Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he was the youngest person present, none of the other officials dared speak out against the decision made by the silver-haired man, Lars Laetorius Primulus. The majority had been hand-picked for their positions following the former's rise as Dictator, so, rather than speak against him, they patiently waiting for an explanation.Satisfied with the room's response, Dictator Primulus gave a small nod before gesturing towards the man seated to his right. This caused all eyes to shift towards the elderly individual, who, despite his age, radiated a considerable amount of power. He had short grey hair that was combed back in a heroic manner, and, though he wore the traditional robes of a high-ranking Mage, it was possible to make out the powerful body concealed beneath.With all eyes focused on him, the man, Magister Militum Arkan Vale Primulus, Director Primulus' Uncle and former Consul of the Megalomesembrian Senate, gave a small nod of acknowledgment before adopting a hawk-like countenance as he explained, "We cannot afford to overly antagonize the Sage Dragon Emperor. He might not be as dangerous as someone like the Dark Evangel, but his capabilities make him no less a threat. Unless we can lure him into a trap and seal him, there is little we can do against an opponent who has demonstrated the ability to freely teleport without the use of a magic circle..."Nodding in approval of his Uncle's words, Dictator Primulus added, "Until we have collected more information regarding his characteristics and weaknesses, attacking the Sage Dragon Emperor is a waste of resources. Our priority should be seeking a compromise in an effort to lull him into a false sense of security. If we meet with him openly, we can reduce the amount of collateral damage while also limiting the number of people he will inevitably assassinate. The Sage Dragon Emperor seems to act according to a code, so, as long as we show a willingness to compromise, he will be limited in the actions he can take against us."Though it wasn't the 'ideal' solution to their problems, none of the men present could argue against the statements made by their Dictator. The Sage Dragon Emperor had exhibited a number of truly troublesome capabilities, and, unless they could find a way to ensnare him, defeating him in a direct engagement would be extremely difficult. He managed to repel the Leviathan, destroy several War-God Soldiers, and ground two separate fleets without any discernible difficulty. None of these feats could be ignored, so, unless they were willing to sacrifice a considerable number of assets, trying to openly oppose him was the same as shooting themselves in the foot.With similar thoughts running through their minds, nearly every official present decided to support their Dictator's decision. The only person against the idea was the man seated to the Dictator's left, an exceptionally wrinkled old-man with unnatural black sclera and golden irises.Unlike the traditional black robes worn by most senior Mages, the elderly individual wore a blood-red variant that loosely hung from his languid and seemingly frail figure. He wore a peculiar golden apparatus inscribed with a series of complex runes around his neck, and, rather than sit in a normal chair, he was floating several centimeters from the ground in a throne reminiscent of a silver egg.With all eyes focused on him, the elderly man opened his eyes a little wider than normal, his voice sounding like an echo from the depths of Hell as he warned, "We will not tolerate having our plans interrupted. If Megalomesembria cannot deal with a single Ancient Dragon, we will not hesitate to wipe you out ourselves. Everything that has been given to you can be taken away. Never forget that simple truth."Finished with his words, the elderly man gripped the staff in his right hand. It had the appearance of a two branches that had been twisted together to appear as malevolent as possible. At the very top, where most catalysts could be found, a blackened heart could be seen pulsating with a mysterious purple light. A constant trickle of brackish-purple blood flowed from its valves, staining the wooden components of the staff and causing a perpetual hissing sound to resonate throughout the room...After a series of simple taps against empty air, a complex magic formation appeared beneath the man's throne-like chair. In the next moment, a vibrant purple light enveloped his figure before the man, along with his chair, vanished completely. This left everyone in the room completely silent for several seconds until the Dictator, seemingly unperturbed by the man's warning, plainly stated, "We will continue with my plan. Any questions?"Though some present were tempted to ask if it was wise to disregard the warning of the Supreme Consul, none were bold enough to speak out against their calmly smiling Dictator. He radiated an aura of absolute confidence, and, considering their own careers were riding on his success, nobody wanted to risk earning his ire by opposing his decision.Satisfied with the silence following his question, a hint of a smile spread across Dictator Primulus' face as he nodded his head and stated, "Very well. We will send an emissary to intercept the Sage Dragon Emperor and his entourage. While they are buying time with pleasantries, I suggest each of you attempt to secure your assets and conceal your secrets. If you somehow manage to earn the ire of the Sage Dragon Emperor, the Confederation will not protect you."With his words finished, Dictator Primulus rose to his feet, dismissing the group of officials before turning to his Uncle and stating, "I will leave you here for the time being. Establish contact with the facilities researching more...contentious subjects. They have less than an hour to relocate all of the more pertinent data and assets to a secure site. We should assume the Sage Dragon Emperor has the ability to sense everything within fifty kilometers. Unless it is secured safely within a sub-space, I want everything moved as quickly as possible."Though the man before him was his much-younger nephew, the Magister Militum did not hesitate to bow low, answering, "I will see to it without fail!"Nodding his head in approval, Dictator Primulus pat the shoulder of his Uncle in passing, his voice changing completely as he mused, "Remember, you are protecting your future assets. Do your best, dear Uncle..."---Though the presence of the military continued to grow, Vahn had a slight frown on his face after realizing they weren't going to attack. He hadn't expected them to respond in such a 'reasonable' manner, forcing him to either continue his casual act or shift to a more 'proactive' approach.Sensing the civilian population was still relocating to secure bunkers located beneath the city's vast skyscrapers, Vahn decided to momentarily delay any destructive actions. Instead, he closed his eyes and began shifting his intent around, observing and analyzing various people, places, and things.It didn't take a genius to realize that Megalomesembria would probably try to lure him into a trap, as, a few hundred years prior, they had attempted the same thing against Eva. She had decided to compromise with the nefarious superpower after a long drawn out battle that had gradually worn away at both sides. In response, Megalomesembria had attempted to trap her in a barrier infused with Chronoton. If she hadn't seen through their obvious attempt, circumventing their effort with a doll that perfectly emulated her appearance and magical signature, Megalomesembria would have conquered Earth long ago.Imagining Megalomesembria trying to seal him away, Vahn felt both amused and incensed. A rather vicious glimmer flashed across his eyes, and, for a fleeting moment, he actually considered allowing them to succeed. He was largely immune to the effects of Chronoton as a God of Space, and, even if they could somehow seal a part of him, he could either use [Chainbreaker] to break free or simply sever his connection with the vessel, dispersing it and effectively liberating himself in an instant.Vahn never kept all of his vessels in one place, so, unless they could discover the Garden of Avalon and locate the position of his hidden gemstone, located within the void, it was simply impossible to seal him away. As for killing him, that was even more difficult, as, without the ability to affect Source Energy in the slightest, he would perpetually revive, stronger, faster, and more resolute.Though it might seem a little unfair, the truth of the matter was that any reasonably powerful Tier 5 entity was able to revive countless times. It took destroying their ego or erasing the concepts they represented to truly kill an entity above Tier 5. He also didn't particularly care about whether or not his resurrection was fair against his foes, as, more often than not, he was pitted against some of the vilest and most appalling people within the Record. They rarely showed mercy and fairness towards their victims, so, unless there were some extenuating circumstances, Vahn didn't mind turning the tables and allowing them to experience something similar.As that thought cross his mind, Vahn set his sights on the group of people that had separated from the massive wall of troops that blockaded the entrance of Megalomesembria. He found it amusing that Megalomesembria would dare to send a Demihuman ambassador to meet with him, seemingly with the intent to demonstrate that 'not all' Demihumans within their country were slaves.Unfortunately for whoever had made the decision, Vahn was not so easily fooled. He could sense a number of lingering injuries in each member of the approaching group, and, though she appeared calm and stoic on the outside, Vahn noticed that the female Ambassador actually had a number of piercings and a literal brand on her body...Before Vahn realized it, the smile on his face had become slightly dangerous, prompting Asuna to lightly grip his hand and whisper, "Vahn..." in a concerned tone.Looking down at the concerned young girl, Vahn's expression instantly softened as he used his free hand to caress her head, his tone gentle as he said, "Thanks for your concern, kiddo. Don't worry, I won't let this place corrupt me. Now, stay with Fenrir while I go see what these people want to talk about. I'm trusting the two of you to keep each other safe."To punctuate his words, Vahn lifted up Asuna's bangs to plant a simple kiss on her forehead, a calm smile on his face as he turned away and used shundo to appear in front of the approaching group...---Seeing a figure suddenly appear in front of them, the group of emissaries tensed up quite a bit as their leader, a woman with droopy dog ears and a tail that curled like a shiba-inu bowed her head and said, "Welcome to Megalomesembria, Sage Dragon Emperor. It is our greatest honor to stand before such a legendary figure..."Leaving the woman at a loss, Vahn didn't immediately reply to her words. Instead, he scanned his eyes over each of them, his irises blazing with a golden light that caused a layer of sweat to spread across their bodies.After scanning each member of the group with his View Affection toggled on, Vahn was pretty sure these people were former slaves who had been specially trained to act as emissaries in Demihuman countries. They put on a strong front, as could be expected from people in their positions, but, with even a cursory look beyond the surface, it was easy to see they were all suffering.Without beating around the bush, Vahn surprised the group of eleven by extending his hand and crushing the devices used to record their conversation. At the same time, the bracelets and anklets which served as replacements for slave collars flickered with golden light before crumbling to dust as he said, "I offer you freedom. If there is something or someone that binds you to this place, I will guarantee their freedom as well. I can't be held responsible for how you will live from now on, but I can send you to a place free from Megalomesembria's influence. Now, make your choice..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let's not piss off the dragon that can teleport around and throw miniature suns...','Vahn doesn't play fair','Well, that escalated quickly...')(2/4)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Not expecting Vahn's sudden proposal, the members of the Megalomesembrian delegation found themselves at a loss for words. Some of them had long discarded the possibility of ever escaping their situation, so, even if they had heard rumor of Vahn's exploits, years of conditioning prevented them from answering expediently.Vahn understood he had put the eleven Demihumans on the spot, but, unless they had the resolve to reach out and take control of their fates, there was little he could do for them. Thus, after waiting several seconds for their response, he lightly shook his head, saying, "I pray you will not regret your decision to remain silent...remember, you were given a choice..."Without waiting for the group to respond, Vahn began to walk past them as Fenrir, having received his mental command, released a soul-shaking howl. The temperature in the surroundings began to rapidly decrease, and, though it was drastically weakened by Asuna's presence, she was still able to freeze her surroundings due to the Source Energy present within each of her abilities.Though Fenrir's wolf form was terrifying in its own right, the combination of [Apex Predator: SS] and [Freezing Roar: SS] came together to produce a virtually unblockable crowd control effect. Everyone who heard it experienced a momentary paralysis, and, much like someone unleashing Conqueror's Haki, the aftermath of her roar was marked by the collapse of thousands. At the same time, several Airfish began to veer from their initial positions, crashing into each other after their pilots collapsed at the helm...Surprisingly, the Megalomesembrian Militia still refused to attack even after Fenrir issued her howl, so, with a deadpan expression on his face, Vahn pulled out Lave-tan in her sealed state. At the same time, much like how Tiamat had forcibly teleported him against his will, he began moving everyone who had lost consciousness from one side of his domain to the other. He could teleport them much further away, but, by limiting the transfer to within his domain, he could effectively mitigate the cost in its entirety.As the group nearest to him, Vahn moved the eleven ambassadors to an isolated area. He wanted to give them a second chance to take control of their destiny, so, after dropping them off, he set a small bag of Drachma and some simple weapons nearby. What they chose to do after waking was ultimately up to them. He couldn't be held personally responsible for each person he saved, so, with his eyes focused on the front, Vahn began his march towards Megalomesmbria without sparing the eleven an additional thought...---Hearing the reports coming in through his earpiece, Dictator Primulus had a dour expression on his face as he muttered, "Humans are always so incompetent..."Following his utterance, Dictator Primulus swiped in the air, dispersing several futuristic displays of pale-blue light, many of which showed the data regarding the ambassadors sent to greet the Sage Dragon Emperor. Then, with another tap of his fingers, a high-quality display appeared out of thin air before breaking into twenty-three smaller panels, each showing someone in full military dress.Surprising each of the senior officers present, Dictator Primulus had a resolute expression on his face as he reiterated, "Do not engage. Shift to disaster relief protocols and allow the Sage Dragon Emperor to pass freely. Trying to fight him will only result in greater casualties. Anyone found guilty of ignoring this order will be tried with high-treason against the Confederation."Though there were a considerable number of people who didn't agree with the Dictator, the simple fact of the matter was that Primulus had uncontested authority when it came to military affairs. His orders were absolute, so, unless they wanted to be publically executed and burden their family with accusations of rearing dissidents, they had no choice but to obey...Removing any possibility of counterarguments, Dictator Primulus immediately dismissed each of the displays after relaying his order. Then, with his hands behind his back and a mildly disgusted glower on his face, he looked towards the expanding ice flower in the distance, muttering, "These people are helpless...now, let's see how much you are able to uncover you golden-scaled bastard..."---Seeing the remaining fleet and militia parting to allow his passage, Vahn's expression became even dourer. Though it was inarguably better for there to be no conflict, it was indescribably annoying to prepare yourself for a battle that never came.With everyone refusing to attack, Vahn was put in an awkward situation that made him seem like a villain. Some people even threw down their arms the moment he turned his attention toward them, and, though there were many who radiated auras of hostility, even those with brackish auras raised their hands in spite of their indignity.Feeling his brow begin to twitch, Vahn decided to up the ante by setting his sights upon one of the tallest buildings in Megalomesembria, the location of the Megalomesembrian Senate. It stood out like a palace amongst the surrounding buildings, and, even though it currently exceeded the reach of his domain, Vahn could sense numerous powerful individuals holed up inside. A few even made his draconic blood boil, tiny golden scales spreading across his arms, hidden beneath his clothing.Vahn knew 'someone' was messing with him, so, curious to see how far they were willing to go, he extended his hand towards the gloomy skies above.Though there was very little elemental energy present within Megalomesembria, a complete lack of the life-giving energy would make the region completely inhospitable. Vahn could sense a number of nascent Air, Water, and Earth Elementals present, and, though it rapidly depleted his reserves, he could use his Creation Divinity to produce even more.In accordance with Vahn's intent, intimidating black clouds began to form in the skies above the Confederation's capital. These were far larger than normal storm clouds, and, after several minutes had passed, peculiar pulses of gold and purple began to illuminate their interiors as a phenomenal amount of Lighting and a marginal amount of Space Elemental Energy began to gather within their billowy depths.Finished with his preparations, Vahn inhaled deeply through his nose before allowing the air escape his lips. Manipulating the weather to cover a metropolis wasn't easy, and, though most of the work was done by the Elementals themselves, creating them took a considerable amount of energy...With an unnaturally heavy downpour descending upon the largely evacuated city, Vahn, untouched by the rain, casually approached the distant meeting place of the Megalomesembrian Senate. Most of his frustration had faded away during the formation of the rain clouds, so, rather than hasten his steps, he walked with his eyes closed, his intent sweeping through the area.Though there were bound to be a few who would choose to return, Vahn systematically destroyed the collars of every slave he sensed within his domain. Then, with a 'thought', he transported them from the underground bunkers that currently housed much of the city's population. He couldn't do much for them, but, with food, money, and a few other essential supplies, they at least had a chance to secure their freedom.Further increasing the chances for a successful escape from the capital, the clouds above the city began to release several pulses of electromagnetic energy. At the same time, thick bands of golden lightning began to strike any weapons platform that shifted its focus towards any of the groups on the periphery.Vahn was trying to create ideal conditions to allow a mass exodus from Megalomesembria. Being removed from their shelter would make the groups feel exposed, and, with a torrential downpour, combined with the terrifying aura emanating from his body, only those with very strong ties to the city would dare venture back into its interior...---With his leisurely pace, combined with the fact he had stopped a number of times along the way, it took nearly two hours for Vahn to reach the entrance to the Megalomesembrian Senate Building. It was an impressive building, spanning more than a kilometer across and six tall. However, compared to the Babel Tower from the Record of Danmachi, constructed by the Gods, it almost seemed like a testament to human greed and hubris more than anything else...After restraining the urge to simply destroy the ridiculously large building, Vahn ascended nearly a thousand steps in silence before stopping a few dozen meters away from a wall formed from more than a hundred magically armored Knights. Their base appearance was similar to the designs used by the Ariadne Magic Knights, but, rather than pristine white or pale pink, every Knight across from him was attired in an onyx-black armor that was almost twice the size of a conventional model.Standing at the front of the group of armored Knights, seemingly without any regard for the rain soaking through his expensive garments, a man with a peculiar hairstyle and eyes that glowed with a glimmering golden light smiled viciously as he stated, "You've made quite the entrance, haven't you? Tell me, how should I address you? I'm Senator Ricardos, by the way."After staring at the man's horn-like hairstyle for several seconds, Vahn shifted his gaze to meet the man's, answering, "How you address me matters very little. Your people have a habit of assigning titles and designations for things without regard for propriety. I already know the Senate does not respect me so there is no need for pretense. Now, I assume you have come to act as an escort...?"Despite feeling as though he was staring into the open maw of a massive dragon, which wasn't too far from the truth, Senator Ricardos was able to stand firm, his eyes reflecting a fierce resolution as he answered, "Indeed. I've made a few enemies as of late so I'm the lucky bastard who got picked to ascertain your intentions and then escort you to the destination of your choosing...so, what will it be? I can show you to the Senate Chamber or escort you to the Consulate. Either way, I'd appreciate it if you made your decision quickly so we can get out of this damned rain..."Though the man wasn't exactly polite, Vahn didn't particularly care. He knew the man was actually one of Fairy Xuan's contacts, and, though he was a Senator, he was a member of the minority party that had been pushing for more progressive reforms. He had even joined the Auditing Committee, earning numerous enemies due to his snooping around and attempting to 'fix' the problems of the Confederation from the inside.Deciding not to make too much trouble for the man, Vahn shifted his gaze upwards, staring directly at the silvery-haired man who had been watching him for quite some time, saying, "It doesn't really matter where you take me. You can lead me to your Senate Chamber or lead me directly into a trap. The only thing that will change is the order and sequence of events. The end result, however, will be the same. I will break the will of your Senators, address the most problematic sources of corruption in your country, and when everything is said and done, you will be given the opportunity for a slow and gradual recovery. Now, please, lead the way Senator Ricardos. I'm anxious to see what path the leaders of this nation have chosen..."Hearing Vahn's reply, Senator Ricardos' expression became even more serious than before. As for the armored knights behind him, several gripped their magical halberds tighter, ready and willing to lay down their lives for the Confederation at a moment's notice. They didn't care how powerful their foe was, as, from the time they were adolescents, they had been specially conditioned and modified to serve as the sword and shield of the Senate...Sensing the increasing tensions, Vahn's calm expression gradually morphed into a far more serious countenance. Then, similar to the ambassadors that had previously barred his passage, he repeated a simple ultimatum, stating, "Make your choice...Senator..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'YEET~!','Vahn be like, "Run." -bass drops-','Just fight already')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though she was able to replenish her reserves almost indefinitely, using magic always placed a mental burden on the user. This was one of the reasons certain groups didn't fear hunting down powerhouses like Eva and Vahn, as, in their minds, there would always come a breaking point where their target simply broke down and lost the ability to effectively cast magic.After around thirteen hours of rampaging, extended due to reinforcements arriving from Vulcan, Fenrir, looking a little worse for wear, returned to her Master's side.Seeing Fenrir's wolf form return, it's fur matted, disheveled, and burned in several places, Vahn had to forcibly suppress a surging feeling of regret as he extended his hand, smiling as he said, "You did well. Come."Without caring about the state of her own body, Fenrir moved over to her Master in much the same way as a dog that had lived well beyond their years. She had exhausted most of her energy in order to break away from the forces that had attempted to encircle her position, so, on top of her mental fatigue, exhaustion had settled into her body.After crawling into her Master's lap, Fenrir plopped down, a snorting sigh escaping her nose as she rested her head against his thigh. At the same time, Vahn began caressing her fur, a glistening light enveloping his hand and forcibly extracting all the dirt and grime infesting her otherwise soft coat.Feeling a comfortable tingling spread through her body, Fenrir released a contended groan from her throat as she instinctually rolled onto her back, exposing the fluffy white fur of her underbelly. This was where most of her enemies had focused their attacks, as, compared to the peculiar blue fur on her back, which glistened with a metallic sheen, it seemed inordinately soft by comparison.With his left hand sinking into the dense fur of Fenrir's underbelly, Vahn extended his right hand toward her mouth. Since they were in perfect sync with each other, Fenrir understood his intentions even before he had finished the act, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, she bit down upon the fleshier section of his palm, drawing a considerable amount of blood.Though he could easily just create something like a gemstone for Fenrir to consume, Vahn's time with Alaya had given him a strange attachment to having his blood suckled by the people he cared about. It was an exceedingly intimate act, and, though he never vocalized it, he was actually looking forward to Eva's return to vampirism. Holding her close as she suckled on his neck was always very pleasant, and, at times like this, it was strangely mesmerizing to see the puppy-like Fenrir vigorously lapping at his blood...---After returning to their hideout, Vahn had entered 'excessive pampering' mode, preparing a bath for himself and Fenrir so that he could continue doting upon her. She obviously had no complaints about this, but, after several hours had passed, she spontaneously ceased play biting his neck and shoulders to ask, "What will you do now, Master?"As there was no way for him to truly hide something from the loveable Vanargandr, Vahn wasn't surprised by Fenrir's question. Instead, he just released a small sigh before answering, "I will stay here for a few days to unwind and allow Theo, Arika, and Eva a chance to act. Afterward, I intend to force both sides to back down. Fairy Xuan has already prepared dossiers on several priority targets. I will begin publically addressing the corruption in Megalomesembria while entrusting the Empire to Theo. At this point, I no longer care about Cosmo Entelecheia...if they want to continue hiding away, it doesn't really matter. I'd like to see them continue hiding after I subsume this entire world into my Realm..."Imagining the surprise on their enemies' faces when her Master could forcibly summon them, Fenrir couldn't help but issue a mischievous laugh as she snuggled closer to his body. She looked forward to the day when her Master had as much power outside of his Realm as inside of it. It brought her a sense of comfort to see him exercising absolute power, as, in her mind, her Master had always been the only person 'worthy' of such authority.Hearing Fenrir's mischievous laughter, Vahn's serious expression quickly faded away, replaced by a loving smile. He knew he would be taking away some of her opportunities to grow stronger, but, so long as they were together, such things didn't really matter. She had already exhibited her ability to maintain control in even dire circumstances, so, after entering the next Record, he would create an opportunity to summon her the first chance he got...Sensing her Master's thoughts, Fenrir quickly fell silent, her scarlet eyes glistening in the low light of the room as she turned them up at him. This was enough to compel Vahn to swallow audibly as his dragon, which had been slumbering peacefully beneath Fenrir's inordinately cool body, awakened with a resolute vigor.With her tail waggling due to the motion of her hips, Fenrir continued to stare up at her Master with an impassioned look in her eyes as she muttered, "I'm a little annoyed about something that happened earlier...if it's okay with Master, I want to do something we haven't tried in a while..."Without waiting for him to ask, Fenrir demonstrated her intent by placing one paw on his shoulder and using the other to skillfully guide the tip of his glans past her glistening secret garden, aiming it towards the largely unexplored cavern beyond. This caused Vahn's brows to rise slightly, but, rather than refuse, he offered an approving nod as he leaned down and kissed the adorable Vanargandr's lips...---Following Fenrir's attack on the convoys and her subsequent defense against Vulcan's forces, a very large bounty had been placed on a creature known as the 'Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King'.Though most were deterred by the prospect of fighting against a monster that had demonstrated a keen intellect, the fact there were so few casualties during the thirteen-hour conflict was enough to embolden some of the more experienced groups.Unfortunately, even after several days of searching, no traces of the Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King could be found. This caused many to speculate that it was just passing through the region, a belief that was solidified by the fact it predominately made use of the Ice Element in a region saturated with Fire Elemental Energy.More often than not, the creatures around the various Holy Lands made use of the same energy as the Great Spirit that resided nearby. It was very difficult for creatures with an opposing element to survive in a region saturated with their greatest weakness, so, after three days of fruitless searching, most of the groups seeking to make a name for themselves by hunting an S-Rank Magical Creature gave up.What none of them could have expected was that almost immediately after groups began to give up the search, the Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King would reappear. Even more surprising was the fact that it appeared more than eight-hundred-kilometers outside their search zone, not in any unpopulated region, but one of the most populous in all of Mundus Magicus: the outskirts of Megalomesembria.---Though he knew it all but guaranteed they would be attacked, Vahn, accompanied by Asuna, had decided to approach the rather futuristic Megalomesembria by riding on Fenrir's back. She had a rather stylish harness that served as both a saddle and an S-Rank piece of protective equipment. She was also the one that had come up with the idea of using her as a mount, well over a hundred years prior, so, while it was certainly a little strange, Vahn also felt it was kind of cool to casually ride atop the head or back of a giant armored wolf...Seeing hundreds of military craft responding to their approach, Vahn had a calm smile on his face as he turned back to Asuna and said, "You are allowed to defend yourself. However, if you feel it is justified, I will not stop you from attacking. I trust your judgment."To punctuate his words, Vahn gently caressed Asuna's head, returning the smile to her face. She had been showing a serious expression ever since they entered enemy territory, as, even with her power, having a literal army as an opponent was a little overwhelming.Though she was still feeling a little nervous, Asuna knew nothing would happen to her so long as she was with Vahn. She believed in him more than anything else, so, after enjoying his caress for a few seconds, she smoothly drew her tanto and said, "I won't let a single attack slip through."Finding the twin-tailed girl's zealous response rather amusing, Vahn issued a light chuckle before retracting his hand and saying, "I have no doubt. Here, take this."Seeing the rainbow-hued gemstone in Vahn's hand, Asuna's eyes widened slightly as she instantly understood his intentions. Then, before he could stop her, she quickly snatched it out of his hands before shoving it into the elastic sports bra-like Aegis she generally wore beneath her clothes.Feeling a sudden warmth surround his 'body', Vahn's expression became a moderate deadpan as he mechanically turned away from the mischievous young girl. He wasn't actually that surprised by her antics, and, considering it was a relatively safe location to store the gemstone, he decided to simply ignore it. Instead, he set his sights on the approaching Megalomesembrian forces, golden lightning flickering across his body as an oppressive aura spread through his domain...---Though the majority of their forces were used to guard the border and the frontier, no nation was foolish enough to leave their capital unprotected. Megalomesembria was no exception, and, being one of the oldest and most technologically advanced nations in the world, its defenses were some of the most powerful.Mere moments after the appearance of the Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King, an exceptionally advanced AI, programmed to assess threat levels and allocate forces accordingly, noticed the appearance of two Priority 1 targets upon its back. As a result, alarms began blaring in nearly every military installation around the capital, effectively mobilizing all of Megalomesembria's reserve forces.Fortunately, the same AI programmed to assess targets was also linked to the automated defenses of Megalomesembria. It was able to recognize that the targets had yet to become hostile, so, unless it received a direct order, it had correctly chosen to abstain from attacking. Instead, it trained every weapon system in the region on the 'Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King' while awaiting the direct order of the nation's new Dictator...---While the city above was entering lockdown, a group of middle-aged and elderly men had quickly gathered together in one of the most secure rooms in the entire Confederation. Not only was it suspended in an alternate dimension, but, to provide an advantage to the decision-makers inside, an exceptionally powerful temporal distortion barrier had been erected within.With a time-dilation of 100:1, those within the Situation Room had plenty of time to consider the most effective course of action. All of the data they received was in 'real-time', but, with computers able to process information at near the speed of light, the only latency came when commanders on the outside were issuing their reports.Seeing the data displayed on the various monitors lining the spherical chamber, everyone inside the room had a mix of solemnity and fury visible in their countenance. The Sage Dragon Emperor had quickly become the largest thorn in their side, so, seeing him 'casually' approaching their city, only the trio seated near the head of the table was able to remain completely calm.Seated at the very head of the table, denoting the highest authority, a rather handsome middle-aged man with neatly-combed silver hair and peculiar purple eyes silenced the turmoil in the room by simply raising his hand. All eyes quickly converged upon him, and, after a moment of silence, the man stunned nearly everyone present by saying, "We will seek a compromise..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Delicious (UwU)~!','Be bold! Explore the unknown!','I mean...let's be real...')(1/4)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1639: Caution