"What? You won't let us go back?"
On the north wall of the town, Ritsuka looked at the soldiers blocking her way with confusion. These soldiers were supposed to be the elite under Ophis...
"Yes, 'Thank you for your hard work; I will take care of the rest.' That's the message Queen Ophis asked me to deliver before she left. Additionally, she instructed you not to return to Uruk."
...You sound polite, but your actions tell a different story!
Ritsuka's eyes twitched as she observed the two crossed black spears radiating a murderous aura in front of her and the one hundred black-shelled soldiers lined up menacingly beside him.
At this moment, another hundred large black-shelled soldiers arrived from behind, surrounding Ritsuka and the others.
Ritsuka noticed something was off.
The group at the back had just promised to help resettle the survivors of the previous cavalry and then left. Now, it seemed that this so-called "resettlement" might be more complicated than anticipated.
After all, did she really need a hundred soldiers to house more than fifty soldiers?
As Ritsuka surveyed the soldiers closing in, her frown deepened. Having just witnessed the battle between the dragon and the serpent from a distance, the ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger.
With such overwhelming power on display and the situation unresolved, this singularity was clearly far from simple. For the sake of Chaldea's mission, they couldn't just sit idly by.
However, facing two hundred soldiers whose combat power was comparable to third-rate servants made breaking through a challenging task.
Ritsuka could still feel Quetzal's presence poking her from behind.
...Although I really don't want to hurt these people, if there's no other option, I may have to rely on the goddess's power to force my way through.
If only Merlin were still here...
Ritsuka found herself missing the usually unruly flower magician.
It seemed Merlin had known something in the end, but only left a series of cryptic hints. Was being a charlatan really this amusing?
"Greetings, everyone."
At that moment, a clear voice echoed in the ears of Ritsuka and the others.
Ritsuka jumped back warily and turned around, only to see Medea standing there with a sweet smile, holding a magic wand.
"Miss Medea... eh?"
Relieved to see a familiar face, Ritsuka took a breath, but something seemed off. She looked around in confusion.
The soldiers were still focused solemnly on the spot where Ritsuka had been as if they hadn't noticed Medea's arrival at all.
"Everyone, please follow me."
Medea simply smiled faintly, turned, and began to walk away.
Chaldea and the others exchanged glances before following her, leaving the soldiers staring blankly at the empty space.
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On the scorched earth south of Uruk, strange creatures advanced with relentless determination.
Their predecessors had been annihilated, but the once-feared power that had instilled terror had waned, becoming as fragile as a candle in the wind and seemed on the verge of extinction.
The threat was no longer immediate, so they acted on their instincts.
The city walls loomed ahead, and they sensed the presence of countless living souls ripe for plunder.
But suddenly, the brilliance of the sun intensified, and a tremendous pressure descended upon them.
Even these monsters were halted under the weight of such overwhelming force.
"Uruk is mine. I protect it, and it can only be destroyed by me."
The goddess Ishtar rode proudly on the Sky Boat, looking down upon the invaders below.
"So, who gave you disgusting monsters the right to desecrate the land I protect?"
A massive surge of energy shook the air and gathered at the muzzle of the Sky Boat. The full might of the Lady of the Sky was unleashed, and flames of rage burned in Ishtar's eyes, shifting from red to gold.
"Do you dare to trample on the land I safeguard?"
The next moment, the light of Venus erupted, consuming the earth below.
"Goddess Ishtar has halted the monsters!"
The priest observing the battle from the city wall did not relax. Instead, he quickly turned to check on the city's interior.
"What about the evacuation of the people?"
"It's nearly complete."
Other priests, though solemn, continued to direct the crowds with steady resolve.
Following the dragon serpent's departure, Siduri had ordered the evacuation to the north wall. However, the monsters had returned faster than anticipated.
Despite the destruction of the sentinel post and lack of detailed intelligence, the second wave of monsters began almost immediately after the first wave was defeated.
There was still no word from Siduri...
The priest glanced back at the city wall. The monsters' defenses were formidable. Although Ishtar's continuous light cannons temporarily held them back, it was clear she was struggling and could not sustain this for long.
Suddenly, a rain of arrows fell, creating a gap among the monsters. Altera landed gracefully within it, wielding her general's sword as a long whip. The monsters in a radius of dozens of meters were cleaved apart and vanished into black mud.
At that moment, Arjuna stood atop the city wall, efficiently clearing out monsters with his bow.
"Roar!"
Hercules charged into the throng of monsters, cutting them down with relentless ferocity.
"You arrived just in time."
Ishtar glanced back, then snorted and increased the Sky Boat's output.
"In that case, time to get serious…"
Seeing the reinforcements arrive, the priests felt a sense of relief and shouted to the people.
"Hurry up, move quickly!"
The crowd moved toward the road leading to the north wall, their expressions a mix of worry and determination. They whispered among themselves but maintained order.
The priests noticed some residents reluctant to leave but chose not to force them. With the dire situation echoing the doomsday prophesied by Ophis months ago, many were inclined to seek refuge, while others chose to remain with their home.
This reflected the people's belief and resolve. Unless personally intervened by their king, the priests would not impose their will.
As the priest performed the highest courtesy to the goddess for her protection of Uruk, he prepared to leave the city wall.
The battle for Uruk was just beginning.