Above the ruins of Atlantis, the seawater was stagnant due to two powerful Cosmos.
Li Yu, clad in the aquarius god cloth, had the divine light sash on his back fluttering in the wind, and ice crystal light dust swirling around his body.
Poseidon, holding his golden trident, was enveloped in an indigo divine light, and the residual power of his divine domain still reverberated in the deep sea.
The two stood facing each other in mid-air, their auras waxing and waning, as golden and blue light intertwined in the sky, forming a clear boundary.
To everyone's surprise, Li Yu did not make another move.
He was silent for a moment, a flicker of deliberation in his dark eyes, then he raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable power.
"Do you still want to fight, Poseidon?"
As his words fell, a brief silence descended upon the deep sea.
Everyone could feel that the collision between the Ocean Requiem and the Divine Lightning of Destruction had triggered the planetary protection oath established by the ancient gods.
If the battle continued, Li Yu and Poseidon, as divine-level powerhouses, might survive, but the Saints, Marines, and even all living beings on the entire planet would be severely wounded by the aftershocks.
Atlantis might even sink completely to the bottom of the sea, destroyed in one battle.
Li Yu knew that even if he could defeat Poseidon, at most he would only seal him again.
He had not yet mastered the power to completely obliterate these gods.
More importantly, Poseidon was not the Saints' mortal enemy.
Compared to Athena ruling the land, at least the people of the ocean were still living beings.
But if it were Hades, the land would be swallowed by the Underworld, and all living creatures would become undead, an outcome that Poseidon, who regarded the ocean as his divine domain, could never accept.
"You should know that Hades is about to return!"
Li Yu paused, his gaze sweeping over the injured crowd below, his tone becoming more solemn.
"I don't want to waste power on meaningless internal strife, and besides..."
He looked at Poseidon, his eyes showing a hint of sincerity.
"Your divine power has recovered less than a tenth; even if I defeat you, it would be an unfair victory."
"Hmph!"
Poseidon snorted, a complex divine light flashing in his golden eyes.
He could clearly feel that at this moment, Li Yu, wearing the God Cloth, had a Cosmo intensity almost on par with his own.
From ancient times until now, he had never seen a Saint grow to such an extent.
Poseidon subconsciously looked back at Saori Kido, who was still frozen in the Life Pillar, thinking to himself.
This generation's Athena seemed gentle, yet she could cultivate such powerful subordinates; she was more cunning than her predecessors.
If the fight continued, and another Gold Saint appeared who was as strong as Li Yu, then... And Li Yu was right, if he and Athena fought to a mutual defeat, the one to benefit would be his elder brother Hades.
What I cannot have, Hades, you shall not have either!
Finally, Poseidon's grip on the trident loosened slightly.
In the Life Pillar, the ice crystals freezing Saori Kido suddenly shattered with a crash, pouring out as cold seawater.
Saori Kido's delicate body went limp, her face as pale as paper, collapsing onto the cold ground.
"Miss Saori!"
Seiya exclaimed, rushing forward, carefully helping her up, his fingertips trembling as he checked her breath, and only after confirming she was still breathing did he sigh in relief.
Li Yu's expression remained unchanged; Saori Kido wouldn't die, her life was more tenacious than even the Bronze Five.
While Seiya and the others were busy tending to Saori Kido, he transmitted a message to Poseidon.
"Sea Emperor, may I have a word with you?"
Poseidon's expression was unmoving; he was silent for a moment, but eventually nodded slightly.
Golden shields simultaneously lit up around both of them, with divine runes flowing on the shields, isolating all prying eyes and divine senses.
Li Yu slowly began.
"On behalf of the Goddess Athena and all Saints, I propose an alliance with the Marines to jointly resist the Hades!"
Li Yu went straight to the point, his voice calm, as if discussing a trivial matter.
Upon hearing this, Poseidon's facial expression instantly lost control, and he exclaimed in surprise.
"What? You want to form an alliance with me? Are you mad?"
In his memory, Saints and Marines had been sworn enemies since ancient times; an alliance was simply a fantasy.
Li Yu chuckled, a hint of confidence in his eyes.
"What, Sea Emperor, do you not believe in my sincerity, or do you not acknowledge my ability?"
Poseidon's face twisted slightly, as he quickly weighed his options.
The five Bronze Saintss were already able to contend equally with the seven Marina Generalss.
Li Yu, moreover, had matched a god with a human body, and he had heard that there were other powerful Gold Saints in the Sanctuary, such as Shaka and Saga.
If another powerhouse of Li Yu's caliber appeared, even if his divine power fully recovered, he might not gain an advantage.
More importantly, the threat of Hades was imminent; if they didn't unite, the ocean would eventually be encroached upon by the Underworld, completely becoming a dead zone.
The situation was pressing; in the ancient war, his divine soul was severely wounded, and it would take at least another two hundred years to fully recover.
After a long pause, Poseidon's face was grim, his voice low like a deep-sea current.
"Very well, I hope you do not break your word."
"I won't."
Li Yu raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly.
"As long as I am in the Sanctuary, Sea Emperor, you can rest assured!"
"Hmph, I hope so."
The two dispelled their golden shields, and Li Yu turned to face the crowd, his clear and forceful words echoing through Atlantis.
"I have reached an agreement with Sea Emperor, and from this moment forth, the Saints and Marines shall form an alliance to jointly confront the resurgence of Hades!"
These words were like a thunderclap, instantly shattering the oppressive calm of the underwater battlefield!
Seiya, who was half-kneeling, supporting the unconscious Saori Kido, suddenly looked up, his pupils widening in extreme astonishment.
He subconsciously wanted to say something, his lips slightly parted, but no sound came out, and he stood frozen as if petrified.
The expressions on the faces of Hyoga, Shiryu, Shun, Ikki, and the others instantly solidified.
Hyoga's azure eyes were filled with disbelief, that shock almost overshadowing his fatigue.
Beneath Shiryu's tightly furrowed brows, his resolute face was also filled with surprise and doubt, as if he questioned whether he was in an illusion.
Shura, Aphrodite, and the newly awakened Camus also could not hide their astonishment. The composure on their faces instantly crumbled, replaced by deep confusion and bewilderment.
Camus even felt as if he was dreaming... Saints and Marines forming an alliance?
Am I crazy, or is the world crazy!
The seven Marina Generalss, who had just been fighting desperately against the Saints to protect the Sea Emperor and the Seven Sea Pillars, now had expressions that could only be described as horrified.
Their Emperor, the great Sea Emperor Poseidon, actually allied with their mortal enemies, the Saints?
This news completely overturned everyone's cognitive system.
Sorento's hand unconsciously loosened, and his flute clattered to the cold floor.
Kanon gasped in shock, his body involuntarily retreating half a step from the surprise.
Isaac's eyes also widened, his mouth slightly agape, his face filled with extreme confusion, bewilderment, and a sense of a collapsing worldview.
Is Master that strong, that he even made the Sea Emperor sign an alliance with him?
The battlefield, which had been completely reduced to ruins around the Life Pillar, seemed to be under a spell at this moment, falling into a complete, suffocating silence.
The Cosmo that had been burning moments ago instantly stagnated, and even the air seemed to solidify.
Hostility, wariness, anger... all these surging emotions were shattered by the word 'alliance,' replaced by an overwhelming and all-encompassing shock.
Every face, whether Saint or Marine, lost its proper expression, leaving only dumbfounded astonishment.
Everyone's gaze, by unspoken agreement, focused on Li Yu and Poseidon, who had just removed their shields and stood side-by-side, seeking an explanation or confirmation for this incredible scene.
Poseidon, if you're being held hostage by Li Yu, just blink!