Setsuna ignored Zeus's lament and directly devoured his power.
After absorbing the power of Zeus, the King of Gods, the Seed of the Universe within Setsuna fully took shape, ultimately growing into a majestic cosmic tree, its roots piercing into the void, its branches and leaves spreading endlessly, each leaf seeming to contain the embryonic form of a galaxy.
At the same time, Setsuna's Eighth Sense realm, catalyzed by the newborn universe, burst through that barrier, stepping into the unprecedented Ninth Sense, Amalashiki.
If the Eighth Sense is the soul resonating with the universal consciousness, holding a part of the authority of the laws, then the Ninth Sense is the self being the universe, the will being the divine will.
At this moment, Setsuna seemed to transform into the [Heavenly Dao] of this nascent universe beneath his feet. With a single thought, he could create all things, and with a single thought, he could return all laws to nothingness.
Setsuna lightly waved his hand, bringing Saori back from his own universe to the sky above the Sanctuary.
The battle outside was still ongoing, but it was nearing its end.
With the six major gods fallen, the gods of Heaven were already wishing to retreat and were naturally no match for the Specter legion.
Now, seeing Setsuna return with Athena, their morale instantly crumbled.
Setsuna's gaze calmly swept over the battlefield. With just a thought, the fleeing gods of Heaven and the Heavenly Warriors were erased.
Setsuna announced loudly, "Everyone, the Holy War is over."
The battlefield fell into deathly silence.
A moment later, earth-shattering cheers erupted like a volcano, resounding throughout the Sanctuary.
"Long live His Majesty the God of Death!"
"Long live Goddess Athena!"
"We have won! Long live the new era!"
Joy, excitement, disbelief... intertwined on everyone's faces.
They never imagined that this ultimate war, which would decide the fate of humanity and pit them against the entire Olympian pantheon, would end so easily.
His Majesty the God of Death and Goddess Athena had actually defeated Zeus and overthrown Heaven!
This was a victory for humanity! A miracle for the rebels!
Artemis stood by the ruins of the shattered Moon Temple, only now seeming to awaken from a long nightmare.
Heaven had lost? All the gods had fallen?
Although her feelings towards her father, who had possessed her brother Apollo's body, were complex, now that all the gods had fallen, she felt both loneliness and deep fear.
Would it be her turn next?
As it happened, Setsuna's gaze also fell upon her at that moment.
Enormous fear instantly seized her mind. She felt like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, trembling before the hunter.
"Your Majesty the God of Death..." Saori's voice sounded at the right moment. "My sister, although proud and cold, is among the Olympian gods, one of the few with humanity and a sense of bottom line."
"If possible, please do not pursue this further, alright?"
Artemis had not expected that at such a moment, it would be Athena, whom she had been persecuting, who pleaded for her.
Upon hearing this, Setsuna did not speak. Instead, he looked up at the sky.
Just as Artemis's heart kept sinking, Setsuna spoke. "Do as you wish. You can deal with her however you like. For now, let us first welcome our honored guest."
Setsuna's voice was grave. He sensed a threat from the newcomer's aura.
"Honored guest?" Saori repeated in confusion.
She detected something unusual in Setsuna's tone.
Who could be called an 'honored guest' by Setsuna, who had killed Zeus and controlled his own universe?
Setsuna took a deep breath and uttered the name most deeply etched in Kairos's memory: "Chronos!"
"What?" Saori and Artemis exclaimed simultaneously in shock.
Chronos!
Even for them, major gods, Chronos was a legendary existence.
It was said that this ancient god was even older than the birth of the universe, a true primordial god who surpassed the concept of gods, the incarnation of time.
Such an existence would actually descend here?
As their minds shook violently, the void before them silently rippled.
No dazzling light, no overwhelming pressure.
A figure appeared before everyone, as if simply walking out of the river of time.
His appearance was not particularly noticeable. He looked like an ordinary middle-aged scholar, wearing an ancient robe, his expression peaceful.
But just looking at him, one could feel a vicissitude as if facing endless time.
Even Setsuna, who had just broken through to the Ninth Sense, could not help but look a little more solemn.
He had originally thought that this 'Super God' might be stronger than Zeus, but perhaps not by much.
After all, before this, he had not even been sure whether the Ninth Sense existed.
In Setsuna's mind, if Chronos had truly reached the realm of the Ninth Sense, then when he first came to the Saint Seiya World, he should have been discovered by Chronos.
However, when Chronos actually appeared, Setsuna was shocked to realize that he had still underestimated this existence that surpassed the gods.
'I wonder if he is here because of Kairos...' Setsuna's thoughts raced, but he was not panicked.
He had now also reached the realm of the Ninth Sense, controlled a nascent universe, and his own power was no weaker than the Gods of Destruction in the Dragon Ball universe.
With his current strength, there was no need to fear a Chronos of unknown depth.
However, just as Setsuna was waiting in strict readiness…
This legendary 'Super God' actually knelt on one knee before Setsuna and said with utmost respect, "Chronos pays homage to my master."
"..."
Deathly silence. Time seemed to freeze.
Athena and Artemis had completely lost the elegance of goddesses, their mouths hanging wide open.
Their minds were blank, completely unable to comprehend what was before them.
Chronos, this legendary god older than the universe, was actually bowing his head to Setsuna, even addressing him as master?
Even Setsuna himself fell into a rare moment of confusion.
But soon, he sensed a familiar aura from Chronos, a familiarity that did not come from Kairos.
Setsuna asked tentatively, "You are the artifact spirit of the All-World Pearl?"
Chronos smiled slightly. "Master named it the [All-World Pearl]? In fact, its name at its birth was the [Super Dragon Ball], and I was the [Shenron]."
"The Super Dragon Ball?" Even with Setsuna's state of mind, his heart could not help but be stirred at this moment. "The Super Dragon Ball of Grand Zeno's universe?"
Hearing 'Grand Zeno', a hint of hatred flashed in Chronos's eyes. He said in a deep voice, "In fact, the Dragon Balls were never a creation of Grand Zeno's universe, but came from the universe created by the great Sage, Zalama-sama!"
"Zalama?" Setsuna's eyes focused. He did not know much about this name.
But in the limited information available, it was mentioned that Zalama was the creator of the Super Dragon Balls and the Super Shenron, and that the Super Dragon Balls could theoretically grant any wish, even restoring universes that had been destroyed by Grand Zeno.