The Path

Just Another Reincarnation

Not a Mob: Psycho

BNHA: Singularity

One Piece : Wild Hunt

I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

Mushoku Impact

Maintaining the Balance

EPIC Side Story: Dragon Ball

Fenrir's Journey : I Shall Devour The Heavens!

Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Babel

Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"So...this is how it ends..." said a young man who, in another time, place, and under different circumstances, would have still been considered a boy. The youth's black hair was drenched by the rain pouring down from the overcast sky above, and his face was caked in blood, mud, and grime. However, it was his crimson eyes and the smile on his lips that stood out the most.
Ordinarily, people would feel fear, despair, and more in the wake of a battle where most of their close friends and allies had been slaughtered. But this common sense didn't apply to the youth, outfitted in makeshift leather armor with sparse metal plating. Even with an arrow piercing his shoulder at the junction between his right pectoral and deltoid muscles, he couldn't help smiling. Not because he lacked fear but because he felt pure, unadulterated 'contempt' for the enemy.
Despite the youth's injuries and clear exhaustion, the enemy army, still numbering in the thousands, elected to play it safe by keeping at least three hundred meters from his position. They trumpeted themselves as honorable and righteous, but after seeing the youth cut down well over a hundred people on his own, the enemy Commander had his men pull back so they could assail him with arrows and ballistae typically used to tackle large beasts and fortifications, not individual humans.
*THWIP*
Accompanied by a loud reverberation, a spear-like projectile nearly five meters in length came sailing at the youth, seated atop a pile of enemy corpses as if they were his throne. Such projectiles were used to pierce the thick, scale-covered hide of dragons, but the youth didn't so much as flinch as the projectile sailed past his head, missing by a few centimeters and burrowing deep into the ground several meters behind him.
*THWIP* *THWIP* *THWIP* *THWIP* *THWIP* *THWIP*
Following the first shot, primarily used to verify the distance, a veritable volley of anti-dragon projectiles sailed through the sky at near supersonic speed. This time, the youth rose from his improvised throne and raised his left hand. There was no flash or flare, but to the horror of those observing him from afar, the oversized, spear-like projectiles visibly changed course, impacting the ground and corpses around him.
With the projectiles causing muddy explosions as they impacted the ground, the smile on the youth's face waned slightly. He didn't mind being dirty, but a stray limb had hit him in the face, causing a trickle of blood to flow from his right nostril. The rain washed away most of the dirt, blood, and grime, but as the heat gradually drained his body, he felt cold, numb, and increasingly powerless.
Fortunately for the youth, the enemy Commander determined there was little reason to continue assailing him with ballistae. Instead, he ordered six similarly dressed women, each sporting maroon, gold-trimmed robes, to step forward. Moments later, as hazy, bluish-white energy emanated from and swirled around the women, the air around the youth became hot as specks of red and orange energy materialized around him. At the same time, an eddy formed in the clouds overhead, crackling with the same red and orange energy as a massive funnel of flames promptly descended on his position.
Regaining his smile, the youth raised his left hand, his fingertips turning black before glowing like hot coals as he mused, "So it's Strategic Class Magic next..."
Before the funnel of flames could reach him, the youth made a throwing motion toward the enemy army, causing the trajectory of the tornado to change drastically. He lacked the strength to redirect it directly on top of the army, but it was enough to spook them into scattering like ants as the Mages who initially cast it worked desperately to get it under control and disperse it. Their panic caused the youth's smile to blossom and his ruby-red eyes to twinkle, but as he had overdrafted his power, his left arm had turned completely black, adorned by glowing orange fractures. Then, as it had been seared to the bone, it abruptly fell off, fragmenting into several pieces from his elbow down.
"And there goes my-"
*shick*
Before the youth could finish his utterance, a figure abruptly emerged from his shadow, followed by a glowing, silvery-white blade piercing his back, emerging from his chest covered in distinctive, gold-tinted blood.
Seemingly unaffected by the fact his heart had been pierced, the youth looked back to find a petite, similarly aged girl with short golden hair and crimson eyes standing behind him. He immediately recognized her as a member of his clan, but instead of feeling betrayed or outraged, his smile broadened even further as he mused, "What an absurd world..." before slumping like a marionette with its strings cut as the girl, with tears in her eyes, twisted her blade and unleashed a pulse of Mana through his body, causing him to explode from the inside...
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Aiden didn't know what happened when others died, but when he and his three closest friends perished in a plane jacking, they all ended up in the same place. As far as they could tell, it was neither Heaven nor Hell but nebulous darkness populated by a floating, fragmented island supporting a glowing ash tree. Thus, when the black-haired youth, Eskhaar, exploded into countless pieces, Aiden awoke beneath the canopy of the tree he and his friends had taken to calling Yggdrasil.
"Hmmmgh..."
Rising to a seated position with a groan, Aiden took a moment to inspect his body to see if and how it had changed. When he originally arrived at the strange island, he had been pale-skinned and pushing 120kg despite his height of 178cm. Now, his complexion was much healthier, bereft of a single blemish, and while he wasn't sure of his weight, his abdomen was flat, almost toned.
Looking to his right, separated by a thick root, Aiden found a young man with spiky, pale blonde hair that naturally flowed away from his scalp like a lion's mane. His eyes were closed, but he had fierce, bestial features, including pointed ears backed and tipped by black fur, thick eyebrows that forked at the ends, an angular jaw, and a broad nose that transitioned directly into brows and forehead without the usual ridge. His height had to be at least 185cm, and his body was a palace comprised of pure, bronze-toned muscle, further tinted brown by the sun.
'Devour is such a broken ability...' thought Aiden. When the person to his right, Xander, first arrived at the island, he was a tall, portly, bear-like man with a greying beard. Now, if you ignored his pointed, fur-covered ears, he wouldn't look out of place among a group of bodybuilders.
Closing his eyes, shaking his head, and exhaling through his nose, Aiden reminded himself that his Dominate wasn't exactly useless. Devour might allow Xander to absorb the traits of whatever he ate, but Dominate let him manipulate virtually anything. Attempting to control those more powerful than himself or manipulate concepts he didn't understand came at a cost, but it was still a remarkably broken ability if utilized well.
With such thoughts in mind, Aiden looked to his left, his eyes widening as he discovered a girl with pale pink hair and slightly pointed ears sleeping in the gap between two roots. She had delicate, almost doll-like features, fair skin that appeared to glow, and a lithe body reminiscent of a gymnast, but that wasn't the reason for Aiden's stupefaction. It was because, when he was last awake, the person to his left was another of his friends, David Alexander, better known as Dave. And, as his name suggested, Dave was a man...
'So there's a chance we can be reincarnated as females? That's going to be a nightmare...' thought Aiden. He would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little curious to know what it was like to live as a woman, but since each of the worlds they had been transported to were either high fantasy or had medieval settings, being male was more...convenient.
Resisting the urge to let his eyes wander, Aiden rose from his personal nook between roots and stretched his body with a few satisfying pops. Then, looking around, he noticed that the island they were on had grown noticeably larger. It was fewer than twenty meters across when they first arrived, but now it was closer to fifty. More notably, the tiny, crystal-clear pond that served as their water source had grown from the size of a kiddy pool to a small spring roughly five meters across and three deep.
Making his way over to the spring, Aiden used a ladle carved from wood to scoop up and serve himself several large gulps. The water was nearly ice cold, but that wasn't the only reason Aiden felt a pleasant chill spread through his body. It was also incredibly saturated with Mana, causing him to feel refreshed and instantly abating his hunger.
"Pheeeew~!"
Now full of energy, Aiden returned to the tree to check on the other four members of their group before touring the island to see if any new plants or fungi had grown. He was typically the first to die when they were sent to a new world, as his 'Authority' was incredibly taxing, so he took it upon himself to check the island's condition and ensure everything was in order as he waited for the others to awaken.
Fortunately, for each day that passed on the island, a year passed from the perspective of those projecting their consciousness into other worlds. They also agreed that, unless they met up with each other and decided to stay longer, they would only remain in a world for thirty years, max. Dave, in particular, had violated this agreement a few times, but since he usually had a good reason, Aiden never personally faulted him for it.
"Now, let's see what we're working with..." muttered Aiden, seated atop a large stone that had appeared in the interim between his reincarnation as Eskhaar and his literal backstabbing.
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Name: [Aiden Ward]
Title: Pathwalker(10% increase to Parameters based on the number of worlds visited)
Race: Spirit
Age: 71
[Parameters]
Health: 3,084
Mana: 3,287
Constitution: 113(180)
Strength: 35(56)
Agility: 42(67)
Dexterity: 35(56)
Intelligence: 28(44)
Luck: 19(30)
Spirit: 20(32)
Wisdom: 35(56
Charisma: 28(44)
Soul Tier: 1
Karma: 33,492
[Skills]
[Dominate(Innate:D)], [Mage(B)], [Swordsman(B)], [Cooking(B)], [Spearman(C)], [Pain Tolerance(C)], [Hunger Resistance(C)], [Hunting(D)], [Meditation(D)], [Concealment(D)], [Observation(D)], [Tracking(E)]
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"33,492..." muttered Aiden, frowning. Karma was the currency used by the game-like System he and his friends had been given to keep track of their growth and the various objectives they could complete in the worlds they were transmigrated/reincarnated. It could be acquired by performing both good and bad deeds, but the best way to earn Karma was to influence the course of history and leave a lasting impact.
As he had been unjustly labeled the Second Coming of the Demon King for merely unifying a few frontier clans, Aiden expected to accumulate at least a few hundred thousand Karma for the bullshit he had been forced to tolerate. Thirty thousand was nothing to scoff at, at least compared to his past earnings, but it was apparent that his name and deeds had been buried following his demise.
Following an exasperated sigh, Aiden deliberated for a few minutes before purchasing three Lucky Apples from the System Shop. Each cost 10,000 Karma, but it was worth it as they permanently increased his Luck stat by one. Luck was the one attribute that couldn't be trained, at least as far as Aiden was aware, so whenever he had the Karma to do so, he purchased Lucky Apples in the hopes that his fate in future incarnations would be at least marginally better. Aiden's first incarnation after arriving at the island had him reincarnate as the seventh son of a peasant farmer just as winter was approaching, so he ended up abandoned in the woods, torn apart by a pack of wolves. Such a tragic end netted him 10,000 Karma as a kind of 'compensation,' but as he had been alive when the wolves arrived, Aiden, even after more than forty years, still had nightmares of being tugged and ultimately pulled apart, unable to defend himself...
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(A/N: From now on, most chapters will be short-form excerpts detailing minor events and tying up loose ends. There will be actual chapters mixed in, but there are a lot of characters, perspectives, and events to show. Too many to dedicate full chapters to.)
[Responsibility]
Though they were ultimately his actions, Vahn didn't like feeling like someone else had solved all his problems. Thus, in the weeks following his 'return,' he spent considerable time ensuring the smooth operation of the Aldrnari Empire. He took breaks to spend time with his family, friends, and loved ones, but as the Empire was still in its infancy, it required much attention.
One of the very first things Vahn did, even though Loki wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible, was inform the Divine Council about the existence of worlds beyond Eden. He had aspirations of turning the tower into a nexus linking countless worlds in the future, and to accomplish that, they needed to expand the Guild's power to serve as a proper regulatory and policing force.
With the support of Ouranos and many others, it was only a matter of time before Vahn's aspirations were made a reality. To aid in this endeavor, he introduced a system that had worked remarkably well across many of the worlds his 'past' self had ventured, introducing Companions to students of the Aldrnari Academy.
Though there were invariably some Companions that had gone astray in the Aldrnari Empire of the Nasuverse, the majority qualitatively improved the lives of those they had been partnered with. This success was later replicated in the Little Garden, so Vahn was confident that introducing the tiny, adorable, and exceptionally powerful creatures to Orario would fix a lot of the systemic issues that had nearly ruined the lives of Lili and many others.
Fortunately, with the assistance of Skoll, the Goddess of Companions, Vahn didn't need to produce Companions from scratch. The former had become an existence akin to a World Tree, but instead of simply linking various worlds, she produced a functionally infinite number of spiritual fruit that served as the larval essence of Companions. When consumed, the fruit would first nourish the body, curing diseases and other ailments, and, after a while, a Companion perfectly tailored to the consumer would take root in their Dantian, functioning much like a Tailed Beast but without the need for a seal.
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[Mischief]
A few weeks after Vahn's return, Loki was lying atop his bed, playing with the ears of the red and white wolf-like Companion he had gifted her. She had been super busy serving as the Representative of the Divine Council, so she was currently taking a break, making use of the time allotted to her to laze about.
"You about finished?" asked Loki, looking over to where Vahn was seated at an expensive-looking desk, wearing a pair of old-fashioned glasses as he finished working on what looked like a golden pocket watch.
Nodding his head, Vahn replied, "I'm amazed at how easy it was," before tossing the watch over to Loki. She managed to catch it without issue, and when she did so, she sat up, her carmine eyes glistening between the gaps of her eyelids as a mischievous grin developed across her face.
Without hesitation, Loki began to fiddle with the crown/winder of the pocket watch as if she were adjusting the time. As the second, minute, and hour hands moved backward, time outside the bedroom moved in reverse, not just on the continent of Eden but across the Record 'Vahn Prime' had modified.
Pressing the crown/winder down like the button on a stopwatch, Loki functionally stopped time, the smile on her face growing even larger as she mused, "I'm going to have a lot of fun with this."
"Just don't do anything too crazy, or I'll have to punish you," said Vahn, causing Loki to direct a cheeky smile his way. She couldn't even begin to fathom how powerful he had become, but Loki was fairly confident she could get away with just about anything so long as she didn't infringe on his bottom line.
Absorbing her Companion back into her body, Loki dangled the watch by the chain Vahn had attached to it, spinning it haphazardly as she tittered, "I suddenly have the urge to behave naughtily..."
Returning a smile of his own, Vahn arose from his impromptu workstation, returning it to his Inventory as he meandered his way over to the slender, auburn-haired Goddess. She could now change her appearance as freely as conformed to the shape of its vessel, but instead of becoming the tall, buxom beauty she imagined herself to be in her heart, she willfully chose to stay exactly the way he remembered.
"You've certainly become bolder..." remarked Loki, offering no resistance as Vahn pushed her onto the bed, burying his face into the nape of her neck. Her body shivered as a faint but pervasive pleasure spread through her like internalized goosebumps, but instead of immediately yielding to Vahn's ministrations, she said, "Let's do it on the event horizon of a black hole this time..."
Causing actual goosebumps to develop across Loki's body, Vahn brought his mouth to her ear, responding, "If that's what you want..." as the world
around them abruptly 'fractured' like glass. In the next moment, their bed was on the edge of an event horizon, unaffected by the immense gravity of a black hole devouring a blue star. The sight was both frightening and beautiful, but it soon became little more than a backdrop as Vahn cupped Loki's bubbly butt with his hands and dissolved both of their clothes with a thought...
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[Acceptance]
Contrasting the atmosphere of jubilation that had exuded from the Hearth Manor since Vahn's return, things were fairly calm, serene, and borderline melancholic in Terra's Garden, the home to Terra, Fafnir, and the former's daughter, Alexa.
Though she knew her actions were more than a little childish, Alexa had been holing herself up in her dwelling in a grumpy mood, refusing to come out even with Ina, Vana, her mother, and several others came to check on her.
Fortunately for Alexa, she didn't have to wait nearly as long as she was prepared to. Vahn didn't show up immediately, but after getting some of his other affairs in order, he materialized in the very center of her room, finding the disgruntled dragoness wrapped in a futon as she watched his adventures through the Records on a Projection Sphere. More specifically, she was replaying the scenes of his interactions with Mordred...
Sensing Vahn's appearance, Alexa turned her head toward him, wearing a deadpan glower as she asked, "What do you want...?" in a dull, monotone voice.
Exhaling through his nose, Vahn adopted a somewhat wry but discernibly sincere smile as he said, "You're such a brat."
Feeling hurt by Vahn's words, Alexa's expression immediately crumpled, her brows and chin crinkling as moisture spread across her eyes. Before she could think to lash out or start bawling, however, Vahn materialized behind her, his powerful arms enveloping her in his warm embrace as he whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier..."
Making it clear he wasn't there to coax or pacify her, Vahn inserted his hand into Alexa's shirt from below, caressing her abdomen with a faint, rainbow-hued light emanating from his palm. The shirt she was wearing belonged to him, but Vahn had long since accepted that his clothes were as much his lovers' as they were his own.
"Haaa..."
Not expecting Vahn to suddenly cup her left breast, a faint gasp escaped Alexa's throat as her previously sickly countenance became as hearty and red as an apple. At the same time, her heart was beating so intensely that her chest began to glow, causing a shadowy outline of her ribs to become visible.
"Can you retract your wings...?" asked Vahn, causing Alexa's feathery, leaf-colored wings to immediately retract, making it much easier to hold her from behind. There was still the matter of her tail, but as Da Vinci and many others could attest, Vahn not-so-secretly had a preference for girls with thick, fluffy, and even scaly tails.
Without asking if Alexa was certain she wanted to be with him, Vahn turned her head to face him, surprising her with a kiss. Tears cascaded down her cheeks when he did, but rather than stemming from sadness, they were the result of her inability to contain the relief and happiness welling within.
Making use of his free hand, Vahn slipped his finger past the band of Alexa's panties to prepare her for what was to come. What he found was that she was more than ready to receive him, so after several minutes of kissing, he guided her onto her hands and knees, allowing her tail to rest against his chest and dangle over his shoulder. She was only wearing his shirt and a pair of soaked panties, so he slipped down the silky fabric and caused Alexa's wings to practically burst out of her as he placed his glans against her eagerly awaiting entrance and pushed forward...
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(A/N: For those that missed it, I published the first chapter of my original novel, 'Keystone, an Awesome Parallel Plane Adventure.' I also posted a poll on my Patreon, so if you want to be a part of the worldbuilding, give it a gander. If we work together, I believe we can make KAPPA just as good, if not better, than EPIC.)

As entering a Record caused irreversible damage to the flow of fate and causality, attempting to enter the same Record twice was a good way to ensure its destruction. To get around this, Vahn had two options. The first was to do what he had done with the Transcendental Path to Heaven and several other experimental Records, using Null Protocol to subsume all of Creation, becoming the Origin of everything within.
While Vahn had considerable experience subsuming Records, the weight of eternity greatly strained his mind, body, and spirit. While waiting for the Transcendental Path to Heaven to finish its 137th cycle, he had spent the better part of thirty billion years absentmindedly observing the formation and death of stars. He was in no state to return to the world of Danmachi and be the lover, father, and Emperor his family, friends, and many others needed him to be, so after discussing it with his many, many wives, they concluded that the best option was regressing to the state he had been in before his departure. More specifically, he would create a Template of his past self, superimposing his Ego into it with the majority of his power and memories sealed.
As counterintuitive as this sounded, Vahn wasn't in a hurry to link the Record of Danmachi to the ever-expanding metaversal structure of his Actualized Worlds. He would, in time, but after accumulating knowledge and information spanning tens of trillions of worlds, he desired to spend at least a few millennia watching over his firstborn children and simply enjoying the company of his original family...
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Staring up at the sky above with a melancholic smile adorning his face, Vahn steeled himself for the long journey ahead of him, a final pang of guilt and trepidation spreading through his heart as he muttered, "Eje-"
Interrupting Vahn's somber departure, a twinkle appeared in the sky above, followed by a rainbow-hued sphere impacting the center of his forehead. Its velocity seemed to exceed the speed of light, far beyond his ability to react, but when it struck him, it felt like a gentle flick to his head as it bounced off his dome and fell into his open palms.
Recognizing the object as a Memory Sphere, albeit of a much higher quality than the ones currently in his possession, Vahn briefly hesitated before inserting his consciousness into the strange object. When he did so, he was presented with a contiguous stream of memories depicting his adventures through other Records, presented in an anime format. At the same time, much of the knowledge he had accumulated was transmitted to Sis, allowing her to organize and store it for later use.
"What the hell...?" muttered Vahn, tearing his consciousness away from the memory orb after watching more than two-thousand episodes of his journey through the Nasuverse, Akamatsuverse, and the Transcendental Path to Heaven. It was a lot to take in, but a quick look at this Status was enough to verify it was the truth...
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Name: [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
Age: Ageless
Race: Aiua's Shadow
Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-7]
-Level: 0
-Power: XXX????
-Endurance: XXX????
-Dexterity: XXX????
-Agility: XXX????
-Magic: XXX????
Total: XXX????
Soul Tier: 4(Divine Soul)(Sealed)
[Karma]: Null
[OP]: 275,831,262,345,689,346,912,542,587,943,671,839,001,923,059
[Valis]: 11,383,988,000
Skills: [Will of the Emperor: (-)], [Vessel of the Soul:(Sealed)], [Origin Terminal:(Sealed)], [Rakshasa Body: (-)], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome: (-)], [Eyes of Truth: (-)], [Universal Mind: (Sealed)], [Actualization: (Sealed)], [Archery Goddess' Blessing: (-)], [Stealth: (-)], [Chainbreaker: (-)], [Heart of the Eternal Flame: (-)], [Prometheus: (-)], [Call of the Reaper: (-)], [Yggdrasil's Champion: (-)], [Yggdrasil's Favor: (-)], [Veil of the Traveler: (-)], [Featherfoot: (-)], [Hands of Nirvana:(-)], [Metallurgy: (-)], [Fist Strike: (-)], [Friend of Spirits: (-)], [Void Ward: (-)], [Temptation: (-)]...
Magic: [Sacred Tome: (-)]
Development Skills: [Blessing of the Sage Dragon Emperor: (-)], [Blessing of Freya: (-), [Wound Nullification: (-)], [Spirit Origin: (-)], [Omniweapons Expert: (-)], [Hammer of Creation: (-)], [Alchemic Origin: (-)], [Sage's Wisdom: (-)], [Lapidary: (-)], [Grooming: (-)], [Great Sage: (-)], [Allure: (-)], [Divine Administration: (-)]
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While Vahn was feeling a little dizzy looking at the amount of OP he had, Sis broke him free from his thoughts, her voice carrying a hint of relief as she stated, (*It seems everything went well. With this, you no longer have to worry about leaving behind your unborn children, much less the Empire you just recently founded.*)
Though he felt a similar sense of relief washing over him, Vahn couldn't help smiling wryly as he scratched his head and remarked, "This doesn't feel right...it's like someone else did all the work for me..."
(*But that someone was you*) said Sis, surprising Vahn immensely by manifesting next to him in her feline form and adding, "However, if you still wish to move forward, I will support you."
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Vahn shook his head and adopted a natural smile. This situation reminded him of Ouranos's Divination Scroll. However, as it was the result of his past self working tirelessly to ensure he could live without regrets, Vahn decided to honor his decision and stay with his family. He was a little daunted by the knowledge he had dozens of wives waiting for him to seek out, summon, and make them fall in love with him all over again, but that was a matter for the future...
Before doing anything else, Vahn summoned Fenrir and Medusa from the seemingly infinite list of subordinates occupying the subdimension of his Unit Management. From his perspective, it hadn't been that long since he stowed them away, but the thought of leaving them in stasis longer than necessary made him uncomfortable.
As they had yet to receive the memories of their future/past selves, Fenrir and Medusa were momentarily confused when Vahn released them from what they expected to be a long slumber. Fortunately, he was spared the effort of having to explain things as two more beams of light materialized from the heavens, impacting the duo's heads before landing in their hands in the form of blue and silver memory orbs...
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Standing outside the gate of the Hearth Manor, Vahn felt a tightness in his throat and an almost overwhelming sensation of shame. From his point of view, it had only been a few weeks since he started focusing on his Main Quest and preparing for his departure from the Record. Now that he had no reason to leave, he felt like an idiot for causing his family, friends, and, most importantly, his children to worry...
"If you're sorry, you need only apologize," said Sis, grabbing Vahn's hand and pulling him over the gate's threshold before he could protest. Fenrir and Medusa also pushed him from behind, so Vahn had little choice but to allow himself to be dragged to the front door with a nervous but grateful smile.
As Sis opened the double doors at the front of the manor, Vahn took a deep breath to steel himself for what was to come. He couldn't blame anyone for being upset with him, but while quite a few people planned to lecture him, that wasn't what awaited Vahn on the other side of the door. Instead, he was greeted by the scene of Hestia, Hephaestus, Loki, Erika, Ina, and Vana standing side by side in a line.
Before Vahn could think to form any words, much less apologize, Hestia preempted him by adopting a heart-wrenchingly radiant smile and simply stating, "Welcome home, Vahn."
"I..."
Feeling the tightness in his throat compound, Vahn temporarily lost the ability to speak as tears welled in his eyes, quickly overflowing and rolling down his cheeks in a steady stream. He couldn't imagine how the version of him that had been separated from their family for eons felt, but seeing his family after steeling himself to part with them was too much for Vahn. He didn't want his daughters to see his weak and vulnerable side, but he immediately fell to his knees and started sobbing as the trio of goddesses and his firstborn daughters surrounded and embraced him...
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As news of Vahn's 'return' spread through the network the girls used to keep in contact with one another, everyone even remotely close to him gathered at the Hearth Manor. This included Freya and several members of the Xenos, but for obvious reasons, the former was asked to wait until Vahn sought her out before approaching and interacting with him.
Unfortunately for Ais, Tiona, Lili, Tina, Lefiya, and some of the other girls with attachment issues, they were also made to wait. Loki was worried that Vahn would be overwhelmed if he had pregnant or overly emotional girls vying for his attention, so she gathered everyone in the main dining hall for an impromptu Vahnatus while the man after which the event was named spent time with his children.
Making things easier for everyone, Sis happily introduced herself before explaining the situation and presenting a Projection Sphere containing a third-person perspective of the events that had transpired during Vahn's exceptionally long journey. There were no longer any restrictions on the information they could share about The Path and the existence of other Records, so after a viewing session lasting several days, reduced to mere hours thanks to some convenient temporal manipulation, Sis answered all of the group's questions to the best of her ability.
Unsurprisingly, most of the questions came from the group of Goddesses, consisting of Loki, Hephaestus, Anubis, Eirene, Demeter, Artemis, Fortuna, and Freya. Kali and Amaterasu had been informed of Vahn's return, but as the former was busy and the latter had yet to visit the Hearth Manor, they would have their questions answered at a later date.
Serving as the defacto spokesperson of the group, Loki grilled Sis for as much information as she could. One of the things she was most interested in was the existence of other worlds, so Sis provided the Goddesses with a series of artifacts that could preserve their Divinity before opening up a portal to one of the many worlds Vahn had linked to the Record to elevate it to Tier 7. More specifically, she permitted them to enter the multi-planar Little Garden housed within Vahn.
With time flowing much slower in Vahn's Little Garden, depending on the plane you were on, only a few thousand years had passed on the surface. In that span, the World Tree had grown to the size of a small planet, but the most prominent feature were the planets visible from its surface, the largest belonging to Silva, Krona, and Xysteria, while the others belonged to children Vahn had sired much later. The Earth Vahn had subsumed from the Nasuverse was also present, but after moving most of its inhabitants to the lower levels of the Little Garden, it had become little more than a nature preserve tended by Marlin, innumerable fae, and the descendants of Avalon.
Unsurprisingly, Loki had a keen interest in the existence of Silva, Krona, and, most notably, Xysteria, but she didn't pressure Sis into introducing them. Instead, after meeting with the inhabitants of the surface texture, she asked to see the 'Tower' Vahn had created to allow residents of the lower levels to ascend and even 'surpass' godhood. The girls that were accustomed to traversing the Tower of Babel were equally interested in it, but as quite a few of them were pregnant, their exploration of the massive tower was delayed to a later date...
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While Sis was doing most of the heavy lifting in regard to explaining things, Vahn enjoyed a long nap with all of his children. Erika initially refused the group cuddle session, but after seeing how despondent her father looked, she quickly caved, donning a pair of animal-themed PJs alongside her siblings. She felt like an idiot, but when Vahn held her, she reluctantly nestled into his embrace...
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(A/N: No alternative titles this time around. Instead, as this is the final arc, I wanted to ask you guys and gals what you wanted to see portrayed. I have a few things in mind, such as tying up loose ends with Alexa and an encounter with Nuwa/Tiamat/etc, but beyond that, I'm open to ideas. If there are none, EPIC will likely conclude in the next few chapters, as I'm eager to move on to an original project.)

"That's enough," said a gentle voice, interrupting Chaos's imminent existential crisis.
Alongside everyone else present, Vahn shifted his attention to the entity that had spoken, an androgynous figure with pearl-like eyes, short black and white hair, large fluffy ears, and a two-toned tail that drooped from a black, gold-trimmed, oversized, high-collared, long-sleeved smock. Their height barely crested 140cm, but they gave anyone who observed them the impression of staring at a boundless, star-filled sky.
"Is..." muttered Vahn, recognizing the diminutive entity as the Progenitor of Poets, a conceptual being that gave form to thought. Their existence was just below the Law of Identity, but without them, there would be no 'stories' and, thus, no fate.
Adopting a faint smile, though it wasn't visible due to the collar obscuring the lower half of their face, Is stunned nearly everyone present by asking, "How have you been, father?"
"It's time for you to rest," replied Vahn, casually making his way over to caress Is's head with his right hand. It had yet to happen but Is was the child of him and Fenrir from a collateral timeline. They wouldn't be born until near the end of time itself, but due to the concepts they represented, their origin could be traced to the beginning, creating the 'closed loop' necessary to ensure a Record's stability.
After narrowing their eyes contentedly, Is's body abruptly disintegrated, returning to Vahn. Afterward, the latter looked around, gazing at Ahura Mazda, True Buddha, Samsara, Chaos, An, Indra, Ame-no-Minakanushi, and Fulcrum.
"You now have a choice," said Vahn. "The Central Network will soon be overhauled, enabling it to handle the Administrative Functions of the Little Garden. I will not strip you of your powers or deprive you of the Gates you occupy, but there is no longer a need for you to serve as the lynchpins of reality."
Raising his right hand, Vahn generated a total of seven spheres, each representing an Actualized World on par with the Transcendental Path to Heaven in terms of scope.
"If you'd like, I can allow you to experience a world outside the bounds of your knowledge. Inversely, you could stay here and try to oppose me, but unless you can obtain a power outside the scope of omnipotence, there is little chance of you succeeding."
As Vahn spoke, the seven remaining Primordials saw visions of the future extending to the end of the current Order. They also became aware that he had already created a closed loop of fate, open to change but with the same origin and endpoints. In many ways, it was similar to how advanced computers ran simulations, each Order improving upon the last in a never-ending cycle.
"There is no such thing as perfection," said Vahn. "Even with this kind of structure, there will eventually be an 'end.' All I can do is prolong things for as long as possible."
Adopting a gentle smile, Vahn added, "After all, so long as there is the potential for awareness and the notion of standing at the pinnacle of all things, there will eventually come a time when the person standing at the top grows weary of their burden. This can be offset by sharing the burden with others, but even that has limits..."
Meeting the gazes of the pensive Primordials, Vahn sent the spheres floating toward them. Chaos frowned deeply when a sphere came to rest in front of her, but as an entity that had existed before time, she wasn't oblivious to the 'burden' Vahn spoke of. She once had aspirations of ruling over all of Creation, but after being stuck at Rank 5 for eons, she knew it was impossible to overcome the very Concepts that gave her being.
Interrupting the tense silence, Samsara, a six-armed youth representing the Six Paths and the Cycle of Reincarnation, softly remarked, "It would be interesting to experience the Cycle directly..."
Without waiting for anyone to respond, Samsara placed one of their hands atop the sphere, disappearing in an instant. Fortunately, as both Samsara and the Actualized Worlds were ultimately a part of Vahn, the Concepts of the Six Paths and Reincarnation didn't cease to exist. Rather, they were an integral part of the current Order and inscribed into the foundation of just about every Record, so even if there weren't a being directly representing the process, souls would continue to be repurposed and recycled.
"Anyone else?" asked Vahn, knowing the answer but feeling compelled to ask. Unfortunately, even though they were fully aware of its existence, none of the remaining Primordials deviated from the 'script' he had written and presented to them. Vahn wasn't disappointed by this, but to ensure the existence of concepts such as free will, he had to willfully desire that events outside the scope of his boundless knowledge would occur, even if the chances were slim...
"Then, let's all do our best to make the Little Garden a better place from here on," said Vahn, turning away from the group of Primordials to reclaim his position atop his throne. Chaos eventually made her way over to sit on his lap, but as the 'Mother of Creation' and the 'Primordial Dragon God,' it wasn't an exaggeration to say her place was at his side...
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"How much longer are you planning to stay...?" asked Shiroyasha, staring at the version of Vahn using her lap as a pillow. The Little Garden was in a celebratory mood after the unexpected defeat of Azi Dahaka and the rise of the Aldrnari Empire as a 3-Digit Community, but the atmosphere within her traditional, Japanese-style room was comparably melancholic.
"Forever..." replied Vahn, opening his eyes to meet Shiroyasha's golden, cat-like gaze. In reality, he had already done exactly that, but he forced his consciousness to exist at the moment after his defeat of the Ethereal Queen, intent on playing the part he had assigned himself.
Running her fingers through Vahn's hair, Shiroyasha muttered, "You may very well be the greatest fool in all of Creation..." in a faint, chiding tone.
"So long as even a single person continues to love and have expectations for me, I can live with that..." replied Vahn. He knew that only Sis, Fenrir, and a handful of others would stay with him to the very end, but the fact there was more than one person that could endure eternity alongside him was enough to compel him forward. Shiroyasha herself would eventually leave his side after the final stars disappeared from the night sky, but he didn't fear that inevitably. Rather, he looked forward to meeting her anew, countless times over...
Feeling Vahn's love flow into her from the tips of her fingers, a pang of guilt permeated Shiroyasha's being before disappearing just as quickly. She felt like she had dragged him into his current predicament and was actively preventing him from reuniting with the family he had left behind in the Record of Danmachi. Still, so long as he continued to love her, she felt compelled to do the same.
"I guess we're both fools..." muttered Shiroyasha, bending over to plant a lingering kiss on Vahn's lips. She also knew the fate that awaited them in the distant future, but, much like the other Primordials, she was willing to see things through to the end. That was the 'curse' of beings at their level of existence, but so long as she had someone to share it with, Shiroyasha didn't fear the end...
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With Creation updating retroactively to reflect the changes to the Divine Realm and its structure, most people weren't aware of how the dynamic of power had shifted. When Da Vinci substituted Laplace and upgraded the Central Network to administrate the entirety of the Little Garden, the only people who noticed it were those affiliated with the Aldrnari Empire. From everyone else's perspective, the Central Network had 'always' been in charge.
Similar to how the Central Network had always been in charge, Vahn made good on various promises, such as reuniting Lily with her mother, making it so that Anak's had never died, restoring the Vampire race, and preventing the destruction of the Moon Rabbit tribe by transplanting them into the present at the moment before their destruction. To a similar end, he made it so that anyone who experienced tragedy during their life was given the same opportunity as himself, inheriting a variation of The Path that would allow them to live their next life as they pleased.
As all beings within the Record stemmed from Vahn's Universal Mind and Keeper of the Akashic Tome Innates, providing others a variation of The Path was no different from using it himself. In fact, after his 'awakening,' he realized that his existence as Vahn Aldrnari Masion had come to be in a similar light. Sis informed him that this was one step short of the truth, but until he was ready to abandon his current existence, it was impossible for him to grasp the final piece of the puzzle. All he knew for certain was that his existence was fundamentally linked with the beings of all Records, not just the Transcendental Path to Heaven...
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Name: [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
Age: Ageless
Race: Aiua's Shadow
Parameters: [Transcendental Path to Heaven]
Strength: &infin;
Agility: &infin;
Dexterity: &infin;
Intelligence: &infin;
Luck: &infin;
Spirit: &infin;
Wisdom: &infin;
Charisma: &infin;
Divinity: [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
Authority: [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
Soul Tier: 0
Karma: &infin;
Innate(s): [Will of the Emperor: (-)], [Vessel of the Soul:(-)], [Origin Terminal:(-)], [Rakshasa Body: (-)], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome: (-)], [Eyes of Truth: (-)], [Universal Mind: (-)], [Actualization: (-)]
Gift(s): [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
Talent(s): [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]
[Vessel of the Soul]
Rank: Innate (-) *Innate Skills cannot be identified. Attempts to do so will result in a backlash.
[Passive]: Allows the user to exist.
[Active]: Allows the user to overwrite the existence of another.
[Origin Terminal]
Rank: Innate (-) *Innate Skills cannot be identified. Attempts to do so will result in a backlash.
[Passive]: Allows the user to access Records.
[Active]: Finalize events within a Record to enable the user to separate themselves from causality.
-------------------------------
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Sitting atop an old, dust-covered sofa, lit by the rainbow-hued flames of a hearth, Vahn, sitting next to Sis and absentmindedly caressing Fenrir's fur, watched in silence as the tiny orb representing the Transcendental Path to Heaven lost its light.
"And there it goes..." muttered Vahn, feeling a pang of loneliness as even the fire from the hearth began to wane. Fortunately, even after a span of time beyond comprehension, he was never truly alone. It had been eons since Fenrir opened her eyes, but when he ran his fingers through her fur, her tail would waggle slightly...
"Will you not be starting again?" asked Sis, raising her head from Vahn's shoulder to observe his face.
"That is my purpose," replied Vahn. However, while he infused a trace of Source Energy into the tiny sphere, he didn't enter it. Instead, he used his Origin Terminal to finalize events within the Record before allowing it to float like a bubble into the 'ceiling' above, joining the innumerable points of light representing his Actualized worlds like a tapestry of stars in the night sky.
Sensing Vahn's actions, a mechanical doll, perfectly emulating Eva in her prime, opened its eyes and looked over, asking, "Have you finally formed your resolve...?"
Without waiting for Vahn's response, a faint light spread across the doll's body, restoring its complexion to that of a living being. Then, while Vahn silently observed her actions, she made her way over to a wall lined with dozens of crystalline capsules, inputting a series of commands that would awaken those slumbering within.
Emerging from the first capsule, Medusa covered her mouth to stifle a cute yawn before directing her gaze to Vahn, ignoring Sis and Fenrir as she adopted a cheeky smile and asked, "Did you miss me~?"
Reacting to Medusa's voice, Fenrir's ashen fur abruptly regained its cobalt blue luster, followed by her opening her crimson eyes and remarking, "You should go back to sleep..." in an irritable tone. The thought of returning 'home' caused her once-still heart to palpitate with excitement, but she was saddened that her eternity of snuggling with her Master had come to an end. Fortunately, even if it took countless epochs, Fenrir was confident she would outlast even Sis as his final companion...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is, Is Not...','Fading Twilight...','Fenrir, Goddess of Good Girls...')

Ushering an abrupt end to Yuri's search for Madara and Eve, the voice of Shiroyasha echoed through the ruins of the former Little Garden, stating, "The Hidden Condition, Defeat or Seal the Demon Dragon God, has been achieved by Ha Yuri of the Wolhaiksong Community. All remaining Players will now be given a choice. You can either advance to the final elimination round or abstain. But worry not. Those who choose to forgo the finals can request a stay of one week to continue exploring at their leisure. This is a rare opportunity, so make what you can of it."
"There goes my chance to show off..." said Izayoi, casually evading the serrated edge of a flaming sword more than 300m in length. He was still trapped within the Ginnungagap, undergoing the trials of Aurgelmir, so he wouldn't be able to participate in the finals unless he gave up obtaining the ancient giant's legacy.
"It's probably for the best," contended Seiunn. "As exceptional as you are, it will be some time before you can realistically compete with the entities occupying the lower-digit Gates."
"Don't tempt me..." said Izayoi, catching the massive flaming sword with his palm. Then, with considerable ease, he punched in the direction of the sword's wielder, a fire giant standing more than 500m in height.
Though Izayoi's fist came nowhere near the giant, the shockwave it produced caused the upper half of the colossal being to explode, white-hot magma erupting from what remained of its torso.
Deciding to make use of the giant's sword, Izayoi flipped it through the air as if he were tossing a baton, kicking the rounded pommel with enough force to send it flying through the bodies of several additional giants like a beam of orange-hued light...
Seeing the sword impact the ground, creating an explosion larger than any bomb produced by the humans of his world, the usually confident grin on Izayoi's face diminished slightly. He still had a long way to go to reach the top, but the more powerful he became, the more detached he felt.
Like a much younger version of Vahn, Izayoi had reached the point where raw, destructive power seemed meaningless. His motivation for becoming stronger was to punish the wicked and protect the weak, but with Vahn in the picture, there was only so much he could do without arbitrarily placing the children of his Community in danger.
"Maybe I should pick up forging..." muttered Izayoi, raising his hand over his head to produce a pillar of energy that quickly grew to more than ten kilometers long. His surroundings had abruptly changed from an ancient battlefield to a seemingly endless tundra populated by mountains of ice and snow that quickly revealed themselves to be slumbering giants. The one closest to him exhaled a frigid breath that caused the air to solidify into a solid block of ice, but Izayoi was unaffected by the pervasive chill as he swept the pure white pillar of light through the giant, shattering it like a fragile ice sculpture...
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With a large portion of Players being eliminated by Azi and his clones, fewer than a thousand chose to participate in the Finals, the majority of which represented two and three-digit Communities. There were a few outliers, such as Yuri, Laulau, and Scathach, but they were an exception as most Players understood the futility of trying to compete against even the weakest member of an Inner-gated Community.
Standing near the center of the massive circular platform that would soon serve as a battleground, Kurma wore a conflicted look as she was relieved to be rid of the threat of Azi, at least for a time, but annoyed to have failed in her mission to recover the World Anchor. Now, unless they could collect enough Sun Authorities to produce a new one, half of Creation effectively belonged to Vahn...
Appearing at Kurma's side, Siddhartha wore a comparably relaxed smile as he stood with his hands behind his back, stating, "What you fear will not come to pass. But, even if it did, life will endure. After all, no matter how dark things may appear at dusk, there will always be a new Dawn..."
Instead of responding to Siddhartha's words of wisdom, Kurma raised her head alongside nearly every other Player in the Finals. Everyone expected the final competition to be a free-for-all, but they soon learned the truth as Shiroyasha's voice echoed across the battlefield, stating, "In the spirit of fairness, the event organizers and myself have determined that the final round of the Pandemonium Gift Game will pit all remaining Players against the Representative of the Aldrnari Empire, the Ethereal Queen. Additionally, so long as a single Player remains after the one-minute mark, it will automatically be considered a victory for the majority."
Though Shiroyasha's words sounded ridiculous to those observing the Pandemonium Gift Game, everyone participating in the Finals thought she was being unreasonable in a different way. They could all see the Ethereal Queen standing in the air with her spear, hovering above the center of the battlefield, and the moment they gazed at her, even the proudest Players understood they had no chance of enduring a full minute.
"Impossible..." muttered Kurma, subsequently dropping to her knees. As a Pure-Blooded Dragon, the thought of facing a powerful opponent should have exhilarated her, but all she felt while looking at the Ethereal Queen was a form of hopelessness beyond despair. It was like she had abruptly become a normal human, staring in awe as the Sun that had watched over her people for eons exploded. She was frightened, but she couldn't help feeling she was witnessing something beautiful and majestic at the same time...
As Shiroyasha announced the start of the final match, no one, not even Yuri, made a move. They were all transfixed by the aura exuding from the Ethereal Queen, who, after fifty-three seconds, adopted a faint smile and said, "There is a certain wisdom in resigning yourselves to your fates..."
Punctuating her words, the Ethereal Queen swept her spear in an overtly casual gesture, producing amethyst-purple flames that swept across the battlefield instantly, consuming everything in their wake. A few with Gifts that influenced causality or made them indestructible tried to resist, but in the presence of one of the few 'absolutes,' no power derived from another could hope to endure more than a moment...
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While the majority of the Little Garden's residents were paralyzed in awe or disbelief after seeing some of the most powerful beings in the Divine Realm reduced to little more than fodder, Vahn abruptly appeared in front of a hooded figure whose visible hands and feet resembled appendages doused in mercury.
"So, you've come..." muttered the figure, raising its head to reveal a hazy mirror instead of a face. Several other mirrors decorated its body, forming a necklace around its neck and shoulders, but its most prominent feature was the tattered, extremely ancient-looking sword in its left hand.
"I am the Fulcrum," said the mirror-faced entity. "The one who maintains the balance between those who stand at the pinnacle and all other beings in Creation. To advance beyond this point, you must relinquish half of your power and authority..."
Shaking his head, Vahn casually attested, "That may be the way things are, but change is one of the fundamental aspects of reality. I shall allow you to continue serving as the Fulcrum, but from this moment forward..."
Taking a seat on the throne that had appeared behind him, a golden light exuded from Vahn's eyes as he stated, "I am the only one that sits on this side..."
Though Fulcrum was initially confused by Vahn's words, it didn't take long for it to realize what the latter had done. If it had eyes, they would have been round as saucers. Instead, after a moment of hesitation, it turned to face the eight entities that had manifested behind it.
"There cannot be a single being that stands above all of Creation..." said a thin, inordinately beautiful, statuesque figure seated atop a thick platform resembling the stalk of a giant lotus. The figure's body appeared to be an emaciated man garbed in the traditional red robes of a Buddhist monk, but the longer you looked at them, the more 'uncertain' that observation became. Conceptual entities changes form based on the expectations of those observing and interacting with them, so when Vahn adopted a smile and prepared to answer, more than half the group looked exactly like him.
"I do not plan to stand above anyone," said Vahn, meeting the gazes of each entity within the group as he added, "Rather, I intend to stand 'with' everyone..."
Owing to their omnipotence, spanning all things within Creation, everyone in the group immediately understood what Vahn was saying as 'memories' predating the First Dawn materialized in their minds. They had thought he was the 'New Dawn,' but as they looked back and reflected on the birth of the current Order, they found him staring back at them with a smile.
For the briefest of moments, a period so small that the concept of time couldn't be applied to it, every single being across all of Creation had the same light exuding from their eyes as Vahn's. This was most apparent to True Buddha, representing the concept of Universal Oneness, but due to Vahn allowing the rest to know, the knowledge was hardcoded into their very existence.
"So that's how it is..." muttered Indra, appearing much like his counterpart in the Outer Gates but with four arms, three eyes, and scarlet hair instead of his traditional purple locks. He had always suspected that Vahn might be their origin, but even if that wasn't the case, it was now an immutable truth.
"I cannot accept this," said a petite, arrogant-looking woman with black and white hair that vaguely resembled horns. Her abyssal-black eyes reflected no light, but they gave the impression they could see through all things as their owner glared at Vahn with a defiant look.
Meeting the petite figure's gaze, Vahn's expression softened as he said, "The desire for change is a good thing. However, if you choose to come at me, there are two things you should know..."
Though the entire group instantaneously knew what he was going to say, Vahn effectively made it a fundamental aspect of reality by stating, "I will neither resist nor step down from my post. You are welcome to stab, slice, seal away, or even devour me. I will endure everything, and once you get tired, I will comfort you as any father should..."
Feeling emotions she hadn't experienced in eons, the dichromatic woman charged toward Vahn with reality-bending speed, her seemingly delicate right hand transforming into the claw of a black dragon as she attempted to rip his head off. Her true identity was that of the Primordial, Chaos, but she had been given a second title to explain the sudden emergence of Pure-Blooded Dragons in the Divine Realm, elevating her to the position of Progenitor Dragon God.
True to his words, Vahn offered no resistance even as Chaos ripped his head from his upper body. Ordinarily, Chaos would have used that as an opportunity to tear him to shreds, but she abruptly stopped, cold sweat running down her face and body as Vahn's memories of being torn apart were transmitted to her. At the same time, she also felt his compassion, love, and boundless tolerance, creating an indescribable sense of conflict within her heart as he rematerialized and casually decreed, "Only those who can empathize with the people they trample upon deserve to stand at the pinnacle of Creation..."
And with those words, Empathy became the 'core' representing all who held and aspired to obtain Divinity...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The act of creation will always be more meaningful than destruction...','PvP in Diablo Immortal be like...','Vahn, aka, the Dragon God of Consequence...')

"Did Kurma-chan offend you in some way...?" asked Queen Halloween, running her fingers through the hair of the Vahn resting his head atop her naked thighs.
"Even if she had, do you think me a petty man?" asked Vahn, opening his eyes to observe Queen's reaction directly.
"Not that I'm aware," replied Queen. "However, even if this is the path she chose for herself, it wouldn't take much for you to ally her concerns..."
"You're not wrong," conceded Vahn, closing his eyes and adding, "But I'm not the only one capable of clarifying the situation. Siddhartha discovered the truth fairly early on, but he continues going through the motions since it is our experiences that give meaning to life. As someone burdened with omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience, you know the importance of 'verifying' things for yourself..."
Furrowing her brows, Queen wanted to refute Vahn's words but knew there was no argument to make against them. Encompassing concepts such as omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience were intrinsically paradoxical due to the duality 'hardcoded' into Creation. A strong enough will could change the course of history and reshape destiny, so the true purpose of those with limitless power and knowledge was observing and comparing events that transpired in the present to how they were 'meant' to be. The problem was that the current Order allowed for contradicting interpretations of the same events. As a result, the structure of reality came down to a simple game of he-said-she-said based on the views of select entities and the Authority granted to them by their followers...
"Don't worry," said Vahn, opening his eyes just enough to let his usually aquamarine, currently rainbow-hued pupils shine through as he stated, "The changes you, Shiroyasha, and many others desire have either been introduced or set into motion. Rather than worrying about the future, you should focus on the present and make the most of every single moment..."
Grasping Queen's hand, Vahn planted kisses on her fingers until her smile gradually returned. She was used to being in control, but for the first time in her exceptionally long life, she felt it might not be so bad to entrust her fate to another...
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"You're one tough bastard..." remarked Yuri, spitting out a mouthful of blood and one of her molars after suffering a devastating right hook from Azi's largely destroyed fist. The one-eyed, now one-armed Demon Dragon God looked like a porcupine due to the number of sealing stakes piercing his body, but even his grazing blows were powerful enough to strip away a planet's magnetic field.
Removing the stake that Yuri had stabbed into the side of his neck, Azi replied, "All you're doing is delaying the inevitable. Those who sealed me in the past did so at the expense of their life, power, and Authority. Your unwillingness to make a similar sacrifice makes your seals useless..."
Directing his gaze to the other battles, Azi added, "Also...no one person can hope to conquer 'absolute evil' alone. Those Spirits are powerful, but without companions willing to share your burden and sacrifice alongside you, even a pyrrhic victory is impossible. Unless..."
Returning his gaze to Yuri, Azi's ghastly voice sounded amused as he asked, "Are you trying to buy time for someone else? Those cowards in the Inner Gates would never permit someone to enter this place if they didn't have a plan..."
Adopting a cheeky smile, Yuri replied, "Who knows? I'm sure they're scheming something, but I'm here, fighting you, of my own accord. Now, stop chattering and fight...!"
Holding her gauntleted hand in front of her face, Yuri manifested a silver blade from its end before charging forward and slicing at Azi with reckless abandon. His left arm had fallen off during their previous exchanges, so she attacked the left side of his body, intending to slick through his torso in a single go.
Contrasting Yuri's expectations, Azi didn't attempt to evade her attack. Instead, he raised what remained of his left shoulder and bicep as if he were inviting her attack.
Undaunted by Azi's actions, Yuri sliced through his ribs and nearly half his torso before her blade was stopped by his spine. The Laws infused in the attack prevented Azi's flesh from closing and regenerating, but that didn't seem to be what he had in mind. Instead, shadowy tendrils erupted from the wound, piercing Yuri's body before exploding to resemble sea urchins with thousands of tiny spines.
Sensing that something was off, a distinct grimace marred Azi's draconic visage as Yuri's body faded into pink mist. He was certain he had stabbed the real Yuri, but another version of the grinning beauty appeared behind him as the one he stabbed faded without a trace.
Swinging his arm to intercept the newly formed Yuri, impacting her ribs with the back of his hand, Azi confirmed his suspicions as she promptly disappeared. He had definitely struck something solid, so the two most likely explanations were that Yuri was manipulating causality or exploiting a form of superposition.
Perfectly capable of causal manipulation, Azi intended to test his theory by rushing to meet Yuri's attacks directly. His Authority 'had' to be greater than some unknown woman without an established legacy, so he willed the phenomenon of his fist drilling into Yuri's head, causing it to explode like a watermelon.
Though Azi's attack found purchase, obliterating the upper half of Yuri's body, the same disappearing phenomenon as before occurred, allowing her to land a meteoric dropkick between his shoulders. The attack barely nudged him, but Azi had the distinct impression something was wrong as the flow of fate hadn't changed. He was 'certain' he had destroyed Yuri's body, but a greater power or Authority had instantaneously overwritten his influence...
Ignoring Yuri's subsequent blows, even as she pierced his body with dozens of additional stakes, Azi's mind raced to understand and come up with a countermeasure to his present circumstances. As the manifestation of absolute evil, he should have been able to do so intuitively, but no matter how far into the future he attempted to peer, he couldn't envision a reality where he put Yuri down permanently. It was as though the more he desired to kill her, the more assured her survival became...
Catching Yuri off guard, Azi abruptly caught her fist with his remaining hand, allowing the stake protruding from the end to pierce his palm. This wasn't the first time he had intercepted her attack, but instead of trying to retaliate, he looked at her and stated, "Our battle has concluded. Seal me away if you'd like, but I won't fight you any longer."
Furrowing her brows, Yuri pulled her fist free of Azi's grip, sneering as she asked, "What kind of bullshit are you spouting now?"
"It's the truth," replied Azi, appearing utterly disinterested as he looked to his other selves, mentally commanding them to stand down. He realized that the entity protecting Yuri would not permit him to kill her, so the best thing to do was bide his time and absorb his Master's power. It might take eons, but there would eventually come a time when he was able to break free from the mysterious entity's influence.
Disagreeing with Azi's decision, the fleshy Verethraghna glared at him with empty eye sockets, screaming, "Have you lost your fucking mind!? We've been waiting a fucking eternity to enact our revenge! If you want to-"
Before Verethraghna could conclude his outburst, a pair of spear-like, bone-white forelegs pierced through his body from behind, courtesy of his multi-armed, multi-legged counterpart.
"You...bitch..." croaked Verethraghna. He then tried to engulf both himself and his multi-limbed counterpart in the all-consuming 'flames of war,' but as an entity born from the power Gluttony had absorbed from the Demon Lord of Perpetuity, even Verethraghna's flames were devoured as his form disappeared in the eldritch abomination's chest.
Witnessing the gruesome sight alongside Yuri, Mirage, and Veil, a peculiar smile developed across Azi's face as he muttered, "I see...so that's how it is. I thought I had consumed you, but as the manifestation of the serpent that consumes itself, it is only natural that I will be consumed in turn..."
Instead of responding to Azi with words, the dark-skinned abomination returned a smile as she charged toward him like a spider pouncing on a fly in its web. Azi could have resisted, but as his most heartfelt desire was to be reunited with his Master, he burst out laughing as what remained of his body was skewered, torn apart, and ultimately consumed.
Believing she was next, Yuri recalled Mirage and Veil, the former forming clothes around her body while the latter took the form of an inordinately long, pink, hook-shaped weapon. Unfortunately, just as she was getting excited, her would-be foe formed into a sphere, all traces of its terrifying energy fading away as it fell from the sky like an inert white stone.
"..."
As the perfectly spherical object plummeted into the sea of lava produced by Azi's use of Khvarenah, disappearing beneath its surface, a thick layer of abyssal black ice formed across its surface, turning nearly a third of the former Little Garden into a glassy plane resembling obsidian. At the same time, the previously sun-like temperatures abruptly vanished, replaced by an invasive chill approaching absolute zero.
Feeling slightly aggrieved, Yuri looked to the sky and asked, "What the fuck, Vahn?" as if he were responsible for denying her a good challenge. In response, Vahn's voice echoed in her mind, responding, ("You sensed it yourself. The Demon Dragon God had already given up the fight, and the remnants of the Ouroboros Cycle had no desire to continue it. I may have the power to force the matter, but that's a line I refuse to cross...")
Understanding there was no point in trying to argue, Yuri exhaled a tired sigh before looking in the direction Madara had departed with Eve a few minutes prior. The former was just as much a battle junkie as she was, so after a moment of deliberation, a pink aura burst from Yuri's body as she disappeared in search of her next target...
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Contrasting his expectations, Azi's consciousness didn't fade after his Master devoured him. There was a brief moment when he thought it had, but it was immediately followed by him waking in a grassy field, staring up at a beautiful, star-filled sky.
Rising to a seated position, the first thing Azi noticed was the change in his appearance. In place of bone-white flesh and powerful claws suited for slaughter, his hands and body were small, child-like, and covered in healthy brown skin.
Though it had been an eternity since he was human, Azi immediately recognized the hands as his own...long before he bore the weight of all sins.
Before Azi could make sense of his situation, specifically his lack of power and Authority, a delicate voice echoed from behind him like a bell, musing, "What a shame. Had you slept a few minutes longer, I would have placed a beetle up your nose."
Recognizing the mischievous voice, goosebumps spread across Azi's body as he turned to find a young girl with similarly brown skin, dark hair extending past the small of her back, and vibrant green eyes that seemed to glow even in the darkness. His own emanated a faint pink hue, earning him the label of a demon from his parents and subjects, but one person always called them beautiful...
"Ava..." muttered Azi, a wave of anguish washing over him, causing his voice to break slightly.
Adopting a heartbreakingly kind smile, Ava moved over to Azi, cradling his slightly chubby cheeks with her hands as she said, "Your eyes glisten like gemstones when you cry, but they're even more beautiful when you smile. Can you smile for me...?"
Catching Ava slightly off-guard, Azi abruptly tackle-hugged her, sobbing into her chest as he cried, "My smile has always been yours..." while no longer caring about the circumstances that led to his apparent loss of power, the gap in his memories, or his return to the past. All he knew was that he was where he was supposed to be. And this time, he wouldn't let anyone take it from him...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Paradoxes Abound...','How does the unstoppable force overcome the immovable object? It finds another path o3o...','There are no such things as absolutes...')

Though her fists packed enough force to collapse planets, Yuri's attacks had little effect on the Azi and his manifestations. Even when she landed a devastating dropkick against the original's face, producing a visible shockwave that spread hundreds of kilometers and created a massive pit in the sea of lava below, Azi was barely pushed back a few meters.
"Just give up," said the grinning, one-eyed Dragon God, massaging his neck with his right hand as he added, "Even if your supporter is the most powerful Poet in Creation, they can't write out the existence of evil. They could dictate my defeat, but unless they include a 'condition' that permits my return, it's simply too unrealistic to become a reality..."
Blocking one of Yuri's punches with the palm of his hand, Azi casually added, "Even if there were only a single being left in all of Creation, they would invariably come into conflict with themselves, nurturing the seed of their downfall."
Punctuating his statement, Azi landed a cataclysmic blow against the center of Yuri's chest, creating a gaping hole that ran straight through her. She regenerated nigh-instantaneously, but due to the Laws dictating that beings with an assumed form suffered from the same weaknesses as the creatures they emulated, a trace of blood leaked from the corner of her lips.
Grinning from non-existent ear to ear, Azi firmly asserted, "You are not the one I've been waiting for. Only a human with a truly heroic nature has any chance of defeating me."
Returning a dauntless smile, Yuri asked, "Is that so...?" before licking the blood from her lips and adding, "If your power and existence were half as 'absolute' as you believe them to be, you or your Master would have taken over the Divine Realm eons ago."
Manifesting a red gauntlet that enveloped her right hand and forearm, Yuri launched herself toward Azi with tremendous speed, her fist sinking into his abdomen instantly. Azi could have avoided the attack, but one of the qualities of absolute evil was unbridled arrogance. More importantly, only Someone he recognized as a true Hero could deal consequential damage to him. Yuri had committed many heinous acts during her tenure as a High Ranker, so even if she was equipped with the most powerful holy sword in Creation, she could never hope to defeat him.
Seeing Azi staring at her with a glimmer of amusement in his singular pink eye, Yuri's smile became especially vicious as she remarked, "You're really starting to piss me off."
As soon as Yuri was finished speaking, a spear-like tip protruded from the gauntlet, piercing the gap between Azi's abdominal muscles. The moment it did so, Azi felt an encroaching power similar to the stakes used to seal his maw flowing through his body, compelling him to strike forward like an antagonized snake, biting into Yuri's shoulder.
Though Azi succeeded in taking a bite out of her, Yuri retreated without issue, leaving behind the silvery nail in his abdomen and regenerating her left arm and shoulder before charging forward a second time.
Realizing that Yuri was trying to seal him, Azi's casual arrogance turned to outrage as he tore the stake from his abdomen, removing a chunk of flesh in the process. Unlike Yuri, however, he didn't heal. Instead, a tremendous volume of black blood erupted from the wound, staining his lower body and the white cloth around his waist black as he charged forward to meet Yuri's attacks head-on...
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After separating from Siddhartha, the first person Kurma thought to seek out was Scathach. The latter was among the greatest warriors in the Little Garden's ever-shifting history, but, more importantly, she had the backing of Queen Halloween.
"Is this supposed to be a joke...?" asked Kurma, a visibly annoyed look on her face as she discovered Scathach casually relaxing in a cafe, relaxedly sipping tea in a Maid outfit.
Opening her distinctly aquamarine eyes, Scathach adopted a faint smile and replied, "I'm not particularly fond of jokes." before rising to her feet, gesturing to the chair opposite her and asking, "Would you like to join me for tea?"
Though she furrowed her brows, Kurma didn't hesitate to take a seat, allowing Scathach to fill her cup and sit back down before asking, "Just what is going on here? Your Mistress should have been one of the people most concerned with the return of the Demon Dragon God..."
"I'm not entirely sure myself," replied Scathach, shrugging her shoulders and maintaining a relaxed smile as she speculated, "If I had to guess, the Sage Dragon Emperor did something to alleviate my Mistress's concerns. I received a message from her informing me it was no longer necessary to take direct action, so I've just been following young and promising Players around to ensure they didn't get gobbled up by one of the Demon Dragon God's clones."
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Kurma took a sip of the tea Scathach had prepared for her, savoring its taste before huffily remarking, "It's because of things like this that your Mistress has and always will be regarded as a problem child. I thought she had matured a bit after Shiroyasha-sama's appointment as the Eastern Floor Master, but it appears I was mistaken..."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Scathach was tempted to point out Kurma would pay for making such remarks about her Mistress but knew it was unnecessary. Queen Halloween wasn't the kind of woman that needed others to speak in her defense, so Scathach remained silent, permitting Kurma to finish her tea before stating, "Regardless of the circumstances, if my Mistress says the matter is settled, we can assume it's well in hand. I won't stop you from running around like a panicked chicken, but there is no need."
Rising to her feet and slapping the table between them, Kurma exclaimed, "This is the Demon Dragon God we're talking about! Even if he hadn't gotten his hands on the power of the Ouroboros Cycle, it would take all of us supporting Sidd to seal him away! How can you be so calm!?"
Stopping just short of sipping her tea, Scathach calmly replied, "Your fear and sense of urgency make the Demon Dragon God more powerful. Just trust in my Mistress, Lord Indra, Shiroyasha-sama, and the Sage Dragon Emperor. If the Demon Dragon God were a genuine threat, Someone like Vahn wouldn't be content to sit on the sidelines, placing his loved ones in danger."
"That..."
Though she wanted to argue, Kurma, like most people in the Little Garden, was aware of Vahn's personality. He was the type that only allowed his friends and loved ones to take action when he was certain there was no danger. When real or perceived threats appeared, he was always the first to act, taking on entire Pantheons of Gods as if there were little more than trash to be taken out...
Catching Kurma a little off guard, Scathach set down her cup and asked, "Have you tried asking the Sage Dragon Emperor for his assistance? The people he allowed to participate in this event are clearly just here to show off or have fun. If you're truly concerned about the threat represented by the Demon Dragon God, you could appeal to him to resolve it."
Recovering from a brief stupor, Kurma adopted a serious expression as she asked, "And you believe he would do so, even if it violated the rules and restrictions of the Gift Game?"
"Vahn allows himself to be bound by our rules, but he fundamentally exists outside of them," replied Scathach. "If someone petitioned him for assistance and he believed in their cause, I doubt even those occupying the single-digit Gates could stop him..."
Hearing Scathach's borderline blasphemy, Kurma's eyes became as round as saucers. She knew Vahn was exceptionally powerful, but if he were beyond those that ruled the Little Garden, he would have returned to the place he referred to as home...
Seeing through Kurma's thoughts, Scathach closed her eyes and pointed out, "The Sage Dragon Emperor cares about those around him and has a very prominent sense of responsibility. For the sake of all, I believe he will see things through to their natural conclusion. Whether that places him atop the throne of the Little Garden or somewhere else entirely remains to be seen..."
Dropping back into her seat, Kurma paused to consider Scathach's words, staring at her empty cup in contemplative silence. She found it difficult to believe that Vahn had already transcended the power scaling of the Little Garden, but it was relatively easy to accept he didn't care about claiming one of its thrones. His Aldrnari Empire had immense power and authority, but when it came down to it, Vahn only truly cared more about spending time with his family, friends, and the loved ones he kept safely within the Sage Dragon's Hearth. He was Someone with an unparalleled capacity to rule, but other than 'maintaining order,' he didn't care about implementing policies or guiding people's actions in the slightest...
Deciding to humor Scathach's words, a frown marred Kurma's face as she met the purple-haired Heroine's aquamarine eyes and asked, "So he's just going through the motions so we don't feel as though our actions have no purpose...?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Scathach contended, "Life undoubtedly has intrinsic value, but it is given meaning by the wants, desires, and actions of those who live it. If my interpretation of his actions is accurate, Vahn already possesses the power to create a new Order, but he cannot ignore the desires of others. Thus, until Someone worthy steps forward, he will create a power vacuum at the very pinnacle of reality, preventing anyone from standing at the top..."
Furrowing her brows to their limits, Kurma muttered, "That's insane...the only way such a reality could endure is if those who hold it together were destroyed or had their power stripped away..."
Adopting a faint yet terrifying smile, Scathach replied, "Maybe that's for the best. The innately powerful and fortuitous have ruled over the weak for far too long. And those at the pinnacle allow it because that is how the current Order is structured. They believe the most powerful should stand at the top, but they have also created a system that prevents any singular entity from acquiring absolute power. As such, the trio that rules over the Divine Realm keeps one another in check, ultimately becoming little more than lynchpins obsessed with maintaining the current Order..."
Rising to her feet, the usually optimistic twinkle in Scathach's eyes was replaced by a cold glimmer as she added, "Individuals like myself should not be able to slaughter billions without repercussions. Such power takes away the meaning others assign to their life, denying them even the most basic right. Thus, even if the Sage Dragon Emperor chooses to slaughter us all, I will welcome my end with a smile, spear in hand."
Punctuating her statement, Scathach manifested a rune-covered crimson spear, sweeping it at Kurma without warning. The latter was able to react by darting backward and countering with a torrent of golden lightning, but the jagged tendril of energy swerved around Scathach's body without her having to dodge, causing her to laugh aloud as she pressured Kurma with a series of swift, seemingly random strikes.
"Have you lost your mind!?" screamed Kurma, teleporting away as the tip of Scathach's spear grazed one of her horns.
Lowering herself like a predator ready to pounce, a battle-hungry smile developed across Scathach's face as she cheerfully exclaimed, "This is a Gift Game, not a forum for discussion! The people of the Little Garden are eager to see us trade blows, so let's give them a show to remember...!"
Without waiting for Kurma to respond, Scathach whipped her body like a slingshot, the spear in her right hand transforming into a bolt of crimson lightning as she threw it with all her might, shouting, "Gae Bolg...!"
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Uzumaki Clan would be proud...','I feel like Scathach has put more thought into Vahn's actions than Vahn himself xD...','Life is motion!')

Though he was several hundred meters above the ground, the three heads of Azi had to look up to see the crest of a peculiar pink wave that dominated one side of the horizon.
Having absorbed numerous prophets and even a handful of Gods of Wisdom, Azi immediately recognized the origin of the power within the wave, the centermost head remarking, "A resident of the Tower made it to the Divine Realm? How peculiar..."
Spotting Yuri standing atop the wave, the leftmost head bellowed, "Does it matter!? Let's slaughter this bitch...!" before opening his maw to unleash a laser-like beam of purple-black energy that burst into a veritable wall of flames the moment it made contact with the wave.
Seeing the wave endure the destructive beam of energy, the rightmost head blinked in surprise, causing several bone-white fragments to flake away from his face. Their flames were powerful enough to burn stars and subsume Solar Deities. The colossal wave should have been annihilated the moment their attack struck it, yet the complete opposite happened, a loud hissing sound emanating for hundreds of kilometers as their purple-black flames were swallowed up and extinguished.
Without needing to be told what to do, the centermost Azi activated one of its many trump cards, manifesting a distinctive, y-shaped halo formed of golden energy. The moment it appeared, all water and plantlife within tens of thousands of kilometers instantaneously shriveled and evaporated as the temperature across the battlefield increased to more than 5,000&deg;C at the periphery. Near the center, where Azi and Yuri were positioned, the ground and surrounding mountains liquefied, creating toxic fumes as even elements like tungsten were vaporized.
Seeing the tidal wall endure in the face of the most powerful incarnation of Purgatorial Flames, infused with the Laws of Flame and Lightning, the rightmost Azi stroked his chin and muttered, "I see...I almost forgot that, within the Tower, the energy known as Shinsu could even be infused with the power of Yang. But how could an Authority outside the bounds of Zoroastrianism counteract the power of Khvarenah(Halo of the Supreme Ruler)?"
"I don't know..." replied the central head, reaching up to claw away the right side of its face as it added, "The most logical conclusion is that she's drawing power from the same Poet that protected that doll..."
As Azi's talon tore through the fractured, bone-like material comprising much of his body, a tremendous volume of shadowy black blood poured forth. Even his eye came free, seemingly melting as the fragmenting of his body continued to exacerbate.
"You're not looking so hot," said Yuri, her voice carrying several hundreds of meters without issue. She was originally looking forward to a climactic battle with the three-headed Demon Dragon God, but now that she saw him up close, it looked as though he was about to kick the bucket without her.
Before Azi could respond, the leftmost head that had unleashed the beam of black flames abruptly slumped forward, melting in much the same way as the central head's eye. However, instead of falling into the sea of lava below, it stopped around the halfway point before forming a cacoon-like sphere.
More to himself than Yuri, the rightmost head noted, "It appears our body cannot contain the power of our Master. We're beginning to separate into our original selves..."
"Then let's speed things up," said the central head, surprising the right head by grabbing its neck, violently tearing and tossing the slackjawed appendage away without hesitation. He then grasped his own face, but before he could do whatever it was he intended to do, a crimson meteor impacted the top of his head, creating a massive explosion as Yuri's heel slammed into the center of his crown.
Contrasting Yuri's expectations, Azi wasn't sent crashing into the sea of lava by her attack. Despite looking like he was about to fall to pieces, her attack only managed to force Azi to look down slightly. At the same time, he used the stakes he pulled from his other heads to try and stab Yuri in the chest, nearly succeeding if not for voids opening within her body, the interior of which was colored the same pink hue as the static wave behind her.
Before Azi could comment on Yuri's amorphous body, the raven-haired Ha exploded, enveloping the stoic Dragon God in a manner reminiscent of the Templated Rimuru using [Gluttony].
Unperturbed by Yuri's attempt to devour him with her slime-like body, Azi opened his mouth, forming several additional maws across his body as he attempted to consume her in turn. The shadowy substance comprising his body was capable of breaking down virtually anything into usable energy, much like the void in Fenrir's stomach. However, unless his power and Authority were much greater than his prey's, the conversion took time. He still hadn't fully absorbed the power of his Master, so when Yuri began to invade him willfully, Azi's singular eye widened as she spread through him like an artificial cardiovascular system.
As if he still had three heads, Azi's right arm, wielding the stake that had formerly pierced his right head, abruptly stabbed at his face. He managed to stop it just as the tip pierced his snout, creating even more cracks, but he was temporarily rendered immobile as Yuri tried to puppeteer him with her slime-like body.
"You look like you're having trouble," said a teasing voice from behind Azi, compelling him to strain his neck and body to see who had spoken. When he did, a disconcerting smile developed across his face despite hundreds of copies of Yuri emerging from the pink wave, revealing its true nature.
Raising her brows, the Yuri that had previously spoken asked, "What are you getting excited for? You should realize by now that you have no hope of devouring me like you did Madara's clone..."
Adopting a cheeky smile, Yuri added, "You're struggling with just one of my offshoots, and there are literally trillions more of me. Soon enough, I will spread to cover the entirety of this battlefield, subsuming everything within. That includes you."
Seemingly amused by Yuri's remark, Azi opened his draconic maw and started to laugh, his voice producing powerful shockwaves that caused the pink liquid surrounding him to ripple, vibrate, and dissolve. Yuri was able to regenerate faster than he could destroy her, but that didn't seem to bother Azi as he adopted a vicious grin and said, "Go ahead. Feel free to consume me. As an embodiment of eschatology, I will be resurrected no matter how often I'm eaten, slain, or sealed away. All your actions will accomplish is providing me with a new, more powerful host."
As if to accelerate the rate Yuri devoured him, Azi overpowered her attempts to restrain him with God-like strength, clawing away at his face and body while laughing raucously. His actions caused the growing number of Yuri(s) to scowl, but that didn't stop them from devouring him. After all, even if Azi succeeded in infesting her body, there was absolutely no way Vahn would allow the crazed Dragon to turn her into a vessel or possess the body of their future children...
Before Azi could finish tearing himself apart, the cacoon formed from his leftmost head began to bloom, revealing golden light and a flesh-covered interior. From within, a distinctly humanoid figure slowly emerged from a membrane resembling an embryonic sac, its body comprised entirely of bone, glistening red muscle, and white sinew. It appeared to lack eyes, but its most notable features were the skull-shaped protrusions covering its shoulders like pauldrons, the burning halo hovering atop its head, and the flaming shortsword in its right hand.
As the vast majority of Yuri's clones turned their attention to the figure, disgust marring their expressions, the fleshy monstrosity's teeth began to clatter loudly as a ghastly, resonating chuckle emanated from its throat. Then, causing the pupils of nearly every Yuri to contract, the figure raised its flaming sword of its head and shouted, "Burn everything in the flames of War, Frashokereti...!"
Though it didn't kill any of them, nearly every Yuri was abruptly liquefied as a wave of spirit energy erupted from the grotesque, haloed entity like the eruption of a supernova. Even the massive wall of pink slime forming her true body was pushed back violently as the presumed Zanpakuto in the creature's hand turned into a blade of flames more than ten meters in length. At the same time, a series of twelve flesh-covered wings emerged from the monster's back like a grotesque parody of a Seraphim.
Swinging its inordinately long sword with such force that its arm tore and its entrails slipped from its gut, the monstrous figure cleaved the pink wall from one end of the horizon to the other. The space between the two halves was cleaved in two, creating a gravitational well comparable to a black hole, but Yuri's slime was largely unaffected, the upper half of the wave splitting into countless smaller chunks that formed a veritable legion of pissed-off clones.
Causing the expressions of the countless Yuri(s) to darken, the monstrous figure began to laugh as it spread its wings wide, producing innumerable feathers that quickly materialized into an equivalent number of clones. The leftmost head was the source of Azi's ability to replicate and create a functionally infinite number of clones and, as an escatology representing humanity's extinction as a result of war, its power grew in proportion to its opponent's.
Without a care for their 'allies,' the fleshy Seraphim began to swing their inordinately long swords with reckless abandon, slicing through each other and regenerating just as fast as the legion of Yuri. The pink wave surged forward and washed over the majority of the monstrous creatures, but even as their flesh dissolved, they continued to laugh and attack with unabated intensity, an aura of slaughter and madness descending upon the battlefield as the two forces merged like Creation's most grotesque iteration of meat jelly...
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Like many of the people observing the conflict between Yuri and Azi from the relative safety of the Little Garden, Mikoto, sitting atop Vahn's head in her Pikachu form, began to feel queasy as she noted, "This is too much..."
"Hmmm...perhaps you're right..." admitted Vahn, his expression fixed in a relaxed smile, wholly unperturbed by the grotesque sight. He had seen and experienced far worse during his conquest of the Ethereal Queen, so he didn't feel there was anything intrinsically wrong or disturbing with the scene playing out in front of him. Yuri seemed to be enjoying herself, and Azi's bastardization of the Verethraghna, the Zoroastrian God of War, was clearly having a lot of fun.
After a very brief moment of consideration, at least from an onlooker's perspective, Vahn removed his right hand from Fenrir's head, swiping at the central display they were using to observe the Pandemonium Gift Game. As he did so, the scene changed from a bloody, grotesque battle to a 3v3 fight between Yuri, Mirage, and Veil versus Azi, Verethraghna, and multi-armed, multi-legged female with fleshy brown skin forming her base color and a bone white carapace.
"Is that better...?" asked Vahn, prompting a wry smile to develop across Mikoto's face as she admitted, "It is." However, as she didn't agree with Vahn casually changing reality, especially due to something she said, she didn't fully approve of his actions. The old him would have never done such a thing, but ever since his battle against the Ethereal Queen, Vahn had been a lot less 'apprehensive' about using his power...
Sensing Mikoto's thoughts, Vahn's relaxed smile eased into a far more affectionate look as he retrieved the loveable ball of yellow fur from his head and hugged her gently in his embrace. Mikoto felt embarrassed by his actions, especially when everyone's gazes abruptly turned to her, but that didn't stop her from nestling into Vahn's embrace, enjoying his scent and warmth as all her apprehensions and anxieties melted away, replaced by a sense of comfort and unity...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Yuri has learned from the Great Masters, Mollang and Rimuru...','A very literal representation of the 'meat grinder' referred to in war dramas...','Cuddles make everything better o3o...')

Sensing the power of Azi, seemingly encompassing the entirety of the former Little Garden, Siddhartha, Madara, and Kurma, the latter two in their dragon forms, momentarily ceased battling.
Staring in the direction Azi's power was emanating, Madara's draconic visage formed into a smile, prompting Kurma to exclaim, "Don't do it! Now that things have developed to this extent, we should retreat and ally with other powerful Players...!"
"You and Mr. Hands are free to do exactly that," replied Madara, turning to Kurma as she added, "I'm no coward."
Without waiting for Kurma's response, Madara's colossal figure abruptly contracted on itself, disappearing nigh-instantaneously. This was despite Siddhartha having placed a seal on the surrounding space, compelling the three-eyed, multi-armed Buddha to cross his arms and remark, "That one is full of tricks..."
Exhaling a profound sigh, causing her surroundings to distort in response to the space around her expanding, Kurma directed her gaze toward the horizon. There, Madara had just unleashed a laser-like breath attack that caused her surroundings to be consumed by abyssal black flames.
Though she didn't believe Madara could defeat Azi, Kurma decided to trust that she could at least stall the great evil, turning to Siddhartha to ask, "Can you use the remnant energy of the Gods to prepare a Six Paths, Heaven-Sealing Array?"
"It's not impossible," replied Siddhartha. "However, even if I were to do so, it wouldn't be able to hold Azi Dahaka for long. Without the power of Authority, there isn't much we can do but delay him."
Reverting to her human form, Kurma's expression formed into a pout as she considered appealing for an Adjudication, temporarily suspending the Pandemonium Gift Game. Things were quickly getting out of hand, and if the companions of the Sage Dragon Emperor refused to cooperate, they had little hope of reclaiming the Reality Axis, much less defeating Azi.
Furrowing her brows grimly, Kurma briefly considered the possibility that Vahn had betrayed them. The odds were exceptionally slim, but it was the only thing that explained why his subordinates were so uncooperative...
Interrupting Kurma's increasingly negative chain of thoughts, Siddhartha said, "You should retreat first. The energy of this region and the influence of Azi Dahaka has started to affect and erode your mind. Return once you have grounded yourself."
"Ah..."
Though she didn't believe Azi's influence could affect her so easily, Kurma took Siddhartha's words at face value. The alternative was accepting that Vahn had somehow hoodwinked Shiroyasha, Indra, and countless others, herself included. She didn't want to believe that someone referred to as the 'Dawn' was capable of such deception. Thus, after one final glimpse in the direction of Madara and Azi, Kurma turned away and flew off in search of allies, leaving Siddhartha to ready the 'Six Paths, Heaven-Sealing Array' on his own...
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Emerging from the remnants of the mountain Azi had thrown her into, Eve gazed at the seemingly endless sea of black flames produced by Madara, habitually analyzing their structure before turning her carmine gaze to the shimmering black and white sun dominating the horizon.
Exhibiting a hint of emotion, Eve's eyes glossed over and wavered as she muttered, "I failed..." in a dispirited tone. Now that Azi had consumed the power of the Ouroboros Cycle, the odds of succeeding in her mission and fulfilling her purpose had decreased to 0.00000000000000000000147%. Not impossible, but various 'miracles' would need to transpire to create an opportunity for her to succeed.
With few options, Eve got on her knees and brought her hands together in prayer. As she did, pure white light gathered at her back and above her head, forming a set of angelic wings and a halo as the vibrant blue hue of her hair transitioned to chestnut brown. At the same time, her fair, nearly translucent white skin became a healthy shade of brown as she said, "Oh Heavenly Father, I come to you in this moment of weakness and despair, entreating your mercy. The odds of success are stacked against me, but I know that with you, all things are possible..."
Opening her eyes to reveal distinctive aquamarine irises, Eve added, "As I kneel before you, I ask that you grant me the strength to persevere in the face of evil. May your radiant light shine upon me and guide me on my journey, and may your love fill my heart with courage and determination..."
In response to Eve's prayer, beams of light began piercing through the dark clouds that had formed overhead, drastically weakening the intensity of Madara's flames.
"Transform me, oh Lord. May I be revitalized and empowered with the Wings of Providence. Help me glimpse the path ahead clearly so I might walk in the footsteps of your divine plan..."
As the power encompassing Eve's body began to spread outward like a domain, the side of the waning black sun abruptly exploded, followed by Azi emerging from within, his leftmost head screaming, "I don't fucking think so, you bitch...!"
Instead of attempting to evade Azi's meteoric blow, Eve closed her eyes in resolution, whispering, "I put my faith and trust in you, as I know you will not abandon me in my time of need..."
Punching at Eve's head, all three Azi's expressions darkened as their fist impacted a thin but seemingly indestructible barrier. The force of their blow instantaneously disintegrated the surrounding mountain, but Eve's hair barely rustled as she opened her eyes to stare directly at them.
"Impossible..." said Azi's rightmost head, a fierce glimmer emanating from his eerie pink eyes as he remarked, "This is not the power of the God you serve..."
Though she ordinarily would have refuted Azi's words, Eve knew better than the three-headed Demon Dragon God that the power enveloping her was different from usual. It felt familiar, as if it was the same as usual, but as a weapon designed to destroy the current order, she could sense when changes had occurred to its structure.
Reaching the same conclusion as Eve, shadowy, light-absorbing blood began to leak from the voids surrounding Azi's eyes as the central head grimly remarked, "It would seem a Poet even more powerful than Canaria has emerged..."
Before the leftmost head could unleash a scream of profanities, a black blade of energy attempted to slice through the central head but shattered like glass on contact, prompting the trio to look back at Madara, staring down at them in her Six Paths Sage Mode.
Clicking her tongue, Madara crossed her arms and remarked, "You're one tough bastard..."
Seemingly ignoring Madara, the three heads returned their attention to Eve, causing the white-haired Uchiha's brow to twitch. Her attacks might not be effective against the Ouroboros-empowered Azi, but she refused to be ignored...
Earning Azi's attention, Madara's mane of colorless hair transitioned from raven black to a dark shade of purple, starting from its roots. At the same time, a black monkey-like tail protruded from her lower back while the predominately white, black-trimmed robes enveloping her body dissolved, substituted by an Egyptian-themed halter top and baggy white pants.
Forming a Ram Seal with her hands, Madara manifested her Susanoo in the form of a dark purple giant with six arms and three heads. Each set of hands formed a different seal, but neither Azi nor Eve paid much attention as they raised their gazes high in the sky, staring at the colossal objects that had veiled their surroundings in shadow.
Though she doubted it would have much of an effect on the current Azi, Madara accepted that she would be disqualified, summoning seventeen Authority-empowered meteors, each more than ten kilometers across and infused with the Law of Destruction. Their speed wasn't very impressive, but Madara preempted Azi's potential escape by encircling him with several clones, each using Shinra Tensei(Almighty Push) to restrain him.
As if the Shinra Tensei had little to no effect on him, Azi reached up with his left hand, grabbing the end of the stake impaled through his chin and emerging from his bone-white snout. He ordinarily wouldn't have been able to remove it, but after absorbing his Master's power and blood, his existence and Authority had been strengthened considerably.
Tearing the stake from his maw, causing cracks to develop across his head and down the length of his serpentine neck, Azi surprised Madara by effortlessly breaking free from her clones and barreling toward her with 'reality-defining' momentum. His movements were such that even a perfectly ordinary child could perceive them, but Madara barely had time to widen her eyes before Azi pierced the center of her chest with the stake, sealing her power and preventing her from being ejected from the Game Board.
Grabbing Madara's neck with his right hand, Azi opened his toothy maw to reveal a black void. Then, without a moment's delay, he bit down on her head, ripping it from her torso, chewing it, and slurping up her inordinately long hair as he directed his gaze to the meteors above.
While drawing Madara's remains into his chest, Azi used the shadowy tendrils that formed his wings to grab the stakes piercing his other heads, tearing them free. The moment he did so, the two heads opened their fractured maws, unleashing shadowy beams of energy that sliced through the meteors, leaving an eerie black substance that rapidly consumed the cataclysmic constructs of Destruction before they had a chance to impact the devastated terrain below...
Witnessing the horrific scene, Eve's eyes began to waver until one of the remaining Madara's abruptly picked her up, shouldering her like a sack of potatoes before taking off as the version consumed by Azi exploded in a massive cloud of rainbow-hued energy...
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Observing the battle between Madara and Azi from a distance, a serious expression marred Yuri's face. She had doubts about her ability to provide backup to the proud Uchiha, but seeing how quickly Madara had lost, she doubted even Ureko could trade more than a handful of blows with the monstrous Demon Dragon God. At least not with the power they currently possessed...
Borrowing a page from Eve, Yuri brought her hands together, directing her gaze to the sky as she cheekily appealed, "Yo, Vahn, give me the power to fuck this guy up."
In response to Yuri's appeal, the world around her appeared to undergo a slide transition as incredible power surged from within her. Only a handful of powerful entities could perceive it, but as one of the people Vahn cared about, Yuri was at least vaguely aware of each time he effectively rewrote reality. In this instance, he had made it so that the two of them had spent nearly a hundred additional years training in the Tower, allowing her to be the one to defeat a far more powerful version of her father, Zahard.
Punching her right fist into the palm of her left hand, a battle-hungry grin developed across Yuri's face as a crimson aura erupted from her body like an explosive tide. At the same time, her two Companions, Mirage and Veil, enveloped her body in a predominately white, pink-tinged outfit with fins and feathery protrusions. Mirage was a holdover from the previous reality, but Veil, a pale-pink, phoenix-like Companion, was brand new, something Yuri had experienced fighting alongside for centuries despite having been created specifically to allow her to contend against Azi...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Kurma is very easily bullied...','Eve discovers the Path toward Salvation...','A power far beyond that of a Poet OwO...')

Though it was a little awkward, Izuku enjoyed the experience of Luna lapping up his sweat as she sat atop his lap, willfully grinding her crotch against his bulge. Unfortunately, just a few minutes into their impromptu 'makeout' session, a loud knock emanated from the driver's side window, the result of someone trying to break into their car.
"Seriously..." groaned Izuku, prompting Luna to exhale a soft but throaty chuckle, licking his chick one final time before remarking, "I told you we should have parked in a closed security lot..."
As Luna moved back to her seat, Izuku pressed the button that caused the window's tint to fade, revealing a trio of relatively young-look people with custom balaclavas to match the contours of their faces.
Not expecting anyone to be in the car they were trying to break into, the trio immediately bolted in different directions. One even leaped high into the sky, bounding several tens of meters before spreading his arms like a flying squirrel to glide away.
Deterring Izuku from giving chase, Luna remarked, "Madai...at this point, I'm starting to think it would be best if we just got a hotel to relax. I have an Amazon Flix account, so we can just stream an already-released movie if you'd like..."
Returning his gaze to Luna, Izuku asked, "What about buying presents...?"
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Luna practically purred, "You're not very good at reading between the lines, cumpa..."
"Ah..."
Seeing Luna shift in her seat, staring at him unblinkingly with her luminous golden eyes, a wry smile developed across Izuku's face. She was clearly very 'agitated,' but because of the attempted break-in, his excitement had transitioned to alertness.
Adopting a more relaxed posture, Izuku pointed out, "You're in the driver's seat. Wherever we end up, I'm sure I'll enjoy the ride..."
Narrowing her eyes further, Luna quickly keyed an address into the car's navigation panel before returning to Izuku's side of the vehicle. As much as she wanted to give the supercar a spin, she was too distracted to drive it personally. Thus, while the car smoothly and expertly navigated them to their destination, she instinctually covered every inch of Izuku's face and neck with her scent...
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After leaving the rental in a high-security parking lot that stored vehicles deep underground using a special conveyor elevator, Izuku accompanied Luna to a small but expensive studio apartment whose main bedroom was barely 2.5x4m. The bed, located at the far end of the room, touched both walls, but even at a glance, it had a lot of 'character.' Framed vinyl records lined both walls, and there were signed photos of famous jazz musicians and rock bands from over a hundred years prior.
Before Izuku could comment on the framed records, Luna slipped past him to grab an open, nearly full laundry hamper, placing it inside a small closet before turning to face him with an awkward smile as she said, "It's probably not as fancy as the hotels and rooms you're used to, but this is my home away from home. Sorry if it smells a little funky..."
Though he couldn't tell if she was blushing, Izuku imagined Luna's cheeks glowing crimson as he inhaled a deep breath through his nose. A fairly prominent fragrance lingered in the air, but rather than smelling like a wet canine or something foul, it was similar to roasted chestnuts mixed with a deep, feminine aroma.
"It's not a bad smell..." remarked Izuku, prompting Luna to exhale a sigh of relief before crossing her arms to stare at him with a playfully pointed look as she muttered, "You really know how to put a girl on edge..."
Without waiting for Izuku's response, Luna uncrossed her arms and approached him, fearlessly unbuttoning the buttons of his dress shirt to reveal part of his Hero costume as she narrowed her eyes and muttered, "You know...green is one of my favorite colors..."
"That would explain a lot..." replied Izuku, surprising Luna as he casually reached behind her and moved his hand along the underside of her soft, fluffy tail. He couldn't imagine how much shampoo and conditioner she went through, but she clearly cared for the quality of her fur...
Leaning into Izuku, Luna wrapped her arms around his body and snapped her teeth playfully, remarking, "I didn't bring you here to pet me and fluff up my tail..."
Moving away from Izuku, Luna grabbed his wrists and pulled him toward her bed, releasing him at the last moment to fall backward onto its pillowy surface. Then, with her tail curled up between her legs, the tip extending to cover the lower half of her face, she ran her hands along its surface and mused, "Though I can understand why you'd want to..."
"So, I take it we're skipping the movie...?" asked Izuku, unfastening the final few buttons of his dress shirt while Luna observed him with a hungry glimmer in her eyes.
While continuing to caress her tail, Luna responded, "I'm too riled up right now. Once I've calmed down, we can watch a movie, visit the park, or just take a nap..."
Seeing Izuku remove his shirt and discard the upper half of his green and black Hero costume, Luna's eyes widened. Many Heroes disguised their true physiques with muscle suits and padding. She could tell Izuku was in great shape, but his clearly defined muscles caught her off guard, causing her heart to tense as her already heated breathing accelerated.
Saving Izuku the effort, Luna kicked off her custom-made shoes and began to shimmy out of her pants as if they were stockings. Underneath, she had on a pair of pale-pink panties. However, unlike ordinary panties, they more closely resembled a pair of spats, covering part of her thighs and extending nearly to her navel to accommodate her tail.
Though things were going much faster than he anticipated, a smoldering grin developed across Izuku's face as he unfastened his belt, discarding it to the side. He was then going to remove his pants, but Luna preempted him by sitting up and saying, "Let me do it...!" while staring hungrily at his crotch.
Without waiting for permission, Luna unbuttoned Izuku's trousers before using her teeth to lower his zipper, turning her eyes up to meet his gaze as she did so. The thought of receiving a blowjob from a girl with a wolf's head and muzzle made Izuku a little uneasy, but that didn't stop him from smiling as he resisted the urge to extend his hand and caress Luna's head and ears.
Pulling down both layers of Izuku's trousers, as well as the boxer briefs underneath, Luna's eyes briefly widened before a broad smile developed across her face. She knew he was packing from the size of his bulge, but much like she was surprised by the definition of his muscles, Luna felt her throat and lower abdomen tense when she saw Izuku's dick directly.
Eliciting a soft chuckle from the silently observing Izuku, Luna began to affectionately caress his cock with her velvety soft hand as she playfully remarked, "I knew we had amazing compatibility..."
Without further remark, Luna used her long, flat, and somewhat rough tongue to lick Izuku from stem to tip. He expected her to take it into her mouth, but she only used her hands and tongue, caressing his shaft with her left hand while gazing up and him and stroking herself beneath the fabric of her panties.
Adopting a dauntless smile, Izuku raised his brows slightly, asking, "Need some help with that...?"
Exhaling a throaty chuckle, Luna remarked, "I certainly wouldn't mind, but you don't need to force yourself. Don't let it go to your head, but I've been good to go since we met up this morning..."
Punctuating her statement, Luna sat on her bed, leaning back slightly to remove her panties, unleashing a veritable explosion of pheromones and revealing her incredibly wet pussy. It was covered in a thin layer of white fur, much like her abdomen and inner thighs, but it wasn't all that different from any other girl Izuku had slept with. Fur aside, the only real difference was that her entire pubic mound had a faint pink coloration.
Leaning back onto her elbows, Luna pulled her feet onto the edge of her bed, spreading her legs as she asked, "Disappointed...?" while observing Izuku's reaction.
Raising his eyes to meet Luna's gaze, Izuku craned his right brow in mild incredulity as he asked, "Why would I be...?"
"Just asking," mused Luna, exhaling a light chuckle before abruptly rolling onto her stomach and raising her pert, fur-covered ass. Lying on her back wasn't very comfortable due to the pressure it placed on her tail, so while it was somewhat embarrassing, her go-to sex positions were lying on her side and doggy style.
Seeing Luna sway her ass and tail from side to side, Izuku slipped out of his pants and Hero costume, adding them to the rest of his clothes before positioning himself behind the alluring heteromorph, grasping her ass, and spreading the startlingly hot folds of her pussy with his thumbs. He was eager to stick his dick inside and experience its heat directly, but he had enough sense to ask, "Do you have a condom on you...?"
Glancing back at Izuku with amusement, Luna brushed his face with her tail as she answered, "This must be your first time having sex with a mammal-type Heteromorph. Cumming inside is the norm since it's the only way to alleviate the symptoms of our arousal. But don't worry. I'm not in season right now, so you couldn't knock me up, even if you wanted to."
Trusting that Luna knew more about her physiology than he did, Izuku placed his glans against her piping-hot entrance and sank his dick deep inside her steamy cavern. Entry was fairly easy, but the moment his dick pushed up against what he assumed to be her cervix, her tail abruptly straightened, and the fur across her body stood on end as the interior of her pussy clamped like a vice. Then, as if her interior folds had suddenly come to life, they began undulating, starting from the mouth of her pussy and running to her core as if trying to milk him.
Amused by Izuku's surprised reaction, a throaty chuckle emanated from Luna's throat as she swayed her ass from side to side, explaining, "Now you see why condoms are pointless. Even if you had one, it would come off. Then you'd have to spend several minutes trying to fish it out of me..."
Before Izuku could comment, Luna turned away from him, closing her eyes and resting her chin atop her crossed arms as she added, "You'll be able to move freely once you cum at least once. Feel free to rub my butt or play with my tail until then. Just be gentle..."
As if waiting for her to finish, the undulating suction of Luna's pussy became even more intense once she ceased her explanation. In reality, she was willfully accelerating the process, fearful that Izuku might not appreciate that her explanation had come 'after' they were effectively locked together.
Lucky for Luna, Izuku was a fairly accepting guy, so after recovering from his initial confusion, he adopted a wry smile, shrugged his shoulders, and began massaging her ass, prompting her tail to wag from side to side, brushing it against his face. Being unable to move was annoying, but the sensations emanating from Luna's pressure cooker of a pussy were new, unique, and pleasurable. She had also alleviated his concerns by stating that he would be able to move freely after blowing his first load, so, until then, Izuku decided to get his fill of Luna's fragrant and exceptionally soft tail...
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(A/N: I'm not sure I'm 'back' to writing this series just yet, but I felt bad about leaving things where they were. I intend to release more chapters, but I'll likely be transitioning back to EPIC to complete it. Many people have been waiting for me to wrap up the final two arks, so I'll be posting chapters starting tomorrow or the day after.)

Library of Akasha

The Path

Just Another Reincarnatio...

Not a Mob: Psycho

BNHA: Singularity

One Piece : Wild Hunt

I, Your Father, Carry a B...

Mushoku Impact

Maintaining the Balance

EPIC Side Story: Dragon B...

Fenrir's Journey : I Shal...

Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cul...

Babel

Endless Path : Infinite C...