Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After the tensions had eased a bit, Vahn began detailing his plan of action, primarily focused on his countermeasures to deal with Enyo. Since she would need to reach the surface in order to deal any meaningful damage, Vahn wanted to observe both the Dungeon and the Artificial Dungeon. At the same time, he would fly around the City with Terra and see if there are any abnormalities already present since she would be able to detect anything hiding underground, especially if it was plant life. As for the actions he would take inside the Dungeon itself, Vahn would continue pressing into the Dungeon in order to establish Haven.The moment they were able to get a foothold on the 50th Floor, Vahn would head into the deeper floors with the girls and focus on rooting out Enyo from the source. Though she could still go through with plans to try and entrap them, Vahn knew there were numerous ways for him to exit the Dungeon in an emergency, even if it meant cutting a path through all the Floors himself.Ultimately, the moment Enyo actually moved forward with her plans, Vahn would begin pressuring her directly. Even if she had some means of creating monsters, there had to be a limit to their production or she wouldn't have waited this long before taking action. Since destroying her forces would only increase his own resources, Vahn was absolutely confident in winning a war of attrition.At the same time that the expedition was expanding Haven, the Alliance would be taking proactive measures to prevent Enyo from accomplishing anything on the surface. If they rooted out any forces she had already planted, all while preventing anything from escaping the Dungeon without their notice, there was very little she could accomplish. Since the Alliance was already in the City, it would be much easier than when they had maintained a blockade along the borders of the Western Forest. Though it might cause some tension, especially amongst the Nobles, Vahn didn't give a damn about them at all...After laying out the basic structure of his plan, Vahn decided to be forthright and, even though he had explained the details about girls like Lulune, Shakti, Rufina, and Alicia, Vahn now extrapolated on it a great deal. Though he knew there would undoubtedly be some girls that diverged from the path he was walking, especially if he lived forever, Vahn couldn't let himself be swayed by such things. He clearly and confidently explained, "In order to best make use of my new power, as it serves the dual purpose of increasing my own strength while increasing the strength of others, I will endeavor to increase the number of followers I have to ten-thousand people. Given the nature of my character, the types of skills I possess, and the current state of the world...I am fully aware that many of this number would be made up of women..."Though he had an urge to sigh, Vahn instead just inhaled through his nose before saying, "You may think lesser of me for it, but I can't continue to invest the same amount of focus on restraining myself as in the past. Though I will always take precautions to prevent things from getting out of hand, I will be relying on everyone in the Manor to keep anyone from outside from trying to weasel their way in. However, I also want to set a better example for my children so I will endeavor to avoid being outright licentious in my behavior...at the same time, please let me know if you think any of my actions are causing problems...I would never want to compromise the happiness of the people I care about just because I am over-empathetic..."In response to this, Loki and Syr made eye contact with each other before the latter said, "We understand, Vahn, even if it is a very unique situation. Because of your nature, things have already gotten a little out of hand...ufufufu..." Syr couldn't stop herself from laughing a little before she coughed and continued, "It is your nature to empathize with people, for better or worse. Since there are undoubtedly some girls that would be drawn to you that may cause problems, please leave it to us to vet them. Just like Mona, it isn't impossible for us to support each other and push the girls towards a future separate from the Manor..."Though she remained quiet while Syr was speaking, Hestia immediately spoke up afterward, saying, "We can't just accept everyone that falls in love with Vahn into the Manor or else we'd have to keep adding rooms until the Manor was the size of the City...! From now on, unless its someone that Vahn develops genuine affection for, we shouldn't let them stay here. It's one thing if they decide to become maids or servants, but we can't just let girls infiltrate the Manor and take up Vahn's time. It'll also cause problems with his children if there is that much chaos introduced in an uncontrolled manner..."Syr nodded in understanding and, while he watched on with a calm expression on his face, a conversation about the 'hierarchy' of the Manor took place right then and there. Ultimately, the only girls that would be 'accepted' in the Manor would be those that have become subordinates or retainers that were loyal to Vahn. As for those that genuinely 'loved' him, they would be vetted by the girls and, such as in the case of girls like Asfi and Sylfia, they would likely come to be permanent residents in the future. The girls also crowded around Vahn and 'lectured' him about getting carried away and misleading girls to become completely enamored with him...Loki even brought up the idea of 'teaching' Vahn how to handle women in a manner that clearly communicated to them that he didn't want a permanent relationship. There would undoubtedly be an endless number of women who would simply be satisfied with experiencing a single night with Vahn and, as long as he made his intentions clear from the start, that would pacify the majority of them. This led the conversation in the direction of the Amazoness country, Telskyura, as Vahn would likely have to 'pacify' a large number of people when he finally took action there.In a similar manner to what he had accomplished in the Elven Kingdom, the 'best' method Vahn could use to bring about change in such a country was to become a focus of reverence to their people. This could be accomplished by either 'conquering' a large number of Amazons, winning the heart of their Queen, or coming to an 'agreement' with Kali. Simply using overwhelming power wasn't a solution as this would effectively 'trigger' their entire race to crusade until they either killed or captured him...When the conversation progressed to this point, Vahn released a slight chuckle and gestured in a placating manner to bring a lull to the discussion as he said, "This is the exact type of thing I know is necessary, but it is also the primary reason behind much of the stress I feel at times. I carry these discussions with me and, in the moments I should be relaxing, they always plague my mind greatly. Though it may be irresponsible of me, I'd rather leave it to you girls to discuss amongst yourselves and, when it is finally time for me to take action, I will come to you for advice. I believe the best course of action is for me to trust my instincts and just go with the flow, at least during the times when I am in control of the situation..."This remark caused Loki to begin cackling loudly as she remarked, "How irresponsible~! Given how much thought you put into your past actions, this new mentality is both exciting and terrifying at the same time...kukukukuku~." Contrary to what she might have expected, Vahn nodded his head in agreement and said, "I have read a lot of books about what it means to be a good leader and, as I've never been the type to inspire people directly, I've decided to instead trust in those that support me. By assigning the best people to any given position, I believe things will progress in a smoother and more controlled fashion...the biggest problem I've constantly been making is trying to take care of everything myself. From now on, I'll be more openly reliant on each of you...I have always relied on your support before, this is just a more direct means of doing so..."As he was speaking, Vahn showed a very thoughtful expression on his face and began looking around at each of the girls present. It was clear many of them were also reflecting on how things had changed but Vahn was also feeling a small urge to take action and gave into it. Extending his hand, Vahn began diffusing petting energy through his domain and started 'petting' everyone in the room all at once. This caused some of the girls to become dazed momentarily before Hephaestus hugged her body, releasing a hot sigh as she asked, "What are you thinking about doing...Vahn?" Though she asked this, the connection they shared had already made her very aware of his intent.Vahn smiled, an excited glimmer in his eye as he said, "I will never force any of you to do anything you are unwilling to do...however, after everything that has happened tonight, I feel like I 'need' to do something to show you how happy I am. For those that don't want to participate, I would encourage you to get some rest and I promise to tend to you later...for now, however, I'm not sure I can keep holding myself back..."Other than petting energy, Vahn had started to infuse his [Hands of Nirvana] into his domain as well, causing stimulating energy to disperse through the bodies of everyone present, himself included. This caused Eirene to slouch over slightly before she eventually managed to extricate herself from the room, though not before sharing a long embrace with Vahn. Not entirely surprising, everyone else ended up staying in the room and, though he was greatly outnumbered, Vahn proceeded onto the bed without any hesitation. It didn't matter if there were nine of them, and only one of himself, Vahn felt completely unstoppable at this time...Back in the Dungeon, Vahn had already woken up and stared absentmindedly up at the roof of the tent as he focused on what was going on back at the Manor. If not for the presence of Tina and Alexa, Vahn might not have been able to hold himself back from cutting loose here in the tent as well. Though he didn't have any inhibitions about Tina now, and intended to 'tend' to her in the near future, Vahn had solidified his resolve in regards to Alexa. He knew she would continue to struggle with her instincts for a long time and, depending on her choices, Vahn would have her become his subordinate or retainer before changing her race completely if it was necessary.Even if they didn't have any blood relation to each other, this was actually true for all of his children since he actually had no genetic information to even provide towards the process. His body was entirely comprised of source energy and simply 'emulated' things like blood and semen for the purpose of facilitating his intentions. This meant he had no blood relationship with any of his children, including Alexa herself. However, this wasn't a reason for him to act without restraint and Vahn adamantly refused to allow things to progress in that manner.Because of the nature of his existence, he was too well equipped to earn the affections of others, including his own children. Since he would never allow himself to become the type of monster that lusted after the result of his bond with the women he loved, Vahn would have to completely shut down Alexa's budding desires before things got out of hand. He had already checked to see how much OP it required to convert someone like Terra into one of the relatively common races in the record and, though it would reduce her potential somewhat, Vahn would make Alexa into something other than a True Dragon if she couldn't restrain her instincts. Since he didn't place any true value on race, Vahn would still help her become strong without relying on her bloodline and, considering the wisdom she was capable of, Vahn believed she would understand...As if she was aware of the fact he was thinking about her, Alexa put a bit of strength into her wings that were blanketing his body. Vahn didn't mind this part of her, as he was actually very fond of spending time with all of his children, but he knew there was a deeper meaning behind her clinginess that made Alexa a ticking time bomb. Still, at least for the time being, she actually served as a means of restraining his own actions as, without her presence, Vahn wouldn't have minded dragging Shakti and Rufina into the fun he had nearly initiated within the tent. Though he knew it was because of the girls that they had decided to sleep in the same futon, Vahn knew they had long made the 'resolution' to pursue him. There was even a chance he could genuinely come to love them in the future but, at least for the moment, Vahn was more interested in more 'direct' actions...Eventually, Vahn managed to emerge victorious from his battle with the girls in Loki's room and, after cleaning up a bit, headed out to meet up with Freya. She had been patiently waiting for his arrival and, much like he had explained things to the girls at the Manor, Vahn would clarify some things for her. At the same time, he would conduct a personal inspection of the area before returning to the sub-space orb to take care of some of the other things he had planned. He had already arranged to have Terra do a thorough sweep of the entire City and, to make sure there was nothing serious going on within the Artificial Dungeon, Vahn had given Fafnir the mission of observing things within the shadows and keep track of who was coming and going from the interior.Around the same time that he was having a very long 'meeting' with Freya, it was time for everyone in the expedition to begin waking and Vahn needed to finish his investigation. Even though he had decided to be more direct in how he dealt with Enyo, Vahn wasn't going to put a great deal of pressure on the expedition without any explanation. For the time being, he would continue with the plan he had come up with alongside Finn and Gareth, keeping the expedition within Lil Geirr as they traded out personnel. If Enyo did anything during that period of time, they would repel her and, if there were any leads to exploit, Vahn would take advantage of them. Depending on how things played out, Vahn would determine how he would allocate his forces and potentially move a detachment to the 18th Floor to protect Rivira. From this point onward, Vahn wasn't simply playing games with Enyo...he had instead declared all-out war against her forces...(A/N: Not every girl was present for the meeting, even important girls like Eina. Don't fret, however, as you can be sure that Vahn would be very forward with them, even though they would easily find out through the Network. It isn't easy to gather 'everyone' into the same room in the middle of the night, so cut Vahn a little slack :P...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Enyo better be a QT if she wants to have any hope (.__.)','Numbers do not matter before the prowess of the Godhand','*Vahn spreads his arms wide* "If you're gonna take the shot, you better not fucking miss...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After the girls had awoken, Vahn spent around half an hour explaining things to them, keeping it moderately more concise than his discussion back at the Manor. Shakti and Rufina, who had already taken vows of secrecy long ago, were also in attendance. Neither girl really understood the true meaning behind his words, as they hadn't been privy to many of the things happening behind the scenes. However, once Lefiya volunteered to help him make a few things clear, allowing him to change her hair color and breast size a few times, it was a lot easier to believe what he was saying. Following this, Vahn also brought up the idea of becoming his subordinate or retainer, clarifying that it wasn't a means to simply change their appearance and they needed to put a lot of thought into it before making a decision.Tiona had been very keen on the idea of becoming his retainer after seeing Lefiya's breasts inflate and deflate a few times, but ultimately gave up after Vahn affirmed that she was fine the way she was. Since she was one of the girls that had the (True Love) parameter, it would be nearly impossible for her to become his subordinate or retainer in the first place. The only girls in the group that could easily fall into that category were Chloe, Lili, Haruhime, Mikoto, Shakti, and Rufina. There was simply a lack of 'perspective' on the part of the other girls, as their personalities and individuality had been defined long before their exposure to Vahn. Even Shizune and Tina weren't good candidates as their affection had developed to an extreme in a somewhat skewed manner.Ultimately, Rufina agreed to become his subordinate, but not before asking, "Tell me, Vahn...do you even like me...?" To this, Vahn nodded his head and honestly stated, "Rufina, I won't deny that I've always had an interest in you. However, with your past, I didn't want to pressure you in a strange manner and manipulate your feelings while you were still trying to adapt to a normal life. If you're asking if I love you, the answer right now wouldn't be a clear yes or no...I do care for you, especially after seeing how well you get along with the children...but it isn't at the level you may require of me, at least not right now."These words had dealt a bit of a blow to Rufina but she bounced back a few minutes later after thinking over the words carefully. When she had seemingly made up her mind, she lifted her head and said, "Even I'm not sure if what I feel is love...I can kind of understand where you're coming from...haaaa...this is fucking annoying..." As she was speaking, Rufina had walked toward Vahn and looked up into his eyes, adding, "Kiss me...at least once..." To this, Vahn unhesitantly pulled Rufina into his embrace, startling her a little as he made his affections known. She tried to pull away after a few seconds, but Vahn held her waist for much longer than she had expected before finally releasing her...When they finally separated, Rufina had a dark blush on her face but ended up releasing a sigh as she said, "It's weird...I enjoyed it...a lot...but I still don't know how I feel...something just feels off..." This time, Rufina looked over towards Shaki and Vahn was able to feel her heart thump a few times since they were still close together. Though her heart throbbed a few times when they were kissing, Vahn could tell through the Affection system that Rufina didn't quite love him. Her bracket parameter still showed (Love?) and it didn't seem like it would change any time soon. Even so, she agreed to become his subordinate just for the chance of spending more time with him in a more meaningful manner. She also requested to be converted from a half-creature into a pure human, something Vahn easily acquiesced to.Shakti was still loyal towards Ganesha and couldn't make her decision at the moment, even though Vahn could tell she had wavered a great deal. When he saw this, he clearly explained to the two girls, "If you've made the proper resolution, you are always allowed to stay within the Hestia Familia tent. Be warned, however, as I've decided to stop holding back on the things I want to do...the next time I find the two of you alone, well, I'll leave that to your imaginations..."Vahn cracked a smile toward the end of his words that made Shaki and Rufina blush furiously, especially the latter. She balled up her fist and looked like she wanted to take a swing at him but Vahn just kept eye contact with her until she averted her eyes and 'dragged' Shakti away by hand. As they were leaving, however, Vahn stretched out his hand slightly and sent petting energy through his domain as he caressed across both girls' butts. This caused Shakti to release a rare yelp, looking back with wide eyes as Rufina dragged her away even faster...Since they had understood what happened, Tiona had an expression of 'awe' as she said, "Vahn has become a lot bolder now...I'm a little excited~?" Tione nodded her head, swallowing hard as she said, "Yeah, it's like he finally grew up into a 'real' man all of a sudden..." This caused Vahn to furrow his brows slightly, sending her a 'warning' look from the side of his eyes that made both girls somewhat embarrassingly protect their butts with their hands. Seeing this, Vahn began to laugh boisterously as all of the other girls made a few comments of their own.Following that, each of the girls that had an easy means to become his subordinates/retainers ended up agreeing to do so. This resulted in Haruhime and Lili to become his official subordinates while Mikoto and Chloe became his retainers. Since what Haruhime and Lili had towards him was a very powerful 'devotion' that centered around feelings of love, they leaned towards the category of being subordinates. This was subtly different for Chloe and Mikoto, both girls who had wanted to be his 'shadow' or his 'sword' in the past, always thinking about how they could help him manage things instead of how they can be 'with' him.To prevent 'exploitation' of the modify ability, as Lili had almost immediately asked him to change her from a Pallum into something else, Vahn said they needed to come up with a justifiable reason for requesting changes, other than simple 'wants'. He did, however, help Lili increase her height slightly and was able to discover another 'limit' on the function. The 'maximum' height he could increase Lili to was only 122cm, much better than her 110cm default height, but still a bit on the short side. This was a natural limitation of a Pallum's physiology and, without altering the very structure of her body, making her any taller was impossible.Even so, Lili was very excited to have her height increased by more than 10%, even though it made her look much thinner than she had been previously. That was something that she could fix through proper diet and exercise so she didn't have any real complaints, repaying his 'assistance' with a monstrously strong hug that nearly brought him to the ground. As for the other girls, Mikoto surprisingly asked for her breasts to get reduced, giving the reason that they got in the way during combat and it was painful to wrap them. As a result, her breasts were reduced to a modest B-Cup and she seemed surprisingly happy by the change, apparently having been a little bothered by how much her breasts were growing.Though there were a few other 'minor' requests that Vahn gave in to, it was nothing that extreme since Shakti had eventually returned, informing that Finn had already started to gather people for the continued investigation. Vahn thanked her for delivering the message and chuckled when she very quickly left the tent after the fact.Before he left, Vahn turned to Alexa and stroked her head for a short while, softly whispering, "There is no rush to make a decision...I am your father, Alexa, and I will never lose my patience with you. Just remember that I do not wish to hurt your feelings in the future..." Vahn had already explained things for Alexa and believed that, even if she chose to remain a True Dragon, things would work out. Even if he had to break her heart in the future, that was something he would have to do as her Father, regardless of how difficult it would be for both of them.Alexa took a deep breath and rubbed her head against his palm, saying, "I like being a True Dragon...and I like being a girl...at least for the time being, I am fine with just being together with you, even if it never goes any further...one day, even if it takes thousands of years, I will eventually begin looking for a partner of my own...for now, I just want to stay like this..." As she was speaking, Alexa tightly wrapped her arms around his waist and brought her wings around his body at the same time. The girls all witnessed this and remained relatively silent, understanding this was something that needed to be worked out between father and daughter. There were some, such as Arnya, Haruhime, Lefiya, and Chloe, who wanted to help Alexa find a different form of happiness and Vahn had already exchanged glances with them, spreading a telepathic message to take care of Alexa for him...After leaving the tent, Vahn made his way over to where a long queue had already formed, heading inside where Finn was still cleaning up from the previous night. He had consumed the potion Vahn left for him, completely removing his hangover, so Finn showed a vibrant smile and asked, "So, did you come up with anything? You seem...different..." Vahn returned a smile of his own and said, "I'll explain the details to you later in the day. For now, let's get this investigation over with and start planning for our next course of action."Finn nodded his head and made his way out of the tent to send in the first person while Vahn sat down on the opposite side of the large wooden desk and disposed of the remnant alcohol from the previous night before setting out some incense. Though he had already dealt with all the people possessing negative auras, Vahn wanted to be 'fair' so he made sure to ask about everyone's reasons for wanting to assist in the production of Haven. Unfortunately, this sometimes led to very strange revelations and, seeing that the first person to come into the tent was an Amazoness, Vahn knew it would be much the same as the previous day...The Amazoness was an attractive and fit beauty with healthy brown skin, light brown eyes, black hair, and wearing an outfit many women would classify as underwear. Though she wrapped a pareo around her waist, like many Amazonesses who tried to 'fit in', she very 'casually' removed it after entering the tent. With a very similar expression as most of the Amazonesses who interacted directly with him, the girl has a somewhat eager look on her face as she smiled and said, "Good morning, Vahn...my name is Agda Jedha...will you be checking my body personally~?" As she spoke, Agda played with the clasp holding her panty-like bottoms to her hips and Vahn knew it would only take a small indication from him before a flash of tantalizing brown would meet his gaze.Unlike how he had simply been 'dismissive' the previous day, Vahn raised his hand this time and swept a wave of energy across Agda's body as he said, "Calm down...I just have a few questions for you..." From Agda's perspective, it was like a gentle and calming caress had touched every part of her body, causing her to release a hot sigh as a look of intrigue appeared on her face. However, when she saw the 'serious' look in Vahn's eyes, a shiver ran up her spine and she obediently sat in the chair opposite of him. Though her instincts were compelling her to try and get with the man in front of her, Agda felt a strange 'pressure' on her mind that made her fearful of trying to push things too far...Vahn had noticed this previously, but he was able to meet the requirements to view a person's affection by 'touching' them with his [Grooming] through his domain. He saw that Agda's Affection was at 78(Lust) and temporarily removed her name from his plans. Since he was serious when he mentioned acquiring 10,000 followers, subordinates, or retainers, Vahn was looking for people that specifically had the (Loyal), (Exalted), and (Respect) parameters. Though he would certainly be able to appease a large number of Amazonesses, this would instead cause greater problems until he had dealt with Telskyura. Thus, though he was somewhat tempted by the fit and curvaceous body of Agda, Vahn told himself that he could always go to Tiona, Tione, Lili, Fenrir, or Aisha if he just wanted to spend time with an Amazoness...After questioning Agda, learning that her reason for going to Haven was much the same as other Amazonesses, he sent her on her way. She was simply looking for a 'mate' to produce a capable offspring and had ended up joining one of the Alliance Familia after learning how accepting they were of Amazonesses in general. There had been a large flux of their people into the City, much like Pallums, Beast People, and Elves, and things had been going relatively smoothly thus far. They almost all followed the rules that were laid out for them so Vahn didn't have any problem with some of their people coming along just to satiate their biological 'need' for strong mates.Following the first, Vahn went through nearly an entire Unit of the expedition before finally wrapping things up in the early afternoon. He still needed to discuss things with Finn and Gareth before any attacks began and also had to wrap up some of the things taking place on the surface. Things were starting to get very busy but, after making sure things were running smoothly near Daedelus Street, he spent the majority of his day thus far in the orb making magic items with Asfi. She was also aware of the 'changes' now and had even wanted to become his subordinate by her own volition. Since she was already his 'possession', having the potential for greater benefits wasn't something she was going to pass up on...As a result, Asfi had asked Vahn to help her 'slim' down a bit but, outright refusing to do so, Vahn then spent the better part of an hour 'showing' her that she was fine just the way she was. Though they didn't have sex, as Vahn felt that Asfi simply wasn't ready for it just yet, it didn't stop him from allowing her to experience his 'Godhand' for the first time. Since she was still a virgin, things weren't as intense as they could have been but Asfi still ended up laying naked on a spare bed with a very large wet stain on the bed from when she had peed herself...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Next thing you know, Rufina is going to ask to be a male so she can smash Shakti...O_O','Poor Alexa, got Daughterzoned...?','RIP Asfi, may you rest in peace(piss)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it was nearing the middle of the night, Vahn exited the orb and spread his perception to see if any of the goddesses were awake. Since a lot had been going on from the moment the expedition set out, he wasn't surprised to find that Loki, Hephaestus, and Eirene were all awake, gathered together in Loki's room alongside Syr, Riveria, and Tsubaki. Erika had already moved into her own room and Vahn could see that she was also awake, huddled up at a desk with a lamp while continuing her studies late into the evening. He wasn't going to hold it against her for working hard but made a mental note to make sure she is resting properly later on.Since he knew she would want to be involved in the conversation, Vahn let his 'intentions' reach Hestia, stirring the goddess awake in an instant as she sat up in her bed in a daze before preparing to come down to Loki's room. Vahn also 'ordered' Anubis and Terra to come over while pulling out Freya's communication scroll and giving her a quick update on the situation. He informed her that he would meet her after the discussion began and told her to stand by for the time being, as she had wanted to come to his side the moment he mentioned it. Since Loki was also paying attention to her larger network, this alerted her to the fact he was inbound and Vahn could sense them moving around to prepare for his arrival.Upon entering into the room, Vahn smiled towards the gathered girls and plainly stated, "I have come to realize many things and need to make my intentions clear so that everyone understands my future actions better." To this, many of the girls showed slightly startled expressions while Loki asked, "Did something happen? Your presence... it's very 'different' than normal..." Vahn nodded his head, not denying her observation at all and instead explained, "Though I will not claim to have a proper grasp on the situation, this farce with Enyo, no, the entire world has gone on long enough. If the Alliance is going to be shaping the world in the future, we need to take more proactive measures to bring about the changes we desire. I have decided to take the initiative to prevent our enemies from simply doing whatever they want...I'm tired of people getting hurt just because a bunch of fools believe that we will simply stand at the side and bide our time..."This statement seemed to have a big impact on Eirene who immediately asked, "Vahn, what are you trying to do...?" There was a bit of hesitation in her voice and it was easy to see that she was shaken by the sudden change in his behavior. Seeing this, Vahn smiled gently to her and said, "Don't worry, Eirene, it isn't as though I'm planning on becoming some generic tyrant that just does whatever he wants. The change I intend to bring about is something that will require the concerted efforts of the entire Alliance. However, I will be taking personal action to deal with enemies that would have required us to react after they caused a great deal of harm to people. I know that everyone here is aware of the dangers presented by Enyo and, with her current behaviors, I refuse to just stand by and wait until she releases some great plague or chemical attack upon the City. Since her forces are currently located within the Dungeon, I plan to keep them there and systematically eliminate them. I'm done waiting for people to suffer before I'm able to take actions I have already known would be necessary from the start."Though she had shown a bit of hesitation at first, Eirene seemed to get fired up by the righteous fervor in Vahn's voice. She had even risen to her feet, a resolute look in her eyes as she asked, "What do you need me to do? How can I help?" Since the first time they had become one, Eirene had already resolved to stand at Vahn's side until the end. His sudden change had caused her to feel a slight amount of concern but, hearing the conviction in his words, she couldn't help but feel as though he had become even more heroic than before.Vahn reached out his hand, stroking Eirene's blue hair as he softly stated, "Thank you for your support, Eirene...for now, just wait until everyone else has shown up. We all need to be on the same page for what I have planned, so please just be patient for the time being..." As he knew it was a very effective method, and because he wanted to do so, Vahn gave Eirene a kiss to break her tension and placate her for a moment. He then gently pushed against her shoulder and guided her to the bed as a rosy blush touched her cheeks. At the same time, he made eye contact with Loki and Syr, seeing a calculating look in both girls' eyes as they processed his words. In a way, they had been two of his greatest supporters and Vahn knew their assistance would be instrumental to the success of his future plans.It didn't take long for the majority of the Manor's residents to gather in Loki's room, a first, considering they would typically gather within the dining room. Ultimately, it didn't really matter, however, so Vahn pulled out a few pieces of furniture for them to sit on as he stood tall and explained, "To explain this as simply as possible...I have decided to treat my convictions of the pass with the severity and dedication they deserve. In order to create a better future for our family, I will work to bring about the necessary change to shape this world into a place where the potential of people is not simply cut off by the decisions of a greedy few. The existing system is fundamentally flawed and since our Alliance has the power to bring about the necessary change, I will not sit on my hands and just sit idly by as people work to circumvent our efforts..."Taking a deep breath, Vahn then continued, "I'll be honest with you all...I have become extremely spoiled by the support I've received from everyone and, as a result of restrictions I have placed upon myself, it has made my choices much more difficult. This has caused my resolve to waver and, so as not to appear unreliable and fragile before my children, I have decided to become a more stable existence. As a result, I understand that I may make many decisions in the future that would have required much greater consideration than I will likely put into it. In order to prevent myself from straying onto a path none of us wish to see, I will be relying on each and every one of you to be forthright with me..."Vahn closed his eyes, waiting for his words to settle for a short while before adding, "I cannot say how I know these things, as it is something simply beyond my own comprehension to even grasp at, at least for the time being. However, I can say with absolute certainty that I am not a demi-god, nor have I ever had any pseudo-divinity to speak of...my existence itself is something that I may never be able to wrap my head around, but it is fundamentally different than anything that has ever existed before...I'm sure, in your own way, many of you have already understood this..."This last remark was targetted towards the gathered goddesses but Vahn noticed that Syr, Riveria, and Tsubaki also understood the truth of his words. Since they were all waiting for him to continue, he took another deep breath and said, "I have a unique power, something that is fundamentally impossible for me to ever explain to another person. As my understanding of this power has increased, I've been able to glean insight into many things and it has constantly been evolving. At the same time, I have been able to garner insights into the very nature of the world itself, including things like fate, creation, space, time, and concepts related to the very Laws that govern everything..."Seeing the confusion on the faces of most of the girls, goddesses included, Vahn clarified, "My power seems to be related to my own perception of the world, and my interactions with other people. The more I desire strength, the more power I am able to gather in a short period of time...it is this desire that had given birth to things like Eva's orb, allows me to bestow names upon other people and now, even allows me to modify and change the very existence of those that have dedicated themselves to me..." As he spoke, Vahn had already gotten permission from Fenrir and changed her hair color into a pure red while making her eyes radiate with three different colors.Before anyone could ask questions, Vahn had already continued, saying, "I now have the power to modify any person that had subordinated themselves to me, become one of my devoted followers, or pledged genuine allegiance to me. If the bond we share is strong enough, I can even modify everything from their race, their gender, and even their elemental affinities. This is only the tip of the iceberg and, I'm certain that many more powers I'm unaware of will make themselves known in the future. As we've all seen with the Vanir, my existence within this world has fundamentally changed the very nature of reality and, in order to prevent myself from deviating onto a dangerous path, I will need the council of each and every one of you..."Vahn said these last words with a gentle smile but it quickly morphed into a slightly apologetic look as he added, "However, at the same time, I've chosen to embrace my existence and stop holding myself back without any justifiable reason to do so. Even right now, at this very instant, there are undoubtedly hundreds of thousands of people suffering all over the world. Though my life already has meaning, which is the love I share with each of you, the bonds we've formed together, and the proof of our unity through our children...I know I can do much more. In order to make the world I have envisioned a reality, I will stop holding back completely..."Taking yet another deep breath, Vahn's smile softened as he stated, "You can call it an ability to understand the machinations of fate if you wish but, much like how I 'need' to have various gods make eternal vows to me, there are now other things I must accomplish. From this point onward, I will make an earnest effort to unify the entire Continent. At the same time, the primary objective of the Alliance will be the establishment of Haven, confronting Enyo's forces, and the complete subjugation of the Dungeon. We will guide this Continent towards a better future and, to facilitate this, I plan to form a Council of Gods, comprised of every major Divinity. For now, we will settle with trying to achieve influence through the Denatus but we will slowly try and create a system that benefits both gods and mortals without either party exploiting the other..."At this point, Loki stepped into the conversation, asking, "What do you plan to do about gods that resist the changes you're trying to introduce? You should know it very well, Vahn, that some gods simply can't resist the compulsion of their Divinities. Taking a hard stance..." As he already knew exactly what Loki wanted to say, Vahn raised his hand and interrupted her for what felt like the first time in years. This caused her eyes to part slightly as he explained, "There are no absolutes in this world Loki and, though Divinity is a serious issue that needs to be taken into consideration, we can't simply watch as some gods only take action to exploit others. If that is their nature, at least for the time being, they shouldn't be in the mortal world from the start. Nothing I'm trying to do is in opposition of the regulations imposed by the Guild currently, nor should it be in violation of the vows gods make before descending. What I'm proposing is simply removing the loopholes that have allowed gods to exploit people for nearly a thousand years. I know this isn't the best solution, which is why I will construct a Divine Council to serve as the governing body that acts as an intermediary between gods and mortals. At the same time, I will never give up trying to come up with a solution to the Divinity that I know plagues many gods...one day, even if it takes a few decades, I will liberate all gods from the compulsion of Divinity. At the same time, I will pave the way forward for even mortals to rise to godhood...the world cannot continue along its current path...there has to be a better way. If not, I will 'make' a better way..."Though it wasn't his intention, Vahn's [Will of the Emperor] had been in full effect while he was speaking. However, instead of putting a tyrannical pressure on others, the nature of the ability seemed to have changed slightly. Vahn could feel the 'intent' coming from everyone before him and was able to feel their emotions rising alongside their resolve. He didn't know why, but his intuition was telling him that the 'Will' of an Emperor wasn't simply a means to pressure others with power. Instead, the 'true' power of an Emperor's 'Will' was to inspire like-minded people to strive towards a unified greatness that singular entities would never be able to achieve...Riding on the momentum, Vahn could feel himself getting riled up as he said, "I swear an eternal vow with my very existence at stake...I will never stop trying to create a better world for everyone, not just mortals, but all sentient creatures that exist within all worlds. If gods are suffering from their Divinity, I will become strong enough to alter the fundamental nature of Divinity itself...I will not stand idly by and watch the world stagnate for the benefit of a greedy few that have selfishly seized power for themselves. Though I may not always walk a straight path, I will never stop moving forward, even unto the ends of eternity itself...!"With Vahn's words, large golden chains came out of the void and coiled around him but, surprising everyone present, Vahn 'shattered' them in an instant, saying, "I do not need the world to recognize my resolve. This is a decision I have made and the only thing that can bind me is the convictions I've set for myself...!" This time, the chains coiled around Vahn and seemed to be posing to 'strike' in an effort to bind him once again. However, after a few seconds had passed, the chains began to retract themselves into the void, completely shocking all of the goddesses. Even they couldn't resist the Laws of the World, especially those pertaining to something like an Eternal Vow. Seeing Vahn, a mortal boy, simply 'shrug' them off...it was something completely impossible with their previous understanding of the world.Seeing the chains retreat, Vahn's eyes shone with a powerful light as he looked towards everyone that had gathered, confidently stating, "I would not be the person I am today if not for the support each of you has given me. I will never be able to make you understand the overwhelming gratitude I have towards you...so I will show it with my actions. Know that, just like in the past, I will always respect the decisions made by those gathered within the Manor. At the same time, however, I need to be able to have confidence in the actions I take on the outside. I will do my best to never bring discourse into our home but I will also rely on the unity you girls possess to keep order...this is probably my biggest weakness, so please forgive me for the man I have become..."Though it felt like all of his nerves were going to tear apart when he tried to initiate the action, Vahn lowered his head to the girls, even as blood began to emerge from his seven orifices. The [Will of the Emperor] was such that it adamantly refused to lower its head to others but Vahn confidently stated within his own mind, ("There is no shame in lowering my head to people that deserve my respect! I will never bow at the behest of another but that doesn't mean I cannot revere the women who have helped to give my life meaning!") With these words, the pain wracking his body faded away in an instant, replaced by the calm that had been present before...Many of the girls panicked when they saw Vahn suddenly bleeding out of his head but it was Hestia who eventually spoke out, saying, "No matter what, I will continue to protect this home we have created together...I believe in you, Vahn. Even if you travel far away, conquering lands I have never even heard of...I will always be here to welcome you home. Never forget that this is the place where your family is always waiting for you..." Though she couldn't understand why, Hestia's intuition told her that Vahn may go very far away one day. The way he was speaking caused something inside of her to 'know' this was the reality of the situation and, believing he needed her to help protect the sanctity of their home, Hestia wanted to show her resolution.With Hestia as the first to open her mouth, Anubis quickly added, "Ever since I first saw your soul, I knew you were an existence far beyond even the comprehension of gods. I believe in the future you will make, Master, and will always follow at your side." Even if Vahn became a monster in the eyes of others, Anubis had seen the resplendence of his soul. She didn't believe for a moment that he was the type that would selfishly exploit others and, more so than any other hero in history, Anubis believed Vahn would truly save this world.Loki was a little annoyed that she missed the chance to speak up herself so she took the opportunity to speak up right after Anubis' words fell, saying, "As I said in the past, I would have followed you even if you chose to become the Emperor of the entire world. Don't worry about straying from the path you want to walk, Vahn, as you can be confident we'll whip you into shape if you take things too far~." In truth, Loki had been feeling an extreme level of excitement ever since Vahn had interrupted her earlier. The only 'fault' she had ever truly found in Vahn was that he lacked decisiveness and was too easily influenced by other people. Seeing him standing firmly, even against the very Laws of the World itself, made it exceedingly difficult to restrain herself...Following Loki's words, Hephaestus simply stated, "There is a reason I swore an Eternal Vow to never love another man...I believe in you wholeheartedly, Vahn. Just as Loki stated, if you get out of control, I will help reign you in...ufufufu~." These words caused the eternal flame in Vahn's chest to happily dance around as a great deal of warmth spread through his body. Vahn returned a smile in response and, following behind Hephaestus, the rest of the girls made their resolutions known. It was the support he received from these girls that gave Vahn the confidence to move forward so, once everything was said and done, he began explaining the course of action he had decided upon...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Decisiveness','Vahn shoulda set up a podium for this shit xD...','Don't enable Chuunibyous, even if they have real power (UwU)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 814: Plan : Action