Chapter 110: Volunteering for Imprisonment

Pope Sage, Athena Sasha, and the Altar-seat Elder-designate Feng Zhe stood together to summarize the aftermath of the recent ambush by Alone.

Pope Sage was the first to admit his error, which had resulted in Alone’s inability to revert to his human form. Sasha followed with a sigh, noting that it seemed they would have no choice but to face Hades, King of the Underworld, in a decisive battle. One expressing his stance and the other admitting fault, their exchange caused Feng Zhe to roll his eyes.

Sasha glanced at Feng Zhe and asked, "Does the Elder also believe that Alone can no longer return to being human?"

Feng Zhe could not reveal that Alone was merely a vessel for Hades, and that his human state had only ever been a tactical ruse. He simply coughed and replied, "Our current priority must be the total defeat of the Specter army. Only by crushing them can we save all of humanity. As for other matters, they are not within my scope of consideration."

"So, the Elder also believes that Alone deserves to die!"

Sasha lowered her head, lost in thought. Fearing that the words were too harsh, Sage attempted to soften the blow, adding, "Once the Specter army is destroyed, Alone will surely be able to return to his original self."

Sasha looked at Pope Sage, and a tear fell from her eye.

Pope Sage inwardly blamed Feng Zhe, then knelt before Sasha and said, "Although the situation was critical, I did indeed employ forbidden arts. I am no longer fit to serve as Pope, so I hereby tender my resignation to the Goddess and request to be imprisoned!"

The Pope’s declaration stunned Sasha. Feng Zhe then knelt as well and said, "This matter originated with me; I shall take full responsibility. I resign as Elder and request to be imprisoned as well!"

"No! I take full responsibility for this!"

"You are the Pope; Sanctuary cannot function without you!"

"You are the strongest of the younger generation; the hopes of Sanctuary rest upon your shoulders!"

The two gritted their teeth, nearly coming to blows.

Sasha, standing to the side, quietly interjected, "This isn't really such a big deal, I think..."

"Impossible! This matter is not up for negotiation!"

Both men spoke in unison, only then realizing it was the voice of the Goddess Sasha. Consequently, they were not imprisoned for using forbidden arts, but rather for being disrespectful to the Goddess—they were sent straight to jail.

Upon arriving at the prison, they discovered Virgo Asmita already sitting cross-legged within, waiting for their arrival.

Seeing this, Feng Zhe burst into laughter, patted Asmita on the shoulder, and said, "The Sanctuary Eighth Sense trio is reunited once again."

Though blind, Asmita smiled and replied, "Could you tell me about your era? I am quite interested..."

"Very well..."

And so, Feng Zhe began to chatter on endlessly...

...

With Sanctuary suddenly deprived of both the Pope and the Elder-designate, the Elder of Jamir was forced to return to Sanctuary to take command.

He immediately dispatched Tenma, Yato, and Yuzuriha on a secret mission. When Pope Sage heard of this, he was instantly alarmed. "Tenma is the key to this Holy War! How could he allow him to go to his death?" He then shouted, "Let me out!"

Feng Zhe dug at his ear. "Stop shouting. Since we’ve entered the prison, we might as well just wait here."

"If he is forced to live only through constraints, the wings of Pegasus will be broken!" observed Virgo Asmita, who saw the situation clearly.

Sage then looked at Feng Zhe and said in surprise, "This was all your design!"

"Hey, hey, let's be reasonable here. You were the one who insisted on being imprisoned first!"

Feng Zhe’s retort left Sage speechless, forcing him to sit on the floor, stewing in frustration.

...

At that moment, the trio of Tenma had arrived at the Forest of Death, intending to force their way into Hades' Castle. This battle was destined to be a near-impossible trial, which was exactly why Sage had been against it. Feng Zhe, however, was indifferent; the growth of Pegasus was a part of his own plan, and his only objective was to provide objective protection to the Gold Saints. Different goals led to different methods.

Upon entering the Forest of Death, the three were separated. Tenma first encountered three of his childhood friends. He embraced them tightly, but one of the children suddenly bit into Tenma’s neck. Tenma pushed them away, seeing them mouth apologies while their advance continued unabated.

Tenma fled in a panic, only to realize that the Celestial Curiosity Star, Veronica, was manipulating the dead to attack him. Furious, Tenma struck the house with a single punch, shattering it to pieces. However, the Celestial Curiosity Star, Veronica, remained unharmed inside.

The three friends continued their relentless assault, leaving Tenma in a desperate state. When Veronica began to play, the three friends wailed in agony, fueling Tenma's rage until he unleashed a powerful Cosmo, destroying the piano. The three friends, freed from control, vanished.

Veronica, having merely been toying with him, suddenly unleashed his Cosmo, sending Tenma crashing to the ground. It turned out that the Celestial Curiosity Star, Veronica, had been empowered by the god of death himself, far surpassing an ordinary Specter. Tenma was no match for him.

Elsewhere, Yuzuriha defeated a swamp monster and rescued Yato. The two searched the area until they found the beaten Tenma.

Tenma was already surrounded by countless dead souls, and even with Yuzuriha and Yato, they could not break free. The three were in a desperate predicament. At the critical moment, Cancer Manigoldo appeared on a rooftop, raised his finger, and used his *Sekishiki Meikai Ha* to send the souls of the countless dead into the Yomotsu Hirasaka.

"Manigoldo!" Tenma cried out in joy.

But Manigoldo replied with disdain, "To be so weak and yet insist on getting involved, you have a death wish!"

Manigoldo’s sharp tongue made Tenma’s joyful face go dark. Manigoldo then waved his hand and declared to the Celestial Curiosity Star, Veronica, "Cancer Manigoldo is the guardian of these three brats!"

The statement sent a shiver through the three, who felt insulted. Tenma naturally bristled, but after Manigoldo shattered Veronica’s fly-array with a single *Sekishiki* technique, he couldn't help but mutter, "Not as good as Elder Aletheia's *Sekishiki*..."

Manigoldo roared, "He’s just a brat too!"

The three were left speechless, feeling that the upper echelons of Sanctuary were truly chaotic.

Enraged by the destruction of his technique, Veronica attacked Manigoldo with the power of the god of death. But Manigoldo turned and used his *Acubens*, slicing him in two.

"Mission accomplished!" Manigoldo tossed his head, striking a cool pose, which left Tenma both shocked and terrified, as if he had seen a monster.

But it was not that simple. Empowered by the god of death, Veronica resurrected, transforming into a massive, winged monstrosity. Knowing he was no match for Manigoldo, he unleashed all his divine power, attempting to drag Manigoldo down with him. The entire Forest of Death began to turn into a swamp, and it seemed they were all about to be consumed by rot.

Suddenly, a ball of fire descended from the sky, striking Veronica dead center. Like gasoline poured onto a flame, a massive explosion erupted, and Veronica’s body and soul were burned away completely by the sudden fire.

"Aletheia!!" Tenma shouted. Amidst the dust, Feng Zhe appeared.

"Tch, showing off as usual," Manigoldo remarked with his trademark sharp tongue.