After the Netherworld council concluded, Gilgamesh and Semiramis immediately returned to the city to gather the army and launch a counterattack.
Uruk targeted the Uru region directly, while Assyria set New Babylon as its objective.
The result of the war was no surprise.
In just three days, the two armies, like sweeping through a courtyard and digging out a den, annihilated the foreign forces entrenched in Ur and Babylon City, reclaiming all lost territories.
On one hand, whether it was Hero King Gilgamesh or Empress Semiramis, both were exceptionally talented demigods skilled in military tactics. Once they appeared on the battlefield, for those outsiders, it was equivalent to a dimensional reduction strike.
On the other hand, the Netherworld released the Heavenly Lock Enkidu and Female Wine God Siduri to join the Uruk and Assyrian camps, respectively, enhancing their military strength. Meanwhile, Moon God Sin, Sun God Utu, and Venus Goddess Ishtar, among others, were in the army for support in case of unforeseen events.
With this powerful alliance, they were even qualified to face the Babylonian Pantheon of Gods led by Marduk and the Three Pillar Gods, let alone some solitary forces intruding from beyond the realm.
At this moment, in the Babylonian Divine Domain.
The table full of delicacies and wine was overturned to the ground, and Marduk, upon receiving the battle report, was furious, his face turning livid:
"These ant-like low breeds dare to resist? This is no ordinary rebellion; we must strike hard!"
Heavenly God Anu, Earth God Enki, and Air God Enlil looked at the ground where the cities were reclaimed, the humans celebrating victory while holding high the statues of Moon God Sin, Sun God Utu, and Venus Goddess Ishtar, all wore grim expressions.
In Babylonian mythology, the number "3" held a unique sentiment. Besides the Three Pillar Gods who governed heaven, earth, and air, there were also the star Triumvirate deities managing the moon, sun, and Venus.
In a sense, there were overlaps in functions and status between both sides, naturally leading to some conflicts of faith.
Specifically manifest, it was the rise and fall of city-states and the succession of king’s authority.
For instance, Venus Goddess Ishtar stole a large amount of [Heavenly Destiny] from Earth God Enki, leading to the decline of Eridu;
The rise of Uruk City under Moon God Sin’s guardianship caused the loss of former glory for Nippur, which was valued by Air Lord Enlil;
Sun God Utu was both the ancestor of Uruk’s royal bloodline and flirted with Babylon City’s King Hammurabi, simultaneously infringing upon the interests of Heavenly God Anu and King of Kings Marduk...
All along, due to Moon God Sin’s cautiousness and Sun God Utu’s deliberate concessions, combined with the lingering effects of the previous Divine War not yet completely dissipated, Marduk and the Three Pillar Gods had not directly torn their faces, maintaining a superficial harmony.
However, this time’s move to suppress saw the star Triumvirate deities daring to resist, tearing their previously fabricated script to shreds.
"Truly biting the hand that feeds them!"
The hot-tempered Enlil snorted coldly, his ominous gaze piercing through the clouds to look down at the earth where noisy sounds echoed:
"It’s time to make the ants on the ground understand who truly owns this world."
Heavenly God Anu, Earth God Enki, and King of Kings Marduk exchanged glances and unanimously approved this resolution.
If there are those who do not want dignity, then they’ll have to be given it.
Uruk, Astrological Observatory.
Hero King Gilgamesh stood at the highest point of this city’s building, his crimson eyes looking far beyond the city, his face shrouded in gloom.
Just a mere glance through the still operating city barrier would let one experience terror and despair.
The dense blackness had swallowed all external light, and humans could no longer see the light of the sun, moon, and stars from the surface.
Thousands of purple-white thunderbolts burst from one cloud layer to another, either shuttling back and forth or striking vertically, resembling descending raging dragons.
Through the dim light of the lightning, the torrential rain pouring down from the sky and the devastated earth could be seen.
At this moment, the surging muddy torrents had completely submerged the land, with the water level reaching nearly a hundred meters high, almost level with the ever-rising and reinforced walls of Uruk’s four-sided defenses.
Gales of wind crisscrossed amidst the undulating waves, swirling ferociously. Spiraling wind columns rose like long spears piercing the firmament, in concert with the dense thunderbolts descending from the sky.
In just six days, the entire Babylonian Divine Era transformed from a triumphant stage to a flood-ravaged Asura Field.
On the first day, thick clouds enveloped the entire Two River Basin, torrential rains poured, and light and dark were indistinguishable, the boundary between day and night vanished.
On the second day, storms raged. The strong magic power tide made it difficult for ordinary people outside the city barriers to breathe.
On the third day, the earth opened crevices, and water from the Abyss gushed out, torrential rains poured relentlessly from the sky, and both the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers breached. Weaker defended small and medium-sized cities fell one after another. A large number of disaster-stricken people had to relocate with their families to Uruk, Nineveh, Ur, and a few other fortress cities capable of resisting the torrential rains and floods.
On the fourth day, stars in the sky vanished, the sun and moon sank, leaving only ferocious thunderbolts and raging storms rampaging in the darkened world.
On the fifth day, vegetation withered and decayed, beasts nearly died out, fish were no more, and birds could no longer be seen flying outside.