Saint Seiya, but Athena who disobeys?

In the Kojiki myth of the Kingdom of Okinawa, the god Kotodai, son of Okuninushi, offered his kingdom to the grandson of the gods through "Kotodai." This is the earliest instance of Kotodai interfering with reality in the primitive Shintoism of Japan.

Seiya raised an eyebrow. That sounded good. "But it's not that simple. Tell me what else is there."

Saya no Kaoru nodded. "The Great Lord sees through everything. Ena has already been overwhelmed by madness. If one is not someone who has certain responsibilities or destiny, one cannot become the master of the highest-ranking priestess. And in this world, even a god-ancestor or demigod can only be equal to Ena Kiyoshuu, who wields a sword."

At this point, Seiya understood that above the demigods, there were only seven god-slaying demons, or... disobedient gods.

Of the seven Godslayers, many have somewhat problematic personalities. Tony, for example, is the kind of king many magicians dream of. Marquis Voban is a tyrant who ruled Europe cruelly for two hundred years; the title of Godslayer Demon King originates from him. Luo Hao of the Eastern Continent is no less formidable. While Lady Elsa is compassionate and loving, her power is so great that even her fellow Godslayers are reluctant to approach her. The incredibly fast nobleman Alexander is too calculating and is currently leading a conflict between the Royal Factory, the Council of Sages, and the descendants of the Serpent God. John, the Hades of America, would be a suitable candidate, but she is currently embroiled in a fierce battle with the Lord of Flies.

In addition to the existing connection with him, he is the only suitable candidate at present.

“To become the master of the Sword Priestess, one must first prove oneself to be stronger than the sword. Without Chihaya's determination to shatter gold, how could one be the master of steel, capable of fighting against a thousand swords? But this should be no problem for the God-Slaying Rakshasa, right?” Saya Miyako stood up.

Seiya remained silent, only squinting as he watched the katana-wielding priestess's face gradually be shrouded in purple madness. Sayamiya Kaoru nodded, understanding that the Saint had granted her request.

—In the realm of the dead, between life and immortality, came the soft laughter of an old man.

"It seems that the young Rakshasa king has already made contact with Huina."

"What will he do? Break the sword, or become its master?" said the black-robed archmage.

The old man smiled. "But in any case, he will clash with the Southern Barbarian deity. Oh, we don't know yet whether that Southern Barbarian deity will strike first. Let us savor the new God-Slaying Rakshasa's talent."

—The Ritz-Carlton, Ginza, Tokyo.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, nestled within a magnificent and towering building in Tokyo, is renowned for its upscale and luxurious hotel services. On the 45th floor, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the entire skyline, offering panoramic views from Tokyo Tower to Mount Fuji.

The deity looked down at the god who had already taken the country into his hands, then turned his head to look in the direction of Bunkyo Ward.

“The old thing underground has lost the madness that a disobedient god should have, and has actually attracted a new god-slaying demon.” She did not hide her sarcasm towards the gods in the underworld. “Clearly a disobedient god, yet it has to rely on the power of a god-slayer. Such trash is no longer worth fearing.”

However, she immediately revealed a captivating and alluring smile, "But this Pegasus is also one of my targets. I will transform Athena's Pegasus into a sharp blade that pierces her. I can't wait to see the expression of pain that should appear on her arrogant face!"

At the shrine in Bunkyo Ward, the incantation to release the seal has come to an end.

"Honoring the spirit of the Heavenly Bird Boat, the bird-borne heather boat god! Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, the island god closes his eyes and shuts his heart in fear—may he grant us a safe passage!"

At this moment, Seiya also roughly realized that the so-called "Priestess" were essentially witches, possessing a special power system inherited from their bloodline. As Sayamiya Kaoru chanted the incantation to release the seal, Kiyoshuin Ena, who had been sitting before the statue with her eyes closed as a god of the underworld, finally opened her eyes.

A translucent white talisman burned around the girl—a spell that had bound her. As the spell dissipated, the girl regained her mobility. Without even a second thought, she looked at Seiya standing in the middle of the courtyard. It was a smile completely unlike Erika's graceful one, a smile tinged with the air of a wanderer.

But her first action was not to chant the incantation aloud. Instead, Huina picked up the cloth bag that was placed between her legs, opened the seal, and took out the contents.

It was a three-foot-three-and-a-half-inch katana stored in a black scabbard.

The powerful magical energy released from this divine artifact caused Saya Miyako to feel dizzy.

—The Kusanagi Sword.

It is the most supreme divine sword in Japan, and the power contained within it is immeasurable.

Suppressing her fear and dread, she retreated to the doorway. The awakened Kusanagi Sword was itself equivalent to a god, and Kiyoshuin Ena, whose true form was obscured by madness, was a demigod wielding an unparalleled divine weapon.

Even when facing disobedient gods and god-slaying demons, they are qualified to resist; otherwise, they would not have been sealed here by the mages of the Tiantai Sect.

Although she had witnessed the Rakshasa Lord's magnificent feats firsthand, suppressing Kiyoshuin Ena was no easy task. At this moment, she held a sword in hand, facing the Godslayer, facing Saint Seiya, yet still chanting the divine sword's incantation with a resounding voice.

"Susanoo-no-Mikoto is here, leading a thousand evil gods to seize the country. The sword stands on the earth, using it as a shield against the enemy. All the swords are lost, but Susanoo-no-Mikoto obtains a sword from the tail of a great serpent, the so-called Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi! It is steel that can pierce a thousand blades! The divine sword shines with a magnificent and dazzling light! One strike reveals its unparalleled domineering power!"

The words of power were chanted from the mouth of Seishuin Ena.

It was a whisper that was both ethereal and devout. And residing in her pupils was a fierce fighting spirit and murderous intent. It was not the gaze of a swordsman who risked his life for the thrill of battle, but the eyes of a demon determined to defeat all enemies in his way and annihilate them.

This is the look in the eyes of someone consumed by madness. With a changed expression, Ena stiffly raises the black divine sword.

Just looking at it was incredibly painful, and if you tried to perceive it with your spiritual sense, it felt like being pricked by needles. Saya Miyako already regretted not retreating outside the shrine immediately; staying in the courtyard to watch this battle of the gods was far too presumptuous.

But when she turned her head to look at Saint Seiya, the armor that seemed to be a divine weapon hadn't been summoned by him. Was he really so arrogant? His expression remained unchanged as he allowed the Kusanagi Sword to erode Ena's body, allowing her aura to reach its peak. Until she raised the black divine sword, he finally made his move.

A slap, faster than Saya Miyako's reaction speed, even surpassing the slap of Seishuin Ena who was afflicted by the divine weapon, landed on her face.

—The Great Battle of the Pegasus.

The world spun around her, and Kiyoakiin Ena collapsed headfirst into the ground. Even her eyes, previously filled with madness, regained some clarity. Her arms trembled as she crawled to her feet, supporting herself on the ground. "I..."

"It's indeed quite powerful; one slap doesn't seem enough," Seiya exclaimed, then raised his hand again.

"Wait, I..." Kiyoshuin Ena finally uttered her first words, but her reaction was still too slow. Because the palm of love was evenly imprinted on her left cheek, which had not yet been slapped.

—Pegasus Double Forced Battle.

Chapter 41: Susanoo and the God from Afar

This is a realm of life and immortality where humans cannot live, a world where the soul is more important than the body.

There, three elderly people were holding a gathering.

Their place was a pavilion built in a beautiful courtyard. There were no servants present, yet it was kept very tidy. However, this was not surprising; what constituted the realm of life and immortality was multiple overlapping spaces.

"So, isn't it time to judge that Rakshasa King? You deliberately stirred up this commotion to see how that person would treat Huina, didn't you?" The first to speak was the black-robed archmage. To achieve Buddhahood in the flesh is to break free from the shackles of the physical body at the end of asceticism, approaching immortality.

“I have been following this child for a long time. He is a paladin with good character, and I believe he will become a protector of the earth.”

The one who voiced this opinion was the Glass Princess. A beautiful princess with glass-colored eyes and captivating beauty, she was far older than the Archmage. Incidentally, this elegant courtyard was the space under her control.

"The guardian of the earth, a paladin of good character, that sounds really good. He seems like someone who can shoulder great responsibilities."

"Well, Susanoo, what are your thoughts?"

“Of course I have no problem with it, because it was my idea to bring him to Fusang in the first place, hehe.” The oldest god said in a peculiar tone.

"Although I intend to bestow the priestess upon him, I did not say I would give him the sword as well. Although he is reckless, I admire his formidable qualities. In short, our goal is to have the god-slaying Rakshasa kill the deity of the distant ocean."

"So it's definitely him?"

Susanoo nodded readily in response to the princess's question.

"What about those subordinates who were controlled? How were they dealt with?"

"Should we hesitate to deal with subordinates who raise the banner of rebellion? Those who rebel will be beheaded, and those who participate will have their hands severed. If we don't kill them, how can we demonstrate Susanoo's virtues!"

The princess was taken aback before realizing that Susanoo's personality was unpredictable, sometimes ferocious, sometimes heroic. Although he had been respectfully called "Master Susanoo" for hundreds of years, his violent nature also made him a god of destruction.

"But they occupy 40% of the key positions. If we eliminate them all, it will cause a big problem."

"This world will never lack talent. If there is a shortage, we can just promote people from the bottom up. It just requires your careful nurturing." The leading imperial husband revealed a chilling majesty. "So, can we reach a consensus? Kusanagi, my avatar is still waiting for my complete mandate."

The black-robed mage and the glass-eyed princess exchanged a silent glance, everything understood without a word.

"Then it's decided. Let that young god-slaying demon begin. The Far East, Fusang, this land will ultimately still be our kingdom," the Imperial Husband declared.

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Kiyoshuin Ena felt as if she were lying in a hot spring, her whole body warm from the inside out, except that her cheeks were a little sore.

Her last memory was of being ordered to subdue the disobedient god who tried to conquer all of Japan, but all she saw was an incredibly alluring face before she lost her memory. It seems the subjugation failed. Is she now in the underworld, or has she fallen into enemy hands?

The air was filled with the scent of bellflower and ginkgo, herbs commonly used in performing secret rituals. A spasmodic pain shot through her body from her lower abdomen to her navel, yet a comforting power emanated from her chest... Huina had already woken up, but just in case, she suddenly opened her eyes after gathering enough spiritual energy to resist.

Before her eyes was a boy with dark brown hair, who looked at her with a puzzled expression and raised his hand. For some reason, in that instant, Kiyoaki Inaru felt that everything was alright.

"Miss Hyuna, you're finally awake." A familiar, joyful voice came from beside her.

Kiyoshuin Ena turned her head. "Chief Saya, your shrine maiden outfit is quite unusual." Seeing the familiar face, Kiyoshuin Ena finally realized that she had not fallen into the hands of that disobedient god, but her gaze remained fixed on the brown-haired boy in front of her.

Several tens of minutes later, Seiya, who was drinking tea, finally understood what had happened.

In other words, six months ago, a deity from the other side of the ocean arrived in Japan. She possessed a madness completely different from other disobedient gods. Instead of challenging the ruling power of the land, she used her control methods, employing humans to bring most of the high-ranking officials of Japan under her command. Even the Seichoin family, one of the four major families that formed the core of the ruling power, had fallen.

Today, the official history compilation committee, which was originally an official organization, can barely control the Osaka metropolitan area, then Nagoya to Kanagawa Prefecture, and finally Taito Ward, Arakawa Ward, Katsushika Ward, Meguro Ward, Nerima Ward, Suginami Ward, and Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo's 23 wards. It has even lost Chiyoda Ward, where the Emperor resides. Eighty percent of Japan's spiritual veins and Onmyoji (yin-yang masters) are now controlled by an organization called the Onmyo Agency.

Today, the organization called the Onmyō-tei (Yin-Yang Hall) is the uncrowned king of Japan.

After hearing Sayamiya Kaoru's introduction, Seiya was stunned for a moment before he couldn't help but say, "You guys are so embarrassing!"

Saya Miyako showed no embarrassment, but instead knelt respectfully on the ground, saying, "Faced with a true deity, no matter how hard we mortals try, we cannot contend with divine might. Only a god-slaying demon like you is an equal to him."

Seiya turned his head to look at the priestess, Ena Seishuin, who had been watching him since he woke up. "And you, how did we meet?"

With the order given, Kiyoshuin Ena naturally felt an irresistible force compelling her to respond. However, she had never intended to refuse.

"Because I witnessed you throwing a punch when I was very young." Without the influence of her madness, Kiyoshuin Ena knelt on the ground like a traditional Yamato Nadeshiko.

"Spiritual vision?" Seiya raised an eyebrow.

Vision is a special ability that combines perception with clairvoyance, and can occasionally glimpse fragments of the past and future.

“It is indeed spiritual vision.” Kiyoshuin Ena glanced at the powerful man before her, and an image flashed in her mind: a boy standing before a cliff, cleaving the waves with countless punches.

That image of someone wielding countless fists with unwavering determination is etched in my heart. In moments of slackening, I always recall it, urging myself to move forward.

The past and the present overlap, and this man is Seiya.

However, this loyalty was not perfect. A vow remained within her, as if she possessed another master. This was unacceptable to Seijuin Ena, who had always studied the principles of loyalty and filial piety.

Seiya, who became her master through the spirit bondage of words, naturally sensed her inner anxiety.

The official history compilation committee and the Onmyōdō (Yin-Yang Bureau), Susanoo and the gods from afar.

Seiya tapped his fingers lightly on the table. What role would he play in this Japanese civil war?

But at that very moment, a knock sounded from the side. Sayamiya Kaoru's gaze sharpened, while Kiyoshuin Ena gripped her divine sword. In this shrine, practically the headquarters of the official history compilation committee, why was there an unfamiliar presence at the door?

Seiya waved for Saya to open the door, and she was surprised to find a man in a white hunting robe and a black top hat standing outside. He respectfully handed her an envelope, which turned out to be an invitation.

She handed it to Seiya and watched him cut open the envelope.

An invitation from the master behind the Yin-Yang Hall, the deity who came from afar.

Chapter 42: Gods who persecuted Pegasus are no longer allowed to live in the world.

In this secluded world, there is no distinction between day and night, only in the eternal courtyard.

Princess Liulitong strolled through her own courtyard, carrying a kerosene lamp that emitted a soft glow. She had lived on this far-eastern island for a thousand years, becoming its progenitor as a priestess. Watching the nation grow, she gradually healed her past sorrows.

But for some reason, her heart was pounding. For the priestess, and for the ancestor of the gods, such sudden premonitions were something that had to be taken very seriously.

Is it about Susanoo and Tenkai during the Shen hour, or is it related to that mysterious deity?

For some reason, Princess Liuli Tong suddenly thought of the Saint Seiya she had observed from afar through her spiritual vision during the day. Could her unease be related to him? She quickly dismissed the thought. Three years of observation had given her absolute certainty that he was a Saint Seiya dedicated to protecting the earth and humanity.

In other words... just then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the courtyard, extinguishing all the candles lit inside the house. The deep courtyard was instantly plunged into darkness, and a dark shadow hovered on the branches, its bright eyes gleaming sharply in the night.

Princess Liulitong conjured a ball of moonlight from her palm, illuminating the darkness before her. A small owl with striped bellies fluttered its wings and soared into the sky.

"So it's an owl." Princess Liuli Tong patted her chest.

Owls and crows are common birds in the Netherworld, and they are spirit beasts closely connected with the night. Occasionally, they will cross the space between the Netherworld and the mortal world, appearing in any place in the Netherworld that they might be.

The moonlight, like a curtain, gently pierced through the thin clouds and fell upon the boy.

The Saint Seiya, as if awakened from his sleep, opened his eyes, his nostrils filled with the pleasant scent of violets and thyme. He tried to lift his head, but was embraced from behind by a pair of gentle arms.

"Athena, when did you arrive?" Seiya tried to get up, but Athena gently wrapped her arm around his neck from behind.

He felt a little shy, but still obediently rested his head in the white-robed girl's arms. The girl gently stroked Seiya's stubborn hair, smoothing it down with her hand.

This is not Bunkyo Ward, but rather a courtyard on a high mountain.

Looking east from here, you can see the brightly lit Tokyo skyline in the distance, with dense lines of lights forming a grid-like pattern. Golden lines stretch from Suginami towards Mitaka and Hachioji, with the Okutama Mountains in the distance. Further in, towering through a sea of ​​clouds, lies the majestic Mount Fuji.

“Because you need me, I will appear before you.” Athena looked into the eyes of the boy in her arms. “The city is filled with the aura of a god connected to me. She hides it well, but she cannot escape my wisdom.”

"I knew Athena was the most powerful."

Athena revealed a smile as gentle as the night breeze. "Her strength ranks near the bottom among the twelve Olympian gods, but given enough time and preparation, she can unleash terrifying power that would make the gods take notice if necessary. However, she is essentially still a lowly character who stirs up trouble behind the scenes and attacks others with underhanded means. Just like the ruler behind this country."

Seiya hesitated for a moment, "Do you mean Susanoo, or the official history compilation committee?"

Athena didn't answer his question directly, but instead gazed tenderly into Seiya's eyes. Almost everyone who met Seiya for the first time noticed his eyes; his dark pupils were deeper than ordinary people's, a blackness devoid of any impurity. Looking into his eyes was like gazing into a night without stars or a moon.

Athena gently stroked Seiya's forehead with her palm, "Because my Pegasus is a kind child, and that is what I worry about most about you. You are indestructible divine steel, a god-slaying beast that roars across the world. But you haven't ventured too far into the darkness of this world."

The so-called God-Slaying Rakshasa is someone whose wrath makes the world tremble, whose laughter brings celebration to all things; more unrestrained than any hero, more sublime than any god. But it doesn't matter, until you become a Saint Seiya who makes even the gods submit, I'll still be there to accompany you.

As for those nonsensical dregs, let them become the bricks and stones on Pegasus's path forward.

Athena raised her slender right hand, and a small owl with a striped belly landed on her forearm in the night sky. The majesty of the goddess of war was beyond Seiya's perception. In his eyes, Athena was a woman who could be his mother; she softly hummed an ancient melody, and Seiya closed his eyes again in her embrace.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already dawn.

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