Persian Gulf.
Some time ago when Naoki arrived, this place was still a beautiful gulf. But now, the gulf had been overtaken by a vast black sea.
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, as if a seal had been broken, black seawater continuously flowed from its depths, assimilating and replacing the surrounding seas, gradually raising the water level of the entire ocean.
The observation post that was once located on the cliffs near the Persian Gulf was now completely submerged by the black seawater.
And within this sea, one by one, alien creatures with strange forms continued to crawl out.
They had spear-like pointed legs, elongated bodies, and at the head position, no eyes or senses, only a wide mouth extending a long tongue filled with white teeth, appearing quite unsettling.
Lahmu.
Though not an official name, they could be called by this name. They were the children of Goddess Tiamat, created using sand and mud from the Age of Gods through the Authority of the Mother Womb of a Hundred Beasts.
Since the black sea erupted and spread in the Persian Gulf, Lahmu began emerging from the sea. After landing, they spread in all directions across the Mesopotamian mainland.
Although Gorgon had only been defeated a few minutes ago, and only ten minutes had passed, the number of Lahmu in these ten minutes was already so vast that it nearly filled much of the Mesopotamian mainland.
"..."
Above the shore of the Persian Gulf, Naoki silently hovered in the air, looking down at the continuously emerging Lahmu. He did not attempt to annihilate them all.
It would never be possible to wipe them out completely. All he could do was exterminate all Lahmu heading toward Uruk. The rest, he had no power or energy to waste on them.
The world's scream that he had felt on the way here grew even stronger after arriving at the Persian Gulf.
[Please defeat that Beast]
[Please annihilate that Evil]
In the depths of his consciousness, he vaguely sensed the world conveying such thoughts to him.
Their opponent was Goddess Tiamat.
As the Primordial Mother discarded after creation, Tiamat was the sea, as well as the land used to produce life. After the earth's environment stabilized and the ecosystem formed, she was deemed unnecessary and exiled.
Therefore, what is called the Creator Goddess is merely a false name. Her body is the Great Catastrophe abandoned by humanity and rejected by Human History, one of the Seven Evils of Man, the Beast with the principle of Regression—Beast II.
Undoubtedly, she is the Evil that destroys the world, the Evil that destroys humanity, seeking to annihilate current humans, replace the entire earth's ecosystem, and return to being the Mother of All Things—Evil.
*BUZZ!*
Particles of light gathered in Naoki's hand. The Holy Sword of the Stars appeared there, emitting a unique light under the gloomy sky and in front of the endless black sea.
The Holy Sword of the Stars is the Holy Sword that saves the world, the Holy Sword capable of defeating all evils.
And the Bearer of the Holy Sword of the Stars is also destined to be the Savior who saves the world.
"It's time for me to fulfill my duty."
Gripping the Holy Sword, Naoki stared into the depths of the black sea before him. He knew the true enemy he must face was there.
Right at that moment—
"wftckydrgojpsukbdrgovkhxdrgovkhx!"
"vbgany! Vbgany! Kakwgkwgkwgkwgkwgkwgkwg!"
"wwefcbgavckcpdonefcbtelbrhrhjgikgipcekhq"
Extremely chaotic and utterly irregular screams came from all directions, sounding like children babbling incoherently, voices that were completely incomprehensible.
Hearing these sounds, one would only feel disgust and physiological discomfort.
These were the cries of Lahmu.
Unbeknownst to him, countless Lahmu had surrounded Naoki. Though they had no expressions, no eyes, making it impossible to know what they were thinking, for Naoki, it didn't matter.
Anyway, they all had to be eliminated.
Wind began to gather around Naoki.
Earlier on the way here, Naoki had annihilated twenty thousand Lahmu in an instant. A number like that was essentially nothing.
But at that time—
"Stay away from my Naoki!"
Accompanied by an angry roar, a figure suddenly descended from the sky, a meteor-like impact instantly slamming the countless Lahmu back into the Sea of Life! The entire shoreline immediately formed a massive crater!
And in the crater, Arcueid leaped out from the depths in a few movements, smiling at Naoki.
"I came to help you, Naoki! Seems like I arrived just in time!"
"You really came at the perfect time."
Before descending to the Underworld, before returning, Naoki had asked Arcueid if she wanted to return to the surface with him. At that time, Arcueid replied that she wouldn't return for a while. She planned to stay in the Underworld to accompany Ereshkigal, but if it came to facing Goddess Tiamat, she would definitely come to fight alongside Naoki.
Now was the time for her to fulfill her promise to Naoki.
Just like Naoki, Arcueid, as a True Ancestor, now fully felt the world's scream, as well as the extremely unpleasant individual Mana deep in the Persian Gulf.
"That must be the enemy we have to defeat? It seems difficult to face."
This might be the first time Arcueid was so serious in battle. It was also the first time she felt that even with her full power, she might not be able to defeat it.
"Don't think about defeating it, Arcueid." Naoki said, "The conditions to defeat it haven't been met yet. We came here not to defeat it, but to hold it back. With two days, all preparations can be completed."
Marble Phantasm.
This ability that both possessed was the key to holding Tiamat back from advancing toward Uruk. But before that—
"These interfering Lahmu must be eliminated."
The Lahmu that had all been thrown back by Arcueid's sky descent attack had, in the span of one or two sentences, already surrounded them again, forming a dark encirclement inside and out. Their sharp limbs continuously vibrated, as if measuring from where to start slicing the two.
But at that moment, countless chains suddenly flew from behind Naoki and Arcueid, instantly piercing and binding the innumerable Lahmu. And then a red dragon shadow streaked through the air.
"AAAAArrrrrr—!!"
Accompanied by a resounding dragon roar, a lightning storm immediately erupted from its mouth, creating a vast empty area among the Lahmu horde, clearly scorched and burned!
"Seems like we caught up."
Kingu, with a gentle face, landed beside Naoki.
"You're not injured, Master?"
"Shouldn't that be my line?"
Rei, who landed riding the red dragon, wearing red armor, holding a large Oodachi (great Japanese sword), and having the appearance of a female demon goddess, expressed slight dissatisfaction, then looked at her master: "It took some effort to catch up to Master. Next time, please fly a bit slower."
Seeing these two who suddenly appeared, Naoki was slightly surprised: "Rei, Kingu, why did you come?"
"Because I thought you might need the power of the Heaven's Feel Chains."
"There's no way I'd let Master act recklessly alone, right?"
The two gave different answers, then rushed toward the horde of Lahmu in front, continuously repelling the endlessly produced Lahmu with chains and wings of light.
(Master, leave these Lahmu to me and Kingu. You and the True Ancestor Princess go straight to face the Beast—Remember, never touch this sea, Prince).
In his mind, through the connection with Rei, her intent was conveyed to Naoki. After nodding to the two, Naoki gripped Arcueid's hand: "Let's go, Arcueid. We'll stop Tiamat."
"Yes!"