Li Yu saw everyone's confusion. He stepped forward a few paces, scanned his surroundings, and said loudly, "I know what you all are worried about. As the Gemini Gold Saint, Saga inherently possesses a dual personality. Under the instigation of his evil personality, he made mistakes back then… "
"These past years, in prison, Saga has truly repented and has even helped me slay the Hydra… "
"I can guarantee with my own character that Saga will never commit evil again. His evil personality has been completely sealed by me!"
The reason Li Yu dared to bring Saga back to the Sanctuary was, naturally, that he was confident he could suppress Saga again.
As he continuously entered the Reincarnation Space, his strength soared at rocket speed.
Given him a bit more time, perhaps some of the weaker gods in the Saint Seiya World would no longer be his opponents.
After hearing Li Yu's words, Shion remained silent for a long time.
He finally spoke, his aged voice echoing through the valley.
"I am old and will abdicate soon. This matter… I leave to you all to decide. Saga's return to the Sanctuary to take charge of the Gemini Palace, who approves? Who opposes?"
"I oppose!"
Aiolia stomped forward, his golden Cosmo flaring up like flames.
At this moment, he remembered his deceased brother, the Sagittarius Gold Saint, Aiolos!
If it weren't for Saga's rebellion back then…
Perhaps his brother would not have fled the Sanctuary and unfortunately died in battle… "I disagree!"
"I also disagree!"
Scorpio Milo and Capricorn Shura stepped forward one after another.
Aries Mu, Taurus Aldebaran, and Virgo Shaka frowned slightly, not speaking immediately.
Cancer Deathmask and Pisces Aphrodite, on the other hand, stood with their arms crossed, watching the commotion with a half-smile. It wasn't that they had no opinions; it was simply… their strength didn't allow it.
It was clear that Li Yu wanted to push this matter through.
They were self-aware enough to know that even if some people were shouting happily now, Li Yu would turn around, and under the guise of sparring, freeze them for a few days, and then everyone would quiet down.
They were just ordinary people, everyone had it hard, they were just Sanctuary employees, why be so desperate?
Li Yu was about to speak when Saga already stood in front of him. He raised his head, his gaze as resolute as stone.
"I understand how you all feel. How about this, to show my determination to atone, I will not wear my Cloth and will let you all punish me!"
"If I can survive, then His Holiness Shion will decide my fate. If I cannot… then, of course, everything is moot!"
Many Gold Saints present instantly understood Saga's meaning.
To face the ultimate techniques of these Gold Saints without wearing a Cloth?
Li Yu frowned slightly. Saga was an important part of his plan. If he died here, it would inevitably affect his subsequent arrangements.
He pondered for a moment, about to speak to stop him.
But Saga shook his head slightly at him, his sea-blue hair fluttering in the wind.
Li Yu understood Saga's resolve. He walked to the side, watching the entire scene coldly.
At the Summit of Holy Mountain, Shion looked up at the sky. Saga's return and the appearance of the Titan God Clan were indeed beyond his expectations.
Such changes occurred just before his abdication.
He couldn't help but pray inwardly.
"God, please tell me how to choose?"
At this moment, Shion received no guidance from any god.
Aiolia could no longer hold back. He walked to the center of the plaza.
"Saga, take this punch from me. After this punch, our grievances will be settled!"
His Cosmo burned fiercely, and behind him, a majestic lion seemed to roar to the heavens!
"Lightning Plasma!"
Countless golden fist shadows, like a torrential rain, blasted towards Saga, tearing the space with their force.
To everyone's surprise, Saga stood still. His sea-blue hair was lifted by the punch's wind, revealing his calm face.
When the first fist shadow struck his chest, the crisp sound of bones shattering was clearly audible. His body arched backward like a kite with a broken string, and blood instantly spilled from the corner of his mouth.
But he endured the subsequent rain of fists, until the last heavy punch, which slammed into his abdomen.
Only then did Saga spit out a large mouthful of blood with a 'poof' and heavily kneel on the stone slab.
In just a few seconds, Saga, with his flesh and blood body, endured millions of Aiolia's punches. He was not wearing his gemini cloth, so these attacks landed squarely on his body.
"My turn!"
Scorpio Milo's figure appeared like a phantom behind Saga, a Scarlet Needle glowing faintly at his fingertip.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Scarlet Needle, like a venomous snake striking, accurately pierced Saga's vital points on his back.
"Saga, this is punishment for your betrayal of the Sanctuary!"
When the first needle pierced him, Saga's body trembled violently. When the seventh needle struck, his skin had already turned purplish-black.
When the fourteenth needle, "Antares," pierced his last vital point, Saga let out an uncontrollable cry of pain, his entire body convulsing violently, as if countless venomous insects were gnawing in his blood vessels.
His fingernails dug deeply into the stone slab, leaving five bloody marks, yet he still did not resist, only lowering his head, allowing the poisonous blood to gush from his wounds.
Saga's face was pale. He looked up and forced a smile.
"Is that all your strength? It seems these past years, you've all been standing still!"
"A traitor deserves a traitor's end!"
Shura's Holy Sword had already gathered a brilliant light. He walked step by step towards Saga, who lay collapsed on the ground, the sharpness of the Holy Sword reflecting the shadow of death in the sunlight.
"When you tried to assassinate the Pope back then, did you ever think this day would come?"
Saga slowly raised his head, his sea-blue hair matted with blood on his face, but a faint smile played on his lips.
"Do it… Saga will die without regret!"
A flicker of complexity crossed Shura's eyes, but the Holy Sword ultimately fell!
Golden light streaked across the sky!
"Holy Sword – Excalibur!"
The golden sword light, like a waterfall, slashed towards Saga's shoulder.
Pfft!
The Holy Sword tore through flesh, and blood gushed out.
Saga's shoulder blade was split open, the jagged wound extending downwards, almost exposing Saga's internal organs.
Saga grunted, his body tilting to one side, half of his body already numb. Blood soaked the earth, only his chest still faintly rising and falling, proving that he had not yet lost his life.
Saga looked up, revealing a bitter smile. His lips were already white.
"Is there anyone else? Come on…"
Aldebaran looked at Saga, who was lying in a pool of blood, his fists still clenched, but he did not strike again.
Mu looked at the constantly spreading bloodstain with complex eyes, sighing.
No one had expected that Saga would truly not wear his Cloth, make no resistance, and endure the full power attacks of three Gold Saints.
The plaza fell into a deathly silence, only Saga's heavy breathing echoing.
He lay on the ground, his sea-blue hair soaked with blood, his body trembling slightly from blood loss and intense pain, yet he never uttered a sound of pleading.
The sunlight illuminated the deep sword wound on his back, visible to the bone, the exposed flesh a gruesome sight.
Li Yu stood in the shadows, his pupils constricted.
He could feel Saga's Cosmo rapidly weakening, like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment.
This guy… is he really atoning with his life?
Don't die, at least not now, you can't die yet!
Shion's voice suddenly rang out in front of the Pope's Palace, carrying a hint of weariness.
"Enough."
The Gold Saints all turned their heads, only to see Shion slowly descending the steps, his white robes fluttering in the wind.
He walked to Saga's side, looking down at the former traitor, and after a long moment, said,
"You have endured three attacks without your armor. Your heart of atonement… is evident."
Saga struggled to lift his head, blood foam spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"I… only ask… to return to the Sanctuary…"
"Whether you can return to the Sanctuary and take charge of the Gemini Palace…"
Shion paused, his gaze sweeping over the Gold Saints present.
"Everyone, do you still have any objections now?"
Aiolia gritted his teeth, but ultimately did not speak again.
Milo turned his head away, avoiding the glaring bloodstain.
Shura put away his Holy Sword, tacitly accepting the outcome.
The Gold Saints in the plaza looked on with solemn eyes. Everyone knew that after this battle, even if Saga survived, he would be severely weakened, with absolutely no possibility of rebellion in the short term.
In the silence, Li Yu stepped forward and knelt down to examine Saga's injuries.
An ice-blue Cosmo condensed in his palm, gently covering Saga's wounds, freezing the continuously gushing blood.
Li Yu spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Why bother? Didn't I tell you that with us working together, no one could object…"
Saga smiled weakly, his sea-blue eyes shining amidst the bloodstains.
"Only this way can I gain his trust…"
Li Yu did not speak, simply picked Saga up.
His black eyes scanned the entire plaza, and he shouted loudly,
"Welcome Saga, back to Gemini…"