Chapter 134 : Breaking through the knot, Pandora's past!
"Let's go together!"
Seiya gripped the Pegasus Cloth gauntlet, his eyes filled with fighting spirit, and charged towards the barrier first.
Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki followed closely. Their Cloths shimmered brightly in the sunlight, like five sharp swords piercing through the aura of death.
The moment they stepped into the Death Forest barrier, all five felt their bodies heavy, as if countless icy hands were dragging their limbs.
Despite Athena's blessing, everyone felt their Cosmo's flow become sluggish, like being stuck in thick mud, their vitality greedily sucked away by the barrier's power.
The air was filled with the stench of rotting leaves and corpses, making their stomachs churn.
"This barrier is devouring our power!"
Shiryu frowned. The Dragon Cloth's glow had visibly dimmed, and the dragon tattoo on his arm had lost its former luster.
"Hmph, a mere barrier, trying to trap us?"
Ikki snorted. The Phoenix Cloth erupted in scorching flames, his Cosmo transforming into a phoenix reborn from fire, attempting to ignite the miasma within the barrier.
"Phoenix Wings Rise!"
The flames spread through the space but suddenly extinguished upon touching the barrier's edge, as if swallowed by an invisible force.
Immediately after, a rustling sound came from underground, and countless shadows crawled out of the soil, coalescing into the form of Specters' foot soldiers.
They wore black Surplices, and the weapons in their hands gleamed coldly.
"Hehehe, more humans have come to die!"
A Specter cackled, swinging a massive axe and charging at Seiya.
"Even if you are Athena's Saints, if you stray into the Death Forest, you will lose all your power and be at our mercy!"
The Bronze Five exchanged glances, a hint of a smile flashing in their eyes.
"We've been waiting for you!"
Shun raised his hand, and the Nebula Chain flew out like a spiritual snake. The golden chain weaved through the barrier, instantly coiling around the Specters who were charging at the front.
"Nebula Storm!"
The chains tightened abruptly, and a massive force tore the Specters into pieces. Black Surplices and flesh scattered across the ground.
But in the next second, those fragments re-coalesced in the miasma, and the Specters reappeared.
"No wonder someone needs to continuously clear the area! These Specters are immortal!"
Seiya gritted his teeth, punching at the reappearing Specter, but unable to kill him completely.
"If we can't kill him once, then ten times, a hundred times!"
Hyoga's eyes flashed with determination, and he concentrated his extremely cold Cosmo in his hands.
"Diamond Dust!" Blue ice shards whistled out, freezing the Specters into blocks of ice. But soon after, the ice melted in the miasma, and the Specters revived again.
Shiryu's Rozan Rising Dragon Force and Ikki's Phoenix Illusion Demonic Fist bombarded them in turns, but still failed to completely eliminate the enemies.
The battle fell into a stalemate, with Specters from the Death Forest barrier continuously emerging like a tide.
The miasma in the Death Forest barrier was stained dark purple with blood, and the Bronze Five's Cosmos burned fiercely.
They carved a bloody path through the deadly mist, the shattered rocks beneath their feet covered with the remnants of Specters, and the air filled with the pungent smell of mixed blood and flesh.
"It's our turn!"
Aiolia's voice was like a clap of thunder. The Leo Gold Cloth erupted in scorching red light under the sun. His surrounding Cosmo was like an erupting volcano, and he charged towards the Dream Barrier first.
Athena's blessing was only effective for three hours. If they couldn't destroy Hades's Castle's energy nodes within the time limit, not only would the operation fail, but whether they could even retreat alive from the barrier was unknown.
Shura's Excalibur gleamed coldly, Mr. Mu's psychokinesis was ready, and the other Gold Saints no longer hesitated, following Aiolia into the barrier.
The golden light of the Gold Cloths was exceptionally dazzling in the purple Dream Barrier, like stars piercing through the darkness.
Feeling the powerful Cosmo of the Gold Saints, the Specters in the barrier were greatly shaken, and their arrogant demeanor instantly vanished.
"Damn it! It's the Gold Saints! Has the Sanctuary launched an all-out attack?"
A Specter's face turned pale, and he turned to flee.
"Quickly inform Lady Pandora!"
Another Specter bravely held his ground, roaring as he brandished his great axe.
"Hold them! Don't be afraid! Within the barrier, we are immortal!"
However, as soon as the Gold Saints stepped into the Dream Barrier, illusions surged towards them like a tide.
The miasma before Aiolia's eyes suddenly dissipated, replaced by the Sanctuary's training ground, where a young Aiolos stood smiling at him in the sunlight.
"Aiolia, your Cosmo has grown stronger again."
His eyes glazed over, and he murmured, walking forward.
"Brother... have you revived?"
Before Mr. Mu's eyes, the figure of Shion appeared, the old Pope wearing a pristine white robe.
"Mu, you've finally come. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
His eyes reddened slightly, and his feet uncontrollably walked towards the illusion.
"Teacher, I miss you too..."
The other Gold Saints also fell into illusions one after another. Some saw deceased relatives and friends, while others returned to unforgettable pasts.
Behind them, the Specters grinned, raising their weapons. The black Specter weapons gleamed with a soul-corroding cold light.
If wounded by these weapons, the soul would be directly contaminated, and even the Cloths could not defend against it.
At this critical moment, Athena's voice, like a sacred bell, rang in the minds of all the Saints.
"Everyone, wake up! These are illusions, do not be deceived!"
The Gold Saints' bodies shook violently, and the haziness in their eyes instantly vanished.
Seeing the Specters' ferocious faces and raised weapons, their anger erupted instantly.
"Mere cannon fodder, daring to deceive us with illusions!"
Aiolia roared, and his Leo Cosmo transformed into a golden lion, instantly tearing hundreds of Specters to shreds.
Shura's Excalibur cut a cold arc, and the Specters' bodies, along with their weapons, were split in half.
Mr. Mu's psychokinesis was like an invisible giant hand, lifting the surrounding Specters and smashing them against the barrier wall, instantly turning them into dust.
The Gold Saints' strength made dealing with these foot soldiers effortless. In just a few minutes, the attacking Specters were cleared out.
But the message had already been sent back to Hades's Castle by a Specter who had luckily escaped. He stumbled into the temple, panting as he knelt before Pandora.
"Lady Pandora... a large number of Saints are attacking... and many Gold Saints!"
At this moment, Pandora stood by the window of Hades's Temple, gazing at the familiar courtyard outside.
This was once Heinstein Castle, where she had lived with her parents.
That year, her father bought this castle at an extremely low price. When the family moved in, she thought their happiness would last forever.
But she didn't know that this castle was actually Hades's earthly palace. Influenced by the divine power of the Underworld, everyone who lived there would inexplicably die, which was why the price had dropped again and again.
As a child, she accidentally opened the holy ark that sealed Hypnos. Divine power surged out, and Hades's reincarnated soul entered her mother's womb, reincarnating as her younger brother.