"During that time, harass Tiamat by any means necessary! Use every trick, every weapon—attack her so fiercely she feels a sense of crisis!"
"If that's the case, leave it to me and Master! I'll whip up a 60-meter class Dragon Enemy just for her!"
"—Is that true, Master?"
"Yeah. Leave the 1-on-1 to me!"
—Master... wait, Fou?
"In that case," Merlin said, "leave her children and her authority to me and my friend here."
A beautiful woman in a white robe with semi-long hair stepped forward.
"My name is 'Uu-fo.' I'm this trash-wizard's familiar, the Great Sage of Beans and Wine."
"So it was you! You're far too early for the people of Uruk, you fool!" the Sage King shouted.
"Now, now. I shall turn Tiamat's mud into harmless flowers. That should stop her from birthing new life. And then—"
"I'll handle the eleven Lahmu born as her personal guard," the woman—Fou—said. "I'll use the Summoning Logic: 'Primate Murder' to erase them completely."
"Primate Murder? ...I'm surprised. You can command such a legendary existence?"
"Of course. That's why I'm here."
—Fou...?
(I'm fighting too, Ea. I won't let you see something like that.)
—But fighting means you'll get hurt... I want to respect your resolve, but...
(Then I'll go with him, Fou-kun.)
—Enkidu?!
(I know the pain of losing a friend. I won't let you go through that. If Fou is fighting, I will protect him.)
(Enkidu...)
"Do not worry. There is not a one-in-a-million chance that this one loses to such filth. He will bring the Beast back home with him."
—...Enkidu. Please... please look after my best friend!
(Leave it to me. Six for me, five for him. They look like they'll be fun to break.)
(...Yeah. I owe those things a lot.)
—Promise me you'll come back! You have to! It's a promise!
(Of course! I will never betray you!)
"Then the Servants shall be stationed at Uruk. Place the 360 Dingir cannons on the walls, deploy the soldiers, and lead them! We will unite the strength of Uruk's people and provide non-stop cover fire!"
"Hmph. See that your eccentric display reaches its conclusion. Now, the final hurdle. She has become a Beast, and thus... she is capable of flight."
"...!!"
"Is that... is that true?"
"Yes. The conclusion is firm. The Goddess of the Earth has obtained the means to soar through the heavens."
"Lies! Mother is an Earth Goddess! She can never get close to the sky!" Ishtar cried.
"It is a fact, regardless of your feelings. But think of it this way: 'If she wants to fly, let her fly.' If she comes by air, we stop her, block her, and strike the moment she falters."
"...Marduk, the Underworld, a goddess flying in the sky... ah. I see. So that's how it is."
—??? Wait, so...
"Hmph. You still don't see it? 'Places where life does not exist' aren't limited to the earth. In short, your own wish is what allowed the King to find this path."
—My wish...?
"If you don't understand yet, that is fine. Even I didn't realize it at first. Look forward to it."
—Y-yes!
"ROMA!"
"Romulus?!"
"It is Roma. Even the wall that blocks the Mother is Roma!"
"Not sure if I'll get a turn, but if I do, nice to meet ya~!"
"(Still standing in time-out.)"
—My King. I suggest we set a preparation period to ensure this plan is ironclad. Three days, or perhaps a week, to ensure absolute victory.
"Hmph. Do you actually expect something from Ishtar?"
—She's the type of goddess who shows true grit when she's backed into a corner, isn't she? Just like Ereshkigal-sama exceeded your expectations, I'm sure she'll... do something!
"Hahaha! You even have expectations for that Useless Goddess? You truly are too merciful! Very well! For your sake, I shall grant her a period to redeem herself!"
"That is the outline! This is not merely a battle or a war! This is the 'Rite of Severance' that unites everything we are! Steel yourselves! It is time to sing to the world that we no longer need to return to our Mother's womb!!"
The Hero King's roar shook the Ziggurat, shaking the very foundations of Uruk.
"Ea! Declare the name of the operation! The grand campaign that will decide our destiny!"
—Yes! The operation to show our Mother everything we've grown to be—to stand on our own two feet! Its name is—!
"Operation: Final Filial Piety!! We begin in one week! The true battle between Gods and Men! The curtain rises now!!"
Whether the future of humanity would sink into the twilight or prove itself worthy of opening the world...
The true trial had begun.
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