Episode 231: Even when facing a life-and-death crisis, how could the Great King of Uruk fall so easily!
『 Upon realizing the destination of their journey, the group did not engage in much discussion or conversation. Almost without hesitation, they headed straight towards the direction of the first gate.
As they approached their destination, a dull yet deafening sound suddenly rang out.
"RUMBLE—!"
Like some ancient and powerful creature awakening, a suffocating aura permeated the air.
Under the influence of this powerful impact, Mash shielded Fujimaru Ritsuka almost out of instinct, attempting to use her own body as a shield to protect her companion from the unknown force.
Unexpectedly, the seemingly static wall suddenly appeared to gain life and began to emit waves of unsettling sounds.
Immediately following that, a strange and low call came from the wall: "Answer… Answer…"
This voice made everyone present involuntarily feel a palpitation of the heart.
It seemed to reach straight into the depths of one's heart, triggering fluctuations of fear and doubt.
This strange and eerie noise… sounded truly somewhat~ hair-raising.
Just as everyone had yet to fully digest the situation that had just occurred, the wall spoke again: "Living beings who have fallen into the Underworld, please clarify to me the form of your soul's existence."
Ishtar, as a goddess who had previously journeyed to the Underworld, appeared particularly experienced and knowledgeable at this moment.
"Looks like we've encountered a typical binary dilemma. This gate leading to the Underworld often tests the essential nature of the visitor's soul—good or evil—through questions."
The topic of what constitutes "good or evil of the soul" immediately piqued everyone's intense curiosity, especially upon learning that even the powerful Ishtar had once been blocked outside this gate because she couldn't answer a particularly tricky question.
Thinking of the upcoming trial, Fujimaru Ritsuka's mood couldn't help but become increasingly nervous.
For this young and brave person, exactly what kind of complex and difficult question this talking wall before them would throw out was truly unpredictable and filled him with anticipation.
At this time, Ishtar explained from the side: "This is already the seventh consecutive time experiencing similar checkpoints… Last time I visited here to explore, I also lost certain precious authority right in front of this threshold."
There was both a bit of sentimentality and helplessness in her tone.
Next, the wall asked again, and directly named Fujimaru to answer: "Then may I ask, human who shoulders such heavy responsibilities—Fujimaru,"
Hearing this, countless questions instantly popped up in Ishtar's mind. Why specifically him?
Before anyone could react, the text on the wall had quickly changed to form a new question: "Beauty is actually an absolute standard, although different individuals have vastly different definitions of beauty. Black is superior to white; earth surpasses the sky. Based on this…"
Finally, the specific question was given: "Between Ereshkigal and Ishtar, who do you think is more beautiful?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone present was stunned.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
Everyone fell into silence in unison. At this moment, the three of them were momentarily rendered speechless.
Wasn't it supposed to ask about the soul?
Shouldn't it be exploring the boundaries of good and evil?
Wasn't it going to discuss the standards of beauty? 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "How could it be this question?" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Gods, what is the point of asking this question?" ]
[ Kiryu Sento (Kamen Rider): "Since this question was asked, the god inside should also have an answer of their own." ]
[ Mash Kyrielight (Type-Moon): "….." ]
[ Eriri Spencer Sawamura (Saekano): "What a shameless god." ]
[ .....]
『 Fujimaru Ritsuka's mouth gaped open in surprise, and just as he was about to make a sound, Ishtar immediately reached out and stopped him.
"CHOTTO MATTE!! (Wait a minute)…" Ishtar's voice trembled slightly, "This is completely different from what was said earlier."
Ishtar realized there must be some unknown conspiracy hidden within this; after all, the current scene was too different from what she had originally predicted, simply baffling.
"This question… is really very difficult to answer…" Ishtar muttered to herself, seeming to be stumped by this question as well.
Even Mash, who had always been calm and composed on the side, felt an invisible pressure at this moment.
This feeling was like a huge rock pressing on her heart, making her almost unable to breathe.
"Answer… Answer…" The voice on the wall became increasingly urgent, and the frequency was accelerating.
Under this pressure, Ishtar lost her usual rationality.
She grabbed Fujimaru Ritsuka's shoulder tightly with one hand, revealing a hair-raising smile on her face.
"There's nothing to hesitate about, right?" She said this through gritted teeth. Although there was a smile on her face, this smile was particularly terrifying.
Fujimaru Ritsuka felt his heart was about to jump out of his chest. He knew the consequences would be unimaginable if he didn't answer, and finally could only say with a trembling voice: "The an… answer is… is… you… Ishtar."
"Hmm?" Ishtar's eyes suddenly became sharp, as if waiting for his further explanation.
"The answer is Ishtar!"
Facing Ishtar's almost threatening smile, Fujimaru Ritsuka finally succumbed and shouted out this seemingly safest answer.
"Hahahahahahahaha…"
For a moment, the entire Underworld seemed to echo with Ishtar's ecstatic laughter.
"As expected of the partner I chose—Fujimaru. One side is the goddess representing plants and decay, and the other is the goddess symbolizing beauty and harvest. If one has to compare who is more beautiful, surely a thousand choices out of a hundred people would be me!" 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Matou Sakura (Type-Moon): "Another Onee-chan, so shameless." ]
[ Tohsaka Rin (Type-Moon): "....." ]
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "Sure enough, at times like this, you have to choose the person next to you." ]
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "Dan Heng, did you remember that?" ]
[ Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail): "….." ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "However, now that this answer has been chosen, bad things should happen too, right?" ]
[ Mash Kyrielight (Type-Moon): "Probably, not, right?" ]
[ Fujimaru Ritsuka (Type-Moon): "Emmmm….." ]
[ .....]
『 But just at this moment.
"BUZZ—!"
"BANG—!"
A blinding bolt of lightning descended from the sky, directly striking the arrogant Ishtar, blasting her into a foolish state with her hair standing on end and wisps of smoke rising from her clothes.
"Haha… Hahahahahahaha…" Immediately after, Ishtar's laughter, now slightly neurotic from shock, came again.
Right after Fujimaru Ritsuka quickly changed his previous stupid answer, the tightly closed gate finally opened slowly with a "click".
"Nani?"
"This is too ridiculous!" Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but retort; everything happening before his eyes exceeded his imagination. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Yuri Nakamura (Angel Beats): "The goddess inside also seems a bit improper." ]
[ Haibara Ai (Detective Conan): "After all, she is a woman. Even a god would care about these things." ]
[ Ran Mouri (Detective Conan): "Children shouldn't talk about this, Ai-chan." ]
[ Haibara Ai (Detective Conan): "..." ]
[ Doraemon (Doraemon): "What scary adults." ]
[ .....]
『 Every time Ishtar passed through a gate, her body would shrink a little, causing her original combat power to weaken accordingly.
As her size continued to decrease, the moves she could perform became increasingly limited.
After passing through a full six gates, the originally tall Ishtar was now a head shorter than Fou.
Her once majestic appearance was gone, and now she looked more like a frail young girl, completely losing the sense of power that made people fearful in the past.
"Only one gate left. Although this is a situation we anticipated long ago, right now it seems we can only grit our teeth and move forward." Ishtar looked ahead, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness but also a determined and unyielding attitude.
Hearing her speak like this, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash felt mixed emotions in their hearts.
Looking at their friend who had become increasingly small and powerless before them, deep worry welled up in both of their hearts, but they knew that any comforting words at this time were futile, so they could only sigh softly to express understanding and support.
Just then, earth-shattering laughter cut through the sky.
"Hmphahahahahahaha…" Immediately after, a welcoming phrase also rang out, "Welcome for coming all this way!"
This sudden voice shocked everyone, but it was followed by a huge clap of thunder—
"BOOM—!"
Immediately after, amidst radiating golden light, a magnificent figure made a dazzling entrance. It was the King who had not been seen for a long time—Gilgamesh! 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Hu Tao (Genshin Impact): "Oho, this land of the dead is about to lose a customer." ]
[ Mash Kyrielight (Type-Moon): "Um, over here, it doesn't seem like they are customers or anything, right?" ]
[ Hu Tao (Genshin Impact): "Sorry, sorry, slip of the tongue." ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "..." ]
[ Zhongli (Genshin Impact): "Hehe, please bear with my Director." ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "Okay, Empe… Mr. Zhongli." ]
[ .....]
『 "Haha, I knew it! Even in the face of a life-and-death crisis, how could the great King of Uruk fall so easily!" The King said with a face full of pride, his eyes flashing with an arrogant light.
Upon hearing that familiar and reassuring voice, everyone present involuntarily cast their gazes in the direction of the arrival.
Especially Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash, their eyes were filled with a mixture of disbelief and surprise, regaining confidence in the future journey within their hearts.
As time passed, after a detailed explanation of the situation, everyone finally reached a consensus and decided to head deeper.
However, just as the group was about to set off, the ground suddenly emitted a deafening roar, "BANG—!", followed by thick white mist spreading rapidly, obscuring the surrounding scenery.
When the white smoke gradually dissipated, everyone was surprised to find that on the pitch-black and cold ground of the Underworld, piles of bones were slowly gathering into form, eventually constructing a massive and terrifying existence.
"Despair, pitiful humans." A low voice filled with threatening implications came from within the giant, making one shudder.
"That is correct. I am the administrator who rules over death, the undisputed mistress of this Underworld—Ereshkigal, and the owner of that spiritual peak towering in the darkness." That figure introduced herself in a cold and confident tone, making the air colder with every word spoken.
A silence fell… So this is the so-called… Ereshkigal…
Upon hearing this sentence, Fujimaru Ritsuka seemed to have suffered a heavy blow, collapsing into a state of breakdown. His legs went soft, and he knelt directly on the ground, his face pale as paper.
However, just when everyone thought he would be completely crushed, Fujimaru Ritsuka clenched his fists tightly, struggling to stand up again.
Although his steps were staggering and unsteady, he still tried hard to stand straight, facing this terrible opponent in front of him.
"I beg you… Please return King Gilgamesh to us… Let him return to the surface world…" Fujimaru Ritsuka mustered the last bit of courage, slowly reached out his hand in a gesture of request, his voice slightly trembling but still firmly expressing their appeal.
"…And, please let us join hands to save Uruk."
"Eh….."
At this moment, Gilgamesh and Ishtar were stunned on the side. They had never seen anyone use this method to win someone over; it was simply somewhat incredible.
"There are only two days left until Uruk is breached by Gorgon. Before that, I will personally conquer Uruk and seize the Holy Grail."
In Ereshkigal's eyes, intense hostility and determination flashed at this moment.
"You shouldn't want to see such a thing happen!"
Even though Fujimaru Ritsuka still tried to persuade the other party through words, it was obvious that Ereshkigal was no longer interested in listening.
A powerful sense of oppression came head-on. It was a deterrent attack released by Ereshkigal, intending to directly interrupt any meaningless attempts at dialogue.
"I am Ereshkigal, governing the destination of life in the entire Underworld. Accepting the spirits of all lives in the world is my mission. Facing this duty, I will neither feel guilt nor have a wavering heart, and I will certainly not easily change my stance!"
"If this is your decision…" Gilgamesh crossed his arms over his chest. A magic book emitting a mysterious glow appeared around him, followed by countless halos shining with strange light appearing behind him. "Then this King shall pass judgment on you by defeating you!"
Before his voice had died away, an unprecedentedly powerful clash of forces suddenly erupted in the gloomy and silent Underworld.
Strong shockwaves swept through the surroundings, even forcing the spectators nearby to retreat several steps.
However, it was worth noting that in this land dominated by Ereshkigal, she possessed nearly infinite power as support.
Even if Gilgamesh's strength was extraordinary, it was difficult to achieve victory on someone else's home ground.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka…"
At this moment, a massive skeletal structure suddenly emerged in the open space between the two. These giant objects made of white bones emitted a fearful aura and slowly advanced towards Fujimaru Ritsuka's direction.
Yet, despite facing such a crisis-ridden situation, Fujimaru Ritsuka remained standing still, looking resolutely at that powerful yet lonely figure ahead.
"For a long time, I have been silently fulfilling the tasks and responsibilities I shoulder, yet I have never received anyone's recognition or praise. Now it's your turn to tell me, Fujimaru…" 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "This answer is also very simple." ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Just need to praise her a little bit, and you can go back smoothly." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "That's right, that's right, this answer is also very simple." ]
[ Mash Kyrielight (Type-Moon): "Senpai, everything depends on you." ]
[ Fujimaru Ritsuka (Type-Moon): "Hiss…" ]
[ .....]
『 And at this very moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka's answer remained so unique.
"I cannot praise you!" 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "????" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "????" ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "????" ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "????" ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "????" ]
[ Chika Fujiwara (Love Is War): "????" ]
[ Utaha Kasumigaoka (Saekano): "????" ]
[ Eriri Spencer Sawamura (Saekano): "????" ]
[ Kato Megumi (Saekano): "????" ]
[ Yuri Nakamura (Angel Beats): "????" ]
[ Hu Tao (Genshin Impact): "????" ]
[ .....]
『 "If I praised you, it would hurt your dignity." This sentence was spoken firmly, as if it were a decision made after careful consideration.
At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked firmly at Ereshkigal in front of him.
Even facing that pile of horrifying white bones, Fujimaru's eyes did not waver in the slightest, instead carrying a moving emotion.
And from the corner of her eye, a teardrop actually slowly rolled down.
"If you cannot understand me… if you cannot praise me… Fujimaru! Even if it is you, I will kill you!" This was a sentence filled with grief and anger, bursting from Ereshkigal's mouth.
Her mood was obviously on the verge of collapse, her tone carrying unquestionable determination.
At this moment, red lightning rose in Ereshkigal's hands.
Those lightning bolts were like venomous snakes, constantly winding between her fingers, finally converging into a powerful shockwave, gradually solidifying in her palm, and it was still expanding, seemingly ready to erupt at any moment… 』
『 .....』