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Mika valued techniques that showcased his Martial arts prowess; they were the key to his rapid growth.
Of his martial arts skills—swordsmanship was his strongest, followed by spear techniques, then archery.
Integrating his archery skills with his Cosmo hadn't been difficult; he had learned the necessary techniques from the Sagittarius Gold Cloth.
And thanks to Shura's training, he didn't have to start from scratch with swordsmanship. Therefore, the only missing piece was spear technique, which he was now developing.
His earlier attempts at creating a Cosmo-Based spear technique had resulted in a—less than ideal outcome.
His Divine Spear—upon clashing with Shura's Excalibur, would shatter instantly. If not for his enhanced Cosmo, he would have been at a severe disadvantage.
However, a Saint's strength was ultimately determined by their Cosmo. Therefore, while he couldn't overpower Shura, he could hold his own—His Spear, repeatedly shattering and reforming, grew stronger with each cycle, its Cosmo intensifying—its form shifting and adapting.
Even Shura couldn't help but be impressed by his rapid improvement.
"You're a monster," he commented, watching as Mika's spear reformed once more.
"Thank you for the compliment," Mika replied with a grin, enjoying their duel. Having such a skilled sparring partner was a rare opportunity.
However, his Transparent World sensed Camus nearing his breaking point. Soon, they would be back to a four-way stalemate, which, while beneficial for refining his Divine Spear, wasn't their objective.
"Let's try this."
Mika abruptly ceased his attack, his arm retracting slightly as he gathered his Cosmo, a sharp, piercing aura emanating from his fingertips. Then, with a sudden thrust, a golden beam of light shot towards Shura's chest.
"Vasavi Shakti — Oath of the Divine Spear!"
This was the core of his Divine Spear Technique—based on Vasavi Shakti, possessed both the power of "Invincible Penetration" and "Unerring Accuracy"—a combination designed to bypass even a Gold Cloth's defenses.
It was Mika's trump card against Shura.
To swiftly defeat a Gold Saint clad in a Gold Cloth required overwhelming power, focused and concentrated to a single point.
He had taken the Law of [Absolute Severance] from Durandal and transformed it into [Invincible Penetration]—maximizing its armor-piercing capabilities.
He was staking everything on this single blow.
"WHAT…???"
Shura—sensing the attack's power, his own fighting spirit ignited, even though he was prepared to die here defending Athena. Facing a warrior like Mika—A true master of combat—his blood boiled with excitement. He would meet Mika's challenge head-on.
"Excalibur — Slash!"
He channeled his Cosmo, unleashing his own ultimate technique against Mika's, his Saint Sword pushed to its limits.
——
As their two ultimate techniques collided, their Cosmos clashed, unleashing a shockwave that reverberated through the temple—forcing even Camus and Aiolia to momentarily pause their own battle.
It was their second interruption.
They couldn't ignore such a powerful clash of Cosmo...
"He has—another ultimate technique? But that makes sense. After all, Capricorn is one of the twelve Gold Cloths, passed down through generations. Having multiple techniques isn't unusual."
Mika landed in the now-ruined Libra Temple—the dust settling around him. He had anticipated such a possibility but had still hoped to defeat Shura during their earlier exchange.
"Why won't you just…stay down?" Mika said. "I was hoping to avoid…unnecessary bloodshed."
"What do you mean?" Shura frowned—puzzled by Mika's words.
Suddenly—
"He means it would be easier for us if you just surrendered!" A voice called out from behind him.
"Who's there?!" Shura and Camus turned.
A crimson beam of light shot forward, striking Shura in his chest.
It was Milo—his Scarlet Needle pinning Shura to the ground.
"Milo?!" Camus exclaimed, recognizing his technique. Having sensed the powerful clash of Cosmos in Libra, Milo—having healed himself with Airmid's Potion, rushed to join the battle.
Milo nodded at Camus, then turned his attention to Shura, who was struggling to get to his feet.
"I told you, it would be easier if you surrendered," Milo said. "Now, I'm forced to resort to…dishonorable tactics."
"Scarlet Needle!" He unleashed another attack.
As Shura tried to dodge—Mika's Cosmo flared, pinning him in place.
He was struck again—the second needle piercing his Gold Cloth, a critical hit that sent him reeling.
In a one-on-one battle between Gold Saints—victory was rarely swift. They were evenly matched, their strength amplified by their Gold Cloths. However, outnumbered—even a Gold Saint couldn't last forever.
Facing Mika and Milo together—Shura, who had withstood Mika's relentless assault moments before, was now outmatched.
———
The once magnificent Libra Temple—now lay in ruins, a testament to the destructive power of the Five Gold Saints' battle. If Dohko—the Libra Gold Saint, were to witness this scene, even he might lose his composure.
"Don't worry, Saori will have it rebuilt," Mika said with a chuckle, surveying the damage.
Their battle against Shura and Camus had concluded.
While Shura and Camus had fought fiercely, Milo's arrival had turned the tide. Mika had already been pressing his attack against Shura; if not for Camus's interference, he would have won eventually. But that would have taken time—time they couldn't afford to waste.
Seiya and the others, whose experiences in this altered timeline, thanks to Mika's intervention, hadn't been as—thorough as in the original story.
They hadn't faced a mind-controlled Aiolia—a near-death experience against Shura, a clash of ultimate techniques with Camus—or the relentless assault of Milo's Scarlet Needle.
It was those trials that had forged their strength, allowing them to eventually defeat Saga.
Without those experiences, their chances of success were uncertain.
Therefore, to protect them, Mika had to act quickly.
With Milo's help—they had swiftly defeated Shura—and Camus, outnumbered and injured, had been forced to surrender.
After a brief but brutal exchange, both Shura and Camus lay on the ground, battered and bruised, struggling to breathe.
——
"I suggest you—remain in that position," Mika said, looking down at them. "Saori is on her way with Mu and Aldebaran. You can decide for yourselves whether she's the true Athena or not when she arrives."
"Saori…you mean she's the…?" Shura's voice trailed off, his earlier arrogance replaced by a sudden uncertainty.
"Indeed," Mika confirmed, meeting his gaze. "Saori Kido. That is the name of Athena in this era. Remember it."
He turned away—leaving them to their thoughts.
Knowing they had been defeated, and facing the imminent arrival of the one who claimed to be Athena, they would undoubtedly be in turmoil. They wouldn't cause any more trouble.
Their priority now would be confirming Saori's identity.
And if they decided to attack her? He would leave that to Shaka, who would undoubtedly have pledged his loyalty to Saori by the time they reached Virgo.
——
With Shura and Camus dealt with—Mika, Aiolia, and Milo continued their journey towards the Pope's chambers.
"I thought we might encounter Aphrodite here," Milo remarked as they ran. "After sensing the four of you clashing—I assumed my deception had been discovered, so I rushed over. I thought Saga might send Aphrodite to reinforce them. But…he never appeared. Perhaps he's not as clever as I thought."
"I'm also…puzzled," Aiolia agreed.
Mika smiled. "Have you forgotten about Seiya and the others?" He had instructed them to continue their journey through Libra.
And since there was only one path through the temples, they would have encountered Milo and, potentially, Aphrodite. And given Aphrodite's loyalty to Saga, he had likely been defeated.
"Seiya and the others? I saw them earlier, but…could they truly defeat a Gold Saint?" Milo was skeptical. After all, under normal circumstances, a Bronze Saint couldn't defeat a Gold Saint.
But Seiya and the others were—exceptions.
"Shiryu single-handedly defeated Deathmask," Aiolia reminded him.
"WHAT??! Did you and Mika help him?" Milo stopped, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had learned of Deathmask's death from Shura and Camus.
"Why would you think that?" Aiolia asked. "Mika and I were trapped outside Gemini at the time, waiting for the Bronze Saints to clear a path. And when we finally reached Cancer—all that remained was Deathmask's Gold Cloth." He glanced at the Cloth now adorning Mika.
"So it's true…" Milo murmured, pressing his hand to his forehead in disbelief.
"Whether it's true or not…we'll find out soon enough. The answer awaits us at the end of this path," Mika said, standing on the steps leading to the next temple.
Mika knew, having read the original story, that Seiya and the others were far from Bronze Saints. While their normal Cosmo levels were at the Sixth Sense—when they burned their Cosmo—their power could increase exponentially.
And with their Gold Cloths, they were masters of attrition warfare. They only grew stronger with each battle.
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