Episode 264: This Is the Hymn and Epic That Belong to Uruk!
『 On the other hand, having received the summons, Ereshkigal displayed an air of extreme solemnity.
At this moment, she was like a goddess of war about to set out on a campaign, taking a decisive step to the very front of everyone to act as a barrier;
Simultaneously, a steel-bladed weapon, gleaming with a cold, silver-white light, suddenly appeared in her hand.
All of a sudden, Ereshkigal's eyes were filled and covered by a dazzling golden light.
In the blink of an eye, she had already swiftly raised the longsword in her hand high above her head and began to spin it rapidly.
Following the trajectory traced by the tip of the blade through the air, brilliant streaks of golden light and bluish-white electrical arcs erupted from the sword's body, dancing all around.
What followed was a majestic surge of magical energy that threatened to overturn the entire Underworld.
Although Ereshkigal did not wish to unleash this ultimate move at this moment, facing the existence before her—one so powerful as to be nearly invincible and posing a fatal threat to her companions—the moment she thought of this, a certain resolve had already formed in her heart.
"A vast sea in the heavens...and a prison upon the land... My heel is the wrath of Kur itself!"
A fierce gale blew continuously through Merlin's smooth and beautiful long white hair, forcing the surrounding people to retreat several steps to avoid the immense pressure emanating from Ereshkigal just before the activation of her Noble Phantasm.
In that same instant, countless intertwined streaks of crimson and pure white flames—so hot they distorted the very air—shot out incessantly from the silver blade in Ereshkigal's hand. They eventually converged into an airtight net of fire, tightly enveloping the massive Creation Goddess, Tiamat, who was struggling against her firmly restrained form.
Seemingly sensing an unprecedented binding and obstruction, Tiamat let out a roar filled with extreme fury.
"AAAAA—"
"Appear, O scorching shrine! Reflect upon your behavior..." Seeing this, Ereshkigal spared no effort, concentrating and channeling all of her mental energy into the interior of this mysterious blade.
The ancient deity who once created the entire world was now experiencing the harsh and ruthless punishment of the world of the dead, suffering through the continuous roasting and torment of the blazing fires of karma.
"KUR KIGAL IRKALLA—!"
⦍The Bellows of Kur that Tramples upon Ekur⦎
At this very moment, Ereshkigal released all the energy she could master without reservation.
She even caused the "thing bestowed by Nergal," which originally existed only in legends, to truly materialize and manifest.
Combined with the unique properties of this divine artifact, it made this already devastating means of attack instantly become even more ferocious and terrifying!
Thus, as the two incredibly powerful, destructive forces collided head-on, a deafening roar mixed with the sound of an explosion immediately rang out, rapidly spreading in all directions.
In a mere instant, that sphere of fire—symbolizing the purest evil aura of the deepest abyss of hell—completely swallowed the Creation Goddess, Tiamat, who had been standing majestically in the sky, and sealed her deep beneath the base of the mountain that had just risen.
Meanwhile…
The Nega-Genesis, which had been rapidly approaching everyone, was completely halted at this moment by this powerful force.
Nega-Genesis stalled in front of the group; then, under the pressure of those scorching and powerful flames, its range was continuously compressed, gradually becoming narrower and more compact.
No one present had expected this scene to unfold.
Even the audience members who had once looked down on her and labeled her a "useless goddess" could not help but be astonished by her performance at this moment.
She… Ereshkigal was actually able to directly stop the ultimate finishing move used by Tiamat… This was a result no one could have imagined before, and everyone was profoundly shaken by it.
Hearing the sincere words of praise from Fujimaru Ritsuka, the usually taciturn and even somewhat shy Ereshkigal could not help but have a faint blush rise to her cheeks at this moment.
Even though her body was already extremely weak and exhausted, she still managed to squeeze out a sliver of a smile.
As if unwilling to make everyone worry about her, this strength was truly admirable. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Yuri Nakamura (Angel Beats): "This goddess, in the end, actually did something like this." ]
[ Tanya von Degurechaff (Youjo Senki): "…" ]
[ .....]
〜Oregairu World〜
Service Club—
"This Goddess of the Underworld… she doesn't seem to be doing too well…"
Hachiman Hikigaya, who was adept at noticing details, had discovered this clue immediately. Under his reminder, the two girls also immediately noticed Ereshkigal's abnormality.
"Hikki… she looks like she's in a lot of pain…"
Although Yui Yuigahama had realized the abnormality in the woman's body, given the current situation, she couldn't judge whether she could hold on or not.
However, looking at the pale-faced Ereshkigal—looking just as she did after a physical fitness test, or even quite a bit worse—Yui felt a sense of foreboding.
A girl's intuition is often very accurate. Seeing Ereshkigal constantly breaking out in a cold sweat, Yukino also became very worried.
But…
Only Hachiman Hikigaya was certain that the woman before them was already at death's door.
As for why… with his powerful observation and analytical skills, it wasn't difficult for him, known as a "monster of logic," to deduce this.
Even though he didn't want to see any of this happen—after all, no matter how smart or capable he was, he was still just a high school student—what they were facing were truly monster-like existences. Every battle was a desperate struggle, even life-threatening.
Worry was worry, but Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama still desperately hoped this goddess would be alright.
Speculation was speculation, and Hachiman Hikigaya desperately wanted to see his hypothesis proven wrong.
—
『 But at that moment. Gilgamesh, standing on the other side, suddenly spoke.
"The materialization ability of the temple bestowed by Nergal…? This can indeed be considered an extremely effective winning move… However…"
When Gilgamesh's words fell, they immediately drew the attention of everyone present.
Looking at the Tiamat, who had still not been eliminated, they likely had a vague idea of the point Gilgamesh wanted to express next.
Indeed, while this level of power was strong enough to deal with ordinary Heroic Spirits or even oppose those extremely powerful existences regarded as decisive weapons, for Tiamat, who was of the Creation God class, such an attack still seemed slightly insufficient.
However, everyone understood in their hearts that achieving this much was already a considerable feat.
After listening to Gilgamesh's opinion, a determined light flashed in Ereshkigal's eyes.
Enduring the indescribable sense of exhaustion in her body, she responded: "Yes! Exactly…"
"At this point, although it's frustrating… this move can only be used to stall Tiamat…"
"That space… will surely continue to erode after a while…"
After Ereshkigal spoke such a worrying fact, an expression of extreme surprise appeared on Mash's face.
"Even though… we've put in so much effort to reach this point… why can we still not turn the situation around…"
Learning that Nega-Genesis had still not stopped operating, Mash's mood instantly plummeted to rock bottom, and even her thoughts began to grow blurred.
It could be said that the current situation was such that while they could barely withstand the current pressure, if they couldn't find a countermeasure and implement it quickly, they would still ultimately face a fate of defeat and death, and the history of humanity would come to an end because of it. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "Once again, after putting in the effort and finally seeing a tiny glimmer of hope, in the end, it turns back into this." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "So, can that big thing still be broken now?" ]
[ Mash Kyrielight (Type-Moon): "I'm curious, what exactly is that thing?" ]
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "It doesn't look like something to be trifled with; it looks very dangerous at a glance." ]
[ .....]
『 The audience's hearts seemed to be shrouded in a cold chill; like Mash, everyone's spirits dampened significantly.
But… as if suddenly remembering an important question, Fujimaru Ritsuka abruptly turned his gaze toward Merlin, who was still deep in thought, and hurriedly asked:
"Merlin… Nega-Genesis, what exactly is that thing…?"
At this moment, Merlin was staring unblinkingly at Tiamat, who had now completely transformed into a dragon.
Sensing the gazes cast by everyone, he let out a slow sigh and then slowly lowered his head. Knowing that the situation was now urgent, he decided to only explain the key points instead of giving a long-winded explanation.
His gaze fell upon Fujimaru Ritsuka, and his expression momentarily became exceptionally serious.
"Well… regarding Nega-Genesis… that individual, the Creation Goddess Tiamat, she plans to reshape the entire Underworld…"
"Reshape?…" Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't seem to understand the heavy significance behind this word. Even after hearing such an explanation, he remained confused, unable to comprehend what the function of this move actually was.
In the face of this unprecedented threat, Merlin, the Magus of Flowers, who usually appeared relaxed and at ease, could no longer maintain his usual smile.
Realizing the severity of the matter had been reinforced once again, Merlin spoke to his companions in an even more solemn tone:
"It means… as long as one is swallowed by that space centered on the Beast—that is, the space named Nega-Genesis—all Servants within it will be reduced to ash and vanish."
"…."
After Merlin finished speaking, the scene fell into an immediate silence. The very air of the Underworld seemed suppressed by this weight.
After a brief silence, everyone finally recovered slightly from the previous shock.
Mash wanted to say something, but found her throat seemingly blocked; she couldn't utter a single word.
When Merlin described the capability of Nega-Genesis in such a terrifying manner, a deep sense of powerlessness rose in the hearts of everyone present.
Even Gilgamesh, who was unrivaled in strength, and King Hassan, the Old Man of the Mountain, were at a loss when facing such a large-scale existence, finding it difficult to find a solution.
Gilgamesh, who had come with the hope of delivering a fatal blow to Tiamat, now found himself without a move to play.
"This… this kind of power is just too much…"
Finally, Ishtar broke the silence. Though her words were filled with extreme shock at the terror brought by Nega-Genesis in the current situation.
But under her lead, the others also began to pull themselves together.
If they didn't quickly come up with a countermeasure, they would likely face destruction next.
Gilgamesh quickly realized that he himself could not immediately reverse the decline, but he was the first to adjust and reorganize his thoughts.
For this self-proclaimed King of Heroes, even facing such a grim situation, it was still far from a state of true despair.
Relying on his vast past combat experience and the strong mentality accumulated from countless difficult challenges, even when encountering the current predicament, Gilgamesh could still remain calm and composed, rapidly thinking of how to oppose Tiamat.
Strangely, seeing Gilgamesh in such a state, everyone's mood seemed to gradually stabilize.
Perhaps they were infected by the powerful and steady aura radiating from him; Or more likely, it was because everyone was deeply drawn by the innate kingly temperament he possessed.
It was as if, as long as he was there, people would always have hope, believing that everything was not yet over.
It truly had to be admitted that, as a leader and a warrior, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, was indeed one of the most trustworthy figures.
As time passed, everyone also began to actively search for a solution. While all this was happening, it was once again Gilgamesh—the one who could always react quickly and formulate strategies to meet crises—who first proposed a plan of opposition.
His eyes were solemn, his words not lacking in gentleness and seriousness, as he softly called out Mash's name.
"…Mash."
Perhaps hearing King Gilgamesh calling her name, Mash snapped her head around. Her eyes were filled with surprise and tension, as if she were expecting some important words.
Looking at the King of Heroes who placed such high hopes on her, she felt an unprecedented pressure in her heart.
Perhaps sensing the sincerity and urgency in the other's gaze, the usually calm and steady Mash felt a flicker of nervousness.
Her body even trembled uncontrollably due to this inexplicable emotional fluctuation.
"Yes!"
At this moment, Mash responded with a cry driven by an indescribable sense of panic.
Seeing the girl's slightly uneasy reaction, the usually arrogant-seeming Gilgamesh actually revealed a rare, warm smile—a smile that melted some of the tense atmosphere like breaking ice. "To oppose that creature's loathsome source of power—the so-called Nega-Genesis—I must rely on your strength!"
As Gilgamesh spoke, those eyes, like deep rubies, stared intently at the pink-short-haired girl before him.
Then, his gaze slowly drifted downward, finally resting on the massive black shield in her hand.
As if thinking of something extremely important, Gilgamesh slowed his speech and patiently began to explain:
"The shield in your hand carries all the convictions and will of that King… When the 'Castle of White Walls' manifests once more in the world, I firmly believe it can become a powerful barrier against that bounded field…"
Having said this, Gilgamesh once again slowly turned his head toward the center of the battlefield, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the terrifying existence not far away—Tiamat—while seemingly waiting for Mash to make her own choice.
"Are you saying… You want Mash to release her Noble Phantasm, the Lord Camelot, and bet it against Tiamat's, Nega-Genesis?! But…!"
After hearing Gilgamesh's words, Ishtar, who was standing by listening, showed an expression of disbelief.
Although she had witnessed the scene of Mash releasing her Noble Phantasm before, she wouldn't dare guarantee whether it could effectively resist a powerful bounded field that was nearly god-defying like this one.
After all, although that solid rampart constructed of pure white stone possessed unparalleled defensive capabilities, compared to the destructive skill launched by the Mother of Creation, Tiamat, the gap between the two was simply too vast…
But even though her heart was filled with doubt and uncertainty, after hearing the analysis from the great King of Uruk, Ishtar, who could not think of a better counter-strategy for the time being, she could only tacitly accept this plan.
Everyone knew that in the current critical situation, further delay would only lead them into an even more disadvantageous position. Every minute and every second was of the utmost importance. 』
『 .....』