Chapter 515

The goddess of the Underworld suppressed her pink expression. "My plan to kill you here remains unchanged."

The deadline for the Gorgon to attack Uruk is fast approaching, and I must capture Uruk and seize the Great Grail before then.

In that case, humanity in this world would be doomed.

I already conveyed this to you through Shirou, so let me repeat it again--

I will imprison every single human being on Earth in the Underworld, making them my property.

This is my choice, the choice of the goddess Ereshkigal, the first decision I've made based on my own will.

No matter who it is, if they try to get in my way, I will show no mercy!

"Since you've put it that way, then things are simple. Fujimaru, Mash, prepare for battle."

"Ah, okay... yes!"

The girls instantly switched from observer mode to battle mode, Gilgamesh also took out his battle tablet—the Divine Authority Seal.

The Golden King of Heroes said, "Ereshkigal..."

As the city god of City of Kussa, you have colluded with the "Three Goddess Alliance".

The weight of this sin is far greater than that of any other goddess.

Even though I am now dead, I can still condemn you based on royal authority.

Aggressors must be repelled by force, while the betrayal of one's own people should be judged by the world.

That's what royal power is—you should be well aware of that.

A king who possesses divine authority (dingir) can even punish the gods if he is willing to sacrifice everything.

This is also one of the rules of Mesopotamian Mythology.

Ereshkigal scoffed, "So what? Are you planning to risk your life to kill me?"

"That depends on your answer. I ask you, goddess Ereshkigal!"

Why would you collude with the Goddess Alliance?! Do you intend to deny the protection of Sumer culture and the Sumer people?!

The goddess of the Underworld raised her beautiful eyebrows. "I thought you were going to ask something! You've disappointed me greatly, King Uruk!"

My responsibilities and duties remain unchanged! I am Ereshkigal, entrusted with the task of becoming a god in the Underworld...!

My purpose, my destiny, is to bring all humanity and all souls into the Underworld!

I have no regrets or remorse for carrying out this matter wholeheartedly! It is you who dare to obstruct me who should be destroyed under my divine authority!

"Oh. You dare to say that. In that case, there's no need to question you! Just hand over your head! Defeat will be your punishment!"

After Gilgamesh made his loud announcement, Ereshkigal did not back down; a crimson lightning spear appeared in her palm.

"I couldn't ask for more... I will cast aside all criticism and pierce through you all with my judgment!"

"Um... I know you two are in the middle of a heated discussion, but before that... there's a question..."

Ritsuka Fujimaru looked at the red-haired boy whose arm was being tightly held by the goddess of the Underworld.

"Mr. Shirou, which side are you going to support?"

"Huh? Of course Shirou supports me, otherwise why do you think he'd be here?"

"It's all to lure you to the deepest part of the Underworld so I can capture you all in one fell swoop."

Ereshkigal firmly believed in the bond between himself and Shirou, even going so far as to distort the truth as if it were perfectly natural.

Seeing this, Gilgamesh angrily rebuked, "Fool! Shirou came here to rescue me and bring me back to the earth!"

That guy is a hero of Uruk, how could he possibly have the thought of associating with a fallen goddess like you?

Shirou was speechless: That's not what you just said, Gilgamesh.

"Shirou... I want to ask you one last question."

Ereshkigal looked at Shirou with a serious and somewhat nervous expression.

"For a long time, I have been here managing the souls of the dead."

Without their own happiness, joy, sorrow, or friends, they can only gaze at their own half soaring freely in the sky.

Are you going to hold me accountable for this? Even now, you still intend to claim that collecting souls is a mistake?

Are you going to deny the efforts of someone who refuses to be praised and who has always performed this job alone?

After a brief silence, Shirou released the goddess's wrist that was wrapped around his arm.

"Shi... lang...?"

"Ereshkigal, that's what you're supposed to do anyway," the boy said expressionlessly.

"... Alas!"

Ereshkigal gaped in disbelief.

The betrayal from her beloved boy felt like a sharp knife had been plunged into her chest.

"Since you were born into this world as a goddess of the Underworld, you should naturally do your job well."

If you are dissatisfied with your responsibilities, you can lament it or abandon them and seek other paths.

However... you don't need to belittle the obligations you haven't shirked and have been fulfilling.

This is a denial of the long history of Ereshkigal, and I absolutely cannot allow it.

No matter how painful or lonely that mission was, you persevered for tens of thousands of years, didn't you?

Why deny your past self after everything is over?

If that's really painful... I'll stay with you until the very end.

"Shirou... I... Huh!?"

Ereshkigal's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

Shirou gripped the goddess's hand tightly:

"I once said I hoped I could stay in the Underworld in your place, didn't I?"

I'm sorry, my thinking was flawed at the time; I didn't consider your feelings at all.

Ereshkigal, let me stay in the Underworld with you?

After everything is over, I will come to the Underworld to find you again... What do you think?

This time, you won't be the only one sacrificed to the gods.

Ereshkigal shed tears.

This was only the second time she had shed tears in her tens of thousands of years of life, just three months apart.

Overwhelmed with happiness beyond words, the girl wept uncontrollably, and the spear in her hand fell to the ground.

"The goddess Ereshkigal's hostility has completely vanished..."

"Hmm, as expected of Mr. Shirou..."

The girls were dumbfounded.

"Well done! I've returned to my original size! And my divinity has returned!"

Ishtar finally recovered from that absurdly shrunken state.

Thus, Ereshkigal successfully joined the Uruk camp.

Actually, things are not that simple.

Ereshkigal refused to join, believing she had taken too many lives and was unworthy of such a position.

"Ereshkigal you sure you didn't actually kill the people of City of Kussa?"

Shirou said, "Because it's a place very close to the Underworld, after you imprisoned their souls, you also moved their bodies underground."

Then, because the temperature in the Underworld is very low... those bodies were properly preserved, weren't they?"

Ereshkigal bit his lip. "Well, even so... there are still the people of Uruk..."

"If you're referring to the remains of the weakened City of Uruk, I've already kept them in the basement of the Divine Tower, haven't I?"

If you liberate those gun prisons, everyone will be instantly resurrected.

Let me be blunt—in terms of total casualties, you are undoubtedly the weakest of the Three Goddesses!

"This... this is really discouraging!" Ereshkigal protested angrily, "I clearly put in more effort than ever before!"

"Nice to meet you, Miss Ereshkigal."

Mash walked up to the goddess and wanted to shake her hand.

"As expected... it still doesn't work..."

What are you still sulking about?

Ishtar crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

Ereshkigal glared at her, and she immediately ran behind Shirou.

Even if I wanted to be your comrade, my body simply couldn't do it.

The covenant of the "Three Goddess Alliance" restricts me.

Unlike Quetzal, I can't break my contract by sacrificing half Coatl divinity like she did.

Although Ereshkigal is invincible in the Underworld, in terms of divinity alone, he is far inferior to Ishtar.

"If that covenant is restricting you, then I will break it—I will grant Ereshkigal his freedom."

"Shirou...?"

Ereshkigal looked at Shirou in surprise and saw a large, black sword in his hand.

The goddess of the Underworld sensed a strong aura of death emanating from that unassuming, ancient greatsword.

"Shirou? What kind of sword is this?"

"A suspicious old man gave it to me," Shirou said.

Back in Fuyuki City, Shirou was often given pocket money and fruit by the old men, and he had become accustomed to it.

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes.

The Gate of Babylon contains the original texts of all the treasures in Human History, but this sword is clearly not among them.

It couldn't even be called a treasure; it was just ordinary iron that had been tempered to its current state by the ominous aura of its many owners throughout its long history.

"Mr. Shirou, can you sever the 'Three Goddess Alliance' contract?"

"I haven't tried it yet; I'll only know after I try... Because this is the Underworld, a place filled with 'death,' it might be easier to succeed here."

"Wow... this doesn't seem very reliable."

Ereshkigal walked up to the group that had been talking.

"It's alright, I believe in Shirou... If it's Shirou, he can definitely do it."

Their eyes met, Shirou nodded slightly.

"Good."

He walked up to Ereshkigal and raised his greatsword high with both hands.

"..."

Ereshkigal took a deep breath.

Although I just said some cool things, it's impossible to say I'm not scared.

Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to trust Shirou.

The boy's golden irises turned into an eerie pale blue.

"Oh..."