[ "HAH!!" At this moment, Kagaho seemed to have gone mad, relentlessly attacking Aldebaran. His pride refused to let him accept the reality before his eyes.
"I told you, Kagaho! Your fists are useless against me."
Aldebaran waved his hand, interrupting Kagaho's assault, then slowly advanced toward him. The previous attacks had left him unscathed.
"Your way of survival is to burn everything—your enemies and what you seek to protect—leaving only wasteland and yourself in isolation!"
"SHUT UP!" As if his thoughts had been exposed, Kagaho's face darkened with fury as he charged forward!
Aldebaran easily dodged, then seized Kagaho's wing and slammed him hard into the wall!
"BOOM—!"
The wall cracked under the impact, another crater forming.
Still gripping Kagaho's wing, Aldebaran spoke, "You're just a child throwing a tantrum." ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
The spectators could only think: 'Of course fists won't work against Gold Cloth—WHY NOT AIM FOR THE FACE OR AT LEAST THE HEAD?!'
No one expected Kagaho to be so stubborn, targeting the most heavily armored part of the Gold Cloth. Forget the black flames—just change your aim, please?
〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Future Timeline〜
Yuji and Fushiguro exchanged glances, then looked at Gojo and sighed in unison.
"Now that's a real teacher!"
Just look at his teaching—even when facing an enemy, he hopes for their redemption, spouting profound philosophical truths left and right.
Then there's Gojo, grinning like an idiot while eating sweets, never serious and often pulling pranks—sometimes downright sadistic.
.....
[ "I'm sick of your nonsense!" Kagaho twisted free from Aldebaran's grip.
Pointing at Aldebaran, his voice turned icy with hatred,
"I'll make sure that blabbering mouth of yours never speaks again."
"CRUCIFY ANKH—!"
Before anyone realized, black flames surged toward Aldebaran, encasing him in a fiery prison in an instant, pinning him in place!
Now, he was like a slaughtered ox in a butcher's yard—utterly helpless!
"CORONA BLAST—!"
By the time Dohko arrived, his pupils trembled at the sight—a massive pillar of fire erupted ahead, its heat searing even from a distance.
"Don't tell me—!!"
As the flames dissipated, Dohko rushed forward. What greeted him was Aldebaran, bound by the black flames…
His body covered in burns, one eye blinded, hanging lifelessly in the fiery prison.
"ALDEBARAN!!" Dohko leapt down from the cliff, throwing a punch at Kagaho, who effortlessly dodged.
Kagaho smirked.
"Dohko? Too late. That flame prison burns its victims to ashes—no escape." ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Damn… Even with his durability, taking that head-on must've been too much for Aldebaran!"
Trapped and defenseless, Aldebaran had no choice but to endure Kagaho's ultimate attack. While fists couldn't hurt him, Kagaho's flames were a different story.
A shame—Aldebaran underestimated his opponent, never going all out before losing.
But seeing Dohko arrive was a relief. Despite his delay, he made it in time. Aldebaran might survive.
〜Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline, Chaldea〜
Fujimaru Ritsuka winced at Aldebaran's horrific burns, even spotting faint smoke rising from his scorched body.
"With burns like that, even if he's alive, he can't keep fighting."
Mash nodded in agreement. Unlike other injuries, burns inflict agony with every movement.
"Ritsuka, Mash… You're underestimating their willpower. Someone with that kind of personality won't be defeated by something like that,"
Da Vinci interjected.
The Gold Saints she'd observed shared one trait: 'unshakable resolve and faith.'
Albafica, with every bone broken, still killed Minos. Asmita willingly died to fight the Specters on equal footing.
She refused to believe Aldebaran's will was any weaker. As Shion said, they'd fight to the end.
.....
[ "WAIT—!!" Just as Dohko and Kagaho stood poised for battle, Aldebaran's voice came from behind—despite having seemingly lost consciousness.
But before Dohko could rejoice, Aldebaran barked,
"Stand down! This fight isn't yours to interfere in."
Dohko stared in disbelief.
"What?! You're gravely injured—how can you fight?!"
Aldebaran clenched his flame-bound fist, his expression cold but resolute as he glared at Dohko.
"Have you forgotten?! Saints fight one-on-one. As long as I refuse to yield, you cannot intervene!"
With a roar, Aldebaran strained against the flames, his face contorted with effort—until he gripped the black fire itself and shattered it!
"The Great Star Aldebaran… WILL NEVER BE BURNED TO DEATH BY FLAMES LIKE THESE!!"
True to his words, he tore through Kagaho's prison with sheer force. The Great Stelle would not fall to mere fire. ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Now I get why they let Albafica fight alone—there's actually a one-on-one rule!"
"Gold Saints are monsters—not just in strength, but in willpower too."
He brute-forced his way out of Kagaho's "inescapable" flames. Is there even a limit to his strength?!
But why enforce such rigid rules? Shouldn't minimizing casualties take priority when protecting humanity?
〜Saint Seiya Shioriverse, The Lost Canvas timeline〜
"That oaf's more than just talk,"
Kagaho muttered darkly from Hades' Castle. To break his flames with raw power…
Minos, however, grinned eagerly. These Gold Saints would make excellent playthings.
Sanctuary - Pope's Chamber
"Aldebaran is right. Until he yields, you cannot interfere!"
Sisyphos agreed. Besides, Aldebaran's strength went far beyond this.
"But—"
Dohko tried to argue, but the others' silence made him hold his tongue.
.....
[ The battle resumed. Kagaho's body ignited with black flames as he raised his arm high.
"RAAH—!!" With his roar, the flames coalesced into a searing light above his palm.
The ground quaked as the blazing pillar erupted, sending debris flying!
"CORONA BLAST—!"
Three sun-like fireballs materialized behind Kagaho, streaking toward Aldebaran like meteors!
Engulfed in flames, Aldebaran—already wounded—couldn't withstand the heat. He collapsed to one knee.
"Three Corona Blasts at once… Is his power limitless?!"
Yet Aldebaran's eyes blazed with defiance as he raised his arm and slammed it down,
"But… you can't win!"
"TITAN'S NOVA—!!"
The earth split as Aldebaran's strike carved a massive chasm, upheaving the battlefield!
"Impossible! He just… flipped the ground?!"
"GAH—!!" Kagaho's shock was cut short as the shattered earth hurled him into the ground.
Soon, black flames flickered atop the rubble, revealing a battered Kagaho—bleeding, one wing shattered.
"Hah… hah…"
He staggered toward Aldebaran, teeth gritted.
"Why… didn't you kill me?!"
Aldebaran met his gaze calmly.
"Because you're not evil." ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Holy—he just flipped the floor!"
"Damn, with skills like this, he should've helped Albafica plow fields. One tills, one plants—perfect teamwork!"
Others rubbed their eyes. They'd seen ground-pounding and rubberizing, but flipping the earth? That wasn't just strength—it defied logic. Was he born with this power?!
And despite Kagaho nearly killing him, Aldebaran spared him simply because he sensed no true malice.
Are all the Saints this nice? Their kindness is unreal.
〜Saint Seiya Toeiverse, Omega timeline〜
"What do you think, Aldebaran?"
Mu nudged his friend.
After a long pause, Aldebaran admitted,
"I… can't do that move."
He never imagined Taurus had such a devastating technique—massive range, colossal power.
He'd assumed it was just Great Horn, like his own…
Aphrodite shared the thought, feeling slightly better. At least he wasn't the only one lacking ancestral techniques.
.....