Ritsuka Fujimaru stood at the entrance to Eridu, stunned.
"Is this... really Quetzalcoatl's territory?"
"What are you all so surprised about?"
The Jaguar Man turned to look at her.
"Didn't I tell you before? Kukul is a very nice person."
"Unlike other gods, it never requires human sacrifices."
"But..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru pointed to the laughing people on the street.
"Who are these people...?"
"People from the city."
The leopard -Human Order.
"After Kukul arrived, he took over this area, drove away all the man-eating monsters, and taught the people here how to farm and how to build houses."
"Everyone here likes her very much."
"..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru watched the residents waving and greeting the Jaguar Man on the street.
Some residents cast curious glances at them, but there was no hostility.
"So that's how it is..."
She murmured.
Quetzalcoatl, Quetzal Quetzalcoatl.
Back in Uruk, she displayed overwhelming power and an arrogant attitude.
"Submission or destruction."
That sentence still echoes in Ritsuka Fujimaru's mind.
But what we're seeing now...
It doesn't match the declaration of "destruction" at all.
So, she's actually a good goddess?
Ritsuka Fujimaru asked the Jaguar Man.
"Yes."
"Then why did she say those things in Uruk?"
"I don't know about that."
The Jaguar Man tilted his head.
"Is he just trying to look cool?"
"... Trying to look cool?"
" Kukul can be quite childish sometimes."
The group walked through the residential area of Eridu.
As you walk towards the city's central square, the closer you get to the square, the fewer people there are.
Then they arrived at the central square.
A wide-open space paved with flat white flagstones.
A tall wooden pillar stands in the center of the square.
On the wooden pillar--
"Um?"
Everyone stopped in their tracks at the same time; a person was tied to the wooden pillar.
Long black hair.
Some of the clothing was revealing.
His mouth was sealed with a strip of cloth.
The person was tightly bound to the pillar with ropes.
"That is,"
" Ishtar?!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru shouted it out.
And at Ishtar's feet.
A pile of dry firewood was stacked in a dense circle, and some grease was poured on it.
This is clearly not going to be a bonfire party.
This was a form of execution by burning at the stake.
"Miss Ishtar!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru ran two steps toward the wooden pillar.
Ishtar saw them, her eyes wide, but the gag in her mouth prevented her from making a sound.
But her eyes were desperately trying to convey some message.
"Ugh! Ugh!!"
It probably means something like "Help me!"
Everyone turned their gaze toward the Jaguar Man.
"..."
The Jaguar Man was silent for a second.
"I said Kukul Anti-Personnel friendly."
"It didn't say she was friendly to God."
"Besides, shouldn't we rescue her first?"
Mash has already raised her shield.
Tomoe Gozen also took out her bow.
The two prepared to go forward and rescue Ishtar.
Just then...
A voice came from the stone platform on the other side of the square.
"Instead of waiting to be defeated, did they choose to take the initiative?"
Everyone looked in that direction at the same time.
On the high stone platform, a figure stood there.
South America style clothing. Long golden hair. Perfect figure.
Quetzalcoatl, Quetzal Quetzalcoatl.
She looked down at the crowd in the square, a calm smile on her face.
"That was definitely the right choice."
"Let me see if you've improved since yesterday."
A battle is about to break out.
Mash rushed to Ritsuka Fujimaru's side immediately and raised her shield.
"Senior, please step back!"
Tomoe Gozen drew back the bowstring and shot an arrow toward Quetzalcoatl on the high platform.
But Quetzalcoatl simply waved his hand casually.
A gust of wind deflected the arrow.
Then she jumped off the platform.
It landed in the center of the square.
The moment it landed, the ground cracked open in a spiderweb pattern.
"Bring it on."
She beckoned to Mash and Tomoe Gozen.
Mash gritted her teeth, raised her shield, and charged forward.
" Mash Kyrielight, enter!"
The shield swept across Quetzalcoatl.
Quetzalcoatl dodged to the side.
Then he delivered a chop to Mash's shoulder.
"Well!"
Mash was knocked to her knees by the blow.
The shield almost slipped from his grasp.
Before Mash could even react...
Quetzalcoatl's knee was already pressed against her abdomen.
"Gurgle...!"
Mash was thrown back and rolled several times on the ground.
" Mash!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru tried to rush over, but Tomoe Gozen stopped her.
"I'll do it!"
Tomoe Gozen lowered her bow.
A ball of light gathered in his hands.
He charged at Quetzalcoatl.
Although her archery skills are first-rate, ranged attacks are not very effective against a god-level Servant.
Melee only.
In the instant she closed in, light condensed into a red katana, which she thrust towards Quetzalcoatl's ribs.
Quetzalcoatl did not dodge.
She caught Tomoe Gozen's wrist with her left hand.
"Too slow."
Then an over-the-shoulder throw.
Tomoe Gozen's body tumbled in the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
"Cough...!"
Tomoe Gozen struggled to get up.
But Quetzalcoatl's foot was already on her back.
I've seen all your moves.
"It's useless to me."
She withdrew her foot.
Tomoe Gozen lay on the ground, panting.
Ana and the Jaguar Man exchanged a glance.
At the same time, he charged towards Quetzalcoatl.
Ana's scythe swung from the left.
The Jaguar Man swept his staff horizontally from the right.
A pincer attack.
Quetzalcoatl jumped from the spot.
Their attacks collided at her feet.
Then, the moment she landed, she delivered a spinning kick that sent Ana flying.
Immediately afterwards, an elbow strike landed on the Jaguar Man's abdomen.
"Guha...!"
The Jaguar Man bent down.
Quetzalcoatl delivered a chop to the back of her neck.
The Jaguar Man collapsed to the ground.
" Jaguar Man!"
Ana got up from the ground and rushed forward again.
But all of her attacks were easily dodged by Quetzalcoatl.
After several rounds.
Ana was also knocked down by a chop to the neck.
He was completely dominated the entire time, with no chance to fight back at all.
"..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru.
Looking at the scene before me.
Mash collapsed to the ground.
Tomoe Gozen lay prone on the ground.
Ana and the Jaguar Man also fell.
Four Servant.
They were all defeated by Quetzalcoatl in just a few moves.
Fou hid at Ritsuka Fujimaru's feet, glaring at Quetzalcoatl with an unfriendly expression.
Merlin stood at a distance, motionless.
It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but he knew very well that going up there would only be a waste of his time.
Although Ritsuka Fujimaru had long been prepared for the negotiations to break down.
But she didn't expect that before the negotiations even began, they would already be in dire straits.
She didn't expect Kotori to help them.
It might still be possible before the battle occurs.
But the battle has already begun.
She is now facing a truly desperate situation.
One wrong judgment could lead to total annihilation.
She must exclude these accidental factors from her tactical considerations in advance.
but.
Ritsuka Fujimaru noticed a detail.
Quetzalcoatl is doing the same thing as yesterday.
They easily defeated Mash and Tomoe Gozen.
But they still didn't kill him.
She definitely wasn't incapable or unable to do it, so she must have deliberately held back.
This deity never intended to kill anyone.
Ritsuka Fujimaru took a deep breath.
Then she turned to look at Kotori, who was still standing there beside her.
Kotori Itsuka.
She has stood still since the start of the battle.
They neither offered help nor ran away; they simply stood there and watched.
It's like watching a performance that has nothing to do with our side.
Ritsuka Fujimaru walked towards her.
"Ms. Kotori Itsuka ".
Kotori turned and glanced at her.
"I have an idea I want to test."
Can you do me a favor?
Kotori glanced at Ritsuka Fujimaru for two seconds.
This red-haired girl.
There was no fear on his face.
Even though she saw four Servant being defeated in just a few moves, there wasn't a trace of hesitation in her eyes.
On the contrary... they were very determined.
Kotori spoke.
"Since you didn't bother me the whole way."
"Go ahead and tell me. If it's not too much trouble, I'll see how I can help."
Ritsuka Fujimaru took a deep breath.
"I would like to ask you to take me to Quetzal's side."
"I think,"
She hadn't finished speaking.
Kotori had already roughly guessed what the other party meant.
He wanted to use himself as a bargaining chip to directly confront Quetzalcoatl.
Use your awareness to move the other person.
Kotori didn't say anything.
She simply extended her hand.
He grabbed Ritsuka Fujimaru by the back of her collar.
"Huh?"
"Huh??"
Then Kotori gave it a hard flick.
He threw Ritsuka Fujimaru towards Quetzalcoatl.
"Aaaaaaaahh...
Ritsuka Fujimaru traced an arc in the air.
Flying towards Quetzalcoatl Koyatl.
"..."