Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With Gandr's perfect recall ability, he was able to detail all the rules and regulations of the 3rd Floor without a single mistake. This earned him some credibility with the more detail-oriented members of the group, chief among them being the duo of Shibisu and Khun.Using the information provided by Gandr, Khun was the first to propose, "I suggest we form two teams, one to gather information within the Town and another to scout the surrounding area. Since there is a requirement to spend ten days outside the Town, it is best to get it out of the way as soon as possible."Though he didn't disagree with Khun's proposition of splitting into two teams, Shibisu ended up shaking his head, crossing his arms as he said, "The Rules say nothing about what happens outside of Town. There are probably settlements or encampments where we can gather some information, but, considering the heavy cost of living on this Floor, there are bound to be a lot of people prepared to rob other Regulars. If there wasn't some kind of danger waiting outside of the walls, there wouldn't be so many people walking around the Town..."Hearing Shibisu's point, Khun emulated the man's action of crossing his arms, both closing their eyes as various thoughts danced across their minds. This caused an oppressive silence to descend upon the group, at least until Hwa Ryun remarked, "You are thinking too much like a Regular. We are not in the same boat as everyone else on this Floor. We have the Blessing of our God and the support of numerous Irregulars. Our priorities should be completing Quests, obtaining Variable Experience, and doing everything within our power to increase our fame."With Hwa Ryun's reminder, a look of realization donned on Khun's and Shibisu's faces. Since the previous evening's events were 'very' strange, it hadn't even crossed their minds to make use of the tremendous boon Vahn had given them.Unable to restrain himself, a light chuckle escaped Khun's throat before he stated, "You make a fair point. With that in mind, the best course of action would be to consult the Quest Board and plan our actions from there. We have more than enough Points to remain in the Town for a few days...that is assuming our gracious Benefactor is willing to provide us with food and other supplies...?"Responding with a curt nod, Vahn went on to reply, "Once we are finished here, I will help get everyone settled into their respective rooms. This Inn will serve as our base of operations until we get a better grasp of the situation. As for food and other basic supplies, let me know what you need and I can most likely provide it. For anything more advanced, you will need to prove yourself or complete a Quest. I am not here for your convenience."Even if he made no effort to sound intimidating, the impression he had cultivated over the last month caused everyone to tense up in response to Vahn's words. This created an opportunity for Phae to step in and mediate, her elegant laughter drawing everyone's focus to her as she playfully remarked, "Don't let him scare you. My Lord is a big softie who enjoys pampering his Children quite a bit. Still, I would rather you come to me before troubling him. So long as you have a legitimate need for the thing you are requesting, I'm certain I can convince my Lord to provide it~."Without needing to pretend, Vahn's expression became somewhat helpless in response to Phae's words. They might have been spoken by 'him', but it was becoming increasingly clear that both she and Gandr were gradually developing their own Egos. All they really needed at this point was a catalyst to spur the awakening of his Mind Innate. From that moment on, he would become a being comprised of many consciousnesses, all working in perfect harmony to achieve the same goal...Seeing the helpless look on Vahn's face, all remaining tensions completely drained away as Gandr added, "Phae is right! Master has always been a kind man. Just don't get too carried away and it shouldn't be a problem. After all, we're all part of the same Familia now. It is only natural that we help each other out~!"Inspired by Gandr's words, Baam put the final nail in the coffin by adopting what could best be described as a 'sun-like' smile. It was so radiant that it naturally attracted the attention of everyone at the table as he happily chimed, "That's right. We should all do our best. So long as we work together, there is nothing we can't overcome...!"With Baam seated right next to him, Khun was the most affected by the boy's aura, a helpless sigh escaping his lips before he adopted a confident smile and said, "With that in mind, we'll go with this plan of action: Shibisu and I will compile a list of everyone's available Quests and try to organize them in a manner that will allow us to efficiently stockpile Variable Experience. While we handle that, I would ask that Gandr, Anak, Hatsu, Aleksai, Nare, and Chunhwa form three teams to scout our immediate surroundings. As for everyone else, you will help set up the rooms and arrange camping supplies. We'll be aiming to complete this Floor within two weeks so prepare for an extended stay outside the walls once we gather information."Though Rak had been designated as the leader of Team Wolf Pack, everyone knew that Khun was in charge unless countermanded by Vahn or Phae. The former had the highest authority within the team, for obvious reasons. As for the latter, she was the most respected member of the entire party. She also spoke on Vahn's behalf, so, while their 'God' ultimately held the highest position, it could be argued that Phae possessed the greatest authority...---With Anak following close behind, Gandr immediately made his way over to the East Gate in order to ascertain the location of Marble's Administrative Office. The Ranker had clearly taken a liking to him, so, before she could simply forget him among the endless sea of Regulars that passed through the 3rd Floor, he wanted to capitalize on their burgeoning friendship.Fortunately, though there weren't any signs designating which Rankers occupied each of the buildings, Gandr's sense of smell allowed him to track Marble to a small building located very near the actual gate. This indicated that she had a relatively high status, but, considering she was an adopted daughter of the Ari Family, this wasn't particularly surprising.Though she had followed along silently thus far, Anak couldn't resist asking, "What is this place?" the moment she saw Gandr's smile. In response, the latter turned to her, his smile becoming a mischievous grin as he asked, "Feel like passing a Special Test with me? We'll have to fork over 2,000 Points, but it'll be worth it just to see the surprise on everyone else's faces~."Before Gandr had even finished speaking, a vicious smile had spread across Anak's face. She enjoyed fighting, but, even more than that, she enjoyed being the first person to complete an objective. She could easily imagine the annoyed expression on Endorsi's face when the latter learned what they had done, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, she answered, "Hell yeah! Let's do it...!" in a motivated tone.Following Anak's exclamation, Gandr led the way into a massive colonial-style house. There, a number of other Regulars could be seen speaking with various uniformed Receptionists. This reminded Gandr a lot of the Guilds back in Danmachi, but, rather than look like Adventurers, the majority of the people present within resembled vagrants with relatively modern clothing and virtually no equipment...After standing in the shortest line for a few minutes, Gandr and Anak came face-to-face with a skeletal man with ghostly flames where his eyes should be. Despite this, none of the people in the surroundings paid him any attention, as, compared to the more 'peculiar' races within the Tower, a skeletal man with burning eyes wasn't particularly rare.Though he had no muscles to facilitate facial expressions, the skeletal man was somehow able to give off the impression he was smiling as he as mused, "My, what an adorable duo. Tell me, young ones, what brings you to Ms. Marble's Vocational Office? Would you like to purchase a License?"Before Anak could lambast the man for effectively calling her a child, Gandr preempted her by producing his Pocket and saying, "We would like to take Ms. Marble's Special Test. Please inform her that Gandr has come alongside one of his friends."Hearing Gandr refer to her as a friend, the very tip of Anak's tail began to waggle despite her expression remaining a moderately annoyed deadpan. As for the skeletal man, he seemed legitimately surprised, somehow giving off the impression his brows were raised as he said, "Oh my! It's been quite some time since anyone attempted Ms. Marble's Special Test! You must be quite confident in your skills, young man!"Since the man hadn't exactly kept his voice under control, nearly everyone within the office, both Staff and Regulars, shifted their attention to the child-like duo standing at the counter. This caused a few of the older-looking Regulars to scoff, but, as appearances meant very little within the Tower, most people expressed more curiosity than disdain.Noticing the scene he had caused, the skeletal man performed a series of apologetic bows before guiding Gandr and Anak to a private waiting room. Then, after around twenty minutes had passed, a petite figure appeared at the entrance to the room, her expression displaying mild annoyance as she said, "I thought the name Gandr sounded familiar. Let me tell you this right now, kid. If you think I'll go easy on you just because I was nice to you before, you're in for a rude awakening."Rather than display any signs of fear of perturbance, Gandr just smiled back at Marble as he said, "Ms. Marble is mistaken. Both Anak and I really enjoy fighting against strong opponents, so, rather than say we are underestimating you, it would be more accurate to say we are looking forward to a tough battle."Though she didn't completely believe his statement, Marble nodded her head in response to Gandr's words before shifting her attention to the green-skinned girl at his side. She could tell that the latter had a very strong body, and, though she gave off a very 'unrefined' impression, Marble's instincts told her the girl was a diamond in the rough.After briefly considering the matter, Marble decided she would use this as an opportunity to teach the duo a lesson. She had an appreciation for talents, and, though she often pretended it didn't bother her, Marble took exception to the fact she was often regarded as a child. This made her a little lenient towards any Regulars who appeared on the younger side, as, better than most, she knew how annoying it was to climb the Tower with such an appearance.Having made up her mind, Marble half-turned towards the room's exit before saying, "Let's go. There is a training arena located within the basement. The walls there were produced by the Workshop so we don't have to worry about damaging the rest of the building during the Test. Since the two of you have already paid the fee, I have no reason to refuse your request."Without waiting for a response, Marble promptly exited the room, her hooved feet making a loud clopping sound as she departed. In her wake, Gandr and Anak exchanged glances with each other, both smiling excitedly before quickly following after her. Neither showed even a hint of fear, and, though she knew her skills were no match for a Ranker, Anak believed Gandr wouldn't have invited her if he didn't believe she could pass alongside him. This gave her a strong desire to meet his expectations, not because she wanted his recognition, but because she didn't want to be left behind as he continued growing stronger...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hwa Ryun be like, "Bruh, we already have cheats turned on..."','Nothing to see here. Just a talking skeleton. Move along~','Don't abandon Cucumber (o x o)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Thanks to the magic that was Compression Technology, the basement beneath Marble's Vocational Office ended up being a massive chamber that was more than a kilometer wide and 300m in height. This was more than enough to accommodate the needs of most Regulars beneath C-Rank so, while it was a little 'cramped' for Gandr's taste, it was fun to imagine bouncing around off the walls as he had back in Danmachi.Before the Special Test could get underway, Marble tossed out a handful of golden spheroids with fairy-like wings. These were her personalized Observers, and, though they would give her quite the advantage if she used them during the fight, their sole purpose during the Special Test was simply to record everything that happened. This data would then be uploaded to the network used by the Administration to determine the provisional Ranking of Regulars, a status that was important if they wanted to participate in Special Events and Tournaments further up the Tower.Though the only status that truly mattered was becoming a Ranker, each of the Regular grades had an internal Ranking System. The top 10 of each rank, ranging between F~A-Rank Regulars, enjoyed a status similar to Rankers within their respective groupings. This provided them numerous benefits, but, most importantly, it made recruiting other powerful Regulars a lot easier.Not every group was fortunate enough to have multiple Irregulars, two Princesses of Jahad, and a variety of descendants from the Ten Great Families. Rather, most of the Teams that formed on the Floor of Tests would have disbanded by the time they reached the 20th Floor. After all, if they were serious about climbing the Tower, finding strong teammates and expanding your influence among Regulars of a similar Rank were the most important steps to ensuring success.Fortunately, neither Gandr nor Anak needed to worry about these things. They were inordinately powerful, and, even if they decided to lay low and avoid the limelight, it was only a matter of time before they became famous. This applied to most of Team Wolf Pack, and, thanks to the existence of the Quest Board, even relatively normal people like Shibisu, Nare, Chunhwa, and Aleksai had the potential to become powerhouses...---Staring back at the petite duo, Marble briefly made eye contact with both Gandr and Anak before saying, "As we discussed previously, my Special Test requires that you either survive my assault for ten minutes or obtain the badge that will be pinned to my back. I will be limited to two Baangs of Shinsu, one for each of you. As for the use of weapons, that is entirely dependent on you. So long as you abstain from using weapons, I am prohibited from doing the same. Don't worry, regardless of your choice, I am forbidden from igniting my Scalesplitter against testing Regulars."Since he wasn't really in the mood to cut up the petite Ranker before him, Gandr surprised both Marble and Anak by placing Laev-tan into his chest. Then, with a confident expression on his face, he turned to Anak and asked, "Are you okay with just using our bodies? Even if it doesn't make too much of a difference, I'd rather avoid seeing anyone seriously injured because of a weapon."Remembering how easily Gandr had dealt with Ren, Anak could understand his decision to forgo the use of a weapon. It would become extremely problematic if they actually killed Administrators during their climb up the Tower, so, in response to his question, she simply nodded her head before cracking her knuckles and saying, "That's fine with me..."Marble wasn't particularly fond of Anak's display of bravado, but, rather than let it bother her, she placed her Scalesplitter into her Reel Inventory before pulling out a saucer-sized badge from the satchel worn across her body. It was a Compression Bag similar to the one carried around by Khun, and, though it couldn't store living beings or duplicate items, it was able to store 50,000kgs before the Weight Reduction Enchantment no longer functioned.With her weapon safely tucked away, Marble did something neither Gandr nor Anak had expected, retracting her arms into her tunic before shifting around the fabric so that the back was now facing the front. This was honestly a little adorable, especially when her arms popped out of her oversized sleeves, pinning the badge onto her chest before promptly shuffling around a second time so that her clothes were worn properly. Unfortunately, immediately after she had fixed her clothing, Marble bent her knees slightly, saying, "The time starts now..." before subsequently creating an afterimage.Though Scouts were traditionally considered the 'fastest' Position, there were quite a few Fishermen who were more than capable of keeping pace with them. This was especially true for someone like Marble, who, due to her small size, could cut through the Shinsu with greater ease than those larger than her. She was also the type who relied on speed rather than power, so, before Anak could even blink, Marble's hooved foot was only a few centimeters away from her face when her view abruptly shifted.Surprising both girls, Gandr had a smile on his face as Marble phased through his body, impacting the ground behind him before promptly somersaulting more than one-hundred-meters away. Then, with an incredulous look on her face, she stared back at the boy before turning her attention to the surroundings and asking, "Is this some kind of Projection? I didn't think you would have mastered that kind of skill this early on..."Though it was 'extremely' uncommon prior to C-Rank, there were a number of talented Regulars who were able to use their Observers to create realistic projections of themselves. This could be used to fool their enemies, but, more often than not, they were simple distractions. It was only when the projections were combined with various stealth capabilities and assassination techniques that they became truly powerful...Shaking his head, Gandr maintained his smile as he explained, "I assure you, this is my real body. I just have the ability to become immaterial at will."Furrowing her brows slightly, Marble withheld any further questions, this time charging directly at Gandr. She didn't know when he had activated the technique, but he had clearly swapped places with the lizard girl before her attack could connect. It was too dangerous to simply ignore him, so, determined to figure out the 'trick' behind his ability, she decided to pressure him directly.Instead of charging forward like a freight train, Marble appeared directly in front of Gandr, body lowered as she adopted a loose martial arts stance. Then, while making sure her back was never within his range, she began to chain together a series of swift punches and kicks, changing up her tempo depending on his reactions. Unfortunately, all of her attacks phased through his body with absolutely no feedback, annoying her enough that she absorbed a Baang into her body, drastically increasing the power behind her blows.To Gandr's surprise, he could feel a 'wave' pass through his body as the shockwave produced by Marble's fist phased through him. This wasn't enough to cause him any damage, but, at the very least, it indicated his State of Nothingness didn't make him completely immune to Shinsu. This was an important discovery, but, considering even Musashi had been vulnerable to magic attacks above a certain threshold, it wasn't particularly surprising.Fortunately, thanks to the restrictions of the Floor Guardian, it was impossible for Marble to marshal enough Shinsu to deal any lasting damage. Rather, her attack was actually a little ticklish, emulating the pins and needles one would experience during sleep paralysis. This caused the smile on his face to become a little more prominent, his canines on full display as his hand phased through the front of her body.Seeing where Gandr's hand was moving, a slightly panicky feeling spread through Marble's mind as her opinion of the young boy immediately lowered. She thought he was trying to take advantage of the conflict to cop a feel, but, as could be expected, his hand simply phased through her body. This didn't make Marble feel any better, however, as it was still a very 'cheap' move in her opinion.Twisting her body to the left with superhuman speed, Marble used her left leg as a spring, avoiding Gandr's attempt to grab the badge and allowing her to vault through the air, kicking Anak's crossed arms with enough force to send the girl flying across the room. Before the force could transfer into the girl's body, however, Marble's expression morphed into a deep frown as Gandr appeared with a smile on his face...---Though she knew Rankers were far beyond her current level, Anak was feeling increasingly annoyed as the fight progressed. She could barely even see Marble's movements, and, if not for Gandr using some strange technique to swap places with her, there was a chance they would have already failed the Special Test.Realizing that Gandr might have brought her along 'specifically' to use the swapping technique, an angry glower replaced Anak's previously excited expression. She was happy to be able to help him out, but, rather than simply stand off to the side like a helpless bystander, she wanted to be able to fight alongside him. She hated feeling helpless more than anything, so, after watching Gandr evade Marble's attacks for the better part of a full minute, a vein bulged at Anak's temple as she shouted, "Hey, you bastards! I'm also participating in this Test!"Following her outburst, a watery ripple spread from Anak's feet, shattering the floor beneath her as she pounced toward Marble. This cause the latter to spin around, a calm expression on her face as her hoof swept towards the side of Anak's face like an executioner's blade. Before the attack could connect, however, Gandr appeared where Anak had been, a mischievous smile on his face as her attack passed harmlessly through his body.Though she had already observed it several times, Marble still couldn't figure out how Gandr was swapping positions with Anak. As for the latter, she was surprised when she was suddenly behind Marble, her momentum still preserved from her previous charge. This caused her to 'realize' what Gandr had been aiming for this entire time, a mean smile spreading across her face as she reached toward the badge on Marble's back.Since she had been aware of Gandr's position prior to the swap, Marble already knew that Anak had appeared behind her. As a result, she instinctively arrested the momentum from her previous kick, stopping mid-motion with her hooved foot phasing through Gandr's face. At the same time, a pair of vibrant blue wings erupted from her back, vaguely resembling the wings of a fairy formed from bluish-white light.Even if Shinsu wings weren't traditionally used to attack, they directly affected the currents naturally found within the air. As a result, they generated what appeared to be a tremendous amount of wind pressure whenever something came into contact with them, more than enough to send Anak flying backward like a cannonball.With a smile spreading across her face, Marble quickly backed away from Gandr before saying, "As I suspected. You can't swap positions if there is something overlapping your body. I guess you didn't want to see my foot stuck in your friend's face...?"Since her words had hit the nail on the proverbial head, Gandr scratched the back of his own as he replied, "You're really something, Ms. Marble. It's only been four minutes and you've already figured out one of my technique's weaknesses. Those wings are also pretty amazing. Once this is over with, can you teach me how to use them?"Though she got the impression that Gandr was stalling for time, Marble had always been weak to compliments. As a result, her demure smile became slightly more pronounced as she flittered her wings and said, "I can teach you, but you won't be able to use it freely before becoming a B-Rank Regular. Unless it is a natural-born ability, the Guardian restricts Regulars from flying freely within the Inner Tower. Even Levitation only works for an hour each day so you are better off learning how to maneuver across the ground rather than through the sky..."Hearing Marble's explanation, Gandr allowed his ears to droop as he slumped his shoulders and muttered, "I see..." in a sad tone. This caused Marble's expression to turn slightly apologetic, but, before she could say anything to try and cheer him up, Gandr adopted his usual smile as he said, "Well, it never hurts to learn. Even if I can only use it for a few minutes each day, having the option to pursue aerial enemies will give me a tremendous advantage against Light Bearers~!"Seeing how quickly Gandr bounced back, an approving smile spread across Marble's face. Before she could compliment him, however, her entire body tensed up when another voice echoed from right behind her, muttering, "Thanks in advance..." as the fabric of her tunic was pulled slightly.Turning her head in a mechanical motion, Marble was at a complete loss for words when she saw an identical copy of Gandr standing behind her, badge in hand. She was well aware of the fact that Gandr didn't have a 'presence' in his immaterial form. This, alone, was a horrifyingly effective technique for any Scout, but, when combined with the ability to produce clones, it was simply monstrous...For the first time since becoming a Test Administrator, Marble felt legitimate fear towards one of her Regulars. Gandr's capabilities were unlike anything she had ever seen before, bringing to mind his earlier remark about becoming a renowned swordsman whose name resonated throughout the Tower. At the time, she believed he was just being overconfident, but, now that she had witnessed how monstrous his skills were without a sword, she couldn't even imagine how terrifying he would be with a sword in hand...Restraining the urge to swallow the knot in her throat, Marble simply nodded towards the second Gandr before looking toward the first and saying, "You have passed the Test. Congratulations..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The power of an enraged Loli','Gandr is quite the showoff','Marble has lost all of hers xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since it would take a short while for everyone else to catch up, Gandr decided to perform his duties as a Scout by inquiring about methods to acquire Points, the specifics of party formation, residency, and, most importantly, her Special Test.Though she would normally only go over the basics, Marble had a positive impression of the youth standing before her. He was friendly and charismatic, so, with nothing better to do, she decided to humor him, explaining, "As you walk around the Town of Beginnings, you'll notice various buildings with the symbol for the Test Administration. Though it requires points to purchase a License, these are places where you can accept various odd jobs. The most profitable jobs you can take are those related to the subjugation of specific Shinheuh. You are only allowed to earn points from Shinheuh you have obtained a License for so make sure you purchase the pertinent maps and gather as much information about specific regions as possible..."Hearing Marble's explanation, Gandr's smile became notably wry as he asked, "So, in other words, you need to spend points to earn the right to obtain points...?"Nodding her head in affirmation, Marble plainly stated, "If we allowed people to hunt freely, there would be no Shinheuh left in the surrounding regions. Though there are no penalties from killing a Shinheuh you are not assigned to hunt, trying to sell the materials without a License will get you in a lot of trouble. Also, in order to receive credit for a subjugation, you must record the killing with an Observer or a Lighthouse. Without this proof, any Shinheuh corpses you bring into the Town will be confiscated at the checking station."Surprised by how comprehensive their system was, even with just a basic explanation, Gandr had a helpless expression on his face as he mused, "I guess I won't be able to rush off and kill one of the Kings then~."Though she was amused by Gandr's words, Marble only offered a hint of a smile as she nodded her head and stated, "The License to hunt a King costs between 7,000~10,000 Points. You also need to have proven yourself to the Test Administrator just to earn the qualifications. Though it varies from person to person, most of us require you to complete our Special Test and hunt 10 Elite Shinheuh before attempting to challenge a King. Lastly, since I know you're going to ask, my shop is located near the Eastern Gate. Most of the Administrative businesses and offices are located near the walls in order to prevent any hordes of Shinheuh from overrunning the Town. As for my Special Test, it is pretty simple. I will wear a badge on my back. So long as you can survive my assault for ten minutes or steal the badge from my back, you will have passed my Special Test. Don't worry, for the sake of fairness, we are only allowed to use one Baang of Shinsu for everyone taking the Special Test."Keying in on Marble's final statement, Gandr's ears twitched excitedly as he asked, "Does that mean a Party can accept the Special Test together?"Nodding her head, Marble answered, "That is, indeed, the case. However, to prevent every Regular in the Town from ganging up on a single Administrator, you are limited to one person filling each of the Positions. In other words, unless you have someone with a Special Position in your group, there is a five-person participation limit. You have to be careful though. If even a single member of your Party is eliminated, everyone will fail. Each attempt also costs 1,000 Points per member, so you have to be very careful if you want to attempt a Special Test...."Imagining every Regular in the Town teaming up against the chibi standing before him, Gandr could understand the need for such a restriction. Being a Ranker didn't necessarily mean you couldn't be defeated by a Regular. Rather, the only real benefits the status provided, other than a considerable amount of experience, were increased Shinsu Capacity and Shinsu Resistance.Though she was only around the size of a tall Pallum, Marble, like most of the Rankers Gandr had met, had a phenomenal amount of Shinsu within her body. Her usage of this energy was limited by the Contract with the Guardian, but, compared to someone like him, with a Shinsu Capacity nearing 72,000, Marble's was like a lake compared to a tiny pond. It was impossible to be certain, but, going by volume and density, her Capacity was more than 100x his own...Seeing Gandr fall into deep thought, Marble was slowly beginning to lose interest. She didn't really have anything else going on right now, but, if he was just going to stand there, she had no reason to stick around. She also wanted to leave before the other Regulars arrived, so, after idling for a few seconds longer, she stated in her signature monotone, "I will be going now. If there is anything else, you can find me near the East Gate. Meeting with a Ranker also requires Points though, so, unless it is something important, you should try and exchange information with other Regulars."Sensing the subtle change in atmosphere, Gandr adopted an apologetic smile, but, rather than try to keep her around, he bowed politely and said, "Thank you for the information, Ms. Marble. Sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused you..&gt;"Feeling a little better, Marble nodded her head in approval before turning around and adding, "One last thing before I go...make sure you always have at least enough Points to stay in the Town for an entire day. If your Point value ever reaches 0, you will be ejected into the Middle Tower without any warning. Also, don't trust the lending services here, even if they are operated by an Admin. Oh, and make sure you stay away from the South-West Quadrant. Even if there are no rules against it, a boy your age should not wander into that place..."Before Gandr could aks what was located in the South-West Quadrant, Marble took off with even greater speed than they had arrived. If her pointed ears weren't covered in a thin layer of brown fur, he might have seen the very tips turn red. Fortunately, even without this tell-tale sign, Gandr could guess what must be located in the region simply be deferring to Rule 3: 'Gambling and Prostitution are legalized, but only within marked regions.'Though the average Shinheuh wasn't particularly powerful, they often traveled in extremely large groups known as 'schools'. A school of Shinheuh could easily have more than a hundred members, so, unless you were confident in your strength or belonged to a capable Party, it was difficult for the average Regular to make a living through defeating Shinheuh. As a result, they had little choice but to rely on performing odd-jobs, brokering information to newly arrived Regulars, gambling, and, as could be expected, prostitution.Imagining a bunch of Regulars selling their bodies just for a chance at moving on the next Floor, a tired sigh escaped Gandr's throat. He knew prostitution was the 'oldest trade in the world', as it was 'very' profitable, but that didn't make it any easier to accept. The fact it preyed upon the weak and easily exploited always bothered him, but, more than anything else, he hated how so many people just accepted the existence of such a system.Shaking his head, Gandr reminded himself that it wasn't his responsibility to 'fix' everything that was wrong with the world. There would always be bad things to balance out the good, so, rather than seek out and try to help out every living person that might need his help, his time was better spent dealing with those who had created the system in the first place. Though he would certainly help those he encountered along his journey, he would never get anywhere if he stopped to help 'everyone'...---With Lighthouse travel limited by the control, intelligence, and spatial awareness of the user, there were very few Regulars who could compel the floating cubes to travel at high speeds. Despite this, they were still very convenient when you wanted to get an overhead view of your surroundings and bypass obstacles. They also had an ability that functioned similarly to Vahn's Map Function, allowing the Light Bearer to compile a detailed map just by sweeping over a new region.Fortunately, though his capabilities were a far cry from Phae's, Khun was actually a very talented Light Bearer, so, after around twenty minutes had passed, the group touched down near the large Inn where Gandr was waiting with a total of four Room Keys, one for the girls, two for the boys, and a single bedroom for Vahn. This would cost them an additional 400 points, but, considering staying in Town for a single day cost 240, per person, it wasn't that bad.After accepting his own key, Vahn turned to the rest of Team Wolf Pack, a smile visible on his face until he set eyes on the green-skinned man standing near the back of the group. This caused his expression to turn into a glower, but, refusing to even acknowledge the existence of the man, he, instead, advised, "We'll get situated into our respective rooms later. For now, we will gather in my room to hear what Gandr has to say."Since it was the plan of action that made the most sense, none of the members of Team Wolf Pack voiced any complaints. The only person who was left feeling troubled was Parakewl, as, the moment he tried to enter alongside the rest of the group, he was sent tumbling back by an invisible wave of pressure. Then, before he could rise to his feet, powerful nausea overwhelmed him as he suddenly found himself in the middle of an unfamiliar street.---Though the room was almost completely empty, bereft of even a single piece of furniture, it was surprisingly spacious. The interior was an impressive 300 square meters, and, likely to accommodate the larger residents of the Tower, the ceiling was more than 9 meters from the floor. This was made possible by the existence of Compression Technology, something that was incorporated into nearly every aspect of a Regular's life.Seeing how massive the room was, Endorsi couldn't help but remark, "Well, at least we don't have to worry about things being cramped. Still, they could have at least provided beds...I don't even see a closet or a bathroom. Seriously, this is more like a carpeted prison cell than an actual room..."Finding Endorsi's remark rather amusing, Gandr couldn't help but laugh before going on to explain, "Everything on this Floor costs Points, even information. I'm certain you could complain to the staff, but, unless you are willing to fork over your Points, they aren't likely to care. Luckily, we don't really have to worry about things like that. Isn't that right, Master~?"With the attention of everyone shifting to him, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation before making a sweeping gesture with his hand. To the surprise of everyone present, even though they had seen him produce several things from thin air, the interior of the room was quickly populated by various expensive pieces of furniture. This included a large circular table that was surrounded by fourteen chairs, the largest and most opulent one obviously belonging to him.Though most people didn't pay attention to such minor details, Shibisu and Khun quickly noticed the addition of a fourteenth chair. This caused the latter to frown deeply, but, before he could ask, his tensions were eased when Vahn brought out the Little Garden, producing Hwa Ryun instead of the woman he had been expecting.Understanding the question in everyone's mind, Vahn gestured towards Hwa Ryun with the intent to introduce her. Before he could, however, Hwa Ryun instantly bent the knee, her head lowered in reverence as she boldly declared, "I am prepared to be of service..." in a resolute tone.Doing his best to prevent his expression from cracking, Vahn maintained his smile as he explained, "This is Hwa Ryun. Many of you know her as a Wave Controller candidate, but her true identity and status are that of a Guide. She is also a member of my Familia, so, while she is unable to participate in any actual Tests, you can trust her advice to make your climb a lot smoother. Now, before we get any further off-topic, let's all have a seat and listen to what Gandr has to say..."Hearing that Hwa Ryun was a Guide, nearly everyone present, with the exceptions of Rak and Baam, showed expressions of surprise. After all, Guides were extremely rare within the Tower, and, so long as you had one on your team, you could overcome most obstacles with extreme ease. Their ability to read the paths within the Tower was tantamount to foresight, and, though they could not explain the finer details of what they had seen, following their advice virtually guaranteed success.Realizing just how 'comprehensive' Vahn's planning was, Khun's appreciation and fear of the man compounded exponentially. It was like the former had 'everything' within his grasp, and, though he seemed to be providing them with every conceivable advantage, Khun couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable dancing in the palm of his hand...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Capitalism, Ho~!','A Very Persistent Pickle...','Meanwhile, Vahn be like, "I have no idea what is going on..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1752: Plan of Action