Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As Melen was only located a little more than three kilometers away from Orario, it was a very short journey with Vahn, Tiona, and Tione all being capable of using [Shundo]. However, as it had been a long time since Vahn actually 'walked' anywhere, with flying being his primary means of transport, it was somewhat refreshing to be able to join the scenery they passed along the way. The area surrounding Orario was very scenic while the record of Danmachi itself was full of beautiful and breathtaking landscapes. Vahn was able to enjoy several sights that most people could only dream of but, on occasion, it was nice to just travel leisurely alongside some of the people he cared about.To make things more interesting, Tiona had started a game of [Shundo] tag, that had the three of them darting around along the landscape, trying to evade each other using the surrounding terrain as cover. Vahn enjoyed a big advantage, being able to detect the girls within his domain and use [Shundo] to a much higher proficiency, but it was still very fun. Seeing Tiona and Tione acrobatically navigate the terrain and try to pull feints against him, only to end up falling into his arms regardless, brought a smile to Vahn's face each time. It also made the trip to Melen seem much shorter, as time spent playing always seemed to pass much faster than normal...As such, Vahn and his two Amazoness companions arrived at the port town of Melen, located on the shores of Lolog lake and having a small population of only 40,000 permanent residents. This homely place was affectionately referred to as Orario's access to the sea, providing fresh fish to the City while serving as the primary hub for merchant vessels trying to conduct trade inland. The architecture primarily used wood for the foundation while the overall structure used the wattle and daub method, interweaving stray and hay before compacting it with processed mud, lime, and other building materials. Most of the buildings had slate-tile roofs and Vahn could smell the nearby sea, carried on the rather strong wind flowing in from coast. It was already much colder here than it was in Orario yet, everywhere he looked, Vahn could see people with smiles on their faces as they happily worked alongside each other to unload the early morning catch...Tiona, who had been standing close at Vahn's side, had her arms leisurely placed behind her head as she mused, "It's been a long time since I've visited Melen. I'm looking forward to being able to travel by sea once again~." Though they had used the land route when their journey began, Tiona and Tione had both served and Kali's personal vessel to train out at sea a few times. They both had experience fighting underwater and had a very high tolerance to both pressure and cold, much like most of the Amazonesses who served on such vessels. As for Tione's take on things, she had a stern expression as she muttered, "We're not here to play around, Tiona. Don't forget our purpose on this journey...!"Tione could already feel her blood boiling, completely invalidating the cool sea breeze as she looked forward to stomping the woman who had made her life a living hell. In the past, whenever she would make her 'Master' upset, it wasn't uncommon for the latter to beat her until Tione had been left bedridden for weeks. Once, Argana had even broken both of her arms and fractured several of Tione's ribs, all while insulting her as being 'weaker' than Tiona. Now, Tione knew she would be able to defeat the cruel and vicious woman who played at being her Master. She had even been tasked by Loki to personally deal with Argana as, no matter how things developed moving forward, there was no way such a woman could ever be a suitable mother. After all, back within Telskyura, Argana had the nickname 'Voracious Killer', as she had a propensity of biting the jugular and even taking large chunks out of her opponents using nothing more than her teeth. Though it had healed now, Tione had also lost a large chunk of her calve in the past after pissing off Argana when the latter had a little too much to drink...Remembering all of the times she had suffered under Argana's cruelty, Tione tightly gripped her fists in expectation, a murderous look in her eyes. Vahn and Tiona both noticed this, completely understanding Tione's current state of mind. Tiona had been there to see her sister's suffering and, though he hadn't been there personally, Vahn had seen the events from both sisters' perspectives. He knew that, if he had to choose between Argana and Bache, it wasn't even a contest. Bache had been a relatively kind and caring Master to Tiona, even if she was still harsh during their training. She was also the one that allowed Tiona to keep books related to heroes, giving her hope during the darkest part of her life...Vahn reached out his hand, grasping Tione's fist firmly as he said, "Whatever you decide, I will support you..." Though he knew it was 'better' for people to move on, leaving their tragic past behind them, Vahn also knew it was borderline impossible for some. Experiencing great cruelty, all while feeling you are powerless to change it, is something most people can't overcome. Tione had managed to escape with Tiona in the past, but the trauma she had experienced due to Argana's treatment was deeply rooted in her psyche. If she wanted to duel Argana to the death, Vahn wouldn't allow anyone to interfere, even Kali herself...though the latter probably wouldn't care at all.For a moment, Vahn, Tione, and Tiona were enjoying a heartwarming yet tense atmosphere amongst themselves. It wasn't until a burly looking fisherman, carrying a wet net full of a fresh catch, gave them a wry smile that they were brought back to reality. Tione gave a rare blush while Tiona just laughed out loud, just as she normally did when embarrassed. Vahn's own cheeks felt a little hot, even against the cold air, so he just gave a small nod to the fisherman before heading towards the port. There were several fishing vessels in port but, standing out amongst them all, Vahn could see a large red twin-masted Brig Sloop moored in the center of the harbor. It was a large vessel around 50m long, possessing a unique structure that had a very 'foreign' feel to it compared to the relatively standard vessels anchored nearby...Tione and Tiona had confirmed it was indeed Kali's ship and, with the large eight-armed female emblem adoring the sails, it wasn't really a point of contention as to who the ship belonged to. This was clearly the Kali Familia emblem and, as a result of her reputation, most of the other ships gave them a 'very' wide berth. Some ships were even traveling in a very wide arc to avoid passing anywhere close to the large blood-red ship and its crew. As for the crew themselves, Vahn could see several nearly-naked women diving into the large saltwater lake, disappearing for what felt like several minutes before reemerging with large fish they had caught by hand.Seeing this, even from a distance, Vahn wondered what it would be like to go fishing while relying on nothing but his physical capabilities. He had never really dived too deeply into a large body of water and couldn't help feeling a little intrigued by the concept. Unlike 'most' people, he didn't really need to breathe so there was no limit to the depth and duration of his dives. Vahn knew that, even with the large size of the Continents, they made up less than five percent of the planar world of Danmachi, the rest almost entirely comprised of an ocean that extended several dozen kilometers down into the dark abyss where the light from the sun had no hope of reaching...While humoring the thought of exploring the ocean's depths, Vahn came to a sudden stop as the aura of three gods entered his perception. One was far more powerful than the other two and seemed to be making its way towards them, causing Vahn to gesture to Tiona and Tione as he turned his head towards the direction of their 'guest'. Given the circumstances, it was almost undoubtedly Kali herself and Vahn was curious about what she was up to by meeting them without an escort. Though she didn't have any reason to 'fear' for her safety, it was still a very strange decision to make since Vahn did have a track record of killing gods...From around the corner connecting to an alleyway, a small brown-skinned girl wearing a blue smock-dress came into view. The dress had a squarish hole where the head protruded, adorned with cream colored and green stripes, just like the hem of the dress. Since the hem extended past her knees, it gave the girl a very youthful appearance and, if not for the golden ornaments on her wrists and ankles, she might have looked like a normal young girl. Even without such adornments, however, the long black hair tied into a loose ponytail that extended to the back of her calves, the crimson red pupils, and the fact that she had exuded a feeling of intense 'threat' made her stand out quite a bit...As soon as the 'young girl' made eye contact with Vahn, she gave a small pouting expression as she said, "Lok said you were very perceptive, but you could have at least played along for a little while, Vahn..." Vahn had already started to emit a bit of pressure from his domain while Tiona and Tione had both assumed combat-ready stances, neither remotely fooled by the 'disguise' of the goddess that had been deeply ingrained into their hearts, minds, and bodies. Even so, Kali didn't really seem bothered by the cautious and hostile reactions of the group, walking forward with a pretend 'innocent' expression on her face as she explained, "Like this, you can refer to me as Chandi, okay? Come on, don't you want to try patting my head~?"Completely ignoring the looks Tiona and Tione were giving her, Kali made her way right before Vahn, looking up at him with a playful and expectant smile. If not for the massive aura and insane bloodlust she exuded, Kali could have easily played the part of an innocent child, something that made Vahn feel apprehensive. Even so, he didn't let it show on his face and, causing Kali's smile to widen greatly, reached out his hand to stroke her head. She was only 138cm tall so it was very easy to place his hand on her head, sending waves of petting energy that caused Kali to show momentary surprise before 'giggling'. This time, Vahn couldn't help himself as he commented, "This act...is kind of disgusting..."Kali poked out her tongue in response, stating confidently, "Who, other than a god, determines how a god should act? Even Loki and Freya were allowed to change, even though they had been stagnant for so many years. Is my 'act' really such a bad thing, if its who I'm willing to become in order to make things easier for you~?" Being one of the older gods in her Pantheon, Kali was nearly as old as Hestia yet, because of her Divinities, she had a far more 'active' role throughout History. She wasn't nearly as 'clever' as Loki, but her experience over more than five hundred million years wasn't something that could be looked down on by most mortals.In response to Kali's words, Vahn moved his hand back, removing the silky black-haired wig that Kali had been wearing, revealing her blood-red hair that curled a bit towards the ends. It easily extended past the small of her back as it flowed down, falling naturally into place as Kali's eyes turned somewhat sharp. Her little tooth, which had been poking out innocently previously, now seemed more like a fang as Kali ran the tip of her tongue across it hard enough to draw blood. Then, with a bit of excitement glimmering in her eyes, Kali stated, "You know, I don't mind if you want to take the lead and do things your way...but, if you are going to disrespect me so readily, Vahn, you should prepare yourself for the consequences. Unless you can beat me head on, don't expect me to just stand idly by as you cause me to lose face in front of my Amazonesses..."Kali had tried to use the information Loki had provided about Vahn to appeal to him in a way that she thought he would prefer. Though Loki mentioned that he had inhibitions about her size, the fact that he had a Pallum in his 'harem' meant he wouldn't be able to use it as a genuine excuse. If he had just played along, Kali had been willing to keep up the pretense for the entire duration of their journey, all so that Vahn's mind would be at ease. Now, he seemed to be doing everything in his power to undermine her intentions and, though Kali also expected this somewhat, it didn't mean she would 'play along' if he wasn't willing...Vahn continued looking down at Kali, then, without minding her 'vicious' look, he reached out his hand and began stroking her head directly this time. The hair of a goddess was usually finer than refined satin so it was a very pleasant feeling against his palm, even though the silky black wig, which seemed to be a 'very' high-quality item, was also rather nice. Then, amidst Kali's confusion, Vahn simply stated, "There will come a time when we have to settle things, but that is beside the point...this whole journey is supposed to be us getting to know each other better, not a version of ourselves that we think is 'suitable' for the occasion. If I can't get close to the real you, there is no way I would be willing to have a child with you...for the time being, we should do our best to get close naturally. Don't play games with me, Kali..."Even as he spoke rather sternly, Vahn's actions 'seemed' gentle, especially with the aid of his [Grooming] and [Hands of Nirvana]. Kali had become momentarily absentminded as she listened to his words, only coming to her senses when the last syllable left his lips. Then, a smile that was the exact opposite of the word 'innocent' appeared on her face as a predatory light glowed in her eyes. She bared all of her teeth like a wild animal before saying, "I'm starting to see how you were able to win over those two troublesome goddesses, Vahn. If that is your wish, I'll be more than happy to oblige you~!"At the end of her words, Kali broke away from Vahn's hand, feeling a strange twinge in her heart that caused her brows to twitch as she began removing her one-piece smock. Before she could do so, however, Vahn had made his way to her side and held down the hem of the fabric, a stern expression on his face as he said, "Just wear that dress for the time being. You stand out quite a bit already, so it would cause problems if you're walking around with next to no clothing on..." Vahn also placed the black wig back on Kali's face, all while she looked at him as if he was spouting something completely ridiculous. He even went out of his way to make sure the wig was seated properly on her head, hiding her blood-red hair and fixing her clothing as if he was incredibly accustomed to the act...(A/N: Never underestimate Papa Vahn...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's all fun and games when you treat like as if it's a fun game~!','Tione's resentment runs deeper than the ocean...','Kali is wholly unprepared for the abnormality that is Vahn Mason xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With Kali taking the lead, properly wearing her disguise, the four made their way towards the docks where a group of Amazonesses were waiting. Though Kali could have easily swum through the water, their Brig Sloop did have a few smaller boats for transferring supplies and, in order to receive Vahn, they had unloaded one to transport him and Kali over. That would have to wait until later, however, as there was currently an 'incident' occurring at the docks that caused Tione's eyes to glimmer with a murderous light...Currently, there were a few seriously injured fisherman laying around on the ground as an Amazoness with white hair, braided with golden twine, and a very revealing outfit. She had blood staining her hands and, with a predatory gaze, stared back at the surrounding fisherman as she licked the blood clean from her fingers. Vahn frowned when he saw this and, after confirming the men were only injured, not dead, he looked to Kali and said, "She can only blame herself for what is to come..." To this, Kali just shrugged dismissively before saying, "Our law is survival of the fittest. If she is too weak to survive then, just like those who have fallen at her hand, she too will die. It isn't anything to be upset over..."As a Goddess of Death, Kali didn't particularly care if any of the children, or anyone else for that matter, ended up losing their lives in battle. To her, death was a completely natural thing and, if you didn't have the power to stave it off, then the only person to blame was yourself. Since most gods were fully aware of the cycle of reincarnation, she had no real attachments to any of the children in her Familia, knowing that they would simply return to the cycle and live anew. Her only real interests were fighting, watching people fight, and observing the 'unique' Amazonesses that went against the grain and chose a different path from their sisters. It was this same mentality that allowed her to let Bache give Tiona books in the past, curious if the young girl that loved Heroes would be able to make her dream a reality...With Kali's words signifying her 'consent', Vahn gave a small nod towards Tione who, like a blue, vanished from sight before appearing near Argana. This movement caused Kali's brows to rise slightly as she uttered an 'oooh~?' in a small voice. As for Argana, her vicious gaze turned into one of surprise as she quickly twisted her agile body, kicking outward as her shin collided with Tione's hard enough to make a small shockwave. Vahn winced slightly upon seeing this, knowing both girls' shins probably had micro-fractures after contacting each other with such a forceful impact. He was tempted to transfer the injury from Tione to himself but, considering this was her personal fight, he decided to watch patiently from the side, trusting she would emerge victoriously...Now that she saw who it was, Argana's expression change from surprise to scorn as she intoned an amused, "Hooo? Look who's grown up. You know, I was hoping you would tag along with that boy, my sweet little disciple..." As she was speaking, Argana had gotten into a loose stance with both of her bloody hands up in a grabbing motion. Her style of fighting relied solely on her physical body, choosing to forgo the use of a weapon unless she was hunting monsters. Against human opponents, she preferred to rip them apart with her bare hands, bathing in their bloody and reveling in the act of slaughtering those weaker than herself.Tione chose not to respond to Argana's words, long having entered her berserk state, increasing her parameters further. Though she was actually more than strong enough to fight against Argana, the mental trauma Tione had suffered in the past was causing her to push herself from the outset. As a result, she launched herself towards Argana, shattering the paved stone of the port as she vaulted through the air and dropped her heel towards Argana's head. The latter, as arrogant and vicious as she was, wasn't a slouch when it came to actual combat. Her instincts warned her not to block the blow so she stepped back rapidly, spinning on her heel as she attempted to counter Tione's attack after the latter missed.With Argana having dodged, Tione's foot slammed into the dock and caused spiderweb fractures to spread out in an instant as her right hand shot up to catch Argana's foot. This caused Argana to tuck in her leg, turning her kick into a feint as her body twisted around in an instant. Her long braid came to an end with a solid gold ring that now sliced towards Tione's face with the intent to maim. It was this same attack that had cut open Bache's face in the past and, unless you were expecting it, most opponents would be caught by surprise. Tione, having 'trained' under Argana for years, was one of the few whom the attack was completely useless against...Argana hadn't been the only one twisting her body as Tione had also turned her attempt to grab the former's leg into a complete motion, turning her body and grabbing out with her left hand this time. For a brief moment, Argana had her back to Tione and, though she was preparing to vault away and get her distance again, her actions were one step slower. Tione had grabbed the long braid that her former 'Mentor' had prided herself over, causing Argana's attempt to jump away to fail. Instead, she was pulled off her feet as Tione jerked her hair, pulling Argana into a spin as she slammed the latter toward the ground with bone-breaking force.To Argana's credit, she reacted very quickly to being pulled by her hair, pulling up both of her legs to change her center of gravity as she moved with the motion of Tione's attack and landed on her feet. Even so, Tione hadn't let go of her braid just yet and now used it as a 'leash' that kept Argana in her range as she kicked towards the latter's abdomen with an explosive kick. Argana's expression had turned especially vicious since the moment Tione had grabbed her hair, screaming, "You bitch!" as she tried to meet the base of Tione's shin with her elbow. The elbows and knees were significantly harder than the straight bones of the body so Argana was trying to break Tione's shin with her counter attack.The moment Argana initiated her counter, Tione pulled the golden loop toward herself, knocking Argana's balance off-center and changing the vector of her elbow. This caused Argana's eyes to widen slightly as she tried to follow with Tione's pull while tucking in her arms to protect her ribcage. Tione's attack landed against Argana's guard, causing a ripple to pass through the latter's body as a pained grunt escaped her lips. Though Tione hadn't been using any weapons, the magic circle on her back was releasing a subtle glow that signified she had enhanced her parameters. It didn't reflect any changes on her Status Board, but Vahn knew the enhancement was very nearly 30%, though the effect would decay with time. This meant that, for the first few minutes of a fight, Tione's base Power easily eclipsed 6300 while Argana's maximum possible Endurance was only 5,994.Tione's attack wasn't enough to send Argana flying, but it had been enough to completely disrupt her balance for a brief moment as the wind was forced from her lungs. In that brief window, Tione had shifted her weight forward, planting her left foot heavily against the ground as she used the hand holding Argana's braid to smash the golden loop into the latter's teeth. Argana had tried to jerk her head back to evade the attack but Tione was slightly faster, causing the loop to slice through the soft tissue of Argana's mouth as several of her teeth were fractured and dislodged. She was then knocked backward by the attack but, with Tione still holding her braid, the latter simply yanked Argana's head forward again for another follow-up attack.Argana's expression had turned into completely murderous at this point as she completely ignored the injury to her face, grabbing her own braid as she brought her head forward and attempted to bite Tione's neck. Even with teeth missing, Argana's habit of trying to bite away chunks of her opponent was deeply ingrained into her attack patterns, something Tione was fully aware of. She responded to Argana's attempt by cutting her left fist upward in a short uppercut, forcing the latter's mouth shut before she slammed her head forward, slamming it into Argana's nose.Even after taking several painful hits, Argana didn't seem willing to back down as she quickly yanked her own braid away from Tione's vice-like grip. This caused the hair to rip, freeing her from Tione's grasp as her long hair slowly began to uncoil, blown chaotically by the cold coastal winds blowing inward from the sea. For a brief moment, the two Amazonesses stared each other down as Argana moved her tongue around inside her mouth before spitting out several fragments of teeth and a fair amount of blood. The inside of her cheek was ripped to shreds while the corner of her lips now extended several centimeters further than it should...As if it was someone else who was injured, Argana's expression remained vicious as she ignored the pain and spat, "You really have grown up, brat. I'm glad I didn't kill you back then...now, you will become part of my own strength...!" At this moment, Argana's pale-golden pupils became crimson red as her figure moved forward at several times the speed of sound in an instant. Like a spear, her hand tore through the air as it drew a fierce line towards Tione's neck. The only thing it contacted, however, was Tione's afterimage as she had completely avoided the attacked with the use of [Shundo].Argana had lunged forward with her fastest momentum, extending her body forward to try and end the battle with a single blow. With Tione evading her attack, her body was left completely exposed as a blur formed into existence at her side, turning into the image of Tione kicking upwards with similarly fierce momentum. Argana's body folded over Tione's leg as a powerful shockwave rippled through her abdomen before she was launched high into the sky. Her forward momentum from her lunge hadn't been lost, causing her to spin as she flew through the air for several hundred meters before smashing into a building on the port's periphery.After this attack, Tione was left breathing heavily but was otherwise in good condition as she looked towards the section of the building Argana had smashed into. She didn't think for a moment that the woman who had tormented her for years would be done in with such a simple, albeit effective, attack. As expected, there was the visual of the building 'exploding' outward, sending supersonic pieces of shrapnel outward as Argana's raging figure charged toward Tione once again. It wasn't until after Argana arrived that the sound of the building's explosion reached bystanders, as her speed was much faster than the sound of her movements.This wasn't something that Tione couldn't cope with, however, causing her to evade with [Shundo] once again. Argana wasn't caught off guard this time and, as she had kept low to the ground during her charge, he was able to palm against the ground and pivot quickly to reorient herself towards Tione. This showed remarkable adaptability on her part but, being weaker, less durable, and slower than Tione, it didn't provide her too many benefits. To her credit, she had made sure her back was facing towards the water this time so, when Tione's fist collided with her cross guard, Argana was sent barreling backward, skidding across the water a few times before sinking into the port's depths.Amazonesses could fight just as well in the water as they could on land and, being one of the Captains of the Kali Familia, Argana's aptitude in the water was above most. She had the [Master Diving] Development Ability, something Tione, with her [Diving: A], wouldn't be able to match. When Argana didn't emerge from the water, Tione knew she was being baited to chase after her but, even in her berserk state, she knew this wouldn't end well for her. Instead, surprising both Kali and the other Amazonesses, Tione held out her hand and shouted, "Adeat~!"Deep beneath the water's surface, Argana's crimson eyes glowed within the murky water of Lolog lake, patiently awaiting Tione's pursuit. She was genuinely surprised by how strong Tione had gotten in only nine years, causing her to momentarily reflect on her own path towards power. Since she had known Tione since the latter was born, Argana knew it couldn't have been her own talent that had allowed her to reach such heights in such a short period of time. Tione hadn't lacked talent, but it was a far cry from the truly prodigious Amazonesses that would periodically appear within the younger generation. Compared to Tiona, she had always been subpar and, with her emotional instability, it was easy to exploit the gaps in her attacks...at least it used to be.Now, Tione seemed to be stronger, faster, and tougher than she was, causing Argana to feel slight envy but even more excitement. She believed that defeating Tione would allow her strength to grow exponentially and, since Vahn should have been the source for Tione's quick rise, Argana believed she would be able to receive similar benefits in the future. For so many powerful people to come into existence around Vahn, he had to have the means to promote the strength of others and, now that he would be on their ship for the next three months, there would be ample opportunity to find out what he...Without being able to finish her line of thinking, a flash of gold tore through the water's surface, catching Argana off guard as she twisted her body to try and evade. She was extremely agile in the water so it wasn't too difficult for her to dodge a surprise attack, at least in most circumstances. Unfortunately for Argana, the blade of Tione's artifact could reach several thousand degrees and, cutting through the salt-filled water, a variety of detrimental things happened all at once. The surrounding water was explosively boiled while the super-heated salt became almost like a highly corrosive acid that pelted Argana's skin, causing chemical burns over a large portion of her exposed flesh. This had highly disoriented her while forcing her body to seize up slightly from the unexpected pain that now wracked her body. In this state, Argana was completely defenseless as the backwash of the water pulled her body back into the path of Tione's artifact, just as it was on its return vector...Argana didn't even know she had died as the last thought to pass through her mind was genuine relief that the pain she had been experiencing had ceased. The two split pieces of her body, charred and cauterized, sunk towards the bottom of the port as large fish, generally her prey, began tearing away chunks of her body. Just as she had lived, devouring the flesh of others, Argana's death was celebrated in much the same way. Her flesh would become the nutrients that nourished new life in the lake's depths, causing several large fish to explosively increase in size and strength over a short period of time. Just as she had consumed others to grow stronger, now Argana was being consumed by others, supporting the natural cycle even in death...On the surface, Tione had felt the feedback of her blade cutting through flesh and, after a few minutes of silence, it was Kali who announced, "Looks like Argana was the weaker one this time around. It's a shame you aren't still in my Familia, Tione, or I would have made you into my Captain. Congratulations on your victory; I hope you are satisfied by the outcome~." As if it was a stranger she had never met, Kali seemed completely unaffected by the death of her Captain, someone she had watched grow up over the last twenty-seven years. She gestured to the other Amazonesses, equally as unaffected by Argana's death, saying, "Prepare the boat so we can head back. I don't really feel like dealing with the Guild and Melen's Familia if I can avoid it."The members of Kali's Familia quickly set into motion, preparing for the departure while Kali lazily walked over to Tione's side and joined her in looked down at the water below. They didn't really say anything to each other, standing in silence as the sunlight cast its warm rays down upon the now devastated port. Vahn had sent Tiona to pass on a literal slab of Adamantine to the Guild, which should be more than enough to pay for the damages that had been done. He also took care of the injured and reimbursed the middle-aged couple who had their shop destroyed during the battle. All the while, he continued to pay attention to Tione, sending her comforting words through their [Pactio] link as she stared absentmindedly towards the cold water below...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A deeply rooted hatred...','The Student overcomes the Master...','What lays beyond vengeance...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Vahn went on to listen to Loki's entire recounting of her conversation with Kali, including the plans and compromises they had come up with. He had already known about the establishment of the Amazoness community, as they had already naturally started to congregate together, but a lot of the other information was entirely new to him. If he were to be honest, Vahn didn't actually know how to deal with the Amazonesses that easily, which was why he had been coming up with a 'seal' of sorts to deal with the situation. Most Amazonesses, however, would oppose such a thing since it would be 'denying' their own instincts and, in a way, was considerably 'unfair' to them as a species...Since Telkyura would be passing laws to prevent children from being victimized in the future, it was already infinitely better than it had been in the past. One of the compromises that they had agreed to was having a few trustworthy and powerful women move into Telkyura to manage the Coliseum and provide a basic education to growing children. Vahn couldn't simply do away with their culture as, from a certain perspective, what the Amazonesses had built was 'better' than the cultures that had been derived from wealth, greed, and corruption. Much like the Xenos, they coexisted with the environment instead of trying to exploit it, bartering goods and sharing what resources they had with the entire community instead of trying to consolidate it and exploit each other for personal gain. The only thing that truly mattered was strength and individual power, not a person's birth and their ability to exploit a system that was rigged in favor of a few 'elites'...Bringing slow reforms while allowing the Amazonesses to continue living in pseudo-isolationism was better for both the Amazonesses themselves and the other races inhabiting the Continent. With time, it would be possible to change the way the Amazonesses lived, especially with several from the younger generation potentially graduating from the School. They would also be able to gather the 'deviants' that would be born within Telskyura, providing them a safe haven where their uniqueness could be developed instead of becoming the source for their suffering. It was inarguably tragic for girls like Tiona, Tione, Aisha, Lena, and even Taliah, having to grow up in a rather brutal society where they were 'different' from everyone else. This made them easy targets for the ire of 'normal' Amazonesses and, except in a few cases, most of the 'unique' Amazonesses would end up dying early on if they weren't 'protected' by Kali...Vahn's only problem with the situation was how he would deal with Kali and, to a lesser extent, the other women that Loki had named. Freya was one of the exceptions Vahn had made in the past and, though they had become a lot closer now, Vahn still wasn't comfortable with the idea of having children for 'political' benefits. He would rather get to know the mothers of his children beforehand, creating a child through love and mutual affection instead of 'necessity'. Loki had already expected this, however, informing Vahn that Kali was waiting for him in Melen, allowing him the opportunity to accompany her Familia on its sea voyage back to Telskyura. This would give up upwards of three months to familiarize himself with Kali, her Captains, and a few other central figures within the Kali Familia...Hearing this, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little gratified and moderately curious, the first in relation to the fact that Loki had taken his 'nature' into consideration while the latter emotion was the result of his intrigue towards traveling by sea. Vahn had never even been on a boat before, much less a large sea-faring vessel. He had been a big fan of One Piece in his previous life so the thought of voyaging by sea, especially on a vessel full of Amazonesses, seemed like an enjoyable time. Since Tiona and Tione would be accompanying him, he would be able to avoid a scenario where the other Amazonesses tried to force themselves on him as even the Captains of the Kali Familia wouldn't be able to defeat either sister...At the same time, Vahn knew this was also a way in which Loki wanted him to 'relax' a bit, as the journey would take upwards of three months, most of which was spent in leisure. There would be the occasional battle against a sea monster, but the Amazonesses themselves would easily be able to deal with such attacks. After all, much like Tiona and Tione, the vast majority of Amazonesses had the [Diving] Development Ability and were almost as capable in the water as they were on land. Without contest, they were the most capable sailors on the entire Continent and, if not for their policy of secluding themselves in their home country, they would easily dominate the seas. This was how so many Amazoness had been able to flee to the Dark Continent in the past, traveling through seas that even seasoned veterans would avoid...The problem with this arrangement was that Vahn would only have one body back at the Manor and, unless he gave up his free time with his children, his only time to enter the Sub-Space orb would be in the evenings. It seemed like Loki was trying to 'force' him to actually relax as most of the goddesses had actually complained about the fact he had gotten back into the groove of things too quickly. They argued that there were already a lot of things going on right now and there was no need to rush things forward, especially with how strong everyone had become.With the inclusion of the Valkyrie, the military might of the Alliance had become 'monstrous' and, unless there was a rogue Hero on the level of Heracles, which wouldn't make sense, there were no 'real' threats to deal with. Now was an opportunity to shore up and strengthen the foundation of the Alliance, increasing the average level of each member and promoting the growth of the economy even further. At the same time, he could be gathering information while observing the changes in the Iron Hills and Westport. Even these wouldn't require his direct interference, however, meaning Vahn was very quickly transitioning to the point where 'others' acted at his direction instead of him having to resolve everything on his own...Knowing that Loki, and the other goddesses, only wanted the best for him, Vahn eventually ended up agreeing with her and decided he would spend the next three or so months focusing on his family life and the matter with Telskyura. This would also allow everyone else around him to relax a little as, in order to make his life 'easier', there were several people acting on Vahn's behalf at any given moment. If he took a real 'break', they would also be able to focus on other things instead of trying to deal with the matters he had put on their plate, even if it was indirectly. Chief amongst these was Chloe, who had been spending most of her time in Westport with her Shadow Corps, while even Sylfia would certainly want to spend time with him...As a result of their discussion, Vahn ended up in the dining room with most of the core decision makers within the Manor, explaining his decision and how they would be moving forward. At the bare minimum, he would be taking around three months off to focus on consolidating his relationships and just spending time with everyone. This would allow him to have plenty of time with his children and be by Shakti's side when she gave birth. If possible, the 'lull' would continue after he dealt with Telskyura, followed by another 'wave' of children that would inevitably come as a result. After all, it was decided that Tiona, Tione, and Aisha would want children of their own, followed by the inclusion of Kali, Hippolyta, Myrina, and one of Kali's Captains. This meant, at the very least, there would be nine more children born into their very large family in the future, including two Vanir. Since there was a fair chance he would also end up having a child with Fortuna and Sylfia at some point, the children in the Manor would likely increase to well over thirty in the next year or so...Fortunately, preparations had already been made for this and, with some of the children reaching an age where their education would officially begin, Aki, Milan, and Syr would be home-schooling the children in the 'classroom' section of the West Wing. Ever since they had learned how many children Vahn had in the Divination, preparations for having between 80-100 children within the Manor had long been underway and, even though it would become chaotic, there were more than enough Maids within the Manor to take care of everything. Instead of just Maemi and Emiru, there were Merribelle, Elizabelle, Katsuya, Momo, Diana, and the twenty members of the Artemis Familia. Even Mona was more than willing to help out while the actual mothers of the children weren't shy when it came to providing their own support...Realizing the consequences his 'antics' had brought about, Vahn found himself laying on the roof of the Manor with Fenrir snuggled up at his side. One of his 'optional' quests was to have a harem with fifty-nine different races while another required him to sire a total of one hundred children. At this point, even though he hadn't 'done' anything with them just yet, Vahn knew there were more than a few Valkyrie that had some 'expectations' towards him. The same could be said for many of the Xenos, meaning Vahn could very easily hit the requirement for both optional quests in a relatively short period of time. There were a lot of people who would be more than willing to change their race to suit the needs of his quest, even though they were unaware of its existence...Vahn recalled the time in the past where he had the 'stray' thought of having a partner in every race, even though Lili had sated his curiosity about several races. He understood well why the Objective itself was called [Curiosity], but wondered what kind of reward he would receive for completing such an objective. Since it was a 'Main Quest', Vahn assumed the benefits were either directly related to The Path or, at the very least, they would follow him into other records. Before he could worry about that, however, Vahn still needed to Unify the other regions of the Continent and bring the various Kingdoms and Provinces under his control...Releasing a sigh, Vahn turned his head to look down at Fenrir, finding her scarlet eyes staring back at him with mild concern and a depth of emotions he may never truly understand. He found more than a little comfort in these glimmering red irises, causing Vahn to smile naturally as he hugged Fenrir close to his body and muttered, "There is still so much left to do, even before I begin thinking of ways to save Eva...I cannot even imagine what awaits us later on, Fenrir...will you still follow your useless Master, even knowing the journey will be long and arduous...?" Vahn didn't even know 'how' he would save Eva when the time came, nor if he would even be able to oppose the power that had influenced her fate. He couldn't simply take her out of the record, as that may very well 'doom' it to destruction. Even if he tried, there were various problems associated with such an action as, unless he could remake Eva's entire body somehow, it may not even be possible to 'take' her from the record from the outset...Fenrir's eyes twitched slightly when she heard her Master say 'useless' since, from her perspective, if he was 'useless', then other people weren't even worthy of the air they breathed. His life was the culmination of endless 'impossibilities' that had been given shape in reality, irrespective of the rules, restrictions, and common sense of the world. As a result, Fenrir used her soft paw pads to 'smack' her Master's head with a genuinely angry expression on her face as she said, "You should never say things like that, Master..." Then, allowing the expression on her face to soften, Fenrir nuzzled against the side of her Master's face and added, "I will follow you, no matter how hard things get, Master. Even if you wanted to throw me away and leave me behind, I would continue to chase after you, no matter what..."Punctuating her words, Fenrir gently licked Vahn's jawline, causing pleasant feelings to spread through his heart as he tightly embraced this exceptionally lovable and reliable companion of his. Vahn wouldn't even be surprised if Fenrir awakened an Innate related to loyalty in the future, truly becoming his 'eternal' companion that will stand at his side through various records. The thought that she would always be with him made Vahn's worries about the future lessen a great deal. Even if he faced setbacks in the future, so long as he had the support of this first subordinate of his, Vahn felt like he would undoubtedly recover and continue to move forward...---Early the next day, after extricating himself from Fenrir's icy chamber, Vahn wore a set of casual clothes before he went to meet up with Tiona and Tione. Though there was no particular rush, they had decided it would be best to set out as soon as possible. The journey by sea to Telskyura would take several months and, with winter fast approaching, it would be even more dangerous if they delayed things further. Though the sailors of the Kali Familia would undoubtedly be able to deal with the ice flows and the various sea monsters that would be following their migrational paths, it was still better to err on the side of caution. Even gods, once descended into the mortal world, couldn't fight against natural disasters, especially while out at sea. There were a few exceptions, of course, but Kali certainly wasn't one of them...Vahn found Tiona and Tione waiting in the inner courtyard with Loki, Hephaestus, Hestia, Artemis, Eina, Syr, Ais, Lefiya, Emiru, Maemi, Diana, Terra, and Alexa. Though his main body would be staying behind, they still wanted to see him off properly since 'Vahn was still Vahn', even in his avatar. It was things like this that gave Vahn a profound sense of fulfillment, causing a natural and gratified smile to appear on his face as he said, "Thank you, everyone...Tiona, Tione, let's go change your fates. It is time to make good on my promise, at last..."(A/N: Vahn still has a few 'major' quests that he needs to complete before the record comes to an end, even though there isn't that much time before he is supposed to leave Danmachi. Since a few people may have forgotten, I will go ahead and copy+paste the 'important' quests that are still on the plate~!)--------------------------------------------------------------[Quest: The Path of an Emperor Begins With the First Step]Rank: ZenithObjective: Unify the Continent of Eden:(2/9), Conquer the Living Dungeon, Tartarus(0/1), Form a Divine Council with a God of every Major Divinity(19/30)Optional Objectives: [Curiosity] Form a Harem with at least one member of every race:(30/59), [Inspiration] Acquire 10,000 Followers, Subordinates, or Retainers(10,000/10,000), [Might] Overcome the restriction of Level 10:(7/10), [Virility] Sire 100 Children(19/100)Rewards: 10,000,000,000OP, Quest Creation System Function Unlocked, 1x[Innate Awakening Pill], 1x[Page of the Akashic Tome]Failure Conditions: Forfeiture of Main Quest ChainPenalty: Record Backlash, Divine Law Cataclysm Initiated--------------------------------------------------------------[Quest: I Shall Seal The Heavens]Rank: SSSObjective: Obtain 100,000,000,000 OP and purchase a [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis] from the system shop.Rewards: All unlocked functions in 'The Path' evolve, 3x[Spirit Vessels], 1x[Enlightenment Stone]Failure Condition(s): Death, Failure to obtain the required amount of OP before leaving the record.Penalty: Danmachi Record inaccessible until Tier 8, All Karma Nullified after leaving the record.--------------------------------------------------------------[Quest: I Shall Return]Rank: SSSObjective: Complete [Quest: Origin of Heroes](6/9). Establish 'Eternal Bonds' with gods that possess Primary Divinities related to Time, Space, Bonds, and Fate (1/4). Current: [Hestia]Rewards: Reduction of requirements for [Quest: I Shall Seal The Heavens]. 10x Reduction in necessary Origin Points.Failure Condition(s): Death, Exiting the Record Before CompletionPenalty: Danmachi Record inaccessible until Tier 8, 10,000 karma based on conditions (5/12)--------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Compromise and Politics are interrelated...','Fenrir is the Dao of Fluff, forever and eternal~!','Vahn is about to experience the legendary 36P o_o...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 931: Melen