Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it felt like he had just returned, Vahn was already beginning to get a little fed up with the Hidden Floor. His whole reason for visiting was to confront a version of Jahad directly and see how much the man had changed over the years; so, before things got further out of control, he decided to pay a visit to the 'Palace of Spears', the primary residence of Data Eduan and the children he had allowed to live with him.Not expecting Vahn back any time soon, Eduan had left to wrap up a few loose ends prior to his departure from the Hidden Floor. As a result, the person to greet Vahn was the masked Icardi, a unique individual who had the ability to materialized physical objects, including various mythical items, through spoken word. This was an unbelievably rare talent, but, as it required the person to continue chanting just to maintain the object's integrity, it was most useful for support.Fortunately, even though Icardi couldn't speak normally, he had mastered a form of sign language that could be interpreted by a Pocket. This was a strange phenomenon in and of itself, as, despite no words being spoken, Vahn was able to understand what the man was trying to communicate even without the auto-translation function of The Path.With Icardi leading the way, Vahn soon found himself in an antechamber that led to a room with its door weighing heavily on broken hinges. In the surroundings, the remnants of several objects could be seen strewn about in a manner evocative of the aftermath of a hurricane. As for the actual cause, who else could it be other than Maschenny?Standing outside the broken door, a beaten and bruised Asensio could be seen with a wry smile on his face as he offered a polite bow and explained, "Now might not be the most opportune time for a visit. It hasn't been long since Maschenny tired herself out...if she sees you right now, I fear for the continued existence of the Palace of Spears..."Though he had already heard a cursory explanation that allowed him to extrapolate the rest, Vahn still had Sis treat Asensio's injuries as he asked, "What happened? Don't tell me the Hidden Floor even replicates menstrual cycles..."Strangely enough, Asensio actually blushed at the mention of the physiological phenomenon, his expression turning awkward as he averted his eyes to the side and answered, "It isn't anything like that. After you left, Maschenny...she tried asking for our opinion regarding what it means to be cute. I tried convincing her that she was already cute, but she just wouldn't listen. To make matters even worse, our father just laughed it off before disappearing somewhere. After that, Maschenny had us stand outside as she tried on a bunch of different outfits...it seems she wasn't very satisfied with our responses. The aftermath is as you see here..."With quite a bit of experience acting as a 'fashion critique' whenever he accompanied his women to try on clothing, Vahn could easily ascertain the reason for Maschenny's frustration. Asensio gave off the impression of the noncommittal type that just said whatever he thought was necessary to make someone happy. As for Icardi, his peculiarities had resulted in him becoming a committed introvert, so, shortly after Maschenny began showing signs of exploding, he had promptly extricated himself from the situation.Earning a confused look from the youth, Vahn gave Asensio a few light pats on the shoulder before stepping into the disaster scene that was Maschenny's room. There, he found the room's occupant lying face down on her bed, body limp as she pretended to be asleep.With a massive hole in the wall and a substantial amount of dust and debris covering every surface, stepping into Maschenny's room was almost like stumbling onto the scene of a murder. There was even a lingering bloodlust in the air, as, despite her best attempts to keep it concealed, Maschenny was far from being able to conceal her presence from someone like Vahn.Though she was nearly three times his age, chronologically, Vahn understood that Maschenny was still a very childish woman, so, rather than choose his words carefully, he adopted a stern tone as he inquired, "How long are you going to continue sulking and pretending to be asleep? What are you expecting to happen?"Without raising her face, Maschenny heaved a sigh into her blankets before raising her body and shamelessly sitting cross-legged while leaning on the support of her arms. This was roughly the same seated position that girls like Tiona and Mordred defaulted to, but, for a variety of different reasons, Maschenny gave off a distinctly different impression than the spirited duo. She was doing it specifically to try and get a rise out of him, but, without so much as a single twitching of the eye, Vahn simply shook his head before asking, "Does this mean you've given up after only a few hours? I had much higher expectations for you...it would seem I was grievously mistaken about the nature and quality of your character. Your time in the Hidden Floor has made you weak..."Unable to suppress her anger, sparks of vibrant blue lightning began to emit from Maschenny's body as she leaned forward and said, "I'm not weak..." in a tone that promised violence.Maintaining his stern expression, Vahn simply shook his head a second time before turning his back on Maschenny and departing the room. This caused the not-so-young Princess to appear confused, but, rather than thinking about the reasons behind his departure, the lightning around her became even more violent as she shouted, "Where are you going!? Don't you turn your back on me...!"Without turning around to address the enraged Princess, Vahn allowed his aura to come to bear on the entire Palace of Spears. This caused the mountain serving as the building's foundation to quake, and, as the intended recipient, Maschenny found herself faceplanting into her bed, wholly unable to move as Vahn said, "Keep pretending..."---Though he couldn't enter the Hidden Hidden Floor for fear of being deleted, Eduan still had ways to contact people on the other side. Six-thousand-years was a long time for former mortals, so, while he had largely cut ties with Jahad after the latter deleted the data of all their friends, they still met to periodically share drinks and gripe at each other.Under normal circumstances, it would be one of the Big Breeders conveying Jahad's intent to meet. This time, however, Eduan took the liberty to head unannounced to their usual meetup, an unusual region of the Hidden Floor known as the Town of the Golden Dome. It was one of the only places in the Hidden Floor designed to emulate the outside, and, though they were completely fake, metallic planets and stars could be seen hovering over the observatory-like city inhabited almost exclusively by automatons and members of the many-eyed Da-an Tribe.Waiting within the city's only tavern, a largely empty facility occupied by two service robots and a six-armed mechanical barkeep, Eduan was unsurprised to see a familiar figure wearing an oversized red cape waiting for him at the bar. He had only ever encountered a single person 'fearless' enough to shamelessly wear such clothes, so, with a wry smile on his face, he moved to occupy the seat to the person's right before asking, "How is your sense of style still this bad? You really hate listening to other people's advice, don't you?"Rather than immediately replying to Eduan's words, the cloaked man, none other than Data Jahad, lightly tapped the bar, saying, "Three bottles of your finest wine, a plat of cheese, and a basket of pretzels. Make sure the last is heated properly."With a mechanical whir, the robotic barkeep immediately went to work preparing Jahad's order as the latter turned his attention to Eduan, seemingly ignoring the comment about his choice of garb as he said, "I hope you will not force my hand in the days to come. Despite our many differences, I still consider you a close friend. This enemy isn't someone I can treat lightly. If you continue playing around, I will have no choice but to eliminate you and your children..."Chuckling in response to Jahad's threat, Eduan uncorked one of the bottles of wine, drinking several large gulps before exhaling a contented sigh and remarking, "It's a strange thing. Even though they aren't actually my brats, I can't help feeling a little pissed off hearing you threaten them..."To punctuate his words, several vibrant sparks danced across the surface of Eduan's naturally pale skin, shattering the bottle and spilling its contents all over the counter. Curiously, none of the red liquid flowed towards Jahad, almost like it was willfully avoiding him. Then, with a casual sweep of his hand, even the most minuscule droplet of wine coalesced to form a perfect sphere as he said, "You know, a part of me has always wished that a child of my own making would one day visit the Hidden Floor. I never understood the whole Princess of Jahad selection process. Though, truth be told, there are many things about King Jahad that I have never understood..."With the lightning around him rapidly dying down, Eduan extended his cup to accept the orb of red liquid, remarking, "Yet you still support him just because he is your future self...and to think, I'm the one everyone accuses of being a narcissist..."Remaining silent in response to Eduan's biting remark, Jahad waited until the pretzels had arrived before once again changing the topic, this time asking, "How long has it been since we last met like this? Three-hundred-years?"Shrugging his shoulders, Eduan toyed with the contents of his cup as he lazily remarked, "I stopped keeping track of dates and time long ago...it's not like any of that really matters in a place like this. I just eat, sleep, and, when the opportunity presents itself, fuck. Though, since we're being honest, it's been a while since I had a good lay. I think the last one was some upstart from the Ha Family. Those damn amazons might have meat for brains, but they sure as hell know what they're doing in bed."Though it was difficult to tell due to the three-eyed mask he wore, Jahad made his contempt clear by shaking his head and adopting an admonishing tone as he said, "I've told you this before, but you shouldn't sleep with the children of our friends. It's bad enough that your counterpart in the real world engages in all manner of profane acts. You should set a better example for the people coming here to meet with you."Scoffing in response to Jahad's admonishment, Eduan downed the contents of his cup in a single swig before slamming it on the table and exclaiming, "Don't give me that shit! That bastard outside has completely ruined my reputation! Can you blame me for needing to vent when half the people coming to this shit hole have some kind of vendetta against me!? Even worse, they're all fucking weak as shit! I mean, seriously, what the fuck are those bastards teaching their kids? It's like they don't give two shits about their legacy and the quality of their offspring...!"Under normal circumstances, Jahad would remain quiet whenever Eduan was lashing out. This time, however, he offered a curt nod in response, muttering, "This is one of the downsides to becoming an Immortal and aspiring for Godhood...perhaps that is the reason my counterpart in the real world has refused to have children..."Frowning in response to Jahad's silent musings, Eduan was tempted to call him out on his bullshit, but, knowing the real Jahad had tweaked his data to make him forget key events, arguing with him was like trying to converse with a brick wall. He was inarguably one of the most obstinate people in their original group, and, unless he had seen or ascertained something for himself, he would never change his mind. In their youth, it was his insatiable curiosity that counterbalanced this severe flaw and compelled him to become the 'King of Adventurers'. Here in the Hidden Floor, however, it was an aspect that made it impossible to be around for long periods of time.With this in mind, Eduan downed half the contents of a second bottle before rising to his feet and saying, "This isn't the kind of opponent you need to plan around. If you are willing, he will meet you without fear or hesitation. Truth be told, he reminds me a lot of how you used to be...the version of you before experiencing the Revolution Road..."Seemingly oblivious to Eduan's words, Jahad remained absolutely silent as he picked up another pretzel and began slowly chewing. It was only when the former had completely departed the tavern that he looked over at the empty seat, a slight frown appearing on his face as he muttered, "I hope you're wrong about that..." before taking the third bottle and promptly departing...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Asensio got thrown under the bus...','Another oof moment brought to you courtesy of Princess Maschenny (O w O)...','There are few things more disheartening than seeing a former friend become a shell of their past selves...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While Vahn had been busy running around and trying to solve problems, several other groups were actually enjoying the time they had spent within the Hidden Floor. Among these, the groups led by Madara and Roger were having the most fun, as, rather than focusing on a particular objective, they were just accepting the most difficult Quests in each stage.With arms crossed over the breastplate of her rather iconic red and black armor, Madara couldn't help but smile as she stared down at the grimacing face of her opponent, a handsome young man with pale blue hair, matching eyes, and twinkling stars flickering around his body. The youth made the mistake of trying to sneak attack and bind her while she was watching her team fight against the stage's villain. Unfortunately, the only thing they ended up capturing was a strange metal doll whose weight was so extreme that it caused a small explosion after falling over.Though she could have ended the fight in an instant, Madara had a penchant for toying with her opponents so that she could get the most enjoyment out of a battle. As a result, her primary focus had been denying her would-be attacker the opportunity to escape. This left the pale-haired youth feeling rather exasperated, as, under normal circumstances, they should have been able to teleport away. Instead, strange trees had erupted all throughout the battlefield, and, though they could still move short distances, long-range teleportation and spatial movements had been completely sealed off.Seeing the youth stay crouched for several seconds, Madara's smile gradually faded away as she asked, "Are you done?" in a voice mixed with contempt, intrigue, and a natural sultriness that had developed after spending several decades as a member of the opposite sex.Frowning in response to Madara's words, the youth forced himself to stand before asking, "You are far more powerful than I anticipated. Even if I pushed myself, I doubt I would be able to land even a single blow against you. Since further struggle would be pointless, I'm choosing to give up. Do with me what you will."Snorting through her nose, Madara leaped from the branch of one of the many seal-covered trees present in the area, crashing into the ground with enough force to produce a crater approximately three meters in diameter. This caused the pale-haired youth to stumble, but, before they could fall over, a black-gloved hand tightened around their collar. Unfortunately, while this provided them a bit of stability, it allowed the subsequent fist to their diaphragm to land precisely, instantaneously forcing the air from their lungs and forcing them into unconsciousness.Creating a shadow clone to carry the youth's unconscious body, Madara turned her attention to the quintet that had been observing her battle from a relatively safe distance, saying, "If I'm not wrong, this brat should be one of the people we're looking for. We will return to town and confirm whether or not this is the case."Though he would normally never dare question his 'aneue', a handsome youth with wild black hair fixed into a loose ponytail raised his hand, waiting for permission to speak before asking, "Would it not be easier to simply send a message and have Vahn come to us?"Despite the smile on her face, Madara immediately shook her head before responding, "Life isn't all about efficiency, Izuna. Given Vahn's personality, he is most-probably running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Interfering with his movements just to confirm a person's identity will make us seem incompetent and overreliant on his validation. I refuse."As one of the third-generation Templates that Vahn had allowed to develop naturally, Izuna wasn't able to fully understand why his elder sister was so deferential to their Creator. Despite this, he still nodded his head, saying, "Understood." in a curt tone.Resisting the temptation to admonish her younger brother in front of others, Madara just shook her head before directing her glistening crimson eyes towards their group's Wandering Minstrel, saying, "Show us the way back. You surely know the way, correct?"Nodding their head rather swiftly in response, the tribal-looking man known as Blatt tore his eyes away from the unconscious body of the 'Big Breeder', answering, "Once you complete a stage, you have the option of moving on to the next or revisiting one you have previously cleared. You can also abandon your current Quest to expedite things, but doing so will cause the black bar of your Good and Evil Monitor to fill up an amount based on the difficulty of the Quest you abandoned..."Having completed a number of Quests, Madara wasn't particularly concerned about filling up the black part of her gauge. Still, she also wasn't the type to leave a task half-complete, so, rather than abandoning their current Quest, she directed her gaze towards the bored-looking Yoruichi and the lovey-dovey couple of Ichigo and Orihime, saying, "Finish tracking down our target. We will return once this Quest is complete."Digging into her human ear with her pinky, Yoruichi seemed unimpressed by the tone of Madara's voice, her own containing sarcastic undertones as she remarked, "The monsters here are too weak. Why don't you wake up that little brat and let me have a go at him while you go off and deal with whatever joke of a villain has been prepared for us?"Though Izuna's reaction was to glare hatefully at the cat-like woman, Madara simply adopted a relaxed smile, saying, "Very well. However, know that your precious Master will be notified of your unwillingness to cooperate. Come, Izuna. We're going."Without waiting for Yoruichi's response, a purple glow emanated from Madara's body as she flew into the sky at a breakneck speed. At the same time, her clone set the unconscious youth on the ground before dispersing in a cloud of smoke as Izuna, following his sister's example, darted into the sky like a crimson rocket ascending to space.Since she had primarily just been messing around, Yoruichi's expression morphed into a rather silly caricature of incredulity as she gawked in the direction of the duo's departure. Moments later, the tips of her cat-like ears and tail began to glow as the air around her quickly ionized and began to generate sparks.In a desperate attempt to mediate the situation, Orihime put herself in the line of fire by stepping forward, an awkward yet gentle smile on her face as she held her hands up in a placating gesture and said, "Please calm down, Yoruichi-san. If you fall for her taunts and attempt to give chase, you will only make the situation worse. Madara-sama is too powerful for you to deal with and Izuna will not hesitate to support her if he thinks she is in danger. How about we have a picnic while we wait? I have sandwiches, onigiri, and sashimi prepared by Rindo-san. It has been a few hours since we last ate. Aren't you hungry?"Though she was mildly annoyed by Orihime's comment regarding her inability to defeat Madara, Yoruichi quickly calmed down at the mention of Rindo's food. She also knew that Vahn wouldn't really be mad at her, so, while it was hard to suppress her urge to chase down the Uchiha duo and pick a fight, her stomach and rationale ultimately won out. After all, there was nothing preventing her from battling against Madara and picking on Izuna once they returned to the Little Garden...---Unbeknownst to his companions, Vahn used the time he spent suppressing Maschenny and waiting for Eduan's return to check in on each of the groups' progress. His [Universal Mind] allowed him to passively absorb their thoughts and experiences, but, even without it, he had long since possessed the ability to connect his senses with those listed in his Unit Management. He very rarely made use of this ability in the past, but, after spending several months watching over his Template's exploits in the Tri-Ace Anthology, he had gradually become accustomed to such practices.Seeing how much fun some of the teams were having, combined with the earnest efforts of Fenrir's and Artoria's parties, Vahn's personal grievances towards the Hidden Floor began to gradually fade away. This was one of the benefits of being able to view a situation from the perspective of another, as, more often than not, the account of a single person led to the development of a bias. This was especially true for those who proactively sought to eliminate tyranny and provide aid those those in need.When you exposed yourself to the more detrimental and negative elements of a society, it was easy to forget that there were quite a number of positive aspects associated with even the most heinous and cruel regimes. It was also easy to forget that places like the Hidden Floor, the Virtual World, and even the Eternal Sphere were originally created with noble purposes in mind.In its inception, the mirror serving as the foundation for the Hidden Floor was meant to act as a time capsule of sorts for Jahad and the Great Warriors. As for the Virtual World, it served a similar function, but, more importantly, provided people with knowledge and the freedom to choose their own career paths and immerse themselves in various fantasy worlds. Lastly, the Eternal Sphere was originally created with the intent to advice scientific understanding and ascertain whether or not life could develop in a closed system without external influence. It was an experiment intended to help the inhabitants of the Fourth Dimension better understand their own origins, but, as was often the case, it's purpose had been perverted for the sake of profit and personal gain.Simply put, very few things were designed with the express intent of causing harm or aiding in the propagation of corruption. Rather, most scientific discoveries were the result of genuine curiosity and a desire to advance one's civilization to the next level. Instead, the most intelligent members of a community were often exploited by the most opportunistic, and, unless something catastrophic occurred to necessitate progress, the advancement of civilization was bottlenecked for the sake of profit. This was one of the inherent detriments of society, as, without exceptionally powerful and responsible leaders proactively working to counteract it, the ambitions of opportunistic individuals would invariably lead to corruption and the gradual suppression of reason for the sake of maintaing the status quo.Fortunately, while all civilizations would inevitably vanish into the ebb and flow of time, there was still merit in working to improve things. A few hundred years of peace might seem like a small blip in the ceaseless flow of time, but, for the people experiencing said peace, each and every day was a blessing. This was especially true for those who had suffered from tragedy and hardship, so, while it sometimes felt like he was fighting a pointless battle, such sentiments faded away the moment he saw the smiling faces of his family, friends, loved ones, and the people who had benefitted from his struggles.Breaking the connection between himself and Yoruichi, an apologetic spread across Vahn's face as he looked towards the entrance of the room and said, "I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have been so heavy-handed with you. It's just, your appearance makes it difficult for me not to view you as a child. I would never allow my own children to develop in the manner you have, so it is difficult for me to simply ignore your behavior. Still, that doesn't justify my own behavior, so, while you might be unwilling to forgive me, know that I am sorry."Not expecting Vahn to suddenly apologize, the hateful look on Maschenny's face gradually became one of confusion as the lightning around her body slowly fizzled out. Then, with a slightly conflicted look on her face, she complained, "Someone as powerful as you shouldn't be apologizing to others. It makes you seem weak. How am I supposed to raise my head up high when the person capable of defeating me is seen as a weakling by others? Have some self-respect..."Chuckling in response to Maschenny's words, Vahn manifested a Japanese-style tea set before producing a few snacks and saying, "Come and take a seat. I will tell you about my journey thus far and allow you to view a recording of my battle against Adori, Hagipherione, and your counterpart. I imagine you are quite interested how strong the latter has become?"Though she was initially going to refuse, Maschenny's interest was piqued the moment she heard Vahn mention owning a recording of his battle against her true self. Her primary goal upon leaving the Hidden Floor was to overcome her original and cement herself as the superior Maschenny, so, while it felt like she was being baited inward, her curiosity and desire to grow strong compelled her forward. This ended up being a 'mistake', as, the moment she ate one of the seemingly innocuous-looking cookies, her mind and tastebuds had been awakened to a new and highly addictive world of flavor...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imagine thinking you can sneak up on Madara xD...','Peacekeeper Orihime-chan~!','Vahn be like, "Come to the Light Side. We have cookies..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Arriving on the opposite end of the bridge connecting to the seed, a frown immediately developed across Vahn's face the moment he spread his senses through the area. It wasn't that he sensed any danger. Rather, it was the complete and utter lack of anyone's presence that soured his mood.Resisting the urge to sigh, Vahn slowly combed through his hair in an effort to remain calm as Sis analyzed the environmental data pertaining to the Seed. Everything within the Hidden Floor, from the smallest particle of sand to the giant Shinheuh that roamed the wastelands had positional and render data that determined everything from its X, Y, and Z coordinates to its ability to interact with other objects in virtual space. After all, while the system was unbelievably complex, it still relied on variable vertices, mathematical points similar to atomic particles, to realistically simulate physical, spiritual, and anomalous phenomena.Though he could conceal himself from the systems designed to keep track of everything with the Hidden Floor, even Vahn was unable to completely hide his presence. After all, he still existed within the Hidden Floor, so, every time he took a breath or stepped on a piece of terrain, the environment data would update to reflect these changes. Were this not the case, he wouldn't be able to interact with, or even perceive, the world around him.Noticing Vahn's grim silence, Theo, Musashi, and Scathach each exchanged looks before nodding in concert. Immediately thereafter, Scathach vanished from view, her intent to investigate the Seed's interior as Theo stepped forward to say, "There is no need to worry. From what I can tell, there are no signs of conflict taking place. Given the circumstances, the most likely scenario is that one of the Sworn Enemy versions of yourself convinced the people here to follow him. Even if the system took liberties to bastardize your character, I can't imagine any version of you choosing to willfully harm the victims of tragic circumstances."Nodding her head in agreement, Musashi adopted a sincere smile as she nudged Vahn's arm and added, "Theo's right. If anything, I bet the people here were moved someplace safe before being provided with food and alcohol. Hell, they might even be in the midst of celebrating their escape."Understanding that the duo was trying to comfort him, Vahn's grimace relaxed into a noncommital smile as he offered a nod and said, "You're probably right. Still, knowing this is basically a version of myself's efforts to screw me over...I can't help feeling a little annoyed..."In an effort to ease the tensions, Musashi laughed rather boisterously in response to Vahn's remark, a toothy grin on her face as she teasingly remarked, "So, what's new?"Blinking in confusion, Vahn was about to ask what she meant when Theo, with an accusatory glower directed towards the mischievous samurai, dutifully explained, "She is trying to indicate that you are generally the one responsible for screwing yourself over..."With the light fading from his eyes, an awkward laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he made a mental note to give Musashi a light punishment once they returned to the Little Garden. The latter seemed to sense this, but, rather than showing even a modicum of fear, she returned a daring smile and questioned, "So, what's our next plan of action? This is clearly some kind of trap. Are we going to walk directly into it? I'm fine with anything, so long as I get to test out my Zanpakuto's edge."Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn sent a mental command to recall Scathach before explaining, "Though it is best to view them as anomalies, we will proceed with the assumption that your Sworn Enemies act in accordance with the behavioral guidelines established by the system. To that end, we can assume this incident is the precursor to a scheme to try and separate us. Since their objective is ultimately to eliminate their designated targets, trying to confront you while I'm around would be a direct contradiction of their prime directive..."Hearing Vahn ramble on, Theo, Musashi, and even Scathach, none of which were particularly known for their ability to process information, just stared at him with neutral expressions and slight smiles. This left the former feeling slightly exasperated, at least until Index chimed in to say, "He is saying it is pointless to chase after them. They won't attack us directly until they can secure an advantage, so, unless they intend to go against their programming, we can just ignore them. If their disposition is anything like our Vahn's, they are probably going around and helping people in secret. Let them do what they want. We can always deal with them later."Earning a slight pout from both Musashi and Theo, Vahn nodded his head, adding, "To be fair, we could avoid most problems by having everyone return to the Little Garden and simply wait. Even if we do nothing, it is only a matter of time before Sis takes over the entirety of the Hidden Floor. This situation is entirely the result of individual selfishness...not that that's a bad thing..."Noticing the genuine annoyance and slight hurt within the girls' eyes, Vahn held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, supplanting his previous statement, saying, "Sorry. That was a poor choice of words on my part. Given my past actions, I can't exactly lecture others for wanting to get out and have a bit of fun. If anything, I'd like to provide more opportunities for everyone to get out and do as they please. It just gets a little complicated when situations like this present themselves."Though they couldn't hide the slight blame in their eyes, neither Theo nor Musashi decided to hold Vahn's words against him. They knew what kind of person he was, and, though he could be a bit of a control freak at times, it was generally only when lives were at stake. He cared about their lives far more than his own, so, if anything were to happen to them, despite his ludicrous strength, he would never be able to forgive himself.Misunderstanding the girls' silence as passive-aggressiveness, the edges of Vahn's smile began to twitch slightly as he suggested, "If you are that eager to fight...we could always split up? I can keep track of your status from afar, so, even if you get trapped or are unable to communicate, I should be able to teleport you to safety..."As Vahn had already revealed the existence of The Path and its functions, none of the girls were particularly surprised by his words. Rather, despite their thirst for battle, the trio of warrior women began feeling a little guilty. They weren't exactly lacking powerful opponents to battle against, so, knowing there was ultimately no point in defeating their Sworn Enemies, it was hard for them to simply accept Vahn's offer. After all, their entire reason for reincarnating into the 'Transcendental Path to Heaven' was to help him. Instead, they had unnecessarily complicated the situation in an effort to alleviate some of their boredom...Not expecting the girls' moods to suddenly diminish, Vahn was beginning to feel a little fretful until Theo took pity on him and explained, "We didn't choose to come out just to seek thrills. We wanted to spend more time with you, and, if possible, help relieve some of the burdens you carry. Now, it's beginning to seem like the only thing we've accomplished is adding to them..."Experiencing some guilt of his own, Vahn's awkward expression eased into a somewhat sad smile as he extended his hand to caress Theo's head, whispering, "Never think that...with perhaps the single exception of my children, it is my life's greatest blessing to have all of you here with me. Regardless of what transpires...regardless of how challenging things get...sharing moments like this is what will allow our bonds to withstand the test of time. Rather than worrying about how your actions might inconvenience me, I would be happiest knowing you are doing everything in your power to secure your own happiness. It is my privilege to carry your burdens and fret over your safety...you are not obliged to avoid danger and suppress your desires just to make my life a little more convenient...if I had such expectations for others, I would be the biggest hypocrite in all of creation..."With the added benefit of having her head caressed, Theo's mood drastically improved in response to Vahn's words. The thing she wanted least was to cause trouble for him, but, much like how things were back in her Record of origin, Vahn didn't seem to care about that in the slightest. His primary concern had always been their happiness, so, while she still felt a little guilty about contributing to the current predicament, she was happy knowing he would always stand beside her...Though she belonged to the group of women who generally refused to let Vahn pet them, Musashi couldn't help but adopt a teasing smile as she asked, "What is this difference in treatment? Maybe I should consider getting hitched as well? I wonder if there are any capable men nearby..."Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn gestured for Musashi to come closer so that he could snake his hand around her waist. In response, she batted her eyes in a flirtatious manner, asking, "Ara? Are you certain? You didn't seem particularly worried about me when you were giving that longwinded speech and staring passionately into Theo's eyes..."Understanding that Musashi was forcing him to come to her, Vahn planted a quick kiss atop Theo's head before approaching the buxom swordswoman and wrapping his arms around her remarkably durable yet impeccably soft body. Then, compensating for the eighteen-centimeter disparity in their heights, he supported her by her pert and shapely buttocks, enjoying the intoxicating sensation as his lips overlapped with hers for the better part of three minutes. When they finally separated, there was a line of saliva briefly linking them until Musashi subsequently licked her lips and asked, "Is this your way of proposing~?"Though he assumed she was just playing around, Vahn allowed Musashi to stand on her own two feet, gently cradling her in his arms as he answered, "If that is what you desire, I would be honored to have you as my wife. Rather, I should apologize for making you wait this long...it has been quite some time since I defeated you in a duel..."Snorting through her nose, Musashi averted her indescribably beautiful and unique eyes to the side, her voice audibly pouty as she replied, "Don't wanna..." in a mock childish tone. This, coincidentally, allowed her to meet Scathach's gaze, the latter adopting an accusatory deadpan as she mouthed, 'If you don't stop playing around, I'm going to hit you'.Poking her tongue out at the taciturn beauty, Musashi's pouting pretense faded away as she looked up at Vahn and spontaneously grabbed the sides of his face in a vice-like grip. This was followed by a rather aggressive kiss, a precursor to her telepathically advising, ("Show some sincerity next time. I might prioritize being a swordswoman over everything else, but I still have expectations for how my partner proposes. At the very least, you should defeat me in a duel prior to uttering such words...")Vahn wanted to point out that he had defeated her a number of times, but, understanding that she meant proposing to her immediately following their battle, he opted to remain silent. Instead, he let her lead the kiss, and, though it made him feel a little sheepish, he did his best to ignore the sounds of Index munching away as she twisted around to try and get a better view of what was going on...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is his greatest enemy (O w O)...','Everyone used accidental guilt trap...it's super effective...!','*Munching Intensifies*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1918: A Brief Confrontation