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After concluding his conversation with Dohko, Mika returned to Sanctuary.
The seal on Hades's army had been reinforced—delaying the start of the Holy War. Saga had also departed for Asgard, to investigate Poseidon's activities. Therefore, for now, Sanctuary faced no external threats. Their focus shifted inwards.
During the recent battle of the Twelve Temples, Saga—in his corrupted state, had sent numerous Silver Saints to eliminate Seiya and the others. These Silver Saints had nearly all been killed, significantly weakening Sanctuary's mid-tier forces.
While Silver Saints rarely played a crucial role in the Holy Wars themselves, they were essential for maintaining Sanctuary's influence in the world. After all, the Gold Saints had more important duties and couldn't be bothered with such—mundane tasks.
However, Sanctuary's global presence was crucial for attracting talented youths from around the world—replenishing their ranks. Therefore, maintaining that influence was paramount.
"I'll have the Gold Saints select students and train them. After all, Sanctuary has no shortage of potential," Mika mused.
Countless young warriors, all exceptionally talented in martial arts, flocked to Sanctuary, many of whom had already awakened their Cosmo—but lacked Cloths. They could easily fill the vacant positions among the Bronze and Silver Saints.
Mika wasn't satisfied with the current strength of the Bronze and Silver Saints. Traditionally, a Bronze Saint, after awakening their Cosmo, could achieve Mach 1 speeds, while Silver Saints ranged from Mach 2 to Mach 5.
However, those were the weakest Silver Saints.
The disparity in power was immense. Some Silver Saints were Mach 2, others Mach 20—some even near the speed of light. This also highlighted the—limited usefulness of the Bronze Saints, who formed the majority of Sanctuary's forces.
Therefore, Mika intended to raise the standards, increasing the requirements for both Bronze and Silver Saints. He envisioned a future where even Bronze Saints possessed speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 5, while Silver Saints surpassed Mach 5.
And that was just the beginning.
He envisioned a future where all Bronze Saints reached a high level of Sixth Sense mastery, and the Silver Saints—future Gold Saint candidates—all possessed pseudo-Seventh Sense or even true Seventh Sense level Cosmo. As for the Gold Saints, they would be the twelve strongest, with no exceptions.
This was the standard befitting the protectors of Earth.
And these weren't mere fantasies. It was possible.
"However, those are long-term goals. My current priority is enhancing the Gold Saints' strength. They are the key to winning the Holy War."
He had two plans:
First, to replenish their ranks. Currently, there were only nine active Gold Saints (ten, including Saga).
Sagittarius and Pisces were vacant.
Restoring their numbers to twelve would significantly enhance their overall strength.
He and Saori had already chosen candidates for those two Cloths: Airmid and Mellie.
With their potential—and with his and Yahweh's guidance—they would undoubtedly achieve the Seventh Sense. As for the currently vacant Libra Cloth, he intended to temporarily entrust it to Alfia, a temporary arrangement since it rightfully belonged to Dohko.
Besides, he planned to eventually give Alfia his Cancer Gold Cloth. As a spirit, she was more suited to its soul-manipulating techniques.
As for what he would wear? He would forge his own God Cloth—a magnificent armor surpassing even the Divine ones.
But those were plans for the future. For now, Alfia would wear Dohko's Libra Cloth.
His immediate concern was enhancing the current Gold Saints' power. And he had a plan.
———
"For a Saint, the fastest way to improve is through battle."
"Therefore we fight."
Mika and Camus stood facing each other in a vast, desolate landscape of scorching heat, a disposable pocket dimension Mika had created, replicating the surface of the sun.
The intense heat—nearly six thousand degrees Celsius, would be instantly fatal to them, even with their enhanced physiques.
It was because of their Cloths that Mika had chosen such a harsh environment. While it seemed unfair to subject Camus, an ice-based warrior, to such conditions, Mika, too, intended to use ice in their duel.
Mika had already mastered several of the Aquarius Gold Saint's techniques. While his Cosmo surpassed Camus's—his techniques were still undeveloped. This would make their duel a fair fight, a true test of skill.
"Are you satisfied with this environment?" He asked with a smile.
"It's perfect," Camus replied, a grin spreading across his face. Such harsh conditions would push him to his limits, accelerating his growth.
"Then let's begin."
They unleashed their attacks simultaneously.
"Diamond Dust!"
———
Mika wanted to become stronger—and he wanted to strengthen the other Gold Saints. And for a Saint, the fastest way to achieve that was through battle.
Therefore, the solution was simple:
Fight.
Starting with Camus of Aquarius, his closest neighbor in the Sanctuary, he would challenge each of the Gold Saints, not just once, but repeatedly, until he had exhausted every ounce of their shared knowledge and experience. He was still in his growth phase, unlike the other Gold Saints, who had reached a plateau. He needed these battles.
The more intense the fight, the greater his growth!
———
Their battle raged across the sun's surface, their Gold Cloths protecting them as they unleashed their full power, pushing themselves to their limits, both physically and mentally, adapting to the extreme environment while simultaneously battling a formidable opponent.
Finally, with a simultaneous cry of "Aurora Execution!" they unleashed their most powerful ice-based attacks, ending their duel.
———
"Whew…"
They reappeared in the Pope's chambers, the pocket dimension collapsing behind them.
They stood there for a moment, catching their breath, the afterglow of their intense battle still lingering.
Normally, a duel between Gold Saints would result in a stalemate, a war of attrition that could last for days, their Cosmo seemingly inexhaustible. However, unlike a typical war of attrition, this one hadn't been—boring.
They had both avoided the usual back-and-forth of techniques—opting for a more direct, brutal approach. While they hadn't suffered any significant injuries, thanks to their Gold Cloths, the experience had been invaluable.
"I'll be going now, Your Holiness," Camus said, his mind buzzing with new insights gleaned from their battle. He was eager to return to his temple and meditate, to integrate this newfound knowledge.
"Go. I look forward to our next duel," Mika replied, sensing his eagerness.
Camus bowed and departed.
Mika watched him go. Their battle on the sun's surface had lasted three full days. It had been a valuable experience for both of them.
Of course, his absence from Sanctuary for three days could have caused concern. Therefore, anticipating this, he had entrusted the handling of official matters to Saori.
He had already cleared the backlog of reports; All she had to deal with were the new ones. And as the head of the Graad Foundation—she was more than capable of handling such tasks.
Just as he was reflecting on their battle, Saori emerged from the shadows, having finished her work. She had sensed their return. Her presence, now imbued with a stronger divine aura, was becoming increasingly—noticeable.
The Goddess of Wisdom and War was returning.
However, Mika was still processing the experience, absorbing the lessons learned. Camus's mastery of ice, his absolute zero attacks, had deepened Mika's own understanding of temperature manipulation.
And for Mika—whose core power was fire—this newfound knowledge would make his flames burn even hotter. Each Gold Saint, with their unique techniques and mastery of Cosmo—offered him valuable insights. He was determined to learn all their techniques. Unlike other warriors, who specialized in specific styles, Mika embraced versatility.
Mika sought knowledge—power—and understanding from every source, integrating them to forge his own unique path.
"The Gold Saints, and their understanding of battle…it's truly remarkable. They've each reached the pinnacle of their respective styles."
"Just a single duel with Camus has been so enlightening. I'm eager to face the others."
Within a day, he had fully integrated the knowledge gained from their battle, his gaze now turning towards Shura, the Capricorn Gold Saint.
———
———
"Your Holiness, you summoned me?" Shura arrived, having received Mika's message, and knelt before him. It was customary for Saints to kneel before the Pope, Athena's representative, a tradition Mika still found—uncomfortable.
"Rise, Shura. There's no need for such formalities."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
Shura stood, his gaze fixed on Mika with respect. He was grateful to Mika for saving him, for giving him the chance to redeem himself and serve Athena once more.
"What is this important matter you wished to discuss?"
"Indeed, it is important…crucial, in fact, for the upcoming Holy War." Mika smiled, then, to Shura's surprise, he revealed his plan and described his battle with Camus.
"Enhance our strength through battle…?"
"Are you willing?"
"Of course!" Shura replied without hesitation. No Gold Saint would refuse such an opportunity.
"Then let's begin."
Mika's first objective was to learn Shura's Excalibur and the other Capricorn Gold Saint techniques.
He created a pocket dimension—a desolate wasteland, and brought Shura inside.
The Battle Began!
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