Chapter 80: The Hourglass of Time Appears Once More

A golden dagger was thrust straight into Saori’s chest. Blood instantly drenched the front of her gown, and the one who did this was none other than Ikki, the newly appointed Gemini Gold Saint.

“Saori!”

In a flash, Feng Zhe teleported over, kicked Ikki away, and caught the goddess Saori in his arms.

At that moment, Seiya, enraged, launched a frenzied assault on Ikki, cursing as he struck, “Ikki, how dare you attempt to assassinate the goddess Athena!”

The Gold Saints, who rushed over upon hearing the commotion, were greeted by a scene that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. The goddess Saori gravely wounded, and the culprit was Ikki.

Furious, the Gold Saints immediately surrounded Ikki. Virgo Shun shouted in anguish, “Brother, why?!”

“Haha…” Ikki struck Seiya with a powerful blow, sending him flying, then burst out laughing. He declared, “I am not Ikki! I am the Celestial Violence Star, Bennu Ikki, Lord of Destruction!”

Feng Zhe glared at the maniacally laughing Ikki, the sight of the Gemini Gold Cloth on him particularly jarring.

“You are unworthy to wear that Cloth!”

Sacrifice!

Seize!

With a thunderous shout, Feng Zhe pointed a finger; a surge of intense Cosmo erupted from him. Instantly, the Gemini Gold Cloth tore itself off Ikki, reassembling and falling to the ground, gleaming.

Ikki, stripped of his Cloth, barely had a moment to react before Aries Aphelnir, enraged, struck him to the ground with a single blow.

Starlight Extinction!

With a vengeful strike, Aries Aphelnir’s attack left Ikki battered and bleeding. Yet, as Ikki approached death, a strange resurrection occurred—immortal flames erupted from his body, reviving him in a grotesque spectacle.

Now clad in the black surplice of the Celestial Violence Star Bennu, he laughed even more wildly. “I am Bennu Ikki—I cannot truly die! Hahaha…”

“Is that so?!”

Feng Zhe extended a single hand toward Ikki, who floated in the sky. Instantly, his Cosmo surged with a bizarre intensity.

At that moment, all twelve Zodiac Temples began to flicker with dazzling light.

“What is this…” Aries Aphelnir stared, incredulous, at the sudden phenomenon, uncertain of Feng Zhe’s intentions in his rage.

Ultimate Roar of the Twelve Temples!

With a soft cry, all the gathered light from the Twelve Temples converged upon Feng Zhe. From his outstretched arm, a crimson beam erupted.

This pillar of light unleashed apocalyptic power, its mere afterglow grinding nearby stones to dust. The overwhelming pressure forced even the Gold Saints to one knee, faces awestruck.

Beneath the beam, Ikki was obliterated—reduced to nothing but ash.

Still seething with fury, Feng Zhe sneered, “I’d like to see how you’ll revive now that you’re nothing but cinders!”

All those present stared at him in shock—even the sky seemed to have been blasted open.

This was even more terrifying than the legendary Athena Exclamation!

“So this is the true power of the Pope!” Seiya, Shiryu, Hyoga, and even Shun were left dumbfounded by Feng Zhe’s wrathful display.

Not only they, but also Aries Aphelnir, Scorpio Milo, and Leo Aiolia wore expressions of utter disbelief.

“Brother…”

Saori’s frail voice reached Feng Zhe, piercing his heart with sorrow. He hurriedly reassured her, “As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to you!”

Yet no matter what Feng Zhe did, he could not stop the bleeding wound. The golden dagger itself was imbued with the power to slay gods.

Time Stop!

With a snap, Feng Zhe halted time.

Saori remained frozen in agony, Seiya’s mouth hung open in shock, and even his eyeballs did not move.

Time Reversal!

Like an old videotape rewinding, Feng Zhe raced backward through events.

Now, Ikki had not yet been destroyed; the golden dagger was only just being plunged into Saori’s chest.

Further rewinding…

Feng Zhe found himself on the Slope of Yomotsu Hirasaka, just as the Celestial Wailing Star Balendain had perished.

This time, Feng Zhe did not don the Cancer Gold Cloth, but returned directly to the Cancer Temple.

There, Saori stood anxiously before the temple doors, while Ikki slowly drew a golden dagger.

Just as he was about to strike, a light-speed punch from Feng Zhe landed squarely on Ikki, sending the dagger clattering to the ground.

Saori stared at Ikki in disbelief, then saw Feng Zhe unleash the Ultimate Roar of the Twelve Temples, obliterating Ikki in a single blow.

Seiya and the other Gold Saints looked upon the ferocious Feng Zhe with stunned gazes—even Saori was left speechless.

“Brother, you just used the power of the God of Time…”

As Athena, Saori regarded Feng Zhe in utter disbelief, unable to trust her own eyes.

Feng Zhe pulled Saori into his embrace, murmuring, “I will never let you be harmed…”

“Brother…”

Saori, still trembling from the ordeal, clung to him, visibly shaken.

For the first time, Feng Zhe wore an anxious expression, relaxing only when assured that Saori was safe.

In that moment, Feng Zhe felt that coming to this parallel universe was not such a bad thing after all. At the very least, the goddess Saori was someone worth protecting—far better than that spoiled Saori of his own world.

Just as he was ready to remain in this era, the sky suddenly darkened with storm clouds and thunder roared, as if some great calamity was about to unfold.

“What…”

Feng Zhe gazed upward, feeling a deep, soul-crushing pressure, as though the heavens themselves were collapsing.

Within the swirling clouds, he caught sight of an hourglass, his pupils contracting sharply. It was thanks to the God of Time, Chronos, that he had come to this parallel world, but until now Feng Zhe still had no idea what Chronos truly wanted.

Now Chronos appeared again, hovering above the Sanctuary—Feng Zhe could not guess his purpose.

Saori, too, sensed an overwhelming Cosmo emanating from the hourglass—one that surpassed even Athena’s own.

“His rank is even higher than Athena’s!”

Instantly, Saori donned Athena’s Divine Cloth, Victory Scepter in hand, her posture vigilant.

Crack!

A thunderclap resounded, and all of Sanctuary seemed to freeze.

Time halted for every Saint in that instant.

Yet as time stood still, Feng Zhe alone could move. He shouted, “God of Time, Chronos! What are you trying to do?!”

No answer came. The hourglass materialized before Feng Zhe.

He tried to resist, but felt his eyelids grow unbearably heavy—an irresistible drowsiness swept over him.

Smack!

Saori, wielding her Victory Scepter, struck the hourglass.

“Saori!!”

Feng Zhe stared at her in shock. He had not expected Saori to be able to move freely while time was stopped.

“I won’t let you leave me, not even the God of Time can take you away!”

So Saori knew everything—she even realized that the Feng Zhe before her was not her timeline’s original Alex…

“Saori…”

At that moment, the hourglass of time spun again, and Feng Zhe was pulled into it.

“Brother…”

Without hesitation, Saori leapt in after him, grabbing his wrist.

Together, they fell into the river of time.