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"Welcome back," Saori greeted the returning Bronze Saints, her voice gentle.
However, their faces were grim. Ikki was dead, and the Gold Cloth, though partially recovered, had been stolen by unknown assailants.
Their mission had been a disaster.
"I'm saddened by Ikki's death. He had finally overcome his hatred, only to be taken from us before he could truly—live," Saori said, her voice filled with genuine sorrow. She had witnessed their battle through Mika's shared vision.
Shun's tears flowed freely.
"But we must carry on, bearing his memory—his will, within our hearts."
"Yes, Miss Saori," he replied, his voice choked with emotion.
Mika, observing their grief, shook his head inwardly. Ikki…dead? Impossible.
He knew Ikki's tenacity, his will to survive. Even if Shun, the reincarnation of Hades, perished, Mika doubted Ikki would fall so easily.
However—he maintained a somber facade, joining in their mourning.
After a moment of silence, Seiya presented Saori with the Gold Cloth's headpiece, the only piece they had managed to recover.
"I'm sorry, Miss Saori. We failed to retrieve the Gold Cloth."
"It's not your fault. I know what happened. Your enemies were—underhanded. They waited until you were exhausted from your battle with Ikki, then ambushed you. But they didn't anticipate that the Sagittarius Gold Cloth would remain in our possession," she said, turning to Mika.
They all looked at him expectantly.
"Don't worry. I know its location. However, now isn't the right time to retrieve it," he said with a smile.
"Why not?" Seiya asked.
"Those Saints buried under the rubble are still alive. They've escaped and have the other eight pieces. However, they have—another objective."
"What objective?" they asked, their curiosity piqued.
"They intend to assassinate Miss Saori," he said seriously.
"What?!" They were stunned.
"Why? Because of the Galaxian Wars?" Seiya asked, unable to think of any other reason.
"That's part of it, but not the entire truth." Mika met their gazes one by one.
"It's because Miss Saori—is the reincarnation of Athena." He had finally decided to reveal her true identity. It was necessary.
In the original story, Saori's awakening had been a gradual process, revealed much later. However, with her awakening having occurred earlier in this timeline, a conflict with Saga was inevitable.
Therefore, it was best to inform Seiya and the others now—After all, a Saint's power was amplified when fighting for Athena.
With this knowledge—their growth would likely accelerate even further.
"Athena?!"
They were shocked.
As Saints, they knew of Athena, but she was supposed to be in Sanctuary. They couldn't comprehend this revelation.
Just then, a gentle wave of Cosmo enveloped them, calming their minds, and a single thought echoed within them: This is Athena's Cosmo…
Even without prior experience, they recognized the Divine Energy. It resonated with their own Cosmo.
They turned to Saori, their faces filled with awe, and knelt.
"Goddess Athena!" Despite their friendship, they couldn't help but show their reverence.
She was no longer simply Saori Kido, the heiress to the Graad Foundation, but Athena—the Goddess who had protected their world since time immemorial.
"Please, Rise. There's no need for such formalities. Just call me Saori," she said, helping them to their feet.
"Thirteen years ago, the current Pope assassinated his predecessor and attempted to kill Athena, who had just been reborn in Sanctuary," Mika explained.
"However, Aiolos, the Sagittarius Gold Saint and a candidate for Pope, discovered his treachery and rescued her. The current Pope then framed Aiolos, accusing him of attempting to assassinate Athena, and sent the Gold Saints after him. Although Aiolos escaped, he was mortally wounded. He entrusted Athena to Mitsumasa Kido, revealing the truth about Sanctuary. This is why he gathered orphans from all over Japan and sent them to train around the world. He hoped that one day, you would return to Sanctuary with Athena and reclaim her rightful place."
Seiya and the others were stunned, then a wave of understanding washed over them.
Mika's explanation, though fantastical—made sense. It explained why the Graad Foundation possessed a Gold Cloth.
They had discussed this among themselves, unable to comprehend how such a sacred treasure, meant to be protected within Sanctuary, had ended up in their possession.
Now they knew: it was The Sagittarius Gold Saint who had saved Athena, entrusted the Cloth to Mitsumasa Kido along with the Goddess herself.
And the Galaxian Wars, the selection of a new Sagittarius Saint—was all part of Kido's plan to protect and prepare Athena for her return to Sanctuary.
Everything clicked into place.
And despite the seemingly outlandish nature of the story, Saori's gentle Cosmo resonated with them, a silent confirmation of the truth.
——
Learning Saori's true identity filled them with a newfound sense of purpose, a heavy responsibility settling upon their shoulders.
Athena's safety was now paramount; it was linked to the fate of the world itself.
"Therefore, you must all become stronger," Mika said, addressing them in the newly constructed training ground behind the villa.
They nodded in agreement, eager to increase their power.
"It's good that you understand. But first, you need to know who your future opponents will be: the Gold Saints."
"The Gold Saints…?" Shiryu murmured. "While I suspected as much, hearing it confirmed—it's still rather daunting." Ever since they became Saints, they had heard tales of the Legendary Gold Saints, warriors whose power rivaled that of Gods.
"Indeed, the Gold Saints. Do you know what truly separates you from them, besides their Cloths?"
"What?" Seiya asked.
"Cosmo... Your Cosmo is currently at the Sixth Sense level, while theirs is at the Seventh Sense. You won't stand a chance against them unless you reach the Seventh Sense," Mika said seriously. It was a grim truth.
"The Seventh Sense…" They repeated the words, their eyes filled with a newfound determination.
"However," Mika continued, a playful grin spreading across his face, "Your current Cosmo hasn't even reached the peak of the Sixth Sense. You're not ready for the Seventh yet."
As he said, they weren't ready. He had mentioned the Seventh Sense to broaden their horizons, to give them a goal to strive for—a deeper understanding of the path ahead.
"He's right," Shiryu said, shaking his head. He knew better than to aim for something beyond his reach. One had to take things one step at a time.
Seiya, Hyoga, and Shun also quickly regained their composure, their gazes fixed on Mika, hoping for guidance. He was happy to oblige. After all, this was his purpose.
"Your first objective is to reach the level of a Silver Saint. They will be your primary opponents in the upcoming battles. Only then will you be strong enough to protect Athena."
"What about the Gold Saints? What if they attack?" Seiya asked.
"You don't need to worry about them. Someone else will handle them," Mika replied with a smile.
They immediately thought of Mu, the Gold Saint of Aries. After all, Mika had stated that only a Gold Saint could defeat another Gold Saint.
And since he had mentioned someone else handling them, it meant they had a Gold Saint on their side. Since they hadn't heard of any other Gold Saints joining them, it had to be a recent recruit, like Mu.
After all, Mika had visited Jamir and spent time with him. And he knew Saori's true identity. Therefore, the only logical conclusion was that Mu was their hidden Gold Saint.
While their deduction wasn't entirely accurate, it was close enough.
"In Sanctuary, the Silver Saints are the primary force maintaining peace and fighting against evil. The Gold Saints rarely intervene, and the Bronze Saints are—well, they're still developing. Therefore, most of the legendary tales you hear about Saints are about the Silver Saints. This speaks volumes about their strength. Someone like Ikki, and his Black Saints, could be easily handled by a single Silver Saint."
He paused, seeing their grim expressions. "You need to train harder. Normally—a Saint's Cosmo improves through constant practice and battle. And I can certainly provide you with ample opportunities for both."
"However, you've all been fighting non-stop recently. Therefore, I've decided on a different approach. I want you to focus on refining your Cosmo, on mastering what you've already learned."
"But wouldn't that be too slow? We're short on time," Seiya interjected as soon as he finished speaking.
"Slow? I wouldn't call it slow." Mika grinned.
As he had said, they had been fighting too much, their Cosmo growing rapidly, but their potential was far greater.
With focused training and meditation—they could achieve even more, especially with the special training environment he had prepared.
"A Saint's Cosmo grows stronger during battle because your fighting spirit fuels it. But that's an explosive, unsustainable burst of power. Now—I want you to experience—sustained combustion." He raised his hand, and a golden vortex of energy appeared.
"What is that?" Seiya asked, sensing its power.
"Within this vortex are several pocket dimensions I've created: a Volcano, a Desert, the Depths of the Ocean, a poisonous forest—incredibly harsh environments."
"These are your new training grounds."
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