As Saori's body was completely enveloped by the Pillar, the four dragon-headed statues suddenly gushed out a large amount of seawater, cascading down the Pillar's wall.
She was bound in the center of the crystal, the Sea Emperor's divine power like invisible shackles tightening her limbs, able only to watch as the seawater gradually rose over her ankles, then her calves... Saori Kido's body glowed with golden divine light, attempting to block the surging seawater, but it only delayed it for a moment.
That faint light was like a flickering candle in the wind before the vast divine power of the ocean.
Julian Solo, having completed all this, turned and walked towards the Sea Emperor's throne, trident in hand.
He slowly sat down, his white cloak draped over the cold white jade steps, and his deep voice echoed throughout Atlantis.
"Marina Generalss, stop the Saints from destroying the Seven Sea Pillars!"
In the silent divine city, seven figures emerged from the shadows of the palace, clad in dark gold Sea Scale Armor, kneeling on one knee and responding in unison.
"We obey the Sea Emperor's decree!"
The humid air carried a salty scent as Seiya suddenly awoke from his coma, as if they had heard Saori Kido's cry.
Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki also struggled to their feet, their bronze cloth emitting a faint blue glow in the gloomy seabed.
They found themselves in a giant coral forest, its twisted branches like a cage of bones; above them, a massive sperm whale slowly swam through the seawater, its shadow engulfing the entire forest, emitting a muffled cry.
In front of them stood an ancient city, its sculptures still faintly visible on the broken walls and ruins, narrating its once brilliant civilization.
The immense divine power permeating the city surged like a tide, making their chests feel heavy.
Seiya and the others looked grave; Seiya spoke first, his voice hoarse from just waking up.
"Where is this!"
After a brief moment of confusion, the image of the Sea Crown, the giant whirlpool, and Saori Kido flashed through his mind.
Seiya's pupils suddenly constricted; he looked around, the luster of his Pegasus Cloth dimmed significantly by the suppression of the Sea Emperor's divine power.
"Where is Miss Saori?"
"There!"
Shun suddenly pointed into the distance, his Nebula Chain, like a living thing, pointed directly towards the center of the temple.
There, a giant Pillar, piercing the darkness from sky to sea, had liquid gold-like runes flowing on its surface, and a slender figure could vaguely be seen bound within it.
"I feel Miss Saori's Cosmo."
"Oh, Saints of Athena..." A deep, melodious voice suddenly tore through the silence, like a sigh from the deep sea.
A mermaid swam out from behind the coral reef; her upper body was that of a charming young girl, her lower body covered in a silver-blue fish tail.
Before she finished speaking, her form abruptly changed, her fish tail transforming into legs, and a red Sea Scale Armor appearing on her body.
"I am Thetis, the Marine under Sea Emperor Poseidon!"
She looked up at the five, her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.
Seiya stepped forward, his tone urgent.
"Where is Miss Saori? What are you Marines going to do to her?"
Although Saori Kido had revealed her identity as Athena, they still privately called her Miss Saori out of habit.
Thetis covered her mouth and chuckled softly, the surrounding seawater rippling slightly.
"Your goddess and our Emperor made a bet: if you fail to rescue her before the seawater fills the Life Pillar and drowns the reincarnation of Athena, the Sea Emperor will unleash divine punishment, returning all continents to the sea."
She turned and pointed to the other seven massive Pillars in Atlantis City.
"Do you see those seven Pillars? They are the undersea Pillars representing the seven oceans. Only by completely destroying them can you have a chance to break the Life Pillar and rescue Athena."
Seiya clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
"We've made it through the Twelve Gold Palaces; what difficulty can mere seven Pillars pose! Shiryu, Hyoga, let's go!"
"Ignorance!"
Thetis sneered, and with a wave of her hand, the coral around Seiya and the others suddenly grew wildly, its branches closing in like sharp thorns, trapping the five in the center.
"This is the seabed; the power of us Marines is not something you can easily resist!"
Boom!
Seiya unleashed his Pegasus Meteor Fist, and golden fist shadows shattered layers of coral.
Shun's Nebula Chain lashed out like a steel whip, tearing apart the entwining branches.
Hyoga's Diamond Dust, carrying a chill, blasted towards Thetis, freezing the water beneath her feet.
The coral reef trapping the five instantly exploded, fragments scattering in all directions.
"Hmph, a little skill, but I am merely a Marine under a Marina Generals."
Thetis's figure flickered, transforming back into a mermaid, she flicked her tail and dove into the sea, swimming far away.
"Go and experience the power of the Marina Generalss yourselves! The seven Marina Generalss guard the Seven Sea Pillars, and their strength far exceeds that of the Gold Saints you know!"
"Where do you think you're going!"
Ikki threw a punch at Thetis, but it was easily caught by a large hand!
A Marine clad in dark gold Sea Scale Armor slowly emerged, his face completely hidden beneath his helmet.
He gently waved his hand, and a powerful energy sent all the Bronze Five flying, crashing heavily against the rocks.
He shook his head disdainfully.
"Is this all the skill you five have? Go back and call your Gold Saints."
Before the Bronze Five could get up, his figure disappeared into Atlantis City.
The Bronze Five picked themselves up, a hint of hesitation flashing in Shun's eyes.
"What should we do? Should we ask the Gold Saints for help? After all, this concerns the life and safety of the goddess!"
Seiya gritted his teeth.
"There's no time; there are seven opponents, and we are only five. Any one of us missing could delay rescuing Miss Saori!"
"Hyoga, you try to ask Sanctuary for help; we're going ahead!"
The four each chose a Pillar and rushed towards it.
Hyoga gazed at the deep blue sea above him; he took a deep breath, and the cold, powerful back of that man involuntarily appeared in his mind.
"Master, if you were here, these matters would surely be easily resolved!"
He conjured a white dove made entirely of ice crystals; the dove flapped its wings and dove into the seawater.
Having done all this, Hyoga no longer hesitated and rushed towards the fifth Ocean Pillar.
Seiya chose the North Pacific Pillar, Shun chose the South Pacific Pillar, Shiryu chose the Indian Ocean Pillar, Hyoga chose the Arctic Ocean Pillar, and Ikki chose the Southern Ocean Pillar!
Under the sea, in Atlantis City, the Cosmos of the Marina Generalss and the Bronze Five blazed fiercely!
...In Sanctuary, Saga seemed to sense something; he slowly walked out of the Pope's Palace and came to the foot of the Holy Mountain, where an ice crystal dove lay quietly on the ground.
Because flying and teleportation were forbidden in the Sanctuary domain, this ice crystal dove had to land here.
A hint of doubt flashed in Saga's eyes; he felt Hyoga's aura from the ice crystal.
He bent down and picked up the ice crystal dove, which was half-melted; inside were a few words.
"Poseidon... Miss Saori is in danger!"
"Was it sent by Li Yu's disciple? So, Athena has been taken by the Sea Emperor?"
Saga frowned slightly; although the great war between the Saints and Marines thousands of years ago was only briefly mentioned in Sanctuary's records.
But the tragic outcome of that war, where only three Gold Saints survived, all Silver and Bronze Saintss were annihilated, and the goddess had to reincarnate early, made Saga realize that although the Saints, led by the goddess, sealed Sea Emperor Poseidon, it was a pyrrhic victory!