Chapter 1577: Chapter 270: Great Sin: Star of Gluttony
Inanna—this name can also be called Ishtar.
The meaning of this name is star.
Now, Aiwass, who has retrieved memories of past lives, also remembers the history and mythology they are familiar with.
Ishtar’s status in mythology is extremely high, having even been the Highest Supreme god for a period. The ancient Babylonians’ worship and praise for her became the prototype for the hymns to God in the later Old Testament; her story became the prototype for the goddess of love and beauty in Greek mythology.
As the goddess of nature and harvest in Ancient Babylon, Ishtar was also the goddess of love, war, and fertility. Her father was the original God of gods. However, these divine roles are not important... What is important is her experiences in mythology.
Her husband was Tammuz, the god of plants. Tammuz’s father was Enki, the Water God, creator of life, and the King of the Earth. He wasn’t the Creator God, but rather the founder of civilization. Tamus was also known as the Shepherd Du Muzi, the ancient king of Bade Tibil City, also called Shepherd King.
In one version of the myth, after Tammuz accidentally died, Inanna ventured alone into the Netherworld, passing through seven tests to retrieve her husband. But with each descent into hell, she lost layers of divinity until she passed through the seven gates. At this point, she was no different from a mortal, having lost all divine power.
Subsequently, the myth extends in two directions: One claims she defeated her sister Ereshkigal and brought back her husband. Thus, after the death-representing winter, spring returns, and everything revives.
Another claims she, having lost all divinity, also died in the Netherworld, and under pressure from the gods, Ereshkigal was forced to resurrect her and allowed her to resurrect her husband, Tammuz.
There is also a version asserting confidently that Ishtar personally killed her husband; she was furious at this claim, calling it "slander against me." Another completely different myth has her venturing into the Netherworld to conquer it, but she died there, ultimately having to use her husband as a bargaining chip to escape the Netherworld.
Everything dies, a barren end of times, love for Ai Shiping, the true experience of killing him, but feeling angry when mentioned, using Ai Shiping as a price to leave the Netherworld, and then everything revives...
—These fragments of stories resonate with Amber and Ai Shiping.
If eternal reincarnation is to end in this world, it also implies the death of Ai Shiping and Amber.
Someone should remember their existence—not just the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal, but someone who remembers them alone.
No one is more suitable than her.
Because her birth came about because of Ai Shiping and Amber.
In layer upon layer of reincarnation, the truth of history has become blurred. Just like the various versions of Inanna myths, just like the various Ai Shipings.
Besides... this name also reminded Aiwass of another statement.
It was the cryptic phrase for unlocking the Book of Law and the command to seal Eagle Cape Village.
"Humans, they are all stars—"
At the time, Aiwass didn’t know the meaning of this phrase, but now he understands.
And as Aiwass recites the phrase again, the larvae at his fingertips suddenly bloom with dazzling golden radiance.
The two cards were spontaneously drawn, suspended, hovering left and right.
Aiwass calls out loudly—
"Inanna! I call your name at this moment... Imprinting you with the Mark of Gluttony!"
This is the final mark.
And the mark most fitting for Inanna.
Gluttony is not merely the waste of food. Its essence is an obsession and fixation with everything—to keep oneself existing, the desire to persist something. The cycle of nine reincarnations, even when completely shattered yet refusing to give up, Amber is most evident, and the only suitable great sin is the Sin of Gluttony.
Aiwass continues, solemnly proclaiming: My life is your life, my fate is your fate—
"—Submit to me, Phantom Demon of the Path of Dusk!"
Two huge, vertical dusk-colored arrays instantly appeared on the ground, manifested on the left and right of the cards.
This time, Aiwass didn’t need to draw on the Power of Great Sin.
Relying solely on Aiwass’s will... or rather, under Inanna’s affinity, she autonomously constructed her own "hive"!
Like a pokémon diving into its ball!
If it continued to exist externally, it would mean this world simultaneously has two Ambers. This could either cause some chaos or force the weaker one—Inanna—to undergo some kind of deformation, causing differences in existence.
Much like the Swampfolk.
As with Aiwass’s mother—even if they were the same two people, they would make different choices in the same event. This is because the world makes them develop slight differences.
And Aiwass’s sealing of Inanna, transforming her into the Beast of Great Sin, allows for the same variation between them. Therefore, this itself is an important ritual for Inanna’s birth. Without completing this part of the ritual, she could only exist as a larva in the present world, unable to metamorphose and fully come into being!
However...
At this moment, the ritual suddenly came to a halt.
Even if Inanna completely didn’t resist, even instinctively assisted... yet there was still a problem with the ritual.
—Because its "scale" was too large.
Like a weak newborn—it merely opens its eyes, but its life is connected with the Divine King.
Current Amber is the foundation of reincarnation, and although Inanna is merely a newborn, they are essentially the same existence. Simply relying on the power of the Serpent Celestial Marshal and the Fallen Celestial Marshal couldn’t accommodate Amber’s power!
Even if it was just the juvenile stage of Amber!
"...This is bad."
Aiwass frowned: "Doesn’t it work..."
But just as Aiwass thought he was going to fail the seal.
—The sky suddenly turned dusk yellow.
A truly dusky "star" suddenly fell from the sky, crashing straight into the room sealed by Amber Power without any hindrance, colliding into Aiwass’s body!
"What is this...?"
Aiwass was stunned.
Before his eyes, its essence spontaneously appeared:
[Celestial Marshal Shard - Fragment of Remembrance and Recollection]
[——Law of Remembrance and Recollection, the crystallization of the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal’s strength. The strength still retains its final will and cannot be used in any way.]
Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal’s... Celestial Marshal Shard?!
——When did the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal die?
Why did the death of the Celestial Marshal not bring any change to this world——
The moment this thought appeared in Aiwass’s mind, he became completely dazed.
Because he suddenly realized one thing.
It seems that the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal has never brought any transformation to the world.
Preservation Arts is essentially the power of Amber, and Necromancy derived from Excavation Skill has already been inherited by the Winter Celestial.
Moreover, even the elves’ blessing of longevity—or rather, curse—was dispersed by Aiwass using the Power of Nihility from the Fruit of Sin Thorn.
Just as when the Winter Celestial was born, Aiwass mused: What use does the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal have?
——The answer is precisely to have no use.
It is precisely because there is no use that it can self-destruct at the most opportune moment!
It is because Aiwass facilitated the birth of the Winter Maiden, liberating the elves from their shackles—because he changed this "history," that the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal can now complete its final mission.
After all, Spirit Amber itself is "Amber that contains insects." Spirit Amber minus Amber allows the insects within to finally undergo full rebirth——
Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal must be a part of Ai Shiping!
Its Celestial Marshal Shard transformed into Light flowing in the blood, absorbed by Inanna resting on Aiwass’s fingertips.
And in the next moment, Inanna completely transformed into Light.
In the increasingly pure, increasingly brilliant dusky Radiance, the young cicada split.
The extremely pure dusky Radiance turned into golden Light, and the more splendid golden Light turned into white Light.
From the gemstone on its back, a humanoid made of pure Light gradually emerged——
And in its center, a golden cicada pattern appeared, while the two Tarot Cards did not transform into Thoth Tarot, but directly melted into pure gold!
As they suddenly closed towards the center, the Light was completely absorbed into the card!
Unlike other Sin Cards, it did not reveal a cicada pattern on the amber-colored card face. Instead, it directly displayed a picture of emotion:
Inside was a little girl about seven or eight years old. Younger than the Amber depicted in the Holy Nation’s murals.
She wore a white robe—a style unique to the Winged Ones, just like Luce’s attire.
Her long hair was snow-white, and her opened eyes were amber-colored, smiling happily. Her hands opened like a loving mother, as if holding a transparent basin, or indicating an embrace.
Behind her ears and on either side of her feet, she had pairs of pure white small wings; and on her back were two large pure white wings... not curled up like in the Nine Pillar Gods murals, but fully spread backwards.
——With this Celestial Marshal Shard as a medium, Inanna directly skipped the Beast of Great Sin stage!
[Great Sin: Gluttony Star (Empress, Tower)]
[Level: 60]
[Path of Dusk, Attribute Earth]
[Upright Summon·Light of Civilization Continuation]
[Necessity: Earth 5]
[Instant, Self, Continuous Effect]
[Effect: Shines with endless Radiance; within the area illuminated by the Light is considered "touched"; if standing on the Earth, this Light is additionally considered a continuously cast Preservation Arts]
[Reverse Summoning·Inanna]
[Necessity: Earth 5]
[Sustain: Earth 5*daily]
[Action, Summon]
[Effect: Summons Beast of Gluttony·Inanna to battle for you; Inanna is considered a Summoned Creature; outside of combat, the Beast of Gluttony·Inanna can transform into Light Cicada, entering follow mode; only one Beast of Great Sin may exist at a time]
[Authority: Harvest, Healing, Continuation]
[Effect: When Inanna enters the field, all enemies are imposed with the "End of Civilization" state]
[End of Civilization: Advanced "Petrification," effect equivalent to Petrification, and in this state defense, resistance -33%. When this state is lifted, "Petrification" is automatically applied.]