The divine crowd broke out in rage, throwing insults and vitriol at Gilgamesh. Never had they heard such arrogance and foolishness in their long lives. The nerve of him, a mere human, to make such sweeping statements was blasphemy to the highest degree. They began to call for Gilgamesh's immediate forfeit and execution. Such behavior would not be tolerated.

Perun finally came to, looking up at his opponent. Everyone else stared at him, on the edge of their seats, wondering what he would do. Surely the human's actions would incite a level of fury in Perun never seen by anyone before, even the highest of the gods.

Such were the VIPs' thoughts. Zeus leaned over the guardrails, pupils once more visible, waiting with eager anticipation for Perun's reaction. Odin and Amun-Ra were as stone-cold as ever, but they were eyeing Perun with what appeared to be curiosity. Shiva was grinning from ear to ear, and he was now invested enough that he sat up from his mat. Aphrodite marveled at Gilgamesh, taking in his striking appearance. She hadn't noticed it before, too disinterested in the fights to care. But now she couldn't help but appreciate his rugged good looks.

After what seemed like an eternity, Perun stood up, still grasping Topor Peruna. Gilgamesh looked back at him, awaiting the angry assault that was no doubt about to befall him.

But it never did.

AT THAT MOMENT…

A massive aura exuded from Perun, frightening the crowd. They began to quake, their knees knocking together, their teeth chattering, under the immense pressure. Even the VIPs were slightly taken aback.

A SINGLE THOUGHT FILLED PERUN'S MIND.

The old god lifted his head slightly so that his face was now fully in view. A malevolent leer covered the lower half of it, and his eyes were wide open with diabolical delight. He was more tense, but that didn't seem to detract from his joy.

HAD THIS MAN BEFORE HIM BEEN BORN AT THE SAME TIME AND PLACE AS HIM…

NAY, HAD THEY MERELY BEEN OF THE SAME RACE…

"Crimes, you say? Heh heh heh… well, I don't know what you mean by that, but…" Perun took a few steps forward, never taking his eyes off of Gilgamesh. "...I know I'm enjoying this!"

THEY COULD HAVE BECOME RIVALS.

Gilgamesh closed his eyes in exasperation. "So unnecessarily wild, so needlessly violent. You haven't the slightest care for anything else, do you?"

"Of course not!" Perun replied. "Nothing else in all the worlds matters."

"Hmph. I should have known," Gilgamesh remarked with a hint of irritation. "You're just like all the others." He hefted his mace and put his right foot behind him, ready for another bout.

"So you should die like them, too."

THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

URUK

ACCORDING TO MOST HISTORIANS, THE HISTORICAL FIGURE OF GILGAMESH REIGNED SOMETIME FROM 2800 AND 2500 BC, DURING THE EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD.

MANY DOCUMENTS HAVE MADE MENTION OF HIS EXISTENCE, INCLUDING THE SUMERIAN KING LIST AND THE TUMMAL INSCRIPTION.

HOWEVER, WHAT HE DID AND THE EVENTS OF HIS REIGN ARE UNKNOWN.

Stone carvings of a man vaguely resembling Gilgamesh flashed by, as well as his mentions in the List and the Inscription.

BUT THE POEMS SAY DIFFERENTLY.

A dusty street in Uruk is shown, filled with people coming and going, and shopkeepers haggling with customers. Suddenly, a slightly younger Gilgamesh appeared wrestling a very hairy man the same height as him. As they tumbled about the road, punching, kicking, and doing whatever they could to gain the advantage, it became evident that the monkey-like man was Enkidu. They fought, and fought, and fought, until at last they could fight no more, and collapsed on the ground beside each other. They both looked at the other's face, then laughed.

BORN TO LUGALBANDA, THE FORMER KING OF URUK, AND NINSUN, A MESOPATMIAN GODDESS, GILGAMESH'S EXPLOITS WERE NOTHING SHORT OF LEGENDARY.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu stood in the middle of a clearing in a vast forest filled with tall trees, each carrying metal greatswords. Before them, a massive, lumbering beast loomed over them, staring down with blank yellow eyes. Its face was black and wrinkled like entrails. Two large horns curved outward from the base of its skull. Its scaly, pale-green body was covered only by a brown, fur loincloth. Its mere presence induced terror in the environment, darkening the shadows of the trees and scaring away the animals.

HUMBABA

DEMON GUARDIAN OF THE CEDAR FOREST

But the two mortals stood firm, unwavering.

WITH HIS GOD-GIVEN STRENGTH AND UNMATCHED COURAGE, EVERYTHING THAT STOOD IN HIS WAY…

Humbaba lunged forward at the pair, arms outstretched and hands opened wide to swiftly crush them. Gilgamesh grinned, dug his feet into the ground, and pushed off, launching him into the air. He held his sword over his shoulder, preparing for a swing.

…WAS SIMPLY ANNIHILATED.

Gilgamesh sat down on the chest of the decapitated Humbaba, its head off to the side. A large tongue lolled from the side of the mouth, and the eyes were half open. Enkidu stood by the stump that had once been Humbaba's neck, dumbfounded. He looked up at Gilgamesh and laughed in amazement. The king smiled and gave his friend a thumbs-up.

NOT ONCE DURING HIS TIME AS KING DID HE TASTE DEFEAT.

IN TIME, THE NAME OF GILGAMESH RESOUNDED NOT JUST THROUGH URUK, BUT THROUGH ALL OF EARLY HUMAN CIVILIZATION.

ALL WHO SAW HIM FELL TO THEIR FEET AND PRAISED HIM.

Gilgamesh, decked out in extremely fanciful robes and jewelry, walked through Uruk, waving to the onlookers. They bowed down and worshipped him as he passed them by, just as they did to their gods.

THAT IS, ALL EXCEPT THE GODS.

A group of divine beings were seated at a large circular table in a grand temple, which itself was in the middle of a familiar-looking forest, all looking unhappy and frustrated. One in particular stood out, his aura overtaking the other gods'. His dark eyes emitted a purple glow, his dark, wavy hair fell to his shoulders, and his broad body was engulfed in deep blue armor with gold engravings. He wore a very tall black and gold headdress topped with a silver sphere.

ANUM(SUMERIAN)

GOD OF THE SKY, FATHER OF THE SUMERIAN GODS

"My children," he began, his voice ringing deep through the temple, "it has come to my attention that there exists a human who has arrogantly taken the fervor and praise due us for himself."

"Indeed he has, father," another god responded. He wore a golden crown under a blue turban, long, turquoise earrings, and a large cloak made entirely of white feathers. Gold bands with jewels embedded in them encircled his forearms and lower legs. Four massive wings folded between his back and his chair.

ENLIL

GOD OF WIND AND EARTH, CHIEF OF THE SUMERIAN GODS

"His name is Gilgamesh," Enlil continued. "He is the king of a city known as Uruk. And not only has he stolen our followers, he has also slain the guardian of our realm, Humbaba."

The other gods gasped and whispered amongst themselves, stunned that such a puny creature was even capable of killing one of the mightiest beasts in the cosmos.

"This is absolutely unacceptable!" a third god shouted, pounding his fist on the table. A golden soldier's helmet covered most of his head, and bulky, copper armor gave him a more imposing presence. Red cloth hung from his hips and shoulders.

NINURTA

GOD OF AGRICULTURE AND WAR

"This man should be immediately cast into the underworld for what he's done! I will not allow his crimes to continue!" Out of all the gods, he seemed to be the angriest, his face contorted with rage. Enlil put a reassuring hand on Ninurta's shoulder.

"Rest easy, my son," the chief god said. "He will pay restitution for his sins. However, we can't be reckless. We must ensure that our image as loving and merciful rulers is maintained whilst simultaneously ridding ourselves of this affront."

"I'm afraid that will prove to be nigh impossible," a goddess piped up. She wore an ornate star-shaped crown that held her black hair to the sides of her head. All manner of jewelry adorned her body, and she wore no clothing besides shiny golden plating over her chest and waist and dark blue-green cloth wrapped around her legs.

ISHTAR

GODDESS OF LOVE, FERTILITY, AND BEAUTY

"And why, dear sister, would annihilating a human be trouble for us gods?" Ninurta spat.

"Because," Ishtar answered, "Gilgamesh is powerful enough that only something of catastrophic proportions could destroy him. Others will have to be put in the crossfire."

"Outrageous!" yelled the war god. "No human is that powerful! They are weak! They can't even break rocks with their hands!"

"Well, my thickheaded brother, I think it will surprise to you know that Gilgamesh is in fact a demigod, which is how he has accomplished these fantastic feats," Ishtar countered smugly. Ninurta's fury was about to boil over at her words, but Enlil put a stop to it.

"That's enough." The two gods fell silent. "Now, Ishtar, since you seem to have done your research, I presume you have something in mind to put an end to Gilgamesh's folly?"

"Why yes, father, I do," the goddess replied courtly. "I propose… we unleash Gugalanna."

Most of the other gods looked at her in shock. "Gugalanna?" "That beast?!" "Are you out of your mind?!" "I didn't know it was still alive!"

GUGALANNA, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BULL OF HEAVEN.

STRIKING FEAR INTO EVEN THE HEARTS OF THE GODS, THIS BEAST POSSESSES THE CAPABILITY TO CAUSE UNTOLD DESTRUCTION ACROSS EARTH.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN RELEASED, SIMPLY FOR THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGE IT MAY CAUSE WOULD BE TOO SEVERE TO REPAIR, EVEN FOR THE GODS.

Enlil once again silenced the chatter. He himself was also surprised, but he knew what to do. He looked over to Anum, whose eyes were closed, deep in thought. "Father? What say you?"

Anum did not answer for several seconds, but finally opened his eyes and looked at Ishtar. "Granddaughter," he said, "if you deem it necessary to release it… then I trust your judgment."

Ishtar smiled. "Thank you, grandfather. I greatly appreciate your faith in me. And rest assured, I have prepared relief and provisions for victims of the Bull's rampage. I shall make it appear that Gugalanna escaped its confines and that I will be there to put a stop to it."

Perfect, she thought. My revenge is nearly complete! Gilgamesh, you will severely regret the day you spurned me! Mental images flashed through her mind from several days ago. She provocatively approached Gilgamesh while he was in his palace, hoping to seduce him after seeing his fight against Humbaba. But he rejected her, reminding her about her other ill-fated lovers. He turned and walked away and said something that had burned itself into her brain.

"The love of a false goddess is no love at all."

She was so angry she thought she might call down heaven's fury upon him, but by then he was already gone. So she had informed the gods of Gilgamesh's actions, excluding his rejection of her, of course, in order to exact vengeance.

ISHTAR'S RAGE BURNED STRONG WITHIN HER.

AND SO, WITH ANUM'S BLESSING, SHE ARRIVED AT GUGALANNA'S ENCLOSURE AND UNLEASHED HIM UPON THE MORTAL PLANE.

On Earth, the people of a small village were going about their daily business. Then, out of nowhere, an enormous shadow moved over the town, giving the appearance of late evening. The villagers looked up in confusion at the now-hidden sun, trying to determine what was blocking out the light. For a few moments, only a dark shape was visible. But then it got bigger. And bigger. And bigger.

The people gasped in horror and began to run away. Above them, a massive, black bull with large gray wings and bloodshot eyes descended upon them, snorting angrily. As it got closer, it flapped its wings harder, creating an incredibly strong gale that blew over the houses and crushed the townspeople. When it landed, it immediately began charging through the village, demolishing anything that was unfortunate enough to get in its way. Clay mixed with blood and limbs as they flew through the air together, painting a morbidly beautiful mural.

LIKE A HURRICANE, THE BULL MADE ITS WAY ACROSS MESOPOTAMIA, LEAVING ONLY DEATH AND RUIN IN ITS WAKE.

AND THE PEOPLE WERE HELPLESS TO STOP IT.

A village was suddenly and completely obliterated by an unseen force, the houses half-destroyed and the people lying dead in pools of blood. A city was annihilated from the inside out by Gugalanna, whose very steps destabilized the foundations of buildings and caused people to fall to their deaths. A ziggurat collapsed when the beast landed on it, killing everyone inside.

WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN, THE PEOPLE DESPERATELY PRAYED TO THE GODS TO SAVE THEM.

BUT THEY DID NOT ANSWER.

"My lord!" A messenger burst into the throne room of Gilgamesh's palace, breathing heavily. "Guglanna has been sighted near the city walls!"

Gilgamesh was sitting stoically on his throne, with Enkidu at his side. A group of fancily dressed men were convened in front and around the throne, having been discussing with Gilgamesh about what to do about the Bull. Everyone turned to look at their king, awaiting his response.

"Already? I wasn't expecting it so soon," he said. Without another word, he stood up and began to make his way out of the palace. The others, flabbergasted, protested fiercely.

"My king! You cannot possibly go out there!" one councilman exclaimed. "Though you managed to fell Humbaba, the Bull of Heaven is something else entirely! Do not let your hubris be the end of you!"

"I must agree with him, my lord," another chimed in. "And furthermore, this calamity can only be the will of the gods. To defy them once again, and so soon after killing their sacred guardian, will surely give them cause to damn you."

"Gilgamesh, please," Enkidu pleaded. "Don't go out there. You won't survive. Please."

But Gilgamesh dismissed them. "Have none of you any faith in your king? When have I tasted defeat? When have I failed my people? You speak with weak hearts. Do not get in my way." And with that, he grabbed a mace from a weapons rack and was gone.

Outside the palace, the people of Uruk were out in the streets, on their knees, and in tears, looking upward and begging the gods to grant them mercy. Men, women, and children, all were afraid and praying. But Gilgamesh wasn't having any of it.

"Quiet your distress, my people!" he proclaimed. "Do not offer up any of your thoughts or time to those who would do nothing with it! I, your king, shall deal with Gugalanna and save you!"

The people looked agape at him, not believing their ears. "My lord, you can't be serious!" "Please, my king, reconsider!" "My liege, you will surely perish! Do not be a fool!"

Gilgamesh held up his hand, and the people were silent. Then, after a short pause, he continued down the road. He exuded the utmost confidence, and like a sweet aroma, it calmed the people down. They inhaled shakily, but their faith in Gilgamesh was strengthened, and they watched him go with hopeful eyes.

As he neared the city walls, Gilgamesh looked up to his left and saw a figure silhouetted in the sunlight. Before long, he could make out some familiar green cloth and jewelry.

"Ishtar!" he called out to her. "Have you come to witness my triumph over the Bull of Heaven?"

The goddess smiled haughtily. "Triumph? Ohohohoho! I see you've retained your arrogance! Let's see how fast it melts when death is upon you!"

Gilgamesh smirked. "And I see jealousy still controls your every action. I assume you're the one behind this?"

Ishtar turned her head away indignantly. "Of course not! Enlil himself decreed the release of Gugalanna to punish you mortals for your many sins! You've gone far too long without discipline!"

Gilgamesh frowned but didn't respond. Instead, he signaled the wall guards to open the massive gates in front of him. A great rumble slightly shook the walls as the doors creaked open, revealing the thick forest beyond. He slowly exited the city and stood between the wall and the trees, watching.

Suddenly, a flock of birds screeched and rose up out of the forest and into the sky, joining together to create a dark shape that seamlessly moved as one and off into the distance. Then, a distant cracking could be heard, like trees splintering into thousands of tiny pieces, and a cloud of dust emerged from the forest and obscured it.

Ishtar couldn't contain her glee. Her eyes and mouth were wide open with sinister joy, and her body trembled with anticipation. Yes, yes, yes! She thought maniacally. Here it comes! Oh, sweet revenge!

With a grunt, Gugalanna burst from the dust cloud and landed heavily on the ground. It scanned its surroundings briefly before sighting Gilgamesh. It let out a tremendous roar and charged, head lowered and horns bared to gore its prey.

GUGALANNA, THOUGH CHAOTIC AND DESTRUCTIVE, IS AN EFFICIENT PREDATOR.

IT WILL ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE AIR RESISTANCE AND MAXIMIZE VELOCITY SO AS TO OBLITERATE ITS TARGET QUICKLY AND CLEANLY.

The wings on its back folded into themselves and onto the Bull's back, giving the impression of a speeding locomotive bearing down on an unfortunate soul caught on the track, with nothing to do but wait for death.

IN ITS LONG LIFESPAN, GUGALANNA HAD NEVER ONCE FAILED TO KILL SOMETHING IT HAD SET ITS MIND ON.

Gilgamesh, who had not moved since he had stopped outside the wall, finally took action. Planting his right foot behind him, he grasped his mace with both hands and held it at his side in preparation for a single finishing blow. His cape billowed next to him from the gusts of the Bull's charge.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS FACED WITH IMMINENT DOOM…

Ishtar laughed. "You ignorant buffoon! You intend to stop Gugalanna with your own strength? How stupid are you? Ohohohoho!"

Gilgamesh did not react.

…AND THE GODS' WILL WAS HIS VIOLENT AND IMMEDIATE DEMISE…

The Bull was only a few feet away from the king now. He could make out the veins in its eyes, feel the hot breath from its nostrils, and knew without a doubt that this demonic beast had no other goal than to see him dead and in pieces.

…GILGAMESH DID NOT FALTER.

The mace seemed to move on its own as it came toward Gugalanna's face with extreme speed. Upon contact, its snout crumbled, smushing into its face. But Gilgamesh didn't stop there. He drove the mace forward with even more force, caving the Bull's head as it continued on its path, its velocity keeping it from stopping. Eventually, the weapon shattered, unable to take any more force. But the damage had been done.

The body of the beast tripped over itself and went flying, crashing into the city walls with such force that clouds of dust were dislodged from the cracks in the clay. As the dirt settled, the Bull became visible again. A sizeable dent in the middle of its head and neck oozed blood and puss. Its monstrous tongue hung limply from the remains of the mouth. Its legs twitched, then stopped as death took hold.

Gilgamesh stood in the position had he been when Gugalanna met its gruesome execution. The mace was nothing more than a hilt and some splinters. Ishtar watched in shock, her mouth open in amazement and disbelief. But she was at a loss for words. Gilgamesh had utterly dumbfounded her.

The king suddenly returned to a more comfortable position and turned to look at the goddess who had so smugly mocked and derided him. Ishtar waited for the contemptuous laughter and slew of insults he was sure to throw her way.

But it never came.

"Are you satisfied?!" he shouted. "Are you content now?! Has your thirst for revenge been quenched?! Your vile beast has laid waste to the Earth and destroyed countless lives! In your shameful desire to smite me for my slights against you, you have brought nothing but pain and needless death to innocent souls!" He looked back at the forest. "All of you have!"

Out of the shadows, several shapes materialized, revealing the gods from the meeting. They all glared at Gilgamesh with righteous indignation.

"What did you say to us, you ungrateful bastard?!" Ninurta screamed. He drew a spear from his back and aimed at Gilgamesh. "I should annihilate you right here and now!"

"And why?" Gilgamesh countered. "Because I speak the truth? Because I have failed to endlessly worship and obey your vain commands? Because I have protected and saved the people under my care? Is that why I deserve to die?!" He pointed an accusing finger at Ishtar. "You are all just like her! Conceited! Narcissistic! Self-righteous! Unconcerned with the lives of beings less fortunate than you! I would laugh if I weren't so angry!"

"How dare you?!" Ninurta shrieked, but Enlil put a hand on his chest and pushed him back slightly.

"Mortal," he began. "What you say is heresy of the highest order. I implore you to reconsider your words. If you mean what you say with all your heart–" He narrowed his eyes, and his aura flared. "-then the only fate you deserve is damnation."

"Of course, you would say that," Gilgamesh retorted. "You never change. Too absorbed in your own power and self-image to even consider that you might be wrong. You disgust me!" He flung the hilt at Enlil, which bounced off of the god and clattered to the ground. Ninurta couldn't stand it.

"You wicked half-breed! I won't stand here and let you profane the name of the ultimate beings!" He lunged forward, spear outstretched to run Gilgamesh through, his wrathful eyes wide, spittle flying from his mouth. He moved with blinding speed and perfect form, honed over millennia of training and battle.

AND YET–

The force of his thrust kicked up a whirlwind of dirt that surrounded Gilgamesh and blew down the segment of the wall behind him, killing the guards. Ninurta paused, breathing heavily and trembling with fury. The insipid man was surely dead now.

AGAINST GILGAMESH, HE WAS NO MORE THAN AN INSECT.

The dust eventually cleared, and when it did, the gods couldn't believe their eyes. Gilgamesh stood, unharmed, holding the head of Ninurta's spear in his hand. Not a scratch or drop of blood could be seen. And while the war god was struggling to push forward his weapon, Gilgamesh didn't need to exert an ounce of effort.

He looked behind for a moment and closed his eyes, silently grieving for the lost souls. Then he turned back to Ninurta as anger overcame him, his muscles bulging and veins growing more pronounced. With one swift movement, he crushed the spearhead, pulled the handle of the weapon off to his side, and punched Ninurta's head off with his other hand, fracturing the god's skull in the process. It landed far away at Enlil's feet.

The other gods gasped in horror. One of their own–no, not just one of their own, one of the mightiest warriors of the divine world–was brutally slain by a mere mortal, and easily at that. It was unthinkable. There was no way this could ever be possible. But it was. And it was right in front of them.

"How quickly you turn to anger and violence to resolve your problems! How easy it is for you to simply destroy anything you perceive as heretical instead of accepting the truth!" Gilgamesh was more angry than he had ever been, waving his hands at the gods like a madman. "You are all frauds! Con artists! A true god would defend those lesser than themself and take care of those in need! But you only demand unending worship and tireless praise! And for what?! When have you ever gone out of your way to help us?! No, all the ceremonies and rituals are for the sake of your own vanity! I'm done pretending to care about you! And I intend to make your sins known to all of humanity!"

"Foolish human!" one of the gods cried. "We are perfect! We have no sins! You, on the other hand–" he materialized a sword in his hand. "-shall perish for yours!" With a battle cry, he leaped into the air for a crushing overhead strike. But Gilgamesh calmly blocked it, and with the same hand grabbed it, ripped it out of the god's hand, and shoved it through his midsection. The divine being coughed up blood and stared down at his open stomach in shock, then fell over, dead.

The rest of the gods got ahold of themselves and readied their own weapons. The power of this mortal was unfathomable, but he would fall to an all-out attack by them. They charged all at once, completely sure of themselves.

AND ONE BY ONE, THEY FELL BENEATH HIS SUPERIOR POWER.

Mere minutes later, most of the gods lay dead in pools of blood, killed by their own weapons. Only Enlil remained alive, although he was heavily injured. His weapon, a halberd, sat off to his side. Gilgamesh approached the fallen god calmly and stood over him.

"You… you'll never… get away with this!" Enlil coughed. "We… have borne witness… to the most heinous crime committed… by a mortal against… a god! The armies of heaven… will be upon you and your people… for what you've done!"

Gilgamesh glared at the chief god and put his armored foot on his head. He leaned close to Enlil's face, the king's aura overwhelming him.

"Then let them come."

With that, he crushed Enlil's head with a splurch. He wiped the blood off on the god's body disrespectfully, then made his way back into Uruk.

THIS INCIDENT HAS ALWAYS REMAINED A MYSTERY TO THE GODS.

NO ONE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY TO MAKE SO MANY POWERFUL WARRIORS SIMPLY DISAPPEAR.

AND SINCE THEY NEVER SUSPECTED A MORTAL COULD POSSIBLY BE RESPONSIBLE, IT WAS ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT THE BULL OF HEAVEN KILLED THEM.

BUT AS IT HAD ALSO DISAPPEARED, THIS THEORY WAS WIDELY CONTESTED.

AND SO, LIKE THE UNSOLVED CRIMES OF THE MORTAL WORLD, THE CASE GREW COLD AND WAS EVENTUALLY FORGOTTEN.

VALHALLA ARENA

Gilgamesh stared Perun down. The old god was practically trembling with excitement, overjoyed at the prospect of a challenge. Gilgamesh looked frustrated. Perun's attitude reminded him of the gods he had killed long ago. And he hated it.

With an angry shout, he charged forward with a heavy sideswiped. Perun skillfully blocked it, holding Gilgamesh in place. The king glared at his opponent with hate while Perun smiled with sinister delight.

"'Them?'" Shiva pondered. "What does he mean by that?"

Zeus had similar thoughts. "Hmm… how strange."

Beside Zeus' seat, Hermes stood attentively, holding a silky, white cloth. He leaned over to speak close to his master's ear. "What is puzzling you, Lord Zeus?"

"He mentioned 'them'," Zeus replied, "And how he killed 'them'. I wonder if–" Suddenly, the god's pupils showed, and he smiled to himself. "Oho… so he's the one… now it's starting to make sense."

Hermes had come to the same conclusion. "I see. That's very interesting."

"However," Zeus continued, "that does not explain his performance in this battle. He's up against Perun's Topor Peruna. Any weapon made by man should've shattered in one hit. So that–" He pointed at the two combatants, still locked in a power struggle. "-should be impossible."

He looked up, thinking. "Manmade weaponry would never stand against divine–" He noticed something on the far side of the arena, and perked up a little. "Wait a second…"

Across the way, Brunhilde stood like a statue, slightly by a shadowy background. She was looking back at Zeus and began smiling evilly.

"Hmph." Zeus stroked his beard in amusement. "I see your plot, valkyrie girl."

Göll grabbed her sister's dress, frightened. "Hilde, Zeus is looking over here creepily!"

"It appears he's noticed," she responded.

AKASHIC ARCHIVES

PRIOR TO RAGNAROK'S BEGINNING

"Relax, Göll," Brunhilde said. "I've already decided humanity's vanguard."

"No, this is a bad idea, Hilde!" Göll protested. "This guy is too dangerous! He killed a demon for fun, you know! And even if he's the strongest hero, does he even stand a chance in a duel with the gods?!"

Brunhilde turned to the younger valkyrie, and with a blank face said, "Obviously, he's got no chance."

"No chance?!" Göll shrieked. "Obviously?!"

"The cheats the gods have up their sleeves," Brunhilde went on, "is the ability to forge divine weapons that have been honed in heaven. By comparison, the weapons of humanity are but toys in the face of the gods. They'd be smashed to pieces in seconds. So, Göll, there's no way in hell that humans could beat gods wielding their divine weapons."

"No way in hell…?" Göll whimpered. She fell to her hands and knees and started bawling. "We're dooooooooomed!"

Brunhilde crouched down next to her. "Ha ha, you're right there. We're absolutely doomed." Then she grew serious. "So let me ask you this: what if humans had divine weapons?"

Göll looked at her older sister, tears still in her eyes. "Huh?"

"That's right. Only a divine weapon can face another divine weapon."

Suddenly, light flower petals began swirling around the two valkyries, startling Göll. The wind coalesced into a circle, which became a portal into a large room with stained glass windows, and filled with women of various stature and clothing.

"You called, dear sister?" One of the women in the front curtsied toward Brunhilde. "In accordance with our eldest sister Brunhilde's summoning, we, the twenty-one valkyrie sisters, have gathered."

"Oh!" Göll exclaimed. "Our sisters! This is the first time all twenty-three of us have gathered in one place! But why…?"

"Herja," Brunhilde said. "Step forth."

"Yes, sister," one of the women responded. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that was tied back with a golden hair band, silver pauldrons, a dark blue dress that was secured to her waist with a belt, leather forearm guards, and tall blue boots that went to her knees.

HERJA

14TH OF THE VALKYRIE SISTERS

"Sister Herja!" Göll said excitedly. Herja smiled back at her.

"Herja," Brunhilde asserted. "I take you know of Perun's weapon?"

"Of course," Herja answered. "Topor Peruna, more commonly known as the Axe of Perun, said to be one of the strongest of the divine weapons."

"Indeed," Brunhilde remarked with closed eyes.

"Perun?" Göll asked. "Why is he important?" But the two valkyries ignored her.

Herja kneeled down in front of Brunhilde, her head bowed. Göll stared at her in confusion, but didn't say anything.

"Herja," Brunhilde began. "Will you pledge your body to me?"

"Of course, sister," Herja replied. "With pleasure."

"Pledge… your body?" Göll muttered.

In the midst of the battle, Gilgamesh's mace began glowing brightly. Perun squinted so he wasn't blinded.

"W-What's this?!" Heimdall yelled. "Gilgamesh's weapon has started releasing light?!"

"Hm," Zeus grunted. "As I thought."

"What is that weapon?" Hermes wondered, shielding his eyes with his hand.

Brunhilde smiled triumphantly. That right there is the power of us sisters! she thought. Our counter to the gods' cheat! And our very own cheat!

A VALKYRIE'S BODY MAY TAKE THE FORM OF A HUMAN WEAPON.

MEANING THAT MANKIND MAY OBTAIN THEIR OWN DIVINE WEAPON!

THAT POWER IS CALLED…

Gilgamesh finally pushed Perun's axe away with a burst of strength. He grinned, assured of victory. A ghostly image of Herja with her eyes closed and hands folded appeared from the mace beside Gilgamesh.

VOLUND!

"Don't get cocky!" the king told Perun. He swung his mace back around at his opponent, who just barely blocked it. But he was straining to hold it back.

"If you think that's all I got…" Gilgamesh continued, pushing against the axe. "...think again!"

A WEAPON THAT HAS BECOME DIVINE WILL TAKE ON THE TRAITS OF THE VALKYRIE IT POSSESSES.

THE 14TH VALKYRIE'S NAME IS HERJA. IT'S MEANING IS…

Perun stared at his axe, his teeth clenched because of the effort he was exerting. But it wasn't enough. The mace began pushing the axe backward, causing Perun to open his mouth wide with surprise.

DEVASTATE!

With one firm shove, Gilgamesh overtook Perun and connected directly with his face, causing him to spit blood and sending him flying. He landed several meters away and rolled across the ground several times before coming to a stop, each impact resounding throughout the arena.

"Wha–?!" Heimdall cried. "Perun has once again been hit with a deadly blow!"

Zeus raised an eyebrow at these events. Shiva crossed his arms, but his expression didn't change.

That's right. Brunhilde put a hand on her face and spread her fingers. It's party time.