Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he had already known what to expect thanks to the Law of Identity, Vahn couldn't help but smile appreciatively as he watched Tarou, wearing little more than form-fitting shorts and a black top, scale a complex rock wall without the use of Shinsu. Her body might be a little 'compact', but the structure and development of her muscles was top tier. It was clear she had spent much of her life training, but, rather than inhibit her beauty in any way, it had only served to refine her petite figure into a beautiful work of art.After reaching the top of the 300m artificial rockface, Tarou slapped a buzzer near the top before breathing a sigh of relief as she released her grip. This caused her to fall rather slowly thanks to the pull of gravity only being around 8.3m/s2, but she still impacted the ground with enough force to create a massive explosion of dust and debris. As for the reason, it was entirely due to the fact that the manacles around her wrists and ankles weighed precisely 1000kg each.A thousand kilograms might not be a lot in a world where people could easily lift millions, but even a small amount of weight could be extremely troublesome under the right conditions. Climbing was just such a condition, as, rather than having solid ground to provide leverage against tremendous weights, success depended entirely on things like grip strength, body control, and the development of your joints, tendons, and ligaments.Generally speaking, it was extremely difficult to strengthen collagen fibers that made up tendons and ligaments. It required an inordinate amount of resistance training without reliance on things like body reinforcement of Shinsu Enhancement. This was something very few people actually put any effort into, as, rather than focus on strengthening their bodies, the majority of people thought it was better to expand their internal Shinsu reserves and refine their control.While it wasn't wrong to focus on increasing your internal reserves and control, those who survived through countless battles quickly learned the importance of strengthening the body and improving your foundation. After all, Shinsu primarily worked as a multiplier for existing parameters, so, when two people with similar reserves and control fought, the one with greater physical parameters had an extreme advantage. There were also numerous situations where you might find yourself unable to use Shinsu; so, more often than not, the centuries following a Regulars transition into a Ranker involved them having to painstakingly increase the strength of their body, a difficult task for those who hadn't developed the habit while they were young...After patting herself down and picking away a few bits of debris, Tarou wiped the sweat from her brow as she gazed over at Vahn and said, "I don't normally give a route demonstration. You're lucky I'm in a good mood. Now, just as I said before, you have thirty minutes to scale this wall and hit the buzzer near the top. You're allowed to continue if you fall but if you'll be disqualified immediately if you attempt to use Shinsu to cushion the impact."Though he understood the only reason she had given a demonstration was so that she could show off a bit, Vahn still cupped his hands in an expression of gratitude as he said, "It was a privilege to see Lady Tarou's example. Thank you."Feeling a little embarrassed by Vahn's words, Tarou picked a few loose strands of hair from her face, smiling as she said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Now, put on your weights and get on with it. I'm not exactly busy, but there are better uses for my time. I've already indulged you a lot more than I should have."Chuckling in response to Tarou's words, Vahn donned the thousand-kilogram manacles without any visible signs of strain as he said, "It's a shame. I've enjoyed our time together quite a bit..." before approaching the rock wall and adding, "I guess I'll have to wrap this up quickly..."Without looking back to observe the slight frown on Tarou's face, Vahn extended his hand towards the first hold. It was a bit smoother than he expected, but, after gaining absolute mastery over his body several hundred years prior, it was a simple matter for him to scale the artificial cliff. He didn't even have to strain himself in the slightest, surprising the white-haired Ranker quite a bit when he reached the top of the 300m face in less than a minute.After slapping the buzzer near the top, Vahn repeated Tarou's action of releasing her hold on the final grip. Rather than impact the ground like a meteor, however, his landing caused a wave of air pressure to emanate from his body, dissipating harmlessly into the surroundings. He had basically done the opposite of Endorsi's [Stillwalkers], absorbing the impact into his body and dispersing it outward instead of into the ground.Taking advantage of Tarou's stupefaction, Vahn repeated his earlier action of cupping his hands, this time bowing slightly as he said, "Your demonstration was very helpful. Knowing the path in advance made things a lot easier."Coming to her senses at the sound of Vahn's words, Tarou adopted a potent frown as she asked, "Is this a game to you? I won't deny that your power and control are remarkable, but do you honestly believe that puts you in a position to show off in front of a Ranker?"Rather than outright refute Tarou's words, Vahn shook his head slightly, a relaxed smile on his face as he explained, "I didn't take into consideration the fact you were a Ranker. I just wanted to show off a bit in front of a beautiful woman. I'm sorry if I offended you. Don't worry, come tomorrow, I'll most likely be advancing to the 12th Floor. After that, I'll be out of your hair."Though she was still a little nettled, Tarou's expression changed to one of confusion as she asked, "What? You're leaving tomorrow? Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Even skilled teams of Regulars take several weeks to clear this Floor..."Shaking his head, Vahn affirmed, "It's the truth. While others might struggle to catch prey several hundred meters beneath the surface, it's a simple matter for me and my companion. Now that I've completed your Special Test, Phae will be able to gather more than enough resources to qualify us for advancement to the next Floor. Go ahead and check in on her using your Terminal if you don't believe me..."Resisting the urge to do just that, Tarou continued to glare back at Vahn, frowning as she said, "You really are treating this as if it were a game...I really hate your type. Tell me, why do handsome guys always turn out to be arrogant or cocky assholes? Seriously. I thought you might have been a little different, but you're just the same as all the other insincere jerks in the Tower..."Rather than take offense to Tarou's accusation, Vahn just exhaled a sigh before shaking his head, yet again, and explaining, "I'm just being honest with you. Nothing I've said thus far has been a lie. You really are an attractive woman and the structure of your body is simply amazing. Unfortunately, our paths were only ever destined to intersect for a very brief moment. Just as you are striving to fulfill your hopes and dreams, my own require me to climb the Tower as quickly as possible."Though she didn't feel any less annoyed after hearing Vahn's words, Tarou knew she couldn't really refute them. This made her feel even more annoyed, as, shortly after their first encounter, a fire had been burning in her body. She had tried to quench it by exercising her body, but, thanks to Vahn's intrusion, the previously small flame was now blazing like an inferno. It had been several decades since she last encountered a man who tickled her fancy so it was exceptionally annoying to hear he would be leaving the following day.Realizing that Vahn might just be bullshitting her in an attempt to get into her pants, Tarou snorted loudly before accessing her Terminal and tracing the coordinates of his companion. She wanted to see what made the man so confident in his claim. What she never expected to see was a strange-looking Lighthouse sitting near the bottom of the seabed. What made this scene even stranger was the fact that all Shinheuh in the surroundings had been 'frozen' in place, clearly under the influence of Reverse Flow Control. This allowed the Lighthouse to approach them, effortlessly capturing even powerful Shinheuh without any resistance whatsoever...With her mouth slightly agape, Tarou, once again, found herself at a loss for words. Phae's mastery over Reverse Flow Control was even better than most Rankers. Her ability to handle her Lighthouse was also exceptional, so much so that it was difficult to believe she was actually an F-Rank Regular...Shifting her attention back to Vahn, Tarou's expression quickly morphed into a frown as she realized that Vahn wasn't simply being arrogant. His confidence was backed by actual results, so, after a very brief moment of consideration, she decided to just get straight to the point, asking, "Are you trying to get into my pants, or are you just leading me on?"Understanding Tarou's nature and having already made the decision to stop holding himself back, Vahn adopted a marginally more serious expression as he answered, "I won't deny that the thought has crossed my mind..."Though she wasn't fond of such a 'roundabout' response, Tarou nodded her head in understanding before pulling out a keycard from her Inventory and tossing it toward Vahn. Then, with a somewhat fierce light flashing across the surface of her ruby-red eyes, she stated, "Third floor. Fifth room from the right. Be there in ten minutes."With those parting words, Tarou immediately teleported back to her room in order to take a quick shower. The thought of doing it then and there had briefly crossed her mind, but, knowing other Administrators would be able to peek in on things, she promptly decided against it. There was also the fact that she was a little self-conscious about the sweat covering her body, and, while it might not matter all that much in the long run, it would be pretty embarrassing if he commented on her stench...What Tarou never expected was that, immediately after teleporting to her room and stripping off her top, a jolt ran through her body as she heard the locking mechanism of her door deactivate. It hadn't even crossed her mind that Vahn was the one standing outside the door so she immediately entered a combat-ready stance as several silvery Baangs of Shinsu formed behind her.Surprising the white-haired woman for the umpteenth time, the door opened to reveal none other than the wryly smiling Vahn, hands raised in a gesture of surrender as he mused, "This isn't exactly the reception I anticipated..."Breathing a sigh of relief, Tarou appeared next to Vahn in an instant, yanking him into the room rather forcibly before reactivating the automated locking mechanism. Then, with an incredulous look on her face, she turned to him and asked, "How the hell did you get here so quickly? Didn't I tell you to arrive in ten minutes?"Tearing his eyes away from Tarou's immaculately sculpted and moderately perky breasts, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he shamelessly answered, "I couldn't wait. Can you really blame me?"With a tinge of red bleeding into her cheeks, Tarou instinctually moved to cover her breasts as she averted her eyes and said, "I need to take a shower..." in a surprisingly demure tone.Reading the mood, Vahn closed this distance between himself and Tarou as if it was completely natural before guiding her to look back at him as he said, "I really don't mind...if you still insist, let me take a shower with you..."Feeling the inferno in her body become a fiery tempest, Tarou made the executive decision to just set aside her inhibitions, answering Vahn's words by linking her arms around his neck and hopping up so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. Then, in a somewhat threatening tone, she said, "You better know what you're doing. There are no rules preventing Test Administrators from taking action against Regulars within their own chambers. If you fail to satisfy me, don't expect me to let you walk away so easily..."Chuckling in response to the woman's threat, Vahn surprised Tarou quite a bit by grabbing her butt and forcefully massaging it. This caused a powerful tremor to run through her body, a look of sheer incredulity spreading across her face when a girlish moan suddenly escaped her lips. Unfortunately for her, the time for talk had already come and gone. Now was the time for action, so, without any hesitation, Vahn readily demonstrated just how 'capable' he was...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Gimme a minute..."','Phae OP~','She ded')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Opening her eyes, Tarou just stared blankly for several seconds as her mind attempted to process everything that had happened earlier in the afternoon. Every muscle in her body felt like it had been wrung like a rag before being set out to dry near an air heater. Her entire body was suffused with a peculiar yet pleasant ache, and, though she normally never cared about such sentiments, she felt a strong compulsion to just continue sleeping in the embrace of the man who had run her ragged.Unfortunately, while her schedule wasn't particularly busy, Tarou still had duties to perform as a member of the Test Administration. She couldn't just lay around all day, and, though she was doing her best to escape reality, her Pocket showed she had missed calls from the Test Director.Tarou knew she was going to get chewed out the moment she returned to work, so, for the time being, she just continued to enjoy the moment while it lasted. After all, Vahn would be departing later in the day so this might very well be the last time she was able to experience his warmth...Sensing the fluctuations of Tarou's aura, Vahn pulled her a little closer to him, startling her with his embrace. Then, after planting a kiss on the top of her head, he said, "You don't need to worry too much. Though our paths might diverge later today, that doesn't mean this is the last time they will intersect. After all, there is a very good chance we'll be allies in the future..."Hearing Vahn's words, Tarou turned her face up at him, confusion visible in her hazy red eyes until he pulled out a certain six-winged badge. This caused her eyes to immediately come into focus, a potent frown marring her beautiful face as she sat up with a start and exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me you were a member of Wolhaiksong!? Damnit! Now I really want to fucking punch you...!"Rising to a seated position himself, Vahn ignored the threat contained within Tarou's words, pulling her closer to him as he said, "I'm more of a friend than an actual member. This badge was entrusted to me by Princess Yuri after she learned about my status as an Irregular."At this point, Tarou was absolutely certain that Vahn got a kick out of seeing her dumbfounded and at a loss for words. This gave her a 'really' strong urge to punch him, but, after hearing him refer to himself as an Irregular, all the energy drained from her body as she exhaled a tired sigh and said, "I hate you..." before leaning her head against his chest.Selectively ignoring the insincere remark, Vahn hugged Tarou close to him, gently caressing her shoulder as he muttered, "Sorry. I didn't want to use my status as an Irregular to place you in a difficult position. Will you forgive me...?"Rather than respond to Vahn's words, Tarou opted to lightly headbutt his chest without raising her face to look up at him. She wasn't quite sure how to describe her feelings at the present moment, but, knowing Vahn was the person rumored to possess the ability to actualize their dream, several different emotions welled up inside of her. The most notable of these emotions was frustration, but, coming in at a close second, she also felt an incredible sense of relief knowing she didn't just have a one-night stand with a Regular...As that thought crossed her mind, Tarou extricated herself from Vahn's embrace before pulling out her private Pocket and saying, "Give me your contact information. I only have about three years left on my current contract. Once I wrap things up here, I'll travel up to the 77th Floor. I'm not going to try and force you into a relationship, but you better stop by and visit me at least once. I don't know if it's because you're an Irregular, but you're a real monster in bed. Unless you were just bullshitting me earlier, hit me up when you get the chance."While ignoring the snickering revelations of the Law of Identity, Vahn smiled in response to Tarou as he pulled out his Pocket and sent her his contact information. He had enjoyed himself quite a bit so he had absolutely no qualms about rekindling things on the 77th Floor. Rather, his decision to sleep with her was largely to set a precedent for himself as he moved further up the Tower.Though it was a little suspect, Vahn knew a lot of problems could be avoided if he took advantage of his more 'unique' skills and abilities. There were a number of beautiful and powerful women that had already taken an interest in him, so, rather than stress himself out by trying to dissuade them, it would make things a lot easier if he took the initiative. He had quite a bit of confidence in his ability to satisfy even Tier 5 beings, so, with Tier 5 seemingly representing the 'pinnacle' of the Tower, Vahn knew he was essentially 'unbeatable' in that regard.With that in mind, an amused smile spread across Vahn's face when he saw how happy Tarou was to receive his contact information. She immediately took notice of this, a ruddy glow spreading across her face as she attempted to avert her eyes. Before she could, however, Vahn affectionately cupped the side her face, preventing her from looking away as he smoothly guided her back to the surface of the bed...---Having earned the qualifications to advance to the 12th Floor, it wasn't long before Vahn and Phae found themselves at the top of a that made the mountains below seem like small hills. It was easily several tens of kilometers in height, and, based on the vibrations coming from below, there was a tremendous amount of machinery on the interior.Ignoring the hundred or so other Regulars that were eyeing them like exotic animals, Vahn allowed Phae to return to the Little Garden as he shifted his attention to the Ranker that was standing in the air. This time around, it was an exceptionally tall man, who, despite his sickly completion, appeared remarkably handsome with his intelligent features, glistening golden eyes, neatly styled white hair, and perfectly tailored clothes.Having seen the man's figure on several name-brand products, Vahn already knew his name before he introduced himself. He was an Advanced Ranker known as Hong Haneul, one of the top 10% of all Rankers within the Tower. He had become famous during his climb up the Tower after spending several decades as both an Idol and the leader of a team sponsored by the Ari Family. This allowed him to eventually marry into the aforementioned family, invariably becoming an inspiration for all Regulars with similar aspirations.With several Regulars recognizing who Haneul was, a number of excited murmurs could be heard as everyone promptly shifted their attention towards the white-haired man. In response, the man in question returned a practiced, highly photogenic, smile as he said, "Good morning, Regulars. Allow me to welcome you to the 12th Floor's 'Inverse Tower'. As many of you have undoubtedly noticed, I am Advanced Ranker Haneul. It is my privilege to serve as your Proctor for the duration of your stay on the 12th Floor."Though he radiated an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance, each of Haneul's words and actions possessed an inordinate amount of charm. His voice had a magnetic quality to it, his tone possessing a smooth and velvety timbre that compelled people to listen closely whenever he was speaking. Even Vahn couldn't help feeling a little impressed, a thoughtful light flashing across his eyes as he wondered whether or not he should modify his voice to sound similar...With all eyes focused on him, Haneul's smile became marginally more prominent as he went on to explain, "Your objective this time around is pretty straightforward. You need only reach the bottom of this Tower within the next thirty days. Unfortunately, only the first thirty people will be allowed to advance to the next Floor. Those who fail will be moved to a supplemental testing location near the base of the Tower. There, you will have six months to earn the qualifications to continue your climb before being forcibly ejected from the Inner Tower. Any questions?"Without hesitating for a single moment, Vahn was the first to speak out in response to Haneul's words, asking, "Are there any rules against climbing to the bottom from outside the tower?"Surprised by Vahn's question, an amused smile spread across Haneul's face as he answered, "The Inverse Tower is just under 53km in height. There are no rules prohibiting Regulars from trying to reach the bottom from the outside, but the exterior surface is perfectly flat. You will also be subject to the elements the moment you leave the field of Shinsu that is currently generating a breathable atmosphere. In other words, even if you had wings and could fly, you would suffocate or freeze to death long before you got anywhere near the bottom..."Having heard what he needed to hear, Vahn nodded his head in understanding before surprising everyone by promptly leaping over the edge. Even Haneul's face morphed into one of confusion, but, after several seconds had passed, he simply shook his head before turning back to the rest of the Regulars, chuckling as he said, "There always has to be at least one fool in every group. I would suggest everyone else takes the stairs. Remember, only the first thirty people will be able to qualify. You can check the remaining amount on your Pocket. Good luck."With that said, Haneul was about to teleport away to the control room so he could observe the Test in comfort. Before he could, however, a rather attractive Regular raised their hand, evoking a natural yet highly practiced smile as he inquired, "Is there something you'd like to ask me, young lady?"Though a vigorous blush bloomed across her face the moment Hanseul addressed her, the young lady in question still managed to voice her concerns, placing her Pocket into Visible Mode as she said, "Director Haneul...I think there is a problem with the count..."Noticing the girl's Pocket was displaying 28, Haneul found himself at a momentary loss for words as he habitually pulled up his personal Terminal. To his surprise, there were already two names listed in the category for passing Regulars. This further confused him, but, after pulling up their profiles, an amused chuckle escaped his throat when he noticed that one of them was the same man that had previously leaped over the edge...---Though freefalling 53km would normally take several minutes, at the very least, Vahn could easily reach hypersonic speeds so long as he enveloped his body in Shinsu. As a result, it only took him a few seconds to reach the ground, most of which was spent slowing down so he didn't impact the surface like a pile bunker dropped from orbit.Fortunately, just reaching the ground seemed to be the only qualifier for passing the test, so, after releasing Phae from the Little Garden, they made their way into the interior of the Tower to find, of all things, a large owl wearing a green harness. It seemed rather surprised by their sudden intrusion, but, rather than show any hostility, it inquisitively cocked its head to the side, "Who-hoo are you~?" in a surprisingly feminine voice.Realizing that the peculiar owl was actually one of the Test Administrators, Vahn did his best to restrain his urge to pet her head as he explained, "We're Regulars participating in the current Test. Director Haneul said there were no rules against descending from the outside, so we decided to take the most 'direct' route to the bottom."Showing a remarkably human expression of surprise, the presumably female used the tips of her flight feathers like fingers as she quickly pulled up her Terminal and confirmed the veracity of his claim. This caused her eyes to widen even further, an incredulous glimmer visible in her pale-green irises as she asked, "Did you really just jump over the edge? You must have an astonishingly strong body. Very impressive."Though he couldn't help but smile in response, Vahn waved his hand in a dismissive manner as he said, "It was nothing. Now, what do we need to do in order to advance to the next Floor? I haven't seen anything like a transfer array nearby."Nodding her head in affirmation, the owl went on to explain, "The actual transfer array is located a few hundred kilometers from here. We generally transfer all the passing Regulars over near the end of the month. Since you are clearly in a hurry, however, I can submit a request for a Suspend Ship to come and pick you up? If you don't want to wait around, I can also get permission to show you the way. You are clearly very capable so I don't mind escorting the two of you. It never hurts to build a bit of positive rapport with the rising stars of the Tower."Though he imagined she wouldn't feel the same way if she knew they were Irregulars, Vahn still nodded his head in affirmation of the amiable owl's words. The Law of Identity had revealed that she was actually a Scout belonging to the Royal Enforcement Division of Jahad's Army. Though her friendliness wasn't a facade, she was still a hardcore believer in the doctrine of the Jahad Empire. If it came to light they were Irregulars, she would not hesitate to try and kill them before they could become a threat to the Jahad Empire. This was a little disheartening, but, now that he knew there were such adorable creatures residing in the Tower, Vahn was looking forward to meeting other members of her species during his climb...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is a bully...','He should have done a backflip...','Vahn be like, "I will find you, and then I will pet you..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the smell of saltwater tickling his nostrils, Vahn stared absentmindedly at the cloudy blue skies and the seemingly endless sea surrounding the platform he and Phae had been teleported to. A brief melancholy swept him at the notion that he wouldn't see the members of Team Wolf Pack for several years, but, understanding they had their own path to walk, he eventually just shook his head before shifting his attention towards the Test Admin that had appeared to greet them.Seeing that Vahn was finally paying attention, the Administrator, a petite woman with short white hair tied fastened into two tiny buns, crossed her arms and said, "It's about time you started paying attention. What, did your companions fail to qualify or something?"Though he was tempted to frown in response to the woman's words, Vahn just replied with a light chuckle before answering, "Nothing of the sort. Please, proceed with your explanation."Since it didn't really matter to her what the duo's story was, the Administrator quickly adjusted her oversized blue-blocker glasses as she remarked, "Well, whatever. The names Ranker Xia Tarou. For the duration of your stay on the 11th Floor, you can refer to me as Administrator or Lady Tarou. As for your Test...well, things are pretty simple, really. You need to catch a variety of different Shinheuh from the surrounding waters. Each Shinheuh has an exchange value depending on how well they are preserved or whether or not they are still alive. All exchanges and purchases can be made at the central residential platform. Also, while there are no penalties for leaving the area, you will lose your qualifications as Regulars if you attempt to approach any of the surrounding islands."Finding it rather amusing that a petite girl wearing strange combat fatigues would ask people to refer to her as 'Lady', a natural smile spread across Vahn's face as he mused, "Thank you for your explanation, Lady Tarou. I do have a few questions, however...that is, assuming you are willing to humor me..."Like most Rankers working as Administrators, Xia Tarou was typically bored out of her mind while supervising Regulars. As a result, she spent most of her time training in preparation for the annual Ranking Battles that occurred between the various factions inside the Tower. This was usually more than enough to deal with any 'urges' she might have, but, for some reason, Vahn's nonchalant and somewhat cocky smile caused her heart to skip a beat.Though he noticed the peculiar fluctuation in Xia Tarou's aura, Vahn's expression didn't change in the slightest until she answered, "Sure...just make it quick."With the edges of his smile curling up even more, Vahn went on to question Xia Tarou about the specific rules and regulations enforced on the 11th Floor. He also asked about the peculiar floating resort they had found themselves in, a curious installation that was composed of several buildings linked together by long piers. It was clearly something that constructed by the Workshop so he was a little interested to understand its true purpose.Xia Tarou would normally depart immediately after explaining the basics of the 11th Floor so she was more than a little surprised when she checked the time on her Pocket and noticed that nearly two hours had passed. This made her feel a little unsettled, and, for a very brief moment, she even considered the possibility that Vahn had used some kind of hypnosis against her. Of course, if that had been the case, the personal terminal issued to all Administrators would have informed her of the grievous violation of the rules. Since it hadn't, the only possible reason for her uncharacteristic compliance was that she had been pulled into the pace of a Regular...Feeling a little embarrassed, Xia Tarou adopted a slight frown as she abruptly interrupted the flow of the conversation to ask, "Are you a Scout? You're quite talented at guiding a conversation..."Chuckling in response to the sudden inquiry, Vahn shook his head before casually answering, "My official Position is Wave Controller. If anything, I'm just fortunate that Lady Tarou was kind enough to answer my questions. I understand your duties as an Administrator must keep you very busy so I am very grateful for the detailed explanation you have provided..."Waving her hand in a dismissive manner, Xia Tarou smiled awkwardly as she said, "You might not be a Scout, but you certainly have a way with words. I bet you were real popular with the ladies back in your home town, right? Well, you can forget about trying to butter up to me, you hear? You might be a handsome little bugger, but that won't get you any extra benefits from me."Though Vahn got the impression he could get 'numerous' benefits from the moderately flustered woman standing in front of him, he still nodded his head, a 'sad' smile spreading across his face as he replied, "I suppose I'll have to be content with the kindness you have already shown me...thank you, Tarou..."Hearing Vahn call her name directly, Tarou's heart skipped several beats as a contradictory urge to squeal happily and punch him square in the face welled up inside of her. The thought of a Regular calling her by name made her feel 'very' uncomfortable, but, at the same time, she couldn't really imagine herself punching Vahn in his 'stupidly handsome' face.Taking advantage of Tarou's momentary stupor, both Vahn and Phae offered her polite bows before attempting to walk past her. This caused her to immediately snap out of it, a frown marring her face as she reached out to grab Vahn's wrist by pure instinct.Rather than pull his hand away, Vahn raised his brows slightly as he looked down at the 156cm tall woman and asked, "Is there something you wished to discuss, Lady Tarou?"Surprised by her own actions, Tarou quickly released Vahn's wrist as she answered, "No...I just...you shouldn't just walk away from someone in the middle of a conversation. It's very rude...show some respect. I am a Ranker, after all..."Though he was tempted to point out he had been very polite, even offering her a slight bow toward the end, Vahn, instead, answered, "I understand...I was merely under the impression that Lady Tarou had other matters to attend. If there is something more you'd like to discuss, however, I don't mind keeping you company."With Vahn's statement basically reversing their previous positions, Tarou found herself momentarily at a loss for words. The way he spoke made it appear as if she wanted him to stay, and, considering she had literally prevented him from walking away, there was no way for her to argue against it.Feeling as though she had been played, Tarou balled her right hand into a fist as she asked, "Are you fucking with me, you impudent little rascal...?"Raising his brows at Tarou's poor choice of words, Vahn showed an amused smile as he replied, "I'd be a pretty lucky man if that were the case..."To punctuate his statement, Vahn sent a playful wink towards the befuddled Tarou before promptly turning around and walking away. This time, however, she made no attempts to stop him. Instead, she absentmindedly observed their departure for several seconds before clenching both fists and muttering, "You cheeky little brat..." while a vibrant red hue spread through her cheeks...---After familiarizing themselves with the facilities, Vahn checked himself and Phae into a suite that typically accommodated a full party of Regulars. Then, after doubling up on the privacy measures and security, they gathered within the living room. Before that, however, Phae didn't hesitate to tease him a bit, musing, "You appear to have made quite the impression on Lady Tarou..."Chuckling in response to Phae's statement, Vahn casually manifested the Little Garden atop his palm as he said, "She is pretty cute. White-haired women with red eyes have a certain charm to them and I've always had a thing for the feisty, combat-oriented, types. Even without her outfit giving it away, I can tell by the balance of her body that she is an exceptionally talented martial artist. I imagine she is pretty limber as well..."Sharing the majority of Vahn's preferences, Phae didn't blame him for going out of his way to tease Tarou. In fact, had she been in a position to do so, she would have done the same. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, she had other duties to attend. With this in mind, she skillfully filled Vahn's cup to the brim before taking a seat and saying, "Based on the information provided by our white-haired friend, we should be able to clear this Floor as early as tomorrow afternoon. Did you want to explore the surrounding islands, or will we be climbing up the Tower as quickly as possible?"Having already formulated a plan the moment he decided to separate from Team Wolf Pack, Vahn allowed the Little Garden to dissipate as he answered, "Based on what the Law of Identity revealed, the only thing on the islands are a few species of Shinheuh being researched by the Workshop. I'll send Latias and Latios to check things out, but it doesn't seem like anything suspicious is going on."Agreeing with his decision, Phae nodded her head in approval before asking, "Do you want me to begin gathering Shinheuh from the surrounding waters?"Rising to a seated position, Vahn adopted a somewhat apologetic smile as he answered, "I would appreciate it. My current plan requires us to reach the 20th Floor within the next two months. After that, I'll be aiming for the 30th in order to participate in the Workshop Battle. The next fragment of that artifact should be located on the island where the finals are scheduled to take place. Only the Archimedes has the coordinates for the island so my current objective is to reach the 30th Floor in the next four months. I'd rather not have to wait five years for a second opportunity, so we'll need to focus on clearing each Floor in a timely manner..."Though it wasn't a pressing matter, Vahn had learned of the existence of 'Enryu's Thorn' thanks to the Law of Identity telling him about it while assuming the identity of a FUG Elder. Since it was their 'trump card' against Jahad and the Ten Great Families, procuring it for himself virtually guaranteed that FUG would place all their focus on him.Vahn intended to do everything in his power to shift attention away from Team Wolf Pack, so, even if it guaranteed he would be hunted down and badgered by FUG, he still intended to collect each of the Thorn's fragments for himself. He was also very interested in its structure and properties, so, for the time being, most of his plans revolved around stealing the fragments and eliminating any major threats that might impede Team Wolf Pack's progress.With this in mind, Vahn rose to his feet alongside Phae before promptly departing the suite. Rather than follow her out to the pier, however, he made his way up to an observation deck that had been converted into a training gym. It was a place that had originally been intended for Regulars to use, but, for a variety of reasons, very few actually used it. Instead, he found Tarou inside, her lithe body dripping with sweat as she beat the living daylights out of an exceptionally durable sandbag.Sensing the presence of someone else in the usually empty gym, a frown immediately developed across Tarou's face as she kicked the 2,000kg sandbag with enough force to send it crashing into the nearby wall. She hated to be disturbed when she was trying to vent her frustrations, but, seeing who had entered the room, her anger immediately gave away to stupefaction as she asked, "What the hell are you doing in here?"Smiling in response to the expected question, Vahn peeled away the outer layer of his blouse to reveal his chiseled body hidden beneath a form-fitting black [Aegis] top. This caused Tarou's eyes to widen slightly, an audible gulp emanating from her throat as she adopted a low stance and warned, "If you try anything...I will fucking destroy you..."Rather than demonstrate even a modicum of fear, Vahn smiled in response to Tarou's threat before casually remarking, "I'd like to undertake your Special Test...."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn on the prowl...','I almost feel bad for FUG...','Oh my (OwO)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1818: Capabilities