Departing from the Sun Temple, the starship advanced onward.
Before long, it arrived above another unfamiliar city.
"This is Kutha. Ereshkigal is its guardian deity. Her underworld lies beneath the city."
Ishtar looked down below as she spoke.
"Oh?"
"The underworld is beneath the city? That's surprisingly straightforward. I thought she would be in another plane entirely."
Belfast lightly twirled a strand of hair, intrigued.
"In the Age of Gods, the heavens, the surface, and the underworld were all woven upon the same fabric. It's not as complicated as you imagine."
Ishtar sat astride her massive bow.
"As long as you split open the surface, you can reach the underworld. It would be difficult for humans of this era—but you should be able to manage it, right?"
"Master, would you like to do it, or shall I?"
"I'll handle it."
Setsuna tapped twice on the main console.
Click—
One of the starship's turrets locked onto the ground below.
Boom—
After a brief charge, a deep-blue beam streaked across the sky. Like a knife slicing through butter, it carved open an enormous cavity in the earth.
Zzzzt—
The light lance traced a circle across the surface. A swath of land hundreds of meters in diameter was completely vaporized. Looking down from above, all that remained was pitch-black darkness, as though gazing into an abyss.
Deep within that abyss flickered clusters of faint blue flames, glowing like ghostly fire.
"Hiss..."
The Heroic Spirits instinctively felt a trace of discomfort.
"Once we enter the underworld, there are only two outcomes. Either we defeat Eresh and bring her back, and everyone survives... or she defeats us, and we are imprisoned here forever."
"Master, have you thought it through?"
Ishtar asked one final time.
"Relax. Eresh is super cute."
Setsuna leapt down from the sky with the others.
Whoosh—
After passing through a long vertical passage, they landed in the underworld buried thousands of kilometers beneath the surface.
As far as the eye could see, everything was dim and profound, like a colossal cavern. Strange, jagged rock formations supported the entire world.
There was only a single path, winding its way deeper into the darkness.
"So... this is the underworld."
Belfast and Gudako looked around.
Because Heroic Spirits were severely suppressed in the underworld, even Kukulkan was no exception.
So only the two of them and Ishtar had accompanied Setsuna.
The temperature in the underworld was far lower than on the surface. Combined with the absence of sunlight, the atmosphere felt oppressive.
Along both sides of the path and embedded into the cavern walls were countless human-sized cages. Inside each one flickered a swirling blue flame.
"Inside these... are they souls?!"
Gudako reached out and touched one lightly, immediately sensing something was wrong.
"Yes."
"These are the souls of humans who died on the surface."
Ishtar reached out to stop her.
"Ereshkigal keeps the human souls she favors locked in cages, placing them by her side to admire for tens of thousands of years."
"The souls trapped within aren't even allowed to fade away. They can only remain here forever in her kingdom of the dead."
"If we're unfortunate enough to be killed by Eresh, we'll probably end up like this too. So be careful, Master—"
"Hiss—"
In Gudako's mind, the image of the underworld goddess had already turned into a pervert.
"After passing through seven gates ahead lies Ereshkigal's palace. Anyone who wishes to have an audience with her must undergo this trial."
Ishtar pointed forward.
Advancing along the only path, they were soon blocked by an enormous stone gate.
It appeared ancient and heavy, carved on both sides with Mesopotamian-style totems and animal motifs.
"There. The Gate of the Underworld will question all who approach, judging the good and evil of their souls. It is a fair and rational gate."
"It once stripped me of my authority. Be careful and prepare yourselves."
Ishtar tossed out two gemstones. They shone brilliantly, activating the Gate of the Underworld.
"Answer... answer..."
The Gate of the Underworld spoke in a slightly mechanical tone.
"Living beings who have fallen into the underworld, answer as to the nature of your souls."
"First, a question for the deeply sinful Setsuna."
"Me?"
Setsuna stepped forward without surprise.
"Though standards of beauty may vary, beauty itself remains absolute."
The Gate of the Underworld spoke quietly:
"Question: Between Ishtar and Ereshkigal, who is more beautiful?"
"Huh???"
Ishtar's head filled with question marks.
"Wait!! That's not the same as before! What does that have to do with judging good and evil of the soul?!"
"Ereshkigal."
Setsuna answered without hesitation.
"Hey??! Couldn't you at least think about it a little?! Why her?!"
Ishtar panicked, standing on tiptoe and pushing her face closer.
"You've never even seen her before, right?! On what basis are you saying she's prettier than me?! I'm the goddess of beauty and harvest! She's the goddess of decay, isn't she?!"
"Think again! Or at least take another look at me?!"
She waved herself in front of Setsuna, showing off her looks—and her not particularly impressive figure.
"...I'm starting to understand why Eresh beat you up last time you came to the underworld."
Hummm—
"Very~ good~"
Accompanied by a prompt-like sound, the Gate of the Underworld slowly opened.
"!?"
Not long after, before the second gate.
The Gate of the Underworld once again issued its soul-question:
"Between Ereshkigal and Ishtar, who is more worthy of being entrusted with your wealth?"
"Eresh."
"Very good~~"
Before the third gate:
"Between Ereshkigal and Ishtar, who is more worthy of receiving humanity's offerings?"
"Eresh."
"Between Ereshkigal and Ishtar, who is more worthy of having your life entrusted to her?"
"Eresh."
"..."
Setsuna had more or less grown accustomed to this tsundere underworld goddess's questioning. He strolled along leisurely, completely unimpeded.
"Huh?! Master, do I really not matter to you at all?!"
Ishtar looked utterly devastated, tugging at Setsuna's clothes.
He hadn't even met Eresh, yet after just a few questions, she had lost utterly and completely. She was unhappy.
"Mm... it's efficiency. Gotta make her happy."
Then.
At the next gate, the question changed slightly.
"Question: If Ereshkigal and Ritsuka Fujimaru both fell into a river at the same time, who would you save first?"
"Huh???"
Gudako blinked.
"...Eresh, are you out of your mind?"
"What kind of question is that? Why am I even being compared? I can breathe underwater, you know?!"
"Answer quickly~~"
The Gate of the Underworld dragged out its tone impatiently.
"Tch."
Gudako stepped closer to inspect the gate, and suddenly a bold idea flashed through her mind.
Boom—
She pulled out a scroll and summoned Strelizia.
"Commander, magecraft and spiritual energy are suppressed here—but creations from another world don't seem to be affected."
"After all, no one would expect someone to pilot a Gundam in the underworld, right?"
"Legend says the Gate of the Underworld can withstand all attacks from Heroic Spirits of the present world. But my Tachyon Lance can cut through most matter in the physical world."
"Let's see which one is stronger."
Zzzzz...
The Queen Pike in Strelizia's hands activated at full power, entering a charging state.
It pressed against the Gate of the Underworld as a crimson beam erupted.
BOOM!!!—
The massive stone gate was blown clean away. The entire underworld trembled violently.
"Ahaha!—"
Gudako laughed.
"Just a gate to the underworld? One strike is all it takes."
"Underworld goddess? That's nothing special. Commander, I'll drag her over here myself. How dare she hide behind the scenes acting mysterious, tch."
Boom—
Piloting Strelizia, she extended its height and charged straight ahead, causing chaos throughout the underworld.
"Stop fighting! Stop fighting!!!"
From a distant palace, a blonde, red-eyed goddess with twin tails—identical in appearance to Ishtar—sat up from the ground.
She stamped her foot in a spoiled manner and cried out.
"They're a pain to repair, you know?!!!"
"I saw on the data aboard the Eternal Snowfall that this is a very popular question in other worlds! I just casually asked Master, that's all!"
"Um... welcome to the underworld. Ishtar is not included."
...
Tap... tap... tap—
Deep within the underworld.
A golden-haired, red-eyed girl wearing crimson hair ornaments and a black crown slowly stepped out from the darkness.
Her appearance closely resembled Ishtar's, yet carried a softer, more adorably timid charm.
She wore a black fitted dress and a red cloak trimmed with gold.
Step by step, she descended the palace stairs.
—The structure behind her was less a palace and more an ancient castle.
Within the somber, desolate atmosphere of the underworld, there was not a single unnecessary decoration. Everything was built from stone, completely unlike the opulent splendor of other goddesses' temples.
"You who trespass upon the underworld—I am the Underworld Goddess, Ereshkigal."
Eresh stood not far from Setsuna and spoke softly.
A faint but undeniable pressure spread outward. In the underworld, she was the highest authority. Even someone as powerful as the Feathered Serpent could not oppose the goddess of the underworld here.
"Eek—"
Ishtar flinched as though triggered by trauma, recalling the time she had been stabbed to death by Eresh. She immediately hid behind Setsuna.
Gudako felt a slight suppression as well. Her magic circuits were blocked—but she didn't care.
She craned her neck and examined the goddess in front of her.
"You're the one who asked that brain-dead question just now?"
"Please. That 'if I fall into a river with you, who would he save' nonsense is already outdated on Earth, okay? It doesn't even fit the actual conditions of the Starsea Empire."
"You should've asked, if I fall into a black hole with you, who would Commander save? ...Wait, no—even if it's a black hole, Commander could just warp its gravity. Anyway, your stupid question doesn't hold up."
"Eh???"
Caught immediately, Eresh's intimidating underworld aura vanished on the spot. She covered her face.
"I just happened to see some data the other day... and wanted to ask out of curiosity."
"The other day? Aren't you stuck in the underworld?"
Ishtar looked confused.
"Eresh and you are originally the same divine spirit. At night, she can borrow your body to move about."
Setsuna lightly tapped Ishtar's head.
"Mm... we even chatted for a while before, remember?"
"Hah?!"
Ishtar hugged herself and shuffled backward.
"You used my body to do what with Master?! You didn't do anything unbecoming of a goddess, did you?!"
"I didn't!"
Eresh stomped her foot.
"I was just curious!"
"Ever since you arrived in this world, I noticed you outsiders."
"At first, I planned to wait until you died and then guide you into the underworld. Your stories would surely be plentiful. You could have kept me company for tens of thousands of years."
"But you didn't seem like you planned to stay forever. You were searching everywhere for the Three Goddess Alliance. Even Ishtar joined you. So... I just wanted to see what that Commander looked like..."
The more she spoke, the redder her face became.
She had only wanted to secretly observe Setsuna. She hadn't expected him to be so perceptive and expose her immediately.
"What do you mean 'guide us into the underworld'..."
Belfast's expression stiffened. As expected, a goddess's logic differed greatly from that of mortals.
"Then you already know our purpose, don't you?"
Setsuna stepped forward and gently rubbed Eresh's head.
"We're here to repair the problems of this Singularity and restore Human Order."
"Kukulkan has already withdrawn from the Three Goddess Alliance and decided to join us. What about you? Destroying Uruk isn't your true intention, is it?"
Tap—
Gudako pointed at Strelizia behind her.
"I advise you to behave. Sure, Ishtar and the other Heroic Spirits are suppressed here—but you've never seen a Gundam, have you?"
"If we really fight, forget Commander—you can't even beat me."
"..."
Eresh lowered her head, hesitating for a moment.
"You came to the underworld... for the sake of Uruk?"
"Of course."
Ishtar answered without hesitation.
"If we let you destroy Uruk, the order of the human world will collapse. Besides, the Great Holy Grail of Uruk is no longer in Gilgamesh's possession. He gave it to Master."
"Even if you destroy Uruk, your wish cannot be fulfilled. It would be meaningless."
"!!!"
Eresh suddenly raised her head, her crimson eyes locking onto Setsuna.
"The Holy Grail is with you?"
"Yes."
Setsuna retrieved the golden Holy Grail from space. Its radiant golden light illuminated half the underworld.
"Ah..."
Eresh staggered forward in a daze, reaching out to touch it, only to be blocked by Gudako.
"What are you doing? Don't tell me you're trying to snatch it. Ahem—don't seek death."
"You... will protect Uruk, and eventually take the Holy Grail away, right?"
Eresh asked softly.
"Yes. We will ensure this era proceeds along its proper course of development. That is necessary to restore Human Order."
"Uruk cannot be destroyed by the Goddess Alliance. Mesopotamia must transition from the Age of Gods into the Age of Man."
Setsuna answered calmly.
To repair Human Order was, in essence, to correct history back to its proper form.
Whether it was the chaotic Roman emperors of Nero's era, the Hundred Years' War of the Evil Dragon, or the current conflict between the Three Goddess Alliance and the King of Heroes—these were all distortions of history that had to be corrected.
"It must move from the Age of Gods to the Age of Man...?"
Eresh bit her lip, unwillingness coloring her voice.
Gudako tensed immediately, fearing she might lash out. If nothing else, the underworld goddess's combat power here far exceeded Kukulkan's on the surface.
Her focus sharpened, ready to activate Strelizia at a moment's notice.
However.
Drip—
Drip—
"Wuu..."
Suddenly, several crystal-clear tears fell to the ground. Without warning, the golden-haired girl lowered her head and began to sob.
"This... isn't that unfair?"
"Eh? Eh? Eh?!"
Seeing the pitiful, tearful Eresh, Gudako, Belfast, and Ishtar all froze in panic.
"Y-you... what's wrong?"
"I have been here... for so very long."
Eresh spoke haltingly.
"Through endless years, I had nothing. I remained here, managing the souls of the dead, fulfilling my duties alone."
"No joy of my own. No happiness, no sorrow, no friends. I could only watch my other half soar freely across the sky."
She looked at Ishtar with complicated emotions.
Two sides of the same divine being. The goddess of Venus could roam the earth freely, symbolizing harvest and wealth, worshipped and adored by countless people.
While she could only remain in the underworld, day after day, within the desolation beneath the earth.
"There is nothing here. Not even a single flower can bloom... And yet, even so, I wanted to create a kingdom of the dead that rivaled any world."
"Because I believed that in the Age of Gods, humanity could live better lives. I could use my power to protect them."
"But now you tell me I was wrong. That the Age of Gods must end. That even my final ideal must be taken away...?"
The more she spoke, the more emotional she became.
ROAR!!—
A surge of crimson energy erupted around her. Behind her manifested the phantom of a skeletal demon god.
"I know I can't defeat you. But... but... I refuse! I refuse to accept it!!!—"
"Hey, we're not fighting again, right?!"
Gudako exclaimed, about to activate the mech—
Thud—
Setsuna pulled Eresh into his arms and gently stroked her head.
"I understand your past."
"It's alright. I'll create a new underworld for you. You can live in a different way from now on."
"What are you—?"
The skeletal phantom vanished instantly as Eresh struggled faintly.
Setsuna snapped his fingers.
Whoosh—
A wave of Honkai energy spread outward.
On the cold, barren ground, multicolored flowers bloomed instantly, spreading outward at visible speed.
Lush green vines crept up the naked stone walls. Towering ancient trees burst from the earth. A beam of sunlight filtered through their leaves, casting dappled shadows across the ground.
Looking up, one could see that within the once-dim underworld, a small sun now hung in the sky, radiating warm light upon the subterranean world.
Eresh turned her head.
Within only a few breaths, the once-sterile land had transformed into a sea of flowers.
She stood at the center of a field in full bloom as butterflies fluttered gently before her eyes.
"Ah..."
For a moment, she felt dazed. She wiped the tears from her eyes and rubbed them, thinking she must be dreaming.
The underworld was forbidden to the living—how could it become so beautiful and brimming with life?
"This is...?"
"Didn't you say the underworld had nothing?"
Setsuna smiled and lightly pinched her cheek.
"I made this. A gift for you."