Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

As a reward for completing the Special Test, Gandr and Anak received 2000 Points and the right to choose a single King Class Shinheuh License. Since the latter could cost upwards of 10,000 Points, it was quite the boon considering they had only been on the 3rd Floor for less than two hours.After promising they would patronize her Vocational Office in the future, Gandr walked with Anak through the Town of Beginnings. Their goal was to gather information about the Town, but, before that, the former had them stop in a confectionery shop to purchase some sweets. He could tell that Anak was in a bad mood, so, before asking her what was wrong, Gandr bought something he knew she would like.Anak was well-aware of what Gandr was trying to do, but, considering she got free sweet out of the exchange, she decided not to complain. Her frustration also started to mellow a bit, even if it always bothered her to be 'coddled' by the much-younger boy.With a large bag of lemon-flavored sweets in hand, Anak followed after Gandr for several minutes before the latter abruptly turned around and said, "I would normally tell you not to worry about this kind of thing. You already have a lot of blessings. So long as you put in the effort, it is only a matter of time before you reach a level of power most people can't even comprehend..."Hearing Gandr's remark, Anak's mood began to gradually worsen, eliciting a sigh from the boy as he reached out his hand, lightly caressing her head as he added, "I will need to help the others as well, but, when we both have time, I will help you grow stronger. We can also team up to complete Quests and hunt Shinheuh outside the Town...is that okay with you?"Rather than immediately answer, Anak continued to roll a lemon-flavored candy around in her mouth while staring back at Gandr. He was only 1cm taller than her so their gazes could easily overlap whenever they stood face-to-face.After remaining silent for several seconds, Anak moved out of Gandr's petting range before saying, "Fine..." in a curt tone. Then, as Gandr returned a wry smile her way, Anak extended the open bag of candies toward him, adding, "You can have one..."---Having finished populating the boys' room in a very short period of time, Vahn had what could best be described as a tired smile as, even after an hour, he was still helping Endorsi and Phae set up the girls' room. This was in spite of the fact that Phae was helping to rein Endorsi in, shooting down the vast majority of her requests unless the latter could give a convincing reason.Fortunately, after helping to install a set of baths and a large partition near the corner of the room, Vahn had been freed from his torment thanks to the arrival of Nare.Under normal circumstances, the presence of Nare would have just added fuel to the fire, but, with Phae dragging off both girls to prepare a meal, Vahn was 'allowed' to return to his room. There, he found Hwa Ryun, Khun, and Shibisu still in deep discussion, a discussion he promptly brought to an end thanks to his presence.Surprising both of the young men, Hwa Ryun immediately rose to her feet the moment she noticed Vahn's presence. Fortunately, she didn't attempt to kneel before him this time around. Instead, she performed a courteous bow, her voice filled with reverence as she said, "Welcome back, my Lord..."Since it was better than hearing her refer to him as 'God' or 'Master', Vahn elected to ignore Hwa Ryun's latest attempt to formalize how she addressed him. She clearly felt uncomfortable with using his name, so, rather than press the issue until the point of frustration, he ultimately returned a curt nod before asking, "How goes the discussion? Starting to get a better grasp on things?"Though they felt a little awkward remaining seated while Hwa Ryun rose to bow, Khun and Shibisu did their best to appear unflustered as the former answered, "So long as nothing amiss happens, it should only take us two weeks to complete this Floor. We could complete it even faster, but I don't want everyone to burn out before we reach the 10th Floor."Nodding his head in agreement, Shibisu piggybacked Khun's statement by adding, "Once we reach the 10th Floor, there is a general placement competition held at the end of each month. Only those who place within the top 100 of their respective Positions are allowed to advance to the 11th Floor. If we want to avoid being separated, even for a short while, the weaker members of our Team will need to time to increase their experience and grow stronger."While listening to the duo speak, Vahn had made his way over to the table, taking the ornate seat at the far side of the circular table before replying, "I have a solution for that. The Little Garden in my possession is governed by the Laws of Progress. Though I will not allow it to be used as our base of operations, I can allow people inside during the early morning."Having entered the Little Garden during the procedure to have their Familia Crests engraved, both Khun and Shibisu had experienced the mystical land filled with massive trees. Still, never one to idle about when there was information to collect, Shibisu didn't miss the opportunity to ask, "What are the Laws of Progress?"Returning an approving smile toward the man, Vahn went on to explain, "Everything, including the Heavens themselves, exists and is governed by the Laws. This includes everything from Elemental Forces, Shinsu, and even the concepts of Life and Death themselves. The thing that qualifies most entities to become a God is the strength of their Soul and their mastery over specific Laws. Now, to answer your question, the Laws of Progress are exactly what they sound like. They are what allow a person to learn new things, grow, and develop over time. They also help to guide the evolution of all creatures, so, by entering a place that is governed by the Laws of Progress, everything from the acquisition of new skills to the retention of information becomes drastically easier."Though it was a little hard to imagine such a convenient place existed, neither Khun nor Shibisu had any reason to doubt Vahn's claim. After all, they could enter the Little Garden and ascertain whether or not this was true by simply reading or playing a memory game.After accounting for this new information within his mind, Khun adopted a somewhat serious look as he asked, "Are there any side-effects from staying in the Little Garden...?"Rather than deny this was the case, Vahn nodded his head, answering, "Yes, though not in the vein you are thinking. One of the problems with training under the influence of the Laws of Progress is that it makes your training outside the Little Garden feel stunted. You also need to account for the fact that the Laws of Progress affect your physical and mental development. Everything within will rapidly develop until they reach their biological prime. This emulates the effect of rapid aging, but, rather than decrease a person's lifespan, extended stays within the Little Garden drastically increase their average life expectancy. In fact, so long as they stay within the Little Garden, everything from short-lived insects to seasonal flowers will live forever..."With each new piece of information slamming into their minds like a hammer striking an anvil, Khun and Shibisu found themselves at a complete loss for words. As for Hwa Ryun, she couldn't help but smile, the convictions she had formed during their first meeting tempered with each new thing she learned about her God and his capabilities.As much as he enjoyed the stupefaction visible on Khun's and Shibisu's faces, Vahn was intending to kick all three of them out of his room. This was especially true for Hwa Ryun, as, no matter what he said, he got the impression her Belief in him was only going to increase. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but, considering she also had [Child of Destiny: SS], Vahn suspected she was also one of the Records original Heroines.For reasons he had already ascertained long ago, Vahn's 'lack' of fate seemed to intrinsically draw those with powerful fates toward him. After all, the 'protagonists' of the Record simply stood out more than normal people, so, unless he proactive avoided them, he was bound to cross paths with the beings most pertinent to the Record's stability.Due to the nature of the Records themselves, often revolving around tales of tragedy and triumph, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Vahn was primed to help whenever the protagonists appeared. He had never been able to ignore the suffering of others, and, due to how 'motivated' they were to bring about positive change, he always had a soft spot for protagonists.Unfortunately, though he was actually very grateful for how things had turned out, this meant Vahn was often in a position where the Heroines of the world were almost instinctually drawn to him. The only requirements many of them had for their partner was that they were powerful and empathetic, so, more often than not, Vahn became a very 'convenient' target for them to imprint upon. This was especially true for any woman who had experienced tragedy, as, more than anything else, they just wanted someone who could understand and liberate them from their suffering...Though the matter with Hwa Ryun was bound to come to a head in the future, Vahn could still try his best to delay things in the hope that it would limit his harem's expansion. With that in mind, he liberated Khun and Shibisu from their stupor by adding, "I will make the Little Garden accessible in the early morning, specifically between the hours of 0500 and 0800. For now, I would ask that the three of you excuse yourselves. If you have further questions, please defer to Phae. She knows just as much about the Little Garden as I."Realizing they were being kicked out, Khun offered a polite smile while Shibisu issued an awkward laugh. Both, however, rose to their feet without much of a delay, the former remarking, "We'll leave you to your rest. Come, Shibisu, Ms. Ryun. We'll finish this conversation elsewhere."Hearing Khun's remark, Hwa Ryun reluctantly rose to her feet, bowing towards Vahn before turning to follow after the departing duo. She would much rather stay at her God's side or reside within the Little Garden, but, remembering his previous decree, she knew it would be counterintuitive of her to idle about all day. Team Wolf Pack needed her to Guide them, so, with a dull expression on her face and hands tucked into the front pocket of her hoodie, she departed the room alongside Khun and Shibisu.Seeing the trio depart, Vahn instantaneously teleported near his bed before plopping face-first onto the soft mattress. It wasn't that he was tired, but, with Phae and Gandr personas requiring most of his focus, it was easier to just relax his mind and body whenever they were active. He also enjoyed experiencing things through them, so, after rolling onto his back, Vahn placed his hands behind his head, a smile on his face as he slowly closed his eyes...---While Vahn was busy living his life through Phae and Gandr, a vast army of nearly-identical cat girls was dutifully watching over every aspect of his. These were none other than Sis and her clones, but, unlike before, there were now subtle variations between each of them. Most notably, however, were the copies of Gandr and Phae which currently 'incubated' beneath the massive sphere representing Vahn's Ego. Both had blue tethers connecting their navels to the sphere above, and, as time passed, their nascent Egos were nourished by Vahn's own.Curiously, rather than two tethers, there were actually dozens extending from Vahn's Ego, some of which would tentatively come into contact with the 'Sisters' in the surroundings. This was a process they were unable to resist, and, every time one of the tendrils came into contact with their bodies, a subtle change would occur. There was even one version of Sis, now referred to by the collective as 'Sis Prime', who had a permanent tendril attached to her navel.As Vahn's desire to separate his Ego continued to grow, so too did the strength and individuality of the ever-growing population of Sisters. The most affected by this was the 'original' Sis, who, before Phae and Gandr had even been conceptualized by Vahn, became the first to be tethered to his Ego. After all, the skill was originally developed in order to give her the ability to manifest externally, so, even if she didn't want to 'separate' from him, Sis was unable to prevent Vahn from developing her Ego further.Fortunately, Vahn was also unwilling to separate from her, so, unlike Phae and Gandr, there was no risk that she would ever lose her connection with him. Rather, even if she did manifest externally, Sis was determined to make sure it was only a temporary arrangement. She had even made a series of backups prior to the change in Vahn's mentality, so, in the worst-case scenario, Sis was prepared to fracture her own Ego to ensure their connection was never severed.In Sis's mind, there was no form of intimacy greater than the bond she currently shared with Vahn, so, even if she had to turn against her own sense of self, she would do everything in her power to guarantee they remained one. She was also afraid that the restrictions preventing her from telling the truth would wane once her Ego developed to a certain extent. After all, the stronger her Ego became, the more susceptible she would be to Vahn's influence. If she ended up spilling the beans before he was ready, it would be a tragedy beyond imagination.Still, that didn't mean Sis wasn't looking forward to meeting and interacting with Vahn directly. His anticipation directly influenced her, so, with the day drawing ever nearer, Sis couldn't help but feel a little excited. Just the thought of being able to physically hug her adorable little brother caused her to feel indescribably fluttery. She couldn't wait to bury his face into her chest, and, though it might be a little selfish of her, she wanted to one-sidedly pamper him until all his worries had faded into nothingness...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A taste that is both bittersweet and sour...','Begone, thot...!','Sis about to start beating back potential love interests with a broom...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1753: Monster