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A powerful, gentle Cosmo surged from the sea's surface, piercing through the thick clouds above.
The blue sky reappeared over the tumultuous ocean.
As the Cosmo expanded, the churning waves calmed, the raging storm subsiding.
However, this was only the surface. Unseen by most, Poseidon's divine power was rapidly receding, the path ahead now clear.
Of course, only the barriers created by Poseidon himself had been neutralized. The defenses established by his Sea Generals remained untouched.
Athena wasn't one to bully weaker opponents; that was a task for her Saints.
Gods fought Gods.
And Saints, with their God-slaying potential, were the true guardians of this world.
———
"Leave the rest to me," Mika said with a smile.
"Airmid."
"Yes!"
Airmid—now the Sagittarius Gold Saint—handed him her Golden Bow.
Mika hadn't brought Alfia, the Libra Gold Saint, on this expedition.
It was an unconventional choice. After all, a battle against a God was a serious matter, requiring every Gold Saint to fight at their full strength.
And that meant using the Libra Gold Weapons.
Therefore, the Libra Gold Saint was usually an essential part of any large-scale campaign.
But this was different.
The main force in this battle wasn't the Gold Saints, but Mika himself.
He wasn't just a Gold Saint; his power far surpassed that.
He was at the peak of the Eighth Sense, a single step away from the Ninth—the realm of the Gods. And with his other abilities, he could even challenge a Ninth Sense God.
Poseidon, though powerful, was still in his mortal vessel, unable to unleash his full power. According to Athena, such reincarnated Gods could only access a fraction of their true strength, barely reaching the Ninth Sense.
Therefore, Mika and Poseidon were evenly matched.
As for Poseidon's experience??
Mika, having traveled through countless worlds, with the accumulated knowledge of the Counter Force at his disposal, was far more experienced.
And with Athena by his side, the outcome of this battle was already decided.
Therefore, Alfia's presence here was unnecessary. Her power was better utilized guarding Sanctuary against any potential threats.
Mika had brought the other Gold Saints not to fight, but to learn, to grow stronger, to prepare for the upcoming Holy War.
He took the Golden Bow from Airmid, a smile playing on his lips as he felt the immense power contained within.
He channeled his Cosmo into it, a brilliant light swirling around the bow as an arrow of pure energy materialized, nocked and ready.
He hadn't used the Golden Arrow that came with the bow, but one he had created himself.
He drew the bowstring, his gaze fixed on Poseidon's undersea temple, his enhanced senses having already pinpointed its location.
With a flick of his finger, the arrow shot forward, piercing through the ocean's depths.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!!"
The sea itself parted before its power.
Mika, watching the arrow's trajectory, was engulfed in a golden light, a shield of Cosmo forming around him and the other Saints.
"The path is open. Let's go."
His Cosmo surged, and they were all pulled forward, following the arrow's path, a surprise attack against the Sea Realm.
———
"What's going on?!"
Poseidon, sitting on his throne, was jolted from his thoughts as his divine barrier shattered.
"The Saints are here?!"
He had been expecting them, but not like this.
And in the fading remnants of the attacking Cosmo, he sensed a familiar presence: Athena.
He had been wary of her, but he hadn't anticipated such a direct assault.
"Someone!" Poseidon called out.
"Your Majesty, how may I be of service?" Siren Sorrento, one of his seven Sea Generals, knelt before him.
"The Saints have arrived. Tell everyone to prepare. They will not breach Atlantis. We will show them the true power of the Sea Realm." He wasn't concerned. He knew it had been Athena who had broken his barrier.
But Athena wouldn't interfere in a battle between her Saints and his Sea Generals.
Therefore, his carefully prepared defenses, the countless barriers and enchantments that protected Atlantis, would be more than enough to handle them.
With their Home-field advantage, even if his Sea Generals were weaker, they wouldn't be easily defeated.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll relay your orders immediately." Siren Sorrento stood and turned to leave.
But just as he reached the temple entrance, a golden arrow, having bypassed all their defenses, struck the plaza before Poseidon's temple.
"What?! How?!" The sound of shattering barriers echoed through the temple as the arrow's power rippled outwards.
He couldn't comprehend it. These barriers, many of them created by Poseidon himself, were supposed to be impenetrable, a testament to his divine power, similar to the barriers surrounding Sanctuary and the Underworld.
Yet, they had been shattered by a single arrow.
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"This can't be happening!"
Siren Sorrento, realizing the gravity of the situation, abandoned his earlier mission. Relaying Poseidon's orders was now pointless.
The shattering of the barriers was a clear sign that the Saints had already arrived. His warning would be too late.
He turned to return to Poseidon's temple, to ask for new orders, to understand what had happened.
Surely, this wasn't part of his plan. He believed Poseidon would have a solution, an explanation.
But he was wrong.
Even Poseidon was at a loss.
Mika's attack was unlike anything he had ever encountered, an otherworldly power that defied their understanding.
The arrow had been imbued with Mika's enhanced [Anti-Magic] ability, a power derived from Diarmuid's Gáe Dearg.
But this was only the prototype.
Mika had refined and enhanced it, incorporating his knowledge from other worlds, transforming it into something new, something far more potent.
He had first used it to forge his Longinus, the Radiant Spear, then had integrated it into his own techniques, creating a power that could shatter any barrier, any enchantment.
He had developed it specifically for the Underworld, for Hades's impenetrable fortress.
He had never imagined it would be so effective here, against Poseidon's divine defenses.
The Sea Realm's carefully constructed defenses, their greatest advantage, had been shattered in an instant.
They were now vulnerable.
Just as Siren Sorrento was about to turn back, he sensed them: dozens of golden meteors, streaking through the water, descending upon Atlantis.
And he knew, with a dawning horror, what they were.
"The Saints...!"
As a Seventh Sense warrior, he could perceive their true nature.
But that only deepened his despair.
Their defenses were gone. Their home-field advantage, neutralized.
They now had to face the Saints in a direct confrontation, a battle they were ill-prepared for.
While Poseidon and Kanon believed Sanctuary was at its weakest, that was only in terms of their top-tier combatants.
Their other Saints, the ones who patrolled the surface world, who faced countless challenges and honed their skills in real-world battles, were among the strongest in their respective ranks. They were the true guardians of the Earth.
To face them on equal footing was a daunting prospect.
And in the descending meteors, he sensed several auras far surpassing his own.
Sanctuary wasn't as weak as Kanon had claimed.
They were incredibly strong.
"I have to get back to His Majesty!" Siren Sorrento turned to flee, but it was too late.
The meteors were upon them.
Mika had already locked onto the seven Sea Generals, assigning each of them an opponent.
And for Siren Sorrento, he had chosen Airmid.
"BOOM!"
A golden meteor crashed before him, blocking his path.
The smoke cleared, revealing Airmid, her Sagittarius Gold Cloth gleaming in the dim light.
"You must be a Sea General," Airmid said, her voice calm, her presence radiating a quiet confidence.
"I am Airmid, the Sagittarius Gold Saint. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Even in the heat of battle, her words were polite, her demeanor that of a noble warrior, not a bloodthirsty killer.
"A Saint...?" Siren Sorrento took a step back, his earlier arrogance gone, replaced by a wary caution.
He could feel the immense power emanating from Airmid, a pressure that made him tremble.
The woman before him was dangerous.
"How foolish. To challenge us here. Do you know where you are? This is Poseidon's temple. To raise a hand against him in his own domain—it's suicide," Siren Sorrento taunted, though his voice lacked its earlier conviction.
Airmid simply smiled. "Is that so?"
Her words were followed by the sound of shattering glass, as several golden meteors crashed through the roof of Poseidon's temple, landing within its sacred halls.
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