SSO THE END Cast VIII.

Andromeda Shun: The Legendary Bronze Saint who fought alongside Seiya, Shiryu, Hyouga and his older brother Ikki. While he dislikes fighting, and has a gentle personage, his Nebula Chains' versatility covers attack and defense. Hades chose him as a host for his soul.

Pallas: Athena's adopted sister and leader of the Pallasites; she was accidently killed by Athena during mythological times and hated her, perpetrating the last war at Pallasbeda along with Saturn's Four Kings. In this story, this new war, she aids Athena's Saints as a substitute leader.

Capricorn Safar: The latest Capricorn Saint succeeding Ionia and Shura, inheriting their utmost loyalty to Athena. In his right arm, he carries the Emerald Scimitar, Zomorrodnegār (Zomo or Zomorro for short); with it, this Saint can sense and destroy evil spirits with ease.

Note on the term "brothers": In the classic SS comic, Kido Mitsumasa created his Graad Foundation to train youths to become Saints. Many of the young, like Seiya, were born from different women by Kido. Ikki and Shun are the only ones related.

Quiet Chains of Fate. The Purest of Hearts (Part 2)

(静かなチェーン. 最も純粋な心)

At this absurd display of saving a life among the throes of death, Pharoah Sphinx's smile spelled a pretense that everything was going well for the Saints.

Shun used his right Nebula chain, the triangle chain, and whipped it towards Haruto. There was a faint glow from inside of Wolf Haruto's body, but it did not radiate life as one would expect from the rising sun. The chain skewered the light and Haruto's heart, a black glob, was extracted with a yank. Then, replaced by Shun's own heart from the left chain. While observing, under tension, Hyouga kept his doubts and distrust within; what was even the purpose of carrying an ominous, dysfunctional heart that lacked perfusion? It did not look like a healthy heart, Hyouga thought, let alone an actual heart.

In a matter of seconds, the glob suddenly swirled and burst into dark appendages. They wrapped around the Nebula Chains like a snaring web, swivel across the chains, and snake towards the orifice in Shun's chest. The Andromeda Saint's scream pierced the dark air.

Sphinx Pharoah released an audible, satisfying chuckle. "I guess it makes sense. You were my former Master, after all."

There was not much Aquarius Hyouga could do as Shun was being caressed by blades of darkness. Two backsteps, Hyouga's body withdrew beyond his control, and once he stalled, he promptly thought, "This Cosmos is familiar." Shun's pure eyes then became a cold blue, his skin pale, his hair and Cloth darkening. Hyouga's head snapped towards Sphinx as he glared angrily at the Specter; his voice was surprisingly measured.

"You plan to use Shun's body to host Hades's spirit, aren't you?!"

"It would be more ideal to do so…if you wish to save him."

"What do you mean?!"

"Behold, Gold Saint. Do you want an almighty God? Or do you want…a slave? Or perhaps the question should be: Can you kill your own friend?" The Specter seemed to bask in victory with his swagger.

"It is now up to him. Andromeda Shun, become a slave or a God. I propose the most noble choice," he said. Even though he would not express it, Sphinx was also confused as to what was happening. Either way, The Specter had hoped that this would mark a defeat for the Saints, and he was on the brink of laughing. The laugh would not emerge as he began to lose feeling in his lower body; instinctively, Pharoah tilted his head down and saw silver encasing his knees right down to his feet.

Crystal?! His mind shouted, then he looked ahead, and saw the glowing gold aura of Hyouga. Sphinx Pharoah began to find the Gold Saint's Cosmos unsettling. Aquarius Hyouga was pointing at Pharoah; the temperature had dropped. He expanded his chilling Cosmos throughout the air; it was more comprehensible than death and froze whatever Hyouga willed.

It was even more unsettling that one sight of Hyouga's face brought confusion within Pharoah. He could not even focus on the change of Andromeda Shun.

This cold…why is it hot?

It was indeed cold. Ice was fundamentally cold, but something seared Pharoah's skin and bones: The heat from rage. In a flash, an uppercut connected to his chin, and his entire body ricocheted and spun high into a tornado suffused with freezing air. With the Balance of Curse no longer a concern, Hyouga's Kholodnyi Smerch was unleashed. Against the strength of a Gold Saint—an experienced Saint who faced various powerful opponents, even a Judge of Hell—Pharoah Sphinx's attempts of gain exceeding praise by his King and Queen left a lot to be desired. He did not expect his body to freeze and then break apart from rapid spinning winds. One thing he would remember was that under a veneer of Hyouga's calm, there was an explosive power. If it was not by Hyouga's hand, it would've have been Shun. Speaking of which, with the Specter threat out of the way, Hyouga's attention turned to Shun, and he broke out of his anger from a mix of relief and disbelief.

The transformed Andromeda no longer writhed violently—after the darkness ebbed into his Shun, something dug through his heart, clutching it.

"H—Ha—Haruto!" A hand plowed through Shun, the Saint uttering the name of the bespectacled man before him. A serious scowl directed towards Shun had snapped him awake.

"Watch out Shun, it's the Underworld's power! Do not succumb to it."

There was a reason neither Shun nor Haruto couldn't completely die.