Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having expected matters to escalate from the start, Vahn left his 'main' body safely stowed away aboard the Hell Express. More specifically, a version of himself had been lying beneath the canopy of the World Tree with Mordred nestled next to him. She was still resting after their earlier exertions, a contented smile on her face as the tip of her rather plump tail rhythmically tapped against the ground.Seeing the sleeping face of the rather rambunctious tomboy, the majority of Vahn's frustrations immediately melted away. At the same time, seemingly sensing his return, Mordred's eyelids began to flitter, aquamarine eyes not all that dissimilar to his own coming into view before a natural smile spread across her face as she asked, "Did you kick their asses?"Chuckling in response to the rather brash inquiry, Vahn pulled Modred a little closer to him, hand snaking around her waist as he answered, "Though I'm not too surprised, it seems the Empire has some good people serving as its pillars. I met a woman who is equally as obstinate as you and your mother. She was willing to sacrifice everything just to sow doubts in my heart so I couldn't bring myself to kill her...are you disappointed?"Though she couldn't help but adopt a look of consternation, Mordred ultimately shook her head in response to his question, saying, "No. That sounds exactly like something you would do. You've never been the type to simply 'settle' things using your power. Besides, if she is anything like me, I doubt she would consider this a victory. If it were me, I would spare no efforts to track you down and settle things once and for all..."Understanding the truth contained within Mordred's words, a wry smile spread across Vahn's face as he restrained the urge to sigh. Instead, he reclined his head back against the ground, marveling at the canopy of the World Tree until Mordred mounted his lower abdomen, adding, "Unless you intend to take over, you shouldn't concern yourself with the politics of the Tower. Even our Empire isn't perfect, so you should just keep doing whatever you want. You're already fixing some of their problems. You don't need to fix them all..."Punctuating her words, Mordred grabbed the sides of Vahn's face with her surprisingly smooth, scale-backed hands. She had a habit of letting her Dragonic traits run rampant whenever she was excited. As a result, vibrant red scales sprouted across several parts of her body as the interior of her chest, similar to a forge, began to glow with an intense red light that pulsated with the beating of her heart.Realizing he had more pressing matters to attend, a light chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he shelved any thoughts related to Adori and her convictions. He had already promised to dote on Mordred for the better part of three months, so, rather than distract himself with things that were largely unrelated to him, pampering his Princess took precedence...---Several days after her battle with Vahn, Adori, now outfitted a mechanical left arm that served as a permanent reminder of her failure, stood before a number of kneeling individuals with animalistic features. These were the Rankers formerly responsible for the Name Hunt Station, so, as could be expected, the majority had greyish-white hair while some, specifically those with more dominant bloodlines, possessed rounded ears and spotted, bushy, tails.Had he been present, Vahn would have recognized the woman kneeling at the front of the group as the beauty he had eyed prior to his battle with Adori, Hagipherione, and Maschenny. Unlike the rest of her kin, she gave off a gentle and approachable aura, but, were to look into her eyes for an extended period of time, those with weaker wills would be overcome by the impression they were a tiny mouse in front of a cat.Wearing a perpetual smile on her face, the woman, representing the Snow Leopard Family as one of its Elders, calmly asserted, "Our actions within the Name Hunt Station were authorized by Lord Lo Po Bia and sanctioned by the Jahad Empire. We also coordinated with the Ten Families to reach an accord regarding how the station should be managed. Though I cannot deny there were some mishaps over the years, the actions of the Sage Dragon Emperor were clearly an act of aggression against the Lo Po Bia Family. We did nothing to overtly ant-"Interrupting before the woman could finish speaking, Adori manifested a large light display, her voice cold and unamused as she said, "These are Pocket logs provided by a reliable source. They have also been cross-referenced and verified by the Workshop. According to these records, your people ordered the then-ruler of the Name Hunt Station, Lo Po Bia Elaine, to attack and capture the Sage Dragon Emperor. You even requested the support of two Princesses of Jahad, effectively treating the 'Swords of the Empire' as tools for your own convenience. Afterward, you attempted to illegally commandeer the Hell Express, disregarding the laws we have protected for more than ten-thousand-years. To make matters even worse, you filed a false report in an attempt to avoid fault and shift the blame elsewhere. As a result, the Empire might have gained an enemy on the level of Ureko, endangering countless lives. What say you in your defense?"Though her expression didn't change in the slightest, the woman, better known as Lo Po Bia Pram, shifted her gaze to a masked man with the characteristic grey hair of the Snow Leopard Family but ears reminiscent of a human's. He, Lo Po Bia Porp, was the representative she had left in charge of the Name Hunt Station, and, were it not for the current situation, she would have killed him on the spot for inviting this calamity upon them.Returning her gaze to Adori, Pram adopted an uncharacteristically serious tone as she said, "There are none among the Ten Great Families who are as loyal to the Empire as the Lo Po Bia Family. We of the Snow Leopard Family have dedicated more than sixty percent of our Rankers to the service of the Empire. I will not deny our fault in this matter. I ask only that you take into consideration our many years of loyal service..."Furrowing her brows almost imperceptibly in response to Pram's words, Adori remained silent for several seconds before saying, "Those directly responsible for this matter will not be able to avoid punishment. The Snow Leopard Family as a whole, however, will not be held accountable. Lord Lo Po Bia has already been informed of this matter and interceded on your behalf. You, High Ranker Pram, have been appointed the task of locating the Sage Dragon Emperor and making amends for this situation. As for you, Ranker Porp, you will be made to answer for the various crimes you have perpetrated over the last eight-hundred-years. If you attempt to avoid punishment by taking your own life, your wives, sons, and daughters will be held accountable on your behalf..."Though he was already kneeling low, Porp nearly collapsed when he heard Adori's judgment. In the end, however, he managed to hold himself steady, his voice quivering ever-so-slightly as he lowered his head even further and said, "I understand and accept full responsibility for my crimes. No matter what punishment awaits, I will meet it with the dignity expected from a member of the Ten Great Families..."With no other options, Porp knew the best course of action was simply to embrace everything that was thrown at him. Any form of resistance promised unimaginable suffering, so, in the pursuit of a quick death, acceptance was the only path available to him. He was also hoping to relieve some of the Elder's anger, as, better than most, he knew how terrifying she could be. If he made a scene or showed even a trace of hesitation, it would be a mercy if his wives and children fell into the hands of the Empire...Nodding her head approvingly in response to Porp's acquiescence, Pram motioned for the rest of her people to rise before meeting Adori's gaze and asking, "What is the Empire's official stance on the Sage Dragon Emperor? It would also help to know where he is headed. Since you have been in contact with the Workshop, I imagine you have some idea of his destination."Since Pram's mission was a matter related to the Lo Po Bia Family, not the Empire, Adori refused to comment on what they had learned of Vahn's intentions. She did, however, explain, "My father has issued a gag order encompassing all things related to the Sage Dragon Emperor. Unless the latter goes out of his way to antagonize the Empire, our official stance is that he simply doesn't exist. All matters between the Ten Great Families and the Sage Dragon Emperor will be regarded as private affairs from this moment onward. If your Family continues to antagonize him over matters related to your own internal corruption, don't expect the Empire to bail you out..."Losing her smile for the first time since her arrival, Pram demonstrated her considerable shock by widening her eyes, mouth agape for several seconds before she asked, "Are you saying that man is as already viewed in the same light as Ureko? I know he is very powerful, but he seemed to be at a distinct disadvantage during your previous encounter..."With Pram's eyes momentarily shifting to her prosthetic arm, Adori's expression clouded as she balled her hand into a fist and asserted, "That man is far more dangerous than Ureko. He is only a Regular yet he is already capable of fending off the attacks of a Top 10 High Ranker. By the time he reaches the top of the Tower, his power will have grown to such extreme that only my Father and the Ten Great Warriors could reasonably stand against him. To that end, it has been decided that the best course of action is peaceful coexistence. So long as the Sage Dragon Emperor does not openly side with our enemies, our public stance is that all rumors concerning his existence are exaggerated propaganda..."Hardly able to believe what she was hearing, Pram fell silent for several seconds following Adori's explanation. Then, as if a switch had been flipped in the most primal region of her mind, a potent heat spread through her body as she recalled Vahn glancing her way prior to his battle against the three Princesses. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, but, in retrospect, she was pretty sure he had been eyeing her ears and tail...Realizing why she had been given the task of seeking out and making amends with Vahn, the smile returned to Pram's face as she offered a courteous bow, softly musing, "Thank you for the detailed explanation, Princess. It has been very...enlightening..."Noticing the males around Pram beginning to fidget nervously, a cold glint flashed across Adori's eyes as she said, "You and your people are dismissed. Leave."Giggling despite Adori's rather terse dismissal, Pram smoothly spun around on her heels, her thick tail following after her, snaking in a naturally seductive manner. This caused many of the people in her entourage to swallow audibly, but, with her sights set on a far greater prize, Pram completely ignored them as her pace steadily increased.Following the group's departure with her eyes, Adori's brows noticeably furrowed as she realized that even Porp, despite the fact he was still kneeling on the ground, had twisted his neck to follow Pram's departure. She could even hear the sound of his labored breathing, and, though it was very subtle, an unpleasant musk had started to permeate through the command room.Snorting through her nose, Adori gestured to her Royal Guards with her mechanical arm, ordering, "Place this man in a holding cell. Once we have returned to Base, make sure he is escorted to the Torture and Intelligence Division without delay. He is meant to suffer for his crimes. I want to know the full breadth of his transgressions against the Empire."Hearing Adori's words, Porp's expression, hidden behind his mask, became one of stupefaction as two members of the Royal Guards promptly seized him by the arms. He didn't know what he had done to offend the Princess, but, based on the cold gleam in her eyes, she clearly viewed him in an antagonistic light. This realization caused him to briefly shift his gaze to her mechanical arm, a cold shiver running through his body as he realized that death was something he could only pray for at this point...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Pampering a Princess (O w O)...','The Empire be like, "Don't go digging your own grave and expecting us to lower a ladder..."','Pram on the prowl...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he was aware of the decision made by the Empire, Vahn was a little surprised by the fact they didn't even try to send anyone to reclaim the Hell Express. They had concluded that it would be a lot safer to send their people in during the six month period where the train docked at the Last Station. This, combined with the fact they had 79 of the 100 total Express Tickets allowed Vahn and his growing retinue of Regulars to freely explore, collect treasures, and train.With the addition of Elaine and Alphine, there were now ten inordinately powerful Regulars in Vahn's charge. This included Yura, David, Anna, Vicente, Daniel, and, to a lesser extent, Weiss, Arryn, and Arusha. As for Angel, she had already found someone to settle down with among the residents of the Second Layer, and, though she was still determined to obtain her revenge, it was far from her primary focus.Since even the weaker members of the group were capable of clearing the challenges of the Hell Express, Vahn had given everyone permission to wander about individually but encouraged them to travel in small groups. Instead, everyone decided to travel in one large group. More specifically, they wanted to follow along with him, as, compared to traveling alone, it was always better to be close to the person with a portable 'resort' and a seemingly endless supply of delicious food.Though he would rather they become independent, much like Team Wolf Pack, Vahn knew the situation of people like Weiss, Elaine, Alphine, Arryn, and Arusha didn't exactly allow it. The same could also be said for the Arie siblings, so, while it was a little inconvenient, he decided to watch over them until he could find a place to safely deposit them. Given the circumstances, this would most likely result in them becoming members of Wolhaiksong. The organization was well known for taking in exiled members of the Ten Great Families, so, with few other options available, Vahn was willing to indebt himself to Ureko if it meant he could ensure their safety while subsequently removing them from his responsibility...---With the door to the Hidden Floor firmly sealed until the Hell Express had cleared the 43rd Floor, Vahn decided to focus on the promise he had made with Daniel, Po, and everyone else related to Roen. Unfortunately, this had become considerably more difficult due to the fact that much of her Ego had been absorbed and subsequently destroyed following her self-sacrifice to seal Hoaqin.Simply put, it was possible to revive Roen, but, due to her Ego having become a part of the billions of fragments that comprised Weiss, she would effectively be a different person. She would have no memories of her previous existence, and, depending on the circumstances, even her Innates would have changed drastically.Fortunately, while it was impossible to openly discuss, there was still hope. Roen had completed the Hell Express numerous times in the past, so, while it wouldn't truly restore her original self, it was possible to acquire the 'data' of Roen from the Hidden Floor. Said data could then be infused into the resurrected Roen, and, though she would technically be a different person, her soul and memories would be the same as the original.Since it would require Roen entering the Hidden Floor for the procedure to be conducted, Vahn spent the three-month period between the 40th and 43rd Floors searching for the Hell Express' core and recovering her spirit. The hardest part of this process was purifying the negative energy and filtering through the countless spirits that had died onboard the Hell Express. He also needed to come up with an alternative power source, as, without the negative energy generated by the spirits, the hellish locomotive would be stranded within the 'Dimensional Gap' separating Floors.In the end, the vast majority of Vahn's time was spent creating a modified 'Spirit Gathering Array' alongside Eva. Despite its name, this particular formation had nothing to do with gathering spirits. Instead, it drew power from the functionally infinite Shinsu provided by the Elemental Pylons used to draw inert energy from the void and convert it into the standard form of energy existing within the Records. This was actually one of the first formations Vahn had ever mastered, but, compared to the version he had installed to power various barriers and wards back in Danmachi, the current iteration made his past attempts seem rudimentary in comparison.With the Hell Express no longer relying on the negative energy generated by the deceased, Vahn performed a Grand Purification Ritual, penultimately exorcising all the spirits gathered within the Core. Part of him had been tempted to return them to life, but, unlike Roen, he had no particular reason to do so. In fact, were it not for the promise he had made with Aka, Sachi, Boro, Daniel, and Po, Vahn would have simply allowed Roen's soul to move on to the next life.Fortunately for the bereaved quintet, Vahn was a man of principle who firmly believed in the value and importance of keeping his promises. Thus, while it might have been better to just let her soul move on to its next incarnation, Vahn's final act prior to disembarking on the Floor of Death was to create a Soul Binding Formation to resurrect Roen's spirit into a body functionally identical to her original. This time, however, the body was provided courtesy of Urahara and the Research Division rather than produced from his own flesh and blood...---Using his ability to view and know everything occurring within the Little Garden, Vahn watched with a thoughtful smile on his face as Daniel tended to the largely unresponsive Roen. She was basically an infantile amnesiac at this point, but, much to his surprise, she had actually reacted positively to Daniel's presence following her revival. This was a positive sign as it demonstrated that, while her Ego was almost wholly erased, a few of the most intrinsic parts of her character had been preserved.Though it was a little awkward entrusting a 700+-year-old man to take care of an infantile woman, feeding, cleaning up after, and even bathing her, Vahn knew that Daniel's affection towards Roen was sincere. The man had been willing to give up everything just for a chance at restoring her to life, so, while these moments were bound to become awkward memories, he allowed the former FUG member to look after the surprisingly Nami-esque woman in the hopes that it would help to stabilize her Ego in preparation for the transplantation of her Data's memories.Seeing Daniel patiently feeding the perpetually smiling Roen with a plastic spoon, Vahn couldn't help nodding his head in approval before promptly departing the Little Garden. There, he found Fenrir and Ryun waiting for him, both standing near the open exit of the Hell Express.Walking over to join the duo, Vahn habitually stroked their heads as he gazed down at the vast sea of blood below. He found it strangely discomforting to consider that several thousand kilometers of the 43rd Floor were dominated by the corpse of a single monstrous entity, the Floor Guardian killed by Enryu nearly ten-thousand-years ago. Despite this inordinately long period of time, there was still a veritable ocean of blood covering much of the Floor, and, according to Ryun, there was an entire civilization living 'within' the Guardian's corpse...Seemingly sensing his thoughts, Ryun joined him in looking down at the sea of blood, saying, "We will need to jump from here. Though the Guardian has been dead for millennia, its cardiovascular system and several of its organs are still functional to this day. The only way to reach the true Floor of Death is by riding the currents contained within the Sea of Blood. Don't worry. Despite its name, the Sea of Blood is actually comprised entirely of Shinsu. Even if we get stuck in current for several hours, we won't have to worry about suffocating or anything like that..."Though the idea of breathing in the Guardian's 'blood' was a little disconcerting, Vahn just nodded his head in response to Ryun's words before stepping out of the Hell Express and diving head-first towards the vast sea of energy below. Fenrir and Ryun immediately followed suit, bodies shrouded in vibrant blue and scarlet auras that allowed them to descend into the blood-colored sea without producing a splash.As Ryun had stated, the interior of the Sea of Blood wasn't simply breathable, it was almost like an oxygen-rich environment. Those entering within would feel extremely invigorated, and, so long as they could resist the powerful current and ever-increasing pressure, it was possible to strengthen both your body and reserves simply by staying immersed.Unfortunately, unless they were an Irregular or possessed a special ignition weapon, specifically the Thorn, even the most powerful High Rankers wouldn't be able to stay within the Sea of Blood for long. The peculiar red Shinsu was actually the internal reserves of the Guardian, so, unless they had the ability to manipulate the internal energy of a continental sized creature, using any Shinsu-related abilities within the Sea of Blood was simply impossible. Even Vahn was no exception to this, but, unlike the vast majority of people, he had a functionally unlimited amount of energy to make use of within his body.Thanks to their internal reserves, Vahn, Fenrir, and even Ryun could move about freely within the Sea of Blood. They were not wholly dependent on the Shinsu within the Tower, and, had she been present, even Yuri would have been able to fly around thanks to her elementary mastery of Ki. This was the true benefit of being an Irregular, as, unlike the residents of the Tower, those born outside were aware of the existence of various other forms of energy. Thus, even without Shinsu, they were able to continue fighting, and, in some situations, there were some who became far more powerful in its absence...---With Ryun guiding the way, Vahn and Co were able to avoid most of the hazards that generally prevented outsiders from entering the Floor of Death. This included many parasitic organisms, Gatekeepers, and a number of other strange, often immortal, creatures that called the Guardian's corpse their home.Though it wasn't particularly well-known, largely due to the fact that even those aware of the truth were unable to disclose it, the Elder of the Red Witches had contracted with Enryu to ensure that the prophecy regarding Jahad's death was brought to fruition. Because of this, the 43rd Floor had become an important pilgrimage site for the Red Witches, and, thanks to Enryu's influence, it was one of the few places in the Tower where even Jahad dared not venture. After all, the contract that guaranteed the immortality of Jahad and the Ten Great Warriors was just that, a contract. With the death of the Floor Guardian, the 43rd Floor was one of the few regions in the Tower where Jahad's Immortality simply didn't function.As one of the daughters of the Red Witch Elder, effectively making her a Princess of the Red Witch Tribe, Ryun was one of the few people that knew about the contract with Enryu. He had promised to free them from the Tower and create an endless number of new and interesting paths for them to view. Thus, for the last several millennia, the Red Witches had worked closely with FUG and it's constituents, patiently awaiting the day when the 'way forward' would be opened.Were it not for Vahn's unexpected arrival, Ryun would have given up everything, including her own life, in order to allow Baam to kill Jahad. Fortunately, this was no longer necessary, as, even without defeating Jahad, the way forward would be open. It was for this reason that she worshiped Vahn to such extremes, as, rather than devoting herself a prophecy that required countless sacrifices, it was a lot more assuring to follow a God that took matters into his own, inordinately pleasant, hands...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Stay with Aunty Ureko. I'm gonna go out for a smoke..."','The Guardians are some big bois...','Ah, yes, the most pleasant of hands (O w O)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Sensing the threat posed by Enkidu, Adori, somewhat surprisingly, issued a loud war cry as the space around her began to bend and distort. The cannons attached to her Carrier began to fire volley after volley, but, rather than shooting straight, the beams ripped through the void before reemerging elsewhere.Not expecting Adori to incorporate 'Arie Swordsmanship' into a wide-range artillery strike, Vahn couldn't help but admire the woman's resourcefulness as he watched the destructive golden beams form a semi-spherical cage that distorted space-time to such an extent that even Enkidu appeared to bend.Unfortunately, other than forcing Hagipherione, Maschenny, and several others to retreat, Adori's attack didn't accomplish much else. Her attack might have been one of the most destructive Vahn had encountered since arriving in the Tower, but it was fundamentally incapable of 'reaching' him. Her mastery of the Laws was simply too shallow, so, without hitting him with an attack capable of wiping out an entire Realm, this was a battle of attrition she could never hope to win...Despite directing several attacks their way, Adori was shocked to realize that, even with the Golden November, the golden chains attempting to encircle her remained whole. The realization that she couldn't destroy them caused her scalp to tingle as feelings of anxiety began to surge forward for the first time in thousands of years. Then, as if something inside of her had broken, a sour feeling plagued her nose as she directed the blades of the Golden November toward herself, shouting, "I am the blade that strikes down the Empire's foes. I will not lose...!"Though he realized her intentions, there wasn't much Vahn could do to prevent Adori from further escalating things. All he could do was stare in fascinated silence as Adori assimilated the Golden November into her body, igniting it from within rather than allowing its energy to diffuse into the environment. This caused a vibrant golden cross to appear at the center of her chest, and, though her eyes and hair already possessed a golden luminescence before, they now emitted a beautiful, breathtaking, iridescence.As if she could suddenly sense his intent, Adori directed her gaze in the direction where Vahn was viewing her from before blitzing one of the gaps in Enkidu's chains. Under normal circumstances, a Tier 4 would never be able to break free from a region sealed off by Enkidu. Adori, however, didn't seem to care about what others considered to be possible, her body 'compressing' to the size of a child for a brief moment so that she could slip through the gap and stab the area where his intent was emanating.Not expecting Adori to have a Compression License, Vahn was at a complete loss for words as the resolute Princess twisted her blade within the void to create a vortex strong enough to cause the Suspend Ships lingering in the distance to lurch forward. Even the ground below began to rise at a visible rate, almost as if her sword had become a black hole intent on consuming everything.Unfortunately, as impressive as her attacks were, they were still far from being able to affect Vahn in any meaningful way. To demonstrate this, he manifested his body around the point where Adori had stabbed, an unconcerned smile on his face as he reached out to caress her head and say, "You are certainly very powerful, but I'm afraid that simply isn't enough..."Surprised by Vahn's ability to touch her head before she could even react, Adori's pupils shrank to the size of pinholes as she darted back at a speed rivaling teleportation. At nearly the exact same moment, her Carrier manifested around Vahn's body, each of the cannons pointing inward as the shielded plates formed a blockade to prevent his escape.Smiling wryly in response, a runic halo appeared above Vahn's head as the golden light emitted from the carrier's cannons enveloped his body. With the plating forming a barrier, this caused the interior to resemble a small, extremely radiant, golden sun. It was so bright, in fact, that, even with the armored plating blocking most of the light, the surroundings seemed to darken considerably as the temperature for several kilometers began to spike at a terrifying rate.Ignoring the fact that the golden cross on her chest was gradually spreading, cracking apart her body, Adori took several deep breaths to calm herself as she stared directly at the phenomenon she had created. As for Hagipherione and Maschenny, they had long-since departed the range of Vahn's domain, their expressions masks of calm as they watched the battle play out from atop the Imperial Flagship.With the light from Adori's attack beginning to fade away, Maschenny took the opportunity to break the silence, half-turning to Hagipherione to remark, "It seems a wave of change is about to sweep across the Tower and the Ten Great Families. What will you do? It's not too late to choose a side. At this rate, you are fated to become little more than a sacrifice...be it for the Empire or your Family..."Seeing Vahn emerge unscathed from Adori's attack, a deep-set frown appeared on Hagipherione's face as she shifted her gaze to Maschenny, saying, "I have no interest in becoming a pawn in your games. I already told...if you want my Red October, you can pry it from my cold, dead, hands. That is, assuming you have the power..."Meeting Hagipherione's gaze with her own, an amused smile gradually spread across Maschenny's face as a sadistic glimmer flashed across her eyes. This caused Hagipherione to loosen her grip on the Red October, but, rather than weakening, her aura strengthened considerably as a massive cut appeared across the reinforced hull of the flagship.Seemingly amused by the display, a light chuckle emanated from Maschenny's as she held up the Yellow May, bands of yellow lightning dancing across its length. Rather than attacking, however, she let it return to its base form, an ornate yellow spear that was eerily reminiscent of the Gáe Buidhe. Then, with a slight roll of the eyes, she shifted her attention to the battle between Vahn and Adori before nonchalantly remarking, "Without absolute power, authority and political mindedness are far more important than individual combat prowess..."Snorting through her nose, Hagipherione retorted, "Spoken like a weakling..." before storing away her Red October and returning her attention to the fight. At the same time, though she appeared unperturbed on the surface, sparks appeared in Maschenny's eyes as she balled her left hand into a fist...---With several hours having passed, the golden cross spreading across Adori's chest had expanded to encroach upon her neck, shoulders, and diaphragm. She felt as though her body was about to shatter like glass, yet, in spite of this, she continued to press forward with ever-increasing intensity. It had gotten to the point that a casual sweep of her sword left a massive rift within the void, and, though it placed a heavy strain on her body, her movement speed had increased to the point that the terrain for several kilometers visibly shifted every time she performed an evasive or offensive maneuver.Though he wasn't all that surprised by Adori's power, Vahn was beginning to feel a little helpless in the face of the woman's tenacity. There was no reason for things to have developed to this extent, yet, as if she was fighting for the sake of the entire world, she continued drawing out more power from her body. She had pushed herself so far beyond her limits that it was a little ridiculous, and, were it not for his general immunity to her attacks, combined with the fact he simply couldn't be killed, Vahn knew he would have fallen long ago.As per usual, Vahn was beginning to feel a little guilty about the current situation. Adori was doing her best to defeat him, yet, in spite of all her efforts, the nature of his existence made it impossible for her to succeed. Had their situations been reversed, Vahn knew he would have felt unbelievably frustrated, so, rather than feel any enjoyment from the battle, his mood had become progressively more melancholic...Blocking Adori's meteoric blow with his scale-covered arm, Vahn couldn't help but grimace as he asked, "How long do you intend to keep this up? Can't you see that your body is on the verge of breaking down? What are you hoping to achieve by pushing yourself to such extremes...!?"Rather than immediately answering his question, Adori replied by slipping her hand past Vahn's guard, her fingers now resembling golden crystals as she grasped his throat and said, "My life is inconsequential compared to the survival of the Empire and the perpetuation of peace. Even if it does little more than give you a reason to pause when considering your future actions, I am more than willing to sacrifice everything in order to protect the people who depend on the Empire...!"Punctuating her words, an explosion that seemed to cover the heavens illuminated the entirety of the 40th Floor as Adori sacrificed her left arm as the catalyst for a spell. Had they not retreated to a safe distance long ago, the entire 1st Army Corps would have been wiped out in the explosion to follow as virtually all the Shinsu within several hundred kilometers seemed to ignite in response to the sacrificial attack.When the light began to fade away several minutes later, Adori, now missing half her cloak and the entirety of her left arm could be seen standing stoically within the air. To make matters even worse, the stump of her arm, now resembling the same golden crystal that comprised much of her body, began to flake away as the Golden November continued to ignite within her chest.Detecting no traces of Vahn or his intent, a slight frown marred Adori's face as she began to look around the area for any traces of his existence. She didn't believe for a moment that he had died, as, ever since the strange runic halo appeared above his head, he seemed to become completely immune to Shinsu. This included Shinsu infused into spells, so, while they had proven marginally more effective than most other forms of attack, it was difficult to imagine him being defeated in such a manner...Sensing an almost imperceptible fluctuation in the space to her right, Adori whirled around with the force of a typhoon, sword tracing a magnificent golden arc that seemed to bisect the horizon. To her surprise, what greeted her blade wasn't Vahn but a section of the immaculate golden chains that had caused her countless headaches during their previous exchanges. This caused her scalp to tingle in frustration, not because the chain had impeded her attack but because there was a Pocket floating next to it with the message, 'This is your win. See you around, Princess.' in light blue text.Realizing that Vahn was running away, Adori tore through space at a speed that made the speed of light seem leisurely in comparison. This caused a large 'crack' to appear across her body, but, rather than concern herself with this, Adori pulled out her own Pocket, asking, "What happened to the Hell Express?" in a calm tone that didn't match her current mental state.Upon hearing that the Hell Express had departed in accordance with its original schedule, Adori paused for several minutes to consider whether or not Vahn had somehow returned to its interior or escaped elsewhere. Even High Rankers couldn't enter the Express while it was in motion, and, as far as she knew, Vahn still needed to pass the Tests of each Floor to continue on to the next. Thus, unless he had the ability to be in two places at once, the obvious assumption was that he was still on the 40th Floor.Were it anyone else, Adori would have abided by common sense, ordering the 1st Army Corps to search the 40th Floor for signs of his presence. Instead, she directed her eyes towards an empty point in space, the location where the Hell Express had disappeared between the boundaries of the 40th and 41st Floors. Unfortunately, even she lacked the capacity to trespass the boundary between Floors, so, while it was possible to blockade the station on the 41st Floor, chasing after the train was impossible.Exhaling a sigh, Adori inspected the state of her broken body before shaking her head and saying, "I will let you go this time...if it turns out you were lying to me, I will spare no expense in my efforts to hunt you down...". Then, with her Pocket reappearing next to her, she connected to her Flagship, ordering, "Gather all parties responsible for reports related to the Sage Dragon Emperor..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Adori got no chill...','Maschenny be scheming...','Vahn's greatest weakness is a persistent and sincere woman xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1894: Judgment