Chapter 729: Taming the Jaguar Warrior, Ur Frontline in Crisis
"Help! Help me!"
A loud, tearful wail echoed through the temple: "You can't do this to me, nya! I'm a divine spirit! I've served Uruk with merit, I've shed blood for Mesopotamia! I demand to see Quetzalcoatl! I want to speak with Quetzalcoatl!"
The elderly high priest entered with dinner in hand, then left with an expression of utter bewilderment.
Boom. The heavy doors shut.
The fading sunset was blocked by the palace walls, leaving only candlelight to outline the figure of the Jaguar Warrior tied to a massive pillar. She trembled as she watched the group slowly closing in, their shadows stretching ominously over her.
"I'm just a poor, lonely Servant! I may not be a goddess, but I'm still the god of ballgames, at least! You should show me some respect, nya…"
"Huh? So she's actually a stray Servant?" The doctor's curious voice chimed in. "I thought she was one of the forest goddess's underlings."
"Underlings?! My relationship with Quetzalcoatl is nothing but a twisted fate!" The Jaguar Warrior widened her eyes, vehemently protesting. "I just skimmed some benefits from her because I don't have a Master, nya!"
"I see, so she's an extortionist too!" Merlin nodded in understanding, then turned to Fujimaru. "So, what should we do with this idiot and scammer?"
Fujimaru frowned in thought, but Anna had already lost patience. With a swing of her scythe, she hooked it around the Jaguar Warrior's neck.
One slight tug, and her head would roll.
"I can't stand people who act all cheerful like this," Anna said seriously. "Can I kill her?"
"Eek!" The Jaguar Warrior paled, her eyes darting around desperately before settling on Fujimaru with a pleading, ingratiating smile.
"My opinion is, the more allies, the better…" The doctor murmured, eyeing the short-tempered Anna. "But if it causes discord in the team…"
"I understand, Doctor." Fujimaru nodded. "Leave it to me."
He ended the communication with Chaldea, then turned to the Jaguar Warrior with a regretful sigh. "Sorry. If fate allows, we'll meet again someday."
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on!" The Jaguar Warrior's eyes bulged as she scrambled to bargain. "Didn't that foreign apple guy say something about the present being more important than the past or future?!"
"I-I'm a divine spirit, nya! I'd make a great fighter, wouldn't I?!"
"Oh~" Behind her, someone drawled with amusement. Sakatsuki toyed with a gemstone offered as tribute from Uruk, his smile teasing. "For some reason, I feel my leg itching to kick something…"
"Sorry, my mistake, never mind! I forgot you were here!" Sweat poured down the Jaguar Warrior's face as she felt the looming specter of death grow ever brighter. Desperation fueled her next words. "Information! Right! I know a lot about Quetzalcoatl!"
"Oh?" Fujimaru's expression softened slightly, as if reconsidering. "Perfect. We're heading to the temple soon—"
He gave her a meaningful look, and the Jaguar Warrior hesitated before mumbling, "Uh… could you untie me first…?"
"Ah, what a shame. I just remembered I have to go look for the Axe of Marduk next, so I can't spare the time." Fujimaru clapped his hands together cheerfully and suggested, "So let's just deal with this god quickly and be on our way."
"Straight downgraded to 'some unfamiliar god' status already?!" Jaguar Warrior wailed, desperately dodging Anna's approaching scythe while also being careful not to snap the rough hemp ropes binding her. "I surrender! Jaggy surrenders, I'll talk meow! Kukulkan's temple is in Eridu meow! If you're looking for a super huge axe, it's placed right on top of Kukulkan's temple!"
"But we have no idea how many enemies are in the temple..." Fujimaru sighed.
"Two, at most two!" Jaguar Warrior looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Just Kukulkan and some mysterious person in a black robe! Those two are always wrestling in the temple every day!"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely certain AND YES!" As she said this, Jaguar Warrior suddenly froze. "Wait... I think I heard someone was coming this morning before I left, but I ran off too fast to hear properly... Whatever! Whoever it is can't possibly be stronger than Kukulkan or me!"
After spilling everything like beans from a bamboo tube, Jaguar Warrior cautiously peeked at Fujimaru. "Um, can you let me go now that I've talked?"
"Mm." Fujimaru nodded with a smile. "You've outlived your usefulness. Die now."
"Nani? No——!!!"
Amidst her indignant screams, Jaguar Warrior suddenly felt her body become light, as if her soul had separated from her body and was flying off to heaven on its own.
Ah, mother, is this what ascension feels like?
When she came to her senses, she found herself standing perfectly unharmed in the same spot, wearing a foolish grin with drool still dripping from her mouth.
Only the ropes that had bound her were now mysteriously severed into several pieces.
"Slurp." Jaguar Warrior hurriedly sucked the drool back in and examined her body in shock. "I'm not dead?"
"Consider yourself lucky." Anna snorted coldly, retracting her war scythe as she walked back in displeasure, only to have Fujimaru pat her head with a smile along the way.
"Well done, Anna."
"So you were just scaring Jaguar Warrior after all." The doctor in the communicator unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. "Really, I actually thought you were going to send her back to the Throne of Heroes..."
"Who knows?" The boy shrugged with a gesture strikingly similar to a certain someone. "Maybe?"
"Stop scaring me like that!" Having successfully escaped death, Jaguar Warrior proudly puffed out her chest. "I get it, I get it! Leave defeating Quetzalcoatl to big sis here!"
"Wait, what did you just say? Quetzalcoatl?" Fujimaru caught the key point in her words. "Is that the name of the goddess ruling this jungle?"
"In Toltec mythology, she's the priest-king Quetzalcoatl, while in Maya she's the conqueror king Kukulkan." The doctor quickly pulled up relevant information. "Though Quetzalcoatl is a god, she sometimes appears in the role of 'king of men.'"
"From how you addressed her, Jaguar Warrior," Merlin stroked his chin, "does this goddess possess all these memories and experiences?"
"Mm-hmm, that's right meow." Jaguar Warrior nodded, unable to suppress a shiver. "The sun goddess among the Three Goddess Alliance, also the god of war. When that kid (Kukulkan) shows her true nature, she's even scarier than Gorgon. She'll be smiling while delivering heavy blows to my face..."
"Whoa, sounds dangerous," Fujimaru grinned, though there wasn't a trace of fear in his eyes. "But unfortunately, we're about to visit this not-so-friendly deity."
"Not-so-friendly deity? Fujimaru, you seem to be mistaken about something."
Sakatsuki, the director of this acting exercise who had only spoken one line since filming began, finally spoke up: "Listen well. Quetzalcoatl is a benevolent god, the pinnacle of goodness. In other words, compared to those 'great philanthropists' in your Chaldea who smile but are actually chaotic evil, she's genuine lawful good."
"Isn't that why we have you?" In response to Sakatsuki's reminder, Fujimaru placed a hand on his shoulder, expertly massaging it. "We've got the strongest Servant in all of Uruk here."
"Oh my, such flattery." Sakatsuki, who had been completely serious just moments ago, quickly became bashful, scratching his cheek in embarrassment. "I'm not that amazing..."
Fujimaru's fingers paused briefly before resuming as usual: "Besides, you've got us too."
"That's right meow!" Jaguar Warrior excitedly clenched her fists, throwing punches through the air. "It's payback time! I'll show Kukulkan this kitty isn't to be trifled with!"
"Let's go, Fujimaru." Anna simply adjusted her hat brim and walked straight out of the temple. "We need to help at the flower shop tomorrow. Best finish this quickly and return."
"My my, Anna's attitude shows she doesn't think much of the upcoming goddess at all."
"Merlin... you should just go die already. Along with that jaguar."
"Huh? Huh! What did I do wrong this time? Leopard is sad..."
Amidst such banter, the group set off again, unaware that in Uruk city thousands of miles away, lights burned brightly.
As dusk claimed its last rays, night swiftly swallowed the land, along with the roaring stampede of beasts.
"Report, Your Majesty! The northern front is in crisis!"
Messengers ran through streets and alleys, delivering one dangerous report after another:
"Abnormal activity in the cedar forest! The second resource extraction team is under attack by demonic beasts!"
"Four basmu have appeared in the river channel! Dozens of soldiers have already collapsed from poisoning!"
"Requesting reinforcements!"
"Your Majesty, we're short on manpower!"
"The generals are stretched too thin! Your Majesty, what should we do?"
As if by prior arrangement, countless demonic beasts emerged from the wilderness. On this darkest of nights, they launched a full-scale assault against Uruk!