Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

(A/N: I'm going to go ahead and give a warning in advance for anyone with weak sensitivities. This chapter is important for laying down the foundation for future events, but there are no major detriments to skipping it. You'll probably be a little confused later on, but I know for a fact that a fair number of people will be upset after reading this chapter. After all, I was more than a little uncomfortable writing it but, as I originally intended for this arc to be on the darker side, I can't keep limiting the direction of the story by worrying about whether or not what I'm writing is going to upset someone...once again, sorry in advance...)---While Vahn was having a unique crisis, there was one person going through something significantly worse as, far to the west of the city, a young aristocratic-looking man watched with an incredulous expression as his Command Spells lost their color. Though this didn't eliminate him from the Holy Grail War, as there was a chance he could obtain a new Servant, that would require that he survive the night. With that intention in mind, the man tried his best to remain calm as he walked through what appeared to be an old, western-style, castle. It had a total of four floors, excluding the observatory, attic, and the underground levels he had never been allowed access to. The floors were all adorned with thick red carpets while, located at almost every observable point of the castle, rare and precious works of art decorated the interior...This man, with neatly combed blond hair, stark blue eyes, and features that appeared to have been sculpted by a master craftsman, was a young noble from an Aristocratic Family of Magus hailing from Russia. Amongst his peers, there were few that could compete against him as a result of his inherited magic crest and inordinately high talent. As a result, Lyasin Karl Afanasievich had favored his chances of obtaining the Holy Grail. After learning about the event at a dinner party more than two years prior, he had put most of his efforts into preparing for the opportunity to have his wish granted. Even his Grandfather, the current Patriarch of the Afanasievich family, had been supportive of his efforts...Lyasin could still remember the exact moment when everything came crashing down around him. In order to 'gurantee' his protection, his Grandfather had reached out to an old acquaintance who, by virtue of a cooperative alliance formed during the Second World War, was owed a favor by the Einzbern family. Lyasin had been more than a little ecstatic to have the opportunity to cooperate with one of the major families hosting the event as, even if he ultimately failed to obtain the Grail, having an in with such a reputable family was already a great boon. Unfortunately, from the moment he arrived at the Einzbern Castle, Lyasin learned they didn't even put him in their eyes. If not for their pride, preventing them from staying indebted to others, Lyasin had the distinct impression he would have been killed to use as material for their alchemical experiments...This all started when Lyasin met the current Head of the Einzbern family, an intimidating Magus named Jubstacheit von Einzbern, colloquially known within the Magus Community as 'Old Man Acht'. Lyasin could tell at a glance that the man wasn't normal, almost as if he was a being that transcended humanity and disdained having to associate with 'lesser' creatures. In exchange for their 'protection', Lyasin had to forfeit two of his Command Seals and subject himself to a magical contract that, if reneged on, would result in his heart exploding in his chest. After the betrayal of their last representing Master, they were not fond of simply 'trusting' others to their word...Now that Lyasin had lost his Servant, something he still couldn't wrap his head around, his instincts told him that his presence within the Einzbern Castle was now an 'inconvenience. Their contract had specifically stipulated the terms to hold only as long as he used his Servant to aid their interests. With Ozymandias having been defeated, Jubstacheit would undoubtedly hold him in even higher contempt than before. Depending on the circumstances, he may even determine that it was more 'efficient' to steal his final Command Spell before disposing of him entirely. The man seemed closer to a computer than a genuine human being, especially with those cold and lightless eyes...As Lyasin descended to the first floor, he found his path blocked by two nearly identical maids, each possessing white maid garb that was similar in style to a nun's habit. They both had emotionless red eyes that, as if possessing no will, contained not even the smallest semblance of the vibrancy expected of living humans. Though some might consider them beautiful, with their perfect, doll-like faces, Lyasin couldn't help but feel they were disgusting abominations. Even without having to be told, he knew both of these maids were undoubtedly Homunculi created by the Einzbern family.With a blank expression and cold tone, the woman on the right asked, "Master Afanasievich, might I inquire as to where you intend to go at this hour? The Castle has been locked down for the evening to prevent enemy attacked. If you wander outside now, your safety cannot be guaranteed." Though she said these words, seemingly without any intent contained within, Lyasin felt as if she weren't cautioning him, but threatening him. She seemed to be implying that, if he tried to leave without their permission, they wouldn't hesitate to kill him...Just as Lyasin was considering his odds of victory against the two homunculi, another man entered into the room at the critical moment, asking in an even colder voice than the two maids, "What is going on here...?" The speaker was a man that stood an above-average 195cm tall, possessing a figure that emphasized an extreme level of discipline when it came to managing his physique. He was built like an Olympic Athlete and, though he was now well into his thirties, age showed no signs of catching up to him any time soon. He also had short hair, cut in a neat and tight fade that looked almost meticulously groomed without a single stray hair. This made him stand out a great deal, even though his eyes always seemed to be obscured by a pair of expensive sunglasses that were literally enchanted to make it harder for people to describe him, even when looking directly at his face...Though this man, the 'Mage-Killer' known as Alex Everdale, drew an imposing figure, it was in fact the rather petite figure behind him that drew attention. As gratified as he was that Alex had shown up at this moment, as they had gotten along well during their previous interactions, Lyasin couldn't help casting a glance towards his Servant, a Saber-Class with a slender physique, fair skin, and green eyes. She had a natural elegance about her while, rather than normal hair, it would be more accurate to describe each individual strand as having a quality similar to silk that had been set upon a bed of golden dust. Though her petite figure made her appear younger than most of the women Lyasin favored, he couldn't help but be drawn to this inordinately beautiful young woman...Lamenting the fact he hadn't been the one to summon Saber, as he wouldn't have minded using his final Command Spell to compel her obedience, Lyasin smiled toward Alex as he explained, "I was actually coming to look for you, Alex. My prospects in this War are rather dire so it was my intention to give you my final Command Spell before returning to my homeland. As I am expected to be the next Head of my family, it is time I start treating my responsibilities with the attention they deserve." Believing there was a fair chance he could pull Alex to his side, at least long enough for him to leave, Lyasin decided to barter his final Command Spell in exchange for his safety.Surprising Lyasin a great deal, Alex burst into a hearty laugh, arms akimbo as he guffawed at the top of his voice. Before he could process what was happening, the color of Lyasin's face drained away when Alex suddenly stopped laughing and said, "Saber, bring me his arm." In the next moment, the woman he had been developing tender affections for had already appeared like a tempest as she unceremoniously cut of his arm. Lyasin felt a searing pain as he tightly clutched the new stump and tried to stymy the flow of blood, shouting, "Why are you doing this!? I was going to give you-"Before he was able to finish his words, Lyasin felt a hard impact in his chest as his words were drowned out by the thunderous clap of Alex's pistol. Lyasin fell to the ground with a face full of confusion as the blood quickly drained from his body. Then, as if taking pity on him, Alex showed a crude smile as he explained, "You idiot...did you think my nickname, 'Mage-Killer', was just a joke? I can't stand you blue-blood types who look down on everyone. Though you weren't nearly as bad as some of the assholes I've come across, don't think I'm unaware of the shit your family is up to..." Then, letting the 'apologetic' expression melt away from his face, Alex smiled tauntingly as he added, "Besides, you think I haven't seen the way you look at my girl? Every time you eyed my Servant, I wanted to pluck your eyes out and shove them up your ass...hahahahahaha-!"With that said, Alexa wrapped his hand around the thin waist of the youthful-looking Servant who, much like the maids of the Einzbern family, had completely blank eyes. Though he had already known about it, Lyasin's face formed into a deep scowl as he fell face-first into a pool of his own blood. With a powerful resentment, multiplied by his feelings of envy, Lyasin attempted to draw a magic circle using his blood. In response to this, Alexa laughed snidely before tapping the backside of his Servant and saying, "I guess he'd probably want to reverse roles but, why don't you send our friend off by sticking your 'sword' deep inside his guts, babe...?"Without so much as a single word, the Saber-Class servant used her invisible blade to stab it into the lower back of Lyasin, right where his intestines were located. This put an end to his attempt at forming a magic circle as his body began to twitch in response to the sudden impalement. To make matters even worse, Alex began laughing as he shouted, "That's great! Now go ahead and stir him up nice and good, ahahahahaha-!" Seeing people like Lyasin bleeding out as his body was in its final death throes was one of the main reasons that Alex had become a Mage-Killer. There was nothing even comparable to the rush he would get seeing some 'high-born' Magus writhing about on the floor, his 'blue-blood' the same red as everyone else's...When Lyasin's body finally ceased its movements, Alex walked over to give him a quick nudge with his foot to make sure he had finally kicked the bucket. After confirming he was indeed dead, Alex looked at the two maids, neither of which had moved throughout the entire event, saying, "Take this flesh bag to the old man and see if he might actually be of use this time around. If an enemy shows up, I'll be in my room if its something that the big fucker can't take care of. Don't bother me if it isn't anything important, got it...?" With that said, Alex didn't even wait for the two to respond as he turned to his Servant and saw her dim green eyes staring back at him. For a brief moment, Alex felt a small tinge of fear that he quickly dismissed with an aggressive snort.Walking over until he was staring down at her, an easy feat considering 41cm difference in their height, Alex roughly grabbed Saber's face with his right hand, digging his fingers and thumb into her cheeks as he asked, "Do you still look down on me, you bitch? We'll see how long that pride of yours lasts when I have you begging for my mana..." With that said, Alex moved his hand down to grab a small chain that was tied to a black leather choker around his Servant's neck. Yanking it in a rough manner, he then dragged her off with an enraged expression on his face as, without uttering a word, the two maids began to move the corpse of Lyasin in order to clean up the blood staining the carpet...---With Vahn out of commission, Scáthach explained the situation to Astolfo and Nobunaga before they all moved to a more secure area to wait for his recovery. Though it might have been better to return to the Tohsaka Manor, Scáthach was trying to be, at least a little, considerate of Vahn's feelings. At the same time, if their movements were being monitored around the Manor, it would potentially lead to disastrous consequences if they returned so early in the evening. It wasn't difficult to deduce that something had gone wrong if they all suddenly returned together. Thus, after refusing to let Nobunaga 'play' with Vahn's gemstone, Scáthach had her provide overwatch near the Manor while Astolfo would be the first to return after a few hours had passed.Ultimately, Scáthach found herself alone as she sat by a creekbed located around 30km north of Fuyuki City, well outside the standard battlefield of the Holy Grail War. With nothing better to do, she was laying against the cool grass while flipping Vahn's gemstone around in her fingers. It was an inordinately beautiful gemstone which was growing increasingly more radiant with the passage of time. At first, its glow had barely been enough to read by but, now that a few hours had passed, it had a radiance that cut through the night like a powerful LED light. Though others might have to squint their eyes to behold it directly, Scáthach seemed to be an exception to this as she observed each change in the gemstone with intrigue.Though she wasn't sure if Vahn could hear her, due to his lack of the required organs, Scáthach flipped his gemstone so that the flat side was facing her as she said, "You are the foundation that others stand on in order to achieve feats far greater than they otherwise would have been able to accomplish. There is nothing wrong with desiring a good fight...but that is not the reason why you fight, correct? Your nature is to protect others, not seek out battle for glory and entertainment. When you get lost in the moment and act out of character, you create exploitable gaps that any competent enemy would be able to exploit..."Shaking her head in mild admonishment, Scáthach brought Vahn's gem closer to her face before saying, "This time, I will keep your punishment light. However, our training will be even more intense from now on. I would not be able to raise my head up as a Teacher ever again if you were to fall at the very start of your journey. That one would never forgive me either..." Even though Fenrir was currently much weaker than she was, Scáthach could feel the girl's desire to surpass her. It wasn't a simple dream, either, more like an 'inevitability' within the mind of the petite Vanargandr. Scáthach didn't know where she drew such confidence but, one day in the far future, instincts told her that the currently weak Fenrir would eventually surpass her...As it had been a very long time since she 'looked forward' toward an uncertain future, Scáthach felt as if the small kindling in her heart was being fed by a gentle breeze, providing it with the oxygen it needed to avoid extinguishing completely. From the moment she had obtained the knowledge of the abyss, 'courtesy' of her [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground], Scáthach felt as if all her emotions and drive had died. Though she had pursued her path without any hesitation prior to that moment, the 'awareness' of knowing everything had caused her to stop moving forward at that exact point in time. Everything she had been aspiring towards seemed inconsequential in the face of 'infinite' knowledge, causing her to wander aimlessly until, before she even realized it, her existence had already become separated from the world...Thinking about the many 'new' things she was experiencing with Vahn, something that, logically, shouldn't even be possible, Scáthach found the glimmer of his gemstone almost imperceptibly more appealing. With every passing moment, it felt as if she were getting ever-so-slightly closer to her dream of finally bringing her eternal life to an end. She had no doubts that, so long as he lived, Vahn would eventually be able to make good on his promise. To express her gratitude and experience just a few more 'new' things, Scáthach had made it her final task to teach him everything she knew. This was something she had decided even before he asked so, hearing Vahn bring it up himself, she had felt genuine excitement for the first time in eons...Letting a hot sigh escape her lips, Scáthach then brought Vahn's gemstone to rest against them before, causing the person within to fluster, slowly moving it from her lips to her chin. This was only the beginning of the journey, however, as Scáthach seemed to enter into an absentminded state as she traced the sharpest edge of the gemstone along the fabric of her bodysuit. She could feel a ticklish sensation and, even though her expression didn't change throughout, there was a bit of warmth flowing into her body wherever the gemstone touched. This was due to the unbelievably potent life energy that, as if it couldn't be contained by the gemstone, bled into the surroundings. For a brief moment, Scáthach was even tempted to put the gemstone into her mouth but, fearing she might accidentally swallow it, she elected to continue Vahn's 'punishment' in a less dangerous manner...(A/N: No alternate titles this time. Just a reminder that there is a 'reason' to this madness, one which has nothing to do with trying to get my reader base to hate me. If you made it this far, I hope you do not hold it against me too much for the direction I took things. Just know that the indignation and anger you might be feeling are emotions I myself share. Ultimately, however, this novel is supposed to be practice so, if I begin restricting myself here, I would be no better than Vahn making one of his 'resolute' promises to himself x_x...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Vahn didn't quite know what he should feel as he experienced the 'punishment' Scáthach had decided to bestow upon him. Though it was a very troubling matter, he had slowly been growing accustomed to her nature during the previous training sessions. In a way, it felt like he was becoming desensitized to her overtly sexual actions, primarily as a result of how she had no discernable reaction while, at the same time, he was almost certain she would 'deny' him if he actually did choose to lay with her. The intent behind her actions seemed to frustrate and egg him on, giving him the motivation to improve even faster in order to 'take' what he wanted. It was an extreme method but, more than ever before, Vahn's realized that his power wasn't all that impressive compared to the upper limits of this world. The worst part was the fact that he knew this before even descending but, after being given the same classification as some of the strongest forces in this Record, combined with how 'weak' geniuses like Rin were, Vahn realized, quite clearly, he had indeed been arrogant and hubristic...As Scáthach had pointed out, his most base desire was to gain strength in order to protect others, not to show off in front of opponents he rarely cared about. Though playing the part of a tyrant might dissuade some people from trying to attack him, it served no purpose when his repute wasn't even enough to draw attention in the first place. If the only person he was 'showing off' to was one he had either marked for death or recruitment, it was honestly more than a little vain. To make things worse, he even had a somewhat haughty attitude towards his actual companions, initially treating Rin as someone that he could just 'set aside' whenever he was ready to move on. Though he had his own reasons, ones which still held some amount of value to him, Vahn knew that he had been acting in a way that might outright cause the girls back at the Hearth Manor to admonish him...Without a mouth to sigh, Vahn did so internally as he asked, ("Sis, do you think my mental instability is tied to my overreliance on the [Will of the Emperor]? My convictions seem to fluctuate, sometimes feeling strong enough to be unshakeable...while other times I feel weak and pathetic. Even I can tell that there is 'something' wrong with me but I don't know how to fix it without just 'letting it go' as Scáthach puts it...") Though this wasn't the first time Vahn had asked Sis such things, yet another sign of his cyclic thought process, he still 'needed' to hear her advice. At times like this, Vahn knew he relied more on the perspective of others than his own opinion, almost as if he lacked any real direction and needed the guidance of others to function...Knowing full well what Vahn wanted to hear, Sis actually chose to remain silent this time as she sorted through his thoughts and tried to make sense of them. While he was genuinely asking her for advice, she could tell that he wanted something 'different' from her, something he himself didn't understand. Since she relied on his thoughts and experiences to rationalize her own thoughts, Sis felt always felt unprepared whenever Vahn would drop bombshell questions that were existential in nature. It wasn't until she could feel Vahn's anxiety beginning to grow that she answered, (*It seems that your consideration and empathy for others has caused an overreliance on their input in order o establish a baseline for how you 'should' act. I believe the thing that Scáthach wants you to let go of is the expectations of others, acting as you yourself have decided. Even if you make mistakes, so long as it is a decision you decided upon yourself, you will be able to take responsibility and grow as a person. If the mistake is made as a result of someone else's input, it allows you to shift the blame to them, regardless of what you might say or do to 'accept' the blame unto yourself...*)Hearing Sis' words, Vahn began reflecting on his past actions to determine their veracity, an action that Sis had performed before him to 'confirm' this was the most likely cause of Vahn's current state of mind. Because he was always worried about others, especially when they started pressuring him with their expectations, he would get overly stressed out trying to act accordingly. Even if everyone around him usually followed his lead, Vahn would constantly be looking towards them for input on what he 'should' do. If he just continued forward on the path he decided, the only people that kept following him were those that genuinely sought to stay at his side. As for everyone else, once they realized that Vahn couldn't be 'contained', they would either strive to improve themselves or fall to the wayside. When this happened, however, Vahn would almost immediately stop what he was doing in order to let them catch up with him, constantly increasing the number of people he had to worry about...While watching Vahn sort through his own thoughts, Sis tried piecing together what decision he was coming through in order to prepare her own response. She could tell that Vahn, once again, seemed to be going through the motions of affirming his resolve based on various justifications he had found within his memories. This gave Sis a strong desire to sigh, as it increased the probability of Vahn having a 'relapse' in the future to around 93.172%. Whenever he affirmed his resolve like this, it was almost guaranteed that he would immediately do something 'extreme', riding the high of his own actions for a few months before finally coming back down. When that happened, he would start to reflect on 'what he had become', often mulling over thoughts that weren't even directly related to whatever trouble was weighing heavily on his mind. In a way, it was amazing to see how much effort a person could go through to convince themselves something was wrong, even though there was rarely anyone around Vahn that genuinely questioned his decisions...Deciding to reduce the probability a bit, Sis interrupted Vahn's thought process, explaining, (*If you want to avoid becoming a polarizing existence, it may be best to follow the lead of Scáthach and work towards achieving 'balance' of the heart and mind. Stop acting in an extreme manner and just focus on building yourself up in preparation for whatever challenges you may face in the future. The more unnecessary thought you put into things, the greater the backlash you will experience when facing a setback.*) As she spoke, Sis could feel the probability of Vahn having a relapse fluctuate greatly, nearly reaching one-hundred percent at one point before sharply dropping to 47% in the next. This was another example of how 'extreme' Vahn's shifts could be, something Sis had been seeking a solution to for more than 150 years now...Feeling that Sis' words were rather convincing, Vahn gave a mental nod before musing, ("Unless I used a Command Spell, I don't think Scáthach would show me any leniency. Though it is hard to tell from her rarely changing expression, she seems remarkably dedicated to teaching both Fenrir and myself...") As Vahn thought of his 'errant' Teacher, a feeling of numbness spread through his mind as, currently, she was tracing the sharpest end of his 'core' around her navel. She seemed to be considering whether or not to go further, causing Vahn's brain to buzz in both frustration and expectation. Before Sis' words, he had been considering whether or not he should test the theory that Scáthach would refuse his advances if he actually did try to have sex with her. Now, he realized this was a little 'extreme' and, as everyone back at the Manor was probably worried, it would be best to return home and restart his training anew.With that in mind, Vahn began to focus on the image of his body, expanding his energy outward to give form to himself once again. He wondered if this was the same as what Fenrir and the others experienced when they went from their core states to their manifested forms. Since he had used his understanding of a magic cores structure when trying to protect himself, Vahn assumed this wasn't far from the truth. When he had the opportunity in the future, Vahn felt it wouldn't be a waste of time to pursue this method to an even further extreme, potentially to the point that he could even store his avatars in cores he had structured for himself. Part of him even humored the thought of trying to infuse his own magic core into a piece of weapon or armor to see if his consciousness could be transferred into objects, something that seemed rather simple when he considered the fact that he had just existed as a gemstone for nearly five hours...When Vahn's body had complete reformed, he had Scáthach laying below him with her characteristic expressionless gaze focused on him. Since he was naked, Vahn was more than a little tempted to try and get 'even' with her for how she had been treating his gemstone while in her possession. Having already decided against this course of action, however, Vahn instead equipped some clothes before rising to his feet and extending a hand to Scáthach. She tilted her head slightly to the side in but, without wasting much time, accepted his assistance in rising to her feet. After this, Vahn looked towards the south and said, "Let us return to the Tohsaka Manor. There are some things I want to look into and we'll need to restart my training before I lose the sensation from the previous battle."As if she hadn't been 'playing' with him for the last couple of hours, Scáthach simply nodded her head in response before vanishing in a flash of magical light. Vahn shook his head lightly as a result before focusing his mind and shifting his intent to the Manor's interior. He found Astolfo reading a book within Rin's study while Nobunaga sitting on the roof as she listlessly tapped her foot while an ornate black and gold matchlock rifle lay across her lap. As for Fenrir and Rin, Vahn assumed they were inside of the Sub-Space Orb since he couldn't detect their presence after looking in both the basement and the workshop.Feeling a small urge to tease someone, Vahn settled on appearing next to Nobunaga to see if he could spook her. Contrary to his expectations, however, she simply gave him a mildly annoyed look before using a grey cloth to wipe down her rife as she said, "You'll need another hundred years if you want to try and startle me. Instead of messing around here, you should go see those two before your pup gets separation anxiety..." Towards the end of her words, Nobunaga held up her rifle with the stock near her cheek as she looked down the sights to make sure they were properly calibrated. Though this was an ultimately pointless action, as the weapons of Heroic Spirits were always in 'perfect' condition, it was a habit she had carried over from her past life, a means of calming herself whenever she was bothered by something.While spooking Nobunaga had certainly been one of his intentions, the reason Vahn had decided upon her was because of her abnormal state. He could tell she wasn't in the best of moods and, considering the circumstances, he was the most probable cause. Thus, while it was 'better' to enter the Orb and begin his training as soon as possible, Vahn instead plopped down next to Nobunaga and asked, "Can I see your rife...?" This caused her to release a long sigh before lowering the rifle and saying, "You really fucked up this time..." with a frustrated grimace on her face. Then, even though it looked like she had something more to say, Nobunaga rather unceremoniously threw her rifle at Vahn before suddenly jumping off the rooftop and landing soundlessly in the garden below.Seeing the usually confident and snide Nobunaga act in such a way brought Vahn to silence. If not for the cold and heavy rifle in his hands, weighing significantly more than he expected, Vahn might have thought this was an illusion. It was obvious she was more than a little bothered by the fact he had almost died, causing Vahn's mind to nearly fall into a period of reflection before Sis interrupted, reminding, ("Fenrir and Rin are likely waiting for you within the Sub-Space Orb. You have even more time to reflect after you enter so don't dawdle for too long, Vahn. Nobunaga is a strong and prideful woman, Vahn. She will recover quickly only her own so, unless you intend to push her, any attempt you make to 'help' will probably exacerbate the situation...")Though she didn't say anything explicit, Vahn knew what Sis meant by pushing Nobunaga, causing him to take a deep breath before teleporting into the basement. He was surprised by the realization that he was 'okay' with the thought but, understanding there were higher priorities at the moment, Vahn made the decision to return to the Sub-Space Orb. Just as Sis pointed out, Nobunaga wasn't the type to brood over things so she would undoubtedly recover, likely after watching him get a beating or two. When he was resting later, Vahn decided he would purchase some high-quality sake from the system shop before apologizing in a more meaningful manner. Though the chance things would develop beyond that were slim, at least for the time being, Vahn felt it was better for the both of them if they took whatever was going on between them in a slower and more natural manner...After placing his hand on the Orb, Vahn felt the world around him shift before he found himself standing next to the small lake he had dug previously. It was a little strange, seeing a pure white 'hole' filled with crystal clear water, but it was something he would get used to. What he never seemed to get used to, however, was how Rin was floating on an airbed in the middle of the water, wearing sunglasses to cover her eyes as she lounged about in a red bikini. Vahn could tell she was taking a nap and, as tempting as it was to flip her float, he ultimately decided against it as he looked around for Fenrir's figure. She had moved a considerable distance away, likely out of consideration for Rin, and was currently training her body in the third level of increased spatial density.Though Fenrir was simply running around normally, wearing what appeared to be modern spandex, the increased pressure ensured that the training wasn't pointless. Given how Fenrir's body was covered in a dense layer of sweat, whilst seemingly on the verge of collapse, it was easy to see that she had been going at it for a while. Vahn almost felt a little apologetic for interrupting but, knowing he would probably get a thrashing from Scáthach soon, now was the only time they would be able to spend together before their training became even more intense.After taking a few more steps, mostly in an effort to slow her momentum, Fenrir turned her eyes towards her Master as she heaved a few deep breaths in an effort to collect herself. In this time, Vahn walked over to her side before pulling out a white towel, using it to wipe down her face and neck as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This caused Fenrir to adopt a small smile on her face as she closed her eyes and raised her chin slightly to make it easier. It wasn't until he had finished wiping the fringe of Fenrir's scalp that Vahn calmly stated, "I lost a battle tonight..." This immediately caused Fenrir's eyes to snap open but, before she could get too stressed out, Vahn smiled while stroking the sides of her face, explaining, "Don't worry. In a way, this has been a good experience for me. Now, just like you, I have a much stronger desire to increase my strength..."Though she was happy for her Master, Fenrir's heart began beating faster when she heard his words. She already had trouble shortening the distance between them when he wasn't wholly focused on his training so, if he really did get serious, Fenrir was afraid she would be left even further behind. As this was something Vahn knew she would fret over, he affectionately stroked her head before saying, "You are already doing amazingly, Fenrir. The only thing you need to focus on is increasing your strength to the point that nobody is able to pose a threat to you. Even if I do become stronger, you know better than anyone that I simply can't leave you behind. While I may be focused on increasing my own strength, I will always be considering methods to help you improve as well. Now, raise your head up...I want to see you smile..."Since it was far more important to Fenrir that her Master was safe, meaning he needed to be stronger than everyone else, she ultimately lifted her head and did her best to smile as sincerely as possible. Vahn already had one of his own and, after giving her a light peck, Fenrir's mood instantly improved a bubbly and exciting feeling swelled up from her heart whenever her Master kissed her. When he saw her improved mood, Vahn gave an amused chuckle before giving her a few more gentle kisses to bolster her mood even further. Then, just as Fenrir and Vahn both started to feel a little 'too' excited, Scáthach appeared next to them like a phantom, asking, "Are you ready?"Knowing she had likely timed her appearance in an attempt to make him frustrated, Vahn looked towards Scáthach with slightly dull eyes before giving Fenrir one last kiss, this time on her forehead. The moment he separated from her, Fenrir immediately used [Shundo] to create some distance as, without any delay at all, Scáthach spun towards Vahn, delivering a high kick towards his head. He was actually able to receive it by guarding with his right arm but, with the amount of force behind the blow, Vahn's balance was still disturbed by the attack. In the next instant, Scáthach was already spinning in the opposite direction as she lowered her body to the ground. Using the momentum of her pivot, she planted her fist squarely within his diaphragm before stepping inward and 'launching' Vahn's body with her fist. In this manner, Vahn's increased training regimen began, starting with him spitting up a mouthful of blood...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Even Sis is getting tired of Vahn's shit xD...','Nobu-chama is not happy','I feel like Scáthach is like an analogy for 'life'. The moment you get distracted by happy feelings, she shows up to remind you of your responsibilities (^_^)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With his surroundings suddenly changing so drastically, it didn't take a grand feat of deduction to conclude that Vahn had found himself within a Reality Marble. Vahn could remember Rin describing it as a phenomenon that centers around the materialization and projection of one's inner world, often taking a form and function that provided the user an almost insurmountable advantage. In legend, Ozymandias was known to have built several grand Temples, many dedicated to the various gods that supposedly inhabited his body. Because of his ambitions, it was recorded that Ozymandias had declared, "all temples of past, present, and future exists for my divine purpose". As a result, it seemed like every temple, regardless of when, where, and for whatever purpose, had found itself within this infinitely vast space...Instead of moving to attack, both Vahn and Ozymandias stared at each other from a distance, the latter now having a far more serious expression as he said, "I commend you, Sage Emperor. To force me to this extent, know that you have earned the right to raise your head high in the afterlife. I will have your body enshrined within my grandest mausoleum, a resting ground reserved for only the greatest Pharaohs recorded in the annals of history. Now, quake in awe at the might of all the Gods of Egypt...!" With his words echoing through the area, each of the temples in the surroundings seemed to come alive with an overwhelming magical aura. Vahn could see seven giant Sphinxes ascend towards the sky while, from the ground below, green tendrils coiled towards him at an almost imperceptible speed.Vahn, still in his Qinglong form, attempted to teleport in an effort to evade but, much to his surprise, the fabric of Space-Time in the surroundings seemed immovable. As a result, his only option was to abandon his Qinglong form and attempt to evade using the enhanced agility of his Baihu form. This ultimately proved a futile effort, however, as the tendrils of green energy moved close to 30,000kmh without being affected by rapid changes in trajectory. Vahn lamented more in this one moment than ever before that he was unable to use Lightning and Light Elemental Magic without a lot of preparation. The only thing he could do was tuck in his arms and legs, shrinking his body as much as possible as the green energy slammed into his body before, as if containing a mind of its own, it attempted to enter through his ears, nose, and mouth...With the foreign energy invading his body, Vahn was beginning to panic before, nearly causing him to laugh out loud, the energy was broken down far faster than it could invade him. Understanding that the 'sentient' green energy was just an advanced poison containing a curse, Vahn relaxed and just let the tendrils coil around his body as he leaped through the sky to attack Ozymandias. The latter was slightly surprised that Vahn hadn't immediately died, as even Servants would eventually succumb to his curse rather quickly. Even the most powerful would be severely weakened so he misconstrued Vahn's attack as the last-ditch efforts of a dying man as he commanded, "Go. Give him the honorable death he seeks..."Six of the seven Sphinxes that had formed a defensive formation around Ozymandias immediately moved to intercept Vahn the moment they heard their God-King's order. The one at the very front, seemingly made of a composite of bronze and marble, attacked Vahn with its golden teeth and claws. As the creature was more than 10m long, and relatively slow, Vahn spun through the air like a competition flier before scraping his claws along the underside of the Sphinx's stoney torso. He was a little taken aback that his claws were only able to form thin lines on the stone but, instead of going for a second strike, Vahn slipped through the gap in the Sphinx's legs before targetting the next one.Seeing Vahn unhesitantly charge at it, the second Sphinx, this time covered from head to claw in golden flames, released a loud roar that carried with it a heatwave easily reaching more than 3,000 degrees celsius. Vahn, however, was completely undeterred by this as his body became shrouded in vermillion flames while both forearms were covered in black scales. As the heatwave slammed into his body, Vahn created another foothold before twisting jumping headfirst into the pressure while forming a penetrative membrane with his [Cantus Bellax] magical shroud. This gave him more than enough momentum to overcome the powerful roar, allowing Vahn to uppercut the bellowing Sphinx, forcing its mouth shut in the process.Though Vahn was able to send it flying back several meters, he realized that his attacks weren't actually doing damage, at least to the two Sphinxes he had attacked. While doing his best to dodge their combined attacks, Vahn's second process was quickly sorting through the information stored within his mind while trying to come up with a solution. It was possible that the other six were tied to the one laying next to Ozymandias, meaning he would need to kill it in order to deal with the other seven. The next most likely scenario was that they were the manifestations of specific Temple Spirits, requiring Vahn to destroy their temples in order to defeat their avatars. Lastly, though this was a terrifying prospect, it could be the Noble Phantasm itself that granted them their immortality. This would require Vahn to destroy a seemingly infinite space, or at least force Ozymandias to use up his reserves so that it would naturally dissolve...Even if his second process wasn't providing any real distractions to Vahn's main process, one of the Sphinxes finally landed a clean hit on his body. It had a long tail that was nearly 15m long and covered from base to tip in black scales. At the very end, instead of barbs or hair, the tail formed into the head of a massive cobra that had a golden pattern on its 'cloak', forming the shape of two eyes that had caused Vahn's mind to blank for a brief moment when looking at them. He was already colliding with one of the surrounding temples when he realized something had happened, a gap that wasn't missed by one of the other Sphinxes within the group. This one had sapphire-like fur with amethyst eyes and a mane comprised of mystical blue energy. Using the momentary gap in Vahn's focus, it opened its maw wide before biting down, taking his entire torso in its mouth due to the difference in size.Fortunately, while a mechanism seemed to make them impervious to damage, it didn't seem to provide them any offensive power. Though Vahn was being shaken around like a chew toy, the Sphinx's teeth were unable to penetrate his flesh. The only worrisome factor was the icy energy trying to invade his body but, as Vahn's Source Energy could adapt to any form of energy, he was able to guide it along his mana circuits without taking any damage. Instead, Vahn was using the Sphinx's attack as a means to recover his severely diminished reserves. It took several long seconds before the creature realized something was wrong, throwing Vahn from its mouth to be dealt with by its kin.Using the momentum of the 'Ice Sphinx's' toss, Vahn faced down the same Stone Sphinx that had started the attack, a resolute light in his eyes as he pulled out a small nail. As the Stone Sphinx tried to crush him with its massive muscular maw, Vahn stabbed upward with the [Sacred Duplex Nail], successfully stabbing the roof of the Sphinx's mouth. At the same time, Vahn, already in his pseudo-Xuanwu form, directed the entire force of his attack at the very tip of the nail. This created allowed him to experience the surprisingly satisfying phenomenon of watching the Stone Sphinx's head exploding. Though it didn't shed any blood at all, the explosive 'crunch' of stone being fractured apart caused Vahn to smile excitedly as he faced down the other five Sphinxes.Instead of moving to attack again, the remaining Sphinxes circled around Vahn with greater caution as, high in the skies above, Ozymandias watched the battle with a casual smile on his face. Though Vahn couldn't hear him, Ozymandias stroked the head of the Sphinx at his side, the one seemingly comprised of the very fabric of Space. It had an ephemeral black body that was filled with an incalculable number of stars and spiraling galaxies. The only physical components, as everything else appeared nebulous and almost 'liquid' in structure, were its solid gold wings, shimmering with a metallic sheen, and the ornate gold-lazuli Pharoah's crown that served as its mane. To this most trusted companion of his, Ozymandias lightly stated, "He is quite something, isn't he?"Without making a single sound, a 'ripple' began to spread across the Sphinx's nebulous face that seemed to communicate its intent as Ozymandias began to laugh in a boisterous manner. Once he had finished, Ozymandias nodded his head and said, "If that is your desire, I will not hold you back. It seems I will need to bestow even greater honors upon him when he dies...fuuu..." With that said, Ozymandias began to contemplate how best to immortalize his battle with Vahn while, at his side, the peculiar Sphinx rose to its feet before becoming absolutely still. Then, several parts of its body began to expand before, similar to an amoeba, it began to split into smaller versions of itself. By the time it was done, its 15m long body had shrunken down to 4m in size as twenty similarly sized clones leaped into the fray alongside the, now four, Sphinxes...Vahn had just gotten his revenge against the Sphinx with the snake tail when he sensed an amount of energy that created an illusion as if the sky was falling. Looking up, Vahn saw the twenty Sphinxes, each appearing as if they were cut from the night sky, descending towards him. The moment he saw this sight, Vahn's second and third processes completely ceased functioning as his mind simply 'blanked', once again experiencing the peculiar 'nothingness' that had been his companion as of late. In this state of mind, Vahn felt like a passenger in his own body as he began to move like a high-precision machine. It wasn't nearly at the same level as Scáthach, but Vahn felt like he had turned his brain off, his sole focus the annihilation of his enemies...From atop his golden throne, Ozymandias felt the change in Vahn as small instabilities began appearing in the space comprising his Noble Phantasm, Ramesseum Tentyris. This caused him to click his tongue as it indicated his Reality Marble wouldn't hold up for much longer. He had to expend a lot of energy to allow his companion, the Wehem-Mesut Sphinx, to split so many times. It was a Noble Phantasm all it's own so, in order to keep it manifested, Ozymandias needed to supply his own magical power. Though he was receiving a fair amount from his would-be Master, even that was quickly drying up as Vahn simply refused to die...Seeing Vahn pull out a rather plain-looking spear that could apparently even cut through the flesh of his pseudo-immortal Sphinxes, Ozymandias released a sigh as the gold making up his Arc, another Noble Phantasm named Mesektet,' The Solar Ship of the Dark Night', began to liquidize. Near his feet, a pillar began to emerge before forming into a lever when it reached the same level as his armrest. Though he was reluctant to use his final card against the same opponent, as it felt like a pyrrhic victory at best, Ozymandias saw Vahn absorb the attack from one of his Sphinxes, converting it into his own Od. This was all Ozymandias needed to see as his commanding voice echoed, "Sun's wrath, serpent that devours serpents, light of judgment, Uraeus...!"The moment Ozymandias finished his words, he pulled the golden lever without hesitation, causing the front of his arc to open. Located within his arc, serving the function of its core and engine, a massive emerald-green crystal could be seen. There were several rings of gold, each covered with thousands of small runes, fixing it in place. The ring towards the very tip of the massive crystal began to flicker before they eventually turned dark moments later. These rings usually served the purpose of a stabilizing the cosmic energy contained within the crystal. With the one at the end no longer active, a massive beam of green energy, tinged with a golden radiance, rained down on Vahn's location at the speed of light...Vahn had sensed the massive buildup of energy but, even before his brain could probably communicate with his muscles, his vision was already completed shrouded by emerald green light. Almost instantly thereafter, Vahn could no longer see anything at all as his eyes were liquidized from their sockets as his body, his body following course soon after. He didn't know it at the time but Ozymandias' Uraeus could, for a brief moment, reach the EX classification for a Noble Phantasm while within his Reality Marble. It was a degree of power that wasn't even quantifiable within the Root, serving the purpose of an Anti-Fortress level attack that simply couldn't be blocked without an even more ridiculous Noble Phantasm...---The beam from Ozymandias' arc continued to fire for a full thirty seconds before his own expression began to pale. At this point, the surrounding space was filled with spatial fissures while, caught in the crossfire of their own Master's attack, the Sphinxes that had been engaging Vahn were all destroyed along with him. This was extremely taxing on Ozymandias but, at the very least, it seemed his final card had managed to finish the job. Thus, with a tired yet appreciative expression, Ozymandias muttered, "You were a far more worthy opponent than I could have ever anticipated. I wonder what kind of Servant such a capable Master was able to summon...?" At the same time that these words were leaving his lips, Ozymandias allowed his Reality Marble to break apart naturally as he released a tired sigh. In this exact moment, just as he had dropped his guard the most, Ozymandias' eyes widened in shock as the words, "Gae Bolg" reached his ears...Like a bolt of red lightning, Ozymandias' body was ripped from his arc before he was unceremoniously slammed into the ground moments later. On contact with the asphalt, he coughed up a mouth of blood before clutching his chest with a pained expression on his face. Brackish-Red energy had started to spread from where his heart had been pierced, carrying with it malicious energy that felt like thorns spreading through his body. These thorns pierced all of his organs as they quickly spread through his body, even reaching his mind. If not for the fact that Servants were made up of mana, he would have died almost instantly from the unexpected attack from Scáthach's Noble Phantasm.With what remained of his strength, Ozymandias glared up at Scáthach, his gold eyes locking with her crimson red gaze as he spat, "You mongrel...you dare sneak attack...this...God-King...?" To this, Scáthach plainly stated in her usual monotone, "There are no such things as sneak attacks. You were caught unprepared. If you are so quick to seek someone to blame for your own folly, you will never be a true King." Even before she finished her words, Scáthach had started to look around the area, no longer paying attention to the dying Ozymandias. This caused him to laugh, not because she was looking down on him, but because her words held a grain of truth within. They were currently at War and, with Servants often having distinctly different strengths, the fault of being 'caught off guard' lay squarely on his shoulders.Even though it felt like there was no power in his body, Ozymandias began to rise to his feet with an extreme amount of effort. Scáthach turned her attention back to him but made no attempt to stop his actions as, with her eyes, she knew what he was doing. Thus, even as Ozymandias pulled out a golden necklace, Scáthach just watched him with her expressionless face as he said, "That man, the Sage Emperor, was annihilated by my last attack. If he has anyone that was close to him, give them this necklace...it is my most precious treasure in all Creation. It may not hold value to them, but I would rather they keep it than entrust it to the hands of some random Magus..."Much like every other Servant, Ozymandias had required a catalyst in order to manifest according to the Grails' requirements. His took on the form of a partially shattered golden necklace that had belonged to his one and only wife, Nefertari. Though he had lain with hundreds of women in his time and had more than thirty concubines, the only woman he had ever loved was Nefertari herself. He had lived a life without any regrets but, if given the chance, he would have liked to walk this land once again with her at his side...With that thought playing through his mind, Ozymandius began to dissolve away into particles of golden light as a contented expression adorned his face. The necklace in his hand began to fall under the pull of gravity but Scáthach deftly caught it out of the air before muttering, "That man would not die so easily. I am not sorry to have defeated you, but I will apologize for interrupting your battle. Thank you for taking care of my student..." Though he may not have heard her words, Scáthach felt like the God-King, who died standing on his feet, deserved to know the truth. Then, when his body had completely vanished, so too did hers, though for decidedly different reasons...---Appearing like a phantom near the edge of a parking lot, Scáthach squatted down to pick up a small rainbow-colored gemstone that was only around the size of her thumb. Even then, it seemed to possess limitless vitality as a powerful energy that she couldn't even comprehend radiated from within. Though she didn't know exactly what had happened, Scáthach was able to intuit that this tiny gemstone was none other than Vahn. When he had been attacked by Ozymandias, something that also could have qualified as a 'sneak attack', Vahn had compressed a part of his body before surrounding it with as much Source Energy as he could muster. This had coalesced into the nigh-indestructible gemstone within Scáthach's hand and, as his reserves gradually recovered, so too would his body...Knowing how close her student had come to death, Scáthach, for the first time in a very long period of time, felt slightly annoyed. Her expression didn't change but, once he managed to regenerate, Scáthach swore that she would give Vahn twice the thrashing as he had previously received. For now, however, she decided to both punish and reward him at the same time, taking the rainbow gemstone in her palm before placing it snuggly between her cleavage. Her instincts told her that Vahn was still 'aware' of what was going on around him so, as punishment for having to clean up after him, Scáthach wanted him to reflect on his actions while growing accustomed to situations he had no control over. When he finally relinquished control and focused on his actions themselves, she believed he would become a truly powerful warrior...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Welcome to the Desert of the Real','Ozymandias would be unstoppable if Vahn was his Master...','( Y )~*angry emperor noises*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1057: Ruthless