Ren's body still remained on Canvey Island, but his spirit and consciousness had left the physical world, condensing into a spiritual form that floated in a real space where Earth no longer existed.
The world around him was an endless expanse of gray. There was no sky, no ground—just an empty void that stretched out to a horizon without end.
As Ren began to become aware of his presence in this place, a soft voice, like the whisper of the wind, brushed against his ears.
"Oh my, it wasn't long ago that we met, yet here you are so soon. My dear child, come here and give your mother a hug."
Before his eyes stood a petite girl with twin ponytails that swayed gently in the empty air. The girl appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, her face beautiful and adorned with a sweet smile. However, her slim figure showed no signs of mature curves.
Upon seeing her, a mischievous thought flashed through Ren's mind.
'What a flat chest.'
The thought only lingered for a moment, but the girl in front of him seemed to read his mind. Her eyes flared with anger as she stepped forward, puffing her cheeks like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Moo~ I'm really upset now. You were definitely thinking something rude about me, weren't you?"
The girl reached out her small hand, tiptoeing with all her might to try and touch Ren's head, as if wanting to scold him. However, Ren's height, which exceeded 173 cm, put him well out of reach of the petite girl, who was no taller than 150 cm.
She tried several times but failed. In the end, the girl gave up, placing both hands on her hips with a pout.
Though her figure was modest and unremarkable, she possessed a unique charm. Even Ren, who usually preferred more voluptuous forms, found himself captivated by her distinct allure.
Rather than being called beautiful, this girl was better described as cute. Her face held a baby-like softness, framed by long purple hair that cascaded down to her calves, parted on both sides. She wore a thin white dress, and every movement she made radiated cuteness.
Yet behind her innocent and charming demeanor lay a maturity and beauty that was anything but ordinary.
"Hmm... why aren't you speaking? Is it because Mommy scolded you? If that's the case, Mommy won't be angry anymore, so how about you talk to me?"
The girl clasped her hands together in front of her chest as if in prayer, her expression so sweet it was hard to believe she could "get angry" in such a manner.
Ren finally opened his mouth, his voice sounding relaxed despite his full awareness of whom he was addressing.
"We meet again, Pandora."
Pandora.
The wife of the Titan Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus. She was the entity overseeing the reincarnation ritual of Campione. Using the Circle of Usurpation, a Divine Item that allowed her to transfer the Divine Authorities of slain gods/goddesses to their killers, Pandora played the role of the "mother" to all Campione.
'So, even I am not an exception, huh?'
This wasn't their first meeting. Ren had encountered Pandora before, after he killed Hou Yi—whether by luck or miracle. However, his memory of that encounter had faded. Like other Campione, Ren couldn't recall the process of reincarnation or his meeting with Pandora.
"Hmm... little Ren, why are you pulling away? Mommy is starting to feel a bit sad."
Pandora had clearly been acting cute earlier out of worry that Ren might get upset, but now she assumed the role of a mother.
"Can you stop calling me 'little Ren'?" Ren said helplessly.
The nickname sent shivers down his spine.
"Of course, but little Ren must call me 'Mom,' or else I won't talk to you."
Pandora crossed her slender, white arms while puffing her cheeks. Her adorable appearance was hard to associate with the image of a Greek mythological goddess.
"Mom..."
Ren relented. After all, it was an easy task. What if Pandora refused to tell him about the Divine Authority if she got offended? Moreover, Pandora was hundreds of times older than him.
"Yay! You're such a obedient and well-behaved child. Compared to my other children, little Ren is much sweeter... Ehehe!"
Pandora looked delighted. She jumped slightly, then extended her white hands to embrace Ren affectionately.
"..."
Ren stood still, slightly stiff in the embrace. He knew exactly who Pandora meant by "other children"—the seven other Campione.
Considering the personalities of Marquis Voban and Luo Hao, Ren was certain they would never call Pandora "Mom" even if beaten to death.
However, Doni and Godou might do so without much resistance, especially Godou with his kind-hearted nature.
"The Divine Authority of Kinich Ahau has been transferred to me, right?" Ren asked.
"Yes, you managed to vanquish the Heretic God in such a short time. And what's more, it was a Sun God! Also, Mommy must praise your brilliant idea. Using the Holy Grail to summon a Heretic God? No one has ever thought of that! Little Ren is amazing; Mommy is so proud of you."
Pandora released her embrace, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Thank you, but I only came up with the idea and provided the Holy Grail. The person who contributed the most to developing it was Alice."
"Oh, don't be so modest. After all, it was your original idea. Without your courage to try something new, this ritual would never have existed. You know? Heretic God Summoning Magic isn't a new concept, but you made a groundbreaking innovation."
Ren's achievement filled Pandora with pride, much like a mother whose son succeeded in life.
Heretic God Summoning Magic itself wasn't new. For example, Marquis Voban had summoned the Dragon Slayer Siegfried using this method a few years ago. Unfortunately, the outcome of that ritual ended in an embarrassing incident for him—his prey was stolen by Doni before he could finish. Since then, Marquis Voban's hatred for Doni had only deepened.
However, the old method of Heretic God Summoning Magic had a significant flaw: the ritual required a Hime-Miko as a medium. Many of them died from exhaustion after the ritual was completed. The cost was too high.
In contrast, the new method developed by Ren and Alice, known as the Holy Grail Edition of Heretic God Summoning Magic, had no such side effects. No loss of life, no terrifying consequences. The only issue was obtaining the Holy Grail itself.
"But little Ren will surely forget what happens here." Pandora spoke in a maternal and affectionate tone.
Ren shrugged. "It's beyond my control. There's nothing I can do about it."
"But, little Ren, there's something you need to remember. The other children will hear about this sooner or later. They won't stay quiet. They'll come for the Holy Grail. You must be careful."
Even without Pandora reminding him, Ren had already anticipated that possibility.
"Then let them come. I always welcome a challenge. If they can take the Holy Grail from me, it only means I'm not strong enough. In this world, strength is everything, isn't it?" Ren gave a faint smile, displaying his characteristic confidence.