"Samael-sama! The water levels of both rivers have surged, flooding the ruins of Babylon and Nippur!"
"The western wetlands and eastern Phragmites Prairie have turned into a vast swamp. The flood control systems have completely failed!"
"Uruk's drainage system is also beyond capacity. In the past three days, over 127 buildings have collapsed, and the city walls on both sides have significantly softened!"
Inside the Divine Tower of the royal palace, chaos reigned as city guards and Sacrificial Grounds personnel reported one disaster after another. Standing before the sand table, Samael-sama felt a pounding headache coming on.
Thankfully, Uruk was situated on the Mesopotamian plain between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, not directly on the riverbanks. If it had been, the floodwaters would have swept the entire city away by now.
Even so, the wetlands and Phragmites Prairie that once helped manage the flooding had already been submerged. The next step was obvious—the waters from both rivers would overflow those buffer zones and press in, squeezing Uruk's space for survival.
"Today, the north wall was hit by three waves of Laḫmu attacks. Damage to the Fangs of Napishtim has reached 34%. The Sacrificial Grounds are dispatching repair teams!"
Head Priestess Siduri took the chance to step forward and twist the knife.
Samael-sama seethed with frustration, shooting her a resentful glance.
And then there was the north wall. The black tide from the Cedar Forest had calmed for now, but the Laḫmu crawling out of the earth's fissures weren't about to take a break. They were constantly testing new ways to get results.
Damn it. Uruk was now under threat from the east, west, and north. Only the south remained unbreached.
And relocating to higher ground?
Heh. The moment the north wall gave way, Samael could guarantee those fast-learning Laḫmu would swarm in immediately. If things really went south, the black tide might merge with the flood and sweep across the wasteland.
As long as they remained in Uruk, they could still rely on large-scale magecraft and the city walls to hold out a little longer.
Running out blindly would be suicide!
And besides, where could they possibly send all those regular two-legged humans?
The only halfway-decent option, Mount Ebih, was already a haunt for vengeful spirits. Samael couldn't spare the resources to clear it out—what was he supposed to do, drag an entire crowd over there just to become demon fodder?
Looking at the map, Uruk now resembled a lone island adrift in an endless ocean.
All Samael could do was hold the line—survive one day at a time.
Until everything they needed was gathered, any reckless move would be fatal.
Big Sister Quetzalcoatl, King Gilgamesh, Grandpa Ziusudra… they were all counting on them! Now was not the time to fall apart!
"Boom!"
Just as Samael was silently praying, a building in Uruk suddenly exploded. A newborn Laḫmu burst into the street, slicing two soldiers inspecting the drainage clean in half.
Guts and organs spilled into the muddy water, and with a chorus of screams, bright red blood quickly spread.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The patrol squad arrived moments later, pinning the creature to the ground with a volley of spears.
"Dad…"
As the corpse of the Laḫmu was dragged away by the Astrology Tower, a child who had been hiding beneath a basket in the courtyard could no longer hold back. They bolted from their hiding place, throwing themselves onto the fallen man's body, wailing in grief.
"Samael-sama, this one may have come in through the underground water system…"
The new High Priestess from the Shrine of the Witch stepped forward cautiously, clay tablet in hand.
"What about the priestesses and priests who fled from Eridu? They served the god Ea—don't tell me they don't know how to handle water control!"
"Assign one to each district to lock down the groundwater layers!"
"Short on people? Then get the Astrology Tower's Casters to learn the water-control rituals from the Temple of Ea!"
"And shut down all wells. Seal them completely! Just collect rainwater!"
"Rainwater that passes through Uruk's layers of magecraft defenses is safer than anything underground!"
"And even then, I want the rainwater purified three times before anyone drinks it!"
The god of fresh water, Apsu, did indeed possess dominion over water. Though cruel by nature, he usually didn't bother with subtle tricks meant to harm humans.
Still, who knew what kind of subliminal effects this groundwater or rainwater might have on people?
Samael was clearly irritated, but seeing the High Priestess's troubled face, he took a deep breath and eased up on his demands.
"Twice is fine! I'll send more patrols your way! I'll also assign 500 Jaguar Warrior familiars to secure the perimeter—you must ensure the safety of Uruk's underground layers!"
"Yes, sir!"
The High Priestess felt a faint pressure in the air and quickly nodded.
But the moment she stepped out of the Divine Tower of the royal palace, the ground shook violently, followed by a deafening roar sweeping toward them.
"What's happening?!"
Samael's expression darkened—an ominous feeling surged in his chest.
"It's a flash flood! A massive flash flood from Mount Ebih!"
"Merlin asked me to tell you—Uruk will be hit by the surge in about two hours!"
"The Astrology Tower estimates the Magecraft barrier might not hold."
Ana had rushed all the way from the South Gate, her face tight and serious.
"It could affect Uruk? How is that possible?! The Euphrates hasn't even overflowed. How could a flood from Mount Ebih reach this far?"
"Don't tell me… the Black Tide has erupted again?"
Siduri's heart skipped a beat. Her face went stiff.
"No signs of Black Tide activity."
The young girl gave a slight shake of her head, though her expression was still troubled.
"But there's Divine Spirit-level mana reacting inside. It looks like the flash flood is being driven by a hurricane and torrential rain!"
"How long until it reaches Kutha?"
"Fifteen to twenty minutes!"
Samael's expression turned grave. Pointing toward the fortress city beyond the Euphrates, he gave a low command.
"Merlin's estimate was right."
"The river's capacity is already near its limit, and the Phragmites Prairie is flooded. If the flood's momentum adds to it, half of Uruk could be wiped out!"
"Immediately assess the slopes in the flood's path. Intercept it along the Kutha line—urgently!"
"We absolutely cannot let it hit the Euphrates!"
Ishtar narrowed her eyes as she looked at the terrain model.
"You're planning to have Ereshkigal use her Authority to reshape the terrain and drain off the flood?"
"That'll wipe out Kutha!"
"That's her guardian city. Even when she joined the Three Goddess Alliance, she couldn't bring herself to destroy it…"
Samael nodded firmly, not shying away from the truth.
"Of course I know! But if the city is gone, as long as the people survive, it can be rebuilt. Ere will understand!"
"Besides, this sacrifice is for your Uruk. That's why you're going to intercept the flood!"
"If necessary, give up control of your body."
Ishtar's lips twitched. Thinking back to the awkward misunderstanding three nights ago, she nearly gnashed her teeth at that conniving pair.
"It's just a flash flood. Is it really necessary for both me and Ereshkigal to act together?"
Even as she summoned the Sky Bow, Maanna, the goddess remained slightly indignant.
"I'm afraid… it's more than just a flash flood…"
Samael's brow furrowed deeply, his eyes clouded with concern.
After two or three previous incidents at Mount Ebih, he had no choice but to stay cautious.
This wasn't just about diverting floodwaters—it was also about keeping whatever threat might be hidden in it away from Uruk.
If necessary, Ereshkigal could tear open a rift and drag whatever was hiding in the flood straight into the Underworld.
A literal pitfall for "Ere."
The ancient serpent's lips curled into a grim, eerie smile at the thought.
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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