Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

The leopard-man nodded slightly, deeply moved. While enjoying a good meal to bolster his courage, he couldn't help but pour out his grievances to Samael.

"Kukur is super fierce! He loves to torture me!"

"She comes rushing over whenever I slack off, she comes rushing over whenever I go on strike, she comes rushing over whenever I try to have fun..."

"If this keeps up, I'll be tortured to death before you guys even get here, meow..."

The ancient serpent's gaze turned somewhat dark, and it couldn't help but sigh with worry.

"If we don't reach an agreement with Kukulkan, she won't be able to save the Sumerians and will have to witness the extinction of another civilization."

"Who do you think she'll hold accountable for this?"

"Actually, sometimes, when you're just getting into the swing of things, the goddess just gets too lazy to think about it anymore."

"Anyway, after the Sumerian civilization was destroyed, you were all repatriated, so she'd be doing nothing anyway, right?"

The leopard man recalled the miserable days when he was beaten to the ground by Kukulkan, and he shuddered. Then, as if he had suddenly realized something, he nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes! I want to atone for my sins! I am willing to fight for humanity!"

Samael outwardly agreed with this repentance, but secretly rolled his eyes at it.

Many kittens harbor a heart that plots to harm their owners, and similarly, this leopard-man, a demotion of an evil deity, is not necessarily a kind creature that will repent after hearing a few words.

The reason she gave in so quickly was because she was terrified of being beaten by Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god.

"I'm not afraid to tell you, Kukul has a soft heart and basically has no resistance to humans."

"Just a little bit of sweet talk and she'll fall for you!"

"Those people who were ostensibly killed by her were actually not dead; they were all imprisoned and protected in Eri."

"And they were all forced to undergo Kukul's personal training, supposedly to learn 'defense,' it was incredibly tough, a truly pitiful sight..."

After finding a way out of his misery, the leopard-man excitedly revealed important information about the feathered serpent god to Samael and the others.

If I could facilitate an alliance between humans and Kukul, fulfilling Quetzalcoatl's wish to redeem himself, then perhaps I wouldn't have to suffer beatings every day.

If Kukul clashes with the Sumerian gods and is ultimately killed, that would be even better.

Hmph, then both her temple and this land will belong to me!

The feline, harboring its own secret thoughts, daydreams of a bright future and can't help but pout its cherry lips, revealing half of its canine tooth.

"You believe what she said?"

Merlin, still harboring some doubts, couldn't help but step forward and whisper to him.

Samael nodded slightly, his eyes gleaming with a profound light.

“That goddess told me that Kukulkan is the pinnacle of benevolent gods, and her love for humanity is beyond question.”

"And the conflict between gods led to the destruction of human civilization in the Mayan world twice."

"She left her homeland in despair, and thus burned down the palace and her treasures."

"But it was precisely at this moment that the disaster Sumer was about to experience awakened her love for humanity."

"Just as the goddess of monsters' hatred for humanity has transcended race and risen to encompass the entire human race..."

"This sun goddess's affection for humanity wasn't limited to the Maya; it extended to the Sumerians as well..."

After a brief pause, the ancient serpent looked up at the Temple of the Sun, whose outline was now faintly visible, and spoke with certainty.

"So, she rebuilt the Temple of the Sun in Mesopotamia, projecting her will onto it, probably to make up for her regrets."

"Even God has regrets and remorse."

"Now, this is her chance to redeem humanity and herself!"

Merlin pondered for a moment, then nodded helplessly.

"Okay, since you've said that, I'll try to believe her."

"But are you really planning to do as this leopard suggested and fawn over that goddess?"

The two main gods fought a great battle that destroyed humanity in two solar ages.

Therefore, in Kukulkan's view, who felt extremely guilty, both she and the leopard-man were the culprits and should work together to save humanity and absolve themselves of their sins.

Therefore, the suspicious nightmare couldn't help but have an extra layer of consideration.

But then Merlin glanced at the excited guide running ahead and noticed the leopard-man's face gleaming with "wisdom," and his lips twitched slightly.

"Only a fool would listen to such a terrible idea!"

The ancient snake rolled its eyes slightly and looked back at the city that had been hidden by the dense forest.

"Aren't there enough people crying in Ur? Why doesn't Kukulkan let their men go home?"

"The destruction of humanity during the Second Sun Age of the Maya was due to people abandoning their reliance on and faith in the feathered serpent god, which allowed the 'smoke mirror' to take advantage of the situation."

"What do you think her purpose was in using such forceful methods to keep humans in captivity?"

"I just don't want to repeat the old mistakes and see people who have left their protection walk into death!"

"The weaker we are, the less willing this goddess will be to let go. We might even be captured and kept as pets under the guise of protection!"

Merlin was suddenly enlightened by this insightful interpretation, and Anna beside him, as well as Ishtar who was secretly listening from the side, all nodded in agreement.

Indeed, one should not agree with or attach oneself to this deity who thinks he has saved humanity and feels pleased with himself.

The only thing that can stand against it is humanity's steely resolve to step out of the greenhouse and face the bloody storms head-on!

After a brief pause to relax, the group stepped out of the dense forest and headed towards the open space where the Mayan pyramids stood.

"You've finally arrived! I've been waiting for so long!"

At the top of the Mayan pyramids, in front of the Sunstone, which is inscribed with the seasons and stars, the feathered serpent god in full armor looks up excitedly and grins savagely.

"I don't know much about wrestling, but I learned some Greek martial arts—Pankrasin—from Leonidas in Uruk..."

After a moment of contemplation, amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Samael stretched his wrists, stepped forward, and solemnly looked at the feathered serpent god.

"Isn't the rule that you have to defeat 100 people every day when the sun rises?"

"If you don't mind, how about I be your first opponent today?"

Out of the image.jpg

Chapter Eighty-Four: A Hymn to Humanity, A Hymn to Courage

"Oh? You want to challenge me? Commendable courage!"

"If you're ready, I'm going to attack."

The feathered serpent god, standing atop the steps, casually tossed aside the Aztec weapon "Makuwit," which resembled a wooden club and had obsidian chips embedded on both sides, and strode forward.

Samael glanced at the Aztec weapons discarded on the steps, his gaze dark and sinister, then sprinted toward the sun altar.

"boom!"

With a few quick, swift movements, Quetzalcoatl accurately discerned the little fellow's true intentions from Samael's deceptive sideways movements, intercepting the ancient serpent's fist with his elbow.

However, the power of this little human brother was beyond Kukulkan's expectations.

The impact of the two attacks caused Quetzalcoatl to sway slightly.

Interesting!

It felt like wrestling with a giant monster.

Indeed, in the eyes of Kukulkan, a wrestling expert, his opponent Samael was somewhat clumsy in technique, with many flaws in his movements, and was not quite up to par.

But the courage to challenge the supreme god, and the strange strength he possessed, made the feathered serpent god, who loved close combat, eager for a fight, and his blood boil like a raging tide.

At this moment, the ancient snake, having missed its attack, withdrew its arm, which had been parried and was now numb and tingling. Using its waist as a pivot, it twisted its body and swept its leg horizontally.

It is rare for a human to dare to challenge the gods, and Kukulkan thoroughly enjoys this kind of hand-to-hand combat, so he does not intend to end it quickly.

Samael unleashed all his fighting skills and launched a fierce attack.

His innate strength, derived from the god Tiamat, makes his power as violent as thunder, while the agility bestowed by the raging lion Uridim makes his attacks as dense as rain.

The incredible flexibility and agility of snakes make their movements unpredictable and elusive, which, combined with Samael's knowledge and experience of various fighting techniques from his previous life, makes them even more formidable.

All sorts of fantastical ideas fermented and mixed together, allowing this monster in human skin to fully unleash its talent for free-fighting, making its attacks and counterattacks unpredictable and impossible to defend against.

For example, what was originally a punch can immediately turn into a palm strike when blocked, and once close to the target, it can transform into a claw to snap joints or even become a finger cone to strike vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

Moreover, this change is arbitrary and completely unpredictable.

Sometimes it's a clever and insidious joint lock, sometimes a powerful and heavy blunt strike, and occasionally it's a quick application of Mexican wrestling techniques learned on the spot.

For a time, the offensive continued unabated, with a dazzling array of techniques. The head, throat, heart, genitals, and other vital organs of the Feathered Serpent God became the main targets, and the slightest carelessness could result in injury.

The two of them made their way up from the open space to the middle steps leading to the altar.

On the fighting field, this tiny creature who challenged the supreme god truly used every means to demonstrate the efforts of a mortal.

Yes, it was just an effort.

Because, Quetzalcoatl, amidst the raging storm, was like a reef standing amidst the waves.

The goddess strolled leisurely, her crossed arms swinging left and right without a trace of malice, easily deflecting the vast majority of attacks.

The opponent raised his leg, lifted his knee, turned to the side, and twisted his head, making perfectly timed small movements that rendered Samael's all-out attack as if hitting cotton that had no resistance.

For a full quarter of an hour, Quetzalcoatl maintained a "defensive stance" with a smile, without throwing a single punch.

Even so, Samael couldn't even touch the hem of his opponent's clothes, and each punch he threw was weaker than the last. Soon he was drenched in sweat, and his muscles were trembling slightly.

The result was obvious; he was destined to lose.

Whether it was Ishtar and the others who had agreed in advance, were forbidden to act, and were worried about standing still and watching the battle, or the two sides in the conflict, they had all received this clear answer.

"You've worked hard, but that's not enough."

Seeing that his opponent had exhausted his skills and was also running out of energy, Quetzalcoatl seized an opening, his fingers and palms passing through Samael's two arms, which were almost too heavy to lift, and gently pressed against his chest.

"so…"

Then, the sun goddess leaned close to his ear and whispered with a smile.

"...Lie down!"

Immediately, the fingers and palms that were pressing on Samael's chest exerted force, slamming him down onto the steps leading to the Sun Altar.

"boom!"

With a dull thud as a heavy object hit the ground, Quetzalcoatl emerged amidst billowing dust, clapped his hands, and smiled at the remaining four guests, a pleased curve appearing on his lips.

"So, who's next?"

Everyone's breath caught in their throats, their expressions froze, and even the leopard-men, who were most afraid of the feathered serpent god Kukulkan, cowered behind Merlin and the others, muttering things like "They can't see me."

However, without waiting in the waiting area, they proceeded to the next step. A swaying figure emerged from the dissipating smoke and dust, struggling to climb upwards.

How could this be? I clearly stripped him of his life force. This child should be in a state of suspended animation.

Quetzalcoatl turned around in surprise to look at the figure climbing the steps.

But then, the doubt in my heart suddenly became clear when I noticed Samael's wounds gradually healing and the surging vitality within his body.

"Immortality! No wonder you can still stand up!"

The ancient serpent turned its head slightly, raised its right hand engraved with the protection of the underworld, exhaled the turbid air from its chest, and a solemn expression gathered on its pale face.

"Mayan goddess, I regret to inform you that I have been blessed by the gods, and the little tricks you use on ordinary soldiers will not work on me."

Samael paused briefly, then turned to gaze intently at the boulder at the top of the steps.

"Furthermore, I am indeed no match for you in a head-on fight, but this is no longer just a fighting game where winning or losing doesn't matter."

"I must take the men of Ur from you and bring back the soldiers of Uruk!"

"In the face of a level 3 storm, every bit of strength is precious, and the country needs them to fight the disaster."

"Therefore, I will defeat you at all costs!"

The resounding words made Quetzalcoatl pause for a moment, then he glanced back at the towering Sunstone and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"You noticed? Very clever child."

"That is my second Noble Phantasm, which carries the mark of divinity and is the foundation for building the temple!"