BOOM—!
With a thunderous roar, the hastily built stone walls shattered under a barrage of magical cannon fire.
Hundreds of soldiers in ornate, anachronistic armor surged through the breach, swiftly crushing what little resistance remained.
"You… How dare you…? Aren't you afraid of divine punishment!?"
Ophis kicked aside the trembling city lord sprawled on the ground and swept her gaze calmly across the ruins.
"Demolish everything. Move the citizens to Uruk."
"Yes, my king!"
"My king… is this level of force really necessary…?"
The voice came from a young priestess who had recently been promoted to acting High Priestess.
Ever since Enkidu's disappearance, the king's behavior had changed.
That faint, unsettling smile never left her face. She'd begun expanding Uruk at a frightening pace—arming its forces, conquering nearby city-states, and forcibly relocating their citizens. Abandoned buildings were dismantled for materials; the rest were stockpiled.
"And the other matter?"
Ignoring the question entirely, Ophis spoke again.
"Yes! All of Uruk's best craftsmen are assembled and await your orders. All able-bodied men meeting the criteria have been drafted into the new army for training!"
Out of sheer loyalty—or perhaps fear—the priestess replied without hesitation.
…Wait. Wasn't she supposed to be a priestess? When had she become a secretary?
And Uruk's army was already formidable; expanding it further under these strained conditions seemed utterly wasteful.
"When you're finished here, lead them back to Uruk."
Without another word, Ophis turned and walked away.
So now she's also a general?
The poor priestess, who had been forced into multiple roles simply because someone couldn't be bothered to introduce new characters, felt tears prick her eyes.
And she still didn't even have a name…
[How should I put this… Even knowing it's hopeless, you're still giving everything for a promise to a friend. I can't tell if I should laugh or admire you.]
"I love humanity. I love this world."
Ophis looked up toward the sky.
"So I'll protect them."
[Is that so? Then keep going. By now, you've started seeing them, haven't you?]
Ophis nodded slightly.
Those fragmented visions that had once appeared only rarely were now surfacing more often—ruined cities, oceans of rampaging beasts.
"Why?"
Where had this ability come from?
[It's not Clairvoyance, if that's what you're thinking. As for the details—leave that for later. I'll explain eventually.]
Ophis accepted the answer silently. Now wasn't the time to press further.
The visions showed only scattered scenes, but she knew instinctively there was more behind them.
No matter how many beasts there were, none of that level could threaten her alone. The enemy must have a way to restrain her.
Because of that, Uruk needed to be capable of surviving even in her absence.
Strong walls. Reliable logistics. Elite soldiers. All were essential.
Fortunately, time was still on her side—for now.
They would build the defenses, stockpile resources, and train the army step by step.
[Listen well. The true enemies behind this are gods. But I've only seen three clearly. Counting the mediator, that makes four. And beyond them… there's something else—hidden deep in the mist. Its presence is far too great to perceive.]
"Four… who are they?"
[…You'll know when the time comes.]
Ophis wasn't surprised by Inori's usual evasiveness. She was used to it by now.
Still—
"Can't you tell me now?"
Surprisingly, Ophis pressed the issue, her tone more insistent than usual.
After all, shouldn't she know who she was meant to fight?
But Inori didn't answer directly.
[Compared to that last one, the other four aren't worth worrying about. Forget them for now.]
Hearing that, Ophis let the matter drop.
[Focus only on the one I can't see. Even weakened within you, my perception shouldn't fail entirely. For it to escape my sight completely… that being must at least surpass the King of Gods.]
Ophis fell silent, thoughtful.
Surpassing the King of Gods… that would mean something on the level of a Creator.
Troublesome indeed.
[One last warning.]
"?"
[My foresight has reached its limit. I can see the broad strokes, but not the details—not in real time.]
"Your power… exhausted?"
[Not quite. More like… leakage. But sure, call it that if you want.]
"I understand. Rest for now, Inori."
By the time the conversation ended, Ophis had already returned to Uruk.
The city had doubled in size, yet its new districts were little more than hastily built shelters. Countless citizens looked up at her with fear in their eyes.
Her goal had been to protect as many humans as possible—so she had gathered them all by force.
The losses, the casualties, the suffering… Ophis had ignored them all in the face of the coming calamity.
And yet—
"This is our limit."
[Indeed. With the newly conquered population, Uruk can't take in another city-state's worth of people. If it's to become the center of resistance, countless refugees will arrive later. We have to preserve resources for them.]
Then this would have to be enough.
At least she had done all she could for the nearby lands.
[Keep the newcomers calm. Don't let unrest grow when chaos arrives.]
Ophis nodded quietly.
While she could handle overall strategy, the details often relied on Inori's advice.
[I'm no expert either… but I'm still leagues better at it than you.]
That, at least, was true. Ophis accepted it without protest—just as she had once accepted Enkidu's guidance.
Though an Ouroboros was by nature solitary, it could absorb the strengths of whatever it encountered—living or otherwise—and make them its own.
That was how an Ouroboros grew stronger.
And so, even in matters of the heart, Ophis had begun to change—learning, slowly, from those whose words were worth hearing.