Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While Yoruichi was lying unconscious at the side, her butt visibly swollen and body covered in sweat, Vahn was enjoying a lap pillow from Mira. At the same time, they were discussing which Templates would be most suitable, both for residing within the Little Garden and exploring the Tower beyond.Unsurprisingly, Mira's go-to suggestions revolved around her Record of origin, specifically the members of her original counterpart's Guild, Fairy Tail. More specifically, she was asking him to recreate the central cast, starting with important figures such as Mavis Vermillion and Zeref before working his way down the main cast.Though Vahn had no problem creating a Template for Mavis, as he always felt sorry for the rather tragic fairy-like girl, the idea of doing the same for Zeref didn't sit well with him. He never liked how manipulative the relationship between the two was, and, though he could easily create a version of Zeref without such character flaws, his subconscious bias would undoubtedly come into play.Despite this, Vahn felt that he 'should' create something like a 'reformed' version of Zeref, much as he had done for Madara. He needed to break himself out of the mentality that he was 'summoning' the characters for their original Records, so, while it made him a little uncomfortable, he needed to get over such things if he wanted to truly master the [Universal Mind]. After all, if he really wanted to, he could easily make a version of Zeref that possessed the personality, quirks, or characteristics of someone completely different.After creating a Template for the Law of Identity, Vahn had come to understand that there were virtually no limits to the types of Templates he could create. This was a simple fact, so, rather than only create characters based on his perception of them, he could literally create idealized versions of their original selves, mix and match traits from various fictional worlds, or even use them as the human Template for one of his Pokemon. He didn't have to create the characters as he remembered them. Rather, if he wanted them to become something truly unique, he needed to spend more time and effort in the Templating process.Imagining Erza with the characteristics of a Vanargandr and version of Happy with an 'Oozaru-Cat' transformation, a slightly wry yet intrigued smile spread across Vahn's face. He realized that, so long as he kept their unique traits in mind during the creation process, he could presumably determine which Innates his Templates possessed. After all, there was nothing preventing him from imagining a version of Natsu with Uchiha Bloodline and the ability to transform into a giant dragon. It might destroy the image he had of the original character, but, in the end, his Templates had nothing to do with any existing Record...---Deciding it would be best to create his new Templates after the departure of Yuri, Vahn met up with the woman in question the following morning at breakfast. This brought an immediate smile to his face, not because he was particularly happy to see her, but because it was always rather amusing to see just how much a Saiyan was capable of eating.With her cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk, Yuri briefly shifted her attention away from her food to see who had entered the dining hall. When she saw it was Vahn, a very subtle blush colored her cheeks, and, though she didn't stop eating, her pace slowed down quite a bit. This earned her a few laughs from the other diners while Evan, after shaking his head in milder exasperation, took the initiative to say, "We've already stayed longer than we should have. Once the Princess has eaten her fill, we'll be departing for the 30th Floor. Soo-Yun, however, has expressed an interest in staying behind..."Hearing Evan casually broach the subject without hesitation, Soo-Yun couldn't help but send a glare his way. At the same time, Yuri forced herself to swallow without bothering to chew, her expression turning into a potent frown as she plainly stated, "No. If I'm not allowed to stay with Vahn and help during his climb, others aren't allowed to. Why should Soo-Yun get to stay behind and play around in the Little Garden? I won't allow it."Though her words were spoken in a flat tone, the glowing of Yuri's eyes revealed just how serious she was. This caused both Evan and Soo-Yun to pale slightly. As for Vahn, he just took a seat at his usual spot, a relaxed smile on his face as he said, "Yuri is right. I understand your reasons, Soo-Yun, but I don't need the protection of Wolhaiksong. I appreciate your concerns, but there is no need to worry. It is only a matter of time before I reach the top of the Tower. The most Jahad and the Great Families can do is slow me down."Nodding her head in approval, Yuri deftly placed another piece of meat into her mouth, swallowing it down in a single gulp before adding, "Yeah. Have a little faith. Even Ureko put her trust in Vahn, so what are you worrying about? Besides, other than sleeping all day, what else can you do?"Frowning in response to Yuri's words, Soo-Yun wanted to say something in her defense but Vahn beat her to the punch, his voice stern as he said, "That is uncalled for, Yuri. Everyone has things they are good at, and it's not like you're the strongest person in the Tower. Only cowards and tyrants go out of their way to look down on people who are weaker than them. Don't let your jealousy dictate your words and actions. You're better than that."Though she couldn't help but frown in response to Vahn's words, Yuri ultimately exhaled a tired sigh, shoulders slumping ever so slightly as she matched Soo-Yun's gaze and said, "Sorry. I'm just a little annoyed that you got ahead of me..."Much like everyone else at the table, Soo-Yun was completely taken aback by how quickly Yuri had apologized. She was usually very obstinate about such things, so much so that most people would generally forget what she had done wrong by the time she was willing to say she was sorry.Like a father who had just witnessed the turning point in his troubled daughter's life, tears began to build in the corners of Evan's eyes as he silently uttered, "The Princess is finally starting to grow into a proper young lady...I never thought I would live to see the day..."Seeing how surprised everyone was, an annoyed pout marred Yuri's face as she began shoveling food into her mouth. Fortunately, as she had elected to steal the spot next to Vahn, she was in ideal petting distance. This allowed him to easily caress her head, and, though it made her feel more than a little embarrassed, a contented smile eventually found its way to Yuri's face...---After sending off Yuri and the remaining members of Wolhaiksong, Vahn promptly gathered most of the Little Garden's residents in the Emerald Grove. This was primarily to hear everyone's opinions, but, most importantly, it was an opportunity for everyone to welcome the newest members of their ever-growing community.Unsurprisingly, everyone had a personal bias towards the Records their Templates were originally inspired from. As a result, Roger ended up suggesting a version of Whitebeard in his prime while Goku, Ichigo, and Madara suggested Vegeta, Orihime, and Izuna respectively. This earned Ichigo quite a bit of teasing, but, as he had flusteredly pointed out, Orihime's powers would actually be very beneficial if they developed to the point they had in the original story.On that topic, Vahn pointed out that he could easily give Orihime's powers to someone else, and, though he had no problems generating Templates with their original personalities intact, he urged everyone to try and think outside of the box. There were virtually no limits to the form and function of his Templates so there was no need to restrain themselves. After all, he could create upwards of twenty additional Templates, sapient weapons, artifacts, and items included.Though Roger's only suggested change was an even stronger version of Whitebeard, everyone else, even Goku, seemed to seriously consider Vahn's words. As a result, the ordinarily airheaded Saiyan suggested creating the Dragon God Zalama and a Namekian of the Dragon Clan in order to try and replicate the Dragon Balls. As for Ichigo, he seemed to take the earlier teasing rather personally, so, rather than suggest a potential love interest, he proposed creating a Template of Yhwach or Sosuke Aizen, albeit without their evil inclinations.Vahn found it a little humorous that everyone was still suggesting Templates in accordance with their original Records, but, as there were some pretty interesting ideas mixed in, he was listening pretty intently until Sis suddenly suggested, (*Rather than a Template from an anime or manga, why not try and make one from a Light Novel or a Video Game? Didn't you enjoy that novel where the main character reincarnated as a Slime and eventually built a country of monsters? Why not create a Template with low power but infinite potential? After all, you can even create something like the Law of Identity. There is no reason you can't recreate powerful System Users or something along the lines of a Class System from an MMORPG.*)With Sis conveniently recalling the memories pertaining to what she was referencing, an intrigued smile spread across Vahn's face as he instantly understood her intentions. The Template she was suggesting was of a character who not only had the ability to predate and absorb the abilities of anything they had eaten, but, most importantly, they could bestow 'names of power' unto others.Though the thought of creating the character in question was rather intriguing, Vahn knew he could just as easily grant said abilities to another Template. The most important thing was that he would benefit greatly from their knowledge and experience, drastically increasing his own comprehension regarding Names of Power and the bestowal of Authority. Even this, however, wasn't as interesting as Sis' suggestion regarding the creation of a Template from a Video Game, specifically one with a comprehensive Class or Job System...More often than not, successful MMORPGs, Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, relied on systems that allowed players to freely swap between multiple classes. Few people wanted to be stuck playing as a single class, and, though it was often possible to create multiple characters, the time and effort they invested into their 'main' made most people apprehensive about starting over from scratch. To get around this, developers often built a multi-class or job system into their games, and, though this often required the player to start over from Level 1 in said class/job, the option of being able to outfit in unique gear and being able to swap back to a more powerful class kept most people invested.Vahn wasn't sure exactly how such a system would apply to a living person, but, as Sis had pointed out, he had already achieved the 'impossible' by creating a Template for the Law of Identity. There was no nothing preventing him from creating a Template that was able to freely change their Class, Job, and potentially even their Innates. This was something he would benefit greatly from, so, while he was still listening to everyone else's suggestions, Vahn's mind had been set abuzz with thoughts of creating powerful, reality-breaking, Templates...---Unaware of her Lord's plans at universal domination, a fatigued sigh escaped Phae's lips as she set aside her engraving tools and wiped a few beads of sweat from her brow. She was currently in the middle of a thirty-day probationary period that was supervised by none other than Graham Bell, the Teacher she had met back in Paradise Bay.Though the work wasn't exactly difficult, being supervised and monitored by several exceptionally powerful and intelligent people placed a heavy strain on both the mind and body. Fortunately, this wasn't enough to influence the quality of her work, earning her considerable praise from virtually every Teacher that had witnessed her production methods. Some were even calling her a talent that was only seen every ten-thousand-years, many extending invitations to join their specific research groups while others took the initiative to congratulate Graham for being the first to discover such a promising Disciple.Fortunately, though she was required to start off as an Apprentice, just like every other prospective member of the Workshop, Graham had already received approval from a Great Teacher to test Phae for the position of Head Disciple. This wasn't unprecedented within the history of the Workshop, so, less than five hours after she appeared on the 20th Floor, Phae was approached by Graham and his most trusted Disciples in order to discuss the specifics of her recruitment into the Workshop.In the end, Phae was forced to abandon her status as a Regular, but, considering she could easily climb the Tower without the permission of the Jahad Empire, it didn't really matter. Her only real concern was investigating the Workshop, learning its production methods, and working her way up the ranks until she had either become a Great Teacher or the literal head of the entire organization. This might be impossible for others, but, with her knowledge regarding the Five Major Realms and the actual origins of the Workshop, it was only a matter of time before she became one of the most influential figures within the organization. Thus, after a short break, she, once again, picked up her hammer, her sapphire-blue eyes shifting in a manner similar to a camera lens as she analyzed the production method provided to test the limits of her capabilities. Then, with a confident smile on her face, she raised her hand to produce a mystical multi-colored flame...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imagining a swole Happy...Aye!','Rimuru-sensei!?','Phae's Innates...what could they be!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With everyone's input, Vahn was able to come up with a number of interesting Templates, both to populate the Emerald Grove and to prepare for future events. This included at least one Template from each person's Record of origin, and, most notably, a number of 'unique' Templates that came about as a result of Sis' suggestion.Breaking down each Template by the Record they drew inspiration from, Vahn had created Vegeta as a rival for Goku and Android 21 as both a research assistant and reserve combatant. The former was known as the 'Prince of all Saiyans' back in his original Record, and, though he normally lagged behind Goku, he was currently much stronger due to the fact he was created later. As for Android 21, she was more of an amalgamation of various different races than an actual android, but, most notably, she possessed a constitution that allowed her to absorb the power and adapt the traits of others.Vahn had originally wanted to create a Template for Bulma, as she was inarguably the most brilliant scientist in her verse, but, much like Goku, Vegeta wasn't fond of the idea of having his 'canon' wife appear before he had the chance to fight. This was one of the downsides to Templates inheriting knowledge and information pertaining to their original Record.Though they were not their actual selves, both Bulma and Vegeta would have knowledge of their original counterparts' relationship. This awareness virtually guaranteed they would become involved with each other as some relationships were simply too 'iconic'. Bulma and Vegeta were an excellent example of this, as, with very few exceptions, they ended up being paired together in virtually every Record that Vahn was aware of.As a testament to how influential their subconscious biases could be, the Template Vahn created for Orihime ended up blushing madly the moment she met Ichigo. This caused the latter to feel more than a little embarrassed, and, by the end of the day, the two surprised a grand total of zero people when they announced the start of their relationship at dinner. Ichigo had apparently even tried to 'accept responsibility' by proposing, but, being the more sensible of two, Orihime politely refused before suggesting they start with dating and getting to know each other before making important life decisions...Wrapping up the Templates inspired by the Record of Bleach, Vahn decided upon Kisuke Urahara to serve as his 'Chief Researcher' within the Tower. He was a remarkably intelligent individual, so much so that he could easily be classified as the most intelligent person within his Record. He was more than capable of substituting for Bulma, and, though his counterpart was often paired with Yoruichi, Vahn wasn't worried about the feline beauty betraying him. This wasn't even accounting for the fact that she was templated from his adolescent fantasies, a truth she took great pleasure in leveraging against him...Fortunately, not that they were made for that specific purpose, Urahara didn't have to worry about lacking female companionship as each of his fellow researchers were female. This included Android 21 and two of Vahn's 'experiments', Pokemon hybrids with characteristics derived from completely unrelated Records.The first was a Pikachu Templated from a rather infamous tsundere known as Misaka Mikoto, one of the Main Heroines from a Record known as To Aru Majutsu no Index. Not only was she remarkably intelligent, but, thanks to the unique power structure of the Toaruverse, her abilities would serve as a perfect point of reference for understanding AIM Diffusion Fields and Personal Realities.Though there were some peculiar concepts at play, the Toaruverse was an example of a Record where Science and Magic had been developed to the extremes. There were even beings on both sides of the spectrum that could alter the very structure of the multiverse so it was an interesting Record to pull inspiration from. As for why he didn't just create one of these beings as a Template, Vahn had learned his lesson after creating the Law of Identity, Arceus, Palkia, Dialga, and Giratina.Despite possessing appearances and abilities similar to their original counterparts, many of the more powerful beings created by Vahn were a far cry from the entities they were Templated from. There was a 'very' good chance they would eventually grow to rival or even exceed their original selves, but, at least for the time being, their power was limited by his own comprehension.Before trying to create a Template that could literally alter the structure of Complex Multiverses with a thought, Vahn wanted to increase his understanding of Esper Abilities and Magic from the ground up. Mikoto was an ideal candidate for this, as, despite her tsundere nature, she was a very kind, caring, and astute young lady. As for her counterpart on the Magic side of things...well, the only thing Vahn could really say about her was that she was cute...Possessing Innates such as [Perfect Memory], [Information Transfer], [St. George's Sanctuary], and [Index Librorum Prohibitorum], Urahara's final assistant, intended to help him understand the very nature of Magic, was a silver-haired girl named after her own Innate, Index Librorum Prohibitorum. What made her unique, other than the fact her 'true form' was that of a Jirachi, was that her Innate defied conventional reasoning by coming 'pre-loaded' with 103,000 Magical Grimoires.Though he had no way of knowing if it would work, Vahn's main reasoning for creating Index, other than the fact he found her original self rather pitiable, was specifically due to her status as the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. She was 'known' to possess virtually all knowledge pertaining to the unique Magic of her Record, including the method to turn someone into a 'Magic God', so Vahn decided to take a gamble by entrusting his own expectations to The Path. As for why he Templated her from a Jirachi, known as the 'Wishmaker', Vahn hoped that it would increase the chances of her possessing the knowledge she was best known for...Fortuitously, his gamble had paid off, but, in exchange, Index was effectively a carbon-copy of her original self. This included a lazy, somewhat bratty, and extremely gluttonous personality that left her prone to emotional outbursts. Fortunately, these weren't really issues so long as she stayed in the Emerald Grove as everyone, even Madara and her brother Izuna, were all very understanding. She was even 'adopted' by another of the other Templates Vahn had created, specifically Edward 'Whitebeard' Newgate, the monstrously powerful rival that had been created at the insistence of Roger.Though he didn't have access to anything like Devil Fruits, Vahn's [Universal Mind] allowed him to effectively ignore such things. As a result, Whitebeard had full access to his abilities in the form of a Non-Standard Innate known as [Tremor Human]. This, combined with the fact that he appeared as a much younger version of himself, made Whitebeard into a remarkably powerful individual. He also benefited from being created significantly later than Roger, so, while the King of the Pirates didn't go down easily, he was ultimately crushed under the might of Whitebeard's fists.As a monster of a man, standing 666cm tall, Whitebeard was easily the most physically intimidating Template Vahn had ever created. His strength was also unbelievable thanks to his Innate, [World's Strongest Man], a horrifying ability that let him 'ignore' physical limitations based on his anger and willpower. His attacks also completely bypassed conventional durability, so, even though the Ninth Layer had been reinforced to compensate for Yuri's ridiculous strength, Whitebeard was still able to devastate the landscape with his punches.Fortunately, Whitebeard had inherited perhaps his greatest attributes, his caring, compassionate, and understanding nature. He also placed a heavy emphasis on the importance of family, so much so that he had even tried to make Vahn into one of his children.In the end, Vahn was able to escape his fate of calling the man Pops by defeating him in battle on the Ninth Floor. This, in turn, spared everyone else from a similar fate, as, according to Whitebeard, the 'strongest' had the responsibility of being a parent to and guiding the weak. There were many people who had been forced onto a dark path by circumstance; so, unless their character had been twisted beyond reform, Whitebeard firmly believed in the notion that people could be guided back onto the correct path with proper 'parental guidance'.Though it wasn't exactly his way of doing things, Vahn didn't necessarily disagree with Whitebeard's beliefs. Rather, he found them rather admirable and was looking forward to what the man would be able to accomplish after being let loose in the Tower. He was bound to cause tremendous waves in the Middle and Outer Towers, and, thanks to an agreement he had made with Roger, it was only a matter of time before the battles between their respective crews resonated throughout the entire Tower. This was something Vahn was greatly looking forward to, as one of his principal reasons for creating Templates was to see what they would accomplish without his oversight.In that same vein, Vahn was also beginning to make preparations for the formation of Fairy Tail by creating Templates derived from Mavis Vermillion, a young Makarov Dreyar, and the final two of the Strauss Siblings: Lisanna and Elfman. The latter two were primarily created for the sake of Mira, even though she stated there was no need. As for the former, they were similar to Mikoto and Index with Mavis' true form being that of a Celebi while Makarov's was Templated from a Regigigas. As for why Lisanna and Elfman were spared the Pokemon conversion, it was primarily due to the fact that they, like Mira, already possessed the ability to transform thanks to the Innates that served as the source for their Take Over Magic.Though it wasn't nearly as intimidating as Mira's [Satan Soul], which allowed her to transform into a number of extremely attractive Demonesses, Lisanna's [Animal Soul] and Elfman's [Beast Soul] were nothing to scoff at. Lisanna's was easily the most versatile, allowing her to adopt the characteristics of various animals, and, though many of her transformations were clearly designed with 'fanservice', in mind, that didn't make them any less useful. As for Elfman, he possessed the ability to transform into various powerful beasts, including one known as the 'King of Monsters'.As its name suggested, the 'King of Monsters' was an inordinately powerful creature, and, though it was a little difficult to control, it's adaptability was monstrous. It not only provided him a substantial increase in all physical attributes but, most prominently, it gave him an ability reminiscent of Tiona's Pactio, the ability to regenerate from virtually any wound and develop resistances to whatever had damaged him. So long as he had the reserves to power the transformation, Elfman would gradually become stronger until he had either defeated his opponent or become completely immune to all of their attacks.Vahn still had a 'personal preference' for Mira's transformations, but he couldn't deny the charm of Lisanna's and the monstrous potential of Elfman's. They might not have stood out all that much in their original Record, but, now that they had inherited his Soul Tier, it wouldn't be long before they had completely transcended their original capabilities. Of course, even if they chose to never fight, Vahn wouldn't particularly mind since he would never force anyone to fight on his behalf. They had the right to choose how they lived, and, even if they wanted to help, he would endeavor to resolve most things on his own or with support from Fenrir.Now that he had reached the 20th Floor, Vahn was intending to have Fenrir accompany him during his journey up the Tower. Ho and Grey had already been released into the Middle Tower, so, while Ryun would likely accompany them, Fenrir would be his primary traveling companion until he had reached the absolute pinnacle of the Record. This would expose her to great danger, but, with her unique Innates, it was only a matter of time before she became one of the strongest beings in the entire Tower. The only entities that could reasonably hope to compete with her, especially with his constant support, were the three Templates he had created in an effort to test the limits of his [Universal Mind]...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mikotochu~!','Gurararararara~!','The promise of a brighter future...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With his perception not limited to the events transpiring within the dreamscape, it didn't take long for Vahn to discover Yoruichi's 'prank'. This filled him with a strong desire to give her a spanking in the near future, but, for the time being, he had other things to worry about.Fortunately, though his arousal had a prominent effect on the dreamscape, the only person greatly affected was Soo-Yun. This invariably resulted in her returning to her true form, but, while there was a brief moment where he felt apprehensive, Vahn was able to set it aside relatively quickly. Her form was the result of a racial characteristic, so, much as he had for Lili, Kali, Amaterasu, Illya, and Shuten, Vahn decided not to let it bother him. This seemed to take Soo-Yun by surprise, but, with her blush having developed to the point it could compete with the color of her hair, she decided to just chose to go with the flow...Ignorant of the rather dangerous-looking scene occurring a few meters off to the side, Yuri had her butt pointed upwards as she hugged the pillow her face was buried into. This allowed Vahn to grab near the base of her tail, using it as a point of leverage to guide her hips and adjust the angle of his thrusts. None of this was actually necessary, as spiritual bodies didn't exactly have 'sweet spots', but Vahn had already developed the habit of comprehensively exploring the caverns of his women.Though it wasn't his first time having sex in a dreamscape, Vahn found it rather novel how Yuri's body continually changed depending on the intensity of his movements. If he went nice and slow, her insides would become extremely inviting, writhing around his member like a sapient creature that was eager to bring him pleasure. When he picked up the pace, however, they would become almost impossibly tight, coiling around him like a vice that sought to prevent further intrusion. This allowed him to experience various types and depths of pleasure as Yuri, having lost all of her usual advantages, simply enjoyed the ride.With the black-haired beauty trapped in an endless cycle of orgasmic pleasure, Vahn was free to choose when and where he wanted to release his energy-rich semen. He could actually manifest as a physical form or even pull out items from his Inventory within the dreamscape, so, in many ways, this was just another form of reality for him. This afforded him numerous advantages, but, without worrying about things like that, Vahn surprised Yuri by freeing her tail and rolling her onto her back. Then, with his member sinking further into her than would normally be possible, he sealed her lips, instigating a mating press as she instinctually wrapped her arms and legs around him.While he had barely scratched the surface when it came to understanding Source Energy, one of the things Vahn knew for certain was that it responded to his intent. Thus, by saturating his semen with it and sincerely desiring that it help strengthen and reinforce the girls' spiritual bodies, that is exactly what it did. This, coincidentally, brought the girls an indescribable amount of pleasure, and, so long as he looked closely, it could even see a subtle rainbow hue glowing within their bodies, the tell-tale sign of his Source Energy working its magic at his behest...Though her body had become progressively more solid and defined since the start, Vahn could tell that Yuri was beginning to succumb to spiritual fatigue. This wasn't actually all that dangerous, but there was a fair chance it could result in her falling into a coma for a few days. He could always take her to the outer rings to recover, but, feeling it would establish a strange precedent if their first time together resulted in her falling into a coma, Vahn carefully guided Yuri to a seated position, holding her in an intimate manner until she eventually calmed down.What Vahn didn't account for was the fact that Yuri could see over his shoulder, her ruby-red eyes gradually coming into focus and allowing her to witness the licentious interactions between himself, Kushina, and Soo-Yun. This wasn't the first time she had noticed their presence, but, at the time, she had other things to worry about. Now, however, she found herself feeling somewhat envious as she witnessed the gentle yet passionate lovemaking between Vahn and Kushina. She got the immediate impression the two loved each other dearly, their bodies melding together in perfect harmony...If it were just Vahn and Kushina, Yuri wouldn't have been all that bothered by the current situation. It was when she looked over to see Soo-Yun skillfully grinding Vahn's hips that an uncharacteristic feeling of inferiority welled up inside of her. This was exacerbated by the fact that the former had returned to her true form, yet, in spite of this, she seemed fully in control of the situation, smiling like a mischievous imp as she linked her fingers together with Vahn's and skillfully took the lead...Remembering how she had been on the receiving end the entire time, a pout developed across Yuri's face as she attempted to push Vahn onto his back. Unfortunately, her power was virtually non-existent within the dreamscape, so, from the perspective of others, it appeared as though she was just struggling awkwardly in his embrace. This made her feel even more frustrated, but, before she could say anything, Vahn held her close and whispered, "You don't need to worry about others, Yuri. You are an amazing, kind, and capable woman. Remember, this is just a dreamscape. There is no need to worry about complicated things. You'll have plenty of time to show off your prowess in the future...I'm certain you'll be even more amazing in the outside world..."Hearing Vahn's words, combined with the warmth pervading her entire body, Yuri was quickly able to regain her calm, returning his embrace as she uttered, "I'm going to rock your world one of these days...just you wait..."Chuckling in response to the woman's words, Vahn held her body a little tighter as he nestled his face into the nape of her neck, kissing it several times between saying, "I have absolutely no doubt about that...I'm already looking forward to it..."---With Yoruichi having sensed the subtle changes in the surrounding 'intent', her figure was nowhere to be seen by the time Vahn, Kushina, Yuri, and Soo-Yun awoke. This left Vahn in a rather awkward situation, his still-erect member causing a crimson blush to spread across Soo-Yun's face as she felt its heat nestled between her butt and pressing against something sensitive. This caused her to feel a little panicked, but, rather than shy away, she adjusted her position so that she was seated properly on his lap, seemingly attempting to conceal both his erection and the stain on her pajama bottoms.Finding his petite partner's reaction rather adorable, Vahn decided to just go with the flow, allowing her to hide the evidence of a non-existent crime as he shifted his attention to the somewhat dazed Yuri and inquired, "How was it? It might not compare to the actual thing, but I think I made things pretty enjoyable, no?"Coming to her senses in response to Vahn's words, Yuri turned to meet his gaze as she replied, "I'll remember this. Next time around, I'll be the one taking the lead..."With that said, Yuri released Vahn's hand before promptly rising from the sofa and heading towards the bathroom. Her panties and tights were completely soaked through so she wanted to take a nice long bath before changing into a fresh set of clothes. She also knew that, if she stayed around Vahn in her current state, she might not be able to resist 'taking' him then and there. There was currently an intense and passionate heat permeating through her entire body, so, if she didn't create a bit of distance between them, there was no guarantee she would be able to control herself.Understanding Yuri's thoughts, Vahn made no attempt to stop or follow after her. Instead, he let his free hand wander to Soo-Yun's waist, startling her slightly as he shifted his attention to Kushina and asked, "What are your plans for the rest of the day? If you have nothing else going on, want to help me punish a certain mischievous cat?"Though she couldn't deny that it was an interesting proposition, Kushina ultimately just rested her head against Vahn's shoulder, squeezing his hand as she answered, "Mira has been covering for me a lot lately so you should ask her to accompany you. I'll be helping Hinata prepare dinner. Now that Morgiana and Phae are gone, we don't have as many free hands as before. Latias has been helping out a lot, but she is only really good at baking. It's not that she can't help with other things, but we can't help but worry whenever we see her holding a knife..."Envisioning Latias swinging around a knife with a playful smile on her face, a dry laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he instantly understood the cause for Kushina's concerns. Though there had yet to be any accidents, Latias could be very ditzy and childish. Entrusting her with a bladed object without 'adult' supervision seemed highly irresponsible, so, for the most part, she was only allowed to wield a knife whenever Mira was observing her...Reclining against the back of the sofa, Vahn briefly considered whether or not he should create a new Template. His [Universal Mind] had already reached D-Rank, so, while he had yet to confirm it, he should be able to create upwards of 36 Templates.Now that he was on the 20th Floor, there was nothing preventing him from letting his Templates freely explore the Middle and Outer Towers, so, after a moment of consideration, Vahn nodded in affirmation of his own thoughts before saying, "I'll have a talk with Mira after this. Now that you and Hinata are pregnant, I suppose now is as good a time as any to procure the assistance of someone who specializes in cooking and keeping house..."Hearing Vahn's reply, Kushina began to feel a little excited. She, like many of his Templates, actually shared his passion for things like anime and manga so it was difficult for her not to be interested in the subject. There were a number of Templates she would like Vahn to create, and, though she had a bias for her own Record of origin, that didn't prevent her from thinking about candidates from all manner of fiction. As a result, the first person that came to mind when Vahn mentioned summoning a specialist was a woman named Izayoi Sakuya, a remarkably powerful Maid with the ability to stop time.Noticing the glimmer in Kushina's eyes, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he planted a kiss on her head and said, "We'll talk about it later. For now, how about the two of you go and wash up? I can't imagine it is pleasant to sit around with soggy panties..."Though there was a considerable amount of truth contained within Vahn's words, Kushina didn't seem to mind it all that much as she nestled closer to him and said, "I want to stay like this for a little while longer..." before adding in a mischievous tone, "Besides, Soo-Yun seems to be enjoying herself quite a bit..."With her face turning several shades redder, Soo-Yun immediately averted her eyes from Kushina's as she muttered, "I don't know what you're talking about..."Smiling like a sly fox, Kushina proceeded to point towards her nose as she said, "My sense of smell is a lot stronger than a normal person's. You think I can't smell my man's meat and the pheromones leaking from your body? You're a naughty one, aren't you~?"Finding herself at a loss for words, Soo-Yun's mouth flapped open and closed a few times, unable to form even a single syllable. This earned an amused giggle from Kushina, who, after planting a kiss on Vahn's cheek, suggested, "Why don't the two of you get better acquainted? I'll take care of Yuri so feel free to enjoy yourselves. Yoruichi could do with some neglect play every now and then."With that said, Kushina threw her arms up, a satisfied moan escaping her throat as she stretched her body and quickly departed for the bath. This left Vahn and Soo-Yun alone in the living room, the former adopting a wry smile as the latter hid her blushing face behind her hands. She wasn't unaccustomed to the relations between men and women within her dreamscape, but, for the first time in her life, her body was burning up in anticipation for something far more 'substantial'.Having already set aside his inhibitions in the dreamscape, Vahn eventually guided Soo-Yun's hands away from her face, meeting the pink-haired girl's matching gaze as he softly uttered, "The decision is yours to make...I can't make it for you..."With Vahn placing the burden on her, Soo-Yun's pupils expanded to show a hazy white light within their depths as she puffed out her cheeks and whispered, "You're a bully..." in a slightly pouty tone. Immediately afterward, however, she grabbed the sides of his face, demonstrating the substantial difference in their strength by pulling his face forward and stealing his lips...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Yuri will have her revenge...!','Kushina is quite the wingman...','Hello? FBI-san? He's over here...')(A/N: I think I pinched a nerve trying to get some exercise in so it hurts to sit down for long periods of time or lay on my back xD. I'm still able to write, it's just a little inconvenient. Anyways, now that we're at this point in the story, feel free to throw out ideas for characters you think might fit into the current narrative. Most won't have any relevance to the plot, but, by simply existing, Vahn's skill set, knowledge, and comprehension increase exponentially. I was actually considering Komatsu and Souma for the position of Chef, but, due to the 'rule' against men in the kitchen, perhaps Erina or Megumi would be a better choice? Let me know what you think in the comments section.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1827: Anticipation