Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he was surprised by Yuri's warp-like movement speed, the main reason for Gandr's inability to react could be attributed to his focus being split between Vahn and Phae. This made it difficult to enter the State of Nothingness quickly, so, in response to Yuri's sudden caress; he made eye contact with the increasingly annoyed woman, his hands continuing to knead her breasts even as she asked, "What do you think you're doing...?"With the tips of his nails poking tiny holes into the fabric of her blouse, Gandr maintained a perfect deadpan as he plainly replied, "Oh? I thought we were just ignoring boundaries and doing whatever we felt like doing. A Vanargandr's ears are one of the most sensitive spots on their entire body. This is about the equivalent."Since Yuri hadn't stopped fluffing up his ears, Gandr took things a step further by lightly poking her nipple through the fabric of her blouse, undershirt, and bra. This caused a red flush to immediately spread across her face, and, as could be expected, she grabbed the sides of his head in an attempt to 'lightly' headbutt him. Unfortunately for her, Gandr had already primed himself to enter the State of Nothingness so Yuri ended up phasing through him, losing her balance and nearly face-planting into the ground.Like a Demon God who had just been released from ten-thousand-years of imprisonment, the void around Yuri's body began to tremble in response to the surging of her aura. Both Anak and Endorsi were forced back as the ground around her, influenced by the growing pressure, began to sink and compress as her hair, previously dark-brown, became an inky bluish-black. At the same time, almost as if she had become a black hole, all the Shinsu in the surroundings began to surge into her body, drastically increasing her strength as red lightning began to dance across her clenched fists.Though he knew he had probably gone a little too far, Gandr didn't back down in the face of Yuri's surging aura. Instead, a mischievous smile spread across his face as he asked, "What? Did you want me to just stand there and be grateful for your sexual harassment? You might be a beauty, but I'm not some pet you can just stroke and fondle as you please...!"Anticipating a battle, Gandr placed his hand on Laev-tan's grip, but, almost as if her aura had been nothing more than an illusion, all the Shinsu in the surroundings turned docile as Yuri smiled back and asked, "You think I'm a beauty? You're pretty bold to flirt with a Princess of Jahad~."Feeling like all the wind had been taken out of his sails, Gandr just stared back at Yuri with his hand still holding Laev-tan's grip. He got the feeling he was being lured into some kind of trap, but, with Yuri's aura becoming mellow and fluttery, it was difficult to maintain a battle-ready posture...Noticing Gandr's confusion, Yuri puffed out her rather sizeable chest, arms akimbo, and a massive grin on her face as she exclaimed, "Very well then! Since I did promise you a reward, I'll let you off with just a warning this time. What's your name, kid? Ah, I'm Ha Yuri Jahad, by the way! Feel free to call me by my first name from now on~."Restraining a sigh, Gandr removed his hand from Laev-tan, but, still feeling a certain 'danger' from the woman before him, he kept the State of Nothingness active as he replied, "My name is Gandr. I already heard about you from my Master so I'm guessing you came for the Black March?"Sensing that Gandr was still in the strange state where she couldn't touch him, Yuri was finding it increasingly hard to maintain her smile. She still wanted to teach him a lesson, but, after hearing his words, her thoughts immediately shifted to the greater meaning contained within, asking, "Master? Are you related to that man who calls himself the Sage Dragon Emperor...?"Seeing Gandr nod in approval, Yuri couldn't help but adopt an excited smile as she asked, "Are you also an Irregular!? Are there more of you!?"As he would much rather deal with Yuri using his Vahn and Phae personas, Gandr didn't bother to answer her question directly, crossing his arms as he stated, "If you want to know more, you'll have to speak with my Master. I'm not the type of person who shares secrets without anything to gain."Though she was a little annoyed by Gandr's words, seeing him posturing with such an adorable appearance made it hard for Yuri to stay mad at him. As a result, she just clicked her tongue before looking to where Anak had been scattered, saying, "Sure. I'll have a nice long chat with him once I finish up here. For now, I'll be taking the Green April back with me. Even if your team has a bunch of Irregulars on it, possessing one of the Thirteen Month Series will bring you too much trouble. I'll be holding onto it until she is strong enough to become a Ranker."Despite speaking to Gandr, Yuri continued to stare directly at Anak, her words leaving no room for discussion. This caused the latter to immediately become hostile, but, before she could complicate things by trying to fight against a High Ranker, Gandr preempted her by saying, "Anak. I understand your desire to hold onto the Green April, but Yuri is right. You need to become much stronger if you want to properly wield a weapon like that. At your current level, it is actually holding you back. Trust in my Master and Phae...besides, even if we all worked together, we wouldn't be able to prevent this woman from taking the Green April..."Amused by Gandr's words, the intimidating light faded from Yuri's eyes as she mused, "You have a talent for flattery, don't you? I am curious, though...what is your relationship with my adorable little sister and niece? Are you their boyfriend...?"Rolling his eyes in response to Yuri's question, Gandr was about to refute her words when Endorsi suddenly stated, "That's right. He and Anak have a bit of puppy love between them and I've already set my sights on his future self. You're too late to the party if you want to snatch a piece of this pie, you cradle-robbing snake...!"Rather than feel offended by Endorsi's words, Yuri couldn't help but chuckle in response due to the reaction from Gandr. His complexion had paled, and, though he didn't overtly deny Endorsi's words, it was clear he wasn't in agreement with them. Of course, even if this hadn't been the case, it didn't really matter. The Ha Family, one of the Ten Great Families, didn't have the tradition of marriage or monogamy. Even her Great Grandmother, the leader of the Ha Family, had numerous partners over the last ten-thousand-years, as, with very few exceptions, relationships were simply transient things when you were Immortal.Though she was 'forbidden' from being in a relationship due to her status as a Princess of Jahad, Yuri knew her Great Grandmother would side with her so long as she found someone 'worthy' to be her partner. The Ha Family was considered the 'strongest' among the Ten Great Families due to their natural affinity with body strengthening and physical reinforcement. Because of this, they looked for partners with high physical capabilities or natural talent, often pursuing them relentlessly due to the family's motto of, "No matter what, charge forward."When Yuri had first heard about an Irregular entering the Tower, she had rushed down at her fastest speed in order to make her 'claim' as early as possible. She knew just how ridiculous their strength could be due to her 'friendship' with Ureko Mazino, the current Rank 4 in the entire Tower. Thus, in the hope of recruiting an Irregular into their faction and potentially meeting the man of her dreams, Yuri had descended to the First Floor to discover...Baam, an exceptionally weak yet determined boy.If she were being honest, Yuri was a little depressed regarding Baam's strength due to the fact his physical appearance was a 'home run' for her. She had a thing for 'younger' men, and, though very few people knew about it, she even played a special Dating Sim where the primary goal was to rear young boys into the man of your dreams. Baam's appearance just so happened to match one of her favorite boys, so, when she first laid eyes on him, Yuri went from cloud nine to the bottommost pit of hell when she realized that, despite his appearance, Baam was exceptionally weak...To make matters even worse, another Irregular showed up almost immediately after Baam, proving just how weak the boy was by easily passing the test that nearly killed the former. This caused Yuri to harbor a bit of hatred towards the 'old man', as, not only had he been rude to her, his power and presence completely overshadowed Baam. He was even capable of producing an aura, that, despite being much weaker than her own, caused Yuri's heart to palpitate with excitement.Though Vahn didn't meet any of her standards regarding physical appearance and demeanor, Yuri couldn't deny that his power had a certain magnetic attraction. Even if she couldn't secure him for herself, she could at least pull him into the Ha Family and arrange things between him and one of her aunts. There was even a chance her Great Grandmother might take an interest in the man, as, after thousands of years of traipsing about, the only real standard she used to judge men was their strength.Now that she had learned there were other Irregulars connected to Vahn, Yuri was determined to pull him over to their side. Gandr also hit all of her checkboxes concerning potential partners, and, though he had a bit of a 'wild' charm to him, his hair and eye color were very similar to Baam's. He was also extremely 'bold', a trait that gave him an edge against someone as naive and innocent as Baam seemed to be. Of course, the most important thing was that he was already strong enough to defeat a Ranker, and, though it was bound to have an exploitable weakness, his ability to become immaterial was, simply put, exceptional.Convinced that Gandr was a 'big catch', Yuri met Endorsi's gaze with a confident grin as she mused, "Too late? Is that really the case? Tell me, Ghosty, do those eyes make it harder for you to see? Look at these holes in my blouse and then try to make the same argument. Besides, didn't you hear him? He clearly said I was beautiful. Even if he's just a boy, it's pretty obvious he has already developed a few preferences~."Seeing the small holes in Yuri's blouse, Endorsi couldn't help but click her tongue before looking towards Gandr with an accusatory stare. She didn't actually see him as a potential love interest, at least for the time being, but that didn't mean she was completely indifferent to his actions. She had never expected him to spontaneously fondle the breasts of a woman he had just met, even if it was to prove some kind of point. This made her feel a little disappointed in him, as, despite being a bit of a mischief-maker, Gandr was surprisingly sensible and mature when he needed to be...Feeling like an older sister who had just discovered her adorable little brother's porn collection, a tired sigh escaped Endorsi's lips as she shook her head in exasperation. Then, without cowering in the face of Yuri's intimidating presence, a resolute glimmer flashed across her eyes as she said, "I won't let some strange woman sink her fangs into Gandr. Even if you're his type, I won't let him be led astray by some granny pushing six-hundred. There are plenty of men for you to chase at the top of the Tower. Don't interfere with the matters taking place near the bottom."Even if it came across as false bravado, Yuri was still impressed by her younger sister's resolution. It had absolutely no impact on her decision, but, at the very least, she was impressed that someone as weak as Endorsi dared to stand up to her. This caused an approving smile to spread across her face as she said, "Okay then. I won't promise to stay away, but I can at least give you until the 20th Floor to strengthen your bond. That gives you a 2-3 year head start. After that, you only have yourself to blame if you can't keep your man under control."As a member of the Ha Family, a matriarchal lineage that elevated women above men, most of the core family members lived by the belief that a man was only loyal when their woman was stronger than them. Because of this, the women in the Ha Family began training even before they knew how to read and write. Many, despite being hundreds of years old, didn't even know basic mathematics, as, in their minds, the only things that truly mattered was strength. This caused a number of people to joke about them being 'brainless machos', but, as one of the few Great Families that hadn't fallen to corruption and hedonism, they didn't really care about the opinions of others...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Endorsi is feeling threatened xD','So...Amazons? Amazons.','I kind of feel bad for the other members of Team Wolf Pack...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While Gandr was experiencing a unique trial all his own, Team Wolf Pack, at the direction of Khun, was on the verge of guaranteeing victory.Though they were drastically outnumbered by the Barnacle Goblins and Giant Marsh Worms, this quickly became an irrelevant factor when Striped Ground Pigs began to, literally, bore their way out of the giant worms. This was the result of Khun having Laure collapse very specific tunnels, forcing the Striped Ground Pigs to pass through the area where the Giant Marsh Worms were probing. As a result, they ended up being absorbed by the worms' elastic and vacuous maws before subsequently tearing their way out using their vicious fangs and claws.The Striped Ground Pigs already had an antagonistic relationship with the Barnacle Goblins, so, as could be expected, they were reacted 'extremely' hostile to being eaten. This resulted in both sides committing to annihilating the other party, an opportunistic situation that was heavily exploited by the members of Team Wolf Pack.With Laure using his levitation and telekinesis to help periodically change their vantage point, the Spear Bearers were able to rain spears upon the battlefield with complete impunity. As for the rest of the team, they had been split into multiple guerilla forces, ambushing any and all who attempted to either flee or pursue the Net Dolphins.By the time half an hour had passed, more than sixty percent of the Striped Ground Pigs had been completely wiped out. As for the Barnacle Goblins, only a few of the more cowardly members, those who fled early on, would live to see another day. Without their Giant Marsh Worms, however, it was hard to say how long they would survive.Needless to say, Team Wolf Pack had all but guaranteed the success of the Test. All they needed to do now was wait until Baam and Rachel were 'expelled' by the Net Dolphins' Queen. This caused a few of them to gather around for preemptive celebration while those like Laure, having reclaimed his most precious treasure, promptly found an isolated area to enjoy a late-afternoon nap...---With the vantage provided by Phae, Vahn was able to witness Team Wolf Pack's strategy and battle from start to finish. There had been a few 'unexpected' guests partway through the scuffle, but, with both Ren and the Bull already dealt with, there was only one variable remaining that could threaten the party's interests: Rachel.Though he had wanted to make a grand entrance by plummeting onto the battlefield like a literal meteor, Vahn had decided to abandon his chance in the spotlight, following his instincts to prevent anything remiss from happening. Rachel still gave the impression she was a coiled snake waiting for its opportunity to strike, so there was no way he would just leave her and Baam alone in a situation where all audio and video surveillance had been cut off.Fortunately, even as the Test was gradually drawing to its conclusion, Rachel and Baam continued to sit back-to-back, seemingly discussing matters related to the past and future. As for Vahn, he was hiding a few hundred meters away, suspended in the extremely concentrated Shinsu that emulated water but had properties reminiscent of air. This allowed him to breathe freely, but, if he didn't have the ability to 'float', falling would be equivalent to jumping off a cliff rather than sinking into a body of buoyant water...Seeing the 'mouth' of the Queen gradually open like the gates of heaven, complete with a vibrant light that empowered those basking in its glory, Vahn was beginning to feel like he had just wasted the last eight-and-a-half hours of his life. Fortunately, though an argument could be made that is was extremely unfortunate, Rachel's true nature came to the surface at the exact moment both he and Baam had eased their tensions. As a result, Baam ended up being pushed from the small platform contained within the bubble, his body falling with increasing speed towards the black abyss below.Exhaling a sigh, Vahn teleported behind Rachel without revealing his presence, curious to see what kind of reaction the woman would have after pushing the person who trusted and cared for her to his death. Unfortunately for her, an audible sigh of 'relief' escaped her lips, prompting Vahn to say, "You made the wrong choice..." in a heavy tone.Surprised by the sound of a voice emanating from behind, Rachel nearly fell off the platform herself due to how quickly she turned around, her expression paling the moment she saw Vahn. For a brief moment, her aura even fluctuated slightly, flickering like the flame of a candle that was disturbed by someone lightly blowing into it.Even without reading her mind, Vahn could guess what was going through Rachel's head, so, while maintaining his grim expression, he gestured towards the chair, advising, "Take a seat. Don't worry, this bubble isn't going anywhere. You have all the time you need to think of an excuse."Hearing Vahn's words, panic could be seen in Rachel's gaze as she looked around and noticed the bubble they were in was no longer moving. Vahn was holding it in place using his Telekinesis, all but guaranteeing she was going to fall the test.Fearing her path towards the top of the Tower was being cut off, Rachel ended up digging herself even deeper into a hole, forgoing an excuse as she shouted, "If I fail the test, everyone else will fail as well! You're not even supposed to be here! You can't interfere like this...!"Turning his head sideways, Vahn adopted an expression similar to someone looking at an exotic yet disgusting creature as he plainly stated, "None of the rules prohibit other people from entering into the Wine Glass. Also, you might be unaware of it, but one of the Administrators tried to assassinate one of the testing Regulars. Even the Bull was under their control, so, unless they want to risk going against the Guardian's wishes, they would need to allow us to pass or provide the opportunity for a retake. We still have three Irregulars on our side, each qualified to take the Guardian's Test...besides, even if we failed, there is nothing to stop us from moving higher up the Tower. The rules fabricated by the Jahad Empire have absolutely no bearing on me. You, however...I'm afraid your journey ends here, Ms. Michelle Light..."Hearing Vahn's words, Rachel felt like she was on the verge of hyperventilating. She knew the man in front of her wasn't going to listen to any of her excuses, and, regardless of whether she tried to jump to her death or attack him, neither had any hope of success. This caused her to feel helpless, but, more than anything else, she felt rage, indignation, and 'envy'. If she had as much power as the man in front of her, she wouldn't have to suffer through all of this. She would be able to climb the Tower with impunity, removing all obstacles in her way using overwhelming power...Seeing the dangerous gleam in Rachel's eyes, Vahn couldn't help but release a sigh, shaking his head as he said, "You really are a remorseless fool...not only did you betray the person who would have willingly sacrificed everything to make your dream come true, you now look at me like I'm the one who wronged someone. Utterly ridiculous..."With her rage gradually overriding her common sense, Rachel continued glaring back at Vahn, her voice sounding strained and hoarse as she shouted, "You don't underst-"Tired of hearing people shout the same argument over and over again, a tired sigh escaped Vahn's mouth as he used Reverse Flow Control to freeze Rachel mid-sentence. Then, with a stern tone that left no room for discussion, he stated, "You don't even try to empathize with others yet claim they are the ones who don't understand...it's a good thing you never put in an effort to gain power. With your self-centered mentality, you would have become a complete monster. It's sad, really...if seeing stars was truly your end goal, I could have allowed you to see them whenever you wanted. Not just a projection, but actual stars..."If someone else were to make the same claim, Rachel wouldn't have believed them, not even for a moment. When Vahn said such things, however, his words carried a certain 'surety' that made them hard to refute. He also stood nothing to gain by lying to her, so, with her body still frozen in place, a steady stream of tears began to roll down Rachel's face. She wanted nothing more than to scream at the top of her lungs, the anger within her heart quickly turning to anguish as her hatred for both Headon and the Tower reached new heights.Sensing Rachel's lamentation, Vahn allowed the woman free reign to scream as loud as she wanted. He was hoping she would actually learn something from this, as, much like Hoh, she was not too far gone. If she could show genuine remorse, he wouldn't mind helping her achieve her dream, as, with his Realm, he could easily grant her wish at any point in time. He could even grant her power if she was willing to work for it, so, while she was busy screaming a crying, another version of himself was busy wrapping things up in the abyss below...---With several hours' worth of time to kill, Vahn ended up exploring much of the Wine Glass, a large underground lake which, as its name implied, was shaped like a wine glass. He got the impression there was a greater meaning to this specific location being chosen for the Test, so, with nothing better to do, he ended up mapping out the entire region to make sure there was nothing amiss.Unsurprisingly, Vahn found a number of 'peculiarities' within the Wine Glass, the two most notable findings being a temple protected by a powerful seal and a completely isolated subspace near the 'neck' of the Wine Glass. The former prevented any kind of spatial movements, so, unless he wanted to force his way in, Vahn had no way of entering the Temple. As for the latter, it took on the form of a red fragment that generated a phenomenal amount of Shinsu, enough to covert the water within the Wine Glass into a pseudo-Shinsu mix that, for reasons Vahn could only guess, was much easier to control than normal Shinsu.Though the peculiar fragment was carefully concealed within the void, it's influence on the waters within the Wine Glass made it easy to locate for anyone with the ability to read the Flow of Shinsu. After all, the density of Shinsu increased exponentially as you got closer to the sub-space, so, after an hour or so had passed, Vahn had not only managed to locate the fragment, he also managed to liberate it from the void without any real difficulty. After that, he tried to place it into his Inventory, but, unsurprisingly, he was unable to do so. There seemed to be a consciousness sealed within the fragment, so, after placing a seal of his own around the fragment, he stored it safely within the Little Garden before spending the remainder of his time trying to find a way into the sealed temple.Unfortunately, the seal on the temple was much stronger than the almost 'lazy' effort that had been put into concealing the scarlet fragment. As a result, he was forced to abandon the temple, though not before placing a spatial anchor that should allow him to return at his leisure. Then, before Baam could fall to his death or be crushed by the pressure of the Wine Glass' depths, he teleported to the boy's side, slowing his descent before using his domain to emulate a Shinsu bubble.As could be expected, Baam had a look of extreme confusion and conflict after being betrayed by the person he trusted more than anyone else. Tears immediately began flowing from his face, and, now that he could breathe properly, he began hyperventilating, clutching his chest as he fell to his knees and shouted, "Why!? Why would Rachel do this!? I don't understand...this pain...aaaaaaagh...!"Seeing the innocent and naive Baam suffering from the pain of betrayal, Vahn couldn't help but feel pity for the boy. Rachel was basically his 'whole world' prior to his entrance into the Tower, the one person he cherished more than anything else. He had dedicated everything to her, and, so long as it was for her sake, he would have conquered the entire Tower in order to make her dream a reality.Unfortunately, for reasons only Rachel herself was fully aware of, she had decided to betray Baam in the pursuit of some arbitrary goal. It wasn't difficult to imagine she was being used, but, regardless of her reasons, it was an inviolable fact that she had betrayed the one person who would have done anything for her. Thus, in response to the boy's outburst, Vahn extended his hand toward Baam, his voice firm and steady as he stated, "Let's go find out..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'When handling snakes, never take your eye off the head...','You done fucked up now, hon...!','Vahn over here being a loot goblin...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Seeing the familiar fluffy ears, most of Anak's tensions immediately faded away as she complained, "That man was my prey..."Smiling back at the pouting Princess, Gandr reached into the pocket of his parka before pulling out an acorn-like pendant and tossing it over as he explained, "This is just a puppet. Though my attacks should have caused substantial damage to his Soul, it shouldn't be enough to kill him. Now that we know his identity, you will have plenty of chances to get revenge in the future. Before that, focus on becoming stronger. Even with his powers severely restricted, your chances of defeating this monster were less than 1%."Though she appeared visibly relieved after receiving the pendant, her eyes moistening a little, that didn't stop Anak from 'glaring' back at Gandr when she heard his words. Even if they were the truth, hearing about her own weakness was never pleasant. Thus, after donning the pendant around her neck, she half-turned away before saying, "I will become stronger...much stronger than everyone in this Tower...even you...hmph!"With her words complete, Anak was intending to continue chasing after Endorsi. Before she could take so much as a single step, however, a figure appeared to block her path, Gandr smiling wryly as he held his hands up placatingly and said, "You should return to where Shibisu and the others are. I dealt with the Bull before coming here, so Endorsi should be on her way back by now. I don't mind if you want to go to her, but the others could use your help completing the Test. Things are starting to get interesting back in the valley."Hearing that Gandr had already dealt with the Bull, a dissatisfied frown quickly developed across Anak's face. She wanted to fight against something strong to release her building frustrations, so, even if she understood Gandr was just trying to help, she couldn't help feeling annoyed. She didn't like how much stronger he was compared to everyone else, herself included. It made her feel like he was trying to babysit her, a notion that filled her with a mixture of indignation and several harder to describe emotions...---Several Minutes Prior---Shortly after separating from Anak and Shibisu, an annoyed expression could be seen on Endorsi's face as she darted around the pitch-black cave with only a single Observer helping to light the way. Unfortunately, much like everything else available in the commissary, it was only an F-Rank item. As a result, it could barely illuminate more than a few meters around her, brightly lighting up things in her immediate vicinity but making it impossible to see anything further due to the stark contrast between light and shadow.Releasing a frustrated groan, Endorsi perched herself atop one of the many stalagmites protruding from the abyssal waters below. She had the sinking suspicion that for a while now, she was being lured into a trap. The Bull had been erratic yet easy to predict when she first gave chase, but, almost immediately after she had separated from the others, everything from its movements to its general aura had changed drastically. At one point, it even completely disappeared from her perception, it's Shinsu seemingly blending into the surrounding environment as it melted into the shadowy waters below...Despite the precariousness of her situation, Endorsi was able to remain largely unflustered. In fact, she was more annoyed than scared, as, due to the density of Shinsu on the 2nd Floor, there were very few Shinheuh that could pose a legitimate threat to her. This also applied to Shinheuh brought into the lower Floors by high-ranking Animas, the unique Position associated with those who either bred or tamed the various creatures within the Tower. After all, if someone could just bring down a Shinheuh from the 100th Floor and beyond, the balance of the Tower would have been destroyed a very long time ago.Confident that she could kill anything bound by the restrictions of the Floor, Endorsi strained her senses to their limits, instinctually channeling Shinsu into her eyes and ears in order to expand her field of perception. This caused her already ghostly golden eyes to shimmer like flames within the darkness, a rather eerie yet captivating sight for those equipped to witness it directly...Hearing the sound of disturbed water just a few dozen meters from her current position, Endorsi's Reel Inventory appeared next to her in an instant, propelling a ruby red hook through the darkness in an attempt to fish out whatever had broken the water's surface. Unfortunately, at that exact same moment, the Bull, now appearing nearly 10m tall, appeared right behind her. It had simply tossed a stone through the darkness, diverting her attention just long enough to produce an easily exploited gap in her senses.With goosebumps immediately spreading across her entire body, Endorsi attempted to leap from her perch before she had even identified the danger. Her instincts were screaming at her to escape, so, at the very least, she needed to secure a better vantage point.Despite her explosive leap shattering the stalagmite she had been standing upon, Endorsi's forward momentum was completely arrested as a slimy black tentacle snaked around her body in an instant. She didn't even have enough time to complain about how revolting it felt before the air was forced from her lungs, an event that was punctuated by the sound of a sickening crack. Two of her ribs had almost instantaneously broken, and, though she attempted to break free, Endorsi felt her body was being constricted by reinforced steel bindings.With a trickle of blood running from her left nostril, Endorsi finally began to panic, not because she was afraid of dying, but because the Bull had leaped towards the abyssal waters below. She 'really' didn't want to get wet, and, though she wasn't particularly afraid of death, Endorsi would rather not drown. As a result, she channeled as much Shinsu into her body as she could manage, but, despite her best efforts, she wasn't able to weaken the Bull's hold in the slightest.Fortunately, just as Endorsi was screaming expletives at the Shinheuh within her mind, a feeling of weightlessness enveloped her body as the force constricting her promptly relaxed. As a result, she ended up screaming, "You fishy piece of shit...!" at the exact moment a shadowy figure caught her falling body in a princess carry.Though he wasn't too surprised by the Princess' outburst, Gandr still winced in response to the shrill noise entering his ears. Then, before she could continue her tirade, he stated in a voice that seemed like the call of death itself, plainly stating, "If you keep yelling, I'm going to toss you into the lake."Hearing the familiar yet ghostly voice, most of Endorsi's tensions relaxed in an instant. Immediately after that, a relieved sigh escaped her lips as she quietly complained, "Don't make a habit of arriving at the last moment, Mr. Hero..."Chuckling lightly in response to Endorsi's 'complaint', Gandr set the woman down on a dry section of stone before replying, "You're not exactly a damsel in distress. If it hadn't caught you by surprise, I'm certain the Bull would be the one getting bullied right now..."Even if she knew his words were just pandering, Endorsi still giggled in response to Gand's remark, ignoring the pain radiating from her ribs as she mused, "You're not wrong. This time, however, I'll be gracious and allow you the opportunity to play the part of rescuing the Princess...be grateful..."Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Gandr turned his back to allow Endorsi the chance to grimace in pain, answering, "Guess it's my lucky day..." before jumping to meet the enranged Bull...---Having refused to return to the rest of the group, Anak was currently following behind the cloaked Gandr as he led the way to Endorsi's location. It wasn't that she didn't trust the boy, far from it, but, for a number of reasons, Anak could only believe what she had seen with her own eyes. As a result, both she and Endorsi became privy to one of Gandr's 'secrets', surprise visible in their countenances when there were suddenly two identical hooded figures in the same location.Understanding what the girls wanted to ask, Gandr concealed the truth by performing a half-ram seal with his right hand and stating, "Release...!". As a result, his 'clone' erupted into a large plume of smoke, quickly dispersing as he explained, "My duties sometimes require me to protect multiple targets at once so my Master taught me a simple cloning technique. They aren't very durable, but, thanks to my ability to become immaterial, they are more than enough to deal with most enemies."As cloning techniques weren't actually that rare, especially in the upper floors of the Tower, Endorsi was easily convinced by Gandr's explanation. Anak, however, always felt uneasy whenever someone was lying to her. She didn't call him out on it, but, for a very brief moment, a very potent pout could be seen marring her otherwise adorable face.Though he noticed Anak's reaction, Gandr didn't attempt to clarify things. They would most likely find out in the future, but, unless he had a legitimate reason to expose his secrets, he intended to keep them. At the very least, he wanted to wait until his Ego had sufficiently separated from Vahn's, an event all three of them had been anticipating over the last couple of days.Ignoring the discomfort he got from seeing Anak's pout, Gandr removed his hood, dispelling the shadowy properties of the garment before asking, "What do the two of you want to do? Now that a member of RED has targetted Anak, it is only a matter of time before other members come seeking her out. I mean, this won't really change much since we have like five Irregulars in our party, but we should still consider our options."Piggybacking off Gandr's words, Endorsi decided to ask something that has been on her mind for a long time, remarking, "On that subject, there is something I've been meaning to ask ever since the Crown Game. Why do you go out of your way to call yourself Anak Jahad? It would have been a lot easier to get your revenge if you kept your identity a secret until you became a Ranker. I can't really see any benefits in you calling yourself Anak Jahad when it is already known throughout the Tower that she died hundreds of years ago..."After suffering numerous setbacks on just the 2nd Floor, Anak had already come to the conclusion that it was a mistake to assume her mother's identity. The only reason she continued calling herself a Princess of Jahad was due to her pride. She was unwilling to show fear in the face of her enemies, so, even if there were countless people more powerful than she was, Anak would continue walking her current path until her mother had been avenged.In response to Endorsi's inquiry, Anak adopted a conflicted yet resolute look, tightly gripped the Green April as she said, "Let them come...I will kill all the bastards who get in the way of me and my revenge..."Hearing Anak's answer, both Gandr and Endorsi released simultaneous sighs of exasperation. It was pretty easy to tell that she was just being obstinate, but, before either could say anything to try and convince her, a feminine voice echoed from within the darkness, confidently stating, "There is a fine line separating the brave from the stupid. No amount of conviction will allow you to arbitrarily close the gap between you and your opponents. If you're serious about getting your revenge, stop being an idiot focused solely on a distant objective and start doing everything in your power to increase your strength in the present..."Before the words had finished, an exceptionally beautiful woman with glowing red eyes and long brown hair, nearly reaching her ankles, emerged from within the darkness. She had a peculiar red fascinator, resembling large flower petals, fastening her hair into an inordinately long side ponytail. As for her attire, her lithe yet shapely figure was perfectly accented by garments that appeared both formal yet casual. This included an expensive-looking white blouse, a black undershirt, a pleated red skirt, black stockings, and, most notably, a blood-red tie that was embossed with the symbol of the Jahad Empire...Though he had tensed up quite a bit when a voice suddenly emanated from behind him, most of Gandr's tensions faded once he realized the woman's identity. She was none other Ha Yuri Jahad, the Princess he had been anticipating for more than a month. Her presence here confirmed many of the suspicions he had regarding this Record's original plot, and, if he wasn't wrong, she would have arrived just in time to save Anak from her fate. After all, Ren was obviously a very sadistic individual, so, even if his purpose was to assassinate the 'false' Princess, he would draw out the process for as long as possible. This was the main reason Gandr had stepped in, as, even if Anak had a very potent fate permeating around her body, he wouldn't just stand by and watch her be tortured...Noticing Gandr's smile, Yuri shifted her attention to the boy for the first time since her arrival. Much to the former's surprise, her eyes immediately widened once she got a better look at him; her pupils contracting to points like a predator who had just found its prey. This caused Gandr's body to tense up like a rabbit that had been cornered by a wolf, his ears twitching noticeably as a strong desire to flee welled up inside of him.Before Gandr's fight or flight response could take full effect, Yuri's body seemed to flicker out of existence before reappearing right in front of him. This caused the hairs on Gandr's body to stand on end, but, before he could even think to react, she extended her hand toward him, a somewhat giddy smile on her face as she fondled his ears and remarked, "You're pretty cute. Are you the one who protected my adorable little sisters from that fishy bastard? If so, I suppose it is only right that I give you some kind of reward. Be honest, is there anything you'd like from this Big Sister~?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Burgeoning Desires','Gandr be like, "Yare yare daze..."','"Mr. Police? I'd like to report a suspicious individual..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1742: Mine