Maierin had Aioria sit cross-legged and released his own Cosmos, guiding Aioria through the process.
The reason Aioria had yet to don the Leo Gold Cloth was that his Cosmos had not yet reached the Seventh Sense.
Since childhood, he had undergone the harshest training. Though only eight years old, his physical strength was already on par with an adult's. Furthermore, Aioria possessed extraordinary talent—he could learn almost any technique just by seeing it once. Even his elder brother, Aiolos, envied this talent.
Age had never been the standard for becoming a Gold Saint. For example, the previous Leo Gold Saint, Regulus, had inherited the Leo Gold Cloth from his father before turning ten, making him the youngest Gold Saint in history—a remarkable prodigy.
Unfortunately, the last Holy War had been too brutal. At just fifteen years old, Regulus fought alone against one of the three Giants who had received divine blood—Celestial Fierce Star, Radamanthys. In a desperate struggle, he surpassed his limits, reaching the pinnacle of his Cosmos and unleashing a technique that, despite its small scale, rivaled the Big Bang in power—Athena's Exclamation.
Even more astonishing was that when Athena's Exclamation failed to harm Radamanthys, Regulus, driven by both talent and sheer determination, unleashed Zodiac Howl, the strongest technique of humanity.
However, this ultimately led him to wield a power beyond human limits, causing his body to collapse and merge with the earth.
In Maierin's eyes, Aioria's potential even exceeded that of Regulus. With proper guidance, he could surpass the very first generation of Gold Saints.
Engulfed in Maierin's warm Cosmos, Aioria immersed himself in the energy, following Maierin's guidance and exploring his own potential.
Aioria had already reached the peak of the Sixth Sense, yet he was unable to break through the bottleneck no matter what he tried.
But with Maierin's assistance, he could sense the barrier holding him back beginning to loosen. He mimicked Maierin's Cosmos, trembling slightly as a tiny crack appeared in the bottleneck.
With each exertion, the crack widened. Though the process was painful and exhausting, the warmth of Maierin's Cosmos fueled him with boundless strength.
Finally, after countless attempts, the barrier shattered completely—Aioria had awakened his Seventh Sense.
"Boom!"
A golden beam of light shot up from the Leo Temple, drawing the attention of all within the Sanctuary.
"That Cosmos… Aioria! You did it too?" Aiolos, Saga, and Kanon, sensing the familiar and vibrant energy, rejoiced at Aioria's success.
Shion and Alex were equally gratified. They had known Regulus and his incredible strength. Seeing Aioria, who possessed talent on par with Regulus, along with Aiolos, Saga, and Kanon—all outstanding young warriors—their hearts filled with hope.
"The Sanctuary has a bright future ahead."
"Indeed. With Maierin awakened, the Sanctuary may even surpass its peak in the mythological era."
Elsewhere, the Ancient One also sensed the dramatic shift in the Sanctuary.
"Another Gold Saint is born, the young lion takes his place, and the Earth Father God is about to break his seal… Is this a blessing or a curse?"
"Master," Mordo and a group of sorcerers approached the Ancient One. They were aware that something had changed in the Sanctuary but did not understand the details.
"Spend more time with the Saints in the coming days. Ensure a strong bond is forged between us," the Ancient One instructed.
"Yes, Master."
Meanwhile, Maierin's brow furrowed slightly before relaxing again, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.
Within two days, Shion and Alex had formulated a Sanctuary Reform Plan and began negotiations with the Ancient One.
"Master Ancient One, Kamar-Taj has many mundane disciples. We hope to enlist them as guides for the Sanctuary."
"Does this mean the Sanctuary intends to step into the world?"
"Of course. The Sanctuary has remained secluded for too long. The world is evolving rapidly, and the age of people fearing the gods has long passed. If we cling to the old ways, we are doomed to decline. To reclaim our former glory, we must reconnect with the world."
"Very well, I have no objections. However, my proposal goes beyond this."
"Please, do tell."
"I wish to maintain and even strengthen the alliance between Kamar-Taj and the Sanctuary. Let us form a mutual defense pact against threats to Earth."
The Ancient One felt some apprehension. Traditionally, the Sanctuary's enemies had always been deities coveting the Earth and their minions. External threats, including alien civilizations, were not their concern. Like Kamar-Taj, unless Athena commanded otherwise, the Saints refrained from interfering in worldly matters.
Furthermore, with Maierin's revival, the Sanctuary's position had strengthened, while Kamar-Taj's remained the same. This imbalance made the Ancient One uncertain whether the offer would be accepted.
To her surprise, Shion agreed without hesitation.
"Of course. Protecting the Earth is the Sanctuary's duty. Lord Maierin has already decreed that we must reengage with the world, and all beings within it are now under our protection."
"Then I am grateful, Your Eminence."
"This is simply our responsibility. Master Ancient One, as someone well-versed in worldly affairs, may we ask for your insights on our reform plan? Please suggest any necessary improvements."
Taking the plan from Shion, the Ancient One skimmed through it and immediately grasped Maierin's ambition.
Since ancient times, only a select few in Athens knew of the Sanctuary's existence. Now, while this plan did not fully expose the Sanctuary to the world, its scale was large enough that any major organization would take notice.
Clearly, Maierin aimed not just for reintegration with the world but also to recruit non-Saints and form alliances with suitable organizations to confront future crises together.
Most importantly, intelligence networks were a priority. In the modern age, information is power. Knowing the enemy beforehand ensures victory. This principle had held true since ancient times.
Since this was a partnership, the Ancient One saw no reason to obstruct it. Besides, Maierin would surely notice any hidden schemes. Thus, she carefully refined the reform plan with genuine effort.
Meanwhile, Mordo followed her instructions and began interacting with the Saints.
Seeking answers, Mordo cautiously visited the Gemini Temple to find Kanon.
"What do you want?" Kanon had no goodwill toward Mordo.
"Honorable Saint, I apologize for my past impulsiveness. Please forgive me."
"Hmph. Speak. What do you want?"
"Why did you choose to embrace the power of darkness?"
"That's all?" Kanon scoffed.
"Yes. Dark forces are filled with malice and destruction. They lure people into madness, ultimately turning them into slaves of darkness."
"Hah. How ignorant."
"Please enlighten me."
"I am the Dark Star of Gemini. The constellation of Gemini represents both light and darkness. My brother represents light, while I embody darkness."
"Aren't you afraid of corruption?"
"Those who succumb to power are unworthy of being Saints."
"But…"
"The Master taught us that the world is not simply black and white. Humanity itself is both light and dark."
Kanon relayed Maierin's teachings, realizing that Mordo was trapped in a rigid mindset.
It was true that darkness often led to corruption. When Kanon first donned the Dark Gemini Cloth, he had felt his inner darkness stirring restlessly.
However, Maierin's Cosmos had always shielded and reminded him to remain steadfast, to control his power rather than be controlled by it.
In that sense, power itself is neither good nor evil—its wielder determines its morality.
Mordo was shaken. His beliefs had been challenged.
The Ancient One had always taught that sorcerers must uphold order, while darkness sought only to destroy it. Though dark magic was powerful, it was forbidden.
Yet today's conversation had broadened his perspective. Perhaps, in the end, it is the wielder, not the power itself, that matters.