Because seven thousand years ago, an object from beyond the heavens—the Harvest Star Vanguard—had pierced the foundation of the gods' existence in the mortal world, the Age of Gods had begun to decline from that moment onward. By now, though the gods still dwelled high in the heavens, they could no longer descend into the mortal world in their true forms.
Yet though it had declined, the Age of Gods still remained. It had not completely ended.
Just as Ishtar could still descend into reality through possession, even if the other gods could not find suitable vessels—and most of those they found were like Aruru, capable only of serving as temporary hosts—they had existed for countless ages. They still possessed many ways to interfere with the mortal world.
The "eyes" they had left behind before were one such method.
And now, sending the strongest divine beast and the strongest magical beast into the human world was another.
"A pack of mongrels who only know how to use shameful tricks behind people's backs!"
After hearing Ishtar's "tip-off," Gilgamesh gave a cold laugh. "If you have the guts, come down here and fight me one-on-one!"
Ishtar: "..."
If they could come down, they would have done so long ago, all right?
"That's why I said I only came to warn you... Why are you keeping me here!?"
Ishtar shifted her gaze away from the Ishtar before her and toward Rovi and Enkidu, who stood opposite her in linen-like robes.
Mostly Rovi—
The goddess moved, but only tugged at the chains wrapped around her body, producing a crisp clatter.
She had been captured.
The Lock of Heaven bound her tightly from head to toe, leaving not even a sliver of skin visible. Only her head, crowned with loose black hair, remained exposed.
She had clearly come to deliver a warning... or, in her own words, to "declare war." Yet the moment she turned around, Enkidu had tied her up with the Lock of Heaven and dragged her into the house.
If Ishtar had been here in her true form, Enkidu, who could not yet fully wield the Lock of Heaven's power, naturally would not have been able to restrain her.
But unfortunately, she was not her true form, so she could only obediently be dragged indoors.
Like a dead pig being hauled away...
Aah, aah, aah... If she had known, she would never have come.
Her good intentions had gone unrewarded!
"Little En, let her go." Rovi looked at Enkidu beside him. "She means no harm."
"Isn't that right, Ishtar Rin?"
"Come to think of it, I thought something was strange before." Gilgamesh spoke at the same time. His crimson serpent eyes swept over the goddess from head to toe before he grinned. "So the humanity of the possessed vessel has taken the lead!"
"Hahaha... So this is what they call a goddess? What a laughable sight!"
Ishtar's face instantly flushed crimson, yet she could not refute him.
"However." Gilgamesh paused. "You look far more pleasing than that arrogant goddess who makes one sick!"
With a clatter, Enkidu obediently withdrew the Lock of Heaven after hearing Rovi's words.
Ishtar fell to the floor. The hem of her crimson coat folded and spread over the ground, while the calves extending from beneath it bent backward and gave a faint twitch.
She took a deep breath and raised her crimson eyes. Before she could even relax, however, she met a pair of emerald-green eyes.
"There is an unpleasant smell on you." Enkidu sat beside Rovi, smiling.
A little scary... Ishtar shrank back.
"But there is another scent that is not as unpleasant." Enkidu withdrew her gaze and spoke calmly. "If that scent remains in control, I will not attack you."
They sounded like words meant to reassure Ishtar, but somehow... they only made her feel even more creeped out.
When faced with something she disliked, she would openly state her thoughts and issue threats without concealment.
That was simply how the Divine Construct Golem called Enkidu behaved.
"Then you can explain it clearly now, can't you?" Rovi broke the atmosphere that had left Ishtar uneasy. "Mistress of Heaven—what did you mean?"
"I meant exactly what I said!" Ishtar settled her thoughts and replied. She looked at Rovi, then Little En, then Gilgamesh, before seemingly realizing something and violently shaking her head. "N-No, that's not right! I clearly only came to declare war, so why am I telling you so much!?"
As she spoke, she glared at Rovi... She had even changed into clothes resembling Ereshkigal's, yet not only had this guy remained unmoved, he had also let the Lock of Heaven tie her up... He was absolutely hateful!
Clang, clang, clang... In the next instant, gold rained onto the floor. Rovi withdrew his hand and looked at the gold coins he had taken from King's Treasure and scattered everywhere. "Can you talk now?"
If he remembered correctly, Rin Tohsaka, the vessel possessed by Ishtar, was a textbook money-grubber.
Influenced by her, Ishtar had acquired the same trait.
Sure enough, Ishtar's eyes went blank, and her hands unconsciously scooped all the gold coins into her arms.
But when she noticed Rovi's expression, as though he had expected exactly this, the Venus Goddess's vessel flushed slightly. She forced herself to sit upright and explained, though the explanation was utterly weak. "Ahem... Don't misunderstand. This goddess would never be tempted by your gold!"
"This is merely a goddess's mercy. I do not wish to see you die without understanding why!"
After that, Ishtar looked at the three "people" before her and continued.
"You have committed acts of defiance against the gods before, haven't you?"
"Now, at the suggestion of my true self, the gods have decided to punish you... No, to punish all of Uruk..."
"So they have sent the strongest divine beast and the strongest magical beast to attack at once?"
"Yes." Ishtar looked at Rovi, who had interrupted her, and nodded. She found it a little strange. Why did this guy seem excited?
How could Rovi not be excited!
In the original Epic of Gilgamesh, both Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven had been formidable enemies that Gilgamesh and Enkidu could only defeat together after expending enormous effort.
Especially the latter—before Aruru brought her into the human world, Enkidu, still in her earthen form, had lived alongside Humbaba for a time. Many of Enkidu's remaining combat instincts had been learned from him.
And now, because of the "butterfly effect" caused by him, they had appeared at the same time.
For everyone else, this was an absolute crisis.
But for Rovi—
It was the best possible opportunity!
Under such a crisis, even if he gave everything he had, he would probably find it difficult to survive, right!?
Of course, Rovi could not reveal why he was excited, so he swiftly took a deep breath and deliberately put on a worried expression. "It seems the gods have made up their minds to destroy us..."
No matter how one looked at it, the simultaneous assault of the strongest divine beast and strongest magical beast on the Mesopotamian plains signaled an immense crisis.
They represented natural disasters. Even among the gods, few could match them in combat power alone.
Not just now.
Even later, when Gilgamesh and Enkidu could fully display their strength, working together, they would only be able to contend with one of them.
"Anu's opinion is..." At this moment, Ishtar, acting as an informant, fully served her purpose. "Of the Lock of Heaven, Keystone of Heaven, and Key of Heaven, only two may remain."
The previous incident had made them realize that if these three joined forces, they might shake the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man—and might pose an immense threat to the gods.
Therefore, only two of the three could remain.
"Then I shall go meet the gods..."
Rather than discuss it, he would take the initiative and seek death.
In the name of preserving Gilgamesh and Enkidu—
He would be recorded in the epic and become a tragic song.
This was exactly what Rovi had been hoping for.
But before he could finish, Gilgamesh interrupted him. "...A pack of trash dares point fingers at affairs within my garden?"
"Go back and tell the gods to wash their necks clean and wait for me!"
Gilgamesh waved his great hand.
"The three of us will sooner or later drag the gods completely into the human world!"
Even so...
Could you at least let me finish speaking?
Rovi felt somewhat helpless as Gilgamesh shut him down with a single sentence.
But when he looked at Ishtar's stunned expression, then at the resolute gaze Enkidu gave him from behind, he paused before smiling.
Forget it.
This was fine too.
After all, if war broke out, dying would definitely not be difficult!
Then—
So be it!
Rovi looked at Ishtar—or rather... at the gods in the heavens.
"If you want to die, come on, then!"
His voice echoed through the house, deafening as though it pierced the nine heavens, carrying a final whisper that no one could hear...
Do not spare me just because I am a delicate flower!
Before you continue