Ereshkigal's Shadow Sits Deep Within the Shadow Country

The Fever Temple, Meslamthea, is Noble Phantasm that Ereshkigal obtained after Rovi drove away the gods of the Mesopotamian Plain.

The underworld goddess was no longer alone; she was finally able to set foot on the ground, embrace the sun, and remember that there was indeed a sun in the underworld.

That is herself—the goddess of the underworld, Ereshkigal.

Treating all the departed souls with gentleness, allowing them to forget their fears and worries before their souls perish, isn't that just like the sun?

It was precisely because of Rovi's existence that Ereshkigal possessed such awareness and ideals, and what followed was this [Noble Phantasm] called the Fever Temple.

Its shape is a long spear woven from brilliant light, and its essence is the immense heat accumulated from the flames of souls that have flowed through the underworld over the long years.

When the Fever Temple is fully revealed, it is a colossal and majestic palace woven from earth, fire, and soul.

That form was extremely similar to the power that Scathach was displaying before our eyes!

Rovi could hardly help but be stunned; he hadn't forgotten his purpose in searching for Ereshkigal's whereabouts.

Scathach, however, continued to speak, "Although this move was not created by me, it is a manifestation of my 'martial arts' that I replicated based on the power of my friend!"

The dark purple light emanating from the Queen of Shadow Country illuminated her exquisite and pretty face with an awe-inspiring presence, making her raised arms and upright posture appear as if she were nailed down by a spear.

Guns collided and combined, finally solidifying above their heads into reality.

"Can you accept the challenge? The King of the Wild Hunt — Rovi!"

Rovi composed himself, gently twirled the Storm Spear in his hand, and couldn't help but smile at the sight hidden behind his mask.

It must be said that Scathach is indeed extremely talented. The ' Fever Temple ' that she replicated already possesses the power of eight-tenths of Ereshkigal.

It should be noted that Ereshkigal of the Underworld is already a genuine, seasoned, and highly skilled deity.

This is incomparable to Scathach, who is still 'naive' and whose understanding of the divine is not yet profound.

"A friend? It seems that only by accepting your move can many questions be answered!"

Rovi grinned, and the spear he had slightly raised, the tip of which began to spin in a spiral.

An invisible current slowly spread out, rippling through the deep, dark Shadow Country.

Rovi mentally calculated the effort required.

But it wasn't to maximize the power, but rather to avoid directly injuring Scathach.

As a transcendent being Scathach cannot be killed directly unless Rovi uses the power of the ' Enuma Elish ' to directly destroy the 'world' in which she exists. In that case, even though she has transcended life and death, she will still disappear along with the world.

It can't kill, but it can severely injure.

Rovi didn't want to do that.

He still had questions to ask her—he wanted to know where Ereshkigal was, and where the Goddess of the Underworld, the goddess he was searching for, was.

So at that instant, control its output and restrain its power.

"Lord Rovi, are you looking down on me?" Scathach sensed something, but her face, illuminated by the dark purple light, did not show anger.

She also felt the huge gap between them.

She hasn't lived enough yet and doesn't want to be killed.

"This isn't called looking down on someone, it's called respecting them." Rovi shook his head. "I will control the same amount of effort as you, and control the same level of power manifestation as you—isn't a pure skill contest better?"

It is indeed better.

"In some ways, he really is a gentle person!" Scathach sighed. "But why doesn't he tell the truth? Is it to avoid killing me outright?"

Rovi twitched the corner of his mouth; the Wisdom of the Magic Mirror was truly remarkable.

"Don't worry about angering me; it's true that I'm not as strong as you."

"I won't be angry, nor will I feel moved—"

Scathach smiled, her crimson lips curving upwards, her alluring body momentarily lowering the spear she held in her hand...

Swing!

The enormous 'temple' seemed to have fallen from the sky, and the 'shadows' that were everywhere in the Shadow Country were also contained within this palace.

Ereshkigal was once able to use her power to transform the earth into the land of the underworld, binding the strongest divine beast of Mesopotamia, the Heavenly Bull. The geothermal temple she wielded also had a similar 'binding' effect.

And Scathach's attack, which replicated the geothermal temple, was even more so!

The converging shadow is the power of the Shadow Country, and the area it covers will restrict the people within it with endless shadows.

Each corner of the shadow is a desolate mountain in the Shadow Country.

Heavy and weighty.

This method can suppress and bind the enemy.

That's why it was said to be similar to a geothermal temple, which is why Rovi was able to recognize it at a glance.

But clearly, shadows cannot imprison storms, much less confine the dead!

Rovi raised the storm's spear, and the massive airflow expanded endlessly in an instant, like a corner of a curtain being lifted, causing the surrounding shadows to collapse layer by layer in an instant.

It wasn't fully unleashed, but it was a partial manifestation of the power that had once been evenly matched with Thor —the [Shining Spear of the End], Rhongomyniad.

The veil of the Age of Gods can be lifted.

Even the shadows of the Shadow Country can be shattered.

A clash?

collision?

No, this is merely Rovi one-sided dismantling and disintegration of the power that Scathach wields.

The 'temple' that was struck down vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

It was 'evaporated'.

Scathach froze, staring at the tall figure before her, the dust billowing and the storm receding into the tip of his spear.

She forced a smile, "Ah... as expected, it was still too much of a stretch."

"This is the first time in my life that I have been defeated in martial arts!"

We must admit defeat honestly, without any excuses.

"The gap is too big." Rovi also became blunt. "If you were two thousand more, there might still be a chance."

"Two thousand... maybe by then, I'll be tired of living, right?" Scathach blinked.

Rovi laughed, "If the time comes, I will end your life. Of course—I also hope that one day, someone will end my life!"

The two, who had been exchanging pleasantries, suddenly started fighting without hesitation with an air of mortal conflict. The two, who had previously seemed to be locked in a life-or-death struggle, suddenly started talking aimlessly like long-lost friends.

In some ways, they are very similar.

The tremors caused by the battle gradually subsided, and the Shadow Country returned to its former tranquility, with only the voices of the two still echoing.

Rovi suddenly said, "You just mentioned the second person? So before that, you've lost before?"

"That's right!" Although it was a shameful past for the warriors, Scathach didn't look distressed when she talked about it; instead, she was full of excitement.

Scathach, who shares the same origin as the Snow Mountain Goddess Skadi, actually came from a rather ordinary background. She was merely a mortal, without the blood of a god or the bloodline and lineage of a powerful warrior or hero. However, she was God Slayer who stepped into the realm of the gods with a mortal body. She spent many years honing her skills in a deep valley, and upon her appearance, she slew the god who lived in the heavens.

Yes, from a very young age, Scathach has been the embodiment of 'strength'.

In any other world, she would be a so-called prodigy, a lone traveler on an invincible path. Even here, she still surpasses ordinary gods with her own strength and skills.

But even such a talented female warrior had lost in pure skill before meeting Rovi.

"Back then, I didn't have the skill I have now..." Scathach laughed nonchalantly, her graceful figure swaying slightly with the movement. "I hadn't seen through the boundaries of life and death, nor had I grasped the wisdom of the Mirror of Life and Death—"

"But it was precisely because of that defeat that I saw the limits of what it means to be a mortal through her."

In that moment, she crossed the boundary, mastered the Wisdom of the Magic Mirror, and finally crossed the boundary between gods and the supreme god, a boundary that ordinary mortals could never cross.

Since then, she has been able to grow stronger and more unrestrained.

From that moment on, her life and death became intertwined with the world's.

"Thinking about it carefully, even this Shadow Country was a gift from her!" Scathach sheathed her crimson spear and said, "Alright, since you're here—let's take a good look around, so I can do my best to be a good host..."

"Will he take the opportunity to steal martial arts skills from me?"

"That doesn't count as stealing. For a martial artist, learning is the ultimate goal!" Scathach shamelessly admitted that this was the same reason Skadi used when she first met Rovi and 'accidentally' lost to him, and then followed him.

Scáthach is just more candid than Scáthach.

However, Rovi wouldn't refuse, since he still wanted to get more information about the 'person' Scathach mentioned from her—he also roughly knew that it was actually Ereshkigal who had entered the Nordic region.

In the shadowy Shadow Country, light and shadow continued to intertwine. Scathach strode forward, her hips swaying, her delicate body, encased in a purple bodysuit, constantly revealing the beauty of a queen. Scathach never cared—as long as she could gain the approval of a strong person, she wouldn't even mind sharing a kiss with them.

Of course, to this day, only Rovi and the 'friends' she speaks of have that qualification.

Everyone else who saw her, whether human or god, died under that god-slaying spear.

As she climbed up the jagged boulders, her clear voice drifted out. "My friend is Underworld God of the underworld from another realm. A thousand years ago, she was a genuine chief goddess of the underworld. After her battle with me, which allowed me to successfully transform, she created this place, a corner of the world that she transformed with her own power."

"She is asleep here, and I have also entered this place to cultivate."

"It's been almost... over a thousand years, hasn't it?" Scathach secretly calculated the age.

Rovi casually replied, "Looks like you're quite old."

"Mr. Rovi," Skadi's smile instantly lit up, "Has anyone ever told you not to mention a lady's age?"

"You brought it up yourself, and besides—you're actually a bit younger than me in terms of age."

Rovi laughed, "Little girl."

"..."

A transcendent being who has lived for over a thousand years certainly doesn't want others to mention their 'oldness,' but at this moment, when someone suddenly says she's young, Scathach can't be happy either.

She felt looked down upon... yet she couldn't refute it.

This guy always manages to outmaneuver people in inexplicable ways...

"Now I finally understand why you schemed against Skadi so ruthlessly!" Scathach grinned, her lips as red as fire. "In short, if you're interested in my friend, you're in for a world of hurt."

"Because she won't wake up easily... hmm?"

Scathach was only halfway through her sentence when she suddenly choked up.

Above the jagged boulders is a 'palace' made of piled-up rocks, and inside the palace are two 'thrones', one in front of the other.

An empty seat at the front—that was the Queen of the Shadow Country's own spot.

The next image shows the seat of the true founder of the Shadow Country. The seat, which should be empty, actually has a figure sitting on it.

It was an absolutely stunning figure. Her brilliant golden hair contrasted beautifully with the black crown, and her delicate and pretty face was framed by her flowing hair. She wore a dark red robe that concealed her slender shoulders, and her fair skin was slightly exposed at the chest. Her crossed legs outlined a winding curve, and her bare feet gleamed with a milky light in the dim light.

Although her eyes were closed, the figure that had already appeared represented her revival.

"Goddess Ereshkigal—!?" Scathach was somewhat surprised.

The figure before her was undoubtedly the friend she had mentioned.

Rovi also stood there, stunned.

Ereshkigal... is that you...?

"Long time no see!" The person on the throne opened their eyes, their crimson, jewel-like eyes gleaming.

"Hmm? It has indeed been a long time..." Scathach tossed her long hair and stepped forward to welcome her guide back.

Ereshkigal stood up at the right moment and opened her arms.

Scathach paused, taken aback. "Long time no see, and so enthusiastic? Hmm, this is such a troublesome kind of longing..."

Ereshkigal, move forward.

Scathach also opened her arms.

How could I not respond to the warmth of my only friend...?

Scathach paused, staring at the empty space before her, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the Goddess of the Underworld who had brushed past her.

Rovi opened his arms and embraced the leaping Ereshkigal.

"Long time no see." Ereshkigal hugged him tightly, buried her face in his chest, and whispered.

Rovi smiled and ruffled the goddess's hair, "It has indeed been a long time."

From the time of Uruk, when he was 'abducted' by the Tiamat, the Mother Goddess, until now, nearly two millennia have passed for Ereshkigal, haven't they?

But even now, Ereshkigal still sees herself in her own eyes.

Or rather... still, only oneself.

"So that means you two know each other?" Scathach, standing beside her, fell into deep thought.

The Queen of the Shadow Country felt there must be something seriously wrong here!

How did I become an outsider?

Shouldn't it be me reuniting with my friends?!

The bounty ends tonight.

There were only three chapters left to go.

In total, I owe a total of thirty-three chapters. My guess was right. Whether there is a cap or not makes no difference, and it's even less than before. But that's fine, it serves as an incentive to update. Thank you all for your support.