"Ah! What is this chill?! It hurts! It hurts so much!"
"Stay away!"
The Goddess of Demonic Beasts, Gorgon, sensed the rapidly approaching blur of blood-red on Ugallu. Countless voices exploded in her mind, making her head feel like it was about to split open.
Her purple-yellow serpent tail thrashed wildly, pulverizing the surrounding rocks. The barren wasteland was torn with deep gashes, and the shards of stone screamed through the air with explosive force.
"Get out!"
"You hideous monster, get out of my sight!"
Gorgon clutched her Mystic Eyes with both hands and let out a piercing shriek. Behind her, hundreds of massive purple-red snakes writhed and lunged at the approaching pair of human and beast.
"Monster? Can't you see who the real monster is?"
Ana looked up at the frenzied Gorgon, tightly gripping Harpe, the divine weapon that could cut down the undying. Her eyes held a trace of pity.
"To become a beast consumed by hatred and vengeance—what a pitiful end."
"For the sake of everyone in Uruk, I will never take that path!"
"So let me be the one to end this!"
Samael instinctively sensed danger the moment he heard that determined whisper in his ear.
Before he could react, the small figure on his back leapt forward, dashing across the venomous snakes that had spread across the ground, charging straight toward the snake goddess wreathed in purple-red light.
End her?! Are you serious?!
Distract her! Do you even understand the plan?!
Samael sprang up with all four limbs, narrowly avoiding the two venomous snakes snapping at him from either side, cursing internally.
Unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of getting near the Goddess of Demonic Beasts while her divinity remained intact.
Of the Three Goddesses, the other two could at least be reasoned with to some degree. But this one? She was a killing machine created specifically by Kingu and the Demon God King Goetia.
The chances of surviving an encounter with her were less than five percent.
So even though he followed Ana into this madness, it was only to interfere—to keep the Goddess of Demonic Beasts from unleashing another map-wide annihilation.
With just him and Ana, trying to take down a boss still at peak power was basically suicide.
And honestly, the only reason he was trying to play the hero in the first place was to stop that girl from doing something reckless.
But he had clearly underestimated Ana's resolve to sacrifice herself… and her unshakable innocence and kindness.
At this point, there was no use complaining. Gritting his teeth, Samael jumped onto the back of a venomous snake and sprinted toward the Goddess of Demonic Beasts to support Ana.
Can any of you just listen for once?!
I came here to play the hero, not to become some tragic martyr!
Swallowing his regret, Samael shifted into the smaller, more agile form of Uridimmu, leaping and dodging the massive purple-red serpent heads that came slithering toward him.
Shit, shit, shit!
Thank the gods I've slaughtered thousands of Magical Beasts and maxed out my survival skills. With my agility stat in "Lion Dog" form, I'd have died eight times over by now!
The ancient serpent cursed silently, his nerves stretched taut. He hurdled over obstacles, somersaulted in midair to narrowly avoid purple-red light beams, and at times exploded with mana, slamming his claws down to form a Magecraft array. From it, he summoned a purple-red spear infused with death energy that pierced the serpents snapping at him...
In short, Samael threw everything he had into reuniting with Ana, darting side to side on the edge of death, every hair on end.
If he hadn't been a secondary target, surrounded by only seven or eight of the crazed snake heads, he was pretty sure he'd already be snake chow by now.
Even so, the speed of the goddess's young form was staggering.
As the distance between them grew, that petite figure, who had just sliced through the monstrous serpent-haired beasts, leapt high into the air without hesitation.
With lightning speed, Harpe—the blade that reaped the undying—was swung down at the disoriented Goddess of Demonic Beasts.
"Fingers of iron, Hair like a cage, And whispers that become poison! This is my essence!"
"This hatred, this vengeance, it ends here. You and I shall vanish together—Caress of the Medusa!"
Ana swept both arms down, unleashing a strange, purple-red blade of light that pierced straight toward the vital spot between Gorgon's chest.
But just as the blade was about to strike, the confused Goddess of Demonic Beasts snapped awake. Her scarlet Mystic Eyes erupted with a terrifying glow.
"Stay back! Don't come any closer! Stop!"
Her hysterical screams rang out as Harpe neared her flesh, and the surrounding purple-red mana surged wildly.
Bang!
Splurt!
A spray of vivid red blood burst forth, splashing violently.
A small figure was sent flying backward at high speed. Warm, sticky liquid smeared across her face, prompting her to instinctively raise her hand—only to find her palm stained in brutal crimson.
"I told you... not to come... Can't you just listen?"
The weak, hoarse voice came from the arms holding her.
Ana quickly lowered her head. In her arms, an Uridimmu was coughing up blood. She reflexively tried to press down on his wounds, but the moment she looked up, her expression froze.
Where she had stood just moments before, a purple-red serpent now gnawed on the bloodied remains of a lower torso.
Just now, Samael—transformed into a Magical Beast—had tackled her aside and taken the venomous strike meant for her. The snake summoned by Gorgon had sunk its fangs into him instead.
"Samael... I-I'll listen..."
Tears streamed down Ana's cheeks as she landed, clutching her now half-weight friend tightly, her eyes pleading.
"You'll be okay! You'll be fine! Just hang in there!"
Meanwhile, Gorgon stared in disbelief at the deep gash along her left arm. The searing pain and relentless bleeding triggered the deepest fear within her.
"That weapon... Harpe! It's Harpe!"
The purple-haired girl, now half-crazed, muttered to herself as she gently laid the fading Samael on the ground. Her eyes rose again, fixed on the Goddess of Demonic Beasts.
"I'll get your lower body back! Merlin!"
"Merlin will know what to do!"
The goddess's pupils dilated as an uncontrollable shiver ran through her soul. She threw up her claws to cover her face and shrieked.
"Stay away! Don't come near me!"
"Kingu! Kingu! Where are you?!"
Twisting in panic, Gorgon backed away rapidly, her cries echoing across the battlefield. Before her foe could even advance, she turned and fled into the night in a frenzy.
"Don't run! This is unforgivable!"
"Give Samael back to me!"
Ana bit her lip hard enough to bleed, unleashing a scream filled with sorrow and despair.
Just as she was about to give chase, a pale hand clenched her cloak from behind.
Startled, Ana turned around—and stared in disbelief.
The man who had been on death's edge now lay with his lower half severed, red flesh twitching grotesquely at the wound.
His bloodless face managed a strained smile as his right hand tugged at the hem of her clothes.
"Don't chase her. I think... I might still be salvageable..."
...
Above the Babylonian defense line, a burst of dazzling, multicolored light filled the sky. Hundreds of radiant arrows rained down, blasting the advancing Magical Beasts into fragments.
Then, a smug, arrogant laugh echoed overhead.
"How dare you threaten my Uruk?! Maanna—teach these fools a lesson they'll remember!"
Phew... Finally. Finally made it through.
Hearing that unmistakable voice, Samael exhaled a deep breath. His eyelids grew heavy, slowly shutting as he drifted into pitch-black unconsciousness.