FATE: The Man with Divine Keys

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

At this moment, countless precious weapons exploded like they were as common as cabbage, their blasts creating intense flashes akin to small suns illuminating a corner of the pitch-black sky.

Countless Lahmu were torn apart by the shockwaves of the explosions, but more quickly took their place, charging toward the radiant golden ark.

"These mongrels..." Gilgamesh muttered with a hint of rage flashing in his crimson vertical pupils.

With the burden lifted from his shoulders, his personality reverted closer to his former self.

"It's been so long already. Hasn't he dealt with them yet?"

Kingu's expression was grim, not out of fear for the Lahmu but concern that lingering here too long might attract Tiamat's attention.

"Have faith in him."

Gilgamesh responded calmly and waved his hand dismissively before several more weapons detonated.

"At least until now, he hasn't disappointed me."

Upon hearing his words, Kingu shook their head in resignation and had nothing more to say, only to continue slaughtering the approaching Lahmu with their chains.

However, amid the slaughter, Kingu suddenly noticed something amiss.

"Gil, have you noticed these Lahmu don't seem quite right?"

Gilgamesh paid no attention to Kingu's change in addressing him, as he had also noticed the same issue.

"These Lahmu are weaker than before..." Gilgamesh muttered in a deep voice.

It was easy to see—the previous horde of Lahmu were filled with killing intent, incredibly fast, and highly destructive, but now, they moved slowly, sluggishly, and their size had shrunk considerably.

The difference was stark, like comparing a wolf to a husky.

Everyone with a brain knew this couldn't be normal.

"Could it be... he actually succeeded?" Kingu wondered aloud, their voice filled with uncertainty.

"Guhahaha! How about that? I told you, he wouldn't disappoint!" Gilgamesh laughed triumphantly.

Although lacking decisive evidence, he believed this was Arkhan's doing without a doubt.

Only that man could create such a miracle!

At this moment, a figure suddenly shot up from the black mud like a black lightning bolt, landing on the radiant golden ark.

"Done." Arkhan nodded toward Gilgamesh, a smile playing on his lips.

"I saw it myself, well done." Gilgamesh praised, patting Arkhan's shoulder approvingly.

"You've really managed to influence Mother's power..." Kingu remarked, their expression complex as they looked at Arkhan.

"Don't make it sound so easy." Arkhan rolled his eyes. "I paid a hefty price for this."

Even as a Herrscher, corrupting the power of a primordial goddess like Tiamat was no simple task. Arkhan had nearly pushed the Herrscher Core to its limits, barely managing to corrupt the Sea of Life.

Even so, he couldn't fully control the black mud, only able to make slight adjustments.

For example, he modified Lahmu's biological template, significantly weakening all subsequent Lahmu. He also slowed down the spread of the black mud, delaying Tiamat's arrival by at least twice the initial estimate.

"It's a pity the authority of Tiamat is still too overwhelming..."

Arkhan sighed helplessly, watching Tiamat advancing steadily in the distance.

"This is the best I can manage."

"You..." Gilgamesh wanted to say something but stopped.

Even he found himself at a loss.

Without a doubt, in Gilgamesh's eyes, Arkhan was humblebragging!

Meanwhile, as Kingu glanced at the black crystal Arkhan held in his hand, they realized it no longer exuded the intimidating aura that had previously instilled a sense of danger.

Thinking about the price Arkhan mentioned, Kingu seemed to understand something.

"Your Noble Phantasm, you can't use it anymore, can you?" Kingu quickly asked.

"No." Arkhan looked at the drained Herrscher Core in his hand, shaking his head slightly. "Even if I could, it would probably be a long, long time from now."

"Hmph, it's just a Noble Phantasm."

As Gilgamesh scoffed disdainfully, he waved one of his hands, and in the next second, a heap of treasures such as divine weapons, miraculous items, and more quickly fell onto Vimana's deck like a small mountain.

"Take whatever you want, or I could just give them all to you if you want. I may not have much else, but when it comes to these kinds of things, I've got plenty."

"..."

Seeing Gilgamesh's nonchalant attitude as he took out countless treasures like trash, Arkhan and Kingu fell silent, cursing his absurd wealth in their minds.

===

Fashioned from gold and emerald gemstones, the majestic Vimana gleamed in the sky like an eagle in swift flight. Sometimes it soared high into the clouds, other times it hovered still, and occasionally it swooped down toward the sea, flaunting its magnificent aerial maneuvers.

Yet no matter how dazzling its flight skills, a dark cloud of Lahmu relentlessly pursued it.

Despite countless brethren falling to their demise, these creatures showed no sign of relenting. Whether driven by insatiable bloodlust or fanatical devotion to Tiamat, they exhibited no mercy toward any form of life, including their own.

"Suffering the pursuit of such mongrels for an entire day is a disgrace to me! Unbelievable!"

Gilgamesh grumbled as he sat on Vimana's throne with a mix of disgust and anger on his face.

"Calm down, we're almost at Uruk." Arkhan remarked, his eyes squinting toward the tropical rainforest not far ahead. "I wonder how prepared they are."

"I had personally been buying them time. If they're not ready by then, they might as well face death as their punishment." Gilgamesh snorted coldly.

Before long, two figures approached Vimana from afar—Ishtar riding Maanna and Quetzalcoatl riding her pterosaur.

"Thanks for your efforts."

Quetzalcoatl nodded at Arkhan and the others as she hopped onto the Vimana. Her gaze then turned toward the colossal figure looming behind them like a mountain.

"Is that Tiamat? She truly lives up to being the Goddess of Beginning. Just her presence alone is suffocating."

"After all, she's a primordial goddess capable of shaping ecosystems single-handedly..." Arkhan shrugged his shoulders. "How is Uruk's situation?"

"There are about fifteen hundred people left in Uruk now..." Quetzalcoatl sighed softly. "That's everyone we could find."

Fifteen hundred people.

Once the thriving heart of Uruk's culture was now reduced to embers.

Arkhan glanced at Gilgamesh, whose face showed no emotion.

"From the beginning, I already foresaw the destruction of Uruk."

Gilgamesh looked up at the gloomy sky.

"There's no need for comforting words... Both they and I are prepared."