Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn awoke due to a peculiar aroma wafting into the room where Tsubaki had laid him to rest. (A/N: Unintentional pun?). Though it didn't smell bad, there was a strange burning smell accompanying the smell of food. He made his way out of his room and headed towards the source of the aroma.He entered a kitchen-like area where Tsubaki was currently using a wok to fry rice. She noticed his presence and gave him a cheeky grin while continuing to add seasoning to the dish. "Oh, you're awake so soon kiddo? Dreamt about me?"Vahn shuddered and almost retorted that, instead of a dream, it would have been a nightmare given how much she had tormented him earlier. "I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to touch your chest..." Tsubaki lowered the flame and added a bit of soy sauce before turning towards Vahn."Boo, boo, what kind of attitude is that for a man? You should be more assertive even if you make a mistake or women will take advantage of you. What would you do if I was unwilling to forgive you, huh?" As she spoke she walked towards Vahn and hugged her breasts with her arms, lifting them up to make them stand out more.Vahn turned his head away, unsure of how to answer the question. If she didn't forgive him, what could he do besides continue apologizing? Could he leave the Familia or run away and avoid making the situation worse? His thoughts were interrupted when Tsubaki chopped the top of his head."Such a kid. You'll break a girls heart acting like that someday. You think I care if someone stares at my chest when I walk around wearing a sarashi? Look all you want, hell, you can even try touching them if you're brave enough. Of course, I might have to punish you if you do! Tsubaki laughed at Vahn who was rubbing his head with damp eyes. The chop of a Level 5 Adventurer isn't light.Tsubaki returned to preparing lunch after harumphing towards the unassertive Vahn. Though she liked cute and adorable things, she preferred men to have a more stable and forward mentality. Even if he apologized, he should still be happy or proud of his ability to not only catch her off guard but even take advantage of the situation to gain some minor benefits. Instead, all she saw was a genuine apologetic expression like he didn't even consider the act as something significant.As someone who always lived openly and took pride in herself, Tsubaki was mildly annoyed by Vahn's actions. She decided to make sure he became more manly during their training, or else Hephaestus would end up being at her wits end in the future. Seeing how Hephaestus had lost herself during their conversation earlier, Tsubaki was certain she had more than a simple appreciation for Vahn and his origins.---The two sat around a short table and Tsubaki served him a large portion of fried rice. Though it had a 'peculiar' smell, Vahn found it kind of enticing. Within the bowl, he could see eggs and small vegetables throughout the crispy grains. After tasting it, he began to quickly eat before asking for another serving."Well done, at least you know how to eat!" Tsubaki gave him another healthy serving. "Make sure you eat a lot so you can grow big and strong in the future. Eating is a sign of good health and a strong body after all." Finishing her words, Tsubaki started eating her own 'healthy' portion of rice. Similar to Vahn, she was completely unrestrained during the act which should have been off-putting, but Vahn found it very refreshing.He found her eating methods very 'like' her, and couldn't even imagine her seated in a restrained manner like all the other women he had seen eating. Vahn smiled and continued his own meal in a similarly unrestrained manner, which Tsubaki saw as a sign of a challenge. The two continued eating in a competitive manner until the family sized portion of rice had vanished.---The two laid on their backs from their seats around the table. Since they had both gotten really into the 'competition' they ended up eating much more than either of them would normally eat. Tsubaki suddenly started laughing from the opposite side of the table."Though you got a bit of a head start, looks like this one was your victory. I guess that makes us 2 - 99! Keep it up and you might be able to close the gap sooner or later." She continued laughing and Vahn just closed his eyes while enjoying the afterglow of the delicious meal. He began thinking that living here wouldn't be so bad.---After the meal, Vahn was preparing to leave for the dungeon. He had already informed Tsubaki about his training and partnership with Lili. He explained a bit about her circumstances and that he was helping improve her strength so she could control her own destiny. Tsubaki, after hearing Vahn ask if he could bring her to train with him in the future, willingly allowed him to do so."Sure. I want to see the girl that Little Vahn took it upon himself to protect. I wonder what kind of child she is to make you spend so much effort for her? Hehehe, I'm sure Hephaestus would like to know as well." Tsubaki heavily patted his back repeatedly while laughing at the thought. Vahn, on the receiving end of the heavy blows, began to feel like his spine was cracking under the pressure."Oh, speaking of which, I wonder how she'll react when she finds out you touched my breasts! Hehe, I wonder if she will be jealous?" Hearing her words, Vahn began to feel an impending doom creep up on him. His heartbeat began to accelerate and he could feel a strange sensation present in its depths.---On the other side of the City, Hephaestus was heavily slamming her hammer into a piece of metal. Each strike would send sparks flying from the superheated metal, and she was a bit annoyed at seeing her relative lack of control. She wasn't sure why, but ever since earlier she began to feel an itchy sensation in her chest that caused her moderate discomfort. She decided to take a break and wiped her brow clean of sweat.After enjoying a cool drink of water, Hephaestus noticed that her heart rate was increasing. In confusion, she started paying attention only to realize it was not her heart but the connection she shared with Vahn. The gentle rhythm that brought her comfort previously was now chaotic and she could feel subtle feelings of unease and guilt disrupting the steady pulse. She looked towards the direction of Tsubaki's workshop and displayed a frown."Why do I feel like I need to punish them both..."---After leaving Tsubaki's workshop, Vahn made his way to Babel Plaza where he met up with Lili who was already waiting for him. Though he still had her backpack in his storage, she was really easy to find as her small frame stood out in contrast to the giant hammer resting against her shoulder."Sorry to keep you waiting, Lili. I got held back after training and lunch." Vahn smiled and approached her, but started slowing his pace after seeing her expression. Like she had done so previously, Lili got near him and began smelling his body."Vahn, why is it that every time we're apart you come back smelling like a different woman. Even if you were sparring with someone, you wouldn't absorb so much of their fragrance!" She was moving around his body and smelling various different locations. Her frown became especially deep when she smelled the subtle scent coming from the small of his back. Instead of the typical body odor, it smelled like a real 'womanly' scent.She couldn't help but ask the question that came to her mind. "Vahn, did you let someone ride you?" The look on her face was very serious, and she stared directly into his eyes almost daring him to lie.Hearing the awkward question, Vahn released a long sigh after recalling his period of suffering. He knew her nose was very sensitive in her cat person form, and she seemed especially sensitive to his smell making it hard to hide the truth. He nodded before saying, "Yeah, Tsubaki had pinned me to the ground after I tried to attack her. She prevented me from escaping for nearly half an hour before I ran out of strength."Lili listened to Vahn's explanation, and even though she knew he wasn't speaking in a sexual context, she almost wanted to smack him for using such misleading words! She lamented at how dense he could be at times and decided she needed to put in more effort so he doesn't cause any troubles in the future.After his 'slip', Vahn continued explaining everything that had happened that morning as the two made their way into the dungeon. Lili, who had still been angry since earlier, instantly became excited after hearing Vahn mention she would be able to stay at Tsubaki's workshop in the future. This not only allowed her to improve the quality of her training, but she would also be able to keep tabs on Vahn so he doesn't end up getting played to death by that Cyclops.---Vahn was very mentally exhausted from the events of the day, so they leisurely made their way through the dungeon at a slower pace than normal. This didn't mean he dropped his focus, as he was still using [Will of the Emperor], but he found fighting the monsters dissatisfying. After experiencing the might of a peak Level 5 Adventurer, every movement of the monsters seemed basic in comparison. There was no sense of pressure like the helplessness he had experienced earlier.Instead of their daily sparring, Vahn decided it was best if they left the dungeon early to make arrangements for Lili to move in with Tsubaki. He also needed to coax the young Tina who would probably throw a fit after finding out he was leaving. So far he had been able to avoid directly telling her, but he felt obligated to do so lest she blame him for disappearing in the future.After leaving the dungeon, they made their way towards the inn when Vahn suddenly stopped. He could feel a penetrating gaze, almost like someone was looking directly through him. Turning towards the direction of the gaze, he looked towards Babel Tower that loomed in the distance. The gaze seemed to intensify and it caused Vahn's internal energy to shudder before he felt the penetrative force disappear entirely.Lili had noticed his change and looked towards the tower as well. "What's wrong, Vahn? Did you see something?" She was concerned and her voice was quiet. Even though she had seen him struggle, she had never seen Vahn act afraid.Vahn continued to stare towards the direction of the gaze for a few seconds before shaking his head. "It's fine Lili. I just thought I felt someone looking at me and tried finding the source. It might have even been my imagination, so don't let it bother you." He lightly patted her head but noticed that his hand was shaking slightly while doing so.Lili placed both of her hands above the one he was using to pat her. It was damp and cold, unlike the warmth she had grown accustomed too. She knew he was lying, but knew that she wouldn't be able to help even if it was something that terrified even him. Gritting her teeth, Lili slowly nodded her head. "Okay Vahn, if you say so then it must be true."Vahn was thankful for her consideration and believed it was a sign that she was slowly growing. He kept patting her head for a few more moments before leading the way towards the inn. But, the entire time they were walking he kept his focus on the tower at his back. He knew, sometime in the near future, trouble would come looking for him.(A/N: Alternate Title: Premonition)

Vahn and Lili continued towards the inn with low spirits. Lili was very concerned for Vahn, while he was still focusing his attention towards the dangerous feeling that had penetrated through him. He needed to get stronger, and it seemed as if he was running out of time.On the route, Vahn also diverted some of his attention towards his stats and resources. Luckily, he had managed to obtain a decent amount of OP for completing the heart's desire quest with the 'eternal flame'. His pool of OP had been running low as of late due to his interactions with Lili and other expenses.He needed to do his best to earn points to prepare for the worst-case scenario where he and the people he wants to protect are endangered. He started to compile a list of potential life-saving items and resources he could use in conjunction with his skills to protect himself and others. One of the items he desperately wanted to purchase was another [Effigy of the Hero], but they were priced at 100,000 OP each.After another twenty minutes, they arrived at the inn. Yesterday was Vahn's final day, and as he expected Tina was waiting in the dining area for their arrival. Seeing the two enter with in low spirits, she took a deep breath like she wanted to cry, but managed to swallow her emotions and approach them. She thought they were both feeling down because they were leaving the inn today."Are you leaving?" The young girl gave a cursory glance at Lili before staring into Vahn's face. She saw the boy nod his head, and even though she was trying her best to hold back her emotions, she couldn't help but feel her eyes water.Vahn, perhaps out of habit due to his interactions with Lili, reached out his hand and started gently patting her head. He continued to console the girl until she was able to calm herself. She then moved away from his hand with a blush and gave him a 'mean' look. "My mom says that if a guy ever touches my ears, he has to take responsibility or he isn't a man...so you can't forget~nya!"Though he felt helpless about the situation, he just nodded away and said he'd do his best. Hearing his response, she gave a happy nod before scampering away. From the side, Lili whispered into his ear, "How many times have you touched my ears Vahn? Does that mean you're going to take responsibility, hmmm~?" Vahn began to sweat while thinking it may be best to interact with fewer women in the future.---After they collected all of Lili's belongings, they made their way downstairs and were intercepted by both Milan and Tina. Milan was holding a long wooden container loosely wrapped with a ribbon, while Tina held a large embroidered cloth which held various baked goods. Milan had a gentle smile on her face, but Vahn could see a hint of melancholy in her eyes as she cradled the container in her arms."I wanted you to have this Vahn..." She handed him the container somewhat reluctantly, and Vahn received it in a reverential manner. He understood it was likely very important to her, and just holding it began to make him feel nervous. Looking towards Milan, he saw her give a gentle nod so he opened the container. Inside he saw a stylish bluish-blake straightsword with the motiff of a golden lion creating a flame-like pattern along the blade."It's made of mithril, and is a memento of my late husband. I hope that it is able to protect you from harm so you don't leave painful memories for those you leave behind. Always remember to return to them, and if things get difficult you'll never be turned away from our doors." Each word she spoke directly impacted Vahn's heart. He took the blade from the container and noticed that it was much heavier than he expected...Tina, who had been standing with her head down hugging the cloth in her arms, walked forward after her mothers urging. Vahn looked towards the girl and saw that her ears were folded down on her head as she refused to look direclty at him. He felt very bad for the girl and slowly reached out his hand...and paused after remembering her earlier words.Tina looked up slightly after feeling the presence and saw the outstretched hand a few inches away from her head. Without waiting for Vahn to make up his mind, she nuzzled against the hand on her own. Vahn was surprised at her sudden action, but chose not to pull his hand away. He made eye contact with Milan who was behind her daughter and she gave him a mischevious grin that made his heart tickle.---After exchanging a few more words and leaving his contact info with the mother-daughter duo, Vahn lead the way out of the inn. He noticed that the cold night air created a chill that caused his body to feel slightly numb. From behind, the yet to close door of the inn seemed to contain an infinite warmth that he was reluctant to part with.He looked back and saw Milan lightly comforting Tina who was hugging her waist and stiffling tears.As if noticing his gaze, Milan looked towards him and gave an awkward smile before shooing him away with her free hand. Vahn nodded slowly, and turned away with his hand raised. Lili, who had been watching the situation from start to finish continued to stay behind for a few moments before speaking to the crying Tina."If you want to be able to follow him, you'll need to become a lot stronger. I'll do my best as well, so make sure you don't fall too far behind..." She said the words in a low voice, but Tina who was still hugging her mother nodded her head in response.As she turned ot leave, she heard the young girl respond with a sobbing voice,"You have a head start, but I will become stronger than you one day." Turning her head, Lili saw the resolution in Tina's eyes. She nodded and then turned to leave, following the path Vahn had set out through the night.---It was nearly 8 PM by the time they arrived outside Tsubaki's courtyard, and the two stepped through the threshold of the door and heard laughter coming from the inside. Hearing the shrill noise, Vahn flinched slightly before hestitating. Lili, who was at his side had a confused expression on her face after seeing him hesitate just outside the door.After a few seconds, Vahn released a pent-up sigh and slowly opened the door. Inside he could see Tsubaki holding a red-haired boy in a headlock while he struggled to break free of her grasp. The boy seemed to be around his age and had a somewhat lanky build with unkempt wirey hair. He was trying his best to remove Tsubaki's arm from around his neck and seemed to be a few second short of collapsing if his purple face was any indicator.Tsubaki noticed Vahn and a small girl enter, and she ceased her wild laughter and released the boy she had been tormenting. She plopped up from the ground, leaving her victim struggling for air on the floor. "You're a bit earlier than I expected Vahn! Tell me, is this the little girl that you were talking about earlier?" As she spoke Tsubaki rapidly approached Lili who, in response, tried to hide behind Vahn."Good evening Tsubaki...And yes, this is Lili, the girl I told you about earlier." Vahn was beginning to sweat at the fact Lili was hiding behind him. He had a terrible premonition that things weren't going to be as smooth as he expected.Tsubaki grinned as she continued staring at the hiding Lili. She looked towards Vahn before speaking, "Hahaha, she seems to think you'll be able to protect her Vahn~" Before either of the two could respond, Tsubaki quickly managed to subdue Vahn and planted him squarely on the ground. The panicked Lili tried to react, but before she could utter a word she had been seized by the overbearing Tsubaki.Tsubaki, for the second time that day, was now sitting on the collapsed Vahn while holding Lili in her arms and rubbing their cheeks together. "Aren't you super cute!? You're like a tiny animal~ It's no wonder Vahn wants to protect you so badly! Hahaha!"The red-haired boy who had been released earlier looked towards the trio with a sceptical look. He had never seen the two strange children before, and it was strange seeing Tsubaki act so closely with others. Yes, she hade a very forward and open personality, but she wasn't the type that would force herself on people she wasn't familiar with.Seeing that their play wasn't going to end any time soon, he lost his patience before speaking up. "Hey, Tsubaki, who are these kids? Isn't your place supposed to be closed right now?" Tsubaki seemed to remember his existence as she looked toward him with her uncovered eye. She gave a big grin which caused the boy to sweat buckets."This is Vahn Mason and his friend Lili. They're going to be living here from now on and receive training. Vahn, Lili, that red-headed brat over there is Welf Crozzo. Make sure to get along, as the two of you may be rivals in the future!" Tsubaki released Vahn and Lili while introducing everyone. Vahn was annoyed how easily she was able to get the better of him, while Lili was very startled at everything that happened. As they were collecting themselves they heard a loud shout."What do you mean they're going to be living here!? Since when do you train people? What makes you think these brats can be my rivals!?" Welf seemed to be annoyed at the idea that Tsubaki, one of the people he swore to overcome, had taken in two brats at disciples. Even though he had known Tsubaki for four years, she never taught him anything personally.After hearing Tsubaki mention his name, Vahn was able to tell that the aggressive young boy was the same Welf he knew from the manga. He was much shorter than expected, around 163cm, and he seemed a lot less laid back the Welf from his memories. Hearing him call both he and Lili brats when they were around the same age irked him a bit. Before he could say anything, Tsbubaki spoke to Welf."Silly brat, what makes you think you're better than other people? Vahn was entrusted to me directly by Hephaestus-sama herself. Why not try complaining to her if you're disatisfied!" Hearing that Vahn was brought here by Hephaestus, Welf was shocked at first, but his shock quickly turned to anger as he glared direclty at Vahn.He could see that the boy was handsome with tanned skin. Though he looked small, Welf could see he actually had well defined muscles and a strange aura that made the hair on the back of his neck stand. "You, Vahn was it? Whats your relationship with Hephaestus-sama!?" Because of the help she had provided for him, Welf had made Hephaestus his goal. He, like many others, also dreamt of one day crafting a piece of equipment that could impress the aloof goddess and steal her heart.Vahn didn't like how Welf was treating him in such a hostile manner. He pulled out the hammer Hephaestus had formed for him and pointed it towards the glaring boy. "My relationship with Hephaestus doesn't matter. The only thing you need to know is, you'll never be a rival to me. You aren't even qualified!"Though he heard Vahn's abrasive words, the only thing Welf was focused on at this moment was the hammer in front of him. He could see that it wasn't something that had been forged by an ordinary blacksmith. The untarnished head and the stylish body were things that could only be made by someone with the abilities of a Master Smith.The most important thing that caught his eyere were the two marks engraved on the neck of the hammer. The first was a subtly glowing seal used to denote an item had been personally forged by Hephaestus herself. And next to it, against all reasoning, there was a second mark in the shape of two winged snakes coiling around a scale. Items typically only possessed a single maker's mark, that of their creator itself. The fact this hammer had two marks indicated it had not only been forged by Hephaestus, but in conjunction with another blacksmith!Title: Welf Crozzo(A/N: Alternate Titles: Raging hot habanero!, Burn, flames of youth!, etc)

No matter how many times Vahn recovered, he was never able to track Tsubaki's movements. As the spar progressed his [Will of the Emperor] was constantly being pushed to new heights, but even with the increased parameters and perception each of her movements was instantaneous and a blur. Even when he thought he could react, the direction of the attack would suddenly change before he was able to adapt. This continued for nearly half an hour, and during that time Vahn had grown intimately familiar with the ground."Even though you're so small and cute, you're actually quite tough aren't you? I'm surprised you're able to get up after being knocked down a few dozen times. Nice guts!" Tsubaki was laughing loudly with both arms akimbo.Vahn slowly stood up from the ground yet again. "57..." He spoke the words silently, but Tsubaki was able to hear him. "Eh, what was that kid? Speak up, go ahead and shout if you want!" Vahn grits his teeth and assumed his stance. "You have thrown me 57 times..."Hearing his words clearly, Tsubaki nodded her head and laughed out loud. "Hahaha, that's right! I was trying to be nice and make the number sound smaller. Who would have thought you were keeping count. Come, Vahn! How about you try to attack me and have your revenge?"Vahn stared at her and weighed his options. He was trying to find the best way to attack, but everywhere he looked his instincts seemed to scream against taking action. The laid-back appearance of Tsubaki standing before him looked as if it was full of flaws, but every gap, every avenue of approach was entirely invalidated by the status and skill difference."Why stand if you're going to hesitate? It's good to be cautious of your opponent, but you'll never make progress if you don't move. If you can't find an opening, MAKE ONE! Now come at me, Vahn!"She stepped forward and motioned Vahn to attack while gesturing with her hand.Vahn used the moment when she took the step to charge at her. He tried keeping his body low to the ground and aim for her abdomen with a palm strike. From above, he could sense the presence of a shadow which pressed into the back of his head and caused him to faceplant into the ground. Tsubaki used the momentum of his charge to knock him off balance before sitting on his back and laughing."Nice momentum! But overcommitting to an attack leaves you open to your opponent's counterattack. You'll have to do better than that if you want to put your hands on me~" Her words weighed heavily in Vahn's mind, as he had previously said something very similar in his spars with Lili. He began to realize he had been grossly overestimating his own capabilities since he made the same mistakes against stronger opponents.He laid on the ground in contemplation until Tsubaki pinched the side of his waist. Vahn flinched up and tried to buck her off of his back and escape the pressing of her ass against his body. "Haha, what are you spacing out for Vahn? See, aren't you still quite lively? Come on, you can knock me off! Fight, Vahn, Fight~!"From the side, Hephaestus was presently facepalming. She knew Tsubaki had a habit of teasing people, but she seemed to be uncommonly interested in Vahn. After their conversation about Vahn's lineage, she noticed that Tsubaki became very interested in the prospect of helping him polish his skills. Unfortunately, Vahn would have to suffer quite a bit before he was able to make any real progress."Tsubaki, make sure you're not too harsh on him. I have other matters to attend. Make sure to let me know if anything happens that you're unable to deal with on your own." Hephaestus had already made a lot of time to accompany Vahn, but being one of the most prolific and sought-after blacksmiths in the City kept her busy most of the time.Tsubaki heard her remark and just waved goodbye as she continued pinning the still struggling Vahn.---Several minutes later, Vahn had ceased his struggles. No matter how much he tried, it was almost like Tsubaki was able to anticipate his movements and maintain her balance. As soon as he thought he might regain his freedom, he would be firmly planted back into the ground. Now, he just lay on the ground as Tsubaki's weight pressed against his back. In the stillness, he noted that the sensation of her body was both firm and soft, which created a contradiction in his mind that confused him.While he lay there, Tsubaki once again pinched his waist, but Vahn just flinched and bore the pain. Seeing that he had ceased playing along, Tsubaki finally got up from his body. "You lasted a lot longer than I expected. I can see you trained yourself seriously and you even possess a fair amount of theoretical knowledge and skill. The biggest problem is the fact your foundation is severely lacking. Tell me, have you ever fought a human opponent before?"Vahn recalled that he had never really used his skill to fight against opponents that were his equal or stronger. Though he had 'fought' humans before, they were much weaker than him and it was a one-sided slaughter due to his enraged state. "I have, but they weren't skilled. I also spar with another person daily, but it's mostly me teaching her some basics."Tsubaki nodded after hearing his explanation. It seemed she expected something similar since Vahn seemed to overestimate himself and possessed a bit of confidence common in young boys. "Well, from now on I'll be helping you improve. Knowledge is a powerful tool, but when it comes to real battle you can only rely on experience to protect yourself and guarantee victory. Come, stand, it's time for our real lessons to begin."Tsubaki helped Vahn rise from the ground and burst out laughing after seeing his disheveled state. "Brown doesn't suit you Vahn. You need to get stronger quickly or you'll get teased by women." Vahn looked at his mostly dirt covered body and gave a helpless sigh.---For the next few hours, Tsubaki had Vahn demonstrate all of his combat related skills and abilities. She also tested the efficacy of his domain to get a better understanding of its functionality. Seeing the enhancements it provided, Tsubaki was actually very surprised at the power of the domain. At present, she expected Vahn would be a match for anyone under the peak of Level 2. Of course, she also knew that the skill wouldn't provide him many benefits against specialized or significantly stronger enemies."That pseudo-divine state of your's is pretty terrifying. It allows you to fight nearly an entire class above your current Level. However, it has some pretty big flaws that will end up costing you your life if you don't correct them." Vahn was currently using his [Will of the Emperor] and the area of influence had expanded to nearly 60m. Though Tsubaki couldn't 'see' it, she was able to sense it's presence.Tsubaki approached and stopped a short distance away from Vahn. "The biggest problem is actually the size of the area. Though it enhances your perception and allows you to track things within the sphere of influence-" While she spoke Tsubaki suddenly sent a palm towards Vahn's face. The moment she got close to him, Vahn was already on alert so he moved to block the strike. Tsubaki altered the trajectory of her palm and gently placed it against his chest without any power."You are too reliant on the perception afforded by the skill. Though you're able to respond in time to attacks, you trust your initial senses too much and are unable to respond to feints. For opponents that are much faster or stronger than you, they can use your preliminary response to create gaps in your defense. You need to hone your own senses without relying on the skill or else you won't even know how you died in the future."She opened up the distance a bit and allowed Vahn to process her words. Once he appeared to be ready, she continued. "I know you can alter the size and focus of your domain, so I want you to decrease it to a size where you can immediately respond. It shouldn't be much larger than the range of your instantaneous striking distance."Vahn followed her instructions and reduced the size of the domain while compressing it slightly. The smallest size he could get it to was 3m, similar to when he was forging with the 'eternal flame'. Tsubaki seemed to be very impressed with the domains current state. Though it was still somewhat abstract, she was able to vaguely see the outline of the domain around his body."Three meters is a pretty decent size, but you shouldn't give up on trying to improve it further. You'll also need to work on reducing the visibility of the aura or people will be able to easily adapt to your range." The moment her words finished, Tsubaki vanished from his vision and Vahn drew in a cold breath. This was the same phenomenon that had led him to eat dirt 57 times previously.From the left, just outside his periphery, Vahn sensed an incoming blow and moved to intercept. Unlike all his previous attempts, he was actually able to, very briefly, brush against the incoming strike. However, before he had time to be happy his vision began to flip and he was reunited with the ground for the 58th, no, the 59th time...Tsubaki dusted off her hands since they had gotten a bit of dirt on them while throwing Vahn. "As expected, with the reduced size of the domain you're able to work around your shortcomings a bit. Since you don't respond as quickly to the incoming strikes, it makes your defense more solid since your opponent has less time to change the trajectory of their blows. This should be the most practical use of your ability until you improve your techniques and senses."Vahn just lay on the ground recovering, but he was still a bit happy to make a little bit of progress. "Stand up, Vahn, I want to see if it was just a fluke. Come on, at this rate, we might even be able to get to one-hundred tosses before lunch!" Tsubaki was in high spirits, but Vahn was lamenting his misfortune once again. Though he was thankful she was helping him improve, he still wanted to get revenge of some kind during one of the exchanges.---Vahn continued getting tossed around like a ragdoll by the cheerfully laughing busty blacksmith. At this point, she was loudly shouting each successive throw and the number had reached 98. She seemed determined to reach 100 before concluding the training, a fact Vahn felt very disheartening. For the last few throws, he hardly resisted and just allowed her to freely toss his body. His focus was on trying to rebound from the impact, since no matter how hard he struggled he was unable to deflect the incoming strike.After the 99th throw, Tsubaki was literally cheering with excitement. "Hahaha, only one more throw remaining. Come on Vahn, you can do it! Don't give up right at the end!" She was enthusiastically encouraging him to stand. From her uncovered eye, Vahn could see a happy and expectant gleam within its depths.He grits his teeth and literally made his last stand. The reason he had been compliant for the last few throws was to make her drop her guard and conserve his strength. Though Vahn didn't believe he would be able to get the better of Tsubaki, he was determined to make one last-ditch effort. Seeing him stand, Tsubaki loudly shouted, "Haha, well done Vahn! I knew you had the backbone! Here~I~Come!Vahn brought his focus to the absolute limits as Tsubaki's form disappeared from his sight. He could sense her approach from behind, and he directed all of his intent in the most concentrated burst he could manage directly towards the approaching figure. He then twisted around as quickly as he was able and tried intercepting the blow with a palm strike only for his brain to register an incredibly soft and pliant resistance instead of an impact.The two stood there and blankly stared at the hand Vahn had used to 'counterattack'. Firmly planted within the palm of his right hand existed Tsubaki's left breast. Due to the size, his hand had visibly sunk into the pliable flesh leaving an indentation against the sarashi. Vahn began to feel a cold sweat drip down his back as he looked into the gleaming eye of the woman before him.After a brief pause, Tsubaki began beaming at Vahn who was accidentally taking liberties with her body. In response, Vahn removed his hand and tried to apologize, but Tsubaki prevented him from doing so by hugging his head into her chest similar to their first meeting. She began to loudly laugh while smothering him. "Hahaha, you cheeky little kid. Is this your idea of revenge?"Laughter echoed in his ears as Vahn slowly lost consciousness due to asphyxiation.

Chapter 55: 2 - 99