Zaphiri of Scorpio

Appearance.

Zaphiri is a person with fair skin who appears to be perhaps 20 or 25 years old. He is tall, 1.88 meters, and has a medium build with an athletic, though not very muscular, physique. He has dark, possibly black, hair, which he keeps short, just below the nape of his neck.

Personality.

According to Lugonis, even among the Gold Saints, Zaphiri was considered a trustworthy and prudent man. For his part, Zaphiri presents himself as someone who is not afraid to confront his colleagues, as is the case with Lugonis, although he prefers to avoid such confrontations. Furthermore, he can be observed as a boastful, proud, uncompromising, and bad-tempered man, although with a good heart. However, he gets upset easily and doesn't like his decisions being questioned. Zaphiri has expressed his annoyance at the tranquility possessed by the people in the Sanctuary and Sage, despite the fact that the awakening of the Specters is already perceived and Athena has not yet arrived in this world. He also points out that when Athena appears, she will do so in the form of a baby, implying that they will have to wait several years before she can fight alongside them. Being a man who believes that the end justifies the means, he doesn't mind betraying the Sanctuary and Athena to protect the Earth. Therefore, he tries to take advantage of Poseidon's power to confront Hades. However, although he has betrayed the goddess to whom he had sworn allegiance, he shows awareness that his actions are a crime against the Sanctuary. Therefore, before beginning his mission, he uses the Scarlet Needle on his own body, which would cause his death shortly after he achieves his objective, thus seeking to atone for his crime.

History.

Twenty years before the start of the Holy War against Hades, during the 18th century, Zaphiri, after abandoning and betraying the Sanctuary, arrives in the icy lands of Bluegrad. However, Lugonis, sent by Sage, closely follows him. Lugonis warns him that he must return to the Sanctuary or he will be forced to consider him a deserter. Zaphiri replies that it is too late, as the Pope probably will not grant him forgiveness. He then attacks with the Scarlet Needle, but Lugonis counterattacks with his Piranha Rose. Both techniques collide in the center. Zaphiri warns him that he doesn't have time to "play" and that if he continues pursuing him, he will attack him with all his might. Next, Lugonis asks for an explanation for his betrayal, as he was sent to listen to him, and both he and Sage trust Scorpio. Zaphiri reveals that he could not bear the Sanctuary's tranquility in the face of the Specters' resurrection. It is then that Lugonis asks Zaphiri what he will do if he has lost faith in his comrades. To which he replies that Athena has not yet been born and that years will pass before she can fight alongside the Saints. Perhaps, when they act, it will be too late. Therefore, he has decided to use Poseidon's power to fight against Hades. After this revelation, the Gold Saints decide to continue the battle; however, they are interrupted by Ilias, who tells Zaphiri that nature does not want more blood to be spilled. Zaphiri smiles and then falls to his knees before his comrades, revealing that he has used the fifteen needles of the Scarlet Needle on his own body. Zaphiri explains to his comrades that this was his decision and he is aware of the crime he committed. Even with his own life, he could not pay for what he did. Finally, Zaphiri falls dead before his comrades. After his death, Krest appears, who uses his freezing air to place his lifeless body in an ice coffin.

Techniques/Attacks

•Restriction: This involves using psychokinesis to project mental waves that, upon reaching their target, completely immobilize their movements. •Scarlet Needle: This is a technique that directly attacks the enemy's central nervous system using a shockwave (produced by exceeding the speed of sound with the arm movement when striking) that emanates from the user's fingertip. The intense pain it causes also results in total, but not fatal, paralysis. •Scarlet Needle Antares: Concentrates his cosmos at the tip of his finger to fire a bright red sphere from his fingertip, piercing his opponent and striking the point located in the center of the Scorpio constellation and in the center of the victim's torso, thus completing the Scarlet Needle with the fifteenth final blow. •Scarlet Needle Blaze: This is a technique based on scarlet flames, a main characteristic of the star Antares. This technique consists of launching the first fourteen strikes of the Scarlet Needle simultaneously; all strikes are fired from the user's index fingernail, taking the form of energy spears that pierce the opponent's body. •Scarlet Assault Needle: This is characterized as an assault strike. This technique consists of launching all fifteen Scarlet Needle strikes simultaneously, surprising the opponent and inflicting fatal damage with a single blow. •Scarlet Needle Blaze Antares: This is a technique based on scarlet flames. This technique consists of launching the last needle of the fifteen strikes, similar to Scarlet Needle Antares; it is the final sting that shoots from the user's index fingernail, piercing the opponent's body in scarlet flames. •Crimson Stinger: This consists of concentrating all the Scarlet Needles into a single attack, while simultaneously concentrating all of one's cosmos and explosive power.