Absolute Demonic Front Mesopotamia (II)

...Doctor, we've returned to Uruk. But this is...

...Yes. The only life signs I'm picking up inside Uruk are you, King Gilgamesh...

...and eight soldiers still taking out Laḫmu from the ramparts.

But it's just as King Gilgamesh said... Even if we fix the Singularity...

No, Uruk won't be destroyed. As long as Gilgamesh and you are here, we still...

Let's hurry to the ziggurat. I'm sure he's up there, watching until he's the last one remaining!

More. Still more! More humans! Fun! Fun!

Everything destroy! Fun! What fun! They still alive!

They're getting on my nerves! Let's take them out, Fujimaru!

You're back? Has it been half a day? Funny, it seems like it was just a moment ago. All right.

Take a look. This is Uruk in its entirety. One more step and it will be wiped off the land. The end of the world.

The Chaos Tide...is in the city... Our embassy, too...

...Terrible. I took my anger out on Uruk in various ways before...

...but this is going too far... Does Mother hate humans that much...?

Who knows? The voice of that Beast does not seem to reach us. First off, does that thing even have a mind of its own?

It's a mechanism that only exists to destroy the world.

The moment it turned into an Evil of Humanity, I assume it ceased to be the Tiamat you knew through your father.

...Then how are we going to stop Mother? Unless she has someone she can take her hatred out on, there's no way.

True. All of the things that Tiamat spawned, their evil should end once old Mesopotamia perishes.

...Gilgamesh?

But enough chatter. Here she comes. Our Mother appears.

Ishtar, take to the sky! You can fly, so there is no reason for you to remain on Celestial Hill!

Stand by in the sky! Hover above those dark clouds, directly under the sun! I'll issue instructions when ready!

...Got it. Fujimaru, take care of him.

He's way too confident for a human. Keep a close watch in case he does something stupid.

？！

Thank you. I'm glad, knowing you'll be with him. Well, I'll see you later!

You fool! Fujimaru isn't sticking with me! I'm sticking with Fujimaru!

Mm? Wait, no. Aargh, I'll sort it out later!

Don't stand there looking so conceited. Be careful and watch closely, Fujimaru!

This is Uruk's last stand against Tiamat!

The Dingirs mounted on the city walls are firing! But how? The soldiers are all

Fwahaha! Do not underestimate my magical energy, plebe!

All 360 Dingirs mounted on the walls were made by MY hand, infused with MY magical energy, and controlled by ME!

If I work this body to death, I can control them all like this!

But what about the lapis lazuli used to detonate them!?

If you don't crush that with a hammer, we can't fire the Dingirs!

Lapis lazuli is just a substitute for magical energy! I can take care of the detonation myself!

？！

Fwahaha, who do you think I am!? I am the supreme king who, much as it irritates me, bears the blood of both god and human!

I'll show you what I can do to stop Tiamat!

？！

Foooou!

？！

How dare you try to snipe me!? But you have good aim. Impressive, you damned Tiamat!

Gi

？！

Hah! Worry not, it is only a mortal wound!

What about you fools!? Are you all right!? You're all right!? Very well!

A-are you still going to fire the Dingirs in your condition!? Please stop, you're clearly in no condition to...!

Are you saying it's impossible? That I am at my limit? That Uruk cannot fight anymore!?

Is that what you're saying, Fujimaru!?

？！

Well said! Then it is time to get serious!

I mean, I was going all out from the start, but I do have a king's vanity! Still, your brazen words have driven me on that much more!

Tiamat has reached Uruk! Three more minutes until she reaches the ziggurat!

On top of that, we've confirmed a huge discharge of Laḫmu! A Laḫmu horde is coming ahead of Tiamat...!

There are over 8,000 of them! Escape into the ziggurat! There's nothing else that can be done!

...!

Master...!

Grrr, a direct attack on the ziggurat! Both of them are out!

Mash, Fujimaru! I need you to wake up! If you don't...!

The Laḫmu clumped together and body-slammed the roof? Seriously!?

They're like Gugalanna's hoof! The ziggurat's rooftop

Gilgamesh is standing firm. Good! The other two... Not good! They're out cold!

Hold on. I'll scatter the Laḫmu wall and be rightHuh?

That contrail... Something is flying directly towards the ziggurat

Kingu!?

2,000 Laḫmus left. A pittance.

Humph. Didn't I tell you? As long as I have a heart, you creatures are no match against me.

To be having trouble against this mass-produced trash shows how useless those obsolete humans truly are.

...And yet, they had the gall to talk back to me. Both that Master of Chaldea and the other one.

For all their show of confidence, they couldn't do anything alone, and they knew it. But they survived to the end.

...Heh-heh. I can do anything alone, huh? The moment I thought that proved that I was imperfect.

Kingu...!? Kingu. You say!? How. You alive!? How you. Still be moving!?

No. Ask why. Reason. Why you ally? With the humans...!?

...I haven't sided with humans. I am a new type of human entirely. I am Kingu, the one and only member of the new humanity.

However...

...Forget about Mother, or my origins... Do something I truly want to do, huh?

...That's not what I am. That's not who I was. That wasn't me, Gil.

But...when I think about it, there was one thing.

I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you.

All of the memories left in this heart and my impressions of them. I wanted to share them with you, as your friend.

But that can't happen. That wish wasn't mine. It belonged to the machine called Enkidu.

...And my wish is the same as it's always been.

It has nothing to do with new humanity or old humanity. I was born into this world in order to preserve it.

AAAAAAaahhhhhh ...Kinnnnnguuuu.

Farewell, Mother. You chose the wrong child.

...Yes. I don't really understand what he said, but...

...This body remembers what it's supposed to do.

Great Grail of Uruk, lend me your power.

Kingu, son of Tiamat, will show you the power of the Chain of the Heavens!

Mother's fury is a thing of the past. Now I will awaken the breath of stars

Enuma Elish! Humans, let us bind the gods!!!!!

？！

...Yes. It seems the impact knocked me out. ...Where are Tiamat and the Laḫmu!?

？！

Those are chains...or something like chains binding Tiamat...

What is that...? And how much time has passed...?

Ah, you're awake.

Do you feel a little rested? Splendid. Then I will leave the rest to you.

As you can see, Tiamat is right at our doorstep.

Just a few more steps over here and this ziggurat will be reduced to ashes.

Hah. But it's frustrating her. With those chains, even a single step is so difficult.

...It was only a momentary restraint, but for her, a mind-numbing eternity.

...Goodbye, celestial orphan. This feat, here, was equal to any in your life before

The Chain of the Heavens even held back the physical strength of a god of creation.

Aaaaaa AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

King Gilgamesh, can you hear me!? This is Ereshkigal of the Underworld!

The phase transition between underground Uruk and the underworld is done! We just need to dig a hole!

Got it. Did you hear that, Ishtar?

Of course. I've been ready and waiting. For an hour. I've been watching you make faces I've never seen before.

...But are you sure about this? You have no regrets?

Of course not. What is there to be sad about?

I sent my friend off twice.

The first time I was mourning. But this time is different. His proud, valiant figure is burned into my memory for eternity.

...Come on. That's not what I am talking about, dummy.

...(Sigh) Even till the end, you don't think of me?

Well, that doesn't matter to me now... Perhaps it'd be a bit annoying if I was ONLY Ishtar...

All right! That's enough melodramatic speechifying from me!

The future will take care of itself... Now I'm gonna scatter every regret to the winds!

Here I go, Goldie, Fujimaru! As requested, I'm going to punch through the ground beneath your feet with no mercy!

...Humph. Finally, the true split with the gods...

I certainly spouted quite a lot of nonsense, even for me. Well, I suppose that means I cannot remain behind.

Master of Chaldea. Do you remember our conversation about being consistent with human history?

Uruk's destruction is inevitable.

But if Tiamat and the starting point of this Singularity, myself, were to disappear, that conclusion would be interpreted a bit differently.

The only thing that will vanish would be the reign of Uruk's fifth king. The era after, the sixth king, should be alive and well.

Tiamat is not the only one who must be defeated. After this, I too will no longer be needed.

My only fear was in how I would die. Suicide, as a king, is out of the question.

I was troubled over what to do, but now, as luck would have it, I am mortally wounded. I thank you, Fujimaru.

？！

...Sometimes you are intolerable. That's not all I'm thanking you for. Do not make me say more, fool.

Traveler from another land. Etch this into your mind:

Even if everything in this era had been called into service, I have a feeling it would have ended here.

You are a foreigner, a foreign element in this period, and a surplus. However

That very surplus was the thing that helped us face destruction we alone could not have overcome, and helped us make our final move.

...The time has come. I am leaving everything in your hands now.

Beast II is right before us! She's stomping towards us!

King Gilgamesh, take cover!

Nonsense. I am the final lure. Come, Tiamat! Crush me!

This is your graveNo, this is where we'll drag you down to hell!

？！

O-okay! I don't really get it, but this is an emergency situation, right, Senpai!?

Don't tell me this is...!

Fou, fouuu!

That's right! Crouch down, and anchor yourself to the ground!

Ishtar's Noble Phantasm is going to hit the base of the ziggurat! Everyone, prepare for impact!

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Yes, we're falling...! I can't see what's below us!

At this rate, we'll fall to our deaths before Tiamat!

I won't let that happen. Here, I give you permission to float in the underworld.

Gather magical energy in your feet and imagine the ground. That way, you should be able to hover a bit.

That's Ereshkigal! Okay, I'll try!

I'm glad you two could make it. But pleasantries will have to wait. Behold!

Is that...Tiamat!? Then we were successful in leading her to the underworld!?

Yes, look up. You can see Uruk.

Ishtar destroyed the foundations of Uruk, bringing it all down here.

The distance to the surface is over 2,000 meters... Impressive, so this is the underworld of the Age of Gods. I'm almost not sure what I'm looking at, is it deep, or...?

But more importantly, what's that!?

Ishtar's Noble Phantasm set Tiamat ablaze and it doesn't seem to be going out!

Oh, that's one of the underworld's security features. This happens to those who come without my permission.

This law was laid down by the world itself. Nothing can survive once it's set off, not even Tiamat.

So, where is King Gilgamesh? Can we go ahead and deal the finishing blow?

He said to wait until everyone arrived, but I don't know if that's necessary.

I think this is our one chance to press on.

Well... I agree. But Ereshkigal, King Gilgamesh is already...

？！

...Yes. You're right. Even if it's just us, we'd better go ahead.

All right? Then I'm going to begin! Leave it to me. We don't need King Gilgamesh or Ishtar!

I'll finish her off for you...! Hear me, gallû spirits, the spears of rotting flesh and death!

Feel the wrath of the iron hammer of Kur! Everyone, attack!

Well? That's about it. Here in Kur, even Tiamat is just another god.

An all-out attack from me and the gallû spirits was enough to dispatchto...dispa

Wh-wha

The Chaos Tide is corrupting the underworld! This is bad! It...it'll take over the whole underworld if it keeps spreading!

That's not all... What is this reading!? Beast II's Spirit Origin is... It's growing!

Reversion to the Age of Gods has reached the Jurassic Age! It's no longer just a Servant possessing Divinity, this is an actual deity!

H-h-huh!? Wh-wh-wh-what's happening!?

Did I do something!?

Spirit Origin inflation has halted, and the Magical Reactor Core is rebooting as well...! The wounds she sustained in the fall to the underworld are healing, too!

It's coming...! That

That's the true form of Beast II!

Aaaaaaa, AAAAAAAAAA LaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Tiamat is birthing more Laḫmu! They're spreading throughout the underworld!

Impossible! We can't possibly do this! We can't beat all of those by ourselves!

I mean, the wave's coming! It'll take over the underworld!

Quit whining, you dumb-dumb! And you call yourself the goddess of the land of death, meow!?

You're

Yes! It's a bird! It's a balloon! No, it's an optical illusion! I'm the tiger that races through the underworld. People call me Jaguar Warrior!

It's a long story, so let's save it for later! Anyway, I'm impressed you made it this far, Fujimaru!

Yes, I did. And then, when I got to Uruk, it was fiiiiiine that you didn't ask me to join you, so don't be concerned about that.

Anyway, I'm impressed you made it this far, Fujimaru!

？！

Tiger! A tiger has come to the underworld! I don't believe it! Is that really a legit tiger!?

Read 'em and weep, little girl! Now stop complaining and continue with that paw-some attack!

B-but it wasn't having any effect...! And Kur's output is dropping as a whole!

Even if it isn't effective, we have no other choice! Listen, you may not believe it, but Tiamat is at her weakest right meow!

But if we don't do something, right here, never mind the end of humanity! It'll be the end of everything!

Just see what happens if she makes it back to the surface! In less than a day, she'd cover the whole world in that mud!

Oh, no... Doctor, is what she said...

It's true! Most of the underworld has already been consumed by the Chaos Tide as we speak!

You can't let it get to the surface! You have to get rid of it here at all costs!

Luckily, the Chaos Tide and the Laḫmu are all part of Tiamat. They don't count as "other life!"

If you kill Tiamat while she's in the underworld, she shouldn't be able to manage her paradoxical restoration!

But there's already so much mud! How are we supposed to fight Tiamat under these circumst

What the hell is that!?

？！

The Chaos Tide's spread...stopped entirely!? Or has all its Authority been used up and turned into regular mud!?

It may be unbelievable, but those flowers are draining Tiamat's power!

All right, I made it in time! You have a poor imagination, Archaman!

When faced with a sea that births life, all you have to do is use that life for something less horrible and more helpful!

And if that's the case, the spotlight is mine! After all, I enjoy bolstering my reputation as the Mage of Flowers!

Ack! Meeeerlin!? How can you be here!? Don't tell me you were re-summoned!? No, no, no!

Hahaha, no, of course not. Re-summoning is impossible. There's a simpler explanation.

I am the real deal, the genuine Merlin. I just popped over from Avalon!

Foooou! Kyuuuu!

？！

Ah, with the Earth a blank slate from humanity's incineration, I was able to sneak through fairyland!

I do hate sad partings. Letting death be what separates us would have just been too depressing!

Therefore, I bent the rules just a liiiiiittle bit and escaped my tower of imprisonment. In order to see you folks, of course.

Yes! We've been waiting for you, Merlin! We are thrilled to see you again!

Beast II has deployed horned wings from its back now! Look, I think Merlin pissed it off!

He may have stopped the mud from encroaching on the underworld, but not Beast II itself! It's trying to fly back up to the surface of Uruk!

？！

...Hmmm. Two goddesses trying to ground her, a pitfall into the underworld with Uruk as bait,

...the Chain of the Heavens binding her, the punishment of the underworld, and my beautiful flowers.

Fujimaru. And Heroic Spirits. You have tried everything under the sun to get even this far.

But it's still not enough.

She still does not know fear. She has no natural enemy. She is unfamiliar with he whom I dub "Death."

"He"...? Is someone else helping you?

Yes, indeed. A powerful ace that I've kept up my sleeve.

But who summoned him? It wasn't King Gilgamesh. Nor the Mage King's Holy Grail.

...I shouldn't even have to say. It was you, Fujimaru, of course.

He said he would abandon his Grand title to show you his gratitude. And the enemy is the Evil of Humanity, a Beast.

From the beginning, the conditions were right for him to appear in this land. There was meaning to all of your battles.

You don't mean...

So the reason why Fujimaru's vitals dissapeared in the underworld last time was because...!?

That's right.

Now, look up at the sky, primordial sea! Look up, goddess of life, and know Death.

All that begins must end. So, too, all that lives, dies, and in dying, value finds. Thy vaunted eternity is but hollow slumber.

Beast of Disaster, evil born of mankind's folly, thy desperate wish that thy love not go unrequited shews thy rejection's roots.

Aaaaaaaahhhh AaAa, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Of rank, nor station, nor the title Grand have I need. Bear witness, goddess of life, to the testament writ with mine own blade.

Thou fallen god, to beasthood turned, if Primordial Mother be thy title, attend, and hear my name.

From the mountain abyss, I come, and only death do I bring. I am the Old Man of the Mountain, the First Hassan-i Sabbah.

The bell of evening tolls thy name. Touch not the sky, for by heaven's will I shall strip thee of thy wings!

Beast II's Spirit Origin pattern has changed...

I don't believe it... Not only were Tiamat's wings severed, but now she's had the concept of "death" forced onto her!

Tiamat is as enormous as ever, but now she has a normal Servant's Spirit Origin pattern!

You can beat her! If you act now, you can completely destroy Beast II!

Romani! I've identified her Spirit Origin Core!

It's clichéd, but it's in the head! Tiamat's Spirit Origin Core, her weakness, isn't in the heart, but the head!

Nice one, Leonardo! Fujimaru, you heard that, right!?

Target Beast II's head! This is the true final battle!

Yes. And just as we should expect of Beast II, the instant she recognized her own mortality, she marshaled all her might!

She's birthing even more Laḫmu while she flees for the boundary of the underworld!

She's scrambling up the wall to escape to the surface!

？！

Yeah, that's the spirit! This is truly our last chance!

Mash, Fujimaru, we can get reacquainted later! The storm is coming! Are you prepared to face it?

Yes! Of course, Merlin, Mage of Flowers!

And Senpai, this must be the final battle of the Seventh Singularity!

I know I was weak before, but please give me your orders, Master!

This is for all our friends who believed in us

I'll do whatever's necessary to defeat that Beast!

？！

Incredible...! All of these flowers in my underworld!

Wait, that's not what's going on. I just regained control over the underworld!

All right, this is a one-time deal. I give you all permission to act in the underworld and give you a power boost, too!

The mistress of Kur, Ereshkigal, asks you a favor! Heroes of the surface, crush that evil dragon!

The connection between Earth and the heavens must be severed by human hands By humanity, continuing far into the future!

We've beaten back the mutant Laḫmu defending her! We'll head for Tiamat

I mean, Beast II's head!

Ereshkigal's blessing even lets me walk on air? No. Wait. Mash and Fujimaru, too?

I see. How sad. But I suppose if that's what she chose, there's nothing for it.

...?

Bel Laḫmu approaching! They're fast! It's a new type that specializes in flight!

On top of that...their magical energy level surpasses even a Demon God! Think of them as Beast II's direct familiars!

Hmph, we can't be intimidated by enemies of that level any more. Just bring it o

No, don't bring it, don't bring it! They really are tough!

Jaguar Warrior has dropped out! No, she fell! More incoming, a total of 11!

So they are the true offspring of Beast II!

This proves a worthy battle. A single horn cannot slake my sword's thirst, and disuse ends only in disrepair.

Child of Chaldea, wouldst thou welcome an Assassin's aid?

？！

Very well. Henceforth, my sword shall create your destiny, and your will shall create my body.

The last vestiges of my title, shed with thy wings. Thou shalt not find me the weaker for it.

Contractor, employ Azrael as thou wilt. Now, and for ever more if it should be thy wish.

Yes...! There is no more dependable reinforcement than you!

Commencing battle! Let's break through the mutant Laḫmu and reach Beast II's head!

You've finally caught up to the head, but Beast II is only three hundred meters from the surface!

Hurry! At the rate she's going, she'll only need a few more minutes to climb out! Destroy her core, no matter what!

Understood...! Master, your orders, please! Beast II cleanup operation begins now!

Beast II is still standing! Dammit. Her Spirit Origin's durability is astounding!

Your attacks are still effective, though! Almost, you're almost there!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Ugh, trying to swallow me whole!? Rude! I'm not Marduk, there's no way I'd survive that!

Cath Palug, do me a favor! Can you go ahead and teleport me!?

Fooou, fou? (Special translation: What the hell are you talking about?)

Ghaaaaaaaa! How dare you, Cath Paluuug!

What, is Merlin out!? You can't neutralize the Chaos Tide without him!

Damn! She went to target the support first! We won't be able to fight for long without him!

Keep your distance! If you two get consumed by the Chaos Tide, that'll be the end of everything!

？！

In that case, I'll be a shield for Master!

Getting swallowed by the mud would change Senpai into a different creature, but I won't let that happen!

As a Demi-Servant, I should be able to withstand it for a while!

Doctor! If Master is determined to stay, I stay, too!

Mash...! But your body can barely

What are you talking about? If a long battle is not possible, you just need to end it swiftly.

Or are you worried about your firepower? I suppose you fools leave me no choice. I will help you out.

Y-you are

Servant, Archer. Gilgamesh, King of Heroes. You mongrels were making such a racket, I had to come see what was happening.

Well, I came all the way here. What's a little rule-breaking for a king?

King Gilgamesh! You're safe!

Hah. Something like that. This is the underworld, after all. There's still room for compromise.

And listen, Tiamat. Looks like an understanding of death has helped you finally revert to a form of Divinity.

Know that I don't hate you. The people of Uruk may harbor anger, but they don't hate you, either.

But we are fated never to understand each other.

You give birth and nurture. We grow up and leave.

No matter how much love children receive, they must eventually leave their mother's embrace.

Here and now, I will demonstrate that truth! Don't worry, I have no intention of dishonoring your corpse.

We no longer need your foundation of the world! You can rest in the land of death once and for all!

AaAAAAAAAAAAHHH LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Well. Neither of us have much time. Let's put an end to this, Fujimaru of Chaldea!

I shall grant you the honor of fighting alongside me at this final hour! Now show me the worth of your tale as a deity slayer!

We've detached Beast II from the wall! She's falling to the bottom of the underworld!

Spirit Origin collapse confirmed. Eleven Magical Reactor Cores have gone critical!

Everyone hurry and take refuge above in Uruk! Beast II is going to explode!

Fou, fooooou!

Master, give me your hand...!

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