Now that the Holy Grail was in Castorice's hands, logic dictated that defeating Tiamat should have become considerably easier than before.
Yet, in truth, for the Primordial Mother Goddess, the Holy Grail—while significant—wasn't the be-all and end-all.
If she needed a Grail just to move freely, then she wouldn't deserve the title of "Beast" in the first place.
Let's be clear—this was the real deal, a fully manifested Beast, an existence far surpassing most Servants, one that only the Seven Grand Servants could hope to stand against.
And even then, no single Grand Servant could defeat her alone.
In the original records, even King Hassan, the Grand Assassin, could only manage to bestow the concept of death upon Mother Tiamat by sacrificing his own Grand title in a single strike.
Though that was the most crucial step, after the old man delivered that blow, he was practically out of the fight.
Of course, with his Battle Continuation, he wouldn't resort to something as absurd as biting a Lahmu to death.
Now, without the Holy Grail, the only noticeable effects were that the expansion of the black tide beneath Tiamat's feet had slowed, and the production rate of those Lahmu had dropped significantly. Even so, she remained a massive threat to Uruk.
At that moment, inside the chamber, Castorice, Gilgamesh, and the others were seated together, deep in discussion.
"A Beast... one that doesn't even possess the concept of death..."
This time, Castorice held nothing back. She shared all the intelligence she had on Tiamat, and only then did the others truly grasp the nature of this Primordial Mother Goddess.
As she spoke, Ishtar began clapping sarcastically, a bitter laugh escaping her.
"A mobile living factory, a mana reserve vast enough for interstellar travel, an immense stockpile of primordial life within her very body—a divine ark that would take humanity centuries more to achieve."
"Overwhelming power, near-limitless mana, no concept of death, and the ability to summon a horde of powerful minions? Aaargh! How are we supposed to fight that?!"
For a moment, Ishtar sounded like some pro gamer who'd just been utterly crushed by a K'Sante main.
"She's not completely undefeatable. In fact, what I need is for you all to buy time. If there's a way to overcome her, it lies beneath that sea."
"Beneath the sea? But that's the enemy's stronghold! Going there directly would be suicide!"
Ishtar protested, her voice tinged with despair.
"You may recall that I mentioned earlier—when I arrived in this world, I had yet to find my other half. I've searched all across Uruk, but there's still no trace. If I can locate her, there might still be a chance."
"But if you've looked everywhere and found nothing... then it's hopeless, isn't it?"
Quetzalcoatl chimed in from the side.
"Not necessarily. I've actually found some clues. I just need more time to confirm."
Castorice looked at them, her expression grave.
"Some time ago, I was ambushed by Gorgon and struck by her full-power attack."
"At that moment, when I should have been critically injured, my wounds miraculously healed. In an instant, my body recovered completely from the brink of death. A surge of incredibly potent life force flowed into me."
"If I'm not mistaken, that vitality was transmitted by my other half. Even though I haven't found her yet, the bond between us can never be severed."
"But there's something strange. As the half embodying death, my other self should possess no life force of her own. Unless... someone is channeling vitality to her. But she's already deceased—any life force poured into her would simply flow out like water through a sieve."
"Are you saying Mother Tiamat recognized your other half as her 'child' and transferred power to her? Impossible! How could that happen? And how would you even verify that? It's far too dangerous!"
Ishtar stared at Castorice, concern written all over her face.
"The form we see on the sea is only one of Tiamat's bodies. Her true self remains in the world of imaginary numbers, not yet fully returned."
"If we destroy the body on the surface, she will awaken completely and descend into the real world. But if she fully awakens, reclaiming my other half will become far more difficult. So... I need your help, Ishtar."
Castorice turned to the goddess.
"I need you to use your Noble Phantasm to destroy Tiamat's surface body. Meanwhile, I will seize that chance to enter the Imaginary Number Space and find my other half."
"That's far too dangerous!"
Ishtar was flabbergasted. Was she suggesting diving straight into the embrace of the Mother Goddess? That sounded like a death wish—anyone getting that close would be squashed like a bug.
Just like how she had crushed Merlin.
"But it's the only way we have, isn't it?"
Facing Ishtar's doubts, Castorice gently shook her head. Her mind was made up.
The strategy for defeating Tiamat was thoroughly discussed from that point.
If all went well, Castorice would return safely, and Tiamat would advance toward Uruk with the black tide.
During that time, the others only needed to wait for her arrival, then lure her into the underworld. Without the concept of life present there, Tiamat could finally be killed.
Of course, it sounded straightforward, but executing it would be anything but easy. After all, their enemy was overwhelmingly powerful.
As the Primordial Mother Goddess, Tiamat's strength was undeniable—no conventional method could ever defeat her.
At first, Ereshkigal resisted the idea. Allowing the Mother Goddess to fall into her underworld would surely throw everything into chaos. But at Castorice's earnest request, she reluctantly agreed.
Still, there was no better alternative. Even Castorice, who was taking the most dangerous role, had no objections, so any dissent from the others was overruled.
The operation was set for the next day, and tonight was for resting and gathering strength.
--+--
"...Are you asleep, Castorice?"
The door creaked open as Ishtar stepped into Castorice's room.
"What's the matter?"
Castorice smiled at her.
"Tomorrow... we face a great battle. My own mana reserves might not be enough. Even if I successfully reach Mother Tiamat, activating my Noble Phantasm will stretch me thin. So... I need your mana. It's for the sake of the world, you know!"
Gazing at Castorice's soft lips, Ishtar seemed to recall something, her face flushing as she spoke.
"I understand..."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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