| Before his death, Giganto tells Saga that he doesn't fear death because Hades has promised him eternal life, but Shaka responds that it's funny since he talks to Buddha regularly and has never heard of a human with eternal life. Giganto dies with the question of Hades' honesty in his promise. Shaka looks at Saga and the rest and tells them to wait and asks Saga again if he really wants to kill Athena. Saga tells him that he will kill her and Shaka knows what he has to do and asks them to follow him. They head into a side room where the four man enter and find themselves in a magnificent garden. Shura and Camus wonder why there is a garden within the Virgo Temple and upon seeing a couple of sala trees, Saga explains to them that they're in Nirvana and that Shura is Buddha's reincarnation so he brought them here because he plans to die as Buddha did under the Salas. Shura is ready to help Shaka with what he wants and attacks him with his Excalibur, but Shaka jumps up to evade it. Shaka tells them that this place may be their death place too and Camus jumps up to meet with him, then throws his Diamond Dust at him. It freezes Shaka's leg then he notices that Saga is behind him, about to send him to another dimension, but Shaka doesn't want to go to another dimension so he escapes his attack. Shaka knows that he can't fight the three Gold Saints at once and knows that if he tries he'll die sooner or later. Saga and company rush towards Shaka, but he raises his rosary and Saga recognizes this attack and warns the other two Saints. Saga is using his most powerful technique which is a possition of both defense and offense. Shaka then explains that the only way to get through him is by using the Athena Exclamation, a technique forbiden by Athena in ancient times. Shaka says that he'll slowly start removing their five senses and gets rid of one of them. Saga is eager to use that technique, but Camus and Shura still hessitate. Saga tells them that since they're in the garden of the twin salas, Shaka doesn't want to beat them, he wants to die. He then explains what the Athena Exclamation really is: A technique performed by three Gold Saints where they represent the holy trinity and create an explosion similar to the Big Bang. The two Gold Saints aren't too convinced yet and Shaka removes a second sense from them. They want to fight fairly and refuse to have to fight one man with three. Shaka removes their third sense as Camus and Shura tell Saga that the Athena Exclamation is a technique for cowards. Saga tells them that they swore to take Athena's head and even if they have to give up honor and their title as Saint they will, this encourages Shura and Camus as their fourth sense leaves them too. At this time, everyone in the Sanctuary feel a bad premonition and in the Scorpio Temple, Milo wonders if Shaka really wants to die. Aioria and Shiryu arrive at Virgo and Aioria calls to Shaka and says that he has come to bring his backup. They find the door to the garden, but it's too big to budge and as Aioria prepares to destroy it, Mu stops him. Aioria doesn't understand why Mu is stopping him and the second tells him that he must respect Shaka's wishes. Then a flashback of Shaka, four years ago in Buddha's Temple saying how he spent days sitting and meditating and how he saw many corpses in the Ganges river and said that they looked like they were happy to have died. Shaka then explains how Buddha told him that human life is not only pain and suffering, but it has its joys, Shaka didn't understand and then snaps out of it when Saga announces that they will use Athena's Exclamation. Shaka tells them that me must kill them before removing their fifth sense. Then Shaka smiles as there is a huge explosion. Everyone in the Sanctuary feel Shaka's death and the garden is completely annihilated, everything but the two salas. Milo is angry with Saga for using this technique, while Kanon doesn't understand his brother's actions and Aioria is enfuriated with not being able to do something to help. Shaka remembers that Buddha once told him that death isn't permanent and that there are some people who overcome death and that they are almost like gods. When the three evil Gold Saints awaken and find out that Shaka is still alive. Saga notices that Shaka's look is empty and stops Shura who wants to fight again. Shaka stands up and heads to the two salas and gives a speech about human life, then sits there. Shura offers to help Shaka die, but before he does anything, Shaka vannishes. Shaka is dead and only his rosary remains, Saga and the rest cry at his grave and tell him that they have never betrayed Athena. They leave the garden and meet Shiryu, Aioria and Mu where they still look sad. Saga hands Shaka's rosary to Mu, who accepts it. Aioria can't take his fury anymore and hits Saga, Camus and Shura. They refuse and ask Aioria "does the sleeping lion wake angry?" Aioria gets even madder and attacks them with his Lightning Fist, but Mu holds Aioria's arm back. Mu tells him that he shouldn't hit handicapped people, but Aioria is tired of philosophical thoughts and doesn't care if Saga and them aren't people anymore. Aioria attacks again, but this time the attack is stopped by Saga who tells him that they can't die yet. Saga says that he plans to kill anyone who interferes with their plans, but Milo appears and says that it's funny because he is going to kill them right there. He then hits the black Gold Saints with his Scarlet Needle over and over again and says that he won't give then the choice to retreat like he always does to his victims. Mu warns Milo as Saga stands up and uses his Galaxian Explosion, which Milo manages to barely avoid. Milo wonders how they can still fight and then before anything else, the three Saints prepare Athena's Exclamation again! Athena sees the petals that Shaka sent her and understands why he died and knows she must do something. Milo, Mu and Aioria also set up the Athena Exclamation and launch an incredible atack that threatens to destroy the whole Sanctuary and everything in it. |