Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Realizing Vahn had stopped for a longer period of time, Ais looked into his face and saw his smile and immediately understood what he was thinking. With a small smile appearing on her own face, Ais asked, "Are you going to fight it?" Hearing her words, Vahn squinted his eyes before shaking his head and saying, "I won't fight it directly, but I do want to check a few things. Since the Balor is rated as a Level 6 monster, I want to see if my [Enkidu] is effective on it. If things don't go well, we'll fall back..." Ais nodded her head in response before parting from Vahn and muttering, "Tempest..." as a barrier of wind appeared around her body.With Ais finishing her own preparations, Vahn focused his mind on the Balor's location and contemplated the course of action he was going to take. Not only was it more than 20m tall, but it was around 8m wide and Vahn wasn't entirely sure he would be able to summon enough of [Enkidu] to wrap it up in any meaningful way. Thus far, the only thing he had used the chain on is humanoids, which are relatively small targets, so Vahn wasn't even sure if the chains would work on such a colossal creature. This was the primary reason he wanted to try because, if he assumed the chains would work in the future and they didn't, Vahn would regret it if anyone got hurt as a result.Vahn also observed the flow of mana within the Dungeon itself and recorded everything he was seeing so he could research it later. Once the Balor died, Vahn was curious how the flow would change and how the Dungeon was able to actually generate such creatures. If he could figure out the process and emulate it, Vahn would be able to create his own mana constructs in the future and potentially have an army of his own. The fact creatures like the Xenos exist, as well as Vahn's own subordinates, showed that such a thing should be possible. There was also the fact that, Vahn assumed the world would be destabilized without the existence of something like the Dungeon so, if he actually destroyed it one day, he wanted a way to create a new one that could be better regulated.After finishing his own preparations, Vahn nodded toward Ais as his domain turned golden and began to radiate a divine aura. Sensing the change, the Balor began to rumble as it freed its body from the Dungeon floor only to see five chains spiraling around its body. Vahn had prepared mana batteries of his own beforehand but, even with their assistance, he was finding it very difficult to generate enough chain to twine around the massive figure. Instead, he tried to bind the joints of the Balor while wrapping two chains across its torso and one around the area that should be its. Because he had the initiative, the chains were pulled tight by Vahn long before the Balor could make sense of the situation.Vahn had been watching the process with his [Eyes of Truth] and saw the flow of mana into the Balor's feet cease in its entirety as it struggled to move the chains. Unlike past experiences, where things weren't able to move at all, Vahn could feel the powerful might of the monster literally tugging at his soul. It was a somewhat terrifying experience, but Vahn was confident he would be able to hold on long enough. At least he knew physical might could overwhelm his [Enkidu] somewhat, even though he had successfully bound the Balor. Without the ability to channel its mana, the only thing it could do was pull at the chains as the fiery red eye affixed in its head shone with madness...The moment Vahn had given her the signal, Ais had dashed forward with incredible momentum as a massive vortex of wind elemental energy danced around her. She saw the Monster Rex get wrapped up in Vahn's chains and begin to struggle in a rage which caused her own smile to deepen as she kicked off another rock formation and aimed directly at the fiery core of the monster's head. Since it was able to struggle a little, Ais knew Vahn wouldn't be able to hold it for long so she wanted to end things with a single attack. The vortex of wind around her body converged into a spiral shape around her sword as she shouted, "Lil Rafaga~!" and slammed the tip of [Gram] into the rage-filled eye.Without the ability to muster its defenses, the Balor could only stare at the incoming strike as it pulled futilely against the chains. Though Vahn would have only been able to hold it for a few seconds, Ais was capable of closing the 350m distance in less than a single second so it was more than enough time to spell disaster for the previously terrifying monster. Other than focusing its eye on the small figure just as it pierced into its head, the Balor couldn't muster up any other form of resistance at all. Thus, without any unexpected occurrences, Ais penetrated clear through the Balor's head and left behind a massive hole in her passing.After landing far behind the Balor, Ais turned her head in confusion as she saw the colossal creature still standing on its feet. However, the moment the golden chains wrapping its body vanished, it erupted into a mass of purple dust as a large volume of monster cores fell to the Dungeon floor below. Before she could make sense of the peculiar happening, Vahn appeared next to her in an instant with a smile on his face as he said, "Every time I see that attack, it's always phenomenal. Good going, Ais." Hearing his praise, Ais turned her head to the side and averted her eyes as a small blush appeared on her face. Her actions caused Vahn's smile to widen greatly which caused her own heart to pulse powerfully in her chest...As they hadn't been too far away from the expeditionary party, Finn, Gareth, Tiona, and Tione arrived at the sight of the 'battle' a few minutes after it had come to an end. Seeing the clearing where the Balor once stood, Finn had a somewhat perplexed expression on his face as Gareth began stroking his beard thoughtfully. Tiona and Tione, however, seeing Vahn standing at the side of Ais as the two 'flirted' with each other ran toward their location with haste. Tiona unceremoniously slammed her [Dance of the Amazon] into the ground before leaping toward Vahn and Ais with both arms open. With clear excitement permeating through her body, Tiona asked, "Did the two of you really manage to defeat the Monster Rex on your own~!?" as Vahn caught her out of the air.Vahn explained how he had managed to pin the Balor down long enough for Ais to defeat it in one blow and Tiona's eyes began to sparkle as she said, "You have to bring me along next time, okay, Vahn~!?" Just imagining the sight of a Monster Rex being defeated in a single blow made Tiona's body heat up in excitement. If not for the fact that she had been 'pacified' by her previous actions with Vahn, Tiona very well might have pushed him down. Her sister, however, had no such 'tolerance' as a rosy blush covered her face and she was staring at Vahn as she chewed on her bottom lip...Fortunately, Tione still had a bit of awareness regarding Finn and wasn't going to do anything with both him and Gareth present. Though she wasn't a 'coward', she wasn't as 'bold' as her little sister and maintained a sense of propriety when they were around others. As for Finn and Gareth, they had already anticipated that Vahn and Ais had defeated the Balor, but it was still somewhat surprising to hear exactly how they had managed the feat. On average, it would have taken them several tens of minutes to defeat the Monster Rex and yet Vahn and Ais had done it after a short encounter that lasted less than a few seconds. It was very difficult to believe and, if not for the mountain of loot in the clearing, Finn very well might not have.As for Gareth, he walked forward and smacked Vahn's back heartily as he said, "You're really something, kiddo!" before sending an approving look toward the smiling Ais as well. He didn't really care how the two had managed the feat and was simply impressed that they were able to pull it off without a hitch. When they had first heard the Balor's roar, Gareth had been a little worried about the two and he was one of the first to charge forward as Finn began issuing orders to the expedition. Unfortunately, he was easily caught up to by the Amazon twins before Finn caught up shortly thereafter...Since the Balor had been slain by Ais and Vahn alone, Finn had no problem with them splitting the loot amongst themselves but Ais gave everything to Vahn, just as she had done with the Udaeus previously. Vahn got to add an additional 817,000OP to his reserves and also managed to obtain some very rare materials in the form of drop items that looked similar to the rocks that constituted the Balor's body. This was an expensive ore known as Refined Kaenseki and the chunk Vahn had received could easily be sold for more than 40,000,000V. It was very useful in the production of flame-resistant equipment so Vahn was happy to have obtained it.After looting the pile of monster cores under the hawk-like eyes of Finn, the group scouted the area to find the entrance to the stairs before doubling back and reuniting with the expedition. When the convoy saw the group arrive, they released a loud cheer as a festive atmosphere immediately spread the entire party. Vahn was personally greeted by the members of the Hestia Familia, who had been somewhat worried about him since the expedition had been talking about how terrifying the Balor could be. Seeing him safe and sound made the girls happy, but it was ultimately Fenrir who got the advantage since she had detected Vahn's arrival long before the other girls.Vahn recounted the relatively anti-climactic tale of the battle for everyone gathered but, instead of being disappointed by the 'ease' in which they defeated the Balor, the expedition released a joyous cheer before they showed Vahn and Ais with praises. Most of them had encountered the Balor in the past and many had lost companions to its surprise attacks. Rather than be 'bored' by Vahn's short story, they were instead very happy as a small amount of vindication spread through their chests. Even though Vahn and Ais were the ones to defeat the beast, it felt like an accomplishment for all of them since conquering the Dungeon was a shared feat by all those that called the surface home.Finn allowed the celebratory atmosphere to continue for a short while before giving the order for the expedition to move toward the 50th floor. There was plenty of time to celebrate when they reached the safety area, after all. Thus, without losing a single cart of supplies, nor suffering the loss of a single companion, the Loki Familia expedition passed into the relative safety of the 50th floor in high spirits. More than half of their expeditions came to an early end after the battle with the Balor, so there was a good reason to be in a celebratory mood. Finn even made a special exception and allowed Vahn to make available a single keg of alcohol. Though people were limited to a single glass, they were still grateful for the opportunity and Vahn earned several 'drinking buddies' when they got a taste of his [Dwarven Drought].---Unlike the barren and fiery floors above, the 50th floor was comparably vibrant and there were several different types of plant life present, though they were all muted greys and whites in coloration. There were also vein-like rivers that flowed all throughout the relatively massive floor as well as a few large springs that pooled up in certain locations. As per usual, the expedition had come to rest on a plateau so Vahn was able to overlook the entire floor, which stretched approximately 250km in diameter. He knew this was the place where they had created the 'Haven' in the Divination so he was quite curious about the structure of the floor itself.Like the 18th floor, there were giant crystals that hung down from the roof above that emulated the time of day on the surface and allowed those within to track the time. There were a few plateaus spread around, similar to the one they were currently on, and the roof itself was several kilometers high. Vahn had been somewhat worried that the 'Tree of Life' wouldn't have enough space to grow but that turned out to be an unnecessary concern. Even when it reached its height of 1km in the future, it would have plenty of space to spread its branches. As there was already plantlife and water present, Vahn knew that this floor could truly become a 'Haven' for his own forces one day.The 50th floor had more area than the entire City of Orario itself so it was possible to house millions of people on the 50th floor in the future. The only major concern would have been food production, but Vahn never intended to have so many people live on the floor that they wouldn't be able to be self-reliant. With the influence of the 'Tree of Life', it shouldn't be difficult to actually grow crops since some of the trees already present on the floor were capable of bearing fruit. Now, it was simply a matter of confirming their enemies capabilities before massing enough forces to actually create the fortifications necessary to convert this floor into their own territory...After getting a basic understanding of the surroundings, Vahn told Finn, Riveria, and Gareth that he was going to take Fenrir for a walk and also compile a map of the floor. The expedition was setting up a semi-permanant camp and would be in this area for the remainder of the expedition so Vahn had plenty of time to map out the entire area. Knowing of his speed and 'ridiculous' mapping capabilities, Vahn was easily given leave from the camp so he picked up the bubbly Fenrir before exploring the floor. Along the way, Vahn discovered several points of interest where rare plants grew and also documented locations where passageways connected into the 50th floor from other parts of the Dungeon. He couldn't find any signs of the artificial dungeon at all so Vahn began to believe his earlier conjecture, that the artificial dungeon didn't go that deep, was correct.Though the 50th floor was a 'safety area', Vahn still encountered a few lone enemies and allowed Fenrir to have a go at fighting them while he supported her from behind. Most of the monsters this deep were, at the very least, Level 3 so they were good opponents for the rambunctious wolf girl. This was, of course, until Fenrir actually managed to get her claws on the creatures which almost immediately spelled their doom. A lot of the monsters this deep were either humanoid in structure, or relatively slow and cumbersome. Since Fenrir was adept at fighting humanoids, and could easily cut through even Adamantine with her claws, many of her fights became one-sided after she gained an advantage. Out of curiosity, Vahn had decided to check her growth since she had fought a fair amount of monsters on the expedition, many around her own level...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[STATUS]]Name: [Fenrir]Level:3POW: I0-&gt;G213END: I0-&gt;H174DEX: I0-&gt;G240AGI: I0-&gt;G255MAG: I0-&gt;I90Skills: [Insatiable Hunger:Innate(-)], [Lunar Cry:B], [Freezing Roar:A], [Chainbreaker:C], [Devour:SS], [Huntress:S], [Endeavor:H-&gt;G]Magic: -Development Abilities: [Chain Attack:I-&gt;G]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------It had been less than two weeks since Fenrir had last increased her level so she was making steady progress even though her parameters hadn't increased that much. At this rate, Vahn was confident she would be able to reach Level 5 by the start of original events. Though Vahn had no illusions that things would continue in the same vein as the original story, he knew there were likely certain things that were bound to happen simply based on the 'timing' of things. His enemies had likely been planning things far longer than the amount of time he had existed within the record so Vahn expected their plans to move forward in a similar time span. After all, if they could simply speed things up at their discretion, there was nothing that would have stopped them from already doing it. Since they hadn't shown up to interfere with the expedition yet, Vahn had been thinking about reasons why they wouldn't take action and this was the logical conclusion he came to.Though he harbored no hopes that this was guaranteed to happen, Vahn felt like his own window of opportunity to grow stronger had been expanded somewhat. The biggest justification he found for his inference was the fact that, even during the Divination, things didn't seem to pick up until after the death of Ryuu, which hadn't been for nearly two years, at least within the Dungeon. Since his own understanding of the source material was lacking, Vahn didn't know how to deal with future events, many of which might require Bell's presence to instigate. Vahn remembered that Bell was actually the one that managed to make contact with the Xenos, even in the Divination, so, unless Vahn planned to venture into the artificial dungeon or track them down, there wasn't much else he could do.As a result of this conjecture, Vahn planned to increase his own strength to the point where it wouldn't matter what his enemies threw at him. He was confident the orb would awaken within a few months and, once he managed to learn magic from Eva, Vahn was certain there would be few enemies that could actually oppose him. Though he didn't know the specifics yet, Vahn knew that Eva was functionally immortal and it was through her [Magia Erebia] that she had obtained that status. When Vahn learned the skill from her, it wouldn't matter how powerful his enemies were as Vahn could simply 'outlast' them in an extended engagement. This was the reason why, even though he wanted to develop his other parameters, Vahn had been primarily focusing on his Magic stat even more...--------------------------------------------------------------------------[[Stats]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 15Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level:3(3)-Power: 1906+(G207)-&gt;(F308)-Endurance: 2221+(F338)-&gt;(C694)-Dexterity: 1807+(F346)-&gt;(D540)-Agility: 1959+(G228)-&gt;(F387)-Magic: 3562+(SSS1639)-&gt;(SSS1989)Total:11455+(2838)-&gt;(3918)Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)[Karma]: 8,213-&gt;9014[OP]: 312,396-&gt;4,848,758(A/N: Vahn making those girls work hard...)[Valis]: 419,583,990-&gt;643,884,901Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:E], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth: B],[Bow Mastery:S], [Stealth:B], [Chainbreaker:S], [Heart of the Eternal Flame:SS], [Prometheus:A], [Call of the Reaper:A],[Yggdrasil's Favor:S], [Veil of the Traveler: S], [Featherfoot:B], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Metallurgy:B], [Fist Strike:B], [Friend of Spirits:A]Magic: [Thria*Mimos:C], [Shundo:B]Development Skills: [Wound Transfer:S], [Spirit Healing:A], [Swordsman:A], [Master Smith:H], [Mixing:C], [Mentor:A], [Petting:E], [Mage:C](new)-------------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Balor is a bondage queen...','Everything the light touches...','Magic Boi, Vahn Mason...)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

During the evening, Vahn was invited into the main tent where all of the decision makers within the expedition were gathered. Since he was not only considered a member of the main party, but also the Captain of the Hestia Familia, it was unquestionable that Vahn should be present. Accompanying him was Haruhime, as she was actually being groomed to be one of the future Commanders of the Familia, while the representatives from the Hephaestus Familia were also present. Thus, Vahn sat around a table, provided by him, as they started to discuss what actions they would be taking in the future.Finn sipped on the expensive tea Vahn had set out on the table before breathing a relaxed sigh and saying, "Things have been going exceptionally well thus far...I believe everyone present is aware of the contributions Vahn, and the Hestia Familia, have made during this expedition. I would like to personally thank you for your efforts, Vahn, as I've never experienced such a smooth journey to the 50th floor in the past." Vahn had been sitting next to Gareth as they made small talk so he raised his glass of [Dwarven Drought] to accept Finn's gratitude.Seeing Vahn and Gareth in 'high spirits', Finn's smile twitched slightly since there was no way either of them would listen to him if he told them to stop drinking. He knew from past experience that Vahn was 'immune' to the effects of liquor and Gareth, being a pure-blooded Dwarf, also had a seemingly bottomless tolerance. After deciding to ignore the matter, Finn looked around at those gathered and said, "Henceforth, we'll have to be selective in the actions we take while also ensuring that the defenses of the expedition can be maintained. As there are new faces present, I will discuss how previous expeditions have gone and then we will make our decisions as a group afterward..."When Finn began detailing the experiences of previous expeditions, Vahn had given the Pallum his full attention and also took special note of key subjects. According to Finn, it was nigh impossible for the expedition itself to actually proceed beyond the 50th floor because it was simply too dangerous. The main party would be able to defend themselves against the relatively small hordes of monsters, but there was no way for them to deal with the thousands that would spawn as a result of the expedition trying to breach the deeper floors. Black Rhinos, the most common monster beyond the 50th floor, could easily be Level 4 in strength while some of their variants reached Level 5. As the average strength of the expedition members was only Level 3, it was ill-advised to proceed as a larger group.The way they typically handled matters was to set up a strong defensive line within the 50th floor and then send smaller parties into different parts of the Dungeon. Since the spawn rate was based on proximity, things were much more manageable in smaller groups. The main party itself would proceed into the deeper floors in order to finish some of the missions they had accepted before returning to the 50th floor every day and depositing their earnings. Once they had completed their missions, they would then rally their strongest forces and make a push into the deeper floors in the hopes of breaking the previous clear record.Currently, the record belonged to the Zeus and Hera Familias, which had been able to penetrate into the 59th floor before they were forced to turn back since the harsh climate was too much for them to push through. According to their records, the 59th floor was a frozen wasteland where the temperatures could easily drop below -60 degrees. Since the floor itself had never been mapped, and visibility was terrible, there was no way of knowing exactly how far you would have to travel under such harsh conditions before reaching the next floor. Since it was the trend that most floors carried the same theme for several levels, you might find yourself having to cover several thousand kilometers of a frozen hell before you finally broke through.As for the Loki Familia's own record, they have been able to clear up to the 54th floor before having to turn away as a result of the constant barrage from the Valgang Dragons. Starting from the 52nd floor, the party wouldn't be able to stop for even a few seconds as the dragon's breath was so powerful that it could penetrate through kilometers of bedrock and strike the unwary with a pillar of flame that could even melt down Adamantine. Without barrier magic, like Riveria's [Veil Breath], tanking such a hit could prove fatal for most Adventurers, regardless of their resistances.Just imagining the 'pillar of fire', as described by Finn, penetrating through more than six floors of Dungeon bedrock, and all the empty space between, made Vahn swallow. It wasn't that he was afraid of the fire, as it would be useless against him, but he was concerned about his companions. Vahn decided that, once he returned to the surface, he would create accessories that would be able to resist such flames to protect the girls in the future. Since Haruhime's accessories could already create localized barriers, Vahn knew it should be possible to create more effective barriers that could shield the entire body, just like Riveria's [Veil Breath].Once Finn finished going over the information they had collected from their past experiences, he looked toward Vahn and said, "Vahn, I know it may be a strange request to make, given the circumstances, but I would like you to look into potential solutions for clearing the deeper floors. Your capabilities are rather unique amongst other Adventurers and you also have the wisdom of a [Master Smith] at your disposal. I will make available all materials gathered by the expedition for your use if you believe it would be beneficial in clearing the deeper floors." As they had a plethora of supplies remaining, it wouldn't be difficult to stay within the 50th floor for more than a month. Finn was optimistic Vahn would be the key that would allow the Loki Familia to gain the glory of setting a new record.Contrary to Finn's initial expectations, Vahn nodded his head without any argument whatsoever as he said, "Sure, I'm very interested in what exists beyond the 59th floor. However, you need to remember that our 'enemies' likely exist in that area as well so we'll need to take precautions against them if we want to break beyond that point. I would suggest trying to create a more permanant settlement within the 50th floor and consolidating supplies over a long period of time before we actually try to move forward. However, that will also allow our enemies ample time to react to our actions so it may be necessary for us to take a step back and increase our individual strength before we progress further..."Vahn knew that the Enyo must have a way to see what is going on in the Dungeon so there was little hope they would simply ignore the efforts to make a permanant settlement. However, Vahn was tempted to try anyways since they would potentially be able to draw out Enyo's forces and then they would be able to deal with them. Regardless of how many resources were available to them, Vahn knew they couldn't have an 'infinite' amount and he was confident in winning a war of attrition. Since he could gain OP from the monsters they would send at him, Vahn could constantly replenish their own supplies. Defensive fights were always much easier than offensive ones, especially if you were able to break into enemy territory, so it could be a practical method.Finn had a complex expression on his face when he heard Vahn mention setting up a permanant settlement on the 50th floor. With a wry smile on his face, he explained, "We simply don't have the resources to set up a permanant settlement on the 50th floor and, by the time we returned to the surface and came back, any fortifications we established would likely be broken down. Unless we can make the settlement self-sustaining, in a short period of time, there is no way of getting a foothold in the deeper floors. We'd be better off trying to create a small base on the 39th floor, since it is much safer and could serve as a relay station for future expeditions..."At this point, Finn took a deep breath before continuing, "However, we simply don't have the manpower for such a momentous undertaking and there are few people that would want to live inside the Dungeon for long periods of time. The stress alone would wear away at them and it would feel more like a prison after enough time passed. Even from a logistical standpoint, there isn't any practical way to move enough materials to construct fortifications and we can't simply quarry stone from the Dungeon as it would be subject to changing shape over time. There is a very real possibility that monsters would be able to spawn within the fortification itself in that case..."As Finn spoke, Vahn was taking note of several details and considered everything the experienced Pallum had to say. However, by the time Finn had finished, Vahn felt slightly annoyed since there were several things that simply didn't make sense. After looking around and seeing that most people were in agreement with Finn, Vahn felt slightly unnerved until he saw that both Riveria and Haruhime seemed unperturbed. As they knew of the existence of 'Haven', they were aware that it wasn't as 'impossible' as Finn was making it out to be. With renewed confidence, Vahn smiled before asking, "Why are we here?"Finn blinked in a confused manner before placing his fingers on his chin and saying, "We're here to discover the secrets of the Dungeon and to complete the missions we have accepted to bolster the reputation of our own Familia and to reach greater heights as individuals..." Vahn was a little surprised by Finn's response but nodded his head in agreement before asking, "How deep is the Dungeon?" Hearing his words, Finn paused for a brief moment before saying, "Nobody knows...it has existed longer than the continent of Eden itself and nobody has ever been able to reach the bottom."Vahn nodded his head once again as a firm resolve appeared in his eyes and he said, "We also have a duty to those on the surface to prevent the monsters contained within from ever seeing the light of day. As you said, nobody knows how deep the dungeon goes, nor what monstrosities await us within its depths. We do know, however, that all three of the major threats to mankind had emerged from the Dungeon in the past and had wreaked havoc that resulted in the loss of millions of lives..." Other than the One-Eyed Black Dragon, there were two more S-Class threats that had appeared in the past, known as the Three Great Quests. Thus far, the Behemoth and Leviathan had been defeated by the Zeus and Hero Familias, but the One-Eyed Black Dragon was still at large. What Vahn was hinting at was the fact that all three monsters shared a common origin within the Dungeon and there were very likely even greater dangers lurking deeper in the depths...A solemn atmosphere began to spread through the tent as the reality of Vahn's words settled on each person present. In the same firm tone as before, Vahn continued, "It is 'necessary' for the safety of all those on the surface world for an elite few to probe into the depths of the Dungeon and unlock its secrets. There is simply no way around it since the potential dangers are far too great to overlook...even now, we know of at least one organization that has managed to take up roots within the Dungeon. If we continue to wait around passively as they continue to spread their influence, who are we to blame when things reach the point of no return?"Finn's expression had turned serious after hearing Vahn's words and he said in a somber tone, "What you say has a great deal of truth to it, Vahn...but most people won't be willing to see things that way. Sacrifices may be necessary for progress, but there are few people that 'want' themselves to be included in such statistics. Though we may be called Adventurers, most people that venture into the Dungeon to become stronger simply do so to increase their own quality of life. You would be hard pressed to convince a large number of people to venture into the depths of the Dungeon simply because it is 'necessary' to do so..."Against his expectations, Vahn actually nodded in agreement with Finn as a smile appeared on his face. He knew Finn's words struck at the truth of the matter and, as he claimed, few people would be willing to make such sacrifices unless the incentive was compelling enough. This was one of the reasons why he said they needed to take a step back earlier since it wasn't really practical to plant their own roots any time soon. As Finn suggested, it would be better to make a base on the 39th floor first and then slowly establish a supply line over a long period of time. If they could establish settlements progressively deeper into the Dungeon, and create enough incentive for people to reach them, it wouldn't be impossible to one day reach their goal of progressing deeper into the unknown floors of the Dungeon.The average level of Adventurers might be relatively low for now, but that didn't mean it couldn't be increased over time. Vahn knew that, once his own Academy was founded, there would be an influx of capable Adventurers and mages roaming around the continent. Since the desire to grow stronger would be embedded into each of them, they would likely endeavor to reach depths of the Dungeon that had never before been seen. If they created an organizational hierarchy that supported the development of such individuals, everything else would simply sort itself out with the passage of time. Just like those gathered presently, there would always be those that seek greatness and wanted to carve their names into history by making new discoveries...Vahn spent about two hours explaining his own plans to everyone present, including his intent to create the relay point that Finn mentioned on the 39th floor. Though he didn't give too many details, Vahn explained the potential of his 'storage magic' to those gathered and how it wasn't actually as difficult as he mentioned to move mass amounts of supplies. As for the base that would eventually be created on the 50th floor, Vahn wanted it to become the 'core' of the Alliance and to serve as a 'goal' for others to reach in the future.Even by simply propagating the message that you could only be considered a first-rate Adventurer by reaching the 50th floor, there would be innumerable people that would aspire to reach it. By creating supply points in the Dungeon, the confidence of many people would increase greatly and the average level of Adventurers would go up over time. Vahn's plans weren't trying to make such things a reality in a short period of time, but they were designed to take place over several years, or even decades. Regardless, it was something that was 'necessary' for the future of all people and Vahn was able to convince those present that it was better to be the ones leading the way for such movements as it would guarantee their own power and authority in the future.Just as Orario was currently the strongest City on the entire continent, Vahn's 'Haven' would one day take that title for itself since the only people capable of even reaching it were those that had become strong enough to do so. By the time people were born within the Dungeon, and the City became self-sustaining, they would have a nigh-unstoppable momentum. Once they had a better understanding of the artificial dungeon, and came to a compromise with the Xenos, the Dungeon would become a central hub for activity within the entire continent. It would no longer be a place where a select few had access to, but a place where people aspired to see for themselves in order to create their own legacy.Rather than through 'conquest', Vahn was thinking about unifying people through 'progress' instead. If he could create the strongest organization in the continent, the power base of Orario would also increase as a result and Vahn could influence regulations to make the City a better place to live for all people. Though they were bound to face opposition from outside forces, they would eventually be forced to compromise or else they would be swept up by the momentum of progress. Failure to adapt would likely result in the deaths of many people, and the potential collapse of entire nations, but the resultant changes would bring people ever closer to a world where the only difference between people was the amount of effort they put into becoming stronger. Vahn's own children would be entities that could grow beyond the bounds of the record itself, so he was already starting to think of how the future would be shaped by future generations for the thousands of years that would follow...In summary, Vahn was planning to 'destroy the world' by forging a path that forced people to walk forward or be swept away by the momentum of those that sought a better future for themselves. Of course, he didn't go over these plans with Finn, and the others present, but it was something he had decided for himself and was now proactively seeking. To ensure things would devolve into chaos, as there were bound to be people that used their power to oppress others, Vahn would have to create an organization that possessed the greatest amount of power in the entire world. He wouldn't 'force' anyone to adopt his ideologies, but by making a 'safe' place for refugees that sought a better life, Vahn knew things would eventually change for the better. If corrupt forces took offense to the future he wanted to create, Vahn wasn't opposed to showing them the error of their ways...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn exists to break records...','Progressive Reform','Echoes of the Emperor...')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

Entering the 49th floor, Vahn looked around and saw that, as Finn had stated previously, the entire floor was one massive room that stretched more than 200km in diameter. The entire floor was desolate with no signs of life and there was a hot wind that blew through the air and caused the rust-colored sand to billow and obstruct the view. Other than massive rock formations, there weren't any walls and, like the floors above, there were several monsters lying in ambush waiting for the expedition to enter their range. However, just as before, Vahn was able to notify them of the presence of most monsters so the group progressed forward with relative ease.Unlike before, however, the convoy was linked together in a tight formation with shieldbearers taking up the outer perimeter as archers readied their bows. Even though it hadn't appeared yet, there was a subtle vibration that could be felt through the ground so everyone knew the 'wave' would be making its appearance. They would only have a few short minutes to prepare the defensive line when the monsters finally showed up so they had to be on high alert.Though Finn was performing his role as Commander of the expedition, Vahn had been the one guiding the way as he could see the flow of mana through the floor and could trace it to the exit. Since there was a Monster Rex like the Balor present, the Dungeon fed a high amount of mana to a specific area and Vahn was able to deduce that the Balor would be found there. He also had the benefit of mapping out the area with his domain and could reference the minimap in his system interface for any upcoming obstacles. As a result, the expedition had been progressing steadily until the rumbling in the floor had increased greatly in magnitude.Finn held his hand up to his face and commented, "My thumb is itching..." before waving his spear up high and shouting, "Form the defensive line! Use the surroundings as a vantage point for our archers! Mages, ready your chants and prepare to target the largest concentration of enemies!" On the low end, a 'wave' of Fomoire would have more than two-thousand monsters with several 'commanders' that would try to sweep over the expedition. Unlike the normal Fomoire, the commander class were generally capable of using magic and would have to be dealt with quickly before things got out of hand.As one of the designated 'archers', Vahn had leaped atop a 14m tall boulder to get a better vantage point and saw a large cloud of dust kicked up by the approaching wave. When they began entering into his domain, Vahn was surprised by the sheer number of enemies and could approximate their numbers to be around 3500. To thin the herd, or at least slow them down, Vahn began using his inventory and placing mines beneath the feet of the Fomoire as they mindlessly charged forward. The explosives weren't enough to deal lethal damage to most Level 3 monsters, but it interrupted their momentum greatly as Vahn began to loose arrows toward what he believed to be the commander class enemies.Ais had followed Vahn's arrows with her eyes and dashed toward the location where his arrows had broken against an invisible barrier before a wall of Fomoire began blocking for the relatively small ashen grey Fomoire behind them. Unlike the normal goat monster, this one was covered in runes and had a crooked staff in its hands as it began to chant a magical spell. Vahn's arrow had been deflected by its barrier earlier, but it also managed to caused the barrier to collapse as a result. The other Fomoire were trying to buy it time but Vahn simply placed explosives around their feet while directly breaking the chant of the mage.Moments later, Ais passed through the group like a humanoid blender as a vortex of blood and gore spun around her body before being discharged away from her. Even though she had killed more than thirty monsters with her charge, Ais was completely unscathed and there wasn't a spot of blood on her body as she leaped up through the air and landed atop one of the large boulders effortlessly. As for Tiona and Tione, they were guarding the flanks and thining the herd that had started to surround the convoy and assault them. Finn was skewering monsters with an elegant precision while Gareth's axe cleaved through large swaths of enemies with a surprising momentum. Even though his Agility was somewhat low, compared to his monstrous Power and Endurance, he was still a Level 6 and could pass through the horde of Fomoire as if he were an unstoppable force.Vahn shook his head with a wry smile on his face as he interrupted the cast of another mage, which was the same as marking it for death by the perceptive sword princess. Eventually, large veins of fire spread through the ground in a giant conal shape and Vahn had to retrieve the waiting Ais using his [Shundo] before the ground erupted in destructive tornadoes as a result of Riveria's [Rea Laevateinn]. Her spell had wiped out the entire group of Fomoire in a single direction while Lefiya, who completed her own version of the chants moments later, targetted the second largest concentration of enemies. Every time Vahn saw their destructive magic, he was always a little jealous since they were able to clear out more than a thousand monsters with a single spell. However, he knew his own magic would one day far outstrip their own so he was looking forward to the future.After the two destructive spells, there were only small groups of enemies remaining but they continued to charge toward the expedition as if their numbers had never diminished in the slightest. Even compared to the vast majority of crazed monsters, the Fomoire were in a league of their own and many of them were even frothing at the mouth as they charged forward with a suicidal momentum. Vahn pitied the creatures somewhat but his hands never rested as he skillfully executed more than eighty enemies on his own.From start to finish, the entire engagement took less than seven minutes but it was still rather stressful on the convoy. Many Fomoire had broken through to the flanks and had charged headfirst into the linked shields of the Loki Family. Since they were goat monsters, they had powerful horns on their heads and rigid backs that allowed their charging force to reach somewhat terrifying heights. Several people had broken bones, primarily wrists and forearms, while the mages in the group were moderately exhausted from spamming their quick cast magic on any enemies that broke through. Fortunately, even without Vahn using [Wounds Transfer], there weren't any fatalities even though there were several casualties.As the expedition began to regroup and prepare to move forward, many of them were aware of the subtle vibrations that were spreading through the ground and their expressions had become stern and serious. While a single 'wave' wasn't that dangerous, it was the fact that an expedition would have to face multiple of such waves that eventually wore them down. They couldn't simply hunker down and set up a defensive line either, as that would make them sitting ducks and would inevitably result in them being surrounded and overwhelmed.Vahn helped Riveria and Lefiya recover their mana by injecting his own source energy through their backs. It was most ideal to inject it around the navel, but Vahn correctly assumed both girls wouldn't appreciate such contact when there were so many people around. As for himself, he was chugging down a blood-colored potion that he had purchased from the shop known as an [X-Ether]. It was an incredibly expensive consumable item that cost 40,000OP but it had the amazing effect of recovering all of Vahn's current source energy reserves. There was a downside that it could only be consumed every four hours, but it was still a very useful item for such situations.Since they couldn't afford to stay in one spot, the expedition had started moving forward at the same time as they healed the wounded. Vahn had a functionally infinite number of [Senzu Beans], and other recovery items, at his disposal so he absorbed the majority of injuries from the expedition members and earned their thanks as a result. It was no longer a secret that Vahn had a miraculous ability that allowed him to transplant injuries onto his own body, which healed at a phenomenal rate. Knowing that he was willing to bear their pain made their impression of Vahn much stronger than normal and there were more than a few in the expedition that had grown quite fond of the famous 'Sage Aldrnari'. Though some might have questioned if he was worthy of such titles, that was no longer the case for anyone on the current expedition.After progressing for another half hour, another cloud of dust began to appear as the vibrations through the floor increased in intensity. Vahn had been thinking about possible solutions along the way so, after jumping atop another tall rock formation, he looked into the horizon and targetted the largest clumps of enemies that had just reached the periphery of his domain. There were several inert boulders located all over the place and Vahn had the ability to store them within his inventory, as long as they were smaller than 1,000m3. Vahn had seen the efficacy of shrapnel and collapsing rocks on the enemy forces earlier so he wanted to see if he could use the own Dungeon against the monster horde.Instead of wasting his OP to buy explosives, which rarely did fatal damage to the monsters, Vahn collected large boulders and then began to remove them from his inventory several hundred meters above the enemy. When the members of the expedition so 'meteors' rain down from the sky they had been brought to a solemn silence as they watched the massive rocks smash into the defenseless enemies below. Though not every rock was exactly 1,000m3, the average weight of the boulders Vahn dropped on the encroaching army weighted between 2-2.5 million kilograms, more than enough to overwhelm the majority of enemies. It wasn't a tactic that could be easily employed in most areas of the Dungeon but, in an open area like the 49th floor, there was nothing preventing him from doing something 'showy'.Through his efforts, Vahn managed to kill several hundred Fomoire before they got anywhere near the expedition and also managed to disrupt their momentum as they had to re-route around the rocks. Since it actually took a surprising amount of energy to put away such objects, something Vahn had never paid much attention to in the past, he couldn't continue his 'performance' and had to take a knee before using his bow to target nearby enemies. Vahn typically only placed small objects into his inventory and he hadn't expected it to take so much of his energy to 'drop' the twenty large boulders onto the enemy. After he thought about it, however, Vahn realized that it made sense for there to be a 'conversion' based on the volume of objects or there would be no need for him to have individual 'slots'. His inventory grew along with him so, if he could truly make use of it without restrictions, Vahn could theoretically store away entire oceans in the future. If such a feat didn't have a 'cost', Vahn would have had some serious questions regarding the laws governing the records that allowed such things...After a much shorter fight than the previous engagement, Vahn returned to the convoy and sat on one of the carts after he helped replenish the mana of Riveria, Lefiya, and Haruhime. Riveria had a complicated expression on her face when she had asked him about the giant boulders he had used against the enemies but Vahn just explained it away as using his storage magic to 'displace' objects using his domain as a medium. As she had seen Vahn 'materialize' objects far away from his body in the past, Riveria knew such things should be possible but it had still been a bit of a surprise to see it actually implemented. (A/N: To put it in perspective, imagine rocks the size of an Olympic swimming pool being dropped on the enemies. Not nearly as impressive as Grandpa Madara stacking meteors, but still pretty awe-inspiring if you don't expect such a scene.)---After dealing with three waves of Fomoire, the expedition had arrived at an area where the rock formations had started to increase in density. As the majority of the members were veterans of previous expeditions, they knew this was indicative of the fact they were nearing the entrance to the 50th floor. The Balor had yet to make an appearance thus far so everyone was on high alert as Finn considered trying to break through the region in one push and 'escaping' into the passageway leading down. Unlike the 39th floor, which would become sealed off during the fight with Udaeus, there was no such restriction on the 49th floor so it was very possible to bypass the Monster Rex and then deal with it later.Since his [Shundo] allowed him to move relatively uninhibited, Vahn volunteered to scout ahead and find the exact location of the Balor while also looking for the entrance to the 50th floor. Even if he managed to trigger the aggro of the Monster Rex, there would be plenty of time for the expedition to react to the impending attack once they knew of its existence. Finn had agreed to Vahn's reasoning but had him take Ais with him since there was no way of knowing what might happen. Ais might only be Level 5, but she was one of the most agile and capable fighters in the entire Loki Familia. She would be able to buy time for the expedition to reach the entrance of the 50th floor while the main members of the Loki Familia congregated to defeat the Balor.Vahn agreed to take Ais, who had an excited smile on her face, along with him since he knew it was better to travel together than alone at times. Unlike Finn, however, Vahn didn't think the Balor would prove as great a threat as they thought. Just like the Udaeus, Vahn was confident he would be able to restrain the Monster Rex with his [Enkidu] if it wasn't fast enough to evade the chains. The Balor was a large golem monster and it was even possible that, while it was waiting in ambush, Vahn would be able to get the jump on it and 'capture' it without incident. He had even stored away five large boulders into his inventory and was planning to smash them into the titanic creature to see if they could do enough damage.After grabbing Ais around the waist, which wasn't really necessary, Vahn disappeared from the sight of onlookers before reappearing near the periphery of his domain and getting his bearings. Ais had gotten a bit caught up in the mood as well and rested her head against Vahn's chest as she hugged around his back and enjoyed the brief moment of togetherness. Other than the rough outlines of her armor, Vahn found Ais's presence to be very comfortable so he held her close as he passed his perception over the area before using [Shundo] once again. Using his [Eyes of Truth], Vahn was following the flow of mana within the Dungeon until he eventually arrived at a point where it had reached a critical level. Though it looked like a large rock from the distance, Vahn could tell that the amalgamation of chaotic energy belonged to the floor boss. Since he had been concealing his own presence with [Stealth], the Balor had yet to react to their arrival nearby and this brought a smile to Vahn's face...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hot and Steamy Dungeon Time~!','Raining fire and brimstone~!','You aint sneaky...!')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 463: Balor