When Saori Kido walked into the Sea God's Temple, she saw Poseidon, the Sea King, sitting on his divine throne with a grim expression, clutching his trident tightly.
The failure of the Cosmos confrontation did not affect Poseidon much; after all, it was merely a clash of aura.
However, his completely overwhelmed Cosmos told Poseidon that his current strength was absolutely no match for Athena! Especially as he watched Athena walk in, fully armored in her Cloth, holding her scepter and shield.
Just as the Gold Cloths of the Saints are superior to the Scales of the Atlantis and the Surplices of the Underworld, Athena's Cloth, shield, and the Staff of Victory are unparalleled in quality across Mount Olympus.
It is known that in myths and legends, Athena was born fully armed; according to Eastern beliefs, her armor, weapons, and shield were her innate spiritual treasures, and with the subsequent refinement by the God of Fire, they were definitely much stronger than the God Scale worn by the Sea King.
With his Cosmos crushed, his armor inferior, and his own awakening incomplete, Poseidon saw no way he could win.
However, he wouldn't concede defeat in spirit; due to the shock, the speed of Poseidon's Cosmos awakening greatly accelerated, and Julian's consciousness was suppressed even further. Naturally, there was no mention of a marriage proposal now.
"Athena, how dare you trespass into my domain?! I haven't forgotten the hatred for being sealed by you for so many years!"
Saori Kido spoke with a serious expression, "That was because you intended to flood the entire Earth! Tell me, Poseidon! Having broken free from the seal, have you still not changed your mind?"
Poseidon chuckled lightly and said, "Why should I change my mind? Furthermore, the Queen of Asgard, whom I controlled, was rescued by your people, wasn't she? If that's the case, isn't my intention obvious?"
With that, Poseidon suddenly stood up, pulling out the trident in his hand. "Come, Athena! Let us once again contend over who is the true ruler of the Earth!"
... "Twelve Zodiac Exclamation!"
With a sharp cry from Athena, Poseidon, the Sea King, flew backward, smashing through the Sea God Temple, and continued flying for several hundred meters. With a loud crash, he hit the Central Pillar of Life in the Atlantis, then fell down, bloody and bruised, collapsing onto the ground.
His trident spun a dozen times in the air before plunging into the ground right in front of him with a clang, narrowly missing its master and sparing him three transparent holes.
"Are you kidding me? He talked such a big game, only to be instantly knocked flat the moment they started fighting? That's clearly just bravado, isn't it?"
Seiya, standing behind Athena and feeling utterly useless as a bodyguard, couldn't help but complain.
"Poseidon, the Sea King, is a first-rank deity who rules the entire ocean. Logically, he should be comparable to Goddess Athena..." Hyoga also looked speechless. "Perhaps... it's because his human vessel is too weak?"
"The Sea King Poseidon hasn't fully awakened yet," Shin immediately shook his head. 'In the manga, Saori Kido, before she fully awakened, was even captured by a Silver Saint! It shows that the gods aren't instantly omnipotent the moment they wake up.'
However, being thrashed by a fellow chief god was clearly a shortcut to awakening the Cosmos. After taking that blow, the Sea King Poseidon's Cosmos instantly began to rise endlessly.
"Damn you!" Slowly rising, the Sea King Poseidon, covered in blood, grabbed the trident stuck in the ground. "Athena, I will make you pay!"
Saori Kido, or rather, Athena, offered no response. Her figure moved like lightning, and the Staff of Victory in her hand thrust out like a spear.
With a grinding sound, the trident finally managed to block the Staff of Victory, but the gap in their Cosmos still forced Poseidon back several steps. Athena did not press her advantage; instead, she stood there calmly, watching Poseidon.
"Hurry up and awaken. I've given you a chance, Poseidon!"
This was true; Athena's initial Twelve Zodiac Exclamation had not used Athena's full Cosmos, but rather had been launched by Saori Kido using her Eighth Sense Cosmos.
Otherwise, if she had used a full-power ultimate attack right away, the current Sea King Poseidon would already be looking for a new reincarnation—the God Scale might only be half-destroyed, but Julian's body would likely be shattered to pieces.
After taking a beating, the Sea King's Cosmos did indeed awaken significantly more, and after hearing Athena's words, his shame spurred his entire divine soul to awaken another large degree.
Shutting his mouth, no longer engaging in verbal sparring, and knowing that anything he said now would only bring humiliation, the Sea King Poseidon charged toward Athena, brandishing his trident.
Clang, clang, clang. The two deities did not use any ultimate techniques but instead engaged in a direct martial arts contest on the plaza behind the temple.
During the fierce confrontation, Poseidon's divine soul was constantly awakening, and his Cosmos was continuously rising. He quickly reached his peak state, and Julian finally transformed completely into Poseidon.
With a roar, Poseidon, whose Cosmos had erupted, forced Athena back and spoke with utter confidence, "Athena, you shouldn't have allowed me to fully awaken. Now, the real battle begins!"
In response to the now confident Poseidon, Athena merely offered a slight smile, then instantly unleashed her divine Cosmos.
"Twelve Zodiac Exclamation!"
With a massive crash, in the exact same posture as before, Poseidon once again slammed headfirst into the Central Pillar of Life in the Atlantis, fell to the ground bloody and bruised, and his trident spun before plunging into the ground in front of him again. This time, even his God Scale was covered in cracks.
"No, impossible! How can the gap be this enormous?" This time, the Sea King Poseidon, who shakily rose to his feet, was truly stunned; his entire divine composure had completely broken down.
Although he had never won against Athena in the past, they were considered rivals of the same rank! Which time had Athena won without having to go through a fierce struggle?
Why was it that today, he was completely overwhelmed?
"Could it be because the reincarnation body was too severely injured? That suffering too many wounds before awakening affected my fighting strength?" Poseidon was so beaten that he was starting to make excuses for himself.
"Poseidon, concede defeat!" The fully armored Athena walked forward unhurriedly. "Abandon your ambition! The sea and the land are meant to be parallel lines that never intersect!"
"Damn it!" Poseidon slammed his trident down in a gesture of resignation. "Even if I failed this time, it means nothing! I will return!"
A god's divine soul is immortal; in twenty years, they are reborn as another hero. Such occurrences are countless. Even Hades, whose base was breached and true body destroyed in the original story, merely needed a longer time to resurrect, and due to the destruction of the Underworld, all his subordinates perished, save for the twin gods of Death and Sleep.
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Now available - Chapter 698: Finale (ENDING)