[376] : My Most Precious Memories—Next World Bound!

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Rozan Hyakuryuha!

Aurora Execution!

Atomic Thunderbolt!

Mika unleashed a furious barrage of Gold Saint techniques, one after another.

But these were not mere copies.

Compared to the originals, the techniques he wielded were overwhelmingly superior, both in raw power and in their grasp of the fundamental Laws of the universe. He had taken the foundations he had learned and rebuilt them from the ground up, tailored to his own body and understanding.

And now, in this transcendent state of battlefield clarity, empowered by Athena's blessing and his temporary grasp of the Ninth Sense, Mika was reforging his entire arsenal on the fly.

This was a fleeting moment of enlightenment, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he intended to wring every last drop of potential from it.

The duel against Poseidon had become his canvas.

With each new technique that was born and perfected in the heat of combat, he launched it at Poseidon, who couldn't possibly keep up with Mika's explosive evolution.

The Sea God was pushed back, step by agonizing step.

The battle had raged for what felt like an eternity. The initial stalemate was a distant memory. Now, Mika was completely dominating the fight, pressing Poseidon relentlessly.

The Chief God, trapped in a mortal vessel without his divine body, couldn't gain a single inch of advantage. All he could do was desperately hold on, a testament to the true power of an Eighth Sense Gold Saint.

With Athena's support, a Saint who ignited their Cosmo to its absolute limit could indeed stand against the Gods. But the one Poseidon faced now was Mika—a warrior who had not only mastered the Eighth Sense but had just touched the threshold of the Ninth.

Throughout the long history of Sanctuary, perhaps only the very first Pegasus Saint—the one who had wounded Hades's true body in the age of myth—had ever reached such a state.

In short, Poseidon stood no chance.

He never had.

The perception that he was ever on even footing with Mika was nothing more than an illusion—a fantasy born from Mika's desire to test his own limits against a God.

As Mika cycled through his repertoire, his list of skills was rapidly being rewritten and upgraded. When the last technique was perfected, he began refining his other abilities, pushing every aspect of his power to new heights.

Only when he felt himself slipping from that enlightened state did he finally cease his assault, floating silently in the air.

Is it over?

He closed his eyes, savoring the lingering ecstasy of his rapid evolution.

A pang of reluctance hit him, but he quickly pushed it aside and opened his eyes.

————

The first thing he saw was Poseidon.

The Sea God was battered and bruised. Though his Scale armor remained miraculously intact, his human vessel was on the brink of collapse.

The outcome of this battle had been decided from the very beginning.

This result didn't surprise Mika in the slightest. While the fight had presented moments of apparent crisis, they were all part of his calculations.

Athena had never been far. She had maintained a link with him throughout the fight, her gaze never leaving him or his comrades. Her divine protection was ready to descend at a moment's notice. He had never worried about the outcome, nor had he feared for the lives of Shaka, Saga, and Mu.

His gaze drifted past the broken form of the Sea God, across the ravaged expanse of the Sea Realm.

The grand undersea temple was now nothing but a ruin, a casualty of his battle with Poseidon. The Saints had already withdrawn, protected by the others at the edge of the battlefield, waiting for the conclusion.

As for the Sea Generals and their forces? Without a leader to rally them, they were left to fend for themselves.

————

"What a disaster," Mika remarked with genuine sympathy, taking in the full scale of the destruction. Yet, he felt no regret.

This conflict between Sanctuary and the Sea Realm had been inevitable. Whether it was Kanon's ambition or Poseidon's own hatred, war was destined to erupt from the moment Poseidon's soul was freed from Athena's Jar.

The only question was who would make the first move.

Given the choice, Mika would much rather this war happened here, in the depths of the ocean, than on the surface world where countless innocent lives would be lost.

It was the Sea Realm's turn to bear the pain.

Pulling his focus back to Poseidon, Mika spoke softly. "It's time to end this. Let's settle it with one final blow, Poseidon."

"You still have something left in the tank, don't you? A final, desperate counterattack."

"I know you do. So let's see it. This is the last strike—"

Mika spoke with utter certainty. It wasn't something he had sensed himself, but a piece of information from Athena. After her journeys to other worlds, her power had surpassed that of both Poseidon and Hades. She could see through the Sea God's desperate gambits with ease.

"You even saw through that?" Poseidon murmured to himself.

Recognizing the futility of his situation, he wasted no more words. He raised his trident, pulling it back into a throwing stance.

The laws of the ocean and an immense amount of Cosmo condensed into the three-pronged spear. A palpable sense of crisis washed over Mika, but it was quickly followed by a surge of exhilaration.

He merged his sword and spear of light into a single greatsword, wreathed in roaring flames, and raised it high.

In that moment, an ultimate fire ignited in the heart of the Sea Realm.

"Heavenly Fire: Calamity Annihilation!"

This was Mika's first magic, his very essence. It had grown with him, evolved with him. No matter the time or place, it would always be his strongest attack.

When faced with true danger, it was the technique he would instinctively turn to.

"RAAAAGH!"

With a final, desperate roar from both combatants, the greatsword of fire and the trident of the ocean collided.

Ultimate destruction was born from their impact.

The ruins of the undersea temple were vaporized in the cataclysmic blast. Seeing the impending doom, Mu swiftly teleported the remaining Saints away from the battlefield.

They reappeared on the surface of the ocean, which was churning violently, the entire sea roaring in a chaotic symphony.

But the anomaly didn't last long. The waters calmed.

The battle between Mika and Poseidon was over.

And the victor, of course, was Mika.

————

As the battle concluded, the raging sea gradually returned to its tranquil state.

Gazing upon the calm waters, a faint smile touched the lips of Shaka and the other Gold Saints. Though they couldn't see him yet, they knew the ultimate victor was Mika.

How could they be so sure? Because of the sea itself.

While the calmness of the water signaled the end of the battle, under normal circumstances, the ocean wouldn't have settled so quickly. The effects of their fight had already spread across the globe. Coastal cities everywhere should have been bracing for once-in-a-century tsunamis.

But that catastrophe was averted.

Someone had used their own Cosmo to soothe the raging seas. And since none of them had done it, there was only one person who could have, and would have:

—Mika.

They could feel his Cosmo resonating within the ocean. The victor could be no one else.

Certain of this fact, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Although Mika had constantly reassured them that victory was guaranteed, their opponent had been the Sea God Poseidon.

Facing such a God, none of them had been truly confident.

Of course, this was due to their lack of information.

Airmid and Mellie, who knew the full story, had harbored no such worries. They were certain of victory from the start.

As they each pondered their own thoughts, a brilliant golden light pierced the ocean from below, carving a path to the surface.

Then, treading upon golden ripples in the empty air, Mika slowly appeared before them.

He walked out of the sea, a faint smile on his lips.

Beside him floated a ball of fire, constantly struggling, changing shape, as if something were trapped within its core.

And indeed, there was.

Athena, standing on the platform the Saints had created on the water's surface, recognized the flame's true nature at a glance.

It was Poseidon's soul.

Using the soul-manipulation techniques passed down through the Cancer Saints, combined with his own mastery of fire, Mika had imprisoned Poseidon's soul within a cage of flames.

Seeing this, Athena immediately stepped forward. Taking the recovered Athena's Jar from Mellie, she activated it instantly. A powerful Cosmo erupted from the jar, engulfing the flame beside Mika and pulling it back inside.

The assembled Saints heard a single, blood-curdling scream before the Athena's Jar completed the sealing of the Sea God Poseidon.

"And with that, this battle is well and truly over," Mika said with a soft laugh.

He then turned to the assembled crowd and shouted.

"EVERYONE, WE ARE VICTORIOUS!"

"UNDER THE BLESSING OF THE GODDESS ATHENA, WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS GLORY WITHOUT A SINGLE SACRIFICE!"

"LET US CHEER FOR OURSELVES!"

"HURRAH!!!"

At Mika's prompting, a wave of thunderous cheers erupted. Amidst the lively atmosphere, he raised his hand, his Cosmo enveloping everyone present.

"Come on, let's go back and celebrate properly."

The next moment, they all vanished from the surface of the sea.

————

Night fell.

Standing atop the Pope's chambers, gazing down at the brightly lit Sanctuary below, Mika's face was wreathed in a smile.

After returning from the Sea Realm, Sanctuary had thrown a massive festival.

Mika had arranged it all in advance. He had known the outcome of the war from the start, so he was well-prepared.

During the celebration, Mika and the other Gold Saints had been the center of attention.

He loved the fervent atmosphere.

Now, the festival was winding down. He had already left the party and returned to his chambers. Most of the other Gold Saints had done the same; years of solitary training had accustomed them to quiet contemplation.

There were, of course, a few exceptions still reveling in the noise.

Aldebaran and Aiolia, for instance, were incredibly popular among the rank-and-file Saints and couldn't get away. Moreover, Aiolia had been a direct participant in the final battle.

A crowd of curious children was pestering him with endless questions. These newcomers, gathered from all over the world, were at a curious age, and their relentless inquiries kept Aiolia incredibly busy.

Seiya was in a similar situation, his popularity in Sanctuary soaring.

"What are you looking at?"

A soft question came from behind Mika.

He turned to see Airmid and Mellie. But he could sense he wasn't alone with them. Leaning against a nearby staircase was Alfia. Hiding behind a stone pillar was Athena. And crouched in a corner, feigning to be eavesdropping, was Yahweh.

Aside from them, no one else was nearby.

"I'm searing this sight into my mind, so I'll never forget it."

"Whether it's this journey, past ones, or those yet to come, I won't forget any of them."

"They are my most precious memories," Mika said honestly.

Hearing his words, Airmid nodded in understanding. "So, you're preparing to leave again? You're not going to stay a while longer?"

"There's no need to stay. I've gotten everything I can from this world; it'll be difficult to make any more progress here for now."

"Besides, for us, we can come here whenever we want, stay for as long as we want."

"But my heart is already set on the next world."

After escaping the celebration, Mika had completed his Falna update in his chambers.

He had now reached the end of his original path.

With his infinite magic power, he had naturally reached the end of LV.9.

Now, only the final leap remained.

Mika had a feeling that once he took this last step, his path would undergo a massive change.

It was a powerful intuition, and he chose to trust it.

Thus, he abandoned his original plan for his final enemy and instead set his sights on the complete unknown.

Mika would journey to an unknown world to complete his final step.

He couldn't wait a moment longer to take that step.

He wanted to set sail immediately...

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