Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After exchanging a few more 'pleasantries', and procuring some food and drinks from the Hostess of Fertility staff, the entire tavern had been cleared out for the discussion between Loki, Freya, and Kali. As the latter had pointed out, there wasn't much for them to actually discuss, making the meeting more of a small get-together to make sure everyone was on the same page. Because of this, Kali very frankly stated, "The terms from my side are pretty simple and, given that little boy's reputation, I'm sure he can take care of it. In exchange for the technology that allows those two playgrounds of yours to function, I am prepared to pressure the Queen to change the law so that those who have yet to reach adulthood are not forced to fight in true battles of life and death. The one thing that kid of yours will have to accept is that we won't change our culture to try and keep up with the changes he wants to introduce. We can change certain things but Amazonesses simply do not function in 'civilized' society without issues in the long term. Even if he wants to try and put on a show of force as he did in the land of tree huggers and mine rats, there is simply nobody within Telskyura for him to kill. Even if he puts down Hippolyta and tried to place one of those little girls of his in the position of Queen, the Amazoness community simply wouldn't care. Unless he plans to wipe out the majority of our species and selectively breed those that match his requirements, the Amazonesses will always need their own localized and isolated community."Though there were certainly some anomalies, such as Tiona, Tione, Aisha, and Lena, they made up less than a single percent of the Amazoness people. Even they were still subjected to their instincts and, unless Vahn created some kind of 'inhibitor' or fundamentally changed the nature of their being, it was impossible for most Amazonesses to truly blend into other societies. It wasn't just because they wanted to indoctrinate children that Amazonesses was forced to give birth back in their homeland. The main issue was that most Amazonesses simply didn't care about their own children and, without a structure that would allow them to grow and learn how to survive in a rather unforgiving society, many would outright die early on. As for why they didn't allow the fathers to take care of the children, this was because there were all sorts of issues that could pop up that the untested fathers simply couldn't deal with. In the worst case scenario, the younger Amazonesses could even imprint on their fathers, making it fundamentally impossible for them to even have children with anyone else as a result of the deep mental impression...Loki had expected Kali's 'terms' but still laid out a few of her own, saying, "So long as you show a concerted effort in trying to make your society safer for children, Vahn would show understanding for your situation. However, as I'm sure you are aware, not every Amazoness has the same nature as the majority of those born within Telskyura. Also, though it would certainly cause problems if left unchecked, we can pass laws that can protect young Amazonesses born in Orario. One thing we are prepared to do is to create an Embassy of sorts, surrounded by a community of Amazonesses. This land will belong entirely to Telskyura and we are even prepared to build a smaller Coliseum and help develop educational facilities that can help guide young Amazonesses before they interact with the larger community. I'm sure you can see the benefits of this, as it will create an actual 'destination' for many Amazonesses leaving the country in search of mates..."Kali was actually a little surprised by Loki's 'compromise', causing her brows to rise slightly, even though they were hidden by her bone mask. Loki was acting decidedly 'different' compared to how she had acted in the past, causing Kali to feel intrigued by what changes had occurred for her to behave like this. As it was indeed 'very' beneficial for Telskyura to have sovereign land within a huge population zone like Orario, especially with the increasing popularity of Sports, Kali gave a toothy grin as she said, "That is an interesting idea, Loki, though you'll have to give it to me in writing and take quite a few vows if you want me to believe this isn't some elaborate trap. Also, even though it seems like we're winning out in this exchange, I can tell...kukuku...that boy of yours is quite the soft-hearted individual...!"Though she always intended to take advantage of Vahn's nature, as he had already become 'famous' within the Amazoness community, Kali had underestimated Vahn's influence. At first, she believed he was just an exceptionally powerful mortal that had managed to become something of a figurehead for the Alliance. Kali never believed he was genuinely in control but, after seeing Loki's behavior, she realized that her assumption had been incorrect. It seemed ridiculous but, given the circumstances, it seemed that Vahn really was the leader of the Alliance. Kali wondered what kind of person he was to have gained such influence over gods, many of which were selfish individuals who only sought their own benefits...Deciding to get to the main point, Kali controlled her laughter and put on a 'serious' expression as she said, "I will agree to that idea of an Amazoness community within Orario but, in order to make sure there is ample 'attachment' from the perspective of the Alliance, there is something we will need from you. That boy, Vahn Mason, has left quite the impression in the hearts and minds of many Amazonesses, to the point that even that brat Hippolyta is 'constantly' thinking about him..." Though it was from the perspective of 'seriously' wanting him dead, it was true that the Queen of Telskyura was constantly thinking of Vahn.Continuing her words, even though she knew both Loki and Freya were aware of what she would say, Kali's grin became almost vicious as she said, "In all the world, there may never be a more suitable mate for the Amazonesses that Vahn himself. If he is willing to sire an 'adequate' amount of Amazonesses, I will trust that Orario will be able to keep them safe. I know the whole reason you came up with that little idea of yours is because of those 'unique' twins that are attached to Vahn, isn't that right~? He probably wants to knock them up and raise his children in Orario, instead of following our traditions and sending the girls back to Telskyura...well, that is probably for the best, kukukuku~."Because of Tiona's and Tione's status and strength, there was a lot of Amazonesses who envied their relationship with Vahn. If the two got pregnant and gave birth in Telskyura, they would be forced to stay in order to 'protect' their daughters as, resulting from their 'fame', any children they gave birth to would likely face the wrath of some of the more petty and envious Amazonesses. If Tiona and Tione left their daughters in Telskyura to return to Vahn's side, it was almost guaranteed that their children would face a far more difficult crucible than other Amazonesses, even if their society would prevent things from getting 'too' out of hand. Now, if things were arranged so that their children would be able to stay in Orario 'without' concessions being made, it would cause malcontent feelings to spread in the hearts and minds of many Amazonesses.Kali's words weren't outside of Loki's expectations at all and, after discussing various possible scenarios with Vahn, she knew he had even considered 'conquering' the entire country through similar means. If Vahn truly had walked into Telskyura and systematically defeated every Amazoness, he would likely even be recognized as their King. Even Hippolyta, once defeated, would have to take a step back and submit to Vahn, at least until she was able to defeat him and reclaim her title. This, however, would result in an unstable population that numbered in the hundreds of thousands all being completely dedicated to Vahn. Just as Tiona, Tione, and Aisha couldn't imagine themselves sleeping with other men, it would be much the same for many of the Amazonesses Vahn defeated, with the stronger ones being even more affected...Knowing that it would be an even 'bigger' problem if Vahn was allowed to deal with things directly, Loki had orchestrated this meeting with Kali around the time Enyo had been imprisoned. She knew that Vahn would eventually set his sights on the Amazoness nation and wanted to avoid a major fiasco that would unnecessarily complicate matters in the future. Because of this, instead of being flustered by Kali, Loki nodded her head and said, "That is fine, but there are certain requirements that must be met as well. Because they will likely become the core of the Amazoness society within Orario, those that want to bear Vahn's children would need to be much stronger than the others that reside there. This will be necessary to keep order and to protect Vahn's future children, as he would never allow them to be in a dangerous situation without every precaution being made..."As she listened to Loki's words, Kali squinted her eyes slightly, interrupting the flow of the conversation by asking, "How strong do they need to be, exactly...?" To this, Freya answered, gesturing to Hrist as she said, "Most of the members in the Hearth Manor would be able to walk through your country without anyone being able to block their path. Even the Maids and Guards surrounding Vahn are, at the very least, Level 5. These two are near the peak of Level 7 and Level 6 respectively, while the three waiting outside are all at the peak of Level 5. Why don't you tell us, Kali, who exactly you think it 'qualified' to bear Vahn's children...?"Kali knew that the winged women standing in the back were strong, but she never expected one to be near the peak of Level 7. As if to rub salt on her wounds, Loki then explained, "The Valkyries that serve as the Guards of the Hearth Manor have a total of 303 members, each being above Level 5 in strength. As for the actual Guardian of the Hearth Manor, she is a True Dragon that has exceeded Level 10 and broken through the limits of the Falna. However, even she isn't the 'real' threat...though I have no reason to explain exactly what kind of cards we have in reserve, do I~?" In truth, the power base Vahn had established over the last year gave him more than enough power to conquer the entire Continent, even if he just sat back at the Manor all day. Other than Legend, there weren't even any forces in all of Eden that could resist the Valkyries for more than a few hours...If the Valkyries weren't a big enough surprise, the revelation that there was a True Dragon that had broken through the 'limit' had caused Kali to hold her breath for a brief moment. Then, as if to give voice to the words on Kali's mind, Argana slammed her hand against the table and exclaimed, "What kind of bullshit are you spouting!? You're telling me those bird bitches are supposed to be Level 6 and 7!? If you're going to lie, you should at least come up with something believable!" Having spent twenty-seven years training to the point of exhaustion almost every single day, Argana refused to believe there were so many people that were at her Level. The idea that there were several who were 'beyond' her felt like a slap to the face hard enough to loosen teeth.Though she had been silent and stoic the entire conversation, Hrist now turned her attention to Argana, coldly stating, "The world is broader than you could ever imagine. You may be one of the biggest fish in your small pond, but there are vast oceans with powers you can't even imagine with your small-minded perspective of the world. We, Valkyrie, have trained hard for hundreds of years and even we do not have the hubris to believe there are none stronger than us. In fact, it is because we understand there are individuals capable of far exceeding our growth that we are content with serving. Watch your words, wretch, or I will remove your right to speak anything more than pain-filled groans for the rest of your insignificant life..."As Hrist was speaking, an icy and oppressive aura spread through the entire facility, causing all but the three goddesses seated around the table to feel an instinctual fear. Most of the Valkyrie had inherited pseudo-Divinities related to Death, Divination, and, to a lesser extent, Magic. Hrist had a total of three Innates while also possessing a pseudo-Divinity related to Death. This was something that Kali had picked up on instantly, causing her to activate her own aura as she looked to Argana and said, "Stand down, Argana. That isn't an opponent you can fight, even if you and your sister teamed up together..." Kali hadn't expected the Level 7 Hrist to also be a Demigoddess, especially one with a similar Divinity to her own. Mortals with such a Divinity were usually 'very' dangerous, even if their Level was low. The fact that Hrist was Level 7 made it completely impossible for her two Captains to even think about fighting against her...Argana had felt an instinctual suppression from Hrist but, after feeling her own goddess' power, she became somewhat pale as her slightly agape mouth closed, the words of challenge she had nearly issued being swallowed. Now, she could only think about what kind of monstrous organization the Alliance was to have such powerful entities serving as mere guards. Her pride had taken a serious hit and, even though Hrist had mentioned training for several hundred years, Argana felt like her own power would never be able to reach similar heights. She only had a few decades left in her prime and even reaching Level 7 would be difficult before her body simply couldn't keep up with the strain of intense training and combat any longer...Appearing as if she hadn't noticed the tense atmosphere that had been created, Freya once again repeated, "Well, who do you think is qualified to bear Vahn's children, my dear Kali~?" If it were up to her, Freya would much rather bear one hundred children for Vahn, rather than let him impregnate one-hundred Amazonesses. Knowing her own children would be related to the children born to the Amazonesses who would reside within Orario, Freya felt more than a little troubled. This notion was even shared by Loki who knew that, given the nature of Amazonesses, in general, Vahn would be troubled when his Amazoness daughters ended up seeking out their own mates 'too early'. Because Amazonesses were considered adults after reaching certain Levels, irrespective of their age, there would have to be laws passed that restricted this particular cultural trait to avoid causing Vahn to fret incessantly in the future...Kali, unaware of what was going through her fellow goddesses' minds, had a small frown on her face as she thought about how to answer Freya's question. The Alliance was obviously far more powerful than she had expected, meaning she would have to seriously consider the matter in greater detail in the future. For the time being, there were a few 'easy' answers she could come up with, including one pressing matter she wanted to address. Thus, after collecting her thoughts, Kali gave a glance towards Argana and Bache before turning her crimson eyes, matching Loki's ruby-red gaze as she said, "It is obvious that you must have the means to help increase a person's strength qualitatively over a short period of time. I'm certain you have other schemes at play so, for the time being, I will select a few Amazonesses over Level 5 that should be suitable for monitoring the community within Orario. To facilitate a smoother transition, I will even move to Orario for a short while to-"At this point, both Loki and Freya released their characteristic laughs, causing Kali's mouth to shut as she glared back at them. Then, just as she was about to lash out, Loki preempted her, saying, "You will have to deal with Hippolyta and the traditionalists before things get out of hand. Until things are settled back in Telskyura, you shouldn't be worrying too much about the community that will be created within Orario. We will begin laying the foundation and preparing for a stable Amazoness population in the future. The important thing at this point is public recognition and support for those Amazonesses who wish to remain in Orario and raise their children within the budding society we will establish. You don't need to concern yourself with who they are; just know that they have much higher importance than anything you are trying to prepare..."As she was speaking, Loki passed over several documents and a contract for Kali to peruse, the one at the very top being the same one that all goddesses who had a chance to give birth to a Vanir had to agree to. Kali had been frowning as she listened to Loki's words but, upon reading the contents of the documents she had provided, her expression turned into a cheeky grin. There was even a file on Vahn himself, including some of his personality quirks and characteristics. Kali was reminded of Loki's first words when they met earlier, causing her grin to turn sly as she said, "It looks like I have a lot of preparations to make, shishishishi~."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'At this rate, Orario is going to become a bunch of small segmented communities xD','Fish in a pond? More like a frog in a well...','You simply can't get a 'real' advantage against Loki (o....,o)')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

In preparation for dealing with Telskyura, Vahn had been training with Tiona and Tione for several hours in the Sub-Space orb each day. He knew that it would become even more troublesome if he tried to take care of things himself so, in order to keep the issue 'internalized', Tiona and Tione were going to be fighting for their own right to happiness. Since the 'Queen' of the Amazonesses was supposed to be the strongest and most capable warrior, both could rise up to the position if they chose to. It would take a bit of time but, so long as he was able to convince Kali to support the changes, Tiona and Tione could slowly change the way all Amazonesses lived.Vahn believed that, so long as they didn't stop looking into a more 'permanant' solution, even the instincts of the Amazons could be dealt with. He had even been developing an 'inhibitor' formation that would suppress some of their instincts, serving as the basis for the 'seal' he wanted to create to regulate Divinity in the future. At the same time, the seal would also allow them to grow stronger since Vahn intended to make it possible for the formation to also absorb energy, much like he had done for the Elves. Since it would be difficult to create an item similar to the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing] for use by Amazonesses, Vahn had instead come up with a formation that would allow them to 'store' magic power and then use it to enhance their physical capabilities, much like [Cantus Bellax].This was a method that some Knights back in Eva's world used in order to temper their bodies in preparation for situations where they were unable to use their Magister's mana to enhance their capabilities. In a record like Danmachi, Vahn believed this would be a means by which people could enhance their physical parameters further while also increasing their familiarity with manipulating mana in general. Other than through the hands, most people couldn't channel mana through the rest of their bodies, making people like Asfi an exception. Because she was constantly developing Magic Items that could be used on and around the body, she was able to channel mana into her feet, eyes, and ears. Since even a proficient Mage like Riveria could only channel mana through her hands, this showed just how 'rare' such an ability was...Because of their reliance on equipment, Vahn was worried that the HDF would slowly lose its footing as the average strength of Adventurers continued to increase. They lacked a foundation and, though he had found a means to 'reset' their Levels after hearing Jeanne detail the methods Legend used, Vahn knew there weren't many people that would give up their power and start from scratch. In order to supplement their lack of parameters, he was trying to come up with a variety of methods that could be employed for the future. Though it would still take a lot of effort and training, it would one day be possible for even 'pure' Mages to be able to zip around as if they had much higher parameters.As for his first 'test subject', Tione and Tiona had both volunteered but, after a short squabble between the two sisters, Tione was given the opportunity to undergo the procedure. The simple fact was that Tiona's body already performed something similar to what Vahn intended, serving as the catalyst for why Vahn even had the thought, to begin with. She could use Magic Items with any part of her body and, when using her [Pactio], Tiona was constantly absorbing mana and converting it to raw speed, power, and regenerative capabilities. Using her to develop the method would be filled with all sorts of problems, as her body may not even react remotely the same way as other people...Because of this, Vahn was currently standing next to an operating table of sorts with the naked Tione laying on her stomach. Lefiya, Naaza, Preasia, and Lili were all spectating as Vahn very carefully used his own body as the 'materials' to create a complex magic circle on Tione's back. He had gotten the idea after talking with Terra about how she had used her own blood as a catalyst for many of the more advanced magic circles she carved into the artifacts she produced. Since his blood already had the quality of being 'accepted' by the bodies of others, Vahn had decided to push this to the natural limit.By using [Hands of Nirvana] to allow his fingers to 'fuse' with Tione's back, Vahn was manipulating his own cells to create a permanant magic circle in the second dermal layer of Tione's skin. He had already confirmed that it wouldn't 'evaporate' if he made sure the cells were properly adapted to Tione's body and were 'still living'. It was just like how he would produce Orichalcum and other materials with his body except, this time, Vahn was creating living cells that would continue to live in Tione's body, potentially longer than she would even live herself under normal circumstances. He was even 'linking' the tattoo-like magic circle directly with Tione's mana circuits, using small bridges of cells to anchor into each of the invisible points...Slowly but surely, a complex five-point magic circle was taking shape on Tione's back while the person in question was in the deepest and most relaxed sleep of her entire life. Each point of the magic circle had smaller interconnected magic circles, four of which enhanced Tione's physical parameters while one would allow nigh-instantaneous regeneration of her body if the magic circle was compromised. Vahn was worried about what might happen if the magic circle was damaged, or Tione took a hit she couldn't defend against, so he built a failsafe into it. As for the larger magic circle that contained these five effects, it was meant as both a stabilizer and to make the circle more aesthetically pleasing to look at.Overall, the structure of the magic circle had a blood-red coloration that, through Vahn's [Eyes of Truth], emanated a slight rainbow hue. Tione would never be able to make use of the Source Energy contained within, but it would perfectly absorb the type of mana she needed from the environment, all while preventing her from ever getting sick in the future. Vahn even suspected that, if he replaced the marrow of a person with his own, they would become genuinely immortal since their body would be able to create new cells without limit. This was something that would require testing on smaller mammals instead of humans, however, as Vahn had no idea how such a procedure would affect the recipient's life thereafter...After nearly twelve full hours, as it was marginally more complicated to infuse cells into a person's body than it was to simply use ink to tattoo them, Vahn finally finished the procedure. It had a serpent-like design overlayed with the actual magic circle, matching Tione's Alias 'Jormungandr'. Though it would look very out of place when she was getting her Status Board updated, as it would overlay with the Loki Familia crest, it looked pretty cool with its crimson coloration against her healthy brown skin. Vahn had drawn up several designs before beginning, allowing Tione to choose the one she thought was the most suitable to her own preferences. She had grown accustomed to her Alias and, even though it annoyed her when she first received it, Tione had long-since started to treat it as a mark of pride, considering it was the name of a mythical entity.While Tione was still in a 'very' deep sleep, Lefiya, who had been seriously taking notes during the entire procedure, ended up tracing her finger on Tione's back for a few minutes as she studied the final product. Though she had the template that Vahn had designed as a reference, seeing it on a person's body was a very different experience. Lefiya considered herself Vahn's 'primary' disciple when it came to magic and, though she couldn't replicate such feats in the present, there were no limits to what she could accomplish in the future. She genuinely believed Vahn's words that, so long as she continued striving towards greater heights, there would always be an even higher height to aspire towards...Tiona had also taken a keen interest in the magic circle on Tione's body, for entirely different reasons. She kept poking at various parts, a pouting expression on her face as she said, "Unfair, I want a cool magic circle...moouuuu..." This remark earned Tiona a few laughs from the other girls, causing her to give Lefiya the stink eye as she eyed the latter's abdomen. Lefiya blushed up to her ears in an instant, using the notepad she had been writing in to hide her face from view. Though she didn't really need it, being a High Spirit and all, Lefiya had the same crest as other Elves carved onto her abdomen. She had also developed the habit of wearing clothes that exposed her stomach though, now that Tiona was eyeing her with an envious gaze, Lefiya was suddenly very embarrassed by the situation...Vahn had also issued a light chuckle before ruffling both girls' hair as he said, "Don't squabble over such small matters. Tiona, you already have markings whenever you transform so you should be content with that for now. I'm afraid any magic circle or tattoo I give you would just be destroyed by your fighting style. If you want, I can make you some temporary ones that can last for a few days...?" Because Tiona had a 'habit' of taking hits head on at times, her body would sustain heavy injuries at times. Even if he made a 'regenerating' magic circle for her, such things would require him to repair them every now and then. With Tiona's fighting style, he would probably spend part of each day just reapplying her tattoos...Since she didn't actually care all that much, Tiona laughed mischievously through her teeth while enjoying Vahn's caress. She was fully aware that he would give her one if she 'really' wanted one, so Tiona was more than happy just playing around and teasing others. Her entire 'fight' with Tione on who should get the tattoo had just been her goofing around, something almost everyone but Vahn seemed to key in on. Even so, the fact that Vahn was still 'dense' at times was one of the reasons why Tiona was so fond of him. Not only had he truly lived up to her expectations as a 'Hero', but he would always show her concern if he even thought she was a little sad or troubled...After a few minutes, Tione had finally awoken and, not minding her nakedness around the other girls, began inspecting the final result through a set of mirrors Vahn had placed out for her. She gave a satisfied nod after looking at it for a few minutes before exclaiming, "Adeat~!". Then, fully clothed in her raiment, Tione tried to focus on the magic circle and activate the effects. It took her nearly twenty minutes but, every so subtly, the circle that would enhance her Power began to glow. Only Vahn could actually see this, though Lefiya's eyes did contract slightly since she was also very perceptive to mana being used.Tione released a sigh of relief and began flexing her fingers as she said, "It is very difficult to use but I think I can get the hang of it with practice. How long was I out for...?" This time, Lili answered out the fastest, saying, "A little over thirteen hours. Vahn worked hard to make sure there weren't any mistakes." Because she had gotten a little bored watching the procedure, Lili had been checking the time and wondering if she should leave the Sub-Space orb and grab something to eat. Her appetite had increased exponentially with her increased Power and, though she wasn't as gluttonous as Lefiya, Lili's metabolism was probably the highest within the Manor.Hearing she had been out for thirteen hours, Tione's expression went from mild shock to a soft smile as she looked at Vahn and said, "Thank you, Vahn..." As she was speaking, Vahn noticed the 'shift' in her aura and produced a wry smile in return as he apologetically said, "You're welcome, Tione. For now, just try and familiarize yourself with using the magic circle. Live combat should be one of the fastest ways to adapt to its use...later on, I'll have you explain how things went. For now, there are a few things I need to take care of so I can't stay and watch..." As was often the case when he did something that left an 'impact' on them, Tione's body entered into an 'active' state when she heard Lili's words.Though Vahn didn't mind tending to her for a while, that could easily turn into a few hours depending on how things played out. Since he genuinely did have other things to do right now, Vahn could only 'suffer' the indignant look in Tione's eyes as she allowed him to leave. Then, in an effort to relieve herself, Tione ended up having Tiona stick around so they could spar while Lefiya monitored from the side and made observations. As for Vahn, he didn't stick around for too long since his presence would probably be troubling for Tione, even if she had someone else to vent on. He watched just long enough for Tione to catch Tiona by surprise, using her enhanced Power with an excited smile on her face...---Back in the real world, Vahn had been eating lunch with Terra, Alexa, and Yggy, the latter of which had provided most of the delicious fruits and vegetables that Vahn had used to prepare the meal. Though Terra had quickly taken action when he first transformed into his Qinglong form, Vahn's aura had easily reached from the outskirts of Orario and invaded into the Manor. She reacted rather quickly, teleporting Alexa into one of the isolation chambers that Vahn had developed for cultivation practice, but the damage had been done. Ever since then, Alexa had been despondent and fidgety, disallowed from transforming into her female form to prevent her body from having a 'dangerous' reaction.Vahn had been slowly helping her alleviate the symptoms by spending time with them in a peaceful setting, usually with Alexa and Yggy as support. This was also allowing him to observe the actual effects of a True Dragon's instincts and how it could influence their actions, giving Vahn insight into potential solutions for the future. For now, however, Alexa would lay across his lap for around an hour each day while Vahn sent calming energy into her abdomen. Though it wasn't exactly 'correct' to call her a female in this androgynous state, Alexa identified as female even more after the 'event'. Even if she knew it was almost impossible for her to ever get what she wanted, her instincts made it impossible for her to even consider taking the route of a male now. After all, even Fafnir and Khaos had been greatly affected by Vahn's transformation and, if not for the fact they had already 'given up' trying to compete against him, they probably would have become females as well...Fafnir and Khaos identified as male and aspired to be 'like' Vahn, to the point that they even assumed human transformations that closely matched his appearance. As for Alexa, she had been on the fence but, being one of Vahn's 'children', her perspective was decidedly different than the two True Dragons who had subordinated themselves and received names from Vahn. They had the benefit of their 'names' and the influence of The Path to inhibit their instincts somewhat while Alexa was entirely forced to 'deal' with them on her own. Since she had always had to consider the role she would play in the future, and could never truly compete with her Papa, her instincts made it nearly impossible for her to want to be a male after feeling his aura. Since she wasn't 'allowed' to be female right now, the only thing Alexa could do was stay in a genderless state as Vahn slowly helped to quell the discordant energy circulating in her body...(A/N: As I'm sure many of you have noticed, I don't have as much time to release chapters since there are a lot of things I need to prepare for my upcoming job. I'll still be trying to release around 3 chapters a day but, as the time for my departure approaches, the number of chapters would decline. Even while I'm away for work, however, I will still be updating a chapter a day. This job is important, as it will give me an emergency reserve and work as a 'cushion' during times of financial burden while I'm completing EPIC. By the time the summer ends, I'll be back to writing up to 100k words per week in order to finish out the story by the end of next June (^_^)~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Queen~!','Vahn would make so many Scientists grit their teeth until their gums bled...','Oh noes (O o O)...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Fully aware of what Vahn was intending, as was often the case, Loki had been making preparations of her own behind his back. It wasn't that she wanted to keep secrets from him but, if she didn't do 'something' to pacify her Divinity, it would make her body feel itchy. Though the influence of her Divinity had markedly weakened after she had given birth, it wasn't that it no longer took effect at all. In order to prevent things from getting out of control, Loki made sure to keep her interactions with other people 'vague' and 'complicated'. She was wrapped up in dozens of small schemes and plots, mostly in preparation for Vahn's rise to become an Emperor...Currently, she, along with Freya and an escort of five Valkyrie, had made their way over to the nearby port city of Melen. Though their departure from the City had been kept from Vahn, it wasn't as if they were being very low profile since Loki and Freya had flown on Khaos' back for the short flight. It had grown to 17m long and, with it's black/crimson scales, Khaos stood out 'noticeably' whenever Loki went around to manage affairs for the Alliance. This was the first time Freya had ridden on it's back, however, causing her to make off-hand remarks about asking for her own Dragon from Vahn...So that Freya didn't do anything to unnecessarily pressure Vahn, Loki had seriously discussed the matter with her so she knew 'when' and 'how' to make such a request. She knew that, even more than a normal Tamer, Vahn cared deeply about those he had subordinated and named. Because of this, she had gone out of her way to try and treat Khaos well so that he wouldn't worry too much. There were times when she would also mention Khaos in casual conversation with him before they both went to meet with and groom their True Dragon companion. This had a very noticeable effect on Khaos as well, even though he would never admit to being happy for the company...After touching down in a spacious area in Melen's port, causing quite the scene in the process, Loki and Freya made their way over to a large tavern near the port's periphery. Since there were a lot of sailors and fishermen moving through the area at various times of day, this particular tavern was highly frequented and, compared to the surrounding shops and stalls, it had a 'higher-end' feel to it, even though there was also a warm and homely atmosphere permeating out into the cool morning air. When Freya saw this building, a small smile spread across her immaculately sculpted face as she mused, "It seems that wayward child of mine has been doing better as the days pass~."This tavern was none-other than Melen's main branch of the Hostess of Fertility franchise of taverns and, as for why it was so popular in the relatively simple port town, it was the existence of the same projection spheres that were used in the larger branches. Because it's residents were all simple and hard-working people, there weren't too many advanced forms of entertainment in Melen previously. Most sailors and fishermen just frequented bars and taverns, enjoying a few drinks with their friends after working hard all day. Here at the Hostess of Fertility, however, you could do much the same, all while being attended by beautiful barmaids as exciting Sports matches played on each wall...Loki understood Freya's meaning very well as one of her 'secrets' from Vahn was the fact that she worked closely in hand with the various Merchant Familia in the Alliance. This wasn't something that would surprise him, as Vahn genuinely 'expected' that Loki was working with everyone, but the true extent of her cooperation and manipulation of the markets of Orario would shock him. She had, for the last two years, been working alongside Fortuna to slowly center the entire economy of Orario around the Alliance. In order to make this possible, they had to slowly convince those Familia who had been sitting on the fence to join the Alliance.This usually involved a few small schemes, such as purchasing up all materials and resources, or reducing the price of comparable goods in the area to the point that most smaller Familia simply couldn't keep up in the long term. It was more than a little underhanded but, in order to make sure there weren't any problems when Vahn wanted to start collecting taxes in the future, it was a necessary step to take. Since she had been having the Civilian Legislative Branch establish a Civilian Merchant Association, which also worked closely with the Alliance, Vahn was well on his way to dominating the entire economy of Orario, both foreign and domestic, even though he had no idea it was happening. Fortuna was even training a 'disciple' of sorts to become Vahn's future Minister of Finance and Trade...After having Khaos take on its human form, something Loki liked to tease him for since it was very similar in appearance to Vahn, the three made their way into the Hostess of Fertility with the Level 7 Hrist and another Level 6 Valkyrie named Bruna. The other three waited outside, effectively scaring off any other potential customers with their rather imposing figures and fierce gazes. Though they were exceptionally beautiful women, and drew a lot of attention, the fact that each was near the peak of Level 5 was enough to make most people sweat if they tried to keep eye contact. The reason for their presence was that there was no way of knowing what action the person they were meeting might do if she felt her side had the advantage.Within the tavern, that usually had upwards of fifty-to-a-hundred guests, the only people present were the Proprietress, a motherly woman named Susanne, and a small number of uniformed staff that were looking decidedly nervous. As for why these girls, who were accustomed to dealing with rough and burly men, had such a reaction, it was because the entire tavern only had three customers before the arrival of Loki's entourage. At the back of the tavern, laying down sloppily in one of the booths facing a projection sphere, was a girl with crimson red hair that glistened like fresh blood.The girl had brown skin that had a bit of an ashen coloration and, much like an Amazoness, wore extremely revealing clothing while a bone-like mask covered the upper half of her face. Around her neck were several small skulls forming a necklace while the only thing covering her seemingly non-existent breasts was a thin white vest. Because she was laying down, and the vest completely lacked buttons, this caused the fabric to slid down, creating an inarguably obscene sight as the figure displayed a complete lack of regard for public decency and a general sense of shame.With the arrival of Loki and Freya, the girl, still supporting her head with her arm, lazily looked over and said, "I was wondering how long you were going to keep me waiting. You know, it takes nearly three months to travel here by boat. If not for this contraption, I might have been bored to death..." As she was saying this, the seemingly young girl came to a seated position, adjusting the thin loincloth that that only barely protected her dignity. The fabric was the kind that didn't even fold under and wrap around the hips, meaning she was completely bereft of undergarments. If not for the purple cloth that loosely covered her arms and hips, this girl, seemingly no older than ten, would have completely exposed herself to the eyes of onlookers...Upon seeing their counterpart, Freya and Loki gave each other a glance before the latter turned her attention back to the crimson-haired girl, saying, "I had thought you would have disguised yourself better, Kali. I know you have the capabilities to do so...what are you scheming, I wonder~?" These words caused the 'young girl', the Goddess of Sacrifices, Death, Time, and Entertainment, Kali, to begin laughing without any inhibitions whatsoever. After her laughing fit, she picked up a leg of lamb and began gorging herself, mouth filled with meat and greases as she said, "Who would have thought a day would come with the Goddess of Tricksters accused others of scheming~."As she was addressing Loki, Kali was passing her crimson-eyed gaze across Khaos, Hrist, and Bruna. She had brought along the Captains of her Familia, Argana and Bache, along with an assortment of thirty Amazoness warriors. Even with her two Captains being near the middle of Level 6, Kali could tell that they wouldn't stand a chance against the tall winged women at Loki's and Freya's sides. She would probably be able to hold her own against one of them while her Captains fought the other but, with the inclusion of the boy with strange red and black hair, Kali knew things wouldn't play out in their favor. Knowing Loki, there were probably other cards she had hidden, making the forces she had in reserve completely useless...Argana and Bache, completely unable to see through the strength of Hrist and Bruna, were smiling amusedly at the Valkyries while Argana had a taunting look in her eyes. The two were twins, much like Tiona and Tione, with a similar 'disposition' to match. Argana was around 165cm tall and, though she had breasts, they were at the very low end of the B-Cup, barely cresting over an A. As for Bache, her breasts were 'much' larger, consisting of well-shaped D-Cup breasts that deformed under the leather straps that kept them bound while she moved around during battle. Both girls had sand-colored hair and golden eyes, though Argana's was kept in a long braid that reached the back of her knees while Bache's was kept short, barely reaching her shoulders. The latter also had a veil covering the lower half of her face, concealing a grisly scar that ran from the side of her mouth and caused her otherwise beautiful face to became almost ghastly to anyone who saw what was beneath.Seeing the two Amazonesses looking toward them, Hrist and Bruna remained completely stoic without showing any sign of fear or fluster. There was neither scorn nor disdain in their eyes as, from their perspective, the two prideful Amazoness warriors were simply beneath them. If a conflict did break out, it would be a 'very' short engagement since the Valkyrie had nearly a thousand years of combat experience and possessed some of the highest base parameters of any race. After all, they were each demigod Valkyries while Argana and Bache, incredibly powerful in their own right, were 'simply' Amazonesses...After a few tense seconds had passed, Loki returned a conniving smile to Kali before releasing a few cackles of her own after saying, "The truly interesting thing is, in this situation, I don't even have to scheme, kukukukuku~." Unless both sides were equal, or she was slightly on the losing end of things, there was simply no reason to be roundabout in these types of situations. Once the Alliance had reached a 'critical' level of growth, Loki had been able to exercise a degree of power and influence that almost invalidated the need for schemes entirely. Even in this situation, depending on how things turned out, they could simply destroy the other party and then deal with the aftermath later on...Kali, understanding Loki's meaning, showed an almost crazed smile of her own as she licked the fang-like snaggletooth on the left side of her mouth. She wasn't even remotely afraid of what would happen in they came to blows as just the thought of battling against a powerhouse like the Alliance made her 'excited'. It truly didn't matter to her if she had to return to Heaven for a short while as she would be able to return 'much' faster than most gods. Because of her Divinities, it was easy to gather the necessary 'materials' to recreate another avatar meaning, even if she ended up dying during battle, Kali would be back in the Mortal World after a decade or so had passed. This was similar to the case of Gods of War like Ares, though he took markedly longer since he wasn't a very 'popular' god. Kali, however, had hundreds of thousands of devout followers, each practicing the teachings that had been engraved in them for hundreds of successive generations.Freya, having been silent up until this point, squinted her eyes slightly and muttered, "How uncouth. We didn't come here to compare who had the creepiest laugh, my dear Loki and Kali. Shall we get on with this little discussion of ours? I'd much rather lounge in my Manor with a glass of wine than spend the rest of my day in this foul-smelling place..." As a Goddess of Beauty who enjoyed the finer things in life to an 'extreme', Freya wasn't fond of rural towns like Melen. The odor of salt and fish was heavily permeating through the air and, even though it was bearable within the Hostess of Fertility, she would rather be back in Orario, resting on a comfortable bed as she awaited the potential arrival of Vahn...Kali, taking advantage of Freya's words, simply stated, "There isn't much to even talk about, is there? I already know why you wanted to meet and the fact that I even showed up should already tell you all you need to know about my stance on the issue. This really only goes one of two ways, doesn't it? You either make me the offer I want, which would likely end up in a conflict with Telskyura, or you go to war against me and the entire Amazoness peoples. I'm personally very interested to see just how well such a massive organization would be able to hold out against an entire race of warriors~." Even knowing that Telskyura had no chance at victory, Kali didn't really care that much as the thought of such a massive battle alone was very exciting.Loki's smile didn't change after hearing Kali's words but, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but curse the quirks of gods with Divinities related to things like Death. There was no way to really pressure them by taking a hard stance as, even if they ended up dying due to disagreements, such gods simply wouldn't care. Then, since it was impossible to eliminate 'death' from the world, they would just return a few years later and continue being a pain in the ass all over again. At the same time, just as Kali pointed out, the Amazoness people would very willingly wage a suicidal war that could very well continue for several years. After all, the Amazonesses didn't really care that much about their country itself and many even slept in small hammocks without any real shelter, enjoying the 'natural' world to an extent that could even put Elves to shame...(A/N: I'm not sure if the meaning behind Loki's words was conveyed properly, so I'll elaborate on a few things real fast. Essentially, most Amazonesses don't really care about their own lives, much less the lives of others. They are a species that enjoys battle, polishing their skills through brutal and bloody combat. At the same time, they make almost no cultural advancements and, if not for the fact it would be difficult for them to roam in other countries otherwise, many Amazoness would simply move around without caring about clothing. Many live in the actual jungles surrounding Telskyura, where resources for making clothes are even scarcer, so they generally just wear things like loincloths, often completely forgoing clothes on their upper bodies. These types of Amazoness usually cover their bodies in tribal markings and they are the main source for food, almost entirely comprised of hunters and gatherers. They would usually make offerings to the 'warrior' tribes that are located closer to the heart of Telskyura. From the perspective of most Amazonesses, cultural and technological advancements lead to the stagnation of society, not the propagation of society. Building defensive walls, running businesses, farming, innovation, these are all things that go against the natural order and, in time, would lead to the actual destruction of the world. By existing within the natural world, living and dying along with their surroundings, the Amazoness have a 'culture' that could last for millennia without any difficulties, even though it pretty much guarantees their race would continue to brutalize itself for generations to come. The thing is, in a way, they are 'correct' as, instead of thinking about how they can exploit each other and consolidate wealth, the only thing that Amzonesses really care about is 'strength'. Even the basic concept of status, other than the Queen, is completely pointless and, so long as you are strong, you would have the respect and admiration of your fellow Amazonesses.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sneaky sneaky','What's with this sassy...lost child?','While Empires, Kingdoms, and Countries fall, the Amazoness have remained unified for more than ten-thousand years...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 925: Negotiation Between Goddesses