Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Entrusting the matter of Hanako to Da Vinci, the version of Vahn that had called her over made his way to a relatively 'distant' location within the Sage Dragon's Hearth.Contrasting the completely normal exterior, the interior of the Sage Dragon's Hearth had expanded exponentially since its establishment. Each room could serve as a localized Realm, and, the moment you descended into the basement, a labyrinth reminiscent of Benienma's Enmatei awaited you.Unless you had permission to be there, navigating the more secure regions of the Sage Dragon's Hearth was like trying to travel between dimensions without even the most rudimentary mastery over space and time. Every path would lead you back to the entrance, and, unless you knew the spatial coordinates of your destination, forcing open any of the doors would connect you to the streets outside.The only beings that could outright ignore the security measures of the Sage Dragon's Hearth were Vahn, Will, and the Companions. This was an intentional design flaw, as, throughout the course of his life, Vahn had learned that the more secure and off-limits a place was, the more likely a Child of Destiny would find their way in. It might not happen any time soon, but, so long as there was a rare or powerful treasure contained within, fate would conspire to have someone make use of it...Bypassing the doors that would have contained his personal atelier and workshop, Vahn entered a door connecting to what appeared to be an outdoor antechamber. It was a small space decorated with various types of plants, but, more importantly, there were three ancient-looking marble doors perfectly interspaced at each of the cardinal directions. There was also a stone bench, but, ignoring everything else, Vahn made his way to the Easternmost door, an entrance marked with the motifs of various animals.Placing his hand at the center of the stone door, a magical pattern reminiscent of vines immediately lit up before gradually covering the surface. Once it had, the material of the door appeared to break down into mist-like particles, but, instead of dispersing like a gaseous vapor, it held its form even as Vahn passed through to the other side.Passing through the door, Vahn found himself in the center of an almost spherical clearing formed from various plants. The stone door immediately solidified behind him, but, rather than connecting to anything, it stood at the exact center of the clear, completely isolated from everything except the stone platform it was situated upon.Spreading his senses through the area, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he extended his hand to form a cantaloupe-sized rhinoceros beetle. Instead of a black carapace, however, it was formed almost entirely of a deep, amethyst-purple crystal that exuded a tremendous amount of magical energy.Following the appearance of the beetle, an amorphous white blur entered the clearing without producing so much as a single sound. Then, despite moving at massively hypersonic speeds, it impacted Vahn's body without pushing him backward before coiling around his torso and into his tunic before emerging from his sleeve in the form of a diminutive girl possessing six arms, healthy brown skin, large fluffy ears, and a body covered in predominately white fur.Using two of her arms and legs, the tiny figure latched to Vahn's arm while seizing the beetle in his hand with a ravenous expression on her face. It didn't matter that the beetle was nearly as large as her head. The moment her claws penetrated its crystalline carapace, her jaw stretched in a manner eerily reminiscent of a cartoon character as she chomped down on more than a third of the fretful insect in a single bite.Chuckling in amusement at the sight, several other insects began to emerge from Vahn's body as he took a seat. Immediately thereafter, several other phantoms entered the clearing, each darting over to one of the insects on his body before claiming their prize and perching themselves upon him. This continued until the only part of his body uncovered by fluffy white fur was Vahn's wryly smiling face.Fortunately, the moment they realized there was no room left for them to perch, the amorphous little girls began to meld together until they had constructed a form even larger than Vahn. Then, as they would much rather be smaller, the oversized anomaly spontaneously shrunk until she was able to sit snuggly within Vahn's lap. Several other versions of her showed up after that, but, rather than pouncing on Vahn, they accepted their prize before shrinking down and combining with the version of themselves purring in response to his caress...With several minutes passing, each of the stragglers was finally able to reach the clearing. Then, and only then, did Vahn break the silence, asking, "Have you been getting along with your brother and sister?"Responding to Vahn's inquiry, the fluffy white creature ceased purring before raising its head and adopting a far more human appearance as it stated, "Xys has been a good girl."Pinching the loveable little girl's cheeks, Vahn adopted an affectionate smile as he mused, "Xysteria is always a good girl."With her eyes widened to an almost comical extent, Xysteria muttered a mystified, "Woh..." before promptly pouncing on her papa and exclaiming, "Xys loves Papa~!" in a happy tone.Chuckling in response to the overly affectionate girl's words, Vahn combed down Xysteria's fan-like tails before supporting her like a koala. This was always enough to immediately calm her down, so, while her body morphed into a form easier to hold, Vahn shifted his attention towards empty space and asked, "Are you not going to come out and say hello?"Responding to Vahn's words, a soft yet perennially calm voice answered, "I didn't want to interrupt before you succeeded in calming her down."Manifesting along with the words, even though his mouth didn't move, was a remarkably thin and petite young boy resembling a time-themed harlequin. There were various timepieces adorning his body, but, far more noticeable than the youth's appearance were the illusory clocks that encircled his body like pale-blue, three-dimensional projections."Though it has only been seventeen hours, thirty-three minutes, and forty-nine seconds since we last met, it is good to see you father."Though the youth's expression didn't change in the slightest, he punctuated his words by removing the bicorn cap from his head. This revealed an extra set of cat ears, but, more importantly, allowed Vahn to extend his hand and gently ruffle the youth's pale, ashen-grey hair as he said, "It's good to see you as well, Krona. I trust you have been keeping things in order while I was away?"Offering the faintest of smiles, Krona, once again without his mouth moving, answered, "Of course. I would never betray the trust that Father and Mother have placed in me. Speaking of which, how has Mother been? I miss her dearly."Smiling wryly in response to his son's melancholic remark, Vahn resisted the urge to remind him he could always go and visit Alaya whenever he wanted. Unfortunately, unless the planet they were on was put into stasis, he refused to divert his attention for so much as a single attosecond. Alaya had given him the task of observing and protecting Silva, so, unless she manifested to accompany them, Krona wasn't going anywhere.Unfortunately, Alaya had a very similar mentality. She was constantly monitoring each and every one of Gaia's ever-increasing Textures, so, unless Vahn put his foot down, paused time, and brought everyone together, the headstrong mother and son refused to take a break.Though he was tempted to do exactly that, Vahn's options were limited as Silva was currently in a dormant state. She was getting ready to 'birth' her first generation of Gods, so, while Xysteria drove evolution on the Surface, Krona kept silent vigil over Silva as she gathered strength in the planet's core."Don't worry. It probably won't be today but I'll make sure to bring it up the next time I see Alaya. It's been a while so I'm pretty sure I can talk her and your other mothers into an impromptu family reunion of sorts."Perking up in response to Vahn's words, Xysteria grew to the size of a small, approximately ten-year-old child she excitedly inquired, "Tiamama come here!?"Though he channeled a bit of calming energy into her back to reduce Xysteria's tensions, Vahn didn't hesitate to nod his head, answering, "Of course. The two of you can even play in the sea again."As the sea was basically the starting point of terrestrial life, it was the region most susceptible to Tiamat's and Xysteria's influence. This made it a remarkably dangerous place for Xysteria to play, but, as sapient life had yet to form on Silva's surface, advancing evolution by a few million years over the course of a single barbeque wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Rather, Silva and Krona had grown fond of their chaotic little sister's creations...Unable to contain herself, even with Vahn's coaxing, Xysteria's body continued to increase in size until he could no longer hold her naturally. Then, undermining his efforts from before, her body promptly 'exploded' into more than a hundred different versions of herself. This caused the original Xysteria to feel more than a little guilty, but, before she could even think to apologize, Vahn took a seat and repeated similar words as before, stating, "No need to get upset. Even when you're split up like this, Xysteria is still a good girl."Though a few of her less stable counterparts wandered off into the surrounding, primordial forest, the vast majority of Xysteria(s) immediately pounced on their Papa. Receiving his praise made her tummy feel like it was filled with a swarm of tiny, winged insects. It was a very unpleasant feeling if she tried to suppress it, so, whenever she felt happy or excited, Xysteria let everything out without inhibition. This was something she could only do with her Papa, so, knowing it was only a matter of time until he had to leave, she practically buried him in her clones, each vying for the opportunity to be closest to his warmth.Fortunately, the moment he realized this, Vahn unhesitantly abandoned his human form, willfully assuming a more amorphous form so that he could 'embrace' each of the Xysteria(s) at the same time. This prompted Krona to pull out one of his timepieces, a large pocket watch, as, rather than feeling as though he was being ignored, he rather enjoyed documenting how long it took his father to calm Xysteria down.........Emerging from the ancient-looking door with unkempt hair and a number of persistent bite marks all over his body, Vahn made his way over to the Northernmost door to meet with Alaya, Gaia, and Tiamat. Silva wouldn't be waking up any time soon, but, if they really wanted to, it was possible for Krona to advance the flow of time within her Realm until the exact moment when she woke up.As a Primordial God of Time, Krona had all the knowledge and memories of his past, present, and future selves. The only variables in his life were Vahn, his immediate family members, and anyone who gained access to his sister's Realm from the 'outside'. For this reason, he was very fond of his family, as, for the most part, they were the only things that added even a hint of spice to his life.Understanding this, Vahn did his best to abide by any requests Krona made of him. This included speaking to Alaya on his behalf, but, before he could do that, he had to pacify yet another force of chaos. This one manifested in the form of a remarkably beautiful woman with inordinately long hair that cascaded from her scalp like a literal waterfall. Her eyes, radiation a pink glow, seemed capable of piercing through the very truths of the universe, but, far more noticeable than anything else was the skintight bunny suit and rabbit-like ears currently veiling her indescribably voluptuous body..."Vaaaaah, come play with me~"Unable to resist the woman's invitation, Vahn allowed her to pull him into an isolated sub-space, a dry chuckle emanating from his throat as he mused, "It's good to see you as well, Tia..."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Sage Dragon's Hearth is like one of those optional/secret dungeons you accidentally stumble upon in an RPG...','Xysteria is too precious for this world...','Vahn is powerless against the danger bun...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After checking in and spending time with each of his children, much of Vahn's hostility towards Amaterasu had mellowed. He still planned to teach her a lesson, but, so long as she apologized, he would spare her too much indignation.At the end of the day, Vahn wasn't a very cruel or malicious person. Amaterasu's only real crime was the fact that she had disregarded the existence of his children. As there were people who genuinely wished them harm, people who Vahn ignored due to their powerlessness, holding a grudge against her served very little purpose.Fortunately for Amaterasu, dealing with Kotoamatsukami wasn't even phase two of Vahn's current plan. That involved becoming, or, at the very least, gaining control over the Northern Floor Master. He was actually planning to use the festival to announce the existence of the Aldrnari Empire, so, in the grand scheme of things, dealing with Amaterasu wasn't even a tertiary matter.Though some might criticize him for a lack of vigilance, the simple truth of the matter was that Vahn didn't fear anyone, or, more accurately, anything outside the 1-3-Digit Gates. If he did, his plan wouldn't include the possibility of going to war against the 'entire' Little Garden.Having given it quite a bit of thought during his stay in the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, Vahn had already decided upon the theme of his Last Embryo, the name of the most infamous Gift Game and the designation he would invariably be given once it had concluded.While the other Gods had to expend a bit of their essence in order to create things, Vahn was able to, quite literally, bypass this requirement. He could create without any upper limit, so, taking into consideration his other abilities, Vahn decided to become the Last Embryo personifying Excess and Change.With the exception of Empathy and Compassion, Excess and Change were the most prominent traits that remained once Vahn broke down and evaluated his character. They best explained his behavior, and, more importantly, represented the traits even his loved ones associated with him.By installing himself as the Last Embryo of Excess and Change, Vahn was laying the groundwork to subsume the entirety of the Divine Realm. This was the penultimate step required to advance to a Tier 7 being, so, for the sake of reuniting with his family and making the Little Garden a safer place, Vahn was willing to crush any and all who stood in his way........."Since her existence as the Lost and Forgotten would fade if she was remembered by many people, I decided to borrow a bit of inspiration from that Launch lass to create this! Behold! The Antithesis Locket~! "Dangling an ornate, amethyst-infused silver locket in her hand, the only thing preventing Da Vinci's nose from extending was the fact it would have marred her beauty. She took great pride in each of her creations, so, even though the Antithesis Locket was relatively straightforward in its design and function, Da Vinci couldn't help beaming as she showed it off in front of Vahn.Accepting the proferred locket, Vahn turned it over in his hand a few times in order to inspect the internal structure and craftsmanship. He also took a moment to deconstruct the enchantment Da Vinci had placed on it. The magical formation was like a multi-dimensional labyrinth, but, as one of the people Da Vinci had authorized to peek inside, Vahn was able to inspect the entire thing in less time than it would have taken most people to blink."As impressive as it is terrifying..."Though failsafes made up more than 90% of the locket's structure, the notion of an accessory that could invert the nature of a Conceptual Entity was terrifying. In the hands of someone like Hanako, it was relatively safe. If it was weaponized, it would instantly throw the entire Order of Creation out of balance. After all, unless they had a countermeasure against it, Da Vinci could gift lesser versions of the Locket to her enemies and they would promptly transition from greedy and licentious people to fair, almost saint-like individuals...Seeing through Vahn's thoughts as if they were her own, Da Vinci poked out her ruby-red tongue before snatching back the pendant and saying, "You're looking down on me. If I required trinkets such as this to deal with my enemies, I wouldn't be worthy of standing at your side until the end of existence. The only reason this locket exists is to aid Hanako. Nothing more, nothing less."On that note, Da Vinci handed the locket over to Hanako, who, as per usual, just stood off to the side and observed. She was so used to being ignored, that, unless they were actively looking at or talking to her, she simply assumed she had been forgotten.Donning the oversized silver locket, Hanako marveled at the purple heart adorning its center before holding it over her heart. This was the Activation Key that Da Vinci had prepared. She found it to be a lot more 'thematically relevant' than a simple sneeze...Nearly as soon as Hanako willed the change to happen, her hair transitioned from a neutral brown to a silvery, pristine white. At the same time, her previously forgettable features became flawless to the point that, even with Da Vinci standing near, Vahn had to admit she was a remarkably beautiful, ostensibly unforgettable young lady.Opening her previously brown eyes, Hanako revealed a pair of aquamarine irises that glistened like multi-faceted gemstones. This caused a wry yet appreciative smile to develop across Vahn's face, as, even without asking Loi-chan for clarification, it wasn't difficult to grasp Hanako's reason for settling on olive skin and aquamarine eyes...("Looks like we've got ourselves an adorable little daughter...")Hearing Da Vinci's enchanting voice echoing within his mind, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he took a knee to match Hanako's inquisitive gaze. The Antithesis Locket wasn't designed to influence her mind directly, but, when the very nature of your being changed, there were bound to be some side effects."How are you feeling...?"Though she readily met Vahn's gaze, Hanako didn't immediately answer his question. The truth was, she didn't really feel all that different. She still had the exact same thoughts and memories. The only thing that had changed was her...awareness? It was hard to put into words. All she knew for certain was that she was fully aware of herself, and, to a lesser extent, the awareness of others..."I don't know how to describe it...I feel like myself, but, at the same time, I feel like someone else...?"Nodding her head, Da Vinci manifested a display that only she could see, analyzing Hanako's body as she explained, "In this state, you no longer represent the Lost and Forgotten. Instead, while you are still a Demon Lord, your nature is that of the Found and Remembered. Similar to your previous self, your form would change based on the perception of the people who perceive you most clearly. At the present moment, you resemble what you might have looked like had you been born as one of Vahn's children."Manifesting a circular mirror, Da Vinci allowed Hanako a better look at her current form. At the same time, she monitored the structure of the Demoness's body to see how it would change in relation to her observation.Unsurprisingly, the structure of Hanako's body became significantly more stable the moment she saw her reflection in the mirror. The only thing that changed was the color of her hair, as, despite finding the silvery-white color beautiful, she had always associated herself with having brown hair.Smiling radiantly in response to the change, Da Vinci made a few notes in Hanako's profile as she explained, "There are a few things you'll need to keep in mind when using the Antithesis Locket. It has a remarkably powerful enchantment that serves as a contract with the Central Network. You are able to stay in this form as long as you like, but, the moment you revert back to the Demon Lord of the Lost and Forgotten, you will be obliged to stay in that form for an equivalent amount of time. In other words, an hour in this form mandates an hour in that form...""Fortunately, as you've already spent a tremendous amount of time as the Demon Lord of the Lost and Forgotten, you have a rather substantial stockpile saved up. Even if you stay in this form for the next 200,000 years, there shouldn't be any major issues. At the very least, we'll have come up with a few other solutions before then."Hearing Da Vinci's explanation, Hanako almost couldn't believe her ears. She wasn't entirely sure how old she was, but, prior to entering the Sage Dragon's Hearth, she would be happy if people remembered her for more than a few hours, days, or weeks at a time. Now, as the Demon Lord of the Found and Remembered, it would be impossible for people to forget her unless she willfully changed back...Feeling a sourness in her nose that hadn't appeared in quite some time, Hanako gripped the fabric of her hoodie with enough force to turn her knuckles white. She felt like she had just received the most precious gift in the entire world, but, before she could even express her gratitude, she felt as though she had received something far more important as Vahn wrapped his arms around her and said, "It's okay to cry..." in the most gentle and fatherly tone she had ever heard.Unable to suppress herself, emotions Hanako didn't even know she had surged through her mental defenses like an unstoppable deluge. Since her powers as the Lost and Forgotten had also affected her perception of self, it had never even occurred to her that she might be remembered and cared for by others. She had suffered so much that it couldn't even be put into words, yet, no matter how bad things got, she had never once questioned the reason for her existence. It was only at this exact moment that Hanako realized there was so much more to life than the suffering she had been born into. Thus, the moment she received Vahn's permission to cry, that is exactly what she did...not just for herself, but for the countless people who had been lost and forgotten throughout history...It was a very long cry.........Observing the scene of Vahn comforting and coaxing Hanako, an indescribable longing could be seen in Shiroyasha's eyes. The locket that Da Vinci had created was yet another balance-breaking creation, yet, as if it was a simple trinket, it had been entrusted to a little girl that few people even knew existed.Though she could understand why Vahn had taken action to help Hanako, Shiroyasha couldn't help lamenting his lack of foresight. It wouldn't be a problem if she remained in the confines of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, but, the moment Hanako ventured outside, everyone who gazed upon her would be unable to forget about her. This may not sound like a terrible thing at first, but, in a realm where popularity was one of the most important measures for Authority, Hanako now had the potential to become one of the most powerful beings in the Divine Realm.Exhaling a sigh, Shiroyasha attempted to console herself with the notion that Hanako wouldn't be concerned with such matters. Now that she had found a family, she wasn't likely to leave the Sage Dragon's Hearth unless Vahn or Da Vinci specifically asked her to. Thus, rather than becoming one of the most powerful beings in the Divine Realm, it was infinitely more likely that she would develop into something like a Poet. There was even a chance that Vahn had planned for this, but, unless he had been gaming her this entire time, Shiroyasha heavily doubted it.Da Vinci, on the other hand...such developments were right up her alley..."I really don't want to meet with that woman..."......(A/N: My friend thought he would 'surprise' me by stopping by yesterday morning and dragging me over to visit my family. I hadn't really gone home ever since my mom's funeral so he was a little worried that I had been ghosting them. Sorry for the lack of releases yesterday. I can't promise I'll make up for them but things should be relatively normal now that I'm back.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though she could understand Vahn's anger, Kenshin was still an affiliate of Kotoamatsukami. She also didn't believe her Goddess, Amaterasu Ōmikami-sama, was as malicious as Vahn was making her out to be. There were times when she could be ruthless, but, as a Goddess in charge of one of the largest Factions in the Little Garden, showing weakness was the same as inviting tragedy upon the billions who relied on the Sun Goddess's grace and protection."Vahn-dono...I believe there has-"Raising his hand to silence the nervous-looking swordswoman, Vahn said, "What you choose to believe has nothing to do with me. If Amaterasu wishes to apologize, she knows where I live. You have no right or reason to speak for her...""I-""Have misinterpreted my words? Yeah, I noticed. Don't worry, even if Kotoamatsukami attempts to wage war against the Sage Dragon's Hearth, I have no intention of holding anyone but the people in charge accountable. Stop looking at me like I'm some kind of monster that's going to appear in your territory and start slaughtering innocents. I am not your Goddess.""..."As she had never been the most sociable person, Kenshin found herself at a complete loss in the face of Vahn's words. This seemed to amuse Musashi Black quite a bit, a cheeky smile developing across her no longer bored expression as she remarked, "Wow, you really know how to put people in their place, don't you? If you're half as good with your sword as you are with your-"Interrupting before her counterpart could finish, Musashi Pink stated, "Don't even think about it, doll face. Unless you're prepared to spread those pretty little legs of yours, you shouldn't involve yourself with this one. He has a thing for strong-willed women and you won't be able to get him out of your head once he sends you back to foundation building..."Though the thought of Vahn dominating another Musashi made her more than a little giddy, Pink would much rather be rid of the raven-haired swordswoman. As novel as this encounter had been, the world had no need for two Miyamoto Musashi(s).Demonstrating she wasn't all that different from her sakura-haired counterpart, Black gave Vahn a clearly intrigued look. She was no stranger to the relations between men and women. Rather, once you reached her level, there was little else to do but drown yourself in alcohol and debauchery.Unfortunately, like many of the most powerful swordsmen in the East Side, the only people Black would sleep with were those she recognized as her contemporaries. For one reason or another, this meant most of her partners in the last three hundred years had been female. Her last male partner had been Sasaki Kojiros, but, ever since he got played to death by the Purple Demon, the reclusive swordsman had spent more than fifty years in seclusion...Seemingly having made up her mind, a smile developed across Black's face as she replied, "Sounds like fun."Though she wasn't particularly surprised by her counterpart's brazenness, an exasperated sigh still escaped Pink's lips. She had once been willing to give up everything, even her soul, just to pursue the path of swordsmanship a few steps further. Instead, Vahn showed her countless paths she had never even considered. Now, even if she were to fight against an innumerable number of her past selves, they might not even be able to comprehend how they died...Simply put, if Vahn humored Black, the raven-haired woman would doubtlessly become obsessed with him. Pink wouldn't have been bothered if Black was anyone else, but, imagining Vahn calling out the name 'Musashi' while he was with another woman caused a chill similar to sword intent to exude from the very core of her being. Thus, before she even realized the words coming out of her mouth, she locked eyes with her raven-haired counterpart, a vicious smile on her face as she said, "Over my dead body..."Undaunted by her counterpart's words, an equally vicious smile developed across the face of Black as she retorted, "Don't tempt me with a good time, Pinky..."Recovering a bit thanks to the actions of the two Musashi(s), Kenshin cleared her throat, a mask of calm veiling her previous nervousness as she stated, "That isn't the reason we came here, Musashi. If the two of you are insistent on determining the 'True Musashi', I suggest settling things at Gojo Ohashi. Quarreling like children behind closed doors is inappropriate for people of your status and ability..."Though she would normally abide by Kenshin's words, a snort escaped Black's nose as she replied, "I'm to learn propriety from someone who invites an assassin into the home of a person they are trying to make a deal with? Shave your head and go preach somewhere else..."Inhaling an inhumanly deep breath, Kenshin's hair and clothes began to bristle as if acted upon by a powerful wind. This caused the color to drain from Black's face, but, having known Kenshin for more than three hundred years, she was fairly certain the highly principled swordswoman wouldn't attack over a few teasing words...While Black's assessment of the situation wasn't entirely incorrect, she had failed to account for the fact that Kenshin was even more upset by the situation than she was. She abhorred such tactics, yet, due to her status as the 'Peerless Under Heaven', she bore the burden of executing Amaterasu's will.Causing Black to pale even further, Kenshin, with a pouty expression and tears beginning to build in the corners of her eyes, pulled out a piece of folded washi paper, a Japanese-style long brush, and a high-quality inkstone."H-Hold on a minute, Kenshin! It was just a joke! A joke...!"Ignoring Musashi Black's words, Kenshin suppressed a few sniffles as she aggressively prepared her brush for use. She was fully intent on issuing a challenge letter to her longtime friend and rival, but, before she could finish scraping the inkstone, Vahn interrupted, asking, "Uh...can we get on with our discussion? As much as I'm enjoying this little exchange, I have other matters to attend to. You also need to inform your Master that she has crossed my bottom line. I would feel guilty if I showed up and she had no idea why I was punishing her..."Wiping away the evidence of her indignant fury using the sleeve of her kimono, Kenshin managed to regain her mask of calm as she said, "Vahn-dono is correct...please forgive my imprudence..." in an audibly strained tone.Restraining the urge to scratch the back of his head, Vahn forced a smile as he said, "Don't worry about it...now, where were we?"......Though Musashi and Kenshin ultimately refused his services, Vahn didn't particularly mind. He knew their only intention had been gathering information. Since his contract and services weren't exactly a secret, he just treated the interaction as entertaining guests.Going into the discussion, Vahn's only goal had been introducing Musashi to her counterpart in the Nine Dragons Sword Association. The appearance, heck, the very existence of Hanako had caught him completely off guard. Thus, while he was more than a little incensed by Amaterasu's disregard for the safety of his children, Vahn didn't mind putting off her potential execution so he could help the peculiar Demon Lord get settled.With this in mind, Vahn linked the Temporal Axes between their two territories before asking Da Vinci to return to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. When she heard the reason for his request, she didn't even hesitate before dropping everything else she was working on, as, compared to the mundane task of conquering the West Side, investigating an anomalous existence on the level of Hanako was infinitely more interesting.Seeing Hanako for herself, albeit after using quite a number of advanced detection spells, Da Vinci's eyes shifted like a kinetic painting as she remarked, "Oh my...had I not already conducted 1,307,492 studies into non-existent physiologies, I would never have imagined such a person could exist...well, appear to exist..."As Vahn had been her primary focus for the better part of 50,000 years, Da Vinci had done 'a lot' of research into his anomalous properties. She was even aware of the existence of the Law of Identity. After all, she was literally the person who planted the idea of creating her Template in Vahn's mind. Thus, as tantalizingly intriguing as Hanako's physiology was, Da Vinci wasn't particularly impressed by it. Compared to Vahn's ability to separate himself from the Axes of Time, Space, and Reality itself, Hanako's ability was quite a low level...Realizing she was, once again, comparing one of her subjects to Vahn, specks of pink appeared in Da Vinci's eyes as she sent a playful gaze his way. At the same time, the inordinately thick tail that dangled from the bottom of her skirt perked up slightly. It wasn't enough to show anything but it was more than enough to plant ideas in Vahn's mind...Shaking his head, Vahn resisted the urge to ruffle Da Vinci's indescribably smooth hair as he said, "I need you to develop an upgrade for Will and the Companions. Though it could sever the concepts binding Hanako-""Someone else would invariably appear as her replacement. Worry yourself no longer, my beloved. Now that I'm here, the matter may as well be settled. Just make sure you prepare a suitable reward, okay~?"Wafting a few her pheromones Vahn's way, Da Vinci's already picturesque smile become a peerless masterpiece as she saw his pupils contract into thin slits. He might keep it concealed at most times, but, deep down, potentially serving as the foundation of his very being, Vahn was still a Dragon. She had restructured her body countless times in order to be completely irresistible to him, so, while he no longer pushed her down the moment she teased him, Da Vinci took pleasure in knowing he had to stop time just to hold himself back..."Unless you're going to start painting me, I'd rather not continue holding this position..."As her SS-Ranked Embodiment of Beauty compelled her to present her best angle when she was smiling directly at someone, Da Vinci couldn't help speaking out to interrupt Vahn's gawking. The very faint blush that developed across his face caused her smile to become even more prominent, but, thanks to him averting his eyes, she was able to return her attention to Hanako, saying, "Shall we move to my lab? Don't worry, none of the tests I'll be conducting are invasive in a manner that might cause you any harm. I swear by every Gift I have and ever will possess."With a Geass Roll literally appearing in response to Da Vinci's words, Hanako was able to breathe a little easier. She had long grown indifferent to the pain and suffering wrought by human curiosity and experimentation, but, if given the option, she would rather avoid it. Da Vinci gave her a similar impression to the Scientists who once held her captive during her brief stay in the West Side. They had also worn kind smiles, but, shortly after agreeing to let them 'protect' her, they stored her away in an underground containment facility and performed all manner of inhumane experiments on her.Though there were various loopholes to be exploited when it came to Geass Rolls, there were few greater assurances than a person swearing by their Gifts. If they violated their promise, they would never, under any circumstances, be able to make use of a single Gift. This included tools, and, more notably, things as instrumental as water produced by a Water Tree. In other words, if Da Vinci broke her promise, she wouldn't even be able to eat or drink if said food and water were produced from a Gift.Extending her hand, Hanako accepted Da Vinci's with a smile. Her nature made it impossible for her to ever truly trust another person, but, much like an actual Lost and Forgotten child, Hanako could be remarkably gullible in the face of kindness, real or otherwise...Seeing through each and every one of Hanako's thoughts, an indescribably motherly expression promptly developed across Da Vinci's face. She could understand why Vahn would want to help such a girl, so, even if Hanako never trusted her, Da Vinci swore in her heart she would never let either of them down.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'We have ourselves a Highlander situation here...','Kenshin is surprisingly cute xD...','Every time Da Vinci appears, she immediately puts herself into contention for the title of Best Girl...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2185: Serenity, Chaos, and Time