Ziusudra
"Whoa, this is truly a miserable sight..." Merlin smacked his lips as he looked at the crater-pocked plains before them.
"At a single glance, there are large craters everywhere," Mash was also very surprised. "What happened here?"
"Wait, there are people over there!" Right at that moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka spotted a few people moving around in the distance.
Seeing this, the group quickly rushed over.
"Excuse me," Ritsuka approached them and asked, "Do you need any help?"
The herdsmen naturally nodded in agreement without hesitation, and the group spent some time running around the area to gather the scattered sheep.
"Sigh, with the pasture turning into this state, just finding the sheep that ran off in all directions is no easy task," after all the sheep were gathered, a panting herdsman complained while resting on a shaded hillside. "Life is getting harder by the day."
"What's the deal with these large craters?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked curiously.
"This is a catastrophe," the herdsman said helplessly.
"Is it a storm? Or thunder?" Mash asked, wondering to herself if the catastrophes of the Age of Gods were all so peculiar.
"No," hearing this, the herdsman shook his head and said helplessly, "It's the goddess Ishtar."
"Huh?" Hearing this, the group exchanged glances, not expecting that it was actually caused by that capricious goddess.
"The goddess Ishtar has really been too reckless this year," seeing that life was getting harder and harder, and since these few people also came from the city of Uruk, the herdsman couldn't help but complain, "Going around killing demonic beasts everywhere, blasting the pasture into a series of large craters in the process."
"Not only that, she even plundered all the gems we had saved up for a long time..."
Originally, he had bought a small bag of gems intending to keep only a few on his person and then 'offer' them little by little, making the supply last for an entire year.
In the end, he hadn't been paying attention, and the entire bag of gems just flew away.
"She even said something like, 'I'll let you off with this then'..."
At the thought that the bag of gems represented a whole year of working for nothing last year, the herdsman couldn't help but feel a bit despondent.
"Fortunately, no one was hurt..." But no matter how despondent he was, what could he do? That was a goddess.
"She's just like a bandit..." Mash's tone was somewhat hollow upon hearing this.
Although she had witnessed that goddess's capriciousness long ago, she hadn't expected her to be even worse.
The only one in Mesopotamia who could probably handle her is Big Sister Kiana.
"She's a god after all, isn't she?" Fujimaru Ritsuka expressed immense shock at the fact that the other party would come to rob herdsmen of their gems.
No, are you, a god, really this cheap? You do this kind of thing?
If you went to rob Gilgamesh, I could at least praise you for having guts, but coming to rob a bunch of herdsmen...
"That's true," Merlin suddenly spoke up upon hearing this. "Originally, she probably wouldn't have done such a thing."
"Originally?" Fujimaru Ritsuka was somewhat puzzled.
"When the Demonic Beast Front appeared," Merlin explained, "the priestesses of Uruk made use of a certain human girl to perform Ishtar's Ritual of Divine Possession."
"This is the origin of the current Ishtar."
"The nature of the young girl and the goddess's ego fused together, forming a brand-new personality. The gods of Mesopotamia are basically all blonde, yet she has black hair; that should be an element derived from that human girl."
"Wait, if you put it that way..." Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged glances.
"Then wouldn't that be... Miss Tohsaka Rin?!"
At first, they thought it was just a coincidence that Ishtar and Tohsaka Rin looked so alike, but it turned out to be a Divine Descent...
"Oh? You know that girl?" Merlin was somewhat curious.
"We're not entirely sure," hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka thought rapidly. If that was the case... why Kiana would stick so closely to Ishtar's side... she probably had an answer now.
So was that girl truly the Tohsaka Rin they once knew?
She would ask Big Sister Kiana when she had the time.
"If she hadn't fused with the elements of that girl, the goddess Ishtar would probably be a hundred times worse than she is now," Merlin spoke up to remind them.
"Maybe that's also why it's impossible to hate her," Fujimaru Ritsuka said.
Although Ishtar did behave very indulgently, for some reason, they just couldn't bring themselves to hate her.
"Perhaps," Anna, who was on the side, also spoke up. "That Ishtar indeed feels somewhat close to a human."
The group discussed as they walked.
"Heh, how rare," Merlin stopped his pace upon hearing this and looked teasingly at Anna. "Don't you hate humans?"
"Huh?" Hearing this, Anna froze, then hurriedly pulled down the hood on her head, saying sharply, "I hate both humans and goddesses."
"Of course, the one I hate the most is still Merlin!"
After saying that, she quickly walked to the front of the line.
As evening approached, the group finally arrived near the city of Kutha.
"Now then, do you see that? That is the city of Kutha," Merlin pointed at the distant city and said, "A city completely devoid of people."
Hearing this, Mash gazed at it for a few seconds and then said, "Indeed, just as you said, I can't feel any signs of human presence."
"Forget about humans, there's no reaction from demonic beasts either," the Doctor from Chaldea also reported the observation results through the wristband.
"There are also no traces of an invasion from outside the city."
Da Vinci-chan, who was on the side, said thoughtfully, "The demonic beasts seem to be very afraid of that city."
"I wonder what the reason is."
"But entering the city of Kutha at night is very dangerous," Merlin looked at the silent city in the distance upon hearing this. "We had better start moving quickly right now."
The group arrived outside the city of Kutha and began to assign tasks.
"Alright, although this city isn't large, the scope is still a bit wide if we want to find the Tablet of Destinies," Merlin spoke up. "Fortunately, demonic beasts won't enter Kutha."
"Let's split up and look."
"Uh, about that..." Hearing this, Mash spoke up to decline, "I am Senpai's Servant after all, I cannot leave my Master."
"It's fine, Mash," Fujimaru Ritsuka patted the Furina on her shoulder and said, "It'll be bad if it drags on for too long and gets dark, and besides, I have Furina following me."
"Don't look down on Furina, she's quite useful in critical moments."
Back when they were in Fuyuki, Firefly had already hinted that Furina was not simple, so she was naturally at ease.
"Alright then," Mash looked quite despondent.
Just like that, the group began to split up and explore the city of Kutha.
"Yo," Xia Yu called out as she watched Mash rummaging through chests and cupboards below. "Are you guys... copying an RPG hero and looting innocent villagers' homes?"
"Huh? Big Sister Kiana?" Mash was startled. After looking up and seeing the familiar figure, she let out a sigh of relief. "Why are you here?"
"Oh, I came out to get some ingredients, saw you guys halfway, and dropped by to say hello," Xia Yu patted her shoulder. "So what are you guys looking for?"
"Oh, it's King Gilgamesh's order," Mash hastily explained upon hearing this. "We need to find the Tablet of Destinies to understand the crisis Uruk will face next."
"Wait, since Big Sister Kiana lives nearby, do you know where that clay tablet is?"
"I do know, actually," Xia Yu's expression was subtle upon hearing this. "But you guys are destined to be unable to get it."
"Uh, why?" Mash froze upon hearing this, then asked, "Is the clay tablet in the hands of the goddess Ishtar?"
"Her? No, she wouldn't collect anything related to Gilgamesh except for gems," Xia Yu shook her head. "It's another... huh?"
"What's..." Mash wanted to ask more, but the Doctor's urgent voice came from the wristband on her arm.
"Mash, something's wrong! Ritsuka's life signs have vanished!"
"Senpai?!" Hearing this, Mash spun around abruptly and sprinted in the direction where Fujimaru Ritsuka had left.
She was not even willing to take a detour, directly relying on her powerful body as a Demi-Servant to smash through walls and take a straight line.
What an enviable bond... Xia Yu blinked and followed behind her.
She was very curious—would that Master of the Valley choose to come out and see her?
By the time she arrived, she saw Mash utterly distraught, cradling Fujimaru Ritsuka's... uh, slightly warm corpse.
There was nothing wrong with that description. With only the body left and the soul gone, calling it a corpse was completely accurate.
"Mash, what happened..." Merlin and Anna were also drawn over by the massive commotion she made. Merlin had just opened his mouth to ask before he saw Fujimaru Ritsuka's completely breathless state.
Anna's face turned pale instantly. Although she claimed to hate them, after spending these past few days together, she had long since considered everyone as friends.
"This is..." Merlin's brows furrowed tightly as he looked at the lifeless Fujimaru Ritsuka.
"Senpai... Senpai..." Mash's voice trembled as she spoke, "Don't scare me, Senpai... wake up, Senpai... I shouldn't have left you, Senpai..."
"Ahem," seeing this, Xia Yu truly couldn't bear to see her so sad. "Actually... it hasn't reached that point yet."
"Big Sister Kiana, what do you mean?" Mash snapped her head up, her eyes completely filled with hope.
"Let me see," Xia Yu pulled Fujimaru Ritsuka's body over and pretentiously examined it a few times.
"Mm, that's right, it's exactly what I thought," Xia Yu nodded, putting on an expression of envious jealousy. "This girl is just too lucky... I'm a bit envious and jealous."
"What? Lucky?" Mash looked down at Fujimaru Ritsuka, who looked dead no matter how one sliced it, unable to understand.
"Don't worry, she's not dead yet," Xia Yu patted her shoulder and stuffed Fujimaru Ritsuka back into her arms. "Don't forget, this is the magical Age of Gods."
"It's just a temporary death, no big deal. She'll run back to her corpse on her own."
"Tsk, why don't I ever get this kind of treatment..."
"You seem to be quite envious," Merlin said thoughtfully upon seeing this.
"Of course," Xia Yu said hollowly. "Not just anyone can get this treatment."
Just as her voice fell, Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was a corpse just moments ago, suddenly drew breath.
"See, isn't she back?"
"Senpai?!" Mash looked at her opening eyes and urgently cried out, "Are you alright, Senpai?"
"Everyone is here..." Fujimaru Ritsuka was a bit bewildered. "What happened to me?"
"Fujimaru's life signs have recovered, that's truly wonderful," Chaldea on the other end also let out a sigh of relief.
"How does it feel to have just woken up?"
"Uh, it doesn't seem very great..." Fujimaru Ritsuka carefully felt her condition and said.
"Senpai, you really scared me to death!" Mash finally couldn't hold back her tears, weeping as she said, "It's truly wonderful that you're alright!"
"Huh?" Seeing her crying, Fujimaru Ritsuka was startled. "What's wrong? Mash?"
"It's wonderful... it's wonderful..." Mash merely kept repeating those words.
"I'm sorry, Mash," Fujimaru Ritsuka also knew she had caused her to worry. "I made you worry."
"I'm already fine."
"Stupid!" Seeing this, Xia Yu shoved a pack of tissues over with a look of exasperation, then tapped her forehead. "Hurry up and wipe her tears!"
"Oh, right," hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't think much of it and directly tore open the pack of tissues to help wipe Mash's tears.
Fortunately, Mash wasn't some fragile girl either and quickly brought her emotions under control.
"Wait, Big Sister Kiana, why are you here?" Fujimaru Ritsuka only realized her presence belatedly.
"Oh, I came to check on you," Xia Yu delivered a light chop to her head. "You're truly enviable... Ritsuka."
"Enviable?" Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't understand.
"Wait, Ritsuka, what is that in your arms..." Merlin suddenly spoke up and asked.
"Is that the Tablet of Destinies? Where did you get it from?"
Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked down and discovered that a clay tablet had been resting in her embrace all along.
She recalled her experience just now.
Those evil spirits, and the old man who called himself Ziusudra.
And that phrase he emphasized—the Underworld is still here.
"This... I probably went to the Underworld," Fujimaru Ritsuka had a complex expression. "I also met an old man named Ziusudra; this should be what he gave me."
"Ziusudra?" Hearing this, the Doctor on Chaldea's side began to search the database. "Found it. Ziusudra is the survivor of the Great Deluge recorded in Sumerian mythology. His name means 'The Long-Lived One' in Sumerian, and he is regarded as a key figure in the continuation of human civilization."
"As a hero figure in the earliest known literature, he has corresponding archetypes in the legends of different civilizations, such as Utnapishtim in Akkadian civilization and Noah in the Bible."
"No wonder Miss Xia Yu said your luck is enviable."
"And so that's how it is with an era where one can directly access the Underworld from the ground," Mash lamented upon hearing this.
Just casually entering an underground passage and reaching the Underworld... was somewhat terrifying.
"A pity that passage isn't always open," Xia Yu sighed. "The Underworld..."
Seeing this, Merlin became thoughtful. Xia Yu seemed to have some sort of inexplicable obsession with the Underworld...
Mm, he would note it down first; it might be useful later.
"However, Ziusudra, or rather, a character with duties close to Ziusudra," Merlin rubbed his chin and said, "that is not a name that can be casually assumed."
"But that message... the Underworld is still here..."
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