Saint Seiya Cloth Forger - 71 - 75 (Patreon)

Chapter 71: How to Break the Demon Emperor Fist

“Algethi.”

Ryosho looked up at Algethi, who was coughing up blood beneath Aiolia’s fist, his expression indescribably complicated. He had never imagined that Algethi would step in front of him.

“Don’t... don’t worry about me. As long as someone dies in front of Aiolia, he’ll come to his senses.”

Blood filled Algethi’s mouth as he shouted, ready to face death.

Ryosho ignited his Cosmo and rose from the ground. He wasn’t the kind of person who liked owing others favors, and he liked even less watching one of his own die right before his eyes.

Things had not yet reached the point of no return.

He couldn’t simply stand by and watch Algethi sacrifice himself like this.

Whatever he might have been like before.

At least now... he was a man worthy of respect.

“Hundred Roaring Fangs Whirlwind Ice Spear.”

Ryosho clenched his fists, burned his Cosmo, and unleashed his ultimate technique once again.

Ice spears formed directly around Aiolia’s body, then blasted outward at dozens of times the speed of sound.

“Ugh, aaaah...”

Aiolia was sent flying.

Algethi, gravely wounded, collapsed to the ground as well.

Ryosho immediately rushed to Algethi’s side. Aiolia’s punch had probably shattered his internal organs. Blood continued to spill from the corner of his mouth, mixed with fragments of his entrails.

Still, as long as he hadn’t died on the spot, Ryosho could stabilize his condition.

“Crateris Cup.”

Healing rain fell over Algethi, and his ragged breathing gradually steadied.

But his injuries were too severe.

Even the Crateris Cup couldn’t heal them completely.

Fortunately, he was still clinging to life.

...

By then, Aiolia had already risen from the lawn.

Clad in his Gold Cloth, he couldn’t be harmed by Ryosho’s ultimate technique.

Seiya, Hyoga, Misty, and Babel rushed over and stood between Ryosho and Aiolia.

“If you want to kill Ryosho, you’ll have to step over our corpses first!”

“Pegasus Meteor Fist!”

Seiya attacked first, unleashing the Meteor Fist.

But the Meteor Fist passed straight through Aiolia’s body.

“What?”

“The Meteor Fist didn’t work.”

“Let me try!”

Hyoga stepped forward. He planted his feet, clenched both fists, raised his head, and punched toward the sky twice. Freezing Air descended from above. Then he crossed his hands tightly and unleashed a barrage of punches.

“Aurora Thunder Attack!”

Freezing Air infused with lightning erupted from his fists, rapidly freezing the ground around him. Crystalline snowflakes formed in the air as the bitter cold struck Aiolia head-on.

Aiolia didn’t even bother dodging. The intense cold merely formed an extremely thin layer of ice over the surface of his Gold Cloth, without harming him in the slightest.

Cold sweat ran down Hyoga’s face.

Even his Freezing Air had no effect.

Like a golden lion, Aiolia advanced one deliberate step at a time, calm, mighty, and overwhelmingly imposing. The blood-red sunset cast his silhouette against the mansion and burned that image into everyone’s hearts.

They could almost hear the roar of a lion.

He truly was an unstoppable golden lion.

Cold sweat also appeared on Misty’s face, but he still launched his attack.

“Marble Tripper!”

Babel refused to fall behind. Clenching both hands, he unleashed a Fotia Roufihtra.

Aiolia merely lifted one arm.

A razor-sharp golden light flashed.

The Marble Tripper and Fotia Roufihtra were instantly blown apart.

...

“That’s it.”

“Aiolia.”

“That’s it...”

“Like a true lion, tear every enemy before you to pieces.”

“Ahahaha...”

The Grand Pope sat in the Pope’s Hall, constantly observing Aiolia’s battle through meditation.

He had completely stripped Aiolia of his reason and given him only a single command. Kill Saori Kido.

Those Saints would never allow Aiolia to succeed. They would inevitably fight with their lives to stop him.

In the end, no matter whom Aiolia killed, this pawn would have served its purpose to the fullest.

...

“Lightning Bolt!”

Aiolia broke into a run, drawing his right hand back to his waist as he launched another attack.

But at that moment, an immensely powerful Cosmo appeared.

“That Cosmo is...”

Ryosho looked up.

The Sagittarius Gold Cloth flew out of the mansion and hovered above Seiya’s head.

Immediately afterward, the Pegasus Cloth detached itself from Seiya’s body.

“What?”

“My Cloth?”

Seiya stared in astonishment as the Pegasus Cloth removed itself from him, unable to understand why it had suddenly come off.

Then his body rose uncontrollably into the air. At the same moment, the Sagittarius Gold Cloth disassembled itself and fitted onto his body.

“Seiya put on the Sagittarius Gold Cloth!”

Hyoga stared at Seiya in the Gold Cloth, his ice-blue eyes filled with shock. No one had expected Seiya to end up wearing a Gold Cloth.

Misty and the others were just as stunned.

A Gold Cloth that even they weren’t qualified to wear had chosen a Bronze Saint.

“I’m wearing a Gold Cloth.”

“Does that mean I’m a Gold Saint now?”

Seiya clenched his fists, his voice full of excitement.

After that brief moment of joy, he immediately turned toward Aiolia.

“Aiolia, take this!”

“Pegasus Meteor Fist!”

Seiya unleashed the Pegasus Meteor Fist from where he stood.

Aiolia dodged from side to side several times, but with the power of the Gold Cloth behind it, the Meteor Fist was now approaching the speed of light. He couldn’t evade in time and was struck head-on, sending him flying backward.

“Finally, I can catch my breath.”

Ryosho looked at Seiya in the Gold Cloth and let out a huge sigh of relief.

Thank goodness Aiolos hadn’t simply stood by and watched.

Otherwise, if this kept up, they were going to get wiped out.

Saori wasn’t much help either.

She wasn’t even providing support.

Bad review.

Ryosho couldn’t help grumbling inwardly.

“Deathtoll, is there really no other way to break the Demon Emperor Fist?”

Deathtoll answered directly through his Cosmo. “I’ve certainly never heard of any other way to break the Demon Emperor Fist.”

“A technique that controls someone’s brain is considered a forbidden art even in the Sanctuary. Aside from the Grand Pope, practically no one is permitted to learn it.”

“Still, the Gemini of every generation tend to be a little rebellious. Or maybe there’s just something wrong with their heads.”

“They always end up learning it in secret. Cain and Abel both knew this technique.”

“But to tell you the truth, I’ve never heard of any way to break the Demon Emperor Fist other than having someone die in front of the person under its control.”

Ryosho sighed.

He actually knew of one possible method.

Unfortunately, Ikki wasn’t here.

In Next Dimension, Suikyō had once been struck by the Phoenix Illusion Demon Fist and managed to break free from the Demon Emperor Fist’s control because of it.

If Ikki were here, they could try the same method.

Unfortunately, Ikki had gone to Kanon Island to recuperate and wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon.

“Kid, I just thought of something. I don’t know whether it’ll work, though.”

“What?”

“Use the Praesepe Underworld Waves to separate Aiolia’s soul from his body. That state of apparent death might be enough to break the Demon Emperor Fist’s control.”

Ryosho’s eyes lit up.

The Demon Emperor Fist controlled its victim through the brain.

If Aiolia’s soul was forced out of his body, the brain would no longer be able to affect it.

It might actually work.

“Aaah!”

Seiya’s scream rang out.

Ryosho looked over and saw that Aiolia had beaten Seiya flat onto the ground. He couldn’t even stand anymore.

Just as expected... the equipment was excellent, but the person using it seemed a little lacking.

“Crateris Cup.”

Ryosho immediately healed him.

“Seiya, keep Aiolia occupied. I’m going to use the Praesepe Underworld Waves to forcibly separate Aiolia’s soul from his body. That might break the Demon Emperor Fist’s control over him.”

After receiving the healing, Seiya’s stamina quickly returned and his injuries began to recover. Hearing Ryosho’s words, he immediately clenched his fists and stood up.

“Got it. I’ll do everything I can to hold him off. You’d better hurry!”

...

Chapter 72: Praesepe vs. Lightning Plasma

“I see.”

“So putting on the Gold Cloth has made you completely different from before?”

Aiolia, who had once again been sent flying by Seiya, slowly walked back from the distance.

He raised his left hand and tore the cloak from his back. Then, drawing his right fist back to his waist, he charged forward and threw a punch.

“Lightning Bolt!”

“Pegasus Meteor Fist!”

Clad in the Sagittarius Gold Cloth, Seiya met Aiolia head-on.

Streaks of white light collided with dense beams of lightning.

There was barely any struggle between them.

Seiya’s Pegasus Meteor Fist was immediately overwhelmed.

“What?”

The lightning beams, packed with terrifying power, struck Seiya in an instant.

“Ugh...”

Seiya spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed face-down onto the ground. It felt as though a hundred thousand volts of electricity had surged through him. His entire body was numb, to the point that he couldn’t feel even the slightest pain.

Even with the Gold Cloth, was he still no match for Leo Aiolia?

What a terrifying punch.

If he hadn’t been wearing the Gold Cloth, Aiolia probably would have shattered his body completely.

“Seiya, get up! You’re not someone who can be beaten this easily!”

“Remember your battle with Shiryu. Remember your missing sister. You can’t give up now!”

Ryosho was still gathering the Praesepe Qi needed to use the Praesepe Underworld Waves.

He had yet to master the Seventh Sense, so he couldn’t maintain a direct connection to Yomotsu Hirasaka.

Otherwise, he could have drawn Praesepe Qi directly from Yomotsu Hirasaka, which would have been countless times faster than drawing it from the World of the Living.

So Ryosho had no choice but to take over for the inexperienced Athena and encourage Seiya himself.

If Aiolia realized what he was doing and interrupted him before he finished gathering enough power, it would all be over.

“Sis?”

Hearing Ryosho’s voice, Seiya opened his eyes from where he lay on the ground.

That was right.

How could he give up so easily?

His sister was still out there waiting for him to find her. How could he die in a place like this?

“Get up, Seiya.”

“Let your Cosmo burn!”

Hyoga encouraged him from the side as well.

“Seiya, you’re wearing the Gold Cloth! You can do this!”

“Pegasus, get up. Ryosho said there’s something called friendship between you. If that friendship really can create a miracle, then show it to me, Misty.”

“Shun... Misty...”

Hearing their encouragement, Seiya’s Cosmo ignited once more, and he pushed himself back to his feet.

“He really is impossible to keep down.”

Ryosho glanced at Seiya, who had managed to stand again, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But Aiolia had already launched another attack, firing off his Lightspeed Fist.

The marble floor along its path shattered instantly. Entire patches of shrubbery were pulverized and knocked down, and even the gymnasium beside the mansion collapsed beneath the golden beams with a thunderous crash.

Yet Seiya stood within the golden light, crossing his arms in front of his face. With his Cosmo burning, he forced his way forward against the Lightspeed Fist. Then he clenched his fist and unleashed the Pegasus Meteor Fist once more.

The white streaks of his punches grew denser and denser before striking Aiolia at near-light speed.

“Ugh, aaaaaah...”

Aiolia was hurled through the air. Seiya’s fist also struck his helmet, knocking it from his head and sending it tumbling to the ground.

After sending Aiolia flying, Seiya dropped to his knees as though all the strength had drained from his body, gasping heavily for breath.

Even though he was wearing the Sagittarius Cloth, Aiolia’s punches had struck him solidly through the Cloth. Seiya felt as though every bone in his body had been shattered.

“Damn you, Pegasus...”

Aiolia rose from the ground. His eyes had become even more blood-red, and the killing intent radiating from him was so intense that it almost seemed tangible.

“What... what kind of monster is he?”

“He took my punch head-on and he’s still completely fine.”

“That’s impossible.”

“How am I supposed to defeat an enemy like this?”

Seiya kept one eye open as he watched Aiolia rise, despair filling his heart.

He had already given everything he had. He didn’t even have the strength to stand anymore, yet his opponent remained almost completely unharmed.

This time, Aiolia didn’t attack immediately. He stood where he was as golden light flared around him, his Cosmo rising at an incredible speed.

Clearly, he had realized that his normal level of Cosmo wasn’t enough to kill Seiya while he wore the Gold Cloth. He would have to raise his Cosmo to its absolute limit and unleash his ultimate technique.

“What a terrifying Cosmo.”

“Aiolia’s Cosmo is rising so fast.”

Feeling the terrifying pressure of Aiolia’s Cosmo, Seiya struggled to stand again.

But his body was still paralyzed, and he simply had no strength left.

His whole body was trembling.

It wasn’t only because he was exhausted. Aiolia had frightened him.

The thought of having to withstand Aiolia’s next full-powered attack filled him with fear.

But at that moment, another powerful Cosmo appeared behind him.

Seiya turned around.

Ryosho was walking toward him, one step at a time.

“Seiya, you did well. Leave the rest to me.”

Ryosho looked at Seiya, who was still struggling to rise from the ground, and gave him a gentle smile. His voice was calm and confident.

Hearing the certainty in Ryosho’s words, Seiya felt as though a great weight had been lifted from him. An inexplicable sense of security quickly spread through his heart.

Shun, Hyoga, Misty, and the others also breathed a huge sigh of relief.

If Ryosho was saying that, then he must have a way to deal with Aiolia.

“Very well.”

“Crateris, if you’re so eager to die, then I, Aiolia, will grant your wish.”

“This time, I won’t miss.”

“I’ll shatter both you and Pegasus!”

Aiolia’s Cosmo burned to its limit.

The constellation of Leo appeared behind him, followed by the image of a majestic golden lion. It was a phenomenon that only appeared when Cosmo was pushed to its absolute peak.

“Look behind Ryosho...” Shun cried, pointing behind him.

A constellation had appeared behind Ryosho as well.

But unlike Aiolia, two constellations had appeared behind him.

One was Crateris. The other was Cancer.

“That’s Crateris... and Cancer...”

A Silver Holy Grail and a Golden Crab appeared behind Ryosho, one on either side.

“What an incredible Cosmo.”

“I can feel a tremendous Cosmo coming from Ryosho. It’s far beyond ours, and it’s almost reached Aiolia’s level.”

Shun was stunned. He knew Ryosho possessed a powerful Cosmo, but he had never imagined it could be this strong.

“Listen well... to the roar of the lion... Lightning Plasma!”

Aiolia suddenly clenched his right fist and leaned forward slightly, his fighting spirit surging. In the next instant, he unleashed his devastating attack.

Countless lightning beams intertwined into a net of light and swept toward Ryosho.

Ryosho raised his right hand and pointed his index finger toward the sky.

“Praesepe Underworld Waves!”

In an instant, rings of white light erupted from his fingertip and shot forward at the speed of light, meeting the Lightning Plasma head-on.

The two immense forces, completely different in nature, collided violently.

But the Praesepe Underworld Waves passed straight through the net of lightning as though they had no physical form at all. They struck Aiolia instantly, tearing his soul from his body in a single moment.

At the same time, the golden light of the Lightning Plasma swallowed Ryosho whole.

“Ryosho...!”

Shun, Hyoga, Misty, and the others cried out in alarm.

...

Chapter 73: I Need Proof

Thud!

Ryosho crashed to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth. His Crateris Saint Cloth was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, its silver gemstone-like fragments glittering like scattered stars beneath the evening glow.

As expected of Aiolia. If the Praesepe Underworld Waves hadn’t torn his soul from his body, Ryosho probably would have been reduced to ashes by the Lightning Plasma.

After all, he wasn’t one of those five seemingly unkillable Bronze Saints. He had no miraculous ability to cling to life. For that brief instant... he had truly felt death closing in.

Despite how calm and composed he had appeared in front of Seiya and the others, he had actually been far from confident.

If he had misjudged Aiolia’s strength, even slightly, he could have died beneath Aiolia’s Lightspeed Fist.

Fortunately, the Praesepe Underworld Waves also traveled at the speed of light.

Otherwise, even a difference of one-thousandth of a second might have cost him his life.

“Ryosho, are you all right?”

Shun ran over and gently helped Ryosho up from the ground.

“Cough, cough...”

Ryosho clutched his chest and coughed violently, blood coming up with every cough.

“I’m not dead yet.”

“Hurry and use your Crateris Cup to heal yourself!” Shun said.

Ryosho rolled his eyes.

As if he didn’t want to.

Unfortunately, a healer couldn’t heal himself.

Crateris Cup was a technique that required him to burn his Cosmo and merge himself with his Cloth as a single whole, then rapidly convert moisture in the air to perform either wide-range or precise healing.

Given his current condition and how badly damaged his Cloth was, there was no way he could use Crateris Cup.

Still...

Ryosho held out his hand and activated his Psychokinesis. A glass bottle appeared in his palm. He unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back, and drank it all at once.

Fortunately, he had been farsighted enough to always keep some Divine Water purified by the Crateris Cloth on hand.

The moment the Divine Water went down his throat, it quickly spread throughout his entire body.

His lost stamina returned and his injuries healed in an instant.

“How’s Aiolia?”

Ryosho got back to his feet.

Shun turned to look. “He doesn’t seem to be moving anymore.”

“Ryosho, help me!”

Seiya’s voice came from nearby.

The Sagittarius Cloth still hadn’t left his body.

Perhaps the Cloth sensed that the danger had not yet passed.

Ryosho used Psychokinesis to retrieve another bottle of Divine Water he had prepared beforehand and tossed it to Seiya. Then he walked over to Aiolia.

He crouched beside Aiolia and used his fingers to pry open one of his eyelids. The blood-red eye had already returned to normal.

Then he placed a hand on Aiolia’s forehead, closed his eyes, and tried to sense any spiritual energy that might still remain within his brain.

A moment later, Ryosho opened his eyes.

He couldn’t detect any spiritual energy inside Aiolia’s mind.

He couldn’t tell whether that power had dispersed or had followed Aiolia’s soul into Yomotsu Hirasaka.

It seemed... he would have to visit Yomotsu Hirasaka again to confirm Aiolia’s condition.

...

“So the Demon Emperor Fist’s control over Aiolia can actually be broken that way.”

“Crateris truly is a serious threat to me.”

“Now they’ve gained Leo Aiolia without losing a single person.”

“A miscalculation.”

“But... who taught him the Praesepe Underworld Waves?”

“Deathmask?”

“No.”

“Deathmask has never left the Sanctuary.”

“Besides, he has always been completely loyal to me. He would never commit such an act of betrayal.”

“Could it have been Deathtoll?”

“But Deathtoll should already have been defeated by Ryosho. How could he possibly have taught Ryosho the Praesepe Underworld Waves?”

The Grand Pope stared at the heavy doors of the Pope’s Hall and fell into deep thought.

...

Yomotsu Hirasaka.

With Deathtoll’s help, Ryosho entered Yomotsu Hirasaka.

Aiolia was sitting on the ground, staring at the desolate land and the souls filing toward the abyss, his brow furrowed in thought.

“Have you come to your senses, Aiolia?”

Ryosho walked over and asked.

Hearing his voice, Aiolia turned around. When he saw Ryosho, he gave a self-deprecating smile.

“You don’t seem much like a Silver Saint... Even Deathmask might not have been able to use the Praesepe Underworld Waves to tear my soul from my body.”

“I only managed it because Seiya bought me enough time to gather the necessary power. I also caught you by surprise. It was mostly luck.”

Aiolia shook his head.

There was no such thing as luck here.

A loss was a loss.

Aiolia wasn’t the kind of man who couldn’t accept defeat.

Still, he sighed and said, “I never expected my brother’s Cloth to choose Seiya. What I don’t understand is why all of you betrayed the Sanctuary.”

“Then why did you end up fighting Deathmask, Aiolia? And how did you get hit by the Grand Pope’s Demon Emperor Fist?”

Ryosho stood beside Aiolia and looked up at the enormous crater.

Aiolia fell silent for a moment before closing his eyes.

“I stopped Deathmask from executing Heracles and the others, which meant disobeying the Grand Pope’s orders. I, Aiolia, have no complaints about ending up like this.”

“Have you never wondered why the Grand Pope is so determined to kill Saori Kido?”

“Saori Kido is using Athena’s name in an attempt to overthrow the Sanctuary. Even if I were the Grand Pope, I might have ordered her execution. The Grand Pope’s decision alone proves nothing.”

“So you don’t believe Saori Kido is Athena?”

Aiolia kept his eyes closed.

“I need proof.”

“The Sagittarius Cloth chose to place itself on Seiya. Isn’t that proof enough?”

Aiolia shook his head.

“In that case, why not meet Saori Kido yourself? Once you feel her Cosmo, perhaps you’ll believe her.”

Ryosho offered the suggestion.

After this battle, he had finally understood something.

There was no point in gathering more Saints.

Before a Gold Saint, even Silver Saints were as helpless as infants.

Even with Ryosho supporting them, they had been unable to harm Aiolia in the slightest.

Not only were they unable to help him, they could even become a burden.

No wonder Phoenix Ikki preferred fighting alone. It was much easier than bringing along people who would only slow him down.

After all, even someone as strong as Misty couldn’t withstand a single exchange with Aiolia, much less the other Silver Saints.

Algol might have fared somewhat better, but he had lost a great deal of blood while reviving the Perseus Cloth and was still recovering at the convalescent home. He hadn’t been able to help at all this time.

And judging from Ryosho’s fight with Cardinale, the Medusa Shield didn’t seem particularly useful either.

Aiolia turned to look at Ryosho.

“Aren’t you afraid that if you let me leave this place, I’ll become your enemy again?”

“I have complete confidence that Saori Kido is who she claims to be, and I also have complete confidence in your character, Aiolia.”

“Once you learn the truth, I’m sure you’ll be able to decide for yourself which side is right and which is wrong, the Grand Pope or us!”

Aiolia stared deeply at Ryosho.

There was nothing he could fault in those words. But how had he never heard of someone this capable, a man with both courage and intelligence, until now?

“Then let me hear this truth you speak of.”

...

Chapter 74: Declaration of War

Aiolia rose from the ground.

Seiya and the others immediately assumed defensive stances.

Aiolia looked at the Sagittarius Gold Cloth on Seiya, his expression deeply conflicted.

He truly hadn’t expected his brother’s Cloth to choose Seiya.

But that alone proved nothing.

Ever since his brother had been branded a traitor sixteen years ago for supposedly attempting to assassinate the infant Athena, Aiolos had been considered an enemy of the Sanctuary.

And Aiolia himself had spent all those years living in the Sanctuary under the stigma of being a traitor’s younger brother.

Just as Deathmask had said, even though he was the brother of a traitor, the current Grand Pope had still entrusted him with the Leo Gold Cloth, along with the title and honor of a Gold Saint.

Even the fact that the Grand Pope had used the Demon Emperor Fist on him did not necessarily prove that the Grand Pope was evil.

Likewise, the fact that his brother’s Cloth had sided with Seiya and the others proved nothing by itself.

If they wanted him to believe that Saori Kido was truly Athena, they would need evidence convincing enough to erase all doubt.

At that moment, a sacred Cosmo emanated from the mansion.

Aiolia looked up, surprise flashing across his face.

“What is this magnificent Cosmo?”

Ryosho had returned from Yomotsu Hirasaka and now stood behind Aiolia with his arms crossed.

“Athena’s, of course.”

“What? Athena!”

Aiolia glanced back at Ryosho, then quickly turned around again.

A young girl surrounded by golden light emerged from the half-collapsed mansion. She wore a long white dress with puffed sleeves, her beautiful face perfectly calm.

She spoke evenly.

“Aiolia, listen to me. Then you’ll understand that the Grand Pope of the Sanctuary is not on the side of justice.”

“He is a demon.”

“The Grand Pope... a demon?”

Aiolia murmured to himself.

But after everything he had known of the Grand Pope over the years, how could the man possibly be a demon?

Still, he said nothing and waited for Saori Kido to continue.

If this girl truly was Athena, then surely she could present evidence strong enough to convince him.

“Aiolia, sixteen years ago, your brother Aiolos saved my life in the Sanctuary.”

Saori Kido walked up to Aiolia and looked up at him, gratitude in her eyes.

“What... Aiolos, the traitor of the Sanctuary... my brother Aiolos...”

Aiolia was visibly shaken. He had never imagined that his brother had once saved this girl in the Sanctuary.

If that was true, then didn’t it mean that the rumors spread by Heracles and the others were true as well?

That the current Grand Pope was the one who had tried to assassinate the infant Athena?

No. That couldn’t be possible...

“He was not a traitor. Aiolos was a true Saint who sacrificed himself to protect justice.”

“The Grand Pope is the one who tried to kill me and seize the Sanctuary for himself. He is the true embodiment of evil.”

Saori Kido looked up at him, sorrow reflected in her blue eyes.

“Aiolia, you will come to understand who is right and who is wrong.”

What was this magnificent Cosmo he felt coming from this woman called Saori?

As Aiolia sensed the vast, sacred Cosmo radiating from Saori Kido, his certainty began to waver.

None of the Gold Saints should possess a Cosmo like this.

If her Cosmo was even greater than theirs...

What?

What was that...?

Aiolia’s eyes widened as he looked behind Saori Kido.

A colossal image of a Goddess had appeared behind her.

In her left hand was the Aegis Shield. In her right was Nike, the Goddess of Victory.

There could be no mistake.

It was Athena’s Colossus.

“Everything began sixteen years ago in the Sanctuary...”

Saori Kido slowly told Aiolia what had happened sixteen years earlier, how the current Grand Pope had tried to assassinate her and how Aiolos had saved her life.

“No... impossible. Then does that mean everything I’ve believed for the past sixteen years was the exact opposite of the truth?”

After hearing Saori Kido’s account and feeling the Cosmo radiating from her, a Cosmo far greater than his own as a Gold Saint, everything Aiolia had believed for the past sixteen years began to crumble.

In truth, he had already begun to believe what Saori Kido was telling him.

After all, Ryosho, Misty, Seiya, and the others stood unwaveringly behind her, supporting her identity through their actions.

If Saori Kido were not Athena, the idea that she could have won over so many Saints was almost impossible to believe.

But...

What if there was even a one-in-ten-thousand chance that Saori Kido was an impostor?

Cold sweat ran down Aiolia’s face.

The pressure weighing on him had reached its limit.

“My grandfather, after returning to Japan... no, Mitsumasa Kido, did everything he could to hide both the Gold Cloth and me.”

“At the same time, he began selecting young Saints who possessed the true courage and strength needed to protect Athena on the battlefield.”

“In other words, Seiya and the others.”

“Eventually, the Grand Pope of the Sanctuary discovered our existence and began sending assassins to Japan one after another. And now, he has even sent you, a Gold Saint, to kill me.”

Saori spoke with complete sincerity. Her account was supported by evidence, and every part of it fit together.

Aiolia’s convictions were finally shaken to their core.

“If all of this is true... then my brother... but...”

“Do you understand now, Aiolia? If you are a true Saint, then the people you should defeat are not us. It is Grand Pope Arles, who has seized control of the Sanctuary and is trying to control the Saints.”

Ryosho silently gave her a thumbs-up.

Even though everything fit neatly with what had happened so far, he had to admit that Saori Kido was remarkably persuasive.

Of course, it helped that she was dealing with Aiolia.

Anyone else might have either dropped to their knees and apologized immediately or answered her with a raised fist.

“Can you prove it?”

Aiolia struggled with himself for a long while before finally speaking, his expression grave.

“If what you just told me is true, then show me proof that you are Athena.”

Saori Kido’s brows drew together slightly.

Aiolia straightened and clenched his fists.

“If you truly are Athena, then even my fist should be unable to harm you.”

“What are you planning to do to her?” Seiya asked nervously.

Saori Kido closed her eyes and thought for a moment.

“Well?”

Aiolia asked.

“All right. I’ll take your punch.”

Saori Kido opened her eyes and spread her arms.

Ryosho glanced at her.

The Saori Kido standing before him now was completely different from the one before her awakening. It seemed her awakening had progressed even further.

At that moment, the last light of sunset finally disappeared beyond the horizon.

“Come, Aiolia. Try to pierce my chest with your Lightspeed Fist.”

Saori Kido stood with her arms spread wide.

Seiya could no longer remain silent.

“You’re a Gold Saint, and you’re actually going to make a woman take your attack just to prove the truth?”

Aiolia assumed his stance and looked at Seiya with a conflicted expression.

“Seiya, for me, it’s not just about that...”

“If you believe in someone, why do you need proof?”

“I need evidence.”

“Aiolia, go ahead. Find out for yourself.”

Saori spread her arms once more.

...

“Wonderful!”

Deathtoll spoke directly to Ryosho through their Cosmos.

Ryosho rolled his eyes.

Did he think he was watching a show?

Wonderful, indeed.

“Compared to the previous generation of Athena, the Athena of your era seems rather more decisive.”

Cardinale chose that moment to offer his own poorly timed assessment.

Then again, considering he had once betrayed Athena himself, the remark wasn’t particularly surprising.

After all, both of them had certain issues when it came to their loyalty toward Athena.

Cold sweat poured down Aiolia’s face.

Don’t hesitate, Aiolia.

If this woman truly is Athena, then my fist shouldn’t be able to hurt her.

“Lightning Bolt!”

After steeling himself, Aiolia threw his punch without hesitation.

“As expected of Aiolia. He really doesn’t hold back.”

Ryosho couldn’t help commenting.

At that moment, Seiya suddenly appeared in front of Saori Kido and caught Aiolia’s Lightning Bolt with his bare hands.

At the same time, Ryosho sensed another Cosmo, one that was in no way inferior to Aiolia’s.

It was Aiolos’s Cosmo.

Aiolos had raised Seiya’s Cosmo, allowing him to perceive Aiolia’s Lightspeed Fist.

“What?”

Shock spread across Aiolia’s face.

“Seiya...”

Saori Kido cried out when she saw Seiya standing in front of her.

“What is going on? Seiya caught my Lightspeed Fist with his bare hands?”

Aiolia could hardly believe his eyes.

“You... you stubborn fool! No matter how shocking the truth is, you don’t have to use a Lightspeed Fist on a woman!”

Seiya glared at him indignantly.

“Impossible. Seiya, can you actually see movements at the speed of light?”

“I... I don’t know anything about that. It’s just a ball of light from the Lightning Bolt, but for some reason I can see it clearly.”

“Seiya, be careful! The energy from the Lightspeed Fist still hasn’t dissipated from your hand.”

Saori looked anxiously at the golden sphere of energy in Seiya’s palm.

“At this rate, your hand will break, Seiya. All because you had to interfere...”

Aiolia stopped mid-sentence.

Above Seiya, he suddenly saw an image of Aiolos.

“Do you still not understand, Aiolia? It seems you can no longer distinguish justice from evil. Can someone like that truly call himself a Saint? Can you still call yourself my younger brother?”

“And why would you raise your fist against Athena?”

“Shameful!”

At that moment, Seiya’s body moved on its own.

He pushed the energy of the Lightspeed Fist back and struck Aiolia with it.

So the older brother was giving his younger brother a beating.

Ryosho watched with complete interest.

He had no intention of interfering.

After all, once this punch was over, Aiolia should finally believe that Saori Kido was truly Athena.

Sure enough, Aiolia rose from the ground, lifted his head, and tears streamed down his face.

At that moment, the Sagittarius Gold Cloth detached itself from Seiya and reassembled in midair into the form of a centaur before settling behind Saori Kido.

Its meaning was unmistakable.

Aiolia walked over and knelt before Saori Kido.

“Athena, I was disrespectful enough to raise my fist against you. Please forgive me.”

Saori Kido asked, “Aiolia, will you fight for justice as well?”

“Yes. To atone for what I’ve done, I will risk my life.”

Aiolia rose and immediately started toward the edge of the estate.

Ryosho reached out to stop him.

“Aiolia, are you planning to return to the Sanctuary?”

“Yes.”

“I think you should stay here.”

“Why?”

“If you return to the Sanctuary and fall under the Grand Pope’s Demon Emperor Fist again, then from our perspective, we’ll simply have gained another terrifying enemy. Believe me, going back alone won’t change anything.”

Aiolia closed his eyes, but he still didn’t heed Ryosho’s warning.

“Ryosho, I’ll remember what you said. Don’t worry. I won’t act recklessly again.”

“I’ll wait for all of you at the Sanctuary.”

“And when you arrive, I’ll help Athena defeat the Grand Pope.”

Ryosho looked up at Aiolia’s determined yet stubborn expression and shook his head helplessly.

“Deathmask isn’t the only Gold Saint who has sided with the Grand Pope. Many of the other Gold Saints are just like you.”

“Whatever you do, don’t act recklessly.”

Aiolia nodded and walked toward the estate gate.

Ryosho sighed.

Every one of them insisted on doing things their own way.

This group was really difficult to manage.

Just after Aiolia left, the Sagittarius Gold Cloth suddenly released an immense Cosmo and fired a beam of light toward the Sanctuary.

It was a declaration of war!

Ryosho watched the beam streak into the distance.

“It seems... the day of the final battle has finally arrived!”

...

Chapter 75: Andromeda Island

“Even you’re leaving?”

Saori Kido placed a hand over her chest. Her captivating eyes shimmered in the night as she pressed her lips together and asked anxiously.

“I just have a few things to take care of. I’ll only be gone for a while.”

Ryosho replied helplessly.

“Then when will you be back?”

Saori Kido lowered her head, her small hand in a white satin glove fidgeting with the fluffy hem of her skirt as she asked, sounding somewhat dejected.

Ryosho looked at the uneasy Saori Kido.

He understood why she felt this way.

She simply lacked confidence in herself, in the future, and in everything that was about to happen.

But sooner or later, she would have to face it all. Sooner or later, she would have to shoulder her responsibilities as Athena.

With that in mind, he asked, “When are you planning to go to the Sanctuary to meet the Grand Pope?”

Saori lowered her head and thought for a moment.

“Once Seiya and the others have recovered. For now, we’re planning to leave a week from now.”

“All right. One week from now, I’ll be waiting for you at the Sanctuary Colosseum.”

Ryosho gave her his word.

Saori Kido had already awakened her divine power. As long as she didn’t run into Sagitta, there shouldn’t be any problems.

He had also warned Seiya and the others in advance that Sagitta might attack Saori Kido with a Golden Arrow.

Even if Saga sent Sagitta to Japan, they shouldn’t be caught off guard by his surprise attack the way they had been in front of the Aries Temple.

He could leave without worrying too much.

“But...” Saori Kido was still reluctant to see Ryosho go. “Why can’t you come with us? Why do you have to leave right now?”

“Well...”

Ryosho certainly couldn’t tell her that he was going to Andromeda Island to recover Cepheus Albiore’s body.

If Shun heard about that...

There was no way Shun wouldn’t leave the group and insist on going with him.

He had already sent Shiryu back to the Five Ancient Peaks.

Ikki was recuperating on Kanon Island.

Perseus Algol was still at the convalescent home.

The five secondary Bronze Saints had likewise returned to their old training grounds to continue their training.

If Shun left too...

Then the group really would fall apart.

Granted, in the original storyline they had mostly gone their separate ways anyway, but events in reality had already deviated somewhat from the original plot.

Keeping them by Saori Kido’s side as much as possible was the safest option.

In truth, Ryosho probably shouldn’t be taking the risk of leaving either.

Still... he wanted to see whether there was any chance of saving Albiore.

After all, aside from that one guy idling away in the Underworld, Albiore was one of the strongest Silver Saints. He was also Shun’s Master. It would be a shame for him to die just like that.

On top of that, with the decisive battle approaching, Ryosho needed to increase his strength as much as possible. He couldn’t afford to miss the Cloth Compendium for the Cepheus Silver Cloth.

After weighing everything, he decided to leave the group temporarily and make a trip to Andromeda Island.

The Goddess’s buff wasn’t truly his own power, after all. In the end, he still had to rely on his own strength.

Ryosho scratched his head and reassured her.

“All right, don’t worry. You’re the Goddess Athena. Even if I’m not here, you’ll be fine.”

“And even if something does happen, Seiya and the Sagittarius Gold Cloth are here. They’ll protect you. Besides, you should start learning how to use your own Cosmo to protect yourself. At the very least, you should learn how to cast buffs on us.”

“Cast buffs?”

Saori Kido tilted her head, puzzlement written across her delicate face.

“It means giving us beneficial effects. To put it simply, the Goddess’s blessing.”

Saori Kido seemed to understand, more or less.

She nodded earnestly. “I’ll make sure to learn how.”

Ryosho narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why don’t you give me a buff first?”

“What?”

Saori Kido tilted her head. Her long purple hair spilled to one side, revealing her fair, slender neck, which seemed to glow alluringly beneath the night sky.

“Lend me some blood.”

...

After leaving Saori Kido’s estate, Ryosho finally breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, he really wasn’t very good at dealing with situations like that.

“Kid, there’s one thing I still don’t understand. What could possibly be more important than protecting Athena?”

“That’s how you see it. As far as I’m concerned, improving your own strength will always be the most important thing. Without strength, you’re nothing, and you can’t protect anyone.”

“I agree with Ryosho, but what exactly are you planning to do?”

“Andromeda Island.”

“Then why did you ask for Athena’s Blood?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Ryosho looked at the blood inside the glass vial and carefully put it away.

This was his trump card for staying alive.

If anything unexpected happened, he could use this blood.

Hopefully it would work.

Hmm. He should test a drop when he got the chance. If it turned out to be useless when his life was actually on the line, that would be a disaster.

...

Andromeda Island lay in the waters near Somalia in the western Indian Ocean. It was also where Shun had trained.

The manga and anime differed in their world-building. In the manga, Shun’s Master was Daidalos, while in the anime, it was Albiore.

To determine which version this world followed, Ryosho had asked Shun about it beforehand and learned that Shun’s Master was Albiore.

In other words, Albiore would very likely have to face two Gold Saints at once, Scorpio Milo and Pisces Aphrodite.

Ryosho had to admit, he wasn’t particularly eager to wade into those troubled waters.

The danger was simply too great. One wrong move, and he might end up dead as well.

That was why, when he came to Andromeda Island this time, he had actually been expecting to recover Albiore’s body.

The howling wind roared in his ears.

As he broke through the clouds, an island dominated by a volcano came into view.

The vast ocean stretched endlessly around it, while thick black smoke billowed from the volcanic crater as though it might erupt at any moment.

“So that’s Andromeda Island?”

Ryosho took out his map and compared it with the surrounding terrain.

Naturally, Andromeda Island’s exact location wasn’t marked on the map, but before coming here, he had asked Shun for detailed directions.

Although Shun had been curious about why Ryosho wanted to know where Andromeda Island was, he had still kindly marked its location on the map and explained how to identify it.

For example, Andromeda Island had been formed from lava erupted by ancient Ethiopian volcanoes, leaving its surface covered in black basalt.

Its unusual geographical location also caused the temperature difference between day and night to exceed 50°C, creating an exceptionally harsh training environment.

Any island matching those characteristics had to be Andromeda Island.

Ryosho closed his eyes and sensed the Cosmoses on the island.

One Cosmo, two Cosmoses...

There were surprisingly many people on the island who possessed Cosmo.

However, only two stood out.

One Cosmo was exceptionally powerful—it had to belong to Cepheus Albiore. The other was noticeably weaker than those of the five main Bronze Saints, so it was most likely Chameleon June.

Albiore was still alive.

Did that mean the Grand Pope hadn’t sent anyone yet?

Ryosho’s thoughts stirred.

He wasn’t sure whether he should feel relieved or disappointed.

But the moment that thought crossed his mind, an extraordinarily powerful Cosmo descended over Andromeda Island.

Ryosho froze for a moment.

“What timing?”