The macuahuitl—an exclusive weapon of Aztec jaguar warriors.
As a war deity, it was only natural that Quetzalcoatl wielded such a weapon. But unlike the traditional wooden base, hers was forged from enchanted gold imbued with Mana.
After clashing with both the Holy Lance and the Crimson Spear, Shiomi quickly noticed it wasn't a Noble Phantasm, yet its performance easily rivaled one.
"Not bad at all—you actually made me bring out my weapon! That means you're ready, right?"
Quetzalcoatl leaned on her half-body-length weapon with a fearsome grin. Her sharp teeth gave her an expression so fierce it could silence a crying child in the dead of night.
"Be careful! She's neither a god who ascended posthumously like King Arthur, nor a pseudo-servant like Ereshkigal!" Romani relayed the intel provided by Ereshkigal. "The Quetzalcoatl in front of you is a top-tier divine spirit!"
"She certainly looks the part." Artoria remained on full alert.
Quetzalcoatl—complete as a god from the moment of her birth—was one of the supreme deities in South American Aztec mythology. Her name meant "Feathered Serpent," goddess of wind and civilization. Even though the one standing here was only a split spirit, she couldn't be taken lightly.
"The goddess over there... and the Master beside her. Let's stop being shy…"
Quetzalcoatl pointed at Artoria and Shiomi.
"Let's talk with our bodies~!"
If anyone else had said that, it might have sounded suggestive or even flirtatious. But from the Feathered Serpent, it meant something entirely different.
In her worldview, conversation meant all-out combat until one side was completely defeated.
As soon as she finished speaking, Quetzalcoatl surged forward. Macuahuitl in her right hand, Aztec shield in her left—despite being flanked from both sides, she didn't show a hint of being cornered.
The more they fought, the more exhilarated she became, calling out praise between attacks.
"Yes! Wonderful! Absolutely brilliant! Big Sis loves opponents like you~!"
She raised her shield to block Artoria's thrust and brought the macuahuitl down against Shiomi's spear, watching him with gleaming eyes.
"To think the final Master of humanity would be such a fighter... humans really are full of surprises~!"
"My master, Scáthach, is the Queen of the Land of Shadows, mentor to countless Celtic warriors! As her top disciple, there's no way I'm falling behind!"
Shiomi grit his teeth and pushed the macuahuitl back with a powerful shove.
Quetzalcoatl didn't press the attack immediately—because Morgan's Magecraft burst toward her from the side.
It should've been a perfect ambush. But even so, Quetzalcoatl slipped through a gap and dodged it, causing Morgan to narrow her eyes.
She was fast—at least as fast as Shiomi. Perhaps even faster than Morgan could predict.
"Oh? Another witch~!"
Using the fading shockwave of the missed spell as cover, Quetzalcoatl abruptly redirected her assault, charging straight at Morgan.
"Not happening!"
A flash of red cut through the air. Having caught onto her intent, Shiomi moved ahead of her path and intercepted the attack, forcing Quetzalcoatl to retreat.
The two sides reset their distance once more.
"I'm not that easy to hit," Morgan muttered, glancing at Shiomi's right hand.
His grip had split open from the impact and was bleeding—but it was already healing quickly.
To do that much damage with just a weapon clash...
Perhaps Quetzalcoatl was the most dangerous of the Three Goddess Alliance.
"Wonderful coordination. So this is what humanity's final representatives are like?" Quetzalcoatl suddenly lowered her weapon and began to applaud. "Now I'm really looking forward to meeting the rest of the humans you brought along."
She swept her gaze approvingly over Shiomi and Gray, as if they were the standard for humanity in 2016.
"Quetzalcoatl... so you've finally decided to attack Uruk?" Shiomi narrowed his eyes. Something felt off.
The goddess of the southern forest launching a sudden assault on Uruk was completely unexpected. If two goddesses attacked at once, the burden on the city would become unbearable.
"No need to ask pointless questions. I was summoned by my mother specifically to kill humans," Quetzalcoatl replied. "But throwing the sun onto the earth and burning everyone to ashes would be boring. So I decided—whoever my opponents are, I'll kill them one by one. That way, I can truly exterminate humanity~!"
"Like… what you're doing right now?" Artoria's eye twitched.
"You've done the same before, haven't you? So you understand my approach, right?" Quetzalcoatl said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Still, I won't be using my divine authorities. It's too tiring."
"You're not using your powers?" Shiomi tightened his grip on his spear. "If that's true, then in that last fight, you'd be covered in wounds right now."
Overwhelming strength was one of the hallmarks of the Feathered Serpent's divine power.
"Oh dear, you caught that? But that's the test, isn't it? If you're coddled all the time, you'll never grow. Fill in what you lack with your courage and wisdom—that's what humans have always done, right?"
Morgan scoffed. "You sure talk big. Someone who doesn't know any better might think you're some kind of benevolent god… oh wait, aren't you actually supposed to be one?"
"Smart girl!" Quetzalcoatl glanced up at the setting sun. "I only came to say hello today. After all, you've already roped in Ereshkigal and locked up Ishtar, haven't you? When I heard, I just had to come see who pulled that off!"
As she spoke, Ereshkigal and the others arrived from the east gate.
"But Ereshkigal won't be helping you against me. Not even I can ignore the constraints of our alliance." She stretched casually. "Right?"
"I never planned on fighting you," Ereshkigal replied as she landed in front of Quetzalcoatl. "But if I can feed you just enough intel and let you and them wear each other down, then Uruk will be mine."
Quetzalcoatl's face twisted into another eerie grin. "As expected of the goddess of the underworld—what a devious little plan~! But it's pointless. I'll wipe humanity out bit by bit... and won't leave anything behind for you!"
"...Do you really think it'll be that easy? Even someone like you can lose. You'd better give up while you can, Quetzalcoatl," Ereshkigal said after a moment of silence.
"Well, well. Didn't expect you to place such faith in them. Looks like they've really grown on you, Ereshkigal."
With that, Quetzalcoatl gave a flamboyant farewell:
"Then until next time—¡Adiós! Starting tomorrow, after the sun rises, I'll be back to take down another hundred~!"
With a mighty leap, the Feathered Serpent landed on the back of a swooping pterosaur and flew off toward the southern forest.