The next day arrived swiftly.
Leonidas, Ushiwakamaru, and Benkei had already departed for their assigned battlefronts. As Servants summoned by Gilgamesh, they were tasked with defending Uruk's borders against the encroaching hordes of Warcraft. For them, the monsters were mere speed bumps—just a matter of how fast they could clear them.
Meanwhile, Chaldea's tasks were far less glamorous: shearing sheep, cleaning riverbanks, chasing off food-stealing birds. The only combat-adjacent duty was helping Leonidas train his troops.
Amber, having never formally joined Chaldea, received no orders from Gilgamesh. And that suited her just fine. She needed time to refine her Taixu Sword Qi and deepen her understanding of Honkai Energy.
So, while the others worked, Amber slipped away from Uruk.
This was her third solo excursion. With Fu Hua's guidance and the immersive training inside Yu Du Chen, Amber's progress had been astonishing. What she couldn't grasp in theory, she could experience directly—Fu Hua could even operate her body to demonstrate techniques in real time.
Amber would then replicate the feeling herself.
It was a shortcut, yes. But a convenient one. And Fu Hua didn't mind. Amber's affinity for Taixu Sword Qi was beyond expectation. In mere days, she'd gone from clueless to competent—already grasping Kenshin and mastering several sword forms.
Amber credited Fu Hua's body for her progress. Fu Hua suspected it was something more.
After another morning of training, Amber took to the skies, scanning for wandering monsters to test her skills. Her flight was swift, her vision sharp.
Soon, she spotted a group of monsters charging toward a supply wagon.
She prepared to intervene—until she sensed another presence approaching fast.
Ishtar.
Amber paused, curious. What was the goddess doing here?
Ishtar wasn't patrolling. She was searching. Days of fruitless effort had left her irritable. No offerings. No temple renovations. Her mood soured.
Flying aimlessly, she spotted the monsters and initially ignored them. But then she reconsidered. If she saved the humans, maybe they'd worship her. Maybe she'd earn offerings.
Not out of compassion—out of pity. And self-interest.
She descended, blasting the monsters with divine force. The aftermath left the wagon crew dazed and disheveled.
Ishtar landed gracefully, ready to bask in mortal adoration. But as the dust cleared, she saw not crops—but crates of gems.
"Not bad, humans!" she chirped, snatching the gems without hesitation. In high spirits, she lowered herself further, allowing the mortals the honor of proximity.
"I'll accept these offerings. And next time, don't scatter like ants."
"Wait! Lady Ishtar!"
One man, still dizzy, scrambled to his feet. He reached out, panicked. "These gems are for the king! Not offerings!"
"Ha?"
Ishtar's smile vanished. "Did you forget who saved you? Uruk hasn't offered me anything lately. You should at least repay your savior."
"Yes… but the king said these treasures are important…"
"Important? Oh, you mean that future-focused treasure vault? The one meant to represent humanity's total assets?" She scoffed. "Instead of banking on that golden sparkle, you should invest in me. I'm a goddess."
"I… I'm sorry. I can't obey…"
The man bowed deeply, hoping she'd relent.
Ishtar's eyes narrowed. "You trust him more than me? If he dies, I'll protect Uruk...Whatever-"
Her mood darkened. "Why do I even care what you think? Fine. I'll take the gems. If it gives him a headache, this trip was worth it."
The man didn't resist. Not out of fear—but duty. Uruk couldn't afford meaningless deaths. His life belonged to the king.
"Please stay, Goddess Ishtar."
Amber stepped forward.
Ishtar spun around. "Where did you come from?"
She hadn't sensed Amber at all. If Amber had ill intent, she could've struck unnoticed.
"It's just a method that's… not stage-worthy," Amber said coolly, having used Yu Du Chen's consciousness manipulation.
She didn't mean it literally. She just wanted to sound cool. Low-key dramatic entrances were her thing.
"Are you stopping me too?" Ishtar's expression soured.
"As a goddess, why resort to theft? It's not a good look for you."
Amber was genuinely puzzled. Why did a goddess want mortal gems? Wasn't this just Rin Tohsaka behavior?
Well… she did have Rin's face.