By This Flame, Nothing Shall Remain Uncut!
By this blazing flame, nothing shall remain uncut.
The flame-burning cloak brushed across Tomoe Gozen's cheek as she blankly looked up.
All she saw was a warrior clad in strange armor, with silver hair tied in a high ponytail, using the greatsword in her hand to firmly nail the Scorpion Demon's tail to the ground.
Who was this?
Tomoe Gozen was certain that no such warrior existed in Uruk. Just the speed she had displayed alone made it impossible for her to be some unknown nobody.
The moment its tail was pinned down, the Scorpion Demon realized it had encountered an absolute powerhouse. It had always been extremely confident in the speed of its tail, yet this woman had appeared before it in an instant outside its perception range, and even reacted quickly enough to pin down its tail...
This person was definitely not simple!
The Scorpion Demon decisively severed its own tail and let out a loud roar, commanding the surrounding ordinary demonic beasts to launch an attack before turning around and fleeing.
But how could Xia Yu possibly watch it escape right before her eyes?
She slightly bent her knees, then exploded forward with a whoosh, instantly arriving above the Scorpion Demon. Raising the Blazing Hope in her hands, she brought down a simple and unadorned Mountain Splitter strike.
The move itself wasn't particularly sophisticated, but Kiana's overwhelming stats made up for that flaw.
The moment the Scorpion Demon saw the shadow suddenly appear beneath its feet, it knew its opponent had already reached above its head.
So it immediately chose to gamble with its life.
With a swift flip, the severed scorpion tail behind it rapidly regenerated before stabbing upward at lightning speed toward the figure overhead.
This was a complete gamble.
A gamble that the opponent would fear its killing move and not dare exchange lives with it.
If it had encountered someone like Tomoe Gozen, someone willing to self-destruct and fight to the death, then the opponent probably would've taken the gamble, risking their own life just to kill it.
Or perhaps they would abandon the attack and dodge the sinister stinger instead, which would also achieve the Scorpion Demon's goal.
Of course, there was still the final possibility.
It had lost the gamble.
The enemy above simply didn't care about its killing move at all.
Clearly, judging by the Herrscher of Flamescion's stats...
It had encountered the last possibility.
Facing the Scorpion Demon's desperate tail strike, flames erupted violently from the Blazing Hope in Xia Yu's hands. Before the stinger could even touch the greatsword, it was already charred black by the scorching heat radiating from the flames.
The moment the Scorpion Demon sensed the damage to its tail, it knew it was utterly finished today.
Though it sounded lengthy, everything happened in an instant. Amid the Scorpion Demon's despairing gaze, the overwhelmingly powerful Mountain Splitter strike cleaved it cleanly in two.
"Haa..."
Standing between the two halves of the Scorpion Demon's corpse, Xia Yu rested the greatsword on her shoulder, completely spotless.
What, you're asking if cutting something in half wouldn't splatter blood?
Sorry, but you should have a little more confidence in the Herrscher of Flamescion's flames. With one swing of the sword, what blood could possibly avoid being vaporized?
Tomoe Gozen stared blankly at the heroic woman before her, opening her mouth yet failing to say anything.
The Scorpion Demon she had fought so desperately against had actually been instantly killed in a single blow...
At the same time, at the Uruk Western Defense Line, Gilgamesh suddenly frowned.
Within the rainforest, a slacking Nightzmare looked toward the far northern edge of Uruk.
And within the demonic beast nest in the forest, Kingu's brows tightly furrowed.
"The Scorpion Demon actually failed..."
He glanced at the demonic beasts beside him.
"You all head over as reinforcements. Remember, you must kill that unknown Heroic Spirit!"
Several enormous creatures slowly entered the battlefield.
"May I ask this young lady's—"
Just as Tomoe Gozen was about to ask the silver-haired girl's name, she saw several gigantic figures charging out from the distant Demonic Beast Forest alongside countless ordinary demonic beasts.
"Basmu..."
Basmu, the Poison Dragon.
Its name means "Venomous Serpent," a monster created by Tiamat, originating from the Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish.
After being defeated by either Marduk or Ninurta, it became a benevolent monster used to guard gates. Its earliest appearance dates back to cylinder seals from Gudea in the 22nd century BCE. In the Mesopotamian poem Angim: Ninurta's Return to Nippur, it was one of the eleven "warriors" defeated by Ninurta.
According to a fragmentary Assyrian myth, Basmu was born in the sea and voraciously devoured fish, birds, wild donkeys, and even humans, causing the gods to fear it. In the end, the gods sent Nergal to slay it.
"Kusarikku..."
Kusarikku, the Demon Bull.
After being subdued by Marduk, it became a gate guardian beast. The Assyrian king Esarhaddon once forged two Kusarikku statues from shining bronze, with their heads facing opposite directions. Their size was sufficient to support the arched entrance of the Temple of Ashur.
On ancient seals, it appeared as a chimera with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a bull. These seals could be traced back to the Akkadian period of the third millennium BCE.
"Ugallu..."
Ugallu, the Storm Lion.
A monster with a lion's head and eagle claws, its Akkadian name means "Great Storm Beast." Ugallu began appearing in Akkadian-era carvings and was often associated with another of Tiamat's monstrous offspring, Lahmu.
Ugallu first appeared during the First Babylonian Dynasty as a gatekeeper of the underworld and servant of the god Nergal. In later eras, it often appeared alongside another Sumerian demon, Lulal, as a form of protective charm.
"Mushumahhu..."
Mushumahhu, the Flood Dragon.
Its Akkadian name means "Powerful Serpent." Some scholars associate it with the seven-headed serpent slain by the god Ninurta in Sumerian epics.
In the Mesopotamian poem Angim: Ninurta's Return to Nippur, the storm god described one of his weapons as "the seven-mouthed mush-mah serpent," which inevitably brought to mind the great serpent Lernaean Hydra slain by the great hero Heracles during the God Hand (Twelve Labors) of Greek Mythology.
In Enuma Elish, this monster was described as possessing cruelly sharp fangs and venomous teeth. What flowed through its body was not blood, but poison.
"Four of the Eleven Demonic Beasts..."
Tomoe Gozen fell completely into despair upon seeing this scene.
Forget the Eleven Demonic Beasts—even the tide of beasts alone would be enough to drown her.
And now there were four monsters comparable to Heroic Spirits among them...
"My lady!"
She stood up and walked to Xia Yu's side.
"Though I know not your origins, since you are willing to strike against the Eleven Demonic Beasts, then you must surely be an ally who cares for Proper Human History."
"At most, I can only hold back or take down one of the beasts before us."
Tomoe Gozen's gaze was resolute as she raised the crimson blade in her hand.
"I'll leave the remaining three to you!"
"If we truly cannot prevail, then please hold on no matter what. With four of the Eleven Demonic Beasts drawn here, the pressure in the other regions must have greatly lessened. As long as we endure, Uruk's reinforcements will definitely arrive!"
"That won't be necessary."
Xia Yu smiled slightly upon hearing that, then raised the Blazing Hope in her hands.
The four Eleven Demonic Beasts acted cautiously and did not immediately charge forward. Instead, they drove the surrounding ordinary demonic beasts ahead as cannon fodder, intending to probe for weaknesses or flaws.
Meanwhile, on Xia Yu's side, four massive Gems lit up one after another.
Beside her, Tomoe Gozen—who had already prepared herself for death—was now staring at the greatsword in horror.
Wait, this thing really isn't going to blow all of us into the sky?!
Although she had no idea what kind of energy it was, just from its sheer scale alone, it felt like a top-tier Noble Phantasm was being unleashed right beside her.
"By this blazing flame..."
Boundless fire gathered around the greatsword in Xia Yu's hands before she swept it horizontally from left to right.
"Nothing shall remain uncut!"
In an instant, the earth was flattened, the forest burned away, and the demonic beasts turned to ashes amid their screams.
Basmu, the Poison Dragon, was the first to attempt escape. But no matter how desperately it fled, it could not leave the range of the flames and was completely roasted to death amidst a final wail.
Seeing its companion instantly reduced to ashes, Kusarikku the Demon Bull frantically stomped its four hooves in terror, trying to flee the area. Yet it was all in vain, as its entire body was directly carbonized.
Ugallu the Storm Lion possessed the power to command storms. In panic, it tried to take flight, but even in the air it could not escape the flames' scorching heat. In the blink of an eye, it became a braised lion head.
Finally, Mushumahhu the Flood Dragon looked at the uniquely horrifying deaths of its three companions and was utterly dumbfounded.
Running backward was hopeless.
Flying upward had just been demonstrated by the freshly braised lion head.
So it only had one choice left.
The gigantic flood dragon immediately burrowed underground, carrying the same spirit as Albion, the final dragon who once attempted to tunnel beneath London toward the Far Side of the Moon in order to escape the decline of the Age of Gods.
Of course, the ending was similarly tragic.
The Dragon Albion ultimately died midway, with even its corpse buried beneath the Clock Tower.
As for the flood dragon, it had only managed to burrow halfway underground when the flames arrived.
The lower half of its massive body was instantly carbonized, while the portions buried deeper fused together with the earth into glass...
"So weak."
Seeing the four great demonic beasts and tens of thousands of ordinary demonic beasts fail to survive even a single strike from her sword, Xia Yu subconsciously muttered a complaint.
"Th-that's probably not their fault..."
Tomoe Gozen stared at the devastating scene before her in shock and subconsciously replied,
"The power of your Noble Phantasm has already surpassed the vast majority of Heroic Spirits!"
"Noble Phantasm?"
Xia Yu blinked.
Wasn't that just a normal attack? At most she used slightly more strength than usual.
"I can never repay this life-saving grace. I am Tomoe Gozen."
Tomoe Gozen looked at Xia Yu with shining eyes.
"May I know your honored name?"
"Me? Just call me Kiana."
Xia Yu gave her a reassuring smile.
"Kiana Kaslana."
"Kiana? Like the Goddess of the Moon from Roman mythology?"
Tomoe Gozen blinked as she looked at the girl before her.
Indeed, her appearance alone was extraordinary.
That heroic face, the elegant high ponytail, the enviably thick silver hair, those azure eyes...
Her temperament truly matched the image of a Goddess of the Moon.
And yet she used fire, opening with a move capable of burning the heavens and boiling the seas...
Tomoe Gozen couldn't determine her origins at all.
"The name does have that meaning."
Xia Yu nodded.
"But actually, I don't really have anything to do with Diana. If you really wanted to trace connections, I'd have more ties to Northern Europe."
"After all, I'm also a Valkyrie."
"Valkyrie? The legendary Valkyries serving the great god Odin?"
Tomoe Gozen glanced at the technologically advanced outfit she wore, somewhat confused.
"Those daughters of Odin, the guides of the Throne of Heroes?"
Wait, were Valkyries really this powerful?
"Mhm, my profession is definitely a genuine Valkyrie!"
Xia Yu proudly patted her chest.
"Hm? Wait, you're not a summoned Servant?"
Tomoe Gozen finally noticed the anomaly.
"That's right. Strictly speaking, I'm still alive."
Xia Yu took out the Supreme Gourd, opened the lid, and handed it over.
"Here, you're injured. I've got some good wine here that can heal your wounds."
"Many thanks, my lady!"
Tomoe Gozen herself enjoyed drinking, and the aroma alone upon opening the gourd was enough to conquer her. As the daughter of a warrior family, she wasn't one for false modesty and directly grabbed the gourd to take a huge gulp.
"Hiss..."
After only a few mouthfuls, Tomoe Gozen immediately sensed the wine's miraculous properties.
Even her Saint Graph, which had already begun burning away, showed signs of recovery. The scorpion poison in her shoulder was suppressed, while the wounds elsewhere on her body rapidly healed.
"This wine... it's far too precious!"
Tomoe Gozen clearly recognized quality when she saw it.
"It's fine, it's Jade Nectar after all."
Xia Yu smiled brightly.
"It's only natural for the effects to be a little better."
"Jade Nectar? The legendary Jade Nectar?!"
Tomoe Gozen's eyes instantly lit up.
"More or less."
Xia Yu nodded.
"Your body's alright now, right?"
"Cough, yes, I'm fine now."
Tomoe Gozen hurriedly returned the gourd.
The girl's origins were simply too mysterious.
Her name came from Roman mythology, her profession from the Valkyries of Northern Europe, and now she had taken out a clearly Eastern divine artifact...
"Oh right, where exactly are you from, my lady?"
Tomoe Gozen asked.
"Which city-state?"
In truth, several city-states still survived in Mesopotamia, though none of them had lasted as long as Uruk.
"None actually. I came from outside."
Xia Yu smiled.
"Outside the Singularity. I promised some friends that I'd help them out more."
"They'll be arriving at this despair-filled Uruk very soon."
As she spoke, Xia Yu carefully sized up Tomoe Gozen before her.
Wow, she really gave off the aura of a married warrior woman.
White hair, red eyes, a high ponytail, a graceful figure...
Especially now, with several tears in her clothes from the earlier battle, leaving her in a heavily damaged state...
Speaking of which, in the plot of Absolute Demonic Front, Tomoe Gozen had only been mentioned briefly as background flavor. Before Chaldea entered this Singularity, she had already died defending the northern wall.
If Xia Yu remembered correctly, she had perished together with that Scorpion Demon.
"Miss Tomoe Gozen, right?"
Xia Yu openly extended her hand toward her.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we'll be comrades from here on out."
"Ah, then please take care of me, my lady."
Tomoe Gozen hurriedly reached out with both hands to hold Xia Yu's right hand, utterly flattered.
Soft and smooth, paired with that mature married-woman aura...
Wow, this really is a woman who could become my mom!
★ ★ ★
T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me.
★ ★ ★
Shilling time!
Members of my [email protected]/quickinquickout can read advanced chapters on quick-tl(dot)com—and even customize translated terms to match their preferred names and terminology!