The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

"Ala, I forgot you were all in the rain forest these past few days. Yesterday, I had a hearty battle with Lord Koya outside the city of Uruk. Speaking of which, you and Koya have a close relationship. If I detain you, will he come here to fight me again because of you~~"

"Koya really can provoke any goddess, no matter what kind of goddess he is. Does he have a special attack against goddesses?"

"But I won't refuse anyone's challenge. It's really a dilemma. On one side is my desire, and on the other is my duty. Oh, last of humanity's Masters, why don't we sit down and talk it over~ If you want to convince me to join your side, this is your chance."

Quetzal finally gave in to her inner desires. After such a satisfying battle with Koya, she felt uncomfortable playing with them.

"Oh yeah, that's what she said. What do you think, Tachibana?"

"...She's actually not very convincing, is she, Merlin?"

"Ok?"

"Whether it's from the leopards or what she herself says, this goddess only truly agrees with a duel that involves risking her soul. If I can't prove my will to her through action, then she definitely won't waver, right?"

"Hehe, who knows."

"As expected, what Altria said is right. Only half of your words out of ten are true."

"Hahaha, is this how Xiao Liya sees me? Well, she's pretty good at judging people."

Merlin said nothing more, but took a step forward with the scepter in his hand. He already knew the Master's decision.

"I'm asking you one last time. Are you really going to do this? Koya isn't here."

"Hehe, Merlin, you know... Koya is always by my side!"

"Ah, so you still have to fight? Yes, humanity's last Master. I don't know why you fight, but the obstacle called Quetzalcoatl stands before you. Cross it, defeat it, or you will die—"

The battle started instantly...

·Dividing line·

[Ding! Fujimaru Tachibana's life is in danger. We've begun extracting mana for teleportation. We've confirmed the destination and are now sending it!]

In an instant, Koya, who was lying on Ereshkigal's lap, enjoying her gentle care, disappeared from her sight. Ereshkigal's hand was suspended in the air. She looked around in confusion and said something blankly.

"Where's my husband?!"

At noon, the sun was high in the sky. Tachibana woke up from her coma and saw Koya and Quetzal sitting on the steps of the temple, chatting and laughing, while she lay on Mash's fleshy thighs. She was a little confused at first, but soon she understood the situation and recalled what she had done before...

Under the protection of her Servants, she reached the Sunstone and was about to take Quetzal's weapon to destroy it when a subconscious thought struck her: this was wrong. Quetzal never cared about the outcome, but rather the dialogue between souls in battle—that was what Merlin meant by communication. Even if she destroyed the Sunstone now, Quetzal would not be satisfied. As a Master, she had always avoided battle and had never "communicated" with Quetzal.

Finally, with Ushiwakamaru's help, she reached the air and rushed towards Quetzal with a leap of faith. Tachibana remembered that she seemed to shout out something very childish out of fear...

"Senior, you wake up!"

"Oh? Tachibana's awake. So handsome, yelling, 'Let me see the determination of humans,' and then she bumped into me."

Seeing Tachibana awaken, Koya approached her with a smile, jokingly saying, "I hadn't expected Tachibana to be so brave. She actually leaped from a height of hundreds of meters, betting that Quetzal would catch her. How could she dare?" Even her system didn't believe Quetzal would catch her, so it summoned her from Uruk to this place. But she was truly brave and decisive. Perhaps it was this drive that allowed her to pass through all six singularities.

And this time, her gamble proved successful. Through their recent conversation, Koya knew that even if she hadn't arrived, Quetzal would still have caught Tachibana, for Quetzal was a benevolent deity, one who bestowed blessings upon humanity in response to prayer. Tachibana demonstrated her resolve, placing her own life on the line, and her chip earned Quetzal's approval.

"Eh?"

"Yes, yes, you were really cool just now, Senior. — I showed you the determination of humanity! Wow~~~ Senpai is awesome!"

"what!"

"Hahahaha, it's really cool. Merlin, I even used magic to record what just happened. Do you want to see it, Tachibana?"

Tachibana frowned at the lingering influence of Merlin, then collapsed headfirst into Mashu's lap. She was too embarrassed to face anyone! Why would she shout such shameful words? And if she had just tackled Quetzal, it would have been fine, but why had Koya suddenly appeared here? Why was he blocking her way? Damn it, really damn it!

"Why are you being so reckless, Tachibana?"

Then Quetzal also walked up to Lihua, touched her hair, and spoke to her in a somewhat complaining tone, like a mother seeing her mischievous child.

"Aren't you worried that I'll avoid you? You and I are enemies."

"Because I believe Quetzal will catch me."

Tachibana buried her head between Mashu's thighs and answered in a somewhat muffled voice, while Mashu was rubbing her hands restlessly on her chest. Tachibana's breath made her feel a little itchy, but now it was a very formal question, so she didn't know what to do, and just played with her fingers silently.

"Why? Why do you believe I will catch you? In fact, if Koya hadn't appeared, I really would have dodged."

"Because, because Quetzal, you like humans the most, right?"

"Oh, seriously, why are you so cute, Tachibana? Be my daughter, and I'll make you the king of Maya, the next sun god! You're such a great kid!"

"...Why are you hugging Koya? Shouldn't you be hugging me?!"

Tachibana finally suppressed her shyness, but when she left Mashu's lap, she saw Quetzal clinging to Koya like a koala, looking at her with a smile. Wasn't she standing just now? Why was he running to Koya now?

"Oh, don't worry about it. Because I'm really happy, so naturally I want to share my joy with the person I love most. Tachibana, I acknowledge your victory, but such a tricky victory won't make you my favorite person. Second, Tachibana is second~~"

"Don't fight with me for my husband! There are already enough people, if you keep fighting, it might not even be my turn for a month!!"

"Koya definitely defeated me head-on. According to our South American rules, he is already my husband."

"Don't just make up a rule that doesn't exist."

"I am the Priest King of South America. Whatever I say is the ancient rule of South America."

In the end, Tachibana still didn't argue with Quetzal. After all, how could a little JK defeat a big sister? As for why Quetzal was so attached to Koya, Tachibana also learned the reason from Mashu. It turned out that after Tachibana jumped from the air and fainted, Koya and Quetzal had a second round of battle.

This time, thanks to the experience gained the previous day and the special training he'd received in his dream with Hercules, Koya used his unparalleled skill, absolute strength, and the alternating use of energy properties to truly defeat Quetzal in wrestling before noon. The aftermath of this battle flattened the rainforest surrounding Eridu into a plain, the intensity of the battle leaving Mash and the others in awe.

"So... Quetzal, what kind of will did Koya show you? What was he fighting for?"

"Why are you asking Quetzal instead of asking me directly?"

"Because what you say is bound to be embellished. I want to hear what Quetzal has to say about you."

Quetzal watched the conversation between the two people with a smile. These were the humans she liked. There were always brave men appearing in times of crisis. They were like the stars in the sky, numerous but each one was extremely dazzling. How could the gods hate such humans?

"Koya is a brave man who is indomitable. He doesn't need to prove his will to anyone. He will use his invincibility to wipe out all enemies in front of him."

“Is this will?”

"Yes."

In the end, Quetzal betrayed the Three Goddesses' alliance and signed a pact with Tachibana. But Tachibana felt troubled by Quetzal clinging to Koya. Was Koya the goddess's special catnip? It felt like every goddess who saw him would eventually cling to him. Others would have thought Koya was their master! But thinking of the stalemate between the two Venus goddesses after returning to Uruk made Tachibana laugh. She told them to be lenient. Ishtar and Quetzal weren't like Mafuyu and the others. She wouldn't trust Fujimaru unless these two gods fought to the bitter end!

"Hey, we finally conquered Quetzal~~ How about you, Koya?"

"Ishtar and Ereshkigal are already in Uruk."

"Ellie?"

Wait, who is this Ailei? Could it be that Keya has messed with another woman?

"You'll find it when you go back. By the way, Quetzal, can your pterosaur help us transport the hand axe next to your temple to Uruk?"

"Of course, Darling~~ Leopard Man, the job of commanding the pterosaurs is now up to you."

"Wait, wait a minute—the blind date that Tachibana promised me hasn't happened yet. Kukul, could you please let me have a blind date with Koya first before doing anything else?"

"Hmm? Leopard man, who do you want to go on a blind date with? My darling?"

"Ah, ah, Kukul, your expression is a bit scary. The hair on my back is standing up."

"Do you need me to tell you again? Which do you prefer, the tiger-skin rug or the stuffed tiger?"

"I, I'll go command the pterosaurs right now. I'll leave Tachibana's blind dates with other handsome guys to you, meow! I don't want Koya anymore, meow!"

Poor Leopard Woman, she changed jobs to Chaldea, but she didn't expect that her former boss also changed jobs a few hours later. It seems that she will have to be a corporate slave for a long time.

·Dividing line·

Inside the ziggurat of Uruk, Gilgamesh looked down at the crowd standing below and laughed heartily. Ishtar, Quetzalcoatl, and the unexpected gain, Ereshkigal, the story had gone awry. But this was a good thing! A very good thing! It was this completely unpredictable future that brought such joy!

"Fujimaru Tachibana! Well done! Not only did you successfully recover the hand axe of the god Marduk, but you also recruited Quetzalcoatl! I will grant you any reward you desire!"

"Really?! Can you even give me the Holy Grail?"

"Oh, you're really rude. But Koya! After the battle with Tiamat is over, I will give you the Great Cup of Uruk."

"Ok!"

"Alright, everyone of Chaldea, please step back. I, I, I still have work to do... "

"King Gilgamesh?"

Chapter 172: Going to the Underworld

Gilgamesh was dead... yes, the king had died on his throne. Merlin, Siduri, and Ere, the most authoritative figure on death, came to this conclusion after examining the body.

King Gilgamesh died of exhaustion. The long-accumulated fatigue erupted due to the release of emotions this time, leading to Gilgamesh's sudden death. The main reason was fatigue.

"I never thought this guy would die of exhaustion on the throne. I've thought of hundreds of funny ways for him to die, but I never thought he would die of exhaustion on the throne. Is he still Gilgamesh?"

Ishtar's expression was complicated. As Gilgamesh's mortal enemy, she wished he would die sooner, but she really didn't like his 'perfect' death. A king dying on the throne, if this were passed down to future generations, Gilgamesh would surely be known as a wise king. That wasn't good! Absolutely not good! Gilgamesh should be infamous in history forever!

"Ailei, you pulled this guy back, what are you waiting for?"

"I can't confirm that the soul is Gilgamesh's here, and my power is sealed. To bring a specific person back, I must follow the rules and return to Kusa."

In reality, death wasn't irreversible in the Age of Gods. In every myth, a few heroes delved into the underworld, either finding treasure and safely escaping, or returning to the living world with loved ones. In the Age of Gods, resurrecting the dead was simply a matter of extracting souls from the underworld. Even now, Elle, the Lord of the Underworld, was on their side. However, Elle's power was sealed by the world. She could blow up the underworld, sending all souls cascading into the living world. However, finding a specific person to resurrect required following specific rules.

As for releasing all the souls in the underworld at once, that would be a real disaster. Souls without physical restraints would involuntarily absorb the surging magic power of the Age of Gods, and then irreversibly turn into evil spirits that kill anyone they see.

"Rules... You don't mean for us to go down to the underworld and bring Gilgamesh back, do you?"

"Yes, that's the way it is in all the underworld myths. If you want to bring the dead out of the underworld, you must have the guidance of a living person, because the dead soul will never be able to find the way back."

"So, we need to go to Kusa now, find Gilgamesh's soul in the underworld, and bring him back?"

"Ok!"

No matter what, King Gilgamesh must be brought back. The faith of all the warriors in Uruk is now focused on him. If King Gilgamesh dies, Uruk may perish on its own without the Gorgon's attack.

"There are still three days until the Gorgon issues his attack notice. We must retrieve Gilgamesh's soul during these three days. Furthermore, Uruk's government affairs cannot be suspended during these three days. Many important matters are still underway."

As the Master of Chaldea, Tachibana naturally took the lead. Having experienced so many singularities and met so many heroes, she might not be as skilled in government affairs, but she was definitely a qualified leader. Her Servant profile indicated that having commanded so many heroes, she had a leadership statistic of at least C+. Furthermore, she was the only one in the Tower of God who was suited to be a leader.

"We can temporarily fool Uruk by claiming that King Gilgamesh is out searching for a way to win, but we also need someone who can appease the people. Ishtar is the only one among us who qualifies. As the city goddess of Uruk, she's more easily accepted by the people."

"Okay, I have no objection."

"Then there's the issue of government affairs. Gilgamesh's workload is truly insane. Miss Siduri simply can't handle it all by herself. We need two more people to stay behind to help her. Merlin and Quetzal, who have experience in government affairs among us... No, no, if Merlin handles government affairs, Uruk will be destroyed the next day! Quetzal, can you please let go of all the government affairs? Just hold on for a day or two!"

"Hey, I was once the Imperial Master of Great Britain. Tachibana, what you said really makes me sad."

"Come on, you're at least 50% responsible for the demise of Great Britain!"

"Ahem, it's not that much, right?"

In short, the remaining group has confirmed that Ishtar will stay as a symbol to calm the people of Uruk who are uneasy about the upcoming decisive battle, and Quetzal will also stay as Siduri's political assistant... These two top fighters staying in Uruk can also prevent Gorgon from launching an unsportsmanlike sneak attack.

Meanwhile, those heading to Kusa to descend into the underworld were Tachibana, Mashu, Koya, and Ere. Anna and the others also stayed in Uruk to rest. After all, it wasn't advisable to have too many people traveling to the underworld, as everything in the underworld was controlled by Ere. It was unnecessary to have too many people go, so it was better to let them rest in Uruk. As for whether they would be attacked along the way... two of the three goddesses had already rebelled, leaving Uruk's only open enemy the Gorgon. At this critical juncture, Enkidu would likely be guarding their stronghold, making any attacks unlikely.

·Dividing line·

Because time was tight, Tachibana was carried forward by Mashu. At the current speed, they would reach Kusa, where the underworld was located, in another half an hour.

"Come to think of it, I was so shocked by the news of Gilgamesh's death that I didn't have time to ask... Koya, how did you kidnap Miss Elle?"

"Eh? Me, me?"

"Erei and Ishtar represent heaven and earth respectively. Ishtar is the goddess of harvest, while Erei is the goddess of death."

"Hmm and then?"

"Tachibana... the Servant-summoning knowledge I've learned these days can answer this question. Why don't you use your clever little brain to think about it?"

"Hmm-hmm-Link Summon?"

Fortunately, Da Vinci and Mashu's tutoring for Tachibana was not ineffective. After thinking for a while, she looked at Ereshkigal as if she had suddenly realized something.

"That is to say, because of Ishtar's appearance, Miss Elle will definitely appear as well; just like when we were in the first singularity, Black Jeanne's illegal summoning led to the inevitable appearance of White Jeanne! But you still haven't answered how you met Miss Elle?"

"Elei had actually been bound to the underworld and unable to leave before this. Every night she would appear in the outside world through Ishtar's body. That's how I met her."

"Wait...at night? Koya, you won't?"

"Yeah, Ailei is mine too."

"No, don't say such embarrassing things so proudly."

"That's embarrassing. I'm really proud that Ailei is my partner!"

"Really..."