The night breeze brushed past the steps of the Twelve Houses. Setsuna stood alone on the Pope's Chamber's balcony, gazing at Sanctuary bathed in starlight.
"Master, senior brothers…" He murmured softly. "See you in the next Holy War."
A wisp of dark blue light appeared at Setsuna's fingertip. Within the light, Rhadamanthys's face was reflected.
This plan had been brewing in his mind for a long time.
The Genro Mao Ken he struck Rhadamanthys with on the American continent, though it didn't directly control him, had planted a seed deep within his soul.
By the next Holy War, over two hundred years later, that seed would sprout.
The nature of Specters was merely puppets of their Specter Cloths. Though the hosts changed generations, the memories carried within the Cloths never faded.
Just as the Celestial Valiance Star Aiacos always carried arrogance, and the Celestial Noble Star Minos remained elegantly cold, these traits didn't come from the hosts but from the 'personalities' sedimented within the Cloths themselves.
Even if the Celestial Savage Star had changed hosts by then, the essence would still be Rhadamanthys.
When the next Holy War began, Rhadamanthys would suggest to Hades: Have Hades resurrect the Saints from the previous Holy War to attack Sanctuary.
Setsuna was fairly confident about this. Hades always had a twisted sense of humor, enjoying subjugating enemies' subordinates to spite others. He particularly liked corrupting human heroes into undead calamities.
For example, the Three Judges of the Underworld. They were all sons of Zeus and heroes of humanity, yet ultimately became the Underworld's swords against the human world.
The more severe the losses they inflicted on Hades in this Holy War, the more likely Hades would resurrect this generation's Saints to spite Athena.
The starlight of the Twelve Houses suddenly flickered, casting the Pope's Chamber in shifting light and shadow as the Gold Saints arrived one by one.
Setsuna's gaze swept over each comrade's face. "I plan to emulate Elder Hakurei, using Sekishiki Tenryo Ha to gather the souls of Saints who died fighting in the Underworld across generations, thereby severely wounding Hades. Therefore, I need your help to escort me from the First Prison to the Eighth Prison."
Sekishiki Tenryo Ha was similar to the Genki Dama. He needed to absorb the souls of all Saints who died in each layer of hell. Naturally, like gathering a Genki Dama, he wouldn't be able to focus on fighting.
Shion's pupils abruptly contracted. As one of the two Gold Saints currently mastering Sekishiki, he understood the plan's danger better than anyone.
"Setsuna-nii!" He stepped forward, his eyes full of worry. "Even Hakurei-sensei could only bear the souls of a single era. If you bear the torrent of souls spanning countless eras, Setsuna-nii, your soul will definitely collapse!"
The other Gold Saints looked horrified. Though they didn't understand Sekishiki, just hearing Shion's description made the peril clear.
"That would have been the case originally." Setsuna nodded slightly. Dark blue Sekishiki flames suddenly ignited in his right hand. "But I gained new insights during my trip to the Eastern Land of Taonias Sennin. If natural energy can forge Tattoo to protect the body, why can't Sekishiki refine a Specter Cloth to guard the soul?"
"Eh? Specter Cloth?" The Gold Saints exchanged bewildered glances, 'Your Holiness, are you planning to switch to being a Specter?'
Setsuna smiled slightly. "Of course, it's different from the Specters' Specter Cloths. Perhaps it should be called a Soul Cloth? This [Soul Cloth] will become the ark bearing the torrent of the deceased."
Sisyphus said passionately, "Then let us escort the Pope into the Underworld! Charge from the First Prison to the Eighth Prison! Let Hades witness what true Sanctuary's wrath is!"
…
Hades Castle's barrier had long been broken by Hakurei. Following Setsuna's order, Bronze and Silver Saints remained in Sanctuary.
After requesting Athena's divine blood, Setsuna personally led the Gold Saints, reinforcements from the Land of Taonias Sennin, and Tenma, who had been deeply entangled with Hades since the Age of Myths, into this dark gateway to the Underworld.
Athena's blood flowed through everyone, forming pale golden divine light that protected them, allowing entry to the Underworld without needing the Eighth Sense.
"This is the First Prison, the Underworld Court?" Tenma looked around. The magnificent court structure floated in the void. Countless souls wailed below.
The Celestial Hero Star Balron Lune sat high on the judgment seat. The Book of Life and Death in his hand rustled without wind. "Those who trespass into the Underworld shall suffer eternal punishment!"
Shion strode forward. "Setsuna-nii, leave this to me. You all hurry to the Second Prison…"
"No need. Everyone attack together. It won't waste much time." Setsuna shook his head calmly.
Lune's expression froze, 'Why weren't the enemies following the usual script?'
'Shouldn't they challenge one level at a time, passing according to the rules?'
Shion was momentarily stunned, 'That… seemed true.'
Even if Setsuna couldn't fight, they still had seven Gold Saints, former Gold Saint Aspros, and three Taonias comparable to Gold Saints.
If everyone attacked together, a mere Celestial Hero Star would be instantly annihilated, right?
"Wait, you should…" Lune still wanted to struggle, but everyone's ultimate moves already overwhelmed him.
After effortlessly clearing the First Prison, they arrived at the Second Prison, the Prison of Storms.
Black rainstorm poured down. Each raindrop carried soul-corrosive poison.
The guardian of this prison, the Celestial Bestial Star Sphinx Pharaoh, played his demonic lyre, "My lyre's sound will make you…"
"Lightning Plasma!"
"Excalibur!"
"Galaxian Explosion!"
Pharaoh didn't even finish speaking before being overwhelmed and destroyed.
Next was the Third Prison, the Rolling Stone Prison. Guardians here were the Celestial Horned Star Golem Rock and the Celestial Defeat Star Troll Ivan. They had barely raised their weapons before their vision was swallowed by overwhelming light.
Then the Fourth Prison, the Dark Swamp. The Celestial Crime Star Lycaon Phlegyas was blasted to pieces.
But when they reached the Fifth Prison, the Prison of Flames, they found this hell layer empty, with no Specters guarding it.
"It seems the Specters finally reacted, mobilizing all prison guardians to the final layer." Setsuna smiled.
"Haha, I thought we could fight all the way to the Eighth Prison." Dohko laughed heartily. This was completely different from the hell-challenging scenario he imagined.
"Next is the final battle!" Capricorn El Cid said solemnly.
Indeed, Setsuna and the others passed through the Sixth Prison, the Prison of Resentful Souls, and the Seventh Prison, the Prison of Purification, without any obstruction.
When they entered the Eighth Prison, the Prison of Frozen Ice, everyone seemed to hear countless souls' wails.
Setsuna also felt this hell layer's heaviness. In the original work, the Celestial Lamentation Star Harpy Valentine once told Seiya: "Tens of billions of Saints' souls wander in the Prison of Frozen Ice."
Such a heavy torrent of souls. Even though Setsuna had already forged a Soul Cloth, his soul now felt immense pressure. Each step felt like bearing a world on his shoulders.