Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Even before the Denatus had come to an end, some of the more impatient gods had already left the assembly, spreading gossip about with an atmosphere of excitement about them. The fact that the Divine Council had been established was major news but it still paled in comparison to the news that Vahn would become an actual Emperor. Some were unable to believe it, even though it had been a popular topic over the last few months, while others were completely taken aback by feelings of incredulity. Many of the foreign dignitaries that had arrived within the City, some of which had expected things to turn out like this, were now feeling an even greater pressure than before. They had already prepared themselves for several different outcomes, including a situation where they would be forced to yield to Vahn's demands, but now things had been elevated to another level completely...Vahn also heard the rumors being spread around the City as he had kept up with his habit of making public appearances even during the Denatus. The first time he heard the rumor was in one of Orario's larger market districts as he and Lili were enjoying a short date. They had just come out of a Cafe when a member of one of the smaller Familia within the Alliance was completely awestruck after seeing Vahn come out through the front door. The young man fell into a panic of sorts, seemingly unsure if he should bow or salute as he awkwardly gesticulated before eventually apologizing, all while Vahn looked on with a slightly bemused look. It wasn't until the man had calmed down, explain that his god had already left the Denatus to spread the information, that Vahn understood the man's peculiar behavior.After 'allowing' the man to leave, Vahn lightly shook his head while a small smile adorned his face, even as people looked towards him with mixed expressions of fear and reverence. As for Lili, she seemed rather proud that things had gone well, puffing out her more than modest chest with a happy smile on her face before grabbing Vahn's arm affectionately. The top of her head barely reached his diaphragm so she had to crane her head quite a bit, hear hazel-brown eyes shimmering excitedly as she asked, "Does this mean I get to be an Empress if we get married~?"Vahn released a light-hearted chuckle in response before picking Lili up and ascending into the sky, much to the surprise of the gathering crowd. Lili herself wasn't surprised, however, and just casually nuzzled into Vahn's chest while he carried her, bridal style, through the air. To answer her previous question, Vahn had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he said, "I think things will be a little complicated if I have everyone become an Empress so it may be necessary to come up with a different title...if you want to get married, I'd be more than happy to, Lili..." Realizing he was unnecessarily complicating things, Vahn changed his tone as a gentle smile spread across his face. Lili hadn't particularly minded his words, as she was already fully aware of Vahn's disposition, but she was still much happier when he said they could get married...While already imagining herself in a pristine white dress, Lili had her eyes closed for several seconds before releasing a small sigh. She might not be the smartest woman around Vahn, but Lili was rather prideful of her intelligence. Though Vahn had changed the topic a bit, she tried to imagine what it would be like if he had nearly thirty Empresses around him, something that didn't seem reasonable, no matter how she looked at it. If she truly wanted the title, Lili knew she would have to change the way she acted and, depending on the circumstances, she could even be wrapped up in the Empire's politics. Since she would much rather just be someone close to Vahn, without having to worry about such troublesome things, Lili gave up on becoming an Empress and began to wonder how she could make her own wedding more memorable...Holding Lili's small figure a little tighter, Vahn sent warm energy coursing through her body as they quickly zoomed through the sky, arriving at the Manor in just a few short minutes. They touched down in the Manor's central courtyard but, instead of setting Lili on the ground, Vahn continued to carry her for a while as she was lost in thought. Since it was a good opportunity, he made his way to the western side of the Manor, following a few passages before arriving at a large room where two auras, and several life signs, were present. Vahn couldn't see the aura of his children and, for the time being, the large room served as a daycare for some of the younger children that were too old to stay in the maternity ward.Within the room, Vahn found Eina, Syr, Mona, and Lunoire all looking after several young children and a veritable menagerie of guardians. Amongst the group, there were three nearly identical young children that were wearing small smock-like dresses with large embroidered flowers on the chest region. Each had a unique design, showing a rose, iris, and daisy, matching the names of the inordinately small Pallum children. Though they were very tiny, the girls were already very perceptive and were developing rather quickly, making them easily able to discern the presence of their Mama and Papa as eager and excited smiles adorned the girls' faces.Vahn set Lili down on the ground before sitting down himself, fully aware of the fate he had invited upon himself as his sons and daughters began to congregate around him. Rose ended up falling prey to Lili's embrace while Vahn was practically piled on by Iris, Daisy, Eiko, Macht, and, though she was barely able to hobble about, his doll-like daughter, Natalie. The only child that didn't migrate over to him was the perpetually sleeping Lucas who now had a healthy coat of thin golden fur covering his body as he happily dozed in Mona's embrace. As for Mona, she looked increasingly more vibrant with the passage of time, even though Vahn knew it had to be stressful looking after so many children all day...With Iris, Daisy, and Eiko sitting in his lap, Macht climbing on his shoulders, and Natalie clutching the fringe of his tunic, almost as if she was saying, 'don't go', Vahn accepted his fate and decided to commit his afternoon to his children while talking with Eina, Syr, and Lili about the future. Mona and Lunoire weren't left out of the conversation but, having never really interfered much in the matters and affairs of the Manor, they only offered small tidbits while listening in most of the time. It was Syr would gave Vahn the wisest counsel while Eina, though having one of the more influential positions in the Manor, simply expressed her concerns about Vahn's, and the children's', well being. As for Lili, she was a little preoccupied with her three rather clingy children who, for reasons unknown, had developed a 'climbing' habit, much like Macht...Even with his hair being pulled on by Iris, Vahn kept a casual smile on his face without minding it too much as he would periodically rub the heads of his children or pinch their cheeks. He knew that his time with them would be cut down in the future so, at least for now, Vahn wanted to spend time with them so they didn't feel lonely. Though everyone in the Manor helped to look after the children, Vahn knew he was like the 'lynchpin' of everything, as his children all seemed exceptionally fond of his presence. This wasn't just because of his [Hands of Nirvana] and [Grooming], which he rarely proactively used against them, but because of the strange 'link' between him and all entities that had Source Energy contained within...Vahn had noticed this even before the birth of his first children, as he had seen the signs in his subordinates like Fafnir and Fenrir. Since The Path was the source of 'Source Energy' itself, it wasn't incorrect to say that any entity with Source Energy flowing through them was almost like an extension of himself, the one who had fused together with The Path. This was an unbreakable bond as even Tier 9 energy systems would never be able to destroy Source Energy. As a result, Vahn had a close connection to every entity that had Source Energy flowing through its body and, in turn, they also seemed inextricably drawn to him with an impulse that even exceeded the bonds between close kin.Eventually, all of Vahn's children, with the exception of Natalie, ended up falling asleep after lingering around him for a while. Vahn found the weight and presence of his children extremely comforting, a feeling they shared if their happy smiles were any indicator. Even Natalie, who almost seemed lacking in expression, would allow a small smile to adorn her doll-like facial features as she gently stroked her Silvervine Python while Vahn tied up her silvery hair into two small pigtails. This was already the fourth hairstyle he had done for her, each causing Natalie to giggle happily whenever Syr would hold up a mirror for her use. Natalie didn't speak much, at least during normal circumstances, but it was obvious she was very aware of her surroundings since there was a glimmer of intelligence perpetually present in her silvery-blue eyes.Seeing her daughter's hair done up by Vahn, Syr held up an ornate hand mirror for Natalie while commenting, "This daughter of our's is going to be a heartbreaker in the future...fufufu~." Since Natalie was 'purified' as a result of the union between Vahn and Syr, she was actually a 'true' Demigoddess, a similar existence to other Demigods but inordinately more refined. Instead of having a mixture between the two different races, which often caused a variety of issues, Natalie's genes were 'flawless' as a result of the existence of Source Energy in her body and the perfect fusion of the two halves of her heritage. In a way, she was the first 'real' Demigoddess that had ever existed, much like how Eina was the first true Half-Elf and Tsubaki was the first true Half-Dwarf. Vahn had even thought about coming up with completely new names for the races they had become, though such discussions had never gone very far since it ultimately didn't matter...Natalie showed a thoughtful yet confused expression on her face while adorably tilting her head to the side after hearing her Mother's words. As for Vahn, he could only produce a wry smile since he was very aware that Natalie could certainly be a little 'dangerous' depending on how she developed. Though they couldn't be sure as of yet, it was highly likely that Natalie had pseudo-divinities related to Beauty and Love, as her appearance was simply too abnormal otherwise. Fortunately, she didn't seem to have an inherent charm, at least for the time being, though Vahn knew it was bound to pop up when she had matured a bit...Knowing that the only thing he could really do was try and guide Natalie down a path where she could find happiness, much like Syr, Vahn lightly poked his daughter's soft cheeks as he said, "So long as it is someone she chose, I'll at least give them a chance...if anyone thinks they can pursue any of my daughters, they'll have to go through me first..." Though it wasn't really a threat, a small amount of pressure emanated from Vahn's body as even the momentary thought of someone harboring intentions towards his children caused an intimidating light to flash across his eyes. This went completely unnoticed by his children, as most were sleeping, but Eina, Syr, Lili, Lunoire, and even Mona, all giggled in response.---While Vahn was spending time with his children, he was also back on the 60th Floor of the Dungeon making sure Enyo's seal was still secure. This time, he had Ais and Shizune at his side since he was going to escort the two down to the 70th Floor to help them familiarize themselves with the impossibly dark terrain's layout. Both had extremely high perception and could easily sense their surroundings without relying on sight, but Vahn wanted to make sure they were able to navigate the complex terrain without incident since he wouldn't always be accompanying them on their path to greater strength. The more he protected them, the harder it would be for them to overcome their mental restrictions and further develop their soul, something that would be necessary if they truly seek to become immortals in the future...Shizune had been watching with intrigue as Vahn checked over the strength of Enyo's seal and, unable to resist the urge, asked, "Is it okay if I try and send one of my Shadows into the seal...?" Since Shadow Elemental magic had the property of ignoring magical resistance, barriers, and even complex wards, Shizune was a little curious about if she could send one of her familiars into Enyo's seal. This caused Vahn's brows to raise slightly, as he was also a little curious since he believed the seal used on Enyo was very likely near the peak of Tier 4 at this point. Shizune was, at best, around the middle of Tier 2 so he couldn't help but feel slightly curious by the prospect of her being able to simply 'ignore' something far beyond her capabilities.Knowing that Shizune wouldn't be able to break the seal, even if she could probe into it, Vahn gave a small nod as he said, "Sure, but don't try to break it. Though I could probably reseal Enyo before she breaks free, it would be far more trouble than its worth..." Shizune hadn't actually expected Vahn to give her permission so she was a little taken aback before issuing an awkward laugh as she said, "I'm not so foolish as to jeopardize everything over simple curiosity, Vahn...ufufu~." Since Vahn had given her permission to do something that most 'sensible' people would have outright prevented, Shizune felt more than a little happy since she interpreted it as him being slightly deferential towards her out of respect and mutual love...To avoid any accidents, Shizune summoned a tiny black whisp at the tip of her finger that took on the shape of a simple housefly. It began to silently beat its wings as it careened through the air before disappearing into the complex seal surrounding Enyo's enclosure. This wasn't too much of a surprise to anyone present, as Shadow magic simply had such properties, so Vahn continued to watch with intrigue until Shizune frowned deeply. Her connection with her familiar had been severed but she could still 'feel' it, now stuck within the seal and unable to escape. It was a very annoying feeling as, even after trying to dismiss it several times, she found herself unable to exercise any influence over the small part of herself that was now stuck inside of Enyo's seal.Vahn, understanding Shizune's discomfort, reached out his hand and began to lightly stroke her head as his eyes transitioned from aquamarine to a stark blue. He peered into the seal and saw Shizune's fly practically frozen in time, its wings beating so slowly it would likely take days before they completed a cycle. With his [Eyes of Truth], he could tell that the mana contained within had actually started to disperse but would take several days before it managed to escape the seal's influence, something that was fully expected since that was the purpose of the seal from the start. Still, in order to alleviate Shizune's discomfort, Vahn used 'Oblivion' to create a small sphere that completely destroyed the fly and the contained mana. Though this would be a permanant loss to Shizune's base mana pool, it wouldn't even take her a day to replenish what was lost...Feeling relief, both from Vahn's hand and the fact that her mana was no longer stuck in Enyo's seal, Shizune released a sigh while leaning against Vahn's shoulder. Ais had been watching at the side with a bit of intrigue of her own this entire time but, seeing Shizune snuggling up with Vahn, her brows raised slightly before she also made her way over to his other side. This brought a small smile to Vahn's face as, for a few minutes thereafter, he simply stood with the two girls at his side as they enjoyed each other's company. It was only after Gros showed up to pass a message that their small reverie was broken, causing the two girls to give the slightly pale titan an aggrieved look before they finally started their descent towards the 70th Floor...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gossiping Gods','Pile on the Papa~! *sleeping intensifies*','Some things never change...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though they had never progressed beyond the 66th Floor, Ais and Shizune weren't impeded by the new monsters they have never encountered. With the information Vahn had provided, added with the fact he was always actively assisting them, every enemy they came across was quickly dealt with. Shizune might have only been Level 5, but her [Pactio] and general combat capabilities made her a nightmare for most monsters while Ais, with her Spirit-based magic, was a 'literal' counter to any genuine monsters. Her [Avenger] gave her a massive boost to offensive power so, even after encountering the colossal turtles known as Adamantoise, Ais was able to pierce through their shell and subsequent hide as if she were tearing through wet paper.Vahn found that he didn't actually have that much to do since the girls were exerting themselves a bit more than normal, something he understood was the result of his presence. It made his heart feel warm, knowing they placed so much trust in him that they could continuously go all out, but it still left him feeling a little bored since he had been solo-diving as of late. The only times he really entered the Dungeon with others was when escorting Vana, though she had never ventured beyond the 24th Floor at this point. She was also able to deal with almost any enemy that tried to bar her passage, though Vahn never felt bored watching her since he was always on high-alert to avoid any accidents...Without any major incidents, Vahn, Ais, and Shizune managed to reach the 69th Floor, this time without encountering the large slime-like creature that served as the 'guardian' of the 70th Floor's secrets. Instead, the only enemies that appeared were monsters that Vahn had named Phantom Knights as, from appearances, they appeared to be comprised almost entirely of pieces of twisted and unnatural looking armor that contained no living flesh. They were able to work together well, to the point of establishing formations, with Spearman leading the charge while larger versions of the Phantom Knights wielded heavy weapons like battleaxes and flails. The most dangerous, of course, were the Phantom Knight Commanders, as they were nearly the equivalent of a decently powerful Level 6 Adventurer while often being capable of using powerful chantless magic.Upon encountering a small platoon of around thirty Phantom Knights, commanded by a single Commander, Ais took up her pristine white sword with a determined look in her eyes. Vahn gave a small nod in response to the glance she had sent his way, causing Ais to almost instantly 'vanish' before tempestuous winds seemed to spread through the surroundings like an explosion. Vahn had shield his eyes for a brief moment while Shizune used his body as a shield while the sounds of shattering armor and several powerful shockwaves began to spread through the corridors. Ais had torn into the monsters' formation without hesitation, cutting directly through both the weapons and armor of the Phantom Knights before bisecting the Phantom Knight Commander in a single blow. The difference between a monster that was only capable of fighting with the skill of a Level 6 and a prodigy at Level 7 who had nearly developed her sword intent was massive.In less than a minute, Ais brandished her sword, causing a pulse of wind to send away all the dust and debris away from her body, before turning back to Vahn and Shizune with a small smile on her face. Vahn returned a smile of his own, complimenting, "Very well done, as always..." in a gentle tone of voice. This caused Ais' smile to increase marginally as Shizune came out from behind his back, lifting her chin slightly as she added, "You may be stronger than me, but I'll show you that I won't be left behind so easily, Ais...!"Though she had never cared that much about strength in the past, the years of training and her constant increase in strength had been slowly changing Shizune's perspective. She had started to develop a small amount of pride in her skills and no longer shied away from competing with the other girls, though her main rivals were Tina and, to a lesser extent, Haruhime. The former was someone she treated with a fair amount of respect and kinship while the latter, hailing from the same homeland, was someone that Shizune had always gotten along with. They had similar personalities and comparable pasts while, most importantly, the two seemed to enjoy competing to see which one had the 'softest' tail. Though Haruhime had the advantage, having multiple tails, Shizune put a lot of care into her fur, giving it a glossy sheen and an immaculate feel like fine satin silk...Ais didn't shy away from Shizune's words but, instead of rebuffing her due to the difference in their power, she nodded her head with a competitive glint in her eyes. Though she could defeat Shizune 99 times out of 100, Ais never looked down on her opponents since she knew that, in real combat, anything could happen. She also knew how fearsome Shizune's [Pactio] was, as the latter often helped in the combat training of the other girls while refining her control and mastery over her Shadow Summons. There were even a few Shadows amongst Shizune's collection that could genuinely pose a threat if you let your guard down, especially with their traits of ignoring magical defense and piercing through physical defense with ease...As if they had come to an agreement, even without openly exchanging terms, Ais and Shizune proceeded to engage in a small competition of sorts as they progressed through the 69th Floor. Vahn had an amused smile on his face as he observed their antics, especially since Shizune was heavily relying on his assistance to replenish her quickly diminishing reserves. Her Shadows didn't have much upkeep after being summoned but the mana required to manifest them could be very taxing on Shizune's relatively small reserves. Though she was far from the girl with the smallest mana pool, the sheer number of Shadows she could summon was a heavy drain that required Shizune to generally rely on her equipment and accessories to supplement her mana capacity.Even with hundreds of indestructible monsters as her opponent, Ais' momentum wasn't easily deterred as she was able to move with a speed and intensity that Shizune couldn't even comprehend at her current Level. Vahn also struggled with keeping track of Ais in his base state so he couldn't blame Shizune for simply 'ignoring' Ais as she closed her eyes and focused on commanding her Shadows. She had completely entrusted her protection to him and, even if he pinched her ears or poked her cheeks, Shizune's focus wouldn't break as her tidal-wave of Shadows overwhelmed most enemies that they encountered.At a moment when Vahn was partially focused on fluffing up Shizune's soft tail, his instincts triggered warning signals as his body immediately set into motion without the need for complex thought. His left arm became covered in black scales that were adorned with small green runes as he intercepted an arrow that had moved silently through the air, tracing a direct path towards Shizune's head. Instead of shattering under the repulsive force of Vahn's Xuanwu transformation, the arrow had turned into a malleable goo that attempted to twine itself around his arm, causing Vahn's brows to rise slightly before he transitioned his left arm in his Zhuque form. The black goo immediately evaporated with the sound of liquid touching hot stone as Vahn's [Eyes of Truth] peered towards the location where their hidden enemy was located.Just as he had been ambushed before, unable to sense the enemy until it had already attacked, Vahn saw a black slime that had the appearance of a night sky filled with stars. It was much smaller than the 'guardian' he had encountered in the past but it wasn't difficult to deduce that the two were the same species, if not outright the same entity. The Dungeon could cycle the fragmentary souls of monsters, allowing them to eventually even reach Tier 1, so Vahn fully expected the encounter the strange creature in the future. He was even looking forward to his rematch against the Juggernaut as, compared to the past, Vahn wouldn't look down on its strength and speed in their next encounter...Since it was much smaller and weaker than the previous 'slime' Vahn had encountered, he managed to subdue it relatively quickly after sending a pillar of Zhuque flames into the small crevasse where it had been hiding. He knew it possessed a weakness, not necessarily to flames, but the Yang Elemental energy contained within his Zhuque fire. It began to scream and squeal while trying to extricate itself from the area of the flames effect, screaming, "Cuuuurse you...!" in a high-pitched voice. It was at the moment when the monster had managed to break free from his flames that Vahn 'blinked' next to it, now fully in his Qinglong form since Ais had arrived to protect the now fully conscious Shizune.Seemingly tearing through Space and Time, Vahn's claw grasped the 'neck' of the 'Slime', sending a powerful pulse of blue, lightning-like, Space Elemental energy into its body. This caused several parts of it to fracture, almost as if he had broken a glass statue, but it didn't completely break down as Vahn asked, "What are you, really? Who made you the 'guardian' of the 70th Floor...?" Though Vahn had asked the mirror artifact to show him who had created the strange slime during his last excursion, he was curious about the answer it would give. He wasn't foolish enough to completely believe the information provided to him by the mirror, especially since there was an 'intent' attached to it, so it never hurt to try and measure the veracity of its claims whenever possible...Feeling its body become 'solid', as its individual cells had been locked into place by Vahn's spatial energy, the vaguely humanoid slime creature turned its galaxy-like face towards its warden and begrudgingly replied, "No matter how many times you defeat me, I will always return. You are not allowed to trespass this area, even if you are-" Before the monster could complete its threat, a massive amount of mana began to flow through the Dungeon, condensing beneath Vahn in what felt like a single instant. His instincts sounded warning bells in his mind as he tore through space to evade the sudden phenomenon, growing even more shocked when he was unable to move the creature along with him, momentarily forgetting that he was the one that 'locked' the space around it to avoid having it run away...Where the monster had previously stood, there was now a pillar of what seemed like a higher tier of Light Elemental energy. It had a diameter of nearly twenty meters, causing Vahn's body to itch madly as he protected Shizune's trembling body. Since the pillar of light was the direct counter to her Darkness and Shadow Elemental energy, she was feeling as if her body was going to be torn apart and purified in the presence of the light. Ais was seemingly unaffected, however, causing Shizune to make a pouting expression while Vahn could only produce a wry smile as he observed the massive pillar of light with a thoughtful glint in his eyes. He could tell that the light was easily Tier 4, though he wasn't sure where on the spectrum of Tier 4 it would fall. Since it was formed by the Dungeon itself, Vahn couldn't help but wonder if it was due to the owner of the 'intent' behind the mirror or if it was the Dungeon, Tartarus itself, that wanted to protect certain information...Knowing he would find the answers by delving deeper into the Dungeon, Vahn mentally moved up his timeline for conquering the Dungeon and learning its secrets. He decided that, after being crowned Emperor, he would help stabilize things within the Continent before escorting Mikoto, Shizune, Haruhime, and Tsubaki over to the Far East. Though Kali had yet to make a vow to him, Vahn believed she would do so if he put a bit more effort into their relationship in the future. He still required a few other gods and goddesses to make Eternal Vows with him, however, meaning he would need to meet with Amaterasu at some point while helping Kaguya get her revenge. Once that was taken care of, hopefully within the next six months, Vahn fully intended to delve into the Dungeon to learn whatever secrets it was keeping. Though he would be able to discover them in the future, regardless of how he went about things, Vahn was too interested in the 'truth' of the world to ignore the matter for much longer...While he was momentarily lost in his own thoughts, Vahn noticed that the pillar of light had started to fade away rather quickly. In its wake, a perfect circle had been cut through the Dungeon's floor and ceiling, seemingly stretching for several kilometers upward while pure darkness could be seen below. The pillar of light had obviously penetrated several Floors of the Dungeon, leaving behind an almost mirror-like surface in the incredibly durable bedrock. Vahn coudn't help but admire the power required to perform such a feat as, even in his Lightning Emperor form, he knew it would be impossible for him to repeat without a great deal of time and effort. He could easily cut through several Floors of the Dungeon on his own efforts, but the area of effect would be much smaller than the 20m diameter hole that was left in the wake of the pillar of light...After a moment of contemplation, Vahn turned back to Ais and Shizune, casually asking, "Shall we continue downward...?" He wasn't worried that another pillar of light would appear since he had started to truly understand the nature of the Dungeon after the discovery of the mirror. Though it would 'test' intruders, often to the point of breaking them, that wasn't the 'purpose' behind the Dungeon's existence. It was, in a way, a method in which mortals were able to ascend to higher soul tiers, even becoming gods if they were able to overcome the various challenges that awaited them. As for why the Dungeon barred gods from descending too far into its depths, that was still up for debate but Vahn assumed it was simply to prevent gods from returning to the 'origin'. He didn't know why Nuwa wanted to prevent this, but it didn't seem like she was too fond of the idea of having gods invade 'Hell', perhaps due to the preferential treatment she wanted to give her own creations...?This thought caused Vahn to smile somewhat amusedly since he wondered how Nuwa would react if she learned that he wasn't the product of something she had created. It would be rather ironic if she had gone through all of these efforts to help her 'children' grow to the point they could break free from mortal constraints, only for an interloper from another world to seize the legacy she had left behind. Fortunately, she would have no way of knowing this and, even if she were somehow able to deduce the truth, it was far too late to take any proactive action about it. Unless she outright tried to kill him, something that seemed extremely out of character for the Primordial Goddess who had created sentient life, she would have to descend/ascend to the Mortal World to do so. The moment she came under the influence of the World's Laws, Vahn was confident he would be able to seal her away, even if for only the few years it would take him to leave the world and return as an unfathomable existence that she could never overcome...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'This isn't even fair...!','*Petting intensifies*','Just imagine Nuwa being like, "My child, I'm so proud of you..." while Vahn does his best to luffypokerface.jpg xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

While Vahn was enjoying a leisurely and fulfilling life, the Denatus was still underway and, after the first relatively tense day, things had come to a head after Ouranos opened the floor to discussion. This time, instead of a single god rising to their feet to bring a matter to attention, a large portion of the congregation rose, following after the entire table of the top 10 gods. At this point, each of the most influential gods were part of the Alliance and, after spending a great deal of time and effort, most gods stood in support of their cause. There were even some who were unaware of why they were standing but, not wanting to be the odd one out, ended up rising with expectant and confused looks on their faces.As the assembly slowly fell into silence, Ouranos' eyes were fixed on the main table, his focus shifting between each god and goddess. His gaze lingered the longest on Hestia who, without any sign of wavering, showed a confident and supportive smile on her face as she fully supported Vahn's rise. Though she wished he could just be happy and content without worrying about matters outside of the Manor, Hestia would never stand in the way of Vahn's dream. However, whenever he was tired of dealing with politics and associating with other people, she swore that she would be there waiting for him. Even if he grew weary of the world itself, she wanted to make a safe place where, at least for a brief moment, Vahn would be able to find peace and comfort...Feeling a subtle pressure from Hestia, Ouranos almost allowed a smile to break his stone-faced expression but managed to remain unperturbed in the eyes of the congregation. Once silence had completely taken over the crowd, his thunderous voice echoed through the vast chamber as he asked, "Tell me, what matter would concern so many gods...?" He was fully aware of the Alliance's intentions but, as was always the case, Ouranos had to go through the motions to officiate things to fulfill his role as mediator. In response to his question, Loki, being the primary representative of the Alliance, stepped forward and said, "Times are changing and, for the first time in History, the means for the entire Continent to prosper have been provided by a singular individual. As gods, we have an obligation to recognize the capabilities and contributions of mortals and provide adequate rewards to keep them moving in a direction that ensures the survival of all sentient species..."Even before the gods had descended to the Mortal World, they had watched over its inhabitants, often giving genuine blessings to those who had won their favor. Even the system of the Falna was designed around this principle as, without having an achievement to your name that had earned the recognition of the gods, it was impossible to Level. As Loki had stated, Vahn's contributions to the world weren't something they could overlook, especially after he had helped dozens of goddesses give birth to healthy Demigods. If it had been in the past, before gods had descended, there would have been nothing to stop Vahn's rise as the genuine leader of the Continent's peoples, something Loki intended to make sure every god was aware of...After giving a large speech, painting Vahn as the very image of a messiah figure, both to mortals and gods, Loki concluded by saying, "In truth, we gods have already gotten in the way of the world's progress for our own selfish ends. It is time we start earning our keep and helping to regulate how other gods live within this world instead of allowing the selfishness of a select few to lead the mortals astray. Though we come together like this to make decisions for our respective Familia, it has never been enough as the larger population of mortals still exists outside of our influence, often without us paying them any attention at all. As a result, there have been many travesties that have occurred, even though we had the responsibility to try and prevent them from the outset..."Loki gauged the various reactions of her fellow gods, noticing that many didn't outright agree with her but could still understand the basic reasoning behind her words. Then, after a momentary pause, Loki added, "We had a thousand years to figure things out yet, even with hundreds of millions of years to prepare, we failed to guide mortals onto a path of true prosperity. Now that someone capable of guiding them has appeared, it is our responsibility to aid that person and guide their decisions so as not to allow our mistakes to be repeated. It is time for mortals to take responsibility for the lives of mortals while we gods, once again, support the development of civilization without directly interfering with its affairs..."At this point, Ouranos knew his own part in this little play so he asked, "Tell me, Loki, who do you believe is capable of guiding the surface world better than we gods? How will we guide the person you have recognized to avoid a catastrophe from occurring...?" Without exception, every god within the room had seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations. However, that was before the direct interference of the gods so Loki smiled confidently and explained, "We will form a genuine council, comprised of gods who possess a primary Divinity related to specific elements, forces, and concepts. Our purpose will be as a purely regulatory force, determining if the policies and laws that are being implemented are truly for the benefit of the surface world. These gods will become known as the Divine Council and, as our first and only act of direct interference, we will recognize the person we believe to be capable of guiding the surface world to prosperity..."Those who weren't in the know before showed expressions of genuine shock when they heard Loki's words but, seeing that the majority were silent, they too kept their opinions to themselves. Even if they were gods who placed a heavy emphasis on their own importance, the Alliance had already grown to the point where nothing could really derail its momentum. Unless they wanted to be forced back to Heaven, where a life of extreme boredom would become their 'norm' once again, they would have to abide by the decisions made by the Alliance. Ultimately, even with the Divine Council coming into power, not much would change for many of them. As a result, only a few outliers were truly troubled by Loki's words and how things were progressing...they simply couldn't do anything about it.During the small chaos that followed her words, Loki's gazed passed over several key individuals before she focused her intent onto Ouranos once again. He gave an almost imperceptible nod in response before saying, "I know of the mortal you speak and, though there are some actions I would have advised against, it is certainly true that he is an exception amongst all mortals that have come before and, very likely, all who will follow. The world has always been in flux, cycling through a series of changes where true progress was often the exception, as mortals simply aren't suited to coming up with policies that will have lasting benefits. With the existence of the Divine Council, so long as it has genuine power and authority over the person you have chosen, I believe this could be the first sign of true change..."Though he couldn't say he outright supported the idea, Ouranos' words made his intentions clear to all but a few of the gathered gods in the congregation. To prevent naysayers from gaining any kind of advantage whatsoever, he then added, "In order to prevent the Divine Council and the person you have chosen from going astray, I will have you agree to allow the Guild to stand on equal footing with both parties. By having a system with three parts, we will be able to maintain a proper balance instead of having two parties at loggerheads with each other. This will also allow those who wish to follow a different route a second option, though they will also be strictly regulated, as has always been the case..."Since it had already been discussed that the Guild would be the third power in the world, at least for the time being, Ouranos readily offered his 'compromise'. This allowed him to continue serving as a mediator and, with his presence, there were few amongst the gods who could offer any complaints. Like all of the Primordial Deities, he was simply on a different level than almost every god who had come after as, unlike the 'fractured' gods that came into existence after the formation of the Three Realms, he had a whole and perfect Divinity. With nearly a billion years showing him as an impartial party that observed the world and helped maintain the balance, nobody had grounds to call his motives into question, at least openly.Though she put on a show of being bothered by the compromise, Loki eventually nodded her head in agreement after conferring with the other gods that would make up the Divine Council. They then announced their candidacy to the Denatus before taking vows, Ouranos standing witness as they each came under the influence of the World's Laws. There were also a few gods who offered up their own names for candidacy, smelling an opportunity to garner greater power and authority during the inception phase of the Divine Council. Without exception, they were all shut down rather quickly after a quick tongue-lashing from Loki as she explained why they were unqualified for the role. Since even goddesses like Anubis and Artemis wouldn't be on the Divine Council, she had a lot of leeway in justifying what qualified others for the role...Though the Denatus was generally used to talk about various matters, the establishment of the Divine Council had taken center stage, eating up most of the second day's time. Once everything was settled, a few servants were tasked with rearranging the seating within the chamber. Now, instead of there being a table for the top ten most influential gods, there was a much larger table that could easily seat the thirty-nine potential members that would represent all gods in the Divine Council. More than a third of the table was empty, giving some of the gods present ideas about how they could gain a seat for themselves, but that was a matter for later. Currently, there was a bit of a festive atmosphere in the air as everyone discussed who the Divine Council would choose, even though everyone present was keenly aware of who the most likely candidate was...As the most 'senior' member of the Divine Council, Hestia ended up becoming the de facto leader, even though Loki was still the acting representative. The structure of the Council would have every member enjoy the same status but, at least for the time being, there was a basic hierarchy in play that depended on seniority and the purity of one's Divinity. Since these things were the basis for why the members were selected, it was important to make a point of this matter during the Council's creation. As a result, Hestia was seated closest to Ouranos and, looking decidedly less nervous than she would have in the past, she sat ramrod straight on an elevated chair as she said, "The first act of the Divine Council will be to recognize Vahn Mason as the Emperor of Eden. He has already laid a strong foundation that has the potential to lead the entire continent towards greater prosperity. He already has more followers than even the most prominent gods and, with his various contributions to both mortals and gods, I can see none better suited to the position...!"Hestia got a little too excited towards the end of her words, using the table to support her rather lively exclamation. This caused a small bout of laughter among the other gods in the Divine Council, leading to Hestia's face turning scarlet red as she struggled to keep her composure. Fortunately, Hephaestus quickly raised her hand, a cool smile on her face as she unhesitantly stated, "I support the election of Vahn Mason as the first Emperor seated by the Divine Council..." Her words expressly supported Vahn's rise but, as many of the gods present noticed, they also left wiggle room for other potential Emperors in the future. Few knew that Vahn was genuinely immortal so, in the event that he lost interest in leading directly, the core members of the Divine Council had already created a way out for him...Following Hephaestus' words, every other member of the Divine Council made their support for the decision known before turning to Ouranos, obviously intending for him to speak on the issue. As the 'third party' in the situation, Ouranos also had the right to speak so he gave a simple nod before saying, "In recognition of his accomplishments, I can see no reason to impede the decision of the Divine Council on this day. Henceforth, Vahn Mason will be known, not simply as the Sage Aldrnari, but the Sage-Emperor of Orario. His final title will be the decision of the Divine Council and the Sage-Emperor himself..." Ouranos actually found it rather fitting that the first Emperor was also widely recognized as both a Saint and a Sage. Though those titles would pale in comparison to his position as a genuine Emperor, he felt it was only proper to combine the two since Vahn was a rather unique existence in the endless stream of time he had observed...Finding Ouranos' recommendation rather appropriate, Loki looked towards Hestia and, seeing the latter nod, smiled rather wickedly as she said, "I vote that Vahn's official title and name become Sage-Emperor, Aldrnari the First. His full name will be Vahn Aldrnari Mason...!" Though it would have been more appropriate to change his last name to Aldrnari, Loki knew this probably wouldn't go over well with Vahn himself. He likely wouldn't complain about the decision but, knowing his past, there was a good chance Vahn wouldn't outright accept it either. None of them wanted to cause him to experience any great melancholy or sadness so, even though she was very tempted to tease him a bit, Loki quickly compromised in a way she knew Vahn would easily accept.With Loki's outburst, the second round of discussion began before it was ultimately decided that Vahn would officially become known as the Sage-Emperor, Aldrnari. He would no longer be the Captain of the Hestia Familia, as the position became somewhat irrelevant, but would remain as the Supreme Commander of the Alliance which, at least for the time being, wouldn't have its structure altered much. Ultimately, the Alliance would become the backbone of Vahn's Empire but, on the surface, it would be considered the extension of the Divine Council. It was Vahn's title as Supreme Commander that would grant him authority over the Alliance, something that was only allowed due to the discretion of the Divine Council itself. Like this, it would always appear as if the two were meant to balance each other and, as that was Vahn's actual intent, things would remain this way for an indeterminant amount of time.After Vahn's title and name were deciding, the festive atmosphere that had been building up finally exploded into a full-scale celebration of sorts. Though there were many gods that experienced various levels of trepidation, Vahn's popularity wasn't limited to other mortals. He had already enjoyed a great deal of fanfare from most goddesses while many gods who had joined the Alliance had also grown fond of him. They considered him a truly exceptional mortal and, without any real justification for opposing his rise to power, they quickly joined the celebratory atmosphere since it ultimately didn't matter to them who was in charge. They only thing they really cared about were their individual Familia and appeasing their Divinities, both things that had become much easier after joining the Alliance...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Politics are very boring...!','Fake it till you make it~!','Vahn is very 'popular' with the goddesses o3o~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 970: Rumors