Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With Raikou, Kintoki, Chang'e, Shirou, and Hou Yi present, the Heroes Faction was only missing one contender. Traditionally, this would be Musashi, but, due to the nature of her 'nothingness', it was all but impossible to detect her before she appeared.Fortunately, while Musashi might be undetectable through normal means, Vahn had seen her appear within the Flow of Fate. He wasn't exactly sure when she would arrive, but, even if someone else was to take her place during the event, he was confident she would make an appearance near the end...In an effort to 'trigger' the event, Vahn turned his attention from the new arrivals, directing his gaze to Hou Yi as he asked, "Where is your final contender? We have already decided to wrap things up quickly, so it would be in all of our best interests to proceed to the main event."Though Vahn's words sounded overbearing, none present doubted the fact he could back up his bravado with results. Thus, rather than show any offense, Hou Yi nodded in understanding, saying, "Had things gone as intended, Lady Musashi would have appeared towards the end, fighting Your Imperial Majesty in your weakened state. We cannot truly fathom Your Imperial Majesty's power, so, as remiss as I am to say, we must rely on underhanded means just to balance the playing field..."Towards the end of his words, Hou Yi offered an apologetic bow, holding the position for several seconds before raising his head and adding, "In lieu of recent developments, I fear we must rely on another to take her place. As for who...I'm certain Your Imperial Majesty has already foreseen it..."As he had, indeed, been taking a peek into the near-future, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation to Hou Yi's claim. There was only one other Heroic Spirit present, and, though she was nowhere to be seen, Vahn knew Danzō was lingering within the void. She might be an Artificial Human but, due to her nature as a Heroic Spirit, she could freely transition between her Spiritual and Physical forms. As a result, she could freely conceal herself within the void, taking advantage of her A-Rank [Presence Concealment] to evade his senses.Deciding it would be more interesting to allow her to surprise him, Vahn stopped sneaking peeks at the future, smiling as he asked, "Shall we begin?"Without waiting for a response, Vahn activated the [Virtual Reality Marble], creating a projection that perfectly matched even the location of rubble within the real world. If you were to venture above the surface, you would even find the Forbidden City, replicated down the most minute details. You would have to travel nearly 100km from the center of the [Virtual Reality Marble] to find any discrepancies. Beyond that point, the world became a vast and empty wasteland. Eventually, it even became a white plane, extending outward for approximately three light-years before the orb was no longer able to properly 'render' the virtual space.As there were no other major preparations necessary, Vahn raised his hand towards the ceiling, a mass of swirling energy appearing in his palm as he said, "Let's open things up. It's a little stuffy in here."Immediately following Vahn's words, black light could be seen spreading within the mass of energy in his hand, an indicator that a singularity had been formed. This caused Hou Yi to draw his bow, but, despite releasing an arrow that seemed to 'teleport' through the void, it wasn't enough to deter the destructive energy gathered within Vahn's palm.Using the forearm of his left hand in a vain attempt to deflect Hou Yi's arrow, Vahn grimaced slightly before saying, "It's too late. Witness the power we have been cultivating since our ascension. Since it seems you called me here to demonstrate my power, it would be rude of us to hold back!"Ignoring the fact he was quickly turning into a pincushion, Vahn condensed the Space around him to prevent others from attacking as he shouted, "Fixate! Seize! Load magic, 'Void Emperor'!"Following Vahn's echoing shout, a vibrant white light seemed to cut through everything, temporarily blinding anyone looking directly at him. Then, accompanied by what sounded like a distant vibration, one which caused people's instincts to scream in protest, the light seemed to rapidly 'retract', rather than fade away. By the time visibility had returned, the eerie vibration had increased exponentially in intensity, to the point of resonating within the hearts and minds of everyone bearing witness to the maddening event before them...Where Vahn had previously stood, an amorphous blob of what appeared to be 'pure void' could be seen attempting to form a human shape. It seemed to be struggling greatly to accomplish this, but, despite the rather awkward movements, it caused catastrophic damage to the surrounding Space. It was like a living spatial tear, representing a gravitational singularity that, against common sense, was slowly gaining physical form...Despite the cracks spreading through the area, causing reddish-black lightning to tear through the surrounding arena, Hou Yi leaped high into the sky, shouting, "We must stop him before he finishes his transformation! That is not a power that should exist in this world...!"Immediately after shouting, Hou Hi began to charge a phenomenal amount of energy into a single arrow, his muscles straining with enough force to spontaneously 'annihilate' his tunic. This left his muscular body exposed, allowing those with enhanced perception to see a dragon pattern lighting up across his body. It quickly coiled around his torso before making its way along his left arm and flowing into the ornate wooden bow, causing vibrant golden light to spread across its surface as the drawn arrow began to distort the already chaotic Space.While Hou Yi was preparing his Noble Phantasm, the other members of the Heroes Faction hadn't been sitting idle. Shirou had attempted to overwrite the surrounding Space by releasing his Reality Marble, but, before he could even finish his incantation, blood spurted from his arms, the result of his muscles rupturing due to a backlash. Fortunately, Chang'e was there to heal him, mending his wounds while Kintoki used his physical body to try and shield them.Entrusting Shirou to Chang'e and Kintoki, Raikou had followed the example of Hou Yi, leaping into the air. Instead of charging her attack from a distance, however, she propelled herself directly toward the expanding singularity, a fearless look reflected in her dark-purple eyes as she incanted, "A strong foe stands before us. Come forth, Divine Messenger of the Ox-Head King. Become a manifestation of my memories, the echo of my beloved allies. Together, we will strike at the heart of our fated enemy, purging sin from this world! Ox-King Storm Call - The Inescapable Net of Heaven! Burn my foe until not even ashes remain...!"Though her incantation contained several verses, Raikou was able to complete it before she neared the spatial anomaly that had appeared. In response to her call, vibrant purple lighting tore through the area, culminating into four identical copies of Raikou, the only exception being their individual weapons. Each wielded a weapon representative of the Four Heavenly Kings, being a naginata, bow, ax, and zanmato, respectively...While her doppelgangers unleashed powerful attacks against the anomalous blob, Raikou began to build up even more purple lightning, this time infusing it directly into her katana. The blade turned a vibrant purple that was hard to look at, its force strong enough to rupture Space and Time as she unleashed it towards the mass presumed to be Vahn. As a result, a veritable 'pillar' of anti-demonic purple lightning, more than ten meters in diameter, smashed into the nebulous void, forcing it to lose its form but ultimately proving ineffective at destroying it.Though it might have seemed like her attack simply wasn't strong enough, Raikou had felt more than ninety percent of its power 'siphoned' away in an instant. This was even more troublesome, as, from what they had gathered, Vahn should be relatively weak against elements such as Lightning. If even her Ox-King Storm Call was unable to affect him, despite being able to seal away entities such as Shuten and Ibaraki with ease, they were in for a tough battle...Just as this thought crossed her mind, Raikou felt her body forcibly pulled away back, two muscular arms hugging her body mere moments before she was sucked into the rapidly growing gravitational well. When she turned her head, she saw Kintoki with an awkward smile on his face, his sunglasses no longer present as they had been sucked in by the expanding gravity. This allowed Raikou to see the concern in his eyes, causing her heart to melt as they were both pulled to safety by a tether that had been produced by Shirou.With Raikou cleared from the blast area, Hou Yi wasted no time in finishing his own incantation, his voice sounding unnaturally calm as he stated, "Vestige of Divine Authority. Remnants of the God of Archery. Strike down those whose pride has victimized the innocent. I offer all that I am in the name of peace. Behold the arrow that darkened the Eight Blessed Suns. Solar Devastation...!"During Hou Yi's chant, a phenomenal amount of energy had torn through the surroundings, ripping apart much of the arena and obliterating it. If not for Chang'e's Jade Rabbit protecting the Xiantian Elders, they would have been destroyed by the ambient energy. Fortunately, their lives were briefly extended, allowing them to witness one of their greatest Ancestors perform a feat immortalized in legend...Without paying any attention to his surroundings, Hou Yi became one, not with his bow, but the arrow he had fired. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, his perception of his surroundings fading to the point only he and Vahn existed. He could feel himself tear through the condensed Space as if it was a thin vapor, the tumultuous energy having no effect on him as he approached a state infinitely close to enlightenment...After what felt like an inordinately long period of time, Hou Yi felt 'himself' pierce into the nebulous void, his perception nearly being snuffed out in the process. Before this could happen, however, he felt his mind expand, extending far beyond Vahn and the Forbidden City. For a brief moment, it felt like he had become one with the Universe itself, but, just as quickly as it came, this sensation faded into obscurity, replaced by what appeared to be a Sun, albeit only 30m in diameter.As stars weren't exactly things that could be stared at, nearly everyone present was forced to either avert their eyes or shield them. It wasn't until the nascent star began to shift into an iridescent black that they were finally able to see a phenomenon similar to a solar eclipse. It was pitch black in the center, but, along the periphery, vibrant white light could be seen cascading in wisps. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the star simply 'collapsed', shrinking to the size of a marble before blinking out of existence in an instant...Though they weren't foolish enough to believe Vahn was dead, as his 'real' body was still outside of the [Virtual Reality Marble], nearly everyone present was surprised to see his nebulous form vanish. It was completely beyond their expectations, Vahn's 'confidence' still fresh on their minds. Though he had a propensity for showing off, he almost always had the means to back it up, often in ways they couldn't even comprehend prior to witnessing them...As if to meet this expectation, an impossibly small black 'dot' appeared in the area where Vahn had been standing previously. By the time anyone even noticed it was there, a ghostly voice could be heard echoing through the surroundings, sounding slightly amused as it said, "The Void is eternal. It cannot be destroyed. Even when the Universes fades to nothingness, the Void will remain, patiently awaiting the formation of a new Universe and the endless possibilities represented within. Witness one of the few absolute truths..."Following the soul-shaking voice, the tiny black 'dot' quickly expanded, growing to the size of an adult male. Though it lacked the fine details, such as individual fingers, toes, and facial features, everyone present knew the anomalous figure was Vahn. Instead of being pitch-black, however, he now appeared to be formed from the fabric of the Universe itself, swirling galaxies and countless stars visible 'within' his body.Witnessing the scene, even the members of the Heroes Faction were stunned to silence. Even Hou Yi and Chang'e felt like they were gazing into Eternity itself, a vast and unfathomable power that simply transcended everything else. They couldn't even sense Vahn, only an existential dread that promised absolute destruction if they attempted to oppose it. After all, even if you were a True Immortal, able to survive for billions of years without expiration, you would still expire an infinite number of years before Eternity came to pass...Without speaking further, Vahn extended his 'hands' outward, breaking those with stronger wills free from their stupor. Ultimately, it didn't matter what they tried to do, however, as, from the perspective of Vahn, they had stopped moving completely. You would need to be Tier 5, able to exist outside the Time Axis, to have any hope of confronting his current form. Thus, before lightning could even begin to flicker across Raikou's body, light capable of causing existential dread began to emerge from the center of his being as he muttered, "Regula Mundi...Birth of the Universe..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn low-key wanting to spend time with Musashi...','What kind of boss fight starts at the final phase!?','O____________________O')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Vahn's penultimate goal within the Nasuverse was to be able to absorb the planet, or, at the very least, Avalon, into his Soul. He had spent a considerable amount of time in this endeavor, studying the Realms of Arcueid, Illya, Aoko, Tiamat, Azathoth, and, most recently, Artoria.Since the flow of time within a Realm, referred to as a Marble Phantasm in the Nasuverse, could be completely severed from the Time Axis, Vahn had a functionally infinite amount of time to perform his research. As a result, he had already spent years researching the phenomenon further, increasing his age by nearly a decade in the last six months. This brought him infinitely closer to his goal, and, though it often felt like he was still at the starting line, Vahn's understanding of his 'true nature' had allowed him to reach a level of power beyond his past self's comprehension.The Path was an existence that exceeded the Tier System in its entirety. It was something beyond even 'concept' itself, serving ad the foundation that allowed for such things to exist. There were no limits to The Path's capabilities, it's only restrictions being the comprehension of the user and their willingness to 'discard' everything, becoming something 'more'.If he sincerely desired it, discarding all other thoughts, Vahn would be able to reach a pinnacle of power that even the most powerful beings within the Records were unable to comprehend. The only thing that held him back was his 'humanity', his desire for freedom, and, most importantly, his family. These were things he would never give up, and, while it would undoubtedly let him become stronger in a short period of time, Vahn believed this was a 'dead-end' path. After all, what was the point of power when your very reason for obtaining it was lost in the process?As these thoughts crossed his mind, Vahn opened, not his eyes, but his 'awareness' of everything. It was similar to the omniscience he had experienced during his battle against Heracles, a state that, at the time, was so overwhelming that it threatened to sever his connection to the Record. Now, Vahn had reached a point where, unless he willed it so, the only thing that could eject him from a Record was the Quest function, as, even if they tried their hardest, Akasha and her Superior would never be able to 'erase' his existence. This was power only he, as The Path itself, possessed...Though he no longer had a body to speak from, Vahn's voice seemed to echo through the nebulous 'cosmos' that had come into existence as a result of his [Regula Mundi], stating, "Conscience is not the result of chance. It is not born from the creation of the Universe, rather, the Universe only exists in response to the conscience desire to 'be'. So long as the possibility of existence remains, there are no limits to the ways in which it can be expressed. Eternity is merely the framework. Reality is merely the byproduct...now, 'Awaken'."One of the most powerful forms of 'Magic' was 'Authority', the ability to manifest your intent, and, at times, shape reality to your expectations. So long as you had a strong enough Willpower, controlling life and fate itself wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. Rather, even when he began to awaken his powers back in Danmachi, Vahn had experienced this power first hand. He had been able to order those with weaker wills to simply 'vanish', turning them to dust and effectively erasing them with, not with the word itself, but with the intent contained within...Following Vahn's command, particulates seemed to gather from within the void, quickly coalescing into the shape of five naked bodies. This hadn't exactly been his intention, so, immediately after they were given form, Vahn found himself stating, "There is no shame in the form of existence. It is in the pursuit of individuality that we seek to hide, concealing the beauty of creation behind facades, both real and abstract. Free will is the burden placed upon sapient life, laying the foundation of all paths, past, present, and future. To protect that which you hold dear, the right to 'Conceal' has been given."Before any of the Heroes could even begin to understand what was happening, their bodies became shrouded in garments that appeared to be woven from the fabric of the Cosmos. The only exception to this was Kintoko, who, perhaps as a result of his 'confidence', remained almost completely naked. The only thing covered were his eyes, concealed behind sunglasses that were formed from the same material as everyone else's clothes.As they had manifested next to each other, Raikou seemed to lose interest in their peculiar situation, staring at Kintoki with an appraising look before smiling as she said, "Kintoki-kun...it seems we need to have a long discussion once we return..."Even before Raikou had finished her words, clothes manifested to cover Kintoki's body. At the same time, he rubbed the back of his head, saying in an awkward tone, "Don't blame me for this, Ma. Even I know better than to walk around completely naked..."Seeing the interaction between the two, everyone else was in a slight stupor, unable to understand the situation they were in. They seemed to be floating in outer space, but, despite an apparent lack of atmosphere, they were able to breathe with relative ease. Chang'e and Hou Yi even felt like they had returned to the Heavenly Jade Realm. There was such an extreme amount of Heavenly Energy, also known as Divine Energy, that their Divinity seemed to be gradually increasing in purity.As if sensing their thoughts, a majestic voice that seemed to emanate from 'everywhere' stated, "The various Heavens are Realms given shape by the Intention of powerful beings. This is not Heaven. It is a Realm of Possibility, a blank slate by which Infinite Potentials can be realized. Here, the influence of the Laws has no meaning. Even Space, Time, and Fate did not exist before they were observed. Here, Expectation and Intent reign supreme, fueled by Willpower and empowered by the Soul..."Following his explanation, Vahn willed himself into existence, further stunning everyone present by appearing as a being that dwarfed even planets. His skin no longer possessed the nebulous quality from before. Instead, his upper body was left bare, gentle golden light radiating a calm and peaceful aura that seemed to stretch outward without limit. As for his lower body, it was veiled by the fabric of Space, sewn together by runic constellations and patterned with distant Nebulas. Atop his head, a nine-pointed symbol formed of golden light appeared like a halo, while, behind his back, a dharmic wheel, formed from pale-gold and covered in countless runes, appeared to slowly revolve.Seeing Vahn's appearance, even Shirou couldn't shake the feeling he was standing before an all-powerful God. There was a greater disparity between the current Vahn and all of them combined than the disparity that would exist between a normal human and a single ant. The human would be able to kill the ant with ease, but, depending on the circumstances, the ant could still sting or bite before its death. Even if they combined all of their powers, however, they would be unable to cause even a small amount of damage to the current Vahn, as, despite appearing right before them, they would need to travel more than five-hundred-thousand kilometers just to reach him...While everyone was still stunned, Vahn explained, "This entire space exists within me. What you see before you is nothing more than an Avatar, a physical manifestation of my Will. All things, including Time and Space, are relative. In truth, I can only maintain this ability for three seconds in reality. Yet, due to the relative nature of all things, an eternity could pass within this place before my energy runs out. If I so desired, it would be possible to seal you within this place for Eternity. Unfortunately, that would require that I stay within, as, much like reality itself, it must be observed to maintain its form..."Hearing Vahn's explanation, Hou Yi decided to speak out, asking in a hesitant tone, "Is this place truly another Universe? Have you reached the level of the Primordial Creation...?"As deception was 'meaningless' in this state, Vahn shook his head in response to Hou Yi's question, answering, "Not yet." in a decisive tone.Though it wasn't wrong to say he was capable of creating a nascent Universe, his understanding of the Laws was severely lacking. He would not be able to create life from scratch, and, unless he closely observed those within, they could cease to exist at any given moment. To make matters even worse, there was a chance that any reasonably powerful entity sealed within would simply be able to escape, endangering the entire 'Universe' by targetting his body back in the 'real' world.Ultimately, unless he could reach Tier 5, Vahn was limited to 'emulating' their capabilities. Actual Tier 5s were able to maintain their Realms without any actual effort. Rather, it was a natural part of their existence, and, while it was possible for others to influence the form of their Realm, destroying it was virtually impossible. As for his, it was closer in form and function to a Reality Marble, albeit infinitely more powerful...Rather than feel any kind of 'relief' at the fact that Vahn wasn't yet at the level of Primordial Creation, Hou Yi was shaken by the confidence contained in his voice when stating 'Not yet'. Vahn seemed to possess no doubts that he would eventually reach that point, and, after witnessing this incident, both Hou Yi and Chang'e believed this was the case. This meant, at some point in the future, Vahn would even exceed the Jade Emperor and reach the level of 'Tao', rivaling the Three Pure Ones to become a manifestation of the myriad paths in which people take in life.As he was aware of all things within his domain, Vahn could sense Hou Yi's thoughts, finding them to be rather interesting. After all, he was, quite literally, The Path. His existence already transcended the Three Pure Ones mentioned in Taoist Philosophy and Mythos. Once his Soul Tier advanced, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that he could become the Creator of his own Universe. By the time he neared the peak of Tier 5, even creating a Multiversal System wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.Comforted by the thought he was slowly beginning to comprehend the path he was walking, Vahn adopted a smile as he said, "Trying to comprehend the nature of my being would require being near the same level. I am not bound by the pinnacles in which you can imagine, as, much like this space itself, I represent infinite possibilities...not just for myself, but for all things. There are no limitations, only the restrictions placed upon us by Fate, Karma, and ourselves..."Toward the end of his words, Vahn manifested a small star in his hand, smiling 'benevolently' as he sent it hurling toward the unsuspecting group. This caused them to panic quite a bit, but, with the exception of Chang'e and Hou Yi, the others weren't able to freely move in an environment without gravity. As a result, the [Elemental Star], traveling nearly a third the speed of light, enveloped Raikou, Kintoki, and Shirou. Then, before Chang'e and Hou Yi could retreat to a safe distance, the star began to expand, growing from 30,000km to nearly 3,000,000km in diameter in an instant, enveloping them before they could even embrace each other one final time...Though it wouldn't have been impossible for them to resist, only Innate abilities and those that had been cultivated through a concerted effort could be used within Vahn's [Regula Mundi]. Things such as Divinity had no effect as, within the nascent Universe, the Laws themselves had yet to be defined. The majority of Gods couldn't even use their Divinity beyond the boundaries of the Global Bounded Field, so, here, in a place where Gaia and Alaya simply didn't exist, they would have to rely on their own powers, not those granted to them.Content with the results of his 'experiment', Vahn gave a curt nod, internally stating, ("It seems even power and authority are a matter of perspective...at this rate, my plans will be complete long before Akasha and her Superiors begin to suspect anything...")In response to his musing, Sis gave an amused chuckle before adopting a slightly serious voice and stating, (*You still need to be careful. They may be none-the-wiser within the Virtual World, but, who knows what will happen if you attempt to meddle with reality? There are several Tier 5 entities that are bound to Gaia. You need to earn her cooperation if you want to avoid any future troubles.*)As his thoughts coincided with Sis', Vahn was well aware of what he had to do in order to ensure his plan was a success. Fortunately, the wish he had made nearly two-months prior had set the stage, so, after taking care of a few loose strings, he was ready to carry out his plan. The most important part was increasing his own power, but, with the assistance of Artoria and the rest, he had a functionally infinite amount of time to cover that particular issue.With his thoughts organized, Vahn's smile began to slowly fade away as he looked around at the nascent universe is had created. It was vast and infinite in scope, but, while it was possible to find a myriad and planets and stars, it was completely barren of life. Since he could sense 'everything', it was a rather disheartening realization that allowed him to understand why Gods were so eager to create life.Shaking his head, Vahn cleared away any sentiments he had for his creation, his golden irises taking on a pitch-black, abyssal, coloration as he extended his arms and declared, "Interim Mundi...Return to Oblivion..."The moment Vahn's 'words' fell, it was almost like an analog television had been shut off, causing all of reality to simply 'blink' out of existence. The only thing that remained was a single, infinitesimally small, point of light, but, without anything there to observe its existence, it, too, slowly faded from existence...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this Heaven's Will...!?','The biggest of bois...','All things originate from and return to Oblivion...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Hearing Wukong's rather ridiculous claims, Vahn slowed descended until his feet touched the ground. Immediately afterward, a large eruption of golden light radiated from his body, causing the surrounding array to fracture completely. Each of the runic symbols maintaining its structure went dark, and, by the time the light cleared away, he could be seen standing in his humanoid dragon form as he dully stated, "The battle began the moment you attacked us. Ready yourself, Wukong..."Immediately after his words fell, Vahn's body vanished from view before suddenly emerging from a spatial tear to the left of Wukong. She attempted to sweep her [Ruyi Jingu Bang] towards his rib cage, but, as the scarlet-gold staff made contact with Vahn's body, it passed through completely harmlessly. In the next moment, Wukong felt a phenomenal impact from behind, causing her to arch backward as Vahn's tail smashed into the small of her back.For reasons Vahn's even Vahn wasn't entirely sure of, sweeping opponents with his tail always seemed to cause 'critical' damage. He could feel more than half of Wukong's thoracic and lumbar bones shatter under the force of the impact, momentarily crippling her lower body and causing the exposed skin to turn brackish-purple due to internal hemorrhaging. She even coughed up a heavy volume of blood, but, as if it was only a minor inconvenience, Wukong used her staff to lift her body, extending its length to vault through the air as a massive amount of steam erupted from her wounds.With Wukong leaping through the air, an expectant look flashed across Vahn's eyes as a golden light began to spread through his domain. Dozens of acceleration gates began to appear in the surrounding Space, and, though it had a significantly different impact, the various blades, spears, and other weapons caused the nearby Shirou's eyes to widen as he retorted, "You've obtained the [Gate of Babylon]!?"Obviously ignoring Shirou's distraction, Vahn began to release projectiles towards Wukong, each traveling upwards of Mach 10. Most of these were unable to penetrate through the invulnerability provided by the [Golden Chainmail Vest], but, even if they dealt no actual damage, they were still able to knock her around a bit. Her invulnerability didn't 'negate' damage in the same was as his own immunity. Rather, it simply made her very, very, hard.Though her [Cloud Walking Shoes] allowed her to freely move through the air as if it was solid ground, Wukong's actual Agility was only B-Rank. This made evading Vahn's attacks difficult, as, due to the nature of his domain, he was able to easily launch attacks from her blindspots. Even standing her ground was impossible, as, the moment she became stationary, simultaneous blows would strike from various angles.Getting frustrated due to the constant barrage, combined with her diminishing reserves, Wukong adopted a rather vicious scowl as she shouted, "You liza-"Interrupting Wukong's outburst, Vahn appeared like a phantom directly in front of her, a serious look on his face as he stated, "We are the Sage Dragon Emperor. Checkmate."Before Wukong's mind could fully even process his words, Vahn's palm came to rest against her exposed abdomen. This seemed to be a relatively powerless attack, but, as he had compressed all of his momenta into the blow, manipulating it to wreak havoc within her body rather than allowing it to dissipate naturally. As a result, most of Wukong's internal organs had been ruptured, a heavy volume of blood erupting from her seven orifices as she immediately lost consciousness.Now that he was no longer in his complete transformation, Vahn was reminded of just how small Wukong's body was. Though she had a fit and shapely figure, her actual height was only 145cm, making her even shorter than petite women like Circe. This actually made her taller than she was 'supposed' to be, as the original Wukong was only around 122cm, but, compared to her weight, her height was rather negligible.Despite her diminutive size, Wukong was close to 180kg, so, with [Ruyi Jingu Bang] still gripped tightly in her right hand, Vahn had to heft nearly 8200kg just to support her body. Fortunately, even if she was ten times heavier, Vahn would be able to easily support her with a single hand. Instead, as there was a very real chance she would awaken to bite or bash him, he elected to use his telekinesis, dangling her unconscious body as he returned to the center of the arena.After confirming that most of Wukong's injuries were rapidly healing, Vahn turned his attention to Shirou and Hou Yi, asking, "Now that your array is broken, what are your intentions?"Hearing Vahn's question, Hou Yi released a tired-sounding sigh before answering, "I had hoped to avoid causing too much damage to the surroundings. It would seem our plan been for naught, but, before we surrender the fight, we would invite Your Imperial Majesty to one final challenge."Without having to think about it for too long, Vahn nodded his head, curious about what kind of back up plan they had concocted. The Heroes Faction had grown considerably over the past six months, so, while powerhouses like Wukong were certainly troublesome, there were at least three 'people' who greatly exceeded the Monkey King's prowess in battle. At the very least, he was still expecting Musashi to make an appearance, as, given her nature, she couldn't pass on a chance to do battle against a strong opponent.As he had a decent understanding of Vahn's character, Hou Yi knew he would be disappointed if they called him out without providing an actual challenge. Thus, while their original objective had already been achieved, striking fear into the hearts of the Xiantian Elders, he pulled out his ornate wooden bow and said, "We had planned for eight contestants to do battle. Is His Imperial Majesty willing to continue...?"Seeing Hou Yi pull out his bow, Vahn's expression became more serious, his eyes shifting back to their blazing gold color. Though Hou Yi wasn't all that fast and powerful, his skill with the bow was comparable to Musashi's with the sword. He didn't even have to move during a battle, his arrows defying all rhyme and reason as they suppressed his opponents with oppressive might. Vahn had even asked the man for a few lessons, as, compared to the skills he had once prided himself in, he was practically a novice compared to Hou Yi...Realizing Hou Yi was still waiting for his response, Vahn briefly shifted his attention to Wukong before ultimately nodding his head and saying, "We accept. This time, you should all come at once. Show me the might of your Heroes Faction."As he spoke, Vahn pulled out one of Da Vinci's upgraded Virtual Reality Marbles, one specifically designed to withstand several blows from an EX-Rank Noble Phantasm. It would eventually break down if the interior Space became unstable, but, compared to fighting in the open and severely damaging both the environment and the surrounding infrastructure, it was infinitely better.Seeing the familiar orb in Vahn's hand, Hou Yi couldn't help but smile wryly. Though it would have negated the effectiveness of their trap, it would have saved them a lot of future troubles if he had used it sooner. Now, once the shock and awe wore off, the various Xiantian Elders and Patriarchs would undoubtedly throw a fit about the destroyed arena. It was an artifact that had been passed through the generations for millennia, so, even if they wanted to repair it, doing so would take a considerable amount of time and effort...Acquiescing to Vahn's demand, Hou Yi gave a curt nod towards Shirou, who, after releasing an exasperated sigh, attempted to retrieve the unconscious Wukong. This brought an amused smile to Vahn's face, as, despite his best efforts, Shirou could only pick up Wukong herself, not the [Ruyi Jingu Bang]. Since she wouldn't release it, this led to him having to strain his body by overtaxing it with [Reinforcement] Magecraft just to move her.Due to the relative awkwardness of the situation, some of the Xiantian Elders had made a partial recovery, reveling in the struggle of the Japanese Hero. As for Wukong, they didn't hold her in the same regard as Hou Yi, as, due to their bias and Wukong's actual legend, they didn't consider her a Hero. Rather, she was considered to be a menace even in the Nine Heavens, earning the ire of many Gods, including the Jade Emperor and Empress.To prevent unnecessary remarks, Hou Yi gave the gathered Elders a pointed look, causing them to remain silent as they endeavored to regain their lost composure. They had been shaken by the display of power they had witnessed, but, despite appearing cowardly mere moments prior, they quickly fixed their robes, adopting proud looks as they began to silently discuss the previous two battles.With his enhanced hearing, Vahn could hear the man referring to him as the 'reincarnation' of the Yellow Emperor. One even went as far as to suggest they officially join hands with the Empire, not out of consideration for what it stood for, but what they believed it represented. After all, if Vahn was the reincarnation of their greatest Ancestor, they could pander to their own egos by claiming his rule represented Chinese dominion over the entire planet.Shaking his head in contempt, Vahn made a mental note to completely shatter the Great Spiritual Gathering Array, rather than simply alter it. He hadn't really interacted with the Elders, but, based on the fact most had dark grey, slightly stagnant, auras, they weren't good people. While not evil, their rule had undoubtedly caused great suffering to the people they were meant to protect, likely for no better reason than to consolidate their own power. They were similar to the Nobles he had purged from the Mage's Association, so, once everything was settled, he would send someone to 'audit' them...While making arrangements for a second 'purge', Vahn's senses detected a relatively powerful Space fluctuation. Turning his head, he saw four familiar figures had appeared, including Shirou, who, after dropping off Wukong, returned looking somewhat worse for wear. He only had C-Rank Strength, so it had been a considerable challenge to carry the unconscious Monkey King, leaving him relatively fatigued despite only a few minutes of exertion.Fortunately, as Vahn suggested an open brawl, he would have plenty of time to recover as, with the inclusion of Hou Yi and Musashi, they had more than enough people to keep him at bay...Though it was a little petty, Vahn found Shirou's state rather amusing, causing the edges of his lips to curl up almost imperceptibly. While he didn't exactly hate the man, Vahn's appreciation for him had waned considerably over the last few months. There were several reasons for this, but, more so anything else, it was the man's attempt to 'save' Sakura and Illya that irked him the most...After the changes to Artoria, Shirou got it into his head that the Empire had the means to forcibly change and 'brainwash' people. While this wasn't exactly false, especially with people like Merlin present, being accused of manipulating people was never pleasant. Shirou not only resented him for erasing Sakura's memories, but, learning she had become his 'daughter', he even went as far as to accuse Vahn of 'grooming' her to his liking.Needless to say, Shirou's actions had caused a fair amount of drama, forcing him into a difficult situation where he turned most of the original Shirou's friends against him. Rin had been one of the most affected, but, when it ultimately came down to it, Artoria's and Illya's reactions had been the most extreme. After all, while the Heroic Spirit possessed many of the same memories as the original Shirou, they were not the same person. Having a 'pretender' try to interfere in their lives, spewing platitudes as if he knew what was best, had quickly turned what sentiments remained into borderline resentment...In a way, Shirou's existence was rather tragic, but, considering this was the direct result of his selfishness, Vahn had no condolences for the man. Rather, if not for the intervention of Artoria, he would have killed Shirou for daring to interfere in the affairs of his family. After all, he was the one to actually abandon Sakura, so, rather than throw around blame, Shirou should have apologized with his head to the ground for his past failure. He had been so blinded by his self-righteousness that he left a young girl to suffer for decades due to his negligence...Feeling his emotions begin to rise, Vahn forcibly restrained himself, maintaining a smile on his face as he alternated his gaze between the other three Heroes. This included the always sensual-looking Raikou, an even more muscular Kintoki, and, most notably, Chang'e herself. The inclusion of the latter was actually a pleasant surprise, as, since the beginning, she had never actually made an appearance on the battlefield. He knew she had an exceptionally powerful Reality Marble, but, as for its form and function, Vahn was completely in the dark.Seeing Vahn pass his gaze over them, Raikou released a sensual laugh, covering her mouth with her left hand while holding Kintoki's arm with her right. As for Chang'e, she performed a polite bow, being the first to break the silence by saying, "It has been too long, Your Imperial Majesty. It seems my husband and I will be in your care today. While it may be forward of me, I hope you will show appropriate mercy during the coming conflict."Adopting an appreciative smile, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation to Chang'e's request. She had always been very polite and respectful, so, compared to Heroes like Wukong, Vahn had far more appreciation for her and her husband. Once all of this was over, he would probably even join them for tea, albeit only for a short while.Following Chang'e's polite greetings, Kintoki was the next to speak, raising his right hand and simply stating, "Yo. Looking pretty golden. Nice." in a roguish tone. This earned another giggle from Raikou, who, immediately afterward, stated, "Now, now, Kintoki-kun, you know better than to speak that way to Ten'nō-sama. Does Mama need to punish you~?"Hearing Raikou's words, Kintoki paled slightly, but, before things could get out of hand, Vahn came to his aid, saying, "Do not mind it, Lady Raikou. We are well aware of Kintoki's nature at this point. He meant no disrespect in his words, so there is no need to reprimand him at this time."As if she was troubled by Vahn's words, Raikou cupped her cheek with a small pout, seemingly contemplating what to do. In the end, however, she gave an understanding nod, answering, "If Ten'nō-sama says it is okay, I will forgive you. When we return, I'll have to discipline you properly, however..."Though he was generally an overbearing and easy-going person, Kintoki was unable to oppose Raikou's 'teachings'. She was, in many ways, the most important person in his life, so, while her behavior caused him a fair amount of stress, it was easier than dealing with her tears. He hated to see her tears more than anything else in the world, so, if it would make her happy, he didn't mind playing the part that had been assigned to him...As this thought crossed his mind, Kintoki gave another small nod before muttering in a voice that was meant for only Raikou, "Yes, Mama..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*THWACK*','Shirou royally fucked up...','Does this count as filial piety?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1485: Truth