Enkidu
"It looks like we'll be able to reach Uruk before sunset," the green-haired man clad in a white robe, calling himself Enkidu, said as he walked at the forefront.
"But Mr. Enkidu, isn't Uruk in the opposite direction?" Mash asked curiously upon hearing this. "We just saw that wall that's hundreds of meters high, didn't we?"
"There's a dock in the river ahead," 'Enkidu' replied without even turning his head. "There are also boats moored there. As long as we get there, we can head downstream and reach Uruk."
"Oh? Is that so?" Right at that moment, an unfamiliar voice came from the side of the trio. Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash looked up, only to see an ostentatiously dressed man in a white robe and a hood step out from behind a massive tree.
Beside him was a little girl, also wearing a hood.
Seeing this, Enkidu suddenly furrowed his brows, and Fujimaru Ritsuka astutely noticed this.
She stepped back slightly and gently touched Mash's hand. The latter turned slightly in tacit understanding, facing both Enkidu in front and the mysterious person to their right.
She didn't know why, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was... off about this Enkidu who was leading the way.
"I truly had no idea," the white-robed man slowly lowered his hood, revealing a face capable of captivating countless young girls. "My, my, hello everyone!"
"I apologize for startling you all. We aren't suspicious people," he said with a smile, leaning on a long staff. "Would you be willing to listen to my explanation first?"
"Please go ahead?" Fujimaru Ritsuka narrowed her eyes at the pretty boy in front of her.
Meanwhile, Fufu, beside Mash, shot the smug man an incredibly displeased glare, though no one was paying attention to her.
"As you can see," Merlin placed a hand over his chest and spoke in a poetic rhythm, "we got lost on an unfamiliar beast trail. To think we would encounter humans right under the nose of the Goddess of Demonic Beasts."
"We are heading to Uruk next," 'Enkidu' said with a friendly smile upon hearing this. "Would you like to travel with us?"
Despite saying this, he was already prepared for battle.
'Tch, so close. Just a little further and I would have tricked the people from Chaldea right into Gorgon's presence.'
"Of course, that would be a huge help," Merlin said with a beaming smile. "It must be fate to meet here. If it's convenient, could you tell me your names?"
"My name is Fujimaru Ritsuka." Hearing this, Ritsuka glanced at Mash, who tensed her body, ready to react to anything. "And this is Mash Kyrielight."
After speaking, she looked toward Enkidu and added meaningfully, "And that over there is Mr. Enkidu."
She didn't know who were the good guys and who were the bad guys between these two groups, but keeping her guard up against both was undoubtedly the right call.
"Enkidu?" Hearing this, Merlin put on a confused expression and looked at the smiling green-haired beauty.
"Hmm... Now this is quite troubling."
"Extremely troubling~~~"
Enkidu continued to smile as he asked, "Why is that?"
He felt he had these people completely in the palm of his hand.
"Because currently, King Gilgamesh, who is commanding the front lines in Uruk, is the king who returned from his quest for the herb of immortality," Merlin began to pace around while stroking his chin, talking as he walked. "So, it doesn't make sense."
"But if that's the case... it really doesn't make sense!" Mash abruptly looked up at Enkidu, who was silently watching them.
"Exactly. It was due to the death of his best friend Enkidu that King Gilgamesh set out to seek immortality," Merlin said as he circled around. "If the quest has already concluded..."
He tapped his long staff against the ground, "That means Enkidu has already..."
Just as he finished speaking, magical energy flashed across the imposter's body like green lightning. He thrust out his hand, and several magical energy bullets blasted toward the group.
Having already prepared for this, Mash immediately raised her shield to protect them. The tremendously powerful magical energy bullets instantly blasted a crater into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
However, it was still not enough to break through Mash's defenses.
"Hmph... Haha, hahahaha!" The gentle image of Enkidu vanished in an instant as Kingu laughed maniacally. "Fujimaru Ritsuka... you incompetents from Chaldea!"
"It's truly a pity. I was so close to letting you see something interesting."
"You can't escape!" A massive surge of magical energy erupted from his body. "Because you already have nowhere left to run!"
Hearing this, Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka exchanged a glance. The person before them was absolutely a formidable foe. After Ishtar had left, they had been completely surrounded by a horde of demonic beasts, and it was this person claiming to be Enkidu who had saved them.
Now it seemed that wasn't a rescue at all. It was merely a setup to gain their trust and lead them into an even more cruel trap.
"With just the two of them, the situation is looking a bit unfavorable," Merlin rubbed his chin upon seeing this, then turned to the silent little girl beside him. "Anna, go lend them a hand!"
Hearing this, Anna flashed forward and appeared in front of Kingu, blocking the incoming wave of magical energy bullets.
"Although it's not within our contract, I will help them."
Seeing this, Mash immediately followed up, turning it into a righteous two-on-one fight.
But clearly, Kingu's body belonged to Enkidu—that was the Chain of Heaven created by the gods. It wasn't something an ordinary Servant could stand against.
Mash had more than enough defense but lacked offensive power. Although Anna was Medusa and a mythical creature, this child-like form was an aspect specifically meant to counter the Gorgon form, and her strength wasn't as great as her adult self.
Expecting the two of them to defeat Kingu... was indeed asking too much.
Compared to Kingu, Enkidu's personality was far more peaceful. While usually as graceful and elegant as a delicate flower, once he took action, he would become an uncompromising, relentless, and fiercely aggressive Servant.
Treating himself as a weapon, he detested things like rust and mildew. He had no particular individuals he favored. Even though humans, like all life on Earth, were subjects he "liked," because humanity relied on reason and never considered themselves a part of nature, their status as subjects of his protection was very low.
Because animals and plants felt closer to his own nature, Enkidu's actions primarily focused on protecting flora and fauna.
That being said, Enkidu's curiosity was inherently strong, so he greatly enjoyed conversing with humans. If the other party's personality was to his liking (full of philanthropy, totalitarianism, and always prioritizing themselves first), he would show heartfelt respect and admiration, and he would even feel elated to be able to lend a hand as a friend.
But Kingu was different. He was merely a vessel hastily created to carry out the plan to destroy the world. He lacked the humanity Enkidu possessed, and he was always swept along by his innate mission.
At least until he found his own meaning for living, Kingu was nothing more than a living puppet. Although he had his own thoughts and hobbies...
He could never escape the chains of his mission.
After several exchanges, Mash and Anna hadn't gained the slightest advantage.
Fujimaru Ritsuka seized the moment and cast reinforcement magecraft on Mash. Finding an opening, Mash landed a solid kick on Kingu's calf, putting him in a brief state of stagger.
Seeing this, Anna's eyes lit up. She whipped out her chains and directly bound Kingu. Flinging the chains upward first, she then snapped them down like a long whip, slamming Kingu heavily into the ground!
The latter, however, looked at the chains binding him and let out a faint smile.
As he was smashed brutally into the earth, smoke and dust instantly filled the air.
Seeing this, Anna let out a sigh of relief. But in the very next moment, Kingu's voice rang out from the dust cloud.
"Of all things, you chose to use chains against me," his voice carried a hint of mockery. "It truly makes me want to laugh my head off!"
Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly remembered his identity. Even if he wasn't Enkidu, he had used chains earlier when fighting the demonic beasts.
He was the true master in this line of work.
"Oh no! Watch out!" She had barely shouted the warning when several streaks of golden light shone through the dust.
"This is hilarious! You third-rate Servant!"
Accompanied by the crisp clatter of chains, the group was suddenly hoisted into midair by the Chains of Heaven extending from the void.
"It's an eyesore," Kingu mocked as he looked at Anna, who was immobilized in midair in a spread-eagle posture, the corners of his mouth curving upward. "Did you really think you could compete against me with this level of skill?"
Facing his taunts, Anna merely lowered her head slightly, her own lips curving into a smirk. "There's absolutely no need to fight you to the death."
"Possessing human intelligence can sometimes be a burden, you know."
The moment her words fell, a nameless wind began to blow. Pink petals, coming from who knows where, filled the entire forest in the blink of an eye.
The immobilized group also slowly turned into petals, scattering away with the wind.
Anna's cold voice echoed from the forest. "This is a lesson. You'd do well to learn from it."
"So that's how it is..." Kingu caught a falling petal. "From the middle of the battle, everything I was seeing was a dreamscape?"
He recalled the white-robed man casually tapping the ground with his long staff.
"Then he must be the magus from Uruk. Sigh, it can't be helped this time. I can't just leave her alone all day."
Meanwhile, on the other side, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash abruptly opened their eyes.
It was a bizarre sensation. It felt exactly like being fast asleep but suddenly feeling like you missed a step while walking, jerking yourself awake.
"Huh? This is..." Mash looked around warily, but they were no longer in the forest where they had just been fighting.
"Where is Enkidu?" Fujimaru Ritsuka frowned.
"Hahaha, that went swimmingly," right at that moment, Merlin suddenly appeared from behind her, speaking smugly. "Although I feel a little bad deceiving a child, since the opponent is Enkidu, it's perfectly fine."
"So he's the direct subordinate of the Magus King."
"He's the Magus King's subordinate?" Hearing this critical piece of information, Fujimaru Ritsuka sharply turned her gaze to the white-robed man in front of her.
"Was that the real person just now?"
"That person has been using that name to destroy many fortress cities," Merlin said in distress. "Though everyone in Uruk believes he's an imposter, of course."
"Well then, to sum it all up!" Merlin made an incredibly flamboyant chest-thumping gesture and spoke in an exaggerated tone. "Everyone, please allow me to formally greet you all!"
"I did, after all, rescue you in your moment of peril!"
"I hope you can shower me with overwhelming words of gratitude!"
"Oh, thank you for res..." Hearing this, the good girl Mash immediately bowed to express her thanks. But before she could finish her sentence, Fufu appeared from her shoulder and launched a flying kick right at the flashy man before them!
'Merlin must die!'
With just a single kick, the legendary court magus of King Arthur was heavily knocked to the ground. She then lunged straight onto his face, scratching wildly with her claws.
"Fufu?!" Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash looked at each other in sheer surprise. This little beast of unknown true identity was Chaldea's mascot, but no one knew of her origins.
To think she would show such immense malice toward a stranger here.
"You vicious beast!" Lying on the ground, Merlin struggled to break free from Fufu's assault, but Fufu was no pushover either!
One person and one beast rolled around on the ground, fiercely engaged in an inescapable brawl.
"A fight on the same level as Fufu..." Fujimaru Ritsuka felt her idealized image of him shatter completely.
Such a mysterious and powerful Servant, who had saved her and Mash from the brink of disaster the moment he appeared, casually making a fool of the mighty Enkidu...
Ended up fighting evenly matched against Chaldea's mascot?
Anna, standing to the side, watched the scene with a tense little face, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.
"I should never have adopted a vicious beast like you!" Merlin tried his best to gain the upper hand. "Cath Palug! Let go of me!"
And upon hearing that name, Fufu scratched even more fiercely!
'You, Merlin, may have an extraordinary background, but do you think I, Fufu, am just some nobody?'
Fufu's True Name was Cath Palug, also known as Primate Murder. She was the "Fourth Beast" (Beast IV) who held the principle of "Comparison."
She was an existence on the exact same level as the "King of Demon Gods" Goetia, the "Hole of Heaven" Kiara Sessyoin, the "Demon King of Lust" Kama/Mara, and the "Goddess of Genesis" Tiamat.
Feeding on the competition, growth, jealousy, and regret among humanity, she was a Beast possessing the trait of being "stronger than the opponent"—theoretically, a Beast of Calamity that could never be defeated.
Just hearing about this Authority made it sound incredible.
As for why she couldn't get along with Merlin... it was primarily because Merlin was a total scumbag back then.
At that time, she and Merlin had secluded themselves and entered Avalon together. After Merlin was locked within the isolated tower, he told Cath Palug his views on the destiny of Britain, and subsequently released Cath Palug into the Reverse Side of the World where the Phantasmal Species resided.
And how exactly did he release her?
He threw her straight out the window of a twenty-story-high tower...
Therefore, every time Fufu saw him, she had to kick him! Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to quell the hatred in her heart!
Watching this disgraceful scene, Anna let out a sigh.
"Merlin, please perform such bizarrely disgraceful acts and behavior secretly by yourself in the middle of the night!"
"Oh, thanks for your hard work, Anna," Merlin said as he finally managed to subdue Fufu. "Thanks to you, I'm saved once again."
"This was a battle outside the terms of our contract," Anna said, her face stiffening. "Rather than thanking me, you should be reflecting on your actions!"
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T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me.
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Shilling time!
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