In the end, although Rovi did not harbor hostility toward the gods above as Gilgamesh did, the fact remained that he felt no reverence toward them.
As someone transmigrated from the modern world, it was difficult for Rovi to genuinely believe in these so-called gods.
The reason he became a priest of the gods was purely to get close to Gilgamesh.
The reason he accepted the [Key of Heaven] was so that he wouldn't be constrained by the environment, seizing every chance to court death—indeed, in some ways, it was precisely because he distrusted the gods that he willingly accepted the [Key].
He wished dearly that the gods would concoct some sinister scheme against him.
However, this never meant Rovi would meekly accept the gods arrogantly dictating his future.
Mortals derive their dignity from the self.
And from the self springs the highest dignity: freedom.
In the Monster Forest west of Uruk, the land already thrown into turmoil from Gilgamesh and Enkidu's earlier battle now showcased an even more stunning and terrifying sight.
Enkidu, fully unleashing his true nature, no longer took the form of a divine weapon molded from endless clay; his entire figure vanished, replaced by a gigantic silver-white chain bursting from the earth and piercing straight through the sky.
Golden brilliance rippled layer by layer from the [Gate of Babylon], enveloping the chain.
The power of Gilgamesh, the [Wedge of Heaven], formed a channel linking heaven and earth.
And Rovi—
Held both the [Wedge of Heaven] and the [Chains of Heaven].
His body hovered at the center, gazing upward toward the faintly visible eyes of the gods above the firmament.
From afar, he resembled a magnificent flower blooming from below.
The great chain served as the stem.
The rippling gates as the leaves.
And the suspended [Key], the flower's heart.
Beautiful, resplendent, and majestic.
What is he doing?
What are they attempting?
Using the [Wedge] as a pathway, the [Chains] as guidance, and the [Key] as the gateway…
Are they planning to shake the heavens themselves!?
"Insolence!"
A deafening roar—fury from the gods accompanied by lightning that split heaven and earth, erupting in an instant.
The gods finally realized Rovi's intentions, and naturally, their reaction was outrage.
The fury of gods offended by mere mortals made manifest.
The gods were embodiments of nature; their wrath alone could alter the world's fabric.
But even thunder and storm could not halt Rovi's actions.
He thrust the [Chains of Heaven] further upward.
"Hahaha… you rotten, worthless fools!" Seated upon his throne to one side, Gilgamesh's laughter grew ever more delighted. "A bunch of mongrels who only know how to throw tantrums from behind layers of curtains—your king stands right here! If you're so bold, descend and fight me yourselves!"
The gods: "..."
This guy really deserved a beating. They wanted nothing more than to strike him down—but how, when they couldn't descend?
Helpless rage!
Rovi glanced toward the cackling King of Heroes, unable to suppress his own laughter.
Utterly unrestrained.
Exactly…this feeling was precisely what he wanted!
Rumble, rumble, rumble—the thunder grew increasingly frantic, clearly marking the gods' intensifying fury.
At this very moment, Rovi firmly grasped the [Chains of Heaven] formed from Enkidu, and then—he thrust upward!
BOOM—lightning shattered like fireworks; storms and clouds scattered like mere dust before him.
As though wielding a spear, Rovi pierced the heavens—
Striking directly at the "eyes" of the gods!
Curses, curses, curses—
How dare they—how could this mortal dare!?
Our final eyes remaining in the mortal realm must not be destroyed!
At this instant, the gods felt fear.
Unable now to descend in their true forms, if their "eyes" were blinded, they would lose even their ability to observe the mortal world, let alone interfere.
Not every god had a vessel suited to incarnation.
Such vessels were exceedingly rare.
Thus, their fear was unavoidable.
The sky trembled violently under the shaking chains. Not only the Monster Forest but the very earth beneath their feet, and even the heavens above their heads, began to quake!
The boundaries between Heaven, Earth, and Humanity wavered under the combined force of the [Key], [Wedge], and [Chains of Heaven]!
We must retreat for now…
They cannot truly threaten the realm where our true selves reside!
Withdraw, withdraw!
The gods finally resolved themselves. Swiftly, the "eye" above disappeared, retreating from the mortal plane.
Rovi was unsurprised.
He had never genuinely planned to drag down the heavens and throw the gods into the dirt; shaking heaven's foundations a little was already enough.
The [Wedge], [Key], and [Chains of Heaven] held immense power, but the trio hadn't yet brought it to full potential.
This move simply underscored Rovi's resolve—more importantly, it was designed specifically to provoke the gods, to shift their hostility onto himself!
From this day forward, the gods' primary hatred would target him.
He had once been their priest, yet now, he rebelled openly.
The gods would certainly loathe him down to their bones.
Naturally, Rovi would become their primary target.
With this, perhaps Enkidu and Gilgamesh's fate will finally change…
In the original Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu met his end precisely due to a curse from the gods.
Rovi hoped they'd inflict the same fate upon himself.
Hopefully, those gods will put some effort into it—
But what Rovi didn't notice—or rather, simply didn't care about—was that in this violent upheaval, the mortal realm and heavens weren't the only ones affected.
The underworld trembled as well.
...
"A sound… from the surface? How long has it been…?"
A barren wasteland, dark, frozen, and utterly devoid of life; only a few ghostly blue flames floated quietly through the air.
A shadow slowly opened a pair of brilliant ruby-red eyes; golden hair cascaded down loosely, scattering gently with her movements.
How long had it been since she'd heard a sound?
Too long, far too long—ever since the land belonging to the gods vanished entirely from the mortal plane.
The goddess of the Netherworld raised her head.
She saw a small crack, a faint glow, appearing in the previously impenetrable ceiling connecting the Underworld and the mortal realm.
Is this… not a dream?
In a soft murmur, the goddess wept, overcome by emotion at seeing the first glimpse of light after endless solitude.
She was in the deepest recesses of the Netherworld.
Above her, in the layer closer to humanity, another figure stood tall, leaning upon a great sword.
"The vast heavens and earth quake, endless realms tremble—the gods are angered by their irreverence and shaken by their audacity, yet they are powerless."
"For this land no longer belongs to them."
"Their era has long since passed."
"The gods withdraw; their authority shaken."
"The original trio—"
"Heroes who shake even the heavens themselves."
"To think that I, who have walked countless eons, could witness this moment…"
"I, Ziusudra, am truly honored."
Ziusudra, an ancient immortal of Mesopotamia, a dweller of the Underworld.
Also known as—
With a resounding clang, the figure pulled free his massive sword, stepping into the ghostly blue flames. Armor rattled and scraped as he moved forward, toward the light, toward the mortal realm.