Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following Blossom's lead, Vahn soon found himself in an arena similar to the one located beneath Marble's Vocational Office. There, a man resembling an older version of Quant, albeit with short red hair, could be standing in the very center of the arena.Noticing one of his staff members clinging to a man with a peculiar black cat riding on his shoulder, Rubeus couldn't help frowning as he asked, "Why have you left your post, Ms. Blossom? You are not being paid to slack off and flirt with other Regulars."Though she cowered in response to her Boss' words, Blossom was still under the delusion that she was currently in a dream. As a result, she managed to muster up a bit of courage, clinging to Vahn with her left hand while forming a fist with her right and saying, "I'm here to take the Boss' Special Test!"Surprised by the normally timid woman's response, Rubeus pulled up the personal terminal given to all Test Admins, confirming that Blossom's name was, indeed, on the list of participants. With that being the case, he quickly dismissed the invisible panel, smiling as he said, "I won't go easy on you just because you've been working here for the past six months. I will, however, wish you the best of luck."Even more convinced that she was in a dream, Blossom's expression became even more radiant as she happily exclaimed, "Thanks, Boss! I won't disappoint~!"Though he felt like Blossom was behaving a little strangely, Rubeus just assumed it was because she had found a reliable man with deep pockets. One of the ways many of the weaker Regulars climbed up the Tower, especially attractive women, was by entering into a relationship with other promising Regulars. It was a little unscrupulous, but, considering many Regulars would happily murder just to eliminate the competition, charming members of the opposite sex was a relatively tame method of climbing the Tower.With that in mind, Rubeus turned his attention to the admittedly handsome man that Blossom was clinging to. He had already heard about the man's power through the Admin Channel, so, while he was a little surprised to be the first on Vahn's bucket list, Rubeus didn't particularly mind it. He was the type that preferred taking action, so, with most of his duties revolving around paperwork and compiling dossiers on specific Regulars, he was more than happy to entertain challengers.Deciding to just jump right into things, Rubeus offered a polite smile that couldn't hide his growing excitement as he said, "I'm guessing you're already aware of the rules, but I have an obligation to explain the rules of my Special Test to new challengers. My test is pretty simple. You will be given a ten-thousand-kilogram ball that has the property of becoming lighter when infused with Shinsu. If you look around you, you'll find that there are goals placed at the four cardinal directions and one located in the center of the ceiling. Your objective, simply put, is to place the ball into any of these goals within a ten-minute period. I can only take action from within the circles located around each of the goals so you won't have to worry about me attacking. As for the goal on the ceiling, that one is a little special. If you have the ability to get the ball into that goal, I won't even try to stop you."Realizing why Marble had suggested he come to Rubeus first, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he mentally communicated, ("Looks like you'll have to wait until next time. This Ranker seems like a nice guy so let's spare him the embarrassment.")Though she was a little annoyed by the wasted trip, Yoruichi just hoped from Vahn's shoulders, stretching her body a bit before walking off to the side. This drew the attention of both Blossom and Rubeus, the latter remarking, "Black Cats are pretty rare below the 100th Floor. It seems like you have quite the backing..."Resisting the urge to inflate his own Ego by declaring he needed no such backing, Vahn just smiled in response to Rubeus' words before asking, "Shall we proceed with the test?"Since Vahn had already paid for himself and Blossom, Rubeus had no reason to refuse. Thus, after producing a bright silver ball from his personal storage, casually tossing it over to Vahn with a smile on his face. To his surprise, however, Vahn easily caught the ball with one hand, returning a similar smile as he promptly spun it on the tip of his finger...Realizing he shouldn't underestimate Vahn, Rubeus adopted a ready stance as he said, "The test has now begun...!"Rather than aim for any of the other goals, Vahn shifted his attention towards the relatively small target located approximately 300m above. This caused Rubeus' brows to furrow, but, as he already declared he wouldn't block attempts to score on the above goal, he could only watch with a slightly sullen expression as the silver ball slowly ascended under the compulsion of Vahn's Telekinesis.Understanding that Vahn's passing was inevitable, Rubeus released an annoyed sigh, scratching the back of his head as he said, "You're no fun. Even the majority of D-Rank Regulars would struggle to get the ball into a target that high off the ground. Looks like Blossom lucked out this time around."Though she had previously been following the silver ball's ascent with her eyes, Blossom snapped back to awareness when she heard Rubeus' remark. A fluttery feeling immediately spread through her body, and, though she had only met Vahn a few minutes ago, she suddenly felt extremely lucky to have won his 'favor'. It was pretty rare for Humans to be interested in her species, and vice-versa, but, for reasons she didn't quite understand, Blossom felt a magnetic attraction to the inordinately handsome man. His aura reminded her of her home forest, and, though his scent lacked the same musk that would normally excite her, an uncharacteristically fierce fire began to spread through her body...Feeling Blossom's body heat gradually increasing, Vahn's smile became wry as he made a mental note to research the characteristics of the various species calling the Tower home. He didn't expect the woman to suddenly enter a state similar to a Chienthropes heat, so, before things could get any further out of hand, he began stroking the excited woman's head, temporarily inflaming her passion before gradually restoring her calm.Seeing the couple 'flirting' right in front of him, Rubeus' smile began to crack slightly as he turned his attention towards the still-rising ball. The moment it made contact with the ceiling, he stopped the timer on his Pocket, saying, "The two of you have successfully completed my Special Test. Now, get the hell out of my sight with your lovey-dovey crap. I'll give Blossom the rest of the day off, so go celebrate or something."Without waiting for Vahn's response, Rubeus' used his authority as a Test Administrator to teleport the duo alongside the peculiar Black Cat. Then, with an exasperated sigh escaping his mouth, he caught the ten-ton ball with a single hand before smiling as he remarked, "It looks like I'll need to increase the intensity of my training. I look forward to facing you once you become a Ranker you god damn riajuu..."---Vahn wasn't particularly fond of being forcibly teleported, but, understanding it would needlessly complicate things if he resisted, he allowed himself to be teleported outside. Then, before Blossom could further mistake his intentions, he grabbed the bubbly girl's shoulders, holding her in place as he calmly explained, "Ms. Blossom...I won't deny that you are a beautiful woman. However, I am not trying to start a relationship with anyone right now. I just found your reactions adorable so I wanted to make your day by allowing you to pass the Special Test. Please don't misconstrue my intentions. I do not wish to hurt your feelings..."Hearing Vahn's remark, Blossom lightly pinched her own cheek, confirming that she wasn't actually dreaming. This made her mood diminish quite a bit, but, considering she had earned 2000 Points and a free License, it was hard to be too upset. She knew she had a penchant for misunderstanding things, prompting most of her teammates to abandon her, so, despite feeling as though there was a hole in her chest, she managed a smile as she replied, "I understand. Thank you for taking pity on me."Realizing he probably didn't want her clinging to him, Blossom attempted to break free from Vahn's hold so she could find someplace quiet to cry. It wasn't that she had fallen in love with the man she had only recently met, but, feeling as though her luck was finally changing for the better, having her delusion shattered was a little heartbreaking. Unfortunately, that was the grimness of reality, a place where dreamers were often disappointed...Understanding his blame in the situation, Vahn surprised Blossom quite a bit by refusing to let her escape. Instead, he wrapped the woman gently in his embrace, stroking her back as he said, "There is no reason to feel sad. Though I can't take you with me, I can still help your dream come true. This was the only thing I had planned, so, from now until the sky turns dark, allow me the great fortune of accompanying you. At the very least, let me treat you to lunch in order to celebrate our victory..."Since her eyes had already moistened from the earlier rejection, Blossom couldn't help shedding a few tears when she heard Vahn's words. She wanted to comment that he was only making things worse by treating her so kindly, but, feeling his warmth invade her body, she couldn't bring herself to separate from him. Instead, she buried her face into his chest, sniffling as she wrapped her arms around his body to prolong the contact...---Though it probably would have been better for him to return early, Vahn ended up creating a proxy to return alongside Yoruichi as he kept Blossom company, not just for the remainder of the day, but until early the next morning. She had told him about her past and her desire to become a protector for her people, a species that was often poached as slaves within the Outer Tower.Unfortunately, as a relatively pacifistic species who lived alongside nature, she wasn't very suited for combat. The best she could do was act as a Scout, but, with Scouts being the most common of the five Positions, it wasn't long before her former team had replaced her with someone less accident-prone. To make matters even worse, the 'leader' of her team, consisting of five men, had offered to let her stay if she was willing to earn extra Points in the brothel while also serving as 'relief' for the rest of the party.Needless to say, Blossom had refused the man's offer, so, for several months, she had to survive outside of the Town of Beginnings until she had earned enough Points to return. This wasn't too bad, as she was very adept at surviving in the wild. Her biggest problem was that she was still very weak, and, due to her propensity to misunderstand things, she was often tricked out of her Points or used as a gopher by the few people willing to let her join their Party. None of them, however, were willing to take her to the next Floor, so, after failing to find a group for more than a year, she ended up working as a Floor Receptionist in various Vocational Offices.Blossom was one of many Regulars who were unable to advance to the next Floor, but, due to her unwillingness to simply give up on her dream, she continued to persevere. She couldn't give up on her people, so, even though she had been tricked countless times, she never gave up hope that a Party would eventually help her ascend to the next Floor. This seemed to be the case for many of the people working as Receptionists, a job that solely recruited personable Scouts.After listening to Blossom's story, Vahn knew he had made a mistake, but, rather than lament, he decided to just go with the flow and follow his instincts. There was no way he could simply ignore the plight of someone right in front of him, especially when said person was an extremely kind and caring young woman who just wanted to help her people. She might be a little ditzy and prone to misunderstandings, but, disregarding this, and his original intentions; Vahn stayed at the woman's side for the entire night, making slow and passionate love to her until his Pocket alerted him to the fact it was already morning.Disabling the alarm that only he could hear, Vahn looked down at the woman on all fours, her face flushed with an impassioned hue as she stared back at him with glazed eyes. At the same time, his hand lightly caressed her firm, plump, and fur-covered butt, savoring the smooth sensation against his palm. He found it extremely arousing that the lighter part of her fur formed a heart shape from behind, but, as that wasn't important right now, he allowed himself to slip out of the woman's fiery and moist cavern with a 'pop'. Then, after laying her on her side, he occupied the spot next to her, gently caressing the side of her face as he said, "Don't worry...I'll make your dream come true..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Rubeus dodged a bullet xD...','Blossom used Escape...it was ineffective! Unable to Escape...','I want to say that Vahn is very responsible...but...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the connection to his proxy active, Vahn didn't have to concern himself with attending Team Wolf Pack's training directly. Rather, even though only a few days had passed since he awakened his [Universal Mind], he was starting to see it's true potential, not necessarily as a tool to make his own journey easier, but as a means to achieve all of the things he put off due to his own desires, dreams, and goals.Though he knew it was 'impossible' to help everyone, that didn't mean Vahn felt any better about having to pick and choose who he saved. He tried to make things easier for himself and his loved ones by only saving those who were right in front of him, but, now that he had [Universal Mind], a lot of paths that had previously been closed to him had now opened. He could even recreate the heroes of various worlds, naming them with the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] and entrusting them with his wishes while he continued along his personal journey towards the pinnacle of existence...Deciding to start with his desire to make Blossom's wish come true, Vahn placed a delicate kiss on the exhausted woman's forehead before meeting her gaze and asking in a soft tone, "If I asked you to abandon your people and become mine...what would you do...?"Displaying quite a bit of confusion in her leaf-green eyes, Blossom's expression turned into one of conflict and palpable regret as she answered, "I would probably regret last night for the rest of my life...no matter what happens, I will never abandon my people...I'm sorry..."Rather than blame the woman for her loyalty, Vahn just returned an affectionate smile, continuing to stroke her cheek as he said, "That's a relief. If you were the type to abandon your dream after a single night of passion, I might come to regret my own actions...hahahaha..."Though she wasn't particularly bright, Blossom could tell that Vahn was just testing her, a test she seemed to have passed. This caused her to feel greatly relieved because, after last night, she wasn't sure she could continue living without the man's warmth. She had never imagined such pleasures in her wildest dreams, and, though she had been a little concerned about his size, Vahn's penis ended up being a lot bigger than the average Faun's. Considering the latter were fairly well known for their size, this was quite the achievement. Blossom even suspected he had irreversibly altered the shape of her insides, his stamina completely transcending any expectation she might have had.Noticing the increase in Blossom's body temperature, a knowing smile spread across Vahn's face as he pulled her a little closer and said, "We'll have plenty of time for that later. For now...no, actually, let's try this..."Vahn was going to mention they had a lot to discuss, but, feeling his words would have a little more impact if he combined them with action, he changed positions so that he was resting with his back against the headboard. Then, taking advantage of the fact that Blossom had no will to resist him, he guided the woman to straddle his waist, sinking his member into her pulsating folds and eliciting an extremely impassioned sigh in response to his intrusion.With Blossom snug against his waist, Vahn placed his hands on her impeccably soft rump, caressing her extremely smooth fur as he began explaining his intentions. This was made more difficult by the fact she kept trying to move her hips and kiss him, but, after a few hours had passed, he was pretty sure the message had gotten through. After that, he decided to reward the increasingly affectionate woman by spending the remainder of the morning fervently strengthening their bond...---Though there were a lot of complexities he had left out, Vahn explained to Blossom that he had the ability to shed off fragments of himself based on the wishes of the people around him. He couldn't take her up the Tower with him, but, rather than leave her alone, he would divide himself so that a part of him always remained with her. He demonstrated this ability by creating a new Template, this one with nearly identical features to his original self but with prominent antlers and clear, Faun-like, features.Blossom was more than a little surprised by the existence of such an ability, but, realizing it meant she would never have to be alone, she was too excited to care about the particulars. She promised to keep his ability a secret, and, though it would apparently have to wait until their relationship was consecrated by the Matriarch of her tribe, she, very eagerly, expressed a desire to bear his children. In fact, immediately after seeing him split his body into two, Blossom surprised both versions of him by unabashedly asking if they wanted to both have sex with her.Vahn actually had a fair amount of experience with such 'plays', but, after resolving himself to leave Blossom in the care of his newly created Template, he ultimately refused her offer. Instead, he gave her one last long embrace, enjoying the smooth texture of her fur and the heat of her body as their lips overlapped for the last time. He could always reestablish the link with his Template in the future, but, not wanting things to become even more complicated, Vahn gave his counterpart a pat on the shoulder before leaving the duo to their own adventure. He would still need to name the Template to make things official, but, at least for the time being, he had other matters to attend...---Though it felt a little lonely to let Blossom go, even if it was for both of their sakes, Vahn didn't feel as sad as he expected. Instead, he felt like he had made the correct decision, one that guaranteed a happier future for Blossom's people without requiring him to deviate from his current path. He was also able to establish an important precedent, one Sis had seemingly been pushing for since he first awakened the [Universal Mind].Originally, Vahn believed it wasn't such a great idea to just arbitrarily produce existences like Hinata, Yoruichi, and Nami, but, now that he had experienced this short overlap of fates, he saw things in an entirely different light. He now had the power to protect people far beyond the scope of his original objective, so, rather than limit his use of the [Universal Mind], Vahn was intending to build a faction using his own Templates as a foundation.This might seem counterintuitive to his intentions of climbing the Tower and going at his own pace, but, even if they never left the original Floor he created them on, Vahn was confident his Templates would be able to help countless people. They would even be able to start their own families, living happily alongside the people he had wanted to protect; people he would have had to 'ignore' due to his ongoing journey to become the most powerful being in existence.Since his Templates all worked towards a unified goal, carrying the intentions they were implanted with during the moment of their conception, Vahn believed that, even after thousands of years had passed, they would continue to protect people in his stead. This was what compelled him to create a faction from them, as, even if Team Wolf Pack penultimately became the Rulers of the Tower, true order required more than a dozen people to maintain.Most importantly, though it would probably earn him admonishment from several members of his harem, Vahn no longer had to restrain his urges. He didn't have to create walls between himself and the people he was drawn to, particularly beautiful, exotic, and tragic women. These types seemed to attract him like a powerful magnet, and, though he usually tried to keep them at arm's length, Vahn knew it was virtually impossible for him to reject sincerity.Even without View Affection turned on, Vahn had always been extremely sensitive to the emotions of others. His [Will of the Emperor] helped to filter out some of this, but, when it came to extreme emotions, such as those derived from pain, loss, tragedy, and anger, he was unable to ignore them. If he tried, their images would haunt his thoughts whenever he found a moment of peace, regret welling up inside of him as he second-guessed his decision to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.Though he was fully aware of the fact that his [Universal Mind] would cause countless problems, Vahn's instincts told him it was the 'correct' decision to develop the Innate further. It was an ability that allowed him to positively impact the lives of countless people, so, even if there were drastic consequences in the future, he would no longer hesitate to move forward. This was actually a path he had chosen long ago, back when he first decided to save Lili from her suffering. It was one that others had supported him along for hundreds of years, but, due to his constant indecisiveness, he was always second-guessing himself and suffering setbacks. Now, however, Vahn knew where his destination lay, so, rather than continue making excuses, he would live his life freely, saving as many people as he pleased along the way...---With a mystical blue light radiating from the depths of his pupils, Vahn gazed out over the Town of Beginnings from atop a massive observatory. He suddenly felt a lot more excited about the future, a future he would shape, not just through his own actions, but the actions of others who carried his will. This brought an excited smile to his face, and, though others might not notice it, he suddenly felt as though the world around him had become a little brighter as he pulled out his Pocket and said, "I wish to speak with the Guardian..."Almost immediately after his words had fallen, Vahn found himself within an unfathomable abyss of Shinsu, face-to-face with a creature that resembled an island-sized crab. The key differences were that it had several bulbous eyes on the top of its head, a zipper-like mouth that was fixed into an excessively creepy smile, and six massive pincers instead of the normal two.Before Vahn had a chance to address the massive creature, the Guardian preempted him by saying, "You smell delicious. Unbelievably so..." in a surprisingly feminine voice.Since he had heard a similar remark from the massive eel-like Guardian on the 2nd Floor, Vahn just smiled in response to the creature's words, musing, "I hear that more often than you'd think. I can't give you a taste, however, so shall we move along to discuss the reason behind my visit?"After producing a few bubbles near the edge of his mouth, the Guardian surprised Vahn a little by answering, "I know why you have come. You wish to take my Test. Since you have the qualifications, I have no reason to refuse. Now, tell me what it is you desire. I will produce a Test that matches your desires."Deciding it was his turn to surprise the Guardian, Vahn maintained a casual smile as he stated, "You are undoubtedly a being of great power, but there is nothing you can offer me that I cannot obtain myself. The only reason I have sought you out is to ask for permission to advance to the next Floor whenever I please. In exchange, I will offer you this...a token of power from beyond the Tower. What say you, Guardian of the 3rd Floor?"Though it had distinctly inhuman facial features, the Guardian was able to convey an expression of surprise by opening its eyes a little wider and producing more froth from its mouth. Then, before it reached out to accept the rainbow-hued pearl he had proffered forth, it asked, "You would forgo a Test and instead offer me a gift? What a strange creature...very well, I will accept your token. I have seen for myself your capabilities. This Floor is unable to challenge you, so I will grant you the rite of free passage."Smiling in response to the creature's words, Vahn surprised the Guardian a second time by moving forward to lightly pat the front of its carapace. This caused it to turn statuesque for a brief moment, commenting, "A very strange creature..." before expelling him from the inter-dimensional space...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Here, take a seat...','Ten years later, Goku, Naruto, and Ichigo can be seen having a showdown against Jahad...','*pat pat pat*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As more people began to trickle into the dining room, a variety of breakfast foods, including eggs, sausage, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, fruit, yogurt, and other 'staples' began to manifest out of thin air atop a series of banquet tables. This gave people the opportunity to pick and choose their favorite breakfast foods, a notion that brought smiles to the faces of many.Being one of the first to arrive, Gandr secured himself a stack of twenty pancakes, a literal pot of sausage gravy, a plate full of buttermilk biscuits, and an entire pan of bacon. Despite this, he was largely finished eating by the time everyone else began to arrive, a massive grin spread across his face when he noticed that half of Shibisu's was swollen.Noticing Gandr's smile, Shibisu returned an awkward one of his own before making his way over to the buffet table. Most of the other guys followed close behind, the only exceptions being Baam and Hatsu since neither had much of an appetite. It was from the latter that Gandr learned about what had happened in the bath, a recounting that caused his ears and tail to twitch happily at the notion of Shibisu's suffering.Fortunately, despite their altercation, there didn't seem to be any particularly hard feelings between Shibisu and Chunhwa. The massive bruise on Shibisu's face was enough to pacify the latter's anger, and, though he couldn't help but redden when Nare entered the room, everyone pretended not to have noticed.After securing food for themselves, the girls quickly invaded the boys' table, Endorsi taking the seat left to Gandr while Anak took her usual seat on his right. This caused the boy in question to adopt a wry smile, not because he was seated between the two Princesses, but because Endorsi, despite her penchant for avoiding meat, had a single large sausage on her plate. She also had a teasing look in her eyes, and, though it garnered her a considerable amount of attention, she took her time to bite the very tip of the sausage, all while staring directly at him.To make matters even worse, causing Endorsi to literally choke, Yoruichi confirmed what everyone else was already thinking, plainly remarking, "You're gonna need a bigger sausage, Princess." This caused Endorsi to basically inhale the piece she had just bitten off, requiring a few heavy pats on her back in order to dislodge it...---Emerging from the kitchen, Vahn couldn't help smiling when he saw how 'lively' things were in the dining hall. His presence caused things to calm down quite a bit, but, based on the vibrant colors of everyone's auras, it was easy to see how well everyone got along. He was worried that the training might cause some animosity to build between them, but, thanks to the healing qualities of the hot spring and the calming effect of the Little Garden, everyone bounced back pretty quickly.Deciding to join everyone for breakfast, Vahn made his way over the table, smiling when Yoruichi, in her cat form, leaped up to his shoulder. This drew the attention of several people, especially when she began licking the area near his sideburns, but Vahn didn't particularly mind their stares. Instead, he sat down next to Hinata, affectionately patting the girl's head for a few moments before turning his attention to the table at large and asking, "So, how was everyone's first day of training?"Without even a moment of hesitation, Endorsi promptly pointed directly at Hinata, a very light flush coloring her cheeks as she exclaimed, "That woman is a demon! She might look sweet and innocent on the surface, but I thought I was going to die more than a dozen times during our training! I want someone else to teach me...!"Though he was slightly annoyed by Endorsi's remark, Vahn's smile became more prominent as he instantaneously answered, "Denied. Hinata is the most suitable teacher for both you and Anak. She will help strengthen your bodies, and, so long as you follow her teachings properly, you will quickly become masters at hand-to-hand combat. If you're sustaining injuries, it means you are charging in without using techniques. Most of her abilities rely on counters and exploiting gaps in the enemy's guard. Stop leaving yourself open."Not expecting her complaint to be shot down so unceremoniously, Endorsi found herself unable to offer a retort, mouth moving but no words coming out. She felt compelled to offer a rebuttal, but, before she was able to, Vahn's expression seemed to soften slightly, smiling as he added, "You're a tough girl, Endorsi. I don't believe you are unable to continue with this training. Besides, it will help to refine your beauty even further. The technique Hinata uses is even more effective than the pellet that was consumed by Rachel. The latter only removes impurities from the body, enhancing beauty and making it easier to manipulate energy. The former refines the body down to the cellular level, drastically increasing your strength and durability while also providing a similar effect to the pill. If you took a photo of your current self and then compared it to the version of you a couple of months down the line, I imagine you'll be pretty shocked."Hearing Vahn list out the various benefits of being Hinata's punching bag, Endorsi got the distinct impression she was being tricked. Despite this, she still chose to believe in his words based on the premise that 'God's couldn't lie'. She was also very weak to compliments, so, hearing Vahn say she was a 'tough girl', Endorsi felt compelled to demonstrate the veracity of this claim. There was also the fact that she had experienced a much worse hell during her childhood, so, while it was certainly very painful, Endorsi knew she could tough it out, just like she always had.Noticing the 'fire' within Endorsi's eyes, Vahn responded with an approving nod before shifting his attention to the rest of the table and saying, "Things might not be easy in the beginning, but, once you adapt the training and become accustomed to overcoming your limits, you are bound to grow stronger at an exponential rate. If it was easy to become strong, everyone would be a powerhouse on the level of Jahad and the Ten Great Family Leaders. Instead, most people waste their talents by making excuses, blaming others, and envying those who were more 'fortunate' than themselves. In the end, talent will only get you so far. True power is something that is obtained through effort. It is not gained from a desire to suppress others, but a resolution to overcome yourself. Each of you has unlimited potential. Don't waste it."Not expecting a 'motivational speech' during breakfast, an oppressive silence promptly descended upon the dining room in response to Vahn's words. This made the atmosphere a little awkward, but, proving why he was the 'protagonist' of this world, Baam shattered the tensions by excitedly saying, "Mr. Vahn is right! People have no control over the circumstances of their birth so I won't waste my time envying others! I will continue to grow stronger! Strong enough to obtain all the things I want! Strong enough to protect all the things I want to protect...!"Hearing Baam speak so spiritedly, smiles spread across the faces of many as the atmosphere quickly reverted to the liveliness that had been present prior to Vahn's arrival. This caused the latter to feel a little awkward, but, rather than fret over his inability to compete with a 'protagonist's aura', he just smiled along with everyone else before enjoying a hearty breakfast...---After promptly kicking everyone out of the Little Garden at 8 AM, Vahn decided to kick back and relax for a few hours, lying on his bed with Yoruichi curled up on his chest. There was something calming about having a cat purr on your chest, so, while he got the impression she was acting a little 'too' clingy, he didn't particularly mind it. Rather, it made him a little excited to imagine that the velvety black cat lying on his chest was actually a beautiful woman allowing him to stroke her body at his leisure...Unfortunately, like all good things, Vahn's relaxation was interrupted by a sudden ping emanating from his Pocket. At the same time, the spherical black device appeared right next to him, indicating that the person calling him was none other than Marble. This was a little earlier than expected, but, rather than simply ignore the call, Vahn lightly tapped the Pocket with his left hand before casually remarking, "Good morning, Ms. Marble."Seemingly surprised by the casual greeting, Marble remained silent for several seconds before her voice could be heard softly replying, "Good morning..."Amused by the petite Dwelfling's remark, the ends of Vahn's smile curled up slightly as he asked, "I assume you are calling to inform me about the preparations? Tell me what I need to do."Having recovered her senses, Marble adopted a more confident tone as she answered, "Everything has been taken care of. Your first Special Test will be against a Test Administrator named Siddallino Rubeus. He doesn't belong to any of the Ten Great Families, but he is pretty famous as an up-and-coming Ranker. You can find his office at the coordinates I uploaded to your Pocket. Keep in mind that he is not an affiliate of Wolhaiksong so you should avoid revealing your own association with our organization..."Since he had already memorized the names provided by Soo-Yun, Vahn didn't really need Marble's reminder to keep mum. Despite this, he maintained his smile, thanking Marble for the information before allowing her to hang up the call from her end. Then, after a brief moment of consideration, Vahn picked up the black cat pretending to sleep on his chest, asking, "Feel like bullying a Ranker with me...?"Though it looked a little creepy, Yoruichi managed a very 'human' smile on her feline face as she replied in a very deep tone, "Of course. I can't wait to see the expression on their face when they get bullied by a cat."Unable to restrain himself, a light chuckle escaped Vahn's throat as he rose from the bed, promptly equipping his shirt before placing Yoruichi on his shoulder. He was also looking forward to seeing how the Ranker would react to a cat that was able to move around at hypersonic speeds, so, after quickly informing Phae of his departure, Vahn took to the sky, once again drawing a considerable amount of attention despite the relatively short flight.Ignoring the gazes focused on him, Vahn entered into Rubeus' Vocational Office, this time flagging down a staff member directly instead of waiting in line. This caused the young woman to appear a little nervous, not because she was frightened, but because Vahn's smiling expression was enough to flutter the hearts of happily married women, much less a single Regular who had been stuck on the 3rd Floor for more than a year.Sensing the woman's thoughts even before she had approached him, Vahn decided he would make her day by beaming even more radiantly as he said, "Good morning, young miss. Could you please inform Administrator Rubeus that I have come seeking to challenge his Special Test?"With her face immediately turning a bright crimson, the young woman, characterized by her cherry-blonde hair, faun-like features, petite antlers, and pointed ears barely managed to fumble out the response, "Y-y-yes sir! I'll see to it right away...!"Though she clearly would have liked to stand around and talk for a bit, the deer-like girl quickly ran off without even asking for Vahn's name and payment. This allowed the latter to see that she also had a tail similar to a cottontail deer, one that was currently waggling happily as she ran to the back of the room with a surprisingly swift gait.Vahn had seen women with deer-like features in the past, but this was actually his first time talking with one. As a result, his mood had improved slightly, and, though he had no intention of following up on the notion, he couldn't deny he was a little curious about what other traits she possessed. He could see that she had hooved feet, similar to Marble, so it was pretty easy to imagine that her legs were likely covered in a thin layer of healthy brown fur...Shortly after this thought crossed his mind, Vahn noticed the bashful young woman burst from the back room with an embarrassed expression on her face. He could already imagine the reason, so, when she nervously approached him and asked for his name, Vahn was able to avoid laughing out loud as he returned a slightly amused smile and answered, "My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason. Here, this is the fee to take the Special Test...Missus...?"Realizing he was asking for her name, the deer-like girl's expression immediately brightened as she happily exclaimed, "Blossom! My name is Faunus Beryl Blossom...!"Though he felt she was a little too excitable, Vahn still found Blossom's response rather adorable. As a result, he decided to make the young Regular's entire year by saying, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Blossom. Would you like to join me for the Special Test? I will pay the fee on your behalf and you won't have to worry about injuries. How about it...?"At this point, Blossom was pretty sure she was in a dream, so, rather than refuse, her expression brightened considerably as she happily replied, "I would love to~!". Then, perhaps deluded by the notion that this 'was' a dream, she fearlessly latched onto Vahn's arm, leaning against his shoulder with a contented grin on her face.Though he was starting to realize that Blossom might not be playing with a full deck, Vahn decided to just let her enjoy the moment while it lasted. She should come to her senses by the time the Test had come to an end, and, even if that wasn't the case, he was confident in his ability to pacify her with a few headpats before promptly returning to the Inn. After all, she was certainly very adorable, but, with the ability to basically create potential harem members with a thought, Vahn didn't really need to pick up a random Regular just to satiate his curiosity...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Endorsi is playing with fire...','Protagonist Aura OP','She might not be the smartest lightbulb in the Crayola box, but Blossom sure is lucky (OwO)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1769: Mistakes and Moving Forward