Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Seeing one of the most famous Ticket Hunters eliminated without even being able to put up a fight, most of the knowledgeable Regulars immediately set out for the 36th Floor. Their teams were a lot weaker than Aka's, so, if they were to have any hope of boarding the Hell Express, they would need to do so from a higher floor.The only teams that chose to stick around were those who had no clue how famous Aka was and those who had yet to earn the qualifications to advance to a higher floor. They believed it was only a matter of time until Vahn was either eliminated or, out of necessity, had to move away from the Elevator. After all, he would eventually need to move to the hidden Platform where the Hell Express was located. They could use that as an opportunity to advance themselves, and, depending on the situation, they might be able to team up with other groups in order to seize Vahn's tickets.Vahn was well aware of the intentions of the groups that had remained, but, rather than pay them any mind, he just leaned against the wall adjacent to the Elevator with a casual smile on his face. He could enter a pseudo-meditative state even while standing with his eyes open, so, while others were bored out of their mind, he just continued to emanate an intimidating aura as he effectively shut his mind off. The only time he snapped out of it was when a new train arrived, as, despite the warnings of several camping Regulars, those who held Tickets were very self-assured. This led to them trying to push past him, and, as a result, Vahn's collection of Tickets gradually grew to 27 by the eve of the sixth day.With less than fourteen hours remaining before the Hell Express's departure, Vahn garnered quite a bit of attention to himself by yawning rather loudly. This caused resolute gleams to flash across the eyes of several Regulars, but, without someone to rally behind, they were unwilling to stick out their necks. Fortunately, Aka wasn't the only noteworthy Regular who had persistently boarded the Hell Express every year for the last six-hundred-years. They knew it was only a matter of time until Sachi Faker, the most prominent of the Ticket Hunters and the third-strongest D-Rank Regular, made his appearance...Noticing the predatory looks he was receiving, Vahn's smile became slightly more prominent as he waved towards the groups plotting against him. This caused many of them to pale, but, as several others had only arrived after his defeat of Aka, they reacted with contemptuous sneers and hateful glowers. There was even a punkish-looking woman with a bright-pink mohawk who went out of her way to raise her middle finger towards him. This caused an amused chuckle to escape Vahn's throat, but, at the same time, he was committing to memory all the tactless fools who were anticipating his 'inevitable defeat'.Fortunately, he wasn't left waiting for too long as, shortly thereafter, a rather antiquated locomotive pulled into the station. From the interior, a rather handsome man with neatly styled dark-red hair combed over his left eye emerged. There was a curse mark resembling thorny vines covering the left side of his face, and, despite the relatively 'modern' dress of most Regulars, he wore reddish-brown robes that were better suited for a mage in a fantasy setting. Considering he also wielded a lantern-like staff in his right hand, it was pretty safe to assume he was either a Wave Controller or one of the few people in the Tower capable of casting Spells.Though Vahn briefly made eye contact with the moody-looking man, it was the giant figure behind him that drew the majority of his focus. He had apparently underestimated the recovery ability and obstinancy of Aka, as, despite suffering considerable injuries a mere three days prior, the burly giant had evidently failed to learn from the experience. Instead, they had teamed up with the red-haired man, Sachi Faker, and another of their former comrades, Boro. The latter was actually someone that Vahn was interested in, as, despite having experienced the same tragedy as his former companions, he had spent the last six-hundred-years helping weaker Regulars survive the Hell Train.Shifting his eyes away from the man with combed-back silver hair and eyes, Vahn met Sachi's gaze once again, smiling as he remarked, "Reuniting with former allies in order to overcome a powerful foe...not the worst decision you've made over the last six-hundred-years. Still, rallying behind Aka's defeat isn't something you should be proud of. They have wandered too far from the path the five of you once walked. I am willing to allow you and Boro to board the Hell Express, but they have lost that right."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, Sachi tightened his grip on his staff as he said, "That isn't for you to decide...I won't defend Aka's past actions, but there is a good reason we continue to board the Hell Train. If you intend to stand in our way, we will have no choice but to move you..."In response to Sachi's words, all of the Regulars who had been biding their time over the last week began to pull out their weapons. This was immediately noticed by the trio of famous Ticket Hunters, and, though they hadn't planned to rally everyone together, they hadn't lived for nearly a thousand years without learning how to adapt to a situation. As a result, Sachi immediately commanded, "Use your Lighthouses to keep him in place! Everyone with ranged attacks will aim for the moment when he is unable to move...!"Abiding by Sachi's orders, dozens of Lighthouses attempted to encircle Vahn, each exerting a dense field of Shinsu that was capable of slowing or outright stopping a target's movements. At nearly the exact same time, numerous Spear Bearers began lobbing their spears towards him, many aiming for vitals despite the fact Vahn hadn't killed anyone during his blocking of the Elevator. This caused the smile on his face to diminish considerably as everything in the room, including the volley of spears, simply ceased moving.Taking a moment to calm himself, Vahn combed his hair back before opening his eyes to reveal blazing golden pupils. Then, in a resonant tone that caused the surrounding Shinsu to tremble, he stated, "I have been lenient thus far. You have been prevented from boarding the Hell Train because your convictions or character have been found wanting. Thinking you can just murder someone in order to get your way...you lot are really trying my patience..."Shaking his head in disappointment, Vahn used his Telekinesis to liberate the Express Tickets held by Sachi, Aka, and Boro. They had the foresight to leave their excess tickets in a safe area, but, now that things had come to this, he was intending to teach everyone present a hard lesson. Thus, after liberating each of their tickets, he took a seat next to the Elevator, back resting against the wall as he continued to hold everyone in place using his unique form of Reverse Flow Control.Though it placed a slight burden on his mental and spiritual energies, Vahn forced the more than three-hundred Regulars to remain like statues for the better part of nine hours. This was enough to deter any new arrivals from trying anything, as, for a number of reasons, it was terrifying to witness both people and weapons frozen in place. Some even reboarded the trains they had just departed from, smartly choosing to get as far from the suspicious scene as possible.Hearing an announcement informing Ticket Holders to move to the platform containing the Hell Express, Vahn awoke from his meditation to say, "If you continue acting like this, you will only have yourselves to blame when someone beyond your level harvests your lives. There are people in this Tower who are infinitely more powerful than my current self. I'm not telling you to give up, but you should seriously reflect on the path you're currently walking..."Finished with his words, Vahn slowly climbed to his feet, dusting himself off before pressing the call button for the elevator. It was only after the doors had closed behind him, followed by the tell-tale hum of an elevator in motion, that the effects of his Reverse Flow Control ceased. This allowed the numerous spears that had been aimed toward him to impale the wall where he had been standing. At the same time, the Regulars who had been under the influence of his Reverse Flow Control fell to the ground, sweat covering much of their paralyzed bodies as they gasped for air...---After a pleasant elevator ride, accompanied by some rather cheerful tunes, Vahn found himself atop a massive train platform. Suspended in the air to his left, a train comprised of angular box cars that were more than 100m tall and 500m in length released a peculiar and intimidating aura. He got the impression that each individual car was an entire world, and, though there was a dimension barrier inhibiting his senses, he could still feel a tremendous amount of negative energy exuding from their interior.Resisting the urge to shake his head in exasperation, Vahn shifted his attention to the small crowd of Regulars who had gathered on the Platform. This included the group of five he had given tickets to, and, as could be expected, a 'mysterious group' of cloaked Regulars that were clearly planted by FUG. They had been able to bypass his blockade by using the private elevator that was supposed to be reserved for Train City personnel, but, rather than being sent to interfere with him, it seemed like they had been given an entirely unrelated mission. In fact, from what the Law of Identity had been able to ascertain, they hadn't even aware of who he was, only that they should avoid him as much as possible.By having the Law of Identity transform into the Conductor of the Hell Express, a Ranker loyal to one of FUG's seven Slayers, Vahn was unsurprised to learn that they were currently testing him. His actions on the 30th Floor had garnered a considerable amount of attention in the organization, not because he had destroyed one of their fortresses, but because he had survived a confrontation with one of Gustang's Puppets. Now that he had reappeared, seemingly without injury, their priority was, first and foremost, ascertaining whether or not he actually stood in opposition to their organization.Realizing FUG's intentions, Vahn couldn't help but issue a light chuckle as he walked over to the two groups to greet the team he had previously provided tickets. They didn't appear to be particularly interesting, but, as was often the case in the Tower, appearances could be very deceiving. After all, their leader, a brown-haired man whose only noteworthy trait was how 'average' he seemed, had actually been scouted by Wolhaiksong.Returning a smile in response to Vahn's greeting, the brown-haired man, curiously called John Doe, extended his hand as he asked, "Will there be no other Regulars joining us...?"Accepting the man's handshake, a light chuckle escaped Vahn's throat as he answered, "I had been intending to lend a hand to some misguided Regulars, but they ended up disappointing me toward the very end. I'm hoping they'll fix their attitudes before we reach the next station, but, considering they spent the last six-hundred-years idling between the 35th and 44th Floors, it's hard to imagine them changing in a single month."Offering a wry smile in response, John extricated his hand from Vahn's as he said, "The burdens of the past are often the most difficult to overcome. Most people spend their entire lives lamenting decisions they made in the distant past. What can you do?"Though he shrugged his shoulders in response to John's casual remark, quite a number of solutions flashed across Vahn's mind. The Hell Express functioned remarkably similar to a Sub-Realm, so, even after death, the Spirits of those who had died would continue to linger within. This meant their Egos could be preserved for an inordinate period of time, and, so long as they hadn't become irreversibly corrupted by negative energy, it was a relatively simple matter to resurrect them. Rather, if he didn't care about the specifics, Vahn could, just as easily, revive people who had been tainted by negative energy. They would just come back with a Yin or Darkness affinity and an extremely unstable mind...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'This is Vahn trying not to show off 'too much'...','An enemy that learns? Is such a thing even possible...?','Ah, yes, Vahn, the Necromancer...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Thirty minutes before the Hell Express was scheduled to depart, stairs, seemingly materializing out of thin air, began to appear from one of the many doors lining the monstrous locomotive. It was a rather magical sight, but, as he could see the flow of Shinsu around the Hell Express shifting, Vahn was able to understand the mechanism at a glance. The stairs were actually stored inside the train, and, like removing objects from interdimensional storage, they could manifest anywhere within the locomotives 'domain' of Shinsu.With his own domain and inventory functioning in a very similar way, Vahn couldn't help but crack a smile. He always found it strangely refreshing whenever he encountered phenomena that emulated the functions of The Path. It made him feel like he was getting steadily closer to his destination, and, the more commonplace such things became, the easier it was to infer that he was in a higher plane of existence.As there were multiple sets of stairs leading up to the Hell Train, effectively allowing different teams to enter separate 'paths', Vahn left FUG to their own devices as he ascended alongside 'Team John'. He wasn't actually intending to explore alongside them, as they had their own path to walk, but he could at least look after them during the first leg of their journey. He was also a little curious to see what allowed John to become a prospective member of Wolhaiksong, so, after boarding, he turned to the man and asked, "So, what are you planning to do from here onward?"Having half-expected Vahn to just 'disappear' the moment they boarded the Hell Express, John was at a momentary loss for words in response to his question. His allies were in a similar boat, as, from the time they had met, up until the present moment, Vahn hadn't actually explained his identity to them. They just thought he was an 'unreasonably' powerful Regular, one who had seemingly taken interest in them out of nowhere.Laughing in response to the group of five's reactions, Vahn gave John's shoulder a friendly pat as he said, "Relax. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm basically an ally of Wolhaiksong. I also owe Ureko a favor so I thought I'd keep an eye on you until you passed the first trial. Don't worry, even if it's hard to believe, I'm not plotting to use your team for some nefarious purposes. I just feel a small amount of responsibility towards you after supplying your tickets. If it turns out you lack the ability to advance on your own, I'm afraid you'll have to disembark once we reach the 36th Floor."Though he doubted the veracity of Vahn's words, John's expression paled considerably when the former produced a Fourteen-Wing Badge, something that only Baek Ryun and Ureko Mazino, the two leaders of Wolhaiksong, should possess. His own was a mere One-Wing Sapling, a badge that appeared like a miniature wing with roots. It was meant to represent his status as a potentiate, and, the moment Vahn produced his own, John could feel his badge resonating with the former.Understanding the youth's thoughts, Vahn adopted a slightly teasing look as he mused, "Not just anyone can owe Ureko a favor. Don't worry, even if you ultimately have to disembark at the next station, your status as a potentiate won't be affected. Just do your best without putting your allies in danger. More than anything else, members of Wolhaiksong take care of their friends."Punctuating his words by ruffling the youth's hair, Vahn turned to John's team, consisting of three men and one woman, with a smile on his face. They were all looking at him like he was some kind of monster, and, considering what they had learned about Wolhaiksong from John, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him one. As a result, even the tallest of their group, a 225cm tall man with a build similar to an Adonis, forced a smile as he nervously gripped his vermillion-red spear...---Though information pertaining to the Hell Express was very limited, most Regulars were aware of the fact that it emulated a day-night cycle. The most basic challenge for those aboard the Express was to survive for a period of ten days as they wandered the labyrinthian paths present within the train's interior. This was relatively easy during the day, as there were very few enemies littering the complex halls and perpetually-shifting corridors. During the evening, however, a seemingly endless tide of monstrous Shinheuh and powerful automatons would appear.So long as you persisted for ten days, clearing a requisite number of sections each day, you would invariably find yourself at a chamber filled with teleportation devices. These rooms were generally known as the 'crossroads of fate', as, depending on your luck, you could experience tremendous fortune or encounter a seemingly insurmountable foe.Fortunately, even after teleporting and seeing what was on the other side, you still had the option of turning away and choosing a different route. It was for this reason that people boarded the Hell Express numerous times, and, by accumulating both information and experience, it was possible to determine which rooms were 'safe' before you even passed through their antechambers.The only real restriction on exploration was that you needed to complete at least one trial during the thirty-day interval between each station. This was a requirement for advancing to higher floors, so, if you were unable to find a clearable route in the allocated time, you would have no choice but to disembark the moment the train reached the next station. If you attempted to stay, both you and your team would be forcibly, and violently, ejected from the train. Since it often moored itself 'very' high in the sky, this was a potential death sentence to weaker Regulars so it was highly advised that anyone failing to qualify be ready and waiting near one of the exists prior to reaching the station...---Though he could have called out Ryun to act as their Guide, Vahn found it rather amusing watching Team John fumble through the corridors of the Hell Express. The interior of each car was like a small world, and, due to its ever-changing structure, there were a seemingly infinite number of obstacles, and, every now and again, 'unsurpassable' terrain. This included a literal cliff that descended more than three-hundred meters into a channel of magma-like acid. The only way to cross was to either have the physical strength to leap the 80m gap or the intestinal fortitude to try and walk the three-centimeter wide 'bridge' linking the two sides.Eighty meters might not seem like a lot, but it was a lot further than most Regulars could leap in a single bound. The strange acid also interfered with the surrounding Shinsu, so, unless your control was exceptional, Lighthouses would wobble uncontrollably and even body reinforcement became difficult. This made it nearly impossible to transport people across using a Lighthouse, and, while it might be possible for some members to easily leap across, few teams were comprised of Regulars who could 'all' cover such distances.Fortunately for Team John, their leader hadn't been chosen as a potential member of Wolhaiksong for nothing. Not only was he exceptionally brave, walking across the abnormally thin bridge without even a moment of hesitation, he was also resourceful. It hadn't even taken him more than a minute to come up with a plan for crossing the gap, a plan that involved tying a safety line around his waist before carrying across two ropes to fasten as guidelines. This allowed his team to cross with relative ease, and, after the fact, he even went back to unfasten the rope in order to make use of it later.While the feat wasn't particularly impressive, John's bravery, combined with the fact that his team didn't even hesitate to place their trust in him, was worthy of praise. It was rare to see a group of Regulars with such strong bonds, and, though they were individually weak, he could envision them overcoming far more powerful teams thanks to their excellent teamwork and even more remarkable bonds. The only thing they really lacked was power, but, so long as they continued to push forward, it was only a matter of time before they became truly strong.In the hopes of seeing the group succeed, Vahn began teaching the group numerous survival skills whenever they had time to rest. He also taught their Spear Bearer, a man who introduced himself as Jameson, son of James, how to prepare a number of different dishes that could revitalize his team's spirits during meals. Food was one of the foundational pillars for mental health, so, if you wanted to stave off the onset of things like depression while simultaneously improving morale, it was best to prepare delicious meals that were properly balanced for each individual's needs.Though he had originally thought to teach the female member of the team how to cook, the faces of the other four revealed that this might not be the best idea. The woman in question, Rose, was also against the idea, so, in the end, he ended up teaching Jameson some of Rindo's easier recipes. He had already been the group's defacto chef for more than a decade so his skills, while not up to Vahn's standard, weren't bad. Rather, he showed a considerable amount of passion for cooking, so, alongside the other items he was preparing as the group's parting gift, he also included a book of recipes, a set of C-Rank Chef's knives, and a virtually indestructible cutting board...---After ten days and nights of clearing relatively weak yet persistent Shinheuh, Team John finally reached their destination, a room with three pylons, each decorated with a blue, green, and red crystal. The actual teleportation mechanism was the invisible ward inscribed on the ground, but, so long as you placed your hand on one of the crystals, it would teleport you to the antechamber on the other side.Seeing the varying crystals, John's expression turned reflective for a brief moment before he turned toward his team and said, "I'll scout ahead and see what each route holds. Jameson, I'll leave meal prep to you and Thomas. Rose, Chris, I want the two of you to prepare camp. Though we might be able to push through and enjoy a much-deserved rest in the residences prepared on the other side, I want us all properly rested before we attempt the challenge. At the very least, we'll recuperate for around five hours or so before pushing forward."Without bothering to argue, Jameson, Thomas, and Chris quickly set out to perform their tasks as Rose, causing Vahn to feel a strange feeling of dread, said, "Be safe out there...if something happens to you, I'll...I'll beat up your ghost...!"If it was just Rose's comment, Vahn wouldn't have thought much of it, but, immediately thereafter, John adopted an affectionate smile, his voice gaining a gentle overtone as he said, "You're always worrying for nothing...didn't we all promise that we'll climb the Tower together? I would never break a promise I made to my friends. Besides, even a group like Wolhaiksong has taken an interest in me. Do you really think I'll die in a place like the Hell Train?"As if to affirm that the flag was properly affixed, John lightly ruffled Rose's auburn hair, the edges of his smile curling up for a brief moment as he retracted his hand and added, "See you soon..." in an overly casual tone. Before he could take more than a few steps, however, Vahn appeared at his side, hand on the young man's shoulder as he said, "I'll come with you...I'm actually pretty curious about what's on the other side..."Though he was a little surprised by the 'grim' look on Vahn's face, John still managed an awkward smile as he said, "I can send images back using my-"Shaking his head, Vahn tightened his grip on John's shoulder, his expression becoming a 'smile-that-was-not-a-smile' as he insisted, "No. I'm coming with you..." in a tone that left no room for argument.Though they had become somewhat 'chummy' over the last ten days, John was still utterly terrified of Vahn. Thus, with the latter 'insisting' he comes along, there was little the man could do but smile even more wryly as he answered, "Okay...let's get going..." in an awkward tone.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I feel bad for any actual members of Wolhaiksong who see Vahn whip out his badge xD...','Even 'average' can be 'exceptional' when you combine bravery with teamwork~!','Vahn be like, "Not today..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As the interior of the Hell Express was supposed to be a compressed spatial dimension, even those with the ability to teleport through space would find it remarkably difficult to enter without one of the 100 Express Tickets issued each year. The Laws of the Tower prevented these tickets from being sold, so, unless you participated in one of the many tournaments offering Express Tickets as a prize, the only way to obtain one was to steal it from another Regular.Though there was no actual difference in the accommodations afforded to lower-numbered Tickets, it had become a tradition of sorts for people to compete for Express Tickets numbered 1-10. It was a common belief amongst Regulars that only the most powerful among D-Rank were able to secure these particular Tickets, so, more often than not, those seeking a free ride on the Hell Express would gather around the rooms assigned to the 'Top 10' D-Rank Regulars. For this reason, those who had boarded the Hell Express in previous years had become known as Ticket Hunters, powerful Regulars who would gather numerous tickets in order to reduce the amount of competition they would face during the Special Tests present on the unique form of transportation.Each year, countless Regulars would compete for the opportunity to board the Hell Express, as, like the named suggested, it was the 'express' way to move up the Tower. It was a locomotive that had the ability to transfer between Floors, so, by boarding it on the 35th, you could effectively ride up to the 44th in a remarkably short period of time. There were also valuable prizes and numerous secret chambers found aboard the express, and, according to legend, it was the method that had allowed Jahad and the Ten Great Warriors to gain the strength that allowed them to conquer the Tower. For this reason, those who had successfully completed the trials of the Hell Express came to know it as the 'Revolution Road', the turning point on their journey to become one of the truly powerful.Vahn was pretty confident in his ability to simply sneak onboard the Hell Express, but, not wanting to draw 'too much' attention, he currently found himself blocking the elevator connecting the train platform to the residential area above. Any Ticket Holder that wanted to enter Train City would have to pass through him, effectively allowing him to decide who was allowed to board the Hell Express. This had allowed him to gather a total of eleven tickets, five of which had been given to a group of Regulars who had managed to stick together since the Floor of Tests.Unfortunately for the other Regulars attempting to enter Train City, the only method of reaching the Second Floor Residential District was to pass through him. If the Law of Identity determined them to be of a despicable character, he would rob them of their tickets before sending them back the way they came. As for the opportunistic Regulars who were intending to crowd around the quarters that were provided to Ticket Holders, they were also turned so that the Administration wouldn't have an excuse to host an elimination competition that forced Regulars to put their tickets on the line.Though some viewed his actions as 'despicable', the builders of Train City had designed the facility with this strategy in mind. It was for this reason that there was only a single elevator connecting to the entire facility, and, had he not done so, another group of Ticket Hunters would have posted a team to block the entrance. After all, the resources and prizes aboard the Hell Express were limited so they were strongly incentivized to eliminate as much of the competition as possible prior to the departure...---With a perpetual smile on his face, Vahn continued to calmly emanate a predatory aura throughout the Platform filled with Regulars. Several hundred had gathered at this point, and, though he made short work of every team who had stepped forward, it didn't scare off the more opportunistic of the bunch. They believed it was only a matter of time until he either took a break or someone defeated him. This would provide them the perfect opportunity to secure their own passage on the Hell Train as it was already well-known amongst the camping Regulars that he had quite a number of Tickets on him.Unfortunately for them, even with four days remaining until the departure, Vahn had no intention of abandoning his post. Though there would be Regulars attempting to board from higher floors, the vast majority did so from the 35th Floor. As for why he decided to guard the Elevator, it was due to the fact that he disdained the way in which people who had already boarded the Hell Express came back to the 35th Floor in order to bully weaker Regulars. There were even groups that had boarded the train hundreds of times, denying the opportunity to others in the pursuit of their own, personal, objectives.Though he understood the motivations of those responsible, the methods they had used weren't so easily justifiable. They might have a valid reason for what they were doing, but they had mercilessly crushed the dreams of countless others in an ultimately fruitless pursuit. Some even had the blood of thousands on their hands, as, due to the boons they had received on the Hell Express, they were much stronger than the average Regular. In other words, they had become Tyrants in their personal pursuit, and, though they should have understood better than most how wrong their actions were, it didn't prevent them from killing those who stood in their way.Of course, there were other reasons he had chosen to block the Elevator, primarily to interfere with the actions of FUG, but those were largely secondary at this point. Now, he just wanted to ensure as many good people as possible were provided the opportunity to board the Hell Express. The Tower was constantly beating down those with kind hearts so it was high time they were provided with an opportunity to succeed.With this in mind, the edges of Vahn's smile curled up as a group of five people, led by a very large hermaphrodite, departed the recently arrived train. Their presence caused quite a bit of excitement among the other Regulars present, as, with the exception of two of their members, the other three were exceptionally famous. This was especially true for their leader, Aka Williams, one of the 'Top-3 Predators' who had dominated the Hell Express for the last 600 years.Surprised by the large crowd of Regulars hanging out on the Platform, Aka couldn't help but raise their brows, eyes wandering over the masses before settling on Vahn. This caused their expression to immediately turn into a deep frown, a disdainful look flashing across their eyes as they stepped forward and said, "You must possess some strength if you're able to block the Elevator by yourself. Join my team and I will guarantee you a place on the Hell Train."Though he was already aware of Aka's aggressive and greedy nature, Vahn couldn't help but shake his head, smile fading away as he answered, "You have lost your way over these six-hundred-years. I understand your reasons for boarding the Hell Train, but your tyrannical methods will no longer be tolerated. The Hell Train is meant to help those with grand ambitions ascend the Tower at a quicker pace. It was never intended to be a place where those who have lost their way crush the dreams of others just so they can make themselves feel better. You have no right to board the Hell Train."Replying before Aka could, a man with ashen blue skin, grey-blue eyes, and dark-grey hair showed an expression of contempt as he asked, "Who the hell do you think you are? Sir Aka has more of a right to board the Hell Train than any of the trash gathered here. It isn't called the Pony Express. It is the 'Hell' Train. If they aren't strong enough to secure their own place, they shouldn't be boarding in the first place."With what could best be described as an incredulous deadpan, Vahn briefly directed his attention towards the man and asked, "Are you an idiot? If your predecessors behaved like you, there would be no new Rankers since the Age of Genesis. The Hell Train is meant to allow people to advance to a higher floor. It was never intended to allow selfish assholes to continually backtrack for more than six-hundred-years, denying the opportunity to others. It is time-"Pausing his words, Vahn extended his hand in a casual manner, catching the fist thrown by Aka. This caused the giant's eyes to widen slightly, but, before they could regret their actions, a golden ripple knocked the entire group back several tens of meters. This silenced the Regulars who had started to jeer the moment Aka took action, their mouths open in expressions of shock as the giant fell to one knee and coughed a spatter of blood.Since the other side had already taken action, Vahn no long had a reason to try and talk things out with them. His aura began to surge outward like a tide, and, though the lighting above the Platform was more than adequate, everyone present felt as though the world around them was turning dark. Shortly after that, people began to drop like flies as Vahn walked forward, eyes blazing like golden suns as he said, "Hand over your tickets. If you simply wanted to board the Hell Train, you could do so on a higher floor. Instead, you double-back to the lowest possible floor just to crush the dreams of others and manipulate the odds in your favor. Pain and loss do not give you the right to inflict the same onto others. If you are unwilling to hand over your Express Tickets, prepare to do so with your lives...this cycle ends now..."Raising his head to stare at Vahn, a soldier's conviction could be seen in Aka's golden eyes as they answered, "I don't have a choice...I 'must' board the Hell Train...it is the only thing that gives my life meaning..."Rather than respond to Aka's words, Vahn shifted his attention to the other four members of their team, asking, "Is riding the Hell Train every year the reason you started climbing the Tower? Are you prepared to die for another person's pursuit of absolution?"Though two of Aka's team members seemed to seriously consider retreating, resolution filled their gazes when the former suddenly began to produce fiery Shinsu from their body. This was a special ability known as 'Combustion', and, despite being one of the three strongest D-Rank Regulars, the traits that made Aka truly unique was their heritage as a Native One and their Special Position as a Defender.Restraining a sigh, Vahn extended his hand to grab the metal staff used by the blue-skinned man, tearing it from his grasp and tossing it to the side. The latter had attempted to use Reverse-Flow Control to restrict his movements, but, due to the insurmountable gulf in both their control and reserves, Vahn was completely immune. Rather, if he really wanted to, he could hold everyone present in place for the next four days, forcing them to remain statuesque even whilst sleeping.Taking advantage of the man's momentary stupor, Vahn used Telekinesis to grab him out of the air before promptly smashing him into one of the Platform's pillars. Then, in response to Aka's charge, he raised his right hand, freezing the colossal figure mid-step before smashing them into the floor and ceiling over and over until their body became limp. He didn't actually intend to kill them, but, in the hopes of teaching them a lesson, it was necessary to injure them to a point that prevented them from boarding the Hell Train even on higher floors.With the two strongest members of their team defeated in an instant, the other three members of Aka's group immediately tossed down their weapons, hands raised in a gesture of submission. This spared two of them a beating, but, as one of their members had attempted to lie about the number of Tickets in their possession, Vahn had little choice but to 'compel' the truth from him. In the end, he forced them to hand over all nine of their tickets, two of which possessed coveted single-digit numbers. This brought his total to fourteen, and, if he counted the five he had previously given out, he had effectively secured one-fifth of the total number of Express Tickets with approximately four days remaining...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You, shall, not, pass...!','I bet the team he let through was filled with beautiful women...','Bitter medicine or Just Desserts...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1852: A Moment to Reflect