Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Seeing the rather disgruntled Amazoness before him, Vahn's expression became odd as he wondered what exactly had happened to upset Aisha since their last visit. This thought, however, served as the answer since Vahn realized it had been well over a month since he had stopped by to visit her. She spent most of her time within Haven, now heading more than six-hundred other Amazonesses in a small community that was continuing to develop even now. Though she was able to return to the surface, as Vahn had given her a few high-grade magic cores to facilitate the transfer, Aisha wasn't the type to squander rare materials for her own convenience.Though he wasn't going to let her punch him in the face, Vahn understood Aisha's frustration since she must have heard about the fact that Tiona and Tione were both pregnant while Kali had made a few appearances around Orario for personal exploration. There was a constant flow of information between the surface and Haven as a result of the HDF's operations so it wouldn't take long for such information to reach her. Understanding this, Vahn felt slightly guilty as he put his hands up in a loose grappling stance before sending a small nod in Aisha's direction. She had been tightly gripping the handle of her massive cleaver while he put the pieces together in his min and Vahn knew she wouldn't wait much longer...Currently, Aisha had managed to break into Level 5 so her strength had increased drastically compared to their first meeting. Vahn's, however, had undergone monstrous growth that few could even hope to contend against. He was already stronger than she was in the past so the disparity between their strength and speed had only increased with the passage of time. Though Aisha kicked the hard bedrock surface with enough strength to leave footprints behind with her bare feet, Vahn was able to easily track her trajectory with his eyes. When she swung her massive cleaver towards him, Vahn performed a partial transformation with his left arm, growing dense black scales that completely negated the force behind the blow. In the next instant, Vahn did a transition between his Xuanwu form, growing black and white fur along his right arm as he palmed Aisha's exposed abdomen with enough force to send a ripple through her entire body.Aisha shot back like a cannonball that had been fired from a magically empowered cannon but, before she was able to even travel one-hundred meters, Vahn had appeared within her flight path, diverting the force so she would fly upwards instead of into any of the surrounding structures. As a result, Aisha was launched into the air like a rocket as her healthy brown complexion gained a slightly pale undertone. Vahn had carefully controlled his strength but Aisha was currently regretting the large breakfast she had eaten earlier in the day. There was a sickly feeling in her stomach as her nausea continued to rise from the rapid changes in direction...Just as Aisha felt as if she were about to evacuate the contents of her stomach, a pair of warm arms wrapped up her body, bringing with it a wave of calming energy. Aisha habitually released a sigh of relief before a deep frown marred her generally mature and seductive features as she complained, "I don't mind waiting for you, Vahn, but you should at least come to visit more often. When I found out you came by to drop off supplies without even coming to see me..." Using the opportunity when Vahn was listening closely to her words, Aisha elbowed him hard in the ribs while releasing a small 'hmph'. Her mature and 'sisterly' vibe had faded away for the time being as she looked down on the perpetually expanding Haven below, all while Vahn took a few sharp breaths through his nose before regenerating completely.Though a simple elbow strike normally wouldn't do much damage, Aisha had used the very edge of her elbow while sending a bit of energy into the blow with her [Fist Strike] ability. She hadn't broken any of his ribs, but Vahn felt a few fracture, sending a jolt of pain through his body that he simply tolerated. Aisha was one of the people who knew the extent of his immortality so he could give her a small amount of leeway if it would appease her anger. He knew she didn't want an apology from him so, after holding her from behind for a while, Vahn began to guide their descent towards Aisha's residence, a large hemispherical structure that looked like a tent but was made out of polished black bedrock.What followed was another small skirmish, this time as a ceremony where the two fought for the dominant position in their relationship. Though Aisha knew she couldn't win the fight, it didn't stop her from doing her best to get a few advantages against Vahn before they both ended up entangled a few minutes after the battle had begun. It wasn't their first time together but this time their relationship had experienced a drastic change while the 'meaning' behind their union was distinctly different. Vahn savored every inch of Aisha's charming and mature features as he pinned her to the thick mattress he had laid out to prevent damage to the floor. Aisha completely cut loose, allowing her instincts to run rampant so Vahn had to keep her wrists locked as she wrapped her firm yet supple thighs around his waist...After nearly two hours of pure 'mating', Vahn felt a contented feeling in his heart as Aisha's tired body languidly laid against his chest. Her long dark brown hair was completely disheveled as it clung to parts of her skin which, after their long union, seemed to be glowing in the low light of the room. As much as Vahn was feeling warm, Aisha was personally experiencing a tremendous heat in her body as a strange feeling of relief slowly settled over her mind. It was her first time getting pregnant and it caused her heart to flutter in a way she had never experienced before as Vahn's hand gently stroked her backside while his powerful heartbeat pulsed in tune with her own...Eventually, Aisha ended up falling asleep with a satisfied smile on her face, causing a gentle look to develop across Vahn's expression as he moved her bangs to the side and kissed her forehead. Though their relationship had always been rather unique, Vahn had a lot of genuine respect for everything Aisha had done over the years. Not only had she resisted Ishtar's influence and tried to protect Haruhime, but she was a responsible leader that had guided her people with a great deal of patience and understanding. If the circumstances had allowed him to accept the Amazonesses into his home in the past, Vahn imagined she would have been one of the girls he had relied on a great deal since, much like Eina, Aisha had a very sisterly vibe to her. Though she would often get a bit carried away in her rather sensual teasing, Vahn wasn't exactly against such displays of affection...---Back at the Manor, while his avatar was undergoing a climactic battle, Vahn had been enjoying a light lunch with Hestia and Artemis while Lante and Bruna, looking less like a proud warrior and now a highly capable Maid, served them. Artemis would often glance at Lante with an amused smile on her face since she actually didn't have the confidence to wear such clothing herself. Lante was wearing a Maid outfit that had a slightly frilly design while her bushy blue tail poked out from a small opening that was tied together with a bow. She always seemed to be happy since her tail was perpetually moving from side to side, especially whenever Vahn would give her head pats or Artemis would ask her to try on new clothing.As Vahn was enjoying the affectionate interaction between Artemis and Lante, all while cradling his first-born Vanir son, Orion, in his arms, Hestia was playfully touching his calf with her bare feet. She seemed to think she was being sneaky, flashing a mischevious smile at the corner of her lips while her leaning with both of her elbows on the table. This also meant her rather large breasts were also nestled against the circular tabletop, giving Vahn an unobstructed view of Hestia's cleavage. She was very aware of what was going on with his avatar, just like Artemis, so Vahn couldn't really blame her for feeling a little 'excited' herself. This was one of the few 'negative' consequences of having powerful bonds with goddesses, though Hephaestus still had it worse as a result of their shared link through the eternal flame.Vahn allowed Hestia's antics with a softly smiling expression since he knew she wouldn't take things too far, at least while girls like Bruna were around. He had become an object of worship to the Valkyrie, causing Bruna to show a slightly vexed expression as she attempted to stand stoically at the side. Vahn actually found the slightly flustered appearance of serious women refreshing, though he still preferred teasing Elves for reasons he would never truly understand. With that thought in mind, Vahn decided he would pay a visit to Riveria later to express his gratitude for the lessons she had been giving him. For now, however, he pinched the sleeping Orion's nose, causing the slumbering Vanir to make a frustrated expression for a brief moment that caused Vahn to feel as if his heart was going to melt...Artemis had seen Vahn teasing Orion, causing her to put on a playfully reproachful look as she said, "Don't tease our son too much, Vahn. You can't show preferential treatment between your sons and daughters or they may come to resent you later in life." Though she didn't say these words with any sense of severity, Vahn still nodded his head since he understood there was a great deal of truth to what Artemis was saying. He had actually been trying to improve how he treated his sons since it was obvious that Masonia had already deviated in a strange direction.Masonia was always very respectful and had been steadily increasing his knowledge in the hopes of one day becoming King, but it was obvious that Masonia would be deferential to the influential women in his life. This was due to the fact that, being the 'eldest' of Vahn's sons, Masonia had become the focal point for a great deal of teasing from most of the girls in the Manor, not just his sisters. Vahn was partially to blame for this, though it was primarily due to the fact that Masonia had inherited a lot of his mother's looks, making him appear somewhat feminine with his long jade-green hair and fair complexion. Ever since the first time Vahn had seen his son playing dress up with his sisters, the number of times he would come across Masonia with light makeup or hair clips on had been steadily increasing. Though he still dressed like a boy, Masonia had adopted the habit of wearing shorts instead of trousers while he often wore white socks that seemed to be increasing in length with the passage of time...Thinking about his son, Vahn's expression became slightly wry, earning a laugh from both Hestia and Artemis since they knew exactly what was on his mind. He decided to take Masonia with him on a journey in the near future to broaden his son's horizons and give him a short break away from the female-dominated Manor. There was also the option of sending Masonia to spend a bit of time with his Grandfather so he could interact with what would likely become his future people. Since he also needed to make good on his promise with Sylfia at some point, though there was no particular rush given how 'young' she was, Vahn didn't think it was a bad idea.Hestia released another light chuckle as she said, "You seem to have made up your mind on something. Tell me, is it another woman...?" Though she said it with a playful voice, Vahn felt like the last word out of Hestia's mouth was a little sharper than normal. This caused Vahn to release a small sigh as he nodded his head, unable to lie to Hestia's face about the matter. Hestia bit her top lip for a brief moment but ultimately kept whatever comment she wanted to say to herself when Artemis gave her an inquisitive look. She understood a few Hestia's frustrations but had long accepted that Vahn's relationships were abnormal. In fact, she actually felt that the more people that were around him, the larger and happier their family would become...Vahn always felt guilty during moments like this and couldn't help but wonder if there was something he could do to 'fix' things in the future. His nature made it difficult for him to deny the genuine affections of others and he had already made more than a few 'exceptions' when it came to his emotional attachments. Even women like Freya, who Vahn had been extremely guarded against in the past, now had a place in his heart. Vahn knew the capacity for change that positive relationships could bring so it was difficult for him to refuse anyone that he also had an interest in. Because of this, there would undoubtedly be a few more women in his close circle before he exited the record, even though he knew it wasn't what he should be focusing on...Seeing that she had caused Vahn to fall into a period of reflection, it was Hestia's turn to feel guilty since the main reason she was 'upset' was that she actually wanted more of Vahn's time for herself. When she had first accepted that Vahn would have a lot of relationships, Hestia felt as though other girls were 'stealing' him from her. Now that she had accepted everyone around Vahn as part of their extended family, and genuinely enjoyed the companionship of nearly everyone in the Hearth Manor, Hestia's mentality had changed. It didn't mean she wasn't jealous, as seeing Vahn with some of the other girls still caused her heart to ache, but Hestia didn't truly blame him for wanting to make others happy...she just wished he would make her happier more often...Understanding Hestia's nature well, Artemis turned to Lante and said, "Lante, would you accompany me to Spero Village? There are a few dresses I had Miss Naho design that I wanted you to try on~." Lante's eyes practically had stars in them as she happily raised her hand in the air and shouted, "Yes, Artemis-sama~!" Since she had nearly the same appearance as Artemis, the only exception being the added dog ears and tail, it was always a peculiar sight, seeing 'Artemis' acting so jubilantly. Hestia's momentary melancholy faded away as an expression of confusion appeared on her face for a brief moment.Vahn already understood Artemis' intent so he handed the sleeping Orion over before giving her a short parting kiss after saying, "I'll make it up to you in the Sub-Space orb later..." This caused Artemis' smile to broaden as she and Lante both departed for the underground passage that connected the Hearth Manor and Spero Village. Even Bruna seemed to have understood what was going to happen since she gave a courteous bow before flicking her wings and taking to the sky. Vahn was tempted to turn his eyes skyward, as the skirts worn by the Maids seemed to grow progressively shorter with the passage of time. He managed to cull the instinct to do so, however, as Hestia was the more important matter at hand.Knowing she had been 'set up', Hestia's face had already turned slightly flushed as she showed an expression of genuine embarrassment. She couldn't disguise the 'relief' in her eyes though, especially when Vahn wrapped his arms around her petite body, stroking her long black hair as he comfortingly said, "If you're ever feeling lonely, Hestia, I can always make time for you. Though I may be busy at times, I'd rather have the world waiting for me to take action than leaving you feeling as if I don't have time for you..." Though he genuinely wanted to make the world a better place, it was because of the people he loved that Vahn was so driven...Hestia's heart was racing even before Vahn's words so it had practically popped out of her well-endowed chest after hearing what he had to say. Though they were the flowery words of promise that Vahn often spoke, Hestia knew they were Vahn's genuine feelings on the matter. The biggest 'problem' was the fact that Vahn was also very serious about almost everything he did, making it hard to fault him when he seemingly failed to keep his promises. For the time being, however, Hestia decided not to worry about such insignificant things as, at least for this singular moment, she could have Vahn all to herself...(A/N: Alternate Titles: "Vahn is a stronk boi...','RIP Masonia (U x U)','Gimme gimme...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After what felt like an incredibly long period of blissful relaxation, the first day of the Denatus had finally come so Vahn had escorted Hestia, Hephaestus, Loki, Anubis, Eirene, Demeter, Artemis, and the first time attendant, Kali to the base of Babel Tower. Today was an important step towards his goals as the framework for the Divine Council had already been established but would become a reality after these three days came to an end. Immediately following the formation of the Divine Council, Vahn would be meeting with all of the foreign leaders to discuss various policy changes while also issuing something akin to an ultimatum. However, even though things were rather serious, Vahn found himself in a lackadaisical mood as he absentmindedly looked toward the massive tower where the goddesses would be spending the next three days...From a little ways behind him, five tails flickered about in a mesmerizing manner that drew the attention of almost everyone that walked by. This caused several people to end up walking into other pedestrians while those most heavily influenced would even collide with static objects like buildings and streetlights. Even Vahn wasn't entirely immune to this and he could only blame others for their 'curiosity', as Haruhime's abilities may work passively but still required the other party to focus their intentions towards her. Still, Vahn found the slight chaos rather amusing as he turned his attention back towards Haruhime and asked, "Shall we go...?" This caused all of her tails to flicker simultaneously as a smile blossomed upon her increasingly enchanting face as she replied, "Certainly, Master~."With Haruhime holding his left arm, Vahn began escorting her along the more scenic route back to the Manor as the diminutive Shirohime hung from his head and 'secretly' sniffed at his scalp. She had mellowed out a lot after exposure to all of his children, especially since she was able to interact with all of the Guardians. Of course, this didn't stop her from behaving rather spoiled at times, usually sneaking into his room or popping up whenever he wasn't busy to receive brushing and headpats for a few minutes, sometimes turning into hours. This didn't really bother Vahn, however, as Shiro was very cute and her presence helped him know the mood of Haruhime since the two were always in sync with each other...Along the way to the Manor, Vahn and Haruhime politely greeted most of the people they encountered along the way, primarily children and various businesses. As for most people, they knew to keep a distance whenever Vahn was escorting one of his women, which was actually the reason why Haruhime was following along with him this time around. Now that the Denatus had begun, Vahn wasn't intending to meet with any of the foreign dignitaries until the day of his scheduled meeting as he wanted to let the tension they were feeling increase a bit. Since they were too afraid to offend him, the presence of a woman at his side was a strong deterrent that also allowed Vahn to give an icy stare towards anyone that wanted to bother him incessantly.Of course, Vahn always had the option of flying through the sky to avoid dealing with people but that was similar to lowering his head or being roundabout, something that wasn't very Emperor-like. He would rather walk through the City streets with a beautiful woman at his side, knowing there were few who would dare impede his path, as it served to increase his own prestige and allowed him to posture for a bit. This was also a way where Vahn could continue to build rapport with the common citizens, as his presence and general amicability had been steadily increasing his popularity with the passage of time.In this manner, Vahn and Haruhime made their way down one of the few snaking roads in Orario that were laden with neatly arranged cobblestone streets. It was a shortcut that would put them on the main street to the Manor and was often used by Vahn whenever he was walking on foot. Though there was a certain danger involved with establishing a habit that could be exploited, Vahn senses extended outward far beyond the range of any would-be assassin. On this particular street, the duo, trio if including Shiro, saw a small Pallum girl wearing a frilly pink smock running along with a small bouquet of flowers in her arm. She was only around 74cm tall, making anyone that looked at her small figure feel as though their heart was dealt a critical amount of damage since her toothy smile was on full display...Upon seeing Vahn and Haruhime, the young girl turned statuesque in the middle of her step, as even Pallum children were able to recognize Vahn. The large statue that had been erected in 'Little Orario', which was located relatively close to the Manor, made him an everyday figure in the lives of many Pallum. Since many, even as young as the small girl before him, had been personally liberated as a result of his actions, it wasn't too surprising that a lone Pallum would get 'spooked' upon witnessing the person they referred to as their Savior. As a result, the girl fell face forward and was on a crash-course with the ground before an invisible force wrapped around her body and prevented the fall outright.Unable to understand what had happened, the girl flailed around awkwardly in a very flustered manner until Vahn and Haruhime appeared right before her, the latter bending down with a gentle smile on her face as she said, "Calm down, you're going to be okay..." This had the exact opposite effect, causing the young Pallum's face to practically turn scarlet as she began to stammer, "I-I-I-I..." Haruhime issued an amused laugh upon witnessing this before helping the girl right herself so Vahn could liberate her from his telekinetic influence. With her feet firmly planted on the ground, the invisible force surrounding the girl's body vanished in its entirety, allowing her to calm down a little, even though her face was still beet red.Haruhime gave the girl a light pat on the head before rising to her feet and saying, "You should be on your way. Isn't there someplace you were in a hurry to reach...?" Since the young Pallum had turned into a statue again, Haruhime had no choice but to remind the girl about the situation. This caused her to startle to the point that she leaped off the ground a few centimeters while releasing a surprised yelp. It was Vahn's turn to chuckle this time, even though he had been keeping a complacent smile during the previous incident. As a result, the girl's eyes became round as the blush on her face seemed to transition towards a deep crimson that made it appear as if she would faint.Just as the dizzy feeling began to overwhelm her, the young Pallum felt a rather heavy palm on her head before a wave of comfortable heat spread through her body. The dizziness was whisked away as if it had never existed before as even her rising blood pressure was slowly ebbing until it reached a normal level. This didn't stop her from blushing rather furiously, however, as Vahn's gentle smile caused her heart to flutter madly in her chest. From her perspective, he was as big as a mountain and seemed to tower above even the surrounding buildings. His palm against her head felt like an entire roof that would shield her from even the most tumultuous storms while the gentle smile on his face almost caused her to cry, though she wasn't entirely certain why.With the girl having calmed down, Vahn extracted his hand from her head before pulling out another small bouquet of flowers. The previous grouping had fallen to the ground when she was flailing around earlier and, though he had saved most of them, some of the flowers were a bit worse for wear after being flung around chaotically. He handed the new bouquet over to the absentminded Pallum before pulling out a small bag of cookies and saying, "Share these with your friends, okay? They are very healthy for you and will help you grow up big and strong in the future..." Instead of regular cookies, Vahn had given her a dozen animal shaped crackers that were infused with a large amount of vitality. Since many Pallums still got sick, especially in their youth, Vahn had a habit of passing out small snacks whenever he encountered the almost scarily small Pallum children that would often run errands near the Manor.Knowing what was in the bag, the girl held them close to her chest and began bobbing her head like a chicken as she finally managed to exclaim, "Th-thank y-y-you, Vahn-shama...!" She ended up biting her tongue towards the end of her exclamation, causing her eyes to tear up as another wave of red colored her delicate facial features. Vahn's smile curled up a bit at the sides as he reached down and lightly poked against the girl's nose while using his [Wounds Transfer] to alleviate the pain and discomfort she was feeling. From her perspective, it was like a magic trick that had made the pain go away, something incredible that she couldn't really wrap her head around.With the same smile on his face, Vahn gave the girl a small nod and said, "We'll be on our way now, little one. Make sure to take care of yourself, your family, and your friends, okay~?" Since the Pallum had started to build a very close-knit community, Vahn often emphasized that aspect and encouraged their continued cooperation with each other. Being someone that had benefitted from the care of others, the girl nodded her head rapidly once again before running away with her cheeks still a ruddy red color. Vahn asked Fafnir to accompany her safely to wherever she was head while extending his arm out for Haruhime to grab before they once again set out for the Manor...---Around the same time that Vahn was leisurely making his way back to the Manor, the various gods and goddesses that comprised the Alliance were mingling together as they awaited the official start of the Denatus. This group consisted of the vast majority of gods within Orario while only a few outliers avoided the larger agglomeration. There were almost no gods that were hostile towards the Alliance within the City as the Freya, Fortuna, and Eirene Familias had already dealt with most of them. The latter only dealt with Familia that were known to operate in various grey areas, usually by arresting their members for crimes that they would have easily gotten away with in the past. As for Freya and Fortuna, they were far more direct in their approach as Fortuna would often purchase the debts of troublesome Familia before running them into the ground. Freya's approach was the most direct of all, however, as she had outright eliminated the Familia that were hostile towards the Alliance, often with the assistance of the Loki and Hermes Familias in the shadows.Compared to almost every previous Denatus, everyone could sense there was something 'off' about the atmosphere this time around. As a result, even though things were still relatively lively, several gods and goddesses felt extremely tense as they noticed many of the more affluent and powerful gods were consolidated around the Triumvirate goddesses who, in turn, had Hestia at their center as they spoke amicably amongst themselves. Though it wasn't rare to see the most influential gods gathered together, seeing them all gathered at once was something that caused other gods to feel a great deal of pressure. With Hestia at the heart of everything, appearing far more serious than usual, it was hard to stay calm and pretend things were normal...In total, there were twenty-three 'primary' deities that had gathered to establish the framework of the Divine Council while most of the core members of the Alliance already supported them. This meant more than three-hundred gods and goddesses were in favor of the Councils existence while those in direct opposition could be counted on a single hand. With goddess like Loki, Freya, and now Kali, there were few that would openly voice their displeasure, however. Just having Kali in attendance caused some gods to feel nervous as, even in Heaven, Kali was an especially vicious goddess if you offended her. After descending to the Mortal World, her Familia had actually crushed several other Familia that resided in small Cities and territories, often over petty disputes that could have easily been settled with words...Kali was one of the few goddesses that weren't gathered around mingling with each other as she was currently lounging alongside Ioke as the latter quietly nibbled on a somewhat undercooked piece of meat. Though they had differing Divinities, Kali had developed a kinship with Ioke after finding out that the Slaughter Goddess was residing at the Hearth Manor. The feelings weren't exactly mutual, as Ioke was a bit off-put by Kali's presence, but she never vocalized this openly since the latter had never antagonized her. Ioke was just happy to have a place to stay where she wasn't treated like a tool, as Vahn had never actually required her to go out and deal with his enemies while many of the goddesses at the Hearth Manor took great care of her...Even though Ioke rarely ever responded to her, Kali didn't really mind since she knew that her companion goddess simply didn't like speaking. However, Ioke was always listening to her, something Kali found refreshing since it felt like she could say whatever she wanted without having to worry. As of late, she had been 'venting' a lot with Ioke since Vahn, though still treating her well when they were together, had yet to cross the line. Though Kali understood his reasons, and even agreed with them a bit, she couldn't help but feel a little 'bothered' since her instincts weren't so easily pacified these days...After taking a sip from a goblet made of bone and gold, Kali exhaled a hot and slightly drunken sigh as she made eye contact with Ioke and asked, "Ioke, what do you think about Vahn...?" Even though she already knew the answer, Kali wanted to tease Ioke a bit with one of the few topics she knew could get a rise out of the demure goddess. As expected, Ioke lowered her head and, instead of taking large bites out of her meal, began to nibble it very rapidly while refusing to answer the question. This caused Kali to snicker mischievously as she moved a bit closer to Ioke and whispered, "You know, if you wait too long, there may not be a place left for you after someone else jumps in to fill it up~."These words brought Ioke's rampant nibbling to a halt as her blood-red eyes looked up, matching Kali's own as she stated in an icy monotone, "Vahn isn't that kind of person...I believe in him...he wouldn't abandon me..." There was a firm conviction behind each of Ioke's statements, even though she was, in truth, trying to convince herself this was the case. She had never met someone like Vahn who, even though he could do anything he wanted, showed a surprising amount of restraint. He also treated her well and, instead of thinking about how best to use her, was more concerned with her happiness and well-being. Ioke genuinely believed this would always be how things were...at least, that is what she told herself to remain calm during the moments when her Divinity weighed heavily on her heart...Though Kali wasn't intimidated by Ioke's bloodlust, as it paled in comparison to her own, she still raised her brows in response while many other gods in the wide hall shuddered while looking over with confused expressions. They had drawn a lot of attention to themselves, something that caused Ioke to avert her eyes as she allowed her dense hair to hide her expression. Fortunately, they had also drawn the attention of the would-be Divine Council as Hestia had quickly appeared with an expression of concern on her face before sending Kali a small glare with her crystalline blue eyes. This normally wouldn't have any effect, as Kali wasn't easily intimidated, but Hestia was an exception since she possessed an unfathomable amount of power that caused Kali to feel an instinctual panic for a brief moment.Repressing the urge to try and stir up her own Divinity in response, Kali snorted through her nose and said, "I didn't do anything wrong..." In response to this, however, Loki had appeared at her side, asking, "Oh, I wonder if you would be able to explain the situation to Vahn and still say something like that~?" Now, Kali felt as if her skin had become slightly clammy as she glared towards Loki with a look that said, 'if you tell, I will end you'. This caused Loki to laugh mischievously as her own eyes parted, revealing her ruby-like irises that weren't remotely affected by Kali's threat.Realizing she wasn't going to get an advantage in this situation, Kali snorted once again before emptying the contents of her goblet in one go. She wanted to retort that it wasn't fair for them to always bully her but, understanding it was her own actions that led to this outcome, Kali buried the resentment in her heart. Later, she would openly confess her wrongdoings to Vahn, knowing he would probably comfort her after understanding the situation. She had just been teasing Ioke and wasn't actually trying to upset her so Kali felt as though she hadn't actually done anything wrong. Even so, she would be the first to explain the situation to Vahn since she was afraid Loki would misconstrue the events in a way that would disadvantage her...(A/N: Sorry about yesterday but I got called in to work early to take charge of a shipment. I was dead tired by the end of the day and didn't want to leave a chapter as an 'excuse'. Hope you enjoyed today's chapter~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Poor Haruhime, overshadowed by Vahn's 'Papa' aura','The Alliance is rather tyrannical xD...','Kali getting bullied (&gt;,...,&lt;)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Taking Vahn's advice rather seriously, Ais decided to put off fighting against the One-Eyed Black Dragon until she and the others had properly prepared themselves. At the very least, Vahn had estimated that the avatars strength was around the peak of Level 8, which was truly monstrous considering that monsters had much higher parameters than normal people. Their only major advantage was that the size of the One-Eyed Black Dragon would restrain its movements quite a bit, something many of the girls could take advantage of. After all, if Ais decided to enlist the help of Ryuu, whose bow could penetrate it's thick hide relatively easily, they would be able to cripple it early in the fight.Currently, the people Ais had asked for assistance were Haruhime, Fenrir, Lili, Lefiya, and, though she wouldn't be participating in the battle itself, Shizune. At this point, she had a veritable shadow army under her command and, after helping Chloe deal with matters in Westport, there were few people who could hope to contend against her ability to gather information. Since the Dungeon seemed to ignore normal animals, of which Shizune had a menagerie, she could send insects and small animals into the Dungeon to scout out ahead of her. Because of her propensity to over-plan things, Shizune's capabilities as an assassin had reached a frightening degree in a very short period of time. She had essentially become a ninja at this point, as even her equipment was comprised of darker and non-reflective colors that allowed her to blend in even easier amongst her shadows.With Shizune's assistance, it shouldn't take the girls too long to find the location of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, even without Vahn leading the way. Since he had mentioned to Ais that it was a good opportunity for them to test themselves, she seemed to have conveyed that to the other girls and they had been treating it very seriously. Though Vahn would be accompanying them, this time his role would be as nothing more than an observer. He would also be bringing Fafnir in his shadow, as it had expressed an interest in seeing how strong 'normal' True Dragons could become, while the entire event would also be streamed to everyone back at the Manor and recorded.The One-Eyed Black Dragon subjugation was one of the 'Three Great Quests', the first two of which had been completed by the Zeus and Hera Familias. It was their completion of those seemingly impossible Quests that had allowed the two Familia to have such fame, even though they had also caused innumerable issues during their reign. After all, it was widely believed that Calamity-Class monsters like the Behemoth, Leviathan, and the One-Eyed Black Dragon could, quite literally, destroy all life on the Continent. If a Familia was able to subjugate one, this meant that they had a similar level of power, giving them an extreme amount of leeway with how they acted on the surface.Vahn intended to publicize the subjugation of the One-Eyed Black Dragon after he had risen to the position of Emperor, as it would further cement his claim to power. He had no doubt there would be a fair amount of dissent when he first rose to the position so it was actually rather timely that he learned about the One-Eyed Black Dragon just as things were coming to a head. This very well could be the influence of Fate, a thought that often caused Vahn to fall into deep reflection, but it ultimately didn't matter. It was his decision to become an Emperor and, though it had been pushed up due to various events, Vahn was wholly committed to his vision of a better future. The foundation had already been laid and, though it was still unstable in some areas, Vahn believed in those that supported him just as much as he believed in himself. With so many capable women at his side, he really had no excuse for failure...In order to make sure things continued to run smoothly, Vahn spent the time during leading up to the One-Eyed Black Dragon doing the thing he hated most, dealing with Nobles and politicians. With his vast information network, he knew that most of the people who would attend his meeting had already arrived in the City and were simply awaiting the day. As for those who had refused his invitation, Vahn had already given his orders to Chloe's ever-increasing Shadow Corps while Loki, Riveria, and Asfi had helped him draft an official missive as a response. Because he hadn't been raised within the Court, Vahn was still learning how to behave as a Noble and tend to other courtly affairs from Riveria and Asfi. Though he didn't really need to go to so much trouble, Vahn wanted to put on the airs of a proper Emperor so he had been doing a lot of private research while spending around two hours each day being lectured by the two taciturn and intelligent Princesses...As a result, whenever Vahn wasn't at the Manor, he could be seen walking around with his back straight and his chin slightly raised, even though there was almost always a kind smile on his face. He had been increasing his public appearance as of late and made sure to patron various businesses, all while listening to the words of his future people. Since he already enjoyed a great deal of fame, this change in character was noted almost immediately, giving more fuel to the rumors that Vahn was going to rise as a genuine King or Emperor. Many of the Nobles, Famous Merchants, and other foreign dignitaries had been intercepting him during his daily excursions since Vahn was generally hard to get in touch with whenever he was inside the Manor. This led to many long meetings where he listened to the other party try to appeal to him, many simply trying to earn his favor since they were also very perceptive and knew what was at stake.Fortunately, Vahn didn't have any arrogant and abrasive Nobles seeking him out as the rumors about what he did to such people had already widely circulated. It was people like that who had refused his invitation, something Vahn found both annoying and mildly humorous since they had effectively drawn a target on themselves in the process. When his missive reached them, after his rise to the seat of Emperor and the subjugation of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Vahn could easily imagine their facial expressions growing pale while some may even choose to flee their nations and try to lay roots elsewhere. Even that would be impossible, however, as Chloe's Shadow Corps was constantly trailing them in order to document their crimes. The existence of Magical Items like the [Shadow Visor Mk. 3], the latest version created by Asfi, had truly turned the tide of any information wars in Vahn's favor...It was with such thoughts in mind that Vahn found himself sitting in a Cafe with the leader of that very same Corps, Chloe. She had just returned from a secret mission he had assigned her, this time venturing across the sea with Fafnir to investigate the affairs of the Maritime Kingdom of Aethiopia. Vahn always made sure to meet with Chloe before and after every mission, partially due to the guilt he felt with entrusting such tasks to her, but mostly because Chloe claimed she didn't feel at home until Vahn pampered her a bit. As a result, Chloe was laying across Vahn's lap as he fed her strawberries with one hand and fiddled with her ears using his other. Even though there was some service staff that came by, she was happily purring away without regards to her surroundings as the two had a telepathic conversation with each other.Though it might hurt his 'image' a bit to act this way in public, it was already widely accepted by everyone, to an almost scary extent, that Vahn treated the women around him 'very' well. Some looked at this as if it was a weakness but, if they were to every openly make such claims, others would look at them as if they had said something absolutely ridiculous. As for the reasons why, it was because even the weakest person that was officially recognized as part of Vahn's 'Flower Garden' was Level 4. The only exceptions were non-combatants like Syr and Eina but they almost always had an escort of powerful Valkyrie's following them whenever they were out in public. This meant that, if you actually did come across one of Vahn's women without an escort, odds were they were far stronger than you and could easily take care of themselves. If that wasn't the case, it meant Vahn was either in close proximity to that person or they had the terrifying Fafnir lurking around in the shadows, both terrifying realities that few enemies wanted to face...After giving her official report, Chloe was nibbling on just the tip of a strawberry as she telepathically communicated, ("That mother of Asfi's is a truly wicked woman..."). Though Asfi's father, King Cepheus, had originally intended to accept Vahn's invitation, her mother, Queen Cassiopeia, had convinced him otherwise. According to Chloe's report, Cassiopeia had already gained more power and authority within the Aethiopian Kingdom than its official Monarch. There were even some who claimed her to be a Saintess as, after the disappearance of Asfi, she had apparently 'offered to sacrifice herself' to pay for her daughter's transgressions. As a result, the 'enraged' Poseidon, finding Cassiopeia's sacrifice as truly noble, decided not to destroy the island and had allowed them to live in peace ever since...As a result of her twisted manipulation of the true events, Cassiopeia had gained an incredible standing within their small country and there was little King Cepheus could do about it. He had always considered himself a fortunate man for marrying such a beautiful woman, as he himself had a rather sorry appearance, so he often gave way to his wife's commands instead of taking a stand. The truth of the matter, however, was that Cassiopeia simply married Cepheus because of her own vanity and desire for power, both having been developed to ghastly extremes. Chloe's report showed that she wasn't simply a concubine to Poseidon but also had the habit of sleeping with many of the men that were supposed to be loyal to the King, all while 'collecting' a small harem of her own amongst the servant boys that she fancied...Vahn was truly awed by how twisted Cassiopeia had become but, as this was his time to relax with Chloe, he pinched the white tuft hairs in her ears, causing them to twitch as he replied, ("The end of her tyranny is already in sight. Asfi will make a far better Queen and I'll personally deal with Poseidon if he refuses to see reason. For now, let's just enjoy this moment...tell me, how long will you stay this time...?") Even without him asking her to do anything, Chloe had installed herself as the Commander of the Shadow Corps and often took the initiative to deal with things that she didn't want to trouble him with. It was her way of taking responsibility for the life she had pulled the other members of the Shadow Corps into, something that made them extremely reverential towards their rather adorable and mischevious leader...In response to his inquiry, Chloe opened her mouth wide and took the entire strawberry into her mouth, her moist lips and characteristically rough tongue twinging around Vahn's fingers as she answered, ("I've seen the reports and know there are issues in the Land of no Sun so I'll be going there to deal with a few things after you become an Emperor. Until then, I'll just be helping to train the new recruits at Haven so you'll have to spend a lot of money to come visit me, okay~?") Since not everyone treated money like air, most of the girls didn't exploit the teleportation wards to move in and out of the Dungeon daily as Vahn did. This was essentially Chloe's way of teasing Vahn, roughly translating to, 'If you want me, come and get me'.Understanding Chloe's intentions, Vahn's eyes squinted as a result of his smile and, this time aloud, said, "I wonder if you'll be able to keep your voice down this time..." These words caused Chloe's face to turn slightly ruddy as she peered around to make sure there wasn't anyone who had heard what he said. Confirming they were indeed alone, Chloe lightly 'pawed' Vahn's face as she said, "You're a real scoundrel these days, Vahn, nyafuu~." She could, very vividly, remember the last time Vahn had actually paid her a visit down at her impromptu headquarters. Even though they had installed soundproofing to the room, there were many in the Shadow Corps who had 'very' sensitive ears, some even having Innates related to them, so she had gotten strange looks from some of the members after the fact...Vahn found Chloe's actions adorable so he snaked his hand to her stomach, causing her to tense up for a bit before relaxing. Cat People didn't like to have anyone touch their stomachs unless it was something they genuinely trusted. This was because it was one of the fastest methods to turn them docile, which could be 'extremely' embarrassing in a public scenario. Vahn was very aware of this but, much like their earlier behavior, he didn't really care if anyone saw him and Chloe being affectionate with each other, so long as they didn't interrupt. Thus, for a few minutes after the fact, Vahn lightly rubbed Chloe's stomach as a contended purr sounded out from her throat until she inhaled rather sharply and said, "Feed me, nya~!"---After his rendezvous with Chloe, Vahn escorted her down to Haven and met with the current and future Shadow Corps members to see how they were progressing. Many of their core members were already Level 4, each becoming Squad Captains, while the new recruits were all around the peak of Level 1 or low Level 2. Vahn noticed that, as was often the case, most of the members were Cat People, Pallums, or Dark Elves. The basic requirement of being a member of the Shadow Corps was either having an affinity with Darkness and Shadow magic or, at the very least, a natural talent towards Stealth, Concealment, or Information Gathering. It was the latter that allowed a few Chienthropes into the mix, as their hearing and sense of smell made them excellent additions to every squad.One other thing Vahn noticed was that most of the members of the Shadow Corps were almost all uncomfortably young. This was because, according to Chloe, anyone that had the 'talent' to be in the Shadow Corps would need to be developed before they became 'deviant'. If she recruited people who were older, who already had a disposition towards assassination and the like, it meant they were almost undoubtedly criminals or outright murderers. She didn't want anyone that enjoyed killing to be part of their Corps as, even though they were often required to kill, it was because of the 'mission', not for entertainment. This ideology was much easier to instill in the minds of younger people and, as they were often isolated from others because of various 'quirks', these same youths found a home amongst the Shadow Corps, filled with people that understood them.Knowing that every member scouted by Chloe had chosen to become part of the Shadow Corps of their own volition, Vahn didn't have much to say about how she ran things. After all, he also allowed Shizune, who he had then treated as a child, to undergo similar training. Even Tina, who was only eleven at the time, had studied under Chloe a bit while most of the girls at least knew enough to identify traps and assassins. Since there was a 'very' high chance they would be targets in the future, Chloe had taught them how to stay safe and become a 'hard' target for assassins, as strength didn't always matter when things like poison and stealth were involved. It only took one well-placed dagger to end the life of even someone as capable as Ais, though the odds of that dagger ever finding purchase were almost negligible...After parting ways with Chloe, though not before promising to pay her a visit the following evening, Vahn made his way over to Haven to meet up with Finn. He was also planning to head down to the 60th Floor to check on Enyo's seal a bit later but, along the way, Vahn encountered someone rather unexpected. At this point, there were nearly 40,000 people living and working on the 50th Floor, many of which were his subordinates. Because of this, they often became something akin to background noise that Vahn didn't fully pay attention to. This time, however, Vahn's awareness had completely shifted to the perspective of his avatar as he had just crossed paths with a rather fierce looking Aisha. She was wielding what looked like a giant cleaver that was made out of blackened wood, a weapon he had personally made for her in the past. Her eyes reflected a cold yet hungry light as she hunched down slightly, weapon resting on her shoulders as she said, "You finally show your face...let me punch it a few times...!"(A/N: I'm back at work now, so there will only be 1 chapter a day unless I have free time. I noticed a lot of people pointing out that I shouldn't promise more chapters, as it can get people's hopes up, so I'll try to keep that information to myself and simply post when I can. Keep in mind that I'll be working until around mid-August before returning to my full release schedule so please be patient with me. Know that I'm doing my best and, if not for the need to have enough money to support my already frugal lifestyle, EPIC would always be my primary focus. It is because I need this money to support me for the next few months of writing that I have to treat my job as seriously as possible...!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Preparing to fight the Raid Boss','Shizune is a spooky girl...','Chloe's Happy Mofu-Mofu Time~!','Oh shit, you better run, boi~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 966: Bond