However, Li Xing's attack did not inflict much damage on Tiamat. Instead, it caused the black mud to rapidly increase, instantly submerging the deepest layer of the Underworld.
Following this, eleven Lahmus slowly emerged from the black mud, entirely new demonic beasts, each possessing power comparable to that of a Demon God.
The Lahmus then surged forward with speed even greater than Ishtar's. Neither Ishtar nor Mash could contend with these new Lahmus.
Merlin, however, remained formidable, drawing a weapon resembling a holy sword. He could handle two Lahmus at once, proving himself the Sword Saint of Avalon, truly living up to his reputation.
"These pests are so annoying! Heavenly Dao Draw!"
Li Xing drew his sword with maximum force, killing a Lahmu with a single strike. Yet, as soon as one was eliminated, another new Lahmu crawled out of the black mud; it was an endless cycle.
These Lahmus were not only fast; they could also change their forms, transforming their arms into weapons, elongating them, and firing mana projectiles.
Ishtar and Mash were quickly defeated. Ereshkigal was also struggling. Suddenly, as a mana projectile was about to hit Ereshkigal, Li Xing appeared in a flash, embracing her in a princess carry.
"Don't worry, I will protect you and your Underworld. We are friends, after all. Come, let's shake hands." Li Xing gently set Ereshkigal down and extended his hand.
Ereshkigal felt a bit embarrassed by Li Xing's actions but still reached out and clasped his hand.
Immediately, a surge of Star God power flowed into Ereshkigal's body. Now, Ereshkigal was protected by a Star God, making leaving the Underworld no longer an issue. However, this was not Li Xing's primary objective. Ereshkigal had granted the authority of the Underworld to the living, which would incur punishment. Li Xing naturally had to save Ereshkigal and use the power of a Star God to eliminate this punishment.
"What… what's happening?" Ereshkigal asked, looking bewildered, only feeling a warmth spreading through her body.
"Hey! Stop all this mushy stuff! I'm about to get killed..." Ishtar shouted, urging Li Xing to stop dawdling.
Li Xing smiled faintly, conjuring a fireball in his hand. He then tossed the fireball towards the sky above the Underworld, and it rapidly expanded.
"I will create a sun in the Underworld, bringing more warmth to your realm."
Subsequently, the sun created by Li Xing unleashed countless fireballs, incinerating all eleven Lahmus. However, the ultimate source was still Tiamat, and eliminating the Lahmus was futile.
"This… a true sun?" Ereshkigal could hardly believe her eyes. Surely, altering a world was the prerogative of a creation god.
"The Lahmus are coming again! Be careful," Merlin warned everyone, urging them not to dwell on the sun.
Suddenly, several golden longswords descended from the sky, piercing the bodies of the Lahmus. A semi-nude, blond-haired man emerged.
"King!" Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exclaimed excitedly, overjoyed to see Gilgamesh again.
"Let this King assist you! The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh! This place is too noisy, so I've come to lend a hand!"
Gilgamesh stood above, in opposition to the Underworld's sun, his resplendent Gate of Babylon appearing like a second sun.
In truth, this was merely his spiritual form. In the Age of Gods, deceased humans would arrive in the Underworld. However, Gilgamesh's deeds had already been recorded in the Throne of Heroes, and he was destined to fade.
Suddenly, Tiamat below ceased her movements. Her eyes widened, and a circular field, akin to an Absolute Demonic Field, rapidly expanded.
"Anti-Genesis! Mash, protect me." Li Xing quickly retreated behind Mash. This was different from the previous shield; Tiamat was actively releasing it. Anyone caught within its radius would be reset. Li Xing dared not take such a risk at the moment.
"Anti-Genesis? Could it be… World New Beginning!" Merlin's eyes were also filled with disbelief.
"Sea of the Heavens! Prison of the Earth! My heel is the wrath of Hades! Appear! Forge of the Burning Sun! Spirit Peak Embracing the Furnace of Hades!"
Ereshkigal would not allow Tiamat to wreak havoc in the Underworld. She immediately unleashed her Noble Phantasm, and the terrain of the Underworld sealed Tiamat, temporarily halting the Anti-Genesis.
"Mash, Merlin, both of you unleash your Noble Phantasms simultaneously. Ritsuka, you enter the Anti-Genesis and deliver a fatal blow to Tiamat. As for the weapon, King Gilgamesh has one." Li Xing no longer held back, directly stating the plan to save time on discussion.
"Hmph! You fellow, you are quite astute! Take this, aim for her head; that is her weak point." Gilgamesh snorted and threw a dagger at Fujimaru Ritsuka from his Gate of Babylon.
Fujimaru Ritsuka made her decision immediately, resolved to try no matter what.
"Sea of Stars, Lookout Point, from the corner of Paradise, I inform you all, your stories are filled with blessings, only the innocent may enter, an eternally isolated Utopia!"
"True Name, revealed. I shall stand upon the seat of calamity, the homeland that can heal all wounds, all grudges. Appear! The city of ideals, now distant!"
Merlin and Mash unleashed their Noble Phantasms simultaneously. Mash was responsible for defending against the Anti-Genesis, while Merlin paved the way for Fujimaru Ritsuka. This was truly an integrated effort!
"I'll give you a push! Ama-no-Tebikona!" Li Xing instantly sent Fujimaru Ritsuka into the Anti-Genesis, saving her a considerable distance.
Just as Fujimaru Ritsuka entered the Anti-Genesis, new Lahmus appeared once more. Li Xing directly brought the Lahmus to his side and instantly killed them with a single slash, repeating this process.
Fujimaru Ritsuka also struggled her way to Tiamat's front. Suddenly, Fou appeared beside Fujimaru Ritsuka and let out a cry. Fujimaru Ritsuka fell onto Tiamat's face, and without hesitation, stabbed her dagger in.
"Now! Dataize! Copy!" Li Xing instantly appeared on Tiamat, placing a hand on her body as a stream of data enveloped Tiamat.
To safely dataize and copy, this was the only moment.
After the successful copy, Li Xing returned to Mash's side with Fujimaru Ritsuka. Gilgamesh, seeing this, offered a rare smile.
"It appears the outcome is already decided. Then, let this final strike be a farewell ceremony!"
Golden light appeared beneath Gilgamesh's feet, and a red weapon materialized: Ea, the Sword of Rupture that Cleaves the World. Gilgamesh was finally unleashing his full power.
"Narrate the primordial! At the moment of creation, even nothingness offered its congratulations. With my Sword of Rupture, I rend the world. Enuma Elish! The Chalddean Celestial Prison, the end of the night before creation!"
"Enuma Elish!"
The Sword of Rupture in Gilgamesh's hand spun, creating spatial rifts. With a powerful swing, a force capable of cleaving the world struck Tiamat.
"Tiamat died by the hands of Eä and Marduk, and here by Ea. Is it truly destiny? Very well, return to the heavens. Do not come to the human world again. Your children cannot withstand your torment."
Before the Sword of Rupture could cleave the world, Li Xing used his Star God power to send Tiamat's core consciousness back to the heavens. Accompanied by Lahmu and Lhamu, she would surely not feel lonely.
After this, Merlin sent everyone out of the Underworld. However, Li Xing remained temporarily. He intended to help Ereshkigal repair the Underworld and, along the way, planted a cherry blossom sapling. With Li Xing's modifications, it would be incredibly easy for plants to survive.
"Thank you, Li Xing. You are not only the sun of the Underworld but also my sun."
As they parted, Ereshkigal embraced Li Xing. She knew that this farewell might be eternal, but she promised to take good care of the cherry blossom sapling.
...
On a plain, Li Xing stood guard over a sleeping Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash. He used this time to relocate the citizens of Uruk elsewhere.
However, Siduri could not be released. According to human history, Siduri had already died. Forcibly bringing her back would create another Singular Point, or even a Lostbelt.
Li Xing was powerless to do anything about this. He could only show Siduri the ensuing battle. Siduri was content; as long as Uruk's civilization could be preserved, she did not mind spending eternity there.
But Li Xing had already devised a plan. By jumping to another world or traveling to the distant future, these conflicts could be avoided. In the future, Siduri would merely be an ordinary citizen, no longer the High Priestess of Uruk.
...
When Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash awoke, Li Xing produced a wristband and placed it on Fujimaru Ritsuka's hand.
"You are fated to connect with me. Wear this, and when you are isolated and helpless in the Age of Gods, you may summon me."
Fujimaru Ritsuka touched the wristband on her hand. Though she did not understand what Li Xing meant by the Age of Gods, she still expressed her gratitude.
"Well, then, until next time!" With that, Li Xing traversed dimensions at extreme speed. The third root of this world had departed, but the work of the root continued.
After a day of travel, Li Xing once again descended upon Earth in the form of an infant. However, this city was called Fuyuki.
"It's like this again. The environment isn't the Age of Gods either. I'll have to adapt again. Hmm? Is that a train? No matter, I'll grow up first!"
As Li Xing grew to seven years old, he saw another carriage where a frail, black-haired little girl had fallen, surrounded by swarms of insects.