Chapter 130: Rescuing Sasha

“That’s... Sasha!”

Tianma was taken aback when he first saw Feng Zhe, then his eyes fell upon Sasha, who lay asleep on the bed.

He dashed over quickly, calling out to Sasha, but no matter how loudly he shouted, Sasha did not awaken.

“Why is this happening?”

Feng Zhe watched as Tianma gently stroked Sasha, without any resistance from her, realizing he had found the right person.

He then explained, “Only one Athena can exist in the same era. Since Miss Saori has descended into this world, the Athena of this era naturally falls into a deep slumber...”

“Then how can we wake her?”

Suddenly, Tianma recalled the earlier encounter with Ophiuchus Odysseus and exclaimed, “He came to assassinate Athena, could it be...”

“Indeed. Only if the future Athena falls can the Athena of this era awaken. Then the universe will return to its original order.”

Hearing Feng Zhe’s words, cold sweat trickled down Tianma’s face.

As Athena's Saint, how could he ever raise his fist against her?

That would be no different from betrayal.

At that moment, a sinister cosmos emanated nearby, dark and oppressive, suffocating the air.

“A Specter?!”

Tianma stepped in front of Sasha, clenching his fists, ready to defend her.

Feng Zhe’s gaze also shifted toward the newcomer. The leader of the Specters wore a Specter Cloth that stirred a strange familiarity within him.

“I am Shakal, the Fierce Star Pteranodon, sent to take this girl back. I advise you not to resist needlessly.”

As one of the three great lords of the Underworld, Shakal’s square-jawed, unsmiling face was hardly inviting—he looked perpetually as if someone owed him money.

“Over my dead body!”

Tianma shouted, unleashing a Pegasus Meteor Fist, clashing with Shakal immediately.

Meanwhile, Feng Zhe approached Sasha again, attempting to touch her, but was still blocked.

He then whispered to her, “Athena, I am Alexis, the Pope from the future. I seek to bring you to the Sanctuary for protection.”

“This world is thrown into chaos because of the arrival of the future Athena. I know this is not your desire, so I hope you will trust me.”

Feng Zhe murmured softly, but Sasha remained as still and unresponsive as a sleeping beauty.

Suddenly, Tianma was flung over, and Feng Zhe caught him just in time.

Maximum alert!

Shakal unleashed his cosmos, a black energy gathering in his palm.

A powerful shockwave erupted, a dark pillar of lightning surging toward Tianma.

If Tianma were struck by this blow, injury or even death would be certain.

Just as Tianma was about to fall, a pristine shield of Athena appeared before him.

The dark pillar slammed into the shield, dissipating upon contact.

When Tianma reopened his eyes, he was unharmed, and Feng Zhe stood before him.

“Since we’ve come to this era, allow me to eliminate one of the Three Great Lords as a tribute to Athena!”

“Galactic Star Explosion!!”

Though Tianma had witnessed Gemini Abel use the same technique, the suffocating pressure he now felt was unlike anything before.

In an instant, he realized this altar seat warrior’s true strength far exceeded that of Gemini Abel.

Sure enough, as countless planets fell like shooting stars, Shakal, the Fierce Star, was struck down beneath the meteorfall, his Specter Cloth vanishing without a trace.

With this, all three great lords of the Underworld in this era had met a clean and decisive end.

...

Elsewhere, on his way to the Scorpio Temple, Odysseus came across a fallen Shun.

When Shun awoke and saw Odysseus, he was shocked, but quickly declared loudly that he would inherit the legacy of Suikyoku and assassinate Athena.

This surprised Odysseus—he hadn’t expected that the one who truly understood Suikyoku’s will would be the unassuming Shun.

Odysseus then urged Shun to accompany him to the Ophiuchus Temple.

But Shun was anguished, insisting he could not.

It turned out Shun possessed a special ability to discern good from evil, and he could see that the Odysseus before him was no longer the man he once knew, but a manifestation of an evil god.

The malevolent cosmos radiating from Odysseus was not that of Athena’s Saint.

Shun said, “Suikyoku sought to assassinate Athena to restore the natural order, but Odysseus, you seek to seize the heavens and earth for yourself.”

This was an essential difference.

“Such evil cannot be allowed to go unpunished.”

Having said this, Shun launched a punch, shouting, “Lushan Hundred Dragons Strike!”

However, all his attacks were reflected back, sending Shun flying backward.

Knowing he was no match for Odysseus’s power, Shun steeled himself and instantly embraced him.

Then, he unleashed a do-or-die technique, “Lushan Overwhelming Dragon Strike.”

Just as Shun prepared to fly into the sky with Odysseus for a mutual death, a divine power rivaling Athena’s suddenly struck Shun from afar.

This power belonged to Asclepius.

The two then landed on the ground.

Asclepius transformed into a great serpent and questioned Odysseus in sharp tones, “Why did you allow Shun’s Dragon Strike to hit you? Do you wish for self-destruction?”

Odysseus denied this coldly, saying it was Shun’s stubbornness that was stronger.

The serpent wanted Odysseus to slay Shun, but Odysseus replied, “When you reign supreme, these Gold Saints will surely be your allies.”

Finding this reasonable, the serpent urged Odysseus onward.

Upon reaching the Scorpio Temple, Odysseus naturally found the sleeping Scorpio Akrat.

Like the other Gold Saints, Akrat was initially startled upon awakening.

But when he learned Odysseus’s intent to assassinate Athena, he prepared for battle immediately.

Unlike others, Akrat’s very life depended on Odysseus's blood.

But now, Odysseus was no longer the man he was; the evil cosmos he radiated was palpable to Akrat.

Akrat believed Odysseus had become a monster and vowed never to allow him to assassinate Athena.

From Odysseus’s snake-like eyes, it was clear that Asclepius had fully possessed his body.

Odysseus warned Akrat that opposing him would cause his blood to burst forth, and all he had gained would be lost.

But Akrat was already prepared to die.

Odysseus swung his staff, and Akrat’s blood erupted.

Despite this, Akrat fought to the very end, unleashing his final technique, “Andalus.”

Yet Odysseus remained unharmed, while Akrat, drained of blood, knelt on the ground to face death.

Suddenly, a finger pressed upon Akrat’s vital point.

The person was none other than Feng Zhe, who had just returned to the Sanctuary.

Beside him stood Tianma, holding the slumbering Athena, Sasha.

“Finally, I’ve arrived!”

Feng Zhe glanced at the recovering Odysseus and said, “I need your help!”

He then produced a vial of Athena’s blood, and Odysseus immediately understood...