Having ceased simulating the thought patterns of the hostile lifeforms, Zeus finally broke free from that strange mental state.
Massive pressure and blazing thunder instantly erupted outward from the enormous head-like mechanical body—but in truth, Rovi's goal had already been achieved.
Because Tiamat had teleported behind Zeus, her razor-sharp claws firmly pinned onto the cold metallic skull.
Zeus couldn't move at all—nor did it need to.
As a machine-god embodying authority, Zeus merely had to stand still, spreading its conceptual powers outward to match Tiamat's strength.
"ROOOOAAAAR!"
A deafening dragon's roar erupted from Tiamat's throat.
Countless chaotic streams poured from beneath her scales, colliding head-on with the oncoming thunder.
A battle between gods was always a clash of divine authority.
Though it appeared as a mere standoff, in reality, the battle between Mesopotamia's Primordial Mother Goddess and the Greek God-King had truly commenced.
Zeus completely disregarded Rovi at this point.
To this god, though Rovi was special, he was nothing more than a wingless sparrow.
And sparrows were always meant to be crushed effortlessly in hand, hardly worth a glance.
Yet, Rovi did not cease advancing.
As he pressed forward, the primordial stellar energy around him grew thicker, stronger, more intense.
Though compared to planetary-class beings like Zeus or Tiamat, it still seemed insignificant.
Yet in truth, it had already reached a remarkably impressive scale—
Scarlet currents surged around him, erupting outward as a storm capable of slicing through anything. A faint golden glow manifested before Rovi, gradually solidifying into a uniquely shaped "sword."
A golden hilt, intricately engraved with circuits. Three cylindrical segments embedded within its crimson blade spun rapidly, humming like engines, each rotating in different directions.
The Sword of Rupture—Ea.
No matter what, for Rovi to push his strength to the absolute limit, it needed to coalesce into a "vessel."
Even the primordial deity Ea had required the same.
Materialize the Noble Phantasm through concept, then drive the concept through the Noble Phantasm!
Rovi advanced step by step, toward the very heart of the battle.
What he sought was death—but never a pitiful one. It had to be a glorious death, firmly etched into the world's memory.
If he failed to create a deed that shook even the gods, then death would mean nothing—certainly not enough to earn a seat on the Throne.
At that instant, a crimson storm centered around Ea expanded violently, far surpassing its previous scale.
In that same moment, even Zeus abruptly snapped awake, sharply gazing downward.
Although the power was relatively small, its essence was extraordinarily high, faintly surpassing planetary-level concepts, touching upon something greater.
Zeus could no longer ignore it.
Yet even as Zeus moved to act, Tiamat's claws exerted even greater force, ruthlessly pinning it down.
Planetary-level machines had unparalleled computational power, but purely physical strength could never match the natural primordial god manifesting existence like Tiamat.
So Zeus could not move.
Helplessly, it could only watch as Rovi slowly approached with Ea raised high.
However, as the Greek God-King, Zeus was still exceptional. Supported by immense computational power, it simultaneously resisted Tiamat's grip and redirected a surge of its divine power toward Rovi.
Thunderbolts fell violently, like a torrential downpour into the eternally silent Imaginary Number Sea.
Black waves surged chaotically, like an ocean tempest.
Yet Rovi advanced step by step.
Each footfall opened creation anew.
Thunder shattered around him.
Pressure dispersed within the crimson tempest.
Rovi raised Ea high, its cylinders roaring loudly, as the brilliant crimson storm blasted forth toward Zeus!
The power of Heaven and Earth Creation, illuminating the stars themselves.
At first a mere thread, then a beam.
Yet it swiftly became a world-consuming torrent of power, born from countless seas and mountains, spiraling outward from the tip of the rotating "sword."
"Aaaaa—!"
With a crystalline cry, Tiamat simultaneously released her claws from Zeus, flapping her wings to soar upward.
The force of creation instantly pierced Zeus's mechanical form, dragging it downward, toward the shining glow—and ultimately toward the world hidden behind it.
But at the last possible moment, the Greek God-King struck back one final time—
Immense pressure crashed like a colossal fist onto Rovi's body.
It dragged him, too, downward into the world.
Tiamat attempted to stop this, of course. She couldn't bear letting Rovi fall back into the world and leave her behind.
Though their time together was brief, for Tiamat, Rovi had already become her very proof of being alive.
But at this point, it was already far too late.
As the crimson aftershocks gradually faded, and the opening toward the world closed after Zeus's departure, the Imaginary Number Sea returned to darkness. Only the dragonized Tiamat remained, circling in agitation, her voice clear and sorrowful:
"Aaaaa—!"
[Rovi—]
[I will find you again.]
The Primordial Mother Goddess firmly resolved this.
Again, she flapped her wings fiercely.
Roaring currents tore through the silent Imaginary Sea, creating an even greater storm.
...
With a dull thud, Rovi landed firmly on the ground. His goal of dying had once again failed. Zeus's final strike had been weakened by Tiamat's interference, failing to end his life.
But he'd still found an opportunity—to return to the world.
—Yes, he'd deliberately allowed himself to be dragged down.
Although he felt somewhat guilty toward Tiamat, who had treated him with such warmth, it was precisely because of this kindness that Rovi became even more determined to ascend to the Throne and reclaim that ultimate power.
Only with that near-omnipotent strength could he truly help Tiamat return to the world without causing damage to the world itself.
Now, though, came a question—
"Where exactly am I?" Rovi steadied himself, dusted off his long-worn linen robe, and examined his surroundings carefully.
Logically, beneath Zeus should be Greece itself—the Aegean region, another cradle of ancient civilization.
Indeed, his surroundings confirmed this.
Lush trees glowed beneath the gentle rays of the rising sun. Dust motes drifted between leaves like scattered stardust, while soft winds carried the scent of the sea.
Clear blue skies, fluffy white clouds, gently rolling ocean waves. No blowing sand, no yellow dust—completely unlike the Mesopotamian plains.
"So, this is Greece?" Rovi took a deep breath, breaking into a smile.
An unfamiliar land.
An unfamiliar environment.
Here, if he died, no one would rescue him. If he sought death, no one would stop him.
Surely that bastard Gilgamesh, who'd descended into the Netherworld, wouldn't suddenly invade the Greek Underworld, right?
No matter how arrogant he was, even he wouldn't go that far…
"In that case, I need to quickly seize a new opportunity." Rovi rubbed his hands eagerly. "Once I die and ascend to the Throne, reclaiming my power, I'll drag each of you back one by one!"
En, Eresh, Ishtar-Rin…
And especially that foul-mouthed, golden bastard.
"Just wait until I get my powers back! I'll humiliate you thoroughly, Bwahahaha!"
Rovi stepped forward, filled with hope.
But then again—
"What are you doing here too, Ziusudra?" As branches rustled gently, Rovi brushed aside some leaves blocking his path and turned toward the figure seated quietly in the shadows.
"Ziusudra?" The figure spoke softly, in an aged yet steady voice. The elderly man in the shade raised his head, gray beard trembling slightly, revealing a faint smile. "That's not my name."
"I am Xisuthros, survivor of the Greek Great Flood."
"What does this 'Ziusudra' have to do with me?"
Rovi: "…"
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T/N: THE OLD MAN IS BACK!!! also hehehe i like how he saved gil for last hehehe gil x rovi