It wasn't much of a shock that Katerina had become the Sagittarius Gold Saint; after all, Yu Wen* had already mentioned the possibility, and Ye Wen had long prepared himself for the young girl stepping onto the stage of the Holy War. He had figured that with Yu Wentuo watching over things on that side, this little one would at least manage a decent outcome, right?

Yet, he hadn't expected Athena to be so ruthless, dispatching Katerina and a partner—Nis—together. Although he trusted Katerina would be leading the team, Pegasus Pegasus Nis was the reincarnation of Zeus, and the Pegasus constellation was the protagonist of this Holy War. It was clear that the Pegasus constellation could not encounter any danger. This meant that a Gold Saint, holding an exceptionally high status within the Sanctuary, would need to protect the Pegasus Saint when necessary.

If such a trope often appearing in the original story felt baffling, in this world, where Ye Wen himself orchestrated the Holy War, such a scenario was utterly normal.

Athena, unaware of the Pegasus Saint's true identity and role, only needed to say a single sentence to the Pope: "The Pegasus constellation will be my constellation of protection, and he will even determine the final outcome of this Holy War!" That single statement would be enough to send every Gold Saint rushing to die protecting that guy.

Katerina was just a newly ascended Gold Saint; sacrificing her when necessary wouldn't sting too much. One could easily imagine that people in the Sanctuary might feel that if Katerina died in battle, they could swiftly choose a new Sagittarius Gold Saint.

"What a bunch of crap!"

He didn't believe that Nis, the reincarnation of that old lecher, would do anything untoward to Katerina. Based on Yu Wentuo's observations, the reincarnated Pegasus Saint was nothing more than a hot-blooded youth who seemed indifferent to anything outside of fighting. Thus, he likely wouldn't do anything excessive to Katerina because that wasn't the objective of Zeus participating in this game.

At the same time, Ye Wen had already guessed that Katerina was the reincarnation of Artemis; it wasn't difficult to deduce. Ever since Elizabeth gradually awakened as Athena, Ye Wen had suspected this.

However, he still couldn't figure out why Artemis's reincarnation hadn't awakened. Had Athena tampered with the reincarnation process? And what was the purpose of Artemis being reincarnated at all?

These very questions spurred Ye Wen to consider leaving the Sanctuary as soon as possible. Staying immersed in the situation made it difficult to see the overall picture; one had to step outside to gain a clearer view.

Unfortunately, after being out for so long, he still hadn't figured out what game Athena was playing. It seemed similar to what she did on Mount Olympus—constantly trying to push Artemis toward herself, with an enthusiasm bordering on the inexplicable.

Now, deliberately throwing Artemis's reincarnation, Katerina, into such a dangerous environment—was she trying to test whether he truly didn't care about that woman?

The more he considered this possibility, the stronger it became. Ye Wen even had the thought flicker in his mind: I just won't go back, see what you can do? But his actions didn't follow that sentiment. He left Zhang Ling in the snowfields to accompany Valkyrie, which also served as a decent guarantee for Valkyrie's safety. Ye Wen headed directly toward the Ark of the Sanctuary.

Simultaneously, deep within an uninhabited mountain range, a young Gold Saint and a Bronze Saint clad in white Cloth moved across a desolate expanse comprised entirely of rock. The crisp sound of the Cloth scraping against the stone offered no sense of solid footing, instead breeding growing irritation.

Katerina looked at the seemingly endless path ahead, constantly wondering, "His Holiness the Pope explicitly said the Specters' lair was nearby, so why haven't we seen anything? I can't even sense a trace of evil aura. Could he have been mistaken?" She shook her head, tossing the thought aside. "Impossible, there's no mistake!"

"What is it, Ma'am?" The young Bronze Saint, Pegasus Nis, asked curiously, glancing at the woman before him while gasping for breath.

She was a woman of striking bearing. Her slightly curly, dark blond hair was held back by a golden circlet. A pair of eyes, deep as the night sky, constantly scanned their surroundings. The form-fitting Gold Cloth perfectly displayed her contours, and from Nis's perspective, he could trace a flawless 'C' curve.

However, these weren't what Nis was concerned about. He looked at his Sagittarius superior, who hadn't even broken a sweat, and then at himself, who was practically panting like a dead dog. The immense gap in strength left him frustrated. "Is the difference really that huge? I can't even keep up with simple travel?"

In reality, compared to an ordinary person, Pegasus Nis was already monstrously strong. Not everyone could travel frantically for three straight days without rest and then act as if nothing had happened, only feeling fatigued. Nis’s exhaustion merely proved he had long surpassed the limits of the human body.

But a Gold Saint transcended mere human limits! Nis needed to advance further if he wished to become a central figure in this game, though he didn't know it yet.

Katerina continued forward, but after only a few steps, she abruptly stopped. She reached behind her, and instantly, a golden bow materialized in her right hand. In the same moment, her left hand drew a golden arrow, and in a flash, the action of drawing and nocking the arrow was complete.

"Come out, evil Specters! I can already sense your disgusting Cosmo!"

Nis, still wrestling with the vast disparity in power between himself and Katerina, suddenly heard those words. He hastily assumed a defensive posture, but his darting eyes betrayed that he had no idea where the enemy was.

Yet, one second later, he wouldn't need to worry about that. The ground, previously empty, began to teem with Specters clad in black Surplices—so numerous that he suspected the entire Specter army had mobilized.

"We... we've arrived at the Specters' lair?"

This situation seemed to be the only possible explanation. The Pegasus Saint’s scalp tingled looking at the dense crowd of Specters surrounding them.

Katerina was also momentarily shocked by the scene, muttering inwardly, "Looks like today is the day I die in battle!" Her gaze drifted slightly. "What a pity, not seeing that person again. I wonder how he is now?" A vague silhouette flashed through her mind. She could barely recall the man's features, but his towering height and broad shoulders that made her feel so secure were etched clearly in her memory.

Recollecting herself, Katerina took a deep breath. "But, knowing I sacrificed myself fighting the Specters, he should be proud of me, right?"

Thinking this, a golden aura began to burn around her body, and as her left hand tightened around the arrow, her Cosmo grew fiercer and more substantial.

"Reveal yourself! Even hidden in the crowd, your unusual Cosmo cannot remain concealed!"

A sharp cry caused the Specters opposite her to part slightly, revealing a young woman standing before Katerina. She wore obsidian and purple full-body armor, possessed a pair of enormous, exaggerated wings on her back, and had long, flowing black hair.

Wearing a playful smile, this young woman in the Surplice appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. She was tall, and her armor highlighted her long legs quite prominently.

This appearance immediately suggested she was a figure of very high standing among the Specters. Even more surprising to Katerina was the profound, terrifying Cosmo emanating from her, which subtly seemed to suppress Katerina’s own. The once magnificent golden haze appeared dampened, only slightly visible on the surface of her armor.

"You are the Sagittarius Gold Saint?" The girl tilted her head, looking Katerina up and down with a hint of surprise, seemingly very curious about this Saint. "You're a woman?"

"Who are you?"

For some reason, the girl's tone implied doubt about Katerina achieving the rank of Gold Saint as a woman, which greatly irritated Katerina. She desperately wanted to retort, "Aren't you a woman too?" Of course, that was unless the person before her was a man who happened to have feminine looks and attire. This dark-haired girl's Surplice had distinctly pronounced breasts, yet the waist area was unprotected, exposing a stretch of pale, delicate waistline and a cute little navel.

Furthermore, the leg armor resembled a pair of high-heeled boots, and the slender heel looked like something one could easily sprain an ankle in without getting accustomed to it.

It could be said that while this Surplice possessed an imposing aura, many of its details thoroughly showcased a woman's alluring features, while the pauldrons and the massive wings retained the necessary majesty.

If such a figure were a man, then most women in this world would be obsolete!

Katerina muttered under her breath before asking about the other's identity. I remember I was sent here to investigate the Specters. This strange person must be a high-ranking Specter. It’s essential to find out who she is first!

"I am Minos of the Griffin, one of the Three Judges of the Underworld!" The girl introduced herself, deliberately emphasizing, "Not Minos—Minos!" This clarification utterly confused Katerina; why the need to specify? Did another entity named Minos exist in the Underworld?

"One of the Three Judges..." In a daze, Katerina recalled the figure she had encountered in her childhood. Although she hadn't clearly seen what happened, that very scene inspired her desire to become a Saint. Later, when Taurus left the Sanctuary without taking her, it only solidified her resolve.

That guy, named Radamanthys, had also called himself one of the Three Judges. He was incredibly arrogant, seeming supremely confident in his power—but unfortunately, he ran into Ye Wen, leaving him no chance to display his strength. Katerina had no idea how truly powerful these so-called Judges were.

"Perhaps this is an opportunity?" The thought sparked, and her gaze instantly hardened. The golden arrow she had been charging for so long unleashed a formidable might in an instant. A second later, as the light subsided, the still golden arrow struck Minos directly in the chest.

"I hit!"

Katerina felt a surge of triumph, but her face instantly changed. She realized that even though her golden arrow had struck the heart region, it had only pierced the Surplice and could advance no further. "How is this possible?"

"Heh heh."

A faint chuckle escaped Minos’s lips, yet at this moment, it sounded startlingly clear, dripping with mockery that only an absolute fool could miss.

Lifting a hand, Minos plucked the golden arrow stuck in the armor and carelessly tossed it aside. "The Sagittarius Gold Arrow? The legendary arrow said to be capable of slaying gods. So this is its power... Even when striking my body, it proves useless!"

Flicking her long black hair, which danced slightly in the wind, and with her chin raised, Minos exuded an air of intense satisfaction. Her words, however, only further bewildered Katerina.

"Anyone who tarnishes the image of my great Golden Brother must die!" Without moving her hands, the massive wings on her back suddenly spread wide. The surrounding Specters who had been enveloping Katerina and Nis shouted in unison: "Lord Minos is furious! Everyone scatter!" As the shout ended, the Specters blocking the path of retreat for Katerina and Nis vanished instantly, creating a massive opening in their encirclement.

Katerina keenly noticed this and strode forward, positioning herself in front of Nis. "Now! Get out of here quickly! Go back to the Sanctuary and tell the Pope and the other Gold Saints what you saw! Hurry!" Nis was still stunned, watching how their engagement had escalated from a tense standoff to near-certain doom for both of them in mere moments. He hadn't anticipated such a sudden twist. Strange, weren't they clearly surrounding us? Why did they suddenly pull back?

"Giant Wing Gale!"

A soft but clear cry echoed, audible to everyone. Simultaneously, the massive wings snapped shut, unleashing a terrifying hurricane filled with an impact so strong it felt like countless blades tearing things apart, instantly sweeping toward them!

Nis had almost no time to react before a mere aftershock blasted him into the air, sending him crashing heavily to the ground. The intense pain kept his consciousness sharp, but his body felt completely shattered, rendering him unable to move. "Impossible... just brushing against it... such terrifying power..."

He lifted his head to see the Sagittarius Saint in the Gold Cloth still standing firm. Compared to him who was merely grazed, the Saint had absorbed the bulk of the attack's power. In fact, it was precisely because she blocked the majority of the assault that he hadn't been killed instantly.

In truth, Katerina was not faring well either. That single strike had utterly destroyed the golden bow in her hand, and despite her armor, the heavy impact made her feel as if her entire body was no longer her own.

Several gashes scored her forehead and brow bone, and the golden circlet atop her head had been knocked to the ground. Blood streaming from her forehead was even obstructing her vision. "Damn it... so strong?" She glanced quickly at the fallen Pegasus Saint. She was no longer in a position to consider his safety. Although she had received the Pope’s instruction: "Guarantee the survival of the Pegasus Saint, no matter what!"

But the situation was beyond her control. "Against an enemy like this... how can I possibly have the energy left to worry about that boy..."

However, the Pope's instruction was the Goddess's command. Although Katerina had never been particularly fond of the so-called Goddess, she would not choose to give up simply to prove herself a competent Saint.

Just then, Minos, with her arms crossed, smiled at Katerina. "Actually, I'm not entirely unreasonable. As long as you agree to renounce your status as a Gold Saint and hand over your Cloth to a handsome young brother, I might let you go?"

"Insolent! Don't underestimate me!" Feeling thoroughly mocked, Katerina roared in fury, unleashing a Cosmo more potent than ever before. Within this surge of power, a terrifying aura manifested, causing alarm among all the Specters.

"What is this feeling?" Only the opposing Minos seemed unaffected by the initial change, but even she sensed a threat emanating from the fiercely burning golden Cosmo. "Annoying woman, just die already!" As she prepared to strike again, Katerina, who had been charging her power, finalized her stance. She struck a pose with both hands and unleashed her ultimate technique.

Starlight Shining Pulse!

A massive, blinding pillar of light erupted, enveloping nearly everything in front of Katerina. The light radiating from the beam illuminated the sky, which had begun to darken, with brilliant daylight. A figure floating high in the distance, noticing this anomaly, sharply adjusted its trajectory.

"She even unleashed the divine power of the Moon Goddess?" The figure began to rapidly increase in size as it flew. "But what is that bizarre power I sense?"