"What?"
How did he know?
Pansy's heart jolted.
Facing Damian, she constantly felt an absurd sense that she was being controlled and enslaved, so she'd tried to trap him through the Cloth battle.
The result was wildly unexpected—she'd only helped him steal the spotlight.
This lunatic must have caught some hint and actually suspected her.
She hurriedly waved her hands. "N-no, no. I only told Ms. Shaina that you were amazing, senior brother, and that beating Seiya would be easy for you… I didn't say anything else."
Damian closed in step by step, his killing intent soaring.
Run!
Sensing the murderous intent, Pansy couldn't help but take off on her little legs, the divine power she'd been gathering scattering.
Damian lunged, pinned the fleeing little loli, gave her no chance to react, and brought a mighty Vajra palm down on her little butt.
Begin!
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
That's for goading Shaina into putting me in the Cloth battle!
That's for goading Cassios into giving up the Cloth battle!
That's for sneaking into the Sanctuary to make trouble!
That's for wrecking the main plot!
That's for screwing me over!
As the slaps rang out, Pansy let out ghost-wailing howls.
It really hurt—she felt like her butt was on fire.
"Ms. Shaina!"
"Aphrodite!"
"Help!"
Damian's hand rose and fell in rhythm, slap after slap, with no sign of stopping. "Yell all you like. Scream your lungs out—no one's saving you. Now senior brother is going to dote on you properly, heh heh heh!"
Pandora!
Today I, Damian, will show you the true meaning of a "perky butt"!
If I don't smack your backside swollen, I'm not Damian.
This was something Damian had wanted to do for a long time.
Don't be fooled by Pandora being the commander of the Underworld, second only to a god and above a multitude.
She was also a stunning beauty—noble and enchanting, regal and lovely, peerless and inviolate—her looks and bearing rivaled the goddess's.
Even shrunken down, Pandora's butt felt superb to smack. And the more he listened to those screams, the more strength he put into it.
Today I'll smack you back into your true form!
As Damian's palm rose and fell, he seemed not to notice that Marin had already awakened on the other bed.
Holding her breath, she secretly watched Damian "cruelly ravaging the flower."
Terror filled her pretty face. She recalled what she'd suffered before, and now, seeing Damian abusing the little junior sister Pansy, the ferocity and killing aura made her heart pound.
"What a vicious lunatic!"
"He won't even spare a little girl."
Marin drew a sharp breath and griped inwardly.
She was grateful she'd survived under his hands at all.
Damian shouted down at the girl beneath him, "Pansy, tell me—what ends await a traitor who frames her senior brother? Repeat it—loudly!"
Pansy was a tear-streaked mess. Weathered by many storms, she never cried without reason; even when she cried, it was out of necessity, but now the tears were real.
How had she ended up with such a snake-brained senior brother? He hit whenever he liked, for no reason, with not a hint of pity for a child. Her butt truly hurt—so swollen it could swell no more.
She'd never been beaten in her life!
But painful or not, faced with the ferocious senior brother, she sniffled through snot bubbles and repeated his punishment manifesto against traitors: "One—throw the traitor into a latrine pit to soak for forty-nine days and turn her into a human stinking salted fish…"
"Good!"
Damian nodded in great satisfaction.
The little girl was obedient—she must have taken it in. A nameless sense of achievement welled up in him.
Pandora!
You really are sensible!
Since you know how to swallow humiliation, I'll make sure to dote on you often from now on…
Whoosh!
Suddenly a gust surged from behind.
Damian dodged a flying kick on reflex, his hair lifting from the strike—several strands even sliced off.
In the next instant Marin launched herself at Pansy at supersonic speed.
"Don't move. If you twitch, I won't be polite."
In a blink, Marin had Pansy in hand, her right fingertips aimed at the girl's throat.
"Then don't be polite. If you've got the guts, do it."
Damian crossed his arms, all indifference.
It was the Great Horn stance of the Taurus Saint. If he wished, he could strike before Marin did, take her down with a lightspeed blow.
But…
"Senior brother, save me."
Pansy couldn't help calling out, only to be whisked from the room by Marin.
"It's not that I won't save you. If I make a move, Marin might take your life."
Damian shrugged helplessly and followed them outside.
"Marin, you know Pansy is a once-in-a-century talent—the apple of Shaina's eye. If anything happens to her, Shaina will be devastated. Of course, I'll also hand you the Pegasus Cloth."
Damian didn't move a muscle, but he was secretly delighted.
He just couldn't act. If Pansy died at Marin's hands, that would take care of this hidden danger.
So, go on—do it!
"Hm?"
Hearing that, Pansy nearly burst into tears again.
What do you mean?
You're planning to let Marin kill me?
"Oh?"
Marin suddenly felt Pansy's value skyrocket in her hands.
Her true face had been seen by this man—she wanted to kill him. But without her Cloth's blessing, she couldn't beat this physically monstrous Damian; she could only resort to taking a hostage.
Damian's words were not to be trusted.
But Pansy's gift was real—Shaina, and even Marin herself, had set their sights on her.
Right—I can use Pansy…
"Damian, if you want Pansy to live, hand over the Pegasus Bronze Cloth. If you try anything, Pansy's life is forfeit…"
Before she finished, Damian flashed back into the room, fetched the Pegasus Bronze Cloth, and handed it straight to Marin.
"Ah… this…"
She'd expected hesitation—he was so decisive.
She moved to release Pansy.
Damian chopped out a hand, knocking Pansy out cold, sending the little girl into deep sleep.
He smiled. "You can have the Cloth, but you must take Pansy with you, and you have to promise to accept her as your disciple."
"Huh?"
Marin was completely confused.
What was this man up to?
"No need to hesitate. You must take Pansy if you want the Cloth."
Damian nodded and said solemnly, "And promise me you'll take her as your disciple."
"I… I promise."
After a moment's thought, Marin nodded, took the Pegasus Cloth casket, tucked the sleeping Pansy under her arm, and left the graveyard at speed.
The way she ran, you'd think she feared Damian changing his mind.
Damian said nothing from start to finish, a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Who'd have thought—at the critical moment Marin abducted Pansy, and the Pegasus Cloth went with her.
Disaster redirected, two birds with one stone.
Perfect!
Marin, I'm counting on you.
Keep that time bomb Pansy by your side.
I, Damian, won't miss that little troublemaker one bit.
"Safe travels—I'm not seeing you off!"
"And Pansy will never want to go back under Shaina again…"
Time for real business.
Damian lifted his head to the sky, settling into full vigilance. He shouted, "Now that the interrupters are gone, aren't you coming out?"
All at once, a powerful Cosmo appeared over the graveyard, brazenly blanketing it.
At the same time, a man in a gold Cloth descended from the sky.
A thunderous voice boomed over the graves: "Gravekeeper Damian, I am Saga, the Gemini Gold Saint. I hear you want my Cloth?"
Damian lifted his chin, gaze sharp, and gave a single word in reply:
"Yes!"