Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As the leader of the Expedition, Vahn had to help make sure everything was running smoothly so he left the tent with Fenrir and watched over the mobilization process alongside Finn and Gareth. They exchanged a few pleasantries before Finn began to explain any details that might have changed. During this time, Vahn was inspecting the convoy and scanning over everything with his [Eyes of Truth] since his intuition told him things wouldn't be so simple after Fels' warning. Catching sight of a few people with greyish, even black, auras, Vahn turned to Finn and asked, who are they?Finn followed Vahn's line of sight and saw the people he had pointed out, responding, "They are part of the construction team, I believe...?" Even as he spoke, Finn had already realized there might be something wrong because Vahn had a serious and contemplative expression. Presently, Vahn was considering if they should leave them behind or if he simply needed to pay attention to them during the Expedition. The strongest amongst them was only Level 2 and they didn't pose a threat to almost anyone in the Expedition other than some of the other workers. They were most likely associated with a gang or a criminal Familia and simply wanted to get a foothold in the 'settlement' that was being built.Vahn decided to put them to work since he didn't have proof they had done anything wrong, meaning it may negatively impact the morale of the entire Expedition if he acted now. It wouldn't be that difficult to keep each of them within his domain, as he was near the center of the convoy and could envelop the majority of the wagons. If they tried anything, which Vahn couldn't imagine would be possible, he could easily deal with them using [Sagitta Magica]. There was also the simple fact that they were weaker than any other combatant and would quickly earn the ire of anyone they tried to sabotage, likely losing their lives in the process.Turning to Finn, Vahn explained, "Those people, they don't seem to be the most reputable bunch. For now, I'll allow them to accompany the Expedition so we don't compromise the morale of everyone else. Be warned though, as I may have to deal with them if they try anything funny. Also, we'll need to inspect the construction sites properly in the future to make sure criminals don't end up creating any sort of network in what is supposed to a defensive military complex..." Finn now had a very serious expression on his face while Gareth stroked his beard, eyeing all of the people Vahn had indicated previously. Since the Supply Depot was going to be managed by the Loki Familia, with the Alliance's support, it would negatively reflect upon them if criminals ended up taking residence right under their noses.Much like Haven, they were intending to make a few rare materials accessible only at the Supply Depot in order to encourage people to venture further into the Dungeon. Smugglers and Black Market dealers would undoubtedly want to get their hands on such items, regardless of how dangerous the journey might be. As long as they stuck to the larger Expedition parties that moved between the 18th and 39th Floor, they could travel in relative safety and make a veritable fortune off the materials they obtained. This would only encourage other people to do the same and could potentially compromise the defenses of the Supply Depot if they were sneakily trying to build tunnels within the fortification to smuggle the goods outside. With entities like the red-headed woman walking around, tunnel systems could become a problem very quickly.After talking with Finn and Gareth for a short while longer, Finn went off to prepare for the departure while Vahn used [Shundo] to appear where the last tent was, belonging to the Hestia Familia. Haruhime and Mikoto were currently standing with Asfi while the rest of the girls had already taking up their positions in the convoy. Though it earned him a slightly startled look from Asfi, Vahn placed the entire tent into his Inventory as he said, "Sorry for the wait, Asfi. From this point on, you shouldn't wander too far away from me without informing me. I can always have one of the others accompany you if its an 'emergency' situation..." Vahn sent the cool beauty a wink that caused Haruhime to laugh while Asfi herself furrowed her brows slightly, having adapted to the constant teasing by Hermes in the past and understanding Vahn was just joking around. Still, she turned her head slightly and muttered, "How uncouth..." in a voice she knew he could hear.Vahn gave a wry smile before turning to Haruhime and Mikoto, saying, "Haruhime, you'll be near the vanguard units this time around to support them, but I'll be within [Shundo] distance if you're in trouble." Patting Fenrir's head and stroking her fluffy ears, Vahn felt very relaxed as he said, "Fenrir will protect you in my stead, though you always need to remain on alert since she will probably be helping everyone else as well. You're already pretty strong but accidents can happen...so please, take care of yourself and stay close to Lefiya." Haruhime showed a beautiful and confident smile in response, saying, "This is a good opportunity to show that I'm not simply something to be protected, but someone that has grown strong for the sake of following the same path as the man I love~."Haruhime's words earned her a look from both Asfi and Mikoto, with the latter blushing slightly before turning away, hands tightly gripping her katana. Fenrir just began to laugh in a playful manned before 'thumping' her chest and saying, "Haruhime is a good girl, but Fenrir is the strongest of all~!" This time, Haruhime's eyes snapped to Fenrir and seemed to be 'evaluating' the small Vanargandr with a curious glint in her eyes. Fenrir felt her hair raise a bit because she realized her 'play' may have been seen through after she called Haruhime by name instead of 'Harume'. Because it had been 'years' since she last interacted with the somewhat annoying Renard, Fenrir had completely forgotten how to behave around her since most of her thoughts revolved around her Master.None-the-wiser, Vahn ruffled Fenrir's hair and said, "Okay, we should get in our spots so the Expeditionary party isn't just waiting on us. Asfi, you'll be riding on the same cart with me so expect a few curious looks and some rumors to begin flying around later." Even without explaining things in detail, Vahn knew Asfi understood what he was saying and it was very likely she had already taken such matters into consideration. Vahn was 'famous' for how many girls were around him so there was no way people wouldn't begin to associate her with him after he starts protecting her. She also slept in the so-called 'Harem Tent' so there were bound to be misunderstandings, which was likely part of Hermes' plan from the beginning. Thus, after earning a small nod from Asfi, Vahn went to his cart and sat down with Fenrir while Asfi sat to his right, with an appropriate amount of distance between them.As expected, Asfi immediately earned the attention of a large number of people because she was one of three people sitting on a cart while everyone else was walking. Since she was already famous, it didn't take long for people to identify her and rumors had started flying even before the convoy began its march into the Dungeon's depths. For the most part, Asfi tolerated it well and simply kept her eyes closed while sitting with a straightened back, seemingly unconcerned with what others were saying. If not for the fact that her aura was burning like a wispy flame, showing that she felt very nervous and embarrassed, even Vahn would be fooled by her near-perfect display of etiquette.Soon after the convoy entered the 19th Floor, Vahn began infusing two types of energy into his domain, one intended to revitalize the body while the other was supposed to help people remain calm and focused. He had already used this same 'technique' on the first 17 Floors so everyone was in high spirits when they felt the energy entering the bodies once again, even earning him a small hurrah from some of the closer groups. Asfi opened her eyes to look around at the atmosphere, even tracing her hands through it as if it was something tangible she could touch. Vahn could see there was a small magical glimmer from her glasses and wondered if they also helped her see and analyze 'mana' since that was typically only something those of Elven descendant were privy to.It was around this time that the combat began in earnest so Vahn decided not to bother Asfi by observing her so closely and instead turned his attention to the rest of the Expedition. Presently, the 2nd Party, commanded by Raul, was heading the vanguard so Vahn could see Mikoto putting on a display of her swordsmanship for one of the first times. She didn't break away from her spot in the formation, though her skill was based almost entirely on speed, but instead used her footwork to avoid monsters by a hair's breadth before cutting through them with such swiftness the path of her blade couldn't even be seen, by most people. This earned her some awed looks from Cruz and Alicia, the Weretiger and Elf that were in the 2nd Party, while Raul seemed outright gobsmacked.As Asfi was also watching the fight, she commented, "It seems everyone in the Hestia Familia isn't simple..." Vahn began laughing, surprising Asfi a little because he wasn't acting like the boy that could see through anything the previous night. He seemed almost 'lackadaisical' now, almost as if he was expecting something to happen but wasn't perturbed by it in the slightest. Catching her look, Vahn sent Asfi another wink before scratching the base of Fenrir's ears and saying, "Go show our new friend how amazing you are, and everyone else for that matter~." Fenrir had leaned into him while getting her ears stroked, rubbing her face against his side before nodding with an 'Nn' sound and disappearing from sight.Asfi's eyes widened the moment Fenrir disappeared because that was a technique Vahn was becoming famous for, which hadn't existed previously. If he was 'teaching' it to other people, and they were actually able to learn it, the Hestia Familia would quickly become an almost unstoppable force. When she heard a loud explosion, causing her head to snap towards the source, Asfi couldn't help but swallow dryly when she saw an entire section of the Dungeon had become frozen and she couldn't even see any sign of Fenrir at all. A second, and third, explosion sounded on the opposite side of the convoy and the entire surrounding area was quickly becoming a frozen wasteland as Fenrir's body 'blurred' beyond the perception of almost everyone present.Finn had been paying close attention to the vanguard and he almost gave the orders to form the defensive line when he heard the first explosion. Once he realized what was happening, however, Finn was just as awed as everyone else as he and Gareth watched Fenrir completely annihilate her enemies effortlessly. It was very obvious she was showing off, but the sheer power of her attacks and the almost 'impossible' speed she was displaying caused the entire convoy to slow to a crawl. After a few seconds, not minutes, the only place with monsters still alive was near the front of the convoy. Fenrir had also sealed off the other pathways in the Dungeon with massive blocks of ice so there was no chance of monster reinforcement unless they spawned from the walls, which would easily be dealt with unless it was a Monster Party...Though the entire Expedition was surprised by Fenrir's display, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Haruhime, Lefiya, and Mikoto all watched with excited expressions on their faces. They had just been talking about learning magic the previous night and now they got a display of 'real' magic for the first time, which even the physical combatants on their team were supposedly capable of using. Vahn had already told each of them their elemental affinities and they knew, as long as they trained hard, it wouldn't be impossible to put on a similar performance as Fenrir. The fact that she was hard to keep track of, even for Ais, Tiona, and Tione, made them giddy with expectation, especially Tiona, who had jumped up to the top of a cart and began cheering for Fenrir.While everyone was marveling at Fenrir's performance, Vahn sent a playful look at Asfi since she had been unable to prevent her mouth from gaping slightly. She immediately returned to her stoic appearance but there was an almost 'terrified' glimmer in her eye as she asked, "How did she become strong so quickly? What kind of...magic...is that?" Hearing Asfi's question, Vahn chuckled before smiling wider and asking, "Aren't those observations you should be making? It wouldn't be any fun if I gave you all the answers, right?" Seeing that Asfi was somewhat taken aback by his words, Vahn relaxed a little before saying, "I will tell you one thing, though...this is only the beginning." Towards the end of his words, Vahn took on a very resolute expression that made Asfi swallow dryly once again...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Black Auras In The Mix','Fenrir is Stronk (O,...,O)~!','Deep Impression')(A/N: I wonder if this chapter will feel very 'short' for some people since I've been typically writing 3-4k words xD. To put things in perspective, this is how long chapters are 'supposed' to be (UwU)~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Fenrir had only taken around forty seconds to kill several hundred monsters before 'blinking' to Vahn's side, landing in his lap with a happy smile on her face. Vahn immediately began playing with her ears as he said, "Great job, Fenrir...I really am so proud of you..." before giving her a kiss on the forehead. Fenrir, understanding what was about to happen, then hopped out of Vahn's lap and gave a cheeky smile to Asfi before fixing her attention to her Master. Asfi stared blankly for a few seconds before doing much the same, which seemed to be the trend since the vast majority of the Expedition was looking towards them right now.It was 'very' quiet amongst the members of the convoy and it only seemed to be getting quieter as the surrounding temperature continued to drop as a result of Fenrir's attacks. Vahn stood up with a smile on his face and changed the density of his aura to allow sound to transmit further as he said, "Sorry for any inconveniences my companion has caused, Finn...allow me to clean up." Though Fenrir wasn't in the wrong, especially since she was following his orders, Vahn needed to play his own part so he apologized to the Commander and waited for Finn to nod before taking action himself. At this point, all the enemies were dead and there were several large areas that had been completely frozen over as a result of Fenrir's display.In front of everyone's eyes, Vahn did something he had wanted to do for a very very long time and slowly began to float, stunning the crowd below as he levitated into the air. One of the unnamed magic he had put the most effort into was learning how to levitate using psychokinesis because Vahn truly wanted to be able to fly through the sky on his own. By changing the flow of air around his body, he would even be able to move at very high speeds and, once he learned [Koku Shundo], Vahn would be able to dominate the skies if he wanted to. Unfortunately, the ceiling was only around 40m high in this section of the Dungeon and it was almost entirely comprised of wood, meaning it was very dangerous to show off his Zhūquè form, at least for now. Instead, he did something that truly awed everyone and had even stunned Eva the first time he pulled it off...Since ritual spells and wards were the most powerful, meaning those that were formed as permanant constructs instead of simple magic circles, Vahn came up with the idea of creating a semi-permanant ward using his own elemental manipulation. With his ability to form nearly perfect images within his mind, Vahn pulled the reference for one of the wards he had created, causing a flaming magic circle to appear behind him, condensed of pure flame elemental energy. To everyone else, he looked like a stoic young man with a calm expression who floated about 20m above the convoy with an 8m magic circle hovering behind his body...Vahn smiled as nine small magic circles bordered the perimeter of his ward and began revolving around it at a slow speed, each one forming the ward for [Sagitta Magica], an elementary level spell that allowed people to create homing bolts of elemental energy. Since Vahn was using his own eternal flame as his foundation, the nine circles produced bolts of fire that began raining down on the frozen areas of the Dungeon without actually contacting anything. Instead, the beams swirled around and began melting all of the ice before doubling back towards Vahn, feeding into the magic circle behind his body, making the next volley even more powerful. The best part of all of this was, other than the source energy used to 'guide' the magic and maintain his 'flight', the entire spell cost him next to nothing since it was almost entirely comprised of external elemental energy.Everyone watched Vahn's 'performance', completely in awe without being able to mutter a single word. The only exceptions to this were those that prided themselves on their magic and the few girls that lived within the Hearth Manor. Those in the Mage squad had almost reverential looks on their faces because Vahn's magic was something they each aspired towards. As for the girls from the Hearth Manor, they were looking forward to being able to learn such magic for themselves, with the two most exuberant girls being Tiona and Lefiya. While everyone else was staring, almost slack-jawed in their appearance, Tiona was literally vaulting around and cheering, shouting, "That's so cool, Vahn! Teach me how to fly later~! Ahahahahahaha!"Seemingly requiring no effort to sustain his display, Vahn turned his attention away from his own magic and smiled to Tiona as he said, "If I'm not wrong, you should be able to fly if you use that wand I gave you. There was an aura around your body that was similar to Terra's when she uses flight magic..." Hearing Vahn's words, Tiona's eyes began burning with an excited light, though Vahn suspected it might just be the reflection of his magic circle. She pulled out the wand and surprised everyone when the magical light shone so suddenly in their midst. Once again, the bubble that distorted time emerged from Tiona's body and she began the process of transforming for Vahn's eyes only.When the magic light faded, Tiona once again struck a pose while standing atop the cart and shouted, "Magical girl, Tiona-chan has appeared~!" He wasn't sure why her address had changed from 'Mirakurun', but Vahn didn't really care since he preferred Tiona's real name. There was also the fact that she looked very cute in her current form, as mint-green hair strangely complimented brown skin when the rest of her outfit was very vibrant. He didn't get too much time to admire her, however, when Tiona 'vaulted' towards him happily and tackled him in the sky at a velocity easily exceeding the speed of sound if the shockwave was any indicator.Presently, there were two tiny angel-like wings around Tiona's lower back, not comprised of feathers but more of a 'bubbly' magical energy. They even looked almost cartoonish in design, though it didn't seem to interfere with their ability to allow Tiona flight. She was laughing happily before 'stealing' Vahn's lips without any care about the shocked crowd below. Suddenly, Tione jumped up on a cart of her own and shouted, "Hey, that isn't fair at all!" with a huge angry tick mark near her temples where the vein was bulging angrily. When Tiona finally released him, Vahn just chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I'll help you learn to fly once we reach the 39th Floor, Tione." Most people present felt something in their stomach sink when they heard how casually Vahn mentioned teaching such an incredible magic like 'flight'...Tione pumped her fist triumphantly and said, "Yosh, don't forget! And Tiona, get down here you gorilla girl! You're ruining Vahn's moment to show off!" Vahn nearly fell out of the sky when he heard Tione's words but had fortunately been supported by Tiona since she was still clinging to him. He gave her a wry smile as she laughed in a cheeky manner and let him regain his footing before flying off. She didn't, however, return to the ground and instead began flying around in circles above the convoy, clearly pleased by the ability to fly. As for Vahn, he was just shocked by how quickly Tiona adapted to it since she almost seemed like a 'natural' at manipulating mana, even though she had gone her entire life without it. Yes, she was able to naturally make use of Magic items in a similar manner, but Vahn hadn't expected it to apply to complex magic like flight. Even he could barely levitate, and that was after practicing it for several hours within the orb...Tiona's laughter caused the somewhat tense atmosphere to quickly mellow out as Finn shook his head in an exasperated manner before giving the order to move out once again. He had also realized Vahn was trying to show off and didn't mind letting him do so since they were still in the relatively safe 19th Floor. Seeing the young boy get embarrassed by Tiona made him want to laugh but he managed to hold it in until one of the girls next to him, a young Pallum by the name of Milli asked, "Finn-sama...is that really the Sage Aldrnari? I didn't expect him to be so...youthful?" One of the reasons Finn had 'recruited' Milli was because she was very mature for her age and was very receptive to his teachings. Seeing the 'incredulous' look on her face, Finn couldn't help but laugh as he 'mimicked' Vahn's action of petting a girls head and said, "He is rather young, after all~."After clearing out all the ice, Vahn descended next to Asfi and began pampering Fenrir a bit while the intelligent young woman just eyed him like he was an incomprehensible existence. Like most of the stronger people present, Asfi understood Vahn was showing off but she could tell there was far more to the display than what was gleaned from the surface. Though it could be her pride talking, Asfi felt like Vahn was trying to 'tease' her because of his words before taking action, even having Fenrir set the stage for him. It was almost like he was saying, 'We are all strong, and will continue to get stronger. Choose carefully which side you want to stand on..."Asfi knew Vahn was very protective of all the girls within the Hearth Manor and it felt like he was warning her to properly consider her actions. He didn't seem to mind the fact she was 'spying' on them, but Asfi could tell he would probably take immediate action if she actually endangered the people he cared about. Though the Hermes Familia wasn't at odds with the Hestia Familia, and likely never would be, it wasn't unheard of for their Familia to take advantage of their connections, sometimes causing conflict since they pandered to 'both' sides. They followed a principle of neutrality so she had been very surprised when Hermes originally agreed to join the Alliance, as it would make some of their missions become contentious by association with the Alliance...Seeing that Vahn's eyes had taken on that eerie blue color once again, Asfi found herself shuddering slightly as she muttered, "Believe me, Vahn...I-" Before Asfi was able to finish her words, Fenrir 'snapped' towards her, causing the words on her lips to be swallowed into the pit of her stomach as Fenrir said, "Fenrir advises you to choose your words carefully and only make promises you're willing to 'swear' by. If you say such words and 'betray' them later, that will not end well for you..." As she spoke, Fenrir's eyes glowed with a 'dreadful' red light that made Asfi avert her own and remain quiet. She was beginning to think this mission had been a mistake and wanted to beat Hermes for even having her approach such a 'difficult' target.Vahn hugged Fenrir tightly to his chest, pulling her eyes away from Asfi as he said, "Asfi, I'm certain you have your reasons for each action you take and I can tell you are a good person. If you need my help in the future, simply ask and I will do my best since we are already allies. However, don't expect me to make concessions and allow my loved ones to be exposed to danger just to suit the needs of others. If your god intends to exploit my Familia in the future, please advise him to reconsider as I'll not hesitate to 'force' a compromise if necessary..." Vahn had no semblance of a threat in his voice at all and it made Asfi feel even more unnerved because of how 'casual' he was speaking. It felt like he was saying something that was 'common sense', even though it could potentially lead to the abolishment of an entire Familia in the future...While still looking towards the front, Asfi slowly nodded her head and said, "I will tell him..." in a quiet monotone. She was beginning to understand what kind of person Vahn was and knew he wasn't really a danger unless the people he cared about were provoked. Because of his own strength, he probably wouldn't care at all if you tried to do anything to him but, from the moment you began to maneuver and exploit the people he cared about, you likely signed your own death warrant. This meant he could be a very powerful ally, especially if you could earn his friendship, but also implied that he was 'impossible' to exploit since he didn't seem to be the type to let such matters lay. Remembering that he said she could ask him for help, Asfi calmed down but kept silent, simply observing things without trying to seem invasive...Though the 2nd Party was still leading the vanguard, Tiona was also raining down magic from above so the progress of the Expedition was going smoothly. They weren't escorting a bunch of heavy carts this time around so they were able to reach the Great Falls on the 25th Floor after just six hours of travel. This was usually one of the most difficult parts of the entire journey but Vahn's detection, Fenrir's 'ice magic', and the relatively small amount of cargo made the trip go quickly. Fenrir shared Vahn's perception through their bond but it didn't actually matter that much since she simply froze over every lake they came across. What would have taken Riveria a large amount of mana to pull off, Fenrir was able to do just by being 'near' the water. Since many in the Expedition had seen Riveria perform similar feats, as they were also in the same Familia, they understood well that Fenrir was actually 'much' stronger than the woman they believed to be the most prodigious Mage in the City...The Main Party, led by Finn, actually didn't have much to do since Tiona and Lefiya were destroying all the aerial enemies while everything in the water was frozen solid by Fenrir. It was almost 'scary' how fast they were progressing and Finn felt like there was a deep chill in his body, not brought about by Fenrir's ice magic. The strength of the Hestia Familia was quickly beginning to open up a gap with every other Familia and Finn didn't have the confidence to be able to defeat Fenrir anymore. Though he could track her movements somewhat, she was far more agile than he had any confidence to cope with and he already knew her claws could even cut through Adamantine as if it were paper. It had only been a few months since the last time he saw her so the 'drastic' increase in her strength was absolutely terrifying since she would likely grow even stronger in the future...Looking around, Finn saw that Ais, Tione, Lefiya, Haruhime, and Mikoto didn't seem surprised, or even awed, by how strong Fenrir had become. This made Finn feel somewhat numb and he recalled Vahn promising to teach Tione how to fly later, meaning they would likely become much stronger as well. His position as Captain suddenly felt far less secure and he somewhat lamented the fact he had ever butted heads with Vahn in the past. Given how things were developing, the strength of the Hestia Familia would quickly exceed that of the Loki Familia and they would lose their Rank 1 spot very quickly. Though his own members would certainly become stronger, it wouldn't be a secret where they obtained such capabilities and Vahn would quickly become the focal point, not just of the City, but for the entire world when they saw what he can do...Watching Fenrir turn into a midnight blue blur and smash into a Crystal Turtle, causing its shell to collapse and instantly killing the monster, Finn suddenly felt his throat become very dry. He recalled that Vahn actually intended to open up a school in the future and, even though it didn't seem like such a big deal in the past, Finn realized that he probably intended to teach some of what he knew to the children there. His dull eyes began to glimmer until the vitality deep within had completely returned, causing him to look towards his three Pallum companions with his characteristically amicable smile. All three girls flushed and began to fidget when he smiled towards them, making Finn feel especially pleased as a thought crossed his mind.Finn remembered that Vahn was the one talking about nurturing the future and encouraging him to groom suitable women instead of trying to 'steal' them from others. Though he didn't put too much extra thought into it at the time, Finn was starting to believe that Vahn knew he would 'fail' in his own ambitions and had guided him onto a subtly different path that actually had a much greater result. He had always been focused on producing an heir for the Pallum people and now it seemed like an especially 'prudent' time to do so since he could likely have them educated at the school Vahn was building. Combined with his own training, Finn believed his children would certainly rise to the challenge and potentially even exceed his own capabilities, not in their later years, but in their formative ones...just imagining his children being stronger than him in their early teens made Finn nearly burst out laughing.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I believe I can fly~!','Vahn fails to show off again xD','Finn Begins Thinking About The Future')https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After Eva had finished replenishing her energy, Vahn also helped Terra recover while they talked about the 'egg' in greater detail. Eva was a little embarrassed and had even tried to apologize at first but Vahn just waved away her concerns since he would have given in if Terra asked him regardless. Now that he had more time to think about it, Vahn had noticed a few peculiarities in the egg, including the fact that there were small runes on each scale. Presently, the golden runes only covered part of the egg so Vahn was certain she would need 'more' energy. He deduced that it was already fertilized but would likely benefit from a greater concentration of energy so he tried channeling his source energy into it with [Hands of Nirvana] and [Yggdrasil's Blessing].Surprisingly, his source energy couldn't penetrate through the scales surrounding the egg and it instead caused the runes to glow a bit brighter as they 'resisted' the infusion. Vahn suspected he could overpower the barrier but decided against it since it since he didn't really want to 'experiment' using his own child. For some reason, it seemed like the egg only accepted the energy that had been converted by Terra's womb after it absorbed his semen. It probably had something to do with laws he had yet to understand so Vahn just decided to 'help' nourish the egg while Terra carried it in her womb. Fortunately, if it was necessary, Vahn was confident he could 'help' her indefinitely but had instead realized he could infuse more energy into his semen instead, causing Terra to pass out as a result but completing the runes on the egg after an hour-long session of love-making.Walking out from Terra's nest, Vahn wiped the sweat from his brow as the blushing Eva refused to make eye contact with him, instead, nursing the tea that had long cooled. She had concealed her presence, but Vahn knew that Eva had been 'watching' them the entire time based on her behavior. Vahn just walked over and picked her body up unceremoniously before sitting her in his lap, causing her to fluster a bit but offering no real complaints as she turned her body and straddled his hips. With a serious expression on her face, somewhat diminished by her blush, Eva said, " It's good that you were decisive on this matter, Vahn. I was worried that Terra might 'break' if she kept producing those infertile eggs..."Though it wasn't too bad at first, Terra had gotten to the point where it would take nearly an entire day for her to calm down after she produced an egg. She would even smash things after teleporting far away from their base, something Eva had witnessed by observing her through the void. When the time for Vahn's arrival was coming around, she had been the one to approach Terra and convince her to sleep with Vahn since Eva had been very worried for her. They had grown very close over the last eight years and Terra was almost like a big sister to her now, even though she was still respectful when they were researching and practicing magic together. Terra's presence alone brought her a lot of comfort and Eva hated seeing her crying and thrashing about in frustration all alone...Vahn held Eva close and ran his fingers through her long blond hair, so long that it actually went beyond the seat of the chair when they were sitting down. With a calm smile on his face, Vahn said, "I may not be the most capable father, but I believe all the women around me would make great mothers. I will always do my best to support them so, if Terra wanted a child, I don't have any problems with that whatsoever. You too, Eva, one day...after we get married..." Without waiting for her response, Vahn gave Eva a very light peck on the lips until the small vampire reciprocated his actions far more passionately.After separating, Eva looked very lovingly into Vahn's eyes and seemed to recall something as she placed her finger against his lips and said, "There is another kind of magic we haven't discussed yet. I already told Terra about it but she said it should be a 'secret' magic that I only shared with you and refused to learn it completely...you see, not only are there different classifications for Mages, but there is also a 'structure' that has existed for around a thousand years. Not everyone has the opportunity to learn magic at a young age, whilst others simply don't have the mental capacity to understand more complex magic. To make up for this, Ancient Mages created a form of magic referred to as [Pactio] or 'contract' magic. This allows what we call a Magister Magi to transfer and share magic power with other people, referred to as Minister Magi..."Seeing Vahn's surprise, Eva playfully traced her finger around his bottom lip before saying, "That isn't the only thing, either, as the [Pactio] actually grants all kinds of abilities to the Minister Magi. It allows them to increase their physical capabilities faster, grants them a magical barrier against physical attacks, and also bestows upon them a unique artifact that reflects their personality and capabilities. I've learned a lot about the 'reality' you come from, Vahn, so I believe this magic is the best suited to your situation. You can use it to enhance the capabilities of all your little girls..." At this point, Eva lifted her body to match gazes with Vahn before gently kissing his lips a few times.Once she was 'satisfied', Eva pulled away but continued to hold his face as she squinted her eyes and said, "The most useful function, which I'm sure you'll appreciate the most, is the fact that you can not only telepathically communicate with anyone you've performed a [Pactio] with, but you can even summon the girls to you through the link you establish. They can't teleport you to them, unless of course their artifact allows such things, but it will allow you to move around more freely without having to constantly have them follow along...ufufufu~." Eva also knew about the Dungeon in Vahn's world, to a great amount of detail, and she expected he would be better suited to the [Pactio] than any other magic she could teach him.Vahn was, admittedly, very ecstatic when he heard Eva's words and, combined with the fact she was currently teasing him, he felt 'triggered' to take action so he quickly snatched up the playful vampire and vanished towards their castle. Eva's laughter rang like a bell that caused Terra, who was still currently unconscious, to begin laughing as she muttered, "Eva...enjoy...ufufufu..." Afterward, Terra curled up into a fetal position using her own flexible wings to coil around her body, almost as if she were creating a caccoon to protect the presence in her abdomen. Though it wasn't nearly as strong as the connection she felt to her Master, Terra felt a powerful urge to protect the vibrant bundle of life...For the remainder of the three day period, Eva trained Vahn in the practical use of magic since he was able to form most spell circles and wards from memory. The only thing he really needed was a proper understanding of the phenomenon he created while improving his ability to cast spells quickly. Though he was able to 'download' the information from books, this didn't mean Vahn 'knew' what was inside and it didn't mean he had an intuitive understanding of the contents. He still needed to read and comprehend things, study, and practice if he wanted to be a capable Mage, especially since he also needed to filter his own energy through several magic circles just to use magic.During their downtime, Eva had Vahn spoil her a bit while also teaching him how to form the ward to create a pactio, as it had to be drawn on the ground using specialized chalk to function. It was very complex, but Vahn was easily able to replicate it since his Dexterity was inordinately high and his memory was nearly perfect. The important part was to simply practice creating the circle over and over since it required the entire thing to be structured within a period of fifteen seconds if he wanted to form a 'permanant' pactio. Eva had taught him in greater detail about the aspects related to a pactio, including the fact there were several different kinds and that there were actually 'restrictions' in place to prevent exploitation.Though a [Pactio] was neutral magic, it was also heavily regulated by the 'laws' of the world since it could bestow great power at almost no cost. Even Preasia could become very powerful just by having a [Pactio] with a powerful Mage, especially someone like Vahn who made use of source energy to fuel the bond. An example of one major restriction was the fact that 'age' was actually taken into consideration and could negatively impact the Magister Magi if they tried to 'force' someone into a [Pactio]. If the person was too young, the type of [Pactio] that would be formed was known as a 'Probationary Pactio' and it put heavy restrictions on the caster depending on the circumstances. This accounted for things like the emotional bond between the two involved during the [Pactio] as well as the difference in their ages respective to variables such as race, mental development, and even emotional stability.Typically, for a [Pactio] to be permanant, without any major restrictions, the people had to genuinely care about each other, not be related by blood, and, 'ideally', similar in age. Though there were 'exceptions', such as when two immortals formed a [Pactio], any Magister trying to form a [Pactio] with someone much younger with them would usually have restrictions placed on their actual soul. Such things included making it functionally 'impossible' to make a move on the other person unless they wished to experience a tremendous backlash. Though there were ways around this, trying to exploit it typically caused more harm than good so even 'evil' Mages followed the rules. After all, tempting troubled children was simply too easy in some circumstances so the 'laws' governing the [Pactio] protected them while punishing anyone that tried to exploit those younger than them...Inversely, however, there weren't any major restrictions for younger people trying to form [Pactio]s with older people, specifically with the younger person being the Magister. Since it was only possible for the 'stronger' of the two to initiate the [Pactio], this meant that a talented and young Magister could easily enter contracts with people much older than themselves, without any negative consequences for themselves or the Ministra. It was a bit of a loophole, but Mages that developed enough magical power to perform [Pactio]s with entities much older than them were typically very mature and thus the 'laws' were far more lenient.After drawing the ward for what felt like the ten-thousandth time, Vahn asked, "Eva, I'm guessing its impossible for you to form a [Pactio] with me...?" Eva had been dangling her feet at the side while she watched Vahn draw the ward, immediately answering, "Indeed, as I'm just a memory fragment and [Pactio]s link together two souls. You could ask Terra, but I think she would outright refuse and instead insist that you become stronger so she can become your Ministra...ufufufu~." If she could, Eva would willingly enter a [Pactio] to protect Vahn, even though part of her also wished he could become stronger and allow her to follow him instead. Unfortunately, as she often lamented, she wasn't 'real' and there were several restrictions in place that she already struggled to work around.Vahn nodded his head in understanding before bursting out laughing a few seconds later, drawing a curious gaze from Eva until he explained, "I imagine Fenrir would want to enter a [Pactio] as the Magister and then we could both call each other 'Master'..." Realizing what Vahn was saying, Eva also released a peal of bell-like laughter as she covered her mouth and said, "Indeed, it certainly seems like something that girl would do. She is simultaneously the most devoted to you but also of the mind that she wants to protect and care for you, even if she had to do so herself." Vahn had a large grin on his face for a moment until he realized something that could prove very useful in the future.As she was paying close attention to him, Eva tilted her head slightly and asked, "I recognize that look...what are you thinking right now, Vahn~?" Turning his eyes to Eva, Vahn explained, "I was wondering if it would actually be possible to form a [Pactio] with one of the goddesses. Their souls are far more powerful than normal and I imagine their Divine energy would have a similar effect as-" Eva began shaking her head before Vahn even finished, saying, "Remember, there are restrictions in the [Pactio] that make it far more difficult for such instances to occur. Even making a [Pactio] with my real self would require you to become very strong and our ages are far closer than the difference between you and one of your goddesses. Didn't you say that the youngest one was around 390 million years old?"Realizing Eva's words were true, Vahn released a small sigh but still intended to try it in the future since there was no way of knowing how such things worked in different records. Depending on the circumstances, [Pactio] itself may not even function since the 'laws' are fundamentally different. Fortunately, he would be able to emulate [Pactio] and get around such restrictions, but this wouldn't apply to the goddesses. It was likely that the only people able to use [Pactio] in the future would be himself, his subordinates, and his descendants. This was yet another thing that would set them apart from the rest of the world but Vahn didn't mind since they were already 'destroying' the established balance and increasing the future tier of the world itself. It was just another reason why he needed to become stronger and impose proper regulations to prevent things from getting out of hand, at least for a while...After his last training session came to an end, Vahn went to check up on Terra with Eva following close behind. Terra had been 'hibernating' ever since the runes had appeared on her egg, slowly pulling the natural elemental energy from the environment into her body. She wasn't in any danger at all and would likely wake up in a few months according to observational estimates. Since she didn't have to eat, Terra wasn't in any danger of starving and was simply 'defending' the egg in her womb while nourishing it further. Vahn speculated he could help speed up the process by setting out a variety of energy-rich materials but Eva had done one better by saying she would set up a giant spell formation to allow Terra to pull energy in from greater distances. She had plenty of time for such things so Vahn just left her with the requested materials before spending the rest of his time in the orb tending to the lovable little vampire princess.---Waking up in the real world, Vahn took a bit of time to collect himself as Fenrir looked up at him with concern in her scarlet eyes. He simply smiled in return, freeing his arm from Tione to stroke her head while inspecting the changes in his own Status. Though he had no current way to measure his 'magical power', which was fundamentally different than his Magic parameter, Vahn knew it existed and Sis told him there were functions in the system that should allow him to display it in the future. Even so, Vahn could tell that he was undergoing rapid changes and, though he had only been in the orb three times so far, he was quickly 'breaking' free from the restrictions of the Falna and becoming much stronger...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[Stats]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 15Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level: 4(+)-Power: 2746+(I28)-&gt;(G228)-Endurance: 3325+(I69)-&gt;(E407)-Dexterity: 2746+(I31)-&gt;(F355)-Agility: 2859+(I19)-&gt;(G212)-Magic: 6297+(G275)-&gt;(SSS1492)Total:17,974+(422)-&gt;(2694)Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)[Karma]: 9,561-&gt;13,418[OP]: 5,628,058-&gt;14,007,815[Valis]: 643,884,901-&gt;3,901,832,592Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:E], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth: B],[Bow Mastery:S], [Stealth:A], [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:A], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Metallurgy:B], [Fist Strike:A], [Friend of Spirits:A]Magic: [Thria*Mimos:B], [Shundo:B], [Cantus Bellax:B](new), [Mellodia Bellax:H], [Sagitta Magica:H](new), [Pactio:G](new)Development Skills: [Wound Transfer:S], [Well of Spirit:I-&gt;D], [Swordsman:A], [Master Smith:H], [Mixing:C], [Mentor:A], [Petting:A], [Mage:C-&gt;B][Mellodia Bellax]Rank: HUse: Advanced form of [Cantus Bellax] that greatly enhances Agility and perception.Chant: (-)[Pactio]Rank: G (Realm)Use: Allows the user to establish a contract, becoming a Magister, with a second party, becoming a Ministra, sharing energy to enhance the Ministra's parameters. This spell binds the second party to the first and compels them to protect the contractor, even at the cost of their own life.Chant: (-)Secondary Chant(activate): Activate the contract (-)! Attendant of (-), (-)!Tertiary Chant(summon): I summon forth, attendant(s) of (-), (-)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Vahn already knew that he had successfully learned [Pactio], as he had learned it immediately after forming the ward the first time, but it still brought a smile to his face seeing it. He had been worried about helping the girls grow stronger without having access to 'flame seeds' and this was the ideal solution. Though he needed to improve his use of the skill further, to avoid forming 'mistake' pactios, Vahn knew it wouldn't be long before each of the girls were able to become his Ministra. According to Eva, this would actually increase his own magic power further since the girls would be 'siphoning' his energy when they used their artifacts and fought for him. Though this would burden most Mages, Vahn shouldn't have too many problems since he had an Innate like [Will of the Emperor] to help him cope with any potential mental strain.With a large smile on his face, Vahn leaned forward and surprised Fenrir by giving her a short kiss that he himself hadn't really planned. Feeling her fidget around, Vahn stifled a chuckle before pulling away and saying, "Let's go, it's time for us to get ready. I'll be relying on you to protect as many people as possible, Fenrir...prove to everyone that you're not simply a 'monster', but an incredible girl that can protect her friends..." Fenrir's tail began to 'flop' around while the other girls began to stir awake very quickly, as it was nearly time for them to depart anyway. With a large grin on her face, Fenrir began to nuzzle against her Master's chest as she muttered, "Fenrir is the strongest now, so Fenrir will protect everyone..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Protec le Eggu','Move over [Promethus]~!','Fenrir is the strongest (O,...,O)~!')(A/N: Okay, I'm actually very tired by the end of this since I didn't get much sleep yesterday. I'll be pushing for four chapters tomorrow so look forward to it (UwU)~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 636: Display