"Because I..."
The cross-shaped pupils of the Mother Goddess Tiamat flickered slightly. As her emotions and reason gradually returned, her voice grew smoother.
"I have returned. The divine foundation that upholds heaven and earth will withdraw on its own, and I will reclaim the power of the Beginning..."
"This world is reverting to the chaotic Age of Gods. Soon, it will completely collapse..."
"Moreover, the unified divinity of Apsu has not yet perished..."
"The war between him and me is about to begin..."
Does this mean that no matter what side humanity chooses, they are destined to be destroyed because of their weakness?
Everyone's hearts clenched violently as they looked upon the collapsing sky and the sinking earth, a deep sorrow rising unbidden within them.
"Mom, I'm scared..."
A little girl with ram-like braids pouted, tears brimming in her eyes. She lowered her head, not daring to look at the terrifying end before her.
But there was no response. Her mother had long since died in a Magical Beast attack.
And the same was true here—neither royalty, Heroic Spirits, nor the Five Goddesses could give her an answer.
"Don't cry..."
Just as the helpless child stood trembling, silence and despair heavy in the air, two slender arms reached out and gently lifted her up.
Soft, warm hands wiped away the girl's tears. Lips like cherry blossoms brushed against her forehead in a tender kiss.
"There is a way..."
Everyone lifted their heads. Shock and joy filled their eyes as they looked at the Mother of Origin, whose smile bloomed like a flower, as though dawn had pierced endless darkness.
The old man Ziusudra, leaning on his sword, lowered his gaze, a faint sigh escaping him.
Suddenly, Samael's expression twisted. He snapped his head up, rushed forward, and seized Tiamat's pale wrist.
"You... you mean to abandon your divinity and exile yourself!"
Tiamat hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.
At that instant, everyone froze, suddenly understanding what she had meant.
Merlin, Gilgamesh, and the others showed a flash of realization in their eyes. One by one, they lowered their heads, lips pressed tightly together.
Yes. To prevent heaven and earth from losing their divinity and collapsing back into chaos, to avert the war of the gods—this was the only answer.
"No! I won't allow it!"
"There must be another way! There has to be another way!"
"Mother Goddess, give me time! Let me think! Please let me think!"
The ancient serpent shook his head violently, face set with desperate resolve. His thoughts spun wildly, his expression twisting into something close to madness.
"This is the only way..."
Tiamat gently set the little girl down, then turned and opened her arms, pulling the struggling god-child close. She stroked his back softly, whispering.
"It was so difficult..."
"So difficult for you to return to Mesopotamia and regain your reason..."
"You saved us, saved this world, and yet no kindness was shown to you. Now you must sacrifice yourself again..."
"It's not fair. It's so unfair!"
Faced with such warmth and compassion, Samael's resistance grew weaker. His shoulders trembled, his voice quivered with suppressed sobs and bitter unwillingness.
"Mother Goddess, I can't accept this... I can't... After all the hardship, we finally met again..."
Her pale, delicate fingers caressed the back of his head. She lowered her face and pressed her lips gently to his forehead, whispering.
"You've worked so hard. You're a good child, and I'm so happy..."
"Samael, I love you the most..."
"So you must live on..."
Gilgamesh straightened, turned to face the survivors of Uruk, and crossed his arms with a low chuckle.
"My elites, we have come this far, accomplishing the great work of denying fate itself!"
"Whether Uruk endures or not no longer matters. We have broken this land's shackles and opened a new age!"
"The true inheritance of mankind is not blood, but knowledge passed on—the chain of life itself!"
"Tell me, do you fear death?"
"Do you have the courage to face Uruk's final end?"
One by one, the people stepped down from Noah's Ark, gathering behind their Hero King. They raised their heads high, voices ringing out.
"Uruk will live forever!"
Gilgamesh raised Ea high, laughing with delight.
"Good! Excellent!"
"Then give me your lives!"
"As my gift in return, I will allow you to stand with me and witness the end of the world—to ring the death knell for the gods above!"
Small figures trembled with fervor, voices uniting in wild cheers. They clutched the sacred statues in their arms tightly, as if unwilling to ever let go.
To have survived until this moment was already enough to shatter destiny itself.
Now it was time for humanity to offer its answer—its gift in return for the love born from the Origin.
The shepherd king who once wrought miracles stood dazed, lips pressed tight, fists clenched so hard that blood seeped from his palms.
Then, a bright green figure stepped gracefully into the crowd.
The goddess's cross-shaped eyes swept over each face—pale, determined—her beauty alight with satisfaction and tenderness as she whispered.
"You've grown up..."
"I'm happy, truly happy..."
"Though it pains me, you must one day leave your mother's embrace and see the world..."
"So now, it is time to say farewell..."
Mother Goddess...
The strong fronts on the people's faces cracked at once. Tears spilled freely, sobs breaking out in waves.
Humanity had been so strong.
When three storms struck, they did not cry...
When seven days of calamity raged, they did not cry...
When Uruk fell, they still endured...
When Marduk descended, they did not bow to fate...
But now, none of them could hold back. Tears poured down without end.
Buzz!
The heavens quaked. All things mourned. A golden Holy Grail emerged from Tiamat's abdomen, falling into Samael's hands.
The goddess's body floated upward, her divine essence as the Goddess of Beginning—along with her reason and emotions—stripped away, scattered into nothingness.
Bathed in that creative power, the sky reunited, the earth grew firm again, the floodwaters receded, and life flourished once more.
"Aaaah..."
Like a song, the final chant rose from her beastly form, still carrying its gentle warmth.
As Tiamat ascended into the closing Great Hollow, she stepped into the Sea of Imaginary Numbers, returning once more to exile.
This time, a mother bowed low, becoming the stepping stone for her child's future!
This time, the Goddess of Beginning willingly fell into disaster!
This time, the farewell had come—an act of love in letting the world go!
On the earth below, people held one another close, trembling and weeping.
Heroic Spirits struck their chests with their right fists, tears streaming as they saluted.
Even proud goddesses and lofty kings bowed in the face of that boundless compassion.
Silent words reverberated in the hearts of every child.
Samael cradled the still-warm Holy Grail, whispering.
Mother... childhood has passed. Humanity no longer needs the guidance of gods.
But we still love you...
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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