Chapter 11: Pandora

Having successfully slain two gods in one fell swoop, Phoenix found herself inexplicably losing consciousness.

When awareness returned, it came through the soft sensation beneath her head and the faint, lingering fragrance in her nostrils.

Phoenix opened her eyes, scanning her surroundings with caution.

She found herself in a monochrome world of endless gray, stretching to the horizon's edge. The desolate landscape held not a single soul, yet pulsed with an unsettling mystery.

To her shock, Phoenix discovered she lay across a young girl's lap. Her heart skipped a beat as she instinctively moved to rise.

A pair of delicate hands pressed against her shoulders, easing her back down.

At this moment, Phoenix finally raised her head to look upward, meeting the gaze of the owner of those eyes.

It was a young girl who appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen years old. She had long purple hair tied in twin ponytails, the eerie color reminiscent of the famous Greek mythological monster Medusa. Her face, though childlike and innocent, carried a mature grace that made one forget her youthful appearance and think instead of a 'mature woman'.

She wore a thin white dress that accentuated her slender frame - slender to the point of being almost ethereal.

And Phoenix found herself lying there, propped up on one knee.

She hadn't expected such lavish treatment from a Campione. To receive a goddess's knee cushion right from the start... well, in that case... Phoenix naturally settled into the position, resting comfortably on the girl's lap.

Yet a hint of confusion still lingered on Phoenix's face as she asked, "...Who are you? Where are we?"

Though she asked such a question, Phoenix had already recognized the woman before her. She was the source of everything in this Campione world—the creator of the Godslayer Rite, the first woman given to humanity by the Greek gods—Pandora!

Phoenix gazed at the goddess before her. She wasn't... no, it wasn't that she feared her.

But after some thought, it would be best to pretend ignorance.

Phoenix wasn't entirely sure, but if she accidentally revealed her knowledge of Pandora's identity and said more, causing Pandora to grow curious or suspicious, and ultimately refusing to perform the Black Rite for her, Phoenix would suffer great loss. All the effort she'd put into successfully becoming a Campione would be wasted.

The main quest would fail completely.

It must be understood that slaying a Heretic God to usurp divine power wasn't a natural law of this world, but rather Pandora's ritual. At its core, it was a grand magic, albeit one with excessively stringent conditions requiring the personal slaughter of a god and the use of its body as a sacrifice.

Thus, Phoenix did her utmost to appear confused and bewildered.

Pandora showed no suspicion whatsoever. She gazed at Phoenix with intense curiosity, her smile alluring as she said, "...I'm your 'mother' you know~~~ As for where we are? Well~ I might as well tell you since you'll forget it all soon enough anyway."

"...This is the realm between life and death. In Greek terms, they call it the world of thought; in Persian, the realm of the soul. By slaying a god—a divine feat—you activated this ritual and came here. Now you're my 'daughter'. Come on, call me 'Mother'."

Phoenix met Pandora's expectant gaze and mischievous smile with a dismissive pout, refusing to engage.

Calling herself my 'mother'? Trying to be the mother of the Immortal Phoenix? You must be...

Phoenix couldn't find the words to finish the thought.

Seeing Phoenix's indifference, Pandora pouted like a child, huffing in mock anger. "...As for who I am, I'm Pandora—the very same Pandora you're thinking of. Explaining why you're seeing me would be too tedious, so I won't bother. You'll understand everything soon enough anyway. By the time you come here next, you'll know all there is to know."

Pandora possessed none of the majesty one would expect of a goddess. She appeared as an ordinary middle school girl, with a hint of willfulness in her demeanor.

Soon, she revealed an expression of sorrow - whether genuine or feigned remained unclear - and said, "...In this era, the seventh Campione has already emerged. Even the strongest steel is on the verge of awakening. My dearest child, your luck has been poor. You cannot yet savor the grandeur of slaying gods before facing your final moments."

Pandora's words momentarily stunned Phoenix, but she quickly dismissed them with indifference.

Even the mightiest steel held no significance for Phoenix.

In humanity's earliest days, society had been matriarchal, with all supreme deities being female. As eras progressed, this matrilineal system gradually declined until it was overtaken by patriarchal structures. The once exalted goddesses fell from grace, becoming mere appendages to male power. Some even descended into primal forms, transforming into dragon-like serpents.

The fallen dragon-snake deities were defeated by the "steel" wielded by later heroes, hence the term "steel" heroes.

The rebirth ceremony for Campione was conducted by Pandora, who herself possessed dragon-snake attributes. Consequently, Campione shared similarities with the goddesses of the dragon-snake lineage.

To protect their interests, the gods targeted by Campione established a sworn pact and selected the strongest steel to confront the divine slayers.

In truth, the Campione rebirth ceremony had commenced a millennium prior. The absence of current Campione could be attributed to their complete annihilation by the Awakened Final King.

For Campione of this world, the strongest steel posed a formidable threat - but only within this realm's context.

To Phoenix, however, the Campione's divine authority served merely as an embellishment. Her innate power already stood supreme.

Entirely different...

Moreover, the divine keys stored in her arsenal weren't decorative ornaments.

"You're such a peculiar child," Pandora remarked, her fingers brushing Phoenix's pale pink hair. "You don't look quite human. More like an immortal from the Eastern pantheon."

"Yet you're undeniably just an ordinary human."

Pandora couldn't resist taking a deep breath to inhale Phoenix's scent. Everything about her—odor, aura, presence, and appearance—suggested an Eastern immortal.

When Phoenix simply stared at her without responding, Pandora finally spoke with exasperation, "...Why aren't you talking? Letting me perform this one-sided monologue makes me sound utterly foolish."

"Interrupting others is considered rude, Miss Pandora," Phoenix finally broke the silence. "I merely wished to avoid disrupting your flow."

She truly had no desire to engage in idle chatter with Pandora here. Her sole focus was on completing the ritual as swiftly as possible.

But maybe she's just too bored... Pandora's words are really flowing nonstop.

"Calling me Miss Pandora makes it sound too formal. You should call me Mommy, say 'Mommy'~ If you call me 'Mommy,' I'll give you a special reward."

"...Look closely. My youngest child is truly both beautiful and handsome. Even more adorable than that silly boy before or any of the previous ones."

"A child like an Eastern immortal. I feel like I've hit the jackpot..."

Pandora gently combed Phoenix's long hair. Though she appeared as a young woman, she radiated a warmth called 'motherly love.'

"..."

Hearing this, Phoenix looked at her with helpless exasperation.

"Call me Mommy quickly, or else..."

"Mom..." Phoenix could only cry out, unable to bear it any longer.

"Hee hee~ That's about right. Here's your special reward~"

As she spoke, Pandora's slender fingers cradled Phoenix's cheeks, and she bent down.

To Phoenix's surprise, a sweet fragrance wafted toward her.

However... The corner of Phoenix's eye twitched slightly. If that's how you want to play... If you're going to be my "mother," then let's make this a bit more exciting.

Pandora had originally intended to kiss her cheek, but Phoenix leaned in to capture her lips instead.

At the same time, the ritual of godslaying—the dark sacrifice of Pandora—began.