Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After Eva had finished replenishing her energy, Vahn also helped Terra recover while they talked about the 'egg' in greater detail. Eva was a little embarrassed and had even tried to apologize at first but Vahn just waved away her concerns since he would have given in if Terra asked him regardless. Now that he had more time to think about it, Vahn had noticed a few peculiarities in the egg, including the fact that there were small runes on each scale. Presently, the golden runes only covered part of the egg so Vahn was certain she would need 'more' energy. He deduced that it was already fertilized but would likely benefit from a greater concentration of energy so he tried channeling his source energy into it with [Hands of Nirvana] and [Yggdrasil's Blessing].Surprisingly, his source energy couldn't penetrate through the scales surrounding the egg and it instead caused the runes to glow a bit brighter as they 'resisted' the infusion. Vahn suspected he could overpower the barrier but decided against it since it since he didn't really want to 'experiment' using his own child. For some reason, it seemed like the egg only accepted the energy that had been converted by Terra's womb after it absorbed his semen. It probably had something to do with laws he had yet to understand so Vahn just decided to 'help' nourish the egg while Terra carried it in her womb. Fortunately, if it was necessary, Vahn was confident he could 'help' her indefinitely but had instead realized he could infuse more energy into his semen instead, causing Terra to pass out as a result but completing the runes on the egg after an hour-long session of love-making.Walking out from Terra's nest, Vahn wiped the sweat from his brow as the blushing Eva refused to make eye contact with him, instead, nursing the tea that had long cooled. She had concealed her presence, but Vahn knew that Eva had been 'watching' them the entire time based on her behavior. Vahn just walked over and picked her body up unceremoniously before sitting her in his lap, causing her to fluster a bit but offering no real complaints as she turned her body and straddled his hips. With a serious expression on her face, somewhat diminished by her blush, Eva said, " It's good that you were decisive on this matter, Vahn. I was worried that Terra might 'break' if she kept producing those infertile eggs..."Though it wasn't too bad at first, Terra had gotten to the point where it would take nearly an entire day for her to calm down after she produced an egg. She would even smash things after teleporting far away from their base, something Eva had witnessed by observing her through the void. When the time for Vahn's arrival was coming around, she had been the one to approach Terra and convince her to sleep with Vahn since Eva had been very worried for her. They had grown very close over the last eight years and Terra was almost like a big sister to her now, even though she was still respectful when they were researching and practicing magic together. Terra's presence alone brought her a lot of comfort and Eva hated seeing her crying and thrashing about in frustration all alone...Vahn held Eva close and ran his fingers through her long blond hair, so long that it actually went beyond the seat of the chair when they were sitting down. With a calm smile on his face, Vahn said, "I may not be the most capable father, but I believe all the women around me would make great mothers. I will always do my best to support them so, if Terra wanted a child, I don't have any problems with that whatsoever. You too, Eva, one day...after we get married..." Without waiting for her response, Vahn gave Eva a very light peck on the lips until the small vampire reciprocated his actions far more passionately.After separating, Eva looked very lovingly into Vahn's eyes and seemed to recall something as she placed her finger against his lips and said, "There is another kind of magic we haven't discussed yet. I already told Terra about it but she said it should be a 'secret' magic that I only shared with you and refused to learn it completely...you see, not only are there different classifications for Mages, but there is also a 'structure' that has existed for around a thousand years. Not everyone has the opportunity to learn magic at a young age, whilst others simply don't have the mental capacity to understand more complex magic. To make up for this, Ancient Mages created a form of magic referred to as [Pactio] or 'contract' magic. This allows what we call a Magister Magi to transfer and share magic power with other people, referred to as Minister Magi..."Seeing Vahn's surprise, Eva playfully traced her finger around his bottom lip before saying, "That isn't the only thing, either, as the [Pactio] actually grants all kinds of abilities to the Minister Magi. It allows them to increase their physical capabilities faster, grants them a magical barrier against physical attacks, and also bestows upon them a unique artifact that reflects their personality and capabilities. I've learned a lot about the 'reality' you come from, Vahn, so I believe this magic is the best suited to your situation. You can use it to enhance the capabilities of all your little girls..." At this point, Eva lifted her body to match gazes with Vahn before gently kissing his lips a few times.Once she was 'satisfied', Eva pulled away but continued to hold his face as she squinted her eyes and said, "The most useful function, which I'm sure you'll appreciate the most, is the fact that you can not only telepathically communicate with anyone you've performed a [Pactio] with, but you can even summon the girls to you through the link you establish. They can't teleport you to them, unless of course their artifact allows such things, but it will allow you to move around more freely without having to constantly have them follow along...ufufufu~." Eva also knew about the Dungeon in Vahn's world, to a great amount of detail, and she expected he would be better suited to the [Pactio] than any other magic she could teach him.Vahn was, admittedly, very ecstatic when he heard Eva's words and, combined with the fact she was currently teasing him, he felt 'triggered' to take action so he quickly snatched up the playful vampire and vanished towards their castle. Eva's laughter rang like a bell that caused Terra, who was still currently unconscious, to begin laughing as she muttered, "Eva...enjoy...ufufufu..." Afterward, Terra curled up into a fetal position using her own flexible wings to coil around her body, almost as if she were creating a caccoon to protect the presence in her abdomen. Though it wasn't nearly as strong as the connection she felt to her Master, Terra felt a powerful urge to protect the vibrant bundle of life...For the remainder of the three day period, Eva trained Vahn in the practical use of magic since he was able to form most spell circles and wards from memory. The only thing he really needed was a proper understanding of the phenomenon he created while improving his ability to cast spells quickly. Though he was able to 'download' the information from books, this didn't mean Vahn 'knew' what was inside and it didn't mean he had an intuitive understanding of the contents. He still needed to read and comprehend things, study, and practice if he wanted to be a capable Mage, especially since he also needed to filter his own energy through several magic circles just to use magic.During their downtime, Eva had Vahn spoil her a bit while also teaching him how to form the ward to create a pactio, as it had to be drawn on the ground using specialized chalk to function. It was very complex, but Vahn was easily able to replicate it since his Dexterity was inordinately high and his memory was nearly perfect. The important part was to simply practice creating the circle over and over since it required the entire thing to be structured within a period of fifteen seconds if he wanted to form a 'permanant' pactio. Eva had taught him in greater detail about the aspects related to a pactio, including the fact there were several different kinds and that there were actually 'restrictions' in place to prevent exploitation.Though a [Pactio] was neutral magic, it was also heavily regulated by the 'laws' of the world since it could bestow great power at almost no cost. Even Preasia could become very powerful just by having a [Pactio] with a powerful Mage, especially someone like Vahn who made use of source energy to fuel the bond. An example of one major restriction was the fact that 'age' was actually taken into consideration and could negatively impact the Magister Magi if they tried to 'force' someone into a [Pactio]. If the person was too young, the type of [Pactio] that would be formed was known as a 'Probationary Pactio' and it put heavy restrictions on the caster depending on the circumstances. This accounted for things like the emotional bond between the two involved during the [Pactio] as well as the difference in their ages respective to variables such as race, mental development, and even emotional stability.Typically, for a [Pactio] to be permanant, without any major restrictions, the people had to genuinely care about each other, not be related by blood, and, 'ideally', similar in age. Though there were 'exceptions', such as when two immortals formed a [Pactio], any Magister trying to form a [Pactio] with someone much younger with them would usually have restrictions placed on their actual soul. Such things included making it functionally 'impossible' to make a move on the other person unless they wished to experience a tremendous backlash. Though there were ways around this, trying to exploit it typically caused more harm than good so even 'evil' Mages followed the rules. After all, tempting troubled children was simply too easy in some circumstances so the 'laws' governing the [Pactio] protected them while punishing anyone that tried to exploit those younger than them...Inversely, however, there weren't any major restrictions for younger people trying to form [Pactio]s with older people, specifically with the younger person being the Magister. Since it was only possible for the 'stronger' of the two to initiate the [Pactio], this meant that a talented and young Magister could easily enter contracts with people much older than themselves, without any negative consequences for themselves or the Ministra. It was a bit of a loophole, but Mages that developed enough magical power to perform [Pactio]s with entities much older than them were typically very mature and thus the 'laws' were far more lenient.After drawing the ward for what felt like the ten-thousandth time, Vahn asked, "Eva, I'm guessing its impossible for you to form a [Pactio] with me...?" Eva had been dangling her feet at the side while she watched Vahn draw the ward, immediately answering, "Indeed, as I'm just a memory fragment and [Pactio]s link together two souls. You could ask Terra, but I think she would outright refuse and instead insist that you become stronger so she can become your Ministra...ufufufu~." If she could, Eva would willingly enter a [Pactio] to protect Vahn, even though part of her also wished he could become stronger and allow her to follow him instead. Unfortunately, as she often lamented, she wasn't 'real' and there were several restrictions in place that she already struggled to work around.Vahn nodded his head in understanding before bursting out laughing a few seconds later, drawing a curious gaze from Eva until he explained, "I imagine Fenrir would want to enter a [Pactio] as the Magister and then we could both call each other 'Master'..." Realizing what Vahn was saying, Eva also released a peal of bell-like laughter as she covered her mouth and said, "Indeed, it certainly seems like something that girl would do. She is simultaneously the most devoted to you but also of the mind that she wants to protect and care for you, even if she had to do so herself." Vahn had a large grin on his face for a moment until he realized something that could prove very useful in the future.As she was paying close attention to him, Eva tilted her head slightly and asked, "I recognize that look...what are you thinking right now, Vahn~?" Turning his eyes to Eva, Vahn explained, "I was wondering if it would actually be possible to form a [Pactio] with one of the goddesses. Their souls are far more powerful than normal and I imagine their Divine energy would have a similar effect as-" Eva began shaking her head before Vahn even finished, saying, "Remember, there are restrictions in the [Pactio] that make it far more difficult for such instances to occur. Even making a [Pactio] with my real self would require you to become very strong and our ages are far closer than the difference between you and one of your goddesses. Didn't you say that the youngest one was around 390 million years old?"Realizing Eva's words were true, Vahn released a small sigh but still intended to try it in the future since there was no way of knowing how such things worked in different records. Depending on the circumstances, [Pactio] itself may not even function since the 'laws' are fundamentally different. Fortunately, he would be able to emulate [Pactio] and get around such restrictions, but this wouldn't apply to the goddesses. It was likely that the only people able to use [Pactio] in the future would be himself, his subordinates, and his descendants. This was yet another thing that would set them apart from the rest of the world but Vahn didn't mind since they were already 'destroying' the established balance and increasing the future tier of the world itself. It was just another reason why he needed to become stronger and impose proper regulations to prevent things from getting out of hand, at least for a while...After his last training session came to an end, Vahn went to check up on Terra with Eva following close behind. Terra had been 'hibernating' ever since the runes had appeared on her egg, slowly pulling the natural elemental energy from the environment into her body. She wasn't in any danger at all and would likely wake up in a few months according to observational estimates. Since she didn't have to eat, Terra wasn't in any danger of starving and was simply 'defending' the egg in her womb while nourishing it further. Vahn speculated he could help speed up the process by setting out a variety of energy-rich materials but Eva had done one better by saying she would set up a giant spell formation to allow Terra to pull energy in from greater distances. She had plenty of time for such things so Vahn just left her with the requested materials before spending the rest of his time in the orb tending to the lovable little vampire princess.---Waking up in the real world, Vahn took a bit of time to collect himself as Fenrir looked up at him with concern in her scarlet eyes. He simply smiled in return, freeing his arm from Tione to stroke her head while inspecting the changes in his own Status. Though he had no current way to measure his 'magical power', which was fundamentally different than his Magic parameter, Vahn knew it existed and Sis told him there were functions in the system that should allow him to display it in the future. Even so, Vahn could tell that he was undergoing rapid changes and, though he had only been in the orb three times so far, he was quickly 'breaking' free from the restrictions of the Falna and becoming much stronger...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[Stats]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 15Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level: 4(+)-Power: 2746+(I28)-&gt;(G228)-Endurance: 3325+(I69)-&gt;(E407)-Dexterity: 2746+(I31)-&gt;(F355)-Agility: 2859+(I19)-&gt;(G212)-Magic: 6297+(G275)-&gt;(SSS1492)Total:17,974+(422)-&gt;(2694)Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)[Karma]: 9,561-&gt;13,418[OP]: 5,628,058-&gt;14,007,815[Valis]: 643,884,901-&gt;3,901,832,592Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:E], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth: B],[Bow Mastery:S], [Stealth:A], [Chainbreaker:S], [Heart of the Eternal Flame:SS], [Prometheus:A], [Call of the Reaper:A],[Yggdrasil's Favor:S], [Veil of the Traveler: S], [Featherfoot:A], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Metallurgy:B], [Fist Strike:A], [Friend of Spirits:A]Magic: [Thria*Mimos:B], [Shundo:B], [Cantus Bellax:B](new), [Mellodia Bellax:H], [Sagitta Magica:H](new), [Pactio:G](new)Development Skills: [Wound Transfer:S], [Well of Spirit:I-&gt;D], [Swordsman:A], [Master Smith:H], [Mixing:C], [Mentor:A], [Petting:A], [Mage:C-&gt;B][Mellodia Bellax]Rank: HUse: Advanced form of [Cantus Bellax] that greatly enhances Agility and perception.Chant: (-)[Pactio]Rank: G (Realm)Use: Allows the user to establish a contract, becoming a Magister, with a second party, becoming a Ministra, sharing energy to enhance the Ministra's parameters. This spell binds the second party to the first and compels them to protect the contractor, even at the cost of their own life.Chant: (-)Secondary Chant(activate): Activate the contract (-)! Attendant of (-), (-)!Tertiary Chant(summon): I summon forth, attendant(s) of (-), (-)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Vahn already knew that he had successfully learned [Pactio], as he had learned it immediately after forming the ward the first time, but it still brought a smile to his face seeing it. He had been worried about helping the girls grow stronger without having access to 'flame seeds' and this was the ideal solution. Though he needed to improve his use of the skill further, to avoid forming 'mistake' pactios, Vahn knew it wouldn't be long before each of the girls were able to become his Ministra. According to Eva, this would actually increase his own magic power further since the girls would be 'siphoning' his energy when they used their artifacts and fought for him. Though this would burden most Mages, Vahn shouldn't have too many problems since he had an Innate like [Will of the Emperor] to help him cope with any potential mental strain.With a large smile on his face, Vahn leaned forward and surprised Fenrir by giving her a short kiss that he himself hadn't really planned. Feeling her fidget around, Vahn stifled a chuckle before pulling away and saying, "Let's go, it's time for us to get ready. I'll be relying on you to protect as many people as possible, Fenrir...prove to everyone that you're not simply a 'monster', but an incredible girl that can protect her friends..." Fenrir's tail began to 'flop' around while the other girls began to stir awake very quickly, as it was nearly time for them to depart anyway. With a large grin on her face, Fenrir began to nuzzle against her Master's chest as she muttered, "Fenrir is the strongest now, so Fenrir will protect everyone..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Protec le Eggu','Move over [Promethus]~!','Fenrir is the strongest (O,...,O)~!')(A/N: Okay, I'm actually very tired by the end of this since I didn't get much sleep yesterday. I'll be pushing for four chapters tomorrow so look forward to it (UwU)~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As the leader of the Expedition, Vahn had to help make sure everything was running smoothly so he left the tent with Fenrir and watched over the mobilization process alongside Finn and Gareth. They exchanged a few pleasantries before Finn began to explain any details that might have changed. During this time, Vahn was inspecting the convoy and scanning over everything with his [Eyes of Truth] since his intuition told him things wouldn't be so simple after Fels' warning. Catching sight of a few people with greyish, even black, auras, Vahn turned to Finn and asked, who are they?Finn followed Vahn's line of sight and saw the people he had pointed out, responding, "They are part of the construction team, I believe...?" Even as he spoke, Finn had already realized there might be something wrong because Vahn had a serious and contemplative expression. Presently, Vahn was considering if they should leave them behind or if he simply needed to pay attention to them during the Expedition. The strongest amongst them was only Level 2 and they didn't pose a threat to almost anyone in the Expedition other than some of the other workers. They were most likely associated with a gang or a criminal Familia and simply wanted to get a foothold in the 'settlement' that was being built.Vahn decided to put them to work since he didn't have proof they had done anything wrong, meaning it may negatively impact the morale of the entire Expedition if he acted now. It wouldn't be that difficult to keep each of them within his domain, as he was near the center of the convoy and could envelop the majority of the wagons. If they tried anything, which Vahn couldn't imagine would be possible, he could easily deal with them using [Sagitta Magica]. There was also the simple fact that they were weaker than any other combatant and would quickly earn the ire of anyone they tried to sabotage, likely losing their lives in the process.Turning to Finn, Vahn explained, "Those people, they don't seem to be the most reputable bunch. For now, I'll allow them to accompany the Expedition so we don't compromise the morale of everyone else. Be warned though, as I may have to deal with them if they try anything funny. Also, we'll need to inspect the construction sites properly in the future to make sure criminals don't end up creating any sort of network in what is supposed to a defensive military complex..." Finn now had a very serious expression on his face while Gareth stroked his beard, eyeing all of the people Vahn had indicated previously. Since the Supply Depot was going to be managed by the Loki Familia, with the Alliance's support, it would negatively reflect upon them if criminals ended up taking residence right under their noses.Much like Haven, they were intending to make a few rare materials accessible only at the Supply Depot in order to encourage people to venture further into the Dungeon. Smugglers and Black Market dealers would undoubtedly want to get their hands on such items, regardless of how dangerous the journey might be. As long as they stuck to the larger Expedition parties that moved between the 18th and 39th Floor, they could travel in relative safety and make a veritable fortune off the materials they obtained. This would only encourage other people to do the same and could potentially compromise the defenses of the Supply Depot if they were sneakily trying to build tunnels within the fortification to smuggle the goods outside. With entities like the red-headed woman walking around, tunnel systems could become a problem very quickly.After talking with Finn and Gareth for a short while longer, Finn went off to prepare for the departure while Vahn used [Shundo] to appear where the last tent was, belonging to the Hestia Familia. Haruhime and Mikoto were currently standing with Asfi while the rest of the girls had already taking up their positions in the convoy. Though it earned him a slightly startled look from Asfi, Vahn placed the entire tent into his Inventory as he said, "Sorry for the wait, Asfi. From this point on, you shouldn't wander too far away from me without informing me. I can always have one of the others accompany you if its an 'emergency' situation..." Vahn sent the cool beauty a wink that caused Haruhime to laugh while Asfi herself furrowed her brows slightly, having adapted to the constant teasing by Hermes in the past and understanding Vahn was just joking around. Still, she turned her head slightly and muttered, "How uncouth..." in a voice she knew he could hear.Vahn gave a wry smile before turning to Haruhime and Mikoto, saying, "Haruhime, you'll be near the vanguard units this time around to support them, but I'll be within [Shundo] distance if you're in trouble." Patting Fenrir's head and stroking her fluffy ears, Vahn felt very relaxed as he said, "Fenrir will protect you in my stead, though you always need to remain on alert since she will probably be helping everyone else as well. You're already pretty strong but accidents can happen...so please, take care of yourself and stay close to Lefiya." Haruhime showed a beautiful and confident smile in response, saying, "This is a good opportunity to show that I'm not simply something to be protected, but someone that has grown strong for the sake of following the same path as the man I love~."Haruhime's words earned her a look from both Asfi and Mikoto, with the latter blushing slightly before turning away, hands tightly gripping her katana. Fenrir just began to laugh in a playful manned before 'thumping' her chest and saying, "Haruhime is a good girl, but Fenrir is the strongest of all~!" This time, Haruhime's eyes snapped to Fenrir and seemed to be 'evaluating' the small Vanargandr with a curious glint in her eyes. Fenrir felt her hair raise a bit because she realized her 'play' may have been seen through after she called Haruhime by name instead of 'Harume'. Because it had been 'years' since she last interacted with the somewhat annoying Renard, Fenrir had completely forgotten how to behave around her since most of her thoughts revolved around her Master.None-the-wiser, Vahn ruffled Fenrir's hair and said, "Okay, we should get in our spots so the Expeditionary party isn't just waiting on us. Asfi, you'll be riding on the same cart with me so expect a few curious looks and some rumors to begin flying around later." Even without explaining things in detail, Vahn knew Asfi understood what he was saying and it was very likely she had already taken such matters into consideration. Vahn was 'famous' for how many girls were around him so there was no way people wouldn't begin to associate her with him after he starts protecting her. She also slept in the so-called 'Harem Tent' so there were bound to be misunderstandings, which was likely part of Hermes' plan from the beginning. Thus, after earning a small nod from Asfi, Vahn went to his cart and sat down with Fenrir while Asfi sat to his right, with an appropriate amount of distance between them.As expected, Asfi immediately earned the attention of a large number of people because she was one of three people sitting on a cart while everyone else was walking. Since she was already famous, it didn't take long for people to identify her and rumors had started flying even before the convoy began its march into the Dungeon's depths. For the most part, Asfi tolerated it well and simply kept her eyes closed while sitting with a straightened back, seemingly unconcerned with what others were saying. If not for the fact that her aura was burning like a wispy flame, showing that she felt very nervous and embarrassed, even Vahn would be fooled by her near-perfect display of etiquette.Soon after the convoy entered the 19th Floor, Vahn began infusing two types of energy into his domain, one intended to revitalize the body while the other was supposed to help people remain calm and focused. He had already used this same 'technique' on the first 17 Floors so everyone was in high spirits when they felt the energy entering the bodies once again, even earning him a small hurrah from some of the closer groups. Asfi opened her eyes to look around at the atmosphere, even tracing her hands through it as if it was something tangible she could touch. Vahn could see there was a small magical glimmer from her glasses and wondered if they also helped her see and analyze 'mana' since that was typically only something those of Elven descendant were privy to.It was around this time that the combat began in earnest so Vahn decided not to bother Asfi by observing her so closely and instead turned his attention to the rest of the Expedition. Presently, the 2nd Party, commanded by Raul, was heading the vanguard so Vahn could see Mikoto putting on a display of her swordsmanship for one of the first times. She didn't break away from her spot in the formation, though her skill was based almost entirely on speed, but instead used her footwork to avoid monsters by a hair's breadth before cutting through them with such swiftness the path of her blade couldn't even be seen, by most people. This earned her some awed looks from Cruz and Alicia, the Weretiger and Elf that were in the 2nd Party, while Raul seemed outright gobsmacked.As Asfi was also watching the fight, she commented, "It seems everyone in the Hestia Familia isn't simple..." Vahn began laughing, surprising Asfi a little because he wasn't acting like the boy that could see through anything the previous night. He seemed almost 'lackadaisical' now, almost as if he was expecting something to happen but wasn't perturbed by it in the slightest. Catching her look, Vahn sent Asfi another wink before scratching the base of Fenrir's ears and saying, "Go show our new friend how amazing you are, and everyone else for that matter~." Fenrir had leaned into him while getting her ears stroked, rubbing her face against his side before nodding with an 'Nn' sound and disappearing from sight.Asfi's eyes widened the moment Fenrir disappeared because that was a technique Vahn was becoming famous for, which hadn't existed previously. If he was 'teaching' it to other people, and they were actually able to learn it, the Hestia Familia would quickly become an almost unstoppable force. When she heard a loud explosion, causing her head to snap towards the source, Asfi couldn't help but swallow dryly when she saw an entire section of the Dungeon had become frozen and she couldn't even see any sign of Fenrir at all. A second, and third, explosion sounded on the opposite side of the convoy and the entire surrounding area was quickly becoming a frozen wasteland as Fenrir's body 'blurred' beyond the perception of almost everyone present.Finn had been paying close attention to the vanguard and he almost gave the orders to form the defensive line when he heard the first explosion. Once he realized what was happening, however, Finn was just as awed as everyone else as he and Gareth watched Fenrir completely annihilate her enemies effortlessly. It was very obvious she was showing off, but the sheer power of her attacks and the almost 'impossible' speed she was displaying caused the entire convoy to slow to a crawl. After a few seconds, not minutes, the only place with monsters still alive was near the front of the convoy. Fenrir had also sealed off the other pathways in the Dungeon with massive blocks of ice so there was no chance of monster reinforcement unless they spawned from the walls, which would easily be dealt with unless it was a Monster Party...Though the entire Expedition was surprised by Fenrir's display, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Haruhime, Lefiya, and Mikoto all watched with excited expressions on their faces. They had just been talking about learning magic the previous night and now they got a display of 'real' magic for the first time, which even the physical combatants on their team were supposedly capable of using. Vahn had already told each of them their elemental affinities and they knew, as long as they trained hard, it wouldn't be impossible to put on a similar performance as Fenrir. The fact that she was hard to keep track of, even for Ais, Tiona, and Tione, made them giddy with expectation, especially Tiona, who had jumped up to the top of a cart and began cheering for Fenrir.While everyone was marveling at Fenrir's performance, Vahn sent a playful look at Asfi since she had been unable to prevent her mouth from gaping slightly. She immediately returned to her stoic appearance but there was an almost 'terrified' glimmer in her eye as she asked, "How did she become strong so quickly? What kind of...magic...is that?" Hearing Asfi's question, Vahn chuckled before smiling wider and asking, "Aren't those observations you should be making? It wouldn't be any fun if I gave you all the answers, right?" Seeing that Asfi was somewhat taken aback by his words, Vahn relaxed a little before saying, "I will tell you one thing, though...this is only the beginning." Towards the end of his words, Vahn took on a very resolute expression that made Asfi swallow dryly once again...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Black Auras In The Mix','Fenrir is Stronk (O,...,O)~!','Deep Impression')(A/N: I wonder if this chapter will feel very 'short' for some people since I've been typically writing 3-4k words xD. To put things in perspective, this is how long chapters are 'supposed' to be (UwU)~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Tiona was currently standing at the center of everyone, wearing a sleeveless white top that hugged her figure, almost as if 'proving' she didn't have any breasts. It had a collar the came partially up her neck and was split at the bottom like four flower petals with black accents along the edges. She also had a pair of loose sleeves that started around her biceps and reached all the way to her wrists, where the accessories that used to be there had completely vanished. Slightly darker than her mint colored hair, Tiona had a teal skirt that matched the color of the bow at her chest and the two small ribbons tying up the two cute pigtails in her hair. On her legs, she had dark green stockings that flowed directly into her boots, much like how Ais' and Mikoto's used to...When Tione jumped up and shouted, everyone in the room was startled by the outburst until Tiona just looked at her sister and said, "Ehehehe, Tiona had become a magical girl, Tione~!" As if to demonstrate, Tiona swung the small star-shaped wand in her hand and sent out sparkling magical energy that was shaped like glitter, stars, and even hearts. One of them flew at Tione, popping as it came into contact with her face, startling the elder of the two Amazon sisters in the process. Tiona saw this and began to laugh happily before eyeing Vahn with her star-shaped pupils and saying, "Vahn, my hero~!" as she leaped towards him.Vahn was very surprised by the transformation but he put it to the back of his mind and just accepted Tiona's embrace since she seemed very happy. He did, however, ask, "Do you know how to transform back...?" after a few minutes had passed. Tiona nodded her head before backing away and holding the wand between her hands, causing her clothing to 'explode' into light green smoke as her previous equipment thankfully came back into existence. Vahn released a relieved sigh before smiling as he said, "That wand is now bound to you and should enable you to use all kinds of magic, though it wouldn't necessarily follow conventional magic systems. You'll have to figure out how to use it yourself, but I'm certain you'll be able to do it, Tiona."Tiona began laughing happily as she brandished the wand and said, "It was actually super easy to use magic when I was transformed, almost like my brain was telling me how to do it. I still want to learn properly though, so please teach me~!" Vahn agreed to her request and they all began to talk about their studies while Vahn began transcribing books for the girls. Strangely, though he couldn't see the difference between languages, Vahn could write in Latin just fine. The only thing he needed to do was know it existed and analyze the structure for a bit before he could completely replicate the language. It also helped that he had a template to work from with the texts provided by Eva and Terra.Since it had started to get late, Vahn had the girls go to sleep since they needed to prepare for the Expedition setting out early tomorrow morning. They were all very excited to be learning magic, especially after seeing Tiona suddenly transform, so Vahn had needed to force them to sleep by dispersing calming energy into his domain. He still ended up being hugged by Tiona and Tione while Fenrir claimed the spot on his stomach for herself. As for himself, Vahn stayed awake for a while longer since he wasn't even remotely tired. He had rested a bit in the orb and that had only been a few hours prior, not mentioning the fact he didn't require much sleep from the start. Thus, while waiting for sleep to claim him, Vahn let his mind wander and just enjoyed the warmth of the girls as he wondered what kind of schemes their enemies would enact in the future.Though he still had a long way to go, Vahn felt like he would even be able to defeat Ottar if he could catch the powerful demigod off guard. In raw parameters, Vahn was confident in exceeding Ottar completely so the biggest variable would be general combat experience and the strength of the man's Innates. As a demigod, Vahn was certain Ottar had, at the very least, three different Innates. Becoming the 'King' would have been impossible otherwise and he wouldn't have had such a great impact on the original plot unless he had a powerful destiny. He likely had the blessing of his parent god, Innates related to Power and Endurance, and most likely enhanced perception...Vahn wondered if he could convince Freya to allow him and Ottar to spar in the future but knew it would probably 'trigger' the goddess to approach him more earnestly if he defeated her prized champion. He would have to settle for fighting against his own companions while periodically having the opportunity to defeat whatever enemies had the 'gall' to actually try and fight them. Other than subterfuge and scheming against them, Vahn couldn't imagine anyone actually being able to threaten his family in the future. If he could adapt Eva's teaching completely, Vahn was confident that even Preasia could become a powerhouse without ever entering the Dungeon. What they were doing was completely reshaping the balance of power in the world, skewing it greatly in their favor until the generations that graduate from the School slowly spread the knowledge in the future...Though he hadn't disbelieved it, Vahn now completely understood why Riveria believed he would bring about a magical revolution in the future. It wouldn't spread too quickly, as the children would need to take small vows before taking more advanced magical classes, but the future would be full of capable Mages, Knight, and Magic-Knights. Once the children grew up, they would start their own families while some of the more capable amongst them may even start entire clans, developing completely unique magic that were passed through the ages. Much like the history of Magic in Eva's world, Vahn was confident things would take a similar path in the future as even the gods would likely take to Eva's Magic system once the restrictions of the world's tier had been removed...To prevent things from becoming chaotic, Vahn knew he would have to stand at the peak as a deterrent to those that would try to exploit the new magic system for their own benefit. It was likely around this time that he originally set about becoming the 'Emperor' since Vahn could now understand the decision better. Regardless of the path he chose to walk, Vahn would have to help stabilize the other countries or the concepts he spread would eventually be used to bring great harm. The best approach was simply to educate the youth while acting as an insurmountable power that proactively negotiated with the other countries. He could focus his power base within Orario and just wait for things to slowly stabilize or Vahn could take a more 'proactive' approach and seize power from those that have been keeping it for themselves at the expense of others...Realizing he was on a similar path as his 'Emperor' self, Vahn produced a wry smile and knew he would have to rely on the others if he didn't want to become 'lonely' again. There was also the fact that he wanted to conquer the Dungeon itself so Vahn knew he would have to restrict his growth to Tier 3, at least until he was ready to move on to the next world. Vahn suspected that he had been unable to obtain the [I Shall Return] quest in the Divination timeline because of the shift in his focus. The moment he was unable to progress further into the Dungeon, Vahn likely lost his method to obtain a large amount of OP and likely required the assistance of the Alliance just to support his reserves.This time around, Vahn was confident he could gain more OP by setting up an exchange in the Haven where Adventurers would be able to trade in materials for rare commodities that were relatively cheap within the system shop. It shouldn't be difficult to earn large profits without generating any negative karma as long as he didn't take things too far and develop a greedy mentality. If he kept his focus on stockpiling his reserves for the express purpose of completing his quest and protecting the world, Vahn was confident he would actually generate positive karma instead of negative karma...---Unsure of when he fell asleep the previous night, Vahn pulled out Eva's orb and quickly entered it before any of the other girls awoke. He was aware that Fenrir stirred awake at the same time as him, but she was behaving and remained silent. Vahn smiled as the darkness encroached on his vision once again before the familiar 'tugging' sensation appeared and he was suddenly in Eva's orb. It felt like he wasn't away for very long and Vahn knew this incongruity would only increase over the next few weeks as he continued learning magic from Eva. It was probably a 'good' thing that he would only be able to use the orb for two weeks since it would become progressively more difficult to focus on things in the real world as his studied progressed further...As usual, Eva pinned him down and began licking his exposed shoulder before biting into it, heat radiating from her currently 'adult' form that was straddling his hips. She was 170cm tall in her adult form and appeared to be in her late twenties, seemingly very mature as her large breasts pressed into his chest. Vahn felt like she was trying to appeal to him so he reached out his hands and grabbed her plump butt, not surprised by the fact that she was naked at all. However, Vahn's mind had calmed down a bit at this point and he was aware of the second presence in the room that was near his legs, almost as if she was 'waiting' for something.Vahn had been about to remove his pants to 'play' with Eva for a bit but now felt like he had almost walked into a trap orchestrated by the two girls. He wasn't sure what had changed in the last four years but it was almost certain they had become much closer. Deciding to play along, Vahn went with his instincts and drew a sharp breath when his erect member was suddenly enveloped in warmth suddenly, all the way to the base. Eva began laughing at this point, almost like she had succeeded in a prank as she licked his neck and said, "Even though you're on time, we've still been waiting patiently for you, Vahn. You'll have to make it up to us unless you want to be punished again, ufufufu~." Eva began kissing his lips this time, apparently not in a hurry to replenish her mana reserves while Terra 'earnestly' sucked on his member down below.Every time Terra pulled her head away, Vahn felt like she was trying to 'rip' his lower body off with how powerful the suction was, causing Eva to laugh every time he drew a sharp breath. Terra's wings also began to rustle audibly, clearly enjoying his response as she redoubled her efforts, rolling his glans with her long and hot tongue before kissing the top and bringing her head down again, craning her head at a somewhat awkward angle to take in the full length into her throat. Vahn knew he was being played with by the two girls, who had likely orchestrated their joint attack previously, but he didn't mind it too much. If things got out of hand, Vahn knew he could at least defeat Terra easily before getting even with Eva later on...Eva moved her hips up a little, arching her body as she kissed his lips and asked, "Vahn, do you have any qualms about having sex with Terra?" Vahnn was momentarily stunned by Eva's words, blinking several times before shaking his head and saying, "No, she is a beautiful woman who works very hard for my benefit, sometimes tooooo...hard..." Terra had created a powerful suction, seemingly pleased by Vahn's praise, so his words broke towards the end. As for Eva, she just laughed and began kissing around his cheek and ear as she murmured, "In the future, I'll be expecting you to make up for everything that I can't have right now...but for now, enjoy the comfort of these two big sisters for a bit~." Almost as soon as her words finished, Vahn felt like his penis had entered a furnace as he saw Terra lower her hips while looking down over Eva's back, blue eyes glimmering with passion as she released a steamy sigh.There was no immediate tightness to Terra's vagina and it was instead very comfortable, almost like a glove if not for the fact that it was incredibly hot inside. She wasn't at the same level as Hephaestus, but Vahn felt like Terra's insides where nearly 150 degrees and it had surprised him at first. However, it was when Terra tightened up her abdominal muscles that Vahn was truly caught by surprise as he had to grit his teeth to resist being 'crushed' by the sudden pressure. Terra was closely watching his expression and eased up on the pressure a bit until Vahn relaxed, causing her to laugh playfully as she began to rock her hips forward with shallow movements, a fierce blush rising to her cheeks as her breathing began to accelerate.Eva grabbed the sides of Vahn's head, forcing him to look at her as she said, "Don't forget about me...or I won't allow this type of thing to happen anymore." Eva had a slight pout on her face because she didn't like being 'ignored' when they had previously been kissing and showing affection to each other. Vahn leaned up and sealed her lips with his own while moving his hands to her hips and placing his thumbs at two points that made her body tremble. At the same time, almost as if they had rehearsed it, Terra pulled Eva's hips down and began rocking the seemingly mature vampire's body, matching her movements to those of her own hips. Vahn keyed in on this fact almost instantly and began stimulating Eva at the same time, not really surprised when her form broke down a few minutes later and he suddenly had her petite body panting against his chest...Terra did her best to avoid laughing and just showed a vibrant smile that caused her eyes to squint as she gestured to her Master to pay more attention to Eva. Though they originally were 'attacking' him, things quickly developed to the point where Terra and Vahn were 'tending' to Eva as she fought against the pleasure in her own body. She would likely never grow accustomed to such sensations since her body typically prevented pleasure from building in normal circumstances. With Vahn's constant efforts, however, Eva pooled a large volume of fluids near his lower body that intermixed with Terra's as their 'play' continued for nearly two hours. By the end, Eva had bitten several parts of his body to cope with the sensations wracking her own while Terra had also released a few throaty orgasms, especially when Vahn ejaculated inside of her...Eva was currently sitting in Vahn's lap, hugging him while she drained his blood and Terra explained what had happened over the last four years. Since it was a matter that would need to be brought to light sooner or later, Terra started off by explaining, "Master, there is something you need to know..." Presently, she was sitting on Eva's bed without making any effort to conceal herself, even wiping up some of the fluids escaping from her body with a playful glint in her eyes as she licked her fingers clean. Even so, Terra continued explaining, "When you left previously, my body actually released an egg...and it has continued producing one every month since then..."Vahn was surprised by Terra's words, especially when she placed her hands affectionately against her abdomen, causing Vahn to immediately activate his [Eyes of Truth]. He had already known the construction of her vagina and womb was 'unique', but Vahn never expected to see what was presently growing inside Terra's body. There was a vibrant, emerald-green, egg that was completely covered in scales inside her womb. The semen that he had ejaculated inside of her body was undergoing a similar process to when he had sex with Elves, being that Terra's womb was absorbing it as it channeled the energy into her egg. Vahn began to sweat at first but took several deep breaths to calm down before smiling, saying, "That is a little sneaky...but I'm not upset. Thank you, Terra..."Though he wasn't sure why Vahn felt compelled to thank Terra because he couldn't help but feel she was doing this for 'them'. She probably wanted to produce offspring between them and raise them within the orb, increasing their forces while nurturing their child. Vahn wasn't sure what kind of child would be born but, considering it was currently in an egg, it would likely be a baby True Dragon. The next time he visited the orb, he might have a small dragnoid flittering about, something he found somewhat exciting since Terra would likely teach it how to transform and could probably teach Fafnir later on.Terra smiled lovingly when she heard her Master's words, happy he wasn't upset by the fact that she sneakily 'entrapped' him. She had previously discussed this with Eva and had actually been very worried he would resent her, at least for a short while. However, producing infertile eggs had been whittling away at her mentality and Terra felt like she 'needed' to produce a fertile egg or she might lose her mind. She had been preparing to explain this to her Master after the fact but now it suddenly didn't seem as necessary so she just smiled and said, "Master, I love you...I've wanted to tell you that for so long, but now I can't keep it bottled up anymore...ufufufu~."Vahn felt a familiar warmth spread through his chest, similar to the feeling he would get whenever the other girls would say the same words. Thus, while hugging Eva's body tightly, Vahn smiled and said, "I love you too, Terra...you and Eva both. I'll also love our child to the best of my ability..." Vahn realized that this meant Terra would be the first person to actually give birth to his child but it didn't really matter too much as the deed was already done. Hephaestus would still be the first person to give birth to his child as part of the Danmachi record and it was unlikely that Terra would make a scene. He didn't even know how things would develop anymore so Vahn just decided not to mind it and simply do his best for all the girls around him, including the small one in his arms and the beautiful big one affectionately stroking her abdomen...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gap-moe','Some paths, though different, run parallel to others','Ha, Got'em!')https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 635: Contract