World's Surface.
Above the walls of Uruk.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Dingir continuously fired Noble Phantasms, taking down the flying Lahmu one by one in the air.
With no more suppression from Naoki and the others, the freed Tiamat had reopened the Sea of Life. In just two days, waves of dark chaos had submerged much of the land. From those chaos waves, billions of endless Lahmu flew out, like siege weapons crashing into Uruk with their own bodies.
If not for the Barrier erected by Morgan to protect the entire city of Uruk, Uruk would surely have suffered massive losses by now. Besides the Barrier, the Servants holding out in Uruk, as well as Ritsuka and Mash, had also plunged into battle against the Lahmu.
However, facing Lahmu that were each stronger than Ugallu and now evolved with flight capabilities and rapid regeneration, even Servants struggled to handle them. Only Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar, Kingu, and Nobunaga could smoothly deal with groups of Lahmu.
Therefore, over these two days, Uruk had repeatedly organized defenses against the Lahmu, centered around these four. Even so, as Tiamat continued approaching, the number of Lahmu had become too vast to fully exterminate.
Outside Uruk's Barrier, Lahmu covered the sky and earth, their numbers so immense they blocked out the sunlight. Day and night had truly lost meaning; it was hard to distinguish between them.
In essence, Uruk now was like an isolated island amid a storm.
"About two hours of travel remaining?"
At the top of the god tower, gazing at Tiamat slowly approaching Uruk surrounded by infinite Lahmu, Gilgamesh let out a faint sigh: "In the end, we've reached this point, huh? No... Should I say, we've managed to reach this point?"
In the future Gilgamesh saw through Clairvoyance six months ago, Uruk should have been destroyed by now, with only him surviving. That was a future full of despair.
Gilgamesh absolutely refused such a future. Therefore, he voluntarily became a Mage, pouring all his power and Uruk's into fighting that inevitably doomed future.
And now—
"The future has changed, that Holy Sword Bearer..."
Gilgamesh knew Naoki had connected with the Root, as some had bluntly said it more than once. Perhaps he knew about Uruk's future from the start.
(With that knowledge, he made nearly every effort to change the future.)
Naoki's role in keeping Uruk standing here was undoubtedly the greatest. If not for him, the Absolute Frontline Demon Beast line would have been untenable, and Servants would have fallen one by one.
And now, the situation had reached the best possible outcome imaginable by everyone.
"King Gilgamesh."
Ritsuka's voice sounded from behind.
Gilgamesh turned, looking at the people gathered behind him.
—Ritsuka, Mash, Hinako, Xiang Yu.
—Ushiwakamaru, Benkei, Tomoe, Nobunaga, Leonidas.
—Ishtar, Quetzalcoatl, and... Kingu.
Except for Morgan and Merlin who had to maintain the city protection Barrier, Uruk's remaining strongest forces were now assembled.
"The time has come!"
Gilgamesh declared.
"Though the most important person hasn't arrived yet, we have no more time to prepare. With Tiamat's power, the Barrier won't hold her at all. So, we must attack before she reaches Uruk!—Preparations are complete, Ereshkigal!"
A treasury gate opened in the ground, and a mirror connected to the Underworld emerged from it. Ereshkigal's figure appeared in the mirror. Responding to Gilgamesh's question, she nodded: "Underworld transfer is complete. It's now right beneath Mother's feet. We just need to open a hole in the ground, and Mother will fall into the Underworld."
In the Underworld, Tiamat would become the only life, losing absolute immortality, and turn into a state that can be wounded.
Gilgamesh looked at Ishtar: "Then, the task of dropping Goddess Tiamat is entrusted to you, Ishtar! Just this once, exert your full power as a Goddess!"
"You don't need to tell me, I know! And why are you the one ordering me!" Ishtar scoffed. "After that, I'll keep exterminating Lahmu on the surface. After all, I'm useless in the Underworld."
In the Underworld, Gods and Servants would lose power. Therefore, in this battle, Ishtar wouldn't descend to the Underworld. The same for some other Servants. Though there was Underworld protection from Ereshkigal, it wasn't something to use lightly. According to information from Naoki, it was an authority that would sacrifice Ereshkigal's own life.
So, those descending to the Underworld would only be the necessary combat forces.
For example, Kingu, who was the Chains of Heaven.
For example, Ritsuka who must deliver the final blow to Tiamat, and Mash to protect her.
For example, Nobunaga who could deal Super Effective damage to Tiamat.
Everyone else, if entering the Underworld, would only hinder allies and weaken Ereshkigal's own power. And Ereshkigal's suppression of Tiamat via the Underworld was also the most crucial point.
As for Quetzalcoatl, who was also one of the Three Goddesses—
"After Goddess Tiamat falls into the Underworld, the first strike is entrusted to you. Swing Marduk's axe from the surface into the Underworld, inflict serious injury on Goddess Tiamat, South American Sun Goddess."
"OK~~~ Leave it to Big Sis."
Quetzalcoatl responded to Gilgamesh's words with a smile.
Marduk's Axe.
The weapon from mythology that split Tiamat's throat. After Tiamat falls into the Underworld, this weapon would be used to further weaken her divinity and power, continuously increasing their side's victory chances.
That was Quetzalcoatl's only task. After all, such a massive weapon could only be swung by her.
Once again sweeping his gaze over everyone before him, Gilgamesh took a deep breath: "This is the final battle. Whether we defeat the Creation Goddess, or the Goddess annihilates us, let's prove it in this battle!"
"Prove that we, humanity, already have the power to break free from Mother!"