Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

As night fell, the stars dimmed, the noise subsided, and the Uruk Embassy, ​​its lights extinguished, fell silent.

In the pitch-black room, Samael sat on the balcony by the window, holding a carving knife, patiently carving on a clay slab. His tightly furrowed brows seemed to hold unresolved doubts and a heavy heart.

Because, after a day of gathering information both overtly and covertly, he discovered some realities that differed considerably from his memory.

First, because the Heavenly Hole that the Demon King Goetia had carved to burn away the foundation of human existence was sealed by Tiamat, who resisted her instincts, the Chaldea employees who were tasked with restoring human order were also isolated outside the Mesopotamian world bubble and did not arrive as promised.

Perhaps, if things continue like this, that mysterious organization may very well disappear altogether.

There were no outsiders, and no savior.

Therefore, the task of dealing with the Mesopotamian "Third Storm" naturally fell entirely on the Sumerians themselves.

They will decide their own future.

Although this deviation has a significant impact, fortunately Samael had anticipated it, and it is currently still acceptable.

Moreover, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Without the true Tiamat goddess, there would be a regression-style ecological extinction, and the Three Goddess Alliance would mostly consist of half-hearted traitors.

Therefore, overcoming this crisis has become less difficult, and everything is currently under control.

But the deviation that followed was quite significant.

Secondly, after returning from Kusa, the Hero King Gilgamesh did not, as was the established history, fully unleash the magical talent in his bloodline and become the wand wielder.

In other words, he seemed to have seen a different destiny.

The situation is currently unclear, and Samael doesn't know whether he has been exposed or not.

Third, because that wise king did not choose the path of abandoning his fighting talent and transforming into a spellcaster ahead of his time.

Therefore, the historical trajectory of his personally summoning of the seven Class Heroic Spirits to guard Uruk together has also been altered.

According to local legends and conversations, King Gilgamesh was overwhelmed by the siege of the three goddesses.

To better protect the nation, the heroic king generously provided resources from the treasury and gathered priests and astrologer magicians to draw the foundation of a magic circle.

Afterwards, the priestess who had successfully summoned the great goddess Ishtar was commissioned to perform a massive summoning ritual, hoping to call upon powerful beings from afar to come and assist her.

In the end, only two "outsiders" who had drifted here appeared at the altar, accepted Uruk's summons, and served the king.

One was Merlin, the court magician who commanded the astrological observatory, and the other was Leonidas I, the Flame Gate general of the absolute monster front.

These are all kind and simple outsiders who are willing to help Uruk.

That's right, of the seven classes that represent the mysterious power system of humanity, only two actually appeared.

The other "outsiders" who filled the seven major job agencies in my memory were not present.

Of course, Anna, who was picked up by the white nightmare from the cedar forest on the north side, also counts as one now.

In the early stages of the Babylonian siege, the scorpion general Kitaburiru, the commander-in-chief of the monster army who was supposed to perish together with the "foreign" archer Tomoe Gozen, was personally dealt with by King Gilgamesh.

Things have changed a little.

Samael stroked his chin with one hand, his right hand on the back of the clay tablet, frowning as he carved the revised relationship diagram.

In addition, as far as he knew, two of the three goddesses who were supposed to destroy Uruk and rule this land were outsiders who had drifted here.

One is Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god who has invaded Eridu in the Mayan world by increasing rainforests in the south.

One is the Gorgon, a Greek spirit that occupies the cedar forest in the north, establishes the Temple of Blood, steals some of Tiamat's powers, and mass-produces magical beasts.

The hidden final pillar is, of course, Ereshkigal, the native goddess of the Mesopotamian world who, on the surface, spread the plague to Kusa, but in reality, gathers human souls and protects them.

Through his experience and perception of surviving in the sea of ​​imaginary numbers, he vaguely sensed that there was more than one world bubble suspended in the "nothingness".

These fruits, which nurtured human civilization from the age of gods, are gradually ripening and settling onto the real earth's surface.

In this process, the convergence of civilizations and the interconnection of various concepts also led to the gods in different worlds projecting parts of their existence onto another land.

Some people who uphold their beliefs even take root and flourish in other lands, gaining significant influence.

For example, the well-known name of the Egyptian god of death, "Anubis," is actually a Greek expression.

Although he was born in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, during the later Ptolemaic period, the image of Anubis merged with that of the Greek god Hermes to form "Hermanubis".

The center of this sect is in Kenopolis, whose name means "Dog City".

According to Book VI of Apuleius's "The Golden Ass", the belief in this deity continued into the ancient Roman world, lasting at least until the second century.

Therefore, the projection of deities, also known as spirit possession, is not necessarily limited to a certain era or a certain world bubble.

If their faith expands, they don't fare well, or for other reasons, they might be able to project their existence into a new world through the sea of ​​imaginary numbers, under certain conditions, and continue to take root.

The Gorgons, who stole some of the powers of Tiamat, were originally known as the "Gorgon Sisters," with the eldest sister Stheno, the second sister Euryale, and the youngest sister Medusa.

As native goddesses, they were very unfortunate. To escape rejection and persecution in mainland Greece, they drifted to an invisible island to live.

Even so, heroes flocked to conquer them, eager to use their lives to demonstrate their power and please the gods.

Forced into a corner, Medusa, the youngest but most promising of the three sisters, devoured her two older sisters, transformed into Gorgon, and killed the heroes who came to conquer her.

This is the tragic fate of the imposter Tiamat.

As a gap appeared in the Mesopotamian world, this hatred for humankind was exploited by the demon king Goetia and the son of the god King Jingu.

Through spirit possession and conceptual fusion, they assisted the summoned Gorgon in seizing some of Tiamat's powers and creating a monstrous goddess who swore revenge against humanity.

Similarly, eliminating humanity and resuming life on this land might also be the future that the mutilated Gorgon longed for.

Unfortunately, she is very likely just a tool used and discarded by those behind the scenes to achieve their goals.

As for the feathered serpent god, it was probably because the Maya had ended her second Sun Age, and the world bubble was undergoing dramatic changes. The expelled Kukulkan had no choice but to leave, wanting to find a new place of faith to take root in.

In short, from the perspective of the Demon King Goetia, this war was about destroying the foundation of human civilization and restarting the world.

Judging from the positions of the three goddesses, it seems to have a flavor of a struggle for dominance in the faith.

If they destroy the current Uruk people and, through their own will, usher in a new era, then their evil deeds can be seen as achievements in developing faith and demonstrating military power.

So who says these outsiders are kind and simple?

Chapter 42 The strong should fight the strong!

How can we dismantle the alliance of the three goddesses and maximize the interests of Tiamat, the goddess behind us?

Samael tilted his head back, closed his eyes in deep thought, and rhythmically tapped the clay tablet with the carving knife in his hand.

After an unknown amount of time, the snake's vertical pupils slowly opened, revealing a ghostly light in the darkness. After each different god's name and faction, it wrote down keywords reflecting its organized thoughts.

Unite, bribe, divide, win over, attack...

First of all, "unity" naturally refers to the human race.

It was inevitable that Sumerian civilization would side with Uruk. If the continuation of Sumerian civilization could be ensured, then Tiamat, who played a very positive role in this battle, might be reshaped and accepted by this land, thus having the possibility of returning.

But the prerequisite is that you gain the approval of that arrogant king.

Gilgamesh would not easily trust others when it concerned the future of Uruk and even the entire Mesopotamian world.

Secondly, the "bribery" tactic clearly targets the weakness of a certain money-loving goddess, recruiting her into the human camp.

She is not part of the Three Goddess Alliance's fighting force. It's like using a carrot to lure a donkey. Why not use some Babylonian gems to lure the bodyguard?

Of course, the main point is to take Gilgamesh's money.

Then, the [Divergence] fell upon the feathered serpent god Kukulkan.

This deity invented books, enacted laws, opposed human sacrifice, brought corn to humankind, and was also the patron saint of priests.

Although she left her homeland due to changes in the Mayan world, she was essentially a benevolent deity.

Quetzalcoatl always held a great fondness for humans, creatures who replaced gods on the earth.

Moreover, this game of theocracy, which involves the oppression of the weak and the seizure of land, does not align with her aesthetics of violence.

If you're strong, you should fight other strongmen!

Choose an opponent who is evenly matched, or even stronger, and fight with brutal force! This is what Kukulkan defines as a "war of gods".

Therefore, sowing discord is undoubtedly an effective strategy.

Yes, he's familiar with this.

The ancient snake grinned, revealing a sinister curve.

Therefore, "winning over" is a strategy specifically targeting one's owner, Ereshkigal.

She has always been a pessimist, which is why she obeyed the prophecy of the "Clay Tablets of Destiny" and chose to destroy Uruk and ravage Mesopotamia according to "Destiny".

However, this proud goddess did not blindly follow the answer of the [Destiny Tablet], and she also used her cleverness to do so.

That is, only the physical body is destroyed; she wants to gather the souls of these humans and find them a chance to live when the new era begins.

Unfortunately, in the Mesopotamian world, death was eternal.

For the Sumerians to be reborn in a new era from the perspective of "death," even if she were the goddess of the underworld, it would be almost impossible.

Moreover, isn't it absurd to think that by first admitting guilt and then waiting for Mesopotamia to be cleansed before human souls can kneel before those high-ranking punishers to gain the right to continue civilization?

Humanity taking a step back now is tantamount to giving up the right to fight against fate.

Therefore, as long as things are explained clearly, Ereshkigal's pessimistic beliefs are changed, and this merciful Grim Reaper returns the power of choice to humanity itself, then we can achieve our goal.

Therefore, the god of the underworld, who deeply loves this land, will naturally stand on the side of humankind.

However, to persuade a proud and arrogant person, you have to go along with their attitude.

If you try to reason with her without a suitable opportunity, you'll easily corner this goddess of the underworld, causing her to snap and bite.

Ultimately, the word "strike" was aimed at Gorgon, the monster goddess who harbored deep resentment towards humanity.

Unlike the other three goddesses, her hands were stained with human blood, and the conflict between them was irreconcilable.

Slaughtering all of humanity, ending the Sumerian civilization, and destroying herself—that was her insane and morbid revenge!

A monster who's so ruthless she'll even kill herself; you can only reason with her with your fists.

Even when facing adversaries, strategy is still essential.

If the Warcraft Goddess Gorgon represents the extreme madness and bestiality, then according to Samael's memories, Anna, who appeared in the Cedar Forest, is the pure self that she expelled from her body.

Therefore, the goddess's juvenile form was the nemesis of the Gorgons.

Just as the ancient serpent was deep in thought, a creaking sound came from next door.

A petite figure, hidden in the quiet night, stealthily crept back down the corridor.

Anna noticed the faint gaze and looked up warily, almost bumping into Samael at the window.

The little girl was startled. She immediately straightened up, put her hands behind her back, and stammered a greeting.

"You...you're still awake?"

"Isn't it the same for you?"

Samael pursed his lips and asked in return, a hint of a smile brewing in his eyes.

"I'm sober now, but I can't fall back asleep..."

The girl's eyes darted around as she spoke, her sentences had noticeable pauses, and her tone changed as if she were being emotional—all clear signs of lying.

"Because you were made drunk, you didn't eat enough?"

"I woke up hungry at night, so I sneaked into the kitchen to find some snacks?"

Samael immediately saw through the little girl's evening stroll, his expression somewhat mocking.

Anna's pretty face flushed slightly, and after a struggle in her eyes, she finally dared to raise her small face, look directly at Samael, and respond.

"I saw the tarpaulin you hung in the kitchen..."

"The butter cake kept warm in the embers of the oven still tastes great, thank you..."

As an object of fear and hatred in her homeland, she never imagined she would receive so much kindness in the new world.

Even so, the existence of her other half became a source of pain and disaster for the world.

The girl looked up at the scene of her drunken revelry at dinner, the destruction she left behind as she chased Merlin and hacked away. Her mood gradually sank, and she murmured softly.

"I'm sorry about the dinner party..."

"You don't need to accommodate me, because I always bring disaster and trouble..."

Samael raised his hand and solemnly placed it on Anna's thin shoulder, meeting her gaze in deep thought.