Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having reached an agreement with the leadership of the 4th Army Corps, Vahn entered the Little Garden to find Kallavan's unconscious body surrounded by numerous petite figures with dark-skin, various shades of green hair, and inordinately long, elf-like, ears.Sensing Vahn's presence, each of the girls, including the one who had been jabbing Kallavan with a stick, immediately abandoned the unconscious man in order to flock around him. In response, Vahn attempted to pacify them with head pats, but, as was often the case, he ultimately ended up being forced to the ground as the child-like Spirits attempted to climb all over his body.Fortunately, almost immediately after Vahn had been tackled to the ground, the sensual sound of a mature woman's voice could be heard echoing through the surroundings, saying, "Now, now, girls. What have I told you about inconveniencing your father when he is busy? Run along now."Though a few appeared reluctant, each of the Spirits promptly disappeared once an inordinately beautiful woman with fair skin, chestnut brown hair, and deep purple eyes manifested from within the void. This allowed Vahn to roll to a seated position, an appreciative smile developing across his face as he said, "Good morning, Rose. How are you feeling today?"Returning a smile of her own, Rose leisured approached Vahn's side, replying, "I'm better now." as a series of large, thorn-covered, vines pushed him to his feet. Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, she wrapped her arms around his body before promptly placing her head against his chest. This caused several lingering Spirits to cry out in protest, but, as if she were oblivious to their protestations, Rose continued enjoying Vahn's warmth for several seconds before explaining, "That man attempted to assault Noelle. I don't believe he intended to harm her, but that doesn't absolve him of guilt. Anyone who would default to taking hostages without first attempting to understand the situation isn't a good person..."Seeing the rather dangerous glimmer in Rose's eyes, Vahn took the initiative to hold her head against his chest, gently caressing her fragrant hair as he said, "Don't worry. Once this is all over with, he'll never be allowed access to the First Layer. Rather, unless there are some extenuating circumstances, you won't have to worry about seeing him in the Little Garden."Though she wasn't completely satisfied with the outcome, Rose still nodded in response to Vahn's words. The decision was ultimately his to make, and, while she disdained anyone with the audacity to attack one of her 'children', she was willing to drop the matter since nobody had been hurt...Feeling thorn-covered vines gradually coiling around his legs, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "I'll pay a visit to the City of Flowers a little later. For now, I still have other matters to attend. If you keep this up, the others are going to pout."Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Rose gave his body one final squeeze before releasing him to reply, "I'll hold you to your word. Don't keep us waiting for too long."With that said, the roses comprising Rose's garments began to rapidly flake away, but, before the tantalizing flesh beneath could be revealed, so too did her actual body. In the end, the only thing that remained in her wake was a circular pattern of rose petals, as, like the other World Tree Spirits, Rose's actual body had been elsewhere. In fact, she was the Spirit of the World Tree that dominated the centermost island. This actually made her the youngest among the other Spirits, but, in spite of this, everyone called her Mother since she served as the center of their formation and represented the literal 'heart' of the Little Garden's Nine Layers.As the pale-purple petals in the surrounding slowly melted away like fresh snow, Vahn walked over to where Kallavan was still lying unconscious. Then, after suppressing the urge to unceremoniously kick the man awake, he bent down to press his middle and index finger between the man's brows, a thin thread of energy emerging from the very tips of his fingers.Startling awake, Kallavan's blue eyes locked onto Vahn, but, despite his best efforts, he found that he was unable to move so much as a single muscle. He couldn't even breathe of his own accord, and, were it not for Vahn manually controlling the expansion and contraction of his diaphragm, it wouldn't be long before he died from asphyxiation. He no longer had the blessings of Shinsu, so, while his body was unbelievably powerful compared to the average person, he was considerably more 'mortal' than before.Since he didn't really care about Kallavan's excuses, Vahn prevented the man from speaking as he plainly remarked, "It's a curious thing, really...for some reason, whenever someone loses power they acquired using underhanded means, they always default to acting like skittish thugs and cowards. I wonder...how does it feel to be on the receiving end of someone else's 'magnanimity'. Do you think the people you murdered at Jahad's behest felt this way before you unceremoniously killed them?"Unable to respond, all Kallavan could do was glare back at Vahn with hate-filled eyes. At the same time, however, his chaotic aura noticeably mellowed. He might have been blinded by his power, but he wasn't a fool. He could see the reason contained within Vahn's words, so, while he couldn't help but resent the 'arrogant' God, it didn't prevent him from reflecting on his past actions.Nodding in approval, Vahn resisted the urge to give Kallavan's face a few smacks as he pulled the man up by his collar and said, "I already spoke with your people. Things aren't going to be easy for you moving forward, but, even without the Essence of Bravery, you're still a High Ranker. If you put in the effort, you might even surpass your previous self in power. This time, however, I would advise you to spend some time trying to empathize with those who have chosen to follow you. They might be a bunch of misfits, but there are some good people supporting you. If you learn to treat them as equals, rather than servants, you will all be stronger for it."Finished with what he wanted to say, Vahn allowed feeling and control to return to Kallavan's body before subsequently ejecting him from the Little Garden. Elpathion, Cheonhee, and Sharon were all waiting for him on the outside, so, even though he was still severely injured, he wouldn't be left to fend for himself. He would also be able to use Shinsu again, so, by this time tomorrow, there was a chance he would be fully recovered.With that out of the way, Vahn smacked his hands together a few times before promptly teleporting to one of the most secretive and secure regions of the Little Garden, a sub-texture between the First and Second Layers. Here, a total of 289 World Tree Spirits had taken up residence, and, as a result of being located within Rose's body, the interior resembled the nook of a tree with countless flowering plants and trees. The latter served as the abodes of the various residents, but, with flowers covering virtually every surface, the remarkably beautiful and fragrant sub-texture had come to be known as the City of Flowers.Reacting to Vahn's sudden appearance, several dozen child-like Dryads and a number of different kinds of fae began to flock towards him with expectant smiles on their faces. This caused the smile on Vahn's face to twitch, as, despite their individual charms, being flocked by a veritable horde of 'lolis' could be quite stressful. They had no concept of personal space, so, whenever he visited the City of Flowers, it was only ever a matter of time before they swarmed him like bees to honey...Fortunately, just as a few palm-sized Pixies attempted to claim Vahn's head as their domain, Rose promptly manifested out of thin air, deftly plucking a squirrel-sized dragon with insect-like wings from his body before saying, "Behave. You will have plenty of time to play later. For now, let Vahn relax. If we're too forceful, we'll end up scaring him off..."Since it couldn't speak, the miniature dragon just flicked its tongue towards Rose as the swarming Fae reluctantly dispersed. The only ones who chose to remain were those who had already claimed a part of Vahn as their perch. This included three diminutive pixies, a palm-sized bird reminiscent of a griffin, and a young Dryad wearing a smock comprised almost entirely of oversized sakura petals.Though she wanted to admonish them for their defiance, Vahn prevented Rose's lecture by shaking his head and picking up the green-skinned girl. She had the appearance of a 4-6-year-old, so, while he was against being swarmed, he would feel guilty if he sent her off with a chiding from Rose...Understanding that Vahn intended to use the young Dryad as a 'shield' of sorts, Rose couldn't help turning her eyes up at him with a 'knowing' look on her face. This caused Vahn's smile to turn even wrier, but, having 'suffered' quite a bit at the hands of the overly-affectionate Tree Spirits, he didn't mind being a little shameless...---In the wake of Kallavan's 'betrayal', the 4th Army Corps was temporarily placed under the command of Senna until a replacement Commander could be found. As for Kallavan, he managed to avoid the typical penalty associated with treason, death. Instead, he was demoted from the position of Corps Commander, the second-highest position in the Jahad Army, to the rank of Staff Sergeant. This was a loss of thirteen ranks, but, compared to the death penalty, it was a relatively tame punishment. So long as he made an effort, it wouldn't take him long to rise through the ranks, so, in a way, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Kallavan had received a 'slap on the wrists'.If anything, the greatest blow to Kallavan was the fact he had been transferred from the 4th to the 2nd Army Corps. This all but guaranteed that someone representing the interests of the Ten Great Families would be placed in charge of the 4th Army Corps, and, as a result, it was only a matter of time before the entire unit was dissolved. The 4th Army Corps had always been the outcasts of the Jahad Army, so, now that they had the chance to remove a persistent thorn from their side, those who valued bloodline over everything else were bound to take action.Fortunately, Kallavan, Elpathion, and Cheonhee had been anticipating an event like this for several hundred years. As a result, nearly every member of the 4th Army Corps had qualified for retirement and a rather sizeable pension. They had also signed contracts that allowed them to stockpile leave, so, even if the new Corps Commander attempted to forcibly transfer them, they could simply go on paid vacation, potentially for years, until their discharge papers were approved. This was a standard contract within the Jahad Army, so, unless the Corps Commander intended to take the issue directly to Adori, there was very little they could do without directly violating the Imperial Code of Conduct and risking an inquiry.Simply put, so long as they didn't do anything extreme, the members of the 4th Army Corps always had the option of retiring and joining the reserve forces until Kallavan managed to restore his rank and position. This might take several years, but, considering most of them could survive for tens-of-thousands-of-years without issue, enjoying a few decades of retirement was practically the blink of an eye. Then, even if it took decades longer, they would eventually be able to rebuild the 4th Army Corps in Kallavan's image, once again becoming a group of misfits who believed in justice above all else...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Be still my right foot..."','An endless sea of lolis, fae, and other adorable creatures...','Bureaucracy at its finest xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Emerging onto the 76th Floor, Vahn was unsurprised to find a large crowd of people waiting for them. This time, however, it wasn't simply paparazzi, agents of the Ten Great Families, and members of the Royal Enforcement Division awaiting their arrival. Instead, there was a large group of cloaked individuals wearings similar outfits, several of which Vahn could identify at a glance.Though things were made a little awkward due to the presence of more than twenty women in his surroundings, Vahn immediately adopted a smile as he said, "Tarou, Soo-Yun, Marble. It's good to see you again. I see you've each become even more charming since our previous parting."Not expecting Vahn to call out to her, Marble, the Dwelfling that had assisted Team Wolf Pack on the 3rd Floor of the Tower, spontaneously turned bright red. As for Tarou, the Administrator Vahn had met on the 11th Floor, and Soo-Yun, the Scout of Yuri's party, the former simply adopted a gratified smile while the latter remarked, "You're playing with fire, dragon boy. If you don't pick up the pace, Ureko really might kill you."Despite understanding the seriousness of her words, Vahn couldn't help chuckling in response to Soo-Yun's remark. Almost immediately thereafter, however, he nearly ended up choking due to Mordred quietly noting, "Wow. Did Chichiue really do it with someone so tiny? That girl with the hooves can't be more than 120cm tall. How brave..."Resisting the urge to smack the golden-haired girl on the back of her head, Vahn sent a warning look towards Mordred before turning to face the beet-red Marble. He wanted to clear things up, but, before a single syllable could escape his lips, the Law of Identity whispered, "She has actually been looking forward to it..." directly into his ear...Seeing Vahn at a loss for words, Artoria promptly decided to lend her support, stepping forward to state, "We should move this discussion elsewhere." before shifting her gaze towards the exploration group and adding, "Same as usual. You have seventy-two-hours to explore. Don't wander too far. If something happens, don't hesitate to send a report."Though some wanted to stick around and witness the drama, most of the exploration group quickly dispersed. This left Artoria, Gray, Mordred, and Fenrir to accompany Vahn, who, taking advantage of the sudden shift, elected to simply disregard Mordred's remark and the fact that the Law of Identity was hanging from his shoulders while borrowing Marble's form...---With Wolhaiksong's main base located just a single Floor higher, the peace and stability of the 76th Floor were exceptional compared to the many Floors preceding it. They even had numerous bases and military outposts disseminated throughout the Floor, so, while it was formally governed by the Po Bidau Family, many considered the 76th Floor to be under the control of Wolhaiksong.At the direction of Soo-Yun, Vahn and Co were led to a surprisingly homely-looking inn that served, primarily, as a tavern. Wolhaiksong was vehemently against the notions of wealth and excess, so, as a matter of course, most of their facilities were designed with simplicity in mind. Many, in fact, were shaped from natural materials, and, more often than not, were built in the middle of forests, within mountain ranges, or deep beneath the ground. This had led to many decrying them as savages and backwater hicks, but, as time passed, a greater number of people had been flocking to Wolhaiksong in the search of a simpler, more honest, way of living.Rather than showing even a hint of discomfort, Vahn couldn't help smiling when he was introduced to the rather roughshod abode. Others might find the scent of wood and moist soil offensive, but, as someone whose first home had been nothing more than a cave in the middle of the woods, Vahn had always preferred such aromas over the repugnance present within most cities. It wasn't without reason that the Emerald Grove had been built into the hills of the Eighth Layer, so, even before they had been checked into their room, his mood had already improved drastically.Seeing Vahn react according to expectations, an amused smile developed across Soo-Yun's face as she took the initiative to straddle his lap the moment he sat down. This caused the atmosphere to immediately become awkward, but, without minding it in the slightest, she buried her face into his chest, saying, "First things first..." before promptly dozing off.With Mordred remarking, "Are all the chibis within the Tower this bold?", Vahn couldn't help issuing an awkward chuckle even as he habitually wrapped his arms around Soo-Yun's body. Then, as if his lap wasn't occupied by a loli wearing nothing more than a bright-red zentai suit, he shifted his gaze to Tarou, asking, "How have you been? It feels like years have passed since the last time we met. I'm glad you decided to come out and meet me like this."After an awkward chuckle of her own, Tarou picked a few strands of silver-grey hair from her face as she explained, "The higher-ups have been recalling everyone, even those who were on missions and conducting secret operations. Rumor has it, a certain Sage Dragon Emperor possesses the ability to realize our long-held dream. As for why I was elected to come and greet you like this...well, let's just say my position has improved quite a bit these last few months..."Emphasizing her point, Tarou produced a twelve-winged badge from a secret pocket hidden in her vest. She was nowhere near the level required to possess such a coveted symbol, but, after learning of her brief liaison with Vahn, Ureko had forced the badge upon her. She had also been elevated to the status of Sister within the upper echelons of Wolhaiksong, an honorary position that effectively implied that Ureko would personally deal with anyone senseless enough to injure, offend, or harass her.Recognizing the badge, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he softly issued, "Sorry. I didn't really have a grasp of Ureko's character at the time. I hope she hasn't pestered you too much..."Waving her hands in a 'what the hell are you trying to say!?' kind of gesture, Tarou promptly replied, "It's not a problem! Hell, if anything, I should be thanking my lucky stars. I mean, it hasn't even been a year since I mistook you for nothing but a cheeky Regular with a hyperinflated ego and a big dick. I just wanted to scratch an itch and ended up sleeping with the literal God who intends to make our dreams a reality. If that isn't winning the lottery, I don't know what is."Though he appreciated her words, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little taken aback by Tarou's casual mention of his penis. She didn't even seem to realize what she had said, a radiant smile dominating her face as she excitedly pumped her fists...Deciding to change the topic before things developed in a strange direction, Vahn forced a sincere smile, saying, "Thanks..." before directing his gaze to the red-faced Marble with the intent of asking how she had been these past few months. Unfortunately, the moment his eyes met with her amber gaze, she released a startled, "Fwah...!?" sound before promptly pulling down her bandana to cover her face. Then, to add insult to injury, Soo-Yun, despite the fact she was still asleep, whispered, "This is what you get for playing with the hearts of so many women~." in an amused tone...---Receiving Soo-Yun's report later that same day, Yuri, wearing nothing but an Aegis top and bottom, raised her head slightly before using it to nudge the side of the topless woman she was using as a pillow, stating, "You owe me an hour of your time. I told you Vahn wouldn't deviate from his routine that easily. At least now you have a good reason to beat him up once he finally arrives~."Grumbling in response to Yuri's words, the topless woman, Ureko, promptly rolled onto her back in order to catch the former in a headlock before saying, "You're becoming cheekier by the day. Don't think I won't grind your head until your hair falls out!"Despite the drastic increase in her strength, Yuri had learned first-hand that Ureko wasn't someone she could defeat with raw power. She was a being on the same level as Vahn, so, even if she could, somehow, secure an advantage, it was impossible to actually come out on top. Ureko's power was simply limitless, and, no matter what kind of injuries she sustained, it didn't even take a full second for her to regenerate completely. To make matters even worse, her strength seemed to be whatever she needed it to be, so, no matter how much she powered up, Yuri had come to accept that Ureko would always be stronger.Pulling at the overpowered blonde's arm to prevent her circulation from being cut off, Yuri adopted a teasing tone as she exclaimed, "Go ahead and try, you tyrannical bimbo! I'll just get Vahn to grow it back and pamper me even more...!"Twisting to wrap her legs around Yuri's torso, Ureko put a bit more strength into her arms, easily overpowering her raven-haired companion before warning, "Don't push your luck, brat. You might be one of my favorite people in this hellhole of a Tower, but that doesn't mean I won't beat the shit out of you. Do I need to remind you which one of us is the 'big sister'...?"With her face instantaneously turning purple, the only words Yuri could offer in response to Ureko's threat were croaking sounds. Fortunately, just as she was about to power up to her maximum, the irritable blonde released her neck before plopping back with her arms sprawled out and muttering, "If that bastard is even a minute late, I'm going to tear off his tail and shove it so far up his ass that the tip protrudes from his mouth..."Though she was 'very' tempted to retaliate, Yuri ultimately just rubbed her neck while continuing to lay back against the sprawled out Ureko. They had actually become a lot closer after their previous battle, so, while there were moments when Ureko's 'instincts' caused her to behave in an oppressive manner, Yuri did her best not to take it to heart. Rather, if their positions were reversed, she would, most likely, treat Ureko in a comparable manner. They were both the type to communicate affection and express emotion through physical contact, so, while there times when things got out of hand, it never reached the point where genuine animosity would build between them...Demonstrating this sentiment to the fullest, it wasn't long before Ureko wrapped her arms around Yuri's body, gently embracing her as she whispered, "Sorry..." in an apologetic tone. Then, with her face nestled into the nook between Yuri's head and shoulder, she began to affectionately nuzzle the black-haired beauty before planting a few kisses against the nape of her neck. This elicited a ticklish giggle from Yuri, who, in response to Ureko fondling her breasts, promptly twisted around to gently bite the latter's exposed nipple. She knew how much the half-dragon had been 'suffering' these last few months, so, whenever the opportunity presented itself, she didn't mind offering her 'assistance'. After all, despite her various flaws, Ureko was still her best friend, and, most importantly, they were each the person the other most empathized with throughout the entire Tower...---Unaware of the storm brewing on the 77th Floor, Vahn coordinated with Soo-Yun to transplant the official members of Wolhaiksong into the Little Garden. This was something he had discussed with Ureko long ago, so, while it was undoubtedly a little 'unfair' to others, he was intending to help the entire organization transfer to a higher realm without the need to transmigrate. Not everyone was eager to die in order for a chance to experience a new life, so, out of consideration for the group's ideologies, Vahn was going to help them bypass the reincarnation process so they could remain a 'family'. He knew how painful it was to be separated from one's family, so, even if it earned him the censure of his detractors, he didn't particularly care. The most important thing was that it 'felt' like the right thing to do. Thus, for the duration of his stay on the 76th Floor, Vahn transplanted more than sixteen-hundred people into an unclaimed area within the Second Layer...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this what they call Karma...!?','Not your average 'sisterly' bond...','Calm before the storm...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

As the energy from Kallavan's attack washed harmlessly across his body, Vahn stood in silent contemplation with his eyes closed and arms slightly spread. His impermeability had reached such extremes that, even if he were to be tossed into a dwarf star, the gravity, pressure, and heat would have no effect on his body. Rather, unless their comprehension of the laws had exceeded a certain threshold, dealing damage to him was akin to a normal human attempting to pluck a star from the sky...Exhaling a sigh, a green aura erupted from Vahn's body that caused the Aris Family compound to rapidly repair itself. At the same time, the people killed by Kallavan's indiscriminate attack found their bodies made whole again as Vahn shaped the explosive Shinsu from his attack into a highly compressed Baang. Then, just as Kallavan was preparing to speak, Vahn opened his eyes to reveal shimmering golden pupils as he remarked, "Pure, unadulterated, ego..."Without affording the man the opportunity to respond, Vahn grabbed the Baang with his bare hand before slamming it against the surrounding void. This caused space-time within the proximity of his domain to fracture like a broken mirror, but, due to the ongoing reversal of entropy, the destructive process was unable to wreak the havoc commonly associated with such an event.With Kallavan lacking the ability to control his association with the Standard Axis of Time, Vahn was able to appear right in front of the man as he repeated the same seventeen-microsecond cycle over and over again. He was effectively trapped in a time loop, but, due to the blessings provided by the Essence of Bravery, he was still cognizant of everything around him. This would be a boon against a normal opponent, but, against someone like Vahn, it was no different than being a prisoner within your own body and mind.Staring into the glaring man's fiery-blue eyes, Vahn's expression remained a mask of apathy as he stated, "You are a good man, Kallavan. Unfortunately, much like Adori, you are blinded by your own sense of justice. You are so convinced that you are doing the right thing, that, even when you make mistakes, you simply press forward, propelled by your sense of duty. I wonder...how many lives have you taken in these three-thousand-years just because they were opposed to accepting the 'second chance' you offered them? Did it bring you a sense of comfort when you excused your actions with self-assurances and telling yourself they were better off dead than living in opposition to Jahad...?"Unable to respond, Kallavan continued trying to surge forward, but, no matter how much power he attempted to muster, it would immediately return to his body due to the irresistible looping of time. This, alone, would have been unbelievably frustrating, but, with the addition of Vahn's words, it was almost like being trapped in hell. To make matters worse, Vahn appeared completely unfazed by his own exertion, almost as if it took no effort whatsoever...Sensing Kallavan's murderous intent increasing exponentially in relation to his fear, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head as he softly muttered, "Yet another example of a good man corrupted by a power he didn't earn...haaaaa..."Though he knew Kallavan would eventually come around if he was given time to reflect, Vahn knew the only way to get him to empathize with others was to put him on the same level. The Essence of Bravery had influenced his perspective in an extreme way, and, though he had tried to use its power for good, such sentiments were meaningless if you didn't have to struggle.Having made up his mind, Vahn lifted his hand towards the heavens as Laev-tan manifested within his grasp. This allowed the flow of time to return to normal, but, before Kallavan could so much as widen his eyes, his entire body was bisected from crown to crotch by the eerie black haze left in the wake of Vahn's instantaneous, imperceptible, slash. Immediately thereafter, every trace of energy within his body spontaneously ceased to exist, as, deep within the container of his Soul, a large blue crystal split cleanly in two before subsequently vanishing alongside a smiling man with ashen-grey skin and blood-red eyes...With the black haze fading from the man's body, Vahn extended his hand to grab Kallavan's collar so that he wouldn't fall from the sky and injure himself. He still had the physique of a High Ranker, but, due to the complete lack of Shinsu in his body, every cell in his body was screaming out as his nerves lit up like the night sky following a festival. This caused his body to seize and spasm, and, as a result of the phenomenal pain he was experiencing, even someone of Kallavan's character was left unconscious, froth forming at his mouth as his eyes rolled backward.Deciding to save the man a bit of face, Vahn unceremoniously tossed Kallavan into the Little Garden before shifting his gaze towards the fleet of Suspend Ships looming in the distance. More precisely, his gaze focused on the centermost ship within the fleet, a massive craft reminiscent of a city-sized centipede. This was Kallavan's flagship, and, though they understood the futility of trying to attack a High Ranker with conventional weaponry, that didn't stop Cheonhee from giving the order to open fire.Though he could have simply ignored the wall-like barrage of cannons, Vahn responded by raising his hand and instantaneously erecting magic circles equal in number to the beams of Shinsu firing toward him. As a result, every single beam of Shinsu was absorbed, greatly empowering the magic circles. Then, much to the horror of the 4th Army Corp, the magic circles began to rapidly divide as the center of each emanated a light similar to a Shinsu cannon preparing to fire.Had they simply stayed in a wall-like formation, the 4th Army Corp might have been able to react to Vahn's counter using powerful barriers and Lighthouses. Unfortunately, just as the Vice-Commander of the 4th Army Corp gave the order to prepare the defenses, the tens of thousands of magic circles in the distance disappeared before subsequently reappearing in a hemispherical formation beneath the fleet. Then, like a rain rising from the ground and piercing the heavens, innumerable weakened beams of Shinsu began to pepper the fleet, completely overwhelming all but the flagship's shields.Noticing this, Vahn teleported directly above the flagship, ignoring the astonished gaze of the Vice-Commander, an inordinately tall man with broad horns and a body fashioned from a blue and white exoskeleton. Then, with what appeared to be a simple, slow-motion, punch, he struck the hull with enough force to create a tunnel-like cavity in the ground below, a distance more than 13,000m. As a result, the flagship ended up dropping hundreds of meters in an instant as a hole more than 10m across penetrated the entirety of the city-sized ship.Shifting his attention away from the flagship, Vahn directed his gaze towards the Vice-Commander, calmly questioning, "Are we done here, or do you intend to continue trying my patience? Be sure to choose your next words wisely, Vice-Commander Elpathion."Though he hadn't completely recovered his senses, Elpathion managed to ask, "Is the Commander still alive?" before promptly following it with, "We surrender." in response to Vahn's affirmative nod. Kallavan was more important to them than their own lives, so, as long as he was still alive, there was always room for negotiations...---Having witnessed the battle from start to finish, Senna was forced to consume a medicine produced by her family just to calm her nerves. Vahn's power wasn't unprecedented within the long history of the Tower, but, seeing the ease in which he performed feats of extraordinary skill and power, it was easy to surmise that he was holding back. This made it difficult to grasp his actual power, and, more importantly, whether or not he had any actual limits...Shaking her head, Senna comforted herself with the notion that, even if he was a God, there 'had' to be a limit to Vahn's strength. At the very least, there had to be some sort of 'logic' that both defined and subsequently limited its use. There was no such thing as absolute omnipotence, so, while Vahn was unquestionably powerful, there had to be some kind of restrictions preventing him from using it however he pleased...Nodding in approval of her own assertation, Senna manifested her Lighthouse's console in order to file an updated report. It was her duty to update Headquarters on all matters pertaining to the Sage Dragon Emperor, and, most importantly, offer suggestions regarding how they should both handle and approach him. In this regard, her authority was second only to Adori, as, prior to the legendary Princess' rise, she had served nearly three-thousand-years as Commander-in-Chief of the Empire's forces.In Senna's opinion, Vahn's existence was an opportunity to introduce some much-needed reform to the Empire. Ten-thousand-years of peace had resulted in the stagnation and corruption of the Great Families, and, as a result, the Empire as a whole. If left to fester unattended, it was only a matter of time before the Empire collapsed from the inside, so, while Vahn's existence was a clear and present threat, it also provided much-needed relief to generations of societal decay.Conveying this within her report, Senna hoped those at the top took her advice to heart and made a concerted effort to improve things before Vahn's arrival. Opposing him directly would only result in even greater destruction to the Empire, so, for everyone's sake, she was hoping they did the right thing. At the very least, they need to discover Vahn's weakness before making a stand, as, based on the information they had obtained thus far, there were no known methods to decisively defeat him. Adori had purportedly annihilated his body without a trace, yet, as if it didn't matter in the slightest, Vahn had simply recreated himself from nothingness.Though the current theory was that Vahn transplanted a version of himself from a parallel timeline into the present, the notion that he possessed such a capability was more than enough reason not to antagonize him. The Workshop had published studies attesting to the existence of a functionally infinite number of alternate and derivative timelines, so, if Vahn truly possessed the ability to draw power from alternate versions of himself, what could they, beings trapped in a single timeline, hope to do against him...?As that thought crossed her mind, Senna leaned back in her chair and quietly enjoyed the calm and serene atmosphere that always preceded periods of unbridled chaos. Any moment now, hundreds of reports would come filing in from various sources, so, even if it was just for a few seconds longer, she wanted to enjoy the relaxed state of her body, a side-effect of the medicine she had previously ingested...---With a pained groan escaping from his throat, the result of simply breathing, Kallavan opened his eyes to find himself lying beneath an inordinately large and beautiful tree. Rather than appreciating its beauty, however, he immediately forced himself to a seated position, ignoring the pain even as a thick layer of sweat spread across his entire body.Noticing several other inordinately large trees in the distance, reports related to the 'Little Garden' immediately appeared within Kallavan's mind. Before he could make any decisions about what he wanted to do, however, a gentle voice echoed from behind him, saying, "You shouldn't be moving around just yet. Were it not for the unique nature of this place, you might have already died from the strain on your body."Though it caused every nerve in his body to cry out in pain, Kallavan forced himself to spin around in an instant, Shinsu gathering around his arms as he launched himself toward the voice's owner, a young girl with dark-skin, leaf-green hair, and clothes comprised entirely of leaves and flowers.Frowning in response to Kallavan's actions, the drill-haired girl swiped her hand through the air in a slapping gesture. Under normal circumstances, Kallavan could have easily evaded such a blow, but, at that exact moment, all the Shinsu he had gathered spontaneously dispersed. He had completely lost the rights to manipulate it within the First Layer, and, as a result, the girl's deceptively simple slap ended up connecting directly with his left cheek, consequently sending him flying hundreds of meters...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'O_O...','Treating poison with poison','Kallavan be like, "Why you bully me...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1971: Reprieve