"This prosperity rivals Uruk itself. And though it's called a fortress, there are so many civilians working here alongside the soldiers..."
As they entered the front lines of Nippur, Mash couldn't help but marvel at the scene, earning a firm nod from Ritsuka.
"Haha, well, these defenses have held for half a year now. To keep going, this place has evolved beyond a mere fortress or frontline—it's practically a new city," Merlin explained with a cheerful chuckle.
"But let's keep calling it a fortress for now."
It wasn't just Mash and Ritsuka who were impressed.
Amber was also experiencing this kind of atmosphere for the first time.
Though Uruk was humanity's last nation, it didn't have this same tense, battle-ready air. Soldiers patrolled the streets, but the overwhelming feeling was one of civilians living and laughing amidst their daily lives.
Having lived in relative peace, Amber found this environment slightly unsettling.
"Ahead lies the frontline wall, the sturdy barrier that's kept the demonic beasts at bay for half a year," he continued.
Just as Ritsuka and the others were about to voice their admiration, a soldier's shout cut through the air—the wall had been breached by demonic beasts.
This unfortunate turn of events seemed like a bad omen, but Merlin brushed it off with his usual smile. "Can't be helped. Beasts with this kind of agility often find ways to scale the walls solo. But it's nothing major. Let's deal with them without holding back."
The flowery magus pointed towards the ape-like creatures in the distance.
"Understood! Mash! Ana! Let's move!" Ritsuka looked to the two and said.
Though Ana was supposedly a Servant summoned by the Counter Force, she didn't resist the boy's command. After their time together, she'd come to acknowledge him, even forming a contract.
'You should get some practice in too.' Fu Hua had no intention of letting this chance for Amber to test her skills slip by.
With her master's instruction, Amber had no reason to refuse. In a single step, she overtook the three from Chaldea, appearing before one of the beasts.
A single punch sent the creature flying. Its internals and skeleton shattered, yet its exterior showed little sign of damage.
Witnessing this, Fu Hua gave a slight nod.
To cultivate the complete Taixu Sword Qi, the Xuanyuan Sword was indispensable.
While mastering the Sword Form and Sword Soul didn't strictly require it, for the Sword Intent... no weapon more suitable than the Xuanyuan Sword had been found yet.
But Amber's situation was different.
Her current body was her own prime, with the Five Facets fully realized. Guided by her physique and the Fenghuang Down, she had grasped the Taixu Sword Intent in just about ten days, even without the Xuanyuan Sword.
Sword Intent wasn't a mere martial technique. It was a transformation born from resonance between the Xuanyuan Sword, one's True Qi, and the self. Upon mastering it, one could materialize True Qi into tangible forms—fire, water, it varied with the user.
The force Amber used against the beast was her own power, not that of Fu Hua's body.
Amber's Sword Intent manifested as a peculiar vibration.
A touch that could bypass the body's defenses to strike the far more fragile internals directly. Though, given the vast disparity in power, it conveniently pulverized the bones as well.
While the principle of 'the body determining the consciousness' certainly played a role, this child... might be even more talented than I imagined.
As Fu Hua pondered, Amber had already cleared the visible demons, and the group reconvened.
"Incredible! Such speed, impossible to follow, and such exquisite technique!" Ushiwakamaru, who had leaped down from the wall, gazed at Amber with sparkling eyes. "As expected of a Celestial from the legends of Shenzhou!"
"You flatter me. I've simply lived long enough," Amber replied modestly.
Fu Hua had no objection to that. Not to mention Kevin and the other Flame-Chasers, even considering her most talented disciple, Cheng Lingshuang—if Lingshuang were in her place, what heights she might have reached were beyond even Fu Hua's imagination.
With the Divine Key's power continuously enhancing her Honkai adaptability and control over 50,000 years, combined with her martial prowess and temperament...
'She isn't 'empty', but 'full'. She holds no demands for you, for me, or for this world.'
Compared to Su, Lingshuang might have been closer to a true living Buddha. The side effects of the Sword Heart simply didn't exist for her.
Such a disposition was truly unparalleled, so much so that even the Herrscher of Sentience had called her a 'real monster'.
Watching Amber, who reminded her of her past disciple, Fu Hua let out a soft sigh.
She wasn't one to dwell on memories, but staying confined within the Fenghuang Down day after day was starting to wear on her.
'I'll put Amber through her paces again tonight,' she decided. While yesterday's intensity had multiple reasons, seeing a beloved disciple make such rapid progress overnight was a deeply gratifying thing.
Back in reality, the group had finalized their strategy. The demonic beasts had been launching organized attacks recently, suggesting a new commander.
However, the evacuation and rescue of Nippur's citizens were urgent. Thus, Leonidas arranged for Ushiwakamaru and Benkei to approach Nippur from the east, drawing the beasts' inevitable assault.
Seizing this opportunity, the Chaldea team would enter Nippur from the west, open the city gates, and escort the citizens back to the Northern Front for the time being.
As for Amber, she remained in a semi-autonomous role.
Since Amber was an ally of Gilgamesh, not a subordinate, Leonidas couldn't issue her orders. He could only request that she protect the civilians when the time came.
Of course, such a plea was unnecessary. Amber was no anti-human; preserving lives was her priority.
Time swiftly moved to the next day. Perhaps a pang of conscience, or maybe the day's mission, led Fu Hua to be less brutal than the previous night. She only 'trained' Amber for half the night before stopping to answer questions about her cultivation.
Amber was well aware that Fu Hua was a strict teacher. She also recognized the concern hidden beneath that severity. So, even when she wanted to shrink back, she gritted her teeth and persevered.
This mutual dedication made their relationship smooth. Moreover, Fu Hua could hear Amber's inner thoughts, making the unwavering trust Amber held for her all the more heartwarming.
With another day of training concluded, Amber and the Chaldea team entered Nippur.
However, their plan hit a snag from the very beginning.
It wasn't just that the enemy commander seemed to have seen through their strategy, leaving a contingent of beasts behind. The terrifying part was that these beasts were inside the city, not outside.
It meant the demonic beasts had already breached Nippur.
After swiftly dispatching the remaining creatures, Amber, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "This city... has no survivors left."
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.