Chapter 85 The Death of Arvid

Right after Feng Zhe, acting Pope, disappeared, the Sanctuary welcomed another man of the Altar constellation—Yavide. He claimed to be a disciple of the previous Elder Bailey and said he had arrived in this world’s Sanctuary by accident, caught in the turbulence of time and space.

Yavide was a formidable warrior, already awakened to the Seventh Sense, and could fluently demonstrate the ultimate techniques of all twelve Gold Saints. He even mastered the Cancer Saint's supreme technique, accumulating deathly energy, and defeated Deathmask with it, leaving the other Gold Saints speechless.

Most crucially, Yavide used Athena’s blood to open the Sanctuary’s barrier, an achievement that made all the Gold Saints acknowledge his status; even Mu of Aries did not object.

However, once he became Pope, Yavide immediately cast aside his pretense, revealing a cruel and hedonistic nature. Though the Gold Saints grumbled among themselves, since he caused no real harm, they tolerated him—until he began to attempt to assassinate Lady Saori, the goddess. Only then did the Gold Saints recognize his evil nature.

“So that’s how it is.”

After hearing Yavide’s tale, Feng Zhe quietly calculated his next move and then said, “You two wait here for Lady Saori. I’ll go to the Pope’s Palace first.”

Aphrodite nodded and said, “Be careful of Yavide. I have a feeling this matter is more complicated than it seems.”

Feng Zhe smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. I have my own ways.”

…

With a single teleportation, Feng Zhe arrived at the Pope’s Palace.

Returning to the heart of the Sanctuary, Feng Zhe wasted no time on sentiment and strode straight in.

At that moment, Seiya was being beaten nearly to death—had he not been the protagonist, he would have perished long ago. Yavide seemed born with a penchant for torment, like a cat toying with a mouse. Each time Seiya stood up, he was met with another merciless beating.

Seiya possessed an innate, unbreakable resolve. No matter how many times he was knocked down, he always managed to rise again.

Yavide showed no anger at this; instead, he laughed mockingly. “Beating the Pegasus Saint, the hero of this era, into the ground—this is truly exhilarating.”

Yet Seiya kept getting back up, fists swinging. Even with the goddess’s blessing lending his blows the strength of a Gold Saint, his Pegasus Meteor Fist was utterly overwhelmed.

“Enough!”

Unable to watch any longer, Feng Zhe finally stepped forward.

Seeing Feng Zhe, Seiya’s eyes lit up with hope. He murmured, “Saori… Lady Saori, save Saori…”

Then he collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.

Witnessing this, Yavide’s face bore an unspeakable satisfaction. He turned to Feng Zhe with a faint smile. “You are not the Altar Saint of this era!”

Feng Zhe sneered. “Who would have thought that Yavide, defeated by Manigold, would appear in my era? I don’t know if that’s my luck, or your misfortune.”

“Oh? You know who I am?”

“In fact, you’re my senior. I am also a disciple of Bailey!”

At the mention of Bailey’s name, Yavide burst into uproarious laughter, as if he had heard the world’s greatest joke, tears streaming down his face.

“In that case, Brother Alex, I have all the more reason not to let you go.”

A steely resolve flashed in Yavide’s eyes. With a flourish of his sleeve, the entire Pope’s Palace was instantly shrouded in a dark green gloom, as though plunged into a ghostly realm.

Looking around, Feng Zhe exclaimed in shock, “You’ve turned these souls into gunpowder? How long have you been preparing for this?”

This was no longer a palace, but a mausoleum built from countless souls.

“Do you know why I came to this era?”

Feng Zhe smiled. “Let me guess—was it Hades, or Yoma?”

Yavide’s face changed. “You know Yoma?!”

“It doesn’t matter if you know. Yoma promised me that if I could ensure your complete downfall, I could become the true god of this era, with a parallel timeline of my own!”

So it was indeed Yoma’s doing. Feng Zhe sighed. “It seems this battle can only be resolved by life and death.”

He crooked a finger at Yavide. “Show me your true power.”

Yavide formed a strange gesture, his cosmos erupting. That streak of dark green crawled up his face.

He shouted, “Die now—Stench of Death: Ghostly Blue Flames!”

Sacrifice!

Ghostly Blue Flames!

Just as Yavide unleashed his Ghostly Blue Flames, countless sacred fires ignited around Feng Zhe, naturally restraining the souls.

The two collided with a single blast. The immense power caused the entire palace to quake, light shooting to the heavens, as if to rend the world apart.

Stench of Death: Funeral Soul Break!

Yavide gave Feng Zhe no respite, immediately igniting all the gunpowder in the palace.

A tremendous explosion shattered the entire structure and swept across the land. Even the Goddess Palace behind them was left half destroyed by the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Yavide stared in disbelief. A Gold Cloth stood before Feng Zhe, shielding him.

It had been perilously close. Had the Cancer Gold Cloth not appeared at the critical moment, even Feng Zhe would have been gravely wounded.

“Thank you, Deathmask!”

As soon as Feng Zhe spoke, the Cancer Gold Cloth disassembled and then wrapped itself around him.

“Another Manigold—die!”

Enraged, Yavide unleashed the Ghostly Blue Flames again. This time, Feng Zhe released his full cosmos and shouted,

Stench of Death: Underworld Wave!

In the next instant, both Feng Zhe and Yavide stood upon the Fields of Asphodel.

Like a beast unchained, Yavide fell into a frenzy. But in Feng Zhe’s eyes, he was no more than a grasshopper in autumn—he would not last long.

Sure enough, seeing that Yavide showed no sign of repentance, Feng Zhe’s mercy vanished. With one punch, he shattered Yavide’s Cloth; with the next, he crushed his heart.

In his final moments, Yavide seemed to find a strange liberation. He glanced toward the distant, endless abyss.

“I will not die by your hand!”

With that, he leaped, plunging into the abyss.

Feng Zhe sighed, returned to the ruins of the Pope’s Palace, and took out Athena’s Shield. At the gates of the Aries Palace, Lady Saori appeared, the golden arrow vanishing—Athena was revived.

Lady Saori, like a true goddess, raised the Staff of Victory and stepped into the Aries Palace.

Mu, the Gold Saint of Aries, was already waiting, kneeling before her. Then, with Mu and the five young warriors, she began her ascent through the temples—next Capricorn, where Shiryu and Shura waited in silence, then Aquarius with Camus and Hyoga, then Pisces with Aphrodite and Shun.

At last, they reached the Pope’s Palace. Seiya, now awake, and Feng Zhe both smiled at Athena.

Lady Saori then solemnly proclaimed, “Now, I appoint Alex as the Pope of this era, the representative of Athena on earth!”

“Yes!”

All the Gold Saints, and the five young warriors, acknowledged Feng Zhe’s strength and accepted him as Pope without objection.

Everything seemed to fall into place, yet beneath the calm surface, hidden currents of conspiracy stirred…