Not to mention Seiya and the other three, even the strong-willed Gold Saints felt a touch of despair at this moment.
Too strong. This legendary Pope was simply too strong, almost like a god.
Setsuna ignored their despair and calmly walked toward Shun.
Just as Setsuna's hand was about to reach Shun, an angry roar sounded.
"Bastard! Get your hands off Shun!"
A crimson red figure, hot as fire, shot out from the shadows. It was Phoenix Ikki.
With speed surpassing his limits, he suddenly appeared behind Setsuna.
"Phoenix Genma Ken!"
A dark red beam penetrated the helmet and shot into Setsuna's head.
"It hit!" Milo forced himself to prop up his body, his eyes bursting with a glimmer of hope.
Aiolia and Mu also showed excited expressions. They hadn't expected the Phoenix Saint to arrive in time.
However, Shion smiled bitterly. "How could the Phoenix Saint's ability possibly work on him? After all, he was the very first Phoenix Saint!"
"What?" Seiya and the other three were stunned.
'That legendary strongest Pope, the hero of the last Holy War, wasn't actually a Gold Saint by origin? He was a Bronze Saint like us?'
Hyoga couldn't help but ask, "Can a Bronze Saint also become Pope?"
In their understanding, the Pope had always been chosen from among the Gold Saints.
Shion sighed. "Normally, no. But the former former Pope was too powerful, earning the recognition of all Saints."
Indeed, Setsuna, hit by the Phoenix Genma Ken, remained completely unaffected. He calmly turned his head. "Phoenix Genma Ken... what a nostalgic power..."
"However, I recall that the Phoenix Cloth I wore back then should have been completely annihilated, turned into cosmic dust, in the final battle with Hades. Why has it reappeared?"
Shion provided the answer. "Athena-sama collected the divine blood Hades shed in that battle and reforged the Cloth, granting the Phoenix new life."
Upon hearing this, Setsuna nodded slightly.
The Phoenix Cloth was special, precisely because of the Hades divine blood contained within it.
With Hades divine blood, reforging it was naturally feasible.
Setsuna's gaze fell back on the still-shocked Ikki. "However, just Phoenix Genma Ken isn't enough to matter. Use the Genro Mao Ken over there as well."
While everyone was puzzled by Setsuna's words, a dark purple light flashed.
Kanon, hiding in the shadows, did not hesitate for a moment and instantly activated the Genro Mao Ken.
That spiritual shock silently crossed space, accurately shooting into Setsuna's forehead.
"You traitor!" Aiolia glared at Kanon, the traitor who had seduced Gemini Saga into falling and had become the leader of the Marina Generals.
"Calm down, Aiolia!" Milo pulled him back. "I already killed him with the fifteenth strike of the Scarlet Needle, [Antares]. He is no longer the same Kanon as before."
Aiolia was moved upon hearing this. The fifteenth strike of the Scarlet Needle, [Antares], was a certain-kill attack, and extremely painful.
The fact that Kanon had survived this deadly ordeal was enough to prove his change.
"Thank you." Kanon thanked him softly, then said, "We should still be careful of the enemy before us. I sense that he was not controlled by the demon fist."
"What? The legendary demon fist is also ineffective?" Aiolia's expression changed slightly.
Setsuna looked at Kanon and said calmly, "Your guilt towards your brother, your regret for your own past… this self-blame has caused your fist to lose its demonic nature. It can hardly be considered a true Genro Mao Ken."
"Let me teach you what a true Genro Mao Ken is!"
The instant his words fell, Setsuna suddenly threw a punch.
There was no energy fluctuation, but Kanon's body shook violently as if struck by lightning.
He clutched his head, letting out an agonized roar. His eyes reflected countless twisted and shattered illusions.
"No, don't!" Kanon trembled as he spoke to himself, clearly unable to continue fighting.
"If mental skills won't work, then I'll use my fists! My flames!" Ikki roared, burning his Cosmo.
However, the moment he rushed in front of Setsuna and threw his fist—
Hum!
The crimson Phoenix Cloth on his body suddenly vibrated violently.
Then, before Ikki's horrified eyes, the various components of the Phoenix Cloth detached themselves from his body.
They turned into streams of crimson light and fell at Setsuna's feet.
"No... impossible!!" Ikki froze in his forward-charging posture, looking at his suddenly empty body, then at the Cloth that had betrayed him at Setsuna's feet, letting out a cry of disbelief.
"My Cloth, why..."
He could not believe that, like Cancer Deathmask, he had been abandoned by his Cloth.
Setsuna chuckled lightly. "It seems the Phoenix Cloth recognizes me more. After all, I was the one who made Hades shed divine blood. This Cloth already carries my battle imprint."
"Damn you! Give me back my Cloth!" Ikki's eyes turned bloodshot. He burned his Cosmo and, like a wounded beast, lunged at Setsuna.
Even unarmed, he would fight.
But he couldn't even touch the corner of Setsuna's clothes before being sent flying by telekinesis.
But at that moment, a vast energy fluctuation arose.
Setsuna turned his head. Milo and the other two had gathered together at some point, striking a strange pose.
"That is..." Shion's pupils contracted sharply. "The opening stance of the Athena Exclamation?"
"Master..." Mu looked at Shion, his face apologetic, yet utterly resolute. "To stop Saga and the others, we have already violated the prohibition once, using the shadow fighting method."
"Now, for Athena, for the future of the earth, we don't care about violating it again!"
Milo and Aiolia said nothing. They simply poured their remaining Cosmo without reservation into the array.
A destructive energy, enough to make space tremble, make the earth wail, and capable of causing a localized cosmic Big Bang, began to rapidly expand at the center of the triangular formation.
"Athena Exclamation!"
The three roared simultaneously, and a golden beam of light shot toward Setsuna with a roar.
Where the beam passed, space shattered layer by layer, revealing the profound nothingness beyond.
Facing the three's attack, Setsuna had also long assumed a similar stance.
"Athena Exclamation!"
Seeing this, Seiya was shocked. "Isn't the [Athena Exclamation] a technique that only three Gold Saints can use together?"
No one explained, but the fact was the best proof.
A giant golden pillar of light was pushed from Setsuna's hands, roaring to meet the attack.
Boom—
An indescribable deafening sound and light consumed everything.
A golden energy storm swept across the entire temple plaza and into the sky of the Sanctuary.
Fortunately, the core of the Saints was protection. Even in such a fierce battle, the four hadn't forgotten to restrain their power.
Energy capable of destroying countless stars erupted in such a narrow space. Space was shattered layer after layer, but ultimately the Earth was not blown up.
After the light faded...
Mu, Milo, and Aiolia had lost consciousness, lying on the ground, their fate unknown.
Setsuna stood in place, completely unscathed.