Chapter 107: The Sun’s Radiance (Part Two)

On the ground, Aldebaran faced the impact of the Sun Calendar Stone head-on. Although the slab had not yet fully descended, the terrifying force behind Quetzalcoatl’s throw had compressed the surrounding air for hundreds of meters, making it difficult for anyone to move. Roughly speaking, under such pressure, neither a Bronze nor a Silver Saint could hope to resist or escape; they could only wait for death in place. Only those at the level of a Seventh Sense Gold Saint could barely manage to move under such atmospheric weight.

Even so, Aldebaran did not take a single step back. He gritted his teeth and, aiming at the scorching meteor plummeting from the sky, swung his fists with great effort.

"Great—Horn—"

The light cannon reappeared. Though as brilliant as ever, it looked insignificant beneath the blinding light of the sun, entirely eclipsed by its radiance.

Boom!

The light cannon, formed by the power of his Cosmo, struck the falling slab without even creating a ripple. It was instantly crushed by the air barrier surrounding the Sun Calendar Stone, failing to delay it for even a fraction of a second. To the combatants, this process seemed slow, but in reality, it occurred within a few milliseconds.

Boom!

The Sun Calendar Stone crashed down, slamming Aldebaran into the earth. The sheer force shattered the surrounding ground for hundreds of meters in an instant. Had Quetzalcoatl not restrained some of her power, the radius of the destruction would have been even greater. Immediately after, the intense heat released by the stone melted the fractured earth into glowing magma, turning the area into a sea of fire.

Although Yin Shiqi and Mayura were not directly caught in the lava, the shockwave of the impact sent them flying.

"Lord Aldebaran—"

Mayura quickly rose to her feet, poised to rush toward the spot where Taurus had been, and would have plunged into the magma had Yin Shiqi not grabbed her just in time. However, Mayura’s strength as a Silver Saint at the limit was formidable; with a slight exertion, she broke free from Yin Shiqi’s grip.

Seeing this, Yin Shiqi shouted, "Do not make a meaningless sacrifice, Lady Mayura! Lord Aldebaran cannot possibly still be alive!"

That terrifying blow had completely surpassed the level of what a Gold Saint could withstand. He could see no possibility of Aldebaran’s survival. Hearing this, Mayura finally calmed down, her raised foot unable to take another step.

On the pyramid, Quetzalcoatl slowly descended, returning to the summit. She looked toward the impact site of the Sun Calendar Stone and gestured from afar; the scorching magma slowly parted. Then, before the tense eyes of Yin Shiqi and Mayura, a charred, humanoid figure slowly floated out. Based on the golden fragments remaining on the figure, they could just barely recognize it as Aldebaran.

"The farce is over! You may accompany him on his final journey!" Quetzalcoatl used her telekinesis to support the Taurus Saint’s body and delivered him to the pair.

In the end, she had not been able to bring herself to kill Aldebaran outright, secretly leaving him with one final breath. She then channeled her Cosmo into the pyramid beneath her and used her telekinesis to contact Xolotl, who was to the south.

"I command you in the name of the Goddess of Venus: come to my side at the fastest speed and guard the Gate of Time for me!"

On the other side, Xolotl, whose attention had been drawn by the earth-shattering blow, had just returned to his senses. He was preparing to finish off Cancer, who had been suppressed by the Hounds of Black Flame. Upon receiving her message, he immediately bowed slightly toward the northwest.

"As you command, my Goddess!"

Just as he turned to finish off Deathmask, he discovered that the Saint had already ceased to breathe, remaining only in the posture of casting "Praesepe Underworld Waves." It seemed that his previous strike, which had shredded the Hounds of Black Flame to save his comrade, had exhausted his strength, leaving his soul to be torn apart by the Hounds of Black Flame.

"Foolish creature."

Realizing this, Xolotl shook his head in disdain and transformed into a streak of light, flying toward the pyramid in the northwest. On the ground, the Hounds of Black Flame clinging to Deathmask dissipated into the air, having lost the power sustaining them, leaving only a charred corpse standing motionless.

On the northwestern battlefield, looking at the nearly carbonized Aldebaran before her, Mayura’s legs gave way, and she collapsed in despair.

"Lord Aldebaran—"

She reached out with a trembling hand, wanting to help him up, yet terrified that a single touch would crumble him into a pile of ash. Yin Shiqi quickly produced the Nectar of the Moon and poured it into Aldebaran’s mouth.

"No... do not waste it... young Crater Saint..."

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in their minds. It was Aldebaran. His body was nearly charred, leaving him able to communicate only through telekinesis.

"Lord Aldebaran, it is so good that you are all right!" Mayura cried out in excitement.

"No... I am dying... it is just... that kind deity... intentionally left me with one last breath..." Aldebaran replied intermittently.

Hearing this, the flicker of hope that had finally emerged in their hearts was extinguished once more.

Meanwhile, Xolotl landed on the pyramid as a streak of light. "Why are there still Saints alive?" Seeing the two in the distance, he immediately raised his hand to attack.

"Do not do unnecessary things; focus on carrying out your mission, Xolotl!" Quetzalcoatl immediately stopped him.

"As you command, my Goddess!"

Xolotl bowed slightly, abandoning his intent to attack the two. Immediately after, under Quetzalcoatl’s control, a crimson beam of light shot from the top of the pyramid, piercing the heavens.

To the northeast, Tezcatlipoca saw the red light and paused slightly. "Has the energy reached full capacity?" she wondered, surprised. She had been too busy "playing" with Camus and Daidalos to pay attention to the state of the pyramid.

"In that case, I will play with you no longer!" She grinned at Camus and Daidalos and swung her claws with force. "Death Hook Claw!"

The power of her Cosmo transformed into several bright arcs of light, flying toward Camus and Daidalos.

"Aurora Execution!"

Camus gathered his Cosmo, releasing freezing air once more to meet the attack head-on. Unfortunately, his freezing air was useless this time; the arcs of light shattered his icy currents and sent him and the Altar Saint flying. Only then did the two realize that she had not been using her full strength until now.

Shaking off the two, Tezcatlipoca leaped onto the pyramid and channeled her Cosmo into it, fully activating the structure. In an instant, a beam of light, black as ink, shot from the summit of the pyramid, piercing the clouds.

The Gate of Time was opened.

The barrier of the world was shaken once again, and every Seventh Sense presence on Earth sensed the anomaly in North America. The divine realm was torn asunder by the two towering pillars of light, no longer able to conceal what lay within.

"Aldebaran, what has happened on your end?" The Pope of the Sanctuary could no longer sit still and hurriedly inquired via telepathic link.