Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

When he had arrived on the 39th Floor the prior evening, Vahn had a short meeting with Finn to get a better understanding of the expedition's preparations. He learned that, for the most part, everyone was ready to depart and, instead of the approximately 1300 original members, there were now closer to 1800. This was a combination of the fact that Lil Geirr no longer felt as safe as it was in the past, making people want to follow the 'stronger' group, and the motivation everyone had to essentially become part of history. Knowing what was at stake, a larger group than expected had rallied behind the Alliance's banner and were determined to help establish a foothold, not just for the Alliance, but for all surface dwellers.In order to facilitate the additional unit's worth of people, the first three units had been shuffled around and now Aisha, representing more than 100 Amazonesses, would be the leader of the new 3rd Unit. Finn would still be leading the Vanguard while Haruhime would be taking command of the Rearguard. Shakti would remain in charge of the 2nd Unit, leaving the largest congregation of Adventurers within the 3rd Unit as a response force. Vahn's task remained that of the Supreme Commander of the expedition, but his main duty would be providing assistance wherever it was needed.Aisha had decided to accompany the expedition down to the 50th Floor both as a means of supporting Vahn, and watching over her people. Since the 50th Floor would undoubtedly become the 'goal' of many Amazonesses in the future, she knew it was important to establish a foundation early on to ensure there wouldn't be any problems. In a way, she would become the head of the Entertainment District within Haven and, with Vahn giving her a flame seed, her strength would continue to increase in the future. Vahn also promised her that, once things with Telskyura were dealt with, if she wanted one, he would like to have a child with her...This news had caused Aisha to laugh quite a bit, catching Vahn a little off guard until she came close enough that their noses were practically touching each other and said, "If not for the fact those two were exercising patience, I would have already gotten a baby from you, Vahn~." Aisha, licking her own lips, also traced her tongue just barely across Vahn's. Though she had been a very 'patient' woman, it was primarily out of respect for Tiona and Tione, concern for Haruhime, and a desire to take care of her people. If Vahn had already had children with Tiona and Tione, Aisha would have already talked things over with Haruhime before sneaking into Vahn's bedroom in the middle of the night if she needed to...After that rather sensual encounter with Aisha, Vahn had a moment of reflection and wondered if what he was doing now was really the most important thing. However, almost as soon as this thought crossed his mind, Vahn remembered Enyo's provocation and the attack on Lil Geirr. She was far more dangerous than he had initially expected and, even if her forces couldn't contend against the Alliance directly, the amount of damage she could cause was catastrophic. Vahn could tell that her minions were growing stronger and, if he didn't personally throw a wrench into her plans in the near future, the death toll would weigh heavily on his mind for a long time.Currently, Vahn was helping the girls get ready for the expedition and, as things had been rather quiet over the last couple of days, they had been lounging around a bit. He had Fenrir, in what he now referred to as her bunny-wolf form, sitting atop his head much like how Shirohime was fond of doing. This impression was very strong as, with a jade comb in hand, Vahn was slowly combing through Haruhime's fluffy tails as she sat in nothing but a pair of crimson red silk panties. Most of the other girls were also in nothing but their underwear, causing tantalizing flashes of youthful skin to fill Vahn's vision. It was difficult to have any negative thoughts when witnessing such a scene so Vahn's expression showed a calm contentedness and a subtle smile instead...After nearly two hours, as it required a fair amount of time to comb through every girl's hair, ears, and tails, Vahn was finally able to set down his comb and stretch his legs. At the same time, Maemi brought over a hot cup of black tea, smiling as she said, "Here you are, Master..." Vahn graciously accepted the tea as Emiru stepped behind his back and began massaging his shoulders, even though there was no real tension in his body. Even so, Vahn didn't stop her efforts and instead enjoyed the momentary comfort as he finished his tea, handing the empty cup back to Maemi as he smiled to the girls and said, "Let's go ruin Enyo's plans, shall we...?"Tione was the first to raise her fist, shouting, "Let's teach that bitch a lesson!" with an expectant glimmer in her eyes. Tiona also laughed, holding her hands behind her head as she mused, "I hope they have some strong guys to at least put up a fight~." Other than the Variant Juggernaut, the rest of the enemies had gone down rather quickly. Even the strange Viscum were only around the strength of a peak Level 5, making them a non-threat to most of the girls. With their battle instincts as Amazonesses, Tiona and Tione were a little more excited for the coming fights than most...Following the two rambunctious Amazons, Ais surprisingly smiled as she said, "Make sure not to defeat Enyo too quickly...I have a lot of questions for her." Tiona began laughing even more when she heard this, clinging to Ais with a jubilant smile on her face as she rubbed cheeks with the doll-like beauty. Lefiya also show her support, balling her hands into fists as her star-shaped pupils radiated confidence as she said, "As long as everyone works together, there is nothing we can't overcome~!" This exclamation got pretty much everyone fired up, including the rather quiet Rufina who had been sitting with Chloe, Arnya, and Haruhime previously. She, much like Ais, had a lot of questions she'd like answered and, even if it was impossible for her to fight on the frontlines, Rufina was determined to uncover the truth.With Fenrir gently wagging her tail, still clinging to his head, Vahn nodded slightly and said, "I'm not going to let Enyo get away so easily next time...well, let's go get ready. Everyone has their own duties to take care of but make sure to stay in contact at all times. Remember, Enyo will probably try to deceive you the first chance she gets and, given what we know, she may even have methods to alter your memories. Never believe anything the enemy says, especially if it sounds too good to be true or pertains to something you want to know about. We will find the truth together...never forget that..." Vahn was more than a little worried about both Ais and Rufina, especially the former as she likely had a direct connection with Enyo...After one final hurrah, followed by a rather comfortable group hug, everyone left the Hestia Familia's compound and went to their own Unit to make final preparations. There were still more than two hours before the departure was scheduled, but Unit commanders like Haruhime needed that time to get things properly organized. Lefiya would also need time to communicate her orders and intentions to her Mage squad while everyone else performed checks on the carts, supplies, and people that they would be protecting. Vahn also met up with each of the Unit Commanders to make sure everything was good to go before having a short briefing with Finn before final checks were made.By the time the expedition was ready to move out, Vahn was sitting at the front cart of the 3rd Unit with Shizune and Tina sitting on his flanks. Things would get very chaotic in the Deeper Floors and, though they were more than strong enough to protect themselves, Vahn felt better with them at his sides. This arrangement had been well-received by both girls so Vahn felt less guilty about treating them like children, even though they were far older than he and the other girls were back when he first began entering the Dungeon. To make it up to them, Vahn had a hand on both girls' heads and used his [Grooming], both to pacify them while also bolstering their parameters for any dangerous fights that may occur...With one final shout from Finn, which was repeated by Shakti, Aisha, and Haruhime, the expedition began moving forward while the majority of Lil Geirr's residents saw them off. There was a slight bit of solemnity in the atmosphere, but everyone still cheered loudly and wished the expedition good fortune in its endeavors. It wasn't an exaggeration to call this one of the most important events to take place in the last thousand years so everyone at least made an effort to appear supportive. Then, as the last cart had exited the gates of Lil Geirr, a massive barrier covered the entire enclosed region.Vahn had left enough resources to power the barrier for nearly a month straight and, unless something like the Dungeon ceiling collapsing occurred, there were few things that would be able to damage the powerful magic dome. This type of barrier was called a [Paling], a type of magic barrier that was powered by a massive crystal that was kept within the heart of Lil Geirr. As long as it was powered, the barrier it produced was nearly indestructible and, out of consideration for a repeat event, Vahn made sure it was a type of barrier that could redirect kinetic energy and withstand much greater physical pressure than the previous one. It cost him 6,000,000OP to purchase but, with the remnants of the Variant Juggernaut netting him nearly 4,300,000OP, Vahn didn't believe it was a waste of resources. (A/N: Vahn also killed several tens of thousands of monsters, leaving a veritable floor full of drop items and crystals behind after the fighting had ended xD.)With the pale white barrier at their backs, lighting up the rather dark dungeon floor, the expedition continued forward until they arrived at the entrance to the 40th Floor. The journey to the 50th Floor would be conducted in one fell swoop, starting from the 40th Floor, continuing through the Blazing Hell between the 44th and 49th Floors, and then ending after the slaying of the Balor. After entering the 50th Floor proper, it was very possible that a veritable ocean of monsters would await them but, no matter what it took, the expedition would press forward.This time, Vahn had decided to enter into his 'Lightning Emperor' form the moment a major threat appeared. He didn't want a repeat of what happened with the Variant Juggernaut, where he got thrashed pretty badly until Ais and Ryuu helped out. This was also why he wanted Shizune and Tina at his sides as, even though their [Effigy of the Hero] would have protected them, Vahn had been a little shaken when he saw the malicious monster immediately set its sights on them in the previous encounter. Without his ridiculous number of blessings, the quick reaction of Chloe, and the existence of his [Aegis], there was a non-negligible chance the two could have died...Thinking how close the two had come to losing their lives, Vahn hugged the two girls close and kissed the tops of their heads. They didn't really know what he was thinking and just accepted his care and affections without any complaint. As for Fenrir, who had some idea of what was going through her Master's mind, she hopped down onto the back of the wagon and returned to her 'combat ready' appearance. There was a fierce glint in her eyes as wisps of midnight-blue and a mystical white light began to spread from her pupils. With her Master prepared to act at a moments notice in order to protect the two girls, Fenrir shared the same mentality and her hair began to become slightly rigid as her body became tense like a spring that was ready to release.Though he had noticed Fenrir roll off his head, Vahn just looked back for a moment without questioning what she was up to. She had a habit of being 'considerate' of other girls at times and he assumed this was her way of letting him spend time with Shizune and Tina. Sending her his gratitude through their shared connection, which caused Fenrir to slightly nod her head, Vahn continued to pet the two girls without restraint. Shizune even moved to his lap, causing Tina to 'curse' under her breath slightly as the mature Kitsune laughed triumphantly. Vahn immediately moved her back to his side, pinching her button-like nose as he said, "I need to be able to move during an emergency..."Shizune had been slightly surprised by the fact that Vahn had moved her away from his lap but, hearing his reasoning, she blushed slightly and lowered her head, saying, "Sorry...I..." Vahn reached out his hand and 'plopped' it onto her head, whispering, "Shhhh...it's fine..." while doing the same to the now 'triumphant' looking Tina. Neither girl really looked like a child anymore but, with nearly 30cm of height on the two of them, Vahn could easily stroke their heads in much the same way as in the past. However, even while he enjoyed gently playing with the girls' ears, Vahn's eyes remained sharp as his massive domain scouted an area of 1,083m around him...Vahn had noticed that the range of his domain had started to increase very quickly over the last few days and had a few speculations about why this was the case. It could be the change in his mentality, but Vahn had felt a slight change when he had used his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] on Gros. After that, he noticed that the improved affections of others seemed to have a minuscule effect on his domain and, considering the nature of the quest he had received, Vahn started to understand why The Path assigned him to get 10,000 followers, subordinates, or retainers. He had always known that his [Will of the Emperor] actually became stronger based on the devotion of his followers but, until recently, never saw the skill for what it truly was. Now, if his suspicion was true, Vahn knew the best method to strengthen himself in this, and all future records...He may not become the 'Emperor' he had seen within the Divination, but Vahn was beginning to understand that, with his personality, it was impossible for him to pass through a record without bringing about change. Since he couldn't simply ignore injustice and corruption that existed right in front of him, his path would always be marked by numerous tyrants, kings, and nobles that he had deposed. Even gods would likely fall in his personal crusade to make the worlds he visits a better place and, in order to make sure such a dream became reality, he would need the support of the people he was trying to save. The more support he had, the faster his growth would become and, once he had linked together several records, Vahn knew his power would reach an unfathomable extent that his current mind simply couldn't comprehend...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Aisha ain't playing no games, boi xD...','Protec the smol floofs...','Who would have thought that a skill with the description '[Passive]: Transcend all limitations and boundaries. Increases growth based on the conviction of the wielder and their followers.' would get stronger with more followers...? Vahn is a smurt boi...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it was supposed to be a 'Dead Zone', where not too many monsters were known to spawn, what awaited the expedition on the 40th Floor were waves upon waves of enemies. The majority were Loup Garou, the 130cm tall musclebound wolfmen known for their sharp claws and high agility, but there were also Skull Sheep and Peluda in support. The Skull Sheep were bigger than the Loup Garou and had black cloaks covering the skeletal bodies, making it hard to predict their attacks as they used spears to try and assault the expedition. As for the Peluda, they were actually formed into lines at the back of the waves, using their poisoned spines to try and assault from a distance...Leading these organized assaults were several Variant Monsters that Vahn knew were under the influence of Enyo. He suspected that some were Xenos but, fortunately, they didn't possess the same level of intelligence and it seemed more like they were part of a 'collective' instead of having any individual intelligence. As long as these monsters remained on the battlefield, the other monsters were far more organized in their attacks. They became the priority targets of the Strike Forces led by Ais and Tiona while Lefiya, Ryuu, and Arnya assaulted from a distance. Haruhime was still protected by Lili and Mikoto while Chloe, Maemi, Emiru, and Tione assisted Ais and Tiona.Fortunately, the moment their 'leaders' were taken out, the monsters would become more chaotic, making them slightly more dangerous but also easier to route. With the expedition focused primarily on defense, forming a tightly packed convoy that made slow and steady progress, the number of injuries was kept to a minimum. Those that did end up taking a spear, spine, or arrow, knew to remove the barb as quickly as possible, marveling at how their wounds would almost instantly heal. With Vahn's support, so long as you didn't immediately suffer a fatal blow, you only needed to deal with a very temporary pain before you were already back in the fight...Keeping a calm expression, even as holes would occasionally dot his body, Vahn remained vigilant and periodically used his domain to support the girls while looting the monster cores and drop items. The expedition used a lot of crossbow bolts, arrows, and [Burst Oil] to deal with the monster hordes, requiring Vahn to supplement the OP expenditure with the loot left behind by monsters. It was a good thing that the cores and drops were typically worth a lot more than most of the supplies and resources used up by the expedition, or he would be drawing a deficit as they pressed forward...By the time the expedition had fought tooth and nail to reach the 44th Floor, nearly twelve hours had passed. During this time, Vahn had managed to accumulate nearly 7m OP, a monstrous amount that actually made Vahn's blood boil with excitement. He needed, at the bare minimum, ten billion Origin Points if he wanted to complete his [I Shall Seal The Heavens] Quest. Though his expenses were rather costly, Vahn estimated it would only take around 1200 days to accumulate the required amount, assuming things continued as they were. Though this would probably overtax the Alliance greatly, meaning he would need to put a stop to the endless waves of monster, Vahn still felt hopeful for the future.If Enyo was truly on the 60th Floor, Vahn was confident they would be able to deal a critical blow to her forces within the next few months. Beyond the 60th Floor, there were undoubtedly numerous powerful monsters that would be worth a plethora of OP. That being the case, so long as he didn't breach through Tier 4, Vahn knew he would be able to increase his reserves exponentially once Enyo was dealt with. Though he would undoubtedly be busy with other countries, and had more than a few things to resolve back on the surface, it was still possible for him to probe into the Dungeon's depth, drastically increasing his combat potential and OP earnings. Dealing with Enyo would be like finding his footing on a stepping stone that immediately launched him closer toward the future he sought...Before transitioning into the 44th Floor, Vahn erected a barrier around the expedition and gave the signal to all the Unit Commanders to pass their orders. Everyone in the expedition had two of the [Sage Aldrnari's Relief], the potions that had been brewed by Terra and Naaza. It was the same emerald green potion Vahn had given to Finn before the expedition had set out, allowing the user to replenish their stamina and stave off fatigue temporarily. At the same time, he was using his [Hands of Nirvana] to alleviate a bit of the stress everyone was feeling after fighting almost non-stop for twelve hours. Though it was tempting to stop and rest here, especially since there would be even more monsters in future Floors, their momentum would take a hard hit that would make it even more difficult to recover after such a setback...Fortunately, the 44th through the 48th Floor could almost be classified as Vahn's domain, as the overabundance of fire elemental energy gave him a massive advantage. It was also an area where the number of monsters attacking them would be greatly restricted, as many monsters simply couldn't survive in the fiery dominion for long periods of time. The only major threats would be Flame Rocks, which weren't a real threat at all, given the fact that Vahn could simply kill them the moment they entered into his domain. Any other monsters that tried to badger them would have to contend against a veritable ocean of fire, provided by the Dungeon and manipulated freely by Vahn.Once everything was ready, Vahn entrusted Shizune and Tina to Haruhime, as she, Lili, and Mikoto would be able to protect them in an emergency. Then, after taking up the banner of the Alliance from Finn, Vahn waved it proudly and gave a loud bellow that shook the very Dungeon itself. With his own resolution igniting like a volcano about to explode, Vahn shouted, "Onwards! For the future of Orario! For all that we hold dear! Do not slow your steps and allow this accursed Dungeon to stop our advance! We are the hope that will vanquish the darkness and light the way towards the future!"He didn't expect them to shout or cheer, but Vahn wanted to at least bolster the morale of the expedition a little. To his surprise, however, nearly every single person within the expedition released loud war cries in response to his words. Though it could be an illusion, Vahn felt like a wave of power passed through his body, effectively causing the volcano within to erupt as he joined them with a cry of his own. Then, without any hesitation, Vahn pointed the banner forward and proceeded into the 44th Floor proper. Almost immediately thereafter, several disguised Flame Rocks exploded into fragments as Vahn forcibly 'ripped' the composite Fire Elemental energy in their bodies away. For golems that were comprised almost entirely of stone and magma, they simply stood no chance the moment he became aware of them...Unlike the previous Floors, the expedition pressed into the 44th Floor at a much faster pace than before. Vahn eliminated every Flame Rock within his domain and waved the banner around like it was a baton that could manipulate the tidal flood of flames under his control. Any variant monsters that showed up to bar their passage were buried within the flow of these flames as the girls grouped up to eliminate anything that tried to attack the flanks and rare of the expedition. Fenrir put on a big performance of her own here, sending out waves of Ice Elemental energy that, after contacting the fiery terrain, would explode from the temperature differential. She was able to use relatively weak attacks to great effect, riling up the expedition members even more as they actually began something akin to a war chant while marching forward...Vahn was absolutely certain that he drew power from other people at this point, as the flood of energy in his body almost seemed infinite. The calm within his mind and body was every present, but there was also a fierce motivation burning inside of him that made it feel like he was a tsunami washing over the land. Every time the expedition chanted, Vahn almost felt compelled to make a hurrah of his own, brandishing the banner with a fervor that seemed intent to cut through the very darkness of the Dungeon around them. This, in turn, inspired the expedition members even further, creating a positive feedback loop that caused the Dungeon itself to tremble from the overwhelming momentum they were generating. Each step of the expedition seemed to be in concert, shaking the Floor like an earthquake as waves of bolts and arrows immediately killed anything that even dared to slow their advance...While this phenomenon continued to loop and compound upon itself, a massive monster that didn't exist within the monster compendium broke free from the Dungeon wall and tried to stop the expedition's advance. It was a behemoth of a creature that looked like a giant wingless dragon that was almost entirely comprised of dark black stone and molten crag. It had several overlayered plates that seemed incredibly durable while a fiery glow spewed forth from its eyes and mouth. All around its body, there was poisonous smoke and smog and, when it released a heaven-shattering roar, the surrounding stone began to bubble and crack as small spouts of magma erupted from the Dungeon's walls, floor, and ceiling.In response to the monstrous monster's roar, Vahn raised the Alliance banner high and, as if they had agreed to it beforehand, the entire expedition gave a loud war cry along with him. When Vahn dropped the banner down, pointing it towards the unknown monster's head, several links of [Enkidu] burst out of the void and bound the creature in an instant. Vahn then vanished from within the air, appearing atop one of the meter-thick plates on the monster's back before he 'planted' the Alliance's banner down. It was actually an S-Rank item that was made to be nigh-indestructible so that it would always be present and inviolable within a battlefield, so it was able to resist the force of Vahn's blow.As the sharp point of the banner embedded itself into the monster's back, the plating shattered in an instant and the chains of [Enkidu] tightened, pulling it to the ground. Raising the banner once again, Vahn dropped it for a second time, now causing the hard hide of the monster to fragment and shatter as it released a howl and started to condense a large amount of energy within its throat. Vahn snorted, extending his hand to create a membrane of source energy within the monster's maw as the wave of Fire Elemental energy surged forward. It impacted the barrier Vahn had formed, spreading omnidirectionally and causing the monster's head to explode from its own attack.With one final war cry, Vahn lifted the banner for a third time before impaling it straight into the massive core that must have weighed a few thousand kilograms. The force of his strike was enough to shatter this core apart, causing the monster to turn to purple, black, and yellow dust. This was confirmation that the creature had been 'infected' by Enyo, even if it wasn't under her complete influence just yet. He quickly looted all of the drop items and core fragments before raising the banner once again, this time with the entire expedition shouting out while he simply smiled victoriously. The fact they were calling out his name made Vahn feel like he could bisect the entire Dungeon by planting the banner once again, even if he knew this wasn't the case.Now, even faster than their already quick pace, the expedition continued forward with a monstrous momentum. Vahn continued to clear out everything barring their passage while all straggling monsters were wiped out with overwhelming force. This was definitely a waste of resources and OP, but Vahn didn't care about such trivial things right now as he brandished both the banner and [Laevateinn] together, directing his own flames to consume anything that tried to slow them down. By the time eight hours had passed, the expedition had used its unstoppable momentum to move directly into the notoriously dangerous 49th Floor. However, instead of stopping to try and defend against the coming attacks, Vahn held out the banner and allowed a very excited Tiona to receive it.Unlike the 48th Floor, the 49th Floor was one massive room, known colloquially as Moytura, the realm of the Monster Rex, Balor. There were no grass or trees located anywhere, leaving only desolate red sand and stone to dot the landscape. Other than the massive pillars that would obstruct the view of anyone passing through, there were no actual obstructions to advancement, which was a 'trap' that the Dungeon made use of. This was the Floor where thousands of monsters would band together in waves to try and overwhelm even normal expeditions. With their expedition being much larger than any other throughout history, it wasn't surprising to Vahn when what seemed like an endless flood of monsters began converging on their position.Unfortunately for these monsters, which consisted of more than a hundred-thousand Fomoire, goat-like monsters that were known for their massive groups, they had a very exploitable weakness. Being brute creatures that had an almost Pure Darkness Elemental affinity, they were extremely vulnerable to magic, especially of the Ligh variety. Vahn had Lefiya come to his side and she had already started to chant, "Gather, 101 spirits of light, strike my enemy. Magic Arrows, Convergence of 101 Light Arrows~!" Two magic circles appeared behind Lefiya while another appeared in front of her hand, converging together all 101 Light Elemental arrows as Vahn reached out his hand, grasping the incredibly painful ball of magic as he shouted, "Fixate. Seize. Load magic, 'Emperor of Light'!"Vahn felt like every cell in his body had incinerated in an instant as the Light Elemental energy forcibly fused together with the fundamentally negative energy of his [Magia Erebea]. If not for his body being comprised of Source Energy, it would be impossible to achieve this feat as even attempting to do so would have broken his body down almost instantly. Now, though it was a very painful form to take, Vahn's skin had turned almost translucent white as spirals of pure white energy coiled around his arms, torso, and legs. At the same time, six angelic wings spread from his back while his hair more than doubled in length, taking on a pure gold color that radiated with divine light. His eyes no longer had sclera at all, instead, taking on the appearance of orbs of light as Vahn seemingly illuminated the entire Floor.The monsters, which had been pressing forward with a fervent madness that seemed nigh-unstoppable, not stopped dead in their tracks. They held their forearms up to try and cover their faces as the few Variants among them tried to use magical barriers to protect their troops. Seeing this, Vahn raised his index finger towards one of the variants and, inserting a small amount of Source Energy into the attack, sent a beam of light that instantly penetrated through the barrier. The Variant Fomoire, which would have the average strength of a Level 5 Adventurer, immediately broke down into purple dust the moment the beam pierced its core. Even then, it didn't stop moving forward and Vahn could 'feel' his attack actually pierce through several Floors of the Dungeon in an instant...Even without him prompting her to do so, Tiona raised the Alliance banner high in the sky and gave a loud war cry as a smile spread across Vahn's face. Then, raising his hands like a master pianist who was about to perform his greatest masterpiece, Vahn's fingers began to dance through the air, playing a song of purification and death as beams of light rained down upon the endless ocean of Fomoire...(A/N: Last EPIC for today since I had lost power earlier and had to rewrite this chapter from scratch xD...I kinda like how it ended up though. Vahn got to be a badass this chapter (UwU)~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Wow, such OP, very cool','The [Will of the Emperor] is the Will of his People~!','Angel of Death...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

While Vahn was making his preparations to descend into the Dungeon, he was doing quite the opposite within the Xenos' Hidden Village. He was just entering into his fifth day amongst the Xenos people and, compared to his interactions with people on the surface world, Vahn found their companionship very refreshing. Spending time lounging about and drinking with Lyd and Gros was a great way to pass the time and, though it caused a fair number of 'incidents', Vahn enjoyed how they did everything as a community.Though it could be a result of simply never having clothes to wear, many of the Xenos didn't mind their appearance much and it wasn't uncommon for groups of their tribe to partake in communal bathing, or even just napping together. There was no sense of shame, nor were things like social propriety and facades present within their community. Everyone just lived freely amongst each other, helping out when things were difficult, and supporting their shared dreams. Though there were sometimes disagreements, there was never any true infighting and, if there were ever any real disputes, they were almost always settled through mediation and discussion, not violence...Vahn found himself growing fonder of the Xenos as the days passed, to the point that their sense of 'boundaries', or the lack thereof, no longer bothered him. Currently, he found himself relaxing in the hot springs with Lyd sitting at his side as they both drank sake from a wooden platform floating within the water. At the same time, the somewhat mischevious Marie was touching the tips of his toes with her tailfin, her heart-shaped pupils glimmering with amusement. There were several other Xenos present as well, including Gros, Xude, and his current 'stalker', Naho. Though they knew better than to 'cling' to him now, it didn't stop the girls from trying to 'play' around and push the boundaries a bit...Throwing back another cup of sake, Lyd released a small burp that caused a wisp of flame to escape his reptilian maw before he smiled and said, "You know, I wouldn't mind if things just stayed like this, Vahn. Now that we can move up to the surface whenever we want, it almost feels like there isn't really a need to. Having you here has been great for all of us and, with everything you've revealed about the surface...well, some of it doesn't really sound all the pleasant..." As if she had been waiting for the conversation to start, Marie nodded her head and swam up next to Vahn, resting against his chest as if it were completely natural as she said, "Vahn stay with us...everyone happy...Vahn make everyone happy...Marie make Vahn happy~"Marie was a strikingly beautiful Mermaid-Xenos with gradient, emerald-blue, hair that loosely hung around her shoulders. She had jade-colored eyes with heart-shaped pupils that reflected pink whenever the light struck them perfectly. This was her natural [Charm] and, much like how Syr had been negatively affected by her's, Marie was one of the Xenos that was constantly in danger of being hunted. There was no end to the number of deviants who sought her out for her beauty and, much like Unicorn Blood, the blood of a mermaid was used as an ingredient to make things like the false [Elixir of Immortality].A Mermaid's blood could 'literally' heal any non-fatal wound and also allowed things like detached limbs to be reconnected with relative ease. If she got captured, the only thing awaiting her was a life of perpetual **** and, much like his former self, having her blood constantly harvested until she eventually died. This was one of the reasons behind why, even though he was trying to deny the advances of other Xenos, it was very difficult for Vahn to shun Marie...the number of parallels he shared with the rather innocent and child-like Xenos were many, causing Vahn to take a silent oath to protect her from harm...The only problem with this was that Marie seemed to understand his intentions and had grown very attached to him ever since their first meeting. Though she was limited to areas where there was water, it didn't stop her from behaving much like Naho, with marginally greater success as she also knew 'when' to get close to him. Since he had been unable to convince her to wear even a single strip of clothing at this point, Marie's presence had caused Vahn a few troubles...not that he could genuinely stay mad at her...Contemplating Lyd's and Marie's words, which had come up several times in the last day or two, Vahn lightly shook his head before patting Marie's, saying, "Though I have enjoyed my time here in the Xenos' Hidden Village, my home is on the surface...I'm sure, once you meet my family, you will understand why I cannot bear to part with them for long periods of time. I actually have to manage two bodies at once just to divide my time and, even then, it really isn't enough..." When he said this, Marie just had a complacent smile on her face, showing no signs that she had even processed a single word he had said. As for Lyd, he released a laugh before striking Vahn's shoulder a little heavily as he said, "That's one of the things I like about you, Vahn. You always treat us Xenos as equals, even when we can barely understand half the things you say...! Gyahahahahahaha~!"Acting on Lyd's cue, Marie also started to laugh as she hugged Vahn's arm, musing, "Vahn funny, stay always...ehehehehe~." Unable to really get his message through to her, at least for the time being, Vahn joined the two in their laughter as, from a short distance away, Gros mumbled, "Things really have become much more pleasant ever since Master showed up..." To his left, the Harpy-Xenos, Fear, nodded her head and said, "Vahn is already like family. We should do our best to make sure he can be happy..." This was a sentiment shared by many of the nearby Xenos, all hearing the rather quietly spoken words with their enhanced senses...Vahn had also heard the quiet conversation occurring a short distance from him but gave no indication that he was listening in as he gently tried to remove Marie from his arm. He honestly didn't mind having his arm sandwiched between her rather plump bosom but, with the looks some of the other Xenos were giving them, Vahn wanted to avoid triggering 'another' incident. Fortunately, Marie let go of his arm rather easily and just dove into the hot spring pool, swimming around in a quick circle before she popped back up and giggled playfully. Vahn returned a smile to her and took the opportunity to 'escape' the hot springs before things got out of hand.Lyd and Gros also followed behind, both wearing clothes Vahn had given them as they moved through the tunnels leading towards the village. Fenrir was waiting for him at the entrance, surrounded by a posse of Kobolds, Goblins, Horned Rabbits, and Almiraj. She had become something of a de facto leader for their group over the last few days and, not wanting her naked body to be seen by other people, refrained from partaking of the hot springs bath. This was probably for the best, considering that she was prone to jealousy when watching her Master interact with other girls, especially those outside of the Manor...Considering it might be better for her to accompany him on his excursion back to the 39th Floor, Vahn pet her fluffy ears as he asked, "Do you want to come with me back to Lil Geirr? I'll be entering into the Dungeon in a few hours and it'll be just the two of us for a little while." These words caused Fenrir's ears to perk up like an alerted rabbit, an eager smile spreading across her face as she exclaimed, "Yes, I want to go hunting with Master~!" Though she didn't mind the peaceful life within the Xenos Hidden Village, Fenrir had been pretty bored over the last few days. Since her Master was always focused on 'other' things, she found herself just 'educating' the weaker Xenos on how to be 'good' for the future.Vahn nodded his head and, in the blink of an eye, Fenrir was already gone from the spot, now standing at his side back at the Manor. Lyd showed a face of confusion when he saw this, much like the other surrounding Xenos, causing Vahn to explain, "For those that have been named by my [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], I'm able to transport them between my two bodies in an instant. I really wasn't lying when I said there are literally two of me...things get really busy for me at times..." Lyd nodded his head in understanding and showed a thoughtful expression while Gros' brows perked up slightly as he asked, "Does that mean you can bring me to the surface right now, Master?"Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn said, "Yes, but there would be a few problems with that for the time being. Though you would probably be an exception, the presence of males within my home isn't really accepted. Also, calling you to my side right now wouldn't really be the best time to do so, as I'll be heading into the Dungeon with Fenrir shortly. She probably wouldn't react well if I brought you along right after saying it would be just the two of us..." Since it was a good segue, Vahn also went on to explain the 'decision' that was made by the goddesses, alerting them to the fact that they would be given their own territory to manage. The Alliance would still be protecting them, and they would still fall under the influence of Terra's dominion, but the majority of the Xenos wouldn't be allowed within the confines of the Hearth Manor.This revelation was received surprisingly well, another credit to how reasonable and understanding the Xenos could be at times. Gros even brought up the idea of changing his sex into a female in order to prevent problems, something that had caused Vahn's brain to dull for a short while before shaking his head and saying not to mind it. If one of their leaders spontaneously changed gender to gain access to the Manor, Vahn wouldn't be surprised if 'most' of the male Xenos did the same. He explained that the main issue was simply the number of people, the potential dangers of having children running around, and the future complications that would be present when trying to transition the Xenos into general society. It was simply better for them to have a territory of their own instead of living within a much smaller region where the number of complications would drastically increase...Gros didn't really argue on the matter, accepting it at face value, while the other Xenos didn't show any signs of being troubled by the changes at all. For the majority of the Xenos, they had never actually thought about what it truly meant to live on the surface and were just happy to have the opportunity. Since they had expected to be confined within the Dungeon for their entire lives, just having a place to call 'home' on the surface was more than enough for them. At this point, the trust they had towards Vahn had almost reached an extreme level and, even though it had only been five days, the lowest Affection he had with a Xenos was 93.For better or worse, the Xenos was very trusting, especially to those that could empathize with their dream and proactively tried to help them. Vahn was glad he had been the one to earn their trust as, given their nature, it wouldn't have been difficult for someone to fool and manipulate them. Just imagining these good 'people' dying because of the machinations of another person made Vahn feel solemn indignation inside of his heart. It wasn't right for anyone to have to suffer unjustly and, with what he had observed of the Xenos thus far, Vahn felt they were something that should be protected. Those on the surface could learn a lot about life from watching the Xenos, assuming they could see beyond surface appearance and their personal bias...For the rest of the day, Vahn discussed the migration of the Xenos to the surface, spent some time fostering positive rapport with their members, cut a swath of destruction through the Dungeon with Fenrir, and then spent the night surrounded by the warmth of the girls at Lil Geirr and the fluffiness of the Almiraj-Xenos within the hidden village. Naho also managed to get their permission to intrude into the small and homely den but, fortunately, she was also on the fluffy side of life. Thus, with a contented smile on both of his faces, Vahn drifted to sleep, ruminating over the hopes and dreams of those that had placed their trust in him...---After more than ten days of hard training, Bell had managed to duck under the sheath of Alicia, twisting his body in a manner that even people far more skilled than him couldn't manage. He traced the dagger in his right hand along a smooth arc, aimed towards Alicia's flank, and nearly clipped her before she twisted away from the dagger's trajectory and kicked Bell's backside. Because of the awkward angle he had been at, Bell's feet slipped out from under him and he slid along the ground after smacking his head against the hard floor of the training arena. Alicia winced slightly when she heard the loud 'cracking' sound but, given Bell's Endurance, it was unlikely he had suffered any serious injuries.As expected, Bell rolled into a sitting position and nursed the bump on the back of his head, sighing as he said, "Miss Alicia, you don't have to be so rough...ataaa..." To this, Alicia just laughed lightly, moving a few strands of her now jade-green hair behind her ear as she said, "You are improving very quickly, Bell. The fact that you can almost land a hit on me, someone near the peak of Level 4, even while you're merely a fresh Level 2...well, it's rather unbelievable. Once your probation is finished, I'm certain you will be able to increase your strength very quickly...just remember, strength is useless if you can't even protect the things you care about..."While speaking, Alicia turned her attention to Line and Plum, both sitting against the wall and leaning against each other, fast asleep. Much like Bell, they had also been training hard to master their [Pactio]s, increasing their own strength to avoid a negative outcome during their next stint within the Dungeon. It was currently late in the evening but Bell had been insistent on continuing their spar, causing Alicia to forget the time. Now, seeing the two girls snuggled up next to each other, Alicia smiled affectionately and said, "Those girls have been doing their best, Bell...if you let them down, well, I'm not the only person you'd have to worry about...fufufufu~."Bell had adopted a resolute look when Alicia mentioned protecting the people he cares about but, hearing her follow-up words, a shiver ran up his spine. Just imagining the expression of Loki if he got Line or Plum killed caused Bell to swallow hard with nervousness. However, it was the image of Vahn's disappointed face that weighed most heavily on his mind. Vahn had not only saved his life, but the amount of support he had given Bell made the latter feel a great deal of pressure. Since it was his dream to be a hero, much like Vahn, Bell didn't want to become the type of person that got his comrades injured, especially after they had trained so hard together...he would never be able to hold his head up high if he erred so grievously...Seeing Bell treat her words seriously, Alicia nodded her head and said, "I'll talk to Loki-sama about redacting your probation soon. I believe you may be able to reach Level 3 in a relatively short period of time, potentially even soon enough to attend the rotation of personnel down to Lil Geirr. It would be a good experience for you, diving deeper into the Dungeon and experiencing the many mysteries that await those willing to probe its depths..." These words got Bell hyped up and, without due consideration for the two sleeping girls, he loudly exclaimed, "Alright! Thank you so much, Miss Alicia~!"As he spoke, Bell moved forward very quickly and tried to grab Alicia's hands in his excitement only to have her sheath smack him dead center in his forehead. At the same time, Line and Plum had been startled awake by Bell's loud cry, seeing him 'jumping' towards Alicia with his arms spread, face filled with a heavy sheath. They immediately assumed it was his 'bad habit' acting up and, without bothering to question Bell on the matter, began lecturing him in earnest...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A Species Worth Protecting...','Just...just pile them on me...','RIP Bell-kun...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 833: Perception