Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn knew for certain that normal monsters and animals wouldn't be listed in the 'View Affection' function of the system and, even though he couldn't see the 'aura' of the Xenos, this at least allowed him to confirm that they weren't monsters. Monsters were simply mana constructs that had been created by the Dungeon and served no greater purpose than mindlessly attacking anything, other monsters being the one exception. The Xenos, however, should at least have the foundation for a soul and Vahn was tempted to confirm this by trying to make one into his subordinate or retainer. Since the system interface showed the Soul Tier of his 'units', Vahn would be able to confirm conclusively if the Xenos were entities possessing a soul. If this was true, and they didn't have a name, it meant their potential was functionally limitless through The Path...While thinking of the possibilities, the small Almiraj began licking the hand Vahn was using to scratch its chin, bringing a smile to his face as he picked it up in his arms and turned to the other Xenos, explaining, "I'm not sure what you have planned, but I'd like to open dialogue with the Xenos directly and talk about incorporating them into the Alliance. We've already been establishing the framework to allow the Xenos to exist on the surface but, without a few brave individuals that are willing to set the precedent, there is only so much we can do. If you can take me to your leaders, if you have anything like that, I'd like to begin negotiations with them..."The Almiraj that had been snuggling up in his arm, which had yet to speak a word before now, suddenly spoke out in a childish voice, "Can we really leave the Dungeon...? I want to see the sky..." Vahn wasn't entirely sure if the small Almiraj was a boy or a girl, but he returned a smile and scratched under its chin as he said, "I can't promise it will be easy, but I will never stop trying to make the world a better place for all sentient races to coexist. I also have the power to help the Xenos evolve further, giving them more humanoid appearances that will let them blend into society more easily. This cute little Vanargandr, Fenrir, and that adorable True Dragon, Fafnir, they used to be a Kobold and Wyvern in the past...now, they are my important companions who I would risk my life to protect."Fenrir thumped her chest with pride while Fafnir gave a happy smile in response to it's Master's praise. As for the Xenos, some of them had heard the rumors of Vahn giving 'power' to their kind and it was a very big impact for them to see the very human-like Fenrir and Fafnir. For many Xenos, power is the one thing they craved even more than the surface as it was only by obtaining a great deal of power that they would be free to go where they please. Unfortunately, even this wasn't enough in normal circumstances as, from the moment they left the Dungeon, they would start to lose energy after their connection with the Dungeon was severed.It would require an incredible amount of resources for them to exist on the surface and, with the hatred most Adventurers showed them, most Xenos had long given up truly leaving the Dungeon. This was why it meant a great deal, seeing existences like Fenrir and Fafnir, two 'Xenos' that had managed to evolve to the point that they were able to at least appear humanoid. Many Xenos set this as their goal and it was only by spending years training, fighting other monsters, and consuming a large number of monster cores that they were able to evolve further. Xude was a good example of this, being a Xenos who had managed to survive for a total of 13 years, which was 'very' long considering how fervent the people hunting them were.Suddenly, the purple-haired woman who had been clinging to her severed leg shouted out in a shrill and deranged manner, "Go ahead, listen to that liar all you want! Become his slaves and do his bidding for the rest of your lives like the beasts you are! Yo-." This time, instead of Fenrir hurling the small spike of ice towards the woman, Fafnir, opened one of its wings and sent a volley of black scales careening towards the crazed woman. Her eyes widened as nine different sized scales pinned her to the wall, including two that had pierced through the leg she clung to her chest. Vahn just shook his head slightly when he saw this and waved his hand, using a pulse of psychic energy to rattle her mind and instantly kill her. Though most people would be able to defend against such attacks in an active state, she was in no position to do so after losing a leg and being impaled through the body nine times...Before things became more chaotic, Vahn caused calming energy to spread through his domain, forcing the people laying on the ground to slowly fall asleep while he looked towards the Xenos and explained, "I hope you won't simply believe the words of one of the women who brutalized you and tried to make you into slaves..." To this, Xude shook its head and said, "We may not have the same level of intelligence as some of the surface-dwellers, but we're not fools. Even if you truly ended up trying to use us for your benefit, we Xenos would still follow you. It is no secret, everything you have done on the surface, and we believe you are not blackhearted like these cruel people..."Vahn smiled when he heard this but still clarified, "Though it isn't in the manner she made it out to be, there is a small amount of truth to her words. You see, in order for my abilities to take effect on a person's body, they would have to sincerely become my subordinates or retainers. For the Xenos, I'm even able to use a skill that will allow you to evolve in an instant, even though the time it takes between using the skill can vary greatly. Thus, if you truly desired power over normal freedom, the route forward would be at my side..." As he spoke, Vahn gently stroked the Almiraj in his arms, who had long since fallen asleep with a contented expression on its rabbit-like face.The Goblin-Xenos, being the smallest and weakest of the group, raised its hand slightly and had a hesitant look on its somewhat ugly face as it said, "I no want die...but, if get stronger, me follow..." Though most of its speech sounded indecipherable, Vahn was even able to interpret normal monster speech, making it relatively easy to understand the Goblin's words. It had a lot of reason to be worried about 'living', as it was one of the weakest of all monsters, so Vahn could understand why it sought power over freedom. In the past, he would have simply ignored the offer of a 'Goblin' from trying to join him, much like he almost refused Fenrir in the past, but a lot had changed since then...Passing over the sleeping Almiraj to Fafnir, Vahn reached out his hand and rubbed the somewhat oily scalp of the Goblin and said, "Even without my help, the desire to grow strong and the willingness to make your dreams a reality are all you need...if you truly wish for my help, I will offer it in exchange for your fealty. However, we'll worry about that later, as there are more pressing matters to attend to...okay...?" Vahn didn't like the feeling of petting a Goblin but this distaste actually bothered him more than the simple contact. Fortunately, the calm in his mind made such thoughts melt away and he managed a casual smile, eliciting a somewhat crooked one from the Goblin.Turning to Xude, Vahn asked, "Do you know the way back? How did you come to be captured by these people?" Xude didn't have any expression whatsoever, but Vahn felt a strangely amicable vibe coming off the War Shadow cum Xenos as it said, "The Xenos avoid this place since many of our enemies reside here. We do not know the layout of this place but, if we can return to the Dungeon, we will be able to show you the way. All Xenos have an instinct that allows us to find the safe areas of the Dungeon that are rarely visited by Adventurers..."Vahn nodded his head but, as his instincts hadn't really calmed down just yet, he asked, "You said your enemies use this place...is it just the Hunters like this group, or are there other enemies I need to be aware of...?" As he asked this question, Vahn noticed a 'shudder' run through the body of nearly every Xenos before Xude answered, "There have been many Xenos who have been kidnapped within the last two years...instead of being taken to the surface, they have been pulled deeper into the Dungeon. On occasion, those that were taken would come back...changed...far different than they were before they were taken away. Some of them have even tried to slander you, Vahn Mason, and our community has slowly been divided as a result of their efforts..."The Silverback-Xenos nodded 'her' head and added, "Xude speaks the truth. Many of our kin have been 'changed' into something horrible...some even becoming worse than the actual monsters within the Dungeon. When we refuse to go with them, they would often slaughter the weaker Xenos and it has taken a lot of effort for us to protect ourselves against them. The worst part is...those bastards have even brought the Hunters directly to our homes...!" By the time 'she' was done speaking, the Silverback-Xenos was trembling with indignation as many of 'her' fellow Xenos showed very similar reactions.Standing next to Xude, the second War Shadow Xenos placed its shadowy claw on the Silverback's shoulder in a comforting manner as it spoke in an eerily similar voice to Xude, "Jude, it is okay...let us believe in the Savior...perhaps the future of the Xenos will no longer be within the darkness any longer..." It was hard to imagine that a deathly whisper could be comforting, but Jude seemed to calm down, nodding towards the second War Shadow as she said, "Thank you, Mest...I am calm now..."Seeing the camaraderie between the Xenos, Vahn felt like they were actually more civil than some of the people on the surface. Even though they were drastically different in appearance, the Xenos seemed to genuinely care about each other in a way that most people only cared for their direct kin. Vahn felt like it was incredibly unfair that they were forced to live in the darkness of the Dungeon while greedy fools exploited and took advantage of each other on the surface. In the world that he envisioned, the Xenos would be able to take their rightful place alongside the other surface-dwellers, setting an example that Vahn wished others would be able to follow...With a confident expression and an expectant smile, Vahn looked around at the injured members of the criminal Familia and wondered if their god was nearby. He couldn't sense the powerful aura of a god within his domain but, with how massive this floor of Knossos was, this wasn't too surprising. There were so many overlapping corridors within his perception, many belonging to the Dungeon itself, and it would likely take him several days to even map a Floor this size. For the time being, he sent a mental command to Terra to see if her teleportation could penetrate through Knossos. He quickly got his answer as, only six seconds later, a vibrant spatial distortion appeared as Terra 'broke' through the void and emerged before them.She rolled her shoulders and flexed her wings, appearing as though the teleportation had been rather taxing on her body, before smiling radiantly and asking, "You called for me, Master~?" The Xenos were terrified by Terra's presence as, even though she wasn't trying to pressure them, her existence as a True Dragon that had exceeded the limitations of the Falna was enough to trigger the instincts of normal people, much less, the somewhat animalistic Xenos. If not for Vahn diverting the majority of her natural pressure, it wouldn't have been surprising if the Xenos fell to the ground and bowed before the monstrous existence that was Terra.As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Vahn extended his hand, causing Terra to giggle as she trotted over and enjoyed his petting. Unlike Alexa, Vahn didn't shy away from Terra's horns, stroking them casually before tracing his palm along the side of Terra's face as he said, "I'm afraid I will have to trouble you with taking these people to the surface. Have the Freya Familia hand them over to the Eirene Familia for processing. I'll entrust the matter to Eirene but let her know I want a full report if there is anything important her investigation uncovers. I may be away for a few days longer, so let the girls know for me...will you?"Terra's wings were fluttering happily but she still put on a 'pouting' expression as she teased, "Ara, I made so much effort to come down here and you're sending me away so quickly~? Muuuu, Master is a big bully tonight...I got all excited for nothing~." To this, Vahn laughed in a lighthearted manner before shocking the gathered Xenos by tightly embracing Terra and giving her a very long and passionate kiss. At the same time, Vahn stroked her body with his hands, sending a large amount of source energy into her since she had surprisingly used up nearly half of her reserves for the teleportation. With this being the case, it took him more than fifteen minutes to top her off completely, during which time she had completely surrounded him with her wings...Vahn knew that Terra was trying to give them a small amount of 'privacy', but she also seemed to be enjoying the spectators or, more specifically, the reaction from Fenrir. When they finally parted, she released a sensual laugh and sent a wink towards the frowning Vanargandr before waving her hand and pulling the unconscious criminals over. She let them land pretty heavily near her feet before an emerald green formation began to spread from her feet until it had extended a full ten meters. After licking her lips one last time, Terra lightly pushed against her Master's chest and moved him outside of her teleportation ward as Vahn maintained a casual smile on his face. Before she left, Terra giggled once again and said, "Please hurry back, Master...I'm not the only one who will be waiting for your return~."With those parting words, the ward beneath Terra's feet glowed vibrantly before everyone within its boundaries vanished from sight. The gathered Xenos was still shocked to the core after everything they had witnessed, causing Vahn to chuckle lightly. This drew their attention to him, just in time to watch Vahn raise his hand and witness him consolidating an incredible amount of Flame Elemental energy. However, even as it shifted from red and became a bluish white, the ball of flames didn't emit any heat at all, kept at bay by the thin membrane of pure source energy that gave it a slight rainbow hue. This was similar to Alexa's technique and he wasn't afraid to admit he had been inspired by her in its creation. When it was finished, Vahn sent the sphere of flames forward at speeds much faster than most eyes could follow, causing it to crash into a far wall...The moment the sphere touched the wall, instead of exploding into a massive ball of fire, it instead shrunk down until it had nearly become a point. At the same time, the protective membrane expanded outward for around twenty meters and, very similar to Alexa's technique, everything within this protective membrane was completely incinerated. It wasn't simply turned into hot slag and broken down but literally turned to ash in an instant as the small 'point' of flame continued to radiate a phenomenal heat. By the time it had burned out, there was absolutely nothing remaining within the sphere of source energy as it 'popped' like a bubble.With the dispersion of the bubble, the temperature in the room skyrocketed several tens of degrees, even heating up the iron cages closest to the attack until they had turned red hot. As for Vahn, Fenrir, Fafnir, and the Xenos, they were completely unaffected. Vahn had created a small barrier using his domain and kept the heat at bay as he turned towards the slack-jawed group of Xenos, smiling as he asked, "Shall we go~?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Power for Allegiance!','Vahn is an equal-opportunity petting fiend','Look at this Chuuni, showing off...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Upon entering into the Dungeon proper, Vahn speculated they were somewhere on the 17th Floor since the walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of a dark bedrock. The space was cramped together, with several large boulders littered about while, in the distance, holes could be seen that led both deeper into the Dungeon and towards higher Floors. Since there was also very little light, it was easy to guess their approximate location and his suspicions were practically confirmed when a Lygerfang, monsters that only appeared between the 15th and 17th Floors, jumped out to attack. Unfortunately for it, the monster wasn't even able to complete its jump before several black 'spears' emerged from the walls and skewered it in an instant.The Kobold-Xenos that had been the original target of the Lygerfang plopped to the ground and was shaking a great deal as Fafnir extends its hand out, saying, "It's okay, I won't let anyone get hurt~!" Here within the low-light of the Dungeon, Fafnir was even stronger than it was on the surface. Every surface was its domain and, if you were in an enclosed space like their current location, you had better possess some form of defensive or speed Innate if you wanted to survive even a few minutes against its assault.Accepting the offered hand, the Kobold shakily rose to its feet and stammered, "T-Thank you..." in a sheepish voice. Fafnir smiled with a very innocent expression on its face and, likely emulating Vahn, reached out and began to stroke the Kobold's head as it said, "There, there, everything will be okay..." Vahn saw this and felt a small amount of pride well up inside of his chest as, even though Fafnir certainly wasn't his child, seeing his rather childish looking subordinate comfort others made his paternal instincts flutter about.Piggybacking off Fafnir's words, Vahn turned to Xude and said, "I'll entrust you to lead the way. Leave the fighting to Fafnir and Fenrir and take your time moving forward...there is no rush." As if to emphasize that things were under control, Fafnir sunk into the ground and the primal whine of several monsters being slaughtered resonated through the cavern. Vahn set up a thin membrane to block out higher frequency sounds while also activating his [Stealth] to try and hide their presence a little. Though it wouldn't affect the Xenos, Vahn suspected that the Dungeon actually harbored them willingly instead of trying to kill them like it did Adventurers. This was another one of the things he wanted to investigate in the future, as it didn't seem like the Dungeon was wholly devoted to purging Adventurers and spewing monsters out onto the surface...Xude nodded its head and gestured towards one of the passages, muttering, "It shouldn't take that long to reach the nearest settlement...let's move carefully..." Jude and Mest nodded their heads and quickly fell into step while the smaller of the two Almiraj, the one Vahn had pet previously, sleepily moved over to his side and gripped the pantleg of Vahn's trousers. Since it looked like nothing more than a large rabbit with two small horns on its head, Vahn found it to be adorable so he didn't mind picking it up and carrying it along. He also noticed that its Affection had already increased to 81 and it would very likely be his first 'retainer' if he could change its perception towards him into exultation or reverence.Surprisingly, though he had tasked her with fighting off monsters as well, Fenrir used her [Cinder*Ella] to turn into an Almiraj with midnight blue fur as she jumped onto his shoulder before climbing into his arms. Vahn laughed boisterously, surprising the Xenos as he cradled the two adorable 'rabbits' in his arms and said, "It seems I'm pretty popular~." in a lighthearted manner. Fenrir just nuzzled into his chest, lacking the horns on her head of a normal Almiraj, not minding the fact that she was being a little selfish and unnecessarily jealous. Vahn didn't mind either and just held the two tiny creatures, even though Fenrir still retained the weight of her default form...After traveling for around twenty minutes, Xude led the group to what appeared to be a dead end but Vahn could already see the tell-tale signs that it was a hidden entrance. As expected, Xude tapped around for a bit before the hard bedrock began to warp and deform, creating a passage that linked to another section of the Dungeon. Xude turned its head back, training the glowing red core at the center of its head on Vahn as it said, "I trust you, Vahn Mason...please, do not betray our people..." To this, Vahn just returned a casual smile and nodded, not bothering to repeat himself over and over since he genuinely had no desire to harm any Xenos that wasn't trying to proactively harm people he cared about.Xude gave a nod of its own before leading the way into the 'safe' passageway that was much smaller than the normal corridors of the Dungeon. It continued downward, even leading to several sets of stairs that the group had to descend before the layout of the corridors completely changed. Instead of bedrock, the walls were now made of wood that was covered in a bioluminescent moss, showing that they had transitioned onto the 19th Floor and entered the Large Tree Labyrinth. Vahn's wasn't surprised that the Xenos would reside in the area that had the largest amount of natural resources and provided the most cover for concealing their movements.Though there were several pathways within the Large Tree Labyrinth, much of the Floor itself was very open and the path forward were on elevated platforms that towered above the forests below. There were several massive tree-like structures that were similar to the roots of the massive tree on the 18th Floor but had branches of their own. It was easily one of the most scenic regions in the entire Dungeon and there were even several species of 'animals' present, not just monsters. With the addition of several types of flora, fauna, and fruit-bearing trees, it was almost like a paradise. Of course, to reside within this seemingly peaceful place, you needed to be strong enough to avoid the dangers that were constantly lurking in the shadows of the underbrush...As Xude led the way forward into an open area that revealed a verdant forest, a swarm of Gun Libellula immediately tried to assault them. The projectile spines they shot from their abdomen made loud popping sounds like gunpowder exploding but it ended up being more flair than effective. Vahn's barrier, which had been erected to inhibit external noise, immediately condensed into a more solidified form that caused the lethal spines to ricochet away powerlessly. At the same time, instead of metallic black spears erupting from the shadows, 'beams' of Darkness Elemental energy emerged from a deep black pool where Fanfir's head could be seen poking out.The beams of black energy cut through the Gun Libellua swarm and left incomplete bodies behind that continued to be devoured by the ambient energy. Eventually, their bodies broke down completely or were dispersed into purple-black dust that left behind monster cores and drop items. At this point, the Silverback-Xenos, Jude, remarked, "Your companions are very powerful..." There was an almost reverential tone to 'her' voice and Vahn could see Jude ball her hands into fists as a resolute light emerged in her sky-blue eyes. Silverbacks were always creatures that sought power and, even though she was an intelligent Xenos, this desire to grow stronger had never faded from her mind...Seeing this, Vahn had a thoughtful look on his face and knew it shouldn't be difficult to get the majority of Xenos to follow him. Though they would end up as his retainers, Vahn knew this would be for the best since he was the only one in the entire world that would allow their potential to increase while also paving the way for their future on the surface. He could help them evolve and, in the future, ensure that they were an accepted part of society that people happily lived alongside. There were even thoughts cycling through his mind about making Xenos a 'guardian' species that could be paired with trustworthy people on the surface...the possibilities were functionally infinite as long as he didn't give up searching for a means by which they could live happily...To prevent the harassment of the various insect-type monsters that were prevalent on these Floors, Vahn gradually lowered the temperature within his domain until it was below freezing while keeping the 'core' a very temperate warmth. This would be enough to dissuade most monsters and, as a result of allowing his 'pressure' to permeate through the region, Vahn could detect many monsters simply fleeing from their location. The Xenos in his company were completely unaware of this, however, so they kept moving forward with caution. Though they were confused about the frost building up on some of the plant life, they didn't ask any questions about it since they were slowly acclimating to the 'abnormal' existence that was Vahn Mason...It took another half-hour, but they reached the other end of the forest before Xude pointed to the base of a tree that had what looked like a foxhole going deeper into the ground. Since the hole was easily large enough for a group of people to walk through, it stood out like a sore thumb once it had been pointed out. Even Jude, standing nearly 3m tall, ducked down into the hole and followed behind Xude and Mest without any hesitation. Vahn, still carrying the (Nameless) Almiraj and Fenrir, slid in behind them while the other Xenos and Fafnir trailed after him.This time, the passageway looked like a series of roots that had been woven together before being forcibly split to make a tunnel. It was a very interesting sight and, though it was somewhat hard to walk on the roots, Vahn managed to bypass the inconvenience by lifting himself, the two Goblin-Xenos, and the remaining Almiraj-Xenos with his telekinesis. Since the War-Shadow Xenos were able to easily move across the uneven surface, and were also leading the way, Vahn let them remain on the ground. As for Jude, the Silverback-Xenos, she didn't seem to have any trouble navigating the terrain, even though she had to slouch slightly to avoid some of the areas where the 'ceiling' was quite low.Eventually, the root-formed corridor came to an end, opening into a place Vahn hadn't expected to see within the Dungeon. There were several pools of mineral rich green water that appeared to be hot springs naturally formed between intertwining roots. Beautiful crystals dotted the rather open landscape and, in some of the pools, what Vahn correctly assumed to be Xenos could be seen enjoying the hot water. Though some of them bolted the moment their group exited one of several holes in the ceiling, there were a few amongst the bathing Xenos that remained behind.Amongst the group that remained, there were two of the most human-like Xenos Vahn had laid eyes on thus far. The first, being the more humanoid of the two, had golden-brown feathers on her wing-like arms while also possessing a wind-swept hairstyle that was comprised of healthy brown hair and accented with what Vahn assumed were her own feathers. She had striking golden eyes and, perhaps the result of her bathing, two rather voluptuous breasts exposed for the whole world to see. It was easy to deduce she was a Harpy but her fair skin and unnatural beauty set her apart from any 'monster' Vahn had seen before. Though she still had scales that started from her thighs and continued down until ending in some rather scary looking talons, all of the 'womanly bits' were present, including a fleshy butt that was visible through the tail feathers barely concealing its presence...Next to the Harpy-Xenos, likely her close friend and companion, there was what appeared to be a rather cute looking girl. If you looked closely, however, it was easy to see that she had compound eyes like an insect and, instead of two, there were a total of five. The three dots on her forehead also served as eyes because Vahn could 'sense' her looking towards him with measured caution. Her hair was somewhat boyish and short, comprised of pure white locks that framed her rather delicate looking face. The rest of her body appeared to be that of a young woman, at least above the waist, but Vahn could see a shadow beneath the water that was currently concealed. His eyes were able to make out several segmented legs which allowed him to deduce that she was most certainly the very rare species known as an Arachne.Vahn was somewhat curious in how her body was structured by kept his eyes focused on the mature Harpy-Xenos who was standing 'proudly' without concealing any part of her body. Her fierce and confident expression gave her a unique appeal but, when she opened her mouth, Vahn nearly burst out laughing when one of the most adorable and cutesy voices he ever heard emerged from her rosy red lips. She almost sounded like a young Cat Person, with a very high voice, as she asked very pointedly, "Xude? Why have you brought a human here...?" Since it wasn't uncommon for Xenos to not see each other for several weeks at a time, it was hard to know when any of their members had been captured by Hunters. Given the fact that none of the Xenos around Vahn had any injuries, it was easy to mistake that they had simply brought him along after encountering him in the Dungeon.Xude took in a wispy breath, causing Vahn's brows to perk up since he hadn't even noticed the shadowy Xenos breathing this entire time. When it spoke, Xude's tone was filled with respect as it said, "Terror...this is Vahn Mason...He saved us from Hunters and healed our wounds...Kiel and Soda died when we were captured..." As Xude spoke, Terror's expression changed several times, transitioning from surprise, happiness, shock, and then sadness, all over the course of a few seconds. Vahn had never seen someone's expression change so quickly, nor did he expect such a mature woman to have such a cute voice, all while being named 'Terror'...if not for the fact Xude had just mentioned losing two of their companions, Vahn wasn't sure he could stop himself from at least releasing a light chuckle...(A/N: Some people may be confused about the 'Guardian' thing, as it could be misconstrued as making Xenos into Guardians that 'served' and 'protected' people. What Vahn has in mind would be more of a mutual relationship where the Xenos and their partner would pledge to protect and support each other. If society could get to the point where being paired with a Xenos was the 'norm', they would essentially be able to live alongside people regardless of their appearance. Even if they became 'true' Guardians like what Vahn's children have, being immortal isn't exactly a bad deal...?)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Casual stroll...','Vahn's domain is very versatile (UwU)','Moe-Gap Harpy and Bashful Arachne have appeared...!','We're getting to some advanced levels of fetish here...(o____o)')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After spending the better part of twenty hours searching through the first five floors of Knossos, detailing all the areas where it connected to the main Dungeon, Vahn decided to take a break. He pulled out a single-person chair with super thick cushions and plopped down onto it before letting Fenrir curl up in his lap. Fafnir also popped out of his shadow and sat on the armrest so Vahn could pet the both of them while going over the map of Knossos within his mind. There were so many corridors and, much like how the Dungeon itself was structured, Knossos expanded greatly the deeper you went.He already knew his investigation would take several days but Vahn felt like he would rather be back at the Manor with his children, rather than sitting in these stagnant corridors with their low lighting. Still, he didn't let it weigh that heavily on his mind and only spent about an hour resting before ruffling Fafnir's onyx-black hair and saying, "It's time to continue. We don't want to keep the people that might be kept against their will waiting..." Since they had already liberated nearly three hundred people on just the first day, Vahn suspected there would be even more secrets as he went even deeper.Fafnir releasing a small yawn, as it currently had the appearance of a very young androgynous version of Vahn, before rolling off the armrest and 'plopping' into the shadows below. Its mastery over [Shadow Walk] had increased greatly and Fafnir could easily move through even a pinhole-sized shadow if it wanted to enter into the strange dimension that existed beneath reality. It was a terrifyingly useful ability as, with a few exceptions, Fafnir was able to move about without any real obstacles.With Fenrir hopping out of his lap, Vahn stowed away the comfortable chair and stretched his body a little before continuing onwards. He didn't actually require rest, especially with his other body able to recuperate mental energy for both of them, but Vahn wasn't beyond getting a little bored at times. Just like the girls needed to 'recharge' with him, Vahn felt like he needed to at least relax and recharge his own reserves on occasion. Still, he was starting to consider mapping Knossos from the bottom floor up at this point since it would potentially save him a lot of time and effort.Thinking this might be the best way to proceed, Vahn made his way towards a long shaft that connected to all five floors he had explored thus far. There were chains that were linked to a very complex mechanism at the top of the shaft and continued down into the 'abyss' below. Vahn also noticed there were a few ladders located all around the edges of the shaft but, after making up his mind, bypassed all of it by just jumping down. He didn't fall at a normal pace, however, and instead guided his fall with telekinesis as he inspected the structure of the 30m diameter cylindrical shaft.It didn't take a genius to realize the shaft was obviously a very complex elevator that should have been beyond the technological limitations of the record. However, if the person was a demigod with an Innate related to engineering and construction like Daedelus, it wasn't beyond expectations to see such a thing. After all, Babel Tower actually had far more complex mechanisms running through it, even though it hadn't been constructed by people and had instead been created in Heaven. Daedelus had likely drawn inspiration from the structure of Babel Tower itself when he was creating this elevator and, given how aged and ancient everything seemed, it was obvious that this elevator shaft had been a core component of Knossos since the very beginning. Even so, everything was still in working order and it didn't seem like it would break down any time soon, showcasing just how brilliant Daedelus had to be to construct such a timeless masterpiece.After descending nearly two kilometers, Vahn set foot on a massive disc-shaped platform that was filled with numerous crates of supplies, ores, and tools. He had already sensed several nearby auras and activated his [Eyes of Truth] to get a better look at the situation. Almost instantly, Vahn felt the tensions in his body increase slightly and he was compelled to release a small sigh through his nose. Fenrir's hackles had already been raised as well and, feeling a strange 'calm' seize his entire body, Vahn lifted his hand and brought the constituent particles of mana within the wall under his control. He then jerked his hand back, rending a gaping hole in the wall that revealed an area with several dozen people herding monsters into cages. This wouldn't have bothered Vahn that much but the fact that the 'monsters' were crying out and begging for mercy made their true identity very apparent...By the time the people in the room had reacted to the wall being completely removed, Fenrir had already darted forward like a midnight blue bolt of electricity and began cutting off the arms and legs of the cruel men and women that were present. Fafnir also pulled some of them partially into its shadow dimension and left them screaming for mercy as the shadows continued to encroach upon their bodies. Vahn knew how 'terrifying' the feeling of being swallowed by shadows could be but he didn't mind their cries since it was very obvious they hadn't cared about the 'people' they were harming.Vahn watched as a man came running out from a side corridor with another group of thugs in tow and began ordering them to try and get the situation under control. He had shaggy black hair and a pair of strange goggles covering his eyes while waving what looked like a shortsword around in a very haphazard manner. His voice was harsh and abrasive when he saw Fenrir, pointing his sword towards her and yelling, "Isn't this the little bitch Xenos that belongs to that arrogant asshole, Va-" Unable to finish his words, the man took evasive action to dodge the spear of ice that would have pinned him to the wall. His speed was actually quite fast but, before he was able to make a second movement, Fenrir was right underneath him with her scarlet eyes blazing.Though it was impossible to make out his eyes, the gaping mouth and the incredulity of the man's expression showed he hadn't expected things to turn out like this. He tried to swipe forward at a downward angle to cut into Fenrir's flesh but she was much faster than he was, twisting her body and cutting off both of his legs before catching his wrist and continuing her spin as she threw his body into the wall. Spiderweb cracks emerged outward from the central impact point and the man, who was now completely upside down as blood streaked from his mouth. This time Fenrir, very successfully, skewered him with a spear of ice before snorting through her nose and saying, "You aren't allowed to talk about Master..."Since he was in his Baihu form, Vahn had heard Fenrir's retort and it brought a small smile to his face even as he crushed the larynx of a man who tried to stab one of the Xenos with a spear. Then, tilted his head to the side slightly, Vahn evaded a black bolt fired from a crossbow and caught it out of the air before returning it back to the sender. There was a small Pallum woman with a scar extending from her nose to the left side of her face. She had a completely black aura and a fierce glint in her eyes, at least until she showed an expression of abject shock as she looked down at the hole that now ran completely through where her heart used to be.Vahn watched her slump to the ground before tossing the corpse in his hand to the side and using [Shundo] to capture a bald man with a beastial tattoo on his face. He had been part of the group that arrived with the goggles-wearing man and, after seeing the latter get devastated by Fenrir, this bald thug quickly tried to turn tail and flee. Vahn sensed that he was one of the stronger people within the group so he cut off the man's retreat, deflected the curved ax that drew a lethal arc towards his neck, and then pulled out a nondescript black spear and impaling the man through the pelvic bone.He released a guttural sound like a pig being slaughtered before spewing a great deal of saliva as he yelled, "You motherfucker! You bitch! You-" Vahn had moved outside of the range of his spittle and was preparing to incapacitate the next person when he saw the bald man get impaled by a series of ice spikes from behind. Fenrir was a few dozen meters away with deeply furrowed brows, causing Vahn to shake his head slightly and ignore the large bald man. He wasn't dead, but the cold temperature would likely rob him of his life relatively soon if they weren't removed. Though Ice might not appear to be as scary as Fire from the start, this was only because most people never saw how quickly frostbite could set in, turning skin necrotic and gangrenous in mere seconds...After a few short minutes of absolute chaos, most of the people that had been mistreating the Xenos captives were either horribly maimed or dead. Some had been smart enough to lay down their arms and curl up in a submissive gesture, but this only prevented greater suffering as Fafnir still skewered their legs to prevent them from trying to run during the chaos. Now, there were more than a dozen people with missing limbs that were laying about on the ground, begging for mercy or trying to crawl away to safety. Vahn even saw a rather buxom woman with purple hair hugging her severed leg with a pale expression of disbelief on her face.Vahn didn't consider himself a cruel person but seeing the state of some of the imprisoned Xenos made it very difficult to care about the wellbeing of the people that had wronged them. He stopped the bleeding of those that were on the brink of death but made no effort to help reattach their severed limbs, at least for the time being. They would be imprisoned back on the surface and, after being interrogated thoroughly, their fates would be decided by the laws of the Alliance. Many would likely end up as criminal slaves while the majority would undoubtedly be executed for their crimes...Though they had been shocked and scared during the raid, most of the Xenos had become quiet as the combat had started to come to an end. They were very aware of the energy that had coursed through their bodies and healed their wounds and realized that Vahn, Fenrir, and Fafnir weren't there to hurt them. By the time everything had come to an end, all of the Xenos had been completely healed while their captors were left sobbing, crippled, or dead on the ground. Though there were more than a dozen left alive, the number killed was more than triple that, all because of the efforts of the three people standing in the center of the chaos...Turning to get a proper look at all the captured Xenos, Vahn saw that the majority looked like normal monsters except that the color of their eyes was slightly different. Of the eight present, there was a Kobold, two Goblins, two Almiraj, a Silverback, and two War Shadows. Amongst them, only one had slightly more humanoid characteristics, even though it was somewhat hard to discern. Vahn was interested in all of them but this War Shadow, who had a muscular body and looked almost like a shadowy human, was easily the most eye-catching. He didn't know what determined if a Xenos obtained humanoid traits but figured their intelligence had a good chance of being tied to their appearance.Extending out his hand, Vahn noticed many of the smaller Xenos twitch in fear but he simply smiled and said, "My name is Vahn Mason...I'm not going to hurt you...please, stay calm and I will free you from your cages soon..." As he was speaking, Vahn moved his hand left and right in a soothing motion that caused petting energy to mix with his calming energy from [Hands of Nirvana]. This 'invasive' energy spooked some of the Xenos but they quickly began to relax as the energy spread through their bodies. Vahn noticed it was especially effective on the Kobold and two Almiraj, something he made a mental note of for future reference.Though it could cause a small riot, Vahn had Fafnir destroy the locks on the cages and released all of the Xenos from their bindings, turning to the more masculine War Shadow and asking, "Do you have a name...?" This caused the War Shadow, who didn't really have a face and mouth to speak from, to respond back with a wispy voice that seemed to emanate from the glowing red orb in its head, "My name is...Xude...I have heard of you...Vahn Mason..." Though it was very strange to hear the whisper-like voice, Vahn still returned a smile and jokingly mused, "I hope it was good things..."This caused Xude, the other War Shadow, and the Silverback to laugh along with his 'joke' before Xude's core glowed and it said, "It is rumored amongst the Xenos that you are the Savior that will liberate us from the Dungeon...I never thought I would meet you in person..." Towards the end of 'his' statement, Xude bowed low and, apparently having influence in the group, most of the other Xenos bowed as well. Though he would have felt awkward in the past, the current Vahn was relatively calm as this happened and simply raised his hand, plainly stating, "I appreciate your gratitude, but please do not bow..."As if this was something 'unacceptable', the Silverback that towered over the rest of the group had a 'solemn' look on its face as, very surprisingly, the voice of a woman sounded out, "You have saved us from a fate worse than a second death...please, allow us to at least do this much." With the completion of 'her' words, the Silverback lowered her head even further, causing Vahn to shake his head and 'ignore' them. Instead, he turned his attention to the only Xenos that wasn't bowing, one of the Almiraj who just sat at the side with red eyes staring directly at him. Vahn felt it had a strange similarity to Bell and followed his urge to squat down and pat the small Xenos' head.Though the atmosphere became a little strange when the bowing Xenos saw Vahn 'ignore' them, he decided not to care since he had already told them not to mind it. How they expressed their gratitude was up to them and he would rather get the formalities out of the way than have them behave this way. This ended up leading to an interesting discovery as well, so Vahn couldn't help smiling as the small Almiraj released a childish giggle and seemed to become very happy...----------------------------------------------------------------------//(Nameless)'s Affection +19, Intrigue +25//[(Nameless)]: Affection: 69(Trust), Intrigue: 75(Curious)----------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: For those confused, Vahn had never actually confirmed if he could get affection/intrigue from Xenos before now. Before this point, he had always subordinated the monster/xenos beforehand, making this a very important discovery which will be extrapolated upon next chapter (UwU)...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Recharging Fluff Capacitors...','Fenrir doesn't tolerate insults to her Master...','Fine, keep bowing then...*proceeds to pet the bunny*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 818: Leads