Lying sprawled across a wasteland now several times larger than before, Ophis stared blankly at the sky.
Only her upper body remained. Energy streamed from her core into the missing lower half, but though her regeneration was visible to the naked eye, it was agonizingly slow compared to before.
Rustling footsteps approached. "Enkidu" entered Ophis's field of view.
She wasn't in good shape either. The white robe that had stayed pristine no matter how hard it was struck was torn and bloodstained; patches of exposed skin had turned earthen, chunks crumbling and reforming again and again.
Even so, she was still on her feet.
Stopping beside Ophis, "Enkidu" let out a laugh.
"I won."
"Is that so?"
Ophis smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
"Enkidu" raised her hand—now a blade—high above her head.
"With this, the dying struggles of old humanity will crumble and scatter. Well then, any last words? Go on, I'll allow it."
She didn't notice how her tone toward Ophis had softened.
"Enkidu—"
"I am not Enkidu."
Before Ophis could finish, "Enkidu" cut her off coldly.
"I am like the demonic beasts—a being created by Mother, a prototype of the new humanity meant to rule this world in their place. The prototype shaped by the primordial goddess Tiamat. My true name is… Kingu."
"Kingu?"
Ophis blinked.
"The first of the Eleven, Tiamat's second husband?"
Reciting Kingu's legend, Ophis looked at "Enkidu"—no, at Kingu—and her gaze grew odd.
"Hmph. I'm not that weak failure. I am a perfect being made on the model of the gods' greatest masterpiece, Enkidu—designed flawlessly as the next generation of humanity."
At the mention of the original Kingu, this Kingu's eyes flashed with disdain.
"So I can promise you this: humanity will not perish. When the old humanity dies, human order will begin anew. Die in peace—the joy of returning to nothingness is your final salvation!"
Kingu kept talking, while Ophis's eyes only grew stranger.
"Well? You've learned what you wanted, you've had my guarantee. You're ready to die obediently now, aren't you?"
"I haven't finished speaking…"
At last, Ophis sighed softly.
"Oh? What is it? Out of my magnanimity, I'll let you say a few last words."
"Mm… I've confirmed a few things."
"What!?"
Before Kingu's astonished eyes, Ophis's half-restored body began to dissolve instead—at a speed dozens of times faster.
"First, you really aren't Enkidu."
Kingu finally reacted, her blade-hand stabbing down—
But she struck nothing.
Ophis had vanished completely.
"Second, you're dumber than Enkidu, slower than Enkidu, and you talk too much."
Purple motes condensed into Ophis's upper body above Kingu's head as she chuckled.
"You—!"
This time Kingu moved fast. The ground beneath her erupted with countless weapons thrusting up toward Ophis—only for ranks of magic circles to bloom all around, sealing her in tight.
"When…"
Kingu's face darkened. The crushing magical pressure forced her to hold back.
"Lastly: from the moment you failed to finish me in one blow, your victory was already gone."
With Ophis's snap, beyond the first layer of circles, a second, a third—more and more appeared until the fifth layer formed and held.
"This is my final gift. Take it well."
Individually, none of the blasts were terribly strong—but sheer numbers alone would bury Kingu.
Unlike the earlier scattered barrages in midair, every single circle now targeted her directly, leaving not the slightest room to dodge.
"Damn it!"
Kingu bit her lip, summoning chains to wrap herself as Ophis's emotionless voice rang out once more:
"Two thousand… go."
At her words, a vast mushroom cloud rose slowly from the forest.
Watching the still-forming cloud, Merlin whistled.
"Spectacular. So, how was it—did you finish her off, King Ophis?"
From the trees beside the three Servants, Ophis walked out slowly. Her body wasn't fully restored, flickering with purple motes of light.
"That level isn't enough to destroy Enkidu."
Ophis shook her head lightly, then turned.
"Let's return to Uruk."
No one had grounds to object. With no further incidents along the way, they made it back to the northern wall.
"Are you all alright? Do you need healing anywhere?"
As soon as they entered, Medea Lily appeared before them like a little angel, asking with concern.
"Mm, we're fine."
Ophis gave her a small smile and nodded.
"Hm… King Ophis seems a lot more cheerful," Merlin muttered behind them, stroking his chin as he watched the two girls interact.
"King Ophis, you've returned?"
Right behind Medea, Jeanne and Arjuna hurried over from the rear defenses.
"Um… just now, all the Dingir on the walls fired automatically…"
"It's fine. That was me."
"Oh? Really? Amazing—no wonder you're the King."
Jeanne looked genuinely impressed.
At that moment, a bolt of light suddenly streaked toward them, which Ophis brushed aside with a wave.
"Honestly—so this is where you've been?"
On her Maanna, Ishtar hovered with hands on hips, full tsundere.
"I went all the way to Uruk looking for you, you know? I even flipped—er, bombed—an entire pyramid temple searching for you. Standing up a goddess, huh? Never heard of such a thing!"
"No… I don't recall making an appointment with Ishtar… By the way, what you took from Uruk…"
"Hah? If I say we had a meeting, then we had a meeting! And I didn't steal anything—those were perfectly legitimate payments, legitimate!"
Waving from Maanna, Ishtar suddenly narrowed her eyes at Ophis.
Under that burning gaze, Ophis tilted her head.
"Ishtar, something on your mind?"
"No… It just feels like you've changed—like you've let something go."
Saying so, Ishtar, unexpectedly, smiled gently.
"This feeling is far better than the impression you gave me before."
"Is that so…"
Ophis tilted her head again.
"Though I don't particularly care about Ishtar's feelings…"
"Wait a sec—did you know? You don't say much, but every so often you blurt something really hurtful!"
Watching the lively group, Altera silently turned to leave.
"Altera."
Ophis suddenly called to her.
"Today's victory over the Girtablilu was thanks to you."
"No… That's my job."
To destroy whatever stood in her way—that was her task.
Altera nodded and started off again, but Ophis caught the hem of her garment.
"Even so, I should thank you. Shall we celebrate today?"
Seeing the light in Ophis's eyes, Altera somehow—almost against her will—nodded.
After all, in the old days after a victory, her own people would always pull her into celebration too…
"Mm. Defeating the Girtablilu is a milestone."
"Yes. At least we've learned the enemy isn't invincible."
Even Merlin, for once, said something vaguely positive, and Jeanne smiled as well.
Looking at them, Ophis's smile grew softer and softer.
Though stronger enemies still lay ahead…
They could definitely win.
For humanity, for Uruk, for Enkidu.
And—for herself.
They must win.
---
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