None of the Saints could believe what they were hearing. How could their own Athena possibly have married the Lord of the Underworld?
"Axis? Queen Athena?" Both the Saori of this world and the Goddess Pallas were stunned.
Saori in particular could not comprehend how another version of herself could have become some sort of queen, much less lead an army of Specters to attack her own world.
"Utter nonsense!" Mu of Aries roared.
"Despicable. To spread such a rumor is beyond shameful, a disgrace to our Goddess Athena."
"This is the height of cowardice."
"Shameless wretches, how dare you defile the great Guardian of the Earth, the Goddess Athena!" The Saints were roused into a fury.
The idea of their own goddess being wed was something they could never accept, not even if it were the goddess of another world.
"You want to die!" Ultraman's eyes blazed with crimson light, and his heat vision, fused with divine power and Kryptonian energy, erupted at astonishing speed.
The target was the Gold Saint standing beside Athena. After all, his master Axis had made it clear that Athena herself was not to be harmed.
Boom!
A golden wall of telekinetic force appeared before Athena. It was the signature technique of the Gold Saint of Aries, the Crystal Wall, said to defend against any attack and reflect it back with twice the force.
"You could never break through my defense–what?" Mu of Aries cried out in shock.
The pride of the Aries Gold Saint, the Crystal Wall, had been shattered into fragments by a single punch from the enemy, and that same punch was bearing down on him without losing an ounce of momentum.
At the critical moment, Athena brought forth her Golden Shield and successfully blocked Ultraman's blow.
Yet even upon the golden Shield of Athena, faint cracks had appeared. One could well imagine just how terrifying Ultraman's strength was, and this had not even been a full-force strike.
He had not even drawn upon the power of his Cosmo, yet he had already delivered such a devastating blow.
"Great God of Strength, there is no need for a Saint such as yourself to deal with trash like these. Leave them to us," the resurrected Specters said.
A warrior clad in the Wyvern Surplice spoke up.
The Specters Axis had resurrected this time were not those previously destroyed by Ultraman, but rather the Specters from the previous Holy War in the Lost Canvas era.
The Specters from the previous Holy War were clearly far more formidable. In particular, the Celestial Violent Star, Rhadamanthys, had first fought to mutual destruction with the previous generation's Scorpio Gold Saint in Atlantis.
In the end, before Hades Alone, he had torn out his own heart, had it infused with divine blood by the Lord of the Underworld, and ascended directly to a Divine Wyvern thanks to the blood of Hades.
When he faced the Leo Gold Saint Regulus, even when his opponent single-handedly unleashed the Gold Saints' Trinity technique...
Even when the Zodiacal Roar was unleashed, there had been no way to stop him. In the end, the little lion comprehended the power of nature itself and delivered a selfless strike that pierced through the Wyvern's heart.
And in his final moments, this warrior had launched an attack upon Alone, successfully freeing Athena. It could be said that the reason the Saints prevailed in the previous Holy War was largely due to the pivotal role played by this Divine Wyvern.
By comparison, this era's Wyvern, Rhadamanthys, fell far short. Within the walls of Hades Castle, relying on Hades' barrier, he had humiliated the Gold Saints who could only draw upon one-tenth of their strength. It was utterly disgraceful. The Three Magnates of the previous Holy War's underworld, along with the Heavenly Violent Star Kagaho of Benu and the others, were the truly worthy warriors.
Unfortunately, this time the Heavenly Violent Star had not been among the resurrected, for that man had already reincarnated as Athena's Saint, Phoenix Ikki.
The Specters resurrected from the previous Holy War had been bestowed with even greater power by Axis. The Three Magnates had even received divine blood.
Of course, this divine blood had been generously supplied by the corpse of Hades. He was in no position to refuse, after all, for the man was already dead. Axis's own divine blood was something ordinary warriors could never withstand. Even ordinary gods could not bear it.
"Tch, so fragile. I've no interest in playing with such small fry. I'll leave them to you, Rhadamanthys." Ultraman curled his lip, looking thoroughly dissatisfied.
Grail gave a cold snort and stepped forward, her gaze locked onto Pegasus Kouga, who had just charged at them in fury over his wounded comrade. "This little one is mine. His power is... interesting."
The light of the Omega Effect flared in her eyes. The Ancients had given her specific instructions: she was to take good care of this world's Pegasus. She was not to kill him, but to draw out his full combat strength.
It was said this one also carried the power of the Omega within him. She would see for herself.
Grail's power also enveloped Souma, Yuna, Ryuho, Eden, and the rest of Kouga's companions who had tried to rush to his aid, drawing them all into her battle zone. She intended to force out Kouga's true strength.
Lord Axis had said as much beforehand: to awaken the Omega Force, this boy and his companions had to be beaten relentlessly.
"Damn you, don't underestimate us."
"Let us show you the power of our friendship."
"Comrades, together!" The six young champions of the new generation charged as one at the Omega Goddess Grail.
"Amuse me well. I shan't kill you so easily." A crimson light gleamed in Grail's eyes.
Wielding an enormous axe-bladed scythe, she charged at the new generation of heroes.
Thanatos and Hypnos also bared cruel smiles and singled out the Four Heavenly Kings of the Pallasites respectively. "Now then, let us old ones test the mettle of these Pallasites. You are warriors of the Supreme God, warriors of Saturn. Do not disappoint us."
"Let me join in on the fun." Ultraman gave a cold snort and followed Thanatos and Hypnos to seek out the Pallasites.
Compared to these weakling Gold Saints, he was far more interested in facing the Four Heavenly Kings who wielded the Holy Swords. He wanted to see if their weapons could so much as wound his flesh.
Ultraman's body was exceedingly formidable. In a certain sense, even Divine Cloths meant virtually nothing to him.
Like a certain Dragon who was fond of stripping off his armor, the Divine Cloth had become something that restricted Ultraman's strength. Only when his Divine Cloth was destroyed could his combat power truly reach its peak.
"Greatest Caution!"
"Galactica Illusion!"
"Cosmic Marionette!"
The army of Specters roared as they charged at the Saints and Pallasites alike.
Indeed, this time their targets were not merely Athena's Saints. The Pallasites of Saturn were also prey for the Specters.
The situation had grown strange. What had originally been a battlefield between the Saints and the Pallasites had transformed into a three-way melee.
"My Saints, conserve your strength for now. Let the Specters and the Pallasites fight amongst themselves. The situation remains unclear, so we shall withdraw for the time being." Saori Kido spoke up immediately after surveying the battlefield.
From the moment this Holy War had begun, she had known that her sister was nothing more than a pawn, a puppet. And to be able to resurrect a god, especially a Tertiary deity...
As far as she knew, only an Absolute deity or the legendary Transcendent deities could accomplish such a feat. This war had been perilous from the very start. She had not even been certain of victory.
But now, with the Lord of the Underworld from another universe, and another version of herself, leading a host of gods and Specters into the battlefield, the tide had turned. This instead gave Athena an opportunity.
At Saori Kido's side stood five Gold Saints: Shaka of Virgo, Mu of Aries, Shiryu of Libra, Seiya of Sagittarius, and Harbinger of Taurus.
Of course, there was also a woman rushing toward the battlefield, the Gold Saint of Gemini. Saori was even considering whether she should have Hyoga don the Aquarius Gold Cloth and Ikki the Leo Gold Cloth, adding two more Gold Saints to their fighting force.
What had been a confrontation between two sides had, in an instant, descended into a chaotic and brutal three-way melee.
Atop the ruins of Pallas Castle, the radiance of Cosmo, the crimson of Omega, the death-stench and corpse-miasma of the Underworld, and the temporal Cosmo of the Pallasites collided and intertwined in a frenzy. The flames of war escalated in an instant.
And behind this chaos, Axis and Athena were drawing ever closer to the slumbering Creator. A hunt targeting an Absolute deity had quietly begun.
Far off at the edge of the galaxy, the Emperor of Mankind stood watch like a patient hunter, silently guarding time and keeping vigil for any variables that might arise, namely the avatar of the Supreme God, Saturn.
The flames of war at the Sanctuary were merely a feint to draw attention.
The true storm was brewing in the depths of the universe, within the primordial Chaos.
Whether Axis's path to ascension could advance upon the bones of an Absolute deity would be decided here.
Thanatos and Hypnos wore playful smiles as they each singled out two of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Pallasites.
"Great Sword Gallia? Seems mildly interesting. I do hope you'll be less dull than those Saints." Hypnos smiled lazily as he drifted toward Gallia, who wielded the massive Holy Sword, an invisible mental assault of slumber already spreading silently through the air.
"Graviton Lightning Blade? A grand name indeed. Come then, let me stretch my muscles." Thanatos gave a savage grin and charged straight at Aegaeon, who brandished the Cataclysmic Thunder Blade. His grey death Cosmo condensed into a solid shockwave that blasted forth.
Ultraman glanced at the two of them and gave a cold snort. These two always picked the easy targets. The two he was facing were clearly stronger.
But no matter. That made it more interesting, did it not?
Ultraman cracked his neck, his bones popping loudly, and strode toward the two strongest of the four: Titan, who wielded the Holy Sword Titan, and Hyperion, who gripped the Tenchi Destruction Blade
"You two look like the strongest of this lot." Ultraman grinned, baring a row of pale white teeth. "Come at me together. Let me warm up."
Titan's expression was grim as he held the Holy Sword Titan across his chest, the powers of creation and protection flowing along its blade. "Arrogant wretch! You dare challenge the two of us at once?"
Hyperion was even more enraged, destructive energy seething along the Tenchi Destruction Blade "You do not know death! Let me show you the true power of destruction!"
"Let me see these legendary warriors who command the power of time. Those Holy Swords of yours were all bestowed by Saturn, were they not?" Ultraman said, rolling his neck.
"What do you mean, warriors of Saturn? We are warriors of the Goddess Pallas. Do not mistake us." Titan of the Four Heavenly Pallasites spoke, Holy Sword Titan in hand.
These words he spoke with complete sincerity. He truly wished to be a warrior of the Goddess of Love.
"Hahaha, that is the most amusing and laughable joke I have ever heard. A girl who has been dead for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, could cultivate warriors like you?"
"And even bestow upon each of you a Holy Sword? Do you take others for fools, or do you take yourselves for fools?" Ultraman said.
He was no crude brute. On the contrary, as a Kryptonian, he possessed a super-intellect. He simply did not often care to use it.
"It seems this fellow has seen through our identity. Titan, stand back. Leave him to me." Hyperion brandished his Tenchi Destruction Blade
As the strongest of the Four Heavenly Pallasites, he very much wanted to see how vast the gap was between himself and a true god, or rather, whether he could use his Holy Sword to slay a god.
"Enough talk!" Ultraman roared with laughter.
Without even bothering to use his heat vision, he relied purely on his divine body and raw strength, hurtling forward like a humanoid cannonball. A sonic boom exploded in his wake.
Hyperion, wielding the Tenchi Destruction Blade, charged forward just as fiercely. The crimson blade and Ultraman's fist collided with savage force.
"Hahaha, what an utter fool. You dare meet my Holy Sword with your bare fist." Hyperion roared.
His weapon had destroyed an entire divine realm. It was a legendary weapon forged by gods.
But then something astonishing occurred.
Ultraman's fist was not sheared apart by the Tenchi Destruction Blade Instead, the two remained locked in a deadlock. The Tenchi Destruction Blade even began to groan, fine fracture lines appearing along its body.
"Do you think this weapon can harm me? Harm my divine body? Hahaha, let me tell you plainly, I am the strongest, for I am the God of Strength." Ultraman roared and poured on more power, shattering the red great sword outright.
Then, momentum unbroken, he surged at Hyperion, seized him by the throat with one hand, and slammed him viciously into the ground.
"Hyperion, are you all right?" Titan, standing to the side guarding Pallas, roared in alarm.
"Don't be in such a rush. Your turn comes soon enough. I'll tear your comrade to shreds first." Ultraman wore a smile of utter cruelty. A single stomp shattered the Heaven-Earth Annihilation Cloth upon Hyperion's body, and then, with brutal savagery, he tore Hyperion's entire arm clean off. Blood sprayed everywhere.
This Cloth's durability was three times that of a Gold Cloth, but it was, after all, only something worn by a mortal. The gap between it and a god's power was not one of degree but of kind.
"Aaaargh!" Hyperion, one of the Four Heavenly Pallasites, lay in a pool of his own blood and let out an agonized scream. He had never imagined he would be defeated without blocking even a single exchange.
Ultraman, with a savage grin, proceeded to wrench and tear off all four of his limbs, before finally plucking off his head.
At this point, Titan could no longer stand by. He charged forward with the Holy Sword Titan in hand. He had to defeat this monster now, or else the Goddess of Love, Pallas, whom he stood to protect, would surely perish.
Elsewhere, the Specters of the Lost Canvas era, under Rhadamanthys's command, tore into the rank-and-file Saints and Pallasites like tigers among sheep. Their combat experience, skill, and Cosmo all far surpassed those of the ordinary warriors of this era. In an instant, a storm of blood and slaughter erupted.
Their power was even comparable to that of Secondary deities. Now, letting them grind down the Pallasites was the best option.
Seiya, Shiryu, Shaka, Mu, Harbinger, and the other Gold Saints immediately shielded Saori and fell back, forming up in battle array, watching the earth-shaking clashes with wary eyes. Kouga and the others were pinned down by Grail, unable to break free.
"Seiya, that woman in the strange armor, her power is like Kouga's, but more... dark, and violent." Shiryu said in a low voice.
Seiya furrowed his brow and clenched his fists. "Miss Saori, I feel it too. And that huge one, Ultraman, his power is simply monstrous. What on earth has happened? How could Athena have married that so-called Lord of the Underworld?"
Their hearts were filled with doubt and shock, but the crisis before them left no room for such thoughts.
"I do not know either, Seiya. But for now, we must conserve our strength." Saori Kido said.
At that very moment, the battle between Ultraman and the final Heavenly King, Titan, had reached a fever pitch.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ultraman made no attempt to evade the energy beams of the Holy Sword Titan, meeting them head-on with fists wreathed in divine power.
The Holy Sword Titan possessed vast might, yet against Ultraman, the God of Strength, it proved utterly impotent.
"Hahaha! Exhilarating! More!" Ultraman blasted apart one of the Holy Sword Titan's energy strikes with a single punch, the backlash numbing Titan's arms.
Then Ultraman's other hand reached directly for the Holy Sword Titan as Titan swung it at him.
"Arrogance!" Titan roared, the divine blade flaring with brilliant light, attempting to sever Ultraman's palm.
But his Holy Sword Titan, a weapon that could be destroyed even by a Gold Saint unleashing his full power, stood no chance against Ultraman, the God of Strength.
Clang! A piercing metallic ring sounded. Ultraman's palm had actually caught the blade.
Ultraman's hand took no harm whatsoever, and the Holy Sword Titan was still unable to wound him. Instead, Ultraman flashed a grin. "Nice sword. I'll be taking this."
A terrifying force erupted as Ultraman attempted to wrench the sword from Titan's grasp.
Seeing this, Titan immediately swung the Holy Sword Titan from the side in a hard diagonal slash toward Ultraman's waist, hoping to force him to release his grip.
"Out of my way!" Ultraman kicked out with astonishing speed, striking Titan squarely in the abdomen and sending him hurtling away like a shooting star. He crashed through several massive stone pillars before finally coming to a halt, collapsing to the ground motionless, his fate uncertain.
The battles waged by Thanatos and Hypnos showed the same overwhelming dominance. Hypnos's hypnotic illusions caused Gallia's Divine Radiance Sword to strike empty air again and again, his movements growing ever more sluggish until he finally fell into eternal slumber.
Thanatos, meanwhile, utterly suppressed Aegaeon. His Death Shockwaves shattered the frenzied assaults of the Cataclysmic Thunder Blade one after another. Aegaeon's Chronos Cloth splintered apart, and he was struck down by the God of Death.
Grail toyed with Kouga and his companions as a cat plays with mice, ceaselessly goading this new Pegasus.
Deep in the farther reaches of the universe, within the primordial Chaos, Axis and the Athena of the other world had also successfully arrived at the temple where the Absolute deity, Apsu, lay slumbering.