On the Jamir Plateau where cold winds howled, three figures moved along the rugged mountain path.
Manigoldo kicked a pebble away, lamenting, "This damn place doesn't even have a tavern! The old man's travel allowance is completely useless here. This mission really sucks!"
Setsuna raised an eyebrow slightly, 'Travel allowances in the 18th century? It seems Sanctuary's welfare system was quite advanced.'
But he quickly thought again, 'Could this be a change brought about by that Aries Saint?'
Setsuna searched his memory for information about Avenir. This Aries Saint had time-traveled from the 20th century back to 500 years ago.
In that parallel timeline, Shion wasn't the Pope, and there were no Bronze Saints desperately saving the world. The final result of the Holy War was Sanctuary's defeat. The Pope and Athena were beheaded, and humanity faced extinction.
In that hopeless future, the Aries Saint Avenir was taken by the Super Primordial God Chronos to the era of the Holy War 500 years prior.
To prevent Avenir's future from recurring, Sanctuary united and won that Holy War.
Setsuna's thoughts converged. Shion was shaking his head helplessly. "We're here to find the Cloth, not on vacation…"
Before he finished speaking, a whooshing sound cut through the air. Setsuna's hand now held a plump argali.
He swiftly processed the prey, his skill so proficient it was astounding.
"Wait!" Shion's eyes widened. "Eating mutton while searching for the Aries Cloth isn't appropriate, is it?"
Manigoldo threw an arm around Shion's shoulders. "Kid, with your rigid personality, you'll definitely turn into a stubborn old man like Uncle Hakurei in the future."
Half an hour later, lamb chops sizzled over the campfire. Golden fat dripped into the flames, rising with tempting aromas.
Manigoldo took the first bite, suddenly freezing. Two streams of hot tears spilled from his eyes.
"Junior brother!" He choked, grabbing Setsuna's shoulders. "Please, you must come on missions with me from now on! If that's not possible… at least make me some boxed lunches before we leave!"
Shion nodded repeatedly, 'Was lamb really this delicious?'
Just then, Shion suddenly stood up, looking into the distance. Stardust light glimmered in the far-off sky.
"I heard the Aries's voice! That stardust light is the clue!" Shion was very excited.
Manigoldo wiped the grease from his mouth, speaking solemnly. "See? I told you eating mutton would get Aries's attention."
The three followed the light to beneath that sky. The floating stardust suddenly swelled, transforming into a vortex that swallowed them.
The moment the three were engulfed by the stardust, the world spun.
When their vision refocused, an ancient town appeared before their eyes.
"Here…" Manigoldo narrowed his eyes, surveying this city forgotten by time. "This should be the settlement of the Mu Continent's survivors who vanished 250 years ago."
The town was eerily quiet.
People on the streets were frozen mid-stride. A vendor's hand, suspended in mid-air, would never deliver its goods.
Even more bizarre, they clearly still emitted signs of life.
"Time has been stopped." Setsuna reached out, touching a suspended water droplet. A cool sensation transmitted through his fingertip.
Just then, a boy of about seven or eight walked out from an alley.
"I sensed Cancer's presence." The boy's voice was childish yet steady. "Is Sage still the Pope?"
Manigoldo's pupils constricted. "Who are you? How do you know my teacher?"
"My name is Yugo. I was Avenir-sama's subordinate." The boy performed an ancient salute. "Also, the guardian of the Aries Cloth."
He turned, gesturing for the three to follow. "This town is a prison of time. Some are eternally sealed, others cycle endlessly through time…"
Manigoldo's expression was grave. "Sealing time? That's a feat only gods possess."
Shion said somewhat excitedly, "We came to—"
"Search for the Aries Cloth, right?" Yugo took over. "I know. Avenir-sama has also been calling for you."
Yugo led the three underground, where another massive town existed beneath the earth.
The four arrived at the town's center. Surrounded by twelve stone pillars, the Aries Cloth floated within dazzling golden light.
The light formed a perfect spherical barrier, completely isolating the Cloth from the outside world.
"A 'god' wanted to seize the Cloth but found it sealed by another 'god'." Yugo pointed at the light sphere. "The later one couldn't obtain the Cloth, so he stopped the entire town's time, banishing us to a temporal rift. My body was also turned into this child's form by him then."
Manigoldo's mouth twitched slightly. "You don't expect us to break a god's seal, do you?"
Yugo smiled. "Congratulations, you guessed correctly."
A vein throbbed on Manigoldo's forehead. "Having us three mortals deal with the mess left by two gods? You really think highly of us!"
Yugo smiled. "But you're already here. Being able to enter this temporal rift… is itself a miracle."
Shion took a deep breath, walking towards the light sphere. "If we don't solve this, we probably can't leave either."
"Be careful!" Yugo quickly warned. "If you sense something wrong, retreat immediately! Otherwise, you might be swept away by temporal turbulence!"
The moment Shion stepped into the sealed area, space abruptly distorted.
Golden time-force wound around his body like threads. His skin rapidly withered. His black hair turned silver-white.
"Future Pope Shion-sama~" A frivolous voice rang out. A figure riding a white Pegasus appeared in the air, one hand propping his chin, a mocking smile on his face. "Your glorious fate is about to be rewritten here!"
"Me? Pope?" Shion was inwardly puzzled, asking gravely, "Who exactly are you?"
"Me~" The frivolous man performed an elegant bow. "I am the god who controls time, Kairos. Here to end your fate!"
With astonishing willpower, Shion walked towards the Aries Cloth. But his body rapidly aged. Muscles atrophied, bones grew brittle. He was on the verge of becoming a desiccated corpse.
"Tch, troublesome!" Manigoldo suddenly raised his hand. Purple light erupted from his fingertips, instantly piercing into Shion's body.
"Sekishiki Meikai Ha!"
Shion's soul was forcibly extracted from his body, turning into a translucent phantom. Guided by the Meikai Ha, it charged straight for the Aries Cloth.
"Stop!" Kairos's expression changed slightly, about to intercept.
"Hoyoku Tensho!"
A blazing white fire phoenix spread its wings, blasting Kairos hundreds of meters away.
Kairos stabilized himself mid-air, squinting his eyes slightly. "A mere mortal dares to…"
He slowly floated back, speaking in a mocking tone. "Attacking a god? Your companion over there is trembling in fear~"
"Ha!" Manigoldo suddenly roared with laughter. "This old man is trembling with excitement!"
Battle intent burned in his eyes. "I've long wanted to beat up you damn gods!"
Setsuna licked his dry lips, his voice dangerous and cold. "Pity you're not the real body… Otherwise, I'd really like to taste what a god tastes like."