Priests' Remonstrance

Although he was in the heavens and could not manifest his true form in the human world, the King of the Gods, Anu, could still use the means he had left behind before casting the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba into the lower realm to accelerate their manifestation with the scepter in his hand.

To make them fully manifest within a single day!

But the next moment, a voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the King of the Gods. "Great King of the Gods Anu, there is something that must be reported to you!"

Anu looked toward the speaker. It was not a god, but a messenger who had risen to the heavens after death—a priest who had rendered meritorious service to the gods in the human world—and now served the messenger of the gods in the sky.

"A reply has come from the Priest Temple in the human realm's Uruk City-State—" the Divine Messenger said, bowing respectfully to the King of the Gods.

Anu fell silent for a moment and lowered his scepter. "What was their reply?"

Back when Gilgamesh, Rovi, and Enkidu had joined forces to openly oppose the gods in that Monster Forest, the gods in the heavens had delivered an oracle to the priests in the human world—

They wanted them to act as the gods' "inside agents" in the human realm.

They were to prepare to break Uruk's defenses from within.

Yet they had received no clear answer until now.

This did not surprise the gods. Though the priests of the human world were servants of the gods among mankind, they were still human. They differed from these Divine Attendants who had ascended to the heavens and become another kind of life.

Their positions were different, so naturally they viewed matters differently. Otherwise, the priests would not have agreed to Gilgamesh's request to pray falsely to the heavens and buy time.

But, just as with their attitude toward Gilgamesh, the gods still hoped the priests would stand from the gods' perspective.

With their assistance, the gods could directly send curses down from the heavens.

Powerful curses capable of killing one of Gilgamesh, Enkidu, or Rovi!

That way, they could conserve more of their strength.

To deal with the greater enemy that might arrive next—

"What was their reply?" Another god asked after Anu. "If they agree, we can preserve more of the power we have reserved to deal with 'Mother.'"

"But no matter what, we cannot delay any longer—"

"The fluctuations in the Sea of Imaginary Numbers have grown increasingly obvious lately... Mother Tiamat, whom we drove away, is drawing ever closer. We do not have much time left."

As the gods discussed among themselves, every one of them wore a solemn expression, even tinged with fear.

In the ancient myths, the Primordial God who had been betrayed and driven away by the gods—the incarnation of the Chaos Sea, Tiamat—was returning with hatred for them in her heart. Of course, they could not remain calm.

In truth, this was why they had always retained a sliver of hope for Gilgamesh.

As much as possible, they did not want to turn against him or expend too much power.

They wished to preserve their means to fight Tiamat.

"The priests of the human world are praying to the gods."

The voice of the Divine Attendant drifted across the vault of heaven. As he was neither god nor human, his eyes could gaze directly from the heavens into the human world. Through what he saw, the gods too beheld reality—the many priests within Uruk's temple.

"Praying to the heavenly gods we revere—" A deep, aged voice echoed through the vast and magnificent Pantheon. The priests in linen robes raised their hands and cried out:

"Great gods, what I wish to say is this: the world was formed through your guidance, and humanity grew beneath your protection. You are the incarnations of all things, the manifestations of the void."

The same praise as always, yet it seemed even more devout than before?

Were they going to agree?

The gods watched in silence, faint anticipation showing on their faces—

"But, great gods, we also wish to say this: the world has already stabilized, and humanity will grow up as well. Just as parents cannot keep a child locked inside the home forever, we are grateful for the gods' grace, and our faith in the past was never false."

"But humanity must ultimately walk its own path. You should not restrain us. Perhaps that is how you see it, but the world does not belong to you alone. It belongs to us as well."

"Gods, you have never been qualified... to stop humanity from moving forward!"

Crack—the armrests of the gods' thrones shattered.

They... had refused!?

Just as Rovi had openly refuted Gilgamesh in that temple before.

They had once hesitated.

They had also found themselves in an awkward position within Uruk.

But at this moment, the priests in the temple had finally voiced their own thoughts to the gods in the high heavens.

As humans—

As subjects of Uruk.

Never before had the will of the gods been openly refuted by the priests who served them in the human world.

Boom!

Lightning burst forth in an instant as the wrath of the gods surged at once.

"In the name of Anu, King of the Gods and God of Heaven, I issue an order to the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba in the human realm—"

"I command you to destroy Uruk at any cost!"

Yet the priests in the temple laughed in the face of the gods' fury.

They laughed heartily, tears streaming down their aged faces.

Yes...

Rovi had dared to openly refute the king back then.

What did a group of old men like them have to fear?

For a cause that endured through the ages,

Death was nothing more than death!

"Hmphahaha... Those old men may be old, but that spirit alone is worthy of this king's praise!" After the three returned to the royal city from their encounter with Rovi, they heard the priests' "remonstrance" to the gods.

What followed was Gilgamesh's undisguised laughter and praise.

His voice echoed.

Rovi could not help but pause, then he smiled as well.

Those old gentlemen had still made their choice...

No, perhaps it was not only them.

This was all of Uruk, all humanity across the plains, making a judgment from their own position beneath the oppression of the gods.

On the way here, Gilgamesh had already explained to Rovi everything they had done.

Though only three short days had passed.

This young King of Uruk had still perfectly united the strength of every city-state and nation across the Mesopotamian plains.

He had relocated everyone to the area surrounding the royal city.

And in the distance, he had erected the majestic Great Wall of Uruk to resist the overwhelming hordes of monsters.

He had ordered the young to willingly take up weapons.

He had ordered those who believed in the gods to keep their faith, but not forget that they were human.

Because everyone knew—

The gods had once lifted up the yellow earth to nurture the human world.

Humanity ought to remember the grace the gods had bestowed.

But that grace

Should not become an obstacle to our progress.

"This king is the sole ruler of heaven and earth. Accomplishing such a thing is no more than a trivial matter!" Gilgamesh boasted.

"Speaking of which... has your treasury become stronger?" Rovi suddenly asked.

"Hmphahaha... This king possesses all things in the world. Is it not only natural that every treasure passing through the hands of this king's friend should return to this king's collection?"

So that meant... Enkidu had brought Gilgamesh more treasures, allowing him to complete the composition of the King's Treasure.

Rovi understood at once and looked at Enkidu.

"Mm..." Enkidu nodded. "The treasures in the treasury were taken from Humbaba's collection."

"I thought you might find them useful." The Divine Construct showed no guilt whatsoever and directly brushed Gilgamesh aside.

Rovi choked, then asked, "Then is there a three-section spiral 'sword' among them?"

"A sword?" Gilgamesh and Enkidu both froze.

Enkidu thought for a moment, then shook her head.

There was none? In Rovi's memory, Gilgamesh's strongest Noble Phantasm, the "Enuma Elish" that possessed the power to split heaven and earth... was still nowhere to be seen?

The three arrived before the royal palace hall. Before they could cross the threshold, a clear voice rang out from within. "My king, Lord Rovi, Lady Enkidu!"

Within the palace, Siduri, her face covered by a light veil, descended from beside the throne above. She crossed the steps and approached them with light footsteps.

"Advisor Siduri." Rovi responded politely.

Enkidu smiled and nodded as well.

The three crossed the threshold and ascended the steps, each returning to their place.