Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following a rather long explanation, primarily to give Maschenny a few days to decompress, Vahn demonstrated the process of transplanting a person's Ego into a physical body using Asensio as his test subject. Icardi followed shortly after that, but, as could be expected, Eduan refused to undergo the process until matters on the Hidden Floor had been resolved. He didn't openly state his reasons for this, but, with a pill capable of formating the entire floor in his possession, it was pretty clear he was holding onto it just in case something went wrong.Considering he had spent the last six-thousand-years biding his time in preparation for such an event, Vahn wasn't particularly surprised by Eduan's decision. The man had a sense of responsibility far removed from his original self, and, though there were innumerable parallels between them, the two drastically differentiated in demeanor and resolution. After all, the latter had ultimately become one of the notoriously perverse and apathetic people in the entire Tower, so much so that he didn't seem to care about anything other than the women he had briefly taken an interest in. Data Eduan, however, had thousands of years to contemplate the drastic changes in his former friend's behavior, and, after the deletion of the other Great Warriors, he lived largely in isolation as children belonging to his real-world counterpart sought him out in an effort to prove themselves.Despite his despicable behavior and careless way of speaking, Vahn was well aware of the fact that Data Eduan still cared about his would-be children. Whether or not he loved them, however, was a matter up for debate. After all, they were effectively strangers to him prior to their entrance into the Hidden Floor and their subsequent attempt to kill him; so, if anything, it would be more accurate to say he felt partly responsible for his counterpart's failings as a father.Though he had many reasons for wanting to leave the Hidden Floor, Data Eduan's primary goal was to ascertain what transpired to make his original self into the man he was today. He simply couldn't accept that the latter had abandoned their ambitions to become the head of a dysfunctional family that predominately resented him. He also took offense to the fact that his counterpart had given up fighting for hobbies such as collecting artifacts and gallivanting around the higher floors in search of women and other forms of entertainment. This was a stark contrast to the expectations he had for himself, as, despite his belief that capable men could have multiple wives, he also believed that a man's primary purpose in life was setting an example for future generations and guaranteeing the integrity of their legacy.With how long-lived the people of the Tower could be, Eduan wasn't particularly surprised to learn that his real-world counterpart had more than a hundred wives. This was basically like picking up a new wife every sixty or so years, and, while that might not be a considerably long period of time for an immortal, it was a literal lifetime for a normal person.The problem was, rather than simply siring children with his wives, his counterpart in the real world didn't seem to care who his partner was. Far more troublesome, however, was the fact that there were people conducting pilgrimages to the Hidden Floor who were his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at the same time. The implications behind this were rather maddening, so, at the very least, Data Eduan wouldn't be content until he had slugged his original self in the face at least once...---Though it wasn't exactly a pressing matter, Vahn was beginning to grow annoyed with the fact they hadn't encountered a single Sworn Enemy after the previous incidents. To make matters worse, it was like the Big Breeders had simply disappeared, and, as far as Sis could tell, most of the residents of the Hidden Floor had vanished along with them. This was confirmed by an alarming increase in the number of unrendered regions, areas of the Hidden Floor that effectively ceased to exist due to the lack of an observer...Thinking about reasons why his faux selves would systematically move the residents of the Hidden Floor, the only thing Vahn could come up with was that they were planning to effectively erase the entire thing. They seemed to understand that it was impossible for them to directly eliminate their respective targets, so, rather than commit to a direct engagement, they seemed intent on relocating as many residents as possible before forcibly ejecting everyone present via a reset. This would make the Hidden Floor inaccessible for up to a year, and, as a result, those responsible for administrating the system would have ample opportunity to develop countermeasures and bolster security.In other words, while they still had time, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Sis' intrusions into the Hidden Floor's systems hadn't gone unnoticed. More specifically, it was him asking her to perform a number of unauthorized functions and his theft of a Big Breeder's Command Key that set the current events in motion. No system administrator in their right mind would simply ignore these kinds of developments, so, after failing to take Madara's team hostage, the solution they had come up with seemed to be ejecting everyone currently on the floor.Needless to say, Vahn wasn't particularly amused by this turn of events. Sure, he could relocate the Hell Train to the Little Garden and make a year pass in the blink of an eye, but it would still require them actually entering to complete their objectives. The mirrors that formed the two Hidden Floors weren't exactly normal artifacts, and, while they emulated Quantum-tier Super Computers, this was primarily the result of changes Gustang had made from within the sub-dimensional space. Because of this, it was virtually impossible to make changes from the outside without destroying the interior system and everything within.While it might not matter in the grand scheme of things, Vahn had never been the type of person to simply move on from a situation where he had decided to take action. Thus, while everyone else had been focusing on 'completing' the Hidden Floor, the majority of his efforts were dedicated to protecting the Town of the Wandering Minstrels while Sis attempted to utilize the Command Key to create a bridge between the two Hidden Floors.Unfortunately, without something to serve as an anchor on the other side, hacking into the Hidden Hidden Floor using the Command Key was like trying to access the files on a laptop that had its wifi card removed. There was nothing to receive the signal, and, as a result of the failsafes built into the system, even the Big Breeders could only use the Command Key whilst inside the Hidden Floor. This was to prevent them from making changes within the Hidden Hidden Floor, a sacred and restricted area that was only intended for Jahad and the families of the Great Warriors.Still, for the Big Breeders to have access to the Command Key within the Hidden Floor, there had to be 'something' connecting them. Thus, while it was like looking for a single needle within a universe filled with hay, it was only a matter of time before Sis discovered a path or took over the entirety of the Hidden Floor. After that, the only option their enemies could take would be 'separating' the two floors, but, with both mirrors being located in 'reality', this was impossible without external support.To this end, Vahn was relaxing at the edge of a large mineral onsen, his eyes somewhat glazed over as he viewed countless streams of data across multiple displays that only he could see. His ability to translate and understand all forms of language allowed him to interpret this data as actual words and images, so, while Sis was doing the bulk of the heavy lifting, he was closely monitoring regions of the Hidden Floor for any signs of Sworn Enemies or other anomalous events. Unfortunately, the only thing he had discovered thus far were isolated communities formed from the Data of Regulars who had previously conquered the Hell Train.Though there were exceptions to the rule, most of the communities Vahn had discovered were, for lack of a better descriptive, horribly fucked up. The inability to proactively grow stronger, combined with an environment that was as inhospitable as it was boring had led to the Data of many Regulars either losing their minds or deviating so far from the 'light' that they were practically monsters. This resulted in all kinds of monstrous communities being formed, and, unless you were strong, it meant becoming subservient to oppressors who would readily kill you knowing you would simply respawn at a later date.Immortality, for those who were unprepared or lacked purpose, was a vicious curse that could turn even the most saintly individuals into horrendous monsters. The size of the Hidden Floor also made it exceptionally difficult to encounter other Data Humans, so, whenever groups did meet, the stronger among the two almost always attempted to absorb the weaker. The only way to avoid a fate where you ended up as someone's immortal slave was to escape, but, as a result, you might find yourself alone for hundreds of years without meeting a single person.The crux of the matter was that the Data of Regulars who had completed the Hidden Floor were barred access to the regions designated as Stages. Had they not been, those who had treated the Hidden Floor like a playground would have continued doing so. This would have resulted in the establishment of a community where the strong ruthlessly suppressed the weak, and, unless they were inordinately powerful, anyone venturing into the Hidden Floor, rather than finding rewards, would find themselves at the mercy of excessively bored and opportunistic individuals.This was perhaps the greatest failing of the Hidden Floor when compared to systems such as the Virtual World and Eternal Sphere. The former focused too heavily on the idea of perpetuity and preserving the data of those that ventured within such that it effectively became an inescapable Hell for the data left behind. This was a stark contrast to the later systems, which, for the sake of ensuring things were as realistic as possible, accounted for the life, death, evolution, and even sickness. This had allowed the residents of the Eternal Sphere to literally evolve to the point that they were able to escape the confines of the system, and, while the Virtual World wasn't quite at that point, it was only a matter of time before some of the entities within developed Egos of their own.Fortunately, Vahn had been able to experience both the Hidden Floor and the Eternal Sphere, so, while he had yet to find a 'perfect' solution, he had a much better understanding of the changes that needed to be introduced to the Virtual World in order to ensure its stability. There was a very real chance that it would serve as an example for every reality under his governance in the future, so, before he ascended to become a Tier 7 entity, he was resolved to work out as many kinks as possible. For now, however, his main focus was searching for signs of his other selves while doing his best to systematically eliminate Data Humans who had ventured too far down the path of what any sensible person would consider evil. This was the reason for the glazed look in his eyes, as, with very few exceptions, most of the Data Humans he had stumbled upon had become more monster than man or woman...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I kind of feel bad for Data Eduan. Imagine someone coming from the future and telling you that they are not only your child, by your great-grandchild...that's a mega oof...','Sis is working hard for that MVP title...','The curse of immortality and infinite respawns...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With his arms crossed and the makings of a grim expression on his face, Data Jahad spent hours standing silently within the middle of a vast array of mirrors. These allowed him to view events that were occurring in both Hidden Floors, but, due to his other abilities, this was actually one of the first times he was using them.Seeing the scenes of multiple Data Humans effectively being erased, Data Jahad's mood continued to diminish as he quietly uttered, "You won't accomplish anything by being afraid to get your hands dirty...a true ruler does not allow their emotions to govern their actions..."Shaking his head, Data Jahad performed a sweeping gesture to dismiss the thousands of mirrors that had been orbiting his body. Almost immediately thereafter, his surroundings began to darken as a massive tear appeared in the sky above, it's interior blacker than the abyss until several figures emerged from within.Without saying anything, Data Jahad raised his right hand to create a basketball-sized Baang that resembled liquid gold as five similar Baangs formed an arch behind him. In response, several of the intruders adopted wry smiles as the one standing at the front of the formation raised his hands in a disarming gesture, asking, "Do you need to be so testy each time we meet? Aren't we supposed to be on the same side?"Though he had no intention of responding to the question, a somewhat raspy and feral-sounding voice cut in before Jahad could reasonably respond, asking, "Why are you wasting words on this idiot? Just get to the point."Adopting an even wrier smile, the most amicable-looking member of the virtually indistinguishable group rubbed the back of his head, saying, "Hey now...there's no need for such hostility. I mean, we all have the same objective. If we begin fighting amongst ourselves, there's no way we'll be able to defeat the original. Besides, that grumpy look doesn't suit you..."Issuing a low growl in response to the man's final words, the scantily clad beauty with midnight blue hair and crimson-colored eyes glared, not at the speaker, but Jahad as she grumbled, "You made Master scold me..."Accompanying the grumbling remark, a tremendous amount of bloodlust began to fill the arena upon which the group stood. At the same time, a layer of eerie black ice quickly spread throughout the area, drastically reducing the surrounding temperature before flaking away and dissolving into the atmosphere. This was the true reason Data Jahad had prepared Baangs, as, whenever the feral-looking woman arrived with her entourage, things never ended peacefully.In near-perfect concert with each other, the five people surrounding the unhinged beauty called out, "Fenrir...!" in stern yet concerned voices. This caused the aura of the woman to fluctuate quite a bit, the glow in her eyes fading for a brief moment as she shifted her gaze to the closest among the group, asking, "What?"Feeling a little like a trapped mouse, the version of Vahn facing Fenrir's gaze awkwardly extended his hand to caress her bristly, needle-like, fur as he uttered, "Just leave this to us...you don't need to waste your time and energy on someone like this..."With her pupils contracting into thin lines, Fenrir flexed her paws open and closed as she resisted the urge to bite the hand currently caressing her. Unfortunately, her restraint didn't hold out long, as, moments later, a growling could be heard from her stomach that caused the Vahn before her to adopt a resigned smile as awkward laughter emanated from his throat...Returning a too-large smile of her own, all of Fenrir's razor-sharp teeth could be seen prior to her opening her mouth far wider than anyone should be able to. At the same time, anomalous black energy radiated from her body, enveloping the still-smiling Vahn in an instant. Despite this, it didn't obscure his form in the slightest, almost as if the inky-black substance was perfectly transparent. As a result, everyone present was able to see the Vahn, along with the ground he had been standing on, simply 'vanish' the moment Fenrir's jaws snapped shut...Using her paw to suppress a small burp, the vibrant red glow in Fenrir's eyes began to rapidly fade away as clarity returned to their depths. This allowed the realization of what she had done to wash over her, but, before she could get too stressed out, three more Vahn's appeared at her side, each attempting to console her as their final counterpart turned to Jahad and said, "It is becoming more difficult to evade observation and capture. If we don't do something soon, the battle might be over before it even begins."Though it was impossible to follow his line of sight due to his three-eyed visor, Jahad continued to closely monitor Fenrir as he calmly replied, "I have already allowed you to seek refuge in the Hidden Hidden Floor. Are you now expecting me to fight at your behest?"Frowning in response to Jahad's words, the amicable-version of Vahn adopted a serious tone as he said, "The Hidden Floors are your responsibility. The limitations of the system prevent us from using even a fraction of the power we're supposed to possess. At this rate, it is only a matter of time until we lose the ability to even flee. Are you just going to continue idling about here like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered!?"Without any discernible changes in expression, Jahad smoothly pivoted to face Vahn as he calmly stated, "I do not fear fate. Just as I accepted my destiny as King, I will meet my end with dignity. Tell me, what is it that you are so afraid of? You keep a monster in your midst yet fear the very man you are supposed to emulate? From what I can see, you are a group of cowards fighting against an end you believe impossible to overcome. Rather than shame myself in what might very well be my final moments, I will continue to uphold my dignity until the end. That is what is expected from one with the qualifications to become King of the Tower..."Snorting through his nose, the not-so-amicable version of Vahn manifested a katana out of thin air before slicing towards the sky and creating a black void more than one-hundred meters across. This caught the attention of his other selves, each in the midst of massaging or brushing a different part of Fenrir's body. This caused the petite beauty to immediately adopt an angry snarl, her contented look fading in an instant as she directed her gleaming gaze to Jahad and asked, "If you aren't going to help, what point is there in keeping you around?"For the first time since the start of the encounter, Jahad's expression changed to display a snaggle-toothed smile as he remarked, "If you possessed the strength to defeat me, you would not be here petitioning my support. Rather than wasting my time with threats and posturing, why don't you just attack? I am, after all, just one man. You have an army on your side. What are you afraid of...?"With her hair standing on end and the sharpness of her fangs continually increasing, Fenrir leaned forward menacingly as she asked, "You think Fenrir is afraid of you...? Fenrir...Fenrir fears nothing...!"Before she could blitz Jahad and attempt to take a bite out of him, shining golden chains appeared to intercept her. This caused the glow of her eyes to become even more prominent, but, before her emotional state could become even more unstable, one of the versions of Vahn suddenly pulled her into a princess carry, his voice calm and soothing as he said, "Come now...there is no need to waste your energy on this fool. For now, why don't we return to the palace and have a bit of fun? Besides, eating this asshole would only cause you indigestion..."Though she could be extremely aggressive at other times, the Data Vahn's had learned that Fenrir could be remarkably docile whenever she was held like a princess. She would even shrink slightly, her already petite form becoming almost child-like as she obediently nodded her head and said, "Okay..." in a demure tone. In turn, this caused affectionate smiles to appear on the faces of every Vahn present, their expressions softening as Jahad, now bereft of a smile, stood silently at the side...---Deciding to take a break from systematically purging the more cancerous elements of the Hidden Floor, Vahn returned to the Little Garden to spend some quality time with his children. This involved playing hide and seek with Naruto, teaching Hana how to inscribe simple runes onto her traps, and, after everything else was finished, retiring to Arceus' Realm to check on its development and spend some time with the most troublesome of his current children...With Arceus standing stoically in the background with a slight smile on her face, Vahn couldn't help but adopt a wry one of his own as more than a dozen toddlers with pale-pink hair, light-blue eyes, and horns reminiscent of cat ears used his body as a jungle gym. They also had long pink tails, the ends of which were slightly bulbous, that served as both an appendage and a sensory organ. They used said organ to poke and prod anything they were interested in, and, though he didn't mind it too much, Vahn couldn't help by smile wryly as his entire face was covered in the inordinately soft appendages.Waiting until they had finished their investigation, Vahn pulled out a series of macaroon-like sweets known as Poke Puffs, presenting them to the squealing group of toddlers as he mused, "You'll have to share..."Before he could even finish speaking, all but one of the pink-haired toddlers vanished amidst puffs of pink smoke as the last remaining representative cupped their hands together with a radiant smile on their face.Resisting the urge to laugh, Vahn adopted a smile as he lightly smacked his left thigh, encouraging the playful toddler to take a seat before handing over the box of Poke Puffs and gently ruffling their hair. In response, the androgynous-looking scamp wiggled away from his touch, lying across his lap and giggling with one of the macaroon-like treats held against their mouth with both hands.Poking their exposed belly, Vahn managed to elicit a few ticklish giggles from the pink-haired youth before they resorted to smacking him in the face with their soft and squishy tail. This caused Arceus to immediately teleport over, but, before she could say anything, he motioned for her to calm down as he said, "They're just playing around...isn't that right, Mew?"Snickering in response, Mew used the end of their tail to lightly poke his cheek, the bulb of their tail intending more than the flesh of his face. This caused Arceus to release a tired sigh, but, rather than say anything, she opted to take a seat next to Vahn before leaning her head against his shoulder. In response, he planted a light kiss on top of her head before wrapping his hand around her waist and using his free hand to pick up a Poke Puff. Mew seemed to take exception to this, but, with several more Poke Puffs appearing out of thin air, they quickly regained their smile before happily nibbling their current snack in a manner reminiscent of a small animal...---With the passage of time in the Fifth Layer being roughly ten times that of Standard Axis, nearly two months had passed since Maschenny began her hellish training beneath Scathach. In that time, she had experienced innumerable near-death experiences, and, though she wasn't completely sure, she felt as though seven of those experiences had actually resulted in her death. Despite this, she would always wake up several hours later, her previous wounds nowhere to be seen as the fragrant aroma of delicious food tickled her nostrils.Desperate for sustenance, Maschenny dismissed with manners entirely as she used her bare hands to effectively shovel food into her mouth. When it came to her current 'Shishou', everything was a test, so, if she didn't hurry, there was a very real chance she would miss the opportunity to replenish her reserves. This would leave her without the energy to perform well during her training, and, as a result, pain unlike anything she had experienced prior would be her reward.Waiting until the near-feral Princess had finished her meal, Scathach stepped out of the void with a gleaming red spear in hand. This caused Maschenny to immediately tense up, but, rather than stay statuesque, she promptly scooped up what remained of her meal before dodging to the side and rolling across the ground. Then, like a street urchin fleeing from a market stall, a state emphasized by her poor state of dress, she bolted from the scene with her cheeks puffed out, chewing madly as she evaded numerous strikes without even needing to look back...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mikuni vs Jennifer vibes...','(O w O)!?','*AWOLNATION - Run theme begins playing*')(A/N: Sorry about yesterday. I think I tried pushing myself a bit too soon. I'll keep aiming for 3 chapters a day, but they will be released over a longer period of time. Also, the first chapters of the EPIC side story will come out on Friday. Shortly after that, the first poll will also be posted.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As yet another countermeasure against the encroachment of the Sworn Enemies, Vahn, and several others spent the better part of a day erecting a massive barrier around the entirety of the Town of the Wandering Minstrels. There was a good chance this was completely unnecessary, but, as the trio of Vahns had demonstrated, they weren't against 'bending' the rules of their programming.Fortunately, while they were generated in such a way that their skills were eerily reminiscent of his own, the account of Madara proved that the Hidden Floor couldn't replicate things it didn't actually understand. This included various Laws, and, most importantly, anything related to foreign magical systems. After all, if the systems administering the Hidden Floor had the ability to deconstruct and emulate 'any' energy system, the Workshop would long-discovered countless means to get around the requirement of Shinsu within the Tower.The only downside was, due to its inability to make sense of the energy being used, things like Ki, Chakra, and Magical Energy didn't function at full capacity within the Hidden Floor. This was where Vahn came into the picture, as, regardless of whether or not he was in a real or digital world, Source Energy had no limitations. It allowed him to effectively ignore the system's restrictions, and, thanks to Sis' efforts, they were able to reinforce the security around the town and make it inaccessible to specific types of entities within the system. This included Sworn Enemies, so, unless they were even more ridiculous than expected, the town was virtually inaccessible and functionally impervious to all forms of damage associated with enemy programs.With the Town of the Wandering Minstrels serving as their garrison, teams were, once again, able to venture out into the Hidden Floor proper. Unlike before, however, they were tasked with providing periodic updates, and, every time they completed 3-5 stages, they needed to report back in person. This would drastically extend the amount of time it took to complete their objectives, but, as time was on their side, stalling wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It gave Sis the opportunity to complete her takeover of the Hidden Floor's systems, and, most importantly, allowed Vahn to venture out without having to worry too much about the safety of those defending the garrison.It was only after these measures were fully implemented that Vahn returned to the Palace of Spears, his mood soured but not to the extent that he was at risk of lashing out at anyone. He was annoyed by the fact that Eduan hadn't bothered to seek him out, even after Maschenny had effectively been missing for the better part of a day. Sure, she might not be in any actual danger, but he could have at least sent Asensio or Icardi to ask how things were going. They literally had mirrors that allowed them to move freely throughout the Hidden Floor, so there was really no excuse for their negligent behavior...Finding himself in the banquet hall adjacent to the throne room, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he saw the trio seated around the table with Eduan relaxedly enjoying a bowl of grapes. To make matters even worse, the man immediately offered an amused, stain-toothed, smile as he raised his hand and said, "Yo! I was wondering when you were going to return. You sure took your sweet time. Did you have fun playing around with Maschenny?"Raising his hand in a slow-motion manner that paradoxically left no opportunity for others to react, a massive pillar of golden energy erupted from Vahn's hand, disintegrating the table and smashing into the pin-eyed Eduan in an instant. When the light faded away, a perfectly cylindrical tunnel had formed through the banquet hall, extending into and through the mountain upon which the Palace was built. This left Asensio and Icardi at a complete loss, the former's mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.Gesturing for the duo to relax, Vahn pulled out a chair from his Inventory as a peculiar green hue spread through the area. Immediately thereafter, the flow of time seemed to reverse for everything except Vahn, his chair, and the increasingly stupefied duo. As a result, the table and everything on it were completely restored, yet, in spite of this, Eduan was nowhere to be seen. It was only after the manifestation of a large circular mirror that the unamused Khun made an appearance, asking, "Was that really necessary? You need to learn how to take a joke."With a relatively relaxed expression on his face, Vahn shook his head in response to Eduan's words, saying, "Even if she isn't your actual daughter, such crass remarks are completely tasteless. Rather than telling me what I ought to do, perhaps you should pay better attention to the words spewing out of your mouth. Though I can be pretty easy-going at times, that changes rather quickly when it concerns children and being a good parent. I won't force you to act like a decent father, but sure as hell won't get away with making such remarks in my presence."Though he was highly tempted to give Vahn a taste of his own medicine, Eduan could tell there was something bothering the man, so, rather than immediately resorting to violence, he took a seat and asked, "What crawled up your ass and died?"Rather than answering, Vahn just shook his head before saying, "I recently completed the process of transferring Maschenny's ego to a physical body. She is currently training under the tutelage of one of my most skilled and trusted allies. Though I imagine her progress will be slow in the beginning, it should only take about a year or two before she is around your level."Raising his brows, Eduan resisted the urge to grab a handful of grapes, saying, "That's a rather bold claim. That brat certainly has talent, but I can't imagine her getting anywhere near my level through her own efforts. I also can't see you providing her with power beyond her temperament. She would literally self-destruct if given too much. That girl's ambitions far outstrip her growth..."After watching over Maschenny for hundreds of years, Eduan was confident he knew the troubled Princess better than she knew herself. He had seen countless people like her throughout the years, and, were it not for the circumstances of her birth and the support of many others, she would have been squashed long before she rose to prominence. Nobody liked an entitled upstart, and, based on what he had learned of his own family, standing out before you obtained power was the same as planting a massive target on your back. The only reason Maschenny had survived was that she was the first-born daughter of his counterpart's favorite wife, a remarkable beauty that shared the same name.Understanding Eduan's thoughts, quite literally, Vahn couldn't help but nod his head, saying, "You would be right...at least, under normal circumstances. We do things a little different in the Aldrnari Empire, so, unless she gives up on herself, it is only a matter of time before Maschenny becomes a powerhouse without equal. My people have also deconstructed the enchantment placed upon the Rice Pot, so, once she is ready, Maschenny will also be able to undergo Revolution."Blinking in surprise, Eduan sat a little straighter in his chair as he asked, "You managed to crack one of the Workshop's enchantments? The Hell Train and Rice Pot were created under the supervision of Macseth himself. You're telling me you have people capable of analyzing and emulating one of the Workshop's greatest masterpieces in what, six months? I find that pretty hard to believe, even if you seem to be telling the truth..."Resisting the urge to chortle in response to Eduan's suspicion, Vahn did the exact opposite of the former, leaning back in his chair as he said, "As someone who has experienced Revolution, you are welcome to confirm it for yourself. Truth be told, the Workshop's understanding of magical systems is extremely shallow compared to the standards of the Aldrnari Empire. There are people on my end capable of creating planets, stars, and even universes if given enough time. As for the Workshop, it has become too deeply embroiled in the politics of the Tower. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before the organization destroys itself from the inside. An appropriate end for a group irreversibly tainted by Jahad's ideals and ambitions..."Frowning deeply in response to Vahn's words, Eduan leaned forward with his elbows on the table as he asked, "If you have people on your side with that much power, what reason do you have to enter the Hidden Floor? What's preventing you from just rushing up the Tower and breaking through the top floor right this instant?"Leaning forward to meet the man's gaze, Vahn's expression and tone became serious as he stated, "Questions like that prove just how ignorant you and the other 'Great Warriors' are. You see, there are Laws that govern each reality, and, while it is possible for those with substantial power to bend them, circumventing them is another matter entirely. This is where the misconception that only an Axis User can defeat another Axis User originates. In reality, the only thing that matters is authority. Chung is a good example of this. He is remarkably weak as a person, yet, when provided with the authority of a Big Breeder, he is practically a God amongst normal Data Humans. Another example is the Tower itself. Without rules and Laws that heavily favor Irregulars, do you really think you, Jahad, and the other Great Warriors could have risen to prominence in such a short period of time? No, you were aided by the system and provided an absurd number of advantages thanks to the Workshop. If you had existed in a different reality, one where you were not favored by the Laws and Fate, even a child incapable of doing a single push-up might be able to erase you with a snap of their fingers. You can argue all you like, but, considering you have a pill that can literally format the entirety of the Hidden Floor on your person, anything you might say would only make you seem a greater fool."Resenting Vahn's admonishing tone, thick bands of lightning began to emanate from Eduan's body even as his mind rationalized the former's words. He found that he couldn't really deny what Vahn was saying, as, prior to the creation of the Hidden Hidden Floor, he had enjoyed the 'authority' of a system administrator. He used to be able to freely create people, generate terrain, and control the weather with a few simple commands, so, while it was hard to imagine something similar occurring in the 'real' world, it wasn't impossible. For all he knew, the Tower was just a simulation created by an Axis User, as, based on what Vahn had revealed about 'Higher Realms', he could be certain that someone or something was in control.With the lightning gradually dying down, Eduan's expression became serious as he said, "Very well then...I will choose to believe your words. As you said, there is no sense in arguing when I have the option of confirming things for myself. How about you produce my daughter and then explain the process of how we can acquire bodies of our own? Isn't that the reason you came here?"Relaxing into his chair, Vahn's severe expression melted away as he nodded his head and explained, "That's one of the reasons. Before that, I wanted to ask how your little meeting with Jahad went. I'm curious to see whether or not you will tell the truth or try to keep things hidden."As Vahn had already revealed his ability to know a person's thoughts, Eduan wasn't surprised by the sudden mention of his liaison with Jahad. He actually thought this was the reason for Vahn's anger, so, without hesitation, he revealed, "Yeah, we had a few drinks together. What of it? If you really do possess the ability to read a person's thoughts, you should be able to confirm that I didn't say or do anything that could be misconstrued as betraying our partnership. If anything, I tried lending you a hand by convincing him to meet you directly. I figure, the faster we wrap things up here, the sooner I can return to the Tower and stretch my legs. That should be what you want as well, right?"Though the account wasn't entirely accurate, Vahn chose not to press the matter as he manifested the Little Garden and checked on Maschenny's status. Unsurprisingly, he found the girl beaten and bloody at the end of a ditch formed from her own crash landing. Thus, rather than calling her out, he sent Scathach a telepathic message to clean her up before returning his attention to Eduan and saying, "It will take a few minutes for them to wrap up their training session. Until then, I'll explain the procedure of transplanting your Ego into a Gigai and the benefits associated with accepting my Blessing as the God of Infinite Possibilities..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sauce Energy wins the day~','Doctor Octogonopus! Blaaaaaah~!','Buying time to hide the evidence xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1923: Parallel Race Against Time