Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Shortly after the 'evacuation' of the 50th Floor had been completed, the City was in an uproar as everyone wanted to know what kind of methods the Alliance had that allowed such a feat. Though teleportation existed in the record of Danmachi, it was 'impossible' to use that kind of Magic within the Dungeon. Even basic communication scrolls wouldn't work so the fact the Alliance could move nearly two-thousand people, even though the cost was near four billion Valis, was a big deal.Vahn, however, simply issued a statement to pertinent parties that he was under no obligation to use such a method on anyone's behalf. He explained that it wasn't a simple means and that the cost was extremely expensive, listing out all the required items and having the entire expedition validate his claims. Around the same time, he welcomed anyone else that had that capability to create a teleportation ward of their own as the one established within Haven was solely the property of the Alliance. It didn't matter if others tried to pressure the Alliance to gain access to the teleporter, as they simply lacked the power and authority to make such demands from the start.There were numerous rumors circulating around about how Vahn was essentially trying to claim the 50th Floor for his own personal use, especially once large groups of Elves and Beast Humans began moving into Haven. It was still a little too soon for the Xenos, as their numbers were simply too few, so Vahn relied on his influence with the Elven Kingdom and his popularity with the Beast Tribes. There were also quite a few Pallums who easily met the requirement to become his retainers and, though they were on the weaker side of the spectrum, Vahn still selected a very intelligent and reliable Pallum to help them create a foothold in Haven for the future. He was using this opportunity to establish a solid power base for himself, using people that he could 'trust' to lay the foundation.While this was going on, Vahn's main body had 'relaxing' back at the Manor, except for when he was dealing with various Gods and Merchants. He had been vetting many of the previously impregnated goddesses after Loki convinced them it was just a measure to make sure there were no side-effects that had gone unnoticed. Through these 'examinations', Vahn discovered that quite a few goddesses had Enyo's influence inside of them and quickly got rid of it. This had been taking place over the course of five days and, thus far, there hadn't been any major issues. It was seeming more likely that Enyo either didn't have the means to influence those on the surface or was taking action in a way they weren't able to trace just yet.All the while this vetting process was taking place, Vahn remained ever-vigilant within the Dungeon while Haruhime, Chloe, Ryuu, Lili, Mikoto became the 'leaders' of each Fortress. Their main purpose at the moment was simply training the relatively low-Level defenders how to activate formations, respond to orders, and operate the basic defensive mechanisms of the fortresses. Vahn had made some pretty excessive purchases, equipping the majority of the Elves with Magic-grade bows that were each B-Rank or higher. For the Pallums, as they surprisingly had a decent affinity with Earth and Water magic, Vahn had given C-Rank [Green Mage Staff]s to the majority while the few with Darkness and Light elemental affinities received [Void Staff] and [Noah Staff] respectively.Though they may not become powerful Mages in the future, using the new system, they would still become respectable assets that would also serve as the inspiration for other Pallum in the future. With pendants and accessories to increase their mana regen, supplement their mental energy, and increase the amount of experience they acquired, it wasn't impossible for them to become relatively strong in a short period of time. As for those that didn't have a suitable constitution for Magic, they still had very good eyesight that made them suitable with crossbows and, with their small sizes, they were able to maneuver quickly and unseen for laying traps. Lili and Chloe had started giving a group of seventy Pallum a crash course in Scouting and omnidirectional fighting maneuvers. Though it would likely take them several months to become proficient, just having the basic skills was enough for helping maintain the defenses of Haven...By the end of the fifth day, Vahn had migrated approximately 800 Elves, 500 Beast Humans, 300 Pallums, and nearly 400 assorted races, primarily consisting of Demi-Humans, the colloquial name for any Half-Breeds between Humans and other races. Because of the rumors associated with Eina, Tsubaki, and the Elves in general, Vahn was very popular with most Demi-Human communities. As they had always been plagued by the issues of their low birth, Vahn represented the hope for a better future and, with that very future promised to them for their service, there had been more than a few willing to pledge their allegiance earnestly. The only thing that stopped even more from joining, as there had been no specific Level requirement for the task, was the fact that Vahn had limited the number of people to 2,000. Even having this number of 'followers' was already mind-boggling as seeing the massive list of names, statuses, affections, and other values were rather intimidating...One rather unexpected addition to his forces had been Finn who, upon learning of the situation, had kneeled down in front of Vahn and pledged his allegiance as well. Since Vahn had been relying on Finn's leadership and management abilities for quite some time, he happily brought Finn into his fold and even bestowed a flame seed into the now much younger Pallum. Though his appearance hadn't changed much, it was a fact that Finn was starting to age and had been feeling its effects for a while. Being an Adventurer for a long period of time slowly wore down the body so Vahn had reduced Finn's physical age to 28 years old, even though it had cost a little more than 400,000OP to do so.With Finn serving as the Supreme Commander of Haven's defense, Vahn's confidence about heading into the Dungeon to deal with Enyo had been steadily increasing. He didn't know how many days it would take but, so long as he was putting pressure on her, Vahn knew he was also buying time for Haven's defenses to become even stronger. After all, though it did stunt the growth of their parameters a bit, the amount of experience that could be gained from killing monsters around these Floors was immense. Even if their Endurance and Power might stagnate a bit, just being able to grow their Dexterity, Agility, and Magic were great boons that many of those selected as defenders would have struggled with for their entire lives.Now, with the equipment that had been provided to them, it wasn't impossible for even Level 1 'Defenders' to kill the Level 3-4 monsters that roamed in from the 49th and 51st Floors. As for the name 'Defenders', it was the simple term used to represent what Finn had named the Haven Defense Force. Since the majority of those who had come to protect Haven weren't actually Adventurers, it was good for their morale and sense of unity to give them a unique designation. Now, with their military-style garbs, the patches designating their 'rank' and 'Level', and the high-quality equipment everyone carried with them, there was a strong feeling of 'purpose' within this hodge-podge of people...Though it was never his intention, seeing the group of rather 'zealous' people walking around in orderly formations and interacting with each other in a rather serious manner, Vahn felt like he was building an army. The first thing that was being 'beaten' into them by the girls, which everyone strangely seemed to accept, was 'discipline'. Since everyone within Haven had pledged their loyalty or allegiance to him, Vahn had given them some simple orders that had been taken very seriously. His words were for them to work hard to create a future for themselves as he would help to promote their strength without limit, so long as that was their desire.Vahn also provided very large monetary rewards, insurance for their families and, with the defeat of Enyo, everyone who had volunteered would be able to keep all of their equipment, even if they left the Haven Defense Force afterward. With girls like Lili and Haruhime giving them pep talks after the fact, Vahn noticed that the Loyalty and Allegiance values of the Defenders were increasing rather quickly. He had even gotten a [Leadership] Development Ability when he had 'recruited' his 100th follower and, even without doing much, it was already at D-Rank with Finn and the girls doing most of the work...With these things taken care of, Vahn was sitting in Yggy's branches with the tiny Spirit dozing away in his lap. Fenrir was snuggled up in Yggy's arms using her Wolfbunny form while Fafnir, unable to stay within the area of Yggdrasil's influence without feeling a burning sensation, dozed off in the shadow of the surrounding wall. Though it was comprised of Source Energy, Fafnir's Innate served as something of a 'curse' that made it difficult for Fafnir to tolerate Yggy's domain. Vahn had even tried to modify Fafnir's Affinity but, trying to give it anything 'positive' affinities costs several hundred million OP. The one he had in mind was giving Fafnir 'Light Elemental Affinity', but that actually cost a total of 1,000,000,000OP, which was more than a little outside Vahn's spending range...From over the wall, Vahn saw Lefiya flying towards him so he poked Yggy's cheek to wake her up, even though she didn't actually sleep. This didn't mean she was unaware of the concept of sleep, however, and, after watching Fenrir snooze in his lap a few times, she had to try it herself. Now, Yggy stretched somewhat theatrically while releasing a loud yawn as she said, "Good morning, Papa~." As was the case with all of his children, Masonia being the only exception, Yggy ended up calling him Papa after talking with her 'Mama', Ryuu for a bit. He had promised to let her meet Alise once things had settled down, to which Yggy had more than happily claimed she didn't mind waiting for a 'few hundred' if necessary...Ruffling her golden hair, Vahn smiled as he said, "Good morning, Yggy...and Fenrir...did you two enjoy your nap?" Fenrir had been stretching like a cat in Yggy's lap and Vahn couldn't help but pull up the sides of his mouth a little more upon witnessing this. Neither girl answered by the time Lefiya arrived, however, as they were focused on the latter's fairy-like figure. Lefiya waved towards Yggy, a natural smile on her face, before turning to Vahn with a slightly more serious expression as she said, "Master, there were a few issues with the defensive wards that had been created in some of the key areas of the fortresses. I believe Enyo's victims had been manipulated to try and undermine their integrity before she attacked later..."During the investigation, there were a number of people who were under Enyo's influence, even though they hadn't tried anything when he cleared the 'mark' from their minds. From this, Vahn had concluded that Enyo could only 'actively' control a single person at a time and, having already experienced how difficult it was just to control two bodies, Vahn understood the reason. This was likely why she relied on 'corrupting' monsters and using layered brainwashing to control the Xenos and her Creatures. By using the corrupted magic cores as a catalyst, she was able to manipulate people without having to take direct control, making her power considerably less scary than before...Vahn nodded his head in response to Lefiya but there was a small smile on his face as he said, "If you ever want my affection, you just have to let me know, Lefiya..." Because she could have simply informed him through telepathy, Vahn felt that Lefiya had wanted him to praise her so she had come to inform him directly. Surprisingly, Lefiya became very flustered as she waved her hands back and forth, saying, "Waaah, Master, I just remembered you mentioning that Enyo might be able to intercept our communications. I wanted to let you know in person so she wouldn't have any way to know that the wards had been fixed...!"Hearing Lefiya's words, Vahn realized she was right and, perhaps because of how 'easy' things had been going, he realized his habit of becoming complacent had gotten to him once again. It wasn't even a week ago that he committed to never underestimating his enemy again but here Lefiya was, 'reminding' him about a very simple fact. He had even been the one to tell the girls to only rely on using the telepathy in an emergency and to try and communicate important issues within Yggy's domain to avoid detection...Currently, Vahn had been taking a nap back at the Manor with Aki, Meinya, and Anise while he had also been relaxing with Fenrir and Yggy. Though he was paying attention to his surroundings, it was now rather obvious that he had lost focus somewhat. Even so, his expression didn't show the slight perturbance he felt as he laughed lightheartedly at Lefiya's outburst before saying, "You were right to do so, Lefiya, thank you for covering for my oversight. I am constantly reminded by how capable everyone is that my own training can never cease...hahaha~." Vahn had been told by the goddesses that he 'needed' to relax as much as possible before confronting Enyo, or else he would be prone to making even more oversights. Right now, he was slated to be venturing into the Dungeon in two days and, while that was going on, his main body would likely be in deep meditation within the Sub-Space orb. If he didn't relax now, there might not be any time to relax later...Though she already had a red face, Lefiya showed a bashful blush as she brought her fingertips together and said, "Thank you for saying such kind words, Master...but...umm..." This time, Vahn laughed for real as he gestured toward Lefiya and invited the bashful Spirit to sit in his lap. Then, for a good twenty minutes, Vahn enjoyed the flowery aroma of Lefiya's hair while embracing her from behind. Though she could get him very 'excited' in many circumstances, Lefiya's aroma had the same calming effect as girls like Terra, Riveria, and Ryuu. This was a natural quality of Elves and, though Lefiya was now a Spirit, this ability had only been amplified, not reduced...---(A/N: The standard outfit of the Defenders is essentially a false-aegis coat, their choice of trousers, shorts, or skirt, and a mantle that gives them naturally enhanced stealth abilities and provides protection from magic attacks. They each have badges, pendants, and two accessories of their choosing that have very similar effects. The badges are a simple soulbound item that can only be carried by the person it was issued to and work similarly to 'Guild Cards' in other fantasy settings. The pendant boosts their experience gain and increases the replenishment of mana and mental energies while the other two accessories work as 'batteries' to power the various defensive formations while giving them an emergency means to use their Magic items. As for the color palette, you can essentially imagine everyone wearing grey/black outfits, similar to Vahn himself, while their mantles would be an off-white that matches the surrounding Floors and helps them blend into the background (UwU)~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You can shove your rumors up your bum (UwU)~!','And so, the HDF fought...','The Calm Before the Storm...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

During his preparations to confront Enyo, Vahn had been splitting his time between the Manor and the Sub-Space orb. There were a few things he needed to address in order to keep promises he had made while, at the same time, Vahn was working to reduce the cooldown of his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome]. The last step to ensure Haven would be protected involved naming Yggy with his Innate and upgraded her abilities even further. His own naming ability might not be able to help her break into tier 4, as his own Soul Tier was a restriction, but it would still 'remove' her limiter and make it much easier for her to reach that point on her own.While he was in the orb, Vahn had been improving his relationship with Artemis and her 'Personal Maid Attendant', Lante. She actually had the highest loyalty towards him amongst all the Artemis Familia members, primarily as a result of how 'happy' she was to have been revived with her goddess' faux-avatar. Though Lante wasn't Tier 4, far from it, she had been promoted to Tier 3, presumably, and was able to use a small fraction of Artemis' power. Even with these capabilities, however, Lante was the most dedicated amongst all the girls to becoming a proficient Maid and didn't spend that much time training, even with Maemi and Emiru 'pestering' her.It was after several small conflicts that Vahn came up with the idea of making Lante serve as Artemis' personal Maid. This resulted in her practically following Artemis around everywhere and, as a result, Vahn ended up spending a decent amount of time with a third set of 'twins'. He did enjoy the fact that Lante had dog-like ears and a tail, even if Artemis had 'pouted' about it when he was petting the both of them. It was during that same incident that, after a bout of 'coaxing' that Vahn ended up sleeping with the two girls. He knew that Tina had been waiting for similar treatment and, after promising they would be together after returning to the surface, Vahn intended to make good on his promise. The combination of Artemis and Lante, however, had been too tantalizing to resist and, with Artemis' Divinity related to Love, Vahn was a little weak against her...As was the case with all goddesses, Artemis' body had been completely unblemished and, once naked, her figure looked like a divine sculpture. Having the exact same body, with only slight differences, Lante looked equally as impressive, though Vahn wouldn't be able to deny that the ears and tail had added to her charm. When they had finally united, Artemis had been in a great deal of pain and, very similar to Hestia, Vahn had been unable to move at first. Fortunately, he was already accustomed to dealing with such things and, after a bit of 'magic' with his hands, Artemis was able to enjoy herself...perhaps a little too much. As for Lante, Vahn got to experience a rather strange phenomenon because, though her appearance closely resembled Artemis', Lante's physique as that of a Chienthrope. They ended up in a situation where Vahn was locked together with Lante while she laid atop Artemis, both kissing each other rather passionately...Of course, he wasn't just focused on 'stress relief' and spending intimate moments with the girls as, true to his word, Vahn had started to help Ais and most of the other interested girls learn the basics of cultivation. Fenrir had helped out a lot and, having some experienced with meditation and guided focus, Tsubaki would give advice when she wasn't busy at the School. Her classes generally ended around 2 PM, allowing her to spend upwards of 18 hours within the Sub-Space orb before it was time for dinner. This wasn't the 'rule' though, as a large portion of her time was also dedicated to tending to Sakuya, who would generally be entrusted to Aki while playing with Anise and Meinya.Ais was 'very' determined to overcome her limits and, though it wasn't too surprising, ended up awakening the [Child of Destiny] Innate at the C-Rank almost immediately. During the time Vahn was helping to update their Status Boards, shortly after their 'evacuation', Ais already had the skill unlocked and was very determined to return to the Dungeon. However, when it was pointed out that Bell's own version of the Innate was at the SS-Rank, Ais calmed down and immersed herself in some pretty intense training. Terra had even helped to make a large waterfall on the third layer of 'pressure' within the Sub-Space orb where Ais could often be found meditating for hours at a time. She was using a meditation method called [Gale Heart Tempering Technique] that allowed her to increase her comprehension Wind Elemental Laws and absorption of Wind Elemental energy. Even after just twenty days within the Sub-Space orb, Ais could create a wispy green aura that shrouded her body during meditation, diverting the water away from her in a seemingly 'natural' manner...she really was a genius with an insane degree of talent towards Wind Elemental Laws...Though she also used the waterfall for meditation, Tiona's method of building her foundation was fundamentally different from everyone else's. She was just as determined as Ais, if not more so, but Vahn had never truly understood how her Innates worked. Tiona, 'impossibly', had absolutely no affinity towards any element at all. In fact, from general observation, it should be impossible for her to use mana, qi, or any other form of energy...The truth of the matter, however, was that she could use them regardless of what logic would dictate. Her body was able to convert the energy within the void itself to supplement her use of skills, magic, and abilities, essentially making it so that she was 'always' cultivating. She also had a natural talent for comprehending Laws related to fighting, especially if it was physical in nature. As almost anything could be a Law, including something like 'petting', Vahn tried to come up with a few methods to help Tiona temper her mind while also tempering her soul.What he came up with was a bit of a 'cheat', as he gave Tiona access to a weaker Space-Time orb that Terra had helped to create. The time dilation was only 1:10, making it rather low for a Space-Time orb but, other than the basic Laws that would allow Tiona's spirit to keep its shape, the only two influential forces within the orb were Gravity and Darkness. Upon entering the orb, you would find yourself on a small stone platform with nothing but oppressive darkness surrounding you, stretching out until infinity. There were also rather large fluctuations in the amount of gravity that would act upon you but, unlike in the real world where such forces would tear you apart, the Spirit was something that could withstand such things with relative ease.Since even 'breathing' was unnecessary within a Space-Time orb, as your Spirit didn't require oxygen to survive, it was a very effective way to temper yourself, assuming you could bear the darkness and gravitational forces that could sometimes exceed 100G. The first time Tiona had used it, she had only been able to stay inside for around three minutes before exiting the orb and breaking out into a cold sweat while gasping for air. He had been there to make sure it wasn't too intense for her, helping to calm her mind so she could recover more quickly. When she had calmed down, Tiona almost immediately wanted to re-enter the orb but, this time, Vahn went in with her to help tide her through. As a result, she lasted the remainder of the 60 minutes the orb could be used for within a day, equating to a full 10 hours of strenuous 'meditation'...Vahn, seeing the girls work so hard to improve themselves, felt greatly at ease compared to how he had been feeling previously. It honestly wasn't their fault that Enyo had such a 'broken' ability and, had the circumstances been even slightly different, they would have been able to tear through the Dungeon with ease. Now, it was on him to deal with Enyo and try to find out the answers to the many questions they had. The only saving grace the errant goddess had at this point was the fact that Vahn still wanted to learn about Ais' past. Even though Ais herself had come to him, claiming that it was no longer important, Vahn still wanted to try and keep his promise from long ago. Depending on the circumstances, he may even try to capture Enyo but, with how dangerous she was, it was far better for everyone if he just killed her outright...After experiencing the incidents with Freya and Artemis, Vahn was confident he would be able to outright kill Enyo when they confronted each other. He was planning to pull her Arcanum, if it was even still in Heaven, into the Mortal World. Given what he knew thus far, Vahn already suspected that Enyo wasn't a 'normal' goddess anymore, but that would require him to see her to confirm this. Regardless, the moment her Divinity was bound to this realm, Vahn would bind her with [Enkidu] and drive one of its spears straight through her body. Though this wasn't guaranteed to end her permanently, as she could reform after a few thousand years passed, that would buy him more than enough time to complete his Quests and seal the record...when he returned in the future, the 'immortality' of the gods would be an almost inconsequential thing...With these things in mind, Vahn continued to watch over the girls' training, spending time with everyone, playing with his children, and, with only a few hours left before his focus would be shifted towards the Dungeon, Vahn ended up within the Sub-Space once again. There was certainly time to take care of such things in the future but, as nearly a month had already passed since their promise was due, Vahn felt compelled to mark his descent with a 'major' event. As a result, he found himself it a soundproof room that contained a large and comfortable bed, currently fitted with red blankets, a matter he had no part in. Seated upon the bed was not only Tina, looking rather heated and nervous, but her Mother, Milan, as well...Seeing the Mother-Daughter pair who, upon his first entry into the City, had helped to shape his outlook on life in general, Vahn couldn't help but smile in reminiscence as he said, "It feels like a lifetime ago since we first met...it's hard to believe things have reached this point..." Back then, Tina had barely come up to his diaphragm, even though he had been a rather short boy at the time. Now, however, she had the appearance of a young woman who, much like her Mother, was rather tall for a Cat Person at 159cm. She was already the same height as Chloe, even though her face and figure still had a touch of youthfulness to them...Milan, looking even more nervous than her daughter, laughed somewhat awkwardly before 'teasing', "Araa...if I had known the cute little boy from back then would grow up to be such a capable man, I may have claimed you for myself before others got the chance..." Though she had once 'backed out' in consideration of her daughter's feelings, that was a memory from years ago at this point. Milan hadn't used the orb that much, but it wasn't as if she hadn't been using it at all. By now, she had known Vahn for what felt like 6-7 years, the majority of which had been spent 'preparing' for this day.Hearing her Mother's words, Tina gave a small 'hmph' before saying, "If Mom had been more decisive back then...gnyuuu..." Tina was unable to finish her words because, in truth, she didn't know what to say at times like this at all. Her body felt like it was burning and, as Vahn wasn't doing anything to restrain his natural aroma, doing 'nothing' was becoming rather difficult for her. For a long time now, she had wanted to leave her own mark on Vahn and, seeing all the 'new' marks he had obtained over the passing months, the only thing that kept her from nightcrawling was the fact that so many things were constantly going on...Seeing Tina's reaction, Vahn's smile softened and, though he was tempted to ask if they were both okay with this, Vahn knew it would be a disservice to both girls, no, both women. Tina wanted her Mother to truly accept the relationship between the three of them and had been very insistent that Milan was present during her first time. Since this had been her intention for a very long time, Milan had already agreed to her Daughter's demands long ago. Now, Vahn found himself in a situation that was, in polite society, even rarer than laying with a god...even so, he loved both girls dearly and, true to his words back then, intended to make them both happy.In an effort to ease the tension, Vahn began to remove his clothes manually while commenting, "I hope that [Super Lucky] of yours doesn't act up even more after this...hahahaha..." As impossible a feat as it was supposed to be, Tina had been able to develop her [Luck] to S-Rank, unlocking the evolution of the Development Ability. Of course, the moment he mentioned this, Vahn got to experience something that truly should have been impossible. He had been removing his trousers and somehow got his foot caught in the leg, tripping forward in a manner that was only ever possible around Tina. He didn't even try to resist it this time, knowing full well that it was near impossible to do so without taking a hard stance...As a result of his tumble, Vahn ended up in a situation where he had Tina pinned down to the bed while her blouse had miraculously been lifted, revealing her two well-shaped and perky breasts. They weren't that large but they were nearly the same size as her Mother's at this point, giving Tina a rather charming appeal, especially with the heated blush present on her face. From the side, Milan released a sigh of exasperation before deftly removing her own blouse in one swift movement. With Vahn's compromised position, it was better to just ignore the 'slip' and move on to the next part of their tense tryst.Tina, after recovering her senses, practically 'kicked' Vahn away from her since Cat People, in general, didn't like to be on their backs. Vahn rolled to the side with the movement before moving to the headboard of the bed, which he knew would be necessary for such situations. Tina, with a face as red as a tomato, watched him with fully widened eyes while breathing rather heavily through her nose. When Vahn sat with his back to the headboard, her heart began to fluttery madly while Milan, finished with her own clothing, reached around and spooked Tina by giving her a hug, saying, "It is always scary during the first time...don't worry, I will be here with you the entire time..."As much comfort as her Mother's presence brought to her at this moment, Tina's 'excitement' far exceeded it, especially since Vahn was already bereft of clothing. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the almost impossibly large protrusion sticking out of his lower body, even though she had seen it many times in the past. Her gaze was so transfixed on the member that Tina hardly registered that her blouse had already been skillfully removed, leaving her wearing nothing but a pair of panties and a green ribbon around her tail. Then, when Vahn gestured towards her, Tina slowly crawled forward and, after tightly embracing each other, the two finally became one...with Vahn earning yet another bit mark on his shoulder...this one right next to Milan's.(A/N: Next set of chapters is Vahn entering into the Dungeon to bully Enyo-chan. There are also a few 'major' developments that will happen so get hyped~! Also, I know people want to see longer scenes between Vahn and the girls but, given the circumstances, there are far more people who would rather get to the action and suspense bits. I may do some 'side chapters' detailing some of the more intimate moments that may have felt 'skipped'. The people at the top of this list are Fenrir, Demeter, Artemis/Lante, and Rufina/Shakti. Though I'm sure there are some who would want a detail oyakodon scene, there would have to be a lot of support for the idea since it would certainly be a little difficult to make it not feel 'weird' for most people xD...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lante is VERY loyal to Vahn now...','Ais, Tiona, and Tione, fighto~!','Vahn finally learned how to cook an Oyakodon with red rice...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

From the moment he knew of Enyo's capabilities, Vahn had sent a message to the girls back at Haven and had them gather near Yggy. He assumed that Yggdrasil's aura would be able to resist against any attempts by Enyo to seize control of the girls. At the same time, Vahn had formed a hypothesis that those recognized as his subordinates and retainers through the system would also be immune to such effects. There shouldn't be any force in any record that should be able to 'overwrite' the influence of Loyalty and Allegiance towards him. As powerful as Enyo may be, Vahn didn't believe for a moment she would have the ability to circumvent the system function of The Path.As a special exception, Finn was also within the 'inner sanctum' of Haven since he needed to be informed about what was going on. Vahn found him seated with an amiable smile on his face but, with the light layer of sweat and the chaotic fluctuations of the Pallum's aura, it was clear to see he was very nervous. Right now, Arnya, Chloe, Mikoto, Tione, Tina, and Shizune all had very serious expressions while Yggy sat in Ryuu's lap while the latter held her in a very protective manner. When they saw the arrival of Vahn's group, a lot of the tensions in the air had melted away as Vahn swept his eyes over every and confirmed they weren't affected by Enyo.Tiona was pulled to the side by Tione as Haruhime and Lili went to support and try to cheer her up. Ais and Lefiya made their way to where Ryuu and Yggy were while Vahn approached Finn and immediately got to the point, explaining what had happened. Though he had been nervous before, Finn had become slightly pale by the time Vahn was done recounting what they had discovered. If it was true that almost anyone within Haven could become an enemy, the moment a large scale attack occurred could spell the end of this ambitious project. Were this information to spread to the members of the expedition, everyone would begin to suspect everyone else of being a potential traitor...Vahn understood this even better than Finn and, though it would reveal one of their most powerful cards, he had been considering evacuating the entire Floor. If he allowed everyone to move through the teleportation ward, it was the safest way to ensure that Enyo wouldn't have any time to influence them. However, instead of using the primary ward within the Yggdrasil's trunk, Vahn was intended to use Terra as a 'proxy' while establishing a temporary ward within the primary fortress of the Alliance. They could make a big show of the ridiculous cost of using such a service while increasing the reputation of the Alliance at the same time.By showing how 'willing' he was to spend a veritable fortune just to guarantee everyone was safe, Vahn knew he would be able to increase his rapport while diminishing the inhibitions future expedition would have about proceeding this far. Though the Alliance would undoubtedly suffer a hit to its reputation after calling a full retreat, Vahn knew it would be possible to spin things in their favor once he had defeated Enyo. The more troublesome group to deal with would be the Merchants but Vahn had already come up with the idea of giving them each a token that allowed them to return to the 50th Floor in the future. Knowing they would be able to immediately reach the 50th Floor again, while also having the knowledge they may be able to return to the surface with goods contained within an interspatial ring, many of them would practically froth at the mouth for such an opportunity.Vahn discussed all of these things with Finn while the girls quietly conversed at the side, both listening to what Vahn was saying while also affirming their own resolve for what was to come. Some, such as Ais and Lefiya, were still fully committed to trying to support Vahn within the Dungeon. Vahn could hear them talking about trying to convince him to accept their help and, while snuggling up with Fenrir back at the Manor, he couldn't help but come up with 'solutions'. Lefiya may very well be 'immune' to Enyo's influence and, if he could help her awaken the [Child of Destiny] Innate, Ais would likely be immune to it as well. At the very least, Vahn suspected this awakening that particular Innate would make Ais' fate far more powerful and would allow her to resist such effects. After all, Bell undoubtedly would have had to deal with the influence of Enyo's abilities at some point and it was likely the influence of his [Child of Destiny] which allowed him to do so.By the time he was finished going over his plan with Finn, Vahn had a basic plan of action for how he would proceed forward. They would be evacuating the 50th Floor, leaving only those who had already become his subordinate and retainers to protect the five fortresses. As they would also be able to seek shelter with Yggy, this was one of the 'safer' options moving forward. Though there were no guarantees they would be outside the influence of Enyo's abilities, Sis had assured him that, at the very least, he would be able to know very quickly if something happened. She could monitor the Unit Management list and, if someone was under Enyo's influence, it would reflect as an abnormality within their State. If their Loyalty and Allegiance parameters were high enough, it was very likely they would simply 'shrug' off Enyo's influence after losing a few points...Though he never intended for things to happen particularly in this manner, Vahn felt like his intentions back when he decided to create Haven had influenced this outcome. Originally, he wanted this place to be a safe haven for the Elves who sought to escape the corruption of the Elven Kingdom. He also wanted it to be a place where the Xenos could roam freely without fear of persecution by the surface dwellers. Now, because his largest following were the Elves and the Xenos, those intentions seemed to be becoming a reality.Vahn was certain he could man the fortresses using those who were genuinely loyal and had pledged their allegiance to him, turning Haven into the truest expression of his ideals and intentions. This would undoubtedly draw some criticism by some groups who would want to spin it as him using the Alliance to make a seat of power for himself, but those who cried the loudest usually had the least amount of real power. Those with any sense could already see that he acted with impunity within the Alliance and, even if he 'locked down' the entire 50th Floor, there wasn't much anyone could do to stop him.Once he had made these decisions, Vahn looked to Finn and stated in a voice filled with authority, "Pass down my order, Finn. Everyone will gather in the plaza that had been opened up in front of the Alliance's main fortress. Do not worry about the defenses of the other areas for the time being as everything has already been compromised at this point. It will take a few hours to establish, but we will make an emergency teleportation ward to move everyone to the surface. I will entrust two spatial artifacts with you so that all of the supplies and materials can be secured before everyone sets out. There will be a lot of paperwork that you'll need to do but it is better than the alternative of having everyone wiped out because of Enyo's schemes..."Without arguing at all, Finn accepted the list that Vahn had compiled, detailing all of the people that could be 'trusted', at least for the time being. They would be the ones moving all of the supplies and performing the final checks to make sure there weren't any people trying to break away while everyone was gathering. Vahn would be confirming with his own eyes if anyone was under Enyo's influence but, for the time being, his focus was on securing the safety of everyone present.Once Finn had set out to carry out his orders, Vahn turned to the girls and, before they could say anything, firmly stated, "We were very fortunate that nothing worse happened...I'm sorry, Lili, you should have never had to go through that. Tiona, you as well, please try to cheer up; there isn't a single person here that blames you for what happened. We will find a solution to prevent things like this from occurring in the future so smile and keep moving forward, just like you always do..."Vahn always felt bothered when someone like Tiona wasn't smiling, as it almost felt 'wrong' to see her so sad and melancholic.In response to his supportive words, Tiona managed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she said, "I will become even stronger in the future...but, I won't neglect to focus on my mental development any longer. I don't want the strength I worked so hard to cultivate, all so that I can protect the people I care about, to be used to cause them harm...!" By the time she finished her statement, a small fire had already started to burn in Tiona's eyes. This caused Vahn to also feel a bit of relief as, with Tiona slowly returning to her former self, everyone else would undoubtedly cheer up and continue working hard.Since it would undoubtedly come up, Vahn seized the initiative and explained, "There are several types of meditation technique and cultivation basics that we can all start to develop together in the future. For the time being, the important thing is making sure we're not exposed in a situation where Enyo can act to bring harm to those we care about. Right now, there are a lot of things going on within Orario and we should consolidate our forces there. Enyo will be dealt with by me and, though I know some of you will want to help, it is currently safer for me to take action on my own. Ais, I know you have the strongest drive to probe deeper into the Dungeon but, until you awaken your other Innates, I think it is best if you temper yourself and protect what is most important."In response to this, Ais showed a conflicted expression and hung her head a bit before tightly gripping her fists as she asked, "Will I be able to help you if I awaken those abilities...?" Without any hesitation, Vahn confidently nodded and, with an encouraging smile on his face, said, "It is as I've always said, Ais...so long as you believe wholeheartedly in yourself, and never give up, there are no limits to your growth whatsoever. If you truly believed in the path you were walking, it isn't impossible that everyone here could one day be stronger than even the gods in Heaven..." As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Vahn found himself trying to use this catastrophe caused by Enyo as a means to push the girls even further. Not only did he naturally begin thinking of ways to spin things in the Alliances favor but, knowing things had taken a very sudden turn, this event could be used as a catalyst for both his growth and the growth of the girls...Though they were accustomed to hearing Vahn say very similar things, everyone was fired up by his words this time around. They had already seen Vahn do the impossible several times and, though they never believed themselves to be weak, everyone present knew that their beliefs had been shaped considerably by Vahn's influence. Before, even if decades were to pass, the odds of them reaching Level 7 were nearly impossible. Now, even though they were still relatively young, the majority of their group was already above Level 5 while some of their members were slowly approaching intermediate Level 7. In time, they would undoubtedly reach Level 8 and, so long as they didn't give up, even breaking through the 'limit' was entirely possible...Vahn's words were especially effective on girls like Haruhime, Lefiya, and Lili, as they were already Vahn's disciples and truly believed almost everything he said. It had only been a few years but now, even though they couldn't even protect themselves in the past, Haruhime and Lili were both monstrously strong Adventurers who had a great deal of fame. As for Lefiya, she had broken through the limits of 'normal' Mages long ago and, with Vahn's help, she was nowhere near the pinnacle she sought. There were no obstacles in her way, so long as she continued to follow Vahn's teachings and put her all into the research they conducted...Seeing how everyone was reacting positively to his words, Vahn's heart and mind were at ease, the calm brought upon by his [Will of the Emperor] finally returning. He had panicked a great deal after realizing what Enyo was capable of but, now that he was relaxing back home, and had seen the resolute lights in each of the girls' eyes, Vahn's confidence had returned. Now, he just needed to secure Haven and, once that was taken care of, his 'hunt' for Enyo would begin. Vahn knew her information network was powerful but, if he went all out, even she shouldn't be able to track him easily. Though he would try to never underestimate her again, Vahn knew he hadn't been going all out this entire time and, now that things had reached this point, there was no turning back...Back within the Manor, Vahn had detected the arrival of Anubis and, though he had been enjoying Fenrir's presence, he still wanted to make sure those close to him were outside of Enyo's influence. Fortunately, Anubis had very rarely left her area of Heaven and didn't have many connections with the social circles in the godly community. She hadn't been under the influence of Enyo, making Vahn feel a lot better about the future. If Enyo had been able to influence all eight regions of Heaven, things would have been infinitely more troublesome in the future. Now, he really just had to worry about those who were active in Heaven, those who originated in the Northern Pantheon, and those who had ventured deep into the Dungeon. Amongst these groups, the most troublesome to deal with were potentially Zeus and Hera but, with Enyo showing no signs of being able to actively control gods on the surface just yet, this was only an assumption...As the day continued, Vahn ended up entering into the Dungeon with his avatar while his main body returned to the surface through the primary teleportation ward. He also had Terra come to his side with Unit Management and help establish a secondary teleportation ward that would be connected to the monster stables within Babel Tower. Loki had already discussed things with Ganesha to clear out a large area that would serve as the evacuation point, at least for the time being. While this was going on, Vahn also met up with Freya at the Southern Manor, clearing up Enyo's influence within her mind and then pacifying her for a bit since she had been very upset by the revelation.Later that same day, Vahn confirmed that Demeter had also been under Enyo's influence so he freed her as well, seemingly without it bothering her too much. Since she was unaware of being affected by Enyo, Demeter didn't let it get to her much and just promised to assist Loki in the investigations into her own Familia. There was a chance that some of her core members had also been affected and, now that Enyo was losing some of her pawns, she may try to do something drastic that could result in gods being assassinated. As a Goddess of War, Enyo undoubtedly had a powerful understanding of war and tactics...this wasn't likely the last card she had to play...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'There is just something 'wrong' about seeing lively girls sad...','Vahn is slowly learning how to be a 'leader'. Manipulating negative situations to have a more positive outcome...oh my...','The best thing Enyo could do at this point is just buy time for herself...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 873: Defenders