Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As was the case during the last time Vahn had visited the 51st Floor, the majority of the enemies were simply Black Rhinos while, very rarely, there would be a Deformis Spider trying to ambush them. These enemies weren't even a threat back when the girls were much weaker so, without any difficulty whatsoever, Ais and Fenrir had slaughtered every monster that appeared almost instantly. Every time one was about to spawn, Fenrir had already impaled the wall with a spear of ice while Ais, even without her [Ariel], cut through the thick-skinned Black Rhinos as if they were less dense than fog. With Vahn dealing with the stealthy Deformis Spiders using a single well-placed arrow, their progress through the 51st Floor had been going very smoothly.With that in mind, Vahn watched as a large flow of mana began to condense in the surrounding walls and simply stated, "Monster Party." in a calm tone. Haruhime gave a small nod, uttering 'Adeat' as her raiment immediately came into existence. It still had the same palatial appearance as before, making Haruhime look like an Empress as she caused an opaque white membrane to spread around. Though it looked thin, the only way to break through Haruhime's barrier was to completely eat through her mana and, with Vahn serving as a 'battery' of sorts, this was nearly impossible.Everyone had already moved inside of the barrier as Fenrir, forming two pure blue magic circles in her paws, began to reduce the temperature outside of the barrier extremely quickly. As the monsters began breaking free from the walls, floor, and ceiling, they were almost immediately coated in a layer of frost. Some of the Black Rhinos charged toward the barrier with great momentum but the only thing they got for their troubles was a crink in the neck as their momentum was immediately halted. Before they even had any time to regain their senses, Fenrir held out her paws in both directions, causing larger magical wards to appear outside of the barrier as she shouted, "Master, give me strength! Flash Freeze~!"Following Fenrir's outburst, a vibrant white light flared outside of Haruhime's barrier and, by the time it had faded away, there were hundreds of icy statues no loitering in the surrounding corridors. Every surface had became covered in a layer of frost as Fenrir took a few deep breaths while Vahn patted her head. She had been trying to get better at using 'unnamed spells' and, after witnessing him freeze an entire Floor, Fenrir had been inspired to make her own version of the spell. Though it ate up nearly 60% of her reserves, she could freeze almost everything within a 300m radius, so long as it didn't have a natural resistance to Ice Elemental magic.Tiona, seeing the frozen world, walked out of the barrier and immediately jumped away from the Floor as her bare feet nearly got stuck to the ice. By the time she landed back down, however, there was a thin layer of energy covering her feet as she playfully exclaimed, "Ehehe, Fenrir's ice is very cold~." At the same time, she had walked up to one of the 'statues' and knocked on it with her knuckles, causing the Variant Black Rhinos to immediately fracture and fall apart. This made Tiona's eyes widen slightly as she mused, "Wow, super cold~! Maybe I should try to learn Ice Magic~?"Though Tiona didn't really expect a response, Fenrir said, "Ice Magic is dangerous for those who don't have an affinity with it. Tiona is already very strong with Enhancement Magic...you should improve upon your strengths and cover your weaknesses, not pursue random things..." Upon hearing this, Tiona made a pouting expression, saying, "Muuuu, Fenrir is a bully..." Then, eyeing Vahn, Tiona's eyes glimmered as she said, "Vahn, if I collect a bunch of materials, can you make me a Magic Weapon that can use Ice Magic~?"Vahn laughed lightly in response while patting Fenrir's head to keep her from saying anything 'mean' while he answered, "Sure, but only if you train diligently. Fenrir's words are from Eva, a very wise and powerful Mage who uses Ice Elemental magic. If you don't have a talent for it, the chances of you injuring yourself would be very high...though, I suppose that wouldn't matter to you that much...?" With her [Magic Devouring King], Tiona would probably just get stronger if her Magic backfired against her. Since it seemed she understood this as well, Tiona laughed boisterously while smashing a few of the nearby statues to collect the monster cores.Other than Ais, most of the girls had awakened most, if not all, of their Innates after spending a few years inside of the Sub-Space orb proactively trying to awaken them. Ais had only managed to awaken her [Progenitor of the Wind], allowing her to manipulate Air Elemental energy even without the use of her [Ariel]. As for Tiona, her [Magic Devouring King] as already C-Rank while her [Titan Virga] was at H-Rank. Even then, the amount of power she could gain from siphoning off the mana of other people was rather terrifying, especially since Titan Virga also increased her Magic Resistance and Regeneration based on the amount of damage she had taken from magical attacks. She was slowly but surely becoming an 'unstoppable' existence that, if you were unable to kill her instantly, it was almost guaranteed she would eventually overwhelm you...As if to emphasize this fact, one of the statues Tiona was about to break ended up fracturing before she was able to smash it. This had belonged to a Variant Black Rhinos who, instead of having thick black hide, possessed a white hide with shiny blue eyes. Vahn had already known it was still alive and he knew that Tiona was fully aware of this as well, given the fact that her smile had become larger and more playful as she drew near. When the 'White Rhinos' tried to launch itself at her, Tiona simply spun her body in a natural arc with her foot following behind like a whip. When her seemingly delicate brown toes came into contact with the side of the White Rhinos' head, the durable hide immediately contorted as a shockwave passed through. All of its forward momentum had been completely overpowered as the monster's head 'popped' like a balloon, followed closely by its body also turning to dust.With even a weaker Black Rhinos being a Level 3 monster, most of the Variants would be Level 4 or higher. Even so, Tiona had defeated it with a simple kick before putting her hands behind her head and lackadaisically walking to break the next statue. At this point, everyone else had started to break statues of their own in passing until the formation slowly rebuilt itself. There was almost no danger of other monsters showing up after a Monster Party had been cleared so things became a little lax for a few minutes. Vahn collected all the Drop Items into his Inventory, selling the majority for a few 'drops' of OP into the massive reserves he was building...While the exploration of the 51st Floor was going on, Vahn was also back in the Manor talking with Hestia, Hephaestus, Loki, and Artemis. Ever since the changes to Freya, which had caused a major stir during the previous Denastus, rumors had been spreading in regards to Vahn seemingly finding a method to remove the restrictions placed on gods in the Mortal World. As this wasn't exactly false, many gods, including those that were already within the Alliance, had been pressuring for details.Things had only been made worse when rumors regarding Artemis began to spread, which Loki credited to Hermes, as some gods had actually gone to her Temple in Heaven. There, they found that her statue had been broken into small fragments, which would have led to the conclusion that she was dead, but it was already well-known that she was alive in the Mortal World. Some gods even speculated that Artemis had fully manifested and they were currently discussing the matter and possible solutions.Loki, releasing a frustrated sigh, complained, "Man, I swear I'll wring that bastards neck the next time I see him..." She had thought, at least for a short while, Hermes would try to lay low after their last meeting together. Since he still spread these rumors within the godly community, it was likely at the behest of Ouranos or, even more frustratingly, he may have his own reasons for doing so. It was impossible to pin him down and, now that Vahn was the 'owner' of the Hermes Familia, the number of people that the wandering god associated with had decreased exponentially.Artemis, upon hearing Loki's words, showed an apologetic expression but, before she could say anything, Hestia interjected, saying, "Artemis, you have no reason to feel bad about anything that happened! You and your children are the victims here!" This brought a smile to Artemis' face as she reached out her hand to stroke Hestia's hair, saying, "Thank you, Hestia, you are always so kind..." To this, Hestia smiled radiantly and said, "Of course! We're family now, so I'll always be here to support you, Artemis~!"As pleasant as the mood was, Loki, always the realist, chimed in, saying, "Still, the question remains about exactly what kind of existence Artemis and Freya are at this point. Tell me, Vahn, what do you make of everything that is going on? Do you think you can really allow a god to fully manifest in the Mortal World? And you, Artemis, can you even use your Arcanum...?" Before the latter could answer, Vahn raised his hand and said, "That may not be the best idea. Though I can say with certainty that it is possible to manifest a god's Arcanum, it requires a very powerful seal to prevent their body from breaking apart. In fact, it may be necessary for us to commission Hermes to escort Artemis back to Heaven so she can descend again safely. As it stands, overusing her Arcanum may cause her body to break down and, though this may not kill her, the time it takes to reform her body would likely stretch into the thousands of years..."Hearing this, Loki hunched over in deep thought, hand supporting her chin with a moderately annoyed expression on her face. Almost everyone's attention was focused on her, including Artemis who eventually stated, "I do not mind returning to Heaven for a short while but, before I go, I...I want to..." Towards the end of her sentence, Artemis' eyes had trained on Vahn and her cheeks had started to become slightly flushed. She now had a Love Divinity but, unlike normal Goddesses of Love, Artemis' was kept in check by the fact she also had a Divinity related to Family. Her affections were almost wholly reserved for the people she treated as her kin while Vahn was undoubtedly the focus of her love...Without any sign of perturbance, Vahn smiled in response, saying, "I understand it may take a few years for your to form an avatar and descend a second time...if you're willing, we can protect you here at the Manor and build a family together before you return..." Since she was fully manifested, it was actually possible for Artemis to enter into the Sub-Space orb as well. If she truly wanted to live in the Mortal World safely for a few years, it was possible for her to reside there and experience living amongst her family and friends for a while before returning. Vahn was even willing to make a slight exception and allow her to raise a Vanir within the orb, as he would rather she have the opportunity to raise their child to maturity before being separated for a short while...This time, Artemis' face had become a rosy pink color as a vibrant smile spread across her face as she said, "I'd like that, Vahn...!" There was even a slight moisture buildup in her eyes that made Vahn's heart tremble with a powerful desire to protect her. Still, there were a few other options and, given how much Karma he had accumulated, Vahn had prepared himself to broach a major subject he had been sitting on for a while. He couldn't exactly tell them he would be going to another world but, depending on how he worded things, it was possible to convincingly come up with an excuse that would explain the record suddenly being linked one day...Before he had even started speaking, all of the goddesses in the room had become quiet and serious, their bond with Vahn telling them he had something very important to discuss. This was something that made Vahn really appreciate the power of 'bonds', as having their understanding during such times was very beneficial. Thus, as serious as the topic was, Vahn smiled casually as he stated, "I'm sure you've all seen it, and I know we've discussed several related matters before...but the world is beginning to rapidly change. With the existence of the Vanir, and the possibility of not only myself, but several of the girls in the Manor obtaining godhood, the balance of the world is slowly being distorted. In time, the average strength of Mortals will continue to increase and, in the not so distant future, the boundaries between the realms will slowly blend together..."Vahn was already immortal and, after discussing the purpose of Innates and the future development of everyone in the Manor, it wasn't even a 'question' if others would be able to obtain immortality. In fact, just by using his 'modify', Vahn could grant everyone in the Manor a form of immortality just by changing them into Xenos with predominately human features. As Xenos didn't age, this meant they would have biological immortality and, so long as the girls weren't outright killed, they would go on to live forever. With the existence of the Sub-Space and Space-Time orbs, it was only a matter of time before someone amongst their group was able to obtain unrestrained godhood in the Mortal World.After gauging their reactions thus far, Vahn continued, adding, "I'm certain these incidents with Freya and Artemis are some of the most notable signs of the changes to come. Since it will be necessary for these developments to transpire in order to remove the restrictions and inherent compulsion found within Divinity, I will continue to push the world towards these changes. The tragic existence of the gods has gone on for too long and I want to not only liberate you from the influence of your Divinities but also open the way forward for even gods to grow much stronger..."When he said this, Loki almost immediately asked, eyes slightly widened, "Vahn...is that really what you're trying to do...? As impossible as it seems, I...I believe you would actually be able to pull it off. However, is such a world truly a safe place...ah, I see..." As she was speaking, Loki began to deduce some of the underlying factors behind what Vahn was saying. Her eyes squinted into lines but her sharp red irises were still slightly visible as she stated, "You're going to do something very dangerous in order to make sure everyone is protected...even if the balance of the world is destroyed..."Hestia and Artemis immediately adopted concerned expressions as the smaller of the two, Hestia, stated, "Vahn, please don't do anything too dangerous. I know you want to protect our family, but that is a burden we all share together...please, rely on us a little more...!" Even Hephaestus had a very concerned expression on her face but, unlike Hestia, asked, "It's something only you can do, isn't it...? You must have a power that you either can't explain, or don't understand yourself..." Loki, without missing a beat, piggybacked off of Hephaestus' words, saying, "It's always like this, one way or another...Vahn...haaaa...just answer me this, is there a chance of failure...?"Vahn had felt a great deal of inner turmoil seeing how they were reacting but, upon hearing Loki's question, he immediately regained his confidence and said, "No, even if it is very difficult to achieve, the chance of success would be one-hundred percent by the time I initiate the technique. I just wanted to let everyone know that, at some point, the world may begin to change very quickly...in fact, just like in the History books, the very nature of the world may experience a sudden shift. Not only do I plan to remove the restriction of gods, but I plan to pave a way forward for all people...it will be necessary for me to become much stronger but, by the time the changes occur, I will possess a degree of power far greater than any god..."As he spoke, the subtle light in Vahn's eyes actually became visible to the goddesses in the room, causing all except Hestia to take in a sudden sharp breath of surprise. Vahn gave an apologetic smile in return, explaining, "You all remember Eva...the method I'd be using is very similar to her orb, but on a level that will affect the entire world. Though it will seem as if no time had passed, it is very possible I may experience thousands of years before I am able to succeed in my plan...however, no matter how long it takes, I will succeed...this place is my home and I will not leave the safety of my family, my children, and all those who believe in me to chance...!"Since Vahn had already spent 'hundreds' of years in Space-Time orbs, none of the goddesses were too affected by the admission he could be away for thousands of years. Still, they knew that Eva was apparently a being that was even stronger than gods like Ouranos yet, according to the stories they had heard, even she wasn't the strongest. For Vahn to get involved with forces that could exercise greater power than even the gods, they couldn't help but feel very worried for him, even if he was seemingly unkillable. The amount of suffering he may have to experience, all while they were blissfully unaware of it, was almost heartbreaking to each of them, even Loki...Understanding what they were thinking, Vahn's expression softened as the aura he had been passively letting out turned mellow and calm. Though it may be a little unfair to them, Vahn asked in a quiet tone, "Tell me...what would you do to protect our children...? Is there anything you wouldn't suffer through if it meant they would be safe...?" These were the only questions Vahn needed to ask in order to completely convince the goddesses before them. He already knew that, even if they needed to go to war against Heaven itself, not a single one of them would shy away. Loki would probably destroy Heaven in its entirety if it meant she could protect Erika while Hestia, even though she had already started to tear up, had a very resolute light contained within her beautiful blue gem-like eyes...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Copywolf, Fenrir, "Master, give me strength~!','Hermes is on everyone's shit list xD...','Vahn is feeling the weight of Karma...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With the size of the 51st Floor, a complex labyrinth more than 200km in diameter, Vahn hadn't expected to explore the entire area within a day. Now, they were just entering into the morning of the third day and, though they had the option of returning to Haven to rest, the group had spent most of their time resting in the various 'secret' passages that Vahn had discovered. Since these were also part of the 51st Floor, and there was even a chance of stumbling upon a Xenos Hidden Village, they too were being explored by Vahn's party. As a result, during the second day of their expedition, the group had discovered a small region that, unlike the white stone walls of the surrounding Floor, was full of lush greenery and a small spring.Since the spring ended up having a passage leading into another section of the Dungeon, Vahn had swum through to the other side before moving the girls over by summoning them. The room on the other side of the passage had a variety of different fruit-bearing trees with some tunnels in the walls and ceiling that Vahn knew would lead to other secret passages. He couldn't help wondering why the Dungeon would create so many save havens for the Xenos, even though the monsters birthed within would aggressively try and kill them. It was almost as if the Dungeon had multiple wills and, with Enyo also interfering with things, it was impossible to discern the true 'purpose' behind the Dungeon's existence without further investigation...As a result of finding this small grove, the group had made camp for the night within the relatively peaceful and serene secret area. It even had small crystals in the ceiling the simulated natural light so it was a very relaxing place to rest, even if Tiona and Lili ended up getting a little 'grabby' at one point. Fortunately, other than a little heavy petting, things didn't get too serious as Vahn cautioned them about surprise attacks during such circumstances. They were supposed to be drawing the attention of Enyo and trying to interfere with her plans, meaning there was a non-negligible chance they were being 'watched'. Even though they had a tent that should obstruct such things, Vahn knew there were several means to circumvent physical obstructions and this was a good enough reason to get them to remain 'calm' during their trip.Thus, after enjoying a peaceful evening snuggled up with the six girls, Vahn had proceeded back into the heart of the 51st Floor to continue their investigation. His instincts had been triggering several times while they were exploring, sometimes more than others, so there should be something going on to cause such a reaction. Fortunately, they weren't that far away from Haven and the telepathy from [Pactio] was still active, allowing him to confirm there weren't any attacks taking place. As a result, Vahn believed it had to be something taking place on the lower Floors or, though he hoped this wasn't the case, something taking place within the City...After proceeding forward for quite a while, Ais and Fenrir slowly came to a stop, bringing Vahn's 'awareness' away from the Manor and wholly focused on the Dungeon. He had a habit of going into something like an 'auto-pilot' mode where he was passively focused on detection while his primary focus was on specific tasks. Having the two girls stop suddenly was 'abnormal' so Vahn immediately became more alert, asking, "Is there something wrong, Ais, Fenrir...?" In response, Ais shook her head while Fenrir, showing an expression of suspicion, stated, "It's too quiet...there should have been a lot of monsters by now..."Vahn didn't need to hear any further explanation to know Fenrir was right, especially considering that it had been nearly a half-hour since an enemy appeared. His mind immediately became hyper-aware of everything going on within his domain, specifically the flow of mana within the Dungeon's walls. Everything seemed relatively normal, except for the fact that none of the mana was diverting towards them. In most circumstances, the Dungeon reacted the number of people in an area and would periodically 'divert' some of its mana to intercept people.As a party progressed forward, these incidents would continue as a relatively consistent rhythm until the amount of mana returned to the Dungeon by slain monsters reached a certain point. Then, as if some form of retribution, a Monster Party would form to make use of the consolidated mana. If the party was able to overcome even that, the defensive measures of the Dungeon would recede for a time, diverting the mana to other areas as if recognizing the accomplishment of the party. For the Dungeon to be completely ignoring them like this was simply inconceivable, as their energy signatures were some of the largest in the entire Dungeon. In fact, even though there were only seven of them, the spawn rate had been nearly five times the normal amount thus far...never 'nothing'...The moment Vahn's mind began reaching conclusions, his 'instincts' began to slowly well up as he quickly stated, "We'll be moving straight. Follow my lead. Protect the flanks and the rear...!" When he was finished giving his quick orders, Vahn took a deep breath before shaping a part of his domain into a cylinder and, for a brief moment, transformed into his Zhuque form. The cylindrical area he made was to guide the flow of Fire Elemental energy and, in a manner reminiscent of the Valgang Dragons shooting from the 58th to the 52nd Floor, Vahn made an instantaneous 'pillar' of fire that cut a path through the Dungeon. With this particular group, combined with the confined spaces of the 51st Floor, Vahn wasn't worried about a Juggernaut appearing at all...In the 'void' created by the pillar of flames, there was a powerful vacuum effect caused by the massive temperature differential and the complete lack of oxygen in the space. The girls, however, were fully prepared for this phenomenon as Fenrir had already finished casting a powerful Ice Elemental spell, holding the energy between her paws. Vahn reached out his hand and absorbed the spell with his [Magia Erebea] before moving forward at a pace he knew Lefiya would be able to follow. Though he wanted to hurry, Vahn still continued with caution since he didn't know exactly what was going on with this strange phenomenon at all...With Vahn leading the way, the superheated surfaces were cooled very quickly, turning the once white stone completely black as a thin layer of frost began to cover it. The girls had formed up behind him and managed to keep pace relatively easily, never once dropping their guard whenever they entered adjoining corridors. Eventually, after making several twists and turns, still without encountering any monsters, Vahn made another pathway for them and the process repeated itself. Things continued in this manner until, nearly twenty minutes later, Vahn found the 'convergence' point of almost the entire Floor's mana...It didn't seem like this phenomenon had completed so Vahn felt there was a chance to stop it if they acted quickly. He sent a telepathic message to the girls to fan out upon entering the room and watching each other's backs as he, determined to bring a swift resolution to things, charged toward what appeared to be a Cadmus Dragon. Unlike a normal Cadmus, however, this one was more than twice the size and was currently feeding off both the Dungeon's mana, and thousands of the strange caterpillar-like monsters. They had white tendrils piercing into their bodies and it appeared as though the Cadmus was 'drinking' the acidic blood within, inflating its own body further. Of course, the most notable feature of this particular Cadmus was the existence of a woman's upper body where its neck and head should have been...Similar to how Naho and Rayne used to be, this strange monster had the figure of an inordinately beautiful and mature woman but, as soon as you looked toward her waist, she had the body of a 15m long white dragon that was slowly turning green. It was a very strange sight, almost like looking at a parasitic organism taking over the body of another, especially since her predominant features gave her the appearance of a Dryad, except for her leafy green skin, lime-green hair, and the vicious purple eyes that had locked onto them from the moment the party burst into the room.Vahn could see the malicious aura surrounding this monster and, though there were many questions he wanted to try and ask it, the fact it had an aura near his own meant time wasn't a luxury they had. Without any hesitation, he created another cylindrical channel with his domain and turned into his Zhuque form without breaking changing out of his [Magia Erebea]. Though it was generally impossible for Ice and Fire Elemental Energy to coexist with each other, Vahn's body was entire comprised of Source Energy and his Zhuque form used Yang Fire, not normal Fire Elemental Energy. His 'raiment' had become like that of an Ice Phoenix with a vibrant red core near his heart as a pillar of bluish-white flames barreled towards the monstrosity.Though he was surprised by this unexpected discovery, as he didn't often use his [Rakshasa Body] while in his [Magia Erebea], Vahn didn't have time to think about it. His pillar of flames had completely incinerated the 'female' portion of the Cadmus, annihilating a large group of the caterpillar monsters in the process, but he could still sense powerful vital energy. He quickly called out, "Don't drop your guard, it isn't dead yet...!" while using [Shundo] to approach the creature and try to burn it away completely. The girls had already started battling against the caterpillar monsters, with Ais cutting apart a large number very quickly, but Tiona had looked like she was getting a little complacent after seeing his first burst.The moment he appeared near the body of the creature, Vahn watched as it's flesh and organs began to bubble from the heat, massive amounts of acidic blood pouring from its wounds like a fountain. Then, with an increase in the temperature, at least until his reserves started to get low, Vahn began to burn away the body before transitioning out of his Zhuque form and stabbing forward with his [Longinus]. There was a massive core located in the chest cavity of the monster and Vahn wanted to destroy it to prevent the possibility of the surprisingly fire-resistant 'plant' from regenerating...When his spear pierced into the core, Vahn immediately heard laughter within his mind as the room began to tremble. His eyes widened as he immediately shouted, "Get into Haruhime's barrier...!" Right now the girls were split up all over the room but, with their incredible speed, it wasn't difficult for them to reach Haruhime's side in an instant. Fortunately, Lefiya was already being protected so the only one left outside of the protective membrane just two seconds later was Vahn himself. The voice in his head stopped laughing before saying, ("You're an interesting man, Vahn...so capable...")With these words resounding in his mind, the core he had pierced exploded but, instead of turning to dust, the body of the mutated Cadmus, and the thousands of surrounding caterpillar monsters, all erupted in a wave of acidic blood. Vahn's body was completely covered in it but it had been kept at bay by his magical aura, courtesy of the spell [Vis Maxima]. Then, the surrounding pools of acid began to freeze over as he looked back to see nearly a meter deep pool of acid surrounding the bubble of Haruhime without a single drop being able to get through. Strangely, the acid wasn't eating through the Dungeon and, as if to answer this unasked question, the voice said, ("This was a special place I had prepared just for you...it is quite amazing, really, that you're able to see the flow of mana within the Dungeon...I had wanted it to be a surprise, kukukuku~.")Vahn's brows furrowed slightly, understanding that this was Enyo's way of 'testing' their capabilities and trying to gain more information. Just the fact that the acid now had fire resistant properties, even when he could easily produce temperatures above 20,000°C, showed that she was 'adapting'. They weren't the only ones growing stronger and Enyo had an obvious advantage when it came to gathering information, something Vahn still didn't understand. She had to have someone with an Innate related to information gathering within her pawns and, based on how quickly the monsters under her control were changing, there must be someone with an Innate related to Plants, Botany, or Evolution...so many unanswered questions...While he was scanning the area with his [Eyes of Truth], Enyo's voice once against entered his mind, saying, ("You seem calm on the surface but I can tell, you know~? You are scared, Vahn Mason...not that I will bring harm to you, no, kukuku...you fear what I will do to others. It is amazing how quickly you've grown, trying so desperately to protect the 'happiness' you share with so many people...your weakness has been obvious from the start...kukukuku~.") As these words sounded in his mind, Vahn felt slightly nauseous but it had passed in an instant. This time, though he could sense the 'link' Enyo had established with him, there was a brief period of silence before she once again said, ("You can resist my power directly...very interesting, Vahn Mason! Come, come, come, I really can't wait to meet you, kyahahahahaha~!")With these parting words, the 'link' that Vahn had been trying to backtrace had vanished and his mind had returned to crystal clarity. Enyo had tried to use some kind of technique that could affect the mind, one that was far more powerful than even Haruhime's Innate. Without his [Will of the Emperor], it would have been almost impossible for him to resist it. However, this didn't bring him any comfort at all because now Enyo had revealed one of her own cards, even though he should have been aware of it ever since meeting Rufina...Enyo had an Innate that could alter the mind and cause people to see illusions. Now, instead of the 'enemy within' seeming like a particular person, Vahn realized it could be almost anyone that Enyo set her mind on...As soon as this realization dawned on him, a subtle shift in one of the girls' auras entered Vahn's perception as the light of Haruhime's barrier dimmed. Vahn's heart felt like it stopped as he looked over, seeing a berserk Tiona, already in her [Pactio] transformation, tightly squeezing Lili's neck. The amount of pain and betrayal in her bulging eyes made Vahn feel a level of anguish he had never expected to deal with at this point. She had been completely unable to defend herself against the sudden attack as Tiona, tears in her eyes, screamed, "Where is everyone!? What did you do with my friends!? Where is Vahn...!?" with glowing purple eyes...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Rest...','Anomaly...','Betrayal...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

The more time that passed, the greater the sense of incongruity in Vahn's heart grew. He knew this was his 'instinct' that was associated with karma and fate so his desire to seize the initiative in his own favor was growing by the day. Now that the basic defensive perimeter of Haven had been established, the only thing left to do was venture into the Dungeon and try to unlock its secrets. At the very least, they needed to interrupt the momentum that Enyo was trying to build with her forces and try to prevent her plans from coming to fruition...In preparation for this, Vahn was doing some finishing touches on the routine maintenance he would perform for the girls' equipment. Though they could rely on their [Pactio] in a fight, it didn't mean their other equipment could be neglected. There was always a chance that something could go wrong and, in the event the girls weren't able to use their [Pactio], having powerful equipment to fall back on was very important. With his maintenance also providing enhancements to the base stats of there equipment, it was worth the time it takes in order to protect the people he cares about.After giving Ais' [Gram] an oil rub, Vahn finished wiping the rather holy looking blade with a cloth before handing it over to the patiently waiting Ais. The girls had a habit of watching him whenever he was doing maintenance on their equipment so Vahn was used to her unwavering gaze at such times. Ais happily accepted her now 'extra shiny' sword, an appreciative smile on her face as she said, "Thank you, Vahn. I love it...ah...!" As if realizing something, Ais' smile changed subtly and she quickly put away her [Gram] in the runic golden ring on her finger before leaning down and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Then, with a smile that reached all the way to her eyes, Ais whispered, "I love you more..."The moment these words left her lips, Tiona was already flying through the air and 'tackling' Ais as she said, "Ais, that's sneaky~" This little display got a small rise out of many of the surrounding girls while even Vahn gave a light chuckle as he rose to his feet. While using a quick 'cleaning magic' to remove some of the grime that had built up on his clothes, Vahn looked towards everyone and said, "Well, it's about time for us to head down. While we're away, I'll leave the defense of Haven to you all. Remember, if things get really bad, Yggy will protect you and, should you decided to go up to the surface, try not to draw too much attention to yourselves..." At this point, every girl had enough magic cores in their inventory to move to and from the surface around five times. Maemi and Emiru had already returned but Vahn expected that Tina may end up heading upwards at least once in the next few days...In response to his words, Tione actually snorted with her arms crossed but didn't say anything, a slightly conflicted look on her face. Though she knew her strength was quite a bit lower than her sister's, the fact that she was remaining back at Haven bothered her a fair amount. However, among the girls that Vahn was taking with him, the only one she had even a small amount of confidence beating was Lefiya. Even Lili had grown almost 'ridiculously' strong and, though she could fight on the defensive for a decent amount of time, Tione knew she wouldn't even be able to take one solid hit from the diminutive Pallum...Seeing Tione's behavior, Vahn unhesitantly walked over to her, causing the conflicted look on her face to waver a bit as he wrapped his arms around her like a bear hug. He held her tightly in his embrace and, with his mouth next to her ear, stated, "Remember, Tione, this is just supposed to be a scouting party...but, even if something happens, it isn't because you are weak that I'm not taking you along. Don't forget, I care more about the protection of Haven than anything related to Enyo...I need everyone to keep it safe while I'm not here to protect it...besides, once this is all over..." At this point, Vahn's voice had become a hushed whisper as he added, "We'll be one step closer to resolving the issues at Telskyura...I'll be taking you and your sister with me when the time comes, okay...?"By the time Vahn had finished his words, Tione's face had become slightly flushed as she nodded her head, an angry facade as she muttered, "You better remember it..." To this, Vahn chuckled very lightly, causing the slight blush on Tione's face to develop even more, especially when he said, "I've been looking forward to it for a while...I think you'd make a great mother, Tione. I can hardly wait..." Towards the end of his sentence, Vahn traced a small circle on Tione's back with his index finger, a rainbow-hue suffusing from the tip. She pushed him away rather abruptly and 'stormed' off, not angry, but to prevent herself from pushing Vahn down in the middle of the group...Vahn followed her with his eyes for a few moments before turning his attention to Arnya and Ryuu, saying, "The two of you will be in charge during any defensive operations. Make sure you familiarize yourselves with the terrain and, in an emergency, you can send a message to Terra through Yggy..." Seeing the two girls nods, Vahn then turned his attention to Chloe, Tina, and Shizune, his eyes resting on the maturing Kitsune as he said, "You've been very patient thus far, Shizune, thank you. If there are any large scale battles that occur while I'm away, don't hesitate to use your abilities to their fullest. Chloe, Tina, I'll trust you to keep Shizune safe, but don't forget that your own safety is just as important..."Hearing Vahn's 'permission', Shizune chest puffed up and she smiled radiantly, saying, "Finally, it's about time I had an opportunity to shine. I'm looking forward to it~." As for Chloe, she simply nodded her head and said, "Leave it to me, nyaa~." while Tina showed a serious expression, saying, "I'll protect everyone, Vahnya~!" Vahn habitually reached out to stroked Tina's head and, as she was standing right next to her, Shizune's as well. Both girls had matured quite a bit but, the moment Vahn began stroking their heads, they had happy and contented expressions that made them appear much younger. This caused Vahn's smile to soften a bit before he turned his attention to the stoic Mikoto who, without him even saying anything, gave a small nod and said, "Please, leave it to me, Vahn. This is why I've trained so hard...to protect the things I care about..."Vahn ruffled the two girls' hair one last time before walking over to Mikoto and placing his hand on her shoulder, saying, "I believe in you, Mikoto. You have already become incredibly strong..." Though there were a few bad matchups for her, Mikoto's offensive power in a melee was just under Ais'. Her speed had reached a point that most of the other girls couldn't even cope with and, so long as she was able to close the distance quickly enough, very few people would ever be able to defend against her attacks. Vahn had full confidence that she would even be able to deal with the large plant-like monsters on her own and wanted to leave her as a failsafe if there were any enemies that could resist ranged attacks.As it was growing closer to the time Vahn had wanted to set out, he lastly turned to Shakti and Rufina, the later of which immediately asked, "Can I not go with you...?" She knew she was far from the strength of the other girls but, imagining Vahn going to face against a terrifying enemy while she just 'waited' didn't sit well with her. In response, Vahn slowly shook his head and, before Rufina could lash out, smiled to her as he said, "Vana would never forgive me if something happened to you...also, this place, this Dungeon, it has already influenced your life enough...the fact you were able to return here shows that you are a very strong woman, Rufina. One day, if that is your wish, I'm certain you will become even stronger...but now, this is our stage and 'my' fight...("don't worry, if you feel lonely, I'll be waiting for you on the surface...") Vahn said the last few words telepathically, causing Rufina's face to flush a bit as she hugged her body and averted her eyes...Vahn couldn't help smiling slightly when he saw this, as Rufina's actions reminded him a lot of how Eva used to behave back when they first met. He didn't tell her this, of course, as it would have likely required him to dodge a few punches, and just turned to Shaki to say, "Shakti, take care of yourself and watch over Rufina for me. If things get dangerous, please retreat to the surface...remember, you can't just think about yourself anymore." Though she didn't seem to do it intentionally, Shakti's hand naturally gravitated towards her abdomen as a very serious expression appeared on her face. Even so, she managed to pull off a smile after a few seconds had passed, saying, "I won't take any risks, Vahn, I promise...Rufina and I will both be okay."Choosing to believe in her words, Vahn gave a curt nod before sharing a long embrace with the two girls. Rufina's ended up being a bit longer since she didn't seem willing to let him go but, after a few minutes had passed, she finally relented while saying, "Try and come back quickly...but, if you see that bitch, Enyo, make sure to give her a solid hit on my behalf..." This comment gave Vahn a slight urge to laugh but he managed to keep it in, instead, saying, "I'll make sure Enyo pays for everything she has done...don't worry, your share will be included, Rufina."After sharing a few more parting words and expressions of affection, Vahn ended up heading towards the outer perimeter of Haven with Fenrir, Ais, Tiona, Haruhime, Lefiya, and Lili in tow. He had already discussed things with Finn previously so, other than a few people that were patrolling around the perimeter, there was nobody to send them off. Even so, everyone was in his spirits as Tiona and Lili began making bets as to who would kill the most monsters between them while Haruhime, Lefiya, and Fenrir were, somewhat embarrassingly, talking about him. As for Ais, she simply walked at his side and remained relatively quiet as a resolute light shone within her eyes...Once they reached the entrance to the 51st Floor, Vahn brought everyone to a stop as he said, "We've already gone over the plan a few times but, now that we're about to put it into action, I'll give everyone a brief reminder. Our goal is to map the entirety of the 51st Floor and make sure Enyo's forces aren't trying to undermine the integrity of the 50th Floor. Once we're finished, we'll be heading into the 52nd Floor and use the Valgang Dragons' breath to cut a path down to the 58th Floor. Our goal will be to secure the 58th Floor and then make camp before proceeding to the 59th Floor, tying the record of the Zeus and Hera Familias from the past. There is no way of knowing what awaits us beyond that point so we will be systematically exploring and mapping everything as we proceed, especially when we reach the 60th Floor...understood?"Seeing that nobody had any questions, as they had probably discussed these plans nearly a dozen times at this point, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Lefiya will be our pace-setter. Ais, Fenrir, the two of you will be our Vanguard while Lili and Tiona will take up the Rearguard positions. Haruhime and I will protect Lefiya and act as the ranged support during the exploration. If there are any new enemies, act with caution but do not be afraid to make a decisive strike to keep the momentum in our favor. I will support you with my [Wounds Transfer] and my bow unless the enemy looks particularly dangerous. In that circumstance, remember to retreat into Haruhime's barrier so that Ais and I can try to deal with it. If that happens, I'll be relying on you, Lefiya, to chant a spell so I can absorb it with [Magia Erebea]..."Lefiya, a fiery glint in her eyes, nodded her head fervently and exclaimed, "Leave it to me, Master!" Even without any thought required, Vahn had reached out his hand to pat the adorable Spirit's head, causing her expression to melt. At the same time, he gave a confident nod to everyone, saying, "We can do this. The preparations we have made over the last few years give us a distinctive advantage in these engagements. So long as we maintain the momentum, there is nothing that can stand in our way. Remember, communication is the most important thing...now, let's go teach Enyo that she can't simply do whatever she wants...!" Following Vahn's words, everyone gave a loud hurrah in response, each equally excited to teach Enyo not to mess with their 'family'.With everyone's morale at its peak, Vahn smiled confidently before giving the signal to advance to Ais and Fenfir. He also drew out his new bow, [Khryselakatos], a powerful weapon that had cost him a total of 30,000,000OP to make full use of his [Archery Goddess' Blessing]. Though it didn't have the rather 'scary' effect of Naaza's [Yi], this bow carried a fragment of Artemis' record, as Vahn had specifically looked for equipment related to her mythos. Its form was that of a golden crescent and, in conjunction with his greatly increased critical hit rate, it was a truly monstrous weapon...----------------------------------------------------------------------[Khryselakatos]Rank: S (Magic)Slots: 5P.Atk: 700+70M.Atk: 1500Ability: Artemis' Blessing(S), Curse of the Huntress(S), Impeccable Aim(A), Crippling Blow(A), Moon's Grace(A)A legendary bow that was enshrined at the Temple of Artemis, rumored to have obtained her Blessing. Those that wield this bow, so long as they have the Goddess of the Hunt's favor, are fated to never miss their targets. During the night of the Full Moon, this bow is said to reach its full potential...----------------------------------------------------------------------So long as he had this bow, Vahn was confident he could even take out one of the large plant-like monsters in a single shot. Not only was he almost guaranteed a critical hit, but every time he landed a critical it would stun the monster for a minimum of one second. Though that didn't sound like much, every successive critical would increase the duration of the stun and, with how fast and powerful their attacks were, this was a death sentence to anything without borderline Innate levels of resistance. Since he also had skills like [Call of the Reaper] to back him up, Vahn felt like he had literally become Artemis' Champion with a bow...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Poor Tione xD...','Best laid plans...','Vahn is Archer, confirmed...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 868: Exploration : Explanation