Cosmic Ocean?! The One who can kill Gods

(宇宙大洋?! 神殺しをした者)

Pegasus Kouga's arm was within the enemy's grasp as it was examined with zealous curiosity. When he looked down at his wrist, he saw veins bubbling and crackling with a black current, and it left him without words. Then, the Fourth Terrae that he yearned to defeat uttered a strange word: "Erebus".

Arion released Kouga's arm and took a few steps back. "The primordial of darkness," he said. "Erebus was among the Cosmic Ocean as it created the universe." Kouga looked stupefied.

In the 1960s, a man proposed SSPS to end fossil fuels: Using the eternal energy of the sun by converting it to electricity in hopes to replace oil. Aside from that, there was another study that remains in the grasp of theorists and phenomena interpreters –the interest in Dark Matter and Dark Energy may have existed since the 19th century, but popped into records in the 1960s. The sun made our sky blue; why was space black? An ultimate reason has yet to be reached. Even high-end physicists took a jab at it, implying that there are weak massive particles of abnormal matter—maybe white and brown dwarves—and giant black holes, making up outer space's darkness. It was a form of rapid acceleration that makes the universe. Or so it's said, despite the matter being hardly detectable.

In the Era of Myth, during creation, it's said that Khaos formed space before the children of Sea and Earth. It was often described as "water"; theorists called it energy fluid. From Arion's description, Kouga's mind immediately went back to his first Holy War. When it came to the term "darkness", it could be the embodiment of everything that made Kouga become, and fight as, a real Saint. It led to only one question.

"Are you saying that this in my arm, and your wound, is it a dark Cosmo?" As a baby, a sorceress summoned a large meteorite and plagued Kouga's body with a "dark Cosmos", which served as a forthcoming to a great threat.

"You are aware of it in some way?" Arion said, releasing the Saint's arm. "For you to understand that, you must've faced one of the Ocean. But to ever see one? And to be alive somehow?"

"You mean Abzu?"

There are many dark or night deities that are among the primeval waters, including Abzu and Orphne. Their purpose was being a part of balance above all, and it can be said that the universe was truly theirs. If such Gods were to eye the earth for a reason to rid of it; for them to do so means that their anger was triggered somehow…it hardly happens. Maybe there was despair in an enclosed land? Arion was completely perplexed and Athena's Saints were getting more questionable by the minute.

"That name…did a dark god become radical?"

"Abzu used another god to rule the world. He took my body, but I defeated him in the end with the help of Athena and my friends," explained Kouga.

"That explains why you would have that Cosmos."

"No!" Kouga shouted exasperatedly. Remembering back then, he could recall the fear he had of losing control to the darkness and harming his friends. How the Dark Cosmos injured Seiya and the other Legendary Bronzes.

"That cruel Cosmos…it's not possible for me to have it because Abzu was defeated!"

"That type of Cosmos cannot just disappear, Pegasus," said Arion. "It is difficult to explain: The power of the Cosmic Ocean is not described as fire, earth, and air. It's not evil or destructive per say, but it is everything. A true power in the hands of Gods. It beholds a limitless power that we cannot see, but we are certain of its purpose to expand and attract the worlds. It's called the Cosmic Ocean Cosmos or primordial waters Cosmos."

"Primordial?"

"Let me get to the main point: because it is an Ocean Cosmos, it's said that its essence remains in your blood. Our very bodies, like our Earth, contain water and make it prone to the effects of an unknown space. You can think of it as a scar or mark. Pollution. Phantom Pain. It will probably stay in you for years, if not for good."

"That's not true!"

"A power from the Cosmic Ocean cannot easily fade. If what you say is all true, then perhaps its resurgence is my fault." Arion opened a palm and raised it to his face level. Floating above his hand appeared a small meteorite. A piece of the Tri-X cluster.

"This."

"What about it?"

"My meteorites from the Tri-X Cluster, said to be abstracted from the depths of space, contain a dark matter and a dark energy."

The true secret behind the Tri-X Cluster—it was imbued with steel that contained a "curse". Cursed stars. It was said to be dark matter, the very thing that caused the universe to expand, but almost nothing is known of its existence. It can't be observed. This leads to the asteroids being called X Type, objects with an unknown taxonomy. Some objects were made of iron or nickel, or the common clay and rock. Despite being called very rare, X Type can have multiple familiarities with common asteroids, but could also contain magnetic fields, gases, and strong radiation albedo. Even so, Arion's attack contained a metallic, absorptive surface. It was capable of disintegrating Souma's arm as it contained a repelling matter that "throws away" familiar energy like atoms.

"Therefore, because both dark matter and energy cannot be touched and seen, holding the universe together in a void, the Cosmos that we are born with cannot fully destroy this asteroid. Especially not a Bronze Saint's. I assume when it hit you, it awakened the Cosmic Ocean within."

He would describe that as the one who holds the title of Life Cycle, Arion had the world in his hand. The barriers and the way that he repelled attacks, it all came from his ability to touch the barometric pressure of the entire land and even space. Thanks to the Gods, and a 19th century Chemist named John Dalton, it was discovered that all things we see, smell, hear, taste and touch carried "fundamental, undivided bits" that are alive. It was the same as the universe even though significantly less compared to Earth; the majority of it was a mysterious, dark field, a land that influenced the Tri X Cluster.

Because it lacked perceptible matter, reviving the power of the dark ocean from someone's body was a very rare thing.

As he stood, ignoring the open gap at his waist, with darkness undulating there, a shade crossed Arion's face.

"Pegasus Kouga…my thoughts about you seem to get worse," Arion's voice becomes a drawl that seems to lean behind a barrier of insanity. "For you to wield this power and live, to have it embedded in you, you are beyond even your own imagination."

"Stop talking like that! I am only one thing—!"

"How do you do it? Nothing makes sense. Does it slake you defeat and kill anything? Kill Gods?"

"I am Pegasus Kouga, I was taught by Shaina and I am a Saint of Athena, of Miss Saori!"

"Maybe the Cosmic Ocean has a mind of its own. Maybe you live because you're currently ideal to its desires? So that battle and living can evolve? To support Athena?"

"I managed to make it here with my own power!"

"Nonsense! Your own power is never enough without the touch of God. Kouga, even if it cost me my life, I will stop you. As an agent of Triptolemus, I am the only one who can!"

Arion would not mention it, but there was a reason behind his shock and fear – he now realized that Kouga not only has a unique power, but has a probability to truly kill Demeter. The Cosmic Ocean was called the Cosmos which could overcome everything as it pertains to the creation of the universe. It was an ancient power overwhelming to even the Titans and Olympians. For such a creation, it took life into its own "ocean" and contain it there.

"I will say this, Arion—the impossible can be possible!"

Both Saint and Terrae swiftly charged one another. They strike with one punch and explode. Arion thought of sending Kouga's power right back. The same ability Arion used against Souma, and Seiya against the Dodona guardian Hecaton: As Cosmos reached out and opposed one another in a concentrated field, seen by a trained eye, the atoms are absorbed in one spot briefly and thrown right back. Using another's force against them – the same as drawing an opponent off balance and into attacks. But they must move at the same time. Arion straightened his axis; good form and pinpointing the aim of the knuckles was the key. It's like a swift ramming attack - Tie Shan Kao (鐵山靠) or Tetsuzanko (鉄山靠).

Like a thrashing wave, The Cosmic Ocean ejected behind both Arion and Kouga. It lashed at the left and right side of Arion, and consumed Kouga. A splash of Cosmos mixed with silver, purple, and black. Through battle practice, according to records of Erebus and other dark gods, once power from the Cosmic Ocean hit a lifeform, it won't be taken by a "destructive" power, but have its presence absorbed. It will disappear. It is a faultless power that should not exist in the hands of humans.

It was also very erratic—for its property of acceleration increased Kouga's Cosmos tenfold. What was the probability of that happening? It was that window of probability, small or not, that Arion feared. After the punch, Pegasus Ryuseiken collided with a mass unleash of X Cluster. To the human eye, it would be a flash.

Perhaps being familiar with the X Cluster and its origin was the reason why Arion, the agent of Triptolemus, survived to any extent. To think that his techniques would first prevent the Saints from using their Cosmos, and then, would cause it to expand in power. He regretted awakening the Cosmic Ocean inside Kouga.

On his knees, his head bowed down, an image ripped through his head—seeing Demeter's body pelted by holes or missing limbs. It was anxiety. Being consumed by the Ocean, the Goddess would contain a disturbed look on her face. Maybe in her mind and heart, which would slowly disappear, she would realize that death approached.

A voice vibrated through the entire courtyard; Arion's body trembled.

"Pegasus!"

Kouga, a distance apart, heard Arion's scream from a nearly downed body. The Stole was broken here and there, a part of a wing snapped off, and all Kouga felt in his body was lightness. It was a familiar feeling where the insides of his body slowly swelled with a warm Cosmos. It was visible around his body as a thick, silver halo, and it felt like he could get through anything. He remembered seeing an avalanche of meteorites coming his way, and when he lifted his fist, one by one, the rocks exploded.

"Stay away from her!"

Pegasus Kouga was trying to orient his mind. The atmosphere was clear again, but his body continue to wax inside. Despite yearning to defeat his enemy, and having thought that he was on the brink of death, it didn't feel real.

"I won't let you!" The Terrae's voice seeped into a whisper. It felt safe for Kouga to approach slowly. The Terrae was a man who fell to his knees after all.

"Kouga…you can't…"

Kouga blinked; Arion wouldn't see the boy's face show some expression of comprehension.

"Arion…do you…?!"

"At the least, I could prevent it or mitigate it…so you don't use it on Demeter."

Arion's arm reached out, and the Dragon's Vault appeared spiraling behind Kouga. Kouga looked over his shoulder and saw a bird's eye view of an ocean. Suddenly, a regolith elevated and threw itself upon the Saint, smothering him up to his neck in residue. Kouga's mouth opened to gasp, shocked that he felt a heavy weight crushing his body.

But that weight slowly slid off. Arion's arm lowered. The image of the sea disappearing, The Dragon's Vault contracted and fell to the ground.

Damn it…please move. I can't die here.

The Fourth Garden of Horae became silent. Eventually, Pegasus Kouga would leave for Demeter's Temple.