“Hmph, Gilgamesh.
This time, the gods have even lent the Bull of Heaven to me.
It is time for the glory of the goddess to shine upon Uruk once again.”
Above the land of Sumer, a stunning figure was moving at high speed.
This beauty wore little in the way of clothing, with only a few pieces of gorgeous fabric barely covering the most vital parts.
Upon her head was black hair, completely different from Ereshkigal’s, and fixed atop it was a grand crown inlaid with twelve exquisite gems.
The earrings dangling from her ears shone with different brilliance as the light shifted, each detail proclaiming the title of the “Mistress of Heaven.”
As the speed of the celestial boat Maana continued to increase, the look of smug triumph on Ishtar’s face—a face similar to Ereshkigal’s—grew ever more intense.
Originally, Ishtar had only gone to the gods to complain about her plight, as she did every day, talking about how miserable her life had been recently and, while she was at it, belittling Gilgamesh for completely disregarding her.
She also complained about Ereshkigal’s thuggish behavior; she had gone with good intentions to visit her, but every time, she was unappreciated and ended up stripped of everything.
In short.
I, Ishtar, demand payment.
She hadn’t expected that old man Enlil to be so generous this time.
She had thought she would only get a few inconsequential trinkets, but when he gave her the thing in his arms, it had truly given her a start.
Feeling the restless squirming in her arms, Ishtar immediately slapped it.
“Behave yourself and stop moving.
If you move again, This Goddess will throw you down.
You should know that you are now the property of This Goddess.
If you don’t listen to me, hehe, you know what my methods are like.”
Intimidation, naked intimidation.
“Moo, moo, moo (It’s too fast, it’s too fast, I’m feeling dizzy).”
“Moo…
moo, moo (No…
no…
Seeing the Bull of Heaven in her arms with its eyes spinning in circles, she smiled awkwardly on her stunning face.
She had just been thinking about how to make Gilgamesh pay, and the thought of his face begging for mercy had made her so excited that she had controlled Maana to go faster and faster.
Who could have guessed that what Enlil gave Ishtar this time was one of the best among all the gods—the Bull of Heaven.
Its true form was a massive golden bull that towered into the clouds, its horns curved like a crescent moon, and its surface flowed with lava-like magical energy from the Age of Gods.
Its bovine eyes burned with an orange-red light symbolizing Venus.
Legend said that when it walked, it would transform the land into a “Divine Realm,” and any human who stepped into it would be forcibly infused with divine energy, leading to cellular collapse.
It could be said that not even Ishtar had seen the full power of the Bull of Heaven.
She refused to believe that she couldn’t take down Gilgamesh with this; if she still couldn’t…
thinking of this, Ishtar shook her head.
Unable to take him down?
How could that be possible?
The Bull of Heaven plus This Goddess—not many in Sumer would dare to cross this combination.
This time, the advantage is with me.
Looking at the city drawing closer before her, Ishtar suppressed the feeling of impending revenge in her heart.
Hmph, if Gilgamesh is sensible, it’s not impossible to let him off this time.
Ishtar patted the little bull in her arms that was still feeling motion-sick, and seeing its dazed expression, she gave it a solid smack.
Seeing the Bull of Heaven’s gaze become visibly clearer, Ishtar nodded and said to it:
“Little bull, later you will return to your true form and stand to the side.
Do not move without my command.”
“Moo (Understood).”
“Good, then go.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the Bull of Heaven felt a huge force pushing it from behind, and seeing the rapidly changing scenery around it, it knew what had happened.
“Moo~ (At least tell me in advance when you’re going to make me work!)”
The Bull of Heaven’s figure grew larger and larger in the air, and as its body expanded, thunderstorms began to form upon it.
Fierce winds howled, and the orange light flowing across its surface radiated intense magical energy—all of which perfectly illustrated what it meant to be the premier weapon of the Age of Gods.
The light in the entire sky gradually dimmed, as if welcoming its arrival.
The earth also began to tremble slightly due to the massive body of the Bull of Heaven.
Accompanied by a roar that resounded throughout all of Sumer, it was officially declared—the Bull of Heaven had arrived.
“It’s…
it’s this big?” Looking at the massive beast in the distance that blocked out the sky, she subconsciously rubbed her hands.
This was the first time Ishtar had seen the Bull of Heaven’s true form; in the heavens, it had always appeared as a little bull.
Feeling its massive body and astonishing pressure, Ishtar couldn’t help but swallow, feeling a bit startled.
“I shouldn’t have gone too far this time, right?”
She had heard the name of this premier weapon of the heavens before, and had thought it was just hype, but when she saw the Bull of Heaven’s true form, she realized how naive she had been.
Looking at the Bull of Heaven not far away, Ishtar considered whether she should just call it off and come back another time.
Although she didn’t exactly like humans, she didn’t hate them either; as far as the gems they offered as tribute went, she was quite fond of them.
If she really came into conflict with Gilgamesh, the destruction might truly be beyond her control, and it wouldn’t be good if too many people were accidentally harmed.
Don’t be fooled by Ishtar’s appearance of dropping the ball at critical moments; she was actually clear-headed about some things, such as the retreat of the Age of Gods.
Just as Ishtar was about to have the Bull of Heaven return, a voice that instantly made her flush with rage rang in her ears.
“Yo, isn’t This Goddess Ishtar?”
“What’s the matter, after suffering a loss last time, you want to come back this time?”
Although he said that, Gilgamesh’s crimson pupils revealed a rare gravity as he looked at the sky-blocking Bull of Heaven.
He had just sent Enkidu to Kusha to investigate the situation of this City-State that was faintly rivaling Uruk, and on his heels, Ishtar came looking for trouble.
This was too much of a coincidence.
Seeing Gilgamesh’s calm expression, Ishtar was instantly so angry her teeth itched.
This is the Bull of Heaven!
At least give some reaction, even looking a little surprised would do.
Who are you putting on that calm face for?
Does Ishtar not have any dignity?
Snap.
The string in Ishtar’s mind known as reason had snapped.