Rovi had already rehearsed this scene in his mind countless times.
It might sound a little callous, but ever since meeting Enkidu, he'd been quietly looking forward to this very moment.
As a transmigrator, he knew—this confrontation was inevitable.
The Wedge of Heaven and the Chains of Heaven were destined to meet.
And he—
Was long since prepared to throw himself into their clash.
Rovi gripped the iron chains summoned from the [Gate of Babylon], swinging through the forest with even greater speed and precision than before—darting through the trees like a streak of lightning.
The battle between Gilgamesh and Enkidu had already begun.
The closer he got, the more intensely he could feel the power radiating from the King of Heroes and the divine weapon in human form.
The ground shook, dust filled the air. From afar, the world seemed swallowed by a storm of gold and green.
Rovi inhaled, exhaled.
"Hmph, hahaha… Even if you're just a mongrel, to possess the power to stand against this great king is truly rare!" The arrogant laugh of Uruk's ruler rang through the forest ahead. "But you've committed a crime so grave, not even my boundless kingly heart can forgive you, artificial weapon!"
"Right here, right now, meet your end!"
Gilgamesh, clad in golden armor, stood tall atop Vimana, looking down with scarlet eyes at the green-haired "girl" below.
Behind the king, golden ripples billowed out in layers.
The [Gate of Babylon] was thrown wide open, hundreds of swords bristling from within like a suspended steel forest, all pointed toward the earth—toward Enkidu, who commanded the very soil to rise up as countless blades.
Both unleashed their arsenals in a storm of blades from afar—
In some ways, Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought in much the same style, and their power was evenly matched.
So the King of Heroes didn't hesitate to offer praise.
Those crimson eyes glinted with genuine admiration.
Though he was furious at the presumed death of his retainer, after clashing with this divine messenger in the form of a green-haired girl, Gilgamesh understood—this being was simply a weapon crafted by the gods.
Weapons don't kill.
It's those who wield them that do.
So from the start, the king's true grudge was with the gods themselves.
But that didn't mean he would let this clay doll go.
Only by shattering it here could he show the gods his will and the inviolable dignity of the King of Uruk.
Yes, at this moment—
Even the gods were watching this fight.
The battle between the Wedge and Chains of Heaven.
As the ones who forged the Chains, of course the gods cared whether it could fulfill its mission to correct the Wedge.
Rovi paused on a bush, looking up.
High above the world, the gods' shining eyes gazed down.
Thanks to his connection as a priest—his touch with the Root—Rovi could clearly sense their presence.
It was truly a grand spectacle.
But what if someone interrupted it?
Rovi was a little excited to find out.
"You're powerful too… but until I meet my friend, I won't fall here." Hidden beneath the forest's shade, Enkidu replied, those emerald eyes shining with determination.
She leaned forward, placing her pale hand against the earth.
The soil surged upward.
As the creation of the goddess Aruru, Enkidu, like her divine mother, possessed formidable powers of creation.
She could turn simple earth into divine weaponry.
No less fearsome than the blades of Gilgamesh's treasury.
And unlike Gilgamesh, Enkidu's supply was endless—so long as she stood on the land, her energy could never be depleted.
Of course, neither Gilgamesh nor Enkidu had yet reached the full extent of their powers as Rovi remembered them.
Gilgamesh's [Gate of Babylon] was only half-complete—he still lacked the primordial divine artifact that was truly his.
Enkidu too had yet to fully manifest her chains as the "Chains of Heaven."
But even so, their power was already godlike.
Now, both readied their strongest, deciding strike.
A verdant forest below,
A steel jungle above.
From afar, the converging points of blade and chain looked like the jaws of a great beast, slowly closing to swallow the world.
Gilgamesh stood tall on the chariot, arms crossed.
Enkidu's white robe fluttered, her beautiful features tight with resolve.
Who would win? Who would lose?
Neither knew.
Nor did the gods, watching from afar, know which was stronger—the Wedge or the Chains of Heaven.
And just then, at the edge of the field, Rovi finally moved.
He grasped the dangling iron chain of the [Gate of Babylon] overhead, and swung himself straight toward the very center of the clash—the point where the jaws would meet!
"Stop! Both of you!"
All the pent-up emotion burst out as Rovi shouted, his young, handsome face twisted in panic.
"Rovi?" Enkidu looked up, stunned as he suddenly burst into the center of the field.
He's alive?
Gilgamesh also froze, surprised.
At first there was relief.
Then, his expression grew even more serious.
Rovi's appearance proved he wasn't dead.
But that was a moment ago.
Now, both Enkidu and Gilgamesh had thrown everything into this clash.
It's easy to attack.
But to pull back—nearly impossible.
A fist, maybe, can be withdrawn; but once an arrow is loosed, who can take it back?
The power of the Wedge and the Chains of Heaven far surpassed any arrow!
"Mongrel, get out of the way!" Gilgamesh roared, crimson eyes narrowing, serpentine shadows flickering.
"Rovi, get down!" Enkidu shouted too.
Both strained to rein in the power they'd unleashed.
But it was clearly—
A hopeless effort.
The collision pressed on, wild energy roaring like a beast tearing the world apart.
Is that the 'Key of Heaven' we gods approved?
Why is he so reckless?
A rare… piece…
Shame, he's still too weak. He can't withstand this impact… Must we abandon him here?
Maybe his death could awaken the Wedge of Heaven?
The voices of the gods drifted to Rovi's ears on the wind.
Apparently, they didn't know he could hear them, so their words were utterly unfiltered.
Indifferent, lofty malice.
But Rovi didn't care about them now.
He'd settle those accounts in the future—
There'd be time enough for revenge.
Right now, he hung suspended in midair, bracing himself against the pressure from above and below, his face set in grim determination, as if prepared to die to stop those he cared about from destroying each other.
Rovi spread his arms wide.
As if to embrace the world—
And in that moment, unnoticed by all, a radiant smile broke across his face.
It was here, so close now!
His time of death—was near!
Rovi was certain that in future ages, someone would record this moment.
How someone once faced a force that could swallow all the mountains and seas—and though doomed to die a thousand deaths, had no regrets.
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T/N: YAY!!!