novelraw Chapter 882 882: Formation of the Triple Alliance
Chapter 882 882: Formation of the Triple Alliance
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*****
What is the fastest way for a Saint to increase their strength?
The answer is simple: combat. Specifically, fighting against enemies whose power far exceeds one's own, forcing one to constantly burn their Cosmos to its very limit.
The reason the five Bronze Saints were able to leap from Bronze to Gold—and even successfully slay gods—in just a few short months was precisely because they were always in battle. They fought against Bronze, Silver, and Gold Saints, as well as God Warriors, Marina, and Specters. However, the prerequisite for such growth is not giving up in the face of true despair; otherwise, the effect is greatly diminished.
Every time the Bronze Saints faced a crisis, they felt that if they failed to burn their Cosmos and defeat the enemy, Athena would be killed and the world would end. That sense of ultimate stakes allowed them to explode with power time and again. In a peaceful era, sparring with a Gold Saint just isn't the same; if you lose, you lose. You don't fight with your life on the line.
The current situation was no different. The Marina truly believed George intended to seal Poseidon. To protect their god, they would force themselves to burn their Cosmos, becoming stronger in a desperate bid to defeat him.
As for why George was helping the Marina grow stronger? He knew he would need them soon. Hades' ultimate goal was to plunge the entire Earth into darkness and wipe out humanity. If that happened, both Asgard and Atlantis would be affected; they would perish along with the rest of the world. There was no reason for the Sanctuary to always bear the burden of resisting Hades alone while Asgard and Atlantis sat on the sidelines.
By sweeping through Asgard and Atlantis now, George planned to tie the God Warriors and Marina to the Sanctuary's warship. When the time came, they would face Hades and his 108 Specters together.
*"Galaxian Explosion!"*
With a casual wave of George's hand, the Marina who had just struggled to their feet were sent flying once more. Yet, notably, not a single one was killed.
"A mere mortal... how can he possess such a terrifying Cosmos!"
On the throne, Poseidon's expression finally shifted. To neutralize his attacks so easily and defeat all the Sea Generals with a single strike meant the Cosmos emitted by the Pope of the Sanctuary had already surpassed the level of a human.
"To seek to seal me is an act of blasphemy. Even Athena cannot truly seal me forever, let alone a mortal like you."
Whether stimulated by George's Cosmos or provoked by the threat of being sealed, Poseidon's soul suddenly awakened completely. A majestic, overwhelming Cosmos that could cover the entire universe erupted, making the very world tremble.
"Poseidon's soul has fully awakened... This is bad!"
Kanon, heavily injured and unable to stand, felt a crushing pressure entirely different from before. He began to panic.
*"Mafuba! (Evil Containment Wave)"*
George didn't waste words. He kicked the rice cooker open and unleashed a Cosmos-infused version of the legendary sealing technique. The powerful energy transformed into a specialized hurricane that coiled toward Poseidon. Ignoring the mighty trident in the god's hand, the force physically wrenched the soul from the body.
Due to the sheer disparity in power, no matter how Poseidon struggled, he could not resist the pull of that spiraling vortex.
Thump!
With a soft sound, Poseidon's soul was sucked into the rice cooker. The lid snapped shut automatically, and the seal was complete. On the other side, Julian Solo—still clad in the Scale of the Sea God and holding the trident—slowly opened his eyes, looking around in utter confusion.
"This is impossible!"
Inside the rice cooker, Poseidon erupted with his Cosmos, but he couldn't even budge the lid. Disbelief flooded his mind. Even when sealed by a fellow Main God like Athena, he could usually break out if he chose to force the issue. He had stayed in Athena's Amphora for so long partly because losing a Holy War to his niece was embarrassing—the seal provided some peace and quiet. Furthermore, his physical body had been destroyed and his soul wounded; he genuinely needed time to recover.
When Kanon had released him years ago, he told Kanon to wake him in thirteen years because his soul wasn't ready. Had Kanon left him alone, he could have broken out himself once he reached full strength. But this Pope's seal was different. It felt more terrifying than Athena's. Even at his peak, he couldn't force his way out.
"He... he actually sealed him!"
Kanon watched George seal a fully awakened Poseidon in a single move and nearly collapsed from terror. He immediately turned to flee. The Pope's strength was far beyond his wildest imagination. Since Kanon wasn't a true Marina and held no real loyalty to Poseidon, there was no reason to stay and die.
However, as he turned into a streak of light to escape, he hit a wall. An invisible barrier had already enveloped the entire Temple of Poseidon. George had set the boundary beforehand to ensure neither the Sea Generals nor the god's soul could escape.
"Burn, my Cosmos!"
Unlike Kanon, the other Marina—though shocked—did not give up. They desperately burned their lives away, launching technique after technique in an attempt to defeat George and release their lord.
Unfortunately, no matter how they raised their power, they were swatted down by George in a single move. They simply weren't in the same dimension.
Over and over, they were flattened; over and over, they crawled back up. Their strength increased significantly through the ordeal, but their potential and willpower couldn't quite match the legendary Bronze Saints. By the sixth time they were struck down, they finally slumped in despair, unable to rise.
Kanon returned to the center of the hall with a dark expression. He couldn't break the barrier, not even with his mastery of space.
"What exactly do you want?"
The fact that George hadn't killed anyone made Kanon realize that the destruction of Atlantis wasn't the goal.
"What do I want? I want to make a deal," George said, summoning the rice cooker back to his palm. He addressed the gathered Marina:
"Hades is about to lead his Specters in an invasion of the human world. I need you Marina to fight alongside our Saints to win this Holy War. When it's over, I will decide whether to release Poseidon based on your contributions—and whether to forgive your crimes of attacking the Sanctuary and attempting to assassinate Athena."
"And if we refuse?" Kanon asked through gritted teeth. He didn't want to fight for the Sanctuary; he'd much rather watch them destroy each other and seize the spoils.
George didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Kanon with a knowing smile. "Kanon of Gemini, traitor of the Sanctuary... I don't believe you have the right to make decisions for the Marina."
Kanon choked on his words.
"He indeed has no right to represent Atlantis," Sorento the Siren said, standing up. "But the question he asks is one we all share."
By choosing to flee alone instead of fighting to save Poseidon, Kanon had forfeited his status as a Sea General. Furthermore, his background as a Sanctuary traitor meant his motives were always suspect.
"If you refuse," George said, his voice still gentle but his words chilling, "I will kill every Marina here right now and destroy Poseidon's soul to eliminate any future trouble. You don't think I'm only capable of sealing him, do you?"
The Marina felt a cold shiver. They weren't afraid to die, but they were terrified George actually had the power to slay a god. While a mortal killing a god sounded absurd, George's performance thus far made it impossible to ignore.
"We agree," Sorento said after a long silence, the other generals nodding in unison.
"A wise choice."
George clapped his hands. He tossed the "Poseidon-Cooker" into a temporary pocket dimension and opened a portal to Asgard. "Kanon, come back to the Sanctuary with me to face judgment."
As George stepped through, his voice rang in Kanon's ear. Kanon didn't dare disobey and followed him through the portal.
In Asgard, George informed Hilda that Poseidon was sealed and proposed the same alliance against Hades. Given that George had saved Asgard from Poseidon's manipulation and displayed such overwhelming power, Hilda agreed almost immediately. Moreover, George promised to open trade routes for Asgard, ensuring her people could finally prosper.
***
With matters in Asgard concluded, George teleported back to the Sanctuary with Kanon. Before ordering the guards to take Kanon to the dungeons, he leaned in and said one thing:
"Thirteen years ago, when you were near death in that water prison, the Cosmos that saved you... belonged to the infant Athena who had just descended to this world."
Kanon froze. The dozen escape plans he had been formulating vanished instantly. George knew he had won him over.
Kanon had been imprisoned by his brother Saga for trying to incite the murder of the infant Athena. In that prison, where the sea levels rose and threatened to drown him, a warm, gentle Cosmos had saved him repeatedly. He had always been grateful to his anonymous savior; in the original story, learning it was Athena led to his complete reformation. He would eventually don his brother's Gemini Cloth and sacrifice himself to take down Rhadamanthys of the Underworld.
***
"That is essentially the situation."
Back at the Sanctuary, George addressed Saori Kido and the Gold Saints, detailing the events in Asgard and Atlantis. Saori and the Saints looked at one another in stunned silence.
In just a few hours, George had single-handedly subdued the God Warriors and the Marina, thwarted a global flood, and sealed a god. If he weren't the Pope and known for his level-headedness, they would have thought it was a joke.
"This is the rice cooker sealing Poseidon," George said, producing the device. With a light touch, he allowed Poseidon's immense soul and Cosmos to manifest slightly.
"What a terrifying Cosmos!" The Gold Saints' faces turned pale. This was the aura of a true god.
"It's Poseidon... he's in there!"
Stimulated by the Sea God's presence, the consciousness of Athena within Saori awakened further. She recognized her uncle immediately.
"I'll leave this seal in your care, Lady Athena," George said, handing her the cooker.
Saori took it, her gaze lingering on George as if trying to see through him. Defeating warriors was one thing, but sealing a god was something no mortal should be capable of.
"With the Marina and God Warriors helping us, this Holy War will be much easier. We might even end the cycle once and for all," George said with a smile.
He was speaking to Saori, but also to the consciousness of Athena within her. Every reincarnation of Athena had different strengths. Some were master tacticians, some were peerless warriors, and some—like Saori—started as ordinary humans but possessed great wisdom.
George knew that as long as he showed his goodwill, Saori's wisdom would lead her to accept his help, even if she suspected he was far more than he appeared.
(End of Chapter)