Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As all good things were ought to do, Vahn's free time quickly came to an end and, though it was difficult to recall when it had started, he was currently on the receiving end of one of Scáthach's beatings. Because she still had the energy he had charged her with earlier in the evening, it had already been ten hours since they had started. Though he didn't realize it at the time, due to the persistent feeling of 'nothingness', this actually represented a marked improvement in Vahn's growth since the start of their training.Originally, Vahn had only been able to persist for around four hours before being completely drained of his energy. Though his reserves had increased a fair amount since then, so too had the intensity of Scáthach's training. The fact he had been able to draw things out more than twice the duration actually put a small amount of strain on Scáthach as her own reserves would be on the verge of depleting, denoted by how she would start consuming his blood in the midst of combat...While this was occurring, Vahn and Scáthach had a small audience in the distance as, much like he had expected, Artoria had been observing him after talking with Rin for a few hours. The latter had explained what she knew of Vahn's past as an Emperor, how he had been forced out of his world, his rather large family, and his desire to increase his strength to one day reunite with his family. These types of things weren't all that beneficial to his purposes, especially the mention of his large family, but Rin also mentioned the fact that he went out of his way to help people. As someone who had given her all to the people, only to believe she had failed them, it was especially pertinent that Artoria was able to draw comparisons between herself and him. The key difference is, Vahn had been relatively successful as an Emperor, to the point that even Gods and Goddesses willingly followed him...With her intrigue successfully stirred, Artoria had set out to obtain information from others and to personally observe Vahn's actions for herself. Seeing the intensity of his training, she was more than a little shocked, both at Scáthach's strength and Vahn's resolve. What she found strange, however, was that Nobunaga and Lakshmibai were just watching from the side, the former with a 'bored' expression on her face while the latter seemed somewhat listless. As they were sitting at a low table drinking tea, Artoria had elected to join them in order to get to know her companions better and see if they were willing to discuss their own impressions of Vahn.Now wearing a white blouse and a neat blue skirt that extended past her knees, Artoria smiled toward her two companions, asking, "May I sit here?" Though both girls had noticed her approach, it was Nobunaga who smiled before patting the seat next to her and saying, "You can take the seat right here, little lady. Come, I'll pour you some tea and we can get to know each other better~." Even though she was steadily being 'tamed' by Vahn, something she would never admit, Nobunaga found Artoria the textbook definition of beautiful. Since she had high bearing and a regal disposition, an irresistible urge to tease Artoria stirred within her heart the moment the latter asked for permission to sit down at an open table.Immediately placing Nobunaga into the 'troublesome woman' category, Artoria took the seat almost directly opposite the one she had been offered, politely stating, "Thank you for the offer, but I will have to politely decline." This caused Nobunaga to stick her tongue out in a playful manner before almost immediately turning her attention away from Artoria when a sickening crack resounded in the distance. Vahn had just been planted into the ground like a daikon, causing a huge fracture in the white 'stone' near where they were fighting. Seeing this, Nobunaga frowned slightly, complaining under her breath, "That purple monster doesn't know how to hold back..."Artoria, keying in on what Nobunaga had said, was intending to broach the subject and ask if Vahn always trained in this manner. Before the words could form on her lips, however, she saw the sad and concerned expression in Lakshmibai's eyes as she closely observed the battle between Vahn and Scáthach. Nobunaga, catching Artoria's movements out of the corner of her eye, cast her glance over before shifting her gaze to Lakshmibai. A mischevious smile formed on her face when she saw the confusion in Artoria's eyes, leading her to explain, "You don't have to mind her too much. She has been hopeless ever since Vahn gave her some 'special' attention. The girl can hardly even look him in the eye anymore, shishishishi~."Hearing Nobunaga's words, Lakshmibai's face turned red almost instantly as she quickly stammered, "It isn't that serious...! I just...I..." To this, Nobunaga just waved her hand dismissively before turning to face Artoria and warning, "You seem a little uptight so let me give you a warning, girlie. If you intend to try and muddy the waters over something like 'duty', you'd better properly prepare your heart and mind. There is nothing you could have experienced that can prepare you for what Vahn will do to you once you're alone in a room with him..." Though she tried to say this casually, even Nobunaga's face became a bit red when she remembered her most recent affair with Vahn. As for why she chose to give Artoria a warning, she had already seen through Vahn's intentions a bit and knew that 'challenging' a proud Knight was the quickest way to make them do something stupid.As even Rin had 'warned' her, Artoria furrowed her brows slightly before saying, "Surely, you must be exaggerating things..." In response to this, it was Lakshmibai who answered, her face a ruddy shade of pink as she shook her head and explained, "No, she is being serious. I had originally gone to our Master in order to have my strength bolstered for future battles. Though I knew my actions were troubling him, he still treated me so gently...I've never experienced anything like that before. During the time we were together, it was like nothing else in the world mattered at all..."Piggybacking off what Lakshmibai was saying, Nobunaga gave an understanding nod before adding, "She isn't exaggerating at all. I even have nicknames like the 'Demon King of the Sixth Heaven' and the 'Conqueror of the Warring States'. Once that man gets his hands on me...it feels like all of my ambitions and accomplishments lose their meaning. For the few 'hours' we are together, the only thing that seems to matter is that singular moment..." Though this was something she would never say in front of Vahn, Nobunaga felt 'safe' to mention it since Lakshmibai had already described what was on her mind. After all, this was the main cause for her current stress as Nobunaga slowly felt like she was losing the 'image' she had created for herself by associating with Vahn...Though Artoria had already head about the various Servants Vahn had recruited thus far, she still lacked the specific knowledge of their legends, accomplishments, and personalities. If Nobunaga was recognized as a Demon King and Conquerer by the Holy Grail, this meant she must have a strong personality. As for Lakshmibai, Rin had told her that the former was a Queen who had led a long revolution against a much stronger power in order to secure her people's independence. Neither girl had a weak personality so, seeing them act like maidens as they talked about the same man, Artoria felt a little more apprehensive about her own future. She knew that Vahn had the apparent ability to greatly empower his Servants and, believing her heart would not waver, she had intended to have her own strength increased as well. Now, however, her conviction was quickly dwindling in the face of Lakshmibai's and Nobunaga's seriousness...In an effort to guide the conversation away from bedroom talk, Artoria looked towards Vahn fighting in the distance as she asked, "Where do you think his strength and conviction come from? What drives him forward through so much pain and suffering...?" Seeing Vahn get his elbow inverted in the distance, Artoria's brow twitched almost imperceptibly as she imagined how painful such a thing would be. At the same time, Nobunaga answered, "Anyone that has known Vahn for more than a day would be able to answer that...it's because he is a hopeless idiot."Surprising Artoria, Lakshmibai nodded in response to Nobunaga's 'insult' with an affectionate smile on her face. As even Rin had referred to Vahn as a 'hopeless idiot', Artoria couldn't help asking, "Why would you say such a thing...?" This time, Nobunaga gave her a skeptical look before answering, "You must have sensed it yourself, at least a little bit. That man has no idea how to reach his goals but, no matter what he has to go through, he keeps moving towards the future without any hesitation. The thing that makes him an idiot is the fact that he could probably get there much faster if he focused on himself. Instead, he lets himself get sidetracked every time he sees someone that needs help...by the time that man reaches his goals, I imagine the whole fucking world would have been changed as a result..."Agreeing with Nobunaga's words, Lakshmibai's smile turned more radiant as she added, "For Heroic Spirits like us who had failed to reach out goals...seeing him endeavor tirelessly towards making the world a better place is inspiring. He doesn't even have to make it his primary objective...the world is changed by his presence alone..." Though she did not doubt her own cause, Lakshmibai felt a little silly when thinking about how much effort she had put into trying to protect a single Kingdom. She didn't even care about the rest of the world, choosing to focus on the people she had been charged to protect. Vahn, however, simply couldn't ignore the suffering of others once it had reached his ears. Even if he couldn't do anything at the moment, he would tirelessly endeavor to improve his own strength until he reached a point where saving 'everyone' was a possibility...Having 'failed' to protect her own Kingdom and guide its people towards the better future she had promised, Artoria was more impacted by Lakshmibai's words than all those preceding them. Since Vahn was supposed to hail from the Age of Gods, the scope of everything he did made her greatest efforts seem like those of a child playing at being King. She couldn't even manage the affairs of her own family while Vahn, seemingly without limit, extended his influence over actual Gods. Trying to compare their accomplishments made Artoria feel strangely insecure, especially since she hadn't even been able to keep order within her singular Kingdom...Seeing the reminiscent state Artoria had fallen into, Nobunaga's expression became somewhat severe as she said, "Hey now, you're not doing something pointless like regretting your life, are you? Tales of your accomplishments were even able to reach Japan more than a thousand years after you kicked the bucket. Sure, you might've fucked up a few times, but you shame everyone who believed in you by having that kind of mentality. I don't care how depressed you feel, you had better not let Vahn ever see that kind of expression on your face..."Shaking her head in response to Nobunaga's words, Artoria explained with a sad smile, "Do not worry. I have already come to terms with my failure and no longer seek to change the past. You are not the first to say such words to me, Nobunaga-dono, but I am grateful for the reminder." Though a time when she was truly without regrets would never come, Artoria had received two hard lessons in the form of the previous two Holy Grail Wars. She even treated the current and 'future' Grail Wars as a punishment for her folly of ever harboring the intention of altering the past. Even if she was to be used as nothing more than a tool to fulfill other people's dreams and desires, Artoria had hardened her heart to bear her punishment.Regardless of how resolutely Artoria made her claim, both Nobunaga and Lakshmibai were looking at her with skepticism clear on their expressions. Artoria might not be aware of it herself, but it was her mindset of 'accepting' an arbitrary punishment that Vahn would undoubtedly key in on. As a result, Nobunaga shook her head before releasing a tired sigh and muttering, "This one is going to be trouble..." Though she didn't say anything out loud, Lakshmibai was also in agreement with Nobunaga's words as, regardless of what Artoria said, even she could see the combination of sadness and acceptance within her eyes. These were two emotions that should almost never overlap, especially when it came to discussions regarding the future...Feeling that she had made the atmosphere awkward, Artoria showed an apologetic expression but, before she was able to say anything, Nobunaga interrupted by 'glaring' at her and saying, "Don't waste our time with your apologies, brat. I'd rather talk about something more interesting and just let Vahn deal with your uptight ass later on. If you don't have anything fun to talk about, just keep your mouth shut and sip on your tea like a good little girl..." Though her impression of Artoria hadn't been all that bad at first, Nobunaga now felt that she was an unbelievably troublesome girl. Knowing that Vahn would become a bleeding heart that tried to help Artoria was more than a little annoying, especially since it would eat into her own limited time with him...With that thought crossing her mind, Nobunaga sat up straight before looking at Lakshmibai and saying, "If you're gonna keep flustering about, you mind if I keep Vahn to myself for a bit?" This question caused Lakshmibai's face to turn redder, giving Nobunaga the answer she wanted. After that, she just supported her head with her elbow, completely ignoring the now-silent Artoria. It was obvious she was more than a little offended by the words Nobunaga had used previously but, as Nobunaga was even more offended by the unexpectedly 'selfish' person Artoria turned out to be, it didn't bother her at all to be hated.---By the time their training had crossed into the twelfth hour, Vahn was running on empty as his fatigued body fell forward like a marionette with its strings cut. Even going down, however, Vahn struck forward with his left hand on pure instinct, nearly impacting Scáthach's abdomen before she casually stepped to avoid it. She had originally been intending to catch him so Vahn's final attack, issued when he was already unconscious, had been a surprise for even her. As a result of his actions, however, Vahn fell face-first against the hard white floor. Though this did absolutely no damage to him, hearing the heavy 'thump' was enough to make most normal people flinch.Unfortunately for Vahn, Scáthach was far removed from any semblance of the word 'normal', resulting in her picking him up by the collar of his shirt and dragging him over to where the others were seated. She quickly glanced over Nobunaga, Lakshmibai, and Artoria, reading through each of their intentions before tossing Vahn in front of Nobunaga and saying, "He worked hard so make sure to reward him properly."As she was used to seeing how Scáthach treated Vahn, Nobunaga barely even had a reaction to her words as she prepared to pick up her beaten Master's body. Artoria, however, took exception to such uncouth actions, causing her to immediately rise up and exclaim, "Training is one thing! How can you treat the body of your Master in such a disrespectful way while still pretending to praise him!?"In response to Artoria's outburst, Nobunaga and even Lakshmibai looked at her as if she had lost her mind. As for Scáthach, her expression remained entirely unperturbed as she plainly stated, "You lack the qualifications to speak on the matter. If you intend to insult my student by insinuating he needs to be coddled, you will find I am unwilling to humor you. This is a path Vahn has set himself upon. It is not your place to speak for him, King of Knights." With that said, Scáthach wasted no time arguing with Artoria and simply vanished by returning to her Spirit form. This caused Artoria to frown even more but, as she looked around for support from the two girls that seemed infatuated with Vahn, the only thing she saw in their expressions was mild contempt and exasperation...Taking pity on Artoria, Lakshmibai explained, "This is one of the reasons why people like us are not able to achieve the things Vahn sets out to do. Almost everything he does, he does to an extreme most people can't even comprehend. Though Scáthach's methods seem ruthless, Vahn had grown much stronger over a short period of time. At the same time, his stress has eased considerably while his focus on progress has been steadily improving. He knew beforehand that Scáthach's methods were unbelievably fierce but, from the very beginning, he has never once complained at all..."Deciding to hammer the point home, Nobunaga nodded her head as she picked up Vahn's body in a princess carry and added, "If you had seen Vahn's growth with your own eyes, you would not be so quick to anger. Your words and actions are driven by pure ignorance, based solely on assumptions. Even though you have just become a part of something bigger than yourself, you are already trying to assume a position of authority that you have yet to earn. Perhaps that is why you are so filled with regrets...you are just a pretentious little princess who had everything handed to her from the start."Hearing Nobunaga's words, Artoria's expression became one of abject shock as, regardless of how desperately she wanted to refute them, she found herself unable to. Visions of her past failures played through her mind, memories that also accounted for several people saying almost the exact same words as Nobunaga. Even her own foster brother, Sir Kay, a man she had treated more dearly than most real kin, had uttered such words. She had wanted to know why he was always so brash and argumentative, leading to the man sighing deeply as he answered, "You an existence blessed from birth, forced onto a path that had been cleared by others. From the very beginning, you were intended to be a King 'beyond' the capabilities of any King past, present, or future. One day, all of this will come crashing down around you because the ideal you pursue was never possible from the beginning...you needed to earn your position, not be handed it..."By the time Artoria came back to her senses, both Lakshmibai and Nobunaga had vanished, the latter taking Vahn's body along with her. Then, much as Vahn was often inclined to do, Artoria found herself questioning the path she had walked once again...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn has become twice as good at receiving beatings~!','Nobunaga would make a good wingman xD...','Artoria is just a cyclic as Vahn (x _ x)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With the ability to sense his surroundings even while unconscious, Vahn had been vaguely aware of the small argument between Nobunaga and Artoria. He was even aware of how Nobunaga lingered over his body for an awkwardly long period of time before ultimately deciding to drink alone at the side. She seemed to have been considering whether or not to do anything to him while he 'slept' but, other than a few curious touches, Nobunaga behaved herself properly. Vahn made a mental note to 'reward' her patience later on before deciding to use the present opportunity to sort through his Inventory and go over a few options he had been considering for the future. Before any of that, however, Vahn turned his attention to his status and couldn't help but smile, albeit only in his mind.-------------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 155 (Ageless)Race: Human, Progenitor(sealed), *sealed*Parameter: [Nasuverse: 1-5]Strength: 33-&gt;35CEndurance: ★Agility: 38-&gt;39C+Magical Power: 45-&gt;48B+Good Luck: 13ECircuit Quality: EXSoul Tier: 4 (Divine Soul)[Karma]: 119-&gt;1,309[OP]: 3,141,419,213-&gt;2,978,400,125Noble Phantasm: [Enkidu:SSS]Origin: [?]Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:B], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth:A], [Chainbreaker:B], [Veil of the Traveler:SS], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Type Omega:SSS], [Executor of Akasha's Will:SS], [Martial Arts:C](new), [Instinct:D](new)Magic: [Magia Erebea:S], [Administrative Function: Space Lock:SSS]Magecraft: [Magical Trigger:SSS], [Trace:SS], [Reinforce:B], [Gradiation Air:C], [Enchant:B], [Alchemy:E], [Shundo:E-&gt;C], [Cantus Bellax:D-&gt;C], [Sagitta Magicka:E], [Od Conversion:E-&gt;D], [Primordial Rune:B](new)[Martial Arts]Rank: CUse: The user's proficiency with all close-quarters combat techniques.[Instinct]Rank: DUse: The user's ability to intuit the most optimal course of action in combat.[Primordial Rune]Rank: BUse: The precursor to [Rune Magic], dating far back to the Age of Gods. Consist of a series of thirty-nine runes that allow the user to use B~S-Ranked Magecraft without the need for chants. Current comprehension limits the user from bringing out the full potential of each rune.-------------------------------------------------------------------Though his parameters hadn't changed all that much, Vahn knew that he wasn't even using his current capabilities to their fullest extent. Even though his Strength had only gone up by a value of two, Vahn felt like he was several times stronger than before just because the increased efficiency in how he moved his body. He felt both faster and responsive as well which, when combined with the [Instinct] skill, made it almost seem as if he was closing the gap between Scáthach and himself. If not for the fact she could use the same skill at the A-Rank, Vahn felt that it would only take a few months before he was able to start landing blows on her...With that in mind, Vahn turned his attention to some of the items he had been saving since the very start of his journey in the Nasuverse. He still had an [Innate Awakening Pill], the grimoires for [Inspiration] and [Might], an [Enlightenment Stone], and his trump card, the [Skill Advancement Scroll: SSS]. Though unique items like the [Innate Awakening Pill] and [Enlightenment Stone] were undoubtedly in a league of their own, Vahn could use the [Skill Advancement Scroll: SSS] to elevate any single skill to the maximum potential within the Record. If he used it on something like [Instinct], Vahn knew he would immediately become a force to be reckoned with as, according to Scáthach, it was one of the most powerful passive skills a person could have. As even Artoria only had A-Rank [Instinct] as one of her core skills, Vahn knew the SSS-Ranked version would be truly monstrous...-------------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Artoria Pendragon]Age: 15, Chrono-DisplasiaRace: Human, True Dragon(sealed)Strength: 43AEndurance: 36BAgility: 39BMagical Power: 48A+Good Luck: 50A++Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)Noble Phantasm: [Excalibur:A~EX]Skills: [Child of Destiny:Innate:SSS], [Red Dragon's Descendant:Innate:SS], [Chivalrous Heart:Innate:S], [Charisma:B], [Instinct:A], [Mana Burst:A], [Magic Resistance:A], [Riding:B]Magic: (-)Magecraft: [Wind Manipulation:D][Charisma]Rank: BUse: The natural ability to command an army and inspire allies. At this rank, the user is qualified enough to lead a country.[Instinct]Rank: AUse: The user's ability to intuit the most optimal action in combat. At this rank, the user is not restricted by the five senses when engaged in battle.[Mana Burst]Rank: AUse: The ability to infuse the weapons and body of the user with Magical Energy before forcefully expelling it. Explosively increases offensive and defensive capabilities, creating a focused burst of magical energy that ignores most defenses.[Magic Resistance]Rank: AUse: The user's ability to resist all magic of equal rank and lower. Provides moderate resistance to higher-ranked magics.[Riding]Rank: BUse: The user's ability to use any type of animal or vehicle as a mount, guaranteeing proficiency equivalent to the skill's rank and lower.[Wind Manipulation]Rank: DUse: Allows the user to enchant the weapons, armor, and body with Wind Elemental magic.-------------------------------------------------------------------Perusing over Artoria's status, it was easy to see that she was one of the most important 'characters' within the story surrounding the Nasuverse. Though Rin also had the [Child of Destiny] Innate, the fact that Saber's was SSS-Rank implied that she was either the main character or closely associated with them. What he found most peculiar was the fact that, instead of being Ageless like other Servants, she had the unique status of Chrono-Displasia. This, combined with the fact that she wasn't a 'Fragmented' Soul was proof enough that she was a unique existence. After all, even Scáthach, who was also still alive back in the Shadow Lands, only had a 'Fragmented Divine' Soul after she had been summoned by the Holy Grail.While thinking about what he should do to increase his strength, Vahn couldn't help but humor the idea that, depending on the situation, Artoria might even be able to defeat Scáthach. Her fate made it almost impossible for her to actually experience a 'real' setback, assuming it wasn't one imposed on her by the original 'creator' of this Record. Since the flow of fate around her body wasn't of the negative variety, Vahn felt it was safe to assume that Artoria could probably bring an end to the Holy Grail War herself. She could very likely go far beyond the limits of her recorded parameters, taking down opponents that similarly skilled Servants would have no hopes of besting...Once again feeling that people with a strong fate were troublesome, Vahn set aside how 'broken' Artoria was and instead focused on his own cheat-like capabilities. Though they may not face against Gilgamesh and Circe in a short period of time, as their current location was unknown, Vahn didn't want to become fodder in the coming conflict. There was also the presence of Merlin, the existence of the shadow entity, and the peculiar Servant inhabiting Illya. All of these things had the chance of becoming a legitimate threat to himself and the people he wanted to protect, something Vahn was made keenly aware of after Merlin easily dealt with even Scáthach.To avoid having to drift along in the wake of Artoria's powerful fate, Vahn decided to bite the bullet as he looked between his [Martial Arts] and [Instinct] skills before ultimately deciding the latter was far more versatile. Then, after an extreme amount of hesitation, Vahn bid farewell to ten-billion potential OP as he used the [Skill Advancement Scroll:SSS] on his [Instinct]. At the very instant that Vahn used the scroll, it felt as if his mind had completely shut off. He was hyperaware of everything around him but, as if nothing mattered at all, he just allowed 'existence' itself to wash over him...Sensing the peculiar state Vahn had fallen into, Sis almost immediately asked, (*Vahn, are you still with me...?*). Though she had experienced the same 'nothingness' that Vahn had been developing lately, this was the first time Sis had seen him actually turn off everything. Even when Vahn was in a deep state of meditation, there would always be some kind of 'intent' contained within his actions. Now, however, it was as if all his thoughts had ceased in their entirety, causing her to feel more than a little worried, even as he immediately answered, ("I am fine.") The very same instant he said this, Sis could sense a massive flow of sensory information filling Vahn's mind until, almost as quickly as it had started, the phenomenon had come to a stop...Vahn wasn't really sure what he was feeling right now as, compared to the pleasant nothingness, his current experience was, for lack of a better descriptive, absolute apathy. Until he heard Sis' question, it felt like 'nothing' had mattered at all. Now that he was brought back to awareness, Vahn quickly decided on his next course of action before immediately 'stopping' once again. If someone were to ask what he was experiencing in these few moments, Vahn's only words would be silence as, no matter how he tried to describe the state he was in, it would be far removed from the truth. It was as if he was simultaneously experiencing 'nothing', even as an awareness of 'everything' existed within his mind...Now, instead of feeling just a little worried, Sis was genuinely concerned so she did something she would almost never do without Vahn's consent. She began to bring memories to the forefront of his mind, many showing the more unpleasant moments of Vahn's life. This caused his stagnant brain to immediately begin to cycle as, from depths even she could not probe, a cool sensation began to spread through his mind. At the same time, Vahn was brought back to a more 'solitary' awareness, more focused on his own thoughts than 'everything' else. With the clarity brought by his [Will of the Emperor], Vahn realized the state he had been in and, even though she had forced him to relive the memory of Milan's kidnapping, he eventually managed to say, ("Thank you for bringing me back...")Sis knew that Vahn wasn't all that happy so, even though he had thanked her, she still said, (*I'm sorry for doing something so extreme. I was worried you had gotten lost and couldn't find your way back without a powerful stimulus...*). Though she knew Vahn was already aware of this, Sis felt extremely apologetic and 'needed' to apologize directly. In response, Vahn fell silent for several long seconds before eventually saying, ("I forgive you..."). Since this wasn't just him trying to console her, as Vahn was slowly sorting through his actual thoughts on the matter, Sis felt a great deal of relief before answering somewhat sheepishly, (*I am always here for you...*).---Now in a semi-permanant [Will of the Emperor] state, Vahn looked at the description of his new skill with a combination of excitement and genuine shock. Instead of becoming an SSS-Ranked [Instinct], it seemed that the skill actually had evolutions further beyond. Now, following right behind his Innates, Vahn had a skill called [Laplace's Key:SSS]. When used, it would force him into a state of 'absolute awareness of all things' within a 50m space around him. It was almost like the 'ultimate' expression of his usual domain and, in a combat situation, this meant he wouldn't even need to rely on his senses at all in order to 'know' how he should react. If the skill worked in the way it seemed to work, Vahn shuddered at the thought he could simply 'turn off' his mind in the middle of a battle, becoming a perfect machine that took down his enemies...As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn couldn't help but wonder if that was how Scáthach felt when she was battling against opponents who lacked the means to obscure her [Clairvoyance]. In a way, it almost made the act of fighting feel 'pointless', as there was a guaranteed outcome against all but the most powerful opponents. Since Vahn was, technically, an existence without a fate, there should be no means for any of his enemies to counter such a ridiculous ability. Even he needed to rely on his most powerful Innate just to keep his sense of self, and that was only after Sis brought him back using extreme means...With Vahn thinking about her chosen action again, Sis gave a wry smile with non-existent lips before saying, (*There are a lot of positives associated with this skill. You have rarely fought solely for the purpose of enjoying a fight. If you are against an enemy that you otherwise would have struggled with, you now have the ability to use [Laplace's Key] to turn the tide. I do not believe you would reserve the skill if it meant you could have protected the people you care about.*). As she had the best understanding of Vahn's character, Sis knew her words would directly strike at the truth of the matter.Finding Sis' words compelling, Vahn relaxed a great deal before replying, ("You're right, Sis. The whole reason I used the scroll was to give me an advantage in the upcoming fights. If I complain about having an absolute advantage, I would be contradicting myself...hahaha...") Though Vahn still felt awkward to have such a powerful skill in his arsenal now, it was irrefutably better than not having it. Since he could still learn from himself through observing the memories of his battles, Vahn knew that [Laplace's Key] had the potential of being a powerful blessing, not a curse. Even if he got lost in the moment, Sis would always reliably bring him back. There was a chance he would even be able to master the skill through persistent efforts, making it just another part of his standard skillset in the future...Feeling far more hopeful about the future, Vahn decided he had been sleeping more than long enough. Though it had only been around half an hour, he knew that Nobunaga wasn't going to contentedly keep drinking sake at the side. He knew she was just trying to give herself a bit of courage and, after activating [Laplace's Key] for just a few seconds earlier, Vahn knew 'everything' about the current state of her body. Thus, after sitting up and rubbing his head for a short while, Vahn turned his eyes to Nobunaga who, surprising him, dropped her cup of sake and asked, "What the hell happened to you...?"Since she was looking directly at his face, Vahn pulled out a hand mirror before experiencing a small shock of his own after seeing his eyes. Though they were still the same aquamarine-green color as normal, his pupils now formed cat-like slits. Since he could normally control his appearance, Vahn stared at his own image until the pupils dilated into the form of a circle once again. He chalked it up to a side-effect of awakening his [Laplace's Key] but, as there was no skill in existence that could 'force' him to keep a certain change, Vahn simply undid it. Now, with normal eyes, Vahn smiled at Nobunaga before saying, "I can change my form however I like. When I was passed out earlier, I must have had a strange dream that caused them to change like that."As this wasn't new information to Nobunaga, she just nodded her head in turn, even though she knew there was something 'more' that Vahn hadn't alluded to. When he looked at her previously, she felt like a small child staring up at a large stranger for the first time. For a brief moment, she felt like Vahn could completely crush her without requiring any effort on his part. Now, even though he had returned to normal, Nobunaga could feel a subtle pressure lingering around his body that made her feel strangely nervous just to be around. This was mostly due to the fact he had his [Will of the Emperor] active but, after the 'shock' she had experienced previously, Nobunaga now felt 'fragile' with Vahn closer to the door than she was...Seeing the state Nobunaga was in, Vahn's expression softened a great deal as he asked in a quiet tone, "May I join you for a drink...?" He had been intending to take the lead and have a bit of fun with Nobunaga but, seeing the usually overbearing woman appear genuinely afraid, Vahn now just wanted to spend some time with her. The moment his intentions changed, Nobunaga seemed to visibly relax as an awkward but sly smile adorned her face when she said, "Sure, but you'll need to bring out a new bottle. This one is running a little low and I was starting to get a little tired of the taste anyways."Understanding that Nobunaga was doing her best to resume her 'normal' behavior, Vahn released a light chuckle before pulling out a small black bottle with gold lettering. This was another version of the [Emperor's Blood], the type of sake that had completely dominated Tsubaki, Harhime, Mikoto, Shizune, and Amaterasu. So long as you were of 'eastern' descent, hailing from a country even remotely similar to Japan, this was one of the most effective sake in his endless repertoire. Even without knowing what was inside, Nobunaga's eyes showed a glimmer of expectation from the very moment Vahn produced the bottle. It was a reaction bordering on 'instinct' as, with the exception of other types of [Emperor's Blood], there were no higher quality sakes in existence.Vahn filled a small ceramic cup with the crystal clear liquid which, in the right light, refracted a slight golden hue. Though there was no discernable aroma, Nobunaga inhaled audibly after picking up the cup, almost as if her nose was able to detect something his simply wasn't capable of. Then, after savoring the 'aroma' for a few seconds, Nobunaga downed the entire contents of her cup in a single swig. When she had finished, Nobunaga slammed the cup down on the small wooden table next to them before releasing a contented and slightly girlish, 'Phaaaa~'. Even if she didn't intend to, her eyes were slightly squinted with a happy smile on her face, something that was rare since she would normally have a more sly, snide, or mischevious look...Seeing Vahn staring at her with an amused smile on his face, Nobunaga gave a curt 'hmph' before robbing the bottle of sake from his hands. Vahn knew better than to try and keep it from her as, back in the Record of Danmachi, Tsubaki had nearly broken his arm after he tried teasing her. The only thing that mattered right now was that Nobunaga was in a much better mood than she was a few minutes ago. With that in mind, Vahn pulled out a bottle of expensive sake for himself, making sure not to pick another type of [Emperor's Blood], before the two spent a few hours just drinking, talking, and, for the first time, simply cuddling together...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Saber is a leet haxor','Vahn like a kid taking his first hit...','Nobunaga, conquered by a single bottle of sake xD. Must have been a +50 gift item...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it may have been unnecessary, Vahn lightly knocked against the door of Lakshmibai's room before waiting for a soft and melancholic voice to answer, "Come in..." This caused Rin to sigh from the side but, without allowing his expression to change, Vahn slid open the sliding partition before making his way into the room. Artoria was sitting on the two-layered futon that could, if she ever chose to use it, serve as Lakshimbai's bed. She was no longer wearing her armor, allowing Vahn to glimpse her old-fashioned but stylish dress in its full glory. Though the puffy shoulders looked a bit strange, he felt that the balance between the royal blues, pristine whites, and gold accents were all exceptional.Even though Vahn's eyes didn't even flicker, Artoria's intuition told her that he was 'evaluating' her, though in what way she could not discern. Thus, in the brief moments before Vahn sat down on a square cushion, Artoria was also evaluating him. She had already formed an initial impression after seeing him take action, as she was still aware of everything going on at the time, but it was a very different feeling seeing him now. Previously, Artoria felt as if Vahn was a bit too overconfident and, after seeing how he used [Enkidu], he seemed like the type to try and control the situation without taking decisive action. Now, however, the pressure he had emanated during the brief battle had all but faded, leaving a peculiar and gentle aura lingering around his body that seemed to both calm and inspire those around him. As a King herself, she recognized this as being an aura not all that dissimilar to the one people with high [Charisma] would possess...Artoria ultimately decided that she had a relatively neutral impression that leaned more towards a favorable one when looking at Vahn. Thus, without spending too much time focusing on him, she quickly shifted her focus to someone she had recognized from the start. Since it hadn't been that long since their parting, Artoria was surprised to see how much Rin had changed. Not only was she slightly taller, but she had become significantly more mature than the rather rash young girl she had been in the past. Though it wasn't entirely her fault, as she had been possessed by the Goddess Ishtar at the time, Artoria still hadn't quite gotten over the many embarrassing things they had done together...Once everyone had taken a seat, Artoria decided to take the initiative as, once the conversation developed to the events over the last few weeks, she wasn't sure her mood would hold out for very long. As there were a few things of a higher priority she wanted answers to, Artoria started by staring at Rin and asking, "Is Shirou participating in the War this time?" This immediately caused Rin to flinch before an apologetic and mournful expression appeared in her eyes. Since Artoria was not unfamiliar with loss, she simply closed her eyes before Rin even answered, muttering, "I see..." in a somber tone.Though the pain in her heart wasn't something she could simply get over, Saber did her best to bury the emotion deep inside of her before opening her eyes again and staring between both Vahn and Rin. The latter may not have intended to make it obvious, but she had sat a little closer to Vahn than simple associates would have, to the point that their shoulders would touch if either leaned a little bit towards the other. This allowed Artoria to deduce that Shirou had likely been dead for a few years and, given his heroic tendencies, she comforted herself by choosing to believe he had died trying to help people.With Artoria falling into a temporary silence, Vahn decided to guide the conversation himself now, starting by asking one of the questions she would have liked to delay, "I know this may not be the best time, but we need to know how long ago you were summoned. If you have any information on our enemies and their plans, it would help our cause greatly. Rin and I have set out to put an end to the Holy Grail War for good this time so we could use all the help we can get..." Vahn felt that it would expedite things if he made their goal clear from the start. Based on what Rin had said, Artoria had a selfless and dutiful personality so it was almost impossible for her to refuse a sincere request for help.Blinking in surprise, Artoria answered Vahn's question with one of her own, asking, "You have no wish you would like granted by the Grail?" Though she could understand why Rin would want to bring an end to the Holy Grail War, Artoria was curious about Vahn's reasons. Few people would pass on the opportunity to have one of their wishes granted and, based on her discernment of Vahn, he didn't seem like the type lacking in ambition and desire. At a glance, his eyes seemed to be fully focused on the present moment but, much like earlier, Artoria's intuition told her that he was unerringly moving towards the future. She even had the distinct impression that, if she were to bar his passage toward his goals, Vahn would completely destroy her...As her question wasn't all that unexpected, Vahn smiled as, from Artoria's perspective, an air of absolute confidence began radiating from his body as he plainly stated, "I do not require an object like the Holy Grail to make my wishes a reality. Even if it takes many years, I will take hold of the future with my own two hands..." Towards the end of his statement, Vahn envisioned the moment when he would reunite with his family, a vision that caused his smile to turn gentle in reflection. This was only for a brief moment, however, before he blinked and resumed his focus on Artoria's crystal clear green eyes.Artoria was slightly taken aback by Vahn's conviction but, seeing Rin at his side, she wasn't all that surprised he had such a nature. For better or worse, Rin seemed to be drawn to men who would go to great lengths to make their dreams a reality. As this was a trait she also respected a great deal, Artoria returned a small smile over her own before, much like Vahn's, it faded away a moment later. Then, without footing around the issue, she adopted a dour expression before explaining, "I was summoned twenty-three days ago within the basement of the Einzbern Castle. They used a fragment of the original Lesser Grail and a blue charm that I was unable to identify..." Reaching this point, Saber released a sigh before adding, "My original Master seemed to be a Homunculus created by the Einzberns for the sole purpose of having an affinity with me...almost immediately after I was called, that vile man was given my Master's Command Spells before those fiends simply 'disposed' of my Master..."Though she was a King, Artoria was first and foremost a Knight. Even if her Master had not been a natural-born human, her sense of duty and the code of chivalry dictated she do her best to support him. Seeing him unceremoniously stripped of his Command Spells and put to death was yet another failure that would weigh heavily on her heart. Because of this, even when she was being tormented by Alex Everdale, Artoria felt it was a just punishment for her failure. This didn't mean her resentment towards her false Master was any lesser, however, as he seemed to be an irredeemable reprobate with qualities beneath those of the worms that made the soil their home...With her expression having turned cold, Saber explained, "Due to the strain most Magus would experience as my Master, Alex Everdale was poor suited to the task of taking to the front lines. He was a scoundrel who lived in the dark and, after realizing I would not willingly follow his orders, his so-called pride was wounded. Instead of trying to obtain the Grail, he was more focused on trying to get me to submit to him, even going so far as to use two Command Spells to forcibly suppress my ego and greatly enhance my...sensitivity." As the rather awkward word left her mouth, Artoria gave a small cough before continuing where she left off, adding, "I had prepared myself for even greater shame and humiliation but, after being bound by a pillory and forced into a compromising position, that man just stood there in a daze for several hours..."Artoria could vividly remember being forced to bend over without being given any freedom of movement at all. However, after Alex had touched her for a bit, his hands stopped and he just stood there. This happened every time it seemed as if he were going to shame her completely, causing Artoria to quickly reason that someone was interfering with his attempts. It wasn't until tonight that she understood what was going on, causing her expression to darken as she explained, "It was only during our previous battle that I came to understand what was going on. That man who appeared in the sky was my former caretaker and Mentor, the so-called Magus of Flowers, Merlin."Hearing Saber's words, Rin showed genuine shock on her face as she asked, "That man was Merlin? How is he able to be summoned for the Holy Grail War? The last time you were summoned, you said that he was still alive..." As these words left her mouth, Rin realized that, other than Merlin, the same could be said for Ishtar, Ereshkigal, Scáthach, and, now, Saber. She knew that the latter two should have never been recorded on the Throne of Heroes as, regardless of the passage of time, they would never die through normal means. Both Ishtar and Ereshkigal existed on the Reverse Side of the World as well, meaning that the restriction of the Grail only being able to summon Heroic Spirits was obviously outdated information...Without pressing for more information, Rin just gestured for Saber to continue, the latter obliging by explaining, "Merlin is no mere man, but the product of forbidden love between an Incubus and a Witch hailing from a Kingdom in Wales. As a result, he has dominion over Dreams and Illusions, to the point that he could even create an entire village whose inhabitants believe they are actually alive. He must have used his magic to beguile that wicked man into believing he was actually doing all the twisted and disgusting things he had intended. As a result, my mana has constantly been draining since the start of the Holy Grail War, forcing my false Master to spend his time tormenting me and trying to replenish my mana..."Though Merlin had prevented her from being completely defiled, Artoria didn't feel all that grateful to him as, if he was already interfering with Alex, he could have prevented all the sexual harassment and other shameful acts he had forced upon her. At the same time, due to the increased sensitivity of her body and the 'urges' that came when a person was mana deprived, Artoria felt like she was on the verge of having a mental breakdown until Alex had used one of his Command Spells to replenish her depleted reserves. Fortunately, now that she had been freed from his control, the spell increasing her sensitivity was no longer in effect, even if the nightmare of the last twenty-three days was still fresh on her mind...With Artoria's explanation closely matching the assumptions he had already drawn, Vahn wasn't all that surprised. He had experienced the power of Dreams and Illusions within Danmachi, including the terrifying power of the Goddess Maya. What he was most concerned about was the question he asked almost as soon as Artoria seemed to recover her composure, "Is he our enemy...?" To this, Artoria frowned slightly before shaking her head and answering, "Merlin may be an unreliable and licentious Magus, but he is undoubtedly an ally to humanity. Even if all the Masters participating in the Holy Grail War combined their Command Spells, I would not believe for a moment that man was under their control. When he is involved, dream and reality become almost indiscernible from each other...however, the fact remains that I cannot even comprehend an existence beyond Merlin's..."Since Vahn also got the impression that Merlin bore no ill-will towards them, he didn't doubt Artoria's words, concluding, "That means there is a good chance he has been summoned as the Ruler-Class Servant." The moment these words left his mouth, Artoria surprised everyone by suddenly bursting into laughter. Then, when she saw the looks Vahn and Rin were giving her, a brief hint of a blush colored her cheeks as she said, "Sorry, I couldn't help thinking how ridiculous the thought of Merlin as any kind of 'Ruler' was. However, I do not doubt that your intuition is correct. That girl, Ilya, is undoubtedly the vessel for the Lesser Grail once again. She also has a non-standard Spirit summoned into her body, though I am unaware of its identity."Hearing Saber's words, Rin released a profound sigh while supporting her head with her hand. Then, with an empathetic yet frustrated voice, she muttered, "That girl just can't catch a break." Following this, Rin raised her head and, seeing the confusion in Vahn's eyes, explained, "Illya had been the vessel for the Lesser Grail during the previous war as well. She was intended to be the Einzbern's trump card as, using normal means, no other Master would have a chance at victory if they went out of their way to kill her. If not for Gilgamesh appearing and throwing a wrench into everything, there is a good chance that Ilya would have been the final victor of the Fifth Holy Grail War..."Even without Rin going into too many details, Vahn could fill in the rest of the blanks on his own. Since Illya had been the Einzbern's trump card previously, there was no reason they wouldn't try the same tactic. They even took it a step further by making her into the vessel for a non-standard Servant while, if his intuition proved correct, there were other secrets contained within her body. There weren't too many things his [Eyes of Truth] were unable to see through and, considering that Merlin had come to her aid, his intuition had a high chance of being vindicated later. The problem was, much like Rin stated, Illya really couldn't seem to catch a break. Vahn felt terrible to see such a small girl suffering through such tragedies, regardless of her actual age...Since mulling over such things was a fruitless endeavor, Vahn set aside the matter of Illya's tragic fate before stating, "If we are afforded the opportunity, we can try to help Illya. For now, we need to focus on our primary objective and thinking about our next course of action. Tonight has revealed a great many things and, with the exception of the final Caster and Archer-Class Servants, we now know the identities of every participant within the war..." Though Vahn had more to say, he saw Arotria furrow her brows in response to his words, followed by her claiming, "I know the identities of the final enemy Archer and Caster..."Though Vahn was pleased by this revelation, Rin seemed to understand the meaning behind Artoria's expression as she practically jumped up from her cushion and exclaimed, "Is it that arrogant asshole...!?" To this, Artoria nodded, her own expression just as fierce as Rin's as she explained, "Last night, the Einzbern Forest was invaded by the Archer-Class, Gilgamesh, and the Caster-Class, Circe. The latter was the one to set the forest ablaze but, after I was sent to repel them, Gilgamesh forced her to pull back. When he saw me...that reprobate said he would be back to 'collect' me at a later date. After that, they disappeared into the sky with Circe clinging to his arm like a nymph..."Rin seemed to take Artoria's words hard as, shortly after rising to her feet, she clutched her side as a pained expression contended against her anger. This was enough to make Vahn's decision for him so, even though Artoria looked at him with an accusatory gaze, Vahn guided Rin to his lap before slipping his hand under her shirt. Before she could have a panic attack, he explained, "I am going to heal your scar. Sit still and behave..." Though he had intended to heal her scar after she asked, Vahn felt like that notion was rather silly after seeing Rin suffer from its existence. Thus, after a little under three minutes, he had completely repaired the damaged nerves in the area, leaving behind nothing but a slightly paler white spot on Rin's smooth abdomen.Since she didn't seem capable of moving on her own accord, Vahn lifted Rin's body by hooking his hands under her armpits, lifting her as if she were weightless before planting her on the square cushion to his right. Her face was already red before but, after being 'manhandled', Rin's complexion had become scarlet as her eyes darted around in their sockets, words completely failing her. At this time, Vahn turned his attention to Artoria and said, "Welcome to the team, Artoria. It may be a little late for introductions, but my name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason, known better by my former title as the Sage Emperor of the Aldrnari Empire. You need not call me Master, but know that I have high expectations for the famed King of Knights. For the time being, you should catch up with Rin so she can get you up to speed on our operations. There are many things I'm not suited to comment on, so I will excuse myself for the time being..."As Artoria had even greater bearing than many of the other Kings and Queens he had met, Vahn felt the need to speak politely now that the conversation had come to an end. He knew that, after seeing what he had done to Rin, such words would make her feel a little conflicted in regards to how she should treat him. It wasn't his intention to exploit her, especially after what she had experienced, but Vahn knew it was to all of their benefits if things were smoothened over a bit. By entrusting her to Rin, at least for the time being, Vahn intended to cultivate Artoria's intrigued by having her hear about him from the others instead of revealing everything himself. At the same time, he intended to do much the same when he was alone with Rin, at least until Artoria herself began to speak on the matters of her past...With that in mind, Vahn didn't wait for Artoria's response as he quickly, but calmly, exited the room It felt a little strange, using the techniques Loki had practically forced into his brain, but Vahn was already feeling as though he had passed beyond the point of no return. Now, he was focused on forging powerful bonds with the people that would likely become his allies over the next few years. He still lacked the method to travel to another timeline and, though the 'wish' granted to him after destroying the Grail might facilitate the transfer, Vahn had no intention of using it. He had barely gotten his feet wet in this new world and, until he was absolutely confident in his capabilities once again, Vahn intended to bide his time and endeavor to increase his strength as much as possible over the next few years. To facilitate his growth, Vahn was already formulating a plan within his mind to create a small organization comprised of the Servants he was able to obtain during the Holy Grail War. With individuals like Scáthach, Paracelsus, Artoria, and potentially even Merlin, Vahn believed he could create an organization that could shake the foundation that had corrupted this world with its greed...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP little homunculus bro...','Merlin half-assing things...','The moment Vahn starts getting his d*ck wet, he immediately starts plotting world domination...Sis, where you at!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1074: Values