Chapter 385

"Huh? You actually regained your memories? Was it these people who did it?"

The visitor was none other than Darius Ainsworth, the ancestor of the Ainsworth family.

"I never expected to see the Divine Child of the Sakatsuki again. Didn't you run away? Why are you back? And..."

Darius glanced at Ilya beside Miyu, "Another one? From another world? This is quite an unexpected gain."

"Darius, watch your words before the gods."

"God? The Gods of Greece who created Pandora? Wow, if he's that young, who is it? Could it be Zeus, the king of the gods? But Zeus shouldn't be like that, given his personality."

Darius seemed completely unconcerned by Pandora's words. "So, you've appeared now to defeat me? Then I am the so-called 'Demon King,' haha, what an honor! To be regarded as an enemy by Deity, as a human, this is truly an immense honor."

"The God is... the God is... is..."

Faced with Darius's words, Pandora, who had been thinking, was indeed at a loss for words, because she belatedly realized that she had not yet asked the name of the god in front of her. As for Zeus, whom Darius mentioned, she had initially wondered if it was him, but this imposing manner did not seem to match it at all, not to mention the Authority of so many gods.

Which one is it? Or is it simply Executor?

Pandora couldn't think of anything, so she closed her eyes. In her daze, it seemed as if past memories were echoing around her, all of them painful. However, for some reason, after hearing Ivia's words, she had a new feeling.

If, six thousand years ago, in the mountains standing quietly in the dim sunset, when the clamorous crowd surged to kill her, when the whole world turned into enemies and attacked her together, it would be enough if someone could protect her. If they couldn't protect her, it would be fine as long as they stood up and said something...

Unfortunately, this was just wishful thinking. The blonde girl looked wistfully at her memories. Wishful thinking is just wishful thinking; it will never really happen. Such a person doesn't exist, and she could never see him. After all, everything has already happened.

But for some reason, Pandora raised her cloudy eyes, sighed softly, and laughed.

"My Lord, to me, you are perhaps Epimetheus has only just arrived."

"Oh? Really? Which god is this again...?"

Darius scratched his head, clearly not understanding Pandora's words. This was normal, since there was no legend of Pandora's Box in this world, so naturally no one would know about these things.

"But it doesn't matter. Since they're enemies, let's fight. Deity or the Holy Grail, I'll take them all."

The moment Darius finished speaking, an endless Od seemed to manifest in the space before him, and countless snowflakes, which had been falling in the cold winter, gathered in the space before him.

The Noble Phantasm 301-Second Eternal Ice Palace.

This is Darius's Noble Phantasm, which possesses the ability to create and destroy Class Cards. It is a top-tier Barrier Noble Phantasm, the only drawback of which is that the internal oxygen concentration will drop to zero within 301 seconds after it is deployed.

"Ahhh, this story is so beautiful! Isn't this the perfect tale of a righteous hero, woven from chance, necessity, and Fate that transcends the boundaries of the world?! Come on, defeat me, or I'll defeat you—"

"Darius Ainsworth, my name is Ivia."

Ivia stood up, interrupting Darius, her calm eyes fixed on the somewhat deranged Darius.

A bell rang outside the cold, Bounded Field Noble Phantasm.

At this moment, in a world where coldness reigns forever, Melody that resounds throughout the heavens and earth begins to play.

Behind Ivia, two illusory, enormous tree shadows emerged, glowing: Dragon Flower, representing Maitreya's salvation of the world, and Banyan, representing Kayaksha's guidance. Then, on the leaves, the hazy shadows of various historical events or people appeared.

As the bells resounded throughout the heavens and earth, countless leaves drifted in the air, traversing billions of miles, flying towards any land in this world.

In an instant, Darius realized that his Bounded Field- based Noble Phantasm had been broken, and even his other Black Jade Emperor's Hidden Countenance, Noble Phantasm used concepts to influence enemies, had been suppressed without any reason. Apart from that, there were no other changes, but he had no time to observe them.

"You--"

He raised his head, trying to see the man clearly, and there he saw countless eyes filled with fury emerging from the endless Leaf before him.

That was the shock of the believers in the Three Thousand Great Worlds towards the great blasphemer.

Ivia slowly unfolded her hands, which contained the concepts of 'Dragon Flower' and 'Banyan', and calmly declared to Darius:

"I will put everything back on track, save everything, and bring salvation to everyone, including you."

In theory, Darius should have Wrath— Wrath at the actions of this inexplicable fellow, and at the fellow who had disregarded his millennia-long wish. Yet, upon hearing these words, he felt genuine, immense joy and happiness.

It was as if the pain that had tormented me my whole life had finally been redeemed.

"Thanks."

Darius instinctively grasped Ivia's hand. "You can do it, you can definitely do it. If it's you, you can save the world, and Pandora too, that's right..."

There's only one question on a man's mind right now.

"Could you please not kill Pandora?"

Therefore, Ivia looked up and earnestly told him:

No one will die.

Chapter 415 May your journey be glorious and brilliant.

In an instant, this world, Greater Source was depleted, seemed to accelerate, fast-forwarding directly towards destruction.

However, for Miyu Satsuki, this scene was very clear, because it was the same 'destroyed world' that she and her mother Yoshiko, had seen before. If there was any difference, it was that there were two enormous trees that seemed to support the world.

There is a small spot between the two trees, like the axis of the whole world, giving people the illusion that everything must revolve around it.

Od and matter are materialized and exposed in the air, as if you could reach out and touch them. Scenes appear out of thin air and constantly change, showing various creatures in a tragic end. The barren earth is filled with obvious 'silence and death'. Everything is intricately intertwined like a suffocating Spider.

Seemingly noticing Ilya and Chloe's confusion, Ivia turned to look at the three of them and said softly.

"Don't worry, I'll be back, because I'm not one to give up easily."

Then, in Ivia's hands, Chu discovered the 'Pandora's Box' stored in Enzworth Castle, and said in front of Pandora:

"Make a wish to me, Pandora, and you will open the box."

As Ivia uttered those words, Pandora tilted her head, not quite understanding what the goddess meant, but still numbly uttered them.

Please let me open the box.

In an instant, a storm-like energy was generated within the long-sealed Pandora's Box, with constant vortexes. Based on this, lightning bolts were frequently generated, connecting heaven and earth, emitting shocks that could be heard and felt like they were crackling and vibrating. Following this, the world seemed to transform into a sea, with violent waves rolling up.

At this moment, the world also fell into literal darkness, and at the same time, the world's 'past' was completely altered.

4000 AD, an era when mystery and fantasy still existed.

"I am a special human being created by the Deity!!"

In Greece, where Deity no longer walk the earth, yet imagination still exists, there exists a blonde girl whose very tone reveals her boundless energy. Before her stand the villagers from a nearby village, the sunlight shining on their faces causing her to squint as she looks at them with a smug expression.

"He's not like you ordinary people at all! He's someone who absolutely needs to be protected!"

Suddenly, recalling the words the gods who created her had spoken to her, and being very aware of her revered status, she coughed twice, opened her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and continued speaking with great spirit.

"Although you are a bunch of weaklings, I can reluctantly become your friend! Come on, be my friend!"

In fact, she was just putting on a brave face. A hundred years had passed since she was created by the gods, and she had never actually met anyone. She had simply lived alone for a hundred years in the abandoned underground Temple where she first came from. She had even hesitated for decades before finally coming out of the underground Temple with the idea of making friends.

"You... aren't human?"

Those who were stopped by the blonde girl, especially those living in Greece during the Age of Gods Extinction, sensed that the girl before them was not like them, but merely someone who looked like a human.

That's enough, enough to justify malice and fear. After all, regardless of race, it's only natural to feel fear upon seeing an existence that is similar to oneself yet fundamentally different. This is the reason behind the so-called pseudo-human.

The gods, led by Zeus, probably made Pandora appear in human form because they believed that this would encourage people to be friendly towards her.

Unfortunately, having been on Earth for so long, they still didn't truly understand humanity. In fact, for humans, Zeus's love was like 'domestication,' encompassing everything. For example, the people of the Greece Lostbelt, in their final moments, only frantically prayed for divine salvation instead of escaping on their own, because they had lost their sense of 'self.'

In reality, given Pandora's status, Zeus probably wouldn't care what kind of treatment she received, because she was merely something created to open the box for the continuation of humanity. Her purpose was to open the box and release the 'Branch Correction Regeneration Device' to save the world in which humanity survives.

Otherwise, why would you want to render it powerless?

"I, of course I'm human! I'm a special human created by the Deity..."

As the blonde girl watched the people carrying all sorts of things gradually gather around, especially when they all had dark faces without exception, she subconsciously swallowed, her whole body trembling involuntarily, filled with immense fear.

"No, you're not human; you're just Monster in human skin."

In that instant, the blonde girl saw a knife coming straight at her, and she began to have some kind of 'fantasy'.

Then, you will be hurt by all sorts of things. No matter how much you scream or beg for mercy, it will be useless. They will only punch you again and again. And after seeing that you won't die, they will choose to drown or burn you. Even if you manage to escape, they will reunite and catch you again, repeating this process. People all over the world will do this, even though you are a gift created by Deity...

In the end, buried underground, I felt no pain, but for some reason, I couldn't stop crying.

It was clearly just a 'fantasy,' but it gave the girl the illusion that she would actually experience it.

However, the next second, instead of the pain from the sharp knife, she was greeted by a pair of warm hands stroking her hair.

Then, through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, a strange yet familiar figure appeared before the blonde girl and embraced her.

"You're still suffering so much even though nothing's even started, Pandora."

"No, no, you've mistaken me for someone else... I'm not Pandora, I don't have a name. Pandora is the box, and the key doesn't have a name..."

The silver-haired figure knelt down, lifted the blonde girl's cheek, wiped away her tears, and gently told her:

"You are Pandora, I truly believe it. If you have no name, then from now on you shall be called by this name. Besides, that is why I came here. Be my friend, Pandora."

At that moment, the blonde girl suddenly realized that there was no one else in front of her except for the silver-haired boy, as if all humanity had vanished.

"You, what's your name...?"

"Ivia, or call me Epimetheus."

In a daze, Pandora Present World had changed, suddenly turning into night, because before her stood a giant moon.

Beneath the blue sky, the mountains supporting the slanted white moon vaguely reveal the shadows of unknown creatures.

In the deep blue night sky, as vast as the ocean, bright starlight is scattered, and looking behind, one can see the Sun illuminating all things.

Pandora felt something moving rapidly in front of her again, and she let out an "Ah!" Then other shadows rustled and flew in front of her. At this moment, the forests in the mountains became noisy, and soon tens of thousands of butterflies flew out from the mountains, fluttering their Rainbow- colored wings and flying into the sky.

"Actually, I'm not afraid of being alone at all! I'm used to being alone! I wasn't scared at all just now! Who needs your protection? I'm a special human created by the Deity! I'm not like ordinary people like you! I don't need it, I don't need it at all."

Ivia knew Pandora was just putting on a brave face, so she didn't say much, but simply got up and walked ahead of her.

"I know, that's why I will protect you."

"No need! I should be the one protecting you! I'm a special human!"

After that, the two stayed together, through happy times and sad times.

Then, as the seasons changed, they went through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, repeating this countless times, yet they were still together.

Although Pandora always puts on a brave face, every night she stubbornly pulls Ivia to sit with her and look at the view they can see right now.

The sky was ablaze with light, as if a rain of light was falling, so dazzling that anyone would have to shield their eyes.

Many years later, as Pandora leaned on Ivia's shoulder as always, she suddenly uttered these words:

"Has humanity already become extinct?"

Since meeting Ivia and traveling with her, Pandora has not seen any other humans.

This is natural, because when she met Ivia, the timelines inside and outside the box had already been switched. In other words, everyone went to the timeline that could continue, except for Vey and Pandora, who were in the wrong timeline that had been replaced.

I think so.

Ivia nodded.

"Great! I can finally complete the task the Deity gave me."

Pandora laughed, leaned down, and gently touched Ivia's lips with something soft and cool.

"But, I don't really want to die right now, because Ivia, you're my favorite! But I'm sorry, I have to open it..."

The time when humanity faces extinction will be the time when it opens Pandora's Box, and the price will be death. Originally, Pandora thought that death was just that, since that was her purpose anyway. However, after meeting Ivia, as time went on, she no longer wanted to die.

As for the fact that humanity has long since disappeared, Pandora must have discovered it a long time ago, and the reason she waited until now was simply so that she could be with Ivia.

Pandora leaped down toward the Pandora's Box below, ready to open it, but then abruptly stopped in mid-air.

Because Ivia was holding her wrist.

"You've already opened it, haven't you?"

Ivia looked at her and told her, word by word:

"--No one will die, Pandora."

At the same time, Pandora recalled her past memories, or more accurately, the life she had experienced but forgotten—the life after she hadn't opened the box and met Ivia. What she had previously thought was a 'fantasy' was not an illusion, but real, felt pain.

For Pandora, recalling all of this still brings her pain, but within that pain lies a warm longing.

The endless, glittering stars illuminated the dark, empty Universe; they were distant and hazy lights, and the one who illuminated her was Ivia.

For her, whether it was the dazzling Sun or the tranquil moonlit night, it all seemed so beautiful because, in every moment, she within Ivia and Ivia within her were always together, feeling Ivia's touch and hearing his voice.

"... I want to be there to support you, because God, no, Ivia, you have always been supporting me."