Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After missing the opening engagement with the Confederation, Malina eagerly returned to her post as Commander of the Southern Fleet. She had a considerable amount of stress that needed venting, but, rather than arbitrarily order an assault, her first order of business was convening an emergency war council. She gathered together everyone with the rank of Captain and above aboard the Hellas, a massive vessel that resembled a hammerhead shark with a length of 750m.The Hellas had been the Flagship of the Hellas Empire for nearly three hundred years. Despite this, it was still one of the most advanced pieces of Magical Technology that existed outside of Ostia. It was the byproduct of innumerable man-hours and several of the most brilliant minds that had been produced between the Empire and Ariadne. Most importantly, it was constructed around an artifact that resembled a small sun contained within an unidentified bronze-like metal.Though they had never been able to harness the power of the immensely powerful artifact fully, the scholars and engineers of Ariadne had managed to develop a system that provided the Hellas with a functionally infinite supply of magical power. The only limit to its output was the machinery used to siphon the power of the miniature sun, as, after prolonged use, even the most magically resistant materials would begin to melt. If not for this restriction, the Hellas would have been truly invincible, as, with an endless supply of magical power, it's offensive and defensive capabilities greatly dwarfed even Megalomesmbria's most significant innovations.---With many of the most senior officers of the Southern Fleet gathered around a realistic diorama that displayed the conditions of the battlefield in real-time, Malina turned to a wrinkly man, who, despite his advanced age, still radiated an intimidating aura. His named was Andrzej Kościuszko, and, for nearly two hundred years, he had dutifully served the Empire as Admiral of the Southern Fleet.Offering a rare smile, Malina gave a respectful nod toward Andrzej before saying, "I have read the reports. Before I make a decision, however, I would like to hear the opinion of my senior officers. It is no secret that this is my first time participating in a war. Though my power is great, I know there is still much I can learn from the Empire's best and brightest. Now, Admiral Kościuszko, please start us off. What is your opinion regarding the Black Demon-God Soldiers and the recent appointment of Dictator Primulus?"Immediately following Malina's inquiry, Andrzej gave a respectful bow before raising his head, his voice sounding like a rumbling echo from deep within the earth as he said, "Responding to the First Princess' query...I think the fools in the Megalomesembrian Senate have finally lost their minds. It is incomprehensible to me that a man like Legatus Dalmas would rescind his candidacy so easily. He is one of the Confederation's most extreme loyalists, not someone who would step down due to the pressure of a few pencil-pushing politicians. Though this is an opportunity for the Empire, it seems clear to me that there are great changes afoot within the Confederation. As for those Black Demon-God Soldiers...I fear the only effective means to combat them is with overwhelming magical might, high-powered non-magical munitions, or an inverse-sealing formation."Nodding curtly in response, Malina added, "I also feel there is something very strange taking place in Megalomesembria. We will need to capitalize on this opportunity and strike before they manage to reorganize their troops and sort out their internal affairs..."As she was speaking, Malina was also performing a few hand gestures, changing the scene within the diorama to replay the previous battle. It wasn't a perfect representation of everything that had transpired, but, so long as it was picked up by their scanners, they could review previous battles to come up with countermeasures to specific military assets or tactics.After finding one of the Black Demon-God Solider, a relatively simple feat considering their size, Malina brought her index fingers and thumbs together before spreading them apart. This caused the image to zoom in considerably, and, with a simple tap against the air, it allowed everyone in the room to witness the colossal automaton having its arm blown off after a few Anti-Demon Lightning Cannons overlapped fire on a single spot.Though the ability to absorb magical power was troublesome, it wasn't the first time such weapons had appeared on a battlefield. They were never easy to deal with but, time and again, history had shown that even the most powerful defensive artifacts had weaknesses. So long as you understood the mechanism behind something, it was possible to develop numerous countermeasures. Most of the time, however, simply hitting it 'harder' was enough to destroy even 'indestructible' objects...With the scene continually replaying the destruction and subsequent regeneration of the Black Demon-God Soldier's arm, Malina adopted a serious expression as she added, "Though developing countermeasures would be prudent, this scene shows they are not as powerful as they seem. It will be troublesome to focus fire on a single point, but, based on these readings, a Superdreadnaught's main battery should be able to overwhelm their defenses. Our priority should be coming up with a way to restrict their movements. So long as we can pin them down, the Hellas or the Averof should be able to eliminate them."As they had already discussed methods of dealing with the Black Demon-God Soldiers, none of the officers present within the situation room were surprised by the First Princess' words. Despite this, they continued to display deferential respect with one woman, a Vice-Admiral named Maria Wittek, bowing politely as she said, "The First Princess' insight is exceptional. When the opportunity arrives, know the Kadaj is ready and willing to serve as the lure. I have supreme confidence in my crew and my beloved vessel's mobility."Though it was clear that the Vice-Amidral was fishing for military merit, the same could be said for virtually every member of the Imperial Fleet and Army. One of the only ways to increase your social status was through military merit, and, though she had already reached a coveted position, people like Maria were nothing if not ambitious. She had already obtained the title of Baroness, but, as this was only a single-generation classification, she eagerly sought to prove herself in order to become a landed noble.Rather than admonish Maria for being over-eager, Malina gave an approving nod before saying, "It seems the Empire is not wanting for brave and bold individuals. Very well. I will entrust the capable crew of the Kadaj with this task. I look forward to-."Before Malina could finish regurgitating practiced lines, the lighting within the room shifted from a calm and cool blue to a focused and intense red. At the same time, a subtle vibration could be felt by everyone in the room, shaking a nearby porcelain tea set.Without demonstrating even a semblance of panic, Malina adopted an amused smile as she added, "It seems our foes cannot wait. Admiral Kościuszko, you are with me. Everyone else, return to your posts and prepare for battle."Following Malina's words, everyone in the room gave a curt salute before blinking out of existence. With the exception of Admiral Kościuszko, everyone else in the room had been a projection, as, no matter how confident she was in the Hellas' superiority, Malina wasn't foolish enough to gather all of her senior officers in one place. That was the same as inviting the enemy to use the Gate spell to assassinate them, a rather common tactic that was used frequently in virtually every war.Using her own version of the Gate spell, shrouding her body in a pale green light, Malina teleported directly to the Bridge of her ship. Arriving even faster than her, shrouded in a cloak of crackling blue electricity, Admiral Kościuszko was already demanding a situation report. In response, the on-duty Communications Officer, wearing a rather futuristic set of headphones, calmly answered, "Scanners have detected a large, unidentified, object within the Mesosphere. Immediately after it appeared, a pillar of light approximately twenty meters in diameter descended upon Lake Argyre. Updating the image on the main display."With a soft 'blip' echoing through the bridge, the display previously focused on the distant Svanhvit changed to show a large hole in the center of Lake Argyre. It was a rather peculiar sight to behold, as, rather than rush back to fill in the void, an unseen barrier seemed to repel the tumultuous waves caused by the initial explosion...After a brief moment of stupefaction, Malina was about to order the man to adjust the display, but, as could be expected from a senior communications officer aboard the Imperial Flagship, the man had already queued up a command to split the display. The left side continued displaying the large hole near the exact center of Lake Argyre, while, high in the sky, far beyond normal sensor range, a glimmering golden dot could be seen slowly descending from the upper atmosphere.As the corner of the display showed that it was being magnified to the maximum, Malina didn't try and order the man to enhance the image further. Instead, she furrowed her brows for several tense moments before asking, "What is the reaction of the Megalomesembrian Fleet? Are they preparing an attack?"In response to her inquiry, the display changed to show the enemy encampment once again. The enemy was in a state of high-alert, but, rather than forming up for an offensive, their movements indicated they were preparing their defenses. This sounded alarm bells within Malina's mind, but, as the First Princess of the Empire, she did not allow it to show on her face. Instead, she maintained a perfect mask of calm as she said, "Open the command line."With a direct link established to all ships within the Southern Fleet, Malina took a slightly deeper breath to calm herself before stating, "Move into a barrier formation and prepare for a defensive engagement. The enemy's capabilities are unknown but there is nothing the Hellas Empire cannot overcome when we stand united. I have high expectations for all of you."Following their Princess-Commander's orders, the Southern Fleet quickly moved into their assigned positions, forming three concentric circles around the Hellas. This process customarily took several minutes to complete, but, in preparation for Megalomesembria's counterattack, many vessels were already close to their assigned positions. As a result, it only took around 73 seconds before a large magical formation more than 8km in diameter appeared. From the edges, hexagonal panels formed of pure magical energy began to manifest into existence, linking together to gradually form a giant dome around the entire Southern Fleet...---Seeing the massive barrier take shape, Vahn couldn't help but admire the sight. He found the idea of linking together hundreds of massive ships to form ritual-magic to be rather novel, and, though there were numerous weak points that could be exploited by powerful individuals, it was still very impressive. It showed what people were able to achieve when they joined hands toward a common goal, feats even Gods would not be able to perform without a considerable number of preparations and a concerted effort.Unfortunately, as his goal was to act as a deterrent, Vahn had little choice but to take the Southern Fleet's efforts and crush them underfoot. Before that, however, he had other problems to deal with, as, hidden beneath the surface of Lake Argyre, a phenomenally powerful foe was laying in wait.Originally, Argyre was supposed to be the dominion of the Great Spirit of Ice, but, after countless conflicts, it had eventually disappeared. This had left a large temple located at the bottom of Lake Argyre unoccupied, and, without anyone's notice, the Confederation seemed to have converted it into a research facility of sorts. This normally wouldn't have merited such an extreme response, but, when he noticed what they were researching, Vahn couldn't help but feel his anger rising alongside a palpable sense of excitement.Spreading his glimmering golden wings to their full length, covering nearly 130m from tip to tip, Vahn began to inhale deeply. Threads of elemental energy began to converge from the surrounding void, and, similar to a tailed beast condensing a bijudama, a massive sphere of bluish-white energy began to form above Vahn's maw as he leaned his head back. It wasn't nearly as strong as his actual Dragon's Breath, but, as he didn't want to annihilate the lake entirely, condensing elemental energy into a sphere more than three-hundred meters across allowed him to deal immense damage while also instilling fear and terror into onlookers...---While Vahn was busy channeling his inner-chuuni high above the clouds, a marginally beaten and bloodied serpentine creature continued to writhe about in the thick layer of frozen mud that had formed on the bottom of Lake Argyre. It had suffered considerable injuries from the pillar of light that smashed into its body, but, as that same attack had liberated it from its prison, the intelligent serpent released a maddening roar after coiling its body and facing the Heavens. It could sense an overwhelmingly powerful foe targetting it, but, rather than run away, it was eager to release the fury it had accumulated over decades of experimentation.Responding to the serpent's, Leviathan's, roar, the surrounded water began to twist and writhe as it broke free from the energy preventing it from crashing inwards. At the same time, several massive columns of water erupted from the surface of Lake Argyre, extending all the way to the cloud layer and causing a massive storm front to spontaneously form above the thousand-kilometer-wide lake.With the icy waters crashing in around it, Leviathan's wounds began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. What remained of the phosphorescent blue blood on its exterior quickly dispersed into the surrounding waters, and, as if they were excited by its presence, the elemental energy within the water began to surge with even greater intensity. The surface of Lake Argyre began to glow with similar blue light to the Levithan's blood, and, around the same time that Vahn released his attack, the center of the lake began to surge upwards at several hundred meters per second.Much to Vahn's surprise, the surging pillar of water took on a form similar to the Leviathan itself. It then opened its watery maw to reveal a swirling vortex of glowing blue energy that erupted to form a massive water spout the coiled like a living creature as it slammed into his slowly descending ball of condensed elemental energy. The energies within the water spout caused the darkening clouds to ice over in an instant, but, more surprising, at least for the Levithan, it had absolutely no effect on the dense sphere gradually descending toward the lake's surface.As the swirling vortex of ice and water was its most powerful attack, the Levithan no longer tried to fight against the unknown dragon floating far outside its effective range. It had always been rather cowardly, and, after decades of imprisonment, it was in no hurry to return to captivity. It had a lot of frustrations it still needed to release, so, rather than fight against an overwhelmingly powerful foe, it would rather return to the open ocean and sink a few unsuspecting fishing vessels...---Though the watery visage of the Levithan continued to try and contest his faux-bijudama, Vahn was not fooled by its trickery. He had already locked onto the surprisingly small serpent, but, rather than give chase, his second vessel, accompanied by Asuna and Fenrir, moved to cut it off near the mouth of the Argyrian River. There was no reason for him to defeat the legendary creature on his own, so, rather than reduce the impact of his demonstration by chasing after a sneaky serpent, he continued to linger majestically in the sky as the ball of energy, like a small sun, slowly sunk into Lake Argyre...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'So many famous people (OwO)...','Bigger, bigger, bigger...perfect!','*Darude Sandstorm begins playing*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While the Hellas Empire was still confused by the happenings in the center of Lake Argyre, high-ranking officers on the side of Megalomesembria knew exactly what had transpired. They quickly relayed this information back to their superiors, while, high in the sky, the entity they believed to be the Sage Dragon Emperor began his descent.After witnessing the strangely humanoid-looking dragon easily chase away one of the Beasts of Calamity without any discernible difficulty, the reaction of most people would have been to flee, or, at the very least, avoid drawing its attention. The Megalomesembrian Fleet, however, was not deterred in the slightest. Rather, after having one of their most valuable facilities wiped out in an instant, the Magister Militum didn't hesitate to order a counter-offensive.Having received their orders, the Megalomesembrian Fleet did not hesitate to engage the distant Sage Dragon Emperor. They had weapons specially designed to target distant opponents at a high elevation, so, immediately after their orders were received, hundreds of laser-like beams of magical energy ascended into the sky at relativistic speeds.Though Vahn's reaction time could actually eclipse relativistic speeds, responding to attacks from outside his domain was still difficult. Fortunately, before he deigned to appear in the skies, he had actually snuck into both encampments, so, rather than be blindsided by the sudden volley, he was able to bend Space along the periphery of his domain, diverting even the much slower projectiles that had been hidden among the initial volley.As they had been expecting to confront the Sage Dragon Emperor at some point, Megalomesmbria had already developed a number of 'countermeasures'. This included an experimental Anti-Dragon Warhead that had been designed to neutralize Ancient Dragons like Yggdrillia and Vrixho Nagasha, but, before they could test in on the former, Elfenhof had completely disappeared. This was one of the first signs indicating that the Sage Dragon Emperor was directly opposing them, so, unaware of his ability to bend Space, the Svanhvit had been authorized to perform an impromptu field test of the inordinately expensive munition.Vahn was completely unaware of the Anti-Dragon Warhead that had been used against him, but, as if it refused to be ignored, a black void nearly 500m in diameter opened up several kilometers from his position. It was similar to a Yi arrow being activated with five stars, effectively creating a stable black hole, but, unlike the aforementioned arrow, the inky membrane surrounding the destructive sphere was covering in brightly glowing runes.Rather than dissipate, the runic sphere was positionally fixed, anchored to the planet's gravitational well. It seemed to serve the purpose of sealing and dealing constant damage to a target, as, based on what Vahn could deduce, the foreboding black sphere could persist indefinitely by absorbing the elemental energy from the environment. Unless it was destroyed, it might even drain the entirety of Mundus Magicus dry, as, rather than gravity-based magic, it seemed to use the 'Black of Venus' as a catalyst...Though he could understand why they would use such a potent weapon against him, Vahn was still incensed that such a wantonly destructive weapon even existed. It demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the planet and showed just how far Megalomesembria was willing to go in the pursuit of power and wealth. They didn't care about anything but their personal interests, and, though there were bound to be good people among their population, the Demonic influence in the Senate and the machinations of Cosmo Entelecheia ensured only vicious profiteers and opportunists ever rose to a position of real power.Unable to ignore the malevolent black sphere, a terrifying aura was released from Vahn's body as a resplendent golden hue spread nearly 17km from his position. From a distance, it looked like a hazy golden sun had formed around a tiny black dot. Then, much to the stupefaction of the officers who knew the power of the Anti-Dragon Warhead, they watched as several golden chains appeared out of thin air, wrapping around the destructive sphere and gradually compressing it into nothingness...---Exhaling a sigh of relief, Vahn transferred the reserve energy from one of his backup vessels into his own, instantly restoring his reserves. He then turned his blazing golden eyes towards the mobilizing fleet in the distance. It took considerable restraint to resist the urge to wipe them off the face of the planet, but, while this would certainly allow him to achieve his goal, it was also needlessly excessive. There were many people in both the Empire and Confederation who simply wanted to protect their families and defend their homelands, so, while they had a hand in enabling the corrupt powers that ruled over them, Vahn had grown weary of arbitrary killings.After taking action that led to the deaths of billions back in the Nasuverse, Vahn no longer had the heart to resort to 'extreme measures'. He had meditated on his actions for nearly a hundred years, and, though he was able to achieve his goals in a remarkably short period of time, he couldn't help but feel as though he had lost an important part of himself in the process.Though he was aiming for the absolute pinnacle of existence, Vahn wanted to preserve as much of his original self as possible. He didn't want to be the type of person that constantly had to justify his actions along the lines of 'good' and 'evil', as, in the grand scheme of things, there were simply acts of altruism and selfishness. He could have easily achieved the same result in a less destructive way, but, using a variety of different excuses, he carved a path littered in the bodies of billions...Taking a few deep breaths to restrain his fury, Vahn began to gradually descend towards the surface of Lake Argyre. Most of the energy from his previous attack had been comprised of Ice and Water Elemental Energy, so, after contacting the lake, the surface froze so rapidly that even the spouts of water formed by the Levithan had solidified. Though most of these broke instantly from their own weight, one of them continued to tower several hundred meters into the air, an unnerving cracking sound periodically resonating from within the tornado-like sculpture of ice.With both his scales and domain generating a golden light, Vahn's figure was somewhat obscured from afar. As he descended closer to the ground, however, ships from both sides were able to see him with increasing clarity. This was enough to bring silence to many command bridges, as, despite rumors of the Sage Dragon Emperor circulating throughout Mundus Magicus, this was the first time they had seen him appear in his dragon form.Though he was relatively small compared to the true forms of Vrixho and Yggdrillia, standing only 40m in height, Vahn didn't lose out in majesty. His overall physique was vaguely humanoid, which was scary for a variety of reasons, and, though his wings almost seemed comically oversized, they gave off an impression of inviolability. This, combined with a glaive-like tail whose edge gleamed with a dangerous light, caused many to instinctually conclude that Vahn was capable of shrugging off any attack while simultaneously possessing the ability to slice through even the thickest armor.To further reinforce the idea that he wasn't an opponent they could face, Vahn's body was covered in a pattern of runes that simply didn't exist in the Akamatsuverse. There was also an eight-pointed dharmic wheel slowly revolving behind his back, while, framed by the curved horns protruding from his draconic visage, a glimmering golden halo gave off a suppressive force that caused all but the most stalwart of individuals to avert their eyes or instinctually lower their heads, even if they were only seeing it through a display.Vahn had developed a habit of never relying on equipment to enhance his power, excluding a few obvious exceptions. If it was for the purpose of acting as a deterrent, however, he had fewer qualms about using some of the items he had stockpiled over the years. Several had been collecting dust in his inventory for decades, as, after obtaining them as Quest rewards or through Gacha function, he simply had no use for them.A stark contrast to his usual transformations, Vahn currently had rings on each finger, manacle-like accessories on both wrists and ankles, armbands around his biceps, and a massive jeweled pendant around his neck. Even the dharmic wheel rotating behind his back and the golden halo above his head were pieces of equipment, the former rated an S-Rank while the latter was an SS-Rank item from the only Indigo pull he had ever received from his daily Standard Gacha.Though it only had a single effect, the halo, known simply as a [Runed Halo], was one of the more ridiculous items Vahn had ever obtained. Once every ten days, the weilder could designate any conceivable target, and, for a period of twenty-four hours, you would have functional immunity from whatever you had designated. While this didn't seem that ridiculous at first glance, it even allowed the user to designate things like 'Magical Energy' or 'Divinity'. The only thing it didn't seem to work against was the Laws themselves, but, as that was to be expected, Vahn hadn't been too surprised.Exploiting one of the loop-holes formulated by Da Vinci, Vahn had designated 'damage' itself as the thing he was immune to. Thus, for the next twenty-four hours, there was nothing beneath the SS-Rank though would be able to harm so much as a hair on his head. This would then be followed by a ten-day Cooldown period, but, as he merely needed to create the illusion of indestructibility, there were no real downsides. With this in mind, he touched down rather softly on the ground, creating a massive golden spell circle across the surface of the ice...---After failing to strike anywhere near their target, the commanders of the Megalomesembrian Fleet had ordered their ships to conserve energy and spread outward. At the same time, the Svanhvit had received authorization to deploy six of their War God Soldiers, three of which were the black variety that had managed to rout the Empire's Southern Fleet.Though a single War God Soldier might not be a match for an Ancient Dragon, a group of five was generally enough to suppress Vrixho for a short period of time. It was virtually impossible for them to actually win, but, so long as they could distract their target long enough, there were a number of methods to deal with otherwise insurmountable foes. The most common method was to simply seal them away, so, in order to ascertain the vulnerabilities of the mysterious field surrounding the Sage Dragon Emperor's body, Megalomesembria was prepared to expend considerable resources just to find his weakness.Fortunately, rather than remain well outside the range of conventional weapons, the Sage Dragon Emperor had descended low enough that the main batteries of each ship could fire upon him. This also allowed their War God Soldiers to mobilize, and, though it didn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things, the fact the automatons towered over the glistening golden dragon was a considerable relief to some.Unfortunately, long before they could reach the target's location, an incredibly complex magic circle rapidly spread from the center of Lake Argyre. Its sheer size was unlike anything the vast majority of people had ever seen, and, even with systems specifically designed to analyze the structure of even Ancient Magics, the Legatus temporarily assigned to command the Svanhvit felt like smashing his console as a mechanical voice repeated 'inconclusive' over and over within his earpiece.In the hope of stopping whatever the Sage Dragon Emperor had planned, nearly every ship within the Megalomesembrian Fleet began to fire their main batteries without regard. The vast majority of these attacks went well off course, but, by complete happenstance, some managed to penetrate a fair distance into the invisible membrane, halted the expansion of the magic circle. This gave the Legatus the idea of using the onboard computers to calculate the expected angle of deviation to completely stop the spread of the magic circle, but, rather than remain constant, the Space was constantly shifting and distorting at random.Fearing the worst, the Commander of the Svanhvit order all ships to cease firing and spread out at retreat speeds. This ended up being a surprisingly good decision, as, the moment the golden magic circle expanded to cover nearly 10km, a golden sphere of light began to coalesce at the very center, hovering several hundred meters above Vahn's head. Though this seemed like a lackluster result for such a massive magic circle, the fact they could even 'see' the sphere of light meant the attack had already hit them. As for the actual effect of the indescribably beautiful white light, it spread through the area like an electromagnetic pulse, momentarily turning all magical energy inert.With their systems temporarily disabled, the 'fleeing' Megalomesembrian Fleet began to lazily list in the direction of their departure, gradually losing both forward momentum and altitude. At the same time, the barrier protecting the Southern Fleet instantaneously flickered out of existence as all but the Hellas began a slow and gradual descent toward the ground. Even their secondary systems had been temporarily disabled, and, until the light ceased its resplendent glow, using magic anywhere in the vicinity had become virtually impossible...---With the protection of the [Runed Halo], Vahn couldn't even feel the characteristic tingle that would normally come with bathing in purifying light. Instead, he felt a gentle warmth enveloping his body like the most comfortable blanket in the entire world. It reminded him a lot of Gaia, but, considering it was a spell modeled after the invisible field that perpetually surrounded her, that wasn't exactly a surprise. He had even named the spell [Gaia's Light], and, though it had very niche uses, it was very useful in situations where the enemy was almost wholly dependant on technological innovations to express their power.The only downside to [Gaia's Light] was that it had little effect on magical constructs and a person's internal energy, so, after a few minutes had passed, the distant sound of thunderous steps became progressively louder as six figures, three white and three black, came charging at him. Seeing these automatons up close brought an immediate frown to Vahn's face as he could instantly guess how they were produced based on the phenomenal amount of negative energy swirling within them. He was very sensitive to such things, and, though the automatons themselves lack an ego, Vahn could 'feel' thousands of resentful voices crying out for vengeance...Vowing to hold those responsible for creating such monstrosities accountable, Vahn slowly raised his hand toward the nearest Demon Gold Soldier. They were still tens of kilometers away, but, due to their sheer size, it was easy to make out the fine details of their figure as they forcibly tore their way through the distorted Space along the edge of his domain. The black ones even absorbed a bit of the energy contained within, but, regardless of their durability, it wouldn't matter in the end. This was a conviction held firmly in Vahn's heart as brackish flames, starkly contrasting his predominately golden figure, began to form around his extended hand. Then, preceding his instantaneous charge toward the massive automaton, a spiritual tremble that could be felt from hundreds of kilometers away descended upon the world as he uttered, "Set alight the all-consuming flame...Laevateinn...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Can't touch this','A hundred years of daily gacha for a single Indigo...','Even under the purifying Light of Gaia, the Emperor's wrath knows no bounds...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Try as he might, Vahn was unable to avoid falling into a depressive state following Eva's departure. Fortunately, as was often the case, he could rely on his Realm to make a gradual recovery. He ended up spending the better part of five weeks focused on watching over his Empire, spending time with his children, babysitting his grandson, and tumbling through the cosmos with his myriad lovers.One of the benefits of having functionally unlimited power based on perception and intent was that it allowed Vahn to do virtually whatever he wanted. He could create distant stars just by pointing at the night sky, and, even more fantastical, he could link them together to make visible constellations linked together by silvery bands of light. This had originally caused quite a stir among the residents of his Realm, but, compared to the shock they experienced upon their 'awakening', it wasn't all that concerning...---With his return to the outside fast approaching, Vahn spent his final few hours seated on a Throne that appeared to be constructed from a solidified form of Space. In his lap, an inordinately beautiful woman with long white hair, ruby-red eyes, various wings, and a pure white dress nestled closely as they watched the gradual formation of a planet. It was currently little more than a flaming ball, but, given enough time, it was bound to become a planet filled to the brim with life.Vahn had actually abstained from the creation of any life-bearing planets within his Realm, as, from his perspective, a 'dead' planet was too dangerous. He had grown quite fond of the system present within the Nasuverse, and, with his Realm incorporating many of the same Laws, it just made sense to create Celestial Bodies with an Ego.As could be expected, creating a living planet was a 'marginally' more complicated than producing something like an Elemental Lotus. Fortunately, with a literal planet among his lovers, Vahn had an advantage few people could even conceptualize. His offspring with Gaia, an unbelievably cute little girl named Silva, ended up being a Planetary Spirit. She possessed an Innate called [Terra Genesis], and, as the name implied, it allowed her to create and develop a planet from scratch.There were several things that occupied Vahn's attention within his Realm, but, regardless of his state of mind, he always split a part of himself to bear witness to Silva's growth as a planet. There was just something about watching a planet form that brought him unparalleled peace of mind, and, with an inordinately beautiful woman to share the experience with, it had become one of his favorite things to do in the entire Realm.Ever since the 'birth' of Silva, Gaia had mellowed out considerably. She still had moments when she could be scarily aggressive, but, more often than not, she could be found contentedly watching the development of her daughter. Silva had become the most important part of her existence, and, like any good mother, she didn't want to miss even a single moment of her beloved child's growth...---After sitting in silence for several days, Vahn began to lightly caress Gaia's abdomen as he said, "It is time for me to return."Understanding Vahn's intentions, Gaia placed her hand overtop his before closing her eyes. Several minutes later, an unbelievably adorable girl with long silver hair, three pairs of angelic wings, a pure white dress, and energetic gold eyes came darting toward them like a homing missile. She had the appearance of a child around three years of age, but, due to the temporal bubble surrounding her planetary body, her chronological age was closer to three million.Knowing what to expect, Gaia had already alighted from Vahn's lap, clearing a path for the silvery 'bullet' mere moments before it crashed into the wryly smiling man with enough force to shatter the space-formed Throne.Though she wasn't really 'aware' of anything when she was developing as a planet, Silva always had the feeling that a very long period of time had passed every time she saw her Papa. Thus, whenever her mother called for her, she would come rushing to greet him, crashing into him with the force of a small planetoid as she happily exclaimed, "Papa~!"Contrasting the destruction of his Throne, Vahn was entirely undamaged by his adorable daughter's meteoric charge. Then, as if she didn't weigh close to septillion kilograms, he casually picked her up into a koala carry, smiling affectionately as he gazed into her diamond-shaped pupils and said, "You certainly seem to be in high spirits."Nodding her head with clear excitement visible in her expression, Silva happily explained, "My core finished filtering out most of the lighter elements that were gathered during its formation. It won't be long before my other layers begin to take shape and my crust begins to form~."Even if it felt like she was sleeping during the process, Silva was still aware of the changes taking place in her 'body'. As a result, she had helped Vahn glean some insight into the natural formation of planets, important knowledge any Creation God should possess.Knowing she would want to show him the results of her efforts, Vahn chuckled lightly in response to his daughter's words before gradually descending toward the fiery planet. As for Gaia, she was unable to enter into the Bounded Field of another planet, even if it belonged to her daughter, so, after watching their departure with a smile, her figure seemed to fade into the void. She spent more time than she ought to away from her actual body, so, whenever Vahn was spending time with their daughter, Gaia would return to make sure everything was okay. She also used it as an opportunity to visit everyone back in Avalon, and, though they were a little rambunctious, she enjoyed spending time with her niece and nephew...---Opening his eyes back in the Akamatsuverse, Vahn took a moment to collect his bearings before teleporting back to the island he had commandeered. His Realm had given him plenty of time to organize his thoughts, so, immediately after his arrival, he sought out Asuna and Fenrir, the only two 'people' left in the hideout. He had already moved Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale to Deimos, so, except for Chachazero, the Chacha Sisters, and an ever-growing population of Elemental Spirits, Vahn didn't have much to worry about.Sensing Vahn's presence at nearly the same time, Fenrir and Asuna shifted their focus to the void as the former seemed to apparate out of thin air. Their reaction caused a smile to spread across Vahn's face, and, as a result, the expressions of both girls visibly brighten as they stood up and moved over to his side.Preempting their questions, Vahn made a gesture to indicate they shouldn't worry before saying, "It is time for us to make our move. Now that the war has begun, we will be taking action to bring it to a swift conclusion..."Having said as much, Vahn shifted his focus to meet Asuna's gaze as he added, "The enemy might try to use your status as a Princess of Vespertatia against us. Rather than try to hide it, however, it is fine if you want to embrace it completely. The political positions and opinions of people who have been swayed by corruption have no real value. If you want to become a 'Hero' representing Ostia, I will support you. My purpose in this war is to act as a deterrent so you are free to choose your own path without fear of legitimate censure."Understanding she was one of the 'reasons' behind the current war, Asuna had already made ample mental preparations for all kinds of schemes. She also valued Vahn's teachings more than the ideals of the Ostian Royal Family, so, regardless of what others said, she had already chosen her path.With a resolute look that could rival her older cousin's, Asuna stared directly into Vahn's eyes as she said, "I will not let the greedy and corrupt decide the fate of this world. Titles like Princess, Hero, or even Demon Queen have no real meaning. I will do what I think is right, even if it requires me to cut down countless enemies."Though it made him feel slightly guilty to hear a young girl utter such words, Vahn still nodded his head in approval as he extended his hand to rub the top of Asuna's head. She was far more mature than her age would indicate, and, at times, she even made him feel rather childish. Thus, regardless of his apprehensions, Vahn recognized that Asuna was already capable of making decisions about her own life...While continuing to stroke the giggling Asuna's head, Vahn shifted his gaze to Fenrir, saying, "This will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your power as well. Our future enemies will be even more powerful, so, before we move on, I want to see how much you have grown. Remember, our priority should always be to preserve life. I might not be a paragon of proper restraint, but, if it can be avoided, I would rather those I care about not become killers capable of striking down enemies with no remorse..."Though she could control it perfectly at normal times, Fenrir still had a penchant for losing control of herself in the heat of battle. This was especially true when facing off against powerful opponents or large groups of enemies, and, in the worst-case scenario, she would even enter a berserker blood frenzy. In this state, the only person who could pull her back was Vahn himself, so, while Fenrir was more than capable of battling against some of the strongest enemies in a Record, she was generally kept as a reserve force.Well aware of her own inadequacies, Fenrir wasn't even remotely upset by her Master's words. She knew how quickly she could descend into a feral state, so, when she wasn't busy carrying out her other 'duties', most of her time was spent meditating and learning how to control her emotions. It was something she had been working on for more than a hundred years, so, hearing she would be given a chance to fight, Fenrir did her best to remain calm as she said, "I will keep Master's words in my heart. Unless my hand is forced, I will do my best to avoid killing anyone unless it is absolutely necessary...!"Knowing how much effort Fenrir had put into her training, Vahn had absolute confidence in her self-restraint. It didn't matter how many times she proved this valuation wrong by losing control, as, regardless of anything else, she never stopped trying to control herself. She couldn't be blamed for an Innate that had been bestowed upon her as a result of his actions, so, even if she lost control a thousand more times, Vahn would never stop believing in the loveable Vanargandr.Sensing her Master's thoughts, Fenrir's tail began to wag happily as she rubbed her head against the palm of his outstretched hand. This earned her a calculative look from Asuna, and, after a few seconds of consideration, Vahn quickly found himself 'cornered' by two over-affectionate girls...---As one of the largest cities in Mundus Magicus, Tempe was home to one of the eleven Gateports that connected the Magical World to Earth. It was also a gathering place for Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters, Explorers, and anyone else seeking to make a fortune using unique skills and magic. As a result, it was the place where most of the groups searching for Vahn had gathered, so, shortly after entering the city, Eva wasn't surprised to hear several people talking about the various rumors that had been circulating even before the war...Unaware of the identity of the cloaked woman making her way through the streets of Tempe, a man with spikey orange hair and a scar over his left eye commented to one of his companions, "You hear the rumor saying the Dark Evangel was made into a sex slave by that Sage Dragon Emperor guy?"Ignorant of the landmine her friend had just stepped on, a purple-haired woman wearing an almost comically oversized witch hat answered, "Wait, isn't the Dark Evangel supposed to be a brat? I didn't know an Ancient Dragon could be a pedophile...makes you wonder what he was really doing during his stay in Ariadne..."Though many had heard the rumors mentioning Vahn's 'purge', information and rumors had a habit of being distorted the further it was from the source. There were many reasons for this, but, on the most fundamental level, it was the propensity of people to spread gossip and jokingly insult people more powerful than themselves that led to such distasteful alterations.Piggybacking off his companion's words, the spiky-haired man began to loudly guffaw, earning a number of annoyed looks before he added, "I guess being an Ancient Dragon doesn't guarantee you have a Dragon of your own. Maybe it makes him feel 'bigger' if he targets younger women?"Seemingly finding his words hilarious, the man was about to release another grating laugh before he noticed the stunned looks of his companions. They all had stupefied expressions on their faces, and, when he followed their gaze, a similar expression appeared on his own before quickly being replaced by a look of abject terror. At that exact same moment, a truly excruciating amount of pain began to spread through his body as his below-average dragon, frozen solid, fell to the ground...---Without sparing the man a second look, Eva retracted her hand into her sleeve before hastening her pace. She was intending to use the Gateport to return to Mundus Vetus, as, following the war nearly five-hundred years prior, most of her former companions had returned to Earth. It was a lot easier for their enemies to hunt them in Mundus Magicus, so, while Earth wasn't exactly the best place to live as a Mage, it was the first choice when it came to hiding away for long periods of time.Eva didn't have anyone she could truly refer to as a friend, but, after living for nearly seven-hundred years, she had met a few people she could trust. Like her, they had all been cursed with some form of immortality, so, while they didn't always see eye-to-eye, the burden of eternity allowed them to empathize with each other. After all, most of the people they had ever known were dead, so, in the end, immortals really only had each other for company...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*casually lifts the weight of a planet*','Trust in the Goodest Girl','RIP Tiny Dragon-chan...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1629: Presence