Chapter 31: Quetzalcoatl
"Looking at the results, Quetzalcoatl has not killed anyone. In essence, she is benevolent."
At this moment, Gilgamesh spoke up. "Bring that Jaguar Man in!"
Soon, Ushiwakamaru, with one hand pressed against her sword, brought the goddess dressed in a leopard-print suit into the God Tower. Even though she was bound by Shirou's Chains of Heaven, the Jaguar Man remained incredibly energetic. Even with her combat power greatly diminished, she was not someone ordinary soldiers could handle, so she had to be escorted by Ushiwakamaru, who possessed the strength of a Heroic Spirit.
The Jaguar Man currently had a piece of lamb chop clamped in her mouth, chewing it with gusto. What had kept her from wanting to escape the moment she arrived in Uruk was not only her wariness of Shirou's power, but also the fact that the taste of the lamb here was so good that she was deeply addicted to it.
"We've fed you for so many days, it's about time you spilled something, isn't it?" Gilgamesh asked.
"What do you want to know?" the Jaguar Man asked while tearing into her grilled lamb chop.
"Detailed information regarding Quetzalcoatl," Gilgamesh said.
"I see..." The Jaguar Man nodded and began to recount.
Quetzalcoatl was one of the supreme existences in Central and South American Aztec mythology. Appearing free-spirited, she was, in reality, a benevolent and intellectually profound goddess. Quetzalcoatl abhorred ritualistic human sacrifice and loved humanity deeply. As the goddess of life and harvest, a goddess of culture, and a goddess of rain and wind, there was even a legend from one period where she held dominion over the sun.
Her manifestation was that of the Supreme Existence (via a split spirit). In this anomalous situation, Quetzalcoatl displayed a side no one had ever known: she was a goddess who deeply loved the free struggles that flourished in modern Mexico, a goddess who loved Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling).
...She was not worshiped as a goddess of wrestling. She just happened to really like wrestling.
The group present listened to the Jaguar Man's explanation, and then Gilgamesh spoke first. "Then, you shall guide them to where Quetzalcoatl resides."
Upon hearing this, the Jaguar Man's face crumbled instantly. "I'm not going! Kukul will definitely beat me to a pulp!" she countered immediately.
However, Shirou did not give her a chance to continue her bickering. He walked up, grabbed the back of her collar, and dragged her away.
"No! I don't want to go—!" The Jaguar Man's terrified screams echoed through the God Tower.
.
.
.
Outside the Sun Temple, within the tropical jungle. Pterosaurs circled in the sky, attempting to stop the enemies invading their territory.
"Leave this to me!" Ana said, swinging her scythe and striking down the pterosaurs soaring in the sky one by one.
Continuing to approach the direction of the Sun Temple, a nervous reminder from Roman came through the communicator on Gudako's wrist: "The magical energy signature is expanding! The target has appeared!"
Having passed through the tropical jungle, the group arrived at a clearing below the Sun Temple. Standing atop the temple was a woman with wavy blonde hair. Her physique appeared slender and fragile, but as a goddess, this was merely a deceptive exterior.
"Oh ho! I believed you would surely come. Waiting here was worth it~~!" Quetzalcoatl said quite excitedly. Then, she caught sight of Ishtar in the group and immediately mocked her. "You're so weak, Ishtar! To think you were captured by a group like this~"
"Tch..." Ishtar let out a cold snort and turned her head away, ignoring Quetzalcoatl's taunts.
Roman's voice came through the communicator on Gudako's wrist again: "Do you see it? That thing behind the goddess is the 'Sun Calendar,' the Aztec Calendar Stone. It is Quetzalcoatl's second Noble Phantasm! It is a massive stone from ancient Aztec culture that displays the past, present, and future of the world. In other words, it is the source of her power!"
Gudako stared intently at the massive stone disc. "In other words, as long as we destroy that!"
Seeing Gudako's gaze, a smile appeared on Quetzalcoatl's face. "It seems you've noticed that as well. That's fine! I will accept any challenge, because I find it fun too!"
As she spoke, Quetzalcoatl stepped down the stairs, carrying the serrated greatsword in her hand. "Humans are truly a species worth bullying from head to toe~"
"Worth bullying?" Gudako blinked in confusion.
"Yes! I love you humans! That's right, humans are the very value of our existence~!" Quetzalcoatl answered with a smile.
"If humans are the value of your existence, then why are you trying to destroy humanity!?" Gudako asked.
"That's not it," Ishtar spoke up. "It's a sense of direction—if she doesn't do this, she cannot survive."
Quetzalcoatl also spoke at this moment. "I cannot survive without toying with humanity; this is my divinity." As she stepped down the last stair, Quetzalcoatl stood on the same level ground as the group. "Humanity has evolved because of the threat I pose, and I am very happy about that~!"
"Is this your essence as a god..." Ana said in a low voice.
"Yes. So, I have no intention of destroying humanity at all. Please, do feel free to escape from this threat that is me."
Having answered thus, Quetzalcoatl leaped forward, and the serrated greatsword she carried swung down toward Gudako, her target. Gudako's expression shifted; she wanted to dodge, but she was pinned in place by the goddess's overwhelming pressure.
CLANG—!
An exquisite, artisanal-looking white-gold greatsword was held steadily in front of her. The moment it intersected with the serrated blade, intense sparks flew.
"Oh? To be able to block my power—you're not bad, human~" Quetzalcoatl looked at Shirou beside her, then rushed toward him, sword in hand.
"A power-type goddess, I see." Shirou's right hand, holding the sword, flickered lightly.
A white-gold sword light flashed in front of him. The serrated greatsword swung by Quetzalcoatl, who had just closed the distance, was suddenly knocked away by a tyrannical force.
In that instant, the goddess, now disarmed, stared at the red-haired boy before her, her eyes widening. Her gaze reflected the figure of the red-haired boy holding his sword.
"So much power...!" Quetzalcoatl was somewhat surprised by the strength Shirou had just exerted. It was a tyrannical, incomparably powerful force against which she felt completely unable to resist.
She required no technique at all; simply a speed dazzling enough to confuse the eye and overwhelming power were enough to handle this Feathered Serpent.
"Destroying your second Noble Phantasm to make you lose your power..." Shirou chuckled lightly, "That is completely unnecessary."
"You are truly confident~ You shouldn't be so arrogant when facing a goddess, you know~"
Quetzalcoatl grinned with a smile triggered by the thrill of battle. "I shall be the one to shatter this arrogance of yours!"
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