Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

The atmosphere within the room had improved considerably. Tsubaki scooped up Lili and left Vahn and Welf sitting at the table as she went to prepare dinner. Though Lili tried to struggle at first, Tsubaki was easily able to carry her light body without being affected. Vahn gave a glance at Lili but didn't say anything as she was tearfully pulled into the kitchen.Welf laughed awkwardly before trying to restart the conversation with Vahn. He knew he made a bad first impression, so he wanted to try and patch things up between them. The two talked a bit about each other's past. Vahn gave his standard story about growing up the forest, while Welf mentioned he came from the neighboring country Rakia.When they were discussing why each came to the City and how they had been living, Welf was surprised to find that Vahn had only recently arrived in Orario. He found the fact that Vahn had been able to reach Level 2 within a month terrifying and began to suspect there was more to the story that he wasn't made aware of. Welf suspected the reason Vahn had been entrusted to Tsubaki, who was the current captain of the Familia, was likely due to some kind of secret.Though Vahn knew about Welf from the story, he still tried probing the reason why Welf came to Orario. Welf hesitated for a moment before saying it was to escape having to create weapons that indiscriminately take innocent lives. He told Vahn about his unique skill [Crozzo Blood] which his family had used to create weapons of mass destruction for Ares's army. He swore that he would never take part it such a cruel process and even took a vow to never forge magic weapons.Vahn nodded, showing that he understood Welf's plight with the seriousness of his expression. Welf was able to see that Vahn didn't simply acknowledge his words but genuinely empathized with his situation. He began to respect Vahn even more and began acting more casually while they talked. That is until Vahn said something that completely caught him off guard."The longer you deny your own capabilities, the less progress you'll make in the future. You'll never be able to move forward unless you overcome your past. Your fear of magic items and the damage they can cause is baseless because the only fear you have is in regards to damage others have caused, not yourself. Even if you refuse to make magic weapons, it won't prevent the people that use them to indiscriminately kill from doing so anyway. The only difference is they'll use an even crueler method to achieve the same result." Vahn slowly spoke the words, even though he could see Welf begin to get upset. Towards the end of his statement, Welf was even gritting his teeth while trying to keep down his emotions."Welf, I understand better than you think, I'm not simply empathizing with you. I know how blood can be used as a powerful tool at the convenience of evil and cruel men. But, you aren't proving anything by restricting your own power while they continue performing their deeds. If you truly understood the burden of your blood, you would use it to deny those that would exploit others."Welf looked towards Vahn with hate-filled eyes, though the hate wasn't directed at him. Welf continued taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Once he recovered enough rationality, he spoke, "So you're saying I should make weapons and use them to kill the people that wanted to use them? How does that make me better than they are; because I'm the one choosing the targets!?"Vahn shook his head and responded in a serious manner. "I'm not saying you need to use the weapons or even let others use them. I'm saying you should research and study their power...so that you can create countermeasures against it in the future. Who else better than the creator knows how to prevent the damage caused by their use? Lastly, as long as there is a desire for your weapons, the people that would use them to cause harm would stop at nothing to get their hands on them. As you are now, there is any number of things that could force your hand and lead to the very event you're trying to avoid."Welf grits his teeth even harder and was visibly shaken by Vahn's words. He knew best what kind of people his family worked with. If they found out his location, even with the protection of the Hephaestus Familia, they would try to force him to concede. When that happened, he would be taken back to Rakia and be forced to make magic weapons until he either killed himself or lost his usefulness and they did the job for him.Vahn continued, "There are more than just offensive spells. If your blood allows you to infuse magic into an item, why does it have to be for attack? Why not create a shield that can generate barriers or a staff that can cast recovery magic? Don't tell me you think the only use for magic is to cause harm? Look-"Vahn used a dagger and drew a line of blood across his forearm. Welf started in shock at the self-inflicted wound, but his eyes became completely round when he saw Vahn close the wound simply by tracing his finger across it. After the wound was completely healed, Vahn looked into Welf's eyes and spoke. "Magic has many applications, why are you so obsessed with killing?"Hearing the words, Welf's mind was completely blank. He just stared at where the wound previously existed, unable to form any thought for several seconds. After some clarity was restored, he began to ponder the question Vahn asked. Once again, the words Vahn spoke hit to the core of the matter that he had avoided for so long. There was, in fact, no reason for him to create magic swords to bring harm. As long as he had a proper understanding of the magical circuit, he could infuse any type of spell into the equipment...While he was lost in thought, Vahn was browsing through his system shop. He wanted to find an item that would help demonstrate his point even better than his previous action. Vahn found that looking for equipment that could heal was actually rather difficult due to the cost of such items. The cheapest one he could find was something literally called [Heal:C] that cost 2,000OP. He decided to purchase it and then pulled it out using his 'storage magic'.Welf was surprised seeing a staff appear in Vahn's hand. He recalled that Vahn had previously pulled his hammer out of nowhere, and assumed it was likely a rare skill like storage magic. The staff in Vahn's hand was made of wood which spiraled until coming to a red crystalline gem at the head of the staff. Welf was curious why Vahn would have a staff, as he didn't seem like the type to use magic based on his build and demeanor.Vahn was reading the description and use of the new item and realized he had hit the jackpot. He once again cut his arm, which caused Welf to grimace. He then channeled his energy into the staff and activated its ability. The red orb glowed with a gentle luminance and a white light emitted from Vahn's body. After the light had faded, any evidence of the wound had completely vanished.Welf was in awe of the demonstration because he could tell that Vahn hadn't used any actual magic due to the lack of a chant. It was nothing like his small demonstration from earlier. From his perspective, he was able to see the staff create a magical circle around Vahn which covered him in white light and healed the wound. It was the first time Welf had ever seen a magical staff with the inherent ability to heal.Welf swallowed heavily before asking, "That staff...did you make it?" Seeing Vahn shake his head, he released a sigh of relief. If Vahn had the skill to make such an item there would be no end to the people lining up to purchase his equipment. "Can I ask where you obtained it? How does it function?"Vahn shook his head. He couldn't tell Welf about the system, but he didn't want to lie. "Sorry, it's a very important secret that I can't tell others. It's dangerous even exposing items like this, but I wanted you to know that your blood didn't always lead to a bloody end. If you put in the effort you could save countless lives. You don't have to create items that cause harm."Welf nodded but continued staring at the staff. He never even considered Vahn's approach, but now that he thought about it, Vahn was completely right. There had been so much pain and death caused by his family's [Crozzo Blood] that he completely avoided trying to find a solution on his own. Instead, he just focused on trying to become a great blacksmith without creating magic weapons. He realized that he had been terribly wrong this entire time...Welf released a long sigh while giving Vahn a gratified look. If he hadn't met Vahn today, he may never have overcome the fear within his mind. He would have kept trying to forge a path that denied an integral part of himself until the very thing he was trying to escape caught up to him."Thank you Vahn. You've taught me something very important today. I'll prove that your words aren't wasted, count on it." Welf looked into Vahn's eyes while making his claim with a renewed passion. He now owed a great debt to this boy he had just met and wanted to prove that he wasn't the coward that fled from his home long ago. Welf decided he would find a better path...one where when people spoke of the name 'Crozzo', it would be in adulation and not contempt.Vahn could see the aura of Welf blazing like the sun. He was literally radiating confidence and determination, so Vahn gave him an appreciative nod. "You can do it Welf. As long as you continue to believe, there is nothing that can stop you."The two smiled at each other before nearly having a heart attack when a loud clap sounded from the doorway. Tsubaki, who had been watching the two in their own world for some time, started laughing loudly. Her decision to leave Welf to Vahn paid off, and she was happy to see a renewed flame burning within Welf."Foods ready you two. Come and get it before it gets cold. We made a buttload, so prepare to stuff yourself or face the consequences~!" As she spoke, she grabbed both of them by the back of their collars and dragged them towards the dining room.As they were both aware of Tsubaki's behavior, they didn't put up much resistance as it would only make matters worse. Instead, they just gave each other awkward smiles and laughed along with the Cyclopian woman treating them like luggage.---Lili, who had been forced to cook with Tsubaki, was beside herself after seeing the violent woman drag in the two boys. She really wanted to shout at her for treating Vahn so poorly but knew nothing would be able to protect her if she opened her mouth. She resolved herself to become stronger as soon as possible so they could both escape the grasp of their one-eyed demoness.Tsubaki dropped the two off near the table and everyone sat down to enjoy the meal. Vahn noticed that, though there was a slight variation, the meal was once again fried rice. Just like lunch, it was delicious and he enjoyed several bowls while making conversation. He had been focusing primarily on Welf for a while, so he made sure to ask Lili about her training earlier in the day, a topic he would regret bringing up.Hearing Vahn mention training, Tsubaki started regaling everyone with the tale of Vahn's valiant attempts to spar against her. She spoke about how he was able to improve at a fast pace, but no matter how hard he struggled he still ended up eating dirt ninety-nine times in a row. When she got to here, Tsubaki paused and gave a massive grin while looking at Vahn. She could see him sweating to the point he was unable to even chew his food.She looked towards Lili who had been frowning during the recounting of events. "Nee~, Lili, what do you think happened after the ninety-ninth time?" Lili looked towards her with confusion, unable to understand why she would ask the question. "Did he block the attack?" She uttered the only words that came to her mind, missing the fact Vahn nearly planted his face into the table as she asked.Tsubaki hefted up her large breasts before loudly proclaiming, "Hahaha, he managed to react in time, but the thing he blocked wasn't my hand...it was my breasts!" She continued laughing while Vahn shrunk in his seat, Lili became flustered, and Welf just stared towards Vahn with a horrified expression.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bromance', 'Why you attak wen u can protec?', 'Magic swords aren't even unique to [Crozzo Blood]', 'Cyclops with surprisingly high EQ', 'Liliruca Arde, Benchwarmer')

After dinner, Welf parted ways and returned to his own dwelling. He wanted to get started on researching magic circuits and see if he could incorporate defensive and support spells into equipment. He now had a clear path towards the future and was far less abrasive than when they first met. Vahn and Welf bumped fists and wished each other good fortune in their training and development.As it was already pretty late, Tsubaki snatched up Lili who had been hanging around Vahn and disappeared further into the Minka-like structure of the house. Lili flailed and tried to escape, but Tsubaki just laughed while telling Vahn, "There is a bath further down the hall towards your left. There isn't a lock, so make sure you put up a sign or something unless you want company. Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight because tomorrow is when the real fun begins. Maybe we can get the count to two-hundred if we try hard enough!"Tsubaki's voiced echoed in Vahn's mind and he couldn't prevent a shudder from passing through his body. Though he knew it was necessary to increase his strength, Vahn wasn't sure his mind would be able to last as long as his body. He needed to come up with a plan but wasn't sure of what to do. For now, he headed to the bath as it had been a long day and he was still covered in dirt from this morning.Entering the bathroom, Vahn fell into a stupor before excitement began to build inside of him. The bath wasn't a simple basin or shower, instead, it was an open-air onsen. The room was split into two, with one side being a wooden patio for changing and washing oneself while the other was a build-up of ornamental stones surrounding an oblong pool of steaming water. Decorating the onsen itself were several statuettes and pillars that had been meticulously designed to represent various animals. Surrounding the open area of the bath were high bamboo walls with live bamboo grown to prevent external viewing.Though he had bathed outside during his stay in the forest, this was Vahn's first time experiencing an actual onsen. He had only ever seen them in anime/manga in his previous life, and this had always been one of the things he wanted to experience if he had the opportunity. After quickly cleaning himself, he slowly eased his body into the steamy opaque water.It wasn't as hot as he expected, but it still warmed up his body. He relaxed against the stone and notice they were somewhat cool compared to the water temperature, and after closer inspection, he found small indentations that drew power from a bevy of nearby magic cores. They seemed to serve the purpose of heating the water while keeping the stones cool to the touch.The formation of the magic stones themselves was quite interesting, as they had been set into the location of the eyes on the various animal statuettes. It made the entire bath more scenic seeing the glowing red and blue lights against the black-lustered designs. As an experiment, Vahn tried replacing some of the dimmer magic cores and the water began to heat up slightly with the insertion of the newer core.While he was immersed with the core formation, he heard a sound from behind. His body froze, and he turned towards the door which had just been opened. Tsubaki and Lili had just entered, and the two girls were staring directly at him. As Vahn was inspecting the cores located outside of the onsen, he was standing there blankly while completely nude.Lili, who seemed to be very flustered, looked down at Vahn's lower half before blushing a deep shade of red, but unlike in manga she didn't avert her eyes or try to hide her face. Tsubaki, on the other hand, smiled widely before giving him a thumbs up. "And here I thought you were still just a kid. Turns out you're growing properly!" She started laughing and moved towards the wall where baskets had been set for clothing.Vahn looked towards her in confusion before realizing he needed to leave immediately. Tsubaki had completely ignored his presence in the Onsen and started unwrapping her sarashi on the side. Seeing her action, Vahn decided to grab his clothes before heading towards the door that Lili currently occupied.Lili had been in a daze and hadn't moved from her spot, continuing to follow Vahn with her eyes. Seeing him approach towards her, she became even more flustered before backstepping out of the door. The moment she entered the corridor she took off running down the hallway screaming, "Vahn, cover yourself you, idiot!"Vahn was confused, as he never really cared if others saw his body. Ever since his previous life, there had been hundreds of people that had seen him naked. Even his barely covered anything and consisted of a modified hospital gown and slippers. Shaking his head, he grabbed his clothes and made his way towards the door. Before he was able to step out, an arm grabbed around his neck and a soft sensation pressed against his cheek."Where are you going this late in the game? I told you to put a sign up if you didn't want company. Come on, I can see you haven't finished cleaning yourself. I'll wash your back!" Tsubaki continued dragging Vahn towards the onsen against his protests. Since she was completely nude, he didn't know where to put his hands as each spot seemed more dangerous than the last.At the edge of the water, Tsubaki twisted her hips and executed a perfect shoulder throw while tossing Vahn's flailing body into the steaming water. Seeing that he had entered, she tested the water with her foot before frowning slightly. "Isn't this water a bit hot? You must have messed with the magic stones a bit, huh?" She looked towards where Vahn stood previously and noticed he had replaced some of the cores.As she was a Level 5 and liked the heat as well, Tsubaki left things as they were and dipped her body into the water. At this point, Vahn had managed to recover a bit and was lazily leaning against the rocks on the opposite end of the bath. Since he couldn't really oppose Tsubaki, he just decided to enjoy the warm water against his skin. It was, after all, his first time in an onsen; it would be a waste not to enjoy it."You're pretty composed aren't you? That's kind of boring. I expected you to act flustered and shy, but here you are completely relaxed while naked in the presence of a woman. You aren't even trying to sneak glances at me, what, do you find my body lacking charm?" As she was pretty confident in her body, Tsubaki wasn't trying to conceal anything. She was relaxed against the wall with her arms spread out along the rock surface while looking directly towards Vahn.Vahn released a sigh, not due to her question but because of how relaxed he was becoming. He replied in a lazy voice, "I don't really care if people see me naked, and it would be rude be rude to stare at a woman's body. Even if you're not hiding anything, I'm not going to invite trouble for myself by trying to catch a glance."Tsubaki started to laugh loudly after hearing his response. She didn't expect him to say something so 'gentlemanly' and honest. Even she was feeling at least a little nervous sharing a bath with a boy, but here he was almost completely indifferent to the situation.She began to recall the conversation she had with Hephaestus. According to her speculation, Vahn very likely grew up in a captive environment after being stolen from his mother at a young age. He likely grew up surrounded by people that tried to exploit his heritage, and it was even possible he had experienced many traumatic things which shaped his current mentality. Hephaestus noted that Vahn had an aversion to most people and put a lot of effort into watching them before making decisions.Assuming Hephaestus's speculation was correct, Tsubaki began to pity the young boy. Because of the evil and greed of others, he missed out on a normal childhood and didn't know what it was like to have familial bonds with other people. Even his disinterest and lack of social etiquette in the current situation was likely a result of the trauma that is still deeply rooted in his body.One of the requests Hephaestus had made to Tsubaki before leaving Vahn in her care was to help him open up to people. Hephaestus believed that Tsubaki's straightforward personality would allow her to get close to Vahn quickly, and over time it would influence him in a positive way. This was one of the reasons Tsubaki teased Vahn, and even why she had entered the bath together in the first place. Seeing how indifferent Vahn was pained her a bit. At this rate, he'd never have a normal relationship."Move over here Vahn. I said I would wash your back for you. After I'm done, you can wash mine." Tsubaki moved towards the center of the onsen before grabbing a nearby sponge. The water had been infused with a power comprised of various minerals and crushed magic cores. It's what allowed the magic cores to rapidly heat and cool the water, and also what caused the opaque appearance. Even if she got soap or dirt in the water, it would be diffused by the properties of the water.Vahn slowly shifted towards her and turned his back. The water made him feel incredibly lazy, and he even began nursing the idea of trying to sleep in it if given the chance. Tsubaki began using the sponge to cleanse his back after applying a cool liquid to his skin. It didn't bubble as much as normal soap but seemed to stick to the skin more persistently. It was one of the things this 'record' lacked, and Vahn thought about trying to purchase some for people as a 'gift' in the future. He was certain the girls would like it.Tsubaki continued scrubbing away at Vahn's back and was worried seeing how little he reacted even after being in such close proximity to her. As a final resort, after she had finished scrubbing him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his back. Vahn, feeling the soft-yet-firm sensation flinched after realizing what was happening."Um...Ms. Collbrande, what are you doing?" Even though he didn't mind when they were simply near each other, Vahn's heartbeat began to accelerate after being in direct contact with a woman's body. Tsubaki didn't answer him, shut just put a small amount of strength in her arms and gently hugged Vahn's body.After a bit of time passed, Vahn began to relax and started enjoying the embrace. Though it was different from when Hephaestus hugged him, it was still very comfortable. The warmth of Tsubaki's body and the heat of the onsen began to overlap, and Vahn slowly closed his eyes while enjoying the variation in temperatures.Seeing him relax, Tsubaki had a small revelation. Vahn wasn't immune to women, nor was he unaware of the significance of being naked, he simply had high mental resistance against things he found 'troublesome'. The more he was pressured, as long as he wasted directly affected in a physical sense, the more he blocked out stimuli. It must be some kind of defense mechanism he developed in his childhood.During one of the moments Hephaestus was rambling on about Vahn, she mentioned how he had fallen asleep in her arms after she embraced him gently. Hephaestus wanted him to experience being held by someone that cared for him and noticed Vahn was very receptive to her embrace after his initial panic. Now Tsubaki was experiencing the same thing, and she began to understand one of the reasons why Hephaestus was so concerned with Vahn...he lacked security.Vahn had nobody in his life that provided him a safe-haven from harm. There was no place he could retreat to find security and emotional support. He was so focused on simply becoming stronger and experiencing new things that he kept neglecting the most important factors for his emotional and social development.Tsubaki, like Hephaestus, realized the most important thing Vahn had been lacking all this time...a Mother. Now, he lay in her arms, completely at ease while entrusting himself to her embrace. It made Tsubaki want to protect him even more..."WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Calm Within the Forbidden Valley', 'Shameless Cyclops', 'A Glimpse of the Future', 'Hot, Steamy, Onsen')

Welf stared at the hammer in Vahn's hand with an incredulous expression on his face. "Where did you get that hammer?" Though he expected the answer, he couldn't help but ask the question to confirm his suspicions.Vahn could see Welf's aura, which had been a mixture of reds and blues, suddenly turn a mild yellow tinged with green along the edge. With how Welf looked at the hammer gifted to him by Hephaestus, Vahn began to feel annoyance and anger. He felt a possessiveness in Welf's expression like he would try to steal the hammer if he could.Vahn grimaced before saying, "I see no reason to tell you. Worry about your own equipment before you start eyeing that of other's." His words seemed to awaken Welf, who quickly made his way towards Vahn.The two glared at each other, separated by only a few feet. Welf looked down at Vahn and, with an ordering tone, asked, "You're saying that hammer belongs to you? Then explain the maker's marks. Why do you possess an item forged by Hephaestus, and who does the other symbol belong to!?"Vahn was confused by the question as he had never paid much attention to the markings on the hammer. He knew blacksmiths often marked the items they made for recognition, but he hadn't realized Hephaestus had left the same mark as his sword on his hammer. He noticed the neck of the hammer had both marks side-by-side, and he somewhat understood why Welf was angry. But, he still didn't like how Welf, who was weaker than him, was trying to intimidate him.Vahn squinted his eyes and simply stated, "That's my business. Who are you to ask?" Welf grit his teeth and balled his hands into fists. He stepped forward to grab Vahn by the collar as Vahn prepared to break his wrists for the attempt. Moments before Vahn grasped the soon to be broken wrist, they were both knocked to the ground by a fist from above."Nice passion, but no violence in my workshop! If you want to fight, do it in a more productive manner." Tsubaki was standing over Vahn and Welf who were both twitching on the ground with giant lumps on their heads. For the first time since their meeting, they both had the same thought going through their mind: (You're the violent one!)---Four people now sat around a low table drinking tea. They were Tsubaki, Vahn, Welf, and Lili, and the atmosphere was tense due to the earlier conflict. On Vahn and Welf's head, there was still the evidence of a lump which made the tense atmosphere seem almost comical. Tsubaki, noticing this, began laughing out loud while they each gave her a sidewards glance.After some time had passed, Tsubaki was finally able to stop laughing. She smiled after seeing how the tense atmosphere had subsided quite a bit. "Okay, I'm going to explain a few things since the two of you don't seem to be able to talk without pissing each other off." She gave them both a look using her eye, and they each nodded as a result of the pressure."Heh, you two are cute when you're obedient." They both flinched after hearing her words. "Anyways, let's get some things out of the way. Welf, Vahn is a lot stronger than you. If I didn't step in earlier you'd be nursing a broken wrist for the next few months. You'll have a hard time doing any blacksmithing if that happens, so pull back on the aggressive behavior."Hearing Tsubaki mentioning that he was weaker than Vahn, Welf was dissatisfied. He looked towards the 'small' kid and couldn't see how he could be considered strong. While he was thinking, Tsubaki continued. "It's true. Unlike you who likes to sit around boasting about becoming a great blacksmith, Vahn here ventures into the dungeon to improve his skill. Even though you're the same age, he is already Level 2 and capable of fighting weaker Level 3's."Welf was surprised to hear Vahn was already Level 2. Though it wasn't unheard of, it was very rare for people in a production Familia to increase in level quickly. However, his surprise turned into utter disbelief when she continued."Vahn also possesses the [Blacksmith] development ability and, even though he is a novice at forging, he has managed to earn the approval of Hephaestus. That hammer is probably something she gave him to represent her trust and encourage him to improve, isn't that right Vahn?"Vahn nodded his head but was mildly distracted seeing the gloomy aura around Welf. He had an incredulous expression and seemed to be repressing a lot of pent-up frustration. Vahn remembered that Welf, even though he was an excellent blacksmith, was severely restricted by his own stigma. Due to his 'bloodline', he was adamant in not forging magic swords and this mentality prevented him from growing.In some ways, they were similar. They were both victims of their 'bloodline', though Vahn's was in a far more literal sense. While Welf was able to run away, Vahn was forced to suffer for fourteen years. However, unlike Welf who continues to run away even now, Vahn has accepted his 'heritage' and works towards becoming strong enough to not be exploited by others. He didn't know why, but Vahn was very annoyed seeing Welf's actions."You're a coward," Vahn spoke directly, interrupting the conversation that Tsubaki was going to continue. At first, she was going to reprimand Vahn but decided to see how things played out. She knew well of Welf's past and wondered if Vahn had noticed something with his unnaturally high perception.Welf, who had still been struggling internally all this time, turned towards Vahn before slamming his fists onto the table. Tea spilled as cups were knocked over and Welf shouted at Vahn, "What did you say!? Who is a coward!?" Hearing this boy he had never met call him a 'coward', Welf was understandably pissed off."If you're not a coward, then why are you struggling so much with your own thoughts? When you heard Tsubaki say I was stronger than you, you didn't believe her. And after you heard I had the [Blacksmith] development skill, you started acting like it was impossible. Your actions are like saying you can't believe I'm better than you, but whatever made you think you were comparable to me in the first place!? What are you doing to set yourself apart from others!? What gives you the right to look down on their determination and efforts!?"Vahn shouted out, each sentence louder and more fierce than the last. For some reason, he just hated how Welf acted like he was a victim when he is able to live a free and happy life surrounded by kind and gentle people.Welf, who was on the receiving end of the shouting was in a cold sweat. Though Vahn hadn't realized it himself, his out of control emotions had activated his [Will of the Emperor] and were suppressing the Level 1 Welf. Every word Vahn spoke made him feel an increased pressure, and each one struck deeply at Welf's self-consciousness and anxieties."Calm down Vahn! You need to control your power!" Tsubaki was thinking she let the situation get out of hand. Though she agreed with Vahn's statement, she couldn't allow him to press any further or it might shatter Welf's pride. Though he was unwilling to create magic sword due to his past, he was still a very capable and talented blacksmith. It would be a big loss for the Familia if he gave up trying to improve.Hearing Tsubaki shout, Vahn realized he had been using his skill to pressure Welf, so he quickly calmed his breathing and sat down. "I'm sorry...I just can't stand to see someone act so arrogant when they have no idea how hard others work."Welf, who was still in a cold sweat, wanted to retort after the pressure eased. However, no matter how much thought he put into it, he wasn't able to refute Vahn's words. In his heart, he knew Vahn was right...he really was a coward. Once he awakened his bloodline and was pressured by his family, he ran away from home to avoid becoming something he hated.He fled all the way to a City where his family had no influence and then joined a powerful Familia using the reputation of 'Crozzo' in conjunction with his own talent. Even though he worked hard to become a blacksmith recognized by Hephaestus, he was entirely reliant on the Familia for his livelihood and wellbeing. Without their help, he never would have been able to establish himself when he was just 10 years old...(A/N: Welf ran away from home at age 10 and joined the Hephaestus Familia shortly after.)He looked at Vahn, a boy similar in age to him. Even though he was jealous that Vahn was Level 2 and possessed the [Blacksmith] skill, it wasn't like he didn't earn it. Vahn must have put in a lot of efforts, and since he was still young it meant he was pressured into doing so by circumstance. Otherwise, there would be no reason for such a person to join a production Familia specializing in blacksmithing while also making a living in the dungeon. If he only recently joined, that means he previously spent all his time hunting monsters to get by...It was at this point that Welf took note of the girl who had been sitting quietly all this time. He remembered she was called Lili, and she seemed very concerned with Vahn. Welf saw in her eyes a deep reliance on the boy, unlike how she looked at Welf in disgust. He could infer that she was in a similar situation as Vahn; someone that had to work hard to earn a living by putting their life on the line. The fact she was doing such a dangerous job when she was so small made Welf feel guilty at how leisurely he spent his time.Welf had calmed down by now, and he made eye contact with Vahn who was still grimacing. Welf sighed, "You're right Vahn. I shouldn't be envious of someone because they possess something I lack. I will work hard, and one day, I'll surpass you using my own efforts." Seeing how far Vahn was able to get at the same age, Welf solidified his convictions and intended to double his own efforts in the future.Vahn noticed that Welf's aura had stabilized and was showing a mellow orange with blues around the edges. Even though he was still angry, he knew Welf wasn't a bad guy from seeing his interactions with Bell in the manga. Vahn decided to reconcile as well saying, "If you want to surpass me, you can't hold anything back. Don't expect me to slow down my own progress while you're stuck trying to overcome yourself."The two stared into the other's eyes, each with their own convictions. Lili, who was spectating at the side, was completely confounded by the sudden change. The two boys, who were previously moments away from fighting, were now gazing passionately into each other's eyes! She had no idea how to interpret the situation and decided she needed to protect Vahn from Welf in the future.Tsubaki suddenly started laughing, causing the other three at the table to look at her with confusion. "Good! So manly! The best way to settle things is to both become stronger and more capable. Let your actions and accomplishments speak for themselves!" She smiled, nodding at the change in atmosphere. Feeling thirsty, she reached for her cup but found it had been overturned since earlier.Tsubaki felt a vein bulge in her head and she threw the emptied cup at Welf's face. The cup bounced directly off Welf's forehead and continued its path towards Vahn who managed to catch it out of the air. "Don't go into other people's houses and make a mess! Next time you knock over my drink you'll be replenishing the entire Familia's quench tanks for a whole week!(A/N: Alternate Title: Hot-blooded Men Within The Cyclops' Den!)

Chapter 58: With Great Power...