With a thunderous crash, Zeus surged his power, forcing the hero who had once held up the heavens to finally collapse. Blood burst like a fountain from Heracles's shattered body, yet even as he fell, the great hero stared defiantly upward and burst into laughter.
"Mr. Rovi, did you see that?!"
"Teacher Chiron, did you see that?!"
"I did it!"
Did you see it?
...
Of course he saw it.
In a distant cave on Mount Pelion, the centaur teacher smiled warmly. Not only had Heracles chosen his own path, he had also overcome the tragedy fated for him, fulfilling Chiron's greatest wish.
Magnificent and mighty.
...
"What a spectacular sight!"
Rovi's Machine God-Form braced beneath the falling heavens over Heracles. The crushing gravity splintered in an instant. Zeus, standing in the highest dimension, narrowed his eyes, suspicion flaring.
"You succeeded? Wait…"
"Fuck—it's you!"
"It's fucking you!"
Zeus exploded into rage as he finally peered beyond the machine's cold exterior, recognizing at once the one within:
A black-haired, dark-eyed youth in a simple linen robe.
The same troublesome brat he'd once encountered and briefly fought in the Imaginary Number Sea.
"It's me!" Rovi tipped his head up, a bright smile lighting his eyes. "By the way, your swearing's gotten pretty good!"
"I learned it from you, you bastard!" Zeus finally understood everything.
So it was this guy all along.
Everything clicked. Even from their brief clash in the Imaginary Number Sea, Zeus had learned all too well just how cunning this human was.
"You escaped me last time, but now—now you're in Greece, my domain! I won't let you get away again!"
Lightning flared from the highest heavens, whipping up endless storms, clouds, and rain. The stars trembled, and the Aegean Sea heaved into towering waves.
Mountains shook violently beneath Zeus's divine power.
With his supreme authority as King, Zeus ruled the heavens, the Earth, the Seas, and the Underworld.
He was going to kill Rovi—with absolute, merciless finality.
Even with the united strength of all the gods, Rovi couldn't withstand this onslaught.
The King of Gods had unified the power of the Twelve Olympians. His control over the world was far beyond that of these weakened gods who'd lost their true Machine God-Forms.
But at this very moment, the earth trembled, and the gateway between the Greek and Mesopotamian Underworlds swung open. A luminous azure starship—the vessel of the Mesopotamian King of the Dead—cut through the darkness, trailing shadows behind it.
At this very moment, the weapon in Rovi City left her palace, walking barefoot toward the sea.
At the Underworld's threshold, Hades, handsome and serene, handed over his crown to the approaching figure.
Above the surging seas, Poseidon, pure and flawless, surrendered his divine trident to Enkidu as she drew near.
Hades declared, "I transfer Dominion over the Underworld to my friend, Gilgamesh. From now on, he is King of the Greek Underworld."
Poseidon said, "I surrender Dominion over the Sea to my friend, Enkidu. From now on, she is Queen of the Greek Seas."
Athena spoke clearly: "I approve."
Apollo echoed, "I approve."
Though reluctant, Hera considered Zeus's tyrannical ego and grudgingly added, "I approve."
All the gods spoke as one.
"Ha! It's been a long while. Has some arrogant fool decided he could steal this King's Domain?" Gilgamesh laughed imperiously, wielding both Underworld authorities to quell the trembling earth.
"Sorry, could you calm down a bit?" Enkidu gently dipped her hand into the water. Instantly, the Aegean Sea grew calm.
Then Gilgamesh and Enkidu both raised their eyes toward the heavens.
"As expected—you're all fucking traitors." Zeus showed neither shock nor anger, only contempt. "But it won't matter. Authority over the Sea and Underworld isn't nearly enough to challenge me."
"You, them, all of you—I'll kill every last one."
"And remake this world anew!"
Though he claimed this, Zeus knew he couldn't stop the gods' transfer of the Underworld and Sea Dominions. Though he stood supreme, officially, the rulers of Sky, Sea, and Underworld were equals.
If all gods agreed…
"No—I object!" A clear voice suddenly rang out. "Letting filthy humans usurp Divine Authority?"
"Ridiculous!"
Rovi froze.
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes dangerously.
Enkidu turned silently toward the speaker.
Long crimson hair cascaded like flame, and a white gown barely concealed her voluptuous figure. Aphrodite's eyes glittered with disgust.
"King of Gods—I refuse to let humans steal our divine power!"
"They're unworthy."
"Only we gods, who hail from Atlantis, deserve such authority!"
Aphrodite was proud. She looked down upon humanity. Even when the other gods sided with Rovi, she alone stood resolutely beside Zeus.
This wasn't opportunism; it was simply the pride of a goddess.
A god's love was self-love—prideful, arrogant love.
"Excellent, Aphrodite," Zeus smiled coldly. "Then—"
"I shall grant you eternity here and now."
"Thank you, my King, but I don't need—Ahh?!"
Her words cut short as a bolt of lightning pierced through her body.
"Your eternity shall be eternal oblivion."
Zeus personally struck down the only dissenting voice.
Thus, Dominion over Sea and Underworld smoothly changed hands without further resistance.
Because Hades's persona came from Gilgamesh, Poseidon's from Enkidu.
Earth and Sea had already grown accustomed to their presence.
Zeus felt no hesitation or remorse. "Fickle fools. Abandoning me when unwanted, crawling back when desperate. I'm the King of Gods—I alone decide!"
"Is that so…" Aphrodite, watching herself fade away, smiled with sublime beauty. "Dying at the hand of the King of Gods rather than filthy humans…"
"This truly is eternal beauty!"
Even in death, the goddess of love and beauty remained proud.
Apollo fell silent. Athena, despite disliking Aphrodite, felt a strange pang of sadness. Hephaestus wore a complicated expression. Hera merely gave a cold sneer.
The gods' reactions differed greatly.
Zeus, however, cared only for his next lightning strike.
Because he was King—the Ultimate Ruler, Absolute—
"No, you're not," Rovi interjected, shaking his head firmly. He faced the lightning head-on, declaring boldly, "The transfer of the Sea and Underworld Authority is complete. Now, it's time for the Sky."
The Sea and Underworld needed divine approval, but while theoretically equal, the Sky encompassed both Earth and Sea, thus held practical supremacy.
Thus, Rovi asked:
"Decide now—the future of the heavens!"
He questioned the gods, and more importantly, humanity itself.
In Rovi's eyes, countless figures appeared—men, women, elders, children, youths from around the Aegean…
They would determine the Ruler of the Sky.
The decision was humanity's.
Humanity must control its own destiny—its own Sky.
Thus, Rovi reached out, donning the Crown of the Heavens.
For he, too, was human.
Within him, humanity's wisdom had long since coalesced.
This was planned long ago.
Zeus reeled as he felt his Authority forcibly stripped away.
His position as King of the Sky—gone.
Divine Authority arose from nature, but a god's identity relied on humanity's faith. Kronos himself had once ruled as Sky King, and now Rovi inherited that legacy.
Zeus had lost his Dominion.
Yet he remained terrifyingly powerful. Even stripped of Authority, none could challenge Zeus purely on strength alone—
For his power lay simply in being Zeus.
Not in being King.
Zeus tried to steady himself, but only grew more restless—
Because once again, behind him, above him, in a place far higher and distant, a light emerged.
It was…
[INTEGRATION OF TWELVE STARSHIPS: COMPLETE.]
[FLEET FLAGSHIP "KRONOS"… CORRECTION: FLEET FLAGSHIP "ROVI." TRANSMISSION TO THE CORE: COMPLETE.]
[MAIN MOTHERSHIP "CHAOS": ACTIVATION SUCCESSFUL.]
HUMMM!
Behind Zeus, amidst infinite starlight, deep in cosmic space—within a vortex of stars, an eye like a blazing furnace slowly opened.
That was Chaos.
The origin of the Atlantean Gods.
The Primordial Machine God...
INTERSTELLAR NAVIGATION-PURPOSE ULTRA-MASSIVE MOTHERSHIP
CHAOS.
---
T/N: did someone say chaos...?