhanced with Rune. Such an army would be comparable to the celestial warriors of mythology, wouldn't it?

"Yes, I firmly believe we will win!"

Benkei echoed the sentiment.

Although the situation remains unfavorable and it's only a matter of time before it's breached, he can't imagine any reason to lose as long as he can fight alongside such warriors.

"Um!"

Ushiwakamaru deeply agreed. As he kicked away two Lahmu, he leaped and stepped on a soldier's shoulder, severing another Lahmu in half at the waist.

"I think so too! We have absolutely no reason to lose, right? Benkei, I..."

"Well done, my warriors! The time you bought has not been in vain. My ultimate invention, in some ways surpassing my own Ea's ultimate weapon, is finally ready for combat!!"

Ushiwakamaru could finish speaking, a very pleasant, cheerful voice suddenly rang out from the Uruk palace.

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh finally appeared atop the walls of Uruk, accompanied by hundreds of incredibly cool-looking golden cannons.

Gilgamesh's voice was like an encouragement, and his appearance was like a stabilizing force, instantly making the atmosphere even more enthusiastic. The golden light gate behind him gave him a Gilgamesh golden effect, making him the center of attention from the moment he appeared.

But what the soldiers on the battlefield couldn't see was—

"Gilgamesh, are your hands injured? Why are they trembling?"

Standing beside him, Kingu asked in confusion, while Siduri beside him smiled slightly.

"No roadblocks! No roadblocks! Do you think I made such a sacrifice? If it were you, you'd be crying right now, and rolling on the ground in heartache!"

Gilgamesh raised his hand and said in a trembling voice.

For him, there was nothing in this world that couldn't be solved with treasure; if there was, then he would simply invest even more treasure!

Hundreds of cannons adjusted their angles simultaneously, golden patterns spreading across the sky and earth like an ocean, and then—

"Use one-tenth of the treasure as ammunition! Prepare for the first volley!!"

"Gate of Babylon, I grant your permission! With the supreme wealth of Uruk, display your true defensive power! Our resolve is to penetrate the earth—launch!!"

As the sound faded, streaks of golden light, like a meteor shower, streaked across the sky, illuminating everyone's faces, including—

Gilgamesh's eyes glistened with tears.

Chapter 299 Firepower Coverage

--Swish, swish, swish!!

Golden light ripped through the sky, making the gloomy earth below, stained red with blood, shine once more.

With Gilgamesh's support, countless golden streaks started from the walls of Uruk, traversed the battlefield, and then rained down on the dark mass of Lahmu.

At this moment, the two pitch-black towers were also infused with even greater magical power, and their light became even brighter. Then, under a shower of golden light, two laser beams rapidly erased the dark clouds in the sky along with Lahmu, coordinating with the King's Cannon led by Gilgamesh.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom--!!

The deafening explosions continued to assault people's eardrums, and the entire earth shook violently, emitting its own mournful cry. The flying sand and blood formed a natural protective barrier.

Benkei: "Amazing, truly amazing! They actually had such hidden firepower."

Ushiwakamaru: "So this is the trump card Gilgamesh was talking about? It's incredibly powerful! But have those disgusting guys gone mad? They're charging forward despite this firepower!"

Ushiwakamaru Benkei, who were closest to the battlefield, felt the heat wave hitting them and glanced at the flying debris and dust of Lahmu. They couldn't help but sigh.

It wasn't just the power of the explosion; the heatwave alone forced Ushiwakamaru and Benkei to bury their weapons in the ground to prevent them from being blown away by the aftershocks.

"Ugh..."

Barely surviving the explosion, Benkei and Ushiwakamaru both looked up at the dark clouds that had been swept away by the Holy Lance and the King's Cannon, then looked at the battlefield ahead, and hurriedly inquired about each other's condition.

"Are you alright, Benkei?!" Ushiwakamaru asked.

"I'm Lord Yoshitsune Gilgamesh's volley range isn't here, and the bodies of Servant aren't as fragile as we think."

Benkei answered.

"Okay, that's good."

After learning that Benkei was alright, Ushiwakamaru nodded slightly.

But before she could even catch her breath, the strange cries that suddenly appeared ahead made her tense up again. She hurriedly looked over and saw that the Lahmu that had been wiped out with a single click were now gathering in terrifying numbers and swarming towards them.

"This monster is endless, even more troublesome than a demon fallen into hell..."

She sighed inwardly, then prepared to draw her sword and continue the fight, but the next moment—

"Get out of the Lord Yoshitsune!"

Benkei had once again shielded her in front of him, and then another endless shower of light shot in from the direction of Uruk's city walls.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble--!!!

Like the sound of fighter jets bombing, a large amount of Kinoko Nasu -shaped smoke and dust once again violently struck the already ravaged battlefield. Ushiwakamaru was unable to dodge in time and swallowed a mouthful of dirt. His nimble body was thrown to the ground, looking somewhat disheveled.

"Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

Ushiwakamaru, her mouth full of dirt, looked up at the haphazard barrage of cannonballs. Being situated on the border between the two armies, she was arguably the first person, besides Ushiwakamaru Lahmu, to experience the power of the King's Cannon -on. Although, due to the distance, the power she experienced was far less than a fraction of Lahmu's, she still had a clear understanding of its force. If she had to describe it, she could only say it was a terrifying power comparable to the lightning strikes of Indra, the Heavenly Emperor. She and Benkei were like small boats teetering on the brink of capsizing; what about the others...?

She looked back at the soldiers behind her with concern.

After all, the human body is far too fragile under such artillery fire; even a slight glancing blow from a stray bullet from the King's Cannon would be fatal. As the leader, she was extremely worried about this.

Only--

"Wow! King Gilgamesh is so powerful!!"

"Is this the king's secret weapon? It's incredibly powerful!!"

"Fight! Fight them hard! Let those monsters witness the power of Uruk!!"

"Where did this country bumpkin monster come from? Doesn't he know that the valiant Gilgamesh protects Uruk?!"

Clearly, compared to her worries, the Uruk soldiers hiding in the fortifications were not only unharmed, but also very enthusiastic, raising their weapons and cheering loudly for Gilgamesh's divine arrival. It was obvious that these soldiers cared more about whether they could kill Lahmu than about their own safety.

Ushiwakamaru was utterly speechless upon witnessing this scene.

I couldn't help but think how simple and honest people are these days; they're not worried about safety at this time, but rather enjoying the meteor shower.

But she now understood the true purpose of these fortifications: to withstand the Lahmu assault and to allow soldiers to hide within them and avoid the salvo from the King's Cannon.

This has led to the current scene, where bloodthirsty spectators are hiding in the fortifications, enjoying the spectacle of Lahmu's death.

--Boom boom boom boom boom!!!

The sound of the King's Cannon firing salvo lasted for two and a half minutes. During this time, what could be heard was not only the continuous explosions that were almost numbing, but also, more clearly, Lahmu's screams, accompanied by the twisting sounds of flesh being blown away, and even more intense cheers.

After this salvo, the battlefield, which had been like a meat grinder, suddenly fell silent. Soldiers crawled out of their fortifications, and everyone stopped attacking. Ushiwakamaru and Benkei also retreated to join them. Everyone quietly watched the smoke curtain created by the explosions ahead.

Swish--!!

The moment the smoke cleared, everyone became alert, raising their weapons in preparation for the imminent arrival of Lahmu. They were all waiting for a new wave of attacks.

But...

"They retreated?"

Above the city wall, Gilgamesh and used his enhanced vision to survey the entire scene, Kingu spoke.

Also noticing the anomaly were Leonidas, who was leading his soldiers in defense, and Ushiwakamaru and others who were waiting for the enemy's surprise attack on the battlefield.

It's hard to believe, but the Lahmu, which had been launching suicidal attacks on Uruk like a swarm of insects from the very beginning, has actually retreated.

"Retreat? How is that possible?! Wow, they actually retreated!"

In the sky, Quetzalcoatl, leaped down from the battlefield. Then she looked ahead at the black creatures that were retreating like a tide, now converging and retreating towards the Persian Gulf.

"Hahahaha!! They must be shocked by my cannons, right? After all, each cannonball is a human treasure imbued with epic and legendary power, and now it's being used so efficiently and brutally! And because the pressure on the Demonic Beast Front is much less than expected, the number of cannons is three times the original plan! Using completely destroyed Noble Phantasm as flames, the heat and dazzling light are something that mere man-made monsters simply cannot comprehend or endure!"

On the city wall, under the watchful eyes of everyone King Gilgamesh roared at the battlefield that had become scorched earth, causing Kingu and Enkidu to frown.

"A single volley of fire covers half the city of Uruk! It lasts for about three minutes! And it can deplete a full tenth of the Gate of Babylon's reserves in just one burst! This is a testament to my wealth! Hahahahahahahaha--!!"

Gilgamesh burst into laughter, which initially sounded regal and domineering, but as he laughed, those around him sensed a strange sadness and heartache in his tone.

Who asked you?

Kingu frowned, somewhat puzzled as to why Gilgamesh would say so much, while Siduri offered her suggestion at that moment.

"King Gilgamesh, now that the Lahmu have finally retreated, shouldn't we gather everyone together to discuss our next strategy? And everyone can also take this time to rest and recuperate."

"Oh? You mean?"

Gilgamesh turned his head away.

"Based on previous battles, we know that those monsters have no sense of pain or emotion. Their retreat is certainly not due to simple fear, but rather for other purposes. Furthermore, I've almost finished researching these monsters. They don't follow biological rules; instead, they evolve by torturing and killing humans and collecting fear. Deep down, their only goal is to exterminate humanity. Therefore, we don't need to worry about their surprise attack. Instead, we should prepare for the next attack, which will be far more numerous than this one. After all, letting the soldiers pursue will only result in a waste of lives."

Siduri said this.

"Hmph, it seems your experience of being captured has given you a better understanding of these monsters, Siduri. But you're right, I've noticed that too. Leaving aside the fact that this isn't a problem that can be solved by simply chasing them, Uruk doesn't have the resources to pursue them right now."

"Those two goddesses have already exhausted their strength by working together to counteract Tiamat's ecological-altering power. They no longer have the resources to lead troops into battle. Scáthach and Ereshkigal are still busy relocating in the Underworld. There are only a few left who can be of any use now, so let's call it a day."

After analyzing the situation Gilgamesh immediately agreed to Siduri's suggestion, allowing the soldiers to retreat and rest before figuring out how to engage the enemy.

Because Tiamat possesses the power to alter planets, this Singularity must suppress her power to prevail. The two Holy Lance goddesses have just used the power of the Anchor of the Planet to dispel the authority of the Mother of Creation, so they are currently weak. If we exclude those from the Underworld, the only ones capable of leading an army are Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar, and Kingu. Sending only these three would be far too few, not only ineffective but also extremely dangerous. Gilgamesh would certainly not make such a mistake.

In the meantime, let's first find a way to welcome our mother who will soon be able to walk again, and let the soldiers get one last rest. After all, no matter what the outcome, their home will be gone.

--South--

Compared to the meat grinder to the north facing the Persian Gulf, the battlefield here is much easier.

With the presence of the three gods— Black Lancer Artoria, Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar— Lahmu wouldn't be able to break through even without the King's Cannon.

"Senior, even Lahmu has retreated..."

Having received Gilgamesh's orders, Mash and Ritsuka, exhausted, returned to Uruk and sat down together on the ground.