Just as Ophis neared the palace gates, a surge of energy tore through the air—and in the next instant, she was engulfed in a blinding beam of blue light.
The deafening blast that followed threw the city into chaos. Soldiers scrambled toward the source, armor clattering as they surrounded the impact site.
"My king! What happened?!"
"Leave."
Her calm, detached voice echoed from within the fading dust. The guards hesitated, then reluctantly obeyed, retreating with uneasy glances.
"Oh? What's that trick you've got there? Looks pretty."
Perched lazily on a rooftop, wearing her usual revealing garb, Ishtar smirked down at Ophis.
There was no doubt—the one who had attacked her was none other than the goddess herself.
Ophis stood at the center of the crater, surrounded by countless shimmering violet particles, soft purple flames dancing across her skin.
Ishtar tilted her head thoughtfully, then broke into a grin.
"Ah, I get it. I've seen something like that before—some people I knew used to show similar traits when they got injured. So, your body's entirely made of energy, huh?"
As she spoke, the luminous fragments retracted back into Ophis, leaving her completely unharmed. Ishtar's eyes gleamed with growing curiosity.
"Hm… not quite the same. Those guys used to leak life energy when their mana structure broke down—but you, you just… fixed it instantly?"
The goddess's analytical gaze sharpened.
"I didn't sense any shift in mana or matter around you… which means you regenerated using your own energy. Even though that blast carried divine power, you healed immediately—no sign of strain at all…"
[Hoh? For someone so flighty, she's surprisingly perceptive. I suppose that's divine wisdom for you. Let's hope they keep their end of the deal.]
"Hey, hey, come on now—tell this Onee-san, what are you exactly?"
Leaping down from the roof, Ishtar landed lightly before Ophis, leaning forward with a teasing smile—only for her expression to falter.
Wait a second…
Even as a goddess, she couldn't identify what Ophis truly was.
Then why had the gods chosen her as the Wedge in the first place?
…Ah well. Not her problem.
The thought faded almost as soon as it formed, without her realizing how unnatural that was.
"Ishtar. Why are you here?"
Ophis brushed past her and continued toward the palace, ignoring the goddess's pout.
At least she was acknowledging others now—though she was still ignoring their questions entirely.
"Huh? I'm still Uruk's guardian goddess, remember? Isn't it natural for me to check in on my possessions? As for you, I was just passing by—consider it a greeting."
"..."
So greetings between gods involve high-powered energy beams now?
Ophis made a silent note of this.
"Wait! You still haven't answered my question!"
Ishtar hurried after her, glaring in mock indignation—only to pause when she caught sight of the faint smile curving Ophis's lips.
"King of Uruk… That's all I am."
In truth, Ophis was far from qualified to be a king.
She neither knew nor understood what her people wanted. She acted purely on knowledge and conviction, doing what she believed was right.
Normally, she could have learned and adapted over time.
But her time was too short.
Still, she wanted to carry this title—to fulfill this role—until Uruk's very end.
It was both duty and promise.
"Oh, is that so?"
Ishtar's smile deepened, half amusement, half mystery.
"Well then, since you seem so set on it, I suppose lending you my Uruk for a while isn't completely out of the question."
Ophis stopped for a moment, then shook her head lightly.
"Remnants of a bygone era."
"Pff—!"
Ishtar almost tripped, glaring at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?! Breaking character all of a sudden? Want me to smack you?!"
"Enkidu said it."
"Tch… that bastard…"
Ishtar clicked her tongue, muttering irritably.
"Don't get cocky. If it weren't for that great disaster nine thousand years ago—and for how the gods stagnated while humans kept advancing—the Age of Gods would've lasted thousands of years longer."
"A disaster?"
"You don't know? Aren't there records somewhere?"
Her surprise was genuine, but Ophis's blank look answered for her.
Of course she didn't know.
Even if she loved the world now, its past didn't concern her. The future was her responsibility.
Seeing her silence, Ishtar sighed and smacked her forehead.
"Ah, right. With you, I guess it'd be weird if you did know. Anyway, forget it. That thing's been taken care of—a holy sword took care of it, apparently."
She waved her hand dismissively, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
A holy sword…
Ophis tilted her head slightly.
Her treasury contained many such weapons, but none capable of resolving a calamity that could fell gods.
If such a sword truly existed, wouldn't it make the coming catastrophe easier to face?
She glanced down at her hand. A faint red light pulsed in her palm, the air around it trembling.
At this rate… she wouldn't make it in time.
From the corner of her eye, Ishtar watched closely, her gaze narrowing.
That light…
The primordial light that divides the world itself…
Neither human nor divine, yet wielding a conceptual power of creation…
Not a god, not a mortal—but a being of pure energy, embodying the boundary between existence and nothingness.
Fascination gleamed in Ishtar's eyes. Her lips curved slowly.
The more interesting something was to her—
…The more she wanted it for herself.
---
T/N:
"Looks like this is the last day you'll be hearing from me—for now, at least."
"Bonus chapters will be released tomorrow, so if you've been hoarding your patience, you won't have to for much longer."
"If you want to support the translator, there's still Patreon: patreon.com/wisetl. It's optional support—early access is just a side benefit, not an obligation."
"And don't forget the Powerstone deal: every 100 Powerstones = 1 bonus chapter (100ps = 1 chp, 200ps = 2 chp, 300ps = 3 chp, and so on). If you want more chapters after tomorrow… you know what to do."
"If you'd rather talk than throw stones, the Discord is open: discord.gg/wisetl. Go scream, speculate, or bully the translator about cliffhangers there instead of in your heart."
say bye bye and thank you to maomao!!