"Who are you?"
The one who had torn through space, shattered the defenses of the zodiac, and forcibly descended upon the Taurus House was a warrior clad in dark green, tiger-shaped armor. A chilling aura emanated from his body, clashing with the warm climate of the Sanctuary.
"Like maggots on a rotting bone, like a shadow that clings to the form... how pathetic. To think that Athena's Gold Saints today are nothing but a bunch of third-rate scrubs."
The warrior in the tiger armor revealed a pair of golden, vertical pupils, gleaming with a predator's light.
"Remember my name in hell. I am Syd, the Black Tiger who roars across Northern Europe, a God Warrior favored by the gods!"
A God Warrior from Northern Europe? Aldebaran was taken aback. Regarding the ruler of that Land of the Gods, he remembered that there was no conflict between them; they were even considered semi-friendly allies.
But the tiger-armored God Warrior before him flashed a cruel smile, making no effort to conceal his malice as his hands assumed a tiger's stance in mid-air.
"Weakness is the original sin! O Gold Saint of Athena, I shall now take your life!"
Almost at the same instant, Aldebaran also grabbed the ankle of the foot stepping on his chest. A turbulent power capable of cracking the earth erupted from his arms.
A hint of surprise flickered in the eyes of the God Warrior, Black Tiger Syd, but he unleashed his attack without the slightest hesitation.
"—Viking Tiger Claw!"
The tiger's claw tore through the barrier of Taurus, splattering fresh blood, but at the same time, he felt the world spin. He tried to struggle, but a boundless force, as if contending with the very earth, was crushing his body. Power surging from beneath the ground merged with the immense wrists of Taurus, slamming Black Tiger Syd heavily onto the floor.
A shockwave, no less powerful than the one from his initial arrival, once again spread out from the Taurus House.
"Titan's Break!" Aldebaran roared.
Smoke filled the vast Taurus House, as brown and blue energies, the Bull's spirit and the Tiger's soul, continuously darted and collided within the temple. As the smoke gradually cleared, the figures of the God Warrior and the Saint stood in confrontation in the very center of the palace.
The helmet of Aldebaran of Taurus had been knocked away, blood trickling down his face. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a broad, heroic smile appearing, just as it always did.
The God Warrior Syd's expression was uglier than ever. His upper body appeared unharmed, but blood was flowing down from his...
He stared with unconcealed malice at Aldebaran of Taurus before him, then scanned the figures who had rushed to the Taurus House. There were Saints clad in gold armor, a man in a long robe, and the girl in a long white dress standing in the center.
Syd smiled, placing a hand over his chest and bowing to Saori Kido.
"Greetings, reincarnation of Athena, ruler of the Earth, Goddess of Wisdom who commands the Saints. I am Mizar Syd, serving under the Queen of the Land of the Gods and Odin's representative on Earth, Hilda. It is a great honor to meet you here."
"God Warrior of Northern Europe, why have you come?" Saori Kido asked.
Syd smiled as he lowered his posture. "Naturally, to foster relations between the Land of the Gods and the Sanctuary, and while I'm at it... take your life."
Like a master predator, with no trace of killing intent, he erupted with his greatest strength in an instant, lunging at Saori. Those tiger-soul claws were less like a black tiger's and more akin to a hunter's fangs.
Not a hint of fear showed in Saori Kido's eyes, because by her side was a Saint who could completely protect her.
Syd looked at the man beside her in astonishment. He wasn't even wearing a Saint's armor, yet he was able to detect his surprise attack that held no killing intent, and grab his wrist. Though Saori Kido was right before him, he couldn't advance a single step.
"You must be Pegasus Seiya, the one who defeated the Pope of Sanctuary. I see, this will be fun!"
Syd let out a sharp cry. With his wrist still held, his body twisted into a completely unnatural posture, feet leaving the ground, transforming into the pounce of a fierce tiger, striking towards Seiya's throat.
A blue shockwave kick, belonging to Mizar, filled the entire field of vision. A full-power attack from himself, a God Warrior, at such close range—even the Pope couldn't possibly escape unscathed!
But the blue light was distorting. To his astonishment, he saw a finger appear at the very center of the distortion. A single finger was blocking his full-power attack. Then, Seiya gave a light flick.
The impact that was originally his own was sublimated into a blue pulse, transforming into an even more terrifying tiger's soul that roared back at him.
"Aargh!!!"
A terrifying power, on a completely different level, crushed all of Syd's defenses. The God Robe symbolizing Mizar cracked, and he himself traced a miserable arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.
The accompanying Saints and Saori Kido showed no surprise at the situation.
Seiya looked at the fallen Syd, then turned to Aldebaran of Taurus. "My apologies, he should have been your opponent, but I could not allow him to continue spouting such nonsense in the Sanctuary."
"No matter. A disrespectful lout like him deserved to be taken down."
Aldebaran of Taurus looked at the defeated Syd. With the battle over, confusion filled his heart.
"But the Land of the Gods in Northern Europe and our Sanctuary have no grudge between us. Why would they come to assassinate Athena?"
"That is the question. Was this his own doing, or was he acting under someone's orders?" Shaka of Virgo spoke softly.
His words made the atmosphere tense.
Saori Kido said, "It would be one thing if it was personal. But if he represents the will of that divine domain's palace, doesn't that prove... Huh?!"
Though she had not yet truly mastered her Cosmo, she still sensed the arrival of that magnificent power before any of the Saints. From due north, a colossal, seven-colored beam of light was unleashed. That majestic power was far beyond the scale of a normal Gold Saint, shaking the very laws of the universe.
The prism-like defensive barrier shattered, and the earth trembled. Just as the seven-colored torrent was about to hit, the heavens and earth twisted—
Three upon three suns materialized behind Seiya. The Boar Incarnation and the Sunlight Authority propelled each other, the stellar phantom becoming a burning sun as Seiya's Solar Disc Halo was fully released. A giant feather transformed into a shield covering the battlefield.
And after the two conflicting powers canceled each other out, they turned into a sky full of prismatic snowflakes.
The one who brought the ice and snow arrived on a path of rainbows, riding an eight-legged divine steed, looking down upon them from high above the Sanctuary. She had long, grayish-blue hair and an aura as pure and cold as ice, yet at this moment, she radiated an unquestionable majesty.
"It really is you, Hilda—!" Saori Kido cried out her name.
Hilda, Odin's representative on Earth, Queen of the Land of the Gods, was indeed that beautiful figure on the eight-legged steed. She had hair the color of ice and snow and wore a black crown. At her side, six God Warriors, each no less powerful than Syd, followed closely.
Just as the best way for a Saint to increase their fighting power is through hellish battles, before that magnificent Cosmo, the nascent Cosmo that Saori Kido could barely grasp even with her Golden Scepter now erupted with a terrifying power to match it.
Two immense Cosmos clashed, forming a twisted, blue-and-white tornado that reached for the heavens.
"Why have you come to the Sanctuary? Why did you send a God Warrior to assassinate me, Hilda?" Saori Kido asked.
But upon hearing these words, both Hilda and the God Warriors beside her revealed mocking smiles.
And on Hilda's beautiful face, as exquisite as a sculpture of ice, unconcealed malice appeared.
"So weak," she said slowly, her voice as cold as ice.
So weak? Saori Kido felt as if she were hearing things. What she wanted was an answer!
"A feeble goddess like you, how could you possibly manage this vast Earth?" Hilda's cold voice echoed from above. "Weakness is the original sin. Someone like you, and your Saints, are not qualified to control this land. If you know what's good for you, step down voluntarily."
"What are you saying, Hilda? The legends say you are nothing like this! Your behavior will break the great god Odin's heart!"
"Still spouting such soft words? It seems my expectations for you were too high." Hilda frowned.
"In those days and nights spent praying to Odin, I came to understand one truth: this world is ultimately governed by the strong. And I am clearly a stronger queen than you, and my God Warriors are stronger than your weak and powerless Saints. Naturally, this world should be ruled by me!"
Seemingly having no intention of wasting more words with Athena, Hilda waved her hand. The ring on her ring finger resonated with her Cosmo, erupting with a terrifying power far exceeding what came before.
Saori Kido gripped the scepter in her hand, preparing to call upon her Cosmo for a desperate struggle.
"That's enough. No need to force yourself. You've done very well today," someone said softly.
Saori Kido was casually pushed aside by a hand. The moment she saw him, the tension in her heart instantly eased.
That person stepped out from the shadow behind Saori Kido, his other hand... completely open, as if to grasp the inverted universe above in his palm!
He took Saori Kido's hand, and the power bearing down on them stopped before him. The power was transformed, the power was dismantled, and it returned in the form of light before Hilda.
"—Sunlight Refraction!"
A defensive combat technique specializing against energy, its unique mechanism could even qualify it to contend for the title of the strongest defense. Its effect is to convert an enemy's attack into light and return it. Seiya had mastered it long ago, but only now was he able to fully unleash its true power.
This is because the combat technique does not have an unlimited counterattack; its condition is based on the limit of what Seiya can currently counter. It's impossible for a Bronze Saint to use this move to counter an attack from the Sun God Apollo.
To be safe, Seiya squeezed Saori Kido's hand, borrowing Athena's Cosmo. He redirected this overwhelming power, returning it to the astonished Hilda.
Two powers from the same source clashed once more. The suppressive force from Gaia also continuously injected itself into the rules of the confrontation, preventing this power from expanding without limit. Finally, Hilda completely shifted her attention to the man standing beside Athena.
In fact, she had noticed him from the beginning, even long before. But it was only now that she truly took this man seriously.
"God Warrior Seiya, you should not be standing by her side," Hilda said suddenly.
But the power of the ring on her left ring finger was fully unleashed, and for a moment she was somewhat unable to suppress the power of Odin she already possessed within her body. After panting for a few breaths, Hilda cast a somewhat malicious gaze at Saori Kido.
"You naturally wicked reincarnation of Athena, you have angered me. I originally wanted to take over this land peacefully, but now, your actions have made me lose that thought. Prepare to welcome a new world submerged by the oceans!"
After saying this, the rainbow beneath her feet once again erupted with immense power, its seven-colored light illuminating the heavens and earth.
When the light faded, the figures of Hilda and the God Warriors had vanished, including the Black Tiger Syd who had been defeated by Seiya. All that remained was a turbulent and shattered Sanctuary.
Saori Kido's raised right hand slowly fell.
Her mind was filled with doubts. Why would Hilda, who was always known for her love of peace and protection of nature, become like this? What was the deal with that sinister Cosmo? And why did she mention the oceans submerging the world before she left?
"It seems I must investigate this thoroughly," Saori Kido resolved.
She dispatched the Crystal Saint and Aldebaran to Northern Europe to investigate the situation, while the remaining Gold Saints guarded the Sanctuary. After making the arrangements, she declared a state of high alert for the Sanctuary.
In the Land of the Gods, at the snow-covered Valhalla Palace, Queen Hilda reappeared.
Following close behind were seven God Warriors.
"Get up, you disgrace!" The leader of the God Warriors, Dubhe Siegfried, kicked the figure on the ground.
And that was none other than the defeated Mizar Black Tiger Syd.
"Your mission was to ascertain the strength of the Gold Saints, why did you attack Athena?!"
"I... I just didn't expect...!" Syd tried to explain, but an immense Cosmo pressed down on him, forcing him to his knees.
The other six God Warriors had no objections to this disgraceful display.
"Although that reincarnation of the goddess Athena, Saori Kido, is merely mediocre, her Saints don't seem to be the weaklings we presumed," Megrez Alberich said slowly.
He was the strategist among the God Warriors, calmly analyzing the situation.
"Especially that Saint, Seiya. I originally thought the rumors were exaggerated, but he's even stronger than they claimed. It would be very troublesome if we were to launch a direct assault on the Sanctuary," said Merak Hagen.
"Troublesome is an understatement. To be precise, currently, not a single one among the God Warriors is his match. We would need multiple fighters to defeat him."
"It matters not," Hilda's voice rang out, breaking the God Warriors' discussion.
The Queen had spoken, and the discussion ceased. Their gazes turned to their great sovereign.
"I will melt the glaciers and completely submerge the world. So, we can achieve our plan without having to fight," Hilda said, a strange light glinting in her eyes. "As for that Pegasus Seiya, leave him to me. Perhaps..."
"You can make Seiya an ally? As expected of Lady Hilda, how amazing!" Megrez Alberich exclaimed in pleasant surprise, though a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes.
Hilda let out a cold snort. She didn't say it was certain, but she was very confident in herself. Because that warrior named Seiya should, in fact, be hers! The ring on her left ring finger once again flashed with a faint light, as if responding to her thoughts.
With the tasks assigned, the God Warriors accepted their orders.
And she returned to her soft, large bed. Having not slept for a long time, she now willingly entered the land of dreams.
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