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Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Final Operation! Begin!

The brief darkness disappeared.

The sun rose again from the horizon.

The world seemed to return to tranquility with Tiamat's disappearance.

The black waves that should have engulfed everything seemed to have been completely washed away by yesterday's rain.

The sky cleared up.

The soldiers on the city wall and the people below all smiled with joy, for the towering waves had disappeared.

But those on the city wall who knew the details still had serious expressions.

“It’s been a whole night,” Elena said, her gaze fixed in one direction, her eyes filled with worry.

"Kevin hasn't been live-streaming or sending any messages. I wonder what's going on with him," Penglai Temple Nine Heavens said with equal concern.

Just then, the Faded One passed by them carrying some materials. "Don't worry, that guy will be fine."

Even as the one who faded said this, his eyes still involuntarily drifted into the distance, to the place where Tiamat had disappeared the previous night.

The faded one shook his head.

Let's hurry up and finish the work at hand, since the next attack is very likely to come soon. We have to repair the broken barrier as soon as possible.

Danheng has now returned to his original state and is resting with his eyes closed. After Tiamat disappeared yesterday, the Sea of ​​Life no longer gave birth to Rahmu. Upon discovering this, he did not hesitate and rushed into the battlefield to clear out the remaining Rahmu.

After a night of chasing and fighting, he was quite exhausted.

After all, he wasn't particularly familiar with this power.

On the city wall, most of the soldiers and followers were slumped in place or leaning against the wall with their eyes closed.

The intense fighting atmosphere, like a bowstring stretched to its limit, suddenly relaxed, and a deep hunger and overwhelming weariness surged forth, instantly engulfing everyone.

Just as this weary silence was about to completely engulf the city walls, a vibrant female voice rang out like the clarion call of dawn: "Dinner's ready—!"

Then came shouts from more men and women: "You've worked hard! Come and have something to eat!"

"Children, bring food to the warriors!"

The citizens of Uruk flocked to the city walls, carrying baskets, pottery jars, and wooden buckets of all sizes on their shoulders and in their hands, filled with steaming hot food.

In the food distribution line, an elderly man with white hair trembled as he handed a piece of bread to a young soldier, tears welling in his eyes; a wife found her husband; a family member hugged their exhausted son and gently comforted him; and many more citizens, filled with pure gratitude, sincerely said, "Thank you, you've worked hard, eat more."

Laughter, concerned voices, words of encouragement, and the crisp sound of clinking dishes instantly broke the deathly silence on the city wall, dispelling the lingering scent of blood and gunpowder, and injecting fresh vitality.

Dan Heng slowly opened his eyes, looked at the scene in front of him, and a faint sense of relief appeared on his calm face.

Just then, a small figure came running up to him. It was a little girl with rosy cheeks, slightly out of breath from running. She carefully held a piece of cake, bigger than her palms, in her hands and offered it to Dan Heng, her voice clear yet a little shy: "Big brother, please! Here, have some!"

Dan Heng was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected anyone to hand him food.

Just as he was about to refuse.

Gilgamesh's voice rang out, "Accept it."

The words from Gilgamesh Province made Danheng swallow his initial refusal. After a moment of silence, under the little girl's expectant gaze, he reached out and took the food, saying, "Thank you!"

"Hehe, you're welcome, big brother. There's some juice over there, I'll get it for you!" After saying this, the little girl turned and walked away in the other direction.

Danheng silently watched the little girl's departing figure. Just then, Gilgamesh walked up to Danheng's side, holding a sesame seed cake in his hand, munching on it as he spoke.

"This is one of the few things they can do for you guardians after much deliberation."

Gilgamesh took a bite of the flatbread that he rarely ate.

If you refuse

"It's so pitiful for those who offer you their heartfelt sentiments."

Just then, the little girl who had delivered the cakes returned a short while later. This time, she was carrying a flat clay pot in each hand, and she went straight to Gilgamesh: "Your Majesty! Juice! Here you go!"

"Hahaha! Well done!" Gilgamesh laughed heartily, taking the earthenware pot quite naturally. "I'm thirsty!" Gilgamesh tilted his head back and took a big gulp.

The little girl walked up to Danheng happily again, "Big brother, this is yours."

"......Thanks"

"You're welcome, and big brother, you were so cool last night! Thank you for protecting everyone!" After saying these heartfelt words, the little girl waved vigorously at Danheng and Gilgamesh, then turned and skipped back to her parents.

After watching the little girl leave, Danheng silently ate the food in his hand.

Gilgamesh had already left, standing on the other side of the city wall, watching the rising sun and listening to the loud laughter beside him.

Gilgamesh's lips slowly curled into a smile.

The death of a close friend.

A journey in search of the elixir of immortality.

He once thought that fate was beyond his control, but now he can clearly feel that his destiny has changed.

Fate can be changed.

......

"Thank you for reminding me!" Several Uruk citizens bowed their heads, their voices filled with sincere gratitude, and greeted Remian.

Remian smiled gently and waved her hand lightly. "Even without my reminder, with the hearts of the Uruk people, you would surely have thought of it and done it soon enough." She glanced around at the gradually returning atmosphere of life and said in a light tone, "Well then, the rest is up to you. We have some things to attend to, so we'll be going now."

Remian, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mashu, and the silent Anna waved to the citizens and turned to leave the noisy camp.

“Miss Remian is so…so thoughtful!” Mash followed beside Remian, her tone full of sincere admiration.

As dawn broke and the battlefield was deserted, those who hadn't fought breathed a sigh of relief. Then, Remian approached them, smiling, and invited them to help prepare breakfast for everyone.

How could they possibly refuse such a proposal? So, under Remian's organization, they quickly contacted the citizens and lit bonfires, which led to the vibrant scene on the city wall at this moment.

Hearing Mash's praise, Remian simply turned her head and smiled, the morning breeze ruffling the stray hairs on her cheek: "We cannot let the guardians feel ignored, not even for a moment. Even if the king is watching everything, the warmth delivered by one's own people has a different meaning."

"Ritsuka, Mashu, Anna, thank you so much for keeping me company all day.

"Ah, no, no!" Fujimaru Ritsuka quickly waved her hands, a slight blush creeping across her face. "It's what we should do! Being able to help everyone and seeing how happy everyone is when they eat makes me feel especially fulfilled and happy!"

Just as they passed the entrance to a relatively quiet alley, Fou, who had been sitting quietly on Fujimaru Ritsuka's shoulders, suddenly made a unique sound.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Fufu?" Fujimaru Ritsuka stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look at the little one on her shoulder.

Just as she looked in the direction Fufu was staring, her gaze caught a figure sitting against the wall deep in the alley.

It was an old man shrouded in an old black robe, his head bowed low, his face obscured. He huddled silently in the shadows, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city walls not far away, exuding loneliness and sorrow.

Almost out of instinct, Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't ask any questions or even consult her companions before stepping straight into the dark alley. Mash and Anna instinctively wanted to follow, but were silently stopped by Remian's slight gesture of raising her hand. She quietly watched Fujimaru Ritsuka's back.

Fujimaru Ritsuka walked up to the old man, squatted down, and brought her gaze to roughly the same level as his bowed head. A slightly embarrassed but warm smile bloomed on her face: "Um... I'm sorry, maybe I was being nosy. But," she carefully handed him her still-warm breakfast with both hands, "if it's alright, could you please accept this?"

The moment she finished speaking, an extremely untimely "gurgling" sound rang out clearly from her abdomen, sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet alley.

Fujimaru Ritsuka's cheeks instantly flushed red, her inner scream screaming, "Wh-why did I have to scream at this moment! How embarrassing!" She was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground, and could only force a smile: "Ahaha...don't mind it! Um...I, my stomach might be a little uncomfortable...yes, it's not comfortable..."

The old man in the black robe was silent for two seconds. From the shadow beneath his lowered hood, two invisible gazes seemed to scrutinize the clumsy yet sincere girl before him. A hoarse voice, as if weathered by life, slowly rang out:

"Barehearted pity is a form of evil."

This statement made Fujimaru Ritsuka pause slightly.

But the old man's words did not stop, and there seemed to be a subtle change in his voice: "However, even if it means putting yourself in dire straits and hunger, you still extend blessings to others... You deserve to be rewarded."

His hand emerged from beneath the wide black robe and steadily accepted the food offered by Fujimaru Ritsuka. The movement carried a composure that seemed incongruous with his appearance.

Fujimaru Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief, a smile returning to her face. She scratched the back of her head sheepishly, "Really, no need for any reward! Please eat it while it's hot..."

However, before she could finish speaking, the old man stood up. The cane that was originally on the ground was firmly placed in front of him with both hands as he stood up, as if he were holding a sword that was about to be drawn.

An invisible atmosphere suddenly spread, instantly replacing the previous sense of loneliness, and the air in the alley seemed to become heavy.

The ease on Fujimaru Ritsuka's face vanished instantly, and she involuntarily straightened her back.

The old man did not immediately look at Fujimaru Ritsuka; his gaze first fell on Remian at the alley entrance.

Remy stood there quietly, meeting the invisible gaze, and calmly nodded.

The old man's gaze then refocused on Fujimaru Ritsuka, and his hoarse voice rang out again:

"Descendants... Your arrival is like a stone thrown into a river, already altering the original, surging trajectory of destiny for everyone."

“I should not have lingered here; this world is no longer my domain… But my destiny tells me that I must come here now!”

"O doer of good! Listen carefully! Remember the choice you make now!"

"In that final moment when the ultimate choice arrives and the string of fate is stretched to its limit—I will offer you the reward you deserve!"

The moment the words left her lips, a sudden, fierce gust of wind swept through the narrow alley without warning! The swirling dust made Fujimaru Ritsuka instinctively close her eyes and raise her arm to shield them.

The wind comes quickly and goes quickly.

When Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash, who rushed in, lowered their arms and looked around, the alley was already empty.

“…Gone?” Fujimaru Ritsuka rubbed her eyes, and she and Mash looked at each other, both seeing the astonishment in each other’s eyes.

Fujimaru Ritsuka asked with some confusion, "Who exactly was that person just now? And what did he mean by what he said?"

She seemed to understand, yet also seemed somewhat confused. Could this enigmatic person simply leave the singularity?

Remien gazed at the spot where the old man had stood, recalling what he had said.

"The Ones Who Descend—or rather, us—it seems we have indeed changed many destinies, but whether for better or worse, we haven't reached the final stage yet, and we still don't know."

Remy smiled and then reached out to push Matthew, Fujimaru Ritsuka, and Anna out of the alley.

"Okay, okay, stop overthinking it!"

Remian's voice carried a light laugh, cleverly dispelling the heaviness: "Just think of it as being lucky enough to meet a mysterious hermit in Uruk!"

Remian blinked, mimicking the old man's solemn tone, "Didn't he say that at the final moment, when the string of fate is stretched to its limit—yes, the most crucial moment—he would bestow upon you kind and impulsive girls the reward you deserve!"

Remian gently patted Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash on the shoulders. "So, don't overthink it, just look forward to that moment! Maybe it'll be a big surprise!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but smile as she listened to Remian's words, and said in a slightly joking tone, "Can I make a wish? I hope that surprise can help us defeat Tiamat."

Remien smiled, her voice low but firm: "We will win."

Warm moments always fly by, especially in these precious times.

......

Ereshkigal caught the collapsing figure firmly in his arms.

Luo Tianyi's face was pale, her breathing so weak it was almost imperceptible. Even before her consciousness completely sank into the abyss of darkness, her cracked lips still moved unconsciously, uttering broken murmurs: "Quick...just a little more...can't...fall down..."

The mistress of the underworld lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the exhausted girl in her arms, a tender, doting light appearing deep within her gaze.

Ereshkigal clearly saw the other side's efforts, their perseverance, and their recklessness.

This pure and powerful will moved even the goddess of death.

She raised her hand and gently brushed away the sweat-dampened strands of hair from Luo Tianyi's forehead, her movements as careful as brushing away dust from a precious gem.

“Well done, Tianyi.” Ereshkigal’s voice echoed in the vast underworld. “Your mission has been perfectly accomplished. You have done your utmost to open the passage to the underworld.” Ereshkigal looked at the vast underworld before him.

"Leave the rest to us."

Uruk —

Ereshkigal gently placed Luo Tianyi on the soft bed. After doing all this, he went outside the room and looked at the waiting Servants and the people in the chat group.

Ereshkigal took a deep breath, met everyone's gaze, and solemnly nodded, "The creation of the Underworld is complete!"

Everyone present nodded solemnly.

Within the inherent space.

Kevin had no idea how much time had passed, nor did he have time to think about it. Even after pulling Tiamat into the Reality Barrier, he was unable to cause any harm to her.

What should have been a bright, sunny day seemed to be covered by some kind of black substance.

The vast grassland beneath my feet, once a symbol of life, has now been transformed into a desolate, black, scorched wasteland.

Tiamat, the goddess of creation, stood majestically at the center of the barrier, her enormous figure emanating from her body, spreading and corroding like a plague.

Over ninety percent of the entire enchanted realm has been covered and assimilated by this chaotic black mud, emitting a chilling gurgling sound.

but!