In a daze, Pandora found herself back at the Hades Temple in Elysium.
Upon the divine throne, Hades sat high above, shrouded in purple divine radiance, his black robes billowing. A faint aura of godly might emanated, an overwhelming power and pressure that nearly made one unable to breathe.
She was half-kneeling directly below the throne, devoutly listening to the decree of Lord Hades.
"Pandora..."
"You are intelligent and resourceful, a master of strategy. I have already explained the detailed plan to you."
"Two hundred years from now, before I awaken, you will change your name and identity, remake your body, infiltrate the Sanctuary, and carry out my plan."
"Go to the Sanctuary and seek... create an opening for the Underworld... once it is done, you too may gain immortality, even become a god..."
Hades's voice boomed with divine authority, ringing in the ears.
But before he could finish, Hades suddenly rose from the divine throne, leaped down, and crashed heavily onto the ground, kicking up dirt and stones, dust billowing, and leaving a deep pit in the floor.
As Pandora and the others gasped, a large hand reached up from the pit, and Hades slowly climbed out. The black-violet divine light around him dispersed, and the first thing that appeared was a pair of massive pectorals.
This...
Why would His Majesty Hades have two such ostentatiously huge pecs?
No...
I must be dreaming!
Pansy started and snapped out of her haze.
Before her eyelids even opened, she heard Shaina's voice brimming with anger, so she simply feigned unconsciousness, planning to listen first and act later.
"Damian... you're itching for a beating again. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was just now? I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson today!"
That magnetic, masculine voice replied unhurriedly, "Shaina, it was all a coincidence. How was I supposed to know you'd suddenly show up? Tell you what, I'll give you a set of ma sha ji as an apology, okay?"
This man's voice sounded so good—gentle and low, full of magnetism—but his tone felt like he was coaxing a child. What is ma sha ji?
"Ma sha ji? You still dare bring up ma sha ji to me?"
Shaina's tone suddenly turned murderous, like a tigress roaring.
Pansy cracked her eyelids a sliver and peeked.
"Wow, oozing dominance!"
She saw Damian involuntarily back away.
As he retreated, Shaina also strode forward, chest out, legs long, and in a few steps drove Damian back entirely.
With that forceful step, Damian's back pressed right against the stone wall.
Shaina pressed the attack, slapping her right hand onto the wall and pinning him there.
A wall slam—a textbook wall slam!
Maintaining her overpowering pin, her breath soft and fragrant, Shaina's voice turned icy cold: "You never do anything proper. Even after being sent to the graveyard you won't behave. All day long you either court death or spout nonsense."
"Are you trying to make me die of anger? I really want to kill you with Thunder Snake Claw. You're such a disgrace to me!"
Shaina's mouth was like a machine gun firing without pause. Even through the mask you could feel the venomous bullets spraying, utterly unstoppable.
Naturally, Damian was the target of the machine gun. Within ten seconds, the barrage had riddled him to pieces. Miserable didn't begin to cover it.
"Shaina, you're the Saint of Ophiuchus after all. You spit venom with every word—I'm going to be poisoned to death."
Damian talked back.
"Still daring to talk back?"
Shaina was furious. In an instant she raised her hand, about to end him with a single palm.
Damian simply closed his eyes.
You know the saying?
Rather than struggling in vain, lie flat and enjoy.
Come on, beauty!
Let the storm rage even fiercer!
Come at me...
Seeing him acting like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, Shaina let out a small sigh and lowered her hand. "Damian, can't you learn a lesson? Stop courting death for no reason. When are you going to go fight for a Cloth, anyway?"
As expected, he was that good-for-nothing disciple of Shaina's.
Pansy raised an eyebrow and, from the corner of her eye, kept sizing up the strange man in nothing but golden trunks, quite curious.
His voice and words felt warm as spring, the kind you wanted to keep listening to. His tone didn't sound like a madman at all—it sounded like a gentleman.
That magnetic, gentle voice rang out again: "Shaina, you know I'm terrified of dying. The Cloth contention is all fists-to-flesh—just thinking about it hurts. Isn't it nice to stay here in the graveyard, at peace with the world, keeping company with the honored dead..."
Before he finished, Shaina snapped in anger, "Nonsense! You're a man who's supposed to become a Saint. What are you so afraid of?"
"You've betrayed years of my teaching. You should be ashamed. If you won't wake up, then I really will use force."
Whoosh!
The sound of a palm swinging cut the air.
"Shaina, don't get mad. You know I don't like fighting or brawling, and I especially don't like crossing hands with women. Forget it, let's not make a scene."
Before he finished, Shaina suddenly let out a heartfelt cry: "Don't... ah!"
Strange!
What on earth did this Damian do to Shaina?
Pandora found that odd cry very peculiar... but their actions were out of her line of sight.
As Shaina's cry faded, the anger in her voice was gone, replaced by a light panting. "Damian, Pansy will be staying here with you for now. Don't instill any strange ideas in her. I'll teach her personally another day—you are not to teach her."
"The Pope has summoned me on urgent business. I'm leaving first. Don't cause trouble..."
After giving her instructions, her presence vanished. She seemed to have left the graveyard.
"Sigh... Shaina is still so stubborn. We're all on the same side, anyway."
Damian's warm, magnetic voice murmured in admiration: "I have to say, Shaina's waist is slender, her legs are long, and her hips are high—still such a feast for the eyes."
He knew Shaina somewhat well. This Saint of Ophiuchus was the classic sharp tongue with a soft heart.
She cared a great deal about this disappointing disciple of hers. Otherwise she wouldn't come to the graveyard every few days just to curse him out.
Damian turned his head and grinned oddly. "...Pansy, eavesdropping isn't very nice. If you don't open your eyes, I'm going to spank your butt."
"Discovered?"
Hearing footsteps draw close, Pansy's heart tightened.
She wasn't really eight or nine.
That sound Shaina made just now was so much like... that she couldn't help suspecting there might be some unspeakable relationship between Shaina and Damian.
Steadying herself, she chose to open her eyes. A tall, powerfully built figure immediately filled her vision, and that magnetic voice sounded right by her ear:
"Pansy, junior sister, you might not be feeling well. I'll treat you. I may have to touch you—don't be nervous. I've got no interest in little lolis; I only like mature, curvy young ladies. If it feels good, don't forget to praise me."
What is this guy even talking about?
So weird.
Pansy moved slightly and felt a bit sore.
There was no helping it. She was just a little girl at the moment, light and frail. That shock just now must have injured her body.
Just then, a warm big hand pressed down. A faint touch landed on her forehead, like a finger poke, and a warm current quickly flowed from her forehead through all her limbs and bones.
What is this?
It feels pretty nice...
It seemed Damian really was treating her injuries.
It was just that this sensation felt too good, like warm sunshine in winter and a cool breeze in summer, as if her whole body were soaking in a hot spring, sinking into her bones and blood, even her soul.
It's really... really... so comfortable!
Her cherry lips parted slightly, her eyes half-closed, and Pansy let out a long breath.
The soothing warmth surged like waves through her consciousness, one after another, and before she knew it she drifted into sleep.
Damian then took a fresh look at the sleeping Pansy.
The girl before him had a pert nose and big eyes, cheeks pink and plump, and features so delicate she was like a porcelain doll. Even someone with a heart of stone would feel protective at the sight.
If this were in his previous life, those lolicons would probably weld the car doors shut and floor it onto the highway.
"Pandora!"
Retracting both his telekinesis and his Cosmo, Damian heard the girl's true name from the depths of her soul and couldn't help drawing a sharp breath.
Pandora!
This little girl was actually Pandora?
The famed box-opening ace Miss Pandora had turned into the little loli Pansy, taken Shaina as her master no less, and even come to the Sanctuary graveyard to be his junior sister?
Hey.
This plot is all wrong!