In legends passed down through generations, after Zeus defeated the Titans, he received a prophecy from Gaia, Mother Earth herself:
One day, Zeus would be overthrown by his son, born of the goddess of wisdom, Metis.
Attempting to escape fate, Zeus swallowed Metis whole. Yet, this only changed the child from a son to a daughter—
Thus, Athena was born.
While this world, populated by machine-gods, differed from ancient myths, Athena still possessed the qualification to become God-King. After all, she'd originally been created as a flagship fortress candidate for the interstellar fleet.
This was why she'd been able to gather numerous gods under her command, forming her own miniature pantheon beneath Zeus.
And it was precisely why Zeus had forced her into a vow of eternal virginity—to cloud her judgment and forever blind her to her true potential.
Now, that veil had been lifted.
Athena becoming the fourth-generation God-King after Zeus had become unstoppable.
"Fuck's sake…I knew I should've sealed her power earlier!" Zeus, still in battle mode, swore furiously.
Hera sighed quietly and edged away.
Nearby, Apollo glanced casually upward, deliberately ignoring everything around him, staring instead at the radiant corona cast by his subordinate deity, Helios. At this moment, the Sun God suddenly found the idea of his sister taking the throne quite appealing.
...
Deep within the abyss, Cronus finally lost his own consciousness, along with the icy intelligence and divinity of an Atlantean machine-god.
Rovi, empowered by the future God-King Athena, completely overwrote the immense titan's being.
Cronus ceased to exist.
Rovi had taken full control of Cronus—or more precisely, Cronus's physical form had become part of him, another form Rovi could assume.
This brought the massive foundation he'd always lacked.
Of course, devouring another meant inevitable loss during the process—but it was still enough to propel Rovi instantly upward, transcending his former island-class regional major god status to reach the pinnacle of continental-level planetary major gods. In other words, he'd ascended to a God-King's rank.
Athena, having aided his leap forward, likewise benefited greatly.
Her future self was already God-King.
Removing the shackles imposed by Zeus granted her the potential to ascend now, rather than waiting for the distant future.
Entwined, lips and bodies pressed close, Athena's senses swam in Rovi's overflowing primordial aura, heightening her passion further. She writhed gently against him, yearning, craving, and ultimately embracing the man's essence fully.
In this moment, she too completed her transformation from major goddess to God-King.
A God-King ruled an entire pantheon.
A crimson storm whirled around them, forming a natural barrier, blocking all prying eyes.
Rovi had regained control over his body but could only sigh internally.
He felt utterly helpless.
Yet pushing her away now wasn't his style. As he'd once told Heracles, he despised irresponsible men far more than the alternative. Rovi knew he'd already embarked on a path with no return.
He'd always longed to return to the Throne of Heroes and reclaim his power—a desire born not only from his insecurity in this dangerous, alien world, but also from his innate greed.
So, in this moment, he closed his eyes once more, allowing Athena to take everything she desired.
Hands lightly caressed waist and hips—
Their souls trembled together, layers upon layers of resonance, until finally:
A deep hum echoed throughout Tartarus.
Rovi's eyes snapped open.
Athena gradually emerged from the haze of passion, but now her eyes were fundamentally different. No longer hiding behind excuses or self-deception, she gazed at him openly, her crimson irises overflowing with unabashed affection.
"Rovi…become my only beloved," she whispered softly, silver hair cascading around her, body gently swaying as starlight danced in her eyes.
He raised an eyebrow. Now you say that?
Where were you before?
Yet he suddenly smiled.
Her promise of singular, eternal love was Athena's new oath—not one forced upon her, but one willingly sworn. It would never waver, and she'd never allow herself to break it.
She would be the supreme ruler of a new pantheon.
But she wouldn't stand alone at that summit. She willingly shared—and indeed offered—everything to Rovi, including her glory.
Such was the profound, weighty love of a goddess.
Perhaps Greece's future would be one balanced equally between man and woman?
Rovi gently released Athena. "Wait for my return."
Athena, knowing what he planned, couldn't suppress her concern. "You won't die, will you?"
He desperately hoped he would—but knew better than to say so.
"I won't," he replied simply.
Then, step by step, he walked toward the heart of Tartarus. With each stride, his form grew larger and grander, his shadow stretching infinitely across the molten abyss.
His robe shimmered, becoming metallic armor; silver-white plating encased his head. He towered massively, his entire body sheathed in steel, sleek contours gleaming with cold mechanical beauty. Behind him, immense metallic wings unfurled, constructed from countless interlocking steel structures.
From man, he'd become a machine-god.
A form strikingly similar, yet distinctly different, from Cronus's original shape.
This was the new form Rovi attained upon devouring Cronus:
His Authority form—
The Mecha-God Rovi.
"ROAAAAR!!!"
The Titans under his command unleashed thunderous roars.
At the same time, the Goddess of War once again donned her shining silver armor, gripping spear and shield firmly, standing tall and proud.
If he claimed he wouldn't die, then she chose to trust him wholeheartedly.
She'd await his return.
"Come!" Rovi clenched an iron fist tightly. Cronus's Authority, combined with the promise made with Poseidon, surged forth like an endless ocean. The boundless, surging power cascaded outward, engulfing all of Tartarus instantly.
BOOM…BOOM…BOOM—like war drums, like a heartbeat, the flames weaving the fabric of Tartarus began steadily contracting inward.
Here, Rovi would complete the final step of devouring Tartarus.
He clenched his fist and spread his arms wide, as if embracing the world itself. Within his colossal mechanical body, primordial stars stirred, radiating their power outward.
Ripples and currents spread.
In the Netherworld, Hades abruptly turned; high above, Zeus let out a gasp; beneath the seas, Poseidon smiled.
In Arcadia's paradise, Atalanta sat swinging her legs on a tree branch, looking up curiously. On the deck of the Argo, Heracles paused, suddenly gazing into the distance while sharing drinks with a newly returned and more heroic Jason. Chiron halted amid the mountains. Enkidu stirred softly within a blooming flower.
The contraction of Tartarus resonated subconsciously through all living things.
Red flooded perception; chaos consumed all sight.
Athena stood quietly as Tartarus collapsed, observing her surroundings shift from roaring flames into emptiness itself.
She hadn't moved—her surroundings had changed.
Brilliant divine radiance blossomed around her, her subordinate gods' Authorities orbiting gently. With her newfound God-King authority, she unified all this power, weaving it into a radiant crown atop her head and carving out a majestic divine realm within the void.
She stepped forward gracefully—
Tartarus was gone, and so was Rovi.
He had succeeded in devouring Tartarus, incorporating the primordial abyss into his colossal mecha-god body, fueling him with infinite energy.
Yet the primordial chaos had instantly dragged him down.
He had "died."
He stepped from the abyss into the Netherworld, crossing death's threshold.
Yet, where he'd stood moments before, Athena discovered a key—a shadow of the "Key of Heaven."
"When he returns, it must be through this key," Athena murmured gently, pressing it close to her heart, feeling its familiar presence—for the Key of Heaven was always Rovi himself.
...
The future God-King Athena gained enlightenment in the abyss. She witnessed the final extinction of the Titans, the collapse of primordial Tartarus, and the hero's ascension from man to god.
The supreme ruler who commands all, supporting wings surpassing steel.
He entered the Netherworld.
And thus, his followers crossed worldly boundaries, stepping into the unknown.
A kingdom shall rise, awaiting its king.
...
Roars echoed across Jotunheim, realm of giants at the World Tree's roots. Titans, teleported there moments before Tartarus vanished, charged furiously at their Nordic kin.
With Nordic giants' sturdiness and Greek gods' power, they'd establish a new kingdom, awaiting their king's return.
And before then, they'd seek out that Mesopotamian Netherworld goddess glimpsed briefly—Eresh.
"Strange giants…" At the World Tree's peak, a silver-haired Valkyrie named Brynhildr narrowed her gaze, gripping her lance tightly.
...
Thud.
Rovi landed gently, human once more. Darkness surrounded him—endless stone, cliffs plunging into unseen depths, air thick with the chill of death.
Without doubt, this was the Netherworld.
Yet why did it feel exactly like Mesopotamia's?
And what's with that familiar voice…?
"Hmph-Bwahahaha! This King wondered who dared intrude upon his radiant domain—but it's you, the stray mongrel running amok!"
A golden figure emerged from the darkness, arrogance matched only by brilliance.
Such trademark arrogance—Rovi instantly recognized him.
"Gilgamesh…how are you here? Isn't this the Greek Netherworld?"
Despite confusion, Rovi smirked and raised a familiar middle finger.
"Impertinent mongrel—good to see you haven't lost your bark!" Gilgamesh laughed proudly, genuinely delighted.
"You idiot," Rovi chuckled.
"Moron," Gil retorted, then softened, saying warmly:
"Welcome home, my friend."
After all these ages, the King of Heroes had finally reunited with his lost friend.
All those years of waiting were worth it.
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T/N: YESSS YURI I MEAN YAOI TIME!!!
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