"What happened? Why is Goddess Ishtar...?" Everyone looked at the dazed Ishtar in midair, confused by her state, but no matter what, this was a perfect opportunity.
Anna leaped across the buildings and landed behind Ishtar.
Once the clouds passed over the sun, Ishtar's expression became lively again. Seeing everyone on the ground, she was just about to say something when she suddenly noticed the sound of something slicing through the air behind her.
"Eh!? What!? When did you get behind me—ugh!?"
After carefully examining the goddess who had been knocked to the ground and completely buried beneath the buildings, Mash and Anna confirmed that she had lost consciousness.
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There will be another update today, maybe one chapter, maybe two.2
For the Immortal's Sake
Looking at the completely defenseless goddess, Anna's first instinct was to kill her.
Although possessing Divinity generally meant being difficult to kill, Anna happened to have a weapon specifically meant to deal with immortals. If she was merely difficult to kill, that was no trouble for Anna.
But after glancing at Amber, she suppressed the thought.
After all, Amber's actions just now had clearly shown that she did not want either side to be hurt. Temporarily calming Ishtar down was still within her tolerance, but if they wanted to kill her, Amber would definitely refuse.
"Anyway, let's tie her up first." Everyone came to that decision.
Anna directly secured her with chains. Then, everyone found a fairly spacious residence to borrow, resting and recovering their strength while waiting for Ishtar to wake up.
There was no need to worry about the owner's opinion. After all, this was already an empty city.
After the sun had completely set, the Ishtar everyone had been waiting for finally opened her eyes. Upon realizing that she was tied to a chair, she froze for a moment. "What is this?! Why am I tied up!?"
"Good morning." Seeing that she had awakened, Fujimaru Ritsuka greeted her.
"Senpai... it's already nighttime..." Mash quietly reminded him from the side.
"Good morning. Hmm, I do enjoy courteous greetings. So, can someone explain the situation? Who are you people?" Ishtar asked.
Amber immediately sensed that something was wrong. Her appearance and aura were indeed Ishtar's, yet Amber still felt that there was something strange about her.
The others did not pay attention to this. After all, Ishtar's capriciousness and unpredictability had long since become deeply ingrained in their minds. No matter what kind of reaction or attitude she showed, no one would find it strange.
"More importantly, we have quite a few things we would like to ask you." Merlin smiled.
"Oh? Is that any way to question a goddess? It's simply unheard of! You actually tied up a goddess—and a goddess like me at that!" Ishtar looked furious, though there was also a hint of embarrassment in her expression, as if being captured despite being a goddess was humiliating.
But she quickly issued a threat. "Aren't you afraid of the consequences!?"
"If you're asking whether we're afraid... then yes, we are..." Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a glance and answered awkwardly, before their expressions turned serious. "But there is information we want to know no matter what."
"Afraid... yes, it's normal to be afraid. Fine, I'm used to it already. I've always been an unwelcome person in Mesopotamia." 'Ishtar' unexpectedly showed a stifled expression.
That attitude did not make anyone pity her. Instead, they looked shocked, as if to say, You actually have that self-awareness?
Seeing this, 'Ishtar's' stifled expression instantly disappeared, replaced by fury. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Amber's voice.
"You are not annoying."
"Eh?" 'Ishtar' looked toward Amber, who had been standing some distance away and had not intended to participate in the interrogation.
A human perfectly to her taste!? Were there such beautiful humans on the ground? No, was she a Servant?
Seeing Ishtar looking so unlike herself, with such a sad expression, Amber really wanted to loudly tell her how cute and beautiful she was. But that did not suit the Crimson Kite Immortal's persona, so she held it back and instead said in a calm yet serious tone, "You are my friend. Among the people I have associated with, you are also quite an interesting friend."
"Eh—" The others looked at Amber in surprise.
Those words truly did not fit the image of the Crimson Kite Immortal that Amber had built, but they made Fujimaru Ritsuka smile.
Standing up for a friend's feelings because that friend was upset certainly shattered much of the Immortal's detached and indifferent image, but it also added a great deal of human warmth. Ritsuka felt the distance between them close considerably.
It was not just Ritsuka. The others felt the same way.
Merlin stroked his chin, and the smile on his face became much more sincere.
He liked humans, but what he liked was not humanity itself. It was the stories humans created.
Previously, the Crimson Kite Immortal had not left him with a particularly good impression. It was not that he had any bad impression of her, but aside from being extremely strong, there had been little else. Now, however, the Crimson Kite Immortal with a touch of humanity appealed to him much more.
"Even if you say that... I still cannot explain much about the Three Goddess Alliance." 'Ishtar' pursed her lips. She felt even more displeased inside, yet those sincere words also made her faintly happy. With her complicated emotions, she turned away and acted as if she did not wish to say more.
"You have no room to negotiate right now. If you refuse to speak, you may face a harsher interrogation." Merlin threatened.
Naturally, 'Ishtar' would not fall for it. "That depends on what you ask. If it is something I cannot say, then even if you kill me, I will not tell you."
Besides, dying did not matter. This was not even her body anyway. If she died, she died. In fact, would it not be better if she died?
"Then, why did the goddesses attack Uruk? What are the true names of the other two goddesses? And who summoned you? Please answer these questions properly." Merlin said.
"Before that, what is your name?" Ishtar looked at Ritsuka.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka," Ritsuka answered.
"And what about that human over there?" Ishtar looked at Amber.
"...Fu Hua. When we met last time, it was too rushed and we forgot to exchange names. My apologies." Amber did not hesitate to borrow the Immortal's great name.
"Very good. Since you foolishly told me your names, I shall answer you." Learning that they had not exchanged names last time and that this was actually their first exchange, Ishtar's mood suddenly improved, and a smile appeared on her face. "First, the reason the Three Goddess Alliance attacked Uruk is naturally to rule the land in the future."
"However, I intend to rule humanity. The goddess in the north wants the land itself. As for the goddess in the south... honestly, I do not understand her very well, so I do not know."
Ishtar explained concisely, "Whoever first obtains Uruk's Great Holy Grail may claim this land as her own. The other two must either leave or become subordinate gods..."
"And I was not summoned by the Holy Grail, nor by the Counter Force. I was summoned by the priestesses of Uruk."
Hearing this and linking it to Uruk's Eanna and the current state of Kusa City, Merlin's speculation was completely confirmed. His expression became thoughtful.
"As for their true names, I cannot tell you that. You would not spread the secrets of your family and friends everywhere, would you? More than other beings, goddesses must abide by the rules, so I cannot disclose that."
"Goddesses have to abide by rules? That really does not sound like something Ishtar would say." Merlin could not resist teasing her.
'Ishtar's' expression darkened. She realized that he had already guessed her situation.
"Still, this information is enough to exchange for the goddess's freedom for now, for the Crimson Kite Immortal's sake." Afraid of truly angering this goddess, Merlin quickly waved his hands.
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Evacuation Mission
"You, do people often tell you that your personality is terrible?" 'Ishtar's' temple twitched violently.
Was this not simply revenge for her saying, "Because you were foolish, I'll tell you," by changing it into, "Because of the Immortal, I'll let you go"? That petty-minded behavior had already made 'Ishtar' consider whether she should teach him a lesson.
"Though I disagree with you in many respects, I can empathize with you on this point alone." Anna naturally spared no effort in putting down Merlin as she retrieved the chains that had helped Ishtar.
"Fou! Fou!" Fou began gesturing excitedly as well.
Ritsuka also felt that Merlin's personality was somewhat strange, but he did not dislike him, so he merely smiled awkwardly.
Just as the atmosphere had begun to ease, Amber sensed something outside slowly surrounding them.
"Something is coming."
"Something? Doctor?" Mash froze, then looked at Ritsuka's wristband.
"Eh? The magical energy readings around you are normal. There should not be anything there?" Roman repeatedly checked the information on the screen.
"No, there really is something. Wandering spirits? Traveling out from the Underworld under cover of night... or perhaps..." Someone had created them.
Merlin looked toward Ishtar, whose expression had become somewhat awkward.
'Ishtar,' who had originally intended to use these people to cause trouble and escape, had forgotten all about it during their conversation. Now, facing the mass of spirits outside, she found it difficult to deal with the situation and could only hurriedly change the subject. "Oh-ho-ho-ho... To think they would cause trouble for a goddess like me when they are merely a group of spirits!"
Merlin: ...
You really are stubbornly keeping up appearances.
Seemingly sensing the contemptuous look, 'Ishtar' directly smashed through the roof and flew outside. She shattered the spirits that had possessed skeletons to move upon the ground, then sent their souls back to the Underworld.
"Anyway, let this meeting end here for now. I'll look forward to seeing you again next time!" After saying this with a stiff expression, the goddess flew directly into the distance.
There seems to be some unspoken understanding between that goddess and Merlin. Fu Hua reminded Amber.
Mm. Amber nodded, pondering Ishtar's earlier abnormal behavior.
The actions and attitudes of goddesses were never something humans could understand. Fu Hua shared the same view as everyone else in this regard. Besides, that Ishtar was already an unpredictable goddess.
Fu Hua had always been trustworthy, except when it came to emotions—especially subtle feelings. Amber did not really trust this blockhead in that regard.
That aura had definitely belonged to Ishtar, yet Amber still felt that something was off.
Fu Hua, once again compared to a blockhead: ...
She finally could not help defending herself. Herrscher of Reason... although I never truly encountered her, in the story you know, my actions were not what one would call low emotional intelligence. If I had not defeated her mentally and consciously, then with my body, martial arts, and authority over consciousness, she could not have been defeated.
Moreover, even if defeating her were not the premise, I would not have wanted her personality to become someone else's shadow. Therefore, my actions in the story were not improper. The Herrscher of Reason and the other Shier are not the same.
Hearing the explanation from the person herself, Amber hesitated before nodding, but she still had no intention of removing that filter.
Fu Hua was helpless.
Because spirits had appeared, Kusa could no longer serve as a safe base. Even if they had to travel through the night, everyone could only return to Uruk first.
Along the way, Ritsuka deciphered the Heavenly Mandate Tablet written by Gilgamesh with Merlin's help and discovered that the one leading the Human Order Incineration was not the real Solomon, but another being calling itself Solomon.
Amber did not know much about those matters. Fu Hua had already pulled her into Feathered Dust, where she kept watch while getting beaten in the consciousness space.
This time, Fu Hua was no longer merely teaching her moves and assisting her training. She truly traded fists and kicks with Amber, beating her until she was dizzy and disoriented.
While being beaten, Amber wondered whether Fu Hua was taking the chance to vent her resentment because Amber had called her a blockhead, but then felt that Fu Hua was not that kind of person.
So how did Fu Hua, who could hear Amber's thoughts, evaluate that idea?
Her evaluation was that Amber had not been beaten hard enough if she still had time to let her mind wander.
After another night of training, Amber woke the next day feeling phantom pain throughout her body. After enduring an entire night of mental beatings, she was unusually tired, but her progress was obvious as well. Her proficiency with Transformation Sword and Guardian Sword had been forcibly improved considerably, and for the moment, she did not dare speak badly of Fu Hua again.
Everyone returned to Uruk near noon and headed directly to the Divine Tower, where they explained what had happened over the past few days to Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh immediately burst out laughing after hearing it. As he laughed, he said, "Enough, enough! There should be a limit to this sort of thing, fools!"
Learning that Ishtar had been tied up and interrogated, then released out of a mortal's kindness, and finally helped them out of embarrassment for the sake of her pride, Golden Sparkle felt as though his abdominal muscles were about to cramp from laughing. "This Ishtar is rather interesting. Though my opinion has only improved slightly, she is worth reevaluating."
He had to admit that Ishtar had changed greatly after merging with the Vessel.
"Perhaps that goddess can be reasoned with." Ritsuka looked at Amber beside him. "According to what that Ishtar said, the Immortal and she are friends. Perhaps her nature is not evil."
"A guardian of humanity and an unruly, willful goddess?" Gilgamesh frowned, reassessing Ishtar in his heart, but quickly shook his head. "No. It is precisely because her nature is not bad that she is difficult to communicate with. If she were purely evil, things would be easier; we would only need to destroy her. If she were purely good, we would only need to befriend her. Yet she is a fool capable of causing trouble everywhere without any malicious intent."
"Ahaha..." Ritsuka could not refute that.
"However, these are not matters you need to consider right now." Gilgamesh got to the point. "Nippur City is currently under attack from Demon Beasts, and the latest tablet reports that they cannot hold out much longer."
"In this era, every life is precious property. Now is the period when the Demon Beasts' offensive is weakest. Chaldea, you will carry out the mission of evacuating Nippur's citizens back here!"
"Yes!" Ritsuka and Mash nodded heavily.
Gilgamesh then turned his gaze to Amber. "Uruk's ally, the continuer of humanity's Core Flame, though I have assigned this mission to Chaldea as a test for Chaldea, there is an abnormality on this journey capable of interfering with my Clairvoyance. Therefore, I require your strength to deal with the inevitable accident."
In simple terms, she was there to cover for them.
Amber nodded.
"Then depart at once! Bring Nippur's citizens back to Uruk!" Gilgamesh smiled, then rose and issued the command.
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Retreat Failed
"This place is every bit as prosperous as Uruk. And even though it is clearly a fortress, there are many civilians doing work other than soldiering..."
Upon entering Nippur's front lines, Mash could not help marveling at the sight before her, earning a series of nods from Ritsuka.
"Haha, after all, the defensive work here has continued for half a year. To keep it going, this can no longer even be called a fortress or front line—it has become a new city." Merlin explained with a laugh. "But let us call it a fortress for now."
Mash and Ritsuka were not the only ones impressed by the place.
It was also Amber's first time experiencing such an atmosphere.
Although Uruk was humanity's last nation, its interior did not carry such a tense atmosphere. There were soldiers on the roads, but even more common were people living and laughing.
Having lived in comfort, Amber was somewhat unaccustomed to this atmosphere.
"Up ahead is the front-line wall, the thick barrier that has kept the Demon Beasts outside the city for half a year." He continued his introduction.
Just as Ritsuka and the others were about to voice their admiration, they heard soldiers shouting that Demon Beasts had broken through the wall.
That ominous beginning did not seem particularly good, but Merlin brushed it off with a smile. "It cannot be helped. Demon Beasts with such powerful legs usually have ways to scale the wall alone, but it is nothing serious. Do not hold back—deal with them."
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