At the peak of Lushan Waterfall, cracks split the fabric of space, shattering open with a thunderous explosion. Within the pitch-black dimensional rift stood a towering fortress, surrounded by vengeful spirits and shrouded in a haze of death. Echoes of sorrowful wails drifted through the air—any ordinary person who heard them would have their soul instantly drawn away.
The tower trembled violently as one malevolent star after another broke free from its confinement.
"This is bad! The seal has been broken! My lord, please leave at once!"
Understanding that the collapse of the tower signified the arrival of the Holy War—and that Sanctuary was clearly unprepared—Dohko knew he had only one option: to burn his entire Cosmos to mend and reinforce the seal, buying time for Athena's forces.
Yet, Mairin remained unbothered. He placed a firm hand on Dohko's shoulder, extinguishing his burning Cosmos with ease.
"No need to worry. With me here, these mere demon stars won't be causing any trouble."
For a moment, Dohko was stunned. The figure before him radiated an overwhelming presence—Mairin's composed, commanding aura seemed as though it alone could uphold the heavens and the earth. His words carried the weight of divine decree, and wherever he stood, all was compelled to submit.
Meanwhile, in the shattered dimension, the opening of the portal acted as a beacon, guiding the sinister entities toward the world of the living.
"Hah! Those weaklings from the Buddhist sect actually managed to do it!"
"Hahaha! We're finally returning to the human realm!"
"Lord Hades, just wait a little longer—we'll be there soon!"
"For Lord Hades, we shall claim the land of the dead!"
"This time, Sanctuary and Athena will not stand in our way! Victory belongs to the Underworld Army!"
As their frenzied voices echoed, the malevolent stars surged toward the portal. But just as they were about to break through into the human world, they suddenly halted.
"M-Mairin…?"
"No way! Wasn't he sealed away?"
"This can't be real! It's impossible!"
"Mairin… has awakened… What should we do?"
The memory of that towering figure, dual swords in hand, resurfaced in their minds. Overwhelming terror seeped into their Cosmos, paralyzing them.
"What are you afraid of?" A deep voice rang out from one of the three largest demon stars in the crowd.
"L-Lord Rhadamanthys…"
"Are you all blind? Can't you see he's still gravely injured?" Rhadamanthys barked.
"If we charge together, he won't be able to stop all of us! As long as even a few of us make it through, we'll have a better chance!" another voice, belonging to Minos, urged.
"Yes… Minos is right!"
"No matter how strong Mairin is, there's no way he has recovered!"
"Charge! We must break free!"
Despite their fear, the demon stars rallied and rushed toward the portal once more.
Yet Mairin merely smirked. He made no move, his hands still resting behind his back. After all… they were still within the domain of the Divine Forbidden Zone.
"Mairin, my lord!" Dohko's alarm grew as he saw Mairin's inaction. A dreadful thought crossed his mind—had Mairin been the one to orchestrate the premature unsealing?
"Calm yourself, Dohko," Mairin reassured him. "Have you forgotten where we are?"
Dohko blinked in realization. His anxious expression faded instantly.
"Do you think Athena chose this location for the seal by chance?" Mairin chuckled.
Dohko lowered his gaze, scolding himself for his momentary panic. He had forgotten that this was the land of an ancient, powerful nation—one guarded by formidable restrictions. Those of pure heart were unaffected by these divine constraints, but the 108 Demon Stars? They were another matter entirely.
Just as Mairin predicted, the moment the first few demon stars broke past the seal, dark clouds blanketed the sky. A storm raged, and bolts of violet lightning rained down upon the escapees.
"AHHHH!!"
"What is this—?! AAAHH!!"
"This lightning… it's not ordinary—AHHHH!!"
Watching the cascading divine thunder, Mairin was reminded of an ancient legend—the Violet Heaven Divine Lightning. One of the three supreme divine thunders, it was said to be wielded by the Grand Supreme Elder Lord himself. A full descent of seventy-two layers of this celestial lightning could obliterate gods and erase worlds.
"What's happening?! Why is this lightning so powerful?!" the last of the great demon stars, Aiacos, roared. Unlike ordinary lightning, this storm inflicted actual harm upon them—even he felt its lethal force.
"Hah. I forgot to mention," Mairin said with a smirk. "This place… is part of the Divine Forbidden Zone."
"What?! This is the Divine Forbidden Zone?!"
"No wonder! No wonder the lightning is so terrifying!"
"Athena is cunning! She sealed us in this place on purpose!"
"Damn it! What do we do now? Lord Hades is waiting for us!"
Rhadamanthys, Minos, and Aiacos projected their spectral forms before the exit, their eyes—though unseen—undoubtedly burning with hatred and rage.
"Mairin! You think we have no other options?"
"We'll have you know—Buddhism has already pledged allegiance to Lord Hades. It's only a matter of time before we return!"
"When that day comes, you and your Sanctuary will perish! Lord Hades will lead us to ultimate victory!"
The revelation struck Dohko with horror, soon replaced by fury. The Buddhist sect… had allied with the Underworld?! Weren't they supposed to be the ones who sought to save the world and deliver all beings from suffering? If this was true, then Sanctuary was in greater danger than ever.
The last Holy War had been devastating enough against the Underworld Army alone. If the Buddhist sect had joined their ranks, then Sanctuary stood no chance.
Yet, Mairin merely chuckled. "Oh? You think I didn't know?"
"What?!" The demon stars—and even Dohko—were shocked.
"Not only did I know," Mairin continued, his voice laced with amusement, "but I also have good news for you. On my way here, I killed the Four Heavenly Kings—shattered their souls beyond repair."
"WHAT?! The Four Heavenly Kings are dead?!"
"No! He must be lying!"
"The Four Heavenly Kings may not match the Three Judges, but they're far stronger than us! There's no way—"
"Heh. I don't need you to believe me. Soon enough, the truth will reveal itself. Now… back to your wretched prison!"
With that, Mairin's Cosmos erupted. The tranquil landscape vanished, replaced by a boundless, shimmering galaxy, with him at its core.
Blinding golden light burst forth, bombarding the portal. The closest demon stars shrieked in agony as the radiant energy scorched them, forcing them to retreat. In terror, they scrambled back toward the very prison they had just escaped—the loathsome tower they so despised.
The dimensional rift sealed once more. With graceful strokes of his fingers, Mairin inscribed sacred symbols upon the sky, each one radiating divine power.
"Eighty-Eight Starseal Binding."
The arcane symbols found their rightful places, locking the demon stars away once again.
"Hah…" Mairin exhaled, his face slightly pale. The technique had drained him significantly.
"My lord, are you all right?" Dohko asked, elated yet concerned.
"I'm fine. It was a heavy expenditure, but worth it. This seal will hold for at least seventy years."
"Seventy years?! That's incredible!" Dohko nearly leapt for joy.
Mairin, however, knew that if he had been at full strength, this prison would have lasted indefinitely. Athena herself, without interference, could have sealed them away for millennia.
But that was the past.
Now, new battles awaited.
And the next chapter of fate lay across the distant sea.