Saint Seiya: Heretic Athena?

"Stella let out a sigh of relief, yet also felt a little deflated. She clearly viewed Athena as her greatest rival, but this world's Heretic Athena didn't seem to regard her at all.

This arrogance... I, the God-Queen Stella, will one day return it!

Athena, naturally, had no way of knowing Stella's turbulent little thoughts—and even if she did, she would probably only respond with a contemptuous sneer. She walked with unhurried grace, moving like flowing moonlight to stand before Seiya. Her iconic, bright eyes fell upon the Pegasus Saint, and a ripple of unease stirred in her heart, but her face still maintained the cool, distant demeanor of a moon maiden.

"The ley lines of this land are changing," Athena said softly. She had come specifically to remind Seiya of this matter, definitely not just because she wanted to see him.

Since ancient times, heaven and earth have had spiritual energy. It gathers internally in the mountains and rivers and manifests externally in the wind and clouds. This is what is called a ley line.

The ley line originates from the magma in the earth's core, a radiating network that extends to the earth's surface, rocks, and soil. But from a mystical perspective, it means the network that dictates the flow of the earth's essence and spiritual energy. Corresponding to it is the cultural pulse, which is the sociocultural atmosphere and heritage of a region, the sociocultural network. The two together form the unique character of a place, also known as its "geological destiny."

"Is it a good thing, or a bad thing?" Seiya raised an eyebrow. "Is it related to me, or to the Heretic God, Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, whom I defeated?" As an ancient god of the region and a god of civilization who had ruled for a thousand years, the slaying of Susanoo would cause a great change in this country. This was something Seiya had anticipated.

"It has nothing to do with him. It should be something more foreign," Stella said, looking up towards the northwest.

"You know too?" Seiya looked suspiciously at the l0l! goddess before him.

"How rude, God-slaying Pegasus!" Stella instantly acted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her delicate little nose wrinkling in displeasure. "How dare you scrutinize this humble one with such a suspicious gaze! This humble one also has the lineage of an earth mother goddess, you know! When it comes to perceiving the subtle changes in the ley lines, I may be a tiny bit inferior, but in perceiving the cultural pulse—that formless river that flows in the hearts of people and through history—my senses are absolutely superior to hers!" She puffed out her chest, trying to project an air of authority.

"But you were chased by the boar formed from the ley lines, running with your head in your hands," Athena stated flatly, exposing her shortcoming.

"Wrong! It was precisely because of my weakness that it was a trap to lure it in, and this is a symbol of my being favored by the ley lines!" Stella crossed her arms, feigning an air of authority.

"But you were chased by the boar formed from the ley lines, running with your head in your hands," Seiya repeated.

"Ignorant! My beauty not only conquered the gods on Mount Olympus, but also conquered all of nature! Wherever I go, there will be a scene of joy and laughter, a scene of prosperity. This is a performance that Athena cannot compare to!"

"But you were chased by the boar formed from the ley lines, running with your head in your hands," Athena continued to repeat.

"But your Pegasus was ogling my chest from the very beginning! Did you think I didn't know?" Stella was furious now. "Look, the tips of his ears are still red!"

"Nonsense!" Seiya instinctively touched his earlobe, only to hear Stella's mocking laughter from the side. Only then did he realize he had been tricked by this innately evil Greek goddess.

The three of them were now pulling at each other's underwear, attacking only each other's sore spots. Athena coldly stated that Stella's judgment had only "referential value." Stella then tried her best to prove that her ancient connection with the ley lines and cultural pulse was superior. Athena mocked her for always messing up at critical moments. Stella immediately deflected, saying that Seiya was looking at her pretty calves exposed outside her white robe. Seiya immediately told Stella to stop dragging him into their conversations. And Athena simultaneously defended Seiya, saying that Pegasus was a pure child, something an innately evil love goddess like Stella wouldn't understand.

Perhaps it was because the Athena before him was not her old rival from the divine realm, or perhaps because Seiya provided a strange buffer zone, the three of them bickered back and forth. Every time the topic was about to turn against her, Stella would drag Seiya into it, causing the other two to gang up on her, but she still enjoyed it immensely.

As for the changing ley lines, or the impending disaster, neither the gods nor the human paid it much attention, instead focusing more on making each other lose face. After being ganged up on by both sides, Stella finally understood. Athena would always have a "proud mother" filter when it came to Pegasus. No matter how she slandered him, or revealed Seiya's outwardly righteous but secretly sultry nature, she would just scoff at it.

But suddenly, a flash of inspiration went through Stella's mind.

"Athena, you've always thought of Pegasus as a pure child, but has he ever once called you 'Mother'?" Stella had seized the key point.

The air seemed to freeze in that moment.

For a rare moment, Athena did not immediately retort. She slowly turned her head, and her bright eyes, which could see through all the secrets of the world, quietly and deeply gazed at Seiya.

Seeing Athena look at him, Seiya's heart skipped a beat. He immediately looked angrily at Stella, who was covering her mouth and snickering on the side. "You innately evil Greek goddess, just you watch what I...!"

Seiya could no longer tolerate this troublemaking female gremlin goddess. But just as he was preparing to grab Stella and give her a lesson in love, Athena spoke coldly.

"Pegasus, speaking of which, this humble one has indeed never heard you call me 'Mother'." Athena's tone was light. "Or could it be that in your heart, there is another... goddess?"

For some reason, seeing Athena's profile, a sliver of horror rose in Seiya's heart, and at the same time, a strange sadness. He quickly shook his head, throwing the thread of sorrow to the back of his mind. "My faith in Athena comes from the bottom of my heart," Seiya said, his voice firm and resolute.

"Then call me 'Mother'," Athena said, turning around, her bright eyes staring at the Pegasus before her.

"Why must I call you Mother? Our relationship should be purer than that," Seiya said, a little desperate.

"Then why are you unwilling to call me Mother? Or do you want to call some other goddess Mother?" Athena pressed, step by step.

"No? That's not the issue at all! Why do I have to call someone Mother? I feel like we should get back on topic, for example, the ley lines beneath our feet. As a Saint who protects the Earth, I can already feel that evil is approaching," Seiya said, completely astonished. Why had the topic turned to him having to call someone mother? It's not like he was a pro gamer or anything.

"Actually, if you're really unwilling to call Athena 'Mother', you can call me 'Mother' too. An aunt is also a mother," Stella fanned the flames from the side.

Seiya looked at Stella, who was hiding behind Athena. This goddess clearly hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation. Seiya formed the silent words "You're dead" with his lips, then looked at Athena, who was now standing in front of him.

Bright eyes and pearly teeth, a clear and cold gaze. Her gaze was gentle yet sad, firm yet with a hint of pleading.

And the Saint's choice was to—

—grab the melon-seed-eating goddess who was fanning the flames and give her a fat beating. Accompanied by Stella's tragic screams, Seiya's mood couldn't help but brighten. Since he couldn't solve the problem, then he would solve the woman who caused the problem.

Seiya was enlightened.

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