Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

While his counterpart split off to introduce Hanako to everyone currently living within the Sage Dragon's Hearth, a different version of Vahn stayed back in order to give Da Vinci her 'reward'.Though the word 'reward' both sounded and was sexual, sex wasn't the only thing Da Vinci demanded from Vahn during their brief, three-week stay in her laboratory. He was still her primary research subject, so, whenever she got him alone for long periods of time, Vahn had little choice but to submit himself for testing.Fortunately, as dangerous and disconcerting as the word testing sounded, it wasn't particularly invasive. Da Vinci had long concluded that she wouldn't be able to make headway on his blood and composition until he reached the pinnacle, so, rather than focus on his physical and spiritual forms, her primary interest in recent years was Vahn's mental and emotional development.As intent and willpower were two of the most important factors to determining a person's power and authority, Da Vinci wanted to know everything there was to know about Vahn. She had even proposed 'piggybacking' his mind at one point, but, as supportive as he was of her research, Vahn had readily refused her. Sis was also opposed to the idea, for a number of reasons, so Da Vinci had little choice but to interpret his world through Memory Projections and via direct questioning.This is where things got interesting, as, for the sake of establishing a baseline she was intimately familiar, Da Vinci used their 'sexcapades' as the central focus of her research. In other words, they would 'experiment' with all manner of plays and positions before watching it back and analyzing it together. It was a remarkably embarrassing experience, but, after a while, Vahn had learned to enjoy it. After all, he wasn't the only one embarrassed........."I can still recall...the days...when this form made you uncomfortable...it's amazing how time...can change things...so drastically...isn't it...?"Though she was doing her best to remain calm, a thick glaze covered Da Vinci's eyes like an oil painting as she stared off into space. Her body was currently enduring such an extreme amount of pleasure that she had needed to partition a piece of her psyche just to avoid sinking wholly into the abyss that was Vahn. It wouldn't be the first time he had 'broken' her, but, for both their sakes, Da Vinci did her best to remain sane even as she goaded him into more precarious plays...Instead of immediately responding to Da Vinci's words, a greater volume of the nebulous black goo that currently formed Vahn's body surged into the visibly swollen abdomen of her 'Lily' form. At the same time, tendrils formed from the same substance coiled around her body, several holding her in place while innumerable others massaged each and every nerve cluster, muscle, and meridian in her body. There were even extremely fine, hair-like tendrils extending into her ears...Retracting said tendrils, Vahn's voice, seemingly echoing from everywhere, answered, "I'm still put off by such forms. I simply tolerate them out of respect for my partners. If you weren't more than 50,000 years old, I would never do something like this...regardless of your form..."Inverting Da Vinci's body, forcing her to dangle upside down, Vahn's tendrils began to coalesce until they had formed a nebulous mass reminiscent of the cosmos covering Da Vinci's body. Then, as countless lines of data ran across her phantasmagorical irises, the mass slowly encompassed her entire body...(A/N: O_O...)......After recreating her body and snuggling up to Vahn in her far more mature form, Da Vinci nestled as close as she possibly could to him before muttering, "I know you don't, but I still feel compelled to ask if you need my help. I may be a pacifist but I'm confident I can come out ahead in most Gift Games..."Much like before, Vahn didn't immediately respond to Da Vinci's words. Instead, he made his right hand predominately immaterial before sinking it into her body and directly caressing her interior of her right buttock. This caused a tantalizing blush to develop across Da Vinci's face, but, after what she had just experienced, the pleasure derived from the Hands of Nirvana was like having someone place a single cube of ice against your skin after spending an hour in an ice bath."If the two of us worked together, there wouldn't be anything for the others to do. Besides, you still have difficulties in the West to take care of. I don't mind bringing you with me to the North, but, for the time being, I would rather you focus on addressing the matters in your own district..."Though she puffed out her cheeks ever so slightly, Da Vinci didn't insist on Vahn allowing her to help out. Instead, she swat away his hand before standing up and reaching into the void to grab what appeared to be a golden ring. The diameter made it appear more like a bracelet than a ring, but, before he could even ask what it was for, Vahn's expression turned wry as Da Vinci explained, "I've been researching methods to make it easier for you to deal with multiple women at the same time. This ring pairs with the most recent version of the Aegis I've developed, the Aegis XXX. All you need to do is insert your penis inside and...you know what, why don't I just demonstrate it for you?"On that note, Da Vinci tossed the 'ring' towards Vahn before reaching into the void to procure one of the upgraded [REquip] Systems. Her body was immediately garbed in her characteristic red and blue garb, but, beneath the renaissance-style clothing, a rather futuristic pair of underwear covered her breasts and bottom.Resisting the urge to shake his head and shrug his shoulders, Vahn donned the ring without putting much thought into it. In response, a tantalizing smile developed across Da Vinci's face as she licked her lips and said, "Think of me..." in a sultry tone.Doing exactly that, Vahn was more intrigued than surprised when a realistic yet slightly transparent version of Da Vinci manifested atop his hips. At the same time, he felt a 'very' familiar pressure and warmth wrapped around him as Da Vinci flexed her abdominal muscles and asked, "How is it? Now we can have sex even when I'm preoccupied with work. Better yet, it includes a Layer, Visibility, and Delay mode. The Layer mode allows you to overlap multiple women in a similar manner to Aoko's Magic Blue. As for the Visibility and Delay modes, the former allows you to toggle off the projection while the latter synchronizes with the Aegis XXX to make sure your...ministrations aren't interfering with someone's work. Put simply, it allows your sex in the present to provide pleasure to women in the future. It even takes the person's sensitivity into-"Realizing she was going on a tangent, Vahn's expression turned into a wry deadpan as he said, "Da Vinci..." in a helpless tone.Coming to her senses, a picturesque smile developed across Da Vinci's face as she asked, "Yes? Is there something you'd like to ask~?"Shaking his head, Vahn removed the ring from his penis before rising to his feet and saying, "You know I can't use something like this. I mean, I don't really mind, but I don't have sex simply to feel good..."Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Da Vinci pushed back the ring he was proferring toward her, saying, "You're misunderstanding. This is more for the women around you than yourself. There are times when we want to get off but hold ourselves back because we don't want to travel all the way to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. There is also a substantial amount of interest in experiencing what it's like to be in the position of others. The Aegis XXX makes this possible as it comes equipped with an option to allow the wearer to interface with the projections of others. In other words, if you made love to me while wearing that ring, anyone who wears the Aegis XXX would be able to experience it at their leisure..."Though he understood what Da Vinci was saying, Vahn couldn't help gawking as the implications of her words washed over him. The Aegis XXX, much as the name suggested, was, quite literally, a tool for masturbation. If he accepted and made use-Interrupting Vahn's train of thought, Da Vinci moved forward to embrace him as she said, "You're overthinking things. If we were given the choice between you and a tool, each and every single one of us would choose you. The simple fact of the matter is that we each have our own responsibilities, and, while you are perfectly capable of tending to our needs, doing so obligates you to split your body and invest an inordinate amount of time towards our gratification. This is merely a stop-gap measure so that our urges don't build up while we're focused on other things. Nothing could ever possibly replace you, Vahn..."Feeling the tensions drain from his body, Vahn wrapped his arms around Da Vinci's indescribably soft and petite frame. She was only 165cm tall in her most mature form, so, with his current height reaching 188cm, Vahn towered over her quite a bit...After waiting for Vahn to calm down, Da Vinci gradually loosened her hold on his body, a teasing smile developing across her face as she explained, "This is actually a compromise we made after a discussion regarding the use of dildos and other forms of masturbation assistance. Only a handful of people were comfortable with the notion of inserting something 'foreign' into their bodies, so, rather than settle for a replacement, we came up with the idea of linking your penis to our vaginas through causal manipulation. Now, even if we're comforting ourselves in private, the thing getting us off is, and always will be, the genuine article..."Punctuating her statement, Da Vinci slipped the ring onto Vahn's penis before linking her arms around his neck and doing the same with her body. She knew it would take a little more than words to convince him, so, for the sake of expediting things, she drew her lips close to his right ear before whispering, "I already received permission from the Council of Wives...each and every one of them is currently wearing an upgraded Aegis..."In response to Da Vinci's words, projections of Artoria, Luvia, Olga, Rin, Eva, Asuna, Semiramis, and every other member of the Council of Wives manifested as realistic, overlapping projections. At the same time, the pressure on Vahn's penis increased explosively, as, much like when he made love to Aoko, he was experiencing more than a dozen different pressures and warmth simultaneously.........After meeting everyone in the Sage Dragon's Hearth and settling into her room, Hanako found herself staring off into space with a rare smile on her face. She had never expected that the person she had been tasked to spy on would offer a place in his home. He had even given her permission to report back to the people who contracted her, but, as the person they had contracted was the Demon Lord of the Lost and Forgotten, Hanako had absolutely no intention of doing so. As far as she was concerned, the Sage Dragon's Hearth was her home. Vahn had stated as such, and, based on the reactions of everyone she had encountered since, they respected his decision and regarded her as one of their own. This was a novel experience to Hanako, but, even after several hours had passed, she couldn't help smiling at the notion she had finally found a place to call her own.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci is into some intense shit...','That ring is both convenient and dangerous...','Wholesome as fuck...(U w U)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 2186: Antithesis