He Died Like Fireworks, Only to Be Reborn in the Rising Sun

A massive roar echoed across the now dry and barren land, the wildly swirling white storm continuously battering the enormous barrier that had just unfolded, accompanied by sharp cries.

The refugees who had just fled stared, dumbfounded.

Who was that...

To be able to block a natural disaster with just their flesh and blood!?

They were astonished, dazed, and then a voice sounded in their ears, old and deep: "It seems your fate has not yet arrived."

They looked towards the voice and saw an old man, clad in a worn black cloak and hood, leaning on a wooden staff, who had appeared beside them at some unknown time.

"You... who are you?" someone stammered.

In this situation, even an idiot would know that this person was with the one who had blocked the natural disaster.

And they were not ordinary people.

"Who I am is unimportant," Ziusudra said, lifting his hooded face, which was covered by a beard, and glancing at them. "What's important is that you should be grateful to the one who allowed your fate to continue—"

He raised his staff and pointed upwards.

Everyone looked back at Rovi.

His robes billowed, his arms spread wide, Rovi was enduring immense pressure.

After the research he had conducted previously, Rovi had become much more adept at utilizing the abilities of the Key of Heaven.

Therefore, just to block it, he didn't need to use the 'King's Treasure' gifted by Gilgamesh.

Simply by unfolding the ability of the 'Key of Heaven,' he had transformed the space before him into a doorway, and by closing it, it naturally became a massive barrier.

To be honest, if it were merely to restrain the Bull of Heaven, it wouldn't have been difficult for Rovi.

After all, the Bull of Heaven had not yet fully manifested and descended.

The ability of the Key of Heaven could completely restrict it within a certain area.

But—

Rovi didn't want to do that right now.

This was a rare opportunity, and he didn't want to miss it. Just doing this wasn't enough to vent Rovi's displeasure.

It was only natural for those who craved death to act recklessly.

Waves of massive roars sounded in his ears, and the surging storm became even more violent.

But Rovi just held up one hand, supporting the barrier.

Then he extended his other hand and pointed to the sky—

Ripples spread, and instantly formed.

The King's Treasure manifested, its doors opening to reveal dozens, hundreds of swords and blades extending out.

They fell straight down from above!

Streams of light splashed, their ends trailing countless chains that intertwined and wrapped around, instantly piercing into the raging storm.

It was as if they had pierced into flesh and blood, firmly anchoring themselves!

Tightening—

The Bull of Heaven had not yet fully manifested, but since it was descending in its true form, the storm already carried a part of its essence.

It let out a cry.

The storm, bound by the Lock of Heaven, gradually took on the shape of a bull outlined like clouds.

Its massive horns charged towards the sky, and its hooves stomped the ground.

Its eyes were fixed on Rovi!

The people below were already terrified, and seeing this scene, they were too frightened to speak.

"Wait... golden light, chains... could that person be Officer Rovi, who suppressed the western demon beast forest some time ago!?"

"Officer Rovi? The one rumored to be friends with the King? The great figure who destroyed a nation overnight?"

"Really, could it truly be that person?"

Someone recognized Rovi.

Ziusudra continued to lean on his staff, standing to the side, not speaking.

Recognizing Rovi was only natural.

Rovi's fame was already considerable, and after the recent 'nation-destroying' incident, it had escalated to the point where no one hadn't heard of him.

But what the old man hidden beneath the black robe was thinking at this moment was...

"Rovi, does he intend to recreate the Bull of Heaven in a way that transcends his own limits?"

He raised his gaze, and a hint of sapphire flashed in his eyes beneath his hood.

The old man, who had survived the great flood that ended an era, had extremely sharp eyesight. He could see the surging and violent power stirring within Rovi at that moment.

It showed no signs of being released normally.

Even if Rovi collapses from exhaustion and dies—

He will completely eradicate the Bull of Heaven's influence!

Resolute... even at the cost of his own life.

"Those who seek life will die, those who seek death will live."

"Such courage, no wonder he can be the savior in times of disaster."

Ziusudra understood.

But he was unaware of Rovi's exhilaration and excitement.

Exhilaration from venting his pent-up frustration.

Excitement from the fact that this very moment was the most fitting place to die.

In a way that transcended his limits, To exhaust himself?

In a way that transcended his limits, to force the Bull of Heaven... to kill him when he was most vulnerable after exhausting himself!

Only a being like the Bull of Heaven could make him—who could push himself to his absolute limits—act so naturally!

His robes billowed, his collar fluttering.

"Hahahaha... beast, are you... afraid?"

He laughed.

Desperate for death, rampant and wild.

The Bull of Heaven's bellow did indeed carry a hint of fear; it was afraid.

Afraid of Rovi's impending mad actions.

It had not fully manifested, and this process could not be interrupted, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be harmed.

If the impact reached a certain level, The Bull of Heaven would still feel pain, it would be injured.

It might even... die!

Though not possessing great intelligence, its instincts drove the colossal 'cloud bull' to instinctively turn and flee.

But it couldn't move.

It was pinned in place by the Lock of Heaven.

Divine beasts, possessing divinity, and the Bull of Heaven's manifested power was insufficient to break free from divine bonds.

And so, in this instant.

Rovi raised the hand that had been holding up his barrier.

Ignoring the damage within his body, he used the power of the Key of Heaven, exceeding his limits.

He turned the ground beneath his feet into a colossal 'gate.'

He gathered all the 'dust' on the 'door'—the concept of 'drought'—into his palm.

Those on the ground looked up and noticed a slight increase in humidity in the air.

People stumbling through the barren land discovered springs welling up before them.

Those who had collapsed from thirst found manna from heaven, a torrential downpour.

The ground sprouted life, and riverbeds were once again covered and submerged by moisture.

They also noticed the figure in the sky, the one who had single-handedly blocked the natural disaster.

Who was that person?

The crowd didn't know.

But they would remember this moment, when someone blocked the disaster with flesh and blood.

Rovi believed even more strongly—

That in a thousand years, people would remember him because of this.

Remember that someone once contained the vast earth in a single grain, causing the stars to shift.

That was enough.

Rumble!

The swelling power surged out uncontrollably like a bursting dam, and infinite light and brilliance engulfed the world.

The Bull of Heaven let out an extremely piercing cry, its voice hoarse from the intense crisis, causing it to charge forward instead of retreating... raising its colossal, cloud-like horns and lunging!

A flash of light.

Scattered streams of light poured down like flames, and in the distance, they bloomed like a hundred flowers.

The Bull of Heaven was gone.

The 'storm' that had been painstakingly gathered was directly scattered.

Only a wisp of cloud remained.

The last thing to fall to the ground was

a standing figure.

His long hair fluttered wildly. Though he hadn't fallen, his eyes were tightly shut, and he seemed to have lost all signs of life.

"Lord Rovi... what happened?" someone on the ground murmured.

"He—he's dead."

Rovi was dead.

He had died without hesitation, died resolutely.

That death—

was brilliant, yet as warm as the sun.

Everyone was stunned, completely unprepared for such an outcome.

Only Ziusudra remained calm, because he knew...

'He died like a firework.'

'And will be reborn like the rising sun.'

"Rovi... why did you come?" A clear voice sounded in his ear.

Rovi opened his eyes with a helpless sigh.

Looking before him...

within the Throne built from chaos, a girl with flowing golden hair, her crimson eyes gazing at him.

She even blinked, a hint of pleasant surprise in her voice: "Are you... here to see me?"

"Rovi?"

Rovi: "..."