Chapter 54: Ikki's Return

Ikki stood frozen in place, and Hyoga, burning with a hatred that refused to die, raised his fist to finish the artery in Ikki’s neck. At this crucial moment, Shun, once again dazed, blocked Hyoga with his chain.

“He is my brother!”

Hyoga nearly punched him in rage, but the perfect opportunity had already slipped away because of Shun’s intervention.

Suddenly, Ikki, who had been motionless, drove his fist once more through Hyoga’s chest. Yet something blocked the blow. When Ikki pulled it out to look, he found it was an exquisite cross—Hyoga’s mother’s keepsake.

Although Hyoga bled profusely, fortunately, the injury was not grave.

Now Ikki, growing fiercer with every moment, unleashed a power surpassing even that of a Bronze Saint.

Phoenix’s Winged Ascension!

At once, a fiery tempest erupted in this narrow Valley of Life and Death. The Four Young Saints could only defend themselves, completely unable to retaliate.

“Just one step away from reaching Silver—Ikki truly lives up to his name,” observed Feng Zhe from the mountaintop, a trace of admiration in his gaze. Of the five, Ikki’s talent for growth was the highest. Combined with his solitary nature, if he had a good mentor, he might well become the first to ascend to Gold.

Rozan Rising Dragon!

While the Four Young Saints were reeling, Shiryu was the first to react. He unleashed his ultimate move—a green divine dragon with bared fangs surged toward Ikki’s Phoenix’s Winged Ascension.

Water and fire: two opposing microcosms crashed against one another, evenly matched.

Shiryu’s strength was ultimately no match for Ikki’s, but as his power began to wane, Hyoga’s freezing air and Shun’s chain joined the green dragon. The balance broke. Ikki was instantly swallowed by the combined force.

Pegasus Meteor Fist!

Seiya seized this rare chance, launching his Pegasus Meteor Fist and shattering Ikki’s Cloth.

“You’ve lost!” Seiya panted heavily, but did not kill Ikki. Instead, he spoke to him.

“Brother, wake up!”

Shun’s tearful voice echoed. Of all the four, Shun most fervently hoped Ikki would come to his senses.

“Hahaha…” Ikki rose to his feet. As the wind swept by, his cosmos flared once more. Within this raging microcosm, a phoenix spread its wings, reborn from the ashes, forming anew the Phoenix Cloth.

The Four Young Saints were utterly stunned. Never before had they witnessed such an uncanny sight.

“My Cloth can die and be reborn—forever undying!”

Seiya stared at Ikki in disbelief, then unleashed his Pegasus Meteor Fist again. But the reborn Ikki, his fists even faster, sent Seiya flying with just a few blows.

Just as he was about to finish Seiya off, Shiryu’s Rozan Rising Dragon struck once more. Ikki and Shiryu clashed fiercely, with Hyoga and Shun supporting, making the battle evenly matched.

Phoenix’s Winged Ascension!

Ikki released Phoenix’s Winged Ascension again, its wild flames and gales so strong the Four Young Saints could not open their eyes.

Suddenly, an astonishing sight unfolded. The Sagittarius Gold Cloth descended from the heavens, falling before Seiya like a pillar holding up the sea. The power of the Gold Cloth instantly nullified Ikki’s Phoenix’s Winged Ascension.

Unwilling to accept this, Ikki struck the Gold Cloth with his fist, but the rebounding force sent him flying and crashing hard to the ground.

By then, drained of strength, Ikki was quickly surrounded by the Four Young Saints. He tried to rise but was knocked down again by Hyoga’s punch. As Hyoga prepared to end him, a voice rang out.

“That’s enough!”

Feng Zhe leaped down.

“Alex, are you going to stop me?” Hyoga looked at Feng Zhe, his eyes full of frustration.

Ignoring him, Feng Zhe walked to Ikki and said, “In the name of the Acting Pope, I ask you: are you willing to return to the goddess’s embrace?”

Hatred still burned hot in Ikki’s heart, but in Feng Zhe’s presence, he felt a trace of fear. This was different from facing Guilty, who tortured him in body and mind; before Feng Zhe, his fear was heartfelt.

“I am willing…”

Ikki’s words surprised the Four Young Saints; even Hyoga, who moments before wanted his life, clenched his fists in anger.

Afterward, Ikki recounted his ordeal on Death Queen Island and how he obtained the Phoenix Cloth. The tale aroused their sympathy—especially Shun, whose eyes brimmed with emotion.

Just then, a group of Dark Saints appeared again, their target the Sagittarius Gold Cloth standing before them. These Dark Saints wreaked havoc, plunging the Valley of Life and Death into chaos.

As they tried to escape, a ghostly fire appeared before them.

Corpse Gas Underworld Wave!

With a mighty shout, Feng Zhe unleashed countless ghostly flames throughout the valley. These flames wrenched the souls from all the Dark Saints and cast them into the bottomless abyss.

In an instant, all the Dark Saints perished.

The Five Young Saints watched in amazement, especially Ikki, whose fear of Feng Zhe deepened.

“So this is the power of Silver?” Hyoga murmured, at a loss for words. The Corpse Gas technique was truly an ultimate move of wide destruction.

With a gesture, Feng Zhe sent the Sagittarius Gold Cloth back into its chest.

“That man… is that Giga?” Ikki glanced among the Dark Saints and spotted their leader. “Didn’t I kill him? How is he here again?” Ikki was confused, but Feng Zhe paid it no mind, instructing Seiya to retrieve the Gold Cloth chest and prepare to return.

…

Garden Villa

Miss Saori accepted Ikki’s return, and Ikki, ever the individualist, declared he would protect the goddess from the shadows—a decision Saori approved.

In Feng Zhe’s view, Ikki was a natural loner, ill-suited to social interaction; rather than constantly clashing with others, he was better off working in secret.

At that moment, the Graad Foundation’s cruise ship at sea was hijacked. The hijackers demanded the Sagittarius Gold Cloth in exchange for the hostages.

Feng Zhe realized at once—the Ghost Saints were behind this.

He addressed the group: “Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, and Ikki, come with me to the cruise ship. Hyoga, you’re injured and should stay behind with the others to protect Miss Saori.”

Given his injuries from the fight with Ikki, Hyoga had no objections and nodded in agreement.

…

A few days later, Saori was admiring flowers in the garden when she suddenly felt a chill. As she wondered at the change, a ring of ice appeared around her, followed by an ice blade thrusting straight at her head.

At the critical moment, Hyoga appeared before Miss Saori, blocking the ice blade.

When Hyoga saw who had attacked, he was dumbfounded.

Rushing to the scene, Hercules Douglas cried out in surprise, “Crystal Saint?!”

Indeed, the attacker was Hyoga’s master, the Crystal Saint, sent by the new chief, Barton, to assassinate Saori.

Saori was truly furious—anyone would be, after such a sudden attempt on their life.

In the garden villa, a fierce battle between master and disciple—Crystal Saint and Hyoga—was about to erupt.