Damn you, Merlin!
I was wondering why it was such a coincidence. The moment I got into trouble, someone came to save the day!
You were clearly the one who led the devils over here. Getting caught in the crossfire wasn't enough, and you actually had the nerve to ask for thanks!
Do you have any humanity at all, you bastard?!
The night stretched on. Forced to abandon the warm campfire and flee together, Samael pushed his beastlike physique to its limit.
The ancient serpent raced wildly across the wasteland, weaving through it so fast he nearly blurred into a Black Shadow.
His Serpent Eyes narrowed as he stared gloomily at the dream demon's nape ahead, his teeth itching.
The great sage leading the way subconsciously shrank his neck and turned back with a trace of embarrassment.
"Friend, don't look at me like that. It really was an accident."
Heh. Like hell I'd believe you!
Samael answered with a cold sneer. At the same time, he sensed savage auras converging from every direction. Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he followed the nightmare's footsteps and sprinted with his head down.
"It's all Merlin's fault! He just had to provoke her at the Temple of Blood!"
The rather conscientious Purple Haired Girl, Anna, snorted. She slowed down slightly to bring up the rear, leaving the safest middle position for a certain innocent victim.
I knew it!
Samael's expression twisted slightly, his steel teeth grinding together.
This guy must have done something suicidal. He snuck into the Temple of Blood, alerted that Beast Goddess of unknown identity, and secretly did something unspeakable.
As a result, the beasts at the Beast Goddess's side had chased him all the way to Kusa afterward.
And yes, snakes held grudges, but if it had only been a minor conflict, they wouldn't have pursued them this far, would they?
Judging from the map, that Beast Goddess had dispatched troops from Fir Forest, crossed the Two Rivers, circled around the Northwest Border of the Mount Epiph range, and pierced into the Babylonia front from the flank after a forced march of several thousand miles!
You damn dream demon, what kind of colossal mess did you make? It made the Beast Goddess neglect even the siege of Uruk.
More importantly, I'm innocent! I'm the hero who warned Uruk! Why the hell am I the one running?!
"How about we find a way to draw the ones behind us away, and you take another route?"
The mage ahead seemed to notice the increasingly intense malice behind him. He turned around, blinked innocently, and offered a friendly suggestion.
"Quit talking nonsense and lead the way!"
Samael glanced at the crimson "lamps" lighting up on both sides of the wilderness. He squeezed out the difficult words through clenched teeth, his face dark as the bottom of a pot.
Split up now? Do you think I'm an idiot?!
There were magical beasts everywhere. If they couldn't catch you two, couldn't they catch me?!
Besides, we were already mixed together. If I said I was innocent and not with you, would these magical beasts believe me?
"Roar! Roar!"
As Samael's thoughts churned, two Soul Eater Beasts with purple fur, skilled in ambushes, lowered their bodies and approached. Then they sprang from the grass without warning, pouncing on the weakest link among the three.
Damn it! I didn't even use a group taunt, so why were they chasing me?!
As the ancient serpent cursed through gritted teeth, his pupils contracted sharply. He stepped back to absorb the impact and steady himself, then hooked his semicircular arms, cords of muscle bulging, around the neck of the Soul Eater Beast on his right.
Then Samael planted his feet like roots and launched a crushing hold. With extraordinary arm strength, he hurled the monster with its broken neck vertebrae at the Soul Eater Beast on the other side.
However, that Soul Eater Beast displayed unexpected agility. It forcibly stopped itself and dodged the improvised projectile flying toward it.
At the same time, seeing that the humanoid prey's old strength was exhausted and new strength had yet to rise, the magical beast leaped forward and extended its claws, opening its jaws to bite Samael's neck from the side.
"Screech!"
In that perilous moment, a scythe blade sliced through the air. Anna, the Purple Haired Girl, swung her chain and split the Soul Eater Beast in two.
"Go!"
Samael nodded to her from afar, secretly dispersing the Death Qi surging madly within him. Not daring to hesitate in the slightest, he continued sprinting with his head down.
If he had fought desperately just now, he might not have been unable to kill the other Soul Eater Beast. But once he fell behind, the next problem would not be one beast, but a whole pack!
So he had been saved again...
They were both snakes, yet he was doing far too miserably, wasn't he?
The ancient serpent muttered bitterly to himself. He cast a reluctant glance at the strengthening materials scattered behind him, but for the sake of survival, he had no choice but to suppress his craving for Beast Spirit Cores.
"I've caught you, rats of Uruk!"
As the three fled for their lives, a cool, androgynous voice echoed across the wilderness, followed by a sharp whistle through the air.
"Bang!"
A chain tipped with a Silver Rune Spearhead shot forward in a straight line. Anna, bringing up the rear, spun around and swung her scythe blade with all her strength.
The collision exploded with a piercing clang of metal, scattering a trail of sparks that lit up the night.
Under the dazzling halo of light, the Androgynous Green Haired Beauty in white robes pressed her lips together and revealed a cold, sharp smile. A strange rhythm rippled from her chest and traveled into her arms.
Creak... creak...
Hearing the strange sound, Anna lowered her head toward the Scythe Chain that had been crushed until it was warped and broken, her expression stunned.
"Boom!"
Mountain-crushing, tsunami-like force smashed through Anna's Spear Chain and crashed into her violently, sending her petite body flying without mercy.
Seeing the girl, unable to find any leverage in midair, about to fall into the magical beast pack on the right, the ancient serpent bent his knees and sprang up from the side. He caught Anna, then rolled to bleed away the remaining force.
Seeing Anna's slightly pale little face and the trace of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, Samael rose and threw back his head, roaring at the White Haired Swindler ahead.
"Merlin! You've got the guts to do it, but not the guts to admit it?!"
As he shouted to vent his frustration, the prickling sense of danger at his back eased slightly.
Merlin? The mage under Heroic King Gilgamesh who had answered the summons?
So he was the one who had enraged Mother at the Temple of Blood?
Damn it, just how many secrets had he seen?!
The Androgynous Green Haired Beauty's gaze sharpened, her eyes locking onto the Magus of Flowers fleeing at the front. A Golden Vortex surged open behind her, and the Chain Spearheads shooting from it abruptly turned toward a new target.
At that moment, the White Haired Big Brother whose identity as the mastermind had been exposed stiffened. The hairs on his back stood on end as he turned around with a helpless, wry smile.
Tch. What did you expect from an amateur mage who could bite his tongue even while using High-Speed Chanting?
That was Enkidu, one of the greatest Divine Construct Weapons in the world of Mesopotamia!
According to the information he had gathered from his employer, King Gilgamesh, Enkidu's Base Stats fell within a certain range.
But due to the nature of a Divine Creation, Enkidu could allocate attributes according to the ability "Transfiguration."
Simply put, Enkidu could freely respec.
And that was precisely why Enkidu had suddenly piled bodily attributes into strength just now, unexpectedly blasting Anna away in a single blow.
Even that goddess's juvenile form couldn't withstand Enkidu's explosive output. Was I supposed to draw the fire?
Forget it, forget it. There was no way he was risking a charge into Melee Combat. He had to maintain a mage's elegance.
So, it was better to run!
Before you continue