Walking through the streets of Uruk, Ophis returned the greetings of the citizens who bowed as she passed.
Though the city was heavy with unease after one disaster upon another, most faces still turned toward her with quiet trust.
The resilience of humanity in this era is truly remarkable.
Then again, in an age where gods hurled calamities at mortals just to remind them of divine power, anyone with a weaker mind would have long since turned bitter—or monstrous.
Guided by Enkidu, Ophis stepped into the temple.
"King Ophis!"
Dozens of priests were already waiting inside. At the sight of the two, all of them knelt—save one.
She stood tall among them, her attire slightly more ornate, a thin veil covering her face. Even through it, her calm, dignified presence radiated authority.
The Great High Priestess.
The one closest to the gods. In this era ruled by divine right, her influence was second only to Ophis herself. In matters of faith, her authority was nearly equal.
Here, in the gods' house, her refusal to kneel was no breach of respect—it was tradition.
Still, the High Priestess inclined her head slightly.
"King, have you reached your decision?"
Even through the veil, her gentle expression could be felt.
Ophis met her gaze.
"I'm sorry."
It was rare for her to apologize aloud.
The High Priestess shook her head slowly.
"It's fine. The King has chosen what she believes is best for her people, has she not? Then this old life has no right to resent its loss."
Ophis had chosen rebellion against the gods.
As the gods' vessel within the mortal realm, the High Priestess's duty was to guide the king. Having failed that, her death was already decided—whether by divine punishment or by Ophis's own hand.
Even if Ophis spared her life, she would strip her of her office.
Priests would still exist, but no longer those who served as direct extensions of the divine will.
In other words, this new age had no need for relics of the old.
Ophis said nothing further, only nodded once more.
"In that case, I'll leave tracking the Bull of Heaven to you."
...
"What a coincidence… who'd have thought?"
Standing atop the familiar hill, Enkidu gave a rueful laugh.
"Mm."
Ophis's tone was flat as ever.
According to the priests' divinations, the Bull of Heaven would appear right here—the same place where she and Enkidu had argued before.
Meaning their earlier return to Uruk had been entirely pointless. If they'd kept bickering for another half hour, the bull might have shown up then and there.
Still, neither seemed particularly bothered. They simply returned to the hill and waited in silence.
"It's coming."
Connected to the earth itself, Enkidu's senses far surpassed even Ophis's. She felt the disturbance immediately.
Without hesitation, Ophis drew a cylindrical weapon from the golden ripples.
"Where?"
"There."
Enkidu pointed toward the horizon.
Ophis nodded and raised Ea toward the indicated point.
"Enuma—"
Before she could finish the invocation, Ea began to rotate, tearing space apart layer by layer. The violent backlash forced Ophis back several steps.
"What…?"
Why has the Counter Force weakened this much…?
Don't slack off now, damn it.
But she had no time to dwell on it. The Bull of Heaven was descending.
Clicking her tongue, Ophis dispelled Ea and returned it to the ripples.
With Gaia's interference unstable, a single misfire could easily erase Uruk.
Instead, she summoned the twin black swords, Enki. Magic circles and golden ripples flared into being behind her.
At that same moment, lightning split the distant sky—striking precisely where Enkidu had pointed.
…That accuracy can't just be instinct. Are you sure it's not divine revelation?
Ophis shot Enkidu a doubtful glance.
"That creature makes the earth itself shudder," Enkidu explained, calm and composed. "Wherever it's about to land, the ground reacts first. I can sense that reaction—and use it to predict where it'll appear."
Making even the earth tremble in fear… a being born to destroy the world itself—
A perfect natural enemy for Enkidu.
No more words were needed. In the next instant, a colossal bull burst forth from the lightning.
Its sleek black hide glistened, arcs of electricity coiling around its massive frame.
Judging by its appearance, it might have been the ancestor of the bulls that once drew a certain king's chariot—but in strength, there was no comparison.
Its sheer pressure eclipsed even Humbaba's.
The Bull of Heaven reared its head, preparing to unleash the customary roar of divine beasts.
Ophis, however, wasn't the sort to wait politely for her enemy to finish their introduction.
With a gesture, the magic circles behind her flared. Eight magic cannons roared to life, slamming directly into the bull's face. The explosions tore through the air, shockwaves shaking the ground.
They had chosen a spot far enough from Uruk that, as long as Ophis avoided large-scale attacks, there would be no collateral damage.
"Moo────!!!"
Though it was only a bull's cry, the sound that erupted from its mouth cracked the earth and blew the smoke away.
When the dust cleared, the creature stood unharmed.
Even Ophis frowned slightly.
As expected, anything tied to the gods has absurd energy resistance.
Humbaba had been troublesome enough, but this divine bull's resistance far surpassed hers.
No—rather than "Energy Resistance," "Magic Resistance" was the more accurate term.
Divine power existed on a higher plane than magical power; suppression was only natural.
Right now, Ophis couldn't fully convert her magic cannons into pure energy weapons.
To be exact, she couldn't maintain both speed and energy density simultaneously—making energy cannons useless in practical combat.
If she could compress vast amounts of mana into a single piercing point, even a god's resistance would crumble. Unfortunately, that level of control still eluded her.
Since magic cannons were ineffective—
She switched tactics. Countless weapons erupted from the golden ripples around her, raining down on the bull in a storm of explosions.
"Moo────!!!"
The bull's bellow shook the heavens as it charged forward, lightning flaring wildly. The energy around it surged until the creature became a living storm of divine electricity, capable of annihilating everything in its path.
Behind Ophis, Enkidu shook her head with quiet amusement.
Though the Bull of Heaven possessed overwhelming strength, its intelligence was pitifully low. It was still just a beast—and not even a particularly capable one. Compared to Humbaba, its instincts were even duller.
A creature of raw power but no skill, no experience. For all its divine pedigree, it had likely never fought a real battle.
Even if its strength surpassed most gods, to Ophis and Enkidu, such an opponent posed no true threat.
"So, you've figured it out?"
Enkidu's calm voice drifted from behind her.
"Mm."
Ophis gave a short nod.
Her earlier bombardment had merely been to test the bull's resilience and gauge how much force was needed to harm it.
"Then, let's begin."
In perfect sync, Ophis and Enkidu leapt forward, landing behind the bull.
"Moo────!!!"
The creature's reflexes weren't slow. Instead of stopping to turn, it curved sharply, maintaining its charge.
"I've already prepared the ground."
Enkidu smiled, serene as ever.
Ophis nodded once more. Sixteen golden ripples bloomed behind her, each unleashing a weapon.
Sixteen A-rank Noble Phantasms.
Even without invocation, their piercing power was immense.
Sixteen golden streaks clashed against the blue sphere of lightning.
Another explosion split the sky.
The attack did little damage, but that hadn't been Ophis's aim.
The bull's momentum faltered; the lightning around it dimmed—just enough.
From beneath its hooves, golden chains shot upward, wrapping tightly around its massive body. The Bull of Heaven strained against them, but several B-rank Noble Phantasms followed, piercing deep into its back.
"Moo────!!!"
The divine beast's howl echoed across the plains, but the wounds and chains held firm.
"Resistance is futile, you know."
Enkidu chuckled softly.
"Chains happen to be one of my favorite forms. These 'Chains of Heaven' were forged by the gods themselves—originally to bind you, Ophis. The higher the divinity, the tighter they hold."
While Enkidu spoke, Ophis approached. Her gaze met the bull's blazing eyes. She raised one of the twin black blades—Enki.
"Moo────!!!"
The creature's final struggle erupted in a burst of lightning that tore apart the flower crown still resting on Ophis's head. She ducked instinctively, momentarily stunned—then brought the blade down in a clean arc.
"Moo────!!!"
The cry faded into silence.
The Bull of Heaven fell.
And with its death, humanity took its first step toward freedom from the chains of the gods.