Hiroki waved his hand, signaling the gathered crowd to disperse. "A false alarm, everyone go back and rest. Stay alert," he said loudly, his voice still somewhat raspy after the intense battle.
Uchiha Fugaku and the others nodded slightly, leading the elite Ninja of the clan to quickly and silently vanish into the shadows of the manor's corners, re-establishing their defensive lines. The warriors from the Sanctuary also returned to their posts at the signal of Kido Saori's butler, and the tense atmosphere within the manor eased slightly.
Hiroki turned his gaze to Uchiha Izumi beside him, giving her a weary smile. "Izumi, help me find a quiet room. I need to recover."
"Understood, Young Master. Please follow me," Izumi immediately replied, gently supporting Hiroki, who was still somewhat drained of strength.
They walked along a corridor that, while somewhat messy, still showed its former splendor. This hideout manor of Kido Saori's was indeed of impressive scale, practically a mountain fortress.
Although the spiritual pressure shockwave triggered by Isayama Yomi's Hollowfication experiment just now had unfortunately caused a corner of some buildings near the mountain peak to collapse, and the dust had yet to settle, there were still plenty of vacant and intact rooms.
As expected of the eldest daughter of the Kido family, who controlled a massive conglomerate; even her safe house reserves were so luxurious.
Guided by Izumi, they arrived at a spacious guest room on the other side of the manor, near a cliff view. The room had a wide view, elegant decor, and was fully furnished.
As soon as the door closed, Hiroki could no longer hold himself up. He let out a satisfied sigh and, as if his bones had been removed, collapsed heavily onto the soft, large bed.
His body sank deep into the mattress, and the soreness in his muscles made him wince. Staring at the ornate ceiling chandelier, his consciousness sank into his mind as he silently called out:
"System... this 'Taixu Divine Sword' [Note: Divine Implication] state where one shot hits the mark but I can't get up for three days—is there really no other way to solve it? If I keep being 'cool for three seconds, bedridden for three full days,' my reputation is going to be completely ruined..."
A clear system interface instantly popped up in his mind, and a cold voice responded:
"Searching for matching solutions..."
"Option 1: Enhance core strength. When the host's own spiritual power level stably reaches First Class Spiritual Pressure, you can fully support the normal consumption and recovery cycle of Great Void Sword Qi - Divine Implication. Methods of realization: Deep cultivation / Special enhancement / Point exchange. Point exchange price: 10,000,000 (10 million) points."
"Option 2: Energy Recovery Potion (Spiritual Pressure Supplement type). High-grade magic/spiritual power potion, which can accelerate the natural recovery rate of spiritual pressure and alleviate the state of exhaustion. The effect is slow and continuous. Exchange price: 1,000 points/bottle."
"Option 3: Dragon Ball world specialty 'Senzu Bean'. A rule-grade recovery item that instantly restores all energy (including Spiritual Pressure/Chakra/Cosmo, etc.) and heals non-fatal injuries. Exchange price: 50,000 points/bean. (Note: Stock is scarce; the value matches the difference in world rules.)"
"Option 4: Conceptual skill 'Forced Energy Lock'. A rare skill that, when activating any powerful skill exceeding one's own limits, forcibly locks the last bit of source energy to avoid fainting from exhaustion or death (ineffective against fatal injuries). Needs active activation; has a cooldown period. Exchange price: 3,000,000 (3 million) points."
Hiroki's gaze lingered over the four options.
"The first one... Tsk, ten million points? That's an astronomical figure. Don't even think about it, PASS!"
"The second one, slow recovery... Hmm, this looks like the best value for money. Only a thousand points, like drinking a functional beverage."
"The third one, Senzu Bean! That's just Yajirobe's rations, and this profiteering system is actually selling it to me for fifty thousand a piece? Greedy, truly greedy!"
"The fourth one, Forced Energy Lock... Sounds like a life-saving god-tier skill to prevent being drained by my own ultimate move. Three million... Tsk, did I just happen to have enough money to buy this after finishing Saori's mission? Is this another one of the system's fishing tactics? Forget it, for now, the returns don't seem as direct as a Senzu Bean, and it's a bit too coincidental that I have just enough after this mission... A bit suspicious. I'll wait and see for now."
After a quick calculation in his head, Hiroki made a decision: "I'll try one of those Spiritual Pressure Recovery Potions first to test the waters."
"Received. 1,000 points deducted. The item has been delivered to the host's personal space."
With a thought, a small, exquisite potion bottle shimmering with a faint blue glow appeared in Hiroki's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, he uncorked it, tilted his head back, and downed the cool liquid, which had a peculiar fragrance.
The effect was immediate. A gentle but steady warm current instantly spread from his stomach, like a trickling stream, beginning to slowly and firmly nourish his parched spiritual veins.
Fatigue slowly receded like a tide, and the soreness deep within his body also lessened significantly. Although he was still far from a full recovery to his peak, this feeling of gradually "recharging" lifted his spirits.
"Phew... not bad." Hiroki let out a long sigh of relief, feeling like he had regained some control over his body.
Just as he closed his eyes to feel the warm current slowly flowing, a pair of cool yet supple fingers lightly touched his temples. Hiroki opened his eyes to see Uchiha Izumi kneeling by the bed at some unknown point.
"Young Master, do you feel any better?" she asked softly, her eyes filled with concern. "Would you like... me to give you a massage to relax? It's a technique I just recently learned."
Hiroki raised an eyebrow in surprise, turning his head to look at her clear, beautiful face, which held a hint of expectation. "You know how to do this? When did you learn?"
Izumi pursed her lips slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible smile. "In my free time while looking after you, I learned a few moves from the butler's health therapist, thinking it might help ease your fatigue."
"Heh," Hiroki chuckled, lying flat again. "Then what are we waiting for? Come on, let me check the results of your studies." As he spoke, he relaxed all his muscles.
"Mm!" Izumi responded, her fingertips applying just the right amount of pressure as she began to knead Hiroki's tense forehead, neck, and shoulders. Her technique was indeed still a bit raw, but she made up for it with meticulous care. Her nimble fingers, carrying a tiny warmth from her Chakra control, precisely pressed on the acupoints that were exceptionally sensitive due to the spiritual pressure overexertion.
Hiroki couldn't help but let out a comfortable groan. Under Izumi's service, his tense nerves and muscles softened bit by bit. The soft daylight from outside spilled into the room; this rare peaceful moment seemed to temporarily dispel the smoke and urgency of the past few days.
Just as Hiroki was about to be lulled into a nap by this perfect massage—
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A clear and restrained knocking sound abruptly rang out in the quiet room.
"Tsk..." Hiroki clicked his tongue in displeasure, his brow furrowing instantly. "Who is it? What a time to pick."
Izumi immediately stopped her movements and nimbly rose from the bed. "Please wait a moment, Young Master. I'll go check." She walked quickly to the door and pulled it open.
The figure outside the door gave Izumi a slight start, but she quickly regained her respectful posture. "Miss Saori?"
Standing outside the door was indeed Kido Saori, dressed in casual clothes yet still unable to hide her noble aura. Her expression was calm as her gaze passed over Izumi's shoulder into the room. "Yes, Miss Izumi. Mr. Hiroki should be awake by now, right? If it's convenient, I have something I'd like to discuss with him in person."
Izumi turned slightly to block the view and said calmly, "Please wait a moment, Miss Saori." Then she politely closed the door.
After a brief tidying up (mainly Hiroki quickly adjusting his posture to sit on the sofa, trying not to look so listless), Izumi opened the door again. "Miss Saori, please come in."
Kido Saori walked into the room with steady steps. This guest room, specially prepared for Hiroki, was naturally spacious, and the sofa in the reception area was fully equipped.
Saori went straight to the armchair and sat down gracefully. Her calm, ripple-less gaze fell on Hiroki, yet it seemed to carry an indescribable weight.
"Miss Saori, for you to come here personally, is there something urgent?" Hiroki spoke first, his tone as steady as possible, while his mind rapidly considered the possible intentions of this reincarnation of the goddess Athena.
Kido Saori folded her hands over her knees and got straight to the point. "There are primarily two things I need to confirm with you, Mr. Hiroki. Regarding the reinforcements who triggered that intense energy fluctuation just now—is her power enough to oppose Saga? In that state of hers."
Kido Saori had naturally heard the commotion; the Uchiha guards had only told her that a powerful reinforcement had arrived.
Hiroki nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely. With her current level of power, she's enough to stall Saga in a one-on-one fight. Of course, to ensure nothing goes wrong, if she could get Dohko's support for a pincer attack, the chances of victory would be even higher and more secure."
"I understand." Saori nodded slightly, as if she had long anticipated this answer. Then, her gaze sharpened a bit more as she cut to the core of the matter. "Then, what about your own situation, Mr. Hiroki? That powerful sword technique of yours that once blocked 'Athena's Exclamation' head-on—Tai Xu Sword Qi—can it be used again before we launch the offensive on the Sanctuary?"
Hiroki felt a trace of invisible pressure, but his answer remained resolute. "Of course. Although the cost of using it is immense and the consumption is staggering, the power itself can be called upon and released at any time. It's just that every time I use it, my body will be completely drained like before and will need time to recover."
The cooldown for Great Void Sword Qi - Divine Implication was one day, so it had long since refreshed. However, Hiroki just collapsed after using it and didn't have the chance to get up and use it again the next day.
"I see..." The tension in Kido Saori's expression seemed to loosen ever so slightly. "The certainty of success for this trip is indeed more secure."
Hiroki took this opportunity to lead the conversation elsewhere, also wanting to fish for some information. "Miss Saori, how is the integration of the Saint Seiya support forces coming along?"
"Master Dohko has temporarily returned to the Five Old Peaks for final preparations. Mr. Mu has returned to the Pamir Plateau (Jamir) to rest and reorganize. Don't worry, they will surely arrive in time to rendezvous with us when we launch our attack on the Sanctuary." Saori's voice remained calm and powerful.
"Mm, that's good." Hiroki followed up, "And... what about your 'the bronze five'?" He used a more modern term.
Saori took a moment to realize who he was referring to. "'the bronze five'... You mean Seiya, Shiryu, and the others?"
"Yes, those few." Hiroki nodded. "How are Seiya's injuries? I remember he was quite badly hurt by Saga."
A nearly cold indifference appeared on Saori's face. "Seiya's physical constitution far exceeds that of ordinary people. Although those injuries looked serious, they are no longer a major issue. He should be fully recovered within two or three days at most. The others are the same; with the protection of my Cosmo, their recovery power is beyond imagination."
'They really do have the lives of cockroaches...' Hiroki couldn't help but complain internally. 'They don't die even after being beaten like that... Or rather, with a "cheat" like you running in the background, it's hard to die even if they wanted to...' He then asked the key question: "So... have they all understood the Seventh Sense? That's the foundation for fighting Gold Saints, right?"
Saori's answer was very objective. "I can only say... in a desperate situation, they can barely touch that threshold. But to stably manifest and use the power of the Seventh Sense Cosmo like a Gold Saint, they still need tempering." This was equivalent to admitting that Seiya and the others still needed to "level up" in actual combat.
'As expected... being Athena's Saints is truly miserable; leveling up in actual combat always involves putting their lives on the line...' Hiroki thought.
"So, Miss Saori," Hiroki brought the question back to the core strategy, "for our offensive on the Sanctuary, how certain are you that you can persuade the other Gold Saints who are still in the Sanctuary with unclear attitudes? If we can win them over, the pressure will be much less."
In Saori's eyes flickered the light of strategy and divinity. "I believe that with Master Dohko's testimony, combined with the true fate of the previous Pope Shion (Saga's betrayal) and the proof of my Cosmo, as long as they aren't Saga's core loyalists (like Deathmask or Aphrodite), the other Gold Saints who still harbor justice or are wavering should be winnable. Master Dohko's prestige and the information I convey are crucial."
Hiroki breathed a sigh of relief. "Is that so... That's good. That way, we at least won't have to face the main resistance of seven or eight Gold Saints simultaneously."
"That is exactly what I mean." Kido Saori calmly picked up the conversation, stating a plan that made Hiroki's heart twitch. "Therefore, for this operation, Seiya, Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki will continue to serve as the vanguard. They will enter the Sanctuary first to clear out the fodder and negotiate with or confront the remaining Silver and Bronze Saints. At the same time... they will directly face those Gold Saints standing on the front lines who have not yet been persuaded." Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if letting teenagers who hadn't fully mastered the Seventh Sense go head-to-head with Gold Saints was the most natural tactical choice.
'Hey, hey, hey!' Hiroki screamed internally. 'You, as a goddess, really don't treat the lives of these "cockroaches" as anything! In their current state, you're letting them "face" Gold Saints? Isn't that just sending them to get beaten up to trigger the "power-up" buff and level up?! Fine... anyway, with you as the strongest background boss providing an invincibility cheat, they probably won't die...'
He quickly adjusted his expression and followed Saori's lead. "I completely agree with that. It's the best strategy to keep our trump cards' strength preserved and hidden in the rear, specifically to deal with the most troublesome Saga and his core followers. It's appropriate to let Seiya and the others take the lead to draw fire and scout the path."
Saori expressed satisfaction with Hiroki's "sensibility." "Mm. The specific action plan will be detailed once Seiya and the others have recovered. For these few days, please rest assured and recuperate here, Mr. Hiroki, to recover your strength as quickly as possible. If you need anything—be it food, medicine, or training grounds—just tell the butler, and they will do their best to meet all your requirements."
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Miss Saori," Hiroki replied politely.
Kido Saori said no more, rose gracefully, and left the room accompanied by Izumi.
The moment the door closed again, Hiroki's tense body suddenly relaxed. He let out a long breath, feeling a thin layer of sweat on his back.
This Miss Kido Saori, after experiencing the raid on her manor by Saga, being arduously rescued by Hiroki, and witnessing Dohko's outburst, had clearly seen the true awakening of the will belonging to the goddess Athena.
Even if she was deliberately restraining her power at this moment, the omnipresent, indescribable "divinity" that carried a high-and-mighty scrutiny and the pressure of rules while talking to her still made Hiroki feel extremely uncomfortable.
Whatever, he was just a mercenary anyway.
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