Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

"Oh?" Her strategy worked. Ishtar's attention was drawn, and she casually picked up a cup of pretty-colored black tea from the tea and snacks on the table, which were spread across various eras.

[An instinctive, unthinking bodily reaction, Japanese black tea... coupled with the Bajiquan used in the previous battle, was the vessel used for Ishtar's descent from the 20th century onwards?]

"Alliances between gods are merely to ensure that their mutual interests are not harmed. After all, each god's needs when descending to earth are different. Since you don't intend to form alliances with other gods, then you must be certain that you won't have conflicts with them. Or perhaps..." Ishtar raised an eyebrow slightly. "...You don't care?"

The words were suggestive... so why not just go along with it...

“Ah, that’s right, I don’t care.” Flora thought to herself, her facial expressions conveying a nonchalant air. “After all, look, so many pillar gods have already descended to earth. I suppose this land will be reduced to scorched earth once the inevitable divine war begins. Since the Mesopotamian civilization is destined for destruction, then this doesn’t conflict with my purpose in descending to earth.”

"It sounds like you have a lot of opinions about the humans on this land... So why did you try to preserve this Imanitic city-state when you arrived?"

“No, it’s just that I don’t want my place to be defiled by a bunch of wild beasts,” Flora said with a smile, carefully choosing her words. “As for your opinion… I don’t have any particular opinion on them. I just want to wipe Mesopotamian civilization off the earth.”

She clearly observed that Ishtar's pupils contracted slightly for a very brief moment. Then, the goddess Venus, sitting opposite her, smiled demurely.

"Hoo hoo, were you also sent down to destroy the world? Mangtlund, yes, after all, there haven't been any believers offering you anything on this land since yesterday. In that sense, you and a certain serpent god have quite a few similarities. After all, it also descended from mythology to exterminate humanity and nurtured countless magical beasts, wanting to devour the entire continent."

Flora blinked.

[Very good, now it's basically confirmed. Ishtar is essentially not part of the Three Goddess Alliance, and her stance is on the side of humanity. Furthermore, the other two pillars of the Goddess Alliance should hold similar positions, which is why she deliberately hinted at it in her words, trying to incite war between me and Tiamat.]

[But this raises another question: if the Three Goddesses Alliance harbors its own secrets, why haven't they engaged in civil war yet, and instead maintained this strange alliance? It can't be that mortal power is too strong, so it must be that Tiamat is too strong... or is there another reason?]

[Alright, let's put this issue aside for now and eliminate the potential negative consequences of this probing first...]

"What are you talking about? When did I say I wanted to exterminate humanity?" Flora raised an eyebrow in surprise, revealing a perfectly timed expression of astonishment. "I'm going to wipe out civilization, not humanity. Don't compare me to Tiamat, who created those filthy and chaotic monsters. I completely disagree with her aesthetics."

"The civilization of this era is too rudimentary, too ignorant, too foolish. And more importantly, it is of no use to us gods—so I intend to change it, I intend to modify it into what I need. I want to bring the Sumerian civilization to an end, and then on that basis, evolve an Immanite civilization that meets my requirements. And that is why I am here."

“I see. So you value the spirit more than the body?” There was a subtle sense of relaxation in Ishtar’s tone, one that Flora could easily detect. Her body, the vessel of a 20th-century mortal, had ultimately changed her personality while also bringing her many burdens—“I’m sorry, it was my mistake to lump you in with that guy. But don’t you think your view of humanity is too harsh?”

“Children always have to leave their mothers, and the Age of Gods will eventually come to an end. It’s already a foregone conclusion that Sumer will end with the passing of the Age of Gods after the reign of the Hero King. As long as people are still alive, it doesn’t really matter whether a civilization is destroyed by the times or by you.” Ista paused, then picked up another cup of black tea from the table.

“But, Mangotlund, even if you rebuild an Imamite civilization that can continue the Age of Gods and make humans ‘useful’ to the gods, it will eventually perish from the world. Just as Tiamat’s children will eventually leave her, your children will eventually leave you as well.”

“Humans… are not my children.” Flora’s voice was very low.

"That's true, after all, your followers haven't existed since yesterday. But Mangtlund, you must have manifested your will when Tiamat created all things. Otherwise, how could this Imanitic city-state exist, how could it stand here, and how could its inhabitants possibly have the blood of lightning and fire affinity? Even if the blood ties are extremely diluted, there is still a connection between them and you—"

"Otherwise, how could you have descended upon this city-state? And how could you have 'coincidentally' driven away the attacking monsters, thus saving the city?"

The goddess's fingers visibly stiffened for a moment.

“It seems you haven’t figured it out yourself… Well, I’ll continue our discussion after you’ve figured it out.” Ishtar smiled elegantly, gently placed her empty teacup on the table, and rose to walk towards the outside of the temple.

Flora did not stop her.

"It was my mistake to attack you without reason this time, and I will not apologize. Because I am the daughter of Venus, the guardian deity of Uruk. Even as a fellow god, I will not easily bow my head." She stretched out her hand, brushing away the slanting sunlight and pointing it towards the sky. "However, a mistake is a mistake. I am not the kind of god who will stubbornly refuse to admit that I am wrong. As compensation, when you join the battle against other goddesses later, I will stand by your side and help you this time."

“Then…” A resounding roar burst forth from her throat. “Grangara!”

The next moment, a massive cloud of burning clouds descended from the top of the sky with a deafening roar!

It was a mythical beast, a colossal bull constructed of clouds, thunder, gold, and unparalleled immense power. Its size even surpassed that of the entire Imanitic city-state!

That was the Bull of Heaven, a powerful divine beast in Sumerian mythology that rendered the gods helpless, yet could be controlled by Ishtar, the goddess of Venus. Only when she unleashed this catastrophic behemoth did the goddess Ishtar truly participate in the war. Otherwise, everything was merely a game.

She tilted her head slightly and nodded gently to Flora. The next moment, she soared into the air like a ray of pure light. And the traces of the divine beast Grangana vanished.

The meeting between the goddesses ended, leaving behind only an ancient city-state thrown into chaos by the miracle, but gradually regaining its order.

Inside the temple, Flora lowered her eyes.

[Power Unleashed: 1%]

Nothing has changed since the beginning of his arrival, through the battle with Ishtar and the arrival of Grangana. The divine power bestowed upon him by Mangtlund remains at this minimum level of liberation—perhaps it has increased from one percent to one and a half percent. But it has never reached the next level of two percent.

[Dealing with that bull might require unleashing more than 20% of my divine power... hmph, maybe even more. After all, I don't really know what a true divine war entails. And I don't know if this percentage of power unleashed refers to my limit or Mangtlund's full strength... ah, let's set aside these irrelevant details for now. In any case, I've at least obtained enough information from Ishtar and established a reasonably plausible divine concept.]

She deeply respected Tiamat, but lacked respect for the goddess of monsters. Therefore, the 'Tiamat' who created those monsters might not be the real Tiamat. That makes sense; how could the Mother of All Things, who had interacted with an unfathomable ancient god like Mangotrund during the creation era, waste so much effort destroying the world… There must be more to this story than I know.

[At the same time, it proves that Ishtar shouldn't belong to the Three Goddess Alliance, yet she does have some connection... The messengers told me they sensed the aura of the Underworld and another pillar god in Kusa. Therefore, Ereshkigal, the Underworld goddess with a 'deep bond' with Ishtar, is very likely to occupy this position. But besides that, there are two other pillars... Ah, more information is needed.]

She gently rubbed her temples.

She had carefully considered and calculated her self-image as an ancient goddess who 'wanted to perpetuate the Age of Gods, destroy Sumerian civilization, but then rebuild the Immanite civilization upon it.' Because she wasn't yet certain of her true purpose, she tentatively chose an image that 'a goddess who wanted to destroy humanity would ignore, a goddess who wanted to protect humanity would win over, and 'mortals who wanted to protect themselves would strive for,' aligning with the narrative of the Mangotrend pantheon. From then on, she would act according to this principle as her overt code of conduct.

Her weaknesses are almost nonexistent, but the potential arrival of Chaldea members in the future and powerful beings with clairvoyance still need to be considered. However, this can be attributed to the influence of divinity on the physical body… After all, inheriting divine wisdom is her advantage, allowing her to appear like a true god while no one can discern that the one actually controlling divine power is a mortal like herself. This is a significant advantage that needs to be carefully managed.

【but……】

She turned her gaze to the distant city of Uruk.

It's almost certain that Gilgamesh used the ritual to summon a Heroic Spirit. However, the Holy Grail he possesses may not be the same anchor Grail that the Magic King deployed. After all, the timing is off, and a mistake would be very troublesome. But since he summoned a Servant, the Holy Grail War can be considered to have begun. And while the seven slots for the participants are full, such things are not absolute.

So, since even Ishtar can maintain a temporary peace with me...

She stretched out her hand, creating a barrier above the city to prevent prying eyes and interference. The next moment, a summoning circle, which she had replicated countless times in her mind, appeared within the temple!

“I’ve been to Fuyuki, and I know how the Greater Grail is constructed based on the ley lines. I also know that the so-called summoning words are completely unnecessary. As long as a Servant is willing to respond, the summoning words and relics can be omitted and the Servant can be summoned.”

The next moment, the true etheric connection was established, and the ritual array lit up!

"I need help, for the purpose of restoring humanity. If anyone is willing to answer the call, then descend here." She stood up and stared at the summoning circle without moving.

One second, two seconds, ten seconds, twenty seconds.

The summoning ritual was successful, because she clearly sensed countless wills manifesting on the other end of the ritual.

The summoning ritual failed because all the wills remained unmoved, whether strong or weak, good or evil; they all ignored her.

She waited for a full ten minutes.

"I was indeed doing something boring."

The next moment, the entire magic circle was crushed into dust by an invisible force field, crushed into molecules, and subjected to interatomic physical reactions before being completely suppressed by an even stronger will. Accompanied by a sudden gust of wind, the entire temple was restored to its state eleven minutes earlier, at the cost of a centimeter of ground being shaved away.

"You don't need me." The girl lowered her eyes and closed them. "Then, I don't need you either."

[Power Unleashed: 3%]

Chapter Ten: The Grace of the Goddess

It is said that at the very beginning of the creation of this world, when the primordial ocean boiled and all things came into being, the oldest gods were actually without emotions.

Their essence is the law, the Force, and the pure embodiment of nature—they are born to fulfill a mission. And when they have fulfilled their mission, they will slumber forever.

Just like a set of sophisticated program code. No matter how complex its content or how high its authority, once the function it is meant to express as program code has been executed, it will inevitably cease to function. Perhaps it will be moved to the idle area and cast into that distant other world called the Sea of ​​Stars. Or perhaps it will be placed in the recycle bin and enter into eternal slumber in the boundless ocean of imaginary numbers.

So-called gods are just like this, they are what they were originally, and they should be. Unlike the free true gods who stand in the multiverse, the gods of this world, although they have no concept of lifespan or life and death, are already anchored to their end from the moment they are born.

Until humankind appeared in this world.

Whether created by a creator, sprang from stone, soil, or fruit, or drifted from an unknown foreign land, almost simultaneously, in all civilizations, this creature called human appeared. It was about 1.5 to 1.7 meters tall, hairless, with two hands, two feet, and many senses gathered in its head.

Wondrous creatures, creatures without reason. The creators are all different, and each civilization is distinct. Yet, in this era, so many 'people' appeared simultaneously, as if their appearance were an integral part of creation, a natural and logical process—the primordial creators noticed this, and then ignored it.

Because gods have no emotions, at least not at this point in time. They experience no joy, no sorrow, no satisfaction, and no death. Their essence is simply the manifestation of the Force, the embodiment of rules; they are neither required nor designed to have emotions. Until—they came into contact with human emotions.

The gods created humankind, giving them life. Human emotions, in turn, fed back to the gods, imbuing these primal forces with intelligence. As one god after another awakened from their primitive ignorance, the world entered an era known as the Age of Gods.

In this era, the gods bestowed protection upon humanity, granting them blessings amidst natural disasters and the threat of wild beasts. Humanity reciprocated with prayer and worship—though the power of mortal prayers was negligible to the gods, human emotions were essential sustenance. For they enabled the gods, who were neither born nor die, neither aware nor sentient, to maintain their consciousness and continue to exist in the world.

Humans don't need such things, so mortals cannot become gods while alive or dead, but after death they can return to nature and thus become part of the divine. Perhaps it is for this reason that Flora regards worldly thoughts in prayer as 'impurities' and discards them. Because these things have only value for the divine.

The Age of Gods should have ended long ago… no, perhaps the Age of Gods should never have existed in the first place. The gods, who should have departed the mortal world or fallen into eternal slumber after fulfilling their destined duties, gained sentience by absorbing the emotions of mortals. Because of this sentience, they knew of life and death; and because they knew of life and death, they sought to exist forever.

Ah, yes, in this age where humans and gods coexist, mortals are useful to the gods. Conversely, the gods themselves are of little value to mortals. For mortals do not cease to exist because the gods have disappeared. But the gods, abandoned by mortals, gradually lose their intellect, transforming into pure primal force and rules, and thus slumber in the end they should have long ago reached.

Thus, the Age of Gods ended. Even with the efforts and attempts of many gods and mortals who worshipped them, the Age of Gods, which should never have existed, ultimately drew to a close over the long course of time. While the end points of each civilization may differ slightly, they generally fall within the same range. And on the land of Mesopotamia, the final echo of the Age of Gods resonated with the reign of Gilgamesh, the fifth king of the Uruk dynasty.

Everything will eventually end, everything should have ended. Or rather, if the goddess of war had not descended, this era would have ended long ago. From this moment on, the stage of Mesopotamia no longer had gods, but heroes among mortals as the protagonists. And while places like Greece, the Americas, North Africa, and the Far East experienced different times, the delay was not too long.

The gods will eventually fade away, and the age of mortals will eventually arrive. However, at this crucial juncture of the transition between eras, an ancient goddess, whom the gods and sages judged to have been born at the beginning of creation, but who actually came from a previous era, from the old days or even earlier times, and who was fundamentally different from the gods of this age, descended upon her will.

The gods need prayer and faith, but she doesn't.

The gods pity mortals and need mortals, but she does not.

And perhaps that is precisely why she was able to stand on an impartial position, with a truly divine perspective, to carefully evaluate the value of mortals.

The old order, Mangtlund...

....................................

Flora opened her eyes, regaining consciousness from a short rest. Ancient, esoteric knowledge from the Age of Gods had been presenting in her mind as dreams during her slumber. Part of it came from the detection of the unseen messenger, while a more significant part stemmed from the indoctrination of Mangotlund. As she awoke, the flame-shaped bird perched on her shoulder cooed twice and shook its feathers.

[So that's how it is... So that's why Ishtar so easily assumed my true purpose was to perpetuate the Age of Gods, rather than something else. I've really struck gold... Because Mangtlund never descended, Ishtar saw her as a goddess who had just awakened from a state of unknowing mythology. And because she had only recently awakened, her attachment to the mortal world and her desire to perpetuate the Age of Gods became perfectly logical?]

[Tsk, no wonder none of my expected arguments came up. Did I get a bargain...? No, that's not right, I didn't get a bargain. Nor was I lucky. My real advantage lies in the wisdom and power Mangtlund bestowed upon me, enough to silence others, even gods, to listen to me. Otherwise, I would probably have been obliterated in that 'I just didn't like you, so I attacked' strike from Ishtar, without even having the chance to use my wisdom.]

She reached out to touch the flame bird on her shoulder, but it easily avoided her. The bird with burning wings circled her shoulder briefly before landing on the other side, chirping at her.

She knew what Mangtlund meant, and she knew why Mangtlund was sharing this secret knowledge with her without reservation—she would find out some things sooner or later anyway, so it was better to be honest with her from the beginning than to let her figure them out on her own and then overthink them.

She needs Him, needs His wisdom and strength, but He is not indispensable to her.

[And I must, in addition to restoring humanity, devote even more attention to the commission from the god Mangotrend.]

The girl pondered for a moment, making a judgment as she thought about it.

Unlike other gods, if Mangotlund were to judge humanity as worthless and thus take action against them, He would show no mercy, hesitate, delay, or waver—He would crush the world with ease, as ruthlessly as a mortal stepping on an ant on the street. And what I am doing now is the crucial step in preventing Him from taking that step.

He is not a deity; He is the true God. The real God, not these inferior imposters compared to Him. He exists independently without prayer or faith. And more importantly, humanity in later generations poses virtually no constraint to Him.

My purpose is to restore humanity. Restoration, and only restoration; everything else is irrelevant to me. But since it is restoration, it cannot leave any lingering problems. I cannot undertake a half-finished project with many oversights, leaving future heroes to clean up my mess.

The results of her recent thoughts resurfaced in her mind, filling her with determination. Her already formulated plans were revised slightly. With the aid of her intellect, one ideal blueprint after another rapidly took shape in her mind.

This is not entirely my power; I must remember this. All arrogance and recklessness are unacceptable. I must constantly examine my heart and confirm my will. I cannot allow myself to become lost in this unparalleled divine wisdom and power, forgetting my true intentions. Nor can I allow my established stance to deviate.

She repeatedly checked in her mind to make sure that neither she nor her plan had gone wrong.

Her conversations with Ishtar and the information conveyed by the unseen messenger confirmed several facts for her. Among these facts, the two most important were that King Gilgamesh of Uruk might possess the Holy Grail, and that the initial anomalous visitor was likely the Beast Goddess with a complex identity.

Based on past experiences with restorations of human order, the Magic King would send the Holy Grail, acting as an anchor point, to a point in history and place it in the possession of a being deeply attached to it. This wielder would become extremely powerful upon obtaining the anchor Grail, but at the same time, they would also wreak havoc on history. However, the focus of restorations of human order is not on the disrupted history, but on the anchor Grail that the wielder protects.

Because history possesses its own self-repairing ability, as long as the Holy Grail is removed and humanity and the earth remain, even if the land is overrun with dragons and monsters, history can automatically restore it to its original state. Even if the land is submerged by the ocean, leaving only numerous islands, history can automatically restore it to its original state. Even if entire cities are filled with incomprehensible chaotic mechanical soldiers, even if the inhabitants of the entire continent are transformed into ancient warriors and automatons, all of this will be pushed forward by history, and within a short period of time, it will be restored to its original state.

The focus is on the anchor Grail, not on the Grail's wielder, nor on the deeds performed by the wielder. Once the correct Grail is seized and removed, everything will return to normal.

However, I must find out who possesses the true Holy Grail… Considering the current situation, the Grail held by King Gilgamesh is most likely the genuine article, but not the one planted by the Magic King. However, the possibility that the one he possesses is the real one cannot be ruled out, because at this point in time, he is obsessed with the elixir of immortality and the resurrection of his dear friend Enkidu. And while Enkidu's stance in this era is peculiar, he is alive despite being supposed to be dead!

My chances are slim. While Mangtlund's divine wisdom and power may offer me opportunities to take risks and experiment, I absolutely cannot act rashly. I must first gather sufficient intelligence, identify my target, and devise a plan with at least a 90% success rate...

The girl was slightly taken aback.

Strange, was I really such a cautious person before? While it's true that the path to restoring humanity cannot afford any mistakes, and all actions should be taken with utmost care, urgent situations often require flexibility and adaptability. It's not like I should only dare to place a bet when I have a 90% or higher chance of winning. Could it be…?