Saint Seiya, but Athena who disobeys?

Chapter Seven: Knights, Witches, Saints

What kind of destiny is mine?

Seiya himself knew about the future beforehand, but only a small part of it.

In the ancient mythological era, Zeus of the sky, Poseidon of the sea, and Hades of the underworld all coveted the earth upon which humanity depended for survival. To protect the weak, the peace-loving goddess Athena stood up and waged a series of wars against the evil gods.

Having completed his training under the Silver Saint Marin, he embarks on his journey home. During the Galactic War, he meets Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki. The five Bronze Saints grow stronger through the battles, and in the future, they will face a scheming Pope, Poseidon who seeks to flood the earth, Hades who aims to bring eternal darkness, and the sun god. For the sake of the earth and humanity, he and his companions will stand up time and again.

But the scene before my eyes was completely different from what I had seen on television.

A magnificent boar, as imposing as a mountain, suddenly appeared in the sea, landing with tremendous force and smashing through the surrounding buildings. Seiya, as if realizing something, turned to look at his briefly acquainted friend beside him.

His face, or rather, His face, bore an expression of helplessness.

"It seems our third duel will have to wait until later. There's nothing I can do about it. However, I still bear the promise to fight the God-King, so I can't let myself be hindered in this place and return to mythology. I'll take my leave now and look forward to our next meeting."

The moment the words fell, the young god's figure floated forward, flying towards the enraged divine beast in its true form. Accompanied by thunder and hurricane, the two completely dissimilar figures vanished into nothingness amidst the cracked fragments of the domain.

About ten minutes later, a panting red figure finally appeared in front of Seiya.

“Knight from a foreign land, tell me everything you know about the god who appeared on this island. My name is Erica Brandre. If you are a learned knight, you should understand the meaning of my name.”

Although Erica's attitude was polite yet firm, her hand was silently placed on her waist. As a witch who had witnessed the Asian boy's battle with the storm incarnation, she was ready to summon the Lionheart if the other party was indeed a magician who summoned a disobedient god to do evil.

"Erica? Wild boar? Boy? Victory? Return to mythology!"

Erica, in her red dress, stared even more intently at the Asian boy before her, his expression growing increasingly serious. He was so self-centered that he completely ignored her questions. With each name he uttered, her expression shifted, from astonishment to doubt, then shock, finally settling into calm, leaving only his imposing aura lingering.

Finally, she saw a look of helplessness on the other person's face. It was remarkably similar to the young god she had just seen, a complex mix of emotions and resignation.

"I am Athena's Saint. Don't ask me what a Saint is. I want some peace and quiet."

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"Because of the 'myths' passed down from ancient times to the present, they have concrete forms. The essence of heaven and earth and stars, the constituent elements of nature such as earth, wind, water, fire, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, are the core of the myths and then manifest their existence. This is God, this is the hypothesis that we magicians have established."

"However, some of the manifested gods rebel against the core of 'mythology,' so these gods who rebel against 'mythology' are called disobedient gods. They manifest themselves in lands where they have no connection with their mythology and bring calamities. The mere presence of the gods' power there will have a negative impact on the world."

Inside Olena's cabin in the woods, the witch, dressed only in her underwear, brewed a pot of coffee and lay languidly on the bed.

Inside this primitive forest cabin sat three people: a knight from Milan, a Saint from the Fairy Realm, and the owner of this place, the ancient witch Lucrecia Zola, who had lived in this world for over a hundred years.

Although she is a witch who has lived in this world for over a hundred years, she still looks like she is in her early twenties. However, her current posture is the only thing that is not flattering.

Because the other party was a beautiful woman wearing underwear and welcoming guests while lying on the bed, her lively eyes exuded an incredible charm, and her long flaxen hair was also very beautiful.

Then she lifted her foot and gently stepped on Seiya's thigh. Seiya stood up first, took the coffee, thanked her, and then placed the coffee in front of Erika.

“Madam, this is a grimoire from a young man from the Far East. He said he is fulfilling his grandfather’s wish to deliver this top-tier grimoire to you.” Erica said, taking out the divine artifact tablet from her backpack.

“Oh, how nostalgic. It is—the Prometheus Manual, it really is this. I discovered this thing deep in the Caucasus Mountains a long time ago, and it has been almost a century since I last saw it.”

The artifact known as the Prometheus Tome, a top-tier magical book, is a stone tablet childishly carved with a man bound in chains. At this moment, the witch Zola gently stroked the rough surface of the stone tablet, a look of nostalgia on her face, but she quickly showed surprise again, and gave Seiya, who was sitting next to Erica, a deep look.

Erica noticed the change in Zola's gaze, but she didn't delve into the possible connection between the two. After taking a sip of her coffee, she looked seriously at the ancient witch before her.

“Madam, may I ask you a few questions?” Erica sat up straight.

"There's absolutely no need to be so formal. You're Paul's granddaughter, right? I've known your grandparents for a long time. There's no need to be so polite. Just treat me like your close older sister."

"Have you encountered a god who does not obey you?" Erica asked seriously.

Although the witch lay on the bed, her body sprawled out, exuding an irresistible allure, Erica Brantrie, a high-ranking knight, could keenly sense that the witch wasn't deliberately posing in such a suggestive manner; rather, it was simply the position she could only assume.

Because her magical power was almost equivalent to that of a mortal, and she only relied on the magic originally set up in the room to maintain her defenses. Such a state of depleted magical power was almost impossible for an ancient witch like her who was at the extreme of the earth. The only explanation was the disobedient god who appeared on this island.

Chapter 8: Different Myths, Different Origins, Different Perspectives

"Oh dear, as expected of the great knight known as the Crimson Demon in Milan, he has been completely seen through. In order to protect myself on that battlefield, it is necessary to use magic beyond my limits. As a result, my magical power is now completely depleted, and it will take about three months to recover. I cannot use large-scale spells for the time being, and I can't even move my body. It's really troublesome."

The ancient witch stroked her left cheek and sighed, but there was no trace of sorrow on her face.

But Erica, sitting upright in front of her, suddenly perked up and revealed a smooth smile that didn't match her tough appearance.

"Madam, could you please reveal the identity of the deity who manifested on this island? We will also take responsibility for your personal safety during this time."

This girl is indeed a bit too self-centered. Seiya hasn't even agreed to form an alliance with her yet, but she's already considering herself and her as a single entity.

However, Erica had her own plans. At this moment, the witch who had witnessed the arrival of the disobedient god and survived possessed crucial information, which was of great importance to her.

“That’s no problem. But, Lady Erica, you should have some understanding of the revealed divine identities during your time on the island.”

Erica glanced at Seiya beside her and nodded slightly. "He is probably a disobedient god who manifests his mythological side through storms and ferocity. Judging from the natural disasters that have occurred on this island recently, he should be a war god. According to the history of Sardinia, in the context of cultural integration during the time of Alexander the Great, some of his subjects migrated to southern Italy under the guidance of Pompey. The one who manifested there should be Baal, the chief god of Semitic mythology."

After saying this, Erica stared intently at the witch lying sprawled on the bed, a smile playing on her lips. She then suddenly asked a completely irrelevant question, "As expected of the eldest daughter of the prestigious Brantelli family in the magic world, you seem quite knowledgeable about various mythologies and origins. Are you planning to replicate the miraculous feats created by your ancestors and become... a god-slayer?"

The moment those three words were uttered, Erica's breath paused almost imperceptibly. She looked directly into the witch's eyes and openly puffed out her full chest.

“I’m not that arrogant. Of course, if I had the chance, I wouldn’t mind becoming someone like Lord Salbatre, but that’s just wishful thinking… However, I do have the idea of ​​sealing away the existence of a god, or suppressing him.”

"What an arrogant idea. It seems you've made ample preparations," the witch sighed softly. "However, only when you truly face the gods will you know whether you possess the corresponding essence."

"I will keep your teachings in mind." Erica nodded slightly.

“I know that young people like you won’t listen, but since you are Lord Paul’s granddaughter, all I can do is tell you the identity of the deity that appears here as much as possible.” The witch Zola showed a slightly nostalgic look. “Although what you said earlier was very correct, there are still some things that need to be corrected.”

"Is it a name?" Erica asked.

“What keen wisdom!” At this moment, the witch Zola suddenly looked at the boy Seiya beside her. “And you, my lovely little master, what is your judgment?”

“Mercato,” Seiya replied.

“Mercato, that’s impossible.” Erica crossed her arms and coldly refuted Seiya’s answer. “Don’t think I’m just an ignorant young lady. Before I found you, I had already investigated the boy who was with you.”

Seiya smiled slightly. He naturally noticed the goodwill and subtle competitive spirit that Erica had been displaying lately. She probably saw him as an ally in the fight against the disobedient god, and also as a rival vying for the miracle of becoming a god-slayer.

But like Marin-nee... well, I guess I can't call her Marin-nee anymore. And like what the witch Lucrecia Zola just said: Only when you truly face the gods can you be sure if you have the ability to perform miracles—

—And such talent is one in a million.

Only a very small percentage of those with such talent are capable of the feat of slaying a god.

That's why it can be called a miracle.

“Names themselves represent mystery. In the ancient Far East, there is even a saying that a name is the shortest spell.” The witch spoke softly. “Although Baal, Baal, Beelzebub, Haddad, and Mercator all point to the same deity, the deities who manifest in the world under different names also represent corresponding aspects of different mythologies.”

Mercator was the king who ruled over the ancient Phoenician pantheon. If he manifested in the world under this name, then he would better embody his role as the king of gods, a great warrior, and the strongest dragon hunter. His image should be that of a robust, middle-aged giant.

However, if he manifests in the name of Baal, then he is the first demon among the 72 pillars, with a multifaceted appearance, sometimes human, sometimes taking on other forms. His voice is piercing. In legend, he is depicted wielding a giant hammer in his right hand, emitting lightning bolts in his left, wearing a conical crown with two horns on his head, and riding on thunder. He is the ruler of the East, possessing the ability to make people invisible.

However, if referred to in the name of Baal or Beelzebub, it represents the Phoenician seafaring activities that were distorted into a New Testament aspect of a fallen god in the struggle between monotheism and polytheism in the Mediterranean.

If it is Burroughs, then it symbolizes Greek mythology and represents the chief god Zeus.

Supreme gods and sky gods like these, depending on the time, place, and cultural influences, generally possess many different characteristics. They can be supreme gods, kings, gods of wisdom, gods of life, gods of war, gods of the underworld, and so on. Baal is a typical example of this.

The mythological aspects manifested by different names also differ, even their personalities and appearances can vary. Therefore, when Erica confirmed the existence of the boy god, she mistakenly believed that Baal was manifesting in the form of a changeable demon god.

It's quite normal for a boy in white robes to have such an appearance; it's not entirely impossible for him to be a purple-skinned woman who pulls out a lightning katana from under her clothes.

“But unfortunately, Seiya was right. Just a few days ago, I witnessed the god Mercator appearing in this form,” Zola replied.

“How could that be, Lady Lucrecia? I have observed the figure of the white-robed boy. If you don’t believe me, I still have a copy of the surveillance video on my phone.”

The older witch said calmly to Erica, who had interrupted, "Your observation is correct, but how can you be so sure that this time it is only a disobedient god who has descended."

Chapter Nine: Saint Seiya will not be tempted by women.

More than one disobedient god? At this moment, Erica's thoughts briefly came to a standstill.

The arrival of one disobedient god could lead to the destruction of several countries or even the entire world, while multiple disobedient gods are simply out of the question.

“Yes, aren’t there columnar stones in Sassari? Five days ago, I saw through my spiritual vision that there was an unusual divine power gathering there. I went there to observe the situation. What I saw there was a battle between two gods, one was Mercator, and the other was a god in the form of a warrior, holding a golden sword. The two gods fought fiercely, and in the end, they were both injured.”

Lucrezia Zola let out a soft, gentle sigh.

At this moment, she leaned slightly on Seiya's shoulder, observing with great interest the indifferent-looking boy and the girl who was deep in thought with furrowed brows.

Just as Erica's eyebrows were furrowed into a deep frown, she finally satisfied her mischievousness and calmly explained, "Don't worry, dear Erica. I'll finish the story soon—Mercato used a club, and another god used a golden sword to deliver the final blow to each other. Both were severely injured, and Mercato turned into lightning and flew away. The god with the golden sword was thus shattered."

"I see, that makes perfect sense!" Erica stood up excitedly.

The victorious white-robed youth, the divine avatar manifested as a storm, the pitch-black, destructive boar, the recurring natural disasters... all of this has an explanation.

Several days ago, a disobedient god appeared and fought a great battle with a second disobedient god for unknown reasons. In the end, the god king Mercator was seriously injured and disappeared, while the sword god who appeared as the warrior transformed into a boy.

Her excitement stemmed from three reasons: first, she didn't have to face the two gods directly; second, these two gods were enemies; and third, they were both currently seriously injured.

Although she spoke humbly, as the eldest daughter of the Brandry family, the current Crimson Demon, and a direct descendant of the Demon King Campione, how could she not harbor a desire to slay a god? The severely wounded god presented the perfect opportunity to close the gap between them.

"And then, what's the current state of the gods?" Erica asked excitedly.

“I didn’t witness it with my own eyes, but through my spiritual vision I sensed that the Sword God’s body was split into pieces, each taking on a new form. One was a wild boar, another a vulture, and there were other creatures such as horses and goats. These clones immediately flew off to the sea or the sky.”

"In other words, the giant beasts that appear all over the island are all incarnations of the god of the Golden Sword. And the one that Seiya defeated was the Storm God, who was an incarnation of Mercator, and they are still on this island."

"Who knows, neither Mercato nor the God of Swords could have recovered in such a short time. If they had recovered, my clairvoyance should have given me some kind of premonition, but I didn't. It's not impossible that they left Sardinia."

Erica trembled with fear yet was also overwhelmed with excitement. The gravely wounded God-King and the sword-wielding God of War were still slumbering on this island, as if a countdown to the apocalypse had been pressed. When time reached zero, the supreme ruler of the sky and the God of War who slayed the dragon and serpent would awaken, reverting to their former forms as rebellious gods. That was calamity, a supreme being defying mythology, a force only the god-slaying beast could rival. But the Demon King was currently in South Africa; by the time he arrived, this island, and perhaps even the entire country, might be submerged.

It was as if fate had set a stage for him, and he was the savior of destiny.

“Madam, I have a request, and I hope you will grant it.” Erica suddenly stood up, looking serious, and turned to look in the direction of Lucretia Zola.

“You want the grimoire I have, don’t you?” Lucrecia Zola smiled and picked up the Prometheus Tablet from her hand.

Having her thoughts seen through by the ancient witch, Erica no longer concealed her intentions. "Yes, you have keen insight. This grimoire is a top-tier divine artifact. If I can make good use of its power, I might be more confident in sealing the gods."

“Unfortunately, you don’t meet the requirements for using this divine artifact.” Lucrecia Zola shook her head.

“Madam, I am also a witch, and I have some experience in using various magic books,” Erica quickly said.

"Haven't you noticed? Although you're very excited, you're not in a good state to make decisions. My little house isn't big, but I can still tidy up a room for you to rest. Go to sleep first."

Erica wanted to say something more, but seeing the unquestionable expression on Zola's face, she could only nod in agreement.

—Late at night, Seiya opened his eyes.

Outside the window, in the pitch-black night, the withered apple tree swayed in the gale, appearing like a emaciated ghost in the lightning that illuminated the earth in that instant.

He recalled his training in the Fairy Realm, his three years of trials, the people he considered Marin and Shaina, and the beautiful girls who would occasionally appear in the forest to pay their respects. He had initially assumed they were simply girls who came to worship the Saints. Now, looking back, he recognized many of their faces.

Flowers bloom wherever they go, they call for the miracle of spring, and there are girls holding hands and singing and dancing by the spring, in the forest, and in the middle of the sea, wearing thin gauze and with graceful figures. How come I never noticed them before?

Or perhaps they weren't paying attention.

"You're awake. Are you a light sleeper, or are you unable to sleep at all?" A gentle voice came from beside me.

"On this island on the verge of destruction, whether we are swept into the sea by the storm or die in our sleep, no one can say for sure which will come first." Seiya turned to look at the figure beside him. Even in the dim light of the night, Seiya could still make out the girl's full appearance.

It is Lucrezia Zola, the ancient witch of the highest realm of the earth, who is the owner of this house, so it is perfectly reasonable for her to be here.

—That's absurd!

A girl who climbs into a man's bed in the middle of the night wouldn't be so cheap, not even for a single tear.

As a European witch, Zola had a very curvaceous figure, a beautiful oval face, and a model-like eight-head body. Even so, she was so voluptuous that she seemed to be about to burst out of her underwear, making people think of peaches in late spring and early summer.

This was a beauty brimming with feminine allure; even searching on resource websites, it would be difficult to find something so provocative. But at this moment, she was holding Seiya, and unconsciously pressing her ample bosom against him.

"Thank you, but I won't eat it." Seiya raised his hand to indicate his refusal.

Chapter 10: Saint Seiya, let me see your determination to protect humanity!

But Seiya quickly realized something was wrong, because this ancient witch was in a state of unconsciousness. In the darkness, the purple light in her eyes flickered erratically, the veins on her arms bulged, and the tree-like patterns on her abdomen appeared and disappeared in the moonlight. Although it was an extremely ambiguous state, she was gripping Seiya's wrist tightly, as if she wanted to merge her body into Seiya's, rubbing against Seiya's body like a adoring kitten.

Seiya didn't understand the witch's power system, but he could tell that the other person wasn't in a good state. His choice, naturally, was—

—Slap her.

The slap was crisp and satisfying, and the slightly bewildered, innocent look on the other's parted lips made Seiya's appetite surge. Seeing the approaching left cheek, Seiya slapped again, but failed to land the blow. The witch had already slowly awakened.

"Are you alright, Madam?" Seiya asked with concern, supporting her shoulder.

"Why does my right cheek feel so painful?" Lucrecia Zola said softly, rubbing her face.