The 500-Year-Old Old Comrade

"Slap!"

A rap on the Ancient Snake's head jolted him from his wandering thoughts. The instructor, frowning, wrinkled her delicate nose in displeasure.

Lin Xian flinched, lowering his head. His forked tongue lightly licked Ereshkigal's hand as he sincerely apologized to his teacher.

Well, that troublesome demon's matters can be dealt with later. It's not my place to worry about it now. Focus on the lesson.

Seeing the little guy was being so sensible, Ereshkigal didn't press the issue. She continued with the previous topic, and a more attentive Lin Xian nodded frequently, busily making notes with a rustling sound.

"I mentioned before that the older a mysterious principle is, the more powerful it is."

"In fact, the advancement and strengthening of species is a process of tracing back to origins."

"According to the prophecy on the Marduk's Fate Tablet, after the gods were born, the Mesopotamian world successively went through the Golden, Silver, Bronze, and Black Iron Ages..."

"Each transition was a dilution and suppression of the bloodline power of different species."

"Taking humans as an example, during this process, their physique gradually weakened, their control over magic power continuously decreased, and their connection with the gods was severed one after another."

"Until finally, the mystery within most humans was stripped away, and they became ordinary existences."

Lin Xian rolled up his stone stylus and wrote down his question with a scratchy sound.

"Most?"

Ereshkigal nodded slightly, her gaze drifting towards the sky above the Underworld with a hint of meaning.

"The general trend of species' mysterious evolution is indeed regressing, but there are always some extraordinary individuals who can swim against the tide of the era."

"Theoretically, the Aether content decreased, bloodlines were diluted, and perception was limited."

"But those who go against the current can summarize various techniques for strengthening themselves through inheritance, learning, experimentation, and the accumulation of experience."

"Simply put, if a normal adult human in the Golden Age had base stats of 1000, the Silver Age would be 500, the Bronze Age 100, and the Black Iron Age 10."

"Humans born normally in the Black Iron Age could only have their mysterious abilities mostly limited within this narrow scope."

"But a small number of existences, by stimulating their potential, awakening ancient bloodlines, or mastering extraordinary wisdom, can raise their stats from 10 to a higher level."

"Breaking 100 means reaching the Bronze rank, becoming 500 means reaching the Silver rank, and reaching 1000 means reaching the Golden rank."

Lin Xian tilted his head, raising his writing board, his thoughts drifting slightly.

"Wouldn't Golden-ranked players be slaughtering low-level players in an era where everyone else is Black Iron?"

Ereshkigal nodded as if it were obvious, her expression serious.

"Of course. If a human can refine their bloodline and master techniques under the conditions of the Black Iron Age, ascending to the Golden rank."

"Then their power will far surpass this era! One person can become an army!"

"Among humans, they are often called heroes, saints, or gods of war."

The Ancient Snake couldn't help but recall legends of the future era when the gods disappeared, of Moses parting the Red Sea, of the Paladin Roland cleaving mountains with Durandal, and of Sigurd slaying dragons, lost in thought.

In essence, this gap has existed from ancient times to the present. For the people of this era, the Babylonian gods were no different.

Moreover, the more ancient they were, the higher their starting points and achievements. As generations of creatures degenerated in bloodline and their inherent mystery faded, the difference between them and these ancient beings became increasingly absurd.

The disparity was so immense that it was like comparing a Phoenician to a Peking Man.

Lin Xian processed this for a moment, then looked down at his own slender body and wrote his question on the clay tablet.

"What about us?"

Ereshkigal reached out and stroked the little guy's head, offering a comforting smile.

"The principle is pretty much the same."

"Your rank evolutions, from low to high, are roughly Beast, Magic Beast, Phantom Beast, and Divine Beast. (Basic reference from Fate lore)"

"However, the variety and sheer number of beasts, as well as their faster reproduction and turnover rates compared to humans, have led to more severe bloodline degeneration."

"Therefore, these four types of beasts have been mixed since the Golden Age, although their numbers fluctuate with environmental and temporal changes."

"And the Bull of Heaven, Gugalanna, has always been the most supreme Divine Beast!"

A few faint smiles flickered in the master's blood-red eyes, clearly conveying a hint of teasing.

"Of course, due to the differences between species, some excel at combat, some at creation, and some at stealth. Ranks don't always represent strength or victory."

"Even if you are relatively weak now, merely a Magic Beast that has just learned to manipulate magic power."

"However, if you could burrow into Gugalanna's belly, gnaw on its heart, and inject poison, you might have a slim chance of winning."

After offering a few words of comfort, the goddess continued her lesson, stroking the Ancient Snake's cool scales as she petted her familiar.

"Alright, it's time for questions."

"Little one, what doubts do you have? Feel free to ask."

Lin Xian allowed his master's fingers to playfully prod his head, his mind racing. He treated this casual time with utmost seriousness, like a Q&A session.

"What era is Uruk currently in?"

"Well, it's roughly the late Silver Age."

"At this point, the Mesopotamian world has become relatively stable. Under powerful restrictions, gods can no longer freely descend to the surface where humans live."

"We can only appear in the form of spiritualism or clones, and we have gradually severed ties with humanity."

"When the gods can only respond simply, showing faint revelations, and cannot effectively interfere with the surface, that's when heroes rise and saints guide humanity's future."

"This is the so-called Bronze Age, where humanity will no longer rely solely on gods, but will forge civilization with sword and fire."

"Ultimately, gods will disappear, and mystery will only exist within fixed bloodlines. Most people will return to mediocrity, and an age of extreme darkness, the Black Iron Age, will dawn." Hmm, isn't the current state of the world exactly like this?

Precisely because of this, the magi of the future would ingeniously develop methods to prevent the complete extinction of mystery by continuously purifying bloodline powers through endogamy.

The result of this seems to be called the [Magic Crest].

"I thought this was the Golden Age, after all, that Heroic King's aesthetic is a bit too retro."

Lin Xian recalled a certain golden figure and scribbled a complaint, but to his surprise, Ereshkigal nodded slightly.

"Don't let his youthful appearance fool you, he has lived for a very long time and was born during the Golden Age."

"Then how old is he?"

Lin Xian was very curious, his gossip fire burning.

"That guy has ruled Uruk for over 500 years, longer-lived than some phantom beasts!"

"I even suspect that unless he commits suicide, I won't see him truly die, even when he severs ties with the underworld and the surface."

Ereshkigal also rolled her eyes and complained, her unexpressed desire for revenge making her pout dejectedly.

"Alright, then were the people of the Silver Age very strong?"

Lin Xian was a bit curious. Besides that pervert Gilgamesh and the ghosts in the underworld, he hadn't met any true Sumerians yet.

If he had to deal with these guys in the future, he naturally needed to understand their level.

Ereshkigal thought for a moment and casually replied.

"Hmm, how should I put it, average..."

"Generally, soldiers can use combat skills, resonating with their bloodline and Aether."

"Witches or priests can cast magic, perform spiritualism, or communicate with the gods."

At this moment, the goddess glanced at the Ancient Snake, who was lost in thought, frowned slightly, and flicked its forehead with her finger, sternly warning it.

"What are you thinking about! It depends on who you compare them to!"

"Do you know there's a Sumerian tradition where ordinary people often choose to hunt a demon beast in the cedar forest as a rite of passage!"

"Little things like you are basically ingredients for soup!"

Lin Xian's eyelids twitched. He vaguely remembered that after the Absolute Demonic Beast Front: Babylonia was established in the future, Uruk's soldiers repelled wave after wave of beast tides, defeating enemies several times their own number.

Even with the advantage of the city walls, these creatures created based on the [Eleven Demon Beasts] weren't the ordinary level of demon beasts found in the cedar forest.

From this, one could see how powerful the Sumerian warriors of the Silver Age were physically!

And these were just Silver-ranked humans who had grown up normally. If they encountered those who could awaken their bloodline power and cast magic or divine arts.

His current self might genuinely be considered weak.

Therefore, he should train diligently. At the very least, he shouldn't wander around until he mastered that sliver of Beast Authority.