"It seems I've underestimated you..."
Kingu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and turned his gaze back to Amber, his expression twisting into something ferocious.
"No matter how many times you try, the result will be the same," Amber stated. "This isn't about emotion, or luck. It's simply that I am stronger than you."
"Such bold words..!" Kingu's face darkened further. Even now, he refused to believe he could lose.
As a god-forged clay construct, so long as he had a sufficient supply of magical energy, he possessed limitless stamina and an immortality that allowed for instant regeneration from any wound that wasn't instantly fatal.
No matter how powerful his opponent was, how could they possibly outlast him in a battle of attrition?
He held the Holy Grail, granting him effectively infinite endurance against an enemy who would surely tire eventually!
Thinking this, Kingu once again summoned his chains.
After failing to land a direct hit multiple times, he realized straightforward attacks were nearly useless against her. Rather than hoping the chains would strike true, it was better to use them to disrupt her movements and limit her options.
Then, he abruptly retreated.
As loath as he was to admit it, he had to concede that her close-quarters combat ability far surpassed his.
If he continued to engage her in melee, even if he could theoretically wear her down, he would undoubtedly suffer immensely in the process.
The best course was to take to the skies and wage a guerrilla battle.
But this presented another problem. As a clay being, he could only continuously restore himself while his feet were firmly planted on the earth. If he engaged in a high-speed aerial chase, a single misstep could lead to disaster.
So, he had no choice but to fight while retreating, even if it was utterly humiliating.
But it didn't matter. Now that he had sealed her spatial mobility, mere speed wouldn't be enough to...!?
Kingu's rapid retreat suddenly hit a visible, jarring halt. He stared in disbelief as the scenery that should be receding ahead of him instead rushed towards him in his eyes.
"This technique works on me too!?" Seeing Amber's hand clenched in a grasping motion, Kingu recognized it immediately—it was the same move she had used to save those ancient humans from the magical beasts' assault.
But it was common knowledge that the effectiveness of any given mystery could vary drastically depending on the target's own level of mystery.
This wasn't just 'effective'; it was far too potent. The effect on him, a god-forged weapon, was no different than its effect on those low-tier magical beasts!
'This distance! Damn it—!' Watching the gap between himself and Amber vanish in an instant, Kingu felt a cold sweat nearly break out.
In stark contrast to Kingu's panic, Amber merely found this punching bag rather convenient.
"Inch Impact: Sky Sunder."
BOOM!
A blast of ink-black flame erupted from Amber's fist. The scorching heat was so intense that the Chaldea members fighting some distance away felt a wave of blistering air wash over them.
The powerful shockwave further ravaged the already fractured plaza.
Kingu felt as if his internal organs had been violently rearranged—a rather impressive feat, considering he didn't actually possess any.
Even more critical was the inexplicable obstruction preventing his body from instantly repairing itself as it should. A strange, foreign energy was actively hindering his regeneration!
Sent flying back over a hundred meters and crashing through a dozen buildings, Kingu completely lost any desire to continue the fight.
He had to retreat and reconsider his strategy! This level of combat prowess was simply insurmountable through direct confrontation! He could only wait until Mother emerged...
As if in answer to his silent plea, an even louder sound of collapse echoed from the plaza. Realizing the source, Kingu's face was instantly painted with shock. "She couldn't even wait that little bit longer!?"
But his expression soon darkened once more.
Truth be told, he didn't want her to be defeated here. In fact, if it were possible, he wished for her to realize her dream, to continue existing alongside him. But...
Several serpent heads, each dozens if not hundreds of meters long, erupted from the ground, utterly pulverizing the plaza.
The Chaldea members, who had just finished dealing with the magical beasts, saw this development, and their briefly relieved expressions were immediately overwritten by renewed vigilance.
"I never thought you would encounter an enemy you couldn't handle, Kingu." A massive, resonant female voice rang out from the sky. It wasn't because the speaker was airborne, but because she possessed a form as colossal as a fortress wall.
"Mother..." Kingu looked up at this purple-haired goddess with the body of a woman and the tail of a serpent, his expression complex as he flew up to meet her.
Why does this goddess look so much like Rider?
Amber was thoroughly confused.
"Worry not. These filthy, wretched humans shall be eradicated by me, the head of the Three Goddess Alliance, the Goddess of Beasts, Tiamat." The goddess's gaze fell upon Amber.
In that instant, Amber felt as if her very blood had frozen solid.
However, her current body was not that of 'Old Man Fu,' who had needed to rely on underhanded tricks just to spar with a swordsman like Li. This was a body fused with the genes of Garuda, the undying, ageless Celestial, Phoenix.
Fu Hua: ...
In barely a moment, Amber's body regained its vitality.
But the others weren't so fortunate.
Mash found it difficult to move, while Fujimaru Ritsuka's consciousness began to grow hazy.
Merlin's face also paled significantly. "Is this paralysis from fear..? No... could it be Mystic Eyes of Petrification!?"
Watching Merlin's performance, Ana hesitated, wanting to expose his poor acting, but a part of her still held a faint expectation towards the goddess... and she also feared the looks her companions would give her if she called Merlin out.
Concerned for the others, Amber frowned. Mystic Eyes of Petrification? Wasn't that Medusa's thing? And she'd seen the card art her friend showed her of Tiamat—she didn't look like this either.
Considering the poor state everyone was in, she simply said, "Merlin, take everyone and leave. I'll stay here."
Hearing this, Merlin opened his mouth, then glanced at Ana's anxious expression.
Finally, he spoke, "Understood. There's no need to engage them in a prolonged fight. Once we've withdrawn, just return directly. If the Goddess of Beasts were to suddenly vanish, we can't predict how the magical beasts or the other two goddesses would react!"
Amber, who had initially planned to simply finish off both opponents here, was taken aback by his words, not fully grasping his meaning.
'Although the Three Goddesses are allied, according to Ishtar, their alliance is not unshakable. While they agreed to attack Uruk together, they also keep each other in check,' Fu Hua temporarily set aside Amber's earlier attempt to subtly take a jab at her and explained.
'Furthermore... Merlin's words hold merit. The magical beasts are currently attacking in an organized manner. But if the Goddess of Beasts were to die, they might devolve into mindless beasts, attacking humans indiscriminately.'
'While eliminating these two here is feasible, it could also lead to chaos and instability, resulting in the deaths of many civilians.'
'For now, use the Sword God technique to sever her consciousness. This was merely a standard rescue operation. The situation is volatile, and we too need to reconsider our strategy.'
After Fu Hua's explanation, Amber mostly understood the situation. She nodded inwardly at the plan and then said to Merlin, "Don't worry, I know my limits."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.