The Other Is Hell

Beneath the gray-black robe, the shadow holding the wooden staff seemed to be darkness itself, leaving one unaware of its presence.

Perhaps this is the legendary figure who survived the Great Flood of Enlil — Ziusudra.

However, before Samael could get close enough to test him, Anna ran up beside him, carrying her favorite snacks, and gently placed them in the hands of the old man holding a wooden cane.

"Little girl, pointless pity is a kind of evil, and pointless self-blame is also a kind of evil."

"Moreover, a beast fallen from God seems to need the mercy of others even more."

Anna was slightly taken aback, thinking that her behavior had hurt the old man's pride, and subconsciously lowered her head to avoid him.

"This is a warning, listen carefully! The other is both hell and heaven."

"To run away means to give up the choice, which leads to the most tragic extreme!"

"Hold fast to this kindness, for it is your only path out of the darkness!"

The purple-haired girl sensed the gentleness beneath the old man's sternness, and her unease subsided slightly, but she was still somewhat confused about the meaning of his words.

However, the ancient serpent, who knew Anna's fate well, sensed something amiss.

Her model is Medusa, the Gorgon sister from Greek Mythology, the youngest of the Gorgon Sisters.

Then, for some reason, the goddess Athena will incite the hero to attack the three of them.

The constant stream of outsiders became a nightmare that disturbed the peaceful lives of the Gorgon Sisters.

"Other" is hell!

Therefore, Anna and her sisters escaped the marshland and settled on the Shapeless Isle, seeking refuge and self-preservation.

Even so, the heroes continued to land on the island to fight, and that isolated overseas residence became a dead end for the Gorgon Sisters.

Ultimately, the adult Medusa, unable to resist the heroes' attack, devoured her two sisters and became the fallen evil god Gorgon, the prototype of that Beast Goddess.

Based on the old man's advice, or perhaps prophecy.

If we don't blindly run away, but actively make choices and respond proactively at the crossroads of fate, we may encounter a different outcome.

Others can also be paradise!

As a survivor who managed to escape the Great Flood of Enlil, the Babylonian Triad of Gods, this "extremely long-lived being" in West Asian texts is indeed extraordinary.

Samael looked surprised and astonished.

At this moment, the gaze from beneath the hood turned to the ancient snake, and a growing sense of astonishment filled his eyes.

"All I see in you is chaos."

Suddenly, this legendary survivor from West Asian literature seemed to remember something, and the hand holding the wooden cane trembled slightly.

Samael and Anna were instantly pulled into an indescribable Abyssal Layers, completely isolated from everything around them.

"Defy fate! Defy fate!"

Ziusudra, who clearly possessed exceptional prophetic talent, reached out his thin, bony arm and grabbed Samael's wrist. His hoarse, low voice was somewhat distorted.

"Listen carefully! All waters are divided into upper and lower sections, with birth and death each occupying a separate area!"

"Authority is not the exclusive domain of the gods; the hearts of the people can also unite the will of Heaven!"

"When the heavens and earth unite anew, the world will once again face a choice!"

"Where there is destruction, there is construction; where there is no death, there is no life!"

It was like a whisper from the darkness, exploding in Samael's mind, which he kept repeating meaningfully.

In an instant, a gale arose, blinding white light flashed through the clouds, and a muffled thunderstorm spread outwards in a winding manner, creating an indescribable eeriness that seemed to make everything involuntarily prostrate and kneel down.

By the time Samael came to his senses, the mysterious old man had vanished, leaving only a lingering aura reminiscent of Dragon's Might's might in the surrounding space.

No, it's purer and more terrifying than Dragon's Might.

Perhaps, this should be called... Kamui?

The ancient snake, disregarding the danger, immediately grabbed the bewildered Anna and carefully slipped away from the scene. They ran all the way to the vicinity of the North Wall defense line before the suffocating feeling that had been lingering in their hearts gradually subsided.

Old man, what secrets have you revealed that have caused such great trouble?

Samael leaned against the shadows of the wall, panting heavily, his eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

He had assumed that the old man was also an "outsider" who had been brought here by chance during this calamity, and that "Ziusudra" was just a West Asian name with some metaphorical connotations, meant to help him integrate into the community.

However, all indications suggest that he is not a quest NPC who says a few prophetic words to different people.

The old man had an extraordinary understanding and connection to the Mesopotamian world; he may indeed be a West Asian hero who survived the Great Flood of Enlil.

Moreover, Ziusudra seemed to be surprised by Samael's appearance, and even had a hint of anticipation and surprise.

Those who defy fate... those who defy fate...

Forget it, that sounds like a word that's easy to incite hatred.

If even you can't do anything about it, what can you expect me to do?

Samael's mind was in turmoil, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He now has a feeling that the waters of the Age of Gods were far deeper than he had imagined.

With planning in mind, Samael calmed down and pondered the four pieces of advice given by Ziusudra.

However, due to the obscurity and unfamiliarity of the passage, coupled with the sudden appearance of thunder and gale in the sky that had startled him, the ancient snake was at a loss for what to do and had no choice but to put his thoughts aside for the time being.

Tsk, I was just treating myself to a meal to celebrate successfully recruiting Ishtar.

As a result, I still encountered this kind of mentally taxing and frustrating situation, which gave me a headache.

Samael shook his head helplessly. Seeing that it was getting late, he pulled Anna up and prepared to buy groceries to go home.

However, before leaving, out of a sense of duty, the two stopped by to visit Leonidas, who was recuperating at the military camp, as well as Tim, the garrison commander of the East Gate military camp, and the old general Tabad.

With the restorative magic of the temple as a foundation, and the abundant Magic Potion from the Firelink Shrine and the Astrology Platform, the spines of the three North Wall defenders have basically recovered to 40%.

At this rate, they should recover in a week at most.

When he was dragged back, he was half-dead, with many broken bones. Yet he was able to get out of bed and start training so quickly. The physical condition of humans in the Age of Gods is truly remarkable.

Despite their mixed feelings, Samael and Anna were still happy for these familiar faces who had fought alongside them.

After leaving some gifts and pastries as a token of their sympathy, the two returned to the embassy at dusk, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

As night fell and the food was served, the swindler Merlin, as usual, came over to freeload.

Seeing how this guy acted as a straight man during the day, Samael decided to turn a blind eye.

However, looking around the seating area, the key figures who had just checked into the embassy today were missing.

That's right, it's Sky Goddess Ishtar who was tricked into coming.

Could it be that she's still feeling guilty about her story from earlier today?

The ancient snake glanced at the empty seats and muttered to itself, feeling somewhat apologetic.

As he said, fraud is merely a means, not an end.

Nowadays, whether it's money or people's goals, they have all been achieved.

If this causes Ishtar any serious psychological trauma, Samael's remaining conscience will suffer to some extent.

After a moment's hesitation, the ancient serpent picked up a lamp, went upstairs, and came to Ishtar's bedroom, intending to offer her some words of comfort and, incidentally, invite her to join him for a meal.

However, as soon as he approached the window, he heard a series of crisp, rapid impacts, along with excited cheers from women.

I peered inside through the cracks in the window frame.

Then, Ishtar, who had suddenly felt remorseful and had a pang of conscience, began to spread the jewels and gold and silver from the box on the ground, like a squirrel storing nuts.

Immediately, the goddess, her face flushed with excitement, curled up into a ball and rolled and thrashed about on the piles of jewels and gold and silver.

She would even occasionally reach out and scoop up a handful of gems, tossing them upwards and letting these cute little things gently hit her.

"We're rich! We're rich!"

"With these, I can rebuild the temple on Mount Epiph three times over! I can use Jewel Magic however I want!"

"And after that, there will be a two-fold commission on the Treasury of Babylon's minerals!"

"Father God Anu, is this a dream?"

"I, Jianqi, am so happy..."

"This goddess has decided, I'm going to sleep with them tonight!"

Lost in her reverie, the Divine General her head in the pile of jewels, took a deep breath, and embraced these colorful little darlings like an octopus, even wishing she could drown in them.

Outside the window, the ancient snake, who was originally filled with a sense of apology, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Comfort? Comfort my ass!

After not seeing her for half a day, she transformed her house into a dragon's lair and had a great time.

I was an idiot to overestimate her integrity!

Tsk, giving her two coins is too much on the surface! This kind of woman should be kept on hold like a carrot, never given any real benefit.

Samael muttered to himself, then turned and prepared to leave the dwelling that resembled a dragon's lair.

However, as Ishtar regained her senses, the sound of her footsteps on the floor also startled the great goddess who had buried herself in the pile of jewels.

"When... when did you... come here?"

Ishtar hurriedly got up, scrambled open the door like a thief, and looked in astonishment at Samael, who had stopped in the corridor. He stammered out a question.

"Not long after..."

Thank goodness, the goddess behind the crack in the door patted her chest, and her heart, which had been pounding, slowly calmed down.

"Oh. I guess you said something like 'you've struck it rich'..."

Samael wore a mocking expression, but before he could finish speaking, a hand suddenly emerged from behind the door and grabbed his collar, violently pulling him into the room with lightning speed.

"Bang!"

The ancient serpent was pinned to the ground, the impact sending dozens of colorful gems flying, and the sound of gold coins clattering as they flowed was deafening.

In the darkness, two figures were intertwined and twisted together.

"You... you listened to everything?"

Ishtar pointed at the suspect's nose, asking questions with a fierce but insincere tone, her face showing embarrassment.

"You watched it too, right?"

"It must be!"

"Ugh! This is so embarrassing!"

Before the victim, who was thrown around in a daze, could even speak, the goddess, who was acting on her own, was caught in a state of extreme shame and indignation, pulling at her long black hair with both hands, her pretty face flushed red.

When did you start caring so much about your reputation and integrity?

Samael inwardly grumbled at Ishtar, who was stuffing her hair into her mouth and biting it wildly like a child, her face full of madness and shame.

Then, the goddess, like a hyperactive child, covered her head and swayed her upper body forward and backward.

Samael's face turned green, and he couldn't help but hiss and gasp.

Idiot! Get off me first!

Just now, he was dragged into the house, Ishtar, in order to control this suspect who had seen her embarrass herself, sat down on Samael's waist and abdomen.

Uruk is located in West Asia, where the temperature is relatively hot, and the Sumer long dress worn by this goddess is so cool that it is comparable to a swimsuit.

The two of them were pressed together, one above the other. As the goddess of love and abundance, Ishtar's movements, leaning forward and backward, were simply too much for any decent man to handle.

Finally, the great goddess seemed to hear the warrior's inner prayers, her body paused, and she muttered to herself as if possessed.

"You saw it, right? You saw it, right?"

Yes, yes, yes! I see you embarrassed yourself, is that alright now?

I just came over to kindly invite you to a meal, and I got caught and interrogated. What kind of karma have I created?!

Samael was on the verge of tears, and could only nod resignedly, hoping that she would stop torturing his lower body.

Based on the aftermath of his previous car accident on Mount Epiph, he worried that if the goddess made any violent movements, he might break not only his waist but also his legs.

Hmm, a third leg...

"This is so shameful, so shameful, unforgivable... unforgivable..."

However, as soon as they nodded, Ishtar, with her long black hair flowing down her back, suddenly lowered her head as if frozen, muttering to herself.

"What... what do you want? We're allies, allies!"

Samael, sensing something was amiss, stiffened, swallowed hard, and his expression turned grim.

"Rest assured..."

Ishtar looked up and smiled, offering a soft word of comfort.

But then, a sinister and chilling atmosphere spread out, and the great goddess raised her hand and pulled out a scepter with a sinister Sorcery Array that appeared in mid-air.

The top of the staff is twisted and coiled with seven silver half-snakes, and the staff itself is a cold silver color.

Moreover, it's more like a terrifying warhammer than a scepter.

The seven-headed warhammer staff! This is the symbolic weapon of Ishtar as the God of War, who ravaged the world. Although it is basically left to gather dust in the warehouse, it is still very intimidating.

"I suddenly remembered that Merlin and Anna downstairs are waiting for me to have dinner. Let's chat again when I have time."

Samael forced a smile, his body writhing desperately as he dug clear furrows into the pile of gems with his hands.

"Okay, it's nothing serious."

"Be strong. I'm just helping you erase some memories that shouldn't exist."

Ishtar smiled and responded, then grabbed Samael's right leg and pulled him deeper into the house.

Screw your toughness, erase memories, you think you can use Seven-Headed Serpent Hammer? Is this some kind of hardcore weapon?!

That hammer blow would shatter not only memory, but also the skull!

Samael's face darkened, and he was filled with resentment.

You're already thinking of killing your teammates before the war has even started?

Seeing that he was about to be dragged into a corner and tormented, Samael hurriedly raised his hand.

"Stop, stop, stop! I didn't see anything, I don't know anything."

"I've completely forgotten what happened just now!"

"Real?"

"More real than all the jewels you have lying around! God, I was just passing by! Who would be spying on your hobbies for no reason!"

"You'll keep it a secret?"

"I'm forgetful; once I step out of this door, I won't remember anything!"

Only after Samael's repeated promises did Ishtar feel somewhat relieved.

Seeing that the person was so sensible, the goddess hesitated but reluctantly agreed not to perform a memory erasure surgery on him.

However, just as Ishtar straightened up, a strange itch appeared on her nostrils, causing the great goddess to sneeze loudly.

At the same time, the slender hand in the darkness flicked, and the grotesque Seven-Headed Serpent Hammer roared down.

The target of the landing was between the victim's legs.

Ishtar! You son of a bitch!

Samael, unable to break free by having one leg grabbed, was drenched in cold sweat and his face turned green.