As soon as the trio stepped into the Forest of Death, they could feel the aura of death engulfing them.
"Let me go! We're going to die—we're really going to die!" Deathmask curled up mid-air, trembling all over.
Even Galan sensed a threat. The box on his back opened, releasing a black light. In Deathmask's shocked gaze, the garments of the Dark Constellation Armor disassembled and began covering Galan piece by piece.
"A black…metal armor…"
"This is the proof of a Saint, the Cloth," Melin explained.
"The Cloth…"
"That's right."
"Lord, watch out!"
Melin acted as though he hadn't noticed anything, even as several black, sludge-like beings took human form and lunged toward him from behind.
But just before they touched Melin, several golden beams of light shot through them, scattering the figures back into puddles of mud.
"What is this? Superpowers? Golden beams of light?" Deathmask stared blankly at Galan, who was raising his right fist.
"Light Speed Punch. Once you've awakened the Seventh Sense, your punches can exceed the speed of light. It's a basic technique of the Gold Saints," Melin calmly explained, unfazed by what just happened.
"But…didn't you say Galan is a Silver Saint? Why does he know a Gold Saint technique? And didn't you say Gold Saints are the strongest?" Deathmask was no longer as terrified. Melin's constant calm and gentle smile gave him courage.
For the first time, Deathmask felt Melin's cosmos to be so warm—full of hope.
"That's not an absolute. Though rare, Saints can ascend ranks. However, there are only twelve sets of Gold Cloth. Galan, while a Silver Saint, was once acknowledged by the Gold Cloth. It was just that in the end, his brother became the Gold Saint of Gemini."
As they walked forward, Melin continued to explain to Deathmask.
"I see…" Deathmask nodded, but then said something that almost made Galan hit him with a Light Speed Punch. "So Galan was basically…a backup option?"
"You little brat!"
"Hahaha… The wording may be off, but it's not wrong," Melin chuckled.
"My lord…" Galan looked thoroughly aggrieved.
"But remember this, Dis—Galan is Galan, Saga is Saga. Neither of them is a replacement. No one is dispensable. Each of them is unique in this world. And so are you, Dis," Melin said with sincerity.
"…" For a moment, Deathmask was stunned. For the first time, Melin looked so tall in his eyes—radiating a gentle and sacred light.
Of course, being the tsundere he was, he wouldn't show admiration like Galan. He turned his head and muttered, "Tch, d-don't think you can convince me just like that…"
Melin and Galan exchanged a smile. What a stubborn little brat.
"But, my lord, it seems we have to deal with this first, or we won't be able to get through," Galan said, sweeping his eyes around. They had been completely surrounded by vengeful spirits.
"Indeed. Pitiful souls, it's time to return to the Underworld and begin a new life," Melin said, stepping forward and placing his hands to his chest.
Walking alone, Melin's cosmos radiated with life. To the spirits, it was like food calling them—they all lunged like starving wolves.
"My lord!"
"It's alright. Souls bound by regret—disperse. [Ferrying Reincarnation]."
Clap—
Melin pressed his palms together, and a soft golden light burst forth, expanding through the entire forest. The gentle glow wasn't blinding—it brought warmth. As it touched the vengeful spirits, the black mist on them melted like snow under spring sunshine. The spirits returned to their original forms, bowed gracefully to Melin, and departed toward Yomi-no-Kuni.
"This! This is!" Galan and Deathmask widened their eyes at the scene before them.
"Is…is he really a god?"
"This is Lord Melin… This is…our Main God! Athena's husband! The [Earth Father God], Lord Melin!"
The two had different thoughts, but their eyes both shone with the same fiery passion as they looked at Melin.
…
The scavenger who had earlier warned Melin was now staring in shock at the Forest of Death. The spoils in his hands fell to the ground unnoticed.
Then, trembling with emotion, he hastily straightened his tattered clothing, dropped to his knees, folded his hands over his chest, and chanted with devout reverence: "The god has descended again. The warrior of the Earth has returned. The ancestral teachings were not lies…"
…
As the light gradually faded, all the bound spirits in the Forest of Death had vanished. Though it still felt lifeless, the heavy aura of death and malice was gone.
"Whew—That really took a toll…" Melin stumbled a bit, nearly falling.
"My lord! Are you alright?" Galan rushed to support him, clearly worried. Melin hadn't fully regained his power, and casting such a massive spell surely came at a price.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired. I'll be okay after some rest."
"My lord…was it worth it? What if something went wrong…"
"Galan, did you see their smiles just now?" Melin asked.
"…I did."
"Then it was worth it."
"…Yes, my lord."
Deathmask stood frozen. Something within him had shifted—but a pang of regret also stirred. The forest was dead. Even without spirits, it couldn't be re—wait!
That cosmos!
Deathmask stepped aside, smashed open a tree trunk with a punch, and froze again.
Inside, he saw a small sprout of vibrant green—life blooming within death.
"This is!" Deathmask spread his senses, and detected many faint, stubborn signals of life around him.
He didn't even notice the slight upward curve of his lips.
Melin nodded in satisfaction. He knew his plan had worked. That final haze in Deathmask's heart had cleared.
"Let's keep moving," Melin said.
"Yes, my lord."
Deathmask said nothing, but obediently followed behind them, heading deeper into the forest.
…
At the center of the forest was a long-abandoned village. At its heart stood the ruins of a castle.
"This…was once Hades' castle?" Galan murmured, gazing at the ruins.
"Looks like it. I can still sense Hades' lingering cosmos, and that of Death God Thanatos, Sleep God Hypnos, and the Underworld Saints…along with the fallen Saints who died here," Melin said, his usual smile fading, tinged with sorrow.
"My lord." Sensing Melin's sadness, Galan stepped forward. "To fight for you, for Lady Athena, for love and hope of the Earth—this is our mission as Saints. From the moment we don the Cloth, we are ready to sacrifice. Please don't be sad. It is our duty and our honor."
"I believe in you, Galan—just as Athena has always believed in you," Melin replied, smiling again.
He then walked to the center of the ruins, spread his arms, and used his cosmos to lift the seal on the site.
BOOM—
Several beams of light soared into the sky. One particularly golden streak stood out. Galan and Deathmask peered closer to make out its form.
A pair of giant golden pincers. A silver hand crossbow…
"What is that? Why…does it feel so familiar…" Deathmask stared at the golden claws, even reaching out to touch them.
But the moment he did, an invisible force gently pushed him away. He distinctly felt…disdain?
Yes, disdain—and maybe a little contempt.
In contrast, the artifacts responded to Melin like children seeing their father. They cheered and even seemed to complain about being sealed inside the enemy's stronghold, powerless to escape.
"Sorry for making you sleep so long. But don't worry—I'll make them pay. For now, go home. I still need to free your brothers and sisters."
Buzz buzz~ The relics vibrated in response, turning into beams of light that pierced through space and time, flying toward Sanctuary. The golden pincers paused briefly, then threw one more look of contempt at Deathmask before following.
"What the heck? What was that? Why did I feel like it was judging me?" Deathmask shouted as the golden light vanished.
"The Claws of Cancer—Cancer's Gold Saint artifact. A bit mischievous, but a good kid," Melin said with a smile.
"That thing's just a weapon, right? How can it have thoughts?"
"Relics have spirits. Forged from Orichalcum and my cosmos, then nurtured by the cosmos of the First Generation Saints, they develop sentience. Simple minds—they can't talk, but they can express basic emotions," Melin explained.
"…You said that was Cancer's artifact? So I'd have to become the Cancer Gold Saint to get it?" Deathmask asked.
"Yes," Melin nodded.
"Hmph. Then I'll become the Cancer Gold Saint! I'll earn its approval—and then look down on it the way it looked down on me!" Deathmask declared with comical determination.
"Heh, you? A Gold Saint? Maybe in your next life," Galan sneered.
"Hmph! How do you know I can't? I will become the Cancer Gold Saint! Then I'll mock the Claws of Cancer! And you too!"
"What did you say?!"
"Hahahaha…" Melin burst out laughing, walking ahead.
"My lord! Wait for me!"
"Hey! Don't walk so fast!"
Seeing Melin leaving without a care, the two stopped bickering and chased after him.