Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the 'convenient' hole that had been created for them, Vahn descended into the 70th Floor with Ais and Shizune at his side. They were both taken aback with the seemingly infinite darkness that existed below, causing Shizune to hold onto Vahn's sleeve as Ais spread out a small tempest of air to 'feel' her surroundings. Even Shizune's Shadows weren't able to see within the darkness without a light to guide their way, making it very difficult for her to spread her network outward without issue. She had tried to send out a few dozen small animals like rabbits and snakes to scout the area but, after entering into the various illusory barriers in the surroundings, she had to give up due to the mental strain and extreme nausea that began to rise up from her stomach.Vahn lightly stroked Shizune's head and ears to help her stay calm while infusing [Enkidu] into his domain to illuminate their surroundings. It was still unbelievably dark, as the floor and ceiling above absorbed all light, but Vahn's domain caused a golden aura to spread through the area like a bubble. It was a strange sight to behold but it still allowed the girls to get their bearings, giving Shizune the leeway to murmur, "This place...I don't like it..." Though she had affinities related to Darkness and Shadow, Shizune had never experienced such 'absolute' darkness before. It was incredibly unnerving and, without the presence of Vahn, she felt as if she could have gotten lost in the darkness for an eternity without ever being afforded the opportunity to escape...Ais was calmer than Shizune but there was a noticeable hint of fear in her eyes as she nodded her head in response to the former's words. Even with the ability to sense her surroundings through her strong connection with WInd Elemental energy, not being able to see even a few centimeters in front of her was more than a little terrifying. It was almost as if she had gone blind for a brief moment, causing Ais to feel an incredible feeling of relief when Vahn illuminated the area. She was now holding hands with him as the three of them slowly navigated through the pitch black terrain, their destination the mirror artifact at the 'core' of the complex formation.With Vahn leading the way, it didn't take that long for them to reach their destination, causing Ais and Shizune to both visibly relax after entering the well-lit area. He had Shizune leave a path of pheromones with a few snake and insectoid Shadows along the way, the primary reason for their delayed progress. Though the Dungeon would probably remove their existence after a few days, Vahn wanted to determine if it was a viable method to traverse through the darkness as others would likely need assistance in doing so. Since many Demi-Humans had extremely sensitive noses, especially when it came to certain types of pheromones, Vahn believed it would be the most reliable method available to most Adventurers that would pass through the darkness in the future.After collecting themselves, Shizune and Ais began to look around the area, both spotting the statue located at the very center of the formation. Ais' eyes widened slightly while Shizune's mouth hung agape as she exclaimed intermixed with incredulity and awe, "How beautiful..." Vahn couldn't really blame him for their reaction as, without his [Will of the Emperor], he wasn't sure if he would be able to resist the nagging temptation to stay in this area, never leaving the statue's side. It was very possible that, when other people found this place in the future, some would become completely enamored with the statue and refuse to leave the area, at least without trying everything in their power to remove the statue and claim it for themselves...As they made their way over to the statue, both Ais and Shizune kept their gazes affixed to it, the light of admiration reflecting across their irises. Upon nearing the statue, Shizune couldn't help but comment, "I've never seen such a realistic statue...it's almost like she is going to come to life at any moment..." Adding to this, Ais nodded her head before saying, "It feels like there is someone inside the statue..." These words had caused Vahn's brows to raise as even he could barely feel the 'intent' contained within the statue. He credited to the fact that Ais was one of the original heroines of the world and probably had some kind of connection with Nuwa.It was nearly impossible to deduce how far the version of Danmachi he was in would have progressed as even purchasing a manga that accounted for events in the far future, linking present and future events together served almost no purpose whatsoever. Outside of discovering the existence of a few key figures, there were no great benefits to such research as there wasn't a single version of the manga that accounted for his presence within the record. Vahn had even found several versions of the story that took events in a completely different direction, sometimes with other transmigrators living their own lives, often with even less restraint than he showed. With a 'literal' infinite number of iterations of the same story, Vahn was better served to enjoy tea with girls like Sylphia or Cassandra. Both had relatively powerful clairvoyance and he knew that they would appreciate his company...Vahn was broken from his momentary reverie when Shizune did something rather shocking, causing him to pale slightly as she reached up and rubbed her palm across the chest of the statue. During his last visit, Vahn's instincts gave him the impression that it was extremely 'dangerous' to touch the statue, especially knowing there was an intent contained within. Though he had been tempted on several occasions, Vahn had managed to avoid giving in to his curiosity since it simply felt 'wrong' to touch the statue, especially in such a 'bold' manner. What surprised him even more, however, was when Shizune's eyes widened fully as she exclaimed, "It's warm...!" while wiggling her dexterous fingers along the delicate and unblemished stone surface...Feeling a peculiar sensation pass through his body, causing alarm bells to ring in his mind, Vahn moved forward and snatched Shizune's hand as he exasperatedly stated, "Shizune, please don't touch this statue...it isn't a normal work of art and there is very likely a powerful entity linked to it. Besides, couldn't you have touched someone else...?" For the first time in a long while, Vahn felt his brain buzz with slight anxiety as his instincts were still sounding warning bells, even though they had slowly started to die down. Shizune also seemed to have finally sensed something, showing an apologetic expression on her face as she murmured, "I'm sorry..." in a sheepish voice. She wasn't used to Vahn nearly shouting at her and felt her heart racing when he snatched her wrist with a little more force than was necessary...Vahn noticed the small bruise around Shizune's wrist and felt a bit of panic in his heart as he sent a wave of healing energy through his palm while bringing her into his embrace, repeating, "I'm sorry..." in a similarly apologetic tone. At this time, the alarms going off in his mind died down in an instant, replaced by a strangely calm atmosphere as Vahn continued to console Shizune, even though it was her own actions that had nearly caused a catastrophe. He didn't know what would have happened but, for a brief moment, Vahn experienced an extreme amount of regret and nearly followed his instincts to try and escape with the two girls before whatever danger lurking made itself known.After things had settled down a bit, Vahn gave Shizune one last affectionate stroke through her silky hair before he began explaining the use of the small oval hand mirror. Though he had tried several experiments himself, Vahn knew there were still secrets he had yet to uncover and wanted to have other people experience the uniqueness of the mirror artifact in order to verify his hypothesis. Since Shizune may have offended the entity that controlled the statue, Vahn had Ais peer into the mirror, causing the latter to surprisingly say, "Show me my mother, Aria..." He had expected her to ask about the One-Eyed Black Dragon, as it was pretty much guaranteed that Aria had already died, but Vahn could also understand if Ais wanted to make sure of the matter personally...Surprisingly, the surface of the mirror began to emanate a vibrant white light before it faded away, revealing a rather confusing scene to the three curious onlookers. Ais looked up into the air towards a place that was seemingly devoid of any presence while Vahn continued to observe the mirror, moving his hand around to see the image of himself in its reflection. The mirror was currently showing the three of them standing next to the statue, with the main focal point being Ais herself. This caused her to feel an incredible amount of confusion as she turned back to the mirror, a small frown on her face as she asked, "What are you trying to tell me...?"Unlike Ais, Vahn had a few guesses at what the mirror was showing Ais and, knowing exactly how she had been created, it wasn't that much of a stretch to believe his postulation was correct. Though Ais certainly had her own soul, it was very likely that her several incarnations had left a few imprints on her ego, especially with the experiments that had been conducted during her creation. Vahn reached out his hand, placing it on Ais' shoulder in a supporting gesture as he quietly explained, "Perhaps, because of her existence as a Great Spirit, your mother has been protecting you ever since you were separated in the past...it would make sense, considering the power of your Innates and the fate you had inherited as a result of your parents' desire to protect you..."Though it wasn't the full truth, as Vahn didn't fully understand the nature of Great Spirits, he knew that Ais' abilities weren't entirely her own. They had been 'given' to her when she was created and, with mana and Spirits almost being one and the same, there was a certain amount of truth behind his words. Though Aria had lost her ego, at least until she truly reincarnated in the future, part of it had left an impression on Ais' soul, protecting it through the generations in the hopes of liberating her daughter from the dark fate that others had decided for her. The fact that Ais had managed to escape, being 'spawned' in an unexpected area where the Loki Familia could protect her, could very well have been the result of Aria's lingering 'will'...Unable to make sense of what the mirror had shown her, Ais decided to believe in Vahn's words, adorning a small smile on her face as she said, "Thank you, Vahn...I'm certain your words are the truth..." Ais brought her hand over her heart as she spoke, feeling a small warmth flow through her chest as the perpetual wind that flowed around her body suddenly seemed more gentle than before. Neither of them was aware of it but, with the small change in her perspective, Ais' [Child of Wind] Innate had upgraded, jumping from A-Rank to SS-Rank in an instant. The only thing she knew was that the wind surrounding her body suddenly seemed extremely comfortable, almost as if it had truly become a part of her body.Vahn had felt the slight change but put it to the back of his mind as he wrapped his arms around Ais and comforted her for a short while, only separating when a flash of light caught their attention. With Vahn and Ais in their own little world, Shizune had decided to test her own luck, peering into the mirror's surface as she whispered, "Show me my surviving family members..." Since she had been orphaned after her village was attacked long ago, Shizune had always been curious about any family she might have back in the Far East. She hadn't been as focused on revenge in the last few years, confident she could take it whenever she pleased, so Shizune was more curious about if she still had a family. Since she would be accompanying Vahn to the Far East, Shizune wanted a reason other than revenge to visit her homeland...What appeared in the mirror had, once again, surprised all three people that had taken a peek at its contents. Shizune's surprise quickly transitioned into a cold and threatening look, however, as the person reflected in the mirror seemed to be a small girl of only 6-7 years old that was being kept in what looked like a small prison cell. She was wearing nothing but a tattered hempen kimono that had several stains and holes while curling up in a small ball as she resisted the lingering cold that sapped away the vitality of her fragile and malnourished body. Though it wasn't guaranteed that the girl in the mirror was truly one of Shizune's relatives, the fact they both had amethyst eyes and were members of the Kitsune race increased the odds quite a bit.Vahn withheld a sigh as he saw the fury that had seized Shizune, something he couldn't fault her for as his own blood was beginning to boil after seeing the rather sorry state of the girl in the mirror. He didn't know why she had been imprisoned but, considering how young she was, Vahn knew whoever threw her in the cold stone cell was a cruel and vicious person. Though Shizune wasn't controlling the mirror to look around, Vahn could see the tell-tale signs of other prisoners in the surroundings, some even younger than the young Kitsune in the focal point of the mirror. He didn't get that much time to observe the scene though as Shizune's icy voice sounded out, saying, "Show me another member of my family...show me that girl's parents...!"Shizune felt a cold fury overwhelm her but, remembering her original purpose, she decided to see if she had any other family that was, hopefully, in a better situation. She didn't know why but Shizune felt like, regardless of the situation she found her other family members in, part of her would blame them for the state of the young girl. When the mirror's surface began to shine again, her pupils turned into small dots as she focused intently on whatever would appear before her. Nothing could have prepared her for the scene that would be reflected and, if not for Vahn's presence, Shizune felt like she would have gone on a rampage as she 'needed' to destroy something, anything, just to deal with the overwhelming anger and anxiety she was feeling...Vahn held Shizune's trembling body as he stared coldly at the image reflected in the mirror, feelings of rage welling up in his own heart as he watched a woman who seemed vaguely related to the young Kitsune lounging in a chair as servants waited on her hand and foot. She was adorned in a high-quality kimono while golden ornaments held her silky black hair in a complex hairstyle that accented her two pointed fox-like ears. It was very obvious that she was extremely well off, causing several questions to come to mind since what should have been her daughter was, at this very moment, suffering. As if she was completely unaware of this fact, the woman had a rather cold and sadistic smile on her face as she used her sharp fingernails to draw a thin line of blood along the bare chest of one of her male attendants...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Into the Darkest Dungeon...','Shameless...!','Hate...haaaaaate...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Vahn spent a fair amount of time helping Shizune regain her composure as the three of them sat near the vicinity of the statue and ate a light meal together. Surprisingly, Shizune hadn't asked him to head to the Far East any sooner than planned as, according to her, there was no need to worry about people she had never met when there were plenty of people suffering in the world. Even Ais didn't believe this excuse, however, as she gave Shizune a contemplative look throughout the meal that said, 'I won't let you go alone'. Vahn agreed with this sentiment, somewhat roughly stroking Shizune's head as he said, "I have the power of Space...if I can't use it during moments like this, what else is it good for...?"Shizune knew that Vahn was very busy in the present and didn't want to inconvenience him over her own personal matters. Still, hearing him console her and show genuine concern for people that were almost entirely unrelated to her made Shizune want to cry. She managed to keep the waterworks at bay but still nuzzled against Vahn's chest rather affectionately as she intoned a small 'Nn...' in response. In truth, Vahn didn't really need to change his plans to visit the Far East on schedule as, if he used his Qinglong form effectively, it wouldn't necessarily take more than a few hours to find the suffering girl and liberate her. As for the woman that should be her mother, she was someone they could deal with at any time so Vahn intended to 'brand' her with a tracking ward so that she wouldn't be able to escape.---After explaining the situation to the girls back at the 'daycare', Vahn managed to extricate himself from his children. He was thinking about the best course of action while Lili followed behind, completely silent as she seemed to be trying to read his mind. Though he didn't need any help in rescuing a single person, Vahn was intending to ask Fenrir to accompany him since it was often better to have more people in the event something unexpected happened. Lili didn't know exactly what Vahn was thinking but, as if to make her presence more obvious, she kept cycling through various forms in the periphery of his vision until Vahn released a small chuckle and asked, "Will you accompany me, Lili...?"Lili had just adopted one of her more 'adorable' forms, growing thin pink hair around her forearms and legs, matching the color atop her head and the cat-like tail poking out from the small fold that was present in most of her clothing. Since she had the habit of transforming quite a bit, while even her [Pactio] gave her a monkey-like tail, Lili's clothes were customized to allow for ease of movement in almost any form. This particular form was Lili's attempt to make a Cat Person that had some of the racial traits she had tried to copy from a Vanargandr, meaning she had an incredible sense of smell and excellent vision. As for why it was pink, that was just an aesthetic choice that Lili had made when she was trying to think of how to make herself more 'unique' to suit Vahn's preferences...Hearing Vahn's question, Lili beamed a mischevious and excited smile as she pumped her fist victoriously and said, "Of course I'll go~!" She had, less than secretly, been wanting to accompany Vahn on one of his 'missions', much like many of the girls. They would, at times, feel useless since he was constantly dealing with the more dangerous and troublesome affairs on his own. The matter with the One-Eyed Black Dragon had taken them by surprise, as they had expected Vahn to at least severely injuring it before giving Ais the chance to fight. He was overprotective, almost to an extreme, something that made the girls feel gratified but extremely self-conscious since they all worked hard to grow stronger to stand at his side...Vahn was slightly taken aback by how excited Lili was to simply accompany him for a short trip but, instead of thinking about it too deeply, he just habitually began stroking her silky hair in an affectionate manner until Fenrir showed up a few moments later. The latter gave Lili a glance, understanding she would also be accompanying them, before fixing her gaze upon her Master and saying, "I am ready, Master. Let's go save Shizune's family...!" She had already intuited the details through her connection with Vahn, unlike Lili who was still waiting for a deeper explanation into what they would be doing. When she heard Fenrir's words, Lili produced and imperceptible frown, feeling slightly envious of the fact that Fenrir's 'bond' with Vahn was strong enough that she could 'literally' read his mind at times...Noticing the momentary shift in Lili's aura, Vahn gave the small Pallum a questioning look with his eyes before she immediately reverted back to normal with a sheepish grin on her face. He knew the girls would, at times, feel small bouts of envy or jealousy towards each other so it wasn't that much of a surprise, especially considering that Lili treated Fenrir as something akin to a 'rival'. The two had grown much closer after Lili allowed Fenrir to learn her [Cinder*Ella], but that only served to increase their competitiveness since both would attempt to make the cutest, fluffiest, or most adorable form in an attempt to appeal to him. Because Fenrir had inherited Lili's 'experience' with the skill, she had quickly caught up with the latter's use of the skill and the competition had been somewhat fierce, especially when the two were together...Without dallying too much, Vahn explained the situation while in his Qinglong transformation, his intent quickly moving across the vast and seemingly endless sea as he continued speaking to the two girls from the Manor's courtyard. It hadn't taken long for him to discover that, instead of simply 'teleporting' his intent to a specific point, Vahn was able to move it around at startling speeds without the need to move his actual body. Though this kind of 'clairvoyance' was rather taxing on the mind and his reserves, it would allow Vahn to 'map' areas without actually visiting them while also giving him one of the most versatile methods to spy on any potential enemies.After a little under an hour, Vahn's intent had traversed the Poseidon Sea and he quickly found himself passing over various mountain ranges and scenic landscapes, all while using clues provided by the mirror and Shizune to locate the approximate location of her family members. They had already concluded that, other than one other person, a middle-aged Kitsune woman who seemed to work at a small store in the Far East, the affluent woman and her horribly mistreated daughter were Shizune's only family. How they were related was still a mystery, as families often grew estranged with each other and could even branch out to create new families, but that wasn't really a reason to ignore the younger Kitsune's plight.While he was searching around for the larger residence that was used by Shizune's vicious relative, Vahn was still back in the Dungeon helping to pacify Shizune. He couldn't teleport her out of the Dungeon quickly and then take her across the Sea with him in a timely manner so he had decided to keep her in the area for the time being as he dealt with things personally. When they finally returned to the surface, after scouting the location of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Vahn promised that things would have already been dealt with and, if Shizune chose to, she could become the guardian of her young family member. This had come as a surprise to her as, even in her indignant rage, Shizune hadn't actually thought she might have to be the caretaker of the young girl as even thoughts of having children of her own were a distant issue in the future...Ultimately, it didn't matter where the young girl would end up as simply removing her from such a toxic situation would be infinitely better than what she was currently going through. If Shizune was unable to care for the girl, which was completely reasonable given everything going on around the Manor, they could easily find someone willing to do so. Vahn was already considering having the young Kitsune attend the School as, not only would it increase her knowledge and power, it would provide her with a safe environment where she could make friends. He had no doubt she had experienced great trauma and it would only be through experiencing the kindness of others, in an environment where she could prosper, that she would be able to move on and overcome the past...With such thoughts in mind, Vahn found himself above a two-tiered building of Far Eastern design, having a gently sloping roof that came to a point that was extremely ornate. It was almost entirely comprised of wood, each component of the building meticulously carved to increase the aesthetic appeal of the large manor below. There were several posts and lintels supporting the overall structure while many of the walls, as was common in many Far Eastern concepts, were relatively thin and could easily be rearranged for various purposes. They weren't designed to be load-bearing at all, making the true support for the large building the various reinforced pillars that held everything together. The only exception to this was the 'inner sanctum', the part of the building that was reserved as general living quarters and often housed various treasures and shrines.From the very moment Vahn's intent arrived in the air above the Manor, ripples began to appear on Space itself before small fractures could be seen. An appendage with azure scales and golden claws broke through the void, causing Space to madly withdraw from the area as Vahn pulled Fenrir and Lili along with him. It wasn't that difficult to move through Space on his own, as his Qinglong form seemed almost immune to any detrimental effects, but Vahn had to take extra precautions when moving others. The unstable 'nothingness' between Space could tear apart virtually anything, meaning he needed to protect the girls by having them as close to his body as possible when making the transfer. Even then, the cost for moving anyone other than himself was immense so Vahn found himself gasping for air as he quickly downed a [Turbo Ether] to replenish his reserves.Though few people could sense spatial fluctuations, Space being torn apart wasn't a very subtle act, causing extremely loud noises like glass shattering to echo throughout the area. The barriers surrounding the Manor also fractured as a result of Space trying to repair itself while areas of the ground below had been pulled up, distorting the land and disturbing the previously immaculate landscaping that decorated the manor's surroundings. These were all significant events that drew a lot of attention, causing several guards that wielded Sasumata, a type of weapon used to capture criminals, began to appear. There were also several men that wielded katanas, spears, and naginata that came from the interior of the residence, turning their eyes skyward with tense looks adorning their otherwise fearless expressions.Vahn didn't consider himself too prideful in the past but, knowing he was already an Emperor, he was determined to play the part as he looked down on the men below with scorn and contempt. It helped that he was in his Qinglong form as, even with his [Will of the Emperor], Vahn noticed that it was very easy to feel such emotions in this particular transformation. As a result, some guards were unable to remain steady on their feet, even before Vahn actually allowed his aura to descend upon them like the Heavens themselves collapsing. He even suspected that the SSS-Ranked magic ability he had possessed in the Divination, [Heaven's Fall], was inspired by a similar concept, giving Vahn a bit of inspiration...---Sano Tomonori was, by his own admission, a true prodigy with the sword. Even when he was growing up in an impoverished environment where others would have broken under the pressure and strain of their own hunger, he had been able to temper his body and mind, cultivating an unshakeable discipline and desire for strength. As a result, even as young as seven years old, he had managed to best a Ronin, a wandering or disgraced Samurai, taking his victim's prided weapons as his own. Though the man had been drunk at the time, Tomonori was still proud to have defeated an enemy much larger and more skilled than himself...From that moment onward, Tomonori became slightly famous in his small village and quickly rose to power amongst the other downtrodden youths in the area. As weapons were very hard to come by, especially well-crafted katana, he was able to garner a great deal of respect and admiration just carrying them at his hip. Since people knew he had taken them from a Ronin, someone they couldn't see themselves defeating, nobody challenged his rise to greater power. This gave Tomonori enough time to cultivate his budding skills even further, to the point that he was actually able to defeat minor bandits and troublemaking Ronin, many much older than himself, with relative ease.Remembering the respect his fellow villagers had shown him in the past, Tomonori felt a bit regretful that he had left them behind after becoming an adult, all in the pursuit of honor and supposed glory. He had once desired to become the greatest swordsman in the land, not because he truly cared for the title, but because it would have made the people in his village feel prideful that they had produced such a prodigy. However, with the passage of time, Tomonori had abandoned such thoughts and, after coming to serve his current mistress, his skills with the sword had been stagnating while his personal pride, especially in the bedroom, had been growing...Realizing how far he had deviated from his original path, to the point that he had even stopped sending money back to help support his village, Tomonori felt an overwhelming sense of shame. Unfortunately, such thoughts were entirely too late as, from the moment the 'god of death' had appeared above his mistress' manor, his journey had come to an end. Any pride he had in his own skill was crushed before the fight even began as, the moment Tomonori made eye contact with Vahn, it felt as if every bone in his body had turned to soft pudding. The sword that almost never left his side was instinctually dropped by his right hand, almost as if doing so might afford him some small hope that tragedy could be avoided...As if to refute this kindling hope, an oppressive aura descended upon, not just Tomonori's body, but everyone present within the Manor's courtyard. It felt as if the weight of a mountain was pressing down on him as his knees buckled. Tomonori found himself forced into a deep bow with his forehead pressed to the ground, as if he was being forced to repent for all of his past actions. He even found himself lamenting the fact he had the audacity to look the god-like being before him in the eyes as tears began to build in his own. Then, a strange feeling of relief suddenly swallowed Tomonori, causing him to feel both confused and excited at the same time. He attempted to lift his head to express his gratitude to the divine being that had spared him, only to find the action impossible as darkness quickly overtook his vision. After that, the only thought that passed through his mind was simply, 'I miss the ramen that Kana used to make for me...'.---Following his instincts, Vahn extended his hand outward and allowed his domain to spread through the area, forcing an irresistible pressure to descend upon the gathered guards below. Even the strongest amongst them was merely Level 3, meaning they couldn't even offer a small amount of resistance against the pressure of his domain. Then, not content with this show of power, Vahn increased the pressure even more as he pushed forward with his palm. Space began to compress within the area, much like the phenomenon he had created with the Sub-Space orb back at the Manor. This time, however, Vahn was condensing Space to an extreme and in a very short period of time, causing the ground below to begin to 'bend' downward as he muttered, "Heaven's Fall..." in a deep and resonating voice.Though the effect of the 'spell' had already started to manifest themselves, a very different phenomenon occurred when the words left Vahn's mouth. He had already created a basic structure for the spell within his mind and, though it was only 'nameless magic' at present, any Space Elemental offensive spell was truly monstrous. It wasn't one of the foundational elements for no reason, taking Vahn, Lili, and Fenrir by surprise as a second wave of 'pressure' descended upon the designated area. In an instant, Space condensed to the point that it felt as if time itself had stopped, followed by what could only be described as a 'collapse'. The fabric of the void seemed to break down, causing chaotic fluctuations that began to rapidly devour everything within the targetted area, leaving behind 'literally' nothing after Space had stabilized. The only indicator of the attack was the gaping hole that seemed to extend more than 100m into the earth without a single sign of debris where there had once been several layers of subsurface soil and rock...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Fluffiest of all Rivalries','Vahn, Godhand, Sage-Emperor, and Ero-Sannin...? The ultimate peeking skill has been obtained...!','O________________O')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

Chapter 972: Reflection