Kaiser's sudden surge in aura didn't go unnoticed by Itia and Cresto in the Sanctuary, both constant eighth-sense powerhouses, intimately familiar with that level of cosmo.

"He's touched the eighth sense?" Cresto said, astonished. "Kaiser's only seventeen!"

Though not a constant eighth sense, this critical eighth sense was a trump card. Even at this stage, no seventh-sense Saint could challenge him. The critical eighth sense meant Kaiser remained at the peak of the seventh sense normally but could unleash eighth-sense power when his cosmo burned to its limit. In the Lost Canvas era, Regulus of Leo and the Gold Saints who entered the Underworld reached similar levels.

Historically, fewer than ten Saints had achieved a constant eighth sense... a rare feat.

"Critical eighth sense." Itia said, unsurprised. "Kaiser's opened the door to the eighth sense. The hardest step is done. The rest is just a matter of time."

From the moment Itia found Kaiser, he'd sensed his potential. Why else would a Sanctuary Pope bring an infant back during such turbulent times? Kaiser hadn't disappointed. At eighteen, he stood among the elite Gold Saints and had now taken a crucial step toward the eighth sense. Once he achieved a constant eighth sense, his power would surge, granting him the strength to stand against gods like Hypnos and Thanatos or dominate lesser deities like the Four Dream Gods.

"Kaiser's mastery of weapons surpasses even yours." Cresto said to Itia. "He'll be a greater Saint than you. He might even bridge the gap between man and god."

"I look forward to that day." Itia replied with a quiet smile, setting down his teacup.

Since stepping down as Pope, Itia had gained new perspectives, softening his once-rigid views. Though his body aged, his constant eighth sense made him one of Earth's mightiest.

In the Libra Temple, Kaiser's power fluctuations gradually stabilized. Only those with the eighth sense could detect his breakthrough, so the other Gold Saints remained unaware.

"I need to train the other Zodiac techniques." Kaiser mused. "The Trinity Combat Style doesn't reach its full potential with my current strength, but it's a decent trump card."

He focused his thoughts. The Libra Gold Cloth was removed, enveloped in a golden case, and transformed into a constellation pendant, as seen in Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary. Kaiser hung it around his neck.

With little else to prepare, he stepped out of the Libra Temple. Athena's mission awaited. The Underworld's Demon Stars had awakened, and the Sea Realm still coveted the Earth. The world was in chaos, plagued by evil gods. For ordinary people, survival was a desperate struggle, their living space compressed to the brink. The world teetered on the edge of an ice age, battered by natural and human-made disasters.

Kaiser descended the steps, passing the other temples. His reserved nature kept him distant from his comrades, so he offered only nods of acknowledgment. At last, he reached the Aries Temple, the Sanctuary's exit.

"Safe travels." Getgard said after a long pause.

Kaiser nodded softly in response, then transformed into a streak of light, vanishing from the Sanctuary.

"What a chaotic time for the world." Kaiser murmured as he reappeared on Earth.

"The apocalyptic weapon Athena mentioned is tricky." Kaiser murmured, frowning. "We don't even know what it is."

Though he'd descended to Earth, he felt like a headless fly, directionless.

"Forget it. I'll head to Europe first."

Clearing his mind, Kaiser set his course. At this time, Europe was steeped in chaos, teeming with monstrous creatures.

His figure vanished, reappearing on European soil.

"So this is medieval Europe?" Kaiser mused, surprised. "It's not as bad as later accounts claim."

Popular narratives in later eras had demonized the Middle Ages, but as a civilized society, it wasn't so extreme. Still, compared to more unified ancient civilizations, Europe's order was undeniably fractured.

It couldn't be helped. Europe lacked a unifying figure like a great emperor, leaving the continent a patchwork of warring nations, with states rising and falling constantly.

"Hm?" Kaiser's senses sharpened. "Interesting… a dark creature."

He detected a vampire lurking nearby.

"By the timeline, Dracula emerged around the late 14th century." Kaiser calculated. "Have the vampire clans grown this strong already?"

He approached the creature. It was dusk, the sky not yet fully dark. The vampire stood in a shadowed alley, eyes gleaming with a thirst for blood, scanning for prey.

***

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