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After waiting ten minutes.
Mika and Aiolia resumed their journey, their pace slower now, their senses heightened as they entered Gemini, their cloaks concealing them.
They proceeded cautiously, their presence masked. They passed through Gemini without incident, reaching the stairway leading to the next temple.
"We made it," Aiolia said, breathing a sigh of relief. "The most dangerous part of the plan is over."
Passing through Gemini undetected had been their biggest concern.
After all, it was Saga's temple, containing his Gold Cloth, a powerful artifact still linked to him. While he might have methods for monitoring the temple, whether he would use them was another matter. After all, he had controlled Sanctuary for thirteen years without needing such surveillance.
Only now, with Athena's return, would such measures be necessary.
However, after Seiya and the others bypassed his trap in Gemini, his attention would likely be focused on them—allowing Mika and Aiolia to pass unnoticed.
"Now that we're through, there's no need to dwell on it. Our next…challenge should be Deathmask of Cancer. In a sense, he'll be the first real Gold Saint Seiya and the others encounter," Mika remarked.
The previous three temples—Aries, Taurus, and Gemini—had either been empty, guarded by an ally, or bypassed entirely. Seiya and the others hadn't truly faced a Gold Saint's full power yet.
Deathmask would be different.
According to Shiryu, who had encountered him attempting to assassinate Dohko, Deathmask, fully aware of Saga's treachery, had chosen to remain loyal to him, claiming his allegiance was to power, not to Athena.
He was a True Enemy.
"Let's go." They exchanged glances and resumed their journey, their pace faster now. They had lost time in Gemini and couldn't afford to fall too far behind.
"Deathmask—he's a fool," Mika chuckled as they ran. "If he truly values power, shouldn't he be serving Athena? After all, Gods do exist in this world. Saga's only advantage is that Athena is still newly awakened. He wouldn't dare challenge her at her full power."
It wasn't that Mika underestimated Saga, but the power of a principal God in this world was immense.
While Saints—wielding Seventh or Eighth Sense Cosmo—could defeat Lesser Gods, only someone like Seiya, practically a cheat code—could truly challenge a Major God.
Even Shaka, despite his immense power, had been helpless against Hades in his awakened state. Athena, however—had repeatedly defeated Hades and his armies, sealing him away countless times.
This highlighted not only the vast difference in power between Gods and Saints, but also Deathmask's—poor judgment.
Perhaps Athena's gentle nature had made them forget that she was also a Goddess of War. In Sanctuary, she was the true power.
Aiolia, hearing Mika's words, couldn't help but chuckle.
He had forgotten; their Goddess was a Goddess of War.
'Perhaps she's even stronger than me…' He quickly dismissed the thought.
He followed Mika, their speed increasing as they approached Cancer. However, they sensed no Cosmo emanating from within.
"Could the battle be over already?" Aiolia asked, puzzled.
Mika instantly understood. He entered the Cancer Temple, making no attempt to conceal his presence. Aiolia, though confused, followed close behind.
They reached the temple's inner chamber and saw the Cancer Gold Cloth in its object form.
"What…?" Aiolia was speechless. Judging by the state of the temple, he suspected what had happened, but he couldn't be certain.
"It seems Deathmask has been…defeated," Mika said calmly.
"He's…dead."
"Dead?" Aiolia was stunned.
He had trained with Seiya and the others and was aware of their strength. While their Cosmo had improved significantly, they were still far from the Seventh Sense, the realm of the Gold Saints. Yet, they had managed to kill a Gold Saint.
"This only proves how much their power increases when they burn their Cosmo. Of course, Deathmask's—choices also played a part, a significant part, in fact."
"He defiled the sacred Cancer Gold Cloth. He wasn't worthy of being a Gold Saint." Mika walked towards the Cloth.
As Mika reached out, it disassembled, encasing his body.
Mika—the Gold Saint of Cancer—had arrived.
——
——
The moment he donned the Cloth, his consciousness was drawn inwards, experiencing the Cosmos of the previous Cancer Gold Saints.
This time, he didn't need Saori's assistance to access these memories. His own Cosmo resonated with the Cloth, a consequence of their shared affinity with the Underworld.
The Cancer constellation, in Asian astronomy—was associated with Jishi—(Accumulated Corpse Energy).
Therefore, the Cancer Gold Saint's signature technique was Sekishiki Meikaiha—a wave of energy that could send souls to the Underworld.
The [Jishi] was said to be formed from the grudges of countless souls, the Cancer constellation representing the gateway to the Underworld. Therefore, the Cancer Gold Saints could freely travel between the living world and the realm of the dead. This gave the Cloth a strong connection to the Underworld.
And Mika's Cosmo, having absorbed his Demonic Energy, also possessed a similar affinity.
"This…is incredible…" He emerged from his meditative state, looking around at the familiar temple.
"What happened, Mika?" Aiolia asked, concerned.
Aiolia had sensed Mika's consciousness—vanish for a few minutes while he donned the Cloth. He was worried; after all, the Cancer Saints were known for their soul-manipulating techniques. He feared Mika might have fallen victim to a trap left behind by Deathmask.
"Nothing. I only…acquired some new knowledge." Mika rubbed his temples; his mind was reeling from the influx of information, though he quickly organized and integrated it, a surge of excitement coursing through him as he felt his power increasing.
However, he knew this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Let's go. It's your turn now. Once you retrieve your Cloth, we'll be ready for anything." Mika looked towards the passage leading to the next temple.
"Indeed." Aiolia smiled. Once he had his Cloth, they would be ready to face their next challenge: Shaka of Virgo.
Even Aiolia couldn't fathom the extent of Shaka's power. He was the most enigmatic of the Gold Saints, known as "The Man Closest to God." Neither Aiolia nor Milo could understand his motivations.
But they knew that if he wasn't on Athena's side—he would be their greatest obstacle before reaching Saga.
"You lead the way. I'll…follow." Mika stepped back, allowing Aiolia to take the lead. "I'll lock onto your Cosmo and follow you. I need to—process some of this new information." He would use the journey to familiarize himself with the Cancer Saint's techniques.
"Leave it to me." Aiolia, his chest puffed out with pride, led the way. Mika smiled, his mind turning inwards, his body following Aiolia automatically.
They swiftly made their way towards Leo.
——
In the first temple, Aries—Mu stood with Saori, awaiting Mika's signal. He heard approaching footsteps and turned to see Aldebaran of Taurus.
"What brings you here, Aldebaran?"
"I've come to pay my respects to the Goddess, of course." He smiled at Mu, then turned to Saori.
"Forgive my tardiness, Athena." Aldebaran knelt before her.
"You're not late at all, Aldebaran. You've arrived at the perfect time," she said, helping him to his feet. With each new Gold Saint who joined their cause, her hope grew. While the battle for Sanctuary was important, her true focus was on the upcoming Holy War against Hades.
Perhaps, with Mika's help, she could find a way to end their eternal conflict once and for all.
This would free her to explore the other worlds Mika had spoken of.
Therefore, while she valued this upcoming battle, her true priority was minimizing their losses. As for their chances of victory—she had no doubt Mika would succeed.
——
Within the Pope's chambers, Saga surveyed Sanctuary, his gaze fixed on the Twelve Temples. His position as Pope granted him access to the Saints' Cosmos within the Sanctuary.
He sensed five Bronze Saints making their way through the temples. One was in Libra, two were outside Virgo, and the remaining two were about to enter Leo.
"Useless fools! They can't even stop a few Bronze Saints."
But his anger quickly subsided.
Saga could sense the—hesitation within Sanctuary, the dissent among his ranks. Some were clearly unhappy with his rule, while others' loyalty wavered with Athena's return. They weren't fighting with their full strength.
Otherwise, he couldn't imagine how five Bronze Saints could have reached this far. If this was the strength of his Gold Saints, they might as well surrender to Hades now.
"I can't let this continue. That Shaka—he's the most troublesome. He likely already suspects the truth but is choosing to remain silent. He'll undoubtedly let the Bronze Saints pass."
He clicked his tongue in annoyance.
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