"Interesting. What does Odin want with me?"
Kaiser frowned. From what he knew, Odin wasn't particularly powerful in the Saint Seiya world.
Though not weak, he paled against the Greek pantheon's main gods.
He'd even become a subordinate god to Poseidon.
But this subordination was somewhat strategic.
Otherwise, Poseidon could command Asgard's queen, Hilda, with a word.
No need for the Nibelung Ring.
In Golden Soul, facing Loki's relentless advance, Odin didn't appear.
He only descended via Cosmo possession.
Revived Golden Saints resolved the issue.
Utterly discreet.
Odin never showed his true form.
Yet now, he contacted Kaiser.
This surprised him.
"What's your take?"
Kaiser glanced at Athena's phantom beside him.
"You should meet him."
"Odin is the Norse god-king."
"His strength rivals first-tier gods."
"But Asgard's position is awkward."
"Since Zeus vanished, Odin rarely appears, avoiding divine conflicts."
"Nominally Poseidon's subordinate, his true power likely surpasses him."
"But I don't know why he wants to see you."
Athena knew little of Odin.
As a god-king of another pantheon, he was formidable.
Yet he never joined earth's Holy Wars.
Asgard remained secluded.
Unlike ambitious evil gods like Lucifer.
The Zodiac Array's creation had Asgard's aid.
Odin's last divine power, held by the current Norse queen, was given to the array.
That Cosmo served as the medium contacting Kaiser.
"Let's meet him then."
Hell, fresh from battle, would be quiet for now.
A blue glow enveloped Kaiser through the Zodiac Array.
When he opened his eyes, he stood in a majestic palace.
Before him was Odin, the Norse god-king.
Not seated on a throne, but at Kaiser's level.
Kaiser sat confidently.
"God-King Odin?"
Though a question, Kaiser was certain.
One-eyed god-kings were rare across pantheons.
"Worthy of Athena's favor."
"Your potential is vast."
Odin's eye scanned Kaiser, his voice filled with praise.
"So, your purpose?"
"Just to flatter me?"
Kaiser frowned, wary of divine interactions.
His secrets were many.
Without Athena's approval, he wouldn't face a god-king.
"Rest assured, this is merely my phantom."
"At best, Eighth Sense strength."
"No threat to you."
Odin's sincerity was evident.
"Then what's this about?"
Kaiser pressed.
"Have you heard of Ragnarök?"
Odin sighed, asking.
"I know some."
Kaiser nodded.
Ragnarök, a cataclysmic event in Norse myth.
The gods' rule would collapse.
From what he knew, it would fell all gods of this era.
"Asgard's time is short."
"I traded my eye with the Norns for foresight."
"I see the future clearly."
"Asgard will burn to ashes."
"Countless gods will perish."
"I tried to change this fate."
"But I failed."
Odin gave a self-mocking smile.
Kaiser understood.
No wonder Odin stayed out of Saint Seiya's affairs.
He was preparing for Ragnarök.
"I'm just a mortal. I doubt I can help."
Kaiser was clear.
Could a mortal alter a pantheon's fate?
Impossible.
He lacked the strength.
"No…"
"You're different."
"I don't know if Athena saw the same future glimpse I did."
"Your presence has shifted the world's destined path."
"I saw you in a dream."
"Wearing a God Cloth, felling gods."
"A fleeting vision."
"Overwhelmed by Ragnarök's prophecy."
"But I'm certain."
"You can alter the future."
"If you ascend to godhood!"
Odin's single eye burned into Kaiser.
"Even so."
"I've no reason to join this fight."
"It offers me nothing."
"The fall of Norse gods benefits humanity."
Kaiser's tone was cold.
Unmoved.
As for wearing a God Cloth and felling gods, he believed in his potential.
But not now.
"I propose a deal."
"I'll help you survive the perilous path to godhood."
"In exchange, you prevent Asgard's Ragnarök."
Odin revealed his goal.
"A deal?"
"What kind?"
Kaiser's interest piqued.
What deal would make him join a battle to end gods?
If Odin could truly aid his ascent to godhood, Ragnarök seemed trivial.
At the Tenth Sense, as a main god, he'd dominate this world's gods.
Like Seiya in Omega.
A hum resounded.
A radiant blue gem materialized in Odin's hand.
"What is this?"
Kaiser's eyes narrowed.
He sensed a resonance emanating from the gem.
Clearly, this gem was a treasure meant for him.
"Do you know how the Seven Star God Robes of the God Warriors came to be?"
"They were modeled after Athena's Cloths."
"However, the Seven Star God Robes of the God Warriors retain their primal power."
"The gems remain."
"Whereas the Cloths crafted by Hephaestus, the god of forging, for Athena…"
"…had their gems stripped away."
"And this…"
"…is one of the gems once taken from the Cloths."
Gazing at the gem in Odin's hand, Kaiser felt a surge of emotion ripple through him.
Even Athena, residing in her divine realm, was astonished.
She hadn't known where the gems of her Cloths were sealed.
Whether they still existed or had been destroyed.
Yet, moments after discussing the Cloth gems with Kaiser…
…here was one of those very gems, in Odin's possession.
With the gem's power infused, the Golden Cloth's strength would surpass even the Heavenly Garments of the Celestial Warriors of the Heavens.
It would become the mightiest armor, second only to God Cloths and Divine Cloths.
Even ordinary Divine Cloths would merely equal a gem-enhanced Cloth.
But Divine Cloths were fleeting, only manifesting when a Saint's Cosmo burned to its absolute limit.
A gem-enhanced Golden Cloth, however, was constant.
"Not enough!" Kaiser declared, taking a deep breath.
The Cloth's gem was enticing, no question.
But it wasn't enough.
Not enough to compel Kaiser to join that mythic war.
"I understand." Odin replied.
"This is merely my greeting gift."
"From what I've heard…"
"…you seem to be searching for artifacts imbued with divine Cosmo."
"I can offer you some of Asgard's artifacts."
Odin raised the stakes.
Kaiser was taken aback.
His search for artifacts had been discreet.
After all, most artifacts in this world already had owners.
Yet somehow, Odin had noticed.
"Including Gungnir, the Eternal Spear?" Kaiser asked, locking eyes with Odin.
The Eternal Spear had appeared in Soul of Gold.
It didn't resemble a traditional spear in appearance.
But that did nothing to diminish its formidable power.
Artifacts often carried divine authority.
For instance, Gungnir's authority ensured that any strike would hit its mark and pierce its target.
Unless the opponent's power vastly outclassed the spear's authority…
…even a first-class god would be left with a hole in their body.
"Of course." Odin replied calmly.
If his life were at stake, what use would keeping such artifacts be?
"And if I want it now?" Kaiser pressed.
With an artifact like that in his possession, his combat strength would rise significantly.
"Mainstream artifacts are off-limits." Odin said after a pause.
"But you may choose freely from Asgard's treasury."
"You understand my position."
Kaiser nodded.
Even if he struck a deal with Odin, it couldn't be made public.
Otherwise, he'd be targeted by the gods long before he could ascend to godhood.
His current strength was already overwhelmingly dominant.
On Earth, he was practically invincible.
Adding Asgard's artifacts to that…
…would make him far too conspicuous.
"Deal." Kaiser said after a moment's thought.
"But only if I can wield sufficient power."
This bargain was a sure win.
Odin handed him the gem.
"This is one of the lost Cloth Gems."
"Before Zeus vanished, I borrowed this gem to craft Asgard's God Robes."
"After Zeus disappeared, I never returned it to the Heavens."
"I never imagined it would prove useful now."
O Ascertaining the power within it, Kaiser confirmed, "Indeed, it's the gem of the Libra Cloth."
He sensed the power within it.
This wasn't surprising.
Asgard's God Robes, beyond their gems, were also equipped with weapons.
"Come, let's visit Asgard's treasury." Odin said, leading Kaiser to the vault.
There, Kaiser selected three artifacts.
None were particularly renowned.
A sword, a spear, and a chain.
With the deal sealed, Kaiser didn't linger in Asgard's halls.
Staying longer risked exposure.
Without the Zodiac Array, Odin wouldn't have even had the chance to contact him.
When Kaiser returned to Earth, Athena's projection appeared beside him.
"To think Odin had a Cloth gem in his possession." She remarked, still in awe.
"It's a good thing, isn't it?" Kaiser replied.
"Though the Golden Cloth is currently aligned with the Zodiac's orbit…"
"…this gem can manifest a Cloth of its own."
"It's more than sufficient for my needs."
"It might even surpass the original Golden Cloth."
Kaiser held the gem, his Cosmo weaving around it like threads, securing it to his chest.
Wasn't this far better than a Silver Cloth?
"The Cloth gem's true power shines when fused with the Golden Cloth." Athena explained.
"With the gem's power…"
"…the weapons of the Libra Golden Cloth could rival divine artifacts."
"During the first Holy War, the Libra Cloth's weapons were so overwhelmingly powerful…"
"…that I had to ban their use."
"With the three artifacts from Asgard…"
"…your strength should see a tremendous boost."
"You should now be able to hold your own against second-class gods."
"Even if you can't defeat them, surviving is well within your grasp."
Athena's heart eased slightly.
A Golden Cloth fused with a Cloth gem offered an immense boost to combat power.
Even a second-class god would struggle to shatter a gem-enhanced Golden Cloth.
"This is an unexpected gain."
"But the Golden Cloth is still traversing the Zodiac."
"It's not yet time."
"When the Zodiac Array shatters…"
"…my strength should see another boost."
"For now, these three artifacts will suffice."
Kaiser closed his eyes.
"Domain Expansion! Weapon Sanctuary!"
Hum!
A sealed domain materialized.
Kaiser's domains came in two forms.
The Weapon Sanctuary, a sealed domain, was for dueling the mightiest foes.
The Hundred Weapons Performance, an open domain, was for battling hordes.
The three artifacts were enveloped by Kaiser's Cosmo.
He began analyzing their power.
Then, he used his Cosmo to simulate their essence.
Finally, he fused his Cosmo with the physical artifacts…
…transforming them into armaments within the Weapon Sanctuary.
This was to unleash their maximum potential.
The domain blanketed the Earth.
It persisted for a full three months.
On average, it took Kaiser a month to analyze a single artifact.
A time-consuming process.
And these were merely second-rate artifacts.
Though wielded by gods…
…they lacked significant divine authority.
Even with his Divine Sight, it was an arduous task.
Without Divine Sight, Kaiser wouldn't even have the qualifications to analyze them.
Crack…
The domain shattered.
After three months, Kaiser had fully analyzed and integrated the three artifacts into his domain.
"Phew…"
"I didn't expect analyzing artifacts to be this taxing."
Sensing the enhancement from the three artifacts, Kaiser exhaled in relief.
In critical moments, these artifacts could serve as trump cards to turn the tide of battle.
"Your current strength is only at the Eighth Sense." Athena's projection remarked, appearing beside him.
"Analyzing artifacts is naturally difficult."
"Once you reach the Ninth Sense and combine it with your Divine Sight…"
"…analyzing these artifacts will be instantaneous."
"You've been showing up more often lately." Kaiser said, glancing at Athena with a faint smile.
"So, are you saying I'm a nuisance?" Athena asked, her eyes widening in mock disbelief.
"No, haha!" Kaiser laughed heartily.
"Hmph! Don't forget how many times I've saved you." Athena said, feigning indignation.
"I know, I know. My thanks to the great Goddess for her aid." Kaiser replied, still smiling.
"You'd better." Athena said, sensing the shift in their dynamic.
She didn't mind it.
She trusted her judgment.
"If the Earth could remain this peaceful forever…"
"…how wonderful that would be."
Kaiser and Athena gazed at the horizon.
Under the Zodiac Array's purification, the war-torn haze and bloodshed that once shrouded the Earth had faded significantly.
The skies were noticeably clearer.
"When we successfully harness the power to slay gods…"
"…we'll have a chance to make that wish come true." Athena said, her expression turning serious.
"Yes, yes, the Goddess is right…" Kaiser teased.
"Kaiser!!"
The golden Cosmo flickered.
The surrounding landscape brimmed with vibrant greenery.
"What a pity. I wonder how long this beauty will last."
Kaiser slowly opened his eyes.
In the blink of an eye, he had been meditating at the gates of the Underworld for over a year.
With the miasma of the Underworld gone…
…the surrounding environment had improved drastically.
Under the Zodiac Array's purification, the once-barren land now sprouted lush grass.
It looked far better than it had a year ago.
If not for the struggling Underworld tunnel beyond the barrier, this place would be indistinguishable from the rest of the Earth.
For over a year, Kaiser had been immersed in meditation... or on the path to it.
Occasionally, he visited the world where the Dragon Balls resided.
But he didn't stay long, spending perhaps a year there in total, intermittently.
The Saiyan invasion was drawing near.
Goku's training under King Kai was nearing its end.
Thanks to Kaiser's guidance, Gohan had grown far stronger than in the original tale.
Whether due to the inertia of fate or not, Piccolo still chose to ally with Goku.
However, his bond with Gohan was less close than in the original story.
After all, Kaiser was now Gohan's mentor.
Ding! "Host, a new task has arrived."
The Heroic Spirit System's voice echoed.
After a year's hiatus, Kaiser received a new commission.
This was by his own design.
After a year of grounding himself…
…his Thoughtform entered the Throne of Heroes.
"What's the task?" Kaiser asked, awaiting the system's briefing as usual.
[Ding!]
***
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