Chapter 50: Chapter 50 – Face Off With The Judges

Rhadamanthys POV - Underworld, Judecca - 1987

Some time passed since the Andromeda Saint, all of the sudden, became Lord Hades, and after that disgusting Saint Orphèe finished with his play he was sent away, and Lord Hades removed that filthy Cloth and donned his clothes, a long purple tunic, with a black and golden ornate belt and shoulder pads, and a long black cape, his appearance also changed slightly, his skin is now paler, his hair became reddish, and his eyes are of a lighter shade.

(Image Here - Possessed Shun)

As I'm looking at his figure sitting on the throne, I hear Minos' voice behind me that says "Incredible, that Andromeda Saint was Lord Hades...", and Aiacos adds "Yes, quite unbelievable", to that I can't help but also comment "I know... The boy had sworn fealty to Athena and weathered many battles despise his youth, a true Saint, now he comes here and claims to be Lord Hades...Add that only a very few Specters know what Lord Hades looks like... But who or what was that figure we always saw sitting on the throne beyond that curtain?".

Then we realize something at the same time, and in shock, I can only utter "D...", and what I'm too shocked to say, is told by Minos "Don't tell me... That the figure we've been seeing..." but he also stops, and is Aiacos that finishes the thought that came to us "...Wasn't Lord Hades...", at the same time we realize this, I see Lady Pandora coming closer and says "What are you three still doing here? Now that Lord Hades is safe, return to your posts!"

As soon as she appeared, we get on our knees and greet her as she continues "Leave the care of Lord Hades to me, do not indulge in unwise speculation, understood?", we keep our heads low and reply "Yes, milady", then she nods and gives her command "Direct your energies toward capturing Athena... And slaughter any other Saints who have wandered in here", hearing that, we stand up and say once more "Yes, milady!!".

Jayr POV - Underworld, Fourth Prison - 1987

We are still sailing on the Styx River, and I've just finished explaining the story of Shun's possession and the fact that only me and Saori knew that it would have happened, and saying that Seiya and the others were shocked is an understatement, at the same time, Kanon asks "If you knew that he was going to become Hades' Host why did you let him alive? With him dead this battle would've become a lot easier!!".

Before Seiya and the others could argue with Kanon about his idea of killing Shun, I stop them by saying "First because, with his death Shun would have still become Hades' Host, remember that he is the God of the Underworld reviving someone is something really simple for him, so we would have only directly sent Shun to him... And the most important reason is that for us Shun is the most ideal host of Hades!", my declaration shocks everyone in silence.

Seeing them shocked and confused, I ask "Tell me, who is Shun?", and Seiya replies confused "He is our brother...", while Shiryu adds "... And a trusted comrade, who fought many battles with us...", and Hyoga and Kanon seem to realize something, so Hyoga exclaims "He is a Saint of Athena!!".

Hearing this answer I nod and explain with a smile "Right! This is Hades' mistake! He only chooses the purest souls as his hosts, but in this era, he chose Shun, the man destined to become the Andromeda Saint! The Saint who through his battles has mastered his Cosmo till the awakening of the 7th sense, and during this Holy War even awakened the mythical 8th sense... Could such a man be easily possessed like a normal pure soul?", at the same time, Kanon remembers his experience with Julian and Poseidon, and says "I see... Even Julian a normal human possessed by Poseidon, a God with the same level of power as Hades, was able to stay conscious from time to time...".

At the same time, with my senses, I feel that we are getting closer to the Fifth Prison, and while they are still thinking about what I just revealed, I pull out my golden bow, I take my stance, standing upright with feet shoulder-width apart, place the arrow on the bow, and draw it while aiming at a point in the sky, at the same time I concentrate my Cosmo into the arrow that starts shining in a golden light, confused by what I'm doing, Seiya asks "What is going on?", while the others start to look around raising their guard.

I simply smile and say "Just taking care of something annoying...", and release the arrow that soundlessly disappears in the red and black sky with a golden flash, Kanon quickly understands, while the others are still confused, but soon they focus on the area around us, that quickly start changing.

After a few minutes, the raft reaches the shores, and we finally reach the Fifth Prison, a land of small mountains of rock that is covered with darkened tombs made of stone blocks, where the heretics burn forever in the fiery tombs, seeing this Shiryu comments "What a terrible place...", and Hyoga adds "Let's just quickly move across this...", and after the flaming tombs lies the Labyrinth of the Minotaur, a knotted huge field of stone walls so confusing and intricate no one can find their way out, and in front of the Labyrinth's entrance we find the Spectre Deadly Beetle Stand.

The only thing I can say about him is that he is a huge man, as his Surplice covers most of his body and features, the Surplice itself is shaped like a beetle, the headpiece is a helmet, and it has pincers and two eyes that would represent the head of a beetle, on the arm and legs pieces are made of the limbs of the beetle, and the chest piece is the abdomen of the beetle and has wings.

(Image Here -  Deadly Beetle Stand)

Seeing him Seiya yells as he and the others prepare to fight "Looks like this is our next battle!!", but Kanon stops them and says "Calm Down! It's already over", as soon as he finished speaking, I smile, and look as a golden flash quickly falls on him and pierce through his body from the top of his head, then he falls on the ground dead, and say "Nailed it! My personal record! Dead center from 50 kilometers!".

Looking at the dead Specter Hyoga comments "Sorry, I feel like we keep leaning on you guys...", but I stop him and looking at the entrance of the Labyrinth, I say "No time for apologies, it seems that our next opponent is here...", and at the same time, I see Rhamanthys coming out of it, and slowly walking toward us, and Seiya and the others notice him too and yell "Rhadamanthys!!".

Then Kanon moves forward and says "You again, perfect, I was getting bored with all those small fries...", Rhadamanthys looks at us and says "I came here to wipe all of you eyesores off the map!", at the same time, I feel his Cosmo boiling and know that he is about to act, and indeed the next instant he makes his move, but he finds Kanon standing in front of him who says "Whoa there... You guys go on ahead... We'll settle this one on one, how about it, Rhadamanthis?".

The Specter smiles and accepts Kanon's proposal "Very well, I'd like nothing better", at the same time, Seiya Shiryu and Hyoga move past Rhadamantis and into the Labyrinth of the Minotaur, while I remain here and as Rhadamanthys looks at me, I say "Don't worry I won't interfere with your fight... I'm just here to help in case the other Judges comes and gang up on Kanon...", hearing that both Kanon and Rhadamanthys nods before they look at each other once again in silence.

After a few seconds, Rhadamanthys breaks the silence and says "I heard you slaughtered my subordinates in the Black Valley... So I must also avenge them as well...", at the same time, his Cosmo explodes as he concentrates it between his hands, which he places in front of him pointing in the direction of Kanon, and yells "Take this! Greatest Caution!!", and releases from the palms of his hands a powerful tidal of shockwaves of cosmic energy in the form of countless purple spheres, which ceaselessly move toward his target, Kanon's body.

But Kanon keeps his calm and quickly raises his Cosmo and using his hand he parries every blow with it even though the strength behind this technique still pushes him back a little, but soon Rhadamanthis is shocked that his technique doesn't work a stops, and Kanon says "Is this all? Strange I thought you were stronger... Oh well, I'll end this!", and taking advantage of the stunned state of his opponent, he concentrates all of his Cosmo energy to the maximum in between his hands, then yelling "Galaxian Explosion!!", he releases it in the form of a gigantic shock-wave that send Rhadamanthys flying.

But he and his Surplice are still intact, something that surprises me, 'So even between Surplices of the same level there are some differences... The Galaxian Explosion can easily obliterate the Surplice of a Celestial Star... But Rhadamanthys one is still intact, this means that his and the other Judges' Surplices are a level above the rest... Truly comparable to the Gold Cloths...', at the same time, I hear Rhadamanthys mutter in a confused tone "What is this? I feel heavy and slow... Something is wrong...!", and at that, I smile, 'I see, Orphèe didn't only buy some time... How sneaky, I didn't think that he was able to pull this off...'.

But soon the situation quickly changes again as I hear a new male voice say "Heh, what's the matter Rhadamanthys? This is so unlike you, shall we lend you a hand or two?", turning my head, I see the origin of this voice and think, 'In the end, they came... Good...', and see the other two strongest mortals of the Underworld, Griffon Minos, a man with long white hair and light orange eyes, while his skin color is white, and Garuda Aiacos a young man with semi-long black hair with some purplish tinge and black eyes, with this all three Judges of the Underworld are here.

Seeing them, Kanon says "How convenient... All three Judges lined up like ducks, now I can wipe you all out in one blow!!", hearing his claims, both Minos and Aiacos smile, and Minos asks "Heh, you think you can take us on alone?", while Aiacos adds "Talk about blissful ignorance... We'll show you...", and Minos end the sentence "... How foolish you are".

Then Aiacos' Cosmo explodes, while at the same time, Rhadamanthys tries to stop him "W... Wait!!", but it is too late as Aiacos unleashes his attack he quickly crosses his arms and yells "Galactica Illusion!!", and soon a grand illusion of demonic eyes are seen flashing in the background as Aiacos unleashes a high-speed air current at Kanon through crossed arms, a current so strong that the space is about to be ripped apart, that sends Kanon flying and after a few moments he crashes headfirst into the ground.

Aiacos turns his head to look at Rhadamanthys and asks "Rhadamanthys, why did you interfere? That one blow would have killed him in an instant!", at the same time, Minos moves forward and adds "That's right, and he would have not suffered... Cosmic Marionation!!", and uses the Cosmo to create very fine and solid, almost invisible, threads, that wounds around Kanon's body clinging to his arms and legs, lifting him from the ground, and confused Kanon says "Uhn... What now? I... I'm raising... Into the air...".

His body moves like a marionette tied to a bunch of strings and surprised Kanon yells "It's like I'm being pulled by invisible strings... My body's moving all by itself...", and with a sadistic smile, Minos says "Heh... That's right, you have just become my darling puppet, you can no longer move even a finger unless I will it, how do you like that?", at the same time, Minos makes Kanon's hand rise and says "We'll start with one finger first...", at this moment I decide to make my move, but all of the sudden, I feel a familiar Cosmo nearby.

Pandora POV - Underworld, Judecca - 1987

I'm here, doing what I'm meant to do, taking care of my little brother, who is now resting on his throne as he adapts to his body, while still seeing the world in different shades of gray, 'Since that day, where I found that derelict building near my home, which was surrounded by a dead garden, and was shut by a heavy lock, but as I got nearby the lock opened itself, and inside this building, I found a box with a Seal of Athena, curious I broke the seal, and the souls of the gods Hypnos and Thanatos were released, and he told me that I will become Hades' sister and that I must protect him until the final battle begins, and if I did, they would grant me eternal life...'.

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Then I think about the following events and my meeting with Shun and Ikki, '... And when mother give birth to Hades' soul, all lives at home began to die except me, and after some time, under the guidance of Thanatos and Hypnos, I found the perfect host for my dear little brother... the man who now stands in front of me Shun, protected by his big brother Ikki... I admit that I found many similarities between Ikki and me, both of us are ready to do anything and go through every kind of pain and torment to protect our little brothers...'.

But my thoughts are broken, as I feel something, and say "This Cosmo... My chest is tightening! What is this intimate Cosmo I feel? It's unlike the Cosmo of any other Saints who have infiltrated the Underworld, and is so aggressive, too", then I finally recognize it and exclaim "No... It can't be... This Cosmo can't be his! He's come to reclaim HIM!!".

Jayr POV - Underworld, Fifth Prison - 1987

At the last second Minos changes his mind and says "It's such a chore to go finger by finger, arm by arm... Let's get to the point and snap your neck", at the same time, Rhadamnthys gets up and says "Wait, Minos, Kanon is mine don't butt in", Minos looks at his fellow Judge and says "Heh, but if we hadn't shown up he might have killed you... And don't forget he isn't alone... In any case, it's all over!".

But just as he is about to snap Kanon's neck, I move my Cosmo and discreetly lower the temperature around us, then I focus it on the threads on Kanon's body and soon it reaches the absolute zero, I freeze and break them freeing Kanon, under the shocked face of the three Judges, but at the same time, a fiery, aggressive and familiar Cosmo makes his presence know, and Ikki makes his appearance and as the temperature starts to rise once more hiding what I just did as Ikki's fiery Cosmo could have easily done the same, he says "Need a hand? Not that I think you need it Jayr-san but you never know... And Kanon are you alright?".

Kanon slowly gets up and says "Never mind me, Ikki, something unimaginable has happened... Your little brother Shun is Hades, God of the Underworld!", Ikki looks at Kanon and asks stunned "What? Shun... Is Hades?", but after a few moments he starts laughing founding the thought funny and says "You're nuts, I've know Shun since the day he was born, how could he be Hades?".

But Aiacos says "You're our Lord's older brother? Heh... Then relax, Lady Pandora is tending to Lord Hades at Cocytus", hearing the name Pandora causes Ikki to go through one of the most sacred moments of an anime or manga, the flashback, a moment no one dares to interrupt, 'Oh one of the hidden laws... Nobody dares to do anything as a character goes through a flashback... Look Ikki is standing unfocused for a few seconds now as he remembers his meeting with Pandora and no one of the three Judges makes a move... In fact, I also can't even move a finger even if I want to, it is really peculiar... It is like time stopped...'.

Ikki's flashback ends and he mutters "I'd forgotten completely about that night just now... And now Shun is in that girl's hands? Uhn... But why? What does it mean?", at the same time, Aiacos says "You may be our Lord's brother, but you're still a mere Saint... You can die along these two", and hits Ikki on his back sending him crashing on the ground.

But soon after Ikki gets up and says with tears falling from his eyes "I... I see... I get it now... Shun is planning to die, that's the kind of man he is...", seeing him like that Aiacos yells "What are you crying about? Give me a break!!", and moves to attack Ikki once more, but this time, Ikki is faster and is able to punch Aiacos hitting his head and making his helmet fly off, and as his Cosmo burns like fiery flames he declares "Okay losers, take your pick, who wants to go down first?".

It is Garuda Aiacos who answer Ikki's challenge and says "Very well, I'll take you on, I, the Celestial Valiance Star, Garuda Aiacos!!", seeing that he is the one stepping forward, Ikki taunts "Ha... Not so cool with your helmet knocked off, huh? Here I come!!", and rushes to attack him, but Aiacos is faster and easily dodges Ikki's attacks by sidestepping and comments "Too slow!" and with his elbow, he hits Ikki on his back sending him crashing into the ground.

On the ground Ikki mutters "No way... Why can't I hit him?" before Aiacos grabs Ikki from his head and pulls him up, at the same time, I feel Aiacos' Cosmo exploding as he first expels a gust of wind through his arms yelling "Garuda Flap!!", sending Ikki soaring miles into the air at top speed, while at the same time, the Specter then crosses an "X" on the ground with his feet and says "In three seconds, he'll plummet to his grave... 3... 2... 1... 0!"

At the end of the countdown, Ikki is knocked back down to the ground, crashing onto the "X", exactly as Aiacos marked, creating a big and deep crater, but I can clearly feel that Ikki is still alive and fine, and it seems that Aiacaos noticed this too as he says "You're still breathing! You're a hardy little creature, just like your constellation...", he then ignites his Cosmo and once more swings his arm yelling "Let's blow you away a second time!! Garuda Flap!!", sending Ikki soaring miles into the air again at an even greater speed than before.

Then he crosses another "X" on the ground with his feet and says "Three seconds... This time he'll perish on the spot... 3... 2... 1 ... 0...", but as Ikki doesn't crash on the ground, Aiacos looks up confused and not finding Ikki he exclaims "What? Impossible! Where is he? It's like he sprouted wings and flew away...".

All of a sudden, Minos tries to warn his fellow Judge yelling "Watch out, Aiacos!!", but it is too late as Ikki who is behind him, attacks him with a fiery Cosmo-enhanced punch, that makes Aiacos fall on the "X" sing he marked, while Ikki declares "The spot you marked was, in fact, you own gravesite... The same attack never works twice against a Saint, you should know that by now!! So who is next?".

Minos ignores Ikki's provocation and with a smile says "Heh... You really think you have defeated Aiacos?", and at the same time, Aiacos' Cosmo explodes with such force that sends Ikki flying and crashes on the ground, then the Specter gets up and says "I never thought I'd find a man of your caliber among the Bronzes... Very Well! If you want a real attack here it is!".

As his Cosmo reaches the maximum, Aiacos unleashes his attack, he quickly crosses his arms and yells "Take this! Galactica Illusion!!", and again a grand illusion of demonic eyes is seen flashing in the background as Aiacos unleashes a high-speed air current at Ikki through his crossed arms, a current so strong that the space is about to be ripped apart, that sends Ikki flying and spinning high in the air and after a few moments, he violently crashes headfirst into the ground.

Aiacos then looks at me and Kanon and says "Now I can finally get back to you two", but Kanon with a smile says "Heh... I wouldn't turn my back on the Phoenix", and with the same calm smile I add "I've known Ikki for some time now... And I know that no matter how many times you beat him down, he keeps getting back up, and each time, he grows stronger, just like a phoenix!!", and as my words fell, Ikki's Cosmo explodes in strength, and he gets up surrounded by a red fiery aura that takes the shape of the mythical flaming bird.

Pandora POV - Underworld, Judecca - 1987

I just felt Phoenix Ikki's Cosmo spiking once more, when all of the sudden, I feel him stirring and say "Oh... Have you awakened, Lord Hades?", he simply looks somewhere in the distance and says "I feel it!", then he asks "Pandora, what is this aggressive Cosmo I sense?".

I lower my head and reply "Nothing to concern yourself with, my lord, It's merely another of the vermin that have wandered in here... One called Phoenix", he stays in silence for a few seconds before he says "I see... This red-hot fiery Cosmo... It feels familiar somehow... Bring this phoenix to me!!".

Ikki POV - Underworld, Fifth Prison - 1987

As I get up, from behind me I hear Aiacos' voice that says "He gets stronger each time he revives? Then I'll make sure he never gets up again!!", and feel him quickly moving to attack me with a punch, but this time, I'm can follow his movement and keep up with his speed, no, in fact, I'm faster, and easily able to dodge all his blows, so I declare "Aiacos! I got a good look at your attack velocity, now all I need to do to defeat you is exceed it!".

He seems truly surprised by it, and this creates a small opening in his defenses, an opening that I quickly take advantage of and so I quickly urge my Cosmo and hit him with a Hoo Genmaken(Phoenix Phantom Fist), and with a quick punch aiming at his head, I send a thin line of Cosmo into his brain, forcibly showing him abominable illusions or hallucinations created directly in his own brain.

Aiacos' mind is strong, so I keep the illusion quite brief and so he is out of the illusion rather quickly, but I can clearly see that the damage done to it is still big, so I ask "So how'd you enjoy your tour of hell within the Underworld?", hearing that my opponent asks "Uhhn... So that was all just an illusion, huh?", and he slowly gets up enraged, I look at him and say "I wouldn't step up, you don't have enough strength left to take me down".

But he doesn't give up and yells "Impossible! I'm a Judge of the Underworld, one of the most powerful of all 108 Specters! A mere Bronze Saint won't beat me!!", hearing that, I ignite my Cosmo and say "Then I guess I've got no choice, I have to bail Shun out, I can't afford to hang around wasting time with you... Take this!! The planet crushing wing beat of the phoenix!! Ho Yoku Ten Sho", I create a tunnel of fire in which I and Aiacos are immersed and then project a Phoenix of fire from my hands that flies through the tunnel until it impacts with Aiacos, killing him on the spot.

Then I look at the remaining Specters and ask "You two want to come at me together?", but before they could answer me, something strange happens, I feel a strange force enveloping my body "Huh? Wh... What the... What's going on? I feel so...", then all I see is darkness and feel like my body is being squeezed through a narrow tube, I don't know how much time I spent in this strange state, but soon my body impacts the ground, and all I see is some clear white marble.

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