The roar of the waterfall echoed in Ryosho’s ears like background music.
Yet rather than feeling noisy, it seemed to possess a strange power that soothed every trace of anxiety.
Ryosho walked at an unhurried pace toward the place where Dohko had meditated for many years.
Dohko, guardian of the Seventh Temple and the Libra Gold Saint, was, like the late Pope Shion, an ancient warrior who had survived the previous brutal Holy War.
His strength was unfathomable.
Many of the current Gold Saints respectfully called him Master.
After the last Holy War ended, Athena ordered him to remain here and guard the tower that sealed the 108 Evil Stars of Hades’ Army.
As Ryosho recalled what he knew about Dohko, he reached the foot of the Rozan Waterfall.
Beneath the cascading water, he saw Dohko wearing a conical hat, seated in meditation as he had been for many years.
Dohko did not turn around.
As always, he faced west.
Ryosho stepped forward and clasped his fists.
“Ryosho, Crateris Silver Saint, greets you, Senior.”
“After 243 years, has someone finally donned the Crateris Cloth once more?”
Dohko opened his eyes slightly and continued, “However…
I wonder whether you are truly qualified to wear this Cloth and wield its powerful healing and prophetic abilities.”
As he spoke, Dohko rose from beneath the waterfall and turned around.
He raised his staff and pointed it at Ryosho.
Though his body stood less than five feet tall, it radiated a terrifying power.
“Allow me to overstep my bounds and test you in place of Athena and the Pope of the Sanctuary.”
Ryosho’s expression grew wary.
Dohko said nothing more.
A brilliant light suddenly flashed in his deep eyes.
Countless streams of water gathered around him, transforming into sharp water blades that shot toward Ryosho.
Ryosho closed his eyes.
Powerful psychokinesis surged from between his brows and formed a barrier in front of him, blocking every water blade Dohko sent his way.
A look of approval appeared in Dohko’s eyes.
He nodded and increased the power of the water blades.
As the water blades grew stronger, Ryosho’s psychokinesis was clearly no longer enough.
The psychokinetic barrier before him was soon riddled with holes before abruptly collapsing.
He had no choice but to meet the water blades with his fists.
However, there were far too many of them, and they continued to grow faster.
The water blades accelerated from the speed of sound to twice that speed, then from twice the speed of sound to three times, until they finally reached the limit of a Silver Saint, five times the speed of sound.
“Ryosho, can you go any faster?”
Dohko once again increased the speed and density of the water blade attacks.
Ryosho began to struggle.
He used both his hands and feet to intercept every incoming blade.
“Oh?”
Surprise appeared in Dohko’s eyes.
Ryosho’s movements had already reached seven times the speed of sound.
Yet…
that still did not seem to be his limit.
To find Ryosho’s true limit, Dohko increased the speed and density of the water blades again.
Eight times the speed of sound.
Nine times the speed of sound.
…
Twelve times the speed of sound.
Eighteen times the speed of sound.
At last, Ryosho reached his limit.
His movements could no longer keep pace with the water blades.
He could not intercept all of them, nor could he even dodge.
One water blade after another struck his body like sharpened swords, leaving behind a series of gruesome wounds.
Dohko was astonished.
His eyes were filled with surprise and delight.
He had already been about to stop.
Then he noticed that Ryosho’s Cosmo was still rising.
Even though his body was covered in wounds, Ryosho had not given up.
He was still doing everything he could to resist the attack.
Could it be?
A thought stirred in Dohko’s mind.
He increased the speed and density of the water blades once more.
Ryosho’s Cosmo continued to rise, and the speed of his punches climbed with it.
At last, Ryosho unleashed a terrifying punch.
The blow pierced through the curtain of water blades, passed over Dohko’s shoulder as a beam of light, and shot toward the distant horizon.
The terrifying force behind the punch even caused the Great Waterfall of Rozan to stop flowing.
The Seventh Sense?
He had already begun to awaken the Seventh Sense!
Although he could only awaken it for a single instant, that alone was astonishing.
This young man possessed extraordinary potential.
He was in no way inferior to Suikyō, the previous Crateris Saint.
In fact, he might even surpass him.
Dohko lowered his staff and looked with satisfaction at Ryosho, who was kneeling on the ground and gasping for breath.
“Dohko, what do you think?”
“Surprised, aren’t you?”
At that moment, Deathtoll’s soul appeared out of thin air before Dohko, his expression filled with pride.
Dohko stared at Deathtoll’s spirit, his aged eyes widening involuntarily.
“You are…?”
“You are…?”
“What’s wrong, Dohko?
It’s only been 243 years.
Have you already forgotten your old comrade?”
Deathtoll’s spirit reclined carelessly in midair, his bald head making him look rather comical.
“Cancer Deathtoll.
After 243 years, you still haven’t passed on?”
“You haven’t died either, have you?”
Deathtoll shot back without the slightest courtesy.
“Well?
What do you think of my disciple?
Surprised?
Delighted?
Wahahaha!”
Dohko gradually regained his composure, though his heart remained deeply moved.
He had never imagined that after 243 years, he would see an old comrade again, even if only in the form of a spirit.
He sat down beneath the Great Waterfall of Rozan once more and leaned on his staff as he laughed heartily.
“So the celestial sign of Cancer clashing with Crateris that I sensed not long ago was caused by you.
Could it be, Deathtoll, that this young man defeated you?”
Deathtoll’s face flushed red, but he stubbornly replied, “Of course not.
I merely let him win.
If we had truly fought without restraint, he would never have been my match.”
Dohko chuckled and did not tease him any further.
Instead, he looked toward Ryosho.
This young man’s Cosmo held astonishing potential.
With proper guidance, he would undoubtedly become a major force in the coming battle against Hades’ Army.
Had Dohko not already taken Shiryu as his disciple, he might truly have considered accepting Ryosho and training him to inherit his legacy.
But as things stood, Ryosho seemed far better suited to inheriting Deathtoll’s legacy.
“Ryosho, the Goddess Athena has already recognized you as the Crateris Silver Saint.
From now on, make proper use of this power.
Use it to protect Athena and preserve peace and tranquility throughout the world.”
Although Ryosho felt that he did not need anyone’s recognition, he understood that Dohko meant well.
He raised his head and replied, “I will not fail the trust you have placed in me, Senior.”
“Good.
Now tell me, why did you travel such a great distance to see me?”
Dohko leaned on his staff and looked at Ryosho with great satisfaction.
Ryosho scratched his head awkwardly.
He explained his current situation to Dohko, then told him that he hoped Dohko could look after Manos and Cynthia on his behalf.
After hearing Ryosho out, Dohko thought for a moment before saying, “That will not be a problem.
Leave Manos and Cynthia at the Five Old Peaks for the time being.
I doubt the Pope of the Sanctuary would dare openly oppose me at a time like this.”
“Thank you, Senior.”
The weight on Ryosho’s heart was finally lifted.
With Dohko watching over Manos and Cynthia, no one would be able to take them away from under his nose unless a Gold Saint came personally.
Dohko then continued, “Now tell me what happened between you and Deathtoll.”