Ereshkigal/ Ishtar and Luo hao: Many readers do not seem to agree with the way I described the fight. They seem convinced that the Fate Goddess with their Magic Resistance (D rank for Ereshkigal, A rank for Ishtar) had nothing to fear from Luo Hao's Authorities.
This is the problem of crossovers, there is no official scale of comparison between the powers of the Campiones and the Servants, and it is up to the author of the Fanfic to create his own scaling.
The following is just my personal opinion you have the right to disagree.
In Fate, Magic Resistance operates in a rather strange way. Saber in Fate/ Zero is cared for by Irisviel. Her Magic Resistance seems to recognize healing Magecraft as non-dangerous and allows her to be treated. However, in Unlimited Blade Work, her magic Resistance forms a bubble around her where the spells of Caster disappear...
In Campione! The Magic Resistance of the Campiones is a barrier that extends to the surface of their skin and stops all manifestations of magic, whether they are attacks or healing spells.
I deduce that the resistance to the magic of the Campiones is much more absolute than the Magic Resistance of the Servants but only affects the Campione himself.
However, Campiones may be injured or killed by an Authority.
In Campione! The Divine Authorities are not considered magic but the embodiment of the will of a god. It's much more than mundane magic. So no, Ishtar's Magic Resistance would not allow her to cross unscathed the tornadoes created by Luo Hao, because Dragon Voice is not magic but an Authority of the Vedic goddess Gayatri.
And yes, Eereshkigal can usurp the Authority of another god and yes this would probably allow her to take the Authorities of Luo Hao but... this ability of Ereshkigal only works in the Netherworld and against deities she has already defeated.
Shirou's Magic Circuit: Although Magic Circuits are sort of pseudo-nerves that manifest physically in some parts of the body (arms and legs generally) they are not really part of the body. They are part of the soul, however, if a Magus loses an arm (like Shirou in HF), he can no longer use the Magic Circuits in that arm. When Shirou received Archer's arm, he was able to use the Servant's Magic Circuits instead of his own.
Nevertheless, as previously said Magic Circuits are in the soul of an individual.
When Shirou was reincarnated, he regained the use of the Magic Circuits in his left arm... in addition to the Magic Circuits in Archer's left arm because he has parts of EMIYA's soul.
Shirou's Tracing abilities: You know, no matter what you say about Shirou you'll find people who will criticize you. And one thing I learned a long time ago, is there's no point in trying to convince people who don't want to be convinced. However, I will respond to a few comments. The real Avalon remained in the Fateverse... inside a metal statue formed by swords... As for anyone who suggested Nobles Phantasms that Shirou could have used against Luo Hao... Thank you, I assure you I know Shirou's abilities. But 1) Do you really believe that Shirou can afford thirty seconds to focus on Tracing a complex weapon in the middle of a fight with an opponent as fast and strong as Luo Hao? 2) Because of Shirou's troubled state of mind he acts in a stupid way by rushing without thinking... there again this does not allow him to consider the use of a Noble Phantasm more suited to the situation. 3) What do you have against Kanshou and Bakuya? They are Nobles Phantasms C- Rank, which increases the Magic Resistance of the wielder and can return like boomerangs when thrown. 4) Shirou uses other Noble Phantasms in this fight, he Traces the swords of the giant Fier-à-bras and Avalon.
I don't think I made any mistake about Shirou's behavior or his abilities in this chapter.
In many Fanfics where the Faker appears, there is an imposed figure: Shirou Tracing a Sword perfectly adapted to the situation, capable of killing the enemy in one blow and reversing the course of the situation (add some sort of heroic music here). But you only see this in Fanfics. In the original Fate Stay Night story, Archer faces Berserker using essentially Kanshou and Bakuya... and he wasn't masochistic. He uses the two Dao sabers because the Married Blades are reliable weapons, that he can Trace quickly and that match his fighting style.
You have to understand that Tracing is prohibitive. Except for some weapons that Archer got used to Tracing quickly, after years of training (Kanshou and Bakuya, his bow) all other weapons cost dearly. Of course, there is an alternative: the pre-Projection... in other words, reciting the first three lines of his Aria... but in a fight with an opponent as fast as a Servant or a Campione, it means concentrating for long seconds, without weapons... playing sitting duck. You will notice that in the Animes and the original work, Archer never invokes a Noble Phantasm like Caladbolg II when he does not have time to use the long method. In FGO/ First Order, we see the blackened version of EMIYA using Caladbolg II almost instantly. Yes, it contradicts everything I said before... except the Fuyuki Grail provides EMIYA with mana... near-limitless mana.
Ishtar: So it's very nice of you to try to explain to me who Ishtar is but... have you read the Epic of Gilgamesh? No? I've read it. I also read anthropological articles on the Sumero-Babylonian religion, I even listened to "The seduction of the Goddess Innana", the recreation (with period instruments) of an ancient religious hymn dedicated to Innana/Ishtar. I NEVER write anything without doing a lot of research. I can reasonably think that I know what I'm talking about, especially because I take into account recent discoveries.
Ishtar is a goddess of war? Yes. But she is not a fighting goddess, she is a goddess who incites wars between mortals or pushes the other gods to fight. She has never faced Gilgamesh directly. 1°) Ishtar has tried to seduce him (Tablet VI of the Epic of Gilgamesh). 2°) After being dampened by the refusal of Gilgamesh (who compares her to an old broken shoe) Ishtar asked her father (Anu, the god of heaven) to lend her the Heavenly Bull so that she could take revenge (Gilgamesh and the Heavenly Bull).
Innana/ Ishtar is the Sumerian/ Babylonian deity who makes whims and howls until she is given what she desires.
The precious Innana replied: «I will howl, bring the sky closer to the earth! » He was afraid, he was very afraid, (Anu was very afraid of Innana) Anu replied to Innana: "I will give her Taurus of Heaven." (Gilgamesh and the Heavenly Bull).
She's a goddess of love who creates dissension, and war... like Aphrodite in the Trojan War.
When Ishtar fights in Babylonia: Absolute Demonic Front, she uses the Boat of Heaven... or Rin Tohsaka's Magecraft and Bajiquan martial art.
King of the... Harem?!
Leaning over the window of the plane, Kusanagi Godou saw two golden metal giants advancing, knocking the trees around them, and chasing someone invisible from the sky. But the giants - some sort of Authority? - were in turn attacked. Several huge swords appeared in the air in a whirlpool of blue particles. Catapulted forward, these blades pierced the metal colossi which collapsed before returning to nothingness.
This power demonstration surprised all the occupants of the aircraft, but the most shocked was Erica Blandelli. The blonde-haired Italian was a mage of the Hermetic School of magic. Her specialty was the manipulation of iron. But this gift did not allow her to create a sword out of nothing, even if she could create duplicates Cuore di Leone, her sword, or even transform it to give it the appearance and powers of the Holy Lance of Longinus.
All assumed that it was a Divine Authority... they would have been even more shocked if they had learned that it was a (not so) mundane form of magic.
As often happens, Godou was the first to react. This teenager lived a normal life, went to high school, and played baseball... Until his grandfather had sent him to deliver an ancient tablet to Sardinia. There he had met the god Vrethragana, busy fighting Melqart, the Phoenician god of the sea. They were going to ravage the island and perhaps even the whole Mediterranean, they had to be stopped. In front of the Persian god of war, Kusanagi Godou showed self-control when anyone else would have fled. Rather than fear, he had felt an excitement that clearly showed one thing: Godou actually had nothing ordinary. There were probably many people like Godou in the contemporary world. They would have been more in their place at the time of Genghis Khan to command hordes of conquering horsemen. The peaceful, polished, consumer society in which they were born lulled their instincts... At least until they meet a Heretic God.
Designating the forest ravaged by the rain of swords, Godou turned to the pilot.
"Quick! We have to find a place to land..."
Alexander Gascoigne shook his head.
"No, we don't have time to find an airfield and then come back here. I suggest that those who know how to fly take charge of those who can't!"
Erica was the first to react.
"His Excellency Black Prince Alec is right. We have not a moment to lose."
Without giving Liliana time to react, the Diavolo Rosso took Godou's arm, clasping tightly against him ... smiling as the young man blushed.
"My King, your devoted knight will take you ashore."
Opening the door of the plane, Erica Blandelli leaps into the void shouting:
"Sandles of Hermes."
A circle of scarlet magic adorned with a rose appeared under her feet. She bounced on its surface and jumped further as another circle was forming. It was her version of the Leap spell, allowing moving in the air in successive jumps.
Unlike her childhood friend, Lilianna Kranjcar was capable of true flight. Supporting Yuri Mariya, she quickly joined them. The two women were floating next to their King and his 'first wife'.
"Where are we going?"
Kusanagi Godou looked around them. There was no sign of combat... He hesitated. At that moment a female voice sounded.
"I hear battle noises!"
They turned to Ena Seishuuin. The teenager in a Japanese school uniform was supported by Alec Gascoigne. Like Lilianna, the Devil King was enveloped in an aura of bluish light.
Ena being the most recent of his 'wives' Godou did not know her talents as well as those of the first three members of his 'harem'.
"Are you sure about this?"
The red-eyed teenager only acquiesced and showed a part of the forest still standing.
"My hearing is much more sensitive than that of an ordinary human, Godou. It comes from that direction. There are two people fighting."
Godou hesitated only briefly.
"All right... King Alexander Gascoigne, since you have taken charge of Ena Seishuuin, could you guide us by following her instructions?"
Many Campiones would have taken offense to another Devil King telling him what to do, but Alec was a realistic person. He was in the 8th Campione territory he would work with him... at least as long as he got what he needed. Black Prince Alec simply nodded, taking the lead of their small group.
He landed in a clearing and waited for Godou and the rest of his harem while Ena listened, turning her head from all sides in search of the origin of the battle noises she heard.
The energetic teenager was already showing a direction:
"It's this way!"
"Let's go," replied Godou.
Running among the trees and rocks emerging from the humus, they reached a portion of the forest that had been ravaged by the recent battle.
Two women were facing each other, two Asians.
The first one had blond hair with pigtails and a black tiara. She was dressed in black with a red brocade cape. In her hands, she was holding a spear wrapped in red flames.
In front of her... A woman dressed in smoking rags, her face looked like a blood mask, and she was standing in a combat position. Her eyes were green.
Alec recognized her:
"Luo Hao..."
His voice choked with disbelief. The Ruler of the Martial Art seemed to have been thrown into a boiler and then severely beaten. But she was smiling from ear to ear. How could China's Freakishly Strong Girl have received this kind of beating?
Luo Hao recognized Alexander Gascoigne and her good mood disappeared. She usually showed little emotion, but - at the sight of the English Campione, and the strangers around him- she winced with a sulky expression comparable to that of a spoiled child who was denied a toy.
"King Alexander, I seemed to have refused your... help. Could you explain to me what you're doing here?"
Alec blinked. The voice of Luo Hao was so cold that he had the impression that a bucket of ice cubes had just been knocked over his neck. It wasn't the first time he faced the hostility of a very powerful being... it was a bit of a Devil King routine. But he knew full well that he had no chance of victory against the Ruler of the Martial Art if she decided to fight him seriously.
He hesitated, seeking an answer that could calm this damned battle junkie. However, Erica Blandelli used Black Prince Alec's hesitation to step forward and bow gracefully.
"King Luo Hao, it is an honor to meet the paragon of martial arts, let me introduce myself. My name is Erica Blandelli, knight of the Copper-Black Cross. I'm in the service of King Godou Kusanagi, Devil King of Japan."
With her hand, she pointed to the only other boy among the newcomers. Apparently, he was an ordinary, though athletic, teenager. Dressed in a white shirt and jeans, he had loose hair, a mocking and seductive smile, as well as attentive eyes.
However, Godou's expression changed to be replaced by exasperation when he heard what Erica then said:
"And - on behalf of my King - let me ask you, what are you doing here? Because it is not up to King Alexander Gascoigne to justify his presence in these places! I remind you that no Campione can enter the territory of another Campione without first asking permission. Moreover, my king is a benevolent king who cares a lot about the citizens living in his kingdom; now, it seems that you attacked three goddesses on your own initiative and without even evacuating the area. Do you realize how insulting you are?"
Godou Kusanagi had some good reasons to be exasperated because - of course- Erika intervened on her own initiative, without having informed her King. It was typical of Erika... the knight was so certain that the Campione she served was the strongest among his peers that she did not accept any disrespect. And Erika did not hesitate to launch a declaration of war without even warning Godou of her intentions... Sometimes Godou Kusanagi wondered what the definition of "Supreme Ruler" was in Erika's personal dictionary!
On his own, Godou would have chosen a more diplomatic approach...
Luo Hao turned to Godou and looked at him briefly before shrugging his shoulders.
"I don't recognize any Devil King whose strength I haven't personally tested."
"Then you're a hypocrite, King Luo Hao."
Erica Blandelli's blunt answer had snapped like a thunderbolt and everyone (even Ereshkigal) had turned to the woman knight to look at her in amazement.
"Hypocrite" repeated the Ruler of the Martial Art, visibly offended.
"You ask that King Alexander Gascoigne obey you without discussion, but you are not ready to recognize the rights of another Campione in its own territory. As my people say, 'It's a double standard.' "
There was a moment of silence.
Black Prince Alec watched the exchange between the two women without being able to hide his discomfort. Gascoigne expected the Ruler of The Martial Art to attack the young woman immediately to punish her for her brazenness. He was surprised to see her regain her composure and look at the Italian blonde with interest. Luo Hao had a number of flaws... but the Ruler of the martial Art respected some of the qualities that the knight of the Copper-Black Cross had just demonstrated.
"This Luo Hao congratulates you on your courage and loyalty. But Her Eminence's response does not change." She pointed to Ereshkigal. "This one is my prey. This Luo Hao will fight anyone, man, god, or Devil King who stands between me and my adversary."
Nervous, Ereshkigal tightened her hands on Nergal's spear. The Goddess of the Netherworld had to make an effort to mask her fear. She was facing three Campiones. Of course, she trusted Hakuno and Shirou but... after the prowess shown by Luo Hao, the Queen of the Underworld was sure to have no chance against the three Devil Kings.
"Wait... King Alexander said three goddesses. But there's only one here!"
The one who had just spoken was the teenager whom the blonde woman had called 'King Godou'. Luo Hao replied.
"I have already defeated the goddess Ishtar and the goddess Athena was not there. As there is only one prey left, this Luo Hao keeps Ereshkigal as her legitimate booty!"
She had just uttered these last words when a form of energy appeared behind the Ruler of Martial Art. It was purple and black, it briefly took a fuzzy humanoid shape... before turning into a 14-year-old girl dressed in a school uniform and a knitcap. Her eyes were purple and her hair was the color of silver. Athena! In her hands, the goddess was holding a scythe.
Despite the fact that Athena had attacked by surprise, and in the back, the Ruler of the Martial Art jumped aside, avoiding being cut in half. Nevertheless, a long scarlet line formed from her shoulder to her hip, the gash was deep and the blood soon dyed the whole back of Luo Hao burned dress.
Luo Hao's eyes became narrower with anger.
"Attack in the back? I expected a little more honorable conduct from the goddess of war."
"I am also the goddess of cunning. And you have no lessons to teach me about honor, King Luo Hao. You have slaughtered my worshippers without mercy."
"Humans are just ants to a Campione."
"A Campione is a king. A king who does not care about his people knows the fate of Agamemnon. Arrogance has led to his loss. And if you want to fight, I want to avenge my worshippers. I will be your adversary."
Athena leaps forward, handling her scythe with elegance and liveliness. The Ruler of the Martial Art was wounded, exhausted... nevertheless, she block all attacks with her fists as hard as diamond, returning blow for blow.
This was exactly the kind of diversion Alexander Gascoigne was waiting for to intervene.
"I'll deal with Ereshkigal."
Without waiting for an answer, he appealed to one of his authorities.
"Wind that sings of fascination, night which devours the light, all travelers, helpless in the perilous journey, accompanied by heavy sorrow, abandon all hope!"
It was the power he had gained by defeating the Heretic God King Minos: The Labyrinth.
Immediately around Ereshkigal and Hakuno, the world changed. Thick stone walls formed and spread in all directions. The goddess and the teenager were now alone, separated by miles of corridor. This Authority was very practical since it allowed to trap those who were designated by Alec and to exclude others. In addition, Alec had an instinctive knowledge of the plan of the maze, of the exact position of the people trapped inside. The Devil King could even gradually alter the network of tunnels and rooms, creating a changing labyrinth. As for breaking through by force... it was the Authority of a god! Even a Campione or a Heretic God could not easily destroy the creation of a god.
Alexander Gascoigne smiled. He was in a vast room lit by braziers and decorated with several statues of bull-headed men armed with Labrys, a double axe.
It was the central room of the labyrinth.
He took out a vial filled with his own blood and used it to draw a pentacle, singing an incantation.
"Hear me, daughters of the endless night, daughters of the earth and shadow. Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for blood, knocking out a tooth for a tooth, thus vengeance begins. By the blood of the slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts at filial piety! Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless, retrieve the curse and execute vengeance!"
Black Prince Alec was patient, thoughtful, and manipulative... he carefully planned every fight to win.
The trap had been prepared, now it was enough to draw his prey into the web of the spider. Nevertheless, Alec was not in a hurry. He was going to take care of Hakuno Kishinami first.
King Alec concentrated before reciting the incantation of a third Authority.
Shirou was nervous...
He had been driven away by the formation of the strange building. The ground had risen as the landscape was transformed. Luckily, Ishtar had remained close to him. The goddess was still unconscious but her face had recovered its colors. She'd probably wake up in a few minutes.
Anxiously he looked at the long wall that was suddenly born. The wall painted in blue was decorated with red half-columns and naive frescoes in which women dressed in dresses leaving their bare breasts seemed to admire the prowess of men dressed in loincloths who jumped over bulls.
These drawings seemed vaguely familiar... he had already seen them on TV or in a book.
An ancient civilization in Europe or the Mediterranean Sea...
But he had no time to recall vague memories of vanished civilizations. A woman flew over the mysterious building.
Having seen the redhead teen, she went towards him. The blue aura that surrounded her vanished as soon as her feet touched the ground.
She was beautiful. A thin and delicate girl with long silver hair in a ponytail that made her look like a fairy. She wore a short black dress with a wide belt and a cape covering only the shoulders, blue striped with black.
There was something in her that reminded Saber's behavior, maybe the way she walked, the assurance in her eyes, but also the calm on her face. He felt she was ready to fight without being aggressive.
Instinctively, he felt less worried.
"I am Liliana Kranjcar, knight of the Bronze-Black Cross."
A knight woman? He should have guessed this... the Faker smiled friendly.
"Shirou Emiya" replied the redhead with a strand of white hair.
Liliana looked in the direction of the young woman lying on the ground. On her chest, she held an object in the shape of a long triangle, made of gold and blue lacquer. Moths of gold light surrounded the unconscious person.
"Can I ask if this woman is the Heretic Goddess Ishtar?"
Shirou Emiya stiffened slightly and refused to answer the question directly.
"This is my friend."
Liliana understood the warning contained in this reply and frowned. For a moment, the young man's voice had been as cold and hard as a sword. The young Croat hesitated... obviously, it was not easy to speak in such a situation. The Campiones were the enemies of the Heretics Gods.
"My King is a fair and good man..."
The knight woman stopped for a brief moment to think about what she should say next... well maybe mentioning that he was also a pervert that wanted to constitute the largest harem in history would not be a good idea...
"You don't have to worry about him attacking your friend to take over her Authorities. He spares even the Goddess he defeated...
Probably because they were female gods, by the way, Godou ambition could not be satisfied only with mortal women. He wanted to gather all the beautiful women of the planet in a huge pool of champagne to engage in activities that decency forbade mentioning.
On the other side of the Labyrinth, Godou sneezed, as Liliana - her cheeks turned red as a result of her fantasy- continued:
"Could you explain to me what happened?"
Shirou scratched the back of his head.
"Actually... I don't really know. At one point Luo Hao arrived... the next, she was up against Ishtar and..."
With his hand, he showed the trees thrown to the ground.
"... and here's the result."
Hakuno Kishinami looked around her without much emotion. Her face showed nothing.
The place looked like the Chimeric Lunar Seas... of course, there were no translucent corridors immersed in the sea, but it was a maze.
The Sovereign of the Moon Cell started exploring the area where she was. With her eidetic memory, Hakuno had no problem remembering where she had gone and therefore had no fear of going in circles.
The place was indeed a maze of interconnected corridors and rooms to form an absurd and illogical entanglement, capable of quickly making the unfortunate person trapped in the Labyrinth lose all sense of orientation. But there was real aesthetic research in its construction. The walls were painted blue, reinforced by red half-columns.
In some places there were statues. Some represented a woman with bare breasts, holding a snake in each hand, others a bull sitting on a throne and holding an axe.
There were also ancient frescoes. She saw palaces, cities, ports with sailing boats, but especially scenes where young people jumped over a bull.
As she had been wandering for a quarter of an hour... a sort of rustling warned her. She was not alone in the maze.
The Faceless Queen was one of Alexander Gascoigne's most useful Authorities. Not only was the water spirit strong and resilient, but she was smart and able to use magic. The Faceless Queen was also loyal and efficient, so Alec could focus on another problem as she carried out her own mission.
As a spirit of the water, she swam very well but the Faceless Queen was also able to fly... and even move inside the earth. This last power was now very useful to her because she can move under the Labyrinth, in a straight line...
Thanks to her divination, she had located Hakuno Kishinami. Her current mission was to take a ring that the teenager wore on her finger and brings it back to the Campione.
Emerging from the earth, the water spirit melts with shadows (another of her powers) to spy on Kishinami. It was not difficult, the only lighting was braziers burning here and there. The flames created shifting shadows that allowed her to hide easily.
The Faceless Queen wasn't really used to humans... actually she was very shy. Nevertheless, while the Water Spirit was quietly following Hakuno, she realized that the girl was worried and frequently looking around her... but also that she was moving around with a kind of assurance that was rather unusual.
Unwilling to increase the discomfort of her prey (Alexander Gascoigne having made it clear that the teenage girl should not be injured) the Faceless Queen passed by Hakuno and seized her from behind.
It was very quick.
Hakuno was attacked from behind. An arm as if made of steel closed on her neck, immobilizing the teen girl, while a hand landed on her own hand.
The next moment, Hakuno felt the Regalia slip off her finger...
At that time, Kishinami was released. The Faceless Queen had taken the Regalia and therefore had no reason to be interested in the former Master.
Turning around, Hakuno saw a female figure moving away quickly, long hair masking her face. The creature disappeared into the ground...
The corridors were now empty and the Victor of the Moon heard nothing but the sounds of flames crackling in the bronze cups aligned along the walls.
Normally, after an attack of this kind, any 16-year-old girl would have been terrorized and would have hid in a corner crying. Moreover, many would have panicked simply to being lost in a maze.
Hakuno remained on her knees for a while, with her hands pressed on her chest to regain control of her heart, which was beating too fast. Yes, she was very afraid. But it was not the first time. Straightening up, she began to think.
Lost in a Labyrinth?
Attacked by monsters, huh?
It sounded like routine for her. In fact, it was her whole story... she was after all an NPC of the Moon Cell Automaton who had no choice but to face the labyrinth of the Chimeric Lunar Seas to avoid deletion.
When the Faceless Queen came to bring him the ring he coveted, Alexander Gascoigne smiled.
Everything was going according to his rigorous planning. He had already got what he wanted. Nevertheless, no Campione worthy of that title would have hesitated before the prospect of obtaining a new Authority, would it not?
Ereshkigal was probably dangerous, but in his maze, he was the master of the game. And he had planned a few traps to make the goddess as harmless as a fly in the web of the spider.
Mentally, he gave some orders to the Labyrinth.
Ereshkigal had been wandering for nearly twenty minutes in a maze of corridors and rooms lit by copper braziers.
As a veteran of the Moon Cell Grail War, she did not panic, applying simple rules not to get lost like letting her hand run over one of the walls and never letting it go.
Except... this labyrinth was changing. She had seen walls move. Openings appear and then disappear.
Ereshkigal reached out and a crystal ball the size of a softball appeared in her hand. The Seer's Crystal Ball radiated an ominous light.
"Code Cast: view_map()"
Inside the Formal Wear appeared an image of the labyrinth that showed the corridors in a radius of about fifty meters.
With the map of the area, things were much simpler. As Ereshkigal got back on track a strange sound echoed in all the Labyrinth of King Minos.
A stone scrape on the stone.
Surprised, the Goddess of the Netherworld saw the hallway shake. The side openings disappeared, while the corridor suddenly stretched out.
She was now in a hallway as straight as a sword, extending further than she could see, and the laterals walls no longer showed any way out. Behind her... the hallway ended in a dead end only five meters away.
"I see..."
It was an invitation and she could not refuse it. Worried, she shook her hands around her lance and cautiously advanced forward.
Having entrusted the management of the Labyrinth to a familiar resembling a palm-sized black calf, with instructions to keep the teen Girl... this Hakuno Kishinami... away from the center of the labyrinth as much as from the entrance, Black Prince Alec prepared to receive his guest.
He had planned to act as a perfect host, to offer some mocking welcome words. He was confident, confident in his abilities and precautionary measures.
Nevertheless, nothing happened as he had imagined...
To the great surprise of the Campione... the Heretic Goddess does not cross the entrance by walking but by flying... floating a few centimeters above the ground.
Her clothes had changed.
Having never seen Ishtar, he did not recognize the white loincloth, blue tight, and blue long glove which was the usual outfit of the other sister goddess. However, he was even more surprised when she invoked the Boat of Heaven Maanna.
Loading Isthar's Noble Phantasm with several arrows, Ereshkigal immediately fired them without giving the King of Thieves time to start a 'civilized' conversation.
Fortunately for him, Black Prince Alec was fast... in fact, he was even as fast as the light!
Turning into black lightning, the Campione rematerialized at the other end of the room as the three arrows exploded, atomizing a wide section of wall, and opening a gap to another corridor.
Ereshkigal smiled.
The Campiones could usurp the Divine Authorities? Big deal! They were not the only ones!
In the past, Ishtar snuck into the Netherworld. However, her sister had lost all her power and Authorities by crossing the gates dividing Ereshkigal's underground kingdom into seven sectors.
Later, Ereshkigal had created a tiara resembling her sister's, even though it was black. This tiara, the Hidden Great Crown (1), allowed her to usurp the powers of Ishtar... of course, after the god Dumuzid sacrificed himself to save his wife, the Mistress of Heaven had been resurrected and the Hidden Great Crown had lost almost all its powers... except when Ishtar was unconscious or asleep.
Which was the case right now.
(1) It is thanks to her tiara that Ereshkigal takes the place of Ishtar when she is asleep or unconscious in FGO/Babylonia: Absolute Demonic Front. Since the Hidden Great Crown allows Ereshkigal to share all the graces received by Ishtar, when the Uruk priestesses invoked the Mistress of Heaven, Ereshkigal was also invoked in the same avatar. Later Chaldea's Fate System allowed Ereshkigal to have her own avatar and thus to have an independent existence outside of the Netherworld... but Ishtar's resurrection continues to limit the power of the Hidden Great Crown.