Hearing Camus's question, Setsuna was silent for a moment, then answered in a heavy voice: "Because I've had enough. I've had enough of this endless 'Holy War', this curse of fate."
"The Holy War against Ares, the Holy War against Poseidon, the Holy War against Hades..."
"The so-called 'Holy Wars' are nothing but games among the gods. The high and mighty gods use the Earth and humanity as their chessboard and pieces, playing with them as they please!"
Setsuna's voice turned cold. "The gods will not allow humanity to develop too prosperous a civilization. Ignorance and fear are the most fertile soil for faith."
"Only by keeping humanity forever trapped in fear of nature, of fate, of divine power... can their divine authority be eternal."
Setsuna looked up, his gaze piercing through the space of the Underworld, gazing at the Earth. "Modern civilization is about to reach their limit. The apocalyptic purification is already brewing."
"Although I am grateful to Athena for protecting humanity, the evil gods will not stop 'cycling' this world."
Setsuna paused for a moment, then issued a thunderous declaration:
"To end all this, I will replace Hades and become the new Hades. Then, I will launch a 'Holy War' against those evil gods! Drag them down from the high and mighty Mount Olympus... into Hell!"
'Replace Hades? Declare war on the entire Olympian pantheon?'
Saga and the other two, who believed themselves to have experienced countless battles and had minds as firm as stone, were also shaken by this crazed, extreme ambition, feeling their very souls tremble.
Especially Saga. Compared to Setsuna, his own little ambition seemed like child's play.
Compared to the grand narrative of humanity's future, his ambition was far too naive.
After the shock, they also felt a surge of excitement.
Shura couldn't help but ask, "Can such a thing truly be done?"
"Nothing is impossible." Setsuna was very confident. "As early as the Holy War 243 years ago, I had already tested the limits of Hades."
"With my current strength, I am actually not afraid of him anymore."
"If it weren't for the fear of interference from the gods of Heaven, I could suppress him right now and completely end this Holy War!"
Setsuna's gaze became deep. "But I don't want to just end one Holy War. I want to completely end the rule of the gods over humanity! To break this chain of fate that has cycled for hundreds of millions of years!"
"So, I need time. I need a more stable and thorough plan for replacement."
Saga and the other two listened with burning passion. This was what Saints should do.
Shura suddenly knelt on one knee. "We have used the [Athena Exclamation], violating the commandments of the Saints, and have lost the qualification to be Saints of Athena..."
"Now, I, Capricorn Shura, am willing to become a 'Specter' and fight for you!"
Saga and Camus exchanged glances, seeing the resolve in each other's eyes.
They had already 'died' once, bearing the name of traitors. Now, reborn, they had witnessed a more glorious and magnificent path...
"Gemini Saga..."
"Aquarius Camus..."
"Are willing to follow you and fight for you!"
Setsuna shook his head slightly, his tone solemn. "Not fight for me, but fight for all the struggling, yet ever-striving-for-light beings on this Earth!"
"It is time to let those gods know the wrath of humanity."
"Those who fool the people will be abandoned by them! Those who suppress all spirits will, amidst their roar, usher in their twilight!"
Saga and the other two listened with surging emotions. After forcing themselves to calm down, they asked, "Setsuna-sama, what do you need us to do?"
Setsuna said, "I want you to do everything in your power to block those Saints who are going to protect Athena... here in the Underworld."
Camus was somewhat confused. "Setsuna-sama, why is that?"
Setsuna did not explain immediately, but spoke of something seemingly unrelated:
"Only by attaining the realm of the Eighth Sense can the soul transcend life and death, and barely be qualified to participate in the wars of the gods."
Setsuna looked at Camus and the other two. "Most Gold Saints are highly talented, able to reach the Seventh Sense before the age of twenty. But until they die in battle, they may never truly set foot on the threshold of the Eighth Sense."
"Is it because your aptitude is insufficient?" Without waiting for the three to answer, Setsuna gave the answer himself. "Of course not. The aptitude of Gold Saints is unquestionable."
"The reason you have difficulty breaking through is that each generation of Gold Saints spends their entire lives preparing for the Holy War."
"You bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the Sanctuary, protecting the Earth, and protecting the goddess."
"So you are afraid to die. You dare not easily give up your useful lives."
"What is called arduous training is still somewhat tempering for the realms below the Eighth Sense, but the Eighth Sense requires transcending life and death. How can you transcend without the resolve to die?"
"Therefore, most Gold Saints do not stimulate their potential until the Holy War begins, in battle after bloody battle, finally attaining the Eighth Sense before death..."
Saga and the other three suddenly realized. No wonder their old friends had become much stronger after the Holy War started.
Setsuna paused and shook his head slightly. "Of course, it is still rare for the Gold Saints of your generation to have withered by more than half before the Holy War even began, due to internal strife."
Hearing Setsuna's words, Saga bowed his head in pain.
It was because of his ambition that the Sanctuary had experienced thirteen years of chaos and decline.
In a sense, the 'outstanding contributions' he had made to the Underworld could not be matched by the entire Hades forces combined.
Seeing Saga's pained expression, Setsuna did not continue this topic.
He changed tack, returning to the original order. "So, I want you to block them, to force out their ultimate potential, and also to force out your own."
"If they still want to save Athena, they must break through. They must comprehend the Eighth Sense, which transcends all, between life and death!"
Camus suddenly understood, 'So this was Setsuna-sama's intention?'
Setsuna continued, "Humanity possesses infinite possibilities that even the gods fear!"
"Although the gods have high starting points and are born powerful, most are complacent and find it difficult to advance, bound by their own authority."
"But humanity, in just a few decades of life, can burst forth with wisdom and power that can change the world!"
Setsuna revealed the fundamental reason why the gods suppressed humanity, "It is precisely this potential that they fear. That is why the gods have placed the shackles of death on humanity, using finite lives to limit their infinite possibilities."
"And in the name of Holy War, they periodically harvest civilization, constantly consuming humanity's potential."
"And now, I control the rules of death!" Setsuna spread his arms. "You can fight and kill to your hearts' content, without fear of death."
"Not only that, I will also resurrect the Gold Saints of all generations, making them all attain the Eighth Sense. One hundred and eight Evil Stars of the Eighth Sense. Let the gods of Heaven see what it means when evil stars throw the world into chaos!"