Rovi had rehearsed this scene countless times in his mind.
That might have been a little heartless to say.
But ever since meeting Enkidu, Rovi had actually been looking forward to this very moment.
As a transmigrator, he knew this scene was bound to happen.
Because Heaven's Chain and Heaven's Lock were destined to meet.
And he—
had long since prepared himself to intervene in their battle.
Rovi tugged on the iron chain extending from the Treasury of Babylon, swinging swiftly through the forest as before, only faster and nimbler now. He darted between the trees like a leaping bolt of lightning.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu's battle had already begun.
The closer Rovi got, the more clearly he could sense the immense power of the King of Heroes and the humanoid Divine Construct.
The ground trembled, dust whirled through the air, and from afar, the world seemed submerged beneath intertwining gold and green.
Rovi inhaled, then exhaled.
"Hahaha... Though you are a mongrel, it is rare indeed for you to possess the power to oppose this great king!" The King of Uruk's uninhibited laughter rang out ahead. "But you have committed an offense that even this king's heart, as vast as the sea of stars, cannot forgive, artificial weapon!"
"Meet your end here and now!"
The king clad in golden armor stood high atop the Boat of Stars, gazing down with scarlet eyes at the green-haired "girl" below.
Behind the king, layers of golden ripples spread outward.
More than a hundred gates to the king's treasury had opened. Countless blades protruded from them, grim and dense as an inverted forest of steel hanging in the sky, all aimed at Enkidu below, who controlled the earth and soil to form innumerable weapons.
It was another long-range exchange of blades—
In a sense, Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought in remarkably similar ways, and their strength was evenly matched.
Thus, the King of Heroes did not stint on his praise.
There was appreciation in his scarlet eyes.
Though furious that his subordinate had been "killed," after truly clashing with this green-haired girl who resembled a messenger of the gods, Gilgamesh had understood her true nature: she was merely a weapon forged by the gods.
A weapon did not kill people.
The one wielding the weapon did.
Therefore, the king's hatred had been directed at the gods from the very beginning.
But that did not mean he would spare this clay doll.
Only by shattering her here could he make the gods understand his will: the dignity of the King of Uruk was not to be violated.
Yes, at this very moment...
The gods were also watching this battle.
The clash between Heaven's Chain and Heaven's Lock.
As the forgers of Heaven's Lock, they naturally cared whether she could fulfill her duty of correcting Heaven's Chain.
Rovi stopped atop a shrub and looked up.
Above the vault of heaven, radiant light blazed.
Pairs of divine eyes appeared in the heights.
Thanks to the senses granted by having touched the Root as a priest, Rovi could clearly see the gods' shadows.
This truly was a grand performance.
But what would happen...
if it were interrupted?
Rovi felt a faint sense of anticipation.
"You are very strong as well... But before I meet my friend, I will not fall here." Beneath the lush cover of the trees, Enkidu answered. Determination shone from her emerald eyes beneath her green hair.
She bent slightly and pressed her slender, pale palm against the ground.
Sand and earth surged upward.
The clay person personally created by the Creation Goddess Aruru possessed, like her Mother Goddess, the powerful ability to create.
She could turn ordinary earth into divine weapons.
They were no inferior to the swords and blades in Gilgamesh's treasury.
And they were truly inexhaustible—as long as she stood upon the earth, the energy sustaining her battle would never run dry.
Of course, neither Gilgamesh nor Enkidu had yet reached the strongest state Rovi remembered.
Gilgamesh's Treasury of Babylon was still only half-complete, and he had not yet obtained the divine artifact that could split heaven and earth.
Nor had Enkidu fully displayed the power of the chains she possessed as Heaven's Lock.
Yet whether it was he or she, the might they displayed here was no less than that of gods.
Now came the strongest strike, the one that would determine victory or defeat.
The lush forest upon the ground,
faced the forest of steel suspended in the sky.
From afar, the upper and lower edges gradually drew close, interlocking like the slowly closing fangs of a colossal beast, ready to swallow the entire world within them.
Gilgamesh turned solemn, arms folded as he stood atop the Boat of Stars.
Enkidu's pale robe fluttered, her delicate and lovely face set with pursed lips.
Who would win? Who would lose?
They did not know.
The observing gods knew even less which was superior, Heaven's Chain or Heaven's Lock.
And at that very instant, Rovi at the edge finally moved.
He slowly tightened his grip on the iron chain hanging from the open Gate of Babylon overhead, pulling himself toward the heart of the battle, toward the point where the attacks would collide!
"Stop! Both of you!"
Emotions brewed in an instant and burst forth. Rovi shouted, panic showing on his handsome young face.
"Rovi?" Enkidu looked up. Seeing Rovi suddenly rush into the center, she froze.
"This guy isn't dead?"
Gilgamesh was also slightly taken aback.
At first, he was delighted.
Then his expression abruptly became even more stern and focused.
Rovi's appearance did prove that he had not died.
But that was before.
Now, both Enkidu and Gilgamesh had unleashed all their strength in the duel.
Putting forth force was easy.
But withdrawing it was often exceedingly difficult, difficult to the point of near impossibility.
After all, a thrown punch might be pulled back, but how could a fired arrow regret its flight?
The power of Heaven's Chain and Heaven's Lock far surpassed any arrow!
"Mongrel, get out of the way!" Gilgamesh bellowed. His scarlet pupils constricted as serpent-like shadows swelled and writhed without end.
"Rovi, get out of there!" Enkidu cried as well.
They were doing everything they could to pull back the power they had unleashed.
But clearly,
it was a futile effort.
The "interlocking" continued, while the howling currents raged like a flood unleashed by a beast tearing the world apart.
Is that the "Heaven's Key" acknowledged by us gods?
Why is he so reckless?
A rare... pawn...
What a pity. He is still too weak to withstand such an impact... Must we abandon him here?
Could we try using his death to awaken Heaven's Chain?
The gods' conversation drifted into Rovi's ears on the wind.
The gods likely did not know he could hear them, so they made no effort to hide their purpose.
Their words carried coldness and lofty malice.
But Rovi did not want to deal with them right now.
He would settle the score later.
There would be plenty of chances in the future.
At the Present Moment, he merely hung in midair, facing the crushing pressure from above and below with a stern expression, looking like a man determined to stop those close to him from killing each other even if it meant dying a righteous death.
Rovi spread his arms.
As though embracing heaven and earth—
Beneath a radiance no one noticed, he revealed a delighted smile.
It was coming.
Closer!
Death was near!
Rovi believed that in later ages, someone would surely record this.
They would record how a man had faced the force that could devour countless mountains and seas... and though he might die nine times, he would never regret it.
Before you continue