Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Anubis's words blew like a gentle breeze through Vahn's empty mind. He just stared at the smiling goddess standing behind Nanu with a blank expression. When Nanu rolled down her bra, Vahn's brain started working again and he imagined the image of Hephaestus with a big belly smiling at him with a loving expression. He could feel his heart begin to beat powerfully in his chest and even the 'eternal flame' seemed to be excited by the prospect as it danced around.While Vahn was stuck in his thoughts, Anubis giggled and said, "You'll have to get a lot stronger and build your influence a bit before that. The moment other gods and goddesses find out you can impregnate goddesses, you'll have a great deal of trouble. Since it's almost impossible for a goddess to get pregnant, there are several that would jump at the chance. Many of us have lived for several million years, and that is something that is hidden deep within the hearts of many."Vahn considered Anubis's words and he locked eyes with the smiling goddess. He could see a bit of longing in her eyes as she stared back at him. Vahn tried to imagine what it was like to live for millions of years and desiring children of your own, but never being able to have any by virtue of your existence. It was this reason why many gods and goddesses called their groups Familia and the members 'children'. Remembering the loneliness in Hephaestus's vision, Vahn assumed it could be very similar to how other gods and goddesses might feel.While Vahn was stuck in deep contemplation, Anubis smiled and gave a polite bow before excusing herself. She could see that Vahn was seriously considering difficult matters and knew it was best to let him work through this kind of thing on his own. The burden, if he chose to bear it, was more than almost anyone would be able to bear, so, if he couldn't make the decision on his own, he would likely be full of regrets in the future. Anubis, remembering the beauty of Vahn's soul, had a bit of anticipation seeded inside her after experiencing the use of [Enkidu] though.After Anubis left, Nanu was left standing in front of Vahn without any orders. She stood there in her black sports bra and watched the contemplative face of her Master with a bit of intrigue. Nanu also knew that it was almost impossible for the gods to have children, but it seems her Master wasn't bound by such a restriction. She could feel a powerful pride well up inside of her as her respect for Vahn reached a new extreme. Once the others returned, she would recount the events and believed they too would feel the same way.Vahn was in a strange state of mind as he imagined himself surrounded by several girls with large bellies. Now that the seed had been implanted in his mind by Anubis, he pictured images of all the characters he knew from the manga with children, and not just any children, but his own. The thought made something well up deep within his being and he could feel an excitement overwhelming him. Vahn knew he would have to become much stronger to make that vision a reality, but knew that if he made the effort, he would one day stand at the apex of this world, surrounded by a family of his own making.Breaking free from his dazed state, he saw the young figure of Nanu staring at him with a reverent expression on her face. Seeing that she was still wearing just a sports bra, Vahn's brows raised a bit and he said, "Go ahead and put your blouse back on. We have a lot of work to do." Nanu, hearing his voice, did a salute with her right fist over her heart as she shouted, "Yes, Master!" Vahn watched the small girl excitedly put her shirt back on while her tail danced around like a whirlwind. He always found the expressiveness of a chienthropes tail to be very adorable so he couldn't help but smile at the sight as he started preparing materials as well.After everything was ready, Vahn started mass producing ingots with the assistance of Nanu. He was surprised at how capable she was but noticed she had difficulties working any of the stronger metals. Her success rate remained around 50-55% when she was handling anything stronger than steel. As the forge was large enough for multiple people to work at the same time, Vahn continued to guide her while he created his own ingots. With the assistance of the 'eternal flame' and his control over fire, he had a much easier time than most people, so he was able to divert his attention a bit while still maintaining a 90% success rate.The longer they worked, the more reverent Nanu's eyes became as she saw how capable Vahn was when it came to producing his ingots. He was able to use some kind of golden flame with a crimson core that allowed him to shape the metal with ease, so much so that he was able to guide her at the same time. Her tail continued to beat back and forth at her sides as she listened to each of his words like they were some kind of sacred decree. Because of this, her rate of completion had increased from the mid 40's to the mid 50's with just a few casual words.Since Vahn had wanted to create a personal stockpile of ingots to use for the future, the two spent the entire day producing only ingots. Vahn was able to complete one every 5-7 minutes, so by the end of the day, he had 84 completed ingots while his young 'apprentice' had produced around forty.Vahn was impressed with the dedication she showed, as even when her skin had begun to glisten with a uniform layer of sweat, she never showed any indication of giving up. If she continued with this degree of passion, Vahn felt like she might even become another [Master Smith] in the next ten or twenty years.Just as they were wrapping things up, Anubis entered the workshop and looked at the two soot-covered people with a gentle smile on her face. She informed Vahn that the other children had arrived and asked when he would like to have dinner. Vahn contemplated for a moment before saying, "We'll have dinner in the next hour or so. For now, I imagine everyone is a bit dirty from the day's activities, so we should take a bath first." Vahn had seen the blackened face and the messy clothing of Nanu, and he assumed he wasn't in a much better state.Anubis gave a polite bow before returning to tell the children Vahn's orders. Vahn and Nanu headed towards the bath and started undressing in the changing room. Though he didn't pay it any mind, Vahn noticed that any inhibitions that Nanu had in the past seemed to have faded away. Ever since he had pinned her with an arrow in the dungeon, she always had a bit of fear toward him, but now it seems to have faded completely. Instead of changing on the opposite side of the room, she stood not far from his position and quickly removed her clothing before standing at the side.The other children, accompanied by Anubis, entered and started undressing as well while Anubis stopped next to Vahn and did the same. Though he didn't gawk like the first time, Vahn couldn't help but let his eyes wander a bit to the beautiful exotic goddess. Anubis noticed his gaze and changed her actions a bit like she was trying to appeal to Vahn. Vahn's brows raised slightly, but he didn't remark about her actions as he waited for everyone to prepare before entering the bath.Once everyone had entered, Vahn was surprised by a change that he hadn't expected. While Anubis had once again sat next to him to wash his back, Nanu actually sat near as well and volunteered to help wash Vahn. The other two girls, excluding Anubis, seemed surprised by her actions, but Vahn allowed her to do as she pleased. He could see she had a serious look in her eyes, and he didn't think he should refuse her offer given his role as the 'Alpha'.Vahn got to experience the strange sensation of having a mature beauty wash his back while a cute young girl fumbled around with a sponge on his chest and abdomen. Though he didn't have a reaction, Vahn felt a bit of excitement at the two conflicting touches. When they were done, Anubis sat next to Vahn while Nanu went to join the other two girls. Curiously, even though Maat, the prideful young girl, was the leader of the females, she seemed somewhat deferential to Nanu now and even helped wash her back.After the bath, the group sat down and Vahn noticed that, once again, things had changed a bit. Everyone seemed to have shift positions by a bit and now Nanu sat to the left of Anubis while she sat next to him. Vahn noticed that, though it wasn't his intention, the hierarchy in the group seemed to have changed a bit when he allowed Nanu to wash his body. He noticed that the bob-cut girl acted a lot more confidently and even Rasui, who sat to her left, gave her a bit of respect. Vahn realized he needed to put more consideration into his actions for the future, or else there would be chaos in the group in the future.When dinner was over, all the children cleaned up while Anubis and Vahn watched over them from afar. Anubis, to his left as always, spoke in a gentle and humorous tone, "It looks like the events this morning influenced Nanu quite a bit. She seems to consider her role as your 'assistant' more akin to the position of 'disciple'. Now, even though she isn't a leader in the groups, her position is almost equal to my own." Vahn was surprised by her words and gave her a curious look which caused her to continue, "Because my position is the servant of my Master, while her's is directly beneath you as a disciple. If I wasn't a goddess, I imagine she would have tried to keep me from washing your body in the bath." Anubis laughed with squinted eyes while staring at the direction of Nanu amongst the other children.Vahn frowned a bit as he also looked toward Nanu. She was previously a somewhat shy and distant girl, perhaps due to the events on the 18th floor, but now she showed confidence in all her actions. Since none of the other children opposed her, she had taken the role of leading the group as they continued cleaning the dishes. Perhaps because she was trying to prove herself, she had the group finish everything much faster than normal. Though Vahn suspected it might upset the other children, they just looked at Nanu in a respectful manner and completed the assigned tasks without complaint.When they finished cleaning everything up, Nanu trotted over before stopped in front of Vahn and saying, "Everything is clean, Master!" Nanu had replaced Rasui for the report, but unlike him, she bowed forward slightly in a similar manner as Anubis. Seeing the twitching ears of Nanu, Vahn quickly understood what she expected as he gave a sidewards glance at the smiling Anubis. Reaching out his hand, he began to pet the girls head which seemed to be a trigger to awaken her tail as it started swirling around with a tremendous force.After he removed his hand, Nanu gave a final salute before returning to the other children who seemed to have developed an even greater respect for her. The group then split up and went to perform their other duties or rest in their rooms. Vahn was also rather tired, so he made his way to his bedroom while Anubis accompanied him. Once he got to his door, he noticed Anubis standing outside as she had done previously. Vahn could see her tail wagging back and forth slightly while she looked at him with a hint of anticipation.Vahn laughed while he stretched out his hand and began petting her ears for a bit while saying, "Good night, Anubis." After he was done, he removed his hand before walking into his room and closing the door. Anubis watched his back with a smile before sighing as the door closed. Her ears drooped a bit as she dragged her feet to her room next door. Though she hadn't said anything, Anubis had a slight hope that Vahn would want to continue his actions from earlier. Being bound by the [Enkidu] was comfortable, and she wanted to help Vahn better understand its uses.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sad doge','Nanu takes charge','Vahn actually forged stuff!?')

Once Vahn was in his room, he sat down on his bed and gave a short sigh. He had seen the expectation in Anubis's eyes, but he wasn't willing to go any further at this time. The words of Hephaestus had appeared in his mind the moment he started petting her ears, and he didn't want to let down the red-haired goddess that had shown him so much love. Though Vahn might interact with other girls, he didn't want to be the type to betray the trust of the ones he was already with. Right now, Vahn had to worry about his date with Eina, the aftereffects of his rendezvous with Tiona and Ais, as well as various other things. Creating friction between Anubis and Hephaestus wasn't on the top of his to-do list.With that thought in mind, Vahn opened his system and looked at the information of the new function he had obtained recently, the 'gacha' function. Right now, the function had two options available to him, each called 'standard gacha' and 'premium gacha' respectively. Vahn learned that he could use the standard gacha with just OP, while the premium gacha only accepted tickets that could be obtained if he fights strong enemies. According to Sis, the way the gacha functioned worked was by allowing him to choose a specific type of item, such as healing, strengthening, weapons. armor, accessories, etc. After he chose the category, he could put in 10,000 OP into the system and it would give him ANY item within the category regardless of price. This meant that Vahn had a chance of getting items that cost several million OP, but it also had a much greater chance of giving him something worse much less.Vahn wasn't too interested in potentially wasting away his OP, so he put the 'standard gacha' to the back of his mind while learning about the 'Premium Gacha'. It worked very similarly to the standard gacha except for the fact that the items were always useful for his current soul tier. This was an incredible surprise for Vahn, as the shop didn't list the use of items and it was a bit of a gamble whenever he bought something. At least now he could guarantee the item would be practical for his current strength level. The problem was, right now he only had the 10+1 premium gacha pull ticket, and it required him to use the ticket on a single category.While Vahn was lost in thought, Sis spoke out in his mind, (*Since it will be difficult to explain where weapons and armor come from, you should focus on consumables that can increase your strength. Just like the 'body strengthening liquid' you used when you first arrived, there are limitless items within the system that can empower your body and strengthen your foundation. For equipment, you're already in cahoots with the most prolific forging god in the entire record. I'm sure if you ask, she would be more than willing to help you out.*)Sis words were true, and Vahn knew that, if he asked, Hephaestus may very well forge him an entire set of equipment. The fact she spent more than 2BV just to secure him materials made this painfully aware to Vahn. However, though it might be the best course of action, Vahn couldn't agree to take advantage of her kindness when he could rely on himself to improve. He had learned that equipment wasn't the most important factor to strength, as his use of [Rakshasa Body] had almost invalidated his need for it entirely. Vahn now understood that equipment would always be secondary to personal strength, and he even felt like that was the lesson 'The Path' had wanted him to learn when it gave him the quest in the first place.Following Sis's advice, Vahn used his 10+1 draw ticket and he heard a loud sound playing in his mind as a giant wooden wheel studded with gold started spinning in his consciousness. The wheel continued to spin, and every revolution made Vahn feel a bit more excited as it slowly began spitting out orbs from a hole in the center of the wheel. After it spat out 11 orbs, they each started cracking open with a rainbow-colored light as 11 different items that could increase his strength popped up.Vahn noticed that most of the items seemed to have a white aura surrounding them and they looked rather plain compared to the two which had a resplendent rainbow color. As Vahn focused his intent on the items, their use appeared in his mind and he smiled after reading the descriptions. The [Bone Tempering Pill], [Mental Expansion Liquid], and other items had very obvious functions just based on their names, and they would provide direct benefits to his parameters. However, it was the two rainbow items that stood out which caught his interest and made a large smile appear on his face.-------------------------------------------------------------------------[Magia Erebea Manual]Rank: SSUse: A manual detailing the forbidden technique developed by a forsaken queen in a foreign world. Comprehension of this skills allows the user to absorb elemental attacks and infuse it into their body to increase strength. Mastery allows the user to embody the elemental properties of the skills and achieve an immortal body.[Mantra of Eternity]Rank: SSSUse: A record of the first words heard at the beginning of eternity. Comprehension of the words increases the spiritual strength of the user without limit. In the vastness of Eternity, there were never any limits to begin with.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Though the two techniques would be incredibly difficult to learn, just practicing them would greatly increase his strength over time. Vahn immediately pulled out the two items from his inventory and noticed that the [Magia Erebea Manual] was actually a black orb while the [Mantra of Eternity] was a strange piece of white jade, unlike anything Vahn had ever seen before. The moment the jade landed in his palm, it dissolved into a liquid and Vahn heard a series of nine words sound out in his mind. Unfortunately, no matter how much he focused his mind, he was unable to make out what the words were. Interestingly enough, they seemed to silently repeat in his mind without ceasing, so Vahn assumed he would be able to comprehend it with time.Vahn then took the black orb into his hand and stared at it curiously for a few minutes before Sis sighed in his mind and said, "You need to focus your intent into the orb. The technique should be recorded inside, but even I don't know what will happen when it activates." Vahn nodded his head and considered Sis's words. After weighing various factors for around ten minutes, Vahn took a deep breath and focused his intent on the orb without any further hesitation. Though he didn't always understand 'The Path', Vahn trusted that it had never done anything to harm him since he obtained it.---------------------------------------------------------------------------After Vahn's intent entered the orb, he opened his eyes and found himself in a strange space. The ground below him seemed to be an endless white plain that stretched out beyond the horizon, but the sky above was pitch black without a single light or star to be seen. Vahn felt a bit unnerved by the strange space, almost like he was an inconsequential being in the vastness of this black and white world.Vahn assumed he was inside the orb, or at least his spiritual sense had entered into it. Though his body felt real, Vahn was able to vaguely sense that his body was closer to a projection which lacked any real substance. While he was inspecting himself, the voice of a woman filled with disgust, intrigue, and a profound loneliness sounded out in the space from all directions. "How are you able to come here, boy?"Since the voice appeared from every direction, Vahn didn't know where he should look as he was unable to see the source of the voice. Assuming the voice was likely the 'forsaken queen' mentioned by the system, Vahn gave a polite bow to the empty space and said, "Forgive my intrusion. I obtained a strange black orb and tried infusing my intent into it. Afterward, I awoke in this space."The voice spoke out in a deadpan manner, but Vahn could still feel the sadness dripping from each of her words, "Perhaps a legacy left behind by my future self...very well, I'll play along for now. I assume you've come here to learn my ultimate technique?" As the voice ended, the appearance of a tall and beautiful blonde woman appeared in front of Vahn. She was wearing a beautiful black dress and had sad blue eyes as she looked at Vahn in an expressionless fashion.After looking him up and down, the girl said in a somewhat confused manner, "I can sense a powerful magical energy in your body, but it doesn't seem to be from any system I've ever seen. What kind of magic can you use?" As a being that had existed for thousands of years, the woman was interested in the strange magic coming from the boy's body.Vahn nodded his head and said politely, "Other than a beast transformation magic, I have never learned any other forms of magic. Most of my energy is used to maintain my domain and to amplify my skills and body." The beautiful woman nodded her head and muttered, "So you're the type that relies on body enhancing and transformation...maybe you'll be suited for my magic after all?"Hearing her words, Vahn couldn't help but smile with a bit of excitement building up inside of him. However, before he could celebrate, the woman waved her hand and Vahn felt a powerful surge of cold energy encompass the area around him. He immediately expanded his domain and transformed into his Báihǔ form to evade the lethal attack. Where he stood previously, there was now a gigantic ice pillar more than 20m tall and 8m wide. It emitted a fierce cold that caused all of Vahn's instincts to trigger warning bells in his mind.Suddenly, Vahn spun around mid-air and tried to kick the figure that had appeared behind him in an instant. The woman effortlessly caught his attack with her delicate hand before saying, "Interesting. This domain of yours seems very powerful, and that transformation seems to boost your speed." As she spoke she spun Vahn with a terrifying force and threw his body like a bullet into the stark white ground. Vahn's body slammed heavily into the ground and caused a crater to form in the previously flawless surface.From above, he could hear the now cold voice of the woman as she stared down at him and said, "Do your best to survive. If I'm not satisfied with your efforts, not only will you not learn my technique, but you'll never escape from this space for as long as you live. Its been a long time since I've had a companion to talk to, so don't die too quickly." As she spoke, she began to form large spears of ice in the air without any chanting or movement.Vahn saw the sight and felt fear begin to emerge from deep inside his mind. The woman was able to effortlessly float in the air and use incredibly powerful ice magic without any prior indicator. Not only that, but her strength and speed far outclassed his current state, even while pushing his form and domain to the limit. Vahn had to maintain his focus or he wouldn't even be able to react when she made her attacks.Though Vahn had met actual gods and goddesses, this was the first time he felt awed by the power and presence of another person. The blond-haired beauty stood like an untouchable goddess in the air as a blue light radiated from her body and spread out into the surrounding area like a divine aura. Everything within her icy domain seemed within her control, and even Vahn felt his body pressured by the force. If not for the 'eternal flame' beating in his chest, he feared he may have been frozen solid on the spot.The spears of ice launched at such speeds that the air shattered around them as the ruthlessly pierced toward Vahn's location. He managed to react in time and evade the attacks, but he could feel frost begin to build on his body as he continued pushing himself further beyond his limits. Seeing him dodge another attack, the woman's brows raised a bit as she said, "Your domain is even able to resist mine? I had expected you to be an ice sculpture by now, but you seem to be unaffected by the suppression of my magic power. Very interesting..."After she finished speaking, Vahn lost sight of her figure as she teleported into his blind spot. It wasn't sped, which he might have been able to deal with, but actual teleportation. Vahn had never dealt with such a technique and he was powerless as he felt a powerful energy pierce through his body. He coughed out a mouthful of blood onto the previously flawless body of the woman as he stared at the magical sword piercing through his body.The woman seemed entirely unconcerned by the boy dangling from her sword as she supported his body in the air with the blade. When he coughed a mouthful of blood on her body, she used her free hand to wipe up a bit and, in front of the pained and confused expression of Vahn, licked his blood off her finger. As soon as she swallowed the blood, her cold expression immediately faded as she looked incredulously at Vahn who was rapidly losing strength. Just as she was about to question him, Vahn's body underwent a change and he turned into his turtle form before shattering the magical sword in his gut.As he started falling toward the ground, he pulled out his bow and without hesitation used 10,000 OP to buy a [Yi] arrow which he fired at the currently surprised woman. Though she was going to swat away the arrow at first, the woman's expression changed once again as she tried to initiate her teleportation and evade. Unfortunately, it was like space was locked around her and she had to meet the deadly arrowhead on using her magical energy.Vahn collided with the ground hard before bounding onto his feet and notching a second [Yi] arrow. Though he had entered this orb with the intention of learning the skill, it seemed like the woman was intent on actually killing him. Though his current body wasn't his physical body, Vahn knew that if his spiritual energy were dispersed forcibly, he'd likely end up brain dead or in a coma once again.After the black gravitational field dispersed, Vahn was surprised by the appearance of the woman. Though he hadn't expected to kill her with the arrow, he was surprised to find that, other than parts of her beautiful dress, she remained entirely unharmed as she looked down on him with a mixture of contempt and intrigue. In her same cold voice, the woman asked, "Are you really human?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Getting Strong Aint Easy','Vahn in Danger','Gacha is Dangerous')

Vahn had thought of an explanation for Anubis, so he said, "It's strange, but this chain, [Enkidu], seems to have appeared in my body. I've never used it before, and it seems to be bonded with my soul." As he spoke, he disabled [Veil of the Traveler] to reveal his soul for Anubis to see. Her eyes opened wide when she suddenly had the chance to see Vahn's unique soul once again. Like before, it had a beautiful golden color with rainbow hues swirling within; she could now see a sphere of pure golden chains spiraling around each other.In a somewhat dazed state, Anubis slowly spoke out, "It's so beautiful..." Vahn nodded his head because he thought she was talking about [Enkidu], not admiring his soul itself. In Anubis's eyes, Vahn wasn't simply an anomaly or someone with a mutated soul, but he was something far greater. She suspected it had something to do with his origins, and she very much wanted to know what had transpired to create something as unique as the soul before her. As Vahn hadn't hidden it away, her vision was instinctually pulled as she gazed deeper into the interior of his soul. She felt like it contained the power of infinity, and had a strange desire to probe its depths.Vahn concealed his soul again because he had noticed that Anubis's eyes had actually begun to glaze over. He wondered if just the sight of [Enkidu] had an effect, but noticed that her dazed state faded almost immediately when he hid his soul. Now, she looked a bit sad and forlorn, almost like she had lost something precious to her. Even her ears, which normally pointed toward the sky, had drooped down a bit. Vahn was a bit worried about her, so he asked, "Are you okay, Anubis?"Hearing the concerned voice of her Master, Anubis's ears twitched before standing back up. She turned to him with a smile on her face as she bowed politely, "Forgive me, Master, I just got distracted for a moment." Seeing that Vahn hadn't been relieved by her words, she continued and tried to change the mood by asking, "So, those chains suddenly appeared in your soul? Do you have any idea about their use?"Her words reminded Vahn of his reason for calling her, so he explained with a bit of worry in his tone, "It seems to be able to pierce anything, though there is a bit of a delay before it takes effect. The primary function, though, seems to be...to bind things that possess Divinity..." Anubis was very interested in the effects of the remarkably beautiful chain, but hearing the last part of Vahn's words surprised her quite a bit. If what he said was true, then the chains would be a powerful artifact against gods, demigods, and some spirits.She suddenly had a thought and, with a strange glint in her eyes, asked Vahn, "Do you want to try it on me...Master?" Vahn was surprised, not only because her words coincided with his intent, but because she asked the question on her own initiative. Though he had 'ordered' her to come to the room, he hadn't done anything to make her take an interest in the chains other than displaying his soul and discussing the effects of [Enkidu].Vahn's surprise faded and he nodded with while saying in a cautious tone, "I do want to try...but the effects may be uncomfortable, or even painful, for you. I don't want to do anything that would bring you harm, but I would like to know the effects of the chains." Anubis didn't seem bothered by his words at all, as even her tail started to gently wag back and forth. She was pleased that Vahn was concerned for her, but she always wanted to help him if she could be of use. So far, it had been primarily Vahn taking care of her and her children, and she had yet to do anything worthy of mention.Anubis walked forward and grabbed the chain with her hand while Vahn was still hesitating. She asked in a curious manner, "What should I do?" Vahn hadn't expected her to be so unconcerned after he warned her of the danger. He was worried about the fact that her Loyalty may be influencing her decision, so he sent a mental command compelling her to speak her true thoughts.While she continued to fiddle with the chain, Anubis started speaking in a somewhat plain and dismissive manner, "I really wish Master would be needier. If he wants to bind me up in chains, he doesn't even have to ask. The idea of being bound by the Master I chose to follow makes my heart itch with anticipation." Though she hadn't paid it any attention when speaking, after her words finished, Anubis had a shocked expression as she stared wide-eyed toward Vahn.Vahn also had a very shocked expression as he looked at Anubis who appeared as though her brain had stopped working. It wasn't just the two of them either, as even Nanu stared slack-jawed from the side, almost as if she had turned into a statue. Hearing her goddess casually announce she wanted to be bound by their Master was a big impact on the young girl.After a few seconds, Anubis's lowered her head and refused to make eye contact with Vahn as she explained in a frantic manner, "I don't know what came over me! Please ignore what I just said, but I really meant it!" As she finished her words, Anubis once again paused after hearing what she just said. She had no idea what was going on, and all of the thoughts she buried in her heart seemed to be pouring out. Her ears began to twitch while her tail looked like it was trying to free itself from her body. She was incredibly embarrassed by what had just happened, not once, but twice.Vahn was still shocked, but after realizing the cause of her strange behavior, he quickly dismissed the original 'order' he had sent. He now knew that some of his orders had lasting effects, and he worried that he may have done something to severely damage Anubis's Loyalty. Interestingly enough, instead of going down, it had actually increased to 99. Vahn was confused as he stared at the flustered goddess who looked like she was trying to shrink into the smallest form she could. He never expected her to have such a reaction to embarrassment.At this point, Nanu was doing her best to look away from the scene that was playing out in front of her. If it weren't for the fact that Vahn was the 'Alpha' and her Master, she would have lost all the faith she had in her Goddess. However, when thinking about having her Master bind her with a chain, she couldn't help but slowly wag her tail from side to side just like Anubis. As a chienthrope from the Southern Tribe, the idea of a hierarchy and being somewhat submissive to those in a higher position was deeply embedded in her heart. She felt like the attention of her Master would raise her own value, and she would be able to brag about it to the others.Anubis seemed to recover a bit and tried regulating her breathing before fixing her posture and resuming her normally elegant and poised manner. She gave Vahn a gentle smile before bowing politely and saying, "Please forgive my verbal slip Master. I only wished to express my willingness to assist you in understanding the effects of the chains."Vahn was impressed with how quickly she was able to recover and even more so by how easily she seemed to be able to put the matter behind her. He promised to do something to make it up to her later since it was his fault she had been subjected to such an embarrassing plight. For now, he still wanted to test the [Enkidu] that she had been holding onto for a while. It seemed to have no effect just being held by a goddess, so he wasn't sure what to do to activate it.As Vahn was thinking how to 'bind' Anubis with the chains, he felt a pulse pass through [Enkidu] and it broke free of Anubis's hands and seemed to come alive as it danced through the air. While both Vahn and Anubis were surprised by the sudden lively chain, the chains itself seemed to coil around in the air surrounding Anubis as it continued extending from Vahn's hand and rapidly draining his energy reserves.Vahn began to panic as he stared at Anubis who had been encircled by the swirling golden chains. He tried willing [Enkidu] to stop, but it seemed intent on performing its duty as the chains froze in the air and began to contract. Anubis's eyes opened wide at the sight and she felt an incredibly dangerous feeling well up from the very core of her soul. She felt like, if the chains closed in on her, she would never be able to escape.Time seemed to come to a crawl as Vahn stared in horror at the sight as it was unfolding before him. He shouted inside his mind with as much force as he could manage while a cold sensation exploded out of his mind, ("DON'T YOU DARE HARM HER!"). The hatred Vahn felt at [Enkidu] and his own actions seemed to shatter reality itself as all color drained from the world around him. The pulse passed through [Enkidu] and, instead of rapidly closing in on Anubis, the chains slowed to a crawl and gently entangled her figure.The fear that had overwhelmed Anubis previously seemed to fade in an instant as the chains gently embraced her body. Anubis was surprised by the warm feeling of the chain and was curious at how metal was able to make her feel comfortable when it should feel much more restrictive. Seeing Vahn release a heavy and relieved sigh, Anubis said, "I don't feel any different Master. If anything, the chains are actually comfortable..." Realizing how her words could be interpreted, Anubis's eyes widened again and she suddenly wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.Vahn didn't seem to catch the innuendo contained in her words as he asked with a bit of relief and a tinge of curiosity, "Can you try using your Divinity? It doesn't have to be a large amount, just try activating it." Anubis nodded her head before standing still for a few seconds. After a while, she tilted her head in a confused manner after realizing nothing had happened. Even though she had 'activated' her Divinity, there was no release of aura or shaking in the atmosphere.After realizing what this meant, Anubis's confusion turned to shock as she picked up a segment of the golden chains with a reverent and awe-filled look. It was like she had found the most beautiful treasure in the world, and it made Vahn a bit curious, so he asked, "Did you notice anything?" Anubis looked toward him as he asked the question, and for some reason, she had a very big smile on her face as she said, "I can't activate my Divinity at all! It's like all my power is completely sealed."Vahn was satisfied with her answer, but he wasn't sure why she seemed to be excited at having her Divinity sealed away. Before he could ask, Anubis motioned Nanu over with her hands with an anticipatory look on her face. Nanu, though confused, didn't hesitate at all as she trotted over to Anubis. She came to a stop directly in front of her and waited for Anubis's order.Anubis still had a smile on her face as she said, "Take off your blouse, I want to try and update your Status Board real fast." Vahn was surprised by Anubis's actions, but it didn't seem like Nanu shared his shock as she immediately removed the black sleeveless blouse she had been wearing. Though he had seen her figure before in the bath, Vahn was a bit dazed at seeing someone undressing in the middle of a place like his workshop. Though her breasts were rather small, only marginally larger than Tiona's, she was wearing a form-fitting black sports bra with golden embroidery.After removing her blouse, Nanu turned around and Anubis quickly rolled up the back of the stretchy fabric. As she was standing between Vahn and Anubis, Nanu was staring directly toward him with her breasts exposed. Though Vahn felt a little flustered, Nanu seemed completely indifferent to being seen, so he managed to keep his expression from changing. He remembered that, as the 'Alpha', she had an inherent respect for him, and he didn't want to damage her image of him.Vahn just continued to hold eye contact with Nanu who stared at his face unblinkingly as Anubis tried updating her status. After a few failed attempts, Anubis's smile grew wider as she looked toward Vahn with a strange and almost passionate gaze. Vahn was curious, but without having to ask Anubis explained, "These chains seem to completely restrict the effects of a gods soul on a mortal body. As long as you wrap up a god or goddess with these chains, they'll be just a normal man or woman."Vahn nodded his head at her explanation, but he couldn't understand why it seemed so interesting to her. Anubis smiled widely and explained in a manner that even Vahn could understand, "It means, if you tie up Lady Hephaestus's arms when you have sex, you might be able to get her pregnant. I'm really interested in seeing what is going to happen in the future. It seems like I chose my Master well~!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'There are no absolutes in the world','Godhand Learns a Useful 'Technique','Anubim, because there is no S in Anubis')

Chapter 137: Routine