No wonder the cosmic scene was so simple, for if Shaka wished it, he could rewrite the world before him.
Pink lotus flowers bloomed from the ground. Pink lines first sketched out the stems, then the flower buds. Following the brilliant pink, the moment the lotuses bloomed, the great light of wisdom belonging to Shaka illuminated the worlds in all ten directions.
This was the divine power of Shaka, renowned as the reincarnation of the Buddha, a power revealed the very moment he was born.
He gazed upon the ten directions and declared his sole supremacy.
"Very good. Only a stance such as this is worthy of being called the reincarnation of the Buddha," someone said softly from within the lotus flowers.
The lotuses, which nearly covered the entire world, stopped just three inches from Seiya's body. No matter how they pushed, they could not advance another half-step.
Seiya's gaze pierced through the illusion before him. Although spatially he was in a lower position, he scrutinized his opponent with an almost condescending gaze.
"But if you can be called the reincarnation of the Buddha, then I am the Buddha himself." Seiya raised his index finger, a golden halo slowly rippling out from it as the center.
"All that has form is unreal. If you see that all forms are not forms, you see the Tathagata."
A golden Pure Land extended outward from beneath Seiya's feet, completely covering the world before him in the space of a breath.
Though he was the one being suppressed, an expression of anticipation appeared on the unflappable face of Shaka of Virgo.
"When the wild mind rests, that is Bodhi." Seiya formed the Dharmachakra Mudra with his hands, his own consciousness merging with the consciousness of the universe, replacing the will of heaven with his own.
All the lotuses belonging to Shaka retracted, as if even these lifeless illusions had begun to feel fear. The rippling golden radiance enveloped the body of Shaka of Virgo.
Heaven and Earth, revolve!
A power as majestic as the universe itself enveloped Shaka's entire body. In a situation identical to Seiya's moments ago, the golden Pure Land extending from Seiya was similarly repelled by the surface of his Virgo Gold Cloth, as if striking an insurmountable barrier.
The probing from both sides had ended. In an instant, a force that would make even the gods take notice, several times greater than before, erupted from within both their bodies, transforming into pillars of golden light that shook space itself and enveloped the bodies of Seiya and Shaka.
—The Eighth Sense, awakened.
At this point in time, the Saints, who had originally only intended to test each other, had reached a stage where they had no choice but to fight.
Then, this power first gathered in Seiya's chest. Between his palms, a new universe seemed to be gestating. The vast vision of the Twenty-Four Devas manifested in the ten directions around him.
"All conditioned things are impermanent; they are subject to birth and death," Seiya said.
This terrifying power, which seemed on the verge of destroying its wielder through self-immolation, was a combat technique of the same origin as his own. It was not until this moment that Shaka's eyes opened a fraction.
Only by infinitely approaching death can one grasp the ultimate truth that transcends life and death.
The golden light shooting from his eyes transformed into a sacred wheel that pierced through the world. It was the concept of spreading enlightenment, the supreme will born to transcend the cycle of life and death.
Shaka's sealed eyes opened completely—the Eighth Sense, awakened.
"No perception of a self, no perception of a person, no perception of a being, no perception of a life," he recited the same true words.
At almost the exact same moment, the Saints, with eyes only for each other, shouted those four words.
"Tenma Kofuku—!"
At this moment in the outside world, all the Saints could feel that contending power.
The Victorious Fighting Buddha versus the reincarnation of the Buddha.
Tenma Kofuku versus Tenma Kofuku.
An Eighth Sense Saint clashing with an Eighth Sense Saint.
Everyone was terrified by this distorted power. The only ones whose faces showed emotion and joy were the two disciples of Shaka of Virgo—Agora of Lotus and Shiva of Pavo.
The two Silver Saints had originally been worried that the Pope's defeat would cause their actions to incur their master's displeasure.
But now, feeling that immense Cosmo, they both revealed smiles from the bottom of their hearts.
"That's it! Master is invincible! From beginning to end, only the victor is justice!" the two Saints shouted, before being enveloped by the halo of Tenma Kofuku and dissolving into ash.
But the clash of the two Tenma Kofuku continued. That power, which seemed to want to overturn heaven and earth, could probably destroy the entire Sanctuary without issue... Just as all the witnesses were thinking this, a natural power surged from within the earth to counter it.
Seeing this, Saori Kido, as if sensing something, raised the golden scepter in her hand high, resonating with the Shield of Athena at the highest point of the Sanctuary. Instantly, dozens of layers of dome-shaped barriers were added, suppressing any further increase in destructive power.
When the light finally dissipated, the once-shattered Twelve Houses were restored. Inside the Virgo House, the two Saints who fought in the name of the Buddha slowly retracted their power.
But between the two of them, a ceaselessly spiraling vortex swirled, forming a pattern similar to a Taiji.
Light flowed with light. Within this pure color, it seemed as if myriad phenomena were gestating, nurturing some universe about to be born.
The two Saints watched the flow of light and seemed to have an epiphany, but it felt as if something crucial was missing.
The contradictory vortex slowly dissipated before them.
The opposite of light should not be light, but something contrary to it... Seiya understood this point.
But if that step were truly taken, a terrible event would occur that neither he nor Shaka wished to see.
His brilliant golden hair, dazzling as the sun, fanned out and danced in the air.
Seiya said, "Because you are facing an opponent you cannot possibly defeat."
In terms of pure spiritual cultivation and mastery of the Tenma Kofuku combat technique, Shaka was not weaker than Seiya. It's just that he was facing not just a Saint, but to be precise, a Saint who was no longer human. He had already walked a long way down this path.
Shaka turned sideways, once again retracting the sharp light in his gaze and closing his eyes, clearing the way for Seiya. "Prajna Bodhi, illuminating the emptiness of the five skandhas. Saga clings to form and has lost his way. Your Cosmo convinces me that the time has come to set things right."
The Seventh House, the Libra House, was completely different from the other temples. The words inscribed above the Libra House were not 'Libra,' but the two characters for 'Longevity Star.'
A golden box with the image of a scale on its front emerged from the ground. In Lushan, China, the meditating Dohko raised his head.
Under the control of his distant will, it transformed into the Libra Gold Cloth, pointing the way for Seiya.
The next moment, Milo in the Eighth House opened his eyes. His gaze was grave as he watched the intruder who was slowly stepping into his temple.
"Pegasus Seiya, you're finally here." Milo slowly spoke through gritted teeth. The moment he saw him, his shoulder began to ache faintly.
"I only want to ask you one thing. As long as you can prove to me that the Pope has truly fallen to darkness and betrayed Athena, then I will let you pass."
Although he was the straightforward Scorpio Saint, in his years of fighting for the Pope, he too had developed his own doubts. With the appearance of Pegasus, these doubts had reached their peak.
Milo just wanted an answer. As he stared intently at the Pegasus Saint before him, he saw him shake his head. "Sorry, I can't give you concrete proof. Perhaps you should step out of the Twelve Houses covered by Another Dimension. The true reincarnation of Athena is outside."
Without an answer, Milo's eyes became resolute again. "Then I can't let you pass either. Come on, let me see the legendary God-Hunting Pegasus for myself!"
With a roar, Milo gathered all of his Cosmo into his uninjured left hand, transforming it into the death-beckoning Scarlet Needle and firing it at Seiya.
But with a flicker, Seiya was already behind him. Just as he was about to speak to stop him, he saw the figure of Cygnus Hyoga appear before him, blocking the path forward.
The Ninth House, the Sagittarius House.
The Sagittarius House. For him, this was the most special temple of all.
There were no obstacles. This temple was responding to him, nourishing his body, and pushing his Cosmo to grow.
A streak of golden light shot forth, piercing the back of the meditating Seiya.
He felt no pain, for it was the Sagittarius Cloth covering his body. Then, the figure of Aiolos appeared before him.
"I have fulfilled my duty. Saint Seiya, I believe you are the one entrusted by the Goddess, just as the scripture says: 'We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains.' Now, I entrust Athena to you. I hope you will emulate those who are true to their trust. Until she grows and understands her mission, be her faithful guardian, and do not fear hardship." The voice echoed in Seiya's ears.
It was just the will of Aiolos, once one of the strongest Saints. Upon seeing Seiya, the Saint who had taken up his duty and opened the path for the Goddess, his final lingering attachment was finally released.
Finally, Seiya's Cosmo sensed the call of the Sagittarius Cloth.
After these words were spoken, the Sagittarius Cloth shot an arrow, clearing the path ahead for Seiya.
The Tenth House, the Capricorn House.
The Capricorn Saint with a sharp glint in his eyes, Shura, watched the figure that tore through space to arrive before him.
"Pegasus Saint, I have been waiting for you for a long time." He showed a slight smile.
"Crossing space to come to the Sanctuary, challenging the authority of the Pope, facing the Gold Saints... did you know, from the moment that arrow was shot into the Sanctuary, I have been looking forward to meeting you again."
Seiya likewise stared at the Capricorn Gold Saint before him, at the Saint who remained as sharp and imposing as ever.
A Saint who believes in power and justice. In a sense, a Saint who very much fits the ideals of Verethragna. Because in his eyes—the victor is justice. Even if the Pope is a fraudulent person, with enough power, his actions can be justified.
"Even knowing I would come, facing me, Pegasus Seiya, you still don't plan to run?"
"Why should I run? Don't lump me in with the worthless trash before me!" Shura stood up with a grin, the vast Cosmo in his palm converging into a world-shining blade. "Even the master of the Cloth you wear, the once-strongest Saint Aiolos, still fell miserably beneath my Excalibur!"
Slaying Aiolos of Sagittarius, who was once seen as the Pope's successor and was renowned as the strongest alongside Saga of Gemini, was Shura's proudest achievement.
Fourteen years ago, he was ordered by the Pope to hunt down Aiolos, who had fled with the infant Goddess. He fought with Aiolos but was no match for him. Later, he used Athena as a hostage to threaten Aiolos, and finally struck Aiolos with a grievous wound, from which he later died.
But of course, Shura would not speak of the latter events, because the result was that Aiolos died by his hand.
"—Answer me, Holy Sword Excalibur!" He clasped his hands together and raised them above his head.
Honed to the extreme, an ultimate technique that also contained the concept of god-slaying was what Capricorn Shura prided himself on.
Facing Seiya, he naturally went all out. The brilliant light of the holy sword split the earth in two and slashed towards the Saint before him.
Seiya said nothing, because the moment the space-cleaving attack approached him, it was infinitely stretched, elongated, until it vanished into the void.
"What is this?" Shura frowned.
He wouldn't have been surprised if Seiya had simply shattered his Excalibur with overwhelming power. But from Seiya's body, he felt a power that drew him in.
Authority—Avalon, the Everdistant Utopia. Like the Wheel of Friendship, it is both a divine instrument and an Authority. Seized from the Heretic King Arthur, it can hide the user in another place, the distant Avalon. While it's a very strong defensive Authority, it's meaningless if the opponent can tear open space.
Seiya looked at Shura and stated faintly, "You intend to stop me? You should know the gap between us. You cannot win against an absolutely unbeatable opponent."
"Cannot win? I've never known what 'cannot win' means!" Shura burned his Cosmo, pushing his Excalibur to its limit, revealing a ferocious grin. "From the first day I stepped onto the path of training to be a Saint, whether you are the legendary Saint Pegasus, or a heretic god attempting to cover the Sanctuary and devour the Earth, my answer is only one word!"
A torrent-like stream of platinum-colored light condensed into a brilliant longsword, illuminating the darkness within the temple.
That's four characters... Although Seiya wanted to say that, looking at this pure Saint, Seiya remained silent, walking towards him with the same pace.
"Athena, grant me strength," Shura murmured. The same brilliance, the same pace, and he didn't know if it was his imagination, but he even felt that the opponent's brilliance was more sacred and awesome.
"Underworld Sword Technique: Divine-Buddha Confusion!" He also spoke the secret method to unlock a switch within himself.
Karma of the Holy Sword, the final form of the drawn sacred blade, is a Karma that surpasses technique. Although Seiya had not mastered many Capricorn combat techniques, this one move was more than enough.
With a perfectly identical pace, the Underworld power of the Surplice of Hanuman, the Heavenly Skill Star, was driven by Seiya's will, becoming fuel to make the holy sword even more incandescent, locking onto the Saint before him.
"Come, Pegasus!" Shura roared.
The brilliance of Excalibur streamed towards Seiya like a flood. He remained silent, continuing his silence. The moment the light was upon him, a counter-slashing brilliance pierced through the holy sword before him.
Time flowed backward at an extremely slow pace. Shura, feeling no pain, continued to run forward. But he saw his Capricorn House split horizontally in two, saw the holy sword he trusted so much be easily torn apart by his opponent's, and he even saw his own lower body still standing on the ground, while only his upper body was sent spinning through the air.
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