Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After seeing the system notification, Vahn was in a daze. The only other 'person' he had achieved maximum affection with was Hephaestus, and that was after knowing her for a long time. He didn't understand how Tiona was so affectionate toward him, and when he turned toward her and saw her beaming smile Vahn didn't know what to feel. His mind felt 'tingly' and it felt like there was a pressure, other than Tiona, on his chest.Finn saw the 'discomfort' Vahn was in, so he tried to rein back Tiona. "Tiona, that kind of thing can wait for later. We should return back to Riviria for now." Finn motioned for everyone to head out, but Tiona hadn't let go of Vahn. She continued to cling to him for a few moments longer before asking, "Will you come with us Vahn?"Hearing her question, Vahn was somewhat indecisive. He had to return back to Rivira himself, but it felt awkward to be dragged along with their group. After thinking things through, Vahn furrowed his brows a bit before he looked at the lively girl that had yet to release him. Seeing that her smile didn't fade in the slightest as she waited for his answer, Vahn finally gave up before sighing. "Sure..."Tiona was very happy with his response and started walking with him toward the exit. Finn and the rest of the party were already near the stairs, but Ais and Lefiya had stayed behind a bit in the corridor for Tiona to catch up. Seeing that Vahn had come along, she gave a small nod before walking alongside them to join the rest of the group. Lefiya followed behind everyone, and Vahn could feel a discomforting 'glare' on the back of his head.---The entire time they were going down the stairs, Tiona kept barraging Vahn with questions. She asked about his home, when he came to City, what kinds of food he liked to eat. Anything she could think of to ask, as long as it related to Vahn, she wanted to know the answer. Vahn answered most of the questions, though he felt helpless since Tiona was still clinging to him even while she bounced around.Ais also asked a few curt questions about how Vahn was able to grow so much in the last week, and about if his Level had increased at all since their last meeting. When she asked, Riveria's ears twitched a bit, while Finn also slowed his pace by a small amount. Neither looked toward the direction, but they were listening in on the conversation. Vahn was paying attention though, so he only gave short responses that didn't reveal any important information.He did mention, however, that his 'magic' that allowed him to transform his body had undergone a change after his narrow escape with the Juggernaut. Vahn knew it was possible for magic to develop and evolve under tense and stressful situations, so he found it an appropriate time to mention the encounter. As the Loki Familia was one of the strongest in the City, they may even be able to subjugate it, saving countless lives in the process.Hearing Vahn mention surviving against a Juggernaut, Tiona started issuing a laugh like she was lost in her own little world. Though it was subtle, Vahn could feel her grip on him tighten by a small amount. The rest of the Familia, especially the senior members Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all had very serious expressions on their faces. They believed that it's somewhat justified Vahn's explosive growth and his unique skill, but they were also shocked that a Juggernaut was currently on the 13th floor. They had been in the dungeon for a few days, and they hadn't heard anything about its appearance at all.The entire group stopped walking as Finn looked back and asked, "You're sure the thing you encountered on the 13th floor was a Juggernaut? It could have been some kind of Variant creature." If what Vahn said was true, they needed to inform the guild to either cordon off the floor or arrange an emergency subjugation team. They would also need to investigate the cause and find out what had happened for such a powerful monster to appear on the middle floors.Vahn described his encounter with a bit of embellishment, including its features and how he had narrowly escaped by leaping through a hole to the 14th floor. For some reason, as he recounted the last part of his escape, Vahn felt a bit ashamed of his weakness. He was especially aware of the girl that was still holding on to his arm, though he didn't know why her presence concerned him so much."I'm glad." While Vahn was having a mild internal struggle, he heard a gentle voice ring in his ear from the right. Looking up, he could see Ais looking at him with her characteristic blank expression. Seeing she had got his attention, she continued, "You can become much stronger. One day you will win." Ais said the words without any hesitation and it made Vahn feel a bit more confident."Hahaha, that's right! Every hero has setbacks, but they always turn things around in the end! If it was anyone else, they would have died you know~!?" Tiona seemed to agree with what Ais said, and in a similar but much more excitable manner, she tried to encourage Vahn. They weren't the only two either, as every present member of the Loki Familia gave him words of encouragement. Even Lefiya, who Vahn felt disliked him, gave him a few kind words in a quiet voice.---Eventually, the group had exited the stairs and Vahn noticed it was still dark on the 18th floor. After checking his system time, he realized it was only shortly before 2 AM, which meant the Goliath had spawned much sooner than expected. It was fortunate the Loki Familia had arrived, or he may have been in a situation where he was awoken by the Goliath's arrival. Even if he had summoned Fafnir immediately, he would have still been drained for the resulting fight.Tiona had been paying attention to Vahn, so she asked what he was thinking about. Vahn looked toward the 'sky' before showing a somewhat complacent smile. "I was thinking that I was very lucky everyone showed up. I think things wouldn't have gone as smoothly without you all nearby." As Tiona hugged his arm even tighter, everyone else either smiled or laughed a bit after hearing Vahn's answer.As the group made their way further into the 18th floor, Vahn noticed they were deviating away from the settlement. After asking, Finn had told him they were currently on an expedition to the 30th floor and had a group too large to fit in the small settlement. Though they had a small manor that could house about twenty people, it wasn't nearly enough for their current eighty man expedition. Because of their numbers, they had been forced to set up camp away from the settlement to prevent tensions between the 18th-floor residents.After nearly an hour on foot, it was slightly after 3 AM when the group arrived outside a relatively large campsite. There were more than 30 tents spaced around in a large clearing next to a forest. A river ran alongside the camp and disappeared further into the trees after turning a bend more than 50m away.Once they had arrived, Finn addressed the party and dismissed everyone for the time being. He still needed to make a report to Riviria and get in contact with the Guild regarding the Juggernaut, so there was a chance he would have to place the expedition on hold. Out of consideration for the situation, Finn informed Vahn that the seven red tents in the western section of the camp belonged to the Hephaestus Familia. If he wanted to, Vahn could rest there and even join them on their expedition if he was interested.After Finn mention going into the deeper floors of the dungeon, Vahn was somewhat excited. He was already nearing the halfway completion point of his quest, and killing monsters deeper in the dungeon with, the support of an S-Rank Familia, was the best possible solution for completing the quest quickly. He gladly accepted the invitation, as it would also allow him to move without having to worry about the Osiris Familia pestering him. Even if they wanted to interfere, there wasn't much they could do when the Loki and Hephaestus Familia(s) were involved on an expedition.Looking toward the tents, Vahn said goodbye to everyone and tried to make his way over. However, the moment he stepped forward, his body was jerked slightly by Tiona who had still been holding his arm since the 17th floor. Tiona firmly held his body as she looked toward the rest of the group. "I want a spare tent. I will stay with Vahn."Finn started laughing in a 'fed-up' manner as he slowly made his way toward Rivira with Gareth. Riveria was left to watch over Ais, while the rest of the girls gave Tiona an incredulous look. Tione stepped forward and shouted, "What are you thinking Tiona!? Do you believe I'd let you get a head start on me? I haven't even been able to sleep with the Captain yet and you want to run off with Vahn!?" From the distance, Finn, who was still in earshot, nearly fell over. This time, it was Gareth's turn to laugh as he patted the blond-haired pallum boy on the back."I don't care about your troubles~ I said I wanted to have Vahn's children and that is my problem, not yours!" As Tiona spoke, she started dragging Vahn away and he began to panic. He tried to free himself from her grip, but there was a huge disparity in their two strengths. Unable to free himself on his own, Vahn tried talking his way out of the matter. "Wait, Tiona, I'll stay with the Hephaestus Familia. I don't want to have children or anything like that, there is still a lot of things I need to do!"Tiona looked at him with a thoughtful expression and seemed to contemplate his words for a while. After coming to some kind of decision, she smiled widely and said, "It's fine~! I'll take care of them on my own or drop them off at Telskyura. It won't interfere with your matters~" The moment she finished her words, she continued dragging Vahn who was now in a cold sweat.Vahn knew of children, sex, and even other things, but he was lacking fundamental knowledge of the process behind their conception. Vahn thought only married people had children, and he wasn't prepared to marry anyone just yet. Fortunately, he was saved by a shining golden goddess as Ais stepped in and grabbed Tiona's hand which was dragging Vahn.Tiona, who had been grabbed, looked toward Ais with a somewhat hostile expression. "Ais? Why are you getting in my way?" Ais stared blankly after being asked the question before looking between Tiona's grim face and Vahn's anxious expression. Her eyes eventually settled on Tiona as she said plainly, "He doesn't like it."After hearing the words, Tiona frowned and stared towards Vahn. Her grim expression slowly turned into a sad one as she saw how uncomfortable she was making Vahn. After a few seconds, she loosened her grip and lowered her head. "Do you hate me now?" Tiona felt very guilty for having forced Vahn against his will. In the worst case scenario, she was afraid her actions might have pushed him away.Vahn looked at her dejected state and felt like it didn't suit her at all. Everything he could remember about Tiona was her happy and bubbly personality, but now, because of his fear and inhibitions, the once cheerful girl looked broken-hearted. After giving a thankful nod to Ais, Vahn walked forward and patted Tiona on the head. He gently ruffled her hair until she turned up her head to look at him.Seeing her face, Vahn tried smiling in what he imagined to be the most gentle manner he could manage. "I would never hate you Tiona. It makes me sad to see you act so down. I like it more when you smile." As he continued his words, Tiona's face became brighter and brighter before she eventually leaped forward and hugged him. She lifted him and spun around with his helpless body while bouncing in jubilation."Aaaaaah, if you say stuff like that it makes it even harder to let you go!" Tiona was so excited that she didn't realize she had been using her massive strength and was slowly squeezing the air out of Vahn's lungs. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry after being picked up like a sandbag and spun about in a carefree manner. As he slowly began to pass out, Vahn's mind wandered to his status, as he had developed the habit of checking them before 'sleeping'.-------------------------------------------------------------------------[[Stats]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 14Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level:2(+)(2)-Power:1001+(B778)-&gt;(S905)-Endurance:1108+(SS1025)-&gt;(SSS1113)-Dexterity:887+(B750)-&gt;(S920)-Agility:940+(A828)-&gt;(SS1019)-Magic:1611+(SSS1198)-&gt;(SSS1548)Total:5547+(4579)-&gt;(5505)( (A/N: Now THIS is some gainz!)Soul Tier 2 (Hero Soul)[Karma]: 1,473[OP]: 411,259[Valis]: 171,630-------------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Not so Gentle After-all','Death by Snu Snu?','Tiona's Determination','Planned Parenthood')

Vahn awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling, though it wasn't much of a ceiling considering he found himself in a tent. Looking around, he was able to see a few other people sleeping, and he noticed the banner of the Hephaestus Familia on the fabric. Rolling out of the bedroll, Vahn winced and felt a painful sensation from his ribs. The sudden sensation reminded him of the 'death grip' hug that Tiona had given him during her excitement. They must have brought him here after he collapsed.It was now around 5 AM, and it would be another hour or so before most people began awakening. Vahn yawned and made his way out of the tent to relieve himself in the forest. It had also been nearly half a day since he had anything to eat, so after he finished his business he relaxed against a tree and ate some crepes he had stored within his inventory. As Vahn slowly ate away at the delicious, and still warm, crepe, he began looking around at the campsite.People were slowly beginning to wake up, and there were a few making their way around the campsite to prepare breakfast. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, and Vahn could tell most people enjoyed the atmosphere of the camp environment. There were men and women, both young and old, working alongside each other to help complete tasks both big and small. It was inspiring seeing people come together to make each other's burdens lighter.Vahn thought back to all of his experiences with other people and, for the most part, it didn't seem like he had many interactions like that. Most of the time, it was just people helping him out, while he just offered bits of advice every now and then. His interactions with Lili were always him trying to help take care of her, while she sought his approval and praise. When he was with Naaza, she relied on him for advice and insight but seemed to always have an awkward atmosphere when they were alone. He couldn't help mix the potions, and when she saw him processing the ingredients, she had him stop out of guilt.Both Hephaestus and Tsubaki were just helping him out...Vahn felt like he owed them both for various things. He wanted Tsubaki to be able to relax more, and he still had his promise to keep with Hephaestus. One day, he would forge an item that impresses her and then he could drive away her loneliness. Even Chloe was someone he was heavily indebted to, and Vahn always felt a hint of guilt whenever he would visit the Hostess of Fertility with other people.Of all the people he interacted with, it was always closer to give and take than actual compromise and cooperation. Vahn didn't have any memorable incidents in his mind where he worked alongside others to overcome difficulties and help each other out. Seeing the camaraderie possessed by everyone in the camp, Vahn questioned if the things he was doing now were correct.After finishing his meal, Vahn decided to relax and clear his head a bit. He wasn't far from the river, and if he followed it further, there would be a small lake that continued onward until it joined the larger patchwork of lakes on the floor. Making his way through the woods, Vahn couldn't help but yawn. His body hadn't completely woken up, and the breakfast had made him a little drowsy. Taking a bath should help clear his mind and wake up his body for the coming day.Vahn continued through the woods until he came into the clearing with the pond. Though he was still in a sleepy state of mind, he immediately recognized the presence of others the moment he entered the clearing. After staring at their figures for a bit, he stretched and decided it was probably better for him to leave. Since people over-reacted to his body, Vahn assumed it wasn't a good idea to be caught looking at them.As he turned around, a pair of arms grabbed him from behind and Vahn could feel the cold water from their skins penetrate through his clothing. "Hahaha~ I caught you now Vahn! Where are you going after coming this far?" The person who had grabbed Vahn was Tiona, one of the four girls who had been taking a bath in the pond. She was also the primary reason Vahn had decided it was better to retreat, but when he had looked at them earlier, they were also staring towards him with surprised expressions.Lefiya, who was also bathing, screamed out in a shrill and girly voice as she tried to hide her figure within the cold pond. Ais stared with a seemingly unperturbed expression, but Vahn noticed there was a slight blush on her cheeks. The only two acting 'normally' were Tiona and Tione who didn't seem to mind Vahn at all, especially considering Tiona was currently hugging him from behind and dragging him to the edge of the pond."Come on Vahn, why not take a bath together? This way, we'll have all seen each other naked and it won't be awkward in the future~!" Before he was able to answer, Tiona already started undressing him, while Vahn didn't put any real effort into stopping her. Instead, he decided to speak out his concerns, "Mmm, I don't really mind, but other people seem to be uncomfortable..." As he spoke, he looked toward Ais who continued staring at him and the young Lefiya who was blowing bubbles while submerged into the water. Vahn didn't know someone's face could become so red."Ahahaha~It's fine, it's fine! You don't care do you Tione, Ais?" At this point, the only thing preventing Vahn from becoming completely naked were his socks and boxers. Tione stared at the sight before speaking her mind, "Ehh, I'm surprised he is bold enough to be nude around a group of women. Most boys would have run away or try their best to make excuses. As long as you don't make a move on me, I don't really mind, but remember I'm saving myself for the Captain!"Ais, who had been standing without making too much effort to hide her body, considered for a moment before speaking. "It's fine... Everyone stared earlier..." The moment Tione and Ais gave their consent, Tiona quickly separated Vahn's boxers from his body. In doing so, she had knocked him over a bit which allowed her to relieve him of his socks before dragging him into the pond.Vahn thought the cold water was pretty relaxing, but before he could make himself comfortable, Lefiya screamed out. "W-w-w-w-what are you thinking!? We can't just let a b-b-b-boy take a bath with us!!!" Lefiya, who was still crouching down in the water was incredibly flustered after everyone else seemed completely okay with the situation. She began to think she was the weird one, but after seeing Vahn's naked 'glory', she couldn't help but scream out in protest.Vahn frowned after hearing her scream and couldn't understand why she was acting so strangely. She was acting a lot like Lili had the first time she walked in on him in the onsen. Every time after that she seemed perfectly fine, though her tolerance to the heat seemed a bit lacking since she always turned red the moment she entered the bath.Tione saw Lefiya acting shy and a big grin appeared on her face. Sneaking up behind the bashful elf, she lifted Lefiya up while groping her chest. "There isn't anything to be ashamed about Lefiya, aren't you growing perfectly fine~!" As Lefiya was lifted out of the water, Vahn was able to see her unguarded body flailing about. Seeing Vahn's 'intense' gaze, Lefiya quickly gave in to the pressure building up in her head as she passed out with a slight nosebleed.Tiona and Tione laughed at the sight, but Ais seemed a bit saddened by the turn of events. "Lefiya..." Vahn noticed her look and felt like he was the reason things had gotten out of hand. Without thinking anything, he walked toward Lefiya, who was still being held by Tione. Tione looked at him skeptically as he began stretching out his hand."Hey now, nobody gave you permission to touch. I'm sure if you're curious Tiona would be more than willing to assist you." Tiona seized the moment and tried taking advantage of the situation. "That's right Vahn, come, ask me about anything you want to know! I asked you a bunch of questions earlier, I don't mind~." As she spoke, Tiona was gently trying to pull his arm to the side. She was a bit envious seeing how he 'stared intensely' at the unconscious Lefiya.Vahn shook his head as if to dismiss her offer, but he was just trying to convey he wasn't doing anything strange. "I'm just helping, not doing anything bad." As he said the words, Vahn placed his palm on Lefiya's head and used [Hands of Nirvana] to help calm her overtaxed mind. The other girls stared at him with confusion, but it quickly turned to interest as they saw his actions.A few seconds later, Lefiya, in a dazed state, slowly opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize what was happening because there was an arm obstructing her vision. As the hand that had been resting on her head pulled away, Lefiya caught sight of Vahn, still naked, smiling toward her. "Sorry if I caused you any problems. You should be okay now. Do you feel any discomfort?"Lefiya, who was still dazed, slowly shook her head without saying anything. Hearing the concern in his voice and seeing the gentle expression on his face, Lefiya actually felt guilty about making him worried. Of course, this was only temporary as the pressure began to rapidly build up in her mind again as she continued catching glimpses of Vahn's figure. She slowly covered her face with her hands as Tione finally released her body. No longer supported by another person, Lefiya fell forward...into Vahn's arms.Vahn had caught Lefiya, who had suddenly fallen towards him. He could feel her body immediately twitch as she seemed to freeze in place. Thinking there was something wrong, Vahn once again placed his palm on her head and began channeling [Hands of Nirvana]. "Are you okay, Lefiya?"Lefiya's mind was in a chaotic state by the paradoxical feelings tearing through her mind like a hurricane. She felt happy, angry, sad, flustered, excited, confused, and a variety of other emotions all at once. Feeling the warm energy coming from the palm on her head, Lefiya felt at ease, but it also prevented her from releasing her emotions and she felt like they were slowly building up to a critical level. Removing her hands slightly, as she had been facing downward, Lefiya got a first-person close-up of the offending 'figure' as her mind blanked out.For a few seconds, everyone noticed Lefiya completely freeze which caused Tiona to come and investigate. "Lefiya...are you okay?" As she asked the question, Tiona poked Lefiya in the shoulder. Almost as if she had been released from a spell, Lefiya stood up completely straight before rushing to the shore and grabbing her clothes. Without waiting for anyone to say anything, she bolted into the nearby woods and disappeared from everyone's sight while emitting a strange and aggrieved noise.For a few seconds, everyone just stared in awe at the departing figure, unable to process what kind of reaction she had. Eventually, Tione took her fist and hammered it slightly into her palm like she had figured something out. "Ah! Maybe it was a bit too early for someone like Lefiya? Vahn isn't exactly...normal?" As she spoke, both Ais and Tiona looked towards the boy who was still standing unabashedly before them.They could see he had an athletic figure with well-toned muscles. His skin was a healthy tanned complexion and he had a handsome face with a somewhat naive. His dark hair and vibrant aquamarine eyes enhanced his facial features and brought his appearance up a notch. But, the most important thing, and the reason Lefiya had run away...their eyes slowly drifted down past the relatively toned abdominal muscles of Vahn and saw his companion. Even in its dormant state, it caused people to feel almost 'intimidated'.Vahn, noticing their gazes, followed their eyes before looking at his own penis. At that moment, he recalled all the other times he had been naked around others. Without exception, every single person would at some point fix their gaze on his exposed genitals. Vahn was confused, and since there were three people currently staring, he decided to ask. "Is there something wrong with it?"Ais blushed a light shade of pink as she averted her eyes. Tione laughed while loudly proclaiming, "Hahaha, there is nothing wrong at all. If anything I'm worried about my sister's future!" Tione was laughing so uncontrollably that her breasts jiggled, dislodging the built up moisture from the pond water. Looking towards Tiona, Vahn gave her a questioning look. Tiona gulped slightly, but Vahn could see a determination in her eyes like she was about to fight a fierce battle. "I won't be defeated so easily!"Vahn was even more confused after seeing her reaction. He couldn't help but wonder what would she be defeated by, but for some reason, his instincts triggered slightly so he avoided asking.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Yanorth's Contribution','Denser than Adamantite','Skinship','Elves are quick to recognize Lewdness')

Hearing Tiona's proclamation, Vahn was incredibly confused by the sudden situation. He could see her aura was almost trying to wrap itself around him, and it made him feel a tingling sensation in his temples. Looking into her eyes, he could see she was very expectant and waiting for his answer, but Vahn didn't know what to say. He had never considered having children, and he didn't even understand the process very well.While Vahn was flustering about with Tiona clinging to him, the rest of the Loki Familia had made their way over. Finn was very impressed with Vahn's fight and wanted to know what kind of skill he had used at the very end. He wasn't the only one either, as Riveria had a curious glint in her eye as she wanted to see through all of Vahn's secrets. Tione was also very impressed but seeing her sister acting in this manner made her somewhat uncomfortable.Tione reached forward and snatched Tiona off of Vahn's body. The moment Tiona was pulled away from Vahn, both amazons stared with wide eyes at the sight before them. Tiona's eyes were sparkling while even Tione couldn't prevent a mild blush from surfacing on her face. Vahn, finally being freed from Tiona's grasp, climbed to his feet and released a restrained sigh. After doing so, he noticed a strange reaction from all the Loki Familia members and followed their line of sight.As Vahn had once against transformed into the vermillion-bird, all of the clothing and equipment he had been wearing was incinerated. He now stood naked before the entire Loki Familia group which consisted of Finn, who was giving him an awkward look, Tione and Tiona who both had mild blushes, Ais who had a somewhat surprised look, Gareth, who seemed rather impressed, Riveria, who had a subtle and somewhat incredulous look, and Bete, who looked like he was almost in shock. Wrapping up the party, there was Lefiya whose face looked beet red as she flustered about behind Ais. (A/N: That friggin sentence~!)While they were staring at him, Vahn was also looking between them, almost entirely unfazed by the situation. Finn felt his brow begin to twitch as the atmosphere continued to become increasingly awkward. Seeing how the members of his Familia wer acting, and the fact that it had been several seconds where everyone just gawked, Finn decided to put an end to the situation. Taking a cloak from Lefiya, Finn walked forward and handed it to Vahn."You can use this to cover yourself..." Finn felt rather awkward handing clothing to the unfazed Vahn. He couldn't understand what kind of person would use a skill that burned their own clothing. Vahn accepted the cloak, and without hesitation, wore it like normal. Seeing his action, Finn nearly fell over. "THE BOTTOM! COVER THE BOTTOM!"---After realizing the fact his nakedness was the source of the awkward atmosphere, Vahn frowned before wrapping the cloak around his waist. The moment he did so, he noticed everyone had strange reactions, though most of the group seemed relieved. One notable reaction came from Tiona, who seemed somewhat disappointed. She was currently being held off to the side by her sister, who was trying to prevent the situation from getting worse. The most interesting reaction though came from Bete, who seemed like he was struggling with something internally.Now that Vahn was 'clothed', Finn sighed before trying to ease tensions. "That was an amazing fight, especially at the end. I've never seen such a powerful technique before. I heard you were only Level 2, but that type of power is generally only seen in high-level magics from Level 3-4." Finn was very interested and almost wanted to inspect the Status Board on Vahn's back. The fact he was currently shirtless only made the desire more prominent.Before Vahn answered, Riveria also spoke. "That wasn't magic, but something I've never even seen before. It was closer to 'controlling' the elements instead of just making use of them. A physical body shouldn't be able to withstand that type of change." Even more than Finn, Riveria really wanted to know what allowed Vahn do something she considered impossible. She had lived for 99 years and was considered the most prominent mage in the City. Seeing something completely outside her understanding was a first for her.Hearing them ask so many questions annoyed Vahn a bit. From his experience and the information he obtained, it was considered improper to question other adventurers regarding their secrets. The fact he was being asked by two of the highest ranked adventurers in the entire City made him feel frustrated. It was like they considered themselves above common sense and expected him to answer just because they were asking politely.Though Finn and Riveria noticed his discomfort, they were still very curious and hoped he would answer. From the side, Gareth harumphed before stepping in and handing Vahn a red cloak to wrap around his back. Looking towards his companions, Gareth said in a firm manner. "Don't pressure the kid. Aren't you two supposed to be adults? Since when were the Captain and Vice-Captain of the Loki Familia lacking in etiquette?"Hearing Gareth's words, Finn released an awkward laugh while rubbing the back of his head. Riveria closed her eyes and bowed slightly toward Vahn. "Forgive me, Vahn, I was simply curious. If you don't wish to discuss the information, I will not force you." Vahn nodded in response, but he didn't say anything about accepting her apology. He could tell that, even now, the two still wanted to find out his secrets. Though they didn't have a malicious aura, they were both an off-yellow with a sickly purple on the edges.While the atmosphere was still very awkward, Ais had walked forward and stood in front of Vahn. "I want to fight you again." The moment she spoke, the entire Loki Familia seemed to be affected. Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all had helpless expressions. Lefiya seemed to be somewhat angry at Vahn, while Tiona on the side just shouted out, "Ehhh? No, Ais, Vahn is mine~! I want to fight him too!" While flailing about, Tiona managed to release herself from Tione and grabbed Vahn's arm.Tiona had an almost hostile look as she stared at Ais, but Ais just frowned slightly before saying, "We can both fight. I will wait." After her curt response, she stood to the side and Tiona made a triumphant 'guts' pose. Opening up some distance between the dumbfounded Vahn, she took a relaxed stance with both palms facing toward him.Vahn just stood there like he couldn't make sense of the situation when, very suddenly, Tione fiercely smacked the top of Tiona's head with her fist. "You dumb monkey girl! Does he look like he is in any condition to fight!?" While rubbing the bump on her head, Tiona looked towards Vahn who was only garbed in two cloaks. Remembering that he was nude previously, her eyes were drawn to the crack in the bottom cloth before another fist hit her head.---After things had settled down, Vahn agreed to fight Tiona, Ais, and then Tione when he got back to the surface. Bete also wanted to fight, but all three of the girls refused saying he was unable to restrain himself and it would be counterproductive. Once they had made the agreement, Vahn moved over to collect his spoils. The Goliath crystal had been massive, and when Vahn broke it, it had shattered into thousands of small fragments. Some of them had burned up, but Vahn was able to recover 1,018 pieces which were all worth 150OP each. In a single battle, he had earned an additional 152,700 OP, so he was in a great mood.Seeing the massive pile of crystals disappear, both Finn and Riveria were able to understand Vahn had 'storage magic'. As they had previously caused tensions, they didn't say anything, but, Finn very much wanted to ask why Vahn didn't have a change of clothes. And, if Vahn did have spares, why he didn't wear them immediately after the battle ended. Fortunately for their curiosity, they didn't have to ask since someone else had done so."Ehhhh? How did all the magic core shards disappear!?" Tiona was inspecting the area with a befuddled look. Since Vahn had used it right in front of everyone, he decided it wasn't worth 'lying' about it so he explained that he had 'storage magic'. Hearing his response, Tiona was smiling but also had a confused expression on her face. "Do you not have any spare clothing?" Though she didn't mind much, it was still strange to her how Vahn had been standing completely unfazed, especially after she had tackled him previously.Vahn nodded his head and took out some of his spare clothing. All of his equipment had burned up, except for his weapons, but he still had a few pairs of casual clothes. While he was getting dressed, he noticed Finn's, Bete's, and Lefiya's auras began to fluctuate. Unable to contain himself any longer, Bete shouted out, "THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU WEAR ANY CLOTHING, YOU BASTARD!? DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE YOU NAKED!?"His shout seemed to echo the sentiments of most of the group, but Vahn just frowned and responded. "I would have eventually; I didn't make you look." Vahn's words seemed to have set Bete off as he jumped toward him and tried to deliver a kick. Vahn was much slower than Bete, and tried to take a defensive stance, but it proved to be unnecessary. Before Bete had gotten anywhere near him, Ais and Tiona had both intercepted the attack. Ais smashed the sheath of her sword into Bete's armguards while Tiona launched a kick of her own into his stomach.Bete, though he didn't take much damage, held his stomach as he looked incredulously at his two 'companions'. "What the fuck are you two doing!? Are you trying to fight me over some nudist brat!?" In response, Ais spoke quite a bit more words than normal. There was even the undertone of anger in her voice as she said, "He is right. Nobody made you look, and he had just finished a fight when Tiona ambushed him." Hearing the words 'ambush', Tiona faltered a bit before responding herself, "Y-yeah, it was my fault. You can't blame Vahn just because you have wandering eyes!"Seeing the two berate him while defending Vahn, Bete scratched his head with both hands in a demonstration of frustration. "I am much stronger than him! Why are you taking his side in this!? Don't tell me you two actually LIKE him, HUH!?" Bete stared directly into the two girls faces as he shouted the last word.Without any hesitation, Tiona shouted out while triumphantly throwing her fist in the air. "Of course! Vahn is the person I've chosen to sire my children! There is no way I don't like him!" She said the words with a big smile on her face as she glomped the startled Vahn. She just dangled off his neck and laughed in a childish manner. Ais, who was also being stared at by Bete, looked between Vahn and Bete a few times before giving her own response. "He is better than you. You are just older."Hearing both girls refute him, Bete released a loud yell before smashing his leg into the dungeon wall. His kick left huge cracks as he put his hands into his pockets and started walking toward the stairs. "Fuck this shit! I'll be in Riviria when you assholes finish playing around." Without waiting for anyone's response, Bete continued walking away without turning back.The whole time this play was going on, Vahn just stood idle with a blank expression. Even with Tiona leaning herself against his body, he was too distracted by the information he had read in his system.//'Tiona Hiryute' Has Reached Maximum Affection////Quest Completed: [The Hearts Desire:C-SS]//Completion Grade: BRewards:10,000OP, 1x [Hearts Desire: 'Tione Hiryute']Grade Rewards: Skill [Fist Strike:B] obtained.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tiona's Decisiveness','Bete feels 'inferior'','Airhead','Hearts Doki Doki for Various Reasons')

Chapter 93: Gentle Embrace