When Setsuna returned to Sanctuary with Regulus and Tenma, a solemn, murderous atmosphere already shrouded the holy mountain.
Within the Pope's Chamber, after Setsuna reported the mission details, Sage gravely said, "The Holy War has begun. Hades manipulated the Silver Saints of Auriga, Cerberus, and Sagitta, attempting to assassinate Athena-sama. Though stopped, such actions can already be seen as a formal declaration of war."
Setsuna sighed. "Those three must have suffered greatly."
Sage sighed. "Indeed. But fortunately, Athena-sama has forgiven their sins. Presumably, their souls can rest in peace."
"Rest in peace?" Setsuna said coldly. "As long as that soul-playing Hades lives another day, no Saint's soul can rest in peace."
Sage slowly nodded. "You're right. To defeat Hades, we must first solve the Specters' immortality."
He slowly descended the steps, his staff lightly tapping the ground. "Fortunately, after over two hundred years of exploration, I finally found the solution… the Nyoi Hoju fruit in the Underworld's Blood Pool Hell."
"Nyoi Hoju fruit?" Tenma asked, puzzled.
"According to Eastern terminology, it's Bodhi seeds." Sage explained. "I plan to send Asmita to the Underworld to retrieve the fruit. Only it can seal the Specters' infinite revival."
Setsuna stepped forward. "I'll go too. Since the Bodhi seeds are key to the Holy War, the Underworld will surely station heavy defenses. Though Asmita is powerful, alone he might not escape unscathed."
Sage pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright."
Normally, only reaching the Eighth Sense allowed ignoring Underworld laws to enter the Underworld. But Sekishiki practitioners were exceptions. Setsuna could freely enter the Underworld through Yomotsu Hirasaka.
Sage warned. "But remember, even though you trained Sekishiki, the Underworld is ultimately the Specters' domain. Be careful."
Setsuna nodded. "Yes."
"Go. May Athena's radiance guide you."
…
One day later, within Hades's temple, Alone, who was painting a massive canvas, suddenly looked up, his tone indifferent. "Phoenix and Virgo invaded the Underworld, heading towards the Blood Pool Hell."
He was Hades's reincarnation this era.
Nearby, Pandora, organizing paints, trembled. Dark purple butterflies startled from her sleeve. "Blood Pool Hell? Could Sanctuary have discovered the Nyoi Hoju's secret?"
She quickly stepped forward, her gaze sharp. "To avoid alerting Sanctuary, the Blood Pool Hell wasn't heavily guarded. Only Celestial Star Specter, Alraune Queen guards there. He's definitely no match for Virgo and Phoenix."
Alone continued painting the bloody sky on the canvas, his tone calm. "I already dispatched Minos and Radamanthys to Sanctuary. Now only Aiacos remains among the Three Judges."
Pandora hesitated. "Though Aiacos is powerful, Phoenix and Virgo cannot be underestimated. Aiacos might not win. Could Heavenly Chief Star or Earth Chief Star intervene?"
Alone slightly shook his head. "Tenma's whereabouts are uncertain. And Atavaka obeys commands but not summons… Hmm?"
Pandora asked. "Hades-sama, what is it?"
Alone chuckled lightly. "Atavaka actually volunteered for battle. Truly rare."
Pandora let out a relieved breath. "With Atavaka and Aiacos combined, Virgo and Phoenix are definitely defeated."
She paused slightly, lowering her voice. "Could the Twin Gods intervene? Though Atavaka and Aiacos can win, they might not be able to capture those two."
To this, Alone merely shook his head slightly.
Pandora inwardly cursed, 'Those two arrogant beings only acknowledged Hades-sama's true body.
Alone put down the brush. "I need to go to Sanctuary."
…
When Aiacos led a group of Specters to the Blood Pool Hell, Queen's corpse was already cold.
Asmita quietly sat cross-legged beneath the Bodhi tree. Golden prayer beads were absorbing Nyoi Hoju fruits one by one.
"It seems Hades doesn't take you so-called Specters seriously at all." Setsuna's voice came from high above. The Phoenix Cloth gleamed with blue flames under the blood moon. "Otherwise, why send only you to your death?"
Aiacos wasn't surprised by Setsuna's blatant disregard for the other Specters. "Dealing with weak Saints like you, I alone am sufficient."
The Garuda Specter Cloth's wings suddenly spread. The Blood Pool Hell seemed to invert.
"Garuda Flap!"
Setsuna felt his body suddenly weightless. In the blink of an eye, he was thrown thousands of meters high.
Even worse, the surrounding air solidified into transparent cages. Hundredfold gravity abruptly weighed down.
"Can't even dodge an attack of this level…" Aiacos's gaze was disdainful. "It seems Radamanthys overpraised you."
However, Setsuna high above laughed. "Only this much gravity?"
He spread his arms. The Phoenix Cloth's flames suddenly turned from blue to gold. "Then I'll accelerate myself."
His originally falling body suddenly transformed into a meteor, descending with tenfold acceleration.
"Disperse quickly!" Aiacos's pupils abruptly contracted, hurriedly shouting.
But it was too late.
The moment Setsuna landed, the entire Blood Pool Hell seemed struck by a divine hammer.
With the impact point as the center, the ground within a kilometer radius swelled in waves before collapsing with a roar.
Outer Specters didn't even have time to scream before being torn apart by the shockwave.
Aiacos barely protected himself with his wings, still blasted hundreds of meters away.
"He actually… reversed my move to use it!" Aiacos still couldn't believe it.
This move of his had been countered before, but no one could do so like Setsuna… not only immune to its effects but even using the momentum to counterattack.
This wasn't a gap in skill but pure physical dominance.
"Barely counts as warming up." Setsuna shook his wrist. "If this is your limit, then let's end this early."
Setsuna closed in. No splendid techniques, no complex changes. His attacks were simple, almost brutal.
Fist, elbow, knee, leg… each strike like a meteor impact, carrying pure power suppression.
The Specter combat skills Aiacos prided himself on seemed so pale before this absolute violence.
He felt he wasn't facing some Saint but a humanoid divine beast.
"Don't get too arrogant!" Aiacos roared, suddenly spreading his arms.
"Galactic Illusion!"
The entire space twisted and transformed. Galaxies and phantoms intertwined. An other-dimensional space swallowing everything abruptly expanded.
"Go in!" He lunged at Setsuna with a vicious grin, hands firmly gripping the other's shoulders, trying to drag him into this eternal illusory world.
Yet no matter how Aiacos exerted force, Setsuna remained unmoving.
"A quite good move. This technique fuses physical impact, mental interference, spatial distortion, and multiple attributes…" Setsuna's tone held some appreciation. "Unfortunately, this move has a fatal flaw… manually throwing the enemy inside."
He gripped Aiacos's wrist with one hand, fingers slowly tightening.
"If the enemy isn't affected by mental interference and is stronger than you, how do you throw him in?"