I felt strange, my eyes were heavy and I was having a hard time opening them. However, I could still vaguely feel things around me, and heard what was happening.
"Why are you even here? Get out, get out!" A woman's voice sounded right by me.
"Don't be like that Pandora-chan~" It took me a moment to recognize the second voice.
Forcibly, my eyes shot open once I realized who it belonged to. I shot up and jumped back, sweeping my hand for my sword…..only to find myself without my ring…..or any of my armaments.
"See, look what you did!?" The strange woman –a girl really, shouted towards the God I supposedly had killed not that long ago.
My eyes briefly flickered to the unfamiliar figure. She was….short, yet she held an air of regality and authority to her. Despite not being someone I would have a preference in, I couldn't help but feel she was absolutely beautiful. With purple hair in twin tails that exuded an almost child-like look, yet it didn't diminish from her overall presence.
"Hey, it's not my fault!" Susanoo was being strangely familiar with this woman.
"Just….go sit in the corner!" She stomped her foot and pointed to the side.
Susanoo, surprisingly slumped his head and trudged over and fell to his butt, literally burying his head in the corner. And like that, all the tension I had, and all battle readiness evaporated in an instant.
"I have questions." I finally spoke.
"Well…." She gave me a look up and down. "I have questions too."
I raised an eyebrow at her blatant looks. "I'm flattered, but I don't like lolis –"
A shoe flew over and smacked me in the head, knocking me off my feet.
I stared up at the ceiling of this strange place, only blinking in confusion as I neither felt pain, nor did I actually see that coming.
"HAHAHAHA!" Susanoo started laughing in his corner.
"SHUSH, YOU!" The younger woman – girl – God, started scolding him.
Her Divinity was obvious. And I doubt Susanoo would put up with anyone he didn't view as his 'peer'.
"Now!" She huffed, turning her attention back to me as I climbed to my feet. "You got some explaining to do, mister."
I glanced down and noticed the lack of shoe on her left foot. I picked up the discarded footwear and inspected it. There was….nothing special about it which made me even more confused.
[I'm as utterly lost as you are. It feels like we're in a Godly Realm, but I don't recognize this one at all.]
"Hey, gimme that back." The Goddess puffed up, holding out her hand.
"No, it's mine now."
"D-don't steal my shoe!"
"Well, you shouldn't throw them at people."
"Why do you even want it!?"
"I'm going to sell it on the internet. Could you imagine how much money I'd make for selling a Loli Goddess's shoe!?"
I smirked as another Shoe came sailing through the air and I dodged it. "Ha, nice try. Why don't –" I was cut off as my face was smacked forward into the ground. The same shoe apparently flew back and hit me in the back of the head.
"Oww…." That one kinda hurt. I rubbed the back of my head as I stood back up. "How the hell….." I stared at her incredulously. I could feel her Divinity, but at the same time she felt so…..miniscule. Well, no, that isn't the right word. It felt like she was approachable, warm even. Not even close to the pressure that a Goddess should put out.
"Don't bother trying to question it, brat." Susanoo spoke up. "This is her Domain. Even at full strength, I couldn't do anything to her inside here."
"Where's all my stuff." I decided to stop playing around.
"Back with/on your body." The Goddess replied.
I tilted my head, looking down. "Some type of astral projection?" I muttered.
"Mmm, you can think of it as so." She nodded happily. "Now, I believe there are some questions that need to be asked."
"Yeah, like who are you?" I eyed her.
She smiled brightly. "I am Pandora, the All-Giving-Woman." She declared.
"Pandora." I repeated, remembering Susanoo's name he called her a few moments ago while I was still delirious. "I read some vague things about you."
"That makes things easier." She nodded again. "You killed this idiot over here." She jerked her thumb towards the God in the corner.
"Pandora-Chan, why are you so mean to me!?" Susanoo whined.
I once again blinked at his behavior.
"Do I get an Authority?" I questioned, ignoring the supposedly dead God.
She pursed her lips. "I'm still deciding."
"How does it even work? Do you just snip off a piece of a God's soul when they die? Do they even let you do it? How are you not hunted down by other gods?"
"Like any of them could do anything to me." She puffed up proudly.
"So how does becoming a Campione work?"
"I decided if the God they defeated was a worthy foe for them to attain an Authority."
"Alright, hit me with it." I held my arms out.
"Yeah, make him a Campione!" Susanoo voiced as well.
"Quiet!" She snapped towards the God. "And you!" She turned back to me. "I'm still deciding."
"What's there to decide about? I fought him fairly and I beat him….I think...why is he still around?" I pointed towards Susanoo.
"I wanted to watch." The God laughed.
"The Sacred Rite of Usurpation is powered by the Soul of a God. What do you think happens when I deliver an Authority? Though most just won't stop shouting and screaming when I perform the Ritual, so I keep them separated. This idiot wanted to watch me tear away one of his Authorities and give it to you."
"Huh."
"Hey, don't look at me like that. He beat me fair and square. I'll get him in the rematch." Susanoo looked completely nonchalant about the whole thing.
"Is this normal for how a God reacts when they die?"
"Nope." She popped the p. "I said before, they're usually overcome with rage and won't be quiet. Though the last one didn't seem too upset and was also looking forward to the rematch too." She shook her head.
"Huh." I repeated again. "So, my Authority?"
"You." She walked up, poking me in the chest. "Are not entirely human." She gave a few more pokes.
"Ah, you could tell?"
"Wait, really?" Susanoo turned around in surprise. "He had something strange about him, but I didn't think he'd be that strange. Whose bastard is he? That lightning he used...don't tell me he's one of mine!" The God's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry you had to find out like this...dad"
"NOOOO!" Susanoo threw his hands up.
"Will you two be serious!" The small Goddess huffed.
I don't know why, but my urge to tease was running rampant. "Alright alright." I put my hands up in surrender. "So, what's the issue with me not being all human?"
"The Ritual was designed to give Humanity a fighting chance against Heretic Gods. It was for the foolish who, through a miracle among miracles, managed to slay a God by their own strength of will." She explained.
"Technically, my mom was fully human, thus I am half human." I pointed out.
"I can sense your humanity, otherwise I would not be speaking with you." She acknowledged. "And then there's the manner of your fight…"
"What was wrong with my fight!?"
"You barrowed the power of other entities." She replied.
Was she talking about Ddraig, or maybe my Nine Realms leaning on Norse Mythology?
"I acquired everything I have by my own hands. By that logic, a Campione can't acquire other Authorities from new Heretic Gods since their own Authorities were 'barrowed'." I countered.
"He has a point, Pandora-Chan." Susanoo seemed to agree.
"You're not part of this conversation!" She threw her shoe at the back of his head.
"Shouldn't the God I killed agreeing with me mean something?"
"…..he's an idiot, his opinion doesn't count." She huffed before letting out a sigh. "However, I can't disagree with your point either…..it's just a strange circumstance. I don't know who you are or where you came from. Even when I attempted to pull that information from the Void, I came up empty."
"Athena was getting annoyed about that too." I laughed.
"Oh, you ran into another Goddess?" Susanoo stroke his beard. "How'd that go?"
"Eh, my woman was fighting her before I left."
"Athena's no pushover, even if she lost the majority of her power."
"I think Scáthach can handle her just fine."
"Did you say Scáthach?" Susanoo's eyes widened.
"I did, I assume her name holds significance." I questioned again.
"A God that holds a legend of God Slayer. She is known to most of us." He looked deep in thought. " I hadn't thought she descended into the world."
"She didn't" Pandora spoke up. "Scáthach is still within her Realm of Immortality. Yet he speaks the truth, I peered towards the fighting that took place. It was Scáthach that fought Athena who has been forced down to a Divine Ancestor."
"Curious." Susanoo stared towards me. "Lots of strange things around you. Strange Weapons, strange Magic, strange Dragon." He continued to stroke his beard and blinked as if realizing something. "I would be prepared for that One-Eyed bastard to come looking for you after the stunt you pulled."
"Stop giving him information, you're supposed to be dead!" Pandora glared. "Either be quiet or go back to Immortality and wait out your time to descend again!"
"Don't be like that, Pandora-chan. I'm just speaking some random things." He slumped down. "Besides…..I don't want to get scolded by everyone when I finally go back to Takamagahara."
The stunt I pulled, huh? It's obvious what he's talking about. But I'll probably be long gone before he came down to the mortal world.
"Oi, don't forget to visit Izzy." I made sure to speak up before getting lost in my thoughts.
"Don't tell me what to do, brat."
"I'm gonna tell Izzy you've tried to kill me."
"….Please don't, mom's scary when she gets mad."
"Sounds like a 'you' problem."
"I'll give you my sword if you keep your mouth shut."
"Done!" I instantly accepted.
"We have a deal. You heard him, Pandora-chan!" Susanoo stated.
"You both!" She threw her hands up.
It's strange how familiar he's being with me now. Does he view me as an existence that is 'worthy' of his time?
[He probably acknowledges you.]
Hmm.
The Goddess stared at me some more before taking a deep breath. "Technically, you hadn't broken any of the rules I set and even fit into the parameters of the Ritual."
"Woo, new sword" I cheered.
"I have a feeling you're going to be my child that's the biggest headache." She shook her head.
"Pardon?"
"It means she accepted, brat."
"Hehe." Pandora giggled. "I shall announce." As the words left her mouth, her presence shifted. Her words seemed to carry beyond this place and echo through all corners of creation.
"The Black art that Epimetheus and I left….The sacred birth of an illegitimate child, shrouded in darkness, born of a fool and a witch. A secret rite of usurpation, only possible through the death of a god."
"The requirements have been fulfilled. A God has been slain, thus a Godslayer shall rise…."
Pandora walked over to me; arms wide open as they wrapped around my chest.
"Therefore, I, Pandora, the All-Giving-Woman, the foolish witch who both cursed and blessed the world hereby proclaim this child as my newest son!"
"…what?" I blinked in confusion.
The place started trembling, I could feel many – many different presences try and assail this realm.
Pandora didn't even flinch, releasing me from her grasp, she stared up towards the Heavens. "Whine all you want, but I've made my decision. The rules haven't been broken so your complaints are ignored." She flicked one of her twin tails over her shoulder. "Let everyone grant my newest child their blessing and their hatred for the Eighth Campione has been born!" She declared as the rumbling stopped.
"….I don't feel any different." I looked down at myself.
"It's not over yet. The process will begin once you've returned to your body." Susanoo answered.
"Usually, this is the part I send them back at…..but this is anything but an ordinary situation." Pandora mused. "Haaah, what a troublesome son I have."
"Son?"
"Yup, you're my eighth." She beamed. "Even if the they don't recognize me, they're still my adopted children, the other seven Campiones."
"Wait, just like that you adopted them and consider them your children?"
Pandora let out a laugh. "Why not? They were foolish enough to fight a God, why can't I be foolish enough to adopt such pitiful souls?"
"….that last woman who called herself my mom, I did lewd things to."
Pandora blinked. "….don't do lewd things to your mother. Your mother is happily married."
"HAHAHA!" Susanoo broke out in laughter.
"Meh, you're not my type. I prefer grown –"
"MOM KICK!" The small Goddess went flying and kicked me in the face.
Once again, I found myself on my back and my head spinning.
I sat up staring at the red-faced Goddess. "Your mother is a mature and beautiful woman!" She declared, pulling me up by my shirt and shook me.
I looked down at the petite goddess and bit my lip. The genuiness that she proclaimed it with....I couldn't deny that it was touching. Reaching out, I attempted to hug her.
"Kyah!" She squeaked out but soon settled down. "It's the first time one of my children hugged me!" She sounded almost giddy.
It was….warm.
It felt like how I remembered mom.
"My mom died when I was young." I said quietly.
"You poor thing." She whispered. "Even if it's for a short time, I'll let you feel a mother's touch again."
Lewd jokes could be made, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
I didn't realize how much I missed this feeling even if it wasn't someone I acknowledged yet.
"Ahem." Susanoo cleared his throat. "I don't want to interrupt, but I can't stay here forever."
"Read the mood, you idiot!" Pandora huffed.
"Its okay…" I said awkwardly as we broke apart. "Let's get on with this."
Yeah, lets forget that happened. Don't know why I was so easy to sway there.
"Hmm, so this is the part where I decide which Authority I give out, but the idiot seems to have decided already."
"Yeah, give him my sword." Susanoo nodded.
"Your sword is a subordinate god, it's not that easy. I'll have to…" She looked at Susanoo and paused. "I'll have to remove the Ego to make it work."
"Eh, that's fine." Susanoo lazily laid down, propping his head up. "I'll keep Ame No Murakumo No Tsurugi's Ego with me, he can just get the Authority that goes along with it." The God waived off her concerns.
"Fine." Pandora sighed. "Are you ready?" She turned to look at me.
"Sure." I couldn't help but smile.
Her bright grin was hard to not feel some kind of warmth from. "It was short, but I'm glad you were here. Even if you forget about me, I'll watch over you until the end." Pandora said softly.
"Pardon, what do you mean -- forget?"
"Campione tend not to remember her when they return. It's why the records of her existence are as vague as they are." Susanoo replied. "It's pitiful, she is the woman who helped them ascend, and they give her no thought, no acknowledgement. Yet, she never admonishes them and never stops thinking of them as her children."
How pitiful. I felt bad after the feeling she gave me previously.
"I won't forget." I stated as a matter of fact. I doubt any of the others were in my position. "Can I come back?" I questioned.
Susanoo laughed, but Pandora answered. "I'm not allowed to bring my children here unless I'm performing the Ritual." She shook her head with a sad look. "If I break the rules, bad things can happen."
So….SHE's not allowed to bring people here.
It's a good thing I've been calculating my position all this time.
"Well, it was fun." Susanoo stood up as his body began to fade once more. "Don't die to anyone else. I won't be able to show my face around unless I bring your head back with me next time." He waved me off with a wide grin even as he talked about killing me.
"What a strange person." I muttered.
"Ignore him, he's a known idiot." Pandora snorted, walking up and cupped my cheeks. "Be good, don't get into too much trouble. And if possible, give me lots of grandbabies!"
She let go and my body was suddenly engulfed in a bright light.
"Go forth with my Blessing, my child,…..Wilhelm Henry Schweinorg! The Newest of the Supreme Kings!"
***
And Pandora makes an appearance and MC gets his new Authority. The Sword is completely bonkers in canon. It can cut apart magic and curses. Command the storm, and even take control of Authorities in the vicinity.
Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my pat.reon.com/astoryforone