Earth's Greatest Magus

2000 BC

[Earth, Babylon]

Several years after the demise of King Anu, the Earth convulsed with seismic unrest, unleashing abominations that ravaged everything in their path. Even the once-mighty city of Babylon, now under the rule of its newly appointed leader, found itself plunged into chaos.

"Father, why haven't they sent more reinforcements?!"

"Huh! Zeus, what do you know…" his father responded a tinge of bitterness in his tone. "We are but pawns in the machinations of these giant factions. The death of the king has ignited their fury, and now we must bear the consequences."

Zeus felt a surge of anger and helplessness. "Then what should we do?" he implored, his eyes wide with desperation.

"You're the son of a great general; show some dignity!"

After a heavy sigh, he added, a tinge of disappointment in his voice, "It's only been 20 years since they left for the academy. Why can't you be more like any of those five?"

The tumultuous events on Earth unfolded in the wake of the return of their five young heroes. Over the past several years, each had demonstrated exceptional prowess, combating the abominations and safeguarding civilization, earning recognition in the annals of the Magus Alliance.

Among them were the Eastern sage, Fuxi; the Northern shaman, Fjolrin; the Western beast, Myrddin; and the great Gilgamesh, Izta, along with his steadfast companion, Enkidu.

"Why is it 'the great Gilgamesh' and not 'the great Enkidu'? Am I just your sidekick?!" Enkidu protested.

"Alright then, what do you want your name to be? I'll make it happen," Gilgamesh retorted.

"Let me think… hmm… Enkidu, the great protector!"

Gilgamesh rolled his eyes. "Fine. That can be done. Enkidu, the great protector of Gilgamesh!"

"You ape!! That makes me sound like a sidekick again!"

On a fateful day, the inhabitants of Babylonia were alarmed by reports of a formidable beast wreaking havoc in the west, a demon so powerful that even Kronos himself was perturbed. In response, Kronos dispatched both Izta and Enkidu for the task, but to everyone's surprise, Izta rejected the mission.

"Why don't you go yourself? Aren't you the great general?! Bring your whole army with you!! Two of us are more than enough to protect this city!" Izta argued.

"Izta, you're as arrogant as always! I'm telling you, this is the order of the Nephilim. If you can put an end to this madness, you'll be the new ruler of Earth," Kronos explained.

Intrigued by the offer, Gilgamesh and Enkidu accepted the challenge. They headed to the west, dismantling monsters in their path until they confronted the demon—a massive dark wolf beast. It took them mere moments to realize the truth: the beast was their friend, the eastern beast Myrddin.

"How!? Is he possessed again?!" Izta exclaimed in shock.

In their efforts to deal with the situation, Gilgamesh and Enkidu sought the assistance of Fuxi and Fjolnir. All have reached the magus realm, except for Fuxi. The Eastern Sage who has been focusing on his studies of multiple elements has the knowledge of formations that could potentially seal the beast without resorting to killing.

As the battle unfolded, they were taken aback when the beast called upon aid from the surrounding creatures. The combined forces of Babylonia and the Vanir warriors joined the fray, resulting in a prolonged and intense conflict that persisted for 10 days.

Fuxi, exhausted and realizing the limitations of his formation, eventually admitted defeat. "My formation is not effective enough! I can't hold him!"

"Izta, we must retreat!" Enkidu strongly advised Gilgamesh who was their leader.

However, after closely observing the events of the last 30 days, Kronos, seemingly anticipating their failure, insisted, "There must be another way!" Izta, driven by determination, urged them to continue the fight.

This decision resulted in more casualties and put all four of them, including Myrddin, at great risk. The battlefield was a chaotic symphony of clashing weapons, roars, and desperate cries. Izta, Enkidu, Fuxi, and Fjolnir fought valiantly against the monstrous forces and the mighty beast.

Fjolnir, forced by the gravity of the situation, revealed a legendary sword that brimmed with radiant energy. The sword's power proved formidable, gradually suppressing the beast's relentless onslaught. The air crackled with the energy of the clash, and the ground trembled beneath the weight of the struggle.

As the legendary weapon fulfilled its purpose, the mighty beast began to waver, its monstrous form gradually reverting to that of a human. The transformation spared the creature's life, but the toll on Myrddin was evident.

Fjolnir, having paid a steep price for wielding the sword, faced the ramifications of expending a significant portion of his life force. Despite the victory, he knew the toll on his own well-

being. In the aftermath of the battle, he made a difficult decision to retreat into seclusion, leaving the radiant sword in Myrddin's hands.

"You are the one destined for it," Fjolnir uttered with a mixture of exhaustion and conviction. He looked at Myrddin, his eyes conveying a sense of hope that the sword's mystical powers could aid in Myrddin's recovery. With a nod of gratitude, Myrddin accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him.

The aftermath of the battle left Myrddin in a state of contemplation. As the others believed the ordeal was over, Myrddin revealed the true extent of his struggles. He had lost his sanity while attempting to commune with Gaia, the primordial being. Now, armed with the sword brimming with light energy, he harbored hopes that it could unravel the mysteries of the ancient entity. Deeply lamenting the calamity that happened, Myrddin decided to return to his home in the northern island.

Izta, exuberant with the thrill of victory, proclaimed, "Time to go home and get our reward!"

Enkidu, ever loyal, nodded in agreement. However, Fuxi, burdened by the near-deadly actions, returned eastward in a state of inner turmoil. His incapability at the battle drove him to train harder.

The triumphant return of Izta, the Gilgamesh was met with jubilation from the Babylonian citizens. Cheers echoed through the streets as word spread of his victory over the formidable beast that had threatened their existence. The once chaotic city now celebrated the hero who had safeguarded their home.

He confidently waits for his reward only to find Kronos has prepared a surprise for him. A beautiful woman with a Nephilim noble bloodline called Ishtar. "This is Ishtar your soon-to-be queen, you will marry her and accept your role as the Nephilim servant"

Izta's usual weakness for beautiful women was overshadowed by a surge of rage. The elation of victory turned into the bitter taste of betrayal. The wounds inflicted upon his friends by the monstrous beast, compounded by Kronos' cunning manipulation forcing him to rule under the unknown woman, fueled a fire within Izta. In a moment of defiance, he rejected the forced marriage, and his refusal resonated as a resounding insult to the Nephilim faction.

Kronos, hidden in the shadows, observed the unfolding drama with satisfaction. His plot had succeeded in a double-edged manner – he had not only placed Izta, the formidable warrior and prince, in a precarious position of being hated by the Nephilim faction but also strengthened his own political standing.

As the tumultuous events unfolded, Ishtar, stung by rejection and the subsequent insult, refused to let the matter rest. She sought vengeance, turning to her brother, a formidable Nephilim magus endowed with the power of bulls. Determined to teach Izta a lesson, the powerful magus set out to confront the Gilgamesh.

Meanwhile, Izta, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, remained oblivious to the rising tensions. Enkidu, ever loyal, tried in vain to persuade his friend to rest and avoid further trouble. However, fate had other plans, and as the Nephilim magus arrived to mete out justice, Enkidu found himself compelled to intervene.

In a fit of rage, Izta's latent strength surged forth, and with Enkidu's support, they managed to overpower and ultimately slay the magus. The ramifications of their actions, however, played right into Kronos' hands.

Kronos saw an opportunity to exploit the situation further and manipulate it into a scandal of immense proportions, advocating for an extreme punishment for the perceived crimes.

In the somber halls of justice, Enkidu stood resolute. As the trial unfolded, he stepped forward, his voice unwavering, "It was me, I am the one who murdered the man."

Despite Enkidu's noble sacrifice, the verdict was swift and unforgiving. Izta, was sentenced to a thousand years of service to the Nephilim. However, the real anguish pierced through him as he witnessed his best friend condemned to the ultimate price – death.

Enkidu's final moments were filled with bravery, his words were.

"I am Enkidu, I am your great protector… I will always be with you, my best friend,"

As if the universe itself mourned the impending demise of these earthly heroes, a torrential downpour began. Rain fell relentlessly, mirroring the tears of the heavens. The earth, too, seemed to grieve; soon enough, the planet faced the great deluge that swallowed it whole.

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We finally reached 2000 chapters. I am sorry it wasn't a cheerful one, but I hope you still enjoy it anyway. Thank you for your continuous support in reading the work all the way through 2.6 million words. Thank you for sharing this journey together; it's been such a blast.