Chapter 126: Finally Meeting the Contemporary Pope

Excalibur!!

Izō raised his hand like a blade. Although he was not wearing his Cloth, the Capricorn constellation glowing behind him was exceptionally brilliant and dazzling.

A phantom image of a long sword manifested before him, and he himself seemed to transform into the very embodiment of the holy blade. When the holy sword descended, its immense pressure caused the very earth to tremble.

Just as he was about to cleave Feng Zhe in two, the Capricorn Cloth suddenly appeared before Feng Zhe. The radiance of the holy sword struck directly against the Capricorn Cloth.

"What?!"

Izō could hardly believe his eyes; the Capricorn Gold Cloth had actually chosen to protect Feng Zhe. Not only that, but a Cosmo began to burn within the Gold Cloth—a power that was just as sharp and piercing as a long sword.

"That is..."

The Cosmo that had suddenly emerged from the Capricorn Cloth was none other than that of Shura of Capricorn from the main Sanctuary saga. Feng Zhe pondered for a moment and surmised that perhaps the simultaneous existence of three Athenas in this era had caused the fabric of space-time to twist and fracture, allowing Shura's soul to traverse time and return to the past. Or perhaps it was because Feng Zhe’s sacred fire contained the flames of the Capricorn Palace, which held the blood of Shura, that this had come to pass.

The next moment, a phantom appeared before Feng Zhe—it was Shura, clad in the Capricorn Cloth!

"Shura!"

Shura, with his sharp gaze, offered Feng Zhe a rare smile before turning his attention toward Izō.

"Senior, I am the next generation's Capricorn Shura. I ask that you grant us passage!"

Izō was startled, but then he smiled. "Even if you are the next-generation Capricorn Saint, I cannot let you pass!"

"Then I must offend you!"

Both men raised their arms simultaneously and shouted in unison:

"Excalibur!!"

Two massive torrents of sword energy collided, creating such powerful shockwaves that Feng Zhe was forced into a defensive stance. Watching the two Capricorn Saints clash in mid-air, with their hands and feet emitting sword energy like dueling blades, Feng Zhe was left wide-eyed and stunned.

A quarter of an hour later, Izō and Shura landed simultaneously. Four sword marks appeared on Izō’s body. He looked at Feng Zhe and said, "I have lost. You may pass."

Shura replied, "Senior was not wearing your Gold Cloth. Had you been, the one who lost would surely have been me."

"A loss is a loss; no excuses are needed." Izō turned and walked away with cool composure.

Feng Zhe wanted to thank Shura, but Shura merely said, "Pope, Athena’s protection rests with you."

Looking into Shura’s eyes, Feng Zhe felt a flicker of hesitation in his heart, but he soon regained his resolve and sprinted toward the next palace. The Capricorn Cloth disassembled, reverting to its totem form, and returned to Izō. Izō gave a soft sigh and muttered to himself, "To think that the next generation of Capricorn is just as formidable."

As Feng Zhe rushed out of the Capricorn Palace, he looked back and whispered, "This holy sword is truly worthy of being bestowed by Athena. Perhaps in the Age of Myth, it was a weapon capable of rivaling the sword of Hades." He knew that while Athena held the Staff of Victory and the Aegis of Athena, the Sword of Athena was gifted to her most loyal Saint—this was the origin of the legacy of the Capricorn Palace.

Just then, a violent earthquake shook the entire Sanctuary. The tremors caused the Twelve Temples to sway, and a new palace erupted from the ground. This new structure rose between the Sagittarius and Scorpio Temples, looming larger and more magnificent than any of the others. It was the thirteenth temple: the Ophiuchus Palace.

Feng Zhe’s expression shifted. "Was I a step too late after all?" he thought. Refusing to yield, he resolutely dashed into the next palace: the Aquarius Palace.

As Feng Zhe prepared to engage Aquarius Mystoria, he was interrupted.

"The Pope wishes to see you!"

Feng Zhe froze, unable to believe his ears. Mystoria continued, "The future Athena has already headed to the Ophiuchus Palace. Do you still intend to see the Pope at a time like this?"

Feng Zhe understood. The current Pope likely assumed Feng Zhe was the Pope of the future; a meeting between two Popes would inevitably revolve around the status of Athena. The Pope had refused to see him to prevent the collapse of the universe, but now that the plan had failed—with the future Athena taken away by Shijima and entrusted to Hyoga, the Saint of that era—the mission had already faltered.

"Of course I must see him. This concerns the entire universe!"

Mystoria understood and stepped aside. As Feng Zhe was about to rush out, he saw the unconscious Virgo Shijima. He did not have the heart to save him, so he merely cast a glance at him and continued to the next palace. The Pisces Palace was passed with ease, as Cardinale lay unconscious amidst the Royal Demon Roses.

Meanwhile, Hyoga, carrying Athena, had reached the entrance of the Ophiuchus Palace. He did not know if Odysseus had truly resurrected, but he had no choice but to steel himself and enter.

Suddenly, a wave of intense dizziness washed over him. His strength and consciousness felt as if they were being drained away by an unknown force. Unable to hold on any longer, Hyoga collapsed to the ground and fell asleep. Shun, having just broken through the Scorpio Palace, also arrived at the front gate of the Ophiuchus Palace. Upon entering, he felt his body being healed, only to lose consciousness and fall to the floor.

At that moment, Aquarius Mystoria, who had just sent Feng Zhe on his way, noticed that the wounds on Virgo Shijima’s body were healing rapidly. "Could this be the legendary hypnotic therapy of the Ophiuchus Palace?!"

Cardinale, lying among the Royal Demon Roses, also noticed his wounds healing quickly. Suddenly, a wave of profound drowsiness overcame him, and he too drifted into a deep sleep. Every Saint within the Twelve Gold Palaces discovered their bodies were being healed, only to immediately succumb to unconsciousness.

Feng Zhe was no exception. "Damn it, this is bad!"

He did not want to be hypnotized. He immediately summoned his sacred fire. The light of the fire seemed to repel the healing energy, forming a flaming sphere that enveloped him. With a flash, Feng Zhe reached the Pope’s Palace.

When he entered, he found the Pope sitting upon his throne, already fast asleep. Feng Zhe walked over and nudged him, only to realize the Pope was in a deep slumber.

"No! He cannot sleep!"

Feng Zhe tapped his finger against the Pope’s helmet, producing a loud, resounding "clang." The sudden, piercing noise jolted the sleeping Pope awake.

"Who are you?"

"Pope, I am the Pope from 243 years in the future, Aiolos!"

The Pope looked at Feng Zhe, who was clad in the Altar Cloth, and a memory stirred within him. He sighed. "The Ophiuchus has awakened. It is already too late."

"Pope, although I am the Pope of the next generation, there is something you must know."

"In this era, not only has the future Athena descended, but an Athena from a parallel timeline has also appeared. I have come following her..."

The Pope’s face turned pale with horror. "You mean to say... there are now three Athenas in our world?!"