"Bang!"
Samael stared at the Seven-Headed Serpent Warhammer—now just a few inches from the space between his legs—drenched in cold sweat, a chill running down his spine.
Sure, he was immortal, but by male standards of pain, a blow to the groin was a solid Level 10—lethal.
An experience like that, once felt, would be burned into memory forever. Even if the injury healed, the trauma would likely leave a lasting psychological scar.
This woman was insane!
She caused this much chaos just over a deposit—what would happen if she actually paid the full remaining 20%? Would she tear the heavens down?
Turns out, withholding the carrot really was the right call for this donkey!
Samael grumbled inwardly. To justify his contract fraud, he even elevated it in his own mind to a noble cause: "it's for your own good."
But all of this was directed at that lunatic Ishtar.
At the moment, however, the woman gripping the warhammer—pale fingers wrapped tightly around the handle, golden hair cascading under a black, regal crown—looked exactly like Ereshkigal.
In truth, the consciousness now surfacing in this Divine Spirit Descent Body belonged to the dual-natured mistress of the earth.
As mentioned many times before, these twin goddesses had descended into the same vessel due to a summoning ritual conducted by the priestesses of Uruk. Ishtar, the city's patron deity, was the primary target, while Ereshkigal was forcefully dragged along due to their dual-nature link—like a "buy one, get one free" deal.
If one were to divide the host's soul and body into ten parts, Ishtar, with her dominant divinity, controlled 30% of the soul and 70% of the body. In contrast, Ereshkigal, shaped by the remaining 70% humanity, only held 30% control over the vessel.
So, most of the time, it was the Great Goddess Ishtar that people saw.
During this stretch, Ereshkigal's consciousness had largely been pushed back into the Underworld. Influenced by the powerful pull of humanity, her appearance—formed through her connection to the Earth—naturally took on the vessel's look.
This was the so-called "70-30 split."
Yet even though Ereshkigal lacked full control over the body, when favorable conditions aligned—nighttime, standing on earth, Ishtar's emotional shifts or her falling asleep—she could seize the chance to rise up. Her Underworld consciousness would momentarily surface, allowing her to temporarily take over the body and see the world through her own eyes.
But lining up all those conditions wasn't easy. She could only sneak a breath of air when Ishtar dropped her guard.
Most of the time, Ereshkigal remained locked in the Underworld, holed up in a little dark room, cuddling with her pet.
Samael, as that snake pet, knew that. But as a person, he definitely wasn't supposed to!
The ancient serpent eyed the goddess—who now seemed aware of her surroundings—with a conflicted and brooding expression. Fighting his instinct to nuzzle her chest in greeting, he forced himself into a deeply aggrieved posture.
"Ishtar! I just came by to ask you out for a meal. So what if I saw a little of your... personal hobby? Did you really have to drag me into your little dark room and do all this?!"
"With King Gilgamesh as our witness, we've stood together through three great storms! We're teammates!"
"You're the goddess of Uruk—show some dignity!"
Just regaining her senses, Ereshkigal blinked back into awareness. Startled, she quickly let go of both the warhammer and Samael's thigh.
Oh no—not again!
Watching the Seven-Headed Serpent Warhammer plummet, Samael scrambled across the floor, frantically trying to rescue his ill-fated lower half.
First the Goddess of Demonic Beasts, then the War Goddess, and now even the Goddess of the Underworld?
Why do all of you insist on going for my crotch?!
He stared at the warhammer now embedded deep into the floor, his brow twitching violently as a cold dread crawled from his tailbone to the top of his head.
"I-I'm sorry…"
Seeing the aftermath, the Underworld goddess—currently governed by 70% humanity—stood frozen, flustered and awkward. She bowed her head, trying to help him up but hesitated, unsure where to place her hands.
Ereshkigal really was too kind.
Samael made the comparison internally, and his affection for his former master shot through the roof.
Still, the situation forced him to keep up the cold act. A strange sense of guilt lingered in his heart.
"Forget it, forget it. You're not planning to continue, are you?"
Ereshkigal raised her head with effort, her eyes scanning Samael with an odd expression. Her face gradually turned bright red as she let out a faint, embarrassed hum.
"I'm a bit overwhelmed right now."
"She... I... What exactly did she do to you?"
"It wasn't that bad. Just because of some stupid personal matter, she dragged me into a dark room, pinned me to the floor, tried both threats and bribes, groped me all over, and almost—"
Samael rolled his eyes and glanced nervously down between his legs, still shaken.
"She clearly wanted it herself, but I had to figure it out and 'take the lead'... (Had to help her keep her secret. Tsundere types are a pain.)"
"Stop talking!"
Ereshkigal flailed in panic, her face flushed deep red, the blush spreading to her ears.
"Don't worry. As long as I don't want to end up crushed under the Seven-Headed Serpent Warhammer, I'll keep your little kink and all those shameful habits to myself."
"So, Lady Goddess... can I go now?"
"Out! Get out!"
Samael played it cool, smirking coldly as he spoke. The words had barely left his mouth before two hands shoved him out the door.
"Bang!"
He stared at the tightly shut door, behind which the figure of Ereshkigal slid helplessly down the wall, burying her face in her hands by the window.
An angel...
A beast!
Her cheeks flushed to the point of dizziness, the Underworld Goddess cursed in a mix of shame and rage.
Too kind...
Too mortifying!
Still so pure and adorable...
I knew it! You shameless, unrepentant slut!
Inside and outside the door, the two of them muttered contrasting curses, their feelings polar opposites.
Was my performance just now too suspicious?
He wasn't sure why, but Ereshkigal's reaction had seemed a little too intense.
Well, whatever. She's probably just blaming herself—she's too kind.
She was his former owner, after all. The more time they spent together, the more likely she'd slip up. Food came first. He could think about the rest tomorrow.
Out in the hallway, Samael straightened his disheveled clothes, adjusted his torn robe and loose pants, then made his way upstairs toward the dining hall.
"Smack!"
Back in the room, Ereshkigal, huddled in a corner, suddenly slapped herself across the cheek. The stinging pain left a red, swollen mark.
Holding her face, she gasped sharply, her rage boiling over.
"I actually believed human influence would make you repent! I'm such an idiot!"
"You just joined Uruk, and you already dragged a good-looking male teammate into a room and tried to assault him! How desperate are you?!"
"If I hadn't surfaced just in time, tonight would've—"
The image of tangled limbs suddenly popped into her mind, and her face went crimson.
Even though she and Ishtar were two aspects of the same goddess, they had completely separate personalities.
So just as Ishtar wasn't aware of her presence within the vessel, she herself had no idea what Ishtar saw, heard, said, or did while in control.
Which made it all the worse—what if one day she happened to resurface while a certain love goddess was getting busy?
That kind of awkwardness...
Just imagining it made Ereshkigal shudder and shake her head furiously to banish the shameful thought.
But this wasn't some baseless worry.
The old Ishtar had been downright promiscuous—so much so that even Ereshkigal, as her older sister, found it hard to watch.
Though the Spiritual Descent had essentially made them new beings, completely separated from their past selves...
(From the moment of Summoning, the two goddesses had defied divine law and destiny, betraying the gods of Babylon and severing all ties with who they once were. They had to be seen as entirely separate individuals.)
Even so, with Ishtar's notorious past and what she'd just witnessed tonight, it was hard not to suspect that the goddess of love was falling back into old habits.
No way! This is our shared body. It's a fresh start.
I absolutely won't let that slut defile it just to satisfy her twisted urges!
I swear on my life to protect the purity of this body!
Clenching her fists, Ereshkigal made a solemn vow, her face full of resolve.
Yet her pessimism crept in.
Knowing Ishtar, once she latched onto something, she was unstoppable.
And if her possessiveness wasn't satisfied, she'd act out recklessly, dragging everyone else down with her.
Back then, that possessiveness had mostly been about lust.
Now, with their new identities, that obsession had shifted to gemstones—thank the heavens.
But who knew if the madness might return? What if she still harbored those shameful desires?
And with Ishtar holding seventy percent control while she only had thirty, there was no way she could stop her forever.
No! Absolutely not! I won't let her get away with it!
This body is ours. If she wants to drag someone down with her, she can forget about taking me too!
Bracing herself in a corner, Ereshkigal sat with wide eyes and focused her will.
As long as I don't sleep, don't zone out, I can keep control until sunrise.
Ereshkigal, even here on the surface, you're the best! You can do it! Hang in there!
Face taut with determination, she stared dead ahead at the room filled with glittering treasure, forcing herself not to blink.
Time ticked by, second by second, in a silent battle of wills.
...
Days later, the once radiant goddess dragged herself out of her private dark room—hair dull, body frail, and face gaunt.
"Waaah! So good! I'm starving!"
At the dining table, Samael watched Ishtar—sprawled across three chairs, clutching a clay bowl, devouring food like a beast—with a complicated expression.
She looked like a reincarnated starving ghost. Whatever dignity or divine grace she once had was scattered all over the floor.
Assuming she had any left, that is...
If Samael didn't know better, he'd have thought she'd smuggled in some knockoff narcotics and holed up in her room for a multi-day binge.
It's just gem-sucking, right? But not showing up for days, and now looking like she's on some weird high?
And her face... it was literally swollen!
He didn't even know where to begin.
Samael quietly pulled back his strange stare, steadied his thoughts, and shifted the topic.
"What? Even gods need to eat?"
"Gods in the pure sense don't—but my host body does! Absorbing mana keeps me alive, but I still feel hunger and thirst. Got it?"
Hearing the chef's question, Ishtar replied between bites, giving Samael a lesson.
But eating too fast while talking made her choke—her throat jerked, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her chest heaved.
"Water! Water!"
The ancient serpent serving nearby immediately handed over some sweet soup.
Ishtar gulped it down, pounded her chest a few times, then swallowed the bite successfully.
"Thanks. Setting the past aside, you're a decent person."
She sighed in relief and gave Samael a nod of approval. Her temperament—spontaneous, carefree, not one to hold grudges—meant she wasn't hard to get along with once you understood her.
"Eat slower—no one's stealing your food. If you want more, I can prepare it."
They'd evened the score with their playful jabs. Samael, needing Ishtar's help again, didn't mind making peace.
"By the way, why didn't you invite me these past few days?"
Ishtar complained as she skillfully sucked the juices from a lamb chop, leaving only gleaming bones.
"Last time I tried to call you, I almost lost my life."
"Who in their right mind would interrupt Lady Goddess's indulgence after that?"
Samael pointed to his tattered clothes in the corner, replying dryly.
Ishtar tapped her forehead, laughter softening her goddessly demeanor now that the gemstone's influence had faded.
"It's fine. I just wanted to admire my treasures. But I got excited and my head fogged over."
"So I dozed off for days—and only just woke up."
Probably starving herself awake...
Samael glanced at the dozen spotless plates, thinking she was greedy, sleepy, arrogant, and gluttonous—all traits creeping her closer to a Great Dragon.
Then he glanced at the north wall and added, "Your domain's more dangerous than a dragon's lair. We haven't dared go near it lately because of magical beasts."
Ishtar's smile faltered. Sensing his point, she picked up a cup of milk and asked:
"How's it over there?"
"Since our last battle, the Goddess of Demonic Beasts and Kingu are badly wounded. The magical beasts harassing the north wall are just scattered stragglers now. We can handle them ourselves—no need to trouble the goddess."
Wrapping his arms, Samael replied calmly, though he softened his tone to maintain good relations:
"Actually, just having you in Uruk is a massive deterrent. We've had peace these past days thanks to you."
"The north wall's being repaired. King Gilgamesh and Merlin are still recovering—it'll take some time."
"So until Uruk can defend itself, we won't rush into conflict with the Three Goddess Alliance."
Ishtar exhaled, guilt easing from her heart.
"When are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow. We'll head to Eridu first."
"We'll use the forest goddess as our breakthrough and retrieve the tool needed to weaken the magical beasts' divine power."
Samael outlined part of the plan to dismantle the Three Goddess Alliance and confirmed the timing.
"Feathered Serpent Kukulkan… ugh, that's a headache. She's not my thing."
Ishtar frowned at the clay tablet's details and muttered.
"If only it were Gugalanna…"
"What?"
"Nothing! This food is amazing—bring me another bowl!"
Realizing her slip, Ishtar smiled and handed the bowl to Samael, instructing him to keep serving.
But before he reached the kitchen, the floor trembled violently. Dust fell from the ceiling, bowls and plates clattered.
Samael and Ishtar stared at the disturbance, sensing a massive divine power sweeping in.
From the direction of the south gate!
No way—it's her. The chief god of the Mayan civilization, the South American sun god—Quetzalcoatl!
The timing doesn't match! Why are most of these events different from my memories?
What's going on?
A strong foreboding filled Samael's heart. He felt a force in the darkness quietly pushing and rewriting everything he remembered.
Meanwhile, in the northern cedar forest, inside the Blood Fort:
Before a blood-red abyss stood a green-haired beauty. He looked at the wounded Beast Goddess sleeping in pain, and gently touched the scar on his chest.
"Tsk, it seems our power—even combined with Mother's—isn't enough to extract the divine wedge and complete our revenge on this land."
"And the other two pillars of the Three Goddess Alliance haven't honored the contract. They clearly held back."
"There's no choice—we must speed things up and not give them a moment's rest!"
Kingu summoned a radiant golden cup from a shimmering magecraft circle, then leapt into the abyss.
Soon, the mortals on the surface will know that aside from the star-strewn sky and the gods, another force must be feared—the darkness beneath their feet!
That is the ultimate ruler of all life, the supreme terror that spawned creation itself!
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake