Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King's Personal Knight

'???'

"Why is there nothing?"

Alaric could see the traces of writing left behind, yet he could never fully discern their true form. It was as if they didn't exist in this world, merely illusions conjured by his mind.

"King Gilgamesh, this is—"

In the spirit of the traditional virtue of asking when in doubt, Alaric turned towards the just-awakened Gilgamesh beside him, waving the clay tablet in his hand. "Did you see something just now?"

Gilgamesh had been sitting cross-legged on the ground earlier. It didn't appear to be idle daydreaming or a brief rest after inscribing the tablet; to Alaric, it seemed more like meditation.

Alaric had seen similar meditative states in many monks. The meditation Gilgamesh was engaged in, however, likely yielded results far beyond ordinary people.

But what exactly was achieved through it, Alaric wasn't sure.

Only the person involved could provide an answer.

Gilgamesh rose from the ground, glanced at the clay tablet in Alaric's hand, and said casually, "It's nothing, just saw something amusing. The details, I've already forgotten.

Let's not talk about that. Have you found the High Priestess?"

Though Gilgamesh didn't answer what the clay tablet recorded—or perhaps he had forgotten—Alaric still caught a key term.

"'Saw.'"

As far as Alaric knew, Gilgamesh possessed the legendary ability of Clairvoyance, capable of glimpsing visions of the future. If this power was used in a meditative state, it was highly likely he had seen future events.

So, was this clay tablet a record of the future?

Having formed a rough idea, Alaric responded to Gilgamesh's query: "I found the High Priestess. Based on the situation, she's leading a ritual for divine descent. Their object of worship is the goddess Ishtar."

Upon hearing this, Gilgamesh had a foreboding feeling—a sense that a troublesome figure had appeared.

"And then?"

"The High Priestess and her followers used a summoning ritual to call forth a highly compatible girl from the future. The goddess Ishtar seized this opportunity to incarnate by possessing the girl's body, successfully manifesting in this world."

"The High Priestess and her group, huh—"

Gilgamesh scratched his head in exasperation, all his complaints and thoughts reduced to a sigh. "Is that all?"

If things ended there, Ishtar alone wouldn't pose much of a threat—merely a nuisance in daily life.

"There's one more thing."

Absentmindedly toying with the clay tablet, Alaric said, "The goddess of the underworld, Ereshkigal, manifested along with Ishtar. However, they share the same body.

The power that affected the entire city just now was Ereshkigal's doing. In response to the High Priestess's plea to save humanity from disaster, Ereshkigal intends to drag humans into the underworld for protection."

"..."

"Ereshkigal, huh? So be it. One problem or two, it makes no difference."

Gilgamesh glanced at the unconscious citizens around them and continued, "Let's return to Uruk and dispatch soldiers to take over here."

With events unfolding as they were, Gilgamesh, known for his efficiency, quickly made a decision.

Under Ereshkigal's influence, the citizens had all fallen unconscious. While their souls hadn't been dragged into the underworld, it would take some time before they could awaken normally.

Gilgamesh couldn't afford to wait here. Bringing Alaric to the temple had been a spur-of-the-moment decision; if not for his interest in further interactions with Alaric, Gilgamesh wouldn't have come here personally.

As a king who ruled over the world, Gilgamesh had no time of his own to spare.

Thus, others would have to take responsibility for handling the current state of the temple.

When they returned to the city gates, the horse that had carried them had also fallen unconscious.

Ereshkigal had spared not even the horse. Alaric and Gilgamesh exchanged glances.

"As a king, one must measure the world with their own two feet!"

With a flick of his finger, Gilgamesh unleashed a magical blast that struck the horse squarely on the head.

"Neighhh!!"

Suddenly jolted awake, the horse was forcefully subdued by Alaric. Its dazed expression seemed as if it had walked through the gates of hell.

"Such trifling matters from an underworld goddess—"

...

By the time Alaric and Gilgamesh returned to Uruk, it was nearly dusk.

"Siduri! Go find Tim and have him lead thirty men to take over the temple. Once the unconscious citizens are settled, organize resources for transport, and report everything that happened today to me afterward."

With a sweeping gesture, Gilgamesh stormed into the palace. "Also, bring me that rascal Merlin!"

As Siduri's graceful figure left the palace, Alaric's gaze shifted to a corner—

"Merlin's already here, King Gilgamesh!"

Emerging from the shadows was none other than the man who had vanished earlier that morning—Merlin.

Hugging his staff, Merlin grinned mischievously at both Gilgamesh and Alaric.

Seeing that Merlin had been in the palace all along, Gilgamesh paid it no mind and said, "I'm going to conduct a Heroic Spirit Summoning."

The summoning, long overdue, had been postponed by Gilgamesh until now.

The primary reason was Merlin's presence. Noticing that Merlin had entered the Singularity in advance and was wandering as an unanchored Heroic Spirit in the forest, Gilgamesh sent people multiple times to locate him and confirm his identity.

However, Merlin was too cunning, narrowly avoiding Gilgamesh's men and evading capture until now.

As a result, Gilgamesh had delayed conducting a Heroic Spirit Summoning—trusting his instincts that the timing wasn't right.

But now, it was.

One divine entity might have been manageable for Gilgamesh, but with the appearance of two troublesome goddesses, he realized it was time to summon Heroic Spirits.

Even with Merlin and Alaric by his side, it wasn't enough. More Heroic Spirits would be needed for the life-and-death battle ahead.

"Well, well, King Gilgamesh, you've finally made up your mind. How can I assist you?"

As if he had expected this, Merlin asked with a playful smile, "Shall I set up the summoning system? Or do you have other requests?"

"Hmph. Who do you think I am? I am the king who rules the world! A Heroic Spirit Summoning is but child's play for me!"

"No incantations are needed. My command is the ultimate decree of this world!

Respond to my summons and manifest—Heroic Spirits of the future!"

With a grand gesture, Gilgamesh unleashed a torrent of magical energy.

The power surged like an ocean wave, engulfing the entire palace and enveloping both Alaric and Merlin!

This was the first time Alaric witnessed Gilgamesh's true power.

A being born of both man and god, crowned as the Wedge of Heaven, the ancient king stood at the pinnacle of both humanity and divinity—a figure among the strongest in human history!

And the towering peak Alaric must one day surpass—

"So this is the King of Heroes…"