"Insolent human, calling me an idiot?! I'll punish you good!!"
Ishtar's pupils flared gold, her heavenly bow Maanna unfurling behind her, aimed straight at Roy.
Judging by her expression, she was livid.
"…"
After that exchange, Roy realized—deeply—that this woman's brain was as messed up as Gilgamesh had claimed. Worse than Aqua, even. Reasoning with her through words was clearly a lost cause.
With Maanna summoned, she wasn't in a chatting mood anymore.
Seeing her gearing up to fight, Roy ditched diplomacy, locking eyes with Karna behind him and nodding slightly.
"Understood."
Catching his Master's intent, Karna nodded, leaping forward. His golden spear, ablaze with solar fire, blocked Ishtar's path.
Burning flames, a gleaming lance, and a gaze brimming with resolve—his intent was crystal clear.
"Oh? A Servant? Strong mana—kinda like Shamash's vibe. So you are trying to attack me?! Caught red-handed in your scheme, and now you're mad, huh? Still denying you stole my treasure!!"
Ishtar barked, firing Maanna at Karna.
"…"
Her bizarre logic left Merlin, Ritsuka, and the others watching from behind dumbfounded.
This goddess's head really wasn't screwed on right.
Selective hearing and a serious comprehension problem.
Realizing he'd just tried reasoning with this, Roy felt like a fool.
Wasted breath and time for nothing.
"Merlin, should we help?"
"Senpai…"
As Karna and Ishtar waged an ace dogfight outside Uruk, terrifying mana and flashes of gold and red lit up the sky above.
Mash fretted as a teammate; Ana, fed up, raised her scythe to join Karna.
"Oh? If I could, I would love to help, but I can't fly or sprout wings… so I'm stuck, sadly."
"But…"
Merlin glanced at Mash and Ana, a cheerful smirk tugging his lips.
"While I can't go up, I've got magic to send you up there~"
"Huh?! Really?"
Mash perked up, surprised.
"Of course! Stand still—I'll sending you to the rescue."
Merlin chanted, casting a levitation spell he hadn't used in ages on Mash and Ana—then bit his tongue mid-incantation, hilariously.
"Ow, ow, ow—nearly bled there… Yep, swinging a holy sword's way easier than chanting."
He grumbled, but the spell worked. Mash and Ana floated up, joining the aerial fray.
As for him…
Someone had to stay and guard Ritsuka, right? Who better than Merlin, the team's core, for such a vital role?
"Useless Merlin! Slacking off at a critical moment—you're a disgrace to Grand candidates!"
"Oh, Roman, you're so dense. With three Servants up there, taking Ishtar down's a cinch. My help's not needed—might as well chill here 'til they're done."
Spotting Merlin's slacking scheme, Roman unloaded on him. Merlin fired back, and the two—never on great terms—bickered below once more.
"How'd it turn into this? Why's it a free-for-all…?"
Unlike the heated battle above and spat below, Ritsuka felt like an outsider, exasperated.
They were so close to Uruk, yet this detour hit. Fixing this final Singularity was a real slog.
Roy didn't elaborate on her confusion. He handed Enkidu's body back to Merlin, flared his own mana, and leaped skyward, joining the Ishtar beatdown.
Poor, stubborn Ishtar got the Kingu treatment in record time.
With Magician and three Servants, her mere vessel stood no chance.
"Huh? Another one?! Who are you people? Ganging up—what's that prove? Fight me one-on-one if you've got the guts!!"
Facing four converging figures, Ishtar's bravado evaporated. Scalp tingling, she yelled in protest.
"What's it prove? You started this, you attacked first—we never offered a duel. My time's short, so morals can wait. Let's take you down, then talk."
Roy, unimpressed, shot back at her whining.
She'd struck first, and reason bounced off her thick skull.
No point holding back—might as well teach her a lesson for Gilgamesh.
"Huh?!"
Even noble Karna had no qualms.
One-on-one was for honorable warriors.
This reckless goddess hardly qualified.
Against foes, he didn't cling to knightly dueling codes.
In the next instant, multicolored lights clashed. The four in the sky unleashed a fierce assault on Ishtar, boxed in the center.
"Aaaahhhh!!!"
Blinding mana flashed, and Ishtar screeched like a frantic marmot.
…
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh—fresh off an Ishtar-induced headache—sensed something amusing and sprang from his throne, thrilled.
Dropping urgent clay tablets mid-read, he grinned wide, eyes locked south of Uruk.
His signature gleeful laugh spilled out: "Fuhahahahaha…"
"Interesting—too interesting! Didn't think you'd see this day, you useless goddess…"
"Huh?"
Siduri blinked at his odd behavior, but seeing him suddenly so giddy, she stepped forward.
"My king, what's happened?"
"Nothing, nothing, Siduri. Just вспомнил something funny—no worries."
Gilgamesh didn't spill that Ishtar was getting bullied outside Uruk. He plopped back onto his throne, buzzing with barely contained glee.
Muttering, "Merlin's a slacker who botched my task again, but this haul's decent. I'll let his screw-up slide this time."
After a hearty laugh, he turned to Siduri. "Clear out the noisy crowd outside. Important guests are coming soon—other tasks can wait 'til tonight."
"Yes, my king."
Siduri nodded, unsure what had flipped her king's mood from fuming at Ishtar to this.
But seeing him handle duties without cursing her out was a relief.
Was it these guests he mentioned?
To cheer him up so much, they must be quite the crew.
Pondering this—and silently praising Ishtar and Gilgamesh—Siduri retreated from the tower.
She shooed away the Uruk locals waiting to submit their affairs.
___
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