Chapter 66: Time Is Running Out
As the earthly representative of Athena, in the absence of the Pope, the Grand Deacon automatically became the acting Pope. Both legally and in reality, his status was unmatched by any other Gold Saint.
The five Gold Saints did not hesitate; they all half-knelt, expressing their submission to his authority.
Clap, clap, clap!
Feng Zhe applauded, and a servant brought out an exquisite box, holding it aloft.
Saori was puzzled by Feng Zhe’s intentions, but when she opened the box, her pupils contracted sharply. Inside lay the golden dagger that Saga had once intended to use in his attempt to assassinate Athena.
The other Gold Saints were equally perplexed, watching him warily. If he tried to attack Miss Saori, none of them would stand for it.
Feng Zhe knelt respectfully on one knee. “Miss Saori, please reopen the Sanctuary barrier.”
The barrier was only ever activated during the Holy War, when the goddess Athena faced Hades, the god of the underworld.
Yet now Feng Zhe wished to open it. Mu of Aries immediately protested, “No! The Holy War has not begun yet. We cannot activate the barrier now!”
Since the incident of the Twelve Temples, Mu had become the leader of the Gold Saints, wielding real authority within the Sanctuary. He was naturally aware of the significance of the barrier.
“Mu, please do not doubt my judgment. The Sanctuary stands at a critical moment. A wicked god may descend at any time.”
Feng Zhe looked at Mu, his tone leaving no room for dispute, causing Mu to frown.
Then Feng Zhe whispered something in Mu’s ear, and Mu’s expression became one of shock; his mouth opened but words failed him.
“The strength of that one is hardly inferior to Hades…”
Even Mu could not question the power of this entity. He simply stared at Saori, tormented by inner conflict.
The five Gold Saints ultimately agreed to the decision. Saori, uncertain how to proceed, looked at Feng Zhe in confusion.
Feng Zhe quietly explained a few things to her. Saori sighed, took up the golden dagger, and walked toward the goddess’s palace.
Moments later, with Athena’s own blood and her prayerful cosmos, the statue of the goddess Athena was illuminated.
A vast yet gentle cosmos instantly enveloped the Sanctuary.
As the battlefield of countless Holy Wars, under the Sanctuary barrier, all evil would be exposed. Every Saint would feel the goddess’s blessing and wield power greater than their own.
Of course, the barrier could only cover the Sanctuary itself…
Feng Zhe breathed a long sigh of relief, but suddenly remembered something. He quickly ordered a servant, “Go check the graves of the deceased Gold Saints—see if there’s anything unusual!”
The other Gold Saints were baffled, but Mu looked at Feng Zhe, as if he had guessed something.
Not long after, a servant rushed over in panic. “Grand Deacon, the graves of Cancer Deathmask, Pisces Aphrodite, Capricorn Shura, and Aquarius Camus are empty. It looks as though they were dug up from inside!”
The faces of the Gold Saints changed dramatically, a sense of foreboding clouding everyone.
“We were still a step too late!”
Once the Sanctuary barrier was activated, no divine power could run rampant within its bounds.
Even Abel could not hope to resurrect the fallen Gold Saints within the Sanctuary!
Feeling the urgency of the moment, Feng Zhe issued a few more instructions, then vanished from the Pope’s palace.
…
Five Elder Peaks
Here, the old Tiger always sat, guarding the seal no matter the wind or rain, remaining steadfast.
A flash of light, and Feng Zhe encountered the aged, purple-skinned Tiger.
“You must be the Grand Deacon,” Tiger observed Feng Zhe in his altar-cloth, recalling his own teacher, Bailey. Yet time had eroded all former glory.
“Elder Tiger, I have come to ask your help.”
“Speak.”
“Sanctuary faces a great evil. I ask you to return and watch over it.”
Tiger looked at the altar Saint before him, shaking his head. “I will not leave this place before the Holy War.”
“Do you not care for Athena’s safety?”
Tiger remained unmoved, as if nothing mattered more than the seal.
“Elder Tiger, if Abel returns and destroys this world, will you not fight once more?”
At the mention of Abel’s name, Tiger trembled, but then shook his head again. “The goddess’s safety is in your hands now, in the hands of the Saints. That is your duty, not mine.”
“What if the God of War, Ares, is involved?”
Tiger was startled. The God of War rarely stepped into the mortal realm, and his strength among the Olympians was second to none.
Tiger considered himself the foremost physical warrior and had always dreamed of facing the God of War, but never found the chance.
Feng Zhe, seeing Tiger’s hesitation, pressed on. “Whether the Five Elder Peaks seal breaks or not, your presence is irrelevant. You only watch the demon star; you cannot prevent anything.”
Feng Zhe struck at the heart of the matter. Tiger’s task was simply to monitor the demon star and relay news to Sanctuary the moment the seal broke.
The task itself was dull, but now Feng Zhe offered the prospect of a battle against the God of War—this ignited Tiger’s spirit.
“Very well. Once this is over, I will return here.”
Tiger agreed, and Feng Zhe smiled, his plan having succeeded.
When the two returned to Sanctuary, they found the barrier trembling, as if on the verge of collapse.
A proud man stood before the tangible barrier, his face full of displeasure.
Snap!
With a flick of his finger, the barrier shattered.
Clang, clang, clang!
The bells of Sanctuary rang once again, this time sounding the pre-war alarm, only heard in times of crisis.
Bronze and Silver Saints gathered before the gates of the Twelve Temples.
Corpse Gas Underworld Wave!
Cancer Deathmask suddenly appeared before the group of Saints. With his booming shout, massive corpse gas threatened to rip the souls from their bodies.
Yet the gas hovered above their heads, unable to extract their souls.
Looking closer, it was clear the Sanctuary barrier had once again enveloped the Sanctuary.
“You are unworthy of the Gold Cloth!”
Sacrifice!
Deprivation!
Feng Zhe appeared before Deathmask and shouted.
Deathmask’s Gold Cloth immediately disintegrated, then reassembled, floating in the air.
Feng Zhe pointed, and the Cancer Gold Cloth returned to the Cancer Temple.
“Bastard!”
No sooner had Deathmask finished speaking than flames ignited upon him. The intense pain forced him to unleash his cosmos in an attempt to resist.
But unexpectedly, his cosmos was like tinder—fuel for the fire. The flames surged, and Deathmask was reduced to ashes.
The proud man glanced at him, and the flames extinguished.
“The flames of Olympus are nothing more than my playthings.”
“His Highness Abel, the Sun God, the goddess Athena wishes to see you.”
Feng Zhe lowered his head in profound respect, showing none of the arrogance he’d displayed when burning Deathmask.
“The goddess’s priest? You’re impressive.”
The Sun God Abel seemed to admire Feng Zhe…