Saint Seiya, but Athena who disobeys?

But Seiya did not answer. The battle was useful, even if it was just a simple contest. It still forced him to master the newly acquired power more quickly and make it a part of him.

In the next instant, Seiya and Tony vanished simultaneously, colliding at an incredibly high speed. A terrifying sonic boom cloud crashed against the cliff, sword light and human figures intertwined! In the end, it was Seiya himself who broke through this inevitable defeat, because he clearly knew that he could not compete with Tony with his swordsmanship, so he added his area of ​​expertise.

The moment Tony smiled, Seiya stepped forward, wielding his blade in a lunge. The silver sword met the sharp edge of the blade; weapons clashed, sparks flew, and a deafening roar erupted. Both remained steady, neither retreating, but neither continued.

That instant of collision shattered both weapons, and at that moment, Seiya finally returned to his forte: hand-to-hand combat. Hey, my friend, I'm not giving your neck any air now!

But in the end, Seiya stopped, because the battle was over.

From behind them came the sound of orderly footsteps. Seiya looked back at the road they had come from and saw that at the foot of the mountain, more than twenty silver GT cars blocked the road. Men got out of the cars and hurriedly escorted a young man in a white suit to them.

"Leader, you've gone too far!" A young man in a suit and leather shoes with gold-rimmed glasses approached Tony.

“Sir Andrei, you’re too nervous. I’m just chatting with a new friend to get to know him better.” Tony hooked his arm around the young man’s shoulder familiarly, his face beaming.

The young man named Andrei had noticed Seiya opposite his leader long ago. After Tony spoke, he turned to Seiya and bowed in a manner as standard as a medieval nobleman. "It's a pleasure to meet you here. You must be Seiya, the seventh god-slayer. It is my honor to meet you here."

Seiya lowered his eyes. "You must be Andre, who has the nickname of the King's Butler. I've heard that you are one of the few great knights who can directly and vehemently criticize Tony. It can be said that without you, Tony might only be considered a warrior, and would not have the ability to be the leader of the Italian magic world."

In ancient times, this statement would have been considered a scathing attack. However, in a world where individual power trumps everything else, Seiya's words are simply an expression of approval.

As the words fell, a red figure appeared in the distance—it was Erica.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they drove off in different directions.

But suddenly, the Sword King stopped and called out to the Saint Seiya opposite him.

"Let's have a real showdown next time we meet. I feel that day isn't far off," the Sword King shouted.

Seiya had a similar premonition, but Veleslana's situation prevented him from giving a clear response. He simply smiled, waved, and turned to leave.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: New Power, New Realm (Two Chapters Combined)

The Sun Boat Hotel in Sardinia has returned to its usual atmosphere. After politely bowing and apologizing to these distinguished regular guests, the Persian girl in the white veil seems lost in thought.

Although a long time has passed, she has been constantly thinking about the boy from her own tribe. Although she shouldn't, during this time, whether day or night, at work, she couldn't help but think of the white-robed boy who resembled the victorious Vereslana. She didn't have any romantic thoughts, just wanted to know how he was doing. Had he been caught by the manager, or had he already gone home?

But she only thought it to herself, because she still had to work. She walked toward the elevator in the center of the lobby, whose door was engraved with a hot sand sphinx.

That elevator can only be opened by swiping a card, and it leads to the most luxurious suite here. Some say it was specially prepared for the head of the Lucchese family, while others say it is equipped with evil secrets that make gamblers lose all their money without them even realizing it.

But today the elevator doors opened, and a man appeared who was completely unexpected to her.

"Huh, Mr. Seiya?"

Seeing Seiya in his white robe, she gasped in surprise, covering her mouth. In her three years working there, she had never seen a VIP like Seiya return to the hotel. But looking at the obsequious manager beside her, she suddenly seemed to understand something.

Seiya nodded politely to her, but just before he disappeared from sight, she couldn't help but ask, "Excuse me, where is the gentleman who was with you?"

Looking at the girl's worried face, Seiya smiled and said, "He went home first. If he comes to Sardinia again, we will still come here."

Seiya returned to his temporary resting place, where he finally heard the God King's declaration relayed by Erica.

"Using me as a sacrifice to the world before its destruction, are all gods this arrogant?" Seiya could sense the mysterious connection between himself and the other, which meant that he was bound to fight the other.

This is destiny, and the relationship forged on this island must end with the death of one of them.

As Erica left the room, Seiya finally brought up the system panel he hadn't seen in a long time.

[Name: Seiya]

[Occupation: Saint Seiya]

[Realm: Perfected Sixth Sense]

[Combat Techniques: Resurrection Strike, Pegasus Meteor Fist, Pegasus Comet Fist, Pegasus Corona Fist, Pegasus Spinning Smash Fist (Cloth Cloth Exclusive), Fierce Tiger Gale Purple Lightning Fist (Cloth Cloth Exclusive), Fierce Dragon Blizzard Fist (Cloth Cloth Exclusive), Strong Wind Stream (Cloth Cloth Exclusive), Freezing Fist, Flame Vortex, Telekinesis, Fist Pressure, Holy Sword Drawing, God-Slaying Power]

The real qualitative change occurred in one's passive talent slots.

[Demon King (Iron Bones): A physique characteristic of a god-slayer, possessing bones stronger than any metal in the world, enhancing physical defense and willpower.]

【Chaos King (Immune to All Evil): A trait of a god-slayer, curses and evil spells cannot take effect (effective against gods and above)】

[Rakshasa Lord (Anti-God Level Anti-Magic Power): A god-slayer's constitution grants resistance to the mysterious. Even large-scale magic spells and ritualistic incantations of the mortal realm cannot harm him. Only gods, or fellow god-slayers, can counter this extraordinary ability.]

[Child of Epimetheus (Affinity for All): A god-slayer trait, allowing for easy ascent to the pinnacle of any power system.]

[King of Magicians (Crown): The Godslayer is the King of Magic. The moment he becomes the Godslayer, he stands atop the crown of the magic system, possessing a total magical power hundreds of times stronger than even the Grand Magicians.]

[Godslayer (Solidified Ability): Godslayers are born warriors; no matter how much they slack off, any combat-related skills will not deteriorate.]

[The Power of Hope: You are not a godslayer simply because you slay a god; you are born with this talent. Godslayers are those who create miracles. No matter how unequal the battle, as long as there is a chance of victory, a godslayer can seize that sliver of hope and turn defeat into victory.]

[Growing Stronger Through Battle (Dual Enhancement): By battling stronger opponents, your skills continuously improve, your physique strengthens, and even your cosmos and powers increase.]

[Super Learning Ability (Dual Enhancement): By enduring the attacks of a strong opponent, one can not only develop corresponding methods but also transform the opponent's techniques into one's own.]

[Super Combat Continuation (Double Enhancement): Crossing the line of death countless times, regardless of being severely injured, infected by a curse, shattered to pieces, or even having no body left, with the concept of existence erased by the gods and the soul falling into the void beyond reincarnation, as long as the belief remains, the fight can continue.]

[Growth Through Injury (Double Enhancement): Every injury Seiya suffers will make him stronger. Even when facing death or at the end of the road, it does not mean defeat.]

[Infinite Potential (Seiya Limited): No matter how much effort is put in, the growth of any life has a limit, which is called a bottleneck. Even if you force yourself to break through the bottleneck and surpass the limit, there will still be another bottleneck. But for Seiya, there is no such thing as a limit. His cosmos contains infinite potential.]

When the world is plunged into darkness, the Saints, symbols of hope, will appear. For the sake of the earth and humanity, embark on your journey!

Please complete the main quest – Participate in the Galaxy…

Seiya closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had no doubts whatsoever.

Compared to the powers that the world considers trump cards, Seiya values ​​more the essential talents he gains after becoming a god-slayer. These talents are perfectly suited to the Saint Seiya system; slaying gods and devouring their souls to gain divine power is merely the outward manifestation.

They are warriors, kings, monsters, and humans at the same time; they are beings beyond common sense. What creates a god-slayer is not innate talent, nor effort, nor bloodline or destiny. Only victory can create a god-slayer. Even those with innate talent, even the most diligent practitioners in the world, cannot become god-slayers without victory.

Seiya is both a Saint and a warrior destined to fight against evil gods. This special attack-type god-slaying talent, specifically designed for those of the same or higher level, is exactly what Seiya needs.

There are two training methods for conventional god-slayers.

The first method is the quantitative transformation method of the ancient demon king Marquis Voban, who constantly challenges gods around the world, enjoys the pleasure brought by fighting on the brink of life and death, and suppresses his opponents with a variety of powers.

The second type is Luo Hao, the White Lotus Martial Venerable of the Eastern Continent, who has been cultivating in the deep mountains of Fujian for many years. She has been developing her powers to a greater extent by utilizing her talent as a god-slayer, ultimately unleashing a power that far surpasses the realm of mythology.

Interestingly, Marquis Voban and Martial Venerable Luo Hao are mortal enemies who hate each other. The Marquis thinks that Luo Hao is a complete idiot, while Luo Hao thinks that Old Wolf Head is a demon who is contrary to his path.

In Seiya's view, these two paths did not conflict at all. Tony, the Sword King, whom he had just met, was a practitioner who combined the two paths. Just then, he suddenly turned to look out the window.

With his eyesight, he could see as far as he could, taking in the entire area west of Sardinia.

What made him show a slight look of surprise was none other than Tony, the Sword King, whom we just mentioned.

—Northwest of Sardinia, in Sasari, is also the original battlefield where Seiya killed the God of War.

This land has been eroded into a desert wasteland by the power of the god-king Mercator, and the scorching sun overhead makes people dizzy.

Andrea Rivera, the king's steward loyal to Tony, couldn't understand why the king would come here before returning to Milan. Was it to feel the traces of another compatriot's power left on the battlefield? The grand aura was indeed striking.

"Urusragna, the war god of the East, Mercator, the ancient Phoenician king of the gods, and my friend Seiya—what an exhilarating battle!" Tony suddenly burst into laughter.

Andre didn't understand why the King would come here specifically, but he could clearly understand the meaning behind the expression on Tony's face. Ordinary things, even the start of the third season, wouldn't have moved him; the fact that he showed such an expression meant that he was completely serious.

Just as Andrei was about to step forward to offer his advice, he saw Tony raise his arm and wave it. Although he spoke in a lazy voice, his expression revealed an eager and high-spirited look.

"Spirits and nymphs dwelling in the narrow space between heaven and earth—call forth the coming of nature, glory of all things, manifest my divine might!"

It is a spell, a power of words, and the might of the gods unfolding on this desertified land.

From here, buried under yellow sand, only sandy soil and sparse grasses characteristic of arid regions ripple with green. To the magicians and knights in the distance, however, they could sense a vast amount of spiritual energy converging along the earth's veins towards Sasari.

"What's going on?" The little witch from the Sardinian magic society also felt this enormous power gathering. She looked at her senior in horror, namely the witch Lucrecia Zola, who was at the pinnacle of earth.

“It’s less about Sardinia and more about the power that commands all the spiritual energy of the ley lines in the surrounding seas and the magic permeating the air to converge there,” Lucrecia Zola gazed into the distance.

"Commanding the oceans and atmosphere to reshape the world—is such a thing really possible?!"

“Of course, a god or a Rakshasa King would do,” Lucrecia said.

At the site of the former war of the gods, Tony raised his hands, and on either side of him, stone slabs inscribed with the words nudusara (naked farming) and serenudus (naked sowing) in Hesiod script circled around him. The magical power gathered from these slabs seemed to be consciously creating a new world.

Power—Return to the Ancient World!!!

Miracles beyond the reach of science, or even magic: desertified soil has been transformed into fertile land, dried-up riverbeds are now flowing again, trees are growing rapidly from the ground up, covering the realm of power, and the earth is beginning to rise with a powerful torrent of life.

From meadows of rock roses, frankincense pistache, myrtle, king oak, and dwarf oak, to idyllic coastlines, crystal-clear seas, solitary reefs, long sandy beaches, and caves, everything was restored by his will.

Is this really something humans can do, surpassing the gods who once held such power, and developing the power originally meant for civilization into something that changes the natural environment?

Seiya, more than seventy kilometers away, also felt this upward natural current. "What a self-centered guy, Salvatore Tony," he remarked.

"Is this self-centeredness?" Erica, who had just sensed the changes in the earth's veins, entered the room and overheard these words.

"Because he's showing off to me, showing off his newly acquired power. It's precisely because of this emotion that such a beautiful scene is displayed." Seiya said with great enthusiasm, but the next second he showed a hint of sorrow. "It's a pity that he has very little magical power left."

Tony used his powers to demonstrate a miraculous side, and Seiya should reciprocate with his own "powers."

However, restoring creation is always more difficult than destroying it. This earth-shattering feat also depleted most of his magical power, making it unsuitable for him to start a battle between two people for at least a few days.

If Seiya had previously only shown some interest in Tony, the King of Swords, he was now filled with fighting spirit. How could he not repay Tony with commensurate strength to heal the wounds inflicted by the God War?

But early the next morning, a girl riding a broom and wearing a simple, oversized robe knocked on Seiya's window.

Riding a broom, wearing a long black robe, a witch. Seiya's eyes lit up at the sight of the girl before him, a combination of elements from his fantasy world. Having spent so much time with the voluptuous Lucrecia and the knightly Erica, he'd forgotten what a proper witch looked like. This traditional witch's appearance made Seiya's expression serious.

The little witch riding a broomstick bowed slightly after confirming the young man's identity, then respectfully handed him a brownish-red envelope. "Greetings, esteemed young master. This is an invitation. The Hirodi Manor eagerly awaits your visit!"

After handing it to Seiya, she gave an awkward hand salute, then turned the broom around and flew back the way she came.

The title "little master" brought back distant memories for Seiya. Well, actually, it was just a memory from a few days ago.

The sealing wax on the envelope bore the pattern of the Holy Grail. Seiya peeled off the seal, opened the envelope, and found only a letter inviting him to a banquet, with Salome's name written at the end.

That was the name of the older sister who had accompanied and escorted him to this island after he emerged from the Fairy Realm. He wouldn't have thought about it so much before, but now he remembered.

This is the name of Herodias's daughter in the Bible, and the stepdaughter of Herod II.

------------

PS1: Brothers, I have to temporarily ban you both. You've gone beyond arguing and debating; you've escalated to insulting each other's families. I'll unban you in two days.

PS2: Please discuss combat power and plot in a friendly manner, and refrain from personal attacks.

PS3: Kind words are like a spring breeze, while harsh words are like the eastern frost.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Staying by the God's Side, Obeying the God's Command (Part Two)

"I'd rather listen to gentle songs than shed tears."

"More than sadness, I crave your warmth."

A comfortable night breeze gently blows, like a young girl's soft hand caressing your cheek.

When Seiya opened his eyes, what came into view were constellations that could only be seen in clean air, shining in the summer night sky.

And there was also a silver crescent moon shimmering in mid-air.

Unlike constellations, the moon remains unchanged in both Asia and Europe. Like a queen ruling the night sky, the moon holds a special place in my memory—in the fairy realm, in a past life—where I've gazed at the moon like this before. But when exactly was that?

Ancient and distant scenes flashed through Seiya's mind, like shards of stained glass reflecting moonlight... a sorrowful white sea of ​​flowers, a boy and girl raising their fists above their heads, a giant banyan tree... the god who dragged the world into endless darkness turned around to reveal a familiar, gentle face...

Joy, anger, hatred, and a sense of battle—a complex mix of emotions swirled within him. Under the banyan tree, he punched the boy on the ground, the shattered image splitting into fragments like a kaleidoscope. Just as Seiya raised his hand, another hand grasped his outstretched palm—

—It is the face of Athena.

Her hair shimmered with a faint silver hue, as if dissolved in the moon.

Like the condensed darkness of the night, the pupils were pitch black.

The disobedient goddess Athena. And at this moment, he was resting his head on her lap, the pleasant scent emanating from this ancient goddess in her youthful form.

"Seiya, what do you desire?" Athena asked in a light and airy voice.

Seiya didn't answer; he simply rose from Athena's lap, a gesture that was still quite embarrassing for a fifteen-year-old boy like himself. But Athena's hand gently but firmly pressed him back down.

"You can rely more on your mother, my child Pegasus." Athena's voice was light and clear, revealing the words of a god.

Upon hearing this, Seiya immediately tried to struggle, but Athena showed no intention of releasing her grip on his hand. Her hand was soft and small, yet it resembled a snake coiled around her palm. People only know that snakes themselves are terrifying, but they never consider that snakes can also feel nervous and afraid when facing humans.

At that moment, Seiya suddenly sensed the emotions hidden beneath Athena's skin.

He raised his eyes and met the goddess's gaze. She was looking down at him, her bright, owl-like eyes reflecting only his own image. Seiya was familiar with this look, for the two masters he had once mistaken for, Marin and Shaina, would also look at him with such tender eyes.

He saw in Athena's eyes the joy and delight at his existence. What he didn't know was that he held a different meaning for her.

For Athena, countless believers and humans had prostrated themselves before her, but their gazes were different, filled with awe and overwhelming longing. Seiya, however, was different. He fought with absolute, pure faith, a faith that even Athena, with her wisdom, could not fathom.

But since he's a Pegasus, everything is understandable.