Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn and Ryuu sat together before the gravesite until the crystals overhead had made the transition from being red, like sunset, until they began to glimmer like stars in the dark night sky. Ryuu released an uncharacteristic sigh, so Vahn asked, "Is everything okay, Ryuu?" She separated from his shoulder before turning toward him with a gentle smile as she said, "I was just thinking about a few matters...It's been a long time since I thought about the future and I only just realized I hadn't been considering matters properly for a long time. Ever since Syr saved me...I've just been living day-to-day, at least until..." Ryuu's face showed a light blush and she squeezed Vahn's hand without continuing her words.Vahn stroked her hand with his thumb and stared into her sky blue eyes for several long seconds, unable to think of an answer to alleviate her concerns. After a short moment of hesitation, Vahn assumed a thoughtful look as he ruminated over matters as he spoke, "Ryuu...I don't really know what the future holds. So much has changed in such a short period of time that living in the moment is all I've been able to do. Without so many people supporting me, I feel like I would have probably fallen in the Dungeon alone at some point...now, all I can do is my best to prepare for the future, but I also don't know the best path to take. All I've understood after arriving at the City is...when we work together, we're capable of overcoming anything..."Ryuu squinted her eyes and tilted her head slightly as she said, "Maybe that is what it means to live...enjoying each moment, hoping for the future, but not living to shape it. Working hard to overcome your own limits and finding capable allies to stand with...it reminds me a lot of the past." Ryuu's smile widened a bit in reminiscence before she turned to Vahn and said, "I think it's fine...to live in the moment. If we make the most of it, only compromising for everyone's shared happiness, I think things will always turn out for the better. I want to see it...the future you'll create by trying your best...it seems so...full of light." Ryuu laughed in a gentle tone before continuing, "Sorry, I was thinking of how Chloe described you...that girl is quite devoted. She even became strong enough to confront Syr...well, just a bit."Vahn imagined the scene of the cool and mischevious Chloe confronting the stoic, elegant, and somewhat manipulative Syr. He already knew Chloe did her best to protect him in her own way, but he never imagined she would clash against Syr, likely on his behalf...even though she was only Level 1, Vahn couldn't easily imagining anyone getting an edge against the beautiful demigoddess. She had a way to see the true nature and desires of a person and her ability to manipulate them was based on that principle. By guiding them in the direction they would have chosen for themselves, but making it appear as though she was the reason they arrived at that point, Syr was able to earn the trust of people on a fundamental level. She had even done the same when she took him to the Orphanage since there was no part of his character that would have been able to resist helping the children, especially since they had a connection to her...Ryuu leaned against Vahn's shoulder and released a relieved sigh as she said, "I can see why Syr places all of her hopes in you...even though you know her character, you don't shy away from it at all. You have an accepting heart capable of empathizing with everyone you meet...even your enemies at times. It's good that someone like you appeared in her...our lives...she was a very sad and lonely girl before, even though she always had a smile on her face. She plays her schemes up a bit, but she is fundamentally a very kind and gentle girl who helps everyone she can..." Vahn nodded and said, "I know...I can't say with absolute certainty, but I feel like I know Syr almost better than anyone else. We're on similar wavelengths most of the time and can read each other well...hahahaha."After he finished laughing, Vahn leaned forward so Ryuu moved away from his body as he stood up from the ground before helping her stand. She dusted off her leaf-green cloak a bit before Vahn leaned forward and planted another kiss on her somewhat pale pink lips. After they parted, Vahn moved Ryuu's hair to the side and gently stroked her left ear with his right hand. Her teeth chattered almost imperceptibly as she tilted her head with a light blush. Vahn smiled at her reaction and said, "I wish I could see you like this more often...I know I've said it before, but your presence has a calming effect on my mind and body." Ryuu grabbed his hand before he could do anything else and said in a quiet tone, "Soon...well..." She shook her head and said, "Let's go, it should almost be time for my shift and the others may be getting worried."Ryuu tried to move forward while still holding Vahn's hand but he stood his ground, even though he had nearly been knocked off balance by their parameter difference. She looked back with a confused look and Vahn smiled as he said, "This is a rare opportunity, so let's take our time returning. There is something about escorting a beautiful elf through an enchanted forest in the middle of the night that makes my heart beat excitedly." To indicate this, Vahn pulled Ryuu's hand until it rested against his chest. He had been telling the truth, as most of Ryuu's behaviors stirred something inside of him and made him want to spend time with her. There was also a strange desire to 'tease' her a bit, and Vahn felt like it was something about the racial traits of half-elves and Elves in general. Something about their stoic, composed appearances and gentle demeanors made Vahn want to get a rise out of them.For a few moments, Ryuu felt Vahn's heart beating powerfully in his chest as she considered showing that her heart was also beating quite hard. Imagining Vahn placing his hand on her breast only made the beating faster so she decided against mentioning it as she fell into a spot close to Vahn's side. He smiled in return and they held hands the entire way back, which took nearly forty minutes considering their relatively leisurely pace. She also felt like it was a calming experience to walk through the forest together and even entrusted herself to Vahn's guidance as she walked along with her eyes closed and enjoyed the cool wind against her skin alongside the comforting warmth coming from Vahn's body.When they arrived at the camp, it had been Maemi that was on duty as she came forward to greet the two that had already separated. Ryuu still had an aversion to public displays of affection, but Vahn didn't hold it against her since she had allowed him to escort her for such a long period of time. As Maemi had indeed been covering Ryuu's shift, Vahn sent her off to join Emiru after refusing to let Ryuu take over and cover both shifts. Since he had been the reason for the scheduling conflict, Vahn 'ordered' her to get some rest as he assumed the post himself. She didn't have much resistance against him when it was just the two of them, so Ryuu eventually nodded her head and said, "Good night, Vahn." Vahn watched her walk off to the tent she shared with Aki before climbing up a tall tree, out of the common line of sight, and laying on the branch while spreading his domain to his limit. If anything entered within 451m of their location, Vahn would be able to detect them, even if they had a powerful stealth ability.After twenty minutes passed, Vahn called out in a quiet voice, "Go ahead, I don't mind." With his permission, the small figure that had been sneaking around since he first took his post eventually popped up and trotted over to the base of the tree he was resting on. A few seconds later, the figure scuttled up the tree before stepping onto the same branch and saying, "Fenrir smelled Vahn come back...Vahn not sleep inside tent?" Vahn laughed before gesturing to the small girl as she gingerly crawled onto his stomach before curling up into a small ball seemingly giving up hearing the answer to her question as she almost immediately fell asleep.A gentle smile appeared on Vahn's face as he affectionately caressed the somewhat prickly hair of the spoiled little wolf girl. Every time he was together with her, Vahn felt like his soul was being healed, almost like she was therapeutic to him. Other than the desire to spend time together, Fenrir had no complex thoughts regarding him and, even though she could literally rip him apart, Vahn felt comfortable around her. Though he didn't show it enough, Vahn felt like Fafnir and Fenrir were like his own children, and he worried a lot about their growth and mental development.Unfortunately, unless they could get recognition from the citizens of Orario, it was impossible for Fafnir to flit about aboveground. His massive, and intimidating, body was more than enough to send crowds running. There was also a very real chance that he would draw the attention of disreputable sorts that would try to claim him for themselves. Though the somewhat childish dragon was a very powerful Level 5, it wasn't remotely close to being unbeatable. Even Hestia, with a simple spear, would be able to slay Fafnir if she managed to contact the blue scar covering a large swath of its chest.As for Fenrir, she was arguably more troublesome than the massive Fafnir, since she was something of an unstable existence. If he was away for a few days, Vahn was absolutely certain she would go on a rampage and potentially even harm her own allies. Other than himself, Vahn didn't know anyone that would be able to reliably calm her down, as even Ryuu was unable to do so without a great deal of effort. Vahn assumed Preasia might be capable of the feat, but she wasn't the type that would venture into the Dungeon unless there was a drastic change in her personality. She was a timid, somewhat docile girl, and disliked dark, cold, and humid places like the Dungeon. Vahn was very aware of her reasons, so he had absolutely no intention of trying to force the issue, even though he knew she would probably try if he asked.Since he had been worried about it, Vahn had been discussing the matter with Hephaestus, Eina, and Loki to try and find a solution. The best bet seemed to expose Fafnir's existence during the Monster Feria and showing to the entire City that he was perfectly 'tame'. Vahn felt a little uncomfortable publicizing such a thing because he had long stopped feeling like they were his subordinates. Though he could 'force' them to obey his orders through exploiting their Loyalty, Vahn was happier earning their trust through his actions and guidance. He felt that this was the reason Fafnir and Fenrir were so affectionate to him, and even treated him as something akin to a father figure. Of course, there was the slightly unnerving fact that both of them would 'accidentally' call him Master every now and then.After finishing up Ryuu's shift, Vahn stayed on his post for an additional two hours and covered Maemi's actual shift as well. When his time was finally up, Vahn patted Fenrir's back to stir her awake before carrying her down to the ground. She only made a cursory effort to wake up before laying her face on his shoulder and hugging loosely around his neck as he carried her like a sleeping child towards the tents. Vahn woke up Haruhime and gave her a few minutes to get ready before retiring to his own tent alongside the sleeping Fenrir. Since he didn't get to spoil her much recently, Vahn let her sleep with him, as it had been a while since they shared a bed together. She actually got very stressed out if she slept alone and had never spent a night after becoming a girl alone.Even after retiring to his tent, Vahn kept his domain active as he fell asleep cuddling the somewhat hot body of Fenrir. Her normal body temperature was around 40 degrees Celcius, so she was much warmer than most people, not that it made much of a difference to Vahn. Even if he took a dip in molten orichalcum, which could reach temperatures of 1200 degrees, Vahn would remain completely unphased. Of course, Vahn didn't use his [Heart of the Eternal Flame] and actually kept his body somewhat cooler than normal so she could sleep comfortably.The next morning, Vahn awoke around 5 AM and roused Fenrir from her 'happy' slumber before exiting the tent to muster everyone else. He had assumed she was 'happy' because she had her somewhat crooked smile on her sleeping face. After everyone awoke, Vahn passed out some crepes that he had stored within his inventory. When had free time after visiting Hephaestus's workshop, Vahn had stopped over and visited the middle-aged man, named Ivaan, that ran the crepe stand he used to frequent often in the past. He bought the entire stock before leaving the kindly man a tip of 100,000V as gratitude for how delicious his crepes were. As he accepted the large tip, he teasingly asked Vahn if he were single and offered to introduce his granddaughter to him. Vahn laughed away the offer as he imagined the reactions of the other girls on the network if he picked up a vendor's offered grandaughter.Vahn was happy to see that everyone enjoyed the crepes and he planned to patronize Ivaan's stall more often in the future. If possible, he'd even be willing to act as an investor to popularize the delicious treat. Though he knew the man enjoyed serving customers, they had often made small talk and Vahn heard some of the complaints that he had about life. Ivaan's son made a living as an Adventurer, but he had never been able to exceed Level 2 even though he was nearly thirty years old. Because his son was often away in the dungeon, Ivaan had looked after his granddaughter since she was a baby and had opened the crepe stand to help support the relatively small family. Vahn thought it would be better if he could hire people to work for him as he ran the business from the background while looking after his family without having to spend hours a day working a stall in the market.After collecting all the tents, Vahn stowed them away in his inventory before leading the group toward the stairs leading up to the 17th floor. He was supposed to meet the Loki Familia in the adjoining room to the Wall of Despair, and there was a real possibility they had left even earlier to 'reserve' the spawn. There were few parties that would try to contend with the Loki Familia for the rights to a Monster Rex, as they currently hold the record of the most kills within the entire City. The Familia as a whole had slain a total of 139 Monster Rex(s) that they had reported to the Guild and gotten credit for. The Freya Familia was a distant second place, as they had only eliminated a total of 71 reported kills.As expected, the Hestia Familia ascended the stairs and quickly came across Tiona who had come running down the stairs in a lively manner before leaping downwards more than twenty meters trusting that Vahn could catch her. Vahn then had to carry her body upstairs as she clung around his neck while claiming to be 'recharging' her 'Vahnobtainium' reserves. Vahn had been made aware of the phrase in the past, but he always felt awkward to be addressed as some sort of commodity that replenished the energy of others. However, when he thought about it in detail, it was actually something he commonly did by using [Yggdrasil's Favor] and [Hands of Nirvana]. Since he could 'rationalize' the characterization, Vahn decided to not make a big deal of it as he actually enjoyed physical contact quite a bit. Tiona's lively disposition and cheerful smile were infectious while her body was both firm, and soft, at the same time as she pressed herself against him.When they got to the top of the stairs, Finn had an awkward smile on his face as he said, "Tiona, you shouldn't separate from the party like that, even if you're going to meet up with our...allies." Releasing a short sight, Finn corrected his expression before saying in an amicable manner, "Good morning, friends from the Hestia Familia. Though we're unable to 'cooperate' officially, I look forward to working alongside you on this endeavor." Disinterested in Finn's words, Ais walked over before poking the loose face of Tiona who had yet to separate from Vahn as she said, "Tiona, very sneaky." In response, Tiona began laughing as she said sheepishly, "I wuuuuv him so much though~." She then proceeded to give Vahn a big kiss on the cheek before eventually standing on her own feet and walking over to the group with a playful laughter ringing in the air. Ais watched her back for a brief moment before turning her attention back to Vahn before showing a small smile and reaching forward to hug him silently for a few seconds. When Vahn asked what she was doing, she muttered in a confident tone, "Recharging..."(A/N:Alternate Titles: 'Moonlit Walk','Fenrir's Attachment','A highly sought after resource for both mortals, and gods...')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;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

It was still a while before the Goliath spawned, so the two Familia mingled and got to know each other a little better. Fortunately, Bete and Gareth were missing and Vahn learned it was because Bete had gotten blackout drunk the previous night and was temporarily out of commission. This was a fortunate coincidence since Vahn didn't want any trouble to occur when the anti-social Werewolf met the anti-social Vanargandr, Fenrir. Vahn knew there would eventually be an incident caused between the two, but he was hoping to put it off for as long as possible, at least until Fenrir had stabilized even more.As for his strategy for the upcoming fight, Vahn was intending to use none of his equipment at all. Impaling Goliath with [Lævateinn] might not immediately end the fight, but it would deal enough damage over time that the Monster Rex would inevitably fall even if the entire party retreated. It was stuck within the room containing the Wall of Grief, so it wasn't too difficult to simply retreat and allow the flames to slowly consume its body without putting anyone in danger. Vahn wanted a true test of his own abilities, so he was standing off to the side stretching his body in his Xuánwǔ form wearing nothing but a pair of black trousers.When he had demonstrated the skill earlier, Riveria had been curious about the tattoo so Vahn removed his tunic and allowed everyone to see the strange pattern on his back that looked like a yin and yang symbol surrounded by eight trigrams. Though she had the ability to decipher godly hieroglyphs, to an extent, Riveria couldn't make sense of the symbols at all. The only thing she understood was that each contained powerful elemental energies that were unlike anything she had seen before. For the duration where Vahn was preparing for the fight, she sat at the back with a small notebook as she drew out the patterns, with Vahn's permission, for future study. In exchange, she agreed to demonstrate the magic circles derived from the [Mage] skill later on. Because of the nature of his system, Vahn could actually read hieroglyphs and break down the structure of magic circles since he could almost perfectly record them in his mind for later review.While he was preparing himself, Tiona was off to the side with the rest of the girls as she stared with a happy smile at Vahn and said, to Ais, "Vahn looks better and better each time I see him~. Aren't those tattoos amazing? I wish I could transform, it would be super cool~!" Ais nodded and said, "He keeps getting stronger...it makes my heart beat quicken." Their small dialogue started a conversation between the other girls nearby as they discussed the various 'aspects' of Vahn and what they liked about him. Fenrir adamantly claimed to like Vahn the best, though she couldn't give any particular reason other than the fact he was himself. Tione thought he was very 'manly' and had an incredibly fit body, which was a sentiment shared by all the girls present. Emiru and Maemi said they liked his gentle personality, handsome appearance, and the fact he pampered them on occasion. Haruhime thought Vahn was very 'heroic', which made her an instant friend with Tiona as the two girls began discussing Vahn's various acts of heroism. Mikoto said he was a qualified leader, even though he wasn't always that reliable and easy to approach. Her answer caused some of the girls to be confused because Vahn seemed like one of the easiest to approach people they had ever met. As for Lefiya, the only thing she could manage was a blush and a very dismissive answer about how hardworking Vahn was.After a few hours had passed, the shadow within the wall had reached a critical level as cracks began to emerge on the Wall of Grief. Vahn rolled his shoulders one last time as Finn shouted to the entire group, "Okay, everyone, let's fall back to a safe distance. Please, everyone under Level 4, do not exit the safety of the adjoining corridor. Riveria, I'll be relying on you if we somehow pull the Goliath's aggro." The entire group retreated to the corridor before Ryuu squatted down next to Fenrir and got her attention before explaining, "Vahn is going to fight alone this time, so make sure you behave properly. The monster he is going to face is much stronger than you, so if you tried to help it would only make Vahn's fight more difficult as he tries to protect you. Try to stay calm, we're surrounded by strong and capable allies that will help him if things take a bad turn." Fenrir's eyes glowed a bit, but she nodded her head and said confidently, "Vahn will always win, Fenrir believes...."When the group pulled away, Vahn followed them with his eyes before asking himself with a wry smile, "I wonder if I can make myself look cool since there are so many onlookers? Hahahaha..." The last time he had fought the Goliath, he was far less experienced and only had his Báihǔ form mastered. Now he could use both Báihǔ and Xuánwǔ freely and also had an unrivaled movement magic that far exceeded the capabilities of most people. Though it was a bit presumptuous, Vahn wanted to end the fight without taking a single hit, excluding the ones he planned to counter. Since he struggled so much during the previous fight, Vahn wanted to completely dominate the new Goliath without giving it a single moment of reprieve...A loud explosion spread through the room as the titanic Goliath broke free from the Wall of Grief with a monstrous shout that caused the air to tremble. For the lower level girls, they had to cover their ears and could barely resist against the terrible might of the Goliath and its roar. Vahn, however, remained standing without flinching in the slightest. He lowered both of his arms to his sides with clenched fists that began to glow with a green light as he stared unblinkingly at the Goliath.Free from his constraints, the Goliath targeted the closest thing within the vicinity and charged over with a tremendous force that shook the ground with each mighty step. It closed the 30m distance between itself and Vahn in less than two seconds before raising both arms and smashing down with the intent to crush the small foe before it. A green light flashed and exploded out with enough force to create a large cloud of debris as the Goliath was pushed nearly 8m off the ground with both of its arms missing from the elbow down. When it had tried to smash Vahn, he used [Fist Strike] in conjunction with redirecting the Goliath's shockwave back at itself. Though he hadn't developed a skill for it, Vahn called this technique Countershock. Though he took a large burden on his body, and had sunk several centimeters into the ground, Vahn was mostly unaffected while the Goliath destroyed its own arms in the process.Though he knew she wasn't trying to distract him, Vahn heard a loud shout from Tiona from the side and he felt emboldened further. Using Shundo, he created a link between the ground and the chest of the massive Goliath before activating the magical ability. Since it was currently without arms, the Goliath couldn't defend its torso at all as Vahn appeared flushed against its body and slammed both of his fists powerfully toward the magic core within its chest. He didn't plan to give the Goliath a single moment to respond to his attacks because Vahn wanted to have a true understanding of what it was like to go 'all out' against a monster stronger than he was without relying on his equipment.The moment his fists collided with the body of the Goliath, it's natural shock resistance tried to activate but a green light flashed along Vahn's scales and forcibly converged it about a meter within the Goliath. Just like when he fought against Tione, he caused a shockwave to explode within the body of the Goliath, with its magic core as his target. The chest cavity of the Goliath expanded into a sphere for a brief moment as Vahn kicked away from its body. Though it wasn't immediately destroyed, the Goliath released a large puff of purple smoke from its mouth which showed that it had been heavily damaged. Its arms began to rapidly regenerate, but it was temporarily unable to move from the sheer amount of damage Vahn's two attacks had done to its body.Vahn released a somewhat disappointed sigh, because he found that the fight was far easier than he expected. The Goliath was rated as a Level 4 monster, albeit one that equated to several dozen other Level 4's. Vahn was only an intermediate Level 3 and wasn't even boosted by Haruhime's Level-Up magic. Because of the large size of the Goliath, and the fact it was almost exclusively a physical fighter, there was next to nothing it could do against Vahn. He had at least hoped that the fight could get his blood boiling a bit and the realization of his own power made Vahn feel a strange loneliness that he had to shake away before putting strength in his legs.Though it was mostly blocked by his trousers, a green light flashed at Vahn's legs as he kicked off mightily from the ground before inverting his body to land, upside down, on his feet after reaching the roof 100m overhead. It was a physical feat that even a Level 6 wouldn't be able to perform easily, but Vahn was able to manage it by compressing the shockwave through his feet without absorbing almost any of the resistive force into his own body. This greatly increased the force of his jump and allowed him to perform a physical feat that shouldn't be possible for a Level 3, regardless of how much power and agility they possessed.The Goliath slowly raised its head to meet Vahn, still unable to move its body even though it was trying its best to regenerate quickly. It's red eyes glowed with a chaotic light filled with hatred as it tried to use its pressurized air cannon to attack Vahn. Unfortunately for it, with it's damaged core and ruptured mana channels, it couldn't compress the energy properly and destroyed it's own lower jaw while sending its teeth flying about for its efforts. Vahn shook his head pitifully as he kicked off from the roof with enough force to create a 10m wide circular crack in the durable bedrock. His velocity reached nearly 250 meters per second, or approximately 900km/h as he spun through the air twice and dropped a powerful axe kick into the forehead of the Goliath that sent a shockwave through its body that caused the ground to crack open beneath it.The body of the Goliath swelled up for a brief instant before the contained shockwave overwhelmed its resistances and caused its entire body to explode in a massive cloud of purple dust. Since he didn't burn any with his Vermillion Flames, there were thousands of small magic cores that exploded from the gigantic core of the Goliath as well as a few meters of skin that had been preserved as a drop item. Vahn stood amongst the look with a conflicted expression for a brief moment before putting on a confident appearance as he waved toward the approaching girls with a smile. All-in-all, Vahn had managed to end the fight with a single Countershock and a mere two physical attacks, excluding the maneuvers he did to reach the roof and then descend for the actual attack. It might have been a bad matchup for the Goliath, but he was still somewhat disappointed by the ease with which he destroyed the Monster Rex that was considered a nightmare by some smaller Familia.Vahn caught the Amazon shaped bullet that flew at his face with enough force to knock him back nearly seven meters. He took more damage from her tackle, and follow-up kiss, than he had suffered in his actual fight against the Goliath as his bare back skidding along the rough and abrasive floor of the dungeon. Tiona had a heated expression like she was about to devour him as she eagerly sought Vahn's lips in greedy kisses. Ais showed up almost immediately and grabbed the belt-like sash around Tiona's hips and pulled her back with enough force to separate her from Vahn's body. Tiona flailed around for a short while as Tione, who was also showing a dangerous light in her eyes, dragged her away with Ais so she could calm down.Ryuu arrived not long after Tiona had been pulled from Vahn's body and extended her hand to help him rise while the rest of the group began to gather around and compliment him for his battle. The girls within his own Familia had reverential expressions on their faces, like they were meeting their long sought-after idol. Finn had walked over as well and said with an approving smile on his face, "Very well done, Vahn. Truly, you are becoming stronger at an exponential rate. The Loki Familia is fortunate to consider you amongst our list of allies." Vahn laughed as he accepted Finn's handshake and they began discussing the distribution of items. The Hestia Familia allowed the Loki Familia to take 70% of the magic cores. As for the drop items, Finn asked Vahn to keep them since they would be valuable materials that he could use to craft equipment for the girls in the future. Since it was something that would benefit his allies, he had no reason to keep the Goliath Hide from Vahn, who was known within the Executive members of the Familia as a capable [Master Smith]. It never hurt to increase the rapport they had with a [Master Smith], especially one that beat the previous record for the youngest [Master Smith] by nearly 16 years.To prevent any problems from arising, the two Familia separated after loot distribution and Vahn's 'parting ceremony' with the various girls within the Loki Familia. Though he didn't mind too much, it felt awkward having the girls of his own Familia staring at him when he exchanges hugs and kisses with the girls from another Familia. He knew they were all somewhat 'eager' to be with him and he could feel their penetrative gazes on his back throughout the entire process. When he finally finished, Vahn bade farewell to the Loki Familia before leading the Hestia Familia through the 17th floor and starting their ascent to the surface. Along the way, they made short stops on each floor so the girls could experience the various monsters that appeared on each. Since Vahn wasn't a 'good' example of how to fight monsters, Ryuu and Aki had taken point for the demonstration and had allowed the girls to fight the smaller groups as a team.It took them significantly less time to exit the dungeon than it had for their descent, so it was only 9 AM by the time they reached the surface. They reported the successful subjugation of the Goliath and took credit for the kill under the name of their own Familia. Since they were only ranked I, the lowest rank a Familia could have, it caused a small stir within the Guild until they got a message from the headquarters giving them permission to validate the claim. When Vahn learned this, he showed a small smile because he understood that the Guild was probably trying to butter up to him after understanding the situation better. Now that the top 3 Familia within the City were behind him, there were few options available to them other than backing down and compromising.Though he didn't know her actual wealth, Vahn knew that Freya was likely the richest person in the entire City since she heavily consolidated wealth and assets. Hephaestus's Familia was one of the largest, and wealthiest, Familia in the entire city as well while the Loki Familia was the current Ranked 1 Familia due to their achievements in the Dungeon. When the three were considered together, they controlled more than half the wealth and power within the entirety of the City. If the Guild tried to pressure them, without a justifiable reason, it would cause discourse throughout the entire City and lead to political turmoil and economic decline. The benefits were far fewer than the losses they would sustain by trying to take a hard-line policy against the Alliance to try and suppress Vahn and the Hestia Familia.After the group arrived at the Hearth Manor, the entire Familia had a gathering, combined with a small celebration, as they discussed how everyone performed and the necessary steps for improvement. Now that the girls understood what a fight against a Monster Rex was like, their perspective had broadened greatly and their desire to become stronger had increased to match. After a bit of persuasion, Vahn agreed to escort the girls on trips into the Dungeon so they could meet the requirements for unlocking the [Hunter] Development Ability. If they wanted to be part of the main party in the future, they would need to start walking the path of an Elite now, since the longer they waited, the more difficult it would be to correct their flaws.When their long lunch had come to an end, Vahn gave everyone the next few days off to prepare themselves mentally for the coming trials. They were also making a few preparations for the upcoming Denatus, which was now only three days away. Hestia would be attending it from Monday-Wednesday in the following week, and that would serve as a pivotal moment for the entire Familia depending on how things played out. Everyone listened to his words carefully before splitting off into smaller groups to go about their own business. Vahn himself had decided to go take a bath, which was a desire shared by the majority of those present as well. He went to the men's changing room while most of the girls left for the women's side. The exceptions had been Hestia, as she wanted to spend time together after being apart for a brief period. To prevent her from getting 'out of control', Aki had decided to join them as well while Ryuu stayed with the larger group.Vahn enjoyed a long bath surrounded by the two beautiful, black-haired, girls as they playfully bantered in the hot water while washing each other's bodies. Aki knew how to twist Hestia's words around on herself, so she was good at controlling the rambunctious little goddess, likely a result of Loki's influence. Since they had 'shared' Vahn in the past, she used it as an excuse to play around with Hestia's body a bit and tease her every time she tried to do something 'untoward' during the bath. When Hestia complained to Vahn about Aki's 'disrespectful' behavior, Vahn caressed her long hair gently before playfully pinching her soft buttocks with his fingers. Though she called him out for being a 'traitor', Hestia didn't take any actions to part from him as the trio spent nearly a full hour together in a humorous, somewhat pink, atmosphere.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I'm gonna pre. -Vahn Mason','Physical Dominance','The Denatus Approaches...')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;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since he had detected their arrival, Vahn parted ways with Gareth and left behind the small barrel for his own personal use. Gareth's tolerance was incredible and he was able to work away, albeit slowly, at the miniature keg without any major difficulties. Vahn was curious how his body was able to process the alcohol so easily and he noticed some kind of strange, microscopic, creatures inside of his stomach that broke down the majority of the alcohol before process the rest as normal water. He knew these were bacteria since he had seen plenty in the bodies of others when viewing them with his [Eyes of Truth]. Since Dwarves were known for their tolerance, Vahn suspected there was a unique quality in their stomachs which allowed them to cultivate the special bacteria inside of their bodies without adversely affection their physiology at all. It was a very unique thing, so Vahn made sure to document it within a journal for future study.After leaving the tent, Vahn saw the girls walking over and stepped forward to catch Tiona who had jumped at him the moment they made eye contact. She began rubbing her face against his and laughing cheerfully as she said, "Yay, Vahn~! I can't wait to see you pummel that dumb monster tomorrow~!" Vahn placed his hands around Tiona's waist before giving her a short kiss on the lips which caused her smile to increase in size. From behind her, or ahead of Vahn, Ais walked over and said, "Tiona, be careful." Tiona laughed in a silly manner before dropping from Vahn's body and saying in a playful tone, "I know, I know~! Just make sure you don't hog him all to yourself, ahahaha~."Before Ais could step forward to get a hug of her own, Fenrir beat her to the punch and shouted, "Vahn, Fenrir is all clean now~!" Vahn habitually stroked her head and said, "Yes, that is very good Fenrir. Did you get along with everyone?" Fenrir's body twitched a bit before she looked to the side as if she were refusing to make eye contact and said, "Fenrir is a good girl..." Vahn gave a wry smile before looking around at the other girls and seeing they all had somewhat awkward expressions on their faces. Ais was the least affected, but she walked over and tilted her head to the side to stare at Fenrir and said, "It is my turn...?" Fenrir looked at her and frowned deeply before finally letting go of Vahn's waist. Ais smiled and said, "You are a good girl...thank you."Vahn shared a hug, and a short kiss, with Ais before they all started talking about the battle tomorrow. It was decided that Vahn would be fighting alone since he really wanted to test his own growth. The last major stint he spent in the dungeon ended not long after his fight against the Goliath, and it had been a somewhat close fight. His parameters had grown a fair bit, though not nearly as high as he'd like, but his overall capabilities had increased greatly. When they heard about his plan, Tiona got very excited because she imagined the image of Vahn fighting against the Goliath bare-handed again. She even had a small expectation that he might burn away his clothes, but Vahn assured her things 'should' go well.As the crystals overhead started to dim slightly, Vahn decided it was time to head back to their own camp so he parted with the girls after a few short embraces and polite words. He even decided to give Tione a short hug, since she had been 'struggling' for a while at trying to keep her own cool. Perhaps unwilling to be left out, and at the incitement of Ais, Lefiya stepped forward to receive some head pats and a very brief hug. Vahn then let Fenrir ride on his back, since she had been asking, and then rapidly made his way through the forest with Fenrir happily pointing the way with her devastatingly sharp claws.A few minutes later, they arrived near the campsite and Vahn carried Fenrir the rest of the way as she wobbled about on his back. She was very careful to prevent her claws from pricking him, but it didn't stop her from moving about in a very hyperactive manner as she pointed toward every small bug and animal they came across. When a stray Almiraj had wandered along the path, she looked like she wanted to jump off his back to attack it but just growled until it ran away. Vahn laughed and asked, "Are you going to let it run away?" Fenrir nodded and said plainly, "Fenrir wants to stay with Vahn longer. Vahn not carry Fenrir when she has bloody fur." Vahn mused and asked, "You sure you don't want to get messy so I have to clean you again?" Fenrir didn't seem to care that she had been 'exposed' and said, "Vahn said he would bathe Fenrir later. Fenrir enjoy sitting on Vahn's back for now. Ehkekeke."After arriving at the campsite, Vahn let Fenrir of his back and she separated without a struggle before running off toward the campfire where everyone was preparing dinner. Vahn walked over as well and Aki explained with a polite smile, "We checked the area, there aren't any other Adventurers nearby so things should be relatively safe. We'll be running security in shifts tonight, just to give the girls experience in guarding a camp." Vahn nodded his head and patted Aki's ears as he said, "Thanks for your efforts." Aki laughed cheerfully and said, "It's my pleasure, Vahn~."Not long after they arrived, dinner was prepared and Vahn enjoyed the roasted meat, even though it was somewhat bland. It was a very reminiscent smell and taste, so Vahn ate it gratefully and thanked the twins for their efforts since they had been the primary cooks this time around. After dinner, Vahn set up his own tent quickly before taking Fenrir over to the nearby pond and washing up. As promised, he helped clean her body thoroughly before washing her somewhat bristly hair and removing any stray debris that was contained within. She had already been cleaned earlier, but Vahn still went through the motions since she seemed to be enjoying herself. Afterward, he took a dip himself and washed off before meeting up with Ryuu. He had promised to go visit the grave site of the Astrea Familia with her and he didn't want to keep her waiting for too long.Ryuu had been waiting in her Adventurer attire near the outskirts of the camp and smiled at Vahn as he approached with an apologetic expression on his face. Without waiting for any excuses he might come up with, Ryuu nodded and said, "Let's go, Vahn..." She then started running off through the woods and left Vahn to chase behind her after blanking for a short moment. After a few minutes, Vahn felt like his senses were being messed with a bit, but he was nearly immune to most illusions so managed to follow Ryuu easily. He used his [Eyes of Truth] to look around and saw several runes carved into trees, almost like a formation had been set up in the area.Eventually, Ryuu turned behind her and smiled after noticing that Vahn had kept pace even through the illusion barrier called 'Magical Forest Illusion' that was meant to make people lose their way and wander back to the outskirts. When Vahn stopped next to her, she said, "It doesn't seem like I can get away from you so easily...I'm glad." Vahn blinked and asked, "Were you trying to run away?" Ryuu laughed, uncharacteristic of herself, and said with a cheerful smile on her face, "I've been running away for a long time...I think it's about time I stop. I'm glad you came here with me...Vahn." Ryuu reached into her pouch and pulled out some flowers that had been wrapped in a special container to prevent them from wilting. Without explaining anything, she walked over into the clearing where a mound full of weapons could be seen. Vahn could see various different weapons, nine in total, that were placed about and understood they likely served as the grave markers for her former comrades.Ryuu placed the white flowers on the grave, one for each weapon, before kneeling down and placing her hands together in silent prayer. Vahn watched from the side, and he could see Ryuu's aura dim a great deal and it made his heart ache for her. Though he might have been able to help if he had been present, there wasn't anything he could do for her friends now that they had been dead for several years. The only thing he could do was support Ryuu and help her move forward so that she could honor the lives of her friends, instead of mourning their deaths. He knew she had already sought revenge for them in the past, but she didn't seem to have moved on after the fact.Vahn observed the grave for a bit but was primarily focused on Ryuu's actions as she continued to pray in silence. He didn't really know what the best course of action to take was, but Vahn decided that doing nothing wasn't the answer. He took a deep breath before walking forward and standing next to Ryuu. He noticed she was paying attention to him, even though she didn't look directly at him. Vahn stood straight in solemn silence for a while before sitting on his knees next to Ryuu. He then bowed reverently toward the grave site and said in a solemn voice, "Please, leave Ryuu to me from now on...I will make sure she is able to find her happiness again. I won't let her feel lonely and lost anymore."Ryuu turned her head toward Vahn but he didn't match her gaze and continued to address the grave site, "I did not know you in life, but I will protect that which you left behind. Please rest easy knowing I will always do my best to provide sanctuary for Ryuu from no onwards. No matter how difficult things get, I will weather the storm at her side and protect her from harm. I hope your souls find comfort and you are able to live a free and unfettered life in all of your future incarnations..." As he finished his words, Vahn bowed low enough to touch the ground and remained silent for nearly a full minute before straightening his back. He turned to look at the blank face of Ryuu and smiled before saying, "Sorry, I made the decision on my own...it's just, you have so few expressions...I'd rather see you happy than in pain with a sad expression on your face. You are far more beautiful when you smile, it's like each time I see it I've obtained a rare treasure..."Vahn's own words echoed in his mind and he could feel his tensions rising as a warm feeling spread to his cheeks. Ryuu continued to look at him with a serious expression for a while before a small smile appeared on her face. As if a seed had been planted, her smile slowly widened until it bloomed into a beautiful arc that enhanced Ryuu's beauty to a level that could rival goddesses. She reached out with her left hand and grabbed his right before saying in a whispering tone, "I'm glad you were the one to take my hand, Vahn...I feel like I can finally start moving forward again. I don't want to make my comrades sad by continuing to live a life as a wanted criminal and vigilante." Ryuu leaned against his shoulder and stared at the grave site with slightly moist eyes.Vahn stroked the delicate hand of Ryuu for a while before saying in a quiet tone, "I believe you...I feel like this is the first time you took the initiative to grab my hand ever since we met..." Vahn felt a tiny movement against his neck and turned his head to see Ryuu's ear droop a bit with a rosy hue to it as she turned to look at their connected hands. After a few seconds of silence, she looked up into Vahn's eyes with her watery sky-blue gems and said, "You know...my best friend...Alise...she told me that if there were ever a boy that could grab my hand...that I should never let him go. I feel like I understand what she meant better now..." Ryuu squeezed Vahn's hand with a bit of strength before asking with a somewhat bashful smile that he had never seen before, "Is it fine...if I hold onto you forever?" As her words fell, so to di Ryuu's head as she peered up at Vahn's face with upturned eyes and discreetly bit her bottom lip.Vahn squinted his eyes slightly with a happy smile before reaching out with his left hand and tilted Ryuu's face upward. Before she said anything further, Vahn whispered in a quiet tone, "It looks like I have a life debt to Ms. Alise...I should start paying it off as soon as possible." Vahn then stroked the right side of Ryuu's face before leaning forward and sharing what would become one of the longest and emotional kisses he would ever enjoy with an elf...---------------------------------------------------------------------------//Ryuu Lion Affection has Reached the Maximum////Quest Completed: [The Hearts Desire:C-SS]//Completion Grade: ARewards:10,000OP, 1x[Hearts Desire: Ryuu Lion]Grade Rewards: 1x[Seed of the Tree of Life], 1x[Fairy Promenade], 8,000OP[Seed of the Tree of Life]Rank: UniqueUse: Can bloom anywhere, including barren wastelands, toxic swamps, and even the void itself. Promotes the growth of all plant life in an area 40x wider than the tree is tall. Cleans the air and creates a natural barrier against toxins, poisons, miasma, and evil creatures. The branches of this tree can be used to make powerful magic staves and relics while the leaves can be used to create potent potions and healing salves.(Warning: Grows by a rate of 1m per month until maturity and then at an additional 1m per year for up to 1,000 years.)[Fairy Promenade]Rank: UniqueUse: When active, all trees, plant life, and animals open a path for the user to pass unhindered.Prohibits those with malicious intent from following using the forces of nature itself to halt their advance. Duration:2H---------------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir likes Vahn best','Reponsibility...','Alise is the best wingman...')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;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 338: Peaceful Night