A pitch-black meteor streaked across the sky, dimming even the celestial light above.
The scene before the soldiers defending the northern wall looked as though it heralded the end of the world.
Yet, not a single soldier showed panic. Instead, they gazed at the black star racing toward them with calm expressions, some even filled with awe.
The scout stationed in the watchtower confirmed that the approaching black star was the very same Noble Phantasm launched from behind the city walls not long ago.
It was the weapon belonging to that mighty individual who delivered divine judgment and annihilated the monstrous beasts.
Only a few hours after leaving, Alaric returned to the northern wall in a forceful and dominating manner.
Boom!
The atmosphere thundered as the black star arrived, and turbulent air currents swept across the entire wall, forcing the soldiers in the watchtower to squint and raise their hands to shield themselves from the wind.
Tap, tap.
After gently setting down Nana, Alaric yanked Merlin off the heavenly vessel without ceremony.
"You're such a gentleman, and yet... not so much of a gentleman after all."
Merlin landed steadily on the wall, feigning heartbreak at the preferential treatment Alaric had shown Ana.
"What a promising child you were, and look what you've become."
Indeed, Merlin couldn't help but lament.
"Artoria's parenting skills leave much to be desired!"
Before the other soldiers could rush over, Alaric turned to the girl who barely reached his waist—Medusa—and asked with a smile, "By the way, young lady, may I ask your name?"
Although Alaric had already recognized Medusa's true identity, he needed her to introduce herself.
"Ana."
Before Merlin could reply, Ana quietly spoke. "Just call me Ana."
With that, the self-proclaimed Ana fell silent, seemingly unwilling to engage in further conversation.
After glancing at Ana, Alaric turned his gaze to Merlin. "So, what exactly is going on with you two?"
Though Alaric had already confirmed that Merlin's purpose for this trip was to recruit Ana, he had no idea how Merlin had managed to convince her to join him.
Knowing Merlin's personality, Alaric suspected the method wasn't entirely straightforward.
"Hmm? That's a little secret between Big Brother Merlin and Ana!" Merlin replied with his usual mischievous grin, holding his staff. "To put it simply, we struck a deal—Ana helps me, and I help Ana. As for the details... well, it's a secret."
In truth, Merlin had sprinted through the black pine forest at full speed after parting ways with Alaric, embarking on a desperate search to locate Ana as quickly as possible and negotiate with her.
Their conversation had been swift and concise, with Merlin pouring his utmost effort into sealing the deal. He had even come close to being driven away by Ana.
Of course, Alaric was entirely unaware of these events, and Merlin had no intention of revealing them.
After listening to Merlin's explanation, Alaric nodded slightly. For him, the specifics didn't matter—only the results did.
Since Ana, the young Medusa, had agreed to assist them through a deal with Merlin, Alaric saw no need to dwell on the matter further.
The primary threats now were Kingu and the Beast Goddess, Gorgon.
Based on Kingu's previous remarks about throwing Alaric into Gorgon's lair as sustenance, Alaric could ascertain that Kingu and the Beast Goddess Gorgon belonged to the same faction.
Kingu, who was working tirelessly to facilitate the escape of the Primordial Goddess Tiamat, was aligned with Gorgon, and it was safe to assume that Gorgon's actions also aimed to achieve Tiamat's release.
These two were immense threats that could not be ignored.
The thought made Alaric feel a headache coming on.
The Three Goddess Alliance was a massive complication. Ereshkigal had yet to defect, and while Quetzalcoatl's stance was clear, she was bound by the alliance's pact and unable to aid them.
Meanwhile, the Beast Goddess Gorgon had joined forces with Kingu, creating a formidable duo whose combined power far surpassed that of Gilgamesh's human army.
Even Kingu alone, armed with the Holy Grail, possessed enough strength to crush the seven Servants summoned by Gilgamesh, along with Alaric himself—not to mention the human soldiers.
Even with the divine seals in their possession, it was difficult to pose a threat to Kingu.
Only Gilgamesh in his prime could hope to fight Kingu on equal footing, though even then, victory was uncertain.
But that was impossible. To maintain the overall battlefield, Gilgamesh could not leave the Divine Tower to join the frontlines.
Besides Kingu, there was also the Beast Goddess Gorgon, who could rapidly spawn an army of monsters. If left unchecked, she would soon grow far too powerful for the northern wall to withstand.
These two opponents represented unparalleled strength in both individual combat and mass-scale destruction, posing a dire threat to Uruk under Gilgamesh's rule.
Resolving the situation fell squarely on Alaric's shoulders.
Although Alaric could simply abandon the task and wait for Chaldea and Fujimaru Ritsuka to arrive, thereby reducing his burden, he refused to take such a passive approach.
I can do better than that.
I must get the goddesses to join our side.
Once again, Alaric was reminded of his inadequacies.
To confront Kingu, whose strength was on an entirely different level, he had to rely on others. He even needed the goddesses' assistance to maintain a balance of power.
Quetzalcoatl...
As the supreme deity of Mesoamerican, Quetzalcoatl had signed a non-aggression pact with Gorgon. However, it seemed the pact didn't extend to Kingu.
Alaric stroked his chin, pondering whether he should approach Quetzalcoatl to confirm whether Kingu was exempt from the pact's protection.
"Are you all ready to head back?"
The voice of a scout, whom Alaric had briefly encountered earlier, interrupted his train of thought.
Returning to reality, Alaric saw Merlin conversing with the scout, who soon pointed below.
"King Leonidas should be at the training camp," the scout said.
"Thanks, buddy!" Merlin clasped his hands together in gratitude and winked playfully at the scout.
"Ah, uh, you're welcome!"
The scout glanced at the silent Alaric, hesitant to speak further.
Noticing this, Alaric smiled warmly and said, "Keep up the good work! My name is Alaric. May I ask yours?"
Alaric held a high opinion of the northern wall's soldiers.
"My name is Loth. Thank you for your encouragement, and may you also press on!" Loth replied in a firm voice.
To Loth, Alaric was a hero worthy of respect—a human who had achieved great feats and stood alongside his kind, unlike the departing gods.
Shortly after, Alaric, Merlin, and Ana descended the wall and quickly located Leonidas I, who was busy training the troops.
Leonidas greeted Alaric's return with enthusiasm. "Did you meet the Beast Goddess Gorgon?"
Judging by how quickly Alaric had returned, Leonidas suspected they hadn't managed to encounter the Beast Goddess Gorgon at all.