There was a reason Meruem didn't plan to bring the Gold Saints. Even though there were no Gold Saints among the people he selected, their actual combat power was extremely high. Just the elite Silver Saints alone were no ordinary bunch.
Seventh Sense Lizard Misty, Perseus Algol, and Saga, known as the strongest among the Silvers.
The strongest Silver lineup, plus Wang Hu and Bardo at peak Seventh Sense. In real fighting ability, they wouldn't be much worse than the Little Sanctuary.
Most importantly, don't underestimate the current Bronze Boys. Aside from Ikki's old flame Esmeralda, whom Meruem didn't plan to bring, everyone was coming—including Jabu.
Each of them was at high-level Seventh Sense, not much weaker than the Omega-era Five Bronze Boys. The strongest among them, Ikki, had already reached a downright absurd level.
He had reached the point where even among the Gold Saints, quite a few were still working on breaking into the Eighth Sense.
And that was without the Bronze Boys even "bursting." Once they did... tsk tsk.
This hit different.
So just bringing them was already enough for Meruem to handle everyone in the Little Sanctuary except Amor, Medea, and Mars.
And once they burst, even Amor might not be able to suppress them. At the very least, Ikki's strength wasn't much worse than Amor's.
The Greek Sanctuary was now unprecedentedly powerful. That wasn't just talk—it was the reality.
Over twenty Gold Saints, plus more than ten other Saints above Seventh Sense. And then huge numbers of grunts, Bronzes, Black Iron, and so on.
With such a massive population base, calling it a nation of Saints wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Especially the Gold Saints—anyone who hadn't reached the Eighth Sense was pushing hard in that direction.
Some Gold Saints were also learning the realm of unity with nature from little Leo and the commissar (Sisyphus).
The Sanctuary even opened courses: at intervals, different Gold Saints personally taught experience to Saints who hadn't reached the Seventh Sense yet, aiming to help them reach Seventh Sense as soon as possible.
So far, not many people had broken through. But there was no doubt that Saints of every rank were getting stronger.
The Sanctuary's punitive force led by Meruem very easily smashed Mars's Martian Legion. To be honest, aside from Mars's Four Heavenly Kings, the rest of the Martian Legion were basically trash with combat power under five.
They couldn't stop the Sanctuary force's advance at all.
Of the Little Sanctuary's Twelve Temples, aside from the three Gold Saints already captured, there were nine Gold Saints left. Meruem had the Bronze Boys and the others each go find their own opponent.
Just as Meruem guessed, the three Gold Saints who should have existed—Kiki, Genbu, and Seiya—were not among them. Taking their places were Bacchus, Diana, and Vulcanus, who should have been among Mars's Four Heavenly Kings.
And the Four Heavenly Kings' captain, Romulus, stood apart on his own.
"I am Fudo of Virgo. Intruders, state your names." Fudo, the incarnation of Fudo Myo-o, stood guard in his Virgo Temple.
"Let me see the power of this generation's Virgo. Orion Saga."
"Great Horn!" "Great Bone!" In the Taurus Temple, a contest of strength against strength began.
Aquarius Temple
"Time is the source that rules this world! Only I am worthy of the Aquarius Cloth." "Your existence only stains the Aquarius Cloth. You think you control time, but you're nothing more than a pitiful thing played by time. Let me show you the Aquarius ultimate technique: Diamond Dust: Zero Light!"
"Time... it's actually frozen."
Capricorn Temple
"I was originally Capricorn of the last Holy War. I'm doing this precisely because I want to redeem Athena. Young Saint, look at this—the power of all creation!" Ionia, holding a book that radiated golden light, faced a Dragon Saint in blue-green Cloth.
"Last Holy War's Capricorn wasn't some damn Ionia like you! The only Capricorn I acknowledge is Commander El Cid. Holy Sword Excalibur! This is Capricorn's true ultimate technique!"
Pisces Temple
Medea's younger brother Amor was the last one in the Little Sanctuary's Twelve Temples. Alone, he blocked Meruem and the others, his tone full of confidence. "I didn't expect anyone could break into the Pisces Temple guarded by me, but everyone who enters today will die here. No passage!"
"Ikki, I'm leaving this to you." Meruem didn't even look at Amor. After saying this to Ikki—the only one still at his side—he walked into the Pisces Temple.
"You dare ignore me? Die!" Bloody Canon!
Amor struck at Meruem's back, but before his hand could even touch Meruem, his body flew up as if it had hit an invisible wall.
Meruem didn't even turn his head. He casually pointed off to the side, and Amor's body slammed toward the spot Meruem indicated at high speed.
"Pisces has always been said to shine with heaven and earth, and yet a freak like you shows up. Kill him, Ikki."
When Amor crawled out of the crater, only Meruem's lingering voice remained in the air.
"Your opponent is me." Ikki's tall figure stood before Amor, blocking any attempt to pursue, looking down at him from above.
"Then I'll start by cutting you down." Amor glared at Ikki, black matter-like Cosmo blazing over his body.
"You've come." The master of the Little Sanctuary, Mars—known as the War God—looked calmly at Meruem walking toward him, speaking as if to an old friend.
"War God Mars? Just like in my impression." Meruem said something that left Mars confused, because in Mars's memory he shouldn't have ever met Meruem.
And Meruem's "impression" was from the anime in his previous life.
"Someone as powerful as you shouldn't be willing to live under someone else—especially under a little girl. How about it? Join my Martian Legion. Athena can't give you much, but I can satisfy you. I can give you everything you want."
Mars spoke with enticing persuasion. This was the first time he had actively tried to recruit someone. Meruem's strength truly tempted him—a powerful mortal.
"What Athena gives me, you can't." Meruem gave his final, conclusive answer.
But Mars still wouldn't give up. "What can Athena give you that I can't?"
"Athena herself."
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