We had to think this through carefully! That level of combat power was absolutely not something we could face head-on! We could only wait until Mother emerged...
As though she had heard his inner voice, an even greater rumble of collapse rang out across the plaza. Realizing who was responsible, Gogh's face immediately filled with shock. "She couldn't even wait this little while?!"
But his expression quickly darkened again.
Honestly, he did not want her to be subjugated here. If possible, he hoped she could fulfill her wish and continue existing alongside him, but...
Several snake heads, each dozens or even hundreds of meters long, surged up from the ground and completely shattered the plaza. Chaldea and the others had only just dealt with the Demon Beasts, and the joy that had appeared on their faces was immediately replaced by vigilance.
"To think you would encounter an enemy you could not handle, Gogh." A huge, resounding female voice rang out from the sky. It was not because she had flown into the air, but because her body was as enormous as a city wall.
"Mother..." Gogh looked at the purple-haired goddess with a human torso and snake tail, then flew into the sky with a complicated expression.
Why did this goddess look so much like Rider?
Amber was somewhat confused.
"There is no need to worry. I, Tiamat, Beast Goddess and leader of the Three Goddess Alliance, shall destroy these filthy and ugly humans." The goddess's gaze fell upon Amber.
In an instant, Amber felt as though her blood had frozen solid.
However, her body was no longer that old Fu Hua who had needed underhanded tricks even to fight Sword Gods with Little Li. She was the Crimson Kite Immortal, fused with Garuda genes and blessed with immortality.
Fu Hua: ...
In the very next instant, Amber's body regained its vitality.
But the others were not so fortunate.
Mash found it difficult to move, while Fujimaru Ritsuka's consciousness was already beginning to blur.
Merlin's expression was extremely unpleasant. "Unable to move from fear...? No... is it a petrifying Mystic Eye?!"
Seeing Merlin's act, Anna hesitated, wanting to expose his clumsy performance. Yet she also held faint expectations toward that goddess, while... fearing the looks of her companions if she exposed Merlin.
Worried about everyone, Amber frowned. A petrifying Mystic Eye? Wasn't that Medusa's? Besides, she had seen the card art of Tiamat that her friend had shown her, and she did not look like this at all.
Seeing that everyone was in poor condition, she simply said, "Merlin, take them and leave first. I'll stay here."
Merlin opened his mouth at that, then looked at Anna's uneasy expression. In the end, he said, "Understood. Don't fight them for too long. Come back directly after we withdraw. If the Beast Goddess suddenly disappears, we cannot predict the movements of those Demon Beasts and the other two goddesses!"
Amber, who had intended to directly deal with the two of them, froze for a moment, not understanding why he was saying this.
Although the three goddesses are allied, according to Ishtar, their relationship is not that stable. They agreed to attack Uruk together, but they also keep one another in check. Fu Hua temporarily set aside the fact that Amber had just tried to slip in a jab at her and explained.
Furthermore... Merlin has a point. The Demon Beasts are currently attacking in an orderly fashion, but if the Beast Goddess dies, they may become mindless beasts that know only how to assault humanity.
Dealing with these two here would certainly not be a problem, but it might also throw the situation into chaos and turmoil, causing many civilians to die.
For now, use Sword God to cut down her consciousness. This was only an ordinary rescue operation to begin with. With the situation unstable, we need to plan carefully.
After Fu Hua's explanation, Amber more or less sorted out the current situation. She mentally nodded at Fu Hua's arrangement, then said to Merlin, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
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Chapter 24: Sword God
"What arrogance."
The Beast Goddess's enormous body bent slightly, blotting out the sun and casting its shadow over the entire plaza.
Those eyes with strange pupils stared fixedly at Amber. "You are merely human, a pitiful race on the verge of destruction."
Through Feathered Dust, Amber could sense the indescribable malice within her.
That malice was not directed solely at Amber. It was aimed at humanity as a whole, at the "humans" she spoke of.
Unprovoked goodwill and unprovoked malice were both strange. Besides, Amber remembered her friend saying that Tiamat loved humanity. There was absolutely no sign of affection on this Beast Goddess's face.
Ruling out the possibility that the goddess before her was some different form of Tiamat, Amber could not be bothered to waste more words on her.
Immortal, take over.
Fu Hua: ...I told you to use Sword God.
*?*
Use Sword God myself? What Sword God was she supposed to use? She did not know Sword God at all!
I have already taught you the incantation and the essentials. Fu Hua's tone was calm, as though she were discussing something trivial. All you need to do now is attack with Sword God.
Huh?
Amber broke out in a cold sweat. She did not know why Fu Hua had suddenly become confused enough to expect a novice who had studied Tai Xu Sword Qi for barely over a week to use Sword God. Was that something she could master merely because she had been taught the incantation and the essentials? Did Fu Hua really take her for Kiana? Speedrunning Sword God?
Sword God is not as difficult as you imagine.
Fu Hua took the opportunity to correct Amber's misunderstanding. Over these past days, you have already gained some understanding of Tai Xu Sword Qi. Then you should know that the Five Essences of Tai Xu are not progressive stages, but mutually reinforcing and complementary.
In essence, Sword God is no different from Sword Heart or Sword Form.
Then coal and Diamond aren't essentially different either! Amber retorted.
It is precisely because you think this way that you have never been able to use Sword God. Fu Hua said, You have mistaken Sword God for some so-called ultimate move. But Sword God is not something so inconvenient. From a green bamboo stalk to a towering mountain, all can be Sword God.
After thinking for a moment, she gave an example. Just like Sword Form. It can cut paper, and it can cut steel. The only difference is the amount of True Qi.
That is why Kiana was able to use Sword God.
...But I... Amber still lacked confidence. Of course she wanted to learn and use something so cool, but she had already failed many times.
That is because you were within Feathered Dust.
Fu Hua decided to offer some encouragement. You now possess every condition necessary to use Sword God. The last one is your heart. If you do not believe in your own sword, then your sword naturally cannot reach the divine.
Her master had already said this much. No matter how conflicted Amber felt, she forced herself to calm down.
Thinking carefully, she should not think about how difficult it was. She should imagine how cool it would be.
Amber stopped paying attention to the Beast Goddess's mockery and hatred. She stopped considering Gogh's detestable nature and focused all her thoughts on guiding the True Qi around her.
She remembered how to use it, not only because Fu Hua had taught her the incantation and essentials, but also because this was Fu Hua's body. Furthermore, Navigator had once used Sword God with this body right in front of Amber.
"Are you preparing something?" Amber's serious expression was obvious at a glance. It was even obvious that she had ignored the goddess before her. The Beast Goddess sneered. "Unlike Gogh, although he possesses unparalleled Battle Continuation, he can still be harmed by attacks."
As she spoke, the mockery on her face deepened. "But this body is Tiamat, Goddess of Creation. Before my Divinity, all of your attacks are nothing more than a mayfly shaking a tree."
"The divine is the pinnacle of transformation, speaking of all things in an instant, something that cannot be questioned by form."
An enormous and incomprehensible threat suddenly rang in both their minds. Gogh abruptly looked up and saw that an invisible sword thousands of meters long, formed of golden light, had appeared above their heads at some unknown time.
Bright golden light filled Amber's eyes. Within those indifferent pupils, which cared nothing for everything around them, was a threat that made the Beast Goddess's heart tremble. Yet in the next instant, that unease gave rise to even more hysterical fury and hatred.
"It's useless! That kind of attack!"
Those purple Mystic Eyes instantly gathered magical energy. Several snake heads that had been glaring at Amber all opened their mouths toward the invisible sword in the sky, then shot upward one after another.
She had a Noble Phantasm, but it was exceptionally ineffective against inorganic matter. Rather than place her hopes on that Noble Phantasm, she might as well use enough power to tear the giant sword apart.
However, whether it was her Mystic Eyes or those giant snakes, when they touched the massive sword, they were like stones falling into water. They raised only ripples and could not hinder it in the slightest.
Gogh gritted his teeth and fired the Chains of Heaven from his hand, yet he could only watch helplessly as they passed through each other.
"It's useless." Amber let out a breath. "This sword is not a physical object. This sword fills space. This sword is space itself."
"To stop it would be like a person resisting air, or a fish trying to block the sea..."
"Gogh! Leave this place!" the Beast Goddess shouted.
Gogh had already planned to leave. Although he valued and cared deeply for this "mother" of his, all his emotions had to make way for his original plan.
Yet hearing her personally warn him like this stirred a trace of guilt within him.
But he quickly cast that feeling aside. Just as he had said, his life did not belong to him alone. Everything had to make way for a greater cause.
Thinking this, Gogh pressed his lips together, then swiftly left the area.
Amber's expression did not change in the slightest as she watched Gogh's retreating figure.
Tai Xu Sword God was a sword that could neither be evaded nor defended against. Once she had locked onto someone, it did not matter where they went afterward.
But... thinking of Gogh's earlier expression, Amber did not continue pursuing him to the bitter end.
As the invisible golden greatsword descended, everything was settled.
Ignoring the goddess standing stiffly in place with vacant eyes, Amber turned and flew out of the city, returning along the route to the fortress where they had come from.
The Tai Xu Five Essences complemented one another. Of them, Sword Intent was the essence that most directly affected the damage Sword God inflicted upon reality. Amber had not used Sword Intent in that attack, making it purely an attack on the mind. Thus, although the Beast Goddess had fallen silent, she had not died.
As for how to deal with her afterward, that was something for thinkers like Merlin and Gilgamesh to consider.
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Chapter 25: Buying Off a Goddess
"I see... Tiamat..."
After everyone returned to the fortress and rested briefly, they quickly went back to Uruk and informed Gilgamesh of the Beast Goddess's true identity. After hearing the news, Gilgamesh pondered for a long time. "The Beast Goddess's true identity is not Tiamat, but Gorgon, correct?"
"Leonidas said the same thing." Ritsuka nodded.
"Immortal, how long can your attack keep that Beast Goddess offline?"
Gilgamesh nodded, then looked at Amber.
"About three days," Amber answered.
That Sword God had not been enhanced with Sword Intent, yet it was already Amber's current limit. Such a limit would not merely knock a human Servant offline; severing their consciousness outright would have been normal. But against a divine Servant, it was somewhat insufficient.
"Three days..."
Gilgamesh's brow furrowed tightly. For some reason, he felt that things were "not that simple."
This was not some baseless guess, but a prophecy brought to him by Clairvoyance. He could be certain that now was not the right time to kill Gorgon. Moreover... Gorgon was definitely not their greatest crisis at present. Uruk needed more power and a broader plan for that reason.
"I understand. Then, Chaldea, your next mission is to recruit the goddess Ishtar into my ranks." Gilgamesh waved a hand.
"Huh? Recruit her... but..." Ritsuka froze. Chaldea did not seem capable of fighting a god.
Gilgamesh naturally understood that as well, and he immediately glanced at Amber.
The Crimson Kite Immortal made him both love and hate her. Whether it was her immense strength or her desire to protect humanity, both pleased him greatly. In this time of severe shortage of military deterrence, the Crimson Kite Immortal was his greatest trump card and his most useful piece.
Most importantly! Unlike other Servants, the Crimson Kite Immortal did not require him to provide magical energy. She was essentially a fully automatic Servant, wonderfully worry-free.
And yet... this piece had ideas of her own and was not his subject, so he could not command her completely.
Holding such a powerful piece in his hand yet being unable to deploy it as he pleased made his heart itch terribly.
"Lady Ishtar is Uruk's city goddess, after all. If we are to make a move against Lady Ishtar..." Siduri looked at Gilgamesh disapprovingly.
"Though we have known each other only briefly, Ishtar is my friend." Amber also reminded him, "I cannot threaten a friend with force."
"Yeah! And Ishtar is a goddess we can communicate with. If we forcefully use violence..." After their several encounters, Ritsuka also did not want to fight Ishtar.
"Do not concern yourselves with my feelings. Since you who have personally interacted with Ishtar all believe this, then that is likely how it is." Gilgamesh's expression did not change. "At this point, there is no meaning in listing that goddess's flaws again. Besides... when did I say we were going to subjugate her?"
"Huh?" Siduri froze.
"If we are not subjugating her, how can we make the goddess willingly join us?" Mash was also confused.
"If you want her to join, force is useless. Do not be fooled by her appearance; she is still the pinnacle of Sumerian goddesses. Inanna means the Lady of Heaven." Gilgamesh explained, "You also know Mount Ebif's current situation, correct?"
"The more that goddess is pushed into a corner, the more she displays that stubbornness she does not need to display at all. But even she has a weakness—"
He lightly raised his hand. A golden pool of light appeared on the ground, then rose with a dazzling array of gemstones and gold coins.
"Th-This is?" Ritsuka stared blankly at the overwhelming wealth.
Gilgamesh smiled. "That woman loves gemstones beyond measure, but here lies the key: although she loves gemstones, she lacks the Golden Rule entirely. She adores gems, yet has no affinity with them. It was fine when humans still offered tribute to her, but now no one will offer her anything."
Amber understood that deeply.
Thinking of Ishtar's money-grubbing appearance, she did not know what to say.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka, I entrust thirty percent of the mineral treasures in my treasury to you. Go and bid for that goddess." Gilgamesh revealed a subtle smile.
Having received their orders, Chaldea immediately began acting. Amber also had a favorable impression of Ishtar, so she directly followed them.
There were currently three Servants at the northern wall, so the situation was not especially bad. In fact, Gorgon being offline had bought them considerable breathing room. Thus, Gilgamesh had no intention of stopping Amber from leaving. Otherwise, he could not afford to let such a powerful combatant wander around freely.
Mount Ebif was a considerable distance from Uruk. It was twice the distance from Uruk to Kusa City, making it the equivalent of three trips to Kusa City.
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