Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though she had never been particularly known for her speed, Mash's rebirth as a Vanargandr more than made up for the qualities she had lacked as a human. It gave her an almost profane amount of flexibility, and, thanks to her training against the incomprehensibly fast Richard, her reaction speed and timing were on another level.Mash's only real weakness was that she heavily focused on defense, so much so that she had very few means to deal with 'uncooperative' foes. In other words, she could protect people with extreme ease, but, the moment she overextended and began pursuing her enemies, she lacked the means to react to multiple threats simultaneously.Taking advantage of this 'weakness', the Regulars that had surrounded Vahn's group attempted to charge forward, some brandishing weapons while most were aiming to simply restrain the group of four. The reason for this was relatively simple, and, as could be ascertained from the behavior of the thug-like group, they were extremely proficient at exploiting the tyrannical rules of the Name Hunt Station...Unaware of the danger they had just thrown themselves into, one of the Regulars attempted to approach Fenrir and Ryun with a metallic net in hand, shouting, "I ain't never had a dog bitch as a slave before! I wonder if-"Before the man could finish his words, a spear of ice moving at several times the speed of sound pierced through his head in an instant. This left the man's nearby compatriots at a complete loss, their eyes widening to an almost comical extent. 'Unfortunately', this was their final expression as Fenrir, eyes emanating a violent and disdainful gleam, blew off each of their heads in turn as she muttered, "I am a Vanargandr..." in an icy tone.With Fenrir eliminating the opportunistic enemies attempting to flank from behind, Mash was able to devastate the foes lining the front with surprising ferocity. It was like she was releasing all of the frustrations she had built up over the years, and, now that she had become a Vanargandr, fighting suddenly felt completely 'natural' to her.Using her remarkably oversized gauntlets, Mash was about to bat aside enemies with extreme ease, her expression fixed in a mask of calm as her casual blows generated massive shockwaves. The only thing preventing her foes from being killed in an instant was a unique enchantment that had been placed on both of her shields, a peculiar ability simply known as 'Mercy Strike'.Though the ability could be disabled under certain conditions, Mash's attacks didn't inflict direct physical damage to her opponents. Instead, the shockwaves generated by her fists, despite causing a tremendous amount of collateral damage, siphoned the physical, mental, and spiritual energies of her foes. In other words, her blows left her targets feeling extreme fatigue, and, depending on how serious she was, Mash could even force them into a coma that would require external aid in order to awaken from.Because of the unique nature of her attacks, permeating throughout the entirety of a target's body, Mash could effectively ignore things like Elementalization. This left Hesse of the Ten Bosses feeling extremely frustrated, as, more often than not, even powerhouses from the Ten Great Families were unable to deal with the unique qualities of his body.Under normal circumstances, Hesse could be broken down and destroyed countless times, and, so long as his personal field of Shinsu persisted, he could perpetually reform his soil-comprised body. It was a trait that left even the most skilled of opponents feeling at a complete loss, as, no matter how they cut, blew, or blasted him apart, he would simply reform, time and time again.Hesse's only real weakness, for reasons he didn't fully understand, were attacks infused with lightning, and, very specifically, the flames of the Yeon Family. The former prevented him from restructuring himself in a short period of time. As for the latter, it seemed to dry up the soil comprising his body, slowing or outright stopping his movements depending on the intensity of the heat.Fortunately, so long as they weren't inordinately skilled in the use of said energies, Hesse was able to convince most foes that he was 'immune' to said effects. This was meant to demoralize his foes, and, thanks to the hardening effects of their attacks, he did actually become more durable over the duration of the fight...Completely disregarding all of these factors, Mash continued to hammer on the 5m tall man as if he were a humanoid sandbag. He had attempted to trade blows with her, but, in spite of their massive size and weight difference, her strikes continuously sent him stumbling backward as the force of his blows seemed to dissipate into the ground. This was one of the major weaknesses of being larger than your opponent, as, after a certain point, the force of overhead blows became inconsequential due to things like leverage.Though there were countless ways around it, striking downward with more force than your inertia would simply cause you to propel yourself into the air. This was one of the primary weaknesses of super strength, as, without adequate leverage, it was tricky to apply said strength without grabbing or pushing against your opponent. Even then, you needed to account for things like friction against the ground, and, more often than not, the durability of whatever you were standing on.With durability that would allow her to survive tactical-grade magic at point-blank range, defeating Mash using raw physical power was extremely difficult. She had even mastered Galahad's defensive techniques, effectively allowing her to channel the force of an opponent's strike through the energy channels of her own body, directing it into the ground. This was an extremely dangerous technique to master, but, in exchange, even your organs would become resistant to sudden shocks. It also had an extreme influence on the tension and springiness of a person's muscles, specifically concentrated around the calves, thighs, and glutes...Taking full advantage of her petite yet full figure, Mash, standing at only 162cm in height, continued to hammer away at Hesse with an unchanging expression. She didn't seem troubled by the fact that the latter was able to withstand several of her strikes. Instead, she remained absolutely calm, almost scary so, as she slipped under a haymaker blow before striking his diaphragm with enough force to send him tumbling backward for more than seventy meters.Groaning due to the mind-numbingly frustrating 'tingle' that had spread through his entire body, similar to a limb falling asleep, Hesse raised his giant body with extreme difficulty, serrated teeth glistening with spittle and blood as he shouted, "What the fuck are you bastards waiting for...!?"In response to Hesse's exclamation, the other three groups present, each belonging to a member of the Ten Bosses, began to stir about. Most of them had lost the will to fight after witnessing Fenrir's 'cruelty', and, if not for the contracts forcing them to obey their 'Masters', they would have fled long ago. As for said Masters, two were already considering withdrawing while the third, a 90cm tall cat-like person with black fur and a cross-shaped scar running across their forehead, unsheathed two dagger-like Ninjatō as they remarked, "Pathetic...how did you ever become one of the Ten Bosses? When this is over, I'm going to repurpose you as a litter box you damn dirt-man..."Following this deriding remark, the cat-like man, better known as Nekogahara Katamune of the Ten Bosses, began to release a peculiar black Shinsu from his body as he murmured, "Katamune-Style Control Skill...Waning Moon...!"Seeing the curiously inverted black crescent flying towards them, Vahn couldn't help raise his brows slightly as he questioned how someone far beneath the level of a Master could create such a shape while swinging their sword in a regular arc. It was actually a rather ingenious technique, as, unlike a traditional crescent sword beam, this one surrounded an enemy and cut off their path of escape...While Vahn was reviewing the peculiarities of the technique within his mind, Jeanne had already stepped forward to intercept it, her blade releasing a pure white crescent that perfectly overlapped with the former, dispersing it like an illusion. This caused Katamune to sneer in contempt, his eyes releasing a malicious blue glow as he crossed his dagger-like swords behind his back and muttered, "Katamune-Style Control Skill...Inverse-Cross Slash...!"Confident that he could cut through Jeanne's attack, Katamune made no attempt to dodge it as his Ninjatō converged towards the resplendent sword beam, each releasing a dark light. Unfortunately, he had grossly overestimated himself, and, without any suspense whatsoever, Jeanne's single blade of light cut through his C-Rank blades like a hot knife through butter before bisecting him in two at chest level.Having expected the cat-like man to try and dodge, Jeanne couldn't help but furrow her brows in a fretful manner as she turned back to face her Master. In response, Vahn just gestured for her to stay calm, a relaxed smile on his face as he telepathically reminded her that he could always revive those who had fallen. Rumors regarding his ability to resurrect the dead had already been circulating for several months at this point, so, while he had no intention of going around and playing Saint, Vahn no longer cared about keeping it a secret.Though she was greatly relieved by her Master's words, Jeanne didn't want to make any additional mistakes in the presence of her God. To that end, she promptly sheathed her sword before pointing her index and middle fingers towards the group of cowering Regulars, her tone flat and judgmental as she incanted, "Bakudo Number 1...Sai...!"Following Jeanne's short incantation, several invisible beams of spiritual energy shot forth from her fingers, impacting her targets at near-light speeds. This caused the hands of the affected to open, their weapons clattering to the ground before their wrists were forcefully brought together behind their backs. This included those with more than two arms, and, should they lack the means to reach the small of their backs, those with bulkier figures found their joints painfully dislocated under the influence of the binding spell.Surprised by Jeanne's use of Kido, Vahn raised his brows slightly, an amused smile spreading across his face as he remarked, "I hope Yoruichi isn't teaching you any bad habits..."Hearing her Master's musings, the tips of Jeanne's ears became bright red as she attempted to use her brilliant golden wings to hide her face. This caused the former to issue a lighthearted laugh, but, at the same time, he was a little worried about Yoruichi's ever-increasing influence among the more impressionable women in his harem...Shaking his head, Vahn cleared his mind of wayward thoughts before stepping forward to ruffle the hair of Fenrir and Ryun as he said, "Let's wrap this up..."Though their first reaction was to instinctually press their heads against the palms of his hands, the eyes of Fenrir and Ryun shot open in response to his words. Immediately thereafter, midnight blue and dusk-red fur began to sprout across their rapidly metamorphosing bodies, each expanding to more than 10m in height and approximately 30m from their muzzles to the tips of their tails.As could be expected, the appearance of two giant wolves was enough to shatter the resolutions of virtually everyone still present in the plaza. This was in spite of the fact that they appeared far more majestic than terrifying, each possessing sleek coats of fur and remarkably dignified features. Fenrir, in particular, resembled a literal God of Wolves due to the runic pattern glistening along the surface of her fur and at the center of her forehead. Her previously scarlet eyes had even changed to an icy blue color, a fierce intelligence seen glowing within as she released a naturally suppressive aura.Since it was pretty hard to miss the emergence of two giant wolves, Mash adopted a slight pout as she glowered towards the still-conscious Hesse. This caused the latter to visibly shudder, his beady red eyes snapping from the two giant wolves to observe his former opponent. He abruptly felt as though he was standing on the edge of a blade, and, for a very brief moment, the lavender-haired woman glaring at him seemed like an untamed beast as her pupils suddenly contracted into thin, predatory, lines...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I wonder if there is a Law of Small Fries that compels evil people to say stupid shit prior to their deaths...?','Mash has a very springy butt (O w O)...','I wonder if we'll ever meet the greatest of the Nekomata tribe, the legendary Nyanmoto Musashimi...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though she had yet to completely master the transformation, Mash was still able to transform into what was affectionately known as the 'puppy' form. This made her appear equal parts adorable and ferocious, contrasting traits that left people feeling incredulous even when she was baring her ivory white fangs.Not expecting his opponent to suddenly transform, Hesse took a moment to look between Mash and the two gigantic wolves towering behind her. Then, with a look of 'realization' on his face, he adopted a severe expression as he asked, "What the fuck? Have I been fighting a brat this entire time...?"With a surprisingly humanoid expression of disdain spreading across her face, Mash manipulated the shields hovering around her to flank her shoulders. Then, like a runaway train derailing into a station, she charged through Hesse at hypersonic speeds, startling the man as everything beneath his chest momentarily fragmented into countless debris. He had mistakenly believed she lacked the power to penetrate his defenses, so, for a brief moment, he was caught completely off guard by the reality of his current situation.Manipulating the soil in an attempt to restructure himself, Hesse was surprised to realize that more than one-third of his total mass had simply 'vanished'. This caused his previously gigantic frame to shrink considerably, concern appearing within his beady red eyes for the first time since the fight had started. He wasn't completely without cards to play, but, with two giant wolves standing behind him, he suddenly felt like a tiny mouse trapped in the corner by a cat...While willfully reducing the firmness of his body, effectively turning it into loose soil, Hesse took a moment to glance over his shoulder and see how things were playing out on the larger battlefield. Unfortunately, his opponent didn't take the bait. Instead, Mash adopted a slight glower on her face as her two shields transforming into two large cannons, each radiating a menacing blue glow from deep within their barrels.Realizing that he had severely underestimated his opponent, a large amount of soil slouched off Hesse's back as he charged forward with a loud roar escaping from his throat. If one were to look closely, they would see the color rapidly draining from his body, the moisture rapidly evaporating as his limbs momentarily became as hard as marble.Completely ignoring the cast-off shell, Mash executed a masterful Shundo to intercept the slime-like ball of soil attempting to skulk away. This left Hesse feeling remarkably indignant, but, rather than continue lashing out, a 'terrified' face formed within the soil, his voice reminiscent of gravel being tumbled as he said, "I surrender...please...spare me..."Since she had no intention of killing the man, Mash just snorted through her snout before stamping her paws on the ground. This caused a magenta-colored magic circle to surround the clump of soil, the edges rising to form a hemispherical barrier that, in reality, extended into the ground to form a perfect sphere. Then, without sparing the sealed figure a second glance, she ran over to where her Master was waiting, eager to take advantage of her current form to receive his affection...---With Fenrir and Ryun taking the stage, it didn't take long to completely suppress the Regulars who had gathered to witness what some referred to as 'baptizing noobies'. This included four of the so-called Ten Bosses, a rather pathetic group that was obviously attempting to emulate the Ten Great Families, effectively playing God among those weaker than themselves.Having resurrected most of the deceased, Vahn gathered together everyone in the plaza, forcing them to kneel with their hands bound behind their backs as he stared down at the group of four forced to dogeza...Restraining a sigh, Vahn listened as the Law of Identity went on to recount the various crimes of the people kneeling before him. A rather substantial number of them had been forced into this lifestyle, but, as could be expected, there were also a disheartening number of individuals who had willingly embraced life within the Name Hunt Station. After all, so long as you could place your palm against a person's back for a mere ten seconds, you could steal their name, and, as a result, gain absolute authority over them...With the exception of the Jahad name, even names belonging to members of the Ten Great Families could be stolen. Those with their names stolen could never leave the Name Hunt Station until they had either regained their name or stolen someone else's. Since names possessed most of a person's unique powers and abilities, people were forced to either live mundane existences where they were easily bullied or accept having their name bestowed by the person that had defeated them. This last part could be forced by the person who had originally captured their name, effectively placing them under the control of whoever had defeated them.Though there were a number of methods to break the contract of the Name Hunt Station, most of these were in possession of the Ten Great Families. As a result, anyone who had their name stolen and returned effectively became the slave of whoever owned their name. Because of this, the names of certain individuals were auctioned off once a year to affluent Rankers, some belonging to the Ten Great Families while others represented the various organizations found throughout the Middle and Outer Towers.Since a single command could turn someone into an obedient slave, preventing them from even taking their own lives, the Name Hunt Station had become a means for the Ten Great Families to deal with troublesome Regulars while bringing others under their control. In particular, the entire station had come under the control of the Lo Po Bia Family nearly a thousand years prior, and, as a result, they had made a fortune off ransoming the names of the Ten Great Families and selling off promising Regulars to various persons of interest.Vahn disdained the very existence of the Name Hunt Station, but, without becoming the 'ruler' of said station, even he couldn't do anything to change the existing system. The rules of the profane Floor were some of the strictest in the entire Tower, and, even if they were among the top 500 High Rankers, anyone foolish enough to violate said rules would have their bodies crushed into pulp by the power of the Guardian.Though he could survive having his body crushed a functionally infinite number of times, Vahn had little interest in antagonizing a Guardian. They were beings of order that acted in accordance with very stringent laws, so, while the existence of the Name Hunt Station could be credited to them, it was the efforts of others that had perverted it to such an extent. Thus, rather than arbitrarily kill the creature upholding the contract, he intended to act within the bounds of the current rules in order to take over and ultimately destroy the entire station.With this in mind, the briefest hint of a smile could be seen on Vahn's face as he said, "Raise your heads and listen closely..."Fearing for their lives, the 107 Regulars who had been gathered in the plaza each raised their heads, palpable dread visible in their manifold eyes as they listened attentively to what their 'captor' had to say.Surprising everyone present, Vahn adopted an unnervingly calm smile as he gazed over the crowd and explained, "Under normal circumstances, more than a third of you would have already been put to death...you see, I have the ability to ascertain a person's true thoughts in any given situation. As a result, I know how terrible some of you truly are..."Passing his gaze over the four 'Bosses', Vahn sent shivers down their spines as a judgmental golden flicker flashed across his eyes. He sincerely believed that each of them deserved to die, but, after his time in the Actualized World of Dog Days, combined with the time he spent in his Realm, his desire to kill had recently begun to fade away. He wanted to set a better example for his children, so, with people like Kenshiro pursuing a path where he refused to kill, he had a lot of things to think about in regard to his own actions...Simply put, Vahn had already spared a considerable number of people, who, from the perspective of some, were beyond salvation. The most common recipients of this mercy were immortals, Gods, and Spirits, but, every now and then, he also made exceptions for beauties and those with resolute hearts that had been swayed to the path of evil by circumstance. This 'favoritism' was something he had often reflected upon, so, while his reason told him that some were simply beyond salvation, a tiny voice in the back of his mind constantly reminded him that 'nothing was impossible'...With this in mind, Vahn maintained his eerily calm smile as he went on to explain, "Fortunately for some...I have grown rather weary of killing. I'm also against things like slavery and imprisonment, so, from this moment onward, you are free to leave the Name Hunt Station. From now on, do your best to hold onto your freedom and live fulfilling lives without suppressing or exploiting others. I'll not afford you a third chance, so, should you fail to heed my advice...well, you only have yourselves to blame..."Similar to how he had dealt with Alosrin long ago, Vahn had left a little surprise in the bodies of each of the people he had deemed 'beyond salvation'. This was in the form of a curse that would actually help to strengthen their bodies if they made an earnest effort to improve and overcome their past selves. Inversely, their body would absorb the negative energy generated as a result of their actions, and, depending on the decisions they made, their energy network would gradually become unstable before ultimately self-destructing if they attempted to force themselves onto another or take advantage of those weaker than themselves.Though his instincts told him that the vast majority of the people he let go would default to their usual habits, Vahn would be content if just a single one of them went on to improve their lives for the better. He only needed a single example of someone proving him wrong to change his entire outlook on things like repentance, and, depending on the situation, it might fundamentally alter how he dealt with future foes. Either way, he had grown tired of killing, so, while he might not be able to avoid doing so in the future, there was nothing barring him from resurrecting his enemies and attempting to set them on a better course...---Viewing the situation from an invisible panel that only she could see, a masked woman with long black hair cascading from her scalp and rolling down her military-style garb like a waterfall began to lightly tap her finger against the armrest of her inordinately large throne. Some might mistake this as frustration regarding the spontaneous departure of several hundred Unnamed Regulars, but, more than anything else, she was feeling anxious due to the existence of the three wolf-like women who had appeared alongside the man she had been tasked with crushing...Noticing the masked woman's distress, a secretarial figure with pale yellow hair and matching eyes adopted a slightly concerned look as she asked, "What are your orders, Lady Kaiser? At this rate, it won't be long before that man makes his way to this chamber..."Though it was impossible to make out her expression due to the eerie silver mask covering her face, a concerned glimmer flashed across Kaiser's pale, Tosca-green, eyes as she contemplated the best course of action. Before she could, however, a pair of resonant giggles could be heard emanating from behind her throne as two girls, each appearing remarkably similar despite the stark contrast of their hair and eye colors, appeared to say, "Your orders remain unchanged. You will capture the man known as the Sage Dragon Emperor and present him to the Lo Po Bia Family. As for the rest, we will help you capture them. Who knows, he might actually have a thing for those dog bitches? If so, you might be able to seduce him if you waggle your tail like an obedient little slut~."Ignoring the words of the yellow-haired woman with glowing cyan eyes, Kaiser gestured at the seemingly empty air, dismissing the invisible panel before rising from her throne and making her way towards the exit. This earned her another round of giggling, but, even after she had completely exited the room, she didn't utter so much as a single syllable...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mash ain't nobody's fool...!','Vahn be like, "Git..."','Someones, plural, needs a spanking...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since the Hidden Floor only opened for those who had completed the trial of the 43rd Floor, Vahn spent the month-long interval between the 38th and 39th Floors helping Vicente, David, and the aptly named Edelweiss with their training.Though Vahn had thought to call her 'Shiro', his opinion was shot down pretty quickly since all of the other Arie siblings had Latin, European, German, and Spanish-sounding names. As a result, it fell to Eva to choose a name for the Little Garden's newest resident.Truth be told, Vahn didn't think the name Edelweiss, meaning 'Noble White', was much better than the name Shiro, meaning 'White'. Still, he had never been the type to argue against his women, as, more often than not, they unhesitantly supported even his most outrageous decisions. His only real complaint was that Edelweiss had ultimately adopted the nickname Weiss, literally meaning White...---With a relaxed smile on his face and a dull Laev-tan resting on his shoulder, Vahn stared up at the panting Weiss floating a few hundred meters in the sky. She had spent the last hour trying to attack him, but, even without his domain, he could react to and deflect the majority of her attacks without moving from his starting position.Though Vahn could achieve a similar result against virtually any Regular, Weiss was anything but normal. She was a conglomerate existence comprised of billions of fragmented Egos, so, as could be expected, she possessed more than enough power to rival the average High Ranker. Her speed, in particular, was truly impressive; so much so that it almost resembled teleportation when she was angry...Feeling frustrated at her inability to make Vahn move, Weiss creased her brows in a simultaneously angry yet adorable manner, cheeks puffed out slightly as she groaned, "Muuu...". Then, without any apparent technique or form, her claymore-like sword began releasing a dazzling white glow as she sent a crescent sword beam as tall as a skyscraper surging towards him at relativistic speeds.Resisting the urge to release an exasperated sigh, Vahn kept Laev-tan rested on his shoulder as he extended his left hand to 'catch' the massive beam of energy. Since sword beams had a tendency to emulate the rigidity of an actual sword, the sound of metal against metal could be heard for a brief moment before the former fractured into countless destructive pieces. In the aftermath, Vahn could be seen standing, unmoved, with a disappointed look on his face.Realizing she had erred, Weiss' shoulders began to slump as she slowly descended from the sky to murmur, "Sorry..." in a demure tone. In response, Vahn just reached out his hand to stroke the girl's abnormally cold hair, enjoying the smooth sensation against his palm as he calmly explained, "That hot-headedness of yours is going to cause trouble for yourself and others. Right now, you need to focus on keeping your cool and controlling your power. You're already far stronger than most of the people currently residing inside the Tower. Once you master said power, even the Heads of the Ten Great Families might not be a match for you..."Though she had severe reservations about Vahn's final statement, Weiss didn't bother to correct him. Instead, she just nodded her head in response before leaning into his palm with a contented smile on her face. It was only when he retracted his hand that she began to move again, her figure becoming an illusory blur as she swept the sword she had been 'concealing' behind her back in a shimmering horizontal arc...With an amused chuckled emanating from his throat, Vahn tensed the muscles of his body with such intensity that a shockwave reminiscent of a thunderclap erupted from his form. At the same time, he used the flat of Laev-tan's blade to intercept her strike, deflecting it upwards at a sharp angle. This caused her arms to follow, exposing her abdomen and allowing him to kick her with enough force to send her tearing through several hundred meters of devastated terrain. Despite this, Weiss erupted from the debris moments later, a radiant smile on her face as she shouted, "I win! You moved your foot~!" before collapsing forward and giggling into unconsciousness...---After a lengthy discussion regarding the inherent dangers of the 39th Floor's 'Name Hunt Station', Vahn, this time accompanied by Fenrir, Ryun, Jeanne, and Mash, emerged from the Hell Express to find a series of massive stone blocks floating up and down in a linear fashion. Said platforms led to a city-sized manor suspended in the sky atop monoliths formed from pure Suspendium, and, even with his senses, Vahn was unable to sense the ground below.Peering over the edge of the platform, Vahn noticed a thick covering of Shinsu-rich clouds that seemingly covered the entirety of the 39th Floor. He could even sense a number of Leviathan-sized creatures floating aimlessly within its mass, their size easily exceeding several kilometers in length as they filter-fed on a countess number of smaller Shinheuh...As was often the case, Ryun took the opportunity to explain the specifics of the Floor, stating, "The 39th Floor has always been one of the most mysterious regions within the Tower. These clouds have never once dissipated in the last ten-thousand-years, and, though there are rumors of islands filled with treasure floating within the Cloud Sea, most who venture within are never heard from again."Resisting the urge to jump down and take a look himself, Vahn just nodded in response to Ryun's words before turning toward the Hell Express, matching gazes with the two near-identical women observing from the interior as he said, "I'll leave this place to the two of you. If anyone attempts to board, send me a telepathic message."Making themselves seem even more like twins, Artoria and Gray both offered a courteous bow in response to his words, hands neatly folded in their laps as the former said, "Good luck. We will be waiting for your return."With one final round of nods and parting smiles, Vahn and his entourage of three Vanargandr and an inordinately beautiful Angelic beauty waited until their platform had aligned with another before advancing forward. There, a number of heavily-armored bear-like creatures, each wielding weapons such as maces, flails, and war axes, could be seen blocking the path.Though he found the creatures strangely adorable, Vahn knew they were just simulated Shinheuh, much like those found onboard the Hell Express. Thus, without any real remorse, he gave a curt nod towards Jeanne, a wry smile spreading across his face as he said, "Try not to be too flashy..."Hearing her Master's words, a tidal surge of excitement welled up within Jeanne's chest, silvery-white armor manifesting across her body as she spread her angelic golden wings wide and said, "Leave it to me!" in a spirited tone. This left Vahn feeling a little helpless, but, knowing Jeanne had been waiting for this kind of opportunity for a long time, he didn't attempt to intervene...With a standard bearing the emblem of the Aldrnari Empire in her left hand and a sword formed of pure white light in her right, Jeanne charged into the platoon-sized group of armored bears with a resolute glimmer in her radiant blue eyes. Fortunately, she had taken his words 'very' seriously, so, despite having the power to destroy the entire stone platform with her charge alone, she only used the flat of her blade to knock out enemies while deflecting attacks with her seemingly indestructible wings.In total, it had only taken around twenty seconds for Jeanne to knock out just as many enemies, all without getting a single drop of blood on the standard she carried in her left hand. In her mind, the flag was even more important than her own life, and, though it often worried him, Vahn didn't stop her from waving it around since it actually provided a number of benefits due to the Innate, [Flag-Bearer of the Aldrnari Empire]. It not only provided a substantial increase in her parameters; but, so long as they viewed the Aldrnari Empire in a positive light, it drastically raised the morale of allied forces while severely weakening the enemy.After hearing about the ridiculous system present within the Name Hunt Station, Vahn had decided he was going to liberate the people who had been trapped there for centuries. He was already fed up with the Tower and its ridiculous traditions, so, while it was bound to bring him countless future troubles, he wasn't just going to sit around on his hands as people were being forcibly turned into slaves...With Jeanne clearing the way, it only took a few minutes before Vahn and Co were approaching the end of the peculiar path. By then, several distinct groups of Regulars had gathered around the large plaza connecting to the floating platforms, some showing curiosity while others adopted disdainful sneers as they willfully blocked the route forward.Though Vahn already knew what to expect from the infamous station, it was difficult to remain calm when a bunch of despots were eying his women with possessive leers and unveiled lust. This was especially true of the group of thug-like individuals blocking the path, and, based on their behavior, it wasn't difficult to imagine the fate of any woman unable to protect themselves upon arriving at the Name Hunt Station...Resisting the urge to just erase the posse of thugs with a wave of his hand, Vahn forced a smile on his face as he casually remarked, "I never expected to encounter four of the so-called 'Ten Bosses' so soon after my arrival...it seems like your leader isn't particularly fond of me..."Responding to Vahn's words, a masked behemoth of a man, seemingly comprised entirely of dirt, crossed his muscular arms before flashing rows of his razor-sharp teeth as he said, "Dude...you go around calling yourself something ridiculous like the 'Sage Dragon Emperor'. Of course people are going to want to beat some sense into your stupid ass. I mean, seriously, who the fuck do you think you are? The Tower only has one King, and he certainly ain't no punk-ass pretty boy walking around like he just finished getting his asshole waxed. It's high time for you to wake up and stop dreaming, 'Your Majesty'...!"With Vahn gesturing for the girls to stand down, the literal dirt-man, better known as Hesse of the Ten Bosses, was given ample opportunity to finish his beratement. At the same time, his posse had already started to fan out, forming a loose encirclement as they eyed up each of the girls with lust-filled gazes. One, a giant man with four arms, even went out of his way to point directly at Mash, a sadistic gleam in his eye as he said, "I want that one. I'm going to teach you what a 'real' man is like by breaking in that lewd body until your legs no longer work."Though her much younger self might have covered the exposed sections of her body in response to such remarks, Mash had long-since gotten over the traumas she had endured during her time as a Designer Baby. Now, she displayed her body proudly, and, though it made her feel a small amount of anxiety to hear someone call her 'lewd', this was primarily due to her proximity to Vahn and her own wayward thoughts...Shaking her head in a rather comical manner, earning a few laughs from the encircling thugs, Mash emptied her head of wayward thoughts before manifesting two massive shields, each resembling a futuristic version of the 'Lord Camelot', as she said, "Master...please order me to dispense with these despicable vermin..."While the surrounding Regulars were awestruck by the manifestation of what they presumed to be an Armor Inventory, Vahn simply nodded his head in response, saying, "Don't be afraid to be a little heavy-handed. Though some of them were forced into their current position, that does not excuse the crimes they have committed. I'll handle the aftermath so feel free to go all out. Let me see the result of your decades of training."With a resolute look flashing across her amethyst-colored eyes, Mash grabbed the two handles on the interior of the massive shields as she shouted, "Yes! Please watch closely...!" in an excited tone. Immediately thereafter, the shields began to envelop her arms, quickly becoming a pair of massive gauntlets as she charged into the enemy without hesitation...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn can be surprisingly petty at times xD...','Raise your dongers for the angelic waifu...!','Time for a paddlin'...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1878: Release