— — — — — —
As expected, Ryo agreed to Shiroyasha's offer right away — exchanging the payment for selling information into credits instead of cash.
It was a great deal.
Anything money could buy in Thousand Eyes could also be bought with credits. But credits could also buy things money couldn't.
And if he could even purchase temporary usage rights of Shiroyasha's Sun Authority…
Wouldn't that mean he could repeatedly "borrow" and cycle through the Authorities of the Twelve Zodiacs, one by one, until he had handled them all?
Normally, completing the Star Map (Another Cosmology) required the holder to simultaneously possess a certain number of Sun Authorities.
But Ryo knew he was a special case.
He might not need to hold them all all — just having used them might be enough to unlock his Cosmos' potential to simulate the Star Map's power.
After all, the essence of his Cosmos wasn't truly the same as that of a Saint Seiya's. It was power derived from the transformation of his spirit rank.
In Little Garden, the "Cosmos born from the Big Bang" didn't exist. There was no concept of the universe's primal force being scattered through matter as in the world of the Saints.
People there could probably gain fragments of the universe's source just by eating ordinary food. Ryo, however, didn't have that luxury here.
His Cosmos had been born from a covert deal between the Dimensional Forum and Little Garden's Central System — infusing his spiritual framework with fragments of primal power.
That was why his Cosmos' growth was bound to his spirit rank.
In a world without source energy, he had no external supply — he had to be self-sufficient. His Cosmos could never exceed the limits of his spiritual essence.
Because spirit rank is the essence of life.
Whether human or god, no being could wield power beyond its own nature.
To Ryo, even the Pegasus Saint wasn't an exception.
Sure, Pegasus grew stronger the tougher his enemy was — even slaying the main god Hades himself — but what was his true nature?
He was Athena's chosen guardian, destined across lifetimes to be reborn at her side — her eternal protector. Rebirth itself was a privilege reserved for divine beings carrying the will of the gods.
So, yes — Pegasus could kill gods because he was already close to one.
In that world, the divide between man and god was absolute. Except for the reckless Ophiuchus in the mythological era, no Saint had ever truly become a god. At best, they earned titles like "the man closest to god" or "god's incarnation."
In other words — the human path to divinity in the Saint Seiya world was sealed shut.
Those who broke through only did so thanks to higher powers intervening.
But in Little Garden, raising one's spirit rank was the same as elevating the very essence of life.
If Ryo could push his rank into the three-digit or even the two-digit tier, then his Cosmos would level up as well.
He'd already verified this on the Dimensional Forum. It was a proven, feasible path.
...
As Ryo walked away from Thousand Eyes' base toward the Boundary Gate, his mind kept turning over the problem of strengthening his Cosmos.
"My spirit rank's fine for now. Four digits should be enough to reach the Seventh Sense. The Eighth Sense isn't about power anyway — it's a state of being."
(Ryo temporarily had the power of the Seventh Sense because the Dimensional Forum used the burned Authority of Victory. But he didn't reach it, and it's now back to sixth.)
"What am I even thinking? I haven't even reached the Seventh Sense yet."
"Hōgyoku keeps telling me I haven't met the promotion conditions. Thinking about the Eighth already is getting ahead of myself."
"Honestly, making a Saint Cloth would be faster. Whether it's for awakening the Seventh Sense or just boosting my strength, a Cloth is essential."
With that thought, he shook his head and looked toward the shimmering gateway in the distance.
"Alright… time to head back to [No Name]."
---
District 1028 — Outer Gate, City of Flowers.
Despite the name, the City of Flowers wasn't a place for selling flowers.
Its streets and shops were all named after blossoms, sure — but the "services" offered here were of a far more personal nature.
To the rich of the lower floors, it was paradise. To others, a money pit dressed up as heaven.
A tall, handsome man with long dark-blue hair tied in a ponytail — known as "Mikado" — was a regular here.
He was generous, charming, good with women, and had no history of mistreating them. Among Flower Street's clientele, he was a beloved favorite.
As for his background — that was a mystery. Only a handful knew his true name: Indra.
—On the evening of September 22, inside the Violet Camellia Bar—
Indra sat at the counter, working through a burger combo while chatting casually with the madam, Sakura.
Sakura managed the Sakura Club across the street and was not only one of Indra's favorites, but also his long-term informant.
She had exceptional skills in her trade — and a sharp instinct for gathering information.
Thanks to that, Indra spent about a third of his time in the City of Flowers lounging in her establishment — an impressive amount, even for a man famous for "disappearing into brothels."
"Mikado, here's what you asked for."
Sakura placed a rolled-up parchment on the counter and sighed helplessly.
"I still don't get why you're digging up this kind of intel. A moon rabbit ending up in a place like this? Come on."
Indra had commissioned her to look for any sign of the moon rabbit nobility — not just in the City of Flowers, but in nearby cities too.
It was an old job — more than twenty years running.
But for the long-lived residents of the four-digit realm, twenty years wasn't much at all.
Indra smiled as he unrolled the parchment. "Thanks, Sakura. How about I pay you later — in your room tonight?"
"You just want to wear me out, huh? We might be close, but business is business. No free rides." Sakura's mock annoyance was matched by a teasing smile.
"When have I ever shortchanged you?"
Indra reached over, giving her a playful squeeze before turning back to the parchment, smirking slightly.
"Still no sign, huh? You'd think a rare species like a moon rabbit would've wandered into your city by now."
"Dream on," Sakura snorted. "Why would a noble from the moon come here? Even if Moon Rabbit City is gone, those aristocrats all have four-digit power and judicial privileges. They'll never run out of places to go."
"That's good to hear."
Indra's tone softened with nostalgia. "Ah… I do miss the taste of a moon rabbit."
Sakura blinked. "You're kidding, right? I've never heard of a moon rabbit getting involved with outsiders. What's this about 'taste'?"
She laughed lightly. "Well, I don't have a real moon rabbit, but I could dress up as one tonight if you're feeling nostalgic."
"Do I look like I'm into roleplay?" Indra shot back.
"Tell that to the girls at my place." She giggled behind her hand.
Just then, a hand patted her shoulder.
Sakura turned — and froze at the sight of an astonishingly beautiful face.
She recognized him immediately — another regular customer, usually referred to simply as Mr. White.
"Mr. White? What brings you here?" she asked in surprise.
He smiled, brushing his fingers lightly along her cheek before patting her shoulder again.
"Mind giving us some space? I've got a few things to discuss with Mikado."
"Of course." Sakura nodded quickly and stepped away.
Mr. White took the seat beside Indra and ordered a cocktail with practiced ease.
Indra sighed dramatically. "You, huh? Guess that means I can forget about meeting the new girls tonight."
"Relax. I'm not here for that kind of drink."
The voice that came from Mr. White's lips was clear — and distinctly female.
The bar's surroundings wavered, reality twisting slightly.
Indra looked around at the sealed barrier that had formed and groaned helplessly.
"This level of sealing? Give me a break. I told you already…" He gave a lopsided grin.
"I'm just a useless god."
.
.
.