Chapter 767: The Winged Serpent and the Missing Gorgon
For the soldiers stationed on the battlefield, their daily routine was both busy and simple.
Fight the demonic beasts, clean up the battlefield, rest, and then fight the demonic beasts again.
This cycle, accumulated bit by bit, was what upheld Uruk as a city of civilization and prosperity.
Of course, life on the frontlines was fraught with danger. Their struggle against the demonic beasts was like a tug-of-war on the edge of a blade—if either side showed weakness, they would be dragged down and cut to ribbons by the sharp edge.
When Commander Leonidas and the other generals were present, the frontline remained stable. And after the black-robed Sakatsuki abducted them, Tiamat took over the battlefield, effortlessly driving back the demonic beasts without losing a single soldier. The pressure had actually lessened considerably compared to before.
But today, a new notice was issued: Tiamat of the healing sanctuary would withdraw from the battlefield, and another leader would take her place in the fight.
Who could it possibly be? Could she shoulder the burden of the demonic beast frontline as Tiamat and the generals had?
Doubt was only natural. But when that tall, stunning woman ascended the city walls and swept across the battlefield with her serpentine hair that blotted out the sky, the people instantly understood why the priests had allowed Tiamat to leave with such confidence.
Cold, ruthless, and ferocious—compared to Uruk, this woman named "Gorgon" seemed more like one of the demonic beasts. Her expressionless face resembled a serpent's gaze, and even the curve of her smile seemed stained with blood, sending chills down the spine.
Especially for a certain squad on the frontline, who recalled their collective embarrassment of attempting to court her—they wished they could dig a three-bedroom apartment with their toes right then and there.
Though Gorgon had never spoken of it, she had probably mocked them inwardly from head to toe.
However, perhaps due to her inherently aloof nature, Gorgon was not as meticulous as Tiamat. Even though her serpentine hair bore the brunt of the battlefield's pressure, if the soldiers let their guard down, stragglers could still take their lives. There was no room for complacency—today, the Uruk demonic beast frontline continued its fierce battle against the beasts.
"Hm?" Sensing the disturbance of her authority, Gorgon, who had been idling on the city walls, opened one eye. Her cold serpentine pupils locked onto a beastly figure at the edge of the cedar forest.
The massive solar lion, Ugallu, stood atop a rocky peak, its golden eyes brimming with bestial coldness. Its golden fur was now tainted with dark, creeping patterns.
"This disgusting stench that makes me want to vomit." Gorgon instinctively tensed. "Baal Lahmu... you just refuse to disappear, don't you?"
If the Baal Lahmu launched an attack themselves, she stood no chance of victory.
[Do not worry. We are merely here to deliver a message.]
A silent ripple of thought. Ugallu's lips split into a grotesque smile.
[Due to your betrayal, we will transplant the authority of the Sun Goddess Quetzalcoatl this afternoon. She will replace you as the demonic beast factory, serving our Mother until her death.]
[Do you wish to save her? If so, come yourself—]
Squelch!
Amid the soldiers' startled cries, a cluster of serpentine hair brushed past their scalps, piercing Ugal's skull like a demonic spear. Brain matter oozed out as the grotesque demonic beast lost all signs of life, collapsing slowly to the ground.
"Psychopath." Gorgon retracted her gaze, lazily yawning.
The so-called Three Goddess Alliance had been nothing more than a childish game of pretend sisterhood from the very beginning.
Did these Lahmu truly believe she'd invested genuine emotions into this farce?
And rescuing the Sun Goddess? If that woman chose to hide in the jungle, she'd better be prepared to face the consequences alone.
"If I were foolish enough to walk into that trap willingly, I might as well let Fujimaru cut me down instead." Gorgon closed her eyes, allowing her serpentine locks to freely slaughter her former 'children.'
After what felt like an eternity, she finally stirred.
"But where exactly are these demonic beasts hiding?"
————
Though they couldn't comprehend what changes had occurred in the underworld, Uruk had successfully established a connection with it. With Sakatsuki and Enkidu officially joining their ranks, the group bid farewell to the Underworld Goddess and a host of Gallu spirits, safely returning to the surface.
"Woo, freedom!" The Heavenly Goddess soared through the skies, finally experiencing the joy of her normal size after being freed from the underworld's restrictive rules. Watching her flight path, Fujimaru turned to wave at Sakatsuki and Ereshkigal, asking curiously:
"Aren't you coming back to Uruk with us?"
"I am the Underworld Goddess; I cannot abandon my domain." Ereshkigal maintained her dignified divine persona, while Sakatsuki didn't expose her, simply smiling as he added:
"As for me, being the Underworld's priest, it's only natural I stay to serve my goddess properly."
"Sakatsuki, when did you get another title..."
"Hurry up, Fujimaru!" The king's impatient voice echoed from the palace. "Honestly, must everyone test my patience?"
"You should go see Gilgamesh first. It seems there's a new development on his end."
Sensing something, Fujimaru didn't delay upon hearing Sakatsuki's words. Leading the group, they exited the hidden passage and returned to the palace.
"Hssss~~" The moment they entered, a small snake dropped from a support pillar, slapping against Fujimaru's face.
"Whoa!" Fujimaru fell backward, quickly grabbing the wriggling peculiar serpent. Upon closer inspection:
The strange little snake had golden pupils and shimmering purple scales. Most remarkably, tiny fleshy wings adorned its back—unable to fly, yet adding an undeniable cuteness.
"A winged serpent...?" Anna stood frozen as she examined the peculiar creature, lost in thought.
Hssss~~ The snake happily flicked its tongue, suddenly locking eyes with Anna. The girl's violet irises reflected the serpent's curious gaze. Abruptly, Fujimaru felt his hand go numb, instinctively releasing his grip. The snake shot forward, darting into Anna's hood and coiling around her neck.
"Anna!"
"I'm fine, Fujimaru." After repeatedly adjusting her hood's outline, it finally surrendered, revealing Anna's slightly startled face—and the winged serpent nuzzling affectionately against her cheek.
After confirming the serpent meant no harm, Fujimaru looked up at Gilgamesh, who had returned to his throne. "Your Majesty, what exactly is this..."
"Originally, it was just a suspicion, but now it's completely confirmed," Gilgamesh murmured as he gazed at the winged serpent before falling silent. The white-clad youth Enkidu, having regained his original appearance, stepped forward to explain in his stead:
"Just moments ago, the Beast Goddess Gorgon, who had taken the alias Gogh, withdrew from the frontlines of the Beast War and headed toward the enemy's stronghold."
"At the place where she departed, we discovered this peculiar serpent."
"However, what's more concerning than its serpentine form is its true nature."
"True nature?" Fujimaru raised an eyebrow. "Doctor?"
"Monitoring now... Okay, done... Fujimaru!" The doctor's voice suddenly rose an octave, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "This little serpent... it's made of divinity!"
"Not only that, but the data shows its divinity is extraordinarily high," Da Vinci added, gasping in shock at the absurdity of the report. "You could practically consider it a deity in its own right."
A deity in its own right?! Fujimaru's eyes widened in shock and alarm.
Just how much divinity was packed into this seemingly delicate and tiny serpent?
And what could have happened to make Miss Gogh abandon such precious divinity?!