Chapter 629
What exactly happened in Fuyuki City in this world?
Although it's completely unclear what happened, one thing is certain—
Did you do Rider's hairstyle?
Shirou looked at Hippolyta, whose red hair was styled into a headband, and asked Rin Tohsaka about it, receiving an affirmative answer.
"So, do you miss it?"
Rin Tohsaka gave a meaningful smile.
"?"
Hippolyta overheard their conversation, looked puzzled. "What's wrong? So what's going on with this hairstyle?"
Rin Tohsaka waved her hand, brushing the topic aside. "It's nothing, it's nothing. Rider's used to her current hairstyle."
When I first saw you, I knew this hairstyle would suit you perfectly, and I was right!
... Shirou probably thinks so too, right?
"Why...?"
Rider looked nervously at the red-haired boy, who nodded. "Yeah, I think it's fine."
"Is... is that so? Then let's keep this hairstyle for now."
Rider said, "Don't get me wrong, tying my hair up makes it easier to move around, there's no other meaning behind it..."
The Queen stole a glance at Shirou, but just then...
A strange chill ran through everyone present.
"... What's wrong?"
Be careful.
A young man Spin warned everyone to be vigilant.
"Just now... the smells around here started to change."
"Reversal?"
Tiné didn't understand what a scent reversal was, but she sensed something was happening underground.
Shirou frowned and said, "Something is swallowing up the underground in this area."
For the first time since the start of the Snowfield Holy Grail War, Alcides is in deep trouble.
The opponents are the goddess Ishtar and Berserker.
Humbaba, in particular, moved with agility that belied its enormous size. Even the Black Demon, facing an attack from both of them alone, would find himself in a passive, one-sided situation.
Although he was on the defensive, Alcides still performed with great ease.
Aside from being ambushed and knocked into the ground by Humbaba at the beginning, it didn't suffer much damage after that.
The black demon leaped and dodged, weaving through Berserker's fierce attacks, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.
This opportunity came very quickly.
As Ishtar's Divine Aura power continued to grow, someone who had been watching the battle from the rear made a decision.
"... Is it not the 'original' entity, but rather an 'echoing' imprinted on the planet?"
On the rooftop of a tall building, Enkidu murmured softly.
"Since that's the case, I won't continue to ignore your position, because I am the reason you will remain in this world."
During their previous meeting in the forest, Enkidu assumed the other person was the goddess he knew, so he deliberately chose to ignore her.
But now that he realizes the soul within the artificial body is actually the remnant of a god, he changes his mind.
Enkidu has already made up his mind that he must be the one to negate the other.
"..."
He created "that" on the rooftop with effortless grace.
Minerals and plants emerging from beneath the green-haired Heroic Spirit's feet intertwined with golden chains, forming illusory silhouettes of mechanical outlines.
Seconds later, a massive harpoon cannon that jutted out from the rooftop was built.
The whaling cannons, with their ochre hues gleaming with gold patterns, are so solemn they evoke the fortified settlements of Uruk.
Enkidu placed his hand on the base and poured his own divine magic into it.
"Goddess Ishtar, you worthless remnant, have no further value in this world. Obediently return to the Inner Sea of the Planet."
So it is said--
A deafening roar and dazzling light enveloped the city as whaling cannons unleashed massive harpoons resembling intercontinental cruise missiles.
"You can't even stick to 'ignoring' things... You're always a half-baked idiot, a piece of junk."
The silver-haired goddess glanced out of the corner of her eye at the harpoon that was still several kilometers away, which was being fired at her, and muttered resentfully.
Behind the speeding harpoon, golden chains were linked together, and Enkidu raced along those chains.
"▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇--!!"
Berserker roared.
Ishtar looked back and saw that, lacking his cover, Humbaba was quickly overwhelmed by Alcides.
Monster vs. Hero.
Stories like this have played out in myths and legends around the world, where no matter how terrifying the monster's power or how huge its body, it will eventually be defeated by the hero.
And among those heroes who slay monsters, none is more authoritative than him.
The Great Hero Heracles.
Even without the glory of the goddess (Heracles), he remains the strongest monster slayer.
In a one-on-one situation, Humbaba really couldn't stop that guy after all...
However, Ishtar is currently unable to provide reinforcements, Enkidu is rapidly closing in on her.
She continued to enhance her divine output, infusing the surrounding land with Authority known as "Charm".
The killing intent released by the goddess transformed into a voice that Charm the world.
Cause and effect reversed.
The cold earth was Charm, acquiring functions and even emotions similar to those of an organic, intelligent life form.
Like a huge animal, or a group of small animals.
The land of the meat processing plant transformed into giants of mud, Enkidu as he relentlessly advanced.
On the other hand, Enkidu remained silent.
It seemed as if no words were needed, and it was not worth mentioning; it was simply a projection of hostility towards the goddess Ishtar.
He scorned the power of Charm; the air and chains Enkidu touched negated everything about the goddess.
Enkidu traversed the land with sheer physical force, driven by his fanatical devotion to the goddess.
He kicked away the waves of earth and rocks, using brute force to break through attacks from above, below, left, and right.
Even a simple stomp can produce a thunderous explosion, and the shattered rock surface directly connects into tiny chains, intricately intertwined and covering the chains.
Enkidu continued to channel his power into the harpoon, aiming it at the goddess standing in the sky.
"Tsk... Maanna!"
As Ishtar called out, a large number of jewels and gold ornaments flew down from the horizon.
These were offerings originally stored in the temple (Eanna), which, upon approaching the goddess, combined and transformed into Sky Ark shaped like a bow.
However, Enkidu would not give up so easily.
The magic-infused harpoon sped straight toward Ishtar, who had boarded the Sky Ark, and the two engaged in a pursuit in the sky.
Ishtar displayed an elegant, magnificent, and daring flying style, but this alone was not enough to shake off Enkidu's murderous intent.
Maanna was originally Sky Ark capable of freely traversing the surface of planets.
However, in modern times, it is constrained by the Physical Laws and cannot achieve its maximum performance.
In contrast, Enkidu possesses magical power from his Master and support from the planet, demonstrating superior mobility compared to Maanna.
If this continues, it's only a matter of time before the harpoon brings down the goddess.
If the mistress of heaven simply avoids conflict without fighting back...
That kind of thing is impossible for Ishtar.
"Oh, there just happens to be a suitable material."
The goddess caught a glimpse of the berserkers and avengers fighting not far away out of the corner of her eye.
To completely suppress the steel behemoth, Alcides once again drew his bow to its fullest extent and unleashed the "Nine Lives" technique.
The arrow, once released, instantly transformed into a nine-headed serpent and reappeared on the ground.
Ishtar stared at the rampaging Hydra phantoms, a bewitching smile on her face.
"Good boy, come here to me!!"
The Goddess of Heaven extended her slender arms and graceful fingers toward the phantom of Hydra.
By simply doing this, she subdued Hydra's tyrannical spirit with her overwhelming charm (Authority).
The nine arrows that formed the giant serpent were continuously compressed, reversing all the curses, and eventually turned into seven smaller serpents.
The seven snakes willingly coiled around the goddess's fingers, gradually stabilizing their form and transforming into a Noble Phantasm, or rather, a "sacrifice."
It was a stone hammer-spear shaped like seven coiled snakes.
Legend has it that the Goddess of Heaven Ishtar was born wielding a seven-headed warhammer, proving that she was both cruel and beautiful, an innate goddess of war.
"... Seven-Headed Warhammer Shita."
Enkidu recognized the Noble Phantasm that Ishtar had forcibly reversed and subdued.
That was one of the two destructive weapons wielded by the goddess Ishtar, which even he and Gilgamesh considered a threat.
Having acquired the goddess's weaponry, she immediately changed tactics and stopped fleeing.
Maanna spun rapidly along a rollercoaster-like path before suddenly turning around and speeding toward the harpoon that Enkidu Riding.
"Come on, you piece of junk! This is your favorite performance test segment!"
Her silver hair fluttered in the wind as Ishtar shouted in a high-pitched voice.
There are no tricks or gimmicks involved; it's simply a comparison of the numerical values of both sides.
The Goddess of Heaven, who was the only one who mattered, was absolutely certain that even if the opponent was the strongest weapon created by the gods, she would still be the one to win.
Using the acceleration of the Sky Ark, Ishtar forcefully hurled her seven-headed warhammer at Enkidu.
"Eight Directions Kneel in Worship, Jabal Hamrin Breaker!"
Divine Punishment--
Venus's energy surged and burned, filling the sky above the city.
With the resolve to evaporate the enemy until not even ashes remained, the Goddess of War unleashed a whole expanse of sky upon Enkidu.
"----"O mortals, hoping to bind the gods (Enuma Elish)!"
Enkidu unleashed his Noble Phantasm without any hesitation.
By harnessing the power of the planet and Human Order, one transforms their own Spirit Origin into a wedge that connects everything.
Countless golden chains appeared around him, advancing towards the sky itself, which was being swept up by the seven-headed warhammer.
The moment the power of the goddess collided with the power of the law god, a radiance was formed that illuminated the entire North American continent.
Boom----------!!!
The shockwave from the clash of their Noble Phantasm blew away the Sky Ark the goddess Riding.