Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having been keeping a close watch, not just on Vahn's, but of Yuri's progress, Maschenny was well aware of the seventy-two-hour time period he had allotted for each Floor. She also knew he had a way to drastically increase a person's power in a remarkably short period of time, so, with the hours counting down towards his inevitable departure, she was beginning to feel a little anxious.After hearing about Yuri's exploits, Maschenny was absolutely certain that she and Vahn had finally done the deed. She even suspected that he had visited Yuri immediately followed their encounter, as, shortly thereafter, the latter departed the 50th Floor. This notion made her feel more than a little annoyed, but, thinking this was a 'test' of sorts, she decided not to pursue the matter. Instead, she immediately moved to her current location on the 60th Floor, fully expecting Vahn to seek her out.Unfortunately, even after the passage of sixty-five-hours, Vahn had made no efforts to contact her. This was unbelievably frustrating, not because she feared another Princess might get ahead of her, but because she had been ignoring most of her actual duties in order to make herself available to Vahn. There was even growing dissent among the Princesses that had previously joined her faction, so, if she didn't make headway soon, conflict was bound to break out amidst the members of their respective groups...Staring at her naked figure, reflected in the faces of an ornate tri-fold mirror, Maschenny couldn't help but frown as traced the lines of her own body and remarked, "I don't understand...if not for my status as a Princess, the number of people aspiring to become my lover might equal the number of men in the Tower. What does he see in someone like Yuri that he doesn't see in me? That bimbo is always causing trouble without thinking about the consequences...I just don't get it..."Despite Vahn's actual explanation and words of warning, Maschenny didn't believe he actually held her nature against her. If that were the case, he wouldn't associate with her, and, more importantly, he never would have accepted someone like Pram. That woman had a kill-count in the seven digits, so, if murderous tendencies were a factor, Vahn would have done away with them both. Instead, he demonstrated an open appreciation for her beauty, and, were it not for her status, Maschenny was certain he would have ravished her without hesitation...With her eyes wandering to the simple yet indescribably complex seal on her back, a sigh escaped Maschenny's mouth as she muttered, "Maybe he is expecting me to give up my status as a Princess and set aside my ambitions? I suppose that would make sense if his assertions regarding the worlds beyond the Tower are genuine...that would also explain how he won over characters like Ureko and Yuri with such ease. The only thing those airheads care about is their own freedom..."Imagining the scene of Yuri and Ureko flaunting their power and battlefields far beyond the Tower, a slight bitterness replaced the listlessness in Maschenny's expression. The only thing she genuinely cared about was having a battlefield of her own to fight on. She wanted to cut loose without regard for the consequences, and, even if it cost her the very head on her shoulders, she would die happily so long as she got to enjoy herself in the moments prior...Remembering Vahn's promise regarding countless powerful opponents, a sudden desire to cut ties with everyone in the Tower abruptly crossed Maschenny's mind. She had never been fond of things like politics, and, though she had taken an interest in various people, there were none she wouldn't sacrifice in her attempts to instigate war and incite chaos. Even her 'precious' younger brother was no exception to this, and, if it meant being able to cut loose as much as she wanted, treason against the Empire wasn't off the table...Startling her back to awareness, the mirrors encircling Maschenny promptly shattered as a result of her aura leaking out. A few of the fragments ended up striking her body, but, due to her monstrous endurance and equally terrifying durability, even the largest pieces bounced from her body without marring her inordinately fair skin.With bands of blue electricity dancing across her body, a smile developed across Maschenny's face as an eagerness she had long-suppressed began to well up inside her. As far as she was concerned, there were only two options available to her in the present moment. She could lower her head and commit to convincing Vahn to accept her, or, more interestingly, she could skip all the complicated matters and begin making arrangements to explore foreign worlds. There was nothing requiring her to capitulate to Vahn, and, so long as he wasn't lying, the way forward would soon be open to all. It might require her to be reborn if she wanted to move ahead without him, but, so long as she wasn't born into a shitty situation from the start, that could be pretty interesting in its own way.Weighing the two options, Maschenny realized that the decision before her was basically choosing between following Vahn and blazing her own trail. The former all but guaranteed she would be able to encounter monstrously powerful opponents, but the latter guaranteed that she would be able to remain independent, potentially through multiple incarnations. In the simplest possible terms, what she was choosing between was a 'fast track' that guaranteed success and a completely random set of circumstances that might prevent her from ever reaching the top.Though others might be terrified of the latter, an excited smile appeared on Maschenny's face as she observed her reflection in the shattered mirror. Sure, she might be forced to experience some setbacks, and, depending on her circumstances, she might even be raped and murdered before she ever got a chance to grow. Still, so long as she had her memories, drive, and willpower, it was only a matter of time before she eventually clawed her way to the top. Setbacks? Who gave a damn about such things. She had already experienced one life on easy mode, so, while she had yet to give up on Vahn, the notion of following obediently in his wake no longer existed within her mind...---With the Law of Identity loitering about in the form of Maschenny, Vahn was immediately informed of her decision the moment she had made it. This surprised him quite a bit, but, rather than feeling upset, he was actually happy for her. The trait he admired most in women was their independence, so, while he had never expected her to simply fall in line, it was a relief to know she wasn't placing her entire future on his shoulders.Sensing her Master's thoughts, Fenrir, who had been lying with her head in his lap, lifted her head to ask, "Did something good happen?"Without going into the specifics, Vahn nodded in response to Fenrir's inquiry, a persistent smile on his face as he mused, "It's always refreshing to see someone setting out on a new path...I'll have to think of a proper reward to send them off..."Though she could guess what he was thinking, Fenrir willfully allowed her train of thought to slip away as she cocked her head adorably to the side. This caused the smile on Vahn's face to become more prominent, and, as anticipated, he immediately began to fluff up her hair and ears...---Having failed to block Yuri's path on the 62nd Floor, Hendo Lok Lotte Jahad, accompanied by her team, ultimately decided to continue along their journey. This invariably brought them to the 60th Floor's 'City of Eternal Ice, Ancewell', and, though he had always been her objective, Lotte was now looking forward to meeting with Vahn more than ever before.Though it had been kept under wraps, Vahn's act of saving the youth belonging to the Hendo Lok Family had not gone unreported. What made this incident worth keeping under wraps was the fact that, prior to his release, the youth had received a treatment that both restored his vitality as well as increased his strength. This was a truly extraordinary development, and, despite being selfish to the point of cursing his entire family just to extend his life, the Leader of the Hendo Lok Family, Hendo Lok Bloodmadder, had never given up searching for a solution to the curse he had wrought upon his descendants.Originally, Bloodmadder had been intending to reach out to Vahn at the same time as the other Family Leaders, but, due to a lack of presence in the lower Floors, he had been unable to send a suitable representative. Most of his children had rather grotesque physical flaws due to the curse, so, even if he wanted to send someone sooner, he was afraid Vahn might turn them away without a second thought.Fortunately, the man was rather notorious for his appreciation of beautiful women, so, even if she was a little late, Bloodmadder was confident that his daughter would be able to 'convince' the man to aid them. Her status as a Princess might complicate matters, but, with her entire team consisting of rather remarkable beauties, several of which Bloodmadder had personally considered bedding, it was his best option. As for why he wanted to keep the matter under wraps, it was largely due to his desire for revenge against the families who had ostracized and treated his own as less than human...Drawing the eyes of virtually every permanent and temporary residence of Ancewell, Lotte walked through the city streets wearing an outfit identical to the one she had worn during her battle with Yuri. In other words, while everyone else was wearing winter clothing, she was walking around in an outfit some might not even consider appropriate as underwear. Despite this, none of the observing pedestrians were foolish enough to approach her, as, embroidered on her shoulders and back were a familiar three-eyed symbol. This was none other than the Symbol of the King, so, even if she was a fake, nobody wanted to risk antagonizing someone bold enough to posture as a Princess of Jahad.Paying no heed to her surroundings, Lotte continued forward at the direction of her Guide, a Silver Dwarf named Tully. Like most Silver Dwarves, she had silver hair and matching eyes, but, rather than appearing as a child, she was actually 154cm tall. This had, ironically, resulted in her being teased as a child, so, when it came time for Lotte to receive a Guide, Tully volunteered to join the inordinately tall woman without hesitation. Since then, they had gotten along very well, as, unlike the majority of Jahad's Princesses, Lotte was relatively docile until someone riled her up...As that thought crossed her mind, Tully's brows furrowed as her instincts as a Guide spontaneously activated. At nearly that exact same moment, a child-like woman wearing black and red attire that seemed out of place anywhere in the Tower stepped out of a shop. Immediately thereafter, her red eyes darted towards their group, a taunting smile developing across her face as she remarked, "Oh? I never expected to encounter a giantess with exhibitionist tendencies. The diversity of the Tower is truly remarkable."Though she would have normally ignored such a remark, the feeling Lotte was receiving from the petite woman was remarkably similar to her kin. They were a family that specialized in forbidden techniques related to blood and slaughter, so, even when they weren't in an active state, there was always an atmosphere of foreboding surrounding them. This sentiment became stronger the more bloodshed they had experienced, so, more often than not, you could determine the strength of a member of the Hendo Lok Family based on the bloody aura lingering around their body.Sensing an aura reminiscent of her father emanating from the youthful-looking girl, Lotte's body became tense as she forced herself to the front of her party and asked, "Who are you? Based on your previous remark, you shouldn't be a resident of the Tower. Are you one of the Sage Dragon Emperor's companions?"Smiling in response to Lotte's defensive actions, the petite woman removed the military-style cap mounted atop her raven-black hair before placing it over her chest and performing a slight bow as she mused, "Forgive my manners. My name is Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga. Judging by that symbol on your shoulders, I can assume you are a Princess of Jahad, right? Tell me, what business does an exhibitionist Princess have with that philandering husband of mine? I'm really quite curious~"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The original title is a reference to a Silver Dwarf's ability to see the crossroads of fate','Fenrir cares not for the thot. Pet is love. Master is life.','Is this one of those legendary 'fated encounters'!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Hearing Nobunaga implicitly introducing herself as Vahn's wife, Lotte, Tully, and the rest of her team were, understandably, at a loss for words.Though there was a lot of discussion regarding the people related to Vahn and the Aldrnari Empire, no substantial information had been regarding any of them. They rarely made public appearances, and, even when people were bold enough to try and approach them, they would either be ignored or assaulted. Thus, with the exception of a few names, nobody knew what status or position each of the people appearing around Vahn held.Noticing the 'skepticism' contained within the group's gaze, Nobunaga squinted her eyes without losing her predatory smile. This caused Lotte, in particular, to tense up, but, rather than attacking, Nobunaga just shrugged her shoulders before pivoting on her heel and stating, "I don't like being followed." without bothering to look over her shoulder.Fearing the loss of their only lead, the ground around Lotte collapsed as her figure vanished from view. In the next instant, she was standing in front of Nobunaga, arms spread as she said, "Please, don't go. There are-"Without waiting for the woman to finish her words, Nobunaga manifested a scarlet tanegashima-style matchlock rifle out of thin air, the tip of its barrel resting on the former's head as she said, "I hate being blocked even more."Punctuating her words, Nobunaga pulled the trigger without a moment's hesitation. Rather than blowing off Lotte's head, however, the giant woman's body slumped to the ground as a phantom version of herself stumbled backward before plopping onto the ground. This particular version of Nobunaga's rifle had an effect similar to the items used in Bleach to separate a person's spirit from their physical body. Since most people were incapable of interacting with the physical world whilst in a spiritual state, it was one of the most effective ways to deal with troublesome opponents, and, most importantly, it was suitable for revealing the 'true natures' of certain beings.Though Lotte's form didn't change in the slightest, there was a blood-red tattoo reminiscent of a spined serpent coiling around and covering most of her body. Even more noticeable, however, was the three-eyed symbol engraved beneath her abdomen and the visible cracks present all across her arms, legs, and, most notably, the left side of her face.Demonstrating comparable surprise to Lotte herself, Nobunaga's brows were raised to an almost comical extent as she remarked, "Wow, you're pretty fucked up, aren't you? Is this the influence of Jahad's Blood Curse?'Before Lotte could even think to answer, a branching crimson spear attempted to skewer Nobunaga from behind. To the surprise of the person throwing it, however, each of the laser-like points ended up being reflected after contacting a series of invisible swords, spears, and, of course, guns. Then, as a series of explosions erupted in the surroundings, leveling several buildings and sending countless pedestrians fleeing for their lives, a pulse of blood-red energy cleared the area around Nobunaga as she asked, "Are you daft? What kind of idiot fires off an AoE ability in the middle of a population center? Are you trying to piss me off?"With the upper half of a vicious-looking red skeleton protecting her body and a pattern reminiscent of a six-pointed star replacing her previous cat-like pupils, Nobunaga stepped forward with a sword in hand. If her opponents wanted to fight, there was no way in hell she was going to just walk away, so, depending on their response, she was prepared to cut them down without mercy.Unfortunately, as soon as that thought crossed her mind, a 'very' familiar figure appeared right in front of her, asking, "What's going on here? Are these people giving you trouble?" with a somber expression on his face.Feeling as if someone had just blown a hole in her sails, an exasperated sigh escaped Nobunaga's throat as she allowed her variation of the Susanno, aptly designated as the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, to dissipate whilst explaining, "I think these brats were looking for you. Unfortunately, they have about as much tact and sense as a stone thrown by a rioteer. They tried to block my path, and, even though I attempted to settle things without a loss of life, that amazon-looking chick nuked the place."With Nobunaga pointing directly at her, the Spearbearer of Lotte's team, a dark-skinned woman with red hair named Leona, exclaimed, "You attacked first!" while readying her oversized spear in hand.Frowning in response to the moderately muscular woman's words, Vahn immediately took Nobu's side on the matter, as, despite her nature, she didn't go out of her way to start fights. If they were blocking her path, she had every right to take the initiative to defend herself. It didn't matter if the group just wanted to talk. If she wasn't willing to humor them, they had no right to force her to stay and listen.Before the red-headed woman could even finish brandishing her spear, Vahn appeared right in front of her, seizing it from her hands as he said, "If you continue displaying hostility, I will respond in kind. This is the middle of a city. You're not the one who has to fix things once the battle ends. If you can't control your power and are unwilling to use it responsibly, it can and will be taken away from you..."Though the indignant look on her face made it pretty clear she wanted to say something, Tully did her best to deescalate things by shouting, "Leona! That's enough! We didn't come here to fight!" in a harsh, chiding, tone. This was surprisingly enough to completely cow the woman, her expression morphing from anger to nervousness as she replied, "But they attacked first..." in a meek tone that didn't suit her rather fierce, warrior-like, appearance in the slightest.Answering in response to Leona's mutterings, it was Lotte who stated, "I'm fine, Leo. Please stand down. Tully is right. We didn't come here to fight. We came here to ask for help. How can we expect the Sage Dragon Emperor to lend his assistance if we're insistent on attacking his wife? Please don't make things any more complicated than they already are..."Hanging her head in response to Lotte's words, a depressive atmosphere immediately descended upon Leo as she exclaimed, "I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" before bowing so hastily that she nearly headbutt Vahn in the chest. Fortunately for the befuddled redhead, Vahn was easily able to evade this, and, shortly thereafter, tensions between the two groups began to settle as he opted to hear Lotte's explanation of the circumstances...---As tempting as the proposal was, Vahn ended up agreeing to Lotte's request while concurrently refusing her 'services'. She was a remarkably beautiful woman, sure, but, the moment he started treating people on the premise that he expected 'favors' in return, he would doubtlessly begin to accrue negative karma. Healing people was something he genuinely enjoyed, so, while there were times when he had made exceptions, specifically related to events in Danmachi, the gratitude of his patients was more than enough as payment.Fortunately for Lotte's group, Vahn did allow them to stay within the Little Garden for a short while, and, as part of playing host, he afforded them the opportunity to sample foods provided courtesy of Rindo. He enjoyed seeing the reactions of people who were eating Rindo's cooking for the first time, and, though some of their responses inspired lascivious thoughts, it was a truly eye-opening experience for all parties involved. After all, even though it was relatively simple-looking food, the meals prepared by Rindo had the potential of, quite literally, increasing the power and potential of the beneficiary. The only downside was, after eating such a delicious meal, other food would taste comparably bland for upwards of three months...After experiencing Rindo's food for themselves, Lotte's team genuinely considered whether or not they should request permission to stay in the Little Garden. They didn't really have anything going on in the Tower, and, due to her status as the only main-line descendant chosen as a Princess in the last five-thousand-years, Lotte was generally disallowed to participate in any major conflicts. Her life and status were of paramount importance to the Hendo Lok Family, so, while it was bound to result in a number of rumors proliferating through the Tower, there were a lot of justifications for why she should stay in the Little Garden. It might very well be the most secure place in the entire Tower, and, most importantly, everyone who had spent any considerable length of time with Vahn had emerged noticeably stronger.The only issue, at least from their perspective, was that they had no legitimate reason to make such a request. Vahn had already refused Lotte's 'services', so, with nothing to really offer him in the way of payment, asking to stay in the Little Garden was the same as asking Vahn to protect and provide for them without receiving any benefits. This was inconceivable in the minds of the group that had lived for a combined 11,318 years, so, for the better part of their week-long stay, each of them had been looking for anything that could be used as leverage in their favor. Tully even floated the idea of joining the research team, but, after learning that the majority of their members had an ongoing physical relationship with Vahn, asking to join could be misunderstood as them trying to force their way into his bed...Fortunately, while the rest of her team was searching for justifications that might allow her to reside within the Little Garden, Lotte had been getting along rather splendidly with several residents of the Emerald Grove. In particular, she felt a certain kinship towards Mash, and, though their training was what some would refer to as hellish, Lotte had been having a little too much fun strengthening her body using the unique cultivation technique Vahn had bequeathed unto her. As for why he would give her such a thing, it was partly due to the sincerity she had shown after he treated her eye and removed the curse from her body. As for the actual reason, it was because the blemish on her eye and the tears she shed after the fact reminded him a lot of Hephaestus...As more and more time passed since his departure from Danmachi, Vahn's sentiments towards the family he had left behind only became stronger. This resulted in moments where he was completely overwhelmed by nostalgia, and, more often than not, this was more than enough reason for him to change how he viewed particular people. In this regard, Lotte had hit the proverbial lottery, as, not only did her reaction remind him of Hephaestus, the situation she had been born into and the life she lived till now was rife with tragedy. Despite this, she forced herself to stay positive, and, though she had lashed out at Yuri when the latter had just become a Ranker, she had never harbored any actual hatred towards her. Rather, she was envious of Yuri's freedom, as, despite being a Defender, she had been forced to live an extremely sheltered life from the moment she became a Princess of Jahad.With all these factors liking up like sevens on a slot machine, Lotte had found herself in the rather enviable position of receiving Vahn's favor without the latter having any expectations from her. If anything, he just wanted her to be happy, so, even if she chose to spend the remainder of her days resting peacefully within the Little Garden, he wouldn't mind at all. Instead, she chose to make the most of her remaining time within his realm, constantly forcing her body beyond its limits before she and Mash bonded like sisters within a pool of literal magma...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Boom, headshot~!','Vahn is like a father taking away a disobedient child's toys xD...','Lotte's Luck stat must be through the roof...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After three weeks of meandering through the Middle Tower, Vahn, accompanied by a large group of inordinately beautiful women, arrived on the 60th Floor. This instantly drew the attention of their surroundings, but, after a small incident on the 56th Floor, none of them were foolish enough to try and directly approach Vahn and his entourage.Having committed the names of faces of each person to memory, paparazzi included, Vahn nodded in the direction of his group, saying, "Same as usual. Stay within 10,000km and make sure to report within fifteen minutes of every hour."With most of the group nodding in affirmation, Vahn offered a smile before fixing his gaze on the nervous-looking Mordred and adding, "If you break this one, you're grounded until the 77th Floor. Fenrir, keep an eye on her for me."Though she would have liked to explore the snow-covered Floor alongside her Master, Fenrir didn't hesitate to thump her chest, stating, "Leave it to me!" in a spirited tone. As for Mordred, she ended up releasing an exasperated sigh, not because she was especially embarrassed about breaking her previous two Avatars, but because Fenrir was bound to report her the moment she broke the rules...To counter the growing unrest among residents of the Emerald Grove, Vahn, alongside members of the R&D Division, had been working on a number of projects. The largest of these involved creating a Floating Fortress to serve as a Teleportation Hub with infinite range, but, without ownership of the affected space, this was easier said than done. Fortunately, Urahara had made a substantial number of breakthroughs in the production of Gigais. This, combined with an absurdly complex possession spell, allowed the residents of the Little Garden to pilot faux bodies without placing their true selves at risk.The only downside was that the aforementioned process required Vahn to act as an antenna, and, the moment anyone ventured beyond his broadcast range, their extremely difficult to manufacture Avatars would immediately implode before dissolving into nothingness. This function was intended as a failsafe in the event an enemy tried to capture them; but, due to her penchant for sneaking into restricted areas, Mordred ended up losing both of her previous Avatars. Such places were generally isolated from the surrounding space via special formations or barriers, so, the moment she stepped inside, both had been instantaneously destroyed...Ruffling the two girls' hair, Vahn wished them well before seeing off the rest of the 'explorer group'. Then, with Artoria and Gray following close behind, both attired in regal-looking mantles lined with fluffy white fur, he proceeded to explore the Gateport in search of a temporary residence. Everyone had agreed upon a seventy-two-hour exploration period, so, while it wasn't absolutely necessary, it was his habit to choose a destination to serve as a primary hub of sorts. It also provided him with a place to meet with people who were trying to contact him, so, for the better part of three hours, he simply wandered around with Artoria and Gray as his company.In the end, it was Gray who chose a rather unique pavilion comprised almost entirely of ice as their temporary residence. From the outside, it looked like the type of castle you would find in a fantasy Record related to an Ice Witch or a Snow Queen. As for the inside, there were beautiful statues and even furniture carved from crystal-clear ice, each perennially preserved due to rune-like inscriptions carved into their surface. Similar runes helped to insulate the interior, so, despite being comprised almost entirely of ice, their room ended up being quite warm.Fortunately, as novel as the premise of an all-ice pavilion was, the furniture intended for guests was comprised of more conventional materials. Few people enjoyed sleeping on frigid slabs of ice, so, as could be expected, the bed, bath, and toilet were all relatively normal.Finished with his exploration of their penthouse suite, Vahn rejoined Artoria and Gray in the living room before asking, "So? What do you think of the Floor thus far?"Without sugarcoating things in the slightest, Artoria immediately answered, "It feels like a powder keg. I'm not sure if it is due to our presence, but the tensions of the citizenry are inordinately high. I also noticed a number of people keeping tabs on us when we were shopping. Judging by their hair and eye color, I would assume they are members of the Khun Family."Having already confirmed a few things with the Law of Identity, Vahn ultimately nodded his head in response, explaining, "Though he has yet to complete the Position Exam, news of the second Eduan has already reached the Khun Family. The original Eduan doesn't seem all that concerned. Quite the contrary. Instead, these tensions are the result of friction between the major, minor, and illegitimate factions comprising the Khun Family."Lowering her head slightly, a pensive look developed across Artoria's face as she contemplated the broader implications and ramifications of Vahn's words. She knew he wasn't really testing her, but, at times like this, she felt compelled to choose her words carefully. There were times when he relied on her counsel more than his own intuition, so, while it might not make much of a difference in the long run, she wanted to provide proper feedback and advice.Understanding Artoria's thoughts, even without the Law of Identity, Vahn enjoyed the tea offered to him by Gray in silence. If he were being honest, the politics and power struggles of the Khun Family didn't interest him in the slightest. Such things were better left to people like Aguero and Eduan 2.0 to deal with. He had no intention of siding with any particular faction, so, if he were to intervene, his only reason for doing so would be to protect minors. Even this wasn't ideal, however, as, regardless of how they were being treated, most children wouldn't want to be separated from their parents...Finished with organizing her thoughts, Artoria adopted a serious expression as she asked, "Is that woman, Maschenny, not around?"Nodding his head, Vahn explained, "She is, indeed, nearby. Her presence is one of the underlying reasons for the current tensions between the various factions. It is also the reason why nobody has tried to approach us just yet. There are a lot of rumors regarding my relationship with Maschenny, so, until they can confirm her stance, approaching us is exceptionally risky."Though a contemptuous glimmer flashed across her eyes at the mention of the word 'relationship', Artoria ultimately just nodded her head before suggesting, "It seems the time has come for you to force that woman's hand. She is bound to cause trouble if you just leave her be. Putting her on the spot and having her prove herself by resolving the matters of her family might be the ideal solution to the current situation..."Despite the suggestion coming from her own mouth, Artoria didn't seem particularly convinced by her words. More specifically, she felt that the actual 'ideal' solution was to defeat Eduan and simply install someone new to govern the Khun Family. Any meaningful involvement with them was bound to bring trouble, not because Vahn was incapable of settling things, but because thousands of years of corruption wouldn't simply vanish because someone put their foot down.Having noticed the contempt and uncertainty in Artoria's gaze, Vahn adopted a stern expression of his own, ordering, "Speak truthfully. What are you thinking?" in a firm tone.Responding with a serious and dutiful expression, Artoria was one-step shy of a full salute as she promptly replied, "Now that you have made the decision to accelerate your progress through the Tower, I believe it is counter-intuitive to involve yourself with the affairs of the Great Families and their dissidents. I'm not saying you should ignore them completely. Rather, I'm suggesting you cut the head of the snake rather than trying to strangle its tail..."Nodding his head in approval, Vahn extended his hand to caress Artoria's as he said, "I was thinking the same thing. I'm not particularly fond of the current Maschenny, and, while that might change at some point in the future, I have no intention of going out of my way to provide her opportunities. If she truly wished to obtain my favor, she would take the initiative to resolve things like this. Thus, for the time being, I have no intention of approaching her. If she can't figure that out before I deal with Eduan directly...well, it's not like there isn't another Maschenny..."Though the last part was intended as a joke, Vahn earned himself an accusatory stare from Artoria even as she nestled a little closer to him. She wasn't particularly bothered by the rapid expansion of his harem, but, if possible, she would prefer it if he didn't arbitrarily include every beautiful or tragic woman he met as a candidate...---Sneezing despite the fact it was a summerlike 33 degrees, Maschenny took a moment to cautiously inspect her surroundings before continuing to grill a massive slab of meat harvested from a magical beast the size of a Rhinocerous. Unfortunately, despite investing a considerable amount of Variable Experience into the associated skill, everything she cooked tasted absolutely terrible...Recalling the taste of the meals periodically provided to her by Vahn, a loud grumbling emanated from Maschenny's stomach as a tired sigh escaped her throat. Immediately thereafter, an intense killing intent descended upon her, but, rather than taking evasive action, she grumbled, "Go ahead. Even if you kill me, it's not like it's permanent."Appearing from within a bloody-red vortex, Scathach unhesitantly pierced Maschenny's shoulder with her spear, but, in spite of this, the latter simply grimaced while continuing to grill her meat. Her pain tolerance had increased to a ridiculous extent over the past few months, so, even if it felt like her entire body was being gnawed on by voracious ants, she managed to appear relatively unfazed.Realizing Maschenny was in one of her obstinate moods, Scathach unceremoniously extricated her spear from the girl's shoulder before shaking her head and admonishing, "Even if you know you will not die, casting aside your fear of death is rarely a good thing. With this kind of uncaring mentality, you will never be able to surpass your other self..."Rolling her eyes in response to Scathach's words, Maschenny tore away a piece of charred meat with her bare hands, tossing it into her mouth before replying, "That isn't for you to decide. So long as I continue moving forward, it is only a matter of time before I surpass my original. The only thing that can interfere with this inevitability is Vahn himself. Even then, so long as he doesn't give her the same opportunities, I'm confident that I'll be able to defeat her. You might act like a robot, but your skill with the spear is the real deal. Once I master your teachings, even my father might not be able to stand against me."Despite Maschenny sugarcoating her words with a compliment, Scathach's expression remained unchanged as she dispersed her spear and sat down on one of the felled logs serving as the only furniture in the former's make-shift shelter. Then, earning a predatory glare from the pale-haired Princess, she pulled out a series of dragon skewers hand-grilled by Rindo. This caused a salivating aroma to spread throughout the relatively small cave, and, as a result, Maschenny actually felt a little sick as the comparably disgusting meat she had just swallowed settled in her stomach. Then, after a prolonged back and forth, following by a period of negotiation, her training, once again, resumed...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'F in the chat for all the disappointed asphyxiation fetishists?','Speedrunner Vahn ain't got time for no side quests...!','Taming: 94% Complete')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1966: Crossroads