Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

Back in the classroom.

Souma saw everyone pulling out their phones, eyes glued to their screens.

Ding ling ling~

The class bell rang.

The "leftover" teacher, Ms. Hiratsuka, stepped onto the podium, looking exasperated at the students below. "Hey, hey, class is starting. Are you all trying to rebel?"

It was clearly class time, yet every single one of them was on their phones!

Her fists clenched involuntarily.

Literally hardened with frustration!

Do they have a death wish?

Julian expressionlessly reminded her, "Teacher, the content creator [Alaya] just updated!"

"Hah, and that's your excuse for using phones in class? Put them away, all of you!"

Ms. Hiratsuka smacked the desk authoritatively.

Reluctantly, everyone put their phones away, shooting her resentful looks.

Then.

The teacher turned on the projector. "What's the point of everyone watching on their tiny screens? Let's watch it together on the big screen—isn't that way better?"

"Ms. Hiratsuka, you're the best! We love you!"

The class erupted in cheers.

It was clear just how popular the content creator [Alaya] had become after all these exposés.

Souma silently wept inside. "The problem is—you're exposing my embarrassing past!"

Profiting off someone else's dark history—typical of that black-hearted capitalist Alaya, who made him work 24/7!

On the big screen, the video began playing.

Facing the judgment of the heavenly gods, Nameless, like the great hero Arash, sacrificed himself to unleash the full power of Ea.

With one strike, he severed the connection between gods and humans, cutting off heaven and earth!

The apocalyptic flood abruptly dissipated.

Transforming into a torrential downpour that enveloped the world.

Gilgamesh stood in the rain, watching his dearest friend slowly fade away.

The battle against the gods was over. Humanity would break free from the constraints of the divine and embrace a bright future.

But this future would be one without them.

Loneliness, solitude, helplessness…

For the first time, the King of Heroes, who was usually too proud to acknowledge anyone, displayed these emotions openly, making him seem all the more real.

"He looks so lonely…"

Whispers spread through the class.

Just watching the scene made them feel that overwhelming sense of isolation.

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

From vibrant life to eerie desolation.

Not a single living thing remained on the screen.

Animals, plants, insects—all gone.

Only endless oppression remained.

[The Underworld]

The stark white text sent chills down everyone's spines, as if a terrifying ghost might leap out at any moment.

Nameless, whose body had previously collapsed and vanished, reappeared on the screen once more.

He was seen walking through a peculiar passageway, with faint golden light shimmering in his hand.

Upon closer inspection, the golden glow turned out to be a gleaming golden chain.

It was none other than the chain that bound the heavens and the earth, that shackled man and god, that restrained the Wedge of Heaven—

[The Chains of Heaven]

Stripped of his powers by the gods and severed from his origin by the Sword of Rupture, it had fully reverted to its original form.

Holding the golden chain, the nameless one strode toward a door blocking his path: "Ereshkigal, I'm here to negotiate!"

The path to the deepest reaches of the underworld was guarded by no fewer than seven gates.

When Ishtar had once sought to meet Ereshkigal, each gate had stripped her of her divine authority, layer by layer.

Even her garments had been peeled away one by one.

By the time she stood before the mistress of the underworld, she had been effortlessly slain!

Had it not been for Anu, the king of gods, personally resurrecting her, Ishtar would have been no more.

Yet, as the nameless one arrived, the vicious stone gate shimmered with a faint glow, and a gentle voice emerged—

[Answer my question first]

[Though beauty lies in the eyes of a thousand beholders, there are still things of absolute beauty.]

[Between Ereshkigal and Ishtar, who is the most beautiful?]

Though it should have been mechanical and cold, the voice now brimmed with nervous unease.

Just by listening, one could easily picture a little girl hiding behind a door, anxiously awaiting an answer.

The crowd watching the video was utterly stunned—

-"This… is way too adorable!"

-"Damn it, my favorite goddess is acting like this in front of someone else!"

-"Nameless, you truly are a sinful man!"

-"Ereshkigal's speed of surrendering is on par with her sister's uselessness!"

She should have been the terrifying mistress of the underworld.

Yet, at their first meeting, she surrendered instantly.

As Nameless approached, the goddess immediately fled.

At their second meeting, she struck such an adorable pose that it was impossible not to laugh.

Hearing the question, Nameless smiled and replied, "Of course, it's the gentle, virtuous, considerate, and understanding little cutie Ereshkigal who's the most beautiful!"

A direct attack!

The Ereshkigal-class was sunk in one strike!

Boom—

The door opened, but not the expected seven layers of gates.

Only the first door swung ajar, revealing the mistress of the underworld in plain sight!

***

Uruk.

Gilgamesh, watching the video, laughed heartily. "Nameless, you truly are a menace!"

Previously, King Arthur had announced her journey to Futuki City precisely to find him.

Now, [Alaya] had exposed Nameless's affair with Ereshkigal—was this adding fuel to the fire?

Amusing!

Truly amusing!

Gilgamesh grew increasingly eager to see what kind of trouble that bastard would face.

Back then, he had been deceived so thoroughly.

He truly believed that Nameless and Enkidu had left forever, never to be seen again.

Bearing endless grief, he could only suppress it deep in his heart, enduring it alone.

Such torment deserved to be repaid tenfold—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

The girl in resplendent attire, her face flushed, asked, "Why do you sound so smooth? How many times have you said this to others?"

"First time."

Nameless answered earnestly.

Then.

He pointed to the golden chain mark on his hand. "Ereshkigal, could you help preserve a tiny fragment of Enkidu's essence? Otherwise, they'll vanish completely."

"Hmph! I am the mistress of the underworld—I bring only death, not rebirth! Why should I help you?" Ereshkigal deliberately turned her head away with arrogance.

This guy had shamelessly praised her in front of her sister and Gilgamesh earlier.

After enduring an eternity of solitude, this was the first time anyone had complimented her so lavishly—she couldn't handle it at all.

Since then, she had secretly watched him every day, only to find that he never once thought to seek her out.

But that was to be expected.

Only death would come to her—

Fine, you're forgiven!

"Because you're kind and adorable."

Nameless answered with absolute confidence.

"You—!"

Ereshkigal's face instantly flushed crimson, and she hastily invoked her authority to mask it. "By the name of Ereshkigal, I grant the Chains of Heaven rebirth!"

A surge of immense power flowed forth, settling onto the golden chain.

The Chains of Heaven, on the verge of complete dissipation, finally ceased crumbling away.

Nameless exhaled slightly in relief.

Previously stripped of their essence by the gods and severed by Ea, it was as if Enkidu's very existence had been erased.

Making it fundamentally impossible for her to manifest in the modern era as a heroic spirit.

Now, with the direct intervention of the underworld goddess who governs death, she has finally been granted a future.

Ereshkigal snorted lightly, "Don't celebrate too soon. Although you severed the connection between the heavenly gods and the mortal world, you've also awakened another existence."

Hum~

A translucent screen appeared before Nameless.

In the vast ocean lay a terrifying entity of unimaginable power, quietly resting.

She slowly opened her eyes, emitting a peculiar sound: "Aaaaaa..."

***

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