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*****
Leaving his stone hut, George made his way toward the Sanctuary's Grand Plaza.
The lowest level of the Sanctuary consisted of a sprawling cluster of stone dwellings where the common soldiers lived. The conditions were austere, offering nothing beyond the barest necessities for survival.
This wasn't because the Sanctuary lacked funds; on the contrary, it was incredibly wealthy. While the common folk of the continent remained ignorant of its existence, the upper echelons of every nation were well aware of the Sanctuary's terrifying power. They understood that the Sanctuary was the true shadow ruler of the world—a single Silver Saint could easily dismantle the most powerful of nations.
To world leaders, the affairs of the Sanctuary took precedence over any domestic matter. Consequently, the Sanctuary enjoyed massive financial backing from every country. If they desired, they could have lined the mountainside with the world's most luxurious villas.
They didn't, however, because the squalor was a deliberate trial for the soldiers. Only through the most rigorous and grueling discipline could one break the limits of the human body, awaken their Cosmo, and ascend to the rank of a Bronze Saint. The Sanctuary never feared having too many Saints or a shortage of Cloths; throughout history, no Holy War had ever seen all eighty-eight Saints fighting together simultaneously. Becoming a Saint—even a Bronze one—was a feat few could achieve.
In the Grand Plaza, hundreds of soldiers were engaged in various drills, all striving to ignite their Cosmo. George's gaze swept across the crowd, quickly spotting Shaina, the Silver Saint of Ophiuchus, instructing her disciples.
Gold Saints rarely took students, preferring to remain within their respective temples. The Sanctuary featured the Twelve Houses of the Zodiac, each guarded by a Gold Saint. Any enemy wishing to threaten the Pope or Athena would first have to fight their way through all twelve houses.
Currently, however, several houses stood empty. Mu of Aries and Dohko of Libra were away from the Sanctuary, Saga of Gemini was masquerading as the Pope, and Aiolos of Sagittarius was dead. In their absence, the Silver Saints handled most of the training, often recruiting disciples from across the globe. (This was why Mitsumasa Kido had sent his hundred orphans to various corners of the world—to study under these Silver Saints.)
As George approached Shaina, his spiritual sense slipped into her body to perceive her inner Cosmo. Almost instantly, he grasped the essence of the Sixth Sense.
"Oh?"
Suddenly, George's brow twitched. Through the resonance of Shaina's Ophiuchus Cosmo, he had successfully captured a much more powerful, echoing aura. Following the trail with his eyes toward the Twelve Houses, he discovered a sealed presence located right between the House of Scorpio and the House of Sagittarius—an energy strikingly similar to Shaina's.
"Could it be... the Ophiuchus Gold Cloth?"
His eyes lit up. In certain obscure chapters of Saint Seiya lore, it was mentioned that there were originally thirteen Gold Cloths, not twelve. The thirteenth belonged to Ophiuchus, and its owner was Odysseus. In the Age of Myth, the Ophiuchus Gold Saint was the most powerful among them, but he was struck down by the gods for his hubris in attempting to become a god himself. His Cloth and Temple were submerged and sealed between Scorpio and Sagittarius, and the constellation was demoted to the Silver rank.
"A seal of the gods? Child's play for me."
George stroked his chin. He decided he would retrieve the Ophiuchus Gold Cloth that very night. While the gods had sealed it, George could use the authority of the Door pathway to open a gap in the barrier and extract the armor. To legitimately become the Pope, he needed to be a Gold Saint in name, or it would be difficult to command respect.
He had originally considered taking the Sagittarius Cloth, but now that he had found the far more powerful Ophiuchus Cloth right under his nose, the choice was obvious.
"Didn't I tell you to rest for a few days and heal before returning to training?"
Shaina frowned as George approached. After the failure to seize the Pegasus Cloth the previous day, she had told the injured soldiers to return to their quarters until they recovered. Though these men weren't her personal disciples like Cassios, they were the elite among the reserve forces she trained and were fiercely loyal to her. She cared for them in her own way.
"My injuries weren't severe. One night of rest was enough," George explained with a smile.
Shaina didn't press the issue. She pointed to a nearby boulder. "If you're fine, get back to work."
Today wasn't a sparring day; since everyone had fought for the Pegasus Cloth yesterday, today's drill was simple: smashing stones with their fists. Almost everyone there could do it, but Shaina demanded they do so without relying solely on physical strength.
As George took his position, Shaina's voice rang out for everyone to hear.
"To be a true Saint, you must mobilize the power of your Cosmo. Do not rely on the surface level. Cassios lost to that brat Seiya because he relied too much on raw physical power and failed to ignite his Cosmo. Remember, stones are made of atoms. Your job is to focus your mind and destroy the object at its fundamental level..."
"Hah! Hah! Hah!"
The soldiers tossed boulders into the air and punched them with all their might. Under their powerful fists, the rocks shattered into several pieces. Shaina watched and shook her head, dissatisfied.
But when she looked at George, she suddenly sensed something was off.
"This power... it's Cosmo!"
George tossed a rock into the air. Drawing on the Sixth Sense he had just perceived from Shaina, he ignited the Cosmo within his body.
BOOM!
His fist struck the boulder, and the rock didn't just break—it disintegrated into fine powder. The force of his Cosmo had fundamentally shattered the molecular structure of the stone. This sight caused everyone nearby to stop their training, a collective realization dawning on them.
"Ola, do it again!"
Shaina immediately grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it toward George with great force. George ignited his Cosmo again, turning the flying projectile into dust with a single punch.
"Excellent! Very well done, Ola. You have awakened your own Cosmo!"
Behind her mask, Shaina's face lit up with pride. She had finally produced a Saint who had awakened their Cosmo, proving she was no less capable than Marin. "It's a pity. If you had awakened sooner, you might have had a chance to claim the Pegasus Cloth." She sighed.
"I only gained the insight during the battle last night," George provided a perfect excuse. Learning through combat was the most natural way to explain his sudden growth.
Shaina nodded. "Wait a year. By then, you'll have the chance to become a Bronze Saint."
The Sanctuary held an annual tournament where the winner earned a Bronze Cloth. However, winning didn't guarantee becoming a Saint; if the winner failed to ignite their Cosmo, they couldn't wear the Cloth, and it would be revoked by the following year. In Shaina's eyes, since George had already awakened his Cosmo, winning the top spot next year would be a formality—unless someone even stronger appeared.
"A year? In a year, the soup will be cold," George thought to himself, though he nodded politely. Between Seiya getting his Cloth and the final battle with Hades, roughly only a year would pass.
"Where is Cassios? Did that brat Seiya cut off his ear and leave him too ashamed to train?"
As Shaina pulled George aside to teach him some Cosmo manipulation techniques, a mocking voice drifted over. George turned to see a short, sleazy-looking man with red hair. According to Ola's memories, this was Dio of Musca, a Silver Saint from Mexico. He had a crush on Shaina and, after being rejected, turned his affection into spite, frequently bringing his own trainees to cause trouble. Usually, Shaina's disciple Cassios was the strongest of the lot, so Dio rarely gained the upper hand.
"Dio, if you want to pick a fight, I'm happy to play with you," Shaina said coldly.
A flash of caution crossed Dio's eyes. As a fellow Silver Saint, he wasn't confident he could beat Shaina. "A duel between Silver Saints requires the Pope's permission. I don't think that's necessary. How about we let our trainees spar instead? Perhaps they'll awaken their Cosmo in the heat of battle."
"Fine. Let's spar," Shaina sneered, agreeing remarkably quickly.
Dio was stunned. He hadn't expected her to agree. He had only come for his daily taunt, assuming Shaina was too smart to agree to a match she couldn't win with Cassios gone. But since she had said yes, he wasn't going to pass up the chance. He immediately beckoned his three strongest trainees forward.
Shaina gave George a subtle look, and George walked out with a smile. To become Pope, he needed a reputation. Today was the first step on that path.
Seeing a spar about to happen, the surrounding soldiers crowded around. Several other Silver Saints overseeing the training also moved closer to watch.
"You're only sending out one?" Dio felt a flicker of unease seeing Shaina only send George. Shaina didn't even bother to reply.
"Ola, you're the only one? Are the rest too scared to fight?" On the cleared ground, Dio's three trainees laughed and mocked George. They had sparred with Ola during the selections yesterday; Ola couldn't even beat the weakest among them, let alone all three.
"Too much talk!"
George ignited his Cosmo and unleashed a standard Bronze Saint technique: the Sonic Punch. Delivering a hundred blows per second, he struck before the trio could even register a defense. They were sent flying, spitting blood.
"Cosmo!" The watching Silver Saints were shocked. Yesterday it was Seiya; today, another soldier had awakened.
"He actually awakened his Cosmo... no wonder!" Dio grit his teeth. He knew Shaina wouldn't have agreed so easily if there wasn't a catch. He had come to cause trouble, only to be slapped in the face. Thinking quickly, a new idea formed in his mind.
"Impressive! To awaken your Cosmo... a bright future awaits you!" Dio clapped, feigning praise as he walked over to stand opposite George. A smirk played on his lips. "Let me show you the true power of a Silver Saint. Witness my technique so you may go further in the future."
"Watch out!" Shaina realized what he was doing and tried to step in, but Dio had already moved.
"Dead End Fly!"
Dio's right leg whipped toward George at nearly Mach 3. If that kick landed, even a Bronze Saint would be hospitalized for months.
"Dodon Ray!"
George didn't move his body. He simply raised his right hand and pointed a finger at Dio's incoming leg. A beam of concentrated Cosmo energy shot out. To George, there was no difference between using Ki or Cosmo once the principle of the technique was understood.
"AAAH!"
Dio's leg was struck by the Dodon Ray. He cried out in pain, stumbling back several steps and nearly falling. Even with the protection of his Silver Cloth, his leg felt completely numb. Had he not been wearing it, there would likely be a hole through his limb.
"What a powerful technique!" The watching Silver Saints couldn't help but gasp.
Most Saints developed their own styles—some used Cosmo to buff their physical speed for melee, while others used elemental attacks like fire, ice, or wind. Some used telekinesis or mental control. But a technique that condensed Cosmo into a singular, piercing beam of light? That was a first. It was fast, hard to dodge, and incredibly potent. Even a Silver Saint would be injured if they weren't careful. If it hit a vital spot like the eye, a Bronze could potentially kill a Silver.
This trainee, Ola, had a limitless future!
"You have some skill," Dio muttered. Seeing Shaina had reached George's side, he didn't dare strike again. He turned and limped away. He had been in the wrong to strike a trainee, and if he stayed, Shaina would have every right to thrash him.
(End of Chapter)