Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After leaving behind Artemis and her Familia, Vahn found a large room with hard stone floors that would be suitable for having a large bath. Though the walls and ceiling had cracks running through them, the foundation was strong and it wasn't in any danger of collapsing. Even so, Vahn set down a comfortable sofa for the confused Rethusa and set about using Earth Elemental manipulation to repair the structural damage. He was only doing some temporary fixes, as anything more comprehensive would take far more than the hour they had, but it still made the room look presentable.Once his impromptu repairs were done, Vahn inspected the floor to ensure it was thick enough before cutting a large 5x5m square hole in the ground that was around 55cm deep. He levitated the excess stone slab and began cutting it into tiles that would surround the perimeter of the bath before rounding off the edges. With his skills as a [Master Smith], combined with his ability to manipulate the earth with reasonable ease, the entire process took just over ten minutes. When he was finished, Vahn created a few wards to regulate the temperature of the water, before purchasing mineral rich onsen water directly from the system shop before crushing a large number of magic cores into fine dust and letting it spread through the liquid medium. He wanted the girls to not only feel relaxed in the bath but refreshed and revitalized as well...they had been through a lot and small comforts went a long way towards promoting happiness...When he was finished, Vahn turned to the quietly observing Rethusa, smiling as he said, "The bath is ready...let me know if I need to adjust the temperature any." These words startled the somewhat absentminded woman but she was more surprised by the fact that Vahn set up a partition and pulled out a large basin for his own bath. He began filling it with water, fully aware of the fact that she was watching him as he removed his clothing and submerged himself into the very hot water. A contented sigh escaped from his laps before he quietly remarked, "Worrying about the past serves no purpose, Rethusa...none of your Familia lays blame on you, including Artemis herself. They'll all be happier when you set this aside and, once again, become the reliable Captain they all know and love...when you finally want to start moving forward, they'll all be there waiting for you..."Though he knew his words were a bit underhanded, given the circumstances, Vahn would rather she become the 'confident' and decisive person she had been in the past. He could easily have pressured her into become dependent on him but, similar to what he had told the girls outside, the direction their lives took lay on their own decisions. This world was already very chaotic and, by the time he linked the records, Vahn knew things would be even more problematic to deal with. Though he would never abandon those who followed him in earnest, he couldn't invest his time and energy towards taking care of people who were unable to function without him.There was no way of knowing what the future would hold and, without being independent and strong, any girl that held affections towards him would be forced aside by the sheer complexity of his life. After all, everyone had limitless potential and, as strange a thought as it may be, Vahn knew he could essentially pick up any random orphan off the street and raise them to be incredibly powerful. If they desired it, he could change their appearance, race, gender, and even alter their very preferences. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was the happy life he already enjoyed, the family he loved dearly, and the simple awareness that people needed to be free to make decisions about their own lives. He couldn't live their lives for them...just as he sincerely dreaded the thought of anyone trying to live 'for' him...A few minutes passed in silence with nothing but the subtle sound of system notifications within Vahn's mind. He was aware of the fact that Rethusa's Affection had slowly been increasing as time passed and, even without him doing much of anything, it had just crested over 90(Trust). Around the same time, he could hear steps on the cold stone, followed by clothes falling to the ground as Rethusa crossed the partition with a flushed face. She had removed her tunic and was now using it as a makeshift towel to cover the front of her body as she muttered, "I want to wash your back...I failed the last task Artemis-sama gave me...I won't fail a second time...!"Hearing this, Vahn lightly nodded his head before leaning forward in the basin that was easily large enough for two people. He kept his eyes closed and slouched slightly as Rethusa slowly climbed into the bath behind him. When she tried to adjust her position to sit down, her foot came into contact with his back, causing her to splash a bit of water in surprise. Seeing that he didn't react, Rethusa began to calm down as she picked up the nearby soap and sponge. For a brief moment, she was surprised by the quality of the soap and its texture but quickly set other thoughts aside as she began scrubbing his back in earnest.Vahn was rather accustomed to having his back washed by others but he enjoyed the fresh sensation and awkwardness of a girl's first time doing so. It was obvious Rethusa had helped to wash others before but, having almost no association with men at all, every action she took had a great deal of hesitation and delicacy. Even so, she managed to get through the process in just a few minutes before cupping hands of hot water to help remove the suds. The entire time, there was very little direct contact between them, even though Rethusa's feet had inched forward slightly while she was scrubbing.Once she had removed all the suds, Vahn nodded his head slightly and said, "Thank you, Rethusa, it was a very refreshing experience..." Even until the end, Vahn had kept his calm demeanor and remained seated with his eyes closed. Rethusa had peeked around to look at his face a few times and he was aware that, while there had been very little, most of the time she had touched him was intentional. By the end of the backwashing session, her Affection had increased to 92(Love?) and Vahn felt things might become troublesome if he kept silent.Before Rethusa could say something along the lines of wanting to wash his front, Vahn startled her by saying, "You know it as well, don't you...Artemis had suffered a lot from this incident...?" In response to this question, Rethusa remained silent but Vahn could feel that she had nodded her head. Even so, he allowed the silence to persist for a short while before saying, "If we rounded up, Artemis has lived for nearly 450 million years...it's an incomprehensibly long period of time...in all those years, however, it was the loss of her children in the mortal world...something that should have been inconsequential to a goddess in the flow of time...that made the biggest impact on her heart. Even the love she feels for me, though I will likely never understand the sheer magnitude of her feelings...I'm certain she would have traded it away if it would have been able to protect all of you..."Artemis, even though she had quirks of her own, was a very sensible and responsible woman who genuinely desired family, even if she hadn't been fully aware of it. Unlike the first time she had descended, where she observed her Familia from a distance, Artemis had genuinely lived with her 'children' this time around. It was because of this close association that she even started to comprehend things like love, meaning she had experienced more change in the last sixty years than almost the entire preceding years combined...watching these precious children of her's die, by her own power no less, had been a very tragic happening...In the silence following his words, Rethusa ended up resting her forehead against his back, trembling as the sound of tears rolled down her cheeks and fell into the water below. Vahn knew that she had also experienced great suffering from this outcome but knew she was strong enough to overcome it with a little guidance. A small smile spread across his lips as he stated in a sincere tone, "What you have experienced...it is something that would break most people. However, so long as you remember why you fought so hard in the first place...why it hurt so much to fail...you will recover...you will grow even stronger...and, so long as you continue fighting for those you care about, you will never have truly failed them..."At this point, though she wasn't hugging him, Rethusa had both of her fists resting on his back as she used him to support her shaking body. Vahn felt a very strong urge to turn around and embrace her tightly in his arms, bringing comfort to help drive away the pain and the fear...but he didn't. Instead, confident that Rethusa would be able to forge a path forward for all of the girls, Vahn stated, "We will all return to Eden together...Artemis, everyone...the world is full of pain and sadness, Rethusa, and I want to make it a better place for everyone, regardless of race and status. In order to do that, to right the wrongs in the world, I need people that understand the suffering of others...will you help me? Can you use the strength I know you possess to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again...?"Vahn remained calm within the bath but, deep within the 50th Floor of the Dungeon, he squeezed his fists together with enough force to draw beads of blood. It simply felt wrong to be leading someone that was experiencing emotional turmoil onto a path he had decided. Since he had the power to help her, it was very difficult to continue with this 'charade' he had created...but, even though this was the case, Vahn pressed forward. He knew that he had always been trying to live in a way to help others but, in order to create true happiness for a larger number of people, Vahn knew he needed to teach people to help themselves more. If the only way people could become strong in this world was by being closely associated with him, then he would become the linchpin of reality...the moment he 'broke', everything would be lost...For several minutes, Rethusa continued to cry, each of her tears weighing heavily on Vahn's heart and disturbing the ocean within his mind. He hated seeing girls cry and, knowing he could have stopped them, Vahn felt like he had wronged Rethusa for his own selfish reasons. It wasn't until she finally sniffled, asking, "Can I...become stronger...?" that the tensions in his body released. Then, without any hesitation whatsoever, Vahn firmly stated, "You may not believe me now, but I can promise you...so long as you desire strength and continue forward with a firm conviction...it is even possible to exceed the level of the gods themselves. There are no limits to the growth of those who have the convictions to face against limits themselves...and shatter them completely..."These words caused Rethusa to remain silent for a short while, her aura undergoing a somewhat worrying change before she said, "I'll do it, Vahn...I will follow you...I will become strong enough to protect everything I care about...!" As sincere and determined as these words sounded, Vahn remained silent and solemn, waiting for what Rethusa would say next. She had already moved her head away from his body and he could hear her moving around in the water as she said, "But...if the path you talk about is truly possible...I know I wouldn't be able to walk it if I have regrets. I swear, no matter what it takes, I will become even stronger than the gods someday...but, for just this one moment...can I just be a woman that you love...just a little...?"Vahn turned his head, finding Rethusa propping herself against the basin with her back arched slightly, a visible plea present in her gaze. There were still visible signs of the tears that had stained her face, causing Vahn's heart to twist in his chest. He reached his hand out, caressing the small of her back before bringing his palm to rest on her rather plump butt, saying sincerely, "If you are determined to walk this path, I will give you more than just a little of my love, Rethusa...I may not be able to give you everything you undoubtedly deserve, but I won't back down when it comes to making you feel wanted...never doubt yourself..."As he had been speaking, Vahn used his now SSS-Rank [Hands of Nirvana] to send threads of energy into Rethusa's body, causing her to tremble as she tightly held the side of the basin. When she heard his words, Rethusa looked over her shoulder while biting her lower lip, tears building in her eyes once again as she said, "I want it...I'm sorry for Artemis-sama and the other girls, but I can't help it...I've never felt this way before...please, Vahn..." In a display that caused Vahn's brain to buzz like a gong that had been rung, Rethusa reached between the gap of her thighs and spread herself open for Vahn to see...Vahn didn't know how much of her actions were the result of his [Allure] and [Temptation] but, as there were no signs of external influence like he would see in the charm of a god, Vahn didn't hesitate any longer. His body was already more than prepared and Rethusa's entrance looked hot, filled with a slightly murky liquid that was most certainly not from the bath. He continued to massage her butt with his hand, targetting all of the nerve clusters and muscle groups that would make things much easier on Rethusa, before placing his glans near her entrance. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and, thinking it would improve things from her perspective, Vahn admitted, "You know...I've always had a thing for red-haired women...especially when they are strong and independent..."Though he hadn't entered into her yet, Vahn felt the entrance of Rethusa clamp up slightly before she moved her own hips back, just a little. She had turned to face him, almost as if trying to discern the truth from his expression before a small smile appeared on her face, followed by a very subtle chortle. In time, this turned into a restrained giggle before, a few seconds later, Rethusa had started laughing in a lighthearted manner. This was a bit unexpected but Vahn didn't lose his patience, even though he did send a little jolt into one of her sensitive spots. Rethusa's laughter was replaced but a rather throaty moan before she nearly slipped while trying to cover her mouth. Fortunately, she was able to catch herself rather quickly, a very visible blush on her face as she looked back once again and said, "I want it..."This time, Vahn returned an appreciative smile toward Rethusa before moving his hips forward in a steady advance. Her legs locked up a little and she tried to raise her hips but Vahn kept her firmly rooted in place as his dragon once again wandered into unclaimed lands. A barrier tried to stop its progress but, as if ascending to the heavens from the mortal world, the dragon continued forward until it found the sacred temple of life located within. Here, so long as special care was taken, it was possible to forge a new life and, very familiar with these procedures, the dragon began knocking at the gates in a steady rhythm with powerful energy emanating from its proud form. Then, very subtly, the dragon began to gain a slightly pink hue that caused the sacred temple to tremble as if affected by a world-devouring earthquake...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I blame Loki and Freya...','Rethusa takes the lead...Rufina will not be pleased','Heavenly Dragon of Love...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though the tryst between Vahn and Rethusa hadn't taken up the full hour, Vahn had made a slight oversight, forgetting the 'recovery' time. As a result of helping Rethusa return to a state where she could walk without support, they ended up being a few minutes late to the celebration. Based on how everyone was looking at them, it was very obvious their antics hadn't gone unnoticed and, considering he didn't do much for soundproofing the stone corridors, there was a chance some sounds had echoed. This realization caused Rethusa to turn scarlet red as she was 'whisked' away by some of the other girls for details while Vahn was seated between Artemis and Lante for the celebration.During the celebration, Vahn wasn't free from pestering and, as if all the words he had spoken earlier no longer had any relevance, the girls weren't shy about approaching him anymore. It seemed that, while he was away with Rethusa, the girls had done more than just prepare the feast. Artemis, who Vahn learned now had Divinities related to the Moon, Family, Wilderness, and Love, had talked things over in greater detail with her Familia. She talked about the world they wanted to create and how amazing the City of Orario had become under the influence of the Alliance. As a result, she wanted the Artemis Familia to support the Alliance as its 'arrow', going to places outside of the City where Vahn's influence couldn't reach so easily.With her newfound Divinities, Artemis no longer had any thoughts about restricting her children from finding people to fall in love with. As for how they should act around Vahn, she gave them her support but also emphasized the fact that they shouldn't unfairly harbor expectations towards him. She understood there was a fair chance Vahn would show his favor to the majority of them if they expressed an interest and worked hard to support his dream but, in order to protect the family he had already built, she asked that everyone show propriety and understanding once they arrived in the City. What she neglected to do, however, was reign them in during the celebration and things quickly began to spiral out of control...Though he had already taken a bath earlier, Vahn was dragged away by the veritable horde of girls and they all squeezed together in the relatively large bath he had made. For many of the girls, this was somewhat curiously their first time seeing a naked man. As a result, Vahn became an even bigger point of interest than before and he nearly had flashbacks about being in a lab back on Earth. Artemis, instead of helping him out directly, knew he wasn't wholly against the idea and, having only seen Vahn naked during a rather precarious situation, she also showed more than a little curiosity. What followed the bath was an event Vahn would never be able to speak about in public, even though he also felt a small amount of pride after the fact...Before his tryst with Rethusa had even started, she had already become his subordinate and, with how curious the girls were about the 'benefits' involved, Vahn had her help with a demonstration. This had not only surprised Rethusa and the girls but Vahn as well, being that he received a barrage of subordinate requests from nearly the entire Familia. Being their benefactor, and the only man many of them had ever been close to, Vahn's image had already firmly rooted itself in the hearts and minds of nearly every Artemis Familia member.After their discussion with Artemis, they were already determined to follow him so, knowing there were such 'premium' benefits to have, none of the girls had problems become official subordinates. As a result, Vahn had to spend the better part of two hours helping 'customize' the girls. The only exception to this was Lante, who actually had a much greater affection for Artemis and ended up becoming his retainer instead. She was also 'very' satisfied with her current body and was the only girl that didn't have any real requests for his 'modify'.Once the modification party was done, a very strange 'phenomenon' occurred where Vahn ended up surrounded by nearly naked women who were observing the changes in each other's bodies. His presence was certainly not ignored by them, but they didn't seem to treat him as if he were a wolf among sheep, as would be the occasion if almost any other man had been amongst them. Instead, it was almost as if he were a delicate lamb surrounded by carnivorous women and, once they smelled blood, it was already too late for him to escape.When morning came, even though it was nearly 11 AM by then, Vahn felt like a true Sage as he sat amongst sixteen naked women with the rather adorable Kaeko seated in his embrace, completely passed out by still instinctually licking his shoulder. Though they weren't as prominent as the other marks he had, Vahn now how three new bite scars on his body, belonging to the Cat Persons, Kaeko, Kaia, and, the Leopard Person, Kisara. He wasn't surprised when they had bitten him and, after a momentary inner conflict, decided to let the bites remain unless any of the girls back at the Manor complained...Almost as if she knew everything was over, and Vahn was very aware that this was likely the case, Artemis poked her head into the tent, a smile on her face as she looked around at her 'defeated' Familia. This time, Vahn didn't restrain his sigh, resulting in Artemis giggling as she asked, "Do you regret it, Vahn...?" Even though she knew the answer, Artemis felt like teasing him a bit since her own Divinity had caused her to feel fluttery throughout the night. She had stayed with Lante, Rethusa, Shadie, and the only underaged member of her Familia, Lana. Lante wanted her first time to be when Artemis had her first while Rethusa stepped back out of consideration for the other girls. As for Shadie, she wasn't in the right state of mind for such activities and even had trouble speaking, much less doing something so 'extreme'. She ended up being looked after by Lana, the rather adorable girl from the Ursa tribe...Vahn still had a Sagely look on his face as he gently separated himself from Naeko and let her lay against the large futon shared by the other girls. She released a 'mnyaaa~' when he plopped out of her, causing Artemis to giggle lightly before saying, "Lunch will be ready soon..." Vahn nodded his head, watching as she disappeared from the tent flap before looking around at the havoc his pride had wrought. By the time the first girl had managed to break through his defenses, it was already too late for him to back down and retreat. As a result, Vahn went all out for the first time since he had been rather heavily outnumbered. In the end, his worries about their numbers had been completely unnecessary and only the Amazonesses had proved 'troublesome', though only for a few minutes longer...After making sure Naeko was properly covered, Vahn used an area of effect 'cleaning magic' to absorb all the sweat and blood present within the room so the girls could sleep comfortably. They had exerted themselves quite a bit and, after experiencing his [Hands of Nirvana], made even more effective by the fact they had all experienced 'Nirvana Rebirth', it would be a while before they were ready to move. For the time being, he just decided to join Artemis and the other four girls for lunch and enjoy a nice 'cooldown'. The look Lana had given him was rather penetrating but Vahn still managed to enjoy the meal and make some polite conversation...---While Vahn had been involved in one of the longest conquests of his life, losing out only to his first time with Fenrir, he had also been rather busy back on the 50th Floor of the Dungeon. There were feelings of guilt involved but, after explaining how the events had been resolved, Vahn went to seek Rufina and Shakti. He ended up earning a rather heavy slap from Rufina when he brought up the subject, not being she was offended by the prospect, but because he had admitted to being actively engaged in intercourse back on the Dark Continent. Even so, after 'forcing' him to coax her a bit, Vahn ended up another precarious situation. Not only did he have to contend with the two mature women, but Tina had been very aware of what was going on and he had actually missed her birthday during the time his main body had been in a deep meditative state...Vahn managed to convince Tina to wait until they returned to the surface, promising to take her with him the moment Terra established the teleportation ward. To convince her, he promised to take her to a 'secret' location with just the two of them, even though he didn't currently have any ideas in mind. After that, he ended up in a room with Rufina, Shakti, and, though she hadn't been part of the original plan, Haruhime. She had become very close with the two over the last few months and was there to 'coach' them and provide moral support. Vahn didn't think it was necessary but Rufina and Shakti surprisingly agreed to it rather quickly, almost as if they had been planning this day in advance...Almost as soon as the soundproofing was activated within the room, Rufina suddenly stammered, "There is s-s-something you need to know, Vahn...!" Turning to face the suddenly beet-red Rufina, Vahn smiled slightly and said, "Please, tell me..." In response to this, Shakti and Rufina held hands with each other, both seemingly very nervous as the latter closed her eyes tightly and shouted, "I think I like women more than men...okay!?" As this wasn't really new to him, Vahn's expression didn't change much, at least until Shakti also blushed slightly and said, "I also...it may be because Ganesha-sama was always pestering me, but I've always had my defenses up against men..."With a small nod, Vahn's smile grew slightly as he said, "Yes, I have been aware of your mutual attraction to each other...for a while...?" This remark caused both girls to turn scarlet as Haruhime began giggling from the side, clearly amused by the little 'play' that was occurring. Rufina balled her free hand into a fist, clenching her teeth in as she embarrassedly said, "Fuck, you should have just joined us then and there...you you...you idiot...nnnuuhuuu!" In what a manner that made Vahn's heart flutter, he watched as Rufina stamped her feet in frustration, almost as if she were blaming him for the feelings she and Shakti shared.As if to clear up a misunderstanding, Shakti took in a deep breath and admitted, "That time...we did that to intentionally try and get you to take action...we never intended for things to develop like this..." This comment by Shakti explained a great deal and Vahn was suddenly hit by a wave of clarity as to why Rufina had been so frustrated after that day. Essentially, by 'refusing' to join them on that day, the two had awakened something within themselves and Rufina, at the very least, blamed him for what had happened. This gave him a slight urge to laugh, especially since he knew their feelings for him weren't fake...essentially, they had become bisexual as a result of his indecisiveness on that fateful day...At this moment, Haruhime raised her hand and suddenly added, "Because they were worried about what to do, I have been helping to 'teach' Rufina and Shakti how to properly deal with men. Make sure to praise them lots and lots so they know they are doing a good job, okay, Vahn~?" As a result of developing a physical relationship with each other, and enjoying intimacy they hadn't quite planned, Rufina and Shakti had lost confidence in themselves. Rufina, especially, thought that Vahn simply didn't like her and it had hurt her pride a great deal, similar to how Asfi had felt on the day he purchased the Hermes Familia. Vahn realized he had a strange influence on the self-worth some women felt, especially if they were the smart, intelligent, and prideful types...After giving Haruhime a small nod, Vahn turned his eyes to the two girls, noticing their interlocked hands were shaking slightly. With as much sincerity as he could manage, Vahn smiled widely before saying, "Shakti, Rufina...you are both beautiful and amazing women. Since you have given me your love, allow me to make up for my mistake on that day...though I will not change how you feel about each other, I will endeavor to make sure you don't regret choosing me as your lover...!" As he spoke, Vahn had moved forward, hugging the waists of both girls and pulling them into his embrace...Rufina's expression had turned a little complex and Vahn could see the moisture building up in her eyes as she mumbled, "You better...dummy..." As for Shakti, her expression had turned rather calm as she lightly mused, "Ganesha-sama will never shut up once he hears about this...haaa..." Then, wrapping her arm to embrace Vahn in return, Shakti suddenly whispered into his ear, "I want a baby..." This time, Vahn was a little surprised but, after remembering Shakti was already thirty-eight-years-old, it was perfectly understandable. Most women began having children in their early twenties, especially if they were humans like Shakti. The reason why Ganesha had always been pressuring her to find a man is that he was genuinely worried that she wouldn't be able to have children in the future if she didn't hurry...Without any real hesitation, Vahn surprised Shakti with a short kiss before smiling and saying, "Sure...though you may have to move into the Hearth Manor...well, we can worry about that kind of thing later." Since it looked like she was about to bite him, Vahn leaned over and gave Rufina as kiss as well, this one a bit longer than what he had given Shakti. At the same time, he moved his hand to her rather plump butt, something he had always been curious about, and gave it a firm squeeze. This elicited a slight moan from Rufina who promptly grabbed Vahn's wrist with her iron-like grip, an ultimately futile action since his hand had already found its target...As awkward as it was to 'push down' two women at once, Vahn had accumulated a great deal of experience with such situations and quickly managed to wrangle the two girls onto the bed. He used his rather 'unfair' hands to lead them along and had been making steady progress when Haruhime suddenly appeared next to him, something Vahn had noted long before she actually arrived. She had a slightly mischevious smile on her face as she hugged Shakti from behind and said, "I will keep Shakti company and explain what is going on...ufufu, please treat Rufina well, Master, she had been a very patient woman..." Being one of the 'support' girls during the times he was with a large number of women, Haruhime was a little too talented at dealing with women and had even gotten compliments from Aki and Loki in the past...Though he nodded in agreement, as Shakti herself didn't seem against it, Vahn made his left-hand glow with a rainbow hue as he reached out his index finger and, very gently, 'poked' the area above Shakti's womb. Her body began to tremble and she was forced to bring her thighs together, slumping over with shaky eyes as she asked, "W-What is this...its too much...!?" Vahn simply smiled in response, winking towards Shakti as he said, "You can't see it, but I created a small ward on the inside of your womb while also sending some of my energy into your body. Since you weren't ovulating, I decided to 'help' out while giving you something memorable so you don't feel lonely..."Right now, there was a gently pulsing 'seed' of source energy that was causing all of the pleasure receptors in Shakti's body to simulate an almost perpetual climax. At the same time, the ward was actually an unnamed spell that existed within Eva's notes, one that she had researched herself to try and 'force ovulation'...when Vahn had seen it, he promised to make her dream come true when he arrived in her record...Shakti was left trembling, her own hand digging in between her thighs as Haruhime hugged her body from behind and served as her emotional anchor. Rufina had witnessed this and currently had her own legs closed, though this resistance didn't last long as Vahn turned his rather dangerous hands on her next. Though she had a rather high tolerance, it didn't take long at all for Rufina's body to get completely warmed up. Then, amidst a flurry of rather eager kisses from the beautiful red-head, Vahn claimed her virginity for himself. Though she hadn't been a virgin when they met, it was one of the 'modifications' Rufina had asked for, as she had no memory of the time she had lost it and wanted to experience giving it to the person she loved...In this manner, Vahn cycled between the two girls and made sure to pamper them plentily for all the time they had lost. At some point, dragged into the 'fun' by Rufina, Haruhime also ended up getting directly involved. Since Vahn was extremely adept at dealing with three girls at once, they reached a rather interesting equilibrium which, so long as he didn't overuse his [Hands of Nirvana], could probably go on indefinitely. Unfortunately, he had a tendency to get carried away and, during the moment when he intentionally impregnated Shaki, the balance was broken when she ended up passing out. After that, Vahn had to hold himself back a bit since the sight of Rufina almost 'begging' for leniency had been rather impactful.It was fortunate that Haruhime was very adept at dealing with Vahn, or things may have gotten even more out of hand. When everything was said and done, Vahn took a moment to reflect on his actions and knew he needed to show more restraint in the future...though he didn't truly possess a Divinity related to Sex, Vahn knew that his 'prowess' had risen a great deal after his melding with Freya. If he wasn't more careful, the chances of him accidentally 'breaking' someone in the future would continue to increase...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn reached the Zenith of Nirvana...', 'Shakti says, "Gimme, gimme..." ', 'Vahn is becoming a dangerous existence...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

It took a short while, but Vahn was able to slowly understand how his Karma had increased so much. Though it could simply be the result of using the [Fate Severing Knife], granting the Karma of the target unto himself, Vahn felt it was directly related to the fact that he had prevented Artemis' destruction. Not only was she a goddess with an incredibly long lifespan, but the fact that he prevented her Arcanum from 'literally' destroying the world likely factored in a great deal. If Antares hadn't been defeated, it would have quickly assimilated all other monsters, animals, and surface dwellers into itself. With an unrestrained Arcanum, it could very easily overwhelm the Mortal World, forcing the gods back to Heaven until they came up with a solution...In essence, Vahn had saved the entire world and, as a result, he knew things would only get more hectic in the future. Karma was already a heavy influence in his life before and now he had a level of Karma that should only be accessible by the gods themselves. Until he left the record, he had no reliable means of reducing his Karma, other than the absolutely horrid thought of allowing one of his children to die and failing an [Origin of Heroes] quest. If he managed to earn the 'Eternal Love' of a goddess near his own Karmic value, it wasn't impossible to 'reset' his Karma, though he would never, ever, in a million years, do such a terrible thing...Vahn just hoped his Karma itself didn't compel Fate to make things more difficult...Though he didn't externally sigh, Artemis' eyes practically snapped towards him, clear concern on her face as she stopped talking with her Familia and asked, "Is everything okay, Vahn? Is there anything I can do to help...?" Then, as if a dam holding back a mighty river had been breached, several members of the Artemis Familia also expressed their intentions to help him. Vahn found himself sandwiched between two rather buxom members of the Familia as Artemis herself came before him, grasping his hands out of concern. This brought a slightly wry smile to his face as he explained, "Well, I was just thinking about the future and how best to guarantee everyone can be happy. Though I already have some expectation...will your Familia return to Eden, or will you stay here and continue to help the people of the Dark Continent...?"This question was immediately answered, though not by Artemis, as Lante's body sat up with a start as she exclaimed, "There is no way we're not going to follow you! This is fate, I just know it!" Lante had been pretending to sleep for a while, enjoying the 'feel' of her new body while listening in on the conversations with her sharp ears. As a girl who had thought it to be 'fate' when her hand brushed against a man's, the fact that Vahn had not only revived them, but gave her the chance to become one with her goddess was a veritable mountain of 'fate' crashing down on her whimsical brain.Almost immediately following Lante's outburst, many of the other girls expressed that they wanted to follow him as well, appealing to Artemis in the process. This made Vahn feel a little helpless but, as he had already expected such a situation, his expression just softened slightly. As a result, several of the girls that were focusing on him blushed while Artemis, without showing any signs of due consideration, stated, "Of course we will follow Vahn. The Artemis Familia will become part of the Alliance so that we can make a better world for everyone...!" With these words, the entire Artemis Familia released a celebratory cheer before an impromptu group hug was initiated with Vahn at the center. He didn't mind this so much, if not for the 'curious' hands that found their way to his butt, stomach, and inner thighs...Artemis made an effort to get her Familia under control but, the moment Vahn was 'liberated', she made a point of plopping down into his lap with a serious expression on her face, saying, "I know everyone is heavily impacted by this event...but we must take into consideration Vahn's situation as well. Not only has he married goddesses, but Vahn is already involved with several women, many of whom have already had children. In the future, I will no longer prevent you from seeking out someone to love...I understand now that it is a very important and precious thing. However, as capable as Vahn might be, it would be unfair to him, and his family, if everyone here thought their only path towards happiness was through loving Vahn..."Though there were a few things he'd have liked to add, Vahn remained relatively silent while Artemis was speaking. His [Allure] and [Temptation] weren't things he needed to activate for them to have an effect, especially with the positive impression of almost every girl present. He knew, as 'scary' as it may seem, just a few tempting words would be all it took for things to develop in a very...intimate way. This was especially true for those who were staying closer to him, their auras gravitating towards his position with tinges of pink and red. The only exceptions to this were Rethusa and the rather unfortunate Amazoness, Shadie, who was watching the proceedings with a bit of confusion as two other Amazonesses, Vera and Kinoa, supported her.She didn't have all of the information about Vahn's lifestyle at the Manor, but Artemis went on to recount everything she had learned from Hestia and Hephaestus. Though some of the things she said bordered on the unbelievable, most of the girls didn't seem too surprised by these revelations. After all, those who hadn't been unconscious after their procedures had seen the state of their other Familia members. From their perspective, the friends and allies they had for several years had all died, themselves not being an exception. Vahn, however, had not only completely healed their bodies, but also brought them 'back to life'. He had even given Lante what appeared to be another body of their goddess, Artemis, though there were some very noticeable changes...with these facts being their first introduction to Vahn, none of the girls were genuinely surprised by anything Artemis revealed to them...By the time Artemis finished her explanation, Lante once again was the first to speak out, raising her hand as she exclaimed, "Question!" Artemis, seeing 'herself' raise her hand, returned a gentle smile as she asked, "Yes, what is it, Lante...?" This caused Lante to point towards Vahn, currently acting as a seat cushion for Artemis, asking, "What is your relationship with Vahn-sama? Also, won't you tell us how you feel about this situation? You know, I really believe it was fate that brought us all together and I reeeeeally feel like I would regret it for the rest of my life if I gave up on these feelings...!" Instead of being deterred by anything Artemis had explained earlier, Lante was even more convinced that Vahn was essentially her knight in shining armor...Being pulled into the conversation, Vahn put on a thoughtful expression while Artemis answered, "I love Vahn...more than I ever thought possible. It is just as you said in the past, Lante...love has the power to change people and, with the love he and I share...I..." As she spoke, Artemis' face became slightly flushed and she began to wriggle around in Vahn's laps, causing his brows to rise slightly as he hugged her waist, explaining to Lante and the other girls, "My intentions are more in line with Artemis' on this matter. You are all beautiful girls and, though I will not deny having an attraction towards you, my situation is only getting increasingly more complicated as time passes. I want all of you to be able to live happy lives and, though you may feel a lot of affection towards me at this moment, you should be more considerate of the future...it may be difficult to believe, but I am a person who has obtained immortality and, if you worked hard enough, I could help you become immortal as well...however, that kind of thing can be a curse if you can't even plan a few years ahead...just imagine living for a thousand years...or ten thousand years...will the feelings you have at this moment really last that long...?"These words by Vahn had caused a bit of discussion within the girls as even Lante didn't seem to know how to answer his questions. Most of them had only ever thought about the present, or how they would be able to gather enough food and supplies for the coming winter. They had never thought about things like planning decades ahead, much less how they would spend what could possibly be an eternity. However, there were some girls, such as the Amazonesses, who quickly answered, "Meh...if not for you, Vahn, we'd all already be dead. Much less planning for the future, we wouldn't have even been able to plan for lunch. Besides, even though we aren't part of the main tribe, we still have the instinct to crave a powerful mate. If our presence might become troublesome than you in the future, that is in the future...even if it is just for a short while, I'd like to at least experience love with the first man to win my affections..."The person speaking had been the Amazoness named Vera, a twenty-three-year-old woman with a very mature and athletic figure. Her breasts were on the larger side of a C-Cup and her long dark-brain hair was styled into a long ponytail with her bangs framing her face. She had a very serious look in her eyes and, much like how Tiona, Tione, and most Amazonesses in general, looked at him, there was an almost 'predatory' glint in her gaze. Vahn was very aware of the state she was in and it almost felt like Artemis was the only thing preventing him from being attacked, not just by Vera, but by several of the girls present...For a brief moment, Vahn felt tempted to just go with the flow of things but, strangely, the image of his children played through his mind at this point. By the time they had cycled through, settling on the lonely visage of Alexa, Vahn felt like his heart had hardened slightly as he opened his eyes and firmly stated, "I will explain my stance very clearly. I will not pretend to be principled, nor will I deny I've sometimes given into licentiousness and debauchery, but I 'cannot' keep living in this manner. Though I want to respect these feelings you all have towards me, can you imagine what it would be like for a single person to try and manage a relationship with nearly a hundred women at once...? There may very well be a time when I return your affections...after all, I do feel a great deal of responsibility towards you all...however, we cannot have a real and lasting relationship. I can't do that to my children...my family..."Vahn knew he had walked off the more 'normal' route a long time ago, giving in to his curiosity and suffering from an inability to refuse the affections of those who had placed their trust in him. These were all girls he would likely interact with for decades to come and, though he would be there for them at times, he simply couldn't be there for them in a more meaningful way. If it came to choosing any single one of his girls over the entire group gathered before him, Vahn would be conflicted after the fact, but he wouldn't hesitate at all. Artemis was the only real exception to this as their relationship would likely continue for a period of time that was almost incomprehensible to mortal minds...With Vahn's sudden transition into a more serious persona, the atmosphere became a little tense and some of the girls even lowered their heads slightly, ashamed of their behavior. Before these feelings could progress too far, however, the sound of someone's stomach rumbling broke through the atmosphere. Everyone's attention immediately turned towards the culprit, a Half-Elf girl with somewhat wild brown hair and blue eyes. Vahn knew her name was Lunalia, a twenty-eight-year-old Half-Elf who had been found by Artemis in a destroyed village as one of the only surviving children. She had been in the Familia for longer than almost any other member and was something of a 'Big Sis' within the group with her generally calm and caring disposition...Currently, Lunalia's face had turned beet red and her ears had drooped down slightly as she quietly muttered, "Sorry...I get hungry when stressed...it's been a long day..." This reaction caused the tension in the air to completely shatter as Artemis clapped her hands together, a happy smile on her face as she said, "Yes, we have all just overcome a great trial and should be celebrating, not talking about such serious matters~!" After extricating herself from his lap, Artemis turned to Vahn, her happy smile immediately softening a great deal when she looked directly at him. Vahn felt his heart throb powerfully once again, even though she simply asked, "Can you give us some ingredients and help set up camp? Knowing you, we could probably return to Eden very quickly...but, at least for tonight...let these girls celebrate life, okay...?"Though he had been planning on calling Terra over so they could teleport back to Eden, Vahn nodded his head in response to Artemis' plea. This caused her smile to blossom even further as she turned to her Familia and began assigning duties in high spirits. As this was very different from how she would normally act, most of the members of the Artemis Familia were more than a little surprised. They got caught up in their goddess' momentum very quickly and hastily began preparations for a feast, not even questioning how Vahn was able to produce ingredients, tents, blankets, and just about anything they asked for...As she was assigning duties, Artemis turned her attention to Rethusa, one of the few girls who had been lost in thought during the previous discussions. Artemis had a good idea about what was bothering her generally loyal and serious Captain. Even before they had entered into the sealed chamber, Artemis had tasked Rethusa with escaping if things went south so that she could warn the surrounding villages of Antares' awakening. She trusted that her proud and capable Captain would be able to flee, even if everyone else was unable to do so...instead, they had been trapped inside of the chamber and Rethusa ended up impaled into the door by Antares' tendrils. Not only had she been unable to help her Familia, but Rethusa had failed to perform the task that was assigned her, helpless as she watched her Familia slaughtered...Artemis didn't blame Rethusa for what had happened, not even a little bit, but the trauma her Captain had experienced as a 'spectator' was quite extreme. If she had been able to fight and die alongside everyone else, her perspective on the situation likely wouldn't have been so dire after the face. Now, instead of the proud and capable woman of the past, Rethusa seemed like a shadow of her former self, unable to even help out in the celebratory preparations because she was lost in her own thoughts. This was a very saddening thing from Artemis' perspective so she turned to Vahn with a slight smile before walking over to Rethusa's side and whispering into her ear...Though she had been somewhat absentminded at first, Rethusa's face flushed slightly and a bit of light was restored to her eyes after she heard Artemis' request. This didn't last for long, however, as Rethusa's head hung slightly, stating, "I do not think that would be appropriate...there are-" Instead of waiting for Rethusa to finish speaking, Artemis pulled her by the hand, surprising the red-haired beauty who quickly became redder whilst her goddess dragged her over to Vahn. Upon arrival, Artemis surprisingly pushed Rethusa towards him, causing Vahn to catch the startled girl as Artemis explained, "You have been working very hard these last few days, Vahn. Rethusa here will wash your back, so go take a bath in a nearby stream or something. I'm certain you can find one very quickly with your capabilities~!"From the moment she ended up in his arms, Rethusa hid her face but made no actual attempts to move away while Vahn and Artemis looked into each others' eyes. He understood that Artemis was very worried about Rethusa and, having shared her experiences, Vahn couldn't help but be a little worried himself. Since it was very possible for him to help her, Vahn withheld a sigh and just gave a small smile in response before saying, "Sure, but I think I'll just make a bath in one of the side rooms that everyone can use later. I'm sure everyone would enjoy a nice hot bath after everything that has happened..." This caused Artemis' smile to widen as she mused, "My, how thoughtful of you, Vahn. I'm certain everyone will be ecstatic when they hear about it. For now, the two of you should go enjoy yourselves... let's see, the food should be ready in about an hour, so there is no rush."The entire time their conversation had gone on, Rethusa kept her head lowered and didn't resist when Vahn gently pulled her hand along. Their departure drew a lot of attention but none of the girls called out to them as they too had been very worried about their Captain. Even Lante, who had heard what Artemis had whispered to Rethusa, kept her silence...at least until the two were out of sight. Once Vahn's and Rethusa's figures had disappeared, Lante practically jumped on Artemis, hugging her tightly as she complained, "Artemis-sama, that isn't fair at all, you know? I want to take a bath with Vahn too~." In response to this, Artemis surprised Lante by hugging her tightly and saying, "I'm certain, so long as you believe in love, that time will come...now, let's make a delicious meal to impress Vahn. If we all work together, we may one day be able to become a real family...!"(A/N: 2 hours between chapters today o3o~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fate-sama pulling out a spiked club with the word 'life' on it...','Vahn is going to have Harem Trauma in the future xD','Artemis' family planning...!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 860: Beyond Doubts