Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After around an hour, the twins began to wake up on their own and they both looked toward Vahn briefly before staring at each other. Vahn knew they were somehow communicating, but he decided to interrupt them and said, "The two of you made great progress, but it's about time for us to head back to the surface. You can take the rest of the day off to do whatever you'd like." Hearing his words, the twins' rounded ears twitched and Emiru asked, "Vahn-sama, do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?" There was a small sparkle in their eyes, but Vahn disappointed them when he nodded his head and said, "Yeah, I was planning on visiting a friend of mine named Welf. I'm trying to put a few things together...well, you'll find out about it later, probably."Both twins released a simultaneous sigh and Vahn smiled as he said, "Sorry, but I need to spend time doing my own things as well. Now that we're not stuck in the Manor, I want to make the rounds and visit a few people I haven't seen in a while. There is plenty of time to worry about other stuff later, so don't get disheartened. The two of you should spend more time with Hestia, and the rest of the Familia, instead of just cooking and cleaning all the time." The twins nodded their heads, but Vahn could tell they were still feeling a bit down so he said, "Well, I'll make you some matching accessories pretty soon..."The prospect of receiving gifts dashed away the mood of the girls and Vahn couldn't help but show a wry smile on his face as he led them towards the surface. Because of their early return, it was slightly after 1 PM when they returned to the Manor, and Vahn left to change in his room before preparing to head out. He stopped by Hestia's room and asked if there were any important changes before sharing a few affectionate moments with her and explaining his plans for the day. She knew he was probably trying to improve his relationships and make some 'guy friends', so Hestia didn't have any complaints.Vahn left the Manor and casually made the nearly forty minute walk to the Hephaestus Familia workshop district. Along the way, Vahn noticed that most people kept a fair amount of distance from him and he drew a lot of attention, even though he wasn't escorting the girls. Because he was no longer disguising himself, many people easily recognized him because there had been fliers circulating around with his face all over the City. It wasn't that he was 'wanted', or being treated as a criminal, people were just afraid that they would be a victim if they crossed him. The actions Freya had taken when dealing with the Ishtar Familia were rather excessive and, even though he didn't have any direct involvement, people tied the event to him and his reputation had become somewhat notorious.The only thing Vahn could do was shake his head and ignore the bias people had developed against him. He still didn't understand how people could so easily change their opinions and then use them as justification for how they treated others, even if they had never met before. Vahn thought it was rather ridiculous because he understood that, if someone controlled the information network, they could pretty much make anyone out to be a villain and the populace at large would believe the news without even considering the matter. He knew that everyone around him would probably react in the same way he had, yet they unjustly painted him as a bad guy based on a biased perception of the events that had transpired.To cheer himself up, Vahn had decided to stop over at Tsubaki's Manor and visit for a while before checking up on the Anubis Familia. He knew Anubis had been making the children train with the Hephaestus Familia recently and they were trying to improve their capabilities while Vahn was on his 'probation'. They had the goal of trying to reach Level 3 by the time his probationary period ended and then the entire Familia would probably migrate closer to the Hearth Manor, while some of the pack would likely try to join the Hestia Familia itself.After he arrived outside Tsubaki's Manor, Vahn noticed her door was closed so he passed his perception through the building and confirmed there was no one present. He released a sigh before walking around the side path and heading towards his previous residence. Even though he wasn't supposed to visit the 'headquarters' of the Familia in the Alliance, Vahn knew that restriction was primarily to restrain Hephaestus and Loki, and the Guild was currently treating him in a lax manner because of the approaching Denatus. If they tried to make a big deal out of things, they would probably find themselves in a difficult position once a few matters came to light and more gods became aware of the situation. Ouranos seemed like an intelligent god, so Vahn imagined he would sweep the matters aside and overlook small sleights.Vahn smiled as he walked through the courtyard because he saw a familia aura moving through the foyer before exiting through the front door. The moment she locked eyes with him, Anubis showed an elegant smile before bowing and saying, "Welcome, my Master...would you like to come inside?" Vahn walked forward and casually began to stroke Anubis's hair and large fluffy ears as he asked, "I can't sense anyone here...are the children in the dungeon?" Anubis's tail had started to gently waggle about behind her as she nodded her head and said, "They've been inside the dungeon with Tsubaki for the last few days. Though it isn't anything large scale, they are conducting a 'mock expedition' with the Takemikazuchi Familia, Miach Familia, and Hephaestus Familia. Tsubaki is leading the group, and she had taken Naaza and Lili along with her so they can get experience working with large expeditions."Hearing Anubis's words, Vahn felt like he was missing out on something that seemed to be pretty fun. He was glad the children, as well as Naaza and Lili, were working hard to become stronger, but he kind of wanted to be there with them. After shaking the thoughts from his head, Vahn said, "I can't stay for too long, and I'm headed towards Welf's workshop soon..." Anubis's ears drooped a bit at Vahn's words until he stepped forward when she had dropped her guard and embraced her from the front. As if by instinct, Anubis cried out, "Master..." as she fell into his chest and enjoyed the physical contact.Vahn knew that Anubis was one of the most devoted and 'loyal' people around him, even though she was a goddess. She was also very receptive to his actions and he knew she had a bit of a deviancy in her personality and liked to be on the receiving end of things. Vahn caressed over the top of her dress at the area of her lower back as her tail wagged back and forth happily. He began using [Hands of Nirvana], though not too intensely, to rub her back as she clung onto his body and pressed her breasts into his chest. An amorous expression appeared in her beautiful face and her moon-like eyes turned watery before Vahn gave her a short kiss and said, "Thanks for working so hard Anubis...let me give you a small reward."Anubis nodded her head before nuzzling against his neck and the side of her face as if she were trying to 'mark' him with her scent. Vahn enjoyed the ticklish feeling as he wondered what he could do for Anubis that wouldn't require him to spend a lot of time within the Manor. It wasn't appropriate for him to do anything untoward while they were still in the courtyard since it would be a problem when the children returned if they picked up her scent. While he was lost in thought, Vahn felt a slightly hard object touch against him and looked down to see the collar Anubis was wearing. He briefly remembered the objects she had kept in her room at one point as a thought came to his mind and he asked, "Anubis...would you like to go for a walk?"Hearing Vahn's words, Anubis pulled her head away and looked into his face with a bit of confusion until Vahn pulled out an object that made her heart nearly explode in her chest. It wasn't the same one he had taken from her room in the past, but Vahn pulled out a somewhat long 'leash' that would be able to fit around the clasp at the back of Anubis's collar. Vahn saw that her eyes widened and that her breathing had accelerated quite a bit as her tail flapped about with a speed he had never before seen on the 'elegant' and exotic looking goddess.After she calmed down a bit, Vahn attached the leash to Anubis's collar and got to experience a very peculiar situation where he walked around with a beautiful goddess while having a leash attached to his wrist. It was almost unnoticeable if you weren't looking for it, but the small tether made the entire situation seem strangely intimate. Even Anubis, though she maintained her composure, had a wavering light in her eyes to compliment the blooming smile on her face as she walked at his side through the small gardens of the residence. The scary thing was how rapidly her loyalty was increasing even though they were just walking around...Half an hour later, Vahn eventually removed the leash from Anubis and her tail immediately calmed down to a steady rhythm as she said, "Thank you, Master..." Vahn swallowed his saliva as he reached out and stroked her ears for a bit and said, "It was an interesting experience...we should do it again sometime." Anubis's eyes squinted as a smile blossomed on her face and she said, "I'll be looking forward to it...every day...my Master~." She placed a heavy emphasis on the last word as Anubis leaned forward and did something Vahn hadn't anticipated. Starting from his collarbone, Anubis dragged her tongue up his necked until she came to a stop at his cheek before kissing him once and stepping away.Vahn felt a little giddy, but he showed what he wanted to be a 'polite' smile as he said, "I'll come by soon..." They then parted ways, and Vahn felt a slightly cool sensation on his skin where Anubis had licked him since it was still very cold outside even in the afternoon. His heart had been beating rapidly for a while, and he was only able to calm down after walking for nearly ten minutes in silence. Though he knew she enjoyed the 'walk', Vahn couldn't help but berate himself a little at having come up with the idea in the first place. Because she had agreed to it so easily, Vahn ended up following through with his suggestion, but not he had a few regrets since he probably should have shown a little more restraint. He didn't mind taking Anubis for a 'walk', but Vahn was afraid that, if other girls found out about it, they would ask him for similar treatment. His reputation within the City was already somewhat bad, and he imagined it would only be worse if rumors spread around that he 'walked' his girls on a leash.As if heading towards a bastion of hope, Vahn doubled his pace until he eventually arrived outside of Welf's workshop. Vahn believed that, if he interacted with more guys, he would be less prone to his small whims and experimental personality. It wouldn't be a problem if he pitched the idea and the girl refused, but most of the girls around him seemed to be 'too willing' to try and please him. Vahn knew it was because he took actions that cultivated their affection towards him, but it still felt like he was constantly walking a tightrope that would lead him to a serious fall if he weren't careful. He now understood why Loki had told him to go to her if he had any strange thoughts and interests since she would probably let him vent out his urges and correct his behavior so it doesn't become a problem...After entering into the somewhat dark workshop, Vahn noticed that the cold faded away quickly and there were several materials strewn about all over the place. There was a small formation to alert Welf to the arrival of customers, so he came out from the back room of the workshop covered in soot before noticing who his guest was. Welf showed a friendly smile and said, "Hey man, welcome to my workshop! Anything I can do for ya, or did you come around just to hang out?" Hearing Welf's amicable words, Vahn released a relieved sigh that caused Welf's brows to raise. He looked into the eyes of the red-haired youth and said, "Welf, we should hang out more often...hahahaha." Vahn began laughing, even though he didn't understand the reason himself.Welf looked at Vahn as if he had gone mad before placing his hammer on his shoulder and saying, "Sure, I don't mind hanging out. If anything, I could always use a hand on my research if you're not too busy. Unless you want to go get a drink or something, I'm not really too social if I had to be honest." Vahn nodded his head and said, "Yeah, but if its alcohol we should wait until we gather more people first." Welf cocked his head to the side and asked, "More people?" Hearing Welf's question, Vahn continued with a smile, "Yeah, there is this 'network' that the girls have made that I'm not allowed to use. I was thinking of making a network of my own to include some of my friends, colleagues, and rivals. We can use it to exchange information and discuss problems and stuff. Though I don't mind it much, it gets a little...stressful, to be around the girls so often."Hearing Vahn mention the problems with his 'girls', Welf frowned before releasing a long sigh and giving Vahn a vexed look as he said, "Vahn, how the hell are you able to have so many women surround you. I even feel like, in the few weeks we haven't seen each other, that the number somehow increased even further...and this network...jeez man, what kind of life are you even living!?" Vahn released a strange laugh before he walked over and patted Welf on the shoulders and said in a low tone, "Let me tell you about it..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sheeple : Rumors','Anubim recharges her Vahnobtainium','Welf and Vahn's frustrations')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since he had never had the opportunity before, Vahn started telling Welf a bit about his past, including what he had been doing after arriving in the City. At first, Welf listened silently and made casual conversation with Vahn, but things quickly took a turn when Vahn mentioned saving Lili and then meeting Hephaestus. Welf closed up his shop early and pulled out a few glasses along with a bottle of strong alcohol and they both lazed about talking about various things, though Vahn was the one leading the conversation. By the time a few hours had passed, Vahn had told Welf about his interactions with girls, including how he first met Tiona and Ais, how things spiraled out of control when he moved in with the Anubis Familia, and even the matters regarding Laverna kidnapping Milan and Tina and the most recent matters concerning Haruhime and the Ishtar Familia.Welf had long since started listening in silence as he slowly worked away at the contents of his glass until Vahn eventually wrapped things up with his concerns regarding his current relationships with women. Since Vahn and Welf were nearly the same age, he was hoping that he could rely on Welf to give him some advice, but the only thing he got from the red-haired youth was 'dead fish eyes' and an exasperated sigh. Welf held up his glass and asked, "So, let me get this straight...you're now a [Master Smith]...you're getting married to Hephaestus, and a beautiful half-elf girl that works for the Guild...you're in an active relationship with the goddess of your own Familia...as well as Loki, and most likely that Anubis woman...plus several other girls, some of which you haven't even known for more than a week...?"Hearing how Welf pointed out matters, Vahn nodded his head before gulping down the entire contents of his glass. Even though he couldn't get drunk, he felt a strange urge to finish off the drink as if driven by some primal instinct. Welf saw Vahn's actions and released a sigh before stating, "Man, you're a real monster...you know, it's almost hard to 'not' hate you right now. Not only do you get to be with the woman I idolized, but you actually have the capabilities to make her happy...yet, instead of being content with that, now you're building some kind of massive harem...even though you apparently aren't doing anything to build it? It doesn't make any sense...yeah, I get that your handsome, wealthy, and also pretty strong, but shit man..."Vahn showed a wry smile before pulling out another bottle of alcohol and saying, "All I've ever done was try my best...I just try to make the girls happy, it's not like I'm going out of my way to collect them or anything..." Welf held out his glass for Vahn to fill before taking a sip of the somewhat expensive alcohol and musing, "Good stuff..." He released a hot sigh before giving Vahn a look similar to a glare and said, "Your problems aren't really problems...most guys would probably willingly trade spots with you, even if they wouldn't be able to manage things..." Welf released a sigh before shaking his head and continuing, "It's really fucked up man. I know there has to be a reason behind everything, and you probably bust your ass, but it still makes me a little pissed off hearing you complain about things like this..."Welf looked over and saw the 'dejected' look on Vahn's face before releasing another sigh and saying, "Don't worry about it, I know you wouldn't be telling me all this unless you considered me a friend. Honestly, I'm more than a little jealous of you and that's why I'm so annoyed...seriously man, you gotta explain to me what you do to get so many girls...do I need to start going into the dungeon or something? I've only ever been interested in becoming a great blacksmith, but now it feels like I'm wasting my time a bit..." Welf sloshed around the contents of his glass before downing the entire drink as if it were a shot. He released a steamy sigh because of the burning sensation that spread through his throat and body.Vahn scratched his head and explained, "Honestly...well, I can kind of sense people's emotions and stuff. I just treat the girls nicely and do what I can to protect them...other than that, I guess I pamper them a bit and buy them nice things since I like seeing them happy...I really don't feel like I do much..." As he spoke, Vahn mimicked Welf's actions and threw back his own glass before enjoying the bite of the strong liquor. He looked into Welf's slightly glassy eyes and asked, "What do you usually do to get close to girls?"Welf furrowed his brows and stared into the transparent brown alcohol in his freshly topped off glass as if he were ruminating over his response. After a long period of silence, he looked at Vahn with a conflicted expression and said, "I...don't really do anything to try and approach girls. I guess I can't really blame you for your success when I spent most of my time just researching and doing my own thing. Other than Hephaestus, Tsubaki, and those two girls staying with her, I don't really really talk to any women unless they are customers..."Hearing Welf's confession, Vahn tilted his head and asked, "Huh, do you not like women?" In response to his question, Welf gave him an angry look and practically spat, "Of course I like women, what kind of dumbass question is that!? I...I just...don't think about it that often...?" Welf sat back down, and a contemplative expression appeared on his face as he started to consider why Vahn had 'enjoyed' so much success. He definitely wasn't always as capable as he currently was, but had to put in a lot of effort to obtain his current status. If his story was true, Vahn put in a lot of effort to please the girls around him, and it would make sense why they sought him since he provided them security, happiness, and other things...all he did was sit in his workshop most of the day unless he was going to a bar to release some stress.Vahn noticed Welf's silence and waited for a while before saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make things difficult for you Welf...I just felt like I needed to talk to another guy since I'm usually so wrapped up in other matters." Welf swatted his hands a few times, almost as if here were knocking Vahn's words out of the air as he said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever man, I know...it's also good for me to hang out with people every now and then as well. I feel like my eyes have been opened in various ways..." Welf released a long sigh and asked, "Tell me, Vahn, what do you think I need to do to get a girl of my own? I don't really need a large number, just one would be fine..."Hearing Welf's question, Vahn began to seriously consider the matter by taking into consideration Welf's personality, characteristics, and what he had learned from interacting with various women. After a while, Vahn turned to him and asked, "Well, what kind of girls do you like? I've started to understand that everyone has certain preferences, so my advice would probably depend on the type of girl you want to be with." Welf nodded his head and took a swig from his glass before saying confidently, "I like mature, confident, and capable women. Preferably, they need a big pair of tits and a plump ass..." For a moment, a blush appeared on Welf's face and Vahn squinted his eyes in curiosity but didn't get to ask before Welf continued, "Honestly...I'd like a strong woman that can...look after me a bit." Welf hung his head low as if he were incredibly embarrassed by his own words.Vahn quickly imagined the people closest to Welf, which were previously Hephaestus and Tsubaki. He realized that both women met Welf's 'preference' and wondered if they had helped shape his mentality through exposure. Though he didn't mind trying to set him up with Tsubaki, Vahn could tell there weren't any of those types of affections between her and Welf. If anything, Tsubaki had a mild interest in him, and Vahn was also interested to see if he could help her have a child in the future. Since he obviously wouldn't help set Welf up with Hephaestus, Vahn began to consider any other girls he might know as he quickly began eliminating options in his mind.By the time he was done 'narrowing' down the possibilities, Vahn realized that he actually considered a lot of the girls to be out of the running because of their affections toward himself. Though he didn't mind if they liked someone else, Vahn felt a little uncomfortable with setting them up with someone through his own actions. Since they liked him, it would feel as if he were looking down on their emotions and trying to throw them away to be someone else's problem. There was also the fact that, the only 'mature' women he knew, that he wasn't in some form of relationship with, were Mona, Mama Mia, Tsubaki, Shiva, Milan, and the receptionist girl he had met when he first entered the Guild, Fauna.Because of his interactions with Tsubaki and Milan, Vahn could easily remove them from the list, even though they technically matched Welf's requirements. Though he couldn't say why, Vahn felt like Welf would enjoy a relationship with Mona, even though she was very weak. She might be a little plump, but she also had a very mature body and a kind disposition that seemed like she was the type to pamper others. As for Mama Mia, Vahn wasn't even sure she had an interest in men anymore, and she would probably 'break' Welf on accident.There was a huge difference between a veteran Level 6 and a novice Level 1, not to mention that Mama Mia was in her 50's and much larger than Welf since she was a Half-Giant. The last girl, at least amongst those that readily came to mind, was the Dark Elf, Shiva. Vahn wasn't even sure she was still in the City, not if they would ever meet again in the future. However, if she did return, Vahn felt like she would get along with someone like Welf, and she also had a strong personality and a somewhat lascivious body. Though it seemed a little shameless, Vahn guessed he would be able to persuade her to give Welf a chance if she came asking to 'repay' her debts.When Vahn remembered Shiva's debts, he also thought of the Amazon girls that had recently tried to join his Familia before his eyes opened wide. For a brief moment, Vahn almost stood up excitedly before shaking his head and relaxing in the chair. Since Welf was only a Level 1, it would be almost impossible for him to maintain a relationship with an Amazon. Even if one gave him a chance, they would probably up and leave him the moment they got pregnant. Though he might be able to ask Aisha to 'look after' Welf, Vahn didn't think it was right to burden her like that.While Vahn was thinking, Welf had been paying close attention and saw all the changes in Vahn's expression. Though it wasn't to the extent of the girls, Welf was able to 'read' Vahn by watching how 'vocal' his facial expressions were when he was lost in thought. He had seen the struggle in Vahn's eyes after ruminating for a while and had also seen the excitement that briefly appeared before it almost immediately died. Welf finished off the contents of his glass and asked in a dejected manner, "Man, am I really such a shit show that even you can't think of a way to help me out?" Welf began to laugh at himself derisively before he tried to reach for the bottle and refill his glass.Before he could grab it, however, Vahn snatched it away and had a serious look on his face as he said, "Welf, you're not a bad guy at all...I'm just trying to consider things from every perspective. To be honest, I've thought of a few ways for you to approach a couple of girls, but the problem is...well, you're kind of weak...and maybe a little unreliable as far as your financial situation is concerned." Though it was a bit 'rude' to say, Vahn was trying to consider the happiness of the girls and knew it would be a struggle if they were seriously committed to Welf in the future. Welf didn't take many customers, and he also didn't sell many of the things he forged. He spent most of his time working away and conducting his research, and not too many girls would be fine with that unless they had a support system. Vahn started to realize why the 'network' used by the girls was such an important thing since they could always consult each other and seek the counseling of other members on the network.Welf frowned and his brows furrowed low, but he didn't argue with Vahn's words at all. Even though they were nearly the same age, Vahn's net worth well exceeded more than 100MV, and his property and assets were probably in the billions. As for himself, he only had about 140KV to his name, and most of that was for procuring materials and maintaining his own livelihood. He couldn't do things like buying fancy clothes, purchasing expensive jewelry, or taking the girl out on long dates. He also didn't leave his workshop often, and he couldn't imagine a girl sticking around and helping clean up his mess while he ignored them for his own research. In fact, even though he often compared himself to Vahn, Welf had long realized that they weren't even on the same level since their 'rivalry' started.After Welf hung his head, Vahn refilled his glass and said comfortingly, "Welf, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You're doing your best, and there is plenty of time for you to actually find someone to chase after. If you really want my advice, I would suggest you spend more time with the other members of the Hephaestus Familia and even consider venturing into the dungeon as a Supporter until you can reach Level 2. I know you also want to be a [Master Smith] someday, but you'll never be able to reach that goal if you're still Level 1. You can't even get the [Blacksmith] Development Ability unless you reach Level 2 after all..."Welf nodded his head before taking a sip of the alcohol and saying, "Yeah, I...know you're right...especially seeing what you've been able to pull off even though we're the same age. Tsubaki had pretty much beat that into me in the past, but I just blew her off and wasted the last few years while brooding over my own bullshit...feels like I tripped myself up at the starting line and then decided to take a break or something..." Welf was lazily staring at the contents of his glass was berating himself yet again.Vahn frowned because he realized he probably did the same thing as the current Welf, and that was the reason why he worried the girls around him so often in the past. It was too easy to beat yourself up over things that happened in the past, even though there was nothing the past could do to actually stop you from moving forward. The only thing you needed to do in order to chase your dreams was take that initial step and never look back. Vahn thought the current Welf was somewhat pitiful so he said, "Welf, if nothing else, the thing I've learned that women look for in a man...is confidence and empathy. If you don't act like a man worth being with, you'll never be able to find a good woman...only someone that takes pity on you."Welf frowned but didn't argue with Vahn as he considered the words for a moment. He noticed that, even though he was drunk, Vahn's words stuck with him and he was able to focus on them even though his mind was hazy. He wasn't aware that Vahn had been secretly using [Hands of Nirvana] through his domain to help diffuse the alcohol in Welf's bloodstream for a while so he retained his clarity. The only thing he knew was that Vahn's words seemed to resonate with something deep inside of him and it made him want to improve himself and be a better man.Vahn nodded approvingly and took a swig of his alcohol before saying, "If you're just worried about women in general, I know a few Amazon's that I can introduce you to. If you have no aversion toward Beast Humans, I also know a relatively beautiful Cow Person that meets a lot of your requirements. However, even if I introduce the girls to you, it's ultimately up to you to win their hearts. Though it might be a good idea to seek counsel from others regarding matters of the heart, everyone is responsible for finding their own happiness...their own love." Hearing Vahn's words, Welf gave him a questioning look before a crooked smile appeared on his face. He placed his elbow on the table and said, "Tell me about these Amazons...and this Cow Person...she must have an impressive pair of tits on her, right?"Vahn raised his glass to his lips with a ruminating smile before tilting the glass a bit and saying, "Yeah, I think she might have the biggest pair I've ever seen...though, they definitely can't hold a candle to a certain airheaded goddess..." Though he wasn't trying to 'insult' Hestia, Vahn couldn't help but laugh a bit at being able to 'vent' to Welf in a casual manner. Welf had heard his remark and an incredulous look appeared on his face as he asked, "Do you mean that chibi goddess with the black hair and the handlebars?" Vahn spit out the alcohol that he had just poured into his mouth after hearing Welf call Hestia's twin-tails 'handlebars'. Without concerning himself over the spill, Welf commented, "I don't know how you can do it man...I like the 'big' girls myself." Welf had been gesturing with his hands as if he were tracing the outline of a woman before he continued, "She looks like a midget, even if she is a goddess...well, she is still better than that super shortie Pallum sidekick of your's..."Though Vahn was still listening to Welf's words, he couldn't help but imagine a strange scene that might appear in the future between him and Hestia. After a while, Vahn managed to shake the image from his mind and decided to tease Welf a bit since he had taken a small amount of mental damage from his comments. He locked eyes with the red-headed youth and asked, "Welf, are you still a virgin?" It was Welf's turn to nearly choke on his drink, because Vahn had waited until he had a large mouthful before asking his question. A bit of the expensive liquid had even shot out of Welf's nose as he said, "I've been busy! Not everyone meanders about playing with several women like a certain dumbass without any common sense."Vahn knew that Welf was 'insulting' him, but he showed a polite smile and nodded his head as he asked, "Well, some of the girls I know...lets just say they have a bit of experience. If I introduce them to you, there is a fair chance they might...eat you up?" Welf's ruddy face turned somewhat crimson as he glared at Vahn without saying anything for several long seconds. Eventually, he pulled his glass up to his lips and sipped on the beverage for a while before saying, "Yeah...that doesn't sound too bad." Since Vahn had only intended to tease him, he was somewhat surprised by Welf's interest in the suggestion. He quickly ran through the various Amazon's in his mind before deciding to consult with Aisha to see if she had any suggestions. Vahn knew that there were some Amazons that were proactively looking for men, even in the Loki and Hephaestus Familia's, so he didn't think it was a bad idea to introduce one of them to Welf...at least until he could find a more permanent solution to help this lonely little red-headed friend of his.(A/N: The title is a pun making fun of the fact that this is Vahn's first world/record (O,...,O))(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bruh...seriously!?','What it takes to be a 'man'','RIP Welf, Press 'F' to Pay Respects')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Vahn escorted the twins to the fourth floor of the dungeon before allowing them to take the lead and go at their own pace. His duty was to help them recover their stamina, praise them when they did well, offer them advice, and pick up all the loot using his domain. If they suffered any injuries, Vahn could heal them, but only after the fight was over or they were in serious danger. Not just the twins, but all the girls needed to develop some pain tolerance and suffer blows or their Endurance parameter wouldn't increase by much.While he was watching Maemi and Emiru fight, Vahn noticed their cooperation and synergy was rapidly developing and there was a strange 'tempo' to their movements. He knew this would probably be exploited by stronger opponents, but it was a great tactic when teaming up against monsters. It was really interesting how one of the sisters would attack with a feint to draw a monsters attention to create an opening for the other to exploit. They were quickly learning how to deal with monsters, even when they were outnumbered. The biggest problem was their lack of stamina and ability to continue fighting for long periods of time.Since they were Snow Leopards, their actual stamina wasn't bad at all...the problem came from the fact that they were synchronizing with each other and it put a serious strain on their bodies and minds. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that, when they fought at the same time, it was like their stamina drained at more than twice the expected rate. It was like they were always pushing themselves well beyond their limits, even though their actual movements were relatively normal. Vahn knew this would likely cause their physical parameters to develop well, but it would potentially stunt their magical development.After around two hours on the fourth floor, the twins had managed to defeat 39 Dungeon Lizards, 17 Kobolds, and 11 goblins with only a few short minutes of break in between each room clear. During the breaks, Vahn would place his palms on their heads and use [Hands of Nirvana] to recover their energy at the same time, since he noticed it actually made the process much more efficient. When he healed one twin, it would consume about twice the normal amount of energy, but only around 40% would be transmitted to the second girl. When he healed them both at the same time, the energy consumption was even greater, but the rate at which they recovered was far more than twice as fast. Vahn noticed that, if they were receiving the same treatment, they would synchronize even further and it would greatly enhance the efficacy of his [Hands of Nirvana].Because he was curious about how this principle worked, Vahn wanted to see what would happen if the twins wore different clothing, or used different weapons when they fought. He gave Emiru the [001], while Maemi used her normal heavy dagger. For Maemi, he let her use his [Xuánwǔ Protector]s and a light cloak to force her to change her fighting style slightly. They complied to his request because the twins understood that Vahn was trying to help them understand the skill better so they could improve faster. When they eventually started fighting again, Vahn noticed a 'severe' drop in their cooperation and ability to adapt to each other's movements. This allowed him to confirm that their synergy was improved when they were 'matching' in equipment and didn't allow much leeway for variations. It made sense, in a way, since the feedback would be very different if one twin used a greatsword, while the other wielded a spear and they used completely different attack patterns and movements.When asked about what they felt afterward, the twins explained that there were 'phantom' sensations like things were 'different' in their own bodies and it was a big distraction. However, Vahn learned that the strength of the sensations hadn't changed and this made him wonder if his observations and deductions weren't entirely correct. It could be that, since the skill was still a low level, it made it difficult for the twins to adapt. It was something worth looking into in the future, but Vahn allowed them to return to their normal fighting style for now. As their parameters improved, and they Leveled up, the twins would naturally be more capable of using other weapons. There was no need to force them to change early on, as there was no guarantee it would benefit the development of their Innate ability, or their own combat capabilities so soon after they started training.Though he was able to 'record' the information in his mind, Vahn also documented all of his observations, and speculations, inside a journal as he watched the twins fight monsters. It wasn't necessarily for his own use, but so that he could let Ryuu and Aki look over the information alongside the twins. Vahn had no illusions that his perspective was always the correct one, and he knew it was often better to consult others that had more experience than himself. Besides, he had shown the journal to the twins earlier, and they were very happy to see the detailed information and sketches he had been drawing inside the journal. Though he didn't consider himself a capable artist, Vahn was able to rough out a relatively accurate representation of the girls in mid-combat and point out his observations.With how much praise the twins gave him, Vahn felt like it was a perk of his [Mentor] skill that had been 'correcting' the information that he picked up while watching them. He realized this might be the case when he read over the information he had just written and noticed it wasn't a thought that had actively passed through his mind. He just wrote it down on 'instinct' as he observed how Emiru's dagger deviated a bit when she was cutting through the thick hide of a Dungeon Lizard. His hands had naturally written down the importance of weapon maintenance and proper follow-through for strikes while casually drawing a dull dagger next to the description with a picture of a whetstone underneath it.Though he could easily repair their weapons with a [Whetstone], Vahn had been using his [Master Smith] ability to perform maintenance instead. [Whetstone]s were great for emergencies, but they weren't necessary for simple wear and tear, so Vahn had taken to sharpening their blades manually while performing on-site maintenance for their other equipment. It was moments like this when his inventory really came in handy because he could give the girls a change of equipment and immediately start repairing the damaged bits. Everything that he repaired with his [Master Smith] ability would receive a 3-7% boost to their stats, so Vahn was very satisfied and wanted to develop the skill even further in the future.After enjoying a light lunch, while flanked by the twins, Vahn led the way down to the fifth floor so that the twins could go through what he mentally called the 'Ant Hell'. He had gone through his own 'trial' back when he first started venturing into the dungeon, and Haruhime had experienced something similar the previous day. Though it wasn't 'necessary', Vahn felt like it was a rite of passage for new adventurers and wanted to see how the twins would fare given the fact that didn't have magic weapons to use. Vahn mentioned his own experiences with the ants, while also telling the twins how well Haruhime had performed.Hearing how Haruhime, someone nearly three years their junior, had killed 139 Killer Ants made the twins feel a bit conflicted. Vahn wasn't the only one to notice their lack of stamina, as they were the ones actually experiencing it. They wanted to 'beat' Haruhime, especially since there was two of them, but they also knew they likely wouldn't be able to fight for very long and their weapons weren't suitable for monsters like Killer Ants. Per their request, Vahn gave them the swords [001] and [002], which were both B-Rank, much stronger than their D-Rank heavy daggers. They spent a few minutes practicing with the swords before eventually mustering up enough resolve to step forward into the fifth floor.Vahn watched their backs and gave an approving nod as he followed silently behind them and observed the changes in their bodies and auras. When they were synergized well, Vahn noticed that their auras became slightly stronger and their emotions compounded off of each other's, much like his own interactions with Hephaestus at times. This could be a good thing, as long as they were both motivated, as it would prevent them from faltering easily. However, such a thing could also be a double-edged sword, since if they both felt fear and apprehension, it would be much more powerful than what would be experienced by a normal person.Unlike how Haruhime had let the Killer Ants swarm, Emiru and Maemi focused on killing them as quickly as possible in order to pace themselves and preserve their stamina. They wanted to kill as many as they could without having to rely on Vahn helping them recover, so they took turns moving and attacking while the other focused on exploiting gaps and regulating their breathing. They obviously couldn't breathe for each other, but by relaxing their bodies, they didn't put any excess strain on whoever was fighting at the time. Vahn had noticed this tactic they had developed, probably through their 'mental link', and couldn't help but smile appreciatively at their progress.Though he kept it primarily concealed from them, Vahn decided to use [Hands of Nirvana] to sneakily help replenish their stamina while they were distracted by fighting. As long as they didn't realize what was happening, the twins would think they were pushing themselves further and growing beyond their limits. Since exilia and parameter development was influenced by mental perception, Vahn was certain this would be one way he could help the girls within the Familia develop further.With his support, the twins started to grow more motivated over time after realizing how well things were going with their conservative strategy. Though they still didn't mass any ants intentionally, their blades had long been covered in pheromones and it made errant ants track them down and their numbers had steadily been building up. After nearly three hours, the twins had managed to killed precisely 150 Killer Ants before Vahn had to step in and finish the job and protect them. Of course, Killer Ants weren't the only things they had fought, because they had been traveling through the dungeon instead of staying in one area, the twins had also killed 19 Frog Shooters along the way.Vahn didn't bother to bring up the fact that Haruhime had killed her large number of ants within a twenty-minute window, he instead just pampered the girls a bit while paying them a few heavy compliments for performing well. It was actually 'more' correct to use the method that had been incorporated by the twins, instead of the somewhat suicidal method used by Haruhime the previous day. If he hadn't been there to save her, she would have inarguably caused her own demise because she had been exceeding her limits by a fair amount. The twins, though less educated, were older and more sensible than Haruhime and took a more conservative approach that would likely preserve their lives in the future.After helping them recover completely, Vahn brought up the idea of having them fuse while he tried to help sustain the transformation by infusing his own 'mana' into their body. Without much thought, they twins both agreed with excited expressions on their faces as they mentioned wanting to understand the form better as well. A few seconds wasn't enough to truly understand what was going on, and they were interested in the changes their body underwent during the transformation. Vahn was relieved to see their excitement and waited for the twins to finish their preparations before they performed the experiment. It took them several minutes to calm their minds and perfectly synergize with each other, so Vahn understood it wouldn't be a viable skill for combat unless they had made some drastic improvements.Eventually, Emiru opened her eyes and Vahn noticed they had turned the beautiful, snowy blue, color as she locked eyes with the lilac-eyed Maemi and they placed their palms together. Emiru immediately vanished in a magical light before a heterochromatic 'Maemi' appeared in front of him. Other than her eyes, there was no noticeable change in her body, though Vahn had confirmed irrefutably that their aura had increased by a large amount. Since it was the most efficient location, Vahn placed his palm over the navel of 'Maemi' and began channeling his energy almost immediately after the transformation completed.Maemi felt the powerful flow of energy enter her body as she stared down at the kneeling Vahn and muttered in a strange voice that sounded like when she spoke in concert with Emiru, "Vahn-sama...we feel very warm...very strong..." Vahn looked up into her blue-lilac eyes and asked, "Can you describe any other changes you can feel in your body?" While he asked the question, Vahn noticed that his energy wasn't draining nearly as fast as he suspected, which allowed him to understand that the form didn't actually require too much mana to sustain, at least if they were standing still.'Maemi' placed her hands overtop the hand he had placed on her stomach 'casually' before closing her eyes and saying, "Everything...everything is so much more...it's like our skin is so sensitive that we can feel the air...everything we smell is so much more pungent...every sound so much more clear...and..." 'Maemi' opened her eyes as a strange smile appeared on her face and she continued, "Everything we feel...it's like everything is amplified...like we're going to explode..." Vahn understood what 'Maemi' was saying because her aura was much larger than normal and he knew what kind of things she was 'feeling' at the moment. He had already checked through the system out of curiosity but noticed that both Emiru and Maemi's affections had 'vanished' after their fusion. It might be because they were combined through an Innate, but Vahn couldn't see the 'values' behind their emotions and it made him feel strangely unnerved with how she was looking down at him.Though Vahn could continue channeling energy into 'Maemi' for several minutes, he decided to bring the experiment to an early end as he said, "Okay, that should be enough for the time being. Try to remember the sensation and practice when you can. As long as you're able to develop your Magic parameter a bit, you'll be able to sustain this form for longer. This could be a powerful trump card for the future and allow you both to become much stronger." For the entire duration of the transformation, 'Maemi' had continued to rest her hands atop his with that same strange smile her face. Hearing Vahn's words, she nodded her head and said, "Yes, Vahn-sama...we will become much stronger...together."When Vahn removed his hand from her abdomen, 'Maemi' touched the spot as if she were trying to feel the ambient warmth before her body split into two a few seconds later. Vahn caught their bodies and released a relieved sigh before setting them on the ground after laying down a futon. He sat on the edge of it with his back against the wall and checked his system to see if there had been any changes. Both Maemi and Emiru had affection values of 92 for him and Vahn was wondering how the parameter was influenced when they fused. Though their aura was predominantly yellow, Vahn noticed that the small amount of pink along the edges was tainted with a passionate red.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Working twice as hard','Clever girls','Unknown Affection')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 317: Walk