Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After the chaotic nature of the first day of the Denatus, events had become somewhat more organized as the second day proceeded as scheduled. There was a brief period for mingling and, unlike the day before, Hestia and the other gods and goddesses of the Alliance were the center of attention instead of bystanders in the party. When it came time for the banquet to begin, the majority of goddesses has moved to the same side of the room and there was a very obvious division between the males and females of the godly community. Some gods had tried to sit amongst the goddesses, but they had been shoehorned away so that other goddesses could sit down. The matter of potentially getting pregnant was too significant an event to take a 'wait and see' approach, so many of them were behaving proactively.Many of the gods were understanding about the situation, as there were quite a few that had sired children over the years. However, there was a group of gods at the furthest table that looked over with resentment in their eyes as they discussed trying to pressure Ouranos to 'restrain', or even kill, the boy known as Vahn Mason. The vast majority of the gods at the table believed that goddesses simply had no right to bear children as it would 'go against the natural order'. They believed that it was a unique privilege of gods to sire demigods and that the various goddesses were infringing upon. As for the others, they were the gods that had tried to approach the goddesses in the Alliance to get in their good books and were shunned and turned away. They simply couldn't tolerate that a human child was able to conquer goddesses they weren't even able to approach, and he had managed to do it several times. With how things were going, those numbers may even increase in the future and they felt threatened by the existence of Vahn.Now that everyone had taken their seats, Ouranos overlooked the congregation and saw the 'split' between the two groups and felt his temples throb when he saw the batch of discordant gods sitting at the periphery. He couldn't help but feel they were a bunch of egotistical fools that put the entire mortal world in danger through their frivolous actions and the fact many of them treated their Familia as their own personal playthings. Anything they had to say would no doubt be irrational and weighted down with a heavy bias claimed as righteousness, justice, or other foolish platitudes. The only thing that mattered in the grand scheme of things was that order was maintained yet these foolish gods would oppose it while claiming to be preserving. The only thing the majority of those fools were preserving was that their selfish ways were allowed to continue unchecked. Ouranos began to feel like, after this fiasco was dealt with, there needed to be several changes in the regulations imposed on gods that decided to reside within the City.After a few minutes passed, Ouranos raised his hand a silent pressure fell upon everyone present as he said in a deep voice that caused the air to tremble, "Now is the time to address important matters within the City. If there is a mater you would like to discuss, you will be allotted time to make your concerns known. For those that have grievances with each other, you will act appropriately considering your status as gods. Settle the matter through moderation or challenge each other through a fair bout in the War Games. I'll not tolerate foolish prattle, so if you decide my time is best wasted listening to foolish drivel you'll find my patience wears thin quickly." Though he didn't turn his head, Ouranos trained his eyes over the 'foolish' gods sitting to the far right of the room.As soon as he finished his words, a loud shout reverberated through the room as a powerful looking god wearing a red elephant mask stood up and said, "If you're talking about events, you'll be looking to hear from Gaaaaaneeeeeshaaaaaaaaa~! Graahahahahahahahaha!" Without any hesitation, Ganesha made his way to the elevated platform and began addressing the congregation in a loud tone intermixed with laughter, "As you're all aware, the Monster Feria is fast approaching! I'd like the support of every Familia that can spare their efforts to ensure that nothing goes wrong! This is an important event for the City and it'll take each of us doing our best to make the event enjoyable for everyone present, grahahahahaa! Please, if you have any ideas, or would like to contribute, just let this Ganesha know and he will see it through to the end, Gaaaaaneeeshahahahahaha~!"This was the usual pitch of Ganesha every time the Monster Feria approached and he had even made the same claims at the last Denatus. However, against expectations, someone actually stood up to address the flamboyant god. Ganesha began laughing since it was very rare for anyone to step forward, much less someone as prolific as Hephaestus herself. The beautiful red-haired goddess stood up and turned toward Ganesha as she said with a cool smile on her face, "Ganesha, as you have likely heard, Vahn possesses the ability to tame monsters as well. I'm sure the entire City knows, but one of his monsters happens to be a gigantic black dragon..." Several sounds emerged from the surrounding tables as the various gods began to gossip about the matters Hephaestus had brought up.Ganesha showed a wide, toothy, smile and said in a voice akin to a shout, "Ah, yes, I have heard rumors of Vahn's supposed dragon! Are you offering to submit it as a participant in the Monster Feria? Are you not afraid one of my children will rob your companion of his pet? Grraaaaahahahah!"Hephaestus smiled enough that her eyes squinted slightly and she said in a confident tone, "There isn't a single child within your Familia capable of taming that dragon. It hasn't been popularized, but it's strength exceeds that of a Level 5 floor boss." Her words shocked the entire congregation and even caused Ganesha's smile to break for a brief moment as he asked in a serious voice, "Are you serious? How could someone tame a dragon at the level of a floor boss...isn't Vahn Mason just a Level 3?"Loki began laughing from her seat after hearing Ganesha's words before saying in a cheeky manner, "Do you think 'just a Level 3' would be able to discover methods to help the various races get pregnant? Ah, actually, there are other matters we've yet to discuss that might as well be brought up now...that is if it's okay with Hephaestus and Hestia~?" Hestia startled a bit at Loki's sudden address before standing up in her chair and saying, "As long as it isn't anything that threatens my Vahn, you can say whatever you like! Don't let me down, Loki!" She then plopped down in her chair and took a less-than-healthy gulp of wine straight from the bottle. Loki nodded her head in Hestia's direction before turning to Hephaestus and giving her a serious look. Without any hesitation, Hephaestus walked over to Ganesha and he quickly stepped off the platform to make way so that she could address everyone present.Hephaestus showed Ganesha a grateful smile before turning to the various gods and goddesses sitting at their tables and said, "Vahn isn't just a Level 3, he is also the youngest [Master Smith] in history. He managed to reach the requirements for the skill less than two months after his 15th birthday which makes him nearly seventeen years younger than any other mortal blacksmith." Hephaestus's words caused a stir in the crowd but it was nothing compared to the chaos when she turned to Ouranos and said, "Ouranos is already aware of the matter and I have even shown him an item forged personally by Vahn Mason. Because he had reached the requirements I set forth, I have decided to officially marry Vahn and am prepared to make an 'Eternal Vow' to never take another husband for as long as my existence continues."There were several gods that, after Hephaestus's face had been 'fixed', had been trying to court her, not necessarily for marriage, but because she was an influential and beautiful goddess who was highly sought after. Her marriage was a devastating matter to learn about, especially considering the weight of the vow she intended to take. An 'Eternal Vow' was made on the very Divinity of a god and, if they broke the vow, the god would cease to exist entirely. Hephaestus was essentially telling every god present that, no matter how much time passed, she would never be with anyone else other than a mortal boy. This revelation caused absolute chaos within the ballroom as one god, a rather handsome god with red hair and eyes, very similar to Hephaestus, shouted, "This is completely unacceptable. The most prolific goddess of forging can't make an 'Eternal Vow' and marry a human boy. It doesn't matter how skilled he might be, what he might accomplish, he will still grow old and die as you continue living onwards until the end of time!"The god that decided to speak out was named Ilmarinen, and he was known as the 'Eternal Hammerer' and one of the few highly ranked forging gods within the City. Like Hephaestus's Eternal Flame, Ilmarinen also had a part of Divinity manifested as an item which took on the appearance of a golden hammer named the 'Eternal Hammer'. He had long sought after Hephaestus ever since she descended to the mortal world because he believed he was the only one truly suitable for her. Now that she was planning to marry a human boy, he couldn't stand idly by as he said in a condescending tone, "Even when your face was disfigured, I still sought after you because of your skill in forging! I was even one of the few that actually 'gave you a chance' when we were back in Heaven. What, now that your face is fixed, you're suddenly better than everyone else? How can such a prolific goddess be turned into a common harlot by a mortal child...disgusting!"Though her expression hadn't changed much at first, the moment Ilmarinen mentioned their rendezvous back in Heaven Hephaestus felt a profound feeling of disgust well up inside of her. Her expression turned from a proud smile into one of absolute indignation as she said in a cold tone, "The Hephaestus Familia challenges the Ilmarinen Familia to a War Games. Show me your worth you 'shriveled' disgrace of a god!" As she spoke, Hephaestus made a gesture with her thumb and index finger that everyone was able to recognize which caused a stir of laughter at several of the tables. Since all the goddesses were sitting together, their combined laughter was enough to sound throughout the entire ballroom and made the previous arrogant god blush a deep crimson as he shouted, "You filthy who-" Before he could finish the word, Ouranos shouted out in a loud voice that sent a small shockwave through the room that caused several glasses to shatter, "SILENCE! If you don't have the courage to accept the War Games, show some dignity and step down! The matter of another god's marriage has no relation to anyone but themselves. I can hardly believe you have the audacity to make a scene when there are so many of your peers present. How utterly disappointing..."Ilmarinen continued to stand for several seconds as he glared at Hephaestus before sitting down in a huff. There was no way his Familia, which was only Rank D, would be able to face the titanic might of the Hephaestus Familia that was Rank S. The majority of his Familia were all blacksmiths and they had few actual Adventurers which was the main reason their rank didn't increase. Making an enemy out of Hephaestus Familia wasn't a wise decision and he decided to take a step back. Unfortunately, Ilmarinen hadn't realized he stepped on a veritable landmine with his earlier words mentioning his previous relationship with Hephaestus. She had decided to put the past behind her, but now that there was someone present that might go around talking about it, Hephaestus decided to press the matter.Hephaestus continued to stare at Ilmarinen for several seconds before turning to Ouranos and saying in a cold tone, "The Hephaestus Familia declares War against the Ilmarinen Familia. If they refuse to meet in a War Games, we will drive them out of the City for this gross indiscretion. The audacity of a Rank D Familia challenging a Rank S Familia's honor is not so easily forgiven. The terms for reparations will be set at no less than one-billion Valis." Ilmarinen shot back up to his feet but he wasn't able to say any words as Hephaestus turned her gaze back to him without wavering in the slightest as she said, "You spoke so boldly earlier, I wonder where your bravado has gone? If you have any regrets, consider becoming a better god in the future because the current you is nothing short of a disgrace."Before Ilmarinen could say anything, Ouranos nodded his head slightly and announced, "Very well, the Hephaestus Familia is well within their right to declare War against the Ilmarinen Familia due to the sleight of their god and the refusal of a civil War Games. The period of repayment will be set at 1 year where, if they are unable to turn over the appropriate amount of Valis, they will be forced to disband." Hearing Ouranos's declaration, Ilmarinen plopped onto his seat and held his head in his hands. Because his Familia lacked Adventurers, their actual wealth wasn't that great because they spent the majority of their earnings on more materials. A debt of 1BV was far more than he would be able to manage and it would inevitably result in the majority, if not all, of his Familia members leaving to avoid being involved with the debt. Even if he didn't disband them, he would inevitably be left to pay the debt alone unless he left the CIty and tried his luck in another country.The atmosphere had turned very tense until Ouranos turned his eyes to the congregation and said in a thundering tone, "I have personally witnessed the capabilities of Vahn Mason and had the honor of wielding a weapon he had forged. Hephaestus's marriage to him is well within her rights and it not a violation of her vow accounting for the fact that he has obtained the rank of [Master Smith]. This is a feat that has never been seen throughout history and will be taken into consideration for his future alias. The Guild will also issue a public announcement of Vahn's accomplishment in order to inspire future generations of blacksmiths the world over...Hephaestus!"Though she had already been looking toward him, Hephaestus answered when her name was called, "Hephaestus is present!" Ouranos showed a very rare smile on his face as he said in a low tone, "The fact you are willing to go so far as making an Eternal Vow for the boy is a testament to the bond you share. I wish you the best of luck in the future and would like an invitation to the wedding if you have any to spare." Ouranos's words caused a small stir in the assembly as Hephaestus smiled radiantly and said, "It was intended to be a private affair, but I'm certain everyone would be honored by the presence of your esteemed self." Ouranos's smile widened marginally before his face hardened and he turned toward Ganesha and said, "Continue the discussion concerning the upcoming Monster Feria. I'm sure if it's related to that boy it would become an interesting event that would be talked about throughout the entire City."Hearing Ouranos's words, Ganesha laughed heartily before turning to Hephaestus and asking, "What did you have in mind, my friend!?" Hephaestus nodded her head with a smile and said, "An exhibition of Vahn's tamed monsters to display their capabilities to everyone throughout the City. To prevent people from panicking during a state of emergency, we'd like them to see Fafnir's, the dragon's, capabilities and expose his presence to the commoners. As it is a key part of Vahn's strength, it is unfair that he has to keep it hidden at all times to prevent a commotion." Ganesha nodded his head before asking, "Exactly how big is this dragon that it would cause such a stir?" Hephaestus blinked in a confused state because she didn't actually know how big Fafnir was. Fortunately, Hestia was in attendance and shouted out a number that surprised the entire congregation, "Fafnir is slightly larger than 17m from tip to tail~! He is an adorable little dragon and deserves to fly around the City instead of being cooped up all day!"Though he was surprised at first, Ganesha placed his hands on his hips and began to laugh boisterously toward the ceiling before saying, "As long as the Alliance is willing to provide security for the event, I'll make sure Vahn gets a slot to display his prowess to the entire City! Well, what say you, Hephaestus?" Before she answered, Hephaestus looked over at Loki and saw her nod before turning her sights to the rest of the members of the Alliance. This was to show that she took into consideration the opinions of everyone within the Alliance since they intended to recruit more people in the future. After everyone agreed, Hephaestus turned toward Ganesha and bowed slightly as she said, "Thank you, Ganesha, you have our word. The Alliance will help provide security for the entire event as compensation for allowing Vahn to participate."Hearing her words, Ganesha leaned back nearly thirty degrees and shouted, "Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanesha! This will be the best Monster Feria in the history of the City! I wonder how many more records that husband of your's will set before he is satisfied!? Grrrrahahahahahahahahaha~!" Unexpectedly, Loki decided to answer Ganesha's rhetorical question as she laughed mischievously and said, "Every time he helps a goddess get pregnant, he is setting a new record that will never be broken by anyone else~!" Her words caused a stir, primarily amongst the goddesses who began to talk amongst themselves with excited and anticipatory looks in their eyes.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gaaaaaneeeshaaa!',' I Object! : I Declare War!','Fafnir gets a chance in the spotlight, literally~?')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

The first day in the Dungeon concluded much earlier than Vahn had expected, and it wasn't without a fair amount of trouble. He had tried to help Haruhime recover her mana by channeling his energy into her abdomen, but the moment she had enough mana to support her Innate skill she would immediately start to transform. Vahn was able to tell exactly when the skill activated since her aura would always turn from a rosy pink into a passionate red with the strange golden aura that would extend its tendrils toward him in an almost possessive manner. Though her expression wouldn't change much, Vahn noticed that Haruhime would show a slightly enamored look deep within her eyes the moment the red markings appeared. He decided to just have her go to sleep early in order to naturally recover her energy while helping recharge her accessories in the process.When she laid down, Haruhime didn't immediately fall asleep and Vahn could hear her humming the same strange tune as earlier while he was replenishing the energy within her accessories. Though he wasn't looking directly at her, Vahn was aware of everything Haruhime was doing and he could feel her gaze on his back for several minutes as she continued humming. With his [Eyes of Truth] active, Vahn could feel the 'domain' of Haruhime extending outwards for about nine meters and he felt like all of the mana contained within had taken on an illusory nature. Eventually, he finished recharging the accessories before turning around to see Haruhime supporting her head with both hands as she watched him with a 'playful' smile on her face. Her tail continued to sway about behind her until she rolled over onto her back and asked while staring at him upside down, "Vaaahn, do you want to rest with me~?"Vahn looked at her for a few seconds before sighing and tossing over the various accessories in his hands. Haruhime startled as she spun around on the bed and grasped all the accessories before they could touch the ground. She released a relieved sigh before happily wearing them in the blink of an eye. After she had returned them to their rightful places, Haruhime plopped down onto the futon and fluttered her pale-gold eyes toward Vahn until he said firmly, "Haruhime, go to sleep. Staying awake longer is only going to delay things and that isn't the reason why we came into the Dungeon." Hearing his words, Haruhime's curved ears drooped downwards before she rolled up under the blankets and popped out her head one last time and asked with a 'pitiable' expression, "Are you sure? I think I would sleep even better if we were together..."Shaking his head, Vahn's expression turned softer and he said, "You're being influenced too much by your own ability right now. Until you learn to control it, it's too dangerous for us to interact closely. Don't get me wrong, Haruhime, your power isn't the issue here, it is your lack of control that is the problem. I will do my best to help you understand your power, but the only surefire way is to acclimate your body to its use. When you're able to keep your skill active without it influencing your mind, I don't mind giving you an appropriate reward." Though it looked like she was going to 'pout' for a moment, Haruhime's expression turned into a smile before she snuggled up into her futon and whispered in a sultry voice, "I'll work even harder...make sure you think of my reward properly, Vaaaahn~." From within the 'darkness' of the futon, Vahn could see Haruhime's pale-golden eyes staring at him with a subtle glow present in their depths.---The second day in the dungeon was relatively uneventful except for the fact that Haruhime had to take a long break after traversing each floor. Though the eleventh floor had been her temporary limit, she had made her way down to the 14th by the time the afternoon had come around. Her total monster count was 403, and there was slightly more than half the time remaining before they were supposed to return. Of course, they could stay longer and let Haruhime hunt even more monsters to guarantee things, as it didn't really restrict the person to attempting the feat a single time. When Familia's trained their members to acquire the skill, they usually stayed in the dungeon for an entire week and generally followed an established route that was well-documented by veteran members within the Familia.Vahn had noticed that Haruhime's power made her a capable fighter since the majority of monsters didn't seem to be able to see through her illusions at all. Her dance had become increasingly complex over time and Vahn felt like she was already fighting at the capabilities of a Level 2 even though she hadn't leveled up yet. When they returned to the surface, Vahn wanted to see how she would fair against Mikoto since they wouldn't be that far apart in actual parameters. Unless she managed to catch Haruhime with her gravity magic, Vahn didn't think Mikoto would actually be able to win against the somewhat 'broken' Innate skill of Haruhime.However, though her use of the skill was improving, her 'control' seemed to be slipping further and further. After a somewhat difficult fight where she had slain a group of twelve Hellhounds, Haruhime actually looked over toward where he was hiding before walking over in a slow manner with an elegant smile on her face. Vahn was certain he hadn't done anything to alert her to his presence and he could tell that his [Stealth] hadn't actually been broken even though she seemed to understand his location. Without calling out to him, Haruhime stopped a few meters away from his hiding spot before looking around with a blushing face as if confirming no one was present. She released a 'relieved' sigh before squatting down after pulling down the black spat-like shorts she was wearing. Vahn immediately turned his attention away from her as he listened to the trickle of fluids colliding with the Dungeon floor...After around a minute, Vahn heard the rustling of clothes as Haruhime slowly made her way further into the dungeon without looking over at his location again. Though it could have been a 'coincidence', Vahn had seen the smile on Haruhime's face before she walked over and knew she had somehow detected his presence even without actually locating him. It was a strangely disconcerting thought since Vahn was confident he could avoid almost all forms of detection, both physical and magical. He was even able to avoid Mikoto's detection spell and could hide right under the nose of a Juggernaut...yet he couldn't avoid the senses of a Level 1 Renard girl?Once Haruhime had left the room, Vahn walked out from behind his hiding spot and stared at the damp puddle on the ground that had a small amount of steam rising up from it. He released a sigh before shaking his head and following along behind Haruhime while maintaining an increased distance from her to avoid further detection. However, though he maintained increased caution, Vahn was able to tell that Haruhime was somehow able to sense him now even though he remained hidden. She kept sneaking glances in his direction and seemed to be controlling her movements as if she were trying to 'show off' to him.Since he had done something similar in the past, Vahn was easily able to see through her little act. The final straw had been when she 'accidentally' stepped to short when evading an attack and a Hellhounds razor sharp teeth had caught onto the interior fold of her kimono and tore the entire thing open. Though she was still wearing the black undergarment to protect her modesty, Haruhime continued the remainder of the fight facing toward Vahn and he could see a light blush on her face the entire time. When all of the monsters were killed, Haruhime released a 'relieved' sigh before placing her hand over her heart by means of grabbing her own breast. After a few minutes of 'calming down', she walked over before staring at a magic core and turning her back toward Vahn and bending over at the waist instead of bending down to pick it up. Because of her tail, the red kimono Haruhime was wearing slid up her body and Vahn got a full view of her black spats several times as she repeated the action to pick up the remaining magic cores.Vahn released a sigh before stepping into the light and removing his cloak as he asked, "How are you able to detect my presence?" Haruhime 'startled' as she jumped up and tried her best to resume an elegant demeanor before saying, "Ah, greetings, Vahn. I'm not sure what you mean though~?" Seeing Vahn frown, Haruhime stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Tehehe, I'm just kidding~! I don't know how I'm able to do it either, it's just like I can 'feel' you nearby. Even if I can't see, hear, or smell you, I'm able to roughly understand your location!" After her small outburst, Haruhime suddenly turned bashful as she rubbed her thighs together and asked, "Did...you see it~?" For a very brief moment, Vahn was confused about her question until he averted his eyes and said, "No, I turned my head away...I could hear it though. Haruhime...you shouldn't be doing things like that."Haruhime's ears twitched at his words before she said in a low tone with her upturned eyes, "But, I want you to see my everything...even if we're not doing anything together, I see want you to watch me. Just knowing you're the one watching gives me strength and courage...so don't turn away, Vahn..." As she spoke, Haruhime traced her hands up to her obi and began to loosen it even though they were still in the middle of a room where monsters could spawn at any time. As if she understood his concerns, Haruhime giggled before saying, "Even if I have to fight naked, I'll be able to defeat monsters of this level easily~." Though she didn't quite get naked, Haruhime striped down until she was wearing nothing but her black, semi-transparent, top and the black spats-like shorts. She still had on her actual armor, but it was a strange sight to see a half-naked girl standing in the low light of the dungeon.After standing for a few seconds, Haruhime tilted her head and asked with a smile on her face, "Are you going to give me a change of clothes, or did you want me to dance for you~?" Without waiting for his answer, Haruhime took a step forward in a strange pattern that traced an s along the ground as her hips swayed about gracefully with her tail following the motion. Vahn immediately snapped out of his temporary daze before pulling out a new kimono that matched the damaged one Haruhime had removed. She caught the tossed clothing with her hands before laughing in a mischevious manner and saying, "Maybe next time then~?" As she got dressed, Haruhime took about three times the normal amount of time it took to wear her kimono. Throughout the entire process, she continued to bend her body at different angles as if trying to make sure that Vahn could see everything properly.Once Haruhime and completed getting dressed, she turned back to Vahn and showed a gentle smile on her face as she said, "Thanks for watching, Vahn. Sorry for being a little selfish this time around...I just wanted to tease you a bit. I don't understand it myself, but getting a small rise out of you makes me feel happy. I'll try to be a bit more serious from now on, so please continue to watch over me as I do my best to catch up to you." After speaking, Haruhime bowed in a very prim and proper manner before the pale-gold in her eyes began to turn slightly green. Vahn raised his brow at the sight before a small smile appeared on his face and he said, "Sure, your dance is captivating from far away, so I imagine it'll be even better up close. Since I can't really hide from you, I'll just stand off to the side and watch your performance until the end. Show me how far you can go Haruhime, I won't run ahead too quickly so take your time trying to catch up."Haruhime's gentle smile blossomed into a lovely expression before she released a somewhat sad sigh and said, "I wish moments like this could last forever...just the two of us spending time together. It's almost like I'm stuck inside a dream and the happy feelings keep spreading through my body ceaselessly...I don't really want to wake up anymore." Haruhime turned her head up toward the ceiling and continued, "I will become even stronger, Vahn...strong enough that, no matter how far you run, how fast you fly, or how deep you go, I will be able to stand at your side proudly." Turning back to Vahn, Haruhime had a soft expression on her face as she said, "Please always keep a spot open for me..."Though she might have expected him to hesitate, Vahn had long ago decided to accept Haruhime in the future after she increased her own strength. He knew she would probably grow attached to him after he had saved her since he had seen how rapidly her affection developed after he carried her for the first time. Haruhime was not only incredibly gifted but extremely beautiful as well; Vahn simply didn't have it in him to turn her away after everything that happened. He considered every person he saved a part of his responsibility, so he wouldn't simply leave Haruhime to someone else since she had chosen to follow him. With a happy smile on his face, Vahn reached out and stroked Haruhime's head lovingly as he said, "Thank you, Haruhime, for doing so much for me...no matter what, there will always be a place for you at my side. I'm actually looking forward to the day you step forward to claim it..."Hearing Vahn's words, Haruhime tilted her head up with a bright smile on her face and said in a cheerful tone, "I won't keep you waiting long~! You're not the only one looking forward to it, fufufufu~!" As her laughter sounded, Haruhime's eyes turned a vibrant gold color as a wispy blue light shone from behind her. Vahn had noticed it first, but it wasn't long before Haruhime turned her head and watched her own tail begin to fray from the tip. She panicked for a moment since such a thing had never occurred before in the past. Her tail had always been one of the things she prided herself on and Haruhime couldn't even imagine what she would do if something strange happened to it. However, regardless of her will, Haruhime's tail continued to fray until it eventually started to split in a strange manner.After a few tense seconds had passed, her singular tail had now turned into two different tails that now jutted out from her bottom. Even though it had happened to her own body, Haruhime couldn't understand what was going on until she tried to move both tails simultaneously. She realized that, just like she could easily move her first tail, Haruhime had just as much control over the second one. Even though it didn't make sense to her why this was the case, she felt very happy at the realization as she turned her attention to the surprised Vahn and reached both tails around her body and rubbed them against him. He blinked before looking down at the two appendages before Haruhime whispered, "Now you'll have to spend twice as long brushing my tails, I'm looking forward to it~!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Haruhime's Exhibition','Rapid Growth In Both Power and Emotions','Touch Fluffy Tail(s)')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

After retreating to safety, Vahn laid Haruhime's body onto the ground after setting down a thin futon. Her body was covered in several small wounds, but the most important thing to tend to were her shoulder and her right thigh. Her collarbone had been fractured and had started to swell up with a dark purple coloration while her thigh had a 10cm piece of wooden shrapnel lodged deeply into it like a massive splinter that made a chill run down Vahn's back. He pressed a few spots in the upper part of her inner thigh while doing his best to ignore the somewhat damp heat coming from Haruhime's lower body. The pressure point to stimy the flow of the femoral artery was near the connecting point between the pelvis and the interior of the thigh and Vahn could feel a dampness of the back of his hand when he had reached under her kimono to touch it.Once the majority of blood had stopped pumping out of her wound, Vahn poured an Elixer in Haruhime's mouth to start the recovery process before numbing her entire right leg using his [Hands of Nirvana]. The next part wasn't very pleasant as Vahn had to slowly ease the tension in her muscles to pull out the long splintered piece of wood. He used his [Eyes of Truth] to view the interior of the leg and made sure to remove any of the backward facing splinters that would prevent him from removing the entire piece from her leg. He didn't want to yank it out and leave a bunch of smaller splinters behind, so Vahn took extra care to make sure there weren't any small protrusions that would cause more damage.After nearly twenty minutes, Vahn finished his 'surgery' and removed all the small pieces from Haruhime's leg. The mangled hole left behind made Vahn's brows twitch as he looked at Haruhime's peacefully sleeping face before letting out a small sigh. He took out a small knife and cut open his palm before letting his own blood drip into the hole until it had completely filled up Haruhime's wound. Vahn's intention was to ensure that there were no infections, toxins, or excess bacteria left behind in the wound. His blood has properties to remove such impurities and it would help to guarantee there were no sequelae left behind as he used his [Hands of Nirvana] in conjunction with several Potions to help close up the wound quickly. By the time he was finished, the only indication of any damage was a small scar that Vahn removed to leave behind nothing by a pale white thigh with a small red tenderness where the wound was previously located.Her shoulder was easier to deal with since he was able to set the bone and speed up the healing process before covering her shoulder with another Hi-Potion. The bruising slowly faded away and was completely gone a few minutes later after Vahn channeled his own healing energies into the wound. Since he wasn't the type to overlook things, Vahn inspected Haruhime's body and made sure all of her wounds were completely healed before releasing a sigh filled with relief. He wasn't actually concerned that he wouldn't be able to treat her wounds, but it still made him worried to see even a small cut on the girls around him if he could help. Even if was a bit excessive, or overprotective of him, Vahn still felt better when they were happy and unharmed.Though he thought about petting and comforting her while she slept, Vahn decided it wasn't appropriate to do so without permission, even though he was certain she wouldn't mind. Instead, he wiped away the blood on her body with a hot towel before snuggly bundling her up in a blanket so she could rest properly. It was better to recover naturally after entering 'Mind Down', so Vahn allowed Haruhime to sleep even though it was still early in the afternoon. Since it was a good opportunity, he decided to take a nap as well, so Vahn sat with his back to the wall near Haruhime and closed his eyes to rest for a short while.A few hours later, Vahn felt Haruhime's aura stir and immediately opened his eyes to see her 'sneakily' trying to move over to him. Caught red-handed, Haruhime began to laugh bashfully before sitting up straight and showing a beautiful smile. Vahn noticed her eyes had returned to their normal, placid green, state and there didn't seem to be any other abnormalities in her body. Other than the fact her mana was still depleted, Haruhime was fit as a fiddle and looked as lovely and youthful as always. Vahn smiled with a gentle expression on his face as he gestured toward Haruhime which immediately caused the Renard girl to smile as she practically shot over like a bullet before snuggling up with her back to him. Vahn began to pat her head as he explained, "I haven't been able to confirm it myself, but you've most likely awakened a rare skill while you were fighting. We'll have to update your Status Board to confirm it, but can you tell me if you realized anything earlier?"Haruhime lazily nodded her head with her eyes closed and said, "Yes...ever since you brushed my hair, it felt like there was a powerful warmth in my chest...when I fought earlier, it was like all of my emotions were welling up and becoming my power. When I made my way down to the eleventh floor, it was like my entire body had become light as a feather and I felt a powerful energy coursing through my body. Even when I fought against the variant, the only thing I could think of was defeating the enemy...so that I could keep walking the path I've decided for myself..." As she spoked, Haruhime had wrapped the tip of her dexterous tail around Vahn's arm. Vahn could feel a strange energy coming from her body so he activated his [Eyes of Truth] and saw that, overtop her normal tail, there was an illusory blue tail overlapping it.Vahn was curious, so he reached around with his left hand and tilted Haruhime's head upward toward him. She opened her eyes and Vahn noticed that had almost completely transitioned from their placid green stay to an off-shade of green that was bordering gold. Her pupils had started to contract in a strange manner and were taller than they were wide. The moment he looked into them, their color became richer and they were very quickly becoming a pale-gold color as Haruhime whispered in a seductive tone, "Vahn..." Vahn felt a chill run up his back as a red 'blush' appeared around Haruhime's eyelids and she tried to reach up and kiss him. Out of instinct, Vahn tilted his head slightly and she kissed the bottom of his chin before laughing in a playful manner that made Vahn's brain buzz slightly.Haruhime leaned her back against him and placed both of her palms on Vahn's thighs before he grabbed her hands and pulled them away as he said, "Haruhime, don't get carried away. As you stated, I believe your skill isn't simply influenced by your emotions, but it also influences your emotions in a dangerous loop. You should be able to sense it yourself, but the little mana remaining in your body is starting to circulate to sustain this ability. If you keep using it, at this rate, you'll end up going Mind Down again." Haruhime's golden eyes blinked before she tilted her head down and closed her eyes as she took several deep breaths. Vahn watched her with his [Eyes of Truth] but it didn't seem like the illusory blue tail was going to vanish any time soon.Vahn suspected that he might actually be the reason for her current 'state' since Haruhime's aura was a strangely passionate red intermixed with a pale blue color that was coiling around his body with invisible tendrils. He couldn't feel anything from their touch, but Vahn knew Haruhime was in a somewhat 'dangerous' state so he said in a firm tone, "Haruhime, you need to get off my lap. I don't think you'll be able to calm down from this state unless you do." Haruhime tilted her head and opened her eyes to reveal they were fluctuating slightly before she let out a somewhat sad sigh and stood up from his lap. She muttered in a quiet tone as she pressed her hands over her heart and said, "I don't want to let this feeling go...I feel like I can do anything with this power...but I don't mind giving it up if it prevents me from being close to you, Vahn..."After Haruhime stood up, Vahn bounced to his feet as he heard her words and shook his head before saying, "You don't have to worry about anything like that, Haruhime. Once you learn to control that power and make it your own, you won't have to worry about being influenced so strongly by the side-effects. I have a few rare skills of my own, and they can be pretty difficult to adapt to, but it isn't impossible. After all, it's a power that belongs to us, not the other way around." Though he was worried it might extend the time she was stuck in the form, Vahn reached out his hand and affectionately stroked Haruhime's long blond hair while using [Hands of Nirvana] to channel calming energy into her mind.Haruhime closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment before she began to hum a strange tune that Vahn had heard earlier when she was fighting. She didn't seem to notice she was doing it, and Vahn thought it was another aspect of her ability but was unable to determine its influence on her body even with his [Eyes of Truth]. The only thing he could discern that her mana fluctuated slightly in tune with her humming and it was a very peculiar sight to behold. After a while, however, Vahn decided that Haruhime needed to rest and also wanted to update her Status Board to verify some of his earlier conjecture.Though he felt sorry to disturb her small reverie, Vahn said in a low tone, "Haruhime, I want to check your Status and see if you've actually awakened a rare skill. Since you defeated a powerful enemy, you may have even gained an achievement and might be able to level up. However, I would caution you against leveling up too soon as it would hurt your foundation in the future. We also have nearly sixty hours to complete the requirements for the [Hunter] Development Ability, so there isn't any real rush to Level up now."Hearing Vahn's words, Haruhime opened her eyes and Vahn noticed they were a pale green that was slowly restoring to their original color. However, the moment she opened them, Haruhime's eyes began to fade and take on an off-shade of gold that made Vahn release a short sigh that caused the young Renard girl to laugh as she quickly loosened her obi. Vahn averted his eyes but Haruhime asked, "Please, Vahn, I don't want you to look away...it's not like I'm naked, though, even then, I wouldn't mind..." Vahn awkwardly scratched the side of his face before turning back to Haruhime with a nod. He had seen her naked several times, and it was actually more awkward for him to look away than stare straight at her. Since she wanted him to look, turning his head just made the atmosphere tenser.Haruhime's face blossomed with a smile as she finished loosening her obi and lowering her red kimono with a bell-like laugh. Because he had brought up the concern of having to update the girls' status in the dungeon, Ryuu and Aki had purchased black tops and shorts that covered the chest while keeping the back completely exposed. Most Adventurers, at least females, didn't wear bras in the dungeon since the elastic bands and wires were uncomfortable after strenuous movements. Vahn could see the shape of Haruhime's breasts through the black fabric as well as a slight hint of her skin concealed underneath it. The most obvious thing though were the two small buds that were pressing against the fabric and Vahn knew Haruhime had wanted him to see them. Her eyes immediately turned a pale golden color with long slits for pupils as a red coloration framed her eyes as she laughed in what Vahn could only describe as a 'mischevious' manner before she began radiating an aura of 'elegance' as she turned around and swayed her hips.With the motion, Haruhime's tail followed her movements before gently caressing the underside of Vahn's chin with the tip. Vahn felt his brain buzz to an incredible extent and had to use [Will of the Emperor] to regain his calm as he stared at Haruhime's pale white back. Her tail was moving from side-to-side, almost as if it were in slow motion and Vahn could see the illusory blue tail trailing slowly behind in a hypnotic fashion. He knew her tail, or tails, were the catalyst for her power and Vahn knew that, even if she wasn't doing it intentionally, she was trying to seduce him with a powerful, almost instinctive, compulsion in each of her movements.Vahn ignored the matter for the time being as he pricked his finger and stretched it forward to draw a line down Haruhime's back. The moment his finger touched near the base of her neck, Vahn could feel Haruhime's body tremble slightly. When he traced his finger down, the trembling increased and she released a hot sigh that made Vahn have a strange urge to facepalm and rub his temples. He started to realize that Haruhime's 'awakened' state could be very problematic for him in the future since he was the primary target of her affections. To get a better understanding of her ability, he would have to see if it also influenced other people or it might be impossible for Haruhime to fight in groups. If she was 'distracting' her own allies, it wouldn't be very helpful when they were on expeditions in the future. If it just affected her 'targets', Vahn would be able to resist the influence of the skill as long as he used his [Will of the Emperor] to keep his mind calm.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[STATUS]]Name: Sanjouno HaruhimeRace: RenardLV. 1(+)POW: H185-&gt;G222END: G206-&gt;F371DEX: G233-&gt;E419AGI: F314-&gt;E448MAG: B748-&gt;S929Skill: [Inari:Innate(H)], [Prometheus's Blessing:A], [Heroic Strike:G],[Featherfoot:E-&gt;D]Magic: [Uchide no Kozuchi:B],[Kokonoe:D-&gt;C],[Icicle Edge:G-&gt;F]Development Skill: [Moon Priestess:Innate(sealed)], [Spirit Healing:C], [Mage(sealed)]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Seeing Haruhime's updated status, Vahn was very pleased since his earlier deduction had proven to be true. Since it was related to her tails, Vahn assumed Haruhime's awakened ability was related to her Innate skill, [Inari]. Now that he had confirmation of the fact, Vahn started to have a better understanding of what was required to awaken Innate abilities. Though he wasn't certain, Vahn suspected that Bell's [Liaris Freese] was also an Innate, which meant that the trigger was powerful emotions. As long as the emotions remained, the Innate would continue to develop and the person would grow progressively stronger. For the twins, it was their shared bond that served as the basis, but it was the emotions they directed toward him that resulted in the skill awakening. It was the same for Haruhime since it was her affections and attachment to him that served as the trigger for her own awakening.This was a double-edged sword, however, since if their feelings faded it could negatively affect their growth in the future. Haruhime not only had his flame seed in her chest, which also depended on her feelings, but she was also influenced by his Mentor's Mark as well as her own Innate. He knew what she meant when she mentioned it felt like her 'feelings' were giving her strength. All three skills compounded to spur her growth forward and it was at a pace that would likely even exceed his own record depending on the circumstances. This would inevitably make her emotions even stronger though, as she would always relate her own growth and progress to the thoughts and feelings she harbored inside her heart. Just like Bell had pursued Ais endlessly in the manga, he had become Haruhime's goal and the thought of the fox girl chasing at his back put a little pressure on him.After mulling over matters for a short moment, Vahn handed the status sheet to the waiting Haruhime and said with a smile, "Your growth is nothing short of incredible, Haruhime. Not only did you unlock a rare skill, but I can even tell you completed the requirements for the [Mage] Development Ability. You'll have to decide which one you want to choose by the time you level up in the future." Haruhime stared at her own status sheet as a somewhat strange smile appeared on her face and she hugged the piece of paper to her chest. She then turned to Vahn with her expression a mix between elegance and ardor as she said, "I will catch up to you soon, Vahn~!" Vahn felt like a small animal being eyed by a predator as he awkwardly smiled before nodding his head and saying, "Work hard, I believe in you, Haruhime." She laughed in a happy manner before the pale-gold color of her eyes spontaneously dissipated and she nearly fell onto her butt in an exhausted manner before laughing exuberantly when Vahn caught her...(A/N: I know some people might not like the fact that Vahn is focusing on the strength of others, but know that this is a very important matter. I'm not going to detail the growth of every character, just those that will play an important role in the future plot. There is a very large misconception that some people have when they think Vahn could progress into the lower floors of the dungeon alone. Simply put, if he tried to do so, Vahn would almost certainly die without any other possible outcome. He might be able to fight off dozens, even hundreds, of monsters at once, but monsters spawn in thousands in the lower floors. The Dungeon itself starts proactively trying to kill you as well, so the more tired you are, the greater the chance of monsters spawning near you. On top of all of this, there isn't a single safe area from the 18th floor all the way down to the 50th floor. There are also no shortcuts to exit the dungeon easily, and this is why Familia organize literal military expeditions to proceed further down. Vahn might be a logistician's wet dream, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get tired and run out of supplies.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Healing Haruhime's Harm','Innately Seductive?','The Power of Doki Doki Transcends All Records~!')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 357: Skeletons