Chapter 116: Four Against One

"Brother Aldebaran—"

Deathmask called out in haste using telepathy, but the Cosmos had already vanished without a trace, leaving no path for communication. Sensing the disappearance of the Taurus Cosmos, Camus and the others were equally filled with grief. That most valiant and gentle bull had passed away.

Tezcatlipoca took the opportunity to step back, looking at them seriously as she said, "To be honest, I am truly surprised that you were able to destroy the 'Gate of Space and Time' right under Quetzalcoatl's nose!"

The two deities shared a deep-seated enmity and had clashed many times, leaving them well-acquainted with each other. The power of Quetzalcoatl was far greater than her own. Even now, the incarnation of her opponent's will was stronger than her own current manifestation.

"You'll be even more surprised when we destroy the pyramid behind you!" Orion Rigel stepped forward and threw a punch from afar.

"Ignis Fatuus Leap!"

The power of his Cosmos erupted from his fist, transforming into a pillar of eerie blue flames that shot straight toward the deity dressed in the leopard puppet suit.

"With that level of strength?" Tezcatlipoca laughed, swiping a claw at the pillar of flame.

The claw strike, which should have been ferocious, appeared comical due to her cute puppet costume, making Rigel wonder if this erratic deity could truly have beaten Camus and the others into such a wretched state.

However, reality completely exceeded his expectations. The leopard-clad goddess simply flicked her hand, effortlessly dissipating his pillar of fire. Her strength was even greater than that of Xolotl, the God of Death, whom they had encountered earlier!

"Diamond Dust!"

Camus followed closely behind, channeling his Cosmos into freezing air and launching it at the goddess.

"Your freezing air is quite interesting, but it is still impossible for it to defeat me!" Tezcatlipoca splayed her fingers, releasing the power of her Cosmos from her palm to form a barrier, easily blocking Camus's ice attack.

"Nebula Stream!"

At that very moment, Daidalos rushed out from the side and unleashed his ultimate technique. In an instant, the power of his Cosmos transformed into invisible currents of air circling around Tezcatlipoca, attempting to use intense wind pressure to bind her movements.

"A decent move, but lacking in power—it cannot confine me!" Tezcatlipoca exerted force with a struggle, instantly shattering the invisible currents enveloping her body.

"Do you have any other ultimate techniques? If you don't use them now, you won't get another chance, will you?" She gestured toward the pitch-black pillar of light behind her. The Gate of Space and Time was about to stabilize.

"Then how about you try this move of mine, oh great deity!"

Just then, Deathmask’s excited voice rang out from the side.

"Praesepe Annihilation: Underworld Wave!"

Tezcatlipoca turned to look, only to see him hurl a pale blue fireball from a distance.

"No, no, still pathetic!" She swiped at it carelessly with a claw.

Bang!

As she struck, the fireball suddenly exploded. The pale blue flames scattered, splashing onto Tezcatlipoca herself.

"Eh?"

Tezcatlipoca was startled, for the fireball had not been shattered by her strike; it had detonated on its own. Before she could ask, the answer revealed itself. At the point where the fireball had exploded, a spatial rift suddenly appeared. The crack expanded rapidly like the maw of a voracious beast, wantonly devouring everything in its vicinity.

As Tezcatlipoca prepared to retreat, an incredibly powerful suction force acted upon her, making even lifting a foot an arduous task.

"The power of the Underworld?" She was shocked.

Due to her discord with Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca’s relationship with his subordinate god, Xolotl, was not good, and they had often clashed. She was quite familiar with the power of the God of Death, and thus recognized the nature of this Cancer technique at a glance. The Cancer saint had opened the Underworld, attempting to use its power against her.

However, a god is a god. Even though she had not descended in her true form, her current will-incarnation exceeded that of the vast majority of deities. This level of suction alone was not enough to pull her in—it could only temporarily trap her.

Just as she was about to mock them, she heard Deathmask shout, "She’s temporarily unable to move—what are you waiting for!"

Hearing this, Tezcatlipoca laughed. "Hey, hey, hey—aren't you people celebrating a bit too early?"

"Even if I am temporarily trapped by you, do you really think you can defeat me?"

"That remains to be seen, oh great deity!" Deathmask hid far to the side, wearing a cold, mocking smile.

Meanwhile, Camus, Daidalos, and Rigel stood back-to-back, forming a trinity battle formation. They had finally waited for the chance to use the "Athena Exclamation." This was a technique originally reserved only for Gold Saints, but when Deathmask arrived, Camus had secretly used telepathy to teach it to the other two on the spot. Although both were learning it for the first time, with him leading, they should be able to execute this forbidden technique.

"This is..."

Tezcatlipoca was somewhat surprised; it was clear the three Saints were preparing a combined attack. Initially, she had been curious about what kind of move they would use, as she had enough confidence to block any of their offensives. But when she realized their focus was not on her, she finally understood. This group never intended to defeat her; they wanted to destroy the "Gate of Space and Time" behind her.

"Trying to destroy my 'Gate of Space and Time'—don't even think about it!"

The leopard-clad goddess was furious. She struggled to stop Camus and the others, but the suction of the Underworld rift was too strong. Unable to break free, she could only lash out at the three from a distance.

"Death Claw!"

Five sharp arcs of Cosmos energy shot toward them. Just as the arcs were about to hit their target, a golden figure flashed by. Deathmask stood before the three, revealing a triumphant smile.

"Let me be the one to play with you, oh great deity!"

Deathmask opened his palm, and a cluster of pale blue flames appeared.

"Praesepe: Ghost Blue Flame!"

He threw the blue fire at the sharp arcs.

Boom!

In an instant, the blue flames surged, colliding with the sharp arcs in a violent explosion. But Deathmask’s power alone could not fully neutralize the move; the five arcs, though dimmed after piercing the flames, continued toward Camus and the others.

However, the three Saints were in a trinity formation, which allowed them to distribute external attacks equally. This move, weakened by Deathmask, was far from enough to shatter their formation.

Clang!

The five arcs struck the three, and they remained motionless.

"How is this possible?"

Tezcatlipoca was stunned. Although she could not use her full strength while fighting the pull of the Underworld rift, by her estimation, this strike was something these Gold Saints should never have been able to withstand. Yet, the reality was entirely different from what she had imagined—their battle formation was unbreakable.

At the same time, the three Saints brought their arms together, palms facing outward in the shape of a blooming flower. They burned their Cosmos to the peak, compressing the energy into their palms like the stamens of a flower, shining with a blinding, brilliant light.