Chapter 630

Ishtar pressed her hair down, her eyes fixed intently on Enkidu's side amidst the turbulent currents.

She saw a huge magical flower emerge from the epicenter, its petals closing one after another, enveloping all the final energy from Venus.

"... Couldn't you kill him?"

Ishtar frowned in displeasure.

It wasn't that easy to take him down after all. If we could increase our damage output a bit more...

No, if the power is increased to a level that can affect the world, the output of that piece of junk will also increase.

This is what they mean by planetary and Human Order support.

Ishtar maintained vigilance over Enkidu while observing Berserker's situation.

The situation is worse than before.

Alcides not only possesses the strongest combat power, but also multiple Noble Phantasm that make one wonder if there's some mistake involved.

"The Twelve Labors (King's Order)".

The various "proofs of passing the trials" that Alcides received in connection with his loss of divinity and the trials he underwent.

He can now materialize "Noble Phantasm obtained in legends during his lifetime," such as the "Pelt of the Divine Beast" and the "War God's Belt," and consume them as his own tools.

Now, the monsters included in "Twelve Labors's Order" have surrounded Humbaba.

A giant bronze bird with metal claws, beak, and Wings.

That was the Lake Stymphalis Strange Bird, the pet of Ares, the Greek Mythology god of war.

In addition, four man-eating horses from Diomedes were menacingly attacking Humbaba.

If this continues, Berserker (that kid) will probably lose.

Suddenly, Ishtar sensed something approaching from behind her.

It is not Instinct, but rather a perception of existence within the scope of Authority.

That being said, it came to our senses far too late.

Ishtar had long controlled the surrounding area, why---

Will I only fully notice when the other person gets very close behind me?

Was it because he was attracted to that piece of junk (Enkidu)?

Was it because they were too worried about the child's (Berserker's) safety?

No, that's not right...

There is only one explanation: the opponent possesses a "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" skill that surpasses their own Authority.

Is this really possible?

Before the goddess could even think, something even more astonishing happened.

The world is starting to turn around.

As if the world itself had been stripped of its color, countless Shadow enveloped the goddess, robbing her of all light.

That was some kind of dark realm.

Not only did the sound completely disappear, but even the sensation of the wind caressing the skin vanished without a trace.

At the same time— the Shadow transformed into a blade that pierced straight towards Ishtar's back.

"..."

This Shadow... is extremely dangerous!!!

Ishtar sensed something from the approaching Shadow.

That is probably "death," which even God cannot refuse.

If I get touched by this thing, I'll...

Ishtar immediately tensed up, channeling her magic to deflect the shadow blade with Divine Aura, but...

"Ugh...!"

The battle of attrition against Alcides and Enkidu had depleted more magic power than planned, slowing down the goddess's actions.

The thrust from the dark world closed in at breakneck speed, about to pierce the android's body—

Suddenly, an arm reached out from the side and pulled the goddess into his arms.

"... Shirou!?"

The silver-haired goddess stood frozen in place, while the red-haired boy put his arm around her shoulder and used a weapon he casually Projection to deflect the shadow blade.

Looking at Shirou's meticulous profile, Ishtar's heart suddenly raced for the first time in her Filia frozen chest.

"Like???"

Image: "~~~", Location: "Images/1769601789-100430532-114398172. jpg"

Volume 8: Chapter 393 Ereshkigal: There's a cow!

"Are you alright?... Why aren't you saying anything?"

Shirou looked at the silver-haired goddess leaning against him.

"Ah... um..."

To hide her embarrassment, Ishtar (Filia) hurriedly turned her head away, avoiding Shirou's gaze, and said...

"I'm fine, you're really overthinking this... Who do you think I am?"

I am Ishtar, the mistress of the sky. Even without your intervention, I could have easily deflected that attack.

For the first time since waking up in this era, the goddess Ishtar displayed an arrogant attitude.

Unlike Rin Tohsaka, who is 30% tsundere and 70% tsundere, the original Ishtar was a being composed of approximately 99.9% tsundere and 0.1% tsundere.

It's unlikely that anyone other than Shirou Amamiya could pull out that 0.1% of Tsubasa's charm.

Shirou nodded and said, "I thought so too. You couldn't possibly get hurt from an attack of this level."

But seeing you being attacked by the enemy, the body involuntarily begins to act before it can even think.

"Varied...!!"

Ishtar (Filia)'s eyes widened, and her cheeks began to burn even faster.

She wanted to say something more, but Shirou's attention was already drawn to the scene before him.

They were surrounded by overwhelming darkness and Shadow.

Those Shadow were the ones who attacked Ishtar just now.

It's as if the world has been stripped of its colors, leaving only black and white.

No, you'll understand if you observe carefully.

It's not that color has been stripped away, but rather that the world has been painted with "Shadow."

... Does it possess similar properties to the "Pale Rider"?

As Shirou speculated about the nature and capabilities of the enemy, a sudden change occurred before his eyes.

From the Shadow that had merged into the world, something white emerged.

That vivid, deathly pale thing, suspended in the dark void—

It is a skull mask that symbolizes the concept of death.

"... Assassin?"

The Goddess of Heaven frowned.

Before she could speak, Shirou raised his hand to stop her and said, "Leave this to me, Goddess, go and hold off Lancer."

Shirou understood instantly after merely deflecting a mysterious Assassin's attack.

This person is very incompatible with the goddess; it's better to handle it yourself.

"That's true. I haven't settled my score with that piece of junk yet."

Although she was somewhat concerned about the existence of the assassin, dealing with Enkidu was the goddess's top priority at the moment.

Ishtar glanced at Berserker, who was still worried about her, and discovered that it wasn't just Shirou who had entered the battlefield, but also another girl—a Knight Servant.

She rode on horseback and engaged in a long-range archery duel with Alcides.

While I was away, did you reach an agreement with Rider?

With mixed feelings, Ishtar boarded the Sky Ark and returned to the sky.

Shirou continues his confrontation with the all-encompassing darkness.

"Are you another Assassin? Why did you attack Ishtar?"

"The mandate of heaven has arrived."

A pure white skull mask floated above the shadows, and voices echoed from all directions.

"I am the primordial blade of our ancestors... I come to deliver the Evening Bell for you."

The distant past.

The paths to the temple, though different, all lead to the same destination.

People call those Spiritual Land in the mountains the bell-ringing hall for blessing those who die young, or perhaps the "entrance" to the Underworld.

It is the concrete image of a concept that all living beings must pass through, a place that can only be reached by crossing countless perilous valleys.

--The Temple of Azrael.

Among those who actually venture into the mountains, very few can reach the supreme state of "the end is the beginning".

No, even whether anyone actually achieved it, or whether such a person even existed, is now impossible to verify.

After all, reaching that level is equivalent to reaching the end of one's life in this world.

They might also die from the hardships of the journey.

But the essence is not there.

Because successfully arriving at the destination means losing one's life.

The temple's reward for those who arrive is merely the ringing of the bells of blessing as they actually end their destiny— the Evening Bell —and a glint of light that brings peace.

Only one person can remain in the temple for a long time.

That is the "Faceless Old Man," whose existence is uncertain—whether he is born eternally or dies without passing away.

The most revered assassin among all the leaders of the assassins who bore the Hassan al-Sabah was the one who announced his death.

Cursed Arm. Intoxicated Smoke. Serenity. Shadow Peeling. Quaking Pipe. Hundred Faces.

Each leader of the Assassin Order has a unique nickname and a corresponding assassination technique.

The first leader, "Old Man of the Mountain," is the only one who does not possess such an alias, which is equivalent to a conceptual embodiment of the Origin ancestor.

In the minds of the subsequent eighteen leaders, he was an unattainable guiding star, an invisible set of rules, and an inescapable "executioner."

No corrupt practices will be tolerated among the successive Hassan al-Sabahs.

Once these people who willingly abandon morality indulge in worldly pleasures, the great cause will instantly degenerate into selfish desires, negating the doctrine itself.

To prevent this from happening again, the Old Man of the Mountain will come before the Hassan with the sound of Evening Bell.

Those whose assassination skills decline with age or depravity, or those who succumb to desire and fall into depravity.

With the blade of the end, it will be led into eternal darkness, just as the end of the world is about to descend upon all living beings.

Every leader of Assassin Order dedicates everything they have to their name and the doctrine.

Regardless of the reason, violating the doctrine means certain death.

Not limited to temples. No matter when or where, the Old Man of the Mountain will stand behind Hasan in all its forms.