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"Mika!" Seeing him, Seiya, Shiryu, and Shun, who had been preparing to face Shura and Camus, rushed over.
"Mika, you have to help Hyoga! He's dying!" Shun cried, carrying Hyoga towards him.
"Calm down, Shun. He'll be fine," Mika reassured him with a smile, then knelt beside Hyoga, placing a hand on his chest.
As he channeled his Cosmo—color returned to Hyoga's pale face—and his weakening heartbeat stabilized.
"He's stable now. He'll be fine. His body is healed, but his consciousness is still—drifting. It will take time for him to awaken. Carry him with you," Mika instructed, standing up.
"I'll carry him," Shun offered.
Mika nodded—then turned his attention to Shura and Camus, who had been observing them.
They hadn't attacked while Mika was healing Hyoga, not out of any sense of honor, but because they had been momentarily stunned by his sudden appearance and the power he radiated.
Aiolia's protective presence beside him had also been a deterrent. Besides, they didn't consider a single Bronze Saint—even a healed one, a significant threat.
Therefore, they had held back, observing Mika, curious about his abilities. After all—he was a Gold Saint-level warrior; they couldn't afford to be careless.
"Aiolia, I thought you perished during your battle against the Evil God's champion. Why are you here—on 'their' side?" Shura asked, breaking the silence.
Shura and Camus knew Aiolia was now their enemy; he had been watching them intently, ready to attack if they made a move.
"I only returned to Athena's side," Aiolia replied firmly. "The current Pope is an imposter—Saga of Gemini. Thirteen years ago, he attempted to assassinate Athena—but my brother, Aiolos, stopped him and escaped with her. You encountered him, Shura. You—injured him. And he died soon afterward. However, I don't blame you. You were deceived by Saga. My vengeance is reserved for the one who sits upon the Pope's throne."
Shura hesitated—hearing Aiolia's earnest words.
Unlike the Bronze Saints' claims, which he had easily dismissed—Aiolia, a fellow Gold Saint, carried more weight.
Moreover, several other Gold Saints—Mu, Master Dohko, and now Aiolia—seemed to be involved. Perhaps there were others as well.
Shura couldn't believe a few Bronze Saints could have reached this far alone. If that were the true strength of the Gold Saints, the other Gods would have conquered Earth long ago.
This suggested that the Gold Saints guarding the earlier temples had—allowed them to pass. And then he remembered Milo—who had been recovering from his injuries when he and Camus passed through Scorpio.
If Aiolia wasn't dead—then Milo's return with his "Corpse" and the stolen Cloths…was highly suspicious.
Shura felt a chill run down his spine as he pieced together the events. This wasn't a simple rebellion by a few Bronze Saints but a full-blown coup, involving nearly half of the Gold Saints.
He no longer knew whether he was a loyal protector of Sanctuary or a defender of a traitor. But he knew he couldn't let them pass. If they were traitors—even the slightest possibility of Athena, residing in the first temple, being harmed was unacceptable.
He couldn't allow that to happen.
However, If she was truly at the foot of the mountain—as they claimed, then perhaps his death here could atone for his past sins.
After all, hadn't 'He' been the one who had attacked Aiolos when he tried to escape with Athena thirteen years ago?
His resolve hardened.
He would die here, defending Sanctuary.
Shura Cosmo ignited, burning fiercely, its intensity growing as he prepared to sacrifice everything for Athena.
"Shura…?" Camus, sensing the surge of power from his friend and comrade, was startled. They knew each other well.
He instantly understood Shura's intentions.
"Then I can't stand idly by, can I?" Camus also burned his Cosmo, ready to join his friend in his final stand. He had been prepared to die, hoping to impart one last lesson to Hyoga before his demise.
'But dying alongside a friend…that's not so bad,' Camus thought with a smile.
Mika, observing their burning Cosmos, couldn't help but feel a sense of…exasperation. This wasn't what he had planned. He had known, sensing their approach at Libra, that their plan to remain hidden was compromised.
Facing two Gold Saints, Seiya, Shiryu, and Shun wouldn't be able to pass. He and Aiolia would have to intervene. Besides—the battle of the Twelve Temples was nearing its end. The only remaining Gold Saint who hadn't participated yet was Aphrodite of Pisces. A direct confrontation was now their best option.
"Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, take Hyoga and go. Continue your journey. We'll handle this." Mika Cosmo ignited as he spoke, his fighting spirit burning.
He wasn't afraid of a fight; in fact, he relished it. And facing Shura, a warrior prepared to sacrifice everything, ignited his own excitement.
———
Within Sanctuary, four Cosmos, blazing with power—Mika's, Aiolia's, Shura's, and Camus's—clashed.
"That's—Mika and the others!" Milo, recovering from his injuries in Scorpio, emerged from his temple and looked towards Libra, sensing the surge of power.
He returned to his temple and retrieved a vial—a special Potion created by Airmid, combining her knowledge from various worlds.
Its potency was dozens of times greater than that of a normal Potion. She had crafted it specifically for Mika, worried about his safety in these dangerous worlds without her to heal him. However, Mika, thanks to his foreknowledge of these worlds' dangers, had never needed it until now.
Facing Saga, any deception would be quickly exposed. Therefore, Milo's injury had to be—convincing.
However, Mika and Aiolia would eventually need his help. Therefore, he had given Milo the Potion, to be used only in a dire situation. If they reached Scorpio without incident, Mika—with his own healing abilities, could heal Milo directly. However, if they were delayed, Milo would need to recover quickly and join the fight. This potion was his backup plan.
He consumed the potion, and the wound on his abdomen vanished instantly. He felt his strength returning, his Cosmo surging as he donned his Cloth. He touched the spot where the Golden Arrow had struck him.
"I'll have Mu repair this later. Such a blemish on my Cloth…it's unsightly." He grinned and headed towards Libra. He wasn't going to face Saga alone. He would join Mika and Aiolia in their battle against Shura and Camus.
Minimizing casualties among the Gold Saints was their top priority, a strategy agreed upon by Mika and Saori before the start of their campaign.
———
"I'VE BEEN DECEIVED!!" Saga, watching from the Pope's chambers, clenched his fists in anger. For thirteen years—he had maintained his elaborate charade, deceiving everyone.
He was the deceiver, not the deceived.
He quickly analyzed the situation, piecing together the events that had led to this.
"They've—outsmarted me. Fortunately, I sent Shura and Camus. Otherwise, I'd have no chance of recovery." But he still had hope.
"Someone! Inform Aphrodite! Have him go to Libra to assist Shura and Camus!"
"Yes, Your Holiness!" A guard rushed off to relay his command.
Saga knew that Aphrodite was at his strongest within his own temple, Pisces, surrounded by his poisonous roses. It was one of the most dangerous temples in Sanctuary.
However, this wasn't the time for such considerations.
The battle in Libra could determine the outcome of the entire war. And Milo, who he now knew had faked his injuries, could tip the scales.
He had to send reinforcements.
As for why he didn't go himself?
If he intervened directly, they would undoubtedly focus their attacks on him. And to defend himself, he would have to unleash his full power, revealing his true identity. Then, he would be facing the combined might of all the Gold Saints.
Saga couldn't risk that, not yet.
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