The Dark Rebirth of Pandora: Revenge of the Abyss

Chapter 645: Divine Battle — Part 1

”So... Mama, are you feeling this?” I ask Mama. It’s been about two weeks since I got pregnant and left that dimension Grimm created. After that, Azraelith, Mama Echidna, and I decided to stay somewhere together, just waiting and planning.

”Yes, I feel it. There’s a massive amount of magic nearby. We’ll probably be pulled into battle soon,” she answers with a bored sigh. Unlike me and Azraelith, she seems completely uninterested.

”Mama, you don’t look excited. Aren’t you happy you’re going to get your revenge?” I ask, curious.

”It doesn’t matter that much. Obviously, I can’t wait to destroy the other goddesses, but I already have my sister back. The risk of dying is... unpleasant. If I die, I’ll lose the sister I just got back,” she says in an irritated tone.

’Evangeline is being served by Baeh’Wa...’ I can understand how Mama feels. Meanwhile, the magic around us surges violently.

”Pandora, it looks like this is it. You’d better win. The goddesses know most of what Mama and I can do since we’ve already fought them, and they didn’t show everything they had because they couldn’t risk hitting each other.”

”You’re the one with the biggest advantage since they don’t know your powers! And the only new thing I have is the Doom element, so you have the best chance of finishing your fight and coming back to help us,” Azraelith says, standing up.

”Sure... So let’s be obvious here. What are the odds we get there and there isn’t a giant energy beam being fired at the three of us?” They both look at me and let out a little chuckle.

”Who’s going to defend?” Azraelith questions. One of us will have to start by taking the damage so the others can begin unscathed.

”Well, let’s play a game to decide! Anyway, we don’t need to defend the whole attack, just the initial damage so the other two can get out of the attack area and then escape too!” I say, excited. I’m really looking forward to what’s coming.

”Let’s make a bet, then...” Mama says, placing ten spheres on the table.

”We’ll charge them with magic, and then we’ll each choose one we think won’t explode. Only two of them will explode randomly, so the winner will have to defend the attack.”

”Pfff hahaha, seriously, Mother? Treating defending a dangerous attack like a prize? You’re so mean~! I’m in,” I accept with a laugh. It’s not about winning and being free — it’s about winning and having to defend the attack.

”Then, since you want it so badly, you can start, Pandora,” Azraelith says with malice. I click my tongue as the three of us randomly pump the spheres full of magic until they’re overloaded.

”I just have to pick one, right...” I stare at them all, but they look identical. The moment I pick the wrong one, though, it will immediately explode in a minor burst.

’Which one explodes...’ I try to pick one up, but nothing happens. Then Mama picks one up, and it instantly explodes.

”...I feel like I’m being cheated here.” I look at Mama, who gives me a smile. She saved herself on the very first sphere. Very suspicious.

”It was just a coincidence. I, too, was anxious to be the one who would defend the attack.” I observe the colors of Mama’s emotions, and to my surprise, she spoke... the truth!?

”Damn it!!” I quickly grab another sphere right after Azraelith picks hers, but it’s a dud too. That leaves six spheres — a 1 in 6 chance of getting the one that explodes.

’If I—’

”Pandora, none of that. Don’t use the fundamentals of creation to find out which sphere explodes,” Mama predicts exactly what I was about to do.

”I wasn’t going to cheat... Go on, Azraelith, pick yours,” I tell Azraelith, who stares at them intently and then picks one up, but nothing happens. Five left.

”...” Strangely, this game is frenetic. Having to start by defending a dangerous attack seems awful, and I really don’t want to have to start off by getting hit.

”Well, it must be... this one.” I pick another one, leaving four, but nothing happens. I sigh in frustration. But before Azraelith can pick hers, Mama gives Azraelith a very icy look.

”Stop trying to cheat. Play fair,” Mama says sharply. Then I know Azraelith tried to cheat.

’That bitch!!! How dare she try to cheat!!’ Only I’m allowed to try and cheat!! This is such bullshit.

”Well, older sister, you should defend the attack, right? To make Mama proud and protect your fragile, cute little sister,” I say to her. She picks up a sphere, and nothing happens. Three left.

”Go fuck yourself, Pandora. You don’t want to defend this attack either. Besides, you’re the favorite daughter! Defend our mother!”

”What did you say!? You want me to smash your face in right here!” I snap, grabbing another sphere. That leaves just two. Mama gives us a severe look, and we both stop.

”Pick up the sphere at the same time. There are only two left, and one of them will explode,” she says, sitting down in a chair and watching. Azraelith and I both stare at the same sphere, ignoring the other one.

”It’s my turn, Pandora.”

”Mama said to pick them up at the same time.”

”You’re the youngest, so you should obey your elder.”

”Being old doesn’t give you rights. I’m the favorite; I have priority.”

”Your priority doesn’t apply here. Mama told us both to pick at the same time, so shut up.” She positions her hand to grab the same one I’m aiming for.

”...” We both lunge for the sphere, but to my surprise, Azraelith knees the table, tilting it and sending the spheres rolling. She grabs the other sphere, and in my distraction, my hand lands right on the dud, while Azraelith’s explodes.

”...FUCK! YOU CHEATED!!” I scream at her for knocking the table, crushing the sphere in my hand to shards.

”Me? You were just slow!” We both look at Mama, who shrugs.

”Seriously? That’s it? You’re going to make me defend the attack? What about all that talk about me being the one with the biggest advantage and that I should finish my fight faster to help you guys?!! This is such fucking bullshit!!”

”Pandora, you lost.”

”But—” Before I can finish speaking, the ground beneath us glows, and we’re all teleported, appearing in some strange place. My eyes immediately absorb the entire environment.

The sky is completely gray, and the ground we stand on is a totally black plain, full of golden trees that glow like countless stars.

”...” I look up and immediately conjure a barrier as an immense white beam falls from the sky, crashing violently against it. Azraelith and Echidna gather magic to leave the attack area while my barrier cracks.

’Shit...’ I modify the barrier to use the Doom element, reinforcing it with magic just to buy time.

”We’ll see each other soon, Pandora. It seems our enemies have decided on a different strategy,” Azraelith says as she glows with a white light. Suddenly, she vanishes. Mama also emits the same glow.

”Don’t die, Pandora. After this is over, you’ll be free to do whatever you want. And if you die, know that I am deeply grateful for all your help—” Mama also vanishes. Elysia probably already knew how this fight would go and separated us.

Crack

The barrier breaks, and the attack hits me head-on. I feel my body being vaporized; the wave of energy is stronger than any attack I’ve ever received.

But as my body turns to dust, I just smile. The feeling of being in a fight where I can actually die, a sensation the Abyss no longer gave me, is so... thrilling. Euphoria and raw instinct instantly flood my heart and mind.

”HeheheheHAHAHA YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO MAKE A FIGHT EXCITING, YOU BITCH!!” I feel Elysia’s magic. Immediately, I begin transforming into my true form.

The intense release of magic collides with the beam of pure energy, generating a black sphere with so much pressure that cracking sounds, like glass, ring out. My body shifts, growing and regenerating completely.

The surrounding atmosphere is consumed by my Mana, which spreads like poison through all the Mana of Elysia’s attack.

The mouth on my belly licks its ”lips” while the giant floating eye behind me immediately focuses on Elysia. The energy released by my true form ends just as the energy from her attack hits me again.

But instead of trying to defend, I simply adjust my posture and leap out of her attack, like someone stepping out of the water from a waterfall. Elysia, who apparently already expected this, advances on me with her sword. However, when she sees what emerges from the energy beam, her body stiffens, and she hesitates, thrown off by the sight of my true form.

She’s hit by two punches from both my right arms. The blow generates a shockwave so violent that reality around my fists shatters, and the shockwave pulls everything towards them as the gravity emitted by my body crushes everything down, leaving not even atoms behind, sending Elysia flying.

”COME ON, ELYSIA, DON’T GET DISTRACTED!!! HAHAHAHA” I charge at her, thrilled, loving this ”initiation” gift. Elysia recovers without having taken any damage as the hit area emits a faint golden glow. Soon she’s advancing on me with immense concentration, and we collide.

”You really are the abomination I always imagined you to be. A pity you didn’t accept the merciful death I tried to grant you. Prepare yourself, Pandora. This dimension right here will be your tomb,” she says with pure arrogance as her sword shreds one of my arms like it was butter. Black blood drips, staining her blade as I smile.

”We’ll see, Elysia. I’ll make you suffer so much you’ll wish you had never existed.”