Three days later...
"I still couldn't sense that familiar cosmos."
"It seems that being has already left."
Kaiser had patrolled the Nordic Icefields for three days.
He hadn't detected the divine cosmos that appeared on the battlefield before.
"They escaped quickly."
Kaiser sighed helplessly.
If they didn't show themselves, he couldn't track them.
He decided to return to the Sanctuary to restock his supplies.
The artifacts and talismans imbued with Athena's divine blood had been usedendola.
"I'm leaving."
Kaiser turned to Jekfried.
"I've done what I can here."
"That evil god has likely left."
"There's no point in staying."
"I'll head back to the Sanctuary to resupply."
"Then I'll patrol the lands."
Jekfried nodded. "Thank you for the Sanctuary's help in Asgard this time."
"If the Sanctuary ever needs me, I'll be there."
And his sister, Eris, the Goddess of Discord.
Both were known for inciting war and chaos.
"You suspect a god's hand in this?"
Saori was astonished.
"When I was in the Nordic Icefields, I sensed a cosmos brimming with divinity."
"It was powerful."
"But it didn't make a move against me."
"It was likely driven off by Athena and Poseidon's cosmos."
"Their strength didn't seem to be at its peak."
"If gods are interfering, then the battles across the lands start to make sense."
"If it's really them, we're in trouble."
Kaiser mused.
If it was indeed those two gods, things would be tricky to handle.
However, the Goddess of Discord, Eris, should still be bound within her Golden Apple.
As for the War God Ares, it's unclear whether he has broken free from his seal.
The Holy War against Ares was known as the most brutal in history.
His warriors were no pushovers.
Each was at least on par with a top-tier Gold Saint.
"For now, we can only take it one step at a time."
"The Sanctuary's strength is unprecedented."
"We don't fear third-tier gods."
"With the aid and blessing of Athena's divine blood."
"Second-tier gods pose little threat to the lands."
"We just need to stay vigilant."
Saori handed Kaiser the artifacts and talismans.
These were safeguards against second-tier gods.
"Contact me if anything comes up."
Kaiser took the items, ready to patrol the lands again.
As he reached the Libra Temple, Athena's voice suddenly echoed in his mind: "It seems I was too hasty."
"What do you mean?"
Kaiser hadn't expected Athena to speak up.
"The current situation likely stems from my earlier actions."
"Since the Mythological Era, Holy Wars have been fought by warriors under our command."
"Gods rarely intervene directly."
"Especially among first-tier gods, it's even rarer."
"This is because, during the Mythological Era, the chaotic wars of the gods caused a massive upheaval."
"Several gods' true forms were shattered."
"In later Holy Wars, I participated primarily as the Goddess of Wisdom."
"But in the recent Holy War, I revealed part of my War Goddess power."
"Some beings couldn't sit still."
Athena's voice was cold, laced with killing intent.
She was clearly ready to strike against those gods.
It wasn't surprising.
In the Omega Era, Seiya alone had cut through the Heavenly Gods.
"Is the Heavenly Realm that chaotic now?"
"It feels like you gods have too much time on your hands."
Kaiser rubbed his temples.
He was getting a headache.
"The Heavenly Realm is in utter chaos."
"The God-King Zeus has vanished."
"Rumor has it he went to the Chaos Lands, but no one knows what he's doing there."
"The throne of the God-King has been vacant for a long time."
"The Primordial Gods are showing signs of awakening."
"The new gods are panicking."
"Because the Primordial Gods are immensely powerful."
"The seal on the previous God-King, Cronus, is weakening."
"The Titan Gods are on the verge of breaking free."
"The Giant Typhon is watching eagerly."
"Yet the Heavenly Gods are still fighting among themselves."
"A Heavenly Realm like this deserves to fall."
By the end, Athena's words dripped with frustration.
"I recall the Sun God, Apollo, the God of Light, is currently overseeing the Heavenly Realm, right?"
"How strong is he?"
Kaiser asked curiously.
He didn't know much about Apollo.
But in the prelude to the Heavenly Realm Arc, Apollo had made an appearance.
He was formidable!
Even without his divine cloth, he could overpower Athena and Seiya.
The outcome of that battle remained unknown.
But the God Warriors of the Heavenly Realm Arc were terrifyingly strong.
"Apollo…"
"He's likely the strongest god in the Heavenly Realm right now."
"He is indeed overseeing it."
"But against Cronus and the Titan Giants."
"He's outmatched."
"The seed of God-Slaying Power within you hasn't sprouted yet."
"You're at a disadvantage against gods."
"Proceed with caution."
"You are the key to all our plans."
"If things go south, you can escape."
"I can't intervene too much."
Athena paused before responding.
Kaiser understood her meaning.
"Don't worry, I value my life."
"I just want to reach the peak of the Eighth Sense quickly."
"Battle is the fastest and best catalyst!"
Kaiser's lips curled into a smile.
He now had the ability to survive against second-tier gods.
And this patrol of the lands might not lead to a divine confrontation.
After all, even the Sea Realm had collapsed.
Poseidon's divine soul had gone to reincarnate.
Any second-tier god with sense wouldn't dare challenge him now.
Who knew what other tricks Athena had up his sleeve?
Lost in thought, Kaiser arrived at the Aries Temple's front plaza.
He transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the sky.
Beyond the gods, Kaiser also wanted to search for artifacts.
Artifacts were his next step to enhance his combat strength.
His goal was to strengthen the Hundred Weapons Martial Performance within his domain…
In a turbulent spatial rift…
A golden apple glowed brilliantly.
Radiating an eerie divine light.
"It seems you failed."
A brash voice echoed through the space.
Soon, a valiant man, brimming with battle intent, appeared.
"This generation's Sanctuary is too powerful."
"Without a suitable reincarnation vessel, it's unwise to engage them too much."
"My previous vessel couldn't unleash much of my power."
"Facing the Sanctuary was not in my favor."
The voice of Eris, the Goddess of Discord, emanated from the apple.
Her reincarnation had failed, and her divine soul had returned to the Golden Apple.
"Tch…"
"All excuses."
"You're growing more cowardly by the day."
Ares, the War God, looked at his sister, his eyes full of mockery.
"So you came just to mock me?"
Eris' voice betrayed no emotion.
Banished by Athena for ages, she was used to such scorn.
"I came to warn you."
"The chaos on the lands has caught the Sanctuary's attention."
"You'd better hide that Golden Apple carefully."
"Humanity's wars, discord, and resentment are all flowing to you."
"Don't get caught by the Sanctuary's Saints."
Ares said coolly.
"Isn't this kind of battlefield exactly what you wanted?"
"Ares, are you truly planning to overthrow the Heavenly Realm's rule?"
"I don't think you're a match for Apollo or Athena."
Eris was somewhat surprised.
Though she and Ares were siblings,
Their relationship was far from good.
Their divine authorities overlapped.
After her sealing, her power had weakened drastically.
Meanwhile, Ares had grown stronger.
Now, for him to come and share this information,
She found it hard to believe.
"I've already pieced together Athena's plans."
"My Mad Warriors Legion has begun their reincarnation."
"The next Holy War will be lively."
"Whether it's Athena or Hades."
"They both want to end everything in the next Holy War."
"Countless will join the fray."
"When that time comes, in heaven and on earth, I alone will reign supreme!"
Ares flashed a ferocious grin.
As the War God, his power wasn't limited to sparking wars.
A divine war was still a war.
His authority would be amplified to unprecedented levels.
In the next Holy War, he was confident he'd be invincible.
"Don't get slapped in the face."
Eris didn't pay him much heed.
But she took his words to heart.
Ares' intentions were clear.
He wanted to use her power to bolster his own authority.
To expand the next Holy War to an unimaginable scale.
The larger the battlefield, the more participants, the greater the boost to Ares' power.
That was the essence of the War God.
"Me ruling the Heavenly Realm and Earth benefits you too."
"Doesn't it?"
"Cooperate well with me."
"As long as we win the Holy War."
"You'll be the next main god."
Ares' voice faded as his figure gradually vanished.
"He's gone to reincarnate?"
"The next Holy War might descend into utter chaos."
"Hades, Poseidon, and Ares are all reincarnating."
Eris sighed.
She felt no sense of security.
Even with Ares' promise, it was the same.
Because Athena, that woman, was terrifying.
Her schemes ran deep.
Since the Mythological Era, she seemed to have been biding her time.
This Holy War erupted suddenly, and she declared it would end the fate of all Holy Wars in the next one.
She must have something planned.
Eris didn't dare take the risk.
Having barely escaped her shattered seal,
She had no desire to be sealed again.
***
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