- In Marvel: I Start by Marrying Scarlett Witch [Complete]
- MWM Chapter 561
Hades, controlling Shun’s body, struggled desperately, trying to break free from Leo’s grasp and escape the Sanctuary.
“He’s harder to hold down than a pig on New Year’s Eve!”
Leo’s body erupted with immense strength, combined with his Cosmo and immortal energy, pinning Shun firmly to the ground.
Unlike Poseidon, who had chosen Julian, a mere mortal incapable of resisting possession, Shun was one of the most promising Saints. From the start, he had possessed power close to that of a Gold Saint, and by now, he had fully awakened his Seventh Sense.
As long as Shun’s will remained strong, Hades could not completely take control of his body.
“Hades, you were mistaken. It was your own delusion to think you could possess Shun. As the Saint of Andromeda, his destiny in this world was never to become your vessel.”
At that moment, a warm and powerful Cosmo enveloped the entire Sanctuary—it was Athena, brought by Dohko.
Triggered by Hades’ Cosmo, Athena’s own divine Cosmo had been ignited, and her goddess consciousness was fully awakened.
Approaching Shun, who was pinned to the ground, Athena sliced her palm and pressed her blood onto Shun’s forehead. Hades immediately let out a pained, agonized scream.
“Athena!”
“Keep fighting, Shun! Burn your Cosmo and expel Hades’ soul from your body!” Athena encouraged him.
“Shun!”
Ikki, Seiya, Hyoga, and Shiryu all called out to him at the same time.
“I can’t stay in this body any longer.”
Unable to withstand the burning effects of Athena’s divine blood, Hades angrily abandoned Shun’s body and appeared above the Pope’s hall in his spirit form.
“Athena, do you think you’ve won? I will take you to Hell with me!”
Now free from the limitations of a physical body, Hades’ consciousness was fully awakened. His immense and dark Cosmo was far stronger than Poseidon’s, even when he had only a fragment of his soul.
He rushed toward Athena, intending to drag her to his realm—Hell.
“Do you think you can take Athena without going through me, her Pope first?”
Leo stepped in front of Athena, drawing the Southern Bright Flame Sword and striking at Hades’ spirit.
Though Hades’ soul was immensely powerful, representing death itself, the Southern Bright Flame Sword was the perfect counter to such negative forces. For a moment, it managed to hold Hades at bay.
“Athena, set up the barrier!”
Barely managing to fend off Hades’ power, Leo quickly reminded Athena from behind.
Hades’ soul was far stronger than the half-defeated Poseidon, and without the suppression of the Tsukuyomi World, Leo wasn’t sure he could hold him off much longer.
Now it was Athena’s turn.
Athena, regaining her composure, wielded her golden staff, and her divine Cosmo burst forth. Though not as powerful as Hades, with the support of the Sanctuary’s barrier, she immediately overpowered him.
“Athena, you may have won today, but don’t think this is over. The Holy War has only just begun. When my Eclipse Plan comes to fruition, all of you will meet your end, and the earth will belong to me, Hades!”
Realizing he couldn’t take Athena with him, and that continuing the fight would only result in harm to his soul, Hades spat out his threat and fled the Sanctuary, returning to his true body in the Elysium Fields of Hell.
“The Eclipse Plan!”
As Hades’ soul retreated, Athena’s face remained serious, showing no signs of relief. Instead, her expression turned grim.
“The cosmic phenomenon of the Nine Stars Aligning is fast approaching. Hades’ Eclipse Plan aims to unleash his divine power at that moment, permanently blocking the sun’s rays from reaching the earth, wiping out all of humanity.”
“This time, they won’t come here to face us in battle. To stop this crisis, we must take the offensive and invade Hell. We need to eliminate all the Specters and find Hades’ true body to kill him.”
Leo spoke, relaying the information he had extracted from Radamanthys’ mind, while adding his own deductions.
After the Bronze and Silver Saints dispersed, only Leo, Athena, and the Gold Saints remained in the Pope’s hall, discussing their plan to invade the Underworld and defeat Hades.
“The Underworld is Hades’ domain, governed by his own laws. Unless we achieve the Eighth Sense, the Alaya-Vijnana, all living beings who enter will have their powers severely weakened.”
Shaka, with his eyes closed, spoke with a grave expression.
To win this Holy War and save humanity, they had to take the offensive and kill Hades. But for the living, entering the Underworld was not something easily done. Only Shaka, who had mastered the Eighth Sense, and Cancer Deathmask’s mastery of corpse gas could move freely in the Underworld without losing power.
For the other Saints, their powers would be drastically diminished in Hell. Defeating even Specters would be nearly impossible, let alone Hades himself.
“Shion, as far as I know, if a Saint’s Cloth is blessed with Athena’s blood, it can protect them from the Underworld’s influence, correct?”
At this point, Leo turned to the fully revived Shion.
The safest way to defeat Hades’ true form would be for Athena to unleash her full Cosmo in a direct confrontation with Hades, supported by all the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Saints joining their Cosmos with hers.
In terms of sheer strength, Athena was definitely weaker than her uncles, Poseidon and Hades.
The key to victory in each Holy War had always been the human Saints.
Unlike Poseidon’s Mariners, whose power largely came from Poseidon himself, and Hades’ Specters, who drew all their strength from Hades, human Saints derived their power mostly from themselves.
When the Saints became powerful enough, they could merge their Cosmos with Athena’s temporarily, unleashing power far greater than what either Poseidon or Hades could achieve alone.
“Athena’s blood can indeed protect the Saints from the Underworld’s influence. However, losing too much blood will weaken Athena herself, and the Goddess’s Cloth also requires her blood to awaken.”
Shion shook his head.
Athena’s blood was imbued with divine power, capable of awakening the full strength of the Cloths and protecting Saints from the laws of the Underworld.
But Athena’s blood was not unlimited. If too much was used, she would become weak, making the final battle with Hades even more dangerous.
If there were no limitations, past Holy Wars wouldn’t have been so hard-fought.
“Then let the Bronze and Silver Saints stay behind to guard the Sanctuary. We’ll use Athena’s blood to bless only the Gold Saints, and we’ll be the ones to storm the Underworld and kill Hades!”
Leo Aiolia proposed.
Since they couldn’t all receive the blessing, they might as well give it to the strongest Saints, which was a reasonable suggestion.
The other Saints nodded in agreement.
“Don’t worry about that. I have a way to bless all the Saints with Athena’s blood without weakening her.”
At that moment, Leo spoke up.
(End of Chapter)