Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King [232]

The surging darkness of the aurora rivaled even divinity, reaching a realm beyond humanity. Alaric, wielding the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, rendered judgment upon the goddess—

[Holy Lance—Reload]

Countless streams of aurora converged into a torrent, crushing the underworld with absolute force, enveloping both Ereshkigal and the massive Garula Spirit.

It was the light of the end, belonging solely to Alaric, who demonstrated his unwavering resolve to Ereshkigal.

Boom!!

The belated roar shook the entire underworld, even affecting the countless spirits imprisoned by the spear's cage. For a fleeting moment, their endless pain spanning millennia vanished.

Under the impact of this strike, even the invincible Ereshkigal of the underworld had no choice but to retreat! She positioned the enormous Garula Spirit before herself, using it to shield against the full weight of the judgment.

The result: half of the Garula Spirit's body was shattered, rendering it incapable of further battle. But the cost of losing the massive Garula Spirit was the inevitable onslaught that would now fall directly upon Ereshkigal herself!

However, Ereshkigal would not surrender. Almost the instant the Garula Spirit was destroyed, she activated her divine authority. Her delicate and pitiable goddess form suddenly transformed, ascending into the cold and merciless shape of the Garula Spirit!

Unlike the summoned spirits of the dead, Ereshkigal used her essence as the foundation, morphing into a form perfectly suited for battle—the unrelenting, ruthless Garula Spirit!

The surging lightning spear extended abruptly, gripped in the hands of the Garula Spirit that Ereshkigal had become. A single horizontal sweep sent Mash and all three Sabers flying!

Dodging was impossible!

In the underworld, Ereshkigal, who wielded dominion over it, was an invincible presence—the queen whom all the dead were meant to obey.

Heroic Spirits, echoes of the deceased, were no exception. Even if they were fated to perish in the future, their essence remained unchanged. As beings of the dead, they were intrinsically subdued by Ereshkigal's authority.

Only the living could challenge the ruler of the underworld and shake her divine might!

"You've finally shown your true strength, haven't you—"

From the highest vantage point, Gilgamesh continued his relentless assault. Behind him, the Gates of Babylon unleashed a barrage of projectiles, counteracting Ereshkigal's thunderous strikes and drawing her attention. This brief respite allowed Mash to rise from the ground and launch herself at Ereshkigal once more.

"Fujimaru Ritsuka, reduce the number of your summoned Servants! Don't exceed your capacity—he's coming!"

Not far from Fujimaru Ritsuka, Ishtar shouted, "Hurry up!"

"Got it!"

Breaking out in a cold sweat, Fujimaru Ritsuka promptly canceled the summoning of the dragon-slaying hero Siegfried, leaving only two sabers on the battlefield to continue wearing down Ereshkigal.

At the moment Fujimaru Ritsuka relinquished the summoning of Siegfried, a stream of black light burst forth from the darkness, striking Ereshkigal in her Garula Spirit form with unmatched force.

The two were now impossibly close—so close that their proximity could be described as skin-to-skin.

Alaric, wielding the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, closed the distance between himself and the Garula Spirit to the point of nonexistence. Before Ereshkigal could resist—

He unleashed divine judgment once again!

Boom!

The explosive burst of dark aurora shattered the Garula Spirit's body, exposing the diminutive figure of Ereshkigal within!

Ignoring Ereshkigal's stunned expression, Alaric reached out, seized her pale wrist, and yanked her free from the Garula Spirit's remains.

"When you do something wrong, you must face punishment!"

Golden light surged in Alaric's eyes. Though it was not the radiance of divinity, it carried a majesty equal to that of the gods—a symbol of Alaric's resolute self.

An absolute sense of self, an unyielding will that even the passage of time could not erode.

"I love death. As someone who understands the beauty of life, I also comprehend the meaning of death. But because of that, Ereshkigal, you, who have fulfilled your duties for tens of thousands of years, should not tarnish this responsibility yourself."

Alaric fixed his gaze on Ereshkigal before him, standing firm against the oppressive aura of the goddess of death.

"So, is this your true desire?"

"Eh?"

As if she hadn't yet processed how Alaric had broken through her authority, Ereshkigal, now fully separated from the Garula Spirit, fell to the ground. The lightning spear, symbolizing battle, lay discarded, signaling the end of the fight.

Tap. Tap.

Ereshkigal, cradled in Alaric's arms, landed softly on the ground. When he released her, she simply hung her head, refusing to meet the gazes of Alaric, Fujimaru Ritsuka, and the others who had rushed over.

"I'm back to normal!"

The revived Ishtar exclaimed with sparkling eyes, "This goddess has finally returned!"

With Ereshkigal's defeat, the curse placed on Ishtar dissipated, restoring her divine nature and returning her form to normal.

Nearby, Gilgamesh also remarked, "The shackles on this king have been lifted. While returning to my body in Uruk is paramount, this matter still requires resolution."

Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash turned their attention to Ereshkigal and Alaric, standing not far away.

"You've lost, Ereshkigal."

Alaric, having put away the Holy Lance, looked at Ereshkigal, who kept her head bowed, and said calmly, "Do you have anything left to say?"

"Take my head. Execute me, the goddess who listened to the lies of the Magecraft King and foolishly sought to dominate Uruk."

Ereshkigal's tone was firm, her resolve unshaken by defeat. "But I will not admit I was wrong.

I am not like Gorgon. She was driven by vengeance for everything that was taken from her, and so sought to annihilate humanity.

I, on the other hand, acted out of a desire for domination—to kill all life on the surface and rule over all souls. That is my belief, and even in failure, it will not waver."

"Is that your true feeling?"

Unmoved, Alaric raised an eyebrow, forcefully lifting Ereshkigal's chin to meet his gaze. "Ereshkigal, are you sure this is the truth?"

Having interacted with Ereshkigal several times, Alaric didn't believe this was her genuine sentiment.

"Eh!?"

Ereshkigal, startled by Alaric's abrupt action, instinctively stepped back, her pale face flushing crimson with embarrassment.

"Ahem!"

Quickly regaining her composure, Ereshkigal finally met Alaric's gaze and said, "There's nothing left for a loser to say. As the queen of the land of the dead, I've been defeated by humans. As a goddess, I've lost to Ishtar. No one is more of a failure than I am.

And I hate the living more than anything. If you don't intend to become my possession, then don't try to understand me."

"Is that so—"

Hearing her response, Alaric, having drawn his conclusion, once again summoned his golden holy sword. Just as his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception began to glow—

A sudden slash tore through the despondent Ereshkigal. Divine blood splattered, covering Alaric's eyes and robbing him of his vision.