As Jaguar Man had predicted, shortly after venturing into the rainforest, the beasts received a summons from their unseen master. Without hesitation, they turned back, retreating from the jungle without pressing further toward Ur.
Concerned about Taiga's reliability, Roy chose to part ways with her about a kilometer from the city. He freed himself from her grasp, remaining in place for a long while, waiting.
Had the beasts truly pursued them, running to Ur would never have been an option. Even with Quetzalcoatl present, Roy could not, in good conscience, bring disaster upon the city's inhabitants. If a battle with Kingu was inevitable, he would face it here rather than allow innocent lives to be drawn into the conflict.
He urged Taiga to go ahead to Ur, promising to follow shortly. Though bewildered by Roy's reckless decision, Taiga, as his Servant, refused to leave his side. More than that... her Master was none other than her most revered and beloved older brother. How could she possibly flee in disgrace?
That was not the way of the Tiger of Fuyuki.
Determined, Taiga stood her ground beside Roy, ready to meet the incoming wave of beasts. As an immense surge of magical energy descended upon the rainforest, the two immediately steeled themselves, prepared for battle.
However, the unseen force took note of their presence. After a mere glance in their direction, it launched a few earthen spears... easily shattered... before abandoning further tests. Turning away, it led the beasts out of the jungle.
Relieved by this turn of events, Roy and Taiga wasted no time and set off for Ur, the rainforest city under the rule of Quetzalcoatl.
...
Unlike the arid climate typical of Mesopotamia, Ur stood amid a lush tropical rainforest. Enveloped by dense foliage, the city was humid and stifling.
Lacking arable land, its people survived primarily as hunters. Yet, as Roy observed the city, something felt profoundly amiss... it did not resemble a thriving community of hunters at all.
Despite the evident traces of human habitation, the city lacked the most fundamental aspect of any settlement:
Life.
It was as if the city were an elderly man on the brink of death... bereft of vitality, drained of spirit.
The streets were devoid of merchants and passersby, absent of children's laughter. The few middle-aged men that moved through the town wore no smiles.
A heavy silence blanketed Ur, mirroring its people's subdued, repressed emotions.
Roy's gaze sharpened as he activated his detection magecraft, allowing his senses to sweep across the city in an instant.
Hmm…
The population numbered in the thousands. But strangely, they were all in their prime... there were few elderly or children among them.
His findings led him to a realization: the entire city was populated by young, strong individuals.
Had Quetzalcoatl already gathered this many warriors from other cities? And yet… she was nowhere to be found in Ur. Had she left to capture more?
Quetzalcoatl... the Feathered Serpents God, one of the supreme deities of Aztec mythology.
A goddess who appeared wild and free, yet was, in truth, wise and kind. She despised human sacrifices and loved humanity dearly. She was a god of life and harvest, of culture, of wind and rain. At one point, she was even worshiped as a sun deity.
Among all divine beings, she stood at the pinnacle of benevolence.
She had gathered these young warriors here not to harm them, but to test and recruit them.
When she struck them down, she granted them an instant resurrection, ensuring they never truly perished. Few had ever suffered under her hand.
Most of those captured now resided within Ur. The rest…
Roy turned his gaze southward... to a towering Sun Temple.
A strong human presence emanated from within. Many had been gathered there, their blood surging, their breath steady and full of vitality... undoubtedly in the midst of rigorous training.
So that's how it is…
Truly befitting of the most benevolent god. Compared to those who wielded their power recklessly, Quetzalcoatl more than lived up to her name.
Now, what should I...
Before Roy could finish his thoughts, Taiga had already seized his hand, pulling him through the city's streets.
As the people of Ur watched Jaguar Man dragging an unfamiliar young man into their city, their eyes flickered with unease... and a trace of sympathy.
Clearly, they assumed Roy was yet another outsider taken captive.
"Hwahaha! While I was away, did everyone in Ur miss the beautiful and wise goddess of the jungle... Jaguar Man? Nyaa~!"
Back in her domain, Jaguar Man pranced through the streets, dragging Roy along in her wake.
She playfully leapt behind some of the young men, greeting them with exaggerated enthusiasm.
However...
"J-Jaguar Man! Get away from me!!"
"I swear, I wasn't trying to escape! I wasn't even thinking about it!"
At Taiga's sudden approach, unpleasant memories surged forth, their faces paling. They stumbled back, their bodies tense, their voices shrill with panic.
"D-Don't come any closer!"
It was clear from their reactions... these young men were truly terrified of Taiga.
To them, she was the smiling monster who mercilessly crushed all resistance... leaving them barely alive, only to heal them and repeat the process.
"Aww, why are you scared if you're not trying to escape?"
Scratching her head, Taiga pouted in confusion. "Quetzalcoatl only told me to keep watch so no one ran away. If you're not running, then I don't care what you do~!"
"Hahahaha!!"
Laughing heartily, she advanced toward the young men, chasing them through the streets like a cat toying with mice.
Watching from the sidelines, Roy frowned slightly.
His magic allowed him to perceive the colors of a person's soul... revealing their emotions and physical state.
The fear within these people was unmistakably real.
And Taiga… she was getting carried away.
Taking pleasure in others' fear was not something to be encouraged. Even if she meant no harm, even if she saw it as nothing more than harmless fun...
She was different from Quetzalcoatl. Unlike Quetzalcoatl, Taiga's divine host was a more traditional deity.
No matter how kind or playful she had once been, her divine foundation influenced her nature. And that nature cared little for the feelings of mortals.
This was not a good sign.
Roy stepped forward to intervene.
"Enough, Taiga. That's enough."
Just as Taiga was about to pounce on one of the terrified young men, her body suddenly tensed... her tail jerked as an unfamiliar sensation ran through it.
W-What was that?!
She whipped around, only to see Roy gripping the end of her tail, pulling her back forcefully.
"Gyaaah! Waaaah! That hurts!!"
With her balance abruptly stolen, Taiga crashed unceremoniously to the ground, swallowing a mouthful of dirt in the process.
Scrambling to her feet, she clutched her tail, wailing, "You can't just grab a tiger's tail!!"
"…Wait, I'm a Jaguar, aren't I?"
"Anyway, Roy, you're so mean! Who just grabs someone's tail?!"
Despite her exaggerated protests, Taiga wasn't truly angry. She merely puffed out her cheeks, looking like a younger sister sulking over a sibling's teasing.
Roy ignored her antics, instead kneeling to help the fallen young man to his feet.
"T-Thank you…"
Still trembling, the youth muttered his gratitude. Yet, the fear in his eyes remained... not only toward Taiga, but toward the enigmatic man standing at her side.
Am I being dragged down by Taiga?
Seeing the fear in the young man's eyes, Roy didn't insist on making him stay. He simply nodded slightly, revealed his identity, reassured him that he wasn't a bad person, and advised him to go home quickly.
"Ah, got it. Thank you."
Hearing this, the young man hurriedly got up and slipped into a nearby house.
"Ahhh! Roy-niisan! Why are you ignoring me?!"
"I'm your Servant now, remember?"
Taiga, who had been completely ignored by Roy, began throwing another tantrum.
But Roy was already immune to her antics.
He had just witnessed one of her performances.
The same trick wouldn't work on him twice.
So he simply stood there, silently watching her continue her dramatic display.
Seeing that her usual method wasn't working, Taiga didn't give up. Instead, she escalated, rolling on the ground while wailing loudly.
"It's over! It's all over! Roy-niisan has started to favor the new and discard the old! Wait, no... he doesn't even have a new Servant yet, and he's already abandoning me! He's deliberately ignoring me! What kind of Master does this?!"
"Wuuu wuuu wuuu… I'm going to be forced to go back and do hard labor for Quetzalcoatl again! Waaaaaah!!!"
Her exaggerated crying, paired with the rolling, made Roy let out a helpless sigh.
...He had completely lost to her.
"Stop messing around, Taiga. I haven't abandoned you. I was just thinking about the abnormalities in this city."
"Really?" Jaguar Man immediately stopped crying.
"Really."
"I knew it! There's no way Roy-niisan would abandon me! Jaguar Man, fully revived!"
"But… abnormalities? What's abnormal here? I always keep Ur safe! No one can escape, and no magical beasts can get in."
Hearing Roy's words, Taiga scratched the tiger pelt on her head.
She didn't quite understand what he meant.
Aside from the original residents of Ur, the rest of the people here were young warriors captured from other cities by Quetzalcoatl.
Her job was to guard them, preventing magical beasts from getting in and ensuring that they were fed properly.
As the chosen worker of the gods, she had an excellent work ethic. Since she was tasked with guarding them, she made sure to treat the captives well.
Except for a few stubborn young warriors who tried to challenge her... only to be beaten up badly... the rest were treated quite generously.
And since she had a big heart, she didn't hold grudges against those who tried to fight her. In fact, she even rewarded them by adding extra magical beast meat to their dinner so they could recover and play with her longer! Nyaa~
So why would Roy-niisan say that her peaceful city was abnormal?
She was completely puzzled, utterly unaware that imprisoning people in the first place was already a problem.
Seeing the confusion on Taiga's face, Roy sighed, looking somewhat exasperated.
After interacting with her for a short time, he was now certain of her current state. He also realized that normal human logic didn't apply to a divine vessel like her.
Although he hadn't personally seen the Uruk ruled by Gilgamesh, he had completed the Seventh Singularity and had a general impression of the city.
The people of Uruk were passionate and filled with hope for tomorrow, even as they stood on the frontlines, resisting endless waves of magical beasts.
Like the sun, they shone with optimism and determination.
But Ur was different.
It was quiet... deathly quiet.
It felt like a stagnant pond, devoid of life.
The people here were alive, but they were merely existing. They had no hope.
At first, the young warriors captured by Quetzalcoatl still dreamed of escaping and returning to the battlefield. But after multiple failed escape attempts... each time ending with them being easily subdued by the smiling Jaguar Man and dragged back... their fighting spirit was gradually crushed.
"This place is suffocating."
"Suffocating?"
Taiga blinked, still not getting it.
"Yes."
Roy nodded. "I see no vitality or hope in these people's eyes. You've taken good care of them, but they're clearly not happy."
"Lifeless? Fighting? Happiness? Oh! I get it!"
Hearing his words, Taiga pondered for a moment. Then, her eyes suddenly lit up with wisdom, as if she had figured something out.
"So Roy-niisan wants to see a gladiator match... "
"Oh, shut up, you dumb cat! What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Before she could finish, Roy smacked her tiger-hooded head, completely shutting her down.
He didn't want to waste any more time trying to reason with her.
As a divine vessel of the jungle goddess, she was more suited to the Berserker class than her current Lancer role.
Her bizarre thought process and unique interpretation of events would make even other Berserkers look tame in comparison.
So, he decided to send her away before she caused more trouble.
"Forget it. Keeping you here will only cause me more problems. Go patrol outside the city. I've been away for a while, and I'm worried that magical beasts might sneak in."
"Huh? But... "
"No buts. Just go. If I need you, I'll summon you with a Command Seal."
Seeing Roy's firm stance, Taiga didn't argue. She simply nodded in agreement.
"Alright then! I'll be off! Roy-niisan, if you need help, don't forget to call me! Steam Tiger, launch!!"
"Wahahaha!!"
And just like that, Taiga sped off, vanishing beyond the city gates like the wind.
"Phew…"
Watching her leave, Roy exhaled slightly.
Finally, that exhausting conversation was over.
Now that Taiga was gone, he could finally put his plan into action.
He needed to gather as much information as possible while Quetzalcoatl was away.
Having dealt with Taiga, Roy walked to a certain door and knocked.
Inside was the young man who had run away earlier.
"You can open the door now. I've sent her outside Ur, so there's no need to be afraid."
"…"
There was a brief silence. Then, a nervous voice came from inside.
"…Are you telling the truth?"
Roy replied, "Yes. Open the door."
"…"
After a short pause...
Creak!!
The dry wooden door was pushed open slightly from inside, revealing the familiar face of the young man peeking through the gap.
"…Please, come in."
___
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