[ By using the Praesepe, Hakurei summoned the souls of the warriors from the previous Holy War to this place, confronting the God of Sleep alongside his comrades.
However, the God of Sleep on the opposite side remained disdainful, his expression unchanged.
"Truly insignificant, merely a group of useless dead people. I just need to cast them back into the Underworld."
As he spoke, the God of Sleep waved his large hand, stirring up a fierce gale, which Hakurei easily blocked.
"It's not that simple, Hynos! Two hundred years of obsession..."
As Hakurei raised his arm, the warriors' souls gradually converged in the air into a massive energy orb. With the continuous influx of souls, the terrifying pressure it emitted caused Hades Castle to tremble.
"Take this, PRAESEPE RETURNING SPIRITS WAVE—!"
( Note: This move can directly erase the opponent's soul and body. )
With Hakurei's shout, the 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave' instantly blasted towards Hypnos.
But... the God of Sleep merely raised his arm slightly, easily deflecting this terrifying blow, even letting out a disdainful scoff:
"Is this all the warriors of the previous Holy War are capable of?!"
"Indeed, they are just humans."
Even with the combined strength of everyone, they still couldn't seal Hypnos. The God of Sleep's power truly exceeded Hakurei's imagination!
"Is it still not comparable to a god's power?!" Hakurei's eyes showed no hint of retreat, still gritting his teeth and holding on.
"If that's the case, THEN ADD MY SOUL AS WELL!"
The next moment, he unhesitatingly sacrificed his own soul, adding it to the 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave', concentrating all his power into his fist, and smashing it heavily towards the God of Sleep.
"Comrades, disciples... this is my obsession."
At this moment, a look of astonishment finally appeared on the God of Sleep's face.
Hakurei's all-or-nothing punch struck the God of Sleep's hand, and the God Cloth on the God of Sleep began to crack and disintegrate.
"To unleash this attack against me purely through obsession... indeed, humans are hopelessly foolish."
"But... truly magnificent!"
The God of Sleep's God Cloth continued to shatter. Although he still disdained human power at this moment, he couldn't help but praise Hakurei's actions in the end.
The God of Sleep was gradually engulfed by a purple light, and a trace of blue light merged into Hakurei's body from the air. The latter's tightly closed eyes slowly opened.
Hakurei slowly rose, taking out the cabinet that once sealed the God of Death from his body, a rare smile appearing on his face: "I've finally sealed you, Hypnos." ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave', hehe, another move. I have to say, Cancer's techniques are really useful. Using one's own soul as a mark, concentrating power at a single point, truly well done..."
"This move might not be effective against the God of Sleep's true body, but his earthly body couldn't withstand it. This move is equivalent to directly destroying the God of Sleep's earthly vessel."
At this time, people from other worlds also felt a long-lost surge of passion. As expected of an old-school shonen anime, Hakurei truly sealed the God of Sleep with real swords and guns, and the key thing was that he was still alive, which was amazing.
"This is the coolest battle. Humans defeated a god! To be able to achieve this level, he is truly too strong."
But everyone also understood that the God of Sleep had held back quite a bit. After only using an illusory domain from beginning to end, he basically didn't make any other moves.
Moreover, he didn't even move... one could only say that he truly was an artist, indeed elegant.
And even when defeated and sealed, the God of Sleep's attitude remained self-satisfied, a complete contrast to the God of Death's frantic screams when he was sealed.
.....
〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline〜
In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia
The Underworld...
Ereshkigal looked at the God of Sleep with a hint of surprise, as if seeing a rare animal:
"His attitude towards humans is completely different from the God of Death's."
This was the most general-like god she had seen in that world. From beginning to end, he never harbored any murderous intent, seemingly not wanting to fight at all, and Hakurei's fighting style simply caught him off guard.
Above the Underworld, in Uruk, the Wise King Gilgamesh was also somewhat surprised by the God of Sleep's defeat:
"Was he too lazy to extend a second hand? Or would using two hands against a human compromise a god's dignity?!"
It's just unknown if he could have blocked it if he had extended another hand. After all, the God of Sleep's earthly body, like the previous Hades, had reached its limit before he was defeated...
Merlin, however, had a good impression of the God of Sleep:
"The God of Sleep's final meaning should be that while human emotions are ridiculous, the actions taken for them are truly beautiful."
The God of Sleep mocked the fickle nature of human emotions but appreciated the actions they took for them.
.....
〜Bleach World, Seireitei〜
In the Soul Society, the captains watched the God of Sleep being sealed, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes:
"This time, it wasn't a life for a life?! Is it because he's not a Gold Saint?"
After all, the previous rule of "one Gold Saint dies for one god" was deeply ingrained in their minds. They had just assumed Hakurei would pay with his life to seal the God of Sleep, but it turned out they had overthought it.
Even the knowledgeable Head-Captain was incredibly surprised:
"He actually defeated the God of Sleep with a mortal body."
The power of the gods had been fully demonstrated before, an unbridgeable chasm for humans.
While the God of Sleep certainly had suspicions of holding back, let's not forget that Hakurei was an old man who had lived for over two hundred years.
How long can a human life span?
.....
〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Anime timeline〜
In the Sanctuary, after seeing Hakurei's 'Praesepe Returning Spirits Wave' defeat the God of Sleep in one blow, all the Saints were dumbfounded. Why did their generation not have any such powerful figures?
"Deathmask, you should just quit the group..."
Aphrodite was completely speechless. How many techniques had Deathmask missed out on?
He walked around with a 'Praesepe Underworld Waves' all day, acting like he was incredibly strong, only to realize in the end that he hadn't even graduated from kindergarten.
The unjustly scolded Deathmask also felt bad. He also wanted to understand how deep the Cancer's skill set was, with all the powerful ones being gone.
.....
〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜
"Do Saints hide things in such hardcore ways?"
Misaki Shokuhou tightly closed her eyes, swallowing nervously.
Seeing Hakurei directly pull out the sacred cabinet from his abdomen just now—that was a self-disembowelment! The bloody scene truly scared her, and she felt pain just watching it.
"But now I finally understand why those guys in Academy City are so obsessed with Level 6!"
The power of a god is an unbridgeable chasm for humans.
Humans spent such a huge price, meticulously devising such profound strategies and tactics, just to seal a god.
If the god had started with the mindset of complete annihilation, humans would have had no chance of winning. The final result of being sealed was due to the god underestimating them.
.....
[ The two-hundred-year-old wish was finally fulfilled, but the Holy War was not yet over. Hakurei picked up the holy sword and walked to the center of the barrier.
"With this, the barrier will disappear, Lady Athena. My brother and I have finally fulfilled our promise to you."
Just as he was about to plunge the holy sword, suddenly, crimson blood spurted from his body, and Shion's pupils sharply contracted.
Hakurei, who had just fought fiercely against the God of Sleep, collapsed without any resistance, his blood staining the ground.
Hades' cold voice also resounded.
"Hypnos, you got careless because your opponent was human, didn't you?"
Hades descended from the sky, exuding an aura completely different from before. That unattainable aura was that of a genuine god!
"So-called humans, the only beautiful thing about them is this crimson blood."
Hades reached out, dabbed the blood on the ground, and smeared it on his face, looking at Shion with cold eyes.
Shion couldn't believe the scene before him. His master, who had just been fighting, had fallen right in front of him.
"HADES!!"
The surging anger, accompanied by his shout, made his body tremble uncontrollably. His Cosmo burned wildly:
"STARDUST REVOLUTION—!"
Golden-glowing stardust blasted towards Hades. The latter merely waved his sleeve lightly, revealing a vast universe within.
The stars roaring out from within made Shion realize what true stardust was. Feeling the awe-inspiring dark Cosmo from it, he finally understood that it was the power of a god. ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Old man Hakurei ultimately couldn't escape the fate of death. He talked too much just now; if he had plunged it in earlier, it might have been different."
"That alluring pose, is Hades that flamboyant? Even wiping the blood on the ground onto his face."
Although Hakurei also couldn't escape the fate of death, the two brothers sealed the two brother gods with their respective lives, fulfilling their long-cherished wish with no regrets.
Removing the Twin Gods from Hades' side was a feat worthy of pride for all Saints. They proved that gods were not invincible and that there was a way to deal with them.
However, the true Hades had now awakened, and Shion was probably going to fall here as well.
That awe-inspiring, terrifying power, merely returning Shion's attack, had already rendered the latter utterly helpless.
"It seems that whoever shows up more in the early stages really does have to die."
People from other worlds secretly lamented, Why do even the protagonists die from talking too much... Old man, it wouldn't have been too late to slowly ramble after you plunged the sword in!
.....