Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the Empire and Confederation entering a tentative period of peace, at least on the surface, Vahn decided to shift his focus away from existential issues and politics. There were a countless number of ways to spend his time more productively, so, until Theo, Arika, or Eva requested his assistance, Vahn decided to just cut loose and do things he enjoyed.Though it couldn't quite compete with the reality he experienced on a daily basis, especially as the Supreme Overseer of a Realm, Vahn still enjoyed reading, perusing manga, and watching anime. He always found it interesting how Authors had manipulated or construed certain Laws to add realism to their worlds, as, on the most fundamental level, these were actually ways in which the Laws could manifest. This inherent truth had made quite the impact on Da Vinci, and, with his blessing, she had made a number of breakthroughs in her attempts to test the limits of 'reality' itself.Vahn always felt blessed to have someone like Da Vinci in his camp. Her personality made her fun to be around, and, though she could get out of hand at times, her research had become more than just a foundational pillar of the Empire; it had become one of his principal sources of strength. She was constantly making breakthroughs in various subjects, and, after learning about the true nature of his existence, much of her research was directly focused on helping increase his comprehension and strengthen his abilities. She had even made several breakthroughs regarding Innates, breaking down the various different types, the method to awaken them, and, most importantly, the different ways in which they might 'evolve'.Though Innates were fundamentally unquantifiable existences with no upper limits on their growth and development, that didn't mean it was impossible to quantify the variables surrounding them. To that end, Da Vinci had managed to define Innates using nine standardized categories: Mind, Body, Spirit, Emission, Absorption, Mitigation, Creation, Manipulation, and Sensory. Everything outside of these categories were classified as a 'non-standard' Innate, and, while it was possible for an Innate to have aspects from multiple categories, Da Vinci hypothesized that people could not develop two Innates in the same category.If Da Vinci's hypothesis was true, it meant that, no matter how much a person trained, they could never develop something like two Body Innates. Instead, their existing Innate would evolve to be more adaptive to their intentions, even branching out into other categories if necessary. This was something Da Vinci had proven herself, as, after being artificially elevated to Tier 5, she managed to develop and 'customize' her Innates to the point that, even if he removed her Authority, she would retain much of her power.Fortunately, Da Vinci didn't care about power in the slightest, disdaining all conflicts as a 'waste of time and resources'. The only things that really mattered to her, in a very specific order, were him, their children, her research, and the stability of the Empire. It was for this reason that Vahn could trust her with virtually unchecked Authority within his Realm, as, even if she had the power to create stars in the palm of her hand, Da Vinci couldn't even rationalize misusing her power. She had never cared about things like status or arbitrarily declaring herself superior to others, and, if you were to ask her, she could drone on for hours about how inane it was to even consider pursuing something so 'meaningless'.Thankfully, while she considered such pursuits a waste of time, Da Vinci understood the situational need for such power. Thus, after learning about The Path and his desire to link the Records, she had been working tirelessly to help him understand the nature of reality itself. She had even helped to classify his Innates, and, further cementing her status as an Omnipotent Genius, Sis actually verified that Da Vinci's assertations were correct.After reading through various research papers Da Vinci had compiled in her ongoing efforts to try and understand him, Vahn learned that he actually only had three Innates. This had come as quite a shock, as, according to the same research papers, he had barely even reached Tier 4, much less the pinnacle he assumed himself to be at.In the end, it was his Source Energy that allowed Vahn to exceed the average Tier 4 and emulate the abilities of Tier 5. It was a form of energy that even exceeded Origin, the energy that gave form and function to all things within the Tier System. As a result, it was actually 'easier' for Source to emulate higher forms of energy, such as Realm and Divine, than it was to dilute into something like Magical Energy or Ki. This meant that his Source Energy actually become more powerful the higher the Tier of a Record, as, with the presence of purer forms of energy, the conversion process would become progressively easier.Unfortunately, while the results of Da Vinci's research had been very insightful, it meant Vahn was much further away from Tier 5 than he anticipated. As for the reason why, this was largely due to the fact that his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] wasn't actually one of his Innates. Rather, it was what Da Vinci referred to as a 'non-standard' Innate, an ability that, unless certain conditions were met, simply couldn't exist as an inborn ability. Instead, non-standard Innates were 'inherited' or 'given', and, as had been verified by Sis, Vahn's [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] had been directly given to him by The Path.Though non-standard Innates could drastically increase a person's power, they had very little effect on the development of a person's Soul Tier. This meant that Vahn currently only had three Innates, his [Will of the Emperor], [Rakshasa Body], and [Eyes of Truth]. The former, rather than being related to the Mind, was actually classified as a Spirit Innate, and, as could be expected, [Rakshas Body] was principally classified as a Body Innate. As for his [Eyes of Truth], they were actually categorized as a Creation Innate, as, despite their apparent effect on his eyes, Vahn was actually able to 'see' without eyes at all. He could also create and destroy things simply by focusing his intent on a specific point, so, with the concept of Oblivion serving as their cornerstone, the [Eyes of Truth] had stronger ties to Creation than any kind of Sensory enhancement.If Da Vinci's research was accurate, which was heavily implied, this meant that Vahn had managed to reach Tier 4 with only three Innates. This was, once again, largely thanks to his Source Energy, as, even at Tier 2, he had been able to sense, manipulate, and emulate Divine Energy. The presence of so many Goddesses around him also helped to drastically increase his comprehension, but, more so than anything else, it was his ability to 'meld' with an existing Divinity that allowed him to reach Tier 4 with relative ease.When Vahn first learned these things, it really put into perspective just how phenomenally powerful Source Energy was. It might not have any 'actual' power, requiring a conversion into other forms of energy to have any real effect, but, so long as he understood what he wanted, Vahn's Source Energy would adapt to suit his needs. It truly opened up all paths to him, as, without exception, all things in the order of creation, no matter how abstract, could be traced back to Origin. Since Origin itself was only possible due to the presence of Source, there was, quite literally, nothing beyond its scope, as, on the most fundamental level, 'everything existed as a result of Source'.The only real restrictions on the use of Source Energy was the comprehension of its user. It could not emulate things they did not understand, and, while it could certainly 'fill in the gaps', this was primarily due to the significance Willpower and Intent. The Records themselves were derived from an amalgamation of these two things, so, when the conditions allowed, such as within a Realm, the influence of Source was 'absolute'. If he really wanted to, Vahn could 'erase' beings much stronger than him, as, within his Realm, they couldn't even exist without his 'permission'.With his understanding of Source, Vahn had been developing a skill that would, theoretically, allow him to defeat any foe. Unfortunately, the conditions to trigger this ability required a nigh-absolute understanding of the Laws within the Record he inhabited. This meant he would need to become an existence on the level of a Record's Overseer, a level of power that basically invalidated the need for such an absurd ability. Still, it was something worth developing, as, during the creation process, he would be required to learn how to reconcile the differences between the Laws of different Records.One of Vahn's primary objectives was to develop a means to manifest people from within his Realm into the outside world. Pulling them inside was actually pretty easy, as he could simply create a new body for them the moment they entered his Realm. Manifesting them externally, however, was very difficult, as, due to the nature of the Ego, they were comprised of energies referencing very specific Laws. This meant, unless their Ego was erased completely, it was virtually impossible for a person to traverse between the Records. The only exception to this rule were entities that had been named by the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], as, from the moment they received their names, they functionally became an extension of Vahn himself.Since there was a fair chance that he wouldn't be able to pull anything outside of his Realm before he reached the pinnacle of Tier 6 and created a Record of his own, Vahn had previously decided to focus on the development of his unawakened Innates. Sis had given him a few hints, pointing out that most of his 'original' abilities were directly tied to his Innates. This included his [Chainbreaker], and, though he had originally thought it was related to his Source Energy, it seemed that skills like [Yggdrasil's Favor] and [Friend of the Spirits] were actually tied to something else entirely.To his surprise, Sis pointed out that even Development Abilities such as [Spirit Healing] and [Wound Transfer] were already related to unawakened Innates, so, if he included [Veil of the Traveler], Vahn, from the very beginning, had the capacity to awaken seven Innates. This seemed to be the case for most people, as, with the restrictions of the Tier System, it was generally impossible for people to develop more than seven Innates. All Records existed between Tiers 1 and 7, and, regardless of how powerful something became, exceeding Tier 7 was impossible unless you already existed outside of the system.As the wielder of The Path, Vahn's 'true body' currently existed outside the Tier System entirely, so, if he really wanted to, it was possible for him to exceed Tier 7. Doing so, however, served no real purpose, as, according to Sis, Tiers 8 and 9 were known as Aspect and Origin. The former was where all the Laws were derived from, and, though she couldn't go into any specifics, Sis surmised that the only way to reach Tier 8 was to 'abandon everything'. As for Tier 9, Origin, it was a place where 'all things existed outside the governance of the Laws'.The most important takeaway from the information provided by Sis was that the Laws themselves were derived from Tier 8 Aspects. As a result, they were 'absolute' within the Records, and, if your understanding was advanced enough, you could basically 'ignore' the difference in Soul Tier. This was the reason Grandmaster swordsmen were able to cut through concepts, as, even without truly understanding the nature of their opponent, they could simply 'ignore' everything else as a result of their mastery.Vahn's swordsmanship had already reached a transcendental level, to the point he was confident in being able to defeat most opponents within relying on most of his Innates. Despite this, he was far from the pinnacle, as, at the highest level, even cutting through Realms and severing fate should be possible. Thus, in the hopes of pushing his swordsmanship to even greater heights, Vahn had set his sights on developing a Sensory or Mind Innate. He wouldn't mind obtaining an Innate in any of the other categories, but, considering his current skillset, developing his senses and mind had the most potential for qualitatively increasing his capabilities.Since Innates were heavily influenced by a person's intent, desires, and comprehension, Vahn was 'absolutely certain' that his Sensory and Mind Innates would enhance his abilities. The problem was, even with Da Vinci's research, Innates were still difficult to awaken. Her research concluded that the most effective trigger was a significant emotional event, suggesting you either had to experience a tragedy or push yourself to such extremes that your perspective of yourself and the world around you was fundamentally altered.As tragedies weren't something you could artificially create, Vahn felt the most effective means for him to awaken his Innates was to focus on blacksmithing and trying to comprehend the Mantra of Eternity. The former was intrinsically related to his state of mind, and, though he understood very little about it, Vahn felt the Manta of Eternity greatly influenced his mentality. It also had the effect of allowing him to replenish his reserves at an accelerated rate, so, while this might not allow him to develop a Mind or a Sensory Innate, it had always been worth exploring...---With the cryptic sounds of the Mantra of Eternity whispering in the back of his mind, Vahn couldn't help but smile wryly when Asuna, who had been reading next to him, began to spontaneously 'kick' him with her socked feet. She was laying down on the same sofa that he was sitting on, and, though she seemed to be engrossed in one of the various versions of a manga called Fairy Tail, Vahn knew she was always paying close attention to him.Having just finished reading through his own manga, the seventeenth volume of a rather pleasant adventure series called Tama's Journey, Vahn tossed it into his Inventory as he said, "I was thinking about grabbing something to eat. Want to join me...?"Snapping her manga shut with a loud 'pa', Asuna transitioned to a seated position, smiling as she answered, "Perfect timing. I was actually just beginning to get a little hungry. Come on, we'll make it together this time. I want to try cooking a dragon steak~!"Chuckling lightly at the twin-tailed Princess' antics, Vahn habitually extended his hand to stroke her head as he said, "Sure. Go wash up and I'll meet you in the kitchen. When you're done, I'll show you how to prepare Dragon Hamburger Steak."Though it wasn't exactly what she had in mind, Asuna wasn't going to argue. Vahn always made the most delicious food, so, in response to his statement, she became even more bubbly as she happily exclaimed, "I can't wait~!" before running into the bathroom to wash her hands.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci, "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!"','Source Energy is dummy strong','I would also like a Humber Steak-desu...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Following the display of the Sage Dragon Emperor, tensions within the Empire and Confederation were at an all-time high. Neither side had suffered many casualties, but, as could be expected from having their fleets forcibly grounded, the repair costs were astronomical. This was especially true for the Megalomesembrian Fleet, as, unlike the Southern Fleet hailing from the Empire, they had been in motion during the incident. They had also lost six of their War-God Soldiers, three of which were the black variant meant to secure their momentum during the early stages of the war.Unable to take the offense laying down, the Megalomesembrian Senate placed a bounty of eight-hundred-million Drachma on the Sage Dragon Emperor's head, the second-largest bounty that had ever been issued. The only person with a higher bounty was the Dark Evangel, but, considering she had actually gone to war against Megalomesembria in the past, leading to the downfall of the old monarchy, this didn't surprise anyone.As could be expected after such an offer was made public, hundreds of specialists were eager to try their hand at hunting down the now-infamous Dragon. Many of these groups gave up after finding out exactly what Vahn had accomplished above Lake Argyre, but, as there were always people who sought to leave their name in history, the strongest among them was undeterred. There were even groups from Mundus Vetus migrating over to join in the search, the most notable being a group of Shinmei-Ryu swordsman and the leader of an ancient dragon-slaying clan from China.Even when Eva had been at her peak, earning a reputation as the most powerful Mage in the entire world, there had never been a lack of groups willing to hunt her down. Many of these groups were just seeking to increase the fame of their organization or make a name for themselves, but, among the rabble, there were always some true powerhouses mixed in. These people cared little about the rewards offered, as, after reaching the pinnacle within their respective disciplines, their only concern was finding strong opponents to battle against. Thus, after hearing about the power demonstrated by the Sage Dragon Emperor, many 'old monsters' came out of the woodworks.Though all of Vahn's feats had firmly cemented his place as one of the strongest in the world, it was the line he had drawn across Lake Argyre that left the deepest impression. It's existence had shaken both the Empire and Confederation, as, even after a comprehensive investigation, they were unable to make sense of the mysterious phenomenon. All they knew for certain was that it was some kind of sword technique, so, during the tentative ceasefire agreement, they sought counsel from various famous sword schools.Unfortunately, even after requesting the assistance of the 'most powerful swordsman in the world', the Grandmaster of the Shinmei-Ryu school, they were unable to remove the eerie black line. The most they had been able to accomplish was creating a gap large enough for a single person to pass through. In exchange, they ended up sacrificing a six-hundred-year-old heritage item that had been passed down through successive generations of Shinmei-Ryu practitioners. This was a tragic loss for the legendary sword school, but, rather than be deterred, the Grandmaster saw it as an opportunity to stage a succession competition, asserting, "Progress lays in the future, not clinging to the past."For hundreds of years, the Shinmei-Ryu had been stagnating within the mountains of Kyoto, Japan. In the modern era, there was only a single Grandmaster among the entire organization, as, after the previous World War, several rival schools had spared no expense in trying to eliminate them. If not for the assistance of the Kansai Magic Association and additional support from Megalomesembria, their thousands of years of heritage would have been lost.Since the time of the Second World War of Mundus Vetus, the Shinmei-Ryu school had been deeply indebted to both the Kansai Magic Association and the Megalomesembrian Confederation. This led to many of their techniques being leaked, and, over time, many of their external disciples had been swayed by the convenience of technology and modern living. Only the Main Household continued to strenuously follow tradition, but, as a result, they had developed an 'elitist' mentality that made it very difficult for them to thrive and prosper in a changing era.The Grandmaster was already 139 years old, so, with the threat of death constantly looming over them, they couldn't help but worry about the future of the Shinmei-Ryu school. The line drawn by the Sage Dragon Emperor reminded them that there were pinnacles of swordsmanship that had yet to be reached. This gave them hope for the future, and, for the first time in more than forty years, a strong desire to battle had awakened within their tired bones...---Though he wasn't unaware of the bounty that had been placed on his head, Vahn didn't particularly care about the machinations of Megalomesembria. He was more amused by the fact that the Hellas Empire seemed to be on the fence regarding how they should respond to him grounding their fleet. They had yet to issue a public response following the incident, and, despite a fair amount of tension within the Imperial Court, the Emperor adamantly refused to place a bounty of their own. Instead, it seemed like he was proactively supporting his daughter's position, expanding Theo's influence, and taking measures to eliminate some of the dissidents within the Imperial Court.Vahn wasn't quite sure what was going through the Emperor's head, but, based on his behavior, it was apparent that he had already guessed the relationship between himself and Theo. Despite this, he didn't seem to oppose the arrangement, but, considering Theo's dominant performance during her Rite of Passage, that wasn't too much of a surprise. The Empire was founded on the principle of individual might and merit, so, with tremendous public support, not supporting Theo would be the same as compromising the integrity of the Imperial Family.Though there was bound to be some backlash once his relationship with Theo came to light, Vahn had already come to terms with the inevitable. He had already promised her a child, so, regardless of his original intentions, he would do everything in his power to protect both her and their future offspring. His only real concern was handling everything in a manner that would allow him to take both Theo and their future child along with him. He didn't actually intend to spend that much time in the Akamatsuverse, so, if she insisted on fulfilling her duties as an Empress, there was a chance he would be subsuming the entirety of Mundus Magicus in the future...---Thinking about the future, Vahn had to repress a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair in an increasingly-common self-calming gesture. Then, with the most relaxed smile he could manage, he turned to the skulking Asuna, nodding his head to indicate she was clear to take action.Though she wanted to inquire about what was troubling him, Asuna ultimately decided against it as she nodded her head and leaped from her perch more than 130m from the forest floor.Despite falling from such a height, the only sound to mark Asuna's landing was the gentle ringing of a bell. This greatly startled the group of five who had been silently trespassing the forest, their leader immediately crying out, "Enemies from above!" as he drew out a peculiar sword made from pure white wood.In response to the man's exclamation, the other members of his group drew their weapons, two of the younger sword-wielding individuals protecting what appeared to be a Japanese Shrine Maiden at the center of the group. As for their final member, a woman with dark-black hair tied into a high ponytail, she drew a similar sword to the rest of her companions, her black eyes glowing with a hazy blue light as she calmly stated, "There are no other enemies within three kilometers..."Hearing his companion's words, the man who had first reacted to Asuna's presence furrowed his brows as he half-lowered his sword and asked, "What business does a child have wandering in a monster-infested forest? If you do not answer honestly, we will be forced to apprehend you..."Before answering the man's question, Asuna looked between each member of the group before fixing her gaze on the young girl protected near the center. She had the appearance of a young Japanese girl around fourteen-years-old, but, unlike everyone else present, her eyes were almost completely white. Rather than cataracts, however, they were glossy like pearls, and, compared to everyone else in the group, she was the only one that gave a 'dangerous' feeling.After instantaneously formulating a strategy within her mind, Asuna turned her attention back to the man as she honestly answered, "My Master has tasked me with defeating your group. You don't have to worry about serious injury or death so feel free to go-"Not waiting for Asuna to finish her explanation, the woman with the high ponytail turned into a blur as she shouted, "Zanganken(Stone-Cutting Sword)...!"Though the woman's sword was made from a thin blade of white wood, a bluish-crescent formed from pure Ki emanated from her blade as she swept it towards Asuna's right arm. This blade quickly expanded to more than five meters in length, and, after passing through the former's illusory figure, it passed cleanly through a tree trunk more than twenty meters in diameter.Seeing Asuna's figure slowly dissipate, the woman's sharp eyes widened slightly as a childish voice echoed behind her, musing, "You're not bad at all."Before she could respond to the teasing remark, the woman experienced a sharp pain to the back of her neck. The last thing she remembered was a dull thud pass through her body when she hit the ground. After that, complete darkness descended upon her consciousness as she face-planted into the mossy undergrowth of the forest floor.After knocking out her first opponent, Asuna smiled naturally towards the other four as she flipped the tanto in her hand so that the blade was facing backward. Then, with a single step forward, she closed the distance between herself and the presumed leader of the group, saying, "Please give it your best," as the back of her blackened blade collided with the pure white wooden edge.To the man's horror, he felt himself being pushed back almost immediately after the two blades came into contact. By pure instinct, he managed to change the angle of his blade to try and deflect the unknown assailant's attack, but, rather than follow the initial momentum, he noticed the girl's body 'flicker' as the trajectory of her attack instantaneously changed, the tip of her blade pointing at his shoulder.Due to the weight behind the original blow, the man was unable to protect his exposed shoulder as Asuna's blade pierced through it with considerable ease. This caused her to feel a little queasy, but, knowing this was a part of her training, she steeled herself as her blade pierced cleaning through the man's supraspinatus, supraspinate, infraspinate, and teres minor muscles. This would leave his left arm completely useless for the remainder of the battle, and, if he didn't receive proper medical treatment, he would likely never recover full use of the appendage.To the man's credit, he didn't cry out as his shoulder was made useless. Instead, he simply grit his teeth while trying to twist his body in a way that would disarm his opponent. At the same time, a flash of vibrant blue lightning spread across the surface of his blade as he cut upward, shouting, "Raimeiken(Thunderclap Sword)~!"Though Raimeiken was a technique created to oppose Demons and Evil Spirits, lightning was just as useful against biological opponents as any other. It could completely overwhelm a person's nervous system, and, due to the nature of lightning infused Ki, most magical and ki barriers were completely ineffective against it.Unfortunately for the man, he severely underestimated the sharpness of Asuna's Zanpakuto and her reaction speed. His attempt to disarm her resulted in part of his shoulder being gouged out. As for his Raimeiken, it passed harmlessly through another afterimage as the voice of Asuna echoed in the surroundings, stating, "Reckless..." in a dull tone.By the time the man's brain has processed the singular word, his consciousness was already fading from his body. He didn't even feel the attack that knocked him out, but, in the moments preceding his reunion with the ground, a tingling feeling had started to spread from his mangled shoulder...---Seeing the strongest members of their party defeated in an instant, the two remaining swordsmen had pale expressions on their faces as they looked towards their twin-tailed assailant like she was a demon. Even if they combined their strength, they wouldn't have been able to defeat either of their Senior students. Despite this, neither backed down, as, even compared to their lives, their pride as a member of the Shinmei-Ryu school did not allow them to retreat.After meeting each others' gaze, the two youths gave each other a small nod before raising their white swords in concert with each other. Before the could attack, however, a bell-like voice echoed from behind them, saying, "Do not attack. That girl is not a true adversary. Attacking will only bring unnecessary harm to both sides."Hearing the young maiden's words, the younger of the two boys had an incredulous look on his face as he exclaimed, "Kyoko-sama!? We can't just back down. That girl killed Ken-nii and Ayane-sama! Even if it costs us our lives, we must seek vengeance and protect the honor of the Shinmei-Ryu school...!"Rather than try to argue with the hot-headed young boy, the petite Shrine Maiden just furrowed her brows slightly before producing two talismans from her oversized sleeves. Then, before either of the youths could react, she used a skill similar to Telekinesis to direct the talismans toward them faster than a bullet. The moment these pieces of paper came into contact with the youth's bodies, a sound similar to air escaping a flute could be heard as she formed a simple seal with her hands and said, "Mahi-Fuin(Paralysis Seal)~!"Seeing both of the boys fall to the ground, the Shrine Maiden, Kyoko, adopted an apologetic look on her face as she said, "Forgive me, Ryouta-kun, Seiji-kun. I cannot just stand by and watch the two of you sustain unnecessary injuries..."Following her words, Kyoko bowed towards the two paralyzed boys before turning her pearl-white eyes towards the silent Asuna and asking, "Are you satisfied...?"Feeling a little awkward, Asuna couldn't resist smiling wryly as she rubbed the back of her head and answered, "It was never about being satisfied. I just wanted to test my skills against opponents from a famous school. Since it doesn't seem like you are willing to fight, I'll go ahead and pull back here. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."Finished with her words, Asuna performed a polite bow of her own before raising her head and offering one last smile as her figure faded away like a phantom image. She had originally intended to stick around until everyone's injuries had healed, but, after slicing through human flesh for the first time, she was feeling a little sick to her stomach...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let's put a bounty on the guy that just solo'd our fleet!','The strong seeketh the strong','Asuna after returning to Vahn, "Rub my belly..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Without caring about the response of the Hellas Empire and Megalomesembrian Confederation, Vahn focused his efforts on investigating the regions flooded during the brief confrontation against the Leviathan.Fortunately, due to the existence of the Leviathan itself, there were very few cities located anywhere near a large body of water. The only real exceptions were places like Al Jamila and Sirenum, regions where the native population could survive in both the sea and on land. Their coasts were also lined with massive sea walls that reached upwards of 100m, well above the threshold of the Leviathan's average tsunamis.Other than some environmental damage, which would quickly recover due to the presence of both elemental and magical energy, there were no disastrous consequences of Fenrir's 'minor' gaffe. The only nearby population centers were the agricultural nation of Eos and a number of frontier military outposts owned and operated by the Megalomesembrian Confederation. These facilities, as could be expected, were surrounded by excessively high walls, so, regardless of whether or not the flood reached them, they would be largely unaffected.---After several hours of search-and-rescue, saving various animals and a few magical beasts that had been affected by the flooding, Vahn, accompanied by Fenrir and Asuna, made camp in the valley of a small mountain located a few hundred kilometers North of Lake Argyre. This region often served as a secondary battleground between the two superpowers, so, with their 'preferred' battleground now impassable, they had little choice but to change venue if they wanted to continue the conflict.Though there was a considerable Hellas presence in the region, the valley occupied by Vahn and his entourage was sparsely populated by ancient ruins. Such areas were often the breeding ground for powerful monsters, and, for reasons Archaeologists and Scholars had yet to understand, a variety of malicious magical traps, many specifically targeted people, could be found in such ruins. Disarming these traps was ultimately futile, as, after a few hours had passed, new traps would spring up, many far more dangerous than those which preceded them.While dungeoneering or delving into ruins, the most common approach was to simply map out as many traps as possible without triggering them. Traps wouldn't just randomly move around, so, if they had yet to be triggered, identifying the locations and triggering mechanisms of a trap would allow for 'relatively' safe passage through an area.With the ability to instantaneously map out everything within his perception, it took very little effort for Vahn's party to trespass the ruins. It took them less than half an hour to reach the most isolated region of the ruins, a vast underground chamber that was actually guarded by a large baboon-like creature with a snake-headed tail.Though it had a breath attack that allowed it to turn anything it touched into stone, the ten-meter tall monstrosity was ultimately defeated by Asuna in an instant. She had been excitedly leading the way up until then, and, after defeating the 'boss-like' entity, she happily pried open an ornate stone chest that had appeared in a hidden room following after the monkey's defeat. This also ended up being a trap, but, with her ability to negate external magic completely, Asuna ended up destroying the magical formation without even noticing its existence...---Taking advantage of the empty chamber formerly occupied by the giant baboon, Vahn pulled out a homely-looking cottage from his Inventory and began fixing dinner while Fenrir and Asuna washed up and changed clothes. He was mentally exhausted from his earlier escapades, but, after watching Asuna happily conquer the game-like dungeon, much of his usual vigor had returned. Cooking also helped a lot, as, not only was it something he genuinely enjoyed, it had always been a therapeutic way for him to simply cut loose and relax.Though it might seem somewhat contrary considering his penultimate goal, Vahn wasn't actually all that fond of conflict. He certainly enjoyed friendly competition and battling strong opponents, but, as such things were often predicated by exacerbating circumstances, it generally left a bitter taste in his mouth. There simply weren't enough opponents he could go all out against, and, more often than not, those that could actually compete with him were vile and despicable existences he simply couldn't enjoy battling.Shaking his head, Vahn finished decorating his dishes by cutting a few sausages and apple slices into the shape of cute octopi and pointy-eared rabbits. He always found it rather amusing to see the conflict in Asuna's eyes whenever she was forced to choose between eating what he had made or letting them go to waste. It might be a little 'mean' of him, but, even after the passage of more than two-hundred-years, Vahn simply couldn't help but enjoy teasing people. It was a core part of his character, and, though he sometimes got out of hand, most incidents quickly turned into fond memories that he could reminisce with the people he cared about...---After enjoying a rather lively meal, Vahn was seated on a large sofa with Fenrir and Asuna nestled on his right and left, respectively. The latter had already changed into her pajamas, but, rather than pay it any mind, Vahn just enjoyed their company as they watched a rather cinematic representation of the incident above Lake Argyre. Seeing it from the outside helped to put things into perspective, and, most importantly, allowed them to understand how others might view the event.Ever the astute young lady, Asuna didn't hesitate to offer her own opinion on things, saying, "I like the idea of drawing a visible line between the two sides but I feel like it will have more of an impact on the creatures living in the lake and anything trying to fly over than the two superpowers. Unless it could also block magical energy, they could continue to bombard each other from a distance and just use the 'Warp' spell to transport their fleet across. It will certainly make things more difficult for them, but I can't see it ending the war..."Well aware of the points she was making, Vahn didn't try to refute any of Asuna's claims. Instead, he just issued an approving nod before explaining, "Even if we prevent them from openly fighting, they will still find ways to undermine and sabotage each other. Stopping the war won't actually bring the fighting to an end, so, until we can draw out Cosmo Entelecheia, I intend to draw as much attention as possible to myself. This will allow Theo, Arika, and Eva greater freedom of movement, and, if fate allows, it will also draw the members of Ala Rubra directly to us."Hearing mention of Ala Rubra, Asuna scrunched up her nose slightly before remarking, "I don't like those people. Though I've never met them, everything I have read seems to imply that man, Albireo Imma, is the mastermind behind numerous troublesome events. Even if he did what he thought was necessary to defeat the Mage of the Beginning, the methods we use are equally as important as the outcome we desire. The moment we cease caring about the particulars, we become no better than the enemies we want to defeat."Having learned a similar lesson the hard way, Vahn issued another approving nod in response to Asuna's statement. There was no such thing as a finite outcome, and, even after you achieved your goal, there was always something more to follow. The compromises you made along the way would invariably lead to a karmic deficit, and, as a result, many Heroes often found their lives wrought with tragedy in the wake of their triumphs.Unless an incident occurred to drastically decrease your power, victory against any established 'evil' would subsequently lead to an extreme imbalance in power. As a result, 'something' would need to fill the power vacuum created, and, though this could sometimes take thousands of years, the end result was always the tragic end of the Hero. There were even situations where the former Hero of a Record became the very threat a future protagonist would have to confront, as, over time, humanity and karmic deficits could even lead Saints down a very dark route.Having nearly strayed down such a path twice, both in the Nasuverse and Danmachi, Vahn knew better than most how quickly power could lead people astray. It was one of the reasons he desired stronger opponents, as, without something 'above' him, it was inevitable that a threat would come from 'below'. This would remain the case until he reached Tier 7, as, by then, there would simply be no opponents that could ever pose a threat to him. Rather, at that level, all conflict would become completely irrelevant...Envisioning the peak he was aiming for, Vahn felt a peculiar feeling of 'emptiness' in his heart for a very brief moment. Memories of all the people he had met along the way, including his family and lovers, quickly replaced any inhibitions he had about the future. This was the path he had decided upon, and, though it might seem like life would lose all meaning once he achieved such a degree of power, it wasn't as if power was the thing that gave his life meaning. His greatest desire had always been to live freely, not without restraint, but in a way that allowed him to be proud of the path he had walked and the bonds he forged in the process...---Back within the 'observation room' that allowed them to observe Vahn's actions, all one-hundred of Sis's avatars released a sigh of relief when they saw their troublesome little brother pull Fenrir and Asuna a little closer. They could feel his tensions gradually fade away, and, in their place, feelings of affection, positivity, hope, and a fair amount of ambition quickly replaced any feelings of negativity, at least for the time being.Though he had an almost ridiculous amount of power at his disposal, Vahn had always had a fragile heart. His mind was actually very stable, largely thanks to her presence, but, due to the existence of his most powerful Innate, currently sealed by The Path, there were moments when his raw emotions transcended even his [Will of the Emperor]'s ability to cope with.One of Sis' primary responsibilities, even if it seemed contrary, was actually delaying the awakening of Vahn's 'primary' Innate, as, depending on the circumstances, it could easily lead him far from any and all paths. She couldn't actually 'stop' it from awakening, as it was simply inevitable, but, until he had obtained the happiness he sought, she would sooner sacrifice herself than allow him to endure the burden of the truth...After lightly patting their rather voluminous chests to calm down, several versions of Sis rose from their seats in order to conduct some 'routine maintenance'. Vahn was clearly reaching a point where his own power was becoming a burden to him, so, before he experienced an existential crisis or did anything drastic, they would filter through his memories in order to 'purge' the emotions contained within. This would cause Vahn to feel a sense of indifference when he recalled these memories, but, in the grand scheme of things, people simply weren't designed to recall feelings of negativity with 'perfect' clarity.Even a normal person could be consumed by negative thoughts, so, with the ability to recall even the individual particles of sand on a beach, one of Vahn's greatest strengths was also his principal weakness. When he was happy, he was 'very' happy, and, as a result, everyone around him would experience a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment. This was because he literally translated his feelings through his domain, and, while it wasn't intentional, these emotions greatly affected those around him.Vahn had yet to realize it himself but he actually 'radiated' his happiness and positivity like a flame giving off heat. He could quantifiably increase the happiness of others, but, in exchange, he actually drained his own happiness as if it was a finite resource. At the same time, further exacerbating the problem, he proactively absorbed the negative energy radiated by others, overdrafting his mental and spiritual energies in the process. This was one of the reasons his Karma increase so quickly, as, rather than simply helping people, he qualitatively improved their lives by altering their fates and setting them down a path that would invariably ensure their happiness...Depending on how much of his empathy they had stirred, Vahn would place a disproportionately large 'seed' of happiness within a person's body. This was generally enough to ensure they would live a relatively free and happy life, but, by remaining near Vahn and receiving his care, attention, and the nourishment of his Source Energy, this seed would inevitably blossom. By then, you would become a source for his happiness, and, depending on the circumstances, there was a chance you would become a part of something far greater than any individual...Unfortunately, as Vahn's concerns and empathy spread beyond his immediate surroundings, the amount of happiness he spread greatly eclipsed his intake. If he tried helping too many people in a short period of time, he would gradually fall into a depressive state that exponentially increased the chances of him doing something regrettable. This could quickly result in a negative feedback loop, so, whenever Vahn was on the verge of a meltdown, Sis did her best to filter out as much negativity as possible, stopping short just when it seemed like her actions would directly affect his personality.Though it was certainly troublesome, everyone needed a bit of negativity and sadness in order to maintain a state of mental wellness. If they were unable to recall tragic events without feeling even a small amount of sadness or remorse, they would gradually feel more detached and apathetic. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing if you were a loner with a keen sense of purpose, but, when you were the lynchpin of both a Realm and an Empire, apathy became the catalyst for countless tragedies...In the grand scheme of things, balance was equally as important in ensuring the stability of reality as it was in preserving the stability of the mind. Too much of any emotion, including things like love and happiness, could lead to dependence. This left you susceptible to breaking down when things weren't going your way. More terrifyingly, you might even lose your ability to find happiness in the things that once brought you the greatest joy, desperately seeking means to fill the void that had been created in your heart...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Map Function is secretly the MC','Shokugeki no Sage Dragon Emperor','The secret of the *sealed* remains concealed...but for how long...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1634: Insight