The moment Emiya Shirou's voice fell, a flash of sword light cut straight through Ereshkigal's body.
"You bastard!"
Seeing Ereshkigal struck down, Ishtar flew into a rage and kicked toward the black-robed old man who had swung the blade.
Her attack passed straight through him.
It didn't even slow him down.
"What's going on?!"
Before Ishtar could react again, Emiya Shirou's voice cut in.
"Calm down."
"Look carefully."
"What I severed wasn't her body."
"It was her contract."
"Eh?"
At those words, Ereshkigal-who had been lying on the ground-suddenly sat up.
"I-I thought I'd been cut in half!"
Her voice trembled, fear plain on her face.
"So who exactly are you?"
"The only living people in the Underworld should be Fujimaru Ritsuka and Emiya Shirou!"
When Ereshkigal had been struck just now, Gilgamesh hadn't been particularly shocked.
That wasn't because he knew what was coming.
It was because he trusted Emiya Shirou.
He knew Shirou wouldn't do something as pointless as killing Ereshkigal.
But now-
Hearing that the black-robed old man had severed the covenant binding Ereshkigal to the Three Goddess Alliance...
Gilgamesh was genuinely shaken.
That sword swing hadn't carried the slightest trace of a Noble Phantasm.
It had been an ordinary strike.
Yet it had cut through a divine contract.
Even Gilgamesh found that hard to accept.
"Judging by that technique, you're no ordinary figure," Gilgamesh said coldly.
"But neither this King nor Chaldea summoned you."
"So where did you come from?"
The black-robed old man didn't answer directly.
"Who knows?"
"Because the situation is tangled, I rise from the abyss to move the hands of the clock."
"Ereshkigal."
"You hide truth and weave lies."
"If even a shred of shame remains, answer me."
"The reason you created the Land of the Dead..."
"It's because you love souls."
"I knew it!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka clenched her fist excitedly.
Because of Emiya Shirou's guidance, she had spoken with Ereshkigal at length during their efforts to win over Quetzalcoatl.
From Ereshkigal's words and manner, Ritsuka had always sensed it.
This goddess was gentle.
She was never someone who would harvest souls for selfish gain.
"W-what nonsense are you talking about?!"
Exposed so directly, Ereshkigal panicked.
"I only love my own things!"
"Only the souls locked in cages!"
"How could I love humans?!"
"Eresh."
Emiya Shirou's voice cut her off immediately.
"I know your goal."
"Stop deceiving yourself."
"It only hurts you more."
"Accept it."
"I..."
Ereshkigal fell silent.
She looked at Emiya Shirou, who had squatted down in front of her, his gaze steady and concerned.
Her resistance crumbled.
Seeing this, the black-robed old man continued.
"Mistress of the Underworld."
"Blood-colored flower offered to the earth."
"You do not love the dead."
"You love humans who are destined to die."
"You do not loathe death as terror."
"You revere it."
"Goddess who seeks to protect souls after death."
"Your reason for joining the alliance was simple."
"To bring as many souls as possible into this Underworld."
"To protect them."
"Even if no one understands."
"Even if tens of thousands of souls isolate you."
"To guard this silence..."
"That is your dignity as a goddess."
Her deepest thoughts were stripped bare.
Ereshkigal's eyes filled with tears.
"But I already..."
"If you mean the people who died because you took their souls," the old man replied calmly, "there's no need to worry."
"Their bodies have been preserved perfectly."
"As long as you release their souls..."
"They will live again."
Emiya Shirou reached out and gently stroked her head.
His voice softened.
"It's true."
"Really...?"
A faint light returned to Ereshkigal's eyes.
"Of course."
Emiya Shirou smiled.
"Compared to the casualties caused by Gorgon..."
"Your so-called 'wasted deaths' don't even register."
Gilgamesh snorted.
"Nine hundred in Kutha."
"Three hundred in Uruk."
"Twelve hundred in total."
"That many can be handled just by opening the Ziggurat's basement."
"This King will be blunt."
"Among the Three Goddess Alliance..."
"You are unquestionably the lamest."
"...That hurts more than you think."
Ereshkigal lowered her head.
"I tried harder than ever before..."
Watching her reaction, Emiya Shirou couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright."
"This operation was a complete success."
"We've secured Eresh."
"And the Three Goddess Alliance has been dismantled."
"Yay!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash jumped in celebration.
They had now won over four goddesses.
In terms of top-tier combat power, they completely outmatched the Avenger Gorgon.
If not for Gorgon possessing Tiamat's Authority-the Womb of One Hundred-and commanding hundreds of thousands of demonic beasts...
The war could've ended here.
"Wait."
Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly looked around.
"Where did that black-robed grandpa go?"
She felt genuine goodwill toward him.
When she had fallen into the Underworld at Kutha, he was the one who had saved her.
Sent her back.
And given her the Tablet of Destinies.
If he hadn't been explaining Ereshkigal just now, she would've gone to greet him.
"What black-robed elder?"
Roman's confused voice came through from Chaldea.
"I didn't detect anyone like that."
From all their instruments, there was no trace of such a person.
"Of course you didn't."
Emiya Shirou replied casually.
"That grandfather exists at the pinnacle of Presence Concealment."
"Even mine doesn't compare."
He paused.
"That was the Grand Assassin."
"Eh?"
Mash tilted her head.
"But didn't you see through his Presence Concealment and call him out earlier, Senpai?"
"I was bluffing."
Emiya Shirou spread his hands.
"I just guessed he might be here and called out randomly."
"...Seriously?"
Mash froze.
And just like that, the tension finally broke.
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