Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While Vahn was busy dealing with Sandora and Lily, Izayoi, Yo, and Asuka were gathered together in a lounge-like room featuring a self-service bar. Since there were no laws to prevent it, Izayoi made himself comfortable behind the bar, his usual smile nowhere to be seen as he mixed drinks for the two girls seated across from him. Though she had never been particularly fond of Jin, Asuka couldn't help feeling a little guilty. It was no secret that she aimed to take over the No Names, so she couldn't shake the feeling she had directly contributed to Jin's gradual breakdown and departure. Breaking Asuka from her reverie, Izaoi placed a scotch glass filled with plum wine in front of her, saying, "Chin up, Oujo. Jin's decision to leave isn't that different from the three of us coming to the Divine Realm. We shouldn't be moping about like a bunch of bereaved babies. Our priority should be making the No Names into the best Community it can be..." Pushing the glass a little closer to Asuka, Izayoi's smile promptly returned as he whispered, "You're in charge now, Leader..." Though she didn't immediately bounce back, Asuka's back straightened in response to Izayoi's words. With Jin's abrupt departure, she was officially in charge of the No Names. Izayoi was their Strategist, and, despite being one of their most powerful members, Yo had refused to accept any official position or title. Thus, while it wouldn't be official until they submitted the request to the Gate Administration, Asuka was the de facto Leader of the No Names. Accepting the previously offered glass, Asuka downed the contents in a single go before slamming it on the counter and exclaiming, "Right! Now isn't the time to be moping around! Let's show that little brat what the No Names could have been if he had a bit of backbone...!" Raising a glass of his own, Izayoi flatly replied, "I'll drink to that." before following Asuka's example and downing the contents in three large swills. He would never admit it, but he was one of the people most impacted by Jin's departure. He viewed the No Names as his younger siblings, so he couldn't help feeling as though he had failed them by letting Jin leave. Fortunately, Izayoi and Asuka weren't alone in their suffering. They had each other to rely on, and though she had deeply rooted affections for Vahn, Yo was there to help and support them. No matter what obstacles they faced in the future, the trio of friends was determined to overcome them together. If only Jin had been willing to do the same... ... .. . In the span of a single evening, Vahn spent the better part of five weeks attending Lily and helping her cope with Jin's departure. The two of them literally binge-watched three of his lives in the form of anime, so while it was a little surreal, Lily was able to obtain a bit of closure by watching Jin overcome his personal demons.&nbsp; Though there were some painful moments where Jin would reminisce about his childhood, they became less frequent in later episodes. By the time he was nearing the end of his third life, a journey spanning well over ten thousand years, the only time he ever talked about his past was as a cautionary tale for his descendants.&nbsp; As ironic as it sounded, Jin ended up parroting many of the things Vahn had attempted to teach him. Age, experience, and wisdom had helped him mature considerably, but the thing that had impacted Jin's life the most was the birth of his first child. The event had drastically changed the way he viewed the world around him, and, by the end of his first life, Jin had followed in Vahn's footsteps by becoming an Emperor in his own right. Watching Jin gradually mature from an unstable, clearly troubled youth into a confident and reliable father drastically impacted Lily's views on his departure. She went from feeling despair and loss to mild annoyance and eventual acceptance as Jin's looks and personality invariably attracted a number of heroine-class beauties. By the end of the first season, Lily was actively rooting for certain girls to end up with Jin. She began viewing him as less of a person she was close to and more as a fictional, or, at the very least, a separate individual living his own life. When he finally confessed to one of the heroines, she literally jumped for joy before subsequently quieting down and becoming meek as the scene developed from a confession to something far more intimate. Though it was probably one of the most inopportune times imaginable, it was during the scene depicting Jin's loss of virginity that Lily gave up her own. She felt incredibly guilty after the fact, but, at the same time, she felt as though a tremendous weight had been removed from her chest. Following their first time together, Lily and Vahn were nearly inseparable for the remainder of their stay in the timeless suite. Lily had been holding herself back for a long time by that point, so, with nothing else standing in her way, she explored her sensuality to the fullest while reveling in Vahn's care and constant attention. If there was anything Lily regretted about her time in the royal suite, it was the fact she had gotten a head start on Yo. The two had promised to give up their first times together if the opportunity presented itself, so she couldn't help feeling at least a little guilty... ... .. . With Vahn informing her that the time for their return had come, Lily spent their final few hours together trying on new clothes. She had spent nearly three of the five weeks wearing little more than lingerie and sleepwear, so it felt a little strange going back to 'normal' clothing. In the end, Lily settled on a lilac-purple blouse that resembled a kimono but functioned more as a crop-top. In other words, it left her shoulders, back, and navel completely exposed. The rest of her outfit wasn't much better as her skirt, matching with her top, barely concealed more than a third of her milky white thighs. It was enchanted to prevent people from sneaking a peek at the contents, but it was still a rather risque garment that left very little to the imagination. To complete her outfit, Lily, somewhat ironically, donned a pair of long, kimono-like sleeves that extended from her biceps and flowed well past the tips of her fingers. As for accessories, she decided upon a flowery hairpin to accent her flowing golden locks and a dark-purple collar with Vahn's name engraved in gold lettering along the interior. Though Vahn had offered her a ring and a pendant, Lily had refused both. She appreciated his concerns, but she wanted something that embodied the notion she had 'given' herself to him. As for why this was important, it was due to the fact she was a Harvest Spirit. They were entities bound to serve and protect, so while the notion of becoming Vahn's bride made her tails twitch excitedly, Lily was content with simply 'being his'. Since Lily was far from the first woman he had collared, Vahn didn't mind it too much. So long as she was happy, he was even more so. Extending his hand toward the breathtakingly beautiful kitsune, Vahn's smile illuminated the entire room, at least from Lily's perspective, as he asked, "Are you ready...?" Returning an affectionate smile of her own, Lily gingerly linked her hand with Vahn's as she sonorously replied, "Where you go, I will follow..." ... .. . Though his super-human regeneration should have prevented it, Izayoi awoke the following morning with a mild hangover. He could barely recall the previous evening's events, so, first and foremost, he looked around to get his bearings. "Well, fuck..." While it wasn't atypical for him to sleep naked, goosebumps developed across Izayoi's body as he noticed the high-brow brunette lying next to him in her birthday suit. If it were just her, he wouldn't be too upset, but lying on the other side of the girl was a chestnut-haired woman wearing a onesie. Reacting to Izayoi's voice, the brunette languidly rose to a sitting position, hair sticking to her face as she lazily observed her surroundings. She had also gotten blackout drunk the previous night, so it took her a moment to recognize the room as the suite afforded to her by Salamandra. After that, her gaze moved to her body before her brain completely stalled... In a vain attempt to deter the coming storm, Izayoi forced a smile as he said, "I know what this looks like, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as it seems..." Ignoring Izayoi's words, Asuka's reached between her naked thighs to check for blood or moisture before shifting her attention to her right. The presence of Yo caused her body to tense, eyes to widen, and pupils to contract, but, as Izayoi had suggested, things weren't nearly as bad as they first appeared. At the very least, there was no evidence of anything irreversible occurring. Shifting her gaze to Izayoi, Asuka mouthed the words, "Get the hell out of here." with a panicked expression on her face.&nbsp; More than willing to get as far away from the coming storm as possible, Izayoi raised his hands in a lazy gesture of surrender before grabbing a pillow to cover his crotch. He wasn't ashamed to be seen naked, but he knew Asuka would give him crap about it if he sauntered around with Yo sleeping nearby. Following Izayoi's departure with her eyes, Asuka's gaze briefly lowered before she quickly shook her head and began to search for her [REquip] System. Then, recalling the existence of her Companion, Abyssinian, she focused her mind and imagined the form she wanted it to take. With Izayoi long gone and a pair of pajamas to conceal her nudity, Asuka went into investigation mode. It nearly awoke Yo, but she removed all the blankets from the bed to inspect them for any evidence of blood or bodily fluids. After that, she searched around the room and under the bed before finding three sets of clothes littering the floor of the adjoining bath. Seeing several empty bottles around the still-filled tub, it wasn't difficult for Asuka to piece together what must have happened the night prior. The three of them must have gotten blackout drunk at the bar before retiring to her room to continue drinking. The only mystery was whether the three of them had taken turns or entered the bath together. As conspicuous as three sets of clothes were, it didn't indicate they had been abandoned at the same time. Deciding to trust in Izayoi, Asuka busied herself with cleaning up until Yo awoke nearly three hours later. Fortunately, she couldn't recall so much as a single detail from the previous night. This might have been a boon if not for Yo immediately coming up with a solution Asuka had overlooked.&nbsp; Curious to know what had transpired, Yo asked her own Companion, the Maneki-neko, for an explanation. Neither it nor the Abyssinian had taken in a single drop of alcohol, so they could easily recollect the events of the previous night. Thus, despite dodging numerous death flags, Izayoi's fate was set in stone when the two Companions reported that the trio had, in fact, entered the bath together. To make matters exponentially worse, at least for Asuka, it was apparently at her insistence... ... .. . (A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gotta move forward...','That's one hell of a way to speed up the process of acceptance...','This is why you shouldn't drink xD...')

After brushing Sandora's hair and helping her prepare for the day to come, Vahn accompanied her to the small, private dining room reserved for members of the Royal Family and their guests. There, they found Lily, who, upon seeing Vahn enter alongside Sandora, briefly paused before offering her characteristically radiant smile and saying, "Good morning, Sandora-chan."
Noticing Lily's momentary pause, Sandora's expression softened into a concerned look as she asked, "How are you feeling?"
Since Lily was a little confused by Sandora's question, it was Vahn who explained, "She forgot about my ability to manifest multiple forms at the same time. My other self is busy preparing breakfast, so she was a little surprised by my sudden entrance."
"Ah..."
Though she relaxed a little upon hearing Vahn's words, Sandora still made her way over to Lily's side, a supportive smile on her face as she grabbed the latter's hand and said, "You're looking especially radiant this morning, Lily. I take it things went well between you and Vahn?"
Since Lily looked significantly older and more mature than she had the previous day, Sandora didn't discount the possibility she and Vahn had been away for a very long time. It would explain why Lily was giving off a completely calm and serene aura despite losing an important friend mere 'hours' prior.
Sensing Sandora's concern, Lily's confusion morphed into a very motherly smile as she caressed the young Dragoness's hand and said, "I was given closure and the opportunity to express myself for the first time in my life truly. Vahn..."
Shifting her gaze to Vahn, Lily's expression softened into an indescribably affectionate, almost sultry look as she softly appended, "Vahn-sama is a truly wonderful person..."
As if agreeing with her, the tips of Lily's nine tails flickered contentedly behind her. The movement caught Sandora's eye, who, for the first time, noticed that Lily now had all of her tails.
"Beautiful..."
Amused by Sandora's soft utterance, Lily covered her mouth to stifle a giggle before surprising the comparably petite Dragoness by pulling her into a hug. Sandora's crown and horns ended up poking against her skin, but Lily ignored them as she tenderly embraced her remaining childhood friend and whispered, "Thank you, Sandora...from now on, let's always be together...okay?"
Though she had tensed due to the unexpected contact, Sandora quickly calmed down, returning Lily's embrace as she softly replied, "Of course. After all, we do love the same man..."
Giggling a second time, Lily squeezed Sandora even closer, practically smothering the adorable Dragoness with her fairly large breasts before finally releasing her to remark, "We're going to have a lot of sisters in the future..."
Understanding the implication within Lily's words, a dry chuckle emanated from Sandora's throat before the two of them shifted their gazes to Vahn. He had been watching the scene play out with a compassionate smile on his face, but the moment they turned towards him, he playfully remarked, "Don't worry. I'm pretty confident in my ability to keep the women around me happy."
Punctuating his remark with a wink towards Lily, Vahn managed to elicit a rather prominent blush from the usually calm kitsune. Sandora took notice of this, but before she could pester her childhood-friend-turned-sister for details, the door at the far end of the dining room suddenly opened.
Though he had his customarily confident smile, the large, square-shaped bandage on Izayoi's left cheek ruined his heroic image. It is evident to everyone in the room that he was concealing a bit of swelling, and, based on the gloomy yet abashed aura exuding from Asuka, it wasn't too difficult to imagine she had something to do with it.
Seeing the trio already present in the room, Izayoi raised his hand, saying, "Yo." as the person by the same name ran past him to presumably leap at Vahn. At the very least, that's who everyone assumed until she practically tackled Lily, exclaiming, "Oh my gosh, Lily-chan, you're so fluffy~!!!" with illusory stars glistening in her eyes.
Reacting to Yo's words, Izayoi remarked, "Hold up. You're telling me that premium MILF material is-"
Before Izayoi could finish speaking, Asuka elbowed him, hard, in the ribs. She was equally surprised by Lily's sudden and rather drastic change, but that didn't mean she would overlook her boyfriend referring to another girl as MILF material.
Though he coughed, winced, and held onto his side, Izayoi wasn't even slightingly injured by Asuka's attack. The latter was well aware of this, but she ignored it since it made her feel gratified knowing Izayoi was at least willing to pretend she was powerful and in control...
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Following the arrival of the Problem Children, the group at breakfast and made small talk until the subject of Jin invariably came up. Asuka and Yo had noticed how carefree and vivacious Lily was behaving, so it was only natural that they investigate the cause.
Illustrating how far she had come in regards to accepting Jin's decision, Lily readily revealed the existence of the anime she and Vahn had binge-watched together. That segued into a rather lengthy discussion regarding the true nature of time, and, by the end of it, Vahn had agreed to turn over a copy of Jin's anime to the No Names. It would need to have some of the 'spicier' bits edited out, but watching Jin mature from a naive child into a literal God would go a long way towards helping the other No Names find closure...
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Towards the end of breakfast, Vahn accepted Yo's proposal to come and witness her performance at the Battle of the Creators. Sandora had also cleared out a large portion of her schedule, so, after notifying the palace staff and her brother, she decided to accompany Vahn and spend the rest of the day with Lily.
Since Sandora wasn't intended to show up until the finals, her presence in the VIP region of the stands caused quite a stir. However, the people that drew the most attention were, as could be expected, Vahn and Lily.
Rumors regarding Vahn's and Sandora's engagement had already started to propagate throughout Kouen City. Thus, while many citizens had mixed feelings about seeing their beloved idol sitting next to Vahn, others were curious about the identity of the breathtakingly beautiful kitsune sitting on his opposite side. The collar around her neck led many to believe she was a Slave, but if that had been the case, she wouldn't be sitting on the same throne as their Leader and the most infamous rising star from the East.
Unfortunately for the crowd, Sandora was attending the event as a guest, so while the event organizers did ask her to give a speech, she ultimately declined. Observing the Battle of the Creators alongside Vahn had all but confirmed the rumors circulating throughout the city, but Sandora didn't let it bother her. Instead, she focused on enjoying the day and spending time with two of her most precious and beloved people...
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With her only difficult opponent being a 6m tall suit of armor based on the legend of the Dullahan, Yo had little difficulty securing a spot for the No Names in the Finals. In fact, due to her dominant performance, she was currently the favorite to win the entire event.
Not caring about the opinion of others, Yo broke away from the veritable horde of columnists and reporters waiting for her in order to meet up with Vahn and the rest as quickly as possible. Prolonged use of her Vanargandr transformation had given her a few of Fenrir's quirks, so, as much as she enjoyed receiving praise from Asuka and Lily, the opinion Yo most cared about was Vahn's.
Fortunately, Izayoi and Asuka had gone off to enjoy the festivities. Better still, an alternate version of Vahn had escorted Sandora and Lily back to the palace, so instead of finding a large group of people waiting for her, Yo found a version of Vahn loitering about in the hallway connecting the palace and the coliseum.
As was often the case when she encountered Vahn, Yo accelerated into a sprint before springing several tens of meters to pounce on him. Vahn had long since gotten used to this, so even before Yo started running towards him, he had already spread his arms and squared his feet.
"Vaaaahn~!"
Catching the vaguely Vanargandr-shaped projectile, an affectionate smile developed across Vahn's face as he held Yo close and explained, "I talked with Lily and Sandora. Due to...recent events, the two of them thought we should spend a bit of time together. Thus, for the rest of the evening, you have my divided yet focused attention..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn surprised Yo tremendously with a soft peck on the lips. Her expression completely blanked, and, for a brief moment, she seemed to think she had imagined it as she reached up to touch her lips, asking, "Did you just...?"
Nodding his head, Vahn was prepared to give Yo a second kiss when the petite yet shapely brunette beat him to the punch, arms linking around his neck as she simultaneously kissed his lips and dangled from him. She had waited a long time to be able to kiss Vahn whenever she wanted, so, now that he had initiated it, Yo saw no reason to continue holding back.
Feeling Yo's supple thighs and remarkably powerful legs lock around his waist, the only thing preventing Vahn from smiling wryly was the tongue invading his mouth. Fortunately, he was able to suspend the flow of time around them, so even if Yo completely abandoned her inhibitions, there was no risk of them being walked in upon or exposed.
Sensing the tell-tale fluctuations in space-time, Yo continued clinging to Vahn for the better part of ten minutes before separating from his mouth with a beguiling smile on her face. Lily had already apologized for getting ahead of her, so Yo knew the only thing preventing Vahn from 'ravishing' her was consent. As for why she used ravish to describe the act? It was because Yo had a very animalistic view of sex. She had always envisioned Vahn pushing her down and taking her from behind as she clawed at the ground and panted like a beast. Thus, while increasing the strength in her arms and legs, Yo brought her face closer to Vahn's, her voice radiating a tremendous amount of passion and moisture as she said, "I'm in heat..."
Though he had been looking forward to just walking around and enjoying the festival, Vahn could tell Yo wasn't going to release him that easily. He also didn't want her to, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, he brought his face close enough that their lips grazed against each other as he said, "You're in luck...when it comes to dealing with girls in heat, I'm something of a specialist..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn surprised Yo by grasping her butt and sinking his fingers into her pliant flesh with a spare set of hands. Such an act may have disturbed or alarmed other girls, but, as someone who relished new and unique experiences, the look in Yo's eyes became even more fervent as she willed the Maneki-Neko to dissipate. The only clothes she had on underneath were the scanty garments afforded to her by her Vanargandr transformation: a loincloth and a thin piece of fabric covering her breasts.
Feeling Yo's exposed, indescribably soft cheeks against his palms, Vahn promptly discarded his own clothes. Then, despite the fact they were in a relatively public throughway, he pinned her against the wall and initiated a very long and primal session of lovemaking...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sandora be thinking, "Mine are bigger...at least in my adult form..."','Izayoi knows when to give his girl face...','Just think, if you were a Patron, you would be able to vote for up to 28 chapters of raw, uncensored erotica (O w O)...')
a (O w O)...')

Opening his eyes, Jin was surprised to find himself staring at an unfamiliar yet nostalgic ceiling. At his side, or, more accurately, sitting off to the side of the bed, was Vahn. "Feeling better...?" Rather than immediately answering Vahn's question, Jin focused on the pleasant warmth that had filled his entire body. It didn't eliminate all the negativity he had accumulated over the past few months, but it did make him feel a lot better. "Yeah..." Rising to a seated position, Jin ignored the fact he was wearing lime green pajamas as he looked around the room to confirm that he and Vahn were the only two people present. "How's Lily doing...?" Shaking his head, Vahn's expression and tone softened as he said, "She needs time. You both do..." Though he nodded his head in understanding, the pained look in Jin's eyes was a testament to the guilt he was feeling. He didn't think he was wrong to want to take things slow, but after a considerable amount of soul-searching, he also understood how his actions hadn't exactly been fair to Lily.&nbsp; While he could be highly self-centered at times, Jin wasn't stupid. He knew that Lily liked Vahn. His fear that she would be taken from him is what compelled him to enter the Game Board and subsequently propose to her. When Lily agreed to become his girlfriend, Jin was over the moon with joy. More than anything else, however, he was relieved. Jin thought, from the moment Lily became his girlfriend, she would stop spending so much time with Vahn and, as a result, things would gradually return to the way they were. When they didn't, he felt as though she had betrayed him. Like she didn't care about their relationship. In hindsight, Jin realized he had been expecting Lily to make concessions since the very beginning. He was incredibly fortunate that she had agreed to date him, yet, instead of relishing each and every moment of their time together, he focused on studying and increasing his strength. At times, he even avoided her outright. The only time they did anything together was when Lily attempted to force the matter. And what did he do in response? He, the person who had asked her to date him, lashed out at her for trying to progress their relationship too quickly. Realizing just how contrary his behavior had been, Jin hung his head for the better part of five minutes before muttering, "Please take care of her for me...she...Lily and Sandora both deserve to be happy..." "Kid..." Shaking his head, Jin wiped away the tears building in his eyes before staring directly at Vahn and stating, "Please...please don't say anything. If this relationship has taught me anything, it's the fact that I'm not ready to bear the responsibility of another person's happiness..." Looking away from Vahn, Jin stared at his open palms before clenching his hands into fists and saying, "You were right...people who are given things without earning them don't know how to appreciate them. I may have worked hard, but most of the power I possess is thanks to the help, resources, and guidance you provided. Even Lily...if you hadn't turned her down to try and support me, she never would have accepted to become my girlfriend..." Closing his hands with enough force that his whole body trembled, tears began pouring down Jin's face. Despite this, an intense light glowed in his eyes as he clenched his teeth and said, "I'm tired of being weak! I want to become strong! Strong enough that I can grasp the things I want with my own two hands...!" Returning his gaze to Vahn, Jin's expression became even more intense as he added, "I want to be like you, Vahn. I want to journey across various worlds to gather strength and accumulate experience through my efforts. I'm tired of everything being handed to me, only for it to slip between my fingers due to my weakness...!" Understanding what Jin was asking, Vahn's expression became equally severe as he asked, "Are you sure about this, kid? Even if I send you away for a thousand years and pull you back to this exact moment, any chance you had at being with Lily would be gone..." Shaking his head, Jin answered, "I'm not sure about anything, and that's the problem. I keep needlessly comparing myself to others and spend most of my time thinking about all the bad things that could happen if I allowed the Community to grow. I'm not qualified to be a Leader, and I'm not ready to shoulder the burdens of others. I need to find myself before I worry about anything else..." Though he would be lying if he said he wasn't devastated by the thought of losing Lily, Jin had gradually come to the conclusion she was never his. She was a separate person with wants and needs wholly unrelated to his. As Vahn had told him long ago, relationships were a compromise between two willing individuals. If one side was incapable or unwilling to sacrifice for the other, both were bound to suffer. Having formed his conviction, Jin stared into the depths of Vahn's subtly glowing pupils as he stated, "Please allow me to descend into one of your Actualized Worlds. If possible, I would like you to strip away everything that isn't my original power. This time, everything I achieve, every ounce of power I attain, will be acquired through individual merit and diligence!!" Seeing the conviction in Jin's eyes, Vahn resisted the urge to explain just how foolish he was being. While it was essential to gain power through personal effort, the power obtained while cooperating with others served as the foundation of a person's strength. Trying to accomplish everything on your own was incredibly foolish. Fortunately for Jin, Vahn believed that people should be allowed to make their own mistakes. He could be very overprotective when it came to his children, but that was the case with most parents. If they truly wished to pursue a path without his influence, he wouldn't stop them. "Very well. However, before I send you on your way, you need to explain the situation to Lily, Sandora, and the rest. If you're serious about taking responsibility for yourself from this moment onward, start by convincing them. Take it from me, kid. If you run away without saying goodbye, you will regret it for the rest of your life..." Though he had been hoping to avoid an encounter with Lily and Sandora, Jin didn't refuse Vahn's words. He needed the man's assistance to access one of his Actualized Worlds. If Vahn refused, there was nothing Jin could do to force the matter. He was, once again, powerless. "I understand..." ... .. . Upon learning of Jin's decision, Lily demonstrated genuine anger for the first time in her life. She ended up pouncing on him, pinning him to the ground and beating his fairly handsome face over and over again until he resembled a pig. Then, for the better part of an hour, she just sat on top of him, tears streaming down her face as Jin silently endured a level of regret beyond words. Once Lily had calmed down enough to allow Jin to rise to his feet, it was Sandora's turn to slap him. She only hit him once, but, similar to when Lily had struck him, tears began pouring down her face immediately after.&nbsp; Compared to the anguish he felt upon seeing Lily and Sandora cry, the throbbing pain in Jin's face was negligible. In the years that followed, he even felt a bit of resentment towards Vahn for making him endure such an experience. It wasn't until he silently parted ways with yet another person he cared for that Jin understood the burden of failing to say goodbye. As painful as partings were, they were necessary to give both parties a form of closure. Failing to say goodbye only amplified the heartache you would feel. In some cases, it even bred resentment... Unfortunately, by the time Jin had realized the error of his ways, he was living a life far removed from the people in the Little Garden. There were times when he wanted to return, but with a family, friends, and comrades who relied on him, he couldn't bring himself to leave their side. Thus, over time, the anguish he had endured during his parting with Lily and Sandora eventually became a cherished memory...something he could laugh about whenever he recounted his past to his grandchildren... ... .. . After dropping off Jin and ensuring his path wouldn't immediately deviate towards a bad end, Vahn hesitated for a moment before teleporting to the room where Lily was currently staying. Sandora had assigned everyone a suite, but instead of staying in her assigned quarters, Lily had barricaded herself in Vahn's room with all the lights turned off. "Come on out, kit..." Though she didn't immediately come out, Vahn was unsurprised when Lily emerged from under the covers to reveal that she wasn't wearing a single piece of clothing. Her original plan was to seduce Vahn, but upon hearing the concern in his tone, a fresh layer of tears developed across Lily's eyes as she asked, "This is my fault, isn't it? If I weren't such a dirty and lustful woman, Jin never would have left..." Shaking his head, Vahn approached Lily before taking a seat on the bed and hugging her. Her body briefly tensed, but, immediately after that, she began bawling into his chest as she tightly clung to the fabric of his tunic. Her relationship with Jin hadn't gone particularly well, but he was still one of the most important people in her life. Even if they couldn't be a couple, Lily would have continued supporting both him and their Community for the rest of her life. Though Jin was still alive, Lily understood there was little chance their paths would cross in the future. By choosing to enter an Actualized World and pursue a solitary path, Jin had effectively given up on life, died, and reincarnated. All for the sake of personal validation. "It hurts so much, Vahn...I feel like a hole has opened in my heart..." Grabbing Vahn's collar in a manner that implied she was about to try and rip his shirt open, Lily's countenance became incomparably desperate as she begged, "Please...please make it go away..." As Vahn had always been a source of fulfillment and warmth, Lily believed he was the only thing that could repair the massive rift that threatened to tear her apart. If he rejected her now, Lily felt as though she would never again be happy... Desperate to feel wanted, Lily promptly deactivated the seal on her body. The tails swaying behind her increased from four to eight, and, as a result, various parts of her body began to swell as her hair practically 'exploded' into curls that extended well past her waist. Her height didn't increase all that much, but that wasn't too strange considering her mother was only around 162cm. Though he was awed by the sudden and drastic increase in Lily's beauty, Vahn's expression remained as calm and serene as an underground lake as he held her close and whispered, "I will do everything in my power to fill the void in your heart. For now, however, you need to rest. As much as I want to take you right now, I would never take advantage of someone in their moment of despair..." Hearing the first half of Vahn's words, Lily felt a sensation that could only be described as vertigo. She felt like she was falling into an endless abyss of darkness, only for Vahn to reach out at the last moment to catch her. It was a jarring experience, but Lily felt better knowing Vahn wasn't refusing her. He was just worried about her mental state... "I understand...just please...promise me that you'll never leave...my heart cannot take losing another person precious to me..." Without any hesitation whatsoever, Vahn answered, "I promise you...I'm not going anywhere..." before planting a kiss atop Lily's head. Then, as an additional assurance, he forced her tear-stained face to meet his before planting a second, much longer kiss on her lips.

Chapter 2268: Acceptance