Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn continued to struggle, willing his body to move while a powerful cold sensation spread through his mind. The warm feeling that had been emanating from his shoulder was driven back while his fear and anger began to compound.Something snapped in Vahn's mind and his domain, which had been stuck at 99m, ever since he awoke from his coma, immediately increased to 100m. The moment it did so, the cold sensation in Vahn's mind exploded outward and a physical pulse pushed the woman away from his body.After being pushed away, the woman looked at Vahn with a hint of surprise and intrigue. When she had started sucking his blood, she had immobilized his body after taking advantage of his lowered guard. As she had only ever gotten to taste it in small amounts, she was curious what it would be like to take the blood directly from the source. As she expected, there was an incredible energy contained within the boy's blood which greatly assisted in the recovery of her magical power.She had a slight smile on her face and was about to commend the boy for being able to escape her spell. But, the moment she was about to speak, the words got stuck in her throat as a twinge of pain spread in her heart. Though she had expected the boy to be rightly angry and had even felt his rage explode outward, she never expected the sight before her. Intermixed within the furrowed brows of the handsome young man and his grim expression, there was an obvious fear in his eyes as tears streamed down his face.As someone who had been tormented and ostracized by society for hundreds of years, she could empathize with the pain the boy showed on his face. It was very similar to her own from when she had just become immortal, and it made her long-dormant emotions surge a bit. Though she didn't know his past, she realized she had wronged the previously courageous and spirited boy grievously.Vahn saw the woman vanish and teleport away more than 100m in the air the instant he turned his body. Unfortunately for her, the moment Vahn's domain had expanded to 100m and he felt the snapping sound in his mind, it immediately expanded to 300m. As it was very difficult to determine the dimensions of his domain from with the interior, the woman had misjudged the distance she needed to teleport.While she was looking around with a bit of interest on her face, the area within the domain suddenly turned a light golden color and she could feel a hint of fear welling up inside her mind. Staring down at the face of the boy, she was once again pained by the depth of emotions on his expression, and she tried to clarify things. However, before she uttered a single syllable, a golden light shined next to her and a resplendent golden chain shot out several times faster than the speed of sound.The woman was incredibly surprised by the sudden emergence of the chain which she had previously seen the boy use from his palms. She tried to teleport away the moment she sensed the terrifying energy but found that the space around her was now locked. She realized the reason why the domain had turned golden; it was because the boy had somehow merged the properties of the chain into it. In a last-ditch effort, she erected a multi-layer magical barrier to intercept the spear-like chain aimed at her gut.The chain collided powerfully with the barrier, and she released a short sigh of relief at having reacted in time. She diverted her attention between the barrier and the boy, who was still looking at her with a wrathful expression as tears continued to stream down his face. She could see that, if she didn't stop him, he would genuinely keep trying to kill her. Though the pain and anguish in his eyes seemed deep and profound, she knew that the anger he felt in this moment had trumped both emotions.A few seconds after the spearhead collided with the barrier, contrary to her expectations, the magical barrier seemed to become completely ineffective as the spearhead tore through with an unstoppable might. However, even if she was marginally focused on Vahn, she still had hundreds of years of combat experience. Creating a small foothold in the air itself, her figure vanished and she appeared next to Vahn in an instant.Surprisingly, though she knew he hadn't been able to follow her movements, the boy had already tilted his head in the direction she appeared. For a very brief instant, the woman's mind blanked out as she stared at the mixture of emotions contained within his eyes. Since their meeting three days ago, she had never heard his name or understood how he had managed to enter this space with his strange magical system.Several golden lights flashed in the area around the boy as an additional four chains emerged at super-sonic speeds and tried to coil around her body. As she had experienced this type of attack before, she had been able to move long before they had cut off her path of retreat. She started chanting a spell with the intent to disable the wrathful boy so she could question him.Suddenly, the boy seemed to release a long and sad sigh as he turned his sights away from her and looked toward the sky. She felt a powerful fear begin to well up in her heart as he raised his hands skyward and began emitting energy in pulses. Every pulse seemed to collide with the void and was slowly but surely beginning to break the space of this pocket dimension. She suddenly realized what he was doing; he was using some kind of strange skill to destroy this space. He had given up on trying to fight her, and would rather throw away the attempt at learning her secrets than continue the fight.She stopped channeling her magic and shouted, "Wait, boy! That is unnecessary! I didn't intend to harm you!" Though she normally spoke in a cold and disinterested manner, even she wasn't willing to suddenly have the space she inhabited destroyed. Even though she was a construct and not a physical entity, she still had a purpose to achieve. If the boy before her destroyed the space, she might be free of the solitude, but it would have invalidated her purpose.Vahn turned his head toward the woman and saw she had an almost frantic look in her eyes as she held out one of her hands toward him. He continued channeling his [Chainbreaker] skill as he spoke in a dull and hate-filled tone, "Not just giving up the chance to learn your techniques, I would rather die than become another tool to be used for my blood at someone else's convenience. Selfish and cruel people like you...I cannot feel anything but hatred for. I don't know what caused you to have so much loneliness in your heart, but I have no reason to put in an effort to try and help you anymore."Though she didn't know the reason, the woman felt anguish in her heart after hearing his words. Even though they hadn't known each other for long, he was able to see through her facade and notice her loneliness. All she had done since their meeting was continually test him, but now she seemed to have overstepped her bounds greatly. Like her, the boy must have suffered greatly in the past, and it likely had something to do with his blood.Cracks began to spread out in the sky, and the woman could see that space would likely be destroyed in the next few minutes. Though she could forcibly send him out of the space, he would likely destroy the orb the moment he left. She didn't want to kill him, but she also didn't want to vanish without completing her purpose. Gritting her teeth, she did the last thing she thought might work against the boy who seemed to have thrown away his emotions.Vahn felt a pulse of magical energy from the woman as he continued to stare at her in an almost dead-pan manner after giving up the fight. The figure in the elegant dress disappeared in a puff of smoke, and what remained of the mature beauty was now just a small doll-like girl hugging the remnants of her clothing to conceal her naked form underneath. Though Vahn was surprised by her sudden change, he wasn't interested in her tricks so he turned his focus back toward the sky and continued to channel his [Chainbreaker] skill.Seeing that her plan had failed, the little girl screamed out, "You idiot! I don't want to kill you, but if you destroy this space, I will disappear! Don't make me do something we'll both regret!!!" The girl cast a spell and the black dress turned into particles which formed into a black gothic-style dress on her body. She pulled out a large bluish purple sword as she aimed it toward Vahn with a 'warning' look in her eyes.Vahn slowly turned his head and made eye contact with her as he spoke in a dull tone, "I said, I would rather die...Kill me if you must, but I will escape this space and never return to this cruel world." The moment his words ended, the small girl disappeared before reappearing in front of Vahn with the sword in hand. She swept it in a diagonal motion like she was going to bisect Vahn shoulder to hip. However, before the sword made contact with his skin, she stayed her hand and Vahn could feel the ambient energy from the blade tickle his neck.Though she had intended to kill Vahn at that moment, his dull expression and voice had overlapped with her own memories of the past. She remembered there was a time, not long after she became immortal and traveled the world, where she had completely given up. If she had the opportunity at that time to die, she would have accepted death with open arms. After having been made a tool and experiment of that hateful man, she had lost any semblance of emotion for several hundred years.Seeing the look on the boy's face, she realized that she had now taken the place of the person she hated the most. Because she had been interested in the boy and his blood, she plotted against him for her own convenience and even took advantage of him when he was unprepared. He was just like her at the time, a helpless child at the mercy of something far more powerful than he could hope to overcome...The young girl in front of Vahn dispersed her sword, but Vahn continued to channel his [Chainbreaker] without cease as he stared down at her small figure. She looked almost pitiful in her current form, far different from the mature beauty she had been before. But, even if she looked like a child, Vahn knew she was anything but. In his mind, she was the same as the people that had tormented him for the fourteen years of his previous life. He had literally died and fled to another world to escape that kind of torment. Now that he had been met with a similar situation, he felt completely apathetic to whatever situation might have resulted in her sadness.The girl looked into his eyes and the two continued to stare at each other as space around began to destabilize with chaotic energy. After a few seconds, the girl spoke in a quiet voice, "I'm Evangeline A.K. McDowell, a vampire that has lived for hundreds of years. Even if you destroy this space, I want you to know who I am, and know that I am sorry for having wronged you." She had a very sad expression on her face as she looked into Vahn's cold and dead eyes.Vahn continued to channel his [Chainbreaker], but he couldn't help but feel a bit sad after the arrogant woman's sudden change. He didn't know which form was her real figure, but he could see clearly that she was very saddened by everything that was happening. Her aura, which had previously been very powerful and a deep icy blue, was now small and slowly beginning to diminish. Instead of the icy blue color, it had become a watery blue tinged with purple hues. Vahn knew that, if nothing else, she was incredibly sad at the moment.Releasing a long and frustrated sigh, Vahn slowly retracted the energy he had put into his [Chainbreaker] skill before plopping down onto his butt. Though space was still cracking around them, it was slowly beginning to heal at a visible rate as the small doll-like girl stared at Vahn with a mixture of relief and sadness. Vahn looked into her eyes as the cold sensation in his mind began to melt. His domain shrank until it had dispersed entirely and Vahn said, "My name is Vahn Mason, and I think we need to talk."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fuck this shit, I'm out. -Vahn Mason, Ch 147','It was a trap! That's not a mature beauty!','Vahn is a big softie')

The girl, Evangeline, sat down in front on Vahn with a relieved expression on her face as she said, "Indeed. Since this is primarily my fault, I'll begin, unless you'd like to say anything first?" She stared toward Vahn with her clear blue eyes and he could see the coldness she had in their previous meetings had largely faded. Vahn thought for a moment with his eyes closed before asking, "Which form is the real you?"Hearing his question, Evangeline released a sad sigh as she explained, "This is my true form. My adult form requires mana to sustain." Vahn nodded his head because he noticed that, while she was in her child form, her aura had become more stable. He continued in a questioning tone, "You said you were a vampire, is that why you tried to suck my blood?"Evangeline heard him mention his blood, and she was somewhat surprised with how casually he brought up the subject that seemed to have set him off previously. She furrowed her brows a bit and explained, "Yes, ever since I was turned into a vampire I had developed the ability to absorb the energy contained within people's blood. I don't need it to sustain myself, as I'm what is called a Shinso, or a True Vampire. However, in my current form, I don't have a way to easily restore my magical power. I was hoping to use your blood as a substitute while you slowly develop your combat skills against me."Vahn thought about her words, and it made a bit of sense if that was really the case. Since she didn't have a real physical body, there was no way for her to regenerate her mana. There was also nothing within the space, so there was little chance she would be able to find food or resources to replenish her energy. While he was thinking, Evangeline asked in a low tone, "Can I ask why you were so angry after I sucked your blood? You said something about not being the tool of others..."Seeing the sorry expression on her small face, Vahn released a heavy sigh and began explaining the matters about his past. He couldn't tell her the whole truth, but he told her a very close version. As he narrated his story, she continued to listen quietly and he could see various emotions like sadness, melancholy, and painful reminiscence. Vahn remembered her earlier words when she talked about how she was 'turned into a vampire', and noticed she had a similarly sad expression.After he finished his story, Evangeline looked at him with a sad expression on her face as she said in a soft tone, "We are very similar, you know that? Much like the people that experimented on you and your blood, I was also the victim of a madman that wanted to conduct research on immortality. On the eve of my 10th birthday, that evil man used a powerful magic to turn my body into that of a Shinso Vampire. In the bout of madness I suffered after 'awakening', I ended up killing one of the servants in the castle and fled in fear."Vahn could see a hint of tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she continued her story, "I didn't even know who had turned me into a vampire for a long time, but later discovered it was a man known as 'The Mage of the Beginning'. He was a fiercely intelligent and powerful mage and pursued the secrets of Immortality until he eventually became a 'ceaseless' entity. I was just one of his experiments, and the only reason he had chosen me was that I looked like a doll..."She rested her head on her knees and hugged her legs tightly as she said with a slight crying voice, "Just because such a stupid reason, my entire life was ruined. I had to flee my home and spent hundreds of years being treated like a monster. If I hadn't been immortal, I would have died countless times. Even then, that would have been better than the suffering I had to experience as people hunted me down. It wasn't until I increased my magic to a frightening extent that I was finally freed from their pursuit. But, no matter how long I researched and increased my strength, I could never break free from this curse."After her words, she peeked up over her knees and stared at Vahn with moist eyes, "I'm sorry if you felt like I was treating you like the type of people we both hate. I have spent so much time in this space with only my memories and regrets, focused entirely on the purpose of why I was left behind by the original in this orb. I'm not very good at dealing with people, and I needed blood to sustain my magic for future battles..."Vahn felt very bad for the young girl after she recounted her long history. Compared to the fourteen years he suffered, her hundreds of years made his short period of suffering seem almost inconsequential by comparison. Though he couldn't distance himself well from his own past, he could at least empathize with her situation to a certain extent. Vahn tried to show her a gentle smile, but he couldn't help but cramp up at the attempt.Seeing Vahn's expression falter, Evangeline realized that he still couldn't easily forgive her. Though his forgiveness wasn't that important to her, the thought that he saw her in the same vein as the monsters that tormented them saddened her. She hung her head to her knees and focused on trying to calm her own emotions. After a minute or so, she suddenly heard him ask, "If I give you my blood, will you help me train properly from now on?"Evangeline was surprised, and she raised her head and could see the concern in Vahn's eyes. Even though he was obviously still afraid of her, he still showed her concern when she was sad. Evangeline felt a sour feeling in her heart as she said in a low voice, "I can try, but I still know almost nothing about your magic system. The two energies seem to be fundamentally different, and you seem to have no understanding of magic spells or how to create magic circles. Just where did you come from before you obtained my orb?"Vahn thought for a minute or so before he explained, "I have always lived on the continent of Eden, and I'm not sure where that is located in the grand scheme of things. I obtained your orb after overcoming a trial and obtaining its rewards. The description mentioned a skill called 'Magia Erebea', and it should be compatible with my energy system, even if the magical structure is different."As the entity that had been entrusted to teach 'Magia Erebea', Evangeline knew that was why he came here. However, his story didn't clear up any of the questions she had. Even when he transformed and used his magical domain, they were completely different than the system from her world. She began to suspect that Vahn came from a divergent timeline or an alternate dimension that had overlapped with Mundus Magicus at some point.After thinking for a moment, Evangeline made a decision that would fundamentally change how Vahn would fight in the future. She looked at him and asked in a serious tone, "Do you want to become my disciple? If you agree, I will teach you the basics of my magic system and try to increase your qualifications to learn my 'Magia Erebea'. Even if your body is compatible with the spell, it won't matter if you aren't able to stabilize the magic due to incompatibilities."Vahn smiled a bit and was grateful for her change in mentality. He had always wanted to learn how to cast magic at some point, and Evangeline seemed to be a mage that transcended the peak of Tier 4. He couldn't understand the extent of her power but knew that, if he accepted her proposal, he would experience a vast improvement in his strength in the future. Just as he was about to agree, Vahn remembered her words from earlier, so he asked, "That would require you to drain my blood, right?"Evangeline flinched a bit at his words, but seeing that his expression hadn't changed, she nodded her head and said, "That is correct. In exchange for teaching you, I'll need to drain a bit of your blood every day to sustain my magical power. Fortunately, the purity and energy contained within your blood is ridiculous, and it shouldn't take too much to recover all of my mana..."Though the idea of having his blood drawn made Vahn very uncomfortable, it wasn't that bad if he allowed it to be drawn willingly. He remembered the warm feeling that had spread through his body at the time and asked, "Earlier, when you sucked my blood, I felt a strange feeling. What was that?" Vahn asked the words because he was genuinely curious, but he never expected the reaction that Evangeline had when he asked.Contrary to all of his impressions of her, she blushed with a red face as she stuttered, "T-that was just a side-effect of when a vampire draws blood. To keep the other person calm, our fangs secrete a magical fluid that makes people feel good. Some people call it a vampire's charm..." The reason Evangeline had attacked Vahn from behind was that she never liked feeding on people from the front if she could help it. Seeing the enamored expression that some of her victims had, she always felt very unnerved.Compared to her adult form, Vahn found the current Evangeline to be very cute, especially after watching her stutter and blush as she answered his question. Though he wouldn't say it himself, especially after hearing about the 'Mage of the Beginning', Vahn also thought that she looked very much like a doll. The gothic-style dress with ribbons and frills enhanced the platinum blonde hair and crystalline blue eyes of her well-featured face.As someone that has lived for hundreds of years, Vahn's look couldn't escape her eyes and she couldn't tolerate that he was 'teasing' her, even if it was in his mind. With a smile on her face, she asked again, "So, will you become my disciple, or do you want me to send you out of this space?"Now that Vahn knew there wasn't anything strange about the warmth he had felt earlier, he didn't think the downsides outweighed the benefits he would gain by accepting her offer. With his regeneration, he could probably generate blood faster than she would be able to suck, so it wouldn't affect him that much. After thinking about the matter for a few seconds, he uttered the words that would lead to his future suffering without hesitation, "Yes, I'll become your disciple, Evangeline."Evangeline lifted herself off the ground and 'dusted' off her dress before walking closer to Vahn and saying, "From now on, you will call me Master Evangeline, or Evangeline-sama. Any other form of address, without my consent, will end up with you being punished." Though Vahn hadn't ever referred to anyone as 'Master', he understood it was the appropriate form of address given the situation so he responded, "Yes, Master Evangeline."Hearing Vahn called her as she ordered him, her brows furrowed a bit but fixed her expression a moment later. Vahn was currently sitting on the floor while leaning back on both of his hands with his legs crossed. Evangeline stood over him, and while he looked at her with a bit of curiosity, she sat down in his lap. Vahn was a bit surprised by her actions, but he didn't have to ask before she explained, "It's easier if I suck your blood like this. Just relax if you can, or hug my body if you can't."Though Evangeline would normally never suck someone's blood from the front, she had taken a slight interest in Vahn due to their similarities and his good-natured character. She had been in this place for countless years, and would probably be spending a lot of time with him in the future. Since he had teased her earlier, she wanted to see him in a flustered state when she sucked his blood. Unexpectedly, Vahn didn't seem to be flustered at all when she sat in his lap, so she asked, "Aren't you very composed? With how young you are, I can't imagine you have much experience with women."Vahn tilted his head after hearing her words and said plainly, "Experience with women? Do you mean like sex and stuff? Right now, I already have two lovers and a future mate with several others potential lovers for the future." Though it wasn't his intention, Vahn's words seemed to deal critical damage to Evangeline as she looked at him with an incredulous expression and asked, "How old are you?"Though he was a bit confused by her question, Vahn answered, "I'm currently fourteen, but I'll be turning 15 in a few months." Vahn's words matched with how old Evangeline thought he was, but she couldn't help but wonder what kind of society he lived in if he was able to casually mention having multiple lovers and future lovers. Right now, she was sitting on his lap while trying to tease him, but she was the one becoming flustered. Although she had lived for hundreds of years, she was still inexperienced in such matters due to various reasons.Releasing a somewhat 'sad' sigh, Evangeline leaned forward so she could suck Vahn's blood. Though she wasn't able to get a rise out of him by sitting in his lap, she still believed that he would act like a fool when she started drawing his blood. She moved his collar aside and bit into the side of his neck with her small fangs and started sucking his blood.Vahn felt the sharp pain from the insertion of the fangs, but it faded away almost instantly as the warm feeling started to spread in his body. It was a very pleasant sensation, so Vahn just closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth as it continued to spread. He could feel Evangeline breathing through her nose, and the airflow tickled his neck a bit, but he just tried to ignore it and allow her to continue.Evangeline had noticed that, though he had a very slight blush, Vahn seemed unaffected by the 'charm' effect in her fangs. She began to suspect that his body prevented him from suffering any serious effects, and he likely just felt magical energy spreading in his body. Though it would undoubtedly feel pleasant, it wouldn't get her the reaction she wanted out of him. With a bit of frustration on her face, she leaned her non-existent breasts against his body and prodded his neck a bit with her tongue.When she leaned forward, Vahn's position had become a bit awkward, so he corrected his balance and put his hands around her waist as she had instructed earlier. The moment he did so, he felt her body twitch and she stopped sucking his blood for a few seconds before continuing. Vahn remarked how soft her body was, but also felt that she was very small in his embrace. Right now, she was around the same height as Nanu, at 130cm, but she felt several pounds lighter and hade much fairer skin.Evangeline became increasingly flustered by Vahn's failure to react, even after she pressed her breasts against him. Even when he put his arms around her back, she was the one to flinch while he just continued to sit with a mildly pleased expression on his face. Her urge to make him panic continued to increase, and she started sucking more and more blood from his body. If she could make him light-headed, at the very least she could get him to ask her to stop.Unfortunately, no matter how long she sucked his blood, it seemed to never run out and even the density of the energy remained unchanged. Evangeline had long reached her magical capacity, and now she was trying to diffuse some of her mana into the air while continuing to absorb his blood. Eventually, her jaw actually started getting tired and she couldn't resist the overflowing magical energy in her body any longer. Releasing a long and hot sigh against Vahn's neck, she slowly separated from his body and turned her back to him.Vahn was surprised at how long she had sucked his blood since she previously said it wouldn't take much. Against his expectations, she had continued sucking his blood for nearly half an hour before she finally reached capacity. Vahn suspected that her magical energy was much higher than he expected and she had been misleading him a bit earlier. She probably realized that his blood was regenerating, so she continued to drain more and more until she finally became full.Now that she had turned her back to him, Vahn started to stand up while asking, "Are you satisfied, Master Evangeline?" The moment he asked the question, Vahn's instincts signaled danger to his mind as a large block of ice slammed into him from the front. His body hurled through the sky until he slammed hard into the ground. As he hadn't made any effort to defend himself, Vahn immediately suffered critical damage as his body began to dissolve into particles. The last thing he saw before he was ejected from the black and white world was the fair, snow-white face of Evangeline having turned beet red.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Loli Baba Rages','Empathy','Dark Magician Vahn')

After reading the description, Vahn explained the changes while Nanu started dressing. Hearing his explanation, she was incredibly excited at the prospect of being able to grow stronger based on her feelings. She already had a reverential passion for Vahn, and now that she would get stronger from it, Nanu had a lot of hopes for the future. Vahn noticed that her affection had hit the stat cap, and quickly scanned his eyes in the system to read the now familiar notification.//Nanu Has Reached Maximum Affection////Quest Completed: [The Hearts Desire: C-SS]//Completion Grade: BRewards: 10,000 OP, 1x [Proof of Affection], 1s [Hearts Desire: Nanu]Grade Rewards: 5,000 OP, 1x [Skill Enhancement Scroll: B][Proof of Affection]Ranke: UniqueUse: Conjures an item desired by the intended recipient. Warning: Item is bound to the recipient after acceptingVahn was curious about the [Proof of Affection] and decided to activate it to see what would happen. A light flashed which started the both of them as a deep red collar appeared in Vahn's hands. It has a small metal tab hanging down from the front of the collar and looked very reminiscent to what a pet would wear. The moment it appeared within his hands, Nanu's eyes started to shine like she had found the most precious treasure in the world. Without any prompting, she stood on her tiptoes while lifting her chin up high.Since he had used the item with Nanu in mind, he had received a collar, similar to what he had learned the previous night. It was the final ceremony between mates which required the dominant party to gift a collar to the submissive party. As Vahn had already resolved himself to the future, he opened the band of the collar and placed it around Nanu's neck while she had a big smile on her face. Her tail wagged back and forth like it was trying to rip itself free of her body, and Vahn couldn't help but wonder if the muscles in her lower back would get sore from the hyper-fast motion.After fastening the collar, it suddenly shrunk and adapted its size to fit perfectly around Nanu's neck. She raised both her hands to feel its presence before smiling toward Vahn and saying, "Thank you, Master. It is perfect." Vahn had never seen Nanu so happy before, so he just laughed awkwardly while petting her ears. She began rubbing her head against his palm, and Vahn started getting flashbacks to the incident with Anubis on the first night they arrived. Before things got out of hand, he pulled his hand away while Nanu stared at the retreating figure with a bit of reluctance.Now that Nanu was properly dressed and received her collar, the two began to get to work. Since time seemed to stop whenever he used them, Vahn activated the [Hearts Desire: Nanu] after she turned away from him. The air froze as time seemed to come to a crawl and a vision passed through Vahn's mind. Curiously, unlike his previous visions, this one was slightly different.Vahn was in a completely black space and felt like he was standing on water. Standing before him was a completely nude girl, and Vahn recognized the figure to be an exact replica of the current Nanu. Inspecting himself, Vahn also found that he was in his own body instead of the normal visions he had before. The nude Nanu walked toward him and embraced him around the waist as she rested her head against his chest and said, "I already found my heart's desire, my Master..."The black space shattered, and Vahn noticed the air was comprised of various memory shards that showed images of the life Nanu had led before he met. He didn't have the opportunity to experience them himself, but it seemed that she had put the past behind her after accepting him. Now, the only thing that remained was her present form as she wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled into his chest.Time started again as the frozen air warmed back up. Vahn was in a bit of a daze as he looked toward the back of Nanu and noticed her tail was still wagging about in a happy manner. He released a sigh, but this time it wasn't exasperation, but a mild affection for the adorable young girl. Though he hadn't made many intentional moves against her, she had already fallen for him completely. With a mental promise to do his best, Vahn opened the system and inspected his new rewards.//[Hearts Desire: Nanu] fulfilled. Extra parameter 'Love' unlocked.//[Nanu]: Love 78(Devoted)//Bond established with [Nanu]////Optional Quest Triggered//[Quest: A Man's Responsibility, Repeatable]Rank: B-SSObjective: Impregnate Nanu (0). Ensure a safe delivery; Current Children(0)Rewards: 100,000 OP, 1x [Guardian:(Nameless)]Failure Condition(s): Death, Nanu's Death, (Nameless) Child's DeathPenalty: 200 Karma (0)In an almost identical fashion as Tiona, Vahn unlocked the love parameter with Nanu as well as the standard 'optional quest' that seemed to come hand-in-hand with the parameter. For a very brief moment, he imaged the young girl with a big belly and couldn't help but feel his brain buzz at the strange mental image. With her current height and frame, it was a very strange picture, and Vahn reaffirmed his conviction to wait until she was older before he did anything.After settling all the matters in his system, Vahn started his work and decided to forge a spear this time. Though he had no shafts to work wish, Vahn wanted to try to make one entirely out of magisteel with mithril coiled around it. He had studied magic circuits intensely, and could even bring up the diagrams in his own mind as he slowly carved the channels into the body of the spear with intricate detail. A single mistake in the structure of the circuits could cause the entire spear to explode if it was overloaded with mana. Vahn didn't want to have the reputation of injuring his own client, so he performed every step in painstaking detail.Because of his efforts, without even working on the spearhead yet, Vahn spent nearly eight hours just crafting the body. The hardest part was working the mithril into a thin enough strip and properly shaping it around the length of the spear's body. Fortunately, after a few failed attempts, he was able to complete the task and now had a 3m long spear that had yet to be fitted with a spearhead. Vahn wasn't at the point where he could shape the metal into intricate shapes, but the simplicity of his craftsmanship actually made him feel like it looked better.Though he had ignored the fact when he made his twin swords the day prior, it wasn't necessary to make a weapon intricate. Oftentimes, the efficacy of the item was based on its composition and internal structure, not the outward appearance. The tamahagane blade he had gifted to Ais was the best example of a weapon that was both simple and incredibly lethal. Holding the onyx-colored spear that was wrapped in bands of blue-black mithril, Vahn gave an appreciative smile at his own realization.Using the remaining two hours before dinner, Vahn started shaping the spearhead and, using the principles he had just learned, focused on making it incredibly durable and efficient instead of intricate. He ended up with a product that was precisely 27cm long and had a gentle, sloping, curve as the spearhead tapered toward the tip. When he affixed it to the spear's body, it now looked like a plain black spear, but it also shone with a dark and intimidating glimmer if you stared at it for too long.Vahn felt like the spear would be able to cut through the darkness and always strike true if wielded by a capable owner. Imagining the onyx-colored blade reflecting the moonlight, Vahn named the spear [Moon Piercer] and received 1005 OP from the system. Surprised by the amount, Vahn inspected the [Moon Piercer]'s stats within the system.-------------------------------------------------------------------------[Moon Piercer]Rank: B (Magic)Slots: 1P.Atk: 330+30M.Atk: 441Ability: Piercing(B), Hardening(C)A simple spear that combines beauty and simplicity to create a form with terrifying efficiency. Under the moonlight, this weapon reflects a deadly glow that draws its victims into the night's eternal embrace. Weilder is empowered under the moonlight.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Once again, Vahn noticed that his intentions seemed to be reflected by the item he forged. As he had imagined the spear cutting through the moonlight when he named it, it adopted that idea and developed an ability that reflected his intent. Vahn was confused because it felt like he was able to make use of the naming ability of the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] even while it was on cooldown. It didn't have the drastic effect of evolving the weapon as it had done with Fafnir, but Vahn had felt a very slight amount of his energy drain when he 'named' the spear.As it was now nearly time for their evening bath, Nanu and Vahn cleaned up the workshop and had a brief window of time before Anubis usually showed up. Though Vahn had intended to polish his spear a bit more, Nanu seemed to take the opportunity to get a bit closer to him. She didn't say anything, but she just stood in front of Vahn with a smile on her face as her tail beat back and forth. Vahn reached his hand out and began stroking her bob-cut hair and pointy ears and she immediately began to squirm against his hand. Though he was somewhat worried that she would become 'heated' as Anubis had, Vahn noticed that her aura was stable, so he continued to pet her for the entire ten minutes before Anubis showed up.Afterward, everything else happened as routine as Vahn took a bath with everyone before enjoying a delicious dinner. Unlike previous nights, Anubis had encouraged the children to talk about what they learned today, and Vahn made conversation with them which seemed to make them excited. Vahn was pleased because if giving them light praise made them work harder, he didn't mind giving them a few encouraging remarks.Everyone cleaned up as normal and went about performing their duties before Anubis, Vahn, and Nanu made his way towards his room. Though Nanu knew she couldn't accompany him at night, she felt it was her duty to wish him well, similar to how Anubis was always around immediately before he went to sleep and right after he awoke in the morning. Vahn pets the girl for a few moments before sending her on her way to bed. When she was gone, Anubis spoke out, "I see you gave her a collar."Vahn nodded, as it wasn't exactly a secret since she had proudly shown it off to the other children. The other two girls seemed envious and even gave Vahn a few looks, but Nanu immediately corrected their behavior and encouraged them to work harder in the future. Anubis had been quiet at the time, so he was curious why she seemed to be a little deadpan when she made the statement.Anubis furrowed her brows slightly as she mustered her courage and proclaimed, "Master, I too would like a collar. I am already Master's servant, and being without one makes me feel uncomfortable. I wasn't going to mention anything, but now that Nanu has received one, I can't keep it to myself any longer." Vahn was surprised at Anubis's outburst because she seemed abnormally flustered compared to her usual self.Vahn contemplated her words for a moment before a black collar appeared in his hands. Vahn hadn't paid much attention to it previously, but he noticed it had a similar color scheme as Anubis's clothing, and he realized she had purchased it with the intent to wear it in the future. Just as Nanu had been previously, Anubis entered a high tension and excited state as she moved closer to Vahn and tilted her chin up.After loosening the band, Vahn reached around Anubis's neck and fixed the collar to her. Unlike the one he had gotten from the system, the black collar didn't automatically adjust, so Vahn had to fiddle around with it a bit. Since it was his first time tightening a collar, he miscalculated and tightened the collar a bit too tight and Anubis issued an incredibly light moan. Though he might have missed it normally, as they were very close to each other, Vahn heard the sound and it made his heart thump a bit.He quickly loosened the collar a bit as he apologized. Anubis, with her chin still tilted upwards, looked at Vahn with a slightly 'pained' expression as she muttered, "It's okay, Master. I don't mind if you tighten it a bit..." Vahn swallowed his saliva as he began to slowly tighten the collar around her neck. Though she seemed to be encouraging him to tighten the collar, Vahn decided to play it safe and left a small amount of space between her neck and the collar before fixing the clasp to hold it in place.When he was done, Anubis seemed both happy and sad at the same time, and Vahn couldn't help but feel a sense of incongruity inside of his mind. He performed their small ritual of petting her hair before turning back and heading into his own room. After he closed the door, Anubis continued to stand in place while feeling the collar around her neck with both hands. She had a large grin on her face as she headed into her own room and disappeared from the corridor.For the third night in a row, Vahn lay down on his bed and focused his intent into the black orb. This time, the moment he entered the black and white space, he immediately activated his Báihǔ form and domain before quickly investigating his surroundings. In a manner similar to his first visit, the only thing in the surroundings with the infinite, contrasting, black and white space without a single soul in sight.Vahn was a bit confused, but he didn't drop his guard as he continued to look around for any sight of the blonde woman. After nearly an hour, she still hadn't shown up and Vahn began to suspect if there was something wrong with the situation. He thought she may be trying to toy with him, so he maintained his vigilance for what seemed like half a day, but he noticed that only several tens of seconds had passed in his system. Though he hadn't noticed it previously, there seemed to be a powerful time dilation effect inside the black and white space.After another hour, Vahn finally dropped his guard and dispelled his aura as he looked around at the empty space. He had expected that the moment he dropped his guard, the woman would attack him for his foolishness, but nothing happened. Space remained silent without the woman appearing before him. Sitting down, Vahn focused on recovering his energy while diverting some of his attention to the surrounding space. However, even after more than a day had passed, the woman hadn't appeared at all.Vahn began to worry because, though he knew how to enter the space, he had no way of exiting presently. Sis had informed him that, if he continually put in an effort, he would be able to break the space with the use of [Chainbreaker], but it would destroy the orb in the process. Releasing a sigh, Vahn crossed his legs and began focusing on the second skill he had obtained a few days ago. Though he was vaguely aware of the words that kept sounding in his mind, no matter how hard he tried, Vahn was unable to make out a single syllable.Not long after he started meditating, the figure of a woman appeared out of thin air with a distortion of space. She had completely sealed away her energy signature as she approached the back of Vahn undetected. Even with his domain expanded around his body, he was unable to sense the approach of the woman who seemed to have less presence than the void around them.While he was trying to comprehend the sounds in his soul, Vahn suddenly felt a sharp pain in the muscles connecting from his neck to his back. His mind immediately snapped to full awareness, but Vahn noticed he couldn't put any strength into his body at all. Vahn was spontaneously overwhelmed by fear, as he could feel a nostalgic feeling that still periodically haunted his dreams. Though he could feel a warm feeling spread through his body, the only thing Vahn focused on was the 'sucking' feeling of his blood being drained from his body.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'This chapter really sucks the life out of the story','Dumpity Dump','Now he owes all the other girls gifts')

Chapter 145: Wrath