Chapter 60: Preparing to Meet Mother!
"Buzz——"
A green blur streaked across the sky before touching down on the earth. It was Kingu.
Even though she had now lost the Holy Grail, Kingu's raw power hadn't diminished significantly; the only real difference lay in the sheer capacity of her total Mana reserves.
"Onii-chan, Mother is almost ready to land at the Persian Gulf."
"That fast?"
Akira's brow furrowed slightly. Tiamat's speed was exceeding his expectations.
Though he felt he had a firm grasp on the situation, Akira knew that a certain "BOSS" still lurked in the shadows of this world—the Old Man of the Mountain, the strongest Grand Assassin. To trigger the appearance of a Heroic Spirit of that caliber, the presence of a 'Beast' was a prerequisite.
After all, the seven Grand Classes existed to counter the seven Beasts, the Evils of Humanity. One was the 'Evil' destined to consume mankind, and the other was the world's ultimate defense program.
"Let's head back first. I need to talk to Mother."
"But Onii-chan, Mother can't be reasoned with right now. She can't hear my voice at all."
"We still have to try. If we don't, Mother really might be attacked."
"I understand."
Akira never fell into the trap of thinking he was invincible or special just because he held a protagonist's role. He knew that those who harbored such delusions—unless they truly were the chosen center of the universe—usually met a grizzly end.
"Hey, this 'Mother' you guys keep talking about... isn't that the legendary Goddess Tiamat?"
"Hm? Ishtar?"
Kingu finally took notice of Ishtar's presence, her eyes narrowing as she looked the goddess over.
"What are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a goddess as beautiful as me before?"
"Hmph. A creature of no value."
"What did you say?! You want to go?"
"You want to fight? You think you can actually defeat me?" Kingu's voice turned cold. "Don't forget, I am the new Enkidu. Are you sure you want to test me?"
"Egh—"
At the mention of that name, Ishtar visibly recoiled, her bravado crumbling into a huddle of fear.
It wasn't entirely her fault. The conceptual binding Enkidu held over those with Divinity was simply too overwhelming. It was the same reason the gods of old chose to return Enkidu to clay rather than kill him outright; his power was vast enough to rival even Gilgamesh.
"Enough. That's as far as this goes," Akira interjected.
"Fine, Onii-chan."
Kingu obeyed instantly. Ishtar merely rolled her eyes, though she refrained from doing anything provocative. Both of these individuals were 'Enkidu' in essence—especially Akira, who was a literal monster among monsters. The scales were tipped heavily against her, so she figured it was best to play nice for now.
"And you, Ishtar. I don't have the time or the patience to waste on you right now."
"You kidnapped this Goddess by force, yet you talk as if I'm the one who committed a grave sin! At least clarify the situation!"
"The strong dominate the weak. That is the eternal rule," Akira said flatly. "Even if you are a goddess, that truth remains."
"You..."
Ishtar's temper flared, but she choked back her retort. She could sense that Akira's mood was darkening. It was likely due to this 'Mother Tiamat' business. She didn't know the secrets behind it, but she knew better than to poke the bear when he was already agitated.
"Kingu, watch her. If she does anything suspicious, you have my permission to kill her."
"Understood, Onii-chan."
This time, Kingu flashed a thin smile. Her gaze toward Ishtar turned predatory and subtle, making the goddess's heart skip a beat in terror. This person was genuinely ruthless. The instruction 'permission to kill' combined with the vague definition of 'suspicious behavior' gave Kingu a terrifyingly wide margin for interpretation.
"Come forth, my Shadow Khan...."
"Swooosh... Swooosh.... Swooosh..."
The shadows across the landscape began to distort and stretch. A massive legion of shadow warriors rose from the darkness, immediately bowing their heads in reverence to Akira.
But it didn't stop there. Beside Akira, the Shadow Generals manifested one by one.
"Master, what are your commands?"
The speaker was none other than General Ikazuki, the ruler of the Shadow Khan. Kingu had seen them before and remained unfazed, but Ishtar was floored. Nine subordinates at the level of a Demon God, plus a literal army of soldiers, summoned just like that?
"Go to Uruk. Bring me the Holy Grail of Uruk."
"As you command, Master."
General Ika bowed submissively. To them, Akira's will was absolute. Every Shadow General was a living extension of his desire.
Given Mother Tiamat's unstable condition, Akira had to prepare for the absolute worst-case scenario. As a 'transmigrator,' his ultimate trump card was the ability to hop between worlds. Even if this world collapsed into ruin, it wouldn't mean his end—he could simply leave.
However, to initiate that departure or return, he had to complete his legacy template. He needed the final piece: the Holy Grail of Uruk.
Akira had already tried to absorb Kingu's Grail, the mana from Demonic Beasts, and even Tiamat's mana, but all had failed. That final 20% refused to accept ordinary mana or any source he had already utilized. In the current Mesopotamia, the largest remaining crystal of mana was the 'Holy Grail of Uruk' held by Gilgamesh.
"Shadow Khan, move out..."
General Ikazuki stood and barked the order to the shadow legion. The warriors dissolved back into the earth, merging with the shadows on the ground and racing across the terrain with supernatural speed. No matter the terrain or environment, the shadows moved unhindered.
Akira glanced at them. The nine Shadow Generals now had bodies constructed from the 'Mud of God,' much like the Lahmu. Essentially, they were empowered versions of Lahmu and slightly degraded versions of Kingu. Armed with their own Commandments and an infinite shadow army, taking Uruk should be a simple task.
"Let's go. It's time to see Mother."
"Yes."
The two of them took to the sky. Ishtar let out a click of her tongue, and despite her inner dissatisfaction, she followed. She wanted to stay alive, after all. She had gone through a lot of trouble to descend to this world; she wasn't ready to call it quits yet.
"Ishtar~"
"Hm? What now?"
"This is for you~"
With a flick of his wrist, Akira tossed a pouch toward her. When she caught and opened it, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. It was filled with shimmering gemstones, each saturated with potent mana. These mana gems were worth far more than any common jewels.
"Whoa! So many gems! I'm rich! I'm finally rich...!"
In an instant, the goddess was completely blinded by her greed.
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