Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After enjoying a quiet night after the dramatic events of the previous day, both Vahn and Lili awoke before sunrise. Today marked the first day of Lili's physical training, so as Vahn suggested they woke up early to get a head start on the day.The two made their way towards the north-west gate, their destination being the outskirts of the Western Forests. Vahn was disappointed that Gregory wasn't on duty, so he asked the guards to pass a message for him. After filling a small exit log, they were easily allowed passage through the gate. At this time Vahn still had the 'guest pass' obtained from Hephaestus, which he had loaned to Lili temporarily.After arriving at the forest outskirts, Vahn was very tempted to make his way towards his previous home. Though it hadn't been that long since he left, it still stirred something in his heart at being separated from the place he had lived for so long.Lili could see his melancholic expression, so she tried asking what was bothering him. "Vahn? What's wrong?"Vahn just shook his head and smiled. "It's nothing Lili, I was just remembering the time I spent living in the forest. Even though a few days have passed, I can't easily get over my attachment to my former home.""Mmm, we should go there one day. I want to see the place where you grew up." Lili stared in the direction Vahn had been looking. She was curious what kind of environment the boy had lived in before coming to Orario."Sure, one day. For now, we need to begin our training." Vahn leads the way towards a clearing and used his sword to cut down trees in the area. Lili watched as he stripped the logs before digging holes and burying them upright in the ground. Seeing that she was watching him work, Vahn demonstrated some basic exercises she could perform while he finished setting everything up.His main goal was to help her improve her speed and adaptability. Pallums didn't have a lot of strength by nature, but Lili's [Artel*Assist] would provide her with plenty of strength once she obtained a proper weapon. He was using the logs to create an obstacle course which she would have to maneuver through while he would periodically fire practice arrows he had obtained from the shop. They were similar to normal arrows, but the arrowhead was replaced with a white lump that caused a numb sensation on contact.Using this method he wanted to help increase her awareness of threats, her mobility in evading obstacles, and lastly...her tolerance against taking hits. With this method and the combined CQC training techniques, she would be able to build a solid foundation for the future. He also planned to continue their previous days' training in the dungeon later.After they had discussed things previously, Vahn decided the schedule would be split between three active days separated by a single rest day. This would continue until she was able to fight freely within the first four floors of the dungeon without assistance. Though it was a tough regimen, it was still much better than her previous life so Lili didn't have any complaints.It took nearly two hours, but Vahn finally finished setting up the course. Lili had been continually performing the exercises he demonstrated earlier, so he gave her a short break while explaining his plans. They took time to eat a light breakfast, which Lili wasn't too fond of."This jerky is very bland. It doesn't even taste like it has any seasoning. Give me a moment.."She started searching through her backpack until she had found some salt and some kind of spicy paste Vahn had never seen. Applying the salt and paste, he was very surprised with the difference in taste and texture."This is much better than the jerky I made." Vahn was enjoying the variety of flavors. He had eaten a lot of smoked and dried meat when he was in the forest, and it wasn't until he entered the City that he realized how bland his cooking actually was.Hearing Vahn mention he had made the jerky, Lili became a little flustered. "I'm sorry Vahn, I didn't know you had made the jerky...I shouldn't have complained." She began nibbling on the jerky, not even using the seasonings she had pulled out.Vahn shook his head and just chuckled. "Don't apologize Lili. Even I can tell how bad the meat is without your seasoning. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for preparing such tasteless food for our breakfast." While he was speaking, he was also browsing through the shop for cooking books. Vahn was surprised to see the manuals ranged everywhere between 1OP and 1,000,000,000OP. Thinking about how great the food he already ate was, he swore he would one day purchase that manual...---After they finished eating, Vahn demonstrated several different methods to navigate the course. Lili began repeating his actions, and Vahn realized he had made some mistakes. The course he had designed was based off his own size and would require modification in the future. To make things more difficult, he positioned several of the cut branches to bar against easy passage.Once everything was ready, the training began in earnest. Lili would begin navigating the course while Vahn would target her arms and legs using the practice arrows. Whenever she dropped in speed or stalled for too long, he would end up targetting her back or abdomen, further increasing the difficulty of completing the course as it would make it difficult to regulate her breathing. They repeated this over and over while taking short breaks in between each set.Though she was beginning to build up a slight resentment against the training, Lili noticed that many of the injuries she had sustained would stop hurting after a while. When she inspected the area of impact, she noticed the small bruises that were previously visible had completely vanished. She looked towards the boy who would periodically fire arrows at her, and she could see several small bruises on his arms. Realizing he was using his [Wound Transfer] skill to aid her, Lili grit her teeth and put more effort into the training.On Vahn's end, he was using the opportunity of training Lili to also polish his skills. He already had higher regenerative capabilities than most people, but his [Rakshasa Body], [Spirit Healing], and [Yggdrasil's Favor] were creating a synergy that allowed him to push his natural regeneration even further with the use of [Wound Transfer]. Though he was taking on a lot of Lili's wounds, they would recover after several minutes which allowed him to repeat the process almost endlessly.After inspecting his stats, he could visibly see his parameters increasing, though the only ones of note were his endurance and magic. Vahn would be able to use the time he spent training Lili to familiarize himself with proactively using his abilities for the future. He even tried activating his [Will of the Emperor] which caused Lili to collapse to the ground when he had focused his intent on her.He spent a bit of time coaxing her into forgiving him, which resulted in him having to pet her head for five minutes. Though he was reluctant at first, Vahn resigned himself to the agreement only to become enthralled in the act after seeing how Lili responded when he touched her cat ears. The combination of the soft and fluffy sensation as well as the mewling of the young girl made his heart rate increase.---At 10 AM the two enjoyed a light lunch before heading back to the City. If they hurried, they would be able to enter the dungeon before noon, so they both started jogging with a quick pace towards the City gate. Using his status in the Hephaestus Familia and the 'guest pass' they were quickly let into the City without having to wait in a line. Since they had stored away Lili's backpack before entering, they didn't have any luggage that needed inspecting.After entering the dungeon, the second phase of training began. Like the previous day, Vahn had Lili try fighting the monsters using her crossbow as well as her dagger. He made sure she was always practicing maneuvering around the monsters and trying to exploit the gaps in their movements.For this training, Vahn had stored away her backpack which brought Lili's overall stats down. He was surprised to find out she was actually slower without it, though her ability to make fine movements had increased. Because of this, he brought up the idea of purchasing weighted clothing to enable her to make proper use of her skills without having to lug around a giant backpack. Though Lili was averse to the idea at first, she agreed after Vahn explained how it would allow her to increase the effect of the skill while improving her combat capabilities in the future.As they progressed further into the floors, Vahn was happy seeing how Lili was progressing. Though she was still nowhere near the requirements of a typical Level 1 adventurer, it was much better than the previous day.While all of this was going on, Vahn wasn't idling around either. He was constantly using his [Will of the Emperor] while Lili was fighting. As long as he didn't focus his intent on her, she was able to move about in the domain. This allowed him to interfere with the movements of monsters if Lili got caught off guard. There were several occasions after this where Lili failed to dodge, but because of Vahn's skill, she was able to counterattack the stunned monsters.He also tried using the active component of his [Rakshasa Body], but other than a feeling of his muscles swelling a bit, there were no other changes to his body. Vahn guessed the skill would only be useful when he was on the losing end in a fight. For now, he just had to be satisfied that the skill provided an increase in the growth of his endurance.By 5 PM they had cleared several rooms on the 3rd floor after progressing smoothly through the first two floors. Though she couldn't fight groups using her dagger, Lili had begun to tackle individual enemies without relying on her bow. Vahn was beginning to wonder about her status and if she was quickly becoming stronger. By now she had solo killed 11 goblins and 7 kobolds while assisting in the slaying of fifty-some-odd other monsters. Even if it wasn't as ridiculous as his own progress, she had to be experiencing some increase after gaining so much exilia.Before they began sparring, Vahn decided to inquire about her progress. "Lili, how are your parameters increasing after today's training? I'd like to know so we can make alterations to the schedule if necessary."Hearing his questions, Lili just stared at him blankly before a slight blush touched her cheeks. "Vahn...I can't really check my status without having my status board updated at the Soma Familia. Because the God Soma spends all of his time brewing alcohol, he very rarely ever updates anyone's status board. That is why most people in the Familia are lower than level 2, and even they joined from other Familia and weren't original members."Vahn began to understand why everyone from the Soma Familia was so easily dealt with by Bell in the manga. If their God wasn't proactively updating their status and giving them the benefits of the Falna, there would be no way for anyone to grow quickly.He also realized a larger problem. Even if the training was going well, there was no way to verify the progress without confronting the God Soma. Unless Lili was able to leave the Familia there would always be restrictions on her future potential...---Vahn began training Lili in close-quarters-combat methods and sparred with her to practice each technique. As it was also his first time using the skills on another person, they both took their time understanding the practical applications of the techniques. Luckily, Vahn had the benefit of possessing all the requisite knowledge within his head so he avoided embarrassing himself.They would take a break every twenty minutes, and during this time Vahn had been consulting Sis on methods to forcibly break the Familia contract. He learned that, unless he was able to obtain a Tier 4 (Sage) soul, it wouldn't be possible to break the contract as it was protected by the worlds 'laws'. There were items that would allow him to remove it, but the cheapest one cost as much as 2,500,000OP.He had begun to give up on the idea and started planning how he could confront the Soma Familia, but Sis interrupted him. (*Vahn, due to the nature of your body and it's connection to 'source' energy, you are able to read and update the status of other Adventurers. Though you don't possess falna like the gods, you can use [Yggdrasil's Favor] to enhance the existing falna already present within the crest.*)Hearing the words, Vahn began to get excited and turned towards Lili to try and explain his 'revelation'...

Vahn looked towards Lili and tried thinking of how to explain the situation. As far as he knew there should be no methods for someone other than a god to update a Status Board. Even being able to view status is something exceptionally rare...Lili noticed he was struggling with something so she decided to speak up. "What is it Vahn? Did you notice something?" She was watching his face to see if he was trying to conceal anything. To Lili, Vahn seemed to have a lot of secrets that she couldn't ask about, but she still wanted him to be truthful to her.Vahn stared towards her with a serious expression. After hesitating briefly, he finally found his resolve. He had already decided to help her, and there was no reason he should hesitate after everything that has happened. "Lili...I have a skill that allows me to not only view status, but it should allow me to imbue my energy into the crest to revitalize the stagnant Falna within. I have never done it before, but I have reason to believe it will be successful."Hearing his words, Lili couldn't believe them. She had never heard of a mortal being able to empower a falna or being able to update the status board of another person. But, seeing the seriousness in Vahn's eyes, she believed he was telling the truth.She hung her head in thought before asking him a question. "Does it have anything to do with that strange aura you're able to emit? Just what exactly is that skill anyway? I've never even heard of anything like it before."Vahn shook his head. "No, that is a different skill. Right now, I can't tell you the details since even I'm not strong enough to protect it's secret. Knowing about it would only lead to your death." This was the truth, since Innate skills existing outside the natural 'law' of the world. If a resident of the record obtained too much information about them, the laws would likely take action.Lili could see a deadly seriousness in Vahn's expression, but it only made her want to know even more. She wanted to become strong enough that he could trust her with all of his secrets. For now, she just nodded without asking further."The skill I'm going to use is called [Yggdrasil's Favor]. It allows me to imbue the natural energy of the world into objects. Due to the nature of the skill, there is a very high possibility it would enable a stagnant falna to be revitalized since it should be similar in function to the energy used by gods in the mortal world. I can't go into too many details, because even I don't know exactly how it works." Vahn gave a helpless sigh since this was the limit of his current explanation. Anything more would be touching on the secrets he needed to protect.After mulling over his words for several minutes, Lili gave a determined nod and smiled towards Vahn. "I trust you Vahn. At the very least, I believe you won't try to harm me."With a warm feeling welling in his chest, Vahn said, "Thank you, Lili." He then reached out and patted her head for a brief moment."So, what do I need to do?" Lili had some expectations but decided to be roundabout and asked Vahn to explain.Vahn could see Lili begin blushing, and he began to feel like something was off. Unable to determine the cause, he decided to explain. "I'll need to view your Status Board while directly channeling the energy of my skill into the crest. I'm not sure how long it will take, but it shouldn't take too much time."Hearing Vahn confirm her suspicions, Lili began to blush fiercely while 'glaring' at Vahn. She began to wonder if he even understood what he was asking her to do. It didn't have to be said, but everyone knew the location of a Familia Crest was always on the back. Without directly exposing herself, he would be unable to perform the ritual!Vahn was very confused about her actions. He thought she would be happy to have her status updated without having to rely on her Familia, but she seemed angry and bashful instead. While he was thinking about the cause, Lili began speaking."Vahn...you may not know this since you aren't in a Familia, but the Crest is always located on the back of an Adventurer. Without removing my blouse, there would be no way to view my Status Board, much less channel energy into the crest..." Lili continued to 'glare' at Vahn. She saw him display a confused expression before seeming to come to an understanding which caused his eyes to widen."Ah, you're right. I'm sorry, I didn't think it through that far. I was just focused on the theory, and didn't think about the process that much..but, the part about me not being in a Familia is incorrect? Didn't you notice at the gate that I put my information as being part of the Hephaestus Familia? I even gave you a 'guest pass' to allow you to enter and exit freely."Lili became startled, realizing she had made a huge blunder. Even though she could identify the 'guest pass' as an item belonging to the Hephaestus Familia, she didn't think about how Vahn had obtained it. "But, Vahn? Didn't you say you were a freelancer when we first met? I thought you only recently entered the City...and you're even staying in an Inn instead of a dormitory or compound."Vahn nodded in confirmation. "That's all true. At the time of our first meeting, I was still a freelancer. I only joined the Hephaestus Familia after we parted from the dungeon that same evening."The words were like a bomb exploding within her mind. She could barely process the information. ('Exactly what happened in just a single night!?'). Lili released a long sigh. She felt like she severely underestimated how many events Vahn got wrapped up in within a short time period. In the course of a single evening, he saved her life, ran around the city, and even joined a Familia. And not just any Familia, but the rank 3 Familia within the entire City!"Vahn, please tell me when things like that happen...I'm not sure my heart can handle the constant feeling of surprise." She gave him a fed-up expression with drooping, tired eyes.Vahn just rubbed the back of his head, promising to inform her about things as long as they weren't a secret.---The two were now exiting the dungeon. After Vahn realized what was necessary for the procedure, he couldn't just ask Lili to take off her top within the dungeon. Even though it was unlikely, there was still a chance other Adventurers could appear in the route they were resting in. If they stumbled upon him using the skill and spread rumors, it would become a nightmare that wouldn't be easy to resolve. To prevent that from happening, the only solution would be to 'silence' them, but Vahn wasn't fond of the idea of indiscriminately killing people.After trading in their spoils for the day, Vahn split the earnings equally. Though Lili refused at first, Vahn ignored her and just started walking in the direction of the Inn. After a few moments of hesitation, Lili sighed before putting the daily earnings into her backpack and chasing after Vahn.---Since it was already late in the evening and Vahn didn't know how long the procedure would take, they decided to get some food from a nearby stall. The place they selected seemed to specialize in producing various types of crepes. Vahn found it very interesting watching them pour the batter and forming it into shape before adding the toppings they had each selected. From the side, Lili just stared at his childish expression while giggling.After they had finished several rounds of crepes (mainly due to the fact Vahn really loved the taste of fried fish after having it for the first time), they finally found their way to the Inn. Stepping inside, they came across Tina who, upon seeing Vahn, blushed before immediately running away without greeting them.Seeing the 'frightened' girl, Vahn just stood there with the hand he had raised to wave stuck awkwardly in the air. Once again, he could hear the laughter of Lili coming from his side. He turned to look at her, and she tried desperately to hold back her laughter before sticking her tongue out and heading up the nearby stairs.Vahn shook his head and began to follow her, but was stopped when the Proprietress, Milan, called out to him. "Ara~ Good evening Vahn. I was wondering why my daughter ran into the pantry looking like a tomato. Don't tell me you did something again~? I might have to really punish you at this rate~."Through his cold sweat, Vahn began explaining the circumstances before being forced to sit and buy a drink. It turned out Milan wanted to ask about the situation when he had disappeared for a few days and the reasons why he ended up bringing Lili back shortly after his return.Since Vahn had no negative feelings towards the kind, albeit mischievous, Proprietress he decided to explain things without revealing any sensitive information. She was surprised hearing that Vahn had saved Lili's life, and how after a series of events became responsible for training her to become stronger. When he got the part about how he had joined a Familia, and how he would most likely be moving away by the end of the week, a shadow dashed from behind the doorway dividing the dining room and kitchen."No! Please don't leave!" The young Tina had revealed her presence after hearing that Vahn would be leaving. When her mother had been discussing things with Vahn, she was eavesdropping on the conversation.Vahn just shook his head at her pleading. Though he liked staying within the Inn, he wouldn't be able to stay here for the rest of his life. It was always guaranteed that, as he grew stronger, he would eventually move on from this place.Seeing the apologetic expression on his face, combined with him shaking his head, Tina began to struggle with holding back her tears. "Is it because I ran away yesterday? Is it because I wouldn't let you touch my tail?" For Tina, she couldn't really rationalize the situation. Even though customers were always coming and going, she felt that Vahn would always be around. For Tina, he was a special existence and the first person that made her feel different from an ordinary girl.Vahn was pained seeing her cry, but he nearly fell off of his stool when she mentioned the part about the tail. He began to worry that he left a strange impression in the mind of the girl...He looked towards Milan, and she too seemed to be a bit sad about the revelation he would be leaving. However, unlike her daughter, she seemed to accept the reality for what it was. Life was always changing, always moving forward, even when you didn't want it to...Seeing the sad far-away look that had appeared on Milan, Vahn wanted to ask what she was thinking about. He wanted to be able to comfort the Mother-Daughter pair but didn't know what to do.While he was lost in thought, he felt a force wrap around his waist. Turning, he could see Tina hugging him from the side. He didn't expect that she had grown so attached to him even though they hadn't interacted that much. On the collar of the girl's blouse, he could see the brooch that he had bought for her the previous day.---After spending twenty minutes trying to console Tina and talking to Milan, Vahn finally managed to extricate himself from the situation after promising to stop by whenever he could, even after he moved out. Tina even pressed him further and had him promise to give her his address after he moved. She told him that when she was old enough, she would become an Adventurer too and follow him into the dungeon just like her mother had done with her father.---Vahn walked upstairs and knocked on the door to Lili's room. After various sounds of movement, the door opened a tiny margin and revealed the eye of Lili. She seemed very nervous, and Vahn noticed a peculiar odor coming from the crack in the door. It would seem that, while he was downstairs, Lili had taken the opportunity to bathe. Vahn assumed she must have been worried about her sweat, but after noticing the blush on Lili's face he began to become nervous as well."T-thanks for coming here Vahn. Please come inside..." Lili opened the door, revealing clothing Vahn had never seen before. It was an outfit very similar to pajamas, except she was wearing the top of the ensemble backward. The area that would typically be buttoned from the front now revealed her open back. Seeing the exposed skin, Vahn felt his mouth dry up causing him to instinctually swallow.Vahn stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

After things had settled down, Chloe left the two to finish their meal. Lili still seemed a bit down, but she looked a lot better than before. She ate away at the children's menu without complaint while making small talk with Vahn. Once they had finished and settled the bill, Vahn and Lili bid farewell to Chloe and headed home.On the path back to the Inn, Lili remained quiet and just looked around at the various passersby. She saw people traveling in groups, families with their children, and even individuals simply enjoying the evening atmosphere. There were also a few couples that were walking around in the night markets, most likely enjoying the final hours of their dates. When Lili saw them, she would just stare for a few moments before continuing forward without saying anything.Vahn could tell she was thinking about a lot of things, but the stability in her aura made him feel as though things were changing for the better. Though he often ran around the City to save time, Vahn just continued along the path while enjoying the same atmosphere. The cool night air was very calming, and the warmth generated by the flow of people made his heart feel at ease. When Lili would get distracted, he would just patiently wait for her, giving her as much time as she needed.After more than an hour, they were finally nearing the Inn when Lili decided to stop so they could speak. Most of the pedestrians had already disappeared at this time, and only a few hard-working vendors and adventurers could be seen in the nightscape of the city. Lili leads the way towards the small plaza that served as a central point for the markets near the Inn.For a few minutes, the two just stood there in silence. Vahn could see the aura around Lili fluctuate periodically before stabilizing again. Finally, she seemed to have made up her mind, turning towards Vahn with a serious expression. "Vahn...I want to apologize. For my selfishness...and insecurities...and so many other things. Even though you had saved me and put in so much effort to help me grow, I was just focused on my own thoughts..." She began to have trouble breathing as tears began to appear in her eyes."I just...I just wanted to do something to help secure my own happiness. I thought I could rely on your kindness to escape all my problems...and even if I wasn't able to become strong, I thought you would still help me. I even thought of using my own body as compensation to make you dedicate yourself to me...I really am a selfish woman...no, a selfish child, just like Chloe said." While she was speaking, she continued to hold eye contact with Vahn who maintained a calm expression on his face."I know you won't abandon me, even though I did so many foolish things...but, I don't want to just rely on your kindness anymore. I want to become stronger...I want to see what it is like to walk on a path where I'm not reliant on others to live. And...I want to be able to repay this debt of gratitude I owe you...using my own power." She was shaking while trying her best to hold back the tears that continued to stream down her face. Lili didn't want to lose anything anymore just because she couldn't hold onto it with her own strength.Vahn could feel an indescribable pain coursing through his body as he watched the small girl state her convictions through tears and muffled-sobs. He didn't expect it would be so hard to just stand by and listen as someone poured their heart out to him. After her words ceased, he felt an overwhelming urge to just hug the girl and help drive away all the negative feelings she was keeping within her heart...but he couldn't, not now. Vahn balled his hands into fists, holding back his emotions as he waited for her to continue."From now on, please don't hold back in my training. I will do whatever it takes...I will prove that I'm worthy to walk at your side...not just a burden that weighs you down!" Lili mustered the remainder of her strength and shouted the final words. For her, it was both a confession and her heartfelt desire. Even if he never returned her feelings, she still wanted him to know.Vahn heavily placed his palm on her head, causing Lili to flinch. It wasn't the gentle patting he often gave her; it was almost as though he was angry. She looked through her tear stained eyes and saw Vahn looking at her with a pained and dissatisfied expression on his face. Lili began to wonder if she had upset him, and her heart began to twist in her chest."You're an idiot Lili..." Vahn released an exasperated sigh as he spoke the words."Eh..? Vahn?" Lili was confused and heartbroken. She couldn't make sense of his derisive words, especially after everything that had happened.Before she could process what was happening, Vahn pulled her into a powerful hug. She could feel his warmth begin to spread through her body. And on the side of her face, she could feel a wetness that didn't come from her eyes."You are such an idiot...don't say things like "worthy" or "burden". Everything I've done for you was by my own will. Even if I thought I had to protect you, I never once thought you were a burden that wasn't worth saving. It breaks my heart to heart to hear you say something so cruel..." Vahn continued hugging Lili as warms tears slowly streamed down his face. He couldn't bear the words she spoke any longer."Vahn..." Lili sunk her face into his chest, enjoying the sensation. She didn't try to take advantage of the situation, she just allowed herself to be held by Vahn. Through his chest, she could feel the powerful beating of Vahn's heart...it was slow and rhythmic...and seemed to contain a powerful vitality that helped comfort something deep within her soul.Vahn continued to hug her tightly for a few minutes until they had both long stopped crying. When he pulled away, Lili didn't try latching onto him like previously. Instead, they just stared at each other before displaying awkward smiles seeing their unsightly appearance. The young boy and girl began laughing, driving away all of the negative emotions that had settled in the atmosphere.Once they had collected themselves, they headed to the Inn. After exchanging pleasantries with Milan who had given them strange looks, they two headed to their respective rooms. Before they each entered, Vahn stopped Lili and gave her a gentle hug. Though she was shocked, Lili just accepted it without resisting."Good night Lili. Tomorrow will be difficult, and I won't go easy on you anymore so get plenty of rest. I cannot help replace what you had lost in the past, but I will do my best to guarantee you are able to find a path where you can seize your future." Vahn spoke the words gently, but firmly. Lili just nodded before eventually turning towards her room when the hug ended.Before she closed the door, Lili looked into Vahn's eyes. "I will do it Vahn sama...no matter how long it takes, or how much I have to struggle. I swear." With those parting words, she closed the door, leaving a grinning Vahn in the hallway.---Within his own room, Vahn laid down on his bed with a powerful feeling of exhaustion. He recalled the events of the day and could barely make sense of everything that happened. ("Sis, why are people so difficult? Why do they have to expend so much effort to break away from suffering and try to find happiness?") Vahn stared at the ceiling while remembering all the people he had interacted with, in both his present world and past life.(*That isn't a question I know the answer to Vahn. You will have to find the answers for yourself through experience. All I can do is help guide you along 'The Path' until you become strong enough to possess the 'freedom' you desire.*)Vahn nodded. With 'The Path' he had an advantage over almost everyone else within the stories he could recall in his mind. Most people had to go through life dealing with the lot they were given at birth...even Vahn himself was a victim of unfortunate circumstance. Now, he had to power to control his fate, and as long as he put in the effort there were very few things that could halt his momentum.He began thinking about how best to use his power, and what worlds he should visit in the future. There were many things he wanted to experience, but after interacting with people like Chloe, Lili, and Hephaestus, Vahn began having doubts about the path he was taking. Though he originally just wanted power and the ability to travel through the worlds of his dreams, now it was becoming harder and harder to think of himself as a bystander. Now he was proactively beginning to drive events within the world, and depending on his decisions he could completely alter the events he knew from the canon...Releasing a sigh, Vahn tried to stop worrying about things. If he let himself get caught up in self-doubt, he would just create unnecessary stress for himself. The best thing he could do now was to continue growing stronger so that he could deal with each situation as they arose. With that thought in mind, Vahn decided to take the time to review all of his current stats and items before going to sleep.==========================================================[[STATS]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 14Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level:2(2)-Power:1001+(I38)-Endurance:1108+(I51)-Dexterity:887+(I41)-Agility:940+(I40)-Magic:1611+(E244)Total:5547+(414)Soul Strength: Tier 2 (Hero Soul)[Karma]: 801[OP]: 27,490[Valis]: 49,700(A/N: I Actually feel like I forgot something here)Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:H][Bow Mastery:C], [Stealth:D], [Chainbreaker:S], [Call of the Reaper:B],[Yggdrasil's Favor:S], [Veil of the Traveler: S], [Swordsman:D], [Featherfoot:E]Magic: EmptyDevelopment Skills: [Wound Transfer:B], [Spirit Healing:B], [Blacksmith:D][[ITEMS]]Equipment: [Runic Tamahagane Blade:A], [Plague Mask:E], [Nullifying Mantle:C], [Mithril Poniard:B], [Damascus-Steel Gauntlets:C], [Scout's Guille Suit:F], [Handloomed Shadowsilk Tunic:D], [Runic Tempered Yew Shortbow:B], [Decanter of Replenishment:B], 1x Hephaestus' Favor, 1x Skill Enhancement Scroll, Etc...[[QUESTS]][Birth of a Legend:SS], [The Hearts Desire:C-SS(repeatable)]==========================================================His Magic was still increasing at an alarming rate, probably due to his contest of wills against the 'eternal flame'. The rest of his stats were trailing far behind, but Vahn thought it was due to the minimal effort he had used in hunting monsters with Lili. He would have to fight much stronger monsters if he wanted to experience the rapid growth he had in the previous week.One thing that caught his eye was the '1x Hephaestus' Favor' that he had overlooked after completing the optional quest. He had been so focused at the time, and then immediately moved onto forging and other stuff that he never had the chance to determine its use.[Hephaestus' Favor] x1Rank: UniqueUse: After consumption exponentially increases the likelihood of a successful request from the 'Goddess of Forging, Hephaestus'. Success rate determined by Affection.Vahn was surprised after reading the items description. It was his first unique item, and he wasn't sure if it was good or bad. After a bit of thought, he figured it could be used to ask her to forge a weapon for him in the future, though he would probably have to increase his affection with Hephaestus before then...Thinking of Affection, Vahn decided to see the values of all the current people whose auras he had touched.[Liliruca Arde]: Affection:94(Love), Intrigue:66(Concerned)[Chloe Lolo]: Affection:78(Trust), Intrigue:89(Hope for the Future)[Eina Tulle]:59(Confused), Intrigue:72(Uncertain but Interested)[Hephaestus]: Affection: 82(Belief), Intrigue:100(Insatiable Curiosity)[Milan Yuel]: Affection: 55(Amicable), Intrigue:51(Neutral)[Tina Yuel]:Affection: 68(Crush), Intrigue:53(Confused)[Nicholas Grimm]:47(Disatisfied), Intrigue:60(Curious)Seeing Tina on the list, Vahn could help but cringe remembering his earlier failure. He was also very curious when Nicholas had been added to the list. Vahn didn't remember ever touching him, but it was likely after he had lost consciousness outside of the dungeon. Since he didn't see any names he didn't recognize, he wasn't sure though. There were likely several doctors that had touched him when he was asleep, so maybe the system only included people he was familiar with beforehand?The thing that concerned him the most was the fact Hephaestus's intrigue had hit 100, which Sis informed him was the max. The thought anyone possessed an 'insatiable curiosity' towards him actually terrified Vahn. He didn't know to what extent she would go to in order to satiate her curiosity in the future...---Meanwhile, Hephaestus was experiencing shock after trying to forge metal in the 'eternal flame'. The temperature was not only significantly stronger, but the flame was much easier to manage. It seemed to proactively regulate the heat when the raw metal began to reach its peak, allowing her to almost completely ignore tending to the metal herself...She looked towards a nearby wall and her gaze seemed to penetrate through the structure of the building. If anyone was to draw a line tracing her gaze, they would find out she was looking directly towards where Vahn was presently bathing in a cold sweat.

Chapter 46: Training Start