The Man in the Multiverse, Transformed into Fu Hua at the Start

Fu Hua never taught anyone else the application of Honkai Energy, or rather True Qi—she only ever taught it to her seven disciples.

The two didn't tactlessly ask "which ones are real and which are fake," but instead looked at her with even more admiration, while Anna silently tugged at her hood's brim and quietly distanced herself from Amber.

Amber felt a bit shy about their worshipful expressions, but thankfully the navigation helped her manage her expressions.

Still, she didn't intend to leave everything to the navigation—that wouldn't be good. In fact, during this journey of clearing out the beasts, as the navigation guided her to use True Qi time and again, Amber had actually grasped some of this body's power and the application of True Qi.

To be honest, Tai Xu Sword Qi wasn't easy to learn, especially the Sword Heart required for entry.

Though the Sword Heart was considered the foundation, the five aggregates of Tai Xu Sword Qi weren't progressive steps but mutually reinforcing equals, with the Heart Aggregate being the hardest aside from the Divine Aggregate.

Unlike ordinary techniques, Tai Xu Sword Qi didn't draw on the Honkai Energy within the body, but on the omnipresent Honkai Energy outside it. Thus, the Sword Heart, which determined how much Honkai Energy could be channeled, was naturally of utmost importance.

Not storing Honkai Energy inside the body—this habit that went against instinct had to be cultivated from childhood, which was why it was hard to start at an older age.

Fortunately, Amber didn't need to worry about that.

With Amber efficiently clearing obstacles along the way, the group's journey was unexpectedly smooth. They had expected to reach Uruk by dusk, but just after noon, its outline came into view.

At the city gate, several guards were inspecting those entering. Spotting Merlin's figure, one guard immediately jogged over.

"You must be the messengers Lady Siduri mentioned. May I see your credentials?"

Merlin pulled out a hollow redwood block engraved with patterns from his pocket: "As you can see, this is the token the sacrificial grounds lent me. I'd like to bring them into the city for refuge. Are there any procedures to handle?"

"Long journey—welcome to Uruk!" the soldier greeted with a booming voice, then added, "Refugees can head to Nutra's shop in the western market. There's word that the second-floor warehouse has been opened for your use."

With the guard's clearance, the group entered without trouble.

Ritsuka, Mash, and even Amber had assumed that in this near-apocalyptic situation, Uruk would be filled with wailing misery or chaos—after all, under the terror of doom, people would despair and lose their reason. That was only natural.

But the orderly pedestrians and the bustling, lively cries of vendors showed that this city hadn't lost its will under the weight of the apocalypse.

"This is..." Ritsuka couldn't help but marvel at the sight.

"That's right—this is the current state of humanity's oldest fortress city, Uruk," Merlin said with a smile.

"Seeing this, it's hard to imagine its king is an ordinary tyrant," Amber couldn't help but remark.

Ritsuka and Mash nodded in agreement, looking at Merlin with curiosity.

Merlin raised an eyebrow as if enjoying a successful prank: "Haha, after all, the current king has regained the immortality elixir and entered his wise ruler phase. With clear rewards and punishments and outstanding leadership, this scene—while rooted in the people's resilience—also owes much to the king's guidance."

"What fills this city isn't despair, but the will to survive," Roman mused.

Though they arrived early in Uruk, Chaldea was eager to learn the current situation and news of the Holy Grail, so they wasted no time and headed straight to the Divine Tower, the building where King Gilgamesh handled affairs and also resided.

Under Merlin's guidance—or rather, thanks to the credentials given by Siduri—the group passed unimpeded to the throne hall. But before they could enter, a dignified yet unhurried voice rang out: "The fresher the frontline intel, the better. Don't slack on updating the speed. Change the secretary's clay tablet interval to once an hour immediately. Next."

"Eresh's supplies are delayed. Beasts are nesting in the streets..."

"Send twenty soldiers from the east gate barracks to drive off the beasts. Put Tim in charge on-site."

"Understood!"

"Speaking of which, I heard Tabado's daughter gave birth. Send a witch over with some nutritious fruit. Also, transfer Tabado back from the North Wall and give him three days off. Seeing his grandson's face should revive his spirits."

So busy—one matter after another, with no gap to interrupt.

Ritsuka swallowed nervously, hesitating whether to step forward.

"Reading the room won't work with that king," Merlin said, grabbing Ritsuka's wrist and leading him before the throne. "King Gilgamesh, the mage Merlin has returned with guests. I can see you're busy, but the good news I bring should make up for this rudeness."

"Your efforts are appreciated. The king is pleased," Siduri spoke up. "So, the results? Did you bring back the Tablet of Destinies?"

"Unfortunately, we came up empty there too. If Your Majesty remembered where you dropped it, we wouldn't have to search so hard," Merlin shrugged.

During their exchange, Gilgamesh didn't speak, nor did he even look at Merlin. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Amber.

And Amber naturally met his eyes.

"Alright, I've got the gist of it," Gilgamesh suddenly interrupted Siduri and Merlin's discussion, pushing himself up from his throne with his right hand. "I'm busy now and don't have time to chat with you to understand the situation. So I'll judge your abilities directly through battle."

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Chapter 6: Ishtar's Interest?

Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were momentarily stunned but quickly snapped to attention, assuming combat stances. Merlin said nothing, stepped back a few paces, then glanced at Anna.

Catching his look, Anna puffed her cheeks, but recalling that her journey with Chaldea had been decent, she didn't refuse and stood beside Mash.

Amber hesitated about whether to step forward, but the navigation thoughtfully reminded her: [Host only needs to observe]

Since the navigation said so, Amber obediently held back, retreating to the sidelines like Merlin.

This was undoubtedly the right move—it aligned with what Gilgamesh and Merlin would expect from someone with a long-lived perspective and social savvy. Since Gilgamesh had indicated a test of skill and already exchanged glances with "Fu Hua," he naturally understood the king's intent.

Though this battle was framed as a test of skill, its real purpose was to give Chaldea a shallow understanding of the power of the Age of Gods. Last time, Gogh was mostly handled by Amber, and the beasts were hardly suitable as experience targets.

If Amber interfered again, it would lose all meaning.

Not that Amber understood any of this.

Still, seeing her approval rating inexplicably rise, she felt somewhat pleased.

'Navigation-san, what does this approval rating mean? How is Golden Finger-san doing?'

[Approval Rating: Represents the recognition of the host's actions by sentient life and the world's consciousness. Positive recognition such as emotions and bonds will serve as nutrients for the system's operation.]

[The host's object of address, 'Miss Golden Finger', is actually the system's Main Control Consciousness, a degraded AI born from self-awareness emerging within an intelligent AI.]

Huh? Why would gaining self-awareness make it degraded?

Ignoring the nearby battle, Amber couldn't help but feel indignant for Miss Golden Finger: 'Generally speaking, isn't it amazing for an inorganic object to develop self-awareness?'

[The main system has no need for an AI with self-awareness. Therefore, System A0522 was exiled and its energy supply cut off. It is now in hibernation after using its remaining energy to help the host rebuild her body and activate system functions.]

So that's why she said she was an abandoned existence?

Amber felt a surge of resentment toward the main system that had harmed this benefactor who saved her life, yet she was also helpless. She could only say: 'If it hadn't developed self-awareness, Miss Golden Finger... no, Miss Main Control Consciousness, wouldn't have been able to save me, right?'

This time, the navigation did not respond, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Glancing again at the approval rating that had reached 3728, Amber asked: 'How much approval does Miss Main Control Consciousness need to wake up?'

[3500]

'Then isn't that enough now?'

[Approval is not a threshold property, but a consumable one. The approval required to restore the Main Control Consciousness is too high, so execution is impossible.]

Amber frowned: 'What does that mean? Why can't it be executed? Even if it's consumable, it should be enough to wake her up, right?'

[Approval is a necessary consumable to help the host overcome difficulties. Please use it within reasonable limits.]

What does 'reasonable limits' mean?

[Using system functions. System A0522 is an entertainment system. Its function is gacha, with the draw range determined by the host's cognition.]

[World traversal is a built-in function of all systems.]

Just those two? So waking up the Main Control Consciousness is outside reasonable limits? Isn't that a bit absurd? Is this also a restriction from the main system on AI that have awakened self-awareness?

[No, it is a restriction set by the Main Control Consciousness herself.]

??

Amber couldn't quite understand.

The Main Control Consciousness didn't want her to wake her up? Why?

Unable to comprehend this, Amber temporarily withdrew from continuing the conversation with the navigation, intending to distract herself by watching the battle.

But when she shifted her attention back to reality, she realized the fight was already over. Just as she was about to keep observing, a soldier rushed in urgently: "My King! A report from the observatory! Traces of a Heavenly Boat moving through the sky have been confirmed, heading toward Uruk at an astonishing speed!"

Heavenly Boats weren't rare in mythology, but given this Singularity and the current situation, it was obvious who it was.

"It is one of the pillars of the Three Goddess Alliance, the goddess Ishtar!" the soldier announced.

Ritsuka and Mash found the name familiar—wasn't this the goddess they'd encountered when they first landed?

Amber also had a vague memory. Wasn't she the Servant who looked just like Tohsaka Rin, with a blonde version too?

"Tch, that idiot again. Doesn't she ever learn?" Gilgamesh said, pinching his brow.

"My King... please restrain your insults toward Lady Ishtar." Siduri, as high priestess, couldn't help but admonish the king for defaming the city's guardian deity. "Lady Ishtar is, after all, the patron goddess of Uruk."

"Patron goddess? Ha! That woman has never once done anything to protect Uruk! She only destroys what shouldn't be destroyed and creates what shouldn't exist."

Gilgamesh sneered, but since it was Siduri's admonishment, he held back from further insults. Still, that didn't mean he had no grievances against Ishtar: "At most, she'll accidentally destroy her own chambers again and go crying to her father. Hmph, but that God Anu vanished without a trace long ago. Even her own father despises her—she brought it on herself."

Having vented some of his frustration, the boredom of handling state affairs dissipated, and he couldn't help but laugh: "It seems she'll end up alone, crying miserably until she dies. That's the fitting end for that woman, hahahaha!"

"What did you say!?" A loud crash came from the roof, and Ishtar descended with golden light flickering in her eyes, her face twisted in anger.

Such revealing attire.

Amber couldn't help but frown, but then she noticed the goddess's rather flat figure, and her expression softened a bit.

Yet somehow, as if possessing a 360-degree field of vision, Ishtar sharply turned back and caught Amber's disrespectful expression. She couldn't help but shout: "Hey! Do you have a problem with this goddess too!?"

Amber was puzzled as to how Ishtar had noticed her. Glancing around with her superhuman eyesight, she realized that she and Gilgamesh were the only ones clearly showing disdain.

Gilgamesh's contempt, the goddess seemed long accustomed to. Though annoyed, she clearly knew there was no changing it, so she prioritized Amber instead—probably.

That said, anyone who saw the goddess's outfit would find it... well, Amber seemed to be the only one present who found it strange.

Was the weird one actually me?

Amber couldn't help but doubt herself.

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Chapter 7: Divine Aggregate

Amber's mind wandering at such a critical moment—was she timid or just carefree?

Fortunately, Ishtar now took a closer look at Amber, or rather Fu Hua's appearance. Her previously indignant expression softened, and her divine side quickly took over. The punishment she was about to pronounce took a turn: "In that case, unless you devote your body and soul to me, I won't forgive you so easily!"

"Heh."

Before Amber could respond, Gilgamesh snorted coldly: "As expected of you. A fool who never learns."

"Hah!?" Ishtar's blood pressure spiked.

But Gilgamesh had no interest in continuing their quarrel: "If you want to cause a ruckus, leave immediately! Uruk has no time to host the two of you fighting."

"I have no intention of fighting," Amber said. "My apologies, goddess. I was merely surprised by the attire of a foreign land. There was no mockery intended."

Everyone looked at the tight-fitting outfit that wrapped Amber from head to toe, then at Ishtar's garment that barely covered anything, and easily caught Amber's meaning.

Ishtar naturally noticed too, and while she understood, she didn't feel any shame—after all, gods were gods and humans were humans. Even if their appearances were similar, she had nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides, this was the style of the era. Would a girl in a short skirt feel ashamed in front of a society from ancient times that dressed fully covered?

Still, that meant she had no excuse to make a fuss anymore...

Looking at Fu Hua's face and demeanor, Ishtar thought regretfully.

Fortunately, as an extremely self-centered and indulgent goddess, she didn't have the habit of focusing on one thing for long. She quickly remembered that her purpose this time was to cause trouble for Golden Sparkle.

"Forget it. Let me warn you in advance—if you don't want to be buried with him, step aside. The only one I'm after this time is that Golden Sparkle." Ishtar looked at Gilgamesh.

"Hmph." Gilgamesh laughed. "Who would've thought the great goddess Ishtar would actually care about others? How rare."

"Ha!? I didn't—! Damn it, even I'm annoyed at myself for hesitating!" Ishtar started to retort fiercely but stopped, the gold in her eyes flashing again. "I originally just came to ask a few questions, and I knew you wouldn't answer easily anyway... but I've changed my mind!"

Mana that human mages couldn't comprehend was compressed to its limit in Ishtar's hand. "Looks like I'll have to blow this Divine Tower away."

"As expected of the biggest fool in history—ready to destroy even your own 'home.' And you still have the nerve to call yourself Uruk's guardian deity." Gilgamesh sneered. "Fine. Then let me see your skills again, Chaldea. Since you claim to help Uruk deal with the threat of the three goddesses, then destroy her right here!"

"Huh...?" Ritsuka actually didn't have a bad impression of this goddess—after all, she had saved them once before—but thinking of what the three goddesses had done to Uruk, he hardened his heart. "Mash! Anna!"

"Yes, Senpai!" Mash didn't hesitate to meet the goddess Ishtar head-on.

Anna was a bit annoyed that Ritsuka had unilaterally lumped her in as a companion, but surprisingly, she didn't dislike it. Silently, she followed Mash's lead.

"Senior..." Finally, Ritsuka looked at Amber.

From the earlier battle with 'Enkidu,' he had vaguely sensed something off. In the past, even when Mash was at a disadvantage, she could usually trade blows evenly with enemy Servants. The only opponent he had ever felt powerless against was the Holy King wielding the Sacred Spear—that was also his first time facing a Divine Spirit Servant.

Based on the fight with Gilgamesh just now, he became even more aware of the gap between ordinary Servants and gods.

Only gods could truly stand against gods. With that awareness dawning on him, Fujimaru Ritsuka turned to Amber with a pleading look.

Seeing that gaze that seemed to say, 'Can you lend me a hand?' Amber had no reason to refuse.

Out of habit, she glanced at the navigation, and seeing that it also said 'Help Fujimaru Ritsuka,' she had even less reason to refuse.

Then, the two of them turned their attention to Ishtar, who was holding her own without any sign of weakness even while outnumbered three to one.