That protagonist is trash; I could do better!

It is not the power flowing from the source, but the truth that Howl grasped in Fullmetal Alchemist.

By using the Star Cup as a substitute for the Philosopher's Stone to pay the price, Hall gained power in a short period of time that was almost identical to the power of the miniature Holmes in the bottle when he completed the transmutation of the land.

In the final moments before the Reality Marble completely collapsed, the shadow devoured Ishtar, bringing her Spirit Origin into the realm of alchemy, which was tantamount to defeating her and completing the contract.

Having entered the Gate of Truth, Ishtar, at least for now, with this aspect of her personality integrated into Rin Tohsaka's, has become the property of Howl.

A blinding white light appeared in the sky above Nippur, then disappeared, revealing the figures of Hall and his two companions.

The inherent barrier was destroyed, but it was restored to its original state by the corrective power of the world.

Kingu, dressed in white robes and with green hair, first glanced at Ishtar, then fixed his gaze on Hall. A hint of apprehension flickered deep in his purple eyes as he asked, "Why are you still standing here, human magician?"

When Hall reappeared before him, Kingu already knew what had happened; at least he could confirm that Hall, this new human, had defeated the goddess Ishtar in the battle just now.

What Jingu wanted to know was what methods Hall had used to confirm that it was at least not the power of the Creator Mother Goddess.

Hall's presence has already made Kingu feel threatened.

But it was too late.

The goddess Ishtar did not make a move. Given her personality and previous tough behavior, the only reason Kingu could think of was the contract, the Servant contract.

Hall alone was already a challenge for him, and with the goddess Ishtar added to the mix, defeat was inevitable if they were to fight.

Jingu now deeply regrets not having been ruthless enough to eliminate Hall back at the Northern High Platform, even though he had a premonition that Hall might be the biggest variable.

Clang!

The Heavenly Lock deflected the incoming golden light.

The one who took action was naturally Ishtar, while the Heavenly Bow Maana once again gathered her strength.

Ishtar squinted, her attitude defiant: "There's a limit to how shameless you can be when it comes to digging into the affairs of goddesses. This has nothing to do with you, so go back to where you came from."

Jin Gu sneered and said sarcastically, "I know without you saying it. The dignified Goddess Venus has become a spendthrift. It's a joke that will make people laugh for three days and three nights."

"Then let's continue with the previous contest! You mere clay doll dare to speak of a goddess."

Seeing that the two were about to fight again, Hall said, "Kingu, as you can see, Ishtar has become my servant and is no longer your enemy. At least until Tiamat awakens, I am on your side."

Jingu chuckled: "Who knows? Even among humans, magicians are synonymous with cunning."

"Hall, why are you speaking up for him? Just kill him now," Ishtar said, hands on her hips, reprimanding him with displeasure.

Hall shook his head. If Hall wanted to, he could have taken care of Kingu when the Reality Marble evolved into the Shadow Giant. Kingu was one of the most important pieces in Hall's plan, and killing him now would only cause harm and bring no benefit.

Jin Gu reluctantly sighed, "Fine, for Mother's sake, let's stop here for today. I look forward to your performance."

After saying that, he disappeared from the spot in the blink of an eye.

Ishtar stared in the direction where Jingu had disappeared, pouting, "What kind of eldest son of the Beast Mother Goddess is he? He's even worse than that broken clay doll. He's only half-baked."

Hall nodded in deep agreement. Enkidu was a weapon created by the gods and considered himself a weapon. Even Gilgamesh, whom he regarded as his best friend, would not hesitate to kill him (to test his performance) if given the chance, and would often sneak up on Gilgamesh from behind.

As the son of the demonic mother goddess who destroyed humanity, Kingu possessed an overwhelmingly complex human side.

Ishtar turned around, flew to Hall, put her hands on her hips, and leaned forward, demanding in an aggressive tone, "Now that you've entered into that outrageous contract, can you tell me what you're planning to do? I want to know everything! What was your purpose in coming to this world, and what is your relationship with your mother!"

Hall looked at Ishtar before him. She had become his exclusive contracted servant, so it didn't matter if she knew the truth. He smiled and said, "Nothing special, just a magical experiment."

The Holy Grail War was also a magical experiment, and the Demon King Goetia's burning of humanity was also a magical experiment.

Ishtar's face darkened, and she emphasized, enunciating each word clearly: "A magic experiment? I need to know everything! Not a single detail can be missed!"

"It's complicated to explain, so let's go down first and complete the task assigned by King Gilgamesh before we explain, otherwise it might be too late."

Ishtar looked down at the chaotic crowd below. Many of Nippur's civilians had been caught in the crossfire of her battle with Jingu. What Hall meant by "too late" was that some of the seriously wounded might die if they didn't receive help soon.

"Ok."

On the ground, Uruk's soldiers had already entered the city of Nippur.

Upon witnessing the return of Khor and Ishtar, the citizens and soldiers of Nippur cheered with triumphant excitement.

"Those are Commander Hall and Lady Ishtar!"

"We've won! We've defeated that god Enkidu!"

"Of course, that's the goddess Ishtar!"

"Great! We even repelled Enkidu, the god who led the magical beasts. There's nothing to worry about now!"

······

Ishtar truly inherited Rin Tohsaka's personality; her outward appearance was impeccable, behaving exactly like a perfect goddess. The soldiers and citizens of Nippur were almost starting to doubt whether the goddess before them was indeed the cruel and capricious goddess of legend.

She treated the injured citizens, comforted the children, and responded to the prayers of the Nippur witch. She was regarded by everyone as the greatest contributor to defeating Jingu.

Because he needed to care for the injured civilians, Hall planned to stay in Nippur for a few days and send his wind elemental familiar back to report on the situation.

Hall arrived at the central square of Nippur, where most of the wounded had been moved.

Soldiers wearing Hall-made magical armor used the armor's built-in functions to heal civilians, but due to limited stored magic power, they were unable to heal severe injuries.

Meanwhile, Ishtar is carefully treating the seriously injured.

After healing the last critically ill patient with the power of the goddess, Ishtar instructed the wounded: "That's all. Rest well for the next few days and don't do any strenuous work. If any problems arise, you can come to me again."

The injured man's family was overwhelmed with gratitude: "Yes! Thank you so much for your grace, Goddess!"

"Ahem! No need for that, it's just what a goddess should do." Ishtar waved her hand modestly.

Incidentally, while Ishtar was humble, she accepted all the treasures offered as sacrifices by the common people.

Chapter 401 Sisters' Bibimbap

That night, Khor shared a simple bungalow with Ishtar, and Khor briefly explained his plan to her.

Hall spoke so casually, yet Ishtar was left feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Ishtar covered her mouth with her small hand, her eyes slightly open in surprise: "Using her mother to become the Star Brain and fight against the Magic King!?"

The so-called Star Brain is, as the name suggests, the entity that determines the fate of a planet. Gaia is the subconscious side of the planet, while the Star Brain is the subjective side.

Despite their similar nature, the Star Brain is not the Ultimate One (the most powerful individual on a planet), and the two share similar concepts, which could lead to overlapping identities.

For example, Zhu Yue is the star-head body of the moon and the Ultimate One.

Becoming a Star Brain is equivalent to obtaining GM privileges on Earth.

Hall nodded: "That's roughly it. The Magic King has collected a massive amount of energy that burns humanity, and only the power of the stars can contend with it."

Ishtar understood: "That's why you chose Mother, the Mother Goddess of Creation, the creator of all life, the most suitable being to become the Star-Headed Being. But your actions are just another Magic King. Not only do you want Mother to return, but to become the Star-Headed Being, you must wipe out all primates."

Hall casually remarked, "The Magic King has burned away human reason. All he needs to do is wipe out all the humans of this era, and the suppressive force of the Alaya consciousness will disappear."

"You want to destroy humanity?"

“If needed,” Hall replied confidently.

Ishtar stared into Hall's eyes. "If you wanted to destroy humanity, you wouldn't be here doing such troublesome things."

Hall smiled but did not comment.

Ishtar stretched: "Now I can relax. I used up a lot of magic today, so I'm going back to rest."

"Can't you stay with me tonight?"

"Huh? Why stay here? It's so small." Ishtar was confused at first, but then she understood what Hall meant.

Replenish mana.

The goddess Venus's pretty face flushed crimson, and she instinctively resisted, replying, "No! What are you thinking! Even if you are my Master..."

As she spoke, Ishtar lowered her shy gaze, her voice growing softer and softer, her crimson eyes almost overflowing with tears, and she stammered, "If you really want to... well, it's not impossible."

After saying that, Ishtar, whose consciousness had completely collapsed, excitedly emphasized: "Don't misunderstand, don't compare me to the old me! I... I will only do this kind of thing with people I like now."

"..."

Ishtar hurriedly tried to explain, only to find Hall watching her with a smile. It was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. She clenched her fists, her voice trembling as she suppressed her anger: "Are you toying with me?"

Hall shook his head: "I just think you're cute."

“Cute? Me?” Ishtar pointed at herself incredulously.

"Yes."

The goddess's majesty is mixed with the girl's shyness, like a startled fawn at a loss. This reaction is always interesting and cute no matter how many times you watch it.

Hall took Ishtar's arm around her slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.

Touching her warm, delicate skin with my fingertips, I could feel the girl's body trembling slightly, and the outline of her ears turning red.

Hall held the girl's delicate body tightly, inhaling the fragrance of her hair and feeling his heart pounding.

"Wait a minute."

Ishtar gently pushed Hall away, all the metal ornaments on her clothes turning to light and disappearing. Her eyes sparkled with desire as she looked away. "Don't stare at me."

Aside from having fewer accessories, she looked much the same as before.

Even if Hall were oblivious, he wouldn't say that now. He tidied Ishtar's long black hair and lowered his head to kiss the girl's thin lips.

Before long, the bungalow was covered by a barrier.

······

As night deepened, the exchange of a large amount of mucous membranes mixed with sweat completed the mana replenishment ritual.

Springtime still lingered, and Ishtar nestled in Hol's arms, exuding a sweet and alluring aura.

Just as they were about to begin the second half of the game, Hall suddenly noticed that Ishtar's thick black hair was gradually turning gold, and her dreamy and charming gaze began to fade.

What the hell!

Hall's expression turned strange; this was clearly a sign that Ishtar had been replaced.

He was so engrossed in craving Ishtar's body that he forgot to greet Ereshkigal.

Sure enough, within seconds, her scattered gaze returned. Ereshkigal looked at Hall in front of her in a daze, feeling her body go limp and weak, and experiencing waves of electric shock-like sensations. She subconsciously called out the name of the person in front of her: "Hall?"

As she regained control of her body, Ereshkigal realized her current predicament. Her pretty face flushed red, her consciousness became chaotic, and her eyes darted around, tears welling up, looking lost and confused.

"I...I...Why am I not wearing anything...?"