Chapter 593

The Lahmu (New Humanity) might have already given birth to their own Alaya.

Shirou looked at Venus: "What were the results of the investigation?"

He Ishtar to go to the Persia Gulf to find out what was going on yesterday.

"This is very bad."

Ishtar shook his head. "Although from the air, the Persia Gulf does appear calm."

But beneath the surface, something was brewing. Just as you said, those guys were indeed plotting something.

Shirou, we can't wait any longer...

If this continues, it won't just be a question of Uruk's survival; they could even replace Human Order!

The so-called Collective Unconscious, Alaya, can be defined by its nature as a function used to safeguard the prosperity of Human Order.

Conversely, the Lahmu, as New Humanity, have also "learned" the same functions, and humanity's legitimacy as the primates of the stars is now teetering on the brink of collapse.

Ishtar narrowed her eyes and said, "There's no time to lose. Even if the Nabistine's Fang isn't finished yet, we should take the initiative and attack."

"Ah, that's what I think too."

If a war were to actually break out with the Lahmu, the only combat forces that would be of use would be Shirou, Ishtar- Ibaraki-dōji, and her summoned Magical Beast.

This is clearly not enough.

Ereshkigal, trapped in the Underworld and unable to move, hopes she can also join the battle.

If it's just a matter of making her manifest temporarily, it's not actually impossible.

All we need to do is have Ishtar change the laws of the sky.

The key question is whether the goddess's pride will allow it...

"No problem, anyway, Shirou proved that I'm a goddess who's better than her, right?"

One of the benefits of Shirou and Ishtar having a physical relationship was...

She became less fixated on confronting Ereshkigal than before.

After all, in her relationship with Shirou, the Mistress of Heaven has already won over the Mistress of the Underworld.

"If it's Shirou's request, I wouldn't mind lending him the garden (sky) for the time being."

Ereshkigal's participation in the war has been confirmed.

Then there's the ultimate weapon of Mesopotamia, which the Wise King Gilgamesh had high hopes for in the defense of Uruk, but which failed to appear due to the incompetent goddess's recklessness.

The Bull of Heaven, Gugalanna.

"Gugalanna... I'm sorry, but I advise you to give up on that idea."

Upon hearing Shirou's idea of using the Bull of Heaven to fight against Lahmu, Ishtar shook her head regretfully.

"It's not like I haven't tried anything."

To this day, I try to find Gugalanna or try to summon it again whenever I have free time.

In short, I made a lot of effort, because it was impossible for a mythical beast with such a deep connection to me not to return to my side.

The greatest humiliation for the mistress of heaven in her life was nothing more than this.

As the guardian deity of Uruk, he was surprisingly overshadowed by the mistress of the Underworld during the city's defense battle.

Because he lost his ultimate trump card, Bull of Heaven, the other goddesses pitied him and called him "an incompetent goddess."

What's even more intolerable is that Golden Flash king!!

He even mocked himself, saying, "With a body as pathetic as yours, of course the Bull of Heaven will disappear! Hahahaha!"

Ishtar never forgot such a humiliating disgrace.

"... However, no matter how hard I searched for Gugalanna's whereabouts, I found no clues."

It cannot be summoned, nor can its breath be felt.

Gugalanna is no ordinary lost item; it must have been stolen by someone beyond the reach of my Authority.

Or perhaps, because the connection between the gods and Human History was completely severed, it completed its mission and perished?

I lost Gugalanna in Uruk not because of my own mistakes or failures.

By then, Gugalanna had already left me, so naturally I could not summon him again.

The Gugalanna received from his father returned to heaven.

That's fine, um. To be honest, it's been working very hard.

Shirou said, "I see. Ishtar thinks the latter is more likely."

"Of course! Who do you think I am?"

Ishtar believed the latter possibility was more likely—stemming from divine arrogance.

"She gathered the Authority of all the gods and adorned herself with jewels—the goddess among goddesses."

I am the strongest deity, the ruler Inanna...!

How could there possibly be an existence on this planet that is "beyond the reach of my Authority"?

That kind of guy doesn't exist—I won't allow him to exist!!!

Ishtar placed her hands on her shapely breasts and uttered a powerful declaration.

Shirou knew very well that it was not a bluff.

The goddess's confident expression and imposing demeanor made it impossible to look away.

Shirou: "..."

Huh?

Ishtar blinked, then leaned closer with a mischievous grin.

"Shirou, were you mesmerized by me just now?"

"That's not true at all."

"She said that, but her face turned bright red... hehe, so cute."

It's okay, you can freely and boldly express your love to this goddess... This is a privilege only you enjoy.

Her sweetly scented body entwined around Shirou, Ishtar cast a golden gaze upon him, a gaze capable of Charm all things.

"Alright, tell me... my beloved, what's the name of your most admired goddess?"

Shirou: "..."

As expected of the goddess residing in Rin Tohsaka's body, her skill in teasing people hasn't changed at all.

I should never have developed that kind of relationship with her in the first place; if things continued like this, I would really become her plaything...

"Cough cough!"

Siduri came to the rescue.

"Lord Ishtar, this is a solemn audience hall; please behave with decorum."

"Hmm... I know, I know."

Even Ishtar couldn't ignore the devout high priestess, and she obediently released Shirou's body.

I'm saved... Thank you, Miss Siduri.

Shirou cast a grateful glance at the high priest, only to be met with a cold glare.

It seems a lecture is inevitable.

Does the existence of something beyond the reach of the goddess Ishtar's Authority not exist?

Yes, that's how you see it, isn't it?

Hearing the boy's words, Venus frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that, Shirou?"

Shirou smiled mysteriously, "Who knows, there might actually be someone like that out of the blue?"

"How could that be!"

Ishtar said angrily, "Who is it?"

Shirou: "A willful, self-centered god who takes other people's property for granted—"

Siduri: "Besides Lady Ishtar, there shouldn't be anyone else..."

Ishtar: "That statement feels a bit unpleasant... but that's how it is, there can't be anyone else but me!"

Under their gazes, Shirou explained, "It was Ishtar from Parallel World who took Gugalanna away."

"... ah?"

Ishtar and Siduri both looked dumbfounded.

The Bull of Heaven, Gugalanna, has disappeared from this world.

Indeed, it is more likely that it returned to the Inner Sea of the Planet.

But if that's the case, now that Ishtar has manifested in the world, it's impossible for it not to accept the goddess's renewed summons.

But if Gugalan still exists in other Parallel World, then everything can be explained.

Have you looked in that direction?

"No."

Ishtar shook her head.

You can't blame her for that.

After all, this is a possibility that only Shirou has extensive experience of drifting through Parallel World, could have imagined.

"But now that Shirou has said that, it does seem quite possible... the possibility is very high!"

"Right?"

"Truly worthy of Shirou!"

Ishtar pressed herself against Shirou again and kissed him.

"Cough cough..."

Siduri cleared her throat. "Then, Lady Ishtar, may I ask you to search for the whereabouts of Gugalanna?"

"Observing from Parallel World, right? Of course, no problem."

"If that Golden Flash can do it, how could I not?"

With that, Ishtar flew towards the outside of the tower, Shirou and the others followed.

Gilgamesh possessed the highest level of Clairvoyance, and at his peak, he could even foresee the future course of different worlds.

Ishtar doesn't have those eyes, but she can connect herself to the sky.

By connecting with the sky, Ishtar gained a shared sense of touch with other Parallel World.

I only have a vague sense of touch, and I can't observe the specifics of other worlds like Clairvoyance...

Fortunately, the target they were searching for this time was the Bull of Heaven, Gugalanna, whose very existence was equivalent to a typhoon or an earthquake.

It's not difficult to find the anomaly among countless Parallel World.

Ishtar floated in the air, closed her eyes, and began to meditate.

After a while--

"Found it! My Gugalanna! Uh, why is it modern? Oh well..."

Ah, not only Gugalanna... but also an aura similar to mine... this is...

As she finished meditating, the Goddess of Heaven suddenly widened her eyes.

"Just like Shirou said, Gugalanna was stolen by my Parallel World self!"

Ishtar returned to the tower in a huff.