"What kind of reaction is that?! I'm still a totally capable and beautiful woman! And for a problem student who dares to question —"
Clearly provoked by Shiomi's doubtful remark, Jaguar Warrior glared with wide, exasperated eyes, then suddenly vanished, leaving only a scattering of leaves drifting in the wind.
Here it cos!
Shiomi's eyes sharpened. He knew this opponent was no joke. Trusting his instincts, he stepped forward and raised his spear.
Thud—!
A heavy impact rang out as Jaguar Warrior withdrew after the clash, landing atop a tree and rising into a half-kneeling pose.
"I think I get it now! You all look pretty tasty!"
"…Huh?" Shiomi was completely thrown off by the sudden shift in her thought process.
Jaguar Warrior started leaping between the trees again, her movents so fast it was nearly impossible to predict her next attack.
This was her territory, and she held a clear advantage. Rather than attacking recklessly, Shiomi judged that sticking to defense was the smarter move.
"No guide, no tomorrow! Let today be a lesson! Next ti, don't forget to tip the locals before heading into the jungle! ow-hahahahaha!!"
Her wild laughter echoed as she disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
Everyone stayed on alert, but the feeling of being toyed with was unmistakable.
"Jaguar Warrior..." Shiomi tried to recall the legends.
Though they lowered their weapons, none of them intended to retreat. They pressed deeper into the jungle.
"She's an ancient divine spirit from Central and South Arican legends. Jaguars represent 'battle' and 'death.' In those myths, they're often depicted as spiritual entities, shadows, or supernatural guardian spirits known as Nagual," Scáthach explained.
"I rember now—among the deities linked with the Nagual, the most well-known would be…" Shiomi thought aloud, "Tezcatlipoca, one of the major gods worshipped in the Aztec civilization."
After going through the Holy Grail War, Shiomi had developed a habit of reading up on mythology and ancient legends. What started as a precautionary instinct had ended up being unexpectedly useful on this journey to restore the foundation of humanity.
"But don't worry too much," Morgan added. "Even if Jaguar Warrior is connected to Tezcatlipoca, she's likely just one of his aspects. And besides, she's a Divine Spirit Servant ford by possessing a human—similar to Ishtar."
"That's not very reassuring…" Shiomi sighed.
Still, now that the existence of the Three Goddess Alliance was confird, Shiomi had already ntally prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation with three Divine Spirit-class Servants.
"But with her personality, is Jaguar Warrior really one of the three goddesses ruling this forest?" he asked casually.
"There's no way to be certain. Divine Spirits are even more unreasonable than kings. No matter how absurd they seem, they still wield terrifying power," Artoria replied.
Shiomi couldn't help but chuckle. "Is that a bit of self-critique?"
"Hardly. I see it as an objective truth," Artoria said with a small smile and a nod.
Even as he joked with her, Morgan suddenly squeezed his hand hard enough to make him wince, while his Master claid his other hand.
But Artoria wasn't wrong—Divine Spirits in this era were utterly unreasonable.
The so-called Age of Gods was, in simple terms, the era when gods ruled the world.
In that ti, "nature" itself was the will of the gods. Whether it was a torrential downpour or the emotions in human hearts, it all happened because the gods willed it to be so.
In that sense, during the Age of Gods, the gods could be seen as "natural laws with a will of their own."
Ur was now covered in rainforests completely out of place for the sopotamian basin because the goddess ruling this land had rewritten the very laws of nature here.
"We did just run into an enemy, but now it feels more like a spring outing," Shiomi muttered, unable to hold back a jab.
Holding flowers in both hands might be a nice situation, but having a beautiful King of Knights walking behind him made his back itch with unease.
"This season has that kind of air," Artoria said. "Even if countless hardships await us ahead, it's only by maintaining a calm and composed heart that we can resolve the crisis of the Singularity."
"When we were in Calot, my Master often accused
of lacking humanity. But in truth, wasn't it his own sense of duty that kept him from ever truly relaxing?"
"Am I really that dramatic? And co on, isn't that line more about you than , King of Knights?" Shiomi replied.
"There are so words that suit both of us equally. That's another way you and I are alike," Artoria said. "Perhaps even without a catalyst, Master would have summoned
through that shared nature alone."
Morgan glanced over her shoulder. "My, you're quite the sweet talker. Looks like finding a good Master has made you genuinely happy, Artoria."
"Of course. When sothing good happens, it brings joy," Artoria said naturally. "And seeing a Master who isn't alone makes
feel a little less alone myself. I believe—even if he ascends to the Throne of Gods—my Master won't end up the way I once did."
"Is that so..." Shiomi suddenly felt an odd sense of reassurance.
"You should've said that earlier. So things, if left unsaid, only end up shocking him when he faces the truth," Scáthach said with a relaxed smile. "My dear disciple's been working hard to prove he's still human."
"Prove?" Artoria looked puzzled. "It's true that because of his power, Master is at a delicate tipping point… but he's nowhere near needing to prove his humanity."
Unaware that she had misunderstood, Artoria simply noticed the odd exchange of glances between Shiomi and Scáthach.
"Okay, okay—stop right there…" Shiomi quickly stepped in to steer the conversation away.
And just in ti.
Through the dense foliage ahead, part of a structure ca into view—Ur was finally within sight.
This was enemy territory. It really wasn't the place for poetic musings or flirtatious banter.
Seeing the destination so close, Shiomi quickened his pace, leading the others into the outskirts of Ur.
The city, now wrapped in forest, had been overtaken by nature—trees had pushed their way into the streets, and vines clung to the walls of the buildings. It looked nothing like the typical cities of sopotamia.
Children played together in the streets. Won went about their chores with calm expressions. More townsfolk wandered through the alleys and open roads.
It was tranquil. Peaceful.
Nothing like a city under siege.
"…But why does everyone here look so lifeless?"
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