[ "Damn it, I'll kill you!" Kagaho sat in the deep pit, angrily punching the wall as dark flames continued to burn around Aldebaran.
Aldebaran couldn't be bothered to pay attention. After a brief observation, he voiced his opinion,
"Your flames are too violent—black flames filled with denial and hostility, so intense they'd consume even yourself."
Kagaho's tone turned icy. He had never fought for the sake of Specters or Athena or anything like that.
"So what? The only one who means anything to me now is Hades-sama!"
Kagaho's fist, wreathed in black flames, roared toward Aldebaran's face. The power behind this punch was beyond imagination, its speed making it nearly impossible to react to.
But... despite the ferocity of the blow landing squarely on Aldebaran's face, it failed to even make him budge an inch, let alone cause any damage.
It was like throwing a stone into the ocean—not a single ripple.
Kagaho maintained his punching stance with a stony expression.
"You're looking down on me! Why didn't you dodge?!"
"I just wanted to taste your fist. Though you're fierce, you're not truly wicked. I'll correct that temperament of yours."
It was for this very reason that Aldebaran chose to take the punch head-on. ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Damn, that punch would've knocked anyone else flat, but Taurus didn't even flinch. Built like a tank, huh?"
"What kind of god-tier lineup is this? Just by looking at the flames, he could tell the guy's violent but not evil..."
Viewers from other worlds pondered the current situation. Kagaho's strength was on par with Dohko's, yet Aldebaran took his punch without a scratch.
Then they arrived at an equation—was Dohko just the baby of the Gold Saints compared to the others? The gap between him and the other Gold Saints seemed way too big.
〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜
"Hey hey... Aldebaran! Are you serious? Normally, fine, but you're actually planning to reform a Specter's personality?!"
Dohko felt a jolt in his chest. Though Aldebaran was bold and straightforward, with a determination to protect and nurture the next generation's hopes... wasn't this scope a bit too broad?
That was a Specter! If they were so easy to persuade, the Holy War wouldn't have been such a grueling fight!
But Aldebaran paid it no mind, replying nonchalantly,
"Haha, no harm in trying!"
He trusted his judgment. If his future self said the other wasn't truly evil, then correcting his twisted personality was a good thing.
Sagittarius's Sisyphus still felt uneasy but could only sigh.
"Just don't get yourself in trouble. At the end of the day, he's still a Specter, and... he's no pushover."
If they could pull him to Athena's side, that'd be ideal—weakening the enemy while boosting their own odds.
.....
[ Aldebaran's gaze grew firm and blazing, an invisible pressure sending pebbles flying as the very air trembled!
"GREAT HORN—!"
A shockwave erupted before him, like a charging bull with unstoppable momentum, barreling toward Kagaho.
"Hmph!"
Kagaho scoffed, a faint smirk on his lips as he sidestepped, effortlessly evading the invisible impact!
But the wall behind him bore the brunt, leaving a massive crater as if struck by a missile.
"Fool, you think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"
Kagaho's tone turned mocking. He'd already uncovered Taurus's secret,
"Your arm position—that's the stance for Great Horn!"
"A punch from that stance generates a shockwave at incredible speed. Speed is the essence of this technique!"
"Well spotted," Aldebaran replied calmly, unfazed by having his move dissected.
"My punching speed is among the fastest of the Gold Saints. You haven't even seen the full power or speed of Great Horn!"
"The question is—can your black flames keep up with what comes next?!" ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
The viewers from other worlds felt utterly humiliated. While they were still puzzling things out, Kagaho had already seen right through it.
"Bro, are you cheating? You dodged after seeing it once, fine, but you even figured out the essence of the move?!"
And Aldebaran was no slouch either. That shockwave was just from a swing of his arm—imagine if he actually threw a punch with that terrifying force.
Wouldn't it scatter someone into pieces?
〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜
"I bet Taurus doesn't dare swat mosquitoes at night..."
Da Vinci mused with an amused smirk.
"Uh..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka was at a loss for words, unable to refute because it made too much sense.
Imagine him swatting a mosquito and accidentally leveling the Sanctuary. Forget the Holy War—they'd be rebuilding from scratch.
Unlike the joking duo, Mash's eyes flickered with concern.
"Kagaho-san is strong too... Will Aldebaran-san really be okay?"
After experiencing it once, he saw through a move honed through countless battles. That was no ordinary feat.
.....
〜Bleach World, Katakura Town〜
"So it wasn't that Aldebaran was looking down on Kagaho—that's just his natural fighting stance?"
Ichigo felt his image of Aldebaran shatter.
Who'd have thought the big, honest-looking guy would pull something like this? And here Ichigo had believed it wholeheartedly.
Rukia bonked him on the head, leaving a lump.
"That's not the point! The point is he wasn't even going all out!"
Hadn't Aldebaran said the true speed and power were far beyond that? The real deal was bound to be something else entirely.
.....
[ Kagaho wasn't intimidated in the slightest—he laughed.
"You think my only trick is black flames? My speed, the fastest among the Specters, is my pride!"
Meanwhile, Dohko sensed Kagaho's Cosmo—a blazing, flame-like aura—and immediately rushed toward their battlefield.
Back to the fight.
Kagaho's speed was indeed terrifying, his lightning-fast fists pounding relentlessly against Aldebaran's arms!
"What...?"
Aldebaran's earlier calm was gone. In his eyes, Kagaho had become like a swift bird, his fists raining down in a flurry on Aldebaran's crossed arms.
"Guh!"
The force of the blows sent his helmet flying, and he could no longer maintain his stance.
"Your posture's crumbling. Going to teach me manners now, big guy?!"
Kagaho sneered, landing a final heavy punch on Aldebaran's chin before retracting his still-flaming fist.
Aldebaran remained standing but seemed unconscious, arms limp at his sides, severe burns covering them as white smoke curled upward.
"Burn those arms, and you can't even strike a pose. Not so tough now, huh?"
"Hahaha! You're something else,"
Aldebaran laughed heartily, openly admitting Kagaho was faster.
"Can't underestimate a Specter after all. But... your fists don't faze me! They lack weight—no penetration. Pathetic!"
As Aldebaran stood there, arms akimbo, taunting him, Kagaho's expression darkened, his hands once more cloaked in black fire.
"Shatter!"
His fists rained down like a storm, yet Kagaho was stunned,
"This man's Cosmo hasn't weakened at all!" ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Seriously? He's just tanking it? The wind pressure from the punches blew his helmet off! Is he just talking tough?"
"Damn, he's not even fazed. If you can't even hit hard, why even be a Specter?"
That said, everyone knew Kagaho's punches weren't weak—Aldebaran's physique was just absurdly strong. It was like punching a wall…
Well, not entirely. His arms were charred. So it wasn't completely one-sided.
〜Fairy Tail World〜
"High attack power, high defense—exactly what I'd expect from Taurus,"
Lucy nodded. This was more like it.
"Kagaho kinda reminds me of Natsu."
"Yeah, yeah! Those flame-covered attacks are just like Natsu's."
The guild members chattered excitedly. Missions? Those were only for when they were broke.
But the next moment, the peaceful discussion devolved into a brawl, the guild hall turning into a chaotic marketplace.
.....
〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜
"If fists don't work, then stop using them,"
Tohsaka Rin muttered, feeling like she'd spotted the obvious. Why obsess over punches?
Use the flames! Those black flames already burned Aldebaran once. Sure, he's talking tough, but his body's tougher.
If fists are useless—clearly his physical defense is maxed—switch to fire damage.
"Maybe he's just provoked?"
Shirou mumbled.
Makes sense. Kagaho saw his punches doing nothing and got stubborn.
No effect? Then he'd just keep punching until Aldebaran admitted it hurt.
.....