The Greece Antagonist

Ishtar also established her status as the City Guardian God of Uruk, and the scale of the temple gradually surpassed that of Heavenly God Anu.

But good times didn't last long. The succeeding fifth king of Uruk, Gilgamesh, was the grandson of Heavenly God Anu. To elevate his grandfather Anu's status and the sanctity of his own bloodline, he sought various ways to belittle and malign Ishtar, the original City Guardian God, eventually seeking to expel Ishtar from Uruk.

Risking great danger, Ishtar had seized the Heavenly Destiny from Earth God Enki and gifted it to Uruk, yet now it was to be snatched away. Ishtar refused to swallow this indignation, and in a fit of rage, unleashed the "Heavenly Bull", causing a seven-year drought in Uruk, taking revenge on Gilgamesh and the Sumerians, venting her dissatisfaction.

However, with the help of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh managed to slay the "Heavenly Bull" together.

Unbearably enraged, Ishtar went directly to confront Heavenly God Anu.

If everything had stopped here, Anu might still have been able to smooth things over.

But after their victory, Gilgamesh and Enkidu showed no restraint, arrogantly dismembering the Heavenly Bull and sacrificing its heart to the Sun God Utu, spitefully throwing its innards at Ishtar, directly challenging the majesty of the Pantheon of Gods.

Thereupon, Earth God Enki, Spiritual Lord Enlil, Sun God Utu, and the King of Kings seized the opportunity to launch an attack, leaving Anu with no choice but to announce that Gilgamesh or Enkidu must be executed for killing the Heavenly Bull.

Soon after, Enkidu became the scapegoat and died in decline.

It was only after this incident that the curtain finally fell. Gilgamesh and Ishtar were both defeated, one lost a close friend, and the other lost her foundational belief in Uruk.

Heavenly God Anu and Earth God Enki also suffered a double loss, ultimately benefitting the King of Kings Marduk and Babylon, who watched from the sidelines.

After hearing Ishtar's narration, Luo En was left deep in thought.

In the standard Babylonian version of "The Epic of Gilgamesh," 'The Man Who Sees the Abyss,' Ishtar is described as evil, ruthless, and intentionally killing her husbands or lovers, but no other texts support this point, including other versions of the "Epic of Gilgamesh," 'Beyond All Other Kings,' and its Sumerian epic predecessor 'Gilgamesh and the Bull.'

Ishtar labeled these depictions as 'slander' and angrily cursed Gilgamesh: "May grief befall Gilgamesh, the one who slandered me and killed the Heavenly Bull!"

According to the principle in archaeology that single evidence is unreliable, until supporting texts are unearthed, the allegations from tablet six of 'The Man Who Sees the Abyss' against Ishtar should be viewed with caution.

This suggests that many of the so-called 'black marks' on Ishtar might indeed be unjust accusations.

Her reputation became so poor because she was entangled in a struggle of faith and divine authority, played by Uruk and the new King Gilgamesh, and not due to her true nature.

Otherwise, she could have chosen more severe measures to retaliate against Uruk and those city-states disrespecting the gods, rather than ending up increasingly destitute, ultimately having to spend money to manage her temple.

Was it due to the 'Instinct' from the 'Mother Goddess' to nurture life with mercy?

Luo En's eyes flashed with complexity as he asked:

"What happened after that?"

Ishtar's face revealed a hint of derision: "I heard that after Enkidu's death, he finally knew fear, left Uruk, and after arduous journeys over mountains and across seas, went to the Abyss seeking the Immortal Spirit Grass that could grant him eternal life. But in the end, though he obtained it, a snake stole it away while he was bathing…"

Luo En frowned, voicing his skepticism:

"How could a snake bypass a Hero King's perception and steal the Immortal Grass?"

"Of course, it's because someone didn't want him to have an immortal body, nor give Uruk a chance to rise again."

Ishtar replied with annoyance, her eyes carrying a hint of sarcasm:

"Two-thirds God, one-third human. He thought his bloodline noble, able to stand shoulder to shoulder with gods, but ultimately he was just a pawn to achieve goals. In the final hours, even the one he viewed as his faith and reliance — his grandfather, Heavenly God Anu, discarded him without hesitation for the sake of greater good."

Upon hearing this, Luo En could not help but shake his head in regret.

After all, the Two River Basin is the origin of the theory of original sin, and according to Babylonian mythology, after King of Kings Marduk defeated Tiamat and seized the Heavenly Destiny Mud Tablet, he left his mark on it and hung it on his chest. From then on, under the rule of Marduk and the Babylonian Pantheon of Gods, deities were at leisure, while humans born were burdened with life's hardships and were seen as slaves and tools serving the gods, their status inferior even to humans in Greece and the Nordic regions.

Gilgamesh chose to believe in his divine part; to please Heavenly God Anu, he even betrayed Ishtar, the City Guardian God who had contributed greatly to Uruk, which eventually led to his alienation and being sacrificed in divine authority conflicts.

Ishtar crossed her arms, continuing with a sneer:

"It's said that after he lost the Immortal Grass and returned from the Netherworld, he grew to loathe his divine bloodline and developed a bad habit of frequently cursing others as 'mongrels.' But if we talk about it, he's one of them too, and with quite a pure lineage."

Hearing the somewhat gloating tone, Luo En couldn't help but laugh and remarked justly:

"Perhaps, he was not only scolding others, but also punishing himself."

Ishtar was slightly taken aback and fell into a brief silence.

After a moment, she lost her mocking mood and stood at the temple gates, gazing into the distance towards Uruk:

"That guy, although arrogant and self-righteous, incredibly annoying, has finally come to an awakening after all he's been through. He's no longer pursuing the elusive immortality or wasting his thoughts on the meaningless indulgences and pleasing the deities. He's focused on governing Uruk now and has a touch of the wise king's aura. Consider it a blessing in disguise."

Luo En nodded in agreement.

Clearing away the mist and uncovering the truth buried beneath the sands, he felt a bit sorry for the Hero King growing amid hardships.

Also, for a certain Heavenly Goddess equally swept along by fate:

"So, when your penalty is over, do you plan to return to Uruk?"

"Forget it, that guy and I just don't get along. Besides, even if I wanted to go back, my kin might not be willing."

Ishtar said, her tone somewhat irritated.

Clearly, she had already vaguely sensed the Pantheon of Gods' subtle attitude towards her, seemingly hiding certain matters intentionally.

Luo En suggested:

"I do have a recommendation – Nineveh City near the Tigris River. The Assyrians there hold you in high esteem. If you're interested, you might as well take a look."

"I could, but the premise is that I can deal with the troubles of Abi Mountain."

"Perhaps, I can help."

"You?"

Ishtar glanced at Luo En, a trace of suspicion on her face.

Luo En gave a slight smile and said,

"To be frank, not only am I a shepherd, I'm also a Shepherd God and a Plant God. If you want a piece of deteriorating wasteland to stop producing Poisonous Grass, the best way is to plant seedlings all over it."

"Makes some sense!"

Ishtar, who understood the implied meaning, nodded in agreement, a hint of excitement on her face,

"So, you agree to stay and handle this task?"

"Uh, I just wanted to help you govern Abi Mountain so you can gain your freedom soon."

"Got it, I got it! Once the benefits are in hand, your share is guaranteed!"

Ishtar rested her hand on Luo En's neck, speaking with a grin, exuding a vibe of partners-in-crime, working together for fortune.

The newfound impression Luo En had painstakingly formed of Ishtar shattered once again.

Hmm, her nature isn't bad.

But her whims are also quite unreliable.

As Luo En was internally complaining, Ishtar had already summoned the Heavenly Ship Manaana and jumped aboard:

"I'm heading down the mountain to see if Siduri's gone, and clean up the rampaging Magic Beasts in the mountains. Stay in my temple, don't wander off, and if you have nothing to do, help me look after No. 2."

No. 2?

As Luo En wondered, a mini pet, barely the size of a palm, with golden-blue stripes and resembling a pig or a bull, was tossed over by Ishtar.

As the adorably naive little creature fell into his arms, Luo En immediately sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar divine wave from its body.

Abi Mountain's Mountain Spirit?

No!

Luo En promptly shook his head, looking at the little creature exuding an earth-like aura and rooting around his arms, and then at Ishtar, who turned into a meteor flying into the valley, his face turned slightly darker.

This crazy woman had actually fed Abi Mountain's Mountain Spirit to her own pet?