Chapter 736: Tiamat: I Shall Save Uruk Once More
From the moment the black-robed figure appeared, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.
Upon his arrival, he crushed Ibaraki-Douji's spine, pinned Ushiwakamaru beneath his foot, and the number of Uruk soldiers who perished in the aftermath of his descent was beyond count.
More importantly, the black-robed figure dealt a devastating blow to morale.
It was as if a tightly drawn bowstring had just loosened only to be abruptly pulled taut again—such sudden pressure would severely diminish the soldiers' will to fight.
And this nightmare-clad figure... would show no mercy to his enemies' weakness.
Thus, the king himself would march beyond the city walls.
The wind carried dust from the ground, brushing against his cloak, while the cold touch of his shield and spear sharpened his focus. As the iron gates slowly creaked open, this king recalled an ancient tale.
During his reign over Sparta, the iron hooves of Persia had already conquered every land they touched. Even the envoys sent to negotiate dared to flaunt before him strings of skulls adorned with crowns—the remains of conquered kings.
Leonidas asked the envoy what the Persian king desired. The envoy lifted his head arrogantly and replied, "Earth and water."
King Xerxes of Persia demanded Sparta's submission, and as a token of surrender, they were to offer a handful of earth and a cup of water. Should they refuse, Sparta would face annihilation.
Leonidas laughed and granted his request—before kicking the boastful envoy into a well.
"Fetch your earth and water from down there yourself!"
And so, he led his three hundred warriors to Thermopylae, fighting to the last breath until their valor was etched into the Throne of Heroes—only to return millennia earlier, raising spear and shield once more in defense.
Perhaps this was fate.
And if this was the path he was destined to tread through countless cycles—
Then he would embrace it gladly.
"Stranger, if you journey to Sparta, tell her people that we lie here, faithful to her laws even unto death..."
Ancient—no, rather, a lament spanning millennia—echoed once more upon Uruk's walls, carried from Thermopylae to Plataea, whispering the voices of distant lands.
And so, it summoned forth loyal souls.
"..." The blazing light in the black-robed figure's hand dimmed slightly as he abandoned the fleeing soldiers and looked up.
Then, the spectral flames born from the abyss surged uncontrollably.
He saw them—three hundred azure phantoms.
And standing at their forefront was a towering hero, clad in a billowing crimson cloak, helmeted, and gripping his spear.
"MOΛΩN ΛABE (Come and take them)!"
The spear's impact against the earth was deafening, followed by the three hundred phantoms striking their shields with spear shafts, raising their arms in perfect unison, poised to hurl their weapons.
The voices of souls shook the heavens.
"MOΛΩN ΛABE (Come and take them)!"
"Leonidas...!" Ushiwakamaru struggled to lift her head. By now, how could she not understand what Leonidas intended to do?
This great general, who had defended the northern front, clearly sought to use himself as bait—to give the soldiers, even her, a chance to retreat to Uruk!
No, this was far too dangerous!
Ushiwakamaru's heart cried out in anguish. The moment the black-robed figure descended, she understood—this was no opponent that could be defeated by one or even several Servants.
Only a Divine Spirit Saint Graph, or perhaps a hero from the Age of Gods themselves, would have the right to stand as his enemy.
And Leonidas, in terms of Saint Graph strength alone, was even weaker than her or Ibaraki!
To stand before this black-robed figure with such power—without a doubt, he would die!
Suddenly, Ushiwakamaru felt the weight on her back lessen. A figure black as night stepped over her, gliding toward Leonidas at the city gates like a death god come to claim its due.
No words were exchanged. The black-robed one simply raised his hand, and the already restless spiritual flames surged forth like a torrent!
"Come, my friends." With the clear ring of steel, Leonidas struck his shield against the oncoming azure flames of death, answering with a surge of scorching fire. "Let our souls converge here—"
As his Noble Phantasm was unleashed, the outlines of three hundred round shields materialized before the Spartan. His indomitable will pierced through the barriers of the mind, manifesting as tangible matter before igniting into a brilliant conflagration.
"Thermopylae Enomotia!"
The flames of death clashed with the burning shields, snarling and roaring like two great beasts. What sprayed forth was not blood but near-liquid fire, scattering in all directions and setting the night ablaze.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The crisp sound of shattering echoed repeatedly. Just as Ushiwakamaru had judged, the Saint Graph granted to Leonidas by the Throne of Heroes limited his output. As the cold flames of the abyss burned relentlessly, even the firmest will could scarcely defy the natural order separating life from death.
The flames born of the abyss inherently possessed the power to guide souls to their ordained fate.
And were the three hundred warriors summoned by Leonidas not the very embodiment of 'the dead returning to life'?
Thus—return to the underworld!
The majestic beast roared as it pressed forward into the shield formation. With each breach of the defensive line, sections of the shield wall crumbled one after another, teetering on the verge of collapse.
Yet somehow, it still held.
But the black-robed figure seemed to have lost patience—with a raised hand and a clenched fist, countless shield phantoms shattered with mournful cries!
Unlike in the original tale, where he had struggled against Gorgon's Mystic Eyes for an extended period, the opponent he now faced was a warrior capable of effortlessly slaying Avengers, a monster among monsters in this era.
"Ugh..." Unnoticed until now, Leonidas was bleeding from all five orifices, a ghastly sight. Yet through his bloodied vision, he could still see soldiers who had yet to evacuate safely.
Then let this Saint Graph, this life, this body—everything it contained—be offered up!
So long as Sparta's Hot Gates could stand eternal here!
"OOOOOOOH!" With the roar of a Spartan, a blade flashed like a white dragon emerging from a ravine, slashing furiously toward the silent black-robed figure.
"Shana-ou Ryuuritan, Second Scene—Hakuroku: Tenjin Shukuhaku!"
Sensing the strike from behind, the black-robed figure turned indifferently. Amid the fluttering black fragments, a battered young girl swung her blade forward like a meteor, crashing fiercely into his chest with a whirlwind of razor-sharp light.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The iron-hard sensation made Ushiwakamaru's pupils contract, followed by the sight of the black-robed figure raising its hand.
The fist's wind pressure expanded, a crushing weight descending like Mount Tai. Though all she saw was a single fist magnifying in her vision, her warrior's instincts screamed hysterically.
It was as if an entire mountain was crashing toward her!
"Shana-ou Ryuritan, Third Scene—Benkei: The Immovable Stand!"
The legend of the Battle at Koromogawa manifested once more. Yet how could a mere imitation of Nioh's form withstand such a devastating blow? When the protruding knuckles of that iron fist shattered the famed blade Usugreen and collided with the girl's soft chest, Ushiwakamaru vomited blood with a cry, sent flying backward like a broken reed.
Threat eliminated.
The black-robed figure turned its gaze once more toward the majestic city and the flickering shield formation before it, like candles about to be extinguished. Then, as if in disbelief, it paused slightly.
Thunk!
With Leonidas mustering the last of his strength, roaring as he swung his arm, his beloved spear crossed the battlefield as if to return all the enemy's attacks in kind, piercing clean through the black-robed figure's chest.
No blood flowed. The black-robed figure looked down at the spear transfixing its body, raising a hand as if to snap it—but froze upon gripping the shaft.
After sustaining damage from battles with Fujimaru's group, the vented fury of the Baal Lahmus, and Ushiwakamaru's slashes, Leonidas's spear had finally breached its defenses.
Even if the wound was shallow.
It was a feat worthy of pride.
Thus the black-robed figure lowered its arm, gazing through its bone mask at Leonidas, now kneeling weakly on the ground. Maintaining its impaled state, it stepped forward—appearing before him in an instant—and casually dispersed the remnants of the shield shadows before seizing him by the throat.
"You—" Leonidas struggled futilely, but as the black-robed figure drove a fist into his back, even this hero who had endured to the end couldn't escape having his spine shattered, rendered combat ineffective.
"This bastard..." Gilgamesh had remained seated atop the city walls, coldly observing his generals fall dead or wounded. Seeing this, he merely frowned. "What is it doing?"
"My king, permit Ba to engage it in mortal combat." Tomoe Gozen knelt on one knee, her delicate face already contorted with fury and frost.
"Denied. This king will not tolerate meaningless waste." The Wise King rejected her request outright. At that moment, the black-robed figure looked up, its chilling bone mask locking eyes with those on the wall—its killing intent undisguised.
The Baal Lahmu's directive was to "slaughter humans to its heart's content." In other words, until Uruk was annihilated or the Baal Lahmu called for cessation, the black-robed figure would not stop.
Just as flames began coalescing in its grasp, a figure in a white dress spread her arms, shielding the Wise King and Tomoe like a mother hen protecting her chicks.
It was the head of the infirmary—the maiden whose song had unraveled the beast tide crisis—Lady Tia.
Despite her petite frame that should have been sheltered rather than standing on a smoke-choked battlefield, she met the black-robed figure's gaze with fearless resolve, her starry eyes brimming with determination.
"Ah, danger, Lady Tia!" Tomoe sprang up in alarm to protect the girl, only to be stopped yet again by the Wise King.
"Fool. Watch carefully."
"Why! Tia will be... Wait, could it be?!" Tomoe Gozen suddenly realized something and held her breath. "No, it can't be...?"
She had invited Miss Tia because she had witnessed her driving away demonic beasts with her song, but she hadn't expected anything beyond that.
But if this enemy was from the same faction as those beasts... Could she possibly achieve the same effect?
That shouldn't be possible. After all, this black-robed figure was different from those simple-minded demonic beasts...
Under Tomoe Gozen's skeptical gaze, a miracle occurred. Facing the murderous black-robed figure, the white-dressed girl didn't even sing—she simply met his gaze calmly for a long moment.
Then, the black-robed figure averted his eyes, turned decisively, lifted the three dying Servants, and strode off into the distance, disappearing across the plains.
Like a hunter satisfied with his prey, he showed no further interest in Uruk, which had been within his grasp.
Just moments ago, he had been brimming with killing intent... Tomoe Gozen thought in disbelief. But when she spotted several figures appearing in the distance, her nerves tensed once more.
"These... fools!" Even Gilgamesh, after a stunned pause, cursed angrily with a dark expression.
Running straight into the black-robed figure was none other than Fujimaru's team, returning from Eridu!
"Uruk is just ahead..." Fujimaru had been explaining to Jaguar Warrior when he looked up and saw the terrifyingly familiar figure.
"That guy?! How?!"
With a loud thud, Fujimaru pulled Merlin back, while Anna, Sakatsuki, and Jaguar Warrior all retreated in unison—clearly, they were extremely wary of this invulnerable foe.
Yet the black-robed figure didn't even glance at them, walking past with his spoils in hand.
"Minamoto no Yoshitsune, General Leonidas, and... Ibaraki?!" Only after the black-robed figure had left did Fujimaru belatedly realize who he had been carrying. His mouth fell open in shock as he muttered, "What in the world... just happened?"