Becoming Enkidu in DxD

Chapter 398 398: The Little Goddess, Ana!

"Rumble—!"

High above, the sound of rolling thunder shook the heavens.

Merlin looked up at that moment, catching sight of a 'Commandment' streaking through the sky at a blistering speed.

The Commandment representing 'Love' had finally found its most suitable host. It flew straight from Akira's location toward this battlefield with a singular, driving purpose: to merge with its chosen owner.

"That thing... it bodes ill," Merlin muttered.

"What?"

Following Merlin's gaze, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked up just in time to see the Commandment of Love hurtling directly toward Mash.

"Bang—!"

The sheer force of the impact sent Mash flying, her body skidding backward across the earth.

Gorgon, who had been locked in a fierce struggle with Mash until a moment ago, froze in confusion. She couldn't wrap her head around the situation—was this some sort of reinforcement sent for her?

On the other side, the moment the Commandment of Love collided with Mash, it sank into her body, merging instantly with her soul. In that heartbeat, her eyes—once a bright, clear purple—shifted into a deep, abyssal black.

"Love—"

In an instant, Mash understood exactly what kind of power dwelt within this Commandment.

Before her, the wielder of the 'Commandment of Love,' anyone who harbored even a shred of hatred in their heart would lose all power to harm others.

"Swoosh—"

The effect was instantaneous.

Gorgon, who had been radiating a terrifying, feral aura, suddenly turned frail the moment Mash absorbed the Commandment.

An Avenger is a being fueled by spite; as long as the hatred in their heart burns, they generate an endless supply of Mana. It is the greatest strength of an Avenger, but now, it had become her fatal weakness.

The curse of the 'Commandment of Love' strips the strength from anyone 'possessing hatred.'

It was the perfect natural counter. Gorgon, who had been so aggressive just seconds ago, suddenly withered. Even with a body as massive as a mountain, she felt her strength draining away until she was utterly powerless.

"What is happening? Why... why can't I muster any strength? I can't even feel my Mana!"

Panic and dread began to take hold. As a goddess whose power had been shattered before, the thing Gorgon feared most in the depths of her heart was 'weakness.'

Because of weakness, she had been hurt time and time again. Because of weakness, she had been forced to become a hideous monster, step by agonizing step. Her transformation into this gargantuan gorgon form was, in truth, born from the obsession buried in her soul.

"It's over, Goddess of Magical Beasts."

Mash walked toward Gorgon, one heavy step at a time. Looking down at the helpless goddess who still tried to glare at her with sharp, defiant eyes, Mash spoke with a trace of hesitation in her voice.

"Over? No... it has only just begun, Servant of Chaldea. I do not know what trickery you used to suppress me, but to think you can kill me? That is nothing but a delusion."

She held the Holy Grail. As long as her child, Kingu, existed, she would not die.

However, Gorgon had overlooked one thing. Kingu was not here, and her current assault was a unilateral move she had made on her own.

Furthermore, Kingu had just left Uruk, heading in the exact opposite direction. With Kingu's speed, she had likely cleared the borders of Uruk by now. Finding her would be no easy task.

Combined with her Avenger class traits, Gorgon did possess a certain level of immortality.

Mash knit her brows slightly upon hearing this. In her mind, as long as she killed Gorgon, the anomaly of this Singularity would be resolved. After that, she would only need to retrieve the Holy Grail from Shin Akira, and this journey would reach its conclusion.

But right now, she could only suppress Gorgon. When it came to delivering a finishing blow, she felt at a loss as to what to do.

"Leave the rest to me."

"Clink, clink—"

The clear, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed across the battlefield.

A young girl wearing a hooded cloak appeared out of nowhere.

She had long purple hair and a face that was a mirror image of Gorgon's. Yet, their attitudes toward humanity were polar opposites.

Gorgon, the Avenger, was a vessel of pure spite. This small figure, however, had eyes filled with a myriad of emotions—but not a single trace of hatred could be found among them.

Her name was Ana, a "Wandering Servant" manifested in the land of Uruk by the influence of the Holy Grail. She had no Master. Her class was Lancer.

Not long ago, she had encountered Merlin by chance and, after some convincing, had joined their group.

In Mesopotamia, which still lingered in the twilight of the Age of Gods, the constraints of contracts were heavy and absolute.

"Swoosh—"

In the hands of this little goddess was a scythe that radiated a bone-chilling cold.

"I'll take it from here."

Ana glanced at Mash, who was currently in her Demon God state. Though the two had no prior history, for some reason, Mash felt that the little girl standing before her was someone she could trust implicitly.

Merlin, watching from a distance, stood stunned for a moment. Seeing that small figure step forward, his expression softened with a touch of complexity.

Harpe (The Slayer of Immortals). The Noble Phantasm held by Ana was the very weapon used by Perseus in the legends of Greek mythology.

As a weapon, the scythe's raw power was relatively average. Among the world's legendary Noble Phantasms, it didn't particularly stand out, possessing only basic attributes like "sharpness" and "durability."

However, Harpe's true fame lay in its ability to sever the laws of immortality, rendering any form of eternal life completely null and void.

It was a Noble Phantasm specifically designed to be the ultimate counter to Gorgon—who was, in essence, herself.

Ana's very existence was meant to be a restraint on Gorgon. After devouring her two older sisters, Medusa had devolved into a mindless, savage beast—the Gorgon.

Ana represented the final remnants of kindness and reason. She had appeared for the sole purpose of stopping herself.

The two were like independent personalities residing within the same soul of Medusa. One was the personality consumed by hatred, manifesting as an 'Avenger' to destroy humanity.

The other was Ana.

"Gorgon, it's all over."

As Ana approached with her scythe, step by slow step, a sudden, primal terror seized Gorgon.

"Who are you?! Stay back! Don't come any closer!"

An inexplicable fear forced a heart-wrenching cry from Gorgon's throat.

"How ironic," Ana said softly. "In your quest for revenge, you became this... Have you truly forgotten your own face?"

"Who are you?! Tell me!"

"Who am I?"

With a faint, melancholic smile, Ana pulled back her hood, revealing her face.

The same hair color. A face that was seventy percent identical. The same purple eyes. Even their Mana felt like it was flowing from the exact same source.

"It's over, Gorgon."

"No! Stay away! Kingu, my child, where are you?! Come back and protect me!"

At this moment, the giant snake goddess no longer held that terrifying aura from before. All that remained was a mess of horror and frantic desperation.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

You can also check out my new translation project of a novel about a protagonist who can travel between the One Piece and Hunter x Hunter worlds. Please visit my profile. Thank you!

Join my Patreon here:

patreon.com/FaaanzKun

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —