"Tch, no matter how pathetic she was, she was still a goddess. Ordinary magecraft couldn't harm her in the slightest." Gilgamesh's expression darkened as he watched Ishtar completely ignore his attacks. "And she's still hiding her Authority even now. My patience has its limits too, Ishtar!"
"That's my line! You've been getting in the way of my attacks this whole time. There's a limit to how annoying you can be!"
Ishtar's expression was no better. Although Gilgamesh truly could not harm her as long as he did not make up his mind, more than half of her attacks had also been restrained by him. As long as neither of them used their Authority, what Gilgamesh said applied just as much to her.
Her magecraft was also practically useless against a demigod like Gilgamesh.
"I'm not using my Authority for Uruk! It's not because I'm worried about your body!"
After saying that, her expression darkened further. "What I just said annoyed me even more. Why should I care about an Uruk that doesn't even belong to me... Forget it. I'll end this in one strike!"
"Master!" Even in this petty squabble between gods, Mash and Anna could hardly play any role. When they saw the magical energy around Ishtar suddenly swell, they realized she was getting serious.
"Hmph...!" Gilgamesh snorted. At this point, he was actually far from his peak. Not only did he have to provide magical energy for every Heroic Spirit he had summoned, he was also constantly charging all three hundred Divine Authority Seals throughout Uruk.
Such enormous magical energy consumption made it impossible for him to fight at full strength.
Yet at that moment, Ishtar, who had gathered an unprecedented amount of magical energy, suddenly stopped moving. Her expression turned vacant, and she fell toward the ground in a daze.
...What happened?
Everyone wore confused expressions. Only Gilgamesh quickly realized something, then looked toward Amber.
However, Amber had already left her spot. Looking at Ishtar, who wore Tohsaka Rin's wife-like face, Amber could not bear to let her land face-first. She leaped forward and caught the goddess in midair.
The Heavenly Boat Ma'anna, which had reacted a step too late, humanely aimed itself at Amber, seeming to consider whether it should fire.
Amber was also a little awkward, having not expected the drone to keep moving after its owner lost consciousness.
"Immortal? What is this?" Ritsuka, who had followed after her, looked at Ishtar unconscious in Amber's arms, confused by the situation.
"Don't worry." Amber said, "I merely put her to sleep temporarily. However, a god's mind may not be the same as a human's, so to be safe, you should not get too close too quickly."
That was right. Just now, she had used what she considered the most mysterious and powerful of the Five Aggregates of the Tai Xu Sword Qi: the Divine Aggregate.
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Arrangements
"Hmph, it's rare to see that woman this quiet. It seems that if you live long enough, you can see anything." Gilgamesh, who had just said he would destroy the goddess, now sat directly back on his throne. "I have already recorded your arrangements on the clay tablet. Next, simply follow Siduri. As for that useless goddess, just toss her somewhere without dignity."
Wasn't that a little too pitiful...
Fujimaru Ritsuka felt relieved that Gilgamesh had not demanded Ishtar's death.
Amber likewise did not wish to kill the goddess with Tohsaka Rin's face. If Gilgamesh had insisted on killing her, Amber might have taken some extreme measures.
Before long, Siduri came before them with a clay tablet in hand. As she read it, she guided everyone out of the Divine Tower.
She skillfully smoothed over quite a few things for Gilgamesh, telling everyone that he actually valued their combat strength greatly. She then listed their assignments one by one... Aside from Fu Hua, they were basically all assigned to miscellaneous work within the city.
Fu Hua's assignment, meanwhile, was completely blank.
Does this mean... free action? After all, although I helped them, I don't think I ever clearly said that I would assist Chaldea or Uruk...
Just as Amber was thinking this, a soft groan came from Ishtar.
"Mm... I... what happened...?" The dizziness, something Ishtar had almost never experienced, made her extremely uncomfortable. The scenery before her eyes spun from that strange sensation, but she was a goddess after all. Both her body and her mind were far stronger than those of ordinary people.
According to Navigator's calculations, an intensity that would have knocked an ordinary person out for an entire day had only made Ishtar unconscious for half an hour.
"Don't worry. Your mind merely suffered a minor injury. I controlled the strength well, so there won't be any aftereffects." Amber said softly.
At such close range, that beauty was simply too devastating. Even as another woman, Amber found it unbearably stimulating. Her voice unconsciously became gentler and more careful.
Fortunately, she had the face of the Crimson Kite Immortal and Navigator helping manage her expressions. Otherwise, she truly felt she would have revealed a foolish, lovestruck look.
However, the impact of beauty worked the same way on Ishtar.
That face she had already liked so much was now right before her. Ishtar felt as though her heart had stopped. Though she had often teased attractive humans whose looks pleased her, she could not say anything frivolous at all right now.
Had that human's influence gotten to her after all?
The thought flashed through Ishtar's mind, and she hurriedly shook her head. After driving the thought away, she flew straight out of Amber's arms.
Realizing she had been ambushed by the person before her, Ishtar snapped, "You dared to ambush a goddess, you disrespectful brat!"
"That was not my intention. However, if I had allowed you to unleash that attack, none of the people here would likely have survived. Thus, I had no choice but to resort to this measure." Amber replied calmly.
"You acknowledge this goddess's nobility with your words, yet you don't actually show even the slightest bit of respect!" Ishtar looked unhappily at Siduri. "Siduri, keep her under control!"
As Uruk's chief priestess, Siduri was naturally a highly useful subordinate to Uruk's city goddess. Coupled with Siduri's extraordinary piety and wisdom, Ishtar valued and liked her greatly. With Gilgamesh absent, she naturally began ordering Siduri around.
"My apologies, Lady Ishtar. This lady is not a resident of Uruk, so strictly speaking, the Divine Tower has no authority to deal with her." Siduri was truly adept at getting along with those above her, and her ability to read their moods was equally outstanding.
Seeing that Ishtar was not actually angry, she even added fuel to the fire in accordance with her temperament. "Also, if Lady Ishtar intends to continue losing her temper, I hope you can do so somewhere far from Uruk. Otherwise, the king will dislike you even more."
"Who needs that Golden Sparkle's affection?!" Ishtar said disdainfully.
But seeing that it was already getting late, she no longer had the mood to keep wandering around. After glaring fiercely at Amber, she flew into the sky while tossing out a threat. "The next time we meet, it won't be this easy. Remember that, pretty little girl. And Siduri, if Gilgamesh suddenly drops dead someday, I'm still willing to protect you and Uruk. When that happens, raise a white flag and surrender yourselves to me!"
With that, she did not linger any longer and left.
"...She really is a carefree goddess." Ritsuka smiled at Amber.
Amber thought so too.
She clearly acted so arrogant, but somehow, even after being questioned so loudly, Amber did not feel angry. What she felt more was a kind of helplessness.
Perhaps it was because Ishtar's personality and appearance resembled Tohsaka Rin's too much. Amber actually had quite a favorable impression of her. Besides, in the clips she remembered, Ishtar would later join the protagonist's party, so she presumably was not thoroughly evil.
Thinking that, Amber said, "I did not sense any malice from her. Perhaps her personality differs from her conduct."
After that little incident, Siduri brought everyone to a two-story stone house. After giving a few final instructions, she left.
Everyone first assigned their rooms, then finally gathered around Mash's shield.
Seeing that they seemed to be planning to use some kind of communication ritual, Amber took the opportunity to look at her system while they prepared.
Congratulations, Host. You have gained quite a harvest.
Navigator was the first to offer its Blessing.
A harvest?
Amber looked at her gains and was surprised to find that they had risen from a little over 3,700 to around 5,200.
That's so much! What can we do with recognition? She wanted to awaken her benefactor, but after looking around, Amber did not see such an option.
Main Control Consciousness has planned a route for the Host.
Navigator's pop-up windows continued displaying text: Please use the Gacha System to improve and strengthen your own power. The system will operate with ensuring the Host's survival as its highest priority.
In simple terms, that meant she should not worry about her first, right?
Amber felt a little distressed, but she had to admit that Main Control Consciousness's arrangement was the optimal solution. If Amber were killed, the system bound to her would not meet a good end either.
But... Am I really still in danger in this world?
No lethal threat detected.
Then...
The system has established a route. Please trust it and act according to its guidance.
Amber was not the type to ignore advice. Since this was Main Control Consciousness's plan, there was nothing wrong with trusting her choice.
Then let's pull, Mr. Navigator.
Let me explain first: the system has no bad intentions, and the protagonist is not perfect right from the beginning. I hope everyone understands. 4
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Feathered Dust
Confirm gacha pull.
Please draw cards.
Unlike the first time, which had been completely automatic, Amber could see the Gacha Interface this time. How should she put it... It was almost a one-to-one copy of Honkai: Star Rail, except the cover art had been replaced with many different suits of armor, or rather, Fu Hua from different periods.
There was no weapon banner either. It seemed to be a combined banner.
The DNA of her former mobile game player self could not help trembling.
Are the rates public?
There are no rates in the Gacha System.
Navigator answered almost every question. What could be drawn depended entirely on luck, or... fate. All the system could do was help the Host establish links of fate, ensuring that the cards the Host drew would not be excessively chaotic or random.
I understand...
After the questions ended, Amber looked at the familiar single-pull and ten-pull options, then tentatively tapped the ten-pull.
Use 1600 fate for gacha pulls?
Yes.
It has been detected that recognition can currently be used for weighting. This action will consume additional recognition while increasing item quality.
...How much should I add?
That depends on the Host's choice. Navigator recommends—everything.
Um... Let me ask first. Recognition's only function is gacha pulls, right?
Yes.
Then put it all in.
Amber answered without much hesitation.
No matter how many useless fragments she pulled, they would not compare to drawing one truly excellent item. She understood that clearly enough, so she was not particularly opposed to going all-in on weighting.
Draw complete.
Identical items have been categorized and summarized.
Star Stone x23300 Armament Resonance x1900 Fu Hua: Frontier Defense (Bottom) x1 Feathered Dust x1 Curio: Noisy Superior x1
...WTF?
Even Amber could not help being stunned by the results of this pull. She thanked Navigator once again for managing her expression, or she would have embarrassed herself in front of everyone. But more importantly, she had truly pulled treasures this time!
Actually, although it had never been mentioned, her first pull had already been unbelievably lucky. Not only had she drawn Fu Hua's Character Card, it was Fu Hua from the Destiny Expedition period, practically her strongest era. She had also drawn the Honkai: Star Rail Curio, Dreaming 0110.
Many people might not know the name of this Curio. It was merely a gray Curio, meaning the lowest grade, but its effect was extremely simple and brutal, especially in Amber's hands right now.
Dreaming 0110: Upon entering battle, all allies deal 50% more damage. After 15 turns, damage received increases by 10%.
Although the effect Amber had drawn was not as outrageous as it was in the game, only granting a 20% universal damage boost, damage received only increased by 5%.
It was a simple and brutal, yet exceptionally effective, damage increase.
The Feathered Dust and Noisy Superior she had drawn this time were even more heavyweight.
As the Divine Key most conveniently used by the Immortal, Feathered Dust was a Key of Consciousness that targeted the mind and created illusions. Its applications could be called endless.
Noisy Superior was equally heavyweight. Its effect in the Divergent Universe game was: After an enemy target is attacked by a "Fire" element character and enters Weakness Break, when it next recovers from Weakness Break, the amount of Toughness restored is reduced by 50%.
It had a different effect in the Simulated Universe, but its real-world template followed the Divergent Universe version.
When an enemy was struck by Amber's "flame"-type attacks, "residue" would be left within its body. No matter how skilled the enemy was at healing, unless it could remove that residue, its injuries could not fully recover.
What a massive harvest!
Was this the power of going all-in?!
Amber could not help wriggling wildly in her mind.
After exiting the Gacha Interface, she eagerly equipped Feathered Dust. However, she was not in a hurry to study it. It would not be too late to do that alone in the quiet of the night.
Thinking that, she looked back at Mash's shield.
The connection established by Chaldea had long been completed. More than that, judging from both sides, they had apparently already been talking for quite a while. That also meant that while Amber had been distracted for some time, the conversation had likely not focused much on her.
Just as she was about to zone out again and study Feathered Dust, Dr. Roman on the screen of the shield suddenly said, "Come to think of it, I keep forgetting to ask."
"Crimson Kite Immortal, can you explain the existence that summoned you to this era?"
"Roman?" Da Vinci on the screen frowned at the man beside her.
This was a very important question. They had experienced so many Singularities and encountered many Heroic Spirits. Based on the identity of the summoner, they could directly distinguish whether a Heroic Spirit was friend or foe.
For example... Ishtar and the other three goddesses, as well as the false Enkidu, were likely Heroic Spirits summoned by the Mage King specifically to destroy Human Order.
Anna, on the other hand, had not been summoned by Gilgamesh. She had been directly summoned by the Counter Force, an existence meant to protect Human Order.
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