Saint Seiya: Heretic Athena?

"Was this your idea?" Seiya raised an eyebrow.

"It was not I, but those true eight great figures. They are the core of the Onmyo Agency that has replaced the Four Great Families. Of course, before you, they are merely mortals who bask in the radiance of a God-slaying Rakshasa. They have been waiting for you in the conference hall inside for a long time. Please, come with me."

Mariya Yuri spoke, but soon discovered that he was not following her as before.

"O Rakshasa Lord, do you still have some doubts?" The Hime-Miko folded her hands over her lower abdomen, bowing her head respectfully and revealing the nape of her snowy-white neck.

"No, I'm not interested in the opinions of those high-and-mighty great figures. In comparison, I would rather hear Miss Yuri's thoughts. What do you make of all this?"

The moment his words fell, a look of astonishment first appeared on the Hime-Miko's face, then irritation, followed by disgust, and an impatient, sarcastic expression.

"My opinion? Is my opinion important?" The Hime-Miko raised a lovely eyebrow.

"How boring. To think that as a God-slaying Rakshasa, my nemesis, you would have the keen sense of smell of a dog. At least it's much sharper than that old thing in the spirit world. Couldn't you have just played the part of the good guest and become this humble one's friend?"

The Hime-Miko cursed, a smirk gracing her lips.

It was a mocking smile, a cold smile that seemed to laugh at the world. In Seiya's eyes, the smile on Yuri's innocent face seemed exceptionally out of place.

"You're not even pretending anymore? I thought you'd keep up the act for a while longer," Seiya smiled.

"Pretend what? Since I've been seen through, it can't be helped. This humble one is very curious, how did you see through my identity?" Under the skin of the girl named Mariya Yuri, the true master controlling this body revealed a curious expression.

She popped a piece of Wrigley's Spearmint gum from her pocket into her mouth and began to chew.

Yes, the goddess's disguise was perfect. In his Cosmo's perception, she was just a relatively strong Hime-Miko. His Godslayer's physique had not given any warning. But Seiya remembered the advice Athena had given him in his dream last night.

The first woman he would meet after stepping into this Prime Minister's Official Residence would be the goddess controlling this country.

"Just think of it as the guidance of wisdom," Seiya said flatly.

"Wisdom. That is a word representing the goddess this humble one detests the most." A sarcastic smile appeared on the goddess's lips again. "But even if I was seen through ahead of time, it can't be helped. At least the most basic objective has been achieved."

The moment the goddess's words fell, a beam of light shot towards her face.

The sarcastic smile on her face had not yet faded. Seiya's attack speed was completely beyond her ability to react. But the meteor-like light naturally changed its trajectory the moment it neared her, circling, ascending, until it merged into the formless space.

"Hey, hey, hey! What a rude Pegasus! In terms of seniority, this humble one is your aunt, you know! To strike so mercilessly!" As she spoke, the goddess, using the Hime-Miko's body as a vessel, puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.

But the fierce wind continued to rage forward.

Within this official residence, the airflow whipped up a gale. From the gale, the roaring soul of a tiger charged towards the goddess who called herself his aunt. The goddess seemed foolishly dazed, but her formless divine protection shielded her.

The exact same scene as before presented itself to Seiya. It was as if all things in the world could not bear to harm her, or as if any attack would be deflected the moment it drew near. The tiger's soul circled around her.

The goddess revealed a sarcastic yet magnificent smile. When she raised her finger and twirled it, Seiya's own Fierce Tiger Raging Wind Violet Lightning Fist came speeding towards him.

The moment it neared Seiya, the tiger's soul dissipated. When he raised his hand, he found that the ceiling above him was opening up like a scroll, the space rapidly stretching, and a gray, gloomy sky quickly appeared in his vision.

"O my love! Know that in this world all things can be false or true; but I believe your love is sincere, as high as the mountains, as deep as the sea; Come! Let us join hands, and fly through the many gates; fly past the silver road, fly to the green fields; fly to the elegant gardens, to relive our warm and sweet old dreams!"

The goddess chanted an ancient Babylonian incantation, and her Authority changed the world. In this moment, it was as if this official residence had instantly transformed into a ravenous beast that devoured its enemies, and he was the lamb who had voluntarily stepped inside.

"Pegasus, let these famished beasts entertain you. This is a stage befitting a rude person like you." The goddess's voice gradually grew ethereal until it was gone without a trace. And the official residence before Seiya's eyes had transformed into a space of purgatory.

A monster with the body of a dog, two heads, and the tail of a serpent; the strange Chimera with the head of a lion and the body of a goat; the Sphinx with the body of a lion and the head of a human; the sea monster Scylla. At this moment, the place had verily transformed into a lair of Greek monsters. Their eyes glaring, they stared at the prey surrounded in their midst, revealing cruel smiles as they pounced on Seiya together.

But Seiya? He showed neither joy nor anger at this scene. He just habitually raised his right arm, and then—

—Pegasus Meteor Fist!!!

Light galloped, light roared. Every stream of light moved at a speed far exceeding sound. The sky full of monsters was instantly turned into a rain of flesh and blood, which then dissipated into spiritual light the moment it hit the ground.

These ancient Greek monsters summoned by the goddess were not even worth a moment's notice in Seiya's eyes. At this moment, he looked around at this deep, enclosed space. This was the headquarters the goddess had managed for many years, and also a completely unfamiliar otherworld. The world was surrounded by city walls, and in this alternate space that enveloped the sky, all that remained was a single gate directly ahead, built of vibrant blue bricks and decorated with reliefs of dragons, lions, and bulls.

Seiya didn't speak, just raised his arm again.

The light of Pegasus covered his entire body. With a thought, his Pegasus Cloth completed its armament. And he faced the dark world enclosed before him, faced the gate decorated with dragons, lions, and bulls. Seiya revealed a bright smile of disdain.

Light gathered, and then burst forth.

The ultimate technique of Pegasus, born from concentrating the brilliance of a thousand meteors into one.

—Pegasus Comet Fist!!!

At this moment, in the outside world, high above, the Greek goddess, riding the wind, watched the residence that had transformed into the Ishtar Gate with a sarcastic smile.

This Authority originated from the most famous legend of ancient Babylon, that of Ishtar. When descending from heaven to the underworld, with each of the seven heavens she descended and each of the seven gates she entered, she had to remove one layer of the veils that represented her divine dignity, and in turn, she gradually lost her divinity. Ishtar ultimately passed through the seven gates for her lover, walking the path to death.

_____

Greetings! ✨ Walnut here!

🔥 AN INCREDIBLE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE! 🔥

We're only 13 members away from our 65-member goal! 🎯

The second we hit it, 10 BONUS CHAPTERS for ALL STORIES will be released to everyone. No exceptions!

🪦 Your membership is the key. Let's make it happen!

100 powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone! 5 reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!

Secure your early access before it's too late!

👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan