Saint Seiya, but Athena who disobeys?

It was Libra Saint Dohko. He felt he had acted quickly enough, but he was still a step too late.

He half-squatted on the ground, sensing the traces left on this land, as well as the three completely different, even contradictory, microcosmic auras.

One is a darkness that is completely devoid of light and devours everything. Another is a profound aura with an extremely corrosive presence. And the last one is the opposite of them: a sacred, pure, and exhilarating power of the cosmos.

Based solely on the lingering aura, Dohko was able to confirm that Hades, the god of the underworld, had been resurrected.

But what truly puzzled him was the cosmos that was opposite to Hades's cosmos—who was the master of this power?

However, since I'm late, I'll fulfill my duty as a Saint.

He looked again in the direction he was supposed to go, where a dark church stood in the center of the city, accompanied by towering stone pillars.

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Athena's Saints pushed open the city gates, and the intense light shone on their Saint Cloths, making them appear as if they had fallen into hell.

Amidst the raging flames, the city wailed, charred corpses branded into the ground by the fire, their twisted forms revealing their last moments of struggle. Sparks and smoke flew as buildings collapsed, plunging the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the men and the women into eternal slumber.

“…It’s hell.” Shion’s lips moved.

In the very center of the city, a menacing black church stands atop the city walls, accompanied by twisted, upward-reaching stone pillars.

At the very top of this sanctuary, a man in a black robe is using the blood of the entire city to create art.

Legend has it that there is a painting of a saint in this city that has been passed down through generations. No matter how sinful a person is, when they see this painting, they will repent for their sins and shed tears from the bottom of their hearts. It is such a magical painting.

But the Saint Seiya warriors never imagined that the painting would be presented to them in this way. They even felt as if they wanted to shed tears of blood, unwilling to look at this cruel scene.

The man in the church has his eyes closed. The entire city in the painting is twisted and contorted upwards in a grotesque manner. The broken city, the people suffering, the former friends, the whole world are centered around one man, reaching out his hand, trying to grasp his robe for salvation.

It was like a grand sacrifice.

"Bastard! What do you think human life is! You damned bastard!!!"

Beside him, a young Saint Seiya with ghastly green hair, unable to accept the scene before him, clenched his fists and roared as he charged toward the man in the spiraling center of the church.

"Yajin! No! Come back!" Aries Saint Shion immediately reached out to stop him.

Although he was equally heartbroken, he did not forget his duty. Their squad's mission was to scout out Hades, the god of the underworld, who might be resurrected. If he was not fully resurrected, they would kill him or bring him back to the goddess's presence; if he had already been resurrected, they would carry out their reconnaissance mission.

But facing Hades, who has been fully resurrected, no matter how many punches are thrown, there will only be one outcome.

That is to embrace death.

Shion, who wanted to rescue his junior, was repelled by a purple lightning bolt that fell from the sky, while the Unicorn Saint Yato, who roared and charged toward Hades, was stomped to the ground. A warrior wearing a Hades Armor descended from the sky and trampled the roaring Unicorn Saint under his feet.

"So these are Athena's Saints? They all seem to be clueless fools." Demon Star revealed a sinister smile.

Shion stretched out his arm to block the enraged Saints.

"Lord Shion?!" The Saint Seiya looked up at the figure blocking their way.

"The situation is far from optimistic. Hades has been resurrected, and the Specters are now gathered under his command, preparing to turn the world black. Someone must step forward to buy time for their comrades and deliver this message to the goddess."

What follows is unnecessary to elaborate, because only he, the Aries Gold Saint Shion, has the authority to barely delay the Specters' advance. Of course, it would be more appropriate for him to deliver the message as a sacrifice for the Silver and Bronze Saints, but Shion's Aries pride prevents him from engaging in such a shameless act.

"Don't think too much, you're all going to die here." Demon Star raised his great axe.

But at that very moment, Shion, who was raising his hand to unleash the Stardust Spin, Pandora, who was guarding Hades, and even the man who was painting, all paused for a split second.

A beam of platinum light, like a magnificent sword, pierced the very center of the battlefield, causing the world to freeze for a moment before a violent shockwave swept across the city.

Most warriors of insufficient strength could not see the trajectory of that figure, but even ordinary people in the distance could see that magnificent white-gold light rising from the ground.

That was a sacred white, completely contrary to the darkness that enveloped the sky.

"Atomic Lightning - Pegasus Lightning Fist!"

Chapter 111: The Flames of Purgatory

For the Jehovah, it was as if he saw ancient sacred sites appearing before his eyes.

The figure that descended from the sky stood amidst the storm, the lightning on his body dispelling the gloom of the demon star, reflecting the purple lightning in the sky. His figure appeared and disappeared in the white mist, as if breathing.

At this moment, it seemed as if time itself slowed down.

He himself wore a silver-red holy armor that swept through a strong azure wind, stood on the body of a demon star, and his hands were surrounded by light. He was exactly the legendary warrior Rong Zhi from the murals. But his face was angry and ferocious, and his eyes reflected the red of the world, making him look like a vengeful villain.

The atomic lightning, belonging to Sagittarius, is propelled by Seiya's hands.

The blinding light that cleaved the sky cleared the gloom that had enveloped it, and its true target was the black-haired man seated atop the spiraling stone pillar. Purple lightning collided with platinum lightning once more, and Pandora, ever ever-present, floated before Aaron, shielding him from the deadly attack.

At this moment, the oppressive feeling of being in dire straits that the Saint Seiya warriors felt suddenly eased, because the vast majority of the pressure was borne by this warrior who had suddenly appeared.

"...Pegasus?"

Shion didn't recognize the warrior before him, but looking at the other's back, he felt a sense of familiarity with the Saint Cloth. However, the powerful azure wind surrounding him made him uncertain. But whoever he was, this imposing cosmos told him that the other was definitely not an enemy.

Pandora's reaction to the appearance of the Saint Seiya characters was completely different.

"You rude wretch! Even if you were once a close friend of Lord Hades, you cannot repeatedly offend a god like this!" Pandora's anger surpassed even Seiya's. "Only hell awaits you!"

Purple lightning enveloped the earth, and when the light faded, the twelve Specters stood beside Hades Aaron, like an impregnable fortress, protecting him from all harm.

But Seiya's gaze never lingered on Pandora. His eyes passed over the Specters, past Pandora, and landed on the black-haired man surrounded by infernal flames. "Even if he was bewitched by that damned god of sleep, or even if he saw through the true nature of those rich people, why, why did he have to kill all his childhood friends along with them! Answer me, Aaron!"

Seiya couldn't be sure of his current special state, but from the initial daze until he arrived at this infernal city, saw the dilapidated streets, the charred figures, and even could call out their names.

Kaguya, who grew up with Tenma and Aaron, the children in the orphanage, the bakery aunt who used to give Tenma bread when he was hungry, the foul-mouthed but kind-hearted craftsman uncle, and the neighbors in the village—all of them have now been transformed into marks on the wall in purgatory.

Pandora frowned, but Aaron smiled and raised his hand, gesturing for her to move aside.

His black robes fluttered in the scorching wind like a magnificent iris. Although his gaze was one of condescending scrutiny, his eyes looked at Pegasus with equality.

"Can't you see it, Pegasus?"

"I can't see anything," Seiya frowned.

"Their happiness is such that only the souls of the innocent can pass through the gates of death and reach the blissful paradise!"

Aaron smiled and extended his hand to Pegasus. "As you know, death is salvation. Just because they are my friends, people who have been with me since I was a child, does that mean they should be treated differently?"

However, a strong wind carrying this hellish energy forced his hand open.

--Snapped!

Seiya lowered his eyes; at this moment, there was no more hesitation in his heart.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony. If Aaron, Pegasus's dearest friend, is already dead, then I will take on this responsibility of slaying a god!"

He took a step forward, and that step sent the entire bustling city into a frenzy. Aaron, guarded by the Specters, still smiled. At this moment, the clash between humans, between humans and gods, and between gods had begun.

"You are no longer permitted to linger around Lord Hades, Bennu Bird of the Skystorm Star, Radiant Fire!"

A Specter clad in black wings descended from the sky, guarding Aaron's side before the radiance arrived. He looked at the Saints who had repeatedly challenged the glory of Lord Hades with utter hatred.

"—Purple Heron, Black Sky Wind!!!"

Seiya did not make a move, because the spiraling, ever-strengthening star fragments rose from behind him, meeting the sun's radiance.

"—Stardust Spinning Technique!!!"

The one who made the move was Aries Gold Saint Shion. The two powerful forces collided, the shockwaves whipping through Aaron's robes and scorching Seiya's Cloth. Neither of them had anyone else in their eyes, only each other.

At this moment, an immense pressure, like a tidal wave, crashed down on the Specters guarding Aaron.

They couldn't understand why a mere Saint Seiya would possess such terrifying charisma. In their vision, Pegasus raised his palm and addressed the sky and the Specters, "Prepare to enter Hell."

"Stop being foolish, Saint Seiya!" Huihuo was furious. His wings swirled wildly, drawing in the surrounding atmosphere. In a flash, a star rose behind him. "Black Sky Wind - Corona Gale!"

But the next instant, crimson wings, almost identical to his own, or even a reflection of him, unfolded behind Seiya.

Wings, a whirlwind, and the power of the corona halos all emerged from Seiya's hands. He unleashed a fighting technique befitting this hellish scene—Sunburst Sky Soaring—with an attack speed even faster than Kagaho's!

The radiant fire descended from the sky to meet the rising sun, and the sun, belonging to the radiant fire, fell upon Seiya, who absorbed and even received it. However, Seiya's radiance quickly engulfed the Specters before him. They could no longer sit idly by and wait for their doom. In a fraction of a second, the Specters guarding Aaron understood and leaped up!

But at that very moment, the infernal fire of the entire city, and all the sinful souls, converged in flames around Seiya in the center.

"—Infernal Whirlwind!"

Shion slowly raised his hand and reached out to touch the countless sparks in the sky. They were not hot at all; in fact, they made him feel warm.

But for the Specters, it was a far more hellish experience than a simple fire attack. The karmic flames, a consequence of the evil deeds they had committed, engulfed the entire city in a raging tornado.

Huihuo felt his sternum crack as he was struck by a spinning kick carrying fragments of stars amidst the flames. However, the rebellious Saint did not press his advantage against him. Ignoring the pain, he anxiously searched for his opponent's whereabouts.

"Damn it! Stop right there!" Hui Huo glared angrily at the figure high in the sky, who had already appeared in front of Aaron.

Seiya looked at Aaron, who was smiling calmly in front of him. He knew that Aaron was protected by his own forces, and he also knew that his attack would not kill Aaron. But no matter what, he had to give Aaron the same unforgettable pain!

Chapter 112: Pegasus Friendship Breaking Fist!

He had once told Pegasus that humanity's strength was a savior who existed to reach out to those struggling in the abyss of misery, but now he had transformed into Hades, dragging the world into hell.

At this moment, time seemed to slow down a thousandfold around Seiya. Pandora's trident pointed at Seiya, and the brilliance of a pentagram appeared from the void as the Specters roared and punched themselves in retaliation for their blasphemy.

But none of this stopped Seiya from offering up his fist completely!

The light-speed punch belonging to Pegasus propelled forward, and the brilliance of that glorious era could not be ignored by anyone.

At this moment, all the Specters were doing their best to stop it. The purple lightning on Pandora's Trident struck Seiya, but he remained completely unmoved. He was also unmoved as the Specters' attacks were about to land on him. However, Aaron still smiled and watched the fist that was about to hit him.

Until, the purple pentagram in the void transformed into an invisible barrier standing before Aaron. The light-speed fist unleashed from Seiya's palm was blocked by this barrier. Visibly, the light surged and arced before the barrier, the two forces constantly colliding and disintegrating. Aaron stared at the fist so close to his face, and extended his palm in return. "It's useless, Pegasus. Human radiance shouldn't... Hmm?!"

Aaron's pupils contracted. Even though he was focused on Pegasus, the only one who could possibly disrupt his plans, he was completely unaware of Pegasus's movements.

Not only him, but all the Specters, Saints, Kagaho, Pandora, and the gods hidden in the void failed to detect Seiya's whereabouts.

As soon as Aaron called out Pegasus's name, he crossed the barrier and appeared behind Aaron in the next instant.

— He is the embodiment of strong winds, capable of bringing Seiya to anyone who calls his name.

This was a terrifying scene, but the Specters and the evil gods had no time for fear. They sped towards Aaron, hoping to outrun the light. But the shadow of the Pegasus Saint had already loomed over Aaron from behind, his face expressionless, only the light in his hand remaining.

"do not want!"

At this moment, the hearts of all the Specters pounded wildly. Pandora was about to scream, but she couldn't, she didn't even have time to scream or stop them, unless time could be reversed, Pegasus Seiya's fist had already fallen.

"—Pegasus Friendship-Breaking Fist (Light Speed)!"

In that instant, Aaron's entire face twisted and deformed, his cheekbones deformed, and he spun and soared, transforming into a ray of aurora and falling into a distant direction.

A punch that completely surprised everyone, a punch that nearly sealed the fate of the series, after which Seiya's light dissipated. Only then did the Specters' attack arrive, belatedly.

"—Lushan Hundred Dragons Overlord!" Tong Hu roared.

"—Stardust Spinning Technique!" Shion declared.

Two combat techniques, arriving from the east and west respectively, intercepted the overwhelming attack, and the figures of the young Saints clustered before the descending figure. The young Unicorn Saint, Yato, who was closest to his opponent, looked at the warrior before him with surging emotions. The supreme power of the gods and the unwavering strength of the warrior were fused within him, immediately reminding Yato of another person: the Pope of Sanctuary! Beneath the infernal sky, from his toes to his fists, radiant light shone forth!

Of course, he couldn't bring himself to say such impolite words. As he gazed at the warrior before him, a radiance simultaneously emanated from him, as did from Lord Dohko and Lord Shion.

But from beneath his feet, the spiraling darkness was engulfing him.

The cracked earth resembled a dark gate leading to hell, and a massive whirlwind seemed poised to engulf all the Saints. Without hesitation, the Saints swiftly retreated, only to watch helplessly as the land before them utterly fell into the clutches of the underworld.

"Didn't Lord Pegasus's attack kill Hades, the god of the underworld?" Yato was shocked by what he saw.

"That would be ideal, but unfortunately we cannot glimpse this darkness, and there are evil gods lurking in the void," Shion said softly. "We must go back and report now."

"Yes, we have to leave." Tong Hu, who arrived late, lowered the brim of his hat. Even he was aware of the situation before him.

He could sense waves of dark energy constantly surging forth, but these beings were all clustered around Hades, the god of the underworld. However, when Hades was consumed by rage, he would stop at nothing to seek revenge against the Saints.

"We were able to complete the mission perfectly, which is all thanks to you, Pegasus Saint. Would you like to come with us to see Athena?" Shion looked at Seiya, who was radiating light beside him.

The Pegasus Saint remained silent for the moment, simply pursing his lips and gazing in the direction where Aaron had disappeared.

A long scene flashed through his mind, but in reality it was only a few breaths. "Can't we go back, Aaron?" A rare softness appeared on the boy's face, but it hardened like iron in an instant.

“Let’s go, let’s go back,” he said.

Dohko, Shion, and all the Saints wore joyful smiles.

From behind him, it seemed as if the distant sound of a piano was coming, as if someone was singing, reminiscing about the past.

But no one heard this voice except Pegasus. With the departure of the Saints, Pegasus, Aaron, and Sasha's homeland was completely transformed into a realm of purgatory, a new city of the underworld. It even radiated outwards from here, radiating throughout Italy and even the entire world.