Episode 245: I am the entirely new human, the sole New Human, Kingu!
『 Every trace of cowardice and fear had been utterly purged from his heart.
He knew well that this was not the time to admit defeat; giving up here was simply not an option.
In this moment, he had to hold fast to his convictions.
"No…"
Determination, as unyielding as steel, welled up within Ritsuka Fujimaru. Driven by an unseen, powerful force, he clenched his fist tightly and pressed it firmly against his chest.
"NO!"
His voice was resolute and potent.
"Uruk is far from Finished!" His words roared across the battlefield like a lion's defiance, echoing into every corner.
"Hmph… Well said!" The voice was low, laced with a hint of admiration.
Having withstood blow after nearly fatal blow, Gilgamesh was visibly much weaker than moments before.
Even those watching the battle through the screen could easily perceive this shift.
The might unleashed by the dreaded three hundred and sixty divine seals had diminished by more than half.
Though everyone could clearly sense that the King of Uruk was teetering on the edge of death, he remained steadfast, holding his ground like an immovable colossus. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Amber (Genshin Impact): "That slogan… It's so spirited." ]
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "Fighting for the sake of one's own civilization." ]
[ Boothill (Honkai: Star Rail): "Hahahaha! Damn straight, partner! That's got some real kick to it." ]
[ Boothill (Honkai: Star Rail): "Just like that, go ahead and teach that big ol' thing a lesson!" ]
[ Black Swan (Honkai: Star Rail): "Hehe, still so full of vigor, Mr. Boothill." ]
[ Boothill (Honkai: Star Rail): "You know it." ]
[ Tokiwa Sougo (Kamen Rider): "As a king, your role at a time like this is truly significant." ]
[ .....]
『 Even though Gilgamesh was now utterly exhausted, his magical energy nearly depleted;
Even as new wounds continued to tear open across his body, with crimson blood streaming down his clothes… none of this could shake his resolve and courage to stand here.
As a king of the ancient era, he had witnessed the civilization he ruled slowly marching toward its end.
Yet, he remained unwilling to abandon the final glimmer of hope.
To protect Uruk and write an epic chapter for humanity, this hero had miraculously ignited the power hidden deep within him once more.
Golden light began to swirl in concentric circles around his body.
For Gilgamesh, there was no retreat.
It was either ultimate victory or total defeat.
He had no choice but to pour everything he had into delaying Tiamat's advance.
"Then… the King shall show you a bit of his true capability." Even in this desperate plight, his arrogance had not faded in the slightest.
"Although… I have been using my full power from the very beginning… as a king, I must maintain my dignity."
Only upon hearing these words did those witnessing the events finally realize—Gilgamesh had long been prepared to sacrifice himself.
He was merely paving the path forward for the Chaldea team, granting those two a sliver of a chance.
This tragic, heroic scene touched the softest parts of many hearts.
The King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, standing at the center of the battlefield, was using his dying breath to strain every fiber of his being to halt Tiamat's march. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "The dignity of a king?" ]
[ Geiz (Kamen Rider): "Hmph." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Is it really okay? It didn't work before." ]
[ Tokiwa Sougo (Kamen Rider): "No, I believe in him." ]
[ Woz (Kamen Rider): "My Overlord?" ]
[ Tokiwa Sougo (Kamen Rider): "He can do it. He must be able to." ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Why would you say that?" ]
[ Tokiwa Sougo (Kamen Rider): "Because he is a king." ]
[ .....]
『 However—
"Confirmed. A massive number of Lahmu have been released," Dr. Romani said, his tone heavy. The air around them seemed to freeze instantly at his words.
The Doctor's statement plunged everyone into a state of profound unease and anxiety.
They all understood that the situation had reached a point of no return.
At this moment, the Doctor's face was etched with tension and worry; beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, hitting the floor with faint, crisp sounds.
"It's over… it's over…"
"…It's all over!"
Watching the sky swarm with Lahmu, as if a black cloud were descending, Ishtar waved her fingers, condensing magical energy, yet she still felt the difficulty of resisting such an overwhelming number of enemies.
"There are simply too many of these Lahmu! If this continues, things will only get worse." As she made rapid gestures, guiding each attack to strike down the monsters closing in on her, she found that even her strength was insufficient.
Relying solely on the power of a few of them, they could not withstand an army of tens of thousands of Lahmu.
Worse still, Gilgamesh was on the other side, exhausting himself to delay Tiamat's advance toward Uruk.
Facing this seemingly endless tide of foes, she could only watch as Tiamat relentlessly summoned new Lahmu, bombarding the indestructible city walls of Uruk like concentrated artillery fire.
Witnessing this, a sense of unprecedented helplessness began to creep across Ishtar's typically confident face.
"Those monsters are tireless, endless, throwing their fragile lives against this once-impenetrable fortress." As this thought crossed her mind, a surge of unparalleled fury erupted from deep within her.
"I mean… aren't these Lahmu just the same as anti-castle weapons?" Ishtar frowned. "Do they really intend to keep attacking?"
In that moment, she finally realized these were not ordinary opponents; these Lahmu were relentless, undying entities. Unless she used her ultimate power to destroy them completely… she could only watch as they flooded the city like a deluge, eroding every last inch of land.
BOOM—!
With another deafening roar, a distant residential building collapsed into dust.
Seeing this, Ishtar could no longer contain the rage she had been suppressing.
"In that case!" She declared, her voice carrying an indisputable resolve, "We shall hold nothing back."
She took a deep breath, steadying her mind.
"The only way now is to use the full power I had reserved specifically to defeat Tiamat, and face this crisis head-on." Ishtar's gaze hardened.
No sooner had she spoken than she waved her arm, and in an instant, a colossal Boat of Heaven(Maanna) appeared.
Just as Ishtar prepared to summon her Noble Phantasm, several shimmering golden rings materialized behind her.
The next moment, countless golden chains erupted from them like bamboo shoots after the rain, flying toward the dense swarm of enemies in the sky with astonishing speed.
CLANG—!
"Hey, hey, hey…"
Realizing she was positioned right in the middle of the chains, Ishtar couldn't help but mutter a complaint, her voice tinged with helplessness and surprise.
But the chains were not aimed at her. She saw this clearly, and her heart eased slightly.
The endless silver-white chains surged forward like arrows released from a bow, aimed directly at the approaching Lahmu.
Then, a shocking scene unfolded—the chains mercilessly pierced through the bodies of the Lahmu, emitting a metallic, piercing sound.
A mysterious figure suddenly appeared before her; she descended like a beam of light, saving them from the brink of life and death.
This sudden influx of power was inconceivable, yet it planted countless questions.
Perhaps recognizing who those familiar chains belonged to, an unprecedented look of shock appeared on Ishtar's face.
It was as if something unbelievable were happening; her expression froze for several seconds before slowly returning to normal.
"No way… how is this possible? These chains… could they really be…"
"Is it… Kingu?"
High above, Kingu's figure floated over Uruk as a deity descended from myth.
Brilliant lightning crackled around her, and every bolt reduced the encroaching enemies to nothingness. This powerful spectacle left everyone stunned.
Seeing this scene unfold, even Ishtar, a goddess, found it difficult to process.
She clearly remembered that this person was Tiamat's child! Even though she had once been harmed by her own kin…
But her current appearance didn't match her previous understanding at all.
Would she really turn against the mother who raised her? Or was there some hidden truth?
Yet, for the others present, the figure standing in the sky did not seem particularly surprising.
After all, having endured so much betrayal and loss, the Kingu who had found herself was no longer the soul manipulated by others.
She was now more like a true warrior, a leader!
At that moment, Kingu flicked her brow and, with a sharp motion, clapped her hands together. With a thunderous "boom," the Lahmu within a hundred-mile radius instantly burst apart, their flesh and blood scattering like broken toys.
"As expected… You are nothing more than worthless mass-produced goods." Kingu's voice was exceptionally cold and ruthless as she spoke.
Her eyes were fixed on the Lahmu below, who struggled in vain, unable to escape their fate of annihilation.
These Lahmu were indeed numerous, and their combat prowess was not to be underestimated.
But compared to her, the difference was like heaven and earth!
Thinking this, a cold sneer curled the corner of Kingu's mouth: I alone am the one-of-a-kind, truly proud existence in this world… I alone can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh…
"I am a being of worth!" As she screamed this in her heart, Kingu's gaze toward the Lahmu she had defeated—those about to perish—was filled with disdain and loathing.
Soon, after a series of shrill screams, all the Lahmu turned into insignificant piles of ash and drifted away.
"Kingu… why are you still alive!"
The Lahmu, before her, still radiated intense vitality, struggling desperately even while covered in wounds.
Its voice was filled with incredulous shock, as if it could not comprehend why this enemy, who should have perished, was still standing here.
But in the next instant, a sharp weapon pierced through the struggling Lahmu once more, depriving it of even the chance to scream a second time.
"To be troubled by such mass-produced trash; the Old Humans are truly useless," Kingu muttered to herself with a cold laugh, her eyes filled with contempt and impatience.
She then slowly looked up toward the distant city walls of Uruk, as if searching for a specific target or answer.
After a moment of silence, she continued to mutter to herself: "Even so… it is truly remarkable… that they could say such bold words to me."
Meanwhile, in the distance, King Gilgamesh, due to overexertion and his wounds, already appeared deathly weak.
His face was pale as paper, and his body swayed, as if he might collapse at any moment.
Although the once-glorious King's Artillery was now significantly diminished in power, even in such a disadvantageous state, Gilgamesh did not choose to give up, gritting his teeth and continuing to fight.
This display of unyielding tenacity moved Kingu, who had always looked down upon the Old Humans.
Perhaps it was more than just being moved; a trace of heartache began to spread in her heart.
At this moment, a helpless yet slightly warm smile gradually appeared on Kingu's face.
"Whether it's the Master of Chaldea, or a guy like Gilgamesh, they are capable of nothing, yet they hold their heads high in the face of every challenge, and… miraculously survived until the final moment."
With a soft huff, her expression softened further as she turned back to those figures still resisting tenaciously, her lips curling upward involuntarily.
"Do you really believe you can change something with your own power? This just proves one thing: even an existence like me, with all my flaws, has value…"
When her gaze shifted to a Lahmu trapped firmly by sturdy chains, Kingu's eyes became sharper.
"Why!" the captive's hoarse, indignant voice echoed all around. "Why would you choose to help those weak humans!"
The bound Lahmu was full of anger and confusion, questioning Kingu over and over about the reasons behind her actions.
But then again, how could such a creature without a self understand my thoughts…
Thinking this, a cold expression gradually appeared on Kingu's face. Her eyes were as icy as a blade, making the Lahmu shudder.
"Hahahahahahahaha…"
Kingu laughed wildly, the sound echoing in the silent night sky, tinged with an inexplicable sorrow and indignation.
"Who wants to help humans… huh? How could I possibly help humans…"
Kingu responded flatly, then flicked the silver-white chain in her hand, sending that Lahmu to its end. She then muttered with disdain, "I am the new humanity, the only new humanity—Kingu!"
These words, spoken from her lips, carried endless pride and loneliness, yet her expression darkened immediately after, and she slowly bowed her head, as if there were unspeakable bitterness in her heart.
"But…"
Suddenly, a flash of struggle and pain crossed Kingu's eyes, as if her heartstrings had been plucked by some memory.
As if remembering something, Kingu's heart jolted, and the memories of the past came flooding back like a tide.
"Don't worry about your mother or your origins; just do what you want to do."
Those words, spoken by the man named Gilgamesh on the Hill of Heaven, lingered in her heart like a ghost.
"Just like… the King and him in the past…"
Those words circled in her mind, refusing to be forgotten.
Only…
Kingu closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her voice turning hoarse.
"Regardless of my mother or my origins, to do whatever I want… to be honest… I have no such desire at all…"
She shook her head, her face written with helplessness and grief.
"I never had… I never did… Gil…"
She repeated the name softly, her voice low and pained, as if those four syllables represented her entire past. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "New humanity, the only new humanity, is it." ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "That is her new identity at this moment." ]
[ .....]
( Translator-kun: In this Project, Author-san uses feminine pronouns for Kingu/Enkidu. But sometimes my brain slips back and forgets about it(This is the con I've been experiencing so far when handling many projects at once..sometimes I don't know which is which), some "he/him" errors might slip through—So feel free to point them out. )