"The sentinels in the south are starting to lose contact."
"According to the latest reports from the outposts, we're being attacked by unknown creatures."
"What's their strength?"
"We're unsure, but their numbers are substantial."
"Humph, could they be more numerous than the monsters?"
"From the brief and fragmented reports, it seems the threat from these creatures is on par with the monsters. Given that they've appeared in the south..."
"...What should we do? The king didn't build the South Wall?"
"Not only that, but the only troops available are the basic city guards, who can barely withstand a single monster attack."
"What about the king's direct troops?"
"To prepare for situations like this, the king had one of the teams stationed in the city before leaving..."
"Can't they be deployed?"
"Do you think we can mobilize them? Even if we could, what difference would a hundred men make?"
"But the south is crucial for controlling logistics. If it falls..."
"Instead of worrying about the south, we need to focus on how to save Uruk. Based on the sequence of lost contacts, the enemy is heading straight for us!"
"Why did the king..."
In the pyramid temple of Uruk, several priests in robes were having a tense discussion.
Although their debate was calm and reasoned, without any shouting or banging of tables, their anxiety and unease were evident in their expressions.
Uruk had always focused its defenses on the north. Now, with an unexpected and unknown enemy army emerging in the south, the situation had become critical.
Despite their usual lack of visibility, these priests, as the ruling class of Uruk, held a strong sense of responsibility. However, responsibility doesn't always equate to capability. In Uruk, where power was centralized, their discussions typically centered on "what to do" rather than devising new strategies from scratch.
Moreover, they had almost no resources left to use.
"Please calm down. Although this situation is unexpected, it is still under control," Siduri said softly, frowning among the priests.
"Master High Priest?"
Everyone looked at Siduri, puzzled.
Typically, such meetings would involve heated debates among them, while Siduri would rarely speak, mostly conveying Ophis's intentions—though that was a rare occurrence, as Ophis rarely had specific intentions.
Now, the usually silent and diligent high priest spoke up.
"King Ophis seems to have anticipated this situation. She instructed me that if there was a significant change in the south, we should evacuate the city guards and the people to the north wall for refuge. According to her, as long as there is a problem in the south, the north should remain safe."
Siduri smiled bitterly.
"But now, that seems impossible for the moment."
The priests fell silent.
Ophis might have anticipated a disaster, but it was clear she lacked precise information about it.
Given the speed at which the outposts lost contact, the enemy would reach Uruk in less than an hour. Siduri had tried to gather all the residents before that, but with the enemy's speed, it was unlikely they would evacuate in time.
Still, Ophis had considered the current situation.
"So, according to the king's orders, we will put the first step on hold and directly implement the second step of the plan. As for you, King Ophis also instructs you to oversee the management of the people temporarily..."
───────────────────────────────
The meeting concluded, and Siduri sighed.
She kept to herself that this crisis was the beginning of the end Ophis had predicted six months ago.
Despite this, she did not sit idly by.
By reversing the roles of the North Wall and Uruk, making Uruk the southern defense line, Siduri knew this arrangement could not last long. The north lacked logistical supplies, and the number of defenders was insufficient.
Apart from the city guards protecting the civilians, there were only a hundred soldiers under Ophis.
Clearly, Ophis could not expect these hundred men to hold off the coming disaster.
Now it was Siduri's turn.
In the hall where Ophis usually daydreamed, the magic wand supported by the Holy Grail floated upright at the center of the hall.
Siduri approached the wand alone, her demeanor slightly shaken.
Ophis had not concealed anything from her, and Siduri was fully aware of what lay ahead.
While many might see it as a supreme reward, Siduri's status and wisdom made her realize the gravity of the situation.
Taking a deep breath, Siduri grasped the wand's long handle.
For Uruk, for the people of Uruk, and for the king who had silently fought, she had no choice.
A purple beam of light erupted.
The beam cut through the temple's barriers without causing any damage, piercing the clouds and reaching the sky.
A small but intensely pure magical force detached from the beam, swirling in the air like a tiny snake before merging with Siduri's body.
"Hoooo…"
As the energy entered Siduri, it surged into her heart, causing her nerves and blood vessels to boil. The intense pain made her groan.
Her heart felt as if it were being burned by a raging fire—and it was indeed being burned.
The aggressive magic power gathered, incinerating Siduri's heart to ashes and forming an Ouroboros shape in its place.
Simultaneously, mysterious runes appeared throughout Uruk, stretching out into a massive magic circle centered on the Ouroboros.
Then…
"Yin──"
The beam of light vanished abruptly. Moments later, a dragon-like, snake-like creature of purple magic materialized above Uruk.
The dragon and snake gracefully hovered in the sky above Uruk, as if rejoicing in their newfound freedom, emitting a soft, melodic hum.
Then, sensing something, the creature paused and slowly turned its gaze to the south.
"Yin──"
The sound began again, this time filled with fury at the desecration of their domain by vile invaders!