Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"The waters divide into upper and lower parts, with birth and death each occupying a separate area... So that's how it is..."

The ancient snake, its face full of mockery, gazed at the drizzling rain in the night sky, a hint of disgust flashing in its eyes.

After briefly venting his pent-up negative emotions, Samael took the clay tablet from his pocket and handed it to the old man.

After taking it, Zhu Sudra glanced at the structural diagram on it, his expression remaining calm and composed.

"Sure, but I need people."

"No problem! As long as this thing is built, whatever you need, I'll give it to you!"

Samael nodded emphatically, the heavy weight on his heart lifted slightly, and a hint of relaxation appeared on his face.

It must be said that every effort has its reward; this identity as a shepherd priest comes with a lot of trouble.

However, correspondingly, he also had great authority, and with multiple merits as a safety net, Siduli had promised that Samael could freely allocate resources and manpower.

Of course, the defense of the north wall was of paramount importance, and he had no intention of taking action.

The best choice for the manpower Jusudra needed was to select from the group of newcomers he had rescued in Elidu.

Under the rainy night, the two figures tacitly refrained from further conversation, parting ways and disappearing into the darkness.

The next day, everyone gathered at the South Gate to prepare for departure.

Upon arriving at the designated location, Samael saw Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god, chatting and laughing with a city guard who was coughing incessantly.

After saying that, this warm and gentle Mayan lady also gave her a large, brownish-yellow mango that grew in the dense forest as a bonus.

After repeatedly reminding the soldier to taste it, Quetzalcoatl, dressed in Sumerian civilian clothes, came to greet Samael with an embrace.

The ancient serpent gazed at the two undulating peaks, recalling the suffocating hell it had once experienced, and immediately dodged away, quickly pointing to the city guard and changing the subject.

"It seems you have fallen in love with the humans of Sumer."

"Yes, the child who has persevered through three storms has worked very hard and deserves God's favor."

Quetzalcoatl turned his head and looked at him with admiration, a slight smile on his face, a hint of mockery in his expression.

"It's a pity you're too late. That was the last one; there wasn't any for you."

"I wish I would never be able to eat it."

Samael shrugged slightly and exchanged a smile with the South American woman, a knowing understanding that seemed to exist between them.

Mangoes certainly don't have any medicinal properties, but the divine power she infused into them can help this soldier expel the corrosive death energy and restore his health.

As they spoke, Merlin, who rarely showed signs of fatigue, rushed over from the astronomical observatory, his body reeking of the lingering effects of magic and the scent of herbs.

Ishtar, who hadn't returned home all night, surprisingly stayed on the northern wall for most of the day.

The bloody smell on her clothes and the few strands of brownish-yellow hair suggested that this goddess of war had probably spent the entire night hunting magical beasts.

Anna, who arrived last, was late, arriving around noon.

However, the child was wearing a beautiful wreath on her head, and her bag, which was half her height taller, was jingling.

The corner that was lifted revealed a room filled with snacks and desserts given by neighbors, as well as potions, crystals, and other such items.

Samael looked back at Uruk in the rain, filled with emotion.

These tiny creatures called humans have infected and assimilated the high and mighty gods with their enthusiasm and indomitable spirit.

With everything ready and all personnel assembled, the group, accompanied by Quetzalcoatl and Leopard Man, two insiders, set off for Kusa aboard the Quetzalcoatl.

Meanwhile, far away in the royal palace tower, the high priest Siduri lightly tapped her chest with both hands and silently prayed towards the city gate.

On the table behind her, the ghostly cage flickering with blue flames had been left in the main hall by its former owner.

Chapter Ninety-Three: Disrespect! This is utter disrespect! (Third Update)

At the border of Kusa, four Quetzalcoatlus broke through the rain clouds and hovered in mid-air.

After exchanging glances and nodding with the others, Ishtar leaped into the air and, with a shout, waved her hand to summon her chariot.

"It's coming, Maana!"

The bow of the heavens answered the call and appeared at the front of the mistress.

"The gate opens, Venus concept convergence! Load the tidal cluster missiles!"

Under the solemn chanting of divine words, a spatial path connecting the stars of the universe was formed above, and Venus, which echoed Ishtar, cast a brilliant light that poured into the celestial ark Maana.

"Output is equal to one-third the isosceles of lapis lazuli, granting the empty land the light of heaven—shatter, mountains, shake the star's fire!"

As the god of war adopted a shooting stance and swung his fingers downwards, a massive arrow of light struck a depression near Kusa.

"boom!"

Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, soil flew everywhere, and the rumbling vibrations stretched for thousands of miles, as a massive mushroom cloud rose into the air.

The central area struck by the light arrow formed a bottomless cone-shaped crater, from which a sinister aura of death and decay seeped out.

"It's done!"

After firing a shot, Ishtar, feeling refreshed, piloted the Sky Bow Maana to land, jumped onto the ground, and lazily stretched her waist, quite satisfied with her achievement.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the group landed.

Ishtar greeted her priest with a smile, subtly fidgeting with her fingers.

"This time it really used up a lot of my supplies. The little bit Gilgamesh gave me is almost gone."

The ancient serpent gazed at the unobstructed view of Kusane City, its face gloomy.

"If I remember correctly, at least 70% of the gems in the embassy are still there."

"Also, you should think about how to explain to the Kusa people that the outer wall here has completely collapsed after they wake up."

Anna and Merlin looked toward the side of the city wall facing the breach, where large sections had collapsed, and stared at the money-grubbing goddess with strange expressions.

"They nitpick over the smallest mistakes."

Ishtar muttered to herself, glared at the false believer who had defied God's will, and withdrew her hand with a soft snort.

"Tch, if you don't want to give it to me, then don't! You're so stingy!"

The ancient serpent knew well that this woman would become insatiable if she indulged herself, and remained unmoved by it.

Immediately, the prudent Samael instructed Merlin and Anna to set up a concealed magic array around them, covering their tracks while also preventing the dissipation of death energy.

Just before entering the underworld, Merlin mysteriously took out a bottle of potion and poured it on the back of the ancient serpent's right hand.

Immediately, the wedge-shaped runes of [Underworld Protection] receded slightly.

"This thing has the effect of blurring the divine seal to attack specific targets. In this way, you and Ishtar can contact each other and help each other to avoid accidents at critical moments."

"So you and those magicians at the astrology station were researching this last night."

Ishtar, who was leaning closer, looked curious and somewhat suspicious.

"So, does this thing really work? You're not kidding me?"

"Look! There's something in the clouds! It looks like a cow!"

Just as Ishtar was hesitating, she suddenly heard a surprised shout in her ear.

Where? Where?! Gugalana! My little darling!

The goddess of the sky was overjoyed and hurriedly looked up at the clouds, observing them repeatedly.

"Hmm, looks like it worked..."

The whispers echoing behind her startled Ishtar, who had been searching in vain, and she was shocked to see an arm that had somehow ended up on her shoulder.

"You...you...disrespectful! Utterly disrespectful!"

The goddess, realizing she had been tricked, turned pale with anger.

"Just try it out. We're pressed for time; we don't have time to wait for you to prepare mentally."

Samael didn't take it seriously and immediately led Merlin and Anna to jump into the cone-shaped pit leading to the underworld.

After a brief moment of suspended in the air, everyone's feet were once again firmly planted on the ground. Samael spoke softly to the ground, and then a glimmer of blue light leaked through his fingers.

"I've heard that the dead are buried with precious items to bribe the guards of the underworld. Maybe we can find a few along the way. It's all up to luck, first come, first served."

"Tch, I thought I'd fall for it."

Ishtar, who was reluctant to follow, was suddenly drawn to a sapphire in a crevice in the rock. Taking advantage of the others' inattention, she quietly picked it up and stuffed it into her bosom.

Really!

“I know the way to the underworld well, so I’ll lead the way. Everyone, please conserve your energy and be careful of the death energy.”

Immediately, Ishtar stepped forward, displaying a selfless spirit of dedication.

Merlin, Anna, and Samael, who were lagging behind, exchanged smiles and nodded to each other.

The goddess, completely unaware that she was being manipulated, led the way without complaint while secretly peeking around, hoping to find more bargains.

Along the way, the four great bodies traveled through the gray mist. The wandering Garula spirits, under Merlin's dispelling spell and Ishtar's divine power, wisely kept their distance.

The group arrived safely at a stone gate carved with images of animals such as dogs, horses, cows, and sheep.

Bottomless abysses and ravines, eerie phosphorescent lights, a dim environment, winding roads, and a pervasive gray fog of death...

These familiar scenes made Samael's heart race, and he felt a bit apprehensive about returning home.

"Hey! What are you daydreaming about? This [fair and rational] gate to the underworld is here to answer your questions!"

Just as the ancient serpent was distracted, Ishtar, who was leading the way, snorted irritably at his priest, amidst the black smoke from being struck by lightning.

Upon hearing the words "fair and rational" emphasized in particular, Samael was both amused and exasperated, knowing that the goddess of the underworld must have been smuggling her own agenda into the key card.

The seven questions that are supposed to assess the goodness or evil of a soul, in her case, became inquiries about who was stronger or weaker in each of the two sisters in various aspects.

Just now, Ishtar, before Samael, who had been chosen by the light spot, could answer, took the initiative to side with herself, believing that her beauty surpassed that of her sister who controlled death.

As expected, when confronting this god of the underworld head-on, they were naturally struck by lightning from the sky and charred to a crisp.

"It's a choice between two options, there's nothing to hesitate about, you have to speak from your conscience!"

Just before going on stage, Ishtar squinted and grinned maliciously, gritting her teeth as she pressed him for answers.

"I choose Ishtar!"

Samael stepped back slightly, feigning coercion, and cast his vote for the goddess beside him.

"Hahaha, let's see what you have to say now..."

"boom!"

Before Ishtar could finish her smug display, she was struck by a bolt of lightning that fell from the sky.

Then, the "honest and simple" ancient snake chose the same answer in each of the three consecutive inquiries.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

As a result, three bolts of lightning struck Ishtar in succession.

"Eh..."

"Stop talking, choose Ereshkigal!"

The goddess of heaven, who had struggled to her feet, hurriedly covered Samael's mouth, her voice half-crying and half-pleading, asking the person answering the question to change their answer.

As new content was input, the gates to the underworld, which were characterized by fairness and rationality, lit up with divine runes and slowly opened.

"That's a foul! You can't play like that!"

Having just passed through the gates of the underworld, Ishtar, whose divinity was stripped away and whose body shrank by a size, pointed at the stone gate and complained bitterly.

However, upon hearing the faint rumble of thunder overhead, the goddess, like a frightened bird, hurriedly hid behind her shepherd priest and urged everyone to hurry on their way.

Meanwhile, inside the grand hall that radiated light like the sun, the God of the Underworld, who was observing the group's movements through a mirror, fixed his gaze on the lusterless Underworld Guardian on the back of the leader's hand and sneered.

"You slut, are you trying to intimidate me?!"

However, the snake molt tied to her wrist brought a moment of coolness, which slightly softened the coldness in her eyes.

Chapter Ninety-Four: Flowers Bloom in the Underworld - A Pseudo-Fashion (Fourth Update)

As expected, the subsequent gates of Hades asked similar questions in almost every different way.