Chapter 69: Reunited with Gilgamesh, Take Action!
Uruk City, ten days later. The once-shattered city was slowly reclaiming a spark of its former vitality.
However, after over half a year of Demonic Beast harassment followed by the sudden onslaught of the Lahmu, the population had plummeted. Uruk, the glorious first dynasty of Mesopotamia, now teetered on the brink of extinction.
In the original "fate," Uruk was destined to fall, and Gilgamesh was meant to meet his end. They were supposed to forge a new ancient epic in their final moments. But now, because of Akira's interference, the entire timeline had been thrown into chaos.
Today, Uruk welcomed two special guests. Descending from the sky, they crossed the city in a blur and arrived at the Ziggurat in the central district.
The last 'heroes' of this era were gathered here: Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk; the Chaldean duo, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash; and finally, Merlin, the "useless" mage.
Just like in the original story, Merlin had been sidelined after Kingu trapped him, causing a dark magical backlash that forced him off the stage. Yet, the man had somehow clawed his way back using his own power.
However, contrary to his expectations, even though the city had tasted despair, the world had not been destroyed. This left Merlin profoundly confused. Since the Singularity hadn't vanished, he stayed behind to ensure nothing went wrong.
Days turned into weeks. For ten full days, nothing happened. If he hadn't experienced the chaos himself, Merlin would have suspected he was being pranked. But Chaldea's observations confirmed it: this era was still a Singularity. The end had not yet arrived.
The sudden sound of footsteps echoing through the Ziggurat hall immediately drew everyone's attention.
In an instant, recognizing the intruders, the group shifted into a combat stance. Merlin and Fujimaru Ritsuka were especially guarded—after all, the one standing before them was the child of Tiamat.
"Hmm? You're that Incubus. You're still alive?"
"Well, I'm someone who absolutely hates tragic endings. So, risking my reputation as the 'Magician of Flowers,' I had to make a quick comeback."
"I see. So you've been re-summoned."
Kingu spared Merlin a single glance before losing interest. Just an Incubus. He might be annoying, but if she truly wanted him gone, it wouldn't be difficult.
On the other side of the room, Mash took an instinctive step back the moment she saw Akira. Fujimaru Ritsuka moved to stand in front of her, acting as a shield against the brewing storm.
A heavy thud echoed as the "Savior of Humanity" was sent flying without the slightest hint of hesitation or respect. His face, once handsome, was suddenly bloodied as the force of the blow broke his nose, and he slammed into the wall behind him. The sight was almost comical.
"Mash Kyrielight..."
"What do you want?" Mash stammered. Her eyes darted toward her 'Senpai' for a fraction of a second, but her gaze quickly snapped back to Akira.
Facing him, she felt an overwhelming sense of dread, as if she were staring at a natural predator. Her biological instincts screamed at her to flee, and the fact that her power and her very Demon Race bloodline were gifts from him only made it worse.
Akira now held the true authority of the Demon King's throne.
"Attacking one of my subjects right before my eyes... you've gone too far, Shin Akira," Gilgamesh's voice rang out, cold and sharp.
He was a King, and Fujimaru Ritsuka was now effectively one of his people. While he usually didn't care about internal squabbles, Akira was an outsider.
"Your subject? You should understand one thing, Gilgamesh. Mash belongs to me. A contract was signed. Are you suggesting you want to break it?"
"Did you come here solely to provoke my wrath? If so, I can tell you plainly—you've succeeded."
Behind Gilgamesh's throne, a massive array of golden ripples shimmered into existence. Countless magic wands began to emerge from the treasury.
The air groaned under the weight of the gathered magical energy. If those wands fired simultaneously, it would be nothing short of an absolute "Magic Gatling" barrage.
Seeing the display, Akira simply smiled. A magic attack? It was almost a pity. To Akira, magic-based offenses were utterly meaningless.
A flash of light appeared in his hand as a short sword manifested.
"Full Counter..."
He raised the Sacred Treasure, Lostvayne, and as the sky filled with a torrent of magical fire, Akira swung the blade in a clean arc.
With a deafening roar, the entire barrage was reflected back along its original path, its power doubled in an instant.
"Gilgamesh, you are no match for me. If possible, I'd rather not be your enemy."
"What kind of ability is this? To reflect my magic and amplify it... just who are you?"
"Full Counter. This is my magic. All magical attacks are worthless before me."
"Full Counter, is it? A technique I've never heard of."
Since magic had failed, the King decided it was time for a more direct approach. Gilgamesh reached out, and a massive stone grimoire fell into his hand, glowing with an ancient light. In this era, paper didn't exist; even government records were kept on clay tablets. Naturally, a spellbook would be carved from stone.
But he wasn't done. A massive battle-axe materialized in his other hand. The 'Axe of the King of Uruk' had officially made its entrance.
The axe and the short sword collided with a resounding clang, sending a shower of sparks flying across the room. No one expected Gilgamesh to engage in close quarters so quickly, nor did they expect Akira to be able to parry him so effortlessly.
Bang! Clang! Boom!
In a matter of minutes, the two traded a flurry of blows, leaving the Ziggurat hall in ruins. A place meant for the worship of gods and kings had been transformed into a savage battlefield.
Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka moved to assist Gilgamesh, but Kingu caught them with a single, freezing glare. The sheer pressure of her gaze pinned them both to the spot, rendering them silent and immobile.
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